FoodieChat

With the start of the new year there are whole host of food related programmes to drool over!  Most anticipated for me is Top Chef New York (Season 5) - which looks extra fiesty, and with very good looking people; and American Iron Chef!! Both are on Foxtel - Fox8 and Lifestyle Food respectively.  Sadly I have to park myself at someone else’s TV to catch the latter - but from the ads I can’t seem to work out if Jamie Oliver is the challenger or the Iron Chef! all will be revealed tonight at 8:30pm. 

As for Top Chef - last season was a very close call between molecular gastronomic perfectionist Richard Blaze (my personal favourite to win) and Stephanie - the refreshing person who’s actually nice to everyone and not a backstabber! 

Locally - they will be starting a version of Masterchef. Quick - entries close on the 9th of January!  Register here:

https://masterchef.fmacasting.com.au/

What did you get in your stocking?  I got a new Zyliss food preparation thingo - I’ve used it twice. very scared that I might slice off my fingers, and the few slices that do come out perfect worked well; but the zucchini got hacked up from the safety guard. Hmm… will give it a couple more chances but may have to be returned that one!

I also got the new Stephanie Reynaud cook book calle Ripailles. It’s a French anthology with recipes classified into chapters such as offal; game; as well as the usual pork, lamb, desserts, etc. As my friend said “it’s great - it’s got pictures, recipes and music”!! No kidding!  it’s got a divine soft cover and if you look carefully, you can get it for $55 instead of the RRP of $90.   I tried the creme caramel recipe. Too bad the top caramel didn’t work, but the custard was fine.   Don’t think I will be trying pheasant anytime soon though!

Now that it’s winter, I want to make as few trips to the shops as possible, and have a well stocked pantry so that I can simply buy fresh meat, veges and fruit to make a meal.  Here is what I consider essential to have on hand in the pantry:

• Chicken stock - Campbell’s Real Stock in Chicken for soups, beef for stews and casseroles
• Canned tomatoes - for soups, casseroles, pasta
• Dried herbs - for when the herb garden has frozen to death
• Carbs - pasta (spaghetti, macaroni, risoni for stews), jasmine rice for Asian food, arborio for risottos
• Long life milk just in case!
• Flours, sugar, eggs and butter (in the fridge) to make cakes and sweets - it’s amazing how many things these four things can make - cakes, pancakes, scones. for all those last minute visitors.
• A packet of frozen beeries in the freezer - can add to pancakes, smoothies, muffins, desserts
• Chickpeas for stews, casseroles and soups
• Honey and peanut butter for my toast
• Rolled oats, brown sugar to make steaming hot porridge

These are all things that don’t perish and you can just keep replenishing as you need.  What have I missed that you consider critical?

My new FAVOURITE reality TV show (and there are just SO many out there) is Top Chef.  It’s not really like “The f Word” because the contestants are professionals with their own restaurants and accomplishments. It’s not like Hell’s Kitchen either for the same reason, and they don’t do a dinner service.  This show is classy, exciting and makes you really appreciate the magic that chefs can pull.

It starts off with a quickfire challenge. A half hour super fast task, such as “create a meal with $10 on groceries within 20 mins with 10 minutes shopping time in only one aisle of the supermarket”.  Or a relay of chopping 5 jumbo onions, segmenting 4 chickens, shucking 1 doz oysters.  one person wins immunity, and then follows a longer challenge, for example “cook hor d’ouevres for 60 people with a $350 budget” - basically a themed meal with a shopping budget.

Anyway, I don’t have any friends who watch this and I am dying to discuss it every week, hoping someone out there also watches it (please dont’ spoil the ending for me!!! ) and have a chat here!

I really hope Howie gets voted off.  Hung pales in comparison in terms of evil scumminess! I bought the cookbook off Amazon - trying not to open it as it will spoil the end for me!

The NSW govt Food Authority is now publishing lists of offenders prosecuted or fined for breaching standards!  Let’s hope your favourite restaurant does NOT end up on this list!

www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au

I think I know of a few places that should belong here hehehe.