A Foodie Affair

CHERRY & ALMOND FINANCIERS

Just pretty little teacakes? Not quite... Perhaps you think of a more familiar Friand cake when looking at these little delights, but they are not quite the same.  Rich with toasty, nutty almond meal flavour, caramel-like browned butter, and a sweet cherry tang, these delights are a compliment to any afternoon tea or baking session at home.

A financier is a small French cake with light, moist and springy textures and a crisp, firm exterior. The recipe combines almonds and brown butter as key ingredients and as such, the brown butter (beurre noisette) becomes a distinctive feature which creates a pleasant caramel flavour. Other ingredients include egg whites, flour, icing sugar and in this recipe cherries. 

Full recipe: Cherry & Almond Financiers

Unlike a French friand cake, a financier is smaller and requies the unique brown butter component.  The financier is similarly a French cake that has derived its name from a traditional rectangular mould which resembles a bar of gold. A theory around the creation of this afternoon tea dessert says that the cake became popular in a pastry shop during the Paris stock exchange in the financial district during the 19^th century. 

My own attempt... unfortunately didn't have rectangular moulds

The experience of cooking was very enjoyable. The the process was quite short once the butter had browned and the eggs were frothed, it was then just a matter of mixing the batter together and adding a cherry and some flaked almonds before putting them into a hot oven to bake. Allowed to cool, the final products were then dusted with icing sugar and ready to serve with a nice cup of tea. 

I have been lucky enough to have traveled as far as Europe in the last year. During my short stay in beautiful Paris, I was always so eager for food and I even got to try a simple little french financier myself  from an amazing display of cakes in a patisserie window. This gave me a good idea of what I wanted to try and bake for our Taste of Europe food fair.
I feel as though my own attempt of cherry and almond financiers were received well by other students at the fair. There were plenty of sweets to choose from but it seemed most were delighted with the soft, buttery almond flavour complimented by the hidden cherry inside. 

I love you Ti Amo

TIAMOLYGON STREET, CARLTON

This is a place to go back to in Melbourne's 'little Italy' of Lygon street, Carlton. Located across the road from the busy Nova cinemas and Brunettis café, Tiamo and Tiamo 2, are always buzzing with people whether it be to enjoy a coffee or to have a meal. 

For those of you who aren't familiar, Tiamo and Tiamo 2 are two different restaurants next door to each other. With two different menus, Tiamo 2 offers a slightly more varied selection of dishes; however you are able to order from both menus no matter where you sit. Both sections of this place are decked out with plenty of small tables in all areas which adds to the warm atmosphere and friendly vibe of the relaxed Italian dining experience.

The menus offer simple and traditional Italian dishes with still some variety. Predominantly written in English, the menus begin with a breakfast menu offered from 7-11.30am appealing to the Melbourne breakfast trend. Next up is a selection of entrees, followed by pizza, pasta, and mains sections and lastly dessert.

Open since the ‘70s, the family run venture of in-laws has maintained a quality restaurant over generations. Serving homely, honest and filling food, Tiamo is a place to experience all the good things that come with simple Italian slow food.

My most recent experience of Tiamo, having been there many times, got me ordering something a little different to what I usually opt for. A hearty, and rich aromatic serving of fettucine Bolognese is soon served with some crusty yet soft bread and butter on the side, and it is safe to say I was full afterwards. The service was friendly and fairly quick. The mostly Italian staff at Tiamo are very family orientated and relaxed. 

Funnily enough every time I visit this place with my family one of us is bound to order the warm chicken salad. Despite not being a classic Italian dish, we just can’t go past the delicious tender chicken strips along with a light but filling salad with a balsamic dressing to rave about.

A hearty bowl of bolognese pasta

And on that note I should mention my nostalgia of many positive experiences at Tiamo over the years, including various birthday dinners and family dinners. Many birthday dinners have even included candle lit tiramisu desserts on the house!

Tiamo produces the goods on classic Italian food and creates an overall pleasant and comfortable experience for customers.

WHAT?: Simple, classic Italian cuisine
WHERE?: 303/305 Lygon Street, Carlton VIC 3053

WHEN?: 7am-10.30pm

HOW MUCH?: Reasonable 

Semi this, Semi that, Zuccotto Semifreddo!

ZUCCOTTO

Zuccotto with Tuscan saffron

From the beautiful city of Florence in the region of Tuscany Italy, the first Italian ‘semifreddi’ or semi-frozen cakes were born. Originally made in the Renaissance period, this delicate dessert impressed guests at banquets and was innovative for its time. It was known to have contained ricotta cheese, cocoa grains, citrus peel and Alchemes liquor(an infusion of neutral spirits with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla that has a striking red colour).

Zuccotto using Alchemes liquor

Today, saffron, a special spice found in Tuscany can be added to the sweet, ice cream centre for a different, unique spice and perhaps bitter flavour. The semifreddo is then surrounded by sponge cake which can be made with Italian lady finger biscuits called savoiardi as the sponge cake, or simply using a store bought pound cake that is moistened with liquer at the beginning to create the dome mould. Then with a mixture of sweetened whipped cream, pieces or grated chocolate and various chopped nuts, the Zuccotto is then refrigerated for at least one day before being served.

Zuccotto with panettone

Zuccotto with lady finger biscuits

Although Zuccotto may appear to look quite labour intensive, it really isn’t if you plan ahead. 

There are so many variations of this desert and it is actually quite simple.  

This dessert is ususally frozen and then thawed to serve cold. It can be served with the same liquor it contains or complimented well with coffee liquer.

Zuccotto means ‘little pumpkin’ referring the type of shape the dessert was moulded in, and it is believed to be inspired by the ‘Duomo di Firenze’, Florence’s main cathedral that is dome shaped. 

If you want to try this classic, inventive Florentine dessert click here for a full recipe!

Mmm Magnificent Morilles Mushrooms

Croute aux Morilles

Morels mushrooms and toast...a taste sensation from Franche Comte, France.

At first sight, this somewhat concoction of a dish may not seem clear to the eye, but wait... at first taste it really is a wonderful mixture of warm earthy flavours and creamy textures that will please the palate.

Croute aux morilles or crust of bread with morel mushrooms as we might be more familiar with is commonly regarded as the most representative dish of the Franche Comte region of eastern France.  With strong regional gastronomy and a rural history of serfdom, Franche Comte is known for rustic, warm dishes that once assisted people living in a demanding environment. Today, French foodies benefit from the traditions that have kept them alive for often centuries. In this case, the powerful feature of the dish; odd, honeycomb looking morels makes for a simple taste sensation like no ordinary mushroom dish.

Franche Comte is nested between Alsace and Burgundy on the Swiss border. With stunning castles and chateux, uniquely adorable towns, and incredible landscapes, you can't go past this region not only for its food such as CHEESE and some of the finest white wines.

Franche Comte, eastern France

Dried morilles mushrooms...not so appealing to the eye

Morilles are the stars of this dish and are one of the local specialties of Franche Comte. Morels are abundant in April-May in the forests and are preserved and dried. Traditionally served as a pie in a puff pastry, today the dish can also be served on good slices of toast for ease and comfort.

Checkout the full recipe for Croute aux Morilles

 

Spice up your Chicken!

POLLO AL CHILINDRON

A classic Spanish chicken and vegetable delight from the Aragono region

Recipe Pollo al Chilindron

In search of a regional Spanish cuisine of Aragon, I stumbled across a flavorsome looking dish known as Pollo al Chilndron.Aragon, Spain

A delicious, healthy mix of vegetables and chicken with a rich chilindron salsa sauce of red tomatoes, peppers and plenty of garlic. Sweet smoked paprika adds an earthy hint to the dish alongside the rich flavours of tomato and bell peppers combined with garlic. Despite being consumed all over the country, El Pollo Chilindron is a tradtional recipe from the cuisine of northeastern Spain. 

To delve into the regional and historical significance of this dish I will start by mentioning the meaning of Chilndron. The term Chilndron refers to the preparation of meat with peppers and tomatoes. This dish is simple yet delicious with the combination of local produce from the Aragon region such as cured ham, spanish onion, smoked paprika and olive oil. Aragon is known for some of its stand out meat dishes and Pollo al Chilindron is no exception with the braised meat falling off the bone and melting in your mouth. The textures and flavours of the dish seem to compliment each other very well.

As for the region of Aragon, it is geographically found south of the French border. With the beautiful snow capped Pyrenees mountains and pastures, it is not suprising that lamb, beef, dairy products and more are stand out ingredients of Aragonese cuisine.

Traditionally, the red characteristic of the Chilindron sauce is the stand out of this tasty dish. However to add a slight twist to the aesthetics green peppers are often used to enrich the vibrancy of the meal. As Spanish food writer Mark Randolph demonstrates, the authenticity of any dish can be debatable. He mentions his mothers defiance of calling the dish real Chilindron with green bell peppers. Pollo (chicken) al Chilindron

The key ingredients of the dish shine through in the taste and don't require a haute cuisine presentation as it is appreciated for its flavour and traditional preparation and cooking. In terms of plating up, the dish can be accompanied with rice or pasta, or cooked with potatoes for an even more satisfying experience, however, there is no need.

Unfortunately I have not experienced the taste of this iconic Spanish dish, but it is on my agenda. Spanish food culture throughout Melbourne seems to have taken off in recent years, and the chicken Chilindron seems it would be a popular menu item with the opportunity to add an 'Australian twist'...whatever that might be.