Autumn Joys

I love the light and air this time of year. Even after such a forlorn summer, the chill is invigorating, and the as the sun turns more to silver than gold, I feel enlivened.The blackberries we planted some time ago have finally decided to settle in, and the crop this year was constant and tasty. I thought a tarte tartin would be a winner with a few luscious berries added. I used a 10 inch cast iron frying pan, which I bought at the Panmure market for $10 and use for everything. Core apples or pears (peel them too, if you can be bothered, which I can't if the apples are thin skinned and nice), slice tidily, and roll in enough lemon juice to stave off the browning effects of oxidation. Set oven to 190 degrees, and take your pastry sheet out of the freezer - I use Paneton flakey pastry sheets which are easy and very good quality. Cut a circle of pastry to just fit your pan.Put 200g sugar in the frying pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat gently, stirring until boiling. After this point, lift heat to medium and swirl to spread the caramelization, being careful not to splash. Do not taste - caramel burns are like oil burns, painful and even dangerous. Stir in a knob of butter, and place the apple slices (with points for artistic merit) in the caramel, pour the blackberries over, and simmer gently about 5 mins until the apple is softened, turning if necessary. Place pastry on top, and put in the oven to bake until pastry is puffed and golden, about half an hour.Cool about 5 minutes, and check the pastry will dislodge from pan. Place a board over the top of the pan, and flip - confidence is everything - and there you have it. 

Gorgeous!

My favourite cheese (if it is possible) has finally bjeen recognised. We ran this when we opened in 2010, and in my, albeit humble, opinion, this cheese will stand the test of time with the Whitestone Blues, Clevedon Buffalo mozzarella and others to become an iconic NZ cheese. It is the Darfield, and was awarded Champion Original Cheese this year in the 2012 Cuisine Cheese Awards. Anna Moorhead has combined art with food perfectly. The cheese is fresh, with a shelf life of about 3 weeks, I think, of creamy consistency, and pungent with white mould, not for the fainted hearted, with a French ash layer through the middle. When cut, this ash line schmears to become a seismograph reading, a memorial to the September Earthquake centred on Darfield, 20 kilometres from Anna and her father Ev's goat farm. I love it, and we sell plenty when it is available, as well as the wonderful Fromage Blanc. Grown men have been called to comment on the Fromage Blanc in a roquette salad with pears, roasted or not, and nuts...almonds or walnuts, dressing of avo oil and real lemon juice, pepper and salt. My favourite is on pizza, I am embarrassed to say, with Hungarian Deli's Black Pudding, and a sprinkle of roquette, maybe a squidgeon of grated Neudorf .

And the winners are...

2012 Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese Awards WINNERS

Yealands Estate Champion of Champions Award 

Meyer Vintage Gouda – Meyer Gouda Cheese 

Cuisine Champion Artisan Cheese 

Very Old Edam - Mahoe Farmhouse Cheese 

NZ Cheese School Champion Cheesemaker 

Jacob Rosevear - Mahoe Farmhouse Cheese 

2012 Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese Awards Category Winners: 

The Langham Champion Fresh Unripened Cheese Award 

Buffalo Mozzarella – Clevedon Valley Buffalo Company 

Countdown Champion Feta Cheese Award 

Brinza – Gibbston Valley Cheese 

Innovative Packaging Champion Soft White Rind Cheese Award 

Overbrook Brie – Talbot Forest Cheese 

Elldex Packaging Champion Goat Cheese Award 

Cilantro Chèvre – Cilantro Cheese 

Monteith's Champion Sheep Cheese Award 

Cumerino – Over The Moon Dairy Company 

Thermaflo Champion Washed Rind Cheese Award 

Galactic Gold – Over the Moon Dairy Company 

GEON Champion Cheddar Cheese Award 

Fonterra Edendale Cheddar – Fonterra Edendale (aged 26- 36 months) 

QCONZ Champion European Style Cheese Award 

Parmesan – Talbot Forest Cheese 

NZ Labs/Bureau Veritas Champion Dutch Style Cheese Award 

Leyden Vintage – Karikaas Natural Dairy Products 

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Champion New Cheese Award 

Buffalo Hard Cheese – Clevedon Valley Buffalo Company 

Fonterra Champion Original Cheese Award 

Darfield – Gruff Junction 

AsureQuality Champion Flavoured Cheese Award 

Garlic & Chive Gouda – Meyer Gouda Cheese 

Ecolab Champion Blue Cheese Award 

Vintage Blue – Whitestone Cheese 

Goodman Fielder Champion Export Cheese Award 

Kapiti Kahurangi – Fonterra Brands NZ 

New World Champion Favourite Cheese Award 

Kapiti Kikorangi – Fonterra Brands NZ 

  

Caspak Champion Cheese Packaging Award 

Whitestone Range – Whitestone Cheese 

Curds & Whey Champion Home Crafted Cheese Award 

Mozzarella by Adrian Walcroft 

Curds & Whey Champion Ho

I had an interesting customer in some time ago, fresh from Japan, where she is a contributor to an online children's fashion magazine popular in Japan and France.Her name is Maki Kakimoto, and she was kind enough to notice my store, and write about it on her blog. The blog is lovely.. a record of a mother with children in another country, how it looks and feels. http://milkjapon.com/blog/kakimoto/2012/03/spencers.html

The mag is MILK and it is great.
www.milkmagazine.net