Renee and Tarragon

I am so blessed with the most amazing friends. Despite the fact that I can be terrible at keeping in touch, I still manage to keep so many great people in my life.

One of the friends I count myself so lucky to have in my life is Renee. She is a little bit crazy and one of the kindest people I know. Soon after the birth of the twins, she just showed up at my house one day with lunch and then left.... that's the kind of things she does for people. She is so busy herself, being a single Mum and having a million things on her plate but yet she is always available.

For my birthday she bought me this cookbook:

I have been craving the subtle aniseed flavour of tarragon for a few weeks and so used the Tarragon Cream recipe in this new book. Tarragon is one of the four main herbs used in French cooking. It is hard to grow so sometimes it can be difficult to find in the shops compared to other herbs. It is hard to grow so sometimes it can be difficult to find in the shops compared to other herbs. To store tarragon, the best thing to do is wrap its delicate leaves in a damp paper towel and store in a sealed plastic bag or container for about a week.

Tarragon is really good with chicken and fish. I love tarragon cream sauce with chicken so I roasted a beautiful free range chicken and served it with the sauce. Carrying on with the French themed dinner I accompanied the chicken with beautiful vegetables.

I love dutch carrots. They are small and so much sweeter than "regular" carrots. They also look so dainty on a plate. The trick to cooking these, is to blanch them in water, then use a chux to rub off the outer layer. You can then simply fry them in nutty butter. One of my favourite recipes for dutch carrots can be found in Maggie Beer's "Maggie's Kitchen." She uses verjuice (of course) currants, pine nuts and goat's cheese. It is soooo yummy!! You can find the recipe here: http://www.maggiebeer.com.au/recipes/carrots-in-verjuice

I think I hated brussel sprouts till I was almost 30 year old! As a child we ate them boiled till almost all flavour was gone then smothered in white sauce... gross! (sorry Mum). I think it was Neil Perry who suggested the way I cook them and I actually love them now! I parboil them for about 3 minutes then fry them in onion, butter and pancetta (or bacon if that's what I have in the house.) Yumm!

I'm Back Talking Food!!!

After a long break (extra training at work and the pregnancy and birth of my beautiful twins are my excuse) I am itching to get back to the blogosphere. I have had some fabulous and not so fabulous meals during my time away and I am hoping to find the time to share some of those experiences. Some of my old haunts have changed hands, and I discovered other new ones.

In other food news, I have bought a Thermomix which is the most incredible machine ever. I am so excited about the things I can do with it! I am hoping to share recipes I have found or things I have managed to do with this versatile piece of kitchen equipment.

I have also hired a Korean Au Pair and have learned the art of their exciting and tasty cuisine.... just another thing I would love to share.

I have decided that my ramblings about food, wine, service and venues are a great joy in my life and I just have to continue! Hope my friends enjoy!!!

Restaurant: The Manse

Restaurant: The Manse

142 Tynte St North Adelaide

http://www.themanserestaurant.com.au/home.html

There are two restaurants in Adelaide that are institutional in that celebratory dinner. Chloe's and the Manse. In celebration of our 10th wedding anniversary, we chose the degustation dinner at the Manse.

The beautiful old mansion was built in 1822, and its open fireplaces and traditional fittings make the most wonderful atmosphere to indulge in a French style dinner.

There was one other table at the restaurant, and they were close to us, so I was reluctant to use the flash.. making for not the best of photos. As it was a Tuesday night, the Grande Degustation was not $135 but $125 per person.

There were some substitutions from the printed menu, so the descriptions of all the dishes may not be thorough. I didn't realise this on the night unfortunately.

This first dish, compliments of the kitchen had a snapper tartare and a fennel foam.. it was not on the listed menu, so I do apologise for not knowing all the ingredients. It was a beautiful light starter.

This was one of the two favourites of the night. Yellow Fin King Fish, Jamon Iberico (as the dehydrated pork crackling) buckwheat and corn mousse. So fresh and delightful. The flavours were amazing and a perfect combination. The crackling gave just enough texture to the dish... a tiny crunch. The King Fish was incredibly fresh.

My husband is not an oyster fan, so the kitchen came up with this for him. Not sure of all that was in there, leeks and watercress and tomato...

The oyster in this dish was fresh as can be.. tasting of the sea. Fantastic. Strawberry was an surprise accompaniment with the oyster and the avocado foam. However fresh the oyster was, the dish really lacked flavour. The strawberries were only edging on ripe, so didn't have the sweetness needed to pull this dish off. The avocado was just not strong enough to carry the subtle oyster taste.

According the menu, the fois gras should have been whipped with a grape emulsion. I was really looking forward to that, and was very surprised by the substitution. The fois gras was breaded in in a flaky crust and accompanied by baked pineapple. A huge disappointment. The pineapple was as expected, ridiculously sweet for the fois gras. The crumbing left nothing for the pallet. There was not even a hint of the rich liver taste of the fois gras. It reminded me of cheap schnitzel night at the local pub. A $20 supplement was paid for this, and I can honestly say it was a complete rip off.

This was the second of my two favourite dishes of the evening. Lamb sweetbreads, speck, pickled cabbage, and worcestershire gel. I couldn't find a single fault in this dish. The speck was cooked to perfection with a bit of a caramelised top, the pickled cabbage was JUST pickled. Not the strong pickled taste of traditional saurkraut. Amazing. I could have had this in a large main serve easily.

This was such a pretty dish. Served with the Snapper (was listed as Blue Eye Trevally and substituted) and fresh peas with red cabbage paint on the side... the red cabbage consomme was poured over on serving. Such a warm, comforting dish. The glass noodles was reminiscent of a comfy chicken noodle soup and the cashew nut was a great addition. I loved the red cabbage paint on side of the plate, very clever. The peas tasted like they were shelled straight from the garden. Just wonderful.

This was another addition to the degustation menu. Berkshire pork loin with fennel pure, spiced sago and peach. I only had a little taste of this dish, and perhaps that doesn't give it justice, as I just didn't think it was that memorable. No stand out flavours, and the pork was edging on dry.

I love beetroot so this dish was a complete knock out for me. Beetroot puree, roasted baby beetroot, lamb... just sensational. The flavours were simple, and frankly not original but still a wonderful dish. The McLaren Vale grenache was one of the best wines I have ever had. I made a point of asking about it.. in hopes of picking up a drop next time I am in McLaren Vale, but was informed they only made 1200 bottles, so chances are pretty slim I will be picking up one of those!

I was excited about this dish, as it had an aged goats cheese and nashi pear. One of those matches made in heaven that would taste wonderful with the last sip of my grenache. Unfortunately, the honey filo pastries served with those traditionally wonderful flavours were just not good. Although giving nice texture to the dish, the were just too sweet.

This palate cleansing dessert was sensational. Sago, raspberry and amazing citrus granita.. it was like sherbert in the mouth. What a joy!

The final dish was a cheesecake meringue and lemon curd dessert. Lovely and light. A really nice way to end the dinner.

Although many courses to get through, we didn't leave the place feeling sickly full. The service was great, and the majority of dishes were sensational. My husband even ventured to say it was better than Tetsuya's degustation.......I think I will have to ponder that one. The disappointment over the fois gras really brings this down for me. It just wasn't consistent with the rest of the menu.

Comment: Responsible Foodie?

Sometimes being an adventurous foodie and an animal lover clashes.

There is often that thin line on what is acceptable on our plate and what isn't. At times it can be a struggle, and as someone passionate about our environment, there are times I ponder what my palate craves. I know I could do better.

Having said this, I am also aware of the millions of smaller creatures that die from rice and vegetable cultivation. The trick I suppose is to find a balance. At least it is for me.

There are some things however, I don't believe a "responsible" foodie should even contemplate. Endangered animals for example are finding their way into "underground" restaurants. Whale meat, pillaged from animals killed for "scientific research" surely is a no no. Shark fin soup has been off the hit list for years for foodies.... or so I thought.

Imagine my surprise and disgust to read Adelaide's Sunday Mail, April 18... discussing a soup that needs to be pre-ordered at a restaurant in North Adelaide. $450 a bowl... and no less than a kilo of shark fins! Putting aside the emotional attachment that I have to these spectacular creatures.. how much I want to see them next time I am diving, what disgusts me is how the fins get to our plate... it is waste and cruelty at its best.

For those who unfamiliar with this butchery, the sharks are rid of their fins when brought onto the boats, then thrown back in the sea to sink to their death. Cruel and wasteful.

What shocked me most about the article in the Mail, were the foodies promoting the soup. This included a self-proclaimed "seafood lover" famous chef, and a Masterchef finalist from last year. Shame on you both.

I am sure we all know of other things we should not be eating etc etc... the list is endless, and the conversation and arguments could go on forever, but there are some things that are completely cut and dry a no zone for consumption.

Enjoy, experiment and indulge.... but don't forget balance and respect.

I found a few web sites for those who are unfamiliar in shark finning:

http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/

http://www.stopsharkfinning.com/

http://www.sustainablewaters.com/shark-fin-soup-no-bloody-way/

Restaurant: Sparrow

Restaurant: Sparrow Kitchen and Bar

10 O'Connell Street

North Adelaide

http://www.sparrowkitchenandbar.com.au/home.html

This would have to be my favourite restaurant at the moment. The food is absolutely incredible, and the atmosphere makes for a great night every time. It always feels like the happening place to be. Even on a Tuesday night, the place was fully booked. The music played is funky and fun, and the staff are generally laid back and friendly. It had been a few months since I had last been to Sparrow and was happy to recognise staff. The longevity of their wait staff surely reflects its comfortable familiar dining experience.

The wine list is good, with reasonable prices (approx $10 a glass). Local wines make a big showing, with New Zealand Sauv Blancs and French additions and of course Spanish wines rounding off the list. The variety by the bottle is massive, offering something in everybody's favourite grape and price range. Not surprisingly, the Sangria is a big favourite. Chosen for this evening was the Orange Sangria with aperol, gin, sparkling wine, fresh orange and pineapple juice. Very refreshing!

Keeping with the Spanish tradition, Sparrow has over a dozen sliced meats to choose from. The meat hanging in the fridge for diners to ponder and choose from is a fantastic display. Sliced to order, diners can choose from pork neck, to cured beef to the infamous jamon iberico.

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Bread for the table ($2.50 per guest) combined with some thin slices of Guanciale ($8.90). The bread was so fresh and moist. Fabulous.

Sparrow's mini wagyu burger ($5.90). Probably the most talked about tapas on the menu, this dish is not only wonderful to taste but so cute! Its certainly becoming a bit of a Sparrow signature, so I would be very surprised if it ever budged from the menu.

Duck terrine, dark grape gel, tarrogon and witlof ($11.90). Brilliant! The presentation of this dish was just lovely. The colours and textures combined with a unique combination of flavours was excellent. The sweet dark grapes were a perfect contrast to the bitter witlof. The rich terrine was nothing short of spectacular.

Blue Swimmer Crab Cocktail ($6.90). This was probably my biggest disappointment of the night. The taste of the crab was over powered by the creamy sauce it was mixed in.

Chicken liver parfait, fig and fennel crostini, pickled walnuts ($9.90). I love the fig and fennel crostini. The pickled walnuts are fantastic with the rich liver. No matter how many times I have ordered this, I always run out of the crostini before I am finished with the parfait!

Hervey bay scallop, potato foam, hazelnuts ($5.50). Lovely combination but over before you hardly get started!

One of my favourite tapas of the evening Red wine poached egg, bone marrow, speck and brioche ($9.90). This dish was absolutely perfect. I still was thinking about it the next day. Just spectacular. Runny yolk over the brioche... sensational! The flavours were rich and wonderful. The tiny amount of speck gave it just the right amount of smokiness.

Although I stuck with the tapas for the evening, another guest at the table had a main of confit onion tart, spiced crumbs, labne, roasted cherry tomatoes ($31.90). A gorgeous looking dish, and by all accounts, very tasty! I just can't get over the price. $32 for vegetables seems just too excessive. You would have to love tomatoes if you ordered this, as a large percentage of the dish was the roasted cherry tomatoes.

As the table decided on dessert, I just couldn't resist ordering another tapas dish as an alternative. The Char-grilled octopus, potato, and paprika ($10.90) was recommended to me, and I wasn't disappointed. A very filling dish, the price was very reasonable considering its size. The octopus was cooked beautifully. Lovely and chewy without being rubbery, it was a wonderful contrast to the creamy mash potato. The Spanish paprika gave the dish a lovely warmth. Very much a comfort food dish, it would be wonderful on a cold Adelaide winter evening.

Creme Catalana ($8.90). By the look of heaven on my fellow diner's face as she took her first spoonful , this dessert was fantastic.

Churros, hazelnut chocolate sauce ($8.90)

Sparrow continues to win award after award, and praise from foodies and reviewers. I have now been there three times, and each time I am surprised and delighted with a new dish.

Shopping: The Fresh Fish Place

Shopping: The Fresh Fish Place

www.portlincolnseafood.com.au

Port Lincoln

On a recent visit to Port Lincoln, I was hard pressed to find a seafood shop believe it or not. Surprising that a town known for its tuna and Coffin Bay only up the road famous for its oysters, that the town isn't bursting with its local catch.

I was soon led to the Industrial area near the racetrack where the famous Makybe Diva grew to be a champion.

The shop not only had local catch, but local artist's work. I came home with a quirky little painting of a yellow fin tuna... perfect for the kitchen!

This is a working fish shop. An industrial shed used for the wholesale market sits out the back. The selection wasn't huge for the time we were there (January), but I managed to get some "spiders", scallops and kingfish.

As would be expected, the fish was irresistibly fresh. I have really grown to love Port Lincoln, and its fishing industry is truly what makes it special. The staff at Fresh Fish Place, were friendly, helpful and the prices were ridiculously cheap.

Restaurant: The Oysterbeds Good Food House

Restaurant: The Oysterbeds Good Food House

61 Esplanade

Coffin Bay

Approximately 40kms from Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula is the picturesque town of Coffin Bay. Home to less than 700 people, the summer sees the town swell to 3000. It is no wonder why, as the bay is not only picture postcard perfect, but is home to an abundance of sea life drawing fishermen and nature lovers alike. The town was discovered by the famous explorer, Mathew Flinders in 1802 and was named after his friend Sir Isaac Coffin. I did find that bit of information a bit disappointing. I liked to think "coffin" may have had to do with a casket of some description as opposed to just the name of an explorer's friend!

Being a foodie and oyster lover, it was a given that while holidaying in Port Lincoln, I had to take the pilgrimage to Coffin Bay for their famous oysters. Driving into town, the beautiful bay welcomed me with oyster beds, and across the road sat the Oysterbeds restaurant.

A cute, mainly outdoor restaurant drew us in with their amazing specials board. I was of course, on the hunt for oysters but was tempted by a number of things on offer. We were disappointed that there were no outside tables left, but settled inside after ordering from the friendly bar staff.

Inside, the walls were covered in a local photographer's work. Interesting art, but something in the restaurant seems to be missing. Perhaps its the 90s style chairs, it just lacked character. Also unfortunate was the fact that the smokers outside were sitting close to the door, allowing the toxic smell to filter into the inside of the restaurant. The music playing was great. A Leonard Cohen tribute album played while we had lunch... a great choice! I noticed they occasionally have live music as well. I can't think of anything better.... looking out at the Bay and the oyster beds that call it home, while eating oysters, drinking Sauv Blanc and listening to some live Jazz.

We had a bottle of Adelaide Hills wine, "The Lane" ($38). Not a bad drop, but not near the quality of a good NZ Sauvy. The Adelaide Hills are getting better and better but I think we are still a few years out from having a Sauv Blanc to rival the Kiwis! The kids had the regular blood orange pelligrinni, which unfortunately was forgotten by the waitress. Quickly rectified, the kids enjoyed a couple as we leisurely drank our wine and took in the view.

With so many choices of different ways to have my heavenly oysters, I finally settled on 1/2 doz natural ($11) and 1/2 doz Chilli Teaser ($14). The oysters were so fresh just as you would expect. How lucky is South Australia to have the BEST oysters in the world!? The oysters were perfect. I loved the touch of the little seashells on the salt. A great presentation. Drawn back later in the week for a day of fishing out on the bay, we went back to the Oysterbeds and I tried the lime and sweet chilli ($12) with the natural. All were equally as wonderful and fresh.

As much as I loved my oysters, the stand out dish was definitely the Coconut Lime Calamari and Prawns ($20e/$32m). A flawless dish with so much flavour. The batter was so light, it was almost non-existent, just there to hold the flavour. The crunchy salad was a great contrast. On our second trip to the Oysterbeds, we ordered the Salt and Pepper Calamari and Prawn special. It was just as good. Using dukkah as the batter in that case was an interesting and welcome to change to the regular Salt and Pepper seasoning.

The Sashimi of Kingfish and Bluefin Tuna ($20) was fresh and served simply in a Japanese style. Although incredibly fresh and tender, the price tag of $20 seemed a bit excessive. It was quite a small serve for that cost.

The kids menu was fantastic. Loads of choices from Scotch Fillet, to Fish to the decided Ham and Cheese Pizza ($8.90). Not only were there 3 different types of pizza to choose from, the base was obviously homemade and the ham was beautiful pieces cut from the bone.

The menu was definitely a seafood lovers menu, but I don't think that a person would struggle to find something appealing that wasn't seafood. I have fallen in love with the beautiful Coffin Bay and its fresh bounty. The Oysterbeds is a showboat of local delights and well worth the visit.