It seems that not only is Spring the season for Weddings but also for baby births, at least in my part of the world. It seems some of my friends are having babies and my first reaction to a Baby Shower invitation is “Would you like some Cupcakes?”. I’m a bit lost when it comes to Lamaze or Baby Einstein whatever they may be, but in Cupcake territory I feel somewhat safe. So while everyone talks about Maternity pads, breast pumps and nipple chafing and other bodily occurances, I’ll be the one happily arranging the cupcakes in the corner.
Forgive me for the gender stereotyping here but I feel that I can’t impose just any colours on a baby girl. I love making decorations with fondant, it allows me to shape things in a less messy version of clay. I have seen some great baby booties made in fondant so I set about making some. I had no idea how to shape them and after several unsuccessful attempts I finally figured out how to make a decent approximation of them.
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September 23rd, 2008
by Not Quite Nigella
Colefax Chocolates has closed down
After my Easter visit to Colefax where I was told that a Chocolate and Coffee Lounge was forthcoming, I’d always meant to come back to see it, after they’d had a chance to settle in. A trip overseas and work always intervened and it came to September before I could come back and check out their shop and newly appointed Chocolate shop and Coffee lounge.
Entering we see that the whole shop has changed and it has opened up completely. The crowds of chocolate connoisseurs are still there buying their tablettes of single origin chocolates, truffles and novelty shaped lips and golf balls, but there are also those that are sitting down to a cup of coffee and hot chocolate, made with their famous Belgian couverture chocolate. Reg, the affable gentleman who had previously showed me such courtesy is behind the counter and shows me the new range and packaging.
Heavenly truffles $9 per 100grams
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September 22nd, 2008
by Not Quite Nigella
I was in two minds about putting this recipe in, mostly because, despite the clear warning, it wasn’t anywhere near as good as I wanted it to be. That is to say, I knew that it was undoubtedly a bread, despite its chocolate cake looking exterior. And even though I knew this, it still wasn’t as good as I wanted a chocolate loaf to be. It just wasn’t sweet at all, with more than a hint of bitterness from the cocoa. So I would suggest either having this with some jam or nutella or adding more sugar into the dough. Or going all out and making this a chocolate studded bread, much like those thick toast loafs that you can get a bakeries with tiny choc chips.
Otherwise, be prepared for some possible disappointed expressions, especially if you are serving this to kids for breakfast (or chocoholics). Because once a chocolate loaf cake appears on a breakfast table, some may think that they are still in bed dreaming, only to find that it tastes nothing like it looks. I’ll give a recipe for a chocolate studded sweeter loaf.
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September 21st, 2008
by Not Quite Nigella
When I asked my father where he’d like to go to for Father’s Day this year, he didn’t pick a fancy place, or a notable place, or a place he was curious about. He picked the place that we used to get takeaway from regularly when my mum was too busy to cook, Hoh Won. It’s safe to say that we all grew up on their meals and we can almost recite the menu backwards. Yes, he’s not a man for trying new things. Being that it was Father’s Day we made sure to book at this little suburban Chinese restaurant. It’s small but popular and does a booming takeaway business. Indeed, the last time we actually ate in here was when I was about 12 years old.
And because my dad loves to eat early (he’s in bed by 9pm every night, see he really doesn’t like adventure), we are sitting down to dinner at 5.30pm. There is already a table mid meal which makes us feel a little less odd. Looking at the blackboard, we do a double take as blackboard specials actually appear on the menu. We get excited at the idea of Peking Duck for $22 but upon asking, we learn that you only get 1/2 a duck which is about the normal price for 1/2 a Peking Duck so we pass. My father loves seafood so we order a slew of dishes that are different from what we normally order. The tables are very close together, with extra tables added to cater for Father’s Day.
Chicken and Ham roll $4.80
Our entree is a Chicken and Ham roll. Before you think this is a normal chicken and ham bread roll, it’s not, rather it’s chicken and ham rolled up and then sliced and deep fried. It’s not bad although they used to make much better chicken and ham rolls about 10 years ago.
Sizzling Seafood Platter $14
Our sizzling seafood platter arrives in a bowl and the waiter pours it into the sizzling cast iron plates, spilling some of it onto the tablecloth. He shrugs and we’re left to pick up several pieces of food that have fallen on the tablecloth after he leaves. The seafood platter itself is good, full of scallops, fat prawns, squid and fish with a fragrant gingery taste and thick sauce.
Chicken with crab meat $13
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September 20th, 2008
by Not Quite Nigella
**THANKYOU FOR ALL OF YOUR ENTRIES, THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. STAY TUNED FOR THE RESULTS!**
Yes it’s hard to believe that I’ve been writing this blog for a year now. Of course it is absolutely true how time flies when you’re having fun. So far I’ve eaten at some fabulous restaurants, baked a whole lot of Cupcakes, made Macarons with success, been to the Iron Chef Observatory dinner, met my two favourite chefs Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson, Dumpster Dived, cooked on my car engine, been to a Hangi, eaten at a 3 star Michelin restaurant, received a cease and desist letter from a publisher, eaten at a Goth and a Prison themed restaurant and even been to Hooters for Valentines Day…
And because no anniversary party is complete without a gift bag, with the huge success of our CupCake Courier giveaway a couple of months ago, the lovely people at CupCake Courier are generously giving away a set of 2 Cup-a-Cakes to 4 lucky winners!
Cup-a-Cakes are the perfect way to transport single cupcakes without smudging or smooshing the icing designed and patented by a group of mums (and you know you just don’t mess with cupcake baking mums). Each Cup-a-Cake has little grips inside which cushion your cupcake so that if you jiggle or turn it upside down, it stays safely nestled inside, not a hair out of place.
All you have to do is have a look at the Cupcake Courier site and tell me which is your favourite colour of Cup-a-Cake. That’s it, no complicated 25 words or less. Add your entry via a comment to this story. You can enter once daily.
The competition is for Australian residents only (sorry overseas readers but I will have something for you in the future). But they are also available to purchase overseas so you won’t feel like you’re missing out!
The competition ends midnight AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on the 30th of October.
Cup-a-Cakes are available from the Cupcake Courier Australia and NZ: http://www.thecupcakecourier.com.au/
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September 19th, 2008
by Not Quite Nigella
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