Global Gobbler

Papa Serra

2011-12-31T16:18:00.000Z

Underground dining in London.

More at www.papaserra.com

London

2011-10-03T14:29:00.004+01:00

Global Gobbler has arrived in London.

What follows next is uncertain but a year spent in the city that will one day be my home might have some influence.

Global Gobbler – the original underground restaurant – reopening at the scene of the crime.

Barcelona

2010-06-18T13:07:00.003+01:00

They eat in Barcelona right?

The last supper will be served shortly.

With goods not purchased from Casa Iberica but instead, Las Ramblas...

Email me globalgobbler@blogspot.com with a name and some words and i'll start setting the table for you.

Casa Iberica - the review

2010-06-15T05:11:00.007+01:00

It shouldn't have taken this long for me to put up the Casa Iberica review up...blame slow-moving old media.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/blind-date/story-e6frg8h6-1225872193871

Currently dreaming up the next Global Gobbler menu for a table which is quite quickly reaching capacity.

Casa Iberica - food from a dinner party that never ended

2010-04-11T05:56:00.013+01:00

Olives baked in white wine, lemon, rosemary and thyme

Steamed carrots marinated in fennel seeds, coriander seeds, sherry vinegar, orange juice, toasted almonds and mint

Salt cod salad with peppers, tomato, oregano and lemon vinagrette

Patatas bravas - potatoes with ...

Chickpeas with salsa verde

Prawns fried in paprika and served with romesco sauce

Baby cos lettuce with allioli and toasted pine nuts

Chicken slow-cooked in sherry vinegar and brown onion

Almond tart with mascarpone and mandarins marinated in saffron syrup and served with toasted pine nuts

The pre-dessert scene

Guest numbered nine and empty bottles at the end of the evening numbered 11. Is that the verdict of the dinner party right there?

Religion may have featured in conversation...

It was a pleasure and a priviledge to host such a fine group of people.

Reviews of the food and the evening to follow.

Casa Iberica

2010-04-07T05:46:00.005+01:00

A meal from Iberica.

There will be olive oil and sherry vinegar. Garlic and onions. Almonds and olives. Rosemary, thyme, parsley and oregano. Potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and greens. Sweet and smoked paprika, cumin, fennel seeds and saffron. Salt cod, chicken and prawns. Oranges and lemons.

Staples of every Casa Iberica.

Dinner will be held on Saturday 10th of April. At my house, which is sadly not on the Iberian coast.

There is limited space left at the table. Email me globalgobbler@gmail.com to reserve a seat.

Paella - the verdict

2010-03-31T00:01:00.004+01:00

Yes, the book is called The Body is the Barometer of the Soul. It contains pearles of wisdom such as "Sore hips? Consider your relationship with your father" and "Sluggish digestion? Maybe you should be letting go of old regrets" and my personal favourite "Smelly feet? This may be due to lack of intimacy with your partner. Shower together as a way to grow closer and save water."

Yes, we all left dinner a little wiser.

The Review

I like food, a lot. And I've eaten quite a bit of it in my time. Most of it tastes good, but usually much like something I had last week/month/at an ethnic wedding. This was super yum, and unique. Smokey....tomatoey....not fishy but marinesque somehow. Great textures, popping peas, smooth rice and creamy onion-ness.

The biggest compliment I can give it is that I've never liked mussels before. ever. I ate them all. Plus prawns: heads, brains, shells, spindly legs included. Crunchy and aromatic and somehow disturbing, but fun. Queen of prawns indeed. Superb effort Joel.

Paella - farewell queen of prawns

2010-03-28T10:08:00.010+01:00

A dinner to farewell a dear friend as she embarked on a future with no script.

Paella, a fitting farewell.

Oil and salt produced sweet, translucent diced onion and garlic. End of season de-seeded tomatoes were added together with smoky roasted red peppers and lemon wedges. Sweet paprika created a red background to which the real star of the dish was added, saffron, the stigmas of which had been infused in shellfish stock. Rice came next with more of the salty stock and parsley stalks offset the intense orange sunset filling the pan.

As the rice reached al-dente, fresh green peas bounced their way into the steaming pan. And then came the sea creatures: mussels, prawns and baby squid all played a part in lifting a pan of rice into a pièce de résistance.

Parsley to garnish and lemon wedges to serve.

At the table we had a iron woman with quads of steel, a Irish fly-in and out (four hours in Melbourne are always best spent eating in order to avoid 3,500 feet hunger pangs), a guy that can't be trusted in the presence of a smoke machine, a young lady with executive power and Jessamy, the original HLB.

Good luck with the horses, the grizzly bears, the maple syrup and the cowboys.

Verdict to follow.

Paella

2010-03-22T07:48:00.004Z

Saffron.

Covered the streets of Rome to welcome the triumphant return of the Emperor Nero.

Enjoyed at Roman orgies as a broth to ensure Venus, the goddess of love, could be worshipped, energetically.

The colour of choice for Buddhas robes.

And most importantly, the founding flavour of the Paella.

A dinner party with only one course. Paella.

Sunday 30 March 2010. 7pm.

To reserve a seat at the table, email me globalgobbler@gmail.com

The Last Supper

2009-09-15T02:23:00.002+01:00

The final Global Gobbler. A meal that courses through my veins nightly. I agree, diversity is the spice and all that but once you find your niche...

The Last Supper will be prepared soon on a non-descript week night in inner-city suburbia but will be worthy of any meal on death row. Take note Texas.

Catering in 24 hours

2009-05-25T08:12:00.005+01:00

My first foray into catering took place at a friends exhibition titled The Future is Neon Bright.

Might give myself more than a day to prepare next time.

I could never have pulled it off without the help of MJ, Becki and Linda. Others deserving an appreciative beverage include Jessamy, Jordan and Croz.

Strawberries macerated in mint and lemon juice with a sweet balsamic cream

Persimmon wedge draped in brie and wrapped in prosciutto topped with honeyed crispy sage

Rosemary roasted beetroot skewered with goats chevre resting on crushed walnut lines

Ras el hanout spiced shredded chicken with currants, lemon and toasted almonds served on Turkish bread

Dutch carrots and parsnip spears roasted with maple syrup and served with Nigella-spiced Dukkah

Baby mushrooms filled with a roasted red pepper, white sherry vinegar pesto and thyme

Edible design – a palette of Milawa cheeses on canvas with fruit and nut accompaniments

Coconut lemon cupcakes iced with The Future is Neon Bright

Chocolate brownie cupcakes iced with Black + White

Stay tuned for the launch of a new high end catering operation. Perfect for the recession.

Master Chef Australia - The Poached Egg Guy

2009-05-05T03:13:00.006+01:00

So - where was poached egg guy? http://www.masterchef.com.au/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=100440&tstart=30

He got knocked out because.....who knows - couldn't chop onions? Didn't have the personality for reality TV? Shame shame.

Anyway - i had my time in the sun, chopping more fingers than onions in the onion chopping challenge then creating a dish under the glare of the cameras with George telling me to 'clean up this mess, yeah?'

As requested, the recipe for the dish as I remember it.

Blackened corn topped with shredded chicken and a poached egg.

Ingredients
Chicken breast
Sweet corn
Egg
Currants
Garlic
Lemon
Spices (cumin, paprika cinnamon, salt, pepper)
Herbs (flat-leaf parsley, mint) Olive oil

For the chicken
Bring deep pan of water to a simmer with 3 cloves of garlic, a few stalks of parsley, salt and juice of half a lemon. Submerge chicken and poach for approx 10 minutes. Remove and rest on plate then begin shredding into strips using a fork. Place chicken shreds in a bowl and add lemon zest, handful of hydrated currants (place currants in cup of hot water for 30 min until plump), chopped parsley and mint (more parsley than mint), spices (more cumin than paprika and more paprika than cinnamon - maybe 1-2 tsp of cumin…and enough salt and pepper) and good olive oil - lots of the stuff. Go crazy on it and mix through until the chicken mixture becomes moist.

For the corn
Rub corn cob with oil and season with salt, pepper and cumin. Place in oven and grill for around 10-15 minutes until corn kernels begin to blacken.

For the poached egg
To poach the perfect egg, crack the egg onto a large spoon, such as a serving spoon, and gently lower into boiling water with a splash of vinegar if available. Immediately turn the heat down to a simmer and continue to hold the spoon while using another spoon to gently cover the egg (quinelle style) so the whites begin to whiten. Continue this process until the egg firms up and then allow it to slide off into the water to finish the cooking process - this final stage will only take 10-20 seconds.

To plate the dish
Shave the blackened corn off the cob and top with the shredded chicken. Carefully place the poached egg on top of the shredded chicken, dust with toasted cumin powder and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with shredded mint or parsley if you feel like it. Allow the yolk of the poached egg to 'dress the dish' as described by Matt Preston.

Enjoy with friends who don't wear cravats and forbid the use of the word 'yeah'

Lunch of Gods - Sardines

2009-04-07T14:35:00.013+01:00

In the fading days of summer I promised a couple of my favourite gentlemen the highly revered beauty from the sea. The humble sardine. Raised to new heights and worshiped.

A run and swim in the salty waters of Port Phillip Bay was the perfect preparation for the feast. KR took out the run, JB took on the sting rays while BM was too busy searching for the elusive red mullet.

First course - home grown watermelon (a horticultural success), mint, lemon juice and feta.

Next up - gazpacho (tomatoes, peppers, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, soaked toasted ciabata, sherry vinegar)

And of course - the sardines. Served on garlic rubbed toasted sourdough with aioli, rocket and lemon.

Serve with cerveza while the salt dries in your hair.

Master Chef - Mystery Box - The Review

2009-04-03T23:05:00.002+01:00

J Ho

Ageless

Maker of all things salt. Most famously, the Salted Caramel Tart ™

Who would you trust more, someone with a crane or someone with a sharp knife?

Thanks for the review undercut – too kind of course.

The Review
Was it worth the battle?

The onion, the weather, the strange clucking animal with a disproportionately sized brain?

Well, luckily there were no onions involved and everything else was impressively creative, despite Joel asking for a harsh review. Oh, and the weather surprisingly didn’t throw me into oblivion, so, I might as well get to it.

First, the potato; presented as a rosti with rosemary oil and a white anchovy. There is a sign of someone who can cook (or possibly someone who can eat), and I believe that is someone who isn’t afraid to use salt. The rosti itself was a good platform for the anchovy and the oil, and despite what you usually get with rostis, not greasy. The only thing was that the rosti was too starchy and could have benefit from being rinsed in cold water after being grated.

The brussel sprouts were probably my favourite. Very simple and clean by being pan fried and served with crispy prosciutto, roasted hazelnuts and pan fried sage. The presentation of this became a little tricky, but negotiated in the end between a smash-pile and a bridge. The flavours themselves were very straightforward and, in lack of a better way to put it, ballsy. The saltiness of the prosciutto was cut by the freshness of the sprouts, which still held their crunch and mellowed by the nuts.

The next course I think was unconsciously presented. That sentence, though vague, can be explained. So, rocket, blackened corn, chicken which has been poached and shredded with raisins and a hard-boiled egg was presented as a nest; kind of fitting since, if you think about it, we were eating the mother and its unhatched spawn-ovum (not that this egg belonged to this particular bird). The chicken was a drier than Joel would have liked, but the corn and the egg hid that quite well. Quite a mild dish that followed such a gutsy second course, but its subtlety was appreciated.

By this stage, I was getting full, so I didn’t get to finish the dessert. Figs were cooked in a filo pastry with thyme, served next to salted-caramel walnuts and a goats cheese and vanilla icecream, presented in the skins of figs. A very impressively constructed dish, as pointed out, a play on a cheese board, so of course I liked it. The pastry was subtly sweet and ended with a savoury tone with the thyme, which went well with the salt from the walnuts and the goats cheese icecream. It seemed that no combination in this could go wrong, and had the textures and temperatures covered on all bases. The only thing is that the walnuts could have benefited from being toasted before covered in caramel, but that is only personal preference. Though, when I am full and keep going back, you know you have a gold star.

Oh, and I should probably mention this was all cooked on an electric stove and the oven broke. So, I say, thanks kid. I’ll come back when it is raining a second shower over me and blowing me sideways.

Master Chef - Mystery Box

2009-03-22T07:40:00.006Z

Potato and lemon rosti served with white anchoy, rosemary oil dusted with paprika

Brussel sprouts pan fried in butter and sage lemon and served with crispy prosciutto and roasted hazelnuts

M
Poached chicken shredded with currants, roasted roasted almonds, flat leaf parsley, mint and a middle-eastern spice blend served with blackened sweet corn soft (hard...) egg and lemon rocket

D
Fresh figs baked in filo with thyme and honey served with salted caramel walnuts and figs filled with goats cheese vanilla ice cream.

The review to follow...

Master Chef - Mystery Box

2009-03-12T06:01:00.005Z

The mystery ingredients for the next Global Gobbler menu - Master Chef style...

E
Potato (Potato, a mans vegetable - as George Calombaris would say*)

S
Brussel sprouts (Brussel sprouts, from Brussels - GC)

M
Chicken (Cluck cluck - GC)

D
Figs (Figs worked for Adam right? - GC)

*When we were doing the challenge, GC introduced our mystery ingredients with a byline as i've done above. The apple introduction was a laugh, valid point though, apples are "yummy"...

What to create from these mystery ingredients...

I'll have the timer going, the cameras focused and the host smiling, I might even try chopping onions again, without the blood loss sustained in the Master Chef studio...

Will I make it through to the next round or have to tearfully face the cameras and go home with a big fail??

Master Chef - top 50

2009-02-24T05:59:00.003Z

A week in Sydney to battle for the title of Master Chef.

And what a week it was - quality food (cooked by us, not the catering company), quality people (with the odd exception) and great TV (Channel 10 editing has a bit of work to do...)

So top 35 for Global Gobbler. Questionable given my inability to chop onions...

A menu inspired by the "Mystery Box" challenge - without pork - will follow shortly.

Let's hope the guests are as honest as the judges...although all cravats will be banned...

Master Chef - Take 2

2009-01-30T04:42:00.004Z

Three dishes for Messrs Preston, Calombaris and Mehigan at MasterChef audition - day 2.

White gazpacho served Martini style with a toothpick of grapes.

Cannelini beans cooked with saffron, chorizo and thyme.

White witlof layered with aioli, marinated red peppers and white anchovies.

The food stood up apparently. The personality didn't. Advice from the judges: "More footy, less yoga, yeah?" Ha, thanks George.

No photos (cameras weren't allowed during filming) but MasterChef begins on Channel 10 in April/May and Global Gobbler may show up if the 'character' making spherical peas doesn't hog all the air time ; )

Master Chef - First Take

2009-01-29T02:34:00.003Z

A success. Soft pappardelle. Pungent pesto. Sweet confit tomatoes. And creamy labna with toasted pine nuts.

Through to round 2 of MasterChef...

Master Chef - First Take

2009-01-21T12:10:00.003Z

First and only course

Homemade pappardelle tossed with freshly made basil pesto and topped with confit Roma tomatoes and homemade labna (yogurt cheese) coated in roasted pine nuts and thyme.

Basil and tomatoes from the garden (c/o JB's Vegie Patch - installing vegie patches across Melbourne. For enquiries call Joel or Jesse on 0438 329 218 or 0407 712 921. Marketing plug ends.)

Pasta from my Marcato pasta machine.

Labna made from Greek yogurt.

Global Gobbler takes on the masses.

Pasta - 1st attempt - the review

2009-01-17T03:11:00.003Z

Smiling happy people - review enough I think. A great group of people with many hidden talents.

-Jesse for pulling off the Don Burke beard.

-MJ for her photographer's eye.

-Jess for being most photogenic.

-Sarah for turning vinegar into wine.

-Jordan for his sense of justice.

-Annalise for seeing through Jordan's sense of justice.

These talents combined to produce an unforgettable game of Pictionary. The highlights being 'Pearl necklace', 'Pamela Anderson' and 'Psychiatrist'.

Pasta II is already taking shape...

Pasta - 1st attempt - post-mortem

2009-01-12T03:46:00.003Z

Loved the prawns with sidekicks of crispy sage and hazelnut salt.

Sourdough with honey and balsamic feta was ok - bread needed a good soaking in oil though.

Anchovy, almond and orange zest 'arrangement' was interesting - in a bad way...

Nice way to kick off the night - a plate full of prawns would have broadened smiles around the table.

Home-made spaghetti. The taste is almost fruity rather than simply a plate of carbs. The walnut, tomato and roasted pepper sauce was luckily subtle and the buffalo mozzerella with basil lifted the whole dish.

Pomegranate, zucchini ribbon and parmesan was an experiement that worked. Sweet, creamy and sharp.

Almost a shame to put anything on the pasta - some extra virgin, garlic, salt and pepper. Love match.

A sharp, almost too sharp, lime curd - overdid the lime juice a little I think... And if you can't decide between sour cream, yogurt, mascaporne or cream - give quark a try. Whipped with vanilla bean and topped with lime zest.

The food was good, the people were better.

On the night I fell in love with my Marcato pasta machine.

Pasta - 1st attempt

2009-01-06T04:50:00.002Z

A pasta machine lay waiting for some attention. The first weekend without plaster on my recently-broken arm presented the perfect opportunity to test it out on friends who would either enjoy the food, or drink enough that it would appear they enjoyed the food...

No real theme behind the menu - pasta was the star.

Rye sourdough topped with feta and crushed walnuts marinated in honey, olive oil, thyme and balsamic vinegar and topped with fresh sliced cherry tomatoes.

King prawns marinated in sauvignon blanc, lemon juice, sage and olive oil then pan fried and served on wild rocked and sprinkled with hazelnut salt and crispy sage.

Fresh spaghetti dressed in olive oil and served with a walnut, garlic, tomato and red pepper sauce and topped with buffalo mozzerella and shredded basil.

Zucchini ribbon salad with mint, pomegranate seeds, shaved parmesan, olive oil and lime juice.

Baked lime curd topped with vanilla bean infused quark, topped with caramelised lime wedge, lime zest and fresh raspberries.

Global Gobbler guest #15 - A cast of 4

2008-11-11T23:20:00.007Z

L to R: (Princess Jasmine, Mt Everest, JennaAlyce © and a random, malnourished skinhead)

A night in Chad was enjoyed by a full-time fairy, a Casanova, a fashionista and sailor who survives on cod and cereal.

An eclectic group who survived a journey to the heart of Africa

And the stellar review can be viewed below although I am not sure if the meal deserved such generosity - particularly my failed attempt to cook a soft-boiled egg!

Until next time. Stay Global and keep Gobbling.

(click to enlarge)

RIP Chomping on Chad - 18 October 2008

2008-10-22T00:09:00.010+01:00

E
A great way to start the feast on a cold Melbourne night. Piping hot shards of crunchy bread matched the curry butter and the honey and mint balanced the spicy flavour. Making the bread a little softer would have allowed the butter mix to soak through the bread and given the teeth a break.

S
Are soups just a ‘course filler’? The flavour was interesting – three was a crowd though – needed to match peanuts with either tomato or sweet corn. And definitely overdid the garnishing – the squash gave the dish a sweetness but the cashews were a mistake and nigella seeds were simply wrong. Maybe I don’t like soups because you lose the individual flavours?

M
Easily my favourite for the night. The subtle flavour of millet combined perfectly with the mix of spices, fresh sage and sweet currants. Salty silverbeet drenched in olive oil was the perfect base and lemon yogurt gave the palate a break from the mild heat. Onto the egg…not too hard to cook a soft-boiled egg right? Sadly yes, two minutes too long yielded a tasty, yet decidedly firm egg….tail firmly between the legs.

D
Never quite worked this out in my head. Would it be a cold/hot/creamy/crunchy dessert? And the lack of clarity showed – the pistachio, clove and honey slice had an intense flavour and would work somewhere else – but not with the pear and mint and definitely not with frozen mandarin yogurt (which was ok alone). Joel + dessert in Chad = FAIL. No good having components that work if they don’t sing together.

A great crew was on hand for some traditional Chadian cuisine – as always, the company made up for gaps in taste. I promise to make it to Chad one day to test out the melting egg idea with the locals.

What next for Global Gobbler? Perhaps another journey to the Mediterranean… stay tuned. GG

Chomping on Chad

2008-10-14T02:26:00.002+01:00

E
Shards of millet, poppy and sesame seed sour bread served with curry and date butter, torn mint and drizzled honey.

Tomato, peanut, sweet corn and coriander soup served with floating grilled squash, circled with nigella seeds, roasted cashews and chives.

M
Castle of millet with sage, currants, sage, ras-el-hanout inspired spices filled with a melting yogurt egg and served on salted silverbeet and lashings of olive oil.

D
Grilled pistachio, pecan, walnut, clove and honey slice served with stewed brown pear, mint and lemon zest and frozen mandarin yogurt.

Time to hit the great continent of Africa up for some inspiration. And a chance for millet to make an authentic appearance at the table. I have heard good things about Chad - maybe a stop over next trip overseas. And I was best friends with a Chad in high school.

Global Gobbler guests #14 - Josh, Meryn and Annie

2008-10-06T23:02:00.005+01:00

L to R: (Josh, Meryn, Annie)

A vet and a couple of auditors - awesome guests and plenty of passion for lycra and fairways.

Thanks for review - improvement opportunities a plenty and plenty of positive reinforcement - that's what you pay consultants for...

RIP China - Year of the Rat - 30 August 2008

2008-09-01T07:34:00.011+01:00

Shot of lychee blended with vodka, lime, mint and sugar syrup.

Chef Notes
Not too sure about this one. Sadly not in lychee season - teach me for not following the 100 mile rule – and it was too early for shot glasses anyway. Vodka, lime juice, mint, sugar syrup and pureed lychees – mix with crushed ice and soda water once lychee season is here.

Rice vermicelli, shaved daikon, broccolini, garlic shoots, red peppers, shitake mushrooms, coconut omlette, red onion and black sesame seeds with a sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, chilli and lime dressing.

Chef Notes
Lack of experience with rice vermicelli shone through – don’t think I hit it with enough heat, marinade, and chilli (for my tastebuds anyway). Serving the vermicelli and stir-fry separately didn’t work – what happened to a steaming ‘out-of-the-wok’ experience I had in mind… Less palm sugar, more lime and bok choy - and a rethink on the coconut omlette.

San Choy Bao of black rice star anise, lime, cinnamon, ginger, soy and honey and encased in wombok wrappers and steamed and served on crushed roasted peanuts.

Chef Notes
Star anise and black rice – competing for flavour rather than complementing - should have gone with barley as initially planned. It wasn’t delicate but it did challenge the palate. Presentation worked after the swift insertion of rice paper rolls. I think more lime, honey and soy and less star anise will make this dish – roasted peanuts gave it a crunch but could have played a bigger role. Wombok was the star.

Crispy fried spring rolls filled with caramelised oyster mushrooms, roasted cashews, chilli, toasted sweet corn, water chestnuts, spring onion, and red peppers and served with a soy sauce, Chinese chive and sesame oil dipping sauce.

Chef Notes
Spring rolls fried in coconut oil – made for a fresher result than the deep fried version. The filling was a hit – toasted corn, cashews and creamy oyster mushrooms worked together and the tangy soy, lime and sesame dressing provided the required salt. Perhaps lacking the addition of an animal…

Dumplings of sweet potato, red bean paste and Chinese five-spice rolled in coconut and served with coconut custard.

Chef Notes
Another first time experience – red bean paste…surely food science can create something a little less bland? Chinese spices lifted the overall result but the sweet indistinct red bean flavour remained. Coconut custard made with egg yolk and agar-agar wasn’t quite right – possibly firmer and definitely warmer. Flavour also needed a boost – Vanilla? Dates? Alcohol?! As noted by one of the astute guests – “Could have done with some salt.”

Thanks Annie, Meryn and Josh! I know I was a week late for the closing ceremony...

Heading into the depths of Africa next - Sudan, Nepal, Mali or the powerhouse that is Chad?? African menu will be unveiled shortly - if you want to score a corruption-free invitation, email globalgobbler@gmail.com for details. GG

China - Year of the Rat

2008-08-11T02:00:00.006+01:00

E
Rice vermicelli, shaved cucumber, daikon radish, bitter melon, broccolini, shaved mushrooms, sweet omlette and black sesame seeds with a sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and lime dressing and served with lotus root broth.

S
Crispy fried spring rolls filled with caramelised oyster mushrooms, celery, roasted cashews, chilli, water chestnuts, spring onion, bamboo shoots and roasted yellow peppers and served with a palm sugar, soy sauce, Chinese chive and sesame oil dipping sauce.

M
San Choy Bao of barley, shitake mushrooms and peanuts slow cooked in a star anise, citrus, ginger, soy and honey glaze and served in steamed wombok wrappers

D
Dumplings of sweet potato, red bean paste and Chinese five-spice served with coconut and cardamom custard and fresh lime.

China has been a while in the making - I think the Games of the XXIX Olympiad provided the inspiration. I expect the review to contain some reference to Juan Anotonio Samaranch, maybe "the best meal ever"...? Any feedback on the menu or to recieve an invite to the dinner - globalgobbler@gmail.com

同一个世界同一个梦想

Global Gobbler guests #13 - Grace, Meg and Amy

2008-07-28T07:52:00.009+01:00

L to R: (Amy, Grace and Meg)

20-something trend hunters coming to a mobile near you soon.

Style to burn and ideas a-plenty.

A love for the flavours of Asia. Indian butter chicken, Vietnamese spring rolls, Japanese sushi. How would these distinct and delicate tastes go up against the untested and potentially over-bearning flavours of Argentina?

The Review
Setting a new benchmark for reviews - I was in awe after watching this. Wouldn't it be great if this formed part of a series designed for a mobile platform...?!

Check out the video above for the 'review' (doesn't do it justice!)

Thanks Amy and Meg and Grace for coming along. Glad you liked the food and hope to see you around some day.

And news just in - Chinese menu is on the verge of completion - stay tuned. GG

Next menu - China

2008-07-21T03:58:00.003+01:00

Dumplings? Dim Sum? Wontons? Spring roll?

What will it be?

Stay tuned for a pre-Olympics MSG-free menu - only at Global Gobbler.

RIP Aiming for Argentina - 5 July 2008

2008-07-10T13:04:00.007+01:00

I think this may have been more Mexican than Argentinean… Great colours though and once again, presentation using the shells of ingredients worked. Yogurt pip anyone? Polenta chips could have done with a touch more queso but flavours seemed to blend well – with the required kick from the dried (a surprisingly different flavour to fresh) chilli salsa.

A personal achievement – being able to use molasses in an edible dish – the tomatoes had a rich ketchup-like flavour which tasted better than it sounds. The cannelini beans with green olives and oregano had a nice clean flavour but just didn’t quite fit with the rest of the meal – too flat and not enough colour/heat.

The empanadas didn’t turn out quite as planned – not enough elasticity with spelt flour (or maybe I just need to invest in a rolling pin rather than relying on a half-full bottle of wine) – chickpea or buckwheat flour might be better substitutes. The filling was interesting and the flavour was difficult to place but it didn’t combine into the taste I imagined. Maybe the potatoes absorbed the flavour or perhaps some chilli was required. Chimichurri was refreshing and gave the dish some colour but I need to think of a new presentation method rather than relying on the pour-over.

My favourite of the night and the one dish which returned completely empty plates (doggy-bag included). It took a while to create the yolky dulce de leche but the end result was unique – “glue”-like was one description… But the flavour worked and the roasted almond biscuit was the perfect base although slightly thinner next time. The chocolate shots tasted amazing (although 82% cocoa only tastes amazing to certain people I guess...) with the hint of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla – I certainly didn’t expect them to be referred to as “refreshing?!” Lemon chaser was tequilla-inspired and...amusing

A challenging cuisine and plenty to work on next time but a few keepers – still no match for the several kgs of Argentinean flesh. Thankyou Amy, Grace and Meg for being very cool guests and for the very classy and authentic Argentine wall-hanging…

Next menu on the way – China – pre-approved by the Chairman Mao and the cultural revolution. GG

Aiming for Argentina

2008-07-07T04:44:00.002+01:00

E
Roasted sweet corn, queso and polenta chips coated in paprika and served with citrus yogurt and guacamole filled avocado shell and a roasted capsicum, dried chilli and lime salsa.

S
Oregano, green olive and Argentine onion flavoured cannelini beans served with baby spinach and slow cooked paprika and molasses spiced tomatoes.

M
Spelt empanadas brushed with a paprika egg yolk glaze and filled with roasted hazelnuts, crispy paprika roasted potato skins, red and green peppers, mushrooms, oregano, cinnamon and clove powder and served with chimichurri dipping sauce.

D
Roasted almond biscuit filled with Dulce de Leche and garnished with lime zest. Served with a shot of spiced bitter chocolate and lemon wedge chaser.

Argentina, the European capital of South America - tango, steak and football. A menu with no meat - surely not? Global Gobbler - making the impossible possible. Email globalgobbler@gmail.com for details.

Global Gobbler guests #12 - Renae and Sansy

2008-07-01T14:02:00.010+01:00

Name: Renae
Age: 19
Occupation: In the court room by day - treading the boards by night.
Favourite food: choc gelato
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: Innovative car-parking techniques deserve reward…

Name: Sansy
Age: 19
Occupation: Ripping it up at St Js
Favourite food: a double strength latte
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: She wears her boyfriend's shirt to dinner - hard to beat.

The Verdict (John Lethlean eat your heart out...)

(Entree - Sides
Main - Dessert)

RIP Crazy for Caribbean - 21 June 2008

2008-06-25T07:54:00.006+01:00

Chef Notes
Too sweet was my first impression and getting through two of these was an effort. Definitely not enough contrast between the two elements – the carrot flavour was right but needed something sour/bitter/neutral – pistachio? Steaming was a hit – with the right flavour mix this one will be a keeper.

Chef Notes
What does okra taste like? Well, okra. A completely unique flavour closely linked to a traditional Caribbean dish with the refreshing addition of lemon and coconut. Combined with the sweet corn and tomato elicited plenty of confused palates. Fried okra gave it away in fine style.

Chef Notes
Black bean-pumpkin-buckwheat ratio was a little out (too many black beans) but the lemon grass cut through it all. The last minute fry in palm sugar and coconut oil gave it a caramel-like crust and the ‘heavy’ taste was knocked out by the spicy daikon, coconut and chilli dressing. Some finessing needed but fundamentals are there.

Chef Notes
Presentation let me down – the rich pineapple flavour combined with creamy coconut and palm sugar was perfect but once it was served over the pineapple arch it resembled a steak of salmon. A smooth and sweet way to finish though. Passionfruit liqueur soaked raisins and toasted coconut – what were they? A distraction.

A review from the guests will follow shortly - albeit in a slightly different format... Thanks for some great company Sansy and Renae – plenty to live up to for the next reviewer!

Next menu on the way – Argentina – without using meat! GG

Crazy for Caribbean

2008-06-22T14:39:00.004+01:00

E
Medjool dates filled with grated carrot sautéed with bay leaf, cumin and poppy seed then steamed and served with cos dressed in olive oil and cumin.

S
Okra, roasted tomato and sweet corn soup cooked with brown onion, lemon juice, lime zest and coconut cream then topped with salt and pepper fried okra.

M
Caribbean style pumpkin, black bean and buckwheat cakes flavoured with lemon grass and turmeric and rolled in polenta and crushed coriander seeds then fried in coconut oil and palm sugar and laid to rest on shaved fennel. Topped with a daikon radish, coconut cream, lemon zest and red chilli dressing and fresh coriander garnish.

D
Pineapple arches slow baked in coconut cream, palm sugar, mint, lime zest and cinnamon and served with pineapple spikes filled with passionfruit liqueur soaked raisins and dusted with toasted coconut.

Feeling loco? If you are crazy for Caribbean send me an email with your name, age and favourite food and an invite to dinner may follow. GG

Menus on the way...

2008-06-20T06:18:00.000+01:00

The next dinner will be on the 28th of July so get your name down for one of these creations pronto. Stay Global and keep Gobbling.

Global Gobbler guest #11 - Sayher

2008-06-17T13:04:00.003+01:00

Name: Sayher
Age: 22
Occupation: Photographer – get his autograph now
Favourite food: Ice cream
Why he deserves the Global Gobbler experience: I’ve always wanted to get my lens over the plate.

The Verdict (tasting and photographic notes)

Meal 1
This meal was pretty tasty, however I think that serving it in a smaller size would be a better idea as the beetroot was quite hard to eat. However the horseradish cream that was in it broke up the flavour. It was a little spicy but wasn't too bad.

From a photographic point of view this wasn't my favourite, I think because the colour of the beetroot didn't come up as well and compared to the other dishes it didn't have as much colour. However the simplicity of it is pretty cool.

Meal 2
This dish would have to have been one of my favourites, the avocado, and rye and poppy seed loaf was really nice. The avocado was really good with the tomatoes as it made them less intense.

From a photographic point of view, this was probably one of the better dishes to shoot as the colours were so nice. The greens from the avocado, the tomatoes and the finish on top really looked nice. The layout of the meal looked really cool as we.

Meal 3
The potato balls were pretty nice. I liked the way they were cooked and the look of them. I think there were a lot of flavours in there and there were some I wasn't a big fan of however it all worked ok.

From a photographic point of view this dish came up really well, the layout of the contents was really nice, and the colours worked well. The purples, greens and orange looked really nice.

Meal 4
This dish was pretty nice. The base was quite cool; and the texture was really different. I liked the chestnut and the overall taste was pretty nice. I am a big fan of ice cream so I think it would have been nice to have some with it.

From a photographic point of view the colours were nice and the presentation was good. I think that maybe the chestnut could have been placed somewhere different as it sort of sat weird on the top of the dish.

Finnish Fling - RIP 7 June 2008

2008-06-12T16:22:00.005+01:00

Chef Notes
Slow cooking the beetroot most of the afternoon paid off. The sweet earthy flavour was almost too much until the horseradish mayonnaise became involved. Such a refreshing sharp kick. Could have left the beetroot to cool a little longer to avoid a slightly melting stack.

Chef Notes
Rye and avocado works well any time and not quite sure whether the fennel added anything other than texture. The rye loaf turned out well - dense and wholesome. Red peppercorns – almost edible alone with that fruity flavour. And the pickled onions – you’re either a lover or a hater…

Chef Notes
For some reason this felt Finnish to me. Standard mashed potato highlighted with salty capers, spicy mustard and the unique flavour of sour cherries. Grilled with poppy seeds gave it a crisp crunchy seal. Great textures and for a fairly unassuming dish performed well.

Chef Notes
Had plenty of fun working with chestnuts – luckily kept one intact for the photo! The chestnut and honey base gave the dessert some nutty sweetness. Mint added some freshness. And raspberries some juice. Everything pulled together and a spoonful with all three components was moving – really.

What do you get when you invite a talented and creative photographer over for dinner? Photos which make the food look a whole lot better than it was… A review including a photographic critique of each dish is on the way.

Finnish Fling

2008-06-07T14:39:00.004+01:00

E
Stack of roasted beetroot layered with a horseradish mayonnaise and garnished with basil leaf.

S
Rye and poppy seed loaf ringed with cherry tomatoes and pickled onions and spread with a grated fennel and avocado smash then topped with ground pink peppercorns.

M
Sebago potatoes mashed with sour cherries, seeded mustard, capers and poppy seeds then grilled and served on wild rocket and spiced with sweet paprika.

D
Chilled slice of ground chestnut and honey slice topped with fresh raspberries and mint wings dressed with a palm sugar, white wine and lemon syrup and finally topped with a honey and lemon glazed chestnut.

Finland - i'm thinking pink pepper corns, freshly ground dark rye, bitey fresh horseradish, red berries and buttery chestnuts. High-tech, high-tax and high standards of living but a terrible reputation for food. Undeserved.

Global Gobbler guest #11 - Janne

2008-05-30T12:24:00.006+01:00

Name: Janne
Age: 23
Occupation: Student of the arts
Favourite food: Chocolate and coffee.
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: I have travelled from Canada and I like trying new things.

The Verdict

I was not ready for four courses and the first dish was too many flavours I think to start with. I did like the presentation of the lettuce parcels and slice of apple. Maybe it would have worked better with a few less flavours. Sometimes less is more.

The second dish was a lot better and I think and was beautifully presented. Even if the pumpkin filled my plate! The pumpkin was very sweet and soft and I liked the herb (I can’t remember its name?) I don’t think I have tasted fennel before but it was very good with lots of lemon juice.

The red pepper soup was very tasty. I thought it was tomato to start with but the flavour was very strong and sweet. The salty bean bread was good as well. I think to improve this dish maybe you could add some sour cream or cheese and more herbs. The presentation was great again and perfect for the cold temperature.

I have never tasted truffles like this before and Joel assured me that they were good for you – I find this hard to believe! The cocoa coating made me think they were chocolate truffles but once I bit into one I could taste the crunchy pecans and maple syrup. I liked the wine cherries as well and felt like licking the plate.

I am glad I came to try Joel’s food and think that if he ever opens a restaurant I will have to visit. Good luck with this experiment!

Canada - A Mouthful of Maple - RIP 24 May 2008

2008-05-28T07:49:00.005+01:00

Chef Notes
Was Romaine too bitter? It might have been without the apple and raisins. A combination which definitely challenged the palate with pungent mustard and sweet fresh basil. Textures worked well thanks to the crunchy walnuts and creamy avocado.

Chef Notes
I was looking forward to both making and tasting this. Slow cooking the pumpkin over 2 hours with the regular baste of maple marinade created the sweetest of flavours while the sage added some herbal subtlety. The fennel coleslaw was a continuation of the maple/pumpkin theme and added a fresh and sour crunch to the dish.

Chef Notes
The roasted flavour of the soup was incredibly rich but perhaps needed tomato to really complete it. Cannelini bread worked as a visual but the softness of the cannelini beans was lost during the cooking transformation and ended up a little too salty and dry. Caraway seeds were the right flavour though.

Chef Notes
My favourite of the evening. The buttery maple flavour of the truffles lifted by creamy pecans was decadent and completely Canadian. Shiraz cherries gave the dish some juice and the sour yogurt flavour was a perfect foil for the diverse flavours of sweet.

My research into Canadian cuisine was not extensive – does it show?! I loved working with these flavours though especially as the days get colder. A review which is set to once again expose my lack of portion control – “It is a whole plate of pumpkin!”

Canada - A Mouthful of Maple

2008-05-26T06:33:00.002+01:00

E
Romaine lettuce parcels filled with coconut sautéed red cabbage, grated red delicious apple, crushed walnuts, seeded mustard, avocado, fresh basil and raisins and spiced with cinnamon.

S
Butternut pumpkin basted in sage, maple syrup and olive oil and served with a coleslaw of shredded fennel, olive oil, lemon juice and maple roasted pumpkin seeds.

M
Sweet red capsicum, brown onion and oregano soup served in flasks to be poured over a cannelini bean, caraway seed and rosemary flat bread and garnished with fresh flat leaf parsley.

D
Pecan, sage and maple truffles with a roasted pecan centre rolled in a mix of nutmeg, cloves cinnamon and cocoa and resting atop lemon zest then served with minted red wine cherries and natural yogurt topped with micro sage.

A menu which will hopefully be impossible to confuse with the cuisine arising from neighbours to the south. Canada - a menu for the winter with the warming flavours of pumpkin, pecans and sage with the unique addition of maple syrup. A seat at the table (indoors now!) beckons. Email globalgobbler@gmail.com for details. O Canada...

Global Gobbler guest #10 - Maria-Christina

2008-05-21T05:50:00.000+01:00

Name: Maria-Christina
Age: 51
Occupation: Linguist, thinker, writer and mother
Favourite food: Olives, extra virgin olive oil, bread and garlic - I could live on this!
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: What better way to reward this mother on the second Sunday in May.

The Verdict

Imagine...May late afternoon....beachside....palm trees and large mature cypresses,,,a breeze blowing up from the sedately cold St. Kilda beach....sounds of traffic...a taxi ride with four large bags and assorted boxes…sitting in a park on a warm rug…no plastic or take-away food indeed…a picnic it is, only in location.

The entree of sharp pomegranate seeds layered below spicy almonds, honey cured olives all tossed in Nigella seeds and separated by a lemon slice presented in a beautiful glass. Served with a sparkling Shiraz for the occasion.

The tangy taste of the almonds, olives and seeds were delicious and combined with the pomegranate seeds made for a luscious flavour and a feast for the eyes. Being a small eater this was just about a whole meal for me! But I loved it! Particularly knowing that these olives were home-cured - they were the best - juicy and fragrant - and I would gladly buy such olives any day!

The next course...buckwheat flat bread and goats cheese, pistachio, figs with fresh tomato and basil. This was delicious....the combination of goats cheese and pistachio worked really well....and added to that some figs, it was a true palate pleaser. The buckwheat bread was very tasty...but a little too heavy given this mother's small appetite. The recipe for the muddled goats cheese please!

The main course was a lightly tossed salad with crunchy truffled potatoes with juicy roasted sweet corn, roasted hazelnuts and perfectly cooked asparagus all blended with a gentle olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. This is the food I would like to eat all the time.

The dessert...a light almost cloud like rhubarb crème oozing tangy rhubarb flavour over a sweet banana and carrot bread made with pine nuts, juicy raisins and a subtle blend of warming spices. The bread tasted of an Oriental bazaar...perhaps cooked in the time of Marco Polo…

Each dish was memorable, delicious and healthy. One point....the feast would easily have fed more people! I will not forget this afternoon as it slowly darkened and the gleam of the beach dimmed.

Gracias hijo!

A Gourmand's Picnic - RIP 11 May 2008

2008-05-21T05:35:00.003+01:00

Can you hear the crunch of the pomegranate seed? Taste the sweet muddled goats cheese? Smell the pungent truffled potatoes? Or marvel at the pillows of rhubarb creme?

I hope so. Photos from A Gourmand's Picnic were taken, edited and then lost care of a faulty usb.

Hopefully the review provides adequate colour and flavour.

The highlights for me:

A olive success and another winning combination care of the amazingly adaptable Nigella seed;
Rich creamy goat cheese offset with sweet fig and crunchy pistachio and a wholesome flatbread;
Truffled potatoes - what a flavour with a salty hit of capers. Thankfully balanced with a fresh salad highlighted by roasted sweet cornm hazelnuts and mint; and
The rhubarb creme - another hit stand-alone dessert. Banana and carrot bread - moist, spicy, sweet and nutty.

A Gourmand's Picnic required a boot-load of cutlery and serving dishes, a mountain of tupperware and plenty of patience but was definitely worth it. Perhaps the first of many offsite GG meals...perhaps once the thermometer rises above 20C...

A Gourmand's Picnic

2008-05-15T06:24:00.008+01:00

E
Combination of home-cured split olives in lemon and rosemary flavoured olive oil, almonds roasted in Nigella seeds and salt, shaved lemon, mint and pomegranate seeds.

S
Goats cheese muddled with figs, thyme and cracked pepper and coated in a crushed pistachios and thyme then served on home made walnut and poppy seed buckwheat flatbread rubbed with tomato, basil and olive oil.

M
Twice roasted kipfler potatoes tossed with truffle oil and chives and served with a salad of asparagus, grilled sweet corn, roasted hazelnuts, red onion, avocado, rocket, mint and dressed with red wine vinaigrette.

D
Banana, carrot and pine nut slice spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and and served with creamed rhubarb mascaporne and lemon zest.

A menu for the senses...too broad for just one country...breaking down cultural barriers with food.

A invite has already been issued for this menu but don't despair - a trip to the land of the maple leaf is on the way. Remember, a seat at the table is always on offer - globalgobbler@gmail.com for reservations.

Global Gobbler guest #9 - Cathy

2008-05-12T14:18:00.003+01:00

Name: Cathy
Age: 25
Occupation: Full-time traveller, part-time marketer
Favourite food: Japanese – simple, cheap and thankfully with a distinct lack of MSG.
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: Being a bit of a foodie and new to Melbourne I may as well start at the top of the culinary chain!

The Verdict

Entrée – there was a nice balance between all the ingredients. The grapes soaked in balsamic vinegar were not too tart or acidic, and it complemented well with the feta cheese and roasted walnuts. My suggestion would be to half the portion as it was perhaps a little rich for an entrée.

Side – This was a fantastic ‘giant ravioli’! The filling was delicious and left me wanting more, but only declined because I knew that if I stuffed myself early, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the main and dessert. I loved the way the roasted tomatoes were prepared. When I had cut into them, the fragrance of the rosemary made it really alluring. A minor tweak would be to have a slightly thinner pastry and perhaps a drizzle of premium olive oil if the chef wanted to heighten the flavour a little more.

Main – The presentation was colourful and an inventive take on the humble pizza. The roasted veggies layered over the polenta were just perfectly prepared. For the second time in the evening, I was left wanting a little more, but sadly felt quite full. The melted bocconcini had hardened by the time it reached the table, but that did not take the attention away from the other ingredients.

Dessert – Really enjoyed the hazelnut flavoured cake. The portion that was soaked in coffee was quite subtle, and would have preferred a bit more flavour. Everything else was wonderful.

Overall, I had a fantastic evening as the host is warm and friendly. He has a wonderful journey ahead of him because of his passion for food and his eagerness to perfect his meals.

The Italian Job - RIP 3 May 2008

2008-05-06T08:47:00.005+01:00

Chef Notes
Creamy feta, sweet grapes, sour balsamic and crunchy walnuts with a fresh hit of mint – despite the ambitious mix I think it worked. Portion size was an issue even for me! Was it a small plate or a big serving…

Chef Notes
Man-sized ravioli although could have done with a softer touch on the pastry – I really need to upgrade my rolling pin from the bottle of plonk… The pesto ricotta had the strongest and flavour and cut through the pastry. I loved the visual of the shafted tomatoes.

Chef Notes
The polenta base just wasn’t crispy enough for this to be classified a real pizza. Topping worked well with the salty caper tapenade but inexperience with bocconcini showed up in the lapse between ‘out of the oven’ to the ‘into the mouth’ phase.

Chef Notes
Where was the coffee? I think the cake needed a few hours of soaking in espresso to really lift to the next level. The combination of hazelnuts, coffee and strawberries seem naturally affiliated though and a little refinement could see this dessert really sing.

Never have I eaten so much dairy in a meal - my bones are happy. Credit to all those cows out there. Menus on the way…a Gourmands picnic….Canada…..the Carribean…. Stay Global. Keep Gobbling.

The Italian Job

2008-05-04T12:11:00.005+01:00

E
Danish feta coated in roasted walnuts and dressed with balsamic marinated black grapes and minted honey.

S
Oversized ravioli filled with oregano and basil pesto flavoured ricotta topped with parmesan and olive oil and served with rosemary shafted tomatoes dusted in paprika.

M
Polenta pizza base of roasted pepitas, Bulgarian feta and oregano topped with a caper, olive and ginger tapenade, baby spinach, red onion, roasted red pepper, fresh basil and bocconcini the served withcracked pepper and sea salt.

D
Twin slices of ground hazelnut, cinnamon and coffee cake soaked in espresso with 1) topped with mascarpone and a split of lemon zest and grated dark chocolate and 2) topped with a hazelnut, coffee and honey crust and grilled then served with gashed strawberries and a hiding sprig of mint.

Italy...sweet basil, cheese, ripe tomatoes, cheese, coffee, cheese. Obviously not a menu for any lactose intolerants... An Italian menu with the seal of approval from both Silvio and the Cosa Nostra. Got a craving for an Italian feast? Email me: globalgobbler@gmail.com for an invite. Buona salute!

Global Gobbler guest #8 - Aimee and Lauren

2008-05-03T07:16:00.010+01:00

Name: Aimee
Age: 23
Occupation: Marketing manager and official Jagermiester taster
Favourite food: Silverbeet, I mean spinach, or maybe silverbeet…?
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: I need some evidence to back up my nightly claims about Joel’s WEIRD food!

Name: Lauren
Age: 23
Occupation: Marketing manager and and barrista stalker
Favourite food: Pop corn - Aimee-style
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: Surely my awesome taste in movies deserves a free meal.

A review from my two Kiwi friends is on the way - so I am told...

Some highligths from the evening:

An opening statement from Aimee that she isn't that into 'spicy food' - hard to marry with Thai cuisine...
A chilli in an eye incident - always funny unless you're the person suffering
A classy ambience created by the background viewing...Gladiators...

The Verdict

Aimee: Considering my mouth is pretty much a hater of anything with a hot spice to it, one couldn’t help but worry with the first dish having a raw red pepper as garnish on the top. More worrying than this, was the fact that a fellow hung-over passer-by had decided to handle the chilli prior to rubbing his bloodshot eyes, the screams of pain we're errmmm encouraging on tasting the dish. However I was pleasantly surprised with the mild yet tasty combination of flavours which complimented each other nicely. Fantastic way to start this 4 course meal!

Lauren: as a lover of hot food I ate my chillies and really enjoyed them. The laska cocktail was really nice and may I add beautifully presented.

The next course looked very interesting as the combination of purple rice textured middle, garnished with fresh papaya around the edges. The centre was quite nice, very mild and plain tho, which went along nicely with the fruit. This actually appeared to be more like a dessert at first, but after sampling was indeed savoury and very filling, quite unique.

Aimee: Already full by this state, but very keen to sample as always, the rice paper rolls came out. This would have to be my favourite. The preparation for this was obvious and definitely worthwhile. Although not entirely sure at the time exactly what the combination of many colours and flavours was within, they were downed in no time. Delicious!!

Lauren: A lot of work had gone into the rice paper rolls. You could see the amount of time and the vast number of ingredients that went in. And they were extremely good - and you could also tell very good for you. A nice light meal with a really authentic Thai taste.

Lauren: I’m not usually a dessert eater and was rather full by the time this came out but this was surprisingly my favourite. To have a hot desert brought out with such a good combo of spices and currents was really delicious. 10/10 for me on that one - really good coming from a girl who doesn’t have a massive sweet tooth.

Overall a delicious and very unique combination of foods presented beautifully, well done JOEL, and thanks again for opening our eyes past the standard frozen veg mix, pasta snacks and silver beat that would usually fill our tummies!

Thinking Thai - RIP 27 April 2008

2008-04-29T00:50:00.003+01:00

Chef Notes
The creamy consistency of the laksa was just how I imagined and the bite of galangal, ginger, turmeric and lemon grass cut through the coconut cream while the bok choy gave it the required fresh hit. Hot snow peas got the taste buds going but i'm not sure about the fried bean sprouts, maybe they needed the tempura treatment.

Chef Notes
The first time I’ve used green papaya and it didn’t quit live up to expectations – was expecting something a little more sour. The tangy marinade lifted it above it’s disappointingly bland beginnings though. Black coconut and kaffir lime rice is such interesting combination – a good balance to the hot papaya.

Chef Notes
These were the highlight for me. The fresh vegetable filling accented with crunchy peanuts and ginger would have would have worked with a simple soy and sesame oil dipping sauce. The spicy persimmon jam had a great flavour but may have been slightly out of place – might work a little better with Brussel sprouts or something a little less oriental.

Chef Notes
Evidence cardamom seeds can cut through even the richest flavours. Coconut cream and palm sugar made sure this wasn’t mistaken as a standard boarding house ‘baked custard’. The pear sandwich could have stood alone with the sweet currants offset by the roasted walnut flavour and spicy cloves – traditional Thai
? Hmmm…

A meal shared in front of the intellectually stimulating Gladiators on a cold Melbourne night. A world away from the street stalls of Langkawi but hopefully the flavours bridged the gap.

Thinking Thai

2008-04-23T03:16:00.005+01:00

E
Layered laksa and bok choy cocktail served with crispy sesame flavoured bean sprouts and hot snow peas.
S
Green papaya carpaccio marinated in sweet lime, tamarind and chilli and served with black coconut rice infused with kaffir lime.

M
Steamed rice noodle rolls filled with baby sweet corn, shitake mushrooms, red pepper, snow peas, mixed chilli, garlic, ginger, roasted peanuts and spring onions and served alongside spicy persimmon and mint jam.

D

Baked coconut and cardamom custard topped with palm sugar and served with a pear sandwich of clove, currant and walnut paste.

Thai food - in my opinion the most versatile - so many influences and flavours makes it easy yet also challenging to put a menu together. Lemongrass, ginger, turmeric and chilli are highlights while persimmon might be a stretch...

How does this menu rate? Are there any takers for the GG experience? If anyone is game for four courses of Thai send me an email globalgobbler@gmail.com. And for those who might be daunted with the one-on-one set-up, bring a friend. See you at the table.

Global Gobbler guest #7 - Bill and Keps (The Brothers Mince)

2008-04-19T07:10:00.002+01:00

Name: Bill (creator of the new Global Gobbler logo - champion)
Age: 24
Occupation: Sketching the world - one face at a time and a valuer on the side
Favourite food: Mince - with pasta
Why he deserves the Global Gobbler experience: A fellow blogger bucking the corporate trend - the world needs more of them.

Name: Keps

Age: 22

Occupation: In demand jazz man and up and coming writer.

Favourite food: Mince - with rice

Why he deserves the Global Gobbler experience: The fact that he just got back from 7 months in South America was enough of a reason - i held back the envy well I think...

The Verdict

As a university student of limited finances it is a rare treat to eat out and enjoy a meal that is prepared by a creative and passionate chef, with flavours so delicate and varied that you become emersed in the experience. After this Saturday night, I am convinced that I’ve found the best four course meal-deal in Melbourne. While I came to Joel’s house on the promise of free food, I left with a whole new appreciation for the subtleties of cooking.

Having only recently returned from a holiday in Samoa, Joel shared his experiences of eating simple, plain meals. He has built on the potential that the island’s staple ingredients offer and set the scene for a modern adaptation of Samoan cuisine, complete with the key protagonists: coconut, plantain banana, taro and papaya.

The entrée, papaya with coconut jelly, had an understated tang, owing to the combination of lime juice, mint leaves and soothing texture of the coconut jelly. Served with fresh coconut juice, it was a subtly sweet introduction to the flavours of Samoa.

The fa’alifu fa’i put plantain bananas to interesting use, where they took on a potato-like role in the dish. These bananas were cooked in a spicy, creamy sauce and covered with roasted peanuts, seeds and turmeric. The nuts and seeds compensated for the lack of solid texture, adding a nice amount of chew and injecting a kick of flavour into the dish.

After eating two courses, it was a surprise to then see our main meal brought to the table! The palusamis, little bundles of flavour held together by roasted cavalo nero, combined the sweeter currants and wakame with more savoury ingredients. Taking a bite was best done slowly, to give these splashes of flavour an opportunity to be fully explored. The coconut-roasted taro chips were an interesting addition.

The humble pancake was given a makeover for the dessert. Melted palm sugar, roasted coconut and cocoa coconut butter replaced the ice cream and maple syrup, creating a rich and indulgent conclusion to a spectacular meal.

Meticulous attention to detail, creative presentation and an exciting variety of flavours and colour. Thanks for a very enjoyable meal, Joel.

Dreaming of Samoa - RIP 12 April 2008

2008-04-19T06:58:00.000+01:00

In Samoa you can buy young coconuts (not readily available in Melbourne) straight out of the esky for 50 cents – heaven.

Chef Notes
I could live off papaya and lime – such a natural combination. Tried to tart it up with the clean taste of coconut jelly (lessons learnt from my first for into agar-agar when doing Japan were put to use…) and the refreshing flavour of the mint.

Chef Notes
Such a rich combination of starchy bananas, coconut cream and turmeric – the whole thing was lifted by the kaffir lime leaves. The roasted peanuts contrasted the thick creamy texture of the soup and the grated turmeric gave the dish the required kick.

Chef Notes
Palusami Global Gobbler-style…I think it worked. Substituting wakame for taro leaves and adding currants and poppy seeds then wrapping the whole thing in cavalo nero were my touches to a Samoan classic. The taro was a little disappointing. If only I’d done the coconut cream and taro mash to face-off with the crispy taro chips.

Chef Notes
This dish went through a few reincarnations before it made it to the table – but I’m glad I went with the pancakes (fairly popular in Samoa). Cinnamon and banana mixed well and the wholesome spelt flour cut the stodge factor. The cocoa butter made with coconut oil and palm sugar added some decadence but drenching the whole thing in lime juice ensured the Samoan ambience remained (helped by a barmy 14 degree Melbourne night). Coconut roasted in lime juice and palm sugar – I’ll put that down to boredom.

What would my friends in Samoa think of this - to them, any divergence from coconut, taro, onion and banana is quite unnecessary... Malo Samoa!

Dreaming of Samoa

2008-04-07T03:13:00.000+01:00

Fresh coconut juice shooter to begin.

E
Red papaya spears marinated in lime juice and served with coconut jelly and a minted papaya foam.

S
Fa'alifu fa'i: Plantain bananas cooked with onion, turmeric, coriander seeds, kaffir lime leaves, lime and coconut cream and topped with roasted peanut and coriander seed dukkah and freshly grated turmeric.

M
Palusami: onion, coconut cream, wakame, currants, poppy seeds, black pepper corns and coconut milk wrapped in cavalo nero and served with crispy coconut-roasted taro.

D
Banana and cinnamon pancakes served with cocoa coconut butter, lime roasted coconut, and freshly grated palm sugar.

After 8 days in Samoa I wasn't short of inspiration. Samoan flavours...coconut, banana, taro, coconut... Tried to liven the food up a little and hopefully I haven't basterdised traditional Samoan cuisine too much. A special thanks to Simolo from the village of Malie for introducing me to Samoan culture and food.

Like the look of this Samoan banquet? Flick me an email globalgobbler@gmail.com with your name, age, favourite food and why you deserve a seat at the table. Gobble up.

Global Gobbler guest #6 - Klara

2008-04-02T07:44:00.000+01:00

Name: Klara
Age: 23
Occupation: Globalist and legal eagle
Favourite food: Chocolate – milk not dark
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: Who better to test a Spanish menu than a native. Listening to poorly pronounced Spanish is also a lot easier when accompanied by good food…

The Verdict (roughly translated from Spanish...)

If it had to describe to the supper by Joel with three words I would say original, light and excellent.

Gazpacho to start was excellent, and although the colour was not the red I expected this did not alter the result. Although I do not understand much of gazpacho I believe that the presentation was perfect and the flavour was smooth but intense simultaneously. Perfect like first plate.

The salad was a surprise and the mixture was one that I would have never imagined. Every ingredient played a role and it was so original that I was hooked. I do not like heavy plates and I prefer the variety so this second dish was ideal.

To complete the meal, the last dish was charming. Although it seems to me it is not a word that is not used to describe food, the suitable one to transmit this dish would be pretty. And without repeating myself, the ingredients were combined perfectly and the resulting flavour was a success.

Summarizing, it was an excellent supper made by a boy with so much talent. If he were to open a restaurant I would definitely rate it a ten!

Eating in Spanish - RIP 17 March 2008

2008-04-02T07:37:00.000+01:00

E
Gazpacho: tomatoes, red and yellow bell pepper, Spanish onion, cucumber, garlic, basil, mint, chives, flavoured with orange, red wine vinegar, lemon and olive oil served with walnut and rosemary buckwheat flat bread.

Chef Notes
The colour just wasn’t quite right – too many green herbs and not enough tomato. The orange juice came through just but not sure whether it took away from the sharp onion and cool the cucumber. Flatbread was flat and decidedly dry – good flavour though.

S
Orange flavoured rocket topped with crispy prosciutto, sliced figs, roasted almonds and mint then topped with manchego cheese and nutmeg

Chef Notes
The mix of sweet figs, crunchy almonds and refreshing mint foiled the rich flavours of the prosciutto and manchego (puts cheddar to shame). The orange flavour worked better this time and combined with the rocket lifted this rich combination of ingredients.

M
Baked tortilla of kipfler potato, fresh peas, black olives, caramelised red onion, manchego cheese, paprika, lemon rind and basil cooked in a saffron aioli and served with cumquat segments.

Chef Notes
Such a rich dish – melting manchego and creamy saffron aioli. Didn’t want to serve this with any greenery – sometimes you just need to soak up the flavours. This dish tasted completely Spanish to me: the poor mans vegetable, olives, caramelised onion, paprika and bitey cheese crowned by the unique taste of saffron. Tangy cumquats continued the citrus theme.

D
Frozen orange shell filled with chilled cinnamon, lemon zest and pine nut ricotta and served with basil and honey baked figs.

Chef Notes
The orange shells provided an authentic if slightly tacky presentation. The cinnamon ricotta is a favourite and pine nuts gave it a great texture. While it was a warm night, the grilled figs, still bubbling with honey and basil ensured the dessert wasn’t just ‘a bowl of ice cream’.

I think Spain warrants another menu – maybe a Catalan focus. But I promise less cervezas and better photography.

Eating in Spanish

2008-03-17T08:52:00.000Z

E
Gazpacho: tomatoes, red and yellow bell pepper, Spanish onion, cucumber, garlic, basil, mint, chives, flavoured with orange, red wine vinegar, lemon and olive oil served with walnut and rosemary buckwheat flat bread.

S
Orange flavoured rocket topped with crispy prosciutto, sliced figs, roasted almonds and mint then topped with manchego cheese and nutmeg

M
Baked tortilla of kipfler potato, fresh peas, black olives, caramelised red onion, paprika, lemon rind and basil cooked in a saffron aioli.

D
Frozen orange shell filled with chilled cinnamon, lemon zest and pine nut ricotta and served with basil and honey baked figs.

The guest for this menu has already been chosen - fitting that I repay my Spanish conversation partner with some food in exchange for her having to put up with my stunted and 'muy corta' attempts to converse... The review will be coming shortly - in Spanish I am told...

Don't despair though, another menu will be posted shortly. I am feeling some Asian inspiration on the way so email me globalgobbler@gmail.com with your name, age, favourite food and why I should cook for you and you may score an invite to the next Gobble.

Global Gobbler guest #5 - Remy-M

2008-03-08T01:04:00.000Z

Name: Remy-M
Age: 31
Occupation: Teacher as well as a protector of Indonesian monkeys
Favourite food: Apples
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: Well, i'm never going to get to Afghanistan to sample the produce so maybe this will make do?

The Verdict

The presentation was effective. The aromas were balanced and the plate was full of colour. I loved the merging of sweet corn and earthy parsnip and spicy cumin, almost too much (!) but saved by the fresh coriander – perfect balance on the palate! The condiments were not required but were perfect all the same – a tasty jam and thick sour cream.

The three citrus rinds gave this a marmalade-y flavour without the overpowering sweetness. And what a yummy salt! The almonds could have been a bit less finely chopped – and my first, and definitely not last, experience with metallic nigella seeds.

And this is where Remy's review ended...a combination of the hot sun and beverages consumed the evening prior were to blame - and not, I am promised, my cooking! My housemate enjoyed the toils of my hours in the kitchen but was hesitant in providing a photo.

So you will have to rely on my completely biased chef notes!

And the final comments from Remy: "When I asked Joel what they ate in Afghanistan he kept on telling me goat. There was no goat but I didn’t mind at all! Osama would be proud of you Joel. Thank you. Remy xo"

Only in Afghanistan - RIP 17 February 2008

2008-02-26T22:21:00.000Z

E
Parsnip, cumin, fresh coriander and sweet corn rosti served with a red onion, paprika and mint jam and crème fraiche

Chef Notes

I remember having rosti at home and tried to twist it with the parsnip – didn’t have quite the same texture as I remember probably due to me undercooking the parsnip – damn health considerations! The onion jam and the crème fraiche matched well with the cumin but presentation was a bit average – reminiscent of pepper sauce served with dirty schnitzel.

S
Slow baked leeks in triple citrus rind (orange, lime and lemon), nutmeg and and sage and served with roasted almond and nigella salt.

Chef Notes

Flavours were great but the texture of the leek wasn’t as hoped –a little tough and may have needed a bit more moisture or longer cooking time. But the almond and nigella seed salt was a good mix – I think this is the end of standard salt. Dish might have worked better with zucchini or something which absorbed the flavour a little better.

M
Afghani kofta balls: millet flavoured with dates, lime zest, fresh turmeric, fennel seeds and dried chilli and coated in a crust of crushed walnuts and coriander seeds then served on tomato and cucumber checkers with a coriander, chilli and lime salsa.

Chef Notes

My favourite – I had previously used these flavours with rice and they went even better with millet which is a lot more moist. The walnut crust had a Middle Eastern flavour and was perfect crunchy exterior for soft millet. Maybe some goats cheese with the millet would have given it a melting aspect. Happy with the presentation but I don’t think the coriander salsa was right – more Asian than Afghani.

D
Baked pears stuffed with a pistachio, date and rose petal paste and served with cardamom and rose water yogurt then garnished with honey frozen rose petals.

Chef Notes

Pears were a little overcooked and a touch dry – maybe poaching them first or else more liquid. But the pistachio and date paste was good consistency – chewy with a roasted crunch, not sure what the rose water added… The cardamom flavour was surprising – haven’t tasted it outside of blended dishes so nice to isolate it – maybe needed to use thicker yogurt or even mascarpone next time.

Only in Afghanistan - the Osama Diet

2008-02-26T17:27:00.000Z

E
Parsnip, cumin, fresh coriander and sweet corn rosti served with a red onion, paprika and mint jam and crème fraiche

S
Leeks slow baked in triple citrus rind (orange, lime and lemon), nutmeg and sage and served with roasted almond and nigella salt.

M
Afghani kofta balls: millet flavoured with dates, lime zest, fresh turmeric, fennel seeds and dried chilli coated in a crust of crushed walnuts and coriander seeds then served on tomato and cucumber checkers with a coriander, chilli and lime salsa.

D
Baked pears stuffed with a pistachio, date and rose petal paste served with cardamom and rose water yogurt and garnished with honey frozen rose petals.

So you've tried every other diet and need some inspiration? Introducing the Osama Diet... Want to experience the flavours of Afghanistan without ending up in Guantanamo? Email me globalgobbler@gmail.com with your name, age, favourite food and why I should cook for you and you may score an invite to a meal inspired by a country which sits proudly at the top of the Department of Foreign Affairs 'do not travel' list.

Global Gobbler guest #4 - Jordan

2008-02-19T22:06:00.000Z

Name: Jordan

Age: 27

Occupation: Budding Kofi Annan – in the early stages of becoming a property magnate

Favourite food: Squid and harissa

Why he deserves the Global Gobbler experience: With a background in hospitality and an inherent understanding of flavour composition garnered from a lifetime of consumption of different cuisines on several continents, I felt that I was a perfect candidate for one of Joel’s intriguing meals.

The Verdict

Whether or not there is the absolute comprehension of disparate flavours that talented chefs sometimes display, experimentation with food must always be applauded, especially when the intention behind the experiment is to offer an enthusiastic health-oriented alternative, that is based on ingredients not commonly found in the Australian pantry. In the search for a new experience or the opportunity to impart some hard-won insight, perhaps there would be a mutual benefit discovered over a glass of wine and some nouveau cuisine.

To begin, Joel served a fresh salad of nectarine, wakame and radish with honeyed ginger and sesame oil, tamari coated seeds, and raisins. The dish had a lot of potential, particularly the pairing of the nectarine and wakame, but may have been better served by the use of daikon rather than radish. It should be noted, however, that daikon had sadly been unavailable at the markets that day. I found the seeds and raisins to be an interesting component, and certainly very tasty, but I am not sure that they added anything to the salad itself, which was complicated enough. Better, I think, to use them as a pre-appetiser. In all, however, with a bit of fine-tuning, this could have been an excellent dish.

Next we had a personal favourite of mine, soba noodles, of which I have many fond memories, invariably alongside warm sake and cold nights in Tokyo. Flavoured with miso and coconut oil, the noodles had a pleasant oiliness and were very more-ish, but were a touch overdone. Typically soba should be quite firm to the bite. With three side dishes, the dish was intricate and interesting. The first, sesame and soy marinated white cabbage was just right; the second, pickled ginger, always welcome; and the third, soy and wasabi flavoured granny smith apple puree, extremely adventurous and well worth the effort. It could only have been improved with the use of firmer apples, more experimentation and perhaps a touch of mirin. Again, all that was needed here was a little bit of refinement, and more confidence with cooking times.

The third course was nori hand rolls filled with avocado and hatcho miso paste, pureed pumpkin, red capsicum and cucumber. Probably too complicated, but valiant. The dish would have been better had the nori been toasted, and the pumpkin not pureed. The high water content of pumpkin almost guarantees excessive absorption by the seaweed. The avocado was excellent and I would have preferred a simpler mix of ingredients with that as a base.

For dessert Joel served up a cherry and mint jelly with fresh smashed cherries and a coconut milk granita. Points have to be given for a first experimentation with agar-agar, but unfortunately this did not turn out well. Coconut milk is such a strong flavour that care has to be taken with its use and I am not sure of the wisdom of using it as a sole ingredient. I also find cherries to be invariably better when fresh and unadulterated.

On the whole, this was a worthwhile exercise that certainly allowed me to experience flavour and ingredient combinations that I have never contemplated before. My only words of advice would be to caution against unnecessary complication. Japanese food, as in Japanese culture, is a celebration of the appearance of simple perfection. For those, such a myself, without the ability or inclination to aspire to such a lofty ideal, it is better to stick to simple ingredients prepared simply. However, without experimentation, the world would be much duller place . . . .

Japan on a Plate - RIP 19 January 2008

2008-02-19T21:34:00.000Z

E
Salad of yellow and white nectarine, wakame and red radish flavoured with honeyed ginger and sesame oil, ringed with tamari roasted seeds (pepita and sunflower) and raisins.

Chef Notes
This turned out well and had the sharp radish flavour, sweet nectarine and salty wakame. Was maybe a little wet. I think the seeds gave the salad a much needed crunch to the texture and that familiar salty soy flavour. As noted in the review – where was the daikon!?

S
Soba noodles flavoured with kome miso, shallots and coconut oil served with (1) sesame and soy marinated white cabbage, (2 ) pickled ginger and a (3) soy and wasabi granny smith pulp.

Chef Notes
I still haven’t mastered soba noodles – I though the coconut oil and miso would prevent the ‘glug’ factor but not to be. Maybe if I had let the noodles cool then used poured the coconut oil/miso over the top like a sauce it might have been more successful – still, the flavour was interesting enough to try again. The cabbage good – the finer the better while the apple and wasabi pulp was tangy – needed more wasabi or a different apple variety to really take off.

M
Nori rolls filled with an avocado and hatcho miso paste, black sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar flavoured roasted pumpkin, red capsicum and cucumber and served with soy and wasabi.

Chef Notes
A bit of a let down from how I imagined this dish would turn out. The pumpkin was too moist and didn’t take on the rice vinegar flavour of traditional sushi rice that I anticipated. Possibly needed a grain to give it some structure – maybe shitake flavoured barley?

D
Cherry and mint agar agar jelly served fresh sliced cherries, coconut milk granita and fresh mint.

Chef Notes
The jelly/slice/brick was a bit tragic. My first foray into jelly was an interesting one which yielded a flavourful slice – similar consistency to quince paste and without the transparent characteristics of jelly. Nearing the end of cherry season you could was evident in the flavour of the cherries. And the coconut milk – I forget that not everyone is as satisfied with the flavour of coconut as me! Will definitely by giving the agar-agar a second go and hopefully the result is a dessert which doesn’t require a knife to eat it.

Japan on a Plate

2008-01-29T22:51:00.000Z

Buddah’s Tears green tea to begin...

E
Salad of yellow and white nectarine, wakame and red radish flavoured with honeyed ginger and sesame oil, ringed with tamari roasted seeds (pepita and sunflower) and raisins.

S
Soba noodles flavoured with kome miso, shallots and coconut oil served with (1) sesame and soy marinated white cabbage, (2 ) pickled ginger and a (3) soy and wasabi granny smith pulp.

M
Nori rolls filled with an avocado and hatcho miso paste, black sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar flavoured roasted pumpkin, red capsicum and cucumber and served with soy and wasabi.

D
Cherry and mint agar agar jelly served with fresh cherries, coconut milk granita and mint leaves.

A trip to Japan is definitely on the cards - until then I will have to make do with wakame, soba ginger and soy.

Any Japanese expats want to judge just how far from traditional fare my interpretation is? The deal remains open (scroll down to the end for an explanation of the deal) - send me an email with your name, age, favourite food and why I should cook for you - and chances are an invite will follow. よい食欲

Global Gobbler guest #3 - Sten

2008-01-22T06:26:00.001Z

Name: Sten
Age: 25
Occupation: Architect and general style queen
Favourite food: Cheese
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: My last healthy meal before slumming it in London on mushy peas, bacon sarnie and Yorkshire pud.

The Verdict
Joel’s healthy vegetarian French is comfort food balanced with freshness prepared with a whole lot of imagination.

The sometimes matching, sometimes contrasting of textures which marked the beginning of the meal continued through the courses, crescendo-ing (true!) to the ice cream which is not ice cream.

It was radical! The entrée, a stuffed zucchini, was more a dessert! Sweet, sticky, warm. The world needs more vegetable puddings served with pinot.

The real applause for this dish goes out to the texture of the zucchini – cooked to perfection with a melting firmness which ensured the contents, prunes, peas, mint and red onion combined without losing their individual flavours.

The second course was the stand out for visuals, acid green on dark claret. The flavours were also the most bold – earthy beetroot and tart lemon wedges, perhaps fighting, perhaps dancing. I can see the mash trend in culinary circles definitely heading in the purple direction.

The comfort food settled down for the main. This was the dish I’d been most looking forward to as I love a fritter. But does cauliflower have a flavour? If it does, buckwheat owns it. But the fritter’s texture was outstanding; moist and melting with the bite of nutmeg and coriander the lift of chives.

Perhaps after such a flavourful ‘small’, the fritters should have been smaller, so there was less volume and more crispness to contrast with the fritter interior.
The rosemary capsicum relish was delicate and not too sweet and the goat’s cheese and chive spread Moorish.

The dessert was a revelation as I generally eat dessert only under obligation. Lets leave the un-announced cameo of pistachio and balsamic frozen bites to one side (a strange experiment which would be ideal in smaller quantities as a drinking snack). And the stuffed and grilled fig, deliciously sticky and sweet with the crunch of walnuts and fresh hit of sage, was also lacklustre in the company of my first and without doubt best experience with fresh figs.

Fresh ripe figs served with what I call the most delicious ice cream but what Joel calls goats vanilla cream. The action of scraping juicy fig pulp and scooping tangy sweet ricotta onto a spoon was glorious. The use of vanilla beans as opposed to essence lifted this dessert from outstanding to truly memorable.

The meal on reflection was nicely balanced, volumes not overdone and each dish retaining its own very distinct character. Did I experience the upper echelons of French dining? My taste buds thought so, while my waist escaped to a health retreat – during the same meal.

Thankyou Joel

French Revolution - RIP 12 January 2008

2008-01-22T06:05:00.000Z

E
Zucchini filled with peas, mint soaked prunes, paprika, ricotta and balsamic caramelised red onion.

Chef Notes
Everyone does stuffed zucchini and I don’t think I really differentiated this enough. The prunes, ricotta and mint combined well but I think the filling needed to be a bit firmer. It still tasted fine and looked good but I felt it was missing something – maybe some roasted seeds – and perhaps a bit more paprika – classic French(?)

S
Lemon roasted asparagus spears resting on a tarragon beetroot mash topped with grated macadamias.

Chef Notes
The taste of the mashed beetroot was so sweet but still had that root vegetable flavour. The tarragon and lemon lifted it from a being too heavy. The roasted asparagus turned out well and I think the grated macadamias were simply a visual addition. Could have almost turned this into a dessert...next time.

M
Nutmeg and coriander flavoured cauliflower and buckwheat fritters topped with a chive and goat cheese spread and served with red capsicum, rosemary and date relish.

Chef Notes
Interesting flavours... The cauliflower gave the fritters a creamy texture and the bite came from the coriander seeds and nutmeg. Perhaps a few more herbs would have freshened it up and also making the fritters a little thinner and crispier would have required less chew action and the toppings could have played a greater role.

D
(1) Figs stuffed with cinnamon ricotta, sage, walnuts and grilled with honey. (2) Fresh fig topped with vanilla creamed goats ricotta and served with frozen sweet and sour pistachio.

Chef Notes
Fresh figs – hard to mess these up and equally hard to improve them! The figs still had some bite so the sweetness of the vanilla cream combined well. It was definitely worth getting the vanilla beans – such a different flavour from the essence and with the lemon zest, honey and goats ricotta…This dish was lucky to make it to the table! Not so sure about the sweet (honey) and sour (balsamic vinegar) pistachios…maybe needed to be grilled instead of frozen? Or else served as a separate dish. The grilled figs were less spectacular but the walnut and sage worked well. Best served cold I think once everything is set.

French Revolution

2007-12-20T22:17:00.000Z

E
Zucchini filled with peas, mint soaked prunes, paprika, ricotta and caramelised balsamic red onion.

S
Lemon roasted asparagus spears resting on a tarragon beetroot mash topped with grated macadamias.

M
Nutmeg and coriander flavoured cauliflower and buckwheat fritters topped with a chive and goat cheese spread and served with sweet capsicum relish.

D
Figs two ways: (1) Stuffed with cinnamon ricotta, sage and walnuts and grilled with honey. (2) Poached in an orange and mint glaze then served with an apricot cream and sweet pistachio dust.

Like what you see? All you need to do is send me an email...introduce yourself (name, age and what you do), tell me your favourite food and put together a pitch of why i should cook for you. Good luck!

Global Gobbler guest #2 - Cat

2007-12-18T07:45:00.000Z

Name: Cat
Age: 24
Occupation: Creative genius – too good for acting school
Favourite food: Anything Thai
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: I've eaten my way around the world, love everything involving food and i'm food critic waiting to happen!

The Verdict

I’ve been to a lot of places in the world and eaten a lot of different sorts of food but Denmark is somewhere I’ve never quite gotten to, nor have I any experience of Danish food, save for the token pastries, back in the good old gluten days.

I’m not convinced that Saturday nights meal has brought me any closer to experiencing the delights of Danish cuisine, however, I certainly experienced a creative array fusion dishes, containing many of my favourite foods presented in captivatingly adventurous ways.

My main criticism of Joel’s experimentation has nothing to do with the ingredients used- so many marvellous flavours ingeniously combined- it rather lies mainly in the presentation and portion sizes- small things I know, but definitely aspects worth perfecting for a special meal.

The soup was lovely and thick, delicately flavoured with thyme, and the sweetness of the fig and crunch of the walnuts gave great texture to the dish. The caramelized onion could perhaps have been finely sliced and stirred through rather than blended with the soup to make its presence more obvious. Perhaps try experimenting with another herb so that the thyme in the soup or garnish has something to complement it? Sage with the figs? Garnish with black cracked pepper and salt.

The hollowed cucumber certainly looked impressive when it was served, and I would have been impressed by anyone who could have managed a whole plate of this dish. Delicious, yes, but far too big- especially with the expectation of desert limiting my capacity to consume savoury items.

The filling of the cucumber was really interesting and inventive, the consistency could have been more solid for my taste, perhaps add more avocado? I liked the cucumber’s texture and colour in combination with the filling but perhaps find a way to combine the two in a way that makes it possible to finish the whole plate.

Chickpeas are a real favourite- especially when you can tell your host has gone to the trouble to do all the soaking themselves. The best part of this dish was the nigella seeds that add an interesting quality to the standard combination of spinach and chickpea.

The garnish-like addition of tomato was like a meal in itself- knowing my inability to consume large amounts of raw tomato I spread the garlic (yum!) mix across just a few slices of tomato. Slicing the tomato more thinly without altering the quantity of garlic used would look attractive and be more realistic for a small stomach! Maybe look for a larger variety of tomato that gives wide slices that can be thinly sliced.

Talk about saving the best till last! This desert is ingenious. All the flavours combine well to make a desert that is rich in flavour but not heavy- sweet but not sugary and seemingly decadent without being sinful.

My suggestion for these combinations would be to stir the macadamia nuts through the carob coconut oil mix rather than through the yoghurt and set in a conical shape. That way you can really get a good mouthful of the mix- and it draws the eye upward- which is uplifting for the spirit too! There should be more food feng-shui! The quantity of the yoghurt mix rather overpowered the carob part in the horizontal fashion that the desert was presented- literally smothering it, my preference would have been to drizzle a small amount of the lavender infused yoghurt as a sort of dressing that would complement the carob rather than compete with it. Top the conical mould with honey comb and garnish with lavender and I am in heaven!

Thanks Joel for combining great food and great conversation- and for inspiring me to get inventive in the kitchen, and really think seriously about the marathon!

xx

A Danish Delivery - RIP 18 December 2007

2007-12-18T07:14:00.000Z

E
Carrot, thyme and caramelised onion soup topped with shredded red cabbage, figs, walnuts, thyme and olive oil.

Chef Notes
The onions made the soup so sweet and combined with the figs I thought it may be a little overwhelming as an entrée but the cabbage cut through and gave it a surprising texture – maybe could’ve done with some sort of spice…nutmeg…paprika…

S
Hollowed cucumber filled with a cream of avocado, sage soaked raisins, lemon juice and zest, shallots, alfalfa sprouts and cinnamon and served with grated red radish, sesame seeds and raisin juice.

Chef Notes
Hollowing the cucumbers proved more difficult than I thought and ideally they would have been thinner. The filling didn’t quite achieve the taste I was expecting – next time either less raisins or more avocado – radish was a last minute addition some presentation value.

M
Thyme cooked chickpeas pan fried with nigella seeds, red onion, lemon juice and baby spinach. Served with thinly sliced roma tomatoes topped with roasted garlic fresh basil and olive oil paste.

Chef Notes
Nigella seeds made this dish – less dusty than cumin and not as sharp as caraway – a little more salt when frying the chickpeas would have been ideal. Tomatoes…perhaps could have been grilled with the garlic paste on top?

D
Lavender infused yogurt served on frozen carob, coconut oil and honey slice ganache and accompanied by a chunk of honeycomb and fresh lavender.

Chef Notes
Presentation was disappointing – I though the yogurt would have thickened more than it did but the taste of both ganache and yogurt was just what I wanted – macadamias could have been honey roasted maybe. Take II of the dish later that night when Cat had left turned out slightly better.

First cut followed by Take II

A Danish Delivery

2007-12-16T22:08:00.000Z

E
Carrot, thyme and caramelised onion soup topped with shredded red cabbage, figs, walnuts, thyme and olive oil.

M
Thyme cooked chickpeas pan fried with nigella seeds, red onion, lemon juice and baby spinach. Served with thinly sliced roma tomatoes topped with roasted garlic fresh basil and olive oil paste.

S
Hollowed cucumber filled with a cream of avocado, sage soaked raisins, lemon juice and zest, shallots, alfalfa sprouts and cinnamon and served with grated red radish, sesame seeds and raisin juice.

D
Lavender infused yogurt served on frozen carob, coconut oil and honey slice ganache and accompanied by a chunk of honeycomb and fresh lavender.

Denmark...hopefully there aren't any Danes who want a taste of home... Same process as last time - an email introducing yourself and telling me why I should cook for you and these once-off flavours could be yours to enjoy. Don't delay - globalgobbler@gmail.com

Global Gobbler guest #1 - Mary-Jo

2007-12-06T03:42:00.000Z

Name: Mary-Jo
Age: 29
Occupation: Chinese medicine practicioner
Favourite food: Olives
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: In exchange for all those needles and cups!

The Verdict

The photo at the start of the ‘Imagining India’ post isn’t the way I’d imagine India – I think Indian food and I think of dahl, curries, pappadums even. The India Joel imagines is fresher and more deconstructed, you can see and taste each separate ingredient, even as you appreciate their sometimes unconventional combining.

We started with a thin slice of nashi pear, its cool crunch contrasting with smooth blended avocado, cumin and tahini, topped with carrot, plump currants and spiked with mint leaves. This is visually appealing food, with bright colours more evocative of India than the food itself – bright orange carrot against avocado green and the white disc of pear

The side was visually spectacular. A pale red yoghurt accented by greens of cucumber and mint. It also tasted amazing, the roasted tomato and paprika yoghurt was the perfect accompaniment to thin ribbons of cucumber, red onion, mint, and sneaky green chilli lurking to give a cool heat. There were also cumin-roasted cashews, again a balance of smooth and crunchy, cool and hot, red and green.

I managed to eat both of my grilled eggplant steaks and the sweet potato mash flavoured with tamarind and coconut milk, though I was filling up at this point, maybe my fault for bringing wine and beer along! The texture of this course was great, the potatoes grated then slowly cooked rather than simply boiled and mashed yet remained creamy thanks to the coconut milk, and freshened by the fresh coriander garnish.

Dessert was so good I ate it all - what I thought was almond cake turned out to be lemon-infused millet with coconut shavings. Sweetness was provided by a slow-cooked sauce of crushed dates, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and star anise that had spent all day simmering. The dessert maintain a fresh taste through the bed of fresh mint it was served on and the lemon zest garnish.

A lot of effort went into designing and creating this food, and all I had to do was appreciate it…. it was so good I even did the dishes! The outdoor setting was perfect for a Melbourne summer’s night, althoughthe mosquitos also had a tasty meal.

Global Gobbler is a once in a lifetime experience I (my belly in particular) won't forget in a hurry. Now to organise my ticket to India...

Imagining India - RIP 1 December 2007

2007-12-04T00:26:00.000Z

E
Canapé of nashi pear topped with cumin, avocado and tahini paste, finely grated carrot, mint tea soaked currants, fresh mint leaves and cumin.

Chef Notes
Went down well – was trying to go for something completely refreshing to start things off and the nashi and mint combined well. Perhaps a little too much tahini or the avocados were a little overripe. Maybe could have done with some sesame seeds.

S
Shaved cucumber, red onion, Vietnamese mint, lemon juice and green chilli salad set in a soup of yogurt and paprika roasted tomatoes and topped with cumin roasted cashews.

Chef Notes

Didn’t know how this would turn out – thought it might be too many flavours with the paprika, cumin and chilli – was perhaps fortunate to forget the grated turmeric although the strong orange would combined well with red soup and green salad. A little more chilli next time to so the experience isn’t comfortably mundane.

M
Slow roasted eggplant topped with a tamarind and coconut sweet potato puree and fresh coriander.

Chef Notes
Haven’t had much experience with tamarind and perhaps overdid it a bit… But the coconut milk and fresh coriander offset any over-powering sweetness.

D
Lemon and coconut millet served on fresh mint leaves and topped with a reduction of dates, coconut milk, lemon juice, star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, fennel seeds and cardamom pods.

Chef Notes
Was close to sweetening the millet with honey but glad I didn’t. The syrup had so many flavours that the 'bland' taste of millet was a perfect accompaniment. Fresh mint and lemon zest helped contrast the rich flavours.

Imagining India

2007-11-11T22:36:00.001Z

E
Nashi pear sandwich spread with avocado and tahini and filled with coleslaw of cucumber, carrot, cumin currants and fresh mint.

M
Grilled eggplant topped with tamarind and coconut milk infused sweet potato mash and fresh coriander.

S
Cucumber, basil and chilli salad dressed with tomato and turmeric yogurt and topped with roasted cashews.

D
Millet flavoured with honey, lemon, nutmeg and coconut milk and topped with fresh mint.

Tempted? Want an invite? Then check out the conditions in my first post: "Let the Gobble begin..."

Let the Gobble begin...

2007-10-26T04:01:00.001+01:00

Global Gobbler

I’ve cooked for my family, my friends and myselves (plural) and have run out of people willing to spend their night eating and talking.

Why the blog?

I need to test recipes on alternative and probably more refined palettes.

I need a valid excuse for spending my working week planning my weekend in the kitchen.

You get:

2-3 courses of once-off degustation. Free. That’s right, I cook – you gobble.

Quality conversation if the food is average, otherwise, eating will take precedence.

A copy of the menu complete with recipes, suppliers and notes.

To recieve an invite, you need to:

Introduce yourself (name, age, favourite food, why I should cook for you and anything else you think is relevant).

Review the meal–a la John Lethlean - just a couple of paragraphs which i'll publish the following week.

Come to the table with an open mind!

The degustation will take place at either my place or yours depending on location.

Still interested? Then flick me an email...