Food pairing: Frankenstein cooking?

Some food pairings speak for themselves. I ask you, who is going to squirt chocolate sauce on beef? And do it so that you’d want to eat it? Okay, Heston Blumenthal may and he’s certainly proved that blue cheese matches with chocolate. This useful site of foodpairing trees offers some pretty whacky combinations. Like I … Continue Reading

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Truffle hunting trips this winter in Western Australian

Local truffle growers have as many rivalries and secrets as their European counterparts. A few years ago there was a certain amount of biffo in a Tasmanian pub between two of the industry’s pioneers Duncan Garvey of Perigord Truffles and Tasmanian Truffle Enterprises’ Tim Terry. No doubt none of that is in the past. Back … Continue Reading

Harold McGee spears the microwave myth with a metal fork

If you haven’t heard of or don’t have Harold McGee in your kitchen then I’m afraid you are not a serious cook. McGee on Food and Cooking is definitive guide to the science behind most of his subect matter and you should buy it now. I need to as my edition is out of date. … Continue Reading

ACCC food price investigation begins

So we all know food prices are up. And it will get worse, rising perhaps by 50 per cent over the next five years. But how bad is it? Today The ACCC Inquiry into food prices began and all submissions can be found on its site here. The Victorian Farmers Federation’s submission is revealing: “These … Continue Reading

Glass half empty as pub chains fail after smoking bans

More than a few people are surprised at the silly millions pubs are selling for. But could it be that they are overpriced now with interest rates peaking at over 9 per cent? Already the smoking ban is taking it’s toll – recently The Gin Palace’s Vernon Chalker said his takings dropped over 20 per … Continue Reading

Truffle salt is from Mars

Maldon salt, Murray River salt, pink salt. have you noticed the weird varieties of volcanic salt on menus. At Per Se in New York the numbers of salts offered to guests isin double figures. Now the New York Times reports there is truffle salt (and speculates on salt from Mars): Like the absurdly expensive balsamic … Continue Reading

Japanese knives: cool for chefs

Since beforeKill Bill Japanese knives have been cool. Hell, I’m obsessed with Japanese cabinet-making tools. They are very beautiful and sharp. Now everything Japanese is going mainstream with chefs. As Harris Salat says in Salon: “And not just those of the cooks. Since the mid-’90s, Japanese knives have become de rigueur in professional kitchens of … Continue Reading

Fairer than fair trade chocolate

One of the founders of Malagasy, a company from the north of England making chocolate in Madagasca, tells how it was established to help with poverty on the island. Like The Grenada Chocolate Company, the idea is to make chocolate locally rather than export a cheap commodity. It’s known as Equitrade. Writing on The Guardian’s … Continue Reading

Empty shelves worst in Coles

AllĀ  big grocery retailers are failing to keep their shelves stocked with the basic staples according to a study by the Bailey Group. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Coles and Bi-Lo have always been the worst ofenders but that they are now joined by Woolworths and IGA.