The Kardashians

Yes i admit it.

I love the Kardashians.

Their glam, their family values, their arguments and their clothes.

Love it love it love it.

One thing i don't love is the emptiness i have when i face my closet after an episode with them. Suddenly my Blazers look so dull, my shoes just don't have their sharpness and my hair is just a tad bit erk.

I must say out of all of them i'm most like Khloe. Tall, always not thin enough and bratty. I like her confidence, her flair and of course the love of food.

There's nothing more enjoyable then reading her tweets about all the time she spends in the kitchen to cook her husband the dishes he loves. What's more sexier then a confident women cooking in her heels?

When my 30 mins is spent with Khloe i feel more classy, more powerful and enjoying my figure more. I guess now i'm not so shy about my height nor my chubby cheeks.

Now - to make the Hub into a high profile basket ball player.

I think Lamar eats deep fried chicken.

F.Truffles.

Its The Most Craziest Time Of the Year!

Hi everyone

I was glancing though Alice Bradley's amazing blog www.finslipper.com and i enjoyed it so much i thought lets keep going with this blog.

Even though i know there are maybe 5 subscribers- 3 of whom we forced to follow us! i am determined to keep going.

I suppose Blogging was never meant to be a chore but rather an form of expression, almost an art really.

So here i am refreshed and hopefully revived.

Lets begin with a short update.

Sister in Law - whom is driving me nuts but i love dearly is getting married in February.

Now you must understand that when big events come up i empty the fridge. That's right! Goodbye lovely chocolate, hot creamy drinks and even sliced ham. Gone ! (The Hub was groaning every time a new item was placed in the bin).

And in comes the muesli, fruit and vegetables (more groaning).

Now in Sydney the weather has changed drastically, from hot summer nights to cold and wet days. This has really caused alot dilemmas whilst grocery shopping.

Juicy ripe mangoes and watermelon are overlooked and I'm opting for the more dearer wintry food.
Things like lamb, soups and tea are on the tips of my tongue and even though the chill is very enjoyable I'm grieving a little bit.

Was looking forward to my new found favourite crunchy noodle salads, cranberry and chicken mix and also fruit with yogurt.

One thing that is definite is plus - no need to be worried about my body not being ready for my bathing suit! Its too Damn cold =)

Wells that's it for now

Enjoy =)

Francine Truffles

Holly Cupcakes Hiatus

Hello!!

I apologise for the lack of updates by me, however I have been super busy baking & setting up a cake business - 'Cakes by Bertag'

Below is sneak peek of the ' Pastel Range' Cake Pops made for the UTS Communication Society's 'Barbie & Ken's Dreamhouse' Party, taken on my Bold9700. I promise to upload more verrry soon!

I'm actually jetting off to the UK & Europe for the next 6 weeks and have booked into some fabulous restaurants including: Fifteen- London, Afternoon Tea at the Dorchester - London, L'atelier de Joel Robuchon - London, Maze - London & Le Jules Verne (an Alain Ducasse restaurant situated ON the Eiffel Tower) - Paris!! I'm extremely excited and cant wait to share these experiences with you all :)

Until then.... Enjoy these Cake Pops by  Bertag

Holly Cupcakes, X

Quirky much?

It seems when we are sick and our battered bodies are summing up all its energy to fight the flu, we tend to seek comfort food.

Comfort food has many connotations. It could be a warm stew, warm chocolate mud cake or even a sloppy joe.

Its a complex matter - A comfort food for one, could be detestable to another.

It's quite humourous when i stop and remember what foods brings certain people comfort.

A close friend's ideal breakfast is rice with bacon and sunny side up eggs with bbq sauce. She loves to crack the  yoke, spread it on her rice, cuts the bacon with her a soup spoon and a fork, and adds the bbq.

My brother enjoys buying a fresh hot cheese pizza and placing it in the freezer for 10 mins, he is convinced the cheese tastes even better. He loves to sandwhich the pizza together and doesn't seem bothered by the oil that has set ontop of the cheese.

The hubs loves a slimy spinach stew. Its watery, has a slight texture of runny muscus and enjoys slurping it.


As for me. Throw me a bowl of salt laden instant noodles with a side of msg and canned tuna anyday.

The instant noodles need to be extra hot and a spoon of hot satay sauce added to the mix. The slurping, the msg high and the bloated stomach is the bonus that comes with my fetish.

I know its quirky, and quite embarrassing when i'm sharing it with others. But i'm a instant noodle closet fan and i hope one day to be able to start a noodle revolution. I'm thinking gourmet fresh hand made noodles with thicky satay sauces, prawns and sprigs of corianders all in one sealed container. Or maybe a fresh laksa soup pack with chicken breast and bean sprouts.

But alas, one battle at a time.

I'm still trying to convince myself that even though it tastes good- its not making me any better.

Quirky Truffles.

Are we there yet?!

There are few things i get myself into without first considering the pros and cons. But i have to admit, this was trip was a "dive first, and, hope for water" type of scenarios.

I'm off to the snows today with four children, all in primary school, and none of them are mine! Gulp.

 It started with a booking for a romantic getaway and somehow the extended family's phones were dialing my number and i ended up with four others. The last few days I've stressed the hub out by murmuring food ideas and scribbling down dinner plans.

My poor grocery trolley had the shock of its life when we entered through the sliding doors. A young married working couple with no children, replaced their health oriented products with underage snacks. Individual tiny teddy cookies, jelly and fruit cups, cheese and dip snacks and the mixed chip packets. I was almost tempted to make individual lunch packs with the classic brown paper bag and names scribbled in front.

I can definitely understand a parent's dilemma of being active in their children's life and making sure you give them foods that they like. Add to the list - healthy fresh food, that is a full time job! I'm praying i can match up a packet of crisp with some strawberries to subsidise the fat content.

One thing to draw from this experience so far?

 I'm starting to get an itch to write to Parliament and request for Mother's day to be a public holiday.

 Did i forget to mention that one of the little ones likes to dribble?

Wish me luck!

Truffles

Fish and Chips

There's nothing like hot fish and chips burning your finger tips as you finish from a swim at the beach.

Today the hub n I find ourselves in Cronulla at the "South Beach Sea Foods". There's a browning old newspaper cut off in the front of the store, proudly displaying  the 5th ranking in Sydney's best fish and chips.

My order was the today's special of grilled John Dory with fries and garden salad and the Hub orders the salt and pepper soft-shell crab and a grilled fish burger.

I remember a lazy soak on the beach a few months earlier for my birthday with the girls and the hot grilled fish with lemon and pinches of salt in a fluffy bun with thick mayo and lettuce was divine. Comfort food rightly deserved after many hard hours of sitting in the waters gossiping!

This fish and chip store has invaded so many of my fond memories. Spontaneous beach trips, hot summer nights dips and lazy Saturdays.

I hope you'll discover a favorite beach side  eatery of your own. And don't skimp out on the fries... It's all part of the experience

F. Truffles.

Lets Zumbo!

                                        

For all those dieters out there, I'm sure you can relate, when one declares "junk food day". Its the one day of the week that you can freely feed and load on fatty food, allowing yourself some freedom to enjoy life and make that diet more bearable for another week.

There's nothing more the Hub enjoys then a combination of carbs, sugar and lard. Where else but a patisserie? We tend to choose the most deadly cakes and sweets and sit on a bench, carefully halving the pieces to ensure a fair portion. One place we return to often is Adriano Zumbo's store, behind every glass cabinet is new desserts drummed up by the staff as well as some traditional favourites.  So next time your on a "junk food day" go on and treat yourself. And take a victim along with you...

...... being bad is so much more enjoyable with company.

F. Truffles

See what's in stores this month

adrianozumbo.com

GFWS

The Good Food and Wine Show has been one of my favourite events of the year, it also gives me that extra push to pursue great food. Winter is usually long and dreary so the timing is perfect to experiment and create some new dishes at home.

I must mention the lay out this year. It was much more friendlier and easier to navigate compared to last years set up. The middle section was not as congested due to the planners moving the main eatery from the center and replacing it with a food demonstration area. There was more sitting areas and access to bathrooms as well.

There is some thing i would have liked to see more of, Sydney is a big melting pot - full of different flavours and infusions and hopefully we can see more variety in the stalls. Recipes and produce from countries such as Vietnam, Germany, France, Britain, New Zealand and South America was absent. Even the one cheese stall last year was not on the floors at all, no, not even Coon, King Island Dairy or the everyday shredded cheeses.

None-the-less GFWS has opened up its doors and i was pleased to see Paddy the Irish Baker, Malaysian food, a Tunisian stand and also a Smoked Salmon stand representing Canadian Salmon.

All in all its exciting to see how the Australian palate is changing and people are flocking in to explore and learn more about foods.

I can't wait to see what's install for 2011.

Happy eating

F. Truffles

Mum... Lemongrass please.

My mum has only found recently her green thumb.

Now her front and back yard is a tropical oasis with papaya in the front a mini mango tree, basil, mint, chili, pumpkin, winter melons in the back and also the beloved lemongrass.

So when i come to her front door there isn't a real need for lengthy conversations. I knock, she yells out and i reply " lemongrass please mum!". Its a beautiful relationship.

Lemongrass is very fragrant and has a lot of potential, one tip is not to overcrowd the dish with too many flavours.

I really enjoy using this next recipe that you can access through the link.

http://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-vietnamese-lemongrass-chicken/

I add 1 or 2 sweet small thickly cubed sweet potato and any white potatoes with the chicken whilst frying.

The final step i add a can of coconut cream and a can of chicken broth or water. Then simmer till curry thickens.

Enjoy with Jasmin rice or Baguettes.

F Truffles.

I'll try one thanks

It's still daylight outside and I'm tucked into bed.

My feet is sore, tummy full and had just a little bit too much to drink!

Yes another Good Food and Wine Show has arrived and left my bank accounts slightly under my liking.

I'm a big fan of new ideas and new flavors so I whizzed around fairly quickly concentrating on stalls that were new.

Smoke salmon from Canadia, warmed apple berry cider, premade shortcrusts dough and chocolate ravioli with raspberry fillings were tasted and fussed over.

The cheese appreciation class was deadly with combination of bubbly, triple cream Brie and some honey with infused truffle.

But I shall say no more and I can't wait to post the links and wonderful flavors we came across.

Nap time

F. Truffles

Can we get the garlic mayo too?

I can't forget the first time i stepped into the famous charcoal chicken restaurants in Granville.

The clutter, the noise and oddly the hair dryer.

The height of the experience came down to the addictive Lebanese garlic mayonnaise, it almost melts on your tongue and goes perfectly with the smokey chicken.

Winter is here and so is the dreadful flu and so i have found the perfect recipe that will not only taste great but also helps build your immunity system.  Pssst- perfect for kids too.

Just triple the ingredients if you want to make a decent amount for the family.

Enjoy

F Truffles...


http://thefoodblog.com.au/2010/04/fast-and-easy-toum-the-best-lebanese-garlic-sauce-recipe.html

Hint- for a lighter healthier option i used 2/3 of lite vegetable oil and 1/3 of olive oil.

Minestrone gone wrong

Welcome back.. lets get into it.

I like to make believe that i am a very positive person- the glass is half full and every day is another gift.

The birds sing due to the fullness of life and the fish swim for the glee of their fins.

...... You better not be laughing as you read this!

I know who you are........

(lets just say i enjoy having a dry sense of humour )

There's a little lunch time routine that the office takes part in religiously and that's the purchasing of lunch. You see there's never enough options and no matter what comes our way there is always room for improvement.(I like to ignore my conscience that its more to do with our employment conditions rather then food but none the less).

The office will groan and mutter "what should we eat?..."  (background noise )

" i don't know whatever you want".

Moments later a suggestion is offered and then..... " no way.. its really bad there.."   (silence)

 " really?! .. OK whatever you want.. i don't know".

And so it goes...

Wells on this blessed day i ordered a very healthy minestrone soup with crusty bread and the ladies ordered the steak sandwich with fries from an Italian restaurant. As as we raced back to the office a smell permeated the air, one that normally would make my mouth water but in this occasion it was very much inappropriate. My soup smelt like blue cheese that was left in a warm room for several days! I was very apologetic as my colleagues noticed me walk into our very small room.

Its was actually very comical as i lifted the spoon to my lips, i almost felt people around me cringe. The zucchini was bitter, the pasta was over done adding to the gravy likeness of the soup and the vegetables in the soup weren't able to give its own distinctive taste. It was like a mass suicide for the veggies as it was boiled for several hours and God forbid - days.

Minestrone is such a classic, herbie and warm soup that's meant to be an enjoyable experience. One thing to take note for myself next time- that little effort to salt the zucchini for 10 minutes won't be forgotten.

Do you have any cafe/lunchtime mishaps? I love laughing and reading your comments

F. Truffles

A New Beginning

Good afternoon,

I hope this cool winter day is treating you well.

As you know we have been a tad bit lazy with the blogs and i hope to be able to add bits and pieces when times permit.

I'm looking forward to the Sydney 2011 Good Food and Wine Show- the hub purchase me a cheese appreciation class and I'm looking forward to teasing the palate. One thing i do enjoy is the long lines and the dedicated food lovers that line up early to taste and savour the new foods that are available to customers.There's nothing more pleasant then seeing a family lined up with fresh sour dough offering samples of their freshly pressed olive oil or the young ones serving little pieces of rocky road on a silver platter.

Yesterday i have the strangest notions and at the end of the day i ended up a lamb and chick pea curry, Lebenese garlic mayo, minestrone with little chucks of smoked specks and a smoked salmon penne dish! I was fairly embarrassed and soacked in a hot tub for a full 30 minutes to recover.

I think its safe to say - this is going to be a new beginning.

F. Truffles

Winter is on its way!

Its has been a while since our last blog and alas winter is almost here.

I was inspired to do this lovely chicken pie with a flaky crust and found it to be so heavy and wholesome!

Enjoy this time of solitude and rest.

Love F. Truffles.

Tips on cooling down in when its hot, hot, HOT!

What could be better than some delicious yoghurt or sorbet..

Both Available for under $7 a pop at your local super market!

Holly Cupcakes X

Sneek Peek Of Darbar

Darbar
Fine Indian Cuisine

134 Glebe Point Road
Glebe 2037
(02) 9660 5666

Open Mon 5pm-10:30pm; Tue-Sun 12pm-2:30pm, 5pm-10:30pm

Time To Hit The Road

Hi All!

As 2011 begins to unravel itself Holly and I have found our schedules heavily booked. Its exciting as a trip to Europe and USA may be around the corner and so we promise to upload and share the pleasure of food around the globe.

Looking forward to the next blogs-

Truffles

U Gotta Love Coogee

Sunday was a day well spent.

The Hub and i  spent the arvo ambling along the streets of Coogee before heading off to a beautiful home for a BBQ.

We order a very refreshing Mango Tango smoothie @ Melon Head- which was a blend of ice, mango and orange.

Be warned on a hot day its packed and busy !

Melon Head

256 Coogee Bay Road
Coogee 2034
(02) 9664 3319

The Main Road in Coogee 

I fell in love with Maloney's Grocer- stocked with fresh baguettes, cheeses, Persian rice salads and figs.

There is a big range of meats and sauces too.

Maloney's Grocer

256 Coogee Bay Road

Coogee 2034
(02) 9664 3319

There's so much i could write about Coogee!

The great BBQ, the beautiful house i got to visit.

We shall save that for another time ...

                                   Have a lovely day. Truffles

Jazushi, Surry Hills

I've just come home from such a fantastic evening and am eager to blog all about it. A great girly night out with a couple of close girlfriends, amazing Japanese food and a little bit of jazz to compliment the evening.

Jazushi is a small restaurant offering Japanese fused with new Eurasian food. Have I already mentioned that the food here is amazing? This is a must visit for any lover of Japanese food!

Before I share the food, let me say that all but one dish (sashimi/ sushi platter) was absolutely divine, they're small servings made to share and honestly they were like small bites of heaven! I will definitely be visiting here again.

Okay, onto the food...

Complimentary Edamame

Pianist playing contemporary jazz throughout the entire evening

Agedashi Tofu - Deep fried tofu with green tea noodle in bonito sauce - AMAZING!

Camembert Tempura served with creme Teriyaki sauce - A signature dish that certainly lived up to the hype. Deep fried cheesy goodness - how can you go wrong? The Teriyaki sauce gave it that extra flavour that left us hanging for more.. mmmm...

Nasu Grilled - Eggplant steak with tofu, tomato, miso & cheese. Absolutely divine! This literally melts into your mouth, the flavour seeping into your tastebuds!

Crispy Soft Shell Crab - This photo does not do it justice, but it was a very generous serving of mini but plump soft shell crabs. Also extreeemely tasty!

Kakuni 'Kurobuta' Pork Belly - slow cooked Japanese 'Kurobuta' pork braised and marinated overnight in soy dashi sauce. This is the sort of dish that brings up those great child hood memories. The pork was ever so tender and each bite melted away into our mouths. Wonderful dish!

Im a huuuuge sashimi fan - I've experienced Tsukiji fish markets so I'm a little bit critical in this department and I'm disapppointed to say that this didnt meet expectation. Certainly not the dish of the evening - maybe it was a bad night or perhaps its just not their forte *shrugs*

Dessert plate - Choose 3 deserts of your choice. We chose vanilla creme brulee, Chocolate Cake and Cheese Cake

Brulee was made to perfection, several taps to break through to the custard goodness. The Chocolate cake was more of a brownie and went well with the vanilla ice cream and crunchy nuts crisps (hidden underneath the ice cream). The Cheese cake resembled the soft insides of a scone and was well complimented with a serving of jam! Mm-mmm-mmmmm!!!

As a Japanese Cuisine lover, I highly reccommend this restaurant! The atmosphere is great, a happy buzz and each diner making what they may of their area. The service is a little bit slow, which in this case was not such a bad thing as it gave us time to digest and appreciate each dish!

Jazushi
145 Devonshire Street
Surry Hills 2010
(02) 9699 8977

Sayonara!
Holly Cupcakes X

Red Chilli Sichuan Restaurant Glebe

Red Chili Sichuan Restaurant (Glebe)

We recently were able to take our friends to try the famous Sichuan Hotpot at Glebe

The communal dish is a  red broth is infused with Sichuan peppers, dried chili, ginger and garlic. We also opted for a a less spicy chicken broth for half of the pot.  The fillets of fish, tofu, vegetables and silky noodles are blanched in the boiling stock and dipped in a garlic sesame oil.

Its a surprising mix of spices from Northern China and it's a bit of a work out- make sure you have a jug of water on the table!

Red Chili Sichuan Restaurant Glebe

15-21 Glebe Point Road
Glebe 2037
(02) 9518 5328


F. Truffles
 =)