eG Foodblog: lesliec (2011) - Beef, boots and other stories

[lesliec]

Donna: thanks very much. I will!

[Kent Wang]

Nice graphic design on the infused oils.

I can't remember if you mentioned this already, but may I ask how many generations has your family been in New Zealand?

Idle thought: as I've been writing this I've been thinking about how we use its name in print. Although it was named for a Russian dancer and hence could be considered a proper name, I seem to think I've only ever seen it in print with a small 'p'. I have no idea why this should be - Peach Melba (and, indeed, Beef Wellington) always have capitals. Any theories welcome.

I love questions like these. My stab in the dark is that pavlova is not obviously a proper noun to English-speaking audiences, as before you mentioned the dancer I had assumed it was something Eastern European like baklava. Wellington and Melba are better known as people's names.

[nickrey]

Thanks Leslie. Great blog, quirky humour.

It's been a while since I was in Wellington. Seems there are some nice foodie places to visit there. I was impressed with what you did with the products.

Looking at your ice cream has inspired me to make some up with the leftover marinated figs that I made for the tagine dish from the Modernist cuisine book.

[lesliec]

Helen: I don't know, always on about wind. Maybe you should see somebody.

Yep, I have to store my ice cream in the freezer but I don't have to compete for space with an empty freezing container from the machine. The Cuisinart doesn't seem to care what the outside temperature is; the only slightly messy part when it's warmer is transferring the finished product from the machine to a container for freezing.

And yes, the ice cream is definitely as good as it looks, if not better (I was reflecting last night after I'd gone to bed that for many of the things I'd demonstrated I'd got all tied up in the 'how' and forgotten to pass on the 'how does it taste'. So I shall remedy that now; my bay ice cream is still certainly a dessert component. It's sweet and creamy, but what the bay brings is a fascinating, rounded savoury character. Which sounds slightly contradictory, but it really works.

It's possible to argue there are no bad pavlovas, just good and better ones. Agreed? I have an ambition some day to invent a savoury one, but I haven't got very far yet.

[lesliec]

Hi Shelby. That sunset is the view from our deck, looking out towards the airport and Cook Strait. Lovely for a (Lighthouse) gin and tonic after work.

Go on, make a pavlova. Tinned fruit is also quite acceptable as a topping.

Thanks for your responses and questions during the week.

[lesliec]

Thanks, judiu. I'm working on the Lotto thing myself ... it's not working very well, though.

[lesliec]

Hi Kent. Thanks for that. I dabbled in desktop publishing in a past life and some of it has stuck.

On Dad's side of the family I'm the fourth generation - third on Mum's.

And your theory on Pavlova/pavlova is as good as any! One difference is a pav is just one word - it's not Meringue Pavlova, for example - where the Melba and the Wellington are [ingredient] [name] combinations. There's been a book published on the history of the pavlova; I might have to see if the library's got it.

[lesliec]

Thanks Nick. Give me a call if you're coming over and we'll see if we can find some foodie entertainment for you. There are lots of other restaurants I'd have liked to have included due to time (and budgetary) restraints.

Marinated fig ice cream? I'm on my way! How much has Modernist Cuisine got on ice cream? Any interesting enhancements you could post to the Cooking with MC thread?

[lesliec]

I've been saving this for a special occasion and the end of the blog seems like a good time.

If any of you have been idly wondering what this strange person from the distant land might look like - this is scarily accurate!

[nickrey]

Thanks Nick. Give me a call if you're coming over and we'll see if we can find some foodie entertainment for you. There are lots of other restaurants I'd have liked to have included due to time (and budgetary) restraints.

Marinated fig ice cream? I'm on my way! How much has Modernist Cuisine got on ice cream? Any interesting enhancements you could post to the Cooking with MC thread?

Thanks for the offer, it sounds great. Same applies to you if you're ever in Sydney.

On Modernist Cuisine, sadly my access to the book has now finished. Guess we'll all have to wait for it to arrive in it physical form.

[Genkinaonna]

Thanks so much for sharing your week with us! My husband and I talked about going to NZ last summer, we opted to have a baby instead! But we'll get there eventually...appreciate the preview! And if you've got any more of that chicken laying around...

: )

[haresfur]

...

We're having a bit of a bay day - first infused oil, now ice cream.

Happy bay day to you.

Sounds great, my bay tree is too small, but maybe in a few years...

Thanks for the blog!

[nakji]

Hi Erin. Now, see, I KNOW you weren't serious about oil on icecream. Might be an interesting thought, though; if you can make olive oil ice cream - I haven't but I've seen it - why not use infused oils for an extra dimension? Hmmm ...

I've seen dishes of vanilla ice cream topped with good olive oil and sea salt - never had it, but people rave about. Thanks for the pav proportions; it's the sort of dish my husband loves!

Thanks again for showing us a slice of Wellington.

[lesliec]

Nick: access to MC finished? Tragedy! How does it feel, being 'one of us' again?

I'm really looking forward to that/those book/books. Let's hope we're in one of the earlier groups.

[lesliec]

Genkinaonna - thanks for your comments.

New Zealand or babies isn't really an either/or, you know - people have babies here all the time. But I hope you make it sometime. And there's ALWAYS chicken.

[lesliec]

Hi, haresfur. Thank you.

Yep, your bay tree will definitely grow - we have a 5-6 metre one next door to prove it (that's what went into the ice cream). And you only need 10 or so leaves at a time.

[lesliec]

Thanks Erin. Careful; if you feed hubby too many pavs HIS proportions will change. I might try oil on vanilla ice cream; hadn't come across that before. I had a very nice honey and ginger ice cream at the City Market this morning that got me thinking, too.

[heidih]

Thanks for all the wonderful snaps of life where you are. The pavlova really gabbed me even though I am not a sweets lady. The infused oil is something I have been doing as well. So easy and so flavorful.

[lesliec]

Thanks Heidi. Maybe you can help with my savoury pavlova project.

Sshhh about the oils being easy - you'll spoil the mystique.

[helenjp]

I've never been able to grow bay in Japan - it really doesn't like snow! Being able to grow it in the ground is a big plus in a NZ garden, and I'm very envious of your neighbour.

The wind thing...hey, that was my first comment - you're mixing me up with nickrey. NZ is generally a windy country.

You probably wouldn't recognise Manurewaif you visited...the Dawson butchery and Richardson shoes have long been replaced by a middle-eastern food store and an Indian confectionery. When I was a kid,Clendon shopping centre was an old house in a ramshackle garden with a big hedge where I used to stash my bicycle before catching the bus to school...all farmland, and hardly a house to be seen.

[lesliec]

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Hi Helen.

OK, maybe not wind specifically, but Exhibit A contains aspersions regarding weather. Which is beautiful again today, by the way.

We were in Manurewa between 85 and 89, so most of the development had already happened, but Southmall and environs have continued to look worse every time we pass through. Which isn't often, these days. Clendon still had some empty land heading out towards Weymouth when we were there, but Google Earth indicates there's not much there now. The good old Auckland spread!

Good luck working out where to export son to. If it's here and Mother decides to visit, get in touch.

[blue_dolphin]

lesliec - Beautiful blog! Each of your posts (prose and photos alike - Stilton and port is my favorite) could be a full article in a glossy food mag!

I'd never contemplated bay ice cream or heard of alloro but I'm now convinced that I must get myself a bay tree.

My only trip to NZ was 2 weeks on the South Island, clearly there is more to see. Thank you for all the effort it took to crank this out.

[helenjp]

If it's here and Mother decides to visit, get in touch.

Will do, with thanks...No Good Boyo is almost as keen to learn to cook new things as to learn more music. And Wellington is also only a hop from all the musical goings on in Nelson.

[lesliec]

Blue_dolphin - thanks for your kind words. Hmm ... does glossy food magazine = I get paid? That's attractive!

Stilton was named before he was even born, I think. It's just such an obvious name for a British Blue.

Yep, a bay tree or two is highly recommended. It's a lovely flavour, and I've never got it from dried leaves.

[lesliec]

Hi Helen. Yeah, Welly's close to lots of good places. What particular musical things happen in Nelson? You may be ahead of me there.