Otago Daily Times: Food and Wine

Ask a Chef: Federal Diner's ginger crunch

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try yourself.

In season: Heirloom tomato salad

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Sun ripened, soil-grown, sweet-tasting tomatoes make for a wonderful salad.

Cooking 101: Pizokel

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Daniel Pfyl, hospitality management lecturer at Otago Polytechnic, shares some professional techniques to make your cooking easier. In this series, he demonstrates recipes from Graubünden in southeastern Switzerland where he grew up.

Succulent and special

Charmian Smith — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Wine-maker Quintin Quider is rolling out the barrel. But it is not what you might expect, Charmian Smith reports.

WINE REVIEWS: Grüner veltliner

Charmian Smith — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Anyone looking for the next fashion in wine should not bypass grüner veltliner (aka gru-vee, an exciting white grape variety from Austria) which is now being grown here. It's complex, full-flavoured with lovely spicy fruit, hints of fresh brioche and nuts and sometimes pepper.

WINE REVIEWS: Rosé

Charmian Smith — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

With the warm weather we usually get in February, a well chilled rosé is an ideal drink with a long lunch or on a relaxing evening. It's easy and unchallenging - just the thing for unwinding with.

In season: Zucchini carparccio with lemon, herbs and ricotta

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

This can only be made with firm little zucchinis as you want the crunch. With the addition of zesty lemon and fragrant soft summer herbs I am sure this will fast become a summer favourite.

BEER REVIEW: With capacity cut, make the most of Harrington's powerful Hop Tremor beer

Ric Oram — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Earthquakes have, in the past year, destroyed much of the brewing capacity in Christchurch for big and small breweries alike.

Eating without the animals

Charmian Smith — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Whether it's for health, ethical or environmental reasons, many people are eating less meat and dairy and heading towards a vegan diet. Charmian Smith talks to chef Tanya Hickman about the joys of, and reasons for, a vegan lifestyle.

Video: How to make channa masala

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Ask a Chef: The Wobbly Goat bacon and egg pies

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try yourself.

In season: New-season garlic and tomato bruschetta

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

It may seem so simple that it is not worthy of a recipe, but I assure you that to do something so simple correctly is another matter. It all comes down to great ingredients, which will give you one of the most delicious snacks of your summer.

Popular, versatile and very tasty: Spicy red chicken bites

Joan Bishop — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

These small, delicious morsels of tender chicken are coated with a spicy red paste, tossed in sesame seeds and breadcrumbs and then baked briefly in a hot oven. The red paste adds superb flavour and helps, along with the sesame breadcrumbs, to keep the chicken moist as it cooks.

WINE REVIEWS: Chardonnay

Charmian Smith — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Visiting wineries in Marlborough recently, I was told people often skipped the chardonnay. Chardonnay may be out of fashion, but it can be a delicious wine if well balanced as most of those in this tasting were.

Texel makes the difference

Charmian Smith — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

You would not believe that meat from different lambs could vary so much in aroma, taste and texture, but they certainly can.

Up on a north-facing hill

Charmian Smith — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Waimate, north of the Waitaki River, may not spring to mind when you think of wine and vineyards, but Gary and Ann Dennison have been making wine from their 2.5ha Point Bush Vineyard on the Hunter Hills above the town for a couple of years.

Feast on avocado

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

There's a bumper crop of avocados up north and many of them are finding their way down here. Here are some almost instant recipes for using this versatile fruit from Avocados Australia.

Ask a Chef: Nova Cafe's gluten-free chocolate cake

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try yourself.

Video: How to make pelmeni

Charmian Smith — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:29:32 +1300

[video]Nina Sharapova came to New Zealand from Siberia a year ago to help look after her newly-born grandson. Her daughter Elena arrived eight years ago as a student and married a New Zealander.

Dipping into the Taiwanese bowl

Charmian Smith — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:29:00 +1300

From delicious pork and shrimp dumplings to stinky tofu, from beef noodle soup to iron eggs, Charmian Smith savours some of the culinary delights of Taiwan.

Apricot and raspberry buckle

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

This cake derives from North America and I love it. It is simple to prepare and full of fresh flavours of summer.

Refreshing '28-day' brew and one for the chiller

Ric Oram — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Big breweries can turn out their mainstream (4%) beers in less than a fortnight, taking as little as five days to ferment and a week to mature, although premium 5% lagers take a month or more.

Wine review: Sauvignon Blancs

Charmian Smith — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Pundits often decry sauvignon blanc for its simple fruity flavours and crisp acidity, which is just what makes it so attractive to most of us. However, a few stand out for their unexpected complexity and delicious balance. Others vary in style from aggressive to dilute, or from sweetish to lean.

Otago Museum Cafe's gluten-free lemon basil pesto risotto cakes

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try yourself.

Nutritious lunches with fruit, veg

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

School lunches provide a great opportunity to work more fruit and vegetables into your child's diet, giving the energy and nutrients they need to get the most out of their learning day - and that goes for adult lunches as well.

More than just hot chips and sandwiches

Charmian Smith — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

"Come to lunch at the stadium and meet the chef,'' was the invitation, so photographer Jane Dawber and I jumped at the chance.

Cooking 101: Italian beef olives

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Daniel Pfyl, hospitality management lecturer at Otago Polytechnic, demonstrates some professional techniques to make your cooking easier. In this series he shares recipes for some of the dishes he ate on a trip to Europe last year.

In season: Aubergine and tomato stew

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Once you get confident with aubergines, you will realise how versatile and delicious they are. When stewed with tomatoes, the combination works as a base for many dishes. They can be partnered with grilled lamb chops, piled on bruschetta or baked with mozzarella on top.

WINE REVIEWS: Pinot noirs

Charmian Smith — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

What a pleasure it was to taste these pinot noirs, mostly from Central, and to enjoy the charmand variety from different winemakers and different subregions. A few newer producers arehere - Steve Davies' Doctor's Flat and John Montero and Roberta Manell Montero's Ellerofrom a terrace that juts out above the Pisa Flats.

Ask a Chef: Feast Cafe's mushroom and chilli soup

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants.

Video: How to make Chinese New Year dumplings

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Summer perfect for cucumbers

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Everything in the garden is romping away and, to put it mildly, we are spoilt for choice.

WINE REVIEW: Pinot gris

Charmian Smith — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Characteristically pinot gris oozes sweet fruit hinting of pears and has a silky or oil texture but unless well balanced is often marred by the obtrusive heat of high alcohol.

BEST UNDER $20

Woven Stone Ohau Pinot Gris 2011
$17
Three stars (out of five)
Good value

BEER REVIEW: NZ apple, pear ciders appeal across Tasman

Ric Oram — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

It seems that New Zealand apples are wanted in Australia after all.

In season: Zucchini, cherry tomato and feta tart

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

This recipe is the perfect base for any number of delicious toppings. I always have ready-rolled pastry in the freezer, which is perfect for a quick tart like this. Be creative with the vast array of delicious seasonal produce.

Ask a Chef: Arthur Barnett Cafe's Cheese Rolls

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try yourself.

Cookbooks: Simple and delicious

Charmian Smith — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Fans of Australian Donna Hay will be interested in her latest book, Simple Dinners (Fourth Estate).

Holiday Cooking: Annabel Langbein's summer recipes

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Eggs are one of my desert-island foods. When I want a nourishing lunch or light supper in a hurry, they tick all the boxes.

Annabel Langbein's seasonal spinach tart

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

My mother made this savoury tart often, and it's still the best I've tasted.

Holiday cooking: Annabel Langbein's crusty flat bread

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

This is a wonderfully supple focaccia dough that makes enough for two large loaves.