The Station Hotel

03 9687 2913
59 Napier St 
Footscray,
Victoria 3011

I, like many Melburnians, had heard the buzz about The Station Hotel in Footscray, but considering that I am 'westie', I figured it was one of those places that I would get to one day. Last night hubby and I secured a babysitter and decided to go somewhere cab-able(I realise that is not a word) so we could both have a couple of drinks. Finally 'that day' had arrived!
I was expecting a kind of workman pub feel like The Napier in Fitzroy, but it was far from that. The place was definitely welcoming but still tastefully decorated and really classy. I am so happy I decided to wear some lipstick.Sean Donovan's Footscray pub well deserves the media attention it has received. To start with the man knows food. He has worked at three Michelin star restaurants in the UK and France and was the head chef for Paul Wilson at The Botanical in South Yarra, and all this experience and talent is shown in the menu.

 Freshly shucked Coffin Bay(SA) oysters with shallot vinegar $3.50 each

Crumbed mussels w olives and chorizo $15

Selection of charcuterie, cured and smoked meats$22

400g Castricum Bros(VIC)dry aged grass fed Black Angus rump steak $38

500g grass fed Black Angus rib eye $42

The oysters were fresh, the mussels were so full of flavour and beautifully presented that we started eating them before I remember to take the photo. The charcuterie board was generous and delicious with it's mixed meats and terrines and oh so yummy parfait, and the steaks...oh the steaks were perfectly cooked and so so big, next time I may have to order less starters because I felt like a failure that I couldn't get through it. You get a choice of either bearnaise or pepper sauce, that's it. The good thing is that they are both equally decadent, just depends on what mood your in.

The waiters are knowledgeable and take the time to explain the menu, specials and can even tell you where the produce was sourced. They keep an eye on you and without pause we had our drinks replenished and our bread basket filled.

The wine list is small but pretty decent, although we didn't get to try any as we only had beer on the brain.

All in all The Station Hotel has definitely lived up to the hype. The service was flawless, the food was amazing and because it is still a pub the beer is available in pints-heaven!

Ratings out of 10
Food 7/10
Service 7/10

Atmosphere 7/10

Value 9/10

The Station Hotel  7.4/10

Would I return? Yes, and so close to home.

Quince Paste (Vegan)

A little about me, I am of Chilean background and when I was little I remember that I would have quince paste on my sandwiches at school. The kids in my class would ask me what it was and I had no clue as to what it was called in English-or even if there was an English name for it. I just knew it was 'Dulce de Membrillo'. These days you can get the stuff any where, but at an incredibly hefty price. So why not make just your own?


Ingredients

2 kg quinces
2 litres of water
1.5 kg of sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Bring the water to the boil in a large pot with the lemon juice.
2. Wash, peel and core quinces.
3. Chop quince flesh coarsely and add to boiling water. Cook for 20 minutes or until tender.   
4. Drain and pop into a food processor. Give it a quick blitz as you still want a bit of texture.

5. Put everything back in the pan with the sugar, I use raw sugar because I prefer the taste but you could use any type. 6. Cook, stirring over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. 7. Continue to cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally until the quince paste is very thick. By this stage the paste will have developed a beautiful rich ruby colour.  This could take up to about 3 hours, but it is definitely worth it. 8. Pour the mixture out onto a baking tray or individual moulds and leave to dry for a few days. 9. When dry, cut as needed. The paste will keep several months.

Fruit and Vegetable of the week

Fruit of the week
Quince 

The quince is the sole member of the Cydonia family of fruits and is native to warm-temperate southwest Asia. It is a small deciduous  tree, which grows about 5–8 m tall and 4–6 m wide. It is related to apples and pears,  and bears fruit which is bright golden yellow when mature it is somewhat pear-shaped, and approximately 7–12 cm long and 6–9 cm wide.
Most varieties of quince are too hard, astringent and sour to eat raw unless softened by frost and subsequent decay. They are used to make jam, jellies and quince pudding, or they may be peeled, then roasted, baked or stewed. The flesh of the fruit turns red after a long cooking time.
The term marmalade, originally meaning a quince jam, derives from "marmelo," the Portuguese word for this fruit.

Being rich in dietary fiber, the quince is good for those people who are trying to lose weight and maintain a healthy body. Quince boasts of antioxidant properties, which helps the body fight against free radicals and reduces the risk of cancer.

The quince has approximately 238 kJ per 100gm and contains potassium, vitamin C, folate, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.

Vegetable of the week
Eggplant

The eggplant, or aubergine is a plant of the nightshades family and is closely related to the tomato and potato and is native to India.

The plant can grow 40 to 150 cm tall and the fruit is fleshy and has a meaty texture. The most widely cultivated varieties are elongated ovoid, 12–25 cm in length and 6–9 cm wide in a dark purple skin, although there is a much wider variety out there. Anywhere from being the size of a table tennis ball to weighing up to a kilogram. Colours also vary from white to yellow or green as well as reddish-purple and dark purple.

Surprisingly The eggplant is higher in nicotine than other edible plant. However you would have to eat about 9 kilos of eggplant to intake the same amount of nicotine as is found in 1 cigarette.

There is approximately 80 kJ per 100 grams of eggplant and it is a great source of folic acid and potassium.

Dairy free baby!

This week we discovered that our 11 month old baby girl Lolo, is allergic to dairy. I know that this is not a huge life altering illness, but still I was sad. Especially after I found myself checking the back of every single food label, and pre-warning all my family and friends so that she would not be offered any biscuits or cheeky bits of chocolate. It was during this frantic time that I realised that she would be that kid at the birthday parties that couldn't eat the cake or share the ice cream.

I myself have a mild lactose intolerance, nothing serious though. The truth is that it is generally those around me who suffer after I have had a slice of pizza or four. So soy milk is my drink of choice, however because my husband is a chef and with me being an avid foodie who has travelled extensively and knows the value of a good cheese, our fridge always has a nice amount of dairy. In fact yesterday's afternoon snack consisted of light rye toast with french style creme fraiche and some quince paste I had just made(recipe coming soon).
I was looking forward to introducing Lolo to the wonders of cheese and butter and cream, now it looks like I will be introducing her to tofutti and whatever else is out there. However I refuse to let her miss out on the deliciousness! My mission is to find and develop some beautiful recipes that will still be full of flavour and hopefully please everyone-but especially Lolo. Her birthday is next month and dammit my baby will get a big frosted chocolate cake(even if it is soy!).

Preserved Lemons (Vegan)

Preserved lemon is a condiment that is common in North Africa, especially in Moroccon cuisine. Diced, quartered, halved, or whole lemons are pickled in a brine of water, lemon juice, and salt, spices can also be included. The pickle is allowed to ferment at room temperature for weeks or months before it is used. The flavour is mildly tart but intensely lemony.

This recipe is great because you don't really need exact quantities, just use enough lemons to fill which ever jar you choose to use and make sure you cover them with plenty of salt and lemon juice. Spice to taste.

1. Wash the lemons in cold water to remove the waxy coating, then pat them dry.
2. Cut the lemons into quarters, leaving the last one centimetre uncut.
3. Put one tablespoon sea salt in the middle of each lemon and close the lemon.
4. Take a large sterilized jar big enough to snugly fit the lemons and push the lemons down as you go, fitting as many as possible.
5. If you are wanting to add spices, you can do so now by sprinkling them through each layer along with more salt. You can add any type of spice you like(I do).
6. When you reach the top add the last layer of salt and enough lemon juice to just cover. Make sure all the lemons are covered or they will not cure properly at the top and will go mouldy.
7. Seal the jar and put it in a cold dark place for at least six weeks.
8. To use the lemons, remove the flesh and pith, and discard.
9. Finely slice or dice the skin.