Queen Viv has been my friend for years, almost 2 decades to be precise. She has always been my fairy godmother. She watches over me and along with my darling Mr NQN was the first person to encourage me to start this blog two years ago. Ever since she has been one of my most loyal supporters and is a fantastic cheerleader whenever I have doubts and along with Mr NQN comes up with great ideas. She is like a big sister or mother figure to me (and her son Michael is about my age too).
Please forgive me, I know I missed October’s 2M2M story but Your Honour, I barely had time to breathe. I take this chance now to apologise too to my friends for cancelled dates and super short emails. I think SIFF took it out of me and Halloween finished me off and come November 1st I was barely crawling across the finish line. This month’s To Market To Market is quite late as a result and I missed the October deadline so I hope you’ll forgive me! But when you get a look at the goodies in store I think you’ll understand!
A big thankyou to the lovely people at these companies who agreed to send out a pack of these items to some lucky Not Quite Nigella readers so that you too can sample their goodies instead of just reading about them!
Condiments for Biriyani
Fish on Banana leaves
***THE WINNERS ARE:***
SHAREEN C.
PARISRA R.
and
LAURA R.
Congratulations and enjoy your buffet! And don’t forget the stretchy pants 
My Dear Readers, I have a treat for you today. If you’re a Malaysian food lover or a seafood lover, you’ll definitely want to pay attention. For I’m giving away 3 Double Passes to The Malaysian Cultural Feast at the Sir Stamford Hotel at Sydney Airport. Now don’t cringe, I know Airport restaurants don’t enjoy a great reputation but the Sir Stamford’s Malaysian meal might change your mind and if you like buffets, get the stretchy pants out!
You will feast on Malaysian delicacies from Tahu Goreng, Sambal Telor, Goat Curry, Malaysian Chicken Curry, Stuffed Sambal Squid and my favourites there like Bergerdil which is a light and fluffy potato and meat cake, beef masak manis and the fish on banana leaf which was wonderfully soft. Malaysian desserts like Kueh, Sago honeydew, Mango Pudding and Pulut Hitam (Black sticky rice with coconut) also feature. Along with these Malaysian goodies, there’s also cold prawns, oysters, crab and balmain bugs and a big selection of Western style desserts (I was too busy trying the Malaysian ones to try those – I realised that I do have a limit…somewhere).
Each double pass is worth $130 and you can dine any evening between October 19 – November 1st, 2009 which is when the Malaysian Cultural Feast Buffet is on. All you have to do is tell me what your favourite Malaysian dish is! That’s all! 
Please leave your answer as a comment and you can enter once daily. The competition is open to anyone who can be in Sydney between that time. Just one thing: the competition closes at Midnight AEST tomorrow! Get in quick as there are only 2 days in which to enter
Lots of love and stretchy pants,
Lorraine
xxx
The Grove Restaurant,
Stamford Plaza Sydney Airport Hotel,
Cnr O’Riordan & Robey Streets, Mascot
Tel: +61 (02) 9317 1680
Alejandro Saravia
Introducing a new cuisine to a country isn’t an easy thing. First of all there’s the issue with sourcing ingredients and if you happen to be trying to introduce it to a country like Australia with strict customs and quarantine laws, it is made all the more difficult. But that’s just what Alejandro Saravia is trying to do with Peruvian cuisine. Chef Saravia arrived in Australia almost 3 years ago now and after a time working at El Bulli Surry Hills, has turned his attention to setting up Illapu Peru, Peruvian Gastronomy Concept, a company that he has formed to help spread the word of his native Peruvian cuisine. And as part of the Sydney International Food Festival he is holding a series of dinners and we are the lucky recipients of an invitation to dine at one of them and have the chance to meet with and talk to Alejandro. What is Peruvian cuisine you might ask? Take my hand Dear Reader and let me show you…
Walking into the restaurant we’re surprised as we’re dining at private tables (rather than a large shared table) which is a nice touch. I am shown to our tables and chat to Anna from Morsels and Musings is already seated with her sister. Later on Suze, Helen and Billy arrive. We’re invited to go up to the bar and order one of the three cocktails which all use Peruvian ingredients. I go for the Don Santiago Pisco Punch with is muddled pineapple wedges, fresh orange, syrup, Don Santiago Queirolo Mosto Verde and soda water which Mr NQN ends up liking.
Traditional Santiago Queirolo Pisco Sour
Don Santiago Pisco Punch
I prefer his order of the Traditional Santiago Queirolo Pisco Sour with fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, Santiago Queirolo Quebranta, egg white and bitters which is refreshing and sour at the same time. They mention that they are served without straws so that you can experience the full aroma of the ingredients as they use such high quality mixers and aromatics and a straw would inhibit the ability to inhale deeply while imbibing.
Chef Alejandro Saravia at work
As seen in the Foodies Guide 2010
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