Peach & Frangipane Tart

Alas summer has come to an end in Perth and stone fruits are reaching the bitter end of their glorious season.

If you're anything like me you're a bit of a fruit-fanatic, and I can never seem to get enough of peaches.

 One of my favorite ways to prepare them, and trust me there are many ways, is to pair it with puff pastry. I can't tell you enough how much I love puff. It's versatile, easy to use, inexpensive, and downright delicious. 

I learnt how to make my own puff in culinary school, and boys and girls, it is crazy town. So much time and effort goes into making this complex dough, and while I appreciate the process, ain't nobody got time for that. Not even the professionals. Everyone uses store-bought, so let's go with that!

Now, back to this delectable dessert. It is a crowd pleasure. You can make it ahead and serve it room temp with a bit of clotted cream and toasted nuts alongside a pot of your favorite tea. Or better still, if you're entertaining, once you've served dinner just pop it in the oven and voila! Warm gooey peaches, flaky puff, all rounded off with a scoop of your favorite ice cream (I'm currently obsessed with vegan coconut ice-cream!)  I can't think of a better way to end a meal, can you?

For four tarts you'll need:

2 sheets of puff pastry, defrosted 
3 ripe peaches
1 egg (free range!)
100g brown sugar + little extra
100g almond meal
100g butter, room temp
1 orange
Handful of coconut, optional 
Big swig of Cointreau, optional 

Start by preheating your oven to 190 C / 375 F and line a flat baking tray with parchment. I like to spray the tray, apply the paper, then spray the paper to ensure everything stays in place and doesn't stick.

Next, grab your peaches and a big bowl. Cut your peaches in half, then carefully with the tip of your knife pierce the stone and yank it out. 

Thinly slice the peaches and place them into a big bowl. Squeeze half the orange over the cut peaches and set aside.

Now, onto the fun bit. I always thought I wasn't a fan of Frangipane but I was definitley misguided, this stuff is amazing. Most recipes call for white sugar but I think the brown sugar adds a lovely depth. Similarly, I experimented with the cointreau and found that the sharp alcohol flavor cooks out and what you're left with is an intriguing orange flavor that leaves you wanting more. 

With an electric mixer beat together the butter and sugar until its delightfully light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then add your swig of liquor. Now with a rubber spatula, mix in the almond meal, and zest your remaining half of orange. You will be left with a delicate, fluffy, heavenly paste that will test your will power more than you can imagine. It is so tasty. 

Place your pastry on a clean surface and with a sharp knife cut it into long rectangles. I like to use one of the peach segments as a guide for the width. 

Transfer the pastry to your prepared tray then with your spatula smear on a layer of the paste. Be careful to not go too thick with the layer, and be sure to leave a plain margin around the edges. I made a mistake with this batch and got too 'paste-happy' and had a biiiiit of an overflow incident. It didn't taste bad, just doesn't look as pretty at the end.

 Start layering your peaches in an orderly row, making sure they overlap ever-so-slightly. I'm not the most patient person in the world, but this part definitely makes for a cracking end result. 

At this point you can pop it straight into the oven, but I went one step further and sprinkled the edges with desiccated coconut. Bad idea. Coconut browns very quickly, so if you'd like to use it, add it in the last 5 minutes of cooking otherwise it will burn much like mine did! 

Place your tray into the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes. The peaches will look fabulous, but the doneness of the puff is what you should worry about. 

The sides will look ready, but underneath tells a different story. If you're not careful you could end up with a stodgy, albeit beautiful, pastry. I like to slide a butterknife underneath and have a quick peak before taking the tarts out. 

It usually just takes a few more minutes in the oven at this point. However, if you find that the bottom still isn't quite done, tarp some foil on top to prevent it from over-coloring while it finishes cooking. 

Once the base looks nice and crispy take the tray out of the oven, transfer the tarts to a wire rack, and leave it to cool slightly before slicing.

And there you have it! One of my favorite ways to highlight the beauty of stone fruits. Ive done this dessert with peaches, plums, and nectarines alike - they're all winners in my books. But this dessert right here, well, its just peachy! Sorry, couldn't resist. 

Pro Tip: If you want to really wow your guests, zap some marmalade/jam in the microwave for 15 seconds and brush it onto the peaches in the last five minutes of cooking. This adds a lovely professional glazed appearance that will surely impress. 

Arigato Gozaimasu, Tokyo

I've been dying to write about Tokyo since my trip last summer. It was everything I could have ever hoped it to be, and then a little more. 

Growing up, flying to Jakarta from Texas always involved a layover somewhere in Asia, and we usually passed through either Tokyo or Hong Kong. We'd venture out for a few hours to kill time, but it wasn't until recent that I got the chance to properly explore this incredible city. 

Famous Shibuya Crossing

Thanks to my good friend and fellow chef, Lai, this trip was made possible. He'd been planning his adventure for months, and I cheekily added myself into his itinerary in the last minute. I met Lai at HKG International and we boarded our plane to Tokyo. Landing into the Haneda Airport was like landing into a new world. I've done my fair share of travels through Asia, but nothing can quite prepare you for Tokyo. It is a shock to the system in the best way possible. The airport was total chaos, an attack on your senses, if you will. Loud chatter, people whirling past with loaded suitcases, intriguing smells wafting through the air, I was sold. This city had me at hello. 

Thankfully Lai speaks a little Japanese so we rushed to a counter to purchase a JR Pass  to get around the city - something I'd highly recommend getting if you're thinking of going! 90% of transport around Tokyo involves their intensive network of underground trains. This pass allows you to easily tag on and off at any spot, just make sure you have a good navigator in your group! I was terrible at it, and was a complete sheep, following Lai wherever he lead me. Few signs are in English unfortunately, so always keep a map on hand!

Wagyu for days

We checked into the Apa Hotel  in Shinjuku and immediately I was struck by the precision and tactfulness of Japanese society. The room was small, but honestly, you didn't really miss the space. There was a bed, a desk,  free wifi, and a bathtub. Ladies and gents, let me emphasize on the bathtub! Before this trip I'd probably taken five baths in my life, but after walking for what felt like miles across Tokyo, I looked forward to returning home and soaking in the hottub. Pronounced just like Will Ferrell on SNL, please. What made it even better were these "sauna packs" I found, that are essentially bath salts that cost less than $1 that you sprinkle in to help ease your muscles and relax. Incredible.

Our days in Tokyo were focused completely around eating. What more can you expect when you send two chefs to a city brimming with food. I kid you not, our schedule was wake up, get on the train to a new part of town, buy something to snack on, sit down for breakfast, walk, shop, walk, stop for lunch, walk, snack, shop, train, stop for coffee, walk, shop, train, stop for dinner, walk, dessert, sake, asahi, sake, snack, train, hotel, cheeky umeshu, bath, bed. We did this for nearly a week. It was insanity. The walking and window shopping game in Tokyo is fierce. There's just so much to take in, so many districts to visit, and so much to eat. Rich or poor, you will never go hungry in this city. 

Trip Highlight

I can't mention Tokyo without mentioning the Tsukiji Fish Market's. This is the place to go for fresh seafood. We decided against watching the 3am catch & trade demonstration and rocked up around 9:30. At this point all the fun was over, but we weren't fussed as we really just came for the food. We browsed the different vendors, all of which had a good 45 minute queue,  so we took our spot in a line and waited for what felt like a decade before we were finally seated. Some important things to know:

My Tuna Set - Tsukiji Markets

Our Sushi Vendor - Tsukiji Markets

1.) Don't order salmon. You will be crazy judged by not only the fish monger but any local nearby. Salmon is a river fish not an ocean fish, so it's not what you're there for. Trust. 

2.) This place is not cheap. To eat like the locals and get the best bang for your buck, order a sushi set. This comes with rice, sashimi, miso, and a little salad. The sets are served as combos that usually include three different kinds of fish, ex.)  fatty tuna, uni and tuna belly. 

3.) Make friends with your Itamae or sushi chef. Thank him, compliment him, don't drown your fish in soy sauce or rub your chopsticks together, and he will thank you in return with more fish. They take pride in their sushi, so take pride in your eating. 

Here were some of my other favorites eats:

一蘭拉麵 - Ichiran Raman – A ‘chain’ ramen restaurant that’s super casual. You sit at your own booth, and fill out a little form specifying exactly how you want your ramen…. Extra noodles, extra garlic (duh!) extra meat, chili, how much onion, how thick you want the noodles, etc etc. Perfect for a cheap, casual and filling lunch!

Customized Ramen 

Maisen Tonkatsu – probably the most famous place to eat Tonkatsu. An absolute must for dinner! Go to the Aoyama location is Shibuya. The most popular dish (so effing delicious) is the Okita Kurobuta Fried Pork Loin meal (about 3,780 Yen). It’s probably their most expensive option, but I think it’s the best. However, any of the pork katsu’s on the menu going to be delicious. If you like sweet alcohol, make sure you order a glass of Brown Sugar Umeshu on the rocks to sip with your meal. The sweet liquor with the pork makes a to die for combination… Im drooling.

Shinjuku Alleyways: Omoide Yokocho (piss alley/memory lane), Golden Gai, and Nonbei Yokocho - A collection of famous alleyways that are tiny corridors packed with small bars and eatiers that seat only 5 – 6 people. That atmosphere is always buzzing as people pile in after work. The fair is simple and delicious, consisting mainly of yakitori - grilled skewers of veggies and various cuts of chicken. The chicken skin is to die for! It's a wonderful place to stumble into for a midnight snack or sit and watch the world go by. Definitely a must to experience late-night culture in Tokyo, delicious food and strong drinks.

拉麵博物館 - Ramen museum – This place is a shrine to all things Ramen. Combing a bit of Japanese history with every kind of Ramen known to Japan, it's an incredible foodie education. Upstairs at the museum highlights the birthplace of each various types of ramen highlight specific regions of Japan. Downstairs, at least ten different vendors are set up with vending machines used to purchase your order before entering the restaurant. Id recommend ordering the half portion so that you can try a few different shops. My favorite type of ramen is Tonkotso, a rich pork broth served with tender slices of pork belly. Yum!

Tonkotso Ramen

新宿(伊勢丹 Isetan – big shopping mall, with a huge food court in the basement – tons of delicious things to try while you take a break from the fabulous shops upstairs! 

原宿(第八蛸華丸- some of the most famous Takoyaki in Tokyo! This dish is like a little cloud of octopus heaven. Tons of different varieties, but I like the original best. A warm doughy puff filled with bits of octopus, topped with a tangy BBQ sauce and drizzle of Japanese mayo, sprinkled with spring onions and crispy fish flakes. This dish originates in Osaka, but if you can't make it up there, this is the next best thing. Best of all, this little stall is in Harajuku, a great fashion district featuring local urban designers and well know brands.

Incredible Takoyaki! 

Places worth seeing:

淺草雷門寺(花月堂) – Senso-ji Temple.  Famous temple surrounded by a quint town and beautiful gardens. Make sure you make a wish and get a fortune. Lots of yummy snacks  to try, and delicious Udon and Tempura to eat nearby.

Tokyo Sky Tree – great observation point to see the city from way up high. Beautiful to visit at night.

Robot Restaurant - pretty much exactly what you expect out of Tokyo. Weird, cool, over the top entertainment and beer. 

橫浜中華街 - Yokohama China Town – lots of delicious street food options nestled in a little district. Try the roasted chestnuts from street vendors and the delicious pork buns.

Oh! And if you're like me, and have never been to Disneyland, go check it out! It was really easy to get there by train and like everything else in Japan, it's very straightforward and organized  If you want the novelty of Disney go to Disneyland, and if you want the excitement of theme parks go to Disney Sea. While I had a wonderful experience, I didn't quite get my adrenaline fill at Disneyworld. Either way, I'd highly recommend purchasing the fast track pass - its not cheap but saves you so much time and let's you cut the long lines. Everything is dubbed in Japanese so you don't get the full experience of the rides that have narration, but overall it was still magical and worth visiting! 

Precious Snow White

Obligatory churros at Disney

Why start a blog?

Ive been fighting this for what feels like a decade, but alas, here I am, ready to blog! 

Live cooking demo on Fox - Austin, Texas

I had a brief stint on Masterchef USA (Season 3, 10th place) which catapulted me out of university and into the culinary world. I was a  21 year old college dropout with no money, so what did I decide to do? Move to Hollywood of course! Well, not quite. I drove my car from Austin to LA, and got a job baking in a cafe. It was the greatest life decision I've ever made. However, I realized pretty quickly that working in the restaurant bizz with no qualifications is no piece of cake, so I signed up for culinary school... in Australia. 

It might seem bizarre, but that's kind of how I like to do things. Let's just say my decisions are never small, or simple, or completely logical. They just happen, and usually involve moving. It's probably something I'll have to talk to a shrink about one day, but for now, let's just write it off as my 'adventurous spirit,' okay?  

Now, years later, I feel equipped to write about food, and bring some opinions to the table that hopefully cary some weight. Going to culinary school and holding a few odd jobs in various kitchens by no means makes me an expert. That being said, I like to think I know good food. 

Spanish Paella

Bib & Tucker's Snapper Ceviche - Perth, Ausralia

Ive lived half my life in Indonesia, a quarter of it in America and a quarter in Australia. Ive got Indian/Iranian heritage and I've never lived anywhere longer than 5 years. All of this craziness makes me adapt to new places pretty easily, and I've found that my favorite way to connect with a new culture is through their food. Ive been to a lot of different countries, and I've eaten a lot of street food in my day. These experiences have had monumental affects on who I am as a person, and in the immortal words of my personal God, Anthony Bourdain, "Im hungry for more." 

Kecak Dance- Bali, Indonesia

On set! - Big Bend, Texas

Cape Town Coastline - South Africa

Dubai Skyline - United Arab Emirates

I hope through documenting my travels and all the delicious things I sample along the way I can encourage people to step out of their comfort zones a little. My motto in life is just try it! You might think you know what you like/dislike, but you can never truly know until you test it out. So whether that means buying a plane ticket to Hanoi or driving to Little Saigon in your local city to sample a Bahn Mi doesn't matter, so long as you feel inspired to venture out a little bit, and try something new.