What to do when the Duck Fat hits the Fan.

You can either blame it on the boogie or in this case blame it on the duck fat roasted potatoes.

The calmness and serenity of the evenings meal turned to anarchy once the duck fat roasted potatoes were taste tested. The duck fat hit the fan so to speak.

” Oh My Goodness!”

” Are you for real?”

“These are crazy, superb!”

“Is there anymore left?”

“Can I eat yours?”

Well, you get the picture. Class and decorum were thrown out the window with just one taste of what could be the perfect accompaniment for many dishes. We had our duck fat potatoes or Pomme De Terre a la Sarladaise with  spiced pork loin cooked till golden in a searing hot skillet.

Other proteins that would work well with these crispy crunchy cubes of heaven would be a glorious thick rib eye steak, sunny side up free range organic chicken or duck eggs, tender roasted chicken breast, or a thick fillet of steamed white fish.

Ingredients:

2kg  potatoes ~ choose a floury variety like russet  which will produce a better crispy exterior when roasted.

300g of duck fat

6-10 sprigs of thyme ~ stripped and roughly chopped

Sea salt flakes and lots of freshly ground black pepper

Methodology:

• Preheat the oven to 200C on fan bake and heat a large cast iron roasting tray in the oven as well
• Peel and cut the potatoes into smaller chunks about 4-5cm in length . For even cooking make sure the chunks are  of similar size.
• Place the potatoes into pot and just cover with lightly salted water.
• Bring the potatoes to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Whilst the potatoes are boiling, carefully add the duck fat to the cast iron roasting tray and allow the fat to melt and sizzle in the hot oven.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander and shake vigorously to fluff up the outer exterior of the potato. This will add to the crisping whilst roasting.
• Remove the cast iron roasting dish from the oven and very carefully place the potatoes into the duck fat. Turn them carefully in the fat and sprinkle over the thyme and season well with salt and pepper.
• Continue to gently turn the potatoes over until you are confident that the potatoes are well coated in duck fat, fresh thyme and seasoning.
• Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally to make sure all the potatoes crisp up evenly
• Serve immediately for optimum crunch! If serving them in a separate dish, avoid covering them as they will go soggy.

Kitchen tip:

All the that glorious duck fat need not be thrown out. Once its cooled slightly, strain the fat through fine sieve and pour into a jar or heavy duty plastic container. The duck fat can be stored in the fridge for several weeks or in the freezer for several months.

A little birdy told me some time ago, “Next time you’re in Auckland, you gotta check out Bambina Cafe on Ponsonby Road”. Being accustomed to folks giving me there top geographical restaurant picks, I didn’t think too far into it at this point.

It wasn’t until i caught a snigger on the bluebirds beak that the inqusitive side of me delved deeper, ” Is it pretty good?” I baited my birdie.

“Let’s just say, it’ll be a trip down memory lane.” Hmmm, another cheeky grin and I begin to imagine myself walking into this popular Ponsonby eatery and been confronted by skeletons of kitchens past as 15 of my 20 years of cheffing had been undertaken in the bellies of Auckland kitchens.

“Trust me, just give it a try.” Never one to turn down a challenge, I filed Bambina away as a curious must try.

Fast forward 6 months and I find myself on a Chilly Auckland morning driving down Ponsonby Road on a recent trip home to New Zealand. With rumblings of bellies coming from the back seat of the car proving too hard to ignore, we secure a main road car-park and make our way to Bambina cafe.

Our attempts to sit outside and partake in the Ponsonby Road sport of people watching are dashed thanks to a bone chilling wind that is presently sweeping down the road. We set up camp inside the cafe to the relief of those in our party that weren’t dressed for the wintry blast and take over a couple of tables along the banquet mirrored wall.

A large blackboard on the opposing wall contains the menu and a huge communal table hosts newspapers and diners alike.

Hmmmm, that communal table in birch coloured wood looks awfully familiar…

We are quickly offered table service, to which I announce that coffees are required as medicinal necessities. Within a few minutes welcoming cups of steaming brew are placed in front of us which are deliciously good.

The crema and steamed milk is voluptuous, creamy and float almost suspended within its crockery confines. The taste of the coffee is smooth and elegant and a shining example of boutique coffee roasters Allpress Espresso’s commitment to producing a superior accessible and consistent product.

I scan the blackboard menu to get a  snapshot of the kitchen’s style and food ethos. Toast and preserves, muesli,  scrambled eggs and your choice of sides ~ The dishes don’t strike me as anything out of the ordinary. It wasn’t until my attention drifted past the obligatory offerings that  I got that funny, familiar forgotten feeling.

Ricotta hotcakes, Corn fritters with bacon and roast tomato…?

They say that imitation is the hugest form of flattery and looks like Bambina has taken some  advice in this area.

Having worked as head chef for Bill Granger for a couple of years in his iconic Sydney establishment ‘Bills’, I can spot a Bills take on a menu  a mile away, and from the looks of the communal table and several menu arrangements, the team behind Bambina are just smitten with Bills.

I had to chuckle to myself as we placed our order for scrambled eggs with bacon, Ricotta hotcakes and Corn fritters. Three Bills classics coming straight up to which my dining companions being only more than too happy to oblige.

The food was quickly dispatched to our table, and we dug in after snapping a few photos for prosperity.

The scrambled eggs looked sensational! The sunshine yellow eggs were piled mountain high a top a couple of thick slices of granary bread.

Now I’m not about to say that Bills invented scrambled eggs, as almost every breakfast menu in the Western world probably has scrambled eggs in some way,  shape or form. It is within the confines of Bambina and its obvious adoration for things “bills” that I order the eggs as a worthy comparison.

Bills scrambled eggs are so famous, they have been described in the New York Times as being ‘as gentle as the breath of an angel’, and folks flock from all around the world for a plate of them.

I loved the scrambled presentation at Bambina, as when I was plating up this dish whilst at Bills, it was blasphemy to serve the eggs on top of the toast for risk of the toast becoming soggy.

We always served the eggs on the plate followed by slices of sourdough off to the side to prevent potential liquid cross-contamination. The kitchen at Bambina throws caution to the wind and in a gutsy move serves the scrambled like Everest. Works for me!

Like the pristine waters of Lake Tekapo in New Zealand’s South Island, looks incredible from the outside, but stick your toe in the water and your liable to get frost bite ~ My scrambled Himalayas did not deliver on taste. The generous serving could have done with a sprinkling of  salt flakes during the cooking process  and the egg mixture needed some additional substance and less stove time to achieve Scrambled perfection.

Call me a scrambled egg purist, but after cooking 200+ servings a day  for a couple of years, I have become somewhat knowledgeable on this breakfast egg cooking technique.

The hotcakes with yogurt and fruit were placed in front of Mr5 who oooohed with anticipation. I was glad that he had wanted them, as they were child-like in portion despite the hefty NZD$14.50 price tag.  Three thin pancakes sat piled on the plate, topped with a dollop of yogurt and few pieces of fresh fruit.  Some of the fruit in question were oranges with skin still attached, not the most appropriate way to serve a fruit salad, nor were they seasonally sweet either.

I was unable to detect any ricotta in the hotcakes but they were a good example of a pancake none the less. They had a delectable crisp exterior and had they been fluffier and the portion more acceptable for the price they would have been a great dish. Bambinas take on the hotcakes with fresh fruit and yogurt a nice healthier alternative to Bills butter and honeycomb soaked gems.

The corn fritters with bacon, roast tomato and spinach was a near mirror image of this famous Bills dish, with the flavor being similar all but a tad doughy. At Bills, we would try to jam as much freshly shucked corn into each fritter as humanly possible. It should only have the lacy whisper of paprika spiced batter holding all that corn together ~ making it a veggie packed early morning treat.

So it is with a full belly and a table of  content diners that I mull over my findings. Yes, there are some very blatant and obvious copies of some Bills classics, like the corn fritters, hotcakes and communal table. But it is within the execution that differentiates these two establishments.

Bambina is an icon of the cafe scene in Auckland and has been serving the inner city faithful for many years in its current  location.  For that alone, it gets a well deserved medal for longevity in the fickle New Zealand market.  Their food requires polish and is somewhat lacking in x factor but the coffee, service and surrounds make up for its short comings.

With food we are all imitators of some kind. Taking inspiration from a meal we ate, a recipe we read or a restaurant we admire. Bill Granger himself takes inspiration for his cookbooks and restaurants from his peers and multiple dining opportunities that present themselves when you carry celebrity clout.

It is within the execution that our individuality speaks volumes and the little subtle touches that makes a dining experience memorable.

22,682 Nights Serving Burgers and Counting

All Photos taken by the talented Bill Mehana

22,682. That’s the number of nights that the White lady Food Truck has been open for important burger business on the streets of  Auckland City.

The White Lady Food truck or “pie cart” as its affectionately known has been serving the faithful, ravenous and occasionally intoxicated  Auckland late night revelers for over 60 years,  as the hand scribed whiteboard informs me as I shimmy up to the counter to place my order. That’s over 22,682 nights.

The White Lady is a 15 meter long ivory coloured food caravan that currently sits on the corner of Commerce and Fort Street in the heart of Auckland’s  business and bar district in New Zealand. It gets towed to location in the evening by tractor and is  adorned with  fairy lights for atmospheric dining. Just pull up a milk crate, squirt on some tomato sauce and you have late night dining at its most grand.

Any Aucklander worth their weight has acquired a burger or toastie from the Lady.

My parents, when they were courting would order a burger and share it between the two them, and when 88 and I were dating, we would stop by after a couple of bottles of wine and order a ‘King burger’ for him and an ‘Egg burger’ for me. Hanging around the lady whilst you waited for your order to be cooked was always fun  as you were bound to run into someone you know.

On this chilly Sunday night in the middle of a New Zealand winter, myself and my dining companions arrive at our destination shortly after 9pm. Already the lady has been serving burgers since 6pm Friday night with its 24hour a day policy on weekends. Weeknights has the lady cooking up patties from 6pm to 5am the next morning, before the tractor arrives to tow it back to base to make way for weekday parking needs of a bustling business district.

The accommodating young man with the low riding beanie in charge of the grill tonight is friendly and helpful as he talks me through our menu options for the day.

“I’ll have an Egg burger ( no surprises there) an Old fashioned Burger, The King Burger, and a side of chips.” And to keep the experience as authentic as possible… ” You better throw in 3 cans of L&P as well my good man”.

The burgers here are meaty and filling, with pickled beetroot, ice berg lettuce,  chunky tomato, homemade sauce and bespoke burger buns topped with sesame seeds. If you order a burger with onions, the onions are cooked in wholesome meat grease and a side of chips can be sloshed with your choice of vinegar or tomato sauce.

Burgers range from $7.00 for the standard burger to $18.00 for the behemoth Aucklander Burger, which consists of pretty much everything you can think of! An unlockable jaw is required if you plan to undertake this 6 course meal in a bun.

Once our order has been registered with the chef de cuisine, we gravitate towards the best seats in the house ~ 3 over turned milk crates up against a shop window. The pace and the atmosphere of the lady begins to pick up as suits and ties alongside slurring young men and giggling scantily dressed young ladies arrive at  this desert oasis.

Despite his sudden surge in occupation, our server and chief burger maker still manages to get our burgers to us in less than 5 minutes ~ wrapped in paper and looking food photography ready.

I stop for a moment and breathe in the atmosphere before devouring my burger with nostalgic delight. All manners are thrown out the window as we chomp and chat to each other, reminiscing about people we had meet here, burgers we’ve eaten and nights we’ve danced our cares away.  A few chips smothered in tomato sauce and a sip or two of fizzy L&P and our night is complete.

My pick of the menu du jour ~ you have to try the Old Fashioned Burger. It consists of an overly tasty beef pattie, well grilled and served with  a mattress of crispy lettuce, thick slices of  tomato, pickled beetroot and a fried chooks egg , slathered in a delicious relish that adds a wonderful acidic kick to the quivering mound. The relish is delectable and I elegantly lick my fingers between every huge bite.

The white lady still lives up to expectations. Even more so thanks to a recent menu overhaul where for the first time in 60 years you can now get a side of fries with your order. Don’t you just love new technology!

The burgers are wholesome, hot and tasty and the Auckland crowd and skyline still provides the best late night atmosphere in town. Despite the cold surroundings, the bright light of warmth and welcome can  be felt  through smiling faces that greet you with a “Hey Bro, what can I getcha?”

Where’s your favorite burger joint?

Ed Charles from Tomato

The Internet Chef Talks to Ed Charles from

“Tomato”

and asks him  Just One Question…

“What inspired you to blog about food?”

I was inspired to write about food because I wanted to escape “foodie” food writing and communication in an unwanky way.

Originally I was a financial and business journalist from the UK who moved to Sydney in 1995 and then Melbourne in 2000.

In 2004, I started my own food magazine Tomato, which was distributed through cool cafes, bars and restaurants. While the content, which was similar to my blog, was successful, financially the project was ill-thought out.

I then discovered blog platforms and put my content onto the blog, also called Tomato.

I used the name Tomato as my maternal grandfather imported fruit (mainly bananas) and vegetables to the old Covent Garden market in England and had his own Tomato plantations. As well as the family connection, the Tomato also symbolized everything that is good and bad about food from the delicious heirloom variety warm from the sun served simply with basil and olive oil to the hard, cardboard variety sold out of season in the supermarkets.

Food blogger profile:

Bio and Social Media Links:

Food Blog: http://www.tomatom.com

Facebook address: http://www.facebook.com/ed.charles

Twitter handle: @Tomatom

Other websites:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/edcharles http://www.youtube.com/gastrotom

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomatom http://friendfeed.com/tomatom

http://delicious.com/edjak

Since then, thanks to my blogging I’ve written on food and drink for many newspapers and magazines, including The Australian, Herald Sun, The Age and Gourmet Traveller. I’ve reviewed for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide and The Age Good Food Guide, judged cakes, cheese, cocktails and participated in almost any food or drink tasting you can think of.

Currently, I’m reviewing for the Melbourne Coffee Guide and will be disappearing to India and South East Asia from November for a few months to complete my search for the perfect curry (with only one spare pair of underpants).

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Thank you

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Written and photographed by Zoe Roy

“The truffle is not exactly an aphrodisiac, but tends to make women more tender, and men more likeable”- Jean Antheleme Brillet-Savarin, renowned 17th century gastronome.

The history of truffles is older than one might think. In 300BC, truffles were already a sought after expensive delicacy.

They were the favourite dish of Pharaoh Cheops and in early writing were referred to as “children of the earth”. Legend has it that the first being on the planet to devour truffles was a female wild boar. A farmer watched the sow dig up and eat the presumably poisonous underground funghi and waited patiently for her to die. Instead she flew into a fit of passion and attracted so many lovesick suitors that the species began to proliferate in hot haste.

Now skip to 1997 when Australian CSIRO scientist Dr. Nick Malajczuk, specialising in trees and funghi started experimenting with some initial planting in Tasmania. He identified Manjimup in Western Australia as an ideal location for growing truffles. Hence was born the Hazel Hill Truffiére..

In 1998, 13,000 Oak and Hazel tree saplings were inoculated with the French Black Truffle. To do this, the Perigold truffles are made into a mush which is rubbed into the roots of the saplings.

At this early stage, Dr. Nick chose to use both oak and hazel with the foresight that if the truffles didn’t develop then they would at least have hazelnuts to harvest! More than 5 years of experimentation and anxious waiting passed and in 2003 the first truffle was uncovered accidently on a morning walk.

So it is here in Manjimup, we went truffle hunting…

Manjimup is a thriving agricultural centre, about 3 1/2 hours SE from Fremantle in Western Australia, a land of cherries, apples, pears, avocados, marron, and of course truffles.

A nice early road trip with my friend- head chef Peter Manifis landed us in Manjimup at 930am. We join another couple and began the tour with some history and truffle science.

This is followed by a breakfast of  truffled scrambled eggs served on  hazelnut bread, whipped up in front of us by the head chef of The Wine & Truffle Company. To wash it down we had a sneaky little glass of their well regarded Riesling. Good start to the day!

Next we were assigned gumboots and overalls and taken to the training area to meet the dogs. They have three prize hunters. Sunny- a kelpie, Lizzie- a beagle and Bella- a black lab.

In the training area they have set up rows of plastic trees, at the base of which there are little pieces of sponge. Some have a drop of truffle oil on them, and the others have a red cross. The dogs all have there own commands so that they know which one is working. It’s either “seek”, “go get it” or “find”. The dogs run from tree to tree and when they smell the truffle they sit and wait for a treat.

With training complete it’s time for the real thing! We all board the little wooden carriage, pulled by a tractor, to take us up to the truffiére. Before we board we must walk through water in our boots, yet another precaution they take to prevent any potentially harmful spores reaching the truffiére.

Once we are there, its all business and not even 2 minutes pass before Sunny has found a beauty. When a truffle is identified in the ground, the hunter first smells is to assess its state. Truffles are formed in November/December, grow through Feb/March and mature during the winter months. Only when a truffle is mature does it release its aroma.

When a truffle has matured it needs to be harvested within 3 days or it will begin to rot in the ground. A very small window! Once a truffle has been deemed mature, fingers and a small plastic needle are used to scrape the ground around the truffle until it is unearthed. Truffles can be found as deep as 60cm, and a single tree can produce up to 2.5kg each season.

Truffles are often found in clusters and a lot of small truffles can come together to form a very large truffle. Like the one we dug up, weighing about 430gms! Unfortunately we were not permitted to take it with us, and there are no pockets in the overalls they provided!

The Manjimup truffles typically sell for between $2000-$3500/kg, except for the “icon” truffles which are the largest ones ranging from 750g-1.5kg, which are usually auctioned on ebay for up to $6000/kg.

This year they expect to harvest 1tonne of black truffle. Australia is the biggest producer of French black truffles outside Europe and currently produce 15% of the world black truffles. Because of Europe’s rapidly decreasing production due to the age of the trees, it is predicted that by 2020, Australia will be producing 50% of the world’s truffles.

This little truffiére in Manimup is now exporting to 15 countries, including France.

Then we headed to the farm café for a beef pie on truffled mash and glass of shiraz before we hit the orchards to pick some vine-ripened Granny Smiths!

Back at the restaurant where we work in Fremantle, we were couriered 1kg of Manjimup truffles for our annual Truffle Dinner, which consisted of 100 people, 5 courses, 8 chefs and lots of truffles……

Woodfired Pizza Bianco with Shaved Truffle, Parmesan and Truffle Oil

Truffled Leek & Potato Soup

Marron & Truffle Omelette

Housemade Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms & Marsala

Roasted Spatchcok with Truffle Butter (under the skin), Asparagus wrapped in Pancetta

Mielle Feille with Caramal Apples and Truffled Custard

At the end of the night we all realised we would be happy not to see or smell another truffle until next season!

About Chef Zoe Roy!

At 16 working as a waitress I became captivated by the concept of creating flavour. The next 3 years I spent exploring Europe and UK, working in England, Ireland, Scotland, Turkey and finally 6 months in France working in a farmhouse ‘La Ferme du Mont Mussey’ at the foothills of the Jura mountains. It was here that my path was truly cemented for me…. The quest for food that still smells of the earth or the forest or the ocean it came from, and the creation of simple flavours that make your heart sing.

Back in Melbourne I began a catering business ‘Feed your Friends’. I provided fully personalised menus, catering for schools, hospitals, film sets, corporate, cocktail parties and dinner parties.  After two years, at 21, I again craved the pace of  a commercial kitchen… I became Head Chef of Montsalvat Café & Restaurant in Eltham, cooking European food with the help of a beautiful kitchen garden. After 1 year I was enticed by the excitement of Richmond Hill Café & Larder, which was to become my home for the next 4 years. Working alongside Stephanie Alexander and other wonderful chefs and top shelf ingredients in a professional environment kept me very stimulated. I finally bid farewell to Richmond Hill, and became Head Chef of The Commoner. A modern British restaurant in the heart of Fitzroy with a woodfire oven and a Moorish touch. This took me back to my travelling days and my first love affair with food, following the spice trail around the world.

Currently I have moved out west with my partner (also a passionate chef!) and we have plans to open a small and intimate European style bar in Fremantle. Watch this space!

So tell me, whats your favorite way to eat truffle?

Good  coffee is art.

And I’m not talking about a picture of Elvis frothed out in milk and creama on top of your vanilla hazelnut  half strength decaffeinated mocha-frappa-soy- cinno either.

To make a good coffee requires a delicate balancing act of beans, barista and machine. So many variables come into play when you discuss these three major aspects that coffee making has become. It is really a scientific art form of the highest level.

Lest we forget the other important and vital aspects that go into a decent cuppa Joe, like location, consistency, service and price.

Does such a place exist that can tick all the magical boxes? Thank fully yes.

Sydney folks and visitors alike can be assured in the knowledge that our caffeine needs are being well catered for in the heart of the Sydney corporate and shopping district.

In a tiny street side kiosk behind the majestic Queen Victoria Building in the Sydney CBD sits a  gem of a coffee joint, that is so small you can’t even swing an analogue in it.

Espresso on York sits on the windward  corner of York and Market street, and is owned and operated by Tony with the skilful assistance of Barista Roberto.

Roberto’s ability to turn out consistently top quality espresso is only matched by Tonys foresight to keep prices at the most reasonable I’ve seen in Australia to date which is, wait for it… $2.00.  Could this be the best coffee in Sydney?  I’m convinced it is.

This is a no nonsense purists establishment who require their coffee the way god intended it. Freshly roasted and expertly crafted. There are no tables here, no magazines to linger over and no chance of a free refill. You stand, you order and you inhale.

Never one to waste an opportunity, I like to order myself a doppio which comes first, followed by a flat white. I enjoy the doppio whilst waiting for my flat white to be created.  And Tony knows exactly what I order and how I like it despite seeing hundreds and hundreds of faces everyday at his kiosk.

I shot the breeze with Roberto as he deftly twists and turns with hand movements so precise and exact. He doesn’t waste a millimetre of energy as the ground coffee gets tampered with a flick of the wrist and milk jugs are tossed into position with the ease of an acrobat.

“It’s all in the Extraction Bridge,” he tells me with a smile as I watch mouse tails cascading from the silver espresso machine.

Having worked in restaurants all my life and having access to many wonderful espresso machines and skilful baristas, I know it’s more than just extraction which produces such masterpieces. It requires love and care for your craft and a commitment to producing the best product whether it’s your first cup of the day or the 600^th.

And if you want to talk about skill, Roberto tells me he has a passion for photography as well. So I ask him if he would like  to take a few photos for the article I want to do on Espresso on York.  The results are the stunning  shots that you see here amongst this post. Coffee porn anyone?

Want to see more of Roberto’s work? Check out his Flickr photostream and follow him on Twitter and  to taste Roberto and Tony’s handiwork, just one small gold coin will get you the best coffee in Sydney.

Tony and Roberto of Espresso on York

So tell me, have you had your caffeine fix today?

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The Internet Chef Talks to Christie Connelly from

“Fig and Cherry”

and asks her Just One Question…

“What inspired you to blog about food?”

Two words – my hubby! He’s a web developer and he designed and built my blog for me in June 2007. Then he kept coaxing me to put my first post up – which took me until December 3rd 2007 – talk about procrastination! Once I got going there was no stopping me though, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I’m also fortunate to have had a very multicultural upbringing with two grandmothers, one Lebanese, one Hungarian, who were both incredible cooks. They never taught me any specific recipes, but just being surrounded by their passion for food in their respective cultures was very inspiring. Not to mention a delicious experience.

My next big adventure will be to create delectable, organic baby food for my little girl who is due in November. I’m looking forward to pleasing one of my toughest critics, I’m sure!

Food blogger profile:

Blog and Social Media Links:

Food Blog: http://www.figandcherry.com/

Company website: http://www.morningcopy.com.au/

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/figandcherry

Twitter: http://twitter.com/figandcherry

Bio:

Christie is a self-taught and health-conscious cook who lives in Sydney. She’s always searching for new and exotic flavours and has travelled all over the world in pursuit of the perfect meal, including: Barcelona, Tokyo, Bangkok, New York and Istanbul… with Mallorca and Hong Kong next on the list.

Fig and Cherry allows her to express her love of cooking, eating, photography and travel. Through the blog, she has been lucky enough to meet amazing chefs such as Tetsuya Wakuda and work with brands like Electrolux, Bessemer and Sunbeam.

The name Fig and Cherry is strongly marinated in history; reflecting her family heritage of Hungarian and Lebanese cultures. Figs are often used in Mediterranean cooking and simply devoured fresh from the tree. Cherries, particularly sour ones, play an integral part in delicious Hungarian desserts, such as strudels and crêpes.

Christie is a very busy woman. She also owns the online marketing agency, Morning Copy, and has a baby due in November 2010! She’ll be launching another blog in September that will feature stories, reviews and competitions about pregnancy and motherhood.

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I seem to have lost the art of couch potato-ing.

The thought of sitting in front of a Television set when I’m at home doesn’t appeal to me anymore.

Have I come of age? Has television programming become stale and robotic? Is my couch not as comfortable as it could be? Has the Internet become my new form of edutainment?

I think all of the above are correct in someway with one more added statement to describe my lack of tele-watching  enthusiasm.

The kitchen has become the heart of the home again.

I can happily say that I would much rather be cooking and sharing the food love with my family then sitting stone faced in front of the box watching reruns of terrible American sitcoms.

Last night was no exception as I skipped merrily into the kitchen and produced this super little dessert with the help of Miss8 and visiting Miss6. In fact it was so simple they did all the stirring and licking of bowls for me!

Sticky Date and Molasses Pudding

Ingredients:

200gm pitted dates ~ roughly chopped

1 ¼ cup water

½ tsp baking soda

60g unsalted butter ~ softened

¾ cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs

¼ cup molasses

1 cup self raising flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp ginger

Methodology:

• Preheat the oven to 180c on Fan bake.
• In a small saucepan bring to the boil the dates and water. Reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 5 minutes until the dates begin to breakdown.Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and the sugar is dissolved.
• Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
• Pour in the molasses and mix until well combined.
• Sift together the flour, salt and ginger and fold through the wet mixture lightly.
• Pour the mixture into a well greased pudding basin or 6 individual greased ramekins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes for individuals or  40 minutes for a large one or until a skewer inserted into the pudding comes out clean.
• Serve hot from the oven with clotted cream, ice cream, or butterscotch sauce

Photo Credits: Roberto Kapp of www.bobbykphotography.com. and Ben Sutherland via Flickr

and asks her Just One Question…

“What inspired you to blog about food?”

‘PASSIONATE ABOUT BAKING’…and that’s what I am!! Time on hand, and breathtakingly beautiful food photography at food blogs like Canelle Et Vanille & La Tartine Gourmande inspired me to begin food blogging. Been baking at home for over 10 years, and enjoy it more and more each passing day. It’s challenging, inspirational, creative and therapeutic. My blog has pictures and recipes of my fun in the kitchen, and a few bits and pieces about other stuff I enjoy – nature, art, photography, props, travel….

I am a SAHM (stay-at-home-mother), or rather, a “Domestic Engineer” as the newly updated lexicon glorifies us mere mortals to be, with two lovely kids. My passions in life are baking, cooking, nature, art and photography. It’s mainly about FOOD as an art. My mantra…‘Do It From Scratch’ which must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too! Not a very experimental eater, but I seem to be developing a knack for experimental cooking!

My family enjoys good food, and this gives me some therapeutic stuff to do. A die hard foodie, I love exploring new ingredients and cuisines, and sing the ‘locavore’ anthem.

Food styling is something I absolutely adore. Mr. PAB has just got me a new camera, a Canon EOS 50D, which I am exploring. I’ve recently begun writing an online baking blog for the Times of India, one of India’s largest newspapers. You can find me here under the name The Rabid Baker {rabid: (adj) marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea}. I also write on a freelance basis, do cookbook and product reviews, and sometimes carry out recipe testings on request, and dream of writing a baking book one day!

Food blogger profile: Deeba Rajpal

My main blog:

Also find me at:

Deeba Rajpal’s passions in life are baking, cooking, nature, art and photography. She has two kids, a daughter who is 14, and a son who is 11, both foodies through and through. Her better half is her greatest critic, and the motivation for her culinary adventures in her kitchen in India! Photography, nature, art, travel, macarons, food styling & recipe development are her other interests.

{All Deeba’s work is under copyright ©. Please feel free to ask her if you would like to use it.}

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Having experienced the Justin North culinary  magic at the recent Great Barrier Feast on Hamilton Island ~ if you win this competiton you are going to be in for a real treat!

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Dinner for 2 at Becasse in Sydney thanks to The Internet Chef, Electrolux and Justin North.

To begin with, Electrolux have reserved the best table in the house for 2 people at Justin North’s fine dining restaurant ‘Becasse’ in Sydney.

You will be wined and dined by Justin and his team as they take you on a culinary journey of fabulous French inspired cuisine through  a memorable degustation dinner.  Whether Justin is wowing you with his Salad of Winter Heirloom vegetables roasted marron tail, pea mousseline and dried olive or an apple cheesecake crumble with sorbet and lemon balm, Justin’s ability to delight the palate and excite the senses have ensured his place as a true “masterchef”

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