>>> Today I have visited the Queen Victoria Market and marveled at the fantastic choices of food. AND I can't believe I don't come here more often! It's just two tram rides or a shirt drive in my car.. (note to self: get here at least once a month from now on!)
>>
>> The one thing I am enjoying whilst on my sabbatical is having time.. Time to cook and time to walk through places like the Victoria Market without rushing around.
>>
>> With my focus on cooking this month of course buying the best ingredients after spending a few hours each week selecting recipes from my cook books. My two current favorites were introduced to me by my wonderful US friend Rick who is also a great foodie and loves to cook.
>> The books are Stir by Barbara Lynch. A wonderful journey through Italian dishes, but not your traditional ones, they are better! The second book is Mexico One Plate at a Time by Rick Bayless. Rick is well known in the US through his TV cooking shows, and his restaurants and cook books all focused in authentic Mexican food.
>>
>> My visit to the market was to buy veal shanks to make Veal ragu with parpadelle pasta. This is from STIR. The shanks are slow cooked for many hours to produce a beautiful tender meat that just falls off the bone! I have not cooked veal shanks before and didn't realize how hard they were to find, hence my reason to come to the market. Having now purchased 6 veal shanks and walking around the market I feel like I am carrying half a baby cow!
>>
>> My other purchase is pork trotters, shoulder, and shanks to make Pozole a slow cooked pork stew with hominy (dried corn kernels) from Mexico One plate at a time. This is a dish my friend Rick cooked for me in Singapore a few years ago and it was delicious.
>>
>> After the market adventure it was time for coffee and lunch. I have now found a new coffee spot near the market. Seven Seeds, in Berkeley St Carlton. A warehouse conversion in an area with no other cafes around, and near the university precinct. It's got a three bean rating and at 11am on a Thursday it is absolutely packed and buzzing. For me it is a nice level of noise, I can still hear myself think. It is well hidden as I walked right past the back entrance before using my GPS to track it down. Great coffee, table service and I will be ordering something yummy for lunch.
>>
>> Before I sign off, an update in case you are wondering.
>> I have had second interviews on the job with Orica...it feels right. I am seriously thinking it will be a great role for me. So stay tuned.
>>
>> I have also booked another bike riding adventure with my wonderful friend Carole to Thailand and Laos in June for 13 days. Laos is a place we have both been wanting to visit, and comes highly recommended by Aaron my Son who has been twice! We are doing a bike tour with Grasshopper Adventures, yes are a real company. So when am not cooking, or exercising! I put my travel planner hat on and get on the internet. It's so easy these days to find flights, accommodation and all the info on Laos that we need.
>>
>> The question for you today then.
>> Where is your favorite place to shop for great food? And how often do you go to a great fresh market?
>>
>> Narelle
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Master Class
Today I needed a quick coffee fix before going to the hairdresser.I am in the city again so tried Truffula Seed.The Dr Seuss book The Lorax, about a creature who tries to save the last Truffula Tree, is the inspiration for this little espresso bar in the landmark Shell House in Spring Street. I lined up with all the office workers to get my liquid of addiction. This place was rated 2 out of 3 beans for the coffee and it was definately deserved. Possibly one of the best coffees I've had so far.
If you remember from a previous blog of mine, May is cooking month.
So far i' ve cooked a three course menu for my family inspired by chestnuts from the Victorian Alpine region. Enjoyed by the adults, with my 2 YO and 6 YO nieces enjoying the Almond, chestnut and chocolate cake.
Last night I attended my first cooking class which was a gift from my wonderful son Aaron. A Master Class at the LG Kitchen in the South Melbourne Market with Matt Sinclair the head chef at O'Connells Hotel in South Melbourne. An institution in the gastronomic pub scene.
It was a first for Matt and a first for me..
A very informative, fun and delicious night tasting the three dishes that he made for us. A very intimate group of 9 around a purpose built kitchen with great wine as well.
With so much focus on cooking here in Australia and even around the world with the reality TV shows of Master Chef and Top Chef (USA show) and Melbourne being the capital of the world for choices of restaurants and crusine, it's hard not to be inspired to learn how to make great food at home.
Last night our dishes were a very easy French snack, goujere (choux pastry with cheese), bouillabaisse (seafood soup) and valrohna chocolate. Of course the best part was eating the dishes whilst learning the techniques and tips from Matt. I have learnt how to make a chocolate souffle that will rise every time, without fail! I highly recommend the Master Class sessions at the LG kitchen, or any of the other classes there, the set is perfect for hands on or just watching the chef demonstrate.
Some tips shared by Matt were: always frying using grape seed oil due to it's higher tolerance to high temperatures compared to olive oil. Pan frying fish, only cook on skin side down, then melt some butter into the pan and spoon the butter over the fish to finish off the other side. Melt chocolate in a stainless steel bowl slowly over hot tap water in a pan over a very low heat don't use a high heat or boiling water. It will ruin the chocolate.
This weekend I am making home made pasta with chestnut flour, a burnt butter and sage sauce. Followed by, yep you guessed it chocolate souffle! Now to find valrohna chocolate.
What's your favorite dessert to cook and or eat?
Narelle
Master Class
Today I needed a quick coffee fix before going to the hairdresser.
I am in the city again so tried Truffula Seed.
The Dr Seuss book The Lorax, about a creature who tries to save the last Truffula Tree, is the inspiration for this little espresso bar in the landmark Shell House in Spring Street. I lined up with all the office workers to get my liquid of addiction. This place was rated 2 out of 3 beans for the coffee and it was definately deserved. Possibly one of the best coffees I've had so far.
If you remember from a previous blog of mine, May is cooking month.
So far i' ve cooked a three course menu for my family inspired by chestnuts from the Victorian Alpine region. Enjoyed by the adults, with my 2 YO and 6 YO nieces enjoying the Almond, chestnut and chocolate cake.
Last night I attended my first cooking class which was a gift from my wonderful son Aaron. A Master Class at the LG Kitchen in the South Melbourne Market with Matt Sinclair the head chef at O'Connells Hotel in South Melbourne. An institution in the gastronomic pub scene.
It was a first for Matt and a first for me..
A very informative, fun and delicious night tasting the three dishes that he made for us. A very intimate group of 9 around a purpose built kitchen with great wine as well.
With so much focus on cooking here in Australia and even around the world with the reality TV shows of Master Chef and Top Chef (USA show) and Melbourne being the capital of the world for choices of restaurants and crusine, it's hard not to be inspired to learn how to make great food at home.
Last night our dishes were a very easy French snack, goujere (choux pastry with cheese), bouillabaisse (seafood soup) and valrohna chocolate. Of course the best part was eating the dishes whilst learning the techniques and tips from Matt. I have learnt how to make a chocolate souffle that will rise every time, without fail! I highly recommend the Master Class sessions at the LG kitchen, or any of the other classes there, the set is perfect for hands on or just watching the chef demonstrate.
Some tips shared by Matt were: always frying using grape seed oil due to it's higher tolerance to high temperatures compared to olive oil. Pan frying fish, only cook on skin side down, then melt some butter into the pan and spoon the butter over the fish to finish off the other side. Melt chocolate in a stainless steel bowl slowly over hot tap water in a pan over a very low heat don't use a high heat or boiling water. It will ruin the chocolate.
This weekend I am making home made pasta with chestnut flour, a burnt butter and sage sauce. Followed by, yep you guessed it chocolate souffle! Now to find valrohna chocolate.
What's your favorite dessert to cook and or eat?
Narelle
Friday, May 6, 2011
Accomplishments
Time for coffee and lunch at the closest place in my iPhone app, The Postal Hall in Russell St.
A small open funky place in the old postal sorting hall.
Great table service from a very happy helpful waiter who delivers my coffee in 5 mins and a freshly made bagel with smoked salmon, dill and Brie. Of course the place is full of "suits". Quite suitable for my blog today.
It's hard to believe how fast the first 2 months of my sabbatical have gone. It's been the best thing I have ever done for myself. I am so much more grounded, calm and satisfied with my life. I have had fun, lots of R&R, done new things and crossed off a few things on my must do and love to do lists.
Looking back over the last 11 years, I feel like I have achieved so much in my career, I have worked incredibly hard, learnt heeps, have some very special family and friends in my life, I have also had some amazing experiences living in Asia.
I am now starting to think about what is next. What am I passionate about. What do I love doing at work, and what are the things I don't enjoy doing. What do I want to learn next and where do I want to be in 5 and 10 years time.
I have an interview next week for a GM of HR role for an ASX top 50 company. I am still committed to having the full three months off. Frankly I am not sure if I am ready yet but I am keen on this company and the role, so who knows. Good experience to go through the process.
Going through the whole interview process of course I have to think deeply about what I have achieved in my HR career to prepare for the interviews. It's an interesting exercise to go through. What are the major projects that I have led that have had a strategic impact on the organization, how have I been innovative, what's my impact on executives, how have I created change and how well do I get things done through others.
Working for one company for 11 years meant for me I typically only thought about some of these accomplishments as apart of the annual performance review, and they were often known by my manager so did not require a concise explanation.
How do I build a concise summary of my accomplishments over the last 11 years?and then give some as examples of my vale and impact.
It has been fun to list them out and cull it down to the most impactful.
How often have you sat back and reviewed your career accomplishments back 10 years or more? Or have you done just the annual review like me?
Narelle
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