Zhajiang Mian (AKA Chinese Spag Bol)

This is one of the dishes I HAVE to order whenever Mr Black and I go for dumplings in Ashfield. The noodles are chewy, the pork mince fragrant and rich, and the cucumber – even though I usually detest it – offers the perfect coolness and crunch in contrast. It’s also dead simple to make at home, bonus!

My fried rice

Rice has always been my favourite staple. As an accompaniment to soak up delicious sauces or even just on its own, plain steamed rice is my comfort food.

So you may find it odd that growing up I never had fried rice; we just didn’t cook it in our house. As an adult however, I have found that making fried rice is the best way to use up leftovers, especially when you have nothing but the basics: eggs, onion, ginger, garlic, sauces, etc.

Four Years of Scoffing & Quaffing

Just over four years ago, during dinner at Hikaru with a lovely friend, I entertained the idea of starting a food blog – just to share my favourite restaurants and recipes with family and friends. And once said lovely friend came up with the name Scoff & Quaff, I though it was too good a title to waste!

Riesling Olympics at Fix St James

I post far more often about scoffing than quaffing, for three main reasons:

1. I can’t make wine.

Two Peas Café and Restaurant, Glebe

Two Peas is a delightful new eatery in Glebe/Forest Lodge, with food by chefs Nick Johnson and Tom Stoneham, and a lovely man named Pete at front of house. They are committed to the ethical, organic, local and seasonal is produce and in products, from biodegradable coffee cup lids to sustainable line-caught fish (hurrah!).

Pork belly & ribs stewed in orange, soy and spices

This is my mum’s best classic, comforting winter dinner dish and a firm family favourite. It fills the house with an incredibly enticing, warming fragrance from the star anise, cinnamon and orange, and reminds me of the happiest moments of my childhood. The pork is stewed until incredibly tender, so that the fat just melts in the mouth and the meat is worthy of ‘pulling’ pork status. The ribs are a treat for those who aren’t into pork fat (i.e. crazy people, and my sister).

Baby strawberry, vanilla & maple syrup teacakes

I love reading all the amazing posts from the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop, but never planned to join in, being such a lame dessert maker. However my brother Marc gave me a massive tub of the most delicious, sweet little strawberries today, so I though I’d join in this month’s Berry Nice To Meet You blog hop.

Mamak, Chinatown

Cheap, delicious and BYO, Mamak is my kind of place. It is deservedly popular, and arriving at 6.30pm on a Friday means an hour-long wait. Not always practical but worth it when you need a good Malaysian roti fix!

Spaghetti Pollanaise – a recipe inspired by Michael Pollan

Recently, we saw Michael Pollan talk at the Opera House. He was awesome.

The things he spoke of were not new to me. Ideas about eating locally grown produce; not eating too many refined “white” foods; avoiding foods so artificial that our grandmothers wouldn’t recognise them as food… But there was one line which stuck with me above all others:

Strawberry Fields Cafe and Patisserie, Dulwich Hill

While the lovely and talented Janice at Coffee 1st makes my ultimate favourite best ever coffee, and I love the gluten-free brownies she sells, I have a new favourite local for sweet indulgences… Strawberry Fields Patisserie.