Kitschen Video: Hungry Friends

Dinner with friends c/o Chef Hylton Le Roux--> this was before the food coma! Blog entry with photos to follow.

Brunch in the Kitschen: Your 12 step guide to the perfect brunch

1. Mushrooms are ALWAYS a good idea. Fresh only, otherwise don't bother! Those canned ones are a poor excuse for "mushrooms"

2. Eggs Rothko. First tried it in NYC, next time was in my own kitchen. We couldn't find brioche so we used turkish bread instead.

3. While cooking, keep your friends entertained with alcoholic beverages, like a seemingly innocent smoothie with peanut butter, chocolate...and Bailey's. Lots of it. (Plus have them bring bubbly for mimosas...then later on to drink alone, when the juice is gone)

4. Or...let them play with their food.

5. When you're done, plate your food as best you can---> we're no pros, but make an effort. Also, if your guests don't mind, use a plastic plate that you can chuck in the bin right after. In Manila, where there are helpers to do your dishes, use your fine china if you wish.

6. Be a gracious host and serve your guests :) Don't forget to smile!

7. While they are taking a break after the savory part of the meal, go back to the kitchen and stew some fresh peaches ( or apples, or pears...or any fruit you want) Steal some of the juice from your mimosas to add to your peaches.

8. Act silly with your friends while waiting for peaches to cook.

9. When finished cooking, create a "healthy" greek yogurt sundae with your peaches, and top with toasted almonds!

10. Surprise your friend who just turned 30. Buy plastic skulls for her bday cake because you know she will love them.

11. When you are too full to move, stay in your seat and dress up used bottles of wine and champagne.

12. Ask them if they want to have brunch again someday...and hope their answer is the same as Ben's.

:)

Traveling Tummy-Sydney: Shenkin

In Erskinville, just a few blocks from the busy King street, there is a little cafe that serves Israeli breakfasts (and others but you go there for this)My sister took the whole family to Shenkin last week for some quality time and yummy food.

My brother's big breakfast. This came with bread and jam too. Growing boy!

My dad's kebab!

Ananda's banana pancakes. So goood. Not fluffy like how I usually like it. They were layers of thin ones with banana slices in between. YUM!

Shakshuka with chorizo and pita---> what you MUST order when eating here. It was SO good. I can imagine it being really good in the winter. It's basically a spicy tomato stew with poached eggs and this one with chorizo slices. You can throw in whatever you like though!Traditional Israeli brekkie.

Shenkin, 53 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville, NSW 2043 Call: 02 9550 5511

Traveling Tummy-Sydney: Feel at HOME

My taste buds sometimes lock in on one type of cuisine and its all it wants for a period of time. At one point in was Indian food, another, Japanese. These days, it's Thai. All I want are the flavors of lemongrass, chili, shallots, garlic...all fused together into a medley of yumminess in my tummy.

So my dinner with friends here in Sydney finally pushed through (I had to cancel last time because Ananda was sick) and my friend Geraldine suggested HOME, a Thai resto somewhere in Bathurst and Sussex streets in the city. She warned us that we may have to line up, and that it gets packed. Sure enough, we were given a table for only an HOUR...and when we walked out, there were so many people!

Sticky rice vs regular rice. Sticky rice is the same kind they use for the mango and sticky rice dessert. Keep in inside a container like this because once exposed, the rice can go from hot and sticky to cold and bleh real quick.

Soft shell crab salad--this was yum!

Kao rad pad pik sod---crispy pork belly with garlic, chili, basil, onion and lemongrass. Holy!!! This was so good! I'm not big on pork but when it's crispy like this , with flavors that just start a party in your mouth, I can't resist!

The one thing I didn't enjoy too much, the Kui Chay---dumplings stuffed with chives and garlic. it sounded good in theory, but in real life it was weird. Not bad, just weird, in a way I didn't like.

The day after I would not have minded going again to eat that pork dish (no. 38 on the menu--do it!)

Home is located at 299 Sussex Street Sydney NSW 2000, Contact: T: 02 9261 5058. E: info@homethai.com.au

Kitschen Quickie: Juicy!

Nothing prettier than fresh tomatoes :)

Traveling Tummy-Sydney: New Year's Eve dinner :D

Aaaah New Year's Eve...another excuse to experiment in the kitchen (as if I need excuses) I decided to do a roast because celebrations deserve a big roasted piece of meat, be it chicken, beef, lamb or pork and because we are in Australia where lamb is cheap, I decided to buy some and adobo the hell out of it.

Since adobo isn't really visually appealing, I had to figure out a fun way to present this dish in a creative way. So I made a cherry tomato jam and fried some onions to a crisp and went with that.

Stuffing for my Thai Roast chicken--made with water chesnuts and mushrooms among other things (best eaten with the spicy coconut gravy made out of the chicken drippings)

Chicken straight out the oven---all 4 lbs of it!

Fried the onions earlier in the day. Man I could eat this alone.

Rosemary Lamb adobo

Salad greens for my mushroom-pecorino salad

And of course...home made cherry tomato jam :)

Warm mushroom and pecorino salad. This is great as a light meal in itself!

Lamb adobo, served on garlic bread, topped with crumbled feta and served with crunchy fried onions and a smear of cherry tomato jam. This was a winner!

Thai Roast Chicken with stuffing and sweet potato mash :)

For dessert, I made grape truffles!!!! I infused the chocolate with cinnamon and rum so not really for kids!

Drunken Girls! Me and Lisette after 446596364769 mojitos!

Ananda and her playmate, Tim!

Ala with Slick Rick. I mean, mom!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

For some reason, I can't upload videos here on blogger so please check out the Gourmet Kitschen Facebook page for more food porn, videos and all that good stuff!

Traveling Tummy-Sydney: Scenes from Christmas Day

Christmas Day is always happy chaos in the Paredes household here in Sydney. We have about 40-50 people come over each year to celebrate Christmas with a potluck, barbie, games for the kids and lots and lots of singing!

beef stew

Creamy chicken casserole with crunchy bits

My favorite home-made ham! yum!

Yup, cheese! All day, everyday!

Tita Reggie hand rolled all 250 pcs of lumpia!

I had lots of left over sauce and adobo flakes so I made more adobo cream pasta

My brother manning the barbie--wings and sausages!

Thanksgiving prayers

Leeeeeeesssssss eeeeeaaaaatttt!!!

Next up, New Year's Eve. Another night of food experimentation and generally oinkness.