Taubear

Great review and photos. I have all his books and cook from them regularly. Makes me want to book flights to Thailand right now.

Dried herbs are great for making "Dry Rubs" to put over your meat or fish before cooking. Fresh herbs burn easier the dry herbs. There is a use for both Fresh and Dried herbs :-)

Topping, tailing and destringing beans

Beef cheeks.....uhhgg the rubbery texture. Give me a good steak anyday

Paul Newman's Own Balsamic Salad Dressing

Travelling through Warrnambool we came across a little Italian restaurant that blew my socks off. The meal at Nonna Casalinga's was one of the MOST memorable meals I have ever eaten, my wife still raves about their gnocchi to this day. Nonna Casalinga Overview Nestled in the restaurant precinct in Warrnambool, Nonna Casalinga offers Italian Cuisine in an elegant setting. The name Nonna Casalinga is Italian for Nonnas home cooking, and owners / chef Chris & Alysia Considine have developed a menu that embodies this description. Enjoy your evening amidst romantic lighting & a rustic environment which has an old antique cabinet. The menu may include Seafood Cacciucco - fish stew from Livorno, crab, vongale, prawns, scallops & char grilled croutons.

The Laksa King in Erskine St [Cnr of Kent and Erskine] in the City is good. I am a regular there for their chicken curry.....mmmmmmm.....yum. Better than the places in the Hunter arcade in my opinion.

How does one store Vegemite? Do I stick it in the fridge or what? Just leave it in your pantry. No nned to put it in the fridge as it never goes off.

Think wet cardboard and your just about there.

Preserved Lemons Pork Belly Lamb Saddle Persimons Ohh and I forgot to mention Wagu beef

Marco Polo Foods Pty Ltd 7 Elizabeth St, Campsie, NSW 2194 * Phone:(02) 9718 8922 * Fax:(02) 9718 7335

The top of the cap will be slimey and will have changed colour. They will not be worth eating in my opinion

Mudgee Marinated Feta - Marinated in local olive oil and other herbs and spices. Absolutely delicious

Hi Howard, Here's a few to choose from The French Cafe Don't let the name put you off. This is a fine dining restaurant White @ the Hilton Fnatastic location overlooking the harbour. Enjoy

I just spent the weekend in Melbourne discovering its culinary delights. One of the highlights of my weekend was lunch at the Spanish restaurant Movida which is hidden away in a colourful laneway in the CBD @ 1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne. What can I say but WOW, what a meal. The food menu offers you the choice of both Tapa and Racion. Tapa are small individual pieces, Racion are plates to share amongst two or more people, or a larger dish for one. We had the following Tapas Roasted lamb cutlet encased in a Catalan pork & paprika pate Half shell scallop oven baked with jamon and potato foam Fried silky croquette flavoured with mushrooms Followed by the Racion Pan seared marinated cuttlefish with chickpeas, mint & tomato salad South Australian prawns wrapped in pastry with pork belly and chick pea shoots Marinated roast capsicum and tomato salad, in moorish spices This was combined with drinks Alhambra 1925 Lager Spain 2006 Escarpment Chardonnay Martinborough NZ And Last but not least dessert Rich drinking chocolate and Spanish doughnuts Sherry Romate Amontillado 90ml The service was fantastic and it will go down as one of my most memorable dining experience. If you live in Melbourne all I can say is lucky you  If your visiting make sure you book ahead to avoid disappointment. They have a cook book titled Movida: Spanish Culinary Adventures which looks like a must have for the collection and a website http://www.movida.com.au/index.htm

Your chicken soup looks delicious........I just hope that the paring knife hiding below the surface in photograph number 3 [ Add water ] wasn’t there when it came time to be served

You could try Jo Seagars new cafe in Oxford. We went for a look a few weeks ago but did not have time to eat there. The place was packed. Failing that there is the Nor Wester cafe in Amberley approximately 20 - 30 mins drive away............or the wineries are always good http://www.seagarsatoxford.com/ Pegusus Bay Winery http://www.pegasusbay.com/ I have dined here twice in the past 6 weeks and the food and wine is absolutly suberb. Enjoy your time in N.Z.

Filth and Grime Looks like your pot needs a good clean.

I have several Scanpan products including some of the Copper range [Good] and some of the Non Stick range [bad] Both the 26cm skillet and the Wok blistered over a period of 2 years. I have followed the manufactures guidelines [using Low to Medium heat at all times and never using the Dishwasher to clean] to the letter and ended up taking the skillet back for replacement [Lifetime Warranty] they claim of their packaging. Scanpan flatly refused to replace my skillet and now the Wok is going the same way. Small blisters appear all over the non stick surface which after a few months turn into big flaked off holes all over the cooking surface which renders it useless. I have been upset regarding their renegging on their lifetime warrenty and have vowed NEVER to buy another Scanpan product as long as I live and to add to that I am going to let as many people know about it as possible. I have since purchased Caphalon non stick pots and pans and cannot recommend them highly enough. Save your money and buy some quality cookware like Caphalon.

I have just seen the new cook book which looks like a must have for seafood aficionados. PIER by Greg Doyle Beautifully constructed book with matching photographs per recipe. RRP $85 AU I have seen it for as low as $68 AU on the http://www.cookbooks.com.au website

I can't wait to go. The new menu looks great and is very reasonably priced

I have always loved Egg Foo Yong and would love to make it at home. Does anyone know what the ingredients are in the brown sauce. My Guess Oyster Sauce Light Soy Corn Flour Water Do you have another version?

Unctuous - I really dislike this word when its used to refer to food. Gelatinous - Same makes me feel repulsed Mouthfeel - WTF

I wouldn't touch that stuff. Imagine the consistency. Uuuuurrrrggggg

I have recently been lucky enough to get Prime Organic Porterhouse steaks at bargain price. Shoppers don't seem to buy the organic meat as it is usually about 25% dearer. Now every time I go to my supermarket I look for the reduced priced items whose use by date is nearing. Get it home as quickly as possible rebag it and throw into the freezer or use straight away. Edited : - Spelling