Finally, a cool coffee place in Brisbane City!

Have you checked out the great new coffee shop in the city called The Coffee Supplier? Mark calls it "under the boom gate" because it is just that - it is located down a lane way (off Elizabeth St in the city), then under a boom gate and then at the end of a warehouse. The interior is very industrial with exposed bricks and wooden beams, and the original artworks adjourn the walls. The actual coffee is great and they roast their own beans. I recommend you venture down the laneway and under the boom gate!

Aria Adventures

Last Thursday, I ventured out to Aria. No not the music awards, Matt Moran's Brisbane version of his iconic Sydney restaurant. May I say that I was most impressed and the whole experience lived up to my expectations. The food was amazing and the service was friendly and efficient.

For entree, I had the Kingfish (serviced with spanner crab, avocado, harissa and a smoked tea seasoning). I am told by a reliable source (ie fellow foodie and babysitter of Colin, Jono) this is one of Moran's signature dishes. Very nice indeed and as Matt Preston would say, it was plated beautifully.

Main course consisted of a roasted rump of lamb with piperade, smoked eggplant and a roast onion jus. Everything but the eggplant was delicious. The lamb was cooked perfectly and it was super tender.

For dessert, I had the jam doughnuts with strawberries and cinnamon ice cream. I am not sure why I was drawn to this because I am not really a big doughnut fan and they had a dark chocolate tart on the menu, but I am glad I did. I am still day dreaming about these little babies and I had no idea that doughnuts could taste this good. If you go to Aria and have only one course, make it the doughnuts!!

I also recommend going for lunch as they have a set price. It is $55 for 2 courses or $70 for 3. If I went at dinner time, I would have paid $30 for the entree, $50 for main and $20 for dessert. Lunch is definitely a bargain!! Just a little hint!

Now go on and enjoy it for yourself.

Italian Sausage Ragout (serves 4)

This meal is perfect for those weekday nights when you feel like something warm and hearty but don’t have the time to make a stew or casserole.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 gloves garlic, crushed
500g Italian Sausages, skins removed
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 cup red wine
400g can chopped tomatoes
Italian parsley, chopped
Shaved parmesan

Method
1. Heat oil in a hot frying pan and add onion and garlic. Cook until onion becomes translucent.
2. Add the sausage mince and cook until browned.
3. Add the rosemary and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the red wine and again, cook for 2 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, bring to the boil and reduce heat and allow the ragout to simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce reduces slightly to thicken.
6. Serve over pasta and top with a generous amount of parmesan and parsley

As you all know, I caved into the end of financial year sales (EOFYS!) and purchased the Kitchen Aid pasta attachment. Last weekend I gave it a test run and can I just say, it is fabulous. I went a little overboard with the amount of pasta and made quite a lot. As a result, my normal little wooden pasta hanging thing (that's its technical name) wasn’t big enough so I had to improvise and use the clothes horse. Now, little Colin loves pasta and he spent the whole evening circling,starving shark style, under the drying pasta. It was very cute.

Sarah/Donna Hay’s Raspberry- Spiked Chocolate Brownies

This recipe belongs to a friend of a friend, Sarah but it also happens to be a Donna Hay recipe. Sarah is a brilliant cook and I have had the pleasure of attending one of Sarah’s afternoons teas where she cooked up a storm. This recipe is no exception. I have modified the method a little to suit my tastes

Ingredients
200g dark (70%) chocolate
250g butter
1 ¾ cups (205g) brown sugar
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups (200g) plain flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/3cup (40g) cocoa powder sifted
1 ½ cups raspberries (I use frozen)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Line and grease a square 23cm cake tin.
3. Over a low heat, melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan. Mix should be smooth and glossy when melted.
4. In a bowl, mix sugar and eggs until mixture in light and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved.
5. Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa over sugar and egg mix, add the chocolate mix, and stir to combine (be careful not to over mix otherwise the dough will become tough).
6. Top with raspberries and push a few of them down into the middle of the mix.
7. Bake for 45mins or until set (should be fudgey in the middle).

Enjoy

The Grand New Financial Year Backflip

Remember my post from last week about the new financial year resolution, and how I said I will be saving my pennies for our upcoming overseas adventures? Well, forget about it and pretend that post never existed!

Yesterday I made a purchase. It wasn’t a huge purchase, but it wasn’t a small purchase either.... I bought a Florence Broadhurst print. It is really lovely and will look amazing in our bedroom above our bed. Look at the image above for a sneak peak of what the print looks like.

The print is fabric stretched over canvas.

I made the purchase online (god bless the internet) from Signature Prints in Sydney (http://www.signatureprints.com.au/). I will receive it in approx 3 weeks.

Signature Prints sell a wide range of other Florence Broadhurst prints, as well as fabric and wall paper. If you were clever (unlike me!) you could simply buy the fabric and stretch it over canvas yourself.

OK, I've got my Florence and my Kitchen Aid pasta attachment, enough spending!

I've done it!

I have taken advantage of the mid year sales and finally purchased myself the Kitchen Aid Pasta Roller & Fettuccine Cutter Attachment Set.

The attachment has the pasta roller which is perfect for making lasagne sheets, or pasta sheets for ravioli or pappardelle, and a fettuccine cutter.

As you would know from my previous posts, I have been day dreaming about owning this set for ages. I love pasta making and this set, together with my kitchen aid will certainly take out all of the elbow grease.

I bought the set online from Peters of Kensington (http://www.petersofkensington.com.au/)

Pasta anyone?