Slow braised beef and potato gnocchi

Ok so it's official, my menu is up and running at work.. And man have I got some recipes for you! 

Ok firstly it's autumn in Melbourne it's starting to get colder, my house has that slight scent of dust from turning  the ducted heating on so that can only

Mean one thing.

Slow braised hearty food and this one is a winner 

Potato gnocchi with slow braised beef 

In an ovenproof saucepan sauté 2 onions and 2 cloves of garlic  diced roughly. 

Then add 300gr died speck or pancetta 

2 diced carrots and 3 celery sticks and sauté until golden.

then add 500 gr of diced beef and brown.

Now the fun part...,

Deglaze the pan with 1 bottle of red wine. 

Then fill up with beef stock until covered.

Cover the mix with a lid or foil.

Place in a preheated oven at 160deg for 2.5hrs.

When it comes out the beef starts falling apart, the onions are sweet and the sauce is reduced to a delishious jus that can only be described as liquid gold!

Serve on a bed of freshly blanched  good quality or homemade gnocchi.

Garnish with some Regianno parmigiano

Then put your feet up with an extra glass of red and enjoy.

Comfort food at its best!!

Xx

Exciting News

Hi guys I know it's been a while but life gets in the way you know  but I'm pleased to announce that I am now a "head chef"! 

(Moment for Applause) lol 

It's pretty exciting and pretty nerve-racking at the same time  I mean I've done it all before but now..all that pressure of stuffing up or if something goes wrong but on an upside finally getting all the recognition for what you've done.

I finally have a project I can see my teeth into it from creating menus to plating up,to making sure the brides and grooms are happy( and that is a tough task to please a bride).

my first task as head chef I did what any other would do and go into the kitchen and striped it! Whether it was already clean or not I had my standards.

Now that my kitchen was in place the next thing I wanted to do was create a menu that brought back good old-fashioned homestyle cooking but turned it into a fine dining experience.

This is going to be my challenge.

The menu is the consist of 10 of each entree, main and desert items along with a cocktail menu. 

I am due to have my first food tasting night this Friday where I cook every item on my menu and put it on display for the brides and grooms to judge.

Stay posted for pictures of this event

The machine that will put me out if a job!!!!!

Being a chef is one of those careers that you could almost always gaurentee you a job because well everyone has to eat right??

We'll I have recently become fascinated with a kitchen appliance that will soon put me out of a job and let everyone have restaurant meals right at home.

This genius personal chef is none other than the Thermomix TM31

It is a little pricey, costing just under the 2,000 dollar mark but once you see what this German engineered robot it is capable of, the cost will be the last thing on your mind.

It chops,beats, mixes, whips, grinds, kneads, minces, grates, juices, heats, stirs, steams ,mills  and weighs your foods all in 1 machine.

Seriously do yourself a favour and check out the link www.thermomix.com.au and watch the videos of what it can do!

It allows you to know what goes into your food without the preservatives and hidden ingredients.

Great for dietary needs as well, it produces top quality restaurant food in minutes and you don't even have to watch it just set the timer and walk away, Done!

I am now completely in love and with one on order am sure many more of my posts will be thermomix inspired.

However if that doesn't inspire you George Columbaris has one too, and if it's good enough for George I'm sold!!

Luke Nguyen Red lantern,

Luke Nguyen, legend in his own right! 

For those of you living under a culinary rock. Luke is not only an author, television host, and restauranteur he is also an inspiring chef that travels the culinary globe showcasing some of the worlds most simplistic yet indulgent dishes.

So when a girls weekend came up in Sydney I couldn't wait to go to the Vietnamese kingdom.. The Red Lantern on Riley,Darlinghurst.

So we were early and walked in right as they were briefing the staff on their evening ahead, but instead of shooing us away they all welcomed us and took us to the bar where house specialty cocktails and wine went down a treat! 

The restaurant was warm (not just because I had a couple in the bar) inviting and modern. I don't know why but I was expecting a large packed place but cozy and intimate with a real family friendly feel to it. 

Once seated me on the verge of wetting myself in anticipation looked at the menu, wow!!

We decided to go with the a la carte menu as I was being slightly selfish and didn't want to share. 

Entree was served 

BAHN TOM CHIEN

Rice cakes with tiger prawns, caramelised pork, pork floss and shallot oil 

Mid course- an extra course before main probably unnecessary but I wasn't going to complain.

BANH XEO CHAY

Crisp rice flour crepes filled with oyster mushrooms, tofu, snow peas and mung beans

Served with lettuce leaves and Vietnamese herbs to wrap

Then mains

BO LUC LAU

Cubed black angussirloin wok tossed in sesame garlic and black pepper

Then Dessert (feeling slightly uncomfortamble but would feel like I was letting everyone down if this wasn't consumed )

THE DESSERT PLATTER 

Consisting of

Organic banana fritters crumbed in coconut rice, with palm sugar caramel, tapioca and house made vanilla bean ice cream 

Coconut creme brûlée and Chocolate Dumplings with creme anglaise

Over all everything was delish obviously, but being a savoury girl I am voting that entree was the best!

The staff was great as was the atmosphere but the food , words cannot

Explain plus everything was served on funky platters and bowls, a modern flair on Vietnamese classics. 

Deffinatly recommended 5/5 for sure.

French escargot

France.. what springs to mind? The Eifel Tower? The Arc De Triomphe ? Well for me the things I link to the decedent paree are words like foie gras, terrine, pâté,and not to mention the delish array of French patisseries with creme brûlée, Mille fuilles and don't get me started on the champagne, ohhhhh yeahhhh!!!!

The fact is that without the precision and technique that is French cuisine our western world as we know it would be completely different!
As chefs we Are taught a great deal about French cooking not only by learning technique but by learning terms and definition as well.

Now however creative these French culinary genius are you have to wonder what is going through their heads when they come up with these few dishes....

Tete de Veau or Calf’s Head.
Smoked Ox Tongue
Tripe the French soul food.
Ris de Veau or calf’s pancreas
Frog’s Legs
Escargot – snails


And it makes you wonder how they thought ... Well lets eat a snail

Today there are over 100 different types of garden snails but in France, only two types are found.
the snails are normally killed, removed from their shells and cooked in garlic butter, stock or wine. escargot is high in protein and low in fat content (depending on how they are cooked and how much butter is smeared all over them.) but they do contain 15% protein, 2.4% fat and about 80% water.

Now I am defiantly not suggestion going on a scavenger hunt in the backyard but these slippery little suckers also come in a tin ( what doesn't?) and the health benefits are they are high in protein, vitamin e and magnesium,

So maybe It is the week to be impulsive or experimental.. Buy a tin and pretend to be Manu,


Bon appetite

Apple crumble muffins

Apple crumble and ultimate classic and so easy to mix up and make different.
Crumble was more popular in world war 2
In Britain and Ireland and was popular because it made a filling dish that was cheap and could be rationed out!

So I have created my own crumble with a twist that is super easy and utterly delish....
Apple crumble muffins !
So in a bowl all you need to do is place
2 grated royal gala apples (skins on )
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 a cup of almond meal
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
And 125gr melted butter

Mix it all together untill blended well and place in either muffin tins or patty pans

Now for the crumble

Rub together 100gr of butter and 1 cup if flour to resemble bread crumbs
Then add 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
And 1 tsp cinnamon

Sprinkle mixture on to the muffins and bake at 180deg for 20-25 min

Mmmm.......
Let me know how they go

the wrong side of 25

Food …
So many varieties, so many ingredients, so many options .
As a chef/foodie/aspiring writer food is something that really gets me excited.
This blog is going to get slightly emotional so don’t say I didn’t give any warning.
After a recent realisation that I am on the wrong side of 25 I have decided that I don’t need to be ashamed of the fact that I have a million things that I want out of life.
That being a dreamer is perfectly normal and that doing something that makes me happy even though I may not be saving the world or breaking records it is perfectly ok.
So with my new insight into life I have decided that I am going to do what I love cook home-style food and open a little business where I can showcase my passion and enjoy the feeling of making people happy if only for a second or third mouthful.
I am also going to continue to write even if no one reads it and even if it doesn’t get me a job as a food critic or journalist.
After some recent events in my life I have decided that life is short and I am going to do what I love because it makes me happy.
So if anyone does read this please comment tell me what you want or wanted to do in life it’s never too late to be happy....

Woman vs Food

American food,

what astonished me is not only the portion sizes but the fact that there is an entire show with 4 series based on 1 American man taking on some of the biggest food challenges in the world.
What's worst thing is that I'm obsessed with the show, so when I realise that there is a massive burger challenge right here in my home town I am there.
It's called Misty's diner and its located on high street in Prahan, this place is great! It is like stepping back into the 50's into a scene from grease.

"I got chills, there multiplying and I'm losing control" ohhhhh imagine it you step out of your Cadillac in your pink poodle skirt and your pink ladies jacket and you sit on a blue padded booth seat and a sexy young John Travolta stares back at you with his gorgeous brown eyes and says....

Ok so I will leave the next bit to you and although I can't guarantee that Mr Travolta will be there...i can tell you that it won't be disappointing.
It's a fun place with great food from burgers to hotdogs, chilli fries to BBQ ribs even peanut butter milkshakes to deep fried twinkles if its American they have it.

But the thing that caught my eye was this....
The ULTIMATE BURGER CHALLENGE !!!

You have 14min to eat an entire 5 beef patty tower if you will that is a 1.2 kg slab of meat, along with 200 gr of chilli fries !
Now call me crazy but it was impossible , well for the 3 people attempting it that night it was but I have been assured that quite a few have succeeded and received the "I bet Misty's burger challenge" T-shirt and there photo on the wall of fame.

Now I chickened out and instead of the challenge opted for something a little less messy... BBQ pork ribs and buffalo wings with home style ranch dressing haha get it??

It was sensational and to top it off finished with a chips ahoy or choc chip cookie thick shake served with delicious whipped cream and crumbs of cookie over the top.

Extravagant and fattening but worth it. It's one of those places you have to experience to believe it.

Now that I have eaten all that food it's time to relax and watch the charming Travolta in grease,

What more could a girl want xxx

Seed cafe Mordialloc

Hey guys,
Today I headed out to breakfast at a local spot I have been dying to try called "seed" at 9 Centreway Mordialloc.
It's open 7 days a week for all day breakfast and lunch and renown themselves for good wholesome food.
We arrived at "seed" at around 10.30am and the place was buzzing.

There were cyclists,families, couples it was a real homely atmosphere.
It was quite deceiving because what from the street looked like a small cafe once you were inside was a rather large space.
As we walked in we were greeted immediately and offered a table near the window.

We had a lovely waiter taking care of us who brought us our tea ( has to be English Breakfast but I can go into that another time) and menus as soon as we sat.

The menu was quite extensive with something to tantalise even the fussiest of eaters.
After some ummming and Ahhhing I decided on a dish which I couldn't pronounce it was called...

Tunisian Shakshuca

It consisted of a chickpea and roasted tomato stew topped with fresh roquette, Labne cheese ,2 free range poached eggs and toasted ciabatta.

Now I have to say I was sceptical as I was unsure as to what I was going to get.
A stew for breakfast? With cheese and gooey eggs ??

Well not only was it presented beautifully it was so delishous I could have eaten it twice over!
The stew was a lovely thick consistancy with spices like smokey paprika and cumin made it a winner from the start then the Labne added a creaminess to it and the eggs just added a velvety thickener when those yolks oozed over the stew.
Plus l ensured nothing went to waste and soaked up ever last drop with the crusty bread.

So I am highly recommending "seed" it was resonably priced it had cost me $19 for my breakfast and tea, they provided quick lovely service and call me a sucker but when I went to tip I was told that all the staff that were tipped put their money towards a young 6 year old girl named Graciela from Ecuador She was "seeds" sponsor child from world vision.

So I left feeling full and happy and felt like there are some lovely people in the world.
So over all two thumbs up from me 👍👍

McDonald's vs Tecoma

This may be a somewhat controversial subject but McDonald's in Tecoma, pro or con???
I'm not sure where I stand on this subject... After living in the Dandenong ranges for a few years I understand that it is a place of tranquility, community and a foodie haven which is why at first thought placing a McDonald's in this part of the world may be a bad decision.

All I know that protesters have been working around the clock to get this mega fast food chain to "burger off".
Locals are worried about the impact it will have on there homes including higher levels of traffic, noise and not to mention the potential risk of rubbish pollution of the beloved Sherbrooke forest which is only 800 m away from the proposed building site along with being 50 m away from a local primary school.

This is why Tecoma is in such a state of rage, why build a 24/7 McDonald's when there is one situated less than 10 km away.

Now this is one side of the story...
What about supporting the takeaway food giant?
Do McDonald's not do a lot for the community and family's eg. The Ronald Mc Donald house??

Do McDonald's not hire people for work experiences ? Which from my opinion in hospitality more people are likely to hire staff that have worked for McDonald's because of there high training standards.

Do McDonald's not use Australian produce in their restaurants?
And should they be blamed for potential rubbish and pollution when us as humans are to lazy to place things in the bins which are provided by the company??

But I have to say that I think that the Dandenong ranges are known for their beauty and uniqueness. Being able to enjoy a relaxing cup of earl grey at Miss Marples tea house in Sassafras, climb the "100step" hill or have breakfast at the scrumptious "earthly pleasures" in Belgrave these are what attract the tourists
The uniqueness!

But it's up to us to choose to have your say there is a Facebook page I will put a link at the bottom.
So what do u think ... I may be leaning to one side now more than the other.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Mcdonalds-in-Tecoma/218824078128439

Julie and Julia

Question... Has anyone seen the movie Julie and Julia?
Well I watched it on the weekend and I am a little behind the times I know! however I was absolutely was fascinated from beginning to end.
For those readers that haven't scene it it is about this young woman (Julie)sick of the everyday cycle of life and wanted to do something that she loved and enjoyed for a living and not get stuck into a boring 9 till 5 journalist job.

To cut a long story short she decides to Cook every recipe in the french masterpiece of a cookbook written by none other than Julia Child.

Julia child was an American Chef born the eldest of 3 in California.
She is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public then the world with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking is for both experienced cooks and beginners who love good food and long to cook, braise and bake a selection of true authentic french dishes.
Traditional favorites such as beef bourguignon, bouillabaisse, and cassoulet are featured, as are instructions on how to prepare vegetables in a more appetizing way than that of the 1960s American kitchen.
The cookbook includes 524 recipes and the aim for young Julie in the movie is to cook every recipe in the book and write a blog about her cooking journey and adventures!

It is a really inspirational movie and Julia Child herself is a remarkable woman who is inspirational in her own right.

It got me to thinking that this may be a challenge that I would enjoy but I would never know where to start Or what challenge to do.
So if by some odd chance anyone happens to read this and wants to encourage me to do something any suggestions and ideas would be greatly appreciated on how I could spice up my passionate adventures.

But until my next passionate foodie blog I hope u all see the movie!

Congee

Lately the asian food has been calling me!
It's funny how we go through food phases. For me it's about every week I get cravings for different cuisines and dishes.

This week it started when we went out to a little Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant named thien phu' in Springvale south that started my cravings!

it's almost like a little Asian diner nothing fancy just tables with some assorted condiments on it packed with people and a tv in the background.

We started with the classic rice paper rolls, they were served with this gorgeous satay peanut sauce.

Then a lovely Congee which is a type of rice porridge popular in many Asian countries. additional ingredients, such as meat, fish, and flavorings, are added whilst preparing the congee, it is most often served as a meal on its own.

Despite its many variations, it is always a thick porridge or soup of rice which has usually disintegrated after prolonged cooking in hot water.

There are many different varieties that differ from country to country.
Countries like china, India, korea, Vietnam, Cambodia or even Burma all have variations of congee that makes it traditional to their country.

And then We shared a beautiful pork prawn and beef omelette just as described succulent meats in an omelette with garlic,chilli, Vietnamese mint, bean shoots and lettuce.

Fresh, Simple and Yummy!

Lebanese and Baklava

Lebanese! When we think of Lebanese food we think of tabbouleh, hummus, baba ghanoush and baklava (mmmm...baklava) but traditionally there is so much more to this amazing cuisine.

Now similar to the Italian antipasto or the Spanish tapas, the Lebanese serve Mezze .
Very rarely is a beverage in lebanon served without a Mezze platter.

It is a selection of hot or cold small dishes with different varieties of colours, tastes, textures and aromas. It is wonderful if you are like me and like a selection or you can never decide what to order.

Mezze may be as simple as some hummus and bread of some pickled vegetables with baba ghanoush. Then there is the Mezze that consists of all of the above with seafood and lamb, raw and cooked vegetables or salad. All these amazing dishes placed in front of you in one sitting, a foodies delight!

Another great thing about Lebanese food is the sweets.....
Baklava as I mentioned is this delicious sweet pastry layered with crushed nuts and sugar syrup or honey.
Then there is Sfouf, an almond semolina cake seasoned with turmeric,sugar and pine nuts.
Ma'amoul, a small shortbread biscuit filled with dates, pistachios or walnuts, and my personal favourite Meghli a rice pudding spiced with anise, caraway and cinnamon.

Now I bet your thinking where on earth can I get this stuff? Well I have done some research and there is a place right here in the not so sunny melbourne!
It's on north road towards Oakleigh named Oasis Bakery. Not only do they have everything listed above they do cooking classes, coffee equipment, baking ingredients, typical Mezze dishes and oh my gosh the sweets... The baklava is everywhere!!!
There is even a lebanese cafe to sit and enjoy a coffee and lunch.

To sum up or to shut me up this place is brilliant! Great shop, Great Food and Lebanese... Great cuisine!

Oh and thank you whoever invented the Baklava.

Vietnamese in Richmond

So today after a hectic morning Sam and I ventured to Richmond where we decided to have lunch. We found a lovely little Vietnamese cafe and went in there we were greeted by an amazing smell of Vietnamese mint and spice.

It was the kind of place that truly got my mouth salivating! We sat by the window looking out at the everyday hustle and for a moment I felt I wasn't even in Melbourne.

Now on our table we had all the usual condiments traditionally found in Asian restaurants: Chili, Soy, Vinegar, Hoisin and some other goodies and the menu was really great written in English and Vietnamese with pictures of the most popular dishes.

Now after some Ummming and Arghhhing we decided to share a Chicken Congee (which is a traditional soup made from stock and broken rice with coriander, spring onion and dried shallots) and a Vietnamese pancake with pork and prawn.

For those of you that have never had one before it comes out about the length of 2 dinner plates with a crispy outer egg and coconut pancake and filled with freshly cooked meats, bean shoots and onions.

Now incase your meal still isn't satisfying you get a bunch if Vietnamese mint, lettuce, extra bean shoots, chilli, lemon and a sweet chilli type vinegar just to ensure your pancake is extra delish!

We started with the congee which was so yummy with a lovely fragrant broth perfectly cooked rice and juicy tender chicken, and the best bit was the pancake it was so delicious that words cannot explain how good it was the crepe/omlette was so crispy and the meet had been cooked into
The batter before it is flipped then by adding the vinegar and fresh lemon and mint it was like having a party in your mouth ... Unexpected beautiful edible fun!!!

To conclude I have come home super inspired by chefs such as Luke Nguyen and I am pulling out the Vietnamese cookbooks and I'm ready to cook!!!

Apologies to my readers!

To anyone that regularly read my blog I am sorry it has been so long!
So much has happened since my last blog and I have forgotten about things that excite me! Well no more! I am back and going to write again about things that make me happy! I am no longer going to dwell on the past!

Mushrooms

Mushies! On toast, stuffed, roasted, sautéd, with garlic, in risotto, in a good stroganoff anyway u choose to have them they are a really nutritious meal.

Mushrooms are the fleshy body of a fungus, commonly found above ground on soil.

Many species of mushrooms tend to just shoot up overnight.
There is even a common English saying "to pop up like a mushroom" based purely on how quickly they grow.

Mushrooms are low in calories, fat and carbohydrates and provide a great source of B, essential minerals and potassium.

Most mushrooms you buy from supermarkets have been grown in mushroom farms and they grow different varieties from shiitakes to oyster, enoki to portabella there is always a selection.

However not all mushrooms are good for you there is a variety that are toxic and can even be fatal if consumed.
There is also the mind altering mushrooms that make you hallucinate commonly known as "magic mushrooms" or "shrooms" these mushrooms are illegal if sold or grown purely because the effects are unknown and could cause harm.

So for me I play it safe and stick to the every day Mushies that you buy from the grocer.
But I have some weird facts about these little stubby toadstools :

Did you know that More than 85% of Australian households purchase fresh mushrooms regularly and that In the mid 1970’s most of the mushrooms eaten in Australia were sold in cans.

So to ensure you get yourself some top quality mushrooms and keep them tasting great look for the ones that are firm to the touch, have no bruises and have a slightly shiny surface then store in a brown paper bag on the bottom shelf of the fridge this allows the mushrooms to breath and draws the moisture into the bag and not the Mushies and using these tips they should last at least a week.
So they will be right there ready to spice up a dish, use to garnish and wow your family at dinner!

Liquorice

Yes liquorice! It's a love hate relationship for most when it comes to this.

I think it's sensational ... I grew up with lots of liquorice it was what we would get for my dad every fathers day because he loved it.
we used have to take the Irish moss syrup when we were sick which was a liquorice flavoured cough mixture and my pop used to say would cure anything, which is why I still use it today.

Even the liquorice flavoured sarsaparilla which I was told as a little girl was "pigs blood" so that I wouldn't drink my parents stash, even now my hubby Sam is obsessed with the boiled liquorice blocks and bullets so for most of my life liquorice has made a mark In my existence.

To make liquorice there are a base of ingredients they are liquorice extract, sugar, and a binder.
The binder is typically starch/flour, gum arabic, or gelatin, or a combination of the 3. Then ammonium chloride, and molasses are added to give the end product the familiar black colour.
Some liquorice is flavoured with anise oil instead of or in combination with liquorice root extract.

The process of making is quite straightforward the ingredients are dissolved in water and heated to 135 °C the liquid is poured into molds, to get the desired shape or size. The licorice liquid is then set and when they are they are sprayed with beeswax in order to give them a shiny appearance.

Even Alexander the Great supplied his troops with rations of liquorice root whilst marching, due to its thirst
quenching qualities.

It has been around for centuries
and I hope it stays that way, because it has been a great thing for my family when I can't think of any present ideas.
Try it ! It may surprise you!

Quinoa

Quinoa pronounced Kin-wah is one of the latest foodie trends.
High in protein, iron and even fibre it has great health benefits especially of you are a vegetarian.

So after hearing all the hoop-lah about it I thought I had better give it a go.
So I headed on down to Thomas Dux grocer a little gourmet grocer in Black Rock, Melbourne. They had all types...red, white, royal mix, flour even cereal and as it turns out at this stage I had no idea what was the difference. As it turns out you can just get different colours and it in different forms.

Just as I was about to pick it up I realised they sold quinoa bread and salad already made so I got a coconut, roasted almond and coriander quinoa to go.
Now It is a grain grown primarily in a crop for its little seeds, it is generally cooked and is lite and fluffy and has a distinct nutty flavour about it.
To my surprise it was delish! It was crunchy yet light and simple yet flavoursome it would make a great substitute to rice or Couscous.

The bread was gorgeous as well quinoa and soya bean loaf crunchy outside and light in the middle and guess the brand ... Brasserie bread.
For those who follow I did a blog on brasserie not long ago.

After some research quinoa is very versatile it is a gluten and wheat free grain that is basically treated as a rice boiled or cooked in a rice cooker for the same time you would usually cook rice for, then you can then add Vegetables and seasonings to vamp it up.
Chicken stock can be substituted for water during cooking, it can even be transformed into a classic pilaf with a funky new twist.
I actually think that I have been converted I never, well I try to never follow trends however in this case I think I will defiantly be investing time into creating dishes with quinoa.

My only challenge I have ahead of me is to convince "Hubby" that good things DO taste good.

Tasmania top 5

Growing up in Tasmania I was surrounded with some of the most sensational produce Australia has to offer.
I don't think I truly appreciated the gorgeous "apple isle" until leaving there 9 years ago, I have had several trips back over the years and still it never ceases to amaze me.

There is way to many possibilities as to what to write about when it comes to this topic but I am going to try by creating a top 5 list of fabulous Tasmania products

Ok so... No.1 Salmon!
Tasmania is one of the best producers of Atlantic Salmon. The pristine conditions and water temperatures is what helps them farm these beautiful fish, the environment is also beneficial in the breeding process as the farms are more natural to the salmons habitat preventing risks of disease.
With health benefits such as being high in protein, iron, magnesium, vitamin A and vitamin B this is a fish that should be enjoyed more often!

No.2 Honey
Honey is developed by bees using the nectar from flowers it is used to sweeten, preserve or to eat as you please. In western Tasmania the rainforest is home to the beautiful Leatherwood trees in summer they start to flower and it is then that these little busy bees produce Leatherwood honey. Leatherwood honey is thick, creamy and amber-yellow in color and I personally don't think it is as sweet as other honeys.

No.3 Cheese

Ah.. Cheese, There are several awarded Tasmanian cheeserys around including Ashgrove, King Island, Heidi Farm and even Mersey Valley.
With cool climates and some of the best dairy farmers in Australia it's no wonder they produce lovely cheese.

No.4 Oysters
Barilla Bay is one of the best places for Pacific oysters in Tasmania.
They have a small family run oyster farm and a beautiful restaurant that showcases these ugly little creatures.
Nutritionally speaking Oysters are an excellent source of zinc, iron, calcium as well as Vitamin A and Vitamin B12.
They are considered the healthiest when eaten raw shucked right from their shells, I think though with these little fellas you love them or hate them.

And lucky last No.5 Apples
They don't call us "the apple isle" for nothing.
Tassie is home to a lot of varieties of apples from Democrats, Red, Granny Smiths, Jonathans, and Red and Golden Delicious to the Less common Pink Ladies, Jonogold and Braeburn, a delicious snack at anytime of day.

As your driving through "the apple isle be on the Look out for roadside signs advertising apples and pears. Most are sold on an honour system. You help yourself from a small stall or shed and leave the money in a tin or a bucket.
I think that's a great way to have your produce admired by getting people to appreciate the effort that goes not only into the growing and farming but the picking as well.

Well there is my top 5 hope you all got something out of it, I am now thinking I am going to book another trip to Tasmania soon!

Chocolate

Ahhh chocolate it's one of life's sinful pleasures!
Chocolate is produced from the seeds of the cocoa tree the seeds are fermented they are ground,dried then roasted to produce cocoa mass, which is then melted to a liquid called chocolate liquor, that is then added to the milk and sugar etc to produce chocolate.

It is a product that is used on nearly all holidays at Easter in the form of egg and bunnies and Christmas as Santas and even in hearts for valentines day it is the perfect gift! Well if I got givin it I would defiantly not complain.

I think that chocolate has some form of secret ingredients it truly can make u feel warm when your cold or happy when you are sad.
And I think that if you can learn to really appreciate it in small proportions you can really have the cure to any problem you may face.

Wether you are in to dark,milk,white or with fruit or nuts, chilli,salt or even soy there is a type for everyone.

And if you ever meet anyone who says they don't like it well I gotta say that I think they may be lying