Where to dine and what to make this weekend. Photos / Supplied, Babiche Martens
From foodie events to the best restaurants, recipes and diet tips, here are the best bites of food news this week.
• The Glass Goose, Auckland CBD
Canvas' It took a single dish for Greg Bruce to find out all he needed to know about The Glass Goose...
"I spent a lot of time with the menu, waiting for my wife, and came to the conclusion that the only serious and meaningful meal available was the most expensive dish on the menu: the potato hash, with kransky, avocado and poached eggs on ciabatta ($22)."
Saigon Cafe is one of at least five cafes to take a punt at this venue in the past ten years. Peter Calder is dubious about whether this one will be able to hold on either.
"A salad of prawn and green mango never made it to the table, which was a shame because it sounded great, but we shared a lovely lychee panna cotta, on a bed of lychee jelly, even if the parfait glass it came in was exquisitely hideous."
• The Original, Viaduct Harbour
Jesse Mulligan tries out a restaurant-cum-night club for Viva and disappoints his friend with his choice.
"Andy chose lamb chops for his main, which tasted good, though as an ex-vegetarian I've never quite understood how they are meant to be at their best - neither rare nor fall-apart tender, they were the most Kiwi aspect of the whole night. Given they were served with a pre-made couscous salad straight out of the fridge, we could easily have been back in Hamilton at our 2nd XV end-of-year barbecue."
• Delaney Mes: Fresh from the sea recipes
Inspired by her recent tropical island travels, Delaney Mes shares some fresh seafood recipes.
"I was lucky enough to have a few days in Rarotonga recently and thoroughly enjoyed the local seafood. I had ika mata - Cook Islands' raw fish salad - just about everywhere I went. I was keen to have a play around with making it when I got home, so that's exactly what I did."
• Sid Sahrawat's perfect pork ribs
Chef of the moment Sid Sahrawat shares his daughter's favourite pork ribs recipe with Bite.
"The purchase of a pressure cooker has made getting Zoya's favourite ribs to the table a breeze. The whole house smells delicious and Zoya loves leftover ribs in her sandwiches the next day."
• Al Brown's mum's ginger crunch
Restaurateur Al Brown shares his mother's recipe with
Viva
so it can be passed on and on.
"A recipe is like a culinary love letter - you keep passing it on. Someone will take my recipe and add something to it and then it will become their recipe and then they will hopefully pass it on."
• Drinking beer has surprising health benefits
Could a glass of beer a day be just what the doctor ordered? Studies have found that a bit of beer could have a range of benefits, including reducing the risk of a stroke, developing cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
"Dr Michel Joosten, a visiting professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, studied 38,000 middle-aged men, and concluded that the alcohol content in beer increases insulin sensitivity, which helps prevent diabetes. Additionally, beer is a good source of soluble fibre - a dietary material that helps to control blood sugar and plays an important role in the diet of people suffering from diabetes."
• The healthy foods nutritionists won't eat
A nutirionist has revealed the food she will never eat, even though they may be promoted as being good for you.
"From fruit juice and low-fat yoghurt to agave syrup - often touted by clean eating bloggers as a "healthy" alternative to refined sugar - these are the foods that any self-respecting nutritionist would avoid putting in their bodies."
• How to eat for an energy boost
Food is our fuel, so what foods do the job the best?
"Vitamins and minerals don't give us energy, per se. Energy comes from calories - specifically, calories in the form of glucose, which is found in carbohydrate-containing foods - and from sleep. That said, fuelling yourself with nutrient-rich foods helps your body run optimally and make the most of food energy."
• Bite's tips for Taste of Auckland
Wondering how to get the most out of your trip to Taste this weekend? Bite has devised a list of must-see stalls and happenings in their diary. Take a look.
"We'll visit Bio Farm for their wild apple yoghurt (concentrated syrup from organic apples meets probiotic yoghurt) and Grinning Gecko's handmade soft organic cheeses will be calling our name too, particularly their Kau Piro washed rind which won a gold medal at this year's NZ Champion of Cheese Awards."
It's Toast Martinborough's 25th anniversary this Sunday. With eight sites, nine wineries, nine restaurants and 20 music acts, there's plenty of ways to celebrate a quarter of a century's worth of top notch food and festivities.
For more, head to their website.
- nzherald.co.nz
She never told them the five-course meal was vegan. So a cousin decided to act.