Eat New Zealand - Issue 7

ISSUE 7• APRIL 2015

Sweet

Couture Natural

Wine

+&Cheese much more

www.eatmag.co.nz

CONTENTS 3.................EDITORIAL 4.................APRIL EVENTS 6.................FEATURE 10...............YES CHEF 14...............BAKING 16...............DRINKS 20...............VIBRANT VEGE 22...............CHEESE CULTURE 24...............GIVEAWAYS

Have you subscribed to Eat New Zealand? It’s free!

www.eatmag.co.nz

2

www.eatmag.co.nz

editorial

W

ith the days getting shorter and cooler, Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year especially when it comes to eating.

This month we have some lovely recipes from new contributors Emma Tucker and Emma Robinson. We also have a recipe from Marco Edwardes, chef at Te Whau Vineyard and Restaurant on Waiheke and a beautiful Easter recipe utilising Zany Zeus Cheeses - they won Champion Fresh Cheese at the recent New Zealand Champion of Cheese Awards. We also have some amazing natural wines selected by Elissa Jordan to go with all of these.

Please Contact Us ABOUT Short, sharp and sweet, Eat New Zealand is New Zealand’s free monthly e-magazine for passionate Kiwi food and cooking enthusiasts.

EDITOR Jules van Cruysen

If you have a sweet tooth, check out our feature on two Auckland pastry chefs, Giapo Grazoli and Brian Campbell who are both breaking away from the confines of their restaurants/shops and pushing the boundaries of what is dessert.

Thank you to all our contributors and you the readers, if you have a story idea do not hesitate to get in touch with me at jules@eatmag.co.nz

Jules ✉ GROUP EDITOR Richard Liew ART DIRECTOR Jodi Olsson CONTENT ENQUIRIES Email Jules on jules@eatmag.co.nz ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Phone Jennifer Liew on 09 522 7257 or email jenniferl@espiremedia.com

www.eatmag.co.nz

3

THIS MONTH

April

A few new openings this month.

Late last year, one of Wellingtons finest wine bars Arbitrageur closed its doors.

It has recently opened as Annam, owned an upmarket Vietnamese/ French restaurant which features eastern inspired cocktails and a vibrant decor change.

Likewise, long time wine bar Vivo on Edward Street is now Thief Bar.

4

www.eatmag.co.nz www.eatnz.co.nz

If you are hankering after some classic French Bistro fare, do not overlook Le Chef on Victoria Street West in Auckland.

If you want something of an East (Far East) and West (South-West) vibe look no further than Woodpecker Hill which combines BBQ with Asian flavours and has, by the looks of it, one hell of a wine list.

Also hot is the new Pilkingtons on Shortland Street, which bills itself as Bar, Terrace and Kitchen the vibe and menus look extremely inviting.

Correction: Last issue we said that Jano Bistro in Wellington was at 270 Cuba Street, is, in fact, a couple of blocks over at 270 Willis Street.

www.eatmag.co.nz

5

FEATURE

Sweet

Couture WORDS BY Jules van Cruysen

T

he pastry section of a restaurant is one of the most specialised.

However, it is usually shoehorned in at the end of your gastronomic journey in a restaurant so that pastry chefs rarely get the acclaim they deserve.

Two Auckland chefs are changing this; one is Giapo Grazoli is the larger than life gelato maestro at Giapo: Haute Ice Cream. The other is Brian Campbell, the former pastry chef at Milse a restaurant built around his talents by Auckland’s Hip Group. Brian recently launched Sweet Cuisine, which sees him host various pop-up dessert events in Auckland’s finest eateries. Both are looking for new outlets for their creative crafts.

6

www.eatmag.co.nz

Sweet Cuisine by Brian Campbell launched by quickly selling out dessert degustations at Merediths and Sidart followed with the more casual Sundae Sessions at Imas Deli. With over 15 years experience, Brian is relishing the ability to work in different environments wanting to create “something for everyone” with events designed to fit the location.

Even in more formal environments he doesn’t want to be stuffy, and promises that each of his creations will have “something surprising,” with his plated desserts and tasting menus tending to be more avant-garde. Like any top notch restaurant menu, his are focused around celebrating seasonality and local produce.

As a master of his craft, Brian seeks balance in his desserts which enables him to serve them together as a menu.

He describes his sugar content as very low, saying that if a dessert he creates is noticeably sweet, it is too sweet.

However, his Sweet Cuisine pop-ups are only temporary. He intends to use them as a stepping stone to finding his own location.

Where Brian is laid back and relaxed, Giapo bursts with enthusiasm. His Queen Street gelateria serves about 1000 cones daily and everything, including the cone, is made from scratch every day. Sitting in store with him, he darts in and out of the conversation. He is constantly giving tips and instructions to his staff.

While Giapo speaks with an Italian accent, you can tell immediately he is a kiwi.

His flavours, other than Tiramisu and his

signature ‘Giapo’ (salted caramel served with Italian meringue, amaretto biscuits and gold plated hazelnuts) all scream of Kiwiana and are full of memories from my childhood.

Did I mention this is not just ice cream, a cone at Giapo costs up to $18 - yes, for one cone! Each is garnished with accompaniments to accentuate and counterpoint the flavours, something unheard of in his native Italy.

Giapo describes himself as having a huge responsibility, over 80% of his customers are international visitors and for many a visit to Giapo is their first both figurative and literal taste of New Zealand. That is 300,000 visitors to New Zealand every year; his responsibility is to these customers, but more so to New Zealand. He feels it is his personal obligation to ensure that each guest is treated very well.

www.eatmag.co.nz

7

8

www.eatmag.co.nz

He also feels a responsibility to his staff, many of whom work long hours. His chefs now push him out of the kitchen when he comes to experiment as their production demands are so high each day.

But he says that he is most inspired by “human potential”.

While his location seems ideal for the business, he has outgrown it, again both literally and figuratively. While Queen Street is most visitors first stop off the bus after landing here he bemoans the strip saying that, “the only attraction on the street is me.”

Giapo has continually focused on honing his craft, using whatever ingredients and tools he can to make his product better.

These include 3D printers and developing sugar free gelato bases, gluten free waffle cones and warm ice cream. He describes making all of the ingredients fresh each day and prepared in front of the customer to order, Ice Cream a-la-minute. His next

step on his journey is Ice Cream Super a-la-minute where “even the ice cream is done for you right there”, that is, frozen and churned to order with the use of liquid nitrogen.

He also seems tired of the confines of cone and cup. Because there is no room for tables these are the only vessels that work in the current location meaning that he is limited in what he can do. Giapo describes himself as an artist; his medium just happens to be ice cream. It is obvious that he has not finished expressing himself and needs to keep growing to do this.

Being unbound from traditional confines has allowed these two chefs to push the boundaries; exploring the intersection between art, science and craft. They are changing not only your dinner but challenging the status quo of how we think about food.

Jules van Cruysen is the editor of Eat NZ Magazine and a Wellington based food and drinks writer. You can read his work at XYEats.com and follow him on twitter at @xy_eats.

www.eatmag.co.nz

9

YES CHEF

Te Whau Vineyard Beef Carpaccio

with Chef Marco Edwardes WORDS BY Bri DiMattina

10

www.eatmag.co.nz

I

t seems so in keeping with a restaurant in the middle of a boutique vineyard that the chef follows the philosophy of terroir. Terroir can be very loosely translated as “a sense of place,” which is embodied in certain characteristic qualities, the sum of the effects that the local environment has had on the production of the product.

At Te Whau Vineyard, the exquisite wine served in the restaurant begins its life by being picked by hand from vines which are almost within reach of the tables.

Just as the vines fall out of view and give way to the water with the Auckland vista spreading out in the background there is a grove of olive trees with four varieties planted: Koroneiki, Manzanillo, Frantoio and Picual. These are picked and sent only 500m down the road to Berni Hart of Azzuro Groves to be processed.

The olives are pressed, and 25 litres of blended oil is returned to Te Whau. This is a service they offer to all residents of Waiheke, if you bring your olives along they will press them for you, keeping some aside for their ‘community blend’ which is a medal winner in its own right.

Chef Marco Edwardes is originally from Germany but has called Waiheke home for the eight years he has been at the helm of the kitchen at Te Whau. The restaurant moves with the rhythm of the island slowing in winter where he opens on Friday as an enoteca, serving a couple of different dishes.

It is is his way of easing into the busy weekends of summer and is especially popular with locals as Marco is unbound by the constraints of a menu. He can cook whatever is fresh, local and interesting.

www.eatmag.co.nz

11

Serves four

INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp Manuka smoked mustard 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped 1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped 300g piece of beef fillet, trimmed 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 1 tbsp each oregano and thyme, finely chopped 8 figs, quartered 1 cup rocket Azzuro Extra Virgin Olive Oil Aged balsamic vinegar Basil

METHOD Combine the mustard, anchovies and garlic in a bowl, season to taste and brush evenly over the beef.

Combine herbs in a bowl, then scatter on a tray and roll the beef in the herbs, pressing to cover evenly. Wrap the beef tight in plastic wrap, rolling the ends to form a tight even cylinder, and place in freezer to chill and firm for approximately 30 minutes.

Remove the plastic wrap, and then thinly slice with a very sharp knife, arrange on a platter and scatter with the figs, rocket and perhaps shaved parmesan if you like. Drizzle with a splash of Azzuro Olive Oil, aged Balsamic and scatter with basil leaves.

Find out more about Te Whau Vineyard Restaurant & Chef Marco Edwardes Bri DiMattina is the owner of The Market which matches artisanal ingredients with New Zealands best chefs.

12

www.eatmag.co.nz

partnership a perfect

Enjoy your 2015 season Bluff Oysters with one of these fine offerings from Malborough’s Cloudy Bay Winery Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2014

$31.95 bottle

Cloudy Bay Pelorus Vintage 2009

$39.50 bottle

The quintessential Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, extremely popular worldwide.

Full of ripe citrus and passionfruit flavours.

Aged on lees, this blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is toasty and full bodied with hints of biscuit and brioche. A fantastic vintage methode at a great price.

visit our online store: moorewilsons.co.nz

www.eatmag.co.nz

13

BAKING

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bites I love little chunks of sweet delight, the kind that are gone in two bites. These are just that and a bit more with their delicious centre of chocolate nutty goodness. The newest release from the Wellington based Fix and Fogg is surely a winner for me.

I

f you can’t get hold of the Fix and Fogg peanut butter, don’t worry, there are substitutes you can use.

Gone are the days of just crunchy or smooth as a peanut butter option. If peanut butter isn’t your thing, hazelnut

14

www.eatmag.co.nz

spread also works well.

Whatever you choose to use, do follow the freezing instructions as the process does make life easier. I am all for making life easy: with these bites, you won’t even need a plate.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup chocolate peanut butter 125g softened butter cubed 1 cup packed light brown sugar 2 eggs lightly beaten 1 tsp vanilla essence 1½ cups plain flour 1 tsp baking powder

METHOD Line a baking tray with baking paper, dollop ¾ teaspoon of chocolate peanut butter onto a tray. Do as many dollops as holes in tin, 24 is the usual mini tin size. Place on the top shelf of your freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Spray a mini muffin tin with oil.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, a food processor or electric beaters are good. When nice and light, add half the egg mixture and beat some more. Add the other half and the vanilla essence. Fold in the flour and baking powder until fully incorporated.

Put a third of the cookie batter into a bowl and set aside. This will be the topping. With the remaining mix, share between the holes, roughly a heaped teaspoon each. Remove the chocolate peanut butter dollops from the freezer and place a single one in the centre of the cookie mix, twist a little, so some mixture rises up on the sides. Fill each hole.

Top the dollops with the remaining mix. Try to cover the chocolate completely, if needed use the handle end of a teaspoon to move the mixture around.

Bake until light brown, around 15 minutes. Allow to cool until cool enough to be removed from the pan. Place on a wire rack and leave to cool a little longer. Don’t try them too soon, use caution as the filling is hot!

Emma Tucker is Muffin-Mum, she writes about baking, cooking and Wellington restaurants.

www.eatmag.co.nz

15

DRINKS

Natural Wine Natural wines are undeniably trendy at the moment and equally as misunderstood.

BY Elissa Jordan

16

www.eatmag.co.nz

N

atural wines can be and have been, rejected outright for being funky and unnatural. There are many wine experts who like to jump up and down about how little they appreciate natural wines - for the most part, this is due to a lack of experience. Be forewarned, this is going to get geeky. Feel free to jump to the bottom of this piece for some examples of exceptional natural drinks.

Sustainable winemaking balances the

The first thing to understand is that there are some terrible examples of both natural and conventional wines.

And in both categories there are some fantastic wines. On two separate occasions recently friends have asked for advice on finding natural, organic or biodynamic wines that they can enjoy. One went so far as to ask for a New Zealand wine, any New Zealand wine, to enjoy. Unfortunately, they had a lot of experiences with the less good examples of wine.

and/or the reduction of chemicals and

Before going forward, let’s step back - what is natural wine? Asking that question is tantamount to hitting a metaphorical hornets nest as it depends on the producers perspective of what constitutes ‘natural’.

environmentally friendly with the economically viable. Nearly all New Zealand winemakers subscribe to a sustainable approach, which allows for a reduced use of agrochemicals to just what’s necessary.

Organic wine can mean one of two things, the avoidance of synthetic additives in the grape growing process use of sulfites in the wine-making.

Biodynamics is an extension of organics.

It also takes places without chemicals but additionally takes into account the entire ecosystem where the grapes are grown.

Producers will use wild yeasts and avoid acidity adjustments or other modifications.

At the end of the scale is ‘natural’, which is a confusing term as the previous three labels can also be considered natural. In it’s purest form, natural means wines with an absolute minimum of intervention - in the vineyard and the winery - wild yeasts, no additives, nothing synthetic.

What happens is that as you move further down the rabbit hole the wines become less conventional, less familiar,

www.eatmag.co.nz

17

less recognisable. And that is where the controversy and the criticism begins.

If you’re looking to better understand natural wines, wanting to drink wines that have a reduced environmental impact and/ or just looking to try something new (with an open mind) then this whole category is open to be explored.

The idea of ‘natural’ doesn’t really come up in other drinks arenas. I asked Wellington beer expert Hadyn Green what he would consider a natural beer and he gave me the wild yeast beers of Good George.

Because hops act as the preservative in beer, there aren’t a great deal of additives that go into making beer. Most are just malted barley, hops, yeast and water.

In both beer and wine production, the yeast strains used as part of the alcoholic fermentation can be wild or cultured. A cultured yeast strain is a commercially produced, laboratory grown yeast that is specifically designed to encourage specific characteristics in the drink. While wild yeasts are naturally occurring. In wine, they occur naturally on the skins of the grape. In beer, they can come from rotting fruit (like with spontaneously fermented lambic beers) or oddly enough from the hairs in a brewer’s beer (like the Oregon Rogue Brewery Beard Beer).

18

www.eatmag.co.nz

Organic wines Te Whare Ra Riesling ‘D’ 2014 - Highly aromatic showing off a complex array of honeysuckle, citrus and minerality.

Completely dry, with a mouth-watering acidity that gives the wine lift and vitality.

Concentrated floral, citrus and mineral flavours show on the palate.

Natural wines Millar Road Green Glow Skin Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2013 - Rich, exotic, opulent. Definitely unusual. Deep golden colour with aromas of pine, lavender and lemongrass. Vibrant, cleansing acidity, firm tannic structure and great length.

Biodynamic wines Millton Te Arai Chenin Blanc 2014 Fragrant florals and vibrant lime on the nose. A waxy, lanolin palate with flavours of bush honey and ripe pears. This wine is texture - slightly oily with a healthy thread of acidity.

Wild ferment beers Good George Blueberry Beer - a tartly acidic beer with fresh, fruity berry qualities.

This sour beer is made on a small scale and intended to be paired with the warmer days of summer.

The Eat New Zealand Drinks section is proudly sponsored

by Moore Wilson’s Wine Direct. Find a great selection of wines, beers and spirits at great prices here.

Elissa Jordan is also known as the Winey Little Bitch, she blogs about New Zealand and International Wine and can be found on twitter @winewinenz

www.eatmag.co.nz

19

VIBRANT VEGE

Butternut Squash &

Lentil Salad RECIPES BY Emma Robertson

20

www.eatmag.co.nz

A

When I was thinking of this salad I

lthough butternut squash seems to be an all round ingredient now, we have started to get a few in

imagined something warm, but with some summer notes like chilli, lemon, parsley,

our vegetable box delivery in the last few

olive oil - you know where I am going with

weeks. The adage goes: when you get home

this. Salads at room temperature are so

put a pot of water on to boil and dinner is

forgiving, so easy and so right. This salad is

half made, I say, put some butternut on to

sharpened with lemon juice and finished

roast and dinner is all but made.

with olive oil. A sprinkling of chilli adds

Butternut squash is always a welcome

heat and parley some more colour. Feta is

ingredient in our kitchen. Cubes roast well

the creaminess to make you feel special.

to add to pretty much anything, and raw

A salad perfect for those last few warm

chunks cooked into a curry are fantastic.

evenings, perhaps served aside some

Butternut squash is a friend of chilli,

barbecued meat or on its own as a

lemon, feta, and legumes.

well packed office lunch.

Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 for lunch

INGREDIENTS 6 x 2cm slices of peeled butternut squash neck slices olive oil salt and pepper parsley leaves ½ cup cooked puy lentils feta red chili, finely sliced extra virgin olive oil a lemon

METHOD Preheat the oven to 180ËšC. Oil a baking tray then lay out the butternut squash slices, seasoned with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes per side the lay on the serving plate. Spoon the lentils nicely over and around the butternut squash slices, scatter with the parsley, feta and chilli. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve or wait until everyone is ready - no problem, this salad does not mind the rest!

www.eatmag.co.nz

21

CHEESE CULTURE

Zany Zeus

PASHKA

Z

any Zeus is one of the few cheese makers in New Zealand that has such a strong focus on fresh cheeses.

Brother and sister team, Michael and Meropi started in 2000 with the humble beginnings in the Meropis garage with their mother Lefkis’ Halloumi recipe. A lot has changed since then‌

always many variations when it comes to celebratory recipes, and in this recipe I give you the room to put your own spin on the dish.

It was given to me by a chef, and honestly if I could remember who it was I would credit you here, because this recipe has been with me ever since,

In 2012, they made a big move and started

and just like me, I think there are many

smoking cheeses, churning fresh batch ice

others that will enjoy it.

creams and gourmet yoghurts in a new store selling directly to the public.

One of the final ingredients is soaked fruits, chocolate chips and roasted slivered

Amongst their fresh cultured products

nuts - pistachio, walnut and almond.

is a delightful range of Creme Fraiche,

It comes down to your favourite, so I

mascarpone, cream cheese, and sour

encourage you to note the weight in the

cream - all available all over New Zealand.

recipe and then choose your own.

In March, they won the Champion

Russian Pashka (pronounced pass - ka) is an

Fresh Cheese Award at the New Zealand Champion of Cheese Awards.

indulgent rich, dessert. It may be an Easter treat because of the luxuriousness of it. It simply could not be eaten on a regular basis.

This recipe is a little Easter treat uses the lovely thick cream cheese and sour

22

The best comparison I can muster is that this is for anyone who loves cheesecake and

cream. Many years ago I was given a

wants to skip the baking component!

recipe that is an authentic Russian Easter

Have everything at room temperature.

specialty made specifically at this time

This is not essential but makes things

of year to celebrate. There are, of course,

a lot easier!

www.eatmag.co.nz

200g Butter 100g icing sugar cream these together until almost fluffy 200g sour cream 200g cream cheese mix these together until just mixed 200g of chopped dried fruits / nuts, (as outlined above)

Now place the three sets of ingredients into a bowl and lightly fold this until it is just mixed and no more. If it is over-mixed, it will become grainy in texture.

Choose some interesting shaped cups or ramekins and line them with muslin. Fill with the mix and chill until the mixture firms up. Keep them chilled until you serve them.

I recommend serving them with sharper fresh fruit such as fresh berries, a coulis or rhubarb as it needs a contrast for the richness.

Bri DiMattina is the owner of The Market which matches artisanal ingredients with New Zealands best chefs.

www.eatmag.co.nz

23



SUBSCRIBER GIVEAWAYS

E

ach month all Eat New Zealand subscribers automatically go in the draw to win cool food and cooking giveaways and prizes. Simply check this page each month to see if you’ve won and get in touch with your delivery details by the stated date to claim your prize!

This month’s winners



ont c s t s i k Giveaway #1: c o t s l loca r o f Lisa May o. c .

Congratulations to e n i v c a m min@ Lisa.ad You’ve won a beautiful set of 579 745 all 09 or cCasual Authentis stemless wine glasses from Spiegelau!

24

www.eatmag.co.nz

 

Giveaway #2: Claire Bradley Congratulations, Claire.

You’ve won an awesome Wellington Gourmet Shopping Bag and a copy of The Dominion Post From the Menu cookbook from Moore Wilson’s!

Giveaway #3: Ron Campton Congratulations, Ron. You’ve won a fun night out for two, with a double pass cooking experience from Social Cooking!

If you’re one of the lucky subscribers named above, email your delivery details to jenniferl@espiremedia.com by 5pm, Friday 22nd May 2015, to claim your prize.

For local stockists contact admin@macvine.co.nz or call (09) 579 7451 www.eatmag.co.nz

25

WIN WITH EATNZ! Take the Eat New Zealand Readers Challenge and be in to win!

KEEN TO EXPAND YOUR COOKING HORIZONS AND HAVE SOME FUN IN THE PROCESS?

E

very month we’ll be challenging you, our awesome readers, to take the Eat New Zealand Readers Challenge. To enter, simply recreate the dishes featured in The Menu, take some photos of each of your finished dishes, and share them on our Facebook page at by the stated date.

A selection of all entrants photos and the winner as judged by our editor will be announced in the following issue. Easy!

Enter this month’s readers challenge and share your photos on our facebook page

26

www.eatmag.co.nz

“To be anarchic, you have to be organised�

-Feran Adria

www.eatmag.co.nz

27