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Welcome to Sydney Table, my foodie blog. This is where I will review the restaurants I visit and post the recipes I try out. You may also find some random and interesting food articles. I hope you find some culinary delights on here that you like. Eat and cook with your heart people and remember the best meal is the shared meal, with friends or loved ones. And be sure to check out my other websites: www.saltypopcorn.com and http://www.orble.com/total-randomness/ Have a great day!

New Mexico Chili Cook Off

March 26th 2011 07:32
If you can read this whole story without laughing, then there's no hope for you. I had tears in my eyes by the end. This is an actual account as relayed to paramedics at a chili cook-off in New Mexico ......

Note: Please take time to read this slowly. If you pay attention to the first two judges, the reaction of the third judge is even better.

chillies, new mexico, chilli judging



For those of you who have lived in or visited New Mexico , you know about their famous Chili Cook-off. They actually have a Chili Cook-off about the time Halloween comes around. It takes up a major portion of a parking lot at the Santa Fe Plaza . Judge #3was an inexperienced Chile taster named Frank, who was visiting from ROCHESTER , NEW YORK .

Frank: "Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cook-off.. The original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be standing there at the judge's table, asking for directions to the Coors Light truck, when the call came in. I was assured by the other two judges ( Native New Mexicans ) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy; and, besides, they told me I could have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted and became Judge #3 ."

Here are the score card notes from the event:

CHILI # 1 - MIKE'S MANIAC MONSTER CHILI

Judge # 1 -- A little too heavy on the tomato. Amusing kick.

Judge # 2 -- Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.
Judge # 3 (Frank) -- Holy crap, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway. Took me two beers to put the flames out. I hope that's the worst one. These New Mexicans are crazy.

CHILI # 2 - EL RANCHO'S AFTERBURNER CHILI

Judge # 1 -- Smoky, with a hint of pork. Slight jalapeno tang.
Judge # 2 -- Exciting BBQ flavor, needs more peppers to be taken seriously.
Judge # 3 -- Keep this out of the reach of children. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver. They had to rush in more beer when they saw the look on my face.

CHILI # 3 - ALFREDO'S FAMOUS BURN DOWN THE BARN CHILI

Judge # 1 -- Excellent firehouse chili. Great kick.
Judge # 2 -- A bit salty, good use of peppers.
Judge # 3 -- Call the EPA. I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now. Get me more beer before I ignite. The Barmaid pounded me on the back, now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I'm getting sh*t-faced from all of the beer.

CHILI # 4 - BUBBA'S BLACK MAGIC

Judge # 1 -- Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.
Judge # 2 -- Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other mild foods, not much of a chili.
Judge # 3 -- I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it Is it possible to burn out taste buds? Sally, the beer maid, was standing behind me with fresh refills. This 300 lb. woman is starting to look HOT ..... Just like this nuclear waste I'm eating! Is chili an aphrodisiac?

chillies, new mexico, chilli judging


CHILI # 5 - LISA'S LEGAL LIP REMOVER

Judge # 1 -- Meaty, strong chili. Jalapeno peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive.
Judge # 2 -- Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato. Must admit the jalapeno peppers make a strong statement.
Judge # 3 -- My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead and I can no longer focus my eyes. I farted, and four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly on it from the pitcher. I wonder if I'm burning my lips off. It really ticks me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Screw them.

CHILI # 6 - VARGA'S VERY VEGETARIAN VARIETY

Judge # 1 -- Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spices and peppers.
Judge # 2 -- The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, garlic. Superb.
Judge # 3 -- My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulfuric flames. I crapped on myself when I farted, and I'm worried it will eat through the chair. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that Sally. Can't feel my lips anymore. I need to wipe my butt with a snow cone.

CHILI # 7 - SUSAN'S SCREAMING SENSATION CHILI

Judge # 1 -- A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.
Judge # 2 -- Ho hum, tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. **I should take note that I am worried about Judge #3. He appears to be in a bit of distress as he is cursing uncontrollably.
Judge # 3 -- You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn't feel a thing. I've lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava to match my shirt. At least during the autopsy, they'll know what killed me. I've decided to stop breathing. It's too painful. Screw it; I'm not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach.

CHILI # 8 - BIG TOM'S TOENAIL CURLING CHILI

Judge # 1 -- The perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili. Not too bold but spicy enough to declare its existence.
Judge # 2 -- This final entry is a good, balanced chili. Neither mild nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge #3 farted, passed out, fell over and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself. Not sure if he's going to make it. Poor fella, wonder how he'd have reacted to really hot chili?
Judge # 3 -- No report.
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Soup for Sluts

March 9th 2011 19:27
God there is some amazing food out there. Here is a website ad for you guessed it "Soup for Sluts" - this is posted in whole from their website.

soup for sluts, ramen noodles


Ever had that one night stand that just wouldn't leave afterwards or even worse, in the morning? Alcohol and a lack of sunlight can go a long way in the evening, but seeing them in the morning sheds a whole new light on things. Well then we have the perfect way to send a hint that can’t be denied!

Next time, if they start asking for breakfast... just throw them a quick bag of our Soup for Sluts Ramen Noodles! This spicy vegetable flavored soup, made by one of the world's finest makers of instant noodles, is cheap, fast and easy, just like your pickup from last night!

0g Trans fat. 3oz. 190 calories.


And as my friend James pointed out when I posted the pic on Facebook - "and it has no trans fats" LOL

Special thanks to Bianca for letting me know about it
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The Divine Sugar Plum

March 5th 2011 22:53
I had never even heard of these things before but have been obsessed with fresh fruit at the moment and the awesome FruitEzy at Chatswood had them for sale in Kilo boxes for $2.99 plus offered them free to try for the first time. I was sold from the first bite and have since gone through 2kgs in the last 4 days - you could say I am definitely getting my fibre .

sugar plum, fresh fruit, plum cake recipe


If you Google sugar plum you get a million pages and recipes to make the confectionary known as "sugar plum" that does not even need to have plum in it - if you search "sugar plum fruit" you get a few recipes and pages that say some of the most magical things about this fruit. Things like:

Its golden flesh is followed by nature’s second honey that comes rushing forward to greet your taste buds with every bite. This fruit's sugar at harvest ranges from 18% to 25%, and it has been said "the rays of the sun have been captured and stored beneath the flesh of this singular fruit to only be set free when tasted."

The Sugar Plum needs no introduction. Its appearance is that of a gigantic purple grape. In fact I have called it a glum for the last few days - the cross between a grape and a plum is the perfect description of this amazing fruit. It is one of the few plums with a non-bitter skin. Your first bite will give way to an incredible fruit full of character.

sugar plum, fresh fruit, plum cake recipe


When I get paid next week I am going to buy a few kilos of them and make some Crostata. I have not made this yet but this is the recipe I will be making and you can find it HERE. With special thanks to "Pikelet and Pie".

sugar plum, fresh fruit, plum cake recipe, sugar plum tart


Sugar Plum Crostata
Adapted from Spicy Ice Cream’s Crostata.
Makes 4 smallish tarts

For Pastry:
250g unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup water
1/2 t salt
2 1/2 cup plain flour

juice of 1 lime
sugar to taste
500g sugar plums (or more, or less), stones removed.
handful of roughly chopped almonds.
1 egg yolk and 2T milk
Place butter in freezer. Mix salt with water and also place in freezer leave for about 10 mins (I left this for too long and the butter was impossibly hard). Sift flour and rub butter in with your fingertips. When it looks like course breadcrumbs mix most of the water in and form into a ball (you may need all the water). Put onto a floured surface and press through with the heel of your hand, kneed lightly for combine butter through. When combined wrap in glad wrap and rest in fridge for half an hour. Split into four and roll each portion into a rough circle, cover and rest in fridge for 15 mins.
Meanwhile, wash the fruit then halve and deseed them. Mix fruit with lime juice and sugar to taste. Place 1/4 of fruit in each pastry base, leaving a bit of an edge on the pastry circle. Create an edge for your tart by folding the edges up and gathering the edges so the pastry covers a bit of the fruit. Sprinkle with almonds, mix yolk with milk and brush the pastry with the resulting eggwash.
Cook in a hot oven (200C) until the pastry is crispy and the fruit has softened. Eat warm with cream or icecream. Keeps for a few days in a sealed container in the fridge.

Sugar plums and now in season in Australia and are damn cheap and totally delicious - if you can find them then GET THEM - I think you would need more specialty fruit shops like Harris Farms or the amazing Fruit Ezy.

Enjoy!
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Seriously I am so obsessed with these juices I have to write about them. It is easily the MOST real fruit juice you will ever drink in your life. It is like you are just squeezing the juice into your mouth through a strainer so never any pulp.

preshafruit, australian fruit juice, cold pressurised

[ Click here to read more ]
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Yummy Icecream made from Boobie Milk

February 24th 2011 23:51
Not sure whether this would make my Foods that Make You Go Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww articles but for the first few years of most people's life this would be heaven - now I just find it damn gross But I am a prude - what do you think?

breast milk, breast milk ice-cream, Baby Gaga

[ Click here to read more ]
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The Milkshake

February 14th 2011 10:54
I have been obsessed with milkshakes most of my life but a lot more of late since I gave up smoking - I just love milk - although only skim - and I have a very sweet tooth. My favourite milkshake is actually a lime milkshake - although I admit to cheating and preferring a lime thickshake to a milkshake. I never really make lime milkshakes at home and settle on something more in the middle of a milkshake and a smoothie - mixing some health into the joy. What's your favourite milkshake - got any memories of your fave milkshake moment??

MIlkshake
Photo by Audrey Kitching for a Jetson's Milkshake Party

[ Click here to read more ]
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MUST WATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a very educational video on the capitalism explosion of Coles and Woolworths - these guys will pretty much own Australian in the next few years - it is astounding how much they actually own. Scary even


[ Click here to read more ]
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OK, you don't really get to eat people, although some PR company is claiming in Berlin they are about to open one where you can .

Cannibalistic Restaurant, Nyotaimori, Bizarre Restaurants

[ Click here to read more ]
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Xmas Presents for The Soul and Stomach

December 19th 2010 05:18
My work friend Lynley made these insane presents for the management team - I just loved them so much I asked if I could do a a post on them, she admits they weren't her idea and the original recipe comes from taste.com.au so I think they both deserve credit.

What I love about them is that they have involved some making and thought and you get to do the same while producing them. Then you have something delicious you have kind of made from the gift giver. Plus they look awesome


[ Click here to read more ]
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Food that Makes You Go Ewwwwwww - PACHA

December 5th 2010 21:09
This delicious meal comes from the tables of Iraq and is a hideous looking meal but is only eating of a sheep - something we do regularly with lamb.

The recipe is basically just boiling a sheep's head. You might get some trotters and stomach thrown in there. The ingredients are all boiled slowly so that a sort of broth forms around the head, and whatever other body parts are being boiled. It is then seasoned to taste and served with some bread soaking in the broth itself. If the stomach is being served as well, then that would most likely be filled with rice and lamb before being sewn shut to keep all that stomach-flavored goodness inside


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I absolutely LOVE BEETROOT, the flavours of it are so yummy and once I start on beetroot I can't stop, it's like the chocolate of the vegetable world. I grew up having sandwiches with processed chicken, cheese and beetroot and I still miss them - although I try to avoid the chicken roll these days

We had the Pyrmont Growers markets on again over the weekend and we had to do it in the most hideous torrential rain I have seen for years, people still braved the elements and came out to buy their fresh food but generally it was much quieter. This gave me a chance to check out the very close stalls next to me as I didn't want to wander too far as the animals we were collecting in 2X2s for our ark might have wandered off


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If you are a Fair Trade Coffee purchaser then you will be now happy to know that you won't have to locate an Oxfam shop to get your Oxfam Fair Trade Coffee. Coles and Woolworths have now gotten onboard and are selling the coffee.

Oxfam Fair Coffee, Coles, Woolworths

[ Click here to read more ]
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YUMMY Asparagus is now in Season

October 30th 2010 23:10
The delicious asparagus is now in season in Australia and incredibly cheap, try 88c for a bunch so it's time to make your wee smell and cook some of the delicious stuff.

asparagus, food in season, urine smells

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I am appalled at myself - I have only accomplished 2 on the entire list and I have a website called Sydney Table - damn shame on me!!!

Well this year I am going to be changing that and I am going to change the first one this weekend and obtain something off the list


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