A tea-ribute to Lady Grey

Drinking tea is a very British pass time.  When I think of tea and Britain I always recollect a great scene from Guy Ritchie’s cult classic Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.  It went as follows:

Eddie: The entire British empire was built on cups of tea…

Bacon: Yeah, and look what happened to that.

Eddie: … And if you think I’m going to war without one, mate, you’re mistaken.

A bloodless victory

I'm a little bit ashamed, but I have to admit that while walking through the aisles of our local green grocer last weekend I was guilty of releasing an excited, childish squeal of delight.  You might wonder what made me react in such a manner.  Well, you see, what was just a normal Saturday afternoon grocery shop was transformed when I set eyes upon a table of plump blood oranges.

Blood oranges are notoriously hard to grow, requiring dry, hot summers and cold winters.  According to Red Belly Citrus, a local producer of blood oranges with orchards in the Riverina region of New South Wales, they need to be grown in a location that will provide temperatures that are almost freezing at night and very high temperatures throughout the day.

They also have a relatively small season, running from August to October.  This, combined with the limited number of producers in Australia, means that there's only a very small window to enjoy this extraordinarily, exotic-looking fruit.

Recipe roadtest: Spiced tomato relish

Despite being a relatively regular Masterchef viewer I must admit that it irks me that almost everyone’s food dream revolves around opening their own restaurants.  Look, it’s admirable that they have these goals, but can we please leave the restaurant game to suitably qualified professionals?

I do, however, appreciate the obvious love and zeal that the contestants have for food and cooking (which to some extent I share).  Some of the feats they undertake in the kitchen successfully frequently make me think, if they can do it, and they’re regular Joes, so can I!

Until recently, our home only paid host to Masterchef when on TV.  I did not own any of their cookbooks (because if I could choose anyone’s cook book, why would I choose one of theirs?).  That was until recently, when I became the owner of one their cookbooks only by virtue of the fact it was in the $5 throw out bin at my local supermarket.

Marion Grasby is probably better known for not winning Masterchef, defecting television networks to appear on The Celebrity Apprentice and not winning that either and finally returning to Ten as a Masterchef All Star.  

Her cook book, simply titled ‘Marion' has been produced with a keen eye and attention to detail.  It looks simply gorgeous with its matte pages, beautiful photography, heart warming stories, interesting styling and simple illustrations.  From my recollections of her from TV the book seems very ‘Marion’. 

Vietnam dreaming

I have an easy relationship with Vietnam.  A beautiful place, with friendly people and delicious food, it was hard not to fall in love.  Those of you who have been there before will probably agree I’m sure (at least, I hope you would). 

Since my return this easy love affair has turned into a not-so-secret obsession.  Our Lonely Planet guide to Vietnam has been there and back no less than four times since.  There’s no doubt in my mind that my friends are going solely due to my persuasiveness – or, perhaps, to shut me up.  But no matter how you look at it, I’ve been a boon to the Vietnamese travel market (really).

A street market selling lanterns in Hoi An

Sugar cravings

Was going through some photos from our recent trip, and came across this mouth-wateringly, teeth-achingly sweet collection of cakes.  We indulged on these sweet little cakes when we were in Malang, Indonesia.  They’re from the Roti Tugu Bakery, around the corner from the Tugu Malang Hotel.  I would go back to Malang just for these cakes. Yes.  They are THAT good.  

Re-run Rutherglen: Part 2 - Parker Pies

It’s unthinkable.  It’s in equal measures true and devastating… What could possibly make me this distraught?  The other night I opened the freezer and made a horrifying discovery.  M and I are down to our last Parker Pie.  Yes, that’s right there’s not even enough to share.

(An even number of pies was originally purchased, however, whilst M was out gallivanting I was chowing down on a pie… Which has resulted in my current state of pielessness *gasp*).

The humble meat pie, quintessential Aussie cuisine, easily and frequently executed poorly, but mouth-watering, glorious and divine when done well.  What distinguishes the good from the bad?  For me: a thick, rich meaty filling encased in a pastry that is buttery and flaky.  But I am no professional. I’ll leave that to the judges of the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition.  

In my search for the perfect meat pie I have learned a few things.  For one you will not find the perfect meat pie down the frozen food aisle of your local supermarket. Why? Food Standards Australia and New Zealand only require a ‘meat’ pie to contain a minimum of 25 per cent ‘meat flesh’!  In fact, after reading this Choice report you might choose to avoid supermarket pies altogether. I wouldn’t blame you.

I have unearthed some true gems in my quest… Ok, only one.  But this journey of discovery is only beginning.  This initial discovery has inspired me to explore, taste and gorge all in the hopes of finding that singularly irresistible meat pie.

This leads me to Main Street, Rutherglen. Diagonal from Tapsell’s second hand bookshop, across from the IGA, between the Bank on Main and The Victoria Hotel you’ll find Parker Pies, a place where the humble pie is elevated to magnificent heights.

The new Scholar in town

To celebrate my first communion as a kid my parents took me to yum cha at the New Shanghai restaurant in Dickson.  I vividly remember the craziness, the hustle and bustle.  The restaurant was abuzz with conversation, clattering plates, the clink of porcelain against porcelain as another Chinese tea was poured, the swoosh of fabric as another table cloth was swept away making room for the next lot of customers.  I remember the white silk dress I wore, with the gauzy overlay with bright orange and brown flowers embroidered on the front.

It was overwhelming.  And ever since I have had a love affair with yum cha.  There's something special about the perfectly portioned mouthful sized delicacies, served in their bamboo steamers and rolled around the restaurant in those tinny little trollies.

Those of you who know me and my family well have most likely been dragged to a yum cha lunch or two...

If you've been to yum cha this will be a familiar sight!

Re-run Rutherglen: Part 1

It was only a few posts ago that I alluded to my love of chocolate.  And it was more than a few ago that I told you that we had traveled to Rutherglen and loved it.  It was in that same post that I promised to share some highlights in the coming weeks and months.  So, it's been months, what are you going to do about it?


Renaissance chocolates is a jewel. Located several kilometres off the Murray Valley Highway, down Booraham East Road, you'll come across a dilapidated tin shed.  Surrounded by eucalypts and bordered by a wood and wire fence you'd almost be forgiven for not stopping and not giving a second though to it.  However, if you knew what this place was home to, you'd regret, and not be forgiven, for not stopping, especially if you didn't give it a second thought.

Inside this unassuming shed is a treasure for all chocolate lovers.  The love that the owners Robyn and Neil Funston have for chocolate and the region is palpable.  They infuse their chocolates with the best that the region has to offer - from Beechworth honey hidden inside a milk chocolate beehive to a Rutherglen muscat flavoured ganache truffle.

From back: Rich caramel log, velvet vanilla, chilli block, ruby orange, beehive, cinnamon square

Recipe road-test: Biscuity business

Yesterday was Anzac Day.  It's probably one of the most solemn and reverent days in Australia - a day to remember those that have represented Australia in military operations.  But it is not all sombre, lightened with rounds of two-up with mates, and the eponymous Anzac biscuit.

We probably all know the history of the Anzac biscuit, so I won't bother rehashing, except for the fact that they must have been pretty terrible to start with as the diggers used to refer to them as Anzac tiles!

I had initially thought that I would 'road-test' a recipe, detailed with standard highs, lows, success or failure.  However, in the initial stages of research I came across an amazing phenomenon.  What? The proliferation of fancy Anzacs biscuit recipes, with additions of spices, nuts, fruit and chocolate.  A seemingly endless variety of Anzacs.  That's all it took for one mission to be buried and another to born.

The new challenge? Three types of biscuits.  So, dear reader, just for you, I ventured in to my kitchen and made not one, not two, but three batches of Anzac biscuits.

Clockwise from left: White chocolate and macadamia, ginger and chocolate, traditional.