Too busy to cook? Or simply feeling lazy?

At the risk of sounding like a telemarketer, have I got the pudding for you!

This mini berry pudding only has five ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to make. Two of the ingredients are merely bashed into pieces and there’s hardly any cooking to speak of. You could serve this up at your next dinner party and people would ooh and ahh, little knowing that you whipped it up as they were pulling into your street.

I’m talking maximum pleasure for minimum effort.

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Sometimes one bite is all it takes for you to fall in love.

I should know. I fell head over heels the first time I tasted Floating Islands or île flottante.

I first experienced the delectable French dessert while holidaying in Paris with my dad in the early 2000s. I was working in London at the time and my dad had come to visit me. We spent 10 days travelling around the UK before taking the Eurostar to Paris.

It was my second visit to the eternal city and my dad’s first so we did all the usual tourist activities: we visited the Musée du Louvre, La Tour Eiffel, Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris, the Arc de Triomphe, the Place Vendôme and Fauchon. We shopped and we strolled happily around the streets, loving being in such a picturesque city.

But mostly, we ate.

We ate croissants, confit de canard (duck confit), soupe de fraises (strawberry soup), foie gras, plateau de fruits de mer (seafood platter), pommes frites (French fries), bouillabaisse (fish stew), macarons, mousse au chocolat, crème brûlée, coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon, cassoulet and Niçoise salad.

One day we were sitting in a bistro, having finished yet another wonderful dish when I spotted île flottante on the dessert menu.

Île flottante. Floating island?

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If you’re a new, emerging or aspiring food blogger, you’ll have lots of questions that need answers.

I know because I am an emerging food blogger myself. I started The Hungry Australian in June 2011 but didn’t start blogging more frequently until September 2011.

While I’d managed websites for previous employers, worked as an editor and freelance writer, I had no experience of blogging itself. Prior to starting my own blog I barely knew what a food blog was.

So why did I start my own food blog? A conversation with my good friend Kerina stimulated my interest and once I started reading them I was hooked. I felt like I did when I started university and discovered the university newspaper produced by the students: I wanted to be part of it.

As I began blogging I had lots of questions. How did I get people to comment on my posts? What should I write about? Do I need a decent camera? How did I make a header on my site? What are plugins and widgits? How do I get that ‘more’ symbol on my posts so people have to click through? How do I create a collage of photos?

And the big question: how did the rockstar food bloggers – i.e. David Lebovitz, Deborah from Smitten Kitchen, Jaden from Steamy Kitchen, Ree from The Pioneer Woman, Matt from Matt Bites, Elise from Simply Recipes, Heidi from 101 Cookbooks, Shauna from Gluten Free Girl, and Bakerella – get where they are?

So I started looking for articles and posts that could help me. I found so many useful articles I started compiling a list, which lived on my site for a while as ‘Resources for Food Bloggers’. I’ve now decided to turn that page into this post, along with my top tips. You can scroll to the end of this post for my 100 Useful Links for Foodbloggers list.

With only eight months of food blogging under my belt I am still finding my feet. However, I have picked up some knowledge along the way and am more than happy to share it. So, for what it’s worth, here it is.

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I never imagined that I’d be the type of person to make jam.

People that make jam have immaculately kept gardens, submit their tax return on time, never lose library books, and never turn up at their child’s school on a scheduled day off. They don’t stay up all night writing when the muse hits and then read for a further hour when they eventually go to bed. They don’t destroy the kitchen – my husband’s exact words – when making a simple meal.

People that make jam are sensible. 

I am definitely not sensible, according to my mother.

However I’ve always liked the idea of home-made jam. Making jam is an act of defiant domesticity in this age of instant-everything-have-you-got-the-latest-tech-gizmo-multi-tasking insanity.

So when we had a glut of onions and tomatoes in the house a couple of weeks ago, I decided to take the plunge.

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Last November I was lucky to attend the second Australian Food Bloggers Conference in Sydney – see my write up here. This invite-only event was a fantastic way to glean blogging tips and advice from the experts and meet food bloggers from all over Australia.

Although I was a new food blogger at the time, I remember the thrill of being in a room full of people taking photos of food, and talking about all the issues that come up when you embark on a food blogging journey.

The sense of camaraderie was wonderful and I made many friends who I’ve continued to stay in touch with. We share tips and advice,  feedback on each other’s work and provide support and encouragement. I also knew just who to call for advice when I started getting approached to sell my photographs and when sponsorship and advertising opportunities presented themselves.

Back in Adelaide, I was aware of a number of other food blogs but there was no sense of community as I had experienced in Sydney. So after chatting to a number of Adelaide food bloggers online and organising a couple of meetups I decided to set up the Adelaide Food Bloggers Group on Facebook. Here members post details of meetups, food news and food events and share tips and advice.

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Silky Chinese Chicken was inspired by a dish my dad once made when I was still living at home. I made it recently for our Chinese New Year family dinner and it was received with surprise and delight.

Well, to be perfectly frank, what my dad said was,”this is actually quite good” in tones of sheer amazement.

Being an Australian Born Chinese or ABC, my response to his lukewarm praise was, “well, thanks a lot, Dad. Glad I could make something edible for you.”

Dad laughed and explained that he had to temper his praise because I’m his daughter. To the Chinese way of thinking, it would have been unseemly to praise me too much.

So him saying, “this is actually quite good” could be translated to mean, “wow, this is sensational! You’re a rockstar!” in Western terms.

Lessons in cultural differences aside, Silky Chinese Chicken dish is delicious and very easy to make. You poach a chicken gently until it is moist and succulent. Then you simply spoon over a sauce made from oyster sauce, chicken stock, soya sauce and sugar before garnishing with sauteed onions, deep-fried shallots and fresh coriander. And that’s it. Too easy.

This is Chinese comfort food, but comfort food that could equally hold its own as part of a dinner party menu. Serve it with plain rice and fried Asian greens for a simple, everyday feast.

How does it work in your family, dear reader? Do your parents gush or are they more restrained in their compliments?

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I adore figs.

I love their colour, their flavour, and their texture. I die for their sensual shape and the way their demure green and purple exterior splits open to reveal a striking red and gold centre.

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I don’t believe in love at first sight.

Lust at first sight? Certainly.

But love at first sight? No.

How can you fall in love with someone from across the room?  You may think he or she is absolutely stunning, but you don’t really know him or her. You’re in love with a vision, not a real person.

Love at first bite, on the other hand, is a no-brainer.

We’ve all experienced the heart-stopping moment when our teeth sink into a new dish and our taste buds do the equivalent of a foot-stompin’, hip-gyrating happy dance in our mouth.

So I am extremely excited that this month’s Sweet Adventures dessert-themed bloghop, is Love at First Bite, hosted by Nic from Dining With a Stud!

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My children love ice cream. In this hot weather, they’re having it at least once a day, usually twice, and sometimes even before breakfast. (Shhh! Don’t tell grandma!)

So I was thrilled to discover a great recipe for healthy ice cream by the lovely JJ from 84th & 3rd. JJ made a Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream for our recent Death by Chocolate bloghop, made of only bananas, avocado, chocolate and maple syrup. I made it the other day and was amazed by how good it tasted. It wasn’t exactly ice cream but it was a damn fine substitute and one I’d be happy to eat any day of the week. And I wasn’t alone in liking it either – my kids absolutely loved it.

So today when I spotted some lovely strawberries at my greengrocer I decided to make a strawberry version. I only had half an avocado in the fridge so it ended up being midway between a sorbet and an ice cream.

This Strawberry Sorbet is refreshing, delicious and very pretty. It’s healthy, too – it’s literally only fruit with a couple of spoonfuls of jam added. You could even omit the jam if you wanted it to be completely sugar-free.

Best of all, it’s a cinch to make. So I can give this healthy, homemade snack to my children once or twice a day feeling quietly satisfied with myself rather than guilty.

Gotta love that.

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I’m excited to be guest posting for Kristy Bernado at The Wicked Noodle this week.

Kristy began cooking seven years ago after her children were born and she had to adjust from a life of DINK (Double Income No Kids) to OIWK (One Income With Kids). Prior to having kids she was VP of Human Resources at a large restaurant chain and ate out every meal so it was quite a lifestyle change, but one that led her on a journey to where she is today – a successful private chef and award-winning blogger.

Of her new, food-focused life, Kristy says she finally understands the old saying: “if you find a job that you love, you’ll never work another day in your life”.

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It’s hot and I’m bothered.

I want instant refreshment, instant karma (calmer).

I need something to cool me down.

But what?

Let’s see: I have Greek yoghurt in the fridge and an unopened bottle of rosewater in the larder.

Aha! A Rosewater Lassi.

Quickly now. Make it. Drink it.

Ahhh. That’s better.

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I was recently chuffed to be contacted by The Hoopla to provide a canapé and drink recipe for their Happy Hour section.

I immediately knew that I wanted to do my Mini Vietnamese Pork Buns, which are so easy and unbelievably delicious, but which cocktail would go well with them?

Eventually, I settled on a summery watermelon daiquiri. They taste great and are such a pretty party drink – watermelon daiquiris immediately make you want to kick up your heels and throw your head back with laughter.

So here it is. Enjoy!

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There are times when a little restraint is called for. After all, too much of a good thing can get you into all kinds of trouble.

Happily, this is not one of those times. For too much of a very good thing – in this case, chocolate – is what this Sweet Adventures Death by Chocolate bloghop is all about.

Sweet Adventures is a group of Australian food bloggers – myself,  84th & 3rd, The Capers of the Kitchen Crusader, Delicieux, and Dining With a Stud – who host a monthly, dessert-themed blog hop.

Our inaugural event, The Great Australian Pavlova Blog Hop, attracted 34 entries in November 2011, while our second event, the Festive Favourites Blog Hop, attracted 38 entries last month. Click on the above links to drool over all the entries.

It was my turn to host this month and as I scanned our lengthy list of theme ideas I realised there was one glaring omission: Death by Chocolate.

Why Death by Chocolate? Well, if you’re going to indulge in chocolate you might as well go all out, right? There’s no point in the single square of chocolate, the lone chocolate truffle, the tiny chocolate brownie, the mini chocolate biscuit or the slender piece of chocolate cake. Worst still, are diet versions: I’d rather go without than eat some kind of ‘lite’ chocolate abomination.

So for my Death by Chocolate entry, I wanted complete chocolate decadence. I wanted creamy pillows of velvety chocolate-ness. I wanted a dessert that would have me swooning over its richness.

I trialled a multi-layered chocolate cake, which fell well short of expectations, before deciding to make a classic chocolate mousse instead.

I’ve always been a pushover for chocolate mousse made with top quality chocolate. I love its intense chocolate flavour, silky texture and the way it melts away into sublime nothingness in your mouth. It’s an incredibly sexy dessert and perfect for a romantic supper but you could also serve it in shot glasses for a cocktail party or hen’s night.

This chocolate mousse is made with standard pantry ingredients, and in under 20 minutes, but tastes like a dessert that you’d enjoy in a fine dining establishment (with the addition of a few ‘dirt’ crumbs and flowers sprinkled artistically around the plate, natch).

Is chocolate mousse a dessert to die for? No, it’s better than that: it’s a dessert to live for.

INGREDIENTS

350 grams top quality chocolate (I used a mixture of dark and white this time but would ordinarily use only dark)
175 grams unsalted butter
7 large, room-temperature, free-range eggs, separated
100 grams raw caster sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
Pinch of salt

METHOD

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler and then let it cool down off the stove.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy, like home-made mayonnaise. Stir in the vanilla and salt and then the cooled chocolate mixture.

Beat the egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Add one spoonful of egg whites to the chocolate mixture and briskly stir it in – this lightens it – before gently folding the rest of the egg whites in. Try not to bash all the air out of the egg whites.

Use a ladle to pour the mixture into glasses and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or until required.

Remove from the fridge 10 minutes before serving and decorate with raspberries – their beautiful red tones are the perfect visual contrast while their tartness cuts through the richness of the mousse.

Makes 10 glasses.

Don’t forget to scroll to the end of this post to check out all the delicious
Death by Chocolate entries

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Sweet Adventures Blog Hop: Death by Chocolate

If you blog about food we’d love you to join this hop. Simply follow the steps below and join the fun!

1. Publish your Death by Chocolate post on your blog sometime between 16th January 2012 (9am Sydney time [AEST]) and 23rd January ( 11:59pm Sydney time [AEST]). Entries are linked in order of submission so try to get your entry in on or as close to the 16th as possible. Only new posts featuring chocolate are eligible.
2. Click here for the Link Code. Copy the code and add it to the bottom of your Death by Chocolate post (you will need to do this in HTML view). Adding the code will create the thumbnail gallery of all the other entries and let visitors hop from other blogs to your blog and vice versa. If you are on wordpress.com (i.e. not self hosted) the list will not show on your blog so please create a text link back to this post instead.
3. Grab the SABH Death by Chocolate badge and add it to your post. Just right click on the image, ‘save as’, upload to your site and add it to your Death by Chocolate post. Link the badge or a line of text to this page so that others can view the instructions on how to join.
4. Click here to Enter the Hop. This is the really important bit! The badge and thumbnail list are on your post so make sure to enter the hop so that you appear in the list. For question 1: add the URL of your Death by Chocolate Post, not your homepage. For question 2: for caption/title add the name of your dessert. For question 3: for ‘your name’ please enter your blog name. For question 4: your entry is automatically submitted when you click ‘crop’.
5. Your linked post WILL NOT appear straight away in the blog hop thumbnail list. To combat spam this is a moderated hop. Your post will be visible in the list after approval.
6. Hop around to all the other entries in the blog hop, sharing the comment love.
7. If you are on Twitter use the #SABH to tell the world about your Death by Chocolate post. Follow us @SweetAdvBlogHop for new hop announcements and general deliciousness.

If you aren’t sure how to do something please leave a comment or get in touch.

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For The Hungry Australian’s first guest post, I’m delighted to hand the reigns over to JJ from 84th & 3rd.

I knew JJ’s delightful blog before I met her in person at Eat Drink Blog, the second Australian Food Bloggers Conference in November last year. I remember telling JJ how much I liked her blog header and how impressed I was when she told me she designed it herself.

Afterwards, I got to know JJ better when we decided to organise the Sweet Adventures monthly dessert-themed blog hop together, along with Delicieux, Dining With a Stud, and The Capers of the Kitchen Crusader. On our lengthy email group discussions, JJ’s contributions are always helpful, diplomatic, dry and smart: she is definitely the kind of person you want on your team.

I didn’t need further evidence of JJ’s competence but I was extremely touched when she sensed I was being overwhelmed by family matters this week and kindly offered to help out with a guest post. So, without further ado, please read on and enjoy JJ’s Mac-n-Cheese guest post. And then head on over to 84th and 3rd for more deliciousness covered with “a good dusting of cocoa powder”.

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Fish and eggplant may sound like a bizarre combination, but trust me, this curry is fantastic.

When our daughter was due to arrive my mother came to stay with us in Shanghai. Every day she did the shopping and cooking and this was one of the dishes she cooked for us after our daughter was born. I remember wolfing it down for dinner and then eating another huge bowl at 2am after a lengthy breastfeed.

This Fish & Eggplant Curry is super easy to make and incredibly rich, hearty and sustaining. Sardines are high in omega-3s and calcium and low in mercury. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese, as well as all the B vitamins, so this curry really does make you feel very good.

I love eating curry in cooler weather as it warms up your bones from the inside, but I also like eating it in summer, as it reminds me of eating curry in the sweltering humidity of Malaysia.

Serve it with plain rice and pappodams for a simple, everyday feast.

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One of the wonderful things I love about food blogging is that you meet all kinds of people who are mad about food: chefs, producers, restauranteurs, home cooks, people who love to eat out, people who love to entertain, and, of course, other food bloggers.