Food With a View

New Zealand is a country known for it's spectacular and extremely diverse geological features, ranging from rain forest, to thermal areas of boiling mud, glaciers and volcanic valleys. It offers many attractions for locals and tourists. But did you know New Zealand offers the same appeal in it's multicultural influenced cuisine. Whether it be a casual meal or a fine dining affair, New Zealand will be sure to please your palette.

Driven by local and seasonal agriculture, you will not find a shortage of delicious ripe produce at any time of the year. Just look for the small fruit and vegetable stands along the roads, or stop by one of the wonderful local farmers markets usually held on weekends. The cuisine is British based, using words such as "tea" to describe the largest meal at the end of the day. It also takes on many aspects of the neighboring Pacific rim and native Maori people which are of Polynesian decent. New American Cuisine, Southeast Asia, and more recently Indian traditions, have made an influence of the choice of common dishes and restaurants found throughout New Zealand.

While I was recently in New Zealand, I had a chance to experience an evening event where they cooked a traditional Maori meal in earth ovens called Hangi.

Traditionally the the foods would be packed in leaves and then placed in the ground with heated stones and covered with several layers of damp cloths. Originally they would have used leaves and other foliage to wrap the foods. The foods included lamb, pork, chicken and a variety of root vegetables squash, carrots and kumara (sweet potato).

 New Zealand has a diverse marine life abundant in fresh fish such as Kahawai, Snapper, and Orange Roughy. They are also well known for their lobsters most commonly called "crayfish" and  green -lipped mussels one of the largest species.

A half Crayfish

Maple Smoked Salmon with Potato Gnocchi, Fennel Salad and Basil Oil

No trip to New Zealand is complete without an order of hot fish and chips made with catch of the day. I love the causal experience of getting it wrapped in paper and eating by the water. If they have it on the menu, try out a Paua fritter the flesh is actually black and has a unique salty fish taste.

 Below are some of my other New Zealand favorites from the recent trip. 

 Enjoy the view and imagine the tastes.

Roasted Asparagus with Jamon Serrano, Almond Hollandaise and Arugula

 

Truffled Fried with Parmesan

Pirinoa Station lamb Shoulder with Pancetta Crushed New potatoes and Minted Peas

Turkey Confit with Bacon Sage Stuffing, Pork Sausage and Cranberry Relish

Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Almonds 

I thought this was the prettiest presentation of Bangers and Mash I had ever seen

Duck Confit with Apple and Fennel Salad

Garlic and Chili Artichoke Hearts with Cherry Tomatoes, Rocket, olive and sundried tomato tapenade

Mustard and Herb Crusted Lamb Rack, Kumara Fondant, Ratatouille Vegetables and Truffle jus

Wild Fiordland Venison rubbed with Horopito, served
with Forest Mushrooms, Buttered Beans and Sweet Potato Mash

New Zealand has several different wine regions. Mainly notated for it's bright green, grassy and citrus Sauvignon Blancs, as well as their soft luxurious Pinot Noir.  We found that each area did a particular kind of grape very well. We really enjoyed the rich flavors from the more robust wines that came from the Hawkes Bay area, like this Cabernet Merlot Malbec blend produced at Newton Forrest. Also the unique dryness, of their not so sweet Rieslings are worth a try.

Mango Coconut Panna Cotta with Caramelized Lime and Chili Sauce

Chocolate Mousse Cake with Brandy Cherry Sorbet & Orange Blossom Cream

Passion Fruit Marscarpone Cheesecake

   
 As you can see there is a wealth of unique and delicious foods to be enjoyed in New Zealand. With a large population lamb, deer and cattle farms on the rise, fresh fish in all the waters and an abundance of ripe produce I am sure you will find much to fall in love with.

If you are planning a trip to New Zealand feel free to contact me. I am happy to pass along a few  recommendations to get you started on your culinary journey.

Holiday Liquor

It is not too late to whip up a batch of limoncello for the holidays. This popular Italian lemon liqueur mainly  produced in southern Italy has become a family favorite for us and the perfect way to end any special meal.

This recipe came from Italy but after many years of playing with different American liquors and not ever getting it quite right my Polish boyfriend turned me on to Spirytus. Spirytus is a liquor that no one should ever drink right out of the bottle and for that reason it is perfect for mixing with lemons. I have tried several different liquors vodka, Ever Clear and have even experimented with different flavors like orange, lime and cranberry. The lemon is still the favorite of many and so I will share my process with you.

Happy Holidays!

This was our largest batch ever using 70 large lemons. I will give you the measurements for a smaller starter batch.

You will need:
1.75 liters of Alcohol, pure distilled
3 liters of water
2 pounds sugar
about 30 lemons

 First peal the lemons in to a large glass container. For this recipe to be a success we want the lemon skins because they hold most of the flavor. I used to peal everything the a knife but I have found as our batches grew in size the a sharp vegetable peeler works just as well. The key here is to get the peal with out getting a lot of the white pith of the lemon because the pitch makes it bitter.

This is the Polish liquor I use sadly I have only found it in Illinois.

 Next pour your liquor of choice over the lemon peals. The liquor should come just about 1 inch over the top of the lemon peals. Cover and tightly seal your container. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 48 hours, for larger batches I prefer 72 hours.

This is what happens when you only use the peals of 70 lemons. You are left with a lot of extra juice. It dose freeze well in ice cube trays for later use but I suggest you make friends who like lemon bars and lemon curd if you are going to make this a hobby.

OK, you let the peals and liquor sit for 2-3 days. Now remove the lemon peals form the alcohol and place in a large pot with the water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil for 5 min. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.

The water mixture is in the glass container the alcohol is in the bowl.

When cooled remove the lemon peals from the water mixture and discard. Combine the water mixture with the alcohol by pouring through a filter to remove any impurities.

This last batch made 8, 1-1.5 liter bottles

As you combine the water with the alcohol it will turn a bight cloudy yellow. Carefully bottle the mixture and store in the freezer.

Traditionally Limoncello is served chilled as an after-dinner digestive.

I was at Penzey's spices the other day. I have always loved their store with unique treasures of spices from all over the world. This time I fell in love with the simple bumper stickers they were handing out. If you could put my essence into a sticker this would be it, yellow sunshine heart and all.

Salad on a Stick?!

Yes, you heard me correctly. It is time for the State Fair! The Minnesota State Fair has a place for everything and almost every food you could imagine on a stick, from alligator, bacon, cheese curds to key lime pie, this is where you can find it all ready to eat on a stick.

I was thrilled to work with Giggles Campfire Grill to style photographs of their newest addition to the 2011 Fair food line up, The Northwoods Salad on-a-stick. The salad includes skewers of fresh mozzarella cheese balls, grape tomatoes and basil on top of a chilled wild rice salad drizzled with a balsamic dressing.


The resturant specializes in "made from scratch" fish and game menu items, so be sure to save room for their other tasty treats like elk burgers and walleye cakes. They have plenty of picnic tables and cold beer, so head over to the authentic log cabin in the "North Woods" area, on the corners of Cooper and Lee near the water tower. 


Can you say you had a salad on a stick?

Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2012

Here is a new opportunity for phorographers I did not want you to miss.

This is this first year this contest will be held. It is open to professionals and amateurs an any part of the world.  The awards cover nine categories, ranging from Food in the Street, Food in the Field, Food for Sale, and Food Portraiture. 

The entries will be judged in March 2012 by a highly distinguished panel of experts, ranging from picture editors to publishers, retail directors, chefs and photographers. The winning images will be displayed at the world-renowned Mall Galleries, London SW1 in April 2012.

The awards are sponsored by Pink Lady® apples, the UK’s leading apple brand. Pink Lady® is uncompromising when it comes to quality and visual appearance. High quality photography is central to the brand’s image and the way it is perceived by the millions of consumers who enjoy Pink Lady®. Pink Lady® is also becoming established as ‘the culinary apple’ due to its fantastic cooking qualities and is delighted to support this landmark event for the food industry.

For more information on the contest and how to enter click here. Good Luck!

Food Labels

Confused about food labels in your grocery store?

With so many "buzz words" and food claims it can be a bit overwhelming to make sure what is in your cart is actually good for your family. The good news is UC Berkeley and Good magazine recently held the Rethink the Food Label competition. A competition looking to designers to make health info on packaged goods easier to understand. I believe we have a long road ahead to creating a system that truly represents the food quality well but I feel we are making strides in the right direction.

Here is what the U.S. Food and Drug administration have to say about how to read the current food labels.

Out Styling In The Field

What do you get when you put inspiration and skill together? Well, in this case a garden party for 16. While recently in Boston at the International Food Styling and Photography Conference, my wonderful assistant Anna and I were inspired by a group of farmers and chefs coming together to create a one of a kind outdoor eating experiences.

We decided to do something similar with a small group of mixed friends, an overgrown pasture and our culinary appetites; we had the most delightful 6 course dinner I have had in a long time.

You might say it was hotter then hell the night of the dinner, and we relished in it for in just a few short months snow will fall in Minnesota.  As we finally sat down to greet our guests with a chilled glass of white wine and peach infused rosewater tea, you would have never guessed that our table was set just a 15 min drive from a bustling city. The birds were chirping, a slight buzz in the air from near by insects the path down to the pasture passed by a green pond and an array of wild flowers. To say it was charming would be an understatement.

 

The menu was created by Anna and I, a wonderful colaboration allowing both our personal styles to shine. We started with a seared Parmesan polenta topped with a savory tomato relish, creamy goat cheese and crispy onion straw, followed by a chilled raw corn and cashew soup. Our salad was a delight to the eyes as well as the taste buds, the bright refreshing flavors of tomato and peach with a cilantro citrus dressing were remarkable.

For a palette cleanser we chose a basil lime sorbet. I must say this very simple course was my favorite. The entree was a roasted pork roulade with wild mushrooms, spinach, smoked ham and rosemary served with a stone ground mustard sauce and fresh arugula. Dessert was truly inspired by the chocolate loving Anna, she chose a dark chocolate and coffee essence "cake" with whipped cream and fennel salt. Just when you think it is all finished we had one last little treat, a home made limoncello, it is becoming a tradition with meals served at my house.

The food was amazing, the setting made by nature was perfect. I think of the highlight of the evening, it was sharing it with those I love and meeting new friends. Simply their smiles and appreciation of such a unique experience enjoying the world we have, and the people who make it so very special to us. After all, I continue to realize that it is the food that brings us together but the people around us that make it special. 

A special thank you to Chris Bohnhoff a dear friend and colleague for sharing his skills with us and so beautifully capturing the evening. To view more pictures from the evening click here.