November 16, 2007: San Churro

Update, 31/12/2014: San Churro has moved a pair of doors downward the street to 275 Brunswick St, as well as has been replaced at this address past times B'Stilla Cantina.

We followed upwards our dinner at Coyote Cafe amongst dessert at San Churro - simply about other house that we've long been pregnant to consume at. It's pretty crowded on a Fri night, but nosotros managed to snag an outdoor tabular array as well as Jo shouldered her means inward to social club for us. The hot chocolate I had was a piffling disappointing - I simply flora it means also thick. And also hot - past times the fourth dimension it was cool plenty to drink, a horrible peel had formed on top.

The churros were pretty expert though - peradventure non every bit fresh every bit would survive ideal, but yet a fairly successful like shooting fish in a barrel nighttime dessert option. Particularly amongst the fine black chocolate dipping sauce on offer.

Koko Black.

Address: 277b Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Ph: 9419 9936
Price: $8.90 for the churros, I can't holler upwards how much the drinks terms (and Cindy didn't get got whatsoever notes!)
Website: http://www.sanchurro.com.au/

November 16, 2007: Coyote Cafe

Updated 31/12/2014: The Coyote Cafe has been shut for about time, presumably swept away past times the Mexican nutrient seismic sea wave that swamped Melbourne inward 2008/09.

Cindy as well as I met upwardly amongst Mike as well as Jo-Lyn for dinner at the Coyote Cafe inward North Fitzroy. We've had a takeaway carte du jour from this identify sitting on our refrigerator for nigh half-dozen months as well as stimulate got been pregnant to bear witness it out almost the entire time. It's a Mexican place, amongst a carte du jour which is quite friendly to vegetarians. And to drinkers. We started off amongst about icy mutual frigidness margaritas ($10 each) as well as kicked dorsum to browse through our options.

We speedily convinced Mike as well as Jo to bring together us inward a vegetarian shared plate to get-go things rolling. It sounded fantastic: marinated olives, zucchini chips, jalapeno jelly, chillied mushrooms, sugariness white patato as well as goats' cheese sincronizada as well as pinto edible bean sopas ($19.50). Unfortunately, when it (eventually) came out, we'd scored a unlike tasting plate: i amongst chorizo on it. Still, the bits that Cindy as well as I could bask were non bad - especially the edible bean sopas as well as jalapeno jelly. Maybe nosotros could bear witness to produce these upwardly at home.

Cindy was half-full from her efforts at the tasting plate as well as opted for only an entree-sized meal: mushroom quesadillas ($10). They were adequate, but non especially exciting as well as a flake on the cheesy side For Cindy's tastes.

I had eyes bigger than my tum (this inward spite of foolishly filling upwardly on Burger Rings at the pub earlier dinner) as well as opted for a full-sized meal: spinchaladas. These are basically enchiladas amongst a potato, pumpkin as well as spinach filling, smothered inward Lycopersicon esculentum sauce as well as sour cream ($19.50 - which was a stupor when it was listed every bit $9 on the takeaway menu. Can prices stimulate got doubled inward 6 months?). They were a niggling on the heavy side - the filling was predominantly spuds as well as pumpkin as well as could actually stimulate got used about beans or something to liven things upwardly a bit. The sauce was fine (but lacking a niggling inward spice), as well as the greens as well as rice were a overnice touch, but the whole affair was a flake of a letdown. Particularly at $20.

Los Amates. Probably non somewhere we'll view i time to a greater extent than inward a hurry.

Address: 414 Nicholson Street, North Fitzroy
Ph: 9489 0077
Price: veg mains $9.50-$19.50
Licensed

November 17, 2007: 'Fish' Fingers

this one. The to a greater extent than filling feature, though, was a tray of oven-baked tofu 'fish' fingers developed past times Jennifer of Schmooed Food for the recipe.

November 17, 2007: Leftover Makeover - Dessert Pesto Ii

chocolate clusters were transformed into a sweet spread as well as the leftover ingredients from my ginger-cashew clusters received the same treatment. This fourth dimension I blended the cashews, glace ginger as well as chocolate amongst Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese to shine it out.

The 'pesto' was a success equal to my commencement endeavour as well as I constitute approximately fifty-fifty ameliorate biscuits to squad it with! These are Arnott's Lattice biscuits, pastry squares that are similar sweetness glazed SAOs. I haven't had them inward years, though I create think approximately incredible passionfruit vanilla slices made amongst them when I was growing up.

November 18, 2007: Julio

The Breakfast Blogger, whose ever ahead of the game). We joined them for breakfast on a placidity Sabbatum morn in addition to settled in. It's a smallish identify inward the forepart of an former corner store, amongst seating for mayhap thirty people in addition to a fairly casual vibe. The card is minor but impressive, amongst the focus firmly on their homemade doughnuts. Delicious, delicious doughnuts. We ordered ane each, amongst Cindy in addition to I both going for the custard multifariousness (they likewise create jam ones). They came out warm in addition to tasty - crispy on the exterior but gooey in addition to sweetness on the inside. The homemade custard was a fantastic mess oozing out from the middle. They were likewise huge - much larger than I expected for $3, which was something of a trouble concern given we'd already ordered roughly breakfast 'mains'.

Cindy asked for avocado on toast in addition to got a span of thick slices of toast, roughly fresh avocado in addition to a sprinkling of seasoning. She was pretty total after the doughnut, but was very, rattling impressed yesteryear this - the seasoning was ane of those trivial touches that takes something relatively straightforward in addition to lifts it upwards to outstanding.

I went for ane of the specials: baked eggs amongst sumac, chilli, yoghurt in addition to spinach. I'm mostly a fan of baked eggs, in addition to these were a item success - perfectly cooked eggs, amongst a lite spice from the chilli in addition to roughly interesting flavour contrasts from the yoghurt in addition to sumac. I couldn't teach out whatever of it in addition to constitute myself total to bursting after my ii degree feast (and my ii cups of free-trade coffee).

We were then enamoured amongst Julio that nosotros returned less than a calendar week after to bring together inward their glorious election nighttime party, thence ensuring that it volition guide keep a happy, happy identify inward our hearts. Hurrah for Julio! (And Kevin. At to the lowest degree until he disappoints).

Address: 171 Miller Street, North Fitzroy
Ph: 9489 7814
Price: $3 - $12

November 18, 2007: Strawberry Icecream

It's the perfect fourth dimension of twelvemonth for icecream, together with I've been keeping an oculus on berry prices, biding my time. This weekend I constitute merely what I was afterward - punnets of almost overripe strawberries for alone a duet of dollars. It hasn't ever been this way. The sort of strawberry icecream available from the supermarket when I was a tike was plenty to scare me off the concept almost for life. I bet mine wasn't the alone family where it was ever the finally season left inward a tub of Neapolitan, right? And together with thus at that topographic point was the strawberry flavoured Quik... ergh... what were those nutrient scientists thinking?!

My epiphany came shortly afterward buying my icecream maker vii years ago. The manual had a few recipes at the back, including the ubiquitous vanilla, chocolate together with strawberry. I tried the chocolate get-go of course, amongst proficient results, but was shortly looking for something new. The artificial strawberry flavouring that I knew was thus unlike from the lovely gustation of fresh ones that I figured it was worth a gamble. Boy, was it ever! This tasted similar strawberries. And cream. And spring! I've since added some lemon juice to that recipe to actually elevator the fruity flavour. Given the H2O content of the fruit, this icecream isn't the richest merely about - it sets upwards a somewhat icy together with needs a fighting of fourth dimension at room temperature earlier scooping but the vantage is a slightly to a greater extent than refreshing taste. If you're afterward a super thick together with creamy icecream, hold back for a recipe amongst to a greater extent than egg yolks than this one, in all likelihood to a greater extent than cream, together with perchance a cooked custard phase of preparation. For me, this is all I need.

Well, almost. We had some to a greater extent than lattice biscuits inward the pantry.... together with to a greater extent than cooking chocolate. It alone took minutes to melt the chocolate together with spread it on the dorsum of the lattice biscuits, insulating them against sogginess. Voila - strawberry chocolate icecream sandwiches! I had past times this fourth dimension issued a spontaneous invitation for Jo-Lyn, Mike together with Lee to portion some strawberry bliss. We enjoyed these spell sprawled merely about the lounge room, cream dripping from our fingers together with into chipped bowls.


Strawberry icecream

250g fresh strawberries, washed together with hulled
juice of 1 lemon
3 egg yolks
3/4 loving cup castor sugar
300mL bottle cream
250mL milk

Place the strawberries together with lemon juice into a nutrient processor together with blend until smooth. Next blend inward the yolks together with sugar, together with thus finally the cream together with milk. Refrigerate the mixture until it's actually cold, at to the lowest degree an hour. Churn inward an icecream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions together with freeze for almost vi hours.

Before serving, permit the icecream to soften inward the refrigerator for almost xxx minutes, or at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.

November 18, 2007: Sweet'n'salty Popcorn

Maybe this isn't the most exciting nutrient photograph you've seen roughly the blogosphere today, but it's a pic of ane of my favourite snacks inwards recent weeks. It's a bowl of saucepan-popped corn, seasoned only amongst saccharide in addition to salt. Doesn't thrill you? That's fine, but it's transcend away a darn addictive combination for this afternoon snacker.

I'll instruct well-nigh a dozen bowls out of ane $3.50 bundle of organic corn thence it's low-cal on the pocket. I've tried to proceed the saccharide in addition to fossil oil levels down, thence it's in all likelihood a lot lighter inwards calories than whatsoever instant-microwave-bag version too. If you're willing to stretch from 'instant' to 'takes iii minutes' in addition to thence I encourage y'all to grade it a go.

Sweet'n'salty popcorn

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1/3 loving cup popcorn
1 teaspoon raw sugar
a milk shiver of fine body of body of water salt

Pour exactly plenty fossil oil into a medium-large saucepan to thinly comprehend the base. Spread the popcorn inwards a unmarried layer over the bottom of the saucepan in addition to fix it on medium-high heat. Put the lid on in addition to milk shiver the pan inwards a horizontal displace to instruct the popcorn evenly distributed in addition to lightly coated inwards oil.

Sprinkle over the raw saccharide in addition to supervene upon the lid. Keep the saucepan over medium-high heat, shaking ane time to a greater extent than roughly every fifteen seconds. The corn should maiden of all popping pretty soon! Continue periodically shaking the pan horizontally exactly higher upwards the oestrus origin every bit the corn pops, until the fourth dimension betwixt pops stretches to well-nigh iii seconds. Turn off the heat. Continue shaking the pan for some other 15-30 seconds until it's all popped out.

Pour the popped corn into a bowl in addition to discard whatsoever burned ones that mightiness last close the bottom (I'm getting amend - no burning inwards my 3rd batch!). Give the popcorn a low-cal sprinkling of common salt in addition to instruct munching spell it's notwithstanding warm!

November 21, 2007: Baked Stuffed Mushrooms Amongst Herb Together With Lemon Gremolata

It's hard to believe that it's taken us to a greater extent than than a twelvemonth of blogging earlier nosotros lastly got some to stuffing some mushrooms. They're such a vego staple, it's hard to explicate how we've neglected them for together with thus long. Luckily, Cindy had tucked away this recipe for when the mood lastly took us. I'm non certain how she's all the same keeping upward alongside Ready, Steady, Cook, but her efforts were rewarded alongside a delicious dinner cheers to Dominique Rizzo from Mondo Organics (and my sterling efforts inwards the kitchen of course).

This recipe has the added bonus of beingness vegan - it's predominantly mushrooms together with herbs, alongside a heap of almond repast to laissez passer it all some torso together with texture. The herb together with lemon gremolata gave a overnice citrusy boot to the meaty mealy mushrooms, together with the whole repast was topped off alongside some salty baked spud-bits that Cindy sorted out. I won't reproduce the directions, but experience gratis to muck virtually alongside the quantities - the recipe at the goal of the link is designed to create ane entree (we multiplied past times some 8). We ended upward alongside a lot to a greater extent than filling than could gibe inwards the mushrooms - together with thus either larn actually big mushies, or fiddle the proportions a little.

November 23, 2007: Bowl Of Soul

More To Love Vegan quite or then fourth dimension ago, as well as I was rather psyched nearly the possibility of a veggie BLT. As a lover of burgers I was overwhelmed amongst the alternative hither - they were based on tofu, lentils, beans, as well as simulated meats from beef through to prawns! Other toppings as well as sauces are good chosen to suit the burger themes, from Mexican to satay. There's also or then soup as well as a span of other things on the menu, but to a greater extent than oftentimes than non it's nearly the burgers.

The vegan as well as vegan-adaptable items are clearly marked as well as encompass almost everything on the menu. There are a few gluten-free options too, especially inwards the mouthwatering cake display. Buttons rued the lack of chips to teach amongst her burger as well as to our surprise, they are similar a shot available after 6pm! Unfortunately I didn't respect until after I'd ordered, as well as Michael chose a side-sized Soul Salad ($5.50) instead. In add-on to the commons mixed greens as well as carrot, this was packed amongst fresh beetroot, mung beans, sprouts, capers as well as semi sun-dried tomatoes.

In spite of the BLT that brought me here, I truly decided to lodge the Soul on a Roll ($9). This featured a freshly fried fillet of wheat gluten amongst a ocean-flavoured 'skin' of nori. There were generous servings of lettuce as well as tomato, as well as a thick spread of lime-infused tartare sauce. These guys teach triple points for the super-fresh ingredients as well as preparation! It makes all the departure amongst fast nutrient such every bit this, amongst no oily guilty feeling sitting inwards my tum afterwards.

As y'all tin run across from the peak pic, Michael was into the Soul Dog ($7.50). This is no niggling wiener, it's smothered amongst grilled onions, cheese, Lycopersicon esculentum sauce as well as mustard. With that many condiments it's simply every bit good he ordered the salad! He demolished the lot inwards tape fourth dimension as well as I seriously challenge anyone to country the departure betwixt a soysage as well as a hot Canis familiaris inwards a blind gustation test.

As nosotros ate, nosotros were sitting amongst a total stance of the dessert cabinet as well as it was inevitable that I'd hold upwards picking upwards a niggling something to receive got habitation as well as savour later. These are wild figs coated inwards black chocolate as well as vanilla saccharide (50c each). They gustation at to the lowest degree every bit expert every bit they sound, filled amongst chewy fruity sweetness. The Soul kids don't skimp on the chocolate either! The ready warned us that they were addictive as well as it's simply every bit good I had a belly total of burger, 'cause those choccies were good. I could easily receive got run all the agency dorsum as well as bought out their supply.

It's no hugger-mugger that Bowl of Soul has my number. I love, love, beloved a freshly prepared vege burger as well as these guys practise an amazing array of them for less than $10 each. It'll hold upwards no delineate to revisit as well as written report dorsum on the criterion of the chips!


Update 10/5/10: Unfortunately, Bowl of Soul has unopen down. Very disappointing. We didn't teach across the river real much, but it was ever a winner when nosotros visited.

Address: 118 Bridge St, Port Melbourne
Ph: 9645 2470
Unlicensed
Price: veg mains $5 - $9.50

November 25 - December 2, 2007: Perth

Lentil As Anything. Instead of ordering from a menu, the nutrient is set out buffet-style for y'all to serve yourself. It's the luck of the depict whether you'll live lined upwards every bit fresh chappati are brought out as well as rapidly scooped upwards past times your swain diners, but y'all tin sack e'er furnish for seconds on the multiple curries. Just live certain to salve room for a little loving cup of the sweetness condensed milk dessert.

What sets Annalakshmi apart from the Lentil As Anything chain is its atmosphere as well as location. Inside this is a lavishly decorated Indian restaurant. The plastic slice of furniture exterior may live less genteel but the persuasion over the Swan River ensures it's the close pop seating. We enjoyed a vivid sunset every bit nosotros ate (pictured top).

Cascade Brewery bothered to. There were FOURTEEN meat-free gastropub dishes, from pocket-size sharing plates of marinated olives as well as feta through to gourmet pizzas as well as my pick, a toasted opened upwards mushroom as well as avocado sandwich amongst chips as well as salad. Don't immature lady out on the frites - they are sparse as well as crispy amongst the peel left on as well as served amongst an splendid mayonnaise. Brew of the black was Rogers' amber ale.

December 1, 2007: To Consume Or Non To Eat?

Which of these 2 pictures gets your oral cavity watering?

On the left is a cake of soap.

On the right; chocolate stones.

Menu For Hope

Menu for Hope. Last year, nutrient bloggers (and their readers) from around the Blue Planet raised to a greater extent than than US$60,000 (up from $17,000 the twelvemonth earlier - if things growth at the same rate, they're looking at virtually a quarter of a ane 1000 k dollars this year!) for the United Nations Chez Pim.

It's all pretty simple: nutrient bloggers origin in addition to donate prizes, their readers purchase raffle tickets, the coin raised is donated to assistance feed the hungry in addition to lucky entrants terminate upwards winning fabulous prizes. It's a win-win situation. The Asia-Pacific prize listing is at Grab Your Fork in addition to the consummate listing is at Chez Pim. So click on through in addition to purchase a few tickets. Good luck!

December 3, 2007: Wattleseed Together With Appointment Muffins

Tasmania, neat to induce its java in addition to hazelnut aroma. Since in addition to thus it's been sitting patiently on the bench alongside our ramshackle community of herbs, spices in addition to bottles of liquid flavour. JenJen's recipe for wattleseed in addition to appointment muffins has been lurking inwards my link listing for fifty-fifty longer, but it all came together inwards its ain practiced fourth dimension when I thawed in addition to ate the in conclusion banana walnut muffin, in addition to and thus noticed fresh dates at the supermarket.

These muffins aren't every bit nutritious every bit I aspire to for afternoon snacking but similar I said, it was Their Time. I convey been rewarded with a delightfully adult treat, all mellow brownish carbohydrate in addition to smoky spice with a chip of sweetness stickiness from the dates in addition to the slightest buttery crispness some the edge. They're rather dense every bit muffins go, but nosotros tin in all probability blame my heavy mitt for that. And I don't hateful to Pb you lot into temptation but the uncooked batter tastes incredible - perchance fifty-fifty amend than the in conclusion product!

If you'd similar to hand these a go, cheque out the recipe at Milk in addition to Cookies: the entirely modification I made was to purpose brownish carbohydrate instead of calorie-free muscovado.

December 6, 2007: Chocolate Orangish Butter Biscuits

eastern vegetarian burgers alongside infant spinach salad, a choice of mango chutney or hot chilli sauce, in addition to olive crude oil baked spud chunks. For packed lunches, nosotros had a triple batch of mock tuna salad alongside lettuce in addition to tomato, likewise every bit roasted strips of capsicum in addition to eggplant.

the originals over at Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once in addition to intend again. They are the perfect showcase for earthy, unsweetened roasted cocoa nibs. (I late picked to a greater extent than or less upwards from i of the organic create stands at the Queen Victoria Markets.) The candied citrus pare in addition to buttery biscuits are plenty sugariness plenty without an extra serving of saccharide inward the chocolate, producing an addictive novel rendition of the classic chocolate-orange combination. I wasn't the alone i taken yesteryear these: Michael could non halt eating them, in addition to Mike declared them my best biscuits yet.

Just don't bother trying to feed the crumbs to the birds inward a represent of misplaced generosity. They'd much prefer your muesli.

December 10, 2007: Brambuk Bush Tucker Cafe

my home-baked muffins. Kudos for the fresh whipped cream! (Those aerosol ones should hold out outlawed.) The solid position down wattleseed was to a greater extent than rigid inwards my latte, which was served scaldingly hot in addition to drunkard much, much later. I enjoyed it, though Tracy in addition to Michael liked their takeaway ones far less.