Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2018 i Gourmet Traveller

FOIE GRAS SKEWERS, Vin Picoeur At this kushiyaki restaurant, the skewers of pork, and charcoal-grilled fish and duck come with excellent French wine. Oh, and a whole pig in a glass cabinet that surveys proceedings. Take a skewer of deftly grilled foie gras, sauced with balsamic vinegar in one hand, a glass of something wonderful in the other and raise a toast. Vin Picoeur, Ginza 4-3-4, Tokyo. EMMA BREHENY, DIGITAL WRITER CHOCOLATE, COFFEE, HAZELNUT, MINT AND FERNET BRANCA, Monster Colours clash and textures collide at Monster, the crack of chocolate tuile meeting ganache, and the freshness of mint meeting the complexity of Fernet in a dish that suits the mix-and-match restaurant design to a tee. Monster, 25 Edinburgh Ave, Canberra, ACT, (02) 6287 6287. DAVID MATTHEWS, SENIOR EDITOR SOURDOUGH FLATBREAD,…

“When I was really young, I think my mum tried to feed me oysters and I threw up,” says Peter Gilmore. The chef’s oyster aversion has lasted so long he’s kept them off the menu at Quay for 17 years. It’s not the flavour, which he says he loves, but the texture that puts him off. With the harbourside Sydney restaurant reopening after its first big renovation, Gilmore thinks it’s time to change his ways: the new menu opens with a dish called Oyster Intervention, which showcases everything he loves in oysters, minus the bits that unsettle him. Gilmore takes a ceramic shell by Studio Jam’s Jacqueline Clayton and Paul Davis, fills it with an oyster cream, then tops it with crackling made from a crushed deep-fried sheet of dehydrated…

THE GOLD COAST Given Alex Munoz Labart’s credentials from his time at Sydney’s Monopole and Cirrus, it’s no surprise to learn that the chef’s first solo venture, Restaurant Labart, in Burleigh Heads, showcases a tight list of dishes to enjoy with a drink, and doesn’t shy away from seafood. Expect food of the order of local baby octopus with red peppers and smoked-garlic sauce, calamari with vadouvanroasted cauliflower and ink sauce, and a wine list that leans natural and interesting. BYRON BAY Chef Evan White, an alumnus of Chingón and Red Hook, has teamed up with the owners of Barrio and Harvest to bring his version of Mexican to the Northern Rivers region at Chupacabra. Dishes draw inspiration from the coastline and nearby farms (including Picone Exotics, which supplies the…

Just back from… Taiwan. I was there to see my family – it’s where I grew up, so I really love it dearly. I try to go back as often as possible. Next up… To Malaysia for a day, for a project I’m working on. And then New York, then Shanghai at the end of the month. There’s an intimacy to Taiwan; people really feel like they’re home when they’re there. The main ingredient in my latest fragrance is jasmine, which is the flower I grew up with in Taiwan. My neighbours had a whole wall of it; we used to go pick the flowers with my cousin. That’s what’s amazing about scent – it really takes you way back. Suddenly I’m on a street near my family’s house. I…

All of these biscuit variations are great just as they are, but for something a little different try a few flavour combinations. Add a handful of chocolate chips or coconut flakes for a classic cookie taste, or opt for white-chocolate chunks and roughly chopped macadamia nuts. Dates work well with the brown-sugar variation, and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon sugar teams nicely with the white sugar. Orange zest is an excellent addition for a little warmth, while peanuts, or even peanut butter (or pretzels!), adds glorious crunch.…

As the world embraces more sustainable farming practices, ingredients like hemp seeds, an eco-friendly crop, are paving the way forward. Should we be using them more in our cooking? The answer is yes, absolutely. They have a rich nutty flavour and are a nutrient-dense addition to dishes; they’re packed full of protein and are high in essential fatty acids. Cold-pressed hemp seed oil is also a great addition to recipes, acting like a robust olive oil, but with a grassier note. WHAT ARE THEY LIKE? You won’t get high from hemp seeds – they don’t have significant psychoactive properties. The seeds are great for cooking, however, and their soft texture makes them perfect for salads and soups. Find them at good health food shops or online at hempfoods.com.au. PETER GILMORE…

“Every one of those aged jars of herbs hiding in the back of your pantry tastes of nothing more than dust and neglect.” It’s only two gates and 20 metres away to get to the garden, but even that’s too far when it’s blowing a gale that pushes half-melted snow into your ears and down your collar. Why can’t I be a normal person who keeps produce within the practical confines of her kitchen, so that on wild nights like this I don’t need to don a snow suit in order to cook? This year, sleet-fearing me is grateful to autumn me, who, in the season of gentler weather, had the foresight to harvest plants and dry them gently by the fire. Rather than donning my snow suit, fetching though…

Coriander can be controversial in Korea. Peter Jo mentions this while delivering a platter of glistening wagyu intercostals. The meat, marinated with soy, garlic, ginger and an intense dried-fish and mushroom stock, is buttery and assertive. It’s served with soy-pickled onions, perilla leaf, ssämjang, cos leaves for wrapping, and the coriander, shiny with a soy-vinegar dressing shot through with sesame oil, gochugaru and salted krill. Many Koreans reject coriander as a non-traditional ingredient, says Jo, but he’s done his research and found historical precedents, so it gets the nod at his restaurant, Shik. And because its sharp, red-flecked dressing works seamlessly with the rich, fatty beef, it’s a decision we can all be happy about. This is the way Jo gets the job done. There’s a kind of freeform observation…

JANELLE MONÁE, Dirty Computer Janelle Monáe once tried to convince us she was an android, but this brilliant, overachieving album proves she is a superhuman. MIDDLE KIDS, Lost Friends Like classic AM radio given the best kind of update. “Edge of Town” is still one of the greatest Australian songs in years. KALI UCHIS, Isolation Feeling sluggish? Put this on. Uchis’s genre-flirting approach (R&B, doo-wop, indie pop) is as diverse as her guest list (Tyler, the Creator; Bootsy Collins). WILD ONES, Mirror Touch Massive electro-pop ambition driven through a dreamy, indie-pop filter. This is one of the best (and most underrated) albums of the last year. COURTNEY BARNETT, Tell Me How You Really Feel Barnett has been on Barack Obama’s playlist and won The Australian Music Prize. Her second album…

1 Flóki three-year-old Single Malt by Eimverk, Iceland Flóki is a paddock-to-bottle whiskey made with hardy Icelandic barley that brings more flavour than Scottish or European malt. This young bottling really showcases the nuttiness of the malt and gets a big thumbs-up. $160 for 500ml, sigrunwhisky.com 2 Oat Whisky by Belgrove distillery, Tasmania Another dram from estate-grown grain, this is a unique and rare whiskey from Belgrove. It’s distilled by direct fire, which gives the bold and creamy spirit a more palate-drenching flavour. $250 for 500ml, belgrovedistillery.com.au 3 Edition Sigel by Säntis Malt, Switzerland Säntis is a distillery within a historic 130-year-old brewery. They age whiskey in ex-beer barrels that lend malt and hop character to the spirit. The Edition Sigel is a bold but elegant whiskey – all cacao,…

JOSH NILAND, Saint Peter, Sydney One frantic Friday lunch service we saw a docket come through for a table of four: all the normal Est dishes and sides – but one customer had ordered a cheese omelette. Peter leapt off the pass calling for eggs and cheese. To watch a true master handle two humble ingredients with such vigour and enthusiasm was not only inspiring, but also summed up Peter as a chef. The three words that always come to mind when describing Peter Doyle are restraint, generosity, and, above all, humility. JORDAN TOFT, Bert’s, Sydney Peter taught me that it’s the little things that count – the steps decide the outcome, and the knowledge and understanding of what you’re doing ultimately produces the goods. “Keep your grill clean,” he’d…

When I first met my partner, I hid it, of course. It was only when he was out watering the orchids or flossing his teeth that I could do it – quickly, furtively. But even then I was outed fairly early on. After volunteering to make pea and ham soup, I was caught in flagrante delicto with the ham hock. Oh the shock. The shame. The gristle. Let me state my truth: I’m an avid eater of meat on the bone. And when I say avid, I mean I go at it like Henry VIII cross-bred with a Neanderthal. It’s not just the meat: it’s the cartilage, the tendon, the bone, the marrow. There’s nothing I won’t tackle. Cutlery, you venture? It’s just not effective for those hard-to-reach crevices. Inevitably…

Egg and Indian-spiced creamed silverbeet wraps MAKES 6 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 25 MINS (PLUS DRAINING) These toasted rolls are a good any time of day – breakfast, lunch, or if you have the ingredients ready, for a midnight snack. 150 gm cottage cheese 20 gm butter, plus extra for frying 8 eggs, beaten 6 large soft wraps Coriander and lime cheeks, to serve SPICED CREAMED SILVERBEET 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 1-2 long green chillies, chopped 10 gm (2cm piece) ginger, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed oil 1 large bunch silverbeet leaves, stalks reserved for another use 60 ml (¼ cup) pouring cream 60 ml (¼ cup) coconut cream 1 Place…

Getting there Qantas and Virgin Australia fly direct to Los Angeles from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. United flies direct from Sydney and Melbourne. Touring there Santa Barbara Farmers Market (Downtown) See why Julia Child chose to retire in Santa Barbara; the city’s colourful farmers’ market opens twice a week. Tuesdays at 500 and 600 blocks of State St, and Saturdays at the corner of Cota St and Santa Barbara St, Santa Barbara, sbfarmersmarket.org Stepladder Ranch Visit the goats, tour the creamery and taste the cheeses at this picturesque ranch. 4450 San Simeon-Monterey Creek Rd, Cambria, entry $US25 per person, bookings essential, stepladdercreamery.com Tablas Creek Vineyard Drop in to taste Tablas Creek’s Rhône-style wines, or book in for a collector’s tasting experience or vineyard tour (twice daily). Tastings from $US15, 9339…

1 An inspiring collage of colour, culture, beauty and history, South America is a land like no other. Join APT’s 18-day Best of South America tour to see it first hand from $13,295 per person.aptouring.com.au/SouthAmerica2019. 2 Shop the Emilio Pucci A/W 2017 collection at Harrolds Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast stores. The weightless and wrinkle proof fabrics are a smart addition to a travel-friendly wardrobe.harrolds.com.au 3 Meticulous craftsmanship and revolutionary technology has produced new heights of luxury in the Lexus LS. True innovation has to be experienced to be believed. To find out more visit lexus.com.au/LS 4 Experience the magic of winter at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, Where you can relax over a fireside wine tasting, visit local winemakers or enjoy culinary delights made by master chefs.oneandonlywolganvalley.com 5 Experience architecture…

Annandale Wallpapers (02) 9519 4139, anwallpapers.com.au Aveda aveda.com.au The Bay Tree (02) 9328 1101, thebaytree.com.au Bemboka (02) 9360 1224, bemboka.com Berkelo 0429 531 251, berkelo.com.au Chanel 1300 242 635, chanel.com Chee Soon & Fitzgerald (02) 8399 1305, cheesoonfitzgerald.com Cos cosstores.com Country Road 1800 801 911, countryroad.com.au Crave Wares (02) 9328 6429, cravewares.com.au Cultiver cultiver.com The Daily Edited thedailyedited.com David Jones 1800 354 663, davidjones.com.au The DEA Store (02) 9698 8150, thedeastore.com Di Lorenzo (02) 9698 8737, dilorenzo.com.au Dulux dulux.com.au The Essential Ingredient (02) 9555 8300, theessentialingredient.com.au Grit Ceramics instagram.com/grit_ceramics Hard to Find hardtofind.com.au Harrolds 1300 755 103, harrolds.com.au Hermès (02) 9287 3200, australia.hermes.com Hub (03) 9652 1222, hubfurniture.com.au Inartisan inartisan.com In Bed Store inbedstore.com Jardan (02) 9663 4500, jardan.com.au Jo Malone jomalone.com.au Kerastase 1300 365 552, kerastase.com.au Kevin Murphy kevinmurphy.com.au Kiehl’s 1300 651 991, kiehls.com.au Living Edge (02) 9640 5600, livingedge.com.au L’Occitane au.loccitane.com The Lost and Found Department (02) 9437 4631, thelostandfounddepartment.com.au Lucy Folk (02) 9130 3666, lucyfolk.com Lux Aestiva luxaestiva.com Mecca 1800 007…

Lee Tran Lam, news editor; Kumamoto, Japan This city in Japan’s south-west has lots of appeal: a 17th-century castle, great hidden eateries, and you can even fly over a volcano that was once the site of a villain’s lair in a Bond movie. @leetranlam Harriet Davidson, editorial coordinator; Bermagui, NSW Rolling green paddocks, deserted beaches, a killer wine shop and seaside oyster shacks. Even in winter, it’s the perfect city escape. @harriet.olive Emma Breheny, digital writer; Hong Kong Thickets of skyscrapers, pastel-coloured buildings, hills and mountains. These are a few of my favourite things and, in Hong Kong, they’re found in abundance. My first trip delivered on all expectations – it certainly won’t be the last. @breheny…

Alejandro Cancino knows his peers are scratching their heads. Why would the vegan chef quit a job running Urbane, Queensland’s top-ranked fine diner, just to avoid cooking meat? Not only is Cancino striking out on his own – leaving Brisbane’s The Urbane Group, which also runs Urbane’s starred bistro sibling The Euro – he and his wife Paola are self-funding their new plant-based project on the Sunshine Coast. He says people think he’s crazy for opening a vegan restaurant in the middle of nowhere. “And yes, I am a dreamer,” says Cancino. “But I’m also a doer.” Their 30-seat vegan café, Lola’s Kitchen, is due to open in mid-August in a shopping strip at Kuluin, a small suburb west of Maroochydore. It’s named after their daughter: her birth last June…

What inspired your current menu at Mikirin? Winna Zhang: We’ve been influenced by our grandfather a lot. He’s from Shanghai. Nina Zhang: I like to see him cook when we have Chinese New Year or a family gathering. He was always making prawn crackers. I was always there to ask him questions. Same with my mum. Sometimes they’d think, what a questioning girl! What style of food do you cook at Mikirin? Nina: A lot of people try our food and say it’s unique, and ask me the cuisine. I say it’s Chinese, but with fusion flavours or other Asian-specific cuisines. It’s still Chinese. How does the Mikirin Sea Deluxe dish reflect your cultural influences? Nina: We have the influence of Thai with the basil leaves. And with the togarashi…

Minestrone with rainbow chard and quinoa SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 30 MINS Minestrone is packed with vegetables, and the addition of quinoa in place of the usual pasta or rice gives this version a protein boost. Try substituting the rainbow chard with English spinach or the broccoli with cauliflower, too. 1 tbsp olive oil 2 celery stalks, diced 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, diced 3 small garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock 400 gm canned cherry tomatoes 6 thyme sprigs 2 rosemary sprigs 60 gm quinoa, rinsed ½ bunch rainbow chard, stalks finely chopped and leaves coarsely chopped 400 gm canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 small head…

Over the past few decades Australian specialist cheesemakers have successfully adapted many of the classic techniques used to produce European benchmark cheese, but very few of our household favourites can claim to be original types. One notable exception is marinated cheese. Made from fresh curd preserved under a blend of seasoned oil, this unique Aussie cheese type is also known as marinated feta. It has become so popular that it is now considered a cheese category in its own right. At this point I have to confess that adding flavour to cheese is not something I would normally encourage or want to write about. But this cheese is different and it’s hard to not feel a sense of national pride when I find it displayed in the dairy cases of…

Gamay is so versatile on the table, matching the lightest fish dishes and the richest, stinkiest sausages. As you read these words, I shall be gorging on andouillette in a bouchon in Lyon, chasing that parcel of pungent porky bits with a glass or two of vivid-purple young Beaujolais, the local red wine grown in the hills to the north of the ancient city. I love Beaujolais, and the gamay grape from which it’s made. I love how it sits so perfectly, stylistically, between the lighter-bodied, more ethereal pinot noirs of Burgundy (further to the north again), and the fuller-bodied, darker, more structural syrahs of the Rhône Valley to the south of Lyon. I love how its medium-weight-but-gutsy character makes gamay such a versatile wine on the table, matching everything…

Stir-fried beef and gai lan with rice noodles  SERVES 4 We’ve used dried noodles in this riff on the Thai takeaway favourite, pad see ew, but fresh rice noodles will make this meal even faster to prepare. Stir-fry a couple of beaten eggs with the noodles during the final step for a little extra heft. 300 gm thin dried rice noodles 1½ tbsp dark soy sauce 1½ tbsp fish sauce 2 tsp rice wine vinegar 2 tsp grated palm sugar 80 ml (⅓ cup) peanut oil or other neutral oil 400 gm trimmed beef fillet, thinly sliced 3-4 birdseye chillies, to taste, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 bunch gai lan (Chinese broccoli), stems finely chopped and leaves torn Crushed roasted peanuts and lime wedges, to serve 1…

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE (Stan) Okay, I know a drag queen reality TV contest doesn’t sound like it’d be for everyone, but honestly RuPaul’s Drag Race is the most consistently surprising, delightful and emotionally nourishing show on television right now. Come for the lip-synching, outrageous outfits and hilarious bitchiness, stay for the queer politics and weep-inducing narrative arcs of talented outsiders finding their place in the world. Currently in its tenth season, it might seem intimidating to start now. My advice? Start with season four – an intoxicating season where the show finds its confidence and soars – and never look back. HOMECOMING QUEENS (SBS On Demand) Combine the awkward horror of HBO’s Girls with the screeching wrong-town humour of Broad City, and mix it with a story about crippling early-onset…

IN THE DARK Season one was (correctly) described as better than Serial. Madeleine Baran follows that award-winning feat of investigative journalism with another compelling case. Her subject? Curtis Flowers, who has been tried for the same crime six times over 21 years in Mississippi. Episode two, in particular, will knock you out. BINGE MODE Hyperactive, hyper-articulate and hyper-funny – Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion crank their energy levels up to 11 when they’re behind the mic. These pop-culture commentators first made their mark by forensically analysing all seven seasons of Game of Thrones. They’ve since nerded out about everything from Black Mirror to The Good Place and the Harry Potter universe. THE DAVE CHANG SHOW He’s been a frequent guest on various podcasts (his appearances on Brian Koppelman and Ezra…

At the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, Farida Ayubi and her husband Zelmai are being questioned. It’s 1985. Kabul is no longer safe. The Soviets invaded six years ago and the country is in lockdown. No one’s allowed in or out – no one except for the Kuchis, a Pashtun tribe whose nomadic migrations are permitted even in times of political turmoil. Zelmai has forged papers. The papers say that he, his wife and their young daughters are Kuchis travelling from Afghanistan to Pakistan for a friend’s wedding. The girls are laughing, excited – they’re happy to be dressed in the colourful outfits of the gypsy tribe, happy to be playing dress-ups. They don’t realise what’s at stake. The family is stopped by soldiers every few hours, searched, their papers…

“Durians are not allowed in hotels.” Not many countries would have signage like this, but then again, Malaysia is like no country in Asia, if not the world. Home to one of the most controversial of fruits (you either love or hate durians), Malaysia is also home to a population of 32 million, made up of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Peranakans, Kristang and various indigenous groups in Sabah and Sarawak. The result is a fascinating mix of food, both exciting and mind-boggling. Take the Kristangs for instance, descendants of Portuguese and Dutch traders who married local women in Malacca in the 16th and 17th centuries. They speak creole Portuguese and live mainly in Malacca, and their cooking is influenced by Indian, Malay and Chinese food with Portuguese and Dutch input (especially…

Getting there Qantas, Asiana and Korean Air fly direct from Sydney to Seoul. Stay Four Seasons Hotel Seoul Located in the CBD, which might lack charm but is convenient for sightseeing, this is an exceptional hotel, with views across the city and mountains, seven restaurants and bars, helpful staff, and a Korean sauna. 97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, +82 2 6388 5000, fourseasons.com/seoul Signiel Seoul The city’s newest luxury offering is perched on the 76th floor and above in Lotte World Tower, the world’s fifth-tallest building. Rooms are spacious and make for a tranquil, grown-up retreat from the city below. 76F-101F, 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, +82 2 3213 1000, lottehotel.com/signielseoul Eat Jungsik Chef Jungsik Yim practically invented modern Korean cuisine, and his refined French-Korean fusion continues to attract a moneyed international crowd in…

George Gorrow, co-owner of Canggu hotel The Slow, first visited Bali on a surf trip with his father when he was 14. “I remember walking down the longest, steepest paths to get to three or four tiny warungs in Uluwatu,” he recalls. “Now, you have superclubs like Omnia there.” Janet DeNeefe, restaurant owner and founder of the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, moved to Bali 30 years ago. “Bali is more exciting now than ever before,” she says. “Whether it’s with a beach-side cocktail, a mountain-climbing adventure or a more spiritual experience, you can retox or detox in your own sweet time.” As the island’s hotels, eateries and day clubs prepare for high season, these locals and lovers share their latest and greatest Balinese moments. GEORGE AND CISCO GORROW The…

2 tbsp olive oil 700 gm boneless lamb shoulder (see note), cut into 3cm pieces 1 onion, diced 2 carrots, diced 150 ml red wine 4 tomatoes, diced 2 thyme sprigs 1 small rosemary sprig 700 ml veal or lamb stock 1½ tbsp plain flour DUCHESS POTATO 1.5 kg Dutch cream or Nicola potatoes, cut into 3cm pieces 120 gm butter, at room temperature, chopped 12 egg yolks 90 ml pouring cream Lamb and duchess potato pie SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 3 HRS 30 MINS 1 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large casserole over medium heat. Add lamb and cook, turning and allowing fat to render, until golden brown (12-15 minutes), then transfer to a plate. Strain fat through a fine sieve and reserve…

Golden Eagle If an Imperial Suite wasn’t quite lavish enough, an entire private carriage with its own kitchen, chef and guide was launched last month on the Golden Eagle’s Trans-Siberian journeys. This epic route covers 11,000 kilometres in two weeks between Moscow and Vladivostok, largely following the Trans-Siberian railway. The new Romanov Suite has two bedrooms (one with a king bed), two ensuites and a lounge-dining room. All other cabins and the bar-lounge car have been refurbished recently. goldeneagleluxurytrains. Train Suite Shiki-Shima Japan’s most luxurious train is among its slowest, running at third of the speed of the fastest bullet train. Launched last May, the Shiki-Shima travels north from Tokyo through the regions of Kanto, Tohoku and Hokkaido, carrying guests in just 17 suites evoking traditional Japanese aesthetics. Two futuristic…

What are your stand-out memories of food from childhood? My mother had this really great soup she’d make with tomato, chicken and sour greens. I was running around the house once and accidentally collided with her as she was holding a whole potful, and she tipped it right over me. I was maybe four and I had to be shoved into a cold shower for about half an hour. I just remember lying on my front on the bed for two hours, just sobbing. My mum was like, “This is why you shouldn’t run in the house”. Tragic. Where was a place you often ate while growing up? I grew up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. My mum was very protective, but luckily we lived right across the road…

Anyone who’s spent time baking biscuits will know that it only takes a slight variation in ingredients to change what comes out of the oven. Some bakers prefer the rich caramel of brown sugar, some favour extra crunch, while others go for more chew. Then there’s the shape to consider: they could be thin and spread out, or high and compact. But how to get the desired result? In the name of good taste, Alistair Wise made a control biscuit based on his favourite recipe, then altered it a variable at a time. “My favourite is a 50/50 caster-and-brown-sugar biscuit with baking powder that’s been chilled before baking,” says Wise. “It’s a good one because the dough will give similar results even if it’s been frozen. Just don’t keep it…

What’s that line snaking down the street for? Kanye tickets? New sneakers? Tickets to look at some of Kanye’s new sneakers? No, it’s all about cheesecake. Though Japanese cheesecake has been A Thing in Japan since the late 1980s, its arrival in Australia, with the chain bakery Uncle Tetsu’s, has been met with the kind of hysteria normally reserved for Black Star watermelon cake. It’s been here since 2016 and still inspires queues. Why? It’s all about that silky soufflé-like lightness. The good news? You can make it from the comfort of your very own kitchen. Lemon Japanese cheesecake with honey cream SERVES 8-10 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 1 HR 10 MINS (PLUS COOLING) We’ve swapped milk for buttermilk to add an extra tanginess. Mix a little…

2015 Querceto Di Castellina L’Aura, Chianti Classico, $29 One sip of this bright, cherry-juicy, medium-bodied Chianti and I’m transported back to Castellina, tucking into a char-grilled bistecca alla Fiorentina. vinobambino.com.au 2007 Charles de Cazanove Tradition, Reims, $61 Gorgeous, mature Champagne; layers of nutty, creamy flavour. Great value at $61, but Vintage Cellars have also had it on special for $55 each if you buy six. vintagecellars.com.au 2016 Michael Hall Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills, $35 Another great wine from this consistently good producer: subtle barrel-ferment flavours and some time in bottle bring finesse and texture to sauvignon’s fresh floral fruitiness. michaelhallwines.com Koval Four Grain Whiskey, Chicago, $99 The standout spirit in an impressive range from this innovative US distillery; a blend of oats, malted barley, rye and wheat, it’s a full-flavoured,…

Just order the crab. Commit now, even before you pick up the phone or flex your clicking-finger to make the booking. Commit to the idea of plonking down $125 for a single dish. You won’t regret a cent. You could do Bert’s on the cheap. The pâté en croûte, a terrine of game and pork framed by pastry and quince, lands at $21, and then there’s a $33 plate of pappardelle with a ragù of duck braised in anise and vinegar. Throw in an $18 elderflower and passionfruit pav and a couple of glasses of wine and you’d still have change from your $125. But you wouldn’t have the crab. And that would be unfortunate. Chefs Jordan Toft and Sam Kane take the crab, roast it in the wood-fired oven…

I like bulk over winter – in food, wine, but especially books. Fat ones to fill those shorter, darker days when spirits can lag, if you let them, which is why my first choice is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee ($22.99, Head of Zeus). A sweeping multi-generational saga, it came out last year at a time I just wasn’t up for close to 500 pages on the tough lives of Korean immigrants in Japan and so, like a small animal incubating an especially large egg, I tucked my copy under a blanket. Its moment has come. I’m still in the early chapters, which confirm all the rave reviews. It starts more than 100 years ago when an unlikely couple – he carrying deformities, she just 15 – are paired by…

SWEET ENVY PECAN STICKY BUN With a brown-sugar crunch and sticky caramel plus a frangipane with amaretto filling, these pecan treats bring all the joy a bun can bring. Sweet Envy, 341 Elizabeth St, North Hobart, Tas, sweetenvy.com BERKELO FINGER BUN The school-canteen version has nothing on Berkelo’s finger bun. Juiced up with grapes, figs, date and apple, maple-and-raspberry yoghurt cream, and topped with toasted coconut flakes, it’s a party. Berkelo, 8 William St, Brookvale, NSW, berkelo.com.au TIVOLI ROAD GALETTE Move fast. Eager customers often purchase the whole galette before others can order a slice. Blood plum one week, lemon myrtle, strawberry gum and poached pear the next. Tivoli Road Bakery, 3 Tivoli Rd, South Yarra, Vic, tivoliroad.com.au THE LOST LOAF CUSTARD CROISSANT Emma Shearer first made these from Danish…

“Food cannot give you a glow. Food cannot solve your ailments. Food is food.” The Great British Bake Off is a strange sort of reality TV show, trading in nostalgia at its most twee and food porn at its most sugar-coated. The contestants are earnest. The hosts hover. What little rivalry there is has about as much bite as a Bakewell tart. In other words, Bake Off is an escapist fantasy – and an unlikely launching pad, perhaps, for a young, queer, mixed-race woman who’s concerned with putting her politics firmly centre-plate. Ruby Tandoh was, by her own account, “a nervous and shy and insecure person” when she competed on series four of The Great British Bake Off in 2013. Then 21, she applied for the show simply because she was…

I grew up a greedy child, so it was almost inevitable that baking would become an interest of sorts. Since my parents were fairly strict about what sweets, if any, were allowed into the household, I worked out early on that if I made something myself, I’d get to eat a lot of it. From a beloved children’s cookbook, I made glacé-cherry-topped cupcakes, gingerbread folk, flapjacks and banana flummery. Chocolate cake and brownies followed, and so did tarts, although I never quite got the hang of shortcrust pastry and developed a terrible tart anxiety. After I graduated from university, I decided to sign up as an apprentice chef. This was born partially from the frustration of not knowing what I was doing in the home kitchen or why things would…

What we cook is only as good as the ingredients we use, which is why we feel so fortunate to have our cooking school, The Cook’s Atelier, in Beaune. From the beginning, we’ve taken joy not only in teaching others how to cook, but also in introducing them to the region’s best growers and producers. We are especially taken with the region’s vegetables. Burgundian farmers, whether they are growing grapes or raising animals, have a similar, old-fashioned mentality. They keep their productions small and focus on quality, often using traditional farming methods, such as horse-ploughing, to leave a gentler footprint on the land. Beaune is a charming, medieval city in Burgundy, just two-and-a-half hours from Paris by high-speed train. The region is renowned for its culinary heritage; famed regional dishes,…

There’s Édith Piaf on the turntable, wine stacked high on the walls, and a dessert station fit for Marie Antoinette. “We’re up here drinking wine and telling everyone we’re working,” grins Curtis Stone, ushering another couple through the doors of his wine loft. Instead of having dessert at the table, diners at Stone’s Beverly Hills restaurant, Maude, are escorted outside onto South Beverly Drive and led upstairs to a Stone-style speakeasy. Burgundy is the geographic focus of the moment, so there’s a glass of Vosne-Romanée waiting, and a very Gallic spread of chocolate-and-espresso Opéra cake, madeleines and macarons. When the Melbourne-raised chef opened Maude, his first solo restaurant, the menu focused on a single seasonal ingredient a month. Four years on, 48 star ingredients and more than a thousand recipes…

When American socialite Wallis Simpson found herself at a particularly tiresome social engagement one evening in the 1920s, there was no polite way to gauge the time. Ladies didn’t wear timepieces and, even if they did, it would be a faux pas to check the clock mid-party. So Simpson approached her favoured Parisian maison, Van Cleef & Arpels, with a design brief for a jewelled bracelet with a flat, rectangular front that hid a watch face from view. Cast in platinum and accented with diamonds, the tiny clock was angled towards the wearer’s eye so a quick downward glance would reveal how much small talk was left to endure. A replica of this watch, called the Cadenas, along with 360 other exquisite and innovative designs dating from the first days…

SEE Upper Lech Valley In summer the valley’s alpine fields bloom with wildflowers, and buses and cable cars give hikers access to 350 kilometres of trails. The Rüfikopf cable car hoists walkers to the start of several exceptional routes, including Geoweg and the three-day Green Ring. The 125-kilometre Lechweg trail follows the Lech river into Bavaria to Füssen, near Neuschwanstein Castle. lechzuers.com STAY Kristiania Lech Wood panelling, mounted antlers and dirndl-clad staff create an alpine mood, but this 29-room, family-run hotel is distinguished by its contemporary styling and colourful artwork. Impeccable service runs to a bath butler and ski nanny. Hands-on owner Gertrud Schneider, the daughter of an Olympic champion skier, ensures efficiency and quirky charm. Omesberg 331, kristiania.at EAT Postblick Owned and run by the Moosbrugger family since 1937,…