Spring Fever

Our third Ladyfood was convened yesterday and all present were in accordance with Monday's manfoodies that the flash-cooked squid was a revelation. I found limes at the market (where they grow them in Dunedin I don't know) and the taste was zingy and fresh: as much as I love lemon, fresh lime juice is hard to beat. There was sufficient for use in the cucumber and pineapple salad - summer in a bowl and a great match for the satay. The ladies bravely tried the ground, dry-roasted shrimp sprinkled over the top, but I don't think there were any converts there; I will certainly wait until I bring out the belacan!! Guys will get to try this themselves at Thursday's class along with beef rendang and nasi lemak.

September is shaping up to be full of busyness with this week in particular especially packed: Manfood on Thursday, Ladyfood and Tonicfood on Saturday, First Holy Communion (no not mine) and a Wo/Manfood on Sunday. Methinks I'll be very restrained on Saturday eve - it's not a good look to be the dodgy, hungover aunty amongst a cloud of 7 year olds in veils and white dresses thinking unsinful thoughts and receiving the divine host for the first time. No Weizenbock for me, oh well, maybe just a wee smidgeon...

If you're anything like me (and I think I may just be alone in this one), you'll already be thinking about Christmas. Yes, I know, we haven't even had Labour Weekend yet but those who know me will find festive tunes sneaking into my humming repertoire and will recognise full-flown Xmas fever come December when I am fuelled by nothing but bubbly and I morph into a manic, antipodean version of Nigella and Martha Stewart (minus the billionaire hubby and criminal conviction respectively). Anyway, where this is going is that a Manfood/Ladyfood session is a great idea for a pre-Christmas celebration and manaprons/ladyaprons make good pressies for the foodie in your life. Book now, there are fewer free weekends left than you think.

Thought of the week simmering away: private dining parties. Elaboration later cherubs. Enjoy the sun while it lasts, I'll believe that spring is really here when i get my first fix of asparagus - seasonal food at its absolute best. Catch you all later, I'll be the frazzled looking one with dishpan hands serving out spiced figs and sausage at Tonic on Saturday whilst taking surreptitious slurps of a good beer, in moderation of course.

Hard at work

I have been rather remiss on the blog-front over the last week and a half, I do apologise. I am sitting at my dining room table having just finished a wee bottle of Sierra Nevada Porter in order to test its suitability with Pork Sausage and Spiced Figs. Yes, it is only 3pm and yes, I did indulge in a wee pre-lunch chardonnay - purely in the name of business networking of course. It is terribly hard work being a domestic goddess.

Oh - in case you're interested, the beer/food match wasn't half bad, although next time I'll tone down the sugar in the fig sauce and it'll be matched with a Weizenbock which I think will cut through the sweetness a bit better, and the higher alcohol will hold up to the larger-than-life flavours.

This hard labour I'm putting myself through is in aid of Tonic Bar's BESTIVAL OF FEER. Starting Saturday 18th September they will be showcasing loads of delishimo beers with live music every weekend. I'll be providing some nibbly things every now and then to enliven your tastebuds.

On the Manfood front, we cooked the most divine squid the other Monday. In the pan for a sum total of about 30 seconds it was melt-in-the mouth perfect and simple in the extreme. Just the thing for cocktails - I know you don't want to think about it but those Christmas parties will sneak up on you before you know it. Better book in your team bonding Manfood session now!

Ladies get the chance to enjoy real satay this weekend, along with the aforementioned squid and banana fritters. Manfoodmen are going to be introduced to Nasi Lemak (coconut rice) and the delights of a great Beef Rendang. Catch you all later xxx

Beer for all and all for beer

Bush honey, Christmas cake, kawakawa, pineapple lumps - what, pray tell, do all these disparate things have in common? No, they are not a mystery box of ingredients to confusticate Masterchef wannabes, they are indeed flavours of beer that I managed to delicately swill at Beervana on the weekend.

Those who know my predilection for pineapple lumps will be surprised to learn that I was underwhelmed by that particular porter but I am already thinking of how to incorporate Arrow Brewery's Festive Ale into my normally bubbly-only Christmas drinking regime...and into food items...and into my exercise programme. Mind you the last task is easy because there currently exists no such thing.

My could-drink-it-until-I-fall-over-and-then-could-drink-a-little-more beverage would have to be the Old Mout Feijoa and Apple Cider. I think that this is what God serves in heaven on hot afternoons - gin cocktails in the evenings of course, and champagne with brunch. He has a fridge full of RTDs, Lindauer Fraise and Lion Red for the sinners.

Of course I wasn't just there to drink, a fair amount of eating was done too. KK Malaysian provided great Nasi Lemak albeit with a searing sambal; Boulcott St Bistrot a good rack of lamb; Floriditas the usual scrumptious Smoked Mackerel Hash. The winner of my personal Weekend Foodlympics (the Lisalympics?) however, was Sunday's dinner at the Crazy Horse Steakhouse with the Fitzpatricks. Melt in your mouth steak matched with Palliser Estate pinot and cheesecake with a divine noble riesling, also by Palliser Estate. Great service, elegant surroundings, thoughtful artworks, lovely company.

Manfood is mixing it up this Tuesday with Wo/Manfood. Ladies are welcome along to eat, drink and mingle, and we'll finally be getting to the second class of Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Sherry Sauce. It's been a while coming!

On that, the Smeg-beast has been diagnosed as being overly sensitive in the door department and has been turning itself off in a fit of pique if the door is opened during cooking. The necessary transplants have been ordered and given that it refuses to go on a public waiting list, it'll be receiving new organs soon at exorbitant cost in the private sector system.

Talk to you all later, and remember to let me know if you have any specific things you'd like to see in a Man/Ladyfood class xxx

How do I love thee Smeg oven?

Not terribly much since it gave up the ghost in the middle of roasting kumara and loin chops in the middle of Saturday's Ladyfood class. It behaved long enough to blind bake and cook the lemon and raspberry tart (uber delicious by the way), but sulked over the kumara and refused point blank to have anything to do with the lamb. Luckily for all concerned the lamb racks were more than happy being cooked on the stovetop - the ladies can confirm that I did not stop humming and disaster was averted.

I decided to try the beast again yesterday and, lo and behold, it once more did the needful concerning the tart but the char sui ribs were sent the same way as the lamb, although the Smeg did condescend to a quick grilling. I'd like to be able to say that it has been diagnosed (concurrent with a huge electrical bill) but all I have to report is that I was too lazy to call the relevant people today and that the sewing of Eva's First Holy Communion dress is well advanced...

All in all however, the random conniptions of the heating elements meant that I have had to postpone the decadence that is slow-cooked pork belly until next week and will have fingers crossed that all will be remedied by tapas evening this Thursday.

By the way, the Cardrona Merino loin chops were every bit as good as the eye fillets and probably a better match for the chermoula. I can also confirm that the new red wine glasses work a treat.

Adios!

More lamb please

Wow! Perfectly succulent lamb accompanied by couscous with olives, roast kumara and other goodies was devoured last night by 8 keen MFM. Huge thanks to Rob for talking about the provenance of the meat; as well as going to see him at the Farmers' Market on Saturdays, I recommend you check out the Cardrona Merino website: www.cardronamerino.com. What a fabulous product and great to see it being served in some of the best restaurants in the country. And really, how could food not taste good when it grows up here? (Pic from the Cardrona Merino website).

To cap off our lamb extravaganza, we indulged in individual sultana and almond steamed puddings with a truly decadent, heart-attack inducing toffee sauce. Containing stiffly beaten egg whites this dessert is a lighter version of the traditional winter stodgy pud - not that I have anything against stodge, a wodge of stodge is one of winter's pleasures! I managed to perform the trick of beating them until they successfully stayed in an upside-down bowl, although there was a wee moment of hesitation and a little extra beating before I took that plunge to a round of applause.

To accompany the lamb, I'd recommend a Chilean wine I found at Meenan's the other day: the variety is Carmeneno and it is apparently a grape that was 'lost' from Europe but is still cultivated in South America. Soft, chocolately, delicious and only $17 a bottle - get thee to Meenan's and try. Sorry but I've forgotten the name of the winery, but think it was Castillo de Something...

Lastly I'd like to thank all the newcomers who tried out manfood for the first time yesterday - it was wonderful to see you all and I do hope to see you again on a Monday or Thursday. Cheers to Kent for enduring a myriad of knifely questions, I certainly love my new Global!!

See you all soon, I'm off to prepare for Ladyfood tomorrow xxxx

Cardrona Lamb

This week is all about merino - no, not the layers we Dunedinites (can't believe I just wrote that as a Wairoa girl!) wear to keep the Scotch mist at bay, rather the deliciousness that is Cardrona merino lamb. The delightful Rob Ottrey (brother of one of the original MFM) will be along for Thursday Manfood and we'll be showcasing lamb fillets marinated in chermoula, grilled and served over kumara and olive couscous. Then on Saturday we'll be doing it all over again with the 2nd ever Ladyfood: ladies have your tastebuds at the ready!

I've been busy making all manner of aprons recently; four went to Mazagran, my favouritest coffee place in the world, and one to Quadrant Gallery for David who now looks like an old-time watchmaker in his pinny. My studio is covered in black denim dust.

All this sewing has meant that I keep putting off preserving my lemons. They are so easy to do but two weeks have passed and still no lemons in any form of preservation. Hopefully they won't go the way of my sourdough starter which I fear has given up the ghost with nary a loaf in sight. At least lemons can be used in gin and tonics: try putting fermented flour in your drink - not for the faint hearted...

Ladyday

First off I'd like to thank all the ladies who helped make the inaugural Ladyfood a great success. Unfortunately my wishes for a sunny winter day Dunedinside were not heeded by the great cook in the sky but that just meant that the bubbly came pre-chilled and that the chilli in the Assam Laksa warmed everyone to their tootsies and back.

It was definitely too cold however, for one lady-like suggestion that aprons are best worn with only stockings, bras and knickers. No names uttered here of course - but we all know who you are love! Suffice to say all lady-parts remained sensibly covered and safe from errant chillies and hot broth splashes.

Re aprons: if any ladies (or manfoodies) want a Ladyfood edition apron let me know. They will be $30 each and you can have a choice of restrained denim (black or blue - as worn by me) or a frou frou cotton delight. If going for the exuberant option, let me know what colour you'd prefer. The denim aprons would be great for Father's Day gifts, and I can always leave off the subtle ruffle for those not seeking that extra frilly frisson when donning the garment.

We'll definitely having another Ladyfood Saturday at the beginning of next month (I'll let you know dates), and if any of your other lady-friends want to organise their own Ladyday, they just have to email me. Still spaces for more men in the regular Monday and Thursday spots too.

TTFN cherubs, off to organise things for this evening's chicken corn soup and black-fried noodles, mmm.