A CLEAR-OUT, A competition as well as crazy FOOD weekend

It’s been quite terrible weather condition in Sydney this week. This storm that pile-drived (or ought to that be pile-drove) into the city was quite impressive. I believe one of our visitors discussed the word ‘apocalypse’ – I’m inclined to agree.

Perhaps it’s the weather, however Mrs romance has been even funnier than typical recently. Her newest witticism went a bit like this:

Context: we were heading to a restaurant to try their outstanding pizzas as well as I was inspecting to see exactly how hungry Mrs R was.

Me: Do you believe you can eat a whole pizza?

Mrs R: My stomach’s not in fee – I am. as well as if I want, I can state ‘just stuff it down my throat like a foie gras goose.’

If ever I were to question why I married her! like that attitude.

Anyway, on with our Insta Diary!

Our dear buddy Anthony Nader is having the official opening of his new beauty salon place tonight. The old RAW Anthony Nader was ok, however this location is great. They’ve personalized whatever – if as well as when you go there, keep in mind to inspect out the bathroom. It’s amazing. All I’ll state is Anthony’s a bit of a Madge fan.

It’s getting to that time of the year when a great clean is in store for our bit place. Plus, with our approaching trip to the specifies coming ever closer, we requirement to get our things in much better order.

This is my effort: a spring clean of the bar. This crate represents the ‘absolutely no’ choice of booze in the throw-out stage of cleaning. Of course, the vodka as well as gin aren’t included in this group – that’s all still in the freezer.

For the rest (and there’s rather a lot), we’ll see what occurs to it. I’ve got a feeling we’ll most likely drink it!

Mrs romance is such a lucky lady. Not only is she married to me [cough cough], she’s likewise been invited to a personal sneak-peek dinner at the new InterContinental hotel in double Bay. set to open in November, Stockroom restaurant as well as Stillery Bar will be the new Sydney hotspots. view this area for much more news!

InterCon as well as Penfold’s partnered to bring this dinner together as well as Mrs R’s extremely thrilled about having her very first ever glass of Penfold’s Grange. just ask her about it. She likes telling everyone!

It’s always a enjoyment to catch up with Paul from MrAristotle.com – as well as even much more so when it’s in a pub! We’ve satisfied up with him (after method as well long, hello PK?!) in the Dove as well as Olive in Surry Hills.

The Dove as well as Olive’s beer choice has improved so much because its renovation, as well as the food offerings are fantastic too. Paul as well as I have both purchased these lunchtime specials: only $9.95 on Thursdays, you can get a bacon cheeseburger as well as fries. No-brainer.

Mrs romance has gone for something a bit much more up-market. The short ribs with a sticky barbeque sauce as well as fries. extremely good – as well as gluten totally free if you don’t mind!

We’re truly thrilled today. We’re providing away a book in our newest competition. It’s a beautifully-made cookbook from Spirit home – a contemporary Oriental restaurant set in the Sunshine coastline Hinterland.

The book features preferred recipes from the four head chefs of the restaurant, who likewise run the routine cooking classes you can take at the restaurant.

All you have to do is tell us about your worst cooking disaster. Head over to our competition post, which includes the recipe for authentic poultry satay we were provided by the Spirit home chefs. tell us your story in the comments there as well as you’re immediately in the running for this fantastic book.

This afternoon, we’re up, up as well as away, heading down to Melbourne to go to Australia’s natural health spa as well as hot springs region: Daylesford. There are over 75 natural springs in this region, which is outstanding thinking about there are only around 100 country-wide.

Our Tiger Air flight’s a bit late however the view from our windows over the Victorian countryside as well as the fantastic in-flight service has much more than made up for that.

Our Daylesford digs are something rather different. Shizuka Ryokan is a conventional Japanese hotel as well as has us yearning for a trip back to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Our space (one of only six offered here) is amazing. It’s got the conventional paper screen walls, tatami reed flooring – there’s even a ceremonial kimono hanging on one wall. As we arrive, we’re served eco-friendly tea at our Japanese table – we’re feeling so unwinded already as well as we’ve only just walked with the doors.

After settling into our accommodation, we modification as well as head to dinner. We’ve got a booking at most likely the closest restaurant to Shizuka Ryokan. It likewise occurs to be a Hatted restaurant if you please!

The Argus dining space in Hepburn Springs is a gorgeous location serving the most amazing food. As we’re eating, we get speaking about the most unforgettable meals we’ve had. We agree that this has to go on the list.

As is only appropriate in a location like this, We purchase an aperitif. This is mine – a negroni however made with Campari, Punt e Mes, Arberg 10-year-old scotch as well as garnished with a burnt orange slice. It’s exquisite though powerful. It’s likewise my reason for eating so much afterwards. Well, I’ll have to soak it up with something, won’t I?!

For breakfast, we’ve got the option of continental, a few other things or Japanese. We can’t truly keep in mind what those other things are since we go directly for the Japanese option.

It turns out to be a fantastic choice. Teriyaki salmon with Japanese omelette, daikon as well as a bit stoned fruit, then bit bowls of pickled as well as marinated vegetables, seaweed as well as fungi. There’s a bowl of rice with a sesame as well as nori sprinkle, as well as of program miso soup as well as eco-friendly tea to drink.

There’s no nato, which I’m half delighted about, half disappointed. Nato is a strange, fermented soya bean meal that’s extremely prominent on Japanese breakfast tables. It’s so sticky as well as stringy, as well as the flavour’s truly strong as well – it’s a bit like a Japanese version of Vegemite or Marmite. extremely much an obtained taste.

Soon, we’re on the road again, heading for the very first winery of the day. It’s called Ellender Estate Wines and it’s certainly somewhere anybody who’s in the Daylesford region ought to visit.

The wines are all tasty as well as the locals are extremely friendly! These two bit lovelies were born to be winery dogs… aside from they’re true escapologists!

A bit method down the hill, Ellender has a lake with a bit house. There’s frequently a bit boat right here too, however it’s being painted at the moment. has been for a year or two actually, however that doesn’t matter. This is a extremely prominent area for proposals, as well as it’s simple to see why. It’s so gorgeous as well as peaceful. Mrs R doesn’t seem as well keen to get moving either, does she?

Dinner tonight is at Shizuka. It’s… incredible. This is one of the very first dishes we eat. It’s a rice cracker coated prawn cutlet with a wasabi sesame mayonaise, as well as it’s a stroke of culinary genius.

Talking of culunary genius, these chocolates are just that! we’re lastly – as well as extremely unfortunately – on our method back to the airport. however as you’ll see, we’re taking our time with it!

Thsee chocolates are all handmade, the moulds are all hand-polished, as well as each piece is painted, filled as well as completed by hand right here at The chocolate Mill. They offer between 10,000 as well as 12,ooo chocolates a week here!

It’s a huge figure, however it’s not unexpected – particularly as we’ve tasted them! This hot chocolate is likewise something to marvel at. certainly worth going to for a swig of this wonderful brew!

We’re on our method to lunch however discover a winery that’s include a firm recommendation: Passing Clouds Winery – run by Graeme Leith – is a homely bit cellar door set in the hills of the outskirts of Musk. Graeme is an absolute card as well as likes a great chat. keep your eye open for his autobiography. It went from being a 60,000 word book to method into the 140,000 mark as each editor who’s evaluated it hears much more of his yarns.

The wines he showcases are mainly made of the grapes grown on the residential or commercial property (the chardonnay’s extremely tasty). Graeme’s a fantastic example of exactly how being friendly to the personnel on the cellar door gets you so much much more of an experience than just tasting the wines on offer.

Here’s much more of what you can do to make the most of your time at a winery.

Our last stop before we head house is the well-known Redbeard Bakery in the bit township of Trentham. The bread they make right here comes from an oven that’s been running quite much non-stop because 1892. It’s drawn in the interest of George Colombaris as well as the delightful Maggie Beer, who have both tried as well as liked the food here.

I am likewise one of the converted. This Reuben sandwich is unreal. The cheese is incredible, the dill mayo is ideal however the pastrami from Istra little products down the road. It’s SO tasty!

It’s all as well soon that we’re flying house again, back to Sydney. Back to reality. It’s been an amazing trip to an area that – up until just just recently – I wasn’t even conscious existed. I’m so glad I understand much more about the area now. It’s definitely somewhere I’ll be recommending to everybody I satisfy from now on!

Coming house from somewhere like Daylesford is rather interesting. It’s always great to be back in your own bed, however there’s likewise that sense that you’ve got to get back into the swing of things once again the next day.

How has your week been? Are you starting your spring cleaning yet? tell us all about it in the comments. as well as don’t fail to remember to head over to our competition page to tell us about your cooking nightmare. 

Images by Mr as well as Mrs romance through Instagram: @MrAndMrsRomance, @HairRomance as well as of program @AngryBastard!