Food for the mind (Copy)

As a chef and food junkie my knowledge and memory of food surprises me. I read a recipe, get taught something on the job and it sticks, forever. Many moons ago when I did my apprenticeship as a chef, I qualified 6 months early, before everyone else and was a straight A student. However, the rest of my schooling days were very, very different. Dropping out of high school at a very young age was, quite frankly all for the best. My grades were shocking and my theory learning skills certainly not my strong point. I did however go on to receive a qualification at something that has not only carried me through life but has become my passion. Not only have I continued to learn, as I’ve said many times before the knowledge of food never stops giving. I have also passed on my passion and knowledge onto my apprentices over the years and to students in my cooking classes.

Often get a giggle if any of my teachers in school knew I have been holding my own classes.

So anyways, as my life has progressed, so has my need and want for more knowledge. More so than being able to cook a dinner service for 200 plus. Going into management of restaurants, to now owning my own. These years taught me a hell of a lot and the knowledge continues to grow and I absolutely love it. Keeping the mind sharp and on the ball, I believe is what not only keeps us young, but also essential to not growing too old.

I came across a course on line, super brain quest course. How to improve your memory and I decided to sign up and the journey so far has been fricken amazing. Not that I would change my life for anything, it has been and is an amazing ride but some of these skills I’ve been learning, if I’d known back then; Wow, who knows. One of the classes is about super brain foods and as I’ve heard from some of my fellow students that out of the list of 10 superfoods, turmeric and walnuts are two that people don’t like, or don’t know what to do with them. I’m not a huge walnut fan, eating them on their own, but in salads or dipped in dark chocolate, another Super brain food. Not to mention stuffing’s and here we go pesto, they work a treat.

So, my fellow brain quest friends, this one is for you

Turmeric, walnut and lemon pesto

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts

50g peeled fresh turmeric

¼ cup grated Parmesan

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp fresh chopped garlic

1 tsp celery salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

2tbsp fresh Lemon juice, more might be nedded depending on taste

1 tsp Sea salt, more might be needed, depending on taste

2 tbsp fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

1 tsp Greek oregano (optional)

1 tsp sumac (optional)

Method

Place walnuts, turmeric, olive oil, garlic, celery salt and black pepper in a food processor and blend to a paste. Transfer to a bowl and add chopped parsley and stir through. Salt and lemon juice I think are best to add a little, taste and use what’s required for your taste buds. As it is a pesto it needs to pack a fair punch. It will be added to other dishes, generally not just eaten on its own, although I have been known to have a cheeky spoon full. Personally, I like it quite zesty, the lemon really works for me. So season to your own taste. Sumac and Greek oregano are optional, taste good, but won’t make or break the dish. Sumac is a zesty berry, the purple spice you see on dips in a Lebanese restaurant, a fabulous spice. If you don’t know it, buy some, trust me you will become friends. I prefer a Greek or Mexican oregano and if you can find it in a deli still on the branch, bloody fantastic. Once again, trust me.

So, this works so well as a condiment to meats, chicken and seafood. Fantastic as a pasta dish, just add a bit of the pasta water and check the seasoning. Under seasoned pesto pasta, huge pet hate. It also works well as a stuffing seasoning, on a antipasto platter, with cheese. Let the imagination go wild. Last night I had it on rice crackers with sardines, so good and extra brain food. Tasty, healthy and so versatile, go for it and as always if you’re not sure ask me. Always happy to help a fellow foodie.

It's oyster time.

If you haven’t already seen the oyster online cooking class I suggest you do. I’m showing three of my favorite oyster toppings. Blue cheese ones are easy,. A good size spoon of blue cheese, I like creamy Costello but try different one and grill till cheese and oyster and warmed through. Don’t overcook, oysters, ever. I have also written a blog on these creamy little jewels. See blog below or go to my Facebook page and have a sticky. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3042952319091681

So here are the recipes for the other two oysters I featured.

Sauteed fennel and garlic butter crumb

Ingredients

Oysters

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (I used white bread)

1/3 cup salted butter

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

1/3 cup finely chopped fennel

1 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tbsp Pernod (optional)

2tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Method

In fry pan add the oil and the butter. When butter is melted add the fennel and sautee till soft, no colour. Add the garlic and stir in well. Stir through the fresh bread crumbs and now add the Pernod if using. Remove from the heat. Last of all add the parsley and mix well. Now top the oysters with a good tablespoon so the oyster is covered. Place under the grill on top of some tin foil, this helps the stand upright. Grill till the crumbs become a little crispy on top and the oyster warmed through. Serve and enjoy

Golden garlicky crumb

My second recipe is a

Chilled ginger Japanese vinaigrette.

ingredients

Oysters

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup mirin

2 tbsp finely slice picked ginger

1 tsp Togarashi chili pepper or substitute with another ground chilli powder

Method

Mix all ingredients and store in the fridge till ready to serve. It is a good teaspoon of dressing on each oyster , cold oyster, making sure there is some ginger in the soon of dressing used. Don’t dress them any earlier then 15 minutes before serving as the vinegar will start to cook the oyster.

Fresh, tasty and a touch of chili

The chilli powder I prefer

Well i hope you enjoy these oysters as much as I have creating them. Please don’t forget any question, please ask.

Let’s get cooking

Let’s get shucked.

The Mighty Blue (Copy)

I don’t generally associate cheese with seafood. Maybe a parmesan sprinkle on a marinara or risotto. So when I came across blue cheese mussels in La Rochelle, France, how could I resist. So curious as I tried the first one and it was bloody delicious. The blue cheese mussels were a must have for every lunch and dinner we had over the next four days.

A while ago now on a mini mid-week break I had taken some Coffin Bay oysters with us. Day one was natural. A mouthful of one of the jewels of the sea. One of my many weakness, fresh oysters. I don’t think my business partner, Kev and myself making any money on the oysters we sell, as they are at easy reach in our seafood display cabinet. They sit the on a bed of crushed ice, and say “eat me I’m absolutely delish”. Just too tempting to not indulge!

Anyways back to the mini break. So the next day as the BBQ was getting ready to sear the steaks, I saw the remaining oysters in the fridge sitting next to Blue Costello and thought what the hell. Give it a go. I topped each oyster with 1 teaspoon of the blue and sat them on the BBQ. The heat from below and the sun kissing the top the cheese melted. Glass of Riesling poured and we tasted. Oh my, just amazing.

They now feature on the specials menu regularly and always stock blue for the regular customer like myself who have fallen for these culinary delights. It is dead easy, so give it a try. Change the blue depending on your taste. I love the creamy texture of the Blue Costello, wins in my books hands down.

One more tip, buy at least a dozen as a couple will just not be enough.

Recipe

Ingredients

• Blue Costello

• Fresh oysters

Method

Top each oyster with 1 teaspoon or tablespoon of blue cheese and place on some crushed foil on a tray. This prevents them from falling over and the cheese escaping. Place under a grill or on a BBQ, as mentioned above and grill until the cheese has melted. They don’t take long, don’t overcook. Plump, warm and juicy…OH YEAH

Said it was easy 

Swords at dawn

Summertime for every Australian screams BBQ and the great outdoors. Fresh air, family and friends and easy entertaining and if you are anything like my partner, you love things on sticks. BBQ meat on a stick and he’s a happy man. So far in our life though there has been a small problem. Most of skewers are round long metal sticks and when loaded with meat, will just spin. Prawns just keep going right round baby, right round. The weight of the meat, then the caramelisation and charing will create a weight and just keep spinning. Another problem can be the metal skewer is too thin and will not create any heat induction, so raw centers. Never a good start to any BBQ.

This year I decided it was time to get rid of these culinary dilemmas once and for all.

So I went to the BBQ kings of the world. Time to learn form the best. USA, South Africa, South Korea and Aussies of course are just to name a few but when it comes to things on sticks I’m lead straight away to the Middle East. In this part of the word meat on sticks is almost compulsory way of life. From the backyard BBQ to the doner kebab, it’s meat and a sticks all the way. So online I went and new BBQ sticks I brought. The description of sticks is a little under exaggeration though, more like swords. Long thick flat blades to hold the meat in place, generates heat in the middle, it creates the perfect BBQ meat on a sword. Move over little sticks.

So now to my new favourite marinade and this is definitely a case of less is best. It flavours, tenderises and is so easy. It also creates some prep for another dish. Winner, winner.

To start with peel and bend a red onion to a fine slush. Pour into a clean chux and squeeze out all the juice. Place the blended onion into a container for another time. Prepped onion on tap, never will go to waste. To the onion juice add minced garlic and salt and pepper. These amounts will vary, see below recipe to get a rough guide of amounts you need. Can be multiplied or halved, whatever you need at the time. Now the the magic begin. Marinating time is your call. Overnight is fab, if short on time frame, don’t refrigerate. Meat will marinate faster at room temperature. This method is for max of four hours.

Skewer meat and cook. BBQ, grill, open fire whatever works for you at the time and enjoy. I know you will. This marinade also works perfectly on left over roast meats. Just grill or BBQ, swords wont work.The onion juice tenderise, sweetens and tastes just bloody good.

Ingredients, method and quantities

600gm chicken thighs, cut into large chunks

1 large (200g) red onion. This should give you 200ml juice

2 tbsp chopped or pureed garlic

1 ½ tbsp sea salt

1 tsp ground white pepper

Blend (puree) red onion and strain away the juice. Place juice in a plastic bag or container with garlic, salt and pepper. Keep onion pulp for another dish. Place in fridge with the cut meat overnight or for quick marinade leave out for a couple of hours. If not already bring meat to room temperature before cooking. Cook and enjoy. Perfect wrapped in my kebab bread with tabbouleh and tzatziki. Recipes coming soon.

Such a versatile Mother sauce

As a chef, the mother sauces are a go to throughout our career . An essence of so many dishes and ones we must master. Béchamel, veloute, espagnole, hollandaise and tomato are the five mother sauces. As you can see the base of so many dishes, no wonder we have to master and get bloody well right. So quick run down of what these sauces are. Béchamel is a white sauce, think Sunday roast and the cauliflower mornay. Veloute, commonly used for chicken and seafood, is made like béchamel but way lighter as stock is used instead of dairy, think one mean chicken gravy. Espagnole, as fancy as it sounds is a gravy. Yes, made from scratch, don’t think no packet here. Hollandaise is the beautiful buttery sauce you find on eggs Benedict. And last of all tomato, well what can I say. Well it doesn’t come in a bottle, unless your thinking a Italian yearly tradition to harvest there crop and make tomato sauce for the rest of the year. Just love family cooking traditions. The uses for a good tomato sauce are beyond endless. I’ll let you imagination go wild on this one.

So the 5 mother sauces of French Cusine were recorded by Escoffier, the God of chefs if you will, in the early 20th century. Carved in stone as they say, base master sauces not to be messed with.

No packet, no bottle, no jar, just a whole lot of love, squeezed with a twist of knowledge and fished with a sprinkle of passion.

But one, in my option can be made, yes with the exact ingredients required but a couple of my little short cuts. One quickie sauce to knock up. The mother sauce, béchamel.

Classically one makes a roux in one pot, a paste of butter and plain flour and in a separate pot warms the milk with what’s called a studded onion. Peeled onion with a bay leave attached studded by whole cloves. Now this is all very good and not hard but in my opinion to many pots to wash already. So here goes my version, my recipe, well not really, but my method. Nice and easy.

The bases for the béchamel sauce is so easy to remember. Say you want ½ a litre. Then it’s 500 ml milk to 50g butter and equal quantity of plain flour, 50 g. You want two litres, it’s 2 litres milk to 200g butter and yep you guessed it, 200g plain flour. That’s a hell of a lot of béchamel though and very much doubt unless you are opening a restaurant in the back yard you will never need more than 1 litre. For ½ a litre as the photos show, I’ve used 1/2 an onion, making more, use more onion. For the one pot version, a good idea is to pop the onion in the milk way earlier than you plan to make the sauce, let it infuse. So there the ingredients so let’s hit the method.

In a saucepan, yes only one, melt the butter then add the plain flour, cook this out for about 30 seconds on a medium heat. You don’t want the butter to colour in any way, if by chance is dose start again. Now this is what is know as a roux, a base thickening agent. Now adding the milk, removing the studded onion first. It is supposed to be added slowly but I go half, mix till no lumps and then the other half. First timer, maybe go a bit slowly with the milk, just stir and cook till combined then add some more milk. They main keys here though are to so stir like crazy. I use a whisk, a lot of elbow grease and a wooden spoon. The spoon is essential for getting into the corners of the pot, if you don’t it will thicken quicker, catch and burn. Ok, when all the milk is added cook and stir till all the lumps are out, got lumps don’t stress, just strain it. Now bring the sauce to a gentle boil. It should now creamy and glossy. This means all the roux is cooked out and sauce won’t be floury. Season with salt and ground white pepper, just take into account what the sauce is for. So for example spinach and feta crepe filling, you wont need a lot of salt, feta is salty.

And that’s pretty much it, now you have like a blank canvas, let’s play.

So, my go to béchamel uses well of course, cauliflower mornay or any mornay for that matter. One of my all time Spanish tapas dishes, baked egg plant, recipe will be blogged soon, so good. Also, in lasagne, moussaka, macaroni cheese, crepe fillings, white parsley sauce (adding more milk to the original recipe though, not keen on thick sauces) and once again the list goes on.

I do highly recommend mastering all of the mother sauces and let them take you to the classic and beyond journey of culinary delights. Enjoy.

Eggplant and béchamel are amazing friends.

Food for the mind

As a chef and food junkie my knowledge and memory of food surprises me. I read a recipe, get taught something on the job and it sticks, forever. Many moons ago when I did my apprenticeship as a chef, I qualified 6 months early, before everyone else and was a straight A student. However, the rest of my schooling days were very, very different. Dropping out of high school at a very young age was, quite frankly all for the best. My grades were shocking and my theory learning skills certainly not my strong point. I did however go on to receive a qualification at something that has not only carried me through life but has become my passion. Not only have I continued to learn, as I’ve said many times before the knowledge of food never stops giving. I have also passed on my passion and knowledge onto my apprentices over the years and to students in my cooking classes.

Often get a giggle if any of my teachers in school knew I have been holding my own classes.

So anyways, as my life has progressed, so has my need and want for more knowledge. More so than being able to cook a dinner service for 200 plus. Going into management of restaurants, to now owning my own. These years taught me a hell of a lot and the knowledge continues to grow and I absolutely love it. Keeping the mind sharp and on the ball, I believe is what not only keeps us young, but also essential to not growing too old.

I came across a course on line, super brain quest course. How to improve your memory and I decided to sign up and the journey so far has been fricken amazing. Not that I would change my life for anything, it has been and is an amazing ride but some of these skills I’ve been learning, if I’d known back then; Wow, who knows. One of the classes is about super brain foods and as I’ve heard from some of my fellow students that out of the list of 10 superfoods, turmeric and walnuts are two that people don’t like, or don’t know what to do with them. I’m not a huge walnut fan, eating them on their own, but in salads or dipped in dark chocolate, another Super brain food. Not to mention stuffing’s and here we go pesto, they work a treat.

So, my fellow brain quest friends, this one is for you

Turmeric, walnut and lemon pesto

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts

50g peeled fresh turmeric

¼ cup grated Parmesan

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp fresh chopped garlic

1 tsp celery salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

2tbsp fresh Lemon juice, more might be nedded depending on taste

1 tsp Sea salt, more might be needed, depending on taste

2 tbsp fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

1 tsp Greek oregano (optional)

1 tsp sumac (optional)

Method

Place walnuts, turmeric, olive oil, garlic, celery salt and black pepper in a food processor and blend to a paste. Transfer to a bowl and add chopped parsley and stir through. Salt and lemon juice I think are best to add a little, taste and use what’s required for your taste buds. As it is a pesto it needs to pack a fair punch. It will be added to other dishes, generally not just eaten on its own, although I have been known to have a cheeky spoon full. Personally, I like it quite zesty, the lemon really works for me. So season to your own taste. Sumac and Greek oregano are optional, taste good, but won’t make or break the dish. Sumac is a zesty berry, the purple spice you see on dips in a Lebanese restaurant, a fabulous spice. If you don’t know it, buy some, trust me you will become friends. I prefer a Greek or Mexican oregano and if you can find it in a deli still on the branch, bloody fantastic. Once again, trust me.

So, this works so well as a condiment to meats, chicken and seafood. Fantastic as a pasta dish, just add a bit of the pasta water and check the seasoning. Under seasoned pesto pasta, huge pet hate. It also works well as a stuffing seasoning, on a antipasto platter, with cheese. Let the imagination go wild. Last night I had it on rice crackers with sardines, so good and extra brain food. Tasty, healthy and so versatile, go for it and as always if you’re not sure ask me. Always happy to help a fellow foodie.

A Food Junkie’s ‘MKR’ tour of Airlie Beach

What do you do when you have former contestants from Channel 7’s MKR in town?

If you’re the Food Junkie you take them on a tour of the Whitsundays food scene of course!

With so many standout restaurants to choose from it was hard to whittle an itinerary for Carly and Tresne down to just seven spots, so ultimately I picked a cross-section of venues that would showcase our diversity. 

Thanks to Tourism Whitsundays and with my trusty sidekick ‘Dr Rum’ by my side (to ensure we also reviewed the cocktail scene), we set off on a food adventure that would exceed all expectations. 

I hope you enjoy this virtual foodie tour as much as we enjoyed the live one.

I’d invite everyone who reads this blog to visit our Whitsunday restaurants and sample their delights. 

Fat Frog Beach Café - Coral Esplanade, Cannonvale Beach

I chose the Fat Frog Beach Café as the place to start our day because it’s definitely a local hot spot. 

It’s a funky café offering beautiful fresh, alternative breakfasts.

I’m not a huge egg and bacon girl so the menu is perfect, just like the location on Cannonvale Beach. 

It’s a hidden gem and a little bit of the Melbourne and Sydney scene but without the traffic and the city hustle and bustle. 

On the menu…

Our group sampled:

The Green Frog – pea, broadbean and mint fritter, with poached eggs, grilled haloumi, labne, sourdough and a side of spicy Spanish beans.  

Brekkie Panacotta – honey and yoghurt panacotta, seasonal fruit compote, house made granola and toasted almonds. 

The Fat Frog’s signature ‘Rainbow Cake’.

The verdict… 

The panacotta was nice and light and passed the ‘wobble test’ for Instagram videos!

Dr Rum scored it an 11 out of 10 – the level of sweetness for a breakfast – or for any time of day really, was perfect. 

Carly and Tresne were especially impressed with the atmosphere, the friendly staff, the Campos coffee, and the fact there is even a dog menu for your furry friends.

 

---

Sorrento Restaurant & Bar - Abell Point Marina, North Village

When I think of Sorrento I think of the location.

It’s probably one of the restaurants that’s closest to the water in Airlie Beach as well as overlooking Abell Point Marina.

It’s a lovely place to be at the end of a day – the sunsets are just amazing and you can watch the twinkling lights on the water as all the boats come in.  

With all the foot traffic on the bicentennial boardwalk it’s also a great place for people watching and it’s quite social. 

Sorrento is kid-friendly through to grandma-friendly (which is important in a holiday destination) and the menu is just as diverse. 

On the menu…

Our group sampled:

Blue Island Ice Tea cocktails – a twist on your traditional iced tea, with vodka, tequila, cointreau and bacardi, matched with lemon juice and lemonade and topped off with blue curacao. 

Mixed dozen freshly shucked pacific oysters – a combination of natural, mignonette, brie and garlic butter, pancetta Kilpatrick, Bloody Mary and Italian herbs and parmesan. 

Chilli and garlic prawn pizza – garlic and pesto base, prawns, salami, parmesan cheese, chilli and cherry tomatoes, topped with rocket leaves, herb olive oil and aioli.

Pollo pizza – house made barbeque sauce, chicken tenderloins, bacon, wild mushrooms, onion and spinach. 

The verdict… 

Mediterranean cuisine is one of my favourites so I loved the food.

The cocktail was a big hit with Carly and of course Dr Rum!

Carly and Tresne loved the boats in the background, and the pizzas made a lasting impression – in fact Carly said it was the best pizza she’d ever eaten by far. 

Sorrento pizza bases are hard to beat, because like the pasta they’re freshly made in-house.  

 

---

Anchor Bar  - Golden Orchid Drive, Airlie Beach 

Anchor Bar has always been a favourite haunt of mine. 

There are so many restaurants with amazing views in Airlie Beach, but being high on the hill this one’s got that ‘top-of-the-world’ feel. 

Because it also has a pool it’s a great place for the sun bunnies.

You can come for lunch and a swim – and on Sundays there’s live music too. 

Josh and Leah who run the Anchor Bar are very much part of the community so the place has that friendly, fun vibe.

The style of food is quite contemporary, with lots of grazing plates and share platters, and as Dr Rum tells me quite often, “they’ve got a pretty decent rum collection”. 

On the menu…

Our group sampled:

Not Your Grandma’s Rose, Woman Go Mango and Passionfruit Caprioska cocktails. 

Anchor Bar tasting platter consisting of: smoky BBQ ribs; chicken wings served in house-made Anchor Bar hot sauce; salt and pepper calamari; steamed New Zealand green-lipped mussels in creamy garlic and white wine sauce; three cheese and mushroom arancini; sweet potato chips and a side salad. 

The verdict… 

As a chef and ‘food junkie’ I love the cultural aspect of food, where there’s plates spread out on the table for everyone to dig in. 

Carly and Tresne really got that experience at Anchor Bar. 

They loved the shared nature of the food and the “Sunday Session” atmosphere. 

The variety of food was a big plus too – not to mention the view.

 

---

Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill – Freedom Shores Resort

Although it’s a little distance from town what I’m drawn to about Northerlies is the view back to Airlie Beach. 

It’s also the attention to detail that’s appealing.

The nautical-themed building is fantastic, the grounds are immaculate and the place literally spills onto the beach. 

There’s nothing quite like sitting with a drink in your hand and your feet in the sand and there’s nowhere else in Airlie Beach where you can do that. 

With the sports on the lawn Northerlies is very family friendly; the adults can sit back and relax while the kids wear themselves out – but it’s also a notch up in terms of décor and design. 

Northerlies is a true destination restaurant and another tick in the box for diversity on the Whitsunday food scene. 

The food is a Whitsunday twist on a seafood and steak house and it’s always good quality produce. 

On the menu…

Our group sampled: 

Strawberry daiquiri’s  

Northerlies chilled seafood platter including Whitsunday wild prawns, fresh oysters, bugs, salmon sashimi, condiments and Alaskan king crab legs. 

The verdict… 

Our celebrity guests were pretty impressed with the food, the presentation and the location. 

Carly said if she lived in the Whitsundays she’d hang out at Northerlies every day.

The seafood platter definitely had the ‘wow factor’ and it was enhanced by the tropical beach-side setting. 

 

---

Hemingway’s  - Abell Point Marina, South Village

Being one of our Whitsunday mainland’s two ‘Chef Hat’ restaurants, Hemingway’s shines in terms of quality and presentation.

To me this is a place where the chef is more than the star of the show and the artistry in the food is amazing. 

It’s also the sort of place that makes me feel like I’m on holiday even though I live here.  

When you sit there looking over the marina (and at the odd superyacht) you could be anywhere in the world, but best of all it’s in our backyard.  

On the menu…

Our group sampled: 

Elderflower cocktail – London dry gin, strawberry, elderflower liquor, rosemary, tonic

Jalapeno Margarita – Don Julio Reposada Tequila, Cointreau, Agave, grapefruit, jalapeno, lime, tajin

Lychee Martini – Absolut Vanilla, Paraiso, lychee, apple, lemon

Smoky Rum – Dark Rum, Angostura Bitters, burnt orange, Agave

Ocean trout, cured in Sake with raspberries, mandarin, Yuzu, and a honeydew consommé.  

Chargrilled lamb backstrap pressed in a house-made coffee dukkah, with four textures of beetroot, goats cheese espuma, caramelised grapes and dehydrated ants from Perth.  

Aphrodisiac desert – a deconstructed ginger parfait cheesecake with rhubarb gel swirl, rhubarb and ginger compote, amaretti biscuit crumble and house made lychee sorbet.  

The verdict… 

Wow! 

I think I’ve got to quote Tresne when she said the food presentation and balance of flavours were fantastic. 

If we eat with our eyes this was a feast for the senses. 

Even the drinks were perfect – Dr Rum couldn’t have been happier with his genuinely smoking rum cocktail – another 11 out of 10. 

 

---

Walter’s Lounge – Port of Airlie

I was really looking forward to taking Carly and Tresne to Walter’s Lounge. 

I think the whole Port of Airlie complex is fantastic.

It’s a relatively new addition to the town and the food at Walter’s is exquisite. 

This is a place that is definitely putting Airlie Beach on the food map as the second of our two Australian Good Food Guide Chef Hat restaurants. 

It’s a place to come and spoil yourself for that lovely meal out – which not enough people do. 

On the menu…

Our group sampled: 

‘Calamari’: bonito, curry, Yuzu, cucumber, nori rice, radish, fish skin.

Eggplant: mozzarella whip, smoked eggplant pureé, fresh basil, spiced cashews,  hummus foam. 

Pork Jowl: master stock, pomegranate glaze, coconut, toasted caraway macadamias, fresh pineapple. 

Cookies & Cream: ice-cream, house made oreo, salted caramel, cookie dough, raspberries, vanilla bavarois. 

‘Apple crumble’: stewed apricots, cinnamon foam, almond meal crumble, almond meal panacotta, almond chutney. 

‘Beverley’: (named after chef Rob’s grandmother) - deconstructed pavlova. 

The verdict… 

There’s a lot of passion in this kitchen and it shows. 

Carly and Tresne absolutely loved Walter’s and were impressed by the fact there are stories behind each dish.

We all agreed this was another real destination restaurant, destined to attract foodie fans from all over the world. 

 

---

Fish D’vine & The Rum Bar, Airlie Beach

For what started off as two chefs and one boozo, Fish D’vine and The Rum Bar have become an institution in Airlie Beach.  

People say, “why seafood and rum?” and I say, “look what’s in the area”. 

We’ve got these amazing waterways filled with seafood and our valleys are carpeted with sugarcane. 

We’re all about local produce – the majority of our seafood is sourced within a 200km radius.

And as Dr Rum says, to have a world-recognised bar in Airlie Beach really helps make this a beverage destination too. 

A visit to Fish D’Vine and The Rum Bar is one of the things you might like to tick off the list while you’re here – and you can add rum tasting and cooking classes to that. 

On the menu…

Our group sampled: 

Mai Tai’s (Trader Vic’s original best!) – fresh lime juice, Jamaican rum, orgeat, orange curacao. 

Blueberry Mojitos – the classic we hijacked and called our own – Angostura Reserva rum, fresh limes, mint, sugar, soda and blueberries. 

Squeaky in a Tiki – Rum Bar’s own Tiki punch on Caribbean rum, served in a Tiki, with fireworks! 

Thai chilli mud crab - wok tossed in our famous Thai curry sauce. 

Tempura battered local tiger prawns with Asian slaw and drizzled with soy and orange ponzu sauce.

Crispy skinned coral trout drizzled with sweet soy, ginger and chilli sauce, accompanied with Asian greens. 

Surf and turf of chargrilled 320g thick cut Angus sirloin, served with chargrilled tiger prawns, a brandy and garlic cream sauce, garlic and thyme roasted potatoes and grilled zucchini. 

Singapore black pepper crab, wok tossed in a spicy black pepper and butter sauce.

Seafood Indulgence platter of: smoked salmon, local bugs, prawns, Coffin Bay oysters, calamari, local battered fish, mud crab, spanner crab and grilled scallops. 

The verdict… 

Since it’s my restaurant I’ll hand over to Carly and Tresne for this one: 

“The seafood here is absolutely delicious and Bec’s wealth of knowledge really makes a difference to the end result. I love the fact they use and source local seafood and they know exactly how to cook it to get the most out of the flavours.” – Tresne Middleton

 “The Rum Bar is not for the feint hearted! But Dr Rum has so many tips about rum and its history we learned a lot and I wasn’t expecting that. I didn’t think I was a rum drinker but the cocktails were delicious. I think anyone who comes to Airlie Beach has to come to the Rum Bar. “ – Carly Saunders 

 

---

That’s a wrap!

It was a pleasure to show Carly and Tresne the food highlights of the place Dr Rum and I are lucky enough to call home, and I’d like to thank Tourism Whitsundays for the opportunity to do that. 

As another restaurateur I also feel quite honoured that all of these restaurant owners have allowed me to go to their venues and talk about their food. 

This was never about one restaurant being better than another. 

You need diversity and you need everyone working together to put us on the map. 

My dream is to see the Whitsundays featured regularly in publications like Gourmet Traveller and Delicious, and just generally up in lights in food media. 

We’ve all got such great individual characters and passions, and for me to see us unite for that goal would be an amazing next step. 

For the people who come here to sample our food, we’re a slice of paradise and we’ve got a lot of restaurants that showcase that in different forms. 

Here in the Whitsundays everybody’s desires are catered for in one way or another. 

So what are you waiting for?

Book that table now, and tell them the Food Junkie sent you!

Three cheese sweet chilli cherry tomato jammy dodgers.

Every now and then a chef accidentally creates a new dish. Maybe it's a revamp on an old classic or just their interpretation of another dish tried. Sometimes and often in my case its a fix up of either something I'm not happy with, an apprentice's misjudgment or the ingredients had way more punch than I imagined.

Theses cookies are a prime example of the later. I had just made a batch of classic jammy dodgers for my English partner, after many requests. Then the sweet chilli cherry tomato jam I made for market to table cooking class was just too sweet. It was a tomato jam to serve with BBQ tiger prawns. The local Bowen tomatoes, in season and at their prime, so juicy, sweet and full of flavour, hence, the amount of sugar I added was way to much.

The problem of such amazing local fresh produce. 

Well, some things are meant to be,  these cookies are an absolute winner.  Fantastic with a glass of wine, as a side crouton to a salad, breakfast on the run or served instead of bread with your next soup bowl. If you don’t have the sweet chilli cherry tomato jam recipe, ask me, I will share or just come to the next market to table Masterclass. If you want to make them asap you could use a store brought savoury jam or chutney.   

Get baking, a true cookie delight.

Sweet chilli cherry tomato jammy dodgers.

Ingredients

2 cups sifted self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup grated tasty cheese

1 block Danish feta, 200g

½ cup butter, 125g

2 eggs

1tbsp. chopped chives

½ tbsp. chopped thyme

½ tbsp. chopped rosemary

1 portion of cherry tomato chilli jam (recipe form masterclass, from market to table)

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C

In a large mixing bowl with beater attachment (or can be mixed by hand) place melted butter and eggs. Beat together. Add the flour, baking powder,herbs, Parmesan and tasty cheese. Mix well to combine.

Roll into desired size balls, think of jam drops. Approximately tablespoon per ball. Place on grease proof lined tray and make dint with your thumb. Place cherry tomato and chilli jam in the centre, a good teaspoon full, in each cookie hole, then top with about ½ teaspoon of danish feta. You will have some feta left over. Chef treats they call this.

Bake for around 15-20 min until golden and a light brown base. Time will vary depending on your oven. Enjoy.

Notes

Use can mix up the cheese if you fancy, but just stick with similar styles and firmness. For example you could swap the Danish feta for Camembert or tasty for Gouda. Herbs can be played around with too. Think caramelized onion, chopped very finely, sauteed till transparent, dried on paper towel add add to mix. Flour may need to be adjusted for this.If a bit wet add more flour.  Even some dried herbs will work too. Dried oregano, especially Greek or Spanish has way more flavour then fresh. Make a base batch, divide in 3 and play around with different flavours. Not sure, ask me.

Mmmmm cookies!

Sorry no photos of the finished product, yes, they all got eaten.

I wouldn’t call it beaten just whipped up a little.

Hitting the road traveling must be my favourite way to explore, hunt and gather. To have the opportunity to take to the road with your house attached, complete with kitchen, is total freedom.

Farmers markets, artisan shops and delis, it is the oyster of foodie travel.

So, to the highways we hit.  To new experiences we go, who knows where the road will take us and what culinarily delights we shall find. There may be one slight glitch though? Just saying the word BBQ, let alone camping, with my half Dutch/ English man can generally result in rain and yes this has been the outcome. For the Australian terrain this is absolutely fantastic, if not so much for us! To see the grass turning greener and growing by the second, the creeks and rivers flowing, the wildlife and farm animals revelling in the crystal, nourishing drops from the sky and the sheer smell of rain, enlightening the rain forest experiences. For all of this we are truly grateful

The problem being is, we all know too well, rain and camping aren’t the best of friends. We do now know that the camper trailer is completely waterproof and extremely comfortable. We have also   been lucky enough to find some extraordinary restaurants and cafes allowing us, at times, to escape the rain. All in all, an amazing road trip BUT, couples, camping and rain can eventually lead to tension and we couldn’t let that happen. After a long discussion, a wise a decision was made to find some self-catering accommodation for a few nights. With heavy rain on the forecast, best decision any couple could make really. We certainly weren’t being beaten, like a thick batter, more whipped up light like a meringue.

Well what a light whipped up around the edges, silky, pristine meringue delight we found.

For a chef and fellow foodie traveller, a place to call home couldn’t be more suited. Perched in the Byron Bay hinterland is an old school, Old Possum Creek school to be exact. Closed in 1963 and some years later turned into a café. Now is has been renovated into the most gorgeous couple’s retreat with the café commercial kitchen still attached. Pure Food Junkie pleasure.  Beautifully decorated, attention to detail and a superb setting. All this with a commercial kitchen for our own pleasure. The delight of the old mixers, sour dough bread baskets and baking trays, the old pasta machine, are all to me beautiful pieces of art. It all adds to the beauty of this amazing property. A commercial kitchen, a place where I have spent more of my living hours than anywhere else, it feels so homely.

Back on the road and hopefully a clearing in the skies. The memories, foodie delights and feelings of this place will stay with me forever. Especially the cheeky guilty feelings of kitchen escapades with hair not tied back and slippers on.

   A commercial kitchen, true “Home sweet home”.