Like Amy Sedaris, I admit to a minor obsession with Gypsy this and Gypsy that. I haven’t met any of course, but whenever I’d hear Borat utter something about Gypsies, it’d always make me laugh. So when I saw this recipe for Gypsy toast, well you know I just had to make it. Perhaps I am from Gypsy blood. You never know these things I guess…
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Bay Tinh is an old favourite of ours, a restaurant that was introduced to us years ago by my foodie friend Queen Viv. And if you love a good story, the chef who started Bay Tinh arrived in Australia as a penniless refugee from South Vietnam from which had a distinguished career as the chef to the South Vietnam’s Prime Minister Khiem Tran. Now retired well past the retirement age, in 2007 he sold the restaurant to another boat person who had previously cooked for him. Since its refurbishment, its lost a little of its homespun charm, it seems more like a serious business where tables are squeezed much closer together and there are men in charcoal shirts and ties overseeing the floor. One good thing however is that whilst some things have changed, the food and the menu hasn’t. The old favourites are still on the menu and there doesn’t look to be much of a price rise. Phew! We like handovers like this.
There are some items that we just have to order, its the law in our family. These are the Bonfire Prawns $18.50, Crispy Pancake Banh Xeo $10.50 and the Little Rice Cakes Banh Khot 6 cakes for $7.50. The last two are so popular that we always order two of these so that everyone gets enough. We also order the Prawns wrapped in sugar cane $13, Braised Duck with peas Bach Hac Hau Co $13.50, King Prawn Curry Tom Cari $14.50, Caramelised Fish Ca Kho To $14.50, Lemongrass beancurd Dau Hu Xao Xa $9.50 and Fried Rice $9.
Crispy Pancake Banh Xeo $10.50
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The problem with reality TV shows is that if someone is fairly unknown to you before you see them in one, reality shows trivialise their qualifications. Forgetting that they needed some sort of great reputation in order to clinch the reality tv show deal in the first place. Take Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s Ted Allen. The one dismissed as “the boring one” or “the one that doesn’t really seem that gay”. I assumed that he was just some guy that liked cooking and eating and had some good recipes but he had quite a career in food writing beforehand being contributing editor of Esquire, food judge, restaurant critic and documentary host.
And as an antipodean, I confess that until recently when Channel 7 started broadcasting Kitchen Nightmares, I knew very little about Gordon Ramsay except that he swore at lot and got very passionate or angry, however you looked at it, in the kitchen. I didn’t know much about what he actually cooked as I hadn’t been to any of his restaurants. I assumed that it would’ve been rather excellent as he inspired a lot of awe and nervous laughter from the chefs in the restaurants that he tried to save in Kitchen Nightmares and that his furrowed forehead was a permanent fixture, capable of reducing a junior cook to visible shakes.
I picked up his book Gordon Ramsay 3 star Chef in Borders the other day, a heavy $100 bright white tome. Flicking through it I had to sit down. The pictures were nothing short of awesome, the food and recipes jaw droppingly good with combinations you’d never have thought to put together in your life but upon reflection seem perfectly harmonious. The pastry section, “The Dark Arts” was of course my favourite and this was where the artist really let loose with flamboyant, fanciful and fabulous desserts.
I even saw a few recipes that I could do myself which was heartening. And because this seemed the easiest to replicate using my tried and true ice cream recipe that does not require an ice cream maker. I thought I’d make it first: Gorgonzola ice cream. Don’t let the idea put you off, its simply divine, even if you’re not a blue cheese fanatic like myself. The reason I’ve put such varying amounts of gorgonzola is for your personal preference but please don’t use any other blue cheese. Try it and defy me please…
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Yes I admit I have a minor unhealthy obsession with afternoon tea or morning teas. I love dainty little servings and a good cup of tea so I am sucker for anything vaguely constituting afternoon tea. The good thing about the Sheraton’s afternoon tea offering is that you can get a traditional afternoon tea with scones, finger sandwiches and tarts or you can go for the contemporary afternoon tea which comprises of delicious tidbits like Lobster slaw martini, swimmer crab omelette, Banana cheesecake, white chocolate brownie and the drool inducing list goes on.
We always order the contemporary afternoon tea. Whilst the traditional afternoon tea looks lovely, I cannot pass up the Lobster Slaw Martini or the Gallery Banana cheesecake. We know the menu so well ordering is easy. For $79 you can order any of the 12 dishes and 2 unlimited drinks are included (your choice of Twinings leaf tea, Vittoria espresso or Max Brenner Hot Drinking Chocolate). For $129 you get a choice of any of the 12 dishes but with two glasses of Moet & Chandon Imperial N.V. Additional dishes are available for $7 each.
We order the King Island Double brie with apple and Duchy of Cornwell Oat Cake; Lobster Slaw Martini, Tasmanian Smoked Salmon and lemon mascarpone crostini; Hoisin Duck Money Bag; Blue Swimmer crab and asparagus omelette; Gallery Tiger prawn Caesar; Pear and smoked chicken with verjuice and hazelnuts; Rice pudding and apple jelly; White Chocolate Brownie; Pannacotta with mandarin compote and, because they’re my absolute favourite and the idea of sharing one alarms me, 2 of the gallery Banana cheesecakes. Blythe’s favourite part of the afternoon tea is the endless top ups of Max Brenner White Hot Chocolate-usually $5.50 a cup, she can drink cup after cup of the rich milky liquid chocolate concoction so it feels like she is getting much more than her money’s worth. I order my usual standby, a pot of Earl Grey and settle back into the club chair and relax.
Clockwise from left: Pear and smoked chicken with verjuice and hazelnuts; Tasmanian Smoked Salmon and lemon mascarpone crostini; Lobster Slaw Martini & Blue Swimmer crab and asparagus omelette
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OK I promise this is my last Jessica Seinfeld recipe for the time being. I just couldn’t resist making a low fat chocolate cake in the hopes that it would taste good. Well its low fat if you don’t eat the icing of course. The fact that I happened to have some fresh beetroot in the fridge was all planned and I dutifully baked the little beasts for an hour during a particularly hot and humid Sydney day.
Once out of the oven it looks distinctly more pinky red than brown so the icing is needed for the “chocolate cake” look. Uncooked, the batter looks a bit Red Velvet-like in colour. I found that the cream cheese chocolate icing was not my favourite as it was slightly bitter due to the amount of cocoa in it. The cake itself also has that distinct “vegetable” smell similar to the spinach brownies. Once you get used to the flavour its nicer at the 4th or 5th forkful although the 1st forkful was not so well received. For something very low in fat, it is quite moist though. Just don’t expect your favourite luscious chocolate truffle cake and you’ll be fairly satisfied.
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As seen in the Foodies Guide 2010
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