KEY POINTS:
From feta to gouda, camembert to brie - if you are a lover of cheese then you'll love this year's CheeseFest, which takes place at the Skycity Convention Centre from 5-8pm, Wednesday, March 4. There will be more than 400 of New Zealand's finest speciality cheeses to nibble and try along with a complimentary glass of wine. The difficulty will be narrowing down to what to take home. Tickets are $35 from Ticketek, but Viva has five double passes to give away. To enter, write your name, address and phone number on an envelope and send it to CheeseFest Competition, Viva, NZ Herald, PO Box 3290, Auckland. Entries close 25 February. See nzsca.org.nz
Picnic tips
There's nothing better than a picnic under the stars - that's why we'll be heading along to the Auckland Domain this Saturday for the fantastic, free Skycity Starlight Symphony to hear Brooke Fraser, Will Martin, Phil Madsen, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and the Skycity Massed Choir. Meanwhile, Ross Hannah, Skycity's executive sous-chef shares his tips on how to prepare a yummy picnic for a big group.
* You're more likely to prepare too much so measure your ingredients carefully - leftovers can be a pain
* More different dishes mean smaller and easier portions to prepare
* Think about your group - rugby team vs socialites
* The most mouthwatering dishes will go first so make heaps.
Kitchen still open
Here at Viva we're thrilled that TV3 has moved one of our favourite cooking shows, World Kitchen to a new timeslot. The show, starring the gorgeous Nici Wickes visiting exotic locales around the world, then coming home and cooking up recipes she's learned on her travels, was on Saturday nights but now it's showing on TV3 at 5.30pm on Sundays. It's the perfect armchair escapism... travels and mouthwatering food ideas.
