The hot list: Pretty french toast, new and improved KeepCups and booze for breakfast
We're eating… THE PRETTIEST FRENCH TOAST EVER
If this is what breakfast looks like in jail, punters would throw away the keys. The Glass Den is a cafe in the residential development of Pentridge Prison, and it's here you'll find Melbourne's most Instagrammable french toast (exhibit A snapped by @becauseican01). The rocky road brioche special was so popular it's now a permanent menu fixture – a magic garden of herbs, edible flowers and soils, fruit sorbets and butterfly pea whipped mascarpone sweetened with chocolate ganache, burnt marshmallows and berries.
We're drinking… BREAKFAST-INSPIRED BOOZE
Some eat cereal for dinner. Others drink it with dinner. In Sydney, Kensington Street Social's Cereal Killer comes in a delicate glass milk carton filled with Ketel One Vodka, "fruit looped" milk, apricot and Aperol, while the Hipsters Breakfast is a blend of banana bread-infused rum, salt butter milk syrup, cold drip coffee and Fernet Branca. Bad Frankie in Melbourne offers a Cornflake Old Fashioned (Ironbark-aged corn rye moonshine and Stone Pine honey liqueur). And for beer lovers, Michigan-based Founders Brewing Company has a breakfast stout made with flaked oats, chocolate and two types of coffee, available from winerepublic.com.au.
We're reading… SWEET GREEK LIFE
Melbourne's Greek godmother and the proprietor of Sweet Greek at Prahran Market, Kathy Tsaples, is on the verge of releasing her second cookbook, Sweet Greek Life. The stories weaved through the 116 traditional dishes are an insight to the food Tsaples grew up with, updated for the modern palate and beautifully photographed and styled by John Laurie and Leesa O'Reilly respectively. Our favourite is the Zimari chapter, devoted to Greek comfort dishes made by mixing water and flour. Pre-order at melbournebooks.com.au.
We're obsessed with… MINERVA GOODIES
Since 1938 Minerva has cooked and prettily packaged fresh fish just north of Porto, caught off the coast of Portugal, before hand-packing it into tins. The cannery, A Poveira, preserves tradition as well as sea life with a focus on sustainable fishing practices. Health benefits abound (Omega 3, vitamins D and B12, protein and more), but it's the quality that has us hooked. Try the sardines in spiced olive oil with pickles. Available in NSW from Butcher & The Farmer, Bazaar Deli and Black Wattle Deli.
We're learning… DIY FROSÉ
It's the drink trend of spring/summer 2016, but whether you love it or love to hate it, frosé is a cinch to make at home. Fill a couple of ice trays or a baking tray with rose and freeze overnight. Scrape the contents into a blender along with two cups raspberries or strawberries, one tablespoon of sugar and one quarter cup vodka for extra kick. Add fresh mint if desired, lemon juice and zest, then blitz until just combined. Yes way, frosé.
We're buying… LONGPLAY KEEPCUPS
KeepCup has released a new product, LongPlay, in response to demand for more durable, reusable glass cups. The colourful 12oz and 16oz models are designed for sippers, not skollers. Thanks to an extra glass layer they're better at retaining temperatures and protecting touch. Those already attached to their KeepCup can purchase a booster and band combination that can be retrofitted instead of buying a new one. Use them for everything from coffee to green smoothies and bubble teas – and do your bit for the environment in the process. au.keepcup.com
We're loving… FOODBYUS.COM
By now most of us are familiar with Airbnb, but FoodByUs connects local cooks and bakers with customers in much the same way, but through food. Founded and mostly available in Sydney it's as simple as jumping online and ordering from everyday cooks who have undergone a strict approval process. Think doughnuts, cupcakes, pies, vegan treats and even fairy floss.
We can't believe that… BEER FLOWS BENEATH BRUGES
Beneath most pavements it's the utility pipes that keep neighbourhoods running smoothly, but last month citizens of Bruges toasted to the world's first beer pipeline. At over three kilometres long it's a beer conduit between Halve Maan Brewery and a bottling plant just outside the city. Over 12,000 bottles worth flow through the pipeline each hour, removing polluting trucks from the cobbled, UNESCO streets in the process.
The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.
Sign up