Welcome to the first entry in this blog! This is something that I have been meaning to do for quite some time, however, like many other things, it kept getting pushed out of the way by higher priority things on my to-do list (i.e. university assignments and study). Anyway, all that aside, here we are.

I decided to start this blog for a couple of reasons. One—one of the things I enjoy most in life is great food and wine shared with great friends, so it pleases me to be able to share my experiences with those who have a similar passion. And two—I wanted a place where I could document my experiences for my own future enjoyment; sort of like a private diary, but open for the world to read.

So, where do I start? I suppose an introduction is in order.

Who Am I? Chi Sono? Qui Suis-Je?

I am an Australian guy from an Italian family in my early 20s, currently living and studying in the small but rapidly developing Perth, in Western Australia. It may not have the cultural charm of Melbourne, or the hustle and bustle of Sydney, but Perth certainly has an allure of its own and will always be the place that I call home (even if I am physically located elsewhere).

Besides cooking, eating and drinking, what else do I enjoy? Well, I am a bit of a fitness fanatic and am obsessed with staying fit and healthy. This certainly does not mean that I will say no to that Gâteau Opéra at the end of a ten-course degustation, but I always try to exercise regularly each week and eat healthy each day (to make up for the times when I gorge at bars and restaurants). I am also very interested in foreign languages and have recently started studying French. I can’t yet hold a fluent conversation, but I really enjoy studying it nonetheless. I would say that I am conversational in Italian, and in the future would like to have a crack at Mandarin.

Fresh artichokes at a farmers market

Fresh artichokes at a farmers market – perfect for making carciofi ripieni

Where did my love for food and cooking come from? I can’t really pinpoint it to one specific thing, but I think a few factors have contributed. As I mentioned, I come from an Italian family, where food is undoubtedly a big thing. Growing up as a child I often found myself sitting at a table full of delights such as my grandmother’s “carciofi ripieni” cooked in the very tomato sauce that the family gathers to make each year, or the beautiful pork sausages that were freshly made just a few hours prior in the “cantina” underneath the house. With such an amazing food culture, how could I not be the foodie that I am?

You’ve probably guessed that I do have a bias for Italian food. It is so simple yet flavoursome, and there is no wonder why it is one of the most popular cuisines around the world. That said, however, I do really enjoy many other cuisines. One of my favourites is Thai, a style of cooking that I have recently been delving into myself. I absolutely love the sensations and flavours of coriander, coconut, chili and galangal, and the Thai cuisine brings them together in a perfect harmony.

I hope to use this blog as a means of sharing everything food related, from my favourite recipes and cooking tips to reviews of some of the great Perth restaurants and bars. Stay tuned, s’il vous plaît!