Super sweet, milky and with curious balls at the bottom of your cup, bubble tea is a rather intriguing thirst quencher. Originating in Taiwan, bubble tea is made using boba tapioca pearls, which are best used within a few hours of cooking but can keep in the fridge for a few days – just expect them to go crunchy over time. For the ultimate sweet-tooth tea, use sweetened condensed milk instead of full cream or almond milk. more
By day, the back streets of Newstead are an industrial jungle of comings and goings. But at dusk, the streets grow quiet, the quiet surrounds allowing the kitchen at The Golden Pig Food & Wine School to create the noise. The cavernous warehouse space has been transformed into an architecturally savvy environment, combining all the gadgets and gizmos of a professional chef, with lush hanging gardens and white walls. A space to learn from scratch, pick up neat tips or perfect your hand at a particular cuisine, The Golden Pig lets you create masterpieces in the kitchen, before feasting upon your handiwork. Check out The Golden Pig on The Street Photographer. more
The warm days and humid nights of late have left us feeling parched and in need of something chilled and refreshing to make it all bearable. While store-bought ice-cream from a tub is quick and accessible, there’s nothing more satisfying than whipping up your own chilled dessert from farm-fresh berries, eggs and milk. Try this recipe for homemade blackberry ice-cream at home this weekend, which works with or without an ice-cream maker. more
Savoury meets sweet in this visual recipe for Pear & Gorgonzola Crostini. Meaning ‘little toasts’ in Italian, the crostini are topped with the sweet flavours of the honey and pear, complemented by the bite of the blue cheese. Make as an elegant snack pre-dinner party feast or simply as an afternoon treat. more
There can be many variations to a panzanella recipe. Traditional recipes see purely tomatoes and bread take to the mix, while more contemporary versions feature cucumber, capsicum, capers and anchovies. You could also use cooked chorizo or olives to add more indulgent flavours, while crisp cucumber and capsicum freshen the meal to a summery lightness. more
With lazing on the beach over Christmas lingering in the back of our minds, the last thing we want to do is reach for a calorie-filled slice of chocolate cake when three-thirty-itis comes calling. To get your chocolate fix, but in a healthy manner, whip up these raw protein bars, which are packed with the kind of goodness that will keep you energised throughout the afternoon and taste as good as any dessert. more
Matt Preston has a bit of a thing for leeks – his heart succumbs to their squeaky sweetness and the way they hold together in tight juicy rings even when cooked. Highlighting the leek’s simple virtues with creamy goats curd, flakes of salt and pops of thyme, Matt Preston’s recipe for Leek Tarte Tatin can be served fresh with a crunchy salad of iceberg lettuce, cucumber and apple, and a drizzle of lemon juice to contrast the buttery richness of the tart. more
If Alfred Hitchcock followed his gourmet dreams, what would his recipes look like? Insert: Hitch – an animated look into imaginary food compendium The Ultimate Hitch Cookbook. Created by some folk over at the Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Germany, Hitch flips through a film buff’s perfect cooking companion, featuring recipes for Alfred Hitchcock’s classics. Image via Laughing Squid. more
Brussels sprouts got a bad wrap as a kid. Perhaps it was because they resembled mini cabbages or because anything green was clearly out to poison you and not make you healthy and strong. But now that we’re all grown up and Brussels sprouts are no longer merely steamed, but served with lashings of cheese, garlic and pine nuts, a bowl of their golden roasted goodness looks particularly appetising. more
German inventor Peter Schlumbohm invented the Chemex Coffee Method in 1941. An infusion technique that crafts a body and taste similar to that of drip coffee, the Chemex method uses a paper filter in the hourglass-shape beacon to yield a smooth, elegant brew. This video by Sprouted Kitchen walks you through the ingredients, tools and processes needed to make this type of pour over at home. Image via Sprouted Kitchen. more
From novels and memoirs to historic tales and, of course, recipe books, Scrumptious Reads in Fortitude Valley offers compendiums of a nourishing variety. Stocking a finely curated selection of food and drink books and magazines, Scrumptious Reads is the loving creation of Julie Tjiandra and Reyna Portillo. Tomes are meticulously organised into categories of meat, bread, cheese, wine, fish and more amongst apple tree bookcase shelving. You can even find whole cookbooks dedicated to sourdough and specialty books across more niche eating fields like organics, coeliac and vegan literature. For this James Street store, Julie and Reyna enlisted the help of architect Marina Kozul and designer Fukutoshi Ueno to create a design-savvy interior, which Julie is slowly translating across to her newly acquired cafe space next door, dubbed Sugar Jar Cafe. Check out Scrumptious Reads on The Street… more
A traditional foodstuff of Argentina and Uruguay is Fainá – a flatbread with notes of pepper made from chickpea flour. A great gluten-free option for cheese boards, fainá can also be served with toppings, though is traditionally served as an accompaniment to pizza – a little triangular slice sitting atop your larger pizza portion. Chickpea or garbanzo bean flour can be found at most health food stores. We picked up ours from Wray Organic. more
Put that instant freeze-dried, store-bought coffee away. You’re better than that. And with so many great independent coffee roasters on our doorstep, you should know better too. Melbourne’s Market Lane Coffee has put together these nifty videos exploring the equipment and processes behind creating pour over and aeropress coffees at home. To mimic these magical cups of happiness in your own kitchen, get yourself kitted up with all the essential bits and bobs – a kettle, grinder, pour-over cone, filters, aeropress – and a fresh bag of beans from your local roastery-cafe and start brewing your own morning drop with proud knowledge and soon-to-be-expert skill. more
As the weather warms and summer beckons the year forth, we start to dream of afternoons in the kitchen with family and friends, before relaxing into a dusk dinner party. A rich appetiser where the ingredients acquire a whole new level of indulgence once baked, this recipe for prosciutto-wrapped baked brie served with roasted pears and walnuts will kick off any summer soiree with decadence. more
Kara-age is the common name for Japanese-style fried chicken and, like gyoza and ramen, falls into the wafu-chuka family – the name given to Chinese-influenced Japanese food. From Zenbu Zen by Jane Lawson, this version of tori to gobo no kara-age includes burdock root in the coating and an addictive sweet and tangy sauce. Serve with lemon wedges and a little sea salt on the side. more
A fun way to get kids helping in the kitchen – they’ll love squishing up the cucumber by hand – this visual Tzatziki recipe shows the Olive Us kids creating the cool Greek dip from scratch. A refreshing snack or accompaniment to grilled meats, serve your homemade tzatziki with crispy, fresh vegetables, crusty bread or crackers. more
Tackling the making of our own pestos, dressings and dips can often seem a daunting task, with the ease of store-bought versions an appealing alternative. But with just four ingredients and a little time up your sleeve, this Roast Pumpkin Dip can be whipped up for an afternoon picnic or pre-dinner snack. And you get the added pride of having made it yourself. more
While to some tastebuds, the velvety concoction of a traditional iced coffee complete with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream, a half litre of milk and topped with swirls of whipped cream is the ideal warm-weather coffee beverage, sometimes all that dairy is just too much. Enter the Japanese Iced Coffee Method. Using pourover coffee techniques, the Japanese Iced Coffee Method drips hot brewed coffee directly onto ice, cooling the liquid instantly and locking in all the sweetness and aromas of your single-origin brew. In this video, Peter Giuliano from Counter Culture Coffee demonstrates his version of the Japanese method. Passionate about sourcing handcrafted coffee straight from farmers and celebrating the farms and cultures that create the beans, Counter Culture Coffee skillfully roasts the blends to bring out the unique flavours. Image via Dymaxion. more
This Lavender Iced Tea recipe will quench your thirst and refresh after a busy weekend morning. Pour the mixture into a pitcher with fun-shaped ice cubes and strawberries to serve to friends over afternoon tea. A neat trick to keep your iced tea undiluted by the addition of iced cubes is to freeze some of the tea mixture in an ice-cube tray in advance, so only more tea melts into your drink, not water. more
Spring is a time for new beginnings and renewal. With the weather now warmer, that lunchtime bowl of soup or hearty curry will no longer satisfy, as thoughts of fresh salads and juicy fruits plant seeds in our minds. Try this Spring Salad recipe full of healthy, superfood ingredients and lots of colour to keep things interesting. more
