Melbourne Trip #4 - Tuesday and Wednesday

Yesterday's post only got me to the end of lunch on Tuesday.  After lunch, I had a bit of downtime while Jeannie taught a really cute little student.  Then, because of my little encounter on the bike, I decided to change before we went out again.

Tuesday Outfit #2: Stockings from Target, top from Dotti, dress is Don't Ask Amanda - bought at an op shop on my last trip, boots Mina Martini from Jeannie.

We headed into town again, this time on the train, and went to the Rialto tower.  This was something I remember from my high school trip way back when, but Jeannie had never been to the top.  I'm not sure, but I suspect it's been swankified since my school trip.  I can't imagine a whole lot of high school girls, on tour, behaving properly in the bar at the top. 

We were the only customers when we arrived (great service!) so had a pick of views. 

We opted for the Albert Park Lake side, and so had drinks overlooking the city.  It was a pretty great view.

We then headed over to Captains of Industry (in Somerset Place) for some trivia.  Yes, I'm slightly addicted to trivia, so I would have said yes to this anyway, but this particular event was a fundraiser for a group doing the Oxfam Trailwalk shortly.  At first it seemed that everyone there was formerly from Brisbane and either visiting Melbourne like me, or had moved there in the last few years.  As it turned out, there were plenty more people who didn't fit into this category, so those people had a distinct advantage in the 'sport' round.  Another fabulously fun evening, and we came not last, or even second last, but respectably in the middle.

Wednesday.  Outfit: green Kinki Gerlinki dress, black Ambra top, black leggings, black flats from Target, Hot Options jacket from Jeannie.  Wednesday was the consumables day.  This was a good outfit choice.  My hair was in a world of its own though, and highly annoying.

First, we walked down to Bread and Jam for Frances, via Bradstreet Books.  Bradstreet Books is a secondhand store by Glenferrie station, and has 2 levels of shelves and nooks and more shelves.  So many books!  I did not buy anything.

Bread and Jam for Frances is a bakery/cafe attached to Readings bookstore.  Really good service.  Really good coffee.  So we had 2 each.  And we shared a pastry.  And then... Then we went to the bookstore side of things.  Having spent many dollars in my life on not great books, I developed a list of authors I was allowed to buy - everyone else had to be borrowed from the library.  I bought one book from an allowed author.  And then I bought 2 new releases.  No regrets!  One I read yesterday, and the other I started today, and my brain is thanking me for it.
Home again, then I was forced to drink a super greens drink.  I know it's good for me... But yerk. 

Back into the city on the train, and by this stage we were both hungry.  We went to Degraves Lane again, this time to TOFWD.  I have no idea what the initials mean, but I felt healthy just looking at the food, and chose a lentil burger.  We then undid all that good nutrition by heading over to Koko Black.  It's still amazing.  I even had a Chocolat experience!  Having decided from the menu what I would buy to take home, I then forgot one of them - the chocolatier correctly suggested an option. 

On the way to our next engagement (free comedy), we just happened to pass Quick Brown Fox.  A free blowdry later, I also bought a scarf and a pair of earrings.  Then we were ready for some free comedy.  At first, I thought "No wonder this one is free" but then it got unbelievably funny.  Not clever funny, not crass or anything else, just people from the audience being asked to act and have props made out of balloons.  I laughed for at least 30 minutes.

We went to yet another bookstore, then were at a loss.  Instead of buying a bottle of water and wandering aimlessly until dinner, we went to the Cookie rooftop bar.  What a find!  Many flights of stairs (how to earn your treats), and you're practically on top of Melbourne.  There was no great vantage point for photos, but seeing dusk gathering over the city was fabulous. 

Dinner at Miss Chu was mostly vegetables.  Definitely an inner-city eating establishment, with house rules (including 'no chopsticks fights'!) listed at the top of the order forms.  Quick ordering process, very little room, vegetarian and vegan options, and plenty of serviettes for all the effects of the chilli.  My greatest delight here though was when I realised what the deal was with the light fittings - inverted rice bowls!

Then - the highlight of the trip.  We went to Arj Barker in the Melbourne Town Hall.  Going to a comedy festival event had been on my to-do list for years and years and years.  I was not disappointed.  Again, I laughed for most of an hour (there were some serious points), and I was relieved not to be the only one laughing outrageously.  I even bought a sticker pack with quotes from the show, and got a sneaky photo thanks to Jeannie.

I had a relatively early flight on Thursday, so nothing exciting happened that day.  And I wore jeans and many layers of tops, not exciting.  I'm very pleased to have achieved some of my to-do list - and I've added at least 2 items to the list for next time.  And aside from everything detailed here, I met many new people and didn't freak out.

In Retrospect - Fifth Quarter

I feel that I have been rather different this quarter compared to this time last year.  Or any quarter last year, in fact.  When compiling a list earlier today though, I was a bit stumped.  I'd been meaning to compile this list on the go... Hopefully, I'll be better at that in the next 3 months.

New Year Resolutions.  I'll admit it - I'm not doing fabulously well on this front.  My running goal is just not happening.  However, I'm hoping the holidays, as well as the proximity of my next running event, will get that going again.  The other goals are doing moderately well (see below).

Food.  Apart from the Easter eggs, I'm doing really well with the No Pre-made Chocolate thing.  Giving up sugar for Lent possibly helped, but I didn't really crave a block of chocolate.  Making my own - and knowing exactly what went into it - satisfied any chocolate urges I had.  Okay, not 'any' but 'all of the'.  I haven't made as many new recipes as I would have liked, but the recent dip into a recipe book has rekindled that little flame.  (Looking forward to dinner tonight!).

Students.  I have been much better at communication with parents this year.  I used to let things slide, and intend to contact a parent about something but then not get around to it.  Sometimes this doesn't really matter, but sometimes it does.  This year, I have been good.  I didn't realise just how good until I was sending out next term's invoices (on time - go me!).  Except for a boarder, whose parents live overseas, I had made email contact with every parent during the term.  I've sent photos of posture, music, recordings, checked lesson times, rescheduled when I've realised before the parents have informed me that their child will be unavailable during their lesson time, and organised music exams.  So now I'm feeling on top of things, as well as rather virtuous.

Outfits.  Amazingly, these are still going.  I have started slipping in slightly more daring pattern mixing without being howled down by the 8-12-yr-old Fashion Police.  The bigger change (in my head, anyway) has been to pick a theme for the week.  The last week of term was 'pattern'; the week before that, floral; and 2 weeks before that, stripes.  I have a few more ideas, but feel free to pitch your idea to me!

Trivia.  Not every week - but many weeks - I've been part of a team for trivia at a local pub.  So much fun.  We normally do fairly poorly - but we have had some good bits too.  Like when the last round theme was 'vegetables'.  So, kale is European, but I got every other answer.  And I'm reasonable at working out the Who Am I (always someone born on that day).

Movies.  After the dodgy experience (Bulletproof Monk), I've been unenthusiastic about watching more movies.  Except for Star Wars, that is.  Episodes IV, V, and VI (review pending) have been very much enjoyed.  Now that holidays are on, I'm feeling like my brain can absorb some more though.

Breakfast.  Except for the mornings with eggs, or with parents (eating the former, eating with the latter), breakfast is now in bed.  I love it.  I get the fan during hotter weather, and the snuggliness during cooler weather.  And Wednesdays are now smoothie mornings as they're also gym mornings.  I'm loving this new schedule.

Photography.  I'm still enjoying Instagram.  I only rarely share them on Facebook, preferring to see them as different bits of my life (mostly).  However, I started taking more and more photos of the cathedral.  As I'm one of the cathedral Facebook page administrators, I decided to share my photos of the cathedral through that medium.  I'm pleased to see they are 'seen' by hundreds of people, and they get so many 'likes' I am quite chuffed.  This is my favourite - looking up in the northwest are of the Narthex.

New Places in Brisbane.  This is something I am so glad I started, and wish I had started long ago.  Although I am a little embarrassed there are so many parts of Brisbane I haven't seen yet, just taking a couple of hours to visit somewhere new is such a good thing for me.  I can tick a few more places off my list, take photos of different aspects of Brisbane, and enjoy some time out in the process.  Big win.

Music.  This has been such a full-on term.  Such a fabulously full-on term.  On Australia Day, there were 6 of us - a non-muso, and 5 string players.  We realised we were a quintet, so had a quintet night.  As we were playing, I was thinking "It would be so nice if we performed this" - then someone else said what I was thinking, so now we're doing a concert.  We're also doing a quartet, so this is a whole lot of Schubert.  A whole lot of fabulous Schubert.  And a whole lot of rehearsing.  I'm loving it. 

After so much socialising though, I am needing to hibernate for a bit.  And to practise.  And weed my garden.  I should emerge in a couple of days.

Easter 2013

This year, Easter was mostly traditional for me.  There were a few twists though.

Hot Cross Buns.  I realised on Tuesday that I had to make my hot cross buns on Wednesday night - this is the earliest I've ever made them.  They weren't my best (not as fluffy as I like) but not bad.  On the plus side, my flour paste was the best yet.  I dispensed with any idea of this much flour to this much water, and just mixed some flour and water until the consistency was fairly thick.  Success!

Good Friday service.  I made a rookie mistake at the servers' meeting 2 weeks ago and sat opposite the head server and roster man.  So, I was directly in their lines of sight when they needed a server MC for the Good Friday midday eucharist.  I couldn't escape.  It turned out to be simpler than normal (plus) but there was a TV camera trained on me for a good portion of it (negative).  After the service I spent a few minutes alone in the pews, and decided that next year I would do the stations of the cross.

Good Friday evening.  Normally this is fairly quiet, but it was a friend's birthday so a night of dinner and Balderdash and Sequence turned it Not Quiet.  At all.

Saturday.  Seriously sleep-deprived, I still did my washing, gym, grocery shopping, had coffee, bought some household things like light bulbs and pillows at Kmart, some tidying, and did my first hill running session.  It was painful.  Nuff said.

Sunday.  Not able to make it to the dawn service, I woke up early to see the sun rise.  Then - yay!  No more penalised chocolate or alcohol consumption.  I went to church first though before lunch (with wine) and dessert (chilli chocolate and pistachio mousse) then seeing a friend (chocolate).  Once I've finished this post I'm going to eat an Easter egg.

More Healthy Fudge

On Monday, I did a post on healthy chocolate fudge.  I had a mega chocolate craving on Friday evening, and I was all out of the raw brownies.  No sugar for Lent (and a general goal of no packet chocolate this year if at all possible) meant I would be stuck just imagining chocolate.  Then, I remembered a) I had yoghurt and cocoa, so there was a quick fix, and b) the healthy chocolate fudge recipe suggested some substitutions, one of them being just normal butter instead of coconut oil.  Hmmm.  I figured, if you could substitute regular butter, surely you could use peanut butter?

I have to be very careful when giving up chocolate that I don't compensate with peanut butter.  And vice versa.  I was getting rather tired of eating nuts and avocado for my good fat portions, and so I tried a 'just nuts' peanut butter.  The price is enough to make me good and not eat huge quantities all at once.  Having been really good, I then looked further, and found a tub (!) of organic 100% nuts peanut butter.  I have to admit that I am still rather generous in portion size.  However, this was perfect for a peanut butter substitution in fudge!  So, this week's fudge:

In a mini chopper, blend 1/2 cup 100% nuts peanut butter, 1/2 cup cacao, 1/3 cup honey, and about a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Line a loaf tin with baking paper, transfer the fudge (it formed a ball of dough quite quickly), fold the sides of baking paper over the fudge, and squish until you have a fairly consistent 1/2 inch thickness.  Transfer to fridge or freezer until set. 

Normally, I wouldn't have posted another food item so soon, especially not one so similar, but this is too good not to share!  Just a small amount (2 x 1.5cm squares) is really satisfying, super chocolate-y, just sweet enough, and so fudge-y it's delightful.  Plus, this batch was way more successful than the last lot.  Thanks to the baking paper tip, I don't have to pick small bits of plastic out before I eat.  And I think using the quite thick consistency of peanut butter instead of the rather liquid coconut oil made all the difference in the general ease of making this batch - it formed a dough quickly, it was far less messy to transfer, and it doesn't attach itself to anything and everything.  Reducing the amount of honey was handy, too - the last batch was ridiculously sweet, but I don't feel I'm about to succumb to a sugar coma with this.  It was also amazingly quick to make.  It took longer to assemble the ingredients and measure them than it did to blend and transfer and squish.  Big win, especially late on a Friday night. 

Healthy Chocolate Fudge

I only just realised I had neglected to post this.  Getting into the whole healthy chocolate thing (you know - chocolate, but guilt-free - SCORE!!!), a friend suggested chocolate fudge.  I browsed for recipes and found plenty, then picked this one from Better Nutrition - find the recipe here.

I must stress (as if it wasn't obvious) that my fudge looked nothing like their fudge.  So different, in fact, that I had to read it carefully to check it was actually the same recipe.  My version, then:

Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil (this had already turned liquid so I could skip the official step 1)
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup honey (I would reduce the amount for next time, it was super sweet)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method
Because I could skip step 1, it seemed a bit superfluous to use a food processor-type thing.  So I combined all the ingredients in a bowl, and mixed until combined.
I lined my loaf pan with plastic wrap (mistake!), scraped the fudge into the tin (very messy), folded the top of the plastic wrap over the fudge, and gently pressed down to even the thickness.  Aiming for thickness of about a half inch, mine covered about 2/3 of the base of the tin. 
Into the freezer until set (about 30 minutes).  Cut into squares to serve.

Technically, between the last 2 sentences should be another: carefully remove the plastic wrap from the bits of fudge that froze around it.  This took a long time, and I got too impatient.  Such a painstaking process (including melting fudge), so I admitted I would probably find slivers of plastic wrap while I was eating.  Not ideal, but I could deal with it.

The friend who recommended fudge then recommended a different recipe, and (more importantly) using baking paper instead of plastic wrap or foil.  I predict another fudge-making experience soon - stay tuned.

The Lenten Discipline 2013

Lent began on Wednesday.  This year, I'm doing some things the same, some different.

Last year I gave up alcohol and peanut butter, and took up drawing.  This year, I'm giving up alcohol again.  After last Easter I realised peanut butter and I just can't have a healthy relationship, so haven't had any in the house since some time in May.  (I confess, I had a tiny bit at my parents' house before Christmas).  Instead of peanut butter, then, I'm giving up sugar.  The first time I did this was under a nutritionist's instructions and included honey and dried fruit too (and I felt amazing!).  This year I'm allowing honey and dried fruit as most of my healthy recipes include these things.  It means, though, no chocolate (unless I make a healthy version myself), and no yummy cupcakes baked by a fellow staff member and left with a note in the staffroom asking us to eat them please.  I was so good yesterday!

So that's me this year, effectively.  There were a couple of other things but I had a change of mind over the last few days.  I still have the financial penalty system for slip-ups and social occasions where it's more offensive not to partake than it is to stick to the whole discipline thing. 

Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

I mentioned recently that I was a new convert to Teresa Cutter's healthy chef blog.  The drool-worthy chocolate cupcakes that caught my attention just had to be made as soon as possible.  Although I'm not a huge cupcake fan (I'm pretty sure this is yet another thing that makes me really weird - who doesn't like cupcakes?!), I'm so glad I made these.

You can find the recipe here.  I was so good, and made them as stated in the recipe... Except I used mini muffin tins.  And I'm really glad I did.  This means that my (good) fats quota is well and truly met in one of these chocolatey morsels. 

Plus, I froze those that weren't going to be eaten within a few days.  They defrost really well, and rather quickly too.

Melbourne Trip #4, Part 2

Thursday morning (after I had rather a lovely sleep-in), Jeannie asked me what I wanted to do that day.  'Not get hot' was my reply.  Forecast high of 36, or 37, or 39, depending on your source.  I knew it wouldn't be the same as high 30s in Brisbane, but I was still keen for as little exertion as possible. 

We headed into town, and after getting to Federation Square without any real plan, Jeannie mentioned Koko Black.  Chocolate.  As if I could resist.  Oh my, what a chocolate shop.  Think Chocolat meets Paris.  Beautiful.  I didn't get a good photo of the interior, though - possibly because my brain was in pleasure overload.

While choosing some morsels for consumption with coffee, we were offered free samples (score!).  Best cappuccino ever - it came with a little pot of shaved chocolate on the side.  Which meant it ended with a hit of melted chocolate.  Bliss.  Couldn't resist buying some more to take away.

Despite this being my 3rd trip in 5 months, I was yet to experience a famous Melbourne laneway.  We went to Degraves Place for lunch in a cafe, which just happened to be opposite Kinki Gerlinki.  More shopping. 

We then headed over to South Bank and the National Gallery of Victoria.  Its cascade entrance was such a relief - it was 37C on the iPhone app at this stage.  We finally found the famous stained glass ceiling (we'd searched on a previous visit) - wow!  Then spent the next few hours wandering the gallery. 

Coffee at a place on South Bank, then we headed over to ACMI in time for Laurence Anyways - and even had time to watch a bit of the tennis on the big screen in Fed Square.  The movie was really interesting, and I keep thinking of new aspects and elements. 

Friday.  My last day - so I was a bit down all day.  Jeannie and I went to a nearby cafe, Porgie and Mr Jones, then stopped off at the local Vinnies (excellent idea!).  With Matt, we then headed over to Collingwood, to the People's Market (on Stanley St).  Not as market-y as I was anticipating - mostly food, with a couple of non-food containers.  I like the concept, but more tangibles and people required.  We then wandered down Smith St, and had lunch at the eco-friendly pub, Grumpy's.  Really good food - sustainable, local produce - with friendly service and did I mention sofas?  Cool sofas.  I wish I'd taken my camera with me to the bathroom - the walls were papered with old sewing patterns.  On the wall by the window (complete with window seat) was a sign reading 'If you sit here you are super cool' - so of course we had to have photos there. 

We also checked out the homewares stores and lost and found market.  The market reminded me of a certain Simpsons episode... 

And that was it.  I then had to head back, fit everything into my suitcase (success!), say final goodbyes, and get back to the airport.  Although quite cool in Melbourne, it was another record-breaker for much of the country.  Bush fires were numerous, and I've never flown over such a hazy country.  The photo doesn't really do it justice.

Pistachio and Saffron Truffles

Now that all truffle recipients have received theirs, I can share the truffle recipes... I made 3 different types this year: dark chocolate with mint (I did these last year, and they are not at all after-dinner-mint-like); Cointreau and almond (a variation on white chocolate and Frangelico truffles, I just use whichever liqueur I fancy and an appropriate match); and pistachio and saffron truffles.  First time.  These are from coffee & bites by Susie Theodorou, a recipe book I purchased pretty much for the white chocolate and cardamom truffles, of which these truffles are a variation.  Possibly slightly concerning that the book opens up to this page, which has flecks of white chocolate just evident...

Ingredients:
550g white chocolate (Valrhona is specified of course)
400mL (1 2/3 cups) whipping (light) cream
50g butter (this is in the ingredient list, but not involved in the instructions - ???)
100g unsalted pistachios, finely ground
good pinch of saffron
50g icing sugar

Method:
Cut 350g of the chocolate into small pieces and put into a bowl.  Heat the cream until just boiling.  Stir the cream into the chocolate, and continue stirring until the mixture is completely smooth.  Add the pistachios and saffron, and mix to combine.  Whisk the chocolate with an electric beater - the mixture will thicken.  Allow to thicken until the whisk leaves a trail in the mixture when lifted.  Chill for 1-2 hours.  (I always allow an overnight setting time, as I nearly always make truffles at Christmas time when the weather is rather warm and very humid).
Ensure your hands are quite cold - run your wrists under cold water, if necessary.  Take a heaped teaspoon of the mixture and roll it between your palms into a ball about the size of a walnut.  The ball should be quite smooth.  Place on a tray (I always line mine with foil) and repeat to make 34 truffles.  Place in the fridge for 15 minutes (again, I allow much longer).

Melt the remaining 200g chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in the microwave if you're me).  Let the chocolate cool, but remain runny.  [The next 2 steps I omit, partly through laziness, and partly from my memory of what happened last year.  They are: to sift the icing sugar onto a flat dish - I used a small sieve directly over the truffles; and to set a cooling rack over greaseproof paper - if you have a cooling rack with really small gaps this should be fine, but my truffles last year fell a bit, and I had scores resembling those from a char grill on my truffles.  Not ideal].
Take the chilled truffle balls and, using two forks, gently roll each truffle in the chocolate to coat completely.  Well, I just use one teaspoon and a hand.  This results in a chocolate glove on my left hand but I can coordinate much better this way.  Now, I returned my chocolate-covered truffles to the tray, but if you want to follow the official instructions, rest them on the cooling rack until the chocolate has set, then roll them in icing sugar.

 I just dusted them while on the tray.  Actually, I found that after a couple of rows of chocolate-covering, they were starting to soften - hence the above photo.  A few trips to the fridge later, and I had a batch of chocolate-covered, sugar-dusted truffles.

To package for gifts, I just managed to fit them into little Christmas-themed patty pan cases, and then into a small noodle box with the mint truffles and Cointreau truffles.

Although these are rather classy, I do like the simpler Cointreau truffles, all those stripes... And these I did without the whole piping bag thing this year - I think they look just as good.

Melbourne Pre-Race

Yesterday, I ran the Melbourne half marathon.  I flew down on Friday afternoon and did some more New Things in Melbourne.

Friday:  I met Jeannie at Flinders St station, where they now have storage facilities (until 9:45pm).  We had dinner at ... um... a pub nearby with a fancy restaurant bit attached, but I can't remember the name.  Although it was a Friday, I didn't have fish and chips but the Atlantic salmon salad instead.  Then we were going to go to a Melbourne Fringe Festival show in which a friend of mine was acting.  The venue was in South Melbourne.  We put it into Apple maps.  There was a station nearby, named North Melbourne Station.  We got there and discovered we were on the wrong side of Melbourne.  We went home.

Saturday:  Breakfast at Las Chicas on Chapel St.  Wow.  One of those super feel-good places, as organic and local and sustainable as possible.  I felt really bad for not being able to finish.  Admittedly, my breakfast included a whole crop of spinach...  Very friendly service, too - we were wished a great day by about 4 staff as we left.

Chapel St shopping.  Flying down and back with only carry-on meant I was not inclined to shop.  But some of those stores were so tempting!  I did try on a dress but I resisted buying anything.  Except undies from the Bonds outlet store but that was more a necessity than anything else.  We also passed (and then went in) San Churro's Chocolateria.  This was on my list of things to do. 

I had my first Spanish hot chocolate (like an Italian hot chocolate but not as thick) - I went Azteca, with added chilli.  I love chilli in my chocolate, have been doing hot chocolate that way for years, and at Easter I make a chilli chocolate cashew mousse, but this was the first Spanish hot chocolate with chilli.  So good!  I thought about buying chocolates.  I did not.  A new thing (for this year, anyway) - not taking photos of all meals and coffees while eating out.  I hope you appreciate the absence of 'oh look, another coffee photo' photos.

Tram to Lygon St - with the trees all decked out in their fresh new leaves, this was so pretty!  I didn't get a photo though.  We had a late lunch (still not all that hungry after the very filling breakfast) at Papa Gino's, then had a few hours before the next thing on my list, so we went to the movies.  Cinema Nova was showing Searching for Sugar Man within about 15 minutes, and it was described as 'heartwarming' so we went for that.  After the second sentence we turned to each other and said, "This isn't heartwarming" - but it turned out to be true.  A documentary rather than a movie, it was the tale of Rodriguez - an amazing story.  I won't be able to do it justice here, so find it and watch it!

The next thing on my list was to see the sunset at St Kilda.  After the movie, we were both pretty tired...and my legs were starting to feel it... and it was overcast and rainy... and I could see us getting home close to 9 after dinner... As the primary purpose of this visit was the half marathon, I decided to abort the sunset/penguins mission.  We walked along South Bank (the Melbourne version) and back to Flinders St.

Rice pasta for dinner - a new experience for me - I'm tempted to buy some as it was rather yummy.  Another new experience was feeling like I could fall asleep at 8pm daylight saving time.  I held out until about 9:30, but still!

Raw Brownies, Tweaked

Back in May, I had my first taste of raw brownies.  Yum!  I bought a mini-chopper so that I could make them, and made my first batch later that month.  I've made a couple more batches recently, but tweaked the recipe slightly today.  The main reason for the tweak is that I love dried apricots, but occasionally my delivery provides me with the totally healthy, sulphur-free variety.  They're okay I guess, but I prefer to cook with them rather than snack on them.  And dates are only in my pantry if I plan ahead.  I find these brownies are the best way to cure a chocolate craving - they're super healthy and super chocolatey. 

For the base:

1 cup dates (or, for me, dried apricots)
1 cup nuts (today I had to use 3/4 cup hazelnut meal, I didn't realise how low my nut supply was)
1/4 cup cacao (topped up today with regular cocoa)
1 teaspoon honey (or so...)

I chop the dried fruit and nuts roughly first.  Then put everything in a food processor/mini chopper.  Then blend/whiz/chop.  Don't get impatient here, when it's starting to clump together - then it's ready.

Line a loaf tin (or tin of your choice) with foil - this makes everything so much easier to deal with later - and transfer the chopped mix.  Flatten it as much as possible, like you're doing a biscuit base for a cheesecake or something. 

For the topping:

A tablespoon each of:
avocado
honey
cacao (or cocoa if you've run out of the good stuff by now)
coconut oil (this was my first time using coconut oil - weird.  Previously I've just used olive oil, but you can taste the olive oil in the topping)

Whiz in the processor.  Spread on top of base.  Refrigerate until firm.  Cut into squares...or slices...and enjoy. 

I find because of the honey and dried fruit factor it is quite sweet, so I tend not to over-indulge.  Phew.

Yesterday's photo:

I found mini tomatoes on my tomato plant!  This plant is one in which I had not much hope, to be honest - but the little yellow flowers have given way to tiny little green baby tomatoes.  I'm not sure if they'll last to turn into ripe tomatoes, but there's hope.

The Music and Cooking Class

A couple of weeks ago, a friend sent a message to a few of us - would we be interested in a music and cooking class?  Once I'd checked the gig schedule, I was keen.  Cooking classes were on my list of New Things To Do This Year, and after a brief search earlier in the year, nothing had come of it.  This was too easy.  And, what could be a better way to spend a Saturday - music and cooking?!

On our way in, I had to ask: what exactly is happening tonight?  Details were still a bit sketchy...  Canapes.  The a cappella choir, 'Fusion'.  Cooking class with Danielle Dixon (from Masterchef last year).  6-8pm, at Taste in the Valley.  I was suddenly a bit dubious - what if the choir was, you know... not amazing?  Would I need cooking skills?  How precise and dictatorial would this cooking class be?  Agh!!!

On arrival, we could see some of the choir inside already, and I breathed a sigh of relief - I recognised a few, and when I spotted their conductor I knew we were in for a treat.  My favourite choir conductor in Brisbane (Debra Shearer-Dirie), with whom I've worked a couple of times.  The champagne on arrival also helped, and then we had a wander around the store to look at all these (largely unnecessary) gadgets before heading to the loft area.

A beautiful space, set up as a kitchen - the sort of kitchen you might find in a very large house, with a couple of huge tables and seating for many.  Rustic.  And a bench set up with many pasta-makers.  As it turned out, we were making pasta.  But first, music.  We were surrounded by the choir, who sang some early food-related songs before forming an arc behind us, and moving on to more modern food-related songs.  All the music was food-related, although some rather tangentially.  They even included us in one of the songs (when we weren't eating our delicious canapes).  By far the hit of the evening was Fields of Gold, which had a few of us getting sweaty eyes.

Cooking.  But first, explanation.  I was relieved that Danielle cooks the way I do - experimentation.  Recipes are more like guidelines.  Some pasta variations were discussed ('my nonna said...' etc), and pasta-makers as well as what to do and why.  And that was it!  Come and try.  The choir came and chatted with us too, so I got to meet one of the faces I've seen in many choir things.

So, 100g plain flour and 1 egg.  Mix it together until it forms a play dough sort of consistency (ooh, when was the last time I was in contact with play dough?!), knead it a bit.

 Divide it in half, squish it a bit.

Feed it through the roller bit, fold in half, and repeat for 3 goes. 

Then move the setting, one step at a time, up to 7.  It will be quite long...

Slice into 3 bits, and feed through the fettuccine end (or thinner option if you wish).

Take over to large pots of boiling water - it needed about a minute in the water before being removed with a big broad slotted spoon/ladle thingy.

Top with sauce and basil and parmesan, and enjoy while listening to the choir singing again.  Try not to slurp or slop sauce all over yourself or others around you. 

Dessert from Danielle was tiramisu with berries (yum!) but one of the choir, Bec (we go way back) had also made a dark chocolate and pretzel tart.  I think I've missed a word in that, but it's from the Donna Hay magazine and it was ... just... oh my.  The sort of rich chocolate-y goodness that makes you want to take the whole lot somewhere private and just gorge yourself.  I didn't, though.  I am getting the recipe, mind you - watch this space.

As originally hoped, this was a fabulous evening.  We could have paid the same amount for just a concert or just a cooking class, but to have them combined was superb.  The intimate, kitchen setting made it far more special than any vibe you get in a normal concert, and getting expert cooking tips from, well, experts, was handy.  Although I don't see a pasta-maker in my kitchen any time soon.

I would quite happily do this once a month, it was so good.  Fingers crossed for the next one!

Today's photo:

Walking down Ann St this morning, the bougainvillea were just so spring-like, bright pink against a blue sky.

Escape to Melbourne, Part 2

Yesterday's post was just the beginning.  I had another day to 'suck the life out of the weekend'.  To continue, then:

10.  After a hearty and super-healthy breakfast on Sunday, we drove to the Royal Botanic Gardens.  I had a very vague recollection of them from the school trip, but as the weather was stunning on Sunday (blue skies, a few light and fluffy clouds, warm) it was hard to tell.  I went a bit nuts taking photos of not-so-bare branches and black swans.

11.  We walked back along the Yarra - again, something previously seen yet unrecognisable.  There was some sort of regatta happening so the whole thing felt rather English, actually.

12.  Off to St Kilda.  So, Melbourne beaches aren't all bad in winter.  With the sun shining, trees starting to shoot out leaves, a light breeze, people out enjoying a Sunday, it can be rather lovely.  We had a bit of a wander down to the sea (actually, all of St Kilda had me thinking England - minus the beach huts, of course!) and had lunch at Beachcombers.

Half a lamb later, I walked to the entrance of Luna Park, back via the 'Public Conveniences' and along the famous pier.

13.  We headed back to the Farmers' Markets we'd seen on the way, in Albert Park (I think) on Fitzroy St.  I found the chocolate.  Organic, and made by the man in the stall, who kept feeding me samples.  Then I had to choose...  Thankfully there was a 5 for $10 special. 

14.  I just missed out on a coffee at the markets (which were a one-off, but part of the Regular Farmers Markets), so we went to Bar Sant'amore across the street.  I kept taking photos of the coffee and the placemat.

15.  And then I had to go home :(  I navigated to the airport, and was actually quite sad to be leaving.  So, I have begun to consider the previously inconceivable.  Last year, I know the consideration would be as far as it would go, but this year is much braver.  You never know.

One last photo - flying into Brisbane at dusk, with controlled (I hope) burning on the outskirts, made for a vivid orange horizon.