CHEESE, ROSEMARY & POPPY SEED BISCUITS

As featured in Ciao! Magazine April 15, 2016

Rosemary has a special significance for Australians. We know it as a symbol of remembrance – its use has even been shown to boost memory – and it also grows wild on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

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!

Chocolate!

Hello lovely people,

I am very excited to be experimenting with some new chocolate recipes soon, and would love your feedback as to which you’d most like to see me make. The poll below will be open for the whole of June and the most popular recipes will be blogged during July. 

The Stinking Bishops, Enmore

The Stinking Bishops is a newly opened cheesemonger-slash-cheese-and-wine-bar with all the delicious things which I desperately needed after nine long months of pregnancy: cheese, wine, cured meats, and coffee.

Did I mention cheese?

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.

Rich chocolate slice

This is one of the simplest sweets I’ve ever made and would be great to try making with kids. I used whatever I had in the cupboard, which happened to be dates and shortbread, but you could easily make this with other biscuits, dried fruit and/or nuts. Imagine cherries, almonds and coconut; crystallised ginger and gingernuts; or figs, biscotti and pistachios. Lush!

Dutch spice biscuits: Speculaas (Speculoos)

The fragrance of these delicate, buttery biscuits is irresistible. Warm and comforting, they make a perfect Christmas gift or a nice little treat for yourself.

How to make perfect stir-fried chicken & my favourite Honey Chicken recipe

Over the years, many friends have commented that my chicken stir-fries are always juicy, flavoursome and never dry. Just like my mum’s! Growing up we had stir-fried something at least every second night and I consider my mum to be a super wok-cooker.

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!

Efendy, Meze Bar and Taste of Sydney with Somer Sivrioglu

Recently I managed to win a free ticket to Taste of Sydney thanks to Efendy chef and owner, Somer Sivrioglu. At last year’s event, Efendy took out the inaugural Best in Taste award for their Ali Nazik, a traditionally-made kebab with veal backstrap, leg of lamb and lamb tail fat.