Legenday lunch ... a French quaffer ... The good oil ... Pinot envy ...

Lunch with my good friend Jane (she’s at @winematters on the tweet thing) is always a good thing, something made even better by the venue.
A window table tucked in the corner of a really busy Café Di Stasio (http://www.distasio.com.au/) was a great place to eat, drink and watch the world go by.
The food was amazingly good; ditto the service, atmosphere, wine and company.
Malory, who does the front of house, looked after the starters, but only after she had organised a Campari cocktail for Jane and a Campari and soda for me.
First up on the plate was the simply best pate I have tasted. And taste it, over and over, I did. Great crusty, griddled bread and a bottle of Cantina Terlan Pinot Bianco Vorberg Riserva 2008 made it a cracker of a start. The wine grew an extra leg in the bottle. It was great from the first glass and by the end of the bottle it was my new best friend.
Then came some fish cakes, some deep-fried whitebait (with aioli) and then some parmesan-and-herb crusted oysters. Sweet mother of Jesus. Normally, I don’t like oysters anyway other than natural, but these little fellas were to die for. They were succulent, just warmed through and the crust was, well, a masterstroke. Suddenly, there was another best friend. And another, this time Ronnie di Stasio, who came and sat with us and he got the animation level way up. He’s a cracker bloke who tells it like it is.
By the time the next starter arrived, we had ventured into another bottle of wine, this time a Poggerino Chianti Classico Riserva Bugialla. The starter was to be another best friend. To wit, some crusty bread and a small omelette smothered in truffle shavings. Reckon I was almost done but it couldn’t be because I’d ordered a rare sirloin. Sheesh.
Malory joined us for a bite. She and Jane went for pasta. My beef was a cracker. So too the veg side dish and salad. We sat there post-food, just shooting the breeze, solving some of the world’s problems and deciding that, OK, time for the bill (the restaurant was empty by this stage, save one waiter and the three of us).
Not that I needed it, but I suggested that before we paid, perhaps a shot of grappa would be a nice final touch. OK, it was two. And it was Berta grappa. I’ve always loved grappa and I’m annoyed that my local bottleshop no longer sells it. Thank God because if it stocked Berta, it could become a habit.
The Bertas were enough for me to say “enough”. I did, after all, have a pinot and Peking duck dinner to go to and I wasn’t feeling in great shape for it (but that’s another story), and the time was on the bad side of 5.30.
We paid the bill and wandered onto Fitzroy Street (apparently I met my friend Molly from Lina’s … OK I do remember seeing her) and headed for home.
Lunch doesn’t get a whole lot better than at Café Di Stasio. I can’t wait to get back.

Wolfing it down

Things at my afternoon job are moving at a gallop. We’re probably the only print media company in the world that is actually expanding. We’ve started new titles and now have more staff from all corners of the Melbourne map.
What better way to put it in perspective than to have a meet and greet dinner for the senior staff at Mr Wolf in St Kilda. Great food, great wine (OK, it was a pinot fest) and some very fine single malt to end, proving that we’re all one big, happy family.

A new case

I just got a case of my favourite French quaffing wine … Macon Villages Chardonnay … from Vintage Cellars. The last case I got was $10.99 a bottle. It’s now $13-odd a bottle, but it really is good drinking.
And speaking of good drinking, I’ve had a couple of bottles lately of a Rocland Estate blend (51 per cent marsanne, 31 per cent viognier, 18 per cent rousanne) from Swords Wines in the South Melbourne Market. It’s $18 a bottle and, I reckon, is one of the better blends to come out of McLaren Vale.
In fact, I started a bottle late yesterday afternoon while I was busy with a huge pot of spag bol sauce for dinner and to stock the freezer.

The good oil

Truffles have played a reasonable role recently. I cooked my goat snags (they were fantastic) and with them had steamed cavallo nero with runny brie strewn through it and a splash of lemon-infused olive oil, and spuds with lots of butter and truffle shavings. Maybe it wasn’t the most healthy meal I’ve ever had, but it tasted good. Any anyway, everything is OK in moderation.
‘I followed up with scrambled, truffle-infused eggs on toast with a handful of chopped chives. The eggs were stored with truffle and the shell, being as porous as it is, absorbs the smell. It was heaven on a stick.
I also made some truffle oil.
A nice clean, washed wine bottle (there’s never a shortage of them at my joint), filled with extra virgin olive oil and the last of my truffle. About six shavings did the trick.
I’ll give it time to infuse, so I won’t use it for a week or three. Then it’s game on.

Simply the best

Burger chains may sponsor the Olympics and the AF’n’L, but for me there is just one.
After a longer-than-usual day at work on Thursday, I opted for an Andrews hamburger. It seems to have become a once-a-week treat for me. And I do mean treat. For anyone who hasn’t checked it out, do it.
I wrote a piece for Greg, the owner, a while ago. Perhaps it explains what I’m on about. It reads:
“Love is a must.”
With those four words, Greg Pappas, the owner of the iconic Andrews Hamburgers on Bridport Street in Albert Park, sums up the secret to his success.
It’s a love for the best-possible ingredients, cooked to perfection by Greg’s mother, Georgia… it’s a love for his customers who travel from far and wide … it’s his love for the Sydney Swans (but that’s another story).
And the customers do travel. Some come in luxury convertible cars, some by bicycle, others come by tram, and for some it’s a regular-as-clockwork walk .
Another Melbourne icon, Ron Barassi, said: "I have to get in the car and drive four or five kilometres, so you wouldn’t do that unless you really had a good result. It’s a family show and he’s a mad Swans supporter as well . Apart from that their hamburgers are fantastic and they have very, very good dim sims, their chips are fantastic.”
High praise indeed.
Greg’s uncle, Andrew Georghiou, started the business in 1957 after leaving Cyprus and migrating here at the age of 20.
For the past 53 years, little has changed at the Bridport Street institution. Competitors have come and gone, but Andrews has remained constant, but for a few things to tidy up after a fire in the ’80s. It’s still the same tiled floor and wood panelling and the 1950s menu board is still intact. There’s still a large bottle of Coke on a corner shelf, placed there by Greg’s uncle the day he opened the business in 1957.
Prices have changed. More than half a century ago a burger sold for the equivalent of 10 cents: one with the lot was 18 cents. The mince from the supplier was 20 cents a kilogram.
Greg, who bought the business in 2004, maintains his uncle’s simple but effective approach.
“Everyone says there are secrets, but the basic rule with our burgers is that we have the best produce (he has loyal, long-time suppliers) – the best bacon, the best beef, the best lettuce – and everything is prepared on the day.” It’s just salt and pepper once the meat is on the grille, where the perfect heat is paramount. And the cast-iron grille has never been cleaned with chemical products, a fact that helps the burgers retain a unique flavour.
Perhaps the final word belongs to Matt Preston, judge on TV’s highly successful MasterChef and recently voted the world’s best restaurant critic.
Preston last year published a list (he loves lists) of the Five Things I Get an Irresistible Desire To Consume In Melbourne.
It’s a list, he says, that “provides a fascinating snapshot of the great dishes of Melbourne” … it’s “five that have a special significance because it’s what I craved after five months of living north of the border”.
Number two on Matt Preston’s list: the burger at Andrews.
“… it’s the burger at this Albert Park institution that I get wistful over. It’s a generous sub-$10 feed: the secret is the way the meat has a toasty crunch that is matched by the fresh crunch delivered by pairing shredded drumhead cabbage with the iceberg lettuce that fills the bap”.
More than half a century on and the list of people sharing the world’s best restaurant critic’s craving for Melbourne’s best hamburger continues unabated.
One with the lot, thanks.

Pinot envy

There was a press handout that hit the office during the week and it certainly created some interest. Reckon I’m in for a ticket.
To wit:
THE TASTING FESTIVAL FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK PINOT NOIR ROCKS!
Introducing PINOT PALOOZA, the exciting new pinot noir festival for pinotphiles being held in Melbourne on Sunday 21 October 2012.
The Wine Guide and Dig Marketing Group have joined forces to create an opportunity for those folks who are so crazy about pinot noir, that spending an entire 3.5 hours basking in pinot noir glory just isn’t enough!
More than 90 of the finest pinot noirs from Australia and New Zealand will be on tasting, many of which will be presented by the winemakers. For those who want to turn from pinot noir freaks into pinot noir geeks, they can come into the ‘inner sanctum’ of the Green Room where wine educator and writer Ben Edwards and wine educator Dan Sims will spend 45 minutes taking them through the finer points of this awesome wine.
PINOT PALOOZA will also offer some rockin’ good music and a selection of fine food chosen to match the high notes of these sexy pinot noirs.
As a special Early Bird offer those people who purchase tickets online at pinotpalooza.com.au before Friday 17 August will receive entry into this pinot noir extravaganza for only $50. This excellent price includes a complimentary Riedel Extreme Pinot Noir glass worth $30! Each of the tasting sessions is capped at 350 people so get in early to secure your spot.
WHAT: Pinot Palooza
WHERE: Ormond Hall, 557 St Kilda Road (corner of Moubray St), Prahran
WHEN: Sunday October 21, 2012. Tasting: 11.30 – 15.00 and 16.00 – 19.30.
Green Room Masterclass: 11.00 & 12.30 and 15.30 & 17.45.
TICKETS: General admission: $50 before Friday August 17 and $60 after this date.
Admission includes a Riedel Extreme Pinot Noir Glass worth $30, a copy of the James Halliday Wine Companion Magazine, a bottle of gorgeous San Pellegrino or Acqua Panna mineral water. Food will be available for purchase.
Green Room Masterclass: The Green Room Masterclass can be booked individually at a cost of $50 per session additional to general admission ticket.
MORE: pinotpalooza.com.au

Not bad for starters

Being the slack arse that I am, I still have two cars, a Subaru Forrester and a Toyota Landcruiser ute.
I bought the ute with the idea that I’d go back on the road for another look at Australia. Suffice to say, circumstances that developed and then faded conspired against me.
I’ve been driving the ute (cos I enjoy it) but the time has come to sell it. Any takers … ’05 and it has done just 110,000.
The bottom line was that I hadn’t driven the Forrester for almost five weeks.
I was prepared to get the jumper leads but thought I’d give it a go.
It fired up first time.

Making cents

Speaking of cars, I’m always on the lookout for change to feed the parking ticket machine at the office for my arvo job.
Suffice to say, I’ve usually got a pocket full of coins.
I’ve taken to putting all the five cent coins into a bag with the idea of giving them to one of the homeless blokes that I usually see up the street from my place.
I waited until there was about five bucks (give or take a coin or two) and headed up the street to buy a baguette.
I was on the lookout for a bloke, the one with the face tatts. Most locals are a bit afraid of talking to him and he doesn’t get too many donations.
Bingo. I wandered over to him and handed him the bag of coins and apologising because they were five cent coins.
“Thanks brother,” he said before giving me a hug. “You’re a good fella.”
There’s a good lesson in that. Don’t judge people on the way they look. And give.

Ah, the good life ... and then some

I just had a call from my son, Liam, in Vanuatu. He lives in Port Vila, but for a few days he and his girlfriend, Dan, are on Espiritu Santo.
“Reckon we live on the wrong island,” he said. “This place is unbelievable.
“We went to Champagne Beach (which is supposed to be in the world’s top 10 beaches), but we’ve found a better one. Port Olry.
“Lunch on the beach today is, and get this, it’s 20 bucks a head, a lobster, a coconut crab, some other crabs and fish. Seriously, 20 bucks a head and it includes cold beers.”
Yeah, thanks for that.

Comeback time … and nobody knows the truffle I’ve seen

Blogging’s a bit like having a drink. There are times when it becomes a regular thing; there are times when you just can’t be bothered (that’s more likely to happen with blogging rather than the fruit of the vine).
Sometimes you need a fix. You know, those times when you’ve had a biggie on a Saturday night and by about four the next afternoon it’s probably time for a hair of the dog.
Blogging has been like that for me. Call it winter hibernation, whatever you want to call it. For many and varied reasons, I’ve put the blogging glass away for the past few weeks. But now, it seems, it’s time for a hair or the blog.
It’s hard to know where to start because there has been lots of good food, good wines, a bit of culture via the opera, some gardening, plenty of hard work, lots of friends (old and new), the odd new responsibility and some parenting … among other things.
One of my priorities has been to clean up the backyard and get the food supply (such as it is/was) into some semblance of order.
I somehow managed to fill the ute with shit of various forms to take to the local tip, and reorganise my supply of pots. I have just two small patched of dirt in my yard, one of which is home to a (newish) lemon tree and the other to two chilli bushes that are self-sown bushes from a tried and true variety. They last about five years, grow to more than two metres tall and yield several kilos of little firecrackers that have lots of poke.
I’ve added some coriander, flat-leafed parsley, a few varieties of mint, nasturtiums, chives, some rainbow chard, oregano, sage, thyme (three) and a native lemon myrtle. Yeah, and there’s also an olive tree and I also planted a few flowers. Well, you’ve gotta have some colour.
It’s a nice thing to come home from work with nothing planned for dinner. What to do? Do the rounds of the garden, pick a big bunch of herbs and a chilli, chop them all finely, mix with some olive oil and toss through some pasta and grate some parmesan over the top. Viola! Dinner in just eight minutes.
And now for something completely different. Opera.
Regular readers will know that my usual haunt, Lina’s in Albert Park, holds occasional opera nights. And so it came to pass a few of weeks ago.
There’s something kinda nice about having a rare steak and frites dinner (with greens on the side), a bottle of tempranillo (a bloody cracker that has become my regular tipple of late) and being entertained by my mate, Ben (he’s a tenor) and big Ed, a Samoan who played rugby (he’s a big unit) before discovering that his bass baritone voice was an easier living than being at the bottom of a scrum.
These guys, accompanied by a girl on the piano, took turns in wowing the crowd (it was packed) in between sets from a duo who play French café-type jazz.
Musically, it was a great night.
I ended up out the front having a smoke and chatting to big Ed. I asked him where he stood on popular (read rock) music and his response amazed me.
“I used to sing in the backing group of an Elvis tribute band,” he said. My flabber was gasted. I reckon I know the words to hundreds of Elvis songs. Suddenly we launched into song, (I think it was Don’t be Cruel … to a heart that’s true) me singing the lead and Ed doing the backing. It ended too quickly (great fun though) because the lure of another tempranillo won out.
The whole shebang was packing up and I did the honourable thing and offered to carry the piano to a car. Too easy, and I did.
Back inside having a drink with the piano player, she said that she had seen me around the village quite a bit (there’s a surprise). I decided to ask her whether she’d like to catch up for coffee but she beat me to it. “Would you like my phone number?” Well yeah.
Ben (he of Logan Musical Events) staged an opera concert at the Melbourne Town Hall a week later.
The music was from the Verismo genre by composers Puccini, Mascagni, Leoncavallo and Giordano. It was also the debut performance of The Australian Concert Orchestra conducted by Stephen Mould and managed by principal cellist Chris Howlett. It was brilliant.
The players were joined by Opera Australia tenor Rosario La Spina, bass baritone Gary Rowley and sopranos Donna-Maree Dunlop and Ariya Sawadivong. Rosario was a knockout.
Oh, and my mate, Hanks, was the very effective door bitch.
About the only downside was a quick after-show drink with my friend, Maria, in the bar at The Weston Hotel across the road. We settled by the fire for a chat and a glass of Veuve (just the one because she was driving). We made it last about half an hour. Time to go and I headed to the bar, white silk scarf trailing behind me (well, it was opera) to pay. Sixty bucks for two glasses. Man, that’s some mark-up.
In a shock twist, Lina’s beckoned for a few before heading off into the night.

ROLL ON OCTOBER

My youngest son, Joel, is in a share house with some friends and, many good things in life, it’s about to come to an end with each of them going their separate ways.
It seemed logical for him to move in with his old man, given that he works bullshit hours as a croupier at the casino and lives far enough away to be in another country in Europe.
He was very lucky a couple of weeks ago when he and his friend, Mel, (she was driving) clipped a broken-down car in the left lane of the freeway (the driver didn’t bother to pull over into the emergency lane). Their car spun wildly and, thank God, didn’t roll. It ended well.
Gotta say I’m looking forward Jo moving in. Perhaps his sensible attitude (no drinking, smoking, etc) to just about everything will rub off on me. I hope so.

STORM THE BASTILLE

I was invited to my friend Pippa’s house on Bastille Day to celebrate her birthday. And what a cracker night it was. My mate, Hanks, and I armed with French wines and black berets cadged a lift with the rare and lovely Toni to the wilds of Bentleigh.
Toni’s a hoot. She blogs at Style Weekly. Have a read at www.styleweekly.com.au.
The company and dinner was a great combination. Pippa, Michael (he did the cooking with some help from Toni), Charles, Hanks and me.
Oysters, grilled asparagus with almonds, beef Wellington, potato gratin, and cheesecakes were the order of the night, each one a triumph … washed down with French bubbles and wines of all sorts.
I even took the time to serenade Toni (she actually suggested that I can sing).
She responded by painting some bright red nail polish on my pinkie. It does look incongruous alongside the silver skull ring on my wedding finger (it must seem like a sort of anti-wedding ring, but it really isn’t. I just like it).
I had a drink with Toni on Friday night and she was surprised that the nail polish was still intact. So there.

WINE BARGAINS

And speaking of drinks, there are a couple that regularly make it to dinner with me of late.
Vintage Cellars has a special at the moment … Macon Village chardonnay … and at $10.99 a bottle (by the case), it’s a steal. It’s not, mind, a great wine, just one that’s very, very drinkable.
The French chard’s partner in crime at my place is a durif … Date Brothers 2004 … available at Sword’s wines at the South Melbourne Market. It’s on special at two for $30 and I grabbed a case yesterday. It’s full of liquorice, smooth tannins and is bloody good value given it has a bit of age about it.
Yesterday was local farmers’ market day in my neighbourhood. For a change, I got there early, had my usual cup of chai and gave the wallet a workout.
To wit: organic cavalo nero, organic kipfler spuds, an 11-gram piece of black truffle, six truffle-infused eggs (in a glass jar) and some goat sausages (they’re amazingly lean with, it seems just enough fat).
A trip later to the regular market yielded some brie, Gruyère, Spanish anchovies, dips, cornichons, pastrami and a baguette.
Yeah, it’s gonna be a good week for food at Chateau Mick.

IN THE CHAIR

My editor, Eils, at my afternoon job decided on some R&R recently and left me in the chair. It was a good week and seemed to go well.
But the following Monday it was with some trepidation that I walked into the office.
“You did good,” she said as she gave me a hug.
Gotta be honest here and say that, yeah, it was OK, but only because Eils did all (and I do mean all) the hard work before she left.

Retirement? Not on my watch

If ever I wanted confirmation that we live in a disposable society (and I didn’t), it came at the weekend and showed me that some of the kids of today just don't get it.
Now, I have a watch ... a 17-jewel movement, solid-gold watch given to me by my grandmother for my birthday in 1966. It's still a thing of beauty and I still get a kick out of the fact that I have to wind it every day ... yeah, it doesn't have a battery.
A bit like its owner, age has wearied it a tad ... the winder mechanism has worn a bit ... reckon after 46 years everything wears a bit and it's hard to get the part to repair it, but I do. (My personal winder is still in working order for what it's worth.)
I go to the same jeweller in South Melbourne about every 18 months or so and get it serviced or fixed when the need arises.
As I did last Saturday. There was a kid on duty in the shop ... about 18 or so, a really personable young fella and I'm guessing it was his first job.
I explained that I was somewhat of a regular because of my watch.
I was blown away when he said: “Perhaps it’s time to get rid of it and get a new one.”
Apart from the fact that it is (I have been told … and it was something offered, not asked for) worth about four grand (probably more given that the estimate was given to me about 10 years ago), it’s part of my life, a tangible link to my long-departed grandma. It’s something I’ll have and use until I eventually step off the coil. I love it.
My grandma, by the way, always put lots of thought into her gift giving.
I still have my first Esky – a blue, galvanised-iron number that holds just a six pack – which she gave me when it had become apparent that six packs would play a constant part in my life. Yeah, she could read the signs early.

PAR FOR THE COURSE

Speaking of age wearying things, I had a hit at the local golf driving range three days ago with some mates.
Reckon in the main I hit them pretty well.
But it hit back. Three days on and the pain of using muscles long idle is finally subsiding.
I guess that means it has to become a regular thing to avoid three days of feeling like I’ve been hit by a bus.

Why shopping locally is a good thing

I always knew that Sunday would be a good day. Got up nice and early to write a blog post, then did a bit of local must-do shopping before hitting the South Melbourne Market to buy whatever.
So, unusually, I snagged a parking spot at the door.
Now, given that I’m somewhat of a bogan … yeah the hair at the back is a definite mullet when it’s not tied into a ponytail. So, I wandered in to the hairdresser and asked if someone would be able to plait it for me.
“No problems,” said a bloke I’d not seen there before. “Come on in, we can do it now.”
I grabbed a seat and the young girl, as she was busily putting a sheet over me, said: “So, how much are we taking off?”
“Sorry,” I said, “but I just asked if someone could plait the crap hangin’ down the back of my neck.”
“OK, too easy,” she said.
She did it in a couple of minutes. I wandered over to pay and the bloke said to me “Nah, on the house. It just took a couple of minutes. Just as long as you do someone a good turn today, that’ll be enough.”
I thanked them both and left with a smile on my face and headed to the stall where I get most of my shampoo/deodorant type stuff, where I bought deodorant and Band-Aids. I was telling the girl who served me about the good turn at the hairdresser.
“That’s great,” she said, “but I’ll do your plait any time you want.” I’m a regular customer and we always chat, but that’s above and beyond.
“You’re on” I said as I wandered off.
I bought some chicken and vegetables, some cheeses, a baguette, had a long chat with Tony, the butcher, (I didn’t buy anything from him, but he still has the time to be nice … he’s at stall 32 and has fantastic produce) and then bought a couple of bottle of Sunbury point from Swords (nine times out of 10 I get a discount of some sort).
For me, it’s hard to believe what I did next … for the first time probably since the seventies, I bought a jumper, what’s more, it’s a red jumper, and a long-sleeved T-shirt.
Shit, I finally own a jumper.

R&R par excellence, a fantastic beer and other stuff

Being in her space … it’s like the feeling of being in love for the very first time …

The prospect of some well-earned R&R loomed large for a quite few days … it finally came to pass last weekend. Some time at Balgownie Estate winery in the Yarra Valley was a perfect way to blow away the cobwebs of the city.
It’s not a long drive before finding yourselves in the rolling hills and myriad signs directing you to all sorts of good things from the vine.
The sign that first got our attention was Fergusson’s, and it was a good thing. We opted for lunch there, providing they had a platter of bits and pieces and a place to sit in the sun and a glass of decent wine. Tick, tick, tick.
The girl doing front of house in the restaurant would be an asset anywhere. She was super in organising lunch (super in all she did). There were options … a menu that included various roasts (they were sitting, being warmed by the large open fire and smelled fantastic), but we wanted a platter.
Although she explained that the chef usually did an antipasto platter or a cheese platter, she said she’d organise a mix.
We grabbed a glass of a most excellent Fergusson’s chardonnay and snaffled a table in the sun. It started out perfectly … the wine really hit the spot with plenty of fruit (think melons and berries) … and then it got better. The platter arrived and it was a bloody cracker. Warm, spiced calamari rings, warm and chunky garlic prawns (with some excellent home-made aioli), some smoked salmon, some ham, a hard cheese, a soft cheese, pitted olives, pan-roasted veg including eggplant, zucchini, capsicum, various greens, thick slices of crusty, freshly baked bread, a basket full of water crackers … was this the best $25 ever spent? Yep, it was $25. OK, maybe not the best but it was right up there. It was one of those lunches that deserved to be taken slowly … and it was. The sun was shining, we had the large balcony to ourselves, the food and wine were great and it would have been so easy to camp there for the weekend. But Balgownie was calling. Check-in time was 2pm and there were some cold bubbles on ice.
The room was spacious, well fitted out, there was a large spa, and from the balcony (and the spa for that matter) there was a leafy view of most things Yarra Valley.
So what better place than the balcony to sit, chat and sip … the drink of choice was chilled Moet. It was a perfect way to relax before heading to the day spa for a massage … yeah, OK, but I did say that this was a weekend of R&R.
Although the day spa staff was running a bit behind schedule, it was worth the wait. We were ushered into what they call a dual room and the girls set about unleashing all the stresses and knots, whatever. It was at times painful (but always good pain) and I can’t remember feeling physically better after a massage.
As we were leaving the spa, the girl at reception apologised for the lateness of the treatment and gave us a couple of discount vouchers for treatment at any of the Natskin outlets (there just so happens to be one about five minutes from my house).
Feeling so relaxed was a good enough reason for a glass or two of 2011 Ad Hoc Hen & Chicken Chardonnay, a perfect prelude to dinner at Rae’s Restaurant in the Balgownie complex.
A seat by the window, watching the beautiful light show that is the large tree by the road, was the setting.
Dinner was a mixed bag (in a good way). One starter of squid was simply too much squid and the other of scallops; there were just three on the plate and they were tiny. Both dishes were well cooked, tasty, but the size of the serves deserved more thought.
The wine, on the other hand, was perfectly thought out. While there are plenty of good options on Rae’s wine list, it was no contest: the Balgownie Estate 2004 Chardonnay from the Museum Collection. Sure, it was $85 a bottle, but it sang like Ella Fitzgerald. It was everything I love in a chardonnay … and I really love ‘em.
It sat well with the mains too, which were aged beef, one medium rare and one rare, with some (I reckon) hand-cut spuds and veggies.
The (eye fillet) beef arrived at the table under a plate dome. The reason? They were being smoked with (I think) some grape vine cuttings … and it was a masterstroke. The smokiness had attached itself to the beef … shit it was good … and it was the perfect way to end dinner and a great day.
OK, it wasn’t the end … a couple of cognacs delivered by room service made it just so.
Breakfast at Balgownie is a buffet at Rae’s … and there is almost everything you’d ever want at the ungodly hour that is 9.30 … eggs this way and that, bacon, beans, snags, mushrooms, hash browns … juices of all sorts, teas and coffee of all sorts, bread of all sorts for toast, buns, pastries … OK you get the idea. A table by the window didn’t do any harm either.
It was the second trip to Balgownie. Reckon it won’t be the last.

BUTT OUT

It’s into the third week of not smoking for me. Yeah, I’ve done it before but this time is different.
I went to see Angelo, the hypnotist, and said to him: “Mate, this time is different to the others. I really want it more than ever. I’m ready.”
The treatment (dunno if that’s what you call it) was as I remember it … and I went really deeply into it, to the point of the odd snore/snort probably half a dozen times. I apologised for that when it was over but, according to Angelo, it’s normal for those of us that go really deeply.
As I was leaving, I said to Angelo: “Thanks mate. I never want to see you again.” To which he replied: “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
I headed home and did what any new non-smoker would do.
I slammed some ice into a glass and poured a couple of huge belts of bourbon, something I’d normally do with a smoke in my hand.
No problems, I didn’t really feel like a smoke.
Undeterred, I headed to Lina’s wine bar and met up with some friends for a gargle, some of whom were partaking of tobacco.
Again, no problems.
Yeah, there has been the odd time when I’ve had a pang when I’ve been up close and personal with a smoker, but I’m not gonna be broken. And the fifty bucks a week that it was costing is going into a jar every week. I can feel a holiday coming on later in the year.
If you’re keen to get a bit healthy, give Angelo a call … 1300 116 117 … apart from being a bloody good bloke, he’s good at what he does.

CHISEL AND JACK

It’s always a good test for ex-smokers to go to a rock concert … I reckon I always used to enjoy that first one when I stepped outside the venue, ears ringing, still feeling the buzz of the music and the buzz from whatever I’d had to drink during same.
With a few mates, I went to watch Cold Chisel last week at Festival Hall … it was great to see the band again and they were in great form after the first couple of songs where, to me, the mix was a bit muddy.
And what to drink when you’ve got Chisel doing their thing … it’s a can a Jack, I reckon … but sweet mother of Jesus, 10 bucks a can is a bit steep. I remember whingeing about paying ten bucks a can in Vanuatu earlier this year.
But hey, it was Chisel. And great news for the band … Barnesy announced that they would be in London in July, touring with Bruce Springstein.
Maybe that smoke money in the jar will get me a ticket.
After the gig, we (my son Joel and mate Fulvio) headed back to my place for a quiet drink (not for Joel) and a debrief of the night.
Given the Fulv and his wife, Jacinta, married to Warrenmang winery in 1997, I thought it appropriate to open a bottle of Warrenmang Grand Pyrenees 1999.
It was a good decision although not without its moments. The cork decided to break up a bit while making its exit, but some careful and dextrous work by yours truly got it out cleanly and poured the precious liquid into a decanter to give it a breath of fresh air … surprisingly there was no sediment.
Bloody good drink it was, although it changed (OK it seemed to) character several times on the way to the bottom of the decanter … spicy, well-rounded, soft and well balanced.
It was very, very good, probably the best drop of late in a wine list that has included some decent drinking:
Among them Te Kairanga Martinborough Estate Pinto Noir 2009; Roland Masse 2010 Pinot Noir from the Yarra Valley; Camelback 2010 Pinot Noir from Sunbury; and the beautifully named Lethbridge Menage a Noir 2010 Pinot Noir from Geelong. It’s a cracker drink (about 28 bucks at Vintage Cellars).
For me, the bargain … is that best value … dunno, I just like this one. It’s Bourgogne Chardonnay 2010 from the south of Burgundy … it’s the Macon area (I went there many moons ago). The wine is available from Vintage Cellars and at $18 or thereabouts, it’s great drinking.

WHAT A BEER

And speaking of great drinking, reckon I’ve found a beer that’s gonna hard to beat.
Yesterday morning (OK, it was just before noon) I had a taste of three beers at Sword’s wine shop in the South Melbourne Market.
The standout for me was Little Creatures Single Batch The Quiet American in a 568ml bottle. 568ml??? What the hell size is that?
It’s beautifully malty and the hops are huge on the nose … as the brewer says, it’s got a thought-provoking bitterness. I got bundles of green apples on the nose. I grabbed a couple of bottles, one of which I had later in the day after stocking up the freezer with some home-made laksa. (The freezer now has about eight meals of beef and veg casserole, a dozen serves of bolognaise sauce and eight serves of laksa … veg soup will be added today. It’s gonna make those cold winter nights a bit easier.)
A couple of glasses The Quiet American was a beautiful way to see out the afternoon. Seven bucks a bottle, it was worth every cent. Go to this link for a check at what Swords has to offer ... http://www.swordswines.com.au/

A NO-BOUNCE ZONE

And speaking of things glass, it was unfortunate to discover that iPads do not bounce, especially when introduced to a tiled floor. Mind you, the cracks in the glass made a really pretty pattern.
It was $249 to replace the glass. Sheesh.

Slack is as slack does ...

Because I’ve been such a slack unit these past few weeks … OK, that’s not entirely true, I’ve been slack about writing anything for this site ... everything else has been go, go, go … and then some.
Reckon since I last posted I’ve had a lot of dinners, more wines than I can count (I had to write ‘em down), discovered a new but fabulous US beer (yeah, I know that the words fabulous beer and US don’t normally belong in the same sentence), been to a buck’s party that ticked all the boxes, a wedding that ticked all the boxes, cooked some food that even maybe surprised me, jagged tickets to see Cold Chisel, sucked up to one of my editors (yeah, just the two of us working and I made her lunch), totally stuffed my neck, which led to a trip to the physio, which led to a bout of drinking too much too early, seen the hypnotist to stop smoking, proved that even at my age I can still party … to whit, a 5am finish on a Saturday morning and backing up with a 7am the next day (yeah, both those nights involved a drink) … managed a few days in bed with the flu … yep, I has been the full package.
I am planning to expand on some of the comings and goings ... the buck's turn, the wedding, the hypnosis ... that's my target.
Since the last entry on this site, I have managed at home to have a crack at:
Ad Hoc Hen & Chicken Chardonnay 2011 from Pemberton WA. 13%.
Rocland Duck Duck Goose Chardonnay 2009 from SA.
14%
Auldana Reserve non-vintage Sparkling Shiraz 14%
Henschke Tilly’s Vineyard 2010 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Gris Riesling Chardonnay 12.5%
Di Giorgio Lucindale Pinot Noir Chardonnay (sparkling) 12.5% from Limestone Coast
Mitcham Estate 2011 Chardonnay 13% McLaren Vale SA
2008 Santa Carolina Chardonnay from Chile (x2)
2010 Provenance Golden Plains Pinot Noir 13.3%
Geelong Chardonnay 2011 cleanskin from Vintage Cellars 13.5%
2004 Clarence Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 14.5%
Kris Pinot Grigio 2010 12.5% from Montagna Italy
La Tour Travers Bordeaux Rose 2010 12% (50% cab sav and merlot)
House of Rabbit 2010 Pinot Noir From Sunbury Ballarat (x3)
Elderton 2004 Barossa Shiraz 14.5%
1882 Reisling
Ass Kisser Vanilla Pale Ale 5.5% (x shitloads … a great beer)
Ingram Pinot Grigio from the Yarra Valley
Te Kairanga 2009 Pinot Noir from Marlborough in NZ. 13.5% (x3)
Roland Masse 2010 Pinot Noir from Yarra Valley
Pepper Tree 2010 Chardonnay 14%
Pepper Tree 2011 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 11.8%
The Riebke Shiraz 2010 14.5%
Curious Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc 13%

Yeah, that’s a fair list, but it has been supplemented with a few here and there at various establishments, but the winner is:
Torbek 2009 The Struie Shiraz. 15%, rrp about $54
It is everything you’ll ever want in a red apart from the fact that the bottle can be emptied, a sad occurrence when you have just the one.
I shared it with a friend and she is not normally a red drinker … OK, her cheeks glow a bit sometimes when she’s had a couple, but I digress.
She loved it, as did I … it’s a bloody crackerjack drink.
I have just booked a weekend away in the Yarra Valley ... I think it may involve wine.