I hate email. But I love these Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I have recently discovered that I don't like email.

The thing about email is that it is non-personal.

It is quick, it is efficient and it does ass-covering well. But it is not personal.


Sometimes we say things in emails that are taken the wrong way. With no “sarcasm” font, no “I’m only joking” accent and no “I’m just testing the waters” highlight available - we are limited to smiley faces, explanations in brackets and expressions in bold -  and even then the meaning behind our words can be interpreted a million different ways.

Today I received an email that was like a slap in the face.

The words itself were not particularly harsh, and there was no profanity or abuse. Simply - the sentence in which they were formed brought me to tears and made me question some of the decisions I have made in my life. Being tired, emotional and in desperate need of a holiday probably did not help – but I was broken.

My sweetheart of a husband wiped away my tears – told me it didn’t matter and took me for a walk to get out of the house. When I came home, with a clearer head but still with a heavy heart – I broke out the scales and my beautiful Kenwood Mixmaster.

Cooking is my therapy, and somewhere between the measuring of flour and the greasing of trays, a little bit of healing takes place. Isn’t it amazing how something so simple can make you feel so much better?

Have Fork will Travel?

Will Write for Food?

Have Fork will Travel?

Sound like you?


Dear Readers,

Are you already a food blogger or do you just like to share your opinion? Do you know good food, have an eye for detail and a passion for good service? Then this could be right up your alley.

The Mystery Dining Company is looking for people to anonymously assess their restaurants so that they can maintain a high standard of food and service.

They are currently recruiting for “Eaters” in Brisbane, Perth and Canberra locations – as well as Sydney airport. So regardless of whether you are a regular diner - flying, dropping off or picking up – this could be a gig for you.

If you like the idea of being reimbursed for your meal in return for completing a questionnaire and sharing your thoughts – you should apply here . After all – as foodies – isn’t this our passion? To eat? To get it for free should just be the kicker!

To be a successful Mystery Diner – you need to give fair, well rounded and objective feedback. They will provide initial training and a detailed brief before each outing.

I’ve just signed up… and am waiting with bated breath for my first assignment – I can’t wait! If this is something that rings your bell - you should too!

Daring Baker's Challenge - Tiramisu... or Mocha Misu to be more accurate.

There are days when everything seems to go wrong. When you wonder who's cat you ran over in a previous life and really do question your sanity.

So many things went wrong with this months Daring Baker's Challenge that I was wondering if I was ever going to get this one finished.

First I overwhipped my cream to the point of almost curdling it – it tasted great – but it had that strange texture where you do second guess actually putting it in your mouth to check.

Then I made the biscuits but forgot to grease the baking tray and they alll stuck… thanks to Jamie from Life's a Feast for some much needed support and ressaurance that this was - honestly! -  a very forgiving dessert!

Don't get me started on the Mascarpone because I just don't know where to start. I do know that I threw out a white sticky brick that was once a tub of cream. That's all I can offer.

And then, while piping my cream onto my "pretty" biscuits - my piping bag exploded. My husband could do nothing but watch and laugh (from a safe position) as I called the dog in to "clean up" my kitchen floor as I just didn't have the heart to go get the mop mid-assembly. He redeemed himlsef by creating me a quick-fix piping bag just to get the job finished.

However - when it came time to take the photos - we discovered that "Someone" had stood on my handbag containing my camera and broken it. So I do apologise for the quality of the photos. Most were taken on my Iphone, and seeing as I did this recipe at 10pm, some were also taken with hubby holding a torch over my head - desperate to get some light!

So, with all "challenges" beaten - I did, finally get my Tiramisu finished and it was lovely. The only alteration I made to the original recipe was that I made a Coffee Zabaglione and a Chocolate Zabaglione so my dessert ended up being a Mocha-Misu.

Cru Bar and Cellar - Above and Beyond

Sometimes I feel like I’m breaking some kind of unspoken rule. “Thou shalt not like thy mother-in-law”

Sometimes when I hear people whinging about how awful, inftefering and just plain mean their MIL’s are – I want to slowly back out of the room – like the prey escaping a pack of wolves.

The truth is – I have struck some kind of “In-Law Lottery”, where I honestly believe that although she is family by default – she has become a friend by choice.

So it was really nice to be able to have a couple of drinks with her this week while we waited for our class at the James St Cooking School to start (a whole other post…).

We ended up at Cru Bar on James Street where I have been a few times but this time I was struck by just how easily they get it right.

Lemon Curd Layer Cake and waiting patiently for a baby to be born...

I am waiting patiently for my 4th niece to be born. She is currently “over-baked” by 5 days and I have been on tenterhooks for at least the last month.


Not the I would ever show any kind of favoritism, but baby Scarlette will be my first real niece.

Mine since the day she was born, and although I have been treated like a member of hubby’s family for a very long time now – I can’t help but feel that the birth of this baby will really cement that (in my mind anyway).

She will be my first niece who will always have known me as Aunty Joy. Not as Uncle Pete’s friend, who became Uncle Pete’s girlfriend who became Aunty Joy. But just… Aunty Joy.

So as incredibly selfish as it is, I am excited. Excited within an inch of my life!

There are occasions where you want to whip up something quick and simple. Pure ingredients that speak for themselves and need minimal effort. And then there are other days where you want to show your love, show that you slaved over something – to put your heart on a plate.

Today is one of those days – and this is the much famed Lemon Curd Layer Cake from the 2009 MasterChef Series. I have been wanting to make it since the night I saw it – and finally -  finally, I have the right occasion.

Spring Gully Olives - Meslalla, Olive Relish and a love affair with Lamb.

I’m not exactly sure when it happened. But at some point, not that long ago – I started dreading the walk to the mailbox.

At some point, I have become OLD.

I have reached that age where the mailbox delivers only bills, reminder notices and announcements of yet more financial pain to come.

So it is always a nice (read: blissfully exciting) surprise when I actually get real mail. And it is a highlight of my week, when that mail is edible. And no, I have not become so desperate that I have started to eat envelopes!

Getting a delivery of Olive Relish and Meslalla from Spring Gully Olives definitely counts as a highlight. A double highlight being that it is definitely, 100%, deliciously edible.

Febusave - Saving Money on your Honeymoon

(All images in this post kindly provided by Hayman Island )

“If you leave me... can I come too?”


Is it still eloping if 40 people come with you? We thought so.

When our budget started to blow out in the very early days of planning our Noosa wedding – the thing that was really troubling us, was the guest list.

When your wedding venue is within driving distance of where you live – your guest list magically expands. Exponentially. To 2nd cousins, to those Aunties you haven’t seen since you were 5, to workmates and their partners and to the neighbours - which is awkward because you don't even know their last name for the invite...

We reached crisis point when our dummy guest list crept past 120 people.

And I say 'Crisis' because I never wanted a big wedding. I don’t like being the centre of attention. And having worked more weddings than I can remember – I wanted to actually enjoy my wedding, be able to talk to everyone without having a minute-by-minute schedule and not have to be a performing monkey.

Also - to put it bluntly - we couldn't afford it.

Salt Food Wine Rosalie - Breakfast Extraordinaire

I have well and truly missed the memo.


Today, I took hubby out for breakfast – and everything was going swimmingly well, until I heard him snickering at me.

“What?” I asked him suspiciously.

“Everytime you take a sip of coffee your whole head disappears. And you don’t have a small head either”.

Since when did Brisbane start serving coffee in bowls? And in Noodle bowls no less. While I am not complaining. I’m not. I love a big coffee with the rest of them – but surrounded by all the “Ladies who Lunch” at Salt Rosalie – I felt like a moron. The bowl was literally so big that I needed 2 hands to hold it. And apparently my face disappeared with every sip. Crazy!

But the coffee was good, it was hot and it was strong. So asides from feeling a bit silly – I enjoyed every drop.

I’d heard both good and bad things about Salt. That the food was good but the service was hit and miss. That the food was average but the service was fantastic. And seeing as it is straight across the road from my Chiro – I have walked past it almost twice a week without being brave enough to venture in.

Why “brave” you ask? Because it looks swanky. It is always filled with Businessman doing deals, Ladies who Lunch dripping in pearls, Yummy Mummy’s keeping an eye on their X5’s and very few people queuing for takeaway coffee – which is what I always want. Because, being honest, coffee is how I judge a place if I want to go back and spend money on breakfast.

So finally, with recommendations from Twitter friends and with hubby for emotional support – we venture in for breakfast.

The restaurant itself is gorgeous, lovely big lounge chairs, banquettes and outdoor dining. I wanted a table outside but they were full, so had to make do with an inside table and trying to take photos discreetly.

My coffee was great – asides from the noodle bowl issue – but hubby was not impressed with his ice chocolate. Presented in a smaller than usual cocktail glass, it had ice cream, ice cubes and about 2 inches of chocolate syrup in the bottom. And there was no whipped cream. Surely this is crime against Iced Chocolate???

Our breakfasts – served quickly and piping hot – were HUGE.
H.U.G.E.

The older couple at the table next to us – who only ordered coffee – gasped when they were put down in front of us. And I swear that the gentlemen’s eyes nearly boggled out of his head. If there is one thing that you cannot accuse Salt of – that would be stinginess. They would easily win the “Most Generous Breakfast” award if ever there was one.

Hubby ordered scrambled eggs with bacon and a side of Italian sausages. His meal on it’s own was massive, large chunks of buttered sourdough with at least 6 rashers of bacon, 2 grilled tomato halves and a large ramekin housing the uber rich scrambled eggs.

The 4 Italian sausages came on their own plate, with their own garnish – and I was impressed that they did this. It’s never happened at breakfast before – when you order a side – it usually comes out on your plate. This way makes it much easier for me to pinch things AKA: Sharing.

My breakfast was fantastic – poached eggs with bacon, avocado and hollandaise sauce. Also with the massive chunks of sourdough and a huge homemade potato hash cake dripping with a deliciously sweet tomato relish.

I didn’t manage to eat even half of this breakfast – and didn’t even attempt to eat the eggs. The avocado was a sensation – seasoned perfectly and wonderfully lemon-y, it cut through the richness of the whole dish.

All in all, it was brilliant and I’m embarrassed that I was put off for so long. Hubby, despite being disappointed in his Iced Chocolate conceded that if we lived closer to Salt, it would be our regular weekend haunt. That’s high praise indeed coming from him.

The Verdict: Very generous sized breakfasts, imaginative offerings and really good coffee.

Recommendations: If you don’t fancy drinking your coffee out of a bowl, maybe start with ordering a regular sized coffee. And then another one if you feel the need. It was my “large” coffee that was deemed bowl-worthy.

Contact:
Salt Food Wine
5 Nash Street
Rosalie
(07) 3367 0775

Pizzeria 1889 - Brisbane's best pizza? I think so.

My Dad is like every Boy Scout personified. He is prepared for every eventuality, every occasion and possibly even nuclear war.

This is why he stockpiles toothpaste. Why there are 6 bottles of BBQ sauce, 8 bottles of Chilli sauce and 2 tins of Treacle in my Mum's pantry.

This is also why, after trying them once in a dodgy Mexican cafe, my dad went out and bought an entire carton - yes you heard me, a CARTON, of Refried Beans. Just in case he might like to have them again one day.

There are also 2 bottles of every spice known to man, and equally as many jars of Jam. Yes Jam. My Dad loves anything that is friends with butter.

I missed his call the other morning - truth be known I had slept through both my alarm and his call, and I am fairly sure that I can expect one after he reads this. He takes his hoarding very seriously and will be upset with me for broadcasting it to the whole world!

So what is the point of all of this you ask? Well tonight I had Pizza for dinner from Pizzeria 1889 at the Barracks. Wonderfully, thin chargrilled pizza barely smeared with sauce and sprinkled with toppings in the way that the Italians do so well.

Less is more. Hear that Dad? Less. Is. More. *cheeky grin*

I've heard the rumours for a while. That Pizzeria 1889 made the best Pizza in Brisbane. A pretty tough call really, and one that I've been eager to try out.

So tonight, while my extremist husband is away 4WD'ing and god knows what else - I had pizza for dinner. Italian Sausage with Chargrilled Capsicums, Olives and Mushrooms.

Absolute perfection. The base was super crispy, charred in areas and with a light dusting of semolina that coated your fingertips. The capsicums were super sweet, the olives tart and the mushrooms... *oh, drool* - the mushrooms were divine. Fresh, earthy and slightly roasted - I would consider vegetarianism if I could eat mushrooms like this every day.

I especially like it when a busy place doesn't take your name or give you a number and then scream at you when your order is ready. They came out and found me, delivered it into my hands with a big smile and wished me a great night.

I felt equally as important as the dining-in customers - and you certainly don't get that often.

The Verdict: Awesome Pizza. Brilliant Service.

Recommendations: I would eat in. I road tested takeaway before going to the effort of bringing hubby here. But the vibe was so nice, I could have happily stayed for hours... and of course stopped off for a Movenpick ice cream cone on the way home...

Contact: Pizzeria 1889

The Pepper Lounge Jindalee - Potentially Great...

My husband's logic defies even me sometimes.


“It would be better without the egg”, he says – eyeballing his breakfast pizza, and poking at said egg with his knife.

“True” I admit, “but then it probably wouldn’t qualify as a breakfast pizza?"

Shrugging his shoulders as he scrapes the egg off – “It would still be better without the egg” he states. And that is that.

And so began our breakfast at Pepper Lounge in Jindalee – despite driving past it almost every weekend – we had yet to venture in for breakfast despite a phenomenal amount of whinging about how bad the local offerings were.

So after deciding to branch out and try somewhere other than K and K – we grabbed a stool and prepared ourselves for yet another Western Suburbs Culinary Disaster.

The Lighthouse Victoria Point - Fantastic Fish and Chips

Just like the humble hamburger – fish and chips is something that is so easy to do. Yet so easily, and so often, completely crucified. Having lived in England for almost 4 years, I have eaten my fair share of Fish and Chips – and to be perfectly honest, I think most of them were pretty revolting.

My very first meal in London, having limited choices around our Hostel and being much too overwhelmed by the size of Tesco to cook, was Fish and Chips. The fish was bright orange and chewy, the chips soggy – and my requested gravy was a polystyrene cup with a scoop of Gravox and the instructions that I should “add some hot water and give it a shake when I get home”.

Memorable for all the wrong reasons, it certainly set the bar very low for all future orders.

Thanks to a hot tip from a friend on Twitter – Hubby and I with dog in tow, hunt out The Lighthouse for some famed Fish and Chips – apparently the best in Brisbane.

It was a hot day, so hot in fact that the bitchumen was starting to liquefy and Joey didn’t want to get out of the car. The heat also meant that every beach and picnic table within the greater city limits was also taken. Have you ever tried to eat Fish and Chips in the back of a 4WD with a drooling dog, desperate to share your lunch? I don’t recommend it. Not at all.

Asides from having to beat off a persistent German Shepherd and battle hubby for equal portions of Calamari – I can unequivocally say, that the Lighthouse Fish and Chip Shop at Cleveland – is the best I have ever had. E.V.E.R.

We had a large piece of Cod, 2 serves of calamari, the biggest serve of chips I have ever seen with 2 soft drinks for the humans and bottle of water for the canine. All for under $25. An absolute bargain.

Next time though, I would leave the dog at home, and I would have lunch on their deck. With sweat running down my face and the hot concrete burning through my thongs I was overcome with jealousy at the lucky (read: much smarter) patrons who had secured a nice, cool, shaded table and were knocking back icy cold drinks.

The Verdict: Easily, the best Fish and Chips I’ve ever eaten. I just wish it wasn’t so far away… because if we go to the beach and don’t take the dog – I’m almost certain he’ll dig up my garden in retaliation.

Recommendations: I don’t like fish much, so can’t comment on the quality, but hubby was super impressed both on size and taste. I, on the other hand, LOVED the calamari and the chips were deliciously golden and crisp. They also package it up like a gorgeous big platter – which, although it does take away from those childhood memories of wrapped newspaper – this is slightly more sophisticated, and I like it.

Contact: The Lighthouse

Magnolia at Brookwater - Expect the Unexpected...

I've never really been much of a "Brand" girl - I'm quite low maintenence, I sleep in til 8am and still make it to the Office by 9am (as long as traffic is kind). I don't wear heels and I probably couldn't pick Nicole Ritchie out of a crowd.

A memory that has been scorched into my mind is when the Louis Vuitton store first opened in Brisbane - not really my kind of thing (I mean really - a handbag that costs more than my mortgage??) but J wanted to have a look. So I politely hung around, "ohhed" and "ahhed" at all the overpriced luggage and then - actually spied something I liked.

Not that I would have bought it anyway - but I innocently asked the Sales Girl how much it was - only for her to look me up and down, raise an eyebrow and spit out "If you have to ask, you can't afford it" - before spinning on her 6" heels and sashaying back to the Cash Register.

That event has pretty much scarred me for life. It was the first time that I had ever been so blatantly judged and dismissed by someone who didn't know me.

Febusave - The Dress and The Rest

Photo kindly provided by Jen at Green Wedding Shoes

So there we were, at our last stop for the day, in one of Brisbane’s most highly regarded (read: expensive) Wedding Boutiques. The Journo (also my bridesmaid) was trying to convince me to try on a dress with a built in lace bolero.

I was resisting.

I don’t like lace, and I was pretty sure that lace didn’t like me.

But she begged and she pleaded and she pulled out the puppy dog eyes – so I gave in, secretly hoping that this dress would be awesome and we could finish the dreaded (for me) wedding dress shopping.

With no mirror in the change room, I emerged with eyes closed and waited for the verdict.

Like a hyena on heat, my best friend, erupted into high pitched giggles. “WHAT???” I demanded. She struggled to compose herself, glancing furtively at the customers (much more highbrow than we) and whispered “It looks like my Nanna’s lace doily shat on you”. And then collapsed into more giggles. Nice.

Safe to say – I did not buy that dress and I still do NOT wear lace.

Homemade Granola Museli - Actions speak louder than words

I have two beautiful Sisters-in-law, both are pregnant - one literally about to pop and the other half way. At K's baby shower last week, I was shocked to see that she had invited 40 of her closest friends to help her celebrate the impending birth of my newest niece.

It got me thinking. (And not just about the fact that I don't even know 40 people, let alone 40 women!)

But about the Friends I do have, and I have to say - it is definitely Quality over Quantity in my life - and I am absolutely fine with that.

My friend The Journo has been around since we were about 13, bonded in our misery at boarding school. We lived together during college, slept on each other's couches, and she was Bridesmaid at my wedding last year.

Safe to say she's pretty much stuck with me.

While struggling with my ANZ Febusave posts - she was kind enough to help me with the editing. I was very nervous about these posts - it's one thing to write something in your own personality for your own blog. But to write posts for a program that may be seen by thousands of intelligent women? Well it was a little bit daunting, and I was extremely grateful for her help.

So to say thank you - and because, in my family, we cook for those we love - I made her one of her favourite things. Homemade museli.

Homemade Granola Museli

4 cups Rolled Oats
1 cup Shredded Coconut
2 cup Crushed Nuts (I used cashews, macadamias and sliced almonds as well as some prganic wholewheat biscuits for crunch)
1/2 cup Honey
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 cup Olive Oil

Melt honey in microwave until liquid, add vanilla and oil. Put all dry ingredients into a large roasting dish, then pour over the honey mix – stir until evenly combined.

Cook in oven for 20mins at 180C, taking out to stir regularly so that is cooks evenly and doesn’t burn.

Allow to cool before storing in airtight containers.

It is sensational with a good quality Greek yoghurt and some berries... just in case you needed the hint...

Note: Apparently if you add fruit to your muesli, it will take away all the crunchiness and make it chewy. So if you like fruit in your crunchy muesli (dried or fresh), add it just before eating.

Febusave - Slashing the Cost of your Wedding Reception

Photo courtesy of Town and Country Rentals via Savvy Scoop

Depending on how you look at it, we were either the best kind of Bride and Groom – or we were the worst.

We got married on remote Luxury Island Resort almost 1000km away from home... on a Tuesday.

Yes, a Tuesday.

Meaning, not only did you (the guest) have to save up to afford it, and have to travel – but you also had to take time off work. *Gee, great friends huh?*

We did however give our guests 6 months advance notice to organise themselves, and we were stunned by how many of them took the entire week off to spend with us on the Island as part of our Honeymoon. This extra time with our friends and family was one of the big highlights of our wedding.

People think weddings are expensive. In actual fact – the wedding, the actual wedding ceremony is probably one of the cheapest parts of the whole day.

Where they really get you – where bankruptcy flashes before your eyes - is the Wedding Reception.

Food, Drinks, Entertainment and Gifts for your nearest and dearest is where the dollar signs really come out to party.

So if this is where your budget has completely blown out; or if you want to know where you can slash thousands off the cost of your big day – look no further.