Author Archives: ben

Easter/Autumn Menu

Posted on April 7, 2013 by ben

Autumn. There’s a chill in the air. One might imagine animals brought into the barnyard, the hot breath of Robins (Erithacus rubecula) in the crisp morning, hedgerow fruits, composting oak and birch leaves, undergrowth, game, red Burgundy… But Easter is … Continue reading →

Posted in Asparagus, Beans, Beef, Cheese, Chocolate, Dessert, Fruit, Menu, Radish, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Coffee: Finca La Fany

Posted on February 21, 2013 by ben

Finca La Fany, from the Silva family in El Salvador, are beans with a near cult following – and much loved by home/amateur roasters internationally. The beans are 100% Red Bourbon, and washed and honey processed (i.e., some sugary mucilage … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Australia Day Menu

Posted on February 4, 2013 by ben

Australia Day means lamb, not so much because Sam Kekovich tells (Anglo?) Aussies it does. More because, of all the readily available meats available in Australia, lamb is possibly the best. But before the lamb, a seafood starter. Every time … Continue reading →

Posted in Beans, Cheese, Dessert, Eggplant, Fennel, Fruit, Lamb, Menu, Mussel, Sorbet, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Christmas Menu 2012

Posted on January 23, 2013 by ben

White truffle custard, mushroom ragu From the first time I made Thomas Keller’s white truffle custards I served them with a mushroom “ragu” rather than Keller’s black truffle “ragu” of veal stock base. I feel mushroom and truffle is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Beans, Cheese, Dessert, Duck, Egg, Eggplant, Fruit, Lamb, Lobster, Lobster, Menu, Mushroom, Mussel, Rhubarb, Salad, Shellfish, Strawberry, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Coffee: Sumatran and Guatemalan

Posted on November 4, 2012 by ben

Guatemala Finca Santa Clara – a fully washed, air dried Bourbon Sumatran Mandheling Blue Batak – dry processed Sumatra (I believe) Both received a reasonably gentle roasting that coasted some way into second crack (by perhaps 30 to 60 seconds) … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lavender icecream

Posted on November 4, 2012 by ben

Is the hiatus over? Hopefully. I remain proud of my “creation” of lavender icecream (actually, in the early days, I was experimenting with vanilla and lavender). I say creation because I’ve never heard of anyone ever making – though I … Continue reading →

Posted in Icecream, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Strawberries and cream

Posted on June 2, 2012 by ben

I’ve always preferred the flavour of fresh strawberry to cooked strawberry, but these strawberries tossed in butter, sugar and cracked black pepper, before being roasted to soft, were a delight. A particularly good use of firmer winter (Queensland) strawberries. Some … Continue reading →

Posted in Dessert, Strawberry, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Beetroot and goat cheese salad

Posted on June 2, 2012 by ben

Inter-layered soft ashed goat cheese and wafer-thin lemon-acid-accented fresh beetroot, thyme, walnuts. Old delicious themes never die.

Posted in Beetroot, Cheese, Salad, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Szechuan and Sauternes

Posted on May 26, 2012 by ben

GrapeRadio have some interesting videos on YouTube, including some pretty nice cinematography in the The Scent of Black, a short film about Cahors. I found the video on Château Suduiraut (Part II) discussing the pairing of Sauternes with Szechuan cuisine … Continue reading →

Posted in Chinese, Dessert, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

May Dishes

Posted on May 21, 2012 by ben

Rainbow trout: baked en papillote with a little white wine, a treatment most suitable to trout IMO. Roast garlic cream: fish stock, roast garlic, cream. A simple but delicious combination, and paired well with the Tapanappa Tiers Chardonnay 2005. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Beef, Fish, Parsnip, Radish, Spinach, Uncategorized | Leave a comment