Holiday in East Cape

   December has been an exciting month. A month of preparation and lots of organisation. A big family Christmas was planned which involved lots of preparation, baking and many, many lists!
   But before our busy Christmas, the hubby and I thought we would give each other the gift of time together. A small holiday was quickly planned. I had remarked that I had never visited the Bay of Plenty area. So it was decided to take advantage of our 'spare' week in December and drive to Gisborne, onto to Tokomaru Bay, Tologa Bay, Waihau Bay, Whakatane, Tauranga and back home via Taupo. We had a very special time in each place. I loved the history of the area, and everywhere we went people were so friendly and helpful. I finally managed to walk along the "most loved beach" in NZ, Ohope Beach. And a visit to the historic sites on route was truly memorable.
   In Gisborne we stumbled across Muirs Bookshop and Cafe. What a wonderful find, one of the best bookshops I have ever been to.http://www.muirsbookshop.co.nz/
   Another highlight was a meal at Roquette in Whakatane http://roquette-restaurant.co.nz/. I would recommend you try this lovely place.
   And finally, the Bay of Plenty is a bit of a photographers paradise.  I am already planning another trip in 2015.

Our first night - the Gisborne sunset

Toes in Ohope Beach - I thought the sand would be white?

Tologa Bay wharf - an amazing restoration

So many beautiful Pohutukawa trees

Historic St Marys Church

Baked Taupo Trout

Over the New Year we were invited to spend some time with extended family in a rented bach in Taupo. In driving rain we  made our way up the 'main trunk line'. Our destination, a lovely spot (nestled on the edge of  Lake Taupo) called Rainbow Point. It was a beautiful place and an ideal opportunity to relax and share some time reading, chatting, eating and drinking. Oh and the odd party game as well. Hilarious fun!
Each night a couple would prepare a dinner and clean up afterwards, the perfect solution to ensuring we were well fed  -  keeping both cooks and guests happy!

On our second day, the view from the deck. No rain at last!

Catching the last bit of the sun

On our last day the sun finally shone. It gave the fisher people in the group an opportunity to venture out and catch something for dinner. With a guides help they effortlessly caught five trout, apparently from a depth of 140 feet. With their sleek silvery bodies, they are a beautiful fish ( I thanked them for giving us their life!).
As most NZ'ers will know, you cannot buy trout commercially or eat it in a restaurant - it is a protected species in this country. So, the only way you get to eat trout is to go fishing and hope you are lucky enough to hook one on your line. I cannot remember catching (or eating trout) and I was very grateful that someone was happy to do that for me. I am not a catcher or a gutter of fish!! Getting a wriggling, gasping fish off a hook is not for fainthearted me and as for removing fish guts, no thanks.......!!
The guide on the boat gave the cook (and catcher) the following recipe. They were baked to perfection on our BBQ and served at our long table with a couple of delicious summer salads and homemade chips (sprinkled with dukka and salt and baked with a little oil). Yum! We added dill to the fish cavity but in hindsight it was felt we should have left it out as trout flesh has a very subtle flavour, some considered the dill was not required and overpowered the flavour of the fish a bit.
Baked Taupo Trout
Take one gutted and scaled fresh fish, wash clean and pat dry with a paper towel
In the cavity, sprinkle with brown sugar, lemon pepper and a little salt.
Wrap tightly in tin foil.
Bake on a hot BBQ plate for 8 mins each side.

A small wine for the cook!

Remove and peel off tin foil, the skin should just come away from the fish.
Gently remove flesh by scooping off the bone, one side at a time. The bones should
just slip/peel off, you can then easily access the underside flesh of the fish.

After dinner we took our chairs out onto the lawn and finished the night watching the amazing firework display across the lake, magic!

View of the bach from the lawn

A classic English pudding

Thinking about good wholesome food and my recent visit to England gave me the inspiration for a dessert to make for our friends last Saturday night. The weather was predicted to be wet and cold, definitely a time to bring out a great steamed pudding to warm the body and soul.
I kept weird hours during my first week home. I would 'drop like a stone' into bed at 7pm and then be awake at four in the morning ready to start the day. So it was that I found myself cooking in my nightie and slippers at 4.30am last Saturday morning.
I remembered a pudding called Spotted Dick. I had never made one. Two of my guests were originally from England (and one male guest just adores puddings) so I decided it would be perfect to make for dessert.
My research on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_dick offered an explanation to the name of the pudding. It is surely an old English favourite!
I found my recipe in Jamie Oliver's Chef 2 book - 'My Mum's Spottier Dick'. Although it is extremely easy to make, I had a small challenge, as my copy of the recipe's metric conversions were all over the place. I have altered the recipe to what I considered the correct measurements and it was perfect. Trust me - this is a completely addictive pudding! And absolutely delicious with warm runny vanilla custard and a drizzle of cream.
A kitchen hint not included in Jamie's recipe - I used my mothers tip and put an enamel plate in the bottom of the boiling pan, then placed the pudding bowl into it - it stops the bottom getting overcooked or burnt (which ends up being the top of the pudding if you know what I mean). Also, my kitchen assistant had no luck finding suet in the supermarket so I replaced it with butter. I will make it with suet next time, will just have to search further afield to find some.
On the day you make it you probably need to plan to keep the morning or afternoon aside as you need to keep an eye on your boiling pot and make sure it is kept topped up with hot water while the pudding is cooking for three hours.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
The recipe is super for a crowd, Jamie states 6 servings but I would say at least 12 reasonable servings.

My Mum’s Spottier Dick - from Jamie Oliver Chef 2

Ingredients

125g suet (or butter) grated

140g dried chopped apricots

225g raisins or sultanas

1 orange (zested)

140g plain flour

140g sugar

140g fresh breadcrumbs

2tbsp fresh grated ginger ( I used 1 tbsp syrup from a jar of preserved ginger)

Pinch grated nutmeg

Pinch salt

1 egg beaten

500ml milk

Method

Grease (really well) a 1 litre pudding basin.

Mix all the ingredients together, except the egg and milk. Add the beaten egg with milk and mix well. (I used my kitchen whizz to mix the butter with the flour then put the mixture into a large bowl, added the fruit etc and then the egg/milk mixture).

Put the mixture in the basin, cover well with tinfoil or a cloth (used about 4 layers of tinfoil – adding a pleat at the top to allow for the pudding to rise). Tie a piece of string around the bowl for easy placement and removal.  Put the basin in a large pan of boiling water – the water should be about half way up the sides of the basin. Put on a tight fitting lid and simmer for 3 hours, making sure to top up with boiling water every now and then.

Serves 6

Next day, left overs ready to be warmed through, yum!

Home is where the great food is.....

I have been on holiday this last month, in very warm nice places with great people. I was reflecting on my holiday (while on my walk this morning) and what I should share on my blog. The first thought that came into my head was, it is great to be home and the second thought was, that our little country at the bottom of the world is holding up very well against all the food and wine competition out there.
Yes we have our issues and problems. But overall New Zealanders are great people, we have scenery to die for, our coffee is great, our wines are fabulous and our choices and the quality of food is right up there. We also have lots of space to breathe and (almost) unlimited countryside to enjoy.
The one thing we don't have of course is the magnificent history and the architecture that goes with it (as they do around the world). And now and then, it is the one reason I have to travel thousands of kilometres to enjoy and experience for myself!
During my trip, our group had many meals out and while visiting villages we shopped in local markets and wineries. We oooh'd and aahhh'd at displays in shop windows. We savoured everything we ate and drank. We picked our favourites and, very often went back for more! And we agreed we were lucky to be able to enjoy this time away together.

Lunch made by Deb - La Motte style, where's the wine?

Yes, I have a number of absolute food 'stand outs' from my holiday. First, a simple entree of smoked salmon nestled on a bed of fennel salad, eating while in a fabulous setting of lush trees and buckets of colourful flowers. (I tucked into it and forgot to take a photo!)
The second was Lavender icecream, more of an experience really, it was so beautiful to look at but to me it tasted like eating hand cream!

And thirdly, an array of wonderful seafood meals at a restaurant called The Hut - with my great friend Di. We ate there every night during our Isle of Wight four day stay - right on the waterfront - watching the dazzling sea and the fading light. 

Lastly the many fabulous Rose wines in the South of France (hardly food I know), but we so enjoyed the tastings and matching the Rose with our food, cheers or should that be salute!

Leaving with our Rose purchases

While I am happy to be right here, right now - I am already thinking about my next overseas trip, maybe 2015....... the brochures have already been delivered, I'd better start saving!!.

Handmade in Welly

Recent weeks of other busyness has meant no time for blogging, so my apologies for not posting, "not good enough Kristeen"!
Before I go overseas on Wednesday (did I tell you I am going to London, Isle of Wight - onto to Paris and the South of France ) I had to post about yesterday's little gem of a moment.
As part of the 2013 Handmade conference, I attended Rosemary McLeod's Master Class on 'Never throw anything away: Clever tricks from the rag bag 1920s - 1950s'. I knew it would be good as had I attended her talk on aprons at 2012 Handmade and loved it.
Now this lady deserves a 'gong'! She is an absolute national treasure. I am in awe of her knowledge of old textiles and craft, her collection is just fantastic. She held the audience spellbound (with our 'oohs and aahs') for over an hour with her stories and sharing with us the delightful pieces she had collected over the years. They were mostly found 'ratting around' in thrift shops although she lamented the shops are not what they used to be (I agree but you can still get the odd bargain or treasure).
She commented on the difficulty of how and where she stores her treasures and I cast my mind back to the things I have held on to over the years and the things I had to toss away through lack of space (and carting them from one house to the other). Darn! I really wish I had kept that handmade and embroidered cooking apron with matching hat. It was a masterpiece! Luckily my dear daughter shares my passion for historical textiles and 'homemade' crafty things so I know my little treasures will not be 'biffed out' when I pop off but will be passed on into good hands.
Of course Rosemary is also a very successful columnist and writer. She has recently published a new book called 'With bold needle and thread', it's gorgeous and I plan to buy it on my return.
Yes, I am heading off for a little jaunt, catching up with old friends in England and spending time with great friends in Paris and staying in a villa for two weeks in la Motte in the south of France. I hope to post many stories on food, wine and a bit of song. We plan to spend a lot of time perusing the markets finding stuff to cook (and drink) each night. I know it will be lots of fun, it's just the getting there that I find a bit of a pain.
On a completely different note, yesterday I made the 1974 Edmonds Cookbook version of the Date and Walnut loaf. It was so divine, definitely an oldie but a goodie. As our afternoon tea guests were tea and coffee'd out, we ate, the still warm loaf, lavishly smeared with butter suberbly matched with a magical glass of reisling.
Now I probably won't get that combo in France....

Biking trip in Hawkes Bay

This week we had a wonderful time pedaling with friends around some of the fabulous bike trails in Napier and staying with said friends in their wonderful B & B, Hawkhill in Poraiti near Taradale. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a peaceful, beautiful stay in a picturesque setting with the best of hosts.
http://www.hawkhill.co.nz/

view from back of cottage

I couldn't get over the quality of the cycle tracks in Napier. The first one we did was along the shoreline, through wetlands, Haumoana, Te Awanga and Clifton with a delicious lunch at Clearview Winery.

wetlands on estuary

The next day we took a lovely ride along the Tuku Tuku River, lunching at the local pub   http://www.thepuketapu.co.nz/ and cycling back on the opposite side of the river, a magic day and a magic ride. Along the way we met so many people (of our vintage) enjoying the same pursuit. The cycle ways have become quite a tourist attraction in Hawkes Bay. We plan to return and do a few more of the rides on offer, they are hoping to have them all a bit more connected which would be great.
As you can imagine if you are exercising in this way you need sustenance each day (which we had in abundance) and as in previous trips each couple made a main dish and a dessert to share for an evening meal, along with matching wines of course. A great time was had by all. And I especially enjoyed the craft circle the women had in the evenings!
For my choice of meal I made a Chicken Pilaf - Ray McVinnie says it serves 6 but I have found it especially useful as it would serve more like 8-10 people.  It is perfect for a large gathering.
For dessert I made Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart which I have posted before on this blog, it never fails.
By the way I noticed Ray McVinnie earlier posted a similar chicken pilaf dish (made with brown rice) in Issue 91.
http://cuisine.co.nz/cuisine.nsf/recipes/brown-rice-chicken-pilaf?Opendocument&HighLight=2,chicken,pilaf
The cooking time is longer due to the brown rice and uses sultanas and spring onions. I am going to try this version as we prefer brown rice.
The following uses long-grain white rice, but once (when I ran low on rice) I used a mixture of basmati, brown and long-grain and it still worked well! I use home made stock but brought stock is fine too.
I forgot to take photos - sorry..... but trust me, it is delicious.
Chicken Pilaf – Cuisine Issue 134 May 2009

Ingredients

4tbsp olive oil

1 onion finely chopped

1 carrot finely chopped

1 stick of celery finely chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 cinnamon stick

½ cup currants

½ cup toasted pine nuts, plus extra for garnish

Peel of ½ preserved lemon, finely chopped

6 boneless chicken thighs, diced 2cm across the grain

½ tsp ground turmeric

2 cups long-grain white rice, well rinsed in plenty of cold water and well drained

4 cups of well flavoured chicken stock

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp chopped coriander

Spicy chutney to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 190°C. In a stove-top and ovenproof casserole, heat the oil over a moderate heat and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, currants, pine nuts, cinnamon stick, lemon peel and chicken. Fry gently, without browning for about 10 mins, until the onion is soft.

Add the turmeric, rice and stock, mix well, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.

Cover tightly and place in an oven for 25 minutes. Do not uncover during this stage for any reason.

Remove from oven and uncover, fluff up with a fork and serve sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and coriander and with your favourite spicy chutney.

Serves 6

The 'leaving' celebration dinner

A leaving celebration dinner? I suppose it could be misconstrued our friends were pleased to see us (and our dog) leave after 2 weeks staying with them. Our dowager dog was a little unfriendly and ungrateful towards their hospitable young playful dog and she stayed in her room and out of his way where possible!  Anyway, they announced they were holding a leaving dinner for us. I love cooking but I especially love having food cooked for me. And any excuse to enjoy D's fine cooking is fine with me. She said it was to be a little retro and a little of the 'different, unusual, nice' -  still fine with me I said, really, really looking forward to it I said!  We were not disappointed.
First course was a classic crayfish and prawn cocktail, SO YUM!

The crayfish reminded me of happy summer camping holidays at south Beach in Kaikoura - a place well known for its scenic beauty where the mountains meet the sea and of course for the plethora of seafood available. In those days crayfish was not the price of a small car and if you were lucky enough to know someone who dived, you could cook them really fresh straight from the sea. As we passed through Kaikoura on our way home, I planned to grab a photo for this blog but unfortunately the weather was cloudy and overcast. In spite of that I was pleasantly surprised when I got home, unaware of it at the time the shot of the bay in the 'milky' sun included a seagull in flight, I  really like it.

Second course was a middle eastern flavoured dish D had experienced at a restaurant, she worked out the ingredients and made it for us. I just love pomegranates, such a beautiful colour and I am so pleased they seem easier to get nowadays.

This dish is so surprisingly simple and delicious.

Smear dessertspoon of hummus onto dinner plate

Add lamb mince well cooked with seasoning, cumin, garlic and pomegranate molasses

Sprinkle chopped parsley and coriander on top

Add pomegranate seeds as a garnish

Serve with flat bread

Finally dessert, vanilla ice-cream softened and blended with rose water with Turkish Delight ( D included a few maltesers) stirred through, frozen in a mould and served decorated with a gorgeous garnish of pomegranate seeds - in season right now -  just wonderful!
All washed down with a number of perfectly matched wines.

The chewy Turkish delight was heaven in the ice-cream

I want to give this recipe my twist as my daughter gave me a box of chocolate coated Turkish Delight at Christmas. She knows it is my favourite and has given me a box at Christmas  for as long as I can remember. I think pistachios would look and taste good too so I think I might try that option.
I need to buy a jelly mould, the only one I have is a antique glass one in the shape of a rabbit, which is perfectly appropriate for children's parties but not so for grownup dinner parties, I don't think it would look quite right!
Watch this space and in the meantime, thank you again D and M for your wonderful hospitality and friendship over the holidays. 

Akaroa Salmon at Wainui

In between birthday parties and Christmas we decided to spend a few days at a lovely spot in Banks Peninsula, Wainui. In these parts you call it a bach, further south it may be called a crib or a holiday home. It is a special place renovated and owned by dear friends P and T, sadly T passed away at the beginning of 2011 so the place has extra meaning when we visit. There, mornings begin with fabulous deafening native bird song, which continues quietly through the day and into the twilight. I just love it, we always find it the perfect place to relax, or read, or chat about the year gone and the one ahead.  We also love the walks along the valley road and the Wainui waterfront. Thank you P, we will book again for next year.

The bay had a visit from a huge cruise ship, providing an interesting thing to gaze upon (and dream) from the bach balcony.

Time for a chat

And of course it is also a great place to sample some new recipes and wines to match. This visit we decided a simple BBQ was in order for the first night and cold smoked Akaroa salmon for the next night. Both dishes accompanied by fabulous seasonal vegetables. It was a classic 'coals to Newcastle' moment as the salmon farm is very near where we were staying, a good thing -  as I also knew you could purchase Akaroa Salmon from the wharf at Wainui. So, one early morning visit scored a beautiful fish (about 5kg) that I knew would be perfect for the Christmas Eve party we were to attend that night (where we were staying).

We stuffed it with 1/2 cup chopped fennel, two spring onions, two sliced lemons, salt and pepper and rubbed the outside with olive oil. Baked at 200 degrees (wrapped in tinfoil) for about 40 minutes, we let it rest for about 1/2 hour before removing the tinfoil and serving with a crusty bread and aioli. Armed with their forks 17 very happy party goers devoured it. So simple, so absolutely fabulous!  

A change is as good as a rest!

Well that was an interesting trip! I have just returned home from Minneapolis in the U.S. (to attend a N.F.P conference), so surprised by the quality and presentation of the food in this city, everything was lovely and fresh and tasted great! I take it all back about America, you just have to find the right city and follow the advice from the locals about where to eat!!

I had some really memorable meals, made very special by the company of 'Minnesota Nice' people. The local specialities were panfried Walleye fish and a Wild Rice soup, simple but delish!
The weather was hot, the sky a bright blue every day and it was lovely to explore and shop. The Thursday food market in the CBD offered everything imaginable! One lunch plate I enjoyed was a wonderful crab meat salad at the Mission restaurant, the best I have ever, ever tasted!

Another stand out meal was a visit to a Spanish restaurant where I was treated to the daily special - two tapas, handmade quacamole with corn chips (forget the packages ones - these were to die for!) and mini tortillas with succulent prawns smothered in a  gorgeous sauce and a squeeze of lime juice, washed down with a a bottle of Mexican lime soda - divine!! I felt very happy eating while sitting on a high stool at the bar (yes that's me in the mirror!)
My time in Minneapolis was a great experience but as they say there is no place like home....
I'm definitely going to try and make that Wild Rice soup....

Off to the big smoke!

I am off to a conference (not a foodie one) in Minneapolis in the US. I have never been to Minnesota before and as any foodie would, I Googled to check where it was!! and to check out the places to explore and eat. After the conference I get to spend four days on my own sightseeing and shopping. Boy oh boy am I going to be busy!! We are spoilt for choice in the Capital but I really want to take this opportunity to try some totally different food. I know their reputation is not great - lots of processed, fast food etc but I am willing to take on the challenge! I am told the best way to find out the good places to eat is to ask the locals - which is what I intend to do!
I was explaining all this to friends today saying I am looking forward to trying some of their wines in particular, the reply was "well NZ makes the best wine, the best lamb and the best coffee in the world", I couldn't argue with that - so why am I even thinking of bothering......! Oh well - I'm sure to get some great shots with my camera!?
I will report on the outcome of my challenge on my return...

Off to the big smoke!

I am off to a conference (not a foodie one) in Minneapolis in the US. I have never been to Minnesota before and as any foodie would, I Googled to check where it was!! and to check out the places to explore and eat. After the conference I get to spend four days on my own sightseeing and shopping. Boy oh boy am I going to be busy!! We are spoilt for choice in the Capital but I really want to take this opportunity to try some totally different food. I know their reputation is not great - lots of processed, fast food etc but I am willing to take on the challenge! I am told the best way to find out the good places to eat is to ask the locals - which is what I intend to do!
I was explaining all this to friends today saying I am looking forward to trying some of their wines in particular, the reply was "well NZ makes the best wine, the best lamb and the best coffee in the world", I couldn't argue with that - so why am I even thinking of bothering......! Oh well - I'm sure to get some great shots with my camera!?
I will report on the outcome of my challenge on my return...

Holiday time in Lake Tekapo region

View on bike ride

I can thoroughly recommend a holiday in April in this area. For four days we had perfect weather, lots of lovely walks, hot pools to dip in (or out!) and plenty of fabulous places to ride our bikes. On the first day we went on a challenging 6k circuit ride and walk to Lake McGregor and over the hills back to our bach (think the Sound of Music here!) and an even more challenging 27k ride (with the Mackenzie Tours van hovering behind us!) around Lake Tekapo. The views were just magic, not a breath of wind and surrounded by towering mountains! We took Anzac biscuits and Jazz apples for a snack, they have never tasted better than when we stopped for our rest half way!

We all made the trip in about 3 hours which is not bad considering our lack of build up training. A very memorable holiday with great friends!

Holiday time in Lake Tekapo region

View on bike ride

I can thoroughly recommend a holiday in April in this area. For four days we had perfect weather, lots of lovely walks, hot pools to dip in (or out!) and plenty of fabulous places to ride our bikes. On the first day we went on a challenging 6k circuit ride and walk to Lake McGregor and over the hills back to our bach (think the Sound of Music here!) and an even more challenging 27k ride (with the Mackenzie Tours van hovering behind us!) around Lake Tekapo. The views were just magic, not a breath of wind and surrounded by towering mountains! We took Anzac biscuits and Jazz apples for a snack, they have never tasted better than when we stopped for our rest half way!

We all made the trip in about 3 hours which is not bad considering our lack of build up training. A very memorable holiday with great friends!

Breakfast patties from leftovers!

We recently had a fabulous time on holiday with friends, staying in a bach on the shores of Lake Alexandrina (near Lake Tekapo). We arranged for each couple to bring and make food for one night. First night we had lovely fresh pan fried Snapper (caught by our Wellington friends near Takaka), second night a lovely dish of marinated Roast Lamb (which included Pomegranate Molasses - recipe to be posted) and when my turn came I cooked a Savoury Mince Roll which went down well. Of course we had desserts too, Rhubarb and Apple crumble and Fejioa Fool - all absolutely delicious. While I did not cook a dessert my Quince Paste was lovely with a sharp cheddar and lovely wine of course!

Breakfasts were a mixed affair but on the last day we had left over mashed potatoes and a few odd vegetables in the cooler so I made the good old standard 'Left over patties'. My mother was an expert on these and I thought of her while making them... 

Easy as, just gently fry finely chopped spring onion (or red onion finely chopped) with finely chopped bacon or ham and a grated zucchini. In a bowl mix about 1/2 cup of tasty grated cheese and a beaten egg, add the cooked mixture and what mashed vegetables you have left over and gently combine. If you have peas - add them, or if you have left over carrots or cabbage -  finely chop them up and add too. Make sure the mixture is not too sloppy. With clean hands form into small patties and dust in a bit of flour. Fry in a little oil or butter - gently turn so they don't break and when cooked keep warm while you cook a few eggs to go on top or with your toast!  Serve with slow roasted tomatoes too, Yum!