Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2017 i Gourmet Traveller

DO-AHEAD MIDWEEK DINNER Fennel and leek soup with four spice (PICTURED; RECIPE P38) Fragrant seafood and burghul parcels (RECIPE P117) Rhubarb and pear dartois (RECIPE P178) Right now, before you even start thinking about this menu, go and buy a selection of young white wines – the 2017 vintage sémillons, rieslings and sweet moscatos are hitting the shelves as we speak – and stash a few away in the fridge. That way you’ll have done-ahead the drinks choices for this do-ahead midweek dinner. WINTER COMFORT Paccheri with sausage ragù and mozzarella (RECIPE P104) Fried Brussels sprouts, parsnips and sherry (PICTURED; RECIPE P35) Apple-caramel sponge pudding (RECIPE P99) Red wine, in a big glass, with a plate of rich, ragù-laced pasta and cheese – what could be more comforting? And what…

ALL OF THE BAKED THINGS Bondi is lucky to welcome Rocker (and its killer counter selection of baked goods) to the neighbourhood. Duck in for a chunky prune and hazelnut muffin to go one morning, pull up a sunny stool the next for a dangerously good three-cheese toastie with speck and brown sauce. Rocker, 5/39-53 Campbell Pde, North Bondi, NSW, (02) 8057 8086 MAGGIE SCARDIFIELD HOME-SMOKED LOBSTER A series of stellar seafood meals in humble fish cafés and scallop shacks on Scotland’s wild western isles is crowned by the signature dish at chef Andrew Fairlie’s two-starred restaurant at The Gleneagles Hotel. Smoked over oak and finished simply with lime and herbed butter, the west-coast lobster has a beguiling sweet-smoky saltiness all its own. Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland, +44…

There are plenty of reasons to celebrate the Lansdowne Hotel reopening in Sydney: live music, an Australian natural-leaning wine list and no pokies for starters. The landmark pub, closed since 2015, has been taken over by Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, the duo behind Mary’s, one of the city’s best burger joints. They’ve brought a little Mary’s to the new venue in the form of a deep-dish burger pizza. Made on long-fermented dough, it’s covered with patties “rolled into balls à la meatlovers”, says Smyth, along with American cheese, onions, pickles and Mary’s sauce. “It’s the pub’s salute to the mighty Pizza Huts of the ’80s.” The Lansdowne Hotel, 2-6 City Rd, Chippendale, NSW, (02) 8218 2333…

What’s Chu Bakery all about, guys? Ryan: Seren and I always dreamed of having a little residential bakery that was a meeting place for everyone in the area. We both work in the kitchen baking nutritious stone-ground sourdough bread and beautiful light pastries, such as our pistachio millefeuille and salted caramel lamington. Have you always been bakers? Seren: We’re both self-taught. I used to work in retail and admin, and Ryan was an urban planner. What inspired the career change? Ryan: We were travelling the world eating beautiful breads and pastries – mainly in Tokyo and Osaka – and we decided that we wanted to start making them ourselves. There was a lot of trial and error and persistence until we eventually created recipes that we were happy with. What’s…

Luxury river-cruise specialist APT and Gourmet Traveller are once again joining forces to create unforgettable journeys. To celebrate their ongoing partnership and launch the new itineraries for 2018, they’re hosting a special bespoke dinner at the new Madame Shanghai, in Sydney's Darlinghurst. The restaurant’s elegant Chinoiserie décor evokes the Shanghai of the 1930s – the ideal ambience for discussing the Chinese tour, the 13-Day Best of China: Beijing to Shanghai. This journey includes a four-night cruise on the Yangtze River, a cruise around Beijing’s Summer Palace in a traditional vessel and lunch at the Great Wall of China. Guests will also hear about the other itineraries, all of which include expert-guided tours, specially designed one-off meals and exclusive experiences, making for unique adventures. Members of the Gourmet Traveller team will…

It’s no coincidence that any mention of the Danube is frequently preceded by the words “the beautiful blue”. Strauss’s famous waltz aside, not only is Europe’s second-largest river a sight to behold in itself, but it glides past some of the continent’s most picturesque landscapes, fairytale towns and classic architecture. What better way to experience it, then, than on a leisurely, expert-led, all-inclusive luxury river cruise? APT’s 13-day Highlights of the Danube tour includes seven nights on the river, bookended by stays in Budapest and Prague, two of the most romantic cities in Europe. In the cities divide your time between guided tours and your own explorations. In Prague chances are you’d choose to lunch with the Czech Republic’s oldest aristocratic family at the baroque Château Jemniste, then watch a…

What is it? Coconut sugar is produced from the fresh sap in the flower buds of the coconut palm. The sap is heated to evaporate the water, then the remaining syrup is reduced to a coarse caramel-coloured sugar – not to be confused with palm sugar, which comes from the sugar date palm. Why do we care? Claims that coconut sugar has a much lower GI and higher mineral content than other sugars are unsubstantiated. It’s more environmentally friendly than cane sugar, however – the yield from a coconut palm plantation is at least 50 per cent more per hectare than sugarcane, with far less drain on the soil nutrients. But we love it for its rich toffee flavour – it’s so much more interesting than cane sugar or brown…

Here are some of the things I’ve eaten at Kisumé. Gloriously fatty otoro nigiri, precision sliced that day from the belly of a whole bluefin. Wagyu meatballs stuffed with mozzarella and served with truffle mayo. Greasy pork and kimchi gyoza bewilderingly topped with salad greens, discs of striped beetroot and a balsamic reduction. Translucent King George whiting dusted with golden-yellow karasumi. Marinated olives, a pastry finger spotty with black truffles and truffled potato purée, complimentary snacks in the top-level Chablis Bar. Try to get your head around that lot. Just what the hell kind of Japanese restaurant is this? For starters, Kisumé is a Chris Lucas production, so getting your head around it is kind of beside the point. Nobody goes to a Lucas restaurant – Chin Chin, Baby, Kong,…

1 GREAT GRÜNER 2016 Atwill’s Grüner Veltliner, Adelaide Hills, $30 Ooh, I love the way this white Austrian grape is living up to its potential in cooler, higher spots Down Under: this example, from a small new producer in the Hills, is thrilling and citrusy but has lovely rich grape-pulpy texture, too. atwillswine.com 2 BARGAIN BURG 2014 André Bonhomme Viré Clessé Les Pierres Blanches, Burgundy, $42 If you’re partial to fine white Burgundy, you’ll know that prices have crept up. This one is great value: gorgeous, seductive floral aromas, rich fruit and deep mineral complexity. Imported by cellarhand.com.au 3 SPICE BASKET 2014 McHenry Hohnen Hazel’s Zinfandel, Margaret River, $60 Few people have as much experience making zin in Australia as David Hohnen; it shows here in the balance of jangly…

First there were bombers and muffulettas – now Perth boasts its own meaty sandwich, the Continental roll, at deli Re Store (231 Oxford St, Leederville, WA, 08 9444 9644; 72 Lake St, Northbridge, WA, 08 9328 1877), while the béchamelrich croque-monsieur at Budburst Small Bar (406 Oxford St, Mount Hawthorn, WA, 08 9444 3406) continues to draw admirers. The Gruyère- and horseradish-spiked yabby jaffle at Monster (Hotel Hotel, 25 Edinburgh Ave, Canberra, 02 6287 6287) is essential eating. At Alimentari (251 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Vic, 03 9417 2267) the BEST – bacon, egg, spinach, tomato, provolone and tomato relish – is a cure for hangovers. Ditto the classic banh mi from N Lee Bakery (220 Smith St, Collingwood, Vic, 03 9419 9732) – crunchy bread roll, pâté, mayo, chilli, coriander…

 Cooking is a way of communing with the dead. Recipes are passed on like family heirlooms and time collapses with each lick of the cooking bowl; we mix and stir our way back to the reassuring rhythms of childhood. I’ve been transported to my late-nanna’s home with a whiff of cloves, and sometimes fancy I’ve seen her rise spectre-like from the dust of bran and cinnamon. It’s for this reason that I leapt at the opportunity to bake 19th-century poet Emily Dickinson’s desserts – not because we were related, but because sharing her food felt deliciously intimate. If history is a dialogue between past and present, then historical recipes are like love letters between strangers across time. And the recipes left by these cooks from the past comprise an archive…

Bar Rochford, Canberra Is Rochford a bar with a particularly healthy snack offering or just a really boozy restaurant where people sometimes choose to get up and boogie while the DJ works the wheels of steel? And is that a roaring fire in that grate? In the glass, things trip from local chardonnay from the likes of Nick Spencer and Capital Brewing froth to a winning line-up of Chinons, Vouvrays and Beaujolais, plus of course a kick-arse line-up of cocktails. On the plate you can play it casual with hand-cut chips, house pickles and sourdough from local heroes Three Mills, or ramp it up with snapper, black-eyed peas and chorizo oil. IN SHORT Fire in the disco. Big Poppa’s, Sydney In a move that gently thumbed nose at Sydney’s new-found…

Gavin Cremming, Stokehouse, St Kilda Calm, assured and passionate about the grape, Gavin Cremming has impressed us with his attention to detail – in everything from temperature to glassware – since his time at Coda and Tonka. At Stokehouse he makes the case for drinking well without blowing the budget (unless you want to). Our kind of sommelier. IN SHORT Relax, he’s got you covered. Caitlyn Rees, Fred’s, Sydney There’s something about the way Caitlyn Rees talks wine that makes it dangerously easy to say yes to that extra bottle. Her knowledge of the ever-changing list at Fred’s, which is compiled in collaboration with Merivale group master sommelier Franck Moreau and travels from Burgundy to Armenia, is impressive. Her quiet assurance will be familiar to regulars of The Wine Library…

Baked chocolate fudge puddings Hot, fudgy chocolate puddings studded with the crunch of cacao nibs are heaven in a bowl, and even more so when you discover the hidden pocket of molten chocolate. We’ve topped ours with shop-bought espresso ice-cream, but cream and a shot of cooled espresso whisked to thick snowy peaks would also be delicious. Prep time 15 mins, cook 20 mins Makes 4 (pictured p95) 150 ml pouring cream 100 gm milk chocolate, finely chopped 300 gm dark chocolate (56% cocoa solids), finely chopped 3 eggs, separated 75 gm caster sugar 1½ tbsp cacao nibs Dutch-process cocoa, for dusting Espresso ice-cream and coarsely chopped roasted almonds, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 180C, and butter and flour four 350ml ovenproof cups or bowls. Bring cream to the…

Ostro, the name of my book and website, is the Italian name for the southerly Mediterranean wind and the word also shares etymological roots with the name Australia. To me, it represents my Maltese heritage, my other home in Italy, as well as the here and now in Australia. For my family, food was – as is so often the case in migrant communities – a way of preserving memories and maintaining a connection to Malta, their home before they immigrated to Australia. The food my mum cooked, and the stories she told me about the way her mother used to cook, still influence the way I think about food. The pleasure that comes from cooking with simple ingredients, and the rewards that come when you’re patient with your food…

The flatulent Mr Rajput is guiding me through the sublime thousand-year-old temples of Khajuraho on an otherwise hushed summer’s morning in Madhya Pradesh. Madhya means centre, he explains; pradesh means region. “Now you are most welcome in the heart of India!” he declares with a spicy breakfast belch. From Australia it has taken three flights and two days to reach these masterpieces of Indian art; Khajuraho’s isolation has always been its greatest protection against marauding invaders. The temples were overgrown and had been nigh on forgotten for centuries when the British engineer TS Burt stumbled across them in 1838. In its heyday this treasury of the Chandella dynasty comprised more than 80 temples, built by successive rulers between 900 and the mid-11th century and adorned with meticulously rendered scenes of…

WELLINGTON CHRIS PARKIN Art collector, curator and hotelier Wellington is a big little city. It’s small in size, bounded by hills and harbour, but within it beats a mighty heart. The city is best appreciated from the Mount Victoria Lookout, a must for any visitor. Stop for a paua fritter sandwich at the Chocolate Fish Café and keep an eye out for seals and penguins, even the occasional orca. When dining out, I stick to the classics. Ortega Fish Shack is a restaurant rooted in Wellington’s history; paradoxically, I always order the steak frites. If you like food – and I mean quantities – you can’t go past The Green Parrot Café; its mixed grill is gargantuan. Founded in 1926, its flounder is sublime and the side of…

STAY Nira Caledonia “You’ll like it,” says the cab driver as he pulls up at Nira Caledonia, on a wide cobbled street in New Town. “This is one of Edinburgh’s best-kept secrets.” The honey-hued Regency terrace houses a hotel with the air of an exclusive club. Its 28 rooms are furnished with chesterfields, oversized leather headboards and hand-printed wallpaper, while the public spaces are similarly moody and cosseting. Original cornices, skirtings and window boxes are juxtaposed with flatscreens and hot tubs. Fine Scottish produce (beef, venison, pheasant) meets the Josper oven at the hotel’s Blackwood’s Bar & Grill. 10 Gloucester Pl, niracaledonia.com The Glasshouse This is one of Edinburgh’s many repurposed churches. The 77 rooms, many with expansive views of the Firth of Forth, lie behind a sheer wall of…

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 it. To refresh it, plunge it in plenty of iced water (this stops the cooking process), then drain it. * We recommend using free-range eggs, chicken and pork. We…

awake at night through most of January, and the far more romantic winter variety that delivers temperatures just perfect for turning on the oven and revelling in it slowly warming up the kitchen, the smell of its contents reaching every corner of the house. When it comes to significant baking moments in my life I’ve always sought counsel from Gourmet Traveller. I chose my wedding cake from its pages (excellent results albeit the recipe was cooked by a pair of hands far more skilled than my own), and when my son turned one just a week after I started working here I took advantage of my proximity to the test kitchen and food editors to perfect a rich chocolate cake I’d had bookmarked for months. The recipes and stories in…

A boutique blade with your bao? Sign us up. After one too many Martinis at the hotel bar, a knife shop is probably the last place you’d expect to stumble upon. But on the ground floor of QT Melbourne, next to the hotel’s Korean-Japanese bar Hot Sauce, you’ll find Tanto, a boutique specialising in expertly forged Japanese Suisin knives. They’re sourced directly from Sakai city in Osaka Prefecture, where they’ve been crafted since the 14th century, and where knifemaker Junro Aoki has been making them since 1990. His son Tatsuya has helped bring the knives to Tanto, the first and only store in Australia to sell them. Staff can also sharpen and service your existing blades using traditional Japanese equipment, help you decide on a Suisin or work with you…

APPETISER Crisp lotus roots with cumin seeds ENTRÉE Oysters with lemon aspen sorbet and finger lime Scallop and snowpea dumplings Prawn and calamari dumplings Warm eggplant salad with fried egg, Sicilian olives and almonds Baby octopus with chilli and heirloom tomato sauce Charcoal-grilled satay chicken skewers with chilli and coriander MAIN COURSE Char-grilled king prawns with coriander, oregano, chilli and lemon Beef short ribs with fish sauce and herbs Soft-shell crab with Singaporean chilli sauce and brioche Fried cauliflower and chickpeas with a balsamic sauce Steamed rice DESSERT Madame’s gold-gold glazed bullion with Valrhona chocolate mousse, rum caramel, peanut butter and cocoa-nib crisp VENUE: Madame Shanghai 18 College St, Darlinghurst, Sydney DATE: 14 September 2017 TIME: 6.30pm for a 7pm start PRICE: $130 per person including matching wines TO BOOK:…

1 Italian sloppy Joes 2 Fennel and leek soup with four spice 3 Pork schnitzel with parsnip mash 4 Mussels with lap cheong and wood-ear mushrooms 5 Gnudi with brown butter 6 Rosemary, mustard and brandy chicken with buttered carrot 7 Lamb rump with almond, sour currant and cauliflower rice 8 Miso-caramel apples with macadamia crumble 1Italian sloppy Joes The classic sloppy Joe is essentially mince on toast in sandwich form. Here, with the addition of mozzarella and pickles, we’ve gone for more of a sloppy Giuseppe. Serves 4-6 40 ml olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, plus 1 extra halved 500 gm coarsely minced beef 350 ml tomato passata 250 ml (1 cup) beef stock 2 tbsp coarsely chopped oregano 2 tsp dark brown…

It’s not a dish come across in you many Chinese restaurants, but if you haven’t tasted salt-baked chicken (yan ju ji, in Mandarin), you’re in for a treat. It has had a fascinating journey around the world. It all began with a group of Chinese who fled their homes in central China almost 2,000 years ago and, over centuries and after waves of migration, finally settled in the highlands around Meizhou in Guangdong province and Yongding in Fujian province. Viewed by the local population with suspicion and at times hostility, these nomads were known as the Hakka, meaning guest families. Imbued with a hardy spirit and gritty tenacity, they cultivated lands no one wanted, and a certain frugality defines their cooking. Salt, pickles, preserved greens and soy sauce feature extensively…

New Zealand, if you listen to the militant New Zealanders who work in the Gourmet Traveller offices, not only brought us the pavlova, lamingtons, the flat white and Lorde, but also invented fire and domesticated the sheep. Attempt to counter this line of argument by raising such trifling Australian contributions to civil society as the black-box flight recorder, ultrasound scanners, the electric drill, AC/DC permaculture, the medical application of penicillin and, if you’re a fan of Bruce Pascoe’s research on Aboriginal agriculture, the invention of bread, and they’ll blither about bungee jumping and jetboats. Jetboats. In fairness, I feel I should add that they seem happy to let us have Russell Crowe. Where this leaves us in the matter of chefs is tricky. Tricky in that if they’re any good,…

Tipo junior The second venture from the team behind pasta great Tipo 00, Osteria Ilaria keeps Italy in sight but with less focus on pasta. Instead, expect instead seafood – kingfish with eel and bottarga, char-grilled baby octopus in an ’nduja sauce – roast duck with grilled radicchio and hazelnuts, and vegetarian dishes like mushroom croquettes, and cime di rapa with charred corn and corn purée. Osteria Ilaria, 367 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, (03) 9642 2287 Hare apparent Those unable to stretch the budget to a night at the Mornington Peninsula’s glam new Jackalope Hotel should be mollified by access to the hotel’s café, Rare Hare. There’s good salumi and oysters, wood oven-roasted lamb rump with harissa and green olives, char-grilled squid, and sorbet made with local goat’s milk. A…

WINE INSIDER: SAMANTHA PAYNE, NOMAD, SYDNEY What’s on your list It’s all Australian; a mix of boutique producers and some heavyweight brands. Match of the moment? Payten & Jones do a non-vintage sangiovese – the solera is topped up with a new vintage every year – that works really well with our wagyu rump cap with Mediterranean spices and chimichurri. How did you get into wine? I worked at a bottle shop when I was a student and fell in love with wine. Winemakers to watch? Tessa Brown and Jeremy Schmölzer of Vignerons Schmölzer and Brown – every grape they touch turns into something magical; Peter Dredge from Dr Edge; on the lo-fi side of things, Josephine Perry of Dormilona. Nomad, 16 Foster St, Surry Hills, NSW, (02) 9280…

Pig’s ear sandwich Uncle, Melbourne Pig’s ears have appeared on plenty of snack menus around the place for some time now, but Uncle’s win is to put the crunchy, crackling-like ribbons of porky goodness onto a soft white roll with lettuce, peanuts and salty-tangy pickles. It’s a baby banh mi that should come with an addiction warning. Uncle, level 1, 15 Collins St, Melbourne, Vic, (03) 9654 0829; 188 Carlisle St, St Kilda, Vic, (03) 9041 2668 The club The Louise, Barossa Valley Hotel club sandwiches are taken very seriously at Gourmet Traveller (hey, we’re the only media outlet to audit them annually). The Louise in the Barossa holds this year’s title for Australia’s best: a chubby brioche bun with charred chicken breast, Linke’s Barossa bacon and a mayo that’s…

Kylie Javier Ashton, Momofuku Seiobo, Sydney Manager. Wine enthusiast. Professional waiter. Amateur boxer. Kylie Javier Ashton brings a singular skill set to her work, which seems all the more apt considering the idiosyncrasy of the fine-diner she runs. It’s a tribute to the experience she gained working at the high-flying likes of Tetsuya’s and Bentley that through the transition from the Noma-inflected style of the restaurant under original chef Ben Greeno to the haute-Caribbean flavours of Paul Carmichael, a winning sense of continuity kept Momofuku on the up and up. IN SHORT Floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee. Greta Wohlstadt, Orana, Adelaide It takes enthusiasm and deep knowledge to guide diners through 20-course dégustations when they don’t know the names or flavours of most native ingredients being featured,…

Kisumé, Sydney Talk about a triple threat. The compact core list here is excellent: broad-ranging, accessible, helpfully arranged by style, with a solid selection of sakes and spirits. (See the Melbourne review, page 55, for more on the food side of things.) Add a quirky, unique single-focus Chablis-only list and a “Winewall” studded with back-vintages of heavy-hitters from around the world, and it all adds up to a super-impressive package. IN SHORT Three great lists in one. Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, Crafers It’s not all hipster hangouts in the Adelaide Hills: well-travelled sommelier Patrick White has conjured up a rich, classic list befitting its heritage location, with an appropriate emphasis on South Australia’s established labels, plus a smattering of new-wave bottles thrown in for fun, all delivered with charm, humour and…

While Italy, and more precisely Naples, is where it began, there’s no doubt pizza now belongs to the world. But something exciting is happening in pizza’s spiritual home. What I call the “new wave” of pizza has been gaining momentum in Italy over the past decade. I’ve been researching pizza in Italy for many years now and I’ve noticed a huge change in the way it’s made at every step of the process. This has been led by chefs and pizzaioli whose curiosity and eye for quality has led them back to the fundamental building blocks of pizza-making, from the growing of the grain and the milling process to temperatures, fermentation and maturation times for the dough. Much like the movement away from industrial white bread towards artisan loaves, it’s…

GETTING THERE Singapore Airlines flies from all major Australian airports to Delhi and Kolkata via Singapore. Internal flights to Khajuraho are more frequent from Delhi. Air India has direct flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Delhi. airindia.com; singaporeair.com BEING THERE Veteran safari operator andBeyond offers customised itineraries, such as the one described here, and two scheduled itineraries that cover the natural and human history of Madhya Pradesh. The eight-day Temples & Tigers tour explores New and Old Delhi before heading to Pench and Kanha national parks in search of big cats. It costs from $7,688 per person twin share including accommodation, transfers, meals on safari, internal flights, guides and the safaris themselves. There is also a 13-day extended itinerary, Romantic India and Jungle Safari, which covers all the above and…

CHINESE DELIVERY All roads lead to China as airlines expand routes from Australia. Last month Virgin Australia and Hong Kong Airlines began codesharing flights from Melbourne to Hong Kong, an arrangement that covers 11 destinations across the airlines’ networks (though not to mainland China). Qantas started direct, 12-hour flights from Sydney to Beijing earlier this year after an eight-year hiatus, its third port after Shanghai and Hong Kong. China Southern launched direct flights between Shenzhen and Melbourne in June, and is due to start thrice-weekly direct flights between Guangzhou and Cairns in December. And Hainan Airlines will launch flights between Shenzhen and Brisbane next month. HOP TO IT Kangaroo Island will be just one hop from Adelaide and Melbourne when Qantas launches direct flights to the South Australian island in…

EAT ON THE GO Taste haggis, neeps, tatties and more on an Eat Walk Edinburgh food tour of the medieval Old Town and the Regency New Town. “Fresh haddock is in our DNA,” says the guide, “and we have 1.2 sheep for every person.” eatwalkedinburgh.co.uk FIT FOR A QUEEN The royal yacht Britannia sailed 1.5 million kilometres across the Commonwealth and retired here, perversely in the secessionist Scottish capital, in 1998. The 1950s apartments offer surprisingly intimate glimpses of royal life. royalyachtbritannia.co.uk GETTING THERE Etihad and Qatar Airways fly one stop to Edinburgh from select Australian cities. Airlines including British Airways and Qantas-Emirates fly two stops. Frequent flights connect London and Edinburgh. visitscotland.com…

ALECIA SIMMONDS Author, historian and law academic Alecia Simmonds is a food lover now based in Sydney after years spent in Paris and Rome. After attempting to commune with Emily Dickinson through the medium of baking (see page 78), Simmonds was not surprised to find Dickinson as gifted a baker as she was a poet. “Both arts ask you to balance creativity and restraint,” she says. “Meticulous attention to detail with the wild abandon of experimentation.” JULIA BUSUTTIL NISHIMURA Food writer and Italian teacher Julia Busuttil Nishimura spends her days cooking simple seasonal food in her small Melbourne kitchen. She shares these recipes and thoughts on her website, Ostro, and now in her début cookbook, which we preview on page 122. “My food favours intuition over strict rules,” says Busuttil.…

A classic whiskey cocktail with a twist. Smoky rye, vermouth and artichoke hooch? Meet the Little Italy, a play on the Manhattan first served by Audrey Saunders at Pegu Club in New York. At Sydney’s Pino’s Vino e Cucina, barman Antonello Arzedi has given it another spin, replacing the sweet vermouth with a blend of Oscar 697 Rosso, Tenuta Tamburnin Vermut Rosso and Cinzano Rosso. He adds an artichoke-leaf garnish to echo the artichoke in Cynar that gives it its gently bitter, herbal edge. Pino’s Vino e Cucina, 199 Lawrence St, Sydney, NSW, (02) 9550 2789 SAMANTHA TEAGUE > Pour 35ml rye whisky (Arzedi uses Michter’s), 20ml Cynar, 30ml sweet vermouth (or the above blend) and four dashes of orange bitters into a mixing glass over ice. Stir for 30…

1 Bougies La Française pillar candle in Black (8cm x 15cm), $29.95, from The Bay Tree. 2 Bougies La Française dinner candles in Pensée, Rose Pale, Gris Perle, Taupe and Noir, $3 each, from Domaine Lumière. 3 Bougies La Française pillar candle in Taupe (7cm x 15cm), $21, from The Bay Tree. 4 Honeycomb Handrolled Beeswax Fat candle (20cm), $84.95, from Queen B. 5 Ester + Erik cone candles in Black and Dark Grey (34cm), $15.50 each, in Bronze (22cm), $19.50, in Powder (34cm), $15.50, and in Dark Grey (22cm), $14.50, all from Top 3 by Design. 6 Bougies La Française pillar candle in Whie Gold (7cm x 13cm), $30.50, from The Bay Tree. 7 Bougies La Française gemstone candle in White Gold, $17.95, from The Bay Tree. 8 Honeycomb…

SHOBOSHO Chicken and prawn wontons, chicken dashi and Chinese broccoli BANKSII Mussels with vermouth, green olives and nettle butter ARIA BRISBANE Fried Brussels sprouts, parsnips and sherry RAMBLR Baked muscat and brioche custards with quince “The chicken and prawn wonton soup at Shobosho is the tastiest winter warmer. Would you print the recipe?” Carol Carpenter, Kensington Park, SA Chicken and prawn wontons, chicken dashi and Chinese broccoli Start this recipe a day ahead to steep the kombu. Prep time 45 mins, cook 5 hrs Serves 4 570 gm Chinese broccoli, stalks trimmed 100 gm fried shallots (see note), to serve 2-3 spring onions, thinly sliced 50 ml sesame oil, or to taste Chicken dashi 10 gm kombu (about 1 sheet) 1 kg chicken wings 500 gm chicken carcass 6 celery…

Spiced coconut sugar cookies Makes 12 Preheat oven to 160C and line a couple of baking trays with baking paper. Beat 200gm coconut sugar and 125gm softened butter in an electric mixer until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes), then beat in 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste. Stir in 160gm plain flour, 2 tbsp cornflour, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp each ground cinnamon and finely grated nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cloves and a generous pinch of salt until a soft dough forms. Roll into 12 even-sized balls and place on prepared trays, leaving about 8cm between each for cookies to spread. Press to flatten slightly, then scatter each cookie with a little extra sugar and a little sea salt and bake until browned around the edges (10-12…

“There were few early takers for the fort-aged Comté because it was so different.” Comté, or Gruyère de Comté as it’s sometimes known, is the most popular raw-milk cheese in France. It ticks all the boxes for provenance and over the past decade has developed an impressive reputation overseas, including here in Australia. You’ll find Comté in all well-respected cheese shops, but don’t make the mistake of assuming all cheese bearing the famous name is the same. More than a million large, flat, crusty-rind wheels are produced each year in a strictly designated region extending 1,400 square kilometres across the Jura Mountains of eastern France. Yet there’s no such thing as a large producer, and every cheese is different. Comté is produced under a cooperative system that links farmers, small…

Cat’s pyjamas Named for a local tomcat famed for his prodigious offspring, Bart Jr takes the charms of Redfern favourite Scout’s Honour beyond the realm of the café and into the bar and restaurant space. The attractively appointed corner site is crammed with locals clamouring for plates of crudités served with smoked labne and pickles, the toastie of the day and a clever take on prawn toast shot through with curry leaf. Bart Jr, 92 Pitt St, Redfern, 0402 567 134 The Long game The diaspora cuisine of the Hakka people of China hasn’t had much representation in the Sydney dining scene. Or at least it didn’t till Wei Long arrived in Chinatown. Order ahead for tea mushroom “kongfu” soup, abalone stewed with chicken, prawn sashimi and other Hakka specialties,…

“People are collecting my whiskies. They can’t get enough of this stuff.” When Brian and Genise Hollingworth decided to start distilling rum and whisky in 2009 they were taking a huge risk. For a start, their distillery (well, the handful of barrels and small copper still in the shed) was just outside the tiny town of Mendooran, about five hours’ drive from Sydney. There aren’t many fans of craft spirits in this part of the world, and even fewer tourists. In fact, the whole concept of craft spirits was still very new in Australia. “It was a pretty weird thing to be doing,” says Brian, pouring a taste of his whisky in Black Gate Distillery’s humble cellar door. “There were only a few other craft distillers around, hardly any in…

In an evening-appropriate twist on a traditional Welsh breakfast, Ester (46-52 Meagher St, Chippendale, NSW, 02 8068 8279) tops a thick slice of the house sourdough with whipped laver butter, juicy pipis and a long translucent strip of lardo. At Saint Peter (362 Oxford St, Paddington, NSW, 02 8937 2530) Josh Niland layers buttery John Dory liver, a savoury-sweet stone-fruit chutney and chives on split and toasted English muffins. The pork souvlaki at Kalimera Souvlaki Art (41 Chester St, Oakleigh, Vic, 03 9939 3912) is just like you’d get in Athens: beautiful pork seasoned with Greek oregano, chips and tzatziki wrapped in fluffy char-grilled pita. At Supernormal (180 Flinders La, Melbourne, Vic, 03 9650 8688) cured, steamed and deep-fried duck legs are flavoured with five-spice and Sichuan pepper, shredded, then…

Josh Niland, Saint Peter, Sydney After a tour of some of the best kitchens in Australia and a brief stint working as a hired-gun head chef for a large company, Josh Niland is heading a kitchen that’s really his own, and showing that he’s got more than potential. At Saint Peter he’s pushing the boundaries of what you can do with seafood in Australia, balancing ambition and humility as carefully as he tempers his technical skills with taste. He has an eye for good produce, a fierce dislike of waste, and a passion for his subject that’s a joy to behold. IN SHORT A seafood savant. Danielle Alvarez, Fred’s, Sydney We have to allow for a certain elasticity to the term “new” when we’re talking Best New Talent. On the…

From pizza to pudding – winter baking covered. Proof of the pudding In the showdown between cold weather and hot baked pudding there is one clear winner: you. Baking power Nothing says comfort food like bubbling baked pasta dishes hot from the oven. That’s a wrap Seal in the flavour and leave out the fuss – wrapping dishes in paper offers a perfect mix of ease and impact. Flavours of the Med Author Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s recipes are a distillation of her Maltese heritage, Italian sensibilities and Australian upbringing, making for a tasty blend of comforting food. The new pizza Stefano Manfredi scoured the pizzerie of Italy in the name of research and came back to Australia with fresh takes on how to make pizza…

Trumpeter with curry butter and leek The beauty of baked fish in a parcel is that it cooks in its own juices along with whatever other liquid you’ve added – in this case lime juice. Blue-eye trevalla or silver perch make fine substitutes for trumpeter. Serve the parcels for your guests to open at the table. Prep time 25 mins, cook 35 mins Serves 4 (pictured p112) 8 kipfler potatoes (about 150gm each), peeled 16 baby (pencil) leeks (see note), washed and thickly sliced 4 trumpeter fillets (about 180gm each) 2 limes, halved Curry butter 2 garlic cloves 1 tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground fennel seeds ½ tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp hot paprika ¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper 80 gm butter, softened 1 Place kipflers in a…

Prepare for adventure on safari in India, on horseback in Scotland or by vaporetto in Venice. Chasing the tiger On the trail of the elusive Bengal tiger in India’s Madhya Pradesh, Kendall Hill finds the search for the big cat is its own reward. Lure of the lagoon Just beyond the tourist crush of Venice, the storied islands of the Venetian Lagoon offer age-old traditions and architectural treasures all their own. Roaring Twenties revival Gleneagles, the landmark 1920s Scottish estate, is transformed by a nose-to-tail makeover.…

Dawn breaks over the Venetian Lagoon in breathtaking silence. In a few hours, Piazza San Marco will fill with great swirls of pigeons and tourists bearing selfie sticks, and the Grand Canal will be as busy as a peak-hour freeway. But at this hour, on a jetty off the island of Burano, all is calm, and there’s barely a ripple on the water as we set off with Lele D’Este in his shabby fishing boat. “It’s so beautiful here,” D’Este says as he kills the engine a few kilometres north of Burano and throws a net into the opaque water. “It’s truly heaven.” Caught between the Italian mainland and the Adriatic Sea, the 550-square-kilometre lagoon stretches from Jesolo in the north-east to Chioggia at its southern tip. Dotted with 118…

CULTURE CLUB Tapas and an after-hours tour of Casa Batlló in Barcelona, a performance of Hamlet at Kronborg Castle in Denmark, and a private tour of the Colosseum are a few of the pre-cruise activities offered by Holland America Line as part of its Signature Experiences packages. These include a cultural event, two nights’ hotel stay and transfers, and are complimentary on select cruises departing Montréal, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Rome and Venice for guests who book a suite. hollandamerica.com HOTEL AFLOAT The Ritz-Carlton hotel group is finding its sea legs as it steams ahead with plans to launch the first of a trio of luxury “yachts” in late 2019. The 298-passenger ships, with private balconies, spas, penthouses and panoramic wine bars, will set sail on a range of seven- to…

DANIEL BERTUCCIO Marketing manager, Eurolinx Where do you travel to regularly for work? “My work takes me to all corners. Melbourne is my most visited place and probably my favourite; however, Sydney is always home. Internationally, Shanghai is always interesting. It’s got a great mix of culture, no shortage of rooftop bars, wonderful food and a good nightlife. The best Italian restaurant (outside Italy) is Shanghai’s Mercato on The Bund.” Suitcase of choice? “A Mandarina Duck carry-on and laptop bag. I bought them both in Florence and they go with me everywhere.” Pre-flight routine? “These days my entire pre-flight routine revolves around uploading my iPad with the latest Netflix series. I always make sure I’m at the airport early so I can enjoy a toastie at the lounge. And I…

APT Discover Europe your way with APT. Whether it’s cultural, gourmet, active or relaxing, select your dining or sight-seeing experience in a range of locations and leave the rest to us. Phone 1300 335 714 or aptouring.com.au/Europe2018 Harvey Norman Enjoy the perfect mix every time with the Kenwood Chef XL Sense Mixer featuring variable speed settings, a range of attachments, an extra large bowl and powerful motor – ideal for keen cooks and bakers. RRP $648. harveynorman.com.au Holland America Our new vessel, Nieuw Statendam, combines classic style with modern appointments, new experiences and carefully crafted itineraries. Join us on her debut season, starting in December 2018. Phone 1300 987 322 or hollandamerica.com ILVE iHood brings food and music together. Simply connect your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth to listen to…

FOOD Sweet Envy baking Whether it’s to Gordon Ramsay’s empire at its peak or Hobart in its renaissance, baker Alistair Wise brings fun and flair in just the right measure. Burnt Ends Perth boy Dave Pynt turned a love of flame into Singapore’s hottest address. Take his style back home for a barbecue bonanza. Agrarian Kitchen Eatery The nation’s most celebrated cooking school is now home to Tasmania’s most talked-about restaurant. Get your exclusive taste here. Poke Everything’s coming up Hawaiian. Look beyond fad, though, for flavour and freshness aplenty. TRAVEL Scene on the Silk Road Guides joke about Uzbekistan’s four Ms: mosques, minarets, madrassas and mausoleums. Museums makes five. Noodles and solitude The practice of table-sharing is so common in Hong Kong it has a name, daap toi, and…

Rhubarb and pear dartois Dartois are pastries with a sweet or savoury filling enclosed between two pieces of puff pastry. They can be made ahead and kept refrigerated, which makes them great for entertaining. This sweet version is filled with frangipane and sweet-tart fruit. Prep time 40 mins, cook 40 mins (plus chilling) Makes 6 375 gm sheet butter puff pastry (see note) Eggwash (see cook’s notes p177) Frangipane 75 gm caster sugar 50 gm softened butter Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean 1 egg 70 gm almond meal 25 gm plain flour 30 ml amaretto Rhubarb-pear filling 1 firm beurre Bosc pear, peeled and cut into 1cm dice Juice and finely grated rind of ½ lemon 170 gm caster sugar 1 bunch thin rhubarb (500gm-600gm), trimmed and thinly sliced…