Maxi IGA Castlemaine in Castlemaine, Victoria | Shopping & retail

Maxi IGA Castlemaine

Locality: Castlemaine, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 5472 2477

Address: 11 Hargraves St 3450 Castlemaine, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.maxifoods.net.au

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24.01.2022 Many mushrooms make good pasta OK, so I’m yet to discover that eating too many mushrooms encourages weird dreams, but if such a condition exists, then I’m in for a show! I used four types of mushrooms, button, swiss brown, oyster and enoki (which are the long stem small head mushrooms). The combination of olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms is pretty hard to beat. This is a really delightful pasta which I thought suited the day we experienced today. ... You can use any type of mushrooms, even one type only. It will still taste terrific. Make sure you know that the mushrooms you are using are safe, particularly if you ‘found them in the garden’. I suggest not to use field mushrooms unless you are trained in their identification and potential danger, and you wish to take that risk. Ing. 2 cups of Mushrooms, any type (from a reliable source) 300gms spaghetti One onion, sliced Four cloves of garlic, finely diced A handful of Continental parsley A few sprigs of fresh thyme 80gms butter 300gms fresh thickened cream A tablespoon of olive oil 1 teaspoon Massel powdered chicken stock (dissolved in a splash of hot water) Freshly cracked pepper to taste Murray River Pink salt Grated Grana Padano cheese to serve Method The pasta and the mushroom sauce are to be prepared separately. Heat the pasta water so the water will be heated in a few minutes time, ready to cook. In a large stovetop pan, gently pan fry the onion in olive oil over medium heat. Once golden add the butter. As the butter melts add the chopped garlic to the butter, ensuring it doesn’t fry. Now add all the mushrooms (whole) and the Massel stock which is dissolved in a splash of hot water. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste. Add the handful of chopped parsley and thyme. Cook it for about 5-7 minutes while the mushrooms reduce. The pasta water is probably now ready. Add your pasta to the water and cook as per the instructions on the packet, which is generally about eight minutes. Now to your mushroom pan, add the cream. Stir it about and let it sit for about three minutes whilst it rises. Let it rise, but not boil. Once the cream takes on the colour of the mushrooms turn off the heat and let it rest until your pasta is ready. Strain the cooked pasta through a colander. Tip the pasta into the mushroom sauce and toss about so everything is covered in the delicious mushroom flavoured cream. Serve with a generous sprinkling of Grana Padano cheese. Now eat. Enjoy those dreams. Kind regards, Brendan Blake

23.01.2022 Product Review- Victorian tomato based made Bloody Mary mix. We have been provided a one time shipment of an Australian made export product. Locally grown Goulburn Valley tomatoes and Tasmanian wasabi form the heart of this time honoured mixer. As a non alcoholic drink, the mixer can be consumed straight from the bottle!... Developed and marketed by the 100% Australian owned Rosella Foods, this product is bitey, unique, unusually 100% locally produced and well worth a try. $3.99 - 250ml bottle. Stay well, stay safe. Kind regards, Brendan Blake

23.01.2022 Blair’s Sudden Death hot sauce. Can you handle it?

23.01.2022 Jap/Kent Pumpkin with Mushrooms and Sautéed Spinach Hi Foodies, last night I made a regular pumpkin dish that has been a huge success in my household for lovers of pumpkin and also those who do not like pumpkin! I attach the recipe below and suggest you make it part of your vegetable diet. It is really very good. The pumpkin photo doesn’t do it justice! The flavour is incredible! ... For those who made the lentil dish, you will understand how simple foods like lentils can really taste so good, you’ll want to eat them every day! I also cooked some Oakwood South African Bratwursts, sautéed spinach (with shallots because I didn’t have any garlic) and delicious steamed bok choy, which I overcooked by about a minute. Oakwood smallgoods will feature at the new Daylesford store. I have written several Oakwood Smallgoods reviews and I am a huge fan of the skill and quality that Ralf and his crew offer to the community of Castlemaine. Local producers are well supported! Here are the Oakwood reviews: https://maxifoods.net.au//product-review-oakwood-free-rang https://maxifoods.net.au//oakwood-cheese-krankys-product-r https://maxifoods.net.au//oakwood-free-range-berkshire-por OK. Pumpkin and Mushrooms very easy to make Ing. 1 qtr (or half) Jap/Kent pumpkin, chopped into large chunks, skin on 1 punnet sliced mushrooms 1 onion, sliced or diced 1 large handful of Continental Parsley, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon Massell Chicken stock (yes, it is vegan!) A pinch of Murray River Pink Salt 1 pinch of cracked pepper A teaspoon of butter (if you choose) Olive oil and a cup of water Method In a stovetop pot with lid gently fry the onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. When golden, add the mushrooms. If you are using butter, toss it in now. After a minute or so toss in all the pumpkin and parsley. Add a cup of water. Add the salt, pepper and Massel chicken stock. Bring to the boil. Turn down to the lowest possible heat setting, cover and let it cook for about 30 mins. Check it every now and then to ensure the water has not run low and give it a turn or two. Now eat! Sautéed Spinach Rule: your spinach quantity will reduce to about 5% of the original amount you put into the pot, so if you want to get any edible results from this dish, fill your pot to the brim before placing the lid on top! Ing. Heaps of baby spinach leaves 2 tablespoons olive oil A splash of water 2-10 freshly chopped garlic cloves (I would use 10 every time!) A pinch of Murray River Pink Salt A sprinkle of cracked pepper Method In a stovetop pot (with lid) on medium heat, warm your oil and then toss in all the spinach. Add your garlic on top of the spinach, don’t let it fry in the oil, add the splash of water, salt and pepper. Put the lid on and let it cook for about 2 minutes. Now eat! Stay well. Kind regards, Brendan

22.01.2022 Pasta al forno (Italian style oven baked pasta) The wintery weather prompted me to make a lasagne, but when I arrived home I was asked to substitute the lasagne sheets with macaroni. Go figure! My lasagne was instantly converted into ‘pasta al forno’. The method is largely the same but instead of layering the pasta sheets and sauce, the (semi cooked) macaroni is placed at the bottom of the oven dish and the meat is placed atop, covered by a decent layer of nutmeg spiced béch...Continue reading

21.01.2022 Stubbs BBQ Sauces I used to soak a piece of Mesquite in water overnight and then let it smoke and smoulder in a kettle barbecue to gain the most wonderful barbecue flavour for meat. There is an alternative! Stubbs BBQ sauce is a niche product we offer at Castlemaine. You only need one drop onto each side of a piece of steak to get a burst of smokey hickory or mesquite flavours. At one drop per side, the small bottle will last a long time...... Darn good sauce! Yee Ha! Rosella Organic Sauces... I have reviewed the 100% Australian owned new Rosella Organic locally produced sauces and chutneys (not yet in the store). OMG they are something else! I'll post the review once these lines are in stock at the Castlemaine store. Stay well, stay safe. Kindest regards, Brendan

21.01.2022 Japanese Gyoza OK foodies, apparently my menu has consisted of food from the 1970’s, so I have had to lift my game and bring the menu forward 50 years. Welcome to 2020! Japanese Gyozas are fantastic. The kids will love them! So will the adults... Gyoza 500g minced pork Gyoza wrappers (from the dairy case) 2 cups shredded Wombok (chinses cabbage) 3 cloves minced garlic 3 sprigs chopped spring onion 1 carrot, finely chopped teaspoon finely chopped ginger chopped chives (if you like) 2 tablespoons Hoi Sin sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil a pinch of salt and pepper Dipping sauce 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar teaspoon sesame oil Sesame seeds! Blend all the gyoza ingredients. Place a teaspoon of the mixture onto a gyoza wrap. Using your hands and little water, gently fold the front side of the wrapper into the pattern as seen in the photo. This excellent YouTube video will assist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uzGezdkuso To cook, heat a pan on the stovetop. Warm a tablespoon of sesame oil and pan fry the gyoza on the base only. When golden brown, add two tablespoons of water and quickly place a sealed lid over the pan so the water is trapped and it steams the rest of the dumplings. After a couple of minutes, check to ensure they are internally cooked. Make sure to use the fantastic dipping sauce. Enjoy! Kindest regards, Brendan Blake

21.01.2022 Proposed new supermarket in Castlemaine Permit application number PA054/2019 Dear Castlemaine,... I write to you in anticipation of the Mount Alexander Shire Council deciding upon an application for a very large new Woolworths supermarket in Castlemaine. The application dates back well over a year and for this reason you may not have been informed that Council is now to consider it, but not before 9 October 2020. I bring this to your attention as you may not be aware of the issues relating to the site on which the developer has chosen to present as ‘appropriate’. I have made available several documents which you may like to read prior to writing to Council to present your support or objection to the development. The documents provided include a 4,624 page ‘post remediation’ contamination report, a copy of our July 2019 objection to the proposal at that time, an EPA potable water report on the gasworks site and a copy of the site plan which identifies a Woolworths frontage into the historic township of one fifth of a kilometre in length on the gasworks land. The proposal encompasses the actual road of Urquhart St as a car park for the benefit of the developer to provide the requisite number of car parking spaces for land which it does not have to support its application. The allocation of a rate payer owned street should raise immediate alarm bells to all the rate payers of the Shire. https://maxifoods.net.au/forest-street The continuing land contamination and contaminant plume management is a major cause of concern to the township. A ground water plume currently exists within and beyond the gasworks site. The suggestion that the land is ‘as good as it can be’ is not an argument that ought support the sealing of the access points which monitor and provide data for the future remediation/removal of the toxins that remain and continue to migrate underground. It may surprise you to know that during the ‘remediation’ process 7,451 metric tonnes of contaminated soil was introduced to fill the cavity created by the removal a portion of the toxic gasworks ground. Read the report! Our objection is supported by sound rational data which is not readily available, nor has previously been provided, to the community. In invite you to engage in this process by writing to council before 8 October 2020 using the data provided on the maxifoods.net.au website. Kind regards, Brendan Blake

20.01.2022 Berry Crumble (dairy free version below) As a result of my failed Summer Berry pudding, this berry crumble dessert became a winner! Fresh berries are great, with cream they are better, as a crumble they are best!... Berry base: 2 punnets blackberries 2 punnets blueberries 2 punnets raspberries 1 punnet strawberries, tops chopped and halved. 150gms brown sugar 5 tablespoons water Crumble: 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup plain flour cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar) 125g butter 1 teaspoon baking powder Pinch of salt - Dairy Free version: Substitute butter with olive oil Berry method In a saucepan, gently heat sugar (I used coconut sugar) in five teaspoons of water. When the sugar dissolves add a handful of mixed berries. Let them simmer and release their fabulous flavours for about two minutes. Turn of the heat. Add the rest of your berries and gently turn over so they all become gently warm. Leave them for about five minutes. Crumble method Prepare your dessert bowls or tray. Line the base with the berries. The ‘crumble on top’ is a mixture of butter, plain flour and rolled oats. In a separate bowl, mix the oats, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Gently melt the butter on a low heat and add to the mix. Stir with a spoon until the butter is well distributed. Spoon this mixture onto your berry base. Bake for about 30 minutes at 180C or until golden brown. The olive oil version will brown faster, so keep a watchful eye on the colour! Serve hot with freshly whipped cream. Add a drop of vanilla essence to the cream as you whip for extra praise! Stay warm! Stay well, stay safe. Kind regards, Brendan Blake

20.01.2022 Vegetable Soup so easy, so good! Perfect weather! This soup has no oil, no fats, no meat and there will be none left! So, make a large amount. I find soups easily become broths when too much water is added. It’s still a good soup, but it can be a little thin. So, put loads of veggies into this soup and limit your water quantity so the flavour is richer and the soup is more of a meal than a soup. ... A little crusty bread goes a long way. Ing. 1 x onion, diced 1 x potato, diced 2 x stems of celery, chopped into soup sizes 2 carrots, diced 3 x sprigs spring onion 1 x handful of Continental parsley, chopped 5 cloves garlic 4-6 cups hot water 2 x teaspoons Massel powdered chicken stock A sprinkle of cracked pepper A good pinch of Murray River Pink salt In a large stovetop pot on medium heat place all the veggies. No oil, no butter. Gently stir them around a dry pot for about five minutes. The veggies will soften very quickly. Now add two cups of (hot) water, powdered stock, salt and pepper. Stir it about. Now add another 2-4 cups boiling water, bring to the boil. Once boiling, put the lid on, turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting and leave for one hour. Remember, low and slow brings out the best flavours. Serve with crusty bread. Very awesome! Stay well, stay safe. Kind regards, Brendan

18.01.2022 Saganaki (Greek or Cypriot frying cheese) For those of you who have never tried Saganaki or Haloumi, your time starts now! For the rest of you I’m preaching to the converted, so you already know what is below This cheese is awesome. It takes three minutes from fridge to feast. ... It is not a strong cheese, it is just delicious. It is so good the manufacturers have to limit each pack to two pieces only, which is the right quantity! It can be served as an appetiser in Greek restaurants, but if the Greek restaurant is not open, bring the restaurant to you! Saganaki and Haloumi are available at all Maxi stores. How to cook: - warm stovetop frypan on medium heat. Don’t add oil just yet, - open refrigerated pack, there are two pieces which require delicate separation, - soak for a minute in bowl of warm water, - remove from water and dust in both sides with flour, - add a tablespoon of olive oil to your frypan, - when the oil has heated, add the cheese slices, pan fry for about a minute on each side until they are a delicious golden colour. - eat them whilst they’re hot! So Good! Be game and try Saganaki. Please let me know if you enjoyed it. Kindest regards, Brendan

18.01.2022 Japanese Katsudon crumbed pork cutlet with egg and rice. Many of you must think I'm turning Japanese! Now this Japanese dish is just fantastic. I’ve made it and posted it before, but his time the colour of the pork schnitzels was just perfect, so I couldn’t resist this important post!... Ing. 4 pork medallions 2 cups sushi rice Plain flour to coat the pork 1 egg, beaten after the plain flour coating 1 cup Panko crumbs In the pan 1 onion, sliced 4 eggs, beaten Katsudon sauce, consisting of: 1 cup water 2 teaspoons Massel chicken stock 4 tablespoons soy sauce 4 teaspoons maple syrup 2 teaspoons Mirin To Serve Sushi Rice 2 cups sushi rice cooked using the packet’s instructions (like other white rice) Garnish with freshly chopped spring onion Method Lightly tenderise the pork fillets, cost them with plain flour, the egg mix and then into the Panko crumbs. Gently pan fry in olive oil until golden. Set aside. Separately pan fry the onion in olive oil until golden. In a separate (smaller) fry pan, place of the fried onion, place a cooked sliced Katsudon pork fillet on top and pour over it the beaten egg mixture. Now pour over of the cooking sauce. Fry for about 1-2 minutes. Do the same for the remaining three pork schnitzels, using the balance of the onion, egg mixture and cooking sauce. Serve on a bed of sushi rice. Excellent! Kind regards, Brendan

17.01.2022 Stefano’s Pasta Sauce. Product Review Whilst you might say, Brendan, what are you doing reviewing a pasta sauce in a jar?. I might reply,... Yes! There are no rules here, no products which are un-reviewable and no stone unturned As I say, not every meal needs to be epic and sometimes you just want less pots and pans to wash. This is the answer. Many years ago, (three decades) there was a small Italian family who created authentic richly flavoured pasta sauces under the name Bobo’s Pasta Sauce. One day they ceased to supply the rest of the world with their fabulous Italian jar pasta sauces and no credible alternative, that I was aware of, could replace it. Until now. Stefano’s Pasta Sauce is completely Australian made with 100% Aussie ingredients. It is the recipe of the famous Italian born and Mildura based chef, Stefano De Pieri - https://www.stefano.com.au/about At first opening, the sauce smells wonderful. Rich in tomatoes, olive oil and basil. Warm it up gently on the stove top before mixing it with your al-dente - prepared packet of Barilla spaghetti. One jar of pasta sauce is the right quantity for 500g of spaghetti. The authentic Italian flavours are delightful. The weather is perfect for a fresh light pasta dinner and the result will make you a master of the kitchen, again. Brendan’s tip: Licking the pasta bowl at the end of a delicious meal is the epitome of poor manners, makes others cringe and generates discussion, often heated, about the way in which food ought not be consumed blah blah blah. My suggestion is that you serve Stefano’s Pasta sauce in a bowl that doesn’t cause the bridge of your nose to become covered in pasta sauce as you lick the bowl and ask for more. Don’t let the sauce get to the bridge of your nose. What a waste of good pasta sauce. Licking the bowl reduces the need for washing. Enjoy. Kind regards, Brendan

17.01.2022 The luxuries of lockdown!

17.01.2022 Homemade Chicken Schnitzels Now the last time I posted my chicken schnitzels, I was politely told that they were burnt. So, this time I ensured that every single bread crumb was gently pan fried to a golden hue so the only criticism I could receive was that there was no parsley, which I love in every meal. I burnt the corn on the barbecue, on purpose. The steamed broccoli heads and stems and all worked out just fine.... At the risk of repeating myself, there are many new followers at all stores, including the ‘soon to be opened’ Daylesford store who are yet to make any comments about my cooking! Chicken Schnitzels 2 skin-off chicken breasts (to make eight schnitzels) 2 cups breadcrumbs A handful of freshly chopped Continental Parsley A teaspoon Massel powdered Chicken stock cup Grana Padano cheese The zested rind of a lemon A sprinkle of Murray River Pink salt A sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper to taste To crumb, a cup of plain flour and two eggs beaten. You can easily slice four chicken schnitzels from each chicken breast. Tenderise the slices lightly with a tenderising hammer. In mixing bowl mix two cups of bread crumbs, a small handful of freshly chopped continental parsley, half a cup of freshly grated Grana Padano parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of Massel chicken stock powder, grated lemon rind and pepper and salt. Heat your shallow pan on medium heat without adding oil at this stage. Coat your fillets with plain flour then coat them with a mixture of a beaten egg with a dash of water (to thin and stretch it a little). Coat the fillet in the bread crumb mixture. Now add olive oil to your heated fry pan and let it get hot. Lightly pan fry them until golden in colour and then flip them to fry the other side. Top up the oil if necessary. Barbecued Fresh Corn Preheat barbecue to hot. I think this is the best way I have found so far to cook corn. Once the outer leaves are removed, gently coat them with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook them on an open flame grill, close the lid and turn them over every four to five minutes. They’ll be ready to eat. Broccoli and Cauliflower Both of these veggies are best steamed for three minutes. Add them to a pot containing about 2 cms of boiling water. Cover and allow to steam. Don’t let the water run dry! After three minutes, remove from the pot, add a good splash of olive oil, a sprinkle of Murray River Pink Salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Enjoy your home cooked meals! Kindest regards, Brendan Blake

15.01.2022 A fresh shipment of 50 pk 3 ply face masks being delivered this afternoon. Stand by! Regards, Brendan

15.01.2022 Sauce so good, it must be bad. This is my lemon/butter/garlic/cream sauce. It is very very good. It was created to be used on seafood, but I have come to learn that it goes on ‘everything’. Its use should be ‘limited’! It is very easy to make.... Ing. 50gms butter The juice of one fresh lemon 3 cloves garlic, finely diced/chopped 100ml thickened cream a pinch of finely chopped Continental Parsley Murray River Pink Salt to taste Melt the butter over low heat. When melted, add the lemon juice and then the garlic. Stir it about and let it heat up for about a minute. Add a pinch of salt. Add the cream and stir it all together. Let the cream warm and rise, then turn off the heat. Now add your very small pinch of parsley. Now pour it over whatever you like! BTW, I added a picture of my sliced avocado. Drizzled with Olive Oil and freshly coarse ground pepper. Many decades ago, I discovered the fabulous blend of avocado and cracked pepper. For some reason it works very well. Avocados are naked without pepper! Enjoy please. Kindest regards, Brendan Blake

15.01.2022 Please note our Daylight trading hours are commencing today. From Monday to Saturday the store will remain open until 9.00pm. Our Melbourne Cup trading hours are our regular Public Holiday hours, 8am-8pm. Kind regards,... Brendan Blake See more

13.01.2022 Green Lentils better than you think! Veggie or Vegan This is an old favourite. It can be vegetarian or vegan (just don’t add the parmesan cheese). I made it tonight and now I remember why I used to make it regularly. It is just so good!... Easy to make (all my meals are easy to make) Ing. 375g or 500g Green or French Lentils (don’t use red or yellow lentils) 1 onion, finely diced 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes with the centre removed) 1 handful of fresh Continental parsley, coarsely chopped 4 cups hot water 6 pieces of coarsely cut parmesan cheese squares (not if you’re vegan) 1 tablespoon olive oil Cracked pepper to taste A good pinch of Murray River Pink salt 1 x teaspoon Massel powdered chicken stock (it’s actually vegan and gluten free) Method In a stovetop pot (with lid), on medium heat, gently pan fry the diced onion in olive oil until golden brown. Toss in the whole packet of green lentils. Stir them about to absorb the onion and oil flavours. After a minute or two add your tomatoes, carrots and parsley. Stir it about. Now add the pepper, salt and Massel chicken stock. Add two of the four cups of water and let it gently heat up. If you want to use the parmesan cheese, toss the coarse pieces in now - don’t try to find them later, they will dissolve! Add the final two cups of water and raise the heat to bring it to the boil. Once boiled, turn down the heat to the lowest heat setting, put the lid on and let it simmer for about 40 minutes. Stir it occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to your pot. ‘Slightly crunchy’ is how I best describe the way I like to eat these lentils. If you want to find the parmesan chunks, simply add them later, just before you remove it from the stove. Serve with grated parmesan, if you choose. This dish is excellent. It tastes great, it is healthy and the kids will want more than one bowl! I had three tonight! Stay well, stay safe. Kind regards, Brendan Blake

13.01.2022 Pizza night again! Homemade pizzas will provide you a delicious meal as well as a serous sense of accomplishment! Once you master creating a home made pizzas you will (again) be considered by your family to be a master chef!!... Challenge to the children to make your own pizzas under the supervision of adults. Your recipe and instructions are here: https://maxifoods.net.au/kitchen/pizza-romana-mmxx Enjoy! Stay well, stay safe, Brendan Blake

13.01.2022 NO CASE OF COVID-19 Despite a local (now removed) Facebook post suggesting there was a positive case of Covid-19 at Maxi IGA, I write to confirm that there is no case of Covid-19 at Maxi IGA. I invite those responsible for making the post to record an apology for the stress it has caused the community.... Kind regards, Brendan Blake

10.01.2022 Bertie Beetle Showbags and more... The Castlemaine Show 2020 has been cancelled. But all your favourite show bags are now at Maxi IGA. Bertie Beetle Showbag $5.00.... Kind regards, Brendan

10.01.2022 Pizza Romana MMXX You can’t go to Italy, so bring Italy to you! Italian pizza is not like Australian pizza, which the Italians call ‘Pizza Americana’.... A traditional pizza from Roma or Napoli has a base of chopped tomato and ‘placings’ of Mozzarella or Bocconcini cheese and other things like artichoke hearts etc. Tonight, I made Pizza Romana. The basil (the undisputed King or Queen of herbs) is added after the pizza leaves the oven, not before. I have taken a few photos to show the process and I took a photo of every pizza, including the vegan version, so you can make this at home. Ing. Base 550gm ‘Tipo 00’ white flour, 440gm for the base, the rest to sprinkle 310ml warm water 2 teaspoons dry yeast (I use Lowan dry yeast because it always works) 2 tablespoons olive oil A sprinkle of Murray River Pink salt Top 2 x 440ml cans of diced tomatoes A tub of bocconcini or fresh balled Mozzarella cheese Fresh basil leaves Murray River Pink salt A splash of olive oil Method In a bowl mix the 440gm flour, yeast, olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Add the 310ml warm water (not hot, not cold). I usually fill a jug with 250ml boiling water and top up to 310ml with 60mls cold water. Stir it all up until it is well mixed. Then tip it ono the bench and start to knead. Knead, knead, knead until you don’t need to knead anymore! Place your dough into the same bowl you used to mix the dough, pour on a little olive oil and seal the bowl with Glad Wrap and place somewhere warm for 20-30 mins whilst it rises. May your dough rise! Preheat the oven to 240c. When the dough is done, place it onto the bench and punch it, then knead it again for a few minutes until you have an excellent, soft, elastic dough. Roll it into a thick roll and slice it into however many even pieces you want to make that number of pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then press it into a pancake on a dusted bench. Keep pressing it with your hands, flipping it occasionally until the desired pizza size is reached. I made six pizzas from 440mg flour. They were each about 250ml in diameter. Sprinkle the base with flour, particularly at the edges to get the rustic look. If it looks good, it is good. Presentation is everything! Pour on your diced tomato directly from the can, the puree is also wanted. Now add your bocconcini or Mozzarella in clumps, sprinkle a little Murray River Pink salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Place into the oven. Bake for about 10 mins or until the edges reach the right colour. When the pizza leaves the oven it will be extremely hot. Add your basil, take a photo for Brendan and eat it! You can do this. Be a superstar in your kitchen! Enjoy. Stay well, stay safe. Kind regards, Brendan Blake

10.01.2022 Product Review - Yoghurt Bar - Castlemaine. Warning: once you try this fantastic fruit filled deli delight, you will need to 'self regulate' your yoghurt intake! It is just so good I cannot recommend a better tasting yoghurt from the dairy case. This yoghurt is half price during 'Happy Hour' between 3-5pm weekdays (after school).... It makes an excellent breakfast, snack, dessert or just treat it as a meal! Stay well, stay safe, Kind regards, Brendan

10.01.2022 Hi Foodies, I have now loaded 72 recipes onto the Maxi Foods website for your enjoyment and success. Here they are: https://maxifoods.net.au/cook... Please use the recipes. They have clear instructions and more progressive photos than regular recipe books or online cooking sites. If you follow one recipe per night, you can almost make it to February without repeating! You should however, make the New York style cheesecake many times over! Please use the recipes. They are for all to share. Kindest regards and best wishes to you all. Brendan Blake

09.01.2022 Salmon and Dill Quiche, no pastry Hey Foodies, now I’m no chef, but these meals seem to turn out pretty well. They are all pretty simple to prepare, but results are awesome. The best thing is that you know what you are eating because you add all the ingredients into your meals. Remember all the recipes can be found on the Maxi Foods website: www.maxifoods.net.au... Ing. A piece of skinless fresh salmon, chopped into pieces 6 sprigs fresh dill 6 eggs 300ml thickened cream 1 onion, pan fried in rings 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon Massel powdered chicken stock Murray River Pink salt Freshly ground/cracked pepper Method Preheat the oven to 220c. Gently pan fry the onion in rings in olive oil. Flip them when they brown so both sides are nicely browned. Place them into a pie dish as a base. Whilst the onion is cooking, in a mixing bowl whisk 6 eggs until they’re well mixed and aerated. Add 300ml thickened cream. Add Murray River Pink salt, Massel powdered chicken stock and pepper to taste. Whisk it some more so all the ingredients are mixed. Pour the mixture over the sliced onion rings in the pie dish. Now add the salmon pieces so they are evenly positioned in the dish. Add the dill in the same way. When the oven reaches temp, put the dish into the oven and cook for about 20 mins. Watch it from time to time. When it is fully inflated and gently browned (yes it will double in size), remove it and cool it on the stovetop where it will (unfortunately) deflate. Now eat. This is so good I can’t explain it to you!! Please enjoy! Stay safe, stay well. Kindest regards Brendan Blake

06.01.2022 Hi Christmas Foodies, Christmas time will creep up on us very quickly as it always does. Although the weather today is rather warm, it should not deviate you from your course of preparing a fabulous homemade plum pudding for Christmas day. A two month maturation of your creation is ample time to ensure that you provide a rich, flavoursome dessert for your family and guests (if you are allowed to have guests) on the one day of the year that families get together and relax. ... In anticipation of being allowed to have more than five guests over for Christmas, I again provide to you my Christmas Pudding recipe. It has changed slightly as I have provided an ending advising what to do on cooking day, which I learned about during my ‘experimentation process’. I suggest real, grated beef suet in place of butter. We have it available now at the stores in the butcher’s case. Here is the recipe: https://maxifoods.net.au//traditional-cloth-wrapped-plum-p There are loads of photos to view. Please post your results! Enjoy! Kind regards, Brendan Blake

05.01.2022 Kitchen Knife Review The Furi Pro East/West 17cms I learned of the ‘Furi’ about 20 years ago at a night time cooking class at Werribee Mansion. I don’t recall what we learned to cook. All I remember was the knife the chef used, the Furi.... I had several standard sets of block knives and they were fine. I bought the Furi just after the cooking class and I have purchased two 17cm East/West blades in the past 20 years. The only reason I purchased the second knife was that I dropped it on its tip and the result left me with a knife with a chipped tip, but I still use it today. My new knife came in a set of two knives, so I also have a smaller version. The two-knife set, presented in a wooden gift box, costs about $60.00 if sourced through ebay or other online retailers, otherwise it is $109.95 in the department stores (one knife only). I don’t know of other knives as good as this that you can purchase at such a low price. The knife is designed in Australia and manufactured in Japan. It is very sharp out of the box and continues to hold its edge for several weeks at a time. Holding the Furi makes the knife an extension of your hand. It is beautifully balanced, the handle gives you ample guidance control, the blade is broad so you can hold the knife over the blade, as I sometimes do and best of all you can cut through entirely and your knuckles will not touch the bench top. It has a moulded hollow handle and there are no timbers, joins or plastic handles to hold. The entire knife is washable, there are no nooks and crannies for food stuffs to get caught in. It is therefore completely hygienic. It must not be washed in a dishwasher, but always by hand. This is my kitchen knife of choice. I sharpen it using a steel every now and then or I use Japanese water stones progressively through 400, 1000 and 3000 grits when I have more time. Search for the knife set online. If you acquire this beautiful knife, please tell me about it. I just did a quick internet search. I searched ‘Furi knife’. These are some of the initial prices: Two knife set, wooden git box $59.95 (RRP $159.00) One knife $41.95 (RRP $99.95) Kind regards, Brendan Blake

04.01.2022 Home Made Sausage Rolls Hi Foodies, now these sausage rolls are ‘easy peasy lemon squeezy’ to make. They taste so good. Everything tastes so good This is my daughter’s recipe. She made them, I ate them. They were very good!... Ing. 500g premium mince meat 500g pork or sausage mince 4 sheets frozen puff pastry (Borgs is working well right now) 1 cup breadcrumbs 2 eggs one for sausage mixture, the other for coating the rolls before they cook) 1 onion, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped 5cm fresh ginger, finely chopped (makes a difference!) 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons black and white sesame seeds for topping Method Preheat oven to 200c fan forced Thaw the puff pastry on the bench. In a bowl, mix the mince meats, bread crumbs, carrot, onion, ginger, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and one egg. Mix it thoroughly using your hands until the mixture is consistent. Cut the pastry sheets in half. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and place the mixture onto each sheet and roll into a roll. Seal the edges. Gently cut the rolls into the sausage roll pieces by gently sawing, not pressing with your knife. Place the rolls seam side down onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Whisk the remaining egg and brush it over the rolls. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds. Bake for 18-20 mins or until the pastry is golden. Now eat! So good. So easy to make. Stay well, Regards, Brendan Blake

02.01.2022 Summer Berry Pudding no success yet So, before we get to the recipe, let me tell you that I have failed at every attempt to make this spectacular dessert. I saw it on a Christmas buffet dessert table about ten years ago and I have tried unsuccessfully to get it right. Even the pudding you see picture here was not made by me, but my daughter. I am yet to successfully make a Summer Berry Pudding....Continue reading