Pat Churchill

Used to belong to Stephanie Alexander. Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder here. They have a cheese room. I had a nice lunch there a while back.

Bit frightening to see ubiquitous Martha on the front page.

I don't mind food touching on the plate, but I don't like loading a fork with a bit of everything. I prefer the distinct tastes of individual vegetables, etc. One of my fetishes, though, is leaving the best bits (like the crispy cheese topping on mac cheese) till last.

Hi Tom I go regularly to the South Melbourne market (which has recently undergone an overhaul) and I find I am reasonably well served by the butchers and fishmongers there. Good range of fruit and vegetable places and delis. It's open Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun. Parking can get a little tight at the weekend but I've always found a park nontheless. I've bought Roquefort at the delis there but I think that's the first unpasteurised cheese to be let into the country. I think you'd find The Foodies Guide to Melbourne a good investment. I've done a brief review of it on my website: http://www.cookingdownunder.com/books/bookintro.htm This is a new edition. The people in this forum have been very helpful pointing me to places when I've been looking for ingredients not available in my immediate suburbs. I'm in Albert Park and there are certainly tons of restaurants from St Kilda to Port Melbourne, either in walking distance or a tramride away.

My sons were both in their top cricket team at school for about 3 years each and we mothers used to provide a suitably ripping afternoon tea for team and visitors. A retiring mum told me to corner the sausage roll department. Kids didn't want poncey sandwiches and cakes - just sausage rolls and tomato sauce, she advised. So for about five years every summer my Saturday morning ritual was to defrost the sossie rolls while the oven heated, make a big basketful of same, drop whichever son at school with our contribution then return later in the day to help serve afternoon tea. Never bothered making the sausage rolls from scratch. Checked the various frozen brands, found one that was great and stuck with it. One pack made about three dozen. The tomato sauce (ketchup) was an absolute must! The basket was always empty at the end of the day plus I made some great friends in the kitchen.

Part of me is tempted to scream out "What's wrong with real fresh fruit!!!" The other part is exeptionally curious. Someone give me an easy method/recipe to try. I have to get my head around some of this stuff. If only to convince The Spouse I am indeed trying to poison him

You know, a lot of people search my website for dukkah. I must put in a link.

Ta Stephen. Hope it's a good one. Take some photos for those of us who live vicariously....

I was talking to a chef who had worked with him and he said Ramsay was a really nice fellow. He had nothing but praise for him. I am going to a lunch here in Melbourne on Thursdsay where Ramsay is promoting his autobiography and a new cookbook. I will report how he comes across.

Gee, we Kiwis know what RSVP means (some of us even know what the initials stand for ). Pity Seattle is a bit far away. But I am there in spirit! I love your lateral thinking...

I always get a bit jittery when I see Giorgio Locatelli cooking on the food channel here. He has a lot of stray hair flapping around. But I am not sure what sort of hat he could wear

These are good pass-arounds I found in a book - pizza wheels: http://cookingdownunder.com/courses/snacks...ers/rsna109.htm

I might be a bit late for the original poster but Masterfoods sent me some recipes which I have on my website for a Moroccan party, plus I have put links to some of my own dishes. Start here: http://cookingdownunder.com/articles/2006/moroccanparty.htm

Years back when I was a regular on the newsgroup rec.food.sourdough we used to exchange starters by spreading a little on something like waxed lunchwrap, letting it dry, putting the flakes in a ziplock bag and then posting them (in my case they came across the world from the US to New Zealand.) This would then be mixed with flour and water and nurtured till they started to grow. I had the Alaskan, the Russian and the SF one all bubbling along nicely. The Alaskan made particularly good bread, as I recall I've located the archives. Go here and scroll down to section XV.

I've been watching it here in Oz. Shows the nicer side of Ramsay.

Try this one then, Onigiri. Took it at a friend's farm. These calves in rural Australia will be going to Japan and end up as wagyu beef

We've found Thai food fits in well with the South Beach diet though I avoid rice and coconut cream.

There was an American reporter worked on a New Zealand newspaper with me. She became a great Vegemite aficionado to the extent she kept some in her handbag - it was packaged in a container like a toothpaste tube - and would just squeeze a little along her finger, pop it in her mouth and smile...

Good freeze-dried food pouches availabing from camping stores. Make sure you keep an extra large jerry can or two full of water round the house. Refill it every three months or so to keep it fresh. A dash of chlorine or those tablets you use for killing bugs in water is a good idea. Then you've got water for reconstituting the freeze-dried food, for soaking beans etc etc. I got caught during power cut one time and couldn't light my gas stove which had electric ignition. Not a match to be found. Then I remembered my chef's torch!

All the tourists around you are taking pictures of one another but this is what you're photographing...

The aromatic essence of ginger sounds like good medicine... (Oh, yes - spouse and son went to the rugby league and I went to sleep in front of the Living Channel and missed two cooking shows!)

And save any duck fat for roasting potatoes!

Yes, I agree. Some great Kiwi cookbooks out there. Being a Kiwi, I have many in my library. Even worked as publishing manager on a couple of Alison Holst's books about 10 years back. Am off to the ex-pat Kiwis' Kea Melbourne launch on Tuesday where I see Annabel Langbein's latest book is being featured and Annabel is doing the nibbles.

Well, there must be some left over from Chicago!

I come from New Zealand where we are prepared for such emergencies (more or less...) given our susceptibility to earthquakes. Typically we would keep a reasonable amount of stuff in the pantry like cans food that could be consumed without heating if necessary. Our kids used to take a supply to school at the beginning of each year. At the end of each year it would be given to charities who provided emergency supplies to people needing groceries. This would include cans of spaghetti, baked beans, rice pudding etc. We have a large plastic jerry can that holds maybe 50 litres of water. We kept it in a wardrobe and drained and refilled it every 3-6 months, putting a dash of chlorine in the water. The following comes from the latest issue of the NZ Guild of Food Writers newsletter which I received today, and will give you an idea of the sort of thing we are told in terms of preparedness for an emergency. It's been copied from a pdf so might look a little raggy... Being prepared for a disaster is crucial if you live in New Zealand. We are at the mercy of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and, possibly, tsunamis. The weather this winter has been a reminder that this is the season when disaster is likely to strike. Food is essential to survival, and as food writers we have knowledge that we can use to educate our readers on how to maintain nutrition. The New Zealand Food Safety Authority prepared this article about food safety during an emergency. Food safety in an emergency It is important to be aware of how to get information on food and water safety during an emergency. This will come from your local authority and public health unit and it is likely that different areas of the country will face different issues. But when it comes to food, the same preparation applies wherever you live. Prepare a survival kit There are many things you can do to minimise the impact on your health before disaster strikes. Put together an emergency food survival kit. Do it now and make sure you include the following items to last at least three days: canned and/or dried food - ham, fish, fruits, vegetables, cereals, tea, coffee, powdered soup, salt, sugar, sweets, biscuits a can opener a primus/portable gas cooker or barbecue to cook on eating equipment - utensils, knives, pots, cups, plates, bowls, matches, lighters bottled water - 3 litres per person per day bottled water - 1 litre for washing food and cooking each meal, washing dishes and washing yourself milk powder or UHT milk. Check and renew food and water every year, taking into account any medical or dietary conditions in your family. If you have babies or children, make sure they have enough suitable food. If you live in a flood-prone area keep your food survival kit above the likely reach of flood water. Minimising food and water spoilage During an emergency you need to ensure you have the right facilities available. Normal household appliances, such as fridges and ovens, may break down. Your food could spoil faster and your water supply could become contaminated. To avoid this, follow these steps: eat perishable foods, for example bread and meat, first as they spoil faster than non-perishable food eat canned foods last minimise food spoilage by opening the fridge or freezer only when you need to take food out do not eat vegetables or fruits that have been lying in flood water cover all food with plastic wrap or store in waterproof containers leave bottles, drink cans and water containers in the fridge (if it’s working) to keep them cold throw out rotting or tainted food before it spoils other food. Hygiene Maintaining hygiene around food preparation and cooking requires more thought than normal. always wash and dry your hands before preparing food – if water is in short supply keep some in a bowl with disinfectant ensure all utensils are clean before use cook food thoroughly cover food with plastic wrap or store in waterproof containers keep a supply of fly spray rubbish containing food scraps must be protected from flies and rats by wrapping or putting in a sealed container. Water for cooking, dishes, and washing yourself The following household facilities can be used to cook, wash dishes, and wash your hands: hot water cylinder toilet cistern - as long as no chemical toilet cleaner is present bottled water spa/swimming pool - use only for washing yourself and family. Boil or purify water before using it in food preparation and to avoid cross-contamination of food. Once boiled, cover and store in a clean container and place in the fridge (if it’s working) or in another cool place. Re-boil the water if it is not used within 24 hours. If you do not have power to boil water, purifying tablets or bleach can be added to ensure its safety. Add five drops of household bleach per litre of water and leave for 30 minutes. Food safety after an emergency Knowing what is safe to eat during the clean-up phase after an emergency can become a guessing game. Understand what may or may not be safe to eat: any food that retains ice crystals and where the packaging has not been damaged or opened can be safely refrozen foods that have been defrosted can still be used if they have recently defrosted and can be kept cold, ie the fridge is working again defrosted food cannot be refrozen inspect the food. Does it smell or appear different, has the colour changed and does it have a slimy texture? If so it is probably unsafe to eat do not use any tinned food that has been damaged (for example if it has split seams, is swollen or has been punctured). You should always be prepared for a disaster. If you follow the guidelines above they may stop you from becoming ill - the last thing you need on top of other problems you may already have Food safety is just one step in staying safe during and after an emergency. To find out more visit the Civil Defence website: www.civildefence.govt.nzwww.civildefence.govt.nz This sort of info is included in our phone directories. I've been living in Australia for a year and haven't felt any earthquakes here in that time nor do I expect to (though I did feel a tremor when I returned to NZ in June briefly!!) Here bushfires are probably more of a threat. But preparedness for any sort of disaster is wise. At work in NZ I used to keep a pair of sports shoes in my desk in case an earthquake struck the high-rise I worked in - high heels are no good in emergencies like tramping over rubble etc. We had a civil defence cabinet on each floor with emergency supplies (including body bags). When our kids were at primry school the school had a list of people who could pick them up in an emergency if we (parents) were unable to do so. Serious stuff. But being prepared is being in charge. Don't be afraid to formulate your own family plan. We did. Thankfully we've never had to use it yet.