Eat With Me

by eatwithme.net

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How Happy Is Your City?

I live in Vancouver. Where the mountains meet the sea. Home of the world’s greatest park. Most liveable city in Canada (and former most liveable city in the world, until Melbourne knocked us off our perch). We’re used to winning things, to topping lists. We attract ire from the rest of Canada, whose residents are already jealous of our mild weather and orca whales and such. A Canadian satire site has poked fun at us for it, calling Vancouver ‘The Most City in the World.’ 

Sometimes topping lists signifies more dubious distinctions – like having North America’s most expensive housing market – but that reflects the desirability of living here. Right? 

So it came as a terrible shock to us (slightly smug) Vancouverites when about a month ago we learned that we had topped an extremely undesirable list: Canada’s least happy cities. According to Statistics Canada, Vancouver is less happy than every other city in this great big country. Despite our mountains and mild weather and orca whales. 

We tried to console ourselves with the news that same week that Canada was the world’s fifth happiest country. Surely being the least happy city in a remarkably happy country wasn’t so bad? 

Still. Beat by Calgary. Montreal. Toronto, for heaven’s sake! How could it be?

As it turns out, the reasons are mainly related to community — something that many newcomers to Vancouver (myself included) can find lacking. 

Indeed, a 2012 study focusing on connection and engagement in Vancouver found that the city is a hard place to make friends, and that our neighbourhood connections are cordial, but weak. Even if we bother to learn our neighbours’ names, we typically have never visited each others’ homes. 

According to the Stats Canada report, “levels of trust and the quality of social connections in neighbourhoods and workplaces can influence happiness significantly.” And because my fair city is lacking in that department, we’re not as happy as we could be. 

The point, you ask? These studies support what Eat With Me has long known: that a sense of community and neighbourliness is vital to leading a happy and fulfilling life. And since eating together is one of the best ways, if not the very best way, of building a sense of community, you should definitely attend or host an Eat With Me event in your city. It’ll make you — and your city — a little bit happier. Guaranteed. 

More on happy cities to come soon. In the meantime...where do you live? Does it feel like a happy city? Tell us! 

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Four and Twenty Blackbirds.

by Jo Rittey, Melbourne

The Pie. It has been around for a long time. Even before Little Jack Horner stuck his thumb in a Christmas pie, secured a plum and somehow took that to mean that goodness was bestowed upon him, people have been baking fillings inside casings and having a good time.

The Romans were the ones that started talking about pies. Although they probably didn’t invent the concept, they were the first to write down a recipe for pie; rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie.

The English, possibly unsurprisingly, liked meat in their pies, although initially there was more crust than meat. And the meat was not quite the same as the meat pies we see in pie warmers today. Poultry was the common filling and the legs were often left on the bird, hanging over the edge of the crust and serving as handles.

Fruit pies, or tarts, became popular in royal English circles in the 15th century and these were then taken over the ocean to America with the settlers. They made in long narrow tins called coffins and the pastry case served only as a way of holding the filling during the cooking and were then discarded once the meat or fruit had been eaten.

The French like a good pie, or tarte, as they are wont to say, tarte tatin, tarte aux fraises and the good old Quiche Lorraine are particular favourites.

Clearly everyone wants a piece of the pie with Americans bandying around such phrases as ‘as American as apple pie,’ but it is Australia and New Zealand who have really embraced the pie and propelled it towards iconic status. New South Wales Premier, Bob Carr described the meat pie as Australia’s national dish. New Zealanders apparently regard the meat pie as part of New Zealand cuisine and the average consumption of meat pies there is said to be 15 per person per year.

Pies can be closed, open, small, large, savoury or sweet. The basic concept of pies and tarts has remained since those first rye-crusted delights.

Eat With Me will be celebrating all that is pie on 10th May. We’re not suggesting you bake 24 blackbirds or any other kind of garden variety bird into your pie, but get out your favourite recipe, or go out on a limb and investigate a lesser known pie recipe, do some baking and come along. For more information jump on eatwithme.net today.

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Breakfast: Optional

by Chelsea Herman, Vancouver

"Have you heard that breakfast is no longer the most important meal of the day?”

This, from my cousin Hannah, was music to my ears. I, a breakfast abstainer, have grown a little (a lot) tired of hearing the well-trodden refrain about the importance of breakfast. Could it be that I could now address these breakfast nags with science on my side?

Well, not really. 

Apparently, neither the breakfast skippers nor the breakfast evangelists have science squarely on side. The most appropriate response to that bothersome question (”Don’t you know breakfast is the most important meal of the day?”) is as follows:

“More randomized experiments are needed before we can fully understand the impact of breakfast.” 

This, from an article in The Atlantic cleverly titled “Breakfast Downgraded From ‘Most Important Meal’ of the Day to ‘Meal.’” What’s behind the shift? The dominant theory about the pro-breakfast argument has been that eating breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and makes it easier to manage your weight. But a series of recent studies conducted by Cornell University, the University of Alabama, and the University of Bath have found that eating breakfast has no measurable impact on one’s weight. 

The bottom line? According to nutrition scientist P.K. Newby, if you don’t have the time or the inclination to eat breakfast, you don’t need to. And if breakfast consists of sugary cereals or a muffin, you’re actually better off skipping it. 

Take that, breakfast nags! 

Now don’t get me wrong. I may be a rejecter of breakfast, but I am a big, big, big fan of brunch – ideally amongst friends. Check out our Pinterest board for some brunch inspiration, and invite your friends around for a morning (or early afternoon) meal. 

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Putting on an Autumn Scarf

by Jo Rittey, Melbourne

As Summer starts packing its bags and Autumn gently makes its presence felt, Scarf help us welcome the new season with the announcement of their partnership with North Carlton’s Green Park for its latest program.

Since 2010, Scarf has been catalysing the hospitality industry around an inspiring idea to transform young people’s lives through mentoring, opportunity and paid experience in Melbourne’s best dining establishments.

I remember when I first started work waiting tables in a restaurant. I was a bundle of nerves. There is so much to remember and, as well as remembering all the systems and trying to balance plates up my arm in a nonchalant sort of way, you have to be welcoming and friendly. There's a lot going on. Imagine what it must be like for young people who come from disadvantaged backgrounds; new migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, or Australian youth who are need a way out of their current circumstances, but are unable to find work.

Participants embark on a 10-week programme where they take part in wine education, formal service practices, cocktail training, beer education, coffee making and more. The programme concludes with a dinner service, the now famous Tuesday Night Dinners. Scarf trainees get hands-on experience in a real restaurant environment whilst being guided by their mentors.

The Autumn Scarf Dinners start at Green Park on Tuesday 17th March and run weekly until 12th May. Head chef Howard Stamp (ex-Movida and Le Bon Ton) will design and cook a two-course set menu for $40 per head served within the stylish surrounds of the Green Park dining hall. Green Park borrows aesthetically from the bars of Brooklyn, takes its culinary cues from the bodegas of Spain and community-mindedness is central to its business philosophy.

“We’re really proud to be partnering with Scarf and excited to be able to help provide opportunities to refugees and asylum seekers who have struggled to get a foot in the industry despite having such passion to learn and work,” comments General Manager, Jamie Munro-Lynch.

Now in its fifth year, Scarf has employed and trained over 70 young people from over 35 different countries. The current trainee cohort come from countries as far afield as Egypt to Ethiopia to the Solomon Islands and range in age from 18 to 30. Irrespective of backgrounds, they all share a hunger to gain practical hands-on experience and a desire to jump the hurdles they face to getting work in the hospitality industry.

Creating a meaningful community, Scarf is a cosy, bright accessory to keep out the chill of urban malaise. And you can be part of it. Get a group of friends or colleagues together, go to scarfcommunity.org and book a table today. Or join Eat With Me and have the Scarf dinner with us on Tuesday the 31st of March. 

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Skinny Duck; bringing good food to the people

by Jo Rittey, Melbourne

If you missed out on a seat at Heston Blumenthal’s highly acclaimed Fat Duck, fear not. There’s a new duck on the block and he’s ready for a party.

The announcement of a temporary relocation to Melbourne of the famous restaurant from Bray in England was surrounded in hype and greeted with excitement by foodies. The ballot system has been run and the chosen 14 000 have been notified and are ready for the $525 show where food meets performance and dining out is an entirely different experience.

But not everyone can afford the multi-sensory theatre that Blumenthal offers.

Enter Skinny Duck. Seven friends are donating their time and resources to provide an alternative. The Sorrento Catering Company are setting up the cheekily named Skinny Duck for one night only on January 30 at St Kilda Town Hall. For $120 you will get 14 courses of decadent canapés and beautiful wine, beer and champagne to match. You’ll be sharing an evening with like-minded people, listening to great music and comedian Dave O’Neill will be there to get you laughing. And the best thing? All proceeds will go to FareShare.

FareShare is an innovative organisation that provides over one million free, tasty, nutritious meals a year to Victoria’s hungry using donated food not needed by supermarkets, markets and farmers.

Statistics show that 370,000 Victorians run out of food each year or are unable to pay for their next meal. At the same time 700 000 tonnes of surplus food ends up in Victorian landfill. FareShare needs $30 000 a week to run. They are not government funded. Every $100 FareShare receives from fundraising, allows them to cook and distribute 200 meals.

So. Let’s feed Melbourne together! Grab some friends from Eat With Me, go to www.skinnyduck.com.au and book your tickets now!

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Long Street Coffee, brewing for change

by Jo Rittey, Melbourne

This is the story of Francois and Jane Marx, a young Melbourne couple attempting to make a difference to the lives of refugees and migrants through Long Street Coffee: part social enterprise, part café.

The idea for Long Street came from working as volunteers in the refugee community and from their hospitality experience. They didn’t start out trying to run a social enterprise and they don’t really want to label it as such.

In her conversations with the older women and mothers in the Collingwood community, Jane was asked if she could provide work for their daughters and sons. She thought if she could start a café, she could employ them. That’s what she knows. It’s her skill set. As Jane points out, if she had been a graphic artist, she might have been able to start a studio and provide graphic design courses. She and Francois both know hospitality, so it made sense to pursue this idea.

Through trial and error and working on this for three years, Jane And Francois have discovered that people don’t just start social enterprises. Usually they get funding first and trade under the name of a respected not for profit organisation or in partnership with someone else, but Jane and Francois don’t know anyone they can do that with. So they are running it as a small business and quite literally have started from nothing.

The first break came when Jane won the inaugural Woman’s Weekly – Women of the Future competition and was awarded funds that allowed Long Street Coffee to establish their ‘pop-up cafes’ at multiple community events around Melbourne.

The money was a godsend but when they started going to meetings and people couldn’t understand what they were trying to do, they thought photos and videos would help. They decided doing a pop-up café would be the best way to get these so that they could show rather than tell. But they couldn’t get anyone to let them trade because they had no trading history. In this instance, all their years in hospitality meant nothing. As a business, Long Street Coffee, everyone wanted to know what they had done before. And they had done nothing.

But eventually, Jane started working in the city at Thousand £ Bend, one of the many hospitality venues owned by Jerome Borazio. Famous for creating St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Jerome gave them an ‘in’ and they got to do their pop up at 2014 Laneway Festival.

That was their big break. It gave them the confidence and the presence to move forward and find a permanent space. Which they have. In a laneway in the heart of Richmond (just off busy Hoddle Street). So far, they have been funding it all themselves by working seven days a week and giving it their all.

To raise funds for the fit out of their new space and to hire their first two trainees, Jane and Francois turned to a Pozible Crowd Funding Campaign that was set to end on the morning of Christmas Eve. They have now, ahead of time, reached their goal and construction on the new site can begin.

Watch this space. www.facebook.com/LongStreetCoffee

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Picnic Recipes for Spring

Spring is here (at least in the Southern Hemisphere) and it's time to shake out the picnic rug and get outdoors. Here's some recipe ideas for your next picnic:

1. Salads in a Jar - Colourful layers of fresh food and easily transportable,  salads in a jar make a great addition to your picnic. These salads can be shared or eaten straight from the jar. Try this Greek Salad with Orzo and Black-Eyed Peas salad.

2. Ploughman's Lunch - A Ploughman’s lunch is a really fun picnic food. It’s very easy to pack into a single container and is perfect for sharing. A Ploughman's lunch traditionally consists of cold meats, hunks of cheddar cheese, chutney and bread and pickled onions but there are plenty of variations to the dish which you find at The Kitchn.

3. Picnic Drinks - If you want an alcohol free picnic or just something different to drink, you should try making your own homemade drinks. Why not try a homemade pink lemonade or elderflower cordial? Here's a great list of other fabulous drinks to try.

And if you are still stuck for ideas, check out the Guardian's 101 Picnic Recipes.

Share these ideas and meet new friends by hosting an Eat WIth Me picnic in your local park.  For more ideas about hosting a picnic, read our 5 Picnic Esstenials Blog.

Pictures: 1. Epicurious.com

2. Pictureperfectmeals.com

3. BBC Goodfood

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The Unpretentious Guide to Picking, Serving and Talking about Wine

Full disclosure: I am no sommelier. Luckily for me (and you), there are heaps of very helpful infographics and guides to help me (and you) fake it. 

Picking a Bottle

Personally, I buy the same bottles of wine over and over again. I have a go-to red, a go-to white, and a go-to sparkling. If the bottle shop I'm in doesn't have my desired bottle...I choose the prettiest label (in my price range). 

Turns out there are much better ways to choose wine for your dinner or gathering, provided you know what you're serving. If you've ever chosen the suggested wine pairing in a restaurant, you know there's something to it. 

An infographic guide to wine pairing (click here to see it bigger): 

When you're after a specific varietal , keep in mind the regions for which that grape is known. For instance, if you're serving fish and want to serve a dry white, you might want to choose a pinot grigio from Italy or a sauvignon blanc from Chile, as each region does its respective varietal proud. For more information on different regions and their best varietals (and lots more), check out Wine Enthusiast Magazine's Beginners Wine Guide. 

Serving Wine

So you've chosen a bottle (or bottles!). Now how to serve it? If you're lucky enough to have a cabinet full of wine glasses of various shapes and sizes, here's which glasses to choose:

Why different glasses for different wines? Because "most wine glasses are specifically shaped to accentuate those defining characteristics, directing wine to key areas of the tongue and nose, where they can be fully enjoyed." That isn't to say that wine can't be enjoyed in any shape glass...or a plastic cup, for that matter. (And that right there is why this is the unpretentious guide to wine.) 

If you want to get things just right, your wine should be served at the following temperatures:

Champagne, Sparkling, and Dessert Wine: 4.5 degrees Celsius

Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio: 7-9 degrees Celsius

Chardonnay, Chablis: 9-11 degrees Celsius

Pinot Noir: 15.5-18 degrees Celsius

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz: 18-19 degrees Fahrenheit

Don't have a wine thermometer? Yeah, neither do we. 

Talking About Wine

It's difficult to talk about wine without sounding a bit pretentious ("it's coiffable...yet...transcendent..."), but if you want to avoiding sounding like a complete neophyte, we've got your back. This can also help with ordering in a restaurant. I was once asked by a server what kind of wine I was after, and I said, "Something full-bodied, like a pinot noir." If you know anything about wine, you're probably shaking your head at me right now, much as that waiter did. 

And another (for full-size version click here). 

Salud!

[Wine glasses infographic from Wine Folly. Source for Cheat Chart unknown {found on Pinterest}]

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Hosting An Eat With Me Event: The Why & The What - Part 2

It's been a couple of months since we started this series. Hopefully some of you were inspired in the interim to try something new, whether by hosting an Eat With Me event or just having some friends around for some great food and conversation. 

But as we mentioned last time, we know that not everyone is set up to invite strangers (or even friends) into their homes. No matter! Eat With Me events also work well in restaurants and public spaces. Here are a few ideas to get you started: 

Public Spaces

Who doesn't love a picnic? Most Eat With Me members do, in our experience; picnics are always a hit. Pick a great outdoor space, lay down a blanket, and ask your guests to bring some food for sharing. For more ideas, check out Eat With Me's Picnic Pinterest board. 

If picnic fare isn't your scene, there are also ample opportunities for barbecuing in Melbourne's outdoor spaces. Grab a grill by the Yarra or in another of the city's many parks and recreational areas. 

Restaurants

This option doesn't require much explanation or direction, but we do suggest looking for an option that features highly sharable food. Sharing food is a big part of what we're about, and makes for an instantly more social eating experience. Fortunately, the tradition of sharing food exists in many cultures, so your options are numerous.

Look for Izakaya, dim sum or yum cha, Korean barbecue, or tapas. Other options are fixed-price menus or degustations: our Melbourne-based favourites include Gorski and Jones (where we had a terrific EWM kid goat meal last year; their current option is suckling pig) and Mamasita's 'Chef Selection Banquet' (check out Mamasita's website for details). Or skip dinner and do a dessert degustation. Check out Time Out Melbourne for your Melbourne options; our personal favourite is Pierre Roelofs' creative confections at Cafe Rosamond, where several Eat With Me friends spent a delicious evening last winter. 

Other Terrific Options 

These suggestions are very Melbourne-centric, but we hope these options will inspire you to look for unique experiences in your own city. 

First of all, established events can always be turned into Eat With Me gatherings. The very first Eat With Me event I hosted was a visit to Fed Square's Microbreweries Showcase. We tasted too many beers to count and then headed to the pub for a parma to soak it all up. There's also a wine version, if you prefer grapes to hops. 

You could also gather a group of people to attend a foodie event, such a Melbourne Food and Wine Festival session. Last year, we picked our favourites here; you can expect more great options this spring and again for the main event in March. 

For more food and wine events that could be turned into great EWM gatherings, check out Visit Melbourne's listings.

Finally, our last two suggestions:

Like the idea of having a fondue but lack the required pot (and long table)? Let The Swiss Club of Victoria provide both. 

Fancy dinner and a movie? Longplay in North Fitzroy serves delicious food and drink, and has a cinema in the back where you can screen a DVD of your choosing. Last time Eat With Me visited, we watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi. We think it's time for another foodie film screening; will you be the one to host it? 

Next Time

So we've gone over the why and the what. Next time, we'll help you with the how--whether you're in Melbourne or somewhere else in the world. 

Come back soon! 

Photos: Izakaya, Microbreweries Showcase

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Australian Native Bush Foods

Whilst writing my blog on foraging, I started thinking...What native foods do we have in Australia that we rarely see or use in the kitchen? Here are a few that you may want to try next time you need an Australian flavour.

Aniseed Myrtle - The spice made from the crushed leaves of Aniseed Myrtle has a subtle sweet liquorice flavour. A fine light green powdered which can be used anywhere that you require a subtle aniseed flavour such as steamed rice, seafood, stocks, breads, biscuits, desserts or beverages. Try this Aniseed Myrtle Biscotti recipe.

Bush Tomato - Also known as the desert raisin because of its appearance when dried. It has a strong tamarillo and caramel character, with a strong spicy aftertaste. It can be used to enhance any tomato dish, pasta, pizza or even used as a thickener as it hydrates when cooked. Ground, it is an easy form of this spice, to sprinkle on baked vegetables, into sauces and bread mixes. Try this Bush Tomato Napoli recipe.

Desert Lime - A strong and piquant citrus flavour.  No peeling required and you can use them whole at 1/4 the equivalent weight of Tahitian limes. Try this Vodka & Desert Lime Martini Snapper recipe.

Davidson's Plums (pictured below)-These plums have a very sour plum flavour but it is a unique flavouring for sweet and savoury and satay sauces, preserves, dressings, desserts. This brilliant deep purple plums turn a bright pink in oil. Try this Davidson Plum Crumble recipe.

Mountain Pepper This spice has a very hot and distinctive aromatic taste which can be used a substitute for pepper. Mountain pepper berries have an intense and aromatic heat which develops and leaves a pleasant dry aftertaste. Use ground pepper berries in slow cooking dishes such as curries and chili dishes.

Paperbark -Rolls of tea tree bark similar to thick paper. Paperbark is a good garnishing mat and when burnt infuses white meat and other starchy vegetables with a smoky flavor. Try this Barramundi in Paperbark recipe.

Quandong - This bright red fruit is tart with peach, apricot and rhubarb characteristics. It is highly nutritious and contains twice the vitamin C of an orange. Try this Quandong Blackcurrant Croustade with Wattleseed Sugar recipe. 

Photo source: http://www.anfil.org.au/industry-profile/species/davidson-plum/

What native foods do you use in your cooking?

Written by Bethany Jones

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Take a lover who looks at you like maybe you are magic.

Frida Kahlo    (via thatkindofwoman)

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Foraging - Free for the Picking

It’s not a new fad; far from it. It probably started sometime around 90,000 years ago but it is no longer critical to survival. Some of the hottest chefs do and you can even do a workshop on it. What am I talking about? Foraging.

To the untrained eye, weeds are just weeds. But what if those ‘weeds’ are a sacred medicinal plant or another culture’s valued crop? And what’s more, what if that weed was edible, tasty, nutritious and free?

You might be surprised to learn that some of the most recognisable ‘weeds’ are actually highly nutritious plants, such as the Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) the Nettle (Urtica urens) and Mallow(pictured below).

Many weeds (“just plants growing where they are not wanted”) have incredible properties such as Purslane which has more omega-3 fatty acids than any other leafy green ever tested but chances are that instead of eating it, you’ve probably pulled it out or tried to kill it. If you are keen to start foraging, I recommend picking up a copy of The Weed Forager’s Handbook or attending a edible weeds workshops, such as Eat That Weed (Melb) or Diego Bonetto’s (Syd) as not all weeds are edible and some edible weeds have poisonous doppelgangers. You can find more information about weed foraging at Eat That Weed or WeedyConnections. If picking weeds is not your thing, than maybe picking fruit is more your style. But before you start associating picking fruit with backpackers trying to extend their working holiday visas, let me clarify. I’m talking about ‘scrumping’. Scrumping, a word with British origins that means to steal an apple from a tree is all about picking fruit which is from overhanging trees or public spaces. The generally accepted rules of scrumping are: 1. If is on the street it’s fair game but never steal from a yard; 2. You should leave some behind; and 3. Only scrump what you can eat. The Ecovillages website is a great read for all things scrumping. You can start your own scrumping by simply walking your street or looking for fruit trees on the Feral Fruit Trees website (Melb) or the Fruit Tree google map (Syd). Do you have any tips for foraging or scrumping? Tell us about them.

Written by Bethany Jones

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Hosting An Eat With Me Event: The Why & The What - Part 1

When I lived in Melbourne, Eat With Me events were a big part of my life. At first, I mainly attended others' events, too apprehensive to host my own.  Eventually, though, I was ready to take the plunge, and after hosting my first event (a group visit to a microbreweries showcase at Fed Square), the ice was broken and I went on to host several more. Now that I'm back in Canada, the idea of hosting an Eat With Me event in my new community is  once again a bit daunting. 

Although the magic of Eat With Me events is in the people brought together, a great idea is generally what brings them to the table. If you're ready to host your first (or fourth or sixteenth) event, here are a few ideas to get you started: 

AT HOME

Make Your Own Pizza Night

You don't need to be an ace chef to make this one work. Make your pizza  dough from scratch, pick up pre-mixed, unbaked dough at a bakery, or just buy off-the-shelf crusts. What really matters is the toppings; ask your guests to bring traditional or gourmet toppings for sharing. My favourites: figs and/or pears with gorgonzola. 

Taco Night

Tacos have come a long way since mince and shredded iceberg in a boxed hard taco shell. As Bon Appetit says, "From hipster food trucks to high-end restaurants, the humble taco is having a moment." Bon Appetit has a terrific four-step guide to hosting the perfect taco night. For additional recipes, check out Martha Stewart's decent collection. And to make the night an extra-big hit, consider making margaritas. 

Swiss Night

Have a fondue party, or better yet, a raclette night. Of course, you'll need a raclette grill, but if you can get your hands on one, grilling meat, seafood, veggies, and of course cheese, right at the table makes for a very delicious and very social meal. Check out this Pinterest board for all kinds of recipes and ideas. 

Wine & Cheese

While we're on the topic of cheese, experience shows that Eat With Me members are crazy about cheese. Base your event around cheese, and people will show up. Ask each person to bring some cheese and some wine, et voila, your event will be a hit. 

Salad Smash

Although they're much less decadent than cheese events, salad potlucks have proven to be a big hit among Eat With Me members. Salads needn't be boring; check out our Pinterest board for proof. 

Skip Dinner

Okay, this one may be a little juvenile for an adult gathering, but why not?

Try Something New and Original

The above options are all tried-and-true, but original ideas are always a hit. Melbourne member Theresa has had a Smörgåstårta (Swedish sandwich cake) party and a Dipsomaniac Dinner (a potluck at which every meal had to somehow incorporate alcohol). If you plan an event around an obscure international food holiday or ethnic food, people will jump at the chance to try something new.

Of course, we know that that not everyone has a home that can accommodate a large group of people, so next time we'll share some ideas for events in restaurants and public spaces. Check back soon! 

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Oh, Won't You Be My Neighbour?

When I was a kid, and watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was part of most North American youngsters' morning routine, being a good neighbour was cool. Mr. Rogers began each episode with a song that asked each and every viewer to do him the honour of being his neighbour.  Back then, knowing those who lived in close proximity to you seemed important and customary; if they weren't always friends, they were at least familiar faces who would say hello on the street and keep watch when you were away from home. 

These days, we seem to live closer and closer with our neighbours, but we tend to be less likely to know them. A recent British study found more than half of those surveyed don’t know their neighbours, with one in four having no idea what their names are. In America, a Pew study found that only 43% of Americans know most or all of their neighbors; 28% didn't know any of their neighbors by name. I'm ashamed to say that I currently fall in the latter group. 

Good wants to change this trend. They're calling for people worldwide to celebrate Neighbor Day on April 27 by getting together with their neighbours. They want us to follow Emily Coates' lead: once a month, she and her husband turn their Brooklyn apartment into an impromptu restaurant that they call Neighbor. Of the first dinner, Coates recalls,

"The first dinner was nerve wracking. We spent all week preparing. We went through the schedule over and over and over and over again. We worried about everything. Who would come? Will they think it's weird? Will they like the food? Miraculously, 12 of our friends and their friends showed up. We served mushroom toast, hazelnut & chard ravioli with butternut squash croutons, brick chicken with brown sage butter and root vegetables, and meyer lemon ice with shortbreads. We screwed up a few things. We definitely didn't give a few people knives, and probably didn't refill glasses enough. Small things that we just forgot. But they didn't matter. People were meeting, talking, laughing and sharing. By the time we dropped that last dessert plate, it all felt perfect."

We've seen magical moments like this happen at many Eat With Me events: over food, strangers become friends. Why not get the people in your neighbourhood together on April 27 and potentially make some new friends? 

For inspiration and tools, check out Good's Neighbor Day resources. You could have an in-home 'restaurant' like Emily Coates, a block party, a backyard BBQ, or a picnic in a neighbourhood park. Let's make neighborliness cool again! 

How about you? Do you know your neighbours? 

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How to cook an exceptional Easter feast

Where I come from (Canada), we can usually count on getting to eat a roast turkey feast three times a year: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Here in Australia, we don't have Thanksgiving and Christmas is often too hot to have the oven cranked for several hours, so that leaves Easter. Turkey just so happens to be a relatively easy meal to cook for a group, so why not gather your nearest and dearest this Easter weekend (or any other time, really) and share a roast bird? 

One of my fondest memories of a meal with friends was an Easter dinner  my best friend and I cooked three years ago. Here's how we did it (thanks to step-by-step instructions from my dad):

If you're going to stuff the turkey (which you absolutely should), the night before your feast, cube a loaf of unsliced bread and leave it on a baking sheet to dry out a bit. 

If you're using a frozen turkey (see below), you'll need to thaw it well in advance. If you have room, you can do that in the fridge overnight; keep in mind that it takes approximately 24 hours for every 2 kilos of turkey. Or, on the day of, you can thaw it in a sink/tub of cold water. That will take approximately one hour for every kilo of turkey. Make sure you change the water every 30 minutes. 

When cooking time is nigh, you're ready to make stuffing. This is my dad's classic recipe; for more ideas, see below.

Chop a large onion and set it aside. Melt a generous slab of butter in a saucepan, and add onions. Saute until onions are soft. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix bread cubes, butter/onion, salt and pepper, and a generous amount (at least 2 tablespoons) of sage. The stuffing needs to be moist, so add milk as needed to moisten. Add just a bit at a time; you want it just moist enough that it sticks together when you make a ball.

Once the turkey is thawed, remove the giblets bag from inside the turkey. Thoroughly wash the turkey inside and out, and pat dry. Place turkey in roaster.

Stuff the bird with bread etc. mixture into the cavity of the turkey. You can really jam it in; if there's some poking out, that's just fine. 

Tie the legs together with butcher’s string if you have it, or unflavoured dental floss if you don't. Rub the skin of the turkey with softened butter. If you are of the Julia Child You-Can-Never-Have-Too-Much-Butter school (like I am), you can also gently lift the skin of the turkey and put slabs of butter underneath. This will keep the meat moist while it roasts. Add 1/4 cup of water to the roaster, cover with (buttered) aluminium foil, and place in preheated 175-degree (Celsius) oven. 

While it's cooking, you can baste the turkey with the juices in the roaster. This will also help keep the turkey moist, but will prolong cooking time. About an hour before the turkey is done (check out this infographic to figure out approximately how long it will take), remove cover to allow the skin to get brown and crispy. 

The best way to know your turkey is done is to use a meat thermometer. You want the temperature to be at least 73 degrees Celsius in three places: the innermost part of the thigh, the thickest part of the breast, and under the wing. If you don't have a meat thermometer, slice deep into the thigh with a sharp knife; if the juices run clear, the turkey's ready. You can also tell that it's done when the drumsticks are loose. 

  Remove the turkey from the oven and let stand for 30 to 40 minutes before carving. You can use this time to make gravy: put the turkey drippings in a pot or frying pan and bring to a bowl. Add a couple of OXO cubes (beef or chicken). Add more sage. Thicken with a flour/warm water mixture (mix separately in a cup until mixture is smooth). Stir this mixture into the drippings gradually until the gravy is desired thickness. Add salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning to taste. 

  Carve the turkey (here's how), and serve with cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables (I generally ask my friends to bring those, but you can also prep and cook while the turkey is roasting and standing). 

Here are some ideas for sides to serve with your turkey:

Green beans with lemon and garlic

Green beans with caramelized onions and almonds

Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips and Brussels Sprouts Triple Cranberry Relish

Farro Salad with oven-roasted grapes and autumn greens

Roasted Pears and Red Onions

Maple-Whipped Sweet Potatoes

And if the traditional stuffing above isn't adventurous enough for you, there are plenty of ways to shake it up:

Shitake Mushroom Stuffing and Sausage Stuffing

Cornbread Dressing with Pancetta, Apples, and Mushrooms 

Sourdough, Wild Mushroom, and Bacon Dressing

For all of the above recipes, plus an awesome turkey-cooking infographic, check out our Turkey Dinner Pinterest board. 

And one final note: the best part of hosting a turkey dinner is the leftovers. 

Happy Easter! We at Eat With Me hope you get to enjoy an Easter feast with some great people this long weekend.

[eatwithmeblog]

How to Chop like a Champ

Fact: my father bleeds pretty much every time he cooks. Whether he grazes a knuckle, slices a fingertip, or skewers a palm, it's really a wonder he still has all ten fingers. 

Fact: I am my father's daughter. My housemate has to avert her eyes when I'm chopping, especially when I'm using the sharp knives. 

Fact: chopping is a skill which, finely honed (and with a good, sharp knife!), makes cooking a lot quicker, easier, and less frightening for all  involved. 

But don't listen to me. Take it from the Naked Chef himself: 

If you want more, The Kitchn offers both basic knife skills and specific ones, like carving a roast chicken and French cutting an onion. 

Also important: keeping your knife very sharp (learn the skills here) and knowing your cuts. For a great chopping infographic (and many more fun food infographics), check out our Pinterest board. 

Or you could just invest in a good food processor. 

Check back for more how-to posts in coming weeks! 

[eatwithmeblog]

Unearthed: Our Melbourne Food & Wine Fest Picks

We at Eat With Me are big fans of eating local and knowing where our food comes from, so we dig (pun intended) this year's Melbourne Food & Wine Festival theme: the Earth. According to this year's Gastronomy Guide,  "with this year’s Festival...we go back to the source: Earth. We’re thinking global as always, but we’re equally enamoured with the local, the stuff beneath our feet: the dirt, the soil, the good earth." 

So we're pretty excited about March in Melbourne, which promises to be extra delicious. Below are some of the festival highlights as we see it. 

Free and Almost Free

Go West, 'Mother Earth' - "Join Gary Mehigan and the area’s top restaurants, organic producers, winemakers and brewers at twilight to celebrate the best of Melbourne's west, with tastings, cooking demos, live music and art." Free. Friday, March 1, 6:30-11:00 p.m. at The Maribyrnong Boathouse.

World Street Food Festival - "The sights, sounds and tastes of the earth will be showcased on Melbourne’s doorstep when Queen Victoria Market hosts the much-loved World Street Food Festival. Free to attend, this event is a tantalising fusion of street food and entertainment from Europe to South America, Africa, Asia and home again." Free to attend festival; food prices vary. Sunday, March 3, 9:00-4:00 at the Queen Victoria Market. 

Picnic in the Vines - "The picturesque vineyard setting is the perfect place to relax with friends and to meet new ones. While being serenaded by a local musician, delight your tastebuds, soak up the sunshine and breathe the fresh Pyrenees air." Free to attend; food prices vary (from $10). Sunday, March 17, 11:00-4:00 at the Redbank Winery. 

AASCA Coffee Championships - As an admitted caffeine addict, I'm extra excited about this one. "State champions will compete to become the next Australian Barista Champion, Latte Art Champion, and Brewer’s Cup Champion, winning the chance to represent Australia on the world stage. Celebrate the ultimate drink of the earth and watch baristas compete live under the careful scrutiny of a team of certified coffee judges." $5 to attend. Friday, March 1 - Sunday, March 3, 8:30-5:00 at the Melbourne Showgrounds. 

Celebrate Our Apple Heritage - "Taste: rare variety apples bred and grown over centuries, specially selected ciders, food and wines, including Attica’s unique apple dish. Learn: from Ripponlea’s horticultural experts. Grow: take home a heritage apple tree." $5 to attend, refundable upon purchase of a heritage apple tree. Saturday, March 9, 10:00-4:00 at Ripponlea House & Garden.

A Little Pricier ($10 - 49)

The Food-Preneurs - "Get to know some of the smart people and innovative approaches reshaping the future of food and farming at an event with great speakers, important stories and local spirit." $25 admission (for $40 you can also get a copy of The Field Guide to Victorian Produce). March, March 13, 6:00-7:30 at The Edge, Fed Square. 

Bar Express - "Gather the gang at the end of the day for a toast and a tipple at one of many of Melbourne's famed fars." Bars on the list include Longrain, The Aviary, and The Aylesbury's terrific rooftop bar. $18 gets you an alcoholic drink and a tasting plate. If you want to give Bar Express a shot, why not join us March 5 for our Bar Express gathering at Gingerboy Upstairs? 

Restaurant Express - Kind of like Bar Express, but with lunch. Restaurants include Libertine, Mamasita, and Red Spice Road. $40 gets you a two-course lunch, plus a glass of Victorian wine, a coffee, or a tea. 

PVOYT: Cellar Door & Artisan Market - "Explore regional Victoria in the heart of Melbourne at Put Victoria On Your Table: Cellar Door and Artisan Market in the grand surrounds of Como House and Garden as winemakers, brewers and producers from all corners of the state come together for a festive garden party in the heart of Melbourne." $45 adult with tasting ($20 without). Sat Mar 2 - Sun Mar 3, 11:00-6:00 at Como House & Garden, South Yarra. 

Chan's Dumpling Festival - "Our first-of-its-kind Dumpling Festival will honour traditional Cantonese cuisine with delicious handmade delicacies and dumpling lovers from around the globe visiting Melbourne to share the World’s Biggest Outdoor Yum Cha." $20 includes a five-course yum cha, take-home pack of steamer and ingredients for the home chef. Sunday, March 3, 10:00-3:00 in the Treasury Gardens. 

Discover Abbotsford Convent - "The magnificent Abbotsford Convent will be the scene of a farm-to-plate seasonal lunch presented by Bursaria Fine Foods, with all food sourced from from the local slow food market & surrounding areas." $45 includes canapes, two-course lunch and wines. Sunday, March 3, 12:00-3:00 at Abbotsford Convent. 

If Money Were (or is) No Object...

The Earthly Temptation of Beer - What can I say, I love a good beer, especially when it's paired with good food. "Grain, hops, yeast and water are the real heroes of beer so put the Lenten fast on hold for an exclusive Temple beer-gustation, featuring five beers and matched courses." $95. Saturday, March 2, 6:30-11:00 pm at Temple Brewery & Brasserie, Brunswick East. 

Melbourne's Six Sister Cities - Did you know Melbourne has six sister cities? Get to know them all as "Trocadero, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Arts Centre Melbourne...celebrate ...Osaka, Tian Jin, Thessaloniki, Boston, St. Petersburg, Milan, in both food and song." $180 includes six courses with wine and a recital by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Saturday, March 2, 1:00-4:00 pm, at Hamer Hall. 

Thai Jungle Curry Cooking Class - If you want to cook Gingerboy-calibre curries in your own kitchen, "roll up your sleeves for an intimate masterclass in the Gingerboy kitchen preparing a traditional northern Thai jungle curry before enjoying your work with a glass of wine over lunch." $235 includes cooking class, lunch, Gingerboy apron, and recipe booklet. Saturday, March 2 & Saturday, March 9, 9:30 am - 1:00 pm, at Gingerboy. 

Hook, Lunch & Sinker - You definitely know your food is local if you catch it yourself. If you're not averse to getting up at the crack of dawn, "join head chef Ollie Gould and Reel Time Fishing Charters on a fishing trip in Port Phillip Bay, before enjoying your own catch-of-the-day back at the Stokehouse." $190 includes fishing trip, lunch, and wine. Sunday, March 3, 6:00 am - 3:00 pm, meet at Stokehouse, St. Kilda. 

Are you planning on attending any MFWF events? If so, which ones, and  can we come? 

We'd love to see you at Bar Express/Gingerboy Upstairs on March 3. If you're interested, you can sign up here.