The Victoria Room Tea Salon, Westfield Sydney

A week after my birthday and I was still celebrating. Don't you wish we could celebrate for the whole month? This time it was with my dearest friend C who took me out to a hi-tea event at The Victoria Room Tea Salon at Westfield Sydney. The tea room is located strategically in the centre of the Designer Gallery on Level 4. As one sips tea from lovely fine bone china tea cups with the little pinky pointing upwards (I didn't do this), you can also window shop at the same time, admiring the beautiful fashion in spring colours.  The hi-tea event was part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival, but you can also just visit at other times for hi-tea. There were many groups of ladies having hi-tea; it's such a girlie event, catching up on gossip, sipping tea or champagne (aka sparkling wine), tasting delicious morsels as we go.

The typical English High tea usually involves a cup (mug) of tea, bread, cheese, vegetables and some meat too. I did a search on the web to find out more about high tea. One possible reason I found states that "this type of meal was called high tea is the fact that it was eaten at a table", whereas afternoon tea is more casual and taken on sofas and comfortable chairs.

That afternoon, C and I did not have a cup of tea, bread, cheese, vegetables and meat. Instead, we started out with a glass of sparkling wine, followed by crustless finger sandwiches with four different fillings - roast beef with horseradish and baby cress; smoked salmon with rocket, lemon and capers; cucumber with cream cheese and chicken with wild herbs. The next tier had the sweets - lemon cheesecake, chocolate mousse cup, vanilla cupcake with passionfruit icing and fruit tartlet. On the top tier were the two scones which we had each selected - C chose the white choc and cranberry and I chose the lemon, pistachio and currant.

To accompany the delicious food, I chose an Assam tea; a strong full-bodied tea that goes well with milk. C chose a fruity herbal tea called Turkish Apple; beautifully sweet and tangy.

I am truly blessed to have a friend like C. We've known each other for a number of years now, and we have been through some good and bad times too, as our friendship has grown. She was with me earlier this year when I had a breast cancer scare which turned out to be nothing. Besides the amazing hi-tea, C also gave me a Kikki-K Foodie Gift Pack - how perfect! Thank you C for the hi-tea and gift.

P.S. Apologies for the photo quality. I brought my camera but only discovered the battery was flat  at the Tea Salon.

Pilu

To celebrate my milestone birthday, we went with a group of close friends to Pilu, a two chef hats restaurant located in Freshwater at Sydney Northern Beaches. We chose to have lunch so that we can enjoy the beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and Freshwater (aka Freshie) Beach. The weather that day was the best we've had in Sydney for some time (after grey and cloudy days). The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the ocean sparkling blue green waters. The company was awesome.... lunch went on for 4.5 hours. Time just flew by when you're in great company. It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends without the children, having adult conversations, enjoying the wine and meal.

From our table, we had a beautiful view of Freshie.

For entrees, we had:

De-boned quail wrapped in pancetta, stuffed with chicken livers, fennel and tarragon

Those who chose the quail enjoyed the different flavours from the salty pancetta to the chicken livers. I thought the quail was well-presented.

Saffron spaghettini, QLD Spanner Crab, crispy guanciale and pangrattato

I really enjoyed the saffron spaghettini. Guanciale is unsmoked Italian bacon prepared from pig's cheeks. It was not too salty and flavoursome. It was a good balance to the spanner crab.

Salt baked NZ King Salmon, saffron kipfler potatoes, baby leeks and beetroot puree

The salt-baked salmon was tender and smooth.

For mains, half the table ordered the Oven-roasted suckling pig.

Oven roasted suckling pig - various cuts, served on the bone with traditional
farm house suckling pig sausage

I enjoyed the suckling pig, with the crispy skin. It was a pity that the slices of pig sausage was so thin, it was difficult to taste the full flavour, would have preferred a slightly larger slice.

Tasmanian Wilderness beef sirloin, cavolo nero and bottarga butter

Slow cooked Coronga lamb, cous cous, olive and almond salad, pan juices

Chris had the lamb, which I thought was slightly overcooked, but he enjoyed it.

Unbeknownst to me, Cindy had pre-ordered my birthday cake from the restaurant. When she rang to enquire about bringing a cake, she was told that the chef could make a cake - and there were about 4 or 5 choices to choose from. Cindy chose the Almond and Orange amaretto cake. It was a good choice, the cake was dense but moist.  Thanks Cindy, you have good taste.

The cake was beautiful presented on a plate with gold flakes and flowers.

We finished this delicious meal with coffee and petit fours.

Do you spy a missing nougat piece?

"On the Beach", Moore Road
Freshwater NSW 2096
Telephone: (02) 9938 3331
E-mail: dining@piluatfreshwater.com.au 

Six Today

Six years ago, Caitlin surprised all of us by arriving three weeks earlier than her EDD. None of us were ready for her birth, especially me since I was only a week into maternity leave. However, Caitlin was impatient and anxious to join the real world. Six years on, Caitlin has grown into a sweet little girl who endears to all who know her. She is affectionate, thoughtful, caring, loving, generous and selfless. She adores her older sister, Ashleigh and holds her in high regard. Caitlin always thinks of her sister, wherever she goes. Every time we are at the shops, if I buy Caitlin something, she will insist that we find something to buy for Ashleigh too. Kindergarten has been a breeze for Caitlin and she enjoys her time at school, making new friends and playing with them. Since starting big school this year, Caitlin has mature before your eyes.

Caitlin, you bring much joy and laughter into everyone's lives with the funny things that spout from your mouth. You are always thoughtful and would ask me how my day went when I walk into the house after work. You greet me every morning with a hug and kiss and you do the same before you sleep at night.

I know I am the most important person in your life, then Grandma who comes next, followed by Daddy and Ashleigh.

We all love you very much and thank God each day for bringing you into our lives.

May the good Lord bless you always and send his angels to watch over you each and everyday.

Guess Who's 12?

Happy Birthday Ashleigh!!

source: www.zazzle.com.au

12 years ago, we welcomed you into our lives. You were a wee baby, tipping the scales at just 3.005kg with your tiny hands and feet. From the 1st day, you brightened our lives with your big brown eyes and beautiful black hair. It's hard to imagine where the 12 years have gone. Looking at you now, a young girl soon to be a teenager, starting your 1st year in high school. We are immensely proud of you, proud of all that you have achieved at your young age, proud of who you are and the values that you hold true.

WE ALL LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

We celebrated Mum's birthday today. My Mum is a fantastic cook, hence, she is not keen on store-bought cakes, with the exception of a flourless chocolate cake she tasted recently. The aforementioned chocolate cake was bought by a friend who resides in Wollongong. I digress... both my girls and I made her a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for her birthday.

1 cup oil
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
3 egs
3 cups coarsely grated carrot
1 cup (120gm) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped raisins
2 1/2 cup self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsps mixed spice

1. Grease an 8in round cake tin, line base with baking paper.
2. Beat oil, sugar and eggs in a bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy.
3. Add the grated carrots, nuts and raisins, followed by the sifted dry ingredients.
4. Pour mixture into prepared pan, bake in moderate oven for 45 minutes.
5. Cover loosely with foil, bake for further 45 minutes.
6. Stand a few minutes in the pan before turning onto wire rack to cool.
7. Top cold cake with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

30gm butter
80gm cream cheese, softened
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted

1. Beat butter, cheese, rind and juice in small bowl with electric mixer. Beat well until light and fluffy. 
2. Gradually add in sifted icing sugar.

Birthday Cakes

My girls are really lucky. I always try to make their birthday cakes. Here are photos of some cakes that I have made and decorated.

My Mum's Birthday

My Mum celebrates her birthday on Wednesday. As it is a working day and also the 1st day of Term 3, we decided to have dinner tomorrow night. My girls and I made some cupcakes for her. This recipe is from Nestle, which we came across in Donna Hay's Kids 2009 magazine.

Ashleigh Turns 10

My eldest daughter, had a birthday party at home today. It was a jewellery beading party for 13 girls (she was suppose to invite only 10 but ended up with 12 plus her). I made the birthday cupcakes and cake. Ash chose the decorations for the cupcake. I was going to buy the cupcake stand but found a site with instructions on to make one from here. It was easy, I bought two foam rounds 6 and 8 inch and covered it with lilac and white coloured ribbons, colours chosen by Ash.


My hubby and I prepared the food. On the menu (as requested by Ash), the girls had:

• Chicken Schnitzel
• Chicken and Vegetable sausage roll (from Delicious Magazine)
• Potato gems
• Cheezels
• Fruit kebabs
  
  
  We kept the food simple because we knew the girls would be busy with the beading.
  

It was so busy that we forgot to take pictures of the food. Only remembered the cake. The girls had a great time, busy with their hands and chatting away. They each made three projects - bracelet, pair of earrings and necklace. A few girls also managed to make a ring. Lovely creations by all, colourful ones too. I'm sorry I can't post photos of the girls.

Pavlova

This recipe is called Fluffy Pavlova from the Family Circle Cookbooks. It was hubby's birthday on Saturday, and he wanted Pavlova. For those who are not familiar with Pavlova, it's basically a meringue dessert topped with cream and fresh fruits. According to Wikipedia, it was named after a Russian ballet dancer, Anna Pavlova.

Fluffy Pavlova



Ingredients
5 egg whites
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 teaspoons cornflour
pinch of baking powder
cream (to be whipped for decoration)
fruits – strawberries, kiwi, passionfruit


Method
Brush 8in or 20cm springform tin with melted butter. Line base and sides with baking paper with paper extending 3cm higher than top of tin. Brush the insides with melted butter and dust with cornflour, remove excess.
Heat oven at low temperature (for my oven about 90oC.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks appear, then add gradually add sugar, make sure that sugar is well beaten.
Add vinegar, cornflour and baking powder.
When stiff white peaks form, pour the mixture into prepared tin.
Bake for 45 minutes.
The pavlova will rise quite dramatically, turn off heat and leave in oven till completely cool.
The pavlova may collapse by this time but it should be OK once you cover with whipped cream and fruits.