Golden Gate Park, Mission Dolores and North Beach …

Tags

Cafe de la Presse, Calzone’s, De Young Fine Arts Museum, Golden Gate Park, Mission Dolores, North Beach, Old St Mary's, The Japanese Tea Garden

We were in no hurry to get up early today as the previous couple of days had been rather busy.  We sauntered off in the morning sun for breakfast at Cafe de la Presse as we had so enjoyed our first visit there – the French Toast was delicious!

 

Pain Perdu

On the way to breakfast

Having bought a few things during our stay we needed another bag so we headed back into Chinatown and I found the delightful Old St Mary’s Church on the way … as luck would have it, a quintet was playing in front of the altar -who would have thought?

The church interior was understated but impressive

A beautiful stained glass window

The gallery

The plaque outside

With our large market bags in hand we returned to the hotel to freshen up then took an Uber to the massive Golden Gate Park. It is too big to cram into a couple of hours so we stayed at the town end and went in search of The Japanese Tea Garden. It is pristine, calm and rather beautiful and was the highlight of our visit to the Park.

 

Entering the garden

Tis very pretty

Phil on a very challenging bridge

The pond is lovely

A big fish

The pagoda

Wise statue

Big bonsai

Squirrel Nutkin was in the tree

Cloud shaped bushes

The Shakespeare Garden, in complete contrast was a disappointment – it was sparsely planted, the lawns needed mowing, and the plants needed tending.

 

The entrance to the garden

Mr Shakespeare

Plaque on the ground in front of the bust of Will

Looking back to the entrance gate

On leaving Mr Shakespeare we continued on to a large open space opposite the De Young Fine Arts Museum where the fountains were putting on a nice display.

The fountain was playing – the De Young Fine Arts Museum is in the distance

Water lilies outside the De Young Fine Arts building

We had to venture quite a bit further to get to the Conservatory of Flowers, which again was a little disappointing although the building housing the plants is stunning. The plants inside are mainly tropical and not too many were in bloom, so it was quite a quick visit and we were glad we had come on day when entry was free.

 

The Conservatory comes into view

Amazon water lilies

There was a little bit of colour

Orchids

The Conservatory

Uber took us back on to our next port of call – Mission Dolores and that was really worthwhile.  The old Mission survived the 1906 earthquake, but the Basilica had to be rebuilt.

 

The dome has a wonderful “mobile” suspended from it

The statuary is eye-catching

The face!

The Basiica

This is the old Mission

The mosaic pictures adoring the walls in the Basilica are stunning

The dome is beautiful

The alter in the Basilica

The stained glass is vivid

Beautifuo mosaic work

Golden mosaic

This is a wonderful Basilica

Back at the hotel we decided we needed to get a taste of Italy at North Beach, so off we went in an Uber again, starting first at City Lights Bookstore – what a great place that is – a bookstore founded by the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti. It is rather a rabbit warren, which makes it fun to be in and the sense of history is real.

 

The facade of the bookstore

The entrance

Love this sign!

Arches and awkward angles are a feature in the store

Steep stairs lead to the children’s book section

Beside the bookstore is Vesuvio Cafe, a favourite haunt of the Beat Generation – poets and musicians alike. We turned up at Happy Hour – a busy time but it was fun to people watch…

The side wall of the cafe

Happy Hour!

Next we set off to check out the plethora of Italian restaurants and settled on Calzone’s – a great choice. It was relaxed, colourful and the food was excellent.

Calzone’s

A beautiful pale beets salad

Saints Peter and Paul Church – the steps feature in the wedding photos of Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio

We loved the outdoor tables – they reminded us of ones we saw on the Amalfi Coast

Since we had been tempted to share a slice of Creme Brulee cheesecake, we decided to walk back to the hotel, via Chinatown… it was the close of another perfect day in San Francisco and our final night in this beautiful city – tomorrow we fly home….

And our next adventure? New York and Washington D.C. in December …..

 

Lombard Street and Grace Cathedral …

Tags

Grace Cathedral, Kin Khao, Lombard Street, Nob HIll, San Francisco

With the Golden Gate cycle tour ticked off our bucket list we proceeded to tick off a couple more – Lombard Street and Grace Cathedral (and a ride in the California Line Cable car). We have relied heavily on our map to get around, and thankfully Phil has the skills of a homing pigeon. If navigating the streets were left to me, we would be well lost!

The day remained warm and sunny as we set set of for Lombard Street, and we reached this famous attraction relatively quickly,  even though the slope is vertically challenging. In fact, every now and then I felt as if I may topple backwards!

As we we continued up to the famous switchback part the of the road (the last quarter mile or so), we could see many tourists milling around near the paths leading up the sides of the beautifully landscaped street. Signposts advised us we had arrived at Lombard Street homes and gardens, and asked tourists to respect the eye-catching Victorian properties.

Entrance to the quarter-Mile wiggly part of the street

We began walking up the footpath on the right hand side and vista before us was astonishing – beautifully-kept gardens run the length of this part of Lombard and the road snakes it’s way down in between them.

Bougainvillea like San Francisco’s climate

The gardens are bursting with hydrangeas

A visitor on Lombard Street

A bloke on Lombard Street

A switchback

That view!

Hydrangea heaven

The homes on the street are quite something too

Coit Tower in the distance from the top of Lombard Street switchbacks

You could never get sick of the view

For us, the best part of conquering the steep walk, apart from the sweeping views of the city it afforded, was that we got to go down the other side and that was a rather pretty stroll in itself.

Going down….

Pretty on this side too

Flowers like SF

Another lovely entrance

Our plan was to continue on to California Street to grab a ride on the cable car en route to Grace Cathedral and we managed to find our way to a stop, but disappointingly, this part of the route was not running the cable car and a shuttle bus was substituted instead. As it happened there was no driver on the bus so we decide to walk … and it was certainly worth the trek.

Grace Cathedral in Nob Hill is a magnifcent edifice – modelled on Notre Dame in Paris among others, it is much admired for its beautiful stained glass. We arrived to find the Gothic-style church almost empty so we took our time to admire the interior which is quite breathtaking, though for me a sense of history was lacking. The construction began in 1928, so the lack of ambience was not surprising. Nevertheless, it was an experience to cherish.

Ribbed arches

The Rose windo

Such workmanship in that glass

The stained glass is spectacular

More beautiful glass

Light on the crucifx

Another beautiful frieze

One of the colourful friezes adorning the walls

A visit to this cathedral is not to be missed

After our long day which included walking and cycling, an Uber ride was called for to return to the hotel, whereupon we set off to meet friends at Kin Khao Thai restaurant for dinner.

A quick word about the food – we have found the choice and quality of the huge variety of cuisines on offer to be amazing. We have had Italian, French, Spanish, Chinese and Thai meals and have enjoyed them all – with exception of one on our first day which was average. One last thing – with the exchange rate as it currently is, eating out is proving to be very expensive here.

 

San Francisco – first impressions…

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Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour, Dotties, San Francisco

Impession #1: The homeless population of this city appears to be huge – for whatever reason, there are homeless people everywhere – asking you for money as you walk by, congregating around busy shops like Walgreen’s, Target and local pharmacies, sleeping in doorways or on sidewalks, parks or squares, and sadly, rummaging in trash cans. Many seem to be under the influence of drugs or have an intellectual disability so that they display strange behaviours, often talking to themselves or yelling out torrents of abuse. I find this very sad and confronting as surely many have been reduced to their current circumstance through no fault of their own – nevertheless it is rather frightening if they lunge at you with flailing arms and whacking you as happened to Phil today when we set off in the warm sun for breakfast at the Iconic Dotties.

The iconic Dotties

Dottie’s cou ter

Ingenious – seen in a pharmacy near Dotties

Impression 2 #: The weather it seems can be very changeable and with rather chilly winds, especially in open spaces and on those wonderful hilly streets. This was true of our first day but today was quite different – sunshine-filled and very warm – perfect weather for our Big Bus hop-on hop-off tour which took several hours and went over the Golden Gate Bridge and back.

Union Square in the hot morning sun

Buses leave here constantly, but ours was late….

Impression 3#: San Francisco architecture is utterly amazing – I have found myself looking skyward so often at the old edifaces, rebuilt using bricks from buildings destroyed in the 1906 earthquake; wonderful pastel-coloured wooden homes sit elegantly on pristine streets, boasting ornate exteriors -many with impressive domes or turrets; and stunning modern architecture, looms high above the sidewalks – it is quite mesmerising. Here are just a few examples as seen from the bus or on our walks – more will follow later as we walk through different areas:

Tall and skinny homes, squished togather

Pastel colours abound

Turrets are plentiful

Corner store

The facades of the homes are beautiful

Seen from the bus

Interesting lines

Colourful

These house fit so easily into the landscape

The Transamerica Pyramid dominates the skyline

Impression #4: Street art and sophisticated art galleries abound. Our tour guide told us that murals often pop up overnight. This wonderful mosaic piece is on a wall near Alamo Square:

A mural in Chinatown

 Impression #5: San Francisco is a vibrant and colourful city with well developed areas for use by locals and tourists alike – an example is the bustling and colourful Pier 39. We were rather taken with it – there are many places to eat, plus entertainment for young and old.  We hopped off the bus here and had lunch at Fog Island Fish House – it was our chance to try the famous chowder in a bread bowl (no need to do it again though) and we found the vocal and smelly sunbathing seals rather amusing – they certainly are an attraction as is the view directly across to Alcatraz from the end of the pier.

waiting for lunch at Fog Island Fish House

The lower lever of the Pier

Chowder in a sourdough bowl

The Pier provides a colourful scene

The seals attract the crowds

Alcatraz!

Fun for young and old

I love the colours on the pier

Floral pots and barrels abound

The walk to Fisherman’s Wharf saw me run out of both camera and phone battery. On our return to base there was a chance to nab some Nike bargains in Macy’s and we completed our evening with a walk to Chinatown for a light dinner at Sam Wo’s – delicious authentic food!

More of our adventures follow tomorrow….

California Dreaming

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Los Angeles, The Point, True Food Kitchen, Westdrift Autograph Collection

We love Los Angeles – the vibe, the bright flowers, the warmth and the long sunny days are food for the soul. We arrived here this morning after a very smooth and comfy flight in Business class. We were lucky enough to be picked up from the airport by Roger and Frances, taking the chance to catch up over lunch while we waited for our room at the Westdrift to be made ready.

Westdrift Autograph Collection

The hotel has been made over and has a very relaxed beachy feel to it plus it is very close by to all the shopping places we know – so off we set this afternoon just as the marine layer was lifting – quite late in the day for LA. Our our New Zealand dollar is not buying as much as it has in the past so we will have to be more frugal ….

Having said that we have wandered through The Point, which is a nice oasis beside the very busy Sepulveda Blvd and also El Segundo Plaza finishing up at a favourite eatery True Food Kitchen – elegant and delicious healthy food. We have done a few steps today and jet lag is setting in …. goodnight…

On the to the Point

The Point has delightful water features

Another Point Water feature

True Food Kitchen crudités, organic wine and skinny citrus Margarita – outstanding place to eat in The Point

Destination Paris – and beyond…

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Annabel Langbein, Callas, Dordogne, Eurolease, Eurovillas & Tours, Eygalieres, France, Jo Seagar, Languedoc, Loire, Paris, Provence, Radicondoli, Rick Steves, Steve Smith, Versailles

With Christmas well and truly over, we recently had the luxury of spending a few days at home with our Kiwi travelling companions, Roger and Frances. On their previous visit from LA in August, we sat down over a good old Kiwi-style lunch ( Annabel Langbein’s bacon and egg pie and Jo Seagar’s lemonade scones), and set about trying to create our itinerary – four weeks on the road in France, beginning with another cool ride on the Eurostar to Paris, where will start the trip with a much-anticipated four day stay.

However, deciding where to go after Paris was the challenge – should we scoot across to Honfleur, St Malo, or Mont-St Michel (after visiting Monet’s Gardens at Giverny), or should we head straight on down to the Loire?  From the Loire, should we continue on down to the Dordogne or across to Burgundy? Perhaps we could go from the Loire to Languedoc and then down to Provence and the Riviera? So much to see, so little time … but this is where both contacts and research are worth their weight in gold. When our friends returned to Los Angeles in August, the itinerary was still up in the air, and we all vowed to put together some ideas on how the trip should play out.

In the ensuing months I sought advice from Michele at Eurovillas and Tours, with whom we booked the Tuscan villa in beautiful Radicondoli (in 2012). She is an absolute mine of information providing ideas on where to begin, where to stop, where not stop, and offering advice which helped to shape an itinerary which flows…simple things, like keeping one night stop-overs to a minimum and pointing out the value of taking a Eurolease car rather than a rental (this is a great idea by the way, and one we embraced, and latterly have booked).

The View up to Radicondoli

The Pool at the Villa

Podere Colombaiolo (Bella Vista) in Radicondoli

After just one email outlining our possible routes, Michele had provided informative brochures describing tried and true places – endorsed in the main from her personal experience. I discovered beautiful little Provencal towns, I had never heard of –   Eygalieres, and Callas for example, which offer the most beautiful accommodation for a relaxing week in the June sun. I was able to forward all the information and accommodation brochures to LA for approval and before we knew it, everything was booked!

By the time Roger and Frances returned to visit a couple of weeks ago, our itinerary just needed some fine tuning – where should we stay in London for instance, what London show we should see, and on what days should we do the celebrated tourists sites once in Paris etc? ( Versailles for instance is closed on Mondays).

Our final itinerary is based, for the most part, on the first half of a 3 weeks road trip outlined by Rick Steves and Steve Smith in France 2012, and we will be staying in accommodation recommended by Eurovillas, all of which we have found to be very well reviewed on Trip Advisor.  To ensure we would have current information,  I pre-ordered the 2014 edition of Rick Steves’ book, and as luck would have it, I received it on Friday, just in time to share it this morning with Roger and Frances. They are on their way back to LA, but we managed a final trip review over a leisurely morning tea on the deck, this time with delicious Ministry of Food cheese scones and Annabel Langbein’s divine Choconut slice.  Not only that, Roger bought us a gift – a stunning photographic publication called Destination Paris.. just to whet our appetites even more – in fact, I am about to dip into now….

Note: Rick Steves’ website has recently been revamped and is even more informative now than previously. Take a look the all-new site here with the fantastic addition of “Watch, Read, Listen” where you can view free, full-length TV shows, on demand. It is a fantastic resource!

The Christmas feast dilemma …

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Annabel Langbein, Bill Granger, gluten-free diet, Nadia Lim, Strawberry Cloud cake

How on earth do you decide what will appear on your Christmas lunch or dinner table with such a plethora of fantastic recipes to choose from – and from so many sources, including the Internet.  A week or so before Christmas, I thought I had settled on a final menu but then some Facebook posts threw me….

I am a big Nadia Lim fan, and prior to the big day, her posts made me change my mind several times about what I would prepare. Regarding dessert for  instance,  I had pretty much decided on trying her Lemon Curd and Blueberry Pavlova, just for something a bit different, – less ‘Christmassy’ but no doubt divine. Then a few days later she posted Dark Chocolate and Cherry Cheesecake (gluten-free) which looked like Christmas and sounded luscious as well. Then, on flicking through Annabel Langbein’s Summer Annual, I discovered a layered meringue dessert, and in a recent Australian Women’s Weekly I came across a Pavlova Christmas tree. I love pavlova, but my girls are not keen, so I put aside the last two recipes and resorted to a favourite – Annabel’s Strawberry Cloud Cake – it is so easy and so impressive! And because it looked pretty I made Nadia’s cheesecake as well – it was easy, decadent and delicious!

Traditionally I bake a ham using Jo Seagar’s apricot and maple syrup glaze, but I discovered in the Annabel annual, a similar glaze but with the addition of rum – so I combined the two and it worked well! I love concentrating on the desserts for Christmas,  because they are a more creative project – once the ham is prepared I can leave it to my husband to take charge of that in the BBQ, along with the other meats  – this year it was Bill Granger’s Herb-Crusted Lamb Racks, and some chicken sausages for the little ones.

I left it up to my elder daughter to bring yummy pre-lunch nibbles and wine, and my younger daughter brought a divine Prawn and avocado Salad, based on Bill Granger’s Prawn Cocktail recipe, and a very nice champagne. So ultimately, with the help of the Internet, magazines, and recipes books we had a wonderfully varied and delicious Christmas lunch from which I am still recovering!

Posted with Blogsy

PS – the grandchildren were not forgotten – they got a wee gingerbread house to demolish – with a hammer…

The Ostro-phile…..

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Auckland, Britomart, Cobus Klopper, Josh Emmet, Ostro, Seafarers Building, The Denizen, Tommy Doyle

Well, I finally made it to Ostro, the new brasserie in the Seafarers building in the vibrant Britomart complex.  Venturing out in the worst possible weather for an early summer evening meal was worth it, as Ostro definitely came up trumps.  It was a brilliant dining experience, despite the inclement weather – some thoughts follow:

The entry: My friend and I took the stairs rather than the lift up to the third floor entrance, ushered in through a cafe by a large but friendly security guard. With our umbrellas dripping from the heavy rain, we reached the landing, and encountered the weathered but somehow welcoming face of old seafarer, Tommy Doyle. What perfect placement of a fantastic photograph.

The Space – it is huge – almost breath-taking when you see it for the first time, and pretty amazing in every respect – with the City Terrace Bar on the Tyler street side which offers a great range of food, an amazing long bar in the centre space, and the brasserie itself facing the harbour. Lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, if offers a stunning view – on our visit, we watched through the rain-splattered glass, as a car freighter disgorged cars onto the wharf in a fascinating and well-orchestrated routine. The tables on the balcony outside were unoccupied due to the dreadful weather, but I can imagine they will be highly sought-after during the summer, for cruisy lunches and evening meals.

The ambience: buzzing, vibrant – definitely a great vibe. It was simply humming – packed with animated diners and those enjoying after-work and pre-dinner drinks. As we ate, we almost felt part of huge party, yet we were able to converse without shouting and could hear each other around a table of seven quite easily. Our table was very near the kitchen and we noted how calm it seemed, despite the huge number of dishes which they must have turned out during the time we were dining.

The service: The dapper Maitre’D lead us to our table and left us in the care of the attentive but unobtrusive wait staff, who made sure we had what we needed throughout the meal. Our water was continually topped up, the tables cleared quickly and efficiently between courses, and the dishes were very well explained when delivered to us.  I liked the variety of uniforms too – with an understated nautical feel to them, they are simple but apt.

 The food: Josh Emmet’s menu is stunning, and perfectly executed by Head Chef Cobus Klopper and his team.  With emphasis on seafood as you might expect , there is variety enough to suit all palates.  We shared platters for our entree, just two dishes but they complemented each other perfectly – Seared Yellowfin Tuna with the delicious Curious Croppers Tomatoes.  I would have been happy with the tomatoes as my main dish they were so delicious! We wisely complemented our entrees with moreish, freshly-baked Ostro Stecca Bread with Seaweed Butter.

Mains choices at our table included Line-caught Tarahiki, with Candied Grapes, Fennel and Toasted Almonds, and Snapper ‘a la Plancha’,  both of which were delicious and beautifully presented. My own choice was Roast Canterbury Lamb Rump, with Farro, Cauliflower, Capers, Raisins and Pedro Ximénez – I can honestly say I have never eaten lamb that virtually melted in my mouth as this did – it was a taste sensation.

Desserts were very different, quite retro even, and very well received by all. The Vanilla Pannacotta was fantastic, especially served with the contrasting berry sorbet,and the pansy on the top was a delightful touch. The Brandy Snaps were delicately thin as they should be, and the Rum Babas were exquisite, as were the Petit Fours. As most of us were driving we didn’t test the comprehensive wine list with gusto, but we did share an excellent bottle of Prosecco and finished the meal with a great coffee.

The verdict: While I admit that I have a connection with Ostro through family, I can honestly say that my blog post would have been identical, had this not been the case. Ostro has been receiving excellent reviews, and I was looking forward to my meal there with great anticipation. I can truly say I was not disappointed, and neither were my companions. It was wonderful venue to celebrate a 50th birthday in style, and we all left feeling that we had enjoyed a meal that was truly special. Ostro, you have me, hook, line and sinker.

PS For an independent and more eloquent review with beautiful photos of the interior and the food, plus information regarding the building design, see The Denizen here and also this link. For great photos and a foodie blog post see My Dining Journey.

Main ingredient? Nadia Lim …. and a dash of Josh Emett, Julie Le Clerc, and Nici Wickes

Tags

Britomart, Cookbooks, Josh Emett, Julie Le Clerc, Nadia Lim, New Zealand, Nici Wickes, Ostro, Recipes, Seafarers Building, World Kitchen

I recently blogged about my growing collection of New Zealand cookbooks and I am delighted to confess I have just added another.  As a librarian responsible for the acquisition of New Zealand material, I was lucky enough to have Nadia Lim’s new cookbook pass across my desk, and what a beauty it is. Nadia Lim’s Good Food Cookbook is cram full of healthy, delicious and easy recipes – as soon as I started flicking through it, I knew I would buy it. Having owned it for just a week I had made four recipes from it – all were fast, easy and incredibly delicious, the stand out so far being Steak with Orange Miso Sauce, Sesame Cavolo Nero and Kumara Mash – we savoured every delicious mouthful! The Lamb with Tzatziki and Roast Cauliflower Pearl Couscous was a taste sensation, as was the Spanish Fish Stew and we greedily devoured the Barbecued Lamb and Olive Panzanella.

What has impressed me with Nadia’s recipes (I own her first book too) , is that they are nutritionally well-balanced, with each one accompanied by a simple nutritional breakdown.  Not only that, they were so quick to prepare, rivalling my well-used Jamie’s 15 minute Meals. The book is chock full of mouth-watering recipes, blending all sorts of flavours- Mediterrean, Middle Eastern and Asian, and the sweet fare looks enticing. There are also gluten-free options. All in all it is one of the best homegrown cookbooks I have seen this year.

I must mention too, the magazine I bought recently- the latest NEXT.  I was attracted by the promise of some great recipes for Christmas fare, and also because it  features Josh Emmet on cover. Due to a family connection, I have been watching the development of Josh’s new Auckland project Ostro with interest.  A brassierie with the most stunning view of the harbour, it can be found in the Seafarer’s Building in Britomart and it is receiving excellent reviews, like this one by another homegrown chef, Nici Wickes. (watch this space for a report on my own personal experience dining at Ostro next week).

But I digress … NEXT is consistently a good read, and always has an excellent selection of articles and recipes, the December issue being no exception. I dove straight in and made Julie Le Clerc’s Tomato Bean and Pearl Couscous Salad with Chilli-Herbal Dressing and it was great! (You can check out Julie’s blog here).

Julie’s Salad

Nadia’s new book and December NEXT

The NEXT cover story on Josh Emmet, gives an insight into what makes him tick and mentions his new cookbook Cut which I also saw in the course of my job. It is a beautiful book, with some brilliant photography and recipes for every cut of meat you could imagine, including rabbit and venison. The one that took my eye was my own personal favourite cut – lamb – Slow Roasted Shoulder of Lamb with Miso Glaze and Steamed Aubergine sounds delicious… perhaps I should be adding Cut to my collection too…

PS if you haven’t checked out Nici Wickes World Kitchen website take a look – it it is great source for recipes – one of my favourites being One Pan Chicken, Rice and Beans…

Those Two Greedy Italians… again

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Antonio Carluccio, Calabria, Gennaro Contaldo, Italian cuisine, Italy, Modica, Nicky Pellegrino, Sicily, The Food of Love Cookery School, Two Greedy Italians

I do so love stumbling upon things which pique my interest. Last evening, while I sat looking through our photos taken in Italy last year, the television was on in the background and I suddenly recognised familiar voices.  I looked up to see two of my favourite celebrity chefs – the delightful Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo – the Two Greedy Italians – in a 2nd series, (2012), Two Greedy Italians : Still Hungry.   As entertaining as ever, and totally at ease with each other, they are travelling though Italy eating, cooking and providing wonderful social commentary on Italian family life and culture. It was fascinating and thoroughly watchable. The orange rice cake Gennaro was preparing in this particular episode, Calabria, looked so easy and delicious that I later searched the Internet for the recipe -and also found this great review on the accompanying book, Two Greedy Italians Eat Italy, which I couldn’t resist buying.

I am now eagerly awaiting the screening of the next episode, but in the meantime I will continue to immerse myself in the book I am currently reading, coincidentally also about Italian food, fiction though it maybe. The Food of Love Cookery School by Nicky Pellegrino is set in Sicily, and based on her research at the Love Sicily Cookery School in Modica, which you can read about here.  If you love Italy and Italian food, then reading one of Nicky’s novels will keep you engaged and wanting more. Excuse me now, I have a book to read….

Tempting Treats in Venice

Beautiful Chicken Dish in Florence

White Pizza in Radicondoli

Gelato in Colle di Val D’Elsa

Fresh fare in Siena

Bruschetta in Siena

Delicious seafood in Levanto

Kiwi cookbook magic …

Tags

Angela Redfern, Annabel Langbein, Bill Granger, Chelsea Winter, Cookbooks, Donna Hay, Elizabeth Lind, Jamie Oliver, Julie Le Clerc, Kim Evans, Nadia Lim, New Zealand, NIgella Lawson, Petite Kitchen, Yotam Ottolenghi

It is no secret that I am addicted to buying cookbooks but the fact that I have been on leave for nearly six months has meant that I have had to restrain myself and make use of my growing library of culinary treasures. Titles by celebrity chefs like Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, Donna Hay, Bill Granger, and my new favourite Yotam Ottolenghi (whose book Jerusalem is a standout), will always have a place in my collection. Their recipes are doable, delicious and often quick and easy to prepare.  Having talked about restraint, I admit I did recently purchase Polpo by Russell Norman, but I have resisted the temptation to go Italian, delving instead into my collection of Kiwi cookbooks, and I realise what a treasury of fabulous recipes I have, courtesy of writers like Annabel Langbein, Julie Le Clerc, Angela Redfern, Elizabeth Lind, Natalie Oldfield, Nadia Lim, and Kim Evans.

While I do have favourites like Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals, Nigella’s Kitchen, Donna Hay’s Fast Fresh and Simple and Bill Granger’s Everyday Asian, I have been relying recently on homegrown recipes from the books of those talented Kiwi cooks I mention above, and others besides. Each book engenders a favourite recipe or two – from Annabel Langbein’s The Free Range Cook  it has to be Thai Beef Salad and the stunning Strawberry Cloud Cake; from her Free Range in the City, Cheesy Rocket Scones hit the mark along with Quick Zucchini Fritters, while from Simple Pleasures Bang Bang Chicken Salad and Fragrant Lentils are taste delights; Julie Le Clerc’s French Chicken and Mustard Pie (from More Simple Café food) has been a family favourite for years, along with Crispy Noodle Salad with Chilli and Spring onion Vinaigrette; Ripe has spawned the favourite Go Go Chicken and Smoky Israeli Couscous Salad, while the new Ripe Recipes – a Fresh Batch has already provided a favourite pie which I mention below; Elizabeth Lind’s La Cigale provides Chicken, Olive and Preserved Lemon Tagine among others; Treats from Little and Friday has given a favourite biscuit recipe plus the delectable Frittata; Nadia’s Kitchen supplies a wonderful winter warmer- Red Lentil, Ginger and Pumpkin Soup and the Balsamic Mushrooms on Toast are delicious; and Natalie Oldfield entices with the gorgeous Luscious Lemon slice and Neenish Tarts in Gran’s Kitchen.

Owning recipes books like these, is like having a treasure chest – each time you sift through them looking for inspiration, you can find something to suit what is currently in the pantry, plus you have the added bonus that these books are filled with little anecdotes, which often resonate with the reader, simply because of a shared culinary heritage and history. I think that for me, the joy in owing these books is in the reading, not the cooking.

New Zealanders do comfort food really well so here is how I have used some of these books over the winter months – I made the most delicious 7 Hour Lamb dish from the beautiful La Cigale by Elizabeth Lind, followed by the tempting Shepherd’s Pie from the latest Ripe book, and the classic New Zealand favourite – Mince and Cheese Pie found in Treats from Little and Friday, plus each week some sweet delight will be made from that same book, such as scrumptious Chocolate Chip Cookies and Anzac biscuits, or the Extra Thick Ginger Crunch from Julie Le Clerc’s Cafe at Home.

I should mention the wonderful NZ foodie magazine Dish, to which I subscribe – it never fails to deliver and with each issue a favourite will emerge – for instance in the latest issue the Lamb and Eggplant Bake is delish!  Cuisine is another gem – the Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup from the Italian Issue is now a firm favourite. Kiwi blogs and websites too, provide wonderful recipes – Eleanor Ozich’s Petite Kitchen is an excellent wholefood blog and Chelsea Winter’s website is a goldmine.  There are so many other fantastic cookbooks written by New Zealanders and I look forward to experimenting with their recipes… (the beautiful Alice in Bakingland comes to mind!) but that will have to wait until I return to work ….