five things everyone should eat before they die

This seems like a pretty morbid way to begin my foray into the world of memes….but the lovely Dr Reb from CucinaRebecca tagged me for this blogging project initiated by the very talented Melissa from The Traveler’s Lunchbox…and since the Virgo in me loves making lists it was impossible to resist.

So here we go with my top five (in no particular order):

i. Sushi & Sashimi accompanied by a sake or two at Tsukiji, the Tokyo fish market. After a super early start and a turn through the tuna auctions viewing fresh and frozen specimens of this gorgeous fish, there’s nothing better than and early morning sushi feed washed down with plenty of good sake at one of the tiny restaurants dotted around the market. A chance to experience fish as a high art while you rub shoulders with partygoers still out from the night before, tourists, and of course a few dodgy old Japanese dudes.

ii. Salt & Pepper Squid with a bottle of fresh Clare Valley Riesling at the Star of Greece Cafe in Port Willunga just south of Adelaide, South Australia. One of my most memorable food experiences is whiling away the afternoon in this little shack of a restaurant perched on the cliffs at Port Willunga. The squid is always super fresh…caught by local fishermen in the waters below the restaurant then seasoned and dusted in flour before being lightly pan fried and served with a punchy garlicky mayonnaise….all you need is a green salad and a bottle of crisp Clare Riesling to settle in and watch the sun set over the Gulf of St Vincent…bliss

iii. Blue Cheese with Botrytis Semillon. Whether your budget stretches to Roquefort and Chateau d’Yquem or Blue Castello and Miranda botrytis semillon (a sauterne style dessert wine from the Riverina area of Australia)…you should definitely give this food and wine match a go…The rich honeyed apricot and marmalade aromas of the wine are the perfect counterpoint for the creamy sharpness of the cheese, especially when teemed with some toasted walnut bread and a sliver of ripe pear…d-i-v-i-n-e

iv. Yum cha. This energetic Chinese brunch is as much about the theatre and experience and tea drinking as it is about stuffing yourself silly with all manner of tasty morsels. Just be sure and try the chicken feet in chilli sauce at least once. For me this is the only meal that doesn’t need wine to make it complete.

v. Real Aussie Lambshank Pie with a big gutsy Barossa Shiraz. OK I’m cheating a bit here…I had both meltingly soft lambshanks and a good homemade Aussie meat pie on my list but only one space left. So rather that choosing between two treasured children I decided to turn them into one. As I’ve mentioned on numerous occasions, it’s hard to go past a good lamb shank.  By the same token a good meat pie with buttery light flaky pastry and a rich meaty filling is also hard to beat.  Now I’m going to have to try this new idea out for myself. But if you’re not up for a bit of pie making, a trip to the iconic pie cart that is Harry’s Cafe de Wheels in Sydney’s Wooloomooloo, between the city and the cross (as in Kings Cross – Sydney’s original red light district) will have to suffice.

If you’d like to add your five to the project visit The Traveler’s Lunchbox where you can also see what everyone else has contributed…the mind boggles…