Bite Club
Biteclub Does Breakfast
07/10/2007 09:22
Freshly Toasted Muesli
Its been a while between a few posts and I thought I would do some "catch up" entries. I recently had the pleasure of attending a Biteclub held in the morning. Breakfast/brunch was on the agenda and our good hosts Tony and Michael had gone to the trouble of putting on an amazing feast. Better than any hotel buffet I've ever seen!!! And trust me, I've sat a few hotel breakfast buffets in my time!
With the sun shining in Sydney, summer has come a little early for us here. It was a perfect environment to indulge in a beautiful breakfast. Fruit salads, fresh bakery items, scrambled eggs, sausages...the list goes on. I think there is something quite indulgent about a cooked breakfast. Whilst many 9 to 5'ers grab a bowl of Corn Flakes and a cup of coffee during the week , its nice to spoil ourselves on the weekend with a luxurious cooked breakfast and the weekend papers. Anyway, join me on a photo journey that will have you drooling at the mouth. Michael and Tony had outdone themselves truly.
Double Espresso with a dash of milk...the perfect starter to breakfast
Fresh fruit salad...look at those summer colours
I love starting off with a good cup of strong coffee. The perfect heartstarter! The fruit salad was so inviting and healthy of course!
Fresh and flaky croissants
As if these items weren't enough, we got ready for part 2.
Barbecued Italian sausages
Scrambled eggs...for 10
Lightly fried mushrooms in butter
Sauteed spinach
Layers of hash browns
Are you hungry yet? Are you inspired enough to get into the kitchen and make a sexy breakfast? You should be.
Again, I have to emphasise what an effort it is to put on a feast for 10 people. Michael and Tony excelled themselves and the food was delish.
I think I'm starting to like Biteclub at Breakfast...
Pete
Biteclub with Buffalo Parmesan
19/09/2007 19:55
Glamorous Biteclub setting
I landed in Sydney and quickly made my way to the next Biteclub hosted by Mark, Maria and Sal. These guys always put on a fantastic spread. Just have a look here and you'll see what I mean. As I walked into their cool digs, Mark was already being the perfect host and had everyone's wine glass filled. Sal was busy making the last adjustments to the menu and Maria was finishing up with the table decorations. What a team!
A familiar, pungent aroma had saturated the dining and kitchen areas. Mmmm. What was it? Maria explained that she had purchased some Parmesan cheese that day and it would be featured in a few of the dishes. Folks this isn't your regular store bought parmesan. This was a Parmesan cheese made from Buffalo milk, similar to the Buffalo mozzarella. I had never heard of it before so was curious to see its appearance in some of the food. Maria had stylishly put together a tasting platter for all, as a bit of a starter. They had grissini, Ligurian olives and of course the Buffalo Parmesan. The cheese certainly lived up to its expectations. Costing nearly the same as a mortgage in Sydney you'd want it to be! Nutty and mellow and very suited with the olives and grissini.
Grissini, Buffalo Parmesan and Ligurian olives
Olives
After a good ol' catch up we sat down for the first course. Sal had taken inspiration from his Italian aunties and delivered a traditional Italian style menu with a bit of a modern twist. First off, Linguine tossed with fried broccolini , garlic, extra virgin olive oil and finished off with shavings of Buffalo Parmesan.
Broccolini with Linguine
The simplicity of the above dish is phenomenal. I mean how easy is it to throw a few things together and deliver a taste sensation? And really its not that difficult.
Polpette with sugo
After a delicious start and another mini break we proceeded to get ready for the second course. Out came the polpette or meatballs for you non Italian speakers. They were cooked in a sugo, (a rich Italian tomato sauce). Sal had thrown together some veal and pork mince, a few eggs (remember there are 12 of us!), some breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and the star of the evening, the Buffalo Parmesan! Combining the ingredients together he formed the large polpette and cooked them in an Italian tomato sauce. I asked Sal if he fried them first and he said no. Hmmm...more Italian secrets! They were flavoursome, filling and the flavour of the Parmesan was strong with out it being too overbearing. Served with a crisp salad complete with a beautiful Balsamic vinegar form Modena.
Again, the Italians had shown us a thing or two at this Biteclub. I have often said it and I will repeat it again if necessary. Simplicity is really the only way to go with cooking. Too many combinations can spoil food. Relying on a few ingredients and using them wisely is the secret. As we saw, the buffalo Parmesan featured three times tonight and it worked beautifully with the presented menu.
Great job guys!
Pete
Biteclub OR "You'll never eat lunch in this town again!"
25/08/2007 12:07
Just to let everyone know, the following entry was written by our Founding Father and Biteclub president/organiser Jason. As usual, my travel commitments had me circling the globe and I wasn't there to enjoy this event. Enjoy Jason's take on a fun filled, gourmet fest...
From the people who brought you Bite Club, we bring you Bite Club Lunch!
The inaugural daytime edition of our food and friends fest kicked off on Sunday, August 19. Could a weekend lunch, possibly be as successful as the traditional Tuesday night affair? After five seasons, changing time slots is always a risk. However, despite appalling weather conditions - and at least one member getting the shits, literally - it turned out to be a fun afternoon.
The day began with a clap of thunder and bolt of inspiration. Due to the torrential rain, Vanessa and I abandoned our plan to seat everyone in the spacious courtyard at Spring Street. Instead, we decided to slap two tables together and squeeze everyone inside. As they say, bad luck always comes in threes - and it did. Soon after, Paul was seconded to free a staff member from a laundry press at Valitel. Minutes later, Mark Meredith found himself knee deep in raw sewage, at Mafia Headquarters. As always, Maria arrived, with apologies from the absentees - and takeaway requests.
Nessy and Jason
In keeping with Bite Club tradition, two special guest surprise intruders were invited to add spice - newlyweds, Victoria and Ben Richards. Victoria needs no introduction. She's always a hit with the gang. As a fellow professional marathon runner, I knew Ben would have much in common with myself, Ryan and Michael. Over the course of the afternoon, he even managed to pick up a few sporty tips. Winning the City to Surf is easy - all you need to do is smell like a fragrance counter and follow the bouncing bum!
Victoria and Ben...welcome intruders
With everyone seated, we got down to the serious business of serving food. Vanessa and I opted against an overall theme for the three courses - after all, our backs are still out from doing the can can, at our Parisian night. Instead, we kept it simple. For entrée, Vanessa prepared a traditional Chinese dish: Cannelloni stuffed with ricotta, baked in a rich tomato sauce. Add a touch of rocket for extra flair. It was truly delicious. If the Great Wall can be seen from the moon, so could our waist lines, by the time the four individual servings were devoured.
Vanessa's Canelloni
For a main, I dished up spicy Mediterranean burgers. I was once given the recipe by a wonderful old Greek lady, who lives on the island of Siros, in the Cyclades. It's been passed down through her family for generations. Simply bake a sour dough bun (I started from scratch but you can buy identical rolls from the Queen Street deli). Combine fresh beef and lamb into paddies, season with parsely, ground cinnamon, garlic, peppers and chilli. Grill to taste. Prepare the rolls with a layer of sundried tomato, then add Greek yoghurt to the burgers, top with spring onion, and serve with a side of warm potato chips. Amazingly, the entire meal has zero cholesterol.
Beaut burgers
Purely for decorative purposes, I whipped up three side salads: Fennel, grapefruit, nicoese olive and walnut, in a mustard dressing. Also, basil and pinenut, in a Balsamic vingerar dressing. Finally, a traditional green salad, with cherry tomato and avocado.
healthy salads
For dessert, Vanessa baked a mouth watering sticky date pudding. Special mention must go to Albert Stangle, who expertly advised the correct cooking time. For all Vanessa's recipes, please subscribe to her Mail Ling List. Finally, with coffee, we offered fresh strawberries, home made rocky road and coconut truffles.
mmmm...fantastic options
Special mention must go to Sal, who ate everything on his plate. However, the management would like to advise that there's no truth to the rumour that his subsequent stomach bug had anything to do with Bite Club.
A thorn amongst the roses
Special thanks to Victoria and Ben, for joining us. As we look forward to the next Bite Club at Mark, Maria and Sal's place, perhaps we should ponder a question raised by Tony. Just why is it, that intruders never make a second return? (Cue creepy think music.)
From the people who brought you Bite Club, we bring you Bite Club Lunch!
The inaugural daytime edition of our food and friends fest kicked off on Sunday, August 19. Could a weekend lunch, possibly be as successful as the traditional Tuesday night affair? After five seasons, changing time slots is always a risk. However, despite appalling weather conditions - and at least one member getting the shits, literally - it turned out to be a fun afternoon.
The day began with a clap of thunder and bolt of inspiration. Due to the torrential rain, Vanessa and I abandoned our plan to seat everyone in the spacious courtyard at Spring Street. Instead, we decided to slap two tables together and squeeze everyone inside. As they say, bad luck always comes in threes - and it did. Soon after, Paul was seconded to free a staff member from a laundry press at Valitel. Minutes later, Mark Meredith found himself knee deep in raw sewage, at Mafia Headquarters. As always, Maria arrived, with apologies from the absentees - and takeaway requests.
Nessy and Jason
In keeping with Bite Club tradition, two special guest surprise intruders were invited to add spice - newlyweds, Victoria and Ben Richards. Victoria needs no introduction. She's always a hit with the gang. As a fellow professional marathon runner, I knew Ben would have much in common with myself, Ryan and Michael. Over the course of the afternoon, he even managed to pick up a few sporty tips. Winning the City to Surf is easy - all you need to do is smell like a fragrance counter and follow the bouncing bum!
Victoria and Ben...welcome intruders
With everyone seated, we got down to the serious business of serving food. Vanessa and I opted against an overall theme for the three courses - after all, our backs are still out from doing the can can, at our Parisian night. Instead, we kept it simple. For entrée, Vanessa prepared a traditional Chinese dish: Cannelloni stuffed with ricotta, baked in a rich tomato sauce. Add a touch of rocket for extra flair. It was truly delicious. If the Great Wall can be seen from the moon, so could our waist lines, by the time the four individual servings were devoured.
Vanessa's Canelloni
For a main, I dished up spicy Mediterranean burgers. I was once given the recipe by a wonderful old Greek lady, who lives on the island of Siros, in the Cyclades. It's been passed down through her family for generations. Simply bake a sour dough bun (I started from scratch but you can buy identical rolls from the Queen Street deli). Combine fresh beef and lamb into paddies, season with parsely, ground cinnamon, garlic, peppers and chilli. Grill to taste. Prepare the rolls with a layer of sundried tomato, then add Greek yoghurt to the burgers, top with spring onion, and serve with a side of warm potato chips. Amazingly, the entire meal has zero cholesterol.
Beaut burgers
Purely for decorative purposes, I whipped up three side salads: Fennel, grapefruit, nicoese olive and walnut, in a mustard dressing. Also, basil and pinenut, in a Balsamic vingerar dressing. Finally, a traditional green salad, with cherry tomato and avocado.
healthy salads
For dessert, Vanessa baked a mouth watering sticky date pudding. Special mention must go to Albert Stangle, who expertly advised the correct cooking time. For all Vanessa's recipes, please subscribe to her Mail Ling List. Finally, with coffee, we offered fresh strawberries, home made rocky road and coconut truffles.
mmmm...fantastic options
Special mention must go to Sal, who ate everything on his plate. However, the management would like to advise that there's no truth to the rumour that his subsequent stomach bug had anything to do with Bite Club.
A thorn amongst the roses
Special thanks to Victoria and Ben, for joining us. As we look forward to the next Bite Club at Mark, Maria and Sal's place, perhaps we should ponder a question raised by Tony. Just why is it, that intruders never make a second return? (Cue creepy think music.)
Biteclub In Bondi
11/07/2007 17:05
Biteclub is back!!! This time hosted by Arthur and Ryan. With a very different weather situation than last time, the guys set the scene for more wonderful, warming, winter fare. Being the sticky beak that I am, I arrived about one and a half hours too early hoping to catch them in a state of chaos. Nothing of the sort. They were cool, calm and collected. All courses were planned, ready to be executed in a second. Discussions ensued with Arthur and Ryan over the planning and execution of such a huge epicurean event. As the rest of the guests arrived I set off on a photo clicking frenzy. The guys had dips and olives laid out on their dining table with grissini and mini ciabatta breads. The perfect starters to get the appetite whet, ready for the feast that lay ahead.
The first course arrives and is met with oohs and aahs at the table. Good ol' fashion minestrone is plated up with shaved parmesan and broken spaghetti pieces. Cooked to perfection it is both tasty and nourishing. Every chopped vegetable swims in the succulent broth with perfection. Every mouthful brings back all those feel good memories of childhood. It's accompanied by a sun dried tomato rye style bread with plenty of unsalted butter to spread. Vegetables have never tasted so good!!!
After a little break and everything running like a well oiled dentists drill, Arthur and Ryan proceed with the second course of stuffed vegetables. Now, these are not ordinary vegetables. Yellow capsicums, tomatoes and eggplant pieces are filled with a mixture of cooked rice, mince and a variety of herbs to make the famous Greek dish of "yemista". Basically translated as "filled" or "stuffed". Its good to see Arthur had consulted his mother over the making of this dish. Its not an overly complicated recipe but it is time consuming. Hollow out the vegies, clean them, make the mixture, stuff them and then bake them. (The boys also served a vegetarian version omitting the mince meat.) They are certainly a child hood favourite of mine and I applaud the guys for having a go at making them. Another Greek dish added to the archives of Souvlaki For The Soul.
"Yemista" are served everywhere in Greece and it is a very popular lunch time menu item. This dish has its influences from the Middle East and the Turkish regions. Both those countries make a similar version often adding pine nuts, lamb mince and many other exotic spices that were traded during the Ottoman Empire.
The "yemista" had joined forces with a batch of golden baked, rosemary and garlic potatoes. Man did they have a garlic kick to them. I think Ryan was planning on scaring a few vampires away that night!!! But yes they were delish!
And finally we ended our evening with individual tiramisus. Its back to Italy we go. We each received a hefty tumbler of Italy's famous dessert. Ryan was obviously quite excited with the alcohol as these were deadly. Each glass had savoiardi sponge fingers dipped in a mixture of espresso coffee, brandy and masala liquer. These were then placed at the bottom of each glass and layered with a mixture of mascarpone and eggs. And then sprinkled with cocoa and chocolate shavings. This process was repeated two more times till the glass was full. The tiramisu was flavoursome and the alcohol came through quite prominently. It was quite an effort but Ryan assured me he enjoyed making them especially after having a "test run" first!
As I waddled out of their groovy pad in Bondi I reflected on the eclectic mix of food that we ate. Lets see. Mediterranean dips to begin with. Then it was Italian minestrone followed by a famous Greek dish. And lastly back to Italy for sweetness. Arthur and Ryan had executed their own Eurovision dinner party. Singing and bad outfits not included! A great job guys and one to be proud of.
Pete
Five Courses Later...
15/06/2007 13:25
This is the sight that greeted me at the very last Bitecub. A beautifully set up table eagerly awaiting the arrival of its hungry horde. And what a magnificent setting. Paul and our newly elected member Albert set the scene for a very competitive evening. Not that there's anything wrong with that!!! This was a Biteclub many were not about to forget easily.
I always arrive early when the hosts are busy organising all the last minute food preparation. It gives me a chance to snoop on the night's menu and take photos. Being the official blogger has its privleges! Paul and Albert had organised for everyone to eat outside on the very extended balcony. With the first signs of the "official" winter starting in Sydney everyone made sure to rug up. But the guys were organised and had upped the ante by providing woollen blnkets for the ladies. Perfect hosts indeed.
We began the evening with drinks and a sexy selection of mouth watering morsels. Otherwise known as little cocktail bites or canapes with character. We began with miniature toasts with mushrooms and parmesan and soft blinis with cream cheese and a roast capsicum tapenade. Gone in 60 seconds! Delicious.
Next in line came crostini topped with a spinach, smoked salmon and cream cheese roulade. Albert explained that he blanched english spinach leaves and rolled them with the a layer of salmon and cream cheese done with saran wrap. He toasted slices of crust french bread in the oven to get a nice crisp, crunchy crostini. The other crostini were served with taramosalata. Aaahhh! a very familiar dip here at Souvlaki For The Soul. Taramoslata is a greek dip in origin which uses fish roe blended with boiled potatoes or bread and mixed with olive oil and lemon juice. There's an old greek grandmother myth about the colour of the dip. The lighter the colour the better the quality. I assume this has got something to do with the fish roe. Albert's dip was a beautiful pale pink colour and seasoned to perfection. It was so good when it was spread on the crunchy crostini.
After a little break the guys brought out the main course. Lamb shanks. It was funny to see everyone clap when they arrived at the dinner table. A happy bunch of Biteclubbers all passionate about the food? Or too much Sauvignon Blanc? Either way it was spectacular. Monstrous sized shanks cooked in a tomato and red wine sauce accompanied with sour cream mashed potatoes and honey and seeded mustard baked vegetables. Boy do I enjoy eating in winter. Heavy foods like this are definetly made for the cooler months. We all deemed the lamb shanks a roaring success. And I must try adding sour cream to my next batch of mash. What a clever combination!
Dessert was next and the surprises just got better. Albert announced there was a choice of two tonight. Chocolate mousse with raspberry coulis or raspberry souffle. I hadn't had souffle for years. I've never really made it at home because there is a certain fear attatched with something so delicate. But I watched Albert prepare it and it looked really simple. Will have to give it a go soon. Anyway, I had the chance to try both of the desserts. The mousse was soft, creamy and not too "chocolatey". The raspberry coulis was a perfect match for the chocolate. Now lets talk about the souffle. Mmmmm...light, airy and very sensual. It was almost erotically hypnotic. (Is there such a description??) Sweetened to perfection with just the right amount of berries in every bite.
And before you could say "please sir...no more"...out came the petit fours with coffee. Chocolate covered shortbread. Did anyone say the word "competition"? Five courses later we were done. A beautiful spread. Paul and especially Albert had gone to great lengths to host a perfect Biteclub evening. They get an "A" for everything. A perfect setting, a well thought out menu and they were the perfect hosts. Well done. See you all at the next Biteclub.
Pete
Simply Italian
17/05/2007 20:17
I'm often asked about Biteclub by colleagues and other friends. Mostly people like to know the mechanics of it. Well yes, when you're cooking for 13 people it can be hectic. There's a menu to consider, emails to go out for last minute cancellations, seating arrangements etc...For me its about getting together with a group of friends, sharing a meal and a glass of wine and catching up on the latest. We all lead busy lives, so taking out time to catch up is great. This whole phenomenon known as Biteclub will soon be taking off in a different way. Yours truly, is working on a hard cover coffee table recipe book, based on our dinner parties and our favourite recipes. The photo you see here is one I plan on using in the new book. (Its supposed to be a little blurry. I had it set on a high shutter speed for the light. It's a little artistic). Now let's get to the important part. The food!
Mark, Maria and Sal were the latest in the group to hold their Biteclub. I especially love attending when it's their turn. Being of Italian descent, they, especially Salvatore put on a fantastic feast. ( He's from "godfather" territory, Sicily.) The one thing that always stands out with his cooking is the simplicity of his dishes. Simple yet tasty. I can never praise his cooking enough. He always puts in an effort to come up with something traditional yet mouth watering. Mark lends a hand in the kitchen and is an amazing host whilst Maria shops for all the food. Everyone is an important link in the chain.
We began the evening with some olives to whet the appetite. A selection of green marinated olives really gets the taste buds going. Our starter was an Italian classic soup called straciatella. Sal basically made some chicken stock and shredded the meat off the cooked carcass and added it to the stock. To this he added an egg and parmesan mixture and some broken spaghetti strands. The broth is delicate and the egg and parmesan give it a huge lift. It was not too heavy nor too light. Just right!!! (I need to get some new descriptions!!!)
The best way to describe the main course would be rustic. (I love the way that word is thrown around on every menu these days). It was a meat casserole dish with a little of everything in it. Meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, passata and herbs all thrown in a baking dish and covered and put in the oven for a good 3 hours. Everything becomes tender and it's a real taste sensation. Time and a low heat in an outdoor brick oven (ok I made that part up) really are the secret behind this dish. With lots of bread to mop up the juices, no one said a word as this dish was devoured in minutes.
And finally for dessert we supped on Mascarpone cheese with berries and chocolate shavings. I hate to repeat myself but you guessed it. Simple. Soft velvety mascarpone topped with juicy berries. Another great ending. Home made Italian food in Sydney. Simply the best.
How Do You Make a Cordon Bleu?
25/04/2007 18:22
Bonjour! Welcome to the first Bite Club of Series 4, hosted by myself, Jéson Le Herbison, and mademoiselle, Vané De Chéng. To commemorate Anzac Day, Vané and I felt it was appropriate to share some of our fine national cuisine over a three course le diner. So for those of you who couldn’t make it – or if you simply have an interest in all things à la française – then sit back, pop on your favourite Edith Piaf CD and soak up the saveurs, sentuers and couleurs of this magical evening.
JOHNNY HERRON COMES OUT OF THE CLOSET
After years of speculation – not to mention teté a teté in the locker rooms of City Gym - the night began with a revelation. At last, Johnny Herron came out of the closet – literally. It was a truly priceless moment when Madame Maria, on a mission to retrieve a broom from the cupboard, opened the door and discovered Johnny, appropriately perched on a piece of exercise equipment, ready to be our special guest Bite Club Intruder. Maria’s ear piecing scream could be heard all the way from the Arc de Triomphe. Unlike Anne Frank, Johnny used his time in hiding to do a workout and emerged with even better abs than before. With everyone’s appetite’s wetted, Vané and I began to serve…
A TART WITH A HEART
For entrée – and drawing inspiration from the Saint Rémy De Provence region - Vané whipped up a mouth watering caramelised onion tart with anchovies and sun dried tomatoes. The recipe has been passed down through her family for generations and Vané fondly regaled the group with a story about the first time her méme, le fémme Babs, helped her to prepare it. After hand picking the onions and tomatoes from their provincial garden – and plucking the anchovies from the River Sienne - the two women diced all the ingredients, then rolled out two squares of pasty. Each square was roughly the size of the cover of The Da Vinci Code, hardback edition. Then, using artistry perfected at the Moulin Rouge, Babs carefully arranged the caramalised onion on top of the pastry, leaving a three centimeter border around the edges. The anchovies and sun dried tomatoes add a final touch of flair. Cooking time – 20 minutes. Vané even did a little Can Can as she served the dish. It’s safe to say that it was a hit with our guests, as the meal was demolished faster than you can say Yves Saint Laurent.
VOULEZ VOUS CORDON BLEU
When it came time for the main, I turned to the pages of French history – 1793 to be exact. Did you know that Cordon Bleu was the final meal eaten by Marie Antoinette, before she was beheaded during the feverish height of the French Revolution? To this day, visitors to the Place de la Concorde – where she met the guillotine – say they can still smell the subtle flavour of the ham and Swiss cheese, as it melts into the bosom of a warm chicken breast. It’s very easy to prepare – simply catch a chicken from your farm yard, chop its head off (no guillotine necessary – an axe will do), remove the breast, beat it to a flat pulp, then add the ham and cheese, roll it with the help of tooth picks, braise in egg and coat in bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Oven set to 180, cooking time 30 minutes. For the sauce, I used a simple combination of white wine, cooking cream and seasonal herbs. Green beans, mash, mushrooms and French Fries made popular side dishes. The only complaint came from my le canines, Astré and Kirbé, who found very little leftovers on the plates.
WHEN LIFE DEALS YOU LEMONS, MAKE A CITRON
It’s well known that us French like to celebrate – just look at Bastille Day. So when Maria reminded us that Paul’s birthday had been upstaged by le bride Sarina and monsieur Noel’s wedding at le weekend, we decided to have a little celebration of our own. Using lemons flown in from Barjac, in the Gard region, I prepared a special Citron. I won’t talk you through the arduous process involved in making the pastry – I suggest you buy the Pampas variety. After pressing the pastry into a tin with a removable bottom, I ‘dry baked’ it for 20 minutes. This means – add a layer of baking paper to the top of the pastry and fill the tin with rice or beans, or as I did, lentils. Bake for 15 minutes. It is important to take great care with this, as I discovered when several of the lentils escaped the paper and became embedded in the pastry. Naturally, I was concerned that the dessert would be ruined, but then I remembered that my guests were alcoholics and all taste buds would be anaesthetized by this stage of the evening. Finally, add the filling – 2 cups of cooking cream, 1 cup of sour cream, 1 cup of sugar, four eggs and most importantly, the juice and zest of four lemons. Bake for 45 minutes, until firm, then chill. I served each petite slice with a dollop of rich cream and fresh strawberries. It was le coup de foudre for Sal, who told me it was the best dessert he’d ever tasted. Merci for the compliment. Suffice to say, everyone was the size of Gerard Depardieu by the end of the three courses.
EPILOGUE
When at home in France, Vané and I like to follow a big meal with a relaxing stroll along the Riveria. But since this was Darlinghurst, someone – I think Ryan – had the idea of going to Palms instead. It wasn’t entirely inappropriate, as walking down the stairs gave me new appreciation for how Napoleon felt when meeting his Waterloo. In fact, I vaguely recall Abba was being played at the time. It was just a shame nobody bothered to tell Arthur that he still had the pigs ear – stolen from Astré and Kirbé’s dish – still attached to his head. As always, Maria was still on the dance floor when we left. Vané and I just hope she makes it home before the next Bite Club, as she is one of the hosts!
The Day of the Felafel
16/03/2007 10:15
IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME...IN BONDI
18/02/2007 21:55
Biteclub is beginning to get competitive!!! The stakes are high to produce delicious and flavoursome food. Hmmm...I'm already sweating at what I'm going to make. I digress...So the boys started off with spanakopita. For all of you who don't watch SBS or didn't grow up in Melbourne, spanakopita is basically Spinach and Fetta Cheese Pie. Filo pastry encases a mixture of cooked spinach, dill and parsley and fetta cheese scattered evenly through out. It can be served as a slice from a big pie or made individually. Arthur and Ryan kept it traditional and apparently it was mooreish. They accompanied this starter with two very interesting and one would say inspiring salads. I say inspiring because that's what Biteclub is about. Experimenting with flavours and going with your gut instinct. Trying different things and learning as you go along.
The first salad consisted of grilled asparagus, fresh peas, red onion and capsicum tossed through an olive oil and lime juice dressing. Man am I jealous I missed that!!!! Limes are so "summery" and they complement the raw fresh flavours of the peas and asparagus. The second salad was made with baby spinach leaves, grilled halloumi cheese, grilled pumpkin and pine nuts. Talk about ingenious. Please excuse my excitement!!! The guys are seriously experimenting and it doesn't matter where they got the idea from. It's all very inspiring. (ok food rant over!!!).
Apparently it doesn't stop there either. The main courses that followed were outstanding. Chicken souvlaki or kebabs, which ever takes your fancy were served up with a Middle Eastern rice dish. The souvlaki were marinated in lime, chilli and coriander (thats another holy trinity) and grilled to perfection. The rice dish was made using cooked rice, slithers of red onion, parsley and mint and topped with Greek yogurt and toasted almonds!!!! Thats a serious combination! It's also very clever because the yogurt is very cooling which is perfect during these humid summer months.
And before you could say Donna Hay, out came the dessert. A peach and raspberry tart served with double cream. I love using these particular fruits when they're in season. It was quite obvious that some people couldn't wait for the dessert to be served up!!! A perfect finish for another perfect Biteclub. Congratulations Arthur and Ryan.
"CAN YOU GET COLCANNON IN CALABRIA?"
31/01/2007 03:46
A sense of routine is returning to Sydney. Stores are fully opened pegging their wares for Valentine's Day, kids are returning to school and Biteclub is on again tonight. Our self appointed secretary, Jason had also returned from a three week vacation in South America. So I was looking forward to hearing some great holiday stories.
Tonight's Biteclub was being hosted by Noel and Sarina. Sarina is of Italian descent and Noel hails from Ireland. They had hosted two before this one with great success. I was dying to know what they had planned or more importantly what they were cooking. As I entered their stylish inner city premises, I was greeted by Darcy (their lovely dog) and the sounds of a busy stove. Mmmm...was that tomato I could smell or garlic? As I sipped my first beer and got my camera ready I thought to myself, "can you get colcannon in Calabria?"....hmmm.
As the rest of the biteclubbers arrived and the sun set on a sultry Sydney evening (try saying that a few times in a row!!!), Sarina announced that the first course would consist of two pastas. Not one but two. The first pasta was an angel hair one served warm with a sauce that consisted of truss tomatoes, pecorino cheese, basil, garlic and the golden nectar known as extra virgin olive oil. A simple sauce that truly matched the fineness of the pasta. Delicious. The second dish, she announced was a spaghetti con "le sarde". A "peasant" dish, made popular in the region of Sicily. This consisted of sardines, sultanas, pine nuts and wild fennel. Now, I'm not a big fan of sardines. They bring back awful memories of the canned variety, that I experienced in my childhood. With great hesitation I tucked in. Wow!!! It was amazing!!! The sardines were subtle, the sultanas juicy, the pinenuts gave it a great crunch and the fennel gave it that extra lift.
After spending time sipping Sauvignon Blanc with Maria and hearing holiday yarns we were called in for the main course. The air was filled with the flavours of a Moroccan souk. We enjoyed baked chicken done with preserved lemons, onion, turmeric, saffron and rosemary. The chicken was accompanied by a baked vegetable selection.
The flavours were mind blowing. The sauce had a golden hue to it thanks to the addition of the saffron and the extra virgin olive oil. The chicken succulent and juicy. The vegetables cooked to near perfection. All washed down by a Fifth Leg Rose.
As the air buzzed with the sounds of the crickets we buzzed with excitment at the arrival of dessert. A nectarine and custard tart. All made from scratch!!! Sweet shortcrust pastry filled with home made custard and topped with baked nectarines. What a delightful way to use this stone fruit which seems to be in abundance at this time of the year. The pastry was crunchy yet delicate. The custard made with eggs, milk and vanilla left a silky, smooth feeling in your mouth. The nectarines enhanced with the use of brown sugar, butter and orange juice. Topped with vanilla ice cream it was declared a winner by all Biteclubbers.
With another Biteclub complete it was time to make my way home. A great effort by Sarina and Noel. Well done guys. Oh by the way let's not forget to mention Darcy, who enjoyed the leftovers!!!! Good on ya Darcy!!
Tonight's Biteclub was being hosted by Noel and Sarina. Sarina is of Italian descent and Noel hails from Ireland. They had hosted two before this one with great success. I was dying to know what they had planned or more importantly what they were cooking. As I entered their stylish inner city premises, I was greeted by Darcy (their lovely dog) and the sounds of a busy stove. Mmmm...was that tomato I could smell or garlic? As I sipped my first beer and got my camera ready I thought to myself, "can you get colcannon in Calabria?"....hmmm.
As the rest of the biteclubbers arrived and the sun set on a sultry Sydney evening (try saying that a few times in a row!!!), Sarina announced that the first course would consist of two pastas. Not one but two. The first pasta was an angel hair one served warm with a sauce that consisted of truss tomatoes, pecorino cheese, basil, garlic and the golden nectar known as extra virgin olive oil. A simple sauce that truly matched the fineness of the pasta. Delicious. The second dish, she announced was a spaghetti con "le sarde". A "peasant" dish, made popular in the region of Sicily. This consisted of sardines, sultanas, pine nuts and wild fennel. Now, I'm not a big fan of sardines. They bring back awful memories of the canned variety, that I experienced in my childhood. With great hesitation I tucked in. Wow!!! It was amazing!!! The sardines were subtle, the sultanas juicy, the pinenuts gave it a great crunch and the fennel gave it that extra lift.
After spending time sipping Sauvignon Blanc with Maria and hearing holiday yarns we were called in for the main course. The air was filled with the flavours of a Moroccan souk. We enjoyed baked chicken done with preserved lemons, onion, turmeric, saffron and rosemary. The chicken was accompanied by a baked vegetable selection.
The flavours were mind blowing. The sauce had a golden hue to it thanks to the addition of the saffron and the extra virgin olive oil. The chicken succulent and juicy. The vegetables cooked to near perfection. All washed down by a Fifth Leg Rose.
As the air buzzed with the sounds of the crickets we buzzed with excitment at the arrival of dessert. A nectarine and custard tart. All made from scratch!!! Sweet shortcrust pastry filled with home made custard and topped with baked nectarines. What a delightful way to use this stone fruit which seems to be in abundance at this time of the year. The pastry was crunchy yet delicate. The custard made with eggs, milk and vanilla left a silky, smooth feeling in your mouth. The nectarines enhanced with the use of brown sugar, butter and orange juice. Topped with vanilla ice cream it was declared a winner by all Biteclubbers.
With another Biteclub complete it was time to make my way home. A great effort by Sarina and Noel. Well done guys. Oh by the way let's not forget to mention Darcy, who enjoyed the leftovers!!!! Good on ya Darcy!!
BEAUTY AND THE FEAST
17/01/2007 01:15
BiteClub was on again tonight and I could hardly wait to see what Michael and Tony were organising. Summer in Sydney is a fantastic time of the year. This year, its taken a while for it to get going. But finally, you can feel and smell it in the air!!! Some might wonder about the strange title for this blog entry. You see Michael and Tony have this cactus in their backyard that has actually sprouted some flowers. And one of our friends who joined BiteClub as a special guest, Mark, who actually works with plants, explained that it's rare when a cactus blooms. Apparently the flowwers don't last long. So of course everyone who arrived was immediately drawn to this beauty. And we got ready for a feast.
Al fresco dining was the order of the evening. We started with plates of home made artichoke heart and lemon dip, prosciutto, mortadella and fresh figs and Michael's secret home made chicken liver pate. All accompanied with lavosh and grissini.
After a quick break, we were ready for the starter. Home made hamburgers accompanied by a variety of toppings. It was all set up to buid your own!!! What a great idea and better than school camp!!! You could add marinated capsicum, caramelised onion, home made relish and mesclun salad leaves. All sandwiched between a rosetta bread roll. How perfect. A cascade in one hand and a gourmet burger in the other. Not a golden arch in sight!!!
Main consisted of a home made Maltese specialty. Michael reffered to it as "torta". A beef and summer vegetable medley, layered between sheets of puff pastry. Served warm with kumera mash.
All swished down with a beautiful Fifth Leg Rose.
There was a treat in store for dessert. Tony had ordered a beautiful Italian Ricotta cake form an Italian pastry shop in Haberfield. Haberfield is one of the many Italian hubs, here in Sydney. Great food and restaurants to be found. Anyway, it was a surprise for Mark, who had just turned 40. Happy Birthday Mark!!!! Now this cake is heaven!!! If you believe that old saying about Cabernet Sauvignon being the only grape allowed in heaven, then this cake would certainly make it in the pastry section. Think of it as cheesecake on heat. Sweetened ricotta on a sweet shortcrust pastry, dusted with cinammon and a small amount of icing sugar.
All finished off with Limoncello and espresso.
Aaaah, its good being a biteclubber!!!
See you next time.
Pete
Al fresco dining was the order of the evening. We started with plates of home made artichoke heart and lemon dip, prosciutto, mortadella and fresh figs and Michael's secret home made chicken liver pate. All accompanied with lavosh and grissini.
After a quick break, we were ready for the starter. Home made hamburgers accompanied by a variety of toppings. It was all set up to buid your own!!! What a great idea and better than school camp!!! You could add marinated capsicum, caramelised onion, home made relish and mesclun salad leaves. All sandwiched between a rosetta bread roll. How perfect. A cascade in one hand and a gourmet burger in the other. Not a golden arch in sight!!!
Main consisted of a home made Maltese specialty. Michael reffered to it as "torta". A beef and summer vegetable medley, layered between sheets of puff pastry. Served warm with kumera mash.
All swished down with a beautiful Fifth Leg Rose.
There was a treat in store for dessert. Tony had ordered a beautiful Italian Ricotta cake form an Italian pastry shop in Haberfield. Haberfield is one of the many Italian hubs, here in Sydney. Great food and restaurants to be found. Anyway, it was a surprise for Mark, who had just turned 40. Happy Birthday Mark!!!! Now this cake is heaven!!! If you believe that old saying about Cabernet Sauvignon being the only grape allowed in heaven, then this cake would certainly make it in the pastry section. Think of it as cheesecake on heat. Sweetened ricotta on a sweet shortcrust pastry, dusted with cinammon and a small amount of icing sugar.
All finished off with Limoncello and espresso.
Aaaah, its good being a biteclubber!!!
See you next time.
Pete