winosandfoodies

Spanokopita For Lunch

Todays lunch was the best spanokopita I've had in ages. I don't have time to share the recipe right now but will later.

I'm still waiting for my domain name to be reinstated. All links will be working again at that point. At the moment you can't leave comments. Hopefully that will be fixed soon.

I've  almost finished the LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow round up. It's going to be FABULOUS. Come back and see on May 13th.

This week I was seriously impressed to get a mention of the event here.

From My Balcony

Last night's light show. My domain name issues will be resolved very soon and links will be working again.

I'm working hard on the round up for LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow to be posted on LiveSTRONG Day 13th May 2008.

A Problem With My Site

I forgot to renew my domain name winosandfoodies.com. These people now own my domain name and have suggested I make an offer starting at US$200 to buy it back. Even to talk to them I need to register my credit card details with them, which they will charge $1. As if I would give my credit card details to such an underhand group?   I can operate without it so they can keep it. I just need to sort out my domain mapping with Typepad to get back to normal. You will need to contact me by email pinotgrisATgmailDOTcom as any comments are not coming through to me.

UPDATE: Actually I have discovered those people don't own my domain name. It has now been freeparked elsewhere and I'm trying to contact the owner. His phone mail box is full and I can only hope he will reply to my email. He/she lives/works/or has an office at 14150 NE 20th St in Bellevue WA. It isn't a big city so maybe you know him/her.

FURTHER UPDATE: The owner of my domain name has agreed to return it to me for the cost of the registration $29.95. Nice to know there are people out there with a heart.  Things will be back to normal as soon as the transfer is complete.

A Little More Yellow

You have a few more days to get your entries to me for LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow.

Entries with the yellow wristband in the photo need to be in by the 19th April wherever that falls where you live.

All other entries without the yellow wristband I'm giving you an extra week and will accept entries up until 27th April.


On another note this is about music - but as Shakespeare wrote if music be the food of love, play on.

I recently received a selection of CDs from Putumayo. You can read about them on their website but here is a paragraph from their about page.

The company’s commitment to helping communities in the countries where the music originates has led to the label contributing more than a million dollars to worthwhile non-profit organizations around the world. After Katrina, Putumayo embarked on a campaign to raise funds and awareness for musicians and others affected by the hurricane. Putumayo has contributed more than $250,000 of the proceeds from New Orleans and its other New Orleans-themed CDs to charities working in New Orleans and New Orleans musicians. Other charitable recipients include Coffee Kids, Oxfam, Mercy Corps, Search for Common Ground and more including recently Slowfood.

On the weekend I sat down with the musicians in the family, (I'm actually the only one who can't sing or play an instrument), to judge the quality. I knew I liked the music but an opinion from a professional is always useful. It was favourable to the point of they were impressed.

There are even a couple of recipes on the food themed ones titled  Music From The Wine Lands and Music From The Chocolate Lands.  Naturally they happen to be my favourites.

As with all freebies I receive I am under no obligation to write about them favourably or otherwise. I do not run adds on my site and as I no longer work for an income any freebies related to my interests are always received gratefully. If I do like the item I am happy to share my thoughts with my readers.

Beer Or Wine

 
Which do you prefer with your prawns , beer or wine?

I recently received this book for review. Written by Marnie Old, an award winning sommelier and Sam Calagione, brewer and founder of Dogfish Head Brewery it approaches the question of serving wine or beer with food.

I would say it is aimed at the younger market. Specifically those people just discovering wine and wanting to know more about pairing alcohol with food. Sometimes beer works better and this book will help you understand when that is.

I personally didn't like the style of writing but I'm sure that's an age thing. At 256 pages it covers everything you need to know. From how beer and wine are made to how to read labels, understanding styles and finishing with ideas on hosting a beer/ wine tasting party. The final section includes recipes complete with a recommended beer and wine to complement the dish.

I confess I have not read the entire book cover to cover, I just don't have time for that. However it is one of those books you can dip in and out of as you please...or as you are plannning your menu and looking for appropriate matches.

Before I was married I hung out with a group which included a couple of Greek boys. Their family owned a large fishing company so seafood was often part of our weekends. Every Saturday we would gather at someones apartment and feast on prawns with rye bread washed down with lager beer. Back then it was the fashion to add a dash of Rose's lime juice to our beer. Now days you just stick a quarter of lime into the beer bottle neck.

The book features a recipe for Spicy Gulf Shrimp and has been paired with a rose and a malt beer.

Over the weekend I recreated the prawn lunch of my past. Only this time I added a bottle of wine to the table to see if I would prefer the prawns with wine.  The only cold white I had was a De Bortoli Windy Peak Viognier which was okay , but I think a semillon or sauvignon blanc would have been better.

The beer was my preferred drink -  a Grand Ridge Brewery Natural Blonde. The slight citrus taste complemented the prawns perfectly. I'm finding I enjoy beer more and more  in the warmer climate where we now live.

If you want to know the difference between a prawn and a shrimp  it is here.

Book He Said Beer She Said Wine
Authors Marnie Old and Sam Calagione
Publisher DK
RRP US$25 CA$28

Yellow Yellow Yellow

LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow.

Yellow wristbands are optional to participate.

I went to the library today and plan a weekend of reading.

Enjoy your weekend.

Hay Hay A Brilliant Clafouti Or Is That Clafoutis

That's how good my Clafouti was. It didn't look so pretty though 'cos I added too many plums.  A 'tad too brown on top, but so good I ate three slices before dinner, one after dinner and one more at breakfast this morning. I've decided clafouti makes a brilliant breakfast. Next time we have guests for breakfast I plan on serving clafouti.

I don't like to mess with my clafouti  too much.  I'm sorry Donna I would never ever put chocolate in my clafouti. Cherries - mostly , plums - yes, even blueberries -  once , but chocolate never.

For the perfect clafouti (or clafoutis, an "s" is acceptable), I use Julia's recipe. She does pit her cherries though and pitted cherries in clafoutis is an ongoing arguement amongst traditionalists. Cherries are way out of sesson here so  today Bron I used yellow plums.

The Recipe

As many yellow plums as you want

Mixture
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3  cup sifted all purpose flour

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In an electric blender place all the above mixture ingredients in order as written. Cover and blend 1 minute at top speed.
Pour a 1/4 inch layer of batter into 7 - 8 cup lightly buttered fireproof baking dish or Pyrex pie plate 1 1/2 inches deep  (I used my tarte tartin dish ).

Set over moderate heat (use an asbestos mat if dish is not fire proof) for a couple of minutes until the film of batter has set in the bottam of the dish. Remove from the heat. Spread the plums over the batter. Pour on the rest of the batter.

Place in the middle of the oven and bake for about an hour. It is done when it has puffed and browned, and a needle or knife plunged in the centre comes out clean.

Sprinkle top with powdered sugar just before bringing it to the table. It need not be served hot but it should still be warm. It  will sink slightly as it cools.

Thanks Bron for hosting this round of Hay Hay Its Donna Day. Deadline for posts to Bron is Monday April 21st.

A Few Of My Favourite Things

Snapper fillets with bone marrow on pencil leeks with red wine sauce at Belle Epoque

It's time I shared a couple of my favourite local eating places. Restaurant reviews are not my thing. I spend too much time talking and once I've had my first glass of wine I lose all concentration. So these are just my impressions of a couple of places I enjoy enough to return to more than once.

I love Belle Epoque  from the decor, to the staff, to the food. Well the mussels and frites anyway. Three times I've been and three times I've ordered mussels and frites. It is seriously Parisien (Some one please tell me should that be Parisienne or Parisien or Parisian). Last time we visited Paris we stayed in Montparnesse.  Belle Epoque would not look out of place there.

On our first visit we decided to eat at the bar.  Although there were tables available it's fun to dine at the bar when it's offered. We were served by a very chatty bar tender who helped us decide on our wine for lunch by giving us small tastings of the wines available by the glass.

As fabulous as Belle Epoque can be other friends were disappointed with their last visit on Easter Saturday. They arrived for a late lunch before a movie and were not well looked after by the staff . A letter of complaint to the restaurant has resulted in the promise of a dining voucher for a further visit. 

We dined earlier on Easter Saturday and were happy with our service but disappointed in the 15% surcharge. The fact the restaurant was almost empty on what should be a busy day makes me think this public holiday surcharge is having an affect. The surcharge would not have been so bad if they had offered the total experience. With the seafood display cabinet empty they didn't.

Belle Epoque
Emporium 1000 Ann Street , Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
T: 07 3852 1500
F: 07 3852 1522
E: info@labelleepoque.com.au


Platter which is the main part of the High Tea

My other favourite dining spot is on the road out to Springbrook,  Tokonoma Green Tea Cafe and Gallery  at Mudgeeraba. Tables are on the deck outside overlooking the trees and stream. Margaret, one of the owners, spent many years in Japan and the food is served on the pieces she collected while there. Every little dish, plate, cup, teapot and vase is exquisite and adds to the pleasure. We prebooked the High Tea which two of our group enjoyed and the other two would have preferred the green curry from the regular menu.

Matcha cake with kiwifrui, rice cake sweets, coffee jelly with cream.

Tokonoma Green Tea Cafe and Gallery

Tokonoma 442  Gallery & Café Open Thur-Sun. 9:30-3:30 (closed Mon, Tue, Wed)  venue hire available 7 days

Address: 442 Springbrook Road, Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast, 4213, Australia. (Located 20 minutes from Broadbeach

info@gallerytokonoma.com.au Tel: 07-5530-2378  From overseas: +617-5530-2378

We take all our overseas and out of town friends to both places when they are visiting.

Moroccan Haloua With Dates

I came across these charming little sweets when I was researching ideas for My Breakfast with Maryam. It is the same dough I used  to create the little almond topped breakfast cookies.

They are the perfect little baby sweet and just right for Phe/MOM/enon who is raising awareness for March Of Dimes, March For Babies with her event Blogging For Babies.

This is my adaptation of the original recipe from a book featuring recipes by Fatima Mouzoun.The original recipe uses almonds, walnuts and orange flower water.

Haloua covers all kinds of sweet foods and pastries, and among them are the many different sweets and cookies served on festive occasions. I think these would be  fun to make with friends. All the rolling, flattening, stuffing could do with the distraction of some good conversation. Enjoy them with tea or coffee as they really do melt in the mouth as Fatima says.


Haloua With Dates

Dough
300 grams (2 2/3 cups) plain flour
250 grams (2 1/4 sticks) softened butter.
4 tablespoons orange juice

Put the flour in a medium bowl and make a well in centre
Put the softened pieces of butter into the well. Knead  butter into flour by hand.
Work in orange water.
Knead well together and roll into a ball..

Filling
250 grams (1 1/2 cups) dates
100 grams (2/3 cup) blanched almonds
50 grams (1/2 cup) cashews
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 4 tablespoons orange juice
Place all ingredients into  a food processor and chop until a smooth paste is formed.
Take a teaspoon of paste and roll into small date shapes.

Garnish
250 Grams (2 1/4 cups) icing (powdered) sugar

To make Haloua
Take a small ball of dough by hand and squeeze flat.
Place one of the date pieces on it and fold over dough and pinch ends together. If dough sticks to your hands roll teaspoonfuls into a ball drop into a bowl of flour and then flatten between palms of hands.
Place on a baking paper lined oven tray.
Bake at 180C for 15 minutes.

When cool sprinkle with the icing sugar to serve.

Want to know more about Little Wonders March for Babies Team? Fantastic!! Here is the Team Page. Any amount that you can sponsor is extremely appreciated. Please, please help spread the word and sponsor Little Wonders if you can! Thank you!

LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow - Photo Competition

April the 19th is the last day for you to get your LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow entries to me. This will give me plenty of time to write the round up which will be posted on LiveSTRONG Day on  the May 13th.  Once your post is up please email the link to me at atasteofyellowATgmailDOTcom

Don't forget to include your name and where you live, your blog name and URL, and the URL link to the post.

All entries are welcome with or without the yellow wristband. Entries featuring the yellow wristband will be eligible to go in the competition to win this book. You can find out all you need to know about participating here.

I am so looking forward to seeing all your yellow food creations.