Raw, vegan and dairy-free at Agape Restaurant

I know, I know. Not a seared steak, hot pudding or cheese plate in sight. And guess what? We didn't miss them.
Chef Simon Lawson wanted to show diners what a delicious and diverse raw diet you could enjoy with a little imagination - and a hydrator! And Georgia from www.stirringchange.com gave us a nutritional overview of how raw food can rebalance our diets.

Here's what we ate.
Everything was served at room temperature.

Asparagus, yellow banana pepper, silverbeet, avocado, mint, pistachio and basil soup

  

citrus and basil cured beetroot, olive, fennel, orange, mint, radish and coriander 

fennel, apple and pickled cabbage

cherry tomato, sprouted royal black quinoa, saffron vinaigrette, parsley, chive and broccoli sprouts


swiss brown mushroom, black truffle, thyme and white mushroom puree, kale, fennel and apple pickled cabbage

pineapple, coconut palm sugar, macerated blackberries, pineapple granita and coconut sorbet

Worm juice - the miracle plant food

You heard it right folks. Worm juice. It's a nutrient rich natural organic plant fertiliser made by earth worms.

The worms feed on green waste, aerate the soil and produce worm juice as a metabolic by-product.

Work juice is rich in enzymes, organisms, and bacteria and helps plants to repel insects and disease.

The lushness of my balcony plants is due to the worm juice from my apartment neighbour's worm farm. I supply his worms with organic green waste from my garden and he gives he some worm juice to feed my plants! How's that for an unusual eco-system in an apartment building!

It's such a wonderful natural plant food we want to share our worm juice with other gardeners out there while raising funds for the new exciting environmental film festival Arcadia (www.arcadiafestival.org)

The worm juice is ready to apply straight from the bottle. Just add about 100ml to your plants each week making sure the soil is already damp.
If you would like to order a supply or find a nearby stockist drop me an email. Your plants will thank you.

Giving a gardening talk this week at the Balmain Greenhouse.

Capsicum Porn

Watching last night's episode of Q&A about pornography reminded me of my balcony capsicums.

Look at these seductive glossy curves. Now THIS is porn.

The Wayside Chapel Edible Roof Garden

The challenge is on to turn this 200m square roof space into a thriving veggie patch that Wayside's visitors can enjoy.

Much has already been put into place - 20 large tubs - donated by greening communities - have been planted with more that 30 vegetables, herbs and flowers. There's a drip irrigation system, rainwater tanks, and solar panels.

By the time the new Wayside redevelopment is unveiled with a huge street party on May 19th, I'll be helping transform this urban roof into a lush productive garden . Watch this space - ill keep you updated with pics!

What's for dinner tonight?

An Edible Balcony salad - that's what. Somehow this bounty managed to survived a caterpillar offensive and the monsoonal rains. Fire engine-red capsicum, tomato berries and some fresh basil,chives and parsley.

Edible Balcony - Red Hot Peppers

Well summer may be technically over but this heat and wet is sending the balcony veggies crazy.

7 pots of late season tomatoes are already ripening and the capsicums are turning red and voluptuous. Ive been fattening them up with worm juice supplied by my neighbour on the 15th floor who has a worm farm.

The big advantage of balcony gardening in pots on wheels is when the rain sets in you can move your crop to a more sheltered position - unlike our poor inground garden cousins!

Here are a few snaps of the balcony this morning and those luscious capsicums.