Chocolates just before dark

In the pursuit of some fine handmade chocolates for a pressie and on the recommendation of a friend (thanks jules!) I found myself on Parkhill drive in Berwick @ Margo's Fine Chocolates & Cafe. Margo's is surprisingly sweet and so out of place (in a good way) within the little shop district they've got there. Decked out with dark wood interior and handsome feature walls I found myself standing in front their chocolate displays for 10 minutes trying to decide which ones to get. They looked oh so adorable and I wanted to take them all home, so none them would feel left out out. In the end I selected six and I promised myself to return and rescue the others.

The photos were taken in the late afternoon just before it was getting dark. Enjoy

Chocolate boxes

L-R: Warm Continent, Peppermint caprice, Macadamia, red opal, Grand marnier and um..i forget this one. Sorry!

Red Opal

Grand Marnier & trio of chocs

Where in the world?

Margo's Fine Chocolates & Cafe

Shop 18, Parkhill Plaza

Parkhill Drive, Berwick 3806

ph: 8794 8440

http://www.margoscafe.com/

The art of making wontons

Making wonton soup was my alternative to the classic Aussie Sunday roast. Don't get me wrong I love roast on Sundays. But being an asian kid, growing up, you ate whatever your mum fed you, and in my case; instead of the meat and three veg, I had gingered beef with rice, and instead of apricot chicken, I had chicken red curry. So on most Sunday's Mum would made 'goi dieu' which is your Cambodian version of the Vietnamese 'pho'. A hot, steamy beef or chicken based broth infused with ginger, galangal, garlic and fish sauce to taste, ladled on a bowl of freshly strained rice or egg noodles, which had been sitting in a pot of bowling water only seconds before. The bowl of steaming noodle soup was then usually finished by chucking a few herbs of spring onions and coriander on top, with a touch condiments, like chillie sauce and lemon to your personal liking. So where does the wonton come in, you ask? Well, I discovered the delightful package of dumplings, during a birthday party. While the kids were stuffing their faces silly with lollies, chips, chocolate and the whatnots expected at a 10 year old's party - I was with the adults, consuming these little bundles of joy that were served in a small bowl with soup; not know what they were or what was in it, except that they tasted oh so good!
And that my friends, was the beginning of a beautiful relationship between me and wontons.

Making wontons is a beautiful art in which I have learnt to love and appreciate. Like ravioli, tortellini used in pasta dishes, you can make your wonton into many different shapes and use different fillings, such as pork, chicken, prawn, crab and lobster - I usually stick to chicken. They are also extremely versatile, as you can boil, steam, pan fry and deep fry them - they make fantastic appetisers at dinner parties.

Get your ingredients together...

Wonton Skins

Spring onions

add some fish & oyster sauces and ground some pepper to chicken mince

roll mixture into balls and place in middle of wonton wrapper

THE FOLDING

put mixture of chicken and ingredients mention above and fold into triangles using your index finger moistened with water to seal the sides

aren't they gorgeous, they look like stingrays on a chopping board..

bring the two ends of the triangle together using a dab of water to stick and then flick them up and you get a little boat

many moment laters of filling and folding you will have a bouquet of wontons..

And assuming you know how to make the broth and cook the wontons and noodles in boiling water, you will end up with something looking similar to this...

I lurrve my egg custards

Egg custards are the cutest buttons of eggin, sweetness, melt in your mouth tarts. Nothing beats a good egg custards. I've posted some photos of my for your pleasure.

Darn you can see my pencil in the background amongst other things - how pro am I?

Poof! Where did those props go - here's a better photo without my pencil and other stuff in the background

Yes! I can cook... here's the proof

Rested and recuperated from the previous week's unsolicited throat infection that plagued my tastebuds of unscrupulous deprivation from the tasting of food, I gladly announce that I am back into form. Hallelujah! My throat, mouth, tongue and everything within the vicinity of the bottom half of my face that aides in the munching, tasting and digesting of food has now been healed. To celebrate my return, I cooked. Yes, I can cook! Well, I believe I can; solely judging by my families and friends, who have managed to sustain every dish that's been put in front of them, and the absence of anyone regurgitating my dishes also reassures my confidence of being able to cook.. If they regurgitate, then I will stop. Perhaps

I am very much a 'see and do person', or if I hear something that I like, my brain goes Bing! "I'm going to do that". During the week I had one of those 'Bing' moments, during a not-so heated (as apathy is my middle name) debate between me and my boss on the topic of; who was able to eat beyond human moderation. Gluttony is a sin in which I am everso guilty of and it was everso apparent when i spent the majority of my weekend stuffing my self silly with meat, meat, meat...

Sausage? yes please...

Hamburger? yes....

Lambchops? oh yes...

Steak?...mmm yes please

mushroom? ....oh vegetable, who cares...yes please?

"Anyone for seconds?"....Yes me! Gotta love barbeques!

After my ramblings, she counteracted with her list, which was quite impressive, however after her many '...and then I ate..', it was the moment when she said, ...and then I ate Spaghetti Bolognese..' BING! That was it, whilst still listening (because I am capable to do two things at once) my brain noted, 'hmm…I think I'll cook some pasta tonight.' So I did.

Enough to serve any army, this was a very rich pasta, using rigatoni shells stirred through a Bolognese sauce of minced beef, mushrooms, olives and Sopressa salami. It was quite nice, though not my best, as I may have put one too many olives which left a bitter after taste. And I believe it was even noted by my little sister - my guinea pig who is subjected to test many of my dishes - pointed out quite blankly "...um, I think I like your other pasta dishes better, you know your creamier ones..(referring to my Carbonara and Creamy Chicken & Mushroom pastas)." Nonetheless, she finished her plate.

Spicy salt n' pepper octopus with green beans

The second dish I made was on a Thursday night, after a dismal defeat of our volleyball match. I managed to conjure a variation of the classic Salt and Pepper Squid, but instead of using squid I used baby octopus. Because you know, they're pretty much cousins; they are both white and squidgy, have tentacles and come from the sea. Same difference…Right? I dusted them with salt, pepper and rice flour and then in batches shallowed fried them in vegetable oil. Then using 2 tbsp of the same oil, in a new wok I chucked in a heap (handful - a heap sounds like too much) of chillies and garlic and then threw in the squid and cooked that through a minute or so until the squid was covered in the chilli and garlic.

custard,congee and mushy fajitas

fajita mush, congee with loads of herbs & chillie sauce...ahh and custards

Rather than give you a spiel about myself and this being my first posting ever - HOORAY! - I'll get straight to it. Last week, I found myself absent from my workplace, due to unfortunate circumstances of being ill. I had a few days to kick around (sorry, I meant rest and recover) and I managed to take some pictures of one of my favourite things ever, FOOD. I love, food and I believe food loves me. There's a mutual agreement there, with which I am content and never wish to part. However, the only disappointment I frowned upon, was the missed chance to actually taste the food that I photographed. Don't get me wrong, I ate the food, but couldn't taste a thing, due to my darned throat infection - I'd lost all sense of taste :'( very sad. Every mouthful was complemented with curses...that I won't repeat here. Anyhoo, pictures posted are egg custard tarts mmm...congee (for those non-Asians, it's like an Asian risotto, traditional planked with innards of pork or chicken; I usually stick to chicken) and homemade chicken fajitas, that I proudly made myself. Enjoy, because I obviously didn't! *screwing up nose*