I’m going to admit it: when Nestle released Nespresso machines a few years ago, I thought they were going to be a fad. They seemed convenient, but surely people would put away their pods in return for the ritual of their own espresso machine, right? Or return to the even less quick fix of instant?…
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Last fortnight I wrote about being bewitched by an intoxicating champagne at Ananas Bar & Brasserie. After all, who isn’t swept away by a Gatsbyesque fishbowl of French champagne? Coco Chanel definitely was. She once cheekily remarked, ‘I drink champagne on two occasions. When I’m in love, and when I’m not.’ But unlike the matriarch of the…
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One of my favourite things to do is to throw a dinner party. Once or twice a fortnight I’ll invite up to half a dozen of my friends around and cook up a couple of different things (I can’t seem to only ever cook one thing – I always get carried away) and uncork several…
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I’ve recently been looking into the ways food can provide energy. My unfortunate reality is that the foods I absolutely adore often leave me feeling bloated and sleepy. (I completely understand and love the Spanish idea of a siesta after lunch.) It often seems like a good idea to have a delicious steak sandwich with…
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Famous social rights activist Desmond Tutu once said: ‘Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.’ While it’s easy to declare these sentiments on a Facebook status, it can be difficult to integrally act it out. Little bits of good have become…
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The French are renown for many wonderful things – Roquefort, champagne, Giselle, Olivier Martinez… I also have a theory that anything sounds better in French. Case in point: ‘voulez vous coucher avec moi’ sounds much more seductive and thrilling than the somewhat needy ‘will you sleep with me?’ Just like ‘c’est la vie’ sounds…
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I am a big fan of meals that have more than one course. It lends a sense of occasion to weeknight dinners and makes the host/cook of dinner parties seem very impressive (especially if they sigh happily after taking the first bite – it’s a fabulous ego boost). The problem I encounter when preparing two…
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Easter-time. Chocolate, Cadbury Creme Eggs (they deserve to stand alone). Hot Cross Buns. Those are the three most important things about the day, right? Even if you have other priorities, chances are that a hot buttered Hot Cross Bun is definitely an indulgence you have one or twenty times over Easter. I thought it would…
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Perhaps thanks to the popularity of televisions shows like My Kitchen Rules and MasterChef, and the rising profile of chefs into celebrities, many Australians are now identifying themselves as foodies. The exposure to cooking shows and iconic chefs has made high-end dining no longer daunting, and words like congee, carpaccio, and chantilly have entered…
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A couple of months ago I received some rather embarrassing news from my doctor. The results were in from a recent blood test and it showed that that my cholesterol was a little high. My doctor informed me that this was fairly uncommon among people my age and that I needed to get it under…
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If you live in Sydney and enjoy the eclectic dining scene, but sometimes find it difficult to narrow down what choices you will make (Thai! Polish! Mexican Street! American Diner! Organic Vegan!), why not let your charitable impulses lead your stomach? An initiative called ‘GIVVA FORK’, created by Dominic Greenwood, has launched in multiple Sydney…
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Dieting is bad, no duh. Carb-counting and strict food plans tend to end in fatigue, tears and ice-cream, and are not a way to ‘become more healthy’. That said, there’s been a new trend recently to go sugar-free. Not to lose weight, but to improve health and wellbeing. You can find the science of the debate here….
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Orto Trading 38 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills 3.33 ‘Hanging lamps and plants’ Hello Orto. Gosh I liked you. I’d visited you previously for a couple of vinos and vowed to come back for a couple of cappuccinos. And here I finally was – amongst your rugged brick walls with hanging plant-filled bottles and dim-lit lamps,…
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thelma & louise, neutral bay 1 Hayes Street, Neutral Bay 3.0 ‘Colourful harbour-side diner’ Hello, Thelma and Louise. You are by far one of the most gorgeous little cafes I’ve been to in Neutral Bay. Literally on the ferry wharf, your balcony can’t get much closer to the yacht speckled harbour. I felt like I…
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