Maz November 12th, 2011
'Far North Queensland -- Port Douglas 1992' by Brett Whiteley
On a recent trip to Sydney, I spent some time in gentrified Surry Hills, a previously rundown suburb on the southern edge of the city. It now boasts some of the grooviest new restaurants, cafes, furnishing & homewares and edgy shops in Sydney. Art Galleries also seem to be multiplying (7 are listed in the very useful Surry Hills Walkabout guides found in every shop www.urbanwalkabout.com).
I can particularly recommend the Brett Whiteley Studio. This is where one of Australia’s most celebrated artists lived and worked from 1988 to 1992 – and it’s one of Sydney’s best kept secrets. The Studio exhibits a changing selection of Whiteley’s work. Go upstairs and you get glimpses into his private world, with his sketchbooks, photographs, music and personal memorabilia. It’s free and open on Saturdays & Sundays 10am-4pm at 2 Raper Street, Surry Hills. (Don’t be put off if the heavy wooden door is closed with a note saying: “Warning, don’t enter if nudity offends”. Often life drawing classes are in progress.
Maz August 5th, 2011
Our previous Executive Chef Bruno Loubet, returned to London in 2009. His arrival heralded keen interest as he had made his reputation in London in the 1980s and 1990s, gaining his own Michelin star at the age of 29 years. His restaurant, in the hip boutique hotel called the Zetter, has been a success from the start. And he has won significant awards already.
Recently we stayed with Bruno and his wife Catherine at the house in Fulham, and it was lovely catching up with them. We had a wonderful meal at Bistrot Bruno Loubet and here are a couple of the dishes sampled: Suckling Pig and English strawberries, lemon marshmallow and green peppercorn ice cream.
Their life in London seems very glamorous compared to Brisbane, but they still love Australia and intend to retire here.
If you are visiting London, drop in and say hello to Bruno (his kitchen is totally open to the restaurant). But make a booking because it is hard to get in. For menus go to: www.bistrotbrunoloubet.com
Maz July 29th, 2011
Angelique Chrisafis of The Gardian reports:
The doomed plane trees of the Canal du Midi
An unstoppable fungal disease has left France no choice but to reach for the chain saw, bringing down the ceiling of leaves covering the nation’s most romantic waterway. The felling of these trees is seen as a national tragedy and its Unesco heritage status is at risk.
The 42,000 plane trees provide a beautiful dappled canape over the Canal du Midi, which winds from Toulouse to the Mediterranean. They date back to the reign of the Sun King Louis XIV. The disease has spread steadily along the canal since being identified in 2006. It arrived in France in wooden ammunition boxes of American GIs in World War II.
Replanting will start soon but it will take 30-40 years to replant the famous leafy lane that runs for 200 kms through the historic heart of southrern France. 2000 trees will be felled by the end of this year, and 4000 next year until they are all gone. So, if you ever planned to travel on this wonderful waterway, DON’T delay — see details of our recent trip in a post below.
Maz July 15th, 2011
Blanc started out life in the hospitality business as a waiter. He taught himself how to cook and his Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons (outside London in lovely Oxfordshire) has had 2 Michelin stars for 25 years. He now heads up an empire that includes various bistros, TV series, books and a cooking school. But Le Manoir is his focus and he has spent decades renovating the beautiful old buildings and gardens. He is dedicated to producing as much organic produce for the restaurant as possible and in summer has 10 gardeners. Le Manoir itself is set in acres of beautiful gardens and has 32 guestrooms.
Manoir Chef, Bruno, Francis, Me & Raymond Blanc
We had lunch there with Bruno and Catherine Loubet (Raymond Blanc was his mentor) and then stayed overnight. In Blanc’s own words he wants his guests to find perfection in food, comfort, service and welcome. It ticked all those boxes for us and is an experience we will remember for a long time. For more information about this amazing retreat: www.manoir.com
Maz July 15th, 2011
It’s hard not to be impressed with Heston Blumenthal’s new London restaurant Dinner … an $8million fitout will do that. Housed in the venerable Mandarin Hotel this is definitely ‘Restaurant as Theatre’. We were visiting Bruno Loubet and wife Catherine, and despite Dinner being booked out 3 months in advance, Catherine pulled some strings and suddenly there we were on a Saturday night. It was very glam and we were made to feel quite special, with complimentary
Champagne and extra dishes — Bruno’s name on the booking worked wonders — poor guy could not be with us as he was beavering away at his own restaurant, Bistrot Bruno Loubet .
The premis for Dinner is Blumenthal’s interest in modernising medieval English recipes, so the mandarin entree here is actually chicken liver parfait encased in mandarin jelly, and called Meat Fruit.
Hard to see where the 8 mill went as the decor is tasteful but not over the top. However, the giant clock “pasted” onto the glass kitchen walls,whichd drives an open-fired rotisserie … was pretty amazing. The Loubet’s 13yr old daughter Chloe dined with us. Heston asked if she would like to visit his Laboratory. That’s a definite YES!
To see the full menu go to: www.dinnerbyheston.com
Maz July 6th, 2011
Chef Di Holuigue's cooking class at La Combe
Imagine a beautifully restored 18th century country house in South West France, with 7 of your best pals. An 8 day program of hands-on cooking with a top chef. Daily guided trips to places you would have difficulty finding — like Edouard Aynaud’s truffle farm, the last working water-powered walnut mill or lunch in the grounds of a 10th century abbey. Add to this the marvellous markets in 16th century town of Sarlat, lunch at a 1-Michelin star restaurant, visit some artists’ studios, buy antique linens for really reasonable prices … and of course lots of eating.
Francis and I spent a wonderful week at La Combe en Perigord in probably France’s premier food region — the Dordogne (or if you use the old name, Perigord Noir) in South West France. The 3200 euros cost per person includes absolutely everything — accommodation,cooking school, all meals and wines, restaurants and informative guided tours every day. Simply one of our best holidays ever.
Market day in 16th century town of Salat
Expat Aussie Wendely Harvey and husband Robert Cave-Rogers give you a very personal glimpse of life in France. An editor of cook books for many years, she translated her love of food, decor and the dream of living in France … into a business operating during the French summer.
Other highlights were a visit to a world-renowned prehistoric cave painting site, 18th century formal French gardens, foie gras farm and a walk through Limeuil, one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France. For more information: www.lacombe-perigord.com
Our culinary class have lunch at Michelin-starred Le Vieux Logis in Tremolat
Maz June 27th, 2011
We have recently returned from a marvellous month’s holiday in France. May is one of the best times to travel over there. It is late Spring and this year (UK and France are in drought) we had perfect weather. I can highly recommend the canal boat we booked for a week on the Canal du Midi, one of prettiest stretches of the vast canal system in France. ‘Tango’ is a beautifully restored 1930s traditional canal boat — 30 metres long and with generous living and deck areas. It accommodates 6-8 people in 4 ensuite cabins. We had skipper and owner Daniel, chef Tony, guide Christophe and the gorgeous Angie to look after our every need — all speak perfect English. 
We spent a week gliding along the canal (at walking pace) enjoying wonderful meals aboard, and every day Christophe took us off for a few hours adventure to nearby villages, chateaux, a winery, fresh food markets and historic towns. This is the best way to holiday … unpack only once for the week and your floating hotel follows you. We ended up at Carcassonne, one of the most amazing restored medieval cities in the world. And ate (in a little hidden restaurant up a back lane) the best Cassoulet ever — though I think our chef Graham Waddell’s version on our current Winter Menu is equal to it.
This type of holiday is quite intimate and you interact closely with the crew. I don’t think it would suit teenagers or small children though. It is quiet, contemplative, visually stunning and a total delight. Everything is included in your holiday price: all meals, drinks, wines, trips and restaurants off the boat.
One highlight was an unusual lunch in the markets at Narbonne. Chez Bebelle is owned by a popular retired rugby player whose cafe adjoins two butchers – one selling horse meat and the other beef. When you put in your order, Bebelle uses a megaphone to shout the cut of meat required from one of these butchers. The meat is wrapped and then hurled 10 metres over the heads of customers. The atmosphere is a hoot … chaotic, loud and buzzing with happy customers munching on their steak et frittes. Prices are very reasonable and the place is always full at lunchtime.
We had just spent half an hour wandering the fresh food markets which was packed with the most wonderful fresh produce. Acres of terrines & cheeses, rabbits and chicken with their heads still on, white asaparagus and amazing mushrooms. Our guide Christophe bought a huge platter of the freshest prawns, sea snails and oysters to have whilst we waited for our steaks to be cooked. Highly recommended! More details about ‘Tango’ go to www.canalsoffrance.com
Maz April 15th, 2011
David Pugh (owner chef of one of Brisbane’s foremost restaurants Restaurant Two) and Francis Domenech (Baguette) deep in conversation at a recent Queensland
Winter Produce Showcase at Restaurant Two. David used to be Head Chef at Baguette many eons ago.
These produce Showcases are held regularly by DEEDI a government department that encourages development and innovation. Small producers of all sorts of fascinating fruits, olives, wines, cider, seafood etc can display their wares for restaurateurs and the food media.
Maz April 13th, 2011
Where did this sudden interest in cider come from? Was it a spontaneous groundswell from the drinking public bored with the current “flavours of the month” – or a clever PR campaign? Never mind, it’s happened. Scott Durietz, our sommelier at Baguette Bistrot+Bar, has been having fun tasting the now numerous ciders available and researching why some are really worth trying … and some are, well, just lolly water.
Some ciders are made with fruit concentrate and what else? Whilst the good stuff is made from fresh juice and naturally fermented to produce a slight fizz. Anyway Scott has done all the hard work and you can now sample a:
Flight of 4 Ciders in the bar at Baguette for $23
* Anneville cidre comes from Normandy in France, is semi-dry and has enough acidity to finish cleanly. It’s got full apple aroma and only 2% alcohol by volume. It’s made from a single apple variety, Binet Rouge.
* Manoir du Kinkiz in another French cidre from Brittany and is 5.5% alcohol. It is the most complex of the four offerings. Although semi-sweet, the combination of bitter-sweet and sharps allows it to be matched with weighty food. Notable feature is the barnyard aspect of the nose and Roquefort like character of the finish.
* The other two are Australian ciders, both from Bress — a winery/cidery in Harcourt Valley which is an old apple growing area just north of Melbourne. Adam Marks the cider-maker is a Francophile; hence the French chicken on his label. His sweet style (great with desserts) he calls Bon Bon and it is made from pink lady apples and perry (pear cider). His dry style is called Bress Harcourt Valley Cider Brut. They are both 10% alcohol, similar to wine.
So come to Baguette and try these ciders. Scotty would love to chat with you about them. Also in June we will be having 2 weeks of a Suckling Pig and Cider Menu. Cider can be great with food!
Maz March 13th, 2011
In Brisbane there is an incredible variety of restaurants, food and decor styles.
Over the years we have found that what we want to eat in a restaurant, and the style of that establishment has radically changed. For many years we went to France on pilgrimages to Michelen starred restaurants, delighting in the precision of the food, the formality of the exquisite settings and the whole experience. Now we prefer more casual settings (with personality) and tasty ‘real’ food that highlights the produce. (I am a fan of Rick Stein for that reason.)
But what do you look for? Do Degustation menus turn you on? Are you interested in molecular cooking (a la Heston Blumenthal) where chefs experiment with changing the structure of the food? Do you go for a particular nationality of cuisine? Is wine an important part of the restaurant experience for you? Does the service matter?
This information is really interesting for restaurateurs, some of whom are dedicated to serving their customers only what they like, and others who try to gauge what customers are into. Of course there are always fads and fashions, but looking beyond that what style of restaurant will you go to next?
