One of Australia’s most talented and charismatic chefs, Andrew Blake, has released his second cookbook, Blake’s Feast – A Life in Food.
Even with the surfeit of cookbooks out there, this one is a must-have not only as an invaluable resource and inspirational culinary compendium, but an insightful and intriguing story of a chefs endeavours to make a name for himself and run successful (and a few not so successful) restaurants.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society www.marineconservation.org.au a non-profit organisation protecting Australia’s oceans since 1965 has just launched an Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide iPhone App!
Steven Spurrier was in town this week for ongoing Singapore Airlines wine selection tastings (he’s been doing it for 22 years!), along with panel colleagues Michael Hill-Smith MW and Jeannie Cho-Lee MW.
As it turned out, it was the perfect opportunity to raise a glass to Spurrier’s innings, 70 not out. Spurrier was in good form and looks nothing like 70, as he quipped when someone asked if there were going to be more parties, which came out the wrong way, as in meaning other 70th celebrations, he replied, “I’m hoping a least another 10 and 80 is a good number”!
It is the peak of the season for Brown Turkish Figs, having purchased them twice at Jason’s, Tanglin Mall, Singapore at the excellent price, relative to quality and distance they need to travel, of S$4.50 for a packet of 4 large figs.
In case you have not been following the ‘Duck Run’, the Wandering Palates recipe for Thai Duck Curry has been gaining momentum around the world with ducks ‘on the run’ all over the place.
What began as an approbation of Kai Schubert’s www.schubert.co.nz enormous capacity for our Thai duck curry and the subsequently posting of the secret recipe, the story continues as gourmands around the planet share their gluttonous pleasure at the Wandering Palates table or in their own kitchens cooking up the said duck curry.
For some 15 years or more, I have been receiving a magazine from the Economic & Commercial Office at the Embassy of Spain called “Spain Gourmet Tour”. They have diligently ensured that it arrived at my address in Australian and subsequently Hong Kong and then Singapore, as Nomadic as we are.
The Wandering Palate in New Zealand, visit Wanderings…
Wanaka, Deep South Is., New Zealand (July 29th)
Clive did an exhaustive check on no less than five potential restaurants for our ducks and decided on the selection after a Saturday taste test last week; a heroic effort and the exercise now known as the “Duck Run”!
Another beautiful day in Cornwall, out at sea by 8am before the low-tide to check our lobsters pots. But no luck again save a young specimen that we threw back. Still, where’s there’s children there has to be adults so we re-baited the pots and hope we are more successful tomorrow.
A 7am chug around Falmouth Bay, that is the mouth of the Fal River, checking our lobster pots proved fruitless, although I did catch a Mackerel on the way back.
We set off to Helford Passage for lunch at the Ferryboat Inn, now run by the oyster and seafood specialist, Wright Bros, of Borough Market and their Soho restaurant, which we dined a few weeks back and had a most enjoyable experience. More on that later.
Having traveled down from Highgate by train to Haslemere in Surrey for a few days to stay with friends, we then drove to their beach house in St Antony, Cornwall, a good 6 hour drive stopping off at their Devon Farm to raid the cellar. He’s a true Wandering palate with a taste for old German Riesling and Southern Rhone reds.
