Expo Milano 2015: A travel between culture, identity and feeding the planet.

The UK Pavillion- designed by Wolfgang Buttress

Expo Milano 2015 was a mind blowing event that I was most fortunate to attend earlier this year in Milan, Italy. From May 1st to October 31st 2015, Milan was host to a global showcase of over 140 participating countries exhibiting the best of their technology in food sustainability.

Spanning 1.1 million square meters of exhibition area, the expo is a platform for the exchange of ideas and shared solutions on the theme of food, stimulating each country’s creativity and promoting innovation for a sustainable future.

Each country had designed and constructed a pavilion that can only be described as overwhelmingly awe-inspiring! Each structure made the perfect backdrop to display a wealth of innovative ideas on how to provide enough healthy and safe food for everyone in the future, while respecting our Planet and its equilibrium. 

The Expo 2015 is visited by hundreds of thousands of people who wish to sample the world’s best dishes and learn about the best of the agri-food and gastronomic traditions of each of the exhibitor countries. I personally couldn't get enough of the Dutch seaweed burger! I would have to say my least favourite was the farmed grass-hopper. Although they are one of the best sources of protein available!

My only disappointment was that Australia did not participate in this amazing Expo. Canada was also absent. Nevertheless It was a privilege to see almost every citizen of our planet come together to nurture a universal friendship, and to have the opportunity to experience other cultures, distant places and far way countries.

(Click on the links below each image to find out more about these amazing pavilions).

Enormous figures, “The Food People” (2015), by production designer Dante Ferretti

The Italian Pavilion! Designed by Studio Nemesi & Partners

Israel Pavilion designed by David Knafo

Slovakia Pavilion designed by Karol Kállay

Slovakia Pavilion designed by Karol Kállay

Czech Republic Pavilion designed by Chybik & Kristof Architects

Ecuador Pavilion designed by Zorrozua & Associates

Japanese Pavilion designed by Atsushi Kitagawara 

Russian Pavilion designed by Sergei Tchoban

                The UK Pavillion designed by Wolfgang Buttress

Baci Lovers Chocolate Pavilion

Inside Belgium's Pavilion designed by Patrick Genard

The Tree of Life designed by Alberto Dell Vita

Coastal Dining @ Bib & Tucker - Perth, Western Australia

Hi!! I'm Amanda "The Chefs Wife". A Perth food blogger that has known the lovely Sarah Louise before she realised her design and travel dream. I'm thrilled to be a part of her beautiful and inspiring blog. I've enjoyed Squeezed Daily and living my own travelling dream vicariously through Sarah and her vibrant photos.

I'm married to a chef, who is on the Australian Culinary Team. He does a lot of travel himself to various cooking comps around Australia and the world. Together, we enjoy dining out and discovering new places. It's great to have a walking/talking food glossary on hand too! I hope you enjoy a few guest posts from us, now and then, as we eat our way around sunny Perth and the Margaret River Wine Region - Western Australia.

I’d heard some excellent things about the tasty food and fab location at Bib and Tucker. It was just my luck that Perth has just had one of the wettest winters in recent years. The weather was very relevant. As a blogger, I usually take something ridiculous like the weather conditions into consideration, when picking somewhere to eat. This is not usually a problem in one of the sunniest cities in the world. I had decided I’d hold out for a super sunny day, for our first trip to Bib and Tucker.

The day we chose was gloriously bright. Bib and Tucker, right on Leighton Beach, is a very welcoming place indeed. It’s a stunning venue, inside and out, built on top a “surf club”. It has a cool vibe, with a few quirky vintage touches. Its part owned by Olympians – swimmer Eamon Sullivan, pole vaulter Steve Hooker and hockey player Jamie Dwyer.

We sat on the balcony, just meters from the snow white sand dunes, overlooking the pristine Indian Ocean. The service was efficient and with a smile. Chef Scott Bridger’s philosophy of fresh, simple, well-cooked food really works. Everything we had was brimming with flavour.

I started with a Juice. I’m constantly on the lookout for a good veggie juice and this was pretty good. I loved that they were served “bubble tea” style too. The menu was dotted with odes to “dude food”. I love the American-style comfort food; which so many restaurants seem to be leaning towards these days. We ordered;

The Sanchez Pizza ($27) Chef really enjoyed his “Pizza”. It was topped with pulled pork, charred corn, avocado, fetta, smoked chili and coriander.  The base was fresh and tasty; the toppings were delicious and full of southern US flavours. There was just one sticking point. The size of the portion. For the price we paid, we assumed we’d be getting a regular sized pizza (we weren’t advised otherwise by the wait staff or the menu). It came out as a kind of oval shape, as the dough had been twisted at the sides. This made the surface area of the pizza much smaller and hence, much less topping. It would have been half the size of a regular pizza. Chef had wanted a bigger feed for lunch, but didn’t feel compelled to order more food, based on the prices. As I said though, he was very happy with the taste.

Smoked Beef Brisket Slider ($8 each) I’d wished I ordered a few of these sliders, they were so good. The fresh brioche bun was packed full of crispy beef and a celeriac remoulade. They were very more-ish. Serving the delicious beef in a little slider is such a tease!!

Fish Tacos ($15) The battered fish was served in a soft taco, along with a charred corn salad, avocado and Chipotle Mayo. The two tacos were really tasty; it was a nice change to have seafood along with Mexican flavours.

“Best bib and tucker” is old Australian slang for wearing your best clothes. However, part owner Eamon Sullivan says that the Leighton Beach restaurant is actually named after two Western Australian bushrangers who were "infamous for their fine threads, rascality and rollicking good times". This theme is also reflected in the stunning Bushranger-style mural, by local fashion illustrator Pippa McManus.

We really loved most things about Bib & Tucker, the only thing we could fault was the serving sizes of the pizza. It's the most amazing location - tucked in-between the dunes. I’d like to think we’ll be back again – perhaps at the pointy end of the day to watch a sunset over the Indian Ocean. Stunning!

 

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Coastal California Cool Cafe - in London!

New HOT SPOT alert! 

Looking for a little slice of California in London? Look no further than Hally's Cafe!

Hally's is the brainchild of owners Anna Halliday and Philip Beatty who are the master minds behind the Californian beach house concept. Located in the upmarket residential area of Parsons Green, this coastal cool themed cafe is your new go-to beachy escape right in the heart of London.

Stepping off the bustling high street and into the cafe's welcoming and cheerful atmosphere, patrons are instantly greeted by Hally's super friendly and smiling staff.

One would be forgiven for thinking they had just stumbled onto the famous Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice C.A, when in fact they have just been fortunate enough to find London's newest besk kept secret at no. 60 New Kings Road. 

Bringing a taste of the unexpected to both the tummy and the eyes, this puppy-friendly cafe guarantees a healthy, happy indulgence; offering a delicious menu of gourmet delights and the best flat white coffee around!

Chillaxed, bright and breezy, the interior by London design firm Alexander Waterworth Interiors is a refreshing change from London's usual high street cafes. Conveying a sense of contemporary rustic charm, the decor comprises of a carefully balanced blend of eco-concious, natural and reclaimed materials, along with beautifully contrasting finishes.

This irresistible little rustic-chic eatery is an absolute gem and is sure to become one of London's favourite summer hangouts. I went for brunch and ended up staying for lunch too - it's that cool! 

Images by Helen Cathcart