winosandfoodies

Do My Buns Look Big In Cinnamon

Another Daring Bakers challenge , which I baked and drafted my post before going on holiday, - Cinnamon Buns or Sticky Buns. Cinnamon Buns looked the easiest and because I was very busy with preparations before leaving for 2 months in Australia I went with Cinnamon. Although I'm sure the Sticky Buns were very nice. I bet they were just that little bit more fattening than the Cinnamon...and I was going to a sunny spot with a beautiful beach  .  I'm already a little concerned about fitting into, what I grew up in Australia calling bathers, here in New Zealand they call them togs.

I had no problems, everything went smoothly, the dough sat quietly on the bench growing bigger while I did other things.  I shaped it and set it on the tray for its second rise while I went for a walk.  The oven was turned on when I arrived home and in they went. Twenty five minutes later they were ready.  I set up the camera while I waited for them cool down sufficiently before drizzling them with the icing.  A few quick photos while the tea was brewing and we sat down to eat one.  I say one, because I made them quite large. Next time I'd make them a tad smaller.

Visit the Daring Bakers  to see how the other Daring Bakers handled this assignment. September's challenge was chosen by Marce at Pip In The City.  Thank you Marce, and thanks to Lis  and Ivonne , the founders of The Daring Bakers.  The recipe is from  Peter Reinharts The Bread Bakers Apprentice.

Postcard From Australia #2

Missing you but having a great time. Love this weather. Walks on the beach each morning.  Swimming nearly every day.  Enjoyed a great meal last night at Champagne .  Have been to a couple of cheap Italian restaurants for dinners and a nice Vietnamese place for lunch. David and Jan Marie arrive this afternoon from Perth to spend a few days with us.  Wish you were here.

Hay Hay Its Donna Day - Tarts #2

Here is my very quick entry to the latest Hay Hay Its Donna Day. Baked in some one else's kitchen and downloaded on some one else's computer. Even on holiday Hay Hay Its Donna Day is important... although I've had a few computer problems.

There is no set recipe, just cut out some squares of puff pastry, prick with a fork, bake in a hot oven till puffed and golden. Cover with some sliced strawberries, sprinkle on a little sugar and caramalise under the grill till bubbling...or use a chef's torch if you have one.

Thanks to Sarini at http://www.trinigourmet.com/ for hosting this months Hay Hay Its Donna Day. You have until September 29th to get your entries to Sarina at HHDD@TriniGourmet.com

Post Card From Australia #1

Lovely weather, sun shining, a typical late afternoon thunderstorm yesterday. On Friday had lunch at Mecca  in Brisbane with The Old Foodie.   They make a superb Borek - really light and crispy. Very happy with the  books she brought back from London for me.   Enjoyed hearing all about her adventures at the  Oxford Symposium.  Off to the markets today.  Wish you were here.

Hugs

Barbara

Time For A Break

Tomorrow I leave for two months in Australia.  Even though I'm on holiday  I'll be keeping on eye on all my favourite blogs, with the help of my Google Reader. I can't believe it took me so long to organise myself into having my computer tell me when some one has posted.  Think of all those hours I spent checking blogs each day.  I plan on posting a couple of times a week from Australia so have placed my blog feed on the top right hand side if anyone wants to add it to their feed.

We will be spending the first month on the Gold Coast  where we are to house sit for our friends. Then down to Melbourne  for  a week before picking up a motor home  and heading back up to the Gold Coast via the inland highway to attend a wedding in November.

Our plan is to spend time driving through the Murray Darling Basin which is where 176,000 hectares of land are devoted to growing 1.6 million tonnes of rice. You can see I'm one of those people who plans holidays around food. The region also has plenty of vineyards  and we will spend time in Rutherglen, Echuca  and The Riverina .

To keep spam under control I've added word verification for comments. I know it's a pain but it avoids all the nasty spammers on my comments when I am not checking my blog daily.

Stop the Traffik Chocolate

"In my mouth the chocolate broke at first like gravel into many separate, disagreeable bits. I began to wonder if I could swallow them. Then they grew soft, and melted voluptuously into a warm stream down my throat.  The little doctor came bustling up, his proudly displayed alpenstock tucked under his one short arm. " Here! Wait, wait!" he cried  "Never eat chocolate without bread, young lady!" Very bad for the interior, very bad. My General you are remiss."

And in two minutes my mouth was full of fresh bread, and melting chocolate, and as we sat gingerly, the three of us, on the frozen hill, looking down into the valley where  Vercingetorix had fought so splendidly, we peered shyly and silently at each other and chewed at one of the most satisfying things I have ever eaten." I thought vaguely of the metamorphisis of wine and bread.

From Long Ago In France by MFK Fisher

Rachael over at  Rkhooks  is supporting  Stop The Traffik Chocolate , an incentive to stop the use of child labour in chocolate production. You have until 5th October to create and post a chocolate recipe to participate...and there's a prize...which includes chocolate.

With all I need to do before flying off to Australia tomorrow I didn't have  time to make a chocolate recipe. I wanted to support Rachel and Stop The Traffik Chocolate  when I remembered the passage from Mary Frances' book Long Ago In France. I would take some on our  trek to the summit of Rangitoto Island . I had a bar of Green & Blacks Maya Gold Chocolate in the cupboard. Green & Blacks  Maya Gold was the first UK product to receive  the FairTrade mark in 1994.   

Before I left home I broke  off a couple of squares and popped them into some fresh bread. It wasn't a particularly hot day so to help with the melting process Bryan carried them in his pocket. It didn't melt as much as I'd have liked, but it did go well with the champagne. Chocolate also goes well with bananas.

Hay Hay It's Donna Day - Tarts Mark 2

Trini Gourmet has chosen this Donna Hay Caramelised Onion and Anchovy Tart as the latest Hay Hay Its Donna Day challenge. You may make the recipe as posted over at Trini Gourmet or by adding your own spin to the original recipe.

Deadline for entries is 29th September 2007. After you post, please send an email to HHDD@TriniGourmet.com with the following information: your name, the name of your blog, your recipe’s name or title, your location, and the permalink to your HHDD post.

Champagne on Rangitoto Island

After my last surgery on 26th June I set myself three goals.
1. Walk 1k from home to the Thai restaurant within a week of leaving hospital.
2. Walk the length and back of Takapuna Beach  within 1 month.
3. Walk to the summit of Rangitoto Island within 3 months.

Yesterday we carried a picnic lunch and a bottle of champagne to the top of Rangitoto to complete the final goal.... with two weeks to go before my three months is up.  On Tuesday we are off to Australia for two months and this week was my last opportunity to achieve goal three. We had planned on going with some friends this weekend, but the weather forecast wasn't looking good.  Yesterday when the day dawned fine without rain on the horizon  we grabbed food, water and champagne, rushed down to Devonport Wharf in time for the 9.25AM ferry and set off. And as much as we missed the company of John and Mo we didn't have to share the champagne.

Rangitoto Island is a 15 minute boat ride across from Auckland. Unspoilt by tourism there are no shops. One set of  toilets at the base of the summit are the only facilities.

At 260 metres it is recommended you allow 1 hour to reach the summit. In the past I've made it there in 45 minutes. Yesterday I was a bit slower at 1 hour 20 minutes. And here was my reward.

Here are a few pics of the walk to the summit. Click on photos to enlarge.

 

Liqueur 44

44 coffee beans, 44 sugar cubes, 1 orange and 750ml vodka,  steep for 44 days. Whadda ya get? Liqueur 44, something that tastes remarkably like Grand Marnier . Not as syrupy as Grand Marnier,   Liqueur  44  is a well known  European home made aperitif.  I found the recipe in a Patricia Wells cookbook.

Not having access to 44 sugar cubes I replaced them with 9 tablespoons sugar. I also added a vanilla bean to give it another dimension. I put the vanilla bean in whole, next time I'll split the bean for a more vanilla flavour. The aroma is of orange with the coffee, smelling almost like chocolate,  following through.  On the palate the coffee taste hits first followed by an orange aftertaste.

To make your own liqueur 44 make small slits in the orange peel and stud with the coffee beans. Place in a large jar, spoon in the sugar and cover with  vodka. then leave to sit in a dark cool place for 44 days. Shake jar each day until sugar has dissolved.  After 44 days decant liquor into a bottle. Serve as an aperitif, after dinner liqueur or mixed with sparkling wine, for a long drink.

Others have been making their own booze too. Figs Olives  Wine  made creme de cassis. 18th Century Cuisine  has a recipe for cherry ratafia.....and here is a recipe for limoncello.  For the complete Liqueur 44 recipe  visit Food Downunder .

UPDATE: Cookiecrumb is at it too.

Tea From China

My friend Ryoko , who has been so busy with her new career she hasn't had time to blog, spent a few days on holiday in China.  Instead of a postcard I  received something much more exciting in my letterbox.  The beautiful flower above starts out as an ugly little duckling.

Add some hot water and it starts to look a little less ugly.

Leave it for a little while and you will see its beauty emerging.

Finally you will have a cup of tea that is as pretty as it is refreshing.

For some really good information about tea visit Joey at 80 Breakfasts  and read her tea post.

UPDATE: Many of you have asked about the taste and smell of the tea. It has a very delicate aroma, slightly, and only slightly, smokey. The taste has far less tannin than black or green tea. It has a very  light smoked, fruit taste, but only very light. There is no hint of the floral taste  you experience in an Earl Gray tea.  It is not a big in your face tea but more an elegant refined tea.

Walnut Tea Cake

This started out as  Walnut Tea Bread to serve with the creamy wedge of goats cheese melting on my bench. A lack of several of the main ingredients and I ended up with a rather nice cake to enjoy with a cup of tea...and from my pantry cleaning project I used up some more sultanas and all of the walnuts. The recipe has been adapted from the November 2006 issue of the brilliant New Zealand publication Dish magazine.

WALNUT TEA CAKE

180 grams butter at room temperature
180 grams  sugar
zest of 1 orange finely grated
3 eggs
180 grams four sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
80 grams chopped walnuts
80 grams sultanas

Preheat oven to 180C.
Lightly grease a 20 cm spring form cake pan. Line base with baking paper.
Cream the butter and sugar and orange zest until pale and creamy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Using a large metal spoon gently fold in the sifted flour, baking powder, walnuts and sultanas through the mixture.
Spoon cake into prepared pan and bake in oven for 40 minutes or until skewer, inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin.
Remove baking paper from base and serve.

An Italian Outing in Auckland

Our friend David from the Italian Trade office invited us along to yesterday's   Italian Day organised by Societa Dante Alighieri  in Auckland. Here are few pictures taken of the food and wine on the day.  I particularly enjoyed the eggplant salad. Leave a comment if you have surefire eggplant salad recipe. Or that should be aubergine in Italian.


click on any photo to enlarge

Zoomie's Pear Crostade

Lucky Cookiecrumb has a pear tree in her back yard.  I don't, so the next best thing is to pick some from the huge table of pears at the Sunday market.  These pears are not good enough for the shops because they aren't perfect pears.  They are just like the pears I would pick if I had a tree in my back yard.

I've printed off a couple of Zoomie's  recipe, who happens to be on Cookiecrumbs pear giving list. This is the first Zoomie recipe I've made - the Pear Crostade .  The ingredients are much the same, I just constructed mine a little differently.

PEAR CROUSTADE

Crust:
1 cup flour
1-1/2 TBS sugar
1/8 tsp salt
6 TBS chilled butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
1-1/2 TBS ice water (or you may need a little more)
1 egg yolk

Filling:
3 firm but ripe pears, peeled, quartered, cored and cut into 1/2" wedges (if small, use 4 5 pears)
3 TBS sugar
2 TBS flour
2 lemons, well washed zested and juiced.
freshly grated nutmeg

Topping:
2 TBS flour
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS chilled butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

CRUST: Mix flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Add butter until coarse crumbs. Transfer to bowl. Mix egg yolk and 1/2 TBS ice water in small bowl. Using fork, blend to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into a disc. Wrap and chill until firm, about one hour. Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Roll out dough on floured parchment paper to fit a quiche dish.

FILLING: Toss pears, sugar, flour, lemon juice and nutmeg in a large bowl. Overlap pear slices to cover base.

TOPPING: Rub butter into flour and sugar as if making a crumble. Sprinkle over top of pie. Bake tart until crust is golden and filling bubbles, about 45 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream.

Auckland Hospitality Show 2007

Here are a few photos taken at the Culinary Fare  which was part of the New Zealand Hospitality Show. The Culinary Fare is like the olympics of the cooking world.  I love to see what the students  are producing. My favourite part of the show though is the Toque D'or , where teams compete by producing a three course meal with the sponsors products.  I love the butter carvings. Click on any picture to enlarge them.

A few weeks ago I received the  from the delightful Helene at Tartelette.  My choice for the schmooze award goes to Kelly the Culinarian who always leaves a nice message when she visits Winos and Foodies.

Sultana Scones

My fridge is looking very bare. In two weeks time we are going to spend a couple of months in Australia.  I'm cleaning out the fridge and pantry by using as many items as possible before we go. This week I used up the last of the self raising flour and some of the sultanas with this scone recipe from the BBC website. I doubled the original amount of sultanas.  The original 25 grams didn't look to be enough. The 50 grams was just perfect.

Ingredients
225g/8oz self raising flour
pinch of salt
55g/2oz butter
50g/2oz sultanas
25g/1oz caster sugar
150ml/5fl oz milk

Method
1. Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Mix together the flour and salt and rub in the butter.
3. Stir in the sultanas, sugar and then the milk to get a soft dough.
4. Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat out to a round 2cm/¾in thick. Use a 5cm/2in cutter to stamp out rounds and place on a baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.
5. Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden.
6. Cool on a wire rack and serve with butter and good jam and maybe some clotted cream.

I served them with butter so I could use the last of my Burro-Butter Francia from Italy. I have a whole packet of sago so if  you have any suggestions for sago leave a comment.

 

Tami's Soup Challenge 2007

Tami at Running With Tweezers  is hosting her annual Soup Challenge in honour of her late Mother.  Here is my entry to honour TamI's Mum.
When I make soup it is usually with what ever was fresh at the market. This morning I found tiny leeks and new seasons rocket.

SPRING GREEN SOUP

1 tablespoon oil
1 bunch of small leeks green tops removed,washed and sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 cups rocket, shredded
1 cup frozen peas
1 litre water
salt and pepper to season

Heat oil in medium saucepan and  sauté leeks. Add garlic and sauté a further minute.
Cover with water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer 10 minutes.
Add rocket and peas, return to boil and simmer a further 5 minutes.  To retain the fresh green colour it is important to not overcook the vegetables.
Blend with a stick blender, adjust seasoning and serve.

Hay Hay TriniGourmet's A Winner

Lynn at  CaféLynnylu has announced the winner of the Hay Hay Its Donna Day #14 - Gnocchi. Congratulations to Sarina of TriniGourmet , who you voted the best HHDD entry this month. Her beautifully light Gnocchi Pomodoro looks so appealing. 
Thanks to Lynn for hosting and selecting gnocchi as the theme.  I'm looking forward to Sarina's choice for the next event. Thank  you to everyone who entered.  As always every entry was special.