I have been dreaming of a brownie, a dense, chocolaty, fudgy, maybe a little cakey, thick, yummy brownie. I have to confess that I have a favourite and go to recipe for almost every dessert or cake but I don’t have one for the humble brownie.
Don’t get me wrong I have made some pretty tasty, delicious brownies but I am yet to find the one that I can give my whole heart to. And so I have embarked on a mission to find that brownie that can fill this gaping hole and I’m going to chronicle this little mission. Let the brownie games begin!
Attempt no. 1: I found a well recommended recipe on Pinterest (No Pics…) and it did prove to be chocolaty and fudgy and richly delicious. It just wasn’t what I’m looking for.
Attempt no. 2: I found this recipe through the Brown Eyed Baker website, in fact there are a few recipes on there. Again this made amazing rich, fudgy, chocolaty pieces of brownie heaven and everyone was pretty happy. Needless to say these didn’t last very long, they were pretty much wiped out as a testament to the tastiness.
These were epic, delicious and like a warm chocolaty hug, however still not the brownie I’m looking for. The top was cracked and inviting and the brownie itself was thick, fudge richness. I used this French Chocolate Brownie recipe and I would definately recommend it to anyone! In fact it will probably make an appearance here soon!
So if anyone out there has a great brownie recipe for me to try leave a comment. Also I want to add that going on a mission to find the perfect brownie is a great idea, even if I don’t find what I’m looking for I still get delicious brownies to console me.
Ok so I went M.I.A again, I have been somewhat crazy busy baking and cooking and visiting new things and places however no great pics came of it so no blog post.
It’s really strange or even difficult to hold off a group of people or hungry family when you’re trying to take a pic of dinner. So some of the things I made this past week includes:
Brownies
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Doughnuts
Sundried Tomato Stuffed steak and…
Dorito Enchilda Casserole
to name some of the more exciting dinners and treats. I also managed a pleasant brunch at Dobbs at the Val Bonne Country Estate in the Modderfontein Nature Reserve. Which is actually an amazing little oasis of nature in the midst of Johannesburg. It’s super popular with cyclists, I didn’t even know about it but I think I’ll definately be going back at some point. Alas no pics of brunch either I was too involved with friends and food and the beauty.
BarCrafters Rooftop Bar View
I did however manage to chronicle a great rooftop bar in my neighbourhood of Norwood. It’s called Crafter’s and sits at the very top of the Factory on Grant. It’s a very simple, unpretentious bar with great views across the Northern suburbs, it’s also a good place to catch a chilled drink with friends on a Sunday afternoon.
Rooftop Bar
Crafters has a small bar with a variety of cocktails, drinks and craft beer draughts on offer. The Vovo Telo caters you all your food, meal or snack needs, although since there’s multiple levels in between it does mean a bit of a wait and there’s no quick orders.
Burger with sweet potato fries – Vovo Telo
None the less, I am really happy to have an easy, relaxed place to go right around the corner. The great view is a total bonus!
The second leg of our trip through Greece took us through Paros. Paros is an island in the Cyclades and a major port for most ferries through the Cyclades and onto other islands.
A lot of times when you travel to exotic or dream destinations you have an idea or an image of what that place should be. Many times that image is a very small tourism marketing picture. Paros and Greece on the whole proved that that’s not always the case. When you imagine Greece with the whitewashed houses and blue balconies overlooking a beautiful beach and a lulled Mediterranean, it pretty much is exactly what you get. Paros and Naoussa in particular makes that image a reality. What makes it even better is that it’s not a specific area or a singular spot its the whole town.
The Main city in Paros is Parikia, which plays host to the port on Paros and is also a central point for activities on the island. The main road that runs along the port is lined with a variety of little stores and restaurants.
Another town on Paros and our base is Naoussa, like most cycladic towns Naoussa is full of character with small cobbled alley ways, whitewashed buildings and shades of blue trim making a simple walk through almost magical.
The town of Naoussa is quaint and beautiful, it sits on a small harbour with boats that take you to different beaches on the island. The cute little town has a wide variety of restaurants and boutique stores. The loukomades from the store in Naoussa is unparalleled and highly recommended. Every meal and meze we had on Paros island was beautiful and fresh, I think the best advice is to try everything.
The best Loukomades…with ice cream…& Chocolate sauce
The local bars and clubs are located at the end of the harbour and are stylish and very popular with both Greeks and tourists. We were there towards the end of August which is towards the end of the summer high season, however we were told that during the busy summer months Naoussa can be absolutely packed.
We stayed at a friends apartment on the island however, there is an endless variety of accommodation options available in Naoussa. Travel and getting around the island is also very easy, a public bus runs between major points throughout the day. There are numerous rental places that offer a variety of vehicles from mopeds to mini SUV’s and four wheelers.
There are fantastic beaches around every corner in Paros. Golden beach has a collection of beach clubs and bars that line the beach. The straight between Paros and AntiParos is absolutely stunning and is famous for watersports such as kitesurfing. In all honesty with such a variety of options it’s one of those islands where you can find your own personal favourite spot and make it special.
Secret Cliff Diving spot
Paros and Naoussa in particular is a trip that shouldn’t be missed!
One of the latest additions to Joburg’s Market scene is 1 Fox – it’s a new market and event space that is wonderfully located along the western edge of Johannesburg CBD.
The Market venue is within a group of original industrial warehouse spaces that date back to the 1920’s. The history and story of the buildings is really great and plays such a valuable role in the presence of the shed. In fact it is a character on it’s own, it’s a great space to spend some time in. You can read more about the History on the 1 Fox website.
I am a huge sucker for Johannesburg CBD, I love anything that happens within the CBD and I happily jump at the opportunity to visit exciting new places. I have to be honest I am thrilled about the nodal revival that is happening in Johannesburg. I hope that the people who visit the markets love and enjoy the experience and keep coming back. It’s a huge nerdy dream of mine that there’ll be a day where Johannesburg CBD will one day be a fun, friendly place again.
1 Fox is a market and event venue, the market itself is open from Fridays – Sundays and the Good Luck Bar (Which also has a rich history with the area) is open from Thursday night to Sunday. The bar has a wonderful stock of craft beers. The Shed also plays host to live music events and private functions.
The market has a great space within the shed, there is ample seating and an entertainment area for kids. The vendors at the market range from design and goods to artisan bakers. The food market is well represented with a large variety of food on offer, including the popular Balkan Burger and Black Sam. There is such a great variety it’s actually a little difficult to decide where to start, between the food, tarts, desserts and drinks it may require more than one visit.
The live music happens every Thursday night from 16:00 – 21:30 and the act’s change every week. To keep informed about all music events and exciting things happening at 1 Fox, follow them on Facebook or check the website.
Make a turn at 1 Fox with the family or some friends its really a great space with wonderful atmosphere for all. If you do give it a visit let me know what you thought.
Lenin’s Vodka Bar is in the Maboneng district in Joannesburg CBD. This bar is crazy cool for a few reasons:
It’s laid back and chilled – the small courtyard is slightly sheltered from the outside world by the container contained cycling store making the space feel very intimate yet relaxed.
Vodka, Vodka and more Vodka – If you are a Vodka fan then this bar is a definate must visit! Think a variety of Vodka’s from every corner of the globe with a little bit of background and an almost endless variety of Vodka inspired cocktails.
Half Price Happy Hour – That’s right cocktails at half price from 5pm- 7pm (I think…) need we say more?
Selection of tasty foods such as sweet potato fries and Cajun Fried Calamari.
Lenin’s Vodka Bar – CourtyardLenin’s Vodka Bar – CourtyardLenin’s Vodka Bar – Lemon DropLenin’s Vodka Bar – MenuLenin’s Vodka Bar – Inner working
So do the right thing and captilise on a warm sunny weekend afternoon with some comrades and the best of mother Russia.
Ok I confess this post is a little bit of a throwback! Just over a year ago I visited Vietnam with my husband and a friend of ours.
Vietnam was truly a land of wonder, history and beauty; it was a great experience and a wonderful trip! (And it deserves it own Blog post or maybe a few…) When I think back one of the best or most memorable parts are the little plastic tables and chairs…
All through Asia small street vendors that sell a variety and some of the best food on offer, do so with stalls and an array of plastic chairs and tables, in alleys, on sidewalks pretty much anywhere they can sell food. The plastic chairs and tables in Vietnam felt way smaller than anywhere else, like tiny kindergarten sized. The size of the tables and chairs proved to be pretty endearing and also I now associate some of the best food moments I had with the little chairs and tables.
This recipe came about after we stumbled into some tiny plastic tables and chairs on a busy Hanoi street on chilly Christmas eve. There was a cute Vietnamese family that ran the place. Large steaming bowls of clams kept coming to the little tables accompanied with mounds of fresh Vietnamese herbs and sauces.
Ingredients
So I came home and had to atleast give it a try, try to reclaim the glory of clams on a sidewalk in the cold. My attempt at Clams was a success , but it lacked some magic though probably since we didn’t eat on tiny plastic chairs on a sidewalk.
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Recipe: Vietnamese Clams in lemongrass and Ginger Broth – Con Nghêu Hấp
Ingredients:
2 kg small clams
2-3 stalks lemongrass, sliced thinly
5 slices ginger
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
2 red chilli ,
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
Method:
Soak Clams in water for about an hour. Put 1 lt of water into a large pot and bring to the boil. Steam clams for about 5 or 10 minutes until clams are fully open. Discard any clams that do not open.
Remove all clams and set aside. Add all the remaining ingredients to the water and let the broth reduce for a further 15 or 20 minutes.
Place all clams back into the broth and let cook for a further minute.
Serve hot with a generous helping of Vietnamese/Asian herbs such as Thai Basil and mint also known as a “Rau sống” and Vietnamese spicy fish sauce.
Vietnamese Clams in Ginger and lemongrass broth with spicy fish sauce
Vietnamese Spicy Fish Sauce Recipe – Nuoc Cham
Ingredients:
2 spicy red chillies sliced
2 tspns Minced Garlic
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 Tblspn sugar
1 Tblspn lemon juice
1 cup water
Method:
Combine all ingredients into a bowl, refrigerate until ready to serve.
I was very lucky to spend a few weeks in Greece last August. It was our first visit to Greece, which is somewhat weird since we have a lot of Greek friends who are very welcoming.
We spent a total of 3 weeks in Greece travelling between 3 major islands Paros, Naxos and Santorini and visiting attractions, beaches and restaurants along the way. For this blog post I’m going to start at the beginning and probably where everyone’s journey through Greece starts…In Athens!!
Sprawling Athens
Athens is the Capital of Greece and is a very large city that plays host to the International airport and the port Piraeus that inevitably takes you to all the exciting islands. Athens and Greece are famous throughout history for Art, philosophy and some of the greatest legends. Just a few relatively well known such as…Plato, Aristotle & Socrates to name a few. Greece and Athens in particular is a modern European country that is meshed intrinsically with a rich and deep history.
We had a basic list of must do’s and sights in Athens. We stayed in the Plaka district which is basically the old town of Athens, it sits at the base of the Acropolis and is basically central to most major attractions in Athens. Plaka is beautiful, it is the quintessential small cobblestone alleys dotted with restaurants and homes. For anyone visiting Athens, Plaka and it’s surrounds is the place to stay. We stayed at hostel since we figured we’d be adventuring most of the time before we made our way to the islands. Our hostel was the Student and Travellers Inn it was relatively cheap, accommodations were basic but location was prime.
Plaka older BuildingsPlaka Streets
We managed to visit all the major sites in Athens in one walking day, thanks to our great and central location we walked from site to site, if you start your tour at the Acropolis (or really at any site along the major site list) you can purchase an all inclusive tickets for 12 Euro’s that basically get’s you into every attraction, including all Acropolis, Hadrians Arch and the ancient Agora to name a few.
Acropolis – AthensAcropolis – Athens
We were there in August so we missed the major Summer rush, however I doubt that places like the Acropolis get quiet. It’s also very hot, so dress appropriately.
Monastiraki
Monastiraki is the major shopping and market area in Athens. The market is most popular with tourists where you can find a multitude of curios, food, clothing and leather sandals stores. It is also a major subway station stop with a large variety of connections. I can definately recommend Thanassis for a greek gyro in the market. Cross the major road into a shopping mecca with all the popular stores from Mango & Zara to Nike. All the while walking from, towards or within a range of historical sites.
Athens Flea Market – Monastiraki
Food in Greece is typical Mediterranean, meze is a very popular way to eat and gives you an opportunity to try a variety of dishes. Gyro’s are a typical Greek fast food and are found everywhere at a relatively cheap price.
Lampshades light the way
We spent a few days exploring Athens and visiting the sites before we left for the Islands, on our return leg we spent more time in Athens. We rented a magnificent apartment off Airbnb again right next to the Plaka district very close to the Acropolis Museum and spent our time hanging out, visiting the surrounding restaurants and bars and enjoying the great weather.
Life.Lights.Love 