cooking

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

September 5-7, 2008: Onetime Friend, Novel Farm

Michael too I had rare risk to part around fourth dimension too nutrient amongst Doof September 5-7, 2008: Old friend, New Farm

On this weekend, Michael too I had rare risk to part around fourth dimension too nutrient amongst Doof. H5N1 lot has happened since Doof too I were co-renting v years ago, nevertheless it was surprisingly familiar too comfortable sharing vino too takeaway pizza amongst him too his electrical flow housemates inward their New Farm home. His beige too brownish crockery, which 1 time held my mediocre pre-vegetarian meals for one, in all likelihood helped.

Doof's housemate was on the receiving halt of a painful accident too around poorly executed medical attending that week, too a combination of medication too vino had her excessively apologetic that she hadn't made cake for dessert. She had this corking cream, you lot see. I didn't, but figured around cake was achievable enough.

With my hosts' approving I raided their cupboards for cookbooks too ingredients, converting a Donna Hay recipe for a rectangular maple cake into a dozen golden syrup cupcakes. Though they were cypher spectacular, I was quietly proud of my resourcefulness too spontaneity too my companions loudly expressed their ain appreciation. The cream did plow out to hold upward exceptional - a $7.75 scandalize of thick, pale yellowish bliss from an exclusive dairy inward Tasmania.

Saturday morning's excogitation was a mini-road trip to the hippy-ish hinterland town of Maleny. So what improve means to rootage the 24-hour interval than the Alibi Room's Kombie Drivers Breakfast for two?

$35 gets you lot this vegan-friendly monstrosity: soy java too fruit juice for two, heavy toast amongst nuttelex, sublime sweetness chilli scrambled tofu, a mount of mushrooms, baked beans, spinach, tomato, soy bacon, haggis-like sausages, sweetness white patato chips, too 4 of the biggest, greasiest, nearly fabulous hash browns I've e'er seen or eaten. Needless to say, nosotros didn't require to consume over again for around time.

September 9, 2008: One Carusi Ii

last time (professionally painted signage!*), though their MO remains unchanged - high lineament mid-price pizzas too accoutrements. Michael generously allowed me to guide the 2 pizzas we'd share, too I tried to reciprocate past times picking around toppings I knew he'd specially like. Up summit in that place is the Broccoli ($13): "in bianco, fior di latte, broccoli, lemon, chilli & parmeggiano". The freshness of the ingredients made it great, though the uneven distribution of the chilli created a flake of a rollercoaster ride.

here.

Monday, June 29, 2015

September 11, 2008: A Tiddler House Ii

To welcome diverse people dorsum from their travels, a gang of us decided to grab upwards for dinner on Th night. Mike in addition to Jo were talking upwards Tiba's, every bit was Cindy (thanks to a very former post past times Truffle). What nosotros weren't planning on was Ramadan. Tiba's was flood amongst people - huge groups gathering to pause their day-long fast in addition to only to hang out in addition to survive sociable. We were told that in that place was a two-hour hold off for a table, thence nosotros decided to motion on. Our outset port of telephone telephone was Nila Junction, but it was unexpectedly closed. By this phase nosotros were getting hungry in addition to a lilliputian frustrated, but Jo-Lyn saved the twenty-four hours past times reminding us that A Minor Place offers to a greater extent than than only peachy breakfasts.

The dinner scene is much, much, quieter than breakfast - nosotros wandered inwards in addition to were presented amongst a corner booth that comfortably seated the 6 of us. The bill of fare comes inwards 2 parts: dumplings in addition to snacks ($5 - $9.50) in addition to tapas ($9 - $13), both of which were reasonably well-stocked amongst vegetarian options. Cindy in addition to I started things off amongst the battered eggplant in addition to soybean, amongst chilli, onion in addition to sweetness soy ($11).

Camy (20 for $6.50 or 32.5c per dumpling compared amongst nine for $9.50 or $1.06 per dumpling here). I approximate you lot convey to constituent inwards ambience every bit well, which makes for a to a greater extent than complex equation - it's sure enough a much to a greater extent than relaxed dumpling sense at H5N1 Minor Place.

Our end savoury pick was the spiced chickpeas amongst spinach in addition to lemon ($10). Strangely, the bill of fare description didn't rear the cinnamon, which was past times far the strongest flavor inwards this dish. Whatever other spices they used the chickpeas were a lilliputian flake swamped, but the lemon was potent plenty to smoothen through a bit. I actually enjoyed it, but I was glad that nosotros were sharing - a whole bowl of this would plow over you lot cinnamon poisoning.

here.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

September 12, 2008: Trippy Taco Ii

long been 1 of Michael's favourite places to purchase tiffin close his operate place. But he took his sweetness fourth dimension letting me know that they're opened upwards for an early on dinner! Thankfully nosotros had enough of fourth dimension to halt past times on Fri betwixt operate as well as ACMI's Jim Henson rarities. The layout is nevertheless only every bit Michael described it xix months ago, though I intend the card has expanded. They're forthwith fully licensed as well as laid upwards several kinds each of quesadillas, tacos, taquitos, burritos, nachos, every bit good every bit breakfast variations thereof. Everything (except mayhap the fries, but I intend they're working on that) is vegetarian, as well as the card is scattered amongst tips for vegans - letting yous know where to asking soy milk, soy cheese, tofu instead of eggs, dairy-free chocolate spread instead of nutella.

And though they won't choke along yous waiting also long for food, yous tin transcend that fourth dimension amongst snakes as well as ladders! There's nix similar a quick victory to pique the appetite, fifty-fifty if no personal science was required.

Michael ordered 1 of the priciest dishes on the menu, huevos rancheros ($12): fresh home-made corn tortillas topped amongst fried eggs, ranchero sauce, dark beans, cheese as well as avocado amongst a side of chipotle chilli as well as a pair of extra tortillas.

I picked 1 of the electrical flow specials advertised past times the cash register - a sweetness corn tamale amongst salad, cheese as well as ranchero sauce ($8.50). Having never eaten a tamale earlier I wasn't certain what to hold back - it's genuinely a cornmeal dough steamed inwards a corn husk. I must acknowledge to thinking that this lump of dough looked kinda ho-hum as well as bland but only 1 gustatory modality proved me absolutely wrong. It's tender, sweetness as well as bursting amongst corn flavour! Also dense as well as filling, thie tamale is only the affair to transform a salad into a existent meal.

I visit Trippy Taco deserves a source shape ticket on the hot tamale train. These folks accept developed my ideal weeknight eat-out. It's vegetarian, inexpensive, non junky or supersized, yet nevertheless stimulating as well as satisfying. I intend I'll endure stopping past times Michael's constituent on the agency abode a niggling to a greater extent than oftentimes from forthwith on.

(You tin read virtually 1 of Michael's previous trips to Trippy Taco here.)

Address: ~~48 Smith St, Collingwood~~ 234 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
Ph: 9415 7711
Fully licensed
Price: veg meals $8.50-$12.50

Saturday, June 27, 2015

September 15, 2008: Dark Edible Bean In Addition To Avocado Soup

Legume Love Affair, started past times The Well-Seasoned Cook together with hosted past times Lucy at Nourish Me.

Friday, June 26, 2015

September 17, 2008: Pantry Challenge Chickpeas

What's a pantry challenge? In our home, 1 time every calendar week or so, I tend to delve into the bottom 2 shelves of the pantry, looking for a half-finished parcel of something that tin move hold upwards alone finished for dinner. Noodles, quinoa, rice newspaper sheets or felafel mix - these dry out as well as colourless ingredients tin move genuinely hold upwards a cracking launching indicate for a build novel meal, given a quick trip to the shops for or as well as thus fresh veges on the means dwelling solid from work.

That's hardly a challenge, though, is it? Well, on Tuesday nighttime I managed to practise a repast using only ingredients already at home. I realise that's par for the bird inwards many households, but it's highly odd here. We oftentimes don't innovation our meals whatsoever to a greater extent than than hours ahead, as well as purchase groceries upwards to 5 times a week. (For the record, my pantry repast consisted of stir-fried mock chicken as well as shredded Brussels sprouts amongst soba noodles as well as Happee Monkee's dark caramelised garlic sauce.)

Kathyrn from Limes as well as Lycopene has laid an fifty-fifty greater pantry challenge. Can you lot practise a tasty as well as nutritious repast using only ingredients from her listing of fifteen non-perishable foods? I reckoned I could, though many of the items don't typically reside inwards my ain pantry (Michael eyes frozen vegetables amongst deep suspicion, as well as nosotros don't fifty-fifty hoard tinned legumes, though nosotros swallow them often). It's non just the on-the-table-in-20-minutes thing that virtually folks are looking for on a weeknight, but that's because I wanted to deadening prepare the onions for maximum soft sweetness. However this recipe all the same doesn't require also much examine - simply laid the onions cooking equally shortly equally you lot tin move as well as pass the adjacent one-half hr ticking off or as well as thus other task. Answer your mail, write a greenback to long-distance friend, or hand your mum a call!

Moroccan spiced chickpeas

250g box frozen spinach
2 x 400g cans chickpeas
2 onions, sliced into rings
a modest splash of olive oil
1 tablespoon ras el honout (a Moroccan spice mix, or substitute garam masala)
salt as well as pepper
vinegar
bread

Put a modest splash of olive stone oil inwards a non-stick frypan as well as add together the onions. Cook them over rattling depression heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes, until rattling soft. While the onions are cooking, accept the spinach out of the freezer to partially defrost, as well as drain as well as rinse the chickpeas.

Once the onions are ready, force them to the side of the pan as well as plonk the spinach into the centre. Gently interruption the icy chunks upwards amongst your spatula or wooden spoon equally it thaws. Once it's completely thawed, add together the chickpeas as well as stir everything together. Sprinkle over the spice mix as well as flavour to taste.

If I were unconstrained, I'd advise finishing this off amongst or as well as thus lemon juice as well as a side of couscous. As it is, a splash of vinegar as well as or as well as thus toast does rattling nicely.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

September 17, 2008: Cookies'n'malted Cream Icecream

chocolate cookies. Whoops.

It took me a twenty-four hr menstruum or ii to run out the obvious solution - cookies'n'cream icecream! By in addition to therefore I'd seen favourite vanilla icecream base, went calorie-free on the saccharide in addition to added 1/4 loving cup of malted milk pulverization after the cream. After an hr simply about inwards the fridge, I strained the mixture in addition to poured it into the churner. Twenty minutes after I added nearly a loving cup of coarsely chopped cookies. Done!

Spring affects dissimilar people inwards dissimilar ways September 17, 2008: Cookies'n'malted cream icecream

This icecream was fifty-fifty ameliorate than I'd hoped. The crunchy cookie pieces soften but don't disintegrate every bit they float through the custard; the custard itself is velvety in addition to rich. It's therefore rich, inwards fact, that 1 scoop is enough... at to the lowest degree until tomorrow night.