Stuff I'm loving

Howdy blogsters. Long time no talky. Happy new year to all of you. Well, Christmas/January have been exceedingly busy, but heaps of fun. I'm pleased to report that the BMI is on its way down...albeit veeerrrry slowly (and, to be fair, this did not occur until late January when the bulk of the eating and drinking ceased). The family made it through the silly season with sufficient silliness and lots of catching up with new and old friends. During this time I've made some new discoveries, which I'm excited to share with you.

1. A new local!

The Glen Iris/Ashburton area is filling up with young families fast and there is a real demand for good quality, relaxed, family-friendly breakfast options. The Resident Cafe has been newly renovated and fits the bill perfectly. The coffees are outstanding - really made with care; and provenance and flavour are both emphasised in terms of the food. For avid cyclists, the cafe is right on the bike path and you will feel at home if you're into lycra (I personally have never understood why amateur male cyclists feel the need to wear fabric that shows everything - someone care to enlighten me?). I have frequented the Resident three times in the last month and have been impressed each time. My only (very minor) gripe is that the service could be a wee bit faster and more attentive.

Fennel, orange and raisin toast 7.5  |  Brioche bun, bacon, vintage cheddar, zucchini pickles & BBQ sauce 7.5

2. Fromager d'Affinois with Trentham Tucker Fig and Ginger crispbread

Umm, yes. More. Now. That is all.

Both available from Leo's supermarkets in Melbourne.

3. Klops (and other Polish comfort foods)

My nana was the best cook in the universe (that's a fact, not a subjective opinion!). Her repertoire was small, but what she could make was extraordinary. To this day, I still have people asking me to cook her schnitzels, her apple cake, her chicken soup...the list goes on. One of her famed dishes was her meatloaf ("klops" in Polish). I have been experimenting with flavours to try to emulate her klops and, while I'm not even close, I'm pretty happy with some of my efforts.

I've also made a kugel (an Eastern European, Jewish cake made with egg noodles, grated apples and lots of spice). Next on the list: Cholent.

4. January dining specials

A big thank you to everyone who went away in January and caused Melbourne's restaurants to offer fabulous deals to fill seats. Famed chef, Gary Meighan's Melbourne eatery, Fenix, was one such establishment which slashed prices (50% off!) in the first month of the year. My beloved and I shared a wonderful meal at Fenix - three starters, two mains, a side, two desserts and a few drinks each. The price? $90-something. We will be back for food cooked with a lot of heart and soul.

L-R: Humous w. braised sweet & sour chickpeas  |  Southern style fried chicken wings w. chilli, caramel and lime sour cream  |  Spanner crab crostini w. avocado mousse