Now before you start, i really do like americans and have many friends of that persuasion.... even a former lover or two......
BUT
what is with this Halloween nonsense. i have been invited to several halloween parties tomorrow night, from the plain dull 'drinks' to the superbly ridiculous 'trick or treat party' that is being thrown - and on a school night.
historically, halloween is not something that we do in the southern antipodes and far flung colonies south of the equator.
from my understanding, this is a christian festival (and with no offence to the god loving and fearing folk, I dont do capitals for the religious words.) it is to celebrate all hallows eve which falls before all saints day. now this is not a revelation to most readers I am sure, but there is also the pagan or non secular connotation to the festival where spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent.
what pisses me off is the costumes of ghosts and ghoulies, skeletons and all of the associated crud. woe betired any snivelling little shits knocking on my door hoping for a bag of clinkers or some of darrel lea's finest.... because they wont get much apart from a piece of bbq briquette and a whack upside the head....
i think it is about our propensity to turn every given opportunity into an excuse for the consumption of alcohol in ome form or another. now as much as i am gonna sound a hypocrite, there will be a beverage or two tomorrow night cos my mate is playing his guitar and singing at the local pub and I need to go and support his efforts.
so enjoy your all hallows eve, observe the holy day of obligation the next day and get to your local church (even if its for a game of bingo or a few beers with the local vicar). i will have a few and think of nothing but queen and country ... i dont know which queen yet but i am sure i will find one.
happy halloween
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
good god October is almost gone and I have been so hectic. but have not added to my musings here.
its time for beer i think or at least good white wine. summer is on the doorstep and so we should be heaving some good plonk down our screech for the summer months.
so here are a few scribblings on some of what is nice this season:
Victoria has a plethora of wine regions and some of the whites around for consumption this summer stand out as rippers. As the drought continues, winegrowers are becoming increasingly worried about what they can produce, and if I could offer any advice, it would be to start stocking the cellar now with boutique wines. Prices are on the rise and as a result, some of these amazing products are going to be hard to get and very expensive.
Tin Cows at Tarrawarra Estate in Yarra Glen have a stunning chardonnay. The range is cheaper than the Tarrawarra range, and the 2005 Chardy is made entirely from estate grown fruit. With a nose that is all melon and stone fruit, the crisp fresh zing on the palate is refreshing. It has a lingering acidic finish and subtle elements of oak that improve the overall body of the wine. At around $20 it’s a steal.
Marinda Park at Balnarin on the Mornington Peninsula offers a sensational Victorian grown 2003 Sauvignon Blanc. Its nose is all tropical fruit and passion fruit aromas, and the palate works well with that. Hints of gooseberry and passionfruit work their magic on the tongue to produce a well balanced, clean soft finish. It sells at cellar door for about $20
Mantons Creek, also on the Peninsula, has a stunning 2003 Pinot Gris. This aromatic has a sweet musky aroma, with hints of apple blossom. In true Pinot gris style, the palate is all citrus and lively acidity, with a soft caramel butter finish. It is expressive and perfect for drinking now. You can pick this up at the cellar door for around $22. Also try their gewurtztraminer with lychee, lavender and spice aromas, and a rich palate of exquisite length and balance. Its around $45 but stunningly worth every penny.
Innocent Bystander in the Yarra Valley have a pinot rose that you must try. Whilst not a white it is a superb summer beverage served nicely chilled. With a spritely nose of spring blossom and shaved fennel, the palate on this little baby is all plum and blackcurrant. A zesty fruit finish will leave you lingering and longing for more. At around $15, buy a case of 6.
so see you somewhere in the melting pot of madness that is my wandering life
its time for beer i think or at least good white wine. summer is on the doorstep and so we should be heaving some good plonk down our screech for the summer months.
so here are a few scribblings on some of what is nice this season:
Victoria has a plethora of wine regions and some of the whites around for consumption this summer stand out as rippers. As the drought continues, winegrowers are becoming increasingly worried about what they can produce, and if I could offer any advice, it would be to start stocking the cellar now with boutique wines. Prices are on the rise and as a result, some of these amazing products are going to be hard to get and very expensive.
Tin Cows at Tarrawarra Estate in Yarra Glen have a stunning chardonnay. The range is cheaper than the Tarrawarra range, and the 2005 Chardy is made entirely from estate grown fruit. With a nose that is all melon and stone fruit, the crisp fresh zing on the palate is refreshing. It has a lingering acidic finish and subtle elements of oak that improve the overall body of the wine. At around $20 it’s a steal.
Marinda Park at Balnarin on the Mornington Peninsula offers a sensational Victorian grown 2003 Sauvignon Blanc. Its nose is all tropical fruit and passion fruit aromas, and the palate works well with that. Hints of gooseberry and passionfruit work their magic on the tongue to produce a well balanced, clean soft finish. It sells at cellar door for about $20
Mantons Creek, also on the Peninsula, has a stunning 2003 Pinot Gris. This aromatic has a sweet musky aroma, with hints of apple blossom. In true Pinot gris style, the palate is all citrus and lively acidity, with a soft caramel butter finish. It is expressive and perfect for drinking now. You can pick this up at the cellar door for around $22. Also try their gewurtztraminer with lychee, lavender and spice aromas, and a rich palate of exquisite length and balance. Its around $45 but stunningly worth every penny.
Innocent Bystander in the Yarra Valley have a pinot rose that you must try. Whilst not a white it is a superb summer beverage served nicely chilled. With a spritely nose of spring blossom and shaved fennel, the palate on this little baby is all plum and blackcurrant. A zesty fruit finish will leave you lingering and longing for more. At around $15, buy a case of 6.
so see you somewhere in the melting pot of madness that is my wandering life
Thursday, September 6, 2007
the suburban pub meal
I always thought that pubs across the country in the burbs had all moved towards the idea of gastrohavens. That is, the days of the pub grub would surely be overtaken by upping the wank ante of food and all but destorying the humble counter meal.
But in the inner west of Melbourne, this is radically different. There are numerous pubs that perch on the edges of Footscray, that are doing cheap pub meals for the same as you would pay for a mcdonalds meal, and with 500 times the nutritional value.
Last night I lobbed at the Buckingham Hotel on Buckingham Street in Footscray. The pungent smell of smokeable herb in the outdoor section at the back ensured that I had an appetite, yet on venturing inside, the place was chockers - not a seat to be had. I have been here many times before and for $7, you will walk out full of their daily special. This ranges from a bangers and mash, chicken schnitzel, fish and chips etc etc. And the quality is fantastic
So dining partner and I choofed off down the street to Harts Hotel on Victoria Street, the same street that Delizia Cucina, a one hat dining venue in Seddon, calls home. The daily special, a porterhouse steak with vegetables and chips for $7. Yes, seven dollars. Why anyone would eat take out with this sort of offering about is beyond me. I threw in an extra couple of bucks for a chicken parma. As much as I am a gourmand, I love a good parma. This was an enormous plump chicken breast, crumbed and flash fried to ensure that it remained moist. It was topped with a delicious sugo and some cheese and grilled. With salad and chips, it was a cracker. I left full.
There are disadvantages, like the loud and often unkempt crowd in the front bar, betting on 2 flies crawling up the wall, and the tab doing double time. But it lends an atmosphere to the place. The wine is okay, served in something not much larger than a medicine cup, but clearly the brisk trade in beer hasnt allowed them to catch up.
This is one venue I would love to get hold of - the dining space is huge and well fitted out, for the price and the food is really very good.
I am off to buy a lotto ticket so I can make them an offer.
But in the inner west of Melbourne, this is radically different. There are numerous pubs that perch on the edges of Footscray, that are doing cheap pub meals for the same as you would pay for a mcdonalds meal, and with 500 times the nutritional value.
Last night I lobbed at the Buckingham Hotel on Buckingham Street in Footscray. The pungent smell of smokeable herb in the outdoor section at the back ensured that I had an appetite, yet on venturing inside, the place was chockers - not a seat to be had. I have been here many times before and for $7, you will walk out full of their daily special. This ranges from a bangers and mash, chicken schnitzel, fish and chips etc etc. And the quality is fantastic
So dining partner and I choofed off down the street to Harts Hotel on Victoria Street, the same street that Delizia Cucina, a one hat dining venue in Seddon, calls home. The daily special, a porterhouse steak with vegetables and chips for $7. Yes, seven dollars. Why anyone would eat take out with this sort of offering about is beyond me. I threw in an extra couple of bucks for a chicken parma. As much as I am a gourmand, I love a good parma. This was an enormous plump chicken breast, crumbed and flash fried to ensure that it remained moist. It was topped with a delicious sugo and some cheese and grilled. With salad and chips, it was a cracker. I left full.
There are disadvantages, like the loud and often unkempt crowd in the front bar, betting on 2 flies crawling up the wall, and the tab doing double time. But it lends an atmosphere to the place. The wine is okay, served in something not much larger than a medicine cup, but clearly the brisk trade in beer hasnt allowed them to catch up.
This is one venue I would love to get hold of - the dining space is huge and well fitted out, for the price and the food is really very good.
I am off to buy a lotto ticket so I can make them an offer.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Deconstructing Food
One of the many joys of my somewhat sad life is food. The marriage of texture, flavour, colour and taste is all important- all the elements should join together to create a combined flavour, rather than individual elements being seperated and segregated, like the sportsmen and the nerds at high school.
So you can imagine my disgust, dear reader, at this whole concept of deconstructivists. I am more of the mind to call them destructive.
Where is the talent and the imagination of taking ingredients that should, without fear or favour, be combined to create a dish, rather than bits plopped on a plate like lepers being sent away from healthy people back in the middle ages.
I recently had cause to eat a caesar salad that had been deconstructed. arriving looking sad and forlorn on a plate was a pile of lettuce, next to some pancetta, with shavings of parmesan, and some dry crusts of bread. In a pot in the side sat a dressing that tasted more like ranch than caesar, and finally a coddled egg sat in the middle of the plate, like a fat kid on their own in a ring of bullies.
I was flabbergasted at this foolish idea of pulling apart a classic dish that so relies on its integration of flavour and texture and taste, and actually asked the waiter had the chef gone home and left me to do the work.
I go out to dine so I dont have to spend the time in my own well stocked and quasi professional kitchen. Why then should I be required to build my own dinner, at my expense, whilst there is a chef or a team of staff out back in the kitchen cleaning their nails with their paring knives.
Dont get me wrong. Chefs work probably harder and suffer more stress than almost any occupation I know. I am aware of this becuase I am a qualified chef. But if we continue to deconstruct food and be quite plainly lacking in respect for the combination, then what remains but to stay away from these venues and cook at home.
I am clued up to trends and like new things in food, but lets go back to the days where we get meals served to us that are, in their entirety, complete and ready to devour.
So you can imagine my disgust, dear reader, at this whole concept of deconstructivists. I am more of the mind to call them destructive.
Where is the talent and the imagination of taking ingredients that should, without fear or favour, be combined to create a dish, rather than bits plopped on a plate like lepers being sent away from healthy people back in the middle ages.
I recently had cause to eat a caesar salad that had been deconstructed. arriving looking sad and forlorn on a plate was a pile of lettuce, next to some pancetta, with shavings of parmesan, and some dry crusts of bread. In a pot in the side sat a dressing that tasted more like ranch than caesar, and finally a coddled egg sat in the middle of the plate, like a fat kid on their own in a ring of bullies.
I was flabbergasted at this foolish idea of pulling apart a classic dish that so relies on its integration of flavour and texture and taste, and actually asked the waiter had the chef gone home and left me to do the work.
I go out to dine so I dont have to spend the time in my own well stocked and quasi professional kitchen. Why then should I be required to build my own dinner, at my expense, whilst there is a chef or a team of staff out back in the kitchen cleaning their nails with their paring knives.
Dont get me wrong. Chefs work probably harder and suffer more stress than almost any occupation I know. I am aware of this becuase I am a qualified chef. But if we continue to deconstruct food and be quite plainly lacking in respect for the combination, then what remains but to stay away from these venues and cook at home.
I am clued up to trends and like new things in food, but lets go back to the days where we get meals served to us that are, in their entirety, complete and ready to devour.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
country pub or gastronomic haven?
When is a country pub not a country pub? When it is the Royal Mail Hotel complex in the verdant hills of Western Victoria’s Grampians region.
And of what value a country pub to Melbourne’s queer population. A perfect destination to be savoured and enjoyed in an idyllic setting, perfect for romance or a damned fine country knees up for you and a bunch of your closest.
With the success of the Spring Migration in Yackandandah and Chill Out in Daylesford, maybe a summer migration to Dunkeld would be appropriate for the country loving queers. With stunning accommodation to suit every budget and style and the recent arrival of uber talented chef Dan Hunter, fresh from work in some of the most famed Spanish restaurants, and a CV that boasts some of Melbourne’s best eateries, you cant be anything but excited. A $3 Million wine cellar that would be the envy of every queer quaffer and wine wanker, and 27000 acres of stunning farmland to get lost in, this is simply the best country Victorian destination for food and beverage, to be had.
An 1850’s homestead that has been refurbished to its former glory sleeps a dozen and for a measly $1000 a night, it doesn’t get much more authentic or grand. Imagine you and a bunch of your friends on the deck of this house, with Mt Sturgeon overlooking your every move, a working sheep and cattle station, and the food as the jewel of the western district. What more could you ask for? If you want more, its there. On site gardens provide the freshest vegetables and herbs, orchards and an olive grove provide fruit, and rumor has it that a truffle inoculation process around some of the aged oak trees on the property has been successful.
A stunning 3-4 hour drive from Melbourne or a quick 35 minute plane flight from Essendon airport and you have arrived in Dunkeld in time for a sunset and a bottle of red collected from one of the many wineries on the way. Accommodation awaits you in many guises. From simple garden view rooms, to self contained apartments, a farmhouse that sleeps 12, the Mulberry house that also sleeps 12 and the homestead, there is something there for everyone in a queer friendly environment.
A function centre seating 150 would suit the most discerning of function planners, and who knows, if we ever get legislation allowing us formal and legal recognition of our relationships, what better place to celebrate with your family and friends.
Whether bush walking and sharing space with local fauna and birds is your bag, or leisure activities like golf, museums and swimming are more up your alley, Dunkeld has them all.
This has to be the best unheard of queer destination Victoria has to offer
So queer Victorians, forget the usual country drives and head west. You will be delighted, as I was, with the quality of this venue.
email me your thoughts to food.and.wine.scribe@gmail.com
And of what value a country pub to Melbourne’s queer population. A perfect destination to be savoured and enjoyed in an idyllic setting, perfect for romance or a damned fine country knees up for you and a bunch of your closest.
With the success of the Spring Migration in Yackandandah and Chill Out in Daylesford, maybe a summer migration to Dunkeld would be appropriate for the country loving queers. With stunning accommodation to suit every budget and style and the recent arrival of uber talented chef Dan Hunter, fresh from work in some of the most famed Spanish restaurants, and a CV that boasts some of Melbourne’s best eateries, you cant be anything but excited. A $3 Million wine cellar that would be the envy of every queer quaffer and wine wanker, and 27000 acres of stunning farmland to get lost in, this is simply the best country Victorian destination for food and beverage, to be had.
An 1850’s homestead that has been refurbished to its former glory sleeps a dozen and for a measly $1000 a night, it doesn’t get much more authentic or grand. Imagine you and a bunch of your friends on the deck of this house, with Mt Sturgeon overlooking your every move, a working sheep and cattle station, and the food as the jewel of the western district. What more could you ask for? If you want more, its there. On site gardens provide the freshest vegetables and herbs, orchards and an olive grove provide fruit, and rumor has it that a truffle inoculation process around some of the aged oak trees on the property has been successful.
A stunning 3-4 hour drive from Melbourne or a quick 35 minute plane flight from Essendon airport and you have arrived in Dunkeld in time for a sunset and a bottle of red collected from one of the many wineries on the way. Accommodation awaits you in many guises. From simple garden view rooms, to self contained apartments, a farmhouse that sleeps 12, the Mulberry house that also sleeps 12 and the homestead, there is something there for everyone in a queer friendly environment.
A function centre seating 150 would suit the most discerning of function planners, and who knows, if we ever get legislation allowing us formal and legal recognition of our relationships, what better place to celebrate with your family and friends.
Whether bush walking and sharing space with local fauna and birds is your bag, or leisure activities like golf, museums and swimming are more up your alley, Dunkeld has them all.
This has to be the best unheard of queer destination Victoria has to offer
So queer Victorians, forget the usual country drives and head west. You will be delighted, as I was, with the quality of this venue.
email me your thoughts to food.and.wine.scribe@gmail.com
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Rant 1
So - after forever and all the promises in the world to countless readers of my usual ravings elsewhere, it is so time to start this blog and be serious about it.
I love food and I love wine - one day when I grow up I am going to write full time about it. I tend to get about the country, swilling booze of excellent quality, and eating like a king ( shame I dance like a queen but there you go).
These interests of mine that I have managed to continue for 25 years are starting to bring some fruition to them and god forbid, maybe even some dosh.
So here is my first offereing, ripped from one of my columns I have just submitted for publication. I hope you enjoy it
Feel free to contact me at food.and.wine.scribe@gmail.com if you have anything salient to offer
cheers
Pete
I love stumbling on new trends, and so dear readers, remember that you read it here first...all the hip young things and the easily influenced will be drinking - liqueur Muscat on ice or with soda this summer. A cracker of a beverage and perfect for summer consumption.
Food – Mo Vida, I Hosier Lane, Melbourne.
I just love love love this place. A gorgeous tapas bar perched right smack bang in the middle of the CBD, with hotties behind the bar and a cracking wine list, it simply does not get much better. Add to it the Dish of the Year for 07, ‘Cecina,’ Air cured wagyu beef thinly sliced with a truffle foam and poached egg. Simple but like an orgasm of the taste buds. As is their paella, with traditional calasparra rice, laden with seafood and chicken. There is a wait on this usually but by golly it is worth it.
The wine list is sensationally long, and features the best of Spanish wines along with brilliant Aussie offerings and some Frenchies, as well as some brilliant Spanish sherries which are about to send the drinking world bonkers. I recommend you try a few.
The staff here rock – there are few better I have found in Melbourne, and some of them are particularly gorgeous. I almost feel guilty sending you all here because now I will never get a table. Book early for this venue and tell Michael, Pete sent you. It is not cheap by any stretch, but after one visit, you will be hooked.
Plonk: Mollydooker Two Left Feet 2006.
I picked this up because of the name – I am a sucker for a clever wine name, and was incredibly surprised with what was in the bottle. This is a cracking little blend of Shiraz, Cab, and Merlot and with its predecessor being 2nd "Best Value Wine in the World under $20 for 2005', one expects something good.
Bursting with exuberant fruit and a complex aromatic nose, this wine shows lovely integrated hints of vanillin oak and a multitude of flavours ranging from spice, chocolate and blackberry fruit. Both powerful and delightful, this wine exudes all three varietal characters in a strong and harmonious way.
And at 23.00 a bottle, it doesn’t get much cheaper or better. Get hold of a case or two of this recently released number as they will not last at all.
Bar – BLVD, Southbank, Melbourne.
Stumbling into venues on an accidental whim seems to be de rigueur for me. Thus my recent foray into BLVD in Melbourne’s South bank precinct was a pleasant surprise.
Bold primary colours dominate the senses as you enter, and a hip stylish crowd lend an atmosphere to the venue early evening. Late evening things hot up and the crowd gets particularly younger. This is my time to stagger on to the next more adult venue.
Overlooking Queensbridge Square, and the Yarra it is a great spring summer venue for outside quaffing of those very much deserved Friday night drinkies.
The two indoor levels allow a romantic view over the city with menus to tempt you all day. A Peking duck pizza to help prevent alcohol exhaustion is a great recommendation along with the quintessential saganaki bites with plum chutney. This all goes so nicely as you are guzzling cocktails from a fairly standard list. The wine list is creative in places and somewhat regular in others.
Overall a great after work drinks venue with the potential for dining and continuing later into the night.
I love food and I love wine - one day when I grow up I am going to write full time about it. I tend to get about the country, swilling booze of excellent quality, and eating like a king ( shame I dance like a queen but there you go).
These interests of mine that I have managed to continue for 25 years are starting to bring some fruition to them and god forbid, maybe even some dosh.
So here is my first offereing, ripped from one of my columns I have just submitted for publication. I hope you enjoy it
Feel free to contact me at food.and.wine.scribe@gmail.com if you have anything salient to offer
cheers
Pete
I love stumbling on new trends, and so dear readers, remember that you read it here first...all the hip young things and the easily influenced will be drinking - liqueur Muscat on ice or with soda this summer. A cracker of a beverage and perfect for summer consumption.
Food – Mo Vida, I Hosier Lane, Melbourne.
I just love love love this place. A gorgeous tapas bar perched right smack bang in the middle of the CBD, with hotties behind the bar and a cracking wine list, it simply does not get much better. Add to it the Dish of the Year for 07, ‘Cecina,’ Air cured wagyu beef thinly sliced with a truffle foam and poached egg. Simple but like an orgasm of the taste buds. As is their paella, with traditional calasparra rice, laden with seafood and chicken. There is a wait on this usually but by golly it is worth it.
The wine list is sensationally long, and features the best of Spanish wines along with brilliant Aussie offerings and some Frenchies, as well as some brilliant Spanish sherries which are about to send the drinking world bonkers. I recommend you try a few.
The staff here rock – there are few better I have found in Melbourne, and some of them are particularly gorgeous. I almost feel guilty sending you all here because now I will never get a table. Book early for this venue and tell Michael, Pete sent you. It is not cheap by any stretch, but after one visit, you will be hooked.
Plonk: Mollydooker Two Left Feet 2006.
I picked this up because of the name – I am a sucker for a clever wine name, and was incredibly surprised with what was in the bottle. This is a cracking little blend of Shiraz, Cab, and Merlot and with its predecessor being 2nd "Best Value Wine in the World under $20 for 2005', one expects something good.
Bursting with exuberant fruit and a complex aromatic nose, this wine shows lovely integrated hints of vanillin oak and a multitude of flavours ranging from spice, chocolate and blackberry fruit. Both powerful and delightful, this wine exudes all three varietal characters in a strong and harmonious way.
And at 23.00 a bottle, it doesn’t get much cheaper or better. Get hold of a case or two of this recently released number as they will not last at all.
Bar – BLVD, Southbank, Melbourne.
Stumbling into venues on an accidental whim seems to be de rigueur for me. Thus my recent foray into BLVD in Melbourne’s South bank precinct was a pleasant surprise.
Bold primary colours dominate the senses as you enter, and a hip stylish crowd lend an atmosphere to the venue early evening. Late evening things hot up and the crowd gets particularly younger. This is my time to stagger on to the next more adult venue.
Overlooking Queensbridge Square, and the Yarra it is a great spring summer venue for outside quaffing of those very much deserved Friday night drinkies.
The two indoor levels allow a romantic view over the city with menus to tempt you all day. A Peking duck pizza to help prevent alcohol exhaustion is a great recommendation along with the quintessential saganaki bites with plum chutney. This all goes so nicely as you are guzzling cocktails from a fairly standard list. The wine list is creative in places and somewhat regular in others.
Overall a great after work drinks venue with the potential for dining and continuing later into the night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
