Homemade Fondant ! ! !

Don't you love those beautifully decorated SMOOTH cakes? I've always loved them. Even before I really started baking and knew what the icing was called.

Fondant has a reputation of being, shall we say, less than delicious? About 14 years ago, when I presented our wedding cake maker with my torn out picture from probably one of the first Martha Stewart Weddings, she said...."you know, that's fondant?" I really had no clue what she was driving at, so I think I probably nodded and asked for another sample.

{That's my husband, but I have no idea who that tan, thin girl is!}

I decided to bite the bullet and try making my own. I found links on how to make it from The Decorated Cookie, i am baker and Gourmet Mom on-the-Go. It's pretty easy and MUCH cheaper than pre-made!

16 oz. bag mini marshmallows
3 TBSP water
2 lbs. powdered sugar
Crisco

Grease a large glass bowl with Crisco.

Pour in the marshmallows and water in the bowl. Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted.

Reserve about 1/4 c. powdered sugar. Place the rest of the powdered sugar in the large bowl of a standing mixer. Grease the paddle attachment with Crisco. Pour the melted marshmallows onto the powdered sugar.

Beat until a dough forms. There will be lots of loose bits and sugar in the bottom of the bowl.

Grease a clean work surface with Crisco and dump out the fondant and all loose bits. Grease hands liberally with Crisco and knead the mixture together, just like kneading bread, for about 5 minutes until smooth.

Grease hands again as needed. As the fondant becomes smoother, use the reserved powdered sugar to coat the surface to keep it from sticking.

Once smooth, you can divide and color the fondant. While working with one piece, cover the remaining fondant with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.

When you have your colors finished, or just keep it all white, coat the fondant in a light layer of Crisco. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a large baggie. (One recipe said to let it rest 10 minutes, another overnight. I let mine rest overnight.) Store at room temperature for several months.

To use it, dust the surface and rolling pin with cornstarch and roll to 1/8th of an inch.

I'm really new to fondant. There are a million things you can do with it....top cookies, cupcakes, cakes. Make bows and toppers and shapes....

Later today, I'll show you what I did (super simple) with my fondant for Mother's Day.

---

{PS...if you haven't already, be sure to check out Amanda's vlog on University of Cookie. She's a natural on camera and shows a wonderful alternative to the usual royal icing. I'm going to try this!}

I'll be linking this up to TidyMom's I'm Lovin' It linky party. What are you lovin' this week?

Don't you love those beautifully decorated SMOOTH cakes? I've always loved them. Even before I really started baking and knew what the icing was called.

Fondant has a reputation of being, shall we say, less than delicious? About 14 years ago, when I presented our wedding cake maker with my torn out picture from probably one of the first Martha Stewart Weddings, she said...."you know, that's fondant?" I really had no clue what she was driving at, so I think I probably nodded and asked for another sample.

{That's my husband, but I have no idea who that tan, thin girl is!}

I decided to bite the bullet and try making my own. I found links on how to make it from The Decorated Cookie, i am baker and Gourmet Mom on-the-Go. It's pretty easy and MUCH cheaper than pre-made!

16 oz. bag mini marshmallows
3 TBSP water
2 lbs. powdered sugar
Crisco

Grease a large glass bowl with Crisco.

Pour in the marshmallows and water in the bowl. Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted.

Reserve about 1/4 c. powdered sugar. Place the rest of the powdered sugar in the large bowl of a standing mixer. Grease the paddle attachment with Crisco. Pour the melted marshmallows onto the powdered sugar.

Beat until a dough forms. There will be lots of loose bits and sugar in the bottom of the bowl.

Grease a clean work surface with Crisco and dump out the fondant and all loose bits. Grease hands liberally with Crisco and knead the mixture together, just like kneading bread, for about 5 minutes until smooth.

Grease hands again as needed. As the fondant becomes smoother, use the reserved powdered sugar to coat the surface to keep it from sticking.

Once smooth, you can divide and color the fondant. While working with one piece, cover the remaining fondant with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.

When you have your colors finished, or just keep it all white, coat the fondant in a light layer of Crisco. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a large baggie. (One recipe said to let it rest 10 minutes, another overnight. I let mine rest overnight.) Store at room temperature for several months.

To use it, dust the surface and rolling pin with cornstarch and roll to 1/8th of an inch.

I'm really new to fondant. There are a million things you can do with it....top cookies, cupcakes, cakes. Make bows and toppers and shapes....

Later today, I'll show you what I did (super simple) with my fondant for Mother's Day.

---

{PS...if you haven't already, be sure to check out Amanda's vlog on University of Cookie. She's a natural on camera and shows a wonderful alternative to the usual royal icing. I'm going to try this!}

I'll be linking this up to TidyMom's I'm Lovin' It linky party. What are you lovin' this week?

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Nigella Lawson's Banana Bread

So yes, I have been baking. I'm not usually that keen on banana bread, but we had a few rapidly-ripening bananas sitting in the kitchen and I didn't want them to go to waste. And I was totally over muffins.

I had a quick flick through my Nigella books, for inspiration, before stumbling across this humble-looking banana bread recipe in How to be a Domestic Goddess. Nigella says that her banana bread is "fabulously easy", and is the type of recipe that anyone 'hesitant about baking should try'. Y'all will know I'm not hesitant about baking (hardly!), so the ease of the recipe was just further encouragement.


Nigella suggests soaking the sultanas in rum, but I had no rum, and wasn't about to buy a bottle just for a recipe! I instead steeped the sultanas in hot water with an English Breakfast tea bag for about 10 minutes. I was hoping I'd have some German Rum Aroma, but unfortunately I'd left it at my parents' place. I added a teaspoon of cinnamon instead. The rest of the recipe is simply a matter of mashing and stirring and melting and more stirring. Walnuts are listed as an optional ingredient, but I love them.



One hour in the oven, and you're done!


For some reason, my banana bread rose a lot higher, and looked more cakey than the picture in the book. Nigella's version, for some reason, is flat, paler in colour and has a foamy-looking top (i.e. cooked, but with lots of little air bubbles, like the foam on a well-made cappucino).

I loved the rustic-looking crack down the top of the loaf, and the crusty crackly bits taste the best! I ate a slice on the first night, before (surprise surprise), slicing up the remainder thickly and freezing the slices. The bread is delicious and fragrant, and it freezes beautifully. I've been taking a slice (still frozen) to work, and toasting it in the sandwich press for morning tea. Toasting it like that defrosts the bread, re-crisps the edges and toasts the walnuts, making the whole slice as warm and as inviting as a fresh slice.

Freshly baked banana bread, or even re-toasted frozen banana bread is fabulous, and way better than the greasy cold, depressingly glad-wrapped slices you get at cafes. Give it a go!!

So yes, I have been baking. I'm not usually that keen on banana bread, but we had a few rapidly-ripening bananas sitting in the kitchen and I didn't want them to go to waste. And I was totally over muffins.

I had a quick flick through my Nigella books, for inspiration, before stumbling across this humble-looking banana bread recipe in How to be a Domestic Goddess. Nigella says that her banana bread is "fabulously easy", and is the type of recipe that anyone 'hesitant about baking should try'. Y'all will know I'm not hesitant about baking (hardly!), so the ease of the recipe was just further encouragement.


Nigella suggests soaking the sultanas in rum, but I had no rum, and wasn't about to buy a bottle just for a recipe! I instead steeped the sultanas in hot water with an English Breakfast tea bag for about 10 minutes. I was hoping I'd have some German Rum Aroma, but unfortunately I'd left it at my parents' place. I added a teaspoon of cinnamon instead. The rest of the recipe is simply a matter of mashing and stirring and melting and more stirring. Walnuts are listed as an optional ingredient, but I love them.



One hour in the oven, and you're done!


For some reason, my banana bread rose a lot higher, and looked more cakey than the picture in the book. Nigella's version, for some reason, is flat, paler in colour and has a foamy-looking top (i.e. cooked, but with lots of little air bubbles, like the foam on a well-made cappucino).

I loved the rustic-looking crack down the top of the loaf, and the crusty crackly bits taste the best! I ate a slice on the first night, before (surprise surprise), slicing up the remainder thickly and freezing the slices. The bread is delicious and fragrant, and it freezes beautifully. I've been taking a slice (still frozen) to work, and toasting it in the sandwich press for morning tea. Toasting it like that defrosts the bread, re-crisps the edges and toasts the walnuts, making the whole slice as warm and as inviting as a fresh slice.

Freshly baked banana bread, or even re-toasted frozen banana bread is fabulous, and way better than the greasy cold, depressingly glad-wrapped slices you get at cafes. Give it a go!!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Works For Me Wednesday . . . Backwards Edition, YOU answer the question!

This week is a themed edition of Works For Me Wednesday...it's the Backwards Edition. This means *I* get to ask you a question!

The question is:
What is your favorite cookbook?

I want to know because I have a slight cookbook addiction. Luckily, I also have a library card.

Here are some of my favorites:

• The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion ....I think it's a must-own for cookie makers
• The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion ....not just cookies, but bread, scones, waffles and more!
• Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book ....A recipe book. From Ben and Jerry. Enough said.
  
• Everyday Food ....really a magazine, but for simple, delicious weeknight meals, it's wonderful. I actually stopped my subscription because I couldn't keep up with all of the recipes! Sorry, Martha.

It seems wrong not to mention 3 other favorites:

Man-Pleaser Salads, Wine is Fun, and How to Make Sandwiches and Box Lunches. No kitchen is complete without those!

---

If you haven't already, pop over, share a story about your mom (or a mother figure) and enter to win some really darling polka dot martini/dessert glasses from The Pampered Chef!

This week is a themed edition of Works For Me Wednesday...it's the Backwards Edition. This means *I* get to ask you a question!

The question is:
What is your favorite cookbook?

I want to know because I have a slight cookbook addiction. Luckily, I also have a library card.

Here are some of my favorites:

• The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion ....I think it's a must-own for cookie makers
• The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion ....not just cookies, but bread, scones, waffles and more!
• Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book ....A recipe book. From Ben and Jerry. Enough said.
  
• Everyday Food ....really a magazine, but for simple, delicious weeknight meals, it's wonderful. I actually stopped my subscription because I couldn't keep up with all of the recipes! Sorry, Martha.

It seems wrong not to mention 3 other favorites:

Man-Pleaser Salads, Wine is Fun, and How to Make Sandwiches and Box Lunches. No kitchen is complete without those!

---

If you haven't already, pop over, share a story about your mom (or a mother figure) and enter to win some really darling polka dot martini/dessert glasses from The Pampered Chef!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Tuesdays At The Table - Mixed Berry Sorbet

Sorry I ended up taking a week "off" from blogging, ladies!  It's only in the past 2-3 days that I don't feel like I got run over by a mack truck!!

I hope you all had fabulous weekends.  :-)  We had some great weather, and I got to enjoy a night out with the girls and got all my tomatoes & peppers planted.  YIPPEE! I'll be around to visit all of your blogs. What have I missed while I've been hiding under a rock?

This is such an easy recipe, and a great treat as we get ready for summer.

Mixed Berry Sorbet

1 bag (12 oz) frozen mixed berries (slightly thawed)
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp sugar or honey
2 tsp real vanilla extract

Place slightly thawed berries, juices, sugar/honey and vanilla extract into blender and blend until liquified.
Strain berry-juice mixture through small sieve (to remove seeds) into a flat, freezer-safe container (9x9 Pyrex dish works well).  Cover with plastic wrap, making sure wrap touches entire surface and freeze for about 2 hours, or until firm.

What's cooking in your kitchen?

 

Sorry I ended up taking a week "off" from blogging, ladies!  It's only in the past 2-3 days that I don't feel like I got run over by a mack truck!!

I hope you all had fabulous weekends.  :-)  We had some great weather, and I got to enjoy a night out with the girls and got all my tomatoes & peppers planted.  YIPPEE! I'll be around to visit all of your blogs. What have I missed while I've been hiding under a rock?

This is such an easy recipe, and a great treat as we get ready for summer.

Mixed Berry Sorbet

1 bag (12 oz) frozen mixed berries (slightly thawed)
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp sugar or honey
2 tsp real vanilla extract

Place slightly thawed berries, juices, sugar/honey and vanilla extract into blender and blend until liquified.
Strain berry-juice mixture through small sieve (to remove seeds) into a flat, freezer-safe container (9x9 Pyrex dish works well).  Cover with plastic wrap, making sure wrap touches entire surface and freeze for about 2 hours, or until firm.

What's cooking in your kitchen?

 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Birthday Drinks at Der Raum

I like to celebrate my birthday in style. I also like to spread the celebrations out over a few days, a "birth-week", if you will. First up was birthday drinks at Der Raum! You can see above that we brought a giant Mrs Fields' birthday cookie cake - macadamia and milk chocolate. Drool! I had high hopes that I'd get a photo of me holding the cookie up and eating it, but it was super-soft, and impossible to get up in one piece.

I initially wanted to have my drinks at Berlin Bar, but when we visited back in March, we weren't too impressed. Der Raum, on the other hand, has a reputation for absolutely killer cocktails, and a huge selection of German beers on tap. Sold!

Der Raum
438 Church St
Richmond VIC 3121
(03) 9428-0055
Website

Prior to my birthday, I happened to be working in an office close to Der Raum. So one evening after work, I had a little wander down, chatted to the barmen and booked a small area for my friends and I. The staff were friendly and helpful.

(For those of you who are paying attention, this means I have moved house, moved offices AND had my birthday all in the same month. It's been busy!)

It's not just decoration, lots of those bottles are actually used!

Unfortunately, on the actual night we went, the bar was full of dickheads (pardon my French), which put a dampener on an otherwise fun night. For instance, just after we got there and sat down, a random lady sat down in our area and invited her friends to sit down with her. When we told her politely, "Sorry we've actually booked these seats", one of her friends laughed in our faces, mocking us and saying, "those girls need a drink!" Right in front of us! How rude is that?

That was just one example, but there was also a lot of general feralness - people hassling my friends, or people who'd push and shove at the (super-crowded) bar and shout at the staff so they'd get served first. YURGH.

Later on in the evening we had a guy who actually sat ON our table. He'd turn around every 10 minutes or so and see our giant cookie. Then he'd ask, "Is that a cake?... It's a cookie? Does it have coke in it? Can I snort your cookie?" We just ignored him until he changed his question to: "Does your cookie have cock in it?"

AHEM?!?!

I was so uncomfortable by this stage that I just wanted to leave, but luckily one of my friends told a barman about the feral guy, and he was escorted outside. Apparently after he got outside he kept harassing the barman, saying things like, "you don't know how to run a bar, I'm going to f***ing throw chairs through your f***ing windows", etc. Who even does that? Having a few drinks is no excuse for being an A-hole.

I spent quite a bit of time profusely apologising to my friends, and a few of them said, "it's Richmond, what did you expect?" Huh? Is that even a thing? I always thought Richmond was full of young professionals, and the few people I do know who live in the area are super-nice! Plus, I'd been working in the area for the past 3 months and never had a problem. But, I guess that 9am on a Monday morning is different from 11pm on a Saturday night.

So, enough about the negative aspects, let's get on to the fabulous cocktails! It took about 20 minutes to get each round of drinks, which at first was a little frustrating, but totally makes sense when you realise just how much effort goes into each cocktail. For the majority of the evening, the place was absolutely packed, and the crowd waiting at the bar was 4 deep. It takes a little more time than expected, but I love the fact that the quality of the cocktails was not compromised, despite the volume of customers.

For some reason the menus are chained to the bar, so I didn't really get a chance to read it, especially with the big crowd. I mainly just stayed in the one spot while my friends went up to buy the drinks, hehe. Aah, the benefits of being the birthday girl!

The descriptions below in italics are ones I got from the website. The other descriptions are ones I figured out myself, so may not be entirely accurate.


Zombie (Don's style)
A rum runner's bounty of fine hooch. Fresh tropical fruits. Flaming caramelized passionfruit.
The 1930's creation of Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt at the rum mecca bar, Don the Beachcomber. It remains one of the kings of the Tiki movement.
Look at the flame on that cocktail. It was lit in a passionfruit half.

BOOM! I like to think of this cocktail as a Flaming Moe.

My friend An ordered the Zombie, and I did have a sip, but I can't actually remember what it tasted like. It seemed very popular though, and we saw a lot of them being flamed and drunk throughout the night.


Velvet Fog
Gin. Creme de Violette. Champagne. Citrus. Floral Voilette Fog.
As smooth as jazz legend, Mel Tome (aka the Velvet Fog), inspired by the flavours of the rare Blue Moon cocktail of 1917 while utilising our latest "flavour fog" technique.

I love champagne, I love cocktails, so the Velvet Fog was an obvious choice. The creme de violette makes me think that our dear Thanh would like it too! The violet flavour wasn't overwhelming, and balanced nicely against the citrus. The way they make this cocktail is very theatrical and impressive too, pouring liquid nitrogen (?) from a big wine carafe into the champagne glass.


Bees Knees
Honey Rock Gin. Fresh Pressed Lemon. Nitro Honey Nest.
A Prohibition favourite but something of a bastard son with its heritage forever lost.


We were instructed to pour the liquid into the glass, give it a stir and wait a while before drinking it. The glass looked fabulous too, with the smoky vapour rising as the liquid was poured over. I drink honey-and-lemon when I have a sore throat, but I think it's safe to say the gin in the Bees Knees negates their healing properties.


Death In The Afternoon
Spiced Absinthe. Champagne. Rosemary. Olive Oil stain.
A hit of Papa Hemingway's during his Paris days. Like the man, hard in appearance but delicate under the surface.

This wasn't technically my drink, I just reappropriated it from my friend Dion who found it too strong. It had a pronounced aniseed flavour, which I now know was absinthe! The big ice ball gives an interesting numbing effect as you sip, and there are rosemary leaves in the ball which are slowly released as the ball melts.


Long Island Iced Tea

No description on the website, but from my experience holidaying in Penang, I know that a Long Island Iced Tea is generally all the white spirits, topped with lemon and coke. It's so cute that such a potent drink is served in such an innocuous cup!


Pink Lady
Tanqueray. Laird's Bonded Applejack. Pressed Lemon. Grenadine.
A model of refinement and decorum, as taken from the Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930.

A perfect, easy-to-drink, girly cocktail.

I can't remember what the next one is. I believe it was called a Gin Fizz, but I can't be sure.

Each of those mint leaves was individually selected and placed in that glass.


Latin Threesome
Sagatiba Pura Cachaca. Pisco Control. Havana Club Anejo Reserva. Rich pressed tropical fruit.
A celebration of the 3 great national spirits of Brazil, Chile and Cuba. Selected as Gourmet Traveller's and Liquid Magazines editor's choice cocktail.


Jamaican Black Strap
Myer's Jamaican Rum. Tart Pomegranate. Sultanas. Smooth Ginger Beer.
A modern twist on the Rum "Black Strap" of the 1920's.
Su said it tasted like "a mojito without the mint", and we all thought the presentation of this one was especially novel.

Despite the unfortunate crowd, we still had a good night, and I definitely think that Der Raum is one of Melbourne's best cocktail bars, with amazingly crafted drinks. It's certainly the most innovative cocktail bar that I've been to. They sometimes hold events, like degustations and tastings, which would be well worth attending. I would recommend visiting on a quieter evening - perhaps a weeknight, or for after-work drinks on a Friday before it gets too crowded and you're jostling with a huge crowd, many of whom just want to order bottles of Beck's. (Such a waste!) That way you'd be able to sit down, have a chat with the bartenders, get an insight into the cocktails, and really appreciate the effort and thought that goes into them.

I like to celebrate my birthday in style. I also like to spread the celebrations out over a few days, a "birth-week", if you will. First up was birthday drinks at Der Raum! You can see above that we brought a giant Mrs Fields' birthday cookie cake - macadamia and milk chocolate. Drool! I had high hopes that I'd get a photo of me holding the cookie up and eating it, but it was super-soft, and impossible to get up in one piece.

I initially wanted to have my drinks at Berlin Bar, but when we visited back in March, we weren't too impressed. Der Raum, on the other hand, has a reputation for absolutely killer cocktails, and a huge selection of German beers on tap. Sold!

Der Raum
438 Church St
Richmond VIC 3121
(03) 9428-0055
Website

Prior to my birthday, I happened to be working in an office close to Der Raum. So one evening after work, I had a little wander down, chatted to the barmen and booked a small area for my friends and I. The staff were friendly and helpful.

(For those of you who are paying attention, this means I have moved house, moved offices AND had my birthday all in the same month. It's been busy!)

It's not just decoration, lots of those bottles are actually used!

Unfortunately, on the actual night we went, the bar was full of dickheads (pardon my French), which put a dampener on an otherwise fun night. For instance, just after we got there and sat down, a random lady sat down in our area and invited her friends to sit down with her. When we told her politely, "Sorry we've actually booked these seats", one of her friends laughed in our faces, mocking us and saying, "those girls need a drink!" Right in front of us! How rude is that?

That was just one example, but there was also a lot of general feralness - people hassling my friends, or people who'd push and shove at the (super-crowded) bar and shout at the staff so they'd get served first. YURGH.

Later on in the evening we had a guy who actually sat ON our table. He'd turn around every 10 minutes or so and see our giant cookie. Then he'd ask, "Is that a cake?... It's a cookie? Does it have coke in it? Can I snort your cookie?" We just ignored him until he changed his question to: "Does your cookie have cock in it?"

AHEM?!?!

I was so uncomfortable by this stage that I just wanted to leave, but luckily one of my friends told a barman about the feral guy, and he was escorted outside. Apparently after he got outside he kept harassing the barman, saying things like, "you don't know how to run a bar, I'm going to f***ing throw chairs through your f***ing windows", etc. Who even does that? Having a few drinks is no excuse for being an A-hole.

I spent quite a bit of time profusely apologising to my friends, and a few of them said, "it's Richmond, what did you expect?" Huh? Is that even a thing? I always thought Richmond was full of young professionals, and the few people I do know who live in the area are super-nice! Plus, I'd been working in the area for the past 3 months and never had a problem. But, I guess that 9am on a Monday morning is different from 11pm on a Saturday night.

So, enough about the negative aspects, let's get on to the fabulous cocktails! It took about 20 minutes to get each round of drinks, which at first was a little frustrating, but totally makes sense when you realise just how much effort goes into each cocktail. For the majority of the evening, the place was absolutely packed, and the crowd waiting at the bar was 4 deep. It takes a little more time than expected, but I love the fact that the quality of the cocktails was not compromised, despite the volume of customers.

For some reason the menus are chained to the bar, so I didn't really get a chance to read it, especially with the big crowd. I mainly just stayed in the one spot while my friends went up to buy the drinks, hehe. Aah, the benefits of being the birthday girl!

The descriptions below in italics are ones I got from the website. The other descriptions are ones I figured out myself, so may not be entirely accurate.


Zombie (Don's style)
A rum runner's bounty of fine hooch. Fresh tropical fruits. Flaming caramelized passionfruit.
The 1930's creation of Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt at the rum mecca bar, Don the Beachcomber. It remains one of the kings of the Tiki movement.
Look at the flame on that cocktail. It was lit in a passionfruit half.

BOOM! I like to think of this cocktail as a Flaming Moe.

My friend An ordered the Zombie, and I did have a sip, but I can't actually remember what it tasted like. It seemed very popular though, and we saw a lot of them being flamed and drunk throughout the night.


Velvet Fog
Gin. Creme de Violette. Champagne. Citrus. Floral Voilette Fog.
As smooth as jazz legend, Mel Tome (aka the Velvet Fog), inspired by the flavours of the rare Blue Moon cocktail of 1917 while utilising our latest "flavour fog" technique.

I love champagne, I love cocktails, so the Velvet Fog was an obvious choice. The creme de violette makes me think that our dear Thanh would like it too! The violet flavour wasn't overwhelming, and balanced nicely against the citrus. The way they make this cocktail is very theatrical and impressive too, pouring liquid nitrogen (?) from a big wine carafe into the champagne glass.


Bees Knees
Honey Rock Gin. Fresh Pressed Lemon. Nitro Honey Nest.
A Prohibition favourite but something of a bastard son with its heritage forever lost.


We were instructed to pour the liquid into the glass, give it a stir and wait a while before drinking it. The glass looked fabulous too, with the smoky vapour rising as the liquid was poured over. I drink honey-and-lemon when I have a sore throat, but I think it's safe to say the gin in the Bees Knees negates their healing properties.


Death In The Afternoon
Spiced Absinthe. Champagne. Rosemary. Olive Oil stain.
A hit of Papa Hemingway's during his Paris days. Like the man, hard in appearance but delicate under the surface.

This wasn't technically my drink, I just reappropriated it from my friend Dion who found it too strong. It had a pronounced aniseed flavour, which I now know was absinthe! The big ice ball gives an interesting numbing effect as you sip, and there are rosemary leaves in the ball which are slowly released as the ball melts.


Long Island Iced Tea

No description on the website, but from my experience holidaying in Penang, I know that a Long Island Iced Tea is generally all the white spirits, topped with lemon and coke. It's so cute that such a potent drink is served in such an innocuous cup!


Pink Lady
Tanqueray. Laird's Bonded Applejack. Pressed Lemon. Grenadine.
A model of refinement and decorum, as taken from the Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930.

A perfect, easy-to-drink, girly cocktail.

I can't remember what the next one is. I believe it was called a Gin Fizz, but I can't be sure.

Each of those mint leaves was individually selected and placed in that glass.


Latin Threesome
Sagatiba Pura Cachaca. Pisco Control. Havana Club Anejo Reserva. Rich pressed tropical fruit.
A celebration of the 3 great national spirits of Brazil, Chile and Cuba. Selected as Gourmet Traveller's and Liquid Magazines editor's choice cocktail.


Jamaican Black Strap
Myer's Jamaican Rum. Tart Pomegranate. Sultanas. Smooth Ginger Beer.
A modern twist on the Rum "Black Strap" of the 1920's.
Su said it tasted like "a mojito without the mint", and we all thought the presentation of this one was especially novel.

Despite the unfortunate crowd, we still had a good night, and I definitely think that Der Raum is one of Melbourne's best cocktail bars, with amazingly crafted drinks. It's certainly the most innovative cocktail bar that I've been to. They sometimes hold events, like degustations and tastings, which would be well worth attending. I would recommend visiting on a quieter evening - perhaps a weeknight, or for after-work drinks on a Friday before it gets too crowded and you're jostling with a huge crowd, many of whom just want to order bottles of Beck's. (Such a waste!) That way you'd be able to sit down, have a chat with the bartenders, get an insight into the cocktails, and really appreciate the effort and thought that goes into them.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Three Sweet P's (a giveaway)

Sweet P #1:

Pink Polka Dot Martini Glasses (that you can WIN!)

{How CUTE are these?!?!? For martinis, dessert, ICE CREAM?!? *swoon*}


Sweet P #2:

Pampered Chef! These martini glasses are from The Pampered Chef's Help Whip Cancer campaign. In May, when you purchase any product from their Whip Cancer collection, they donate $1 to the American Cancer Society.

I love that this takes place in May, just in time for Mother's Day! (I lost my mom to cancer 10 years ago.) Since 2000, The Pampered Chef has raised nearly $8 MILLION for the American Cancer Society.


Sweet P #3:

*Pink* Lemon Angel Cake

The recipe comes from The Pampered Chef, and you guys, it is delicious!!! It would be perfect for a baby or bridal shower, Mother's Day or a neighborhood cookout. It's a really light cake with a sweet and tart lemon glaze. Mmmmm....

{Because it's Angel Food cake, I can somehow convince myself it's ok to have 2 pieces at one sitting.}

Pink Lemon Angel Cake
(adapted from the Pampered Chef)

pink gel paste food coloring (or 5 drops liquid red coloring)
1 box Angel Food cake mix
3 lemons
2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. Cool Whip
raspberry sauce (for frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed...I couldn't find those)

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together a drop or 2 of pink gel food coloring in the amount of water called for on the box of cake mix.

Follow the instructions on the box for mixing the cake. Pour into a 13 x 9" pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is golden on the top and slightly sunken in the middle.

Invert pan into a cooling rack and let it cool (upside down) for about 1 & 1/2 hours.

Zest the lemons. Juice lemons to equal 1/3 c. lemon juice. Whisk the zest, juice and powdered sugar until smooth.

Flip cake back to right-side up. Poke holes in the cake with a fork, about 1 & 1/2 inches deep and 1/2 inch apart.

Pour glaze over the cake and spread across evenly. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes.

Cut cake and serve with raspberry sauce (or thawed raspberries in syrup) and top with whipped topping. To be extra fancy, transfer whipped topping to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. :)

{Of course, this cake would be just as good without the pink coloring, but the pink does make it fun!}

---

The giveaway:

• To enter, tell a story about your mom (or someone who has been a mother figure to you) in the comments. (I'm really looking forward to your stories!)
  
• For an additional entry, tweet the following: "Pink Polka Dot Martini Glasses giveaway from The Pampered Chef & @bakeat350tweets #WhipCancer http://ow.ly/1FWTC "
  ...and leave a separate comment letting me know you tweeted. :)

Giveaway ends May 9th at 8pm Central.

{I was not compensated by The Pampered Chef for this post...I just wanted to spread the word about their Help Whip Cancer campaign and I wanted one of you guys to have those darling glasses!!! Good luck!}

Sweet P #1:

Pink Polka Dot Martini Glasses (that you can WIN!)

{How CUTE are these?!?!? For martinis, dessert, ICE CREAM?!? *swoon*}


Sweet P #2:

Pampered Chef! These martini glasses are from The Pampered Chef's Help Whip Cancer campaign. In May, when you purchase any product from their Whip Cancer collection, they donate $1 to the American Cancer Society.

I love that this takes place in May, just in time for Mother's Day! (I lost my mom to cancer 10 years ago.) Since 2000, The Pampered Chef has raised nearly $8 MILLION for the American Cancer Society.


Sweet P #3:

*Pink* Lemon Angel Cake

The recipe comes from The Pampered Chef, and you guys, it is delicious!!! It would be perfect for a baby or bridal shower, Mother's Day or a neighborhood cookout. It's a really light cake with a sweet and tart lemon glaze. Mmmmm....

{Because it's Angel Food cake, I can somehow convince myself it's ok to have 2 pieces at one sitting.}

Pink Lemon Angel Cake
(adapted from the Pampered Chef)

pink gel paste food coloring (or 5 drops liquid red coloring)
1 box Angel Food cake mix
3 lemons
2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. Cool Whip
raspberry sauce (for frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed...I couldn't find those)

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together a drop or 2 of pink gel food coloring in the amount of water called for on the box of cake mix.

Follow the instructions on the box for mixing the cake. Pour into a 13 x 9" pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is golden on the top and slightly sunken in the middle.

Invert pan into a cooling rack and let it cool (upside down) for about 1 & 1/2 hours.

Zest the lemons. Juice lemons to equal 1/3 c. lemon juice. Whisk the zest, juice and powdered sugar until smooth.

Flip cake back to right-side up. Poke holes in the cake with a fork, about 1 & 1/2 inches deep and 1/2 inch apart.

Pour glaze over the cake and spread across evenly. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes.

Cut cake and serve with raspberry sauce (or thawed raspberries in syrup) and top with whipped topping. To be extra fancy, transfer whipped topping to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. :)

{Of course, this cake would be just as good without the pink coloring, but the pink does make it fun!}

---

The giveaway:

• To enter, tell a story about your mom (or someone who has been a mother figure to you) in the comments. (I'm really looking forward to your stories!)
  
• For an additional entry, tweet the following: "Pink Polka Dot Martini Glasses giveaway from The Pampered Chef & @bakeat350tweets #WhipCancer http://ow.ly/1FWTC "
  ...and leave a separate comment letting me know you tweeted. :)

Giveaway ends May 9th at 8pm Central.

{I was not compensated by The Pampered Chef for this post...I just wanted to spread the word about their Help Whip Cancer campaign and I wanted one of you guys to have those darling glasses!!! Good luck!}

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Birthday gifts!

Hello everybody! Sorry about the lack of posts lately, I have been super busy... moving house! We've spent the last 2 weeks doing all that fun stuff like setting up the phone lines, struggling with Ikea instructions, moving things from my parents' house and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. All grown up and it only took 26 years.

Now that the internet is set up, I can get back to blogging. I have got heaps of posts to go through, as I've been baking heaps and testing out the new oven. There were muffins, there were Anzac biscuits, there was banana bread, and a couple of roast chickens.

It also happened to be my birthday last week, which involved cocktails at Der Raum and an amazing dinner at The Point. These are all coming up soon, but in the meantime, let's have a look at some wonderful foodie presents I got for my birthday.

Sandra got me a bottle of champagne...

... and David Lebovitz' new cookbook!
I am a big fan of David Lebovitz', having made a couple of recipes from his lovely blog. I was particularly keen on this book when I realised his ultimate chocolate chip recipe was in it. And how good does that ganache look?

A couple of spa vouchers from Sandra and my parents. It's my dream to be an international spa tester, and these will help me on my way, hehe.

My friend An brought me down a selection of breads and pastries from my favourite bakery in Canberra- Silo - all carried in a big stripey shopping bag from Canberra's The Essential Ingredient.
There was 'homemade sourdough', sourdough rye...
...and 4 tarts! The one on the right was strawberry with frangipane, and the rest had an eggy custard with fruits (blackberry, blueberry, peach). Delicious.

My bro is currently teaching English in Japan, and he sent me over three cookbooks.
The first one is about beautiful plating - the rules and tricks for assembling beautiful meals.

Next, we have "300 bento dishes that you don't have to make in the morning".
Tsumeru dake! Just assemble! I love how pretty this book is.

Finally we have Potager Patisserie's "Sweets made from seasonal vegetables".
"Recipes from the original shop are now open to the public. These new sweets are great for women! Vegetables from the four seasons are transformed to be cute and healthy!"

There are lots of interesting recipes in there, like lotus root and white chocolate brownie, white asparagus Swiss roll, and okra iles flotantes. Very very cool!

Su got me this super-cute hot water bottle and some much-needed oven mitts.
I love the puffy little tail on the bear!

Kristine, apart from cooking an amazing lamb curry on my birthday night, also got me a cute Babushka mug!
Although they're supposed to be Babushka (yaya!), the mug reminds me of the Malay ladies back home wearing colourful baju kurung.

My friend Clarice in Paris sent over a tin of my favourite tea - Mariage Frères Marco Polo tea. How lovely is the tin?
On the way over, the folks at customs opened up the packet so a little of the precious tea had spilled, but it was otherwise unharmed.

Adri and George got me a huge Friends-style mug, with a packet of Morning Pop tea - black tea with real bits of vanilla beans. It's absolutely delicious, and wonderful for afternoon tea, as the vanilla flavour really complements any cake or biscuit.


Finally we have a beautiful crystal fruit bowl that Thanh got me. Oooh, shiny! For his birthday (a few days after mine), Sandra & I made him a huge black forest cake, which was a headache and a half! That will be blogged soon too.



So, now I'm back, and there are lots more blogposts to come up soon!

Hello everybody! Sorry about the lack of posts lately, I have been super busy... moving house! We've spent the last 2 weeks doing all that fun stuff like setting up the phone lines, struggling with Ikea instructions, moving things from my parents' house and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. All grown up and it only took 26 years.

Now that the internet is set up, I can get back to blogging. I have got heaps of posts to go through, as I've been baking heaps and testing out the new oven. There were muffins, there were Anzac biscuits, there was banana bread, and a couple of roast chickens.

It also happened to be my birthday last week, which involved cocktails at Der Raum and an amazing dinner at The Point. These are all coming up soon, but in the meantime, let's have a look at some wonderful foodie presents I got for my birthday.

Sandra got me a bottle of champagne...

... and David Lebovitz' new cookbook!
I am a big fan of David Lebovitz', having made a couple of recipes from his lovely blog. I was particularly keen on this book when I realised his ultimate chocolate chip recipe was in it. And how good does that ganache look?

A couple of spa vouchers from Sandra and my parents. It's my dream to be an international spa tester, and these will help me on my way, hehe.

My friend An brought me down a selection of breads and pastries from my favourite bakery in Canberra- Silo - all carried in a big stripey shopping bag from Canberra's The Essential Ingredient.
There was 'homemade sourdough', sourdough rye...
...and 4 tarts! The one on the right was strawberry with frangipane, and the rest had an eggy custard with fruits (blackberry, blueberry, peach). Delicious.

My bro is currently teaching English in Japan, and he sent me over three cookbooks.
The first one is about beautiful plating - the rules and tricks for assembling beautiful meals.

Next, we have "300 bento dishes that you don't have to make in the morning".
Tsumeru dake! Just assemble! I love how pretty this book is.

Finally we have Potager Patisserie's "Sweets made from seasonal vegetables".
"Recipes from the original shop are now open to the public. These new sweets are great for women! Vegetables from the four seasons are transformed to be cute and healthy!"

There are lots of interesting recipes in there, like lotus root and white chocolate brownie, white asparagus Swiss roll, and okra iles flotantes. Very very cool!

Su got me this super-cute hot water bottle and some much-needed oven mitts.
I love the puffy little tail on the bear!

Kristine, apart from cooking an amazing lamb curry on my birthday night, also got me a cute Babushka mug!
Although they're supposed to be Babushka (yaya!), the mug reminds me of the Malay ladies back home wearing colourful baju kurung.

My friend Clarice in Paris sent over a tin of my favourite tea - Mariage Frères Marco Polo tea. How lovely is the tin?
On the way over, the folks at customs opened up the packet so a little of the precious tea had spilled, but it was otherwise unharmed.

Adri and George got me a huge Friends-style mug, with a packet of Morning Pop tea - black tea with real bits of vanilla beans. It's absolutely delicious, and wonderful for afternoon tea, as the vanilla flavour really complements any cake or biscuit.


Finally we have a beautiful crystal fruit bowl that Thanh got me. Oooh, shiny! For his birthday (a few days after mine), Sandra & I made him a huge black forest cake, which was a headache and a half! That will be blogged soon too.



So, now I'm back, and there are lots more blogposts to come up soon!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad