Fed Deli brunch

We're just three girls who love God and that's how our paths crossed.
One day in 2013 I met one of them and realised that she lives next door to me and then over the years figured out that we both #loveleo.
I met the other girl... I can't quite remember when. The first time I remember talking to her was when I was waiting at the bus stop after dessert at Milse and she had just finished work at Cafe Hanoi. That was when she started dating my 'lil bro' and I was asking her about it and if he gave her flowers.
Because flowers, no matter the impracticality or lack of function they have, are a great gesture of affections. The most nature-al thing to show your natural feelings.

Anyway, I had been wanting to go back to the Fed for brunch ever since someone asked if I had had their griddle cakes. Last time I went for dinner, it was delicious and I loved the diner atmosphere. So I went back and took ma two gurls with me.

Their website describes it as an "old school New York Jewish deli". Pretty American, that's my take on it.

It's right on Federal Street, where the entrance to the Skytower is. We watched a number of bungee jumpers risk their lives for twenty seconds of adrenalin. Not for us, we thought.

An iced coffee for me, because they don't do espresso; they only have filter. Worth noting that it is bottomless filter! 

Iced coffee was nothing special, although I do like this style more than a frappe.

For the full menu, click here

Morning Glory; breakfast salad with portabello mushroom, haloumi, poached egg and dukkah $18

Griddle cakes; blueberry pancakes with cinnamon butter and nutty crunch $18

Turkey on rye; with cranberry, walnuts, smoked cheese and apple $15

Not bad, a little on the pricey side than most nice cafes. But we enjoyed catching up with each other.

And to conclude,

Here is my latest artwork; Tintin's first meeting with Captain Haddock. Taken from The Crab with the Golden Claws.

Signed,

Elisa

A little bit about chilli and cornbread

To commemorate America's Independence Day, I made (what I think is) an American meal.

The chilli recipe is adapted from Jamie Oliver's video. For my own I made it not spicy, but you can make it as spicy as you like with different Mexican chilli beans and adding chopped chilli. I found a pack of roasted spicy chicken thighs, so I broke it up into pieces and used it in this recipe.

It serves 2 for those of you who, like me this week, are cooking meals just for themselves.

One pot chilli

Olive oil, for frying

1 small carrot

1 celery stick

1/3 red onion

1/2 capsicum (I used a mixture of red, yellow/ orange)

Roasted chicken, broken up into pieces

1/2 can tomatoes

1/2 can chickpeas

1/2 can Mexican chilli beans

Spices: cumin, coriander, smoked capsicum

Salt and pepper

1. Chop vegetables into small cubes.

2. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a pot.

3. Add chopped veges and fry until oil is absorbed.

4. Add chicken and continue frying.

5. Pour in canned tomatoes, chickpeas, chilli beans (add half a cup of water if necessary).

6. Stir and season with spices and salt and pepper.

7. Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occassionally.

I've experimented and served this three delicious ways; 

1. with brown rice,

2. on a toasted bun spread with cream cheese,

3. with cornbread, recipe below.

I have to say the cream cheese toasted bun with chilli is surprisingly delicious and is my favorite way of eating this chilli.

Cornbread

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1 1/2 Tbsp raw sugar
1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/8 cup (30 ml) vegetable oil, I used rice bran oil

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
2. Add egg, milk and oil and whisk together until there are no lumps.
3. Grease an overproof dish with butter.
4. Bake at 180C for 15 minutes. The cornbread should have risen with little cracks on the top.

Serve with chilli, soup or eat by itself with a little butter.



And to conclude,

I am actually making a trip to LA this November with my family. Let me know of any must-dos there!

Signed,

Elisa

A little bit about confectionery

Has anyone been to the American store in Mt Wellington?
Martha's Backyard imports all sorts of American food brands, soaps, clothing, kitchen stuff. It's right next to Hannah's clearance store, in the complex with Harvey Norman and Rebel sport. Pen and I went there, and I was like, whooahh

Pop tarts!

 Peanut butter chocolate chips!!

 These marshmallows were humongous

 I really wanted these to make s'mores and hot chocolate. . .

 Coconut m&m's

There were so many other flavours

 Make hot chocolate out of this !! 
Next to it is pumpkin pie filling in a jar

A lot of American recipes I've found uses marshmallow creme for icings etc. This is what they were talking about. . . Apparently you can eat it just by itself

 Pie crust! Why don't they sell these in Countdown?

 Syrup in cute bottles :D

 Sugar free syrup? . . .so what is it made of?

 THIS looked interesting. Peanut butter and jelly in a jar

 Pez! Nostalgia much

Reese's peanut butter cups comes in miniatures! peanut butter + chocolate = best combination
Calci and I have made our own peanut butter cups, they were delicious.
I want to make them into cheesecake cupcakes, brownie cups. . .

 I don't know what these are for

 Pebbles and rocks

 Cinnamon candy. Yum?

Edible lego.
Because many times I have tried biting lego. . .

This chocolate bar was really something. Chocolate, pretzels, peanut butter, caramel and peanuts.

Pretzel M&M's, not too special I thought.
(I finished the packet last week. Today I moved my bed and two of these fell at my feet... guilty. )

 Whatchamacallit. Chocolate, peanut crisps and caramel

I was eating that one in class. . .

The thing is it was all so expensive. I wanted to experiment and make chocolate peanut butter chip cookies, mint m&m's on cake, marshmallow cupcakes. So if anyone is going to America. . .

And to conclude, Pen got given some amazing tea. I'm not a tea drinker, but this!

This was absolutely heavenly.

cinnamon and vanilla.



Does anyone know where I can get this tea? 

Signed, 

Elisa