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Guess what the McDonalds Mystery is?

Posted in Eating, Sydney - CBD and inner city

McDonalds and Not Quite Nigella is not what you’ll usually find in a sentence together. I admit that whilst I do like a cheeseburger every now and then (extra pickles please), I’m not what you would call a weekly addict. So when I was contacted to attend a Murder Mystery event at their Strand Arcade store I wasn’t sure. Is McDonalds what my readers would like to read about? What intrigued me was the Murder Mystery evening. And if there’s anything that is quintessentially me, it’s a Murder Mystery night.

The setting-the Strand Arcade store converted into a library (note modern railing)

Some authentic touches

I was joined by Chocolatesuze and together we would be playing the part of the Mansion’s “Wait Staff”. At 6.10pm this Monday night, we’re a little early when we drive past the Strand Arcade McDonalds and we see that it is indeed closed, with all of the lights out and a sign outside. After loitering around Haighs and window shopping at the Strand Arcade I meet Suze at 6.30pm and we walk to the front door where there’s already a bit of a commotion.

The Hunchback Bellhop

This is due to the the costumed hunchback bellhop in character who is swaying and heavy breathing. Any reservations I had about the night are replaced by a tinge of excitement-you see I love costumes…

After checking in my jacket, I’m given my “assignment” and I take a good look around the restaurant. They’ve done a phenomenal job transforming it into “Arch Mansion” with a sit down dinner. There is a Library setting with a backdrop and some velvet lounges, chairs and a bookcase (faux). A mantlepiece (also faux but very realistic) sits to one side and there are cobwebs a plenty. Music is provided by a string quartet who are playing all of the haunted mansion tunes. All I can think about is how I want my next Hallowe’en party to be like this-well if only I had McDonald’s budget of course

22 comments | November 26, 2008 - 7:00 am

A Dinky Di, Bloody Good, Australian “Chook”

Posted in Cooking and Recipes, Dinner recipes

There are a few things that are said to be “typically Australian”. Beer is one thing and BBQs are another. A man clutching a tinnie of beer wearing a “kiss the cook” or boobie apron turning steak over and over again until it’s thoroughly charred is a combination of these two things. I could go on about the list of typical Australianisms (rhyming slang or esoteric terminology like “Dinky Di” or “Ridgy Didge” are said to be typical) but I can’t say I’ve ever uttered these phrases except in jest. And unless you’ve been living under a rock this past week, you’ll have noticed the enormous amount of promotion for the new film “Australia” so let’s call this our little contribution to the cause.

Food and BBQs over the Summer take advantage of our wonderful warm weather. And it’s one of the few times a man will strap on an apron to cook which is never a bad thing. When I first saw this recipe in Matthew Evans’ The Weekend Cook I bookmarked it immediately and asked around as to whether friends had a BBQ with a lid - I would bring the chicken and the beer. Unfortunately everyone’s BBQs were lidless but when M mentioned buying a new BBQ with a lid, a date was quickly made. I think she thought I was crazy when I started going on about a chicken with a can of beer stuck up its backside but to her credit she didn’t call the police.

There were only three types of beer in tinnies at the bottle shop so we chose the one we felt typified Australian beer, or at least the working class glass, the VB (Victoria Bitter). I’m not a big beer drinker but VB seems to be the beer of choice for a friend’s husband and I’m pretty sure that if you look up “Aussie Bloke” in the dictionary, his picture would appear, next to his dog and ute.

Chicken seasoned with salt, pepper and native Australian bush spices

Instead of using salt and pepper we used a salt and pepper and native Australian bush spice blend heady with Australian Lemon Myrtle which is like a Lemon Verbena.

The pressure was on, after all the chicken was the main “meat” at the dinner party with M, Malcolm, Fay, Parwin and Manisha and baby Jay (we had another chicken in the fridge as “back up”). I didn’t want the night to be remembered as “Do you remember that time when that crazy girl stuck a can of beer up the chicken’s ass and tried to BBQ it?”. Rather I wanted it to be remembered as “Do you remember that time when that crazy girl stuck a can of beer up the chicken’s ass and BBQd it and it actually tasted nice?”.

Impaling the chicken onto the beer

The two slightly tricky parts was firstly impaling the chicken onto the can of beer (you’ll want someone to hold the can while you wiggle the chicken onto it). And do put it into the “bottom” of the chicken, unlike me who tried putting it in the top, such was my confusion. After the chicken is cooked and lovely and crispy brown, the can may be hard to get out from under the chicken, especially as it has very hot beer inside it so just be very careful - I would hate for you to get injured whilst attempting this!

Other dishes served: Mashed potato, mushrooms, leeks and blue cheese

Other dishes served: Steamed cassava

The resultant chicken is a gorgeously tender bird, steamed and so soft on the inside by the beer yet crisped and browned on the outside. So much so that M decided to make a trip to the store tomorrow to buy a tinnie of beer to BBQ her other remaining chicken.

30 comments | November 25, 2008 - 7:00 am

Good Food Affare, Castle Hill

Posted in Eating, Sydney - West

This past weekend, Castle Hill hosted the huge Good Food Affare (sic). It was, what seemed to me to be an outdoor version of the Darling Harbour Good Food and Wine show (without the emphasis on International celebrity chefs), where growers, wholesalers and retailers met the public at a place that was merchandised to within an inch of itself.

Miellerie Unheated honey-with a lovely thick texture

Held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, by all reports it was well worth a visit. It looked to be a fairly big production with a long line of cars snaking down Carrington Road going into the grounds. There were several large sheds as well as three very long tents set up according to type of produce. I see a whole lot of new stalls, some of which I’ve never seen before.

Free Range Organic Eggs

Goat’s Cheese at Simon Johnson

The set up was pure country goodness with bales on hay, countrified decor and quaint sheds marked “cattle”.

Simon Johnson Soft Nougat coated in chocolate

19 comments | November 24, 2008 - 7:00 am

Just one more week to go!

Posted in Competitions

All of your eager bakers and chocoholics, just a reminder that there’s one week to go! I know all of my American friends are probably in the midst of a Thanksgiving flurry but if you feel you might be a few days late, just email me and I’ll hold a space for you!

Aside from World Wide Fame you’ll have have the chance to win one of three prizes: the lovely people at Colefax Chocolates have given me 3 ballotine boxes of their best truffles worth $25 each to give away. That’s right, sent to anywhere in the world (well as long as your customs will permit!).

All you have to do is bake your best chocolate cake!

For more information, click here

Love,

NQN

xxx

3 comments | November 24, 2008 - 6:00 am

A Fijian Feast!

Posted in Cooking and Recipes, Dinner recipes, Sweet things

About 2 and a half years ago my husband and I had our honeymoon in Fiji on one of their islands called Mana Island. Every night one of the restaurants would have a buffet with a different “theme” eg Chinese, European and Fijian. The one I always looked forward to was the Fijian one. They would do Lovo (similar to a Maori Hangi where vegetables and meat are baked in the ground, although for this resort it was in an oven) and all sorts of dishes based around fish and coconut. My husband was crying out for something coconut free by the end of it but not I, when we got back, I made the “Miti” sauce, a simple to prepare sauce consisting of Coconut milk with coriander, diced spring onions, spanish onion and tomato and I would eat it with grilled or steamed fish.

Miti coconut sauce

When M invited us over for a Fijian feast cooked by her boyfriend Semi, we were excited. There are no real Fijian restaurants in Sydney although there are plenty of Fijian markets and stores.

Steamed whole fish

We’re served delicious Ika (fish) , steamed whole and accompanied with spoonfuls of the Miti sauce (coconut milk or cream with onions, tomato and coriander). And boys being boys, S and In bags the eyeballs.

Smoked fish

There’s also Smoked fish where a fillet of smoked fish is covered with coconut milk and topped with sliced tomatoes, cabbage and onions and baked in the oven.