tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48346514625934103032024-03-14T21:27:03.728+13:00Curious KaiIn New Zealand, a country filled with magnificent kai (the Maori word for food), there exist little-known and under-appreciated morsels that I intend sharing with you, dear reader...Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-36022253878969590352011-07-01T02:31:00.002+12:002012-07-05T08:42:45.944+12:00Cabbage Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What manner of devilry is this? Triffid spawn? These fanciful looking critters are in fact standard, easily-baked-at-home rolls encased in cabbage leaves, resulting in this cool effect:<br />
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I came across the technique while reading an old English cookbook, "English Cookery, New & Old", by Susan Campbell. In parts of Gloucestershire, bakers would wrap bread dough in cabbage leaves before baking. Once in the oven, the cabbage leaves would soften, allowing the bread to expand and become imprinted with the vein pattern of the leaf.<br />
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Given that my first task upon arriving at work is to make bread, it seemed the perfect excuse to give it a try.<br />
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According to Campbell, the best part of the cabbage are the outer leaves; they're big and will quite comfortably envelop your roll. The side of the leaf facing outwards is where you'll place your roll, being suitably venous and knobbly. Wash your leaves, then pat dry. Trim the stalk at the base of the leaf, or simply remove it depending on size; leaving it in will distort the pattern.<br />
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Make your bread dough; allow to rise. Knock back, cut into equal sized portions and roll into, er, rolls. Wrap each roll up loosely in a leaf with everything tucked up underneath; ideally, the weight of the roll will keep everything in place. Place on a tray lined with baking paper, and leave the rolls to prove.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Pop your parcels into the oven to bake. Ordinarily, the rolls I make at the restaurant take around twenty minutes to bake (pre-bake weight of </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">110</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> grams). I allowed an extra five minutes baking time, taking into consideration the cover provided by the leaves.</span><br />
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Twenty five minutes later, I opened the oven door to be met by the smell of marmite! The cabbage leaves had blackened, and upon scraping them off, there was a lovely golden crust waiting underneath. I don't think I'd had the leaves tucked in firmly enough because the dough had burst through at one end - no matter. The patterned surface on the crust looked awesome, and the marmite smell from the burnt cabbage leaves could be detected in the crust. Bakers of Gloucestershire, I salute you!Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-20864876818054844282011-05-26T14:16:00.005+12:002012-07-05T08:43:32.461+12:00Raw Milk: Punch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My god, have you ever tasted raw milk? I wanted to get my hands on some just to see what it was like - it's amazing stuff! It's rich and creamy and sweet, and leaves bog-standard blue top in the dust. I made something with it which I'll post about soon, but in the meantime, here's a slightly altered cocktail recipe¹ that uses raw milk's richness to good effect.</div>
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<b>Raw Milk Punch</b></div>
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NB: <span style="font-size: small;">give the milk a good swirl before pouring, as the cream will be sitting at the top of the container.</span></div>
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<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">60</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> ml bourbon</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">60</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> ml raw milk</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tbsp dark rum</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tbsp sugar syrup</span></li>
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Pour everything into an ice-filled shaker. Shake vigourously, strain into a glass, and garnish with grated nutmeg.</div>
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¹ <span style="font-size: x-small;">from the <a href="http://www.euvs.org/en/visit/about">EUVS</a> cocktail <a href="http://www.euvs.org/en/tools/recipes">database</a></span><br />
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</div>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-53829735914778805082011-05-01T09:20:00.092+12:002012-07-05T08:44:06.253+12:00Noyaux<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week, in the midst of my annual fridge purge (discoveries: black and blue cheese, sentient yoghurt), I came across these: vaccum-packed apricot, nectarine and peach kernels. These were destined for use in a dessert project I never quite got round to starting. At the time, I was reading a thread on <a href="http://forums.egullet.org/index.php">eGullet</a> about noyaux, the French name for stone fruit kernels and their use as flavouring agents in desserts and liqueurs.<i> </i>Noyaux (pronounced "nwa-yoh,") are a commonly used alternative for <a href="https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Almond#Sweet_and_bitter_almonds">bitter almonds</a>. For those of you not familiar with it, the smell is that of almond extract, as used in marzipan, amaretti biscuits and Amaretto brandy. Oh, and cherry coke.<br />
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Stone fruit kernels have one immediate advantage: they're more readily available (especially here in the orchard districts) than the costly, rare-as-hen's-teeth bitter almond, at least here in New Zealand. The two have a particular chemical in common, <a href="https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Benzaldehyde">benzaldehyde</a>, which gives both their unique almond extract flavour (which incidentally, tastes nothing like ordinary almonds, with their delicate, nutty flavour).<br />
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The plan at the time was to make a noyaux-flavoured ice cream (this was last summer). I encouaged everyone I knew to save their stonefruit pits and stones. It was taking an age to build up a decent stockpile, when suddenly, three days of ferocious winds broke the tops of several of my mum's fruit trees: victory at last! I cut off the broken-fruit laden limbs; the fruit was bruised and battered, and mould was making a rapid move across the surface of the badly damaged crop. I gathered it all up and commenced salvaging the stones. Five hours of hammer cracking later, I'd accumulated a little over a kilo's worth of kernels...and an intense dislike of sandflies...and attention-seeking cats.<br />
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I wasn't going to be able to use them straight away, so I vaccum-packed them for use later on in the week. And promptly forgot about them...<br />
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Until now. I was going to make an ice cream but that's all I ever seem to make, so I thought a panna cotta would make for a change.<br />
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<b>Noyaux Panna Cotta with a Caramelised Orange Compote</b><br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Make everything the day before you need to serve it. The panna cotta will set overnight, while the compote will be more flavoursome if allowed time to stand. Makes about </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">8</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> or </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">9</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> portions.</span><br />
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Panna cotta:<br />
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<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cup of stonefruit kernels, roughly ground</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cups of cream</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cup of milk</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">0.5</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cup sugar </span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2.5</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> gelatine sheets</span></li>
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Soak the gelatine sheets in a little water. Place all remaining ingredients into a pot and gradually bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, strain through a sieve and/or muslin to remove the kernels. Add gelatine sheets and stir until dissolved. Pour into dariole moulds or ramekins, and place in the fridge to set.<br />
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Compote:<br />
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<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">3</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> oranges</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cinnamon quill</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">3</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cloves</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cup water</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cup brown sugar</span></li>
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Using a zester, remove the zest from two of the oranges in nice long strips; set aside. Place the water and brown sugar in a pot, bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar; add the quill and the cloves. Drop the zest in the boiling sugar syrup and leave until the mixture reduces to a syrupy, yet runny, consistency. While that's cooking, grab a good, sharp knife and slice the bottom off your oranges so that they'll sit upright. Slice off the peel and pith. Now cut the orange into segments, ensuring all the pith is gone. Pop the segments into the sugar syrup and bring back to the boil.<br />
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If the addition of the oranges results in a watery-looking syrup, cook it out until it reduces back to a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before placing it in the fridge to infuse overnight.<br />
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To serve, remove the orange container from the fridge and bring it back to room temperature (cold dampens flavour). Remove your zest and oranges, and sprinkle with brown sugar; grill until they caramelise. Place the fruit in a little mound next to the panna cotta you've <a href="http://recipes-food.com/tips-on-unmolding-jell-o-gelatin/">successfully liberated</a> from its mould. I drizzled a little of the orange syrup around the plate and garnished it with a few poppy seeds and some mint. To give it a little texture and balance, I added a homemade, baked apple crisp (slice apple, sprinkle with sugar, bake at low heat until it dries out). A wafer of some description would work equally well.<br />
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<i><b>Links:</b></i><br />
<i>Want to try making other things with your stonefruit kernels? Try these -</i><br />
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<li><i>DIY creme de noyaux liqueur <a href="https://stirrednotshakenblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/creme-de-noyaux-a-short-moderately-accurate-incomplete-history/">clickety</a></i></li>
<li><i>Ice cream <a href="http://whisk-kid.blogspot.com/2010/07/flop-noyaux-ice-cream.html">clickety</a></i></li>
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<iframe height="130" scrolling="no" src="http://www.fxware.com/forex-currency/add-on/?a=1&up_l=en" style="background-color: white; border: 2px solid rgb(255, 107, 8); display: none; left: 59px; position: absolute; top: 2423px; z-index: 100;" width="260"></iframe>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-8929811438190351222011-04-19T09:19:00.059+12:002012-07-05T08:44:34.433+12:00Borough Market, London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<small>Created with <a href="http://www.flickrslideshow.com/">flickr slideshow</a> from <a href="http://www.softsea.com/">softsea</a>.</small><br />
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With nary a Dickensian street urchin, bell-clanging leper or 'Oliver!'-esque flower seller to be seen, Borough market makes up for it by being a foodie paradise. <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=borough+market+london&fb=1&hq=borough+market&hnear=Westminster,+London,+UK&cid=13324598085553766442">Located</a> near London Bridge, this glorious market is host to a vast array of fresh fruit, veg, meat, game and fish sellers, not to mention the army of artisnal food vendors. They'll be only to happy to talk to you, as well as provide you with samples to taste. I went for a wander one Saturday morning and ended up with bags of blood oranges, custard tarts and bramley apples. Oh, and a slice of chocolate cherry cake, some mead and a curry.<br />
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I spent far too much money there. So will you if you do it properly. Go take a look.<br />
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<b><i>Links:</i></b><br />
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<li><i>Borough market's Flickr group (awesome shots in here): <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/boroughmarket/">clickety</a></i></li>
<li><i>How to get there: <a href="http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/page/3020/Visit+us">clickety</a></i></li>
<li><i>BM's website (sign up & you get recipes, news & information on what's available): <a href="http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/">clickety</a></i></li>
</ul>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-45271697351611703392011-04-11T14:54:00.263+12:002012-07-05T08:44:47.644+12:00Billingsgate Fish Market, London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Nah, mate - turn around and head back to Canary Wharf. Cut through the shopping centre - the shops will be closed but it's open, if you know wot I mean - and on the other side is a road. Go left out the door and follow it until you get to an overbridge. You should see the market on the other side of the road. It's huge, you won't miss it. You'll know you're not far off when you see the seagulls hanging 'round. Ha, fucking seagulls, ha ha!".<br />
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The last part of his comment turned out to be an invaluable tip.<br />
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Thanking the security guard manning his barrier arm on this cold, far-too-early part of a Saturday morning, I walked back to the station to try out his directions. I was you see, a bit lost. I'd been up since well before the crack of dawn, travelling from Surrey to London with the aim of visiting the Billingsgate fish market, the largest of its kind in the UK. Getting here was the easy part; finding the market was anything but.<br />
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The problem was, I was looking for a 'market': acres of open air stalls, manned by traders engaged in witty banter with customers; piles of freshly caught fish on ice; gangs of organised feral cats making off with boxes of lobster. If I'd done my research, I'd have realised that it was an indoor venue. This is where the security guard's seagull tip came in handy. The area was awash with buildings but one in particular had seagulls hovering over it. A five minute walk along what appeared to be its front revealed paydirt: Billingsgate market.<br />
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So why visit Billingsgate? Well, this <a href="https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Billingsgate_Fish_Market">old and venerable</a> seafood market has long played a part in feeding the local populace - can you imagine how much fish you'd need to feed London alone? Daily? Curiosity value alone was enough to get me interested. I wanted to see what sort of variety was offered up by the oceans here. Plus, it's good too to see the steps involved in the journey our food makes from source to dinner plate.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">After finally working out how to actually enter the building (just follow the natives), I was gobsmacked to see the interior. It certainly lives up to its reputation as being the largest fish market. After all my faffing about, I didn't get there till </span><span class="currency_converter_text">6</span><span class="currency_converter_text">:</span><span class="currency_converter_text">30</span><span class="currency_converter_text">am (it opens at </span><span class="currency_converter_text">4</span><span class="currency_converter_text">:</span><span class="currency_converter_text">30</span><span class="currency_converter_text">am, closes at </span><span class="currency_converter_text">8</span><span class="currency_converter_text">:</span><span class="currency_converter_text">30</span><span class="currency_converter_text">am), but it was still packed to the gunnels with both fish and folk.</span><br />
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Fish in its myriad forms lay out on ice; tentacled, clawed, gilled, all waiting to be picked up and taken off to be steamed, fried, battered or simply devoured raw. Dozens of traders cajoled, haggled and laughed with (and on occasion, at) customers. Snide remarks and friendly insults were directed back and forth between traders. The market is indicative of London's multicultural identity; all manner of races were here, buying food for work and home. It was a lively, hectic venue.<br />
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Most product is sold frozen, although there were plenty of still freshly-flopping examples to be had. Fish was largely sold whole, so if you're after prepped fillets, you'll be disappointed. If you're there to shop, bring large bags and a chilly bin; generally speaking, traders seemed only to deal in substantial amounts, but you might have more luck later on as they try to get rid of stock (check the quality though).<br />
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The market itself is a cool venue, so dress warmly. Oh, and don't wear your flash shoes - the floor is hosed down regularly. It's not slippy, though.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Billingsgate market is open for trading from </span><span class="currency_converter_text">5.00</span><span class="currency_converter_text">am (you can go earlier, but the traders are still setting up shop) till about </span><span class="currency_converter_text">8</span><span class="currency_converter_text">:</span><span class="currency_converter_text">30</span><span class="currency_converter_text">am, tuesday to saturday. I got there on the tube using the Jubilee line from Waterloo (my entry point to all-things London), getting off at Canary Wharf. It's not too much of a walk from the station if you know where you're going (which I clearly didn't). Alternatively, you could catch a bus, but I don't know the routes and timetables, but try looking </span><a href="http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/">here</a>. By the way, if you time it right, you can visit <a href="http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/">Borough market</a> straight after your visit here by taking the tube from Canary Wharf to London Bridge station (again, on the Jubilee line - tube map <a href="http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/im/SI-T.html">here</a>).Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-19884403621517811122011-04-10T16:18:00.008+12:002012-07-05T08:44:59.590+12:00River Cottage Canteen, Axminster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Somewhere out in that vast, cold, English wilderness lies my lunch. That's not to say it's waiting to be trapped, shot or enticed into the back of a windowless van; it's actually in Axminster, which is pretty much wilderness country given the length of time I'd spent holidaying recently in the hubub of London. <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=W6d&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&q=devon+uk+google+maps&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Devon,+UK&ei=4v-tTeG_NoKGuQPq1cGGDw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ8gEwAA">Axminster</a>, located in <a href="http://www.devonlink.co.uk/">Devon</a>, is home to the <a href="http://www.rivercottage.net/canteens/">River Cottage Canteen</a>, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's eatery, offering nosh made from goods and produce sourced from both River Cottage HQ and its locale, the south west of England. I'm a big fan of the lad, and wanting to see what was on offer, found myself seated on a train with my sister, hurtling across Britain's cold bottom for a spot of lunch.<br />
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Two hours later we arrived in Axminster, leaving the warmth of our carriage to brave the cold walk up to Trinity Square, site of our lunch destination. Incidentally, I saw my first ever pair of <a href="http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_561508917/trainspotter.html">trainspotters</a> <i>en route</i>, standing on one of the platforms we pulled into. There they both were, notebooks in hand, writing down details of trains as they came by. On reflection, they might have been terrorists. One of them did after all have a beard; she had a pleasant face, too.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">We walked into what was a very busy and packed Saturday lunch service. Fortunately, we only had to wait for about </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">5</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes before we were seated by what was possibly Britain's youngest waitress, a very polite and efficient wee thing who ferried us into a large hall-like room (not unlike the school hall she was probably in the day before, tweeting away on her MP</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">3</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cassette player-thingy). There were large pictures of produce on the walls (I liked the triffid-like mushroom photo), and we were seated at one of the large, chunky tables graced with mismatched op-shop chairs.</span><br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">The menu was simple, but plenty of choice was there to be had; relatively inexpensive, too. I chose a <a href="https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Faggot_%28food%29">faggot</a> (chortle) & my sister ordered the mackerel bap, with a lemon posset to share. "What's a lemon posset?", I hear you say? Keep reading...</span><br />
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The first of my three ciders, all locally made including one called 'Badger' or "Bramble". Or possibly "Zebra". <br />
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Lunch up! Here is my sister's Mackerel in a Bap: a nice crispy battered mackerel fillet in a fresh bap with hand-cut chips (with extra crunchy bits) and a chunky tartare sauce...<br />
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... and here's my bacon-wrapped faggot, made with savoury beef minced offcuts, with a delicious onion gravy and a hefty dollop of creamy mash. Perfect winter (or as the English call it, "spring") fare.<br />
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And now for the posset. It's a cold, set-cream pudding (flavoured here with lemon) served with shortbread for texture. Simple, unaffected presentation, and more importantly, it tasted great - creamy and sweet, with the zing of citrus providing contrast and balance.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_text">With a return train to catch, it was time to pay and take a quick snoop around the souvenirs before leaving. Stopping by the pass, I asked the head chef how he made the posset. The man promptly dropped everything and came out to talk about the dessert, and also proceeded to write it down for me! Bless :) If you want to follow the recipe, bear in mind that the amounts given are restaurant quantities, so reduce each ingredient by about a quarter. To make, simply add the cream and sugar to a pan, bring to the boil, stirring to ensure the sugar's been dissolved, and boil for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">3</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">-</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">4</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes. Stir in your lemon juice and zest, pour into ramekins and leave to set in the fridge - simple as that!</span></span><br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">So all in all, it was a great experience: friendly front of house staff, kindly kitchen folk, and tasty, flavoursome food. Pop along if you ever get a chance.</span><br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">A big thank you to my sister, Heidi, for coming along :)</span><br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">By the way, we didn't see Hugh F-W. He was probably busy organising this, the "<a href="http://www.fishfight.net/">Fish Fight</a>" campaign which had a significant presence in the press at the time. Apparently, half of all the fish caught in the North Sea are thrown back, dead - such waste.</span><br />
<iframe height="130" scrolling="no" src="http://www.fxware.com/forex-currency/add-on/?a=4&up_l=en" style="background-color: white; border: 2px solid rgb(255, 107, 8); display: none; left: 250px; position: absolute; top: 4218px; z-index: 100;" width="260"></iframe>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-31291377052457973542011-04-04T20:05:00.111+12:002012-07-05T08:46:05.805+12:00Goodbye, Provedore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Provedore, the neatest little restaurant and bar here in Napier, not to mention being my workplace for almost three years, closed its doors yesterday. I like to think of the place as being a bit like a Gucci shirt, hanging in a wardrobe full of rugby jerseys; out amongst the provinces, where steak and fush liberally dusted with chopped parsley is considered <i>de rigeur</i>, "P" dared to be a little bit flash. It's the place where I learnt my trade, under the auspices of two magnificent chefs, Zana Price and Stacey Worsnop. It's the place where I've experienced emotions running the gamut from profound shittiness, right up to moments of unfeasible happiness; it's also the place where I've worked with a wide range of people, most who've proven to be good, decent folk.<br />
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All the very best to my old bosses, Simon Kerr and Jen Cho (bless your hearts), and good luck to new owner, Brian Casey, who will doubtlessly take the restaurant to new heights.<br />
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</div>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-5605453421917727972011-02-01T16:39:00.001+13:002012-07-05T08:46:19.795+12:00Pickled Walnuts - The Beginning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Walnuts are truly amazing. The wood from their grand trees have provided furniture for nanas' the world over; the shells of the nut are tough and strong, finding use in <a href="https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Walnuts#Shells">heavy industry</a>, as well as in battle (predominantly playground-oriented). And then there's the nut itself, found gracing all manner of food, whether it be cakes or cheeseboards, ice creams and tarts, pastes, oils, sauces and preserves. Walnuts have a uniqueness of flavour which see them working harmoniously with apples, pears, prunes and honey; they also sit quite comfortably with cumin and anise.<br />
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Pickled walnuts are a bit of a rarity in New Zealand. An age-old British practice, walnuts are pickled first by immersing the immature, green-husked nut in brine and then flavored by placing in spiced vinegar for several months. When ready, the now blackened husk is removed revealing the flavoursome baby walnut, which is then eaten with cold meats and cheeses.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">The ideal time for picking walnuts for preserving is early to mid-summer. With three large, old trees within </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">100</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> metres of where I presently write, begging to be plundered, it seemed an ideal opportunity to launch myself into a new project. Not knowing where to start, I was fortunate enough to have in my possession a recipe passed down from generation to generation from the internet (a big thank you to the awesome </span><a href="http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/">Cottage Smallholder</a>, a British site that's an absolute mine of information, particularly for those interested in self sufficiency). Time to get the ball rolling.<br />
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With a pack strapped to my back, I climbed one of my landlord's magnificent walnut trees. Once situated in the branches, the first thing you notice is the wonderful fragrance. The green walnut husks smell of pine and cardamom; quite exotic.<br />
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This wonderful fragrance was overwhelmed rather quickly by the odour of fear emanating from my tremulous self. God knows how many feet up in the air I was, but it was high and I wasn't keen on lingering. I gingerly crept out along the branches, grabbing walnuts as I went, slipping them into my pack. With it rapidly filling, I began to ease myself back towards the trunk and found my way back down.<br />
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Having completed the hardest part of the job, and having duly changed my trousers, it was now time to commence with the fiddly bits. First, I had to check whether the shell inside the husk had hardened around the nut - if it has, it'll have to be rejected because the spiced vinegar won't be be able to permeate through to the nut to flavour it. To gauge suitability, grab a fork and insert it into the husk at the end opposite where the stalk was. If it slides in unhindered, it's a keeper. Do this to all of your nuts <span style="font-size: xx-small;">*chortle*</span><br />
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Oh, and put some gloves on before you start. When you jab the husk, it will release a liquid which will stain your fingers, giving them the nicotine-stained appearance of someone who's been smoking since the age of nine. It took a week before it started to fade. You have been warned...<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Next, you'll need to brine the walnuts for two weeks. In a bucket, dissolve salt with water at the rate of </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">150</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g per litre of water (that's a </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">5</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">L bucket, above). Once done, add your walnuts. Pop something heavy on top to ensure that all the walnuts are submerged. After seven days, tip out the brine and replace with a fresh mix. Over time, the walnuts will turn from green to a dirty, charcoal-grey.</span><br />
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At the end of two weeks, tip your walnuts and brine into the sink. Rinse the walnuts in cold water, dry with a towel and place on a tray lined with baking or greaseproof paper. Once exposed to air, they will rapidly turn black. Turn them to ensure all sides are exposed - leave for three days.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Now for the spiced vinegar, which serves as both preservative and flavouring agent. Here, I leave it up to you as to how you'll flavour your vinegar. The most common recipes I've found online and in books seem to have malt vinegar with cloves, mustard, peppercorns and allspice. Fiona at Cottage Smallholder has several variations, some using white wine vinegar, tarragon, mace and garlic. I used malt vinegar with dried chillies, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cloves, brown sugar and a bayleaf. Ratios are roughly </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1.5</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> teaspoons of dried spice and </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">3</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tablespoons of whole spice (this covers sugar, too) per </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1.5</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">L of vinegar. It's not gospel though; again, feel free to use whatever you like in whatever proportion you see fit.</span><br />
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Bring all your ingredients to the boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer for about an hour. Place your walnuts in sterilised jars, then pour over your spiced vinegar. Seal and leave in a cool, dark place for at least three months. These will be ready just as winter takes up residence here - I'll bring you pictures then and we'll see how they taste...Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-60977884486552298552011-01-24T02:08:00.008+13:002012-07-05T08:46:31.003+12:00Pineapple & Mango (But Mostly Pineapple) Chutney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Chutney: no self-respecting Indian meal would be without a generous dollop of the stuff. For those not in the know, a chutney is a combination of fruit and veg, slow cooked in vinegar with sugar and spices, and then stored for a long period of time to intensify its flavour. Chutney, in all its many and varied forms, is but one of the many gifts the fine people of the Indian subcontinent have bestowed upon the world. Taking its place alongside Buddhism, call centres, using rocks down at the river to do your laundry, chess, and the largest film industry on the planet, chutney is indeed a bright star, doing its motherland proud. All this, and tasty, too.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span class="currency_converter_text">Why pineapple and mango chutney? Well, the fruit was dirt cheap. Quite a lot of imported tropical goodies have been making an appearance around town, thanks largely to the Christmas/New Years holiday. Recently, one of the local supermarkets was selling pineapples for $</span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> each, so I grabbed a few with the thought of making a chutney, something I've not made before. I had a couple of mangos sitting in the fridge which needed to be used up too, so they went in as well.</span><br />
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Making chutney is a simple process, certainly nowhere near as involved as jam-making. The key thing to remember though is to cook your fruit out slowly, over a low heat.<br />
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The recipe is somewhat westernised, the original probably using a wider array of spices, but it's still pretty good. You will need:<br />
<ul>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> pineapples, cubed</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> mangos, green, cubed (any other colour will be far too soft & a pain to use) </span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tsp ground cardamom</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cinnamon quill </span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">8</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tbspn white wine vinegar</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">10</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cloves</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">10</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> peppercorns</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">4</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tspns ground cumin</span></li>
<li>Salt & pepper</li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1.5</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cups brown sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">5</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">" long piece of ginger, peeled & grated</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> clove garlic</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> large red chili, deseeded & finely chopped</span></li>
</ul>
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I didn't have ground cardamom or cumin - just seeds. Remove any pods/casings and toast lightly in the oven (keep an eye on them so they don't burn). Grind to a powder in a mortar and pestle, or place on a chopping board and crush with the bottom of a pot.<br />
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Put all ingredients into a pan <u>except</u><span class="currency_converter_text"> the garlic, ginger, mango and pineapple. Heat and stir to dissolve brown sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">15</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes. Do not cover.</span><br />
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Add remaining ingredients and gently simmer until the fruit is soft, by which time most of the liquid should have evaporated. Allow at least a couple of hours (remember: low heat + long time = great chutney). Again, do not cover.<br />
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At this point, the chutney should be thick and smooth. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.<br />
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How did it taste? It was pleasantly warming and spicy, with a distinct pineapple flavour; unfortunately, you couldn't taste the mango at all. While it's hot, pour into warm, sterilised jars, seal and store in a cool, dark place. You could eat it now, but as with most preserves, the longer you leave it to sit and develop, the more flavoursome it will be (at least a month, and longer is better, as most women will tell you). Serve alongside curries or with fried fish; I tried a bit with some small, whole flounder dredged in seasoned flour: very win!<br />
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<b><i>Linky goodness:</i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><i>How to cut up a pineapple <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://ns.startcooking.com/blog/79/How-to-Cut-a-Pineapple">kerlickety</a></i></li>
<li><i>The biggest collection of Indian recipes ever! <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/">kerlickety</a></i></li>
</ul>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-169165834781773032011-01-23T08:18:00.000+13:002012-07-05T08:48:11.035+12:00Sweet Pickled Cherries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I still have cherries to get rid of, so this was my next project: a sweet fruit pickle. Less acid and much sweeter than a typical pickle (chortle), this rich preserve is ideal for spooning over ice cream or other equally delicious treats. <br />
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Don't be put off by the presence here of vinegar; the sugar does indeed make this pleasantly sweet. Vinegar acts as a preservative, its high level of acidity effectively stopping bacterial activity.<br />
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You will need:<br />
<ul>
<li>900 g cherries (I left the stalks on for decorative effect - you don't have to)</li>
<li>600 ml white wine vinegar (far less pungent than malt, essential so that the cherries aren't overwhelmed)</li>
<li>225 g brown sugar</li>
<li>2 cinnamon quills</li>
<li>1 tsp cloves</li>
</ul>
Pour the vinegar into a pot, along with the sugar and spices. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cherries and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the cherries and place in warm, sterilised jars. Bring the liquid back to the boil and cook until it is the consistency of a runny syrup - not too liquid, but not too thick like treacle or golden syrup (otherwise known as the Goldilocks treatment). It will also thicken as it cools, so don't let the liquid reduce too much.<br />
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Pour the hot syrup (I left the spices in) over the cherries, cover and store in a cool, dark place. Again, you could eat it straight away but the longer it's left, the more the flavours will develop. Once you open the jar, store in the fridge. Serve over desserts (hot or cold) with a generous measure of syrup, disregarding signs of anxiety from your teeth.<br />
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Recipe from The Penguin Book of Jams, Pickles and Chutneys by David and Rose Mabey - grand wee book, find yourself a copy if you can.Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-49653407373510780092011-01-22T17:48:00.006+13:002012-07-05T08:48:24.541+12:00Cherry & Walnut Jam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do you have so much fruit that the kids in your neighborhood have given up raiding your fruit trees and are instead honing their shoplifting skills in town? Here in Hawke's Bay, tree after tree after tree is laden with the summer's bounty. As a result, I find myself with quite a few kilos of fruit, particularly cherries, so it made sense to start preserving some of this excess goodness for later use - time to make some jam. <br />
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<a name='more'></a>First, a little jam tutorial. In jam making, three elements are required: sugar, acid and pectin. Pectin is essential as it is needed for the jam to gel. It is present in the cell walls of fruit; cooking breaks down the walls, releasing the pectin. Acid, often in the form of lemon juice, aids in the extraction of pectin, as well as serving to temper flavour and stopping the sugar from crystallising after the jam's been made. Sugar's role is not only that of a sweetener but also as a preservative.<br />
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Some fruits have higher levels of pectin than others. Cherries feature low on this <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/pectin">list</a>, which is why we have raisins in the recipe. Combining fruit or the juices of fruits high in pectin with mid to low level fruit is a common practice, as is using commercial pectin or pectin-added sugar.<br />
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Also worth remembering is that you should use fruit that is ripe or just a tad under - pectin levels here are at their most optimum.<br />
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Todays recipe comes courtesy of "Jams, Pickles and Chutneys" by David and Rose Mabey, an amazing old British cookbook. You can always rely on the British for two things: <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1027739/Queens-hat-centre-bizarre-Ascot-betting-scandal.html">odd scandals</a> and brilliant jams, both usually pretty tasty. You're going to need:<br />
<ul>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> kg cherries, de-stemmed</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">675</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> g sugar</span></li>
<li>juice of a large lemon</li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_text"> </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">110</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> g raisins</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">56</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> g chopped walnuts, lightly roasted</span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Halve the cherries, reserving the stones, and place the fruit in a large pot; sprinkle with a little of your sugar. Here, I tweaked the recipe a little: grab the stones and place inside a tea towel and bash with a hammer. Remove the little kernels from the stones, chop them up roughly and wrap up in a piece of muslin, tying to form a bag - place it in the pot. This will impart a subtle almond flavour to the jam as it cooks*. </span><br />
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Add lemon juice and raisins (I actually used sultanas - it's all I had in the cupboard and I'm not traipsing down to the shop just for raisins. Besides, I thought they were raisins - the perils of cooking without your glasses).<br />
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By this time, the sugar added earlier will have drawn out a little moisture from the cherries which should stop it from sticking to the bottom of the pot as it's cooked. Turn on the heat and bring to a gentle simmer; cook until the fruit is soft. Remove the bag and add the sugar, stirring to ensure it dissolves - this is vital as it will affect the jams ability to set. Once done, gently increase the heat and bring to a rolling boil.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Boil until you have achieved setting point, which is </span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">104</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">°c. This can be gauged by using a sugar thermometer (they're actually quite cheap, around NZ$</span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">15</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">-</span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">20</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> at any kitchenwares-type store). Alternatively, pop a plate into the freezer at the very start and bring it out when you're about to begin testing. Place a teaspoon of proto-jam on the plate, leave to cool and then gently nudge it with your finger; if your finger goes through it, continue boiling. If it wrinkles, it's ready.</span><br />
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Whip off any scum using a spoon or ladle. Stir in your chopped walnuts and pour into warm sterilised jars; leave to cool slighly and stir to ensure that the walnuts are evenly dispersed. Cover and place somewhere cool and dark. You could eat it now but obviously the longer you leave it, the more the flavours will develop. It just occurred to me - a slug of kirsch wouldn't go amiss if you have some. Add some to the jam, too.<br />
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Voila! Cherry and walnut jam: as smooth as Don Draper's suits. Grab some cherries (or hire a small band of feral children to do it for you), and get busy before they disappear.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">*<i>There are concerns about the trace amounts of cyanide to be found in some varieties of seed and kernels, cherries included. The amounts are minuscule, and your body is quite capable of detoxifying anything you ingest, but if you are worried:</i></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="currency_converter_text">roast the stones for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">10</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span><i><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes in a pre-heated oven at </span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">180</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">°c</span></i></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="currency_converter_text">remove stones, turning the oven down to </span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">120</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span><i><span class="currency_converter_text">°c</span></i></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="currency_converter_text"> extract the kernel and roast them for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">10</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span><i><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes (keep an eye on it; given its size, they are prone to burning). High heat destroys the cyanide-producing enzyme</span></i></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="currency_converter_text"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>alternatively, leave them out - the jam will taste just as good without them.</i></span></li>
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<ul></ul>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-73054444667573321222011-01-17T09:16:00.002+13:002012-07-05T08:48:37.230+12:00Raspberry Vinegar<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<i>"Here is a pleasant 'refresher', specially suitable for the young after lawn tennis or sports on hot days, but acceptable also to their elders when exhausted by church, depressed by gardening, or exasperated by shopping."</i><br />
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<i><span class="currency_converter_text">"Take one pound of raspberries¹ to every pint best white vinegar². Let it stand for a fortnight in a covered jar in a cool larder. Then strain without pressure, and to every pint add </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">12</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> ounces white sugar³. Boil ten minutes, let cool and bottle in nice medium-sized bottles saved perhaps from some present of foreign liquers."</span></i><br />
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<i>"A teaspoonful stirred into a tumbler of water with a lump of ice, or introduced to a very cold syphon will taste like the elixir of life on a hot day, and is as pretty as it is pleasant."</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Recipe from "<a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Essays-Persephone-Classics-Jekyll/dp/1906462038">Kitchen Essays</a>" by <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Agnes_Jekyll">Lady Agnes Jekyll</a><span class="currency_converter_text">, </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1922</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> (subsequent reprints, </span><a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=103">Persephone Classics</a>)</span><br />
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¹ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="currency_converter_text">one pound = </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">450</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">(ish) grams</span></span><br />
² <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="currency_converter_text">one pint (imperial) = roughly half a litre (</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">0.568</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> ml)</span></span><br />
³ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">12</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> ounces = </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">340</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> grams</span></span>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-77251596323698687282011-01-03T12:06:00.115+13:002012-07-05T08:48:52.545+12:00Brown Bread Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently made a wholemeal rewena loaf, promptly forgot about it, and then re-discovered it several days later in all its stale, dried out, brick-like glory. It seemed a waste to feed it to the birds (and given its state, chances are they'd only pick it up & drop it back off on my doorstep), so I thought I'd give that classic English dessert, brown bread ice cream, a try.<br />
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As you can see from the slices I managed to hack off, it was a good sourdough, probably my most successful yet. It was forgotten in my rush to get back to my mum's for Christmas, so it spent a few days doing some additional baking in the afternoon summer sun that streams in through my kitchen window. The bread looks a little pale in the photo, but it was a lovely brown colour. It's now gone to a better place... <br />
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<b>Brown Bread Ice Cream</b><br />
<br />
<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">4</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> egg yolks</span><br />
<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">100</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g caster sugar</span><br />
vanilla pod<br />
<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">375</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml milk</span><br />
<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">125</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml cream</span><br />
<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">40</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g butter</span><br />
<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">100</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g crustless wholemeal bread, stale</span><br />
<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">50</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g soft light brown sugar</span><br />
<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">300</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml cream</span><br />
<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tablespoon brandy (optional, but it does lend a nice flavour, and the alcohol will make the ice cream nice and smooth)</span><br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Preheat your oven to </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">180</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">c. Place your stale bread in the food processor to make crumbs (not too long, otherwise you'll end up with dust). Mix the brown sugar with the melted butter and add the crumbs, stir well then spread the mixture out onto an oven tray lined with baking paper.</span><br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Bake the crumbs for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">15</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes, turning from time to time until they are evenly toasted and crisp. Do keep an eye on them after the </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">10</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minute mark, because depending on the idiosyncratic nature of your oven, they may burn. Once done, remove and leave to cool.</span><br />
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Cut the vanilla pod open and scrape out the seeds. Pour the milk into a pot, add the vanilla pod and seeds and bring to the boil.<br />
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While the milk is coming to the boil, whisk the egg yolks & sugar in a bowl until thick and pale. Gradually pour on the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pot and cook over a gentle heat, stirring all the time - do not allow to come to the boil. When the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon, pass through a sieve, add the brandy and leave to cool. Pop a piece of clingfilm directly on top of the custard to prevent it from forming a skin.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Stir the cream into the custard and place in your ice cream maker. Churn until thick, about </span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">15</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">-</span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">20</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes. While that's happening, rub the breadcrumbs between your fingers to break up any big lumps. Add the crumbs into the mixture, a little at a time, and churn for an additional </span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">5</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">-</span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">10</span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes. Freeze, or eat straight away. How does it taste? Sweet, and pleasantly nutty and crunchy.</span><br />
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<i><b>Note:</b> there are doubtlessly a sizable number of you who don't have an ice cream maker. Here's a <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2010/12/2-simple-secrets-to-making-luscious-ice-cream-without-a-machine-5-ingredients/">link</a> to Jules of the fantastic <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://thestonesoup.com/blog/">Stone Soup</a> who has a no-machine recipe for a lemon ice cream which could be adapted. The key to its success lies in the sugar content and amount of air incorporated into the mix. Also, David Lebovitz, world-renown pastry chef and author, has a recipe <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/07/making-ice-crea-1/">here</a> for a no-machine ice cream.</i><br />
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</div>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-15143703987798803782011-01-03T11:24:00.002+13:002012-07-05T08:49:08.747+12:00Playing Chopsticks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Having difficulty convincing your child to eat their vegetables? Frustrated by the constant appearance of broccoli on your wallpaper? Are your threats of boarding school or millitary academy laughed off by your impudent </span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> year old? Then teach them to use chopsticks!</span></div>
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It's a win-win situation for all involved. The child gets to play with their food; parent/s see the child refining their motor skills, and through exposure to something quite unique, the world may even end up with one less philistine roaming its surface.</div>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Pictured above is Cohen (</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">3</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">), practising on some grapes, frozen peas and corn. Later, he was seen experimenting on blocks, toy cars and mummy's hair accessories.</span></div>
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Making the task of learning how to use chopsticks easier is this children's training set I found in a store in town recently - the design is ingenious. There are three rings, two of which accomodate the middle and index fingers, with a larger ring on the bottom stick for the thumb. Connecting the chopsticks is a hinge (the bird) which when in use allows only the top stick to move. The tips are rounded, providing more surface area for picking up food, as well as eliminating sharp, stabby bits. The whole unit is quite hefty and solid, made with dishwasher-safe, high grade plastic. </div>
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They are an unashamedly cool thing! Here he comes, in for the attack, like Luke Skywalker's X-wing hurtling down the Death Star's trench!</div>
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Steady...steady... The index and middle fingers do most of the work, while the bottom chopstick remains relatively still (and yes, there is some finger slippage).</div>
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Kerplunk! Yaaaay!</div>
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By all accounts, Cohen's quite taken with his new acquisition, carting it with him around town. Introducing chopsticks to meal times can only make the dining experience more enjoyable, for both parents and children. Whatever kind you use, fun will inevitably ensue. Not sure how to use them? Check the links at the end of the post.</div>
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A big thank you (and tickles) to Cohen, Haley (Cohen's mum) and Stacey :)</div>
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<i><b>Linky Goodness:</b></i></div>
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<li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Want to learn how to use chopsticks? Google is your friend <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://google.com/search?q=how+to+use+chopsticks&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a">click</a> ;Youtube, too <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+use+chopsticks&search=Search">click</a></i></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Training Chopsticks (Australia) - home of this great tool (adult models available as well) <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://trainingchopsticks.com.au/">click</a></i></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> Wikipedia's page on chopsticks - an absolute mine of information <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Chopsticks">click</a></i></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Chopsticks in the news: China declares war on disposable chopsticks <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/china-disposable-wooden-chopsticks_n_684278.html">click</a> </i></li>
</ul>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-27090333043092403442010-12-24T06:00:00.016+13:002012-07-05T08:49:22.801+12:00Merry Christmas!<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Have a fantastic day tomorrow, bless :)</span><br />
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<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x8der6XpQrw?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param>
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<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x8der6XpQrw?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-69915472582066323932010-09-15T12:16:00.003+12:002012-07-05T08:49:34.667+12:00Gorseflower Cordial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fancy one of these? </div>
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First, you'll need to pick approximately eleventy million of these: gorse flowers, plucked from one of the near countless numbers of gorse that dot the New Zealand countryside. They have the unique scent of coconut and when handled, have a keen sweet smell, not unlike freshly mown grass. You'll need quite a bit to make gorse flower cordial, which I used to make the cocktail pictured above.</div>
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First, some background. <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorse">Gorse</a> was introduced here from the UK at the time of European colonisation. A naturally hardy plant, gorse flourished and then spread like wildfire, becoming our country's single most invasive plant species, with millions spent over the years in trying to eradicate it. While still considered a blight, gorse is increasingly used to foster the <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/forest-succession-and-regeneration/4">regeneration of native forest</a>, serving as cover for young plants until they become established.</div>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Gorse bushes will flower for most of the year, but become especially prolific in spring. I see them all the time when driving along Highway </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">50</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> here in Hawke's Bay, and this inspired me, along with an old episode of River Cottage where Hugh F-W made </span><a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/gorseflower-wine-recipe_p_1.html">gorse flower wine</a>, to try and make something with them. I thought about making the wine, but I don't have the brewing equipment... yet (material for a future post). So, I settled for a gorse cordial recipe I found at the awesome <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.eatweeds.co.uk/">Eat Weeds</a> site. I was hoping it would taste as good as it smelt, so maybe it would lend itself to a cocktail of some description. Time to get to work...</div>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">First, find your gorse bush. Being as prolific as they are, you shouldn't have too much difficulty finding them - try riverbanks, abandoned plots of land, or ask a farmer. Gorse bushes are smothered in wicked-looking spines, so be careful when plucking your flowers. I didn't bother, but you may want to give thought to wearing some gardening gloves; nothing too thick though, otherwise you won't feel a thing and won't be able to grasp the flowers. You'll need </span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">4</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> large handfuls worth to make around half a litre of cordial. Pop into a plastic bag as you pick.</span></div>
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In order to minimise the loss of scent/flavour, I pretty much made the cordial as soon as I got home.</div>
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<b>Gorse Flower Cordial</b></div>
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<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">4</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> large handfuls of gorse flowers</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">250</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g caster sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">600</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml water</span></li>
<li>juice of a lemon</li>
<li>zest of an orange</li>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Dissolve sugar in the water and bring to the boil; keep at a rolling boil for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">10</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes, then remove from the heat. Add all ingredients immediately, and stir. Straight away, the first thing I noticed was a smell similar to sweet, fruity herbal tea - no trace of the distinctive coconut smell, however. Leave overnight to cool and infuse, then strain through muslin or similar. It has a bright yellow, Mountain Dew-kind of colour. Store in the fridge.</span></div>
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How did it taste? I took it to work to get opinions and got lots of "mangoes", "cut grass", "spring" and "herby notes". The flavour, while subtle, was quite distinctive. </div>
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I tinkered with a few cocktail recipes and came up with this (it doesn't have a name). I ruled out gin, fearing that the pronounced flavours of the botanicals would swamp the cordial, unlike vermouth which I thought would be a little gentler. I'm no expert on cocktails, by any stretch, so if you have any suggestions or would do things differently, feel free to chime in with your thoughts.</div>
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<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">30</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml vodka</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">30</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml dry vermouth</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">30</span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml gorse flower cordial </span></li>
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Place ingredients into a cocktail mixer with ice, and stir. Strain into a glass over ice - serve. It has a palid, lime colour, and the flavour of the cordial lingers for quite a while. Alternatively, have with a big splash of soda water and ice. Either way, it's a very pleasant tipple :)</div>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-81232656824731283552010-09-06T22:43:00.002+12:002012-07-05T08:50:48.760+12:00Duck Scratchings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of my jobs at the restaurant is to contribute ideas which, after some tinkering, could end up as viable, tasty dishes on the tapas menu. One day, I was watching head chef prepping duck legs for service, trimming off the excess skin and fat, when it occurred to me: duck scratchings! Just like pork scratchings, except more ducky! Crisp, puffy duck skins, roasted in the oven, dusted with salt and served as a tapa with beer - how unique! No one else in the world could possibly have come up with such an awesome idea!</div>
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<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">68</span></span>,<span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">203</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> results on Google proved me wrong.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a>No matter. It was still worth pursuing.<br />
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Just to see what I should be doing, I popped into the British food section of my local supermarket, which happens to stock pork scratchings - the template for my idea. I bought two different brands (one's actually made in New Zealand!), and tipped them out to see how they looked and tasted.</div>
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While both were pleasantly porky and salty, the British-made product was quite hard, and the NZ-made scratchings crunchy - crunch is what I was after, and I figured cooking my duck skins at a moderate heat for about half an hour should do it.</div>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Turn your oven on to </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">180</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">c, and pop a tray inside to warm up. Using a good sharp knife, cut your duck skin into finger-width-and-length strips.</span></div>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Place your duck skins onto the heated tray (line it with baking paper; I forgot), sprinkle generously with maldon or sea salt, then place in the oven for </span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">30</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">-</span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">40</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. They will shrink in size quite considerably, so don't be alarmed. You'll also end up with a surprising amount of rendered duck fat.</span></div>
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Pass the fat through some muslin (to keep out debris) and into a container. Cool it down, cover and pop in the fridge; use it later when roasting spuds to make them more flavoursome.</div>
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Place the scratchings on a paper towel to drain. Allow to cool, during which time they'll harden.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Did they make it onto the menu? No. While they are quite tasty (lots of roast duck flavour, pleasantly salty), they still retain a little fat which may turn people off (that, and the salt). Longer cooking may remedy this, but to the detriment of the skin's flavour, I feel. No worries! It was an interesting experiment, and a neat way of using up waste product. The next time you're preparing duck at home, give this a go - duck skin is far tastier than, say, chicken skin (which you're supposed to remove for a healthier meal), and a real treat. Tell me how you get on :)</span>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-90623668909540857192010-09-01T02:03:00.001+12:002012-07-05T08:51:02.128+12:00Churros & Hot Chocolate<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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It's cold and miserable outside, and you're tucked up in front of the fire reading a juicy bodice-ripper/watching Jersey Shore. Suddenly, you get the urge...</div>
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Feeling better after peeing, you decide that what you want right now is a hot drink. But not just any old hot drink. And a snack would be good, too. A thick, Spanish-style hot chocolate and some piping hot cinnamon sugar-coated churros would be just about perfect, you think to yourself. Keen? Then read on...</div>
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Let's make the churros dough first. This can be made well in advance, and the longer it's left, the more the flavours will develop. You'll need:</div>
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<li><span class="currency_converter_text">1</span><span class="currency_converter_text">/</span><span class="currency_converter_text">3</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cup of water</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tsp ground cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">150</span><span class="currency_converter_text">g flour</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">30</span><span class="currency_converter_text">g butter, room temperature</span></li>
<li>zest of an orange, small - medium</li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_text">1</span><span class="currency_converter_text">/</span><span class="currency_converter_text">4</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tsp caster sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> eggs</span></li>
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Later on, you'll need:</div>
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<li><span class="currency_converter_text"> a piping bag (with a </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">5</span><span class="currency_converter_text">mm star nozzle if you have one, but it's not essential)</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span><span class="currency_converter_text">L of vegetable oil for deep frying the churros </span></li>
<li>a temperature gauge (candy or meat thermometer) for the oil</li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_text">1</span><span class="currency_converter_text">/</span><span class="currency_converter_text">2</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cup sugar & </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tsp cinnamon, combined, for dusting the cooked churros</span></li>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">And while we're at it, the hot chocolate (serves up to </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">6</span><span class="currency_converter_text">, easily):</span></div>
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<li><span class="currency_converter_text"> </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">250</span><span class="currency_converter_text">g </span><u>dark</u><span class="currency_converter_text"> chocolate (I used Whittaker's </span><span class="currency_converter_text">72</span><span class="currency_converter_text">% cocoa Dark Ghana)</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">1</span><span class="currency_converter_text">L milk</span></li>
<li><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> tbspns cornflour (cornstarch)</span></li>
<li>sugar, to taste</li>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Place all of your churros ingredients (except the eggs) into a pot and stir over a low heat until the butter melts and a rough dough forms. Continue cooking out for another </span><span class="currency_converter_text">2</span><span class="currency_converter_text">-</span><span class="currency_converter_text">3</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes, stirring constantly, until the dough forms a ball around your wooden spoon.</span></div>
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Place the warm dough into your food processor, and while the motor is running, add the eggs. Stop as soon as they appear to be fully incorporated into the dough mix. Pull it out and check the consistency: it should be firm but pliable. There should be sufficient body for it to be able to be cut with scissors.</div>
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Time to fill the piping bag. Insert your nozzle into the bag before filling with the dough. To make filling easier, grab a jug and insert the bag inside, folding the topmost part of the bag over the top and sides of the jug (check the photo if that makes more sense). This leaves your hands free to scrape every drop of dough from out of the bowl.</div>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">You'll want to eat your churros while they're hot, so cook them at the last minute, say, as soon as you finish making the hot chocolate (that's coming up soon). Heat your oil in a pot, and using your thermometer, you'll want the temperature to reach </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">180</span><span class="currency_converter_text">c/</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">350</span><span class="currency_converter_text">f. Don't have a thermometer? Drop in a cube of white bread & it should brown in about </span><span class="currency_converter_text">12</span><span class="currency_converter_text">-</span><span class="currency_converter_text">15</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> seconds. If you're really lucky, you'll have a deep fryer like I do, one of several treasures found over the years at the dump shop (actually called </span><a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/landfills/treasure/treasure.html">The Second Treasure Shop</a><span class="currency_converter_text">, the Southern Landfill Recycling Centre's store in Happy Valley, Wellington). Cheers, dump shop! Cheers, Rob! W</span><span class="currency_converter_text">00</span><span class="currency_converter_text">t!</span></div>
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Pipe in finger-length sections of dough and snip off with a pair of scissors. They'll take two to three minutes to cook - turn them over halfway during cooking.</div>
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Once puffed and brown, remove from the oil, and drain on paper towels. Toss them in the cinnamon sugar mix while hot and eat straight away.</div>
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To make the hot chocolate, make a slurry with the cornflour using a little of the milk - put aside. Place the broken up chocolate into a pot with the rest of the milk, and place over a low heat, stirring all the while until the two are combined - it smells amazing, and the odour will fill the whole house (if it's little, like mine). Pour a little of the slurry into the milk mix, whisking like the devil. Add a little more, whisking again, and then add the remainder. Technically, you should add hot to cold when tempering, but this is far from being hot, and it's always turned out fine on the occasions I've made this. Increase your heat by a smidgeon, and whisk constantly until it's on the cusp of boiling. It should look quite frothy and feel surprisingly thick. Take off the heat and whisk in sugar to taste. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Serve with your churros, put your feet up and worry about the pile of dishes you've made later - there are ripped bodices to be read about, and Jersey Shore's not going to watch itself, you know.</span></div>
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<span id="goog_163809937"></span><span id="goog_163809938"></span>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-88124627775906254232010-08-30T13:38:00.055+12:002012-07-05T08:51:13.834+12:00Brining & Marinating Olives<span id="goog_719960907"></span><span id="goog_719960908"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Olives to me are a reminder of summer flavours and warmer climes. Bite into an olive and straight away you're transported to the warm waters of the Aegean, the dry hills of Greece. You could almost imagine lying under an olive tree, watching angry centaurs hurl amphorae of wine at British film crews, in town to record crap like "How to Turn a Goat Pen into Your Mediterranean Holiday Home!" for the Lifestyle Channel. Such is the evocative power of the olive!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Their meaty, salty flavour has made them popular around the world, and here in New Zealand, the drier parts of our countryside play host to sizable tracts of land devoted to their production. Olives are a familiar sight on the shelves of our supermarkets, deli's, and community markets; it beggars belief to think that it wasn't so long ago that they were considered, in this country anyway, quite a rarity.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A wee while ago, I ended up with a couple of buckets of olives. In their natural state, they are quite unpalatable, due entirely to the presence of a chemical compound called oleurophin. This makes them extremely bitter, a handy trait because it dissuades birds and insects from eating the fruit, giving them a chance to develop. Soaking in brine enables the oleurophin to be leeched out, rendering it edible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are a raft of tried and true brining methods; some use chemicals such as caustic soda; some involve fermentation. A common feature of all techniques was the use of salt. After some research, the one I liked best was that <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://moonovermartinborough.com/2009/08/08/noahs-olives-go-in-the-jars/">used</a> by the lads at <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://moonovermartinborough.com/">Moon Over Martinborough</a> - their method employs nothing but water (and a little rock salt towards the end). It was the easiest and certainly the most straightforward. This is how it went...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The first step in the process is to make two or three slits in each fruit with a knife; this allows the water to work its way into the interior and begin leeching the oleurophin from the olives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once done, put your olives into a bucket of water. Leave them for forty days, changing the water every two days - it's that simple.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once the forty days has elapsed, pour off the water and cover your olives with rock salt - leave for a good couple of days. During this time, hunt down some jars and lids, if you haven't already done so. <br />
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Now, tip the olives into a big colander and wash thoroughly in cold water to remove the salt & its residue. You could eat them now, or better still, marinate them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are a vast array of ingredients you can use to marinate your olives: coriander seeds, peppercorns, sage, thyme, cumin seeds, citrus zest - if you think it'll add to the flavour of the olives, hurl it in. Place your marinade ingredients on top; I used orange zest, lemon zest, fresh rosemary, bay leaves, a few cloves of smashed garlic and a couple of torn, dried chilies. Place your olives in a large container, then toss them with your marinating ingredients so that they're coated. Tip them into your sterilised jars and pour olive oil (don't use anything flash; a pomace or similar cheapie will do just fine) over the contents, right up to the brim. Cover, then place somewhere cool and dark to infuse for at least a couple of weeks (they're good for up to six months).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I ran out of jars and had to use a couple of plastic prep containers to hold the excess, and so these were the first to be ripped open and devoured, just a few weeks ago! When yours are ready (remember to allow at least two weeks - they'll smell fantastic), make yourself a little antipasto platter. Along with the olives, add some feta, some vine-ripened tomatoes, a little chorizo, some fresh, crusty bread - whatever you can get your hands on. Grab your little feast, find a nice, warm spot in the sun and eat hearty. Or sit and eat while watching Jersey Shore. However you enjoy your olives, savour that taste of summer - it's not that far away...</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Links</b>:</span></i><br />
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<li><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Photos from a field trip I went on to <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.thevillagepress.co.nz/">The Village Press</a>, outside Hastings, from a couple of years ago: <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8528433@N02/sets/72157624322785636/">click</a></span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Want to try a great NZ-made olive oil? Try Moon over Martinborough: <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://moonovermartinborough.com/olive-oil/">click</a></span><a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://moonovermartinborough.com/olive-oil/"><br />
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</div>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-44403288179580912902010-07-29T08:13:00.000+12:002012-07-05T08:51:25.607+12:00Portuguese Custard Tarts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Portuguese custard tarts are rich, sweet, vanilla-laden mouthfuls of pure delight. Known in some quarters as "Devils Dainties" or the less imaginative "Coronary Cupcakes", I make them from time to time at work, and they're guaranteed big sellers. The recipe I use differs from most in that the custard is poured straight into the pastry to cook in the oven, rather than being cooked off beforehand. It's also thickened using yolks rather than a starch such as cornflour, resulting in a much richer flavour.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You'll need:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> puff pastry (defrosted)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 9 egg yolks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 1/2 cup sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 700ml cream </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> splash of vanilla essence (or a split vanilla pod if you have any) </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This makes about 10 large size (as in large muffin-size) tarts.</span><br />
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Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Sprink or grease your muffin trays. Dust your bench with icing sugar and then roll out your puff pastry until thin; cut into circles and press into your tray, then allow to rest for half an hour. In a pot, bring 700ml of cream and vanilla to the boil (if using a vanilla pod, scrape it and add that as well as the pod to the cream - discard afterwards). While that's heating up, place your egg yolks in a bowl, add the sugar and whisk until thick and pale yellow. Once done, grab a wooden spoon, and pour a little of the boiled cream into the egg mix - stir vigorously. Add a little more, stirring to combine, then add the remainder. This technique is known as tempering. If you add all of the boiled cream at once, the egg mix will scramble. Adding a little at a time allows the mixture to adjust to the contrasting temperature.<br />
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Fill each pastry till about 3/4 full, then place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until set. Pop on a plate, dust with icing sugar and sit back and watch as they fly off the plate!<br />
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A big thank you to my boss and new head chef at P, Stacey Worsnop, for the recipe :)</span>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-18530447243202449202010-07-12T23:47:00.002+12:002012-07-05T08:51:39.451+12:00Changing of the Guard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That's my boss, Zana Price, head chef at Provedore, performing that end of evening ritual seen in restaurants around the world: ordering stock for the days to come. I worked with her for the last time on Sunday; she's leaving to take the helm at another establishment here in Napier. Zana's been a wealth of knowledge, and has done her best to knock some of that expertise into my noggin, right up until her last day. She has shown me so much, and been generous with both her time and patience; it's helped shape and form this new chef, and for that, I am very, very grateful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank you, chef. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ngā mihi rā mō ngā rā kei mua i te aroaro - all the best for the future.</span>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-41090490565112837002010-07-08T00:42:00.010+12:002012-07-05T08:51:53.164+12:00Glacé Cherries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love fruit cake. For me, nothing beats the simple pleasure of biting into a big slice of fruit cake, with a cup of tea, my slippers, and a copy of Alzheimer's Weekly (when they remember to send it), all within reach. The integral part of a good fruit cake is of course, the fruit - plump, rich sultanas, along with zesty, sweet mixed peel - but pride of place in that delicious cakey-crown must surely go to the glacé cherry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="currency_converter_text">While shop-bought glacé cherries certainly look nice, any claim to actually being a "cherry" is nominal. Processing the fruit starts with it being soaked in a preservative solution (containing E</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">211</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> and E</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">220</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">*), before being placed in a sugar syrup augmented with glucose. The cherry's colour and flavour suffer during the process and so are supplemented with the addition of a red dye (E</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">129</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">), and both artificial and natural flavourings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With all that going on</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> surely a home made one would taste better? How would it look? Like a seagull spotting a stray chip, or better yet a bit of cake, I spotted an opportunity and swooped in to seize it: I was going to make glac</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="currency_converter_text">é</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> cherries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But first, some homework. I had a handy book from <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://bronwyncarlisle.blogspot.com/">Bronwyn</a> which had a section on preserving fruit which would have served well if it wasn't for the fact that I'd lost it. I ransacked my library and found instead a recipe in James Martin's "Desserts" which involved steeping the cherries over a six day period in syrup - I decided to use that (incidentally, his "Great British Winter" book has an awesome recipe for christmas cake, which I intend using these cherries in). While I now had a recipe, I needed to understand why it worked the way it did. After a little digging, M. Shafiur Rahman's "Handbook on Food Preservation" offered an explanation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Glac</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">é cherries</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> are obviously cherries preserved for use when they're out of season</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. The water content of the fruit poses a problem, because it provides conditions ideal for bacteria to thrive in, so clearly it needs to be removed. How is this done? By steeping the cherries in sugar syrup. This causes water to pass from the fruit into the syrup through osmotic pressure; applying heat to the syrup hastens the process. Afterwards, the fruit is air-dried to remove any remaining water. Done slowly over time, the process allows the fruit to maintain its plumpness, as well as most of its colour and flavour, although there is a marked increase in sweetness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="currency_converter_text">Time to get started. I bought </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">500</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g of American cherries which I'd found at the supermarket - just pick the nice ones - and weighed up </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">200</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g of sugar. Rinse your fruit, then remove the stones (I used an olive pitter). Pop your cherries into a pot and add just enough water to cover them</span>.<br />
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Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the cherries have softened but still retain some firmness. Add your sugar, stir until dissolved, then remove from the heat.</div>
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Pour the cherries and syrup into a container, then arrange into a single layer.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">As you can see, there is some colour loss but this will change as it begins to steep in the syrup. Cover and leave for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">24</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> hours.</span><br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">The next day, drain the syrup from the fruit and measure into a pot. Add </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">30</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g of sugar for each </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">300</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml of syrup and bring to the boil, again stirring to dissolve the sugar. </span></div>
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Pour over the fruit, cover and leave for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">24</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> hours. Repeat this step two more times, increasing the sugar to </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">40</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g per </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">300</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml of syrup.</span><br />
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By now, the fruit had changed to a blackberry-purple type colour, markedly different in appearance from the washed-out red I started with. While there was some reduction in size, the fruit was surprisingly firm; the syrup was almost as thick as double cream.<br />
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<span class="currency_converter_text">Day five: drain the syrup from the fruit, measure, then pour the syrup into a large pot (it will foam up) and add </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">20</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g of sugar for each </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">50</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml of syrup; at this stage I had </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">450</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml of liquid, so I added </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">180</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cherries and boil for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> minutes. Return to your container and leave for </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">12</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> hours. Then repeat this step. The syrup will have the consistency of honey or treacle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Drain off the syrup and place the cherries on a cake rack to dry, placing it over a sheet of baking paper. Once dry, store in an airtight container with the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">fruit sandwiched between two sheets of greaseproof paper, ready for use.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Voila! Home made glacé cherries - dark, sweet and more tantalising than a bought packet! They still have most of their cherry flavour and despite being plump, they're not particularly juicy, which is good, otherwise it could result in a soggy cake. Don't they look good!</span><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></i></b><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Linky Goodness:</span></i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>"Osmotic Dehydration of Foods" from M. Shafiur Rahman's "Handbook of Food Preservation" (via Google Books) <a href="http://bit.ly/bGLcvh" rel="http://bit.ly/plugins/iframe?hashUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FbGLcvh">clickety</a> </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span class="currency_converter_text">*Curious about the little letters and numbers (E</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">211</span></span></span></span></span></i></span><i><span class="currency_converter_text">, E</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">129</span></span></span></span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">, etc) that appear on the ingredients list of your grocery items? (via t'wiki) </span><a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_number#E200.E2.80.93E299_.28preservatives.29">clickety</a></i></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>"Cherry" by Ratatat: <a bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW8VmSfYLAU">clickety</a></i></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><span class="currency_converter_text">Update </span><span class="currency_converter_text">21</span><span class="currency_converter_text">/</span><span class="currency_converter_text">12</span><span class="currency_converter_text">/</span><span class="currency_converter_text">10</span></b>:</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span class="currency_converter_text">There's mould starting to grow on the cherries! Despite being kept in a cool, dark place, it would seem that these sugar-drenched treats aren't beyond the reach of our tiny fungal-friends. Based on the time this project was started, the cherries are good for around </span><span class="currency_converter_text">5</span><span class="currency_converter_text">-</span><span class="currency_converter_text">6</span><span class="currency_converter_text"> months.</span></i></span><br />
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</div>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-323068279631587282010-06-26T10:34:00.018+12:002012-07-05T08:52:59.840+12:00DIY Crystallised Ginger UPDATED 8/7/10*<div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;">
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8/7/10 I've added something to the end of this post - read on...</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tired of watching fat cat supermarket owners flying around in Lear jets, paid for by the money you spent on over-priced baking products? Fight the power and stick it to 'the man' by making your own crystallised ginger! Yeah! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Actually, I was making a syrup for work and needed some crystallised ginger for the recipe. The price for it had gone up by quite a bit since I last bought some, which made no sense seeing as plain old ginger root always seems to cost mere tuppence. So I trotted off home to see if I could make my own and save some money. Doing a little surfing online, I kept coming across what was essentially the same recipe, website after website. So after a little calculating, I distilled my results down to the following recipe...</span><br />
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You'll need:</div>
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<span class="currency_converter_text"> * </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">500</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g sugar, plus about </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">100</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g extra</span><br />
<span class="currency_converter_text"> * </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">750</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">g ginger root</span><br />
<span class="currency_converter_text"> * water to cover the ginger, about </span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">2</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">-</span><span class="currency_converter_text"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">3</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> cups (</span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">500</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text"> - </span><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount"><span class="currency_converter_link" title="Convert this amount">750</span></span><span class="currency_converter_text">ml)</span><br />
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Peel the skin from the ginger, cutting off any damaged and discoloured parts. Cut into a rough dice (go against the grain; good advice if the ginger you've bought is stringy, an indication of advanced age - still usable though). Place in a pot, along with the sugar and water.</div>
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Bring to the boil, stirring all the while to dissolve the sugar. Turn the heat down and allow to simmer until the ginger takes on a golden, opaque hue. This took over a couple of hours, during which time the liquid had reduced in size by half; the ginger shrank in size, too, by about a third.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Remove from the heat. Using a sieve, separate the ginger from the liquid (careful - it's very hot). Now, this liquid will prove to be very handy. I'm going to infuse it with various bits and bobs and see if it can't be used for some delicious purpose at work. You could use it in its present state, or infuse it with whatever takes your fancy (citrus zest, black peppercorns, dried fruit, etc - do it now, while it's still hot for the infusion to work). Squirt the syrup in icings and frostings for cakes, over desserts, and in cocktails and drinks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">See the lovely colour? You could eat one but it'll be hot and taste a little harsh. Leave them to mellow for a bit before trying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pour the remaining sugar into a bowl, and tip in the hot ginger. Toss until covered and leave it until it becomes cold. Fish out the ginger and place in a sieve; give it a gentle shake to remove any excess sugar and then pop into an airtight container - store at room temperature. How long will it keep for? To be honest, I have no idea, but generally it should be good for several months. If it suddenly turns green, don't use it; a generally good rule of thumb when it comes to working with food.</span><br />
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Look at that - just like a bought one! Except of course being far more flavoursome. Now, I could tell you about the uses crystallised ginger can be put to, but I'm assuming you already know. For those that don't, just briefly, it can be chopped and used to flavour all manner of baking, or simply eaten by itself as a treat (dipped in chocolate works, too - ask my dentist). You also end up with quite a bit of ginger, too. Give it a whirl!</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*UPDATE:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In light of Bronwyn's comment below, and my experience with making the glac</span>é cherries, I've tried a different recipe, resulting in a far superior product. I have a better understanding of the preservation process, so I actually know what's going on. Here's the recipe:</div>
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Place 1kg of peeled, roughly diced ginger root into a pot of boiling water - bring back to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and allow ginger to go cold. Repeat the entire process, using fresh water. The point of this stage is to remove the heat of the ginger. If you're worried about losing flavour, believe me, it'll still retain plenty of its characteristic warmth without tasting harsh.</div>
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Day one: place the blanched ginger in a pot, cover with plenty of water and a cup of sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar while slowly bringing the liquid to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to steep overnight. Repeat this step.</div>
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Day three: repeat the previous step, except simmer for 30 minutes before stirring in another cup of sugar. Once dissolved, bring to the boil, then remove and leave overnight.</div>
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This is the final stage, day four. By now, your ginger should be dark in hue. Bring the ginger and its syrup to the boil. Continue boiling until the ginger becomes translucent and the syrup is as thick as honey. Remove from the heat, separate the ginger from the liquid and leave to dry on a rack. Once cold, toss in a bowl of caster sugar.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t4TsJtkPwBc/TDSBrHwHrcI/AAAAAAAAB-g/dy3YXaaRurw/s1600/GINPICT0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_t4TsJtkPwBc/TDSBrHwHrcI/AAAAAAAAB-g/dy3YXaaRurw/s320/GINPICT0027.JPG" /></a><br />
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The pile of ginger in the top left hand corner was made using this recipe; the pile on the right was made using my original recipe. The new recipe is more plump, and suffused with sweetness, while still packing a little ginger heat. Contrast that with the original recipe ginger which is quite hot and much smaller and tougher. I'd suggest trying the new recipe for a much better result.Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-12309408330870804842010-06-23T11:31:00.000+12:002012-07-05T08:53:11.252+12:00Koura / Freshwater Crayfish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_t4TsJtkPwBc/TCE9-waoOSI/AAAAAAAAB7w/7hubXbEFhWA/s1600/a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_t4TsJtkPwBc/TCE9-waoOSI/AAAAAAAAB7w/7hubXbEFhWA/s320/a.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Despite being two totally separate species, there are a surprising number of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">similarities between the small spindly aquatic animal and the gigantic biped holding </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">it (above). Both species enjoy swimming and are often to be found frolicking amongst rocks. Both are capable of prolific levels of breeding; both too, can become quite fiesty when backed into a corner. There however, the differences end. One of these creatures tastes delicious dipped in pesto or melted butter; the other would require an evening of extensive wining and dining before the idea could even be broached.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let's examine the smaller of the two: say hello to Paranephrops planifrons, more </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">commonly known as koura, or the freshwater crayfish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Don't they look tasty! While looking rather impressive in the photo, they're actually </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">quite small. There are two species of this endemic crustacean found in New Zealand's </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">waterways; the North Island variety measures 70 millimetres in length and the South </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Island variety, 80 millimetres. Commercially farmed koura are much bigger, measuring </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">anywhere from 120 to 150 millimetres in length.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Koura are brown-green in colour, matching the stones and riverbed of their habitat. They're </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">active at night, spending their time scavenging and feeding, retiring to the nooks and </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">crannies offered by river rock during the day. For sustenance, koura eat whatever </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">floats their way (leaves, riverweed and the like) as well as consuming small insects. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Koura themselves are the favoured food of eels, trout and people. Maori in particular </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">have a long held fondness for them, considering them quite a delicacy, and for good reason too, being pleasantly sweet and succulent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of my earliest memories involves regular family visits to my father's favourite aunt. She lived on a farm near <a href="http://www.norsewood.co.nz/asp/location.asp">Norsewood</a> which had a creek that ran through the bottom of the property. Dad would take us there and spend hours searching under rocks, filling an old kerosene tin with the bodies of these spikey, boney beasties to take home to eat. Koura frequent freshwater streams, creeks and even lakes - Gary, one of my workmates, recounted stories of how his family used to fish for them in the lakes around Rotorua. They would attach fern fronds to lengths of rope which would then be set along the lakeshore, and left for a few hours. Koura, being scavengers and opportunists, would come out and nibble on the fronds. All that was required was to lift the rope out of the water with, fingers crossed, attached (and rather surprised) koura. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another method was to lash open-weave baskets to old broom handles. They would slowly </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">walk through the lake shallows at night and upon sighting koura, attempt to scoop them </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">up with the basket (open-weave was important because it would minimise drag as it was </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">pushed through the water; not too open, mind - you didn't want your prey to fall out </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">either). Once it was scooped up, it was deposited into a container floating in the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">water behind the hunter, attached to their leg with a piece of cord.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All these tales of freshwater crayfish were beginning to stir both my curiosity and my appetite. Kerry Grant - friend, workmate and long standing 'wild food' consultant for Curious Kai – expressed an interest in gathering some and happened to have friends with a stream running through their farm. With relatively settled weather gracing the Ruahine Ranges, the rivers and streams below would be quite clear and clean, giving us a good chance of finding koura. So with that, off we went on our spur of the moment adventure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We presently arrived at Kim and Jackie's farm in the early part of the afternoon. The stream itself was located just a stone's throw from the farmhouse in a small gully. It was idyllic; sun-dappled leaves, birdsong, the murmur of the flowing stream. All that was needed to complete the scene were a few characters from a Jane Austen novel, picnicing in the sun, drinking tea, bosoms covered in shortbread crumbs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Enough shortbread - time to get to work! Finding koura is as simple as lifting rocks. They tend to shelter well away from the main force of the current, so look amongst rocks and stones near shore, but still in the water. If you don't find anything, be sure to place the rocks you lifted back where you found them. If you happen to come upon a koura, well done! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, keep your movements to a minimum and watch where your shadow lies – their home has been compromised so they're now on full alert. The water is doubtlessly murky, unavoidable given you had to move a rock or two. Allow it to settle before making the next move, and bear in mind that the koura could well use this opportunity to leg it. However, it may instead choose to stay, employing its camouflage to evade capture. Sight the koura, and then slowly ease your hand into the water behind the creature, placing it over the vicinity of the body and behind the pincers. Once positioned, lance down and grab it! It will thrash around but don't worry, it's tiny and won't hurt you. Don't however, under-estimate the power of its pincers. They won't break skin, but it'll be alarming enough to make you drop it. Well done on making your first catch!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">By the way, if you plan on spending any considerable length of time catching koura, take an insulated bag and some ice to keep your catch fresh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The stream was home to a wealth of food – over the course of the afternoon, we came across watercress, eels, trout, ducks and a small dog (it wasn't particularly meaty, so we threw it back).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We found a pregnant female. Depending on her size, a female can harbour as many as up to 200 eggs. The resulting young are 1-2 millimetres in length and cling to the mother until they are 4 millimetres long. Adulthood is achieved in their fourth year, by which stage they're about 20 millimetres in length. Back in the stream you go...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After about four hours, we retired with a dozen koura – enough to feed, er, one hungry person (two, if that person had the good grace to share).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Arriving back at Kerry's, it was now time for some cooking. They're the easiest thing to take care of: simply place a large pot of water on to boil, and then add your koura - they'll immediately change colour, turning a fantastic bright orange. Leave for a couple of minutes to cook (at the most), remove and then eat immediately, as we did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What else could you do with koura? Given their size, I'd treat them as you would prawns. Removing the shells, you could marinate them raw in olive oil, garlic and paprika, or pear nectar and grated ginger before grilling them. You could also mince some garlic and fry with some chopped chillis before adding bias-cut asparagus and a half dozen or so shelled koura. Once cooked, throw it all into a bowl with some cannellini beans, rocket, salt, cracked pepper & a little lemon juice – lunch up! You could even consider making a bisque, if you were wanting something elaborate. I haven't made bisque since school, so that would be an interesting project...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's Kerry and his son, Job, laying waste to the day's catch! As I mentioned earlier, they have a pleasantly sweet flavour, and are quite juicy and succulent, although it's barely a mouthful. The legs are not worth bothering with unless it's a particularly large animal, but waste not, want not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Looking for koura is a perfect way of spending a warm afternoon fossicking down at the river, either with friends or with your children (country kids have been doing this for decades). It's also a chance to become acquainted with your local flora and fauna; grab a field guide from your local public library and use it to examine your surroundings – you'll be amazed at what you find...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Please remember that there is a catch limit, set at a maximum of fifty koura per day; it's also illegal to sell or trade koura. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A very big thank you to Kerry, and also to Kim and Jackie Lowry for letting us loose on their amazing farm.</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Links:</span></b><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">More information on koura, courtesy of <a href="http://www.doc.govt.nz/">DOC</a>: <a href="http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/invertebrates/crayfish-koura/">cerlickety</a></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Information on other species of NZ fresh water crustacea: <a href="http://www.nzfreshwater.org/crustacea.html">cerlickety</a></span></i><br />
<i><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My favourite guide to NZ plants and fungi: <a href="http://www.rnzih.org.nz/Book_Reviews/FieldGuideNatives.htm">cerlickety</a></span></i>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4834651462593410303.post-14432481227637983812010-06-18T00:57:00.001+12:002012-07-05T08:53:21.549+12:00I'd Travel Through Time & Space For Good Coffee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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How cool is this! It's an old police phone box, converted into a micro coffee bar! My sister and brother-in-law have recently moved to Edinburgh and found this (one of several dotted around the city) dispensing great coffee, juices, snacks and treats. </div>
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<span id="goog_22947926"></span><span id="goog_22947927"></span>Nigel Olsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13350611651161046055noreply@blogger.com7