Only six days to go! Win tickets to the 2008 Lovedale Long Lunch

Have you submitted your entry to win free tickets to the 2008 Lovedale Long Lunch?

So far I have 107 entries. Is yours one of them? There are only six days to go!

Read all the competition details here
and don't forget to submit your entry by 6.00pm Tuesday May 6, 2008.

My pics from the media launch can now be seen on the official Lovedale Long Lunch website too.

Green tea marble cake

Gung Che Num Pla
King prawn cocktail with spicy garlic and lemon dressing
with Khai Look Koei son-in-law eggs

The G-man always feeds us well.

At a recent dinner party for eight, we knew we were in for a feast. We started with a fancy looking prawn entree surrounded by quartered son-in-law eggs. A barely-cooked prawn curled its way into a plunge pool of hot and tangy dressing, intensely flavoured with garlic, lemon juice and plenty of chilli. The prawn was soft and sweet, the dressing punched our tastebuds awake, and our tongues and lips were left tingling.

Khai Look Koei, also known as son-in-law eggs, involve hard-boiled eggs peeled and deep-fried until a pale gold on the outside. The creaminess of the eggs contrasted delightfully with the sweet salty splay of minced fish cooked with garlic, lemon, rock sugar and chilli.


Crisp skin salmon with Panang curry

Whilst conversations continued, salmon fillets were pan-fried skin-side down, until the skin became a brittle parchment of pure omega 3. These were assembled on a bed of blanched asaparagus spears and generously pooled with generous ladles of thick, rich and spicy Panang curry. The decadence was topped off with a small spoonful of coconut cream. A calorie-free main? Of course!

I contributed dessert to the dinner party, a green tea marble cake with green tea cream cheese frosting. In the swirl of activity involved with cutting the cake and serving it to friends I *shock horror* forgot to take photos. EDIT: I've been saved by fellow dinner party guest Leslie, who was also snapping photos that evening, and kindly supplied the photo below. The recipe is detailed below anyway, but imagine a loaf cake with pretty swirls of army green, topped with a thick layer of icing dusted with extra.

I thought the cake was quite heavy and dense cake although that could have more to do with my cake technique than the actual recipe.


Image courtesy of Leslie Liu

Green tea marble cake
with green tea cream cheese frosting
Adapted from http://blog.livedoor.jp/pain_au_chocolat/archives/6471025.html

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup full fat plain yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter
2 tablespoons green tea powder (matcha)
1 teaspoon of lukewarm water

Frosting
125g cup butter, softened
225g cream cheese, softened
3 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons green tea powder (matcha)


Method

Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C, remembering to subtract 20°C if using a fan-forced oven, and another 10°C if using a non-stick cake pan.

Line a 10cmx21cm standard loaf pan with baking paper or lightly oiled greaseproof paper.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until pale and creamy.

Add the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.

Add the vanilla and yoghurt and stir until well combined.

Slowly add the melted butter and using an electric mixer, beat until you have a uniform batter.

In a separate bowl, make a thick paste with the matcha powder and warm water. Add a third of the cake batter to the matcha paste and incorporate until the batter is an even green.

Place alternate spoonfuls of green and white batter into the loaf tin until all the batter has been used. This doesn't have to be exact. Using a skewer, make a few gentle swirls through the batter so the colours meld around each other.

Carefully tap the cake tin on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. You can also drop the cake tin onto the counter from a height of about 10cm to force out any air bubbles.

Bake cake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

To make the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sifted icing sugar and half the matcha powder and beat until combined. Add more matcha to taste. Spread icing on cooled cake and dust with extra matcha powder for decoration.

The Australian Heritage Hotel, The Rocks, Sydney

BBQ emu pizza $14.50 small
with Spanish onion, fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes

There are few things better than beer and pizza with friends, bathed in a late burst of autumnal sunshine in the bliss of a long weekend.


Crispy bacon pizza $19.50 large
with mushrooms, tomatoes, spanish onions
and tasty cheese

The Australian Heritage Hotel has long been a favourite with locals, office workers and tourists. Standing tall at the triangular intersection of Cumberland and Gloucester Streets, the impressive Federation-style building is lined with outdoor tables. There's a signposted Parlour Room, a bar offering a golden haze of beers and, my favourite, a cubicle in the ladies bathroom that comes complete with plaster statue and antique chest of drawers (an elegant storage area for toilet paper, I discover).


Moroccan lamb pizza $19.50 large
with lemon, garlic, eggplant, goat's cheese,
roasted vegetables and cous cous


We while away a lazy Saturday with an assortment of pizzas smothered in topping. Famous for their kangaroo, emu and saltwater crocodile pizzas, my favourite is actually the roast duck pizza, a delightful ensemble of juicy duck pieces generous with crispy skin.


Baked pumpkin pizza $19 large
with fresh rosemary, garlic, paprika and marinated feta

Not far behind is the seafood devil's pizza, ringed with plump prawns and tender scallops with roe still attached.


Seafood devil's pizza $26.50 large
with smoked salmon, scallops, prawns
and topped with bacon

The pizzas aren't enormous in size (the large pizzas are probably 24cm in diameter?) but this only means a better topping to base ratio. Dr Atkins would approve, and so will your pizza stomach.


Roast duck pizza $19.50 large
with mushroom, Spanish onion, Asian greens,
shallots, sesame seeds and plum sauce




View Larger Map


The Australian Heritage Hotel
100 Cumberland St, The Rocks, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9247 2229

Open Monday to Saturday, 10.30am-midnight
Sunday 10.30am-10pm

This has been included as an Intrepid Eat on Grab Your Fork's Top 10 Sydney Eats for Tourists. Read the entire list here.

Related GrabYourFork posts:
The Rocks--Australian Heritage Hotel (Nov08)
The Rocks--Shangri-La Hotel Cafe Mix

Pizza--Big John's Pizza Restaurant, Sans Souci
Pizza--Slice of Crown Darlinghurst
Pizza--Wedgetail Pizza, Newtown

Sunday brunch: French toast with caramelised banana and crispy bacon

The perfect indulgent breakfast.

Dunk stale bread (I used up my bread crusts) in a beaten mixture of eggs with a splash of milk. Remove the bread and set aside whilst you heat your frypan.

Add a small amount of oil to the frypan and swirl. Briefly dunk the bread in the egg mixture again and then fry both sides until golden.

At the same time, panfry one banana sliced lengthwise and a few strips of bacon until caramelised and crisp respectively.

Dust the French toast with sugar and a generous swirl of cinnamon. Serve with the caramelised banana and bacon .

Look for the maple syrup in the cupboard and curse aloud when you realise you have none.

Attempt to cheer yourself up by reasoning that at least now you've saved on maple syrup calories. Eat the fat on the bacon in determined consolation.

Revel in a slow breakfast with freshly brewed coffee and the morning paper.

Add maple syrup to next week's shopping list.

Brigadoon at Bundanoon: the 32nd Annual Highland Gathering

Who doesn't appreciate a man in a kilt?

We made the trip to Bundanoon in the Southern Highlands for the 32nd annual Brigadoon Highland Gathering a few weekends ago. The promise of haggis, black pudding and shortbread was too good to resist, let alone the excitement of watching the Highland Games that included caber tossing, haggis throwing and lifting of the Stones of Manhood, a feat that features in the World's Strongest Man competitions.

But first, a detour via Berrima for a breakfast of Devonshire tea. The Old Bakery Tearooms were closed (the owners were at Bundanoon, we heard) so we made do with scones, jam and cream at Berrima Bakery across the road.


Date scones with jam and cream and a pot of tea $7.50

The scones were light and fluffy, although not quite as wondrous as my memory of the ones at the Old Bakery Tearooms. Although the little glass servers for the jam and cream were cute, they did present a precarious balancing act for our server. Cream was also disappointingly the aerated kind.

Pots of tea did well to warm our bellies though, the air crisp and clean at a bracing temperature of about four degrees.


Plain scones with jam and cream and a pot of tea $7.50

It wasn't much further to Bundanoon, a picturesque town (population about 2,000) that was visibly overflowing with cars, coaches and tourists. We joined the crowds on the pilgrimage to the oval and with our $15 entry badges secured, we were soon witness to an impressive display of 25 pipe bands marching in unison in the centre of the grounds.


Haggies, neeps and tatties $7.00

More impressive was the prospect of digging into the award-winning haggis from Anderson's Haggis, a South Australian company bringing joy to many a homesick Scotsman or Scotswoman. Most haggis I've tried has been overly peppery, but this version was deliciously nutty, sweet with onion and only faintly recognisable as offal. Traditionally made with sheep's heart, liver and lungs, we noted oatmeal, barley and a pleasing blend of salt and spices.

It's hearty stuff. We're soon struggling with the two scoops of haggis and matching mounds of mashed potato (tatties) and swedes (neeps). It's the kind of meal I could quite happily eat on a cold winter's night in front of the telly, slowing savouring each spoonful.


Scottish confectionary


So many choices...


Hand-decorated fruit cakes


Egg tossing (the Highland Games are open to one and all)




Caramel meringue sundae $3.50

The fooding continues with a wonderfully simple caramel meringue sundae - crunchy meringue, a spoonful of fresh whipped cream, a dollop of ice cream and a generous swirl of caramel sauce. I'm replicating this one at my next dinner party.


Scottish square slice sausage $4.00

I'd been intrigued by the selling of Scottish square slice sausage, which looks like slab of sausage mince generous with cereal. It tastes that way too, quite soft and fatty on the tongue, but pan-fried to a golden crisp that marries well with a hearty dollop of HP sauce.


Black pudding on a roll $5.50

Black pudding, also from Anderson's, isn't as rich as I'd expect, with less blood than I'd hoped. Its charred surface does make it a tasty delight though.


Caber tossing

The art of caber tossing is one that requires supreme strength and skill. The goal is not height nor distance, but to toss the caber so it somersaults and lies on the ground at a position of 12 o'clock, as if the tosser were standing at 6 o'clock. It's no mean feat as most people discover.


Lifting of the Bundanoon Stones of Manhood (110kg stone pictured)

The Lifting of the Bundanoon Stones of Manhood is the biggest crowd pleaser. These smooth perfectly spherical stones must be hoisted onto the top of barrel as fast as possible. The five stones start at 90kg and ascend to 100kg, 110kg, 130kg and 150kg. Only the reigning champion can lift the fifth one. Everybody cheers.





We end the day with iced coffees at a cafe in Mittagong. A long but happy day out that is fun for all the family, and all the kids at heart.



Berrima Bakery
Shop 5, Oldbucks Corner,
Wingecarribee Street, Berrima
Tel: +61 (02) 4877 2366

Brigadoon at Bundanoon is held on a Saturday every year in April.
The 32nd annual Highland Gathering was held on Saturday April 5, 2008.
Entry fee was $15 for adults, $4 for children, $35 for a family

Mere Catherine, Potts Point

Lucifer soup

EDIT: Mere Catherine has closed 

Intimate and cosy are the first two words I'd use to describe Mere Catherine, an old-fashioned (some would say "retro") French bistro in Potts Point that has fostered a legion of loyal fans over the years.

It used to be that one would have to knock at the heavy door of Mere Catherine, whereupon the curtains would twitch slightly, and, legend has it, Nanette would peer out the window and decide whether she would open the door or not. In its current location, the door is unlocked, but the windows are still curtained and the diners inside a mystery of voices and laughter until you enter.


French onion soup

If you happened to trip over the three steep entrance steps, you would most certainly land in the lap of the diners at table number three. The dining room is tiny, packed tightly with tables that seat a maximum of 18 inside (15 outside) according to their dining licence.

Nanette arrives with menus and the blackboard of specials under one arm. On the Sunday night we dined, there is only one other party in the restaurant, the intimacy of the evening enhanced by the flicker of candles on our table and the gentle hum of rain pounding the pavement outside.


Chateaubriand with garlic butter

It is with some horror that I realise early on in the evening that although I've brought my camera, the battery for it remains at home, still happily sitting in the charger from a few days before. The G-man comes to the rescue, doing a marvellous job taking photos by the romantic but photographically challenging flicker of candlelight (Thanks G-man! My photos would never have turned out as well!).

So I spend the evening simply enjoying my meal, admiring the way Nanette delivers our French onion soup, whisking a single egg yolk for each person at the table, then whisking it industriously into the soup along with a slurp of brandy. The soup is thick and hearty, a little on the salty side for my palate, but the flavours are deep and genuine.

The Lucifer soup is a creamy concoction that warms the belly, generous with leeks and butter, leaving an alcoholic hiccup and a gentle tingle of chilli on the tongue.


Pork loin fillet with mustard and fruits

Mains are priced at the mid $30 mark to the low forties but one mouthful of the butteriest plump mouthful of chateaubriand is enough to guarantee every assurance of "value". There is a collection of suggestive sighs and groans around the table. Everything is tender: the beef, the pork, the duck, as well. And the sauces are delicious too, the bearnaise sauce the best version I've ever had, a vision in golden sunshine that is smooth and silky, the balance of vinegar cutting marvellously through the richness, in a sauce that tastes as though it was made two minutes ago, not two weeks ago like many I'd encountered.


Chateaubriand with Bearnaise sauce


Chateaubriand with pepper sauce


Roast duck with green peppercorns

Our mains appear small at first glance, but we're reassured by the complimentary accompaniment of roasted potatoes and creamed spinach. The creamed spinach is crowned with a layer of molten cheese, blistered to a speckled golden brown. The roasted potatoes glisten with oil but are worth every calorie, their faintly crisp surface giving way to a mother's cuddle of tender softness.

"Are they cooked in goose fat, or duck fat?" I ask Nanette. She smiles coyly and says "I'm not sure, maybe, but the chef does use a few special ingredients."

There's no response from solo chef Gerard Humair, who not only cooks but also washes dishes, and I observe through the half-drop curtain.


Creamed spinach


Roasted potatoes

We struggle to finish our mains, and yet, inexplicably, still have an appetite for dessert. We take the easy option, ordering one of each and a collection of spoons to share.


Creme caramel

They're all irresistibly good. Creme caramel is a of eggy custard, awash in a puddle of sweet caramel. We're not fans of the chocolate sprinkles, but the chocolate mousse itself exhibits a genuine bitterness of dark chocolate that pleases the resident chocolate mousse fanatic especially (amid some resentment that he's had to share it with five other dive bombing spoons).


Chocolate mousse

Profiteroles are light and airy, punctuated with a splodge of brandy custard. But I'm completely won over by the meringue sandwiched with Chantilly cream, a concoction that must be bashed with our spoon, the crumble of sugary debris contrasting deliciously with the generous piping of cream.


Profiteroles with cream

Nanette comes over to our table throughout the evening, almost clucking with approval at our plates licked clean. I'm not sure who is happier: we, or her.


Meringue with Chantilly cream

Mere Catherine (CLOSED)
166 Victoria St, Potts Point, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9358 2000

Open for dinner 7 days from 6.30pm


Related Grab Your Fork posts:
French - Bistrot Gavroche, Chippendale
French - Hubert, Sydney
French - Hubert Bridge Bon Appetit, Sydney

Hooters, Parramatta

Now I'm not normally one to hang out at Hooters on a Tuesday night but mention chicken wings and I'm all there In The Name of Research.

KIDS EAT FREE TUESDAY proclaims the huge banner outside, and I'm wondering whether families do actually head here for a different type of Happy Meal. Yes, they do, I discover, as we head inside, two families arriving shortly after us. Most patrons are male, as I'd expected, although it's not half as seedy as I'd dreaded.

In fact the decor is reasonably pleasant, the high gloss wooden tables and assortment of decorative road signs reminding me of Planet Hollywood or Lone Star. There are plasma screens aplenty and a happy game of "How many plasma screens can you count" takes up at least ten minutes. We count 38 plasma screens, each broadcasting various sports, and indeed most patrons are more interested in the current cricket score than the staff, the Hooters girls dressed in trademark white singlets, tangerine mini football shorts and spray on tans to match.


Buffalo platter $19.50
Chicken wings, chicken strips and Buffalo-style shrimp
served with ranch or blue cheese dip

We share the buffalo platter and a serve of their famous chicken wings. Both arrive glistening ominously with oil. The buffalo platter has a mix of chicken wings, chicken strips and prawns, all coated in batter and coloured a dirty gold. The wings squirt out rivers of oil with the first bite, and the taste of old oil lingers on our tongues. Carrot and celery sticks provide some welcome palate refreshment, although I find the blue cheese dip fairly bland.


911 screamin' hot chicken wings $10.50 for ten

We'd been nervous about ordering the 911 screamin' hot chicken wings. How much fire could we expect?

The wings are doused in an orangey red sauce that is thick and sticky. Another river of oil flows out at first bite, and though the wings are quite moist and juicy, the overwhelming taste is sweetness with a touch of spice but a distinct lack of heat.

Heat factor: 2/10. Call Directory Assistance.


Philly cheesesteak $15.90
Marinated and grilled chopped steak topped with sauteed onions,
green capsicum and mushrooms with melted Swiss cheese.
Served on a hoagie roll with fries and fresh green salad.

The Philly cheesesteak, the pride of Philadelphia locals, is not too far from the original. Thin strips of marinated beef steak ooze with melted cheese. We order ours with mushroom. The hoagie roll is akin to a hot dog bun, the softness of everything lending itself to minimal chewing - true American comfort food.


Hooters burger with the lot $19.40
250g grain fed beef topped with sauteed onions, bacon, cheese and
sauteed mushrooms, served with fries and fresh green salad

We share a Hooters burger with the lot, a multi-tiered mountain of beef, bacon, cheese and mushrooms. The bacon isn't particularly crisp and the beef pattie tastes more cereal than meat, but it is generous in portion.


Quesadilla with steak, jalapenos and guacamole $18.00
Fresh flour tortilla filled with beef, melted cheese and served with
shredded lettuce, salsa and sour cream

I'm more a fan of the quesadilla, thin crisp tortillas encasing shavings of beef and a muddle of melted cheese. We add dollops of sour cream, salsa, jalapenos and guacamole, housed in plastic cups that while practical, do look a little tacky. Compared to the rest of the food on our table, this dish is welcomingly light on the stomach.


Key lime pie with ice cream $8.90
Chilled lime tart with citrus cream

Desserts are a mixed bag. I'd been excited about finding key lime pie on the menu--one of my favourite desserts--but this one tastes more like a pastry-heavy cheesecake, without the trademark sharp citrus zing and creamy decadence of filling.


Apple crumble with ice cream $8.90

To my surprise, the apple crumble is the much bigger hit, even if it does resemble a crumble-topped buttery strudel. The crumble has been cooked to a satisfying golden brown, the caramelised bits of crumble providing the perfect carriage for rapidly melting vanilla ice cream. The chunks of apple are surprisingly large too.

The entertainment begins just after dessert arrives. Nine o'clock is performance time. The strains of Nut Bush City Limits begin ominously in the background and before we know it, the girls are going through the motions accompanied by the impassioned wails of Tina Turner. The three women are spaced throughout the restaurant, and the 360 degree nature of the Nut Bush routine seems specifically designed for patron-friendly viewing.

It gets worse. After 90 seconds of Nut Bush the music fades and the girls rush about grabbing stools onto which they climb. More music comes on and another 30 seconds of choreographed gyrating ensues. It's the only time I feel uncomfortable, the bright lights, the kids at the next table and the bemused expressions of the patrons adding up to a performance awkwardness. The girls themselves are determinedly going through the motions, a resigned grin-and-bear-it endurance I can't help but cringe for. It reminds me of a trained monkey performance I witnessed at a zoo in Vietnam, beautiful soulful creatures made to dress in gaudy costumes and do pointless tricks to the oblivious merriment of locals.

At the same time I'm aware that my presence at Hooters was my choice, and tonight's entertainment is tame by most standards. Perhaps the mood feels better on a Friday night, when the bar is filled with a more appreciative crowd.

Overall the food isn't as pricy as I'd expected and everyone is respectful and well behaved. But I don't think I'm ever going to listen to Nut Bush City Limits in the same way ever again.

Hooters of Parramatta
132 James Ruse Drive, Parramatta, Sydney
(corner of Hassall Street)
Tel: +61 (02) 9633 5160

Open 7 days 12pm til late

Also open at
Hooters of Cronulla
3-5 Kingsway, Cronulla, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9929 7255

Hooters of Mermaid Beach
2488 Gold Coast Highway, Gold Coast, Queensland
Tel: +61 (07) 5572 4100