Lantern Shine

Julie Gibbs my erstwhile publisher and inventor of great ideas asked if I would conceptualise a dinner in Sydney with my great friend Kylie Kwong for the launch of the Lantern catalogue for the year. Lantern being a very special imprint of Penguin’s that Julie is totally responsible for. It might sound simple enough but the issue was about not only Kylie and I sharing the concept of the dinner that thankfully Kylie and her brilliant team were to execute, but that in the four courses to be presented on the night, two of them were Kylie and I sharing on the same plate.

You think that was easy!! Let me tell you it was very, very tricky. We also had the limitation of needing it to be recipes from our new books to be released so we couldn’t just go off on any tangent but were constrained by the printed word.

Well, the number of phone calls; emails; text messages and general planning was monumental between two people with very, very different styles. To take it one step further in difficulty, whilst at the same time opening up an amazing ‘canvas’ of opportunity, was the fact that somehow Julie had convinced Tim Olsen to open his spanking new gallery, filled with Saskia Havekes stunning flowers, for the event.

The menu planned with such precision by ‘Captain Kwong’ was in essence cooked during the afternoon at Billy Kwong’s (Kylie’s restaurant in Surry Hills) and transported to the scene. I had flown in from Adelaide and taxied, direct to the restaurant just in time to see the pheasants resting in their juices out of the oven. That was as much cooking as I was called upon to do. I had the easy task of the night!!

Kylie led with the first course of Salad of Seared Tasmanian Scallops with hot and sour cucumbers.

Then Kylie and I collaborated on the next course. Poached Rock Lobster (Kylie) served with poached globe artichokes and shitake mushrooms in extra virgin olive oil and verjuice (mine). So two very, very different cooks on the one plate. I think we surprised ourselves – we were truly delighted.

Then the Pheasant: Roasted pheasant, first marinated in orange juice and juniper, and served with Kylie’s pomegranate sauce. We were stoked – Whew - it all worked!

Then to finish, my desert of quince and prune pastry that Alex Herbert of Bird Cow Fish (and much loved ex staff member) prepared on our behalf. I was just in awe of what a wonderful evening we had all created. The kind of evening where the total is even more than the sum of the parts.

Back in the Saddle

Having always adored a chance to get in the saddle, I couldn’t say no to an invitation to be part of the truly extraordinary experience of an old fashioned cattle drive.

The Great Australian Outback Cattle Drive recreates all the splendour and romance of historic cattle drives. And it’s an epic experience, involving 500 head of cattle and 150 horses, along with visitors from across Australia and around the world.
On the Cattle Drive, visitors travel to South Australia to ride with some of Australia's finest drovers and relive a very real part of Australian history, droving cattle on horseback along South Australia's Oodnadatta Track.

A typical day on the drive begins with an early breakfast before you partake in the morning drove and then make camp for lunch. This is where we caught up with the team. As much as I love a good cattle muster I also adore good food, so I pitched in to cook up a bushies lunch.
It was a perfect day with clear blue skies and a light breeze, allowing us to enjoy the last 5 or so kilometers of riding and the chance to speak with the drovers and farriers and learn about droving, the history and the countryside.

Such a great experience - I can’t say my leg muscles didn’t remind me the next day of why I don’t do this for a living though!

A Fine Pair Of Fortifieds

Being a food club member is all about being in the loop, so I wanted you to be amongst the first to know about 2 new wines that we’ve added to the line up. I’m just thrilled with them!

With our previous limited release white port now sold out, Colin and I have been on the look out for an equally impressive fortified to replace it. Big shoes to fill! I feel happy we’ve got the number though – a classic Tokay, made from Muscadelle grapes, it displays all the characters of a classic port variety from a bygone era. Richly flavoured with hints of raisins, caramel and apricot, finishing with marzipan aromas. Barreled for a minimum of 9 years, it is the classic after dinner drink, or try it chilled as a dessert wine with anything chocolate. From regular experience, we think it’s also perfect served as an aperitif to accompany the richness of my duck and vino cotto pate.

The second addition is equally delicious; a late picked Semillion made exclusively with single estate fruit from 50 year old Barossa vines. Notes of passionfruit and ripe pear on the nose are lifted with a hint of anise. It has a broad, silky mouth feel and a soft acid finish making it a perfect match with a gorgonzola or wensleydale cheese. Also superb, served chilled, with crème brulee.