A Gastronomical Voyage in Melbourne: Culinary News

Headline - Chewing the fat

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:36:28 GMT

I am always fasinated by any information I can get about Wagyu. In the beginning of this year I downloaded the history of Wagyu from the Blackmore Wagyu Farm website. Very interest. Apparently, Blackmore makes the best grade wagyu in Australia (Marble Score of 9+) today and the herd are breed right here in Alexandra, Victoria. I wonder if they are open to visitors....

The Age Epicure Article Chewing the fat by Richard Cornish March 20, 2007

Courtesy of theage.com.au

Brunetti's Fighting Eviction

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 22:03:39 GMT

Anna sent me this article on The Age today. Brunetti's in Carlton is facing a rent increase of more than $100,000.. and they are going to court to fight the building owners... It would cost them millions if they were to move... The landlords have already advertised the building for lease!

Oh dear that’s horrible!! I'm not really a big fan of their over-sweet cakes and pastries but it is undeniable an institute after all.

Read the whole article on The Age.

Cupcake Courier

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 03:14:07 GMT

Cupcake Courier..... Interesting... At US$32.99 a pop. It's not available outside of Canada and US... I would have thought you would just use a high tupperware with lid of some sort and then use cardboard / paper to separate the cupcakes layers.. Am I wrong???

My favourit Single Malt Scotch Whiskey is Voted No. 1

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 04:56:42 GMT

Highland Park named world's No1 spirit

EBEN HARRELL

A whiskey produced at a distillery in Orkney has been named the best spirit in the world by Spirits Journal, a leading drinks magazine in the United States. The Highland Park 18-year-old single malt topped a list of the world's 100 best distilled spirits, published in the American Spirit Journal. The list was compiled by the American drinks specialist Paul Pacult, who judged thousands of whiskies, rums, gins, vodkas, tequilas and other distilled spirits for the list.

He said: "Out of the hundreds of whiskies from Scotland, Canada, the US, Japan, India and Ireland, Highland Park 18-year-old is the finest of them all and right now is my favourite distilled spirit. He added: "After 25 years' experience, it fits my profile of what makes a perfect whisky, which is to say it's totally in harmony, there are no rough edges and everything is melded together brilliantly."

The announcement was welcomed by Highland Park, which is based in Kirkwall, Orkney. Ken Grier, the director of malts for the distillery, said: "It's not only a huge accolade for Highland Park, it's a major achievement for Scottish whisky. "It's fantastic for the industry as a whole and it underpins the care, craft and attention we put into our brands."

Yesterday, an independent whisky expert said the award would not come as a surprise to lovers of Scottish whisky as the Highland Park 18-year old is a "single malt that really sings to you". Jim Murray, the author of the international bestseller Jim Murray's Whisky Bible, said the whisky was very nearly flawless. "It's the kind of whisky that if you are entertaining a young lady who doesn't like whisky and you pour a Highland Park 18, you will convert her.

"It is a massively beautiful whisky. On the nose, it's like an empty honey jar that once held peaty embers. It possesses a soft sweetness that is never over the top." Murray added that his favourite whisky is not Highland Park 18, but George T Stagg, a bourbon produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in America. "There's no doubt that [the Highland Park] is one of the best, however," he added.

Highland Park was established in 1798 and is Scotland's northernmost distillery. The brand, which has already won awards from Whisky Magazine and the Chicago Beverage Testing Institute, launched the 18-year-old single malt in 1997. It is priced at £58 a bottle. Other Scotch whiskies in the list's top ten included Ardbeg Uigeadail Islay Single Malt which came fourth, Bowmore Darkest Sherry Single Malt (ninth) and The Macallan Fine Oak 15-Year-Old Speyside Single Malt (tenth).

Melbourne's Microbreweries

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 06:13:46 GMT

Microbreweries in Melbourne started to grow when I was young and unappreciative of a good lager. Since then I have grown but I am not beer connoisseurr but some of the golden liquid produced by Melbourne's finest is had to resist. Here are the ones I love:

Mountain Goat Beer

		Mountain Goat started out as a hobby in a backyard and now produces four hand-crafted, all natural ales – Hightail Ale, Pale Ale, India Pale Ale and Surefoot Stout. Open Fridays 5pm–midnight Corner North and Clark streets, Richmond Ph 03 9428 1180


St Arnou

		St Arnou is named after the patron saint of brewers and you can enjoy the award winning Pale Ale and Pilsner at their Beer Bistro in the city and Beer Café in Preston. Open daily. 582 Little Collins Street, Melbourne Ph 03 9620 9720 197 Plenty Road, Preston Ph 03 9495 1444

James Squire Brewhouse

		From the full-bodied Portland Pale Ale to the heady Craic Stout and a range of seasonal and festival inspired brews the Malt Shovel Brewers expertly craft fresh and flavoursome beers. Open daily. 115 Russell Street, Melbourne, 3000 Ph 03 9654 5000

While we are on the subject of beer, I must mention Lucky Beer. It is the most beautiful bottle of a beer that I have ever seen, and the company website is fantastic as well. I bought a 6 pack from David Jones for a laksa party I was having, and even the box was beautiful embossed with Asian prints. This lager is an Asian style lager, brewed from natural integredients, brewed in Rutherglen. Available in the CMB & other fun places at:

Amello - St Kilda

Bacash - South Yarra

The Courtyard Tavern - CBD

Golden Monkey Lounge Bar - CBD

The Journal - CBD

LaLaLand - CBD

Lazar Charcoal Grill - Fitzroy

Money Order Coffee - CBD

New Panda Restaurant - Doncaster East

Ocha Restaurant - Kew

Palm Sugar - Richmond

Pearl Restaurant - Richmond

Plume's - Doncaster

Punch Lane Wine Bar - CBD

Shark Fin House - CBD

Soulmama - CBD

Transport Hotel - CBD

Upper House - CBD

Zest - CBD

Krispy Kreme in Melbourne

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 03:59:52 GMT

Oh boy, this brings back memories of the first time we queued up for over 30 minutes for Krispy Kreme donuts in Sydney and overdosed on the fat after eating one too many. Now they have invaded Melbourne! Okay okay I know that a lot people like them, including my brother-in-law who waited for hours on its opening day for one box of donuts... so here is the location of the Melbourne store if you don't already know:

Krispy Kreme

Fountain Gate

Westfield Fountain Gate

Narre Warren

(Access via Narre Warren North Road)

Melway Ref: 110 E4

From the Website: Oh boy, they will open a store in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong in August 2006 as well For more info: call Krispy Kreme Hong Kong on 27920970 or e-mail: info@krispykreme.com.hk.