PCL

AGA's are expensive. Very expensive. Shin, you do want an oven that heats up fast because it means you're using less energy over time to get the oven to heat up. Fair enough, it's all metal inside, but the TYPE of metal governs how quickly it heats up and how efficient it can be at retaining heat, which all leads to using less power and being better for the environment. Broad brushstroke I know, but I hope it makes sense.

Vasse Felix '03 Chardonnay just been released, if you can find it, grab it!

price??

See, the reason I asked about Duck Muck is that the vineyard and hence, the region (Heatchcote) is only an hour or so from home. It is a great drop, my current shiraz aversion aside, but we can't find it over here funnily enough. And when we do, its stupidly over priced. Found a few half bottles once though, and with some accelerated bottle aging, or so I'm told, they tasted fan-freaking-tastic!! It was either an '00 or '01.

Any of you US people ever get a hold of the Duck Muck Shiraz from Wild Duck Creek??

Shin, what do you have currently installed?? This thread would be great to follow and expand on as I'm in a similar position, but I'm looking at a 'new' old one, like reconditioned commercial stove/oven set up with MEGA BTU's!!!!!

Thanks for the Grenache tip! Shiraz/Viognier is big now, and I'm learning. Not impressed by early ventures though. Too sweet? No names have made an impression yet, but then again, I have been known to be lazy. As for Pinot Noir, you must try to get your hands on the following (Tasmania's up and coming but Victoria is the spiritual heart of Aussie Pinot Noir): Main Ridge Estate, Mornington Peninsula Stonier, Mornington Bannockburn, Geelong By Farr, Geelong I'll search and see if any of them ship overseas direct from the cellar door. I know Main Ridge does (they're a lovely couple who own the place) and well worth it. Maybe some tasting notes to come too! Cheers everyone so far!

Well, grasshopper, I mean, PassionateChef, a couple points... The French would be furious if you mis-spellt their regions so here goes: It's COONAWARRA, BARROSA, MCLAREN VALE (yeah, even I screwed up and I call myself an Australian ) As for everyday Australian wines, in the UK, you simply don't get enough of them. Although, having said that, the Waitrose Cellars, and I've only seen one of those in the Canary Wharf London store... has a good selection of lesser known vineyards. I don't find consistency to be a problem, just 'bigness'. Some producers are consistently bad, big, bold, etc. The regions are pretty well summed up so far however, but I do have a problem with many Margaret River reds... too much tannin early on, and even with maturation, still too big. Grange, well, there's a few out there and best to check the vintage and tasting notes before ripping the cork out. But the price of Grange in the UK is actually good value compared to what one pays for them in Australia... bullshit if you ask me. The consistency of French product would appear to come from experience and knowledge of what goes with what, and how. Like I said earlier, we're just getting round to working our blends and learning to not just drink straight varietal expressions.

I have searched the wine forum for discussions on Australian wines, and so far, they've always been about the odd selection or so. On the eve of my first trip to California, where I plan to visit the Napa for a meal at Bouchon, I thought, hell, just ask the Gulleteers what they think! They usually answer. So here goes: What do you think of Aussie wines? Do you have favourites (varietals/blends/regions/winemakers)? To kick things off here's where my mind's at during this period of my life: 1. I think there is good variety, but there are things we do well, and things we don't do so well. For example, subtlety is something in my opinion, Australian winemakers are beginning to learn. For that, read: They have been travelling and tasting. The days of the BIG WINES, ie Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are coming to a close, their dominance being tempered by BIG BLENDS... but we are coming around to doing things differently, unfortunately, you pay more. 2. Currently, there isn't much touching my lips that isn't blended or of some weird obscure varietal that hasn't been much promoted/appreciated in this country. Cabernet Franc is good, Grenache is good, Cote du Rhone type blends (affectionately known as GSM's) are good. Marsanne can be good or awful. Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is good. Some names of vineyards that are on my home wine list: Charles Melton, Barossa Valley (GSM, Cabernet S) Fox Creek, MacLaren Vale (Cabernet Shiraz) Main Ridge, Mornington Peninsula (Pinot Noir) Peter Lehman, Barossa Valley (Shiraz) Gallagher Wines, Canberra (Cold weather Shiraz) Wirra Wirra, MacLaren Vale (Cabernet Merlot Shiraz) Thanks for reading, hope to read your thoughts in the near future!

Roast pork - it's usually sold at the chicken rice stalls. ← CRISPY skin roast pork to be specific, so as to not confuse it with 'char-siu'.

Good work dude. You got to that point before me, but better still, you got there before Fat Guy!!

Was super blasted last night, after watching like 2 DVDs in a row... Harold & Kumar followed by Dodgeball. Found cold pizza in fridge, left under salamander to heat up, and drizzled with the S sauce. I'm a convert. Why has it taken so long? Why? Indeed, why? Why?

Maybe you've been afraid. Lose the fear man. Tell the damn fish who's boss. Order it to crisp up and get the pan H O T. It could be like bearnaise, it smells your fear.

Best Cha-siu is behind Jalan Imbi near all them bridal shops. On a corner, a hawker stall in a kopi-tiam, next to the Hainanese Chicken Rice dude. BEst siu-yook... aiyah, need to ask my dad now... but the Yong Len Coffee Shop in TTDI serves up an AWESOME siu-yook and crispy roast chicken....

You have more sheep per, ummm, end-user. :) ← Actually, I take it back. In absolute terms, they're cheaper in the UK on a unit rate, based on dollar to pound one to one conversion. Whilst not taking the bait, it's our strong exports of our livestock that's driving domestic prices up. I'm sure there are other factors involved, including labour, but while I lived in the UK, I was hard pressed to buy any meat unless I'd developed a relationship with the butcher. And that took a while.

Laksa with pork is no big deal considering that most laksa variations common among hawkers in Malaysia/Singapore are Chinese inspired. Many a time I've ordered curry laksa with strips of pork added in, almost like har-mee. In Australia, however, to stay on topic, the Fenix variation is the first I've heard of it.

I think what we've established here is that it's cheaper in relative terms in Australia.

some would say that portioning and frenching the lil' bastards cost time, therefore money. some people here in Melbourne charge per unit for the lil' bastards. will check .

Kanga, how did you go with the pork belly bits???

Just on the weekend I tasted a pinot noir made from grapes affected by a bushfire a year or so ago. Sure enough, you could smell and taste smoke, burnt wood. Sensitive pinot noir at its best reflecting conditions? I did question why the wine itself was even made given the shitty grapes but it was interesting to note the very real way the wine showed off the 'terroir'.

The kids would love 'harvesting' the yabbies from freshwater streams, lakes, dams etc.

Try yabby mousse or yabby 'pate'... in paranthese becaue you can't have real pate without lard or some kind of organ, in my opinion...

scrub first. then rinse. then dry over heat. then oil with paper towel. then put it away. you Americans seem to need everything spellt out... ;-)

Gut reaction? Utter nonsense. The build up on the cast iron is pretty much pure carbon, and provided you scrub and rinse and heat then oil, you're all good. Just an opinion. Never had a problem with a pan using any kind of oil, but would qualify that butter is involved 90% of the time.

Just got off the plane from Canberra, into cab, straight to North Fitzroy, Aux Batifolles... 400 Nicholson St. Thank the gods I live in Melbourne.