Spaghetti with panfried sardines

I have a favourite fishmonger. I'm sure by now this doesn't surprise anyone. It will also not surprise you that every time I visit said fishmonger, they are closed. Now, please don't mistake my message here - it's not because they open and close willy-nilly. Hardly. I think they've had the same opening hours for around 20 years. It's my crazy brain and sieve-like memory that allows me to roll up at 5pm on a Saturday and find the doors firmly locked.

Pancakes with grilled nectarines and whipped vanilla butter

Have you seen the ad where the man weeps because stonefruit season is nearly over? It may be a little dramatic, but that's how I feel at the end of summer. Nectarines are my absolute favourite and knowing their time in the sun is almost done is more than a little upsetting. I guess their demise signifies the end of barbecues, beers in the sun and icecream in cones for another year, so it's not all about healthy fruit.

It's not too much of a problem if you use firm nectarines in this recipe. Given you're sauteeing the fruit, they soften in the pan and caramelise nicely no matter how ripe they are. You could also use peaches in this dish - try to find a freestone variety so they're easier to cut up.

You might read "whipped butter" and reconsider making this dish. If you're anti-butter, this is probably the wrong place for you. By all means go easy on it but this dish really needs the moisture and richness the butter provides. The vanilla scent doesn't hurt either. And you can tell yourself it's whipped so it's mostly air. That would be mostly wrong, but whatever helps you sleep at night...

Matt and I enjoyed this in our sunny backyard one Sunday morning recently. In typical Melbourne fashion, it was spitting when I set the table, but the sun shone brightly as soon as we sat down to eat. Cup of tea, shot of coffee and fruity pancakes: a fabulous summer farewell.

Ingredients 

1 cup self raising flour
1 egg
2 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
100ml milk

2 nectarines
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp butter

Whipped vanilla butter

100g butter, softened
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla

To make the pancakes, whisk together the ingredients briefly. Try not to over mix or your pancakes will taste like old boots. Chill for 30 minutes while you make your other components.

Cut your nectarines into eight pieces. Heat a heavy frypan over medium heat and add the nectarines. Caramelise on both sides, then add the butter and sugar. Cook and coat the nectarines.

To make the whipped butter, mix all three ingredients in the mixer on high until the butter is pale and creamy.

Heat a frypan over low heat and add a pat of butter. Spoon 1/4 of the pancake batter in the pan and cook until the underside is golden. Flip over and cook until a similar colour. Repeat with the remaining batter, using more butter when required.

To serve, top the pancakes with the nectarines and a quenelle of butter.

Ombra and the world's best gelati

There's not much better in this world that an afternoon spent flitting between bars and restaurants. Fortunately, Melbourne has dozens of options in the CBD alone. On any given block, there's got to be at least three great places I'd happily grab a drink and a quick snack. Spoilt for choice, some might say.

My lady's in town!

I'm so excited - my Nadia is in town! I'm trying my hardest to kick a funky virus at the moment and definitely not succeeding. Do you sometimes get the feeling your body is working against you? I think my throat held off all illness until the exact point I became busy and then pressed the UNLEASH button. I plan on pretending like the virus doesn't exist so I can enjoy the time I have with the little lady.

Sugar cane juice cocktail

Our Bennetto Christmas this year was not a terribly alcoholic one. My Mum normally opts out after one glass and Alex, my brother's gorgeous girlfriend, will also have a couple but not much more. So when it came to fancy drinks, I needed to think a little harder than my usual routine of "Plonk a couple of bottles of wine on the table". I also needed to be prepared. There was the year we ran out of suitable drinks and my brother and I invented out first cocktail: The Volvo. A mixture of vermouth and Solo, it was a barely passable, dry second rate cocktail. Never to be repeated (though at the time, we thought we were on a winner).

Preston Farmers Market

Matty and I cannot agree on farmers markets. I can think of nothing better to do on a Saturday morning - mooching around a park, eating samples of deli bits and other bobs. Matt would rather sleep in. It's not a terrible option but you can't nibble on your dreams and those cheeses won't eat themselves.

Agapanthus are out!

Each morning I ride to work down St Georges Rd. It’s busy and bustling. Cars don’t always stop (but most do). On windy days it’s a total bitch. My bike, beautiful as she is, struggles up hills. What’s that saying about a bad tradesman blaming his tools?

Du Nord

It's easy to get stuck in a bar-rut. After work of a Friday, I head to one of two destinations. The first bar is approximately 20 metres from my desk. The second is a whole block away and situated underground for maximum stale air content and minimum phone reception. That's why, when my friend Jacquie suggested trying Du Nord, I jumped at the chance.