FB: How would you rate your cooking skills?
WM: I do cook quite a lot. It’s much like my cricket career … me in the kitchen, it’s how it comes out of the hand. I think I have developed a dish which would allow me to boast of my culinary creativity. I made a dim sim pizza. I should patent it. It was one of those great moments when you go “What’s in the fridge?” I will just whip something up. I looked in the freezer and there was a pizza base and there were about half a dozen Marathon dimmies left, and I thought “Why not?” I whacked on some mozzarella, pizza sauce, a bit of chilli and a bit of ginger and I cooked it up. I said to my son “Come and test this out.” He said “What is it ?” I said “A dim sim pizza.” He said “Dad, you are a genius”. He was a little bit wary of it but he gave it the thumbs up.
FB: Tell us about your dad’s cooking when you were growing up.
WM: When mum would go away for a weekend or interstate, dad would cook and that was Russian roulette. He wouldn’t touch Spam but he would go Camp Pie. He said it was the food that won the war. Or he’d do his toasties with Irish stew (from a can) and a slice of cheese. He’d always say about the Irish stew: “Deeply suspicious but highly delicious.”
FB: What other food memories do you have from growing up?
WM: I remember going on a cadet camp in high school and we were overjoyed to be given Tom Piper sausages and vegetables. Rice a Riso … where did that go? It sounds like an awful lip sync band from the ’80s but it tasted all right to me. My mother said “It’s Chinese” and I thought wow, how great.
FB: What is your favourite food?
WM: I am just mad for Italian and I love Japanese. I (also) went on a bit of a Greek binge. I had a black miso recently and it deserved a cheer squad.
FB: What are your favourite local eateries?
WM: Luxsmith in Seddon. We went recently and had a great meal at the Copper Pot in Seddon. There are so many restaurants and little bars that have popped up. We are just spoilt for choice.
FB: Do you have a sweet tooth?
WM: No, I have never been big on dessert. I love cheese I am a cheese freak. I love dauphinoise. That cheese is to die for. I love a good quince paste to go with it and a few muscatels. You can see I am a total ponce. I don’t mind a pav though, so if I am going to have a dessert, give me a straight old fashioned pav with some passionfruit on top.
FB: What is your favourite drink?
WM: I do like beer. I love Vic (Bitter). It’s good. I have also been known to buy the odd carton of XXXX, which stuns some people, but that’s what I grew up with.
FB: Which five people would you most like to invite to dinner?
WM: Ian Chappell, John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Dean Martin and my dad.
FB: Do you have a kitchen tip for us?
WM: When cooking with chilli, always wipe your hands before you wipe your eyes.
DIY BOUNTY BARS
If you’ve always wanted to have a crack at making your own Bounty bars (and they’re super simple to throw together), I hope you enjoy this recipe from Food Bytes follower Michelle, who says it’s to die for:
HOME MADE BOUNTY BARS
4 cups desiccated coconut (you may need more)
1 can condensed milk (I used coconut condensed milk)
200g or more Belgian dark and milk chocolate (I used half and half)
2 teaspoons coconut oil
Mix first two ingredients together and roll into balls or logs (I found logs easier) Place on baking paper and freeze (I found overnight was best).
Melt chocolate and oil, either over double boiler or in microwave. Dip logs into chocolate. I found using a fork was easier as it’s messy. Place back on baking paper and back into freezer. Ready in half an hour. Enjoy!
