It is the last Grower’s Markets at Pyrmont this weekend before Christmas.  That’s it until February next year for them, be sure to drop in if you can.  Also, don’t forget to check out what farmers/organic markets are on this weekend HERE

What do you know about Malaysian cuisine?  Want to learn more, even better, want to learn how to whip up amazing Malaysian dishes?  Jackie M, the Goddess of Malaysian cuisine, is running a series of MasterClasses leading up to Christmas.  These classes are hands on, with detailed recipes and a goodie bag to take home for all participants.  You also get to chow down on the class cooking effort at the end of the day.  For more information classes are listed in Weekly Rumbles and head to Jackie M’s website.

Dine Smart over the next six weeks!  For the six weeks in the lead-up to Christmas, StreetSmart partners with restaurants to ask diners to make a small donation to StreetSmart on their bill. Every table is asked to add $2 or more to their bill, not even the price of a coffee or mineral water. It’s a simple idea that adds up to a big impact on the lives of people who are homeless.  More Info

Much more happening around town
For the full list of what is going on in Sydney and surrounds food wise head to the Sydney Weekly Rumbles Page.

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‘Let’s grab a cab’, a unison cry from our group of five, simple words and a simple action.  Not as easy as we initially thought, Adelaide doesn’t seem to be the cab numbers there are in Sydney.  With hands flapping, the odd taxi we saw, were either not going to stop, heading the wrong direction or had passengers already.

To make matters worse, there were five of us, two cabs were needed.  Eventually the whole of party was in one cab or the other speeding in the direction of Pearl’s Diner.

Pearl’s Diner is a small fixed restaurant of Burger Theory (food truck) and Le Waffle (wholesale waffle business), and is attached to their commercial kitchen.  How did they come up with the name Pearl’s Diner?  Pearl is the pet name of the Burger Theory truck.

Pearl’s is located in Felixstow, which seems to be in the heart of Adelaide suburbia.  We were wondering if we had the right address as we are heading down a house lined street that could of been right at home in Sydney’s Baulkham Hills or even Padstow.  Just when we thought we were completely off course a group shops set on a corner appear.  Our anxiety was put to rest when we saw her, yes, there she was, Pearl’s Diner. We made it, the other taxi did, as well as the sixth member of our dining party. Read more →

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Jackie M Cooking MasterClasses
What do you know about Malaysian cuisine?  Want to learn more, even better, want to learn how to whip up amazing Malaysian dishes?  Jackie M, the Goddess of Malaysian cuisine, is running a series of MasterClasses leading up to Christmas.  These classes are hands on, with detailed recipes and a goodie bag to take home for all participants.  You also get to chow down on the class cooking effort at the end of the day.  For more information classes are listed in Weekly Rumbles and head to Jackie M’s website.

Have a heart and Dine Smart
Dine Smart over the next six weeks!  For the six weeks in the lead-up to Christmas, StreetSmart partners with restaurants to ask diners to make a small donation to StreetSmart on their bill. Every table is asked to add $2 or more to their bill, not even the price of a coffee or mineral water. It’s a simple idea that adds up to a big impact on the lives of people who are homeless.  More Info

Also, don’t forget to check out what farmers/organic markets are on this weekend HERE

Much more happening around town
For the full list of what is going on in Sydney and surrounds food wise head to the Sydney Weekly Rumbles Page.

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Home-made Christmas presents are always high on my Christmas cooking list.  Something I enjoy doing for family and friends.  There is one special member of our family that tends to come in front of all others in my desire to make something special for.  Sally of course.

Sally has her own stocking on the fireplace and looks forward to Christmas day as much as anyone else in our family.  She knows which stocking is hers, she has had that same stocking for nine years now.  She knows it will be filled with goodies just for her.  She also knows there will be a present or two under the tree all her very own.  This is all followed by a special Christmas breakfast and then on to a day of celebrations with the rest of our family.  She loves Christmas. Read more →

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It was a failed attempt to dine at Mr Wong that led us to The Morrison.  We had arrived at Mr Wong at 6.45pm on a Saturday and our party of 4 were advised that we would be lucky to get a table by 9pm.  They do not take dinner bookings for groups less than six.  Sayonara Mr Wong, and it was off to find an alternative dinner venue.

The Morrison is fairly new to Sydney’s dining scene.  It has been around three months since Fraser Short and Sean Connolly set up shop at the refurbished Brooklyn Hotel site.

We were lucky they were able to accommodate us, but we were told we had to vacate the table by 8.15pm.  Not a problem as long as they can feed us in one hour 20 minutes.

Menus come on clipboards and aren’t extensive, but their famed  oysters aren’t listed.  For oyster options you are advised to ‘see the board for oysters’  Not quite sure where ‘the board’ is, but didn’t ask as we weren’t interested in oysters.  I do love my oysters but we had overdosed the night before at the Sydney Cove Oyster Bar.

Due to our time constraint we ordered quickly.  The decision was made to order a few items from the ‘Shell and Bone’ section to share. Read more →

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You may remember my first road test of Adriano Zumbo’s new macaron mix, which is now available in supermarkets around Australia.  It was a great success.  I ended up with awesome looking macarons.  Sadly not the case for my second road test.

Even though the salted caramel macarons looked great once made, I wasn’t happy with the flavour.  They tasted a touch too artificial for my liking.  Decision was made to give the other flavour in his range, passionfruit, a try.

shells just out of the oven, hit and miss, they tried hard to have feet

I followed all the steps as with my first road test.  Unfortunately this time my macarons didn’t work out.  They were a bit of a disaster.  No feet and the shells were thin and flat. Read more →

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Kylie Kwong joins Bondi Public School for the launch of their new cookbook
If you head down to Eveleigh Market this Saturday keep an eye out for Kylie Kwong who is sharing a stall with Bondi Public School to launch their new cookbook ‘A Year in the Kitchen Garden’.  Kylie is the NSW Ambassador for Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Foundation and Bondi Public School was the first school in NSW to receive an SAKGF Grant.
To give you a taste of the recipes in the book there will be cooking demonstrations.  The book will be available for sale, and while you are there make sure you pick up a jar of chutney, marmalade or picket onions for the pantry  or as a Christmas gift.  They were all made in the kitchen Garden at Bondi Public.

Food Safety Week
Food Safety Week runs from 12th-18th November and is to bring awareness of the importance of good food safety practices in the kitchen and at the BBQ.  Each year it is estimated that 5.4 million Australians, nearly a quarter of the population, get sick from eating food contaminated with bacteria or viruses, a direct result of poor food safety practices.
I know I personally run close to having a compulsive disorder in the kitchen regarding the way I handle and store food.  If you aren’t quite as perdantic as I am, there are some great handy tips and guidelines here, www.chicken.org.au/foodsafety for handling chicken.

Have a heart and Dine Smart
Dine Smart over the next six weeks!  For the six weeks in the lead-up to Christmas, StreetSmart partners with restaurants to ask diners to make a small donation to StreetSmart on their bill. Every table is asked to add $2 or more to their bill, not even the price of a coffee or mineral water. It’s a simple idea that adds up to a big impact on the lives of people who are homeless.  More Info

Much more happening around town
For the full list of what is going on in Sydney and surrounds food wise head to the Weekly Rumbles Page

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….. but only for one day.  If you work in town, head down to 255 George Street tomorrow (Wednesday 14/11/12), to experience a pop up olive grove.

I attended the launch tonight to get a taste of what Sydneysiders will experience tomorrow.  The NAB/Suncorp forecourt has been transformed, live olive trees, a farm house, communal rustic benches, flamenco dancing, guitar music and even a large Toro bull silhouette.

Did you know that Spain is the biggest producer and exporter of olive oil?  It makes sense when you consider there are around 60 varieties of olives grown in Spain and that olive oil is the heart of Spanish culture.

Justine Schofield will be cooking up a storm with her specially created recipes featuring Spanish Olive oil.  Free tasty samples of her dishes will be available to those that pop by.  Dishes include rice pudding with poached peaches, charred vegetable salad with grilled prawns and confit of salmon with chorizo crumbs. Read more →

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