Latest Event Updates
Meet a #Canberra Foodie – Nancy Harrison from www.Foodlovers.com.au
I actually heard Nancy talking to Genevieve Jacobs on the local radio before I met her. She was being interviewed as part of the @666Canberra “Walter Burley Griff-phone” series and was being asked all sorts of foodie-related questions by the ABC presenter.
Nancy runs the well-regarded Foodlovers Shop at the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets. Her shop specialises in specialty gourmet food products that taste as good as they look. Nancy and her team hand make over five hundred gourmet food products. Their self-labelled range includes savoury sauces, mustards, dressings, chutneys and relishes and sweet dessert sauces, jams, jellies and marmalades.
Being based in the Belconnen Fresh Food Market allows them to source fresh ingredients from local suppliers. Nancy and her team purchase, chop, cook and bottle all our products on site. In addition to FoodLovers products, they also stock a huge range of gourmet food products from many of our favourite Australian foodie icons – Maggie Beer, Peter Watson, Charmaine Solomon just to name a few.
So it was fitting that we had our interview in one of the Belconnen Market’s own restaurants: Tee’s Trading House, which serves great authentic Asian food with a smile. I enjoyed a great-tasting Laksa while Nancy had some delicious chicken noodle soup.
Recently Nancy added to her stockline after a personal request for Mustard Apricots from none other than Maggie Beer! Now there’s an endorsement that any foodie can admire!
And if you can’t quite make out what Maggie Beer is using, here’s a photo of Nancy with one of her many proud creations.
So Nancy, who are you? I am who I am. My name is Nancy Harrison – to my two daughters, I am Mum. To my friends I am Fancy Nance, and to others I am the woman that makes food like their grandmothers used to! I have been a teacher of kindergarten children, a youth group leader, an avid Unionist. I have been a public servant (a procurement and contracting specialist no less!). Most recently I was known as the Coffee Lady when I established and ran Coffee’s On Coffee Cart outside the Discount Pharmacy in Macquarie and at Kings Swim School in Macgregor.
I currently own FoodLovers at Belconnen Fresh Food Markets and spend most of my days in front of the stove cooking up jams, pickles and chutneys, sauces and dressings in the old-fashioned way and without any additives – just the way Nanna used to make them. There are about 500 different products that we make, which also includes the baking of Anzac biscuits, Melting Moments, fruit loaves, almond bread and meringues.
Of course, I try to source as much as I can locally. Most of our quinces, cumquats, lemons and Seville oranges are grown on local trees and are picked especially for us while they are in season. I would like to expand this a little, but need to be careful about provenance etc. It is getting really difficult to find fruit and vege commercially (eg frozen, dried or tinned) that is grown in Australia. The only way I know how to ascertain if it is grown in Australia is to go and pick it myself, and I don’t really have the time to do that!
I am trying to find a balance so that we bake some gluten free products too. Most of what is in the bottles is gluten free – it is not thickened and I don’t use anything that may have allergens lurking. I spend some of my week playing with recipes so that I can develop special diet foods that are readily available. We are very tuned into allergies because I am allergic (and anaphylactic) to many foods including seafood, pork, eggplant and mango…
Age? I am in my 50th year.
Where do you live? Currently in Page (for 8 years) but am about to move to a new unit in Macquarie.
Have you ever blogged about food? Ha! I have never BLOGGED. I wouldn’t know how to! <Nancy does however do many amazing cooking demonstrations and is full of helpful advice for her customers!>
Other hobbies? My job is my hobby. I just love cooking and being around food. I love making others happy by providing them with good, nutritious, wholesome goodness! I love helping people create imaginative and interesting things to eat from what they have available to them..
I am a volunteer for TEDx Canberra this year, which keeps me out of trouble – I am the Food Experience Manager, which means I organise the food for the day for the 650+ attendees. It’s a challenge, but good fun at the same time!
Apple or Android? Android – only because I didn’t know what a good thing Apple was all those years ago when I should have stuck with them!
Car/bus/bike? I own a car, but am hoping we will bike much more when we move.
Favourite TV show? t stay awake long after I am home usually. However, I have become a bit obsessed with Game of Thrones (a friend loaned me the DVDs), Miss Fisher and I really love anything Australian.
Favourite devices? Devices??? What does that mean? <Yes, she does have a great sense of humour> In the kitchen, I couldn’t do without my jut-jut (stick blender) – been the best investment I have ever made! I also have an amazing food processor which juices citrus in a snap! I love it!
Can we take a peek at your home screen? My home computer screen save is a beautiful photo I took in the Bunya Mountains in Queensland – a huge blue and black butterfly landed just in front of me and I couldn’t help but take a photo of it!
Most-used app? Probably Facebook. Basecamp? Not sure.
Favourite social media? Facebook – it’s the only one I really know how to use to any effect!
What’s the first thing online you check each morning? My emails – usually have links to Facebook and Basecamp.
What do you worry about at night? If I am awake – I worry about the lack of sleep! Lately its been about the house and all the stuff that goes with that – mortgage and insurance etc. Sometimes it’s FoodLovers and how we can get more people to visit – there’s been a marked drop-off since the budget was announced.
Most exciting recent news? Have you heard – I am buying a house! I guess there was also the talk with Genevieve Jacobs on 666 Canberra the other morning. I am going to my school reunion on the long weekend as well. It’s in Bundaberg. Haven’t been ‘home’ for more than 30 years, so it will definitely be interesting.
Ideal career? I am living my ideal career – I have done lots of things in my life, but what I am doing now is just wonderful!
Recent book you recommend? I have a huge personal library (which is going to be culled during the moving process). I bought lots of children’s books over the years that I was training and teaching in Canberra primary schools…most of them are Australian authors who have much to offer adults as well. My favourite author is John Marsden – he wrote the Tomorrow When the War Began trilogy in seven parts! My kinda bloke really!
Recent online video you laughed at? A TEDTalk from Texas – a builder who designs homes from scrap was describing how he uses hens eggs and nuts as decoration for his houses – how using what everyone else has in their foyer in a bathroom or a toilet is much more interesting…very funny talk!
I listened to Sting speak on line at TED in March 2014 – I think it may have been in Vancouver. He was saying how when he forgot his roots – back in the ship-building town he grew up in – he couldn’t write anymore. Once he returned to his roots, he found he could write again and has written some amazing songs since then – Dead Man’s Boots…I will never hear SOS (Message in a Bottle) and not think of his TEDTalk!
Favourite food? Like I said to Genevieve the other day – there is nothing like baked beans on toast for me – it takes me back to my childhood I think.
However, I love a good roast with crispy, creamy potatoes.
And for lunch, any time – Chicken Noodle Soup (or if I make it – Vitamin C Soup) – a Vietnamese inspired soup with thick rice noodles, bok choy (and any other green veges I have in the fridge) and a rich chicken stock that has been steeped with ginger, lemongrass and coriander. My almost 10 year old loves it!
Foodlovers is on the internet at www.Foodlovers.com.au and on Facebook here
and here’s a slightly better photo of the tasty lunch we enjoyed together at Tee’s Trading House 🙂
easy Chicken Adobo recipe via Housh Fallah (@Housh45)
If you like food from the Phillipines (who doesn’t?!) you will appreciate this quick and easy recipe for Chicken Adobo from Canberra Foodie Housh Fallah.
Social Media tips via @TweetCanberra
Great social media advice from Kylie Ofiu on the TweetCanberra website.
Worth a listen if you’re interested in blogging, business and social media. http://thesocialmediarevolution.com/episode-1/
Meet a #Canberra Foodie – Natasha Rudra (@NatashaRudraCT)
I recently tracked down Natasha Rudra after hearing she had become the new editor for the weekly Canberra Times Food and Wine Magazine – a gig many Canberra foodies would give their right arm for!
As well as looking after the weekly food and wine supplement, Natasha is the Life and Entertainment editor at the Canberra Times. She’s a regular tweeter on all sorts of news (follow her @NatashaRudraCT) and has a great sense of humour for an overworked journalist. If you’d like to share any food or lifestyle tips drop her a line natasha.rudra@fairfaxmedia.com.au .
So Natasha Rudra, who are you? I grew up in Malaysia, I came to Australia for uni and stayed to pursue dreams of working as a journalist. And that dream came true with bells on. I love my job and sometimes I can’t believe how lucky I am to write about food, entertainment and lifestyle for the Canberra Times.
Age? I am way too immature for my age.
Where do you live? In an apparent vortex in the Woden Valley, where my friends keep getting lost looking for my house.
How long have you been writing about food? I’ve been writing about food ever since I could write. When I was a child, I would allegedly compose stories in a tiny notebook and read them aloud to my teddy bears. Does that count?
Other hobbies? Sport! I love going to the Brumbies, watching premiership football (when I can stay awake to 3am – bloody Australian timezones), listening to trashy college a cappella and sometimes knitting badly. I also love eating. My partner’s a fabulous cook and there’s nothing better than watching him conjure a magical meal (and then hoeing in ungracefully).
Apple or Android? Apple
Car/bus/bike? Canberra forces us all into the car. I hate it.
Favourite TV show? Game of Thrones or Veep. I think they’re pretty much the same show, except Veep has less twincest.
Favourite devices? Sometimes I think that instead of having a baby, I had an iPad.
Most-used app? Twitteriffic and Facebook.
Favourite social media? It’s going to be Facebook like everyone else. But I am also addicted to Longform.org, which isn’t social media but just a website – it’s a collection of the best feature journalism around. Stories, wonderful stories, pour from it.
What’s the first thing online you check each morning? I check canberratimes.com.au for a recap of the news, the weather, to see what’s going on and whether there’s a traffic snafu near me. We have an amazing team at the Canberra Times who really dig out the best stories from our city, from things that are lighthearted and fun to things that might not be click bait but are important stories to tell.
What do you worry about at night? What that suspicious noise was from downstairs? I also quite like thinking about what I’m going to eat tomorrow.
Most exciting recent news? We managed to score tickets to the Queen and Adam Lambert concert. The 80s love child in me is SO EXCITED.
Ideal career? I only ever wanted to be a journalist so stick a fork in me, I’m done. Unless there’s an opening for “extremely lazy luxury travel writer with hardly any deadlines” going somewhere – in which case hit me up on LinkedIn, asap.
Recent book you recommend? Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling.
Recent online video you laughed at? This poor cat. It’s running like the wind, wild and free, down a cobblestone street in France. You won’t believe what happens next. (Well, you will. But it’s unfortunately extremely funny.)
Favourite food? 🙂 This is a cruel question! A fluffy, freshly cooked roti canai and a Malaysian chicken curry. Or a thin slice of bittersweet Valrhona chocolate cake. Or a creamy spinach Milanese risotto. Or Heston Blumenthal’s perfect BFG cake. Or a forkful of Momofuku-style ramen noodles with bright ginger and spring onions. Or a 65-degree egg that’s gorgeously gooey. Just stop me, Elias. Just stop me now.
OK Natasha, we’ll stop now. I’m really disappointed that you didn’t mention Lime-flavoured milk, although technically it’s not a solid food, so I will let it pass! 🙂
Lunch specials at Debacle, Braddon
Three #Canberra Beanies 
I used to be a regular at Debacle in Canberra when I worked around the corner. The staff were friendly and I’ve made a few close friends from the regulars and staff. Debacle taught me that Canberra has the most sophisticated waiting staff in Australia. Many of the young adults working bars and waiting tables in and around civic are also struggling to make ends meet while they finish their university studies. Don’t be surprised in Canberra if your bartender or waiter is also doing a PhD!
Anyway, about three years ago our office moved to City Walk and I subsequently became a less-frequent customer but its still a place I like to visit for a drink or meal when time permits. Yesterday I was there to have a working lunch with an old friend so I offered to shout her from the specials board on the condition she let me photograph her meal. Who would say no to that?!
I ordered a soup and she ordered a pulled pork roll. I also bought us a couple of lemon, lime and bitters at the counter, grabbed our table number and sat down to chat.
The meals arrived in around 10 minutes. The portions were generous and I was completely full by the end. The soup came with LOTS of tasty pita bread and my friend couldn’t find the room to finish her chips. I was tempted but I left them alone (yep, still on that CSIRO diet folks!).
I still like Debacle very much and if you stick to the specials board or come for the two-for-one pizza nights, it’s certainly in the affordable price range.
Highly recommended – Three Canberra Beanies!
Lunch Specials @CityCafe Garema Place
Three #Canberra Beanies
Located just a few metres from King O’Malleys (near Mort Street on City Walk)@CityCafe is one of the many hidden Asian gems that are dotted all over the ACT. It isn’t glamorous, and it isn’t pretending to be something its not. It’s fresh, authentic and healthy home-style Thai cooking that’s served quickly and politely to Canberra City’s working men and women.
This restaurant’s façade is unpretentious. In fact the whole place is unpretentious. I was greeted with a smile and ordered 2 curries and rice over the front counter. The $10 lunchtime deal includes a free can of soft-drink.
If you’re lucky you can grab a seat at the bar facing the large windows and watch the parade of interesting people walk past you while you eat. It’s just across the way from maccas, so there are a lot of interesting people to observe.
The food was served quickly and the portions were generous. I chose a chilli pork and green curry chicken and was not disappointed. It tasted great. I’ve been here a few times before for soup as well and can highly recommend it and will definitely be back.
@CityCafe score Three #Canberra Beanies!
@CityCafe doesn’t seem to be on Urban Spoon, so now I have to drop by again in the next few days to grab their phone number (one of the requirements of adding a new entry to Urban Spoon). But I’ll try and add it soon!
OK, their phone number is 0401 029 869. I spoke with the delightful Evey at the restaurant and have applied to have it added to Urban Spoon.
A funny news.com yarn about “Food and Politics in Canberra”
Anyone who pretends food and politics have nothing to do with each other, please pay more attention!
I was a bit offended by sloppy Joe’s fictitious claim today that there’s “only a few restaurants in Canberra” to choose from. But no-one has more right to be offended by sloppy Joe than Clive palmer after Joe claimed Clive is having several dinners each night! That’s below the belt Joe!
Joe said “But it doesn’t surprise me, in Canberra you bump into each other at restaurants. I mean, there are only a few restaurants in Canberra.”
And in a jibe at Mr Palmer he said: “Well, obviously Clive might have more than one meal a night so it’s quite possible you’ll bump into him in a restaurant.”
The article goes on: “But the taunts soon were turning on Mr Hockey, with Bill Shorten going food mad over the mere mention of a banana split just before lunchtime today.
While addressing reporters about Mr Palmer’s rendezvous, the Opposition Leader picked out repeated cliches from the political cookbook. While he didn’t know what the meeting was about last night, Mr Shorten was sure about a few things.
“What I do know is that Malcolm Turnbull was eating Peking duck last night, Joe Hockey’s left looking like a goose this morning and we’ve got a lame-duck Treasurer,” he said.
Mr Shorten was certainly interested in the “late night meal”, despite insisting he had no idea what was on the “menu”.
When asked whether there was anything wrong with Secretary Parkinson dining with Mr Turnbull and Mr Palmer, he said the issue wasn’t about him being a public servant.
“The issue is that clearly Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey have wheeled Malcolm Turnbull out of the freezer where they keep him.”
//
ZenYai Thai Grill Noodle Cuisine
Three #Canberra Beanies 
Today I had a delicious Tom Yum style chicken noodle soup at a Thai Restaurant on London circuit called Zen Yai. It’s located between East Row and Verity lane and after eating there today I’m very surprised its not packed out every day.
The large bowl of noodle soup was delicious! The photo below shows that there was lots of chicken and a generous topping of onions and nuts. The soup was divine and very filling. in fact I’ll happily say this was the BEST Tom Yum chicken I’ve had in a long time. I can’t wait to go back and try the prawn version.
You can see from the A-frame specials board outside that there are lots of delicious $10 lunch options to choose at ZenYai Thai Grill Noodle Cuisine.
As the printed lunch menu also reveals, there are a few dishes to choose from, but I’ve got my eyes (and stomach) set on the prawn Tom Yum on my next visit!
Zen Yai is highly recommended and deserves Three #Canberra Beanies!
Queen Victoria Markets Melbourne (@VicMarkets)
will have to update this post later with some more links and tips… but for now…This morning I had a brief visit to the wonderful Queen Victoria markets in Melbourne. I’ve been many times before but it was still a delightful way to start a day.
During my brief sojourn through the sights, smells, tastes and sounds of what is arguably Australia’s most interesting food market I took a few pictures but nothing can match the experience itself . Don’t get me wrong I still love shopping at Jabal Kippax and Belconnen Markets, and Flemington in Sydney is impressive too, but Melbourne has something to be very proud of here. There is too much food to even try and sample in one day, let alone a week or two.
One of the first things which impresses about the QVM is the compact variety and diversity of food. This is a pretty lousy photo but it (sort of) shows a French, German and Polish deli-style outlet within a few feet of each other. This mix of smell aand sights (and tastes) is wonderful.
I’ll let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves now and add some more comments and links at a future date. Should just mention that sample box below only cost $12, so you can eat well without spending too much! 🙂
I should also mention the market was full of happy and friendly people. The family running the deli above were happy for me to chat with them and take photos and were very proud of the quality and variety of their delicacies. The guy below didn’t mind having his photo taken as he walked and hollarred about the discount meat available at his butcher’s window.
The donut van above seemed quieter than I remembered it during my last visit when I took this photo. I though for a few minutes that maybe I wasn’t the only one on a diet at the markets today. But I saw it again later and the line stretched for a few metres down the path!
During my trip I saw a few of these bike racks around the Melbourne CBD. I’d be interested to find out how successful they’ve been and wonder if they would work in Canberra?
Here’s some old and beautiful public art. Melbourne is full of it!
p.s. If you want to visit these markets and want a tip about somewhere to stay, I’ll suggest the Jasper Hotel on Elizabeth Street. I’ve stayed there a few times. If you book through wotif you can occasionally pick up a room for about $100. And, best of all, its only about 50m away from the markets and within easy walking distance of many Melbourne attractions as well as numerous tramlines that can take you all over the city with ease.
Meet a #Canberra Foodie – Amanda Whitley (@HerCanberra)
Anyone who follows social media in our fair city would be aware of the popularity and success of the HerCanberra website. This website is “written by Canberra women, for Canberra women” and it is written extremely well. Although the website has had a couple of guest posts from token males (like this one) it has become another good example of Canberra’s amazingly smart, hard-working, talented and outspoken women and is highly-recommended reading.
HerCanberra features the voices of local writers, the website posts daily about topics of interest to the Capital’s female population. From ‘what’s on’ to reviews of places to eat; social commentary to health and fitness; beauty and nutrition to books and movies; fashion and motherhood to recipes and home style; if it’s part of ‘her’ life you’ll find it on HerCanberra. If you’ve ever wanted to know who’s behind it, well that would be Amanda Whitley. Amanda jokes that she manages HerCanberra in any ‘spare time’ she might have amongst all her other responsibilities and pursuits yet she manages to attend and investigate an amazing array of Canberra events, openings, celebrations and community festivals, sharing her love for our city with her growing readership both here and interstate. I recently met with Amanda at one of her favourite places in Canberra, Manuka. She shared some secrets about what interests her and what keeps her busy life on track.
Amanda Whitley, Who are you? I founded HerCanberra in January 2011 after the premature birth of my youngest daughter led me to leave the public service and start dabbling in the odd blog or two (including being the first site moderator for Mamamia – but I gave that up after refereeing one two many argument over c-sections and childcare). These days, I manage HerCanberra in any ‘spare time’ that’s not spent wrangling two gorgeous little girls, instructing Zumba, or eating. I’ve also done everything from present the tv news to operate a stop and go sign!
Amanda Whitley with some of the HerCan team at the 2013 Christmas party – 100 people attended (it was sold out).
Age? 41
How long have you been writing? I’ve been writing HerCanberra since January 2011 and had a personal blog before that as well as contributing to MamaMia. I worked as Mamamia’s first site moderator and met many Canberra women while I was doing that work. The idea for HerCanberra was something I came up knowing there was a real growing market and demand for stories and news that would be of interest to Canberra women.
Other hobbies? When I’m not herding children I teach Zumba with Latin Beat Fitness and I dance with Koco Loco. I also enjoy cooking and reading.
Apple or Android? We are a dedicated Apple family!
Car/bus/bike? Well, we have two kids so it has to be the car most days to ferry the kids around.
Favourite TV show? MasterChef Australia
Favourite devices? iPhone, MacBook Air (which is my mobile office)
Can we take a peek at your homescreen?
Most-used App? Facebook without a doubt.
Favourite social media? Facebook.
What’s the first thing you check online each morning? Facebook notifications, emails, website, Canberra Times.
What do you worry about at night? All the things I have to do the next day, because there’s only one of me.
Most exciting recent news? I was selected as one of the 100 #Humanbrochure particpants by VisitCanberra and am really looking forward to showcasing our beautiful city to the rest of Australia and the world.
Ideal career? I’m doing it! Websites are the new magazines and I always wanted to work in a good magazine. I published my first magazine when I was ten years old – it was called “Wombat”! 🙂
Recent book you recommend? I love crime novels and really enjoyed A dark and twisted tide by Sharon Bolton.
Recent online video you laughed at? Can’t really think of a video I laughed over…but the ‘DYAC’ blog gets me every time…on the first one, I kinda smile, then by the 10th I’m rolling on the floor. Damn you auto correct!
Favourite food? 86 is my current favourite place to eat in Canberra. I recommend you take your wife their on a date night Elias! Make sure you tell them you’re on a date and ask to be seated at the kitchen bench where you can watch the chefs, cooks and staff work and interact, you will be entertained.
Amanda and HerCanberra can be found on Facebook or Twitter …or listen in to hear Amanda on Radio 2CC at 6:45am each Tuesday to hear what’s on the minds of women in Canberra!
CBRfoodie 