Last day for Menu for Hope

Total monies raised for our annual Menu for Hope campaign now stands at US$50,110. This means we may well eclipse last year's record effort of US$60,925.12.

Raffle ticket sales close 21 December 2007 US-time. I'm guessing that to be about 7.00pm Saturday 22 December Sydney-time (GMT +10) but bid early just to make sure :)

The donations are flooding in, and the total monies put toward Asia Pacific prizes has doubled from three days ago to a new total of US$3,030. There are still prizes with a low number of bids. That doesn't mean they're not worth your while. It means you should definitely bid on them because your odds of winning couldn't be better!

I love the uniqueness of some of the experiences on offer. Who wouldn't want to spend a day behind the scenes on a photo shoot with Australian Gourmet Traveller (AP38). Who wouldn't want to see how the professionals style their food so deliciously? I'd love to check out their cameras, plating, backdrops and lighting.

Wannabe chefs, pastrymakers or just plain dessert lovers should be clamouring for the opportunity to hang out with the boys from Big Boys Oven (AP14). If you can't stand the heat, then why not help generate some by being restaurant critic Stephen Downes' review companion (AP15).

Keen to get in on some cooking action? Impress your friends at your next dinner party after learning the beauty of kaiseki with Kei's Autumn Menu cooking class (AP36). Budding chefs should make good use of the gourmet chef's hamper from Kochi, Japan (AP10), not to mention the wow factor of homegrown organic white peppercorns (AP09) and a unique opportunity to sample the world's hottest chillies (AP07) homegrown and dried in India.

If cooking sounds like far too much effort, then slap a couple of gourmet Terra Rossa beef burgers on the barbie (AP03 and AP04) and wash them down with Ed's chemical-free stout (AP16).

Did someone say dessert? I say yes please to the entire range of Biscuit Tree shortbread (AP17) handmade by foodblogger Chocolatesuze's burgeoning biscuit business.

Still can't decide? Here are the latest bid stats...

Item	Description	Current Bids
AP02	$300 dining voucher to Perama, Sydney from Grab Your Fork	34
AP13	Degustation dinner for two with matching wines at Interlude, Melbourne (valued at $AU400) from At My Table	29
AP35	Global 7-piece Synergy knife block set (valued at AU$610) from Grab Your Fork *new	28
AP01	$200 dinner voucher for two people to Ocean Room, Sydney from Grab Your Fork	24
AP27	Special Tuesday night Chef's table degustation dinner for two people with wine at Attica, Melbourne (valued at AU$200, valid on Tuesdays only) from Tomato *new	24
AP37	RM500 dining voucher from Elcerdo, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Babe in the City - KL *new	18
AP30	An eating tour of Bangkok with Austin Bush, Thai food expert and Lonely Planet writer plus a copy of the latest edition of Lonely Planet Bangkok Guide (valued at US$200) from Gut Feelings *new	14
AP11	6-week online diet makeover (valued at AU$295) from Limes & Lycopene	14
AP07	A bag of the world's hottest chillies, homegrown in Nagaland, India from Rambling Spoon	12
AP15	Review with Stephen Downes, one of Australia's most experienced restaurant critics (Melbourne) from Tomato	10
AP18	Weekend stay at a holiday house in Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula, VIC (valued at AU$500) from A Goddess in the Kitchen	8
AP09	500g of organic white peppercorns homegrown by Wena's Granny from Mum-Mum	8
AP26	Jar of homemade chocolate chip cookies from Babe in the City - KL	8
AP14	A day behind-the-scenes with cake and gateaux company Big Boys Oven & Kitchen, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Big Boys Oven	6
AP19	Logo design and development by a professional graphic designer (valued at AU$500) from Spicy Icecream	6
AP21	10 dinner set vouchers at Zuup Soup Bar at 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (valued at RM180) from Babe in the City - KL	6
AP06	Cookbook set: "Sharing Plates" by Jared Ingersoll and "A Year in My Kitchen" by Skye Gyngell (valued at AU$85) from Stone Soup	5
AP08	One-year subscription to Vogue Entertaining & Travel (valued at AU$53.70) from Food Lovers' Journey	5
AP10	Gourmet chef's hamper from Kochi, Japan from Obachan's Kitchen & Balcony Garden	5
AP16	Nine bottles of chemical-free stout made at Barleycorn Brewers in Melbourne from Tomato	4
AP05	Nigella Lawson Kitchen Utensils set in cream worth AU$160 from Not Quite Nigella	4
AP38	A day behind the scenes on a food styling shoot with Australian Gourmet Traveller from Morsels and Musings *new	4
AP04	6kg box of Gourmet Terra Rossa Beef Burgers (valued at AU$60) from The Foodologist	4
AP03	6kg box of Gourmet Terra Rossa Beef Burgers (valued at AU$60) from The Foodologist	4
AP36	A spot in Kei's Autumn Menu Kaiseki cooking class in April 2008 (valued at AU$120) from Grab Your Fork *new	3
AP20	Cocoa, vanilla bean and porcini risotto pack (valued at AU$80) from Imbi n Itchy	3
AP12	AU$100 gift voucher from the Prince Wine Store in Victoria, Australia from At My Table	3
AP29	One night accommodation at hip hotel Dream Bangkok, Thailand (valued at US$280+) from Gut Feelings *new	2
AP23	1 bottle of 18-year-old Chivas Regal Scotch Whisky Gold Signature (valued at US$95) from Gut Feelings *new	2
AP34	Wild Jungle Honey Collecting Tour with Angkor Conservation Centre for Biodiversity Sustainable Bee Program (valued at US$200) from Gut Feelings *new	2
AP17	The entire range of handmade shortbreads from The Biscuit Tree (valued at AU$42) from Chocolatesuze	2
AP31	One night accommodation in a Deluxe Room at Hotel De La Paix, Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia (valued at US$235) from Gut Feelings *new	1
AP32	One night accommodation at Be Hotel, Siem Reap, Cambodia (valued at US$150) from Gut Feelings *new	1
AP24	12 bottles of 42 Below Vodka (valued at 12,000 baht) from Gut Feelings *new	0
AP25	6 bottles of 42 Below Seven Tiki Rum (valued at 6000 baht) from Gut Feelings *new	0
AP22	All of the advertising on LastAppetite.com for one month (valued at US$350) from The Last Appetite	0
AP33	Market Tour and Cooking Class with Joannes Riviere, Khmer food expert and author of La Cuisine du Cambodge avec les apprentis de Sala Bai (valued at US$200) from Gut Feelings *new	0
AP28	Dinner for two at Bed Supperclub in Bangkok, Thailand (valued at 3500 baht) from Gut Feelings *new	0

Please remember to check all shipping and quarantine restrictions before your make your bid.

Related Links:
Asia Pacific prize round-up
Full round-up of prizes worldwide
Donation page at http://www.firstgiving.com/menuforhope4