All posts tagged: breakfast

Breaking the fast around the world

Published by

A weekend brunch in Auckland is something of an institution. Aucklanders flock to their favourite cafes in the weekends to eat familiar dishes they can easily prepare at home. Big breakfasts, eggs benedict, creamy mushrooms on toast…all delicious and all can prepared at home for a fraction of the price. Dining out for brunch is a treat. Sometimes you just want to be waited on first thing in the morning. Sometimes you need someone else to do it all when you’re hungover or just want to relax on your day off. People eat brunch and breakfast all over the world, so why are there no restaurants and cafes that specialise in food from other countries? Okra, one of my favourite local brunch spots used to offer Bus-Stop Eggs (served in the pan). This was a dish of spiced lamb koftas and capsicum in a tomato sauce, baked with eggs ($15.50). Fairly exotic. Unfortunately, they took that off the menu, but they’ve replaced it with what they call Spanish Breakfast which is pretty similar, still served …

Rarotonga Food Review!

Published by

Rarotonga is part of the Cook Islands which a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. The island is small – you can drive around the entire island in under an hour. We came here at the end of autum last year for our honeymoon. What is a honeymoon on a tropical island, without amazing seafood and fruity cocktails? Maybe I’m weird, but after a full day of snorkelling, I just want to eat seafood. “Oh look hun! Pretty fish! Can we eat that?” We had been pre-warned that the food in Rarotonga was good. We were even given a few recommendations on places to eat. These were Kaena – a tiny nondescript dinner restaurant by the diveshop and of course, Trader Jacks in the town centre for their amazing seafood platter. Both of these places we visited twice during week we were in Rarotonga. We also visited Flame Tree Grill which with a massive pet moray and a very kiwi feel about the place (kiwi owned perhaps?) promised much but didn’t quite deliver. The …

B for Breakfast, C for Congee

Published by

Congee is rice porridge and often served for breakfast. It’s also served to babies and sick people as it is easy to digest and is often served with extras. When I was a newborn, I was feed congee with fish. Some people enjoy it plain, but I prefer some “toppings”. My breakfast congee. Rice, pork mince, spring onion and ginger. Boil half a cup of long grain rice in about 3 inches of water. Cook for 1-2 hours until the grains of rice have broken down and there is no longer rice and water but rice bound in a thick liquid. Add a handful of minced pork or chopped chicken and cook for another 15 minutes. Add a splash of soy sauce, salt, ginger and spring onions. Serve or cool and refridgerate. Can be microwaved or reheated on the stovetop each morning for breakfast.