How Many Motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City?

I want to share a few snaps with you from our visit to Ho Chi Minh City over the Easter long weekend.

Yes, I had to have the hat

I was seriously excited about my first Vietnamese adventure, primarily because I love Vietnamese food so much!  A bowl of phô and some fresh prawn spring rolls is pretty much my idea of food heaven – fresh, healthy, fragrant, tasty... (I could go on and on...)... 

So first things first, the food:

First up we wandered around the Ben Tanh markets – a chaotic mix of fresh food (vege and meat), souvenirs, clothing, luggage... whatever you want, it’s there.  I love fresh food markets (some of the best ones are in India, but that’s another post entirely), and I’m one of those weird people who likes to take photos of food.  I thought it was brilliant that the stereotypical Vietnamese hat is not actually so far off the mark – everyone wears one – and the women there all seemed to be wearing matching pyjamas as day wear (oh god, how un-PC am I?!).



The hat, the hat!



Obligatory phô, first sampled from Phô 2000 (named after Bill Clinton phô-ed there in 2000) lived up to expectations.

On the Saturday we took a day tour on the Mekong Delta.  Our tour guide was excellent – good humour, not too cheesy and in-your-face with lots of interesting information.  If anyone is heading there, the tour company is called Tuan Travel and our guide’s name is Diem – she’s a keeper.

Our Mekong tour had us off and on the boat, motoring through where they hold the famous floating markets (we missed them – not dedicated enough to get out of bed at 5am) and jumping ashore to see how locals make the various Vietnamese delights – banana/rice wafers, puffed rice coated in caramel, coconut caramel, candied coconut and rice paper.  I’d always wondered why dry rice paper rolls had a criss-cross pattern on them – you can’t see it in the finished roll, so why bother?  Well, now I know...

We feasted like kings for lunch on our tour – fresh spring rolls, fresh fish and veges washed down with a cold beer.  Delicious!  Some of our fellow tour-mates were a bit taken aback by our fish dish, but I didn’t think we were being particularly intrepid when we chowed down on our fish.  Why would you not try it right?

Look at those lips!

I think it is durian season – the durian trees were laden with big spiky green fruit, and the unique durian smell (pungent vomit/poo) lingered in the air.  I haven’t tried it yet (I can’t get passed the smell), but it’s considered a huge delicacy and is really expensive (and also banned on public transport due to aforementioned smell).

Pay by the gram for seriously stinky fruit

We also had some delicious meals out in HCM over the three nights we were there - Ngon Restaurant and Temple Club.  I just can’t get passed the (sadly standard) level of service I seem to come across in Asia.  So attentive that I’ve barely taken my last bite when my plate is whisked away, even if no one else on the table has finished, or constantly refilling my wine glass so it’s ¾ full the entire time, or finishing off the bottle on one person’s glass and presuming we want another bottle instead of spreading it evenly around the table.

Ngon Restaurant

Another highlight was the Cu Chi tunnels – very touristy, but very impressive.  I tried to make it through the tunnel, but claustrophobia kicked in about a meter into the tunnel and I backed out in a huge hurry.  Luckily no one else was behind me because they would have been flattened.  And these tunnels have been enlarged for tourists – the original ones were smaller!!

Too much for me!

I think the activity which was the most fun for me was driving around on motorbikes.  HCM is Motorbike City.  A quick Google estimates a 2.5 million motorbike population!  Our motorbike rides had us ducking and diving through traffic, pedestrians, down narrow back-alleys and along motorways – excellent!  I was thankful I had a driver though – he had nerves of steel.

Where's Wally?

Ho Chi Minh definitely surprised me with how green it was – lots of trees, balcony plants and heaps of flowers being sold on every corner.   We had a few hiccups – scammed by a taxi driver and one of our friends was pick-pocketed by a lady-boy prostitute, but that’s all part of the experience right?

This weekend I’m heading home to New Zealand for my first visit in over a year.  I’m so excited!  Expect to see a few surprising blog posts if all goes according to plan.... stay tuned!

You Know It's Love When...

... You come home from a long day at work to this.

Seared Salmon with Thai Vegetables on Coconut Rice

Thai-riffic taste explosion!

From my new favourite baking book (Ladies, A Plate) there is a hot cross buns recipe I was intending to make for Easter, but instead of chocolate eggs (can you believe I forgot to even have one?!) and hot cross buns, we spent the Easter long weekend in Ho Chi Minh City. It was my first Vietnamese adventure, and hopefully one of many more to come. I'll post some photos with my next post and tell you more about it.

The hot cross buns can wait for another weekend - it doesn't have to be Easter, right?

Sizzle for a Cause

Two great food moments in two days, and not what you might expect - lucky me!


Sizzle for a Cause

How great is a sausage sizzle?

Yesterday we went to the New Zealand Residence for a sausage sizzle fundraiser for the Christchurch earthquake.  It was a magical Singapore day, not a cloud in the sky and compulsory hat and sunnies weather.  Simply perfect for a sausage, tomato sauce and bread washed down with a chilled Steinlarger Pure... the taste of home... aaaaahh

A Man Who Knows His Way Around the Kitchen

Tonight I had a fabulous dinner cooked for me by my wonderful boyfriend - Salmon and Asparagus Frittata.

I love cooking, but I also love a man who knows his way around the kitchen.

Ladies Who Brunch: To South Beach and Back

Yesterday's brunch stop was South Beach down by the water at Marina Bay.  They served their coffee in the sweetest blue cups (I had a long macchiato, so mine was in a glass, but you can see the saucer).

I really appreciate it when a cafe serves their coffee with a little something extra - usually a biscotti.  It doesn't happen a lot in Singapore so I was very pleasantly surprised to discover a sliver of chocolate biscotti perched next to my glass.

Coffee rating: 3/5

Not as good as Loysel's Toy (earlier post), but pretty good.  Rating also lower because I think they served percolated coffee to my friends disguised as a long black...


On the walk home I captured a couple of interesting things with my iPhone (desperately want to upgrade to iPhone 4 for better camera but locked in - damned contract).  I love wandering around a city, just looking around.  You never know what you come across if you keep your eyes open.

Crane curtain

Long strings of beautifully coloured paper cranes outside a gallery on Hill Street - just imagine the work which went into making them all!

I thought this was interesting - a shop dedicated solely to selling possibly the oldest book in the world looking distinctly modern and minimal.

And I made it home just before the thunderstorm (currently a daily occurrence).

Pink Risotto? Yes please!

Friday night dinners can be a time challenge, and this Friday night was no exception.  Fortunately with a bit of forethought and preparation it was manageable.

Pink risotto

My thought process for deciding what to cook was perhaps more emotional than practical (I had been craving risotto like crazy), but in the end proved to be fairly easy.

On Thursday night I roasted the pumpkin and beetroot, pureed the beetroot, cooked the lentils and cooked the crumble filling, so all I had to do on Friday night was the risotto, the crumble topping and assemble the salad.  I also chose a risotto recipe which was baked in the oven rather than requiring constant stirring on the stove top.

Fortunately we have an open kitchen so getting dinner ready can be a social aspect rather than the chef feeling like their missing all the action cloistered away in another room.  A quick chop of some vege sticks (carrot, red and yellow pepper) by willing guests, some hummus in a bowl and a glass of wine for everyone means hunger pains are kept at bay and conversation flows around the food preparation.


Roast Beetroot and Feta Risotto

Source: BBCgoodfood.com

Ingredients

·         500g fresh beetroot

·         2 tbsp olive oil

·         knob of butter

·         1 onion , finely chopped

·         1 garlic clove , finely chopped

·         250g risotto rice

·         150ml white wine

·         700ml hot vegetable stock (I used chicken stock - go for low salt version)

·         handful grated Parmesan

·         4 tbsp sour cream

·         handful chopped dill

Method

1.       Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Peel and trim the beetroots (use kitchen gloves if you don't want your hands to get stained) and cut into large wedges. Place on a large sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, season, then cook for 1 hr until the beets are soft.

2.       Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil with the butter in an ovenproof pan with a lid. Tip in the onion and garlic, then cook for 3-5 mins until translucent. Stir in the rice until well coated with the butter and oil. Pour over the white wine, then let the mixture bubble away for 5 mins.

3.       Stir well, then pour over the stock. Stir again, cover and place in the oven. Cook for 15 mins until the rice is soft. Remove the beetroots from the oven. Whizz ¼ of them to make a purée, then chop the remainder into small pieces. Stir most of the Parmesan, the beetroot purée and chopped beetroot through the risotto, then serve with some soured cream dolloped over and the dill and extra Parmesan scattered on top.



Keep the colour contrast - don't mix the feta too much




Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, Feta and Spinach Salad

Source: Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

·         3/4 cup Puy lentils

·         6 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash

·         3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

·         1 teaspoon ground cumin

·         1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika (I used normal)

·         1/2 teaspoon sea salt

·         4 cups spinach leaves

·         1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled

·         1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves (I forgot this...)

·         1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (...and this)

Method

1.       Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.

2.       Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.

3.       Preheat oven to 180°C. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

4.       Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over.

Apple and Raisin Crumble

Source: My Mum!!

Ingredients

• six peeled sliced apples
• handful of raisins
• cinnamon
• four handfuls rolled oats
• about a 2cm slice of butter, cut into smaller chunks
• couple of tablespoons of brown sugar

Method

... if preparing in advance

1. In a small pot, slowly heat apple slices, raisins and a good shake of cinnamon with a little bit of water.  Heat until soft.  Store in fridge until you need it.
2. When ready to cook, heat oven to 180 deg C.
3. Divide crumble filling between four ramekins
4. In a bowl, rub butter, rolled oats and sugar together and divide amongst ramekins as topping.  Press down if you want to.
5. Place in oven to cook until topping is golden (about 15 minutes)
6. Heat custard as per instructions on pack and serve

My Crumble Notes: If you're not preparing in advance do everything the same except put raw apple/raisin/cinnamon mix into ramekins and cook for longer.

Wrap a paper towel around the outside of the ramekins before serving because they are really hot!

I love crumbles - other good options are rhubarb, feijoa, plum, peach... you are only limited by your imagination here.

Intimidating Soup

There are a multitude of food courts sprinkled around Singapore - at least one in every mall.  I have tried a fair few of the options over the past year, but I have always avoided the one serving soup as I found it too intimidating.

How is soup intimidating?!

Well, picture this.  You're standing in a long line of people, bowl and tongs in hand.  As the line moves, you find yourself standing in front of a large bookshelf stacked full with ingredients - every where you turn you see piles of eggplant, carrot, spinach, broccoli, gai lan, bok choy, seaweed, mushrooms, fishballs, boiled eggs and that's just the ingredients you can identify (about half of them).  There's no opportunity for browsing as the line of hungry build-your-own-soup punters are pressing behind you to pick their veges and get to the noodle section.  Gulp!

On Wednesday's I work from home, and today when I ambled down to the food court for lunch there wasn't a line in front of the soup stall.  "Carpe diem" I thought, and I strode purposefully towards the tongs...

I went with gai lan, eggplant, broccoli, enoki mushrooms, fishballs and a boiled egg, chicken soup and rice noodles.

Not so intimidating after all

I'm not sure how healthy it is, but surely clear chicken stock soup can't be too laden with hidden nasties right?  And it's stacked full of veges.

Either way, it's definitely one of the better food court options available and not as intimidating as I first thought.

I'll just give myself a quiet pat on the back.

Keep That Cup

Last post I mentioned visiting Loysel's Toy for brunch on Saturday.  I was doing my due diligence on the menu and noticed that they sell KeepCups.  I immediately resolved to buy one.

Have you heard of KeepCups?  Essentially they're a barista-standard reusable coffee/tea cup but actually look fantastic.

You can even design your own - pimp my cup!



This is my cup - purple and pink!



I have to say I was left with a nasty, non-coffee related taste in my mouth when I took my KeepCup to the coffee shop in the mall under work (Spinelli's).  They give a discount if you bring in your reusable coffee cup, but neglect to mention it has to be a Spinelli's reusable cup.  They refused to give me a discount for my KeepCup.

Basically this implied to me that Spinelli's doesn't actually care about doing their bit for the environment at all - their campaign is to get people to buy their ugly reusable cups.  Does seem somewhat hypocritical when the principal of a reusable cup is to reduce waste.

Anyway, on to more positive things.

Today marks the one year anniversary of our arrival in Singapore.  It seems incredible how fast time has flown!  This time last year I was nervously anticipating my first day at work...

I would have loved to spend the time cooking something special to mark the occasion, but we didnt' manage to get home from work until just after 7pm... what to whip up in under an hour?

Black-Eyed Pea and Roast Vege Salad

• 1 small eggplant
• 1/8 pumpkin (sounds precise, just get a small chunk)
• Couple of garlic cloves
• 1/4 pack feta cheese
• Handful rocket
• 1 tin black-eyed peas
• Chicken
• Ground garlic, cumin, coriander seeds (a shake each)
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat oven to about 180 deg C
2. Slice eggplant, salt both sides and set aside for about 10 minutes.  Rinse well with water, pat dry.
3. Chop pumpkin (roughly same size as eggplant) and throw pumpkin and eggplant into a roasting dish with a good slug of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pop garlic cloves in roasting dish and cook in oven until all are soft and eggplant is starting to caramalise (approx 30 mins, don't forget to stir veges frequently to prevent sticking).
5. Rinse black-eye peas and drain well.
6. Heat a pan with some olive oil, toss peas in ginger, cumin and coriander seeds and fry briefly.  Drain on paper towels.
7. Dice chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook in used pan.
8. When veges are cooked (don't forget to pop roasted garlic out of shell), mix peas, veges, rocket, chicken, feta on a platter, drizzle with olive oil and serve.

I love roasted veges

I was planning on using chickpeas but the supermarket was out of stock, so black-eyed peas was the next best alternative.  They were a bit mushy out of the tin, so if I was repeating I would probably go with quinoa or lentils if chickpeas weren't available.

Remember to rinse salted eggplant really well otherwise they will be really salty after roasting.  Don't neglect this step, even if you are in a huge rush.

P.S. A glass of NZ pinot gris went beautifully with this (and the pre-dinner glass on it's own was just as beautiful!)

A Few Things

It's the little things right?  And at the moment there are a few little things that I'm loving.

Ticking It Off The List

I love lists, and I love the satisfaction of crossing an item off my list.  Sometimes I even put a small task I've done already on my list just so I can cross it off.  One things which has been on the list for a while is getting a frame for our Mark Rothko poster.  Added bonus - the frame was only $29 from IKEA.

I think it looks fabulous - the red really pops in our previously almost exclusively white bedroom.

 Mark Rothko meet IKEA

Incidentally, there is a really great list iPhone app called Zenbe.  With a quick press of the 'sync' button, the Dutchman and I have a live shopping list.  And it has a really satisfying tick box to check those items off.


Singapore Cafe Crawl

For a nation that is pretty obsessed with food, it's quite hard (rephrase: nearly impossible) to find a place which does good brunch and coffee.  Two friends (the Italian feasters) and I are endeavouring to hunt these places down one macchiato at a time.  Yesterday we went to Loysel's Toy - somewhat randomly located, but great coffee and sandwiches.  I'll head back - I want to try their omelet (the ultimate test in my opinion). 

Chicken/mango/curried mayo and
beef/caramalised onion/rocket/dijon

A Long Lusted-For Purchase

In Haji Lane there is a small furniture store which started my obsession with shop houses (a subject for another time - trust me, you don't want to get me started).  I have been lusting after this lamp for about two months (a very long time for me to hold out) but couldn't quite justify it. 

Yesterday it became mine.

Finally mine!

I love lighting - it's critical to setting the atmosphere (our apartment is filled with lamps and candles).  I really miss my three-headed lamp back in New Zealand.  It used to be my Mum's, so it ticks the boxes for both vintage and straight up cool.


Lovin' Bloglovin'

This website has changed my blog-reading world.  All the new posts for the blogs I follow in one spot - so simple, so easy, so wish I had found it earlier.

Have I had my head in the sand this whole time?

My First Official Retraction

Yesterday's post mentioned the Dutchman's love of the snooze button.  He very pointedly reminded me that he has been up at 6am or earlier for the last four weekends in a row in order to play golf.

My apologies.

But why am I loving this?  Well, firstly I love that he reads my blog, and secondly I love that he thinks his golfing mornings are the rule as opposed to the exception.

Saturday Morning Ritual

Don't you just love Saturday mornings? The whole weekend is ahead of you, a bit of a sleep in, two full days without glancing at my Outlook calendar! I also love Sunday mornings, but they are just a little bit more poignant as the weekend is drawing to a close.

I've formed a bit of a Saturday morning ritual. As the Dutchman is a big fan of the snooze button, I often find myself with four (or so) glorious hours all to myself to waste or use selfishly as I see fit.

Lately my Saturday mornings have rolled out with certain reoccurring combinations.

Must Haves:
- Morning run before the full tropical heat sets in. Trust me, running in 32 deg C is not fun or easy.
- Earl Grey by the cup-full (LOVE morning cups of tea)
- FT Weekend on my little balcony (small private oasis of calm amid chaotic condo living)
- Blog update

Optional Extras:
- Catch up on episodes of my fav shows - Greys, Gossip Girl, Glee, Fringe, Vampire Diaries (guilty little now-not-so-secret indulgence)
- Latest Dish magazine
- Baking or cooking of some kind

This morning featured a slight variation - Dish magazine by the pool.

I know, I know, sunbathing is bad for you and prematurely ages you. Usually I'm not a sun-worshipper by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm heading back to New Zealand for a visit soon and I already get teased for glowing in the dark by my Dad via Skype. Imagine the ribbing I'll get when he sees me in person! I live in the tropics for crying out loud - shouldn't I be permanently bronzed? Anyway, a good fake tan is impossible to come by in Singapore and there's only so much my trusty Dove gradual tanning moisturizer can do (which reminds me, I need to stock up when I'm home...)

Tonight I'm heading off for a 30th birthday boat party - can't wait!! Especially as it's the Dutchman's turn to make pancakes in the morning!

Sleepless in Singapore

0400: "am I really awake? It's far too early to be cogniscent..."

0430: "huh, well I guess the old trick of falling asleep on my tummy isn't working. Maybe a glass of water will help."

0500: "may as well get up. Tossing and turning does not a happy boyfriend make"

0502: "bonus, my new Dish subscription has arrived. Cup of tea is in order."

0555: "oh my god, boot camp is going to be hell this morning. Coffee will be my crutch today. Is it possible to OD on caffeine?"

0558: "thank god it's Friday"

Knock Knock Gnocchi

Tonight was my first foray into making gnocchi - spinach gnocchi to be precise.  There seems to be no escaping a huge mess when cooking Italian and tonight was no exception.  Or perhaps I'm just a messy cook?

Without further ado... My journey through the land of gnocchi.

Potato and Spinach Gnocchi

Gnocchi di Papate e Spinaci

Serves 4

• 675 g spinach
• 800g potatoes
• 200g flour

• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 50g butter, melted
• 50g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Salt

1. Rinse spinach and shake off most of the water.  Cook the spinach (no added water, just what's on the leaves) for 5 minutes, drain, squeeze as much water out as possible and chop.
2. Cook potatoes in lightly salted boiling water until tender (approx 25 minutes) and mash while still hot
3. Mix potato, spinach and flour.  Season with salt, beat in egg yolks and kneed the dough for a few minutes.
4. Shape dough into several long rolls (about 1.5cm thick) and cut into 2cm lengths.
5. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil, drop in gnocchi a few at a time.  Remove with slotted spoon when they rise to the surface.
6. Drain well and serve on a warm serving dish, drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle Parmesan.



LEFT:  Messy gnocchi rolling - use a bench next time
RIGHT:  How to melt butter and keep gnocchi warm when you don't have
 a microwave (but you do have a very small sink and really hot water)



My notes: 

I only had four potatoes which amounted to about 300g when peeled (peeling lost about 100g) so I halved (plus a bit more) the rest of the ingredients. 

I also used frozen spinach, which I thawed and cooked with the potatoes as they were nearly done.  A salad spinner works well for eliminating water.

As a topping for the gnocchi I softened a chopped onion in some olive oil then added chopped celery, capsicum, cherry tomatoes and garlic (just veges I had in the fridge).  I added half a tin of chopped tomatoes to make things saucier. 

We picked up some French sausages from the supermarket on the way home from work, so I popped them under the grill to cook (don't forget to puncture them a few times so they don't explode out of their skins) so as much fat as possible drips out.  I chopped them roughly and added them to the veges.

Saucy French Sausages

 

French sausages
(just in case clarification is required)



Spoon gnocchi into a warm bowl, top with saucy French sausages, sprinkle with Parmesan and savour.



Ok so the lighting is not that good...

Lessons in hindsight:

• Bribe someone to do the dishes
• Wear an apron
• Don't try to roll the gnocchi worms on a floured chopping board (the board will skid all over the bench).  Realise and embrace the mess, flour your bench top and life will be much easier
• Gnocchi is really filling - you need much less than you think

Delizioso

Two girlfriends and I decided to put our cooking skills to good use and prepare a Saturday night Italian feast for ourselves and the very lucky boyfriends (who simply had to turn up).  Can I just say now how fortunate I am to have friends who have the skills and passion to pull together a night like last night? Delizioso!  A dinner party combines pretty much all of my favourite things - good food, good wine, good conversation, great laughs.  The only things missing are travel and karaoke...

Menu for an Italian Feast

Aperitif

vodka rosemary spiked lemonade fizz

Appetisers

prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spears, celery and grissini

gorgonzola, rocket and walnut crostini

Entree

stuffed eggplant

Main

roast lamb shoulder with potatoes, cannelloni, green spinach salad and olive focaccia

Dessert

panna cotta with berry coulis

Sweet treat

chocolate truffles, espresso slice

Liquid refreshment

Mumm champagne, French and Australian red wine, cinnamon and rose tea

My responsibility was for the first third - aperitif, appetisers and entree.  Debut for the Silver Spoon!


Vodka Rosemary Spiked Lemonade Fizz

Bring 1C lemon juice, 1C sugar and 2 sprigs of rosemary to the boil in a pan stirring constantly, simmer for 2 minutes and leave to cool.  Add syrup to a glass with ice, vodka and top with soda.  Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.

My note: the longer you leave the rosemary in the syrup the stronger it tastes/smells.  I left it in for four hours before serving and I thought it was excellent




Roast Eggplant and Capsicum Dip

Roughly chop 1 medium sized eggplant, 1 medium onion and 1 large red capsicum, toss in oil, salt and pepper, and roast until soft.  Roughly mash and serve with crostini.

My note: I roasted for quite a while until everything stated to caramalise.  Also, I don't have a masher (will have to remedy that) so I just roughly chopped.

Gorgonzola, Rocket and Walnut Crostini

Finely chop a good handful of rocket, roughly chop half a cup of walnuts, crumble in some gorgonzola and mix together.  Press down firmly on crostini and bake in oven until cheese starts to melt.

Stuffed Eggplant

In a large pan, cook one well sliced medium onion on a low heat until soft with some olive oil.  Slice three eggplants in half lengthwise, scoop out flesh and roughly chop.  Chop four tomatoes and two large red capsicums and add to pan with eggplant.  Cook over a low heat until all are soft.  Remove from heat and add two lightly beaten eggs.  Spoon mixture back into eggplant shells, sprinkle with parmesan and bake in oven until golden brown on top.

My note: it's really hard to scoop out the flesh of the eggplant without puncturing the shell.  After several minutes of attempting with a breakfast spoon I remembered that I had a melon baller - eureka!

Melon baller makes eggplant scooping a breeze

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus, Celery and Grissini

This one is very simple - wrap prosciutto around the top of your spears/sticks and serve

My notes:  choose slightly thicker asparagus spears and what ever you do, don't over cook them.  Plunge hot asparagus into ice-cold water straight from the pot to ensure they don't droop.  I had very thin asparagus so had to wrap two spears at a time to avoid the dreaded droop.

As I am a bread-making virgin, I purchased my grissini - cross your fingers that they aren't all broken inside the packet.  Don't wrap the prosciutto around the grissini too far in advance because they will go soft - mine started to go soft around one hour after wrapping (luckily most had been eaten).

Also, as prosciutto can be quite expensive, you can get two sticks from every slice.

Prosciutto and dip

I'm embarrassed to say that I forgot to take photos of the succulent lamb or the perfect focaccia (home made of course) - I was far more concerned with eating, drinking and chatting by the time I had dispatched my goodies.  Sophie laid a beautiful table (she took some great photos for her blog - none of mine came out that well) and was hostess-with-the-mostest as usual.

Laura's focaccia was so perfect it was like store bought - she's going to give me a bread-making lesson as I've never tried to make anything which resembles pastry/bread/dough.  Stay tuned for that adventure - it sounds messy!

The Silver Spoon

On Wednesday I picked up the bible of Italian cooking - the Silver Spoon.

I love the first chapter: Eating Is A Serious Matter. I couldn't agree more.

First published in 1950 (but not translated into English until 2005), the Silver Spoon is the most successful cookbook in Italy, and is apparently has a tradition of being handed down (with hand annotations) through families or given to brides as a wedding gift.

If she were a woman, she would certainly not be a waif at 1,256 pages.  Despite this, the recipes all seem so accessible, mainly because all the photography is done on plain white crockery, or in the pan that it was cooked in. No fancy food styling to intimidate me! Plus it has an extensive glossary to help with some of the Italian cooking terms and ingredients.  Chapters cover sauces, antipasti, eggs, veges, types of
meats, cheese, desserts and has potential menu options by celebrated Italian chefs.

Colour coded chapters

There is a small but thoughtful inclusion of two book mark ribbons - give that person a pay rise!

Coincidentally, this Saturday night I'm contributing the antipasti and appetizers for an Italian feast. No prizes for guessing where I'll be getting my inspiration from.   

I'm thinking asparagus spears and grissini wrapped in prosciutto, polenta crisps and roast vege dip, stuffed eggplant... Mmmmm... My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Stuffed eggplant