whirlwind weekends

Still coming down from the overindulgence of the silly season, the ambling back into routine has been slow. All of a sudden it's the end of January and because I declared the other day to my workmates that it just felt wrong being at work this early in the year, easing the shock to the system has been essential. I've tried to keep my weekdays reasonably sociable, with just enough gym and salad to make me feel like progress is being made, and enough wine and trash talking to keep one sane. On that note, my weekends lately have been met with spontaneous trips out of town. And goodness it's been fun.

Last weekend while Wellington basked in 9 degree winds, I managed a getaway up the coast: Firstly to enjoy a delightful lunch in Te Horo (not unlike this one and which also featured that amazing limoncello ice cream) and then on to the glorious Hawke's Bay for ciders in the sunshine, amongst other things.

This weekend was reasonably devoid of plans, and a sunny Saturday morning saw me mosey down to the Aro shops for some bread from the bakery, fruit and veg from Aro Fruit Supply, the newspaper from the Four Square and a perfectly executed flat white at Aro Cafe. A chance phone call to my Mum and sister once enjoying brunch at home meant that a couple of hours later I was flying home to Auckland. There was a reunion of sorts and a 5th birthday, so flights were booked and all of a sudden I was eating beautifully barbecued lamb with a wine in hand, surrounded by family aging from 1 to 92. Laughter with my sister and Dad, wine with the cousins, gossip with my Aunty, posing and photo taking with the 3 year old, present unwrapping with the 5 year old - it was all go and it was awesome. I didn't quite make it on to the bouncy castle, but that was probably just as well.

Sunday night, after kicking it with my Gran for most of the day, Mum made a vege-laden feast for dinner before my flight, including these amazingly simple and tasty stuffed peppers. She went with the small sweet ones, and after removing the cores simply stuffed them with fresh basil from the garden chopped up with feta. Long and slowly roasted in the oven with olive oil and some sea salt and pepper, she also slow roasted some cherry tomatoes alongside too. Served over cooked orzo or risoni pasta drizzled with some good olive oil, we had this vegetarian dish with panfried fish, crisp iceberg lettuce and roast baby cauliflower.

    
And just like that this spontaneous little piggy slept all the way home.

cookies and books

Girls I find, in all matters of love, lust, and the melting of frozen hearts, are so often being told what to do. Don't over think it, just wait and see what happens, he'll call you if he's keen, don't over analyse, send the text, don't send the text, be brave, act mysterious. Urgh. Do this, don't do that - it can all be a bit overwhelming. I've found that regrouping, re-focussing and getting into the kitchen are all great things to do when trying to forget about something, or someone. Especially if, like an anonymous friend received recently, you've just received a shitty text declaring "whatever it is we're doing" is over because their ex-girlfriend is back in town (seriously? a text message? grow up.)

I also find that doing something social, with interesting and different people, is a great way to simply forget about anything that might be consuming your weary little head. When particularly heartbroken I gratefully found myself in two book clubs - one with books and one without, and they were essential to my post-heartbreak survival. Having spent last year buying the books but never quite making it to the meetups, I re-committed to Book Club 2012, and with great enthusiasm attended my first of the year last night.

Having always wanted to be part of a rooftop party, an unseasonally calm and sunny evening saw exactly that unfold. Cider, cheese and peanut slab cookies were the accompaniments to life downloads, summer stories and in-depth analysis of The Hunger Games. After we'd hilariously picked the book to pieces, complete with spoilers, I got yarning and story-telling to a friend, one of only two book clubbers I'd met before which made for a delightfully refreshing evening.

The stars came out along with the blankets and it was the perfect way to while away Wednesday. In a post work, post catch up beer, pre book club kitchen flurry, I made chocolate chunk cookies, with Whittaker's peanut slabs instead of chocolate chips. The house filled with smells of sugar, chocolate, peanuts and butter, and the cookies were great.

Peanut Slab Cookies 

these cookies are adapted from the Edmond's chocolate chip cookie recipe. They're chunkyish, with the perfect amount of soft crumbs and are made with Whittaker's Peanut Slabs cut into chunks

Beat together 125g softened butter with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tblsp golden syrup, 2 tblsp milk and 1tsp vanilla until soft and fluffy. 

Sift over 1 and a half cups of plain flour and 1tsp baking powder. Roughly chop 3 Whittaker's Peanut Slabs and add. Mix together with a wooden spoon and then your hands to form a damn tasty cookie dough. 

Roll balls of dough into balls and flatten however you wish. Place on a greased oven tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 12-15 minutes. 

Best enjoyed whilst wrapped in a blanket on a rooftop after in depth analysis of young adult fiction, sage advice and too much cheese.

savasana and stir fry

A grey and windy afternoon saw me boldly declare to my workmates that I would be attending my first bikram yoga class of the year. After feeling very groggy upon waking up all week, and generally battling getting to work, I thought maybe it would help flush out all the toxins and leave me well-slept, refreshed and glowing.

It was, to put it quite simply, 90 minutes of hell.

I went just before Christmas, and herewith whinged that wines were a much better pre-christmas-madness escape. I was positively euphoric after the first time I tried it, but dear oh dear, today was tough. Swinging wildly between wanting to spew and wanting to pass out, I persevered with the "90 minutes of open eyed meditation." Only just. I tried hard to clear my head, and control my breathing and hold it together, but I spent a lot of time in the savasana corpse like pose and all I really found myself doing was thinking about how this weekend might end up and what I might have for dinner.

Staring at myself in the mirror, and sweating like you would expect someone stretching every muscle in their body at 38C to be, I made it, as harrowing as it was. A walk home in the aforementioned wind (bliss!) and a brief regaining-of-my-equilibrium on my bed (also bliss) once safely at home meant I was (only just) physically able to make myself dinner. Home alone and feeling delirious, virtuous and hungry, stir fry with soba noodles was the only answer.

When I was flatting during University I ate a lot of stir fries. I did in fact once flat with a guy who ate pretty much nothing but a stir fry of frozen veges, with some sort of flavoured tuna, served on rice, every single night. I've had some pretty good ones over the years, although back then they tended to be flavoured with something out of a packet. With a little more culinary nous up my sleeve, I was happy to make up the sauce to accompany the veges we tonight had in the fridge.

There's pretty much no rules to a stir fry, and I'd challenge anyone who thinks they can't cook to make one that's inedible. Ok, maybe over saucing or flabby veges would be unpleasant. But really! Anyone can do it! And if you think you have nothing for dinner, if you have a few veges and a few key ingredients you should easily be able to whip up a healthy meal.

There are a few key things to remember. You want your veges to retain some crunch - this is one meal when laziness and impatience will serve you well! You also want a good ratio of stir-fry mix to your accompanying carb (noodles or brown rice for example). Apart from that you can just adjust to suit your taste. A wok is useful, but a frying pan will do, and is more useful if it has a handle (ours currently doesn't).

Post-bikram Super Stir Fry


Take whatever veges you have in your fridge. Carrots, broccoli, red onion, carrots and courgettes and all good options. Tonight I went with red cabbage, carrot, broccoli and cauliflower.

Cut the veges that have florets into florets, and matchstick your carrots (again with the laziness, I usually don't peel them and leave them fat and uneven. Nutrients!). Put in your pan with about a half centimetre of water in the bottom and bring to the boil, stirring them round a bit. This essentially blanches the veges without cooking them. Think of it as just taking the edge off. As soon as the water is boiling rapidly, remove from the pan, drain the water and set the veges aside.

Cook your soba noodles according to packet instructions (they're a japanese buckwheat noodle and I use the organic Hakubaku brand). This involved adding a bunch to rapidly boiling water and cooking for three minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, whip up your marinade. I am not an expert in Asian cuisine (I will however take this opportunity to brag that I do make a mean khao soi) and I merely went with what my addled brain thought would go together.

In a small jug I added a dash of oil, a forkful of peanut butter, about half a teaspoon of crushed garlic, a generous pinch of chilli flakes, a decent dash of soya sauce, a teency dash of fish sauce and a splash of oyster sauce. Whisk well with a fork and adjust to your taste.

To cook:

Heat a splash of oil in your pan or wok, over the highest heat you've got. Add the blanched veges, and the red cabbage (which doesn't need blanching). Pour over the marinade.  Add the noodles. Mix it all up, for about 2-3 minutes.

And you're done. Dinner in about 15 minutes, healthy and damn tasty. A nice and calming way to overcome the effects of the hour and half previous. It's a love-hate relationship though really - just quietly, you'll probably be feeling wonderful and glowing by the time you sit down to eat it. You might even be feeling ambitious enough to battle chopsticks. Go forth! Stretch, sweat and stir fry!

 

on the radar

Last week, a couple of days back into working and with no sunshine to report, I made my debut on radio. Radio New Zealand have been doing a show called Kiwi Summer for the last few weeks, and each day they've featured a blogger or columnist for ten minutes in the slot called 'on the radar'. I was thrilled to be asked for an interview, and of course I happily obliged. We covered blogging, food, and that burger dating blog I wrote in August, and if you're interested you can have a listen here.



Before the interview, I'd thought a bit about what was currently on my radar, and although the interview remained pretty general, here are a few bits and pieces that although I didn't talk about, I am currently really quite into.

1. Summer stone fruit generally, and plucots specifically

I'll most often answer 'fruit' if ever asked what my favourite food is, and nothing beats ripe summer stone fruit for a dose of nature's candy. Perusing the bins at Moore Wilson's yesterday I chanced upon plucots - a cross between a plum and an apricot. They are absolutely delicious, less tart than a plum and less fuzzy than an apricot. They are a revelation in taste and texture, and a welcome new addition to my fruit bowl.

2. Fresh flowers, and hydrangeas everywhere

If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, the way to mine, I've commented before, is with champagne. I'd like to add to the list fresh flowers, although I'm perfectly happy picking them or buying them for myself to be honest. On my walk to work there's a lane lined with hydrangeas of coral, white and blue, and they remind me of one of my favourite flats - four of us girls lived in Hataitai, and our overgrown front garden path was filled with these impressive large beauties. One afternoon my friend filled the house with them - in the bathroom, in the kitchen, and next to each of our beds. Nothing says a happy home like fresh flowers, and seeing hydrangeas everywhere I am just loving. 

3. Coffee in a KeepCup  

Having been through varying stages of coffee-reliance in my past, particularly when making them for a living, the coffee I enjoy most these days is on a relaxing weekend day, newspaper or friend or date in tow. Some work mornings though, if I've been to an early gym class or if I've had a late night, a well-made espresso will be the best $4 a day can bring. Too often lately I've been taking these back to my desk, and biffing the takeaway cup into my trash can without much thought at all. It adds up, and I'd seen KeepCups come out last year but didn't really think I had cause to bother with buying one. But the habit continued and the time finally came on pay day, when I walked up to Supreme on Woodward St and invested in this green and pink number. Every little bit counts,  and whilst christening mine with a perfectly made flat white I was told baristas will love you for it. So there. 

4. Live music galore! 

Wellington has an impressive line up of visiting bands at the moment, and it's great to see we don't have to travel too far to see great gigs. I missed out on Beirut tickets (and I hear the show was awesome) but I did go to Fleet Foxes at the Wellington town hall on Friday night. One of my girls was in town, and we ate and drank all day before dancing all night. Pretentiously plaid fans who took it all a bit too seriously aside, the music and harmonies were incredible. I called my overseas sister during one of the songs and got back a text message saying "tears at my desk!" For the remainder of the summer I've locked in tickets to Kitty, Daisy and Lewis, a new find thanks to my music-obsessed friend Laura, and my music-obsessed Dad, funnily enough. They're siblings from London, and my current favourite is this song here:

I've given up on dreams of being a sibling trio of talented musicians, and these days leave musical talent to everyone else in my family.  Other gig tickets with my name on them coming up include Bon Iver, Death Cab for Cutie and Florence and the Machine. Live music, yes please. 

5. Chocolate and chilli and more chocolate and pikelets

A pretty exciting project I'm involved in meant that before Christmas I received a gigantic box of Whittaker's chocolate. On Sunday morning the only social engagement I had was a pancake party, with a gaggle of girl's who are about to move out of their house by the beach. With Dark Ghana in my cupboard and cream in my fridge, along with a distant memory of reading about an enticing Chilli Chocolate Sauce, I whipped up a jar and took it along. There were leftovers, so afternoon tea in Aro Valley yesterday was pikelets adorned with Kapiti vanilla bean ice cream, golden syrup, and that luscious creamy sauce-with-a-kick. Easy, impressive and highly recommended. 

For the pikelets I turned to my trusty Edmond's bible. When flashy cookbooks and celebrity chefs and glossy pictures all get a bit overwhelming, Edmond's consistently comes through with the goods on the classics. 

Pikelets

the perfect afternoon tea treat

1 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup milk, approx

Sift flour, BP and salt in a bowl. In another bowl beat egg and sugar until thick. Add with milk to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (for me this meant using my whisk, and ensuring there were very few lumps!) Drop tablespoonsful of the mixture from a spoon onto a hot, lightly greased non-stick frying pan. Turn pikelets over when bubbles start to burst onto the top surface. Cook the second side until golden and serve immediately. Makes about 10. 

6. Blue cheese and date jam

Before my little sister and I set off on that disastrous road trip, I tweeted about heading off to Matamata. Jesse Mulligan of the hilarious and wonderful Auckland Food Blog suggested a stop off at the Kaimai Cheese cafe and factory for some cheap cheese offcuts, and a coffee and snack. As you may remember, no stops we made were those of the relaxed, planned variety; they were more the panicky, asking for directions yet again type of stops. 

This summer of road tripping was a lot more footloose and fancy free (despite the sideways rain) and on the way back to Wellington we made it to Kaimai for a hungover brekky and a nice big coffee. We also stocked up on cheese. Their mature cheddar is off the freaking chain, but the combo that has been luring me home after work with its looming presence in our fridge is their creamy blue. Nestled alongside the delicious date jam my dear friend Laura gave me for christmas, you have yourself heaven in a mouthful.  

All sorts of other exciting things are brewing, and even though I have a slight backlog of blog posts, you'll hear all about it in due course! 

What's on your radar in your neck of the woods? 

new year, new salad

New year, new waves of scorn-filled hatred at couples who interrupt the pedestrian flow on my walk to work to pash each other goodbye. Just when I think my frozen heart is melting, that kind of scene will greet my Tuesday before my requisite caffeine injection. At least the sun has finally decided to come to the party, albeit sporadically.

Some things don't change, and let's just say the euphoria I had this time last year has not been forthcoming since my return to reality. Don't get me wrong, my summer holiday was fun, but inspiration in the kitchen and otherwise is not presenting itself in the most obvious ways this week. Yes, chances are I'm still recovering from a weekend that involved a beer-induced nap at about 7pm on Saturday night and a 9 hour car drive on Sunday. But more about that later.

Routine has proven difficult also, and baby steps have been necessary. Monday I managed to not eat christmas cake at morning tea, or gins with lunch, or cheese and crackers pre-dinner. I had a healthy and delicious detox-friendly bean salad before forgoing the gym (like I said, baby steps) for some catch up beers in the sun.

I know what you're all thinking. Oh! Another salad featuring tinned legumes! Hey - at least this one doesn't have roast broccoli in it, ok? And like I said, it's been a rough couple of days adjusting to routine and what-not again. This is actually delicious. And takes about 3 minutes to assemble when you're rushing out the door. Cheap and easy and damn damn good. Just the way summer lunches should be.

And never fear, coming up there will be duck a l'orange, twice-baked souffle and guinness chocolate cake. Promise!

Back to work bean salad

Combine the following gently in a bowl and distribute into lunch containers!


One can of Delmaine's four-bean mix, drained and rinsed, half a large ripe avocado, cut into large chunks, a few of those slightly-larger-than-normal cherry tomatoes (I am usually a hater of raw tomato in salads, unless well dressed and ripe, like in a caprese salad or a greek one, but these sweet beauties are just the ticket) crunchy sprout raw bean combo, baby rocket, pumpkin seeds, cubes of Feta and a small drizzle of olive oil (chilli infused is bloody good).

So, baby steps being back in town. I'll get through the mountain of laundry, I'll keep the fresh hydrangeas on my desk, and I'll continue sexying-up my cereal with fresh blueberries, strawberries and piako yoghurt for as long as I can. I'm sure the first few days are the hardest, and really I have nothing to whinge about; concerts galore, exciting visitors to Wellington and grand plans are brewing!

the livin' is easy

I'm off to the beach again, having spent the majority of the last two weeks there already. There was Christmas in the sunshine, and boxing day in the sunshine, and lots and lots and lots of eating and drinking.  The rain then began and didn't seem to stop, and that simply meant more eating and more drinking: christmas cake, cups of tea, gourmet leftover ham toasted sandwiches, gins, bubbles and beers.  

I've now got plenty of freckles and a permanent food baby and so many exciting things to look forward to while the sun still shines, as well as a very very exciting year ahead.

 

Christmas day, we began as usual, with freshly baked croissants, wood smoked salmon, fresh avocado, berries and bubbles. After exchanging presents under our makeshift hat-stand-turned-christmas-tree (with the help of some gold stars and some pohutakawa flowers) I marinaded our lamb leg with lots of fresh rosemary, salt and pepper, a whole lot of fresh NZ garlic, and some village press olive oil. That went in the oven, Mum and Dad went to the beach, and after talking to our big-sister overseas, little-sister and I hit the gins on the deck, thank you Santa. 

We ate about 3.30pm, complete with barbecued asparagus, fresh cos lettuce and beans from the garden, new baby potatoes, the best gravy Mum's ever made, and a minty-saucy-dressing: chop a huge handful of mint, put in a jug with a squeeze of lemon, a dash of dijon, salt and pepper and fancy olive oil. Whisk well with a fork and season to taste - amazing on the spuds and made for lamb.

Said little sister then bullied me into drunkenly making that chocolate mousse tart she'd seen on Good Morning, and although it didn't set in time and was thus a big gooey mess, our family friends we enjoyed it, and christmas pudding, with later on in the evening didn't seem to mind too much. 

On boxing day, my friend Alice and I hit the beach for my first beach swim of the summer, as well as a loll about in the sand, soaking up a few rays and an overdue goss-swap. Back at the house we had a Nigella-inspired late lunch, turning leftover lamb into a delicious salad, simply assembled on each plate and served with slightly over-toasted ciabatta: 

Finely chop some lettuce (cos from your garden if you have it!) and chop over some ripe avocado cubes. Add goats cheese (ours was a brie-styled goat's cheese from Whitestone Cheese, delicious) and then shred over as much leftover lamb as your heart desires. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and a minty dressing, as above.  

New Year's day we welcomed in 2012 with Nigella's ricotta hotcakes, with caramelised strawberries and blueberries, and piako yoghurt, as well as bubbles, and then ice cream, and then of course, fish and chips. The night before though, before things got very merry, we began celebrations and talked resolutions over a festive cocktail: 

Half fill a glass with ice, add Absolut vanilla vodka, smush in a couple of ripe strawberries, top with ginger beer and garnish with fresh blueberries. Best enjoyed with a few good friends and ridiculous music. 

Other recent culinary (and other) highlights have included road-trip pies, post mini-golf ciders (and yes, I'm still terrible at mini-golf, despite a hole-in-one) karaoke and shots, smoked fresh fish, discovering the Coromandel's best coffee, more ice cream, more gin, more old friends, exciting phone calls, bottomless beers and lots and lots of laughs.

The back to work detox is going to be interesting, but before I even think about it there's the Tairua Wine and Food festival tomorrow and another road trip to avoid pies and argue over music on. Fun in the sun and plenty more to come. Happy New Year! It's going to be a goodie.