In Melbourne, a city full of food and obsessed by coffee, I cook, I eat, I share the good news and the bad. essjay eats

Archive for 2012

St ALi North : Review

Thursday, December 27th, 2012

There’s no such thing as a soft opening my friend far from famished observed at breakfast the other morning, especially if you have a reputation like St ALi. We were at St ALi North, and discussing the reaction on Urbanspoon to Sal Malatesta’s latest coffee haven. Seems like the plans have taken a long time […]

Essjay bites 20 November 2012

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

This week I spent some time up country at Bress Winery supporting the Tour de Bress Riders, visited a market of course and helped my friends open a new meat shop in Carlton, Skinner & Hackett.

Trocadero Review

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

Stick to the game plan and you’ll have a fine time at Trocadero. Visit before or after a show, or pretend that you’re going to that sold out show you missed out on tickets to.

Royal Melbourne Show Baking Competition

Sunday, September 23rd, 2012

Some of you may know that for the last three years I’ve entered into the baking competition of the Royal Melbourne Show. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure what prompted me to enter, but gaining a “commendation” for my sponge sandwich entry in my first year, with the third sponge I’d ever baked, was […]

Fairfield Farmers’ Market

Saturday, June 9th, 2012

I was very excited today to be going to a new Victorian Farmers’ Market Association accredited Farmer’s Market at Fairfield Primary School, Wingrove Street, Fairfield. [flickr id=”7226068404″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”true” size=”medium” group=”” align=”none”] I didn’t take the “serious” camera as it was drizzling, but I will do a wrap up for those if you who didn’t […]

Les Vaches Du Tour Dinner

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

Many of you already know about my alter-ego – Essjaymoo.  Every year I participate in the Tour de France by way of the local cows of France.  Yep – lots of different varieties of cows in France, and they have very specific uses. It’s a thing .. ok? Anyway – this year we’ve decided to […]

Twitter Wine Tasting

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

Well, we talk about almost everything else on twitter, I guess the next step had to be a twitter wine tasting. Lead by wine guy Ben Knight (@benandwine) we are “gathering” this Sunday 29 April.  A group of us are going to try 2010 Atlas Section 32 Cabernet Malbec from the Clare Valley and will […]

Vegan Hot Cross Buns

Sunday, April 1st, 2012

It goes against my grain to adapt recipes for vegans / coeliacs / food intolerances in general. Not cause I dislike my friends who eat in special ways, but because I find most substitutes are either highly manufactured alternatives (i.e. Nuttalex, Melrose Spread, non-eggwhite etc) or something that alters the texture or taste.  There are […]

Traditional Hot Cross Buns

Sunday, April 1st, 2012

It goes against my grain to adapt recipes for vegans / coeliacs / food intolerances in general. Not cause I dislike my friends who eat is special ways. Vegan Hot Cross Bun recipe and a traditional one. Tried and trusted and delicious

Greenhouse by Joost – Melbourne

Sunday, March 4th, 2012

The Greenhouse by Joost is a pop-up restaurant with a difference, a “disposable” project if you will, designed to show us how to re-use recycle and reduce waste.