Treehouse – Byron Bay

Another day, another Byron Bay gem.

This is the way we walked to the treehouse…

It’s actually quicker than walking through town a whole lot prettier.

The restaurant looks quite big but the actual inside isn’t huge they just have lots of beautiful outside space under the shade of parasols and trees.

The treehouse is famous for pizza, and even thought that’s what we went for and my Husband is obsessed we didn’t manage one. The breakfasts are also supposed to be great.

Like I have already mentioned we ate very well in Australia, so this we really wanted a light dinner. We ordered some dips to snack on, but the sourdough bread was so delicious we ended up eating quite a lot of it.

We also shared this amazing goats cheese salad with butternut squash and lots of pine nuts, very much like one I eat a lot at home. And then we were done!

But do go to Treehouse if you visit the Bay… and have a pizza for me. And definitely walk along the beach.

***Have just been informed that at the moment it is closed due to a fire, bad news! Hopefully by the time you visit they’ll be open again, I wish them luck***

Salt – Brisbane

One of my resounding memories of the food in Australia is its freshness and slight differences in similar dishes made for the sunny life…

Like this breakfast which I have been recreating. Instead of a fry up and very filling and tasty eggs, bacon and avocado. Amazing.

Salt is one of those places that make you want the lifestyle here, very open you sit out on the deck or inside the airy restaurant on hot days drinking huge glasses of juice, or wine and just enjoy the sunshine.

On a very hungover morning we made it here and I had so much trouble deciding as all the breakfast dishes sounded amazing.

Breakfast pizza anyone? Some great ideas on this menu, and nothing you need a recipe for.

Amazing strawberry smoothies.

In the end I just copied everyone else.

It was so amazing, the best avocado I ever tasted. And ordinarily I don’t like hollandaise but this little drizzle of light sauce was great, no gloopy think stuff here.

Some weirdo’s got salmon, I used to be a person who chose salmon over bacon… that doesn’t happen anymore.

 
 Salt – Brisbane

After You Dessert Bar – Bangkok

One of my favourite things about Bangkok was the food, the sheer number and range of places to eat from tiny carts on the side of the street to rooftop restaurants and even mall food is good here.

A very popular spot that our friend Jack took us to was After You, I mean it was a week night at about 10pm when we went and it was rammed. It was full of young Thai’s on dates and in groups. Such a nice hang out spot.

Jack advised that it was all about the Shibuya Toast, and literally freaked when we tried to order one each. We found out why when it arrived.

They also do the normal Thai thing of bringing a sweet tea when you arrive. Love that.

The huge number of desserts had me stumped. So many to choose from, and they all were so different to what we get here. I wanted to try so many.

In the end I managed to make a decision, we also ordered iced teas.

So this is the toast. Do you see that? Coma inducing toast.

Seriously after this the boys ended up crashing hard, it was insane, the sugar sweats and then food coma.

I was more sensible and ordered a strawberry iced tea…

And a green tea layer cake. Beautiful cake. So light and can you see those tiny layer? No idea how that can be done.

YOu really MUST go to After You if you visit Bangkok, it’s really easy to find in the Thong Lor district (uber trendy lively area)

Also would love to know has anyone tried Shibuya toast?

A Big Brunch, Potato Cakes with Smoked Salmon and Poached Eggs, Crispy Mushrooms and Roasted Tomatoes

My longest blog title ever.

In order to give you all a break from Thailand posts (I am nearly done I promise) and because we have a long weekend coming up I thought I would share some ideas for a big brunch.

I made this for my Husband and Mum on mother’s day and both dishes are easy and can be prepped in advance.

So quantities here are rough, I made double the potato mixture and ate them again the next day.

Potato Pancakes
You need for 2
2 medium potatoes
50-100 ml semi skimmed milk (add as little as this or more if you need it)
glug of olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped
seat salt and cracked black pepper

1. Boil your potatoes, I like to leave the skin on, until they are cooked through then mash with the olive oil and get them as smooth as you can. Warm your milk and add little by little mashing more as you go, this will give you even smoother mash (despite having skins in there), finally season and add the spring onions.

At this point I popped the mash in the fridge until the morning of the brunch, where I then shaped into little pancake shapes ready to fry.

2. Heat your frying pan with a little olive oil and fry for 3-4 minutes each side.

Done… easy!

I served these with some smoked salmon and poached eggs… I know I have talked about this before but these are Burford Brown eggs and they really are amazing.

One of my egg yolks actually separated from the white, but it still came out running and didn’t break. This so wouldn’t happen with normal eggs.

I served them with some Portobello mushrooms and tomatoes which I roasted in the oven for 25 minutes.

To make the mushrooms a little special I just sprinkles some herbed breadcrumbs on top. I mixed some dried oregano and basil in with the crumbs. Again simple, simple but something different to make the brunch feel special. 

Baked Eggs

I am busy writing lots of blogs of my best finds in Thailand at the moment, please be patient it was all such a long time ago!

In the meantime I thought I would share a little breakfast idea.

My new favourite way of making eggs at the weekend is baking them.

No fuss, no mess and so delicious. It’s like the grown up, extra tasty soft boiled egg.

For 2 you need;
4 eggs
handful of spinach
1 large tomato, chopped into small chunks
4 rashers of bacon, grilled, chopped
small spring of rosemary and thyme
seat salt and black pepper

plus 2 ramekins
oven at 200c

Get the best eggs you can, it makes all the difference and usually you don’t pay that much more, my current favourites are Burford Browns

First I put a little spinach in the bottom of each ramekin, no need to cook in advance.

Then I cooked off the tomato, chopped into small pieces with half of the rosemary and thyme for a couple of minutes

Then add the tomato and (already grilled) bacon to the ramekins with the spinach

Then you just crack your eggs over the top and season, sprinkling the rest of the herbs over the top

Then pop the ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 13-15 minutes at 200c meanwhile toasting yourself some sourdough bread

Then serve, dipping your soldiers into your delicious pot of egg and spooning the tasty treats and the white beneath.

So good.

Think of all the different combos you can make…

My next try is going to involve mushrooms and cream, or maybe chorizo. Bring on the weekend.