Are you ready to bite into the crunchy shell of a ricotta cannolo and feast on its sublimely rich and creamy sweetened cheese filling?  

This irresistible dish originated in Palermo, Sicily thanks to the influence of Arabs who introduced sugar cane to the region. The locals made the pastry for the Carnivale, a period of festivity before lent, and also to be a symbol of fertility. Its influence has travelled worldwide and as a result many adaptations have been created such as custard or chocolate fillings however, the traditional Sicilian cannolo is filled with ricotta cheese and enriched with a delicate layer of crushed pistachios on either end of its shell.  

Having a Sicilian father, I chose this dish because it evokes a nostalgia for my family memories spent in Sicily visiting my nonni. They always welcome us with ricotta cannoli which we devour instantly, and my uncle always takes us to Savia, a patisserie located in Catania where my dad grew up, which sells the best cannoli you will ever find.   

I made this dessert with the assistance of my sister Céline and it was a really enjoyable bonding experience reminiscing. However, I ended up having to refill new shells with the cream in the morning as they had softened in the fridge overnight. Overall, I feel confident that I have prepared a delicious dish which I have chosen to present without any elaboration to mirror the way you would see it served in any Sicilian patisserie. 

Lastly, the positive feedback I received from my classmates at the Food Fair confirm I have honoured my Sicilian heritage and promoted this heavenly dish. 

Needing a new film recommendation? Well look no further and lock in Haute Cuisine for your Friday night movie binge! 

Without giving away any spoilers, I will spill that this foodie film which is based on a true story, teaches us the importance of preserving traditions and knowledge in order to truly appreciate the cuisines we eat. This is not only because the food we typically consume is linked to our national or even regional identity, but also because it can evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminding us of our childhood for instance. We see this example come to life in the scene where the president asks Hortense to create good home-cooking because he wants to experience the taste of things cooked the way his grandmother used to. In appealing to his request, Hortense shows us that family plays a huge role in our positive memories associated with food as she serves him “Julia’s potatoes” named after her own grandmother. 

In addition, this film highlights questions of regional identity by tangibly accentuating the significance of sourcing authentic produce directly from their producers and the particular regions where their healthy cultivation is achieved. The protagonist of the film emphasises this by divulging that the vegetables she sources come straight from Mr Mirat’s garden and the truffles she uses come directly from her farm. This mirrors Dr. Thebussem’s objective of encouraging Spaniards to have “culinary patriotism” (Anderson). 

 Another theme that this film addresses is gender, by bluntly foregrounding that although Hortense is able to establish herself as head chef, she must overcome heavy judgement and conflict in an environment heavily dominated by men. 

https://unimelb.kanopy.com/video/haute-cuisine

Anderson, L. “The Unity and Diversity of La olla podrida: An Autochthonous Model of Spanish Culinary Nationalism.” Journal of Spanish Cultural Studies 14(4) (2013): 400-414.

Are you a sweet tooth? How does rich praline mousseline cream and golden pastry decorated with flaked almonds sound? Delicious right? Well voilà, le Paris-Brest! The praline paste made by grinding ingredients in a food processor, the choux pastry cooked over low heat in a saucepan, and the mousseline cream mixed in a saucepan then left to chill, are made with hazelnuts, almonds, sugar, water, flour, milk, unsalted butter, eggs, corn-starch, vanilla extract and praline paste.

Created in 1910 by Louis Durant, this wheel-shape treat honours the famous cycling race from Paris to Brest and back. Thanks to its high calorie content, it was the ideal energy booster for cyclers however it was that nectareous that it gained popularity amongst Parisians very quickly before obtaining worldwide recognition. Chefs from around the globe have even added their own twist to this dish. For example, Michelle Palazzo from NYC fills the pastry with pistachio buttercream, and Theodore Rex, a bistro in Houston even spikes it with Swiss cheese. 

This affirms the intellection that food is more than just nourishment as various chefs have made the dish their own to suit their personal and cultural environment. In addition, this also demonstrates that conventions can be breached as it has become cool and common practice for chefs to borrow and amalgamate ingredients and techniques both from the original and their own style (Rao). 

Rao, H. (2009). “The French Revolution: Collective Action and the Nouvelle Cuisine Innovation.” Market Rebels: How Activists Make or Break Radical Innovations. Princeton University Press. pp. 69-94.

Looking for the perfect destination to brunch with your girlfriends, shop, go on a date or just explore? Well Gertrude Street, located in the inner northern suburb of Fitzroy is one of the most dynamic and hip foodscapes in Melbourne. Filled with bars, restaurants, galleries, and boutiques, this street does not lack any personality nor diversity. You will find homey and gourmet Italian restaurants, inviting Spanish bars and even Japanese diners serving vegan ramen just to name a few. This miscellany of food nodes means that this lively microcosm has a wide price bracket. 

Coming from a mixed background with an Italian father and Kenyan mother, the fusion of these multifarious cuisines creates a lively and welcoming ambiance that relates to my identity and feelings of home. Each spot enriches the street with its own history and flavour, offering consumers the chance to discover new cultures whilst also broadening their horizons. Moreover, having lived in France for five years, I experienced a strong sense of nostalgia when the waiter at the French creperie Breizoz  served me saying bon appétit, reminding me of the innumerable times my family and I went out for dinner in Paris to celebrate a special occasion.

I always assumed that restaurants served food solely specific to their particular cuisine, however after seeing vegemite crepes on Breizoiz’s menu, I now realise that many blend specialities from other cuisines to suit the palette of their customers and enhance their menu. This resembles Artusi’s efforts to introduce the north of Italy to the traditions of the south and vice versa (Helstosky). 

So, what are you waiting for? Come check out Gertrude St! 

https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/gertrudestreet/?hl=en

Helstosky, C. (2003). Recipe for the Nation: Reading Italian History through La scienza in cucina and La cucina futurista. Food and Foodways, 11(2-3), 113-140.

Craving an ambrosial and comforting dish? Well the Risotto alla Milanese, made with rice, parmesan cheese, saffron, butter, onion, white wine, broth and salt cooked together in a pan will satisfy your hunger for a palpably rich and gratifying meal.

By virtue of the vivid colour from the saffron, it is presented simply with the deilacte touch of sprinkled parmesan and more importantly since 1981, gold foil in the centre introduced by Gualtiero Marchesi as a symbol of a noble dish signature. Typically consumed at dinner as main dish, it is known for its tangibly firm al dente texture and can be found with the same presentation style outside Milan.

Although rice was inaugurated in Sicily in the 13^thcentury, its spread to the Po valley  in northern Italy symbolises the value of the region as one of the most powerful rice producers in Europe. This dish is particularly significant because it exemplifies that rice has evolved from a simple dish cooked in boiling water, to a culinary tradition comprising of this very refined risotto which is 1929 was called Risotto alla Milanese giallo by Felice Luraschi for its yellow colour. The legend behind this dish divulges a joke that friends played on a man nicknamed “Zafferano” meaning saffron, by adding it to rice mocking the fact that he loved the spice so much. 

Observing this dish confirms the notions that no cuisine is immune to change (Ashley et al), and that the term national cuisine is perhaps too broad since there are so many regional dishes with their own unique history and meaning.

Ashley, B., J. Hollows, S. Jones, and B. Taylor. Food and Cultural Studies, London: Routledge, 2004. (Chapter 5 “The National Diet”)