Spoon, fork & Chopsticks

Sugar Rush 2015: Lobby Lounge, Shangri-La Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:41:00 +0000

Yesterday was a day significant for many reasons – it was Mini-human’s 2^nd birthday; it was Monsieur Poisson’s and my 6^th wedding anniversary (yes, our son’s birth happened to coincide); it was our first date night out since Mini-Human came along...aaand it is also a proper (albeit possibly short-lived) return to blogging because I’M BACK SUGAR-HITTING, BABY!! More on that later.

Of cakes and babies

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Oh hello, blog! Life involves a lot of rushing about when there are young children involved and there is work thrown into the mix – rushing from home to work, work to home, getting things done after kids have gone to sleep, and getting yourself to bed then repeat ad nauseam. Whilst my current job status is “part-time”, I never cease being a full-time mother even when I’m not physically with Mini-human. When I’m at work, I’m thinking about what time I need to leave and what to have for dinner. I also miss Mini-human and wonder what he’s getting up to. When I’m home, I think about things I need to do once I’m back at work. There is down time but there is no holiday, no reprieve.

A progressive brunch for the Café of the Year Award

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 13:09:00 +0000

I once read that Rick Stein noted the strong brunch culture in Australia and I would have to agree – Australian’s LOVE their brunch, especially on weekends, and enjoyed at any time of the day. It has to be both the Husband’s and my favoured meal/style of food, and the most oft-seen meal on this blog. Brunch is a little bit special, a little bit indulgent and, most of all, about being relaxed and without time constraints.

So where to for brunch? It may be the newest, trendy “it” café with queues as far as the eye can see, or it may be a stone’s throw from your doorstep where you’re recognised by the staff. Everyone has a favourite café, but that may change depending on mood, weather, tiredness and proximity. Cafés are found in pretty much every suburb and competition is fierce, so the inaugural Australian Café of the Year Award is a great way for your café to make their mark especially if they are a low-key local haunt rather than the latest buzz.

Happy birthday, Mini-human!

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 12:31:00 +0000

Hooray, Mini-human is a year old and no one has killed anyone nor has anyone gone insane! It’s been fun. It’s been unpredictable. It’s been full of emotion. I look at my fuzzy-haired Mini-human and sometimes I see a cute little baby, whereas other times I see glimpses of a determined little boy. I can’t wait for him to grow up yet I also want him to stay a baby for a little longer.

(Yes, I made bunting...)

Chur Burger, Surry Hills

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 02:11:00 +0000

Sitting perched on a bar stool in Chur Burger’s graffiti-walled interior, a nostalgic look crosses my face as I glance over to where a table for two once sat near a window. There, I had celebrated my first wedding anniversary with a dinner at Warren Turnbull’s Assiette, which went a little something like this:

Marukame Udon (& a yarn about motherhood)

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 10:05:00 +0000

Childbirth, motherhood and everything that comes with it are the hardest yet most rewarding things I have ever done. I didn’t partake in any antenatal courses but I doubt that attendance would have prepared me for the onslaught of emotions, frustration, helplessness and tears, from baby and myself, that motherhood inevitably brings. People warn you of the sleepless nights, the fatigue, the crying... but there are the secrets that no class, book nor other mothers mention – that breastfeeding is hard work and is accompanied by many poos (oh, the poos!) and a crazy amount of nappies early on, that textbook advice rarely yields the described results in your non-textbook baby, and that you will have less time to yourself than you ever expected. And now, seemingly all of a sudden, Mini-human is 9 months old today and my feelings about motherhood are quite well summed-up by Catty. Though there are days when I feel that he is stretching my newfound levels of patience so much that I may have to chuck him in the bin, he can win me over effortlessly with nothing more than a flash of a smile. I’m now convinced babies are evil alien masterminds cloaked in mini-human cuteness with an intent to rule our worlds, but I remind myself that I have only another 2 months day-in-day-out with mine before the return to work beckons.

Hello Fresh – your fridge & pantry fairy

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 03:46:00 +0000

Since having the mini-human the husband and I have been extremely fortunate to receive regular drop-offs of homecooked food from our mothers. This was especially helpful in the early days of mini-human, when his daily routine... well, there wasn’t much of a routine. He put up a fight every night come bedtime and, um, I wonder where he gets that determined spirit from... *cough cough* Thankfully he now does have a routine and we get to have dinner at a more decent hour.

Before the mini-human, when I still had the luxury of time to plan and cook dinner, my mother-in-law would often drop groceries off at our place while we were at work. Sure, sometimes it was weird to return home after a long day to find that our veggie crisper had magically replenished itself, or that our ripe bananas (destined for banana bread) had turned back the hands of time and become green again, but it was nice to know that our home was never devoid of fresh food with which to cook. Like all Chinese mothers, my mother-in-law would worry that we weren’t eating at home enough nor well enough, so what better way to get your kids to eat broccoli than to leave it in their fridge for cooking, hey?

Elbow Room Espresso

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 11:11:00 +0000

Oh my god, hang on to your lens-less glasses frames people – Chatswood’s gone hipster!

Serving 5 Senses coffee as well as pastries and organic sourdough from Luxe Bakery, alongside housemade muffins and other treats, Elbow Room is a recent addition to Chatswood’s (to-date, very ordinary) café scene located close to one of Westfield’s entrances. Run by friendly Korean staff, iced water automatically appears on your table and the coffee menu refreshingly offers choices of different blends versus the usual different styles of macchiato, flat white, caffe latte, etc.

Giveaway: Win a double-pass to Cake Bake & Sweets Show!

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 05:27:00 +0000

Listen up, peoples! There’s a new food show in town and you want to check it out because it’s all about cake and sweets and cake and baking and pastry chefs and cake and cooking reality show personalities... And did I mention there was cake? Heheh.

The inaugural Cake Bake & Sweets Show is being held across three days from 21-23 March at Sydney’s Olympic Park. There’ll be live cooking demonstrations, hands-on workshops, plus lots to ogle and buy. Featuring familiar names such as Dan Lepard, Adriano Zumbo, Kirsten Tibballs, my pastry crush of the moment Anna Polyviou, and blogging alumni Sharon Wee, there is sure to be something for everyone.

image courtesy of National Media

Coco Cubano, Crows Nest

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 03:19:00 +0000

Before the mini-human I had perceived dining locations as “child friendly” being those happy to accommodate littlies and their associated unpredictable behaviour and noise levels. Now that I am parent to a just-four-month-old, what I specifically look for are places with a nice level of background noise, quick service, plus seating to allow for rocking of Petit Monsieur in his pram. Until he is able to sit up and consume a range of food other than the human milky variety, his dining experience is limited to being through vicarious observation only.

Gelateria Gondola

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 12:59:00 +0000

Belated happy new year etc etc! The mini-human is now over 3 months old which means a little more predictability and a little more freedom to this new family’s lives. Hey look, I’m even blogging! Granted, dinner outings are still but a glimmer in the distant future (dinners with the extended family have involved him being passed around between family members to keep him pacified) however brunch/lunch and snacks within walking distance of home are much more doable. So I guess that’s what will mostly be appearing here for the time being.

Sugar Hit 2013: Lobby Lounge, Shangri-La Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 05:54:00 +0000

It’s mid-October but there’s still plenty of time to get your Sugar Hit on, people! Coz it definitely ain’t over until this pregnant lady pops heh.

Shangri-La have returned in fine form this year after a few years of being lost in sugar wilderness, with a dessert plate designed by Anna Polyviou and described elaborately as “Milk chocolate delice; passionfruit curd, grue cacao crunch, salted caramel, roast hazelnut, honey thyme pear; strawberries ‘n’ crème graffiti lollipop”. Paired with Brown Brothers’ Orange Flora & Muscat, the drink is kindly swapped for ice tea, hot chocolate, coffee and tea for myself as well as several driving parties in our group.

Sugar Hit 2013: Gallery Tea Lounge, Sheraton on the Park

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 14:17:00 +0000

The first thing you notice about Sheraton’s Sugar Hit is that it is a very generous serve. If it is allowed, then this is definitely a dessert to be shared.

Sugar Hit 2013: The Woods, Four Seasons Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 01:13:00 +0000

Four Seasons haven’t participated in Sugar Hits for a number of years and have returned this year with one of the few hot offerings of “Wood-fired pear tart tartin with smoked vanilla ice-cream and verjuice caramel”.

Sugar Hit 2013: The Cortile, InterContinental Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 00:22:00 +0000

With InterContinental being one of our staple Sugar Hit choices for as long we have been doing them, you can count on the husband and I sampling what they have on offer unless the described dessert is a bit too weird and wacky for our tastes.

Sugar Hit 2013: Glass Brasserie

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:59:00 +0000

What do you know, October has come around which means Good Food Month and I’m almost at the end of growing this mini human. While I’m most looking forward to motherhood, my current freer status means that there is still time to indulge in Sugar Hits! And while I’m glad that Good Food Month has reverted to its much easier-to-remember former name, it’s a shame that Sugar Hits has taken on the new moniker of Let’s Do Dessert – why change what we know and love?

First cab off the rank for Monsieur Poisson and I this year is Glass Brasserie, with its enticingly-described offering of “Chocolate dêlice with peanut butter ice-cream and salted caramel popcorn”.

My biggest and most ambitious cooking project ever

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 12:50:00 +0000

Imagine taking the ingredients for a dish, very specific ingredients, and taking the whole notion of slow cooking to a painstakingly drawn out, almost unfathomable level. Sure, it’s not as protracted as cellaring wine or making balsamic vinegar, but this current cooking project has been poaching away for the past 6 months or so at the ambient temperature of 37°C with another few months to go. An undertaking which involves a gradually expanding product, much like bread dough, which is so much greater than the sum of its original microscopic ingredients.

An announcement party

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 07:47:00 +0000

There are certain major life events that I just can’t recall how I shared their news with my nearest and dearest. You know – first love, first break-up, first job, getting engaged – some of these events were before the mighty powers of social media intervened in how we interact and stay in touch, and although I’m sure I called some people surely I couldn’t have called everyone individually, right?

Then there are other events, so close to heart that their news has to be timed and calculated. Shared at first with your inner circle, those you trust most, those whom you know will guard your news until you are ready to share it a little further. It’s not about the pecking order of your family and friends; it’s about keeping certain things sacred and private because they mean so, so much to you.

So, with that, I decided to hold sort of an announcement party – an informal gathering where a group of friends were invited to an easy lunch of sausage pasta, salad, pastizzi and trashy (read: soft, store-bought) garlic bread.

Chinese New Year 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 05:05:00 +0000

Today is the final day of the current Chinese year and, whilst the new year doesn’t officially begin until tomorrow, the Year of Snake is actually already upon us. From a Chinese zodiac perspective, you’re already in to the following year once spring has begun and this is why the New Year is also referred to as Spring Festival in Chinese. So all those people who think they’re just scraping in and giving birth to dragon babies, well, that boat was missed once 4^th February swung around this year. However it does mean that your baby has arrived perfectly timed to receive lots of “lei si” red packets!

Afternoon tea & canapés

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 23:44:00 +0000

So what has everyone been up to these past couple of weekends? Whilst the weather may not have been that great, please spare a thought to our neighbours up in Queensland who have sadly once again faced with torrential rains and flooding. The overcast and generally miserable Sydney weather does make for ideal conditions for staying indoors and general lazing about however. And, after 3 weeks of both the husband and I being sick with a cold/throat infection/allergies, we are now finally well enough to engage in some social activities. Any longer without social contact and we would’ve started our transformation into hermits!

Cooking is always a labour of love and I do put more effort into cooking for those whom are nearest and dearest. (On the contrary, when I don’t care as much is when I do stupid things like leaving out key ingredients – stodgy, eggs-forgotten choc mudcake, anyone?) Wifey and Mistress are two of the most supportive and important women in my life, and I may just have gone a little overboard when planning our late lunch/afternoon tea menu.

Farewell to Munich

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:58:00 +0000

A happy new year to you all!

While I may have just returned from enjoying the company of family in Hong Kong, that doesn’t stop me from wondering whether the year ahead will hold any promises of travel and also has me reminiscing about the final week of our European holiday mid-last year. Of course as with any holiday, local or overseas, there are always must-see sights as well as must-try eats. So how could we make it all the way to Germany without sampling at least some of the following delights?

Christmas 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 01:06:00 +0000

Hello! I’m still here...sort of. And still blog...rather infrequently. But I am still here!

How sad it is that work changes have meant less time for blogging! *Boooo...* And whilst I know my new boss understands the need for work/life balance, I’m not sure she’d understand my need for work/life/BLOG balance as such.

So in almost the blink of an eye, Christmas is once again upon us. I’m not religious but it really is my favourite time of year. The idea of bringing people together to spend time over conversation and, of course, food brings all kinds of warm and fuzzy feelings into my heart. That, coupled with colourful and sparkly decorations helps to bring the child out in me as well.

Living the macaron life

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 23:26:00 +0000

So this year I have cut back dramatically on the number of Sugar Hits consumed. Perhaps it’s due to a shift in my tastebuds towards more things savoury (I know, what is happening to me?!) or it could possibly have something to do with the steady stream of macarons at my home of late. Those delicate almond biscuits sandwiched with such an array of fillings but which are also very pretty to look at in their various shades and hues. I suspect it’s the colours which make me want to buy every single one on display, as it evokes that childhood fascination of colouring pencils arranged in colour spectrum order. Or perhaps that was just me.

It all started when Ladurée Sydney opened to much excitement and, yes, whilst I know it’s not a good thing that they are flown in all the way from Switzerland, it was my way of reclaiming a little bit of the magic of Paris. Favourite flavours remain as citron, salted caramel and pistachio, with the new discovery of various marshmallow flavours with their slightly bouncy fillings. Unfortunately the macarons don’t taste exactly like those in Paris – or that could be my rose-tinted memories distorting accurate recollection – but the Sydney ones seem a little softer in texture.

Sugar Hit 2012: Intercontinental

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 07:43:00 +0000

Intercontinental is a hotel the husband and I have visited every year without fail for Sugar Hit. This vouches for two things – one is that it has consistently participated year after year and, two, that what is offered has a good track record of being to our liking. Over the years we have seen a progressive evolution from an assiette plate to a single dessert of central focus, and it was good to see the place full of dessert-goers too!

Sugar Hit 2012: Sheraton on the Park

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 10:05:00 +0000

What is wrong with you, Sydney? Where is your love for all things sweet and the month of Crave Sydney International Food Festival?! I ask this because when we set foot into Sheraton’s Gallery Tea Lounge there is no one there. Not a single soul – no patrons, no staff – and on a Saturday night.