Jordan's Birthday Cake

Thought I'd share some birthday cake with you.

 Vanilla Buttercake with Toffee Hazelnuts or:

Chocolate Pavlova with Raspberry Cream and Chocolate Shards

Cooking = Creating

I'm still continuing on with my little business, Gourmet@Home.  A personal chef service where I come and cook a delicious dinner party for you and your friends in the comfort of your own home.  I think this is a just another channel for my creative juices.  I love food with a passion and seeing people enjoying good food cooked with love (sounds Corny I know) in their own happy environment is just a lovely thing to do.  So while my little business isn't exactly a multi-million dollar conglomerate I am happy doing what I'm doing.

Allow me to show you some of the food I have just recently done for a Girls night in for a 50th birthday.  Tapas was the order of the day:

 Vodka marinated Kingfish Ceviche

 Arancini Balls on a bed of chargrilled capsicum with Garlic Aioli and Crispy Jamon

 Andalusion Style Pork and Garlic Aioli

 Grilled Scallops on Smoky Chorizo

Garlic Prawns

Salutè!!

Place of inspiration

 Witlof with soft cheese and Nashi pear

 Buckwheat Blini with Smoked Salmon

I did a little job for Trin last night.  She opened her shop for here VIP customers and generously offered food and champagne.  What a lovely person she is.  I only have to walk in the door of her shop to feel the waves of inspiration wash over me.

Come sit, stay, talk awhile

Hi,
Life is hectic isn't it?  I'd love you to come and have a cuppa with me.  Look I've baked a cake!  Drop in and have a chat.  I'd love to hear what you've been up to.

I just dozed off for a minute

Well I know its been a while.  I took a short break ok?  My little business (Gourmet@Home) has been keeping me a little busy not to mention a little lack lustre in the creative department.  As  some of you may or may not know I have started a "personal chef" business and I'm starting to get a few jobs.  Not many but enough to keep me off the streets.  I love it!  So far I have done a lunch party for Eric who turned 90.  A surprise party for 15 people with a 3 course menu, a staff incentive lunch for 15 people and a VIP day serving Hot Chocolate and Churros.  Quite diverse hey?  So if you hate cooking but love entertaining I'm the person for you.  I'm on facebook so if you'd like to see some photos please visit.  Meanwhile here's some little ones.

Tobie Me and the Good Food Show

 Chicken Prawn in a Thai Broth from Jill Dupleix

 Salmon & Wonton Stack from Jill Dupleix

Came home tired but happy.  What a wonderful day at the Good Food Show at Darling Harbour.  Yeah you can argue that it was expensive to get in but what with all the generous give aways it was worth it.  Got to see some great chefs in action and some great products tasted, and didn't have to buy lunch, great wine.  Best of all I got to snuggle up to Tobie!

A little quiet here

Things have been a little quiet here, creatively speaking. Apart from the gentle wizzing sound of the baby, spoken about previously, and, I might add not yet properly named, HEY I just had an epiphany! Maybe I'll just call the Kitchenaid BABY, you know "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" I like it. Anyhooooo, I have been baking not making. This little tart above is called Orange Marscarpone & Date Tart. Would you like the recipe? Just email me and I'll gladly send it. Served with Caramel Oranges YUM!

I met Luke

As most of you know I am a Vietnamese foody. Well I met my nemisis on Friday and have the photos to prove it! Hubby and I had a beautiful 5 course lunch at Red Lantern in Surry Hills. The food was spectacular but the hilight, no not the service, which was spectacular, not the beautifully cooked and presented food, but seeing LUKE NGUYEN! He actually served us our meal and explained all the ingredients! I fully recommend you go, but word of warning, its a 10 week wait. Here's a few photo's to whet your appetite.

Passionfruit Soufflè

Yep I think it worked!! The recipe said serves 1 so I doubled it. Turned out it served 2 so four soufflès later.... but it gave me some practice with timing and temperatures and it gave hubby 2 desserts!!! So who's complaining????? I used Neil Perry's version on Lifestyle Food. It even comes with a video.

Are you eating???

Hubby has gone to Cambodia. A well deserved holiday. What about me you ask? Well I had my holiday back in October with some of my gorgeous gal pals. What a blast! So hubby has gone with our darling son and his girlfriend and I'm sure they'll have a blast too. It suddenly hit me though that I wouldn't be sharing this seclusion with my beautiful Narla. Coming home is the worst, not seeing her waiting to be let in at the back door. I'll just have to cook. I had a beautiful morning going to our local food markets, and yet I bought way too much food for one person. All the stuff that hubby doesn't like. Stay tuned to see what I whip up! Oh by the way, loving everyones comments. Now I'm only looking after me, I thought I might make another tag to give away. Again stay tuned.

Busy Days

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting and Pistachio Persian Fairy Floss and Red Sprinkles
Emma's Card

Abbie's Card

Greek Lamb Burger & Jess

Chorizo & Haloumi Burger

Just had a few busy days with my little nieces, Abbie and Emma. It was lovely to have some time with them as they have just returned from living in Dubai. Looking back over the photos, I didn't realize we did so much! Fortunately for me they lurrrrvve to do all the things that Aunty Rossy lurrrvvves to do. We finished off the visit with a trip to Newtown to see cousin Jess and partner Lachlan and do lunch. Check the size of these burgers! We went to MOO. Needless to say, we won't be eating dinner.

At Risk

Flash fried Scallops on a bed of Chorizo and Red Capsicum

At the risk of turning this into a foodie blog I really have to share this recipe we had for our entree at christmas lunch.

It was quite simple really. You just finely chop chorizo, chargrilled red capsicum and onion and fry in a little butter, garlic and smoked paprika. Clean the pan and add a little oil (and butter if you like) and heat until really hot. Quickly flash fry the scallops on each side. Spoon Chorizo onto cleaned scallop shells and top with scallops and dust with something green. These little darlings tasted divine and we're quite filling so don't be tempted (like me) and serve too many aspecially if its going to be an entree.

Little Cherry Tarts

How gorgeous! I did make these to give away as gifts to my friends but they didn't get passed the front door.

Just another little treat

Salmon and Prawn Timbale with a Champagne Sabayon

I won't bore you with the whole menu but I'll just show you one of the entrees and that will be it.

Or maybe you'd like chocolate!

This little decadent number is for my gluten free friends. No flour, yes thats right no flour but definately not weight watchers! Oh and it also has a chocolate sour cream icing.

Do you eat your desert first??

I know you all have been very patient with me so every now and then I'll give you a treat! Here's a little sample of what's been keeping me busy and away from my blog! I give you Steamed Pudding with Ginger Syrup and a Lemon Aspen Cream. This is part of my menu for the Preview Restaurant for next year. I'll let you have your desert first if your really really good. Thanks for looking! PS I'm happy to give out the recipe.

It's time I came back

Hi everyone. I'm back. I can't make any excuses, just laziness. It's not that I haven't been active, just not active in a creative way. Some days life just gets in the way. I'm not complaining mind. My clever hubby loves to carve things. Of course with me doing the foody thing it was only a matter of time before he embraced the concept of cooking even if it isn't quite what I had in mind. Here are a couple of pictures of what he's been doing.

Food Glorious Food!

Of course you have to have a salad.

I told you didn't I? Food seems to be my focus these days. Sad really, I wish it was different. So here we are with a couple of pix of this magnificant beast that Kev caught on Monday. I was a little sad about eating him, but only for a moment, I explained to him just before we popped him into the freezer for a little sleep, that we would be respectful to his existance and relish his flesh and hey this was an experience we just couldn't afford in a restaurant! I always maintain that if asked, my perfect meal and last dying wish for food would be -: freshly caught crab, cooked up humanly by my darling hubby, eaten that night with a bottle of white wine (doesn't have to be expensive) crusty bread, real butter all devoured in the comfort of my own abode and of course most importantly, in my pyjamas. What is your thoughts on the subject!! What is it that your perfect meal would be. I'd love here about it.

Very satisfying

My friends Merridy and Des have an awesome veggie garden. Yesterday she dropped over some gorgeous tomatoes. Well I must admit gorgeous looking they may not be, but tasty.....yeah! I took Merridy's advice though and turned them from this

to this
and finally to this....YUM!

You have to admit there's just something fully satisfying about making your own pasta sauce to serve with freshly made pasta. Don't you agree??

Fig Salami??? No meat products in sight!!

Walnut, Prune and Ginger Fig and Walnut

Thought you all might like to share a recipe for a change. For the last couple of years I have been whipping up these little nuggets for gifts and in some cases I have been known to have made a small cottage industry out of selling them in great numbers! Don't be fooled into thinking they are actually salami, its just a play on words LOL! I weight them out at about 150 to 200grams and each batch makes about 4 to 5 logs. Word of warning though, if you are serving them on a lovely cheese platter, cut them into thin slices and arrange them creatively as they could look a little like doggies do do if you don't!

The Recipes:

PRUNE & GINGER SALAMI
440g pitted prunes
100g pitted dates
40g crystallized ginger
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon mixed spice
2 tablespoons Port
Icing sugar

Blend prunes and dates together. Add ginger, vanilla, mixed spice and port. Mix together.
Divide mixture into 4. Sift icing sugar onto some cling wrap. Place one piece of mixture onto cling wrap and roll mixture until approx. 12cm x 5cm. Wrap in foil and leave in a cool place.Serve on a cheese platter with a strong cheese such as pecorino.


FIG & WALNUT SALAMI
500g moist dried figs
100g pitted dates
40g crystallized ginger (optional)
chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon mixed spice
2 tablespoons port
Icing sugar

Blend figs, ginger and dates together. Add walnuts, vanilla, mixed spice and port. Mix together.
Divide mixture into 4. Sift icing sugar onto some cling wrap. Place one piece of mixture onto cling wrap and roll mixture until approx. 12cm x 5cm. Wrap in foil and leave in a cool place.Serve on a cheese platter with a strong cheese such as pecorino.