What Katie Ate Bumper Christmas ‘10 Edition
a very Merry christmas and best wishes for a wonderful, happy and prosperous New Year 2011
Featuring:
Nicole Franzen, Melina Hammer, Jim Lafferty, Candepop’s Rebecca Gill, The Sydney Picnic Company, Donal Skehan, Peter Bagi, Kristina Gill, Marie Schultz, Treehouse Sweets, Aboutlife and many other goodies
Well here it is folks
When I set out to do a larger than average posting on the blog this Christmas, one of the reasons I wanted to do so was so I could include some of the people who have been especially supportive to me over the period of the past eight months since I started up What Katie Ate.
I also decided to approach them in relation to this edition as they are all extremely talented people who so passionate about photography and put their heart and soul into every job they take on. Therefore collaborative I felt they could bring a little bit of extra sparkle to the post and who doesn’t love a bit of zing and magic at Christmas-time? Seeing as all these friends are situated all over the world and the readers of What Katie Ate too are scattered widespread over the 7 continents (I am SURE I have some readers in Antarctica,!), I thought an idea to have an article on ‘December in the City’ - as in ‘their city’ would be in a fun and interesting one. So throughout this edition you will be able to view and compare/contrast December and the run up to Christmas in the following capital cities; New York, London, Dublin, Rome and not forgetting my new and what I now think is without a doubt - the best city on the planet; Sydney. Thanks again for all the photos, to the ladies; Kristinas, Marie, Melina and Nicole, and the lads; Donal and Jim. Huge thanks too to my good and long-standing buddy; Rebecca, for writing a story which includes the little people of this world in What Katie Ate (and to Cal for being chief recipe tester)
... finally, I’ve uploaded the What Katie Ate bumper edition Christmas blog post and what a journey is has been.. I knew it would be big, but it’s turned into a monster! When I originally planned to do a ‘magazine style’ post months back, I never envisaged how busy I was to become workwise over the last few months. So juggling this Xmas post with work has been somewhat of a challenge to me and equated to a lot of very late nights (and early mornings) recently, but we have got there in the end! In 2011 I will be aiming to update the blog on a weekly basis, generally getting a new post up each Monday. I urge you to read through the contributors info pages starting at page 3 as these people and the idea behind their submissions are a huge part of this Xmas posting. Included in this issue is a look at some Sydney and Melbourne-based artisan Chocolatiers; a photo editorial on forwardthinking, health-focused organic Sydney supermarket chain ‘Aboutlife’; a selection of foodie goodies for anyone with a very young baby as Rebecca from baby blog ‘Candepop’ (candepop.tumblr.com) and her son Cal test ran some dinner ideas for baby’s first solid’s on Christmas Day; a look at Canadian foodie blogger and food photographer Peter Bagi’s new book ‘Get Cooking Simple Food’; a photo perspective of Dublin, London, New York, Brooklyn, Rome and Sydney in December and the run up to Christmas; a selection of cookie recipes submitted by readers of the blog; some general recipes including cherries - which are in abundance at this time of the year in Australia; one or two giveaways (thanks again Williams Sonoma); an article on fab Sydneybased company ‘The Sydney Picnic Co.”and various other bits and bobs.
Thanks too to all the readers who sent me recipes over the past while for consideration to be included in this feature posting. I tried my best to cook as many as I could with the time at hand and with the seasonal products I could get my paws on here in Sydney at this time of the year. Most importantly a HUGE thanks for all your ongoing support and encouragement in 2010. There are some very exciting things down the track planned for What Katie Ate in 2011, so I hope you’ll all continue to read the blog in the new year. If you’ve sent me a mail in the past 3-4 weeks, please excuse me for not replying, that’s next on my agenda, that is - after I enjoy a bottle of bubbly to celebrate all the work I and the people involved in this post have achieved in the past few weeks :) Enjoy Katie x
When I set out to do a larger than average posting on the blog this Christmas, one of the reasons I wanted to do so was so I could include some of the people who have been especially supportive to me over the period of the past eight months since I started up What Katie Ate. I also decided to approach them in relation to this edition as they are all extremely talented people who so passionate about photography and put their heart and soul into every job they take on. Therefore collaborative I felt they could bring a little bit of extra sparkle to the post and who doesn’t love a bit of zing and magic at Christmas-time? Seeing as all these friends are situated all over the world and the readers of What Katie Ate too are scattered widespread over the 7 continents (I am SURE I have some readers in Antarctica,!), I thought an idea to have an article on ‘December in the City’ - as in ‘their city’ would be in a fun and interesting one. So throughout this edition you will be able to view and compare/contrast December and the run up to Christmas in the following capital cities; New York, London, Dublin, Rome and not forgetting my new and what I now think is without a doubt - the best city on the planet; Sydney. Thanks again for all the photos, to the ladies; Kristinas, Marie, Melina and Nicole, and the lads; Donal and Jim. Huge thanks too to my good and long-standing buddy; Rebecca, for writing a story which includes the little people of this world in What Katie Ate (and to Cal for being chief recipe tester).
A huge thank
e contributor k you! x
USA
NICOLE FRANZEN nicolefranzen@gmail.com www.nicolefranzen.blogspot.com
Nicole Franzen is a food, travel and lifestyle photographer based out of Brooklyn, NY. I came across Nicole’s work originally a few years ago via an old work colleague and friend from Dublin. Since then I have developed a friendship with her and emails often zoom back and forth between us in Sydney and NYC. I have particularly enjoyed working with Nicole on the ‘Cities in December’ brief and am utterly respectful of her ongoing drive, determination and passion. I feel strongly one day (soon) I shall be saying “You know I knew Nicole before she was a super famous photographer megastar”. Nicole is available for freelance work upon inquiry. She writes the blog “La Buena Vida” which captures her daily life combining her love for cooking and photography. She is a firm believer in farm to table and supports seasonal and locally produced food. Nicole shot ‘December in the City - New York 1’
IRELAND
rebecca & cal www.candepop.tumblr.com
Becca is a long-standing school friend of mine from Dublin. We met when we were seven and developed a close friendship. We’ve shared many a memory - and many a bad dance move to Kenny Loggin’s ‘Footloose’ (note - when we were 9!). In December 2009 Rebecca and her husband Ed became parents for the very first time to a gorgeous little fella called Cal. He couldn’t ask for a better mum as Rebecca is one of the most natural and loving mothers I’ve ever encountered. When not looking after Cal, Becca writes a little blog; CANDEPOP (at times along with her friend Mary who has a little girl called Edie) featuring the nice and pretty things in the world that they would love for their babies and the odd adventurous day out and about. More than anything, as Becca puts it “it keeps my brain working!”. Rebecca has put together an article entitled ‘Baby’s First Solids Christmas Meal Ideas’
Melina HAMMER USA
melinaphotosnyc@gmail.com www.melinaphotos.com www.lickingtheplate.com
Melina is a New York City food and still life photographer whom I originally met about a year ago via the online photography site ‘Flickr’. Melina has always been very supportive to me since our initial correspondence and I don’t think I shall ever forget her generosity when I met her and her fabulous hubby Jim, during a US trip to NYC in September 2009. Upon meeting at a fab little Basque Tapas restaurant; ‘Txikito’ in Chelsea, Melina very kindly produced a series of little gifts for me including some antique spoons which I still to this day use in photoshoots. The last one was for a cookbook commission from a publishing house in San Francisco and when I look at the job the first thing I aways think is “That’s Melina’s spoon”. With a special penchant for vibrant food fresh from the harvest. As long as she can remember, food and its celebrations have been the high points in her life from hot fudge sundaes after ballet recitals as a child, to spontaneous dinner parties brainstormed with friends. Simple, resonant flavors and locales are her focus for the Holiday WKA feature. Melina shot ‘December in the City - New York 2’ along with Jim.
USA
jim lafferty www.jimlafferty.com
Cinéaste and filmmaker for a time. Tinkerer and inventor, too. Now, photography and little else. “I have a natural curiosity for figuring things out. I enjoy overcoming technical problems, and even more so have an affinity for people, collaboration, and laughter”
”I admire sincerity”. Jim shot ‘December in the City - New York 2’ along with his beautiful wife Melina.
Marie Schultz LONDON
www.marieschultz.co.uk www.facebook.com/siblingcities
Marie Schultz is a graphic designer who has a passion for photography. Originally from Adelaide, Marie moved to London in 2008. She now works on projects on opposite sides of the globe, coupling her strong graphic and photographic sensibilities. Marie has been awarded for her design work nationally, and in 2010 completed a Masters in Graphic Branding and Identity at the London College of Communication. Marie is currently collaborating with her sister Cathy Schultz on Sibling Cities, a project in which they document their lives in Adelaide and London through weekly photographic comparisons. Marie depicted the London leg of ‘December in the City’ and I was thrilled with her results. It’s always great to see a fellow graphic designer’s eye at work through the lens of a camera. I think most designers who pick up a camera have an inherent ability to see the smaller details in a scenario and are able to tell a story very well via a camera. Marie has also jotted down a few of her favourite haunts in London at this time of the year, be it for a enjoying quick pint in a cosy pub or grabbing a bite to eat.
IRELAND
donal skehan www.thegoodmoodfoodblog.com
Donal Skehan is a 23 year old home cook who writes and photographs food for a living. He began cooking from an early age and inspired by a family of foodies, food quickly became a way of life. During his teens he worked with his aunt Erica Ryan, one of Ireland’s top food stylists, and got the chance to work alongside some of Ireland’s top food photographers including Jocasta Clarke and Walter Pfeiffer. Donal runs his food blog, thegoodmoodfoodblog.com where he writes about his food adventures and recipes everyday. After only 6 months blogging, he was approached by Irish Publishing house, Mercier Press to write a cookbook based around the recipes on the blog. Good Mood Food was released in October 2009. Donal is currently working on his second cookbook, “Kitchen Hero” and is filming a 13 part TV series to be aired in 2011. He writes a weekly column in The Cork News, a monthly column in the Irish Independent and Irish Tatler magazine and updates his blog with new recipes on a daily basis. If that wasn’t all enough, aside from the culinary world Donal has also had 2 number one singles in the Irish music charts as a member of pop group Industry. Donal did an outstanding job making me pathetically homesick with his shots for ‘December in the City - Dublin’
USA
Kristina gill www.kristinagill.com
Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Kristina moved to Italy for work eleven years ago and is still plotting her escape from the circus. During most of the week she works in the field of development. In her spare time, she is the editor of the weekly ‘In the Kitchen With’ column at DesignSpongeonline.com and cookbook reviewer at the food blog MattBites.com. Her photography is available through ArtStream Studios Gallery in New Hampshire and will also be available on Etsy in the new year. It was originally via design*sponge that I met Kristina when she asked me to contribute to the ‘In the Kitchen With’. Since then she and I have shared many a laugh and a chingwag over the internet about life, love, photography and cookbooks... I look forward to possible meeting up for many a vino rosso in some gorgeous Rome bar (served by some gorgeous Roman waiter) when I make a trip to Italy in June 2011... Kristina took some shots for ‘December in the City’ around her now hometown of Rome.
What Katie Ate Christmas
Cookie Special A few months ago on the blog I asked readers to send me ideas for any recipes they would like to see featured in this Christmas edition. I received many wonderful mails and noticed quite a lot were cookies, so not being one to let a good opportunity slip me by, I decided I’d do a special cookie section, as after all, who doesn’t associate cookies with Christmas?! Thanks to everyone who sent me in recipes, I’ve tried to cook, style and shoot as many as I could within the parameters of the brief and ingredients available to me here in Oz.
nutella cookies by annie wang WWW.fritesandfries.com 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup butter 1 1/4 cups Nutella 1 1/3 cups sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 tbsp. soy milk 1 cup milk chocolate chips (optional) Makes 3 dozen cookies Cream together butter, hazelnut spread and sugars; beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the butter/sugar mix into the dry ingredients until creamy to make the cookie dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put the dough in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. After an hour, unwrap. Preheat the oven to 375F and set aside a parchment paper lined baking sheet Drop a generous tablespoon of the cookie dough batter and put on baking sheets. Bake for about ten minutes. Repeat until all of the cookie dough has been used.
Vanilla cookies by Sanda Pagaimo www.littleupsidedowncake.com 500g flour, sifted 250g butter 4 tbs of caster sugar 1 egg 1 egg yolk Juice of one lemon Vanilla infused icing sugar Rosehip Jam (I used cherry jam) Preheat oven to 180ËšC (350ËšF) In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and caster sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk, combine. Add lemon juice, stir, then add flour. Roll out dough to a thickness of 1.5 cm. Using a 2.5 inch cookie cutter, cut out round and place on a lined baking tray. Cook in the oven for approx. 20 minutes. The cookies should remain pale visually. Cool on a wire rack, when cold toss each cookie in a bowl containing a few tablespoons of powdered/ icing sugar then sandwich two cookies together with a teaspoon of sieved cherry or rosehip jam.
My favorite Christmas treat is Paprenjaci or black pepper cookies. My grandparents came to the U.S. from Croatia with suitcases full of tradition and culture and every visit we had was filled with stories from “home” and cooking with Baka. Paprenjaci is not just a scrumptious cookie (don’t let the name fool you), it is the gateway to my heritage and a reminder of time well spent with loved ones. – Hallie
Paprenjaci by Hallie Knippel 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup butter 1 1/4 cups Nutella 1 1/3 cups sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 tbsp. soy milk 1 cup milk chocolate chips (optional) Makes 3 dozen cookies Cream together butter, hazelnut spread and sugars; beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the butter/sugar mix into the dry ingredients until creamy to make the cookie dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put the dough in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. After an hour, unwrap. Preheat the oven to 375F and set aside a parchment paper lined baking sheet Drop a generous tablespoon of the cookie dough batter and put on baking sheets. Bake for about ten minutes. Repeat until all of the cookie dough has been used.
vanille kipferl by Julia www.sonntagsessen.blogspot.com 100g ground almonds 280g flour 70g sugar 200g butter 2 egg yolks 50g vanilla sugar 50g icing sugar Mix almonds with the flour and sugar and add the butter (cut the butter into really small pieces). Add the egg yolks and knead the dough with cold hands until smooth. Form small rolls (5 cm long, 1.5 cm thick) and curl both ends towards you to form a ‘C’ shape. *Note I rolled out the dough and I used a cutter for the ones opposite to cut out crescent shaped cookies. Grease a baking sheet and bake at medium heat 180˚C (350˚F) until golden brown. Meanwhile mix the vanilla sugar with the icing sugar in a small bowl. Remove the cookies from the oven and roll in the vanilla sugar-confectionar’s sugarmix carefully whilst they are still warm.
“I found the recipe in my mum’s old notebook for her cooking classes in boarding school in the 60s” Julia – Munich, Germany:
gingerbread cookies 1/4 cup caster sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed) 1/2 cup dark molasses 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp mixed spice 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp baking soda 125g butter 1 egg, beaten 3 1/2 cups self-raising flour
Preheat oven to 160˚C (320˚F) Add sugars, molasses and spices into a saucepan and simmer until it comes to the boil. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Add butter and stir gently until melted. Whisk in egg, then add the flour in 2 or 3 batches and combine well. Empty contents onto a floured worktop, knead gently and gather into a ball, wrap in cling wrap and place aside for 30 mins. Meanwhile line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Flour a rolling pin and roll out dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut out gingerbread men or stars and place on lined baking sheets. Bake at for 10 - 15 mins. Cookies will harden after you remove them from the oven so be careful not to overcook them. You’ll know they are ready when they start to brown slightly around the edges and small cracks appear on the surface of the cookie. Remove from oven, cool and ice as desired.
cherry bakewell cookies
2 cups plain Flour 1 cup almond ground 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp Salt 3/4 cup caster sugar, 2 cup canola Oil 2 eggs 2 tablespoons runny honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup cherry Jam, sieved 1 cup flaked almonds, toasted Preheat the oven to 180ËšC (350ËšF)
Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, ground almonds, baking powder, spices, salt in a large bowl and set aside. In a stand mixer, add sugar, canola oil, eggs, honey, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. At low speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients until just combined. Roll the dough into small walnut-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space in between for spreading. Flatten the cookies gently with your hand. Bake for about 8 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. When cool spread the top of each cookie with a tsp of cherry jam and sprinkle with the toasted almond flakes. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Macadamia cranberry cookies 380g plain flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 200g butter 160g granulated sugar 140g light brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 300g dark chocolate (cut into small chunks) 200g white chocolate (cut into small chunks) 1 cup dried cranberries Âź 1 cup macadamia nuts 50g dark chocolate Pre heat oven to 180ËšC (350ËšF) Into a bowl sift the flour and baking soda, stir to combine. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add flour, eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Stir in the chocolate and macadamias. Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon mixture onto a baking tray covered with baking paper. Allow room for spreading. Bake for 12- 15 mins or until just golden. Cool on wire racks. Melt chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, when melted, using a spoon, drizzle over cooled cookies.
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1. Joseph Cold pressed olive oil About Life 2. The Grape Alternative Passionate Plum & Port S Organic, Free Range Beef Stock The Stock Merchant 5. Simon Johnson Balsamic Glaze About Life Virgin Olive Oil About Life 8. Cider Seaweed Vinegar (fab!) Simon Johnson 9. Belvoir Cranber Free Range Chicken Stock The Stock Merchant
About Life: www.aboutlife.com.au | Joseph: www.primoestate.com.au | The Grape Alternative: www.thestockmerchant.com.au | Simon Johnson: www.simonjohnson.com.au | The Red Hill Kitche 0988 | Belvoir: www.belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk | Nolans Road: www.nolansroad.com
Oils, vinegars, sauces & stocks... 8
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Syrup, Blackwattle Deli 3. Maggie Beer Quince Vino Cotto About Life 4. The Stock Merchant 6. The Red Hill Kitchen Brown Sauce DOC Mornington 7. Fat Hen Farm Chili & lime Extra rry Cordial About Life 10. Nolans Road EVOO About Life 11. The Stock Merchant Organic,
www.thegrapealternative.com.au | Maggie Beer: www.maggiebeer.com.au | The Stock Merchant: en: +61 3 5931 0186 | Fat Hen Farm: www.fathenfarm.com.au | DOC Mornington: +61 3 5977
Pastas, rices, crackers & Sweeties, cookies, chocolates & candy 1. Chocolate truffles Marks and Spencers 2. Monsieur Truffe Caramel Fondant Monsieur Truffe 3. Mother Megs Double Chocolate Biscuits About Life 4. Chocolate Santas Marks and Spencers 5. Candy Canes Coles 6. Cocolo Premium Organic Chocolate About Life 7. Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Crisps Marks and Spencers 8. Loving Earth Organic Raw Chocolate Bars About Life 9. Traditional Chocolate Coins Coles 10. Whisk & Pin Gluten Free Chocolate Mud Cookie About Life 11. Loving Earth Raw Red Botija Olives About Life
1. Pomona GlacĂŠ Whole Figs About L
2. elementi Carnaroli Rice Simon Joh
3. Real Good Food Organic Roasted A
4. elementi Risotto Rice Simon Johns
5. Fine Fettle Flats, Tomato & Basil
6. Bigoli de Bassan Spaghetti Essent 7. About Life
8. Loving Earth Single Origin, Drink
9. Real Good Food Co. Flourless oran
10. Fine Fettle Flats, Spiced Pear &
11. Loving Earth Raw Red Botija Oli
12. The Fine Cheese Co. Walnut Oat C
13. 2die4 Activated Almonds About L
14. Fine Fettle Flats, Sweetcorn & P
12. Organic Dark Chocolate Almonds About Life 13. Chocolate Caramel Tree Decorations Marks and Spencers
About Life: www.aboutlife.com.au Loving Earth: www.raw-chocolate.net Marks and Spencers: www.marksandspencers.com Whisk and Pin: www.whiskandpin.com.au Mother Megs: www.mothermegs.com.au Cocolo: www.cocolo.com.au
About Life: www.aboutlife.co Pomona: www.pomonafruits.com elementi: www.foodinthecity. Loving Earth: www.raw-chocol Real Good Food Co.: www.real Fine Fettle Flats: www.finefe The Fine Cheese Co.: www.fine Essential Ingredient: www.es David Jones Food Hall: www.d 2die4: www.2die4livefoods.co
& snacks
Life
hnson
Almonds About Life
son
l About Life
tial Ingredient
king Chocolate About Life
nge almod cake mix About Life
& Hazelnut About Life
ives About Life
Crackers David Jones Food Hall
Life
Paprika About Life
om.au m.au .com late.net lgoodfood.com.au ettleflats.com.au echeese.co.uk ssentialingredient.com.au davidjones.com.au om.au
Sauces, jams, mustards & honey 1. Loving earth Coconut Chocolate Spread About Life 2. Miellerie Blue Gum Honey www.honeytasmania.com 3. 1910 Bottle Company Organic Tomato Sauce Paper D’Amour 4. Riverside Foods Cheery Sauce About Life 5. Letterpressed Deer Gift Tag (Packet of 4) Paper D’Amour 6. Pulp it Produce Orange & Poopyseed Jam Essential Ingredient 7. Bonnie’s Red Pepper Jelly Bonnie’s jams 8. Handmade in Healesville Harissa Pasta Handmade in Healesville 9. Organic Black Pepper About Life
10. Simon Johnson Dijon Mustard (the best Dijon in Oz!) Simon Johnso 11. Loving Earth Raw Red Botija Olives About Life 12. Spicy Tomato Sardines About Life 13. Wilkin & Sons Wild Cranberry sauce About Life 14. Gift tag Elizabeth Rosa 15. ‘La Dalla’ Sweet Smoked Paprika Essential Ingredient 16. Hank’s Ham Jam About Life 17. Riverside Foods BBQ Plum Sauce About Life 18. Fat hen Farm Marinaded Olives About Life 19. Selection of J.Friend & Co. Artisan Honeys About Life 20. Monsieur truffe Sour Cherry jam About Life 21. Wilkin & Sons Organic Chili Mustard About Life About Life: www.aboutlife.com.au Monsieur Truff: www.monsieurtruffe.wordpress.com Essential Ingredient: www.essentialingredient.com.au David Jones Food Hall: www.davidjones.com.au Miellerie Honey Tasmania: www.miellerie.com.au Loving Earth: www.raw-chocolate.net Papaer D’Amour: www.papierdamour.com.au Riverside Foods: www.riversidefoods.com.au The 1910 Bottle Company: www.the1910bottlingcompany.com Bonnie’s Jams: www.bonniesjams.com Handmade in Healesville: handmadeinhealesville.com.au Pulp it Produce: +61 2 4787 7502 Elizabeth Rosa: www.elizabethrosa.com Wilkins & Sons: www.tiptree.com J. Friend & Sons Honey: www.nzartisanhoney.co.nz Fat Hen Farm: www.fathenfarm.com.au
Marks & Spencer’s
Amaretto cookies www.marksandspencer.com
Belvoir
Cranberry Cordial,
About Life, Rozelle & Bondi,
www.aboutlife.com.au www.belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk
Xmas tree decoration
Country Road
www.countryroad.com.au
Dundee Cake
Marks & Spencer’s
www.marksandspencer.com
Partridge bauble
Mozi
www.mozi.com.au
A fantastically fun ‘Custard Cream Tin’ full of - you guessed it folks; Custard Cream biccies from
Marks & Spencer’s
www.marksandspencer.com
Another beautifully designed keepsake tin, this time containing buttery, melt-in-the-mouth choc-chip cookies
Marks & Spencer’s
www.marksandspencer.com
First Australia brought you Caramelo Koalas, now it’s time for Top Tasting Yummy Tummy Koalas - these are moist, fudgy indiviual little fellas, great with a glass of milk or a cup of tea.
Yummy Tummy Koalas
www.yummytummykoalas.com.au
Bonnie’s jams www.bonniesjams.com www.bonniesjams.com/blog
I first came across Bonnie’s Jams back in August ‘10, when a friend of mine bought a jar back from a recent trip to Massachusetts in the US. I tried some and was hooked. I’m not kidding, Bonnie’s Jam is the best I have ever tasted, I never realised a product like jam could taste so fresh and clean and real. I wrote to Bonnie herself and asked if I could order some more from Sydney, she said no probs so I am now the proud owner of 6 or 7 jars of this wonderful product. The Black and Blue is a really fresh tasting, flavourpacked jam with huge pieces of black and blueberries floating in a runny fruity sauce. It pairs superbly with cheese as it does your morning toast. It’s a jam which really screams ‘premium’ and you can tell there’s been a huge serving of handmade care gone into each jar all the way down to the gorgeous labels, which I personally love. It’s pretty difficult now to go back to bland supermarket brands after getting used to this standard so I’ll have to keep a steady flow coming from New England to New South Wales in the new year.
Recipe T-Towel
Mozi
www.mozi.com.au Note: Check out Mozi’s Dove lantern on their website, I have one here now hanging in the garden and it’s really a beautiful addition to the patio area.
Ham Bag & Scented Candle
Mozi
www.mozi.com.au
Lemon Squeezer
This is a fantastic little invention, I use lemons a lot in cooking and found this product is a God-send. You pop the lemon wedges inside, secure the lid and squeeze. Pour out the juice you need then place back on the table or in the fridge as a storage vessel.
Make my Day
www.makemydayproducts.com
‘Gorgeous’Silicone placemat / table runner
Green Saucepot
Mozi
www.mozi.com.au
These fabulous and totally practical multipurpose mats, protect your tabletop from high temperatures and still have a gorgeous looking setting. The silicone can withstand high temperatures, is stain resistant and is so easy to clean and is dishwasher safe.
Make my Day
www.makemydayproducts.com
Skrub’s kiddies potato gloves
Leura Whisk
www.leurawhisk.com.au
Biscuiteers Advent Calendar www.biscuiteers.com I’ve been a fan of U.K. based Biscuiteers for years now, I am in awe of the talent of these people to be able to produce such a wide range of impeccably iced cookies. There is a cookie for every occasion imaginable. I saw this new advent calendar which they have just brought out this year and had to get my paws on one. The heavy duty fabric can be washed easily and kept for years to come to be filled in the following December months with more biscuits or sweeties. International shipping is not a problem and the cookies themselves are a wonderful texture, with a subtle Xmassy gingerbread flavour
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Decorations left to right:
1. Red felt heart Paper D’Amour 2. Red partridge bauble Mozi 3. White porcelain star Country Christmas kangaroo Eumundi Markets 7. Clear glass feather bauble Country Road 8. Large glas Country Road 11. Silver partridge bauble Mozi 12. Small glass ‘Joy’ bauble Paper D’Amour Country Road 16. Felt Merry Christmas garland Paper D’Amour 17. Letterpress deer gift tag
Paper D’Amour, Double Bar, Sydney: www.papierdamour.com.au | Mozi Australia: www.mozi.com.a www.elizabethrosa.com | Eumundi Markets, QLD: www.eumundimarkets.com.au
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4. Hanging drop decoration Paper D’Amour 5. White wire star Country Road 6. Aussie ss ‘Peace’ bauble Paper D’Amour 9. White felt Xmas tree Paper D’Amour 10. Red glass star 13. Gift tag Elizabeth Rosa 14. Aussie Christmas koala Eumundi Markets 15. Metal star gs (pack of 4) Paper D’Amour. Road
au | Country Road, Australia: www.countryroad.com.au | Elizabeth Rosa, Double Bay, Sydney:
Williams sonoma what katie ate holiday giveaway I was SO excited when I recieved an email a month or so ago from Williams Sonoma in the US. I have been fanatical about this shop for years and years and generally need an extra case freighter to carry my purchases home with me from this store everytime I visit the US. Williams Sonoma contacted me to say they would love to giveaway a gift to a lucky US What Katie Ate reader of the bumper Christmas edition. Naturally I said “WooHoo! Yes please!” and on behalf of the blog readers “Thank you, we would be delighted to accept” The gift to one of you guys from Williams Sonoma is a fantabulous large Le Creuset French Oven in red, cream (Dune) or a colour of your choosing. To win this superduper prize, just post a comment on the blog mentioning where in the US you are located, then on Jan 10th, I’ll print out all US based comments, stick them in a hat and pick one out. Good luck!
New Y
York
(1)
December 2010, through the eyes and lens of Nicole franzen
The Oak Room, a New York landmark and iconic meeting spot within the Plaza Hotel, is re-introducing elegance to Manhattan by providing an ideal option for the uptown crowd that wants to see and be seen. The Oak Room caters to city power players with a fresh seasonal menu and updated atmosphere. The Oak Bar serves as an informal gathering place for New York’s luminaries, with distinctive cocktails and a separate bar menu along with the classic view of Central Park South from its windows.
10 Central Park South New York, NY 10019, United States (212) 758-7777 Subway: 5th Avenue - 59 St
The Rockerfeller Center, is
a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering 22 acres (89,000 m2) between 48th and 51st streets in New York City. Built by the Rockefeller family, the largest private building project ever undertaken in modern times. Construction of the 14 buildings in the Art Deco style began on May 17, 1930 and was completed on November 1, 1939 when he drove in the final (silver) rivet into 10 Rockefeller Plaza. The Center is a combination of two building complexes: the older and original 14 Art Deco office buildings from the 1930s, and a set of four International-style towers built along the west side of Avenue of the Americas during the 1960s and 1970s
It is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
1250 Avenue of the Americas New York, 10112, United States (212) 332-6868
22 acres (89,000 m2)
Jeffreys beautifully designed tiny place, with fresh locally sourced produce and gourmet deli and dry foods stocked in the front part, while the back holds some twenty-odd hotly contested seats (no reservations taken), split between the communal table and high stools by the bar.
A
Greenwich Village 172 Waverly Place New York, NY 10014 646-398-7630 www.jeffreysgrocery.com
Celebrate the Holidays at Gramercy Tavern Dining at this beloved revival of the classic American tavern is the closest thing to coming home for the holidays. Chef Michael Anthony’s menu is a true celebration of the seasons, showcasing local ingredients sourced from the Union Square Greenmarket and local farms. Florist Roberta Bendavid turns the restaurant into a winter wonderland with over 70 handmade floral ornaments which grace the Tavern ceiling, floral arrangements that colorfully blanket the room and the signature “Christmas Tree” which sits atop the bar the as the room’s centerpiece. Pastry Chef Nancy Olson and her team craft cookie ornaments that adorn the tree and create cherished holiday treats like house-made chocolates and petits fours. The restaurant’s warm and welcoming style makes it the ideal place to feel the holiday spirit.
Gramercy Tavern 42 East 20th Street New York, New York (212) 477-0777 www.gramercytavern.com
Eataly
200 5th Avenue New York, NY 10010 Entrances on 5th Avenue and 23rd Street (212) 477-0777 www.eatalyny.com
Abraco Abraco means to hug or embrace in Portugese. Their coffee sure does make you want to hug...
86 E. 7th St., New York, NY 10003 nr. First Ave. 212-388-973
Bakeri
Williamsburg Brooklyn 150 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, Ny 11211 718.388.8037 www.bakeribrooklyn.com info@bakeribrooklyn.com
New Amsterdam Market
promotes regional economic development by supporting s systems and to reviving the thriving, equitable cultur
small businesses dedicated to creating local food re of the urban public marketplace.
New Amsterdam Market
224 Front Street 902 Peck Slip New York, NY 10038 (212) 766-8688 info@newamsterdammarket.org www.newamsterdammarket.org
Acme Smoked Fish - Brooklyn, NY Animal Welfare Approved Basis and Basis Good Food To You - New York, NY Bees’ Needs - Sag Harbor, NY Bellwether Hard Cider - Trumansburg, NY Benmarl Winery - Marlboro, NY, The Bent Spoon - Princeton, NJ Berkshire Cheese - Dalton, MA Bowery Lane Bicycles - New York, NY BKLYN Larder - Brooklyn, NY Breezy Hill Orchard - Hudson Valley, NY. Brooklyn Cured - Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Oenology - Brooklyn, NY The Cellars at Jasper Hill - Greensboro, VT Cherry Grove Farm - Lawrenceville, NJ Cooperstown Cheese Company - Milford, NY Dickson’s Farmstand Meats - New York, NY Do Re Me Farm - New Hampton, NY Early Bird Cookery - Cochecton, NY Edible Communities The Filling Station - New York, NY Fleisher’s Grass-fed & Organic Meats - Kingston, NY Fresh Flavors Catering - Amagansett NY Great Performances - New York, NY Home / Made - Brooklyn, NY Hudson Valley Duck Farm - Ferndale, NY Grill-A-Chef Hudson Valley Seed LIbrary Jack’s Coffee - New York, NY Jimmy’s No. 43 New York, NY Kombucha Brooklyn - Brooklyn, NY La Newyorkina - New York, NY Ledgenear Farm - West Glover, VT Liddabit Sweets - Brooklyn, NY Luke’s Lobster - New York, NY Marlow & Daughters - Brooklyn, NY Mast Brothers Chocolate - Brooklyn, NY McEnroe Organic Farm - Millerton, NY MilkMade Ice Cream - New York, NY Mosefund Farm - Branchville, NJ Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi - New York, NY Narragansett Creamery - Providence, RI Nordic Breads - New York, NY Orwasher’s Bakery - New York, NY Painted Goat Farm - Garrattsville, NY People’s Pops - New York, NY Porchetta - New York, NY Queens County Farm Museum - Floral Park, NY Rick’s Picks - New York, NY The Ravioli Store - Long Island City, NY Roberta’s - Brooklyn, NY Saxelby Cheesemongers - New York, NY SchoolHouse Kitchen - Brooklyn, NY She Sells Seaweed - Steuben, ME Sour Puss Pickles - New York, NY Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture - Pocantico Hills, NY Sullivan Street Bakery - New York, NY Summer’s End Orchard - Unadilla, NY Sweet Deliverance - Brooklyn, NY Table Tales Cafe and Catering - New York, NY Taza Chocolate - Somerville, MA Valley Shepherd Creamery - Long Valley, NJ Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream - New York, NY Wild Gourmet Food - Fairlee, VT Zone 7 - Lawrenceville, NJ
The Bedford on Bedford The perfect spot for cocktails or an intimate date. Atmosphere is seductive and ambient. Great food by chef Blake Joyal who puts his heart and soul into each dish. Also serves some of the best coffee in Brooklyn. Walk-Ins Welcome. Good For Groups, Outdoor Seating. “Focusing on American food, The Bedford gives traditional classics a fresh, modern twist with super scrumptious specials and daily menu changes. Sourcing ingredients that go from ‘market to table’, we’re salivating at the prospect of some high quality comfort food and delicious wines on cold winter evenings. Our ideal dinner menu (hint, hint)? Steamed butter and diamond shell clams with garlic, pancetta and fushimi peppers for entree and a pasture raised burger with gorgonzola, applewood smoked bacon, grilled onion and fries for main. Plus, the decor—classroom chic mixed with a dark’n’stormy—is pitch-perfect for a winter tipple. Done and yum!” Source: http://www.refinery29.com
Williamsburg, Brooklyn 110 Bedford Ave, at the corner of North 11th St. (718) 302 1002 www.thebedfordonbedford.com
Bedford Cheese Shop an old-fashioned cheese shop dedicated to providing the finest quality cheeses from around the world. Small number of knowledgeable cheesemongers rigorously trained in the art of properly maintaining cheese so you can be assured of receiving it in the best possible condition. They’re also committed to providing you the type of friendly customer service that is sure to keep you coming back. In fact, some have said that, when it comes to selling cheese, the Bedford Cheese Co’s staff goes to extremes.
229 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 599.7588 www.bedfordcheeseshop.com info@bedfordcheeseshop.com
Parmigiano Reggiano, Pierre Robert Brie de Meaux St. Marcellin Taleggio Gubbeen Ardrahan Raclette Vacheri Fribourgeois Munster Brescianella Stagionata, Guffanti Durrus Montgomery’s Cheddar Grafton 4-star Cheddar Boerenkaas 3yr Morbier Cheshire Piave L’Amuse Hoch Ybrig, Beeler Gruyere, Beeler Stilton Blue Sprout Creek Farm’s Ouray Sprout Creek Farm’s Toussaint Sprout Creek Farm’s Eden Bleu d’Auvergne Cashel Blue Fourme d’Ambert Bra Tenero Wolzen Keen’s Cheddar Pleasant Ridge Provolone, Guffanti St. Hannois, Mons Capriole Farm’s Crocodile Tears Capriole Farm’s Wabash Cannonball Consider Bardwell Farm’s Manchester Chevrot Caprotto, Madaio Garrotxa Ticklemore Pau Capriole Farm’s Sofia Lingot de Quercy Juniper Grove Farm’s Buche Juniper Grove Farm’s Otentique Berkswell Perail Ossau Iraty Lavort, Mons Abbaye de Belloc Seirass, Guffanti Fresh Crozier Blue Vermont Shepherd Grand Old Man La Tur Tomme de Berger
katie’s what katie ate : xmas giveaway ) The Gourmet Traveller Magazine Oct, Nov and Dec 2010 editions
Donna Hay Magazine
Spring & Christmas 2010 editions
Delicious Magazine
Oct, Nov and Dec 2010 editions
Grillhouse, Gastropub at Home Ross Dobson, Murdoch Books 2010
Bill’s Basics
Bill Granger, Harper Collins 2010
Mozi Christmas ‘Ham Bag’ Various ‘surprise’ Aussie foodie goodies
To win, simply email me your best photo which encapsulates the word “Christmas” to you, by Jan 10th and I’ll pick a winner to receive all of the above (plus a few other bits and bobs thrown in for good measure).
Roast loin of with cherry and green
pork olive
stuffing
1.5kg pork loin 2 tsbp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic gloves 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs 2 cups fresh cherries, finely chopped Handful pitted mild green olives 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 220˚C degrees. Into a frying pan, add the oil, heat gently then add the onion, garlic and cook until softened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in breadcrumbs, cherries, olives, lemon juice and herbs. Season to taste. Unroll the pork and score the fat in 1cm strips taking care not to cut all the way through. Pat dry with a piece of kitchen towel then rub a good tbsp sea salt flakes into the skin, making sure to get right into the score marks. Flip the meat over skin side down and spread half the stuffing over the meat. Roll up. Tie at 3 inch intervals with string. Roast at 220˚C for 15 mins then turn the temp down to 180˚C and cook for a further 1 hour and 15 minutes until the skin is crispy and hard.
Sour Cherry
Sauce
4 cups cherries 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 lemon (juice) Place all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil, simmer for 30 minutes until liquid is reduced by 1/2 volume and cherries are caramelized and softened. Remove from heat, strain cherries, reserving the liquid. Set cherries aside and place liquid back into saucepan. Simmer the liquid until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cherries back in. Serve cold with pâtÊ, cold meats or blue cheese.
French toast Panettone with natural yoghurt, fresh berries and honey
1 Italian Panettone cake 6 eggs 1/2 cup light cream 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 box frozen berry selection 1 punnet or large handful fresh cherries 1 tub natural or Greek yoghurt Runny honey or maple syrup Cinnamon sugar Serves 4
In a bowl add the eggs, cream, milk and ground nutmeg, whisk to combine well. Pour into a large, wide bowl and set aside. Slice Panettone into 1 inch slices and dip into the egg mixture, place into a hot frying pan and cook over low-medium heat for 20-30 seconds then flip over and cook for a further 30 seconds on second side before flipping and repeating process once more until bread is browned and egg cooked. Place onto a serving plate, spoon 2-3 tbsp berries on bread, scatter a few cherries on top (stones removed). Dollop yoghurt onto fruit, drizzle with some honey and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. Serve warm.
Chocolate cherry mousse pots
170g good quality dark chocolate, (broken into pieces) 170g butter 1/4 cup instant coffee 4 eggs separated 2/3 cup caster (superfine) sugar, plus an extra tbsp which you’ll use later in recipe. 2 tablespoons of dark kirsch liquer 1 tbsp water A pinch of salt Fresh cherries to serve Heat a saucepan of water and set a heatproof bowl on top. Into the bowl add the coffee, chocolate and butter, warm slowly over simmering water until melted, stirring occasionally. Once melted, set aside. Into a new large bowl add a few handfuls of ice and fill halfway with water. Set aside nearby. Using the same saucepan of water, continue to simmer and place a new bowl on top into which; add the 4 egg yolks, caster sugar, water and kirsch. Using a balloon whisk or a hand-held electric beater - whisk for about 3 minutes until the mixture thickens, pales in colour and has a similar consistency to runny mayonnaise. Remove from heat and place bowl into the larger bowl of iced water. Be careful not to let any water into the smaller bowl. Continue to whisk for a further few minutes until the mixture thickens considerably and is cooled. Add the chocolate mixture into the beaten eggs and stir to combine. In an stand mixer whip up the egg whites along with pinch of salt until almost stiff and frothy. At this stage add in one tablespoon of extra caster sugar and beat again until almost glossy. Using a large mixing spoon, add one spoonful of egg whites into the chocolate mix, fold in gently then add the remaining egg whites, folding in until almost fully combined. Be careful at this stage not to over whip as you’ll lose all the air which is needed to be present to produce a light mousse. Pour mixture into individual serving bowls/glasses. Top with a cherry and place in fridge. Chill for approx. 3-4 hours and serve.
Trissa’s
Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding www.trissalicious.com 1 Loaf Brioche, cut into about 18 slices and crust removed 6 yolks 175g caster sugar 300ml cream 250ml milk 1 vanilla bean, scraped 125g salted butter – softened 180 grams of dark chocolate, chopped finely Place egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale. Mix the milk, cream and vanilla bean in a pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Pour a fourth of the scalded milk into the egg yolk mixture and whisk. Pour the rest of the mixture on to the egg yolk mixture and whisk continuously. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, butter the brioche slices and cover the bottom of an over proof dish (I used a 9 inch round cake dish) with half of the bread. Sprinkle half of the chocolate. Add the other half of the brioche and then top again with the rest of the chocolate. Pour half of the custard mixture and let rest for 30 minutes. Then pour the rest of the custard mixture and let soak for at least 1 hour. When ready to use, pre-heat your oven to 130c and bake the pudding in a bain marie for 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool slightly and then sprinkle with icing sugar if you wish.
From Trissa www.trissalicious.com
Candied Pecan and Persimmon Herb Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette 2 semi hard persimmons cut into fine slices (I used a mandolin set at 0.75mm) 1 1/2 cups candied pecans 1/2 cup Gorgonzola crumbled 1 bag pre-washed baby salad greens Handful fresh rocket A few springs of fresh thyme. Pomegranate vinaigrette: 3 tbsp pomegranate juice 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp honey Salt and pepper 1/4 cup olive oil Combine all ingredients on a serving platter and dress with vinaigrette when ready to serve.
From Beth www.thescreenporch.blogspot.com
Roast Quail with cranberry, chestnut and pork sausage stuffing 6 quails For the stuffing: 1 large onion, finely chopped 8 rashers bacon, finely diced 4 tbsp canned chestnuts 1 cup dried cranberries Fresh Breadcrumbs (6 standard white slices worth) Rind and juice of 1 lemon 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts 1 tbsp dried thyme and sage 3 tbsp chopped parsley Sea salt and freshly ground pepper Half tsp grated nutmeg 1.5 cups pork sausage meat (I used 8 pork chipolatas skin removed) Serves 6 Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a frying pan and sauté the onion for 5 minutes until soft, add another tbsp oil, then the bacon and fry for 10 minutes until bacon is browned. Remove from heat and place into a large mixing bowl. Into which add everything else and mix well with your hands. Stuff the quails with the mixture and truss the birds to avoid the stuff falling out whilst cooking. Cook in a 180˚C oven for 1 hour or so until meat is cooked. You can add the remaining stuffing mix into a baking tray, cover with foil and cook in oven whilst birds are roasting. Serve with Pamela’s Potatoes.
Pamelas’s
Potatoes
10 - 12 medium to large potatoes 300m. cream 50g butter, melted 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg Salt & black pepper Preheat oven to 180ËšC (350ËšF) Slice potatoes very thinly (0.75mm using a mandolin if possible), wash and drain, pat dry with kitchen paper. Set aside. In a large saucepan add all the remaining ingredients and warm to infuse flavours. Add the potatoes, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes. Tip contents into a baking dish, sprinkle with a dusting of nutmeg and bake until bubbling, golden brown and potatoes are cooked when tested in the middle with a knife (approx. 30-40 mins).
the
wka xmas aussie artisan chocolatier extravaganza! Three stories all photography by Katie Quinn Davies
monsieur truffe
90 Smith St, Collingwood (near Gertrude st) Vic, Australia Tel: +61 (03) 9416 3101 www.monsieurtruffe.wordpress.com monsieurtruffe@hotmail.com
Prahran market in Melbourne used to be just around the corner from my house when I lived in the area between April ‘06 and Aug ‘07. It’s an incredible spot for foodies, full of the most incredible veggies & fruit, delis, butchers, fishmongers, pâtisserie etc etc.. One of the stand out stalls for me was always Monsieur Truffe. Run by Thibault Fregoni - a tall, exquisitely French ex-pat, Thibault now bases himself in Melbourne’s suburb of Collingwood’s and will soon have a second shop in Lygon Street, East Brunswick. It will be in this shop that he plans to import, roast and grind his own cocoa beans. He also plans to run chocolate workshops to the public where participants can watch the process of transforming beans into chocolate. “I want people to see what’s involved and understand why we charge $15 for a bar of chocolate. The beans are picked by hand in the Dominican Republic. We’ll use only the natural fat of cocoa butter in our chocolate.” Currently his regular stock at the Collingwood shop includes bars of single-origin chocolate from 20 regions including Madagascar, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and Uganda.
“whilst the very best chocolate might cost more, we don’t need to eat as much. The higher cocoa content and lower sugar levels mean we need less to satisfy our craving” Thibault Fregoni - aka Monsieur Truffe
“I want people to see what’s involved a a bar of chocolate. The beans are picked We’ll use only the natural fat of cocoa
and understand why we charge $15 for d by hand in the Dominican Republic. a butter in our chocolate�.
rochford chocolates Tel: +61 419 490 940
info@rochford.com.au www.rochfordchocolates.com.au
I originally came across Rochford chocolates when I took a Saturday trip to the Sydney Orange Grove Markets in Rozelle. This was back in October ‘10. I was so lucky I went on the day I did as I discovered it was Timothy’s last weekend selling at the markets before taking a few months off to research new flavours and steer away from the open air humidity of the impending Sydney summer Thankfully I purchased some of the mouthwatering choccy offerings on display and all I can say is Timothy’s salted caramels are out-of-thisword, drool-inducingly good. His chocolate is not too sweet, not too bitter, dark and creamy, rich and refined. I would feel confident giving any chocolate connoisseur a present of Rochford chocolates knowing they would be blown away with the quality and texture.
Ginger Macadamia Chocolate biscuits (gluten free)
Salted Caramels
Chocolate Logs
Created by Timothy Rochford, a Sydney chocolatier trained in Belgium. Products include molded truffles, pralines, fresh truffles, and gluten free chocolate biscuits. Ingredients are sourced from local producers where possible to ensure that vibrant seasonal freshness and natural flavours are achieved. Uniquely balanced with the various chocolate blends, Rochford Chocolates are packaged with artistry and practicality.
Products include molded truffles, pralines, fresh truffles, and gluten free chocolate biscuits. Note: Timothy ships all Rochford Chocolate products Internationally.
Hazelnut, Pistachio, Dark chocolate creams, Chilli, Marzipan, Orange, Mandarin (seasonal),
Coconut,
Honey sesame Lemon myrtle,
Orange almond
Mandari n almond, Rose pistachio,
Ginger macadamia Coffee hazelnut
JOSOPHANS chocolates
132 The Mall, Leura, NSW Tel: +61 2 4784 3833 www.josophans.com.au
I took a trip up to the Blue Mountains in November to shoot at Josophans Chocolates located in the pretty village town of Leura. I had pre-arranged a time with the owner Jodie Van Der Velden early on Saturday morning to come up for a personal tour and tasting . So after a two hour drive west from Sydney, by 10am I was savouring the delights of her gourmet chocolate counter and being given an in-depth run down of the chocolate making process at Josophan’s. Jodie and her team work out the back of the shop in the impressive kitchen space which has come to be known as their ‘Chocolate Laboratory’ to produce the line of fine chocolates. Jodie offers chocolate appreciation workshops onsite, and hands-on chocolate making workshops to the public. The ethos behind the brand is passion. Passion about fresh chocolates and a refusal to compromise quality to extend the shelf life of the chocolates. All chocolates are freshly made without the use of artificial flavours or preservatives and consist of exquisite centres using fresh flavour infusion, infusing cream with fresh herbs like basil and mint and premium ingredients including saffron, coffee beans and the incredibly aromatic Tahitian vanilla bean, to name a few. Beautiful blue gum and yellow box honey, local hazelnuts from Orange (NSW), and fine chocolate imported from France and Belgium blend together to make extraordinary chocolates. All chocolates are handcrafted with a belief that the way chocolate is treated ultimately benefits the end product.
Baby's First Solids Christmas meal ideas By Rebecca and Cal
Last Christmas
with an overdue baby only a week old on Christmas day the images of baby’s first Christmas that had played in my head in the run up to his birth were far from reality. Instead of the glow of Christmas and new birth it was a time of nerves, a tiredness I have never before experienced and of solitary breast feeding between courses at Christmas dinner. In all this, we were still in awe of the tiny, perfect, new person who had joined our family and still are. We started off breast feeding and when it came time to try solids were eager to stick with pure and wholesome home made purees to keep him as perfect as when he arrived. This Christmas I am looking forward to a different type of Christmas. Baby will have just turned one and although he won’t know who Santa is yet he is well aware of the excitement that is a new toy, sparkly lights or a new food to taste. As part of the normal preparations for Christmas day we will have a new challenge, baby’s first Christmas with solid food.
3
was our first as new parents...
Recipes
Baby’s Christmas Day Menu...
breakfast
Porridge with cranberry puree Simple Cinnamon French toast soldiers Milk
Dinner One Pot Christmas Dinner Apple and pear puree with cinnamon Milk
supper Lovely Lentils Apricot puree and plain yoghurt Milk
www.annabelkarmel.com www.wholesomebabyfood.com
Breakfast Annabel Karmel's Porridge for Babies 150ml (5 fl oz) milk/formula 15g (1/2oz) porridge oats Method: Put the milk and porridge oats in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Puree with a hand blender for babies who prefer smoother food. Annabel's recipe includes apricot and pear however for Christmas I prefer to add a swirl of cranberry puree instead.
Cranberry PurĂŠe 1 bag of cranberries Water Boil water. Add cranberries and return to a boil, lower heat and simmer on low until the majority of the cranberries' skin pops. Press the cranberries through a sieve then using a hand blender puree to the desired consistency.
Simple Cinnamon French Toast Soldiers 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 egg butter cinnamon
3
Soak the bread in egg. Fry in a hot pan with a small knob of butter (in our case a soya alternative). Sprinkle cinnamon to taste.
Recipes
dinner option one One Pot Christmas Dinner (based on One Pot Thanksgiving Dinner from wholesomebabyfood.com) This is a quickie dinner using the cooked food you will have already prepared for main dinner and can be prepped very simply while the turkey is resting before serving.
1 cup of Turkey - ( breast or leg meat) 1/2 cup roast squash 1/2 cup mashed potato 1/2 cup roast sweet potato Spoon of cranberry puree Blend all the above to the desired consistency.
3 Recipes
dinner option two Annabel Karmel’s Turkey Pie 30g/1oz butter 1 small shallot, diced (40g) 1 medium carrot, diced (100g) 1/2 small leek, thinly sliced (30g) 1/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves 4 tsp white wine vinegar 20g/2/3 oz cornflour 400ml chicken stock 2 tbsp crème fraiche 225g/8oz cooked turkey (white and dark meat) cut into bite sized pieces 500g/1lb 2oz potatoes, peeled and cubed 15g butter 3 tbsp milk 1 egg white lightly beaten (optional) Melt the butter and sweat the vegetables and thyme for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the vinegar and boil until the vinegar had evaporated then stir in the cornflour. Add the stock a little at a time to make a smooth sauce then add the crème fraiche and season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to cool. Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water for around 15 minutes, until just tender. Drain the potatoes then mash well. Beat in the butter and milk and season to taste. Preheat the oven to 200c/400F/Gas 6/180 Fan. Put the turkey into the base of ramekins or small dishes (I use 9.5 cm diameter ramekins) and spoon the sauce on top. Spoon over the mash and fork the surface of each pie. Put the dishes on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes The tops can be browned further under a hot grill and if you brush them with a little egg white they will brown nicely. Makes 4 portions. To freeze, do so before baking stage. To serve, defrost overnight in the fridge and follow the baking instructions above.
dessert Annabel Karmel’s Apple and Pear Puree 2 dessert apples 2 ripe pears (eg: Conference pears) 4 tbsp pure unsweetened apple juice or water Generous pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
3
Put the fruit into a saucepan together with apple juice or water and pinch of cinnamon (if using), cover and cook over a low heat until tender (about 6 to 8 minutes). Blend the fruit to a smooth puree. Recipes
Supper Lovely Lentils There are a lot of Lovely Lentils recipes out there, this one is from www.nurturebaby.com. Baby has always been a fan of a smooth lentil casserole, nearer to a lentil soup than a casserole and after a busy day should be an easy dinner to accept. 1 1 2 1 1 3 1
cup dried lentils tbsp. extra virgin olive oil shallots (or) red small red onion medium potato, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes cups of homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock* sprig of fresh thyme (optional)
*Can substitute with organic, low-sodium stock. However for gluten free version, use homemade stock. Soak lentils in water for approximately 20-25 minutes. This reduces cooking time and should make the lentils easier to digest. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large stock pot on medium-high heat. Add shallots (or onions) and cook until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add potato, sweet potato, soaked lentils, chicken stock and thyme. Simmer on medium heat until potatoes and lentils are tender, approximately 25-30 minutes. Once cooled, add to food processor and blend until you reach desired consistency - completely smooth for small babies or chunkier for toddlers. Serve immediately or disperse evenly in ice cube trays or cupcake tins to freeze.
Apricot Puree Recipe from http://www.weelicious.com Apricot Puree (makes 2 Cups) 1 lb Bag Unsulphered Apricots 2 Cups Boiling Water Put apricots in a glass bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes or until soft. Puree in a food processor adding water from glass bowl until smooth. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to a month. *Place in Baby Cubes and freeze
LOND
“A pic of me with my mates, taken by my friend Cambria in a London pub”
Marie Schultz
DON
December 2010, through the eyes and lens of Marie Schultz
My guide to Christmas in the Capital...
by Marie Schultz For a classic Christmas shopping day join the crowds on Oxford Street. Head to the department stores; M&S, SELFRIDGES and JOHN LEWIS for their posh food halls filled with fancy products in fancy packaging. With your shopping bags in tow, walk your way towards Covent Garden, where you’ll see the Kissmass tree light up when two people kiss under the mistletoe. Then sink into a cocktail at Dirty Martini, located on the Piazza, for happy hour. If you need a break and a dose of caffeine, seek out an Antipodean establishment for the best espresso in the capital (I’m not biased, it’s just the truth!). For the strongest cup visit Kaffeine, a 5 minute walk from Oxford Circus, or for the perfect flat white go to Milk Bar in fabulous Soho, or Monmouth CoffEE in Seven Dials near Covent Garden. London is a city known for indulging in the pleasures of drinking. For a glass (or bottle for that matter) of wine, you can’t go past Gordon’s. Enter the doorway under the lantern on Villiers Street and take the narrow stairs down to the tunnels below, these brick arches beneath Embankment are London’s oldest wine bar. It has a great selection of wines and the food is delicious too, set up like a deli counter, you can select a few tasty snacks to go with your chosen drop. While there last Friday with friends visiting from Australia, we shared some small plates of pea salad, mushroom and spinach risotto and cauliflower and broccoli cheese which were all very tasty. If you’re after a pint, the Holly Bush (not the Holy Bush as I often call it) is a gorgeous pub near Hampstead Heath. Take an ascent from the Tube station up the hill and it’s located on the tiny street of Holly Mount. It’s got all the attributes I love in an English pub. Wooden tables and chairs, a conglomeration of different sized cozy areas, and plenty of nooks to sit and enjoy a pint in.
Perhaps my favourite place for a drink in London is The Mahogany Bar at Wilton’s. Wilton’s is the oldest surviving Grand Music Hall in the world. It has to be seen to believed. The Hall itself plays host to shows throughout the year, and the Mahogany Bar at the front is open weekday evenings, with free live music on Monday. I’m hoping to be enjoying a mulled wine in this magical old place before Christmas. When it comes to buying produce, London is scattered with farmers markets on the weekends. I head to my local one in Queens Park on a Sunday, the produce is great and relatively inexpensive. But if you’re a tourist in London head to Borough Market, and you’ll be amazed by it’s size and variety of food on offer, as well as the exciting atmosphere. If you have the good fortune to be in this great city, the one thing I’d urge you to do above all, is to walk along the Southbank and across the Jubilee Bridge, where the lights of the London skyline twinkle in the night and reflect off the Thames,
it makes it feel like Ch
hristmas everyday...
www.marksandspencer.com www.selfridges.com www.johnlewis.com/christmas www.dirtymartini.uk.com http://kaffeine.co.uk www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/ venue/2:4063/milk-bar www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk www.gordonswinebar.com www.timeout.com/london/bars/ venue/2:14960/holly-bush www.wiltons.org.uk www.lfm.org.uk www.boroughmarket.org.uk
Neal’s Yard Dairy “Our main aim is to keep in close contact with cheesemakers on one hand and customers on the other and above all to be in very close contact with all the cheese passing through our hands. We visit some cheesemakers very often; I select our cheddars by visiting the West Country every eight weeks and tasting through young cheese to select the batches that will be matured on for us. Apart from trying to find the best cheese available this is also when the cheesemaker can get a sense of how their cheeses are being received by customers. Many of the cheeses we buy are either matured on the farm or in our own maturing rooms in Bermondsey which are in brick railway arches under the main line from London Bridge to Dover. The insulation provided by the venerable Victorian brick work helps us maintain good conditions for the cheese: humid and cool. A team of five take care of the cheese, turning the cheeses and sometimes brushing or washing them until they ripen. The mature cheese is sent out to our own shops or in our own vans through London or by trucks all over the world. But our job doesn’t stop there. A carefully selected and perfectly ripened cheese can suffer in transit or at its destination so we do our best to keep in contact with customers to ensure all is well”.
17 Shorts Gardens London Wc2h 9at T+44 (0)20 7240 5700 F+44 (0)20 7240 2442 www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk
We buy cheese from about seventy cheesemakers on farms around Britain and Ireland and we sell the cheese in our two shops in London and to shops and restaurants all over the world.
the sydney picnic co Tel: 0420 943 670 natalie@sydneypicnic.com.au www.sydneypicnic.com.au
Food Photography By Katie Quinn Davies
I first came across the Sydney Picnic Company when my husband Mike was given a voucher (from our good friend Siobhán) for his birthday earlier this year. The voucher itself was so unbelievable pretty and housed in it’s own little cotton pouch. As a former graphic designer, I was super impressed with the attention to detail and whole presentation which exuded a sense that the people behind this company totally adored what they did for a living and there was a lot of love vested in this firm. Because of this initial impression I always knew when I decided to do a bumper What Katie Ate Christmas posting, the Sydney Picnic Co. would just have to be part of it, as moreover Christmas in Oz = Summer in Oz and what better a thing to do on a glorious Sydney Summer’s day than to grab yourself a picnic and head to the beach or a park with a harbour view and soak up the beautiful Aussie sunshine. I only have glowing words to describe my first meeting with Natalie and Simon - two of the friendlist, most upbeat, fun and sociable people I have had the good fortune to encounter. They make such a gorgeous couple and from the second they stepped inside my studio, I felt like I’d known them for years. Even though I now shoot food almost on a daily basis, it’s rare that I actually eat the food as I go, however the contents of the basket which the guys provided me with made it utterly impossible not to devour the entire thing. The food inside the basket was out of this world and was, without a doubt some of the best I have tasted in the past year. I am still raving about it to friends and family a month down the track. Simon has over 11 years’ experience within the food industry both in Sydney and the UK. His love of food began when he ran the family owned Vintner Wine Bar in Stratford upon Avon. It was here that he discovered the importance of good quality, seasonal ingredients. Since then, his belief that food should be fresh, simple and above all pleasurable has grown stronger, and this philosophy shines through in his food. Since arriving in Sydney, Simon has worked with Simon Johnson – undoubtedly one of Australia’s finest providores – and he is now putting this knowledge to great use within his picnics.
His wife and business partner, Natalie has spent the same length of time working in the design industry. Through her experiences working with some fantastic creative agencies, she has developed her art of creating beautiful things, and this is reflected in the exquisite, handcrafted presentation of each and every picnic. Together, they have been inspired to combine their passions to produce unique and lovingly prepared picnics that are as delicious as they are individual. As a couple of English food lovers who, many years ago, became captivated by the beauty of Sydney’s outdoor way of life Simon and Natlaie want to share their love of al fresco dining and make it easy to enjoy a simple, fabulous and spontaneous picnic – gourmet food, en plein air, without effort and that’s why they decided to start The Sydney Picnic Co.
“The food inside the basket was out of this world and was, without a doubt, some of the best I have tasted in the past year”
The Sydney Picnic Co consists of two people: Simon & Natalie who are simply just passionate about food...
Medjool dates filled with goat’s curd & pistachios wrapped in prosciutto
Patchett’s pork pie & home made mustard pickles Ligurian ‘ Taggiasche’ olives marinated in thyme, chilli, garlic & fennel seeds Roast free range chicken with strozzapreti pasta, bacon, green peas, mint, spinach with wholegrain mustard dressing
Ligurian olives marinated in thyme, chilli, garlic & fennel seeds Medjool dates filled with goat’s curd & pistachios wrapped in prosciutto (opposite)
Poached Australian King prawns with gremolata & aioli Lemon & thyme baked free range chicken with fregola, asparagus, sugar snaps, baby peas, mint and toasted almonds
Feta, mint, lemon & cucumber dip with grissini Australian King prawns with gremolata & aioli
Fregola with chorizo, preserved lemon, roasted cherry tomatoes, green beans, spinach, mint, toasted almonds, lemon juice & olive oil
Strawberry Eton Mess
Note: Champagne not included
Dub
in Decem photograp
blin
mber 2010, phed by Donal Skehan
“Molly Malone” (also known as “Cockles and Mussels” or “In Dublin’s Fair City”) (Irish: Mol Ní Mhaoileoin) is a popular song, set in Dublin, Ireland, which has become the unofficial anthem of Dublin City. The Molly Malone statue in Grafton Street was unveiled by then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alderman Ben Briscoe during the 1988 Dublin Millennium celebrations, declaring June 13 as Molly Malone Day. To local Dubliners she’s fondly known as
‘The tart with the cart’...
Sheridan’s Cheesemongers Sheridans Cheesemongers is run by Kevin Sheridan, Seamus Sheridan and Fiona Corbett. The company was founded in 1995, when Seamus and Kevin started selling Irish farmhouse cheeses at the Galway market. Shortly after they opened a shop in Galway with Irish farmhouse cheeses piled from floor to ceiling. The Irish cheeses were quickly joined by their European cousins as well as a huge range of other artisan foods including olive oils, cured meats, condiments and pasta sourced during travels in Europe. Since it’s first foray in to the world of cheese from a small market stall, Sheridan’s have expanded their business to include a total of four retail outlets, 11 market stalls and a purpose built warehouse premises in Co.Meath from where they supply our many trade customers. Sheridan’s are passionately committed to sourcing highest quality artisan products and forging links directly with the food producers. The close relationships they have with their suppliers are of the utmost importance to the ethos of the company. Many of the farmhouse cheeses and foods are handmade locally in Ireland and they have a wide selection of delicious artisan produce from all over Europe. They feature cheese such as Durrus, Clonmore, Coolea and Cooleeney Raw Milk Cheese ensuring that they source the best of continental cheeses available; to single out a few; Cravero Parmigiano Reggiano, Dongé Brie de Meaux, Marcel Petit Comté. Other products include Rustichella d’Abruzzo Pastas, Ortiz Tunas, Prunotto Italian Pasta sauces and cheese accompaniments and Luscombe Organic Drinks.
Sheridan’s Cheesemongers 11 South Anne Street Dublin 2 +353 1 679 3143 www.sheridanscheesemongers.com
Ardrahan Bellingham Blue Cashel Blue Clonmore Coolea Cratloe Hills Crozier Blue Desmond Durrus Gabriel Gubbeen Gubbeen Smoked Killeen Cow Killeen Goat Knockanore Smoked Lavistown Milleens Mount Callan Cheddar St. Tola Wicklow Blue Bri Keen’s Cheddar Shropshire Blue Stilton Montgomery’s Cheddar Ardi Gasna Beaufort Bleu d’Auvergne Bleu de Bresse Brie de Meaux AOC Brin d’Amour Cabrales DO Camembert de Normandie Comté AOC Delice de Bourgogne Epoisses AOC Fourme d’Ambert AOC
Gabietou Le Moulis Mimolette Mont d’Or AOC Morbier AOC Persille du Marias Ossau Iraty AOC Raclette Reblochon AOC Roquefort AOC St Nectaire AOC Tomme de Jouvray Tomme de Savoie Manchego Monte-Enebro Valdeon Blue Bra Gorgonzola Cremoso Gorgonzola Piccante Parmigiano Reggiano DOC Pecorino Romano DOC Pecorino Sardo DOC Robiola Taleggio DOP Appenzeller Emmental des Grotte Gruyere Tete de Moine Goat’s Gouda Gouda ExtraMature Penamacor Torta del Casar Barrel Aged Feta
Cocoa Atelier Inside Cocoa Atelier you will find a multitude of truffles in all sorts of flavour combinations with columns of chocolate Florentines, jars and bottles oozing chocolatey deliciousness adorning the walls, and almost endless rows of macaroons waiting to be picked. The place is a temple to the art of all things chocolate. Everything you see on display is produced in the downstairs kitchen using the best quality ingredients to make Cocoa Atelier an experience to be had while in Dublin.
Cocoa Atelier | Shopping, Snacks 30 Drury Street | South city centre | +353 1 6753616 www.cocoaatelier.com
http://www.avoca.ie
Honey, ginger and rosewater cake
treehouse artisan sweets by Christy Loekito www.treehouseartisansweets.com
Photography Katie Quinn Davies
Treehouse Artisan Sweets is a Melbourne-based venture that specializes in creating mouth-watering treats using seasonal produce.
The idea for the business started out simple enough: Christy want to make sweet baked goods that taste out “of this world”. But first, in order to make the best treats, she had to start with the best ingredients, so she proudly and personally sources as many as possbile from various Farmers’ Markets around Melbourne. The next step is to ensure that she stays as true as possible to the seasonality philosophy, which is why Christy’s product range changes to reflect the best of the season’s bounty. She tests her recipes again, again and again to ensure that everything that comes out of our kitchen is always better than the last! You can find Christy’s products at:
Melbourne Showgrounds Farmers Market, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
White Chocolate
and
Cherry
Xmas Tarts
Festive Fruit
Mince Pies
Caramel Popcorn
Cookies
New Y in December 2010, photography by Melina Hammer and Jim Lafferty
York
(2)
Barney’s New York City, The infamous Barneys NY holiday display windows are up and carrying the theme “Have a FOODIE Holiday!”. Every year the Barneys New York holiday windows are much anticipated and always follow some theme. Simon Doonan out did himself with embracing the pop culture of celebrity chefs. Simon even admitted that “As a fashion person, I’m not particularly well-versed in Food. But tonight fashion and food are coming together!” From Mario Batali to Paula Deen all were present for the big revealing to see how they were displayed in the window.
660 Madison Avenue, at 61st street New York NY 10065 (212) 826 8900 info@madison@barneys.com www.barneys.com
“I’m interested in the dissonance between fashion and food,” said Doonan. “Whenever we do an event, the fashion people say,
‘ No food please. Let’s just serve vodka.’ But our customers are much more interested in Bobby Flay and Keith McNally than in Lindsay Lohan or the Kardashians.
Chefs are definitely the new celebrities.” Simon Doonan, Barneys creative director
Sigmund Pretzel Shop Sigmund Pretzel Shop booth is run by a couple from Melbourne, Australia. These are warmed, soft, “German-style” pretzels. Had the truffle cheddar which was mmmMMmm.
www.sigmundnyc.com
Fatty Crab The sandwich on the brown paper with the sauce running out is from Fatty Crab -- it was a marinated beef sandwich. Fatty Crab is a bit of a New York institution by now -- really dense sandwiches to soak up the alcy. Fatty Crab is a restaurant that serves Malaysian inspired cuisine. The Malaysians use a wide variety of spices, fermented condiments, chilies, and a ton of coconut milk in their cuisine. Over the years there have been distinct Chinese, Portuguese, Indian and Indonesian influences integrated into the cuisine, especially in the urban centers and port cities. Abundant with curries, spicy and sour fish soups, satay, varied noodle dishes and the ubiquitous nasi lemak, Malaysian cuisine is complex, spicy and really hard to categorize and the coolest thing is they love to eat with their hands. A practice we at Fatty Crab fully embrace. You will find that we rotate some of our menu items seasonally and run market-inspired specials. And, a number of classic dishes stay on the menu all the time: beef short rib rendang, pork and watermelon salad, fatty duck and, of course, chili crab, to name a few
Fatty Crab 643 Hudson Street (between Horatio and Gansevoort) New York, NY 10014 (212) 352 3592 2170 Broadway (between 76th and 77th) New York, NY 10024 (212) 496 CRAB (2722) www.fattycrab.com
Crif Dogs The hot dog with avocado and white cream sauce is from Crif Dogs. Crif Dogs is famous partly for being the entrance to a fantastic -- and for a time little known, “secret” bar -- PDT (Please Don’t Tell). At Crif Dogs, you enter a vintage phone booth to find a secret entrance to the bar downstairs.
Crif Dogs 42 East 20th Street New York, New York (212) 477-0777 www.crifdogs.com www.pdtnyc.com
Left Bank Books Left Bank Books is located on one of the sweetest streets in New York City, Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street,” and we are positively certain you will enjoy visiting us if you come our way. The shop is relatively small, but chock-full of good books. We specialize in Modern First Editions (especially fiction, poetry, drama, and literary non-fiction), photography, art and film, but we buy and sell quality used books of all kinds in all categories. We are especially interested in signed books, and hope you are too.
Left Bank Books 17 8th Ave New York, NY 10014, (212) 924 5638 www.leftbankbooksnyc.com
Stop by for a visit and see our whole array of books, and then enjoy the pleasures of the West Village, with all its quality shops and brilliant restaurants. Left Bank Books: Rare books well done.
Café Grumpy Café Grumpy is a Brooklyn-based independent coffee company that opened in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in 2005. It has since grown to include three locations around nyc, as well as an in-house coffee roastery. Cafe grumpy is recognized by national and local media as one of NYC’s best coffee shops and also for bringing brewed-toorder specialty coffee to the forefront of the market.
Café Grumpy 224 West 20th Street New York, NY 10011-3502, United States (212) 255-5511 www.cafegrumpy.com
The Castello Plan The Castello Plan wine bar and kitchen is dedicated to serving a memorable and complete dining experience. With over 110 wines, 16 Belgian Beers and an amazing New European menu, The Castello Plan has been described as “A Magical Place”, “one of the best wine bars in NYC”, “this Ditmas Park favorite shines in every way imaginable” and “unlike any other place I have ever been”. Open for dinner daily, and serving a latenight menu and a special weekend brunch, The Castello Plan has quickly become a destination for all NYC foodies and winos.
The Castello Plan 1213 Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn, NY (347) 268 7666 www.thecastelloplan.com info@thecastelloplan.com
Chelsea Market At the National Biscuit Company complex, begun in the 1890’s in what is now west Chelsea, the ovens baked everything from Saltines to Oreos. Those ovens went cold a half century ago, when the company moved out, but newer ovens have been working over the last decade in part of that old complex - at Chelsea Market, from Ninth to 10th Avenue and 15th to 16th Street. The ground floor contains a long arcade of food stores, now a well-known destination in west Chelsea. To walk through the Chelsea Market is to stroll through a sort of postindustrial theme park, carefully festooned with the detritus of a lost industrial culture, interspersed with specialty foodstores and restaurants.
Chelsea Market 75 9th Avenue New York NY 10011 www.chelseamarket.com
Chocolate Bar Chocolate Bar was founded in 2002 by owner Alison Nelson. It’s first shop is located in New York City’s West Village where cobblestone streets and brownstones mingle effortlessly with fashion, music and NYC’s buzzing nightlife. You can now find Chocolate Bar location on Long Beach Island in New Jersey and in Doha, Qatar and Dubai, UAE. Chocolate Bar strives to bring our customers artisanal, handmade confections and baked goods featuring the finest ingredients, free of artificial flavors or preservatives, while constantly re-imagining our packaging to reflect the art, culture and humor we experience every day in our little corner of New York City. Our stores feature the chocolates along with our own house baked brownies and peanut butter rice krispy treats, morning pastries by Tisserie Bakery and espresso and coffee by Barrington Coffee Roasting Company.
19 8th Avenue between Jane & W 12th West Village NYC (212) 366 1541 info@chocolatebarnyc.com www. store.chocolatebarnyc.com
Lucy’s Whey Lucy’s Whey offers a carefully chosen selection of American Artisanal Cheeses. The mission at Lucy’s Whey is to showcase quality American cheeses and to support the craftspeople and farms behind them, many of whom we know personally. The cheeses offered are all made by hand, are of limited supply and shipped directly to Lucy’s Whey, ensuring high quality and freshness!
Inside Chelsea Market at 425 West 15th St. New York, NY 10011 (212) 463 9500 www.lucyswhey.com
http://www.lucyswhey.com
Gramercy Park Flower Shop The Gramercy Park Flower Shop combines a dedication to excellence of a family owned and run shop with the most experienced and knowledgeable staff in the field with a focused goal or providing our customers with the freshest and most creative floral arrangements and accessory products for any occasion. Celebrating it’s 100th anniversary at the same location (Third Ave. and 21st St.), the Gramercy Park Flower Shop is a neighborhood institution. The shop, now owned by Tommy Sakas, the grandson of one of the original owners and his staff are proud to adhere to the same high standards initiated by his grandfather 100 years ago. Tommy’s customers recognize that the Gramercy Park Flower Shop sells more than just flowers. We can help you design, plant and refresh indoor and outdoor space as well as plan and execute a beautiful wedding or special event. The Gramercy Park Flower Shop also stocks for immediate delivery exciting accessories for your home or office like terrariums, zinc and galvinized containers, glasswares, and ceramics. GramercyFlowers.com was created to eliminate the frustration of telephone and internet floral arrangement buyers who could not see in advance what would be delivered. Our unique items category and those items throughout the site marked “unique” are the actual arrange-ments available for delivery in the NYC metropolitan area.
260 3rd Avenue New York, NY 10010-6397, United States (212) 475 4989 www.gramercyflowers.com
Peter
Bagi
Over the last 8 months since the real inception of What Katie Ate in early May 2010, one of the good buddies I’ve made via the blog is Peter Bagi. Peter and I have shared many an email over the months full of laughs and photography banter from one end of the globe to another, he’s a smashing bloke, good fun and incredibly down-to-earth. Peter is based in Victoria, Canada and works primarily (for the moment at least) as a graphic designer who has a huge passion for food and photography. This appetite initially encouraged Peter to set up a food blog and in turn he has recently published a cookbook entitled;
Get Cooking Simple Food. I’ve always been blown away at how Peter talks about food and as ever it’s encouraging to find someone so driven and focused on making his dreams and passions a reality. More info on Peter’s new publication can be found opposite and you can view more of his wonderful work on the two links below:
www.peterbagi.com www.closetchef.ca
“Get cooking simple food is about going beyond our normal rituals with food and taking the time to make meals that are quick, tasty and inspiring. I love making meals that don’t break the bank but are exciting. I know this is possible and this book is testament to that. In my ideal world we would share and eat food together every night. Not just on weekends and special occasions. Eating together at the dining table really promotes well being on both a physical and psychological level. It’s where you can feel safe to talk about your dreams and have your fears dispelled. I have put together a collection of recipes that are affordable and interesting. Go ahead and change things up, add more or take away. But the important thing is that you try something different. Invite friends over on a Tuesday night for no other reason than to share a meal. Feel the enjoyment that comes with executing a dish & sharing this with friends & family. The smiles are more than enough fuel to keep you making fresh, simple food that taste amazing.” Peter profiles the book on his blog with a magazine preview of some of the pages and there is a link to buy it from there.
www.closetchef.ca/cookbook-launch
ROM
ME
December 2010, by Kristina Gill
Decorating the tree at Piazza Venezia
Miniature chocolate panettoni at Roscioli bakery. Today the bakery in Via dei Chiavari (one of the oldest operative since the 17 of August 1824 – date of a Vatican census in which it was mentioned) is run by Alessandro and Pierluigi, the sons of Marco and Anna who keep on their parents job with passion and research. Alessandro is a sommelier and knows about cheeses, cured pork meats, oils and follows his own line of dairy products refinement. Pierluigi is a professor of professional planning at the cooking school “A tavola con lo chef” and he takes care of the production and ofthe relations with clients.
Roscioli Bakery
Via dei Giubbonari, 21 00186 Rome Restaurant: +39 6 687 5287 Bakery: +39 6 686 4045
www.anticofornoroscioli.com info@anticofornoroscioli.com
Though you can find these throughout the year, once the temperature drops, you begin to see vendors on the street corners selling freshly roasted chestnuts
Preparing Christmas Orders. Preparing Christmas orders. Samina Langholz holds a tray of hand cut wooden Christmas tree decorations. Montemerano, Italy.
www.andreabrugi.com Available in the US at Ochre in New York.
Games at the Christmas market at Piazza Navona
La Befana, the witch that brings gifts at the Epiphany.
Fish is the traditional protein of choice for Christmas eve dinner, but Christmas day and beyond, anything roasted in the oven goes. Here, a butcher offers whole or half lambs (agnello) at a special price for the holidays.
aboutlife Rozelle 605 Darling St Rozelle, NSW, Australia Tel: +61 (02) 8755 1333 Bondi Junction 31-37 Oxford St Bondi Junction, NSW, Australia Tel: +61 (02) 9389 7611
www.aboutlife.com.au
Aboutlife is my local grocery store. Many an ingredient for the food shoots I have completed over the past eight months for the blog, have been purchased at Aboutlife which is located up the road from my house in Rozelle. When I moved to the area back in March ‘10 I mentally jumped for joy when I first walked into the store as I relished at the abundance of fresh, vibrant, organic veggies and fruit, fresh bread from local noted bakeries and a virtual Pandora’s box of foodie goodies and general organic grocery delights. The store itself includes a general grocery area, health and well-being section at the rear of the store and also a sun-drenched café when you can sit and enjoy casual salad bar food or choose from more extensive restaurant-standard fare. The kitchen at the back is manned by a number of expert chefs who produce a daily array of gourmet pies, pizzas, quiches, pastas, salads, antipasto meats and deli items, marinated organic meats and various other produce which you can enjoy at home after a long day at work. Their food always tastes fresh and wholesome and their selection of beautifully seasoned meats are a blessing when the day heats up and you decided it’s got to be a barbie for dinner. Their lemon marinated chicken so totally outstanding both in texture and quality and I don’t think I’ve ever eaten chicken which stay so moist after cooking on a BBQ for 30 minutes. The staff are super-knowledgeable and friendly, in fact I’ve made two mates from visiting the store (who just happen to be Irish - Hi Ruth and Pam). With over 15,000 product lines in the stores, Aboutlife have established a reputation for being the perfect place to find all those difficult to find products. With such a variety of offerings and activities, it is essential to bring people in from all sorts of backgrounds and professions who can have an active role in the ethos of the store. aboutlife has a large team of staff, who are all equally important in building what has become one of Sydney’s finest food stores and café’s.
Each staff member has a passion for food, health, wellbeing and quality of life. As a result, you can be sure you will receive passionate and informative assistance no matter what department you are visiting
Attracting customers from all over Australia, aboutlife products are about: Health, Quality, Value, Supporting the environment, our local farmers and the fair trade act
All products are carefully selected to ensure we are providin flavours, sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, and wherever
ng you with produce that is free of chemicals, preservatives, possible we provide organic and biodynamic products.
December 2010, photos by Katie Quinn Davies
Bondi Icebergs Club owes its origin in 1929 to the desire of a band of dedicated local lifesavers trying to maintain their fitness during the winter months. They formed the Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club and drew up a constitution and elected office bearers. Included in the constitution was a rule that to maintain membership it was mandatory that swimmers compete on three Sundays out of four for a period of five years. This rule still exists and has been much commented on over the years. The Bondi Icebergs became licensed in 1960 and the members moved from a tin shed into comfortable premises with Bar and Poker Machines. A further update took place in the 1970s enabling the Club to operate on two floors. In 1994 female members were admitted and in 2002 the Club opened their new premises. The Bondi Icebergs is the only licensed Winter Swimming Club in the world. Since its beginning back in 1929, the Bondi Icebergs has forged a reputation as one of Australia’s most famous winter swimming clubs. We could not have got where we are today without the support from all members who have been involved with this great Club.
Donna Hay General Store
40 Holdsworth Street Woollahra NSW 2025 +61 2 9328 6555 www.donnahay.com.au
The Strand Arcade The Strand Arcade remains a majestic beauty in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Sydney’s CBD. Many food retailers including; Haigh’s Chocolates, Pendolino, Strand Espresso, Takatea, The Nut Shop have traded for decades. Today the centre is a unique mix of Australian designer fashion and specialty stores catering for a discerning, sophisticated clientele.
412-414 George St Sydney NSW 2000 +61 2 9232 4199 www.strandarcade.com.au
David Jones Food Hall - www.davidjones.com.au