Vue de Monde: A most amazing meal

I finally strutted and fretted my hour upon the stage, with the PhD graduation ceremony last Saturday morning. I even have some dorky pictures to prove it:

It was a lovely ceremony, and the dinner afterwards with my relatives was equally delightful but the highlight of the weekend/month/year was definitely dinner the night before at Vue de Monde. My father and I had joked early in my candidature that if I ever graduated from the PhD he would take me to this wonderful but extravagant restaurant. I did, and he did, as well as bringing along the rest of the family, the boyfriend, a dear family friend and an Aunt and an Uncle. 8 people meant sitting at the chef's table (one of 3 apparently.) It has both a private window and a view of the kitchen.

Or, if you are a magic phone photographer like my lovely other half, you get both in the same picture. Wonderful, and so was the meal. I didn't like all courses, but then again anyone who has a palate that wide is just lying. Here is a photo of my favourite course, the cucumber sorbet for which the flavour balance was perfect and the theatre of the dish erred on the funner side of things.

The other half loved the course below immensely, as did I, which was different tastes and textures of mandarin and viola. If you've ever read my other blog, you'll know I love all members of that flower family.

I wont put up anymore pics of the food, because they're from a phone and they do not do these amazing dishes justice. Although props to the awesome phone photographer. However other highlights, for me, included an amazing mocktail (see you don't need to drink to have a good time), petit fours that still linger in my memory, eel with a cracking good texture, coconut sorbet balls and anything that had mushrooms. Although there are no more pics of food I couldn't resist this one, of me with my new favourite thing in the world (sorry boyfriend) the cheese cart:

My precious, my cheese ... though I do note that I erred on the side of decency and only tried three while my brother raked in tiny tastes of at least 6 French and Australian cheeses. I went all gollum with this wheely wonder and would have made off with it if I could. The 55 floor lift kind of got in the way of that plan. So much cheese, a well selected range and generous servings.

VDM even give you a morning after bag to take home, with a brioche, museli and more. A few days later they sent Dad a menu of proceedings, a touch which I considered to show the same care and detail as saw on the night. I mean this is a place that does a set menu but also caters to dietary needs. I can't eat under/uncooked egg, and one dish contained a barely more than raw egg. Although I drooled over everyone's plates I knew that with just one bite I'd be dashing for the ladies. Instead of causing me difficulties, they kindly prepared me an alternative dish, smoked kangaroo and other goodies. It even came with the same freshly shaved truffle that the egg dish did. No fuss, no bother, no 'we don't do alterations', just thoughtful.

It really was the most perfect graduation present and everyone enjoyed the night. There were some tiny hiccups, as there always are, with noise being a slight issue at times. The other chef's tables were in quieter locations but for a cooking-mad Phd grad (and a few other foodies on the table) the one closest to the main kitchen was a coup, and I wouldn't change anything. There was also some undulating service (my brother felt pressured to have a soft drink after repeatedly declining the kind but constant and overly forceful  questions from our wait staff.) However, these quibbles really were so minor, and simply part of dining out. The funniest issue was with the toilets. They are very grand, but very dimly lit, and I got a little confused (it probably didn't help I was mid-oncoming migraine at the time.) But a different lovely lady, we'll call her Mum for the sake of this story, managed to get locked in a stall. My Aunt only narrowly missed this fate. The family friend somehow found himself in the same trouble in the disabled toilet. Moreover he wasn't aiming for, nor needed the diasabled toilet, it was simply to dark that it was hard to tell the difference. I'm just surprised I didn't get locked in because I could barely even find the door to get in, let alone get out again. And from the waitress's stories this is, seemingly, a common event. Not sure how to fix this problem overall, but they might want to warn people in advance.

It might sound strange but I was talking about it to the boyfriend afterwards, and we both agreed, magnificent as it was, we are in no hurry to go back. We do wish to return one day, but just not soon. It was so big, so grand, so gourmand and looms so large as a wonderful memory that I don't feel I could manage it a second time soon. Maybe one summer when the menu is somewhat different, or when I have something else special to celebrate we will return (not to mention when I finally have the money to spend on this place.)

But for anyone else, all I can say is, save, scrimp, eat rice for a year if you have to, but do whatever you can to spend a night at Vue de Monde, it really is worth it.

Although one last piece of advice - it might be wise to go to Vue de Monde AFTER your graduation, lest you end up like this on the big day:

Sew much fun

The surrogate addiction, sewing, has been in full swing again. I rejigged this dooner cover to make it a little more me.

Now to make the matching pillow cases.

With the fast approaching arrival of the lovely other half into this household I've had to do a bit of rearranging. This means the sewing space is now a sewing nook and it doesn't look half bad. Yes I did eventually move the sewing maching in there too, but this shot is just to show it mid set up.

I've made a tonne of bags and aprons which you can also see in this photo. I've even been learning how to french seam. It's getting a little technical in here, I might even sew something useful one of these days.

On Related Deliciousness

Remember the chocolate hazelnut pavlova? No? This pic might remind you.

I'm drooling with just the memories of this rich little number. I'll be remaking it this weekend for my extended family for graduation celebrations, only I'll be likely adding a bit of this to the mix.

So chocolately ...  so awesome! And what is even more awesome is this cheesecake.

 

Yes that is only a couple of small pieces but that was all that was left when I remembered to photograph it. It was a raspberry baked cheesecake, adapted from this recipe and was delicious. So delicious it turned a confirmed cheesecake hater into the biggest cheesecake fan on this planet (Curiousity may discover a bigger cheesecake fan on Mars but that's a bit of a long way off ...)

I'm making this cheesecake too for Saturday's celebrations. Though my brother might say otherwise, sometimes I guess it is good to be related to me! :)

Realising reality and why I should really search for others

I've had a couple of really lovely comments on this blog by confirmed teetotallers and you all rock. Thanks for the support and kind words, they're very helpful. There are also comments by lovely cousins and rellos but they already know they're super special and awesome (at least I hope they do)

In hindsight, I should probably have read more of the other sources out there. I mean this one literally fell into my lap via a friend on facebook:


How Hard Should It Be ...

It is an article by another teetotaller who has put on weight! She took on Dry July so it was only a month off the boose but it gave her some life revelations, or at the very least prompted a re-evaluation  of alcohol in her life. In her case chocolate was the culprit for the weight gain. It seems to be alcohol's replacement drug of choice for many. But in my case a material obsession replaced the drinking which really, if anything, shouldn't put on weight (and no, I'm not eating the quilting supplies!)

It seems so paradoxical, be good for your health and lose the calories and toxins from alcohol, only to gain weight and feel supercrook. I realised that even without alcohol I feel like I'm hungover every day. Although I guess in my case I have been ill (an autoimmune thingy which is on the slide and each year gets one step closer to a firm diagnosis.)  It has taken removing alcohol from my diet to see it really is a constant feature in my life. I think alcohol used to mask it, or at least give me an excuse to suggest it wasn't quite as serious as it perhaps was. Maybe also alcohol helped in a way ... stress is a trigger for my fatigue and brainfog and what better stress reliever than alcohol?!?

So time to do a bit of googling I say, find some more words by others on being a teetotal and maybe see what other realisations people have had when giving up alcohol.

Conference Season

Conference Season came and went - and $85 conference dinners are definitely less value when not drinking!

I had a terrible flu when in Adelaide for the AHA so missed anything with free-drink temptation. I even managed to avoid wanting any of the delicious wines in Dad's fridge while there. IABA in Canberra saw me feeling better but again not in anay mood for the free drinks. Cheers to the lovely service at the Pavillion on Northborne - most amusing coffee at the bar ever!

Great papers everyone and thanks parentals for having so many of my friends over for dinner (while I did nothing to help and mostly evaporated into coughing fits.)

Prudence Bar made Prudence Sangry (Sad and Angry)

I loved Prudence Bar, and why wouldn't I?!? We share the same name and it seemed as ecclectically fitted out at myself. Except that is where the similarities end and Prudence Bar has, for the last time, left an altogether too sour taste in my mouth. We go there occassionally, usually to enjoy the cocktails (not mocktails, they don't do them I've been told on several occasions) the beer, the comfy vibe and to order Ethiopian from the restaurant up the road. We are all beyond our Uni days and most of us (bar me at the moment) have money to spend quite freely. But Prudence Bar will no longer play host to our merry little band, and it was the absolutely diaboloical treatment we were shown on my birthday that was the final straw. My 32nd will be remembered for these wrong reasons:

1. We sat at a carefully chosen table, avoiding the ones with reserved signs. We're not stupid and if a bar wants to reserve tables then that is its right (though, who even knew you could!?!) After half an hour Barguy 1 came up to our table, put a reserved sign on it. Apparently it was reserved for half an hour's time so we'd need to keep that in mind. A little miffed but undeterred we moved on to another table (no reserved sign) and set up camp. Do note we were drinking steadily this whole time, no one-pot-per-person-a-night deal here. We weren't blind drunk or ordering the Moet but we were not being cheap.

2. We put the two tables in our seating area together, given there were about 10 of us and we'd ordered a large amount of food. Barguy 2 (the owner we're pretty sure) came past and seperated the tables with a grunt and a death stare (I kid you not, it was like we were in grade 5 all over again.) Given the imminent arrival of food we put the tables back together and the next time he spotted us there were more grunts and more death stares.

3. A few minutes later Barguy 1 came back and, apologetically, tried to take a table away because it was needed elsewhere and they simply couldn't find another. We protested, saying we had ordered food and drinks and given this table was not reserved we were not sure why we were being hassled. He was embaressed and apologetic and understood the situation and I think was only acting under the orders of head honcho. Oh and they found another table magically from somewhere too.

4. Throughout the night were were treated to more hostile treatment from the head honcho. We were 'overserviced', in that our glasses were taken away as soon as they were empty, and sometimes almost before they were done. I note that other tables were not given this treatment. We were given these death stares which were unfortable and unwarranted. They could be construed as harrassment but we wont go there.

5. I was refused a coffee, as their coffee machine was switched off. Fair call I guess, as when we were having a lazy night we used to turn off the coffee machine too because it was a pain. But on nights when the place was heaving that machine stayed on. Also it was used for expresso martinis. Prudence Bar also does Expresso Martinis and what did I see half an hour later ... a lady with an Expresso martini. I know I wasn't buying the expensive version, but I'd happily pay a reasonable premium for a non-alcoholic drink if it is annoying to make. Prudence Bar your double standards ruin the name!

6. Prudence's service is always a bit curt, but that's just its nature and we usually take it with a large grain of salt. The crowd is trendy, and we aren't, we get it. But we're not shabby, or suits, just your average 30 somethings. So we're not too grungy for the place, we're not going to tear it up with a bar brawl but we're not going to sap its soul with an afterwork dullness.

Maybe we made a mistake with timing. We generally go to Prudence on a Thursday, and the crowd is a little sparser. We made the mistake of attending on a Friday where the cool factor was turned up full volume, and maybe this was our mistake. We weren't cool enough!?!?! Should that even be a factor? Should you not go to a place depending on the day?

 Screw you Prudence Bar and all your pretensions, we've had it! I know I'm now reverting to grade 5isms but I can't raise myself to be any more thoughful in my distaste for this place. Hipsters you can have Prudence, just try not to sully its name even further.

From now on when we want cocktails we are going to the Crimean. I can't say enough about how awesome this place is. They treat you with respect and don't laugh in your face when you say the word mocktail. The food is great, the drinks are tasty and it is warm and inviting. It's the place Prudence should be and could be if it were being true to its name. I can't wait until next year when I can drinkin again to sit in there with the BF and try all the yummy wines (for me) and beers (for him) with dumplings.

When we want Ethiopian we will order take away and have it at my house, or eat in and try their local beers. Prudence Bar will no longer get my friends and I through its door.

It wont care, indeed it wont bat an eyelid, because it is Prudence Bar and that's what it is. I'm just sad and angry that we share the same name.

Funtimes in the Kitchen

Two blogs in almost as many days - some might say I've caught me a blogging bug, though most would just realise it is marking time and I'm doing anything to avoid it! Other at my usual blog TIBG I showed some of the things I've been cooking with home grown lemons and limes. But here is a dish that didn't take anything from the balcony garden - a chocolate hazelnut pavlova!

It is chocolate and caramel bits heaped upon chocolate custard which has been smeared across a hazelnut torte. Stupidly rich but utterly delicious!

For those of you offended by this calorific housewarming gift then here are some less offensive dishes using produce from the balcony garden that have come out of this kitchen lately.

Which would you prefer?