I know I only said recently that should I ever try and make puff pastry that you should take this as sign to call the mental health authorities and in my defence Your Honour, I truly meant it. You see I had seen Delia make puff pastry on her show and it didn’t look great. Can I even say that? Will I be banned from visiting all Commonwealth countries for saying that? But to plead my side of the case, I had success with a filo pastry which I thought I’d never see occur and the natural progression is then Puff Pastry which readers and friends assured me would be ok.
The other reason why I made the puff pastry is because I didn’t want to buy any Puff Pastry as I wanted to clear out the freezer because we are moving house! Yes that’s the big news for us and if I’ve been curiously silent or busy on twitter or facebook recently (I just started this facebook page yesterday-come join us!), it’s because we’ve been busy buying our first apartment. We’re renovating our bathroom and kitchen which will be exciting but not without trepidation. For those that are familiar with Sydney, we’ll be moving from the Lower North Shore back to the Eastern Suburbs where I grew up and we’re both very excited about the move. So hopefully I’ll be able to clear out my cupboards and fridge/freezer without blogging about bizarre dishes like “What’s left in the freezer prawn head and quince paste soup” (yes I keep prawn shells to make seafood soup stock).
For the puff pastry, I used a recipe I found on the lovely blog Kitchen Unplugged which was a quick puff pastry although it still took a few hours. I rolled and rolled and rolled and even though mine didn’t look anywhere as neat as hers, when I baked it it became a golden, buttery wonder. There were so many layers I was stunned. Did I just make that? Really? I felt as proud as a new mother whose baby has just spoken a full sentence. If you do get the urge, and of course I don’t expect many of you to as it takes a long time, do try and make this puff pastry using your best butter. The supermarkets puff pastries are not usually made from butter (and if they are they’ll definitely be branded so and more expensive) and the amount of layers I got from this was simply astounding. The crunch, the butteriness and the delicious apple put rest to any apprehensions I had about it. Who knows, I might even be persuaded to make it again!
Dear Readers, if anyone has any advice on bathroom or kitchen renovations or any recommendations, please let me know! 
Oh and before I forget, Every Wednesday I’ll put up a new Wallpaper picture. We all know Wednesday is possibly even a worse day than Monday as you are neither fresh and relaxed from the weekend like on a Monday nor are you tired but looking forward to the weekend like you are on a Friday. There’s a reason why they call it Hump Day. So in the spirit of trying to get over the hump, instead of changing your job, you can change your Wallpaper! Sure it won’t give you a six figure salary boost or a job travelling the world but every little bit counts right? 
Welcome to the first Wallpaper of Wallpaper Wednesdays!
For instructions on how to install Wallpapers or to see past Wallpapers, click here!
Read More
Sydney’s mantra is undoubtedly “Location, location, location!” such is our twin obsessions with property and waterviews. I was put onto the Thelma & Louise cafe by loyal reader Caz and when I saw the location was alongside a wharf, it was a no brainer. I checked the weather for the upcoming long weekend Saturday and we were rearing to go.
So it seems was much of Sydney for we were greeted with a line snaking out onto the street when we approached the cafe. Cars stopped and stylish young things craned their necks out to see what sort of queue had formed and drove off when the challenge and wait looked too daunting. Couples came and went after asking about the wait whilst some got takeaway coffees and food. One crowd of four women are apologetic when they tell us they have a booking and go to the head of the queue. We stood our ground (well I did, Mr NQN went to sit down on the bench and take photos). You see I was starving and was determined to nab one of the prized tables out on the balcony perched right above the lapping waves. I didn’t know how I was going to get it – after all the line in front and behind me suggested that I would be lucky to get any table I could.
I watched and I waited. The seated patrons would occasionally glance our way and then look away and drink their wine. I picked up a copy of the paper as I felt too stalkerish staring them down having already checked out the cafe’s interior. It’s full of trinkets and retro items as well as a clock stuck permanently on 6.43. There’s a billy cart filled with flowers suspended from the ceiling and black and white photographs of Jean Harlow and Bette Davis. To the right is a small square shaped kitchen where two women (Thelma and Louise?) tend to the palates of the folks of Neutral Bay. After waiting 30 minutes, a couple on the balcony leave and the waitress ushers us through with a smile. We have finally landed a table on the balcony and breathe a sigh of relief.
View from the table
Breakfast is served until 12 noon but as it’s 2.30pm we’re choosing from the Winter Lunch Menu. Items sound warming and we choose the Seafood Linguine and the Spicy lamb mince with Zaatar Turkish bread as we’re both seeking pure comfort food on this slightly chilly Winter’s day. A coffee is ordered for Mr NQN but a Babycino is ordered for me. I know I’m not a child but Your Honour this one comes with marshmallows and after all fits the theme of comfort food.
Cappuccino in a mug $4.80 on left and Babycino $1.50 on right
Service is said to be pushy, rude and or scatty according to eatability but there’s none of that today. In fact all 3 waitresses that we encounter are absolutely pleasant and full of “Yes madames” and smiles. Perhaps that has been an improvement. We receive our drinks, and the coffee is good but the babycino is mostly foam and is lukewarm which may be in fact the norm for babycinos to avoid burning the mouths of babes. I’m not a connoisseur.
Seafood Linguine $26
Read More
I remember the first time I heard of muffins for breakfast. I wasn’t fooled, I knew it was a way for people to acceptably eat cake for breakfast and it’s a notion that I still eschew to this day. I can eat pancakes or other sweet things but I draw the line at eating cakes aka muffins for breakfast. Morning tea and afternoon tea is fine but I feel that it’s too much for breakfast. To me, it’s a little like buying a Snuggie. That signals the beginning of the end, giving up if you will. Apologies to all Snuggie owners, but you need to know that it looks like a cult outfit
I saw this on Barbara’s blog for her Daring Bakers entry. Her fruit version didn’t quite work out to plan and determined, she awoke the next morning to give this version a go – an attitude I fully understand. The strudel itself is delicious, like a Quiche Lorraine. I knew that I’d love this and with the long weekend coming up I wanted to make this for a brunch. I’m not crazy enough to suggest you get up at 7am to make this. Serving this around 11am seems like a more normal time. And no Snuggies involved I promise
Tell me Dear Reader, what’s your favourite Long Weekend brunch meal? Pancakes? Scrambled eggs? Eggs Benedict? Or something more exciting altogether?
P.S. If you haven’t had a chance to do so, I’d be ever so pleased if you could fill in the Not Quite Nigella survey. There’s a chance to win 1 of 3 Nigella Lawson aprons! 
Link here.
Read More
My friend M raved to me about this place. She works in North Sydney and finds herself here, almost every day for lunch with her 2 boys on school holidays and they devour meal after meal. The Mad Greek in question is no doubt the person that merchandised the store, I suspect a graphic designer’s nightmare with multiple fonts and colours all over the window and large tins of SPC tinned tomatoes given pride of place in the front window.
From the outside, it’s posters of everything proclaiming “World Famous” this and that although you’d have to presume that’s a little on the hopeful side. The Mad Greek is also the man that would have scared you as a child, as he does with In, with mock stern and gruff expressions that adults can (for the most part) read but leaves kids wary. All dishes are $10 or under which includes pizzas, pasta and breakfast dishes, most with a Greek or Italian theme. We order with him and we’re not kept waiting long at all for within 5 minutes, our food arrives.
Cappucino $3
The coffee is by Primo. It’s a little bitter.
“World Famous Bacon and Egg Brioche” $4
Read More
**THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. STAY TUNED FOR THE WINNERS~**
The winners of the Brasserie Bread Roll Call competition:
Zi-Yang from Blake Dawson
Sarah from Suede
Are the lucky recipients of the box of Brasserie Bread! Mei from Brasserie Bread will contact you to arrange delivery. Thanks to everyone that entered
Seeking a promotion at work? I have a secret strategy for a great way to impress your boss and let them know that you have a) great taste and b) you can work the internet thingy that confounds them so. Not Quite Nigella and Brasserie Bread have partnered up to bring you the best way to a promotion. By winning a mixed box of fresh Brasserie Bread breads worth $50 delivered to your workplace*!
As is the way things happen in blog land, I went to Brasserie Bread a few weeks ago and wrote about it. Tony from The Food Zeitgeist and I follow each other on twitter and as a fellow Brasserie Bread enthusiast, he told Mei who is Brasserie Bread’s lovely marketing person about my review and Mei and I got to chatting. She invited me to lunch at Brasserie Bread and we talked about the idea of doing a competition on my site and I also got to try the new Winter menu and stay and watch a Kid’s Birthday party there.
All you need to give me via email to brasseriebread.nqncomp@gmail.com is:
Your first and last name:
Contact number:
Company name:
Company address*: (which must be the place where the bread is delivered, not your home address, no matter how tempting )
email address:
And send it to brasseriebread.nqncomp@gmail.com
And the best part?
Read More
What is NQN up to now? 
NQN on Facebook
RSS
