For the Love of Food - NZ Food Bloggers' Conference

DAY 2

If there's no chocolate in Heaven, I'm not going.
Jane Seabrook, Furry Logic Laugh at Life
After a failed attempt at finding something for breakfast en route to conference, it was straight into chocolate on an empty stomach (again), but I’m not complaining. Chocolate mark II was a sensory evaluation of premium chocolate. Jo Coffey of L’Affaire au Chocolat led us gently down the learning path and I found her pace and style well suited to an early morning audience. I was relieved to discover that it is not the chocolate one becomes addicted to, but sugar. It’s fortunate then that dark chocolate is a favourite of mine. Excellent. So, no more cravings then?

It matters

Fish and chocolate only seem to come together in chocolate fish but here at conference, sustainable fishing followed the chocolate session.  To be honest, I did not think this talk would hold that much interest for me, but what a revelation.  I was so wrong.  Rachel Taulelei of Yellow Brick Road blew me away with her drive and passion for sustainable seafood - marrying up those who catch fish with those who cook it and having seafood traceable back to where and when it was caught. An enlightening and thought-provoking talk. What a talent.

Best cheese scones ever

A taste of the light as air, but oh so tasty, cheese scones served up at morning tea by Le Cordon Bleu had me trying to replicate them back home (with some hints but no actual recipe).  I got pretty close - just needs a few tweaks and maybe I can share them.  First attempt looks something like this.

New discoveries
The Collective’s mango yoghurt drink – I’ve not been a fan of yogurt drinks until this one.  Creamy and flavourful, I’m now working my way through the range of drinks and yogurts.  Fabulous branding too!  

Six Barrel Soda's Joseph Slater introduced us to a range of soda syrups made with filtered water, fair trade organic cane sugar, fresh fruit, spices & nuts. My favourite was the ginger syrup.  Topped with sparkling water it made for a refreshing drink.  I reckon you could add hot water and whisky for a super terrific hot toddy.  For a truly authentic soda experience, visit the café on the corner of Eva & Dixon Streets in Wellington.

Putting on the Ritzling

Who could fail to notice the elegant box in which Ritzling is packaged? That and the fact that I’d pick a Riesling over most other white wines any day should have made me try this before but, silly me, I thought it was a white wine spritzer.  Thanks to State of the Vines, Chris Archer, I learned otherwise and with one glass and a wedge of lime, I was smitten. This will be my ultimate summertime drink, but let’s not wait ‘til then.  Let’s get started now.  

Bottled happiness

Outside looking in

I had a slight disadvantage being both at the back of the crowd and beneath the air conditioning for the Little Penang and Dumpling House demonstrations but fortunately sampled Little Penang’s wonderful fare at lunch (the Nasi Lemak was outstanding) and tried my hand at making savoury and sweet dumplings with Dumpling Queen, Vicky Ha. Now all I need to know is where can I eat food like this in Auckland? 

Pastry perfection

If I thought I was in awe of actually being at Le Cordon Bleu, it was nothing compared to participating in a class with Patisserie Head Tutor, Sebastien Lambert.  With skilled hands (his, not mine) and useful tips (and oh that French accent), our happy group observed and learned.  There’s something wonderfully soothing about making pastry, both in the doing and in the watching.

Sebastien Lambert

A coffee’s finish

Normally I’d start the day with coffee but our day, and conference, concluded with a coffee tasting from Steve Barrett of People’s Coffee. I found the taste of the skillfully filtered coffee was smooth and rounded with no trace of bitterness but I can’t see me giving up my flat whites any time soon.

If only you could smell these

Just when you thought it was over ...

…another surprise, another goodie bag, this time courtesy of The Chocolate Festival. Oh happy days.

And another thank you

We certainly were spoiled over two days, so again I have to thank our sponsors and tell them how much we appreciated them.

For all sponsors, please click here.  You honestly won't regret it. 

Fantastic fun at the Food Bloggers' Conference

DAY 1

Time to reflect on the weekend before.  My head is still full of thoughts, ideas, food, drink, conversations and gratitude that it is hard to put anything on paper.  I was overwhelmed by the generosity of sponsors, amazed at the amount of hard work from the organizers and grateful to everyone who gave their time to assist.  Thank you.  It was one of the best weekends I have ever had.

There is nothing so good as being amongst a group of people, some of whom you know and some who are strangers, knowing that you have one thing in common – the love of food.  We loved our food.  Not only did we taste and eat lots of food, we took away a huge amount in our two extremely well stocked goodie bags, thanks to our hugely generous sponsors.

Here’s what else I took away from the conference…

Is it okay to start the day with chocolate?

Well yes it is, as long as it’s GOOD chocolate.  In fact, both days started with chocolate.  Day 1 began with a dilemma.  Was I supposed to be watching the chocolate tapas demo or looking at pastry chef, Juan Balsani from Kermadec? Hmm, concentrate on the food, Lesley.  Juan's demo involved liquid nitrogen, balloons, soda siphons, spaghetti and, of course, chocolate.  Sounds weird?  You had to be there.  Methinks a visit to Kermadec is on the cards.

Demo over and a quick shift of rooms found us at the opening address of the Chocolate Festival followed by a wander around the exhibitors. 

I had to pace myself.  There were plenty of beautiful chocolate offerings (and glorious packaging) and it was hard to choose what to take home.  In my bag, I’d thoughtfully placed a small ziplock bag where I saved some free samples until they could be appreciated later – and they were. 

What would make me feel really important?

Not much could have made us feel more important than being the first foodies at the revered Le Cordon Bleu’s new premises on Manners Street, Wellington.  Rows and rows of gleaming kitchens, pots, pans, utensils and a promise of culinary excellence await young hopefuls who walk through their door.  Being there was a real buzz for me as my father (a chef) collected the entire series of Le Cordon Bleu cooking series.  I used to leaf through them when I was younger.  I may have missed my vocation but back then observing the reality of a head chef working very long and unsocial hours in hot and steamy conditions kind of put me off.  Guess I wasn’t made for it then?

Posting photos of lambs could increase my blog traffic

As soon as Jared Gulian started speaking I knew why his blog was a success.  The Moon over Martinborough man was witty and entertaining and I could have listened to his tales of city boy gone country for hours.  His talk resonated with me as I too was dragged, kicking and screaming, to the country.  Sadly, I don’t have an olive grove, but now I do have a bottle of his olive oil which he kindly gave to each of us.  Jared mentioned that he got the most traffic hits on his blog for a picture of a lamb, so here’s mine, just in case it works the same magic.

Cute lamb

Fact or fiction?

The fact is, well in New Zealand anyway, that non-fiction sells more books according to our next speaker, Alison Brook, Head of Publishing at HarperCollins NZ.  Alison’s talk of how to get published was as fascinating for it’s insight into bookselling trends as it was helpful for those wishing to write.

Getting to know you

As part of Wellington on a Plate, we split into groups of four for our Friday lunch at participating restaurants.  Lucky us, we got Boulcott Street Bistro and I couldn’t have been happier.  You can’t beat good food done well and the Preston's lamb shank pithivier* with garlic beans, mash and Parkvale mushroom sauce fitted the bill.   I followed this with the ubiquitous crème brûlée – done by so many, perfected by so few – which was faultless.  The bistro is a cosy place with great ambience and friendly staff.  A beautiful copper espresso machine sat in pride of place at the bar.  Lunch was a relaxing affair where we found some quiet time to find out a little more about each other. 

*Pithivier is a round, enclosed pie usually made by baking two disks of puff pastry, with filling stuffed in between, as you can see in the second photo below.

Beetroot & feta with honey dressing for Domestic Executive

Lamb shanks main for me

About that lamb up there…

Lucy Corry from the wonderful blog The Kitchen Maid would be horrified to see a pet animal on my (mainly) food blog.  If you’re reading this, Lucy, it was only to stir up more interest in my blog (honest).  I did, however, agree with Lucy about her dislike of poor spelling, grammar and the extensive use of exclamation marks.  I have even been known to tick off my friend for her overuse of that form of punctuation on Facebook.  That said, please do not proofread this post for errors, we all make mistakes after all.

A passion for their work

One thing in common with all our speakers was their passion for their line of work or product.  I doubt anyone could be more positive about Wellington than Sarah Meikle, GM Marketing of Positively Wellington Tourism.  If the events held in August in Wellington were anything to go by, Wellington has every reason to be positive.  It seems to be alive and thriving and it was great to be a part of it, even if it was only for a long weekend.  I'll be back.

Do you see what I see?
My first breakout session in the afternoon was a Food Photography class hosted by superb photographer, Viviane Perenyi of At Down Under.  If you haven’t seen her blog, you should visit for her photos alone.  It was a pleasure to hear her speak and receive her feedback on the photos taken during her session.

There's always room for more food

Whilst it was the end of our day at Le Cordon Bleu, we weren’t finished yet. Conference dinner was a “pop up” food and wine matching evening at Floyds in Island Bay.  A gorgeous pre-dinner cocktail and mini master class started us off in the right frame of mind.  Thereafter, course upon course of tasty food came from chef Ben Barton in the kitchen, matched with wines from James Pedersen at Floriditas.  I didn’t think I could eat any more but each course provided just enough to keep me satisfied but not groaning. 

We had done so much that day, eaten so much food and heard so many wonderful speakers that it was hard to believe there was yet another day to go.  Until tomorrow then….

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comfort pudding

I must have been in the mood for some comfort food when I suddenly had the urge to make this dish.  It wasn’t as if I needed more rice.  We’d had rice accompanying the previous two nights’ dinners.  Perhaps it was simply the need for some comfort wrapped up in sugar and cream and trying to look wholesome. Whatever it was, it led me to this simple gem. 

I had found it in an old Marie Claire cookbook written by Nigel Slater and if anyone knows comfort food, it is Nigel.  If I make rice puddings at all, and I seldom do, it has been baked ones and short grain rice was used.  Out of them all, I liked this best as it retains its moisture making it creamy and delicious.  I loved the little bursts of juiciness from the sultanas.

I had planned serving this for dessert but my tasting didn’t stop at one spoonful.  I devoured about a quarter of the contents of the pan before a shot of willpower stepped in.  After all, I wanted to try it cold too.  I kept sneaking into the fridge and taking a spoonful (a la Nigella, except not in the dead of the night and without the glamour) so in the end ate most of it myself.  It was just as lovely cold.

cardamom spiced rice pudding

Serves 3-4

570ml/1 pint milk

230ml/8 fl oz single cream

30g/1oz long-grain white rice

¼ tsp ground cardamom*

4 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp sultanas or raisins

In a heavy-based saucepan, pour in the milk and cream and mix together.  Bring slowly to the boil. 

Add the rice and cardamom and leave to gently simmer for one hour (the cooked rice should still have a little bite to it).

Stir in the sugar and sultanas or raisins and simmer for a further five minutes.

Eat warm or cold, served in little bowls.  A touch of orange zest on the top would be nice.

*It may have been the strength of the cardamom powder I used, which was close to use-by date, but next time I will add a touch more cardamom.

This is my entry to Sweet New Zealand, hosted this month by Plum Kitchen (see more details here).  Sweet New Zealand was started by the delightful Alessandra as a tool for connecting New Zealand bloggers.

lemon louise slice

This is what I made with some of the lemon curd from last week.  Louise slice or cake is a shortcake base with a layer of jam or curd and topped with coconut meringue.  It seems it is a very popular recipe here in New Zealand.

The longer you live in another country, the more blurred your memory gets.  (This is just a roundabout way of saying I am getting older!).  Sometimes I can’t recall if we had certain foods in Scotland and it’s like that with this slice. 

I attempted to make Neenish tarts once (I say attempted because I stuffed up and threw the lot out) and at the time imagined they were Irish, but I was probably thinking of a place we’d visited in Ireland called Neenagh and mixed the two up.  Hmmm.

What I do know is that I have baked Louise Slice twice, once with a filling of raspberry jam and now with lemon curd.  I have to say, the lemon curd is more my thing.  The lemon cuts through the sweetness of the slice and gives it a bite that you don’t get with the raspberry jam.

I’ve got this thing about not liking store-bought raspberry jam.  I find it too sweet but I don’t often see home-made raspberry jams.  Maybe I should add raspberry plants to my garden of forgotten foods?  Maybe not….

Whilst I enjoyed this Louise slice, it would not be at the top of my favourites list but it does make a nice treat for afternoon tea.

lemon louise slice

Base

130g standard flour

½ tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

75g butter, softened

45g sugar

2 egg yolks

Filling

¾ cup lemon curd

Meringue topping

2 egg whites

120g caster sugar

60g coconut thread (or use desiccated coconut)

Line a baking or swiss roll tin (approximately 25cm x 16cm) with baking paper, letting it hang over the edge for easy removal of the slice.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.

With a cake mixer or hand electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, using a spatula to scrape the mix off the sides of the bowl 2 or 3 times.  Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, until well incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.  Press into the base of the tin.  I find it easier to flatten the dough between two sheets of cling wrap or baking paper and roll out to fit the tin evenly.

Spread the lemon curd over the base.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Beat the egg whites until stiff.  Gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition.  Beat until stiff and glossy.  Gently fold in the coconut.

Spread the coconut meringue evenly over the lemon curd. 

Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until meringue is lightly coloured and dry.  The meringue will crack during cooking.

Remove from the oven and whilst still warm, cut into squares or slices in the tin.  Carefully transfer to a cake rack to cool completely.  (This is where your overhanging baking paper comes in handy.)

luscious lemon curd

Lemon curd (also known as lemon honey) is so easy to make that if you haven’t made it before, you should really give it a go.  It can be cooked in a saucepan, but this microwave method is super quick and easy.

Although, I have lemon trees at home, they won’t be winning any beauty competitions with their gnarled, imperfect skins.  Their appearance kind of makes it difficult sometimes to get good-looking zest - and we all want good looking zest don’t we?  Well, yes we do in lemon curd, otherwise we get flecks of green and black in the jar, which ain’t so pretty.  So when a bag of unblemished lemons came into my being, I knew right away I would be making lemon curd and preserved lemons. I was assured the lemons were organic (really? They looked so perfect?).  

For a long time I only purchased lemon curd at craft fairs where little old ladies had probably been making it for years. Since I discovered it’s simple to make, I’ve been making it at home. This recipe comes from a grandmother, a former colleague, and is just delicious.

There are lots of things you can do with lemon curd.  The most temptingly obvious is spooning it direct into one’s mouth. In fact, it’s quite likely you’ll eat the whole jar.  I thought I was the only one with this weak trait, but a colleague told me she’d been doing the very same thing. 

Assuming you resist the temptation, try spreading it on toast, bagels, or fill sweet pastry tarts with it.  It’s divine swirled through vanilla ice cream or as a filling in sponges, muffins and cupcakes. I dolloped a teaspoonful on a slice of lemon, banana and sultana cake to lift its’ slightly dry texture.   Or just package up the jars pretty and give as a gift – the recipient will love you forever.

Next time, I’ll be writing about the lemon louise slice I made using the lemon curd.

lemon curd

6 eggs, well beaten

125g (¼ lb) butter, cut in chunks

500g (1lb) sugar

Grated rind of 2 lemons

Juice of 3 lemons, strained

Wash and sterilize about 4 or 5 glass jars (how many you will need depends on the size of the jars – I tend to use smaller ones).  I sterilize by washing the jars and lids in hot, soapy water, then rinse the jars while still wet and put them (without the lids) in the microwave for one minute.  Use boiling water from a kettle to pour over the lids to sterilize.

Place all the ingredients in a large microwaveable jug and stir.  Heat the mixture for 30 seconds in the microwave and stir again.  It will start off looking lumpy but should be smooth once heated and combined.  Continue microwaving in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until the mixture has reached the correct consistency. You should be able to coat the back of a spoon with the curd.  Don’t overcook as it will set too hard.

Use the jug to pour the lemon curd into jars.  Leave to cool, then seal. 

The recipe was given to me in imperial measurements so I have added metric measures.  

etcetera

Brioche and Jelly

I was right about the brioche, it was a perfect match for the Christine Ferber Gewürztraminer & Rose Petal jelly (see last etcetera post). 

On a trip to the city, I stopped off at local artisan bakery, Albert’s Kitchen in Pukekohe.  Although I hadn’t recalled seeing brioche there before I decided to try anyway.  My decision was pure serendipity and, it turned out, most timely. The store had only introduced brioche loaves that very day. Four or five full plaited loaves loomed large on the counter.  My only thought was how was I going to eat it all!  I was assured a loaf could be frozen so left very happy.

Next day I had a breakfast that turned into an occasion, albeit a solitary one as no-one else was home. Or to put another way, did I deliberately wait until I was alone?

I couldn’t wait to open the jar.  This one was going to be eaten now. 

With one enthusiastic twist, it was done. I barely had to lean forward to inhale the aroma – there it was, a divine perfumed scent assailed my olfactory senses.  I was in heaven after just one whiff.   Had I not been able to eat the jelly, just inhaling it would suffice.  Do you ever, as I seem to do, keep sniffing the heady scent of roses or fresh coffee and you can’t get enough, so you keep on sniffing, inhaling deeper each time?  That was how it was. 

The jelly easily surpasses any jelly or jam I have ever tasted or, for that matter, made.  Pure heaven on a spoon.  I sliced some brioche from the loaf and lightly toasted and buttered them. Then I dropped pretty teaspoonfuls of beautiful, clear jelly on each slice.  I could go on but I’m sure you get the picture.

That evening, after declining a taste, I asked Bill to just take a sniff of the open jar.  He did so.  Obviously encouraged, he said he’d try a spoonful.   His comment?  “You shouldn’t have done that”.  I’ve now hidden the jar.  I didn’t really need anyone to confirm how exquisite it was.

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maple banana porridge

Right now in the winter months, I’ve been giving the muesli a break and am fuelling up with porridge in the mornings.  Creamy and warming, it’s quick and easy to make in the microwave and, of course, very nutritious.  If I’ve got a little extra time, I make this maple banana porridge, adapted from one made in a pot by Bill Granger.  This microwave version cuts down on the amount of sugar used (Bill uses brown sugar and maple syrup) but sugar lovin’ me still loves it.

Slicing the banana thinly ensures it almost dissolves into the porridge. 

Serve with milk and a little cream and of course maple syrup. 

Bill Granger serves buttered apples with his version, making it the most wonderful dish.  I save that for when I’ve got plenty of time.

maple banana porridge

For one serving (I prefer a smallish serving so feel free to adjust amounts)

¼ cup rolled porridge oats

½ banana, thinly sliced

1/3 cup water

¼ cup milk

a wee pinch of salt

to serve

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp cream

milk

Place the porridge oats, banana, water, milk and salt in a microwaveable dish (for extra convenience use your cereal bowl if it is suitable for the microwave and is deep enough for porridge not to spill over).  Stir and microwave on high for one minute.

Remove from the microwave and stir again.  Return to the microwave for another 30 second blast.  Remove and stir.   Microwave a further 30 seconds (keep an eye on it and hit the stop button if it starts to overflow).  The porridge should have cooked and be fairly creamy at this point.  If not, microwave for a further 20 seconds or so until it has reached a consistency to your liking. 

Transfer to a serving bowl (warmed would be good).  Drizzle with one teaspoon of maple syrup and a little cream and serve with milk.