Tag Archives: cooking

You should drink more water!

“No water, no life. No blue, no green” – Sylvia Earle

Forget about make-up, beauty creams, vitamins, miracle pills, fancy clothes, jewels to make you beautiful… because a girl’s best friend is closer that you think, it is actually: WATER!

Water has many virtues: it helps to digest, to regulate body temperature, to help with weight loss, to feel full of energy, to have a clearer skin, to stay fresh, to prevent headache, to beat colds, to think clearer! With all these benefits it should definitely be part of your beauty routine ❤

We are supposed to drink around 2-3 litres a day… which seems like a lot! But you can make it fun by adding cucumbers, lemons or fruits in your glass of water, to spice up things so it does not get boring! Here is a lovely article with 20 cool recipes and amazing pictures that will make you fall in love with your glass of water!  http://www.diyncrafts.com/7075/health/20-delicious-detox-waters-cleanse-body-burn-fat

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Water spiced up with mint, orange, lemon and cinnamon!

I personally adore tea so it is another disguised way to hydrate your body and feel splendid! My favorite time being in the afternoon while blogging and enjoying an homemade iced tea or a warm and comforting cup of my favorite blend.

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Delicious mint and lemon iced tea at “E for Ethel” cafe

You can also make it trendy and healthy at home! In Adelaide we are lucky to live near Mount Lofty and its natural springs. You can enjoy pure and refreshing water for a really decent price and it is always nice to buy local! It is non polluted,  it is natural, high quality and it tastes good! Here is my tip: buy a 10 liter Mount Lofty water pack (easy to find at Coles supermarket), it is convenient, cheaper and environment friendly! Then buy a beautiful bottle: I went for “Voss”, they have really stylish glass bottles but their water is so expensive because it comes from Norway springs! So now what I do, I fill my trendy “Voss” bottle with my “Mount Lofty natural spring water“,  I place it in the fridge and I have always fresh and  pure water to offer. I must say the bottle looks pretty cool on my table which is always a PLUS to feel good about yourself or when you have guests!

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10 litres pack of natural spring water
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Stylish Voss bottle

 

 

 

 

 

And now a funny story: I am going to reveal a little secret about Mount Lofty 10 litres pack that only Australian people know because they were born with it I assume. It seems that foreigners don’t know how to make the water flow from the box… My friend Nasim (from Iran) and I (from France) made exactly the same mistake, turning the plastic button from right to left and the other way around… we turned every part of it but nothing happened, not a single drop of water. One day Nasim’s neighbor (from Oz) paid a visit to her and Nasim asked her if she knew how to use the water pack! Her neighbor smiled and said, “Oh, it is easy, there is a little trick to know” and she showed her! Then it happened the same thing to me and I spotted that Nasim had a Mount Lofty water pack at home too, so I asked her to show me how to use it and she said, “it is easy, there is a little trick”… when thinking of it I feel stupid now haha… don’t turn the plastic bit, it won’t do anything! For god’s sake it is not a French wine barrel with a small pourer to turn on and off! So the technique is to lift the small plastic bit up or down like if you were switching a light on or off and the miracle will happen, you will have your own fountain of water springing in your home ❤ magic!

Highway to heaven

I was 30 years old and it was my first time in the USA. My Californian friends had invited me on a road trip on one of the most scenic drives in the entire world: the iconic Highway One. We drove from San Francisco to Los Angeles and each day was a combination of natural beauty, breathtaking scenery and acknowledging life’s quality.

One of our final stops was in Santa Barbara, in a restaurant called ‘La Superica’. It looked like an old Mexican barrack with its white walls and blue windows. It was not fancy at all and it was nothing like what I would have picked to conclude a mind-blowing trip. But as soon as I went inside I felt that the atmosphere was very welcoming. It was packed with joyful people enjoying lively dishes and for a minute I forgot that my journey was nearly over. I ordered tacos and as soon as the food was placed on the table I understood why my friends took me here.

The fresh handmade tortilla was beautiful with a golden shade of yellow contrasting with the different mouthwatering ingredients sitting on its heart. I could smell the fragrant odour of the corn flour with a zest of lime tickling my nose. The meat had a lovely brown caramelised tint and smelt heavenly. It was tender, smoky, juicy and cooked to perfection. The red salsa was thick, creamy and attractively opaque in colour. I could tell the tomatoes had been cooked slowly and mixed with toasted Mexican chilles and chipotle peppers. The topping was a symphony of colours where the chopped green vegetables were dancing with the fresh herbs under a moon of white creamy cheese. I could see the finely minced onions blending with the minced crisp cabbages promising a textural crunch.

No sooner had the fresh taco touched my palate that I felt shivers and stopped. It was absolutely divine! An exquisite pleasure invaded my senses filling me with all California. Each bite, each colour, each flavour had the taste of my trip on the mythical Highway One. I could see the sunny valleys, the Spanish missions, the rugged beach and the surf towns. I could smell the farmers’ stalls on the side of the road, I could hear the Pacific Ocean crashing down below the steep cliffs and I could feel the intoxicating warmth of the Californian sun and the presence of my friends forever with me.

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California you’ve got my heart!

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This text is one of my assignments from creative writing class. I was asked to write about a vivid memory in 400 words so I picked a special moment I had the chance to experience a couple of years ago with my dear Californian friends: Teresa and John. My roadtrip in California was an amazing journey and I hope someday I will write the full story and share with you this beautiful and breathtaking adventure!

3 typical dishes to eat in Adelaide – Australia!

I find it always interesting to get to know a new culture and a new city through its cuisine! I really enjoy to explore new flavors and to discover dishes I have never heard about before!

So forget for a moment about your home country… I mean I can have “blanquette de veau”, “ratatouille” and “raclette” everyday in France if I want do!  Let’s try something new 😉 something you have never tasted before, something typical from here that you will remember for sure! Here’s my top 3:

 

1. Pavlova

A trIMG_0785aditional and festive Australian dessert that people seem to particulary enjoy during summer time. Basically a beautiful meringue cake, crusty on the outside and smooth on the inside, topped with whipped cream and red fruits! It is very sweet and it tastes good. I don’t know if you can find those in a bakery/restaurant here… but you can definitely make one at home and buy everything you need at the Coles supermarket (here’s a good recipe from a previous article).  If you are lucky and make friends with locals, I am sure if you ask they will bake one for you! Adelaideans are very friendly and generous people!

 

2. Pie floater

IMG_0816Again a very Australian dish, very common in Adelaide! It is a traditional meat pie floating or submerged in a sea of thick pea soup. It reminds me of the Titanic…  It is usually covered with tomato sauce (ketchup) which was the weird part for me…  but “when in Adelaide, do like the Adelaideans” so I ate it exactly the same way and it was ok.  Australians enjoy it mostly as a late evening meal. I must say it tastes good and it is budget friendly (only $6) but it is pretty heavy on the belly especially on warm nights (and there are many here!).  In my opinion the best place to enjoy this typical dish is the Bakery on O’Connell in North Adelaide.

 

3. Lamington

27947_lamingtonsAnother Australian dessert. It is a sponge cake coated with chocolate sauce and grated coconut. There is another version with a layer of cream and strawberry jam in the middle. It is quite nice to have it with tea or coffee. You can find those cakes at the supermarket or in a cafe/bakery. I personnaly like to have mine again at the Bakery on O’Connell in North Adelaide (I know I am repeating myself but this is a good address)! As for those who are not living in Australia and want to give it a try, here is a nice recipe http://allrecipes.com/recipe/lamingtons/

 

I hope you will enjoy this selection and that you will make sure you have ticked these 3 dishes on your list so you can feel you are becoming a perfect Australian 🙂 And as an Adelaidean don’t forget to pop by Haigh’s chocolates to indulge yourself, they are an icon here!

As for me, I am always glad to experiment new things when living abroad and I am really looking forward to it/eat. Speaking of that I have found a very interesting article  called “100 things to eat in South Australia” http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/special-features/things-you-must-eat-in-sa-great-plates-1/story-fnmhkdr1-1226892366054 – this could be my next challenge by the way!

What are your favorites foods here?  Do you have any typical Australian dishes you would like to recommend me? I would love to hear about it ❤

 

 

Bakery on O’Connell

Bakery – Cafe – Caterer – Open 24/7

44 O’Connell St,

North Adelaide

South Australia, 5006

Phone: (08) 8361 7377

http://www.bakeryonoconnell.com.au

https://www.facebook.com/bakeryonoconnell?pnref=story

Pavlova, the ballet dessert!

Pavlova seems to be a dessert the australians enjoy during summer time… A lot of people around me (natives essentially) have mentioned it many times saying that they had this dessert for christmas… I was really curious about it and I was wondering what it looks like, what it tastes like, what it feels like… Is it good? refreshing? Sweet?

Today, for the first time since I arrived in Australia, I had the chance to taste this popular dessert! Colleen our English teacher cooked one for us. I was thrilled to get to know more about my new country and its cuisine!

Actually Pavlova is a meringue cake, it has a crisp crust on the outside and it is soft like a cloud in the inside. It is topped with whipped cream and fruits such as strawberries, berries… Colleen has put bananas inside to add a special taste. She told to our class that it was quite easy to cook! I think the hardest part is to get the meringue right. You can buy ready made meringue but I think it does not feel the same.

This dessert is a traditional and festive dish that australians enjoy a lot. It is believed to have been created in honor of the beautiful and famous Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova when she visited Australia. The texture and the white colour is supposed to remind you of a beautiful and elegant ballet tutu. Poetic isn’t it?

It tasted very sweet and each bites were litterary melting in my mouth. I really liked it and I hope I will have other opportunities to savour this typical Aussie dessert 🙂

As for those who are not living in Australia and curious to taste a Pavlova, here is a recipe that will make you want to practise your arabesque!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-best-pavlova/

Whether you favour sweet or savoury, Bali is the key!

« People who love to eat are always the best people.» Julia Child

Bali is a beautiful country full of colours and smiling faces, and somehow you manage to find all these ingredients in their authentic and unique cuisine. Balinese cuisine is generous and each plate is a symphony of flavors where the rice is the key note.

As my first time in Bali, I had the chance to live in a villa and to experience Ketut’s wonderful cooking. She cooked for us amazing and traditionnal dishes that I really recommend you to try when in Bali :

  • Nasi Goreng: basically fried rice mixed with spices, vegetables, eggs and sweet soy sauce. I really liked it.
  • Satay : Spices marinated meat barbecued… yummy!
  • Gado Gado : vegetable salad covered with peanut sauce. It was really good!
  • Pepes Ikan Tongkol : Languan fish and spices wrapped in banana leaf and grilled. This cooking technique gives a lovely taste to the fish.
  • Nasi Kuning Bali : actually balinese yellow rice. The best rice I have ever tasted in my life!

Overall everything was absolutely delicious!

I have also asked Ketut what her favorite meal was since she is a local and I was curious to know about it ! She told me she likes “babi Guling”. It is a kind of dish made with a whole suckling pig and the inside is stuffed with spices and vegetables… then it is grilled and rolled over a charcoal. I have not tried it but I feel next time I go to Bali, I will give it a try because the way she was describing it I could tell this was something amazing!

I have also fallen in love with two restaurants in Bali that I am sure you will fancy too ❤

My favorite one is pretty popular and called the « Betelnut Cafe » and it is in Canggu facing a beautiful rice paddy (actually very closed from Echo Beach). The place looks great, nice decoration and the staff is really friendly. Everything is fresh, very healthy and it tastes marvellous! I recommend the balinese salad with a fruit dragon smoothie… Just perfect !

I also like a famous organic restaurant and shop called « Bali Buda ». There are 4 of them in Bali and you can easily locate them in Sanur, Ubud, Keroban and Bukit. Everything is homemade everyday and tastes great. They bake bread each morning before the sun rises and it has nothing to envy to French bakeries. If you feel overwhelmed by the menu, you should give a try to the yellow curry and the mud chocolate cake… I have to confess I am still dreaming of it when I have a craving for chocolate…

What can I say, Bali makes my heart dreamy, my soul shiny and my belly happy 🙂

 

Betelnut Cafe
Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong No. 60
Canggu, Kuta,
Bali, Indonesia
Tel : 62 821-4680-7233
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Betelnut-Cafe/289844997715255

 

Bali Buda Ubud
Jl Jembawan #1
(across from the Ubud Post Office)
Ubud, Mas, Gianyar 80571
Bali, Indonesia
Tel. (0361) 976324 / 978963
http://www.balibuda.com