Tofucado - with rice and cucumber

One of our favourite easy meals of Summer was Tofucado.  It is one of the meals that Sylvia kept requesting, especially on a hot day.  The clever portmanteau name is so much fun to say.  I am pleased to report that the meal is every bit as good as the name!  It is a simple cross between a stirfry and a salad.  Grated tofu is fried, then mixed with mushed avocado, carrot, spring onions and seasoning, and finally served with rice, cucumber and roasted seaweed. 

This is a recipe that needs patience.  The patience is in preparing the tofu.  The more you press the moisture out of the tofu, the better the tofu fries.  On one occasion we started to press the tofu one evening and then decided to make the tofucado the next night.  As the tofu was already in the press, we left it for 24 hours and it made really good fried tofu.

Patience is also needed for frying the tofu.  It needs to only be stirred from time to time so it has an opportunity to get crispy and golden.  I find it helps to get distracted by something else because otherwise it seems to take forever.  We usually buy a 500g block of tofu and use the other half to make tofu bacon.  However the crispy fried strands of tofu are so good that I could just eat them as a side dish, especially once the tablespoon of soy sauce is stirred in.  But I like to do only 250g at a time because it has room in the cast iron fry pan to crisp up.

The other part of the recipe that requires time is cooking the rice.  In I'm a Food Blog's recipe, they have white rice.  Since we have started to make tofucado we always serve it with brown rice.  I much prefer it.  Once you get used to brown rice, as we have recently, white rice seems to lack substance.  As you can see in the photo above, we made a much bigger pot of brown rice than we need for the tofucado.  Leftover brown rice is great to have on hand for all sorts of meals.

When the rice and fried tofu are ready, it is pretty quick to put prepared the vegetables and mix the avocado mixture.  In our house, I usually get the rice and tofu together and Sylvia puts together the rest of the meal.  It works really well for us when I have been working in the office all day and come home with very little energy to put dinner together. 

Most times that we have made the tofucado, I add more vegetables.  There have been one or two nights have been really tired and don't add a thing.  It is great as is or with extra veg.  If you have furikake, I highly recommend sprinkling some over your meal before digging in.  You can see fuikake on the seaweed in the above photo.  The top photo had celery and cherry tomatoes added.  The below photo has the addition of rice, lettuce and tinned beetroot. I love how this recipe can be simple or packed with vegies.  And it is both vegan and gluten free.

There have been many new terms that I have learnt over the last few months - DOGE, SLAPP, perseverating, hetero-pessimism, kuchisabishii and the Finkbeiner test.  So many new ideas.  I am pleased to include tofucado among my new words.  It sounds like a fantasy vegetable that might be like an avocado with tofu instead of the stone.  This dish is a winner because it is quick, easy and nutritious.  Having a fun name is just another reason to love it.  

 More avocado in salad on Green Gourmet Giraffe blog:

• Avocado green goddess salad dressing, served on spinach, tomato, avocado, cucumber, walnuts (gf, v) 
• Avocado, pear and pecan salad (gf)
• Avocado, pickled ginger and tofu soba noodle salad (gf, v)
• Leon superfood salad (gf) 
• Strawberry, avocado and walnut salad with a chocolate vinaigrette (gf, v)
• Sushi (purple) salad with tofu nuggets (v) 
  
  

Tofucado
Serves 2
Adapted from I'm a foodie

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 250 g tofu extra firm, grated
• 1 large avocado
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce, divided
  
• 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp chilli paste
• 1 to 2 carrots, grated
• 2 spring onions, sliced

 To serve:

• 2-3 cucumbers, finely diced
• 2 packs roasted seaweed
• 2-3 cups cooked brown rice
• furikake, to sprinkle

[Before starting the recipe, we will cook the brown rice and press the tofu, but if you have cooked brown rice and extra firm tofu, you can skip this step.]

Heat oil in a cast iron frypan and then fry the grated tofu, leaving for a minute or so at a time before frying it so it becomes golden and crispy.  It will take 5-10 minutes to fry the tofu.  

While the tofu fries, mash avocado and mix with 1 tbsp soy sauce, mayonnaise and chilli paste.  Mix in grated carrot and sliced spring onions. 

When the tofu is fried, stir into the avocado mixture.    Arrange in bowls with warm rice, diced cucumbers and roasted seaweed sheets.  Serve sprinkled with fuikake if you have it.

NOTES: For a vegan version, use vegan mayonnaise.  For a gluten free version, make sure the soy sauce is gluten free.  This dish works well with either white or brown rice and vegies of your choice on the side.

On the Stereo:
Be OK: Iris Michaelson

Matcha cake with strawberry and cream for 18th blog anniversary

It has been busy but not too busy for cake!  Every year I share a cake for my blog anniversary on this day.  I posted the first post on my Green Gourmet Giraffe blog 18 years ago today.  This year we had a matcha layer cake with strawberry chia jam and whipped cream filling.  It was like a hipster version of Victoria Sponge Cake.  It is a fine way to celebrate my blog with some of what I have learnt over the years.

The cake was a compromise.  We considered a matcha forest cake, a chocolate cheesecake with a miso swirl, a fairy sprinkles cake, Sylvia Plath's tomato soup cake.  In the end we went simple with some of the elements we wanted in a cake.  I wanted to try a vanilla version of my favourite vegan wacky chocolate cake.  Sylvia wanted to add matcha and cover the cake with frosting and sprinkles.  We went with some strawberry chia jam because we love it and whipped cream because there was leftovers from covering a pavlova my mu made for Sylvia.  I tinkered with the whipped cream and added some yoghurt and maple syrup rather than just adding a icing sugar that my mum always does.  It was a fun project.

We agreed to do it as a layer cake.  Keeping layers together is always a challenge for me.  They always look like they should to sit on top of each other but I have made some that like to slide.  Cream and jam can be challenging.  (And they took a vegan cake back into the world of dairy.)  The first thing to do is to try and cut the cake evenly.  So I measured at points around the cake and stuck skewers in there.  (Later I thought perhaps toothpicks would have been better.)  It worked.  Mostly. 

I didn't know how much jam and cream to put in the filling.  So I was generous and when I cut the cake the ooze was generous.  The cake was pretty messy but it tasted really good.  Sometimes I think I am not getting neater but I am learning ways to make it look better.  There are some mistakes I make over and over.  When I read an American recipe that says baking soda, I still often think it means baking powder.  It usually works ok but bicarb and vinegar are more fun to see fizzing together when they meet in the mixing bowl.

I preferred the cake with just a scattering of icing sugar on top but Sylvia wanted the frosting and sprinkles.  It was a  easy cake for a busy time.  It is hard to believe that we are in the middle of four big weekends: Easter, ANZAC day, the Federal election and Mothers Day.  It seems that as soon as we get over one weekend another one looms large.  A bit like life: constant change with no sooner is one situation dealt with than there is another to confront.

When I first started blogging 18 years ago I never thought I would be still be at it so many years on despite how much has changed in the online world and my world.  At the end of each year I reflect on my blog and my life - you can read about the last year on my Reflections 2024.  Meanwhile I will continue on this journey with more good food and fun adventures.  Thanks to everyone who has shared food with me, took the time to comment and inspired me to make great food!

More layer cake recipes on Green Gourmet Giraffe blog:

• Butterscotch layer cake 
• Creme Egg chocolate drizzle cake 
• Floating malteser cake with fudgy buttercream frosting
• Vegan chocolate (layer) cake (v)  
• Victoria sponge layer cake
• Zucchini layer cake with cream cheese frosting (gf, v)
  
  

Matcha cake with cream and strawberry chia jam
Adapted from The Big Man's World
Makes 1 x 20cm cake or a 2 layer 15cm cake

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup sugar (I used raw sugar)
2 tbsp matcha powder
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup water

To serve (optional):
Strawberry chia jam
Whipped cream
Frosting
Icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 180 C.  Grease and line a 15cm high walled round cake tin or a 20cm cake tin.  (The smaller tin gives an option for a layer cake.

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until combined.  The batter should be quite thin.  Scrape into the prepared cake tin.  Bake 30-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  (I baked mine 50 minutes but my oven bakes slow.)

Cool cake on a wire rack.  You can it it plain or decorate with cream, jam and icing sugar as in the below options:

Option 1: If you have a 20cm cake spread the top with strawberry chia jam and whipped cream.

Option 2: If you have a 15cm cake, slice in half and spread the bottom half with strawberry chia jam and whipped cream, then place the top half on top.  Sieve some icing sugar on top.

Option 3: If you wish to frost, do Option 2 and instead of sieving icing sugar on top spread the top of the cake with frosting.

Strawberry chia jam:
Adapted from Green Gourmet Giraffe

250g (about 1 cups) strawberries
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp chia seeds

Hull strawberries (ie slice off green leafy tops).  Chop finely by hand or in a food processor.  Mix berries, maple syrup and chia seeds in a small saucepan.  Bring to the boil over low heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until it is just thickened, stirring occasionally.  It will thicken as it cools.  Keeps in the fridge in a jar or tub for about a week.

Whipped cream:
Inspired by Serious Eats

6 tbsp thickened cream
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp maple syrup

Beat all ingredients in a small mixing bowl until thickened and holds its shape when you run the beaters or a spoon through the mixture.  (I used electric beaters but a whisk can do it too if you have the energy.) 

Frosting:
Adapted from Green Gourmet Giraffe

75g butter
150g icing sugar

Beat butter in a small mixing bowl until pale and creamy.  Gradually add the icing sugar until it is all beaten in.  It was quite a soft icing but worked fine.

Variation:
The cake can be made as a vegan Victorian Sponge Cake if you use regular jam and buttercream (with vegan butter) between the layers.  It is even possible to make the sponge without the matcha.

On the Stereo:
The Purple Bird: Bonnie Prince Billy

Tylers Milkbar, Preston

Tylers Milkbar is a cafe with a great deal of heart and a touch of nostalgia.  Upon entering it feels friendly and fun with retro baking and locally sourced groceries.  We've had such great meals there since first visiting mid last year and are always welcomed warmly.  Sisters Sam and Ali Fisher run the place with their mum helping with the baking.  They are friendly with a sense of fun and when taking orders they are always sure to check about dietary requirements.  The menu changes occasionally but always has lots of amazing toasties, sandwiches, baked potatoes, coconut bacon and an appropriately named "Epic" salad. 

The decor has a lot of orange and pink with a retro vibe that acknowledges that the Australian tradition of milkbars that infuses this place.  When I was growing up in the 1970s our milkbar was the general store where we knew the staff well and could buy anything from hot pies and pastries to mixed lolliies to swapcards to freshly baked sponge cakes to baking ingredients.  In a small town without a supermarket, we depended on the milkbar for basics such as milk, bread and newspapers.  

The glass display cabinet, the drinks fridge and the small area for shelves of locally produced groceries are reminiscent of the old school milkbars.  Tylers also has a modern touch with good coffee, vegan and gluten free options and an Indigenous version of kombucha. 

Sylvia tells me that I was the one who suggested Tylers Milkbar.  However it was Sylvia who went there first with a friend.  She ate lunch in the backyard and loved it.  You can see the backyard above with its bright orange umbrellas and the greenery along the fence by the stepping stone on the path.

Here is a close up of the garden with its splashes of orange.  The sign reads "unless you are a gnome, please keep off the garden".  It is the spirit of fun that you will find throughout the milkbar.

This is my first lunch at Tylers in July 2024.  I had Kasundi pumpkin soup with a cheese and coconut bacon toastie.  Sylvia had a vegetarian Top of the Morning Burger: fried egg, baked potato hash, grilled halloumi, jalapeños, spring onion, rocket & smoky mayo ($18).  It is not often these days that I come across a cafe with coconut bacon.  It was excellent as an extra in the cheese toastie that is made with sourdough bread from one of our favourite bakeries (Back Alley Bakes in North Coburg).  And it is a bargain at $7 for the cheese toastie plus $3.5 extra for the coconut bacon.  The pumpkin soup, a special of the day, was a lovely accompaniment.  And Sylvia loved the retro tomato soup mug so much that she has since bought one in an op shop.

While Sylvia quickly chose an iced soy latte, I wanted some more information about the cold drinks.  The staff explained that the Ooray Plum & Wild Hibiscus Gurbuchi by LORE 8 was a kombucha made from a tea of Indigenous leaves.  As a lover of kombucha, I was delighted to try it and was not disappointed.  It is my drink of choice at Tylers.
 

We always stop to look at the display of baked goods on the way to our table.  It always has more temptations than we can ever sample.  So much temptation!  Perhaps that is why only recently did I notice the loaves of bread for sale on the back shelves.

The baking display regularly changes but always is full of beautiful food and it has something for everyone:

• Tylers favourites such as "Very vanilla cupcakes" and "Someone's Birthday Cake".  The latter is slabs of vegan chocolate cake with lots of frosting and sprinkles.  Such a fun name for a cake.
• Home made versions of Aussie classics such as Monte Carlos (see further down the post) and "Kimston" biscuits from the Arnotts Assorted Cream packet.  The Kingston was my favourite with two slightly chewy oat biscuits  sandwiched together with a creamy chocolate filling.  The "Kimston" is based on the Kingston but named with a nod to Kim who bakes them.  They are bigger and fresher but have the wonderful oaty chocolate combination.
• Seasonal treats such as the Minty Grinch Slice.  I have not tasted this but it looked so cute with the candy eyes in the green minty filling.
• Interesting flavours that I want to try such as the Orange Cranberry Loaf (pictured above) and Rhubarb Raspberry and Ginger Loaf.
• Savoury bakes such as the Roasted Zucchini and Capsicum Breakfast Tart that I had recently (not pictured) and the Asparagus and Warrigal Greens Breakfast Tart that I would love to try.
  
  

This Sticky date pudding was shared with Sylvia on my first visit.  It was up there with the best of sticky date puddings!  It was fresh and soft with great flavour.  Most impressive was the dulce de leche frosting that was delicious without being really sweet.

In November we returned for lunch.  I had an amazing lunch with the humourous name "Oh Honey!" ($16).  It was a toastie with sweet potato, leek, goats cheese, hot honey and spinach.  Wonderfully sweet and salty, a little spicy and very messy.  I had to wash my hands after it but it was worth it.  Sylvia loved the Top of the Morning burger on the previous visit that she had it again.  I tried the Lemon Myrtle and Finger Lime Gurbuchi and it was good but I preferred the Ooray Plum and Wild Hibiscus version.

We could not resist sharing a home made Monte Carlo after lunch.  On instagram it was described as "honey & butter cookie filled with whipped cream cheese and raspberry grappa jam".  This was a triumph of flavour over sweetness.  The Tylers version was far superior to Arnotts.  The indoor cafe space has a small shelf of foodie books that I quite enjoy checking out to browse during each visit.  On this occasion, I enjoyed reading Eamon Donnelly's Milk Bars Book Vol II. 

In December when we visited I was delighted that there was a new salad on the menu.  It was so good I begged one of the owners to keep it on the menu and was glad to hear it was popular.  It was called the EPICCC Salad from a Jessica Prescott cookbook and had "roasted corn, chickpeas, sweet potato, smoked almonds, spinach, ricotta salata, coriander, pickled red onion with house-made chipotle dressing and lime."  I left my coriander on the side, could have had slightly less spiciness but found it such an enjoyable and satisfying salad, especially with the smoky addition of the optional coconut bacon .  At $18.50 plus $3.50 for the coconut bacon, this is a fantastic choice for anyone who wants to see how good salad can be and suits those wanting healthy food with vegan and gluten free options.

At the same lunch Sylvia had a cheese and coconut bacon toastie because they are amazing.  She drank an iced soy strawberry matcha and I had the Festive Spritz which was a spiced orange and mandarin syrup with rosemary & thyme served over sparkling water.  Our drinks were pleasantly icy on a summer day and we had special sweet treats for the festive season.  The vanilla cupcake was very cute with a green Christmas tree piped on it and the toasted spicy gingerbread with butter was just delicious.

On a visit in March, Sylvia had her favourite cheese toastie with coconut bacon and I tried the Tyler's Lemony Tofu Roll ($15.50).  It was described on the menu as "Just like Mumma's, but tofu! Lemon & herb roasted tofu with mayo, celery, seeded mustard, dill, cucumber, spring onion & alfalfa on a soft, buttered roll."  It was based on a lemony chicken roll but updated to be vegan with a gluten free option.  I enjoyed the generous green salad and mayonnaise covered chunks of tofu in my roll. 

It was a cool day so I warmed myself with a pot of Digestive Tea by Beit e Shei with the flavours of liqourice, peppermint and fennel.  It was a pleasing combination of herbal flavours.

In early April, we had a quick visit where we ordered and paid as we walked in.  Sylvia had her favourites: a cheese and coconut bacon toastie, an iced strawberry matcha and a vanilla cupcake with cute pink frosting.  I had the French Onion Toast ($19).  This was described as "a grilled cheese toast with French onion dip, mushroom medley, dressed leaves".  I was pleasantly surprised at the pile of fried onions under the blanket of melted cheese and I really loved the beautifully cooked mushrooms.  It was an unusual but great variation on a cheese toastie.

Our last visit was last weekend on Good Friday for their annual Easter egg hunt.  Tylers places paper Easter eggs around the nearby streets.  Customers search for the eggs and take them inside for a prize.  At first we thought we would never find an egg.  Then we found the one in a tree.  In the above photo the egg looks huge but actually it was quite small and hard to see.  We almost missed it.  Then a couple in a car stopped to tell us they had seen an egg when driving past.  It look more searching to find that second egg they alerted us to and then soon after we found one more.  We left the third egg as it seemed like two was enough for us.

These two dense and intense Chocolate brownie with swirly frosting and sprinkles were our prizes.  They were so good, almost chewy.  It was fun to watch a pair of cute little kids with their brownie prizes sit at a table and dig in with excitement.  Tylers was pretty busy but we were shown to a couple of stools at the window bench.

Sylvia had the Sourdough Crumpets by Holy Crumpets served Canadian style with Fried eggs, tofu bacon and maple syrup.  It comes as either a single or double serve but a single was enough for her.  She raved about how good they were.  I love a cafe that serves crumpets.  We have been very tempted by a dish called Princess Peach which comes with whipped honey ricotta, good ol' canned peaches, ginger biscuit crumb, maple syrup, olive oil & thyme glaze served over a hot crumpet.  We were sad it left the menu before we had a chance to try it but Sylvia assures me it is on the menu from time to time.

 

To drink, I had my favourite Gurbuchi and Sylvia had an Iced soy strawberry matcha.  As a matcha enthusiast, she has noted that the matcha has got better since she first had it.  You can see how good her matcha looks in the above photo.  She also had a really cute vanilla cupcake with a mini Easter egg on top.

This is a fun and welcoming place that is a family affair, where they know their regulars and have community events like the Easter egg hunt.  On their facebook page, they rightly claim to be "reimagining the times where the milkbar was a meeting place for the community".  We will be back soon for the retro vibe, the delicious food and the friendly welcome.

Tylers Milk Bar 
656 Plenty Road (near the corner of Tyler Road)
Preston, Victoria 3072
Open: Mon-Sat, 7am-4pm
https://www.tylersmilkbar.com.au/

Royal Hotel, Mornington

Recently we went to a friend's surprise birthday party at the Royal Hotel in Mornington.  This is one of those places that has been a town outside Melbourne but the city has spread so much to the South East that it is now maybe a suburb.  It was a long drive from our home (about 2 hours there and 90 minutes on the way back.)  The hotel dates back to the 1850s and the building to the 1870s when Mornington was a beach holiday town.  The elegant balconies look over Port Phillip Bay which is just across The Esplanade.

We headed in the Entrance. As you can see by the sign above the cute Easter decorations, there were a lot of options for dining spaces.  There was a concierge to direct us to the room where the party was underway.  I had time to peek around at other spaces which are in the next few photos.

This is the elegant space that is encountered upon entering the hotel.  I am not sure what it is called.  There were also tables on the verandah and on the side under umbrellas that you can see in the top photo.  Walter's Dining Hall sounded nice but was in a different area again that I did not go to.  And there is also accommodation in this large building.

The Front Bar overlooks the sea just over the road.  Lovely old bar but shame about the televisions above it.  This is where people can gather to watch sport on tv, which not really my thing!  I'd prefer to look at the views out the windows.

The Tavern with its brick walls had a more casual feel but another gorgeous bar.  A band was playing covers here to an appreciative audience.

The Bistro was where we were eating.  Above a window to the kitchen hung a row of brass pots.  The French doors had beautiful led lighting and between was a fireplace.  There was another old bar which backed onto the Front Bar.

After catching up with friends we sat at one of the large tables and starters were brought around to share.  Here are the Chips with tomato sauce and aioli and the Mozzarella garlic bread.  We were quite hungry by then and happy to dive in.  That garlic bread was very cheesy and butter and so good.  The crostini behind is for the Charcuterie and there was also a plate of Korean fried chicken for the carnivores.

Another starter for the vegetarians was the Cauliflower mac n’ cheese croquettes with jalapeño cheese sauce.  These were lovely and crisp with a slightly spicy sauce.

Then we ordered our main dishes.  I had the Indian spiced cauliflower, tomato dahl, coconut yoghurt, cucumber salad and crispy chickpeas.  It was really nice, though I was surprised at how mild the spices tasted (especially as my tolerance for spicy food is quite low).  I don't usually season my food in restaurants but in hindsight realised I should have added some pepper to my plate.  I loved the combination of vegetables but was surprised it didn't come with a roti like E's chicken curry.  That would have been good to mop up the dahl.

Sylvia honed in on the pasta and ordered the Pumpkin & ricotta agnolotti with white wine cream sauce, fried sage, spinach and pecorino.  She loved it but was surprised that this main dish only had 3 large agnolotti.  With the rest of the starters it was plenty but it was surprising that this dish cost $39.50.

Finally there was the birthday cake.  It was a beautiful White chocolate mudcake decorated with a bike theme.  We were all served a slice after singing happy birthday.  Such a deliciious cake.  We were fed like kings and left feeling royally full after the generous meal.
 

Before going home I had a quick look at the beach opposite the Royal Hotel.  It was lovely to look down on but I did not have time to go down and walk on along the sand because Sylvia was keen to get to an op shop before it closed.  So I left her there with E and had a quick walk along Fisherman's beach past the colourful beach huts.

Royal Hotel
770 Esplanade, Mornington VIC 3931
https://www.theroyal.com.au/

My Monthly Chronicles - March 2025 - Northcote, Sydney Rd and talks

March brings autumn and knuckling down to business after the fun of the summer holidays are well and truly over.  Which is to say, it was a month of less outings.  However we had some great meals at cafes, interesting talks and a great gig so it was not dull.  I have already blogged about the finishing the Onigiri Map at Kuu and Nosh last month.  I finally wrote a post on our local Coburg Farmers Market after going last month for the umpteenth time.  I enjoyed the Labour Day long weekend with a swim in the pool and a visit to the beach at Torquay, heard the sounds of the Grand Prix when in South Melbourne and have been following the crazy politics, including the announcement that we will have a federal election in May.

Also see more about my month at In My Kitchen March 2025 post.

Retropolis Vintage Shop, Preston.

Above is a photo from Retropolis.  It is a huge warehouse of cool vintage clothes, jewellery, bric-a-brac and household items.  The space is divided unto lots of areas managed by individual stallholders.  Bit everyone plays at the retro car that is the counter.  There were lots of esoteric items like a set of ceramic flying ducks ($450), a 1970s rotary phone ($70), and creepy child-faced masks ($10).  It was the place to find crocheted ponchos, outrageously high platform boots or a typewriter.  We went there for Sylvia's end of term school outreach visit.  It was a fascinating place to walk around.

Why we need crazy cat ladies!

I was fascinated at Retropolis by a 1945 Australian edition of a book called Vital Things for Lively Youngsters by Rowland and Smith ($18).  I resisted buying it but will indulge myself here by sharing a page from the book that amused me.  This story of the cat and the clover from Charles Darwin illustrates the web of connections between plants and animals that are important to our ecosystem.  It is quite an old-fashioned way of viewing biodiversity where crazy cat ladies are celebrated for being essential to keeping the clover growing! 

Sydney Road Street Party, Brunswick

We went to the Sydney Road Street Party, which each years takes over a kilometre of a the busy street in Brunswick.  I am not sure I have ever walked the full amount at the street party because it is so dense with music performances, food trucks, crafts and stalls.  It was too busy to wheel my bike through the crowds.  This band that combined musicians from Asian and South America was popular with their loud cheerful music.

Sydney Road characters

I love the diversity of people out and about at the Sydney Road Street Party.  Everyone is welcome.  Some flaunt their humour and eccentricity.  Above is a character whose name tag read Clive Parmajama with a Trumpet of Farts sign.  It was a spoof on Clive Palmer and his depressing election campaign.  I was amused to see a musician dressed in an outfit made of wine cask bladders and I also spotted a street performer dressed as a troll.

If you want a taste of classic Aussie characters, I highly recommend The Big Steal with Claudia Karvan and Ben Mendelsohn.  I loved this Melbourne-based film when it came out in 1990 and enjoyed it immensely when I saw it again with Sylvia recently.  It was good to laugh so much with her.

Tylers Milkbar, Preston

We are big fans of Tylers MilkBar (656 Plenty Road).  They have so much good food and friendly service.  When we visit in March, Sylvia had her favourite cheese toastie with coconut bacon and I tried the Tyler's Lemony Tofu Roll ($15.50).  It was described on the menu as "Just like Mumma's, but tofu! Lemon & herb roasted tofu with mayo, celery, seeded mustard, dill, cucumber, spring onion & alfalfa on a soft, buttered roll."  I think it was based on a traditional egg roll but updated to be vegan with a gluten free option.  I enjoyed the generous green salad and mayonnaise covered chunks of tofu in my roll.  I also had an herbal tea and took away a "Kimstone" biscuit based on the classic Australian Arnotts Kingston biscuit.  That was amazingly delicious.

Dava Sobel on Marie Curie at the State Library, CBD.

My friend Jo invited me to see Dava Sobel speak about her latest book, The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science.  Firstly I had dinner with Jo and her friends at Udon Izakaya Maedaya.  This was my recommendation and I was glad everyone enjoyed the happy hour buzz.  I really loved my gyoza and tofu agedashi.  Good food and so cheap as well.  We had dinner for five for the total of $91.

The talk by Dava Sobel was fascinating.  Mari Curie is such an interesting person: a genius who is too shy to want to promote her work but she facilitated the careers of many female scientists.  I really loved the stories of her being one of the few researchers left in the lab during World War II and using new technology to organise mobile x-ray units and training nurses to go to the battlefields to be more efficient at identifying and removing a bullet or shrapnel inside soldiers.  She saved lives this way!  

I was also fascinated to learn of the Finkbeiner Test that identifies old fashioned stereotypes in describing women scientist that focus on their personal life more than their professional lives.

Ima Asa Yoru, Brunswick

I was very pleased to return to Ima Asa Yoru (1 Duckett Street, close to Sydney Road), this time with Faye.  We were glad we booked for a Saturday lunch because it was pretty busy.  It is a lovely space that serves beautiful Japanese food.  My photo of my cold Soba Noodle Salad ($26) does not do it justice.  The soba noodles came with vegetables and sesame yuzu dressing, and then topped with dried seaweed and puffed rice.  It was great with some perfectly fried Nasu-no Tempura aka Crispy fried eggplant ($12).

Ima Asa Yoru, Brunswick II

More beautiful than my soba noodle salad is the photo of Faye's Agedashi Tofu Teishoku ($28) with Lightly fried tofu in a dashi broth, rice, miso soup, pickles & daily okazu.  Just look at the enoki mushrooms in her miso soup.  She was very happy with her meal.  It was a hot day so we were both glad to have a cold drink.  Faye had the Yuzu soda and I had the Apple tea soda.  I found a comment on the Ima Asa Yoru Instagram saying that my drink was new in February and was "recreating a childhood memory of the drink from Tokyo Disneyland!"

We also went to Japanese restaurants Kuu and Nosh which I have written about in my Melbourne Onigiri Map post that visits some great places to find onigiri.

Paddock Bakery, Geelong

When we visited my mum for lunch I stopped at Paddock Bakery (33 Mackey Street) for my contribution.  We bought a loaf of olive sourdough bread, a cinnamon doughnut, a lamington doughnut and a Green Couscous salad.  The salad had couscous, brocolini, pistachio, rocket, pomegranate, cucumber and butter beans with an avocado dressing.  I also took along a Voracious vegan pate that I made.  My mum had baked as always and had fresh sourdough bread, Persian love cake, and scones.  She also had feta dip, and pickled cucumbers.  So much good food!

Torquay White's Beach

It was a warm day so while Sylvia and my mum went op shopping, I went to White's Beach in Torquay.  This is a dog friendly beach and indeed has quite a few friendly dogs.  They are all well behaved.  It was lovely to walk along the beach and have a dip in the water.  The photo is of the reedy area by the carpark where I walk over the dunes to the beach.  As I got the sandy beach, a father was furiously yelling at his kids who were having fun tobogganing down the sand dunes on their boogie boards, unaware of the fragile ecosystems that live there.

Tokyo 7 and Margaret Anderson talk, CBD

I saw Margaret Anderson talk at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria in the city with friends Jo and Heather and one of jo's friends.  It was interesting to hear her talk about her experiences over the last few decades of working to make women more visible in museum exhibitions.  It was especially fascinating and disturbing to hear about the insight into women's lives that could be found in the records of criminal trials.

After the talk we headed to nearby Tokyo 7 (7 Frederick Way) for a Japanese meal and a catch up.   I had the Yasai Bento box with gyoza, fried tofu and stirfry veg with teriyaki sauce, seaweed salad, dressed salad and rice ($20) and we shared a couple of pots of green tea.  The restaurant had a lovely vibe with a string of red lanterns, walls covered with Asian drawings and "trees" of paper flowers

Sydney Road history and culture

I loved this Sydney Rd bin cover.  It was green and had lots of stuff that makes Sydney Road iconic - Middle Eastern bakeries, bridal shops, good coffee, bikes with hipster kids, pubs and history.  I also managed to squeeze in a street art snowman.  Sometimes Sylvia and I drive down the main streets and count all the snowmen painted on buildings.  They are kind of creepy.  

The Sydney Road history is something that I have been reading about in a history of Coburg called Coburg: between two creeks by Richard Broome.  Here's a few historical notes:

• Road gangs from Pentridge Stockade constructing the road in the 1850s with the occasional convict absconding  or friend passing them tobacco and other contraband.  
• Miners travelled along the road to the gold fields of the 1850s, increasing the demand for shops and watering holes.
• It was originally named Pentridge Road because it connected the village of Melbourne to Pentridge Prison but was renamed Sydney Road in 1859 because it was the route to Sydney from Melbourne. 
  
• In 1900 Broome reports of the road being in such a quagmire that a trooper's horse was stuck in a mud pool and needed a bullock team to drag it out.  
• Troops march up the road to the Broadmeadow army camp during World War II.    
• Wikipedia also notes that the local clothing and textiles industries contributed to the growth of bridal and tailor shops.
• In more recent decades gentrification has brought many hipster food outlets such as Fluffy Torpedo ice cream and second hand shops such as Savers to mix with older multicultural institutions such as the A1 Bakery.

More local Coburg culture can be found at my post on the Coburg Farmers Market that is held every Saturday morning Bell Street just off Sydney Road. I have been buying good food from the market for years and have collated lots of photos and memories and favourite stalls.

Dojo Ramen Bar, Northcote

We were going to an afternoon all ages gig in Northcote so we stopped beforehand for lunch at Dojo Ramen Bar (333 High St).  It was a pleasing space with a sign saying "caution: loud slurping".  I had the vegan Veggie Miso Ramen which comprised "veggie broth with miso tare and a hint of chilli & garlic, topped with marinated tofu, enoki mushrooms, corn kernels, fried shallots & nori" for $19.  Sylvia had the Veggie Shoyu Ramen which was similar with shoyu instead of the miso in the seasoning.  We both loved our ramen and would love to go back and try more vegan dishes.

Keke & Kaka, Northcote

We enjoyed walking along Northcote High Street.  Sylvia had a look in a few op shops, we stopped to admire such cute kittens on show for adoption at a pet store and we found a great gift shop called Keke & Kaka (317 High St).  Unfortunately it had a closing down sale so we can't go back.  It gave us reason to buy more than we might have.  Such cute little figures, ceramic bowls and plate, fridge magnets and fabrics.  In the above photo you can see Totoro, Soot Sprites, ice cream cats, and a frog prince.  I can't recommend that shop to you because it has now closed but we have fond memories!

Moaning Lisa and Blue Diner at Northcote Social Club

The gig that lured us to Northcote was at the iconic Northcote Social Club (301 High St).  The afternoon all ages gig was pretty relaxed and enjoyable.  The headliners were Canberra band, Moaning Lisa but it was the band before them, Blue Diner from Brisbane, that really stood out to me.  Blue Diner are shoegazers who created an intense wall of sound that you can drown in but the otherworldly vocals call you out of it like a siren song.  They seem a young band so I hope they do well.

Current Affairs

I am so late in writing about last month, that political landscape has continued to shift.  In March we heard a lot of Trump demolishing the USA government and melting down in a televised interview with President Zelensky of Ukraine.  In Australia there was the tense anticipation as Cyclone Alfred approached Brisbane with menace but petered out into a heavy rainstorm that created chaos anyway.  At the end of the month, we finally had the 2025 federal election announced to be held on 3 May. Australia also had the Creative Australian dismissal of their Veneice Biannale pick of Khaled Sabsabi,

Here are a few serious articles and some more light-hearted stories for those who can't bear the horror of politics any more:

• Am interesting reflection on Trump and magnanimity in An Angry Little Boy on a Great White Horse by David Brooks in New York Times, 6 March 2025.
• Immersive playground of reclaimed set pieces comes to Southbank, Positive News, 12 March 2025.
  
• Trump administration accused of ‘blatant foreign interference’ in Australian universities over questionnaire on DEI and genderOtter chaos filmed in Shetland family's kitchen, in BBC Scotland, 15 March 2025. 
• Expect a lot of talk about Australia’s deficit, but remember the golden rule: budgets are always about choices by Greg Jericho in The Guardian, 20 March 2025
• A lot has been written about Trump and the courts.  Great insights can be found on 21 March 2025 in Robert Reich's "My last reason for nauseous optimism" and in Don't bring a knife to a gunfight by Michael Bradley in The Shot. 
• Fare-evading ginger cat in custody after taking train to central Melbourne, in The Guardian on 27 March 2025.
• The siege of Khartoum has lifted. Left behind are scenes of unimaginable horror by Nesrine Malik in The Guardian on 31 March 2025.