Archive | Culinary Adventures RSS feed for this section

Rejuvenation Retreat at The Portage

  Time to rejuvenate, relax and feast! The Portage in the stunning Kenepuru Sounds is joining with Ground to provide a Rejuvenation Retreat in August. This weekend is for the foodies; with gourmet dishes from around the world served at each meal. The weekend also includes a somatics session and a yoga session as well […]

Continue Reading

Feijoa Feista

Yes it is that time of year again. Feijoas lying on the ground at all the local bays, at the mercy of roaming wekas and possums. Unless I can get there first. This lot were from Pam’s at Ohingaroa and they include some of the biggest feijoas I have ever seen! Here are a couple […]

Continue Reading

Green Fig Dilema

One of the things I fell in love with at our new home in the Marlborough Sounds, was the huge fig tree at the end of the deck. By the end of summer it was completely covered in masses and masses of figs. I had dreams about all the things I was going to do […]

Continue Reading

The Underground Pear

While staying in the Hinterland of Byron Bay, Australia, I visited 3 different farmers’ markets- heaven. Two of them had this weird looking thing on display at different fruit and vegetable stalls. I assumed it was a kind of potato or yam, but it turns out it is more like a fruit. It is sometimes […]

Continue Reading

Korean Fireflies

Finding the real Korea When travelling in a foreign country you probably want to experience the real thing, get a feeling for the local people and their life, what they really eat and how they live, how they entertain themselves, how they interact. But more often than not, as a visitor to the country you […]

Continue Reading

Salmon, Soba and Spice

Kiwi, Korean and Japanese influences all paid a part in the creating of this dish. I had been on a bit of a Korean gochuchang binge anyway, loving its umami bite. And I wanted some soba. I had a bit of a hankering for my time spent living in Japan- truth be told. And with […]

Continue Reading

Monkeying with Food

The year of the Monkey has just begun in the lunar calendar. Often called Chinese New Year, it is also celebrated by other Asian countries to various degrees. I have been lucky enough to have been living in China and Korea at different times, and have celebrated this amazing holiday in both cultures. There is […]

Continue Reading

Fermentation Bug

I know that fermented food is good for you. It is all the rage from kombucha to kimchi, sauerkraut to sourdough, kefir to kashk. People have got the fermentation bug. I absolutely hate sauerkraut, but adore kimchi. Go figure; both are variations on fermented cabbage. I guess I need that chilli hit. I also really […]

Continue Reading

Curry leaf Abundance

Having bought a packet of fresh curry leaves from my local Indian supermarket, I was determined not to waste any. You can’t get fresh ones all the time (usually only dried) so I wanted to make the most of them. Curry leaves do not taste like curry. They are called curry leaves because they are […]

Continue Reading

Tomato Blush Salt

I was given a box of tomatoes by my friendly herb dealer. They were the last of the season (in the middle of winter mind you) and as such were a bit mushy. A friend lent me her tomato press so that I could make passata with them. This machine takes the whole tomato in […]

Continue Reading