Cardamom Confusion

Epicurious

I have a recipe asking for Black Cardamom. Is that the same as Green? Can I use them interchangeably? In a word; NO! Most recipes calling for cardamom mean the fragrant green cardamom. Black cardamom is much stronger and smokier. Although they are related, they have completely different appearan...

2015 Global Dinner Classes: from Lebanon to Pepper

This year's dinner classes include some beauties! The first 3 month's dates have been set. Sunday February 15th: 3pm start Vietnam & Malaysia. A look at these two South East Asian countries with very different cuisines. Different ingredients, cooking techniques and tastes. Try your hand at makin...

Za'atar- the genuine article

Epicurious

A shorter version of the following appeared in The Press and the Dominion Post on October 22nd. The name Za’atar is used to describe both the blend of spices and also its key ingredient; Middle Eastern wild thyme. The wild thyme is usually sourced from places like Jordan and Syria, but it is not...

Superfood Nori

Epicurious

A shorter version of this article was published in The Christchurch press and the Wellington Dominion Post on October 15th. Nori is incredibly healthy. It contains vitamin A and C which help to keep our skin and immune system healthy and it is high in fibre. It has 10 times more calcium and iron b...

Glorious Fennel

Epicurious

Fennel Muncher A shorter version of this article appeared in The Press and The Dominion Post on October 7th 2014. How do you cook fennel, or is it best eaten raw? What else goes with it aside from fish? Fennel belongs to the Umbellifereae family and is, therefore, closely related to parsley, c...

Cooking the Perfect Salmon

Epicurious

A shorter version of this article appeared in The Press and The Dominion Post on October 1st What is the best way to cook Salmon and how do I know when it is done, so it doesn’t dry out? Salmon can be expensive and it is easy to overcook, so you want to get it right. A French chef once told...

Al Fresco Summer Dining

Our final cooking class for 2014 will be held at a slightly different time and day of the week. We want to make the most of the wonderful deck out over the water at Naval Point Club for our Al Fresco class. Learn about smoking food, barbeque tips and using rubs, fresh summer dishes and refreshi...

Italian, South American, Authentic Asian or the ancient Spice Trail

Our style of classes for 2014 is focusing on a theme or region of cuisine for the night. You will cook 3 or 4 courses in either a hands-on or passive role, whichever you feel most comfortable with, eating each course with matching wines. During the course of the evening you will learn different tech...

Green Tomato Goodness

Exciting and Exotic Recipes

I was given a box of green tomatoes recently, so got busy in the kitchen inventing new ways to use them. We do love fried green tomatoes, but can't eat that crispy, tangy, spicy goodness every day! What a versatile vegetable it is: Turkish, Burmese, Southern U.S, or Kiwi. We have been playing with...

Up-coming Cooking Classes

Nepalese Momo February 20th: The Delights of Turkish Food. One of our most popular classes. . SORRY this class is now FULL. If you would like us to repeat it, just let us know. March 11th: Seasonal Transitions: This class is focussed on using the end of Summer produce and the beginning of Au...

Epicurious October 2013 - Hot Match

Epicurious

Ever struggled matching a wine to spicy Indian food? In this month's edition of Epicurious I help you solve that conundrum. (Click on the image below to read the full article.)

Sydney Nostalgia

Culinary Adventures

We had a trip back to Sydney (our old stomping ground) recently for a concert. When we lived there in the early 1990's it is fair to say that we enjoyed living in such a multi-cultural city with so many different ethnic enclaves and culinary experiences. It was easy to have Italian in Leichardt one...

Jenny Garing

Founder of Lyttelton's Ground Culinary Centre and Ground Gourmet Essentials

Jenny Garing

Founder of Lyttelton's Ground Culinary Centre and Ground Gourmet Essentials

Blog posts:

Cardamom Confusion

2015 Global Dinner Classes: from Lebanon to Pepper

Za'atar- the genuine article

Superfood Nori

Glorious Fennel

Cooking the Perfect Salmon

Al Fresco Summer Dining

Italian, South American, Authentic Asian or the ancient Spice Trail

Green Tomato Goodness

Up-coming Cooking Classes

Epicurious October 2013 - Hot Match

Sydney Nostalgia