the delightful aroma of French Earl Grey

Without collaborating (having not yet met) My mum and Dougie's nephew gave me partnered presents for Christmas. Gorgeous French Earl Grey Tea (smells amazing) and a fabulous tea cup.

Red and white

So Christmas has been and gone. It was manic right up until Christmas morning as I had a commission to finish and presents to make.

Love this contrast of strawberries and cream consumed on Christmas day and the display at Darling Harbour on Boxing day.

A quick trip to the Goldcoast

As usual my short holidays are actually accompanying Dougie on business. He gets to work, I get to relax. The last few days were spent in the Goldcoast which is really lots of sun, beach, nightclubs and shopping. (Not actually any of my favourite things to be honest) However, on the plus side I was able to catch up with a very good friend and see her Honours art work in exhibition. I did visit the beach and found some lovely shells and pumice. I read by the pool. We had breakfast with friends. I went op-shopping (OK there are some types of shopping that I like). I swam and did yoga.

Deb's Honours Art work, taken with Deb and her Mum

A beach

Very good lunch at the Commune cafe

Very good iced coffee

proof that I went on a beach

an idea in the early stages

Growing tomatoes and the best risotto ever

the tomato enclosure

This is the way my mum grows tomatoes, a method she has come up with after years of experimentation. Protected from avian tomato fans, shaded from the fierce sun, easy to pick and water (each bucket has a spray at the base of the plant)

On New Years day I picked a massive amount of ripe tasty tomatoes of many varities and took them home to Canberra. 

Tonight I made a risotto which I have to admit was super tasty and all you need is:

Tomatoes, 1 red capsicum, 1 bulb of garlic, olive oil & seasoning, butter, 2 cups of aborio rice, a cup of white wine, 3 cups of stock, fresh basil & maybe some cheese.

First I roasted a pan of tomatoes, a whole red capsicum and a bulb of garlic with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.

In a saucepan on low heat I added a scoop of butter and set about popping open all the roast garlic and adding it to the butter.

Add the aborio rice and stir.

Add the cup of wine and stir in.

Throw in the small tomatoes, chop the capsicum and add.

Do the usual with risotto: add liquid bit by bit and stir.

When you have no liquid left turn off the heat, chop the basil and stir through.

To serve I grated a bit of mature cheddar in the base of the bowl before adding the risotto.

mmm yum.

 

Messina, transcendent gelato

After the gallery opening, Dougie and I wandered (puffed and pushed actually up the steepness of Liverpool road) back up to Victoria road to grab something to eat before we went home. As we promenaded and peered at various eateries I noticed a disproportionate amount of people walking around eating ice cream. On a winters night 'an all! After dinner we found the source of all the ice cream..easy by the long long queue of people winding out of 'Gelato Messina'. Choosing was difficult with so many flavours with imaginative combinations (and the fact that the crowd obscured getting a good look at everything). To be quick I chose 'Apple Pie' and 'Coffee'. The apple pie was scrumptious, real pieces of crunchy pastry and sticky caramelized pieces of apple studded the creamy vanilla base while the coffee nearly knocked my socks off! There was more caffeine in that there gelato than 2-3 weeks of cappuccino consumption in one go.

I am impressed and will visit again. Read 'the incredible lightness of being hungry blog review'.

Temptation

Every Sunday on my way to work I pass this gorgeous patisserie. I bought a small meringue..but I was thinking of my Nana Mary when I took the photo. Nana look as those eclairs! The mini ones with a crisp sheet caramelized sugar. Double click on the photo for a closer look!

Holiday breakfast

To at least celebrate the holidays in someway (I'm planning to do uni work mainly) Dougie and I went to one of our favourite Café's for breakfast...which turned out to be a dual celebration for Dougie's return to driving the van. Whilst munching through a delightful french toast and berries (for me) and a DIY vegie breakfast (for Dougie) Dougie noticed something hanging from underneath the van (he had the window view). On our return to the red van I was asked to check the underneath of the van to see what bit was dangling. I couldn't see anything..even when I laid down flat on the road. Dougie not being able to do this, was slightly unbelieving...so I whipped out my camera :)..Do you believe me now?

Dinner at Yulli's

Thanks to this blog "The unbearable lightness of being hungry" I knew about Yulli's so I could suggest it as a place to meet up with some friends after work /uni. This was my first trial of it though I trust the author of the 'Unbearable lightness of being hungry' and I was not disssapointed. I will be going back and I imagine my friends will be taking their friends back to it too. I don't drink beer but the extensive list of wonderfully named Australian boutique beers made me want to order one just for the experience. The food, all vegetarian was wonderful, great desserts, and good prices....for a really good review with pictures prices 'n all go here.
The space has been well utilised, the interior design is fun but refined. The astro turfed walls in the 'alfresco' section and the stringed ceiling inside were great features. The front door is wide enough for a wheelchair to enter but there is one medium size step.
Photo by Lee Tran Lam of the above blog.