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Blog #5: Crepes (France)

The dish I prepared is a classic French dessert famously known as crepes which originated from a region in France called Brittany in the 13th century. The crepes I created from a basic online recipe appeared and smelled appetising, which revealed my desired outcome of cooking an evenly shaped crepe. My crepes remind me of the crepes I used to order from an authentic French crepe stall in the Melbourne CBD with my friends.

I was pleased with how my crepes appeared as it was light brown and not too thick, which indicates how I managed not to overcook the crepes in the frying pan. My crepes' texture was soft yet sturdy as it did not tear apart as I folded it and managed to hold the banana slices inside. After adding the melted chocolate spread and the banana slides, the crepes instantly filled the kitchen with a sweet aroma reminiscent of the crepes from an official crêperie.

Eating my dessert made me feel comfort and delight as I regard it as one of my favourite desserts that can easily be modified with different toppings depending on what I choose. When I ate my dish, it reminded me of the times I used to order crepes in the city late at night from an authentic French crepe stall after I would finish a shift at work. This dessert can provoke feelings of nostalgia from past fond memories of eating crepes with my friends.

Photography Sources:

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/basic-crepes/e4282b90-810c-41a3-ae9f-e4587010bf24

https://www.myfrenchlife.org/2015/08/04/french-crepes-melbourne-petite-creperie/

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Blog #4: Haute Cuisine (Film)

I interpreted the film Haute Cuisine, directed by Christian Vincent, about a chef named Hortense Laborie being hired as the personal chef for the French president. This film's messages surrounded the concept of creating dishes as though it is art through old-fashioned cooking. In this film, food was represented as a gateway to nostalgia from homemade cooking from your childhood that places importance on the emotions food makes you feel. This idea was exemplified with the conversation between the French president and Laborie, which reveals his yearning for comfort food that reminded him of his youth. The president also disclosed his true feelings about how modern cuisine is vastly different since it focuses on the extravagance of a dish (e.g. unnecessary dessert decorations) instead of his preference for the simplicity of home-style cooking.

Some of the factors that make it a 'foodie film' are montage scenes of Laborie cooking dishes that embrace the kinetic energy of creating an art form in the kitchen. The process of these homely foods being cooked and various locations where Laborie gathers her authentic ingredients.There is also a scene displaying the power dynamics in the professional kitchen between the genders regarding how women are regarded as below men in the kitchen hierarchy. This film highlights how Laborie feels out of place in a male-dominated sphere who cook in a different method and use mass-produced ingredients, which contrasts Laborie's traditional methods. Overall, this film represents the simple pleasures that food can provide someone and demonstrates how fresh regional ingredients and maintaining this authentic style of cooking can be costly and short-term.

Photography References:

https://frenchculture.org/events/8988-films-beach-2018-haute-cuisine 

https://versemag.com.au/reviews/film-review-haute-cuisine/

https://cherriemoore.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/a-foodie-film-giveaway-haute-cuisine/

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Blog #2: Brunswick Street (Foodscape)

Brunswick Street is a blend of gentrification, working-class roots, and a robust bohemian work atmosphere. Along this main street and its side streets consists of marked graffiti, independent vintage shops, restaurants, and bars that bring a unique vibe to this suburb. This bustling street gives off a casual yet colourful atmosphere and is famous in Melbourne for its distinct bohemian edge with occasional street dancers and vibrant music playing.

In recent years, Brunswick Street has become more gentrified and mainstream with its trendy shops, restaurants, and cocktail bars. This street also exemplifies the juxtaposition between vintage and modern food venues that display different aesthetics and sizes as a foodscape. Various national cuisines fit within the eclectic Australian cuisine of taking independent elements of multiple cultures and combining them to appeal to a diverse range of customers. The foodscape of Brunswick Street embodies diversity as it can appeal to a variety of dietary requirements, tastes, and price ranges. For example, food venues serve and cater to both authentic and modern interpretations of Asian, Middle Eastern, and European cuisine to suit Melburian tastes.

Brunswick street exhibits the juxtaposition between new and old dining with the combination of vintage and modern food venues, which appeals to a larger demographic than most foodscapes. The price brackets in this foodscape vary with various venues, such as authentic national cuisines for patrons with a disposable income to trendy bars or fast-food joints for university students on a budget. This street's surroundings relate to my identity as a young university student on a budget with an ethnic background as this foodscape personally appeals to my tastes.

Photograph Sources:

https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/22518066857952870/

https://www.realestate.com.au/property/311a-brunswick-st-fitzroy-vic-3065

https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/fitzroy/bars/amarillo

https://www.hiddencitysecrets.com.au/melbourne/brunswick-st-cider-house-bar-fitzroy-bars-melbourne/

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g1078374-d12412651-Reviews-Fitzroy_Victoria-Fitzroy_Yarra_Greater_Melbourne_Victoria.html

https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/guides/best-restaurants-brunswick-street

https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/fitzroy/restaurants/bon-ap

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Blog #1: Tiramisù

Tiramisù is one of the most famous Italian desserts known for its layering of coffee-soaked sponge finger biscuits, referred to as 'savoiardi,' with rich cream, eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese. The tiramisu presentation is traditionally a round, smooth and soft dessert or otherwise, a square-cut cake usually eaten with a spoon typically served in a glass or cup. This dessert became popularised during this competitive era of desserts due to the caffeine, sugar, and sometimes alcohol it contained. The Italian translation for tiramisu is "carry me up" and is known as an energy booster similar to that of an expresso gives.

There are debates on the accurate location of this dessert’s origins since many regions have claimed the fabled dessert as their own. Historical records state that this dessert originated in the Italian region of Veneto in the 1970s. Many Italians believed the dessert was first discovered on the restaurant menu in a city called Treviso by a madam for her clients seeking an energy booster.

In the 19th century, English speakers and artists who resided in Florence of Italy came to know the dessert's existence, and its popularity spread to England and grew internationally. During the 1990s, interest in tiramisu increased in the United States due to being presented in media, such as in the comedy movie 'Sleepless in Seattle.' Today, tiramisu is commonly known in many countries and is easily found on many Italian restaurants' dessert menus.

Photograph Sources:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018684-classic-tiramisu 

https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-of-the-veneto-region-1548141

https://www.lorespresso.com/en_gb/homemade-tiramisu