spoon, fork & chopsticks

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.

Sugar Hit 2012: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 16:56:00 +0000

How could you resist a Sugar Hit billed as:

“A chocolate dessert feast with opera slice, chocolate and cocoa nibs tartlet, chocolate macaroon, chocolate mousse and a chocolate éclair.”

Sofitel have not participated in Sugar Hits for a good 5 years now, but Monsieur Poisson cannot stop raving about when they last did – it was a Lenôtre gateau opéra. So with Sofitel reappearing on the menu this year, it was chosen mainly because Monsieur Poisson and Mistress both love gateau opera. We made our way to Sofitel as a group of four, and this is when things started to get a little unusual.

Sugar Hit 2012: Azuma

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 01:27:00 +0000

Today being the first day of October means that another year’s Crave Sydney International Food Festival is upon us. A whole month of food-related events are ahead and personally it equates to that time of year when I indulge in way too many Sugar Hits.

Azuma has always been mysterious in its Sugar Hit offerings, only ever describing theirs as an “East meets West Dessert Tasting Plate”. This year is no different and, while their signature bento box presentation remains, its contents are for you to discover. But, here is a preview...

Served with a choice of either Brown Brothers’ Cienna Rosso or a special in-house blend of Japanese green tea, the former has the appearance of sparkling Ribena and, as noted by Tina, smells of strawberries. It’s very easy to drink, in a girly alcopop kind of way.

Lazy weekends of brunch and afternoon tea

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 07:46:00 +0000

Everyone has their own daily stressors to deal with and, when we manage to steal ourselves collectively away from them, more often than not the important women in my life will gather around to dissect and analyse life over cups of tea or coffee and plates of food.

We especially love afternoon tea, for it is the experience as much as the food – afternoon teas are always offered in such calming surroundings – that makes it so enjoyable. The physical act of making tea – steeping, pouring, stirring – is therapeutic in itself, and sets the atmosphere for the languid conversation which follows.

An afternoon tea enjoyed months ago at The Gallery Tea Lounge of Sheraton on the Park, was preceded by a shared club sandwich. (Club sandwiches are such a delight at hotels.) Savouries were bite-sized and tasty, but the scones were disappointingly dense and powdery. The top tier of petits fours entirely redeemed this whilst some of the handmade chocolates were rather intense in flavour.

Butcherman - a different way to shop for meat

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 11:07:00 +0000

There was a Friday night where I went to bed relatively early and set my alarm in order to be up and ready by 9am the next morning. I hopped out of bed with anticipation and made sure I was decent and presentable – I had an important date between 9am and 1pm.

With a man.

With a Butcherman.

Well, okay... with a delivery person who would bring me meat. To... my... front... door!

Of course home delivery of goods is nothing new, and neither is online shopping. But Butcherman offers a unique service where restaurant quality meat is delivered to you at competitive prices during nominated timeslots – and just as well, because meat slowly going off at your doorway has its obvious downfalls. And yes, they even deliver on a Saturday morning so you don’t have to wait at home on a weekday like you do for tradespeople. Or furniture.

Via Napoli Pizzeria

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:21:00 +0000

Via Napoli has but a small amount of indoor seating, with the majority being on the slanted footpath situated undercover and equipped with gas heaters when needed. The tables are arranged quite close together and the ambient chatter is punctuated with Italian being exchanged between the waitstaff. I may not be in Naples but the pizza is quite likely to be the best I’ve had in Sydney.

101 uses for a portable induction plate

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 14:15:00 +0000

When I was sent the New Wave Induction Plate by Kitchenware Direct, my mind went into overdrive thinking of all the things I could do with it – which is exactly how I am when considering a product for purchase. For we all have those kitchen appliances which we buy under the guise of “using it all the time” and “oh, it would save so much effort!” and then, guiltily, use but a few times before they’re retired to a top shelf or back cupboard pretty much never to see the light of day again.

There are some task-specific appliances which, when used frequently, totally make the purchase worth your while (eg. ice-cream maker), and there are other appliances which can offer a myriad of purposes like this portable induction plate which can completely redeem itself in the purchase stakes.

Sunday in London

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:08:00 +0000

Our weekend in Paris had been planned around sightseeing on the Saturday and relaxed shopping on the Sunday. I suppose “planned” isn’t the most apt descriptive for it, as it was more of a hastily agreed-upon schedule whilst en route mid-air rather than a well thought-out itinerary. We came somewhat unstuck when we hit the streets of Paris on the Sunday morning only to discover that nothing – nothing! – was open. At least eateries in Munich do business on Sundays, but in Paris not even that.

So London, as well as being about the food we didn’t eat in Paris, also became about the shopping we didn’t get to do in Paris. We stayed in a hotel off Oxford Street so were well-positioned for retail action, but not before a room service breakfast to get us going. Some fluffy waffles, rich hot chocolate and eggs Benedict with curiously browned Hollandaise sauce later, and we made our way to Selfridges.

Apple Crumble

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 12:37:00 +0000

I have an aversion to cooked fruits – poached, stewed, baked, etc. I prefer my fruit fresh and unadulterated, not because I’m a purist but, because the texture of cooked fruit has never appealed to me. Squishy fruit is not my cup of tea and even more so when there is skin or peel involved – think sultanas, prunes, raisins and the like. But the exception I make is with apples, peeled of course, and sometimes pears... but that’s it, ok?

High tea at Atlantis Seafood Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 14:50:00 +0000

It’s funny how you can pass through the same area for years and not actually notice the specifics of what is there. I have been along the section of road where Atlantis Seafood is located a countless number of times and yet have never known that a restaurant there even existed. As part of the Quest Serviced Apartments complex, underground parking is available for overnight guests as well as diners via a down ramp which isn’t signposted but buzz the intercom to reception and you will automatically be allowed entry.

The husband and I are here to try out their high tea through a Groupon deal – only $35 for two – which is normally priced at $29 per person ($36 for sparkling high tea, or $45 with a glass of champagne). We’re not usually subscribers to group-buying deals because the husband’s previous rotational work schedule made it difficult for us to forecast too far ahead our availability to comply with validity periods. Besides, often the deals offer only a restricted sampling of an establishment’s menu when we prefer to have the freedom to sample from a greater range.

M&M’s World, London

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 15:09:00 +0000

Monsieur Poisson’s cousin had suggested a few sights and touristy things for us to see and do on our short trip of London. In amongst places and names being bandied about there was one I heard loud and clear – M&M’s World (M&M’s World, M&M’s World...*echo echo echo*).

A French weekend in London

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 01:46:00 +0000

Another free weekend in Europe makes for another mini-escapade across the continent. Our trip to London felt more “legitimate” than our weekend to Paris – we had to pass through customs, show our passports and leave the EU – however it had less of a tourist focus as it was also planned as an opportunity to catch up with Monsieur Poisson’s cousin whom we’d not seen in almost two years. It would also be the first time in two weeks where we’d once again be located in an English-speaking city.

Matcha blondies (aka green tea white chocolate brownies)

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 13:13:00 +0000

I have really missed baking, what with being crazy busy at work and paperwork for the sale of my family home being finalised just before Monsieur Poisson and I left on a rather rushed trip to Europe. The first two weeks back in Sydney were no better, with masses of catch-up needing to be done work-wise to meet a tight deadline.

The actions of leisurely baking are always comforting and, coupled with the winter weather, there are so many levels of warmth that mixing, stirring and standing in front of an oven can bring. However with the travel from Munich back to Sydney wearing me out (my inability to sleep on flights strikes again) combined with two weeks’ worth of long work hours, the motivation to spend hours in the kitchen are pretty low – and that’s despite the promise of comforting baking aromas and warming sweets afterwards.

IPot (愛鍋)

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:58:00 +0000

When you hear the name IPot, what sort of imagery does the name elicit? I had thought it was some new-fangled cooking vessel cashing in on the popularity of one fruit-named company until I came across this tweet from Gourmet Forager. It is more likely a portmanteau of individual + pot, but the “i” also happens to be a homophone for “ai” – the first character of the restaurant’s name in Chinese, meaning love, and the name of the place being “love (hot)pot”.

And love hotpot you must, as this restaurant specialises in the winter warmer that is cooking up stuff in boiling soup. The novelty is not only in the individual pots, but also the individual burners built into the table forming a giant induction cooktop surface. Hotpot ingredients are ordered à la carte, arrive reassuringly fresh and prove to be good value unless you splash out on the wagyu. Soup bases are charged per pot, and dipping sauces are charged per head but you can help yourself to as much as you like from a self-serve area at the front of the store. Various meatballs and dumplings aside, it’s the cuttlefish “noodles” which are lots of fun – essentially cuttlefish paste in a piping bag which you get to squeeze into your pot of soup for instant, springy strands of cuttlefish!

Augustiner Keller, and more

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 20:00:00 +0000

A trip to Germany is not complete without a visit to an authentic biergarten, and even better when it is a rather large one with its own lagerkeller beneath.

From Munich to Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 09:07:00 +0000

As with all Australians who travel to Europe, due to the long travel time to get here, we are making the most of our trip by hopping across to see other European cities. When flying from Munich to Paris takes about the same time as it does from Sydney to Melbourne, and with travel within the European Union so relaxed that no one even asks to see your passport, you literally can hop across. We had checked in online and were travelling with hand luggage only, which meant all we had to do was to rock up at the airport and make it through the x-ray machines by boarding time. The convenience of it all is still doing my head in.

So, why Paris? Well, not for the usual reason of it being “the most romantic city in the world” etc etc. Apart from it being a cultural, historical and fashion hub of Europe, France in general has held a special place in my heart for twenty-odd years. Having grown up in Sydney and receiving no formal Chinese education, I attended a Canadian-run English-speaking school when living in Hong Kong from the age of 10 to 14. French is a second language in Canada and taught in all of its schools, including the one I was at albeit offshore. Thus my affair with the French language began, which was continued through high school upon returning to Sydney. My French is far from fluent, but there is enough of it for basic survival.

An unplanned trip to Munich

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:47:00 +0000

Food bloggers are planners. When food bloggers go on holidays, they pride themselves in researching places to eat and formulating strategies in order to best cover the gustatory highlights of the area of visit. Reservations are made where permitted, forming the rigid pillars of an eating schedule, with less formal dining slotted in at remaining times.

All that forethought is thrown out the window when you find yourself booking tickets to Munich only a week ahead of departure (and getting suitably excited as you’ve never been to Europe before – yay!), and there are more pressing issues as taking an extended work lunch break to get to a bank to make sure you have some Euros up your sleeve before you go.

Monsieur Poisson recently started a new job with a German firm which requires its employees to visit head office to get a better feel of main operations as well as to meet members of their overseas team. As accommodation and his flights are provided, coupled with a normally tough manager being sympathetic and granting me leave, I jumped at the opportunity to tag along.

The husband’s company flies all of its employees business class (not just upper management, ha!) which meant I sat separately in economy on both legs of the journey here. With business tickets costing 3.5 times the price of economy, the choice of potentially having more spending, and eating, money was definitely more attractive. So what does the luxury of a business class ticket buy you?

Simmone Logue, Cammeray

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:45:00 +0000

I first became acquainted with Simmone Logue’s cakes years ago through working close to a David Jones Food Hall, which meant that office birthdays and departures were commemorated with an amazing selection of cakes. Someone I worked with raved endlessly about her banana cake, but what I didn’t know is that Simmone Logue also offers catering services as well as a sample of her wares through two café stores.

The Cammeray store is situated in an open air shopping mall and was first visited for a girls’ lunch. We’d missed out on trying the breakfast menu due to the time of day, but the “Grilled ham & cheese” served with side salad offers the same satisfaction as a croque monsieur. The chicken “Soup of the day” is on the oily side but full of flavour, while the “Spinach & fetta filo” is light and flaky.

A chocolate cream cake for Mum

noreply@blogger.com (Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse)) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:52:00 +0000

For years and years Mum kept saying that the cakes I made weren’t light enough. Turns out it’s because she prefers the spongier texture and subtler flavour of Asian bakery cakes, rather than those with a cakier crumb which I enjoy. So with it being Mum’s birthday – well, one of her birthdays, depending on whether she chooses to celebrate according to the Gregorian calendar or the Chinese Lunar one – and an appropriately timed post from Vondelicious, I decided to give baking one those Asian-style cakes a try.