I’m feeling extra enthusiastic at the moment because I’m so glad to be on the mend after 3+ weeks of flu/cold. Speaking of feeling the love, here are eight things I want to share with you this month.
Eating, drinking, blogging
I’m so excited about Eat Drink Blog 3 – the Australian Food Bloggers Conference, that I and a committee of local food bloggers are organising for November 3-4 in Adelaide, South Australia. We have such an incredible line up of speakers this year – they are some of the most inspirational, talented and passionate food lovers around and I have to keep pinching myself to confirm that they’ve all agreed to be part of Eat Drink Blog 3. Registrations open TODAY so if you’re an Australian food blogger, check out the Eat Drink Blog site for all the details.
Bake the world a better place
On Monday 27th August the Red Cross are holding the Big Bake Cake, a charity event to raise funds for those in need. All you have to do is bake a cake, host an event (you could do it at your workplace or school) and encourage people to make a donation. Easy, right? For all the details and to register as a host, check out the Big Cake Bake.
Moi at the Adelaide Beauty Conference?
A few weeks ago the lovely Celeste from Travelling in Mary Janes asked me if I would speak about blogging at the Adelaide Beauty Conference on September 1st. I told her I would be honoured to and then started panicking about what I would wear, beauty-wise, to the conference. My favourite perfume — Diptyque’s L’Ombre dans l’Eau — is obviously a must but I’m going to indulge my inner show girl and break out the false eyelashes, too. *flutter flutter*
Food, frivolity and fundraising
Food for Thought SA is a black tie fundraiser at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Saturday 6 October 2012. Last year’s inaugural event raised almost $50,000 for Opportunity International Australia (OIA), a non-profit organisation that provides clients with a a micro loan to help start or grow their small business. This year the entree will be by Adam Swanson, Executive Chef of Zucca Greek Mezze, the main will be Leigh Sexton, 2012 winner of Channel 7’s My Kitchen Rules and Kylie Fleming, Food & Wine columnist of News Limited City Messenger, and dessert will be by Nic Mazzone & Rocco La Bella, 2012 runner-ups of Channel 7’s My Kitchen Rules. Mark Soderstrom of Seven News will be MC-ing and tickets are $130/ticket or $1,200 for a table for 10. Tickets available online at Food for Thought SA.
Behind the Red Door
Yesterday I took the kids to Red Door Bakery in Croydon for breakfast, where we enjoyed a Lamb & Eggplant Sausage Roll, a Pork & Sage Sausage Roll, gingerbread men, a latte and baby cinos. When I was paying I noticed a sign saying that Red Door donate all sales from their baby cinos to the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Programme at a local school. Stephanie’s program is a tremendously good and important initiative so well done Red Door! Parents: go there now and order a baby cino.
Reading food blog posts in a magazine made out of paper
Gram Magazine, a magazine that publishes selected food bloggers posts, recently launched in Adelaide and is now available at multiple city locations. My Elbow Room review was featured in the first edition and my Goodlife Pizza review will be featured in the third edition. So if you’re interested in what Adelaide food bloggers are raving about, be sure to pick up your copy of Gram (distribution outlets here).
Seriously charmed by Hilton Adelaide
Last week I was lucky to be hosted by The Brasserie at Hilton Adelaide who treated a group of us to their Seriously South Australian menu. Executive Chef Dennis Leslie and his team sent out an amazing array of entrees, main and a mouth-watering dessert platter. Highlights for me were a stunning oven braised octopus in chilli and tomato with gremolata, quail with mushrooms, spicy ox tail with a crisp celeriac salad and a fairytale-esque chocolate log. I love that Dennis and The Brasserie place such an emphasis on promoting and using local produce – their menu reads like a who’s who of local producers and is such a departure from the generic hotel restaurant experience. Well worth a visit.
Bigger, better, hungrier
I’m going to be returning to my usual blogging pattern this month (i.e. 2-3 posts per week), and introducing a new weekly interview with a food lover. I’m excited about this new direction and can’t wait to share my foodie heroes with you.
What about you, dear reader? What’s top of your list this month?
