The thing about great ideas is that usually, you aren’t the only person to have that idea. And so it was on Tuesday, when, inspired, I called my occasional Partner in Cheese and Culinary Crime, Rachel B (more of her later) and suggested lunch. You see, Tuesday was a last minute public holiday in Qatar, declared at 530pm the previous day for the succession of our new ruler. Without the structure of our work day, Rachel B and I (yes, we are both called Rachel. We are considering starting a girl band called The Rachels) thought an afternoon of gossip and people watching at Market by Jean Georges at the…
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The Milky Whey
I don’t know much about Cyprus except that it’s an island, lots of Poms live there and it probably ins’t a greta place to have a bank account. It also it seems, makes some damn fine cheese, like this chunk of Anari. This has been loitering in my fridge for a while and I have been waiting for a chance to use it. Anari is a fresh mild whey cheese produced in Cyprus. Although much less known than other Cypriot cheeses like halloumi, it’s getting its own time in the sun. It comes in two forms, a crumbly whey type cheese, or the hardened variety like the one I have…
- Aged Cheese, Artisan Cheese, Cheese, European Cheese, Food, France, French, Goat Cheese, Restaurant Reviews, Travel, Unusual Cheeses, Washed Rind, White Cheese
100 Cheeses Down – You Cheddar Believe It
It seemed like a good idea at the time, but let me tell you this whole caper is trying 365 cheeses in 365 days is no easy feat. Which is why I am celebrating milestones where I can. What started as a simple catalogue of cheese i have eaten and the occasional good meal thrown in, has now evolved into something more – travelogue, food porn site, political commentary, restaurant review and general whingefest blog. That’s the beauty of a blog I guess. So the journey marks it’s first significant moment – my 100th cheese. This tranche of cheese moments is brought to you by my friends at Grand Hyatt…
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Date With Destiny
One of the interesting things about living in the Middle East is that literally there is never a dull moment. Last week, Doha alone saw the President of France and the US Secretary of State visit. Then there was the opening of the Taliban (you read right) office. These guys are such bad neighbors. Not a single invite to tea and it has been a week. More exciting has been something that regardless of your background, you may only witness once in a lifetime. That is, the abdication of a ruler. It happened recently in The Netherlands, and now, just yesterday, it happened in Qatar. Qatar’s Emir to Transfer Power…
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Milking It
I may have been burning the candle at both ends this week. It seems to have been an endless stream of show tunes and martinis. So this morning I was feeling a little bit precious. Given I had no monkey butlers and explaining the location of my house to delivery men, I was forced to create my own hangover cure/breakfast. Thankfully I am a resourceful woman. I did some hunter gathering and found small rounds of single serve goat cheese – from Carrefour – seriously something only the French could invent. Couple this with some flat bread, sliced tomato, a slug of olive oil and salt and pepper, and I…
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Living in the Bubble – Restaurant Review
In Australia, brunch is a relatively new concept. We are fairly black and white – it’s breakfast or it’s lunch. The only exception being yum cha (dim sum) which kinda starts at 11am mainly because we all want to bag a table. Although there was a time in the 2000s when “Girl’s Brunches” were all the rage. I blame Sex and the City (for that and the whole cupcake phenomenon). Plus, did Samantha ever finish her fruit platter? Seems she was eating it for six seasons. In the Gulf however, more explicitly the “Expat Gulf”, brunch is taken very, very seriously. It is, in fact, an art form to be…
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Passing Muenster
This story about a man who either loved his cheese or saw the dollar signs caught my eye this week and I just knew I had to track Muenster down. Monster Cheese Theft I mean who does that? Anyway, I found Muenster lurking in the dairy cabinet earlier this week and just knew I had to see what the fuss is about. Here’s the thing. Muenster cheese is not as exotic as it sounds. It’s an American cheese, not to be confused with the French variety, Munster. The name Muenster is derived from an English transliteration of Münster, a city in Germany. Muenster is a smooth textured cheese with an…
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Udder-ly Delightful Cheesemaking Class
A cheese convert…love this blog post about the joys of making your own cheese. Maybe a good reason for me to visit Adelaide in July?
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I Second That Emulsion
When I started this blog I just wanted to talk about my love of cheese and travel. I have since found one of the fabulous side benefits is that as a “food blogger” I also have the opportunity to sample some of the best food in town. Last night I was invited to a private tasting of the new summer menu Gordon Ramsay Five Star Restaurant at St Regis Doha. I am a regular at the sister restaurant Opal, but haven’t had an opportunity to try the fine dining option. When the call came, I didn’t hesitate. Prepared by Chef Gilles Bosquet – who has a Michelin Star – the…
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Sweet Cheeses – When Cheese Meets Dessert
The French have a phrase – savoire vivre – which basically means living a good life while staying elegant and smart. In my mind, the Lebanese are the embodiment of this. They manage to live a good life, look remarkable at the same time as dealing with the chaos that regularly breaks out around them. Their food is also an illustration of this – elegantly complex. While many words have been written about the wonders of Lebanese mezze and other savory dishes, this country has also given the world some pretty extraordinary desserts. I was given a fabulous surprise by the boys who run Al Balad Qatar on Monday. They…