No longer the season for light salads, alfresco meals or iced teas, no sir. ’tis the season for meat-laden stews by the fire, layered clothing, pale skin and beers as dark as the afternoon sky. Beers that should be served with a spoon and a warning. Beers that upon drinking force you to sit back, take notice and ponder.

An all too regular Untappd user, I have noticed that my choice of brew has taken a decidedly dark twist of late. Belgian Porter, Chocolate Porter, Stout, Imperial Stout and Belgian Dark Ale, if it’s dark and interesting, I’m all over it like a fat kid on a Smartie.

So given my recent interest in all beers dark and stormy, here are five dark beers worth a look this winter:

Tokyo* (Intergalactic fantastic oak aged stout) by BrewDog
With an ABV of 18.2%, this brew is not for faint of heart. Still a damn fine beer, filled with intrigue and complexity.

Temptress by Holgate Brewhouse
Very chocolaty, this Chocolate Porter is well balanced and very approachable. With an ABV of 6.0%, you can have a couple without turning into Prince William at a fancy dress party.

Hargreaves Hill Stout by Hargreaves Hill Brewing Co.
A Lovely stout dominated by the usual coffee and chocolate suspects. Warmth is provided by an ABV of 6.7% and the beer finishes with a very slight bitterness.

Sierra Nevada Stout by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Not yet tasted, this brew has been on my list for some time. A huge fan of their Pale Ale, their website rates the stout as: “Creamy, malty, and full-bodied, the Sierra Nevada Stout is satisfyingly rich. Caramel and Black malts give the Stout its deep, dark color and pronounced roasted flavor”. Has an ABV of 5.8%

Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout by Hitachino Nest If you have tasted any Hitachino Nest beers before, you will know what I mean when I say, these guys are nuts. If you see this, or any of the Hitachino Nest beers on offer, order it. They certainly are interesting (their website is hilarious as well).

You see, over the past year I have been fortunate enough to rediscover something. Something that most adults, myself included, can take for granted, especially those who view food as a staple – a utilitarian need. I have been witness to my child’s discovery of the joys of food.

I have watched with interest as he has tried his first manderin; his face almost turning inside out as he discovers sourness for the first time. I have looked on with pride as he has eaten the smoked haddock croquette at The Montegue – complete with the curried mayonnaise dipping sauce – and looked up at me as if to say, “more?”. And I have laughed hysterically as he has tried his first morsel of chocolate ahead of the Easter season. A moment where his mother’s German heritage was written all over his face, like the German exchange student from The Simpsons, Üter Zörker.

Am I saying that food is more enjoyable with children in your life? Absolutely not. The joys of discovering new food(s) are not lost in adulthood. However as adults, we tend to take for granted those raw, almost primal discoveries. Sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness and umami are to a large extent, common occurrences. Yet to a child, each one is a riot and opens up a whole new world of culinary discovery.

Enjoy!

To my loyal reader – I apologise. I continue to eat, drink and engage in much merriment, however my ability to share has been somewhat lacking.

Whilst I would love to report that my absence has been at the hand of a recent trip abroad -  scouring the best of the street vendors in Hanoi or dining alongside the city’s elite in NYC – sadly the truth is far more sobering. And boring. I’ve just been lazy.

However never fear loyal reader, your canine-like properties hold you in good stead for the barrage of posts in the FoodstuffMelb pipeline.

I am unable to promise that they will be interesting. However if you are a regular, you would already know that.

Enjoy!

FoodstuffMelb

I visited recently during a busy Friday lunch service. With each table audibly spoken for, I propped myself up on a stall at the back of the compact eatery, overlooking Centre Pl. Being my virgin visit to the very well recommended establishment, I took a moment to discover my surroundings and acquaint myself with the place. Through the door and into fire, you are greeted first by the small but busy kitchen. Rosa’s there, taking orders and chatting to patrons as I’m sure she does day-in and day-out. The kitchen then gives way to the sparsely decorated yet pocket-sized restaurant that houses a few tables, some for groups, some communal, with the aforementioned bar seating up the back.

With my focus now shifting to my growling stomach, I turned my attention and appetite to the compact menu. Sadly, being a work day, I was time poor and disappointingly forced to skip over the degustation option. I instead opted for the slow-roasted lamb. Roasted for 4 hours with lemon, oregano and olive oil, it was served simply with a side of potato and greens. The only disappointing thing about this dish was the fact it was served with a knife. The lamb was tender enough to forked into bite sized portions and lovingly devoured. A real homely dish. I was also served a little side salad of crisp iceberg lettuce and fennel, dressed with some olive oil. The perfect palate cleanser.

Not usually one for dessert, the waiter managed to twist my arm and I ordered the sour cherry and custard tart to accompany my coffee. I’m glad he did because the tart was a triumph, the perfect balance between sweet and sour with a thin short-crust pastry that melted in your mouth.

I left feeling content. Not just at the meal that now lay happily in my belly, but also at the thought that honest food still exists.

Journal Canteen (Rosa’s Kitchen)
253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Victoria 3000
p: (03) 9650 4399

*Photo shamelessly stolen from The Age website.

This weekend after battling with two days of sickness (I’m getting better – thanks for your concern) I felt the urge to make some bread. A quick check of the dry-store and I was in business: Tipo-00, dried yeast, salt, honey and some seeds. Time to get baking.

I love making bread. Such a simple yet therapeutic task, once you have mastered the basic recipe, you’re only limited by your imagination. I have attached my basic recipe below, if you’re keen, why not give it a go.

My Basic Bread Recipe

Ingredients
1kg strong flour (I use tipo 00)
21g dried yeast (3 sachets)
30g honey (or sugar if you prefer)
625mls lukewarm water
30g salt

Method
1. Combine half of the water, yeast and honey in a small bowl and mix to combine. Allow to stand in a warm, draft free place for about 10 minutes, or until the water begins to froth.

2. Meanwhile, combine the flour and salt in your mixing bowl and fit the dough hook attachment. (if you don’t have a mixing bowl, simply spread the flour out onto a large, clean surface and make a well in the centre – you know the drill)

3. With the yeast working its magic, feeding off of the sugars in its warm-water environment, it’s time to add it to the flour. Turn your machine on low and gradually add the water until combined.

4. Once the water has been combined, check the consistency and add more flour or water as needed. You want the dough to be rather sticky to the touch, but not wet. Now, turn up the power and knead for about 5 or so minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic. (if you are kneading by hand, this may take up 10 or 15 minutes – god bless your enthusiasm).

5. Cover and leave to stand, or prove, for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. Once the dough has proved, knock it back and then form into your desired shape(s)*. Place your dough into a greased tin, cover and then allow to stand for another 45 minutes. This step is crucial and is what will give your bread its fluffy, delicate texture.

6. Nearly there. After your dough has proved for the second time, carefully place in a pre-heated oven at 225C and bake for 40 minutes or until golden. You’ll know it’s done after quick tap, if it sounds hollow, it’s done.

7. After removing the bread from the oven, place a cooling rack and wait at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

*for a basic ciabatta recipe, add 6 tablespoons of oil after the first prove and knead through well.

I was lucky enough to be sent a number of Bonne Maman samples recently to taste, contemplate and if up to scratch, blog about. But before I get to that, a little about Bonne Maman.

Bonne Maman conserves are made in France where seasonal fruit and all natural ingredients come together in a small 370ml, gingham-capped, French faceted jar. In Australia, Bonne Maman in imported by Minora Foods who bring us other French goodies such as Maille mustard.

So how do the conserves taste I hear you ask? Good question. I thought about all the possibilities – the different ways in which I could prepare and consume. Perhaps an apricot tart? Mixed through some homemade vanilla and strawberry ice-cream? Some sweet pastries? No I’m a sucker for fresh croissants, spread liberally with fruity jam. After a brief trip to Laurent, the croissants were primed, the conserves cracked and the mouth salivating at the spread before me.

I had been blessed with four options: raspberry, strawberry, apricot and blueberry. First mouthful was the raspberry, slight sharpness, plenty of sweetness and a hell of a lot of flavour, the conserve worked well against the buttery pastry. The strawberry was less sweet but with plenty of strawberry goodness; if summer could be bottled, it would probably taste something like this.

Two down, two to go. The apricot was up next and unfortunately was a little disappointing. After the highs of the first two, I was expecting more, however the flavour was a little flat and perhaps affected slightly by some floury fruit. Still tasty, just not on par with the raspberry or strawberry conserves. Last and probably least was the blueberry conserve. Not the best croissant accompaniment, the blueberry conserve would be better served swirled through some thick yoghurt or perhaps combined with some buttermilk, flour and eggs for a delightfully fluffy blueberry pancake.

Bonne Maman conserves can be found at selected independent outlets and retail for $4.99 p/jar.

*All samples were provided free of charge by 360° Focus

Whilst we may all agree that ACA is morally bankrupt, another issue that offers perhaps more food for thought is this: foodstuff samples provided free of charge to food bloggers – usually by marketing types – in the hope of receiving some ‘honest’ feedback.

Why do I mention this? Well of late I have been receiving a modest amount of samples, and offers of samples, from marketing and social media firms. At first I thought it was rather novel – after all I’m getting stuff for free – however with each passing offer I couldn’t help but feel somewhat dirty. Like John Laws, rolling naked through piles of Valvoline-oil-stained cash! You know what I mean.

I also feel, by accepting these offers, there is an expectation that I will not only write about the product, but that I will write favourably.

So what’s the ethical thing to do here? Eat the samples greedily and lean back in my chair laughing like an evil villain? Discard the samples and any further attempts to distribute additional foodstuffs? Or eat, blog and share an unbiased opinion of the good(s) in question?

What do you think?

To Review or Not To Review?: http://wp.me/pBMEE-91—
  (@FoodstuffMelb) August 29, 2010

On May 5th 2010, my wife and I welcomed the arrival of our first child – a son – Oskar Reuben. Somehow between the late night nappy changes, endless loads of washing and sleep deprivation, I have managed to somewhat neglect my blog. Go figure. Thankfully, life is beginning to return somewhere near the realm of normality, and I find myself with enough time to write this post. So, without further delay.

It is with a small ounce of irony that my first post back is a beer tasting. Oskar has not yet led me down the garden path of alcoholism, however I do find myself leaning upon the gate.

That aside, Long Shot is the latest offering from the team at Matilda Bay* (think Fat Yak, Redback and the venerable Alpha Pale Ale). A coffee infused dark ale, Long Shot forms part of the Matilda Bay seasonal release range that has previously sprouted the likes of Sebastian and Barking Flamingo, to name but two.

Long Shot is a collaboration between Matilda Bay head brewer, Scott Vincent and Toby Smith from Toby’s Estate. These guys obviously enjoyed working together. The beer pours well with a deep chocolate colour contrasted by a creamy caramel head, reminiscent of the best crema. The aroma is heady with dark bitter chocolate and coffee the predominant players, just perfect for the cold winter evening in which is was to be consumed.

But what about the taste? Not one for the faint of heart, the palate is thick, creamy and oh so delicious. There is a definite bitterness supplied by the Northern Brewer hops, and chocolate courtesy of the malt. Both flavours worked well with the coffee infusion providing a basline of cocoa-enriched goodness. The coffee, although subtle, rounds out the flavour nicely, yet I can’t help but feel that after the silky mouth-feel dissipates, I’m left with an almost grainy Nescafé Blend 43 aftertaste. This really sounds far worse than it actually is however as Long Shot is an exceptional dark ale.

The biggest problem with Long Shot by far, is it’s limited availability. So if you do manage to find a bottle or two, pick it/them up. You won’t be disappointed.

*Matilda Bay is owned and operated by the company I work for, Foster’s Group Limited. In saying that, this post has not been sponsored by Foster’s and the comments above are mine and mine alone. I did actually enjoy this beer…for real.

I have had this one on my list for some time. One above home curing and one down from making my own jam. As you can see, my list of ambitions reads like that of an 80 year old grandmother. Not that there is anything wrong with being an 80 year old grandmother of course.

Moving on. Myself and a friend decided on producing two different sausages. Pork, red wine & garlic and a spicy Italian (pork, fennel, chilli, basil et cetera). Wanting to source the best meat possible and obtain natural hog casings, I paid my local butcher, T.O.M.S., a visit. With organic pork and hog casing in tow it was time to head home and start the long, but enjoyable task of preparing the sausages. The process went something like this:

Meat preparation – I was lucky enough to obtain some of the pork trim (belly, shoulder and other bits and pieces). I say lucky because it saved us some time that would otherwise have been spent trimming the meat off of the pork shoulder. The trim would also provide a more varied texture and taste to the finished sausage, and was $10 p/kilo cheaper. The trim was cubed and carefully removed of all sinew ready for marination.

Marination – with the meat trimmed, it was time to add the flavour. Half the mixture was mixed with freshly minced garlic, salt and pepper, covered then placed in the refrigerator overnight. The other portion was combined with lightly toasted and crushed fennel and coriander seed, chilli flakes, cajun pepper, paprika, fresh basil and oregano, salt and pepper and again placed in the refrigerator.

Grinding – the meat was removed from the fridge after 24 hours and passed through the coarse die of the grinder. It was then passed a second time through the fine die to obtain a more even texture. We did this for two reasons. Firstly because we found that when passing the meat through the fine die first, the fat would catch, causing the meat to ‘smear’. This smearing can result in a grainy, and subsequently inferior tasting, sausage. Secondly, we actually found this double-handling sped up the process by allowing the meat to pass through the grinder at a faster rate.

Primary Bind – now the meat was ground, it was time to quickly, but thoroughly mix the mince to obtain what is known as the primary bind. This allows the proteins to develop in the meat and results in a mixture that binds easily and makes for a more even consistency within the sausage. This is similar to kneading dough and working the gluten in flour. At this stage, a half cup of good quality red wine was added to the red wine and garlic sausage mixture and an eighth of a cup of red wine vinegar and some water to the spicy Italian.

Stuffing – Now to the fun bit. A length of intestine was carefully fed onto the sausage attachment and the mince was stuffed evenly and slowly. I found this step to be quite a bit easier than first thought and was luckily successful with my first, and ever subsequent attempt thereafter. Maybe this was just beginner’s luck. Once the casings were stuffed, the sausages were tied by pinching then twisting the first link, pinching but not twisting the second link, then finally pinching and twisting (in the same direction as the first twist) the third link. This action will ensure that the second link is twisted along with the third, saving time in the process.

Resting – once all of the sausages were stuffed and tied, the sausages were refrigerated overnight ready for dinner the following evening.

Eating – I don’t need to explain this bit, do I? The end result was well worth all the effort. Far better than anything you’ll find in any supermarket and definitely as good as some butchers’ sausages, I can’t wait to make my next batch.

So if you have a spare weekend, and are looking for something to do, why not give sausages a go? If you do, be sure to drop me a line and let me know how you got along.

Apparently being ethical is important and the big companies are slowly cottoning on to the fact that consumers are concerned about the environment and the ethical treatment of people involved in the production of foodstuffs.

Cadbury is one such company and has recently launched a Fairtrade Certified range of its Dairy Milk product. Now whilst this blog, as a reflection of my own ethics, is dedicated to small, artisan and – where possible – local producers, I thought that it was important to shine the spotlight on the big guys for a second.

I was torn as to whether or not I should even mention this on FoodstuffMelb. For one, the chocolate was sent to me from a marketing firm, along with a well-written and considered press release. Would I be selling out and inadvertently marketing mass-produced product to my readers (all two of them – sorry mum and dad)? Moreover, other smaller producers and growers have been producing ethical and sustainable goods for decades, so why not focus on them?

I’m usually very cynical of major corporations’ intentions when they release such a product, as Cadbury have done here. If they are so concerned about the environment and ethics, why not make all their chocolate Fairtrade Certified? Why not go organic as well while they are at it? I read with interest in the media release that:

“Over 45,000 Ghanaian farmers have already benefitted from the move, and Cadbury globally hope to expand this to a million farmers over the next decade.”

However with a labor force in excess of 10 million people, of which 60% is dedicated to agriculture (a large portion dedicated to the production of cocoa), one must consider just how much of an impact this move is having on the people of Ghana. Ghana is responsible for over 20 per cent of the world’s cocoa production. Suddenly the impact on the 45,000 lives Cadbury claim to be helping seems like a splash in the ocean.

Whether this is merely a marketing stunt or not, one thing is certain, at least Cadbury are trying to make a difference. The more companies do to promote sustainability and ethical food production in Australia and overseas, the more the message reaches the masses.

So my decision to mention this product on FoodstuffMelb was a relatively easy one in the end. Regardless of the intent, the more people who hear terms like: sustainability, ethicality, Fairtrade and so on, the more people and the planet benefit from it. So with that, well done Cadbury.

Is your glass and a half full, or empty?