Weekends. They’re supposed to be wonderful times where you can relax and recharge your weary selves. For me, weekends are slowly being reduced to one single day, Sunday, where I can actually relax. Saturdays are days where I fight against the tide and try and secure groceries while the rest of Sydney seems to do the same. Queues are long – when you buy produce from many different places this happens and along with the shopping there are so many chores to be done. It feels like a second job at times (and after a public holiday I still wonder how we managed to get ourselves into this horrible 5 day work week situation?).
Click here to read the full story
|
November 29, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
I don’t get up early for many things. Come the weekend, if I must rise before 9am I become a crankypants of the most irritable sort and it takes a lot of good food and shopping to get me back to normal (whatever normal is for me). This weekend was different however. I needed to rise at 4am and not only this, but I had to do it 2 days in a row (but once you hear why, you’ll understand why I didn’t kvetch too much). And I needed to make myself a breakfast that wasn’t too taxing but would mean that I wouldn’t wilt come 8am.
This breakfast was riddled with inspiration. I first read about the idea of Chai Porridge Oats with stewed Rhubarb only a couple of days before on Betty’s site and I immediately thought “what a brilliant idea!” and saved the idea until the weekend. I pondered it further thinking to myself rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb as they say, and then I suddenly recalled wanting to replicate the rhubarb and pear compote I had eaten at Le Grand Cafe a month or two earlier. I had loved the stuff so much I had asked if it were available for purchase even asking Justin North (yes my stomach really does the talking) who said there were plans for it to be made in the future.
Slightly placated knowing that I could at some stage in the future purchase some, the urgency died but the urge didn’t so I decided to make my own. It was easy, rhubarb is in season now and its glorious magenta stems can be seen everywhere at very reasonable prices. The oats were delicious if I do say so rather boastfully and Mr NQN asked for seconds (there weren’t any so I just made a second lot). From begining to end the whole thing took about 10-15 minutes which was entirely doable even on this early, early Sunday morning. And what got me up this early my Dear Readers? Ahh that’s a secret until tomorrow although I’m sure 6,000 Sydney siders can probably guess!
So tell me Dear Reader, what gets you up on a Sunday morning? The promise of breakfast? Children? Or horrifyingly, an alarm?
Click here to read the full story
|
October 25, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
I don’t often have religious moments and in truth they’re almost exclusively related to the ingestion of food. When I crunched my way into my first slice of this gorgeous crostini with ricotta and salsa verde I found myself muttering “Lordy be still my heart. That Bill Granger is a genius!” Of course since I was crunching away on the crunchiest sourdough (Brasserie Bread’s Quinoa loaf) it came out more looking like a SBS movie subtitle.
Whilst I’ve eaten salsa verde before, this was my first time making it. I’m probably one of the few people on earth that doesn’t really like tomato salsa so I never really ventured into making salsa verde. However I am now a convert. The salsa verde is a gorgeous, fresh tasting accompaniment which reminds me a little of tabouli in its freshness but with salt from the capers and anchovies. You may notice that there are only two slices on the plate. That is because when I made it, some very hungry people couldn’t hold back and proceeded to crunch on them while I was trying to get the photographs together. Some people! 
If ever you’re a fan of fresh, delicious and healthy flavours (and who isn’t?), I urge you to make this simple salsa verde. I have the crumb stained smiling faces of everyone in front of me as proof although I should probably warn that you most certainly risk a parsley in the teeth situation. And thankfully, that’s the only price to pay for such deliciousness.
So tell me Dear Reader, what dish or food has given you a religious moment? A perfect macaron? A pretty cupcake? A plate of soft, juicy ribs?
Pssst! In some exciting news, I will be a guest on Radio 89.7FM’s Food in Focus show this Saturday the 20th of June at 4pm. Tune in for my very first live discussion which is both exciting and scary!
Click here to read the full story
|
June 18, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
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.
Click here to read the full story
|
June 8, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
The best part of Easter, aside from the 4 day long weekend is of course Hot Cross Buns. Chocolate is fantastic of course but it is available all year round, but the appearance of the Hot Cross Bun (that seem to appear earlier and earlier every year much like Christmas decorations in October), signify an impending 4 day long weekend!
I know people are divided with Hot Cross buns, some like no peel, some like a lot of fruit, some like a little spice, some a lot. And then there are those that don’t like fruit at all and go for the Choc Chip Buns. I wanted to do something slightly different this year though so I went to my cupboard and what jumped out at me were the wonderful Cinnamon chips that Barbara sent me. I decided to make Cinnamon Chip Chocolate Hot Cross Buns.
I always feel like the cross should be sweet, like icing I suppose and am always a little disappointed when eating the cross. I decided to make the crosses out of white chocolate and I hope that doesn’t violate some traditional Easter tradition but hey as the saying goes Jesus Loves You no matter what you do, right? I think that includes fiddling around with a Hot Cross Bun recipe which is a lesser sin than others. The smell of these baking is truly incredible and as for the taste, imagine a Norwegian cinnamon bun crossed with a Hot Cross Bun. Try to resist them, if you can. I wasn’t able to and ate my record in no time.
On another non-Easter note, big thanks go to the lovely Darcie from Zing PR and the very nice people from Lap-rap who gave me my very own Lap-rap which I heart very, very much. See their website for other cool designs or design your own as I did.
Click here to read the full story
|
April 9, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
What is NQN up to now?
NQN on Facebook
RSS
