Caviar and vodka anyone?

I was having a bachelor’s night the other night, cooking for one while my wife was out, and think I hit upon the almost perfect bachelor’s entrée while cooking, if you like a tope and a touch of class without much work.

WARNING: Excessive alcohol consumption is bad for your health.  This is a medical authority warning.

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The Best Fish and Chips in Melbourne?

Can Kit’s Cucina be stooping so low as to make a call out for the best fish and chip recommendations in Melbourne?

Short answer: yes.


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Minecraft Cake

What is Minecraft?  I have no idea (OK, I do, it's a crappy video game), but the kids seem to like it.

Here's an easy way to make a cake with a Minecraft™ theme.  Another winner by Cara, though not as good as her Yoda Cake...

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The Gimlet

While recently reading Raymond Chandler's The Long Goodbye, I was inspired to:

a)   try one of the Gimlet cocktails the characters kept slamming down, and;

b)  write a piece of short fiction, in the voice of Raymond Chandler.

I had a go at both, and present each here for you to enjoy.  Make the drink, then read the short story!  It didn't make the cut for my new collection Tales of the Dark (just sent to the printer's ~ due out in December), but may whet your appetite for my soon to be released book anyway.

Bon appetite!

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Heathcote Wine Show

Ah Heathcote!  "Heathy one day, coatey the next," (you can quote me if you like).
Cor blimey, this guy is an unstoppable video blogging machine!  This time he's done a short film about wines of the Heathcote region.  We learn about shiraz, how much one can drink, and the joys of bus travel.
Strap yourself in!  We're in for a bumpy ride!

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Stephanie Alexander at the Festival of Ideas

Hello!
I was recently invited to the University of Melbourne's 'Festival of Ideas', where I went to see Stephanie Alexander talk with a panel of experts about her Kitchen Gardens program.
'Boring!' I hear you think.
But nothing could be further from the truth!  It attracted all-sorts, and when I say "all sorts" I am not suggesting for a moment that anyone was handing out liquorice.  No.
In fact, you were much more likely to get a silverbeet tart, or possibly some beetroot dip.
Either that or a knuckle sandwich.
But what's this?  Another video blog!  Hooray!  Click on the link below:

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Fitzroy Dining Recommendations

I recently received the following email from a friend and was immediately flattered, and yet simultaneously unnerved:

Hello Kit.
I'm looking for a recommendation for a restaurant in the Collingwood/Fitzroy area for <>'s 40th. She digs Easy Tiger but I was thinking elsewhere - a bit groovy and not uptight.
Who better to ask than your good self.?
Chin chin,
<>

Making a suggestion about where somebody else should cram their gob is always an onerous proposition. I mean, is it for a group, or just the two of them? And what if they have a totally shit time, and blame me (more than likely)?  The waiting staff may have changed, or the chef set his apron on fire... anything could have happened.

The best bet is to spread the risk, and just mention some of the highlights, which I duly did. Since I'd already typed up the list, I thought this might be something you might benefit from too.  So here, without further ado, are some of my current top tips for where to graze when taking someone out for their birthday celebrations in the Fitzroy area.  Please feel free to send me your suggestions!!

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