ISSUE #23 2016
THE GIFT LIST
Tufty-Time, seat system designed by Patricia Urquiola. UP5-UP6, armchair designed by Gaetano Pesce. www.bebitalia.com
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ISEMENT
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Time to contemplate.
Time to unwind.
rogerseller.com.au
Contents | Regulars
10 EDITOR’S LETTER
12 FASHION
15 ED’S PICKS
Making lists and itineraries.
Dress for both beach and bar.
Simple summer essentials.
16 POOLSIDE
20 GIFT GUIDE
42 SOPHISTICATED SIMPLICITY
Quintessential poolside style.
Gift ideas for the entire family.
Awash in hues of blue in Lyon.
58 MODERN COUNTRY
76 TRAVEL
90 FOOD
A hideaway amongst the vines.
Planning a quick trip to Japan.
A fuss free menu for friends.
est ISSUE #23 2016
Editor’s Letter In the lead up to the end of the year I always tend to feel like I am running the last leg of an ultra marathon (not that I would have the first clue of what running one actually feels like of course) I figure it’s a test of endurance for all of us in the race to the end. This year I am looking forward to a few weeks in the sun before heading to Paris to reignite my passion for the pursuit of fine homewares and furnishings at Maison O’bjet in January. Not only have we been busy making lists and checking them twice for Christmas gift ideas for you and the family - we’ve also been busy
making notes on who to see and where to go to source pieces that you won’t necessarily see on design gameshows on TV. I’m already looking forward to sharing our finds with you next year! Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday where ever you may be...
Sian MacPherson EDITOR IN CHIEF
est MAGAZINE
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est GLOBAL LIVING WITH AN AUSTRALIAN TWIST
EDITOR IN CHIEF SIAN MACPHERSON sian@estliving.com
MANAGING EDITOR MELIA RAYNER melia@estliving.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER GEORGIE MCKENZIE production@estliving.com
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR MIFFY COADY miffy@estliving.com
CONTRIBUTORS
PHOTOGRAPHY Greg Cox, Lar Leslie, Anne Catherine Scoffoni, WORDS Mandy Allen, Yvette Caprioglio, Holly Durcan, Melia Rayner, Anne Catherine Scoffoni. PRODUCTION Sven Alberding, Shelley Street.
ON THE COVER
PHOTOGRAPHY Anne Catherine Scoffoni. LOCATION Lyon, France
ENQUIRIES
EDITORIAL editorial@estliving.com PRODUCTION production@estliving.com ADVERTISING advertising@estliving.com
CONNECT
ETRO Earrings
ZIMMERMANN Silk-Georgette Dress
AQUAZZURA Wild Thing Sandal
CURRENT/ELLIOTT Denim Shorts
LE SPECS Revo Mirror STELLA MCCARTNEY Colour Block OneShoulder Bikini
summer love CHLOE Mini Kurtis Bag
Whether it’s a glamorous getaway, a laid back lunch or chasing a sunset, standout summer style is simple. Mix up cool classics, bohemian beauty and some of-the-moment pieces to take you from the beach to a bar or dancing under the stars. Add beach hair and a devil-may-care summer attitude and you’ve got it made. You can’t go wrong with the classics. BY Yvette Caprioglio
SARAH J CURTIS It’s Forever Hat
CHRISTIAN DIOR So Real Sunglasses
CLARE VIVIER Henri Petit Bag
editor’s picks Simple summer style for me equals a good straw hat, sunglasses that can withstand being bashed around in my bag and a refreshing mid afternoon drink shared with whoever happens to be sitting on my balcony overlooking the sea. SODA PRESS CO Organic Soda
BY Sian MacPherson
TIFFANY Smile Pendant $990
ANDREA AND JOEN Evie Shirt and Short PJ Set $245
CHANCE STUDIO Reserved Towel $85
CLARE VIVIER Kenya Bag $199
SCANLAN AND THEODORE Amalfi Sandal $350
SARAH J CURTIS Paradise Calling Linen Dress $1,295 THE UNDONE Palisades Maillot $465
editor’s poolside picks
Daybed BassamFellows Craig Bassam & Scott Fellows, Founders – BassamFellows Pairing hand-craftsmanship with a sophisticated aesthetic restraint, BassamFellows delivers an exquisitely refined sensibility they call ‘Craftsman Modern.’ The Daybed embodies these qualities in a superbly crafted piece, beguiling in its simplicity and decadent in its detail. It’s a new brand of luxury.
livingedge.com.au
The Gift Guide
JUST FRANKY Iconic Necklace $320
FOUR PILLARS Spiced Negroni Gin $85 CUYANA Silk Tee $155
ATP Iliaria Sandal $309 FELLS ANDES Dimma Throw $395
EST ESSENTIALS Leather Cross Body Bag $450
FIG + YARROW Complexion Water $42
LUCY FOLK Artemis Bangle $660
BASICS DEPARTMENT Linen Shirt Dress $430
her
HUNTER LAB The Complete Armoury $179
BYREDO Mister Marvelous Eau De Cologne $284
HAY Computer Brush $80
ORBIT KEY Tan Leather Key Holder $44.95
ACNE Adrian Sneaker $500
LONG PRAWN COOKBOOKS Fat Brad Cookbook $24.99
DRIES VAN NOTEN Leather Weekender $1048
EST ESSENTIALS Laptop Case $495
VINCENT 2 Toiletries Bag $99.95
him
FERM LIVING Children’s Blue Apron $40
FERM LIVING Minature Funkis House $290
MAGIS Dodo Rocking Bird $290
MOMA SHOP Miley DIY House $55
HAY Spinning Top $35
POPPETO Blue Sandals $79.95
VINCENT 2 Soccer Champ Doona Set $139.95
ELEMENTS OPTIMAL Elephant Chair $530
KAY BOJESEN Hippo $142
VOLTA Astronaute Mobile $150
kids
CLOUD 7 Little Nap Dog Bed $375
MARLY GOMMANS Litter Box and Cover $288
LAVISH TALES Letter A Scratcher $900
GABRIELLE BECKING Pheasant Bird Wand $22 LAVISH TALES Doggy Do Bag $45
MICHAEL ONG & PEN The Dog Room $399
RACHEL DORMOR Caviar Cat Bowl $60
pets
FREDERICKS & MAE Bocce $320
MANSUR GAVRIEL Brandy Laptop Sleeve $275.00
AMAZON The Kaufmann Mercantile $16.52
HERBALORE NYC Catalyst Gold Supplement $90
BANG & OLUFSEN Beoplay A1 Speaker $379
SOLID STATE Wayfarer Cologne $39.95
VANISHING ELEPHANT Socks $20
ORLEBAR BROWN Hutton Getty Board Shorts $495 RUSHFASTER City Compacy Backpack $149.95
MAXWELL WILLIAMS Stemless Wine Glasses $39.95
overworked dad
BUDGIE SMUGGLERS Ferns with Benefits Swimmers $55
BEATS Solo Headphones $259.95
MECCA COSMETICA Sun’s Up Pack $70
P.E NATION Shake Down Swimsuit $239
BLACK LIST STORE Now or Never Notebook $29.95
ZIPORAH Halcyon Backpack $39.00
SATURDAYS NYC Saturdays Ennis Boardshorts $100
PURA VIDA Golden Coast Bracelet $68
teens
ALISON JACKSON Butter Knives $125
ANNA VARENDORFF Brass Vase $250
KATE BANANZI Screen Print $725
GREAT DANE Tati Dining Table $8,950
DINOSAUR DESIGNS Resin Bold Stone Cuff $350
TASCHEN Eames $15
THE CITIZENRY Enzi Basket $125
STUDIO KYSS Copper & Tin Tumblers $180
design devotee
KOSKELA Share Platter $66
HAY Colour Glass $23
EST ESSENTIALS Brass Salad Servers $66
EST ESSENTIALS Concrete & Glass Vase $199.95
1616/ ARITA JAPAN Espresso Cup $36
HAIGHS Christmas Chocolate Pack $18.50
EST ESSENTIALS Belgian Linen Napkins $30
MUD Pebble Bowl $65
the host
AESOP Resurrection Hand Cream $31
RAW COMPLEXIONS Skintox Beauty Food $35
EST ESSENTIALS Rixon Tee in Charcoal $89
PANATEA Matcha Tea Kit $69
EST ESSENTIALS Memo Bottle $34
HARDIE GRANT Pocket Iris Wisdom $12.99
ATP ATELIER Lill Black Bag $250
BYREDO Mojave Ghost Hair Perfume $63
EST ESSENTIALS Leather Key Fob $95
INCU Comme Des Garcons Wallet $190
mum on the run
EMMA LACEY Every Day Mugs $39
ENA Body Oil $40
KREAFUNK Power Charger $89
SPACE Rotary Tray $95
THE LINE The Refined Ritual Gift Set $180
EST ESSENTIALS Sirocco Candle $69
EST ESSENTIALS Cilk Rose Extract $79
the one who has everything
SHOP FOR SYRIA Pink Wall Print by George Byrne $350
SHOP FOR SYRIA Drinking Water for Refugees $20
SOKOL Banded Contrast Bangles $90 CLARE V Every Mother Counts Tee $99
V-10 Leather Mat Sneakers $250
CHILOTE BABY Chilote Shoes $52
BOKA Binchotan Toothbrush Starter Kit $16
STARLING Juniper & Saffron Candle $55
WARBY PARKER Roland Sunglasses $95
gifts that give back
est REGULAR HOME FEATURE
SOPHISTICATED SIMPLICITY In the heart of Lyon, a working mother of four has renovated a 19th century apartment using paint to highlight and accent the buildings stunning architectural details. PHOTOGRAPHY & WORDS Anne Catherine Scoffoni
As the second-largest city in France after Paris, Lyon is famous for its way of life and its outstanding cuisine tradition. Both elegant and alive, the city of Lyon exudes the very essence of the French style and attitude. It was near the Place Bellecour, a large square in the centre of Lyon surrounded by design showrooms and stores, that home owner Benedicte stumbled across her future family home. Built in 1900, the two hundred square metre apartment reflects both the charm of the surrounding neighbourhood and the family of six that live here. Purchased in 2015, Benedicte carried out minor refurbishment of the home in order to adapt it to her own particular style and taste. “It was not a complicated refurbishment, rather more like a re-working - so the whole process took less than two months. The flat had been renovated only 10 years ago and just needed to be adapted to our family’s needs� explains Benedicte.
Upon first entering the home both Benedicte and her husband were instantly struck by the expansive volume of the interior. “We could immediately picture ourselves living in it� recalls Benedicte. Respecting the original structures, volumes and details of the flat were paramount in the renovation with particular attention being paid to paint colous and replacing the existing floors with solid wood parquetry in order to bring some modernity to the predominantly classical aesthetic. The once dull interior has since been transformed into an harmonic integration of classic french style with a contemporary edge. Spacious and with large oversized windows, the apartment is both colorful and calm and in turn inspires a relaxed ambience throughout. Every living space has been given its own identity using a different colour on the wall. The plinths, doors, mouldings and ceilings have been kept white in order to add a certain luminosity to the whole. Strong, yet elegant tones have been used on the walls to delineate rooms throughout.
Flooring together with a selection of furniture has been carefully chosen with natural hardwood, linen and metal being the predominant materials used here. In exchange, glass, porcelain and rattan details are dotted throughout the home and provide an ethereal and delicate touch. “Above all, I wanted the house to be inspiringly beautiful, but comfortable and livable. My unconditional goals were light and comfort”, says Benedicte. True to Benedicte’s own personal style, nordic touches coexist with antiquities and rustic pieces, while ethereal tones are mixed with solid and robust structures resulting in an apartment that is well but sparsely furnished. “It’s a space where we never feel too crowded - even with four children. Here we can play, relax, entertain or work without encroaching on the space of others.” says Benedicte. The main living spaces are an example of order, balance and personality. “We have our own personal trick for that, of course. With the children’s bedrooms being located in a seperate area away from the living spaces, we manage to keep their things out of the common areas. “This way we can keep the place in order and the children can enjoy some privacy and independence” explains Benedicte.
est REGULAR HOME FEATURE
A RURAL RETREAT Interior decorator Faline Edwards’s contemporary home on her lifestyle farm near the vibrant village of Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands makes for a modern day sanctuary. WORDS Holly Durcan | PHOTOGRAPHY Lar Leslie PRODUCTION Sven Alberding
Hidden behind a grassy berm and nestled on the banks of the Kastaiing River, the Afrikaans name for the chestnut trees lining its clear waters, Faline Edwards’s contemporary villa is only a few minutes from the village of Franschhoek. Yet, standing in the lush garden with the river rushing past, you feel like you’re in the heart of Winelands’ farming country. Moody late afternoon light catches the magnificent mountain peaks ahead through oak and willow trees, and guinea fowls scuffle through the undergrowth and up onto the summer deck overlooking the river, calling as they go. Rural idyll. ‘Klein Kastaiing’ is what Faline calls her ultimate ‘lifestyle farm’. When she first drove onto the plot with its Seventies bungalow, Faline fell in love with the convenient location, with the river running through it, the rows of ancient oaks, vineyards, and fruit and nut trees that have now become nesting grounds for owls, herons and squirrels. ‘Even civet and buck pass through, and there are otters and wild ducks in the river. I am surrounded by mountains and 360-degree views,’ says Faline, who designed the new house herself. ‘We grow wine grapes – merlot – and produce around 600 bottles a year, just for our visitors of course, but there’s a cellar, used for storage and bottling.’ Fruit trees bear apples, mulberries, figs, avocados and pecan nuts, and all the herbs, veggies and plentiful basil is grown in the kitchen garden. The entire top half of the farm is irrigated and fertilized, ready for planting more grapes, olives or capers. ‘I designed the house to blend into the site and merge with the colours of the surrounding mountains. In summer, with all the trees and vines, it’s barely visible from the road. The structure rendered in charcoal grey echoes the mountains behind, giving you the perfect outdoor feeling while still keeping in mind the different seasons,’ she says. Large wooden ceiling fans whirr in the summer and enormous eye-level fireplaces roar with welcoming log fires in winter.
The house faces north-south, allowing for ideal temperature control no matter the weather. The leafless trees in deepest winter open up the farmland in front of the house, giving expansive views that you don’t see when cocooned in summer greenness. And on hot days when the cicadas are singing, all the glass doors can be opened on both sides, but particularly lovely is the seamless flow to the pool from the bedrooms leading off the light-filled passageway. Every effort has been made to recycle alien vegetation that once lined the river. ‘The floorboards in the living room and passage are all crafted from the wood found along the river, which was laid out to dry for around six months before being laid and then limewashed to take away the slightly yellow hue. The ceiling is made from thinner offcuts and were varnished in a darker colour in order to “ground” the room,’ explains Feline. ‘The floating ceiling in the kitchen was devised to highlight the lighting installation by Tom Dixon and add an extra dimension to the room. I had all the furniture manufactured by local craftsmen and, when the old barn was demolished, they used the roof trusses to make the long dining table.’ Sitting with a glass of wine in hand outdoors in the warmth of the sun, it’s hard to believe that the farm is so close to the vibrant township of Franschhoek. With two entrances, one oppositethe La Motte vinyard and the other on Happy Valley road opposite one of the most photographed lavender farms in the Winelands, Klein Kastaiing couldn’t be better placed. And with world-renowned chefs, tempting bakeries and bistros just a stone’s throw away, the social buzz is there whenever you want it. ‘It’s wonderful the way the village transforms itself with festivals, especially in winter when it’s all cosy with log fires and red wine, however by spring we’re spilling out onto the streets again with alfresco meals,’ says Faline. But by far the best experience would have to be returning home to this modern sanctuary hidden away in the prettiest rural setting.
Studious
TRAVEL Photographer Tammy Law shares her insights on how to create the perfect itinerary for a short stay in Japan. PHOTOGRAPHY & WORDS Tammy Law
ITINERARY ONE NARA, KYOTO, ITO, TOKYO
EAT NARA SAEZURI Small shop and café within walking distance of Nara Park. KYOTO SENTIDO CAFÉ Café with small book-shelf displaying great reading on local Japanese architects. SINAMO Italian/Japanese Fusion – the interior is surrounded by small lamps across one large wall, creating a warm illumination while you eat. TOKYO HOTEL EMANON Organic, locally sourced dishes that change daily. The shop upstairs stocks furniture, plants and also functions as a pop-up store on occasion.
Saezuri
GINZA TANAGOKORO Find peace and quiet in Ginza. The Tanagokoro Tea Room provides a relaxing place to unwind, enjoy a purposefully brewed tea and set lunch in between shopping destinations.
Hotel Emanon
Saezuri
SEE NARA OMIZUTORI FESTIVAL AT TODAIJI TEMPLE Held annually in March at the Buddhist Temple, an amazing tradition that has lasted over 1000 years. KYOTO RYOANJI TEMPLE Zen stone garden. ARASHIYAMA Nationally designated historic site and place of scenic beauty. Recommended to explore on foot, by bicycle or by boat along the Oi river. Absorb the textures and colours of these surrounds.
Papier Labo
Arashiyama
Papier Labo
Today’s Special
SHOP ITO ICHIMAINOITA Located in a remote section of mountain terrain in Ito, Shizuoka, is the home of wood worker Kariyushi Kobo. His store is filled with Danish and Japanese furniture and smaller kitchen and homeware pieces (e.g. chopping boards) made on site. Planks of wood line the walls inside the store, tagged as pre-ordered tables and furnishings.
Black Brick
TOKYO BLACK BRICK From plants and gardening to stationary, clothing and crockery – a vast variety of homewares. Enjoy a coffee here as well. BLOOM & BRANCH Fashion, artisanal kitchenware and beauty products. You can also pick up an aero press coffee from their Cobi Coffee box. IMA CONCEPT STORE Bookstore and exhibition space. TODAY’S SPECIAL A feast for the senses. Homewares, sweet treats and seasonal dishes if you get hungry while you shop - a great one stop gift shop. The store itself is an architectural marvel with a mixture of concrete, wood and greenery in open space across two separate levels.
IMA Concept Store
STAY KYOTO HOTEL KANRA KYOTO Contemporary Japanese design. Local Kyoto vegetables served in the restaurant. Cedar wood is featured throughout the hotel. THE SCREEN KYOTO There is a unique design per room, similar to Claska in Tokyo the design changes throughout the hotel. LEN HOSTEL Café, bar, hotel designed as a community meeting space for international travellers. TOKYO CLASKA HOTEL Five different design themes throughout the hotel. Contemporary version of the traditional tatami room as well as your more modern minimalist business designed rooms. Rooms book out months in advance. The rooftop overlooks Tokyo tower – a secluded spot in a hectic city. The restaurant/lobby space has an elegance that is carried through into the studio and gallery. Based in Meguro, it can be a difficult location to access but a great spot to explore local suburban hip Japanese culture.
Tokyo Ginza Bay Hotel
TOKYO GINZA BAY HOTEL The idea of staying in a capsule hotel doesn’t appeal to everyone but this is the best place if you would like to ease yourself into the experience. The floors are segregated so this isn’t the best option for a honeymooning couple. There are communal areas for showering and lockers for your belongings. The interiors are modern and immaculate.
Claska Hotel
Tokyo Ginza Bay Hotel
ITINERARY TWO KANAZAWA, MATSUMOTO, TOKYO
EAT MATSUMOTO NAKAMACHI CAFÉ A renovated old factory site, the wooden beams and high ceilings compliment the experience. A great spot for lunch and pickme-up coffee. KANAZAWA CURIO ESPRESSO AND VINTAGE DESIGN A place to go when you’re missing the comforts of home. Great coffee, expertly brewed and tasty Western breakfast options.
Bloom & Branch
Nakamachi Café
SEE KANAZAWA KENROKUEN GARDEN A constellation of ponds, flowers, trees, waterfalls and well known as one of three most beautiful landscape gardens in Japan. Amazing views overlooking Kanazawa. MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART Designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, the museum grounds and building is unique in its own right. The space is circular and built without a front and back to encourage viewers to see it from all directions. MATSUMOTO MATSUMOTO CITY MUSEUM OF ART Permanent collection of works by Yayoi Kusama. Showcasing contemporary Japanese art with a focus on locally-born artists.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Matsumoto City Museum of Art
Brunch
Studious
SHOP MATSUMOTO NAKAMACHI DORI A street of renovated, old store houses selling textiles, ceramics and local traditional crafts. KANAZAWA MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART A sophisticated selection of design objects, contemporary art merchandise and books by contemporary artists and designers. HIGASHI CHAYA DISTRICT Well preserved, traditional architecture housing gold leaf products.
Resh
Today’s Special
STAY MATSUMOTO TOBIRA ONSEN MYOJINKAN Two and a half hours by train from Tokyo or 30 minutes from Matsumoto Station. Surrounded by Japan’s “Northern Alps” is a great example of the ryokan, Japan’s traditional country inn. KANAZAWA BENIYA MUKAYU Epitome of trafitional culture and modern design. 25 minutes from the center of Kanazawa city via limited express train, this 17 room hotel will transport you to another landscape. The open-plan design allows you to be immersed in the tranquil nature setting.
Resh
PROVISIONS Working from a shared collaborative work space in Woodstock, South Africa, caterer Maia du Plessis has mastererd the art of creating an immersive dining experience like no other. PHOTOGRAPHY Greg Cox WORDS Mandy Allen PRODUCTION Shelley Street
‘I don’t call myself a chef because I don’t have any formal training,’ says Maia du Plessis, who offers supper club and wine tasting experiences from her Woodstock space. ‘It wasn’t really a plan to go into catering, but I was raised by a Greek mother, so I have certainly grown up surrounded and inspired by food. We grew up eating dishes ladled with garlic and ate food my friends had never heard of, which was certainly unusual for 70s South Africa,’ laughs Maia. Maia’s love of fashion found her ‘falling’ into fashion styling and then food styling, and she spent her early working years assisting food stylist Marine Williams. ‘I was exposed to many styles of food, but I also learnt tricks like how to build a rig to get a shot of milk pouring into cereal and how to use mashed potato instead of ice cream because it doesn’t melt,’ she recalls. After a move to New York in the Nineties, Maia found herself living with expats from South Africa who all had an interest in food, and weekends were spent cooking and discovering new tastes. Having emerged from the chaotic early years of raising twins, Maia’s love of food led her into menu development and consulting. But when her husband Otto du Plessis, a sculptor and foundry man, bought the downtown studio in 2014, Maia’s dream of creating a space for people to experience food was born. The studio, which is now home to her catering company Provisions, it turns out, is a true family affair. Otto’s studio flanks her kitchen and is a hive of creativity. Her brother-in-law, artist Jop Kunneke, works from another space, as do artists Charles Haupt, Stanislaw Trzebinski and a moveable feast of others. ‘They know not to steal anything from my fridge, but they’re constantly swiping my mixing jars and tools,’ she laughs. Her children Bay and Riley (10) are frequent visitors after school, where they potter around with their father next door. A petite, esoteric beauty, it’s clear that Maia’s kitchen is the heart of this surprising collection of artists and people, and while she nourishes them (she does admit to cooking them lunch
regularly), they feed her love of art with exposure to their creations, which are hung on the walls of her kitchen and dining area. ‘I’ve always loved the idea of creating a space where people can enjoy food and experience art in a space that is not a gallery,’ says Maia. ‘I host people for lunches, dinners, brainstorming sessions, or whatever they need, and I want them to know that each time they return they will see something new, so the art is always changing and the space is always evolving.’ Of the décor, Maia says the space differs from her personal style ‘which tends to be more cluttered’. The furniture is also sourced from local designers, such as Gregor Jenkin, renowned for his contemporary pieces that give a nod to South Africa’s European and Boer heritages. The aura is clean and comfortable, with a palette of cool greys and toned down white shades, with touches such as a lace throw on the window adding Maia’s undeniable feminine edge. While Maia insists she is not a foodie( and hates the word), her pantry implies otherwise. Her shelves are packed with bottles of olives (store bought!) that Maia infuses with rosemary, garlic and other spices, and homemade preserved lemons to make her own. The free-range eggs she uses are sourced from Hartenberg wine estate where she curates their menu and trains their restaurant kitchen staff, and her olive oils and many other ingredients are speckled with names of Greek producers she hunts out in South African supermarkets. ‘They just taste better,’ she says. Maia says she loves creating menus for her restaurant clients, and her work with local wine estates has ignited a new passion for wine and food pairing. But for her Provisions clients, she prefers an open brief. ‘I might have an idea for a menu and then change my mind on a whim. It evolves in my head and I’ll wake up in the morning just knowing what I want to create,’ she says. It’s these ever-changing food experiences, and stimulating environment that continues to draw people to her table.
Hummus 1 (400g) tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2T tahini Juice of 1 lemon 4T extra virgin olive oil Maldon salt and black pepper Blend all ingredients together with a hand held blender, or in a food processor. If it is too thick, add a little ice cold water. Check seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil and dukkah to serve.
Beef Fillet With Tonnato Serves 6-8 800g/1kg fillet of beef Olive oil Salt and black pepper 1 tin tuna in oil 200ml sour cream 1T whole grain mustard 1T capers Juice of half a lemon Rub olive oil into the fillet and season with salt and pepper. Sear in a very hot griddle pan or on a barbeque. Cook for a few minutes on each side until medium rare. Remove from heat and wrap tightly in foil and leave to rest. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. To serve: Thinly slice the beef and place on a platter garnished with rocket. Spoon over the sauce. Best served at room temperature.
Spinach Ricotta Malfatti Serves 6-8 500g baby spinach leaves, washed and dried 250g ricotta cheese 40g cake flour 1 large egg, beaten 125g Parmesan cheese, (or grana Padano or other hard cheese), grated, plus extra for serving Salt and pepper 200g semolina flour 100g butter, to serve Fresh sage, to serve (about 20 leaves) Half a lemon Cook the spinach in a large, deep pan over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Drain and squeeze out all the water. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and flour. Stir in the spinach, egg, grated cheese, and seasoning. Stir well until mixed. On a surface floured with half the semolina, roll the malfatti mix into about 25 balls the size of a teaspoon. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the malfatti and simmer for 2-3 minutes – they will float to the surface when cooked. Drain and keep warm in the pan. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, melt the butter and gently cook the sage leaves until crispy and the butter is brown, and squeeze in lemon juice. Place the malfatti onto plates, pour the sauce over them, and sprinkle with the extra Parmesan cheese.