Mondo Organics Cooking School - back to basics for a foodie

http://www.mondo-organics.com.au

**I was a guest of Mondo Organics for this cooking class

I wasn't going to lie, so when it was my turn to rate my cooking skills from 1, a beginner, to 5 a culinary wizard, I gave myself an honest zero.  We were standing in a semi circle around Mondo Organic's head chef and cooking school instructor Paul Horne and we were about to be put through our paces with the modern Spanish tapas class.  But I get ahead of myself.

A few months ago, I made a long overdue and first visit to Mondo Organics (see post here) and was completely blown away by the West End institution.  I'd been hearing great things about Mondo Organics for many years, but strangely had never got around to checking out the casual fine diner.  I'd been slowly making my way through the AGFG Brisbane hatted restaurants and it was getting impossible for me to ignore Mondo any longer.  Quite rightly, I my post reflected the amazing meal that I'd consumed and I resolved to get back to Mondo as quickly as I could for a return visit.

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long when Mondo Organics co-owner and chef Brenda Fawdon contacted me and asked me to come along to the Mondo cooking school, so they could put me through the paces of the well known cooking classes.  Excited and a little apprehensive, I happily agreed to come along and write about my experience!  FoodMeUpScotty, in a cooking class - chalk that up as something you're not going to see every day!

Kettle & Tin - 2nd Annual Chilli Cookoff

http://kettleandtin.com.au/

**I was a guest of Kettle and Tin for the Chilli Cook-off

In popular culture, there is one television program that, for me, articulates what the latter part of the 20th and early part of the 21st century is all about.  That show is The Simpsons and for SC and I, there is no other show that better represents the key highlight of the last twenty five years.  So many of the catchphrases have made their way into my everyday language and I can always tell another Simpsons fan, who will instinctively know what I'm on about when I start sprouting my Simpsons quotes.  To a large extent, The Simpsons has influenced pop culture to such and extent, that it's become a parody of itself.

You might be asking why I'm talking about The Simpsons, when I should be talking about the 2nd Annual Kettle & Tin Chilli Cook-off, and if you are, then I know that you're not a Simpsons fan.  There are many, many quotes that I've used to reflect a situation but there is one key Simpsons quote that I'd been dying to use and it wasn't until the chilli cookoff that I've finally been able to get it out.

'Sniff, sniff, what's that smell?  Onions, chilli powder, cumin, jucy brown chuck!!  IT'S CHILLI!  Oh my god, I'm missing the chilli cook off.... I'm missing the cook off'

BlackBird Bar & Grill - I fell in love with this place!

http://www.blackbirdbrisbane.com.au/

It's not too often that I'm completely blown away by a new dining experience but I really love it when it does happen. There have been a few notable restaurants abut Brisbane that I've checked out shortly after opening and have known, just known that they would be come institutions.  

Black Bird Bar and Grill has only just opened it's doors, but it's already gathering a reputation as one of the most exciting new restaurants in a number of years.  I'd been keeping my ear to the ground and heard quite a bit about the old Rugby Club site over at Eagle Street and in particular the hype surrounding the new venture by the Ghanem Group.  Most of the hype revolved around the plush makeover of the site and the acquisition of star executive chef Jake Nicolson, a two Michelin starred chef who had worked at some of London's best restaurants the Ledbury and the Square, not to mention some time at Spain's elBulli.

I'd also been getting the lowdown from one of my work colleagues, JH, who had already been to Black Bird a number of times and seemed to be quite well acquainted with the team.  JH had been quite lavish in her praise of the menu and Executive chef Jake Nicholson.  In fact, by the time we eventually booked a table, I felt as intimately in tune with the Black Bird menu and offering.

Tides Waterfront Dining - stylish dining in Caloundra

http://www.tideswaterfront.com.au/

Caloundra is not a spot that you would usually associate with Fine Dining or hatted restaurants, in fact, when I think of Caloundra, I usually think of pub dining and RSL clubs.  We've spent a lot of time up at Caloundra over the years, primarily because both of SC's sisters and their families live up that way. In all the time we have been visiting, I never thought to look for a top restaurant to visit, and it wasn't until we were spending the day in the beachside suburb for an unusual activity that we decided to look.

Roller Derby is not the usual type of activity that I would be interested in, but SC's youngest sister 'Bill' had recently started hanging out with a rough crowd (well, not completely true) and their thing was Roller Derby. 'Bill' had been practicing this arcane and unusual sport for some time and the time had finally arrived for her to get involved in her first formal game.  If you're not sure what Roller Derby is, you're not alone but it's essentially one of those American sports that was popular in the 70's which has made a resurgence.  The sport (I use the term loosely!) involved a bunch of females on roller skates, skating around an oval and trying to knock the crap out of each other.  I'm sure there are some complexities and rules to the game, but that's pretty much it in a nutshell.

Knowing that I'd likely not be too interested in spending my evening watching this, SC cleverly packaged up the day with a lunchtime visit to an award winning beachside diner.  Hitting all of the right buttons, SC had found a lovely restaurant that recently retained it's Australian Good Food Guide chefs hat.  Tides at Caloundra is one of only seventeen restaurants on the Sunshine Coast that have been awarded chefs hats and proudly display on their website that they are the only Caloundra restaurant to have one.....  How could I not be tempted to check it out?