28 May 2011
WELLYWOOD & THE FOODSHOW
Just back in tonight from the Wellington Food Show. By the way, how precious are those folk in Wellington, not wanting that sign? Do they not see the power of branding? The power of something edgy and fun? That the gorse clad hill needs something just like that to catch our attention? Oh dear. Wish we had some clever clogs marketers in Auckland like that.
And how good is that Museum Hotel? More on that tomorrow.
But the MAIN EVENT. Loved the Food Show at the Westpac stadium; love Dona White and her savvy team at Northport (thanks Tim!) who put the best people on the celebrity stage. Love the enthusiasm of the Wellington crowd who were genuinely pleased to come and watch my cooking demonstrations on both the Celebrity Chef stage, and at the Electrolux stand where I could really show just how great those induction cooktops are. Anyone who came past and already cooked on induction swore they would never have any other type of hob again.
For the Celebrity Chef demo, I cooked a Regal salmon starter, a Silver Fern Farms venison main course and then a dessert. Recipes in My Recipe section and on The Food Show website.
Pictured above is COOK Grant Allen's photo of my surprise dessert. A real surprise as up until 20 minutes before I went on stage I did not know exactly what I would do. Honestly!
Collective Dairy have a new sugar-free Greek style thick yogurt. Perfect as I have been agitating for so long to find one that does not have added sweetening, so that I can use it for curries, raitas, and when I want to add my own personal sweetening like this.
Peeled persimmons cut into wedges, gently toasted hazelnuts (on the gentlest heat of that Electrolux induction hob with no added oil, just the dry frying pan for about 30 minutes), lots of Collective Dairy's Straight Up yogurt and best of all, Heilala's Vanilla amazing syrup poured generously over. Sweetening? Yes, but my choice with the wonderful natural vanilla rather than questionable added sugars like the other thick creamy yogurts on the market! And it took three minutes to put together on stage.
Can't wait for the Auckland Food Show to see what else I can put together to surprise myself and the crowds.