It’s a routine I funnily enough look forward to because I get to mouth the word “NO”…I rarity in my normal everyday conversations.

So this month I’m off the booze and no I’m not doing it for charity…its been a part of my life for as long as I can remember so I just get on with it. It also comprises of tons of salad,veges, fish & chicken and simply prepared clean food…I go low on high carb and keep the fruit to a minimum…BORING :( But I do spice things up with garlic, chilli and herbs. Mineral water martini’s are my preferred choice of beverage and green tea… no coffee…BORING. It takes a couple of weeks before you feel amazing but you just hang in there and the results speaks for themselves.

Tips if you choose to do it; Dining out, best to choose Japanese restaurants, its primarily clean food and goes well with jasmine tea…importantly you don’t feel unsociable by not drinking.      Also when you are out with others at lunch/dinner, drink water in a wine glass…it stops the “critics’ from focusing on what you’re consuming and giving you a hard time. And finally don’t be scared to do a runner early, for me as the night gets louder and sloppier the finale curtain comes down. I do the ‘Tivoli fade’ around 11pm and hit the sack.

Give it a whirl..it is the shortest month of the year and THE best way to start the new decade on a high.

North and Taylor

Justin out of the kitchen!

I have to pinch myself at how lucky I am sometimes! I was invited to celebrate Taylor Wines 4oth anniversary today at The Australian Golf course. With food at the very clever hand of Becasse’s Justin North, we drank our way from a delicious 2001 St Andrews Riesling to an almost silken like 1966 Chateau Mouton Rothschild Paulliac. Seriously…if I slipped on the wet pavement as I left Iwould depart with a smile on my face!

Overlooking the gorgeous greens on the 18th , I sat with the ever charming Justin Taylor and listened to the endearing Australian heritage the Taylor family has worked so hard for. Taylor’s wines have been associated with golf for many years and with the Australian Open on the horizon its the perfect time to lift a glass or two to celebrate in style.

Teriyaki & Mustard Chicken

By Ross Dobson

Serves 4

The Japanese are one of the masters of really tasty grilled food. Yet the flavourings are pretty much always the same, just used in different ratios. The beer is not a traditional Japanese marinade ingredient, but I couldn’t resist using it to add extra flavour to my favourite cut of chicken, the tender thigh.
Combine the teriyaki and beer sauce ingredients, in a small bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Put the chicken fillets in a flat nonmetallic dish and pour over the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for no more than 3 hours, turning the chicken often.
Remove the chicken from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Preheat the barbecue grill to medium and brush with a little vegetable oil to grease. Put the chicken thighs on the grill, reserving the marinade, and cook for 5 minutes, then turn over and cook for a further 3 minutes. Now start basting with the teriyaki and beer sauce, turning the chicken over every minute. Continue this process for about 4 minutes, until the edges of the thighs are starting to look slightly charred and the rest of the chicken is a dark amber, golden colour. Remove to a plate, lightly cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before eating.

Teriyaki and beer sauce
3 tablespoons beer (a light ale is good here, preferably Japanese)
3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon mustard powder

8 chicken thigh fillets