I’m not sure if Riga’s Old Town is a real place or a jet-lag dreamland I stumbled into.
Frankfurt Airport
When you ask a non-English-speaking person in Frankfurt, “where is shop and coffee” in (passable) German, they may be pointing to the exit and nächste minuten you’re through customs, unchecked, and at a train station.
The Perfect Pav
The Pavlova was created in the 1920’s and named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova following her tour of Australia and New Zealand. While the trans-Tasman debate over the exact origin of the Pavlova is still unresolved, its crisp, white outer shell and soft, sweet, marshmallow like inside means this beautiful dessert takes pride of place on many Aussie and Kiwi dinner tables.
The Flavour Exchange
Food waste. It’s a hot topic at the moment, and rightly so. Research conducted by the Australia Institute estimates that Australians waste more than $5 billion of food each year, with the majority of this waste being fresh fruit and vegetables. Consumer desire for aesthetically pleasing produce, uniform in shape and free from blemishes, means that many producers and suppliers are left with surplus goods. Organisations like SecondBite redistribute this fresh food to those in need, however the nature of fresh produce – short shelf life, susceptibility to damage during transport, a need for climate controlled storage – means that even with the help of food rescue organisations, waste is often unavoidable.
Shanghai Village Dumpling
Melbourne’s Chinatown – stretching along Little Bourke street between Swanson street and Spring street, this area of Melbourne is hard to miss. The heritage buildings that line the street, off shooting lanes, nooks and crannies are contrasted by the sometimes overwhelming array of bright neon signs, hanging lanterns and ceramic beasts.
Despite having worked and studied close to this area for a number of years, I am unfamiliar with this area of Melbourne’s culinary offerings. This is mostly due to the fact that I’m not the biggest fan of Chinese food. The only exception to this? Dumplings (oh, and Peking duck).
A Pinch of Gluttony 