Wednesday 5 September 2007

The Wednesday Morning Read

If you're new to Canberra, you may not know that the Canberra Times has a food section on Wednesdays. It's usually worth picking up, especially since the section has no on-line presence. You'll find local restaurant and cafe reviews, and regular sections on wine, beer, coffee, vegetarian cooking, nutrition and gardening. And then there's assorted feature articles on local shops, seasonal products, personalities and events. Very useful.

This week's big feature is on Chuck Hahn, and therefore, of course, beer. Chuck Hahn is responsible for Hahn beer, but he sold the brand a long time ago and now runs the fabulous James Squire range. He's an enthusiast out to convert us all to the way of good beer. He's a American by birth, but we won't hold that against him. There's a discussion of the different malts used, on matching food with beer, and a set of recipes using beer. Baked mushrooms with IPA (India Pale Ale) and the chocolate & porter mousse sound particularly impressive. Beer and food - two of my favourite things! I'm saving this one.

The Canberra Times is now owned by Rural Press, after spates with Fairfax and PBL. It's quite independent editorially, and has a good balance of world, national and local news. It's a remarkably good newspaper for a town of our size - we're lucky to have it.

When I was in Sydney I used to read the SMH, but I don't usually bother now. However, yesterday's SMH Good Living is worth a note: it has their annual chef's hat awards for NSW and ACT. Canberra restaurants with one chef's hat are: Artespresso, Courgette, Ottoman Cuisine. And not too far off in the tiny little tourist town of Berrima, there is a pair of one-hat restaurants: Eschalot and The Journeyman. Something to check out - I have a birthday coming up soon. (I refuse to put the date in my blogger profile, because it will put my star sign up there, but it's Oct 1.)

Cooking today: Leftovers. I'm planning to post about what happened to the vego feast leftovers on Friday.

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