Through A Second Kuskus Once Removed

NATIONAL DISH OF MAURITANIA - Kuskus with Roast Lamb


Well we have FINALLY come to the greatest day of the year. When the world stops what they are doing and celebrates a tradition that is old as anything from 1984....The birth of Leo! And in keeping with tradition, a grand affair was thrown including great friends, trash bagging, celebs, stylised dancing, pass outs (not Lady Lara this time but K Horns), creation of a breakaway group, and SO much drinking that St Kilda consequently became a Dry Zone!

And because I was too busy beautifying myself, I had to outsource the catering. Who better to outsource to than The GGJ?! There was gonna be normal finger food (however at FDW proportions), but we needed something more substantial for this auspicious occasion. Also some of the Molefaces had been on a winery tour and I thought they would need something substantial to line their stomachs. Plus it would allow me to use my fabulous birthday presents from The Molefaces, my wondrous Scanpan knives!

So a nice, healthy recipe was chosen for the national dish of Mauritania. Also since Leah and I have to flee to Mother Africa in 2012 for the end of the world, I thought she might as well get used to the food now.

The national dish of Mauritania is Kuskus with Roast Lamb. Basically it is a lamb sauce/stew placed atop some delicious couscous. Couscous is made from semolina (although apparently it was traditionally made from millet) and is a staple found throughout northern Africa. Producing the granules is a labour intensive method of rolling the semolina into pellets, sprinkling them with flour and then sieving them. The tiny granules that are too small are put through the process again until all you are left with are pellets. This used to take several days. Thankfully in these modern times we have machines that expediently create couscous and I don't have to get my millstone out.

For couscous to be properly cooked, the end result has to be light and fluffy. Instant couscous is a pre-cooked time saver that requires boiling in water for five minutes and then fluffing with a fork. But if you want something with actual flavour, then you got to go old school. This is of course easier said than done. Lining a colander with some cheesecloth over a boiling pot of water is an easy fix, but to do it properly you need a couscoussière. The meat and vegetables are stewed in the large, tall bottom pot, whilst on top of the base the couscous is steamed, absorbing the flavours of the stew below. Unfortunately I haven't been able to locate one.

So since it is my birthday, if anyone wants to buy me a couscoussière I won't object! (Others presents will also be accepted!)


Enjoy, or as they say in Mauritania,  !بالهنا والشفا (bil-hanā' wa ash-shifā')




The first recipe for The GGJ featuring couscous: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-mauritanian-lamb-couscous

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:    4

Taste:               4

TOTAL:            12

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make. 

Now ordinarily this would not be a drastically difficult dish to make, despite the number of processes it contains. But when you are throwing a Moleface shindig, you really have to plan ahead. All that goes in to decorating, creating an ambient music playlist, making sure there is enough ice and room in the fridge, and then producing sufficient finger food can be a workload and a half. But a little time management goes a long way, and if you happen to be running late, you can always expect The Molefaces to be running late as well!

This dish was certainly a feast for the eyes! Even whilst cooking I noticed the myriad of colours that went into producing the kuskus. And the aroma was intoxicating. Something very earthy and traditional about it. I love the compliments I get when people enter the house and there is a divinely aromatic stew a cooking. I placed the couscous on a large platter and then scooped the lamb stew on top. And paraded it into the lounge room to a lively applause from the appreciative audience.

The lamb stew was very tender and juicy. I loved that there wasn't much herbs or spices added to the stew and so it allowed all the flavours of the chunky vegetables to shine! This made the whole thing taste very pure and organic.
The couscous was amazing! The light and fluffy granules mixed well with the gritty chickpeas and the tartness of the dates and raisins. But the thing that makes the couscous heaven sent is the butter. Who am I kidding, butter makes EVERYTHING taste divine!

Thank you Molefaces and honourary Molefaces for helping me celebrate my anniversary of entering into this world. Your time and efforts were stellar and much appreciated! And for those that are still perplexed at why my birthday is not an international holiday, I say to you: I KNOW, RIGHT! But don't worry the lobbying shall continue and it will be only a matter of time before we get another day off for drinking and eating. How else would you celebrate my life?!

Like A Bhat Out Of Hell

NATIONAL DISH OF NEPAL - Dal Bhat

Namaste GGJ Pilgrims! Today we are ascending some of the highest mountains in the world (metaphorically of course) as we sample some delicious Nepalese vegetarian cuisine. Now I know you are thinking "Leo, just because Nepal has the greatest proportion of Hindus than any other country, doesn't mean that they are all strict vegetarians." Well I say to you, good factoid! Way to go with the knowledge! However, I didn't choose Dal Bhat to be the Nepali national dish. But I did choose to cook the national dish of Nepal based on its' vegetarianism, due to it being my favourite vegetarian's birthday, Lady Cara!

Lady Cara is an interesting Moleface. She has a few paradoxes. Smart as a whip, Lady Cara is very intelligent. But place her in a conversation of more than 3 people (especially a conversation between Molefaces) and she'll be lost quicker than the passengers of Oceanic Flight 815! We always have to remind her of upcoming events, especially if we want to see her at them. But due to her vagueness, Lady Cara has developed her own ingenious philosophies. From "time is time, but we'll never have that time again" to "does anyone feel like it's five hours ago but now?", she is a venerable monk.

Unfortunately, Lady Cara does cop some flack from The Molefaces. As she is a vegetarian in a group of devout meateaters, she is generally catered for separately when we dine together. For instance, when we have BBQs, Molefaces feel there is no need to make salads for Lady Cara. She can always eat bread and sauce! Plus as everyone knows, you don't win friends with salad! And as avid GGJ pilgrims will remember, she is never gonna live down not putting peanut butter in the spiders! Despite all this, Lady Cara is still the Queen of the baked treats (if you exclude Hay Rae and myself)!

However, she is thoroughly genuine. What you see is blessedly what you get with Lady Cara. Compassion and tolerance in abundance, Lady Cara is always willing to extend a listening ear. And dismissive she is not, as without exception Lady Cara finds the positives in people and situations, and is willing to give people many chances at redemption. Even with these incredible traits, don't try to take advantage of her kindness, cause Lady Cara don't suffer no fools! So I thought we would find an extra special vegetarian national dish to cook for her birthday.

Dal bhat is a staple dish found across Nepal and consists of a lentil soup (Dal) and steamed rice (bhat). It is generally eaten twice a day, first in the mid-morning and then later in the early evening. At higher elevations, where rice is harder to grow, it may be substituted for other grains such as maize, millet or barley. Recipes for the dal vary from different ethnic groups, localities and even from different seasons. The lentils may be cooked with tomatoes, onion, chilli, ginger and garlic. But most recipes contain coriander, garam masala, cumin and tumeric. Dal bhat is often accompanied by a vegetable curry (tarkari), and a portion of pickle or chutney. Although a chicken, goat or fish curry and yoghurt may replace the tarkari.

 Enjoy, or as they say in Nepal, Masti garna!



A vegetarian national dish is rare, but look no further for the recipe: http://tbird86ghz.blogspot.com/2008/10/recipe-nepali-dal-baht.html

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:    4

Taste:               4

TOTAL:            12

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make. 

Not a very difficult dish to make, which one would expect from a dish that doesn't involve cooking meat. The dal has a few processes but that is nothing to baulk at. The only thing that made this meal slightly difficult to cook was having two Molefaces in my kitchen. My kitchen is basically the size of a matchbox, and it is hard enough for me to find space on my own. But with 2 lovely ladies "performing" what could only be described as a skit about bus travel between Broadie and Franger, cooking time is extending dramatically. Eventually we sat down to eat, so all's well that ends well.

Well the bhat looked like it should, it was white and fluffy. But since it is rice, I guess I cannot really expect more from it than it is. The dal on the other hand looked nothing like rice. The lentils smelled amazing with all the spices and herbs and the taste was something I had never experienced before. The texture of the lentils and the vegetables mixed with the mustard flavour of the turmeric and the earthy aroma of the jeera (cumin), produced a taste sensation. And as you would have heard in the video it was totes brothy! Perfect for any cold winters night. And with the side dishes of the chutney and tarkari it provided a venerable feast of colour.

And to top it off we of course had to have a birthday cake. Lady Cara has a weakness for chocolate, so she was an easy birthday diner to cook for. So for her I made a simple Chocolate Butter Cake. The cake devoured and the bus finally reaching its' destination the ladies left my kitchen. With full bellies and contented faces. Hope you enjoyed your specially vegetarian GGJ dinner Lady Cara, for it may be a while before we come across another non-meaty national dish!

We'll Take To The Yard Like A Coq [Au Vin] Fight

NATIONAL DISH OF FRANCE - Coq Au Vin

Bienvenue GGJ Pilgrims! We've finally reached the land of the venerable French cuisine! The French and all that comes with them are very close to my heart, and their food is particularly close to my stomach.

Across the Seine to La Tour Eiffel

One of the highlights of my life was travelling to France in 2008. And although I only got to set foot in Paris, it was a dream come true. My Contiki tour ended in Paris, and while most left to go back to London, I decided to remain in La Ville-Lumière for an extra week. This was during a bitter winter, where it rained nearly everyday. Added to that, I was alone and had basically no money left, so spent most of the days just walking around the arrondissements. In spite of this I have never felt so enamored with a city!

stunning Parisian sunset from the top of the Eiffel Tower

Entering the city, our tour guide showed off the architectural highlights. I was so fixated on each individual building that I wasn't taking in the whole landscape. We pulled out the front of l'École Militaire, which has been a Military College since 1750, and were told to see if we could find the soldiers training with lasers. This was to distract from what was around us, and when we were eventually told to turn right I was gobsmacked. That was the first time I saw La Tour Eiffel. Hopping off the bus and standing at the base of the Eiffel Tour is an indelible memory, and I was so awestruck (not to mention craning my neck sky high) that I didn't notice the hip height stone columns surrounding it. My shins were in pain, but nothing was gonna stop me from climbing that majestic structure right to the top! Except the wind, which was so blustery they closed off the 3rd level. Although I did go back a few days later and finally made it to the top!


I could write a novel about my times in Paris, but this post is long as it is. But the rest of my time was filled with great sights, sounds, drinks and of course food! From the Moulin Rouge to Musée du Louvre, Notre Dame de Paris to Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris has it all and more! And although Melbourne is still my favourite place in the world, Paris does come a close second!


With SO many delicious meals originating in this wonderful country it is quite hard to choose one that is most distinguishable as the national dish. Boeuf à la bourguignonne, bouillabaisse, cassoulet are just some of the dishes that spring to mind when you mention French gastronomy. I choose Coq au vin as the dish to cook, which is chicken braised in red wine, lardons and mushrooms. To me it symbolises the rich, hearty and rustic style of French cooking and it one of the best meals for sharing communally for a celebration and even just a Sunday meal. And of course there has to be plenty of vin to be consumed alongside it.


If you're an avid GGJ reader, and genuine GGJ pilgrim, you know that my love for amateur cooking began with a gift of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It was one of the best gifts I have received and I am in deep gratitude to my best friend Emma for starting me on my culinary path. So as an homage to Julia, I've decided to use her recipe for Coq au vin. Now you might be thinking "Sacrilège! Julia est américainne, pas le française!", and I say to you WOAH! lovely French speaking person. Whilst it is true that Julia is American, she developed the cookbook with two authentically genuine Frenchy McFrench madames from traditional French recipes. So by the transitive property I am essentially cooking with Julia Child! Tick that off the list of things to do in life!

This installment of The GGJ was constructed to celebrate La Fête Nationale, or as we say en anglais, Bastille Day. This day is generally thought, and rightfully so, to be the celebration of the storming of the Bastille in 1789, and the French people seizing power from the oppressive monarchy. However, I have found with research that it is to commemorate the anniversary of a GIANT feast that was held in 1790, which in turn was held to commemorate the anniversary of storming the Bastille. And I thought... celebrating past Fat Diabetic Whore feasts with another Fat Diabetic Whore feast... that is right up the alley of The Molefaces. So over they came for some French gastronomic good times!


Enjoy, or as they say in France, Bon appétit!



For Julia's classic Coq Au Vin recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/saras-secrets/chicken-in-red-wine-with-onions-mushrooms-and-bacon-coq-au-vin-recipe/index.html

Difficulty:         3

Appearance:    5

Taste:               4

TOTAL:            12

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make. 

For this splendiferous french delight, I used the famous Julia Child recipe. As detailed and process-filled as Julia recipes generally can be, and this certainly is one of those, I have cooked it several times. So I am pretty down with the Coq au vin, Julia style. But the chicken still simmers for about 2 hours, so that gives you time for the other components.

Now as I've said I have cooked this a few times, and have used different vin rouge. This has produced various hues to the chicken, from rustic brown to funky purple! This time however, it did look as it was supposed to. Taking just the chicken, it was a pleasant looking dish, but when served with a helping of gravy alongside some shallots and mushrooms it brings the salivating to a whole new level. Finally, when accompanied with some sides like butter beans and egg noodles, it paints a picture that could be found on any table throughout the French countryside.

And the taste was magnifique! A perfect meal to be had on a cold winters night (as July 14th is during winter in Australia). The meat was so tender it was falling off the bone. And the thickened gravy with bacon was divine! Washed down with some Burgundy and Côtes du Rhône, it was a typical meal that The Molefaces love to enjoy. All I need now is to find some way to get back to France

Roses Really Smell Like Pou-Pou[tine]

NATIONAL DISH OF CANADA - Poutine

O Canada! Our home and native land. Well it would be if I was Canadian. It is Canada Day today and I decided to celebrate our cousins of the Commonwealth by cooking up some Canadian culinary delights for my chums!

I travelled to Canada in 2009 for my good friend Tim's wedding. And although I only got to see one city (shout out to all the Edmontonians!) I thoroughly understand why Tim chooses to live there (another reason would be of course his wonderful wife Florence). Edmonton is a very scenic city. Situated in the lush North Saskatchewan River valley, the North Saskatchewan River bisects the city from it's origin in the close by Jasper National Park. Surrounded by prairies and forests, Edmonton is a nirvana for adventurous types. Or those looking to strike it rich in the oil fields around Edmonton.

But for me it is Edmonton's commercial attractions and the general way of life that sells the city. Edmonton has an IKEA (although I didn't get to go to it), a Costco (my first foray into the phenomenon), Tim Hortons (genius for inventing Maple doughnuts and Timbits), and of course a myriad of Poutine stockists. I had my first native Poutine experience at the Mecca of shopping centres, West Edmonton Mall. The largest shopping mall in North America, it contains an amusement park, a waterpark, a seal show, an ice skating rink, a mini-golf course, an indoor shooting range, a hotel, a petting zoo, an indoor skate park, a few nightclubs, a chapel, and 4 radio stations. It even has themed areas like Bourbon St, Europa Blvd and Chinatown. It seriously was like Disneyland for shopping addicts! However, what I became addicted to whilst in Canada was A&W Root Beer! Could not get enough of it.

It was my birthday whilst I was in Canada and Tim took me to Outback Steakhouse to make me feel more at home. A very loose Australian themed restaurant, it was comical to see how Americans perceive the Australian way of life. Items on the menu include Walkabout Soup, Alice Springs Chicken, Sydney's Sinful Sundae, and Chocolate Thunder from Down Under. One thing that wasn't comical was that I found a new love...the Bloomin' Onion. I won't even describe it to you, but if you've never experienced one, you need to go find one and devour it NOW!

Since I've been home I have scoured for the products which I loved during my Canadian times, and I have found a few. Thankfully I have found A&W Root Beer and a Bloomin' Onion, but have resigned the hope that I will ever find Molson Canadian or a Tim Horton equivalent in Australia. So if there is any generous Canadians out there that would be willing to send me some, I promise I will construct a place of worship in your honour!

Some countries have dishes that they don't perceive to be their national dish, but the rest of the world may. Poutine is one of those dishes. Largely affiliated with Quebec, however can be found across Canada, from fast-food chains and street stalls to diners and pubs. Poutine is a dish of fresh cheese curds placed atop some French fries and then smothered with brown sauce or beef gravy! Sounds delicious? Of course it does! If you answered no, you need to be evaluated and receive 500cc's of Poutine STAT! Any aversion people have to the notion of Poutine will melt away after the first forkful (which leads to the first bucketful!)

Enjoy, or as they say in Canada,  Enjoy! (ou bon appétit, si vous venez du Québec)



Need some delicious comfort food?: http://www.montrealpoutine.com/recipes.html
Recipe to make your own homemade cheese curds: http://www.ehow.com/how_5106352_make-cheese-curds-poutine.html

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:    4

Taste:               5

TOTAL:            13

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make.

There was not a great deal of difficulty in making the chips. Chopping the potatoes with a chipper makes it a lot easier. The interesting process was making the curds from scratch. It didn't take that long and it was cool to see the milk transform before your eyes. You need to make it the night before though and the use of cheesecloth to rid all the whey out of the curds. And the gravy can be as simple or as difficult as you want. A regular instant gravy is fine, but a tasty gravy made from stock is brilliant!

There may not be a lot of colour to Poutine (white, brown and gold), and it may look greasy to some, but to me it symbolises the epitome of comfort food. The method of double frying creates a crunchier chip, which is juxtaposed to the softness of the cheese curds. You can tell if the curds are fresh if they "squeak" when chewed. But it is the beef gravy which gives of an irresistible aroma, that can be smelled rooms away and directs people to the culinary divination. Warm, crunchy and cheesy all rolled up into one. Comforting success!

The day of celebration for our Commonwealth cousins was a roaring and fun filled success! The poutine was delicious of course, and it was easily washed down with some Canadian Club, which for Chad and I it is the boisson de choix! But the surprise of the night was the revelation of the Nanaimo Bars. I asked my friend Tim why they had not introduced me to Nanaimo Bars whilst I was in Canada, but he had never heard of them, so I can forgive that. I highly recommend those that like chocolate and custard in slice form to find the recipe and make them quickly! The only thing missing was some awes Canadian entertainment [read: any of the Degrassi series], and of course some A&W Root Beer and Molson Canadian! O Canada, we stand of guard for thee!

I've Got A Red Bulgogi And Vodka Up In My Hand

NATIONAL DISH OF NORTH KOREA - Bulgogi

The Molefaces are ones that are excellent for thinking of exciting plans. Our strong suit though is not following through with said plans (our strong suit is of course eating and drinking!) We have been planning for ages to all go away for the weekend, down the coast somewhere to a beach house. Lady Lara's boss Joh has a holiday house in the coastal town of Ocean Grove, and we were finally able to coordinate our schedules to take advantage of Joh's hospitality. So off The Molefaces went to The OG for Molefaces On Tour! WOOP WOOP!!

Lady Lara and I went ahead early on the Friday night to set up the joint for the others, but also so we could choose the best beds! We decided that we would take all the provisions needed for the weekend, so that we could just chillax and not have to venture out. Lara had bought a delicious vegetarian lasagne for dinner that night, and I made a "Blair" Waldorf salad. The rest of the night consisted of chips and dips, all washed down with a "few" glasses of champagne.

The next day the sun came out and most of The Molefaces chose to recline in the sunlight, reading trashy magazines and glamourising themselves. I say some, for I was in the kitchen whipping up some Korean food. No rest for the wicked! The rest of the time was spent relaxing, and there wasn't as many drinks Saturday night for some of us were still nursing sore heads ("Pass the DC!") We played a hilarious game of Celebrity Heads, where we leaned that according to Lady Lara, the most influential African-American woman is P Diddy (she had Oprah on her head). We also asked each other bonding questions from a deck of question cards, and the girls have now become apprehensive after hearing that 'if I could do anything without there being any risk'..I would commit murder. Don't worry Molefaces, I promise to use my hands and not any weapons! We didn't want to journey back to Melbourne, and wished that we could spend a few days longer in the OG. We'll definitely go back, to a great place, for good times, with excellent friends and of course more delicious Korean food!

Bulgogi is a Korean dish that is generally made up of marinated beef. Korean for "fire meat", Bulgogi is named for the method of cooking on an open flame, and not for it's spiciness. Although what is Korean for "mouth on fire"? Made from thin slices of sirloin and then marinated in soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and some tenderiser like pear juice and/or rice wine. Other ingredients can be added such as onions, mushrooms and spring onions. Bulgogi is traditionally grilled or barbecued, although pan frying is also common. Sliced onions, green capsicum and cloves of garlic can be fried up as well to give the Bulgogi extra flavour. Served with a side of lettuce and sticky rice, a slice of meat is then wrapped up to form a Bulgogi parcel. A dab of ssamjang (a thick, spicy paste) is then place on top and then the parcel is eaten as a whole. It is apparently poor manners to take bites instead of eating as a whole, so I recommend only a small amount of ingredients in the parcel. Unless you are able to 'unhinge your jaw' like some of The Molefaces.

Enjoy, or as they say in North Korea,  잘 먹겠습니다! (jal meokkesseumnida!)



Looking for some delicious Korean BBQ?: http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/147/Bulgogi

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:    4

Taste:               4

TOTAL:            12

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make.

For the best way to get some flavour into a meat, I've found that you need to marinate it. Sometimes for overnight (or several days in the case of sauerbraten), but sometimes all you need is an hour or two. A few ingredients, mixing with each other to form complex flavours. How easy to make something delicious.

The finish product was definitely one of the most colourful dishes we've had in a while. The freshness of the red lettuce, the crisp white of the sticky rice, the succulence of the browned meat, the spicy paste of the red ssamjamg, and to top it off the garnish of sesame seeds. Pretty as a picture. If you're the kind of person that eats with your eyes, you'll have no problem putting away some bulgogi parcels. The Molefaces were certainly impressed, as you can hear in the video.

And the parcels were delicious! Biting through the crisp lettuce, to the soft sticky rice and flavoursome meat, which is salty and sweet. Then if you are brave enough to try some ssamjamg on top, you get a good hit of chilli paste that infuses extra flavour out of the meat. Not to mention potentially setting your mouth on fire. The textures and flavours melded together well to form an exquisite Asian meal, that is well balanced.

Hope you enjoyed your personal Korean BBQ Molefaces, we definitely gotta sample some more food from the Korean peninsula!

What A Ful Believes

NATIONAL DISH OF FGYPT - Ful Medames

I had been cooking for The Molefaces for a while, but haven't really made many GGJ meals for my family. This is mainly due to that most of them live 300km north of me. However, my oldest sister Dot and her family moved to Melbourne earlier this year and they live only 20 mins away. I usually go over to their house every week, and have made meals and tasty delights for them on numerous occasions. My nephew and niece Brock and Paige love my macarons and always suggest they need to be made again. But I have never actually made a GGJ meal for them. So over I went for dinner, and decided I would try out some Egyptian cuisine on the Dixons. But I felt I needed a kitchen assistant. Brock was away competing in tennis tournaments in the US, so Paige stepped up to the task, even with her own apron.

Ful Medames is a staple throughout the Middle East, and is eaten by all, no matter their socio-economic status. An ancient dish by any standards, that is believed to have even been consumed by pharaohs. A simple meal, Ful consists of mashed fava beans, smooth olive oil, crushed garlic, acidic lemon juice, and fresh chopped parsley. These ingredients provide a myriad of textures and flavours, and are enhanced by a little spice that is characteristic of Middle Eastern cuisine. Often eaten before sunrise, particularly during the fasting month of Ramadan, Ful Medames is eaten with pita bread (either stuffed inside or scooped up by). It may then garnished with hard boiled or fried eggs. Ful Medames is a traditional and communally shared meal, evident of the hospitality found in places that serve it as a long-lasting breakfast.

Enjoy, or as they say in Egypt,  بالهنا و الشفاء! (bil hana wish shifa'!)



Link for an excellent Middle Eastern dip: http://books.google.com/books?id=ptZgNoobsyUC&pg=PA570&dq=ful+medames+buried&hl=en&ei=ytFBTsu-KOWDmQWbmaGrCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=ful%20medames%20buried&f=true

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:    3

Taste:               4

TOTAL:            11

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make.

This is a pretty simple meal to make and it doesn't take that long to produce it. Which is not surprising since it is mostly eaten at breakfast time. For if Egyptians are anything like myself, I am not at my most active in the morning. So most foods need to be simple, and require hardly any preparation.

Despite the unflattering brown colour, the Ful did look very appetising! Especially with the flecks of green from the parsley that had been mixed through it.

I think we just found my new favourite dip! The texture of the mashed fava beans go really well with the pita bread, whether it is soft or heated/cooked. But the flavour, oh the flavour! The spices give the beans a good kick of flavour, but I highly suggest you watch the amount of cumin and cayenne pepper that you add. Because you don't want them to overpower the other flavours of the dish, or set people's mouth on fire if they are not used to heat. And the lemon juice adds a good twist to the dish, complimenting the beans and spices exceptionally well.

But the biggest surprise, was that the Dixons ate it all! I thought it was gonna be difficult to get them to try Ful, and that due to the spices they wouldn't like it. But Dot and Greg loved it! So much so, that Greg asked me if I expected to take it home, cause there wasn't gonna be any left. Paige on the other hand sampled some and instantly declared her dislike for it. Children can be fussy eaters, so this may be expected when given to other kids, but Paige will pretty much eat anything. In fact her nickname is "The Vulture". Well thank you for your culinary assistance Paige Dixon, your apprenticeship at The GGJ has only just begun!

I Griots You, That's All I Want

NATIONAL DISH OF HAITI - Griots avec Riz et Pois

I was growing tired of Melbourne's bleak and tempestuous weather, and the problem is we're not even officially in winter! Normally I thrive in the cold, but this year we didn't really have a summer and so it feels like winter has started WAY too early. So I thought I would take a week off and head north to the Gold Coast for some well needed higher temperatures, some R&R, and some catch up time with my best mate Emma. So The GGJ is going on tour!

Emma and I have known each other for over a thousand years, and even though we started out unlikely friends, we are now as thick as thieves. We have very different personalities. Emma is smarter, more compassionate, more composed, more orderly, and generally diviner than I. But one thing I win is I am HI-LARIOUS. And even though she now lives over 1700km away, our indescribable connection (and indecipherable language) makes it feel like it's only 30kms! Now she has lived in Queensland for 5 years, and I am such an awesome friend that I have visited her not even once. So I thought she had earned not just some Leo-Emma face time, but a chance to sample my wonderful cooking. It was the least I could do for someone that has brought Mimeo and Shannon Attitude Problem into my life!

Emma is not only my best mate, but also my publicist. She has sent the link of The GGJ to everyone in her office, and it has certainly helped with increasing my view count. So a BIG shout out to those at John Deere, thanks for reading guys! And it was by this act that I found The GGJ's #1 fan - Denise. Denise works with Emma and regularly keeps up with the happenings of The GGJ. So I thought since I was in the neighbourhood, I just HAD to go and cook for her and Cath. I asked them to choose a region that they would like their dish to come from, and they selected the Caribbean. Now I am always mindful of the dietary requirements of people I cook for, some from the past which include vegetarian, gluten free, fructose free, allergic to seafood etc. But was not expecting such a limiting requirement from Denise and Cath......Cath is allergic to garlic. Automatically my heart goes out to Cath, for I feel my life would be detrimentally affected without garlic in it. In fact I asked Denise, when she found out this important fact was her first response "umm...I think it's time we see other people". Of course this was not what she did, for Denise is a lovely human being (she goes for North Melbourne Kangaroos as well, so she's obviously a genius!). And by dropping the garlic and sticking with Cath, they have been blessed with the cherubic Ollie.

So with no garlic in mind I looked through recipes of national dishes throughout the Caribbean. Normally it can be difficult to choose a country, but there was only 2 out of 14 Caribbean national dishes that had no garlic, so picking was easy! Haitian Griots avec Riz et Pois is fried pork with rice and beans, which is a staple that can been found all over Haiti. Relatively inexpensive, it is a good source of energy but also provides in abundance iron, protein and amino acids. The fried pork is generally marinated in bitter orange juice with shallots and chilli, boiled in water and then finally fried until crunchy on the outside but still soft on the inside. Sounds delish yes?!

 Enjoy, or as they say in Haiti, Bon Appeti!

Difficulty:         3

Appearance:    4

Taste:               3

TOTAL:            10

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make.

There are a few processes here, with you making 3 components of a bigger meal. This would have turned into a bit of a juggling match if I had to cook it in my miniscule kitchen. Thankfully at Chez Perks they have a massive amount of bench space. Not to mention so many burners on their stove top that you could mistake it for the fire and light show at Crown Casino Promenade. Also I had some help from some incredible sous chefs and camera crew.


The final result was a combination of textures and flavours directly from The Caribbean. The fried pork although with a deceptive taste was fantasmagorical! Crunchy on the outside, but deliciously soft and succulent on the inside. And the flavour of the marinade was still evident, with the pork having a nice citrus taste. However it would have been more apparent if you didn't add water to cook it in, thereby diluting the marinade. The rice didn't have a lot of seasonings to give it it flavour, but that doesn't mean it lacked any. The capsicum and kidney beans not only provided a great taste, but also a burst of colour to juxtapose the white of the rice. The only downside to the dish (personally, personally, personally in my opinion) was the plantains. Green bananas just don't cut it. And it doesn't help that I didn't really caramelise them properly.

The night ended on a culinary high note with home made Haitian ice cream. First of all, I was astounded that I could make ice cream without a fancy expensive ice cream maker. But then I remembered that obviously people have been doing it for hundreds if years. DER LEO!! But as I found sometimes in the kitchen, you don't always need fancy kitchen contraptions to create a masterpiece! And the chocolate and clove ice cream was a testament to that! Not a big fan of the clove, but it's mix with chocolate was beyond amazing and requires that you make a large batch to keep up with demand.

So thanks to all my Queensland fans (now friends) for allowing this crazy amateur cook into your life (and more importantly your kitchen). I appreciated your hospitality, not to mention your "yummy" noises. The GGJ may have to make another trip to your fair state real soon!