Alison Holst, the grand dame of New Zealand cooking, tells the story of her life and career in her new memoir, A Home-grown Cook. She reminisces with Charmian Smith about the simple things of life.
Charmian Smith finds out what's cooking in Nelson.
Two of the Southern Sinfonia's principal wind players are moving from the centre of the orchestra to the soloist's spotlight at the front. Charmian Smith talks to oboist Nicholas Cornish and flautist Luca Manghi.
I enjoyed an unusual cookbook recently, unusual in that it is by a South African, Melissa Bushby, but also because it is to all intents and purposes vegan, although I didn't notice until after I'd...
When you are in hospital you probably don't think of where the food comes from, but, unless you are extremely sick, it's likely to be among the day's highlights. And not only because it's a break in the day, but also because of the quality and care that has gone into planning and producing it.
John Buck, of Te Mata Estate in Hawkes Bay, brought his annual road show to Dunedin last week, presenting his new releases and, as usual, a vertical tasting of three vintages of the two flagship reds, Awatea and Coleraine.
These syrahs and blends of cabernets and merlot have lovely concentrated flavours with good structure and firm tannins. Medium to full bodied reds with complex flavours like some of these need simple food such as plainly grilled steak.
Last year's Masterchef winner and runner-up have both produced attractive cookbooks recently.
A selection of cookbooks published by Serif arrived recently. This independent publisher specialises in good books that deserve not to go out of print, and certainly this little pile excited me, not only for the intriguing recipes but also for the good reading.
Good pinot noir can be stunningly delicious, and it can also have different flavours dependingon where it's been grown, which makes it such an intriguing wine for enthusiasts.However, it's never cheap.
For aspiring cooks, such as school leavers and students who suddenly find they have to cook for themselves, Help! There's a Stove In My Kitchen (Struik) by Annabel Frere, will be useful.
Marian Keyes, best-selling Irish author, cooked her way out of a crippling bout of depression, first having to learn the basics, she writes in her latest book, Saved by Cake: Over 80 Ways To Bake Yourself Happy (Penguin).
The idea that New Zealand food was terrible until we were rescued by Asian, Italian and French flavours, is something Barbara Keen has no truck with. She talks to Charmian Smith about Grace and Flavour, her book celebrating traditional Anglo-Kiwi food of the early 20th century.
Karen Khoo, originally from Singapore, shows how to make beef rendang.
Good food skills are the key to many other social skills and giving them to children will enable them to take care of themselves and their health, according to Glenda Gourley.
Pinot gris is one of the aromatic wine varieties, along with riesling, gewurztraminer, gruner veltliner and others with distinctive aromas. Pinot gris usually oozes aromas of ripe peaches and pears, and can be rich and mouthfilling, and sometimes hot and alcoholic on the finish.
Exuberant sauvignon blancs may wake you up with their crisp acidity, but their assertiveness is best softened with food - cheese, bread, salmon, chicken, vegetable dishes are all good.
If you haven't got a good book about growing and using herbs Herbs: River Cafe Handbook No 10 by Nikki Duffy (Bloomsbury) is a useful reference with lots of information and recipes.
Red, one of the most lauded recent plays from New York, opens at the Fortune Theatre soon. Charmian Smith gets behind the colour and into the raw and provocative intensity of the subject.
A telephone call from Dame Kiri Te Kanawa inviting Terence Dennis to accompany her in a private recital hosted by Prince Philip had the University of Otago professor of music flying to London and back within a week.