his 'n hers

A rare occurrence at our place; not only did we both get up in time to make and eat breakfast at home, but we actually had enough fruits and berries lurking in the ol' kitchen so we didn't end up with the sleeping pill known as the beige/brown meal.

(You know what I'm talking about - as delicious as a proper fry up is, don't you just want to sink your head into the nearest pillow right afterwards?)

Oh, and we even made his and hers versions...it must be a full moon!

My girly plate.


I, for once, am trying to practice some (ugh) restraint these days...we'll see how long that lasts!

And for the boy...

I think I may want to have that bacon-fried egg-cheese-avocado sandwich for lunch...would that be wrong?

snow day!

I'm watching the world outside turn into a giant snowglobe...

...and am so happy to be in my silly, fuzzy flannel pjs (pink and yellow stars and all).

It's time to snuggle on the couch for a Planet Earth marathon. Snow leopards, tigers and pandas, oh my!

comfort food #1

Sometimes I secretly delight in miserable, gloomy days like today, if only for the excuse to cheer myself up with my favourite comfort foods.

This afternoon was grey and damp, followed by a great flurry of stinging sideways snow...

...which, in my humble opinion, is a day just made for mashed potatoes.

And old-school homemade meatloaf. And gravy!

(I hope it rains tomorrow.)

kitchen tour: intermezzo

It's been ages since I visited the gut-busting, eye-popping evening otherwise known as the seven course tasting menu - if you'd like to catch up on where we left off, please click here. And now, here we go...


Betwixt and between, the intermezzo is a literally a showstopper held in between courses. This kitchen - as tradition goes - likes to serve a sorbet as a little palate cleanser.

Why the pit stop in your epic multi-course tasting menu? To give you (and your poor, overstimulated belly) a breather, for one, and well, sometimes it's kind of fun to show off.

Dishes made of bamboo boats and leaves.



Diced cape gooseberries in a touch of sweet-tart raspberry vinegar.



Ice, she is dry.



The pastry chef, K, with her lovely, almost effortless quenelles of strawberry sorbet.



Topped off with candied citrus zest.





Edible flower "confetti" as garnish.



Smoke and mirrors...



Imagine just how fun this would be...



...coming to your table?!

And even more exciting, this means we're only halfway through the meal! Now that you're refreshed, it's time to loosen that belt one more notch.

Up next, course number four...fish!

in mind's eye

I love collecting images for my personal version of the "lookbook" for those blue-sky, ideal-world moments...so necessary when the days start getting colder and darker (like at five, what?!) and bright moments of inspiration become even more welcome than usual.

Every now and then, I get jolted by such delicious images that I can actually taste them in my head! This month's issue of Donna Hay magazine (the queen bee of food porn, to be sure) had me with the oozy quail egg and buttery, garlic laced pasta. Totally my kind of plate...is there anything better than a good butter pasta, I ask you?

And it just gets better inside...

Anyone who knows me will tell you just how much I adore cured/smoked salmon. Growing up, my Aunt W used to joke that I must be part grizzly bear as she handed over my traditional Christmas present...of a whole side of smoked salmon!

Oh the joys of a visual "cookbook" meal - almost as good as the real thing.

happy days #6

My kind of lazy day. A book, a nap, some noodles. Yes....

I just love the way the word pappardelle sounds...