Banneton Bakery @ Waterworks Road, Brisbane

A favourite past time on Sunday is waking up early and driving out to buy some good bread for the week. There is a lack of words to describe driving on the empty streets at 7am with the windows down, being greeted with the cool wind and that feeling when you reach the destination of fresh bread and pastries.


My usual drive normally takes me to Choquette, a french bakery where its as french as one can get, down to all the staff who speak English with a very heavy laced French accent. Just the smile and the "bonjour", not to mention the range of sweets and bread makes my day.


However this post is not about Choquette but rather a close contender for good bread. A recommendation from a colleague, the comment was that it's as good as what Europe can offer. The drive is slightly further, more time to enjoy the wind but was the bread any good?


IMG_1070


Banneton Bakery was much more quiet, with hardly any customers around. Their range of breads, pastries and cakes can makes one's knees weak (well mine was).


P1020064


My usual pattern involves choosing a piece of bread that I will munch on in the car or while the Wife is sleeping. That particular day was a piece of sweet brioche. The rich bread is not for the weak heart.


P1020062

The loaf of the week was a sourdough with olives. I must say for bread this is certainly at the top. For AUD6.50, it is about what you would pay for a good loaf of bread in a class bakery, a small premium considering bread in the supermarket goes for up to AUD5 a loaf.

Maybe it is the extra distance I have to drive or maybe it was the rather quiet ambience when I first set foot because I haven't been back eventhough the bread is up to scratch. Time to revisit?

Address and contact details:

Banneton Bakery/Cafe on Urbanspoon

Verdict: 4 stars out of 5 stars. One of the few places to go to for really good bread.

Culinary Arts Degrees

Do you want to have a career in the Culinary Arts? If you do, you should inquire about the different Culinary Arts Degrees and Programs from the Cooking Schools (Culinary Schools) of your choice as early as today.

Photo credit: waferboard

If you are able to get all the information but still cant decide on what Culinary Arts Degree to pursue, do not feel hopeless. Ask yourself the reason why you want to have a Culinary Arts Career, and try to see which degree is best for you in terms of your interests. This will serve as a guide so that you can choose a Culinary Arts Degree Program that will cater to your interests and ambitions. For example, you want to be a celebrity pastry chef someday. Enrolling in Culinary Arts Programs that involves baking and pastry is the right thing to do.

There are a variety of Culinary Arts Degrees offered in each Culinary Arts Program. Here are 3 of the most sought after Culinary Arts Degrees:

Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts

Completing a Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts is rewarding. Although the entire Culinary Arts Program can take up to four years, the skills and techniques that you will develop is worth the while.

Completing a Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts has a lot of benefits. You get the advantage of being hired ahead of others who does not hold the same degree.

Unlike other Culinary Arts Programs, the Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts gets you ready to face a! ll the c hallenges in your chosen field. Completing a 4-year degree in Culinary Arts makes you somewhat invincible and capable. You will learn basic skills and techniques in knife handling and food preparation while having the experience of supervising a kitchen. This does not end there the skills and knowledge that you learned can lead you to manage restaurants and hotel kitchens someday that is after you acquire the necessary experience.

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) has accredited many Culinary Schools. Try to check if your Culinary School is accredited before enrolling in any of their Culinary Arts Program.

Associate Degree in Culinary Arts

If you want to land a Culinary Arts Job and enjoy the salary of a Culinary Arts professional sooner, you might want to enroll in an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts.

Having an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts gives you the opportunity to fast-track your career in as early as 2 years. In terms of Culinary Arts Jobs, there should be a lot waiting for you. Graduates with an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts can work as a shift supervisor in restaurants and hotels. They can also be involved in food production. A job in kitchen management is also one of the options.

Lets talk about the skills that you will learn with this degree. In Culinary Arts, the basic skills that you will learn are important. This will be your building blocks for success. Enrolling in an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts will develop your basic knife skills. Imagine being able to handle a knife like chef Morimoto that is awesome. Food presentation and nutrition is also covered. In addition, you will learn the basic procedures in the kitchen and other relevant culinary skills.

Another advantage of enrolling in an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts is the option to continue your Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts. Most of the subjects that you took in th! e Associ ates Degree can be credited if you decide to pursue your studies.

Certificate in Culinary Arts

What if you really want to start a career in Culinary Arts right away? Having a Certificate in Culinary Arts or Diploma in Culinary Arts is the answer.

The Certificate in Culinary Arts Program will teach you new skills and knowledge to start your Culinary Arts Career in as little as 1 to 3 months. This program is for individuals who want to speed-up their dreams of landing a career in Culinary Arts.

Enrolling in a Certificate in Culinary Arts Program will teach you the basics in professional cooking. It will also give you an overview in baking and pastry arts. Aside from these, you will learn different basic kitchen skills that you can use in your Culinary Arts job.

The best place to inquire for this program is through the nearest community college in your area. If in case a formal diploma or certificate courses are not offered, enrolling in Cooking Classes can be an option.Related Posts:


Review: Lunch @ PM24, 24 Russell Street, Melbourne CBD

I had wanted to pay PM24 a visit for a very long time. After all, I am a huge fan of The Brasserie by Phillipe Mouchel. However, I did not have the opportunity to do so. First, I was so preoccupied with my exams that I rarely pay the CBD a visit. Second, when I made a reservation, they had some construction going on the floor. Third, there were just other new places to try.

Finally, I've gotten to try PM24! And I was incredibly satisfied with the experience. :)


Comfy dining space
There are two types of menu. One is fo


Bread and butter
Chicken Liver Parfait
Cured Salmon
Coffin bay Oysters
Braised Ox Cheeks, Burguignon Style
Leg of Lamb
Rotisserie: Organic Milawa Chicken
Mocchacino, Chocolate Sorbet
Raspberry and Rum Sorbet with Green Tea Macaron Shells
Fruit Bread
Chocolate and Raspberry Gateau
The best creme caramel ever!
Home Made Strawberry Flavored MarshmallowThe lunch menu is pretty straightfoward. One gets to choose between a pre-fixe or ala-carte. While my dad and sister went for the pre-fixe, my mom and I had the ala carte so we get to try more dishes and check for consistency.

Prior to the arrival of our dishes, we enjoyed freshly baked bread with French butter. The bread had a gorgeous golden crust and very moist on the inside. It was so good, I had two slices. However, my parents prefer having the dukkah mix instead of the butter. I'm not complaining because the bread was just so delicioussss!

For entree, my mom had Coffin Bay oysters. She loved it with the dressing and claimed that it was better than the ones she had at Cumulus INC. My dad had the cured salmon. I tried that dish and was impressed. The salmon was not too salty and went beautifully with the mustard. My sister's chicken liver parfait was to die for! The parfait was rich with the taste of liver and had a slightly fruity taste. The strong flavors from the parfait was all too perfect with the buttered toast.

My sister opted for the braised ox cheeks for her mains. I loved the gelatinous texture of the cheeks and how it melted in my mouth. The sauce, rich with the taste of French herbs and red wine, complemented the meat and vegetables. Not to mention, there were lots of bacon pieces too! My dad had the lamb leg, which everybody loved too.

My mom and I ordered our mains from the rotisseire menu as rotisseire meat was the restaurant's specialty. My mom had the organic chicken. I had the lamb rack. The organic chicken came with lots of roasted greens, which I really enjoyed. The chicken was tender and easily pulled off the bone. Plus, it w! as reall y sweet and juicy. My lamb of rack, was unlike my dad's lamb leg. While my dad's lamb leg was on the tender side, mine had a nice bite. The sauce that came with the lamb was beautiful but best eaten with the other components. On its own, it would be to salty.

Desserts at PM24 were spot on. The dessert from the pre-fixe menu, the mocchacino and chocolate sorbet, was a chocolate lover's heaven in a cup. In spite of the strong chocolate-y taste, it was a very light dessert. My mom and I shared the degustation platter. It had creme caramel, sorbet with macaron shells, chocolate and raspberry gataeu, and fruit bread. We loved everything except for the fruit bread, which we found to be a little too sweet for our liking.

The smooth, jelly-like creme caramel had what appeared to me the best caramel I've tasted. The slightly burnt aroma from the gooey golden caramel was such a tease! It made me wonder how did they strike the perfect timing to prepare this goodness of a caramel. The chocolate gataeu with raspberries reminded me of Le Petit Gateau's Chocolate Passionfruit Cake. It was neither too cloying nor rich yet delivered the appropriate amount of chocolate. The raspberries, which would be too sour on its own, gave the gateau a sense of balance.The rum sorbet tasted like real rum and the raspberry sorbet like raspberries plucked off its plant. The macaron shells were on the chewy side.

Overall, we had a great dining experience at PM24. The food was very good and service was pleasant. My parents declared this as our new "place to go when they decide to come pay Melbourne a visit".

:)

Oh, and Fatty, Happy Birthday!


Little things:

-Cuisine: Bistro, Rotisserie

-Ambience: A bit like entering someone's home. :)

-Service: Pleasant. However, halfway when I was dining, the restaurant actually called me to ask if I was coming or not.

-Portion: HUGE! We were literally rolling out of the restaurant after the meal.

-Prices: Appr! oximatel y 50 AUD per person. Reasonable, considering the portion.

-Other information:


PM24 on Urbanspoon

Joy the Baker Podcast, Episode 6!


jtb-ep-6-640

Its about that time again!

Tracy and I are back with another podcast for your ears.

This go-round were talking about Pinterest, easy and fancy summer drinks, and the horrors of a work pool party.

Work, pool, and party are three words that should NEVER go together. and if they do bring booze and wear wedges. Just.. yea. Please.

Joy the Baker Podcast, Episode 6! Its all for you.

Ps Ignore the part where I talk about invisible ink iPads, and the part where I forget what a plural noun is. K. Thanks!


One Lunch @ Wangsa Walk Mall, Wangsa Maju

A good & simple Thai food outlet at the mall & the pricing is reasonable. A place worth eating.

Fried Chicken combo meal with kerabu mango @ RM9.90

Pad Thai Spring Roll @ RM4.50

Tom Yam Prawn @ RM8.90 was delicious with an interesting Siamese indulgence.

Green Curry Chicken Combo @ RM9.90

Stir Fried Mixed Vegetable @ RM6.90
Three flavoured Tilapia Fish @ RM10.90

And for dessert we moved over to Sweet Bowl for something sweet.

Bubur Cha Cha and Loh Mai

Wangsa Walk Mall
Wangsa Maju
GPS : 3.198409,101.741851

Giant Macaron @ Delectable by Su, Kuala Lumpur

Sugar high friday. That I reckon is the best way to end the work week.


With these gigantic (think the size of your palm) French inspired macarons from the cake girl aka Delectable by Su, you will definitely get a sugar rush.


IMG_1016


These hefty babies are priced at RM10 per piece.


But judging on the quality ingredients, size and of course its cuteness personified in clear boxes wrapped with the Delectable ribbons, every sen is worth it especially if your sweet tooth craves for macarons.


IMG_1028


My take on the three flavours:


Salted Chocolate - pretty in sweet pink with a dark chocolate ganache centre. I loved the whole combination since I'm a big chocolate fan but I honestly couldn't taste any salty bits though.


Marmalade - the marmalade filling contains fruit peel shredded to give it a slight texture contrast. However, the marmalade needs a more tangy bite to it to undercut the sweet taste of the macaron shell.


Caramel latte - the most aromatic macaron of the trio with a coffee tingling aroma. The caramel within is lovely runny texture.




IMG_1038


I admit I was a little taken back when I saw how large these were.


But the large size works well as there's more to bite in the shell. The top part breaks into delicate shards when you gently bite into it. Hidden underneath that shell is a layer of soft ground almonds that melds with the filling, making you sigh with pleasure after each bite.


IMG_1004


Even though it scored high with lovely texture, I felt that more tangy flavours should be offered to those who prefer less sweet options.


Nevertheless, they are still incredibly addictive and of course, simply delectable with eye candy packaging like all the goodies in the Delectable by Su's shops. One warning though. The macarons are being made in small amounts, so it is best you call ahead to check their availability or you may leave empty handed.


Delectable by Su
Lot S-213, Second Floor
The Gardens
Mid Valley City
Kuala Lu! mpur


Delectable Treats
Level 6 (Next to Times Bookshop)
P6.03.00
Pavilion Mall
Kuala Lumpur


Tel: 012-508 1955


(Pork Free. Open from 10am-10pm daily. More pictures in the Flickr set.)


*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.

Ogawa

The setting seems nondescript, but Ogawa serves a nice range of Japanese recipes, some of which can't be found elsewhere in Mont Kiara.

Tofu onsen tamago, topped with tiny worm-like fish. Squishy; not for the squeamish.

Eihire. Dried fish fins, the perfect bar snack. Less guilt-inducing than tortilla chips.

Anago tempura. Fabulous saltwater eel, blanketed by light, crisp batter.

Hamburg steak. Meaty and tasty enough to make a cranky carnivore tuck in happily.

Oden. A flavorsome stew! with a homemade feel, filled with fish cakes, octopus, boiled eggs, konnyaku & radish. Perfect for rainy evenings.

Red wine, white wine; no need for us to whine.

Yikes! We forgot to photograph a plate of momotaro tomato, extravagantly priced at RM20 for a puny portion. But it was one of the sweetest, juiciest tomatoes ever.

Ogawa Japanese Kitchen,
Plaza Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

linguine with pea pesto

green and bright

Even though I have a lot of book left to write (unless youre my editor, in which case, just kidding, almost done!) and deadlines both before and after that one requiring my attention, endless paperwork, emails and all sorts of unsavory things on my real-life agenda, Ive decided to focus my daydreaming on something more aspirational: what to cook on a lazy summer night.

in pods
shucky

We rented a beach house for a week last year but were surprised to find that 11-month olds dont always sleep in foreign locations. At all. We staggered through the week and ate out a lot. Id like us all to do better this year. In an area full of farm stands and wineries, with a kitchen bigger than a shoebox, with a grill and a deck, its a shame not to be cooking at home as much as we can. But leisurely, with as few ingredients as possible and at least one of them straight off the farm.

simmer briefly

... Read the rest of linguine with pea pesto on smittenkitchen.com

smitten kitchen 2006-2011. |permalink to linguine with pea pesto | no comment to date | see more: Pasta, Peas, Photo, Summer, Vegetarian


Apero Lounge & Restaurant (Citywalk Sudirman)

Apero is a small lounge and (partially Italian) restaurant in Citywalk Sudirman.

The lounge is cozy and intimate, without being too fancy. It is worth trying if you are staying nearby because they have a large selection of affordable drinks and wine (one draught bintang is Rp30k++).

Concerning the restaurant, I tried two dishes from their kitchen and I was not satisfied. We had the Pizza with Beef Pepperoni (Rp40k++), which had almost no taste, and the Salmon de Paris (Rp65k++). The fish did not seem so fresh and the pasta were dry. Here are some pictures:
Overall: I liked Apero and could come back for a drink, especially before partying in upstairs Tribeca and Luv's Bar, but I recommend you to avoid ea! ting the re. Fashion Pasta is only 50 meters from here and it serves much more authentic Italian food.
Opening Hours:
Everyday from 11am to midnight (until 2am on the weekend)

Apro Wine Lounge and Bar
Citywalk Sudirman, Lantai Dasar Unit 08
Jalan K.H. Mas Mansyur No. 121
Central Jakarta, 10220

Phone number: +62-21 2555 8950
Facebook: Apero Lounge Jakarta