The Rise and Rise of Hairy Canary.....and Sourdough.

I can't believe it! Hairy Canary, one of the first ever cafes (well, its more than a cafe really) that I visited in Melbourne way back in 2000 (well before the dream of moving here had become a reality), turns 15 this year!!!! That's a great feat for a Melbourne dining spot and one that really has stayed true to its traditions. It's look, feel and overall concept hasn't changed in all that time - and as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I have actually been there twice this week - once with my Sydney friend Monique and her daughter, Madison and the second time to take rest whilst 'declaring my love for Melbourne' at Melbourne Open House.

I noticed on the menu that the kitchen made their own sourdough and it got me thinking about the rise....and rise of sourdough. Gone are the days of straight, stock standard wholemeal, wholegrain, multi-grain and white breads. It seems that sourdough is the preferred choice.

So, I thought I'd check out exactly what it is about sourdough that is making it so popular these days.

Sourdough is the oldest form of leavened bread in the world, dating back to 1500BC. In more modern times, San Francisco became a hub for the 'loaf' during the Gold Rush, and is now sold down at Fisherman's Wharf filled with chowder. In fact, saw this for myself when I was over there in 2009. It's a pity that the loaf is often thrown to the seagulls and not eaten. Seems to defeat the purpose of its goodness.

The way that bakers prepare bread now is very different to some 60 years ago. Some of the mainstream bakeries can now produce a loaf of bread in just 40 minutes! In the past, bakeries would run two shifts throughout the night because the dough was fermented properly and it needed time for this to occur...and manpower.

Free of commercial yeast, sourdough bread has an aroma and distinctive flavour all of its own and is naturally leavened by a fermented starter. Sourdough also has a mild effect on blood sugar, meaning that if you eat sourdough, it will not increase your blood sugar. This is great for Type 1 & 2 Diabetes sufferers.

Only when wheat gluten is properly fermented is it healthy for human consumption. When not it is potentially one of the most highly allergenic foods we eat. People with allergies to commercially yeasted breads may not have the same sensitivities to naturally leavened whole grain sourdough bread.

For the rest of us healthy folk, what's important for us to realise is that naturally leavened bread, because of its inherent beneficial ferments, slowly recreates the population of friendly lactobacillus digestive bacteria in the absorption tract. The end result is a recovery of digestion and proper elimination by the effective action of friendly bacteria. Numerous studies demonstrate that populations with the highest fibre intake have the lowest incidence of colon cancer.

Instead of supplying a recipe this blog edition, I'm going to recommend some of my favourite sourdough makers around the traps.

Melbourne:
Dench Bakers

Firebrand Sourdough

Irrewarra

Brisbane:
Sol Breads

Jocelyn's Provisions

Sydney:

Sonoma

Can you recommend any too??

Street Food - Pho the Love of It!

Hello again!

Firstly, can I assure you that I don't have an issue with my understanding of what number comes after what.

I've just noticed, upon reflecting on my 'seven blogs in seven days' that the sequencing of the posts seems to be a bit out of whack! I'm going to blame blogger as I can vouch for my own preparation of the said pieces. One comes before two, three four and so on.

But let's not ponder, let's move onto something different and talk about how we can expect our experience of dining out to change as the next phase of food trends embrace us.

We've all travelled, and to some pretty exotic and far away places no doubt. Most of the fun (for me at least) is seeing what the locals eat and in some instances tempting fate (and food poisoning) to try some of the local traditional dishes.

I remember being in Sweden and trying reindeer (poor Rudolph!!) and then eating cloudberries in Norway (oh, what an amazing taste sensation that was).

Closer to home, I just adore a trip down Victoria Street in Richmond (Melbourne) to sample some of the amazing offerings available at the many Vietnamese establishments. The far end of Victoria Street (furtherest away from the CBD), seems to offer the greatest throng of very basic looking eateries (I won't call them restaurants or cafes because I just don't think they are) where you can get some really amazing street food. One dish in particular that can take all of your cares and worries away is Pho (pronounced 'fur).

Pho is everything, all at once - hot, cold, raw, cooked, sweet and sour. Not because it has an identity crisis and can't decide what it wants to be, but more so because this is what the dish is all about....everything!

You start with a base broth which is traditionally beef but can be complemented with the alluring flavours of star anise, cloves and cinnamon. Cardamom can also be substituted.

The next essential addition is rice noodles which can either be fresh or dehydrated. These 'chunk' up the dish but do not detract from the alluring broth's flavour but rather enhance the dining experience.

Now it's time to construct a Pho that is unique to your requirements with the addition of a range of raw ingredients, in varying quantities (entirely up to you, the individual). It's like a smorgasbord at your table without the need for queuing. Who could ask for more...

Sliced beef or chicken and a series of garnishes - bean sprouts, spring onions, fresh chilli, Thai basil, coriander and the pièce de résistance, wedges of lemon or lime. As a result of the final addition of citrus zing, the dish is instantly transformed and offers the diner a cleansing and tangy kick into next week. Pho has been described as one of those dishes that makes life better. Here's a recipe to try to see if it does the trick for you.

Beef Pho (by Donna Hay with Iron Chef Shellie alterations)

375g flat rice noodles (similar to ones used in pad Thai)
1.5 litres beef stock or consomme
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 spring onion, cut into 0.5cm pieces (I like to cut mine using scissors)
200g eye fillet, cut paper thin (the best way to do this is to freeze, then cut with a very sharp blade)
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup Thai bail
2 small red chillies, sliced
Fish sauce lemon wedges, to serve

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and divide between serving bowls.

Place the stock, cinnamon, star anise and cardamon in a saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
Top the noodles with the spring onion, beef and pour over the stock. The stock will cook the raw eye fillet.

Top with the Thai basil, bean sprouts and chilli.

Add fish sauce and lemon or lime juice to taste.

Serves 4.

If you can't be bothered doing any of this at home, visit Co Do in Melbourne (on Victoria Street, Richmond of course) and enjoy a great splash of Asian street food!

Jazzing up a Rack of Lamb - BLOG SEVEN in SEVEN DAYS

Well, this is it! The end of my week of daily blogging, capturing a range of stories, facts and recipes. I hope you have enjoyed. This blog should be no exception as I bring to you a savoury offering that turns on of our favourite meats into a star performer.
If we believe Sam Kekovich, we Australian's love our lamb. In fact, it could be considered to be 'unAustralian' to NOT eat our fair share.
Well, I happen to know a number of people who aren't that partial to it. They find it too fatty, have a strong cooking smell and well, they would prefer to eat beef! I must agree, although the right cut is prepared correctly as it was done the other night at Escagrill , it can be a outstanding dish.
For a stunningly good looking presentation, a rack of lamb is a wonderful centrepiece at any special occasion, whether it be for two, or perhaps a party of six. We often see racks crusted up with herbs or the like, however this crusting is a little more Asian inspired and offers a tasty and moist variation. If you are peanut intolerant, this probably isn't for you. Perhaps substitute another nut like cashew (often available in paste form) or even some type of capsicum pesto.

Lamb portioning: allow four chops per person

For paste (covers 8 chops, serving 2 persons):
3 teaspoons soya sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
3 teaspoons tomato paste
3 teaspoons peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 teaspoon sugar
2 eschallots, finely chopped

Heat a medium sized frypan for 2 minutes with a brushing of olive oil.
Place the racks fat side down in the frypan and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove to a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Paste mixture evenly across the racks.
Bake in a preheated oven (180 degrees C) for around 25-30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the lamb to rest for a few minutes before cutting the racks to serve.
The lamb should be slightly pink.

My suggestion would be to serve with bok choy, stir fried and dressed in sesame seeds, and maybe honeyed carrots. A wonderful 'unAustralian' version of our so called favourite meat.

And.....avagoodweekend!

I'll see you in a week....! Not tomorrow, not in 24 hours, not Sunday... but next week. I need to sleep!!

Winter Warmer - BLOG SIX in SEVEN DAYS

We are now on the home stretch. Just one day to go beyond today before my SEVEN BLOG session comes to a close. I’m looking forward to my one a week blog returning soon as this has been a big effort, especially with so much else happening in my life. I’m still looking for that elusive full time job (missed out on one role and awaiting a final interview for another) so let’s hope that something ‘gives’ soon.

I feel as though I have been bombarding you with sweet treats, and this blog is no exception. I have been asked (thank you Helen) to recommend a good dessert recipe and given that it is winter across Australia (some areas cooler than others, 9 degrees in Melbourne this morning although felt like around 5 to me) I can’t help but think of something a bit stodgy and hearty and British desserts tick all of the boxes in this department.

I made this recipe a few years ago and it still sticks in my memory. Even though berries aren’t readily available during the winter, the frozen ones in the supermarket really are particularly good. You can also substitute other ‘seasonal’ fruits like apples (so many varieties to choose from), strawberries and even blood oranges. Just pick things that have a juice component to them as this helps with the cooking process. Apples are such a great baked item. I was in Hobart last weekend and the selection of apples and pears available at Salamanca Markets was spectacular. The great thing is that you can bring these back into Victoria (but Tassie is quite particular in the reverse, and no food items can be taken into their own State). On a side note, I even got to see the Gourmet Farmer, Matthew Evans, working hard at his staff. I’d seen him on the SBS series but to see him ‘for real’ was a treat. The other treat, was a visit to MONA on the Sunday. If you have any interest in contemporary and uninhibited art, then this is the place for you!

Fruit Cobbler Recipe (a Jamie Oliver classic)

Ingredients

For the fruit:

2 apricots, stoned and sliced

1 pear, cored and thickly sliced

1 pint blackberries

1 pint blueberries

1 pint raspberries

1 stick rhubarb

5 tablespoons sugar

A good glug balsamic vinegar

For the topping:

125g butter, chilled

225 grams self-rising flour

70 grams sugar

A large pinch salt

130 millilitres buttermilk (you can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to standard milk)

A little sugar, for dusting

Vanilla ice cream or double cream, as an accompaniment

Directions

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C. Put the fruit into a pan with the sugar and the balsamic vinegar. Put the pan over the heat, and cook gently, until the juices begin to run from the berries. Pour into an ovenproof dish.

Meanwhile make the topping. Rub the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the sugar and salt, stir well, and then add the buttermilk to form a loose, scone-type mixture. Roll balls of the dough and place randomly over the hot fruit. Sprinkle with a little sugar, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Triumphant Biscotti - BLOG FOUR in SEVEN DAYS

When we think of Italian food, we are more akin to think of pasta, pizza, antipasto and perhaps the famed Tiramisu.

However, after attending a top notch food and wine tasting recently, I discovered that sweet treats in the form of biscotti heralded my appreciation for the twice baked Italian bickie!

There are many variations of this nut filled biscuit, the traditional being with almonds. As with most almond filled Italian treats, amaretto is also used and I must admit, I'm not a big fan. It's the same as marzipan. Yick!!! I prefer to keep things a la natural and stick to a biscuit filled with almonds rather than any essence flavouring.

Other variations include pine nuts and even a scrummy one I tried in Brisbane with fennel seeds. Sounds interesting and it was - moorish in fact!A bit of history for you! The first documented recipe for the cake was found in a centuries-old manuscript, now preserved in the State of Prato. Depending on what region of Italy they come from, biscotti can be called cantuccini, usually suggesting origins from the Tuscany region.

It doesn't matter where the following variation comes from, it takes bloody fabulous every time I've made it. In fact, it has been given the name 'triumphant' courtesy of an old boss who scored some for Christmas last year. This is for you, Ted!

Hazelnut and Chocolate Biscotti

1 and 1/4 cups plain flour

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder or granules

80g toasted whole hazelnuts

120g good quality dark chocolate, broken into little chunks

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup castor sugar

2 small eggs, lightly beaten

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Put the flour, soda, powder and salt into a bowl.

Sift the coffee into the same bowl and whisk all of these ingredients together for 1 minute.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together for 6 minutes in total, scrapping down the side of the bowl during this process.

Drizzle in the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating after each addition. Do the same with the vanilla.

Reduce the speed and add the flour mixture, a bit at a time, until a soft dough forms.

Scrape dough onto a board and divide it in half.

Roll each half into a log shape about 26cm long. If the dough is a little sticky, chill for a short while to firm it up.

Transfer onto a prepared tray (preferably with baking paper) but make sure there is around 6-7cm between each log as during the cooking process, they will flatten and spread.

Bake for 35 minutes or until they begin to go golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Turn the oven down to 160 degrees C and line two more trays with baking paper.

The logs should still be a little warm when you begin to cut them into 7mm thick slices with a sharp knife. You may need to hold the logs quite firmly with your hands as you perform this process.

Lay the slices on the prepared baking trays and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.

Once this process is complete, leave the biscotti on the trays to cool completely and they will be crisp to touch once this has occurred.

The only hassle with this recipe is that you won't be able to stop eating them. Just think that the dark chocolate is good for you - that's how I justify it! Enjoy, literally!

Insist on Aussie Garlic! BLOG FIVE in SEVEN DAYS

I had some technical 'issues' yesterday which explains why you didn't get your Blog Four on time. Hopefully you are all still with me on this mini-epic journey of food discovery. Here's to Blog Five.....

Can you imagine being allergic to garlic?

I met a guy a few years ago now who had such an adverse reaction to the stuff, that he would be instantly sick. After consuming his fair share of Red Rooster garlic bread, when growing up, he is now off the stuff for life. I can't help but think that it has more to do with how the garlic is stored and treated to preserve its shelf life, than the actual clove itself.

Garlic is used in cuisines the world over, and with its popularity continuing to grow (12,000,000 tonnes is produced each year worldwide), today's consumer is better informed about its quality than ever before - and so we should be - we are, after all, putting it into our bodies.
Until about 20 years ago, Australia’s agricultural industry included garlic drops, but when China began importing garlic into the Australian market, our growers couldn’t compete with their price and the rest is history. Suddenly we the consumer were forced to eat a product that we didn’t know a great deal about, in terms of growth, harvest, production, treatment and storage.
It is widely known that imported garlic has to be fumigated with methyl bromide (by AQIS) and is often bleached. In China, chemicals banned in Australia are still being used to grow garlic and given that Australia imports 95% of our garlic from China, this is worrying information. As is the fact that Chinese garlic is gamma irradiated to prevent sprouting and is also sprayed with Maleic Hydrazide to extend shelf life.

Surely all of this can’t be good for us?!
The great news is that the Australian garlic market is back!!! With virus free garlic varieties from France now being cultivated, we have a real opportunity of ensuring that consumers (ie you and me!!!) have the opportunity to choose where our garlic comes from.
Damian Pike at Prahran Markets has a wonderful supply of Australian garlic – raw and real to look at, I can just imagine how good it tastes!

At a recent trip to Tasmania, I also saw plentiful supplies of Aussie garlic available at the Salamanca Markets.

Australia currently imports in the region of 10,000 tonnes of garlic per year with the majority of this coming from China but with an increasing amount is now from Spain, Argentina, Mexico and the USA. Unfortunately, much of this product does not conform to the production standards and procedures set for Australian growers.

Whole Roast Cloves of Garlic
This is the easy part.

Preheat an oven to 160 degrees C.

Lay a piece of alfoil out on a bench and put a whole knob of garlic into the centre.

Gently force open the top of the knob with either a knife or your fingers.

Pour a liberal amount of olive oil into the head and bring the alfoil up around it so capture the oil and create almost a confit cocoon!

Cook in the preheated oven for around 25 minutes and set aside once done.

Green pea soup with roast garlic creme fraiche

Ingredients

8 garlic cloves
180g (2/3 cup) creme fraiche, (King Island brand)
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
1 large brown onion, halved, chopped
500g fresh peas, shelled (or defrosted, frozen peas) – this also works with split peas
375ml (1 1/2 cups) chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Place roasted garlic cloves in a small bowl and lightly mash. Add creme fraiche and stir until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until required.
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add fresh or defrosted peas and chicken stock. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until the peas are bright green and tender. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
4. Pour the soup into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Taste and season with pepper.
5. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Top with a dollop of the roast garlic creme fraiche and sprinkle with pepper.