Alternative Media Group

Foodies’ Diary: Tasty C-Words

Author:

Jackie McMillan

Posted:

Wednesday, 1 December 2010

Catering
I was one of the lucky few treated to a peek at the new Aria Catering at their launch event at Strickland House last week. After games of croquet on the lush green lawn, we explored the mansion with each room offering up unique and theatrical presentations of food. Your next party would be much improved by Matt Moran’s right hand man, Simon Sandall cooking and flamboyantly dishing up risotto. The well-seasoned vegetarian one I ate was possibly the best risotto I’ve had all year! Matt Moran and his team are of course no strangers to catering, having run Opera Point Events in the function spaces at the Sydney Opera House for the last five years. Let them make your next event remarkable!
www.ariacatering.com.au

Cooking
The MasterChef phenomenon continues, now as a live theatre show combined with a festival of cooking held at the Hordern Pavilion and Royal Hall of Industries on Friday 10th-Sunday 12th December. In the one-hour show you can expect to see celebrity guest chefs, behind the scenes out-takes from the television series, and live MasterChef contestants. You’ll also have the opportunity to pick up new cooking skills, try new kitchen tools, buy from hundreds of stalls and amuse the kids with a dedicated Junior MasterChef area. Your $55 ticket includes a seat in the theatre show and entrance to the foodie fun.
www.masterchefliveaustralia.com

Cherries
It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, and to me nothing says Christmas more than a box of plump, red cherries! If you’re as much of a cherry fanatic as me, you’ll probably appreciate a way to get them delivered straight from the farm to your doorstep within 48 hours! Of course I only advocate buying your two-kilo box ($40) from Cherries Direct whilst Australian cherries are in season (Nov – Feb)!
www.cherriesdirect.com.au

Cakes
Bayside Lounge is part of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, and up until now, I’d never really paid it much attention on my trips through Darling Harbour. With Lyndey Milan appointed as the Food and Wine Ambassador, it suddenly leapt onto my radar. I popped in recently for a lovely afternoon tea in the light and airy space. Executive Chef Uwe Abermehl has brought seasonality and attention to detail to the menus of all the venues under his watchful eye: “Large numbers for us, this is what we do, but we really thrive on the small things.” He’s buying regional specialities, curing his own salmon and duck, and tea-smoking lovely corn-fed chook for the freshly made sangers that come neatly arranged on tiered silver platters. You’ll also find fresh Aussie prawns, delicately joyful peppermint macarons, flaky pies and a range of other cakes, all for $29/person. Since that includes a glass of bubbly, consider this the perfect lunchtime catch up. Reserve your window seat and watch bathing seagulls enjoying the fountain on (02) 9282 5916.

Congratulations
Margaret Fulton was just one of the guests who gathered to toast Jessie and Terence Chau at the elegant cocktail party held to celebrate Mizuya’s first birthday last week. The guest list included radio personalities Alan Saunders and Sheridan Rogers, Bianca Venuti, Julie Schaeffer and Fran MacPherson. They were entertained by Dance Kool’s hip hop dancers Akio and Eriko, but the real highlight of the evening was a magnificent Japanese boat filled to the brim with fresh sushi. If you haven’t got down there yet to enjoy touch-screen ordering, luxurious private karaoke rooms and great food, consider it as a venue for an office get-together over the silly season.
www.mizuya.com.au

Chocolates
Did you know the Filipino language (Tagalog) does not contain the letter C? That’s why Fanny and Alex Chan at Boon Chocolates had to call their newest chocolate Klara. The name implies “you have to be obedient, Catholic, and keep a demure attitude so as not to attract gossips.” I want to gossip about the unusual flavours within its hand-painted chocolate shell. Klara is made with Kalamansi limes (common in the Philippines) infused into a jelly base, then layered with milk chocolate. Alex says that his first bite took him back to his childhood in the Philippines, so the chocolate was named after “an idealized Hispanic Filipina girl in the Philippines during the 20th century.” For me it conjures up the flavour of an exotic marmalade, making it a perfect gift for any discerning foodie.
www.boonchocolates.com.au

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