If people are paid for postive reviews, where does that leave an honest blogger? Are online mercenaries the last straw that breaks the camel’s back.

I think just about every story I’ve read about the benefits of citizen journalism, or blogging / micro-blogging etc brings up the issue of the uncensored nature of this kind of writing; that’s it’s free from the influences of editors and PR machines, and that it is to be valued for its independence and “truth”.

But what happens when people are paid to provide positive content for facebook, twitter, on blogs and I guess even face-to-face?

Many of us “crowdsource” via twitter, asking for recommendations for everything from a restaurant to a plumber. We get responses from people who follow us, but what if some of those people who follow you are “crowdturfers”?  They look real, but they are paid to be positive about a subject and get a “valued first-person experience”, “non-PR aligned” “opinion” “out there” in the ether.

Recently, Ed Charles from Tomato Melbourne posted a link to a Gumtree ad on twitter.  That ad offered “lengthy and positive” posts on a particular website to restaurant owners, at no cost to the restaurant. The fee-for-service would appear to be very little and come from advertising revenue on a site I’ve never seen before, and is quite unlovable in design. I think only desperate restauraters would take up the offer.  But I haven’t seen shilling so blantantly advertised before. I will assume that there is some other trade-off for the person offering the services as the likely income generated is not much, and the business model has been challenged in other publications.

This led to a really interesting discussion on twitter about the ethics of blogging which I will document in another post, but for now my question is, if crowdturfing takes off what value does your blog/twitter account have.  How can you verify and protect your online persona?  Do you care?

* I took the term “crowdturfing” from an article in The Age, attributable to Ben Zhao, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The relavant extract is below as is the link to the full article.

“… the crucial ingredient of a novel form of attack, recently detailed by computer scientists in California, is not software, but people. Growing numbers of mercenaries are being hired to help twist the landscape of social media – to write rave reviews of products, post convincing spam, set up accounts on social networks, or perform other tasks.This gives their employers new ways to do everything from legally questionable marketing to outright theft.

…just glancing at one of the profiles you would probably think it came from a real person; you might read the opinions, and perhaps click on a link or two.

”They looked too real,” said Zhao, ”to be machine generated.”

The accounts were the product of what Zhao has dubbed ”crowdturfing” – a combination of ”astroturfing” and ”crowdsourcing”. Astroturfing is an older term that refers to fake grassroots efforts, such as secretly paying people to send notes to their senator in favour of a bill.

Crowdsourcing is outsourcing to a crowd – a form of mass collaboration in which someone puts out a public request for help with a large number of well-defined tasks.

Combine the two and you get websites such as one called Zhubajie in China, which publishes offers for work like singing the praises of a particular dress on social media.”

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/new-kinds-of-dark-forces-are-being-unleashed-online-20120108-1pq2f.html#ixzz1iuzXBut6

Longer days are upon us and balmy nights are sure to be here really, really soon. We’re celebrating with the Fringe Food Festival and Chef, Matt Wilkinson.

You might have heard recently that Matt’s plans to return to fine dining (at the Hen & Coq) have been stalled, but you don’t have to wait to taste some of the dishes he’s been working on.

On 1st December we’ll be presented a dinner that grew around the idea of obtaining something quite special, forced rhubarb.   You can read more about this Yorkshire speciality over here on the Fringe Food site.  We’re very lucky to find a grower who is willing to experiment for us.  You certainly won’t see forced rhubarb all over town anytime soon.

We will be featuring forced rhubarb in two courses, one savoury one sweet. But first, as I had to listen to the Circle of Yorkshire Life, so now you will have to read it…

So, in Yorkshire, the largest county in the  north of England, they were blessed with grains to make beer, and so beer they made. At the end of the process the leftover grain and mash was fed to the pigs, so happy pigs were grown, and happy pigs poo,  The pig poo was used on the rhubarb plots to grow the biggest bestest rhubarb in the world.

If you’ve even watched The Great British Menu you’ll know that rhubarb is known as *the* dessert ingredient.  Rhubarb and Apple Crumble, Rhubarb and custard, Rhubarb jelly, Rhubarb pie, rhubarb drinks, rhubarb chutney…

So the plan so far (subject to change or seasonal variation) is something like this.

• A selection of canapes featuring smoked items ( I think Matt wants to play with a smoker?)
• Cured duck breast, duck confit and all it’s bits with rhubarb sauce and fois gras
• White asparagus, ricotta, whey and grains with pork scratchings  (gettit?  grains … pork, rhubarb)
• Main dish of pork
• Matt’s special rhubarb and custard with Nan’s crumble.

(NOTE: really this may change –  we are very much subject to seasonal variation on this dinner)

And if the weather is fine – we’ll be able to spread out into the back garden, which is full of fruit and vegetables doing their growing thing.  Hope you’ll come and join us for this special night.

What: Seasonal and local 4 course meal, plus canapes, with matched wines
Chef: Matt Wilkinson
When: Thursday 1st December
Where: Pope Joan, 77-79 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick (96 Tram).
How much: $115.00 a person (plus 30 cents booking fee) including wine.

Booking: Bookings (via TryBooking)

Please note that due to the nature of this event we are unfortunately unable to alter the menu.

If you haven’t heard yet, there’s a new festival around town.  Some trumped up food bloggers and tweeters  (me included) have prevailed upon their friends and contacts in the food industry to help put on some affordable, interesting and interactive dinners.

So far we’ve hosted a truffle dinner and St Ali with Matt Wilkinson from Pope Joan, another truffle dinner at St Ali with Scotty Pickett from The Estelle, yet another truffle dinner at The Estelle with Scott Pickett, a Vegan dinner at Embrasse with Nic Poelaert and a Grass fed vs Grain fed beef taste off with Ron O’Bryan at the Vine Hotel.

It’s been a terrific lot of fun and I’m hoping we can have many more dinners and bring many more ideas together.  Do let us know at fringefoodfestival@gmail.com if you have any ideas you’d like to bring about.

Our next dinner is a suckling pig afternoon in the inner north.

Come along!

One of the many things I like about writing this blog, is that it records (for posterity ?  hah!) some of my thoughts, opinions and memories.  We all change over time. People, fashion, tastes (and taste), politics, knowledge, restarants and chefs … and cafes too.
Six year or seven years ago I lived in (north) North Fitzroy.  A bit of a wasteland, the Loaded Dog hotel had recently closed and food and entertainment options close to hand were few and far between.

A new coffee shop, Growers Espresso, opened on the corner of St Georges Road and Holden street, serving locally roasted Australian grown coffee. My initial thoughts were … blergh – Australian grown coffee? locally roasted??  why would you bother?  Ten years ago, my Melbourne, and my taste buds were very much directed towards strong, bitter, Italian roasted espresso blends.   My tastes stayed this was for quite a few years; I like to think I was making up for the many years of Nescafe with frothed milk that was served to me in Queensland cafes. I tried Growers Espresso coffee once, but wasn’t really impressed.

So seven or so years down the track, I start going to the Farmers’ Markets occasionally, particularly Collingwood. There are three coffee choices at the market, the farm cafe, Dr Java and Growers Espresso. I would snub Growers (still!) and go to Dr Java.  Then one day, I changed. I dunno why, but I stopped at Growers and it was good coffee. Really good coffee.

Nowadays. I really look forward to the markets (I barely shop for food anywhere else) and my Grower’s coffee.  If I work out my morning schedule properly I can drop in for a morning coffee; if I don’t attend a weekend market I drop in, or walk down for coffee. And on Sundays when they are closed, I make a pourover with some of their single origin beans at home. You could say my tastes have changed over the years.

The “killer app” though for me was their change to a “Farmer’s Market inspired” menu. Here was provenance for my snacks and lunch. Many of the producers are local folks I know and trust from the Farmers’ Markets. Lovely heirloom vegetables (no unripe greenhouse tomatoes here); free range Milawa chicken, rare breed pork, local artisan cheeses, free range eggs, Mt Zero olives and all manner of good and delicious things!

The menu changes regularly, but the favourites are there whenever I visit. Coconut bread toasted, and served with Di’s rhubarb and Schultz Yogurt. muffins made in-house everyday, baguettes, frittata and Michele’s bikkies from Castlemaine.  The menu showcases fresh, seasonal and local produce, and delicious breed from Dench (also local). Regular features are Milawa Chicken, Gypsy Pig, Holy Goat Cheese, Lochelian Cheese I’ve even seen smoked barramundi.

I still enjoy a Genovese coffee fairly regularly (mostly from Liaison) but it sits nicely alongside my local – which offers an Aussie Grown Eureka Coffee Blend and someother interesting bean every day.  Espresso or pourover. So very “modern and third wave”. And yes, they roast on site.
Funny how things change … I’m sure Mark, Hamish and the team have been doing things like this for ages .. I just wasn’t in this “space” until 18 months ago.  Now I am, they’d better not go anywhere soon.

Follow them on twitter at @eurekacoffee

It doesn’t happen very often these days unfortunately, but the meal I had at The Brix last week was astounding.

Keen eyes have been keeping an eye on the space behind Foxton’s Real Estate Agency at 412 Brunswick street for a while now. The planning permit was affixed to the unassuming roller door in Westgarth street late last year and the compact 40 seater which was originally scheduled to be open in May 2011, finally opened on 19th August 2011. But I reckon it’s been worth the wait.

I’ve visited three times now, for the five course fixed price menu that is the only meal option on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday lunch, for an al la carte experience and for lunch.    Cheese and charcuterie are available at the small bar as an alternative to the five course set meal.

Two of the three folk behind The Brix were on the floor the first night we visited.  They are quite open as to their influences, Le Chateaubriand in Paris.  Based on this fact alone I was eager to try The Brix,  having had a delicious and “un-stuffy” meal at Le Chateaubriand in 2009. Emma O’Mara and Keir Vaughan (our hosts) have design backgrounds and this 40 seater is testament to  their skill and tastes.  It’s a lovely spot which manages to be bright and sunny even though the windows face south.  The front room is dominated by a large cornucopia styled photograph which was commissioned for the space.  The side room features wooden shingles and hanging plants which are a surprising feature that I’m sure will bring a welcome cooling effect as we move into summer.

Joel Alderson is in the kitchen. I”d not heard of Joel before, but the pedigree is one to respect, Joost’s Greenhouse in Sydney, Attica and the Royal Mail in Dunkeld.  He’s joined by Daniel Dobra from Greenhouse in Perth, and also the Royal Mail. If that wasn’t enough to make me want to eat there, Ainslie Lubbock (also from the Royal Mail) has helped with the wine list and works a few shifts.

Once I’d heard all that I was no longer surprised by the offerings, but was very pleased to have a bistro like this so close to home (and a 112 tram ticket is certainly cheaper than flying to Paris).

The five course menu featured grilled baby cos, salsify, flowers, horseradish snow, crunchy quinoa, salmon, beetroot, celery leaf, artichokes, braised baby turnips, roast baby turnips, veal breast (with the most delicious, thin and crispy skin and layers of luscious fat and sweet veal meat, almost like a pork belly) served with carrots, saltbush and baby leeks; Confit duck leg that had been removed from the bone and pressed, served with a slice of perfectly pink breast duck, with baby turnips.  Dessert was coffee and chocolate cake with mandarin.

I’m not going to give away all of Joel’s little surprises here, but the plating is some of the prettiest I’ve seen.

We drank some delicious Gamay  (2010 Puzelat-Bonhomme Petite-Tannique from the Loire Valley), and some of the range of growers champagnes on offer.   The Fixed Price menu is $80 a person.

I returned a few nights later to dine al la carte.  The menu descriptions are brief and specific which leaves a lot of room to be pleasantly surprised by what appears to be a never-ending supply of herbs, baby veg, leaves and edible flowers that accompanied the dishes we tried.  Some of the dished from the set menu were featured on the al la carte menu, such as the calamari (with radishes, lettuce, herbs and chive flowers) and veal breast.  We started with a naturally sweet, light french onion broth which was poured at the table over a selection of croutons, teensy, weensy baby (I mean SMALL! smaller than your little fingernail) onions, chives and chive flowers.

We followed with shallot tart tatin served with creme fraiche and perfectly picked leaf salad, and the calamari.

Mains were beef fillet which arrived with a tastebud awakening smell of smoke that came from a spring onion that lay across the meat, which was spread across a slate, served with potato and cress; a plate of Bass Grouper, and lamb with artichokes cooked two ways, jerusalem artichokes, sweetbreads and oxalis leaves.

We ordered a side of “sprout leaves” which were similar to red kale, served with more of that amazing crunchy quinoa and finished with two desserts.

With a couple of glasses of wine each we spent $90 a head.

The third time I visited for a simple lunch.  The shallot tart tatin made an appearance again ($16), as did the beef with potato and cress ($22). We opted for a shallot tart, black pudding, apple cider, sorrel  and duck egg ($16), and free-range chicken terrine with leeks, potato and Kaissler (16).

There is a synesso cofee machine, house made tomato juice and they take their tea seriously too, offering Mariage Frères blends from Paris.

My choice is for the five course fixed price menu  - this meal was astoundingly good, mind you –  I haven’t had breakfast there yet!

Oh yeh – and there is a life size pig in the doorway….

… and an outdoor space

It’s terrific value and an outstanding debut.  Here’s to the new kid just off the block, open only a week so be gentle with them and let them find their feet.  Relax, take it easy and enjoy a new local.

Stefano cooks at Gerald’s Bar on Tuesday 9th August.  Bookings (03) 9349 4748

Tuesday’s night’s at Gerald’s Bar are turning into “Guest Chef” nights. Apparently it’s Chef Peter’s night off, so Gerald will often let some other folk into the kitchen to cook for the lucky ones.  Recent guest chefs have included Matt Wilkison (Pope Joan) and Nic Poelaert (Embrasse), and a Jamaican themed evening which afforded me the chance to try some “Stamp & Go” fritters and traditional curried goat.

The next guest chef to brave the Gerald’s kitchen is Stefano de Pieri from Stefano’s in Mildura who will offer 4 courses matched with Mildura Brewery Beer.

Salad of Crystal Bay Prawns, nashi pear, caramelised macadamia nuts

Honey Wheat Beer

Risotto with wild mushrooms

Desert Lager

Beef cheek braised in Mallee Bull, spiced crumble, bone marrow

Mallee Bull

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, Coffee Anglaise

Choclate Stout

4 courses for $60 including beer

If you’d like to book, call Gerald’s direct on (03) 9349 4748

Gerald’s Bar

386 Rathdown Street (between The Kent, and La Porchetta)

Carlton North

Disclaimer: I am not receiving any goods, services or cash to write about this event.  I’m writing about this event because I believe it is a value-for-money evening that offers something a little bit different.

If you’re interested in similar events have a look at the Fringe Food Festival

Autumn had just started to bite here in Melbourne, and it seemed like the perfect time to settle in and learn a lot more about cider, and eat some delicious food at Libertine in North Melbourne.

Our hosts, Zoe and Nick, packed their restaurant with cider makers, cider lovers and food-folk; offered us 12 ciders over four courses with plenty of cider making and tasting chat.

What’s not to love?

We would be tasting ciders from Henry of Harcourt, Napoleon & Co (Punt Road Wines), and those imported by Gabriel and Valerie from Cerbaco.

We started with a glass of Henry of Harcourt Original Cider – served as an aperitif like a champagne. This is made from Pink lady eating apples, a practice that is quite common in Australia, but very unlikely in France or the UK where cider apples are grown especially for cider and brandy making. I found the Cider to be very dry, short and quite acidic.

Then we settled in for:
Course one

Fromage du Tete, crackling and radish salad

Served with:-

Henry of Harcourt Perry – made from eating pears – tasted thin and very acidic.

Napoleon & Co Pear Cider – Sweet and inoffensive

Le Père Jules Poire Pay D’Auge – Complex, full and aromatic. Also organic.

Course two

Seared trotter (with truffles), gribiche & beans

Served with:-

Henry of Harcourt 2010 Yarlington Mill – this is made from a single variety of cider apple.  I found it terribly dry, tannic, bitter and pretty much undrinkable.

Napoleon & Co Apple Cider – Apple blossom fragrance and pleasant drinking.

Cidre d’Anneville Cidre Traditionnel, Pays de Caux – a typical pasteurised cider – sweet smelling, but a dry finish little bit tannic behind your front teeth…

Course three

Confit pork belly, bourdin noir and Calvados Jus

Served with:-

Henry of Harcourt Duck & Bull draft cider – this had a distinct smell of pineapple lollies and was quite astringent.

Henry of Harcourt Kingston Black ’10 – another single apple cider and again I found it bitter.  The apple variety hails from Sommerset, and it was hoppy and almost “beer-like”.

Cidre de Cornouailles Manoir du Kinkiz, Brittany – AOC cider, slightly sweeter than the previous two, orange in colour and effervescent.  Had aroma notes of .. wait for it … manure, urine and asphalt.

Course four

Cheese

Served with:-

Henry of Harcourt Last Apple 2008 – made from some Pink Lady apples that they forgot to harvest.

Cider Doux Binet Rouge, Pays de Caux – made from a single apple variety – the Binet Rouge.

Overall on the evening the attendees voted Napolean & Co Apple Cider their favourite, followed by a tie for second between Henry of Harcourt Kingston Black and Cider Doux Binet Rouge, with Cidre Cournouailles coming 4th.

I didn’t agree with them :-)  I put all the French ones before the local ones.

I learnt that Cider in Brittany is made with indigenous yeast, can be pasteurised or unpastrieurised, and comes from hundreds of years of tradition, often from small producers who think that no-one else will like their cider as it’s “rustic”.

Our local “artisinal” ciders are made with champagne yeast and most often table apples.  Only very special makers have access to cider apples, Henry of Harcourt being one, and Bress Wine and Cider being the other that I know of.  There may well be more.

Cider apples are juicy, and very tannic and astringent.

Making Perry is a difficult proposition as the natural process produces naturally occurring sorbitol, also used as a sugar substitute.

Industrial ciders are made from apple concentrate and spring water and are nasty!

I also learned that 13 tasting glasses makes you a wee bit squiffy!

I swear, this is not going to become a blog about Masterchef, but my recent post about contestants posting on Facebook has sparked many comments and a few conversations that have gotten me thinking.

I been thinking about the structure of the show, particularly in light of some comments that have been made about the contestants being in “lock down”.

Contestant Adam left the show voluntarily. In speaking to the media he commented that isolation from his girlfriend had basically brought about the end of the relationship, and that he felt like his confidence was eroded by the actions of the shows producers.

The contestants who are left on the show have been living in the Sydney house since early January, with one 10min phone call home a week, apart from a few production breaks.

Why lock them in?

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I was listening to the Food Show with Sheila Dillon on BBC Radio 4 the other day. It’s a great podcast (links below) and I found her program about the history of the burger fascinating, with particular relevance to some of the debate that is happening in Australia right now.

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