A hundred posts!

I am very proud to share that this is my 100th post. Yipee!
I started Eating with Jack on a whim late one evening in November 2006, and didn't really think too much about it again until I attended the Melbourne Food and Wine Festivals Out of the Frying Pan in March 2007. This was where for the first time to my ears, blogs and bloggers were spoken about by the 'serious people' in the traditional media. I thought to myself, well I have one of these, why don't I give it a good go... and well, here we are 100 posts later.

Perhaps it's just one of those things but since then, there seems to have been a building of talk about blogs, some good, some confused, some misguided and others just silly. Yet I have powered on, mostly with some anonymity, for the past year from anyone that knows me in real life. A privilege of not having to answer questions about the blog from foodie friends or be quoted back to myself... erhh!
But really its been an absolute blast, so thanks for coming along on this crazy addictive ride with me.

Here are some highlights.

My holiday last year to France and Spain and in particular -dining at Mugaritz.

"Vegetables, oven roasted and raw, sprouts and greens, wild and cultivated, seasoned with brown butter and dusted with seeds and petals. Emmental cheese generously seasoned."
A striking dish, that is served to the table without the broth of which is poured gently in front of you. The emmental broth is perfectly creamy milk in colour but it "blushed" with the movement of the baby beetroot underneath as I began to eat. Fresh, clean and the kind of perfect kitchen garden food that any restaurant would vie for the opportunity to serve..

Winning an experience with Gourmet Traveller magazine and spending two days in a Sydney studio with them.
Thanks to Menu for Hope, can't wait to donate again next year.

and a low-light.

Getting absolutely sick of figs while trying to feature them in a planned regular series, ‘My Pick’. I didn’t continue with the posts, as I didn’t want to taint myself away from other favourite produce…

There has been some funny moments, like my post on Percebes -which up until recently was one of my highest read posts -were a friendly reader alerted me to my dining error... hehehe

Slightly warm from being cooked, the flesh looks like a soft mushroom with a strange filament thing on top. The taste was quite intriguing, some what like a fresh briny oyster with the texture of a clam or mussel. The overriding memory is of a delicate fresh sea taste and trying not to get the squirty juices all over me.

From a commenter:

Oh no! You didnt eat the shell contents did you? Thats the sex organs and while it wont kill you it is a definite no no to eat them. You just eat the wobbly bit left when you twist off the leather covering on the leg. Getting squirted with seawater at the time, as you noticed!

And a funny image

Well, I only had to poke the worm a little to get him to run out of his delicious little apple hole...

And a great example of how blogs can bring ideas and knowledge of people together.

My piece on house filtered, carbonated water was based on an idea from London, developed (and implemented) in Melbourne and attracted comments from around the world.

I was truly impressed by the diverse knowledge base of Melbourne bloggers, when I was confused after dining at BBQ Pacific Cafe and they came through with the explanations.

Thanks for reading, I love being part of our 'little', world wide community of food friends and I look forward with anticipation of my next 100.
Cheers!