Our favourite foodie picks for the weekend.
Galettes de blé noir are the French version of pizza. The light lacy buckwheat savoury pancakes are delicate, or mixed with wheat flour to become more crepe-like and the fillings can range from cheese and ham with egg, to chorizo, cheese and olives.
Allyson Gofton has a delicious recipe for chorizo and cheese galettes over on Bite.co.nz.
See Allyson Gofton's recipe here.
• Passionfruit and vanilla melting moments
Passionfruit are tart and sweet when fresh, and they're great as icing. These biscuits are so crumbly and buttery - making them perfect when paired with a hot cup of tea on a cold day.
See the recipe by Delaney Mes here.
• Honey and Horopito Lamb with Watercress and Walnut Salad
Matariki, the Maori New Year, starts on June 25 this year. When the stars align in the sky around the time of the winter solstice, it's time for a thanksgiving feast, with a menu that celebrates Aotearoa's unique place in the world and the rich bounty of our produce.
Annabel Langbein has a delicious Matariki feast in her column this week.
See Annabel Langbein's recipes here.
• Pop-up Italian eatery: Cotto in Newton
"Everything about the venture is perfect, from the simple yet evocative name (it's Italian for "cooked") through the menu (which has the work of a local artist on the back) to the $10 dolci, which is the Italian word for 'pudding'.
"But the reason to go is to eat what must surely be the best pasta in town, handmade virtually on the spot and dressed up in ways that will have you saying, 'Well, I've never tasted anything like that before.'"
Read Peter Calder's full review here.
• Restaurant Review: Ampersand, Orakei
Viva's eating out editor Jesse Mulligan was thoroughly impressed by Orakei's new modern European restaurant Ampersand.
"You can't go wrong with this menu - though I'd be disappointed if you didn't try the duck bisteeya, featuring stewy bird wrapped in flaky pastry, sitting on a butternut puree, drizzled in duck jus and topped with crunchy pinenuts and a salty sweet caper-raisin salsa piled into a little pyramid."
See Jesse Mulligan's full review over on Viva.co.nz.
• Where to eat on Dominion Road
A stroll down the Balmoral section of Dominion Rd will bring home the idea of Auckland's rapidly expanding cultural landscape.
Featuring predominantly Asian cuisine - from snacks on a stick to steaming bowls of fresh noodles, giant tureens of saucy stir-fries to mountains of shaved ice - a culinary adventure awaits those ready to embrace the bold and diverse role this iconic street contributes to the tapestry of Auckland's thriving food scene.
See all of Viva's Dominion Road eats suggestions here.
• These six foods could put you in hospital
Emergency rooms are full up with clumsy cooks who have injuries ranging from slicing mango wrong, to opening a can of soup with their fingers.
Read the full article here.
• The worst diet tips a nutritionist has ever heard
Want to lose weight or overhaul your eating habits for good? Chances are your Google search leaves you with more questions than answers.
We've pulled together the top four terrible diet tips that nutritionists say could be messing with your slim-down strategy.
Read the full story here.
• Nine processed foods that are actually healthy
One of the most frequent diet recommendations we hear is to eat less processed, packaged food and indeed many of the premade meals and sauces found in supermarkets can be bypassed altogether. On the other hand, there are a number of nutritionally sound food items that can be described as "processed", yet are still healthy choices.
Read the full story here.
• The Whisky Lounge pop-up bar
Step inside The Whisky Lounge and celebrate the finer things known to man. Chivas Regal has teamed up with Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill to develop a tantalising winter pop-up bar in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour that's open for the next six weeks.
Pop in for an afternoon tipple, book yourself in for a Whisky Masterclass, or let your hair down after dark with an Old Fashioned or your favourite pour over ice.
The Whisky Lounge open is at Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill, Level 1, 99 Quay Street.
New Zealand's largest wine tasting event is coming to Auckland this weekend for two big days of celebration.
It's your opportunity to find your new favourite drop amongst hundreds of wines, sommelier-led tasting classes and masterclasses presented by leading wine guru. Plus there will be many delicious food pairings washed down with live entertainment all weekend.
See their website here for ticket details and more information.
Broadcaster has written a new book about the joys of getting older.