Not Quite Nigella

Lindt Chocolat Café, Darling Harbour

I know, I know, its about time I had been to Lindt café. Ever since it opened its first store (in the world apparently!) in Martin Place, I had always been meaning to go and whilst I’ve taken away plenty of macarons (or delices as they call them) I’d never eaten in until today. But as my friends are the kind to watch what they eat, willingly wanting to go to Lindt café seems almost like surrendering to the dieting gods and indulging with abandon. Or at least giving up the notion of dieting which is not something that the girls will do often.

We arrive one Sunday afternoon and as its a beautiful day, Darling Harbour’s Cockle Bay is packed. With spy one empty table and grab it. Its dog eat dog here and ruthlessness will be rewarded with chocolate. One needs to order at the counter so we go in to select our goodies. As its a Sunday, there is a 10% service charge added which is reflected in the prices. I can never go past a Delice (macaron) and today sees two new flavours. I order a Pistachio (my standby favourite), a Strawberry because its pink and the prettiest, and two of the new flavours: Lemon and Ginger & Lime (all $2.20 each, usually $2 each). The other flavours on offer are: dark and milk chocolate; hazelnut, coffee and champagne. I also order an Iced Coffee ($6.60). Teena orders a Ice cream sundae with praline and hazelnut chocolate covered with melted chocolate, whipped cream and praline shards ($9.35 usually $8.50). Gina orders a chocolate chip sable biscuit ($3.30 usually $3) and an Iced Chocolate ($6.60 usually $6). There are also slices of cakes and individual cakes that are $11 each.

Lindt Delices (Macarons) clockwise from back left: Ginger & Lime, Strawberry, Pistachio and Lemon $2 each

We take our sundaes, delices and cookies away and we’re told that the drinks will arrive shortly. I try the Lemon delice first and it lovely, light and lemoney but not overpoweringly so. Its as delicate as a butterfly’s wing and is quite simply superb. I hope they become a regular fixture in the rotation. The Pistachio is next, always a favourite and it is slightly larger than the other which is a gluttonous bonus. Of course its gooey and soft inside and whilst not extremely pistachioey, its has a bit more filling than the others which I always like.

I try the prettiest one next, the strawberry. Its subtle strawberriness is lovely and it feels almost like a crime to bite into this beauty. I’ve saved the most curious one for last, the Ginger and Lime. Trying it I am perplexed. There doesn’t seem to be any ginger or lime flavour. In fact all I can taste is the darkest, most bitter chocolate filling which overpowers any other flavour that might be present. Not a hit with me or anyone else at the table I’m afraid.

Lindt Ice cream sundae $8.50

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March 1st, 2008 by Not Quite Nigella

Cinnamon, chili and chocolate cupcakes

This recipe is a mix of a few and I wanted to make something a little different with the cinnamon as part of the Master Baker’s challenge.

This is the first challenge I’ve entered being blissfully unaware of these food blogging events. I wanted to do something a little spicey (chili), a little aromatic (cinnamon) and a little rich (chocolate mud).

I received this Dagoba Chili Cinnamon organic hot chocolate mix for my kitchen tea as part of a large chocolate basket from my friends Gina and Teena from Peters of Kensington. The chili and cinnamon chocolate ganache gives it that little bit extra. If an overload of chili and cinnamon is not to your taste, you could always just add the chili and cinnamon mix to the ganache and have a regular cupcake on the outside or you could always reverse it and have the chili and cinnamon in the cupcake and leave the topping as a regular gooey chocolate ganache. As it is, the quantities that I’ve stated are for those who like a little tingle of chili but an all-enveloping hug of cinnamon. If you don’t have access to Dagoba chocolate powder I would suggest a home made version with a ratio of perhaps: 2 tablespoons chocolate powder (not cocoa) to 1/4 or 1/8 teaspoon chili powder and to 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or play around with that ratio to your taste. It also depends on how hot your chili powder is.

The decoration is not hand made (I am not that dextrous) but rather some individually wrapped Sasha chocolates bought for me by my sister from Tokyo. Please don’t be scared off by the combination of flavours, my husband declared these his favourite cupcakes ever as did A&D whom we brought a fresh batch to that evening. Make no mistake, the chewy dense chocolate mud cake is gorgeous and a must bake.

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February 29th, 2008 by Not Quite Nigella

Harry’s Cafe de Wheels at Woolloomooloo

Its quite an achievement growing up in Sydney and being over 30 when you make your first visit to Harry’s Cafe de Wheels. I’m not sure how I managed it to be quite frank but this night I stood before the pie cart (OK its more a caravan than a little cart) thinking “Oh yes, its been a long time coming but I’m finally here!”. Even at 6.30pm on a Sunday night there are plenty of people sitting on the wooden benches nearby eating pies and hot dogs and staring off into the view of the harbour and the gigantic shark coloured navy boats.

The caravan boasts a wide range of celebrity pie eaters such as Pamela Anderson (being a vegetarian, I’m guessing she didn’t have the famous pie floater) and more recently Adrian Grenier from Entourage. And in tribute to the nearby sailors that have undoubtedly consumed thousands of the pies, there is a mural of a sailor kissing a woman in a pink dress as well as a mural of the flag and the Harbour bridge to lure tourists.

Making up my mind is simple, I simply must have a pie floater or what is here a “Tiger”: a meat pie with mash, green peas and gravy ($5.30) named after the founder Harry “Tiger” Edwards. Seeing other people eat the huge, stuffed full hot dogs, we also order the Hot Dog de Wheels ($5.30), essentially, a hot dog with the lot and by the lot we mean the lot. Both helpfully provided with a fork and I have to eat a pie with a fork and given the presence of so much topping, you’d be risking a sartorial nightmare to try and bite into it.

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February 28th, 2008 by Not Quite Nigella

Tiddlywinks Toadstool Pie

You ought to know that before I go on with my story that this pie is not just for kids. Its delicious, vegetarian and perfect hot or cold served for a picnic. I knew that I had to feature little toadstools in the story. The question was, where on earth would I find some? Should I call all of my friends and ask them “Do you have any toadstools? No? OK bye”. But my husband told me no that would mark me as crazy and may come up in a future court appearance. So I fashioned these toadstools and I was on my way.

Although I don’t have children and I remain immune to the unsubtle hints thrown my way to have them, I like injecting a child like perspective into this dish. Amy Sedaris came up with the name of course, I just ran with it. So to make this vegetarian dish more appealing to your child or to anyone who has the heart of a child, I have a story for you:

An Echo in the Forest by Not Quite Nigella

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a frog called Gerard who lived in the Enchanted Echo Forest. He lived there alone but loved company. And before you ask, he wasn’t a pervert or anything, he was just very, very shy around other animals and could never strike up a conversation. Every time he tried his very long tongue got caught up in itself and no one could understand what he was saying “Ribbititigibbit” was all he could come up with.

Every day he walked through the forest to get to work to pay off the mortgage on his cottage. One day on the way home he saw a red and white spotted toadstool. “How wondrous!” he thought and sat on it and day dreamed for a while before heading off home.

The next day there was another toadstool and he sat on both of them and stayed a little longer. Even though he was alone, he felt very much like he wasn’t the only frog alone on earth, as if there were friends around him. The next day there was another mushroom and that evening he stayed for a few hours gazing up at the stars.

On the fourth day, he was walking home after having a run in with the boss, a nasty beaver, and what should he come across but an enormous toadstool pie! He almost fell back in astonishment and his mouth was agape with surprise. From the corner he heard a giggle and a buzz. He saw a Bee fly around the corner. “Why hello!” said the bee whose name was Tiddlywink. Gerard smiled broadly back at Tiddlywink and stammered out “Hellohowareyou?” in a rush. He was amazed that he could talk and all he had to do was smile when he spoke.

Tiddlywink said “I made this mushroom pie in the hope that you would stay longer tonight and help us all eat it. Would you care to join us friend?” and out from the forest popped up all of the other forest animals. They had a lovely evening full of dancing and eating with no inappropriate behaviour by anyone.

Gerard smiled, his tongue no longer tied. He was no longer alone.

The End!

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February 27th, 2008 by Not Quite Nigella

Kirribilli markets February 2008

Ahhh my favourite market, it seems like a long time since I last saw you. Indeed it really was as mid December was the last time this markets came about as January’s fell on Australia Day and they canceled them. Thankfully a friend is a stall holder and told me about the cancellation or I would’ve been rather annoyed at turning up!

I go for the clothes but I also go for the food. I could wax lyrical about the gozleme (ok I have already) but as this is a new year, I am determined to try new food.

For lunch we stop by Shepherd’s Bakehouse which is apparently home to the largest selection of sourdough in Australia. From looking at their brochure, there are 12 varieties ranging from white and wholemeal to more interesting flavours like Lemon Myrtle, Bush Tomato and Spelt ($6 each). I make a mental note to buy a loaf next time. I pick up a Russian Farmer’s sausage roll ($3) as it sounds like the Russian Farmer’s sausage that I bought from Eumundi Smokehouse as well as a Scottish Shepherd’s Lamb pastie ($4).