winosandfoodies

Senbloodysensational Dinner at Aria

We started with Champagne and Canapes in the bar before moving to the special chef's table.  I won't describe it as I would hate to spoil it for anyone who might decide to go there.  The champagne was NV Egly-Ourient 'Brut Tradition'.  I can't find a website for them  but Cam has written about them   here ,  Dave here and  also Ed here .

Here are the pics of the food with the name and wine served underneath.   Click on the picture to enlarge.

SYDNEY ROCK OYSTER
with ponzu dressing and cucumber.
Delgado Zuleta 'La Goya' Manzilla, Sanlucar Spain

CONFIT OF PETUNA OCEAN TROUT
with beetroot mousse and horseradish creme fraiche.
2006 Scorpo Rosé, Mornington Peninsula

PEKING DUCK CONSOMME
with dumplings, shaved abalone and mushrooms.
2002 Metier 'Tarraford Vineyard' Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN SCAMPI
wrapped in Tunisian brick pastry and served with gremolata.
2004 Hirsch 'Zobing" Riesling, Kamptal Austria

TWICE COOKED KUROBUTA SWEET PORK BELLY
with pear salad and cider dressing.
2004 Denis Pommier Chablis, Burgundy France

ROAST BEEF FILLET
with braised oxtail, hand rolled macaroni and cepe mushrooms.
2005 First Drop 'Mincha' Montepulciano, Adelaide Hills

A PALATE CLEANSER SORBET

COCONUT SORBET AND CHILLED PAW PAW SOUP
with poached vanilla pineapple and roasted coconut.
2005 Eric Bordelet 'Poire Granit' Cider, Normandy France

COFFEE AND PETIT FOURS

And still more

MINI PISTACHIO MADELAINES WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

........and we can't celebrate two birthdays without a little birthday cake can we.

Matt  had a couple of other little surprises in store for us to make the night extra special.

My all time  favourite Jamon Ibérico  .....

..and Black Truffle on Wagyu Beef .

So what were the favourites you ask. Well for me the Wagyu beef with Truffle and the Montepulciano from Adelaide Hills.  The majority of the group also chose the Montepulciano for their favourite wine and most chose the Peking Duck Consomme as their favourite taste sensation, although the Pork Belly came a close second.

And now I'm sure you'd like a peek in the kitchen.

And although it wasn't my birthday the Birthday Boy and wife kindly surprised me with an autographed copy of Matt's book  to take home. I've already chosen the first recipe to make.

 

I'm Back But Busy

Lots to tell but it will have to wait. Come back on the weekend for photos of our dinner at Aria.

I'd like to say welcome to any new readers who arrived here from the article in the April edition of New Zealand House and Garden .   Do also visit the other New Zealand food and wine bloggers on my right hand side bar.

A Quick Trip To Sydney for Dinner

This is where I'll be eating dinner on Saturday night.  A good friend is celebrating a birthday ending in a zero and he has chosen to celebrate with a small group of friends in the kitchen of  this restaurant.   How lucky are we to be included in this select group?

We're off to Sydney on Thursday and will spend the following five days celebrating. See you next week.

You Are What You Eat Meme

I was tagged for this by Noshes Thoughts and Reves.

You Are What You Eat

If you were stuck on an island and could only eat one cuisine (e.g., French, Italian, etc.) for the rest of your life, what would it be? Why?

It would depend on who’s doing the cooking. If  I’m cooking it would be Italian but if there is a restaurant I would hope it was Thai.  Why – because I find cooking Italian easier than Thai but I really love Thai.

What is the most unusual food you've eaten?

I don’t think I’ve eaten anything I would consider unusual. I have eaten crocodile meat, ostrich meat and horse meat which may seem unusual to many people but I just think of them as meat.

What is the most unusual food you've eaten and liked?

When I was about 10 we ate these little pink flowers that grew in the grass outside our school. They obviously weren’t deadly as we are all still here. They had a sweet and sour taste.

What foods will you avoid eating (either because of a dietary choice or allergies or just plain don't like)?

Feet – chicken feet which I’m told are delicious or pigs trotters. I keep picturing the yard and all that poo and the animals or birds walking in it.

Do you cook (and by that, I mean prepare a meal that you'd serve to friends)?

Is the Pope a Catholic? Of course.

If yes, what is your favorite dish to prepare to impress someone?

I don’t cook to impress. I like to cook what ever is in season and always choose the best produce available regardless of the price. I will usually cook slow roasted lamb for overseas guests.

When you go to a restaurant, what's your ordering strategy/preference?

Firstly I like to have a good table. My husband says I’m like a cat moving from table to table until I find the spot I’m happiest in. I have no problem asking the Maitre’ d for a better table if I don’t like the one we have been allocated with. I will peruse the food menu and then the wine menu and usually select a dish to complement the wine I wish to drink.

Have you ever returned a dish or wine to the kitchen at a restaurant? Why?

 Yes, years ago I once returned some deep fried chicken legs which were undercooked. Today I can’t believe I actually ordered deep fried chicken legs. But I was young and slim back then.  At times I’ve told the wait person if I wasn’t impressed with something when they collect the plate. I will also tell them if I was impressed with the meal.

How many cookbooks do you own?

When we moved house I cleaned out a lot of books I felt weren’t worth keeping. I’m not running upstairs to count them so I’m guessing about thirty remain.

What is one food that you wouldn't want to live without?

 Bread. I love bread. I eat it in so many ways. Dipped in oil, with runny cheese, toasted and rubbed with garlic and topped with a slice of ripe tomato,  soaked in eggs, milk and sugar and baked in the oven, scooping up gravy after a stew, with serrano ham and a glass of rustic red, wrapped around a piece of dark chocoalte which has softened in the sun, under a poached egg. The list is endless.

I'm now tagging  Chris  and Beccy .

 

 

Hay Hay Say Cheese For Donna

I'm not quite up to mixing and blending yet so  I had my son sous chef  make my entry for Hay Hay Its Donna Day #10 - Cheesecake. He insisted on replacing the plain vanilla biscuits with Oreos  . We didn't bother with any almond meal as in the original recipe but just blitzed the entire packet of Oreos in the blender and added the melted butter.  The sous chef thinks next time we should blitz two packets and make a thicker base.

Muffin Mania

Remember when I made  these English Muffins ? I discovered the recipe in the weekly food column in the  New Zealand Listener .  After 23 years and 936 columns the woman who brought those (Marion Maddox)  English muffins to us,  Lois Daish,    is retiring. 

Thanks to the food blogging community the muffins took on  a life of their own.  Sam at Becks and Posh was the first to try them and was then followed by Nicky and Oliver at Delicious Days.  Last week  Elise at  Simply Recipes  mentioned them and I'm sure half of America had them for breakfast this week.  I know from reading my stats they have been featured on various forums.

I'm going to miss Lois. In a round about way I have featured in one of her columns.  Long before I ever knew about blogging I attended a food writers workshop where Lois was a speaker. Her column the following week was based on a workshop activity we had enjoyed. Lois split us into pairs and we had to interview our partner on the question.  "If you had to leave your house quickly because of a fire which cookbook would you take with you?"   Interestingly the results were fairly even with half opting for the book with a collection of favourite recipes from  family and friends and the half opting to save there technical cookbook which they refer to for the basics.

I'm not sure who will be replacing Lois at the Listener.  They better be good. 

Food Bloggers Rock

No vacuuming or lifting heavy pots for 4 - 6 weeks the doctor said. That I can live with.  Two weeks after surgery and the most I can manage is to stir the porridge.  I am so looking forward to getting back in the kitchen and actually cooking a meal. And taking a photograph.

I really appreciate the messages everyone has sent. And I have been lucky to receive some lovely foodie items in the mail from my NZ blogger friends. 

From Arfi  some wonderful homemade fruit pastes made with fruit from her own orchard.

Paul  has kindly sent me some real marmalade made in New Zealand -  Anathoth Breakfast Marmalade  and  Barkers Mandarin and Ginger .

And from Bron  some chocolates and an Audrey Hepburn DVD.

Thanks Arfi, Paul and Bron. And thank you to everyone that has sent lovely supportive emails and messages.

Hay Hay Its Donna Day #10 - Cheescake

Head on over and visit Peabody at  Culinary Concoctions  .  She is the lastest host of Hay Hay Its Donna Day and has chosen a Donna Hay Baked Cheesecake for this event.  Peabody has made the Donna version. You can make one the same or add your own touches to make it your own special baked cheesecake.  Post on your blog and send the details to Peabody (luvbriere (at) gmail (dot) com) by 17th March. The round up will be posted by 24th March and you can then vote for your favourite.