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 the 'Ethical Food' Category

I really should know better…

Sunday, November 8th, 2015

Look I’ve been unwell OK? And I rarely go into a supermarket these days (thank goodness!), but, but … OK so my defences were down. When I saw the innocent looking plastic jar on the shelf I thought – well I read the other day that I should eat more cashews for pre-biotic goodness and […]

Bundarra Pork Tasting Menu At Bar Nacional

Sunday, April 13th, 2014

 Here’s a story, about a lovely lady who was raising some very tasty pigs.  All of them were rare-breed Berkshires, like their mothers, and all had free-range digs. Photo: Em Hart @thaladybaker Here’s a story about a chef named Alex, who loved pork, more than any other meat. After brining, braising, roasting and compressing – […]

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.

Growers Espresso / Eureka Coffee

Saturday, September 24th, 2011

Six 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 tastebuds were very much directed towards strong, bitter, Italian roasted espresso blends.

So…where did feedlots come from?

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

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.

Fish Fight at My Kitchen Rules

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

Monday night (Season 2 Episode 4) on Channel 7’s reality cooking show, My Kitchen Rules,  something happened that quite literally shocked me.  Did you see it? Now I know that I and my foodie friends sometimes sit in the stratosphere pontificating about local, sustainable and ethical food.  We  don’t just blindly buy “organic” or “free […]