Writer, Eater
The last week of the year was delicious. I hope the same goes for all my readers and correspondents! Here are the highlights of the Christmas week and some reminders of many fun articles from 2008, with a few pretty photos thrown in. If you're a reader but not usually a commenter, why not say hi?
Sweet readers, it's time for me to announce the launch of a new website. Book reviews. For you and me. By you and me (and you and you and you). All about food, wine and tummies. I got tired of superficial, uninformative reviews in the papers and decided it was time to fix it! The Gastronomer's Bookshelf has been in development for a number of weeks and has just opened for everyone. If you have books you want to tell others about, or books you've already reviewed on your own site, why not share your helpful perspectives on The Gastronomer's Bookshelf?
The Cocoa Farm brand might be known to some. A product received for review was small barrel-shaped chocolates with pieces of currant 'bathed' in shiraz. Meh.
It seemed time for a little Christmas spirit, though most of it seems to be passing me by at the moment. On the occasion of a little lunch at my place for friends, I wanted to serve some new flavours of macarons to my faithful tasters. Some very new creations and ingredients this time round, involving Christmas flavours and a very Australian memory.
This month's Daring Bakers challenge comes to you in stereo on Syrup&Tang. My Parisian correspondent, Harry, has taken up the Daring Bakers cause and baked his little heart out. Alas, he lacks a blog, so he's posting here alongside me. What did we make? Caramel Cake with Caramelised Butter Icing. If your favourite bloggers have mysteriously gone offline, it might be due to the sugar-induced coma of following the recipe to the letter.
The vanilla slice is one of those standard, humble Australian bakery items that qualifies as "good old" for its longevity and as "humble" because of its modest level of finesse. But there are mysteries in all this (and questions for readers...
Read more Tue 30 Aug, 2011
Have you rummaged in your undergrowth recently? Did you see any deeeeep blue flowers? No? I guess yours might be one of the gardens I pillaged for a supply of violets. Sorry 'bout that. But it was worth it. Violet jelly. Beauuuuutiful.
Read more Fri 19 Sep, 2008
A few weeks ago I was 'tagged' by Amelita at Squishyness to list seven food facts about me. Here, at last, is a list of tidbits. It's all here -- hoarding, allergies, disappointment and substance abuse as a toddler! You never...
Read more Tue 04 Sep, 2007
Strange. I'm dining fine in Australia, yet the menu isn't French, Italian or Mod-Oz. Some of the staff and chefs speak a cuisine-appropriate language, but are most likely home-grown. The cuisine is usually regarded as meat-heavy and conservative. George Calombaris's very modern food successfully marries cutting edge with Hellenic tradition at The Press Club. It's hard to...
Read more Tue 19 Feb, 2008
All over Denmark you see signs for frisky creamy balls. At first it seems very odd and rather tasteless, until you realise you're mistranslating. Welcome to the world of fluffy chocolate coated delights... with recipe!
Read more Fri 15 May, 2009
In the newly revised and updated Memories of Philippine Kitchens, Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan, owners and chef at the Purple Yam and formerly of Cendrillon in Manhattan, present a fascinating—and very personal—look at Filipino cuisine and culture. 
April Bloomfield takes home cooks on an intimate tour of the food that has made her a star. Thoughtful, voice-driven recipes go behind the scenes of Bloomfield's lauded restaurants and into her own home kitchen, where her attention to detail and reverence for honest ingredients result in unforgettable dishes. 
Since its first publication in 1970, South East Asian Food has achieved a reputation as the authoritative book on the subject. This new edition features a completely updated and easy-to-follow design, with beautiful illustrations throughout. 
More than 200 simple, authentic recipes for fish and seafood, newly collected from the Silver Spoon kitchen. From traditional seafood soups to simple grilled fish with herbs, the Italian approach to cooking with fish is both delicious and resourceful.