Tasty Bites

Marilyn April 14th, 2007

The highlight of our recent trip to Tasmania was 2 overnights spent at Peppers Calstock just outside of Deloraine and a 45 minutes drive west of Launceston.  Although marketed under the Peppers umbrella, it is boutique accommodation (only 7 rooms) at its best and run by a couple — Frenchman Daniel Tourancheau and his Australian wife Linda.

Calstock is a 19th century Georgian manor house, with large elegantly decorated bedrooms ensuite.  Daniel’s French country food is refined and unlaboured, using only superb local produce.  It is only available to guests and you must let them know you are staying for dinner, at least 24 hours in advance.  Cost for an unforgetable 3-course meal is $75 pp.  They also have an outstanding wine cellar.  Cost per night for a couple including breakfast is around $335 and worth every penny. www.peppers.com.au/Calstock or ring 03 6362 2635.

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Marilyn October 10th, 2006

I am still reeling at the thought … apparently this ‘innovation’ is taking off as the new social trend, particularly in countries such as Spain, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.  It is being touted as a premium product, convenient and stylishly packaged. 

Tradition VS Hip Culture – (see how clever marketing can suck you in ) They admit that traditional wine drinkers are not their prime target.  The main demographic adopting this product are females 22-39yrs, and men at sporting events.

No doubt some companies are going to make a heap of money out of this idea, but it seems to me to be just another nail in the coffin of ‘quality experiences’ — in much the same way as fast food.  I mean … obviously smell and appearance have nothing to do with drinking wine out of a can.

If Riedel can prove that any wine (good, bad or indifferent) will taste better out of one of their crystal glasses, it must be a debasing experience to drink wine from a tin can.  What do you think?

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Marilyn September 23rd, 2006

Some years ago Francis and I spent 10 days driving from Brisbane to the Victorian border, dropping in on every oyster farm we could.  We learnt a lot and developed a re-newed respect for our hard working oyster farmers.

The resulting fact sheet is required reading for all Baguette and Bretts Wharf chefs.  It really is a fascinating and complex subject, and it’s just not good enough for restaurants to ring a local agent and get in pre-opened and washed oysters.  When they are opened, cut off the muscle and flipped, they are dead — then wash off the juices and you end up with a depleted product.  This is what most restaurants serve up to the public.  Yes, when the oysters are still attached to the shell, they need a little effort to get them into your mouth, but it is worth it!

Like wine, you will get more pleasure if you find out a little about the oysters you eat. Most restaurants now give you at least the basic information as to whether you are eating rock oysters, pacific oysters or angassi (Australia’s native oyster which is like the famed French belon). You should ask the waiter where they come from too, just to keep them on their toes. 

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Marilyn September 21st, 2006

As reported in October 2006 Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine:

American journalist Eric Schlosser touched a nerve with the 2001 publication of ‘Fast Food Nation’.  An intelligent, persuasively argued and gripping expose of the effect corporate fast food has had on our social and cultural landscape, the book has sold more than 1.4 million copies worldwide.  This year saw the publication of ‘Chew On This’ — essentially ‘Fast Food Nation’ reworked for the same generation of young people targeted by the fast-food world — and the production of a narrative film version of the book …

In an interview with Schlosser, he made the following comments:

… by being aware that because you’re connected, by every bite, to an enormous system that produces your food, you can change things.  Try not to give your money to the worst operators.

… keep in mind that this modern industrial method of raising animals has only been in existence for 35 years … we have only been eating cattle from feedlots with hormone implants, poultry given antibiotics in their feed and fish given antibiotics and fed waste from cattle slaughterhouses for 35 years. This is a fundamental transformation of our relationship to livestock and already we’re seeing E.coli, mad cow disease, antibiotic-resistant salmonella and on and on … it’s a bad idea …

Second only to the oil industry in the United States, fast food companies have the biggest impact on and dominance of our government. … if you look at why the minimum wage in the US has not increased in almost a decade … it’s because of the National Restaurant Association.  … that industry employs more workers than any other private industry in the US.  And if you look at our farm policies, these fundamental things are influenced by the food industry and how it gets the government to do its bidding.

If you have read my previous blogs you will be aware that I enthusiastically endorse an international movement called Slow Food. This movement started as a reaction to the US dominated fast food industry.  Slow Food started in Italy but now has Convivia in over 100 countries around the world. (If you are curious go to http://www.slowfood.com/)

Fast Food Nation opens at Dendy Cinemas around Australia on 26 October.  ‘Fast Food Nation’ and ‘Chew On This’ are published by Penguin.

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Marilyn August 26th, 2006

It’s been a while … but today we found ourselves shopping for the weekend food at a Farmers’ Market round the corner in New Farm (Brisbane).  Jan Power is an identity in Brisbane – a writer, restaurateur, foodie, slightly mad neighbour and organiser of Brisbane’s best known Farmers’ Market. 

We ran into Jan as we filled out basket with goodies like Gympie goat’s cheese made by Frenchman Camille Mortaud, some exotic  alarmingly pink and yellow mushrooms (cultivated in an old railway tunnel in the Blue Mts outside Sydney), a free range chicken from Havens Croft, olive oil & lavender soap, dukka, Ron Bray tomatoes (which taste like tomatoes used to) and a potted orchid for $10.  She enquired as to why we weren’t raiding the friges at Baguette instead of spending our money at her markets.  “It’s more fun!”  we said, just like Europe.  People feel free to bring their children and dogs, and you run into everyone you know in Brisbane.  Recommended – every 2nd and 4th Saturday from 6am til midday at the Powerhouse in New Farm.  Jan is starting up a new market at Mitchelton — see details www.janpower.com 

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Marilyn August 8th, 2006

Just imagine how easily an event like this can be undone, by something quite unforeseen … like birds.

The Bretts Wharf Events management team, that had been toiling for weeks to bring this event to reality, visited the empty Virgin plane hanger at Brisbane Airport early in the week.  Everyone was amazed at the size of the hanger, calculated how many metres waiters would have to walk from the 6 kitchens to serve the guests, hoped to heck that they could deliver hot food to 3000 people on a cold Winter night. 

Then one of the team looked at the hanger floor and saw … bird sh…t.  They looked into the canope of the hanger and saw lots of birds.  Their collective blood ran cold because they all knew that they would have to set up 300 tables the day before the event.   Leaving the tables uncovered overnight could have resulted in distaster.  You can imagine … 9000 glasses having to be re-washed, linen changed and all at the last moment.  Fortunately pre-warned is re-armed and a plan was put into place.

As they say, there are many more stories in the big city … but you had to be there to know. 

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Marilyn August 7th, 2006

Bretts’ Executive Chef Alastair McLeod & a grateful Sir Richard Branston

Bretts Wharf Events was the caterer last Saturday night at the Virgin Hanger Party.  3,000 people sat down to a dinner  in Virgin’s new hanger at the Airport – to a three course gourmet meal cooked onsite, with amazing entertainment – that went through to the early hours. Sir Richard Branston and the Premier were there, along with the cream of Brisbane’s business world.

Alastair McLeod, Bretts Executive Chef, gave me these stats to give you some idea of the enormity of the job:

*  6 kitchens, 8 bars, 60 chefs and 230 waitstaff

*  6000 canapes and 750 bottles of Champagne

*  Over 1/4 tonne of strawberries (try hulling that lot!)

*  10 litres of Irish malt whiskey to marinate the strawberries

*  80 litres of Veal jus

*  1.5 tonnes of ice, 2 shipping containers, 7 frigs, 1 golf buggy (for Big Al!)

And it confirmed the generosity of the hospitality industry. Businesses in direct competition to Bretts Wharf (Brisbane Convention Centre, Hilton Hotel, Bardon Conference Centre, Brisbane Club, Hillstone Function Centre and the QTC) all lent a hand with advice, loans of equipment and key staff . Industry heroes like David Pugh (Restaurant Two), PJ McMillan (Armstrong’s Seasalt), Alison Alexander (Masterclass Supremo), Janelle Peacock (F&B Manager Hilton), Rick Stephens (Brisbane Club), Jamie (Cha Cha Char), John MacDonald (Palatable Partners), 3 Cotah lecturers and many others – were there on the night giving invaluable expertise.

 Alastair tells me that as soon as the desserts went out, all power was turned off in the kitchens (66 ovens).  Why?  Because if HUMAN NATURE had started their set before this, they would ‘blow’ the entire venue!!

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Marilyn August 2nd, 2006

Last week I went to Black Pearl Epicure to hear Melbourne Chef, Karen Martini (Mr. Wolf and Melbourne Wine Room), talk about her food philosophy and run us through a few top winter dishes. 

She came early to the industry, starting her apprenticeship at 15. She was a Head Chef at 21 years.  In her 30s now she impressively juggles her work in two restaurants with teaching, writing a column, and the impending birth of her first baby. How do women do it … why do women do it?

Anyway, she was very generous with her advice and I can absolutely recommend her book Where The Heart Is.  The next night I cooked her Lamb shanks braised with cinnamon, garlic and thyme.  This dish has Middle Eastern overtones (her Dad is Tunisian) and the dish is a stand out. For details of the other top chefs coming to Black Pearl go to http://www.blackpearl.com.au/

Jacki Passmore (writer of over 30 cookbooks, food stylist and ex-restaurateur) has recently been appointed head of the cooking school at Executive Chef. Good cooking begins with mastering the basics and Jacki has designed 3 modules covering ‘Food for Today’ which gives you hands on instruction. For more information go to http://www.executivechef.com.au/

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Marilyn July 13th, 2006

Our peaceful road of civilised alfresco dining and exclusive shopping is set to be ‘all shook up’ with a huge street party on Sunday July 23 (10am-5pm).  The Brisbane Arts Festival, which runs from July 14-30, has put together a wonderful program of top international, national and local artists, dancers and bands (jazz, r&b, latin, soul, gypsy, soul, funk).  They will perform on 3 stages in Racecourse Road, which will be closed to traffic.  All the entertainment is FREE.

There will also be over 100 stalls selling handcrafted gifts and food, street performers, kids theatre & circus workshops and a miniature train will transport the littlies and adventurous parents for free, up and down the road.

Bus tours will take people for a look at historic houses on Hamilton hill, telling their stories.

Racecourse Road has a history for doing amazing festivals but this one looks like being the daddy of them all!

Baguette Restaurant will do a casual menu of gutsy winter dishes mostly under $20.  The bar will be open from 10am-5pm. 

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Marilyn July 7th, 2006

Having been in the restaurant industry for 30 years Francis and I have seen it all. In the 1970s in Brisbane badly cooked Anglo food morphed into ”Continental Cuisine” (Veal Schnitzel, Duck a l’Orange and Steak Diane).  This became over-worked stuffed, wrapped and napped “Modern Food”, and then we lurched into a misunderstood Aussie version of “Nouvelle Cuisine”.  You know the sort of thing — tortured, carved miniatures on over-sized plates.  In response “Nostalgia or Nursery Cooking” returned to be followed by “Modern Australian” cooking.

I was reminded of these fashions when reading Michel Roux’s book ‘Life Is A Menu’.  Only a Frenchman could come up with this:

‘One of the most chilling experiencesof my life was discovering the British pea. I happened on this fluorescent green object … soon after arriving in London. Through a window I saw plates with these peas, a dollop of tomato ketchup and bleached white bread … I was appalled not only by this sight, but also by the fact that people seemed to be tucking in with such gusto. Like a witness to an atrocity, I told myself I had to put this out of my mind.

Boiled vegetables were served swimming in water with no seasoning and no taste. Then there was sudden switch to the new fashion on eating vegetables crunchy. Asparagus as rigid as a pencil…carrots that flew off the plate when you tried to cut them …” 

For many years my husband Francis (also a Frenchman) and I have fought about his insistence on cooking peas until they were the colour of army fatigues – in a stock, for a long time. It must be something in the mothers’ milk in France that dictates that peas must not be green!

Michel Roux, by the way, will be in Brisbane for the Hilton Brisbane Masterclass (see previous post).  His book is a fascinating read on how far cooking has come in Britain — and and he and his brother Albert were at the forefront of this change.  A very interesting man.

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