Baby, it's cold outside! Here's some winter warmers to please both your tummy and your wallet, the chance to try beer cocktails, shuck 'n' suck oysters, get up close with Maggie Beer, dine on turkey, drink 50-year-old rum, learn how to make your garden grow and eat organic soup.
Drink up
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| Bavarian Bier Cafe's Gluhwein |
Keep yourself warm and cosy with the Bavarian Bier Cafe's Glühwein, Bavaria's own mulled wine on the menu. The perfect mixture of red wine spiced with sticks of fresh cinnamon, sugar, fresh oranges and cloves this hot drink at $7.50 per glass is sure to keep you nice and toasty. Available at Bavarian Bier Cafe, Eagle St Pier. www.bavarianbiercafe.com.au
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| Sam Tripet working cocktail magic at Byblos |
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| Hot buttered rum |
Byblos is heating up the chilly months with a new cocktail menu from bartender Sam Tripet.
"One of the top picks for winter is definitely our hot buttered rum, showcasing the favourite flavour combination of rum and raisin," Sam says. "It is served hot, with orange peel and spices, topped with our house-made raisin flavoured foam and dusted with nutmeg - it is dangerously good. The Solstice Sunrise is another great winter warmer using Herradura plata, house-made anise, cinnamon spiced pear puree and lemon juice with a hearty mulled wine float." www.byblosbar.com.au
Winter pocket pleasers
Bargain time! John Kilroy's Cha Cha Char and Jellyfish are offering a one course lunch for
$32pp or two courses for $50pp from Monday to Friday. Its hearty food at Cha Cha Char with a ‘Warmer Side of Winter’ menu featuring entrées such as Moroccan Style Soup with Chickpeas & Lentils, while mains on offer range from Braised Osso Bucco Pie to House Made Gnocchi with Sautéed Mushrooms, Sage & Vino Cotto.
Entrées on Jellyfish’s ‘Snappy Lunch’ menu include Roasted Pumpkin, Spanish Chorizo,
Pepitas & Woodside Goats Curd Soup, as well as Braised Beef Brisket, White Pepper,
Jellyfish & Pink Vinegar Gyoza. Mains range from a delicious Fish Pie featuring Local White Reef Fish, Smoked Tomato, Saffron, Roasted Sweet Peppers, Manzanillo Olives & Parsley Salad to Spagettini with Mooloolaba Spanner Crab, Chilli, Garlic, Parsley, Lemon & Olive Oil. Full menus at www.chachachar.com.au or www.jellyfishrestaurant.com.au.
Christmas in July
Makes more sense to eat your roast turkey and Christmas pud when it's cold doesn't it? Head to the Stamford Plaza Brisbane for lunch or dinner and a buffet groaning with the entire yuletide favourites... roast turkey, baked ham, roasted vegetables, a bounty of succulent fresh seafood and the indulgent sweet Christmas treats, including the Pastry Chefs’ fruit mince pies, eggnog and more. Available until July 21.Or, plan your own Christmas in July entertaining at home with favourite festive fare selected from the Stamford Pantry online menu of roast turkey, baked ham, seafood selections, plum puddings and more. www.stamford.com.au/pantry
Dream weekend
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| The lovely Maggie Beer |
Want to be one of 12 couples who will be getting up close and personal with Australia’s favourite cook, Maggie Beer when she brings a touch of the Barossa Valley to Orpheus Island on the Great Barrier Reef hosting ‘A Weekend with Maggie’ from September 5 – 8? Sounds like three nights of daytime reef bliss and night time food bliss with two bespoke masterclasses with Maggie thrown in. I’m there but I need a sponsor for the $4,800 per couple price tag. Anyone? You can book on (07) 4777 7377.
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| Orpheus Island's infinity pool - say no more! |
Yo ho ho! One fine bottle of rum
A bottle of rum priced at $5,500 per 750ml bottle? I'd like to see that! Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum has released what they are calling a world first in Rum, the very rare Limited Edition Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum – Jamaica Independence, believed to be the oldest rum available for sale in the world. Only 800 bottles for sale around the world, with only 15 bottles in Australia - you better move fast! www.appletonestate.com
Beer cocktails? What next?
Queensland Beer Week (July 14 to 20) has inspired a Beer Cocktail Experience at Archive Beer Boutique on Wednesday 17 July from 7pm. It includes a brief history on the origins of beer cocktails, a “how to” guide on how to create beer cocktails at home and four mini beer cocktails with food to match. Tickets $45. www.archivebeerboutique.com.au
Dine and dash
The Big Easys is Next Door Kitchens answer to the problem of finding affordable lunch options. With prices ranging from $9.50 to $14.50, their Gangster Chicken Sandwiches and Quinoa salad with roast pumpkin , pomegranate and crumbled fetta (pictured top) are easy and affordable. www.nextdoorkitchenandbar.com.au.
Shuck ‘n’ Suck
Shuck back an oyster and indulge in a glass of fine wine with Stella Bella Winemaker, Stuart Pym, at Shuck ‘n’ Suck, a night of oyster and wine tasting for just $25 per person at The Jetty South Bank on Tuesday 30 July. A three course dinner is also available for $55 per person after the event. Bookings manager@thejettysouthbank.com.au
Struggling with your veggie patch?
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| Lizzie in her garden where you'll be learn organic veggie farming 101. |
My dream of harvesting my own veggies seems very distant some days so tips from organic farming and sustainable practice gurus Gary Hands and Lizzie Moult sounds like a very good idea. They will hold a full day, hands-on workshop at Huthwaite Farm in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland – just a short 10 minute drive from Montville on Saturday July 27.
“This class will offer an insight into the benefits of growing edible produce”, says Lizzie. “Participants will learn how to establish, plant and manage their own vegetable garden from scratch, no matter the size of land – or backyard – and benefit the rewards of harvest in as little as four weeks.” The workshop is $170 per person. Find out more from Lizzie at www.strayedtable.com
This week I’m liking - Pitango’s new Vegetable & Quinoa Organic Soup
A hot bowl of soup is an excellent option on a cold winter day. I like to make soup in bulk and keep some in the freezer but someone keeps eating it. That could be me of course! ;)
Pitango's new organic vegetable and quinoa soup is a great substitute. It includes the new super food, quinoa; it's gluten free, 99 percent fat free and preservative free. There's nothing in the ingredients list that causes me to stop and think and a single serve is 477kj - just over snack size. I was hungry and ate the whole pouch which was two serves. The flavour was basically vegetables with a little sharpness. Easy to eat and won't weigh you down. You can reheat the soup in a saucepan like I did or straight in the pouch in the microwave.
Bottom line: handy and easy to use
Best tip: Find it the cold cabinets at Woolworths
Disclaimer: Ed+bK was supplied with this product to test drive.
Kerry Heaney