Not Quite NigellaThe cooking, eating and travel blog of a hungry blogger from Sydney, Australia featuring original recipes, interviews and articles on all things food @

Win 1 of 5 Double Passes to see The Boys Are Back!

Not Quite Nigella — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:31 +0000

I know you like the non food giveaways as much as the food giveaways so today we have a movie double pass giveaway for the new film The Boys Are Back! The film is directed by Scott Hicks from Shine and stars Clive Owen, Emma Booth, Erik Thomson, Julia Blake and Chris Haywood and starts [...]

Cameo Cinnamon Cookies & My New Kitchen!

Not Quite Nigella — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:00:24 +0000

Those of you that have been following for the last few months have no doubt read the occasional rant from me about the bathroom renovations (and since when have renovations not come accompanied by a rant?). Luckily the kitchen was a rather easy process and one that was relatively stress free. I was waiting for [...]

Meet My Suburb Walking & Eating Tour: Surry Hills, Sydney

Not Quite Nigella — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:35 +0000

Cheeses at Formaggi Ocello Ultra long spaghetti at Formaggi Ocello 10 stops, 9 stomachs and the will to eat. That’s what sustains a gaggle of food bloggers one afternoon. After my Kingsford and Kensington tour Reem decided to take us all on a tour of her stomping ground, Surry Hills. I didn’t intend to blog it – [...]

Strawberry Mascarpone Ice Cream

Not Quite Nigella — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:00:10 +0000

I don’t encourage food snobbery but there are some things that I just cannot abide by and one of them is fake fruit flavour. When I was young, we’d get a tub of Neapolitan ice cream (and it was always Neopolitan, certainly none of this gorgeous gourmet ice cream you see these days) and despite [...]

The Tsirekas Family Roast for Street Smart

Not Quite Nigella — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:00:54 +0000

My favourite Greek chef David Tsirekas tends to the Halloumi Food is sizzling on the BBQ, a whole lamb is roasting on the spit and suddenly there’s a frisson, people are whispering and eyes are widened as the gossip passes through the crowd “He’s here!! He’s here!” they say. “Who is here” I ask Reem. [...]

NQN’s Frightening Halloween Feast!

Not Quite Nigella — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:00:49 +0000

Hello my pretties! Take my (severed) hand and let me give you a peek into my annual Halloween party. It’s an event that gets me going throughout the year. This month was particularly busy with the Sydney International Food Festival and before I knew it, it was the 20th of October and I hadn’t even [...]

Kaki Lima Malaysian Breakfast Favourites, Kingsford

Not Quite Nigella — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:00:16 +0000

If you’ve been reading my tweets on twitter, you’ll know of my ongoing saga with our house renovations. We were originally told that the bathroom would take 12 days. It had been 6 weeks exactly since that fateful day and we’ve endured complaints from neighbours about hammering at 2am and yawning stretches of them disappearing [...]

Scary Mummy Hot Dogs!

Not Quite Nigella — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00:17 +0000

Happy Halloween Dear Reader! When I first saw Jenny from Picky Palate’s Mummy Dogs I think I actually giggled and clapped. Yes I do those sorts of embarrassing things. And yes this is why Mr NQN gets embarrassed by my behaviour and asks me not to sing while walking through the shops. Suddenly I’ll be [...]

Bécasse Producer’s Lunch with Carlos Petrini

Not Quite Nigella — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:00:49 +0000

Justin North The recent World Chef Showcase was exciting for me for a few reasons. One if them was getting to meet Justin North, the chef and owner of Bécasse restaurant (along with Plan B, Etch and Le Grand Cafe) and the SMH 2009 Chef of the Year. When we got to talking after the show [...]

Shortbread Witch’s Fingers

Not Quite Nigella — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:30 +0000

I’ve been called Morticia Addams more times than I can remember. As you know, I’ve always felt an affinity with the dark and unusual and so that is why I embrace Halloween. I’m convinced that I were alive in the dark ages, I would have probably been called a witch and perhaps burnt at the [...]