On our way to meet Queen Viv at Piccolo Bar in Kings Cross (said to be the oldest cafe in Kings Cross), Queen Viv calls my mobile to tell me to switch Radio FBI on. For who else is being interview but Vittorio, the face of Piccolo Bar, the tiny, cozy little cafe which has taken up residence in Kings Cross since 1950. Unfortunately just as the interview is starting we go through the tunnel and miss most of it. Ah well, it only makes us more interested in meeting up there. It’s been about 15 years since my last visit.
We walk past the tables and Vittorio is outside giving me a good look up and down as if I’ve fallen from a spaceship. I learn that this is how he looks at all new customers and that he is certainly a character. There’s a $3 minimum (how these things charm me) and when my husband comes in, he does the same looking at him closely from the side, head cocked horizontally. It’s a tiny space, much like the name suggests and in its heydey they crammed 25 people into the inner cafe, which if you’ve visited, you’ll see that it’s quite a feat.
Vittorio’s eccentric charm isn’t lost on us and he floats about collecting plates and taking orders. He playfully and dramatically scolds a young girl on a mobile phone telling her to get off the “devil’s tool” and proudly says that he doesn’t own one. I ask him about the numerous Cate Blanchett pictures dotting the landscape and he clasps his hands together and assumes a dreamy countenance “Oh I Looooove her! I adore her, she’s like an angel” he trills. And no she hasn’t visited 
Books offered to us by Vittorio
We make our order and the chef cooks everything one at a time. Regulars file in and get a familiar greeting. A Matthew McConaughey lookalike says that he feels like soup so the chef gives him some soup to taste. Vittoria stops by our table and in an avuncular gesture, plonks down some second hand books for us and asks us if we’d like to take some books home with us. His charm offensive is taking effect.
Queen Viv orders a toasted turkish bread with artichokes,avocado, mushroom and cheese.
Omelette with up to 3 filling $8.50
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April 16th, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella
Charisma is an elusive thing. It’s not the person that is the most beautiful or talented. Intrigue is an unwitting talent in itself. And when I first heard of this cake, by the mere title I was intrigued. A Latin American cake which literally means “Three Milk Pastry” in which a sponge cake is soaked in a mixture of three different kinds of milk (Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk and Cream), brandy and vanilla and then slathered with a sweetened vanilla whipped cream. There is a butter version and one without and I opted for the non butter version in a bizarre attempt to lessen the calories. Yes I realise it’s like ordering a gigantic burger and then a Diet Coke on the side but logic is fleeting as far as calories are concerned.
It experienced somewhat of a revival a few years ago with Haagen Daaz creating a tres leches ice cream for a limited time and recipes from all over Latin America can be found from Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica. And if that isn’t a reason for a Latin American Tres Leches Eating tour, I don’t know what is. And of course the capital of this dessert in the US is Texas where there is a large Mexican population and they serve up a 4 milk version with cajeta which is like a Dulce de Leche (as the saying goes, everything’s bigger in Texas).
The cake texture itself is unusual with airholes and when you prick it with a fork which creates more holes the milk syrup is allowed to soak up within it whilst not becoming soggy. I don’t think Pomegranates are a traditional decoration, indeed I saw lots of pictures with glace cherries instead but I liked the look of the Pomegranate seeds on the snow white cream.
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April 15th, 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 14th, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella
I cannot tell you how gloriously moist this cake is. For those who find normal cakes a bit dry, this is the cake for you. And because it is so moist, it keeps beautifully so you needn’t be baking on the day that guests drop by, instead doing much more productive work like watching reruns of Desperate Housewives or Seinfeld.
I know I eschewed Jessica Seinfeld’s suggestion of chopped pecans as I had some to put on the top after it had cooked (I was a little worried about them over-baking for the 60 min cooking time) but once it came out of the oven, the pink marshmallows had burst through the topping so I thought the only thing I could do is celebrate the pinkness of the cake with marshmallow flowers. I had most of the 500g bag of marshmallows left so I needed to do something with them.
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April 13th, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella
For our actual anniversary evening, Kay from A Culinary Experience, a fantastic Nelson B&B, booked us into Hopgoods which she said was the best place to eat in Nelson and if you can’t trust a foodie’s word, I don’t know who you would listen to. She and her husband Joe eat out regularly in order to keep on top of the food scene here. In Nelson, restaurants close down and change hands more often that you would think so eating out and sampling food is a necessary evil. OK I wouldn’t call eating out an evil at all, who am I kidding?
Kay had warned us that Nelson is a more casual sort of place. People don’t get really dressed up here and walking into Hopgoods, it’s unstuffy looking but still retains elements of fine dining with brown wooden chairs, white tablecloths and cute decorating touches. Kay warns us that the meals are a little on the small side here but since we’ve had some of the gorgeous Kikoranji blue cheese, apple and aged gouda back at the B&B, we’re not as hungry as might have been so we opt to share an entree and have a main each. The menu is not strong on native New Zealand food although there are a couple of NZ items.
Smoked Marlborough Salmon with Greek style salad, hot feta croutons and lemon infused olive oil $19.50NZD
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April 12th, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella
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