peanut butter on a salad wrap

A trend which begun around12 years ago in a little country town south west of Victoria was chicken and salad wraps with lashings of peanut butter.

Yuk! You might say... Before being a martyr you must first try this truly ingenious idea - an award winning CASTERTON wrap!

love amie x

something new but not quite right...

Have you travelled to Asia?

Then you would be an expert in the kitschy packaged food products they produce!

Shayne, a colleague knows how much we love to sample new things so he meandered into the kitchen with 'something new,' a chocolate bar with ginseng! A crispy rice centre with a thin milk chocolate coating. The flavour was pure 'ginseng' and not much else and the aroma speaks pungency...

Not quite my cup of tea.

love amie x

Christmas Lunch

We don't just cook we eat and love to do just that...
Eating out at Agape in a new little Organic restaurant hidden amongst the scatty and kitschy shops of Botany Rd with colleagues. 

Agape is a diamond in the rough if you feel like a troop to Botany.

Merry Christmas,

love amie x

a little bit of putt putt...

Sickly sweet and decadently moist this white chocolate mud cake can make a perfect hole in one surprise.

The putting princess or pro in your life will adore you for this delight as you do them...

To decorate: green food dye & coconut (grass), brown sugar (bunker), tooth pick and flag (flag post), green and golf ball (fondant icing with green food dye), trees (obstacles). 

love amie x

Survival of the fittest!

I knew that I learnt something from all my years of studying biology 'Survival of the fittest', was on my mind.

Life can be tough and hurt sometimes like falling off a bike!

So when times get tough I get moving, literally. Bike riding, running, golf, surfing safaris, scuba diving, cooking classes and whatever else my inquisitive nature can take on.

My first bike riding trip in Sydney was not all smooth sailing, I did make it. Finally arriving sweaty and dusty from an hour long ride!

At my destination and what a relief, as the day passed by my juvenile enthusiasm slowly waned. When into my inbox pops an after work surfing invite. The thought of missing that incredible feeling of jumping into the surf for smelly old 'ride to work clothes' screwed up my nose. I searched high and low for a lift back to Bondi.

To no avail I was destined to ride home, sore bottom and all. I jumped onto my lovely truck bike and headed home along the coast. The route home seemed easier perhaps it was the help of a guide!

My motto or mantra for today - If at first you don't succeed then try and try (and try and try) again!

love amie x

cooking classes

Life's a feast cooking classes are just that; you are invited into the comfy and relaxed home of self taught cook Gail. A vivacious and passionate woman who has made her career life work in an area she is heavily passionate in, a true inspiration.
4 simple and delicious recipes are demonstrated with all hands on deck to help out and then eaten together with a vino or two all over the course of 4 hours.
To visit Gail and her lovely lush, green abode go to http://www.lifesafeast.com.au/ and chat to Gail about the type of cooking experience you would like!

love amie x

3 girls, $4.50 for bread and a surf board is all you need...

Hitting the road for some time out was high on the agenda for the weekend.

After roughly packing the car (girl-style) with 3 tiny gal pals, 2 surf boards, clothes and kinis the tiny dollar car was bulging at the seams.

First stop before the gentle flowing girli chit chat was to take full flight were for supplies from the best bakery going, Organic Republic at 7 ways in Bondi. A friendly and delicious place that supplies myself and the Bondi locals with the best bread on the market in Sydney. Say hi to 'MUZ' or as some call him the 'muzzenater' the main man who will introduce you to whoever else is in the bakery at the time. A 'warm' convivial place to eat or sip coffee even when its cold out! Spelt scones are my Achilles heel and the flavours change daily to my delight; peach or raspberry, blueberry and lemon. My very own little sweet surprise treat!

Back to the car and as Dr.Seuss says 'onwards and upwards, your mountain (or in our case our wave) is waiting!' St Huberts Island was the destination, local seafood and fresh seasonal salads with bucket loads of white wine to wash it all down was high on our agenda. Driving out of the chaos that screams SYDNEY, we arrive to a spot that is lush, our own personal holiday island, house on the water, boat and a pool! We dine Alfresco on Terrigal prawns and the weather is humming whilst we are buzzing.

More sand than people is the central coast style unlike the usual over-crowded Bondi beach. The waves were elusive and never quite right, but onwards and upwards we persisted with central coast nothingness that kept us alive.

At home now is fine all tucked up in bed, but that relaxed coastal feeling is slowly dying...

Cars racing past and kids on the street, that quiet north place feels almost a dream.

take care and good night,

love amie x

a touch of comfort

An afternoon out amongst colleagues was spent at a favourite lunch, shopping and experience spot that is Fratelli Fresh. Hidden in the backstreets of Waterloo this beautiful open produce institution provides a very special experience to all. 

We ate bread and butter pudding (mums favourite) and chocolate truffles, which were rich and delicious (just make sure the room is cool, so the chocolate doesn't melt in your hands too much!).

love amie x

im off to a cooking class at Fratelli

Check it....
The first Tuesday of every month after 9am you can call Fratelli and head along to their free cooking classes! Yum Yum...
I will blog some photos and the recipes tomorrow of what we cooked.

http://www.fratellifresh.com.au/

love amie x

Italiano in Bali

Eating good quality Italian fare is one of my favourite things to do. 

So as the saying goes - 'When in Rome' or Bali in this case that was just what we did.

Jumping out of a cab along Seminyaks restaurant strip we stroll into a restaurant with a warm and vibrant buzz, a large rectangular bar is the feature of the room, with dining both indoors or if you prefer, al fresco amongst the tiny dot tree lights.

Pan fried gnocchi is a highly notable recipe choice and $5.00 for a main meal this is one place that wont suck your bank balance dry. The wine is fine and the iconic giant sized strawberry daiquiris are a must to try and a challenge if you can finish them.

bon appetite

love amie x

time for a cup of tea...

Tea can cure a lot of things; anxiety, sleep deprivation and thirst. It can bring friends together to share laughs and tears. 

If only the medicine for love and life could be remedied with a simple 'cuppa'.

love amie x