Sunday afternoon. We took a drive over to Cremorne to visit Mir who was throwing a little lunch gathering. I thought it was going to be a few crustless sandwiches over a well mannered napkin, so I had breakfast beforehand. BIG mistake. Nevermind wishing I had bought a bunch of flowers : I wish I had brought an empty stomach! Once we had negotiated the insane three tiered security system of Mir’s apartment block, we arrived at an open door with the sound of a Dyson punishing the carpet, and discovered that an almost-three course meal was in the works. A bowl of tomato bread soup, followed by fantastic chicken schnitzel, potato salad and green salad, and a whispered rumour of a cheesecake. Later, settling back with a mug of gingerbread tea, I wish I could have stayed there forever.

It’s funny what you learn about people when you eat with them. Afterall, what you eat, is what you are; to paraphrase Brillat-Savarin. I know someone who is allergic to things like shellfish but will happily eat a prawn because it’s too good to pass up. One person simply will not eat watermelon or chocolate, while someone else will try anything at least once, and there’s one guy who in his own words, is “not very good” with pretty much all kinds of food except plain pizzas.

And it was only today that I realised I’ve known Mir for 10 or so years and never knew that she had a fetish for the colour blue (crockery, side tables, beanbag, chairs.., apron…).

Thank you Mir for a Sunday well spent!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that function is extremely important. But when it comes to shoes or japanese hot-pots, form can take precedence. So, after many months, a lot of words and no action, we finally did it : we bought a shabu-shabu pot. It was a really exciting purchase because I’ve always wanted one, and somehow we never saw one we really liked, until now. We got ours from Tokyo Mart in Northbridge. Along with the pot, we also picked up a portable stove which the lady at the counter tested to make sure it was working before we purchased it.

Still suffering from the glow of being brand new, we set it to work the next evening. Within minutes, we were swishing away pieces of marinated Wagyu beef and Perch. I’m thinking shabu-shabu sundays should be a regular event now.

(Calamari, who couldn’t make it that day because he was sick, these photos are for you. Hope you can come over next week!)

Tokyo Mart
Northbridge Shopping Plaza,
83 Sailors Bay Road,
Northbridge, 2063.

I have owned my copy of Jill Dupleix’s Old Food for quite some time now. Many other cookbook purchases later, I still find myself returning to her book for recipes like sticky toffee pudding, chocolate chip cookies and a fine Irish boil-and-bake fruit cake that even B’s mum approves of.

After spending this afternoon doing some essential grocery shopping, all I wanted was a cup of vanilla tea and a slice of said cake. It’s a wonderful caramel coloured cake that is light in texture, moist and filled with plump dried fruit. I especially like the crusty, chewy, bloated currants embedded in the top of the cake. When using this recipe, up the cinnamon, allspice and ground ginger quotient, if like me, you’re also a spice fiend. And as you proceed to cut a generous portion for yourself, it doesn’t hurt to keep Jill’s afternoon tea philosophy in mind :

“But it’s the cake that is the heart and soul of afternoon tea, the architectural monument that bonds people, pulling them to the table and to the tea pot. Please avoid the use of all words such as wicked, naughty and sinful when thinking about, cooking, serving and eating cake. They are completely irrelevant. The correct words are well deserved, essential and invaluable.”

Jill Dupleix’s Boil and bake fruit cake :

150g butter
300g sultanas
300g currants
180 soft brown sugar
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup water
2 eggs, well beaten
150g plain flour
150g self-raising flour

Heat oven to 180’C.

Combine butter, sultanas, currants, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, bicarbonate of soda and water in a saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring, then cool.

Add eggs and beat well. Sift the 2 flours together, add to the mixture and beat well. Pour into a lightly buttered cake tin of 22cm diameter. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from tin. Store in an airtight container.