Category: FOOD & DRINK

How to make the perfect coffee at home

Coffee cups

We’re inside more than we’re used to, we’re doing less than we’re used to and we’re eating and drinking more than we should. No judgement here! As you reach for coffee #11 of the morning, take heed; you might be making it wrong. We spoke with John Kozsik, the Lavazza Australia national training manager about how to go about making your at-home brew, sans barista, as best as it can be. A good cup of coffee has the power to shape your day – and with many now unable to lean on their favourite baristas for their go-to pick-me-up, finding that motivation to kick-start the morning can be challenging. Whether you prefer a cappuccino or latte, flat white, espresso or long black, there is nothing better than the aroma and taste of a fresh cup of coffee. To help bring coffee rituals back into households, we sat down with Lavazza’s coffee aficionado and National Training Manager, John Kozsik, to get his top three tips on how to make the perfect cup, in the comfort of your own home. 1. Buy a quality product There are simple ways to identify quality coffee – and a good place to start is with packaging. Good quality packaging ensures your coffee will stay fresh for longer. Look for non-transparent packaging with foil on the inside and make sure it has a one-way breathing valve on it. Coffee releases CO2 after it’s roasted, so a one-way valve is important, because it allows the CO2 to escape, but does not allow… Read More

Recipe: Baileys Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns

Ingredients: 100ml milk 100ml Baileys Chocolat Luxe 6g dried yeast 1 tsp sugar 420g bread flour 30g cocoa powder 100g cold butter, cut into small cubes 1/2 tsp salt 45g sugar 2 eggs 150g milk chocolate chips 4 tbsp plain flour 3 tbsp Baileys Original Sugar syrup, to glaze Method: Heat the oven to 200C/400C. Add the milk and Baileys Chocolat Luxe to a jug and heat in the microwave for 1 min. Leave to cool to blood temperature, then add the yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar and stir to combine. Leave the yeast to bloom for 5 mins. Add the flour, cocoa, salt and butter to a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture has the texture of fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, then make a well in the middle and add the 2 eggs and the milky yeast mixture. Bring the mixture together into a soft dough, then turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 mins until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover in cling film and leave to proof somewhere warm for a couple of hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and spread out into a rectangle. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and knead again so that they are evenly dispersed. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, shape into buns, place on a lined tray and cover with cling film until doubled in… Read More

Glamourous Basement Steakhouse The Cut Serves Up Elevated, Yet Accessible Fare

Cut Steakhouse London 1

Not immediately visible to the untrained eye, beneath the surface of The Rocks in Sydney lies a sophisticated underground steakhouse that doubles as a speakeasy come nighttime. Located on Argyle street, The Cut serves Australian meat and seafood in a refurbished space; designed by Luchetti Krelle, the bar and restaurant draws upon the building’s colonial history, setting an atmosphere reminiscent of a film noir through moody lighting and elegant furniture – think leather booths, marble tables and a copper-topped bar – ensconced within bare stone walls and exposed timber beams. The old school decor is aptly complemented by old school service, with The Cut offering tableside cocktails in the form of a smoked negroni, gin martini, and vodka martini. The trio are bottled in-house, before being poured and garnished tableside. Alternatively, for a special imbibing experience, diners can opt for one of the establishment’s ‘high roller’ cocktails – such as the Vieux Carré or the Tipperary – which are made with rare and vintage spirits and offer a taste of the 1930s prohibition era. Classics like an Old Fashioned, Revolver, and Boulevardier are also on the menu, but with a barrel-aged twist. Owned by Neil Perry’s Rockpool Dining Group, The Cut’s dining offerings naturally impress. The restaurant’s must-order dish is the prime rib; dijon-crusted rib temptingly slides off the bone after being slow-roasted for four hours. The dish is presented tableside from an antique silver and rosewood trolley, served with veal jus and horseradish cream. The Cut has diversified their menu through the addition of… Read More

No, organic wine doesn’t give you fewer hangovers

Organic wine

Drinking green when it comes to red, white and rosé wine has never been so popular. Sales of organic wines are booming, and wine retailer Cellarmasters has quadrupled its organic wine range in the last 12 months alone. “A couple of years ago we would only have a handful of wines from organic producers, but they weren’t marketed as being ‘organic’ as there was very little interest at the time,” explained Christine Ricketts, Cellar Director for wine retailer Cellarmasters. “However, in the last 12 months we’ve seen a huge surge in demand and supply of organic wines. Organic wines are free from chemical pesticides, and organic farming practices treat the environment more fairly.” “Many experts also believe organic wine tastes more vibrant than conventional wine, so there are many reasons to try organic wine if you haven’t already,” she added. But no, organic wine does not give you fewer hangovers; here, Christine debunks the most common myths about organic wine. Myth: Organic wine doesn’t give you hangovers Although organic wine tends to have less sulphites than conventional wine, it can still give you a hangover. Hangovers are caused by the alcohol content, although histamines and tannins in wine can contribute to a sore head the next day. If you want to avoid hangovers all together, moderation is key no matter what wine you’re drinking. Myth: Organic wine doesn’t taste as good as normal wine Organic wine hasn’t always had a great reputation when it comes to taste. However, these days most green wines tend to… Read More

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with whisky in London

The Sun Tavern is the small corner bar in Bethnal Green you need to know. If relaxed aesthetics and comfy interiors aren’t reason enough to call this East London hang out your local, then perhaps what they can do in the form of a cocktail, is? This Saint Pat’s Day they’re turning it on to the tune of a special cocktail menu this 17 March. From 6pm-9pm Three Sheets’ Noel and Max Venning will be taking over the bar, alongside The Sun Tavern bartenders, to offer guests an exclusive St Paddy?s day cocktail menu featuring a White Russian with Coffee, Milk Washed Slane Irish Whiskey and Miso, The Shamrock Gimlet with Slane Irish Whiskey, Wood Sorrel and White Wine and a twist on The Sun Tavern’s own Irish Coffee with Slane Irish Whiskey, Salted Coffee and Baileys Cream. Sort yourself out: Doors will be open from 12pm – 1am offering a whole day of shenanigans and ample time to enjoy the frivolities. St Patrick’s Day at The Sun TavernDate: Tuesday 17th March 2020Time: 12pm – 1am The Sun Tavern441 Bethnal Green Rd, London E2 0ANWebsite: www.thesuntavern.co.uk

The gin to have when you’re not having a gin

CEDERS alt gin

With mindful March just around the corner, there are those who are trying to be a little healthier and more balanced by reducing their alcohol intake for the month. Then are those who are giving up alcohol all together for a variety of reasons. And then there are those good, responsible humans who regularly nominate themselves as ‘designated drivers’ (you know who you are). But just because you’ve decided it’s time to cut out the alcohol, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a cool, refreshing G&T bursting with your favourite botanicals, garnished with a slice of lime.  Now that we have your attention, let’s talk about the hottest, grown-up, non-alcoholic gin alternative on the market – CEDER’S. Yes, it’s so boss, even the name of the alt-gin is all uppercase.  Produced in Sweden, CEDER’S is a distilled, non-alcoholic alt-gin created using pristine Swedish water, and rare South African and classic gin botanicals. Two of the three varieties are now available in Australia – CEDER’S Classic and CEDER’S Wild. CEDER’S Crisp is the third variety featured on the website but is not yet available in Australia.  Botanicals used to create the alt-gin include juniper, coriander, lavender, geranium, buchu, rooibos, grapefruit, ginger and clove. The result is a beautifully created alt-gin with all the traditional characters of an alcohol-based gin, without the consequences.  The ‘classic’ variety is described as floral and balanced while the ‘wild’ is spicy and intriguing. It’s best served in a gorgeous glass with a good quality tonic and a twist of your favourite fruit… Read More

Local favourite Kogarah Clubhouse receives a facelift but maintains traditional club charm

Southern Fried Chicken Burger

Kogarah Clubhouse has been a local favourite for years. Established in 1947, it was originally known as Kogarah RSL Club, but it recently received a renovation, introducing a fresh, modern take on the much loved club. However the one thing locals will tell you hasn’t changed, is the friendly and genuine hospitality you’ll encounter at the Clubhouse. No BS here.  Kogarah Clubhouse now offers three contemporary venues – The Pearl Asian Eating House, Blake Street Kitchen and a revived Clubhouse Bar.  Featuring high, exposed ceilings and curved architecture, the Clubhouse Bar is the perfect venue to kick off your lunch or dinner date with a cocktail or a refreshing cider on tap. On the cocktail front, the ‘Sassy Pear Cosmo’ (grey goose, triple sec with fresh pear) jumps out at you from the ‘Something Special’ cocktail menu while the ‘Fairy Godmother’ (beefeater pink gin, cointreau blood orange and campari) is also extremely tempting.  From here, you can move to The Pearl Asian Eating House, featuring a menu that showcases authentic Asian flavours with a contemporary, modern twist. The Pearl is also a great venue for that old lunch time favourite, yum cha. The Pearl Asian Eating House is open for early dining from 11am from Monday to Friday and 10:30am on Saturday and Sunday. But if it’s a mouth-watering schnitty, a southern fried chicken burger or seafood platter you crave, then all-day modern eatery Blake Street Kitchen is your venue.  There’s something for everyone, from delicious starters such as satay chicken skewers and bruschetta to… Read More

Matt Preston, Tanqueray and Marley Spoon join forces to create the ultimate dinner party for six – in a box!

Tanqueray x Marley Spoon

Tanqueray and Marley Spoon have launched the ultimate dinner party box so now’s the time to call up the crew and host an entertaining night in, with a Korean-inspired menu curated by Matt Preston.  Designed to feed a party of six, these limited edition dining boxes include everything you need to create an incredibly delicious, three-course meal accompanied with Tanqueray gin cocktails.  Let’s be honest, planning and shopping for a dinner party can be hard work, even for the most organised amongst us, but with the Tanqueray x Marley Spoon ultimate dinner party box, all the hard work is done for you.  The ingredients are pre-portioned, so all you need to do is stick to the easy-to-follow recipe and voila, everyone will think you’re the bomb.  The party box costs $269, which includes a 700ml bottle of Tanqueray’s London Dry and cans of Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic. If Tanqueray’s Nº TEN is more your jam (a small batch gin crafted using fresh citrus fruits), you can pay an additional $30 for the Nº TEN dinner set ($299).  Available through to 29 March 2020 – with deliveries from 9 March to 5 April – the first of the limited edition dining boxes includes the following mouth-watering menu:  Entree: Brussel Sprout Bao Buns with Lap Cheong and Fish Sauce Caramel Main: Gochujang Beef Fillet Lettuce Cups with Shiso, Kimchi and Ssamjang Mayo Sides: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Miso-Almond Butter, Charred Broccolini and Spring Onion with Sesame Dessert: Chocolate-Walnut Torte with Pears, Butterscotch and Gold Dust Cocktails to… Read More

What’s up with the Canberra Night Noodle Markets

Canberra Noodle Market

As every good city should, Canberra is hosting their own instalment this year of the Night Noodle Markets. And it’s looking delish. They’ve released the sizzling menus of this year’s event, with a feast of signature dishes and creative tastes from Canberra and Australia-wide favourites. Returning to Reconciliation Place for an extended stint of eleven nights due to popular demand, from 28 February until 9 March, the air will be filled with spicy, salty and sweet aromas as Reconciliation Place is transformed into a bustling Asian street food festival.  And we spoke to chef Matt Blackwell of Monster Kitchen & Bar about why he’s doing this year’s fest and what we can expect! Describe food in a sentence. Food for me is something that brings people together, weather its eating a bowl of Larb in a local street market in Bangkok, or with your close friends and family at home. Why have you dedicated your life to it?Cooking allows me to be creative and constantly gain new experiences and meet really cool new people. It has allowed me to constantly travel and keep finding new things. Why should Canberra want to eat what you make?I am trying to bring some of what we do over at GOMA so people can get a taste of it in Canberra. Most of the ingredients and dishes I am bringing with me are really unique to Queensland, and I think it will be really cool for people in another state to get to try them in the way I’m using them. … Read More

London: Where to celebrate Holi Festival

Bang Bang Oriental Food Hall

So, there’s two things to know about Holi Festival, the Indian fest of colour and it’s heaps of fun. Also, food. A vital part of Indian culture and a quality element of the festival, all of which can now be attained at Bang Bang Oriental, the largest food hall of Asian cuisine in London. To celebrate, the Bang Bang Oriental space will be celebrating the Holi Festival with an exclusive performance from the award-winning Bollywood dance group Bollywood Belles on Friday 6 March 2020 from 7pm. Three types of Indian dances will be performed on the night and guests will have a chance to demonstrate their skills with a 15-minute dance class led by the experts. For those looking for a taste of India, Patiala Xpress specialises in authentic Indian cuisine and diners are welcome to try a tasty selection of Indian dishes including Chicken Biryani, Prawn Malabar and Paneer Tika. So bring your jingly bits, appetite and cultural awareness for a night to be savoured. Find out more at the Bang Bang website, link above!