3 March 2009

Top Ten NZ Culinary Experiences of the past year

More from my delicious year

• The tuna sashimi starter at Matterhorn, which international judge John Lethlean and I almost fought over while judging the finals of the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year. It was fresh, superbly crafted and as John said, left us moaning for more. (Matterhorn was deservedly the supreme winner.)
• Freshly shucked Bluff oysters on the deck at Soul Bar and Bistro on the first day of the oyster season. The ever-clever entrepreneurial Judith Tabron manages to get round the union rules by importing oysters by the sack, along with Bluff's top oyster open each year. These iconic NZ treasures deserve to be shipped in the shell always and forever, not marketed in those hideous little plastic pottles.
• The breathtaking local indigenous cuisine at Pacifica restaurant on Marine Parade in Napier. Jeremy Rameka cooks delicious stylish food, and his wife Rebecca puts together a stunning wine list. Why can't more restaurants be like that?
• A wonderful wine dinner at Clooney restaurant where Chef Des Harris matched his clever food to Ruinart Champagne. What a privilege to have the opportunity to sip gorgeous chardonnay driven champagne with such refreshingly original food.
• Another amazing food and wine experience in the capital city when Misha Wilkinson invited us to Logan Brown to experience the launch of her range of aromatic wines from Misha's Vineyard in Central Otago. Fine food that did not overpower the delightfully delicate Riesling and a range of other wicked varietals. A new label to follow.
• New Zealand eel. Whether it is smoked by Aqua Apatu in Northland, or grilled and placed on top of my sushi at my favourite Japanese restaurant, Bien, in Auckland City this is an exceptional taste I love.
• The Cuisine reader dinners and lunches we held in the winning restaurants of the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year in November. Outstanding service, food, wine and great company at Matterhorn, Wendy Campbell's French Bistro, Pegasus Bay Winery, French Cafe and O'Connell Street Bistro.
• The freshest kingfish right we ate through the summer. No accident it is called kingfish for this king of fish made exceptional sashimi, was amazing pan-fried, and held its texture in curries. Caught by Murray Jacobs in the blue Pacific waters off Omaha Beach. The snapper was not bad either!
• The Sicilian style lasagne Silvana Silvestro made for 40 for a supper when Michael Pollan came to Matakana during the Auckland Writers Festival. It featured Eggs, hand made pasta, and Greg Scopas' Salumeria Fontana pork and fennel sausages. Perfecto, as they say in Italy.
• The wealth of seasonal food from the farmers' markets. Each week brings new treats. The first asparagus, newly laid eggs, veggies with dirt on their roots, summer heirloom tomatoes grown outdoors, passion fruit and local olive oils. It has got to be good for me!