All posts tagged: food

Auckland Restaurant Month 2014 – top picks

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August is Auckland Restaurant Month and the menus for the 100 participating restaurants have been posted already. I know it’s a whole month away, but a month is good time to make dates with friends and tick off a few restaurants on the way. There are some fabulous specials and this is a great way to try out some of Auckland’s best restaurants on a range of budgets. It was hard (and hungry) work, but I’ve picked out 10 of my favourite specials which  range from $25 to $100 per person. Auckland Restaurant Month top 10 picks: (In order of budget) 1. Fukuko Britomart, Cocktail bar $25 for 2 snack courses and a shochu cocktail of your choice. Includes a steamed pork bun and 2 tacos (your choice of braised miso short rib, sticky pulled pork, spiced roast duck, sole tempura). http://www.fukuko.co.nz   2. Besos Latinos Elliot Stables, Latin American gourmet $25 for cornchips, your choice of taco and a classic margarita. Taco options: Pork, beef, chicken, vegetarian or fish. http://www.besoslatinos.com   3. Kushi Durham St West, Japanese …

Fig and Gorgonzola Rounds

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This post is part of Our Growing Edge, a monthly blogging event to encourage us to try new food related things. Phuong from My Kitchen of Love is the host for this month’s event. If you have a blog and you are eating or cooking something new this month, click below to join.   Orleans I’ve been obsessed with New Orleans since I was an angsty teenager. Long, long before I had any interest in food, I fell in love with the people, the French influence, the mystery  and the vampires. I blame Anne Rice novels. I’ve yet to visit New Orleans but it is number 100 on my bucket list. When I “grew up” and my interest for food developed, my obsession with New Orleans deepened. At the start of March, on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras celebration day in New Orleans) my friends and I converged on the newish Auckland restaurant, bar, speakeasy, smoky blues and jazz club called Orleans, in Britomart. Traditionally the day of debauchery before Lent starts, Fat Tuesday is all about living large with …

Make Tzatziki

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Have you heard of Tzatziki? Tzatziki is a thick yogurt and cucumber dip that works with range of dishes. It’s cooling and lovely and surprisingly easy to make. Tzatziki has been on my foodie bucket list for a long time. I put it on there because The Koala was obsessed with Delisio Greek Tzatziki flavoured chips. He’s since moved on but the Tzatziki remained on my list. Had I known how easy and versatile it was to make, I probably wouldn’t have waited all these years. Below is a recipe for Tzatziki and a bonus 2 recipes that complement it. Tzatziki Recipe adapted from Nici Wicke’s recipe here. Makes about 2 cups Ingredients 1 cup Greek yogurt* 1 cup grated cucumber, squeezed of excess liquid ½ teaspoon salt 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tablespoon chopped mint 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice Preparation Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Chill prior to use and stir before serving. Use as a dipping sauce, a side …

The Last Summer Barbecue

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I have been meaning to share this post for a while. When I was first diagnosed with Graves’ Disease at the end of summer, I did a lot of reading about what to eat. Being able to take control of something, even if it’s just diet made me feel less helpless about my health issues. Eating whole foods has been one positive change I’ve been making, dining out I usually make an exception but at festivals, where things like hot dog on a stick and greasy chips rule, it can be difficult to find something suitable to eat. A bunch of friends and I went to see The Opensouls reunion show mid-March at Phoenix Fest at Nixon Park, Kingsland. Back in 2007 and 2008, Phoenix Fest was just around the corner from our flat and a group of us would shake our asses off at the park and return home for further festivities. Phoenix Fest was on hiatus for 6 or so years and came back this year with a reunion show. How fitting! A …

Do you read labels?

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I actually enjoy grocery shopping because I don’t spend a long time reading labels. Shopping would take longer and be more of a chore if I had to read the label of every item. I generally have products I know and trust and those I never read the ingredients list on, things like steak, bananas, butter etc. A bargain…? We usually buy our meat at the butchers because of the price and quality. Our local supermarket more expensive and the quality is not as good, but we recently shopped at a discount supermarket (the yellow and black kind) and I was amazed that the meat was half price or less. That should have been a warning, but the bargain hunter in me said, “Woohoo! A meaty bargain!!!”. I bought a package of “steak” at the discount supermarket. The “sirloin” was on special at $10 per kg, so thinking I had eyed up a fantastic deal, I bought a pack. Sirloin steak at our local butchery is $25.95 per kg, so that should have triggered alarm bells. …

More mushrooms!

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Another lovely box from The Honesty Box this week. It’s inspiring to get this bounty delivered to our door each week. I figure it’s not laziness, it’s making sure there’s plenty of nutritious stuff to eat each week. This is a better variety than I could have picked myself. The Koala and I were both impressed at the thoughtfully paper-bagged mushrooms. They arrived in perfect condition. We had two of them with dinner on the first night. Seasonal things come in fours, apparently: 4 portobello mushrooms 4 tamarillo 4 feijoa Delighted with yet another avocado. These things are having a long season this year and these tomatoes are still as good as in summer. Still, I’m finally carrying a jacket most days so soup weather is upon us. Here’s a guide to what we’re eating this week: BREAKFAST Porridge with sliced banana, chia and maple Fejioa and banana muffins and a steaming mug of tea Breakfast burrito with beans, scrambled egg, mushroom and guacamole Banana yogurt smoothie Turmeric and herb tomatoes on toast   LUNCH Chickpea, tomato …

YouTube round up

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Here are some videos of my favourite foodies on Youtube guaranteed brighten your day. Too cute! Too clever. Too greedy! Too well behaved. I hope you enjoyed these foodie videos as much I do. Please share your favourite foodie videos in the comments below!

Goodbye April, Hello Meal Plan

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The Honesty Box delivers again! We’re most excited about the two tamarillo and two portobello. The Koala ate a tamarillo (ahem, his tamarillo) immediately after I took this photo. Quite likely, he’ start eyeing up my tamarillo and I’ll either split it with him or let him have it. I am an older sister and he is a younger brother and it was like that in both our families. The Koala’s big brother and I would save and The Koala and my little sister would feast. Then start eyeing up their older sibling’s uneaten bounty. Was it like that in your family? Tamarillo are still a like bit finger guts to me, but I admit the intense savoury flavour is exciting and unique. They’re still too rare for me to to cook with but I’ll work up to that when the novelty wears off. Feijoa season is intense and short here in Auckland. Our landlord had our feijoa tree removed (for reasons that baffle me). So we’re grateful for any feijoa that come our way. For those …

Cumin Hash Browns

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The Koala’s favourite brunch spot in Auckland is a local cafe in Sandringham called Okra. Even though they have changed hands (staff bought out the owners), much of their menu is the same and their big breakfast which includes a cumin spiced hash brown has been consistently good for a decade. Okra’s hash brown is a mashed and fried variety but I have grated these as it is quicker than mashing. Hash browns are a great gluten-free toast alternative for breakfast and since I’m watching my gluten intake, we had these babies instead of toast. This is my interpretation of Okra’s cumin hash browns. This recipe makes 2 good sized hash browns but can easily be double or tripled if you have more hungry mouths. Cumin Hash Browns Makes 2 Ingredients 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 medium potato 2 tablespoons oil for frying   Preparation In a bowl, beat egg and add the cumin, parmesan and seasonings. Peel and grate …

A Healthier Meal Plan

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We are getting this The Honesty Box delivered every week now. For $39.40 including delivery to Auckland central, our F&V small is 8kg (sometimes 10kg) of fresh fruit and vegetables. Shared between The Koala and I, this needs careful planning to eat everything before the next box arrives. I’ve been testing out gluten-free recipes and I think avoiding processed food is good practice regardless of my health concerns. I’m seeing an Endocrinologist (for the first time) today and hopefully there will be time to discuss diet and Graves Disease with him. I’m fairly adamant at this stage I want to try medication and diet only before than permanent options like surgery or radiation. If possible, I’d like to stay away from radiation. It’s starting to get cooler but since we’re still receiving salad ingredients, we shall eat salad this week. Here’s a guide to what we’re eating this week: BREAKFAST Avocado and tomato on toast Banana and peanut butter smoothie Cumin hash brown with a fried egg and grilled tomatoes Fruit and vege juice and soft boiled eggs Rice noodle soup …

Eggplant Misocheese recipe by Bunny Eats Design

Do Something With Eggplant Part 2: Eggplant Misocheese

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A couple of years ago I tried to conquer my most loathed vegetable: the eggplant. The slimy fruit of nobody, I never thought I could like it. I grilled it and paired it with orzo salad and we ate it for dinner one night. The Koala left most of his eggplant on his plate. He wasn’t a fan either. I thought I had cooked it correctly but the evidence was clear. Eggplant 1, Genie 0. Your comments told me that I should give eggplant another chance (at some stage). Let’s call that experiment Part 1. Two years later, I have a different view on eggplant. Let’s call this Part 2. A few weeks ago, a group of us dined at Nishiki in Freeman’s Bay. I was delagated the pleasure of ordering for all (one of my favourite pastimes). One of Nishiki’s best dishes is the Bei-naso Misocheese (eggplant miso cheese) and I ordered 3 for the table. $9NZ for half an eggplant may seem steep but if you’ve ever tasted it, you’ll agree that it is …

Grave Diagnosis and Diet

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The diagnosis I have Graves’ Disease. It sounds ominous and is characterised by hyperthyroidism. Since being diagnosed with Graves’ Disease a month ago, I’ve been reviewing my eating habits. I’ve lost around 7kg (15lb) due to illness, most of this is muscle so I’ve been super hungry and craving protein like a mofo. I’m on medication but I feel there is more that I can do than just popping a bunch of pills. I’m not going to get into my other symptoms here (I am a textbook case) but I’m focusing on improving my overall health through diet. In the last month… I’ve been focussing on eating whole foods with specific nutritional benefits. I’ve cut out pasta completely and have only had bread a couple of times. I bought a gluten free loaf which a few slices remain. I haven’t eaten much rice or rice noodles but have them once or twice a week. I’ve had 1 coffee since I have been diagnosed and an average of 2 alcoholic beverages a week. I was surprised at myself …

9 items

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The Food I thought I would do a separate post for the meal I enjoyed with ten other bloggers at The Paddington, Parnell. There were 9 dishes (10 if you include the fries) and I ate every single one of them. I started with a glass of Rabbit Ranch (of course) pinot noir and stuck with the reds for the evening. Even though it was pretty much an open bar, everyone was on their best behavior. It was a school night afterall. From The Paddington’s Finger Food Menu Hoegaarden cured salmon in cucumber ribbons Confit vine tomato bruschetta From The Paddington’s Appetisers Menu Homemade mushroom wontons with chili dipping sauce Honey soy beef skewers with a chili lime dressing The Paddington’s Signature Dishes Mini portions of Seafood chowder Caesar salad to share with options, chicken and calamari to taste From The Paddington’s Mains Menu Slice of Pizza: Salami chicken and caramelised red onion with bbq sauce Sliders: Pork Belly Burger with Japanese mayonnaise slaw and fries From The Paddington’s Functions Menu Guinness & Baileys Cheesecake …

Heads and wings

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Dear reader, I have fallen in love with some weird fish bits. Creamy, fatty, sweet, savoury and undeniably moreish. They are wings. Salmon wings. Salmon wings (also known as salmon collars) are one of those budget cuts that will probably become too popular (like pork belly, beef brisket and lamb shanks) and see a price increase. Get them while they are still cheap! If you have never had salmon wings before, think of them as ribs or buffalo wings of the sea. You may get your hands dirty but it’s worth it. One day I was just ambling through my local supermarket, minding my own business when I spied a tray with 2 large salmon heads. I didn’t expect to see salmon wings at the supermarket. I’ve never cooked with salmon wings but I’d seen a few blogs mention them before so I grabbed them instantly. The salmon heads cost about $2.22NZ ($1.84US) each and had plenty of eating on them. If you are not confident with fish bones or are serving less adventurous eaters, …

Tofu Tuesday: Splore Food Guide

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It is Splore this weekend! Splore is a 3-day music and art festival at Tapapakanga Regional Park on the outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand. Held every two years, Splore also happens to land on The Koala’s birthday. Now in it’s tenth edition, this year will be our sixth Splore. What makes Splore unique is it’s atmosphere and location. You can float in the sea while watching international and kiwi artists. If you like music, art and the beach, this is a winner. Each year there is a broad dress-up theme and this year’s theme (due to Valentine’s day) is “Spread the Love”. Our camp is dressing up with a hint of tribal and I have my feathers and fur all ready to go.  Tofu only needs feathers, the fur part of his costume was already supplied. 😉 Please note this is only for a photo and Tofu isn’t really going to the festival. Splore have strict “no pets policy” and we wouldn’t do that do our pet. We once brought our own food to the …

Auckland Seafood Feastival is upon us

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The Auckland Seafood Feastival is on this weekend. It’s long weekend here in Auckland and you can dine on kai moana (Māori for seafood) on Saturday, Sunday or Monday. Every year I gaze upon the crayfish but never partake. I think this year will be my year! Find out more or purchase tickets here: www.aucklandseafoodfestival.co.nz Some of my photos from previous festivals.      

The Burger Cookbook

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Steve Priest is a burger-loving, Auckland-based graphic designer who has recently embarked on the journey to write, design, photograph and publish a cookbook. Steve has an impressive work history including working with food-related design and motion graphic projects in both New Zealand and Australia. Projects such as NZ’s Hottest Home Baker, The Foodstore, Montieth’s Wild Food Challenge, Food Truckers and Sky Sports Grill. When I found out about Steve’s new project The Burger Cookbook, I felt pangs of envy and excitement. To design (and maybe even write) a cookbook is on my bucket list. I have a long way to go, but Steve is on his way. To get Steve to his goal of publishing his burger cookbook, he has started a Kickstarter project to raise the funds needed to get this off the ground. For those who have not used Kickstarter before, Kickstarter is a platform for projects to get crowd-funded backing. There are different tiers of pledges each with different rewards such recipe cards, cookbooks, special acknowledgements and even an opportunity to taste Steve’s …

Make Onigiri

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This post is part of Our Growing Edge, a monthly blogging event to encourage us to try new food related things. Louise from Crumbs and Corkscrews is the host for this month’s event. If you have a blog and you are eating or cooking something new this month, click below to join. Yesterday, I re-watched the movie Spirited Away at Silo Cinema. Silo Cinema is a free, weekly open-air-cinema in downtown Auckland at Silo Park. Right on the water’s edge looking across the harbour bridge, with the moon in view, movies are projected onto a big unused silo. Aucklanders bring blankets, snacks, tipple, friends or family for a cheap night out. Magic. I’m a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli (pronounced jee-blee or ji-bu-ri). His animations are rich in imagination, characters, colour and often sumptuous food scenes. Watching Spirited Away  reminded me once again why I put onigiri on my foodie bucket list. Onigiri or rice balls are portable, cheap, filling and can be thought of as Japanese soul food. Unlike sushi, which are made by highly trained sushi chefs, rice …

Duck Liver, Cognac and Sage Pâté

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This post is part of Our Growing Edge, a monthly blogging event to encourage us to try new food related things. Leah from Sharing The Food We Love is the host for this month’s event. If you have a blog and you are eating or cooking something new this month, click below to join. ‘Gnac Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone! It’s a great season for eating and drinking. Let’s begin with a little shout out to Cognac. The Koala and I have been enjoying Cognac since winter. At 40% alc/vol it’s a serious tipple but goes down smooth as silk. I also love how low maintenance it is. Just pour and enjoy. No ice, no mixer, no fluff and cheaper than I would have guessed. With Cognac in the house, I wanted to do something else with it this month and perusing my foodie bucket list, I found just the thing. Years ago, I was a little obsessed with liver after I read about the super rat science experiment: “A group of scientists that have been …