When I interviewed Carl Honoré, author of In Praise of Slow, for our August ECO issue, he revealed that one of the experiences that brings him the most peace is cooking. Since embarking on the 100-mile diet, this notion has really rung true for me, as I had forgotten just how enjoyable cooking can be. Initially we were cooking for necessity – if we didn’t, we’d be living off raw vegetables or going hungry! But as the diet has progessed and we’ve become more adventurous with our culinary attempts, the process of cooking each evening and on the weekends has become one of inherent pleasure. Lizzy’s talent for making delicious salads has quickly emerged and her first attempt at vegetable lasagne was a delight, while Alice’s foray into making her own ravioli has inspired us all to try our own varieties. I’ve been experimenting with a kind of Indian-inspired theme such as chicken sauteed in a yoghurt garlic sauce, served with fresh tomato atop a roti-style bread (made from flour, water and avocado oil) and after recently discovering that a friend’s mother has a curry-leaf bush in her yard, my next challenge is making a hearty curry! It’s funny how cooking things from scratch really doesn’t take as long as people might think and there’s a certain comfort in knowing where everything has come from. Today I made 100-mile fettucine (from Knotsbury Farm Eggs and Kialla Flour) and tried my hand at a ravioli (with a filling of field mushrooms, Barambah Fetta, garlic and oregano), and even managed to find time for a home-made apple pie (short-crust pastry made from Knotsbury Farm Eggs, Kialla Flour, Mandala Grove Avocado Oil and honey, and then filled with stewed apples). And not only is cooking a great way to relax, but it also gives you a reason to invite friends and family over to test your culinary creations. If your kitchen set-up allows for it, having friends sit around with you chatting while you prepare a meal is a true joy
Monthly Archive for August, 2008
At the end of Insight on SBS on Tuesday night, I listened to what I thought was one of the most brilliant, relevant and powerful ideas when it comes to marketing and dealing with Australia’s position in the climate change debate. Just as Josh wrote in his street editor’s post ‘it seems everyone is doing it‘,“Ultimately, after the marketing sputniks have had their way with feel-good campaigns and projects (which let me stress are needed as a first step!), the real work needs to begin - of restructuring value and supply chains, educating employees, sourcing 100% of energy from renewable sources, and offsetting Co2 emissions, to name a just a few mandatory actions companies need to take.” I am in total agreeance with his point and that the only way to deal with the climate issue is to convert to clean renewable energy – solar, wind, thermal etc. It seems so obvious yet at the same time it feels like such little action is occurring. map magazine went carbon neutral three years ago. Why? To start demonstrating immediately that as an individual and a business that is where I wanted to invest my money to assist in the conversion of an economy to a green economy that invests in clean renewable energy. Continue reading ‘it’s time to disconnect’
Who are we? … How do we create? … What stirs us? …
For anyone who has ever been entertained, inspired, intrigued, educated, challenged or encouraged by map magazine over the past nine years, we proudly invite you to the launch of the map cafe series at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Ever since the 15th-century Middle East, the cafe has been known as the quintessential social gathering place. Cultural barriers were dissipated, creativity flowed freely, minds met, ideas were born and lifelong friendships were forged. Artists, bohemians, intellectuals and socialites would congregate en masse and in solitude to read books, scribble in journals, listen to music and philosophise about the world in general. Now, in the 21st century, while the world has changed, the map cafe series embodies that same community spirit composed of a complex patchwork of interesting characters. The map cafe series, taking place on Friday September 12 from 6:30 pm, brings together a collection of curious, creative and fascinating minds for a night of conversation, music and inspiration. Continue reading ‘map cafe series program’
As a kid, one of my favourite things to do was to go to Kenilworth Park and spin ‘round and ‘round and ‘round on the giant tyre swing until I felt dizzy. One park visit was also coupled with a tour of the relatively new Kenilworth Cheese factory, which sat on the opposite side of the road. Donning hairnets, clear goggles and paper booties, we were guided around the small factory as the cheese-making process was explained. Today, the Kenilworth Cheese factory is still going strong and has expanded into Kenilworth Country Foods. As one of Queensland largest privately owned and operated cheese factories, it uses milk from surrounding farms to produce over twenty varieties of cheese. Of these varieties, Cooloola Cheddar has always been a family favourite – a mild flavoured, smooth cheese that is matured for six weeks before packing and is perfect for adding to salads or using in homemade ravioli. And only an hour’s drive north of Brisbane, Kenilworth Cheese sits perfectly within our 100-mile diet radius. Try some yourself from the source (Kenilworth Cheese factory offers free cheese tasting seven days a week) or alternatively, you can find it many places in Brisbane including Zone Fresh Gourmet Markets. And if you do visit the factory, don’t forget to swing by the awesome adventure playground that still sits opposite.
This is the last thing that made Allira Tee smile 
Satirical comic book Mad Magazine has been published in over 20 different countries and adapted into stage shows and late night comedy television programs. It’s one of those things; you either love it – or you hate it. Regardless, Mad Magazine should be commended for its life as a magazine and for its continued success without having to use advertising from issue #33 (1957) through issue #402 (2001) because of high subscription rates across the globe and its huge following in America, its birth country. This huge following is the result of brilliant recurring features in the magazine such as ‘The Lighter Side Of …’, ‘Spy vs. Spy’, and “Don Martin Gags’ and its movie and television show parodies. The best recurring feature, however, is the fold-in. With the United States Election looming The New York Times has chosen a selection of fold-ins that best capture iconic political events in United States history according to Mad Magazine and uploaded them to its site in a way so that you can fold the page with your mouse. It includes references to Nixon, Bush, The Vietnam War and other US Military activites, as well as iconic art movements such as pop art and shout outs to musical greats such as John Lennon and Elvis. This is a great online trip down memory lane, which recaps the incredible life of Mad Magazine as well as some of history’s most unforgettable moments.
summer shoe dreaming
With hints of summer creeping up, it’s that time when we throw open the wardrobe doors to reassess our warm weather wear. If we take a peek at European summer footwear fashions, the gladiator sandal is back, in earthy browns, solids black and fun metallics. Putting a new twist on the traditional gladiator sandal style is Scorah Pattullo, a London based collaboration between Danish designer Rikke Hjelde and UK shoe retailer Frances Scorah. In their third collaboration with UK fashion designer Marios Schwab, the three have come together to produce some new spring/summer designs, which includes a shoe that pushes the boundaries of traditional gladiator sandals. By adding an 11-cm heel, a peep toe and a cut-out silhouette with four delicate straps, the shoes were premiered on almost every model in Marios’ spring/summer catwalk collection. Fashionistas will be glad to hear that the well-loved Brisbane shoe boutique, Beth and Lou, stocks a collection from Scorah Pattullo in its new Fortitude Valley store. Continue reading ’summer shoe dreaming’
When’s the last time you said thank you to someone you value? While we may often think about how much we appreciate someone, we don’t often tell them. And there are millions of ways to say thank you. Leave someone a note. Bake some muffins and leave them in a basket on their doorstep. Pick a bunch of flowers and give them to someone just because. Write a song. Or, quite simply, just look someone in the eye, smile, and say those two little words. Anouk in Paddington and map magazine want to help you say thank you with the ‘map magazine thank-you breakfast’. Just email mikki@mapmagazine.com.au explaining whom you would like to say thank you to and why, and you could have the chance to do it over a delicious complimentary breakfast for four people at Anouk.
As Adam Wernbach indicated in his speech launching Saatchi & Saatchi’s S project, the influencing power of the corporation is intertwined with the general public’s ability to respond to climate change and other environmental conditions which require social, economical and cultural related behavioural changes. Always the villain and accomplice, many corporations and consumers respectively, are now engaged in a new relationship. It’s almost like their meeting for the first time again. And while the products may be the same and serving the same needs, the language has changed, the transaction has changed and the ramifications of that swipe are being felt around the world. Continue reading ‘it seems everybody’s doing it.’
This is the fractal coastline of greenland and its numerous fjords as seen from space. There is so much inspiration in its sheer beauty.
Well at least part of it. Discovering new suppliers of locally produced food is an exciting part of the 100-mile diet. But what about taking it one-step further and grow the food for yourself. Imagine the excitement and satisfaction of doing this. And with food prices soaring because of rising fuel prices, it makes sense to have a few veges in the backyard that are available when you need them. David Balilla, an agriculturist in the Philippines who heads a model farm for urban communities, says no space is too small and no weather too harsh for planting vegetables in the city. David is in charge of Gulayan at Bulaklakan, a model farm that grows various vegetables using space-friendly techniques such as hanging sacks, tyres, plastic bottles and bamboo containers. He gives weekly seminars on urban farming in poor areas, showing the residents that many vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and celery can grow in any weather conditions. This project is inspiring as well as an excellent display of resourcefulness so often found in third-world nations. Continue reading ‘you can grow your own lunch’
Readers of the current issue of map magazine will have browsed our story on Envirosax and read the staggering statistic that Australians consume around 6.9 billion plastic bags each year. Of these, 350 are cleaned from the Brisbane River every week, meaning that 18,500 plastic bags find their way into our precious river every year. Along with the plastic bags, 1 million bread bag tags and 700 plastic bottles are fished from the water every week by the Healthy Waterways Clean Up team. As part of the Brisbane Riverfestival, which kicks off this week, Brisbane school students and artist Tony Rice have collaborated in a series of kites, made from 350 plastic bags, called Out of the River…imagine. The kites will fly above the Goodwill Bridge and along the South Bank Cultural Forecourt as a visual reminder that we need to take better care of our precious waterways. Continue reading ‘imagine…no plastic bags’
For those feeling a bit lost in the television viewing stakes now that the Olympics are over can switch off the television and switch onto the Portable Film Festival. Back for its third year, the online film channel launched its 2008 programme on August 1 this year and offers viewers a variety of films across categories such as short film, first hand capture, webisodes, music video, animation and feature film. Every short film is available for download, with a new film being released every day of this month. Unlike conventional film festivals, this one lets you view the films in your own time, multiple times or in double time – whatever you feel like. Viewers can vote for their favourites (winners will be announced in September) or simply substitute for television. Created in Melbourne and accepting film submissions from around the world, it’s hard to not get addicted to watching film after world-class film.
Well it’s only early days but I can safely say that we have a new, fashionable piece of charcuterie increasing in popularity on the Brisbane dining scene - Cotechino. I dined out three times in the New Farm / Teneriffe area last weekend at Bar Alto, Beccofino and Cirque and this tasty little sausage made an appearance on all three menus. It’s one of those ingredients that I had heard about but if I recall correctly, have never actually tried until now. Cotechino is a northern Italian staple and is much larger in size than most sausages. Usually it’s at least 6cm in diameter and about 16-18cm long. Like most charcuterie it’s made from pork but only with meat from the cheek, neck, shoulder, fatback and pork rind – what’s not to like? Traditionally it’s delicately flavoured with nutmeg, cloves, salt & pepper but upon further investigation you’ll find there are several different variations. You’ll often see it served with braised lentils or cannellini beans alongside polenta and in Italy, especially around the New Year. When it’s been perfectly cooked and sliced crosswise it’s surprisingly soft and tender and a lightish pinky, grey in colour.
lamb
It’s amazing how six minutes of film can linger in your memory forever. This was the winner of Tropfest in 2002 …
Every year in Brisbane, Winter comes around and then it’s quickly taken away from us. With such a quick season, it seem pointless to buy many winter clothes. Final Home, a Japanese company, specializes in making garments that can be adapted according to need. The name Final Home was given to its first garment but it later became the label’s identity. The jacket is still available and comes in three different colours: orange to remind of one’s existence, khaki to blend in with the forest and black to assimilate into the city. The label has since expanded with several stores around the world, which stock the label’s own ranges that transform pants to shorts, jackets to bags and vests to jackets, as well as 3Way leather shoes and directions for their use are written on the bag in which they come. It’s ingenious how companies such as Final Home come up with unique way to incorporate packaging into its product and to create more than one use for its garments.
I recently had a discussion with a mate about the difference between sunset and sunrise from the perspective of light. If you were placed in a completely foreign environment and were not aware of the time, would there be any characteristics of light that would lead you to assume (or know) that it was morning or evening? If we simply sat and watched, we would see it getting lighter or darker. So we came up with a little experiment to test our powers of perception. I have created a gallery of sunrise and sunset images that I have shot over the years. There are 16 images in total, have a look at each one and see if you can tell if it’s morning or evening. Enjoy!
leaving impressions.
With a desire to create images that ‘fix in the mind’, the compositions of artist Josh Keyes certainly demand to be given the chance. His style, while surreal, is distinct from Magritte, Dali, Frida and Rousseau, breaking new ground in the use of scientific relationships between objects and subjects, and environmental settings. Drawing on a cast of animal characters, (an orcha of which has been diving through reoccurring dreams since he was 9), many of his paintings convey a projection of a probable future for us and the planet. But before I apply for a role as an art critic, I’ll allow the man himself to comment. “The polarity between the hard, factual, realism, and emotional expression creates tension. The intersection between things known and things felt is what interests me. As a side note, the scientific, dissection and cross section model expresses a certain hidden or underlying beauty of how all things are interrelated. A cross section can expose the root structure of a tree, or express geological time through the different layers and strata of the earth and soil”. So true. And herein lies the genius of the artist or any creative or innovator; in stating and applying new ideas which appeal and make sense. And in case you were wondering, Josh still paints without a mouse.