Dining Alone

by Santich, Barbara;

  Preoccupation with the pricks saw him up-end a glass of merlot. It spilled onto the rug the same way Edward’s blood did across his carpet at 3.00 am this morning. Now here was another stain he had to get rid of.

  Damn Edward. Phillip had intended such a beautiful day for them today. Why did he have to go and tell him about Damien? He had suspected another man had been keeping Edward from him, and last night he almost bragged about it. Shoved it down Phillip’s throat. There he was, in leather chaps and g-string, bent over Phillip’s coffee table, flicking through Gourmet Travellers. Rubbing his nose in it. So Edward wanted to remind him of what he had been missing? Phillip stared at his naked rump and firmly decided no one else was going to get a piece of it except him.

  Edward sat pertly on the couch, plucking a woven belt from his Bloomingdale’s bag. Phillip thought it hideous and hinted it was going to be the death of their relationship. He leaned in from behind and swiftly took it from him. Poor boy’s belt was going to be an accessory to murder. Phillip smirked at his word play while pulling it tight around his lover’s neck. Was this a crime of passion, or Edward a victim of fashion? He chuckled. Strangling your beloved with Versace does tend to scramble one’s eggs.

  Stepping slowly into the kitchen, Phillip glimpsed his gleaming new Wüsthof from Williams-Sonoma. Edward had gifted it to him, with feigned guilt for his restaurant no-shows. Ahh, my beautiful one, how these things can come back to bite you on the bottom. Phillip gracefully grasped the knife. Eight inches. He smiled.

  His hands shook slightly, like the Roquefort panna cotta he once enjoyed at Cipriani’s. Alone. Edward’s chaps allowed easy access to his fabulous buttocks. Primary reason for purchase no doubt. Phillip sliced from both cheeks. He was never one to do things half-assed. He could have followed the traditional recipe for revenge, and cut off Edward’s penis, but he did not have the balls. This was no time for unsavoury jokes. He must search his library for that book on smallgoods from Kitchen Arts & Letters.

  Phillip wistfully refilled his glass and lovingly reached across the picnic blanket for Edward. The sausages were deathly cold now. Limp, and lifeless. Warm and firm would have been far more fitting. And comforting. Either way, he was about to take Edward into his mouth for the last time. But in doing so, they would be together. Phillip would never dine alone again.

  Contributors

  Camellia Aebischer

  Camellia Aebischer is a student at the University of Adelaide completing a Graduate Diploma in Food Studies. She has an overwhelming joy for cooking and eating and will only read fiction if it’s wildly hilarious. Her aspirations are to travel and eat her way around the world.

  camelliaaebischer@gmail.com

  Jennifer Baily

  I am an amateur food blogger living in Sydney. I am an enthusiastic yet not always successful pie maker and freelance food writer. I love to eat, cook and write. My aim is to combine the three whenever possible—no matter how messy.

  jenbaily33@hotmail.com

  Danya Bilinsky

  Despite studying law, Danya could no longer ignore her love for food. Her passion has led her to write for the Spectator food blog, Spectator Scoff, as well as Australian publications Concrete Playground and Urban Walkabout. Danya has made food look beautiful for cookbooks and now works in food TV.

  danya_b@hotmail.com

  Elizabeth Black

  Elizabeth Black is a freelance editor and writer of fiction and non-fiction, with an emphasis on food and the history of food and drink in literature, folklore, medicine and mythology. She is currently pursuing post-graduate studies in literature.

  besseblack@gmail.com

  Rita Cattoni

  Committed to cooking perfection and exploring the relationship between food and love, Rita Cattoni lists her inspiration as her Australian mother, Italian grandmother and countless television chefs. Rita currently lives in Alice Springs and previously lived in the remote Warlpiri community of Yuendumu for seven years.

  rita@cattoni.com.au

  Tibbie Chiu

  Having been a flight attendant for over ten years means Tibbie is no stranger to the experience of dining alone. A passionate foodie who is also a trained chef and freelance food stylist, Tibbie will not let the lack of company get in the way of a good meal.

  tibbiechiu@me.com

  Nathalie Craig

  I’m a twenty-four-year-old journalist from Newcastle, NSW, whose life is largely centred on appreciating good food. I work full-time for newspaper in the Great Lakes and in my spare time I enjoy writing freelance features. Food with a story is the kind of food I like best.

  nathalie.craig@fairfaxmedia.com.au

  Lisa Dempster

  Lisa Dempster is the Director of the Melbourne Writers Festival and author of the travel narrative Neon Pilgrim. A lifelong bookworm, Lisa has travelled widely in search of literary and other adventures.

  lisa@mwf.com.au

  Wendy Downes

  As someone who enjoys travelling and eating, Wendy is discovering that sharing a story is as satisfying as sharing a good meal.

  wendy@bigfang.com

  Marianne Duluk

  Marianne is a freelance food writer based in Melbourne, with a background in the wine and food industry. She writes for the SBS Feast magazine and has previously contributed to the Adelaide Review, Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide and Taste & Travel magazine. In 2011 she won the Penny’s Hill/Adelaide Review Prize for Food Writing.

  marianne.duluk@gmail.com

  Alyssa Fletcher

  I am a Food Writing student at the University of Adelaide, winner of the 2013 Penny’s Hill/Adelaide Review Prize for Food Writing, and an aspiring writer. I work as a cook, serving up breakfast and lunch for the Adelaide masses and am growing a passion for creative cooking. In my spare time I love experimenting in the kitchen, writing music and collecting vintage food-themed pieces for my food blog, The Berry Pants: www.theberrypants.com.

  lysfletch@gmail.com

  Kay Gibbons

  Kay Gibbons has an enthusiasm for all things food-related and has hands-on experience with many of them. Her favourite times are those spent cooking, eating and talking about food with friends and family, and enjoying ballet and music. As a dietitian Kay’s research focuses on the influence of children’s early food experiences on their later food choices.

  kaygibbons3@gmail.com

  David Gilligan

  David Gilligan has worked as a chef since 1977. He worked as Executive Chef for the Victorian Arts Centre and operated his own café, food store and catering business for fifteen years. David represented Australia twice at the Culinary Olympics where he received three gold medals. Today, he teaches cooking and writes on food and travel.

  davidgilligan9@gmail.com

  Cassie Harrex

  Tasmanian-based food and travel writer Cassie is the features writer for Best Recipes and is currently writing her first book on South American food due for release in 2014. She was awarded the Penny’s Hill/Adelaide Review Prize for Food Writing in 2009.

  cassieharrex@gmail.com

  Julia Jenkins

  I have multiple personae: cook, eater, gourmand, gastronome, ex-MasterChef contestant (2009), ‘foodie’ (though I loathe the word) and writer, and winner of the 2012 Penny’s Hill/Adelaide Review Prize for Food Writing. I’m also co-owner of Josie Bones restaurant in Melbourne, and blog at http://eatand.wordpress.com.

  jsmjenkins@gmail.com

  Ross Karavis

  Ross Karavis is a ‘gastronaut’ who loves to write, eat, listen to music and immerse himself in all aspects of food culture. The power of words to convey and shape an experience have always moved him and he looks forward to battling with them in the future.

  rkaravis@internode.on.net

  Suzanne Le Page Langlois

  As a transition to retirement, after thirty years of working as a medical specialist in radiology, I followed my passion for food and cooking. After completing a Graduate Diploma in Gastronomy, I studied Comm
ercial Cookery and Food Writing. I travel constantly in the search for interesting food, including one or two trips to France each year. My greatest thrill was meeting Paul Bocuse, and this year I will study at Le Cordon Bleu Paris with Hervé This. I have four kitchens in my house, and practise different cuisines on all my friends. I thoroughly recommend retirement.

  suziel@bigpond.net.au

  Lisa Le Faucheur

  Lisa Le Faucheur is a lawyer at a large global law firm, practising in the area of corporate and commercial law. She has written for Cravings magazine, a Western Australia-based food and wine magazine and reviewed restaurants for Brief, the WA Law Society magazine.

  lisalef@hotmail.com

  La Vergne Lehmann

  Having raised a family and tried accounting, tourism, education and journalism as career options, La Vergne has now found a way to combine her passion for history, food and writing. La Vergne currently lives on a small farm property near Dimboola in the Wimmera (Victoria) with her husband, two youngest sons, six dogs and one cat.

  lavergne.lehmann@hotmail.com

  Lucinda Moody

  Lucinda could not have known how semi-autobiographical this first chapter of her novella would prove to be! She has since launched a cellar door in the Adelaide Hills, facing a set of emotions very close to those of her heroine. Within its warm walls, she now enjoys serving her father’s wine and her bar snacks to guests, friends and regulars.

  lucy@somerled.com.au

  Vikki Moore

  Vikki Moore is an archetypal food tragic who sometime in her twenties felt the need to channel her obsession into more than just cooking and eating. Her primary interest is in food politics, including food security, the industrialisation of food and its impact on rural and urban communities. Vikki won the inaugural Penny’s Hill/Adelaide Review Prize for Food Writing in 2007. She lives in Brisbane and works in business education.

  vikkimoore@mac.com

  Kate Napper

  Kate Napper is a passionate wine marketing and communications professional, a moonlighting event manager and freelance food/event writer, co-founder/columnist for the Robe Produce Swap and lover of all things Limestone Coast. Her qualifications include bachelor and SHA Diploma of International Hotel Management, Diplôme Culinaire d’Hotelier of Le Cordon Bleu and Graduate Certificate in Food Writing.

  klnapper@gmail.com

  Josie Palombo

  Josie Palombo is a Food Writing student at the University of Adelaide. Josie is blessed to live and work in the celebrated food and wine region of McLaren Vale. Working in a restaurant serious about its food and wine, Josie hopes to mix her food experiences with creativity to inspire and entertain readers.

  josiepalombo@hotmail.com

  Diana Parkyn

  Diana Parkyn lives on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, a region of diverse natural food products. Following completion of a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Writing and Journalism, Diana was one of the first successful graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Food Writing with Adelaide University in 2007.

  parkyn56@bigpond.com.au

  Caroline Pearce

  Caroline is a self-confessed foodie, happiest when she is shopping for, cooking, eating or writing about good food. She has a sadly neglected blog at oystersandoxtail.wordpress.com, which she hopes to get back to soon. She lives in Marrickville, New South Wales—a great suburb for foodies—with her husband, who fortunately also loves good food.

  carolinelouisepearce@gmail.com

  Glennise Pinili

  Glennise lives in Melbourne and works as a market researcher. She has particular interest in the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) industry, particularly commercial food and its impact on consumers. She also enjoys exploring Melbourne’s rich food culture. Her blog, thoughtalbum (http://thoughtalbum.wordpress.com), reflects her interest in creative writing.

  glenisz91@gmail.com

  Banjo Harris Plane

  Banjo grew up surrounded by food and wine, from the vineyards of Coonawarra to his parent’s restaurant Nediz Tu in inner-city Adelaide. After working in some of Sydney’s leading restaurants, he is now Restaurant Manager at the internationally acclaimed Attica in Melbourne. In 2012 he was honoured by Australian Gourmet Traveller as ‘Sommelier of the Year’.

  banjo@attica.com.au

  Kate Punshon

  Kate Punshon resides on the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia and works as a business manager in Adelaide. As an avid gardener, retired multi-award winning restaurateur of eighteen years and artisan, she enjoys sharing her passion for the culinary arts, gastronomic adventures and preserving nature’s bountiful harvest.

  kpunshon@apconsulting.net.au

  Carli Ratcliff

  Carli Ratcliff is an award-winning food writer based in Sydney, Australia. She contributes features regularly to the Sydney Morning Herald, Age and Australian Financial Review, as well as Australian and international magazines. In 2010 she was named Best New Writer in the Australian Food Media Awards. Carli also works as a scriptwriter and researcher on the award-winning ‘Cheese Slices’ television series. She regularly teaches Food Writing workshops at the Australian Writers’ Centre.

  carliratcliff@gmail.com

  Karen Reyment

  Karen writes about food for numerous publications. She was State Editor for Australian Gourmet Traveller, for which she still reviews restaurants. She also reviews for Queensland Good Food Guide and Time Out, is a regular contributor to SBS Feast and is author of the 2012 and 2013 editions of the Foodies’ Guides to Brisbane.

  thewordonfood@gmail.com

  Eloise Riggs

  Twenty years in hospitality has imbued Eloise Riggs with a love of food as well as a desire to share this enthusiasm with others of like-mind and taste. Her interest in writing led Eloise to complete the first Graduate Certificate in Food Writing in 2007 and her published work to date includes restaurant reviews for Rip It Up magazine and contributions to Adelaide Cheap Eats Guide. Currently, you’ll find her running the floor at Press Food & Wine or mixing a cocktail or two at Proof. She’s a partner in both businesses.

  eloiseriggs@hotmail.com

  Alister Robertson

  With credentials in creative advertising, design and food writing, Alister found the perfect role as Social Media Manager for food brands at Clemenger BBDO Adelaide. Out of work, Alister collects soul records and is on the National Executive of Sommeliers Australia.

  appr@me.com

  Marianne Robins

  Marianne developed a passion for writing and food from an early age. Combining these loves lead to a Graduate Certificate in Food Writing. She was a recipient of the Penny’s Hill/Adelaide Review Prize for Food Writing in 2008. As a freelance writer, she reveals the essence of producers and their food.

  tantone1@bigpond.com

  Mandy Rowe

  Between writing for my blog called Mid Life Spices and running a bed-and-breakfast in regional Victoria, I like to eat. Being a restaurant judge for the Golden Plate Awards quells this appétit. I’m also the founder of Broads Abroad Travel Network, a social networking website for independent women travellers.

  mandyrowe@bigpond.com

  Catherine Shepherd

  A graduate from The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Catherine has worked in professional music theatre both nationally and internationally. While on tour in 2010, she started a blog at www.champagneduchess.com. Since then, her love of writing has led her to study towards a Masters of Food Studies at the University of Adelaide.

  champagneduchess@gmail.com

  Carly Slater

  Carly is a qualified Naturopath and works as a Senior Lecturer at the Southern School of Natural Therapies in vibrant Fitzroy suburb of Melbourne. After recent studies in Food Writing and Editing, she is currently undertaking her Master’s degree in Public Health Nutrition. She has contributed to various food blogs and publications across the Melbourne area.

  slater.carlyt@gmail.com

  Natasha Stewart
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br />   Natasha is a writer and editor for several online newsletters as well as running two blogs and a small cupcake business. She is currently working towards completing a Master of Arts (Food Studies) and an Advanced Diploma of Patisserie. She’s very skilled at dining alone.

  natashajean.s@gmail.com

  Roz Taylor

  Roz Taylor has studied commercial cookery, gastronomy, and food writing. She is a professional food writer and presenter. Roz has reviewed restaurants for Gourmet Traveller, dining websites, and written for the Adelaide Review and the Advertiser. She speaks on radio about all things food, and hosts the Flavours of Campbelltown Food Trail Tours. Roz’s goal is to work in New York.

  roslyn68@hotmail.com

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