High Tea Hyatt Style

This post is a little over-due but with spring in full-swing what better time is there to blog about High Tea. I love a good high tea. There is something vintage, ceremonial and lady-like about it and I cant get enough. 

Whether you do it as a girlie catch-up, birthday celebration, bridal shower it's just so gorgeous. I love the little sandwiches, petit fours, the scones, the cakes - I'm sure you the picture. It's just so pretty, damn it!

Moving right along, a couple of months ago I caught up with a friend of mine who wanted to try out the Hyatt's High Tea and I so kindly obliged to join her. Truth is we hadn't seen each other for ages and she wanted to treat me for my birthday, which was so lovely of her.

So what did we eat? I'm a savoury girl myself so had the sausage rolls, mini quiches and savoury tarts but you can't do high tea without getting into the sweet stuff so I tried that too, my verdict - pretty good value and a nice afternoon out. Next high tea venue The Duchess Bar and this time it's my treat! 

All the info: 

Patrons enjoy a relaxing afternoon of high tea with finger food between 3 and 5pm daily in the Conservatory Lounge. Sweet and savoury items including in sandwiches, cakes, pastries and puddings. There's also a lovely pianist who plays while you indulge - so lovely.Guests also get bottomless sparkling wine, tea and coffee all for $48

For more information visit the website

Getting stuck into sweets

What's high tea without bubbles? 

Endless trays of puddings, tarts and torte

Sloane indulging in a sweet-treat or two!

So many choices where to begin?

Pots of chocolate goodness - yum!

Classic & Triple Choc Brownies

Some of you who follow my blog regularly would know I recently returned from a whirlwind trip to the US and Canada. While away I became acquainted with the delicious brownie and while I wouldn't call myself a chocoholic, I do enjoy the odd chocolate treat - I mean who doesn't? So when my cousin in Canada whipped up a batch or two (actually it was three) I indulged with gusto!

A couple of week's while reminiscing and looking through my overseas pics I decided I would try and get my brownie on and came up with these versions: 

Dark chocolate or Triple Choc Brownies

Ingredients:

• 400g dark chocolate, chopped (note for triple choc I used 130g of dark, white & milk)
• 280g butter, chopped
• 2 cups (350g) brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 cups (150g) sifted plain flour

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place 200grams of chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

Place the sugar, eggs and flour in a bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Add the remaining chopped 200grams of chocolate and fold through mixture then pour into a rectangular shape tin (see below) lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 45minutes or until an inserted skewer withdraws clean. Allow to cool in the tin then slice. 

Serving suggestion: You can enjoy these hot or cold but I prefer them served warm with a dollop of cream.

Chopped white and milk chocolate folded through at the end

Out of the oven and waiting to cool

Ready to eat!

Truffle Risotto and Arancini

The month of August is Truffle season in WA and damn we do truffles good! No longer do we have to go overseas chasing this black gold we can find it right here in our own backyard - and it's good, really good! 

Earlier this month I was lucky enough to get my hands on 50grams of the delicious fungi at the Mundaring Truffle Festival and last week I put it to use cooking a beautiful Truffle Risotto! After posting images of said risotto on Facebook I was greeted with requests on how to do it - so today I bring to you my Truffle Risotto and Arancini recipe - enjoy! 

NOTE: You can make these without Truffle, they are still delicious. You can also add different ingredients to the risotto depending on what you like ie porcini mushroom, pancetta, peas and asparagus (my favourite pea and pancetta).

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 litre of chicken stock (I make mine in bulk from scratch in advance using a roast chicken carcass, you can use bought stock if you feel more comfortable)
• 50 grams of butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 400g Aborio rice
• 2 glasses of dry white wine
• salt and pepper
• 75g butter
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (to your taste)
• Add 50 Grams fresh truffle (for truffle risotto)

Method

Heat the stock. In a separate pan, heat the olive oil and butter then add the onions and garlic and fry on low heat for about 15 minutes. When the garlic and onion have softened, add the rice and turn up the heat cooking until it's translucent.


Add the wine and stir. Once the wine has evaporated into the rice, add another ladle of stock and turn the heat down so the rice doesn’t cook quickly and close the lid. Keep adding the ladles of stock (and put lid on only checking to see when stock has been absorbed by rice - normally around 3 - 5 mins), stirring occasionally.The cooking process will take around 25 minutes. Add stock until the rice is soft but cooked al dente (a little bite) and if you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add boiling water.
Remove from the heat and add butter and Parmesan. Stir well. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for two minutes. 

Serve and eat immediately. Leftovers can be used for Arancini see recipe below.

Truffle Risotto

To make simple Arancini from your leftover risotto you will need:

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 eggs (beat into egg-wash) depending on how much you have leftover
• Breadcrumbs (fresh is best but packet will do)
• 100 grams Mozzarella, Fontina or Gouda (chopped into 1cm cubes)
• Canola Oil to deep fry

Method:

• Roll and mould the rice into a ball (I made mine about 5cms but they can be made smaller or bigger depending on what you are after)
• Gently insert cheese into mould making sure it's not poking out of the rice ball
• Pop rice ball into egg-wash coating the whole rice ball
• Dip the rice ball into the breadcrumbs making sure it is coated the whole way around. 
• Continue this until all rice balls are coated
• Heat oil into a deep fryer or deep fry pan (deep enough to cover the rice ball) and pop them in a few at a time - frying until golden brown.
• Serve warm on its own or with a dipping sauce - aioli is lovely!

Bon appetit x

Arancini made from using leftover risotto

Spinach, Ricotta & Feta Tart - My Style Spanakopita

• Hey guys hope you're all doing well wherever you are (FYI I'm freezing and trying to stop my hands from shaking as I bang on the keyboard)......anyhoo moving right along. So I've gone through a recent period of creativity in the kitchen (trust me it's been a while) and after being inundated by recipe requests on Facebook I've decided to post some of the recipes I've been trialling, discovering and rediscovering. 
  I started my recipe section on the blog a while ago (after all Cooking in Choos is all about food and if I'm not posting the odd recipe up here then how is it relevant) and wasn't sure if it was being read or if anyone even cared so I stopped. I then reverted back to mainly reviews when I was out an about but turns out you do like them after all and so I'm bringing them back. 
  
  First up my spinach, ricotta & fetta pie also known as My Style Spanakopita. Anyone who knows me, knows I own a gazillion (well maybe not a gazillion but a few) cookbooks and refer to them quite often. I tend to look up recipes and change them around a bit to suit my style of cooking, taste-buds and lifestyle.
  So here it is My Style Spanakopita, a dish so quick, easy and delicious it's perfect for a weeknight dinner - bon appetit x
  Ingredients (serves 6)

1. 1/4 olive oil
2. 1/2 onion, finely chopped
3. 250g feta cheese, crumbled
4. 250g full-fat ricotta cheese
5. 4 eggs, lightly beaten
6. Salt and pepper to taste
7. 1 sheet puff pastry (NOTE: you can use 12 sheets of filo if you like - this is traditional to Spanakopita, I use puff and make it more like a tart)
8. 60g butter, melted

• Method

1. Heat oil in a frypan and add onion. Cook for 1 minute until softened, then add spinach  cook, stirring, on low heat until spinach has wilted. Drain in a colander, cool and then chop. Combine spinach and onion with cheeses, egg, salt and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush baking dish (see below for style of dish) with butter. Lay sheet of puff pastry on base and sides and brush with butter. Spread cheese mixture over top. Trim excess pastry.
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Tah-dah -My style Spanakopita

Five Minutes with Manu Feildel

HE’S the cheeky French chef who danced his way into our hearts on last season's Dancing with the Stars. But long before this showman could dance he cooked, cutting his teeth on shows like Ready Steady Cook, Masterchef and My Kitchen Rules. I spent five minutes with the flirty Frenchman in the lead up to this year's Good Food and Wine Show. Here's what he had to say:

INSPIRATION:
Cooking in Choos:In the cooking world is there anybody that inspires you?
Manu:
My family is full of cooks - they all inspired me to cook.

PHILOSOPHY:

Cooking in Choos:Do you have a  cooking philosophy?
Manu:
Cook with love, and keep it simple.   Using great, fresh, local ingredients and cooking it simply is the best rule   in the kitchen.

WA:

Cooking in Choos:What does West Australia produce well?
Manu:
Your truffles - AMAZING!!!! Just don’t tell my friends back in France!

SIGNATURE DISH:

Cooking in Choos:Do you have a signature dish?
Manu:
My sausage! It is my Scallop Boudin Sausage with Crab Bisque Sauce.

PERTH SHOW:

Cooking in Choos:What can Perth fans expect to see at the show?
Manu:I cant wait to see everyone in Perth in July.
I plan to have a lot of fun with the audience at the GFWS so make sure you turn the weather on for us.

The Good Food and Wine Show will be held at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre from July 13 to 15. A foodies paradise it will feature more than 250 exhibitors and celebrity chef demonstrations by Ainsley Harriot, Adriano Zumbo and George Calombaris. For more information visit www.goodfoodshow.com.au.

COMPETITION
Cooking in Choos has a three double passes to give away to this year's Perth Good Food Wine Show, to win simply visit Cooking-In-Choos on Facebook and answer this question: Who did Manu Feildel beat to take out the coveted mirrorball trophy in last season's Dancing with the Stars? Pop your answer below or on our Facebook page to win and remember the more you share the page to your friends the more chances you have at winning - Good luck xoxo

Cheeky Cherries!

Manu & I at last year's GFWS

My Perfect Valentine

It's that time of the year of again where we get to spread the love and celebrate that special person in our lives - Valentine's Day. This year I'm dreaming of macarons, peonies, LOVER, Cartier and Paris. What are you dreaming of? Whatever it is or whoever they are, I hope it's a special one for you - Happy Valentine's Day xox

Parisian macarons Pierre Herme style

Or Laduree

Peonies

LOVER Lace Serpent Dress - still adore this!

Cartier Love Bracelet

McQueen, Hermes & Cartier - perfection

And Paris

Ruth Reichl - Garlic & Sapphires The Secret Life of a Restaurant Critic in Disguise

I have been dying to get my hands on this book so you can imagine my delight when I checked the mailbox today to see it sitting there - a gift from Allen & Unwin. Written by  former New York Times food critic Ruth Reichl, Garlic and Sapphires is a memoir on the food writer's adventures as she dines around the city in disguise gaging the different reactions of restaurateurs. Being a food writer myself I cannot wait to dive into this book and see what crazy things she gets up to - will let you know what I think. In the meantime for those as curious as I am here it is - xox

Buddy Valstro - The Cake Boss at the Everything Baking Expo Perth

Today I was lucky enough to meet one of the most talented people in the baking industry - New Jersey's The Cake Boss Buddy Valastro! 

Here for the weekend Buddy visited Perth to the delight of his fans at The Everything Baking Exhibition. Held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre he has one more show here (tomorrow) before jetting off for a one-show only event in Sydney on Monday. 

The exhibition, the brainchild of Julia Pergoliti of Cupids Delight it features chef demonstrations, the latest products and services in the cake decorating and baking industries with 

Buddy Valastro the cake king of Hoboken most certainly the highlight. 

Buddy a fourth-generation baker and owner of the famous Carlo’s Bakery in New Jersey appeared today for a special masterclass where 30 budding cake decorators and bakers got to experience a once in a lifetime one-on-one tuition from the Cake Boss himself.

Buddy will make his final appearance in Perth tomorrow from 9am during a live demonstration for fans. The Buddy's Surprise show will give fans the chance to hear the chef's top tips and he might even share a few secrets.

Tickets for the Buddy's Surprise show are $65 and tickets to the expo are $16.

For more information visit Cake Artists Australia and to read more about the man himself visit 

Carlo's Bakery .

P.S What was he like in person? An absolute sweetheart!

Some of the cakes in the Everything Baking Cake Competition - Ah-mazing!!!!

Australiana themed cakes were popular

Snags on the barbie, vegemite, surfboard & boomerang - very Aussie!

Love the colours on this one

Award-winning OZ cake

A tribute to The Boss

And another - very cool!

Showing me how it's done

Doing what he does best

THE BOSS

A quick pic before continuing on with his Masterclass

Read my ishoperth interview with The Cake Boss Buddy Valastro