Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i Gourmet Traveller

LONG-WEEKEND LUNCHING Celeriac velouté (RECIPE P124) Braised lamb shoulder with cocoa and cardamom (PICTURED; RECIPE P119) Rhubarb and chocolate tart (RECIPE P89) A small glass of fragrant, chilled dry white vermouth would start this party nicely (with or without the added gin), followed by a gutsy, spicy grenache with the lamb. And the tart offers a great opportunity to put some of our chocolate-and-wine matching ideas (see page 64) to the test: try a medium-dry boal Madeira. EASTER FEAST Savoury doughnuts with pine-nut butter (RECIPE P117) Wine harvest pot-au-feu (RECIPE P127) Chocolate cake with fudge icing (PICTURED; RECIPE P101) The savoury richness of the entrée in this menu calls for a sparkling wine with yeasty richness – a late-disgorged vintage fizz, perhaps. The classic French stew calls for a classic…

GRAPES, LABNE AND ZA’ATAR The month of March saw cooks all over the country giving their food a Syrian twist in the name of raising money for UNICEF’s Syrian Crisis Appeal. One standout was Automata chef Clayton Wells’ dish at the Sydney gala launching the campaign: a dazzling play of textures between painstakingly peeled grapes, slivers of preserved lemon and a cool dollop of labne. cookforsyria.org.au PAT NOURSE DUCK, CARROT AND HAZELNUT Dry-aged for three months and served with a light carrot purée, sage and hazelnuts, this duck is a tender and juicy example of the fine work being turned out by the lively new team at this coastal favourite. Caveau, 122-124 Keira St, Wollongong, NSW, (02) 4226 4855 SAMANTHA TEAGUE SORREL AND ICE-CREAM Featuring a wild mix of Australian…

Let’s talk chocolate, Troy. What’s your favourite? I love melted chocolate. A really good-quality milk chocolate – Valrhona has a really nice fruitiness to it – just lightly melted. When the chefs in the pastry section are making the coconut shell for our Muse coconut dessert, they brush warm milk chocolate up the side of the shells to make it look like the hair on a coconut husk, and I’m usually over there, spooning the chocolate into my mouth. The Muse coconut has a bit of a cult following – what’s it all about? It’s light, sweet and floral, gluten-free and can be made dairy-free, which is a plus. The base is whipped frozen coconut mousse with crystallised violet, dried and fresh flowers, caramelised coconut sugar and coconut crisps. On…

SYDNEY Serious sushi fans have been quietly making their way to a nondescript mezzanine level of the CBD’s Grace Hotel to visit a new Japanese eatery that offers some of the best sushi in town. Not for Gold Class Daruma the flashy garnish, or even the radical choice of species; here it’s all about classic cuts and beautifully handled rice, served at a bar of ancient Japanese timber. The miso soup with roasted cuttlefish is worth a visit in itself. MELBOURNE Sydney is standing by for its outpost of Chris Lucas’s Chin Chin (due August), but Melbourne diners score his blockbuster Japanese spin-off in May. Kisumé is big: it runs over three levels and calls for two executive chefs, KS Moon (from Singapore’s Mikuni) and Shaun Presland (Saké, Nobu). A…

THE UNICORN HOTEL Chicken schnitzel and gravy BABAJAN Lamb lahmacun THE HENRY AUSTIN Braised beef shin with grain salad VINCENT Bread and butter pudding with rhubarb compote “The lahmacun at Babajan in Carlton North is the best I’ve had outside Turkey. Please can you get the recipe? Hazan Sadik, Carlton North, Vic Lamb lahmacun Prep time 45 mins, cook 15 mins (plus proving) Makes 4 Extra-virgin olive oil and hummus, to serve Dough 300 gm (2 cups) plain flour, plus extra for dusting 14 gm (2 sachets) dried yeast 150 ml milk, at room temperature 1 egg, at room temperature 50 ml olive oil, plus extra for oiling tray Lamb topping 300 gm minced lamb shoulder (ask your butcher to do this) 1 tbsp Turkish red capsicum paste (see note)…

 Cheddar is Australia’s most popular cheese, but the name is indiscriminately applied to all manner of types, including block, waxed, grated, cubed, club, sliced and processed. If you want to experience real cheddar at its best, you simply can’t beat the wonderful flavours and textures of a well-made traditional cheese, matured the old-fashioned way under cloth. The only trouble can be finding it. “You simply can’t beat the wonderful flavours and textures of a well-made traditional cheese.” Authentic clothbound cheddar requires lots of care, skill and patience to make, and it has been on the endangered list for decades. It has a very special place in my heart because it was the first cheese I sourced directly from the farm for my business in London in the 1970s. (I recently…

It could so easily have gone wrong. Super-ambitious young chef works and stages with the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Shannon Bennett, Mark Best and Lennox Hastie, then thinks it’s time he opened his own joint (he is 23 after all). He convinces his brother and a mate to help bankroll him at a site in a not-hot part of South Yarra and then doesn’t stint on the fit-out. He decides a conventional restaurant format will stifle his “learning process” and so declares he’ll be changing cuisines every four months, opening with Vietnamese before moving on to Israeli, Korean and Mexican. And it’ll be tasting menu only. It’s tempting to plug your ears, close your eyes and wait for the boom. There’s noise coming from Atlas Dining right now, but it’s…

Berta reboot There’s a new team in the kitchen at Berta. Chef Alex Llewellyn has had a stint in Berta’s extended family, being an alumnus of its older sister restaurant, Vini. Recent standouts on the menu include a lovely brawn with grilled toast and a radish sandwich, clams with black noodles and chilli, and some exceptional desserts, such as liquorice panna cotta with coffee caramel, and the malt pavlova with figs and praline. Berta, 17-19 Alberta St, Sydney, (02) 9264 6133 Magic number What it lacks in imaginative titling, 169 Darlinghurst makes up for in interesting fare: giant octopus with black garlic, say, and a beefy snack that bridges the gap between rendang and rillettes. Then there’s the vegan goodness: a fine cashew cheese with housemade focaccia, for instance, and…

 Ensconced in her cosy countryside restaurant, Hiša Franko, just outside the village of Kobarid in Slovenia, Ana Roš laughs about her début on the international culinary stage at the Cook it Raw event in Poland in 2012. It was a total disaster. “A former member of the Yugoslav national skiing squad and fluent in five languages, her dream was to be a career diplomat.” “I was so excited the night before, I drank a glass of whisky to sleep better,” says Roš. “But I slept so soundly I didn’t hear the alarm clock.” She missed the plane and arrived hours late. Worse followed the next day when she fell into the river on a canoe trip, was bitten by a dog while slicing raw beef and got stung by a…

 Chocolate marketers often spruik the joys of the red-wine-and-choc combo. But they’re misguided. Try it if you don’t believe me. Take a piece of your favourite chocolate and pour yourself a glass of your favourite red. Individually, each is lovely. But put them together and chances are they’ll clash. “The tannins in the wine and that mouth-coating texture and bitterness you get in good chocolate just fight with each other.” I’m not completely against drinking red wine with chocolate. A dark, bitter chocolate with 85 per cent cocoa solids carefully matched with the right full-bodied red – one with lots of sweet, rich fruit and ample but supple tannin – can be delicious. But the key words here are “carefully matched”: I find most red wines simply too dry and…

Package deals Beyond the dairy milk assortment: surveying the best in boxed chocolates. Going native Could Australian flavours in chocolate be the next big thing? Some like it hot Confectioners and café owners from around the country offer their hottest tips for making the perfect hot chocolate. Choc of the new The chocolate world is bubbling with innovation. Here are some of its hotter trends. The Explainer: cacao nibs Versatile cacao nibs add crunch and flavour to sweets and savouries alike. Cocoa loco Italy is mad for chocolate – so much so it has three distinct schools of the dark art. Masterclass: chocolate ganache tart This light yet luscious dessert makes a splendid crowning touch for the Easter table. Maximum chocolate Too…

HEIRLOOM CHOCOLATE Marcus Allison is well versed in the art of hot chocolate. The owner of Heirloom Chocolate, he started out selling hot chocolate from a small market stall and now owns two Brisbane cafés and a chocolate-importing company. His secret? Grated chocolate. “It’s impossible to beat real chocolate melted with milk,” says Allison. He suggests steaming half a cup of grated chocolate with a cup of milk and finishing it with an extra sprinkle of chocolate. And temperature is a factor, too. “The perfect temperature for hot chocolates is 60 degrees – hot, but not too hot.” Heirloom Chocolate, $12.50 for 250gm, available at Brisbane’s John Mills Himself, johnmillshimself.com.au, and Bunker Coffee, bunkercoffee.com.au MÖRK CHOCOLATE Made from Venezuelan cocoa beans blended in North Melbourne by a Swede and a…

What are they? Cacao nibs (also sometimes labelled as cocoa nibs) are little bits of fermented, dried, roasted and crushed cacao beans. If you were to continue the chocolate-making process, these nibs would then be ground into a paste called chocolate liquor. Add to that sugar and milk, and you’d eventually end up with a chocolate bar. Why do we care? We love these tiny pieces of goodness for the chocolate flavour they deliver minus the sugary sweetness. They deliver big on the texture front, too – crunchy with a slightly cool mouthfeel, courtesy of cocoa butter. While cacao nibs are often found in raw desserts, we’re not shy to add them to traditional chocolate desserts and sweets. Throw them into brownies, slices and biscuits, for instance, for a nut-like…

Found in translation From the coconut plantations of Sri Lanka via the kitchens of northern Italy, chef O Tama Carey presents an autumnal lunch leavened with spice and flair. Easter with edge Celebrated Chicago chef Grant Achatz turns his considerable skills to home cooking for this fetching Easter feast. Pride of place French Country Cooking author Mimi Thorisson glories in dishes imbued with the spirit of her adopted home in the Médoc.…

Cutting across Chalmers Street with my cousin Baby Jane, a tattooed, pierced acupuncturist with a penchant for flip-flops and yoga pants, we bump into a couple of her former schoolmates, who give her the condescending up-and-down perfected by a certain class of impeccably coiffed Southern women. During an achingly sweet exchange of pleasantries, Baby Jane stumbles through an apology of her informal attire, and as they totter away on spiked heels, the two of us are left standing there aghast. “Don’t let those South of Broad snobs psych you out,” I say. “They’re just wannabes.” Some things in Charleston never change. And then, some things do. The South Carolina city was founded in 1670 at the tip of a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, an ideal port location bounded…

If it’s true that Eskimos have 50 words for snow, the good people of Papua New Guinea must have at least as many descriptors for mud. The stuff squelching underfoot is the hard-packed variety, distinctly different from the gritty black paste we were in half an hour ago and decidedly more slippery than the sludgy brown mud we waded through most of yesterday. History’s footnotes are written in the mud of the Kokoda Track. A ragtag company of army reservists and the heroic military campaign they waged here in 1942 to defend Port Moresby from the advancing Japanese army vaulted this muddy jungle path into legend, turning it into a byword for plucky, against-the-odds Australian spirit. (Spend a day in Port Moresby and you wonder why they bothered. The place…

The only thing more peaceful than walking from infinity pool to suite through subtropical rainforest at The Byron at Byron might be doing the same at a yoga and barre retreat at the resort. Or joining new retreats focused on relaxation and art tuition, or surf coaching and yoga. Though only five kilometres from the town’s shopping heart, The Byron at Byron’s tranquillity is ensured by 18 hectares of surrounding forest and close proximity to Tallow Beach. Its 92 suites – in clusters of four, each with shuttered verandas and kitchens, most with walk-in robes and bathtubs – are largely hidden among trees and linked by two kilometres of winding boardwalk. “Walking through the rainforest has an immediate effect on everyone,” says general manager Lyn Parché. For further relaxation, the…

MILLENNIALS AFLOAT In a bold move, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection has set its sights on 18- to 40-year-old travellers with a new initiative called U by Uniworld. Two of its river ships are being refurbished for seven- and 14-night voyages through France, Amsterdam, Austria and Germany starting next year. Unlike the line’s all-inclusive fares, U fares will be semi-inclusive and won’t include drinks. Four itineraries have been designed to appeal to young travellers, with overnight stops to allow night-time exploration and a range of adventures on offer. On-board features include yoga sessions and classes in art, cooking and mixology. uniworld.com DIVE IN Royal Caribbean International is offering scuba-diving certification aboard its ships. Guests will have the chance to explore underwater havens such as Vanuatu’s coral reefs and the world’s…

1 Estée Lauder introduces new Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery Eye Mask infused with Advanced Night Repair technology to rejuvenate tired eyes. In just 10 minutes, eyes look radiant, rested and renewed. esteelauder.com.au 2 Nespresso has launched Ristretto Decaffeinato – the same powerful character and taste as Ristretto Grand Cru but decaffeinated, so coffee lovers can enjoy an intense coffee any time of the day or night. $7.30 for 10 capsules. nespresso.com 3 Enjoy the best of Europe with OLife Choice – enjoy free unlimited internet, and select one from a choice of amenities: free shore Excursions, or free house beverage package or a shipboard credit.. oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/olife-choice 4 Silversea Silver Cloud is the most comfortable ice-class expedition vessel in cruising, with five fine-dining options, the highest space-to-guest ratio, and all…

FOOD Masterclass: Chongqing noodle soup Putting real fire in the Hot 100 issue, Tony Tan takes a deep dive into the spicy noodles that are taking over the world. Thanks, Mum Celebrate Mother’s Day in rare style with a lunch menu that cruises gently from Champagne cocktails to ginger sponge. Beau geste Check in with Australian former Noma Sydney sous-chef Beau Clugston at his Paris digs and add some radical twists to your repertoire. Code green Matcha, finest of the green teas, has become the new favourite ingredient of pâtissiers the world over, and it might soon be yours. HOT 100 Maximum hotness New restaurants from Australia’s favourite operators, new flavours from our favourite chefs, new hotels from the best in the business, new destinations for the serious traveller, new…

MEASURES & EQUIPMENT * All cup and spoon measures are level and based on Australian metric measures. * Eggs have an average weight of 59gm unless otherwise specified. * Fruit and vegetables are washed, peeled and medium-sized unless otherwise specified. * Oven temperatures are for conventional ovens and need to be adjusted for fan-forced ovens. * Pans are medium-sized and heavy-based; cake tins are stainless steel, unless otherwise specified. COOKING TIPS * When seasoning food to taste, we use sea salt and freshly ground pepper unless otherwise specified. * To blanch an ingredient, cook it briefly in boiling water, then drain. To refresh it, plunge it in a large bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process, then drain it. * We recommend using free-range eggs, chicken and pork.…

Chocolate ricotta cake Chocolate and ricotta are a great match. Add some coffee and you’ve got a trifecta of winning flavour. Prep time 25 mins, cook 10 mins (plus setting) Serves 8 400 gm (1 packet) digestive biscuits 35 gm ( 1/3 cup) cocoa powder, preferably raw 125 gm butter, softened Ricotta filling 550 gm firm ricotta, drained, at room temperature 250 gm mascarpone 200 gm pure icing sugar, sieved 25 gm ( 1/4 cup) cocoa powder, preferably raw 80 ml ( 1/3 cup) espresso coffee 2 sheets titanium-strength gelatine, softened in cold water for 5 minutes 150 ml thickened cream, whisked to soft peaks 100 gm roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped Whipped chocolate frosting 300 ml pouring cream 300 gm dark chocolate (60%-64% cocoa solids), finely chopped 100 gm light…

approach the haul with a take-no-prisoners gusto more akin to a dangerously starved Pac-Man? When I was a nipper, I was firmly in the Pac-Man camp, biting the ears off chocolate rabbits and smashing into chocolate eggs with glee. Come to think of it, not much has changed since then, which might be why I love these chocolate special editions. Speaking of smashing things, my new year’s resolution was to treat every dessert put in front of me like a crème brûlée, hitting it very hard with the back of a spoon. Working my way through the recipes in this issue, I can tell you that a heavy spoon and the caramel crémeux on page 101 make a winning combination, though giving Mimi Thorisson’s grandmother’s crème caramel (page 128) a…

Life of pie? Adelaide says yes, with its oven-hot pizza scene. Pizzerias powered by buzz and good times are ruling the Adelaide food scene and this trend, like the crowds, just keeps rising. Sunny’s Pizza is one of the party starters, inspired by an apparent lack of rowdy fun in the local scene. “Pizza and casual party times go hand in hand,” says Andy Nowell, one of five young guns who turned a CBD warehouse into a much-talked-about site, where the music is loud, tables can be cleared to create a dance floor and curfew doesn’t hit until 2am. You’re also here for puffed-crust Neapolitan pizza built on slow-proved dough. Superior Napoli-style pizza also defines the appeal of Lost in a Forest at Uraidla in the Adelaide Hills (which is…

Last year, René Redzepi bookended the final service of his Noma Australia pop-up with the first MAD event outside Denmark. While MAD SYD at the Sydney Opera House included a line-up of rock-star chefs, one of the day’s most memorable speakers was Chido Govera. The Zimbabwean farmer and campaigner was orphaned at age seven and, at 11, rejected a future as a child bride to a 40-year-old man. She opted to create her own fate by cultivating mushrooms from local waste instead. She’s since taught thousands of women in developing countries to empower themselves through sustainable farming and is the founder of The Future of Hope organisation. See Govera speak at The School of Life’s Chido Govera on Hope events. She’s in conversation with Jill Stark on 20 April at…

Chocolate in cocktails – a crime against taste? Not when it’s bitters. Thanks to chocolate bitters, chocolate has secured a legitimate place in the bar world beyond hens’ parties. “Chocolate bitters can give you all the joy of dessert without needing to bring too much sweetness to a drink,” says Felix Allsop, bar manager at Melbourne’s The Everleigh. “They boost the cinnamon and vanilla flavours already present in rum or bourbon, or give you a much more pronounced chocolate flavour when combined with lighter spirits.” Charlie Ainsbury, co-owner of Sydney’s This Must be the Place, also finds bitters versatile. “Chocolate goes really well with dark spirits. You find elements of cocoa in a variety of dark rums, so to pair them with chocolate bitters is a no-brainer.” His favourite way…

1 Flathead with crushed peas 2 Tofu with chilli jam and spring onions 3 Roast broccoli and cheddar filo tart 4 Leek, chorizo, cauliflower and chicken bake 5 Smoked bacon, potato and corn chowder 6 Chilli dogs with pickled jalapeño and coriander 7 Rigatoni with chicken ragù and green sauce 8 Pikelets with pear jam 1 Flathead with crushed peas For simple fish and chips use the best and freshest fish you can find. Malt vinegar and plenty of lemon give it the perfect kick. Serves 4 200 gm coarse breadcrumbs from day-old sourdough bread 2 tbsp coarse polenta 500 gm skinless flathead fillets, cut into 6cm pieces Seasoned plain flour, for dusting 3 eggs, lightly whisked with 2 tbsp milk Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying Malt vinegar and lemon wedges,…

Line of fire Melbourne’s David Thompson drought has officially ended with Long Chim opening at Crown. Like the other branches of his Thai street-food chain, it delivers with guns (and chilli) blazing: Thompson’s legendary finesse runs from incendiary chicken Chiang Mai larp to grilled sticky rice with banana. There are good cocktails, too – the perfect way to celebrate the breaking of a drought. Long Chim, Riverside at Crown, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank, (03) 9292 7898 Plume with panache The Geelong suburb of Belmont now has a casually sophisticated bistro (or “bistrot”) to call its own. Bistrot Plume has a short, sharp list of local and European wines, plus a menu with a yen for French classics – steak tartare and steak frites, chicken parfait and roast chicken. There…

Combine the romance of train travel with a unique food and wine adventure on the magnificent Indian Pacific. Great Southern Rail has announced the first epicurean-focused journeys, between Adelaide and Perth, with experiences tailored exclusively for the Indian Pacific and discerning connoisseurs of the good things in life. The Indian Pacific is already renowned for its food and wine focus, but the experience on these new adventures has been enhanced with the inclusion of interactive culinary sessions, masterclasses and tastings of leading Australian wines, along with multi-course meals designed and prepared by guest chefs. You could call it the country’s longest dégustation. It’s certainly the most picturesque. The all-inclusive journeys start with lunch, whether in a top Adelaide restaurant before departing to head through the rolling green South Australian wine…

 I’ve fallen in love with a chair. Featherston chairs, to be exact: the work of Australia’s pre-eminent and most influential Mid-century industrial designers, Grant and Mary Featherston. I’m talking about Australian cultural classics that exist beyond the obvious pop-culture darlings such as Vegemite, Tim Tams, footy and utes. In February, as we began a major redesign of the dining room at my restaurant, Attica, the first in its 11-year history, I reflected on its past and where I want it to be in the future. I tried to consider every aspect of our work. We’re always searching down the dirt road. Who knows what discovery we might make, what new inspiration may come? In 2006 we began cooking with local ingredients – some wild, some endemic to our land. I…

1 SPECIAL SCOTCH Glenfiddich Experimental Series Project XX, Scotland, $140 One of two new whiskies in Glenfiddich’s Experimental series (the other is matured in IPA craft-beer casks), this is a blend of 20 barrels from the Glenfiddich stocks selected by 20 whisky experts: rich and expressive. glenfiddich.com 2 REVIVAL WHITE 2015 Tripe Iscariot Absolution Wilyabrup Chenin Blanc, Margaret River, WA, $32 A new label from South African-born winemaker Remi Guise, making chenin blanc the hero. This is an intense, candied citron-flavoured expression of the grape; he also has a leaner, chalkier chenin from the Karridale subregion. tripeiscariot.com 3 FISH FRIENDLY 2016 Fox Gordon Charlotte’s Web Pinot Grigio, Adelaide Hills, SA, $23 Fox Gordon is a particularly reliable label for white wines that combine easy, appealing refreshment with substance. This lovely,…

Capers are the new salt Fleur de sel in chocolate? That’s old hat. Rebel chocolatier Jacques Genin uses capers instead of salt in his Paris chocolate salons – and not just any kind. They’re grown by Italian winemaker Gabrio Bini on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria. The buds are finely chopped and distributed through easy-to-demolish chocolate bars. Booze brings people together Acting locally inspires exciting collaborations between chocolate artisans and booze-makers. Adelaide’s Just Bliss Chocolates has created a gin and tonic bonbon with its favourite gin from McLaren Vale’s Settlers distillery, while Tasmania’s Seven Sheds Brewery uses a rare Peruvian cocoa from nearby chocolatier House of Anvers to create a perfectly unsweet Black Inca dark ale. Matching matcha Pana Chocolate has teamed up with Mayde Tea for a cacao-cinnamon spice…

I love a chocolate tart that’s rich and luscious with a crisp base and a billowy cream topping. The cream topping isn’t classic, but balances the richness of the dark chocolate, and adds lightness. The filling, a classic baked ganache, is easy to make, and the sweet shortcrust can be made ahead. I think a chocolate pastry is a bit too intense with a rich chocolate filling; this plain sweet crust adds a textural element that doesn’t overpower the filling. For the pastry, the butter is rubbed into the flour with your fingertips, then the egg just brings it together. Don’t overwork it or the pastry will be tough and shrink. Flatten it into a disc so it’s easier to roll out, then refrigerate it to rest; this allows it…

My cooking career has been, in a word, eclectic. I started kitchen life in a modern British restaurant in London before globe-hopping back home to Sydney only to land in a French bistro. From there I had a brief moment in a less-than-traditional Japanese joint, after which I moved to China (or at least an outpost of China on Crown Street in Surry Hills). There I stayed, gaining an appreciation of produce, provenance and the delights of cooking in a wok. From there I went one suburb over to a shiny new spot where I was given free rein. The only caveat: it had to be Italian. Happily, I complied, curing meats, making pasta and focusing on the seasons. Slowly, though, curry leaves crept in. All this country criss-crossing has…

Taste of Tulum Who needs a booking at Noma’s new Mexico pop-up when you have chef Paul Bentley’s hitlist of breezy snack shacks and jungle bars? Swing low Charleston, the antebellum jewel of the Carolina coast, has embraced its Lowcountry roots and shines anew. Secret Tuscany Monte Argentario’s appealing mix of mountain, ocean, island and lagoon makes it one of Italy’s hidden treasures. Alexander technique Like its oft-disputed name, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia defies simple definition but its rich diversity extends from the dinner table to the friendly locals. Mud and glory You have to take the rough with the tough on the legendary Kokoda Track, but then there’s the majesty.…

The first time I visited Monte Argentario, a wild promontory on Tuscany’s southern coast, we stayed in a clifftop cottage above a cove near the fishing village of Porto Santo Stefano. Every evening from our kitchen we watched as the island of Giglio just offshore became a silhouette against a sunset the colour of Campari – a rather nice view as we sliced artichokes and untangled tentacles for octopus stew. We returned a year later to this quiet, seemingly overlooked stretch of Tuscan coastline closer to Rome than Florence. This time we made Porto Ercole, the older and smaller of the two villages on Monte Argentario, our home for six months. We settled into an airy apartment flanked by olive groves, where wild boars – cinghiale – frequently woke us…

“I often shop in Via Montenapoleone and bump into my favourite designers, but I never ask for fashion advice .” Mezzo-soprano After a performance at La Scala , I love dinner at Il Marchesino, run by the great chef Gualtiero Marchesi. I order the typical Milanese dish of risotto allo zafferano topped with gold leaf and served on a black plate that frames the yellow risotto. My favourite pizzeria is La Galleria in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a beautiful location with stylish furnishings and amazing waitstaff. For pizza cooked in a wood stove I go to Fresco & Cimmino, a traditional Neapolitan restaurant. I always take guests on a stroll from Sforzesco Castle through the shops of Via Dante to Piazza Cordusio and to the famous Piazza del…

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EMIKO DAVIES In 2015, Australian-born food writer and photographer Emiko Davies and her family moved to a fishing village in Monte Argentario on the Tuscan coast. It wasn’t long before she knew she wanted to write a cookbook. “The landscape has long shaped the area’s unique but disappearing food traditions,” she says. “It’s separated from the mainland by a lagoon rich in marine and bird life.” On page 152 she shares her favourite places to eat in the place that inspired her latest cookbook, Acquacotta. RICHARD COOKE Writer and broadcaster Richard Cooke went to Macedonia and was taken by surprise. “To be honest, when I found out that Macedonia’s national dish is baked beans, I didn’t have high hopes,” he admits. “But I ate and drank as well as I…

A Sydney couple brings Brazil’s national sweet to Australia. WHAT Brazil’s traditional brigadeiro is a fudgy ball of condensed milk, butter and chocolate powder covered in chocolate sprinkles or crushed nuts. The ganache-like sweet is a staple at celebrations and is easy to find throughout Brazil, but it’s tough to score a good one made from premium ingredients, and even more so in Australia. WHO Inspired by a crop of dedicated shops selling artisanal versions of the brigadeiro in her native Brazil, Barbara Cardoso decided to invest in only the best ingredients to lift the sweet from basic to brilliant back in her adopted home of Australia. After locking down a supplier of sustainable, Fairtrade-certified Belgian Callebaut and French Cacao Barry couverture, and experimenting with flavours and styles, Cardoso and…

Making the cut – Japanese-style, hand-sanded knives by a Melbourne tradie. There are, of course, downsides to working with knives. Melbourne electrician Robert Trimarchi started tinkering with blades and handles in late 2014 and, yes, he endures cuts every time he sets to work. It’s been more annoying than tragic, he says. Trimarchi began making his knives, for his label The Nine, at Flock Studios in Brunswick and they have ended up in homes across Sweden, South Korea and New Zealand. The Nine seems like the logical outcome for someone who has a fixation with samurai swords and Japanese culture, and grew up in a food-obsessed Italian family. With most clients using his artisanal knives to slice through meat, it’s surprising to learn he’s a vegetarian. But he says that…

1 Basix linen napkin in Floss, $22, from Hale Mercantile Co. 2 Contemporary linen table napkin in Dusk, $45 for four, from Cultiver. 3 The Fireworks linen napkin in Misty Rose, $85 for four, from Kate & Kate. 4 Basix linen stripe napkin in Ayrton-Nox, $22, from Hale Mercantile Co. 5 Fern Black linen napkin, $125 for six, from Bonnie and Neil. 6 Vintage Stripe napkin in Dove, $49.95 for four, from Aura by Tracie Ellis. 7 Embroidered cotton napkin in Grey, $26 for two, from One Another. 8 The Festive Twist linen napkin in Ebony, $85 for four, from Kate & Kate. 9 Contemporary linen table napkin in Indigo, $45 for four, from Cultiver. 10 Society Tab Fr linen napkin in Azzurro 194, $250 for six, from Ondene. 11…

One of our most versatile vegetables, cabbage can be eaten raw, steamed, fermented, pickled and barbecued. In Italian the word for cabbage is cavolo, which is also used as swear word, once again demonstrating the versatility of this robust brassica. But just as it feeds us, cabbage makes demands of its own. As with all brassicas in the vegetable patch, it’s a constant battle to keep up nutrition supplies for this hungry feeder, while also keeping away the hordes of cabbage white butterflies that call this vegetable their own. April is the perfect time to plant cabbages as young seedlings; it’s not too late, however, to start propagating them from seed. Begin by planting seeds in a tray at no more than one centimetre deep, and keep them well hydrated…

Maybe I missed a memo. I’m the only one at Sotto Sopra wearing socks. I’d noticed that the floor staff, Italians who were otherwise resplendent in navy aprons over striped white tees, were all showing skin between the rolled cuffs of their jeans and their shoes. But upon further observation it transpires that it’s not just the waiters – everyone else here at lunch on a sunny Saturday is wearing a sandal, thong, loafer, slip-on or some other variation on the theme, a perfectly Newport mix of K Jacques, Nike, Gucci and Billabong, with nary a shed of socking between them. Is this the natural outcome when Italy meets the northern beaches of Sydney? Think of the possibilities. It could’ve been Fellini-esque dwarfs walking through a dream sequence in Home…

Take jet lag, add a glittering awards ceremony and sprinkle with the best chefs in the world. It’s a no-fail recipe for vigorous carousing. Come the morning after the night before, these fêted chefs – mostly delighted, some inevitably disappointed – will regroup in rumpled bonhomie atop their Melbourne hotel. Tourism Australia asked the Gourmet Traveller team to help out with giving the World’s 50 Best a fitting and memorable send-off. Obviously, cornflakes won’t cut it. Instead, they’ll be treated to All-Star Yum Cha, a triple-pronged effort to aid recovery, continue the party and observe the favourite Australian morning sport of dim sum. Held on QT Melbourne’s rooftop terrace in – fingers crossed – gentle autumn sunshine, this invitation-only come-as-you-are brunch promises to be a feast to remember. Top local…

What’s on the list? I try to find the best native grapes from every country. Anything new? I’ve been enjoying Portuguese wines recently. And at LuMi, we have a wide range of sake – I wasn’t a big fan but it works really well with food. Favourite match? A very good one was the tagliolini with eel, silverbeet and orange zest matched with a Flaibani pinot grigio from Friuli. Winemakers to watch? I’m very traditional when it comes to Italian wines, but with Australian wines I like emerging winemakers – one is Jasper Button from Commune of Buttons. I really like his clean style of skin-contact wines – they’re very funky. LuMi, 56 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont, NSW, (02) 9571 1999, lumidining.com SAMANTHA TEAGUE…

“She chews on a pepper-berry leaf and coughs when its fiery punch finally detonates.” Fanny Chan wanted something memorable to add to her pralines, and she found it in a Sydney specialist food shop: Tasmanian mountain pepper berry. “In Europe, we always talk about Espelette pepper from France or sansho pepper from Japan,” says the Belgian-trained chocolatier. “I wanted to have something that was unique to Australia.” The pepper berry’s minty bite, she realised, perfectly countered the sweetness in a strawberry and white chocolate praline. This dynamite combination ended up at Boon Chocolates, the Darlinghurst shop she opened with her brother, Alex, in 2008. Nearly a decade later, the siblings have rebranded their shop as Oh! Boo Chocolates and moved to Sydney’s Barangaroo district, but the pepper-berry praline – a…

Cacao nib and hazelnut granola Makes about 600gm Preheat oven to 150C. Combine 200gm rolled oats, 120gm coarsely chopped hazelnuts, 100gm cacao nibs, 50gm coconut flakes, 2 tsp ground cinnamon and ¾ tsp sea salt flakes in a large bowl. Melt 70gm coconut oil with 70ml maple syrup and 2 tsp vanilla bean extract in a small saucepan over low heat, then add to dry ingredients. Mix well to combine then spread on a large baking tray and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (20-25 minutes). Cool completely. Granola will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Cacao nib choc-chip cookies Makes about 16 Preheat oven to 180C. Beat 170gm melted butter, 150gm brown sugar and 100gm caster sugar in a bowl until starting to become pale…

On a Silversea cruise, you’ll discover the difference comes not just from the intimate, boutique ships’ ability to sail into the heart of a city while others must anchor offshore. It’s also in the staff-to-guest ratio of almost one to one, the polished and attentive service, and the all-inclusive fare that lets you focus on enjoying your trip. The convivial atmosphere and casual elegance make for a journey like no other. Silversea is about the finer things in life, both on board and on land, as you encounter local colour and cultures from around the globe. All Silversea cruises include: • Spacious suites – over 85 per cent with private verandas • Butler service in every suite • Complimentary WiFi throughout the ship • Nearly one crew member for every…

The tang of rhubarb is the surprise foil for the rich and slightly bitter chocolate. Rhubarb and chocolate tart The tang of rhubarb is a great match for rich, slightly bitter chocolate. This very easy tart can be whipped up fast if you have shortcrust pastry on hand. The recipe here can be made ahead and frozen; otherwise use a good shop-bought pastry such as Carême vanilla bean shortcrust. Prep time 15 mins, cook 30 mins (plus resting, standing) Serves 8-10 120 gm blanched almonds 90 gm raw caster sugar 70 gm dark chocolate (58%-66% cocoa solids) 4 rhubarb stalks (about ½ bunch), trimmed and thinly sliced diagonally Crème fraîche, or ice-cream (optional), to serve Shortcrust pastry 330 gm plain flour, sieved 40 gm pure icing sugar, sieved Scraped seeds…

“We draw from a mish-mash of inspirations, plus there’s the influence of my cooking. And the kids love anything that’s on fire .” Grant Achatz knows what it’s like to miss out on the celebrations that anchor family life. When he was slogging his way through the ranks in élite kitchens (Charlie Trotter’s and The French Laundry among them), Easter was a holiday in which he participated by proxy. These days, with his flagship Chicago restaurant, Alinea, ranked among the world’s best and other venues, Aviary, Next and Roister, shoring up a mini-empire, it’s a different story – just don’t expect this Michigan-bred boy to prepare a traditional Easter feast. “The Midwest has a specific food tradition,” he says. “Growing up here I’d see people eat the same things each…

Where do you travel regularly for work? “For business, it’s been Milan, Tokyo, London, Belfast and the US. I love going back to Italy and Japan especially. Belfast has some nice surprises and interesting people.” How often are you away? “Internationally, every second month. Domestically, at least once a month.” Suitcase of choice? “I travel with a leather overnight bag that a friend gave me from Florence years ago. However, I’m eyeing off an Arlo Skye or Rimowa hard case – the leather case is not always practical on longer trips when it gets heavy and I’m moving around a lot.” Pre-flight routine? “I try to exercise on the day I travel to wear myself out. I like to get to the airport early to avoid any unnecessary stress and…

QANTAS UPGRADE In a game where every centimetre counts, Qantas claims the premium-economy seats that will appear in its fleet of Dreamliners from October are as wide as business-class seats in other airlines. Sydney-based industrial designer David Caon (see Business Class, page 166) says the seat has “new bespoke design elements” not seen on aircraft, including a “unique recline motion” for enhanced comfort and less intrusion on the passenger behind. Meanwhile, Qantas has done deals with Foxtel, Netflix and Spotify to stream video and audio on domestic flights with WiFi enabled, rolling out across its fleet this year. qantas.com.au SUMMER IN BARCELONA Cathay Pacific is heading to Barcelona this European summer, launching a new service four times a week from its Hong Kong hub to the Catalonian city from 2…

Tasting Australia (30 April to 7 May) has taken a turn for the edgy. There’s still the reassuring presence of Maggie Beer and a focus on South Australia’s best produce, but now it incorporates more outré talents such as Marco Pierre White, artisanal winemaker Taras Ochota and Slovenian chef Ana Roš (see our feature on page 59). Events are held across the state and include nightly dinners cooked in a purpose-built glasshouse, a wine disco and a feast in the Botanic Gardens. Pay homage to the produce of Orange with tastings, dinners and workshops at FOOD Week (until 9 April). Or head to Byron Bay for five days of global blues and roots music at Bluesfest (13-17 April)., featuring 200 artists.…