3 degrees of separation? It's all Greek to me!

Hi! I am back again with my latest goss on food, cooking and my favourite past time eating! A very successful week with my year 12 Food & Technology students completing their last practical productions with great success on Tuesday. Chia Yu and Kelly made a nice sponge or two and as well we had success with Jasmine making sorbet. Marie's spelt flatbread and souvlakis a hit... which brings me to tonights Greek food feast at Cafe Platia on Burke Rd Camberwell. A mega feast with the Italian o/s visitors including franca and her afmily and Paola, The EDSC prin class and Italian staff from our school. The banquet began with the usual dip platter of tzasiki, melizanosalata, tarama, saganaki, loukanika, then calamari...more squid in a vegetable sauce (not sure about this dish?) Then mmm mmm! Char grilled Prawns..very moreish! succulent and tasty. Like we were needing more food? out comes the meat platter with souvlaki, gyros, chicken skewers and a big Greek salad. The chef and owner brings out the oyzo and hello hello! just so happens it takes 30 seconds to work out that we are related. LOL! 6 degrees of separation? With Greeks it really is 3! So if you are looking to eat Greek food Cafe Platia is worth a try for the usual Greek banquet. Tomorrow I am running a cooking class for the Italian o/s students...lamington butterfly cupcakes.Laters!

www.cafeplatia.com.au

Welcome food lovers to the first edsc foodies blog and my Sticky Date Pud recipe!

Hi!

My name is Ms K Stubbs and i am a teacher of Food Technology at East Doncaster Secondary College. I teach from years 8-12 in Food Technology but i also teach Health & Personal Development. This blog is open to students at EDSC and any other invited bloggers or interested persons who want to chat about food, post pictures of what they cooked in class today or maybe even what you ate for dinner last night. Please feel free to give positive feedback and even pass on one of your fave recipes.
I thought i would just start the ball rolling with the terrific day of cooking i had with my ab fab year 12 students yesterday. Chia Yu, Emily, Felicity, Kelly, Marie, Steph, Jasmine and Sophia hung out with me at EDSC from 11am to 4.30pm on a Saturday. Now that is dedication! They cooked up a storm for their major School Assessed Task worth 40% of their study score for VCE! A very successful day with Marie bashing the books with me discussing her folio work. Chia Yu whipping up a second batch of beaut Blueberry Macarons, Kellys wow Meringue Nests, Emily's well presented Blood Orange Pannacotta, Felicity's delectable Sticky Date Pudding, Sophia's Pan fried Salmon and Steph's decadent White Choc Mudcake with Honeycomb Ganache! We ate Pasta Napoletana that i whipped up for lunch and had a great day with a relaxed atmosphere. Thanks for the flowers yr 12 they looked great in my kitchen and much appreciated!
Last night i had dinner with friends at local restaurant in North Balwyn- Kim Crown. A great little family run place serving terrific Asian inspired food.  We ate Shanghai dumplings, pan fried dumplings, Pandan Chicken parcels, Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Salt and Pepper Squid, Spicy pork and Eggplant, Mie Goreng, Asian Green Vegetables and Yakitori Beef with Steamed rice. Mmmm Mmmm!!!
After dinner i served dessert for everyone at home. Here for starters is my famous stickydate pudding recipe that i swear by and that  along with an Opera Cake from Brunettis in Carlton impresssed my friends and finished of a great dinner. Till the next post try this recipe at home! Cya next time Ms K:)

Sticky Date Pudding with

Butterscotch Sauce

time: 50min
temp: 180 degrees celcius

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups chopped dates
1 1/4 cups water
1 tsp bi carb soda
3 tbsp butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sifted SR Flour
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

Butterscotch Sauce:

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cream
3/4 cup butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a round cake pan with baking paper.
Combine dates with boiling water and stir in bicarb soda. Stand for 5 min then process till smooth.
Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs one at a time.
Fold in flour, then date mixture. put into pan, scatter with walnuts or pecans and bake for 50 min approx.
To make sauce bring ingredients to the boil and stir, cook for 3 minutes to thicken.
Serve Pudding with hot Butterscotch sauce and ice cream!


Now you try making it! A great cold night dessert! If you like you can chop the nuts and add to the cake mix. Keep in mind this is a pudding and the cake mix will appear runny. The pudding once cooked will be a dark golden brown and do not over cook it and burn it or make it too dry. Test with a skewer that comes out clean or press lightly with fingertips and cake should spring back! Good luck!