Food Wine Sleep

I remember the first time I heard of this drink, I was a young Chef working for a very stern head Chef. John was a very "My way or the highway" kind of guy and during service or anytime in the kitchen for that matter, all of us junior Chefs knew to agree with him no matter what the topic. I know, it's not very respectable to be a yes man but trust me in the case of John it was easier to sell out a little than to debate and possibly be threatened with your job. Long story short, one night after work we, "we" meaning the waitress's and the kitchen staff went out for a few drinks after work. The bar we were at was an absolute hole in the wall, but it...

I've used Chambord in desserts for many years, but it wasn't until recently that I discovered it as a drink. Since discovering it in a glass it often takes the place of dessert for me, as it is on the rich and sweet side of things. On the nose Chambord smells of plum and vanilla, on the tongue it tastes like a mouthful of raspberries washed down with a glass of good cognac. In this recipe the champagne adds another level (pardon the pun) yet takes nothing away from the Chambord either.

This must be one of the more simple recipes I know, but the fresh herbs and the roasted spices of the Chermoula lack nothing in flavor or fragrance. Of course the dish works with all kind of other fish aswell but the cod used here will come out really juicy and fork tender.

Summer is the season for eating fresh oysters near the water. For casual occasions you can't beat the natural oyster with a squeeze of lemon. However if you're entertaining you might want to spice things up a little. The fresh chilli and ice cold gin in this marinade should be more than enough to do the trick.

I have a confession to make. I admit, I am a chocoholic and love all things chocolate. I also like spicy food. I dislike sweet drinks and although I am not really a Martini drinker also (gin has always been more my beverage of choice), this recipe of a chocolate martini combines some of the best things in live for me. Depending on your personal taste you may want to start with a little less chilli and work your way to the spiciness you prefer.

Do you like drinks with cream, drinks with fruit, and drinks with layers? So do we, that's why we came up with this one. The other night a couple of friends and I were after something new. After a bit of collective input we came up with this one straight out of the hatch. However, trust me when I say that this was the only successful drink we made all night. I think we probably celebrated our success a little too much. Hope it becomes part of your celebrations as well.

Coloring easter eggs is one of the traditions I have the fondest memories of from when I was a kid. I am a strong believer in the upkeep of traditions and just a few days ago did the process with my own kids. Perhaps in terms of cooking and culinary delight not necessarily the most challenging recipe, but I feel that we need to honor traditions such as the coloring of easter eggs and besides that it makes a great spring table decoration for your Easter brunch or a nice gift to give away to your friends.

I like the Middle Eastern Mezze or appetizers. Mezze almost always consists, of Hummus (chickpea - sesame spread) and Babaganoush (eggplant- sesame dip) served with warm pita bread. Other items such as Sambousik (pastries filled with minced meat and nuts) Tabouleh (Cous cous and parsley salad) and more are also added, but Hummus and Babaganoush are omni present when Mezze is served. The rich creamy sesame paste called Tahini is really the "main ingredient" in both spreads and the strong, nutty, almost smoky taste of it, is what makes this spread so flavorful and distinct.

These individual chocolate marbled cheesecakes are easy to do, simple to assemble and very versatile.

I'm not sure if it's because of its place in popular culture but for a lot of people the Martini is a drink reserved for a night on the town and special occasions. For me it is a drink that I like to make at home, (I know I sound like a lush) but there is something strangely rewarding and enjoyable about all that stirring, straining and garnishing. Plus I like any excuse that allows me to walk around my own house drinking from a Martini glass, domestic extravagance.

This drink has it's origins in warmer climes, where the lime is not an expensive imported citrus and rum is a plenty. So you'll find that this drink lends itself well to hot summer days by the pool. When I drink Mojito's (pronounced mo-hee-to) I always feel good about it, well to be honest with you I feel pretty good about drinking any drink, but with this drink I almost feel like I'm doing my body a favour. I mean drinking soda water, fresh citrus, fresh citrus juice and fresh mint must be good for me right? Well apparently not, judging by the Mo-hangovers, but it is too tasty a drink to resist and the day after is still much less an ordeal than when drinking preservati...

Mulled wine is popular throughout Europe, on chilly nights, as soon as the winter breaks in November and especially during the Christmas season. Even though I have lived in a tropical country for the last 15 years, for me, it wouldn't be Christmas without a glass of "Gluehwein" while sitting around the Christmas tree. There are quite a number of variations of it, from the Swedes which add raisins and nuts to it, to French in the Bordeaux region that add nutmeg and bay leaf to it and use rather heavy Cabernet or Merlot wines. Originating from Germany although it is best to use a light dry red wine or as another variation a dry Riesling type of white wine. This...

This recipe is one of those occasions where the ability to use dried herbs in place of fresh is not an option. The fresh thyme and parmesan cheese work together to compliment the flavour of the mushroom in a way that the dried herb cannot. Making this dish using the larger field mushrooms also makes a great option for a vegetarian first course.

The recipe for this dip has been with me for a few years now. It combines the best of both worlds, the 'Asiatic' spices of ginger, chili and lemongrass with Mediterranean ingredients like the virgin olive oil and the lime juice. If you prepare the dip ahead of time, you must ensure that the cilantro is chopped and added last minute to the dressing in order to achieve the freshness desired for this dish.

Roasting large joints of meat to the correct doness can be fairly difficult at times and once the roast too much done, there is no turning back anymore. The difficulty starts by getting people to agree on one uniform system. While in classical French cooking (and most of the European countries) only 4 degrees of doness (blue, saignant, a point and bien cuit) are used, in the rest of the world and certainly in English speaking countries we generally use five degrees of doness (rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well done). Some even order the meat by percentages e.g. from 25 % for rare, to 70%, 80% and obviously 100 % for well done. Whatever method one prefers, the...

A lot of recipes you find that incorporate Sea Scallops tend to drown them in rich sauces. I think that this is a bit of a shame as rich sauces are best reserved for flavourless and texture lacking seafood's, something that a nice fresh scallop is definitely not. This recipe is very simple to prepare and although it incorporates some strong flavours it still leaves the Scallop as the star of the show. I tend to use the Queensland variety, as I find them to be the perfect size and have beautiful ocean sweetness. Obviously if you're not in Australia it will be a bit difficult to find this variety, but find a fish monger you can trust and ask him or her what they recommend.

Next time you are entertaining and you want your first course to be a definite crowd pleaser, then look no further than this recipe. The beautiful tangy crème fraiche is the perfect accompaniment for the crispy potato rosti and helps to soften the rosti just enough to be gentle on your guests palette while still maintaining the crunchy wafer like rosti characteristics. Add in the peppery watercress, the tender salmon and your guests will experience a beautifully balanced first course with perfect flavour and texture contrasts. Although this is not a difficult recipe per se, it is worth having a trial run on yourself sometime prior to your event, particularly as the ro...

Martini's are usually quite a strong drink and technically only Gin Martini's are really Martinis. These days the name is often used on many different cocktails simply served in a Martini/Cocktail glass. In any case who are we to be stubborn sticklers for tradition? This "Strawberry Martini" is similar to the Gin Martini in 2 ways; it is strong and served in a Martini Glass! The strawberries and sugar will however disguise that strength as sweetness, mmmmmmm!

The light texture of the homemade tart shell and the natural sweetness of the strawberries, make this tart a great choice for a lovely Morning Tea or High Tea. It can even be a delicious Dessert after a dinner of heavy meats and rich sauces. If however you are enjoying it for Morning Tea, High Tea or following a not so rich meal it can be made a little more indulgent by adding some whipped or double cream on the side. This recipe uses an incredible amount of strawberries and as such I wouldn't recommend making it outside of berry season as it can get expensive.

This dish was taught to me by a good friend and Swedish chef. Ever since then, around Christmas time, when attending quite a number of pre-Christmas parties that are 'potluck', meaning they require all participants to bring a dish along, I make this Swedish lax pudding. It is so simple, needs little to none care except reheating and is always well liked. As often the case with traditional recipes there are no strict rules and therefore instead of salted salmon one could easily use cold smoked salmon or even raw, sautéed salmon and the dish would taste just as good.

I remember a couple of years back, a time in Sydney when virtually every single restaurant and caf� had fish cakes on their menu. Unfortunately it was also the time when this beautiful Southeast Asian dish gained a very bad reputation. Fish cakes were served crumbed in bread crumbs, undercooked, overcooked and served with everything from ketchup tomato sauce to heated peanut butter as "Satay Sauce". The reason for this I believe is people think it is an all too easy recipe, "mince some fish add a bit of this and that, a bit of commercial curry paste, deep fry them and dip in anything." This obviously looks nothing like the symphony of flavours u...

A popular drink in Mexico is Agua Fresca, literally translated it means "Fresh Water". It consists of any available fresh fruit juice mixed with cold water and a little sugar. It is a perfect drink for the hot Mexican climate and is the inspiration behind this recipe, although inspired by; I did stop short of naming it, "Vodka Fresca".

White Russian, Cold Mexican however you look at it, it's not exactly a difficult drink to make, but it is one of my favourites so I thought it deserved a spot on the Cocktail Menu. The sweetness of the Kahlua is an absolutely perfect match for the crisp kick of the Vodka, if you stop there it's a Black Russian; add milk and you have the beloved White Russian.