Another reason for makin' whoopie

About 3 years ago I heard about the whoopie pie and attempted to bake my own, with disastrous results. No amount of buttercream could salvage those dense little frisbees, and they actually decomposed out in the garden, shunned by the sparrows.


After trying the real deal from Whoopie in Grey Lynn, I know where I went wrong. Their tagline is 'Where cookie meets cake' but I'll raise that to 'Where cake meets cake'. A whoopie is basically two cupcakes sandwiched together, and probably concocted by some clever woman suffering from PMT who wanted more than one cupcake for her morning tea. Squash two together, call it something different (I'm not buying the Amish men 'whoopie-ing' when they opened their lunchboxes story) and hey presto, you're back to a single serving. Genius!


Anyway, the flavour combinations are gorgeous, I went with a  Vanilla Bean & Mixed Berry (delish) and a Banana & Walnut (so-so but apparently a best-seller), and made a note to try the Gingerspice next time. You can even order a dozen personalised whoopie pies as a gift, they come in a cute presentation box and at $2.50 each they are slightly smaller than the standard $5 size.


Do we need anymore reasons for makin' whoopie? No thanks Mr. Cantor.


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Beaunz is like a box of chocolates...

I know it's a little odd; posting a recipe when I'm hardly a culinary cognosenti, but Beaunz is about the good things in life, and this dish fills my mouth with joy each time I make it. Bursting with flavour, filling, warming and best of all it cooks, unwatched, in a single pot. Once you know the basic recipe you can play around with the proteins and veges to keep things interesting, but I have posted my favourite version, which is loosely based on one I tore out of a magazine years ago. If you're time poor and hungry or just plain uninspired, this dish is your friend.


Ingredients (Serves 2)
Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 chili, chopped (red looks prettier but any fresh chili is fine)
Bunch of coriander (Chop the stalks finely and keep separate from the leaves)
3 rashers bacon, chopped (I use chicken bacon)
1 chicken breast, cut into slender chunks (or you can use raw prawns - just add them halfway through cooking)
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
Tbsp oil
1 cup Jasmine rice
2 cups boiling water
1 lime (don't substitute for lemon, just leave it out if you can't get a fresh lime)


Method
Put oil, ginger, garlic, chili and coriander stalks in a cold pan and heat until sizzling. Add bacon and fry. Mmmmmm...warning: burns tongue.
Add rice and cook until nicely coated and semi-transparent. Turn down the heat to medium, add the soy sauce and sugar and mix well.
Add the chicken and toss, then immediately follow with 2 cups of boiling water. Stir to combine, then cover with lid and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. You don't need to stir or anything half way, this is usually when I bath my daughter.
Once cooked, stir through the spring onions and half the chopped coriander leaves.
Serve into bowls and top with a squeeze of lime juice and the rest of the coriander.


Enjoy!


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la Cigale...c'est genial!

My Saturday mornings are usually spent choosing olives, dolmas, stuffed peppers, Turkish dips and baklava from the Parnell markets. Throw in a coffee and an almond croissant from the cafe, some feijoa chutney, half a dozen mini ciabatta and some strawberry and vanilla whoopie pies and you have the makings of a weekend feast. Somehow it all feels less calorific if bought from an outdoor market - don't you think?


If the markets themselves are too busy, there's a secret little park just up the road where you can hide away and picnic to your hearts content, still within earshot of the saxophonist. 


As the weather cools down, I've also started craving the yummy slow-cooked dinners on offer at the la Cigale bistro, open Wed - Fri nights. Dinner is served onto big communal tables, and the loud, tuck-in atmosphere is the closest thing to European entertaining I've found since coming home.


All in all, la Cigale is a little jewel in the middle of town, and though the locals may rue that their market has become a tourist destination, this is one secret that shouldn't be kept.


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Mmmmmmmussels

On a cool, crisp, sunny Autumn weekend, there is no better lunch than fresh green-lipped mussels, steamed in tomatoes, birds-eye chili, white wine and garlic. 


Throw in some warm ciabatta rubbed with garlic and parsley, a bottle of Marlborough Pinot Gris and old friends, and you're set for the afternoon and into the evening.


Mmmmmmm. It's good to be a kiwi.


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If happiness was a book ...

Kim Evans has timed her book launch perfectly. Bikinis are packed away, thighs are hidden under 100 denier tights and let's face it, we're all looking for a little indulgence to sweeten the long and chilly winter. 

My love affair with Little & Friday is well-documented; it's one of the first places I take visitors, on route to Devonport for a wind-swept walk around Mt Victoria. The sweet treats are huge, rich and impossible to share. You may think you can split one but my advice is this: don't. Get one each and finish yours first, just in case...

The new Little & Friday cook book has recipes for all their favourites; even the legendary sausage rolls. If reports are on the money, we're in for a particularly bitter winter, so take action now. With this book, a little butter and some sugar, you'll have happiness in the bank for a rainy day.

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There's a new chick - en town

One of my daily pleasures is listening to Morning Glory on bfm. Not only is the music and content brilliant (anyone else have a secret girl crush on Charlotte Ryan?) I always hear about something new to try. For the last month or so, Bird on a Wire has been mentioned almost daily, so during a lunch break at a Writers Workshop last weekend I popped along Ponsonby Road (sandwiched between Rocket Kitchen and Fatimas) and ordered their chicken, iceberg and tarragon mayo roll.


Oh. My. God.


For the first time in weeks (I'm one of those boring people that can't eat when they're stressed, read yesterday's post if you want all the gory details), I demolished every last bite of my lunch and wished I could eat the whole thing all over again.


It was such a simple sandwich, but each element was done perfectly. Tarragon mayo...! Who would have thought it could taste so good? I'm a convert to that shy little herb. Add to that a chewy, crusty French stick, tender chicken and the freshest, crispest lettuce you could wish for and you've found slow-food-made-fast-food nirvana. 


The service was really friendly (I ask way too many questions) and the fact that the chicken is free range seals the deal; Bird on a Wire is my new food obsession. Check out their menu here, and promise never to line the pockets of Colonel Sanders again. 


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Ginger is my middle name...

I'm loving Griffins Dark Chocolate Gingernuts for all the obvious reasons...smooth dark chocolate encasing a crispy gingernut centre with just the right amount of 'snap'...but here are a few more thrown in for measure:

1. The way it melts into a gooey mess at the bottom of my cup of tea
2. The proven health benefits of ginger outweigh the sugar content
3. The flavour is so intense that I can stop at just two...(okay three)
4. They're on special at the moment and are even cheaper than standard gingernuts...score!
5. Whizzed up with a little melted butter they make the most divine cheesecake base
6. Gingers are an endangered species and should be cherished while we still can.

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Food with a view

On Sunday we spent a lazy afternoon lunching on the deck at the Riverhead Tavern. Even though the sky was threatening to open at any moment, we braved the elements and were rewarded with uninterrupted river views (and thankfully a mostly dry afternoon).


Our table lunched on Sea salt & Szechuan squid, Espresso & blue cheese lamb, Cola pulled pork sandwich and Prawn & bacon pizza, washed down with boutique beers and Brancott Estate bubbles. The menu had so many delicious-sounding options, it was difficult settling on just one each. I can't wait to go back in winter, to make the most of a pile of fleecy blankets stacked outside should you need a little snuggle-factor.


At 153 years old, the tavern holds New Zealand's second oldest liquor license (after the Duke of Malborough in Russell), and it's a melting pot of everyone from bikies to wealthy retirees to young families.


It's now top of my list for visiting friends and family; a prettier lunch venue you would be hard pressed to find.


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For the love of...Honesty Boxes

I remember my Mum giving me $2 to spend at one of those 'junk emporiums', and pouring over the racks of clip-on earrings (I was 6) for a painfully long time trying to decide which ones I wanted most.


When we finally went up to purchase my chosen earrings (pink plastic half-moons hanging from a gold stud - the ultimate in eighties chic) the woman accused me of stealing and asked to look in my pockets. I was horrified and frightened and thankfully Mum put the woman in her place then dragged me out of the store. It was the first time I had heard of 'stealing', and have never forgotten the hot-cheeked injustice I felt.


These days, and I don't blame anyone, we are paranoid about being stolen from. Regardless, I cannot bring myself to buy anything from a store after being watched a little too eagle-eyed by an over-zealous shop owner. 


So, whenever I get the chance to buy from an honesty box, I can't resist. The fruit & veges are always fresh and delicious, and I love that the grower has complete faith in human nature to do the right thing.

Being trusted is a beautiful thing.

x

For the love of...Almond Gold

Whittakers Almond Gold.


Rich, pillowy, bordering on espresso-bitter chocolate, and toasted almonds with just the right amount of bite.


Come to Mama...


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It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

There are four things that make me feel really, truly Christmasy and turn me from knackered holiday grinch to femme festive.

The first is choosing the perfect Christmas tree and wrestling it into the car (which then also smells wonderful all month) spending an hour untangling the fairy lights then decorating the tree and sitting back to admire it, with a glass of bubbles and a box of Scorched Almonds.  

The second is making the trip to Franklin Road to wander in wonder at the twinkling villas. There is something about competitive fairy-lighting that makes my heart tingle.

Third, eating my first (then second, third and fourth) Christmas mince pie. Thank god these aren’t available all year around or I would be the size of a Franklin Road villa.

Last of all; the assembly and decoration of my gingerbread house. I adore the simple act of gluing walls and roof together with sugar cement, then going crazy with marshmallows, gummy sweets, candy canes and glitter. As my last ‘chore’ before Christmas, I can literally feel childhood returning to my bones with each wield of the piping bag.

What about you, Beaunz belles? What turns you into a femme festive?

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Edible Art : Industry Zen

Tuna Sashimi from Industry Zen

Wow. It's not often I'm lost for words, but when it comes to describing the food at Industry Zen, where I dined last weekend, even my thesaurus brain comes up short.


The food at this Japanese Tapas Bar and Robata Grill is seriously good. So good, I immediately rebooked for tonight so I could eat the soft shell crab again. 


The night I spent at Industry Zen was full of theatre, great wine, rollicking girly fun and the best Japanese food I have eaten in a long time. I came away with change from a fifty and a belly full of gorgeous seafood. It's not often you can say that these days! If you haven't been to Industry Zen, put it on your to-do list, and tell me what you think when you go.


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When life gives you lemons ...

Lemon Turnover from La Tropezienne French Bakery

I have been going to the French Bakery (La Tropezienne) in Browns Bay since I lived there as a little girl and know one thing in my heart for certain: there is nothing a little lemon curd pastry can't fix. I have eaten in the finest patisseries in Paris and London and can honestly say that Louis, in his best-kept-secret little bakery at the North end of Browns Bay Beach, is up there with the best.

Usually I'm all about the 'tarte citron' but today I couldn't go past the Lemon Turnover, with its crunchy sugar clouds atop a buttery pastry cocoon for eye-watering lemon curd - tart/sweet in a way only the French can do.

One bite, and my bad mood disappears with the lemon curd angels. Much better than lemonade...

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If you weren't so sweet...

Nothing says summer like the juicy, sweet pulp of a strawberry. You might sprinkle yours with icing sugar, dollop on fresh cream, or even drizzle them with balsamic vinegar. Me, I like mine au natural, and preferably with a few nobbly, gnarly knots that seem to concentrate the sweetness.


Throughout November, New Zealand Hospice is raising funds with a strawberry festival. If you can't make it to one of their events, click here to donate a virtual strawberry sundae. And don't forget to be charitable to yourself too, and pick up a punnet or two.


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They put the lime in the coconut...

Lime curd and coconut gelato from Takapuna Beach Cafe

Recently I read about amazing new technology that triggers scents related to what's on your computer. If you're playing a home movie of someone's birthday, for example, you'll be able to smell 'cake'. 


If we had this technology right now, you would be able to smell the creamy, coconutty, limey (and briney - we were at the beach) deliciousness that is Lime Curd and Coconut gelato from the Takapuna Beach Cafe.


'Heavenly' doesn't do it justice. I described it to a friend as 'the best gelato I have ever eaten', and lord knows I have eaten plenty. Several times my weight at least. Who am I kidding? Several times the weight of a bus...at least. (My friend Rosie and I averaged two a day in Italy. Pasta schmasta!)


If only someone would invent 'taste-o-vision', I'm sure there'd be a Nobel Peace Prize up for grabs. What did that wise man say? Gelato makes the world go round?


Go on, lick your screen. You know you want to. Or even better, go and try it for yourself.


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Aussies lament with a Lamington cupcake

Raspberry Lamington Cupcake from Icing on the Cake

After popping into Peppin Boutique in Herne Bay, it would have been a travesty not to visit Icing on the Cake too. This tiny little shop is home to one of my favourite sugar fixes in Auckland (and you know there are many!)


This time I had my heart set on a Lamington cupcake for my (Australian) boy. Apparently, like all good things we believe to be our own, the Lamington belongs to our friends across the Tasman. The story goes that it was named for Lord Lamington, Governor of Queensland. He hated waste and when his maid dropped his beloved sponge cake into a bowl of chocolate, he suggested she cover it in coconut (to prevent messy fingers) and they ate it anyway. 110 years later, it is making somewhat of a culinary comeback. Have you tried the chocolate version from Little & Friday? Divine!


Back to the present day. Who ever thought to turn Lamington into a cupcake was a genius: berry cake with a layer of jam and coconut, finished with a dollop of vanilla bean buttercream. Mmmmmm...


Hey, we'll let them have the Lamington, it's the least we can do after that thing that happened on Sunday night, that which cannot be mentioned in our house.


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At last : a resolution to my resolution

On December 31st 2009 I made the (Champagne-fuelled) resolution that 2010 would be the year I mastered the Bombe Alaska. I didn't know at the time that I was 5 weeks pregnant, and the sight of raw eggs would send me running to the bathroom for months to come. That was followed by a newborn and a year of barely managing to boil an egg, let alone whip one.


I was at the supermarket this week buying (coincidentally) eggs to make my husband's birthday Pavlova, and spotted the prettiest foodie magazine cover ever, courtesy of FQ Entertaining. As we waited in line at the checkout I flicked through it, and instantly started folding over corners. 


I've already voiced my feelings about the macaron, which editor Fiona Hawtin tackles with ardor verging on OCD. I think I'll leave that one to the professionals, but here is a little sample of the recipes I have tagged to try...Popcorn Scampi with chili salt, Black Forest trifle, Snapper with lemon, fennel and green harissa, Trelise Cooper's gorgeous Violet ice cream (no machine required) and of course, the incredible Bombe Alaska from the front cover. Packed with edible delights from cover to cover, this is a keeper for the kitchen shelf. 


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Oh yes, Champagne before lunch

Strawberries & Champagne Tea from the Tea Lady

Where has Spring gone? Just last week it was sunny enough to splash about in a paddling pool with my daughter, but today I'm in socks and scarf once again. 


When it's cold and wet outside, nothing lifts your spirits like a strong, hot cup of tea. I'm a Dilmah girl at heart, give me gumboot with a splash of milk over herbal infusions any day...except when it comes to the gorgeous Strawberries & Champagne green tea from The Tea Lady in Birkenhead. It's not sickly syrupy sweet like so many herbal teas, and it somehow tastes like Champagne...and strawberries! Funny that.


If you can get to Birkenhead, check out the teeny tiny Tea Lady in person, or buy online from their website, and while you're there check out their tips for brewing the best pot of tea.


Salute.


x

Sorry Leon, but we can no longer be friends

Leon Baking and Puddings from Amazon.co.uk

Oh, Leon. Until now, your recipe books have been so good for my waistline. Your grilled chicken superfood salad tastes like heaven on a plate and it's so healthy I feel positively angelic when I eat it. 

I'm almost convinced we can still be healthy eating friends, your new book has dozens of recipes that are sugar, dairy, wheat or gluten free and I'm over the moon to finally have your granola recipe. BUT...

It's that pesky not-so-little section called Celebration with its recipes for toffee apples, ice cream, triple chocolate cake and, wait for it, salted caramel banana splits. How could you do this to me? I just bought my summer bikini...

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Food that sings to your soul

Handmade gingerbread from Kuna's Pure Food

Several years ago, we spent a magical white Christmas with my friend Klara and her family in Klatovy, a storybook town a couple of hours out of Prague. 

Although we couldn't communicate with words, Klara's mother spoke straight to my heart with her intricate, handmade gingerbread decorations. The recipes and designs have been used to decorate trees in Czech for centuries, and they capture the magic of Christmas in a way that $5 a dozen baubles from the Warehouse just can't. On the day we left she presented us with a gingerbread house complete with a tea light candle inside that lit up the windows and blew smoke out the chimney. If it hadn't been so warm, cinnamony and delicious I would have kept it forever. 

Klara recently followed her husband across the world to Australia, and I was so delighted when I learnt that she has started a little business selling handmade gingerbread treats for Christmas. Every item is baked, decorated and wrapped by Klara herself, and the detail is incredible. In a world of fast, furious, cheap and cheerful, her gingerbread is infused with centuries of tradition and love. For those of you based in or around Melbourne, Klara will be at the Geelong Artifact Market (18th November), Piccadilly Market in Geelong (20th November) and at Magnolia Square in Melbourne (1-3rd December). For everyone else, if I get enough comments I will beg Klara for her recipe and post a how-to on Beaunz (bribery, yes, but I want to hear your voice too!) 

Tell me about your beautiful Christmas traditions, Beaunz belles?

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