Its been 16 hours and 4 minutes since my last bite.

Hello my name is Bridget and I am a choco-holic… AND LOVING IT!!!

I haven’t always been enamoured by the delights of chocolate consumption, and was more of a jellybean girl for most of my life. But thanks to a recent Chocolate Tour of Sydney that I was fortunate enough to attend, I’ve been caught by the chocolate bug… Hook, line and sinker.

This recipe is a beautiful example of why you should put chocolate on the top of your to do list, because at least you will get one thing done. But, if your worried about maintaining a balanced diet, hold your chocolate in both hands.

Still need more Chocolate? Join me in Sydney for a Chocolate Workshop and fall in love with Cacoa all over again!

The 10-min Chocolate Remarkable Puddings

Ingredients

Makes enough for 6 individual puddings

200g Good quality Rich dark bittersweet chocolate ~ I use one with 70% cocoa solids

4 large free range eggs ~ at room temperature

100g caster sugar

100g unsalted butter

1 Tbs hazelnut liquer

1 Tbs ground hazelnuts

Mascarpone to serve

Procedure

• Preheat the oven on fan cooking 200 C/ 400 F with shelf positioned in the middle of the oven
• Melt together the chocolate and butter on induction setting 2 or in a metal bowl resting over a pot of simmering water. Once the chocolate mixture is smooth and melted through, remove from the heat, add the hazelnut liquer and allow to cool slightly.
• Separate the yolks from the egg whites, and place into separate bowls.
• Whisk the egg whites a cake mixer until they for stiff peaks. This part is important so that our puddings get some nice height.
• Mix together the caster sugar and egg yolks and pour over the chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth.
• Very gently fold in the stiff egg whites, incorporating lightly and quickly. The mixture should still be streaky. Avoid over mixing as you will knock out all the air that was incorporated when the egg whites were whisked and this will prevent the puddings from rising.
• Spoon the mixture into 6 1/2 cup sized ramekins and bake for 10 minutes.
• The puddings should be just cooked on the outside and soft and mellow on the inside.
• Serve immediately with a sprinkle of hazelnuts and a dollop of mascarpone.

One for Taste,  Two for crunch, and three for dunkability.

A biscuit just wasn’t a bisucit unless it had serious hang time in your cup once it was dunked into the steaming brew.

If it softened and fell into your mug too soon, it was given the thumbs down. A few seconds before succumbing to the cup were usually passed by as well. But the biscuit that you could dunk, continue reading the morning paper without even so much as taking a bite, turn the page AND THEN chomp was a serious contender for Ultimate Biscuit Champion or U.B.C.

U.B.C. went to a little wee morsel known in my neck of the woods as “The Gingernut”. It was  the grand cookie contender as it ticked all the boxes when it came time to put the kettle on.

They were ever so tasty ~ a combination of sweet and spicy with  a substanital crunch. The ginger was prominent with a background of treacle for depth of flavor.

Since moving country, I have missed my U.B .C and it wasn’t until a recent Eureka moment over a classic Kiwi Cookbook that I came up with the challenge to create my own Gingernuts.

To get me in the mood I listened to the advertisement above, claiming “There’s no gingernuts taste quite the same, ask for Griffins Gingernuts by name…” Well I beg to differ Griffins…

photo by Ted_major

Gingernut Biscuits slash Cookies

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter ~ softened

50g dark brown sugar

2 Tbs golden syrup ~ warmed

1 Tbs molasses ~ warmed

1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 Tbs boiling water

175g plain flour

3  1/2  tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

couple of fine grindings of black pepper

pinch of salt

Methodology

• Cream together the butter, sugar and just warmed golden syrup and molasses. Make sure the mixture is well combined and the butter has been fully incorporated into the sugar and syrup.
• Add the soda dissolved in water and stir in well.
• Sift together the flour, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and salt and mix into the wet ingredients.
• Stir to combine and then turn out on to a large piece of cling film, rolling up to form an even sized sausage. Make sure the cling film tightly covers the “cookie sausage” and leave to harden in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
• Preheat the oven on fan bake 180C/ 350 F
• remove the cling film from the dough and cut the dough into 5mm thick slices. Lay them on a parchment lined cookie tray and brush the tops lightly with cold water. Ensure that the gingernuts aren’t to close to together as they will expand upon cooking
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Watch they don’t get to dark as they burn quite easily.
• Leave to cool thoroughly on a wire rack before storing them in an airtight container.
• These biscuits improve with age so if you can leave them for a day before eating them, all the better. If you can’t manage it, I completely understand.

Cheers!

Prost!

Gan bei!

Okole maluna!

Cin cin!

Shucram!

One of my all time favorite online newspapers the ‘ Huffington Post’ has named  me as one of  “10 World Class Chefs on Twitter Who make it Sizzle” in a post by 2morrowknight on the 2nd October 2009.

To be included amongst such an auspicious group of individuals is a true honor and I feel privileged to be able to pass the above link on to you.

I’ll drink to that!

photo by Nicolas.boullosa

The increase in interest of cooking and dining has seen the humble chef lifted to elevations of celebrity status, with the hungry masses hanging off their every turn of the whisk and flip of the pan.

From the depths of our steamy kitchens has arisen celebrity giants that can hold their own on the fluffiest red carpets in the world.

No longer is the dark ‘dungenous’ confines of the commercial kitchen the home of toiling magicians.

They are creating stunning high gloss cookbooks, making entertaining cooking shows with prime time positioning, traveling the world conducting masterclasses and speaking engagements. Nowadays, much to the delight of the millions of tweeters globally, these chefs  have active twitter accounts.

If you love food or even like it slightly, following some..or all of these cooking geniuses will inspire salivation and give you the insider tips on what our favorite food heroes are cooking up today.

Want to follow them all at once? Clink on this link >>  TweepML lists and follow the prompts!

Antonio Carluccio

Twitter ID @CookCarluccio

Web  antonio-carluccio.com

The Godfather Of Italian Gastronomy, Antonio Carluccio is a master craftsmen, lover and fine purveyor of the beautiful cuisine of Italy. He has written 13 cookbooks including  ‘ A passion for Pasta‘ and ‘Carluccio’s Complete Italian Food‘ and has been championing Italian culinary delights for over 50 years.

As well as countless Television appearances including the wildly popular ‘Antonio Carluccio’s Sourthern Italian Feast’ Antonio was given  an Italian knighthood in 1998 and in 2007 was awarded an honorary OBE.

Rick Bayless

Twitter ID @Rick_Bayless

Web rickbayless.com

American Chef Rick Bayless’s commitment to Mexican food has been described by the New York Times as ‘ the greatest contribution to the Mexican table imaginable’

This busy chef and restaurateur has a number of restaurants in Chicago, has written several cookbooks including ‘Mexico- One plate at a time’ where the PBS show of the same name is well into its fifth season.

A committed ambassador of authentic Mexican cuisine, Rick has been awarded many prestigious awards including ‘Chef of the year’ ‘Humanitarian of the year’ and  recently he went head to head with some of the best celebrities chefs in America on Top Chef where he was awarded the grand prize of Top Chef Master in August 2009.

Jamie Oliver

Twitter ID @jamie_oliver

Web jamieoliver.com

We are all familiar with the lovely lad from Essex~ Jamie Oliver with the enduring lisp and bee stung bottom lip. When Jamie leaped on to the stage he took being a celebrity chef into a whole new stratosphere.

With a growing restaurant empire,  multiple books, television shows, live stage shows,The Jamie Magazine and a rather spiffy looking website Jamie’s presence on twitter only solidifies his place as one of the hottest and most sort after celebrity chefs on the planet.

Curtis Stone

Twitter ID @curtis_stone

Web curtisstone.com

According to People magazine, Curtis Stone is one of the sexist men alive! Hailing from Australia this celebrity chef is barnstorming his way across the US with his popular reality cooking show Take home chef.

Curtis cut his teeth as a young apprentice chef in some of the toughest cooking environments in Europe, having spent some of that time in the kitchen of the legendary Marco Pierre White.

As well as cooking shows, Stone has  written several cookbooks and has developed a Curtis Stone range of kitchen equipment.

Stephanie Alexander

Twitter ID @GrowCookEat

Web stephaniealexander.com.au

Stephanie Alexander has been at the heart of Australian cuisine since she opened her first restaurant in 1964.

A campaigner for good quality produce from small thoughtful suppliers, she has been instrumental in teaching us ‘down under’ how to eat.

Stephanie’s most popular book The Cooks Companion sits on  many a kitchen shelf as an inspirational bible of culinary terms and endearments. Stephanie is a pioneer of  good food and has been delighting the public for many years with her stylish and delicious creations.

Her latest book Kitchen Garden Companion is an A-Z encyclopedia of how to best use and cook the glorious crops that can be grown from your own kitchen garden. The book coincides with her work with the Kitchen Garden Foundation where their aim is to promote and encourage a pleasurable outdoor food education for young children.

Raymond Blanc

Twitter ID @Raymond_Blanc

Web raymondblanc.com

Master French Chef Raymond Blanc has been mesmerizing diners of his UK restaurants for over 30 years.

With a slew of Michelin stars, awards, accolades and achievements under his apron strings, Raymond has also found time to write cookery books, star in the highly successful BBC reality cooking series called The Restaurant and operate his own Cooking school.

Self taught Chef Blanc is a firm believer in striving for culinary perfection and is a campaigner for the consumption of healthy food as a core competent to family life. He was Awarded an OBE in 2007 from Her Majesty the Queen  for his services in promoting  culinary excellence.

Andrew Zimmern

Twitter ID @andrewzimmern

Web andrewzimmern.com

Chef, traveler, writer and teacher ~ Andrew Zimmern is in search of crazy and bizarre foods.

Host of the sometimes shocking and always highly entertaining travel/cookery show ‘Bizarre Foods‘ Zimmerman is a man on a mission to track down the unusual.. and eat it. Being the  International spokesperson for Pepto-bismol also helps.

Eating what most people wouldn’t has won him fame and fortune with his first book ‘The Bizarre Truth‘   being  released in September 2009.

Rocco DiSpirito

Twitter ID @roccodispirito

Web roccodispiritio.com

Rocco is a Chef, restaurateur and author hailing from Jamaica in Queens. With a strong Italian family up bringing, Rocco injects  Italian flair into his comfort driven  food creations.

DiSpiritio shot to fame from the kitchen of his 3 star New York City restaurant and since went on to star in the reality show ‘The restaurant’ which won him international stardom.

The author of 5 cookbooks and the receiver of many prestigious awards and accolades for his exciting and genuine brand of cooking.

Cat Cora

Twitter ID @catcora

Web catcoracooks.com

Cat made television history in 2005 as the first and only female Iron Chef in kitchen stadium on the ever popular Iron Chef America after making her TV debut 6 years earlier on food networks Melting Pot.

Cora has written several cookbooks and also operates a number of restaurants with her latest acquisition being Kouzinna at Walt Disney World.

Cat  loves  sharing her culinary knowledge and was given the honor of ‘Teacher of the year’ from Bon Apetit Magazine to which she also became Executive chef for the same publication.

As well as operating and overseeing her expanding empire, Cat is the founder and president of ‘Chefs for humanity’ which is an alliance of culinary professionals giving humanitarian aid to help reduce hunger across the world.

Luke Mangan

Twitter ID @lukewmangan

Web lukemangan.com

Luke Mangan is an Australian boy with an impressive portfolio of restaurants spanning the globe from Tokyo to San Francisco. Chef, Author and television star, Mangan is one of Australia’s best known exports.

Luke is due to release his latest cookbook ‘At home and in the mood’ in November 2009 after successfully releasing his own product range- ‘Luke Managan Providores’

Luke travels constantly to meet the demands of his busy international business interests but still finds time to devote his culinary skills to several charitable organizations including The starlight foundation, The Royal Children’s Hospital and The James Beard Foundation.

Share and Enjoy:

I bend down to retrieve a crumpled black cocktail dress from my bedroom floor, left unceremoniously in a heap at one o’clock in the morning after arriving home from dinner at Tetsuya Wakuda‘s iconic Sydney restaurant- so aptly named Tetsuya’s.

As I pick up my little black dress I inhale deeply  hoping to pick up some residual aromas of last night’s  ocean trout confit, twice cooked spatchcock, tender wagyu or tuna sashimi. Alas, only the sweet smell of Gucci Gold Parfum still lingers on its fabric.

My dream date with one of the best Chefs in world was an evening to remember, and I’m not just talking about the food!

The night started with a glass of Pol Roger at the Electrolux showroom in Sydney as a small group of hungry individuals await the arrival of Masterchef Tetsuya.

Masterchef Tetsuya Wakuda

We had been invited by the glorious people of Electrolux to attend an intimate masterclass with the world renowned chef, where he would be demonstrating a number of dishes that has made him one of the most  popular chefs amongst the  food faithful for over 20 years.

A humble and unassuming white Chef jacket clad Tetsuya enters the showroom and smiles shyly as we are individually introduced to the maestro.

I was humbled and honored to be introduced as a Chef and fellow cooking demonstrator to which Tetsuya promptly pulls me center stage with him to cook  scrambled eggs.

Being asked to cook by a great master is like an i- phone developer discussing design with Steve Jobs or an inspiration lover discussing the secrets and virtues of happiness with Deepak Chopra.

Bridget cooks for Tetsuya

Once I had floated down from Cloud 9… having just cooked an egg dish for one of the best chefs in the world, I was able to partake in a series of exceptional tasting plates, prepared before our very eyes by this  cooking genius.

We sampled scrambled eggs with spanner crab and ricotta, an utterly delicious chicken tagine with perfectly cubed pieces of preserved lemon on a date and scallion couscous.

A stunningly simple boiled egg, cooked gently for 30 minutes until the egg was just set and then dropped into a ceramic cup and topped with a generous helping of Avruga caviar and finely dissected chives. So unspoilt and perfect was this dish, that I had to catch my breath at its sheer simplicity.

The finished dish of Kingfish Sashimi

Cooking with chopsticks.. The Kingfish Sashimi

Tetsuya then skillfully plated for us an exquisite kingfish sashimi dish, topped with many layers of micro greens, julienne of chilli, garlic and ginger with a mirin and sesame dressing so evenly balanced and wonderfully executed.

Thanks to the safety and precision of induction cooking, Tetsuya was able to demonstrate for us how he can bring  dashi stock to the boil in a paper filter sitting in a woven basket in preparation for a wonderful Shabu shabu of Wagyu beef.

Tetsuya describes the ease of cooking on an induction cooktop

Cooking dashi stock for a shabu shabu in a wooven basket

Tetsuya prepares a delicious chicken tagine with couscous

Tetsyua delighted and amazed with his control and precision as dish after dish of delectable morsels were handed out to a grateful audience.

None  more so than his signature dish of Confit of Ocean Trout that Tetsuya said was his “domestic version”.

Carefully ‘ticking over’ on the induction cooktop, he placed a pan full of aromatic herbs and spices topped with a slurry of olive oil. So gently was he heating this preparation that he was able to place his hand around the sides of the pan to demonstrate its delicate cooking nature.

Into the pan he carefully slid in slices of Petuna ocean trout which he then left to complete the slow cooking process that has made this dish his most popular and  famous throughout the world.

Tetsuya shows how a gentle heat is needed for the ocean trout

Removing the tender slices of cooked fish from the pan

Tetsuya adminsters the final touches of chives and konbu

One small bite is all it takes to be transported into a world of taste and texture sensations where chewing is not necessary as the fish melts deliciously like a block of dark chocolate on your tongue.

Its seductive yet comforting flavours intermingle on your palate with a wonderfully long silky finish. I try not to gobble my piece too quickly as I don’t wish this sensation to finish before I am ready.

This humble cooking magician, asks us if it tastes okay… I find myself unable to reply as I’m having an outer body experience…

My trip back down to earth was a quick one as Tetsuya rounded off the masterclass with a crispy curry spiced tempura prawn which was ever so light and juicy, made even more special by Tetsuya graciously accepting our requests to have photos taken with him for our scrapbooks and staff room walls.

Audrey and Baha from Electrolux with Tetsuya

The lovely Helen from Winnings Crows Nest

Peter from Appliances Online with Tetsuya

Despite what has already been a memorable evening of food and fun with Tetsuya, our evening has only just began as we are whisked away in Limousines to dine further at Australia’s #1 restaurant and one of the Top 10 restaurants in the world ~ Tetsuya’s.

We are inspired and delighted with a degustation menu of 12 courses all expertly prepared by this master craftsmen who has made our night unforgettable.

Superbly matched with a selection of the finest wines and sake, our senses are delicately introduced course by course to an artist’s culinary canvas.

Terrine of Queensland spanner crab with an avocado soup, Sweet caramelised cannellini beans with mascarpone and beautifully marbled wagyu beef rolls with lime and wasabi. The air was perfumed with the aroma of understanding and respect for produce and flavors that Tetsuya so wonderfully captures in his thoughtfully created dishes.

A dessert course of lightly set Chai bavarois was slurped back with much gusto and the ‘bending of necks’ to get the last drop of nectar from its earthly confines, while I was tempted to lick my plate clean when confronted with a perfectly balanced chocolate chiboust with lemon curd and coffee marshmallow.

The Japanese have a word to describe what they have discovered to be the 5th element in taste- Umami which leads to an explanation of unexplained deliciousness, balance and savouriness. A taste sensation that when done right and done well  creates a craving and longing in the back of ones throat that cries out to be quenched.

Tetsuya’s food is Umami, and the pleasure of sharing the evening with such a gentleman of the culinary world was an honor. Moreover, to have the opportunity to share a few giggles with the great man while he observed me cook and entertain the crowd- Magic.

どうもありがとう。 Dōmo arigatō

Terrine of Queensland spanner crab with an avocado soup

Sashimi of yellow fin tuna with ginger and wasabi and micro greens

Confit of ocean trout with konbu, apple & daikon and seasonal green salad

Twice cooked spatchcock with foie gras, sweetbreads and morels

Wagyu beef with lime and wasabi on a potato and garlic gratin

Cannellini beans with mascarpone and a caramel sauce

Tetsuya style Strawberry shortcake with vanilla bean ice cream

Chocolate Chiboust with lemon curd and marshmellows

Petit four selection of green tea marshmellow, macaroon and rum baba

Captains log… Stargate 4.

The latest installment of this great Chocolate circumnavigation of the globe finds us sweeping through uncharted skies.

Chocolate. Funky?

‘You must be kidding me’, you say. Oh, I couldn’t possibly me more excited to share these recipes with you!

After much salivation and smacking of lips, I have successfully compiled a list of 9 wonders of the chocolate universe, slightly left field, unusual and rather unique.

So to boldly go where no foodie has gone before, try one or try them all! Send the link to your friends and tempt them too with a little chocolate appreciation.

Looking for more chocolate recipes?

To have your cake and eat it too, try 21 of the best  Chocolate cake recipes.

Chocolate Cookies anyone? I have gathered for you a list of 15 fantastic chocolate cookie and biscuit recipes.

For lovers of chocolate and ice cream, you wont want to miss 12 “hot” chocolate ice cream recipes for bookmarking!

Bananas. Chocolate. BBQ. from On Food and Wine

Churro with hot chocolate from Eating Club Vancover

3 minute chocolate cake miracle from The Internet Chef

2 ingredients chocolate mousse from Just Cook It

Special Chocolate covered blueberries from 5 Star Foodie

Chunky double chocolate cheerios from Greedy Gourmet

Chocolate pasta with raspberries from Taste Buddies

Ever so yummy-Seroms inside out smores from Clumbsy Cookie

Ice-cream is exquisite – what a pity it isn’t illegal...
Voltaire (Francois Marie Arouet) (1694-1778)
French philosopher.

Your timing couldn’t be better.

You have joined me on a silky chocolate journey that takes in all the beautifully glorious chocolate recipe posts that swim seductively past me in my twitter stream.

I began this Salute to the Chocolate Gods with a post I did last week entitled 21 Twitalicous Chocolate Cake Recipes You Need To Try followed smartly by the next installment so named 15 Twitarific Chocolate Cookie and Biscuit Recipes for Bookmarking

Today’s chocolate episode is a hot little favorite of mine, inspired by my significant other @iconic88 who happens to love the stuff!

Ice cream, ice cream, we all scream for ice cream and combine our love for the cool stuff with our somewhat addictive tendencies towards chocolate and you have a match made in heaven.

Listed below are 12 super star ice cream and cool things recipes from some of the webs finest food bloggers… Enjoy!

Dreamy and Creamy Chocolate Semifreddo by I Shot The Chef

Salted Choc Peanut & Pistachio Ice cream by Canelle et Vanille

Agave Choc Peanut Butter Ice cream by We (heart) Food

Super Easy and delicious Stracciatella Gelato by She Simmers

Banana and Chocolate Frozen Yogurt by Bitchin Camero

Ice Cream Resse Whoppers by Whats Cooking in the Orange Kitchen

Chocolate Spice Praline Ice Cream by Pastry Studio

Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich by One Ordinary Day

Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream Pie by Real Mom Kitchen

Dairy Free and Delicious Chocolate Sherbet by David Lebovitz

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream by The Craving Chronicles

Glorious Chocolate Ice Cream Cupcakes by The Sweetest Kitchen

Welcome to the SECOND installment of The Internet Chef’s Salute to Chocolate!

In our first post , we discovered the virtues of a good Chocolate cake with a wonderfully inspiring list of 21 Twittalicious Chocolate Cake recipes that you need  to try

Today I would like to tempt you even further with a superb collection of Chocolate Cookie, Biscuit and bar recipes that will have you positively swooning from all that Chocolate goodness.

Did I mention that there’s Chocolate in this post!

Thank you to all the wonderful food bloggers who have supplied us with such a virtual feast of Chocolate wonders, and if you like this post, don’t forget to  share the love with your followers and friends.

Chocolate Cookies, Biscuits and Bars.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Blondies from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Browned Butter Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies from Recipe Girl

Chocolate Frangelico Crinkle Cookies from Daydreamer Desserts

Chocolate Cranberry Cinnamon Biscuits from Fisher Paykel

The Aptly Named Chocolate Wonders from Kitchenista

Moist and Delicious Fudgy Brownie Cookies from Lifes Ambrosia

Chocolate Malted Cookies from Scrumptious Photography

Bailey Irish Cream Brownies from Elizabeth Spice

Chocolate Marshmellow Whoopie Pies from Dinner with Julie

Chocolate Mousse Shortbread Cookies from Ceramic Canvas

Raspberry Macarons with Chocolate Ganache from Pastry Chef by Fire

Chocolate, Peanut butter, Oatmeal Cookies by Dinner & Dessert

Original Toll house Cookies from The Cooking Photographer

Delicious Black Forest Cookies from Taste and Tell

Jakes Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Twitter is still setting the airwaves ablaze with its up to the minute topicality  of news, muses and EVERYTHING in between.

You  can have twitter access to celebrities like the beautiful and talented Adventure Girl Stefanie Michaels, or read the thoughts and happenings of  Governor Schwarzenegger from California.

Keep up to date by news aggregators like  CNN or The New York Times,  join in the conversation with  social media expert Pete Cashmore of Mashable and be inspired daily by Chief Happiness Officer, the incredible  iconic88.

When only the BEST will do, Twitter can take you  places that you wouldn’t normally dream possible.

And when only the BEST IN FOOD will do, I have faithfully compiled for you a list of Food blogger stars  that epitomise the twitter philosophy of caring and sharing.

Why?

Well simply BECAUSE, and not limited to the fact that  this group of individuals are engaging and generous with their time and experiences.

They follow back, reply to tweets and are more than happy to share their extensive knowledge.

Their blogs are inspiring and the content is fresh and exciting.

These are real people who share, care and are a positive breath of fresh air with their culinary tweets.

This eclectic bunch of bloggers just make you feel good!

I look forward to a long and happy TW relationship with these fantastic foodies, and have asked Santa Claus for a Twitter foodblogger tweet up  with them ALL real soon.  IMAGINE that...

Deeba of  Passionate about Baking

Twitter ID  @vindee

Deeba sure is passionate about baking!  Her mantra that she cooks by is “Do it from scratch” . A die hard foodie from New Delhi India, she is also a die hard twitter (er) . I meet Deeba some months ago via twitter and since then have been turned on to her blog with its beautiful photography and thoughtful recipe posts.

Deeba puts a lot of energy and heart into everything she does, and our conversations always revolve around our passion for food and her beautiful homeland. Shukriya Deeba!

Jaden of Steamy kitchen

Twitter ID @steamykitchen

Jaden’s blog Steamy Kitchen is a celebration of global flavors. Originally a vehicle for stunning Asian Fare, Jaden decided to extend her blogs repertoire and explore her love of ALL things food.

As well as a celebrated food writer and food photographer, you can  find Jaden on Daytime and Tampa Bay CBS as a television chef. Talented? You bet!

How she finds time to twitter with her friends and fans is incredible, as this incredible women sure is steaming up the airwaves with her brand of food tweets, fun ideas and fabulousness!

Angeli of My Caribbean Food

Twitter ID  @mycaribbeanfood

Living and cooking in London, Angeli’s blog My Caribbean Food is a twist of modern and classic Caribbean food that is spicy,  evocative and highly creative.

Chief cook, mother and  wife to “Shrek” you can read her light hearted humorous posts and outtakes on life like  How to eat Jerk chicken wraps with your whole face… being one of my  favorites.

Angeli is an engaging fellow twitter who’s always happy to chat and share her extensive knowledge on all things Caribbean.

Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella

Twitter ID  @notquitenigella

Lorraine is the creative expertise behind one of the most highly visited blogs in Australia ~ Not Quite Nigella. With a mix of tempting recipes and restaurant reviews, Lorraine is a highly sort after blogger who covers everything from the latest gourmet McDonald’s burger to keeping up with the monthly “daring baker” challenges.

Just as popular on twitter, Lorraine’s updates are always entertaining and fun to read, full of sage advice for the weary gourmand.

Meet Babette from Bakespace

Twitter ID  @bakespace

Babette is the CEO and founder of Bakespace, a recipe site/online community that  is the first  food orientated social network on the internet. With an impressive collection of awards, Babette’s backspace is a great place to read, share and discuss recipes  with other like minded individuals.

An avid tweeter, Babette can be found discussing anything from cotton candy martini’s to the possibility of pancakes on a stick.  Her community at Bakespace extends to her twitter connections where you can share a good laugh and fill up on some fantastic virtual culinary delights.

Debbie of Savory Adventures

Twitter ID  @dolcedebbie

There are many ways for you to have the pleasure of spending time with this great lady. You can join Chef Debbie on her  blog ~ Savory Adventures, watch her on Daytime Tampa Bay Television, attend one of her cooking classes  or take a trip with her and husband Barry as they host luxury culinary adventures to Italy.

If that’s not enough, you can also meet Debbie on Twitter where she still manages to indulge us with her love for food, cooking and teaching.

Rebecca of Thoughts from Becca

Twitter ID  @frombecca

Rebecca is a true foodie in every since of the word!  Her blog ~ Thoughts from Becca is a beautiful collection of her global experiences as a gourmand. With wonderful recipes, many attributed to her beloved Mother, she also peppers her posts with restaurants she has visited, food and cookery musings from a true lover of the finer things in life.

I had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca online when I was still a fledgling tweeter. She showed me the ropes, introduced me to some great people and never fails to stop by and check how I’m going.

Rebecca’s tweets are always positive, warm the heart and feed the soul!

Joy from Gourmet’ed

Twitter ID   @gourmeted

Joy describes her blog ~ Gourmet’ed as the Adventures of two desperate foodies, a mixing of East meets West. The two foodies in question  have put together a stunning site that is full of gorgeous  recipes, food facts, stunning photography and beautiful sentiment.

On Twitter connecting with Joy is purely that, a Joy! She engages and encourages, introducing her followers to many other fabulous foodie friends. She always has a kind word to share and some great food knowledge to tantalize the taste buds.

Susan of Luna Cafe

Twitter ID  @lunacafe

The blog ~ Luna Cafe is a testament to the love and passion that its creators have for food and photography. A smart and delicious looking selection of recipes like Triple lemon doddles with its wonderful step by step photography.

Susan from Luna Cafe describes herself as an enthusiastic epicure, cooking instructor and author and is the creative juices behind what is a beautiful and tempting array of virtual goodies.

Joining Susan on Twitter will be a worthwhile journey of recipe posts, food discussions and foodie friends, where she is always willing to lend a helping hand and suggest something delicious to eat.

Amanda of Amanda’s Cookin

Twitter ID   @amandascookin

Amanda’s  skills and talents as a webmaster are evident in the blog she has created ~ Amanda’s cookin. An avid baker and self confessed cooking fanatic this Mom of 4 brings us helpings of delicious recipes to whet the appetite and inspire creation.

Amanda’s cake recipes are a tear jerky to the sweet toothed ones amongst us with creations like 4 layered Chocolate dabbled Pumpkin Cake sure to make you shed a tear.

Tweeting with Amanda is always a pleasure as she shares with her followers loads of interesting recipe posts, foodie finds and family favorites. Always engaging and happy to share a smile and a tweet, Amanda is a  true twitter superstar!

photo by FotoosVanRobin

Duck, duck oh crispy skinned duck.

How I adore your tantalizing glossy skin and hidden within your grasp, your juicy flesh so deliciously moist.

A quick trip to Chinatown in Sydney was all that was needed to satisfy my crispy skinned addiction, but as I grow and develop as a Chef of domestic bliss, my cravings are more intense and I require a higher dose of pleasure to stem my addictive tendencies.

The pleasure that I gain from eating is intensified from the processes that are undertaken preconsumption.

No longer am I satisfied with just handing over money and receiving a brown package filled with crisp skin and tender duck meat.

I desire more.

I need to know where my duck came from, and that it was treated and handled with the care that benefits not just the diner, but the duck and the environment where it was bred and raised.

I need to choose and purchase my canard, like a casting director on American Idol listening to countless peoples’ interpretations of classic ballads until one lone ranger stands out from the pack of hopeful stars.

Is my duck free range, free from antibiotics and hormones?

Does my duck have a pleasing ratio of lean meat to fat?

With precious parcel firmly in hand, I make my way to the kitchen to begin a 3-day Duck preparation which will be a testament to my patience and my addiction.

Crispy Skinned Roast Duck with a Honey, Soy and Sesame Sauce

The somewhat laborious-sounding 3-day preparation time is only 20 minutes in actual activity spread out over 3-days of anxious anticipation.

Is it worth it? YOU BET!

Day One

Choose a duck, fitting of the above description weighing in at 1.5 to 2kg/3-4 pounds. This size duck will feed up to 4 adults along with trimmings.

Wash the duck inside and out with cold running water and remove any fat folds from around the inside cavity with a small knife. For the incentive based cooks amongst us, retain the duck fat to render down at a later stage.

Pat the duck dry with paper towels then season well with salt both inside and out. Rub 4-5 Tablespoons of Chinese 5-spice all over the skin of the duck and place the duck on wire rack sitting over a tray.

Place the duck uncovered inside the refrigerator to dry out for 24 hours.

Day Two

Rinse the duck under cold running water and bring a pot of water to boil that is large enough to fully submerge the duck.

Into the pot of boiling water add 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar and 1/2 cup of glucose syrup.

Wrap some kitchen string around the legs of the duck, and using the string to hold the duck like a lead, plunge the duck ten times into the boiling liquid.

Place the duck back onto the cleaned wire rack and tray and allow to cool slightly before placing back uncovered into the refrigerator for a further 24 hours to dry out further.

Day Three

Bring the duck from the cold confines of the refrigerator and allow to warm up to room temperature for an hour. In the meantime preheat the oven on bake to 200C/400F.

Roast the duck until well cooked and crisp, this should take about one hour. You will know the duck is cooked when the juices from the thigh run clear when prodded.

While the duck is roasting prepare the following ingredients into the sauce.

Honey Soy and Sesame Sauce

Into a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat mix together 2 Tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon of honey and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil.
Bring gently to the boil, mixing until well combined. Remove from the heat and taste for flavor.

When the duck is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing into servable pieces.
Pour over the sauce and sprinkle roasted sesame seeds over top.

Serve with crisp lightly blanched greens like broccolini, asparagus and snowpeas.