Melbourne Grand Prix 2014

Last March was a memorable month - particularly for my husband. It was our first time at a Formula 1 Grand Prix! Paul is more the fan than I am - but I know a little bit about it because of his passion. Basically our lives are organised around the F1 schedule.

We were lucky enough to score corporate box passes for the entire weekend. And I am never opposed to visiting Melbourne - reputed as the food capital of Australia.

The weather was typical Melbourne. Hot enough for sunburn on day 1. Overcast day 2. Day 3 a mixture of sunny then overcast then raining for a few minutes ONLY when we happened to be out walking of course. Race day was cold, gusty and drizzling, followed by warm sunshine just as the race finished - with Nico Rosberg of Mercedes AMG the victor.

So here are a few photo highlights of our long March weekend in Melbourne... It will be clear which photos are from my phone and which are from my camera!

DAY 1:

After arriving in Melbourne we spent all day in Albert Park. There were races with different cars e.g. V8's, time comparison of different cars, and lots of car display things happening around.

Trying out the seats and the view!

Paul was my packhorse and carried everything :)

Absolutely amazing dining experience at Neil Perry's Rockpool Bar & Grill at Crown, Melbourne

Day 2:

The boring day for me. A whole excruciating day of dental lectures at the Como Hotel in South Yarra. Paul meanwhile had fun gallivanting around Albert Park. At least we finished off with a yummy dinner at Adrian Richardson's La Luna bistro (he's the "bad chef" from Good Chef, Bad Chef)

Quickie Cappuccino at the Como Centre before my full day of lectures
Even shopping centre coffee in Melbourne is good!

On a beautiful day like this, I had to get out for a walk during a break from lectures

 

La Luna Bistro

Day 3:

Qualifying day! First got a coffee at The Final Step in South Yarra, followed by more lectures then off to Albert Park for corporate dining and viewing! Nothing beats the view from Torque bar though; the bar is situated right by the pit lane!

The Final Step cafe, South Yarra, Melbourne

View from the Brabham corporate stands

At Torque Bar near the pits

The clean-up in preparation for quali

My favourite moment! When Fernando Alonso looked at me taking his picture :)

Dinner with Paul's work clients
Comfort food at the Sherlock Holmes Inn was exactly what this rainy Melbourne night called for

Day 4:

RACE DAY!!!! I guess the highlight of this day for me was the never-ending supply of catering and drinks in the corporate box. Oh, and Daniel Ricciardo getting a podium for the start of the season. Which was unfortunately to be later disqualified.

When Kamui Kobayashi of Caterham crashed at the start. Poor guy.

See what I mean about the weather changing just as the race finished?

Another delicious experience at Bistro Guillaume in Crown

Beautifully garlicky, buttery snails. Soooooo delicious.

Confit duck leg

A yuuuuummy chocolate tart with salted caramel ice cream. They had me at salted caramel.

Day 5:

Our final day :( Took it easy this day. A bit of a sleep in (8AM is a sleep in for us) then a long lazy breakfast at Workshop Brothers in Glenhuntly. Apparently the best coffee in Melbourne. I agree.

Workshop Brothers Cafe, Glenhuntly
Goooooooooooood coffee :)

I love how grand and modern the railway stations look in Melbourne!

Japanese lunch at Kenzan on Collins Street

Potato Gnocchi

I decided to attempt for the very first time, making fresh potato gnocchi. I love gnocchi so much! The tiny white pillows, soft as a cloud and probably bad for you! (carbs and fat!)

I grew up eating the dry store-bought stuff that you boil and mix a jar of pasta sauce through it - and I even loved it then! It was when I was older and wiser, that I first tried it at a restaurant - its shape more pillow-like than the factory made silkworm. I was intrigued. I bit into it. Nothing could compare to that velvety texture laced with truffle oil that filled the palate. Instantly, I was converted. Never again would I eat the dry, crumbly store bought version.

POTATO GNOCCHI

Peel and quarter 4 large potatoes.

Place in a steamer, cover and steam for about 15 minutes
(or until soft when pierced with a fork)
Place in a bowl and mash. I used a potato ricer.

Add 1 whisked egg and combine.
Add 1 cup of flour and a 1/4 cup grated parmesan and combine.
Add 1 more cup of flour, in 2 halves, and combine.
Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the dough into quarters.
Roll each quarter into a long snake/sausage/worm with a 2-3cm thickness.
Using a floured knife, cut the tiny pillows of gnocchi.

To cook gnocchi, bring a pot of salted water to the boil.
Add gnocchi without over-crowding the pot.
When gnocchi rise to the surface they are ready to collect with a slotted spoon.

I personally like gnocchi pan-fried afterwards, to give it that delicious golden brown skin :)

Christmas 2013

Again I'm so delayed in posting! I hope everyone is having a great new year so far (can't believe we're nearly one month down). This morning I finally took down the Christmas tree - I normally take it down after new year's day but a friend of ours couldn't make it for dinner until this month. So I kept it just for them!

It's always a sad time taking the tree down. I'm reminded of how fast time keeps passing and how short our lives really are. Is this a sign of age? I just turned 29 a few days ago!

Anyhow for Christmas I baked some treats as always. "Red Velvet" flavoured and Green "Snickers" flavoured macarons, red velvet cupcakes, Christmas shortbreads and m&m cookies.

My macarons on display at the dining table for Christmas Day lunch

My Christmas treats packed and ready to give as gifts

Asia's Kitchen Tea

This post is a LOOOONG time coming! I have sorely neglected my blog. First of all, happy new year and rest assured there are a few more catch up posts to come.

My cousin Asia had her Kitchen Tea in November last year and it was a wonderful day! The weather was so nice, the food PLENTIFUL and floral fabrics and pastels abounded. It was also a fun affair filled with the usual Kitchen Tea games. I departed with my feet fatigued, my belly full and a huge smile on my face :)

I had a late night and an early morning for the Kitchen Tea for this creation:
Beige "Snickers" Macarons
Pink White Chocolate Macarons
Caramel Mudcake Base with Meringue and Popcorn Icing

This was a beautifully amazing creation by a friend of Asia's.
This cake and the cupcakes were tri-flavoured mud: Chocolate, Vanilla & Caramel

The bride-to-be and me :)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you haven't tried Nestlé's new caramel chocolate baking chips then I urge you, please, you must obtain some! It is one of the most addictive creations I've had in a long time. Nothing can describe the heady sensation you get when you stick your nose into flavours of the plastic pouch. They are so irresistible that I have often bought them simply to eat straight from the pack. And I have no idea how something that looks and feels like a regular chocolate chip can explode into butterscotch sauce and toffee with hot chocolate in your mouth. So this morning, to pay homage to the wee little buds, I made thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Preheat oven to 160ºC.

In a bowl combine 2 cups plain flour with ½ tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt. Set aside.

Melt 170g of unsalted butter and combine with 1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup caster sugar.

Mix in 1 tbsp vanilla extract and one whole egg.

Add one egg yolk, mix well.

Gradually mix in the flour mixture.

Stir in the entire contents of the 250g bag of baking chocolate chips.

Dollop the batter with a large spoon onto lined baking trays, spaced well apart.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Best indulged in while still warm :)

 

 

Blueberry Tart

I have a confession to make. I've never been the biggest fan of blueberries - they're really tart and stain everywhere and everything!

I do however, love blueberries in their sweetened and cooked form! They also photograph so beautifully.

 



I have already used blueberries here and here so I planned to make cupcakes. But I've just done that with carrots here! So whenever I have any sort of dilemma (like the increasing number of grey hairs I'm finding) I consult my husband. That's what they're there for right? One thing I love about him is he tells it like it is. He does tell you your butt looks big in something! So he suggested to make something with pastry!

BLUEBERRY TART

To make pastry rub in 180g chopped cold butter into 2 cups plain flour and 1 cup icing sugar with fingertips.

The texture should resemble coarse cookie crumbs.

Add one egg and incorporate with a knife at first, then knead until a ball is formed.

Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough to 0.5-1cm thickness and cut out rounds (I used a cup to cut them)

Line tart tins with rounds, pressing to adapt to the edges.

I find no need to grease the tins, as the high butter content in the dough helps them come out later.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Fill each tart with baking beads and blind bake at 180ºC for 20 minutes.

After blind baking fill each tart with blueberries, brush with melted butter and sprinkle caster sugar over top.

Bake at 180ºC for another 20 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before removing tarts.

Dust with icing sugar to serve.

 

 

Carrot Cake

There's nothing like a health kick. I go to a fresh produce market and pick the vibrant bounty that mother nature has to offer. So what to do with that bag of fresh, cold and crisp, vitamin A-laden carrots? I know, mix it with sugar, butter and cream cheese!!!!!

CARROT CAKE

Cream together 125g butter with ½ cup brown sugar. Add 3 eggs, one at a time.

Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and a tbsp of vegetable oil and mix.

Gradually incorporate 2 cups self-raising flour.

Fold in 2 grated carrots.

Distribute batter into cupcake tins (or into greased cake tin if making cake)

Bake in oven preheated to 160ºC until skewer comes out clean.

(It took about 12 minutes for each mini-cupcake tray)

Cool on a rack.

 

 

Cream Cheese Icing

Beat together 250g cream cheese, the juice of half a lemon and ½ cup icing sugar.

Pipe, pipe, pipe away!!!

 

 

 



Strawberry Galette

Yes, yet again here is another way to showcase my favourite fruit which just happens to be in season and cheap - not to mention luscious and yummy! This "tart" is deliciously messy and there's just something about the way it is assembled by hand that adds to its rustic charm. It's also the perfect solution if you don't own a pie tin!

STRAWBERRY GALETTE

Strawberry Filling

Hull and halve a punnet of strawberries.

In a bowl, combine ½ cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp cornstarch and a pinch of salt.

Add strawberries and tumble to coat.

Pastry

Into a bowl add 1 cup plain flour and 1 tbsp sugar.

Using fingertips, massage in 100g cold diced butter until crumbs form.

Add in 1 tbsp ice cold water and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Knead into a ball.

On a floured surface, roll dough quite thinly (do not aim for any perfect shape)

Transfer to a lined baking tray.

Distribute luscious strawberry mix over the centre of the dough.

Using your fingers, roll up and pleat the edges.

Brush the edges with water then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180ºC until golden brown.

Served with a strawberry coulis - simply simmer strawberries with sugar then puree!

 Best enjoyed with cream :)