Its 8:30 Saturday morning and I’m still in bed. Am I sick? Have I slept through my alarm? Have I taken early retirement? Fortunately none of the previous lines of questioning give answer to my luxurious Saturday lay in.  Thanks to all the planets coming into alignment, and the cards turning in my favor I had a very rare Saturday free to do with it whatever I please. So please can we can to the Eveleigh Farmers markets?

When such a day presents itself I spring into action and come up with a million and one things I would love to be doing and top of my list was a long overdue trip to Eveleigh Farmers  Markets in Sydneys Redfern to emmere myself in market life.

Thanks to Eveleigh markets undercover location, the weather is no reason to prevent you strolling past the  45+ stalls that line the sides of the huge brick and steel building that is part of the eccletic spaces that make up the old Eveleigh rail yards or carrigeworks that were built in the 1880′s to service the industrial era of the 19th century.  With one side open to allow the breeze to flow throw it makes for a great all year round venue.

We make our way down the stairs to the shop floor and begin the audacious task of “Where do we begin?”. With so many vibrant stalls laid out neatly in front of us, it was a case of start on the left and work your way round to the right.

Colourful organic fruit and vegetables make up more than one stalls offerings, with seasonal choices of heirloom potatoes, deep purple hued kale leaves and baskets of compact cauliflowers.  You can sort through and chose your produce from a dedicated apple stand or pick your greens from a specialist green grocer. No longer in the realm of exoticism despite its name, exotic mushrooms are on offer alongside shimijii, enoki and shitake.

Along with the obligatory offerings of fruit and veg, small goods, organic poultry and salt-bush lamb also make up the markets trade. Freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters, organic juices and farm fresh goats cheese tempt you  to partake in a free sample which can lead to a successful purchase.

Those with a sweet tooth are well catered for here at Eveleigh by delicate and flaky French pastries, gluten free towering lemon meringue pies, chocolate splattered mini Pavlovas and hand crafted chocolate truffles.

I make a beeline for the Gumnuts stand which specializes in chocolate and biscuits to stasify my sugar requiremnts. I’m in love with the lucious looking salted caramel sauce and friendly greeting from the two lovely ladies working behind the stand.

The guys working the  Yalla Dips and Desserts stand hand out endless little samples to an appreciative crowd, with the cue to purchase sometimes three dip and four wide.  Farmer Joe’s home style muesli, organic olive oils, pickles and jams and glazed bagels of varying flavors are  proudly displayed  for the mixed rabble that constantly stream past their pop up shops.

The Columbian connection are in attendance by way of an espresso coffee stand and silver cafe tables and chairs are laid out down the center of the building for taking a load off from your heavy duty market shopping excursion. We make fine use of the tables, chairs and coffee as we meet up with our delicious friend The Divine Miss White who is on loan to us  from New York to spend time with  family and friends.

Classical music serandes us as we sit and watch the world  and the ever present canine go by. Dogs of all shapes and sizes are on parade with giggling toddlers embracing hounds and parents alike. Despite the presence  of so many pampered pouches, not a bark can be heard over the hum of the crowd and cords of the cello. The vibe is good, encouraging people to linger at stalls and chat with the producers.

We discuss philosophy and basset hounds while sipping on cups of steaming brew. Miss 8 plays amongst the kids on the concrete floor skipping to and fro from the stands to sneak an extra slice of bagel or cup of Yalla Chocolate Mousse.

The smell of glorious food is beckoning me to traverse to the other side of the shed where I am greeted by the smiling face of Celebrity Chef  Kylie Kwong cooking up bio dynamic Chinese treats from her Billy Kwong stand. She looks calm and serene as she skillful whips together certified free range steamed pork dumplings and organic  savory pancakes for her admiring public.

The united nations are represented well  by way of Asian,  Indian, Meditarrian and European snacks vendors dispensing familiar smells and comforting fare.

Large brown paper cones filled with the inticing bright colours of spring flowers along side bushels of multicoloured silverbeet leaves crowd the eco shopping bags and baskets of the smiling crowd. We have already been here for nearly two hours, and are making no attempt to head towards the exit as we keep on bumping into  stalls we are yet to admire.

A handmade ice cream sandwich for 88 from Pat and Sticks is a must do before our journey begins to wind to its sweet conclusion. Being spring I feel the beginnings of my inner city terrace garden in the makings, so my final stop on our world wind market tour is with the lovely herb lady.

Her vibrant green pots of joy whisper there seductive song as I buy up Vietnamese mint, spearmint, thyme and coriander alongside robust rosemary, continental parsley and sprouting chives. I’m as giddy as school girl by my newly formed collection with my attempts to tip my gracious host being in vain as she says “All I need is to see you smile, and thats tip enough for me” She ceremoniously throws the gold coin into my bag of herbs and waves me on the way.

Despite the rain we make our way slowly towards the road, still content to chat and share a few laughs with each other. Its now lunchtime so we head home to plant herbs and cook up  some of our market finds, happy in the knowldge that we snaged oursleves some bargains and  good energy.

Eveleigh markets can be found at Carrigeworks on Wilson street in Redfern. Its open most Saturdays through out the year from 8am to 1pm come rain or shine. Well worth sacrificing an extra long sleep in for.

Wheres your favorite market?

Sweet like chocolate!

Feel guilty every time you eat chocolate?

Health & the City’s dietitian and fitness expert Caitlin Reid, shows you how to enjoy your chocolate minus the guilt.

Chocolate – it’s something few of us dislike! In fact, it has a long history as a flavoured food of many cultures including the Aztecs and Mayan. Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, the seeds of the cacao plant. Cocoa beans are naturally rich in flavonoid antioxidants called procyanidins (catechin and epicatechin). These antioxidants have been found to play a role in keeping our body healthy. While many of us would like to think this is enough to call chocolate a health food, in reality it’s something we still need to enjoy in moderation.

What’s in chocolate?

The nutritional content of chocolate varies depending on the recipe, but generally chocolate contains fat, sugar, caffeine, vitamin E, minerals including calcium, magnesium and iron, and antioxidants. Chocolate is particularly high in saturated fat, of which about half is stearic acid. Unlike many other types of saturated fat, which raises cholesterol levels, stearic acid seems to have no effect on blood cholesterol levels. Chocolate is also high in kilojoules – approximately 2200kJ per 100g – so overconsumption can make weight management hard.

Antioxidant content of chocolate

Cocoa powder is by far the best source of antioxidants, followed by dark chocolate. The higher the cocoa content of dark chocolate, the more antioxidants it contains. Milk chocolate contains about half the amount of antioxidants found in dark chocolate, while white chocolate (which is not really a chocolate at all, because it contains no cocoa solids) contains no antioxidants.

Will chocolate improve my heart health?

While the antioxidants in chocolate have been shown to improve cholesterol profile, improve the flexibility of blood vessels, reduce the likelihood of clots and lower blood pressure, everyday chocolate products don’t contain enough antioxidants to help lower our risk of heart disease. According to the National Heart Foundation, for heart benefits we need to consume high polyphenol cocoa or chocolate. Raw cocoa powder and beans have high levels of polyphenols and are thought to be beneficial for heart health. However, most common chocolate products are low in polyphenols, as processing removes the original antioxidants. High polyphenol chocolate is not readily available.

Chocolate is not a health food

While chocolate definitely has its positive points, unfortunately this is not enough to consider it a health food. Chocolate is high in fat and sugar, two nutrients that are not good for you in large amounts. However, small amounts of chocolate (a serve is equivalent to 25g or 6 small squares) does have a place in a well-balanced diet containing plenty of wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Eating your chocolate in moderation ensures you can enjoy it guilt-free.

Tips for enjoying your chocolate the healthy way:

• Add dark chocolate pieces to your fruit and nut mix for an indulgent snack on the go.
• Savour a piece of good quality dark chocolate with your coffee after a meal
• Make a hot chocolate using raw cocoa powder, skim milk and a tiny bit of sugar.
• Grate good quality dark chocolate over a scoop or two of low-fat ice cream.
• Use raw cocoa powder, skim milk and a tiny bit of sugar to make an iced chocolate.
• Melt good quality dark chocolate and dip your 4-5 strawberries in it for a guilt-free dessert.

Website address: www.healthandthecity.com.au

Blog: http://healthandthecity.blogspot.com

Twitter ID: http://twitter.com/CaitlinReid

Facebook address: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sydney-Australia/Health-the-City/13868244279

Bio of me:
Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Caitlin Reid, studied a double degree in nutrition & dietetics and exercise science at Deakin University in Victoria. She has since moved to Sydney when she was worked with Sanitarium Health Food Company, Good Health Solutions, Foodwatch and Healthy Life Media. Currently, Caitlin is the club dietitian for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and lectures on sports nutrition at the Australian College of Physical Education. She is a regular contributor to the Healthy Food Guide magazine, MBF’s in2life message and Ninemsn’s Shape Mate Website. She also writes a weekly Health & the City.
Caitlin is also the author and director of Health & the City®, where she spires individuals and companies to achieve the elusive work-life balance through healthy living. She also writes a weekly Health & the City® blog. You may have seen Caitlin discussing nutrition and health topics on Kerri-Anne, TNT, Today Tonight, A Current Affair and Swish TV, or heard her provide health advice on numerous Australian radio stations including ABC, 2GB, 2UE, Pulse FM and 4CC.

Caitlin has a private practice at Balmain Sports Physiotherapy in Rozelle where she provides both nutrition and exercise advice. Her areas of expertise are in healthy lifestyles, sports nutrition, corporate health, weight loss and women’s health. Caitlin also provides nutrition advice to people with special dietary requirements such as Coealic disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and osteoporosis, just to name a few. With a keen interest in getting the most out of life, Caitlin knows how hard it is to juggle career goals, family and friends, a relationship and personal development, all while trying to make health a priority in life. Forget about being too busy – Caitlin almost effortlessly entwines health into the lifestyle of any hectic urbanite.

Info about Health & the City
Most of us know that we need to lead a healthier life; we just need a little inspiration about how to go about it. That’s while Health & the City is the perfect companion to keep you inspired all year round. Complete with your very own health challenge, Health & the City provides bite-sized tips especially for hectic urbanites trying to navigate their way through this fast-paced, urban existence. Health & the City will help improve your lifestyle, giving you the time and energy to pursue the things that really make you happy. You’ll barely notice the effort, but you will notice your health and fitness improving.

“Health & the City takes a realistic approach to health and fitness… [and] takes you back to a simple and real life slant. Caitlin’s genuine passion and thoughtfulness shines through in her book, supported by fantastic health and fitness tips.”  Michelle Bridges, Celebrity Trainer, The Biggest Loser

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.

Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. 

That way, at least you'll get one thing done.

For lovers of chocolate and chocolate lovers everywhere, The Internet Chef along with with Boon Chocolates of Sydney proudly bring you an evening of wickedly delicious chocolate.

Join us on Thursday 22nd July at 545pm in our state of the art Sydney showroom as we showcase  chocolate in all its fabulous glory through a masterclass session with Artisan chocolatiers Alex and Fanny of Boon Chocolates and a delectable chocolate cooking demonstration from The Internet Chef Bridget Davis.

The  Chocolate Experience Workshop will include

• Chocolate tasting session  with Alex from Boon
• Chocolate appreciation discourse where you will learn the chocolate philosophy behind one of Sydney’s hottest boutique chocolate shops
• Live cooking class where you will get expert tuition through some   fantastic and delicious chocolate recipes designed by The Internet Chef
• Blind chocolate tasting competition with great prizes
• The opportunity to get hands on with Bridget and use some of the best kitchen equipment for chocolate cookery on the market today
• Take home pack of chocolate truffles
• Complimentary drink and canapes on arrival
• You supporting Fanny and Alex’s community projects in the Philippines via Opportunity International with a portion of proceeds invested into their charity work.

DATE: Thursday 22nd July

COST: $75.00 per guest

TIME: 5:45pm

LOCATION: Electrolux Showcase

163 O’Riordan Street, Mascot

Sydney

Click her for map

There are limited spaces available for this exciting event, so to avoid disappointment   book your spaces now by clicking on the link below

Tickets are only $75.00 for this 2.5 hour master workshop!

The Story Behind the Magic…

Boon is Sydney’s newest boutique chocolate salon, created by brother and sister team Alex and Fanny Chan. Together, Fanny and Alex have brought ‘the chocolate experience’ to the inner city hub of Darlinghurst. An unrelenting passion for quality, rich flavours and creativity manifests throughout the store and in the brand’s philosophy to deliver something different and distinct from the current stable of chocolate shops.

Having experienced several years under the wing of Belgian master chocolatier ~ Patrick Mertens of Boon (Belgium), Fanny is dedicated to hand made artistry. Boon blends classic European flavours with a bold and exciting fusion of Australian flavours.

Alex brings over 10 years experience as a food technologist to Boon.  All the chocolates are blended in-house using only natural ingredients without any preservative or artificial flavouring.

Boon (Sydney) has a strong alliance with their sister company Boon (Belgium), the place were the Boon philosophy was first conceived. Though they work as separate entities, they regularly liaise with one another to share knowledge and ideas. They are bound by the same philosophy and culture.

Boon is a boutique brand yet so much more than a chocolate shop. They see themselves as being an integral part of the local community with a high sense of social relevance and value. Passionate about what they do, Alex and Fanny have created a social experience at Boon.

“We notice many customers coming in and just sitting quietly in The Boon Terrace Lounge absorbing their surrounding and just losing themselves,”

“It’s like watching them experience their own little world, we love being a part of their everyday lives” says Alex

Fanny and Alex’s passion, vision and commitment has translated into a formal partnership with Opportunity International in an effort to serve third world countries, something that they both feel strongly about.

This will be an intimate evening with a difference where your chocolate experience will change lives.

Book your tickets now…

In association with

photo by Allerina & Glen MacLarty

Firstly prepare your fish bones … I’ve always wanted to start a dessert post with just such a statment.

Had we been preparing this Italian dessert tradizionale we would have started with the preperation of our fish bones which were used as the thickening agent.

Techonolgy now on our side, we are able to utilise a sprinkle or two of gelatin… thank fully.

Panna cotta hails from the Emilia -Romagna region of Italy,  the long held strong hold of Italian Gastronomy. For centuries the people of Emilia-Romagna have been delighting our palates and amplifying our bellies with such regional delights as Prosciuttio di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano and of course the frangible and lightly cooked panna cotta.

The literal translation of panna cotta is “cooked cream”, which it is only just . The gelatin is used to set the dessert and I have added white chocolate to this recipe to make it extra decadent.

This relatively simple dessert, consisting traditionally of only four ingredients is made challenging only in thought ~ as too much gelatin will cause the dessert to turn out rubbery, and conversely, too little gelatin will cause the dessert to run forth onto the plate. By nature, panna cotta should be wobbly and voluptuous as a womens bosom which is not hard to achieve if you follow this simple methodology.

Serve elegantly plain or when summer berries are in abundance with a spoonful of these macerated goodies for a  sweet-tart contrast.

Ingredients

180gms white chocolate

600mls full cream

4 Tbs caster sugar

1 vanilla pod ~ scraped of its seeds

3 tsp / 10gms powdered gelatin

1/3 cup of boiling water

6x dariole moulds ~ lightly greased with non stick cooking spray

3 handfuls of fresh berries such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries.

2-4 Tbs caster sugar

1/4 cup of red wine, white wine or cider

Serves 6

Methodology

Into a heavy based saucepan place the white chocolate, cream, sugar and vanilla seeds.

Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly to ensure the mixture is smooth and does not begin to catch on the base of the pot. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for a couple of minutes to give the flavours time to get to know each other a little better.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the boiling water and wait a few minutes for the granules to dissolve.

Pour the gelatin liquid into the cream mixture and stir through to combine.

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any potential lumps, and then divide the mixture between the 6 moulds.

Lightly cover the moulds with cling film and allow to set in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours  ~ or overnight if need be.

Photo by ginnerobot

While the pannacotta are setting to their delicious jelly like state, you can prepare the berries to go with the dessert by heating them in small non-stick pan with 2 Tbs of caster sugar. Once you begin to smell the sugar caramelising slightly in the pan, add in a 1/4 cup of red wine, white wine or cider.

Allow the berries to come to a gentle boil so they begin to break down a touch and the flavour of the sauce begins to develop. Taste the sauce at this point ~ adding more sugar if the berries are particularly tart.

Remove the pan from the heat and leave the berries to sit and cool which once agian will help those wonderful flavours to shine through.

To serve your decadent dessert treat, unmold the panna cotta by running a sharp knife around the edge of the mould.

Hold the mould upside down in the palm of your hand and gentle shake the mould until the panna cotta comes loose and slides into your hand ~ now slid the dessert on to a deep dished plate and surround with berries and a spoon or two of the lovely berry sauce.

By Josie of Daydreamer Desserts

Twitter ID @DaydreamerDsrts

With the start of soccer season for my two youngest children, sleeping in on a Saturday morning is no longer an option.  Their games are usually early in the morning, sometimes with a warm-up time of 7:30am.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, and need a little bargaining power to get your little ones  up early in the morning. Here is a quick and easy breakfast option that’s ready in 10 minutes or less.

Give it a try!  Works like a charm…

Chocolate Ricotta Fritters (Frittelle di cioccolato)

Adapted from 1,000 Italian Recipes

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

8 oz ricotta

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 oz dark chocolate chips

1 oz tia maria liqueur

1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

Vegetable or canola oil for frying

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Method:

Add eggs, sugar, vanilla and liqueur into a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until frothy, add the ricotta and chocolate, mix until combined.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.  On low speed stir  the flour mixture into the ricotta.

Line a tray or large plate with paper towels.

In a heavy sauce pan pour oil to cover at least a 2 or 3 inch depth of the pan. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. using a frying thermometer or until a drop of the batter placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute.

Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop up tablespoon sized dough balls and carefully slide them into the oil.  Make sure you don’t over crowd the pan.  Remove the fritters once they are golden brown and puffed, about 2-3 minutes with a slotted spoon and place them on the paper towels to drain.

Dust the fritters with confectioner’s sugar and/or cocoa powder and serve immediately.

Jodie hails from California in the United States where she is an IT expert by day and fanatical sweet toothed baker by night!

Jodie’s beautiful blog Daydreamer Desserts is a testament to her love affair with sugar and all things dessert. As Jodie says “I’d rather skip dinner and leave room for dessert”  with ice cream being her hands down favorite treat!

A girl has got to do what a girl’s got to do.

The task had been set, the lines had been drawn.

It was my job to seek out and search through all the chocolate recipe posts that appeared in my twitter stream and extract the best!

And I must say, there were literally hundreds of recipes that opened themselves up on my browser ready to be visually devoured  and deliciously salivated over.

I came across so many wonderful recipes, so rather than put together a colossal-sized post with hundreds of recipe links, I decided to break the post up into tasty chocolate sections to tease and tantalize, starting with this twitalicious offering of moist and delicious Chocolate cakes.

Remember to keep an eye out for this continuous Salute to Chocolate by The Internet Chef where there’s something for the chocoholic in everyone.

From moist cakes to chewy cookies, decadent ice creams and  superb parfaits,  lick-able lollipops and totally tipsy tarts, as well as access to some of the best food blogs on the internet and its all Chocolate Baby!

So don’t forget to BOOKMARK this page and FAVOURITE  this tweet on Twitter, go grab yourself a hot chocolate, sit back and enjoy the view.

If you like what you see, retweet (RT) away and let your friends know where the chocolate is.

You really can have your cake and eat it too!

Cinnamon Chocolate Bundt Cake from The Food Librarian

Emily's Vegan Chocolate Cake from Two Spoons

Black Magic Chocolate Cake from My Baking Addiction

Dark Chocolate Stout Cake from Baking For The Cure

Sachertorte Chocolate Cake from Apple Pie,Patis & Pate

The Best Chocolate Cake in the World? from Clumbsy Cookie

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake from a Yankee in a Southern Kitchen

Banana Chocolate Caramel Bundt Cake from Cookworm

Delicious and Moist Chocolate Cola Cake from Pink Byte

Wicked Wholemeal Chocolate Cake from Gels Kitchen

Plate- Lickingly Good Chocolate Cake from Zoe Bakes

Chocolate Genoise Cake from Passionate about Baking

Good Chocolate cake from A Yankee in a Southern Kitchen

Moist Chocolate Carrot Cake from Mochachocolata Rita

Heaven and Hell Chocolate Cake from Foodo' del Mundo

Healthy Chocolate Cake with a Secret from Healthy Indulgences

Double Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling from Bella Eats

Dark chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream from Imperrfections

Chocolate cake with a peanut butter frosting from Sugarlaws

Chocolate Zuchinni cake from Tracey's culinary adventures

The Andon-Reid Inn's Choco-Mania Souffle Cake from Inn Cuisine