Category: Melbourne

Last Bits, Good Bits.

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Happy Monday my dear readers! Hope all of you had a really good start to the week. More eating adventures continues in this post, but I promise this will be the last one! So thank you for going through this adventure with me the last few weeks! Just re-capping everything we did is making me want to head back to Daylesford again! I hope it has inspired you all to also make a trip down cause you won’t regret it! (:

Of course, we started our day with the same amazing breakfast. How could we not right? hehe Till this day I’m still thinking about the breakfast we had and wanting more. So after we had our breakfast we chilled in our room for a little bit before setting off to try some more cafes this beautiful town had to offer.

Our first stop was Cliffy’s Emporium which was a store, cafe and wine bar. They have a whole range of local produce and their menu changes regularly and according to the seasonal produce. We were still really full from breakfast so we decided to just have something light, although there were lots of things I would have liked to try. Besides, we needed to save some things to try for our next visit, right? hehe

We ordered a small cheese platter and a pot of peppermint tea to go with. The platting was so pretty! Like art on a plate! We sat under the sun and enjoyed each other’s company. It’s really nice how there still seems to be alot of things to share with the mr although we see each other everyday. The best thing about being with your best friend. (: We could just chat and discuss about everything under the sun (pun intended hehe).

The small platter came with two delicious and creamy cheeses : one of which is goat and the other was a type of cheddar. I do apologise that I don’t know the names of the cheeses, as I wasn’t at the table when it was served. There was also a side of maple syrup which went really well with the cheese! Might be something we will try at home soon I reckon! hehe There’s something about the sweet and salty combination I love! Mmm (:

We then found a brochure I picked up amidst the whole pile that caught my attention : $1 oysters at Darmagi! Something my mr adores! He could finish a dozen on his own, and he did exactly that! (:

I don’t fancy oysters, especially when they are raw. The Mr LOVES them. Although they were $1 each, the quality wasn’t compromised! They were plump and juicy! The dozen were all slurped down within minutes! haha According to him, the best way to have them is just with a splash of lemon juice and nothing else! (:

The happy boy with his plate of oysters (: I think he could have had another dozen, easy. hah But I don’t think it’ll be good for his cholesterol!

What I really liked about Daylesford and Hepburn Springs is that their local cafes and restaurants all support local produce and this includes their drinks! Loving their cute logo as well. We had to try some of their sparkling liquid and I decided on the sparkling blood orange mineral water which was really refreshing. Loved it!

The Mr had the organic brewed ginger beer and it was really yummy without an overpowering taste of ginger and spice. Definitely went well with the oysters he had. hehe I have to say, ginger beer (alcoholic or not) is one of my favourite soft drinks! I’m not a big fan of coke or other carbonated drinks. It’s usually either ginger beer or sparkling apple juice to quench my thirst hehe

Before we knew it, it was time for dinner. The Perfect Drop was one place that was highly recommended by not just the retreat but also from other blogs that I’ve read as I was researching on the places to visit. So without much thought, we made a reservation for dinner and headed there, hungry and full of excitement! Before I share with you what we had, I have to apologise that I’ve only got pictures of the entrees we had that night as it got too dark, and the iphone camera just couldn’t take any good shots when the mains and desserts arrived. So I’m really sorry! But here are the entrees we had that night (:

A Perfect Drop is a wine and food lounge that had a very cosy interior. We were shown to our tables by the window, close to the fire place. It was perfect for taking photos (until it started getting dark that is). Still kicking myself as to why I didn’t bring my camera along. But too late now!

After ordering our food, we were served with warm bread with a side of olive oil and sea salt. Nothing beats warm bread to be honest. The smell of the bread slowly envelops the air around us. Just the best smell in the world!

The first thing we ordered was the white anchovies with a boiled quail egg on toast with micro herbs. This was really delicious! Every single bite just makes me crave for more. The white anchovies just melts in your mouth and had the right amount of saltiness. Everything just went together so well. I had to pull myself back from ordering another haha

Another entree that we wanted to try was the homemade beef chorizo. It was delicious, juicy and just filled with spices and did I mention delicious? I didn’t know what was in the green mojo, but it was like a tapenade which complimented the chorizo very well. I never had a beef version before, usually the ones sold in the delis are made using pork. So this was definitely something different. But a good kind of different of course (:

Besides these 2 entrees that we ordered to share, we ordered 2 individual entrees as well. hehe We couldn’t help ourselves. There were too many things we wanted to try!

I ordered the veal carppacio with manchego, celeriac salt and horseradish mustard. How pretty is that? hehe It’s no wonder why people say we eat with our eyes. Don’t you just wanna dive your fork into this plate? I’ve not had veal carppacio, just beef. But they didn’t taste alot different, just a little gamier. But not overly so. i really enjoyed it! If you haven’t noticed, I usually have either a carppacio or a scallop dish for entree. haha I’m boring like that.

The mr ordered the stuffed duck neck with pork and pistachio sausage and it was just delish! When I saw it on the menu, I knew he would have to order it. The Mr is one person I know that would eat every single part of most animals. Yes, even the offal. It also means he doesn’t waste any part of the animal, just one of the things I love about him. (: The skin was crispy and the sausage stuffing was juicy and flavourful. Just a delight with every bite!

As much as I love to say the service was as good as the food we had that night, it was unfortunately a little inconsistent. We didn’t feel as included or welcomed as compared to the other tables. Perhaps it’s just us being sensitive, but there wasn’t a point when we were asked how our food was, or if we were enjoying the meal. In fact, after the first entree, I told one of the staff that it was amazing and she actually had a shock expression on her face, which I really couldn’t understand. It’s a real pity though, cause the food was really really good. But like I say in my reviews, service does play a huge part of the dining experience. So we left the restaurant with a bitter-sweet taste in our mouths.

So this wraps up our adventures of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs! I do hope you enjoyed everything I’ve shared with you! I can’t wait to head back to Daylesford and try the other restaurants that I missed this time round! (: Have a great week ahead everyone! xx

Remember to always cook and bake with love!

Daylesford Adventures

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This being our first time at Daylesford, we definitely had to explore and do some touristy things! But before we set off for our adventure, we had the most amazing breakfast at Shizuka Ryokan.

Our package included breakfast every morning and we could choose between the japanese breakfast set or the usual eggs, toasts and bacon. We decided to try the japanese breakfast and boy were we glad we did! It looked more like lunch/dinner to be honest. But it was absolutely delicious and healthy! Definitely a win-win in our books. (:

After our very satisfying breakfast, we set off on our roadtrip! Our first stop was actually the Information Centre in Daylesford to grab all the brochures and maps! Then we sat down and started planning our route. The first place we decided to visit was the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens and Lookout Tower.

There was a driving path for cars to actually drive around the beautiful greenery. On each side of the road were rows of trees which kind of reminded me of my dream drive way. hehe And yes, I did remind the hubs about it. hehe But actually, to think about it. I do have a long driveway now. Just that it’s shared with my neighbour. But baby step, yes? hehe

Sitting on top of the hill was the Wombat Hill House cafe, garden and store. Unfortunately, we were still stuffed from our brekkie so we didn’t get to dine there. Definitely will be on our to-go list the next time we make our trip up! hehe Do note that they are closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays!

Our next stop was the Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm. Although it wasn’t the right time to see the blooming lavender flowers, it was still worth our visit there especially since it coincided with the Swiss & Italian Festival! In fact it was the La Primavera, which was the celebration of Spring! They had BBQs and stalls offering a range of delicious food! When we got there, it was so packed and there was just people sitting on their picnic mates, enjoying the sun, food and company!

The Mr and I spotted these beautiful willow trees and the first thing he said to me was, they look like my hair when I was younger! hehe How funny is he? So we decided to snap a shot with it! Please excuse my tired eyes! The weather was absolutely glorious!

It was a pity that it wasn’t the best time to visit the farm. But I could just imagine how beautiful it will be when they are all blooming! It would be a sea of purple, just thinking about it makes me smile! Not forgetting how amazing the whole place would smell!

There was a house on display that showed us a typical house of an italian family. It was really interesting! You could totally tell that the kitchen was the place that brings people together! Definitely my kind of house. hehe

As we walked out of the house, we bumped into a couple of boys doing the mime!

I was told by a few people to try their delicious lavender ice cream and of course I couldn’t leave the place without giving it a try! It was perfect since it was rather warm that afternoon. hehe It seems like everyone was craving for some ice cream cause of the weather.

We order a lavender ice cream waffle cone and a cup of lavender lemonade. The lavender ice cream was really smooth and had a very subtle lavender flavour which we really enjoyed. But the lavender lemonade was nothing special, it tasted like sparkling water with not much of a lavender flavour. Though it did help quench our thirst! I would definitely recommend heading up to the Lavandula Farm especially during their festivals! The next one scheduled is the Lavender Harvest on the 6th of January, so don’t miss it! (:

After spending some time at the Lavandular Swiss Italian Farm, we made our way to Trentham for lunch and to see the beautiful waterfall. On our way there, I just couldn’t not snap a shot of the trees that had blackened trunks, which kinda reminded me of when there was the forest fires a few years back at the Grampians, and the tree trunks look the same. I wonder what the story behind these trees were. Definitely a time for reflection. (:

Our first stop was to feel our tummies! Of course, when you go to Trentham, the place you have to visit is Red Beard Historic Bakery! Sourdough bread! That’s all I could think of, but I was wrong. It was much more than just fresh delicious bread. The cafe serves breakfast, lunch and cakes for tea too! Hidden at the back of a small lane, this was definitely a gem we found!

The first thing that greets you when you enter the cafe are two shelves filled with freshly baked sourdough bread that are all baked in their 140 year old scotch oven! All individually and neatly packed and presented on the shelf. They had a whole range : rye, multigrain, sesame seed crusted, fruit loaf and the special of the day was walnut! I wish I could just buy all of them and try every single loaf! All their flours were stone ground and they even had a wheat free loaf that included a mixture of light and dark rye flour. So there is a loaf for everyone!

They sold jams and other condiments too! Just love the rawness of the cafe and thankfully we found seats as it was the peak lunch time! Lucky us! (:

As the Mr had been driving the whole day, he was craving for some hot coffee – latte was his choice that afternoon. I decided to stick to water to hydrate cause of the hot weather having. Not that I would complain! I would prefer hot to cold weather any day!

We had one of the specials that were available that afternoon : frittata with red onions, chorizo and potatoes. It was SO GOOD. It was really light and definitely the fluffiest frittata I’ve had! We both loved it. Each meal came with a side of mixed greens with a mustard vinaigrette. Refreshing with a little spicy kick to it, YUM!

The other thing we had was a chicken and leek pie which was absolutely delicious! The creamy chicken and leek mixture was enveloped in their own freshly made puff pastry which was buttery, crispy and flaky. Every mouthful was a delight! I wanted more after we finished it. hehe The portions were not huge, but we were leaving our tummies for more yummies later in the day, so it was a serving size.

What I love about this place is that they use seasonal produce so their menu would change quite often. Plus, they are doing their part to protect the environment, what could you not love about that? (:

After filling our tummies, we decided to head to Trentham Falls for a short walk. I don’t know about you, but there is just something magical about waterfalls. They make me happy and at that moment, when you’re infront of the falls, nothing else mattered. Just me, the mr and the waters. One day, just one day, I would definitely visit the Niagara falls. I think I would be in awe! *wanderlust*

Calling all Chocoholics! This is one place you don’t wanna miss! Just 7kms away from Daylesford sits a place that would make alot of people happy : The Chocolate Mill. The first person I thought of was of course Miss D. I knew this would be a place she would not miss if she comes to Daylesford. hehe I was really excited about this place! hehe

There were free demos everyday at 11am and 2pm. We were lucky to reach there just in time! We saw how their chocolates were perfectly made each time and it was a really patient process. Would definitely love to give it a try at home. haha We shall see, too many things I would love to try. The cool thing about this place is that we were standing in a building made out of straw bale! 900 straw bales to be exact! Isn’t that amazing? You know what is more amazing?

This.

and this.

and a close up of those perfectly shiny handmade belgian chocolates! YUM! My eyes were drawn instantly to the hazelnut praline, so I of course had to buy a couple for our drive back to Daylesford after. hehe

Love their packaging! I am definitely a proud chocoholic! hehe

We then adjourned to the chocolate cafe for a cup of highly recommended hot chocolate! I was really looking forward to this cup of hot chocolate, cause it was said to be one of the best ones in Melbourne!

I opted for the dark hot chocolate which was so smooth and thick. DELISH! There was a thick layer of melted chocolate at the bottom served with steaming hot milk. We had to stir it well to make sure we weren’t left with a heap of chocolate at the bottom, although that wouldn’t be a bad thing either! hehe

The Mr chose the chilli hot chocolate which had the same smooth and thick consistency but the amazing this was that the more you stir, the spicier it gets! Although it wasn’t the kind of spicy that takes over your taste buds. It was just enough to leave your throat warm and tingly. hehe We definitely left the place with smiles on our faces and bellies very very happy! (:

Not sure if you realise that the mr has loads of Threadless t-shirts which are really cute! hehe He decided to pose the same way as Mr T is on his t-shirt. hehe Love his spontaneity! (:

So what happens when you crave for more hot chocolate after you leave this chocolate filled place? You could always buy a packet of their hot chocolate and all you need to do is add hot milk and viola! (: Cravings satisfied! We bought a couple for the mr’s sister, as she loves her hot chocolate! hehe You have three options : white, milk and dark!

Definitely a whole day of beautiful scenery and yummy food! I don’t think a roadtrip could get any better! Have a great weekend everyone! There will be one more post to come about the last few things we did in Daylesford, so do stay tuned! But for now, TGIF, be kind to one another and remember to always cook and bake with love! (:

Staycation : Little Japan

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Happy Friday everyone! (: Sorry for the lack of post as I was away for the long weekend on a staycation with the Mr at Daylesford! I decided to give myself a break from doing anything and just concentrated on spending quality time with the hubs. I have to say, it was awesome! We were so excited as it was our first time going on a staycation and also exploring Daylesford, doing touristy things and trying the different cuisines they had to offer. I really couldn’t ask for more.

Because we had such a great time, I am going to use the next few posts to share with all of you what we did during the 3 days in the beautiful spa heaven, Daylesford. Hope you will enjoy and let the journey begin! (:

For those who don’t know, Dayeslford is just slightly more than an hour drive away from Melbourne. We were so blessed cause the day we drove up, the weather was just beautfiul – cloudless blue skies and the sun was shinning brightly! The long weekend couldn’t come at a better time.

The mr found and booked the most beautiful place for our stay : Shizuka Ryokan. It was like Japan hidden within Hepburn Springs! The moment we arrived, you could tell everything was going to be authentic! The architecture, the stone walkways and the best thing is, many of their staff are people from Japan doing holiday work! They were all really polite and warm, making us feel welcomed the moment we walked through the main door.

To get to our rooms that are behind glass doors for privacy, we had to walk through the lobby and dining area where breakfast would be served every morning. I absolutely adored the round hanging lights that covered the whole ceiling! If our lights weren’t fitted in when we bought it, I would have gotten similar ones. hehe

The rooms surrounds this beautiful zen garden that looked like it’s been worked o everyday just to make sure it stays perfect! Just looking at it makes me feel happy. Don’t really know why but I like it! hehe

Shizuka Ryokan is a spa retreat that customers go to relax, rejuvenate, indulge (in the spa treatments and food) and just be sucked into the tranquility of the environment. Because of that, the rooms are not equipped with television or any other form of distraction. It was great cause the mr and I were allowed to have heart to heart talks. Definitely something every couple should do!

I have to admit, when I first entered the room, I was a little shocked at the size of it. It is definitely smaller than your usual hotel room, but I really loved how cosy it feels! The whole room was covered with soft tatami mats and behind the delicate shoji screens was a small balcony that opens to a really pretty private garden. I couldn’t stop smiling and just kept snapping away on my phone! No doubt my favourite part of the room! (:

Our room came with a spa bath that we could use anytime before 10pm to not disrupt other guests’ rest. It overlooks the garden as well so while you enjoy the jacuzzi, you also get to enjoy the greens. The ultimate tranquility. We were also given lavender salts to use while having a bath. It definitely smelled amazing! Love how calm lavender makes you feel. The hotel also provides sandalwood bar soaps. Definitely super pampered this trip!

Once we settled in, we were served with some hot green tea and some matcha short bread. The short bread was delicious, I wish I had more! haha But that’s because I am a sucker for short bread. I think it’s the butter. Just love how it melts in your mouth, and these leave a delicate matcha flavour on my tongue after! YUM! Did you see a small white box at the corner with ribbons? Our package came with a box of famous truffles from the Chocolate Mill! WHEEEE! (: Will talk more about that in my next post! hehe

So back to the hotel. hehe We were booked in for a massage later that afternoon before dinner, so we had an hour to burn before our 60 minutes of bliss! hehe The mr started reading his book and I continued snapping photos. haha This is the shot I love of the mr #likeaboss! (:

Of course I couldn’t take any shots of when I’m getting my massage, but let me tell you. It was one of the best massages I’ve ever had. As I wrote on my form that I felt tightness on my shoulders and upper back, she really tried her best to help me feel less tension! Plus although we were booked in for just a normal relaxation massage, they used hot stones to help release the tension too! Amazing! Hot stone massages are my absolute favourite! I also learned an interesting fact, the area just abvoe your first ear piercing is connected to your shoulder and upper back. So when feeling sore, give it a soft squeeze and it would release that tension. Interesting aye? hehe  So I was super happy and felt totally relaxed after and definitely was ready for our 4 course banquet dinner (:

When we returned to our room, our room was transformed and shifted our tables to the side, to set up the traditional japanese futon beds! How comfy does it look? If not for the banquet, I would have just slept through the night hehe

So just in case you’re wondering, how come there is no food picutres, here they come! The package the mr got for us included a japanese feast, not to mention a bottle of champagne and red wine! haha We were given a choice to either have it in our room or in the dining area. But we chose to have it in the privacy of our sleeping quarters. hehe Course by course, the staff would politely knock on our doors, before serving us and explaining each course to us in detail.

Our first course was a selection of sushi and sashimi with a side of soba salad with sesame dressing. It was too pretty to eat if you ask me! And it felt like ages since we had sushi in this form, cause those you get from sushi sushi is a whole roll. These are much more delicate. It was actually my first time having inarizushi (sweet beancurd skin) and I really liked it! It wasn’t just stuffed with plain rice, but seasoned with seaweed and bonito flakes I think! Delish!

The second course is a medley of vegetable and prawn tempura. The batter was thin, light and really crispy. It was accompanied by a side of dipping sauce with grated ginger and daikon. As a kid, I used to only order tempura when I dined at Japanese restaurants. So when there was a course of tempura, I couldn’t be happier. In fact, I couldn’t stop chomming down everything. hehe

The third course was the hotpot course of beef sukiyaki, so I was expecting burners, raw food and cooking it on our own. haha But it was served all cooked and ready to be eaten! All that was needed to be done was to crack the egg in the bowl, beat it and dip the tender beef pieces into the egg before enjoying them. The beef pieces were so good, but I did think the broth was a tad bit too sweet for my liking. But it’s not just the one from here, I think that of all sukiyakis I’ve had. hehe

Our final course is no doubt something sweet to end the night on a high note : a trio dessert plate ! My favourite was the lemon lime cheesecake as it had a kick to it, the citrus flavour really stood out! The red azuki meringue had red azuki paste folded through the meringue so when you cut through it, it was actually pink on the inside! Really pretty. hehe The mr loved the chocolate and ginger ice cream! hehe I think he just loves anything ice cream to be honest, our freezer would be a judge of that. hehe

We were definitely super happy by the end of the first day. (: You could just tell from our smiles! hehe So if you’re deciding on where to go for a short trip, do consider staying here if you want to have a feel of staying in Japan! You won’t be disappointed!

PS : Just wanna thank the mr for planning this staycation. We both really needed it and it was really awesome being able to spend time with you with no distractions! 

Stay tuned for more eating and exploring adventures! Have a great weekend everyone! x

Remember to always cook and bake with love.

Fusion Friday : Seafood Green Curry Penne

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TGIF everyone! (: I’m sure everyone is as thankful as I am that the weekend is here and if you’re as lucky, you would have Monday off and thus having a long weekend! Hurray! To celebrate, I’m going to share with you the recipe I promised from my last post of the Fresh Food Market at Highpoint!

I have to say, I’m not a huge fan of fusion food, but I will never turn down the chance to try it when it is presented in front of me. So as I was walking around the Fruit & Vegetable market and bouncing ideas off the Mr, he suggested that I should do an asian flavoured pasta dish! WAH! Why not, yes? So the first thing that came to my mind was green curry! I see this less fusion, more a pasta with an asian flare! hehe

I do apologise that I didn’t quite have the patience or time to make my own green curry paste, but I did find one that I’ve used before, so I knew it would taste yummy. If you have a green curry paste recipe to share with me, I would be more than happy to try it during my holidays! (:

So these were the ingredients I used for my dish. Which includes fresh ingredients that I got from the market, and a few that came in the hamper given by compliments of Highpoint and Mango! (: I am sure you have some things in the pictured stored in your pantry. I realise I didn’t place the onion and garlic that I used from my pantry in the picture. hehe But I’ve definitely written them in my recipe, so fear not!

This pasta dish definitely has a kick to it. It might most definitely be the green curry paste I used but I do love a dish with that leaves my tongue tingly and tummy warm and fuzzy! hehe So if you do like spicy food, and want to try something different, I urge you to give this a try! The Mr and I both loved it and would definitely make this again soon! (:

Seafood Green Curry Penne (a Food Made With Love original recipe, serves 4)

1/2 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

5 shiitake mushrooms, cut into quarters

3 green thai eggplant, cut into quarters

4 purple thai eggplants, cut into wedges

3 small Adelaide tomatoes, cut into chunks

5 grape tomatoes, sliced into half

50g fish cake, cut into strips

100g green curry paste

400ml light coconut milk

300ml water

500g supreme marinara mix

400g dried penne (or any type of pasta you prefer)

2 tbs olive oil

handful of Thai basil leaves

fried shallots and coriander, to garnish

Steps :

1) In a large pot of water, add some salt and bring it to a boil. Cook pasta according to the directions on the packet. Drain and run it under cold water. Set it aside while preparing the green curry.

2) In a frying pan/wok, heat the olive oil on medium heat and fry the green curry paste till fragrant. Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry till it’s soft. Be careful not to burn the garlic, as there would be a bitter after taste.

3) Carefully add the coconut milk into the pan. Stir it until the paste is mixed well and combined with the coconut milk.

3) Add the eggplants and cover the pan, allowing it to simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and mushrooms and return the lid on the pan. Simmer for another 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft.

4) Add the water, fish cake and seafood and allow it to come to a boil. Careful not to boil it for too long, as the seafood might over cook and get tough! Add the thai basil leaves and stir it into the sauce.

5) Pour in the cooked pasta and toss it well, making sure every single penne is coated with the sauce. If it’s looking a little dry, add a bit more water and give it a good stir.

6) Garnish with fried shallots and chopped coriander before serving.

Enjoy! (: I know it seems like alot of preparation to go through, but do give this a try and let me know what you think and if you added other things! Would definitely love to try other combinations. Have a great weekend everyone! (:

Remember to always cook and bake with love!

Highpoint : A New Fresh Food Market In Town!

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Yes, dear readers. Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you! There is a new fresh food market in town! It’s at Highpoint that is located at the western suburbs of Melbourne, in Marinyrnong to be exact! I’ve been lucky enough to be asked to attend their launch that was on the 18th of October. But unfortunately, due to work commitments, I wasn’t able to attend it. Sad. But Jessica (from Mango) offered to send me a hamper and in return, I told her that I would visit Highpoint on a weekend and grab some fresh food to whip something up and share it on my blog! (:

Highpoint

Address : 100/200 Rosamond Road, Maribyrnong VIC 3032

The fresh food market is actually the completed first stage of development of the shopping mall and there is much more to come! You could practically get everything there as it includes multiple specialty fresh food retailers, Woolworths and much more! I was really impressed the moment I stepped into the new extension. It’s like a one-stop-shop! The first thing that greets you is this bright and exciting Fruit and Vegetable Market that sells heaps of fresh ingredients! They arrange their fruit and vegetables according to categories; you’ll find all sorts of tomatoes in an area, potatoes in another, and citrus in a separate zone! Really easy to find what you want!

The colours just pop out don’t they? I felt happy just walking down every aisle! I was intrigued by the different varieties of each fruit and veg that was available for us to purchase! Almost like a kid in a candy store I tell you. haha

As I was walking, I was trying to think of what I could create for dinner that night! Fortunately, I had the mr with me, so we were throwing ideas back and forth to each other! Needless to say, he has always been a great inspiration to me! (: We decided to do something a little different – an asian inspired pasta dish! So off I went picking what I could use for the night (and more! haha I couldn’t really help myself).

We were so excited to see so many asian vegetables there! They even had some that we could hardly find at the usual supermarkets! Like the Jerusalem artichokes and purple asparagus! Yes, purple! Not the usual green ones!

They also had an area for fresh asian greens. Everything was placed so neatly and labelled well too, so you would be well informed of the price and type of veg/fruit you’re looking at. I’m always in awe of the people who arrange their produce so neatly and treating everything with pride. I remember heading to Victoria Market for the first time 8 years ago, and couldn’t stop going “Wah wah wah!” when I saw how they displayed their meats! So hats off to all the staff who are doing a fantastic job.

Walking further into the new extension, you are greeted by Yes It’s Fresh Deli, Baker’s Delight on the right, and on the left, Fish Pier. Fish Pier offered a range of fresh and frozen seafood which all looked really good! My eyes was just going back and forth and thinking what I should get!

The first thing I was drawn to was the supreme marinara mix! I think cause it was really colourful. I do love my colours (and textures) in my food! So wasn’t surprising that I was focused on that. hehe So it was settled, I had to get my hands on some of those marinara! It includes both big and small prawns, pieces of salmon, ling fillets , scallops, mussels and calamari! Noms!

What about meat you say? Next to Fish Pier is the Melbourne Fresh Meats that sells a whole range of meats and poultry. You would be spoiled for choice. But because I did marketing recently, and had beef in my freezer. I was looking at the chicken and pork sections.

There was also an asian supermarket where you can get all your sauces, can food, snacks and dried food! See, I wasn’t lying when I said it’s a one-stop-destination to get your groceries was I?

We definitely left with almost 8 bags full of things! I was very very fortunate to receive a $50 gift voucher to spend at the Fresh Food Market and $25 from the Melbourne Fresh Meats courtesy of Highpoint & Mango! So thank you so so much! It’s my first ever sponsorship for Food Made With Love! Very exciting! hehe So here’s a sneak peak of what I got and I am so going back cause I still have credits left! hehe

So thank you again to the fresh food retailers at Highpoint and Mango for your generosity! Stay tuned for the next post as I will sharing with you what I came up with, as promised! (: So what are you waiting for? Head down to Highpoint asap!

Oven-fried Chicken

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Fried chicken. How could you not like fried chicken? I would happily chow down two without much thought! haha But what could be better than fried chicken? Oven-fried chicken of course! Anything to make it feel a little less sinful than the oil-fried version. Just so you could enjoy it guilt-free. Definitely a win-win, if you ask me! (:

I chanced upon this recipe on Everyday Maven, and was coincidentally craving for something fried. It’s really quick and easy as well! Even though it’s baked, the chicken is so crunchy with every bite! The mr and I are addicted to it! We had it twice in a week. Definitely gonna make this for my family at the end of the year.

The chicken pieces were coated with crushed melba toast. I have to admit, I’ve heard of melba toast a number of times, but never really tried it or used it to cook. These were mini toasts that were baked and they were really amazing! Unlike normal bread crumbs, these ensures that the coating remains crunchy and not get soggy even after being baked. Would definitely not hesitate to use melba toast in the future! hehe

And what goes well with fried chicken? A side of kipfler and broccolini salad of course! Of course if you want to keep to the healthy-theme, you could always have it with a side of salad. Your tummies will still be satisfied. (: So I urge you to give this a try, you will never need to feel bad about have fried chicken ever again! hehe

Oven-fried Chicken (adapted from Everyday Maven)

800g chicken pieces (skin removed)

1 box of Melba toast (5-ounce/142g), crushed

1/2 tsp garlic salt

3/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 tsp hot paprika

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup kewpie mayonnaise

1 tbs Dijon mustard

Steps :

1) Place the melba toasts in a zip lock bag. Using a rolling pin, crush them till they are relatively fine, leaving some little pebbles for texture and maximum crunchiness. You could also place them in a food processor, but be careful not too completely pulverize them.

2) Add the garlic salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika and dried oregano into the zip lock bag and give it a good shake. Pour the seasoned crumbs into a plate.

3) In a separate bowl, mix the kewpie with the dijon mustard and mix till well combined.

4) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius. Coat each piece of chicken with the mayo mixture (just enough to lightly coat) and roll it in the melba toast crumbs. Make sure the chicken pieces are covered well and evenly.

5) Place the chicken pieces on a cooking rack and place in the oven to bake for 40 minutes.

Enjoy it with a side of your choice! (: Don’t worry, I didn’t only have one piece. hehe I couldn’t resist another (or two)! Have a great weekend everyone!

Remember to always cook and bake with love!

Jelly Hearts

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Ever since I started being more active in the blogging world, I’ve been really blessed with meeting new friends! Recently, I was invited to attend Peach-water’s birthday dinner but cause I was down with really bad hayfever, I told her that we’ll rearrange dinner and I would make her something special. (: I couldn’t think of anything better but some strawberry jelly hearts!

If you feel that these pretty cakes look familiar, I did make them ages ago and did a post on it. But I went back to look at it and the photos were so small! So here I am, re-doing the post and sharing the recipe again. It’s really interesting to see the difference a few years on! (:

I have to say, these are not difficult to make, just time consuming as you have to make sure each layer is set properly before starting on the next! The most important layer is the jelly layer, as you have to allow the jelly mixture to cool before pouring onto the cream cheese layer, to get a clear jelly layer! (: Patience, is the key when making this!

I used to only use vanilla essence when making the cream cheese filling, but I decided to use vanilla bean paste this time round. There is just something magical when you see the little black dots! And the flavour it gives the cream cheese is not comparable to just using the essence. If you do have vanilla beans, please give it a try!

These little rectangular cheesecakes with a heart in the middle make beautiful gifts for your loved ones and your friends. So the next time you are thinking of what to get for them, why not give these a try? Nothing can compared to things made with love!

Jelly Hearts 

Base : 

320g digestive biscuits

160g melted unsalted butter

Cheese Filling :

250g cream cheese

2 1/4 tsp gelatine powder

70g caster sugar

150ml hot water

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

8 medium sized strawberries

Jelly Topping : 

2 packets of strawberry flavoured jello (170g)

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 1/2 cups room temp water

Steps :

1) For the base : Place the biscuits in a ziplock bag, and crush them till they are fine, making sure there are no big chunks. Pour them into a large bowl, and mix in the melted butter.

2) Pour them into the base of a 9×9 square baking tray. Press onto the base and make sure it’s really compressed and make it as flat as you can. Prick the base with a fork and chill for at least 15 minutes.

3) For the cheese filling : Cut the strawberries into half. Using a small heart shape cutter, cut hearts out of the strawberry halves and place them on a plate lined with paper towel.

4) Place gelatine and sugar in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over and stir until the gelatine has dissolved.

5) In a mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese and vanilla bean paste together and slowly add the gelatine syrup gradually until smooth. Pour it over  the base. Place it in the fridge for 10 minutes then place the strawberry hearts, partially submerged in the cheese filling. Place it back into the fridge and refrigerate for 2 hours.

6) For the jelly topping : Dissolve the jello in hot water and stir well. Add the room temperature water and allow it to cool completely before pouring over the cheese filling. (Use a ladle and slowly pour the mixture over the strawberries instead of the cheese to keep the jello clear!)

7) Chill it in the fridge for another 2 hours or overnight for the best results.

Enjoy! (: And Happy Hatchday once again my dearest friend!

*Note : When slicing, make sure you clean the knife after every cut. It might seem difficult to get them out without it being messy, but start with the corner and use a spetula to help you. Once you have the first piece out, the rest would be a breeze! 

Remember to always cook and bake with love!

A Sweet Affair

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Remember my last visit at Mr Hive’s Kitchne & Bar? Yes. I went back for more. This time I brought my mr and his family for a very special occasion: My in-law’s 29th wedding anniversary! I was so glad I decided to bring them there cause we were pampered from the very moment we were shown to our tables!

As I did let Mr Hive know, when I was booking the table, that we were celebrating a wedding anniversary, we were given a glass of champagne each to start the dinner off! I knew instantly that it was going to be a spectacular night! I couldn’t stop smiling and my in-laws were definitely really happy! (:

Mr Hive’s Kitchen & Bar

Address : 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank Vic 

Phone : 03 9292 8300

Though the service was exemplary for the whole night, the highlight of the evening was definitely when we adjourned to the dessert bar to fix our sweet tooth! I don’t usually have second posts for food reviews, but our experience that night is definitely worthy of my double post! Please do not get me wrong, the food was delicious, but we pretty much had the same dishes as my first visit, so I thought I would just focus on the desserts. Besides, who doesn’t like desserts? hehe Miss D would be with me on this! haha

We were lucky to dine at Mr Hive’s on a week night, so it was quite quiet and there was an empty dessert bar waiting for us! Having never seen a pastry chef plate desserts before, it was a great first experience for the mr and his family as well!

The moment we sat down, we were greeted by the friendly pastry chef – Chef Mario! We looked through the menu and ordered instantly. Then he started plating desserts. It was like watching a cook show right infront of our eyes! Although it was my second time, I still enjoyed it. You could tell he took pride in every single dessert he was plating.

He started plating individual portions of the yoghurt mousse with rhubarb compote and szechuan ice cream. We thought it was for another table, as we didn’t order actually this. Little did we know, it was a complimentary dessert for us as a gift for my in-law’s wedding anniversary again! Are they amazing or what? Not one but two gifts! The flavours just complimented each other. There was the lightness of the mousse with the slight hint of spiciness from the ice cream and crunch of the white chocolate crumble. NOMS!

Then came the apple tart tatin which had another surprise for my in-laws. They not only wrote happy anniversary on the board, but   also came with candles! That really made all of us smile! The tart tatin was perfect. The apples were so well caramelised and the tart was crispy and buttery. It was made to order, so it was still piping hot when served! Together with brandy cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Match-made in heaven!

Chef Mario portioned it and even gave each of us a scoop of ice cream to go with our slice! It was so good, I could continue eating it the whole night! There’s just something about a dessert that had both cold and hot elements. Makes my taste buds tingle (:

Of course, I couldn’t not order the Mr Hive’s chocolate bar when I dine at Mr Hive’s. It’s rich and decadent and the base is crunchy! If you know me, you know I love desserts with different textures. This definitely tick all the boxes! hehe And you know what’s even better?

This.

Chef Mario took the plate before I could, and split it into 5 portions and re-platted them individually with a beautifully quenelled peanut ice cream! In fact, the one that was served with the whole chocolate bar melted slightly, and he threw that away and quenelled 5 more for us! That’s how much pride he takes in his desserts! We were so impressed! hehe

The last dessert we ordered was of course the ricotta cheesecake because my mr’s dad loves cheesecake! Plus it was one of the prettiest desserts I’ve ever seen!

Of course, Chef Mario presented the dessert and then took it and replated it into individual portions again! What’s more amazing is that there were only 4 pieces of cheesecake but he just added another cause there were 5 of us!

How pretty is the individual portions? Every single plate looked like that. How could you not be touched? I couldn’t stop saying “wow!” both verbally and in my head. haha

And just you think there can’t be more. He picks up 5 glass bottles and starts preparing the grand finale! He started squeezing some chocolate milk with milo powder and tops the glass bottles with a salted caramel truffle! Trust me. That’s like the best truffle you will ever have. You bite into it and there’s an explosion of salted caramel in your mouth. LOVE.

I absolutely adore the straws they give to slurp the delicious, thick chocolate milk. I really need to go get some from Wheel & Barrow! hehe (:

So I can definitely say it was a night we will definitely remember! And we left Mr Hive’s with happy bellies!

Happy Wedding Anniversary to my dearest in-laws! It was great to celebrate this special day with the whole family! (: Our compliments to the chef and staff of Mr Hive’s! Thank you so much for making this day even more special than it already is!

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Banana-rama

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There is just something magical about banana bread. By now, you would know that I am obsessed with banana anything. So far, I’ve made them in a few forms – muffins & cakes. So now it’s time to add on to the list! Recently, Miss D posted her 100th post that had 2 banana bread recipes. I was lucky enough to taste test one of them and got hooked to it ever since!

So when I had time on a Saturday morning and some very ripe bananas lying around in the fruit basket, I decided to get my bum out of the sofa and get the baking going. I was so glad I did! The house was filled with the yummy smell of baked banana bread and it’s the best smell in the world! Can’t have enough of it!

Though I was having hayfever, it just felt good being able to be in the kitchen and think about nothing but bake! The kitchen is definitely my remedy. hehe The Mr absolutely loved it! Cause I gave 3/4 of the first one to the weightlifters, the mr only had a small piece to himself. He asked me to make another for him. So I made it twice over the weekend. It was really moist and fluffy. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea (: Will definitely perk me up in the afternoons!

Walnut, Chocolate and Maple Banana Bread (Adapted from Never Too Sweet For Me & Taste)

125g unsalted butter, room temperature

115g caster sugar

2 tbs maple syrup

2 eggs, room temperature

3 large bananas (about 1 cup), mashed

70g chopped walnuts

50g dark chocolate chips

3/4 cup plain flour

3/4 cup self-raising flour

1/2 tsp bi-carbonate of soda

Steps :

1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease the loaf pan well with butter.

2) In an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and maple syrup until light and fluffy. (Don’t rush this step to ensure a smooth batter)

3) Add eggs, one at a time until just combined. Then add the mashed bananas and slowly add the flours and bicarbonate of soda. Mix until just combined, be careful not to over mix it or it will not be fluffy.

4) Spoon mixture into the buttered loaf pan and smooth the top. Place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the toothpick comes out clean after being inserted. Allow it to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning it out on a cooling rack.

Serve warm and enjoy with a hot cuppa and if you want to be more indulgent, drizzle it with more maple syrup and with a small piece of butter (:

PS : For step to step pictures, head over to Miss D’s post! Thanks dearie for sharing the recipe! 

Remember to always cook and bake with love! 

Wonderbao

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Melbourne. There is a new obsession in town. Buns, hot steaming buns (bao/包) to be exact. I am totally sucked into the fad and loving it! (: I think it’s one thing I love since young. I’m like my dad. We both love baos and till this day when we go for yum cha, char siew baos and salted custard buns would definitely be on the table! Even on Sundays when we do go out, we would come back with his favourite chicken baos. NOMS! Just thinking about it is making me crave for some now!

Of course, since I’ve had baos since I was little I have to admit, my expectations of a good bao is quite high. The dough has to be soft but not too thick and there must be enough filling. I went to meet the mr for lunch in the city in my last week of break so we decided to go give Wonderbao a try! How cute is the name? Love it!

Wonderbao

Address : Shop 4/19-37 A’Beckett St. Melbourne, VIC 3000

Phone : (03) 9654 7887

Wonderbao is hidden in a lane under a block of apartments in the city and is a small cosy little shop. I love how they steam the baos in huge steamers and that’s the first thing that greets you when you step into the shop. Because the menu was quite small, the mr and I decided to order one of each bao (besides the sweet ones) to try! It totally looked like we haven’t eaten for days! haha But the staff were really nice, and told us that they would serve half of what we ordered and serve us the other half so that they won’t turn cold! Perfect! (:

I don’t really know what gua bao is. But the buns remind me of those used in the kong ba bao! It’s like a bao made into a U-shape to hold the ingredients! The two gua baos are my favourites of the day! I have a feeling it’s because the filling is fatty pork! (: The first one we had was braised pork belly accompanied by pickled mustard, coriander and crushed peanuts. The pork belly was perfectly cooked and melts in your mouth! The mr and I was beaming after each bite. haha Fatty pork really do make us happy!

The other gua bao was stuffed with roasted pork belly, cucumber, pickled carrots, daikon and hoisin sauce. In our minds, we were expecting crispy crackling with this! So we were a little disappointed when it didn’t. Cause who doesn’t love crackling, right? But the combination was really quite yummy so all was good! (: We still gobbled it down within minutes!

There were 2 big baos offered in the menu. A big pork bun as well as a big chicken bun. They both had a slice of egg and shiitake mushroom in them. The meat was juicy and really tasty! The bao skin is soft and fluffy and besides the top being a little too thick, there was a good proportion of meat to bun!

The chicken bao had a bit more dough and not as much filling. But the chicken was still juicy and yums!

Another of my fav of the day was the choi bao (vegetable bun). It reminded me of the cabbage kueh my mum always buy for me when I’m home. It had shiitake mushrooms, tofu and veggies! Really yums (:

The char siew bao was quite disappointing though I was really hoping it would be better! There was only a thin layer of char siew and sadly the colouring of the char siew was seeping into the bao skin. Though I have to say, the char siew itself was yummy! Would love to have more.

I love chinese sausage. So when I saw this on the menu, I couldn’t wait to try it! Although it was just a sausage wrapped in some dough, I have to say sometimes, simple is best! The mr and I had it and we think the taiwan sausage is handmade cause it’s not the usual size! It was just the right amount of sweetness, and not as much fatty bits! Was really delicious! I could easily have it on it’s own! hehe

After we tried all the baos, we were tempted by the homemade soy milk and bought a cup of cold soy milk each! *slurps!* Really refreshing especially since it was a really hot day that afternoon. I will definitely return for more gua baos and the choi bao! But just note that they are open for breakfast and lunch (Mondays to Fridays) and only lunch on Saturdays!

So, have you been pulled in to the bao trend yet? (:

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