Taste of Melbourne 2017 @ Friday, November 30, 2018

Taste of Melbourne 2017
Thursday 30th Nov


So at some point the program I use to edit my photos became no longer free, paired with that and illness (all dental) we became really behind, so often these days we're keeping it real. Like that lighting there.


I absolutely love presha fruit! How cute are these lunch box sized ones?

The first day of the Taste of Melbourne! This year we've got a vip amex marquee, fancy glamping tents (do they have air con? Cause I love that as a date idea) and some other events on the side. Like a $160 open bar, cheese platters and canapes 10th birthday party. Alas we weren't invited... one day.

Set at yarra park it's behind joliment station, no swan sh*t, yay! Lots of grass no dust or mud. It's also much more spread out. Picnic style was highly encouraged thanks to the picnic rugs from amex.

It's near joliment and the 75 tram. We got lost because we took the wrong tram... but eventually we made it!


This year it's just cards instead of crowns, which was equal to $1/1 crown anyway. Bags were sale for a gold coin, but we really didn't need another. Cause jas carried everything :P I'm a little concerned that he sees us as Mr Burns & Smithers. XD But I would like to point out I'm the one that gets us tickets to events.



As always we booked workshops first. I wasn't feeling great so I may have laid down for a bit. And had a salad... yes I bought my own food (which I didn't make) to a food event.



I love butter, I even slightly/vaguely recall the very first time I had it at summer camp!


Isn't pastry beautiful?



Lurpak Bakery $8.
Apple Tarte Tatin with Pomegranate Molasses

At the Lurpak we made a rough puff pastry  (dough + butter) with the dough being made for us. 120kg+ for all the workshops (RIP because this was the only session, the rest of the event was cancelled, but I'm pretty sure they donated all the stuff to food bank or something). Caramel apple tarts with chef pre-made caramel. We played with the dough and made apple roses. I've always wanted to do this! Alas ours weren't tight enough and failed. But our dough was perfect. 

When the teacher does your work for you then compliments you on it XD We got two compliments and had three helpers. Feels like middle school again. I may have had no friends but I was a brilliant, same thing could be said for college actually. 

Into the oven and back in 45mins. It was nice not to be over a stove (November is summer here). This year the theme is tarts. In the past we've done lamb, fish and open face sandwiches (arranging, no cooking required).

How was it? Less flakey than expected. Caramelized apple was pretty Good, some crystallized bits. Needs something sprinkled over it... brown sugar perhaps?


This was nice, they used native fruits for this soda. 


There were a few seats here and there, lots in the vip area, and amex provided picnic rugs. Today was a good day, no rain. The next few days it rained and the event was canceled.
 


We always have to stop by Gazi.



Gin & Tonic


I love event offers! They're like food showbags, though you actually will eat most of it!


How pretty are these straws?


When H2 tries to do what Cocobella does. This was $10 including the bag, alas I like my coconut water pure. The cocoa one tastes like soy chocolate milk...


PopBite Popcorn

Checking out stalls we got to most of them, lots of alcohol. It's  amazing how different stalls use the same space. Some go all out with leaves, fairylights and all while others just have a table, product and fridge. Shout out to Popbite, for the nicest display! Later on we'd visit them at Eastland.




Electrolux Chefs’ Secrets Tent. $14
Over at the Electrolux marquee it was all lovely with air con! 
Alas there was still bugs... two in dessert. Alive. More floating around. Summer. 

Let's do another workshop! Cause I like the illusion that I can not only cook but I can create! Or rather jas does it and I sprinkle too much garnish and take pictures. :P At this point despite purchasing our tickets already jas found another workshop he wanted to do more.


Chef Nelly's leading us through an entree/canape sized though full of elements dish.
I help cut the cucumber. I did it wrong... don't ask how.  


Snowy mountain trout, cucumber and lime granite


In case you'd like to try this at home. 



Dessert was Bannofee pie fine dining style! It was beautiful and delicious! Just look at that foam! I think this is what I want to recreate, though, are we allowed to lick the plate? Jas would have loved this.



Glace Ice Cream was next door, but we just had dessert.. too much food and too little time. I really wanted that thing on the right, though we couldn't leave empty handed.


CoLab Dish: Ultra Marine $20
White chocolate clam shell with freeze dried raspberry, blackberry sorbet, vanilla ice cream

Round two dessert from glace. A work of art! 
Can we get something like this made for the wedding? It was very good.


Goodbye till next year! Hopefully it'll be at the same new venue, much closer to the city.


The things we bought home from the Taste of Melbourne 2017, 
always love cooler bags, aprons and picnic rugs for our adventures!


If you get one thing from this: always go for one of the first sessions, in case the event gets canceled. And have a game plan, know what to go for first. Oh and bring wet wipes. 


Wrapping Up November & Japanese Movies @ Friday, November 09, 2018

Thursday 30th November



The first day of the Taste of Melbourne! This year it's set at yarra park it's behind joliment station, no swan sh*t, yay! Lots of grass no dust or mud. It's also much more spread out. We didn't know it at the time but this would be the only session due to the weather.




Friday








Back at the movies, we saw Relife. It was quite good. The researcher was stunning. A journey to discover main guy's passion. Add some magic and he got an instant teaching degree (at the school in the dream), and meets main girl again after 'waking up from the dream. She was kinda blah though and we don't know what she was looking for, though she had questionable social skills. Pretty flat with no interests...



Well that was totally f**ked but brilliant. They got the motive too. Knowing the little details is what gives you away. Killing the mafias wife (don't think he's top boss, but a boss) risky, the entire family will after the killer. At some points it was a bit slow but brilliant! The twist was great and none of this "the killer we thought was a man so we didn't ever look at girls, alas he became a She!" What a contrast to the other fluffy movie we saw tonight, surrounded by that beautiful golden hour light and sakaura/cherry blossoms.

Quote of the Day - I hope she's dead. Because there are worse fates than death.

Saturday



Launching the season of carols, sharing, celebrations and stress with a Christmas lunch.
The usual minus mint jelly and plus too much salty gravy. The pavlova was huge! The passionfruit a tad bit artificial (I'm certain it came from a can).





Battle of Supreme High! Yes again, so awesome!! Not as amazing round 2 but still very good. Isn't Mori beautiful?? He's the researcher from the movie we saw the other day.



Midnight Dinner 2. 'Master' has a tiny restaurant open midnight -7am. He'll make whatever you want, as long as he has the ingredients. A series of diners and their stories. Strangers gathering to dine. Tales of lost and found, of family and friends. It was sweet? I liked it. I also want food now XD especially that tamego egg.

It's not about what we eat, but who we share it with.





Teiichi: Battle of Supreme High


The movie was epic!! Super high energy high school drama with lots of bromance (and absolutely 0 fear of being gay, even with lots of touching and butt slapping). Absolutely loved it! We want to see it again!!


It's about the student council elections at a boys school, and the two teams, though about two arch enemies/rivals in a generation long battle.




Being x one of those movies everyone had such perfect skin and hair! The bad guy had a bowl cut (dexter's evil guy) and only Dan with a regular name and messy hair to show he was different (cause he didn't come from money) and status. Mori in particular had flawless skin, and Roland had that hair all the girls love. If it hadn't been a boy school. XD His father was American so naturally he had blonde hair, cause anime logic, if you're part western you won't have black hair. Orange in anime is also popular.



So much drama. Blondie jumped but didn't die, that must have sucked XD orange was prepared for the loser to jump though. We loved him, the side kick. The tech buddy who's also the cute guy (probably gay) with his super cute cat mic and crazy tech binoculars. I loved the scene where main guy runs past the girl to embrace his best friend!



Other totally awesome scenes included main guy being submissive to blondie, slinking/crawling towards him wear a red collar. Main guy trying something he was reluctant to eat Dan's poor house, his expressions are priceless! The dance which bought people together, even the bad guy wanted to dance!


The final vote at the end. Dan has that x poor scholarship kid, he's got a good heart though no money hence to some degree influence. The underdog? Most of the movie was about main guy vs the bad guy, when they're not seniors, but just under them. The end fast forwards to their year, bad guy vs dan vs main guy. It was ultimately dan vs main guy, but there was a last minute swap, sidekick spotted and played a vital role in who won.

We loved all the drama, the facial expressions crazy high drama of manga/anime translated into live action. It was pretty epic! One of the top 3 movies of the year! If you're only seeing one movie with the jap film fest make it this one. We want to see it again!


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