Foodie Experience in Australia

I am back from over two weeks "Down Unda"! My first time to Australia saw me travelling between Sydney, Melbourne and some of the Victoria countryside. This blog post is a little bit of visual and written reminiscing of what was a great culinary trip.

1. Breakfasts. Boy, do the Aussies know how to make a good breakie and lucky for me, breakie is one of my favourite meals! Some of my top tips are...

• The Fine Food Store in Sydney. Don't be put off by the name, it serves up some amazing breakfasts with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and with a real focus on healthy foods and with varying dietary needs catered for but with great flavour being paramount.
• Bills. I am sure you have heard of the well known Australian TV chef and restauranteur Bill Granger. Well he has a few spots around Sydney and on a bleak beach day in Bondi of all places, we happily sheltered from the rain in Bill's and enjoyed a late breakie. This place packs up fast and I believe we were lucky to get a seat without having to wait or pre-book. Bill's is worth a visit.
• Avocados - they love them and serve them very frequently in breakfast dishes. Go for it. A simple sourdough toast and avo is a thing of beauty.
• Manly/Bondi/Beach locations - Ideally get the ferry to Manly and stroll along the well signposted coastal walks and enjoy a lazy breakfast/brunch at one of the many cafés.
• The Flour and Stone or whatever may be your local bakery. We found this particular place thanks to TripAdvisor and it was literally two minutes from our hotel. It served some of the tastiest breakfasts and most luscious pastries and coffees. It is teeny tiny and evidently beloved by the locals. We noticed repeat business when we visited, which is always a positive!

Breakfast Panini with poached egg, bacon, cheese, spinach and chilli jam at Fine Food Store

Nigella's Cappuccino Layered Pavlova

So it's nearing new year's and the over indulgence in luscious edibles is in full swing. A whole tub of freshly whipped cream, chocolate and Bailey's smothered invitingly over layered meringues sounds perfectly acceptable; even relatively light one might say! My version of cappuccino pavlova inspired by Nigella Lawson went down a treat after Christmas dinner this year. It is simple to prepare and importantly at this time of year, is best prepared in advance, plus the aesthetic value makes this a bit of a stunner. It is definitely one I have now firmly added to my repertoire of desserts for entertaining and I think it would be a lovely option for the sweet element of a new year's eve or day feast.

#BPBR no. 4 - The Happy Pear

'The Happy Pear' by David & Stephen Flynn, published in 2014

I had heard quite a lot about these guys over the past year or so. They are very on the ball in the social media realm and I had read some great reviews of the excellent, wholesome and healthy food they serve in their renowned Greystones restaurant. I was sent a complimentary copy of this book from their publishers, Penguin Ireland. From my first leaf through this literally "tablet-sized" cookbook, I was eager to get cooking!

1. The photos in this cookbook are fun, attractive and appealing. Uber healthy food (which the book contains in bucket loads) is displayed as appetising and interesting. There isn't even the faintest whiff of boring "diet" style foods and so I found my list of to-try recipes began growing longer and longer as I leafed through the book. Hardly a complaint! It's no secret either that the Flynn twins are very easy on the eye and there are quite a few photos of the two guys throughout the book too. I always find that a cookbook with some people photos featuring among the vast array of food photos, is a good thing. And it's no different in the Happy Pear, where family, friendships and health are put to the forefront. One more lovely thing - you must check out the fabulous sunset photos on page 161 - a lovely interest that formed from the time of the birth of Dave's daughter...and grew legs from social media. Very pretty indeed!
SCORE = 4

Look at those dips and tasty treats!

My Easy Peasy Pavlova Recipe

Last Sunday I baked and served one of my retro favs for a trip to the in-laws - a pavlova laden with lashings of fresh Irish cream and a pretty odd but lovely array of fresh fruit! There was a decent amount of liking and commenting over on Facebook and Instagram so to all my appreciated likers, here is my very simple, straightforward recipe for this delicious sweet treat, which is naturally gluten-free too!

This pavlova will serve about 6 to 8 portions (*ahem* but we shared it among four adults *cough*)

Gluten-Free Cookery Classes with the Coeliac Society of Ireland

A few weeks ago, I was kindly invited by the Coeliac Society of Ireland, as a guest to one of their cookery classes in the Miele Gallery, in Citywest, Dublin. I am not a coeliac myself, but I do feature quite a few gluten-free recipes on my blog - you can check out my gluten-free label on my homepage - and I am aware that gluten-free diets, due most often to medical reasons or sometimes personal lifestyle choices, are becoming far more common in Ireland.

Gluten-free menu: Top - Profiterole with goat's cheese, left bottom - Tagliatelle carbonara, right bottom - Pancakes

Best Potato Gratin

We Irish love our potatoes, and for many reasons, feel a very strong bond to the humble spud. It features on many the Irish dinner plate. But we have to hand it to the French, potato gratin or 'pommes de terre dauphinoise' is a pretty mean recipe to spruce up a potato. It is one of my very favourite ways to serve potato and it's a real treat. This recipe is always a winner for me and I hope you like it too.

Best potato gratin, served!

1st Birthday - Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake & Some Reader Interaction

I think it's true to say that it's an exciting time for any enthusiastic blogger when you come to a milestone such as this. Happy first birthday Fascination Food - I like the ring of it! Of course, there were at least three years prior to that, of tweeting and talking, baking and cooking, and sampling new cuisines in different restaurants...but when I finally bit the bullet, I was delighted to call myself a food blogger, and still am, one year on.

Sicily: Its Fabulous Food & Wine

If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, you'll be aware that I spent a week in the stunning south Italian island of Sicily around the beginning of July. Excuse the probably excessive bragging. I couldn't help myself. Well, without a doubt, an amazing week was had. In no particular order here are my top ten recommendations for delicious food and wine in Sicily...

Gluten-Free Polenta Chicken Kievs

Yes, I have been somewhat on a gluten-free buzz on and off for the last while - for the sweet tooths among you, check out my pear and almond tart recipe. But for now, back to dinner. Polenta is  a new friend to me it! It is a relatively recent discovery but a very pleasant one at that. This recipe is super easy and very tasty. It also leaves you with none of that bloated, sluggish feeling that a heavily bread-crumbed kiev might. So anyway, I'm just going to get on with it. This serves two hungry garlic-ophiles and is very quick to prepare!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Fudge

For the day that's in it - Fourth of July, Independence Day, I felt it only right to go with an American theme for today's blog post. I picked up a jar of the delicious, gooey decadence that is 'Marshmallow Fluff' in Aldi lately and was thinking of ways I could incorporate it into an authentic American style dessert. Peanut butter always comes to mind for me in the context of a real honest to goodness American treat. And so, to combine the two...Fudge! Now, as you may know, or have guessed, chocolate is one of my first loves, so I couldn't neglect it either. Here goes, I hope you enjoy. And please be advised, don't even think about calorie counting. This is plain and simply, sweet and indulgent comfort food!
*Watch out for the tip (soft ball test).

The ingredients

Foodie Meetup in Dublin - House and Opium

I have wanted to go on a foodie meetup for some time now. When myself, Kate (of Kate's Kabin) and Carol (of Gin & Griddle) started discussing it a month or so ago, I was delighted to be getting things in motion. It is a wonderful thing to meet up with like minded people, and let's be honest, for a few foodie snaps to be celebrated rather than receiving the rolling eyes! Unfortunately Carol couldn't make it but hopefully she will for the next one. We had a small but great all female bunch of food bloggers, reviewers and nutrition students and graduates - all proud and happy to go along with the foodie label.

Gluten-Free Pear and Almond Tart

I'm on a bit of a gluten-free roll these days! Having discovered that gluten-free pastry isn't as tricky to make is one thing, but, more importantly, it tastes very good and still has a lovely crisp and crumbly texture. If you want to make this delicious tart with plain flour, by all means do. The pastry will work out just as well. I have always been a lover of pear and almond or frangipane tart. Believe me, with a dollop of freshly whipped vanilla cream, this is a real treat. The pastry, pears and frangipane mixture can also be prepared in advance, which is always a bonus for time saving, especially if it's something you would like to serve for dessert while entertaining. This recipe is inspired by Angela Hartnett's recipe, which I found on the Delicious Magazine website. The tart serves 8 generous portions and you will need a 24 - 26 cm diameter tart tin.

Gluten-free Pear and Almond Tart

Happy Easter!

Hi all. I am off enjoying the sights (and food!) in Prague this Easter weekend. As Easter is synonymous with chocolate, which is one of my very favourite things, I must share with you one of the most glorious chocolate desserts - Nigella's instant chocolate mousse. Mmm! You can check out and try the recipe for yourself here. It would make a perfect Easter Sunday dessert. It is luscious and indulgent but the big home baker bonus is how easy it is to make. I wish one and all a very happy, relaxing and sweet Easter!

Na zdraví! - cheers, sláinte and bon app, from Praha. X

Black Pudding and Blue Cheese Quiche

This quiche is a real homage to some of the very best of Irish produce we have on offer to us and it includes two of my firm favourites - Black Pudding (sourced from the renowned and award-winning Kelly's Butchers of Newport, Co. Mayo) and Cashel Blue Cheese (now in its thirtieth year, this is arguably Ireland's greatest cheese export). So, a little bit of French traditional cooking (la quiche) combined with some delicious Irish flavour combinations, et violà, we have a delicious meal! This quiche is best served cold and is a fantastic, quick and easy breakfast option. It is also a perfect picnic treat and fingers crossed, there may be more occasions for picnicing as the spring rolls into the summer. You will need a 26 cm pie dish for this quiche. I made this quiche with gluten-free flour and although most Irish puddings contain gluten, both Clonakilty and Hogins now provide gluten-free versions. I had a little gander at the Coeliac Society of Ireland's forum, and the consensus is that the Clonakilty gluten-free is the best one to go for. Of course, this recipe can also be made with regular plain flour and regular pudding, such as the Kelly's one I used. Bon appétit!

Eton Mess with a French Twist

Since purchasing my Kenwood Chef, (yes, I know I've been mentioning it a lot, but it's my newest and most treasured possession!) I have wanted to try out meringues, specifically to make Eton Mess. I decided to add one of my favourite liqueurs, to give it that extra 'je ne sais quoi' and Creme de Cassis does just that. Married with the fact that it adds to an intense berry flavour through the dessert, the cute pink shade of the cream is just lovely. This would make a great dinner party dessert. It's light, yet really sweet and tasty and once you've your meringues made, it's a doddle to prepare! I adapted my meringue recipe from one of the culinary goddesses, Delia's recipe, on her website, which can be found here. Using all of the meringues, this would easily serve 8 people, but my recipe is to serve 4 people, so you can hold onto and store your leftover meringues for future sweet occasions.

The Hairy Dieters' Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is a dish that has long been enjoyed in our family and was always a staple at family events, as it's a great slow cooker dish and always goes down a treat for buffet style gatherings. This fail safe version will always be a winner but I really like this recipe too, even though it breaks the mould in many ways. For one, it is a much lighter version with a far lesser calorie count per serving. It is also a quick to prepare stroganoff and works best when served immediately, so it falls very nicely into the weekday meal category. It also uses a more expensive cut of beef - sirloin - so costs a bit more than the regular version, which works best made with stewing beef. However, a little sirloin goes a long way, so don't be turned off if budget shopping is part of your agenda. Many of my foodie friends on Twitter have talked with great enthusiasm about Si King and Dave Myers' new diet cookbooks. So when their most recent one "Eat for Life" arrived in the book club at work, I just couldn't resist another purchase to add to my already towering selection of cook books! I have to say, I am well impressed with the layout of the book, the simplicity of the recipes and this, their version of stroganoff, which I have slightly adapted, comes with a big thumbs up from me!
This recipe serves 3 - 4 people.

Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup

I love homemade soup and always have. It reminds me of relaxing Saturdays and late lunches as a child. It is the perfect lunch after you've just had a great big play outside in the garden! Or else, for the grown-ups, it's one of the best antidotes to a rainy day, a bad day or even a sore head, perhaps?!

Chilli con Carne (A.K.A. Healthy Dins Part Deux)

So, I hope you're still ploughing through January. How many days left? Are we still not even half way though?! January, to me, always seems like the longest month. December has a total of 31 days too and it flies, every year - no questions asked, but January is another story altogether...

Asian Chicken & Veg Parcels

We have just rung in the new year 2014; the chocolates, biscuits, crisps, cakes etc. etc. are gradually being depleted and our want for a fresh, healthier start is setting in. So here comes a healthy dinner idea, which is nonetheless really flavoursome and satisfying. I have adapted this recipe from Neven Maguire's "Country Living Volume 2" cookbook, which he very kindly gave my husband and I during out stay in MacNean House last summer (ahh - the memories!) It is quick and simple to prepare and would make a perfect weeknight meal. The surprise element to opening up your tasty parcel is also a fun and unique twist!

Looking Back, Going Forward

First off - welcome one and all to 2014 and a happy new year to you! Every good wish and happiness in this new year.

Now to cast a little look back on the year that was 2013. For me, it was a busy one, an exciting one, a celebratory one, and a very special one. I happily spent year one with my husband, celebrating our anniversary on the shortest day of the year 2013, just a couple of weeks ago. I bid farewell to my twenties (in style!)...and I set up this food blog - a wish that I had long held.