Editor��s letter

IN A previous life, I worked with a wonderful art director who had spent years on a high-profile food magazine. He said that every time a chocolate cake was featured on the cover, the circulation would spike dramatically. Perhaps that's no real surprise, for what a simple pleasure it is. Which is not to say that creating said cake is an easy task; baking is an art, after all. For our cover story on page 4, Richard Cornish baked 10 chocolate cakes, all based on recipes submitted by readers. His piece features the top two, as well as hints on how to make the best possible cake and avoid some common pitfalls. Thanks again to all the readers who responded to our callout. Elsewhere, Nina Rousseau heads to MoPho Noodle (page 6), and we speak to Travis McAuley of Hellenic Republic (page 11).

Editor��s letter

SINCE landing in Melbourne in 2008, Briton James Smith has immersed himself ��� sometimes perhaps too literally ��� in the craft beer scene. The overall market remains small but he's watched it reach the point of no return over three years. While it's still small steps, there are now hundreds of local brews to choose from and Smith writes in our cover story on page 4 that Victoria is the engine room, certainly on the east coast. Elsewhere, Paul Mitchell offers a little non-alcoholic inspiration for those doing the FebFast thing (page 16) and Caroline Velik delivers some back-to-school lunch box advice (page 10). On matters chocolate cake, we've had a great response to our call-out for recipes. Thank you to the readers who have shared their favourites; stay tuned for a selection of Epicure's picks soon.

Hardened warriors about to hit 50

AUSTRALIA'S Mike Hussey and Simon Katich are preparing for their 50th Tests. New Zealand's Kane Williamson is close to his first �� but the Kiwis have made the stunning admission they're scared of playing him on a green-top pitch at Seddon Park tomorrow because it might be too hard for him.

BOOKS

Gary Mehigan's Comfort Food Lantern, HB, $49.95 Top Chefs' Recipes Made Easy Virginia and Lisa Hellier Wilkinson Publishing, PB, $9.95. Cooking, Tasting, Living Honey Jodie Goldsworthy HB, $39.95

ONCE BITTEN

I DEVELOPED an aversion to carrots in my preschool days when a classmate progressively turned orange, supposedly from overdosing on carrot juice. My parents were concerned that my refusal to eat any food containing carrots would have a detrimental effect on my eyesight. In desperation, my mother added tiny pieces of carrot into most of her dishes, but I would always pick out the orange flecks before eating. Had she whipped up dainty cubes of sweet carrot jelly, paired with wafer-thin shavings of carrot and combined them with chocolate parfait, chocolate sable, crumbles of chocolate cake, toasted molasses walnuts, pepitas and fine wands of tempered chocolate, I would have happily eaten carrots all day, every day.

Pay TV - Saturday, October 3

Humpbacks: Cracking the Code Nat Geo HD, 4.30pm Blank Canvas Bio, 7.30pm The Best in Australia LifeStyle Food, 7.30pm

ON THE BOX

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30,

pay tv

Blank Canvas

Overuse Isn't Too Much Of A Bad Thing, You Know

EXCESS is bad, right? Alcohol, ambition, appetite. Even exercise. Reluctantly, I include chocolate cake.

Incredible Move For Big Fans

LATELY I've been feeling like a little kid about to sink my teeth into a huge slice of chocolate cake.

Dialling 000 For Oven Tips A Recipe For Death

NOT knowing how long to bake a chocolate cake might be considered an emergency under some domestic circumstances, but it is hardly a case for police intervention.

Small Talk

LIAM Finn will be a 24-year-old unknown to most Americans when his debut solo album is released in the United States this week, but Crowded House fans have already heard his work almost two decades ago. The son of Crowded House frontman Neil Finn wrote the line "And here comes Mrs Hairy Legs" and an accompanying melody in the hit band's 1991 song Chocolate Cake, and last year toured America with them.

Fun Drives Cake Eaters

MY FRIEND THE CHOCOLATE CAKE Sunday: Heritage Hotel, Bulli Musician Greg Patten is trying to maintain his focus during this phone interview.

Share Success Puts Icing On Their Family Cake

AFTER Kevin Rudd became the Labor leader in December, The Australian Women's Weekly published his prize-winning chocolate cake recipe.

Let Me Eat Cake: Birthday Party Fit For An Aussie Prince

A CHOCOLATE cake-smeared grin said it all as Denmark's youngest royal, Prince Christian, celebrated his first birthday with his mother and father.