From my vantage point on table two, I could just see him as the kitchen doors swung open to reveal the magician creating his next culinary illusion.

“Confit miso blue eye with cuttlefish and cauliflower puree”, the dish whispered to me as the waiter placed the plate before me. *sigh* I was in foodie heaven.

As a fellow chef and self confessed food-obsessed-gastronomic-romantic, the weekend event of The Great Barrier Feast on Hamilton Island was my first opportunity to meet one of Australia’s preeminent Chefs ~ Justin North.

Justin owns four, soon to be five restaurants in Sydney included amongst his stable, the highly coveted fine dining experience that is Becasse.

At Becasse, Justin excites dinners with his French inspired cuisine whilst keeping his roots firmly planted in the southern hemisphere through his decision to use sustainable, local, organic produce, which was a stand out commitment of Justin’s that I learnt from the weekend.

Justin also owns Plan B, which is a cute little hole-in-the-wall café on Clarence Street in the Sydney CBD. With only 2 tables, this is primarily a take out joint with the most popular menu item being a “Wagyu Burger”.

Justin’s Wagyu burger comes hot off the grill with pickled beetroot, vintage cheddar and onion marmalade on a purpose built brioche bun and has been described as “the best damn burger in Australia”

If you’re thinking this is all sounding and looking rather fabulous, you are in for a treat.

Rather than keeping Justin North all to myself, The Internet Chef is giving two lucky readers the chance to Win dinner for 2 at Becasse! And if you live outside of Sydney, Electrolux will fly you from any Australian location with one night’s accommodation.

Click on the link below to enter!

Dinner for 2 at Becasse in Sydney thanks to The Internet Chef, Electrolux and Justin North.

Still hungry for more?

You can create a Justin style Wagyu burger at home with my simple version that I like to serve at Cocktail parties. They look super cute, taste fantastic and are the perfect accompaniment to a glass of something chilled as they fit into the palm of your hand.

“Pfft, I can do better than that,” you mutter as you sit down to your (gourmet) cheese toastie.

That’s the attraction of Come Dine With Me Australia, the cooking series set to screen from Monday August 23 on The LifeStyle Channel on Foxtel and Austar. The ‘contestants’ – there is $2000 up for grabs – are all down-home, fun-loving normal people. Or are they? They seem handpicked to cause a stir. Or perhaps the heat generated in kitchens brings out the worst in all of us, whatever our culinary aptitude.

In series two we meet Helen, Ray, Joan, Paula, and Taylor. And just minutes into episode one, you are hooked. Their arrogance is strangely endearing, and when things go (pork) belly-up… well, it makes for fabulous viewing.

The objective of Come Dine With Me Australia is to have everyday Australians battle it out for the title of the ultimate dinner party host. The unscripted show follows amateur chefs – and some really do look like beginners, but that’s what makes it so fun – competing against each other in hosting a dinner party for the other contestants. Each night five total strangers take it in turns to cook up their idea of the perfect evening for the other four. The entertaining part is watching as each believes they can cook up the perfect evening and oust the others as the best possible dinner party host.

Oh, and when the rivals snoop around each other’s homes you can’t help but wonder: is this what my dinner party guests do? In the end, the host is judged by their guests and scored out of ten. The host with the most points at the end of the week wins the cash prize. I found myself cheering when the cattiest contestant didn’t end up winning. You’ll know what I mean when you watch. I promise you: every night you’ll settle in and look forward to hanging out with your new batch of crazy, virtual dining buddies, and you’ll be keen to see the ultimate outcome.

But make no mistake – the real star here is narrator James Valentine. The radio host’s quirky quips really are quiet hysterical. He’s kinda like the nasty judge – without the ‘tood – who says the stuff you’re really thinking.

Says James: “Series two shows that dinner parties could be a national sport.  Sure there are no high marks and no one hits a six, but there is naked ambition, vicious competition, shameless backstabbing, down and out cheating, and a drive to win that wouldn’t look out of place on an Olympic podium. You also get oddballs cooking bizarre stuff in strange homes. How could you miss it?”

The show is a brand new local production of the successful international format.

“Come Dine With Me Australia is such a winning format. It is not only exciting for foodies, it’s exciting for all Australians. It is a show that gives people recipes and takes them into everyday Aussie homes,” said Nicole Sheffield, General Manager, LifeStyle Channels.

Tune in from tonight and have a culinary cack.

COME DINE WITH ME AUSTRALIA screens weeknights at 8.30pm from Monday August 23 on The LifeStyle Channel, FOXTEL and AUSTAR.

See more of Josie’s ramblings on www.josiesjuice.blogspot.com/

Celebrity Masterchef Class with Champagne Jayne

Which Champagne Are You?

For many champagne is simply a party wine to celebrate with and they never even consider enjoying their champagne even more intensely by adding food. This is a real shame because champagne is such a complex and versatile wine that it can in fact be played like a ‘joker’ at any stage of a meal, provided you follow the basic principles of young wines before older vintages and light wines before fuller bodied styles. For example if you wanted to create a progressive dinner party with champagne,  you could try a different champagne style matched to each different course, or for lunch you could carefully choose a single champagne that has the power and finesse to handle every dish you are about to enjoy.

Have fun and experiment − there are so many individual components within any one champagne and there are so many wonderful different champagne styles out there, that it’s usually easy to find synergies with most foods available here in Australia − just beware very spicy Asian sauces which deaden your palate.

Here are some basic rules of thumb for champagne and food matching at home or in a restaurant:

BLANC DE BLANCS

The classic champagne style for oysters or any kind of seafood at any time of the day. Racy and lemony when young, as Blanc de Blancs ages and develops creamy, toasty notes, it becomes more of a match for fish dishes with cream or spice/perfumed sauces or even chicken. Perfect partner in crime for Japanese cuisine.

NON-VINTAGE

It’s not easy to generalise about food matches as there are so many styles of non-vintage champagne available. Young fresh and fruity non-vintage champagnes(eg Pierre Gimonnet, Lanson, Laurent Perrier, Mumm, Piper Heidsieck) are unexpectedly good with cheeses such as emmental or gruyere at any time of day. With entree dishes opt for eloquent elegance(Gosset, Larmandier Bernier, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger or Taittinger), high protein-based dishes encompassing darker nuttier flavours on the other hand require the muscle of full-bodied nv (Bollinger, Krug, Duval Leroy Rose or Paul Bara Grand Rose de Bouzy).

VINTAGE

Thanks to the overall palate weight and richness of vintage Champagnes, they can be matched with much richer, darker and more intensely flavoured dishes – anything goes from fish to poultry as well as veal and pork, even smoked foods. Vintage Champagnes are also a superlative match for many cheeses and delciate desserts.

NV ROSE

Often served with sweet dishes based on berries in France, but also a great match for prawns, lobster or dishes flavoured with tomato. I love it with tomato and basil pasta or any light fresh salmon dishes.

VINTAGE ROSE

Sserious aged rose Champagnes have rich savoury characters that can tackle quit intense levels of herbs and spices(basil, mint, coriander). So vintage roses are absolutely amazing with duck and also magical with intricate Japanese dishes.

DEMI-SEC

Just like traditional port & stilton, this is a fantastic match with foie gras or thai dishes, but also applely pinot-based demi-sec styles can match apple or red berry flavours on the palate. This sweeter Champagne style is a wonderful match with light creamy chocolate desserts.

In a restaurant choose your price point first and then consult with the sommelier on the best food match. When entertaining at home with champagne always remember that the best trick in the book is to splash some of the Champagne you’re intending to drink with the meal into the sauce of the dish. This will not only amaze and dazzle your guests but also subsequently ensure a successful food/wine pairing!

Now get out there and start experimenting- its heaps of fun.  Need  more guidance about champagne and food matching? Please visit the blog www.champagnejayne.com or connect with me on twitter @champagnejayne

Cheers

Champagne Jayne

There are so many shows and blogs about food how much we love it, celebrate it, seek it, share it however how many of us try to save it?

Imagine the role Materchef could play in preserving our planet with all that viewing exposure. Sadly money talks and in the speed for sponsorship television is reluctant to invest the time to challenge sponsors to produce ethically and responsibly paying the farmer the true price for their food and buying locally. The future of our food is at risk and with it the traditional skills and culture integral to it.

We are encouraged to shop at Farmers’ Markets and buy local but this is just the top soil so to speak and the issues run deep.We need to ensure we have farmers and we are losing them because of the prices paid to them and the threat of cheap imports and the difficulties of drought and the other impacts of climate change.

You can help with every mouthful - changing out purchasing behaviour, learning how to substitute imported for local ingredients in receipes,when it makes sense to, demand GM free save food and challenge the amount of packaging used. Take time to learn about how your food was produced,  discover the true price for food, how much it costs the health of the planet to produce it. Grow when you can and share when you have too much. I switch off to the elections collectively people can create change with more power than any party and safeguard their future.

Today I want to create a buzz about bees. We all love honey it is hard not to sweet and sensory it is nectar for our souls. Our bees are at risk.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXpnrV1IzTY Learn more…

We are losing species of food on the planet which are having huge consequences for the future of the food. Often referred to as ‘flying fertilizer’, bees are an essential part of our farmed and wild food and flora ecosystem, pollinating a third of what we eat, from apples and raspberries to barley and beans. A decline in diverse plants species on which to feed may be causing a similar decline in bee survival.
Researchers found that bees consuming a diverse number of plants produce more effective glucose oxidase (GOX) than bees which eat from a monoculture. Glucose oxidase is essential for bees to preserve food for their larvae, keeping the hive healthy. In addition, bees fed a diverse diet also produced more fat, which in bees produce anti-microbial chemicals to help resist disease.

Bees, vital pollinators and producers of honey, have been suffering mysterious declines around the world. Climate change effects the biodiversity of the planet – reduction in plants and therefore flowers etc.

Inspiring news San Francisco hotel has bees local becomes on your doorstep! http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/06/bees-check-in-to-hotel.html

10 ways to save the bees!!!!!

1. Become a beekeeper

Beekeeping is a most enjoyable, fascinating and interesting hobby – and you get to eat your own honey too. Every year local beekeeping associations run courses to help new people to take up beekeeping and even help them find the equipment they need and a colony of bees. Training programmes continue to allow enthusiasts to become Master Beekeepers. For information on courses visit the (http://www.beekeepers.org.au/becoming_a_beekeeper.html

2. Help to protect swarms

Swarming is a natural process when colonies of honeybees can increase their numbers. If you see a swarm contact the local authority or the police who will contact a local beekeeper who will collect the swarm and take it away. Honeybees in a swarm are usually very gentle and present very little danger. They can be made aggressive if disturbed or sprayed with water. Just leave them alone and wait for a competent beekeeper to arrive.

3. Plant your garden with bee friendly plants

In areas of the country where there are few agricultural crops, honeybees rely upon garden flowers to ensure they have a diverse diet and to provide nectar and pollen. Encourage honeybees to visit your garden by planting single flowering plants and vegetables. Go for all the allium family, all the mints, all beans except French beans and flowering herbs. Bees like daisy-shaped flowers – asters and sunflowers, also tall plants like hollyhocks, larkspur and foxgloves. Bees need a lot of pollen and trees are a good source of food. http://www.aussiebee.com.au/gwreview.html

Local honey will be prepared by local beekeepers. This keeps food miles down and helps the beekeeper to cover the costs of beekeeping. Local honey complies with all food standards requirements but is not mistreated to give it a long shelf life. It tastes quite different to foreign supermarket honey and has a flavour that reflects local flora.

5. Ask your MP to improve research into honey bee health

Beekeepers are very worried that we do not have enough information to combat the diseases that affect honeybees. Pollination by honeybees contributes millions annually to the agricultural economy. Yet the government only spends a fraction annually on honeybee research.

6. Find space for a beehive in your garden

Many would-be beekeepers, especially in urban areas, find it difficult to find a safe space for their colony of bees. If you have some space contact your local beekeeping association and they could find a beekeeper in need of a site. It is amazing what a difference a beehive will make to your garden. Crops of peas and beans will be better, fruit trees will crop well with fruit that is not deformed and your garden will be buzzing!

7. Remove jars of foreign honey from outside the back door

Believe it or not but honey brought in from overseas contains bacteria and spores that are very harmful to honeybees. If you leave a honey jar outside it encourages honeybees to feed on the remaining honey. There is a good possibility that this will infect the bee and in turn the bee will infect the rest of the colony resulting in death of the colony. Always wash out honey jars and dispose of them carefully.

8. Encourage local authorities to use bee friendly plants in public spaces

Some of the country’s best gardens and open spaces are managed by local authorities. Recently these authorities have recognised the value of planning gardens, roundabouts and other areas with flowers that attract bees. Encourage your authority to improve the area you live in by adventurous planting schemes. These can often be maintained by local residents if the authority feels they do not have sufficient resources.

9. Learn more about this fascinating insect

Beekeeping is fascinating. Honeybees have been on this earth for about 25 million years and are ideally adapted to their natural environment. Without honeybees the environment would be dramatically diminished. Invite a beekeeper to come and talk to any local group you support and give an illustrated talk about the honeybee and the products of the hive. They might bring a few jars of honey too Honeybees are a part of our folklore and are one of only two insect species that are managed to provide us with essential services.

10. Bee friendly

When kept properly, bees are good neighbours, and only sting when provoked. Beekeepers wear protective clothing when they are handling bees. If a bee hovers inquiringly in front of you when unprotected, do not flap your hands. Stay calm and move slowly away, best into the shade of shed or a tree. The bee will soon lose interest. It is worth remembering that bees do not like the smell of alcohol on people, the “animal” smell of leather clothing, even watchstraps. Bees regard dark clothing as a threat – it could be a bear! Bees are sometimes confused by scented soaps, shampoos and perfumes, best avoided near the hive

My receipes will be in the next edition of Sprout, “Spring” where you will discover more about honey.  Get a copy of Sprout http://www.sproutmagazine.com.au/ at your Farmers Market  recipes by Alison Drover with Tim Malfroy http://www.malfroysgold.com.au/ Malfroy’s Gold.

Buzzing out but will be back soon Alison

Do you love them or hate them?

I’ve been watching the debate unfold on Clover Moore’s new cycleways and it’s got me very excited.

On the one side we’ve got business and residents spitting chips over the new bike paths, accusing them of being poorly designed, dangerous and destroying their businesses. A law suit is in the wings to recover lost earnings. One the other, residents argue that Sydney is finally undertaking the change necessary to create a viable alternative transport option that will reduce pollution and make our City more liveable. Both sides are equally passionate. The anti-bike path people want the cycleways gone or at the very least, radically redesigned. Those in favour of the cycleways are adamant that Sydney needs to “get on its bike” and ride into the future.

To top it all off, on the 3rd of August, the anti-bike paths brigade are being encouraged to rock up to the Barangaroo rally at Town Hall, a community protest on an entirely different subject matter. All of which has prompted the pro-bike path movement to do the same! And others to ask, “What if I am pro-Barangaroo but anti-bike paths, can I come?” It’s all got a bit confusing, so why am I so excited?

Let me declare here that I’m not entirely objective in all of this. I run a site called Streetcorner, it’s a   site that invites all locals to join in the news making process and write stories on the issues that matter to them. We  facilitate local conversations with the aim of creating more connected and democratic communities. And as you can probably tell, there has been a lot of discussion on Streetcorner about the rights and wrongs of cycleways (among other things).

Without declaring which side of the argument my personal views sit – the furore gives me hope. Those with opposing views have in the main been tolerant of each other. They might employ sarcasm, irony and a deal of humour to make their points and to cast the other in poor light but there has been scant put downs and no abuse. The case has been put clearly by both sides, with logical argument and reason backing up their cause. And the sides are not giving up. They appear to be set for the long haul. Not letting newspaper cycles where old news is dead news dictate the agenda for them. Old media, new media and good old fashioned town hall meetings are all being employed. And all of those involved agree that this, will change the fabric of inner Sydney. Democracy, seems to still have people in it, chomping on the bit to have their say, and to hold their leaders to account. And this is, I think, very good news for all of us.

And what of the politicians. Well, it’s fair to say they haven’t been as exciting. They have mostly kept to their tried and true ways of communicating and not gone to where the community is. There are now ‘virtual town squares’ but people like Clover Moore have not been walking into them. Maybe it’s still seen as risky, the new world order where you can’t see the people you are debating with. But I find people are surprising authentic on-line despite the hype about anonymity encouraging our worst attributes.

But the spoils are there for the politicians who do engage. Waverley Council’s Mayor Sally Betts is one who takes the risk and answers people concerns on-line and over at Liverpool Council, Independant Peter Harle and Labor’s Jim McGoldrick regularly explaining the reasoning behind their decisions in open forums. Randwick Greens are also happy to engage directly with the community and reap the rewards of direct feedback. All of them are respected by their communities for it, even those who don’t agree with their politics. It does take courage to step out into new spaces and there is always risk but as the public’s already found, democracy is not about everyone agreeing, it’s about robust, tough, passionate and heated debate, where everyone’s voice is heard and we can all have a role in shaping what our cities and country becomes.

So yes, I’m excited, I’m excited about democracy and about our role in it. Is that very nerdy of me? Sorry, I didn’t write about my favourite crème brulee recipe (but I love food and cooking too!)

To check out some of the cycleway stories go to www.streetcorner.com.au and you can also publish your own stories on this or any other local issue that you are passionate about.

Or here are some direct links to articles;
Dangerous cycling on Sydney bike networks say residents (by local resident)

http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=15157&mycomm=ES

Clover pushes health benefits of cycling as criticism mounts over cycleways

http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=14989&mycomm=SC

Cheers
Mo

This was followed by Executive Chef Andrew McKee showing us a gigantic fresh Kingfish and the organic produce Park Hyatt provides their guests.

We then had an intimate dinner in the beautiful Harbour Kitchen Restaurant looking out to the sparkling Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Chef Andrew McKee created culinary masterpieces for us and the perfectly paired wine was just divine!

Pastry Chef Fabien taught us about the wonderful world of chocolate.  Having the opportunity to make my own dessert with him in the kitchen  was so much fun!

~Valrhona Tasting Dinner prepared by Executive Chef Andrew McKee ~

Wood roasted Pacific Oyster, spinach, lemon and brown butter paired ~  NV Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, Reims, France

Coffee Cured kingfish, fennel and vanilla milk jelly, espresso powder ~ 2004 Tyrell’s ‘Belford’ Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW

Roasted chestnut and lentil soup, duck liver praline, rosemary

Wood roasted Barramundi, green peas and sweet corn ~ 2009 Yealands Pinot Gris, Marlborough, New Zealand

Berkshire pork loin, pear, apple and Pommery mustard ~ 2008 Mac Forbes Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria

Black Forest delight I made with Pastry Chef Fabien.  Oragnic Valrhona chocolate 70%, Kirsch flavoured cream ~ 2005 Cornet & Cie Banyuis, Roussillon, South France

~Alicia Weider FOOD WINE SLEEP

So in the spirit of dining out on a budget, here’s 5 of my favourite cheap eats in Sydney’s eastern suburbs:

(in no particular oder)

1. Bamboo Dumpling Bar, Surry Hills, Potts Point & Balmain

Everyone loves a good dumpling. Bamboo dumpling bar has 3 locations, Surry Hills, Potts Point and Balmain. My favourite venue is Surry Hills because it’s attached to a pub and you can drink beer and eat dumplings any time after 12pm, perfect for a Saturday arvo!

2. Jimmy’s Recipe, Sydney CBD

This little gem is located in the CBD right next to the Arthouse on Pitt St. You can get a prawn and vegetable laksa for $7…bibs are optional!

3. Miss Chu, Darlinghurst

Known as the ‘Queen of Rice Paper Rolls’ Miss Chu has quickly established a reputation around for fresh, tasty, cheap vietnamese.  Located just off William St on Burton St it may look like a hole in the wall but don’t let the miss matched milk crates fool you. This food is tasty and for around $15 you’ll walk away well satisfied.

4. Sticky Bar, Surry Hills

Half the fun of this place is finding it! Turn off Crown St, up a shady looking laneway, come to a door with a sign on it, text the password to the mobile number given. A guy will come down and let you in. Go up 4 flights of stairs and you’ve arrived! Trust me, on Wednesday nights they do a $15 roast + glass wine and it’s worth the effort.

5. Beach Burrito, Bondi Beach

This place has become some what of an institution in Bondi. Over summer my friends and I will religously head here after a day at the beach. I always order the same thing: BBC Salad in crispy tortilla bowl with seasoned beef, black beans, blended cheese, tomatoes, coriander, spanish onion, lettuce, topped with guacamole and salsa. It’s $13.95 + $10 for frozen margarita…I’m a happy lady.

Celebrity chef Chris Cranswick-Smith gave us a very warm welcome, delivering each dish and sharing his food philosophy. Chris has been cooking since the age of 14, worked in Michelin star restaurants in Spain, France and the UK and some of Sydney’s top restaurants. He is also a regular guest chef on Ready Steady Cook.

The cuisine at Emmilou can be described as “an authentic menu of modern Spanish tapas that combine international expertise with fresh, local produce”. With an impressive wine list, including a delicious Shiraz from his own fathers winery, Cranswick Estate, guests were not short of wines to compliment their dishes.

Dishes were designed to be shared as an informal degustation, Chris also ensured our vegetarian and pescetarians were looked after.

Signature dishes included the ‘Twice Cooked Pork Belly, Chickpea, Potato and Chorizo ‘Cocido’ and the ‘Goat Sausage with Red Cabbage and a Pedro Ximinez Glaze’.

The food, the wine, the cocktails and of course the fabulous team of undercover foodies made this the perfect evening.

Want to join Secret Foodies? Sign up here: http://secretfoodies.com.au/tickets-registration/

xx Ms Darlinghurst

Ooh my first blog for Food Wine Sleep…very exciting! I look forward to sharing some of my adventures over the coming weeks. Don’t be scared now feel free to comment, share your thoughts and get involved. I promise I won’t bite!

So where to start…Well tonight I’ll be the hosting Secret Foodies at a surprise location in Sydney, sharing the culinary delights of a celebrity chef with 20 random guests. This will be the 4th Secret Foodies dinner since we started in April.

I love Sydney, though at times it can be a rather distant. People tend to stay in their clicks and often slip into a comfort zone of sticking with what they know. The idea of Secret Foodies is to encourage people to step out of their comfort zone, meet new people and try new places.

Tonight’s surprise dinner starts at 7pm. Guests will be sent a text message with the suburb at 5pm and then a final message at 6.30pm with the address.
They won’t know where they’re going or who else will be there until tonight!

Guests will be taken on a flavorsome food journey. Exclusive to Secret Foodies, our celeb chef will demonstrate their personal cooking style and food philosophy while we sit back and enjoy the food.
Then it’s our Foodies turn to do some work! Tomorrow they’ll have their chance to review and comment on the venue and share their thoughts on the Secret Foodies website.
If you’d like to join Secret Foodies register your details on the website www.secretfoodies.com.au.

Want to know where we’re going tonight? Follow me on twitter (@msdarlinghurst) for regular updates as I reveal tonight’s clues.

xxMs Darlinghurst