January Review - Ash Poole

January Review – 15^th January 2011

- Jo and Carly’s Portuguese chicken

- Cam’s Mediterranean Warm Veg Salad

- Sarah’s Mum’s Potato Salad

Jo invited me over for dinner and asked me to write a review for her. Have to say I was a little intrigued/apprehensive about the situation considering the last time I heard about her cooking was when she told me at Uni she needed help cooking a frozen lasagna and I didn't want to offend with a nasty review.

Luckily, Jo follows a recipe much better than she follows directions on the back of the lasagna packaging. Dinner was delicious.

To mark myself as the official reviewer I had to wear a hat that fit in with the dinner theme. As it was a BBQ, it was only appropriate that I wear the Aussie wide brimmed hat with the corks hanging off. Feeling the part, it was time for dinner to be served.

Jo made marinated chicken, mixed vegies and potato salad.
The chicken marinade was yummy and just the right amount of spice for me. The recipe sounded impressive, much classier than any marinade I had ever tried to put together.
The vegies were also barbecued and really nice. Jo had also included red onion, which as was pointed out to me, is the fancy kind.
The potato salad was excellent. Jo had used half potato and half sweet potato which I thought was a good additive. The potato salad also included prosciutto instead of bacon and it was awesome. Very generous portions of prosciutto too!

Overall I loved the dinner Jo, and I am definitely going to copy the vegies on the bbq idea.

I give your dish ********* (9 stars out of 10). Nice job Jojo!

That's one month down, eleven to go. Bring it on!

Will be in Bali for the first bit of February, but will make sure I catch up ASAP.

It's my party and I'll cook if I want to

15^th January 2011 – Showcase #1

- Jo and Carly's Portuguese Chicken
- Cam's Mediterranean Warm Veg Salad
- Sarah's Mum's Potato Salad (rehashed)

So, it was finally time for the very nerve-wracking experience of my first showcase. As Ash is going to Europe in a couple of weeks it was the last time we’d get to hang out. What better way to say goodbye than to force her to be my first reviewer, make her wear a silly hat as the judge and potentially give her food poisoning?

My sous chef (Carly) and I spent a rocking Friday night eating takeaway pizza and looking through recipe books. We eventually decided we'd have a BBQ. Since Sian and I loved Sarah’s Mum’s Potato Salad so much last time I thought I’d do that again. We found a recipe for Portuguese chicken and spent the afternoon making the marinade and getting everything prepared, we were feeling very cool! We forgot to buy oregano so used Italian herbs, used sweet paprika instead of hot paprika and chicken breast instead of thighs. Didn’t realise until the next day that we actually left the oil out of the mixture (quarter of a cup) - apparently we can’t even read a recipe!

My sous chef and I quite enjoyed all the cooking, even though she complained relentlessly about the heat. We discussed such fascinating topics as how many couples would have sex on their wedding night and if we’d prefer to be called Donka or Wee Ping Dong.

Had six people for the dinner and was feeling the pressure! Everything seemed to go down a treat. Sarah’s Mum’s Potato Salad was again amazing (was pretty much entirely sweet potato this time), Cam’s Mediterranean Veg Salad was good (perfectly charred by me and very well chopped by my sous chef) and the flavour of the chicken was really yum. Some of the pieces were perfectly cooked, some of them kinda overcooked, but no one mentioned it (Jen said “Oh, can you overcook chicken?”). The whole meal was pretty much a hit. Sian’s friends came over and polished the leftovers off – compliments all round!

Went out for a big night out with the girls which was cool. We complained about how old we are and ‘how can one vodka cost nine bucks, they used to only be three?!’ I fell down the stairs in a club, but you know, all in a day!

While dancing Ash accidentally elbowed a ‘little person’ in the head and then patted her on the head and said sorry. Brilliant.

Tips: Make sure you put all the ingredients in the chicken dish.

Music: The Wombats, Tales of Girls and Boys and Marsupials.

Jocelyn is Banana Man.

12^th January 2011 – Ann’s Banana Cake by Linda.

Back to work this week (eleven new recipes). It’s been a stressful time.

Did so many stupid things in one day I surprised even myself

1. Realised that I’d published my blog on the wrong address. ‘Coach potato baker’ will be my next blog about training potato bakes into fine athletes.
2. Was freezing in the office so went home to get a jacket, but forgot to take my keys and couldn’t get in so had to stay freezing all day.
3. Emailed Sian to tell her of stupidity and wrote ‘Oh know, how stupid’ in my email. New gramma low.

Made myself feel better by cooking Ann’s Banana Cake by Linda. I couldn’t be bothered cooking dinner so went for a treat instead. Not sure what I’ll do with it as we don’t really eat cake, but I’m pretty sure if I take it to work Sim will eat it.

I quite enjoyed cooking a dessert. There was lots of fun stuff to do! People who don’t eat eggs rarely get to play with them, so that was lots of fun. It took all my willpower to not squeeze it to crack it in my fist… by I resisted! I got to use my scales on the ‘ounce’ setting to measure out four ounces of butter, and now learnt how to spell ‘ounce’.

Sieving the flour was my favourite thing of all time and I got to practice a new stirring technique – folding. Was basically the same as all my other stirring techniques. Seemed to go well and I enjoyed doing it (while pretending the dishwasher wasn’t in fact flooding around my feet).

May be a brilliant chef, but definitely not a clean one!

Cake tipped out of the pan brilliantly and tastes really good. I think the edges are a bit tough, but the middle is delicious. Simone said it’s “wreally good” with a mouthful of cake, so that’s a good sign!

Going to Bali next week, so speeding it up a bit to make sure I still get enough done.

First showcase this weekend – Ash might be a tough judge so I’ll have to nail it!

Tips: I only cooked it for 43 minutes (don't know why, just thought it seemed like a good amount of time... worked a treat).

Music: Blues Traveler.

Make the dinner Cinderella, Stir it properly Cinderella

6th January 2011 – Jenna’s Pumpkin and Ricotta Fettuccini.

Last week of holidays and have been totally bored out of my brains! The nights have been busy and fun, but the days have been slightly dulls-ville.

Went to culture club on Monday and got four new recipes. Was very cute, they came with printouts from home to write in to the book (in their best handwriting).

Invited Alex over for dinner to try Jenna’s Pumpkin and Ricotta Fettuccini. Everyone has been really excited about this dish. It’s often the one that people pick out of the book and comment on.

Couldn’t find pine nuts in Coles, so decided to leave them out. The recipe went pretty well, but there was a shit load! I had to get Sian to come and help me stir it all through because I was spilling it all over the stove which was gross.

She’s always mocked me for the way I stir, I didn’t know there was a right way and a wrong way, I just thought you stirred, but apparently I can’t do it.

So anyway, we sat down to eat and I had the shits. I thought it didn’t taste like anything. I said to Al and Sian ‘tell me your honest opinions, I won’t get offended’ and then proceeded to get offended about it!

I didn’t think there was much taste to it unless I got a bit of everything on every fork, then it was delicious. That night, when I got home from the pub after seeing Lauren (who I hadn’t seen in five years!), I tried some more. It was quite nice. I think it tastes better without the pressure of other people eating and judging it, and without my sobriety!

Anyway, I’ll try it again in a few weeks (a new batch, pretty sure it won’t age well) and make a few changes to see how I go.

Saw Jenna on Friday night and she was devo that I didn’t love her recipe. I’d like to taste her version of it so I could see what hers is like. The good news is, we were at Music Trivia and won a packet of Twisties (if only they were Fonzies). I got four recipes that night and another one at Sydney Fest on Saturday. Lots of good stuff coming up!

Tips: I bought sundried tomatoes from the deli instead of a jar and didn’t use enough. I think I had about 100grams and I reckon I’d use 300 or more next time. Especially since Sian picked them all out and I didn’t get any!

Music: Muse.

A few snags short of a BBQ

2^nd January 2011 – Sarah’s Mum’s Potato Salad.

First night back at The Fort after a long holiday at Sancroft. Spent the afternoon helping (watching) Sian and Dad set up her new BBQ. Sian’s very excited, she had good fun bbqing – pork, sausages, corn and onion.

I made Sarah’s Mum’s Potato Salad. Luckily Sian came to the shops with me as I had no idea what watercress was so had no idea where to look for it “Oh, it’s like a herb or something?”. Got to cook the prosciutto on the bbq – but was embarrassed trying to pronounce ‘prosciutto’ at the deli!

Ate while watching Grey’s Anatomy and Sian questioned her sexuality. McDreamy is just too much for her to cope with. She doesn’t usually eat potatoes but she had seconds of Sarah’s Mum’s Potato Salad. She made us leave the bowl on the table so she could get more – but pointed out how much Loser would hate us for such behaviour.

She then left the blinds open so she could watch her bbq out the window.

Loved my new recipe. Good start to the year. Good start to the challenge.

Tips: I used half potato and half sweet potato as I’m a sweet pot addict. Good decision. Check me out deviating from the recipe! Haha.

Music: CD I made – mainly triple J new music podcasts – Sang VERY loudly to Sad Rude Future Dude – Ballpark Music.

Sian: "Oh no, that looks like a dog's breakfast".

If you’ve never felt the heat, get into the kitchen.

26^th December 2010 – Pam’s Cherry Ripe and Aunty Pat’s Caramel Slice

Got an early start on the challenge and cooked Pam’s Cherry Ripe and Aunty Pat’s Caramel Slice.

Was very excited to be in the kitchen, but waited until everyone went out. Alex was at home and ‘helping’ me with the recipes, but I totes didn’t need her (except that I had no idea how to melt copha or what it was meant to look like when it melted – complex I know)!

V excited when I got to write a note at the bottom of the recipe (NB/ chop cherries first).

Reluctantly took to the two slices to the Secret Santa Party at Carly’s house (there was enough to feed an army and considering my friends don’t eat much, I thought I may have over-catered) but they were both a hit! Sarah loved them and said she liked them equally – which as it was Sarah, I know was the truth! Most of it got eaten and John (Carly’s dad) had a red hot go at the leftovers. Success.

Got eight new recipes from secret santa attendees. Lots to try! Can’t wait. Was an inspiration to Jenna who went and bought the same book for herself.

Tips: I think the Caramel was slightly overcooked. I used mum and dad’s oven but will next time leave it in for slightly less time.

Music: Loud Genius of Sonia Dada.

The pressure test begins

After I successfully ruined all of Sian’s ideas for my Christmas present (by buying the last Cluedo game in Sydney for someone else... then planning to return it... then deciding to keep it for myself), she bought a recipe book for me to write in my recipes.

I started collecting favourites from my friends and family and then decided I might make myself a challenge. It began out as a fun little new year’s resolution, but as people started to give me recipes, they wanted to hear about how it was going and hear my stories.

So at the risk of being another wanker with a blog – I’ve decided to bite the bullet and do it. To those of you who convinced me to do this, don’t be disappointed when you realise that I am not Sian and you won’t be simply be getting a double dose of The Sian Show! Hopefully it will be slightly interesting though and you’ll get to see me challenge your recipes!

The Task:

• Learn to cook better
• Gain cooking confidence
• Get my family and friends’ favourite recipes.
• To take myself from a coach potato to a potato baker

The Rules:

• Cook one new recipe a week – any other cooking is a bonus.
• ‘Showcase’ new skills to a guest once a month – and gain a review.
• Keep a record of cooking experiences and new recipes.