Sausage door handles
“Like Louis Vuitton meets a Butchers” I told my friends who all asked what the interior of the new Victor Churchill butcher was like. Sadly I had to miss the opening party for the butcher but things have a way of working out and as luck would have it I met the owner Anthony Puharich at a party and it turns out his sister Anita is a long time reader of NQN (Hi Anita!). The next day Anthony sent me an email asking me if he could give me a tour around of the new shop and show me all of the little details. An offer like that cannot be refused.
Vic and Danny prepare a customer’s order
The outside of the shop is interesting. There are Wellington boots, a glistening terrine, a cut of meat and a field of lavender and this crypticness is deliberate in order to intrigue customers. When I step closer I glimpse the sausage link door handles. Oh yes this is the Willy Wonka of Butchers and in true Willy Wonka form, there’s one that I think is the absolute coolest thing in the world, but more on that later… 
Cameras to amuse kids (and adults)
This week’s product: Argan Oil, said to be the rarest oil from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco
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September 7, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
Donna Hay Shortbread biscuits
Old fashioned wax straws
The amazing thing about girlfriends is their innate capacity to shop and consume sweets. I couldn’t live without them (girlfriends, shopping or sweets) and so when Teena, Gina and I finish our 6 course meal at Marque, we jump in the car looking for more things to eat and buy. Zumbo was a little too far out of Gina’s route home so we decided to pop in on the brand spanking new Donna Hay store in Woollahra.
Bird house decorations
Route 29 goodies
Set in a residential street, it’s not the place you’d necessarily expect to stumble upon a store. Beautifully merchandised, it’s filled with Donna Hay merchandise that is not available at David Jones as well as other boutiquey brands from all over the world, many of which I haven’t seen in other stores. Things are definitely on the adorable side although they aren’t without a price tag to match with a teddy bear retailing for $360 and little bird feeders for $200+ and twine for $30. It doesn’t stop me from wanting many things though.
Baby Eames Replica chair – me wanty!
Other items such as the Baby Eames replica chair are priced at $800 (is it wrong that I think that this is good value?). Of course no visit here is complete without a cupcake liner purchase and I’m happy to see that they’ve got two sizes of the French pleated liners that I’ve been carefully rationing.
Cupcake liner heaven
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July 10, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
Moo!
Egg judging
I was looking forward our visit to the Sydney Royal Easter Show with great anticipation. The last time I went was when I purchased a Wonder Woman showbag which gives you an indication of just how many years ago that was. I remember the showbag clearly and the headband, name tag, bracelet and other assorted goodies that made me my own pint sized version of Wonder Woman. This was of course when it was still housed at Moore Park. I haven’t been since it moved to Olympic Park.
Although I love traveling by the comfort of car, venturing out there by train is easy and it’s fairly straightforward and relatively quick. Before long we’re standing in front of this enormous swell of people and contemplating our first move like seasoned chess players. Volunteers are handing out copies of maps with some vouchers on the back so we make sure to get one of those so that we can get our bearings. Food of course is priority, but then again so is the many other things that I’ve scheduled courtesy of the show planner on the Easter Show website. Sure some of the things are lower on the priority list (chook washing I could probably give a miss) but some things are too iconic (woodchopping and the ingestion of Dagwood Dogs) or too adorable (the many farm animals) to miss.
Wood chopping
Our first stop is the Woolworths Fresh Food dome. It’s huge, about the size of the Good Food and Wine Show and full of exhibitors peddling their goods. Samples are a little rarer than at other events but most things are available for purchase and most things are discounted from the retail price.
The Chili Factory’s range of chili from mild to frighteningly scary
We try some ferociously hot chili – if you dare, try the 10 out of 10 heat one although a word of warning, try it very sparingly!
My Little Cupcake’s stand
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April 14, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
We get together with friends Teena, Phillippe, Gina and Hot Dog quite often (a bit too often for Hot Dog the unsociable creature that he is). And as fate often works in mysterious ways, Teena had come across a butcher that sold Haggis. None of us had tried it although I do have memories of being in Primary School and having a “bring your own plate from your culture” day. My best friend then was Scottish and she brought Haggis. She had it cooking away, the aroma making us all hungry and lining up for a piece. Until she told us what was in it. The line of kids couldn’t have disappeared more quickly. And even I am ashamed to admit I abandoned my friend food-wise and I couldn’t bring myself to eat it.
Now that I am a more adventurous eater, I lament the lost opportunity. But Teena’s suggestion allowed me to try the Haggis on what was coincidentally Robert’s Burns’s (author of Auld Lang Syne) birthday on January 25th. For those of you unfamiliar, Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish made up of Sheep’s pluck (the heart, lung and liver) mixed with suet, oatmeal and seasonings and stuffed into a sheep’s stomach. You may be able to understand why we almost fainted when first hearing about it. It is usually served with mash potatoes or “Tatties” and a dram of scotch whisky.
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February 19, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
The Organic movement here in Australia started off strong last year with many Australians starting to buy or at least question where their food comes from and what was used in the harvesting or production of it. Supermarkets adopted small organic sections, mainly of fruit and vegetables and some meats and of course there was the requisite premium attached to these items. And just as Australians, and the world, seemed to become more interested in Organic items, then the economy bottomed out thanks to a series of most unfortunate events and we were left wondering how we could afford to eat organically in a cost effective manner.
Inside Alfalfa House
Variety of produce
One way I heard of was through Food Co-ops, several of which are found around Sydney. These are usually non profit operations that pool their resources in order to gain buying power and pass on the bulk savings onto customers. They usually entail serving yourself from large containers, bringing your own packaging and are staffed by a combination of full time paid workers and volunteers.
Teas and leaves
Various powders and grains
I’ve driven past Alfalfa House on Enmore Road many a time always meaning to stop but a friend reminded me about them and I knew it was time for an actual visit. Originally borne of a rent strike by one household in Erksineville, the household used the rent money to instead buy bulk non perishables which they sold at a small markup in the front room of their house. It then moved to the Erksineville Anglican Church and then in 1983 it moved to Alpha House in Newtown. It has grown and developed since then into the place it is today.
Italian Dried porcini mushrooms sold by 100g
Tiny, pink, pungent Italian garlic
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February 5, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
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