Lauraine’s blog
11 August 2011
Sri Lanka’s tea growing region is lush, beautiful and is in the mountainous central region of Sri Lanka where tea grows. It’s an important crop for Sri Lanka, exported around the world.
We caught the train from the hill capital city of Kandy to Hatton. Our rickety ancient wooden carriage rattled on the narrow gauge railway as it climbed into the mountains. With tickets reserved for first class observation seats, I had visions of a glass dome that popped up above the roof. No such luck. “Observation” meant a window in our carriage at the rear of the train giving us a view back down the track as we climbed up to Sri Lanka’s important tea growing region.
In Hatton locals were holding a demonstration. That was Saturday, and by Monday the wages of thousands and thousands of tea workers had been raised from 415 to 515 rupees a day. We felt a part of their triumph, cheering the pickers out in the fields plucking the tea, as we passed en route to our hotel.
Sri Lankan tea plantations are lush and beautiful with extensive sculptured waves of bushes. We relaxed for a couple of days at Tea Trails Bungalow Norwood, one of four planter’s bungalows on adjoining estates that have been converted to luxury accommodation. Surrounded by acres of tea bushes, these comfortable homes are stately, with hospitable staff and excellent cuisine. The highlight was real High Tea with cucumber sandwiches and dainty little cakes.
Andrew Taylor, a direct descendant of James Taylor who introduced tea to Sri Lanka from China, expertly guided us through the Norwood Estate tea factory. Small green buds with the accompanying two leaves below are plucked from the bushes and within 24 hours of arriving fresh and dewy at the factory are processed and graded to become tea that’s ready to be shipped to the government-run tea auctions in Colombo. It’s a process that’s painstakingly hands on.
Nuwara Eliya, a resort town high in the hills with a distinct English feel right down to its very grand and proper Grand Hotel and adjacent manicured golf course was a welcome stop. We shopped for saris, sapphires and bargains; surplus goods and seconds from Sri Lanka’s international clothing industry are sold at unbelievably low prices in the local market. We wound up our way up a rough track, deeply pot-holed and bumpy to the cleverly converted Heritance Tea Factory Hotel for another night of luxury and blissful sleeping in the cool air of the mountains among the tea bushes.
29 July 2011
I loved the Food Show this year. The big trend I noted for this year is definitely the arrival of ethnic ready-to-eat meals and accompanying products, all made here. Indian, Samoan, Azerbijani, Malaysian, Mexican, Lebanese, Russian, Korean, Turkish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Dutch, Lebanese, Visitors from Hawkes’ Bay and many, many more. Very diverse and very exciting!
I was kept really busy cooking. My big gig was this afternoon; a cooking demonstration in the Electrolux Celebrity Chef Theatre and I was really pleased to see so many friends and long-time readers attend. I love you all!
I also cooked on two exhibitors’ stands;
I made some great salmon canapés with Regal Salmon cold smoked salmon, by spreading a little Mustardmakers’ Horseradish Mustard on each slice of salmon, and then rolling the slice around a sprig of watercress and a perfectly knife-peeled orange segment, secured with a toothpick. (As pictured above)
On the Electrolux stand I demonstrated the induction cooktop. Brilliant. I have gas at home but this cooktop is way better! I want one. More heat faster, and lower heat than any gas ring or electric element. Safer and easier to clean.
And thanks to the many exhibitors who gave me the chance to showcase their products on the stage: the recipes and pics will be on the Foodshow website, soon. (LOOK OUT FOR THE MOST AMAZING BANANA TART EVER!)
- Sabato’s Salvagno olives
- All Good bananas
- Panetone’s wonderful flaky puff pastry
- Heilala vanilla syrup
- Collective Dairy’s Straight Up yogurt
- Eggs with the SPCA Blue Tick
- Village Press olive oil
- Freedom Farms’ pork fillet
- Regal Salmon hot smoked salmon
- Regal salmon caviar
- Mustardmakers chef’s mustard
- Mustardmakers organic honey
- Essential chicken stock
- Perfect Produce's sweet baby cos lettuces
- My Škoda Superb wagon (they don’t sponsor me but they should) which allowed me to get there safely, economically and on time)
- And the team backstage, esp Tim and Jim.
And my real finds of the show:
• Quina Fina tonic water
* Lighthouse Gin to go with the tonic
• Addmore elderflower soft drink
• Ti Point Syrah wine
• An extraordinary fig preserve from Taihiki Orchards in Waiuku.
13 July 2011
It's that time of year again. I love the Food Show in Auckland as it gives me a chance to interact with so many of the food people I have met over the years. Best of all I love just walking around the exhibitors and seeing what the food trends are. In the past years I have identified organics, flavoured beverages, flavoured everything, chocolate and spices. What will it be this year?
I will be there on Thursday 28 July Preview Day and on Friday 29 July.
Here's where to find me;
Thursday 28 July
- 11am and 3pm: Electrolux stand cooking on the induction hob
- 1.30pm Regal Salmon stand with a fabulous idea for cold smoked salmon
Friday 29 July
- 1.30pm ONSTAGE CELEBRITY CHEF THEATRE with a fabulous menu that's simple and delicious
- 11am and 3pm Electrolux stand cooking on the induction hob
- 2.30pm Regal salmon stand with a fabulous idea for cold smoked salmon.
Come and see me; there will be a few special giveaways!
10 July 2011
I was enthralled tonight with the entertaining Michael van de Elzen and his Food Truck, and can’t help thinking that we have finally found a great Kiwi food programme for television. In fact, I believe we have found our own Antipodean version of one of my all-time favourites, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall.
The basic premise of the show has been to re-invent fast food in a healthy manner. So we’ve seen burgers, fish and chips, pizza and more taken to the average Kiwi to see if they can cope with so called healthier renditions of their favourites. And with food trucks the hot new dining number throughout the USA, and Jamie Oliver also on the wagon trying to convince the Yanks to eat better, this is a highly fashionable concept that our TV producers got onto.
Michael didn’t have much show really as snapshots of the audience he was dealing to displayed many fatty thighs and porky bellies that were never going to agree with or really embrace his reinventions. And of course, Michael is used to purchasing great product, so his costings couldn’t even be in the realm of the ‘average’ kiwi consumer.
Tonight’s show was a gem. Chinese cuisine, which in New Zealand has become a faint version of the real thing, went under his knife. Michael ate around the traps to test it out, and then went as far as Kingsland’s Canton Café to work with the chef to learn the inside story on Chinese cuisine. He admitted he’d never cooked with a wok before (where have you been all these years Michael?) and Canton’s chef said Michael was far too slow! But he then designed a very healthy and delicious version of the food and attempted to sell it at a Chinese New Year celebration. He couldn’t even give it away. Too weird, too expensive and too white-honky.
Yet. Think about this. I would happily eat Michael van de Elzen’s interpretation of Chinese food. I would want it in luxurious surroundings. I would want proper service. I’d gladly pay the $30 that it deserves. We’re now a very multi cultural country with an ethnic-eats-are-cheap-eats mentality. But in that Food Truck I have glimpsed a possibility of the future. We have talented Kiwi chefs who well might be willing to learn other cuisines. Chefs who could start restaurants with a real point of difference that would cater to our expanding appetites for the interesting cuisine that we are developing tastes for. Bring it on!
7 July 2011
I was privileged to attend a Masterclass, sponsored by Dish and Gaggenau this week, with Jonny Schwass, cooking ‘the versatile world of duck’. Jonny is one of the top chefs in our country, a Christchurch restaurateur who lost his restaurant in the recent earthquake, who has managed to keep going in a restaurant-without-walls mode. He’s retained most of his staff, doing dinners in private houses, catering and he appears personally wherever he’s asked.
Jonny Schwass has a “whole animal sensibility”. If we’re going to eat meat like pork or lamb or duck, he thinks it imperative that the whole animal be consumed. It is not on to take the best bits, but every part must be turned into something delicious. The chefs in his kitchen learn to break an animal down and keep all the bits and pieces for different parts of various dishes and for roasting off and making stocks and sauces.
His class started with a whole duck, complete with webbed feet and head still attached (!). He boned the duck expertly in about three minutes, and shared three recipes; confit of duck, liquorice and coffee spiced duck breast with chocolate ganache and fresh cranberry, and quack and crack salad. Suffice to say the recipes were fabulous, as we tasted each and I am confident in recommending Jonny doing duck anytime, anywhere.
However a Masterclass is not about the recipes, alone. It’s about discussion and the huge opportunity to learn about the chef’s philosophy for food, to share the passion, and to understand the heart and mind behind the individuality and personality that might appear on the plate. Jonny is a cook not a chef. Food is very important, but he feels a chef’s obsession with food is not the path to success. He buys the very best products he can, and then explained, “I put myself and my soul into the food, the customer eats it and that is how the relationship develops.”
Food for thought. Truly passionate and I only wish some of the more fly-by-night chefs had been there to partake in an extraordinary Masterclass.
PIC: ducks feeding after the rice harvest at the Chedi Club, Ubud in Bali.
24 June 2011
It was only a 45 minute trip from Colombo airport in Sri Lanka to the Maldive islands. Our plane flew over magical circlets and strands of coral reefs that protect the aqua blue waters of the myriad of lagoons and tiny islands in the Northern Atoll of this precious country. Male, the capital, rose up like a mini Manhattan with every square centimetre committed to buildings.
But we were here for a few days of rest and relaxation at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort. Within 25 minutes of landing we were in a speed boat, skimming over the ocean to our destination. Unbelievably sophisticated, fabulously welcoming and utter luxury in a ocean front villa completely private and with our own swimming pool (gasp!) for the times we did not want to walk to the white sandy beach. We could also sleep, dive, snorkel, walk, sleep, eat, swim, sleep, eat.....Bliss.
But the best was the food. Chef Garth Welsh, an Aussie who learned his trade in Australia and has cooked at Hugo's, Vatulele and other exotic spots is firmly in charge of a large kitchen that feeds 120 guests and more than 200 staff each day. The food was wonderfully fresh, highly inventive and all delicious. (That's Garth above standing on the beach overseeing a firepit where he cooked lamb fish, chickens and meltingly tender veggies.)
Several restaurants to choose to dine in each night including a buffet dinner, a Thai restaurant, a grill bar and my favourite, the Sand Coast restaurant with an extensive a la carte menu that included Indian, Sri Lankan and Maldivian set menus. Best of all was a young local chef who produced flaky naan breads and fish in a tandoor oven right by the tables on the water's edge.
And to show we were truly spoilt, the resort's junior sous chef whipped up a large platter of sushi and sashimi, fresh from the sea on the evening we flew out. Perfect. I want to live there!
www.sheraton.com/maldivesfullmoon
23 June 2011
My body is back in Auckland but my head is still in the beautiful Sri Lanka. It was an amazing trip and I will write lots on that later.
Meanwhile the rigours of a food columnist's life are no better explained than my day yesterday. I finished my next piece for the Listener (vegetable cookery; due in the 9 July issue). Then it was off to Euro for the launch of Selaks National Roast Day to be held on Sunday 7 August.
Simon Gault's kitchen team started with a small pie (roast lamb, delicious) and ended with a large pie (roast apples, delicious) and in between served a roast main course to die for. A whole roast pig, filipino style which in Simon's world means stuffed with chicken, potatoes and spices, moistened with Sprite (yes really!) and cooked over a spit. Also roast beef rump nice and rare, his famous Euro roast chicken, and an enormous platter of roast vegetables including the crunchiest potaotes ever which I am guessing spent a little time in the deep fryer. All served up with the elegant Selaks wine selection.
The best bit was I got to bring home a fabulous pack of the best ethically produced meat around from RUBY'S LIST, complete with olive oil, Glasseye sauce from the wild west coast, and bottles of Selak's wines. There will be some good meals coming up at my place. See pic above!
Then if that's not enough excitement in a day, off to Moochowchow for a girl's night out with the three best food writers in NZ to celebrate Kathy's birthday. That place was packed, probably the most popular restaurant in Auckland last night and certainly the noisiest. Loved all the spicy Thai inspired food and we ate our way through at least nine or ten of the dishes. Don't miss the pork spring rolls, and the cocktails are fantastic and spicy too!
I think this is going to be a lazy day of recovery.
Moochowchow, 23 Ponsonby Rd, T; 09 360 6262
- www.rubyslist.co.nz
- www.selaks.co.nz
22 June 2011
I wanted to let you know about a Sicilian Culinary Adventure, with my amazing friend Faith Willinger. I did a similar trip two years ago and it was truly sensational. 5 days of cooking lessons with master chefs and home cooks, wine and extra virgin tastings, visits to Baroque cities and archeological sites, restaurant meals and more. She'll be based at the COS (exceptional biodynamic winery) Locanda, during the grape harvest, a very exciting moment. Participants can add on a few days of independent travel, renting a car in Ragusa, for an itinerary that concludes in Catania or another that finishes in Palermo.
Sunday, September 25—transportation from Catania to COS estate, welcome dinner prepared by Domenico Colonnetta and Francesco Patti from the restaurant Coria in Caltagirone
Monday, September 26—Ragusa visit, COS winery tour and tasting, intro to local ingredients lunch—salumi, ricotta, grilled sausage, seasonal vegetables and fruit, almonds, PM lesson and dinner with Accursio Crapparo from La Gazza Ladra in Modica
Tuesday, September 27—AM lesson and lunch with Pino Cuttaia from La Madia in Licata, PM visit to Baroque jewel Scicli, chocolate tasting in Modica, dinner at a local trattoria
Wednesday, September 28—AM lesson with Angela Occhipinti, winery lunch, PM guided visit to archeological site Camerina, visit to fish market in Scoglitti, fish lesson with Pasquale Ferrara followed by dinner at his restaurant Sakkaleo
Thursday, September 29—visit with Arianna and Faustina Occhipinti at their winery, extra virgin tasting, lunch from the garden, farewell dinner at COS
Friday, September 30—Depart for Catania. Or rent a car in Ragusa and take one of two special itineraries, departing from Catania or Palermo.
1750 euro per person, 250 euro supplement for single occupancy, maximum of 14 participants
Any questions, just ask me or to sign up send an email to info@faithwillinger.com
29 May 2011
There's a really good reason to go to Wellington. (Actually there are hundreds of good reasons to go there but they can mostly wait for another time.)
I stayed at the Museum Hotel while cooking at the Food Show and thought, I will eat in at the hotel. I hadn't booked at Hippopotamus restaurant on the hotel's third floor (that's why there's a hippo on the roof!) but Timothee Lepoutre, the talented and knowlegeable sommelier found me a spot even though they were fully booked. I am so grateful as the meal, eaten alone, was superb.
My entree, served with a glass of Pegasus Bay Riesling Bel Canto, the salmon sashimi (pictured above) was absolutely the most divine salmon I have ever eaten. Each piece was wrapped in the thinnest of cucumber, flavoured with wasabi, topped with wakame and sat on some perfect ginger soy syrup. Sublime!
The restaurant overlooks the harbour and the recent refurbishment has made it a luxurious dining spot that's comfortable, spacious and elegant. The staff are terrific (mostly French) and chef Laurent Loudeac's food is sophisticated and hits the mark. It's a major cut above most hotel food, and I would be happy to eat there every week.
Loudeac's menu ranges from the expected (steak and frites) to fresh clever dishes with lots of imagination. My kingfish with cauliflower puree was good, although I would like to have cooked it a tad longer. The accompanying salad was excellent and the extensive wine list has been put together with the food in mind, as it should.
And as for the Hotel, all that wonderful quirky art that owner Chris Parkin collects, the spacious rooms and the biggest bath ever makes this a perfect place to indulge oneself . I did not even need to leave the hotel.
28 May 2011
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.