A Taste of Slow 2008

[Amarantha]

Anyone going to "Nose to Tail with the Hendersons" at Number 8 next week?

I cannot express in words how excited I am about this. I don't think I've ever looked forward to a meal as much as I am this one

Anyone have plans to partake in other Melb Food&Wine/Taste of Slow offerings?

Edited February 20, 2008 by Amarantha (log)

[lamington]

I'm off to the Out of the Frying Pan talkfest and will be attending many of the Slow Food weekend stuff (just to irritate myself).

[Amarantha]

(just to irritate myself)

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I seem to recall saying something similar when I got the festival guide in the paper. Everything I see/read makes me want stuff I can't have. *prays to the gods of lotto*

Edited February 20, 2008 by Amarantha (log)

[Amarantha]

Canapés:

Grilled ox tongue, little gem and green sauce

My fiance found the leaf a tad bitter, but I'm fond of bitterness. I found it cut at the start by a burst of sweet mint, and then balanced by the savoury chewiness of the ox tongue

Goat's curd, shallot and mint on toast

This was perfect. The textures and flavours of a thin toast slice smeared with goat curd, a little pile of soft, sweet, brown onion strips and the heavenly mint sauce that tied it all together - all different and wonderfully complementary.

Young carrots and aioli

The sharp attack of raw garlic soon melds with the sweet, slightly crunchy carrots. Made the most of fresh ingredients in such a simple form.

Matched with: NV Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne, Reims, France

Appetiser:

Crispy pig's tail and shallot vinegar

I've been wanting to try pig's tail ever since I read Jennifer McLagan's Cooking on the Bone. Even got a couple in the freezer that we picked up at QVM, but haven't got around to cooking yet. It was pretty much everything I expected, sticky and softly chewy, with crunchy crumbs, and the vinegar to cut the richness. On smaller tails, you could even eat the cartilage from between the bones; on larger ones, it was a bit harder to get at.

Matched with: 2003 Tyrrell's Single Vineyard HVD Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW

Entrée:

Bone marrow and parsley salad

This dish is so famous probably nothing more needs to be said I've had it once before, during Offal Night at the Homestead. Fergus's had more marrow, less toast and a leafier salad. I would have liked a little more toast, but it was still wonderful.

Matched with: 2006 Serge Dagueneau et Filles Pouilly Fumé, Loire Valley, France

Main course I:

Ox heart served with chips and horseradish

This was presented in a nouvelle cuisine style, with a couple of strips of heart, two chips and a smear of horseradish on a large plate. The heart was surprising, something like a cross between steak and liver, but with a kind of raw-vegetable crunchiness as well, belying its floppy appearance. This was another perfect balance of flavour and texture, and my fiance's favourite dish of the night.

Matched with: 2005 Hochkirch Maximus Pinot Noir, Henty, Victoria

Main course II:

Pot roasted half pig's head for two

This was my favourite of the night, and the opposite of nouvelle cuisine, being simply half a pig's head served onna plate for sharing. I was heartbroken when I got too full to finish it. But I did get a damn good taste of everything before admitting defeat - eye, ear, snout, tongue, cheek and other meat, and shallot-and parsley stuffing. I am totally going to do this at home.

Matched with: 2005 Jasper Hill 'Cornella' Grenache, Heathcote, Victoria

Dessert:

Dr Henderson ice cream

This is flavoured with Fernet Branca and Creme de Menthe. My fiance's first comment was "Grown-up ice cream." Suprisingly, he didn't find it too bitter, but the same can't be said of the gentian liqueur that accompanied it, so I drank his.

Matched with: Salers Liqueur de Gentiane, Auvergne, France

The MC brought out his microphone from time to time for a chat with Fergus, who is a total funny bugger and talks just like he writes, with a cheeky grin to accompany his cheeky jokes

I had expected tart, sweet or tarry wines to accompany such fare, but was surprised by the serious umami component in most of the wines we had. Somehow it just worked. I don't claim to have even a basic wine knowledge, so I shall leave the wine commentary at that before I embarrass myself.

Being that we don't usually eat so richly, or drink so much, or stay up so late, we're both a little green this morning. But, oh, it was so, so worth it

[Shinboners]

Thanks for the superb report Amarantha.

You don't know how envious I am of you.

[Amarantha]

Wow. Shinboners is envious of me. That's a deviation from the normal state of world affairs

Seriously dude, you're an inspiration

[Shinboners]

Seriously dude, you're an inspiration 

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Wow! That is truly flattering. Thank you.

btw, Fergus Henderson was interviewed by John Faine on the ABC (Melbourne) today. I only caught a part of the interview, but they talked about his battle with Parkinsons disease and how his "nose to tail" philosophy has moved on since his last visit to Australia. I think he may have been the only guest on today, so the interview would have been a decent 35 to 40 minutes. I would assume you could get a podcast of the interview from the ABC website.

[Amarantha]

Ooo, ta; I shall keep an eye on the site

*prepares to pounce for download*