Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2022 i Gourmet Traveller

The December issue is always a time to pause and reflect but as I sit down to write this, my final missive of the year, I am fizzing. This year, I don’t have to scrounge around for the smallest scraps of joy and force myself to sound brighter and jollier than I really am. This year, the joy is real and I am fizzing with both excitment and relief. As I write this letter, I am on my way to Tokyo to attend the most extraordinary evening of music and craftsmanship, which will see Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto unveil a bespoke symphony inspired by the 2008 vintage of Krug Champagne. It’s an event that’s been three years in the making and would have been unimaginable last year, or even just…

Raes on Wategos, Byron Bay, NSW The pool at this Byron stayer is reason enough to visit. Then add to the equation a very special dinner with Tokyo sushi chef Koji Kimura and Raes has proved it’s still one of the most thrilling small hotels in Australia. Jordan Kretchmer, news editor Time Rone, Melbourne, Vic Three years in the making, artist Rone has created a love letter to mid-century Melbourne. The multisensory exhibition is set in the abandoned third-floor wing of Flinders Street Station and is a hauntingly beautiful step back in time. Holly Doran, designer Maeve Wine Bar, Brisbane, Qld No visit to Brisbane is complete without a leisurely stop at groovy Maeve Wine Bar. With window seats overlooking the glittering cityscape, it’s the perfect place for a glass…

How have you approached the menu at Cafe Sydney? I’ve tried to highlight the wonderful produce that exists in Australia. Keeping it very light and very fresh and seasonal and really letting the quality speak for itself and just adding a little bit of finesse to it. How did you get into cooking? I actually did a film degree back in England and worked straight after my degree in the film industry on commercials and TV shows. The recession hit and I really had to re-evaluate what direction I was going to take because I couldn’t get any jobs, so asked myself, “What’s something I’m really passionate about and can see myself doing until I’m 60?” I went back to school and retrained as a chef, and eventually came over…

When I was a boy, my father brought home a box of “Ron’s Seedling” cherries every year, in those exciting weeks before the Christmas holidays. He probably thought that this big box would last for weeks. But my brother and I would sit on the floor in front of the fridge, with the door open, feeding cherries into our mouths one after the other, like monkeys. This delectable treat marked the beginning of school holidays, and a summer full of adventures. “Sweet cherries” are not to be confused with their cousins the “sour cherries”. Sour cherries are smaller, harder, and brighter red. Their dense flesh and tangy, almond-cherry flavour is not pleasant eaten fresh, but they are the superior cooking cherry. I will deal with them another time. Sweet cherries…

Semifreddo is little more than three core ingredients: whipped sweetened egg whites, cream for richness and chocolate for flavour. Our preferred method, and the one used here, starts with whole eggs, whipped to a rich aerated zabaglione. The need for an ice-cream machine is replaced by whipping ingredients to envelop air, which along with sugar prevents ice crystals forming, creating a pleasant semi-frozen mouthfeel for which the dessert gets its name. Our flavourings, while decidedly non-traditional are delicious and perfectly in tune with Australian summer entertaining. Step by step 1 Place 300gm finely chopped white couverture chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Using a 600ml carton of thickened cream, bring 125ml (½ cup) cream and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste to the boil in a small saucepan; pour over chocolate; stir…

Christmas is a busy time for most, but more so for bakeries. When we speak to A.P Bakery’s Dougal Muffet, weeks ahead of the holiday, the team is ramping up production. “December is the busiest time of year,” says the former Ester chef, who swapped restaurants for bakeries in 2016. “So finishing on the 24th, we scrub the place down. Then it’s about getting to the country with family and friends. Good food is well-earned,” says Muffet. This Christmas rounds out a stellar year for Muffet and partners Mat Lindsay and Russell Beard. In early 2022 the trio opened A.P Bakery, a thoughtful viennoiserie located atop Surry Hills’ Paramount House. Then in July, they opened a Newtown outpost. The venture’s success is owed, in part, to Muffet’s reputation for crafting…

It’s just before dawn and I’m shadowing a red-turbaned Rabari herdsman who’s come to collect me for my leopard safari. As our feet scrunch on the gravel path, clouds of insects take wing from the long monsoon-fed grasses, drawn by the lamp he’s carrying. The churr and thrum created by the crickets and katydids build such a hypnotic wall of sound, I feel I’m in a waking dream. This dreaming-awake state is one I’ve been happily dropping in and out of since landing in India. I flew in as a passenger on the inaugural Qantas flight from Sydney to Karnataka’s capital, Bengaluru. It’s the first time the national carrier has directly connected to southern India. I’d been advised by seasoned India-goers I’d experience sensory overload. Everything about India would be…

Gourmet Traveller Everyday Flavour and fresh produce are at the heart of our new cookbook, which shows how simple it is to create everyday dishes from scratch. Featuring more than 100 seasonal recipes that are easy to prepare yet elegant. aremediabooks.com.au Gourmet Traveller Gift Card For a shared experience and meal to remember, the Gourmet Traveller gift card is perfect for those who appreciate the good things in life. From Cutler and Co. in Melbourne to Hentley Farm in South Australia, it can be used across Australia at some of the country’s best restaurants. gourmettravellergiftcard.com.au Maison Balzac x GT wine glasses As featured on the cover of our November issue, these limited edition wine glasses bring a little fun and flair to any occasion. Pair with your favourite summer drink,…

SYDNEY Bondi will welcome back one of its most famed restaurants when Icebergs Dining Room and Bar reopens. Head chef Alex Prichard tells GT, “The reopening menu is a mixture of new and old. The brief for Icebergs has always been the same from Maurice [Terzini]: flavours his mother would recognise but the food she’d never cook. There’s a lot of freedom in that brief,” says Prichard. The centre of the restaurant will behold a new iced seafood trough, from which lobsters from Kiama, yabbies, and tins of caviar will be displayed. The caviar service has been changed up to include pizzelle, which Prichard first tried at Terzini’s house, made by his mother. “I said ‘these are incredible. We need to serve them with caviar!’ So it’s a beautiful thin…

Beef carpaccio, fig and fennel salad SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 10 MINS (PLUS FREEZING) 600 gm piece beef fillet, trimmed1 baby fennel, trimmed, sliced on a mandolin3 figs, cut into thin wedges1 cup (loosely packed) picked watercress sprigs2 tsp pink peppercorns, crushed DRESSING60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling1 tbsp finely grated ginger1 golden shallot, finely chopped2 tbsp Sherry vinegar 1 Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Drizzle beef with oil and season to taste. Cook beef, turning occasionally, until just seared (5-6 minutes). 2 Transfer beef to a tray and cool slightly. Roll beef tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until firm (2-3 hours). 3 Meanwhile, for dressing, heat oil in a small saucepan over low heat…

MOST-LIKED POSTS 1 Dan Hong’s crispy eggplant with fish-fragrant sauce 2 Nik Hill’s cauliflower cheese tart 3 Curtis Stone’s Dutch baby with lemon butter 4 Fig, pomegranate and burrata Christmas salad 5 Roasted cauliflower, Brussels sprout and chickpea salad + THANK YOU TO OUR 815,512 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK 60 TOP RECIPES 1. Pea and ham soup2. Eggplant parmigiana3. Eton Mess4. Curtis Stone’s Dutch baby with lemon butter5. Bethany Finn’s lemon delicious pudding TOP-SELLING ISSUES 1. APRIL THE ITALIAN ISSUE 2. JUNE THE BISTRO ISSUE 3. JANUARY MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER…

Barbecued prawns with aji verde SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 15 MINS For these spiced-fuelled barbecued prawns we’ve paired extra-large, sustainably wild-caught prawns with aji verde, a spicy Peruvian green sauce. Pictured p98 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil½ tsp sweet paprika1 tbsp lemon juice12 extra-large green prawns (110gm each; we use U6), heads removed, halved lengthways, cleaned Micro coriander and finger lime pearls, to serve AJI VERDE 1 cup each (firmly packed) coriander and flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped1 jalapeño chilli, finely chopped3 spring onions, thinly sliced2 garlic cloves, finely chopped2 tbsp lime juice1 tsp finely grated lime zest80 ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil 1 Place oil, paprika and lemon juice in a large bowl, add prawns, season to taste and toss to coat. 2…

First of all, let’s toss out the concept of being a “good” cook, and replace it with the idea of becoming a better cook. Better cooking is a lifelong journey. It’s made up of single steps, with plenty of whoopsies and notes-for-next-time along the way. Every step gets you a bit closer to cracking the codes that unlock the confidence to feel freedom and joy in the kitchen. Forget about cooking for someone else’s tastes or expectations. I’ve tried doing that in the past, and would strongly not recommend. Why? Because fear lives here, and the paralysis of choice. Oh, and doubt, of course, about what it is you should be doing, and whether you’re good enough. The joy of better cooking, is that you can stop second-guessing yourself. You…

The festive season and Vienna go together like winter and mulled wine. Come December, the city reaches peak sparkle with Christmas markets at Maria-Theresien-Platz, Rathausplatz, and on Freyung being the undeniable main attraction. But the Gourmet Traveller reader can not be sustained on premium-quality tidings alone. Enter chef Konstantin Filippou, to direct us to the best places to eat and drink when we’re not soaking up merriment. The son of a Greek father and a Syrian mother, Filippou was both exposed to and inspired by two culinary cultures during his time growing up in Austria. It’s this multicultural upbringing, together with experience in kitchens such as Restaurant Steirereck in Vienna and Arzak in Spain, that has helped him create one of the country’s most exciting restaurants, two-Michelin-starred Konstantin Filippou restaurant,…

EFFORTLESS ALFRESCO Take the party outside with furniture and décor in nature’s most enduring palette: timber, rattan and linen. NATURAL WONDER Lean into the warm weather and long days this festive season by setting a light and understated mood.…

Food For Everyone is a not-for-profit project that transforms delicious dishes into wall art. The new edition unites an all-female creative line-up with all-female cooks and chefs, including Nuñez Rojas’ minimalist take on Analiese Gregory’s crayfish cocktail; and Allie Webb’s bold lino-cut depiction of Rosheen Kaul’s black pepper mud crab. Profits from each print purchased go directly to support people experiencing food insecurity via charity partner SecondBite, making for a visually impactful and socially minded gift. $90, foodforeveryone.org.au…

Neil Perry is keeping the momentum of a good thing going, relaunching the Hope Hospitality Foundation. “We’re refocusing what we’re doing – coming out of the pandemic, we didn’t want to forget about all the good work we had done,” says Perry. Formerly known as Hope Delivery, the relaunched charity harnesses what the hospitality industry does best – cooking, welcoming, serving and connecting – by creating free meals for people in vulnerable situations. Along with a kitchen preparing meals in Sydney’s Piccadilly Arcade, in 2023 the team will open a public-facing shop, where city workers can pick up convenient lunches. The profits from these on-the-go lunches will go towards creating even more meals for vulnerable people. “That’s what we do well in hospitality. We know we can make a more…

Stored TO PERFECTION Whether laying down a bottle for cellaring or stocking up for festive celebrations, correct storage is vital to ensure your wine’s quality and longevity. The Vintec Single Zone Wine Cabinet is designed to keep every bottle in optimal conditions with the assistance of dimmed internal lighting, a triple-glazed door, insulated side panels and UV-protected tinted glass. The sleek, compact design offers efficient storage and quickly adjustable temperature control to adapt from cellaring to drinking temperature as needed. Cellar MASTER Ideal for entertaining, the Vintec Single Zone Wine Cabinet with 35-bottle capacity keeps wine at the optimal temperature for storage or drinking. An externally housed compressor, rubber shock absorbers and vibration-absorbing shelving help to ensure your precious drops stay safe and sound. These single-zone wine cabinets are ideal…

Barbecued lamb in baharat and yoghurt SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 3 HRS 30 MINS (PLUS MARINATING, RESTING) Barbecued lamb leftovers are perfect for wraps and salads to serve on Boxing Day. Begin this recipe a day ahead. Pictured p109 500 gm Greek-style yoghurt15 gm ground baharat (see note)4 garlic cloves, finely grated Finely grated zest of 2 lemons1 cup (loosely packed) coriander leaves, finely chopped3 kg easy-carve leg of lamb, French-trimmed (see note)2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, plus extra for drizzling Pomegranate arils and chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve 1 To marinate lamb, place yoghurt, baharat, garlic, zest and coriander in a food processor; season to taste and process until combined. Place lamb in a large non-reactive bowl and coat with half of the marinade; cover…

Our handsome waiter exclaims “Et voila! as he presents me with a platter of local favourites. Wafts of fragrance permeate my nostrils and I audibly “mmm.” While I’m eager to eat, I also want to savour the moment. Leaning back in my chair, the balmy afternoon heat soaking into my bones, I take in my surroundings. Tucked down a tiny laneway, I seem to be the only foreigner sitting in this tiny, traditional brasserie. French families chatter and laugh either side of me, church bells toll in the distance, and the heavenly sound of wine corks popping – followed by the satisfying “glug glug” and the clink of glass against glass – fills my ears. There are few people who haven’t heard of Bordeaux. In fact, its mere mention is…