banana boat!!

This, dear readers, is a banana boat! 

A unique recipe that is completely my own invention. 

After years of perfecting and enjoying the banana boat, I feel like it is time to share the most delicious breakfast around town!

So get a banana, peel off a little section of the skin but leave enough to still encase the banana. Slice the banana diagonally and again in the opposite direction, careful not to pierce through the skin. Drizzle honey or maple syryp over the banana and add sesame seeds. Now you can get creative with you toppings, adding dates, almonds, walnuts, peanut butter, tahini.. and the list goes on! It's amazing how many flavours go with banana and honey- I imagine nutella would go well (if you like nutella) or chocolate/ carob!

DELICIOUS! 

homemade abraj

Do you know the feeling of complete joy when you bite into something previously unknown and instantly fall in love? Every time I travel I try and eat as many new things as possible. I particularly love tasting different sweets as I am a huge fan of fruit, nuts and anything with honey, butter and sugar!!

You may remember in the past I have gone on a little about Abraj. This was one of my favourite foods in Paris and was found in this little Tunisian bakery on rue Belleville in the East of Paris. So as mentioned previously, an Abraj is a semolina square stuffed with sticky dates. It is perfect and delicious and I miss it (and Paris) all the time.

Last weekend I felt a pang of sadness thinking about my Parisian abraj and decided to make one. It didn't taste nearly as good as the bought variety and my recipe sure needs some practice! But, it was fun to bake and brought some joy into the kitchen.

So I started by chopping up a big bowl of pitted dates (and eating about a dozen). I then put them aside and got out the semolina. I melted a big spoon of butter; added some salt and then mixed in the semolina. I added  some water till it looked like scone mixture or dough. I rolled out the mixture, sprinkled it with cinnamon and then added a fine layer of dates to half of the circle before folding it in half.

Next time I bake it I will try and figure out some measurements as the base wasn't as crumbly as I remember (maybe this had something to do with the thinness of the semolina grain I used) and it was too salty, but gosh it tasted amazing straight out of the pan!!

d.o.c

If you feel like doing something to celebrate this warm weather week in Melbourne, head to D.O.C in Carlton, get yourself an outside table and settle in for some great food and wine.

It's not always easy to get a spot at this buzzing restaurant but it's worth it if you can. The other night I shared this antipasto plate with a friend. I loved it in terms of presentation, variety and taste. 

With a menu that combines small meals and great pizzas, I could go to D.O.C nearly every night of the week. Hot tip- ask the staff for their recommendations, they know the ingredients well and it is exciting to see waiters so passionate about their food!

295 Drummond Street
Carlton VIC 3053

03 9347 2998

the best burger in melbourne

If you want to get a Melbournian person talking, ask them where their favourite place to go for either coffee, pizza, chips or burgers are... The latest vote is in and it's for Andrew's burgers in South Melbourne. Perfect on any occasion, this burger will make your stomach sing in delight! (if in need of an entrée, head to the South Melbourne market for a dim sim before hand, health food of a nation!) Yummmmm!

Amazing!!