Morning Tea

and space for a cookie jar

Umm bit hard with no arms mum?

Is red my colour?

You jammy little .....

Oh stop it....

Bad Boy Bakers

Picture this, it's 6.30am on a chilly Saturday morning. No (to my sisters) I am not just getting home from a big night out, I am at Glebe Markets queuing up to nab ourselves a market stall to sell the contents of my wardrobe that embarrassingly could (badly) dress a small country.

I am H.U.N.G.R.Y and would rather be in B.E.D (shock). 

Never leave me.....

Knowing how my mood can deteriorate at a scary speed, my patient bestie (equally but less aggressively ravenous) marches my jelly legs to a welcoming little bakery, instantly lifting my mood within seconds of spying shelves heaving with freshly baked goodness at the La Banette Patisserie, Glebe Point Road.

Saving lives with pastry one croissant at a time

Warming and inviting aromas of flaky, buttery croissants, rustic breads and freshly ground coffee jolt us awake like my alarm clock cruelly did at 5.00am this morning. 

Yeah, I am rustic, hipster and nutritional - kinda

Preferring the latter, I opt for a chai tea (sounds hipster but I don't drink coffee as I talk enough already and meetings with me on caffeine are scary) and said croissant which arrive beautifully presented and HOT.

Morning perfection

Friendly and helpful staff who have been up since stupid o'clock making people like me happy again (Bondi cafe/ restaurant staff take note - smiling is good in hospitality and customers asking questions is normal)talk us through their delectable delights that have all been baked in the wee hours.

Spot the black sheep of the family

The friendly bakeress, awesomeness

Dusted dreams

Australia's Next Top Pastry finalists

La Banette Patisserie really is a cosy slice of rustic Parisian charm, unpretentious, well priced and lets the truly amazing range of products do the talking. 

Half scoffed before the camera had a chance

Just lie here and play dead

Carb crash

Bon Appetite Chompers!

Breath

It's hump day, mid week already and sometimes it feels like our lives are going 100 kilometers an hour so it's important to stop, look up at the sky, feel the sun on your skin and take a deep breath - it really works.

Life's natural tonic

Always, even if you talk too much!

Very soon

Trigg beach sunshine

Priddy

Dream picnic

Berry nice!

 

Brighten the short days with pops of mouthwatering colour, sweetness and vitamins. 

Beautiful berries, my favourite and seasonal addition to a dessert or a healthy brekky. 

Spend a cold Saturday making jam, stew fresh berries for porridge toppings, blend for a vitamin packed smoothie or tumble over creamy smooth yogurt for a sunny arvo snack....

 

Monday Morning

If only i drunk coffee...

Morning Chompers! I am still buzzing from a gastronomical feast of birthdays which included a rich mix of cracking good pizza, red wine, birthday cakes and champagne, finished off with an opulent warehouse dinner party that blew me away with it's quirky awesomeness.

Mum's Leek and Potato Soup

Maybe it was the rain on Saturday, watching Nigella cook family feasts on TV or just the need for some healthy, home cooked goodness but feeling a little bit home sick I chucked on my wellies and headed to the farmers markets to load up on some quality ingredients for a soup sesh.

Mum's L&P soup - now who wouldn't want to buy this for lunch?

Nothing reminds me more of home than my mums leek and potato soup. The silky smooth, nourishing bowl of creamy veggies, speckled with pepper and topped with crispy prosciutto, cream cheese and fresh parsley is enough to get me running for the blender. So sharing the love, below are a few simple steps to make a mean lunch and light dinner, pimped up CHOMP style.

Perfecting the awkward lean

Potato Jenga - hours of fun

Chop Chop - places to be, soup to smash!

In a large pan, soften the leeks and season with salt and pepper - I find doing this first brings out the sweetness in the leeks.

Add 2x chopped carrots, the diced potatoes and 2x garlic cloves, roughly sliced and the parsley stalks.

A garlic clove walked into a bar...

In a separate small pan, chuck in all stalks, tops and leaves of the veggies, cover with hot water and bring to the boil to make your veggie stock, then simply strain through a sieve into the soup. If you forget just use fresh stock from a deli but I hate wasting anything and it tastes better.

The stuff that didn't make the cut

Bring to the boil and then simmer gently until the vegetables are soft, around 20 minutes - top up with freshly boiled water if you need too. 

Blend me baby one more time

Turn off the heat and CAREFULLY blend the mixture until it's a smooth consistency that you are happy with. You can use a blender or food processor if easier/ safer!

Smooth operator...

Now for the CHOMP twist, I am sure my mum would approve. Crisp up some salty red ribbons of prosciutto until golden and curly, set aside to cool.

Ga Ga inspiration

Add some milk to thin and loosen the soup, ladle into bowls, crumble the prosciutto, drizzle with olive oil, a teaspoon of cream cheese or creme fraiche and chopped parsley - yum!

For an extra topping, grill sliced wholemeal sourdough, top with Parmesan and sit on top of the soup to mop up all the leftovers.

 

Portobello with Pa

Not so long ago, I made a quick trip home to the UK for a very special little ladies wedding. The days flew by catching up with my amazing friends, so I decided to take my London-born Dad on an outing to Notting Hill's buzzing Portobello Market to check out the produce, people watch, hang out with Dad and remind him of where he used to sink a beer or two. 

So many amazing vintage pieces

Furrrrrrr coats in every colour and style

Jubilee Madness

Dad is a massive foodie with a great passion for good quality, locally sourced, simple and in season ingredients which is where I must get it from. He taught me about always spending as much as you can on well loved meat, free- range chooks and eggs and supporting local producers where possible. It was one of my best days of the holiday - Rule Brittania!

English strawberries on a Union Jack flag - nothing quite like it.

Pa and the flag close to my heart

We stumbled across a food stall area that was like stepping into the shoe floor in Harrods for some girls. Heaving with beautifully made dishes from all around the world, the music was pumping and people were enjoying delicious, freshly cooked foods in the chilled out, sunny seating area. It was such an inspiring, friendly place to be I didn't know where to start, so we just ate our way around the market - no need to mock British cuisine any more.