May good fortune and the weather gods shine on you wherever you are.
I am heartened to see things opening up, cruise ships allowed back into Australia and planning proceeding well for my hosted tours later in the year. It was also poignant, yet rewarding, to interview three candidates for the individual award for The Blair Milan Memorial Fund. It’s been very challenging for Theatre/Media students with Covid in the last two years preventing them from being able to have performances and interact with one another – an important part of their course. We had three worthy candidates, all with something different to offer: teaching, regional theatre and set building. As is so often the case I would have liked to be able to award them all something but the winner was Leila Broughton who both wrote an excellent application and interviewed very well. Congratulations and may you do Blair’s memory proud.
We also broke with tradition in awarding the funds for the Blair Milan Touring Prize to Theatre/Media alumnae againtouring their incredible show Schapelle Schapelleto Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The premiered in Orange and start in Melbourne as I write this newsletter. There will be a night in Sydney which will raise funds for the Blair Milan Fund so watch this space if you live here.
The photo (above) is one I posted for TBT (Throw Back Thursday) 14 September 2004 the Great Women Chefs of Australia dinner. I was one of the chefs and also MC. I cooked Steamed Murray Cod with Black Bean & Tapenade Dressing on Rapa and Fennel for 400. This was the 3rd of these great dinners and it was the lack of leading female chefs to follow which led me to approach then Minister for Women Sandra Nori and we started the Tasting Success female chef mentoring programme in 2007 with TAFE. I am thrilled, after not being able to hold this with the Covid lockdowns that we are again interviewing on Monday for suitable applicants whom I will match with a leading chef mentor.
On a more cheerful note, I was lucky enough to attend the opening night of Chicagoin Wollongong by talented local SoPopera company. I have been going to their shows for years and they never disappoint. Great location with every seat in the theatre a good one. Outstanding performers Scott Radburn in male lead. Costumes, staging, design, direction, production, orchestra and performers all outstanding.
Please stay in the loop onFacebookandInstagramor email me with any requests or comments.
Lyndey
L:Cast & crew of Chicago and R: with my friend Cheryl Radburn
Now read on or scroll down, remember there’s something for everyone in this newsletter wherever you are in the world.
Most people find stir fries a quick, easy mid-week meal to please all the family. However, there are some tips and tricks to ensure yours will always be fabulous so here’s my YouTube Video How to make the perfect stir fry.
I love passionfruit and when there is a glut of them have even been known to freeze them in ice cube trays, to then put in freezer bags and easily defrost at will. Gorgeous on top of strawberries and yoghurt for breakfast – or dessert. These Passionfruit and Lime Cupcakesare quick and simple to make, perfect for a little treat, to freeze or even for the lunchbox.
There’s something very appealing about Greek food. I know I have a soft spot for it, but it is also a cuisine which can appeal to just about everybody, so here’s my Greek-style Pork Cutlet with Skordalia, Fennel and Broadbean Salad, Grilled Flatbread. Enjoy.
Greek-style Pork Cutlet with Skordalia, Fennel and Broadbean Salad, Grilled Flat Bread
Lobster Tail Blog
Lobster Tail and asparagus ready for the griller
I’m a bit late with it, but as promised last week I have just published my step-by-step blog on how to prepare and cook your own lobster tail.Lobster Tails with Lemon Herb Butter are quick and easy to prepare. I also find them sweeter and more tender than large lobster. I was able to buy some Australian ones online, ready cleaned, individually packed and snap-frozen from FishMe.
When you choose seafood with the blue fish label (for sustainably caught wild seafood) or the green fish label (for responsibly farmed seafood) you’re choosing a future full of fish forever
Listen Australian Farmers present a weekly podcast Telling Our Story. Hosted by television presenter and journalist, Angie Asimus, it’s dedicated to connecting farmers with health conscious consumers and ethically minded shoppers. To learn more about the food we eat and the fibre we wear via an exclusive look behind the farm gate. You will find them here. Cook Grilled Zucchini and buffalo Mozarella SaladAnd, while we’re on the topic of zucchinis SBS has publishedTen zucchini recipes that don’t totally zucc they very kindly feature my Gluten-free Carrot & Zucchini Slab Cakewith the comment that it is lovely and light and tender – and a good one for kids who are tricky about vegetables.
Share Sixth Sustainable Seafood Awards Australia. Thanks toEativity Newsletterfor pointing this out.. TheMarine Stewardship Counciland theAquaculture Stewardship Councilhave announced the winners of the sixthSustainable Seafood Awards Australia. Best Sustainable Seafood Product went toBidfood’s new Nordic Select Salmon range. Best Sustainable Seafood Product in the wild catch category was won byALDIfor its Ocean Rise Skinless and Boneless Pink Salmon. Other notable wins includedTassal, which won the Above and Beyond Award for its Responsible Business Roadmap focusing on reducing plastic waste; and South Australia’sYumbah Aquaculture, which won Best Responsible Producer. Coles was named Best Sustainable Seafood Supermarket in 2022, a title they’ve held since 2017. This outstanding achievement acknowledges Coles’ wide range of MSC-labelled products as well as its commitment to communicating the message behind the blue fish tick to its team members and to the wider public. Read the full list of 2022 winners here. It’s just been Sustainable Seafood Week and you can also watch some IGTV videos of chefs cooking with sustainable seafood.
Baba’s Place
The delightfully quirky, authentic interior of Baba’s Place with my goddaughter Kate who is cooking there
Go figure. I have a delightful goddaughter, born on my birthday, who shares many of my personality traits. Although she trained in another field entirely, working casually in cafes has now brought her to Baba’s Placewhere she is cooking – her responsibility starters and desserts. I couldn’t be more proud. No-one in the kitchen is a trained chef (which is not to say they are not wonderfully talented) and I am so pleased Kate has enrolled at TAFE to complement her working experience.
Bizzarely located in a warehouse in Marrickville, the co-founders Alex Kelly and Jean Paul El Tom have transformed the interior to reflect their Macedonian and Lebanese heritage. Well, Baba means Grandma. I was enchanted by the decor –baba-style clear vinyl covered sofas, doily under plastic on tables, family photos and lace curtains in the windows. They are honouring their families and what it was like to grow up as migrants in Western Sydney. They have been joined by other friends and family members and service is warm, friendly and there is a delightful buzz. I am pleased to note a friendly, yet hard-working kitchen.
Cuisine-wise they share much too with a delightful cross-over and flavours which work really well together and somehow ring both true and unique.
The labne comes from a 30 year old culture from Lebanon served in a pool of garlic chive oil with moreish fried Afghan bread. Taramasalata on toast is not nearly so simple as it sounds. Real (not awful pink coloured) taramasalata is piped on the white toast (shokupan is the most popular bread in Japan translated as “eating bread”) praline bottarga and whey pickle.
L: House labne, garlic chive oil + fried Afghan bread and R: Taramasalata on toast – shokupan + praline bottarga + whey pickle
An absolutely outstanding dish was a seemingly simple Fremantle Octopus – raspberry + lemon + thyme. Marinated, it was simply finished on the char grill, sliced and served. Tender, smoky and delicious.
I had to try something called Bouillabaisse bolognese – shanghai noodles + prawn/bacon (XO) lamb + smoked koji + cucumber/shallots. How could I not? It seems like such a wrong cultural mix but it was I who was wrong. It really delivered on flavour and appeal. The Shanghai-style noodles were bouncy, properly tossed through lamb ragù with prawn head stock and a kind of XO sauce of fresh prawns, bacon and fermented chilli paste. Japanese shio-koji, smoked and infused in oil completes the global flavours. All finished with fresh prawns, lots of finely sliced green onions and lime. A fantastically complete taste sensation.
Fortunately we shared and there was so many other fabulous tastes like Hummus with lacto mushrooms, honey hazelnuts and parsley oil, Crisp roast chicken with celeriac toum, fermented garlic caramel + jus + marjoram and a really delightful Seasonal Salad of shredded iceberg, with tomato, purslane, golden peach, white onion and a chardonnay/pomegranate dressing (great vinaigrette Kate). Mini pav with figs, plum caramel and house cream was a refreshing dessert.
The wine list featuring some from Lebanon, Eastern Europe and Australia concentrates too much on “natural” or “orange” wines for my taste. But there is always beer. I’ll be back and it’s not only because of Kate. It’s a fun night out.
With my friend Maggie Beer in our Flame Studio Sydney. You will meet her on the tour
Things are so disrupted in the world of travel that we are exploring several potential dates for this tour. You will be the first to hear once all is settled.
The information on the website will be updated once reconfirmed. PH 1800 001 778 or email directadmin@insightvacations.com.au
This trip will see us travel from Rabat the capital, to spiritual Meknes and Fes, and to Marrakech the red city. On the way you will explore the archaeological site of Volubilis, visit a Berber village in the Atlas Mountains, and relax by the coast in tranquil Essaouira. You’ll discover the delicacies of Moroccan and French food, dine in local eateries through to upmarket restaurants, and experience the making and flavours of Moroccan dishes during cooking classes. Luxury accommodation is in charming, authentic riads, sometimes in exclusivity. Only 10 – 12 guests.
Details of the adventure include:
Meals as per itinerary: breakfast daily, 9 lunches, 11 dinners with ½ bottle of wine per person at dinner or sometimes lunch
Transportation throughout in luxury air-conditioned vehicles with professional experienced English-speaking driver, including related expenses and allowing for physical distancing
English-speaking escort
English-speaking local licensed guides in Rabat, Volubilis, Meknes, Fes, Marrakech and Essaouira with all entrance fees included to the sites visited with the guides
Atlas excursion including mules and the specialist trek guide
3 cooking classes
You can enjoy this experience from AUD $9600 per person twin share (flights from Australia not included). Cost for single travelers is AUD$10,700.
By Prior Arrangement is highly experienced and well-known in Morocco as Principal, Carol Prior lived there for 13 years and has been arranging tours there for over 30. I have confidence in working with them to bring this very special tour into being. Talk to them about the trip, or feel free to email me with any queries. I am excited!
Read Where to Eat Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in Rabat.
Puglia in the boot of the heel of Italy is still relatively unspoiled. A secret Italians tend to keep to themselves, it is a wonderful place to visit and so much less crowded than Tuscany. Join me and share an unforgettable week of culinary and cultural exploration. Think hands-on bread, cheese making and cooking class; visits to wineries, olive farm, tours of UNESCO sites Alberobello & Matera & other cultural centres with local guides. All sensational meals and wines included. You only need money for the very inexpensive shopping you will find there.
Group size: an intimate 8-16 places only
Lodging in authentic, family-run noble estates and palaces
Operated by: Local Puglia specialist Southern Visions Travel: the leading experiential travel company in Southern Italy
Full brochurehere
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