Liz Ledden

Diary of a NaNoWriMo newbie – Part 2

Liz / November 15, 2013 / 3 Comments

NaNoWriMo begins on 1 November, and I get off to a flying start writing well over the expected word count. I know it’s just first day excitement though, a built up idea pouring out with enthusiasm. I continue this way the next day and the next, before I falter and it starts to be more of a struggle to even reach the 1667 word mark. I’m glad I went hard and fast at the beginning, as it offers me leeway when the words aren’t as forthcoming.

I find myself unnecessarily updating my word count after a few hundred words, checking the NaNo site’s stat counter to see how close I am to my target. I have a few supportive exchanges with some other participants over email, which spurs me on to keep going. The very fact you update your word count on the site is like a reminder that I’ve pledged to do this, and my progress is visible to others. I have to keep going! Each time I reach a new thousand mark it feels like a small victory, particularly reaching 10,000 words (and this week, 20,000).

It sinks in how long the story is becoming when I attempt to read it one night, and keep reading…and reading…and reading to reach the end. My story is long! It’s like reading…a book! All things NaNo keep referring to the two week slump, and I worry my motivation levels have taken an inevitable nosedive. It’s the halfway point already, but there’s a still a long wordy road ahead….

{Sydney} Weekend wanderings 10.11.13

Liz / November 10, 2013 / No Comments

Image credit: Armchair Collective

Sydney weekends mean wandering to me – from exploring new places in our ‘hood to venturing far and wide, often in search of good eats. Here’s a little round-up of some food, finds and fun from recent weeks, which will hopefully inspire you to set out and explore your city.

The last few weekends have been a blur of kids parties (sooo many kids parties), beach walks and cafe hits and misses. We recently ventured to the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Month’s night noodle markets in the city (twice) and now have a full blown Mamak crush (best roti this side of KL). We’ve dragged our kids out for Mexican, Vietnamese, and too many places for babycinos.

Image credit: Armchair Collective

One of my favourite cafe jaunts has been to Armchair Collective in Mona Vale. We were in the area anyway for a birthday so took a beach detour afterwards. The cafe looks kind of 70s from the outside, but inside is like a colourful beach shack. It’s a combined cafe and homewares store, and I fell a little bit in love with the ikat cushions, Moroccan ceramics and hippy luxe by the beach vibe of it all. The menu offers a great mix of typical cafe fare, not particularly experimental but hearty, wholesome and with high quality ingredients. The salad of beetroot, pumpkin, spinach and quinoa with goats cheese was light on the quinoa, but vegetable heavy and featured a tangy dressing – virtuous and delicious. There’s also a great BRT (with rocket substituting lettuce). If you’re stopping by for a post-beach takeaway Single Origin, you can also pick up a bunch of hydrangeas to go from the onsite florist, which adds to Armchair’s already colourful and inspiring aesthetics. And yes, the beach is a short walk away at the end of the street, so it’s an excursion-worthy combo.

On last weekend’s agenda: a school fete where I scored big time at the book stall (a wine box worth of books for the grand total of $15, including four cookbooks, some kids books, travel anthologies and novels, including one by my favourite travel writer, Pico Iyer. Score!), and a girls’ night to Icebergs Dining Room and Bar in Bondi with two of my food loving friends. Sipping cocktails on the glass-panelled balcony perched over the iconic Icebergs pool and a sprawl of surfer-studded ocean was not a bad way to kick off a Saturday evening. Dinner was a fishy affair, with shared oysters, school prawns and crab, with cod and delicious sides including my favourite, the lemon drenched kale. Icebergs had a kind of special occasion, date night vibe, but was nevertheless a beautiful setting for a catchup.

As for this weekend – we made a round two visit to Chi and Co. and it was just as good, if not better, as we had an extra person this time hence more dishes! If you go, the XO pork belly is a decadent, spicy, rich must-have. We also gorged on cannolis, jam doughnuts and lemon tarts at the Italian sweet-fest Pasticceria Tamborrino in Five Dock (they have everything from arancini to gelato, and all the cakes, biscuits and Italian desserty things you can think of – heaven).

How do you like to spend your weekends? And how was yours?

Diary of a NaNoWriMo newbie – Part 1

Liz / October 31, 2013 / 2 Comments

It’s NaNoWriMo eve, and I feel a strange sense of calm before the storm. I’ve decided to give NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, a red hot go. That is, to pump out 50,000 words in 30 days. A novel in a month. Almost 2,000 words every day in November. Here’s a little window into the process, if you’re thinking of joining:

Signing up

The first step in committing to NaNo is signing up (which you can do here – it’s (almost) not too late!). Then it’s time to navigate the forums. The event is a social one, in a virtual kind of way, yet all the ‘buddy’ making and ‘newbie’ meeting (so much terminology!) spills over IRL, with meet-ups and write-ins to attend, should you feel inclined. I sign up, full of trepidation on whether I can really do this. I discover another NaNo term is ‘winning’, which actually just means completing. Apparently if you reach the 50,000 word goal, you have ‘won’! Although the only pressure to do so is your own.

Finding your tribe

A peruse of the forums offers a fascinating insight into the world of writerly types. There are a lot of self-confessed introverts (no surprises there), participants racked with self-doubt, many gamers and many more with ‘fur-babies’. I zero in on the Mainstream board where my story belongs, and so do I it seems, catless and all. In a world of dystopian this and paranormal that, I’m feeling slightly off-trend and commercial with my ‘real life’ fiction idea, but nevertheless find some like-minded souls. The forums serve to help you find your tribe, so you can send each other words of encouragement, tips, advice and also keep each other spurred on. I discover a diverse scattering of people whose story synopses resonate, and enter the encouraging world of NaNo buddies.

How to prepare

After signing up, buddying up and perhaps engaging in a bit of supportive emailing with other WriMos (I’ve found this interaction immensely helpful already!), preparation can be as little or as much as you think you need to feel ready for NaNo. I write out descriptions of settings, characters and plot, a brief overview of the story and a longer, more detailed one. I then try to break down the story idea into chapters, with a rundown of what will happen in each. My idea is something I’ve played around with for a while – a fictional account of, you guessed it, a girl in expat-land in southeast Asia. While I’m using some settings and scenarios based on my real life experiences, it’s going to be fictional rather than a memoir.

Resources

Another part of preparation is seeking tips from writers who have successfully tackled NaNo before. I’ve been trying to soak up as much advice as possible, and there’s a wealth of NaNo related reading out there. If you are doing NaNo or contemplating it, here are a few helpful posts in getting started:

10 NaNoWriMo tips

10 tips to help you make it through NaNoWriMo

5 resources to help you plan your NaNoWriMo novel

How to write a novel

It’s ok to wing it

A NaNo term flying around the forum boards and social media is ‘pantsers’. Pantsers are those who don’t feel inclined to come up with characters, settings and plots beforehand, and prefer to fly by the seat of their pants, letting their story organically unfold. I like this concept, but I’m going with a happy medium – a rough outline and chapter breakdown, but much leeway to let my story veer in various ways as NaNo gets underway. Which is tomorrow! Ok, maybe not feeling so calm now…

Are you taking part in NaNoWriMo this year? Best of luck if you are,and if you’re contemplating joining, why not take the plunge?!

Eating out with kids in Vietnam

Liz / October 30, 2013 / 4 Comments

I was recently interviewed by Rachael from All Abroad Baby on my best tips for eating out in Vietnam with kids. If you’ve been reading since A Girl in Asia days, you may know we lived in Vietnam for a couple of years, moving there from Cambodia with one baby then having a second towards the end of our time in Vietnam. We definitely did our fair share (and then some) of eating out in Vietnam with babies and toddler in tow, and enjoyed taking them back this time last year for a holiday (especially great as they were (just) over that stage of having to explore every restaurant instead of stay at the table!). Overall, I highly recommend family travel in Vietnam – there are so many wins, from fresh, wholesome food to kind, tolerant people.

Read on for my tips and thoughts on food issues in Vietnam, from hygiene fears to ordering options to attitudes to kids in cafes:

What options are there for eating out with kids?

So many! From street-food stalls to high-end restaurants and five-star hotels, and everything in between. There are a lot of family-run restaurants, but if you’re new to the region and a little unsure, a good start is a Vietnamese chain, like Pho 24 or Wrap & Roll, which have a fantastic selection of spring rolls and other local snacks served up in a clean environment.

Of course, there are restaurants running the gamut of most popular international cuisines, but if you’re in Vietnam for a short time you should probably forego pizza for phở (noodle soup) or steak for bò lá lốt (beef wrapped in pepper leaf).

Is it safe for kids to eat out in Vietnam?

In our time living in Vietnam with a baby, and eventually, a toddler and a newborn (and when we returned on a family holiday late last year), we were lucky to not have any food or drink-related illnesses (though this has occurred elsewhere in South East Asia and it’s not pretty!).

Generally, food is prepared hygienically, ice in drinks is manufactured from bottled water and ingredients are extremely fresh, with most people shopping daily for meat and fresh produce. Even my much-frequented ‘pineapple lady’ at a local market used to sit carving sweet, juicy pineapples wearing disposable gloves, preparing the fruit on a meticulously clean table (despite the dogs, flies and muddy surrounds!).

In fact, contrary to some travel advice, the street food in Vietnam is some of the freshest, healthiest options as the dishes are mostly cooked to order, prepared in front of you and using just-bought produce. Once, when our first baby was about eight months old, a Vietnamese friend bought some quail eggs and noodles from a street vendor and started feeding her without me realising! And guess what? She was totally fine!

What kind of kid-friendly foods are available?

It depends how fussy your kids are, but spring rolls – either fried or fresh – are often winners, as are the many Vietnamese noodle dishes available. Bánh xèo is a crispy pancake filled with prawns, pork and bean sprouts. It’s delicious and not spicy at all (before condiments are added). Our kids have enjoyed this at local restaurants.

Grilled meats can also be a hit. And of course, there’s rice! Lots of western-style cafes have things like dips with vegetable sticks and healthy sandwiches, or the old kid-friendly standby – fries. Most kids will love the array of fresh juices on offer too, which are so much healthier than the preservative and sugar-laden manufactured kind. For hydration on a typical humid day in Vietnam, a coconut sipped with a straw is novel and delicious for most visiting children.

What are people’s attitudes to kids in cafes and restaurants like?

Overall, Vietnamese diners are extremely warm and welcoming of children, often noticeably more than at home. In terms of facilities, some high-end or westernised restaurants may have highchairs available, but many don’t, so if you have older babies or toddlers, you may like to bring a fabric tie-on seat to use. On a holiday when our youngest was just over one, it was the most useful thing – no squirming toddler on our laps while eating, and she felt secure and comfortable (while the attention span at the table lasted anyway!).

Generally, young children are doted on in public places in Vietnam, and if you have a baby, people may want to touch or hold them, which can turn out to be a useful thing! Your kids may also be given free things to eat as ‘treats’ by well-meaning strangers, and these will usually be something sweet, or packets of chips!

What if I need to change my baby’s nappy or breastfeed?

Nappy changing facilities are few and far between, so you’ll have to improvise with a portable change mat (another recommended must-bring). Unlike in Australia – or even places like Singapore – it’s rare (or even impossible) to find a dedicated breastfeeding space, so again, improvisation is necessary.

I never felt entirely comfortable breastfeeding in public in Vietnam, unless I had a big sarong or scarf covering my baby (which was awkward and hot). I think it was because I never saw local women breastfeeding in public, like it wasn’t the done thing (Vietnamese women have a long period of rest at home after having a baby, and many switch to formula quite early, believing it to be better for the baby, from what I’ve heard from Vietnamese friends anyway).

Any cafes in particular that you recommend for families?

Generally, most places (aside from trendy wine and cocktail bars with restaurants or very high-end establishments) are kid-friendly, though even some of these are fine if you go in the late afternoon! Some standout venues include Snap Cafe in Saigon, complete with outdoor playground, yard and kids menu, and Dingo Deli in Hoi An, which as you can probably guess has an Australian influence (it’s run by an Australian/Canadian family). It features a fantastic wooden playground structure, a sandpit, swings, and even a flying fox.

Parks with playgrounds are few and far between in Vietnam, so cafes with playgrounds are a godsend for small kids to let off some steam. At beach destinations in Vietnam, there are often places to eat right on the sand, which kids (and adults) love. Generally, most cafes cater to kids in some way, though you may need to explain what a babycino is (and you’ll often receive a cup of hot frothless milk if you do!). Overall, Vietnam is exceedingly family-friendly, and you may even find eating out is less of a hassle than it is at home!

This post was originally published on All Abroad Baby.

Matale Chocolate: from bean to bar

Liz / October 22, 2013 / 4 Comments

A chocolate addiction, refined

I have this thing where I must eat chocolate every. single. day. Some might call this ‘thing’ an addiction. I’d like to think of it as more of a….passion?! I definitely do love chocolate, and while sometimes anything under the wide banner of ‘chocolate’ will do (I’m looking at you, purple packaging of sugar-filled evil) I’ve come to appreciate better quality, dark chocolate these days, particularly the artisanal bean-to-bar variety. The taste has a whole different level of complexity, it’s healthier, and the idea of supporting small-scale cocoa bean farmers is another reason to seek out quality, independent chocolate labels.

My first brush with ‘real’ chocolate was on my honeymoon in Barcelona, where my tastebuds sang with the discovery of a world of chocolate far removed from the mainstream. I sat in a small square in the Gothic Quarter clutching a fist-sized truffle of rich, dark chocolate, and my life was never quite the same again! In New York, I traipsed around Williamsburg in Brooklyn on a mission to visit Mast Brothers, a true bean-to-bar chocolate business run by two bushy-bearded brothers (and was excited not only for the chocolate, but that the brothers themselves were actually in the shop – food geekery much?!). In Australia, there are several players in the bean-to-bar chocolate scene, with one of the newest taking form after a revelatory visit to some long forgotten cocoa plantations in Matale, Sri Lanka. Enter, Melbourne artisanal chocolate makers, Matale Chocolate.

The taste test

I recently tried two of Matale’s single origin chocolates. The first was a 68% variety using cocoa beans sourced from the Somia Plantation in Madagascar. The chocolate comes as a thin, snappable sheet rather than divided into squares (not that anyone needs their chocolate portion controlled, right?!) and imprinted with a textured diamond pattern. It is dark, glossy and seductively scented. This variety has a unique flavour with more than a hint of fruit. Supposedly citrusy, to me it seems to have more of a pineapple flavour. It’s complex, strong and different to any chocolate I’ve tasted before. The richness of the chocolate prevents you from eating it all in one go, which is quite unusual for this self-declared chocolate addict.

The next bar sampled was the 72% cocoa from the Malekula Plantation in Vanuatu. Compared to the 68%, this is more of a traditional, dark chocolate, with a more familiar taste than the quirky Madagascan variety. It has a rich, deep, earthy flavour with hints of smoke and spice. Of the two, the 72% is my pick.

The lowdown

Matale Chocolate makes dairy, nut and gluten-free bean-to-bar chocolate. It is hand made, and uses organically grown, ethically sourced cocoa beans from small farms and co-ops. If you ever need to justify your chocolate addiction (raises hand) Matale ticks all the boxes for a feel-good, guilt-free antioxidant boost. Check here for stockists, follow Matale on Twitter or like their FB page. (I’m super jealous these guys source, make and TASTE chocolate for a living – dream job!).

Disclaimer: This post was made possible with the generous support of Matale Chocolate, who supplied the products reviewed. As always, my views are my own.

Image: Matale Chocolate

{Sydney eats} Chi and Co., Canley Heights

Liz / October 10, 2013 / 6 Comments

Inside Chi and Co

It was really hard to visit Canley Heights without eating at the amazing Thai-Lao Holy Basil, but this time we had Chi and Co. firmly in our sights.

Tucked just around the corner from Canley Heights’ bustling main street, Chi and Co. (formerly known as Chi Chi) would not be out of place in the inner-city. It features a pan-Asian menu spanning everything from Vietnamese classics to Thai treats and hawker-style Malaysian fare. It’s a mish mash of cuisines, but somehow, it all works.

Chi and Co. inhabits an expansive space with a converted warehouse look, mostly black and white with touches of yellow. A huge mural spans one entire wall. It’s seriously gorgeous and the food is outstanding, from the more-ish son-in-law eggs topped with spicy XO sauce (said to be their signature dish), to the expertly smoky char kway teow. Our favourite dish was the fried crispy skin salmon and green papaya salad – an amazing jumble of texture and flavour, all zesty, herby, crunchy goodness.

Scallops with nam jim, son-in-law eggs with XO sauce, crispy skin salmon & green papaya salad

One of my favourite things about the menu is the selection of small starters at under $5 a pop, like the spanner crab on betel leaf and the grilled scallop with nam jim – bite-sized morsels bursting with flavour. I love being able to sample as many things as possible when I eat out, and Chi and Co. is the perfect place for those who like a pick and mix approach. I keep telling people about this place (first reaction – ‘Where?!’) and have plans to return with food loving friends and family, who I know will have a ‘can’t believe this place is here’ reaction, like we did! Even if Canley Heights is far from your usual haunts, it’s definitely worth the trip. And it’s an easier place to find a park than neighbouring Cabramatta (just!).

Chi and Co., Shop 3/264 Canley Vale Road (entrance via Derby Street), tel: 02 9727 2068, www.chiandco.com.au

{Travel tips} How to make India an easier experience

Liz / October 2, 2013 / 2 Comments

India is undoubtedly one of the most challenging places you can travel, yet many believe the challenges are more than compensated with the rewards. After my first trip there – an extended backpacking adventure – I didn’t feel this way. I experienced the touts, the ripoffs, the oppressive heat and crowds, the whole cliched runaround, complete with Delhi belly. But my recent trip back was an entirely different experience (hint – there were no backpacks involved this time!).

Here are five tips on how you can experience all the amazing bits of India while minimising the hassle factor:

1) Pre-organise transfers

If you’re a hardcore, independent backpacker this may seem like a soft option, but on reflection, dealing with touts when arriving in each new city or town was the number one worst aspect of my first India foray. In India, finding a ride is a huge source of stress, and transport hubs can attract the worst kinds of touts. There is nothing nicer than being whisked away from the crowds in an air-conditioned car which takes you straight to your accommodation, no negotiating necessary! If there’s anywhere in the world you should book a transfer, India has to be it.

2) Lower your expectations

Know that in India, you will witness unparalleled poverty, beggars, slums, cow poo on the street and many a street dog. (But in contrast, there is majestic beauty, stunning architecture and many perfumed and delicious smells!). The more you can prepare yourself for what you might see and experience in India, the better. If you expect conditions in India to even be comparable to those in other developing countries, you may be sorely disappointed. Case in point – a Vietnamese friend ventured to India, her first trip outside Vietnam, and was absolutely shocked at the rubbish on the streets and the living conditions she witnessed. Expect the worst and you may be pleasantly surprised, like when you discover immaculately maintained gardens surrounding temples and monuments, offering precious respite from the chaotic streets.

3) Feign total disinterest in touts

One huge lesson I’ve learnt is not to engage with touts, whether it’s an auto rickshaw driver you don’t want to use or a postcard-selling kid who won’t stop pestering you. This may seem obvious, but what I mean is to not engage in any way, positive or negative. Once upon a time I was stupidly polite to such people – ‘Oh, no thanks, not today’. This can be seen as an opportunity for further dialogue, that you’re sort of interested or are an easy target who may give in. But the alternative isn’t to be rude either, as that can also result in further harassment. The best reaction if followed by a relentless tout is to feign total disinterest. Look bored beyond belief, maybe give your head a slight shake, and don’t even make eye contact. Keep walking. There is no comeback from the tout if you don’t offer a one-liner, and they’ll quickly move onto another tourist more willing to chat back. Also – never, ever try and deflect any kind of seller with ‘Maybe tomorrow’, as your gentle let down may be taken literally. You will be hunted down and harassed the next day!

108 Shiva temple in Kalna

4) Venture off the beaten path

A huge difference to your India experience may be made if you veer off the well-trodden tourist trail to lesser visited regions. Outside, say, Agra or the main cities in Rajasthan, you may find people are warmer, friendlier, less ‘out to get you’. On this trip, I visited some small towns and villages in West Bengal where people were smiling, friendly, welcoming, or simply went about their daily life. They weren’t so used to tourists, so either ignored us or excitedly engaged with us, with no agenda other than to have a chat, pose for a photo, or snap photos of us with their own camera phones (in a non-threatening way). Visiting places beyond the big drawcards provides a refreshing antidote to negative interactions that might damage your perceptions of Indian people. ‘Real’ Indian people are friendly, hospitable, interesting, funny and wonderful. I now know this.

5) Stay hydrated, cool and clean – when you can

It’s no easy feat to avoid the discomforts that come with travelling in extreme heat and humidity, and sightseeing in crowded, not always clean places. It’s also inevitable you’ll get an upset stomach in India, unless you have a digestive tract of steel. Some things you can do to maximise comfort include carrying a small packet of tissues, as many public toilets at tourist sites are of the squat variety with no toilet paper, use hand sanitiser, particularly before eating (hand wipes or baby wipes are useful too), toting and drinking water all day long (coconuts are also great, if available), sticking to vegetarian food in establishments you’re a little unsure of, and carrying a small umbrella for both unexpected downpours and to shade you from harsh midday sun. I also found a cotton scarf draped around my neck doubled as something to protect my neck from sunburn and soak up the endless outpouring of sweat.

Have you ever travelled to India, or do you dream of going? Do you have any tips to share on how to make travel in India (or anywhere else) ‘easier’? I’d love to hear them!

Return to India: impressions then and now

Liz / September 24, 2013 / 2 Comments

Without wanting to sound too cliched (or like I’m channeling Sarah MacDonald in Holy Cow – which does happen to be one of my favourite books, and is still #1 on the bestseller stand at Delhi’s airport bookstores!) I didn’t really love India the first time I visited. The touts, the beggars, the crowds, the constant haggling and the non-stop staring all ate away at me until I had to hightail it back to my beloved Koh Chang for blissed out beach time (after turning into a crazed, bitter, jaded and slightly screamy version of me, complete with raging fever, churning insides and rider of hellish bus journeys while so ill I was bordering on hallucinatory). But that was a decade ago and some things have changed.

I’m so pleased to report that this time around I’m feeling a whole lot more love for India! The chaos and the sensory assault of all things India don’t seem as intense as they did before. It’s somehow not as intimidating. I don’t feel like I’m being stared at or harassed as much as I was previously. I see past the decay, the mess, the crowds – I see colour and life and beauty.

I’m loving genuine smiles, cute kids, stunning saris, intoxicating colours, wafts of incense, mutual smartphone photo-fests, where it’s hard to tell who is more curious about who, faded, crumbling buildings full of charm and potential, religious icons – everywhere, stalls laden with colourful garlands brightening dusty streets, schoolgirls in immaculate white uniforms weaving their way through chaos on their bicycles, sugarcane stands, chai wallahs, religious and historical monuments on a grand, mindblowing scale. Mosques and churches and Hindu temples and minarets and the call to prayer and Hindu chants and blessings and offerings. Sandalwood oil massaged into my hair and charcoal mixed with ghee pressed into my forehead by a Hindu priest. I’m seeing India with my eyes, head and heart wide open.

A toast to travel

Liz / September 6, 2013 / No Comments

Disclaimer: the wine products featured in this post were generously supplied by online wine distributor Wine Selectors. Despite this, the opinions are totally honest, and of course, 100% my own!

I don’t know about you, but I feel like something is missing when I don’t have a trip to look forward to. So much so, that while on one trip, we usually start talking about and planning the next. If there’s nothing on my travel horizon, I fill the void with daytrips or urban adventures to far-flung suburbs in search of something new and delicious to eat, or to experience a window into another culture. But lately this hasn’t been enough. I need ‘real’ travel!

Enter – real travel plans! This time next week, I’ll be soaring away to India, to explore the Ganges and Hooghly Rivers by boat, with time in Delhi, Varanasi and Calcutta, plus some far-flung villages in between. And a few months later, we’re Southeast Asia-bound, for city fun in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, and some family beach time. Cue – major excitement and cause for consuming bubbles (err, any excuse will do!).

Wine Selectors have released the Chef Series range of wines, with each wine matched with dishes by some well known local chefs. The wines were developed in conjunction with some highly regarded, handpicked wine producers to culminate in a carefully curated wine range. The Alistair Macleod Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV, by Tasmanian producer Josef Chromy, offers the perfect celebratory drink. Think a beautiful light straw colour, sufficiently dry yet with enough of a hint of fruit flavour, and the ideal match for Brisbane-based Alistair’s rock oysters suggestion (his recipes are available on the Wine Selectors site). This is a serious contender for my new favourite local sparkling, and makes me wonder why we sometimes fork out for actual champagne when quality Australian sparkling can be so good?!

We also tried a Tasmanian pinot noir from the range. I’ve had a slight obsession with Tassie pinot this year after an amazing long weekend in Hobart, so drinking it now reminds me of our Hobart restaurant and bar hopping, and a sunny afternoon spent soaking up all things MONA at their adjoining winery and bar. Bliss. The Ian Parmenter Pinot Noir 2011 (also by Josef Chromy) was up there with the best I’ve tasted – smooth, delicate, intricate and highly drinkable. Ian is a cooking show presenter and director of the Tasting Australia festival, and has matched this wine to a dish of roast pork with prune and macadamia stuffing. It also goes wonderfully well with a cheese plate.

Our Hobart sojourn provided a taster of Tasmania’s amazing wine and produce, and I’m loving discovering more Tasmanian wines from afar. I think a return trip might be brewing…something to think about on the plane to India perhaps!