Wok Diary - foodie events

Wok Diary

LOVE your coffee?

Here's your chance to drink coffee and do good at the same time.

On Friday, June 7, Street Smart Australia has organised CafeSmart 2013 when participating cafes Australia-wide will donate $1 for every coffee they sell.

There are 191 cafes taking part at last count.

``Coffee aficionados are also encouraged to match their donation with your own $1 and 100% of these funds will then go to fund local projects,'' director Adam Robinson said.

Good buys -Table of Plenty hot or cold muesli

Table of Plenty hot or cold muesli

DO you prefer your muesli hot or cold?
With Table of Plenty hot or cold muesli, you can have both options.

Created by founder Kate Weiss, the muesli is chockful of yummy nutritious ingredients including oats, sultanas, honey, sunflower oil and crunchy pepitas.

Eat it with cold milk for a quick and delicious breakfast or if you like porridge, just add milk and microwave for 90 seconds.

Exhibition review: Monet's Garden at the National Gallery of Victoria

Exhibition review: Monet's Garden at the National Gallery of Victoria.

ON May 10, 2013, the National Gallery of Victoria opened this year's Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition, Monet's Garden: The Musee Marmottan Monet, Paris, the largest collection of works by Monet to ever come to Australia .

Exclusive to Melbourne, the stunning exhibition features more than 60 works devoted to Claude Monet's iconic garden at Giverney.

Book review: 100 best cakes and desserts by Gabriel Gate

100 best cakes and desserts

By Gabriel Gate

Published by hardie grant books

Chef, author and Gourmet Tour De France presenter on SBS Gabriel Gate recently launched yet another recipe book, 100 best cakes and desserts, which will surely appeal to all dessert lovers.

Growing up in the Loire Valley in France, Gabriel credits his grandmother for instilling a love of cooking in him and his mother for sharing the joy of eating with him.

Pork Star dinner at Hare and Grace

Monday, February 18, 2013 was a night to remember at chef-owner Ray Capaldi's Hare and Grace restaurant.

It was the annual Pork Star dinner for chefs and food media and we expected no less than a magnificent meal from the talented and innovative Ray.

Guests mingled on the terrace on the balmy evening, while munching crisp pork rind nachos draped with chilli and cheese, while we cooled our palates with a Skimstone Sangiovese Rose.

Dinner awaited at the uber cool dining room with its very interesting ceiling fixtures. Check it out and you'll see what I mean.

Dandenong World Food Fare

Dandenong Market was transformed into a huge food market on Sunday, March 2, 2013.

It was fun wandering around the different stalls, sampling little morsels before deciding what to eat for our late lunch.

Most dishes cost $5, making it one of the most affordable events of the festival,

The Vietnamese crispy soft-shell crab and salad was a good starter which was followed by a hearty amei tha nhi aloo hin or beef and potato curry with rice from the Free Burma Cafe.

The coconut bomb dessert was suitably sweet, encasing a shredded coconut filling.

Happy Chinese New Year of the Water Snake

February 10, 2013 marks the start of the Chinese year of the Water Snake.

According to ancient Chinese wisdom, a snake in the house is a good omen because it means your family will not starve.

People born in the year of the snake are intuitive, introspective, refined and calm.

Water snakes are known to be influential and insightful, motivated and determined to be successful.

They are very affectionate with their family and friends, but tend not to show their emotions to colleagues or business partners.

A Wok on the Wild Side