Su-V

It's been way to long since I have been creative, a task for my forthcoming week at work, something involving the following flavours: pecan, maple, banana caramelised milk and parsley. I'm thinking of making tablet coated pecans, pecan and maple micro-sponge, -30c maple, toasted milk and banana gelato, iso-malt toffied banana chips and perhaps parsley caviar? I need to check a few websites for inspiration like www.foodpairing.be And take it from there, wish me luck.

In the depths of winter we tend to crave a little comfort. For me, the humble beef cheek needs to be on the list of things to eat before spring comes to town. Cheeks denuded and marinated for 24 hrs in plenty of red wine, orange rind, thyme, coriander seeds, white peppercorns, fennel seeds and garlic. A grizzly sight. Then once patted dry the cheeks got a full dose of Mallard reaction and a gentle braise in beef stock for many hours. A big soft Beef Cheek on truffled mash with braised leeks, turned carrots, braised eschallots, cauliflower and broccoli florets all in a buttery nage. Yum. J

Nina and I made animals from fruit this afternoon, Kiki the banana duck, Naomi and Nina the strawberry puppies and confident Michael the pomelo man. Good eating all-round!

Nina and I have just enjoyed a breakfast of scrambled eggs on Lurpak buttered poppyseed toast with home cured salmon and a little corriander. Must be time for an espresso!

Every month or so we get work experience kids in from local schools, last week we were gifted with a lovely fellow named Patric, he's originally from Ghana but has been in Australia for 10 or so years. During the process of preparation we label each item once prepped and shelve it appropriately in the cool room. Here are some of Patrick's labels. 'Carrot' 'snow peas' 'pasta' 'dill' There was roomer that a container of onions was spelled 'unyins' but I never saw it.

I foolishly offers my services when a colleague said she required a cake in the shape of a fire engine. I now see why good cakes cost big money. $60 for ingredients + 7 hours creating... You do the math. For an end result that started collapsing under it's own weight, but apparently it went down well in the end, so all good I guess. Shaping the cake. Lessons and techniques Learnt; How to make fondant icing. You have to have a sturdy sponge. You have to have allow more time to finish your cake properly. All edible, The ground beneath was made from chocolate cake, gravel was poppy seeds and the grass was dried mint and parsley. Windows were made from toffee and ladder was made from White chocolate, In between the layers of sponge was chocolate mousse ganache, then all covered in strawberry jam before icing. the list goes on. I doubt I'll make a cake for anyone other than family in the future. Perhaps.

Sweet potato, goats cheese and pine-nut tortellini in a brown sage butter.