Urban Nectar

Meringue Tower

2011-11-20T18:05:00.001+11:00

By Tara Sloggett

Cakes

2011-08-03T22:47:00.001+10:00

Harriott & Grace (the most amazing cakes & cake flags), stunning flower trail - Sweet & Saucy, Style Me Pretty.

cookies like a cloud

2011-08-01T23:03:00.002+10:00

Cloud cookies by Nikole Herriott of Forty Dixth at Grace.

Cute!

2011-07-29T22:31:00.002+10:00

via Kavka

Tool of the trade

2011-03-16T21:14:00.002+11:00

The Makers Project. Another project by the incredible Jen Causey.

Tie-Bow

2011-02-12T20:26:00.002+11:00

Yum, gorgeous table setting thanks to stylist Tara Sloggett

The Love Bar

2011-01-28T15:55:00.004+11:00

This Curious Chocolatier bar would certainly do for Valentines Day.

Lee & Me

2010-12-07T20:53:00.006+11:00

Cafe

No Bookings

87 Crown Street, Woolongong : Tel 02 4244 0695

Open breakfast & lunch

Weekdays 7am - 5pm & Weekends 8am - 4pm

Great food, brilliant coffee and a boutique upstairs past the tree painted wall

Good Morning Paris

2010-12-02T21:39:00.003+11:00

photos by Jennifer Causey.

Pretty Prawn Cracker

2010-12-01T21:56:00.004+11:00

Gorgeous images by Tjitske...Cheese and cucumber squares in Chinese prawn crackers and an egg in a porcelain leaf. Clever.

Delectable Deliciousness

2010-11-07T22:00:00.004+11:00

Beautiful results - the food and the photos by domestic goddess Delectable Deliciousness. It's amazing what gorgeous things can come from humble kitchens.

Inline Baking

2010-10-03T13:27:00.003+11:00

How amazing are these arrangements of ingredientsfrom the Ikea cookbook? Images from Carl Kleiner via Snippet & Ink

Lemon Tart

2010-08-02T19:18:00.004+10:00

Inspired by the Masterchef challenge to make a lemon tart without a recipe, I thought I'd refresh my memory. Please excuse the nibbled crust.

Are they macarons in Pandora's box

2010-07-30T12:27:00.001+10:00

A wedding cake c/- Pandora.

Cake Bunting

2010-07-26T07:23:00.001+10:00

Cake Bunting by forty-sixth at grace and Kiki La Ru

Red Food

2010-07-24T12:16:00.007+10:00

Stunning food photograpohy by Katie Quinn Davies. Check out her equally gorgeous blog - What Katie Ate.

Vini

2010-06-27T15:14:00.002+10:00

Restaurant / Wine Bar (Italian)
Bookings: No - only for Tuesday night regional dinners (email)

Devonshire St (On Holt), Surry Hills / Tel: 9698 51313/118 / map

Tues-Fri lunch + dinner from noon-late, Sat dinner from 5pm-late

Fabulous food & wine + there's a tiny bar out the back (a shipping container in a previous life) which opens from 5pm. and can be booked for private functions for 8-12pax. Tel: 9698 5131 Fully licensed, no BYO.

image credits. Good Living review.

Clipper Cafe

2010-06-26T16:28:00.010+10:00

Cafe

16 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe / 0411 800 063
Daily 6am-6pm

image credits 1 + 2 & 3. Good Living review.

Pocket Bar

2010-06-26T16:26:00.015+10:00

Bar & Cafe
Pocket, 13 Burton Street, Darlinghurst
Tel :+612 9380 7002

Mon-Thurs 3pm -12am

Fri 12pm - 12am, weekends 9am - 12am

Comfy couches & crepes at night and great coffee & Zumbo muffins by day

5.30pm is the people's hour - drop by for freebar snacks

image credits 1+ 2+3

The Commons

2010-06-26T16:26:00.013+10:00

Local Eating House & Bar

32 Burton Street, Darlinghurst / Tel: 02 9358 1487 / map

Coffee Cart & Breakfast - Mon - Fri 7am - noon & Weekends 8am–noon

Lunch & Dinner - Tues - Sun noon - late

Cosy by the fire in winter and lovely in the courtard in summer

image credit

Porch & Parlour

2010-06-26T16:24:00.006+10:00

Cafe
100-102 Brighton Blvd, North Bondi
Open Monday – Sunday, 7am – 7pm

Clothes (the Parlour) Books+ Gallery+ Food & Coffee (The Porch)

image credits

Luxe Espresso

2010-06-26T16:21:00.006+10:00

Cafe / Bakery

195 Missenden Rd Newtown
Mon–Sat 7.30am–4.30pm

Get there early, the queue is always out the door

image credits 1+2+3. Good Living review

Remy & Lees

2010-06-26T16:14:00.006+10:00

Cafe
547 Bourke St Surry Hills / Phone: 0404384014
Tues - Sun: 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sit on a step ladder or random milk crate & enjoy coffee from Ed at The Little Marionette & pastries and cakes Black Star Newtown

image credits.

Enopizzeria

2010-06-26T15:49:00.005+10:00

Bookings: (02) 9953 0022

Restaurant (Italian)
From the same crew as Pizza e Birra & Mille Vini.
Shop 5, 19 Grosvenor Street, Neutral Bay
Thurs-Sun, lunch; Tues-Sun, dinner

Licenced & Take away

Good Living review

Small Bar

2010-06-26T15:36:00.008+10:00

Bar

85 Willoughby Road,Crows Nest / Tel: 02 9438 4559
Mon-Sat, noon-midnight, Sun, noon-10pm

Great courtyard & available for private functions

image credits. Good Living review

Berta

2010-06-26T14:31:00.007+10:00

Bookings: No - but call (02) 9264 6133 after 6pm to add your name to the seating list

or arrive by 6pm on the dot

Restaurant (Italian)

17-19 Alberta Lane, Surry Hills / map

Open Monday – Saturday, 5pm till late
Fully Licenced

Brought to you by the same people as Vini

image credaits 1+2+3

Cake Eater

2010-06-20T22:27:00.004+10:00

Very cool S-XL cake mold by Konstantin Salwinski.

Cakes of Cheese

2010-03-17T22:08:00.002+11:00

We've seen the candy table, now check out the cheese table. Ethereal.

Source: Sunday Suppers.

Table settings to die for

2009-12-24T17:36:00.009+11:00

In love with Randy Brookman Harris' styling. Beautiful flowers and table settings. I think the blue/cheese one is my favourite and those cameo cookies are amazing.

Rotten Seduction

2009-12-16T21:45:00.000+11:00

I read an article about Sam Taylor Wood and her rotting fruit photography series...and lo and behold, I had just some of that in my refrigerator - sexy, isn't it?

Leftovers

2009-12-15T21:41:00.000+11:00

The beginning of Christmas party leftovers....mmm

Tomato Tree

2009-12-14T21:37:00.002+11:00

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas....am thinking about the menu for the big day! Christmas pudding ice cream is as far as I've gotten.

Bistro Moncur + Logan Wines

2009-11-26T23:15:00.004+11:00

The gorgeous Hannah & Peter Logan hosted a fantastic night at The Terrace at Bistro Moncur. We were treated to Logan's amazing wines with each of our five courses (smoked salmon / chicken boudin blanc, confit duck, cheese, blancmange) which were an absolute pleasure to drink. And to top it all off, I won this gorgeous cookbook written by a brilliant chef with stunning handwriting!

Lunch

2009-11-25T23:08:00.005+11:00

During + After

I was so hungry last week that I couldn't risk a disappointing lunch - so I rushed to the supermarket for red (tomatoes), green (rocket & basil) + white (goats curd) and fresh, dense soy linseed bread, torn from the loaf. Drench all in olive oil, grind over salt and pepper, drizzle over balsamic vinegar. Then tear into it...wipe the plate with your bread and ravish.

Mad Hatter High Tea - Part II

2009-11-20T21:27:00.000+11:00

'Mad Hatters' / tiny hats in glass domes / champagne + cupcakes / Queen of Hearts / chefs cooking eggs / jelly, hats + cakes / icy water / cupcakes / clocks / white & gold china + jelly

Mad Hatter High Tea - Part I

2009-11-20T20:58:00.003+11:00

I recently attended The Country Trader's 'Mad Hatters High Tea' in their gorgeous showroom. With baby rabbits and ducklings in hay filled armoires, goats in their courtyard, piglets and sheep roaming about, chefs making scrambled eggs on demand, troughs of jewel-coloured jellies, icy zinc buckets of mineral water and flutes of Moet. The theme ran through the dress of the guests, the cupcakes, the roaming characters, the towering cakes and the playing cards that littered the floor.

Digest

2009-11-02T23:38:00.005+11:00

Lots of yummy things to digest...cranberry nut breakfast bread, coffee, literature, colour.

Blue & Lemon

2009-11-01T15:20:00.003+11:00

Bright and beautiful lemon curd from the 2nd edition of the beautiful creative Southern Highlands magazine SOHI.

Photography by Janyon Boshov.

Apple + Zucchini Muffins

2009-10-08T00:13:00.007+11:00

This is a great way to get some vegetables and fruit into the the tummies of your little ones. I turned this Courgette Cake recipe into a batch of moist healthy muffins and they were absolutely delectable. I substituted the white flour and sugar with brown and used what was left of my packet of mixed nuts and they turned out fabulously soft and fluffy.

ingredients:
200g softened butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 small zucchinis, grated

1 small apple, grated

1½ cups wholemeal flour

Large pinch salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

Large pinch cinnamon

Half cup of pecans (or any other combination of nuts and /or seeds), chopped

Half cup packed sultanas

+++

Preheat oven at 180°C (fan-forced 160°C). Grease and line the base of a loaf tin measuring 20cm x 12cm x 9cm deep.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat eggs and mix them in, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Meanwhile, coarsely grate zucchini and apple. Squeeze them with your hands to remove any excess moisture, then add to mixture.
Mix flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon, and gently fold into mixture. Stir in nuts and fruit.
Transfer to lined loaf tin and bake for 60-65 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Allow to cool in tin before turning out.

Note: to keep the apples from turning dark and to create a lovely golden cake, add the apples immediately after grating.

original recipe by Nigel Slater via designsponge.

Breakfast in Berlin

2009-10-06T00:07:00.002+11:00

These are stills from the first scene of The Reader, and it had me in straight away. The order, the process, the the cleanliness, the black and white, the clinking of cultlery on crockery, the start of a day...what did it have in store for us?

images from The Reader

Kuchen (cake) in Berlin

2009-10-05T23:44:00.004+11:00

We adored this cafe in Mitte, Berlin, it was called Oliv (not Vijo, as I first thought, when reading the letters from inside the window back to front). Berlin being our final stop, we were travel fatigued and our pace slowed to something like this: a sleep in, breakfast in bed, stop off at Oliv for the hit of caffeine we needed to walk on; discover and shop; reward ourselves at kuchen o'clock with tea and cake before our afternoon rest; rise to dress for dinner; dine; wine; sleep.

Laduree & lovers

2009-10-03T21:07:00.008+10:00

What's in the window of Laduree? A line of Parisians awaiting macarons off the Rue Royale and a world of beautiful treats in St Germain. We sat in the tea room to share macarons and vanilla tea and beside us were an old couple smooching like school kids struck with the first time love. What a magical place.

You may also notice the new box by none other than Monsieur Louboutin, containing date & fig macarons, red on one side, black on the other. I hunger for the pretty colours still.

Moths & cake do not a delicious weekend make

2009-10-01T00:09:00.008+10:00

I arrived home from Paris to find moths had wormed their way into a packet of sunflower seeds and gone forth and thrived. So my first weekend home was spent swatting, cleaning, emptying and washing. This led to a much needed reorganising and sorting of shelves. Then, to top it off, I made this disastrous French lemon yogurt cake which tasted like nothing but the olive oil I put in it. I hope to redeem myself this weekend with some fabulous baking to make up for it.

Le Meurice is magnificent

2009-09-30T01:08:00.004+10:00

This is mum & I at Restaurant Le Meurice, a stunning hotel with an amazing restaurant to match. It would have to be the most spectacular room I have ever seen, we were just in awe the entire time and the theatre that is the service is something I have never experienced before. As mum said, "there aren't many places like this left." To which I thought, "only in Paris."

We had the prix fixe menu for lunch, which in comparison to the rest of the menu was excellent value. Shown here is a pre-dessert strawberry macaron, cocoa bean shaped chocolate shell filled with strawberry mouse and a raspberry marshmallow covered in gold leaf.

Paris Breakfasts recently posted what what brunch looks like there.

Paris Markets

2009-09-29T11:20:00.001+10:00

An unexpected surprise when we arrived in Paris at 7am was this gorgous market in Bourg-Tibourg Place across the street from our darling hotel near Hotel de Ville and a refreshing breakfast of cafe creme and a shared punnet of raspberries while wandering towards the Seine.

Window shopping in Paris

2009-09-28T23:11:00.003+10:00

Walking past windows, our legs continue to move but our eyes betray our intentions. They lag behind, drawn to the windows like magnets and we struggle to pull ourselves away.

Paris Breakfast

2009-09-23T23:05:00.005+10:00

Apologies for the gap between posts. I have been in Paris eating bread and pastries. This is how we started our day in the land of the thin and chic - go figure!

Dinner on the couch

2009-08-27T21:05:00.007+10:00

Dinner on the couch. Literally. The best rice paper rolls in Sydney.

No oil paining - or is it?

2009-08-20T23:27:00.004+10:00

If you frame a dirty pizza box does that make it art? It is an oil painting after all. Created by Steve Carr.

Yum!

2009-08-17T23:33:00.005+10:00

Adorable knitted macarons by the clever Sian Keegan (cool name huh!). Shop here and here.

Tea Bread & Poppies

2009-08-13T22:17:00.006+10:00

Going, going, gone..tea bread and molten butter for breakfast. I left it to bake while I went for my morning walk and ate it hot with a glass of water (too impatient to wait for the kettle to boil). I took the rest over to mum's to share with the family for afternoon tea and the loaf had vanished before the day was out. Recipe from Pia's kitchen.

Mornings + Melancholia

2009-08-10T22:00:00.006+10:00

A pink dishcloth in every image above from Laura Letinsky's Morning, and Melancholia series and table remains below.

Jewels of New York

2009-08-09T20:57:00.001+10:00

The plates look more delicious than the food and I want those knitted little burrs and a rich black coffee.

Classic beignets by The Jewels of New York via Design Sponge.

Elements + Process

2009-08-08T20:25:00.006+10:00

I love it when photographers capture the before & during of the cooking/baking process with artfully laid out ingredients and the progress of the cooking process. Art in the making becomes art in itself.

Photography by Janne Peters.

My All Time Favourite Foodie Mag

2009-08-05T00:32:00.004+10:00

Ever since my nan bought me my first subscription at 15, I have barely missed an issue. I remember when I was living in London, the regret at thinking of the issues I missed out on and the homesickness when I found one. It's a class above, the most stunning food magazine I have come across. I wish you could see inside this issue...the roses and cakes and petals and plates.

Flavours of the world

2009-07-28T22:55:00.007+10:00

creme brulee / honey macadamia / maple walnut

toblerone /choc fudge brownie / coffee

Gelatissimo has launched the '12 flavours of the world' range, which is available for a limited time only (lucky I'm stocked up). When 12 tubs of heaven were delivered to my door to photograph, I couldn't wait to tear them open and taste, ah, shoot every single flavour. The standouts were the French creme brulee, Australian honey macadamia and New Zealand hokey pokey - absolutely sublime.

Cosy Tea

2009-07-22T00:05:00.003+10:00

Beautiful cosy images from Sweet Paul...even the biscuits look like they've been stuffed with a duvet of feathers.

Flowers & Food

2009-07-20T00:23:00.000+10:00

Flowers and food are inextricably linked. A gorgeous article about a herb and edible flower grower supplying the best restaurants appeared in this week's Good Living and it got me thinking about pretty food.

Chocolate Cake?

2009-07-14T18:54:00.009+10:00

Does this count as a chocolate cake? 110 Lindt balls = 10 x 11 flavours. My favourites were extra dark chocolate & mint and milk chocolate peanut butter and the most interesting was cinnamon. Such an original gift. They were delivered in a large cake box and bought for me by a fabulous guy I work with who looks like a grown up version of the Cadbury boy below. Such a cute ad.

Vanilla Orchid Cake

2009-07-14T00:33:00.000+10:00

As it's winter here, roses, peonies and all the delightful fluffy, generously petalled flowers are out of season. Magnolias bruise too easily, I decided on these flat mottles purple orchids. I considered sweet peas but thought it might end up looking like a granny's floral swimming cap (which it kind of did anyway), I think it also looks a little like the scales of a mermaids tale. Turned out that sprinkling icing sugar on them was like water off a ducks back and in hindsight I think they would have taken excellently to being crystallised. I used the vanilla triple layer cake with vanilla buttercream recipe from More from Magnolia.

1st Attempt - Lavender Macarons

2009-07-13T23:43:00.006+10:00

I couldn't resist giving these a go when I bought the July '09 French Issue of Gourmet Traveller - now I'm no Julia - see her 'how to' of macarons and Aran is in a league all her own - these pink and white macarons are amazing, but I figure I can only improve from here! This recipe didn't call for egg white powder or sugar syrup, but both the macaron experts above and the MasterChef challenge did call for both - so I'm thinking this may result in a more stable macaron. Hmm, excuses, excuses, I know.

Tart

2009-07-11T01:24:00.003+10:00

I am totally besotted with these images by Sabra Krock and oh how I want that tea pot and those glass tea cups.
via Design Sponge.

Bakewell Tart

2009-07-07T01:08:00.002+10:00

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England. More pics here + recipe here. The only variations I made were 1) in the frangipane I halved the amount of almond meal and used coconut to make up the remaining weight + 2) for the jam/curd filling I simmered some rhubarb and stawberries until they became jammy.

Small Bars Around Sydney

2009-06-28T19:10:00.008+10:00

DARLINGHURST
Pocket Bar - 13 Burton St (Daily 7am-12am)
Omerta - 235 Victoria St (Mon-Fri from 5pm & Sat-Sun from 9am)

Time to Vino - 66 Stanley St (Mon-Sat)

Pond Bar - 32 Burton St (Wed - Sat 12pm-12am)

SURRY HILLS

Sticky Bar - Taggarts Lane (Wed to Sat)

CITY
Small Bar - 48 Erskine St (Mon-Fri from 10.30am & Sat from 5pm)

Images by Roland Bello.

50 coolest places to eat in the world

2009-06-28T18:29:00.005+10:00

The Observer Food Monthly is the best foodie newspaper mag I've come across. When I lived in London I'd track it down every month to see keep up with the Europe's food trends, finds, debates and dining hotspots. I'd even book weekends away around featured foodie hotspots. Now they've released the 50 coolest places to eat. The majority are in London and New York with a few in Paris, Milan, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Barcelona and a couple outside of London. Since Sydney didn't make the list I thought I'd add a cool list of my own to the sidebar.

Images by Roland Bello.

My All Time Favourite Restaurants

2009-06-28T17:57:00.009+10:00

This is what it feels like when dining with family and/or friends at my favourite haunts around town. My all time faves are listed in the side bar - if anyone needs a recommendation for a fantastic restaurant, I can guarantee that any of these places will make you feel warm, satiated and joyful within minutes of arriving.

Images by Roland Bello.

Dinner Party : Red Food

2009-06-27T17:46:00.005+10:00

red radish : red cabbage

cook and cool peas + finely slice radish, cabbage, 1 long red chili (seeds removed) + a cup each of torn parsley and mint. finely grate 80gm parmesan and add half of it to salad. whisk 100ml extra virgin olive oil + 50ml lemon juice, season and pour over salad tossing well. sprinkle over remaining parmesan when ready to serve.

+++

red grape : chicken : thyme

rub chicken marylands with oil and season with salt and pepper. rub with butter on skin side + add zest of a lemon + drizzle over a little verjuice. add red grapes and a couple of quartered red onions to the tray + drop a bunch of fresh thyme on the tray. bake at 180.

treviso : corella : walnuts

layer treviso on a platter and add finely sliced corella pear. squeeze some lemon juice over pears and add walnuts. drizzle all with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

+++

rhubarb crumble

add 8 stalks of rhubarb (cut in 4cm pieces) and 2 tbs raw sugar to a saucepan and let simmer till soft (add a little water if it looks like it needs it). put into one large or a few small baking dishes. for crumble: mix 2tbs of coconut, self raising paper, brown sugar, butter and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. rub with fingertips and add to top of rhubarb. bake on 180 til hot and bubbling with a toasty top.

Remains of the day

2009-06-20T22:22:00.005+10:00

My little sis had her baby shower at the QVB Tea Rooms today and what a glorious mess we made...

Cookie Buffet

2009-06-16T22:47:00.006+10:00

Are cookies the new cupcakes? Lord knows I am over the cupcake tower.
Image by from Gourmet by Stephanie Foley.

Mouthwatering

2009-06-12T16:47:00.007+10:00

glazed donuts from Bob's Donut & Pastry Shop

corned beef + gruyere sandwich with homemade pickles from The Sentinel

pots de crème from La Boulange

morning buns from Tartine Bakery, recipe here

These are delicious images are Nicole & Jordan's Best Eats finds in San Fran. What are the top 4 eats in your city?

Photos by Nicole Hill, styling by Jordan Ferney.

White Cakes

2009-06-09T20:40:00.007+10:00

White cakes. Stunning.

Images from Dietlind Wolf. Concept and styling by Dietlind Wolf / photography by Julia Hoersch / foodstyling by Tine Bergmeier / in print: Elle Bistro(German Issue 2/08)

Heaven & Earth

2009-06-06T21:00:00.008+10:00

Flicking through a past Donna Hay magazine waiting on my take away coffee I came across these pages and headed straight back to my desk to look up the amazing work of German stylist Dietlind Wolf. This black & white production, called Heaven & Earth, dissplay a love of 19th century swedish papercut stars to amazing effect.

concept and styling by Dietlind Wolf / photography by Julia Hoersch, foodstyling by Anne-Katrin Weber.

Adriano Zumbo

2009-06-02T01:20:00.005+10:00

Patisserie
For stunning Parisian creations visit the Patisserie at:
296 Darling Street Balmain, tel: 9810 7318.
Open 8 to 6 Monday to Saturday and 8 to 4 on Sundays

Café Chocolat is hidden in an arcade 6 doors up from the Patisserie and serves light breakfasts and lunches, tea, coffee, traditional Parisian style hot chocolates and chocolate, including handmade chocolates, chocolate based macarons and a range of amazing desserts.

Shop 5, 308 Darling Street Balmain, tel: 9555 1199
Open from 8 to 4 Monday to Friday

8 to 5 on Saturdays and 9 to 5 Sundays

Eating Design

2009-05-30T15:50:00.003+10:00

An amazing book of eating designer Marije Vogelzang's food installations and experiments. Food is her artistic medium and like all art, is created to be enjoyed, to bring people together and to invoke thought, but this art is art is temporary, perishable and environmentally friendly. It literally feeds and nourishes mind, body and soul. Find Proef, her food laboratory/cafe in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. All illustrations in the book are by Marije too. An inspiring read. Available through BIS publishers.

Food Temples

2009-05-25T08:38:00.001+10:00

Marshmallow box cake and bollyfood temple by artist Martine Camillieri.

Artistic Buffets

2009-05-24T20:20:00.005+10:00

Amazing buffets by artist Martine Camillieri. Buffets above are: 13 desserts, forest, biodegradable + flowerbar.

images from Matine Camillieri.

Jam Butter + Buttermilk Biscuits

2009-05-22T00:15:00.006+10:00

images by Karen Mordechai from Sunday Suppers via Mustard & Sage +via oh, hello friend. Recipe here.

Marque

2009-05-21T15:57:00.007+10:00

Bookings: 9332 2225
Restaurant (French)
4/5 355 Crown St, Sury Hills
Lunch on Fridays from 12pm
Dinner Monday to Saturday

Degustation menu ($145 per person) w/ matching wines (+$75)

Semi private dining for 8-16 guests
Fully Licenced

image credits. Good Living review.

Muesli Slice

2009-05-20T23:47:00.006+10:00

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie, its probably mum's most requested recipe and one I know by heart.

ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats

1 cup sultanas

½ cup dessicated coconut

½ cup self-raising flour

½ cup brown sugar

125g margarine, melted with 2 tablespoons honey

***

Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease an 18 x 28cm slice pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add margarine and honey, mixing until combined.
Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden and cut into squares while still warm. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Recipe adapted from Australian Woman's Weekly Cakes + Slices cookbook (now out of print). Updated version available here.

Art of Confection + Landscapes of Sugar Dunes

2009-05-15T21:50:00.015+10:00

Floor Art :: Golden Apples of the Sun, 2008 via PICA

SEPARATE :: above: art by Nicole Andrijevic on left + Tanya Schultz on right via art source

TOGETHER :: below: Under the Crystal Sky, 2009 from The Japan Foundation

Pip & Pop (aka collaborative Perth artists Tanya Schultz and Nicole Andrijevic) are bringing their exhibition Under the Crystal Sky to the Japan Foundation Gallery 2009 Facetnate! program. Their abundantly detailed and hypercoloured works are made from confectionery, plastic objects, plants, origami, vinyl, paint, and magazine cut-outs and are set to specifically designed soundscapes. Inspired by the kawaii (cute) aesthetics of Japanese pop culture, their art encompasses installation, painting, photography and wall drawings. Under the Crystal Sky celebrates the culture of mass consumption and the ecstasy of excessiveness. They encourage the consumer to welcome the phenomenon of ‘happy capitalism’ with delighted glee.

Edge of the World images from giveaphuck

Babycakes Rock

2009-05-13T23:17:00.013+10:00

BabyCakes, the Book of Recipes from BabyCakes NYC specialising in vegan, gluten and (mostly) sugar free pastries, desserts and cupcakes.

Image from Gourmet and video from Vimeo via Absolutely not Martha.

Castaway Cupcake

2009-05-11T11:28:00.002+10:00

Amazing video art by Kirsten Lepore. The video below is c.10 mins long...the moral of the story? They live healthily ever after.

Cookie Craft

2009-05-10T13:26:00.001+10:00

Aren't these cookies just amazing? They were created witht he help of the book Cookie Craft: From Baking to Luster Dust, Designs and Techniques for Creative Cookie Occasions.

Image by Amazon customer C Wu.

Paris Breakfast

2009-05-08T12:44:00.004+10:00

I though I'd died and gone to heaven when I found Paris Breakfast. Carol is a New Yorker who paints Paris dreams. I love her macaron images as much as her patisserie ones and she has an entire flickr set devoted to the perfect little macaron. Original watercolours available here.

Felt Food

2009-05-03T23:10:00.008+10:00

Can you believe all these little pieces of craft are created by needle felting?

Images from felt cafe's photstream taken from Japanese sweets books titled 'Sweets of wool felt: wool desserts made by needlefelting' ISBN 978-4-529-004415-8 and 'Japanese sweets' ISBN 978-4-7661-1967-1. These and other Japanese craft books and supplies available via feltcafe's shop + blog.

Banana Inspired Art

2009-05-01T11:08:00.002+10:00

The images above are my all time favourite of Natsumi's - I just think it's genius.

The Most Amazing Orange Cake

2009-04-30T23:13:00.003+10:00

This cake was well know at Agostini in Woollahra when the leafy courtyard by the bookshop was home to Margie Agostini's cafe. Bill Granger has now moved in and is serving up his own Sydney food favourites (it's only a matter of time before his famous ricotta hot cakes and scrambled eggs land on this blog), but the ghost of Margie's cake lives on. The foundation of this cake lies in the butter, flour + sugar being of equal weight. This recipe makes a very large cake (which is a good thing as, trust me, it goes quickly), but I halved* the recipe when I made it this time.

Serves 10
Takes 1 hr 30 mins + cooling time

Ingredients:
500g butter
500g castor sugar
8 x 60g eggs
1 tbsp grated orange zest
500g self-raising flour
200ml freshly squeezed orange juice

Icing:
250g icing sugar and 50ml orange juice

+++++

Heat the oven to 170C/Gas 3. You will need a 30 cm cake tin with removable sides, lined with non-stick baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar well, until it is very pale and thick - this will take quite a while
Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition, and the zest, if using. Add the flour all at once, and beat well, then slowly add the orange juice, until it is incorporated
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes - or until an inserted skewer comes out clean (slow is best, so don' t be afraid to cook it longer. If it starts to brown too much on the top, cover loosely with a sheet of buttered kitchen foil)
Leave the cake in the tin on a wire rack to cool, then gently remove the sides of the tin

To make the icing, stir the orange juice into the icing sugar until you have the right spreading consistency, and apply with a palette knife, allowing the icing to drip down the sides of the cake. Leave the icing to set before cutting the cake into wedges or storing in an airtight container.

* If you halve the ingredients bake at 170C/Gas 3 in a 22cm cake tin for 45 to 50 mins or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Margie Agostini shared her recipe with Jill Dupleix.

Pure + Simple

2009-04-29T11:57:00.002+10:00

A sheer delicacy. Natsumi Nishizumi's perfectly simple drawings. You can purchase her organic linen placemats and coasters from her shop.

The Beauty of Baking

2009-04-28T15:29:00.001+10:00

Images by Nicola.

A Passion for Fruit

2009-04-24T23:05:00.005+10:00

Styling by Paul Lowe and photography by Colin Cook.

The Ultimate High Tea

2009-04-24T16:53:00.011+10:00

images via Luphia Loves - view whole editorial here.

Block

2009-04-22T00:12:00.007+10:00

A project for an amazing series of little books called Lines and Shapes that features different artists in each volume. These images are by Thuss Farrell for volume2 : Block. View their their amazing 'Black and White Food' images here.

The Most Fabulous Banana Cake

2009-04-17T23:06:00.015+10:00

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt*
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup mashed banana (2 - 3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas) – I like to keep it quite chunky
1 2/3 cups castor sugar
125 g cultured unsalted butter* in small chunks at room temperature
100 ml buttermilk (substitute normal milk if you don’t have buttermilk)
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
* you could use normal/salted butter and just not add the salt

Icing:
125 g cream cheese at room temperature
60 g cultured or normal unsalted butter, at room temperature
250 g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

+++++

Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease a round 26cm cake tin, loaf tin or muffin pan

Place banana, sugar and eggs in a food processor and whiz for a minute
Add butter and whiz for a minute more until thick and creamy
Add buttermilk and vanilla and pulse with quick bursts until just mixed in
Combine sifted flour, baking powder, salt and bicarb soda and add to banana mixture and mix in using quick bursts, scraping down the sides, until just combined
Scoop batter into tin and bake for 30 – 35 mins or until a skewer comes out clean (don’t be surprised if it doesn’t rise a lot, it’s quite dense). When the cake is ready leave it to cool on a rack in the tin for 7 minutes then invert on rack to cool.

For the icing: cream the cream cheese and butter, then add the icing sugar and vanilla and whip until smooth

Decorate:
I made baby muffins and a thin cake in a slice tray. If you wish to make more of a celebration cake, bake a number of smaller round cakes and pile them on top of each other and double the icing quantities then smother the icing in between the cake layers and all over the cake. Alternately slice the cake in half horizontally with a long serrated knife and spread icing on the bottom layer, then sandwich together and spread a thick layer all over the cake smoothing it with a knife.

Recipe adapted from Belinda Jeffrey's 100 favourite recipes.

Painted Pictures

2009-04-16T22:35:00.003+10:00

Lifelounge asks whether photorealism, that is replication of photographs in paint, is art or merely technical brilliance. Is brilliance not in existence however you choose to categorise it? If you ask me, these realistic paintings are amazing either way.

Image 1 by Holly Farrell - Cookbooks, 2009, acrylic & oil on masonite, 14 x 18 inches SOLD. Available through MEGUMI OGITA GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan.

Image 2 by Argentinian painter Diego Gravinese from his flickr via Lifelounge.

Image 3 by by Holly Farrell - Cookbooks, 2008, acrylic & oil on masonite, 14 x 18 inches, $3600. Available through CHASE GALLERY, Boston, MA.

Making a meal of yoghurt

2009-04-08T21:43:00.001+10:00

Most of the time I go food shopping, I go to get yoghurt and apples. Nuts and seed follow very closely behind. I loved the tiny rose surprise revealed as I ate.

Bacco Opens

2009-03-29T22:50:00.002+11:00

Chifley Plaza now has more than a food court to offer workers and shoppers. This divine wine bar and cafe has opened in the diamond-floored foyer. The branding is gorgeous, the pastries incredible, the chalk art amazing and the service and coffee sublime. Now my desk looks like the top image most days...some things are just too hard to resist.

Bacco Pasticceria

2009-03-29T22:33:00.005+11:00

Bookings: Nup, just turn up
Cafe / Pasticceria (Italian)
Chifley Plaza, 2 Chifley Square, Sydney

Breakfast & Lunch from Monday to Friday

Huge sandwiches on branded boards + outdoor seating + fantastic coffee + amazing sweets

images by concrete & honey.

Bacco Wine Bar

2009-03-29T22:27:00.008+11:00

Bookings: 9223 9552
Wine Bar + Restaurant (Italian)
Chifley Plaza, 2 Chifley Square, Sydney

Convenient & delicious for a city lunch or drinks after work
Momday to Friday 12pm to 11pm
Licenced

image credits 1 + 2 + 3. Good Living review.

ham

2009-03-29T22:04:00.008+11:00

Bookings: Nup, just turn up, 8521 7219
Cafe (Italian)
3/17 Gerrale St, Cronulla, Breakfast & Lunch, 7 days
Amazing coffee + great panini + antipasto + salads

++ i.e. exactly what Cronulla was crying out for ++
Great weekend hang or grab some takeaway and watch the waves

images by concrete & honey of Harry & Mario at the burners, panini + shopfront.,

Noosa Feasting

2009-03-25T01:25:00.009+11:00

Rickys souffle + lunch at Season

Noosa Surfing Festival 2009

Ahh, Noosa. My favourite place in the world and the best beachside dining (for food and views) in existence. Here are my top 5 from my latest visit.

Rickys river bar + restaurant - incredible food and you feel as if you're floating on the river, breezy, beautiful views (see passionfruit souffle w/ passionfuit sorbet above)
River House - In a darling modern beach house, the food & service & setting is a lesson in relaxed style
Season - stare at the sea until it meets the horizon, great at anytime of day
Berardo's bistro on the beach (B2's) - beautiful, light, fresh food
Tommy Bahama for the best coffee Noosa has to offer