Rococo Reopens!

My apologies for taking so long to write a new post I've recently been struck down with the plague and haven't been able to go out - and frankly tea and toast don't make for particularly thrilling blog posts.

BUT before I got sick I did happen to visit one of my usual spots down on Ackland St. which has recently re-opened after 3 weeks of renovation. Let me tell you, those were three very difficult weeks of cravings and counting down the days until our reunion!

And what a sweet reunion it was! Rococo is a local favourite of mine and I pretty much spent most of my summer there last year.

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera on me, and my phone was dying so this is the only shot I could get.

They have a beautiful new section with a more sophisticated vibe, a wine bar and some very chic furniture. The redesign really elevates the atmosphere, the food is still fantastic and the prices are still the same - it won't break the bank and you're getting good value for money.

I'll have to do a part two to this post and show you the best arancini in Melbourne, the mozzarella garlic bread, the ricotta gnocchi etc. (just a few of my favourites!)

Stay tuned....

Cupcake Day

This morning we had an exciting delivery from a family friend who's participating in this years Cupcake Day for the RSPCA. A great foodie initiative that people are getting involved in all across Australia. What a great way to enjoy something sweet and give back to an organisation that does so much for animals in need.

Take a look...

A very delicious lemon curd cupcake.

http://www.rspcacupcakeday.com.au/

As a loyal tea drinker, here is a pic of my English Breakfast tea

and my beautiful cupcake! Also in case you were wondering

my beautiful mug and saucer are made by Maxwell Williams.

http://www.maxwellandwilliams.com/mw/maxwell-williams-mugs-cup-saucers-cup-saucers-gift-boxed-kimono-breakfast-cup-pk0423.asp

I also bought the vanilla and chocolate flavours, one was better than the other.

Hope you enjoyed something sweet today,

Me.

Just a simple night in...

Sometimes theres nothing better than a night in after a long day at work and what better way to spend it with a beautiful glass of wine and a woodfired pizza.

I'm lucky to have one of Melbourne's best gourmet pizza places in my neighbourhood. An intimate spot with only a couple of tables, this is my takeaway place of choice. An authentic Italian experience from start to finish, you will savour every single bite.

Here's what I decided to order...

Garlic Prawn Pizza - A crispy thin base, about 20 beautifully curled

prawns coated in a lemon and parsley marinade and of course some

melted mozzarella because what would a pizza be without it...

Da Massimo Pizza received a write up recently in Epicure here's the link - http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/restaurants-and-bars/da-massimo-20110806-1ig39.html

You can't enjoy a delicious seafood pizza without a glorious white wine. Gehrig is the oldest winery in Victoria and I've visited their vineyard in Rutherglen, it was simply beautiful. I thoroughly enjoy their Autumn Riesling every time I drink it.

The label - This wine is smooth, easy to drink and sweet in all the right places.

The perfect combination...

All of this coupled with a good chick flick and I was set for a fabulous night in.

Hope you had something delicious this weekend,

Me.

Chocolate is a Girl's Best Friend

Here's another 'get to know me' foodie fact: I loooooooooove chocolate ice-cream. My love of the stuff runs so deep that not even the winter chill can stop the cravings. I went to visit Fritz Gelato (in Prahran Market) after work today and picked up some 'Chocolate Indulgence' in a cone for me and some Raspberry and Yoghurt gelato for my freezer (and well...me... but later).

I got a some quizzical looks on the street and a few kids staring longingly at my cone and I thought to myself, I know its cold but this gelato is too good to wait until summer for!

Creamy 'Chocolate Indulgence' gelato on a crunchy

wafer cone....

I hope you had something delicious today,

Me.

Lunch

Here's a quick pic of my lunch today. I've really become fond of Pearson and Murphy's not just because of the 10% student discount but because they actually serve some pretty delicious food. This mixed veggie soup was both heart warming and flavoursome. Accompanied by some crunchy sourdough bread this was the perfect lunch on a grey and rainy Melbourne day.

Something you need to know about me from the get go is I don't drink coffee. I drink a lot of tea but this cafe makes a particularly delicious hot chocolate so when I'm at Uni it's my drink of choice. Today the barista accidentally sprinkled powdered cinnamon on my hot chocolate and it was absolutely delicious! Might even change my regular order now....

Be sure to eat something delicious today,

Me.

Cooking

Occasionally I dabble in the magical art of cooking. Here's an example...

Strawberries with natural yoghurt and walnuts drizzled with maple syrup.

And yes it tasted just as good as it looks!

Hope you're having something delicious today,

Me.

Tastes of Overseas

So I recently spent a couple of weeks overseas and I wanted to share some delicious findings with you....

Cinnamon - Istanbul

These cinnamon sticks delicately held together with the smallest of strings

really caught my eye. The smell was simply intoxicating and I was

compelled to take a photo, even if only to remember the beautiful bundles.

Turkish Spice Market - Istanbul

The spice market was a bombardment of the senses really. Every spice imaginable filled

the halls with its aroma mixing and swirling with the hundred of others. The neatly

heaped piles stretched on for what seemed like forever. Definitely a foodie highlight.

Breakfast - Istanbul

The hotel had a beautiful spread every morning of fresh, locally made cheeses, dried fruits,

cold cuts, olives, marinated capsicum etc. Not to mention the fruit salads, yoghurts, muffins, cakes

and freshly squeezed juices... Basically it ticked every possible box.

Cherry filled pastries - Odessa

Each pastry, lovingly hand made and filled with organic local cherries.

I had the privilege of scoffing a couple. Divine.

Market - St. Petersburg

I couldn't take my eyes off these vegetables. There was something about this beautiful

fresh produce that seemed so vibrant! Perhaps it was in contrast with the people...

Fresh fruit and veg - St. Petersburg

It's not featured in this photo unfortunately, but at this market I found the most

fascinating fruit!

It was a peach that looked as though it had been flattened to almost a donut-like shape

and boy did they taste just as sweet!!!!!

Fresh honey - St. Petersburg

The lady at this stall tried to convince me into buying 1kg of honey

to take home to Australia with me... she obviously hasn't

seen Border Security.

I hope you all had delicious holidays,

Me.

Entrée

I've decided to start this blog for you because my love of Melbourne has blossomed and my love of it's food has stretched my jeans and I'm not afraid to admit it!

I happen to be working in the food industry now so I'm constantly surrounded by foodies and we're either eating food together, talking about food or thinking about what food we'll be eating next!

For me good food means that it tastes SO good you savour every bite and long for it once the very last morsel has been devoured. I'm not about swish, I'm about delish.

So along with my trusty friends (even though one of my favourite restaurants says you're never alone if you've got a bowl of pasta) I'll explore the city finding delicious things to share with you.

Hope you enjoy!

Me.