You might think, after reading of all these star studded appearances, that a trip to A lot of Thai Cooking School would be a commercialised, inauthentic, perhaps even impersonal experience. You might not believe that the woman I described above, is the same woman who shares her home in Chiang Mai with 3 generations of her family, picks you up from your hotel in her green 1967 Mazda 1500 (or her 1974 VW kombi van) and personally teaches all classes, 5 days per week. But, as one quick visit to Trip Advisor will confirm, you would be wrong.

A lot of Thai is currently ranked #1 out of 203 activities in Chiang Mai.

There’s a reason why all of these people are talking about Yui and it is the great fortune of those that attend one of her classes to have access to her wealth of knowledge and skills in an intimate and most certainly authentic environment (all classes are limited to 8 or 9 people and held in Yui’s own home), not to mention the pleasure of her company. I knew, when she started off by introducing herself to the predominantly Aussie class as “Yui…like chuck a u-ie!” that we were in for a good day.

This is a woman who thinks and not only about food. She is vocal about her opinions but not preachy or pushy in any way, has a good sense of humour and a special kind of presence about her. She explained that, in a way, she feels like she chooses her students by attracting a certain type of visitor who, in turn, attract others of a similar nature and way of thinking.

During our class which started at 9.30am (I think we got picked up about an hour before) we cooked Pad Thai, Green Chicken Curry, Tom Yam Soup, Chicken with Cashew Nut (recipe below), Spring Rolls and Sticky Rice with Mango. And yes, we ate it all too but there is a take away option if you can’t fit it in!

As the day went on, the basis of Yui’s success became more and more apparent. First and foremost, she is full of passion. She is free spirited but also precise, reminding us several times throughout the class of the importance of understanding science if you want to be a good cook.

“Cooking,” she says, “is 80% science, 20% art.”

She jokes about breaking the rules and rewriting the methods of others who strive for perfection.

It is obvious that she has spent a great many years studying and refining her craft, and while it is true that some of her methods may differ from more traditional ones, the results are nothing short of perfection. No deviation from the norm went without explanation and obvious consideration. Her preference for wrapping spring rolls, for example, with the rough side out instead of the smooth side preferred by most chefs, because having the smooth side on the outside results in more stress on the surface and consequently more cracks and flakey spring rolls.

We picked up so many great tips throughout the class that I couldn’t possibly list them all here but I’ll do my best to share some (and more in the recipe below). They may seem a bit random and obvious to some but might just be the one tip you need to perfect that dish you love:

1. Generally speaking tofu in the west is not as firm as that found in Thailand so when cooking it cut the pieces a bit bigger than a Thai recipe might specify

2. If a recipe calls for garlic chives, which look like the green part of spring onions but flat, you can substitute the top of leek (the dark green part)

3. Vegetables should be cut thinly on an angle to increase the surface area in contact with the heat (see photo of Yui slicing lemongrass below)

4. Coconut milk/cream – Yui warned us against  buying low fat coconut milk (guilty) which basically just has more water added to it and usually costs more! Instead you should go for the coconut milk that has the highest percentage of coconut in it. We also learned that you can combine equal amounts of coconut cream and water to make coconut milk. Simple right? WRONG!

On my return home Yui was kind enough to try and help me work out whether the brands I could find were the correct consistency for her recipes (e.g. you may have noticed that you can find coconut milks that claim to have anywhere from 50% – 100% coconut milk in them which is quite a variation. She said that this was the most common question she gets and that different brands all have different contents and different names. Her guidance was that you need to check the consistency and if “it’s thick like double cream then that is 200% coconut milk and needs equal water to make normal coconut cream in my cookbook. If you add 2 times the amount of water it will be coconut milk.”

My general experience has been that in Bahrain at least the coconut milks and creams are what they say on the can but I always try to buy products made in Thailand. And I don’t buy low fat anymore!

5. Spring roll pastry should be elastic when defrosted. If it breaks, don’t use it. When frying, if the the bubbles in the oil are too small it’s not hot enough which will make them greasy and if the bubbles are too big it’s too hot and they will burn. Ideally you want bubbles of about 1/2 cm diameter (there’s that precise approach I was telling you about!)

6. Use a toothpick when deveining prawns to keep their shape intact (see below)

After a morning of cooking and learning we set off for the local market (this is only included in some classes and I highly recommend it). Despite her international success, it was clear that Yui has not forgotten where she comes from. As we entered the market, she was greeted affectionately by stall holders and punters alike and treated them all with humility and respect.

Yui took the time to show us all the different Thai ingredients and what they are used for and it was a great opportunity to pick up some things that are hard to find at home – I got some daikon (preserved radish used in Pad Thai), palm sugar paste and a beautiful decorative ladle. The market wasn’t very big and it was a fairly short trip but it was great to be able to experience it with someone so knowledgable and in a less touristy environment.

We headed back to Yui’s house to get cooking again and sat down with the group to enjoy a second feast. Everyone in our class stayed for the full day and we even had some younger chefs among us who did a great job! The class is child friendly (for older kids) but in no way did it negatively affect our experience – the girls in our class were very well behaved (and cute as you can see!)

Within this authentically Thai experience, Yui and her husband Kwan (the design brains behind their business) have also given consideration to details that may be overlooked by others – the environment, a healthy and balanced diet (they serve brown rice), quality cookware and above all else, fresh, top quality ingredients.

I would highly recommend the class both to those keen to expand their knowledge of Thai food and cooking in general, as well as those who are just looking for a fun and interesting experience to add to their itinerary. If I ever return to Chiang Mai, which I certainly hope to, I will definitely be visiting Yui and Kwan for take 2!

Yui very kindly agreed to share one of the recipes from the A lot of Thai cookbook (which is full of tips and detailed info about different Thai ingredients and is included in the class price). The dish I have made the most since returning home is Chicken with Cashew Nut – it’s quick, easy and loved by all. I’ve also added in some more of Yui’s tips along the way.

Full day and half day classes are held 5 days per week, Mon-Fri, when Yui is not travelling. Visit the website for more information about prices and the different menus and activities available – sometimes classes include vegetable carving or a lesson on making curry paste instead of the market visit. Advanced bookings are required. You can also follow A lot of Thai on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. 

[Disclosure: I attended the cooking class at my own expense and was not asked to write a review. All views expressed are my own.]

Chicken with Cashew Nut (Serves 2 – see notes below)

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Heat the oil in a wok over low heat. Add garlic and cook until light brown. Add chicken and cook for 1 minute, then add onions. When the onion looks shiny add fish sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar and stir until well mixed. Add the stock and bring to a boil. When boiling add chilli and spring onion. Cook for a few seconds then stir in the cashews and take off the heat.

Some tips:

• I realised after taking Yui’s class that I had previously been cutting my pieces of chicken too big. They should be small bite size pieces so they cook as quickly as everything else.

• Prep all of the ingredients before you start any cooking as the actual cooking time is very short and once you have started you won’t have time to do anything else in between

• The recipe can easily be doubled or made larger by adding more vegetables or meat. I often struggled to get my sauce quantities right and ended up with too salty or too bland but Yui gave us some very useful guidance. She said to imagine that the fish sauce related to the meat, the soy sauce to the veggies and the oyster sauce to both (2tbsp so 1 tbsp for the meat and 1 tbsp for the veggies). When you increase the quantities you should also increase the corresponding sauce so, for example, if you doubled the meat you should add another 1 tbsp of fish sauce AND another 1 tbsp of oyster sauce. If you doubled the veggies you should add another 1 tbsp of soy sauce AND another 1 tbsp of oyster sauce.*

• When simply doubling all ingredients you should NOT double the water/stock, just use 1/4 cup.

• If you have a thermomix you can buy raw cashews and roast them for 7-10 minutes, varoma temperature, reverse, speed 1 with the MC off.

* I hope I wrote that down right! Yui if you’re reading, please let me know if it’s wrong!

Amy A lot of Thai and Chicken with Cashew Nut Appetite for Discovery:

Needless to say, I left the event very intrigued and itching for an opportunity to get a closer look.

Thankfully, it wasn’t too long before that opportunity arrived. In early December the Bahrain Bloggers were invited to tour the Theatre and attend the dress rehearsals of the very first performance to be held there, Gala Russe: Stars of the Russian Ballet. The show featured a selection of dances from Le Corsaire, Swan Lake, Don Quixote and other famous ballets performed by 14 soloists from the Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theatres as well as 8 dancers from the Yacobson Ballet Theatre corps de ballet. Having seen Giselle at the Bolshoi Theatre when I was in Moscow back in 2006, I knew we were in for a treat.

Up close and with its golden dome glistening in the sun, the Theatre really was a sight to behold as we arrived for our tour. We started in the Art Garden, a large outdoor performance area, and then walked through the vast reception area and into the main theatre which seats 1,001 people (the architecture is inspired by the folk tales in One Thousand and One Nights). There is also a smaller indoor hall designed to be used for workshops and other smaller events which we didn’t see.

As we walked through, I was struck by how the building had a very modern feel to it but somehow managed to maintain a great sense of character too. Lots of bright white space, stylish curves and bold wooden accents work well together to create a fresh and unique ambience. The interior of the main theatre is open yet intimate and the whole building, which is the third largest theatre in the Arab world, has a real sense of understated grandeur about it.

“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” – Oscar Wilde

To get up close and see the dancers rehearsing was a very special experience. Their professionalism and dedication was obvious throughout as they switched from talking to the crew or sharing a joke to complete focus and concentration while practicing their solos. The five year old wannabe ballerina inside me found it very difficult to take her eyes off their oh-so-pointy toes as they swivelled and twirled!

I was lucky enough to attend the final performance of the full show the next day which was absolutely captivating. A demonstration of incredible strength, enviable grace and the result of hours and hours and hours of hard work. Rows of colourful tutus gliding effortlessly across the stage and during one of the dances in particular, Fragment from Illusive Ball, Natalia Ledovskaya and Mikhail Pukhov (both from the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre where Natalia is the Prima Ballerina) moved with such fluidity they literally looked as though they were floating on air. A magical performance truly befitting for the inauguration of an equally magical venue.

Of course I couldn’t finish this post without mentioning food somehow! The cafe at the Theatre is only open during events at the moment but there are plans in place to have it open full time in the future. I really hope this happens soon as if done properly it has the potential to become a local favourite with great views looking out over the water. I’d also love to see tours being run in the future so people can enjoy the building outside the scheduled performance times. I would definitely want to take my visitors there!

If you haven’t had a chance to experience the Theatre yourself yet there are a few great opportunities coming up over the next few months. There will be two performances of Giuseppe Verdi’s Italian opera Rigoletto on 19th and 21st January and tickets for that are on sale now at Virgin Megastore (BD 40 for the main floor and BD 30 for the balcony – having sat on the balcony for the ballet I wouldn’t hesitate to buy seats for that section as I had a great view of the stage). If opera isn’t your thing then keep your eyes peeled for the announcement of the Spring of Culture line up as some of those events will also be held at the National Theatre.

Don’t forget you can follow the @bahrainbloggers on Instagram and Twitter for updates and coverage of a variety of events taking place around Bahrain.

Photos of the audience and dancers in pink tutus supplied by Ministry of Culture. All other photos © Appetite for Discovery.

[Disclaimer: I attended the dress rehearsals and performance of Gala Russe as a guest of the Ministry of Culture. No request was made for me to write about the event or the Theatre and all views expressed are my own.]

Amy Ballet at the Bahrain National Theatre Appetite for Discovery:

So I’ve missed blogging. And I’ve missed you. But I’m back! And I have Gingerbread Balls.

I may still not be able to post as frequently as I’d like to but I’ll do my best not to be such a stranger. If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen a fair bit of what I have been up to and if not, rest assured, there has still been plenty of food involved! I’ve just come back from the very first Budaiya Farmers’ Market which I’m so happy to learn will be running every Saturday from 8am-12pm at the Budaiya Botanical Gardens, at least for the next few months. It was only last week that I was telling fellow blogger Moya from Food and Tools how much I wished we had more local markets and ta da!

I’m in the midst of creating a bunch of edible gifts to give away over Christmas and just finished making two batches of citrus curd in the thermomix – one lemon & lime and one pink grapefruit. I used the recipe from Tenina Holder’s book For Food’s Sake (a slight variation of which is up here) and it was so easy peasy I can barely take any credit for it. Of course that’s just between you and me…

Also on the menu is Sundried Tomato Pesto, Citrus & Olive Salt (both from For Food’s Sake), Grainy Mustard with Prunes and Port, homemade Dukkah and hopefully some Maple Chocolate Fudge too. And of course, Gingerbread Balls (which Mark insists should be called Ginger Nuts!) These little treats came about because I was determined to track down a recipe for the rum balls I remember a good family friend making every Christmas when I was a kid. As she couldn’t remember the recipe, I turned to my good friend Google and finally found a match. Also very easy and exactly as I remember them. Mark commented that he loved the cookie dough like texture which got me thinking about trying a variation inspired by the gingerbread dough I found myself picking at when I made my winter wonderland last year.

So here’s the result, it worked! A batch of these will go down a treat at upcoming Christmas drinks, office parties, school fairs (minus the rum!) and if you have kids you can enlist them in the production line and get them rollin’!

Gingerbread Balls (Makes 40)
(inspired by this Rum Ball recipe from  www.thecookbook.com.au)

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Crush the biscuits into a fine crumb using a food processor (you may need to do this in 3 or 4 lots). If you don’t have a food processor place them in a plastic bag and crush using a rolling pin. Tip the crumbs into a large bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Mix well, cover with a tea towel and place the bowl in the fridge.

After 30 minutes or so take the bowl out of the fridge and roll teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls as quickly as possible (to avoid heating them up too much) then roll in coconut. Place the balls on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and return to the fridge. Remove from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving.

For a great homemade gift place a few of these little treats in a cellophane bag or decorated box and tie with a pretty ribbon. They freeze well and will keep for at least a couple of weeks in the fridge but usually don’t last that long!

*      *      *

This post is part of the Photography Challenge hosted by Simone from Junglefrog Cooking which I am so happy to finally participate in after months of wanting to get involved! This month’s challenge is combined with the festive themed Monthly Mingle – if you’d like to join in or are looking for some more festive recipe inspiration be sure to check out Simone’s post for more information.

Amy I’m back…with Gingerbread Balls! Appetite for Discovery:

I promised a while back to tell you more about a special meal I had at the Port Phillip Estate winery when I was last back in Australia. Located in Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula, the Estate opened in November 2009 and is the home of Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate wines – both having been recognised as James Halliday’s Wineries of the Year in 2012.

The rather foreboding entrance to the Estate doesn’t give the slightest hint as to the sheer beauty that lies beyond its tall, dramatic walls. Stunning landscapes are not in short supply in this region but there is certainly something extra special about the vast, panoramic views that greet you as you enter the main building.

Let’s put it this way, when I found out they did weddings I was more than a little miffed that I hadn’t stumbled across this gem in time for my own wedding a couple of years ago. Probably best for our bank account that I didn’t.

Those visiting the Estate have two dining options. The expansive Dining Room offers the ultimate fine dining experience, complete with a large outdoor deck, and the more relaxed Cellar Door Kitchen is the perfect choice for sharing a snack with friends in the warmth of the open fireplace. Both feature floor to ceiling windows and breathtaking views of the vines and the bay beyond. There are also six luxury suites on the Estate for those who decide they don’t want to leave (I suggest you pack an overnight bag).

After browsing the menu we headed to the Cellar Door for a wine tasting to select our wines for lunch. Although a fee is usually charged for tastings (as unfortunately seems to have become customary these days) they are complimentary for those dining in the restaurant. I opted for a full bodied red to accompany my lamb cutlets and rolled breast, tarragon mustard crust, gnocchi, peas, broad beans & jus.

I skipped on a starter having already spotted a chocolate moelleux, basil sorbet & local berries on the dessert menu (really, I’m not a sweet tooth) but was a little envious when my Mum’s salad of heirloom beets, local goats curd & beetroot vinaigrette arrived. It was this dish and many other beetroot salads that I enjoyed during my trip that inspired me to create the recipe I’m sharing with you today. For her main she ordered roasted fillet of Hapuka, chorizo, white beans, tomato, saffron & mussels which was equally enticing. 

As we ate, the clouds moved in casting a dark shadow over the glorious view but not long after, as if someone was literally pulling back the covers, they moved on to reveal the golden vines below.

The Dining Room menu offers a tantalising variety of beautifully presented, contemporary dishes that perfectly compliment the ultra modern but welcoming decor. The portions are generous enough to be filling yet delicately balanced, leaving you feeling satisfied but not gluttonous at the end of the meal.

I hinted earlier that a visit to Port Phillip Estate may leave your wallet a little lighter on the way out than when you came in, and it is true that it is not somewhere you should go looking for a cheap and cheerful meal. That said, one method I use to determine a truly outstanding restaurant, especially one in the fine dining category, is whether or not I walk away feeling that the quality of their offering justifies the cost, and whether I am still keen to return in spite of many other excellent and less expensive alternatives. The answer in this case, a resounding yes.

The setting and food at Port Phillip Estate are both as exceptional as each other, not to mention the friendly and professional service we received from all members of staff. Although competition is tough on the Peninsula, I would definitely now count the Dining Room among my firm favourites and will be sure to return on my next trip. Max’s at Red Hill Estate and Loquat in Sorrento are two other favourites, but for an extra special experience, in my opinion, Port Phillip Estate leads the pack.

Now, I’ll leave you with the recipe for my beetroot, walnut & goats’ cheese salad – colourful and healthy, simple but impressive – this salad is perfect for a light lunch or served in smaller portions as a starter.

The walnuts and panko add a great crunchy texture to the soft, creamy cheese, and the mustard vinaigrette balances the sweetness of the beetroots and pears. As you can see, there wasn’t much left on the plate when we were done!

The Cellar Door at Port Phillip Estate is open 11am-5pm daily, the Cellar Door Kitchen is open for lunch from Saturday to Tuesday and the Dining Room is open for lunch from Wednesday to Sunday and public holidays and for dinner on Friday & Saturday. A map and the menus are available on their website. 

[Disclaimer: I dined at Port Phillip Estate at my own expense and was not asked to write a review or offered any incentives for doing so. All views expressed are my own.]

Beetroot, Walnut & Goats’ Cheese Salad with a Mustard Vinaigrette (Serves 2)

INGREDIENTS

For the mustard vinaigrette:

METHOD

Steam the cubes of beetroot until they have softened to your taste (I steamed mine in the varoma tray of my thermomix for 12 minutes). Set aside to cool.

Whisk all of the ingredients for the dressing together and set aside.

Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the panko in a small bowl and coat each slice of goats’ cheese well. Place the slices of cheese on to the baking tray, sprinkle over the oregano, salt and pepper and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Place the baking tray under the grill until the top of the cheese starts to bubble and turn golden brown (approximately 4-5 minutes). Remove the tray and allow the cheese to cool (it will be very soft and break apart if not left to cool slightly).

Core the pear and cut into julienne-style matchsticks. Split the salad leaves between two plates and scatter half of the pear, beetroot and walnuts over each. Carefully place the warm slices of goats’ cheese in the centre of the plate, using a spatula or knife to ensure the cheese doesn’t break apart. Spoon the dressing over the top and serve immediately.

Amy Port Phillip Estate and Beetroot, Walnut & Goats’ Cheese Salad Appetite for Discovery:

For a few months now, I have been walking past ‘Indian Gooseberries’ in the supermarket wondering if they could be used in the same way as regular gooseberries. Having never cooked with those either I couldn’t even make an educated guess and kept walking by, growing more and more inquisitive with each trip to the supermarket. When the theme for this month’s Sweet Adventures Blog Hop was announced as “Berry Nice to Meet You” (meaning we had to submit a recipe featuring berries of some sort) I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to finally stop and buy some of the gooseberries rather than just staring them out!

After a bit of Googling I didn’t find any recipes that used alma (the Hindi name for the fruit) in a sweet capacity with most people talking about using them in chutneys, pickles or eating them raw with a little salt. Still, I was determined to give it a try and encouraged by a tweet from Indian chef and food writer Maunika Gowardhan confirming that they could be used in sweet dishes too. Awesome. All good.

That was until I tried one. Wow. I don’t think I can find words to accurately describe just how sour and bitter they are so I’ll simply tell you that I can actually feel my salivary glands contracting just thinking about them. I was apprehensive but hoped that enough sugar could counteract the bitterness and decided to make these mini gooseberry meringue pies with the sweet pastry and meringue adding some extra sweetness into the mix.

It seemed like a great plan but when I’d added more sugar to the gooseberry filling than I was comfortable with (actually not that much thinking about it now but I generally cook with as little sugar as possible) and having reached the point where I wasn’t willing to add anymore, I was ready to admit defeat. It was still so sour and bitter! With the pastry cases and meringue all ready to go I pushed on but I could feel a cloud of failure looming overhead.

Much to my surprise (and relief), they actually turned out just fine. As the pies are mini, not much filling goes into each one and the pastry and meringue do counteract the tartness as hoped. Not satisfied with relying on my own assessment, I enlisted some taste testers who all said they thought the balance of sweet vs. tart was perfect, apart from one friend who’s a super sweet tooth – if you’re one too you may want to add some extra sugar or maybe a different filling like this cherry one would be a better choice.

If you’re somewhere where you can only get regular gooseberries then you can definitely use those but if you can, I’d encourage you to try almas at least once. An excellent source of Vitamin C and antioxidants, almas are revered in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for their remedial properties, considered effective in lowering cholesterol, enhancing fertility and reducing the risk of certain cancers among many other benefits. Perfectly good reasons for eating one of these little pies if you ask me! Or several if you’re super health conscious…

Mini Gooseberry Meringue Pies (makes 12)

INGREDIENTS

For the vanilla pastry:

100g flour, sifted
25g ground almonds
25g icing sugar, sifted
50 butter, chilled & chopped into cubes
1 egg yolk (keep the white for the meringue)
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp cold water

For the gooseberry filling: 

200g Indian gooseberries*, top and bottom cut off
50 ml elderflower cordial
70g sugar
3 tbsp water

* if using regular gooseberries you may want to reduce the amount of sugar.

For the meringue:

1 egg white
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
50g icing sugar

METHOD

Place flour, almonds, sugar, butter in food processor and pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs (if you don’t have a food processor use a large bowl and rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips). Add egg yolk, vanilla seeds, vanilla extract and the water a little at a time and pulse until ingredients clump together (if making by hand, mix with a wooden spoon).

Turn mixture on to floured surface and bring together into a smooth ball, adding a few more drops of water if it seems too dry. It shouldn’t be sticky but if it’s too dry it will crack when you roll it. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.

To start the filling, count the gooseberries and add to a small pan. Cover and simmer until soft (about 40 mins) adding more water if the mixture starts to dry out to prevent burning. As the gooseberries soften they will break apart and the seeds can be removed easily. Make sure to count the number of seeds to make sure you got them all! Once soft, mash the mixture into a thick puree using a potato masher. Set aside.

Roll out the pastry on to a lightly floured surface until about 1/2 cm thick and use a round cookie cutter (mine was 6 cm across) to cut out 12 circles. Line a mini muffin pan (mine had 12 holes each measuring 5 cm across) with the circles and prick the bases with a fork. Cover with cling film and chill for another 30 minutes.

Pre heat oven to 180°C/350ºF.

Take the muffin pan out of the fridge and push pastry up to the edges if it has shrunk. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and leave to cool. Place a baking sheet in the oven to warm up.

Beat the egg white and cream of tartar using an electric whisk until soft peaks form. Add the sugar a teaspoon at a time until it is fully incorporated and the meringue is thick and glossy.

Once the pie crusts have cooled, fill them to just below the top and then pipe the meringue on top creating a little peak on each as you pipe. Place the muffin pan on the pre heated baking sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the meringue starts to brown. Allow to cool and lift the pies out of the pan using a blunt knife.

This post is part of the Sweet Adventures “Berry Nice to Meet You” Blog Hop hosted by Christina from The Hungry Australian. If you’d like to join the hop, click here for instructions. To see other entries in the hop, click on the thumbnail images below. Learn more about the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop here.

Amy Mini Gooseberry Meringue Pies Appetite for Discovery:

It’s so hot in Bahrain at the moment that when the temperature dropped to about 38°C (100°F) this week people actually start to rejoice at the advent of cooler weather. Those who haven’t lived in such extreme heat (we’re talking constant temperatures of about 45°C+ and 80-90% humidity for at least a couple of months) often can’t fathom how we could possibly complain about it, but it needs to be experienced to be believed. Sunglasses fogging up when you step outside, the swimming pool feeling more like a hot bath and not needing to run these ice lollies under hot water to get them out of the moulds – give them 5 seconds and they just drop right out! On the up side, complaining about the heat here did win me a copy of Tenina Holder’s thermomix cookbook For Food’s Sake but more about that in a future post. I haven’t forgotten that I promised to tell you all about the little magic machine they call thermomix, and I will, but in the meantime following Helene and Tenina is a must for all thermomixers.

Lots of exciting stuff has been going on since I posted last. I am currently working my way through over 2,000 photos from our Thailand trip so I can share some of the great experiences we had with you, including a cooking class at A lot of Thai cookery school in Chiang Mai. Our host for the day, Yui, made that a very special day and I’ve got some great tips to share with you.

When we got home the t-shirt I had ordered from Sevenly was waiting for me and I have worn it to death since (if you follow on Facebook you may have seen a photo there). Sevenly is a US based organisation that partners with a different non-profit each week to raise money through the sale of unique limited edition clothing and other products – $7 from every product sold over the 7 day period goes to the selected charity for that week. Clever huh? At the top of their home page you can see how much has been donated in a given week as well as the number of shares on Twitter and Facebook – this is another great way you can offer support by helping to spread the word about their campaigns. Please let me know if you order anything, I’d love to hear about it.

Soon after that I got another colourful delivery in the form of my new business cards and greeting cards from Moo. I LOVE them and my only problem now is not wanting to give them away! The quality is amazing and they are particularly popular with bloggers and photographers because you can have a different photo printed on the back of each card which means you always have a little portfolio of your work in your pocket. I’ve noticed people also like the novelty of being able to choose the card they like the most. I also ordered some Facebook cards which are free at the moment (you just have to pay for the postage) and you can get them for business or personal Facebook accounts which is very cool. Looking through the inspiration gallery, I was amazed at the creative ways people have used Moo products. If you’re interested in making an order  this link will get you 10% off.

Unfortunately this Instagram photo doesn’t really do them justice…

There’s more exciting news in the pipeline but that will have to wait for next time. I hope the sun is shining wherever you are and if it’s shining just a little bit too much then hopefully a batch of these ice lollies/popsicles/icy poles will cool you down! Oh, and if you’re not in to sweets, maybe one of Heston’s savoury ice lollies is more your style – Waldorf salad ice lolly anyone?

Lychee, Raspberry & Elderflower Ice Lollies (Makes 4)

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender (I used my thermomix) and blend until smooth. Strain to remove raspberry seeds (optional) and pour into moulds. Place in freezer for 3 hours or until frozen solid. Run under warm water to remove from mould before serving (if required!)

Amy Lychee, Raspberry & Elderflower Ice Lollies Appetite for Discovery:

I had A LOT of fun putting together this blog post for the Sweet Adventures “Nuts about Sweets” Blog Hop. I’m not sure why this one more so than others but I’m pretty sure that several blocks of creamy Lindt chocolate may have something to do with it.

I also enjoyed the fact that they were easier to make than I expected and turned out exactly as I hoped they would (which my fellow bloggers will appreciate is not always the case!) I may have inadvertently tempered the chocolate – I say this because there were no white spots and the chocolate had a nice ‘snap’ to it – but there certainly weren’t any thermometers in sight. If you have the time and inclination, you can read about different methods of tempering chocolate here.

It was also lots of fun working with so many different ingredients and coming up with new flavour combinations in a kind of eeny-meeny-miney-mo fashion. And finally, the fact that we were leaving on holiday and had to finish as many of the creamy, crunchy, colourful chocolate thins as possible before we left may have also been a contributing factor.

I will definitely be making these to serve with coffee and cheese at our next dinner party as they can be made in advance and it’s an easy way to cater for lots of different tastes. Whilst I’m more of a chocolate and nut minus the fruit person myself, the dried fruit added nice little pops of colour for presentation and I actually really enjoyed the fruit and nut combos too. By definition these chocolates are very thin and will melt fairly quickly so you want to make sure you keep them in the fridge right up until you serve them. They would also be a great edible gift layered in boxes or cellophane bags between sheets of tissue paper.

The possibilities are endless but here are some of the flavour combinations I came up with:

What combination takes your fancy?

Chocolate, Fruit & Nut Thins (Makes 15-20)

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Start by chopping and setting aside all of of your toppings and lining a tray or chopping board with baking parchment. If you wish you can draw around a cookie cutter or jam jar lid which will help you make thins of a similar size. They won’t spread so you can space them fairly close together. Make sure you turn over the baking parchment when you are finished so the pen or pencil is facing down.

Break the chocolate up into pieces and melt in a glass bowl over a saucepan 1/4 filled with water over a medium heat (make sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water and that no water gets into the chocolate as it will seize). Once the chocolate starts to melt you can turn it down to a low heat and once fully melted turn it off. This will take 5-10 minutes.

Drop a teaspoonful of melted chocolate into the centre of one of your pre drawn circles and spread in a circular motion using the back of the spoon. Try to spread the mixture evenly so that the edges aren’t super thin as this will make them easier to peel off the baking parchment later.

Repeat the steps above and once you have 5 or 6 thins carefully place your chosen toppings on top of the chocolate circles.

If your bowl of chocolate starts to firm up turn the heat back on for a few seconds (it is easier to spread when fully melted) but don’t leave the heat on the whole time as the chocolate may start to burn and get lumpy.

Repeat the steps above until you have used all of the chocolate in the bowl. If you are using extra chocolate in a contrasting colour to decorate, melt this in a clean bowl and use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the top of your chocolate thins in a flicking motion.

Place the tray of thins in the fridge to chill for at least 1-2 hours and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Note: If using vanilla you will need the seeds of half a vanilla bean per 100g of chocolate. Scoop out the seeds and stir them into the bowl of fully melted chocolate before making your thins.

This post is part of the Sweet Adventures “Nuts about Sweets” Blog Hop hosted by Nic from Dining with a Stud. If you’d like to join the hop, click here for instructions. To see other entries in the hop, click on the thumbnail images below. Learn more about the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop here.

Amy Chocolate, Fruit & Nut Thins Appetite for Discovery:

I left you in the kitchen of The Kangaroo Island Source where we were mid way through a spectacular cooking class hosted by Kate Sumner and Rosa Matto, all set to get cooking following an informative oyster shucking demonstration.

I was lucky enough to be partnered up with John, who was extremely forgiving of my disappearing every few minutes to take photos and diligently supervised our Marron Bisque as I flitted around trying to capture the buzz of activity in all corners of the kitchen.

One of the things I loved about the class that I think differentiated it from other classes I’ve attended is that as well as covering a great variety of dishes, it was extremely hands on and included lots of different techniques such as shucking and injecting oysters, filleting and rolling fish, making fresh pasta and preparing marron.

While these methods would often be reserved for more experienced cooks, having Kate and Rosa on hand to demonstrate and offer assistance meant that participants of all skill levels were catered for, giving everyone the opportunity to develop new skills. Even my Mum, who would be the first to admit that cooking is not one of her passions (although she does cook a mean roast leg of lamb), was rolling out the homemade ravioli faster than you could say “bellissima!”

It was also a real treat to be surrounded by such a variety of quality food and so close to it’s source. In Bahrain we often find ourselves several steps (and days) down the supply chain and here I was with a bounty of fresh seafood caught just down the road, picking chillies and spring onions straight out of the garden. Small pleasures like these make my heart sing.

Lunch time quickly approached and an array of tantalising and colourful dishes started to adorn the table out on the balcony, not to mention the wonderful aromas filling the kitchen. I was blown away by what we had all achieved when, not far at all behind schedule, we all sat down to a truly impressive and decadent feast – small army not required after all (well not for the cooking but we definitely had enough food for one)!

As the dishes were passed around the table, along with some excellent wines provided by The Islander Estate Vineyards and Woolybud Wines, we spent the afternoon sampling the fruits of our labour, soaking up the magnificent view and laughing and chatting like we were at a big family dinner. The other participants, mostly KI residents, were a warm and incredibly welcoming bunch and as the afternoon drew to a close I was sad that it had to come to an end – but not before we all indulged in a delicious sticky date pudding made by Kate’s husband!

As I packed up all my goodies and said my goodbyes - we were each given a beautiful KI Source apron and an etched wine glass from Bay of Shoals Wines – I knew this was a day I wouldn’t be forgetting for a while. Or ever. I also came home with a bottle of The Investigator a Cabernet Franc/Sangiovese blend, from The Islander Estate Vineyards (thanks Rhys!) which I am saving on my wine rack for a suitably special occasion. Made by French winemaker Jacques Lurton, it was given an impressive score of 95/100 by the James Halliday Australian Wine Companion so I can’t wait to try it.

We rounded off the trip the next day with a casual lunch at the oyster farm at American River wharf where I got to try abalone (and the babies, abalini, with their bright blue shells) for the very first time. Delicious. It was great to see some familiar faces from the day before and Kate from the KI Source was assisting with the preparation of some beautiful bite-sized dishes such as Grilled Halloumi & Asparagus wrapped in KI’s Lamb Chorizo. And of course, there were oysters, trays and trays and trays of oysters being shucked right before our eyes.

The rustic surroundings of the shed, baskets, ropes, nets all around and groups of pelicans wandering around outside were, again, a fitting reminder of just how close we were to the source of this high quality food. The live band perched on the back of a tractor provided the soundtrack for a perfect finale to a fabulous weekend. And, just for the record, we didn’t spend all of our time gorging ourselves, we did stop for a few minutes to see the oyster grading and sorting machine in action!

As we set off to catch our ferry back to Adelaide, it was time to say goodbye to everyone one last time. Still processing all the wonderful new tastes and experiences I’d had, I crazily scribbled down notes not wanting to forget any of it and absolutely sure that I would return one day. What I definitely won’t forget is the great people I met and their warm hospitality.

Sadly all the food-related festivities left us no time to explore the many other attractions KI has to offer – a thriving animal population including seal and penguin colonies, bees, birds and an abundance of wildlife, caves, bays, beaches, national parks and lots of other outdoor activities. But that’s ok, it’s a great excuse to go back and one thing is for sure, I will definitely be planning my next trip to coincide with another amazing cooking class at The Kangaroo Island Source.

I was excited to hear this week that an even longer KI Seafood Feast-ival is planned for 2013 with Maggie Beer having already confirmed her participation. I have no doubt it will be a fantastic event. The good news is if you can’t make it you don’t have to miss out on enjoying all the great produce KI has to offer. KI2U’s website Kangaroo Island Online stocks a wide range of products that they will pack up and deliver right to your door. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Let them know and they’ll be happy to help you find it.

To keep up to date about future feast-ivals be sure to follow the Kangaroo Island Feastival page on Facebook.

With thanks again to Rosa, I’ll leave you with the recipes for a couple of the mouth watering dishes we made in the class. You can find a whole list of what we made, and two oyster recipes here.

[Disclaimer: I attended the cooking class and all other events at the festival at my own expense and was not asked to write a review. I was gifted a bottle of The Investigator by The Islander Estate Vineyards at the end of the class but no request was made for me to write about it. All views expressed are my own.]

Paella (Serves 6)

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Heat the oil in a paella pan over medium heat. Cook the chorizo and chicken pieces separately until brown. Remove from the pan and add extra oil if necessary.

Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft. Add tomato, garlic and rice and stir for one minute. Stir in stock, saffron and paprika. When the stock is boiling and the rice grains begin to swell, add the chorizo and chicken and cook for 5 minutes.

Now add the prawns, mussels and calamari. Push the mussels into the rice and cook for about 10 minutes or until the shells open. Finally, add the peas, strips of capsicum (peppers) and parsley and cook for 5 more minutes on a low heat.

Turn off when the rice is cooked and leave to rest for at east 5 minutes before serving. Serve in the pan with wedges of lemon.

Warm Potato Salad with Pesto Trapanese

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

In a mortar pound the garlic, salt and basil into a paste. Add the almonds little by little and then the tomatoes. When all the ingredients are reduced to a pulp, add the oil and pepper. This can be done in a food processor but try to achieve a chunky consistency. Toss the pesto through the warm, boiled potatoes (or through pasta, or spread on to toasted bread).

Amy Kangaroo Island: A Culinary Journey (Part 2) Appetite for Discovery:

Luckily, I wasn’t the first to come up against this challenge and after a little research I found what seems to have become the standard Paleo friendly pastry recipe, made primarily of ground almonds. Making a decision on what filling to choose was easy when I was greeted by trays of big, juicy Lebanese cherries in the fruit shop the next day. They were a deep, dark red and super sweet so didn’t need much additional sweetening.

They were also the most perfectly formed cherries I have seen in a long time, just screaming out to have their picture taken. You won’t be surprised to hear that when it came to choosing a tin, I was immediately drawn to some mini loose based tins I got for my birthday (if you’re new to the blog and aren’t familiar with my ‘mini’ obsession you can read about it here, here and here). Obsessions aside, mini tins are also a good way of encouraging portion control if you are following a diet but still want to treat yourself every now and then.

Although I have never been the dieting type I am naturally inclined towards healthy eating and will generally opt for healthy alternatives if given the choice. That said, in some cases I would rather just go all out and really enjoy something rather than going for a healthier option and being left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied.

Thankfully with these little pies you don’t have to compromise. Having sampled quite a few now (for recipe testing purposes, of course) I am confident that they can be enjoyed by all and definitely don’t fall into the category of tasteless diet food. Being gluten and dairy free they are a great dessert choice for those with intolerances and if you’ve got a super sweet tooth you can always add a little extra honey to the filling.

*The ‘peg’ photos above were inspired by this post from Two Loves - one to bookmark for beautifully creative food photography*

Paleo Cherry, Almond & Coconut Pie (makes 4 mini pies)

INGREDIENTS

I used Elana Amsterdam’s recipe here but I halved it. To do this you need to split the egg: crack 1 egg in a bowl and lightly beat using a fork to break up the yolk. Add half to the crust mixture (I used digital scales to weigh out half) and keep the other half for the topping.

If you’re using scales, a cup of ground almonds weighs about 130g.

For the cherry filling:

350g fresh cherries, pitted (or 300g pre pitted cherries)
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp ground arrowroot powder (not essential but thickens the syrup)

METHOD

Pre heat oven to 180ºC/350ºF.

Make the pie crust following Elana’s instructions here - see above regarding the egg. My pastry didn’t form a ball in the food processor so I just turned it out on to a clean surface and moulded it into a ball by hand.

Cut the pastry into 4 equal pieces (I rolled it in to a thick sausage shape and cut it in to four then used scales to check each piece was about the same size) and push into tart pans – mine measured 11cm x 6 cm. Take your time with this step making sure the pastry is an even thickness all the way round as if the edges are too thin they will burn.

Bake the empty pie crusts in the oven for 14-16 mins or until they are a light golden brown. Keep a close eye on them after about the 12 min mark as they change colour quite quickly – I burnt mine the first time and undercooked them slightly the second time! When you bring them out, the surface should feel a bit crisp so if it’s still soft put them in for another minute or two.

Mix the ground arrowroot with the water and add to a small pan with the rest of the filling ingredients. Simmer on a low heat for about 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the cherries have softened but are still holding their shape and some syrup has formed.

In a bowl, mix the topping ingredients together and set aside.

Fill the pie cases with filling and then generously sprinkle over the topping. Bake for 15 mins or until top is golden brown, turning half way through. Allow to cool before carefully transferring to a plate.

This post is part of the Sweet Adventures “Sweet as Pie” Blog Hop hosted by KC from Capers of the Kitchen Crusader. If you’d like to join the hop, click here for instructions. To see other entries in the hop, click on the thumbnail images below. Learn more about the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop here.

Amy Paleo Cherry, Almond & Coconut Pie Appetite for Discovery:

My response: “I’ll change my flights, let’s go!”

I don’t think this was quite the response she was anticipating but being the ever obliging mum that she is, she set to work making plans for us to attend the event. I have to confess to knowing very little about Kangaroo Island before we got there and I therefore had no particular expectations, other than lots fresh seafood, of course. Most of the planning was kindly taken care of by our friend and so apart from a cooking class I had signed up for, I arrived almost completely unaware of the culinary journey that was about to unfold before me.

And what a journey it was. Seafood was just the tip of the iceberg! Though not geographically small for an island, Kangaroo Island (or KI as the locals refer to it) is home to less than 5,000 people. With this in mind, I was pleasantly surprised to learn of the vast array of locally produced gourmet foods, many of which I was lucky enough to sample while we were there. Towards the end of the weekend I tried to make a list of all the wonderful local produce we had enjoyed…Worthy of particular mention is KI’s honey, produced by Ligurian bees that were imported all the way from Italy in the 1880s. In 1885 an Act of Parliament prohibited the keeping of bees other than the Ligurian on Kangaroo Island thereby creating what is now the world’s oldest bee sanctuary. You can read more about these bees here where you’ll learn that aside from producing delicious honey, they are also playing an important role in battling disease, and notably in cancer research.

We were not long off the ferry (which departs from Cape Jervis) before we were nibbling away at platters of locally produced antipasto, warm bread and dukkah and sampling the wines of the Sunset Winery. Sitting on the balcony taking in the spectacular view with ruby red vines hanging above, this was a delightful introduction to Kangaroo Island.

As we worked our way through the selection of wines we were already planning our next indulgence (a common theme throughout the trip!), which was the “My BBQ Rules Launch Dinner” with celebrity chef Pete Evans. This dinner set the tone for the whole trip – exceptional food delivered in a relaxed but professional manner, with an absolute focus on fresh, local and, most importantly, top quality produce.

Hosted in a marqee down by the wharf, each table was assigned their own chef and BBQ with the main meal of KI King George Whiting with a Warm Dressing of Tomato, Oregano and Pine Nuts being cooked right in front of our eyes. The starter, simple but sensational, was a Fig Salad with Ricotta, Honey and Chorizo (all locally sourced) – lamb chorizo I might add which is much less common than the pork variety and absolutely delicious! Accompanying the whiting was a Greek Salad with KI Sheep’s Feta, Potato Salad with KI Sheep’s Yoghurt & Home Smoked Fish and Moroccan KI Cauliflower & Red Lentil Salad, all complimented by a selection of Kangaroo Island wines. After dinner I was lucky enough to meet Pete and have him sign a copy of one of his cookbooks for me – My Table. A great way to round off a great evening.

The next day we were up early to head to our cooking class at The Kangaroo Island Source which meant we missed out on attending the main event (live entertainment,  stalls selling fresh seafood, wines and other KI fare down at the wharf) – but trust me, we did not miss out.

Oh me, oh my. This was a cooking class like no other. For starters the setting – wow – the property is surrounded by green fields with uninterrupted ocean views and, as luck would have it, we were also blessed with warm sunshine and bright blue skies. Add to that an abundance of great food, great wine and great company and you’ve got an experience of a lifetime.

Our hosts for the day were the lovely Kate Sumner (owner of KI Source) and equally lovely Rosa Matto (owner of Rosa Matto Cookery School in Adelaide) and we could not have been in better hands. Both are incredibly passionate and talented chefs and just wonderfully friendly and welcoming people. Rosa kicked things off at around 10am giving us a bit of an introduction to Italian food, and more specifically Sicilian food, which is somewhat different from the rest of Italy with strong Greek and Arabic influences. Did you know you can actually see North Africa from Sicily? Me neither.

Flicking through the menu I wondered how we were going to achieve all of this in time for lunch. To start, a Quartet of American River Oysters – some in the form of limoncello and vodka shots (with the limoncello injected right into the oysters), some baked with herbs and breadcrumbs, some in oyster and sausage pots and the rest in sea water jelly. Accompanying these was Marron (freshwater crayfish) Bisque and Ravioli stuffed with Marron, Tarragon and Spring Onions. Next up was Barramundi Rolls served with a Fennel and Orange Salad as well as a huge Paella, a Warm Potato Salad with Pesto Trapanese and Wilted Greens with Raisins, Pine Nuts and Fried Bread.

In the absence of a small army to assist us in preparing these dishes, we formed groups based around the dishes we wanted to take charge of. I challenged myself to attempt the Marron Bisque, having never seen a marron before let alone cooked or cleaned one. Before we set to work, however, we were treated to a quick oyster shucking demonstration by Paul from Kangaroo Island Shellfish (located at American River). If you haven’t shucked your own oysters and would like to give it a go, this video will show you how.

During the demo we learnt that it takes Pacific oysters (which are non native and were introduced in the 1940s) approximately 2 and a half years to grow from a spat (3mm) to Bistro size (50-60mm) although strong currents at the American River farm help them grow a bit faster than this. The peak oyster season on Kangaroo Island is mid March to November and in terms of grading, we learnt that an A grade oyster has  no grit and the white portion of the flesh (the fat) is present all the way around – in other words, the whiter the oyster the better.

Paul also enlightened us as to why oysters can taste a bit powdery or creamy at certain times of the year. This is because they spawn during the summer months which affects their flavour and texture. Some producers, such as Kangaroo Island Shellfish, address this by also growing non spawning varieties, known as triploids, to enable them to meet demand during the ‘off’ season, especially over the Christmas period. If you’re interested in learning more, this video of the team at work gives a great insight into the oyster growing and harvesting process.

As much as I don’t want to, I’ve decided to split this post into two as there is just too much to digest in one sitting (ha, intended). Rosa very kindly gave me permission to share some of the recipes from the class with you so I’ll leave you with two of the oyster recipes below and don’t forget to check in for part two over the next few days!

[Disclaimer: I attended the cooking class and all other events at the festival at my own expense and was not asked to write a review. I was gifted a bottle of The Investigator by The Islander Estate Vineyards at the end of the class but no request was made for me to write about it. All views expressed are my own.]

Oysters Baked with Herbs & Breadcrumbs (makes 12)

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200ºC. Combine all ingredients, except the coarse salt, and coat each oyster in the shell. Drizzle over a little extra olive oil if necessary. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden. Arrange some coarse sea salt on a platter and sit the oysters on it (or serve on individual plates if you prefer).

Oyster and Sausage Pots (makes 12)

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Heat the oil in a frypan. Saute the sausage until crisp and golden, remove and set aside. To the same frypan, add the onion and cook until sweet and transparent without colouring – this may take up to 15 minutes with splashes or water if necessary. Now add the garlic, tomato and its liquid, parsley and chilli. Allow to cook until thick and then season. Add the sausages, oysters and all the juices. Distribute evenly between the warmed pots and serve immediately with fresh crusty bread.

Amy Kangaroo Island: A Culinary Journey (Part 1) Appetite for Discovery: