tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277954562012-01-28T22:12:33.771+11:00A scattered collection of recipes and thoughtsAnna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.comBlogger6631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-72883482762466570932012-01-23T06:00:00.022+11:002012-01-24T19:42:27.749+11:00

Kung Hei Fat Choi! It's Chinese New Year once again and this year we enter into the lair of the Water Dragon. A Chinese friend told me that dragons are a very auspicious sign and that many Chinese people will be trying hard to have a baby this year so their little ones will grow up as majestic, strong people. This dish is a nice new year meal because eating long noodles on the first day of the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-37936678167185706332012-01-15T17:05:00.002+11:002012-01-15T20:03:01.684+11:00

Seven Days of Pineapple - Day 7 This recipe is a perfect end to my seven days of pineapple because it gives you something to do with all the pineapple skins and core that you’d otherwise throw away or compost. I had heard of this Ecuadorian drink before, but since it’s traditionally fermented I’d given it a wide berth. Home fermentations make me a little uneasy with their potential to explode

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-63810144916250995722012-01-14T06:00:00.014+11:002012-01-15T19:06:23.851+11:00

Seven Days of Pineapple - Day 6 This was the dish that completely converted me to fresh mint. Who would have thought that beautiful, verdant mint would colour sugar so perfectly. All you have to do is smash the fresh mint with the sugar crystals and you’re left with this crumbly, vibrant topping that lasts for a few days. I sprinkle it on anything I can, and I’m guessing you will too. It's a

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-73941930629441402952012-01-13T06:00:00.008+11:002012-01-15T19:06:29.114+11:00

Seven Days of Pineapple - Day 5 This recipe is influenced by South East Asian cooking, particularly Malaysian and Indonesian food where the salt combines from shrimp paste, the sour from tamarind, the sweet from palm sugar and the spice from chilli peppers. The bursts of sweet pineapple cushioned between salty morsels of meat make a great meal or addition to a barbecue buffet. If you don’t

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-53082731911530082302012-01-12T06:00:00.004+11:002012-01-15T19:06:38.106+11:00

Seven Days of Pineapple - Day 4 One of my favourite cakes is the rich and moist Persian Orange Cake, where whole oranges are blended with almond meal and egg to make a sticky, dense cake. So instead of using oranges, what about pineapple instead? And what goes better with pineapple than it’s old pal the coconut. Add that too! What do you get? This awesome sticky-sweet, tropical cake. And to

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-30509573562374796992012-01-11T06:00:00.009+11:002012-01-11T21:20:01.195+11:00

Seven Days of Pineapple - Day 3 One of the simplest pineapple recipes you can make is to rub chunky circlets of golden flesh with olive oil and a super hot chilli (like the Takanotsume “hot claw”) then throw it on the barbie. Absolutely brilliant. Truly. Barbequed Chilli Pineapple Ingredients: 1 Takanotsume “hot claw” chilli ½ pineapple 1 tablespoon olive oil Pinch of salt flakes Method: 1

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-50612574645032710682012-01-10T06:00:00.007+11:002012-01-15T19:08:50.500+11:00

Seven Days of Pineapple - Day 2 On the morning of a big birthday year, I met my friends and sisters on the rooftop pool of a Barcelona hotel and drank these for breakfast. It’s a typical piña colada, only incredibly enhanced by the sweet almond flavour of amaretto. Combined with the pineapple juice and coconut milk, the almond is divine. I could drink a gallon of this stuff. Oh, hang on, I

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-49528872221881897722012-01-09T06:00:00.011+11:002012-01-15T19:41:38.299+11:00

The Pineapple. The King of Fruit. How can you not love this amazing creature? Rough, brown skin. Head of spiky, cascading leaves. Sweet, succulent, juicy golden flesh. To celebrate the season of these beautiful tropical fruits the team at King of Fruit, headquartered in northern Queensland’s Yeppoon, gave me four luscious pineapples so I could cook up a storm. After cutting into the first,

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-73085988067448472592012-01-07T06:00:00.018+11:002012-01-07T06:00:03.417+11:00

I have decided to get cracking on my 2012 Food Challenges, given last year I didn’t manage to complete many of them. So on the very first day of the year, I ticked off my very first food challenge: cooking from the Bourke Street Bakery cookbook. I had recently opened a packet of prunes to wizz up a Prune & Vanilla Smoothie, so I was very happy when I saw this recipe and realised I could

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-54237716085956432552012-01-04T06:00:00.038+11:002012-01-04T09:56:03.035+11:00

It’s lychee season. A few years ago I got drunk on lychee liqueur and killed my love for lychees . . . until now. On behalf of Aussie lychee growers, Cessie at IMPACT Communications sent me a box of beautiful, perfect lychees and when I popped the first, slippery nugget into my mouth I swooned with love all over again with these sweet, juicy, tropical fruit. Oh lychee, I am so happy our

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-35505643508179783472012-01-01T06:00:00.018+11:002012-01-11T21:23:03.464+11:00

Welcome to 2012!!! I decided that setting myself food challenges for the year is a tradition that I want to keep, even if I’m not always successful in meeting those challenges. Hopefully this coming year I will perform slightly better than previous years? We can only hope! A week of recipes based on Wings Muffins Salads Sandwiches Cook with a new ingredient Quail Daikon Tripe Bush Tomato

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-25216006107927972902011-12-30T20:41:00.005+11:002011-12-30T21:22:51.417+11:00

To eat, or not to eat: that is the question:Whether 'tis nobler in the belly to sufferThe aches and pains of outrageous excess,Or to take pause amongst a sea of temptations,And by abstaining defeat them? 2011 was a big year for me. As a food writer I notched up quite a few achievements. First off were some online recipe development jobs. I had an absolute blast creating and testing recipes – and

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-50674163766415899152011-12-28T13:17:00.001+11:002011-12-28T14:40:19.291+11:00

The holiday season is a period of excess and, after all that overeating and drinking, often our bodies rebel at the abuse we’ve inflicted. This little smoothie is an excellent way to start the day. The prunes add the sweetness and the, ahem, cleansing properties while low fat milk and yoghurt give you calcium without the calories. If you want this as a refreshingly chilled wake-up drink then

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-60584745975867484502011-12-25T11:19:00.001+11:002011-12-25T11:21:14.085+11:00

Merry Christmas! When waif-model Kate Moss said “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”, she clearly hadn’t eaten Bloodwood’s trifle. Moist, dense pound cake soaked in eggnog custard, topped with cinnamon poached cherries and luscious port wine jelly. It doesn’t get better than that. Jonas hates jelly. All Swedes seem to. Once I made some for his little sister, who was 6 at the time, and she

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-82834137862970768982011-12-22T06:00:00.002+11:002011-12-23T11:49:42.172+11:00

On a recent visit to the fish market, I was one happy girl when I spotted a bevy of razor clams. They came from Scotland, so I don’t even want to think about the carbon emission from those food miles, but eating razor clams is a rarity for me, and I love them. The best way to eat them is simply grilled in their shell with a little garlic butter and parsley, just the way they served them to me

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-54786647553520372692011-12-17T16:15:00.002+11:002011-12-17T16:20:31.246+11:00

One of my 2011 Food Challenges was to try and cook with tea and make more iced tea. Now iced tea is a pretty normal drink option, but it’s funny to think not long ago it wasn’t so readily available in Australia. I used to drink it often as a kid because my American grandfather made a lot of it (and sun tea) and Australia’s Asian population helped to boost iced tea popularity with bubble tea

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-29319556754271113812011-12-12T06:00:00.015+11:002011-12-12T06:00:01.010+11:00

This is an amazing granola recipe. The chocolate intensity comes from using pure Dutch-processed cocoa rather than cocoa mixed with sugar and other ingredients. In fact, the recipe is quite healthy with only small amounts of oil, sugar and honey in comparison the amount of nuts and grains involved. The flavour is a wonderful mix of chocolate and honey, with your cereal milk turning into a

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-51148225116214028712011-12-09T17:32:00.002+11:002011-12-09T18:46:51.451+11:00

Česneková Polévka Back in 2003, I went on a little road trip through Slovakia and the Czech Republic with my cousin (Jožko), his girlfriend (Miška) and his pal (Braňo). It was an awesome journey taking in Prague, Karlštejn, Hluboká, Tabor, České Budějovice (Budweis) and Český Krumlov, not to mention the ingestion of copious amounts of beer and wine and slivovica - as only people in their youth

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-90391747526686685922011-11-26T17:43:00.002+11:002011-12-11T22:29:39.771+11:00

Pork Crackling Snacks OK these are just terrible for you health-wise, but if you’re making a pork dish and you’ve got a lot of skin you’re not using, then don’t throw it away – make these pork crackling snacks! Chicharrón are popular all over Spain and central & south America (and the Philippines), I suppose it's not a surprise when you consider how popular pork is across the region and the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-30759585693595278122011-11-13T06:00:00.007+11:002011-11-13T18:49:10.025+11:00

The weather in Sydney has been awful. And by awful I mean hot. All winter I have been looking forward to the warmer months, longing to slip into a pair sandals, drift about in light summer dresses and laze in the afternoon sunlight. Hmmm. It seems I forgot that my sandals get so hot my feet slide about, the summer dresses stick rather than drift and the afternoon sun is less tropical holiday

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-87487489043047518182011-11-11T06:00:00.018+11:002011-11-11T06:00:00.077+11:00

stuffed, fried olives First off I just want to say that I am quite a bit auspicious when it comes to numbers. I am particularly fond of 1s, 3s and 7s and 11:11 is a very special time of day when I close my eyes and make a wish! Today is the 11th Day of the 11th month of the 11th year of our century. That's pretty special in my books, so I plan to make the biggest wish ever at the 11th second

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-39070590204451247232011-11-04T16:59:00.003+11:002011-11-04T17:25:37.134+11:00

Wow. Am I allowed to say that about my own cake? I don’t care. Wow. One of my oldest pals, Kath (who I met at school when I was just 11 but whom I became close friends with after we finished school aged 18), just had a baby. Little Scott came into this world earlier than expected but completely healthy and complication free. Before his arrival our other high school comrade, Suzy, hosted a

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-12558465954889207492011-10-11T06:00:00.007+11:002011-12-09T18:49:33.999+11:00

This recipe is basically a savoury custard flavoured with sorrel, an interesting leafy vegetable often found as a wild weed. As a child my mother taught me to identify sorrel in the wild and I used to eat it when playing in fields or out on walks. I love the sour flavour. These days, I suppose I’m more risk adverse and less likely to start chomping on random weeds in case I identified it

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-23246420594763341452011-10-09T11:13:00.005+11:002011-10-10T20:33:25.581+11:00

  食べるラー油がけ サーモンの刺身 Recently we were visited by two wonderful friends from Tokyo, VB Samurai and Green Ninja. VB Samurai terrorised pubs across Sydney in his quest for the [im]perfect beer, while Green Ninja is a known enemy of electricity, preferring to undertake her clandestine activities in darkness. Yes kids, there's a story in there. A big one. Anyway . . . we had an awesome time hanging

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-36016382337601397272011-09-24T06:00:00.017+10:002011-09-25T12:55:54.882+10:00

baba ghanoush - baba ghanouj - baba ghannoug This was the first time I’ve made baba ganoush. Jonas had made it once before, which is strange because Jonas hates eggplant. Nonetheless it was my first time in the driver’s seat and I was determined to make the best version I could. Recently, I’d been at my friend Suzy’s house and – while she redesigned my blog with pretty new banner, favicon and

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-25570903908942337632011-09-14T06:00:00.029+10:002011-09-14T23:30:27.188+10:00

Snacks are wonderful. Even better when they’re quick and easy to make. This is my lazy fall back dinner. It’s made from four ingredients and couldn’t be easier to throw together. Assemble, grill, eat. After a long day at work, when all you want to do is crash on the sofa and watch TV, this is the kind of comfort food I turn to: quick and delicious. Grilled Avocado w Melted Cheese & Hot

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-63675249052207468252011-09-10T17:36:00.002+10:002011-12-18T11:00:55.199+11:00

  This is one of the best jams I’ve made in a while. The sweet-sour flavour of the rhubarb goes so well with the aromatic bergamot in Earl Grey. The jam is a perfect balance of rhubarb flavour and the hint of Earl Grey at the end. I am so happy with the results and long to devour it heaped upon warm scones and clouds of clotted cream. With a cup of Earl Grey, of course! Earl Grey & Rhubarb

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-53104534423805672122011-09-05T19:36:00.001+10:002011-10-10T20:33:56.748+11:00

This is a luscious, coconut-ty dessert. In fact, you can't get a whiter, more coconut-rich cake than this Hawaiian recipe. The first time I saw this on the Saveur website I swooned, and when I made it for my work colleagues they swooned too (special shout out to Kylie, who ate the leftover icing with a spoon). It's not very healthy, but the best things never are. Ono Coconut Cake w

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-13238691483034973022011-08-28T19:24:00.004+10:002011-10-13T22:32:15.796+11:00

Bacon and jam. Mmmm. How can bacon slow cooked in maple syrup and sugar be wrong? That’s right, it can’t. The first time I saw this recipe, I was in awe. I emailed Lorraine, (aka Not Quite Nigella) and started asking a bunch of questions. Her answers only intrigued me further. When I finally got around to making it, I kicked myself for not dabbling sooner. Not only is it extremely

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-25915379661101439172011-08-24T00:15:00.013+10:002011-09-24T14:23:51.655+10:00

Eating & Drinking Sydney In stores 1st September 2011 RRP $29.95 FIVE COPIES TO GIVE AWAY!Scroll down for details This is a momentous milestone for me. I am now a published writer! Although I’ve been published online before, there’s something very fulfilling about a tactile, physical book that has your name scrawled across the cover. This is Hardie Grant’s new guide to Sydney’s restaurant

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-30758704749010522532011-08-21T06:00:00.008+10:002011-09-08T10:15:14.848+10:00

For my 2011 Food Challenges I committed to learning how to make Singapore’s famous Chilli Crab. And what better way to learn, than to take a class at the Sydney Fish Market’s beautiful, luxurious cooking school: Sydney Seafood School. The venue is superb. First you gather in a small auditorium, where students watch the dish being prepared by the teacher, complete with cameras broadcasting the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-55657216036094772942011-08-15T06:00:00.008+10:002011-10-10T20:34:51.651+11:00

Gnudi are so-called, because they are the filling of a raviolo, without the pasta encasing it. They are, in effect, “nude”. This recipe is simple and quite elegant. Small ricotta dumplings, flavoured with vitamin-rich nettles, floating in simple chicken broth: it’s absolutely delicious and soul-satisfying. Using high quality ingredients in this recipe is critical because there’s not much done

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-28245887113311761512011-08-10T06:00:00.031+10:002011-10-10T20:35:11.115+11:00

This is the most wonderful apple cake recipe I have ever eaten. The outside is crunchy, like a fine crust, while the inside is crumbly and moist with chunks of apples and the heady fragrance of cinnamon. I defy anyone not to like this cake. The inspiration for this cake came after a visit to the local markets at Eveleigh, where an eccentrically dressed farmer (think Mongolian fur hat and worn

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-28494374642054070802011-08-08T06:00:00.023+10:002011-08-08T19:21:49.503+10:00

I have always wanted to make a bisque, a seafood soup heavily flavoured by the shells of crustaceans. The word bisque sounds so uplifting and fresh, a perfect image for any seafood dish. It seems the etymology of bisque seems to come from the Bay of Biscay, that rather large bite of land missing between Spain and France. Makes sense, no? Keen to give bisque a whirl, I was pretty excited when

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-64534462612152298212011-07-30T22:46:00.006+10:002011-09-08T10:18:31.874+10:00

This was the recipe I used to convince Jonas that brussels sprouts are delicious, eaten with pan-fried duck. Apart from being ridiculously cheap and oh-so-pretty (have you seen the way they grow!), brussels sprouts are very healthy too. If you like to eat them, you’re one of the luckiest people in the world. Photo source: www.secretseedsociety.com Until recently, Jonas and I were not those

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-38180469275435669172011-07-27T06:00:00.016+10:002011-10-10T20:35:34.828+11:00

Soft almond paste flavoured with orange zest and a burst of orange liqueur, smothered in dark chocolates. Yummy. And just what I need, because I’ve had a rough week. Jonas and I came home from a wonderful weekend in hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, where we celebrated Ms Correct and B-Rad’s tres chic wedding (if you are ever in that part of the world, I highly recommend spending some time in

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-50486359503301491472011-07-19T21:23:00.002+10:002011-09-08T10:19:26.456+10:00

There’s something romantic about any dish that’s described as a fisherman’s meal, and this is what drew me towards this cuttlefish and potato salad, which I cooked as part of Murdoch Book's 365 Challenge to cook every recipe from Stéphane Reynaud's 365 Good Reasons to Sit Down to Eat. Rouille is from the Carmargue area, in the south of France, and gets its name from its colour: rouille = rust.

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-68971547785222935602011-07-10T13:25:00.001+10:002011-09-08T10:19:54.391+10:00

At a PR event for the Game Farm at Bitton Gourmet, I was discussing with Helen from Grab Your Fork as to why Asians (both Aussies and the original gangsters) love a good old crème brûlée. I’m not a big fan myself, but Helen theorised it’s the eggs and the creaminess that attracts the Asian palate. Good theory. Makes sense. Let’s go with it. On cue, some petit four size crème brûlées

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-31666509070091331152011-07-07T06:00:00.012+10:002011-07-08T12:07:53.847+10:00

  Almost two years ago, Jonas and I found a great little Polish restaurant and enjoyed a tangy soup made from pickles: Zupa Ogórkowa. I’d never heard of such a wonderment, but it combined two of my favourite things: pickles and soup. In fact, zupa ogórkowa doesn't event feature on the SoupSong site - one of my all time favourite resources for unique and interesting soups. Despite loving it

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-90193119910696805592011-07-04T06:00:00.015+10:002011-09-08T10:20:41.899+10:00

Happy Fourth of July! Many years ago, an ancestor of mine, a German immigrant to Pennsylvania, helped fight a war that led to the creation of the United States of America. I think that’s something to be proud of. So let’s celebrate with a hot dog of sorts, Argentina’s choripán. The word is a portmanteau of chorizo and pan: spicy sausage and bread. What could be better than a bread roll

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-43335496623730268692011-07-02T11:44:00.002+10:002011-09-08T10:20:55.567+10:00

A while ago I attended an event hosted by Bitton Café for Game Farm, a company producing predominantly chicken (corn-fed and spatchcock/poussin), quail and duck. Since their farm is in Galston, an rural-like area on the northern outskirts of Sydney (and also where I spent the first seven years of my life) I was keen to try their products. It was interesting they felt the need to promote their

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-18625035078977498332011-06-17T06:00:00.011+10:002011-09-08T10:21:08.728+10:00

Ever since I made this luscious Cherry & Vanilla Jam, I realised vanilla is the most wonderful thing you can add to jam. When I was presented with a basket of sticky, overripe Santa Rosa plums I decided the best thing to do with them was turn them into jam. Blood plums would have made a much more dramatically coloured jam, however the tart red skin of the Santa Rosa added a pinkish hue to the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-14607876235229496872011-06-13T20:33:00.011+10:002011-10-10T20:42:00.891+11:00

Coeur à la Crème reminds me of my mother, not because she made it often but because she never, ever made it. It must have been the 80s, or even the 70s, when she bought the six little heart ramekins with drainage holes in the base. I remember being quite small when I asked her what these intriguing dishes were for. “They’re for making coeur à la crème”, she answered matter-of-factly and pulled

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-87974884187282640382011-06-11T06:00:00.003+10:002011-09-08T10:22:47.387+10:00

This sauté is the perfect side dishes to mains like pan-fried duck breast or pork chops. It combines all the fresh flavours of apple and sage with the warmth needed for winter meals. Tangy, tart and savoury, and takes around 5 minutes to cook. Apple, Sage & Garlic Sauté Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 2. Ingredients: 1 green apple, peeled & cored 2 tablespoons baby sage leaves 2 garlic

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-14284356471651606362011-06-05T06:00:00.008+10:002011-09-08T10:23:18.212+10:00

Pulled pork is just magical. The juicy meat slow cooked for hours until it falls from the bone and then smothered in spicy, smoky sauce and piled high onto soft burger buns. To. Die. For. When Kitchenware Direct contacted me and offering to give me a slow cooker of my choice to review on this blog, their email couldn’t have come at a better time. Jonas and I had been discussing the idea of

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-33904321197771070072011-05-20T06:00:00.005+10:002011-09-08T10:25:22.660+10:00

Chinese cabbage, also known as napa cabbage, is one of those vegetables that are seriously under-utilised. I love the fresh, crunchy texture served shredded with tangy dressings and noodles, just like this dish I’m posting today. Although you could serve this warm noodle salad on its own, we like to eat it with roasted or barbecued chicken that’s been drizzled with a little chilli oil. I

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-50792517529900054512011-05-18T06:00:00.017+10:002011-09-08T10:25:49.782+10:00

Image supplied by Ellie "Paddock to Plate" Beef Degustation A few weeks ago I participated in a very exciting event organised by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and hosted by Warren Turnbull and his team at Assiette. A lot of organisations are jumping on the social media band wagon, not understanding the differences between social media and traditional media. You can’t just broadcast

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-54901439881726857582011-05-16T06:00:00.003+10:002011-05-16T06:00:02.696+10:00

Autumn means pears, and I love pears. Juicy, sweet and versatile, pears are such a wonderful fruit to have around the house. Recently I was given a box of luscious Red Sensation and Packham pears as part of a pear promotion: Rediscover the Pear. They were just wonderful. I was thinking about the great chocolate and almond tarts my colleagues and I buy from Central Baking Depot and I decided

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-18552999739777214582011-05-14T18:48:00.008+10:002011-07-13T11:43:53.545+10:00

Last night Jonas and I enjoyed the Wasted pop up dinner at Ten Buck Alley, celebrating the unloved bits of animal and vegetable often neglected from restaurant menus. It's a limited time event on Thursday 12th, Friday 13th and Saturday 14th May. Despite it being Friday 13th, our hosts, British chef Douglas McMaster and self-confessed pop-up restaurant vigilante Kym Lenoble, put on a good show.

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-42832557508356570362011-05-08T06:00:00.008+10:002011-09-08T11:46:11.024+10:00

These carrots were braised with white wine, garlic, thyme and chicken stock. It was, simply put, quite delicious. The gorgeous colour of the carrots added oompf to the visuals of meal and I’m sure there’s something marvelously healthy about all that purple pigment. Antioxidants or some such bafflegab. Interestingly, the carrots leach their colour out so it looked like I'd used red wine. I

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-64069735229245529852011-04-15T10:30:00.007+10:002011-07-13T13:27:26.224+10:00

I’ve always wanted to make my own truffles, in fact it's a 2011 Food Challenge, and this little experiment yielded some tasty results. I did it all wrong. I know that now. Every step could have been, should have been easier. But it wasn’t. It was trial and error in production, but the final truffles were quite amazing. I love the contrast between the sweet and sour passionfruit and the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-2927986979566843992011-03-29T20:30:00.006+11:002011-09-08T11:47:14.205+10:00

I love Sydney rock oysters. They taste so much better than the huge Pacific oysters. Don’t get me wrong, if you gave me a dozen Pacifics I’d be a happy gal, but the rock oysters are simply sublime. So why not match the native Sydney rocks to another native ingredient? Finger limes! The beautifully coloured caviar looks wonderful and the tangy flavour is a perfect acidic accompaniment to the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-15485727734049381532011-03-22T06:00:00.002+11:002011-09-08T12:51:28.065+10:00

It’s a month away from Easter and I’m getting excited because all the stores are filling up with chocolate eggs and goodies. It’s no big secret that I’m a huge Lindt chocolate fan, and I was lucky enough to be invited down to the flagship Martin Place Café to try out their new Easter-edition delice (macaron): Hot Cross Delice! Can you believe it? A hot cross bun macaron, and they taste just as

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-66593401910764264022011-03-20T20:16:00.005+11:002011-09-08T12:51:40.844+10:00

Audrey Gordon’s Tuscan Summer This cookbook is a riot. A group of Aussie comedians, known as Working Dog, have invented this hilarious celebrity chef Audrey Gordon to take the piss out of our obsession with chefs, cooking and all things food! There have been so many cooking shows, cookbooks and reality rat races on TV these days. People are a little cooked out. Now there’s Audrey Gordon, an

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-74058860845544741552011-03-12T17:39:00.004+11:002011-09-25T13:43:38.059+10:00

Jonas is giving me a hard time about not blogging enough. He’s right, but it’s hard at the moment because I’m really busy with TWO intensive writing projects and an exciting recipe project that all suck my time and energy like a black hole. It will be worth it in the end, but for now my blogging might be a little infrequent and I hope you’ll bear with me. I will be back to full time in April.

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-68891078627998973922011-03-11T22:08:00.000+11:002011-03-11T22:08:11.838+11:00

I think I have only ever used this blog to rant once or twice. But now I need to share a story that is relevant to all bloggers of all genres. I wrote this piece about a month ago and then I sat on it, trying to decide whether I would or should post it. Clearly, I have decided it's something important enough for me to share. So, what’s in a blog name? An awful lot. Especially when other people

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-8245239893688160792011-02-27T16:54:00.013+11:002011-09-08T12:51:53.667+10:00

Ash-e Anār I first heard of this Persian soup when a friend gave me the gorgeously designed 2006 Marsha Mehran novel called Pomegranate Soup. Despite my lukewarm response to the book, I had an overwhelming urge to slurp down this sour, tangy soup rich with Middle Eastern flavours and aromas. When I finally made it, I wasn’t disappointed. The pomegranates give it a sour, earthy flavour and the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-15403108055467862342011-02-25T06:00:00.006+11:002011-02-25T14:42:57.021+11:00

When I was invited to Capital Grill, in Sydney’s Circular Quay, I have to admit I hadn’t heard of it. It was in a familiar building, The Gateway, where I’d had many meetings but the grill itself hadn’t been there before. What a difference its arrival has made to the area, providing a long open bar protected from the elements yet open to the breeze coming off the Harbour. It was clear from the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-46101827201080034452011-02-17T22:06:00.003+11:002011-09-25T13:49:59.678+10:00

I know I’ve been remiss. It’s been 14 days since my last post. So here’s something to sweeten you up. Luscious vanilla-scented rhubarb and strawberry puree with a thick, rich intensely chocolate custard. Served with palmiers, it's bloody great. Vanilla, Rhubarb & Strawberry Compote w Chocolate Custard Vanilla, Rhubarb & Strawberry Compote Anna’s very own recipe. Makes 300ml. Ingredients: 1

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-52636072845418366352011-02-03T06:00:00.030+11:002011-10-10T20:25:00.703+11:00

Kung Hei Fat Choy / Gong Xi Far Tsai ! Today is the first day of Chinese New Year and therefore the first day of the Year of the Rabbit. My city council has listed some of the important customs of the Chinese New Year: • Greet people with "Kung Hei Fat Choy", or "Gong Xi Far Tsai" (Happy New Year) to bring good fortune and prosperity. • Keeping an empty seat at the table to symbolise the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-22741349104009071482011-02-01T06:00:00.026+11:002011-09-25T13:53:28.164+10:00

I know I'm sticking to the drink theme but Sydney has been steaming hot over the past few weeks, just when our air conditioner called it quits and started coughing up water in a steady stream. Not happy. I have wilted and Jonas has positively melted into the Emperor of Grumpiness. Naturally, this has made me very, very thirsty and I’ve found myself pondering cool, tall drinks much more than I

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-42178796024846194082011-01-30T06:00:00.018+11:002011-09-25T13:57:56.744+10:00

With the warm weather I've been making all kinds of cooling, blended drinks. This one can either be a simple drink or can be turned into a cocktail by adding šljìvovica, a Damson plum brandy from the Balkans and most of central/eastern Europe. What kind of cocktails do you like to drink in the heat? Croatian Summer Anna's very own recipe. Makes 1 very tall drink. Ingredients: 3 ripe plums,

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-18416126958649200822011-01-26T06:00:00.011+11:002011-09-25T14:09:36.174+10:00

Happy Australia Day! This is my 600th post since I started this blog in May 2006, so I’m celebrating with one of my favourite and most elegant recreations: replicas of Orange Cake w Persian Fig & Quince from Newtown’s Black Star Pastry. Black Star Pastry is an amazing little café / patisserie with very pretty little cakes and cookies and great coffee. If you’re ever in Newtown you must make a

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-85616899938391941452011-01-23T06:00:00.021+11:002011-09-25T14:13:59.050+10:00

As I browsed aimlessly through the shops yesterday, I noticed that the fishmonger was almost giving away bright, shiny mackerel at a mere A$2.50 per kilo! Outrageously cheap! I snapped up two with the intention of bonding over the smoker with Jonas, whose loves mackerel as all good Swedes should. My first ever experience with fresh mackerel was in June 2008 during our sailing adventure along

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-25688118190474108132011-01-16T17:55:00.015+11:002011-09-25T14:28:58.768+10:00

(Final) Day 7 of Seven Days of Cherries! Once upon a time, no one in Australia had any idea what a chipotle was. I was lucky enough to have an American father who introduced them to me in my youth, as well as some Mexican pals who reminded me about these wonderful little gems and even showed me where to buy some (from the shop across the street from my house!!!). These days chipotles are fast

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-67194612508613273632011-01-15T13:10:00.005+11:002011-09-25T14:45:18.941+10:00

Day 6 of Seven Days of Cherries Suddenly I have changed from detesting almond and marzipan flavours to adoring them. I think it was the amaretto pannacotta at Manta that finally turned me, but I had been clearly heading that way to even order it in the first place. This simple recipe is a testament to my newfound love. Sweet spiked almond syrup is a lovely match to fresh or poached cherries.

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-15970756573805074882011-01-14T06:00:00.009+11:002011-09-25T14:48:22.299+10:00

Day 5 of Seven Days of Cherries You could hardly say I “cooked” this next recipe but the results are quite superb. Overuse of balsamic vinegar in my home has led me to dislike this sweet, syrup Italian gem. While Jonas laps it up like mother’s milk, I rarely touch the stuff these days. But this new version might entice me again. By steeping smashed up cherries in supermarket balsamic, you

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-35911099898683957502011-01-13T09:05:00.006+11:002011-09-25T14:52:14.854+10:00

Day 4 of Seven Days of Cherries Cherry and vanilla is a match made in heaven. They work so well together because the kernels inside cherry pits have a natural almond-vanilla flavour. The spice mahlab (also known as mahleb, or mahlepi) is actually made from the dried kernels of St Lucie cherry pits and it’s traditionally been used to flavour breads and desserts in the Middle East,

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-2104778103943266422011-01-12T06:00:00.011+11:002011-09-25T14:56:51.242+10:00

Day 3 of Seven Days of Cherries This couldn’t be a simpler recipe. Pickled cherries are a fantastic accompaniment to rich game meat like roast goose, as the original recipe suggests. Geese for eating aren’t very common in Australia and honestly I’ve never seen goose meat at any of the fancy butchers I’ve visited around Sydney, but there’s nothing stopping you serving these pickled beauties

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-37666600473224883442011-01-11T06:00:00.006+11:002011-09-25T14:56:01.436+10:00

Day 2 of Seven Days of Cherries This drink is a perfect vegan smoothie because it is 100% dairy free yet still remarkably creamy. I used almond milk, which was surprisingly delicious and contains zero lactose or cholesterol. You can buy almond milk from the supermarket or simply make it yourself with some blanched almonds and water in a blender. The almond milk shouldn’t be pre-sweetened

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-42695936273682914482011-01-10T06:00:00.013+11:002011-09-25T14:59:33.212+10:00

Seven Days of Cherries In the week before Christmas I was very, very kindly given a 5kg box of cherries by Moraitis on behalf of The Cherry Growers of Australia Inc. In exchange for this extremely generous gift, my task was to demonstrate that cherries, one of my all time favourite fruits, are versatile enough to be used in all kinds of ways in the kitchen. It wasn’t hard and I spent the next

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-8275583901829347732011-01-04T06:00:00.033+11:002011-09-25T15:15:33.210+10:00

When Jonas started eating meat I was determined to have him experience all the various cuts and types of meat possible. After a lovely morning stroll to the farmers markets at Eveleigh Carriageworks, I got chatting with one of the stall operators selling goat meat, and this inspired me to make these wonderful marinated cutlets and sweet-sour sauce. It was all part of my three course rhubarb

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-90697591118075171732011-01-01T06:00:00.027+11:002011-12-23T16:05:02.093+11:00

It’s becoming clearer and clearer that I am not meeting my food challenges each year. Perhaps it’s because I’m so impulsive and easily bored? I decide on a few recipes and key ingredients for the year then get distracted by some other shiny new things! Regardless, I’m not going to stop setting myself these challenges even if they’re not always met. I did a pretty dismal job in 2010, achieving

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-56784735049867543292010-12-31T06:00:00.210+11:002011-12-30T19:26:22.223+11:00

2010 has been a pretty good year for me. I’ve managed to: • Keep my job via 5 short term contracts and 2 job interviews (don’t ask!) buy it! • Go on two overseas holidays to Sweden & Rome and Spain's Basque Country & Galicia (yay fun, boo credit card debt) • Get included in the book “Foodies of the World: a collection of profiles and recipes from the best blogs around the world” (yippee) • Do

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-77509964157174381982010-12-29T14:14:00.007+11:002011-09-25T15:26:25.859+10:00

When I was a child, the steps from my house patio to the garden below were overrun with a huge bush of lavender, wands of purple blooms pushing through the wooden fence and across the concrete path. In the summer the bees would mill around the flowers in a frenzy and I would either leap madly down the stairs to avoid getting stung, or quietly sneak onto the top step to watch them busily about

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-65971472788221496882010-12-25T06:00:00.011+11:002011-10-10T20:26:26.813+11:00

Merry Christmas! I’m trying hard not to be a little sad this Christmas, but there are four people snowed in on the other side of the world who were supposed to be here with us today. Jonas’ elder brother (David), sister (Helena), brother-in-law (Christian) and niece (Chloe) were due to arrive on Wednesday morning and instead (because London and Frankfurt don’t know how to handle a little snow)

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-18803299303643180122010-12-22T20:14:00.003+11:002011-09-25T15:31:44.462+10:00

This is the second time I’ve raved about Pat & Stick’s delectable ice cream sandwiches, but just try and stop me. These guys make great ice cream. The flavours are real and intense and the cookies are moreish and chewy. Yeah, the sandwiches are on the pricey side, retailing around $4.50 each, but if they’re good enough to get my husband to choose an ice cream over a packet of chips then they’

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-42977963728627275352010-12-16T21:48:00.002+11:002011-09-25T15:36:41.151+10:00

This is a perfect Christmas season recipe. The cloves and orange flavours are typical aromas around this time of year and work well with the rich foods served. The tart base is made from dark chocolate and I’ve saved loads of time by buying Carême pre-made gourmet shortcrust pastry, a brand that I swear by. Inventing a custard tart was one of my 2010 Food Challenges and the clove flavour is

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-66805132466012446262010-12-14T08:10:00.008+11:002011-09-25T15:37:53.997+10:00

With Christmas around the corner some of my pregnant friends are anxious about surviving the in-laws without copious amounts of alcohol. Unfortunately, this product won’t dull out the sound of your nearest and dearest, but it will curb those cravings for an adult flavoured drink. Maggie Beer is an Aussie icon and the woman is obsessed with verjuice. There’s no getting around it, she loves the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-77567554781939441882010-12-10T20:58:00.013+11:002011-09-08T12:57:03.081+10:00

I have visited Porteño twice now, and I am a huge fan. The first time I visited, we arrived at 7pm and the restaurant waiting list was already full for the whole night. I can tell you it wasn’t just the pigs that felt gutted.Instead we headed upstairs to sip on cocktails and snack on the well-thought-out bar menu. For the second visit, I booked Sunday lunch for six and scored a table in the

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-87339616713015228752010-12-04T19:07:00.010+11:002011-09-25T16:00:20.290+10:00

This homemade granola and vanilla poached pears were part of a truly inspired breakfast, eaten with wonderful people in a beautiful location. We made this for Lynn and Chris when we visited their beautiful property in Robertson, in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales (NSW being a state of Australia, for the uninitiated). The weekend was so relaxing. Despite the cold and rain we rugged

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-75378499212261763262010-11-26T12:40:00.007+11:002011-09-25T16:10:35.205+10:00

First things first. Raw rhubarb is not poisonous. I’m glad we cleared that up. Now we can move onto the fun stuff. This salad is wonderful. I first saw it in an August 2007 issue of delicious Magazine and I have been meaning to make it for the past three years, but as these stories always unfold, something has always gotten in the way. It was a recipe by Lebanese-Australian Greg Malouf,

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-77726760580676307092010-11-20T10:30:00.001+11:002011-09-25T16:14:28.973+10:00

Spoon sweets are wonderful morsels of jammy goodness served all over the Balkans, Middle East and parts of Russia. In the old days a woman’s variety of spoon sweets was a sign of her hospitality, something sweet and delicious to serve her guests while they drank tea. Most usually spoon sweets are made from fruit, with bitter and sour varieties being the most prized. I suppose that’s because it

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-23660601288500981712010-11-19T06:00:00.005+11:002011-01-30T17:11:01.353+11:00

It’s the third time that Jonas and I have been to Zaaffran. The first, many years ago, was a romantic Valentine’s Day banquet when I lovingly ate vegetarian food with him. naan The second was a New Years Eve when some staffing issues resulted in a tasty yet chaotic celebration (isn’t NYE always chaotic though?). And in late September we were back again, this time with a host of food

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-74648155970289031272010-11-11T06:00:00.000+11:002010-11-13T10:32:06.850+11:00

Packed out! I was lucky enough to attend the Zeta Bar’s invite-only 5th birthday party on Wednesday night. Zeta is a wonderful cocktail bar in the Sydney Hilton, and over the last few years I’ve had some bloody good cocktail experiences there, even if I couldn’t always get past the bouncers and into the lifts. In fact, some of my most memorable cocktails have been Zeta creations: • an

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-91435433038773232882010-11-06T14:19:00.003+11:002011-09-25T16:17:35.887+10:00

This is a great, easy breakfast. This is a Turkish-style egg dish, so it’s not too far from your traditional brekkie fare. But it’s eggs with a twist. Herbs and tangy cheese and a pinch of tart sumac. Easy. Flavoursome. A winner. Beyaz Peynirli Yumurta (Turkish Feta & Parsley Eggs) Based on Binnur’s recipe. Serves 2. Ingredients: 4 eggs 100g feta, crumbled coarsely 4 tablespoons finely

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-5029733717229474602010-11-04T22:07:00.002+11:002011-12-18T11:00:55.202+11:00

These delicious puddings were a great little discovery. Based on Haalo’s Caramel Croissant Pudding, I used up all the leftovers in the fridge and cupboard to make an elegant and unique dessert that was not only tasty but soul-satisfying on a cold night. You could make it with any combination of fruits and liqueurs. Earl Grey & Pear Tea Cup Puddings Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 2.

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-72801762567081691242010-11-01T00:50:00.002+11:002010-11-01T00:52:17.966+11:00

Food, Booze & Shoes This is the final round-up of Sydney food bloggers and their Crave Sydney International Food Festival activities. It's been a great four weeks that have just flown by! The Way It Crumbles Let's Do BrunchCafé Ish by Chris & Tim (The Way It Crumbles) Let's Do Lunch Fouad (The Food Blog) tried out three lunch specials at Azuma Kushiyaki, Becasse and Glass Brasserie while

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-70037643510313345472010-10-29T17:31:00.003+11:002011-01-30T17:26:21.369+11:00

It was the last of my Let’s Do Lunch occasions for this year’s Crave Sydney International Food Festival and I headed down to Circular Quay’s Number One Wine Bar with three work friends: Lustm, Catfish and Giuseppe. As I slipped off to get some cash, the crew ordered our $35 special of grilled Hawkesbury skate with capers, kipfler potatoes and Beurre Noisette. Our Brown Brother’s wine was a

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-61773890917157103992010-10-24T23:55:00.114+11:002010-10-25T11:26:56.155+11:00

Hyde Park Barracks by Monica (Love My Foods & Sugar) Here's the round-up of food blogging activities for week three of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival. Bilson's by Monica Week three is still pretty busy, but it means that next week is your last chance to snap up the tasty festival treats and cheap deals. Cocktail of the Month Gourmantic (Gourmantic) is drank up at Monkey Magic

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-3793251389243554122010-10-24T21:54:00.003+11:002010-10-25T11:24:28.994+11:00

Who ate all the pies? Who ate all the pies? I did!!! Well at least I ate the ones on our Pub Pie Crawl through Rozelle and Balmain today. Five friends sent out on a journey of pie discovery, traipsing the streets in the cold and rain to discover who is offering the best pie out of all the amazing pubs of Balmain and Rozelle. As part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival, pubs around

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-32991327604271476272010-10-23T21:10:00.006+11:002011-01-30T17:27:14.359+11:00

Nice view . . . of the amazing butter!  I climb the stairs to the Opera House after a long walk in warm weather and high heels. I’m parched and in desperate need of a drink. When I throw open the door to Guillaume at Bennelong, I am surprised to find an empty entrance area and an empty restaurant. Cautiously I walk down the stairs towards the reception desk and am almost bowled over by some

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-90654321591209966822010-10-21T21:02:00.002+11:002011-01-30T17:06:57.564+11:00

Seven work colleagues in Australia’s oldest pub brewery, drinking beer and eating pie. Yes, it was a productive working day. As part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival pubs around town are offering a pint of Cooper’s Pale Ale with their own special pie. The Lord Nelson Brewery is a beautiful old pub built out of local sandstone in 1841. The interior reflects its colonial history and

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-55483786255283494452010-10-18T20:27:00.008+11:002011-09-25T16:37:29.886+10:00

Ali Beggs texted me last night to say I must be reading her mind. First she was after a banana cake recipe, and I posted my banana bread on the blog. Next she was planning dinner at Efendy, and I had posted my glorious Let’s Do Brunch experience. She was starting to wonder what was going on, so she texted me to double check I wasn’t cooking broad beans too . . . Well, now that you mention it

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-22473604835305488592010-10-17T22:40:00.009+11:002010-10-18T13:26:51.342+11:00

Penguin Says Feed Me Other week has gone by and we’re halfway through the month long Crave Sydney International Food Festival. Sydney food bloggers have been busy-busy-bees and here is the honey. First up I want to share these great maps tracking festival events across Sydney, pulled together by one clever fox, Pamela (And Other Fancy Stuff). Cocktail of the Month Bacco Wine Bar Tina (Food,

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-30127431482836100722010-10-16T20:51:00.009+11:002011-01-30T17:47:09.742+11:00

Black Sea pancake with figs, walnuts & grape molasses I have had the best day. Woke up late (for me anyway), had a nice chat to the people at Polka Dot Cookies before meeting Tia Bicky and jumping on two buses to reach Balmain for our 11am booking for Let’s Do Brunch at Efendy. Wow.The team at Efendy put on an amazing breakfast that won me over in so many ways. The food was delicious,

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-23709533724398498082010-10-15T23:20:00.004+11:002011-01-30T17:24:56.903+11:00

It’s a rainy Friday and my sister, Stinky, and I are ready for another Let’s Do Lunch special, this time at Circular Quay’s Aria. It’s the first time I’ve ever eaten at Aria and there’s definitely a subdued atmosphere when you walk into the establishment. The view from my seat reveals a chunk of the Harbour Bridge and the walkway along Bennelong Point to the Opera House. Stinky just can't get

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-74378923765209413192010-10-13T23:49:00.004+11:002010-11-13T10:31:28.572+11:00

Image supplied by Fairfax An abridged version of this article is posted on sbs.com.au/food I was bristling with anticipation to see Yotam Ottolenghi in the flesh. His Notting Hill café has been getting rave reviews from London bloggers and I’ve been giving my Ottolenghi cookbook a solid workout ever since I got it for my birthday. Image supplied by Fairfax Here I was at the World Chef

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-45935622645797863252010-10-13T23:24:00.009+11:002010-11-13T10:31:28.575+11:00

 Image provided by Access PR  An abridged version of this article is posted on sbs.com.au/food Molecular gastronomy, for want of a better description, has been a fascination of mine since I first saw the weird and wacky creations coming from restaurant kitchens in the early 2000s. These creations are unachievable for most home cooks, something you can only access through restaurants

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27795456.post-37099005534990561552010-10-10T22:10:00.055+11:002010-10-18T13:26:51.348+11:00

 Brekkie on the Bridge http://diaryofaladybird.blogspot.com  Over the years food bloggers have spent a great deal of money taking part in food festival activities, and a great deal of time writing about them. This is the first collective round-up of all the blogger posts of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival - Week One. Festival LaunchThe launch of festival kicked off on Friday

Anna (Morsels and Musings)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13499845848225762847noreply@blogger.com15