Sydney

It’s not too late to book and make mum’s day super special this year.

Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney is throwing open her doors for its first ever Mother’s Day lunch, Sunday May 12^th.  Neil and the team will be on hand to wine and dine you and your family with the full Bar & Grill menu on offer.

And when all is said and done, mum gets to take home a signed copy of Neil’s favourite Chocolate and Ricotta Cake recipe.

We do hope to see you there. Bookings are essential.

Rockpool bar & Grill. 02 8078 1900.

Melbourne

Down South, all 3 restaurants are open with Spice Temple Melbourne offering a yum cha option for lunch and a full menu as always for dinner.

Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne and Rosetta are business as usual – Melbourne’s greatest steaks & seafood, Italian fare and multi award winning wine lists are bound to impress.

Spice Temple. 03 8679 1888.

Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne. 03 8648 1900

Rosetta. 03  8648 1999

Perth

Perth mums fear not! Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth is there for your lunch or dinner time dining pleasure. The full a la carte menu will be in full swing and we expect plenty of champagne and oysters to be making their way to your table.

Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth. 08 6252 1900

Don’t forget that vouchers to all our restaurants are available online at rockpool.com, along with signed copies of all Neil’s cookbooks.

Wherever you are dining and whatever you are doing this Mother’s Day, Rockpool wishes all mums out there a truly wonderful day filled with fun, laughter and family. We look forward to seeing you.

We are happy to announce a couple of new and exclusive upcoming events…

LUNCH WITH MR FOOTBALL, EDDIE MCGUIRE

ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL PERTH

Monday May 6, Midday till 3pm

Want to get the inside goss on the life of Eddie McGuire?

Then join The Sunday Times and Crown Perth for lunch with Mr AFL at Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth. We will be serving a sensational 3 course lunch complemented by wines from Cape Mentelle, as Eddie shares the secrets to his success.

Tickets are$195 per person and limited, so please book now to avoid disappointment.

To book, call Rockpool Bar & Grill on 6252 1900 or email reservations@rockpoolperth.com

A GOURMET WEEKEND ON LIZARD ISLAND WITH NEIL PERRY, WOLF BLASS AND QANTAS EpiQure

It doesn’t get much more fabulous than this.  A Rosetta-inspired menu by Neil – cooked by Neil – with Q&A by Neil, a tasting of rare Wolf Blass wines and a few days in one of Australia’s most exotic locations – the incomparable Lizard Island!

This will be a food and wine weekend like no other, and not to be missed. A collaboration with Qantas EpiQure, it will take place over the weekend May 24 to 26.  Neil is joined by Wolfgang Blass himself along with Wolf Blass wine maker Chris Hatcher – one of Australia’s most respected.

You can expect intimate Q&As with these 3 industry experts, wine masterclasses, and of course outstanding food, wine and accommodation, not to mention all those added benefits of existing in tropical luxury – azure waters, spa treatments, snorkelling, sunsets and more.

Each guest attending this exclusive weekend also will receive a take-home memento – a limited release gift boxed bottle of Wolf Blass Platinum Label Medlands Estate Barossa Valley Shiraz 2009, signed by Wolfgang Blass Chris Hatcher, and a signed copy of Neil’s book, Easy Weekends.

Book now through Lizard Island http://www.lizardisland.com.au/gourmet-weekend.aspx

It all began thus…

Dear Rockpool. 

Late last year the sydney morning herald published a neil perry recipe called “steak sandwich with coleslaw and tomato chilli relish”. after reading this, a group of friends and I decided to have a tomato chilli relish competition.  But… the interesting bit is we  have to use as many home grown ingredients as possible.  So out here, there are now 4 backyard gardeners busily tending our tomatoes, onions, capsicum, chillies, lemon trees and in the queenslander’s case, ginger.

The pressure is growing and really is  now of “state of origin” proportions. What we want is an impartial  judge/referee.  So do you think, if we sent you 4 small sample jars of home grown tomato chilli relish, just labelled A, B, C and D, Neil or his nominee, could give each a mark out of 10. Then we could scale that mark to give credit for the number of home grown ingredients used and eventually come up with  a winner of our tomato chilli relish trophy…. 

Kind Regards
Michael Fawcett

Frankly, we liked Michael’s style, and were quietly keen to see how this state of origin panned out.  Plus…we sensed some biffo!

I am glad you don’t take bribes…my competitors include an ex diplomat who could only offer you words, a plumber who specialises in grubby handshakes, an ex miss nsw  … a fluttering of eyelashes whereas my lifetime supply of cherries, well , enough said! will be in touch again at the end of summer

Cheers and thanks again
Michael

Summer came and dealt us a little heat, then early in January…Michael sent through an extensive and slightly terrifying list of rules to his relishers that included…

5. Your scaling factor is determined by honestly stating the number of home grown ingredients you have used and then multiplying this number by 0.1.

6. Ingredients bought at a farmers market should be multiplied by 0.01 as should ingredients you have nicked from neighbours (eg overhanging lemons)

So just supposing you have grown your own tomatoes, onions garlic and capsicum and  bought chillies and ginger at a market  and nicked a lemon, your scaling factor would be 0.1+0.1+0.1+0.1+0.01+0.01+0.01  =0.43 (editor’s brain began to zone out at this point!)

7. The rockpool mob (that’s us!) will award each entry a score out of ten.  then they will  open your sealed envelope and multiply your score by your scaling factor. this will  to determine your bonus points. these bonus points will then be added to your rockpool score and identify the 2013 relisher… 

Over the weeks that followed, Michael and crew kept us copied to their banter which reached epic proportions and kept me entertained on a daily basis. I don’t know HOW this mob know each other, where they’ve come form or where they are going, but …

Dear Betty,

Some people pick up their mail from a box at the post office each day. Others have their mail delivered to a letter box on their front fence by a postie riding a little motor bike. Uur mail gets delivered by a big mail truck driven by Terry.  In his spare time Terry drives rally cars and according to him the rougher the road the better. To him the 98 km mail run he does each day over our rough, pot-holed roads is just a training run. Each day he puts the letters in the front of his truck and the parcels in the back. Also in the back are all the other things he has been asked to deliver like machinery parts and drums of oil.  The big things are tied down with rope but  the little things are left to bounce around. As you have no doubt guessed some of the smaller parcels smash into the big heavy things. Sometimes they crack or break. Once one even  bounced completely out of the truck and was found the next day squashed like roadkill.  Your parcel didn’t arrive today and I am worried that something terrible might have happened to it.  Incase it too has fallen from the truck I have asked Terry to keep a look out for it tomorrow and even if it is “roadkilled ” to bring me what he can scape up and I’ll put the remainder in a  spare jar and include it with the others.

I hope you appreciate all the stuff I do for you.

Michael

Far out – with friends like that…right?

Sunday, February 24

Dear Cloonans, Mantons and Grooms,
This is to inform you that the closing date for receipt of  your entry is the end of this week. (friday 1st march).

This is where it really started to get fun….

Michael,

Dear Food Fascist,

Please know that we have engaged legal counsel to follow the due process in the coming days. Anyrate, today’s relish has the most glorious colour, aroma and is about 9.5 on the richter scale! Oh dear.

Cheers from here,
Neil

Entry ‘b” arrived safely.
Now only waiting on  “C”
Do I need to send out a search party?
Only 6 more sleeps to go

Michael,

The winning entry is now in the hands of Oz Post by registered mail to you. The Moet et Chandon is in the fridge – oh joy.  best, Neil

Hey Uncle Michael and fellow relishers,

Confirming that C is made. Delay in arrival at Young is due to Parliament sitting (alright it’s just the Senate this week). I’m playing the ‘non-retired-need some leeway on deadline’ card. At least jar is in Canberra awaiting express courier! Hope to find some country pollie to drop off to you on the way home and save the Budget. I’m claiming points for blessing of Parliament and will try to get jar photographed with Tony Abbott tomorrow morning before rushing to Australia Post to send off. BTW I’d also like to claim bonus equity weightings for (a) first ever relish made; (b) non-retired; and (c) married to tradie.

 Cheerio

Lyndal champion relisher Groom

PS I claim additional points for bipartisan political endorsement, evidence-based creativity and sledging by suggestion that the rest of you are cheating.

Friday March 1^st

Dear stephanie,

It’s time!
Our relishes are all packed up and ready to be posted on monday..

Thursday March 21

With Neil somewhere mid-air between Sydney and Perth, or perhaps Dubai, Melbourne, LA, wherever, we hand balled the judging of the relishes to Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney Head Chef Corey Costelloe. Corey is a man of few words.

A)     A bit too sweet

B)      Very good heat, with a nice balanced spiciness

C)    Not enough salt

D)     A lot of ginger, possibly a bit too much, good texture

F)   Best texture and balance of flavour

Hi Michael,

Our head chef LOVED the relishes and he did ask if the kitchen staff could utilise them in staff dinners?

Dear Everyone,

Do we want to be able to skite that our relishes were served at rockpool. Do we want them back?

C,mon Michael……? Be an Aussie!

Friday, March 22

Good Morning All,

After much deliberating from our Head Chef Corey Costelloe the Rockpool relisher for 2013 is…..

JOINT WINNERS!!!

JAR B – Wins on Flavour Intensity

JAR F – Wins on texture

Congratulations to all, Corey said it was a tough decision as all the relishes were amazing and the kitchen staff are enjoying them for staff dinner this evening.

Dear B and F,
Attached please find a photo of the rockpool relisher trophy that you lot will have to share.
Not shown on this photo is the inscription that I am now having made.
It will say something like 2013 Rockpool Relisher at the top and below will be your names…
on the back if you wish, I could try and get autographs and comments from the Judges, Personal Assistants, Bloggers as well us (we?) losers…
Should this be your wish I have already composed my comment… vis “despite the fact that someone obviously switched lids, my good breeding insists that I congratulate the winners. well done!

Please let me know your thoughts
cheers
me

A note from (one of) the winners….

Dear all,

We humbly received the news but then went to the CD cabinet and took out ‘the best of Queen’ and listened to track 17. Now sing along with us and Freddie Mercury as he sang, – “We are the Champions, we are the champions my friends”. What an adventure it has been and new connections made – and the love of good food. Thanks to all the Rockpoolers especially and we look forward to the coming pique-nique, wherever it may be – The Loaded Dog at Tarago village?

Michael, I think the more of us recognised on the trophy the better,
Best from here,
Neil and Dimity

And so it ends. What fun indeed and all hail the ACT in their centenary year for showing the NSWelshmen and the Queenslanders just how it’s done!!!

Thank you Michael and co-conspirators for having fun with Neil’s relish and making us Rockpudlians a part of the competitive process – dare I say…bring on 2014? We await your mail….

Team Rockpool out x

HAPPY 6 MONTH BIRTHDAY ROSETTA!

“With a distinctly Italian aesthetic and vibe, Rosetta is the place where people will meet to be fed from the heart – just like Italians love to do for their family and friends – whether it be a special celebratory dinner or a leisurely Sunday lunch in the sun,” Neil Perry

The press release last October read…

A sophisticated and elegant Italian ristorante that combines an impressive Iain Halliday-designed dining room with professional and authentic service, and a seasonally driven menu of Neil’s favourite regional recipes from his extensive travels through Italy.

At the heart of Rosetta’s fast-paced kitchen is a wood fired oven and char-grill for creating simple Italian dishes such as suckling pig, roast chicken and wood fired suckling lamb. Pasta is also a major feature of the menu with two dedicated chefs hand-making over 16 different kinds each day, from maccaronara, cavatelli and garganelli to the more traditional fettuccine, pappardelle and gnocchi.

Six months on, and Rosetta has filled us to the brim with joy. She is everything we wanted and more. Serving an average of between 220 and 260 guests per day, time has delivered us some delicious statistics…

The most popular dishes are the ricotta fresco (house-made daily), grigliata mista di mare, agnolotti alla plin, garganelli, pappardelle, agnello, anatra – and the birds and fish of the day.

We are drinking Prosecco, Bellini and Aperol Spritz, the Venetian Cobbler and Negronis. From the whites list we are enjoying a glass of Primosic Ribolla, a Pecorino or Fiano. Reds are Barolo Molino, Graci Nerello and Dolcetto Conterno Fantino. Restaurant Manager Daniele will tell you that to finish,  you should taste a Vin Santo or Marsala wine, also Amaro and why not a Limoncello made in house to help you digest the meal? Why not indeed! When in Rome…

So…she looks good!

Australian Gourmet Traveller said of us in January…” the Italian-ness is consciously theatrical, humorous, designed, even a little artificial, though in a thoroughly attractive way”…”Rosetta is also the most feminine of Perry’s Crown ventures, with ruched curtains, flowers aplenty, light colours and pretty scalloped detailing in the windows that surround the restaurant and the edges of the paper menus in their gelato colours”.

Larissa Dubecki of The AGE  thought “they didn’t make restaurants like this anymore. The sort of restaurant where you might pause on entering to readjust to the expensive gleam of mahogany tiles, the clack of marble floors, the billowy fouff of soft white curtains, the gentle light of chandeliers hanging from ornate recessed domes. Where opera, not Ibiza, provides the soundtrack. Where divorce from the everyday is complete on lowering your grateful bottom onto the banquette’s russet velvet cushions, at a marble-topped table, with a white-jacketed waiter upselling mineral water. Bravissimo!”

Concrete Playground – “Big, bold and warm. Red and whites dominate the interior, with a sleek marble bar to perch at while indulging an aperitif and some pasta. And of course we shouldn’t be surprised by some handsome Italian waiters”…

She sounds good…and she most certainly tastes good – http://www.rosettaristorante.com/food/

AGT wrote…”Being Neil Perry’s version of an Italian restaurant, Rosetta is a place where ingredient quality is non-negotiable, which is perhaps the restaurant’s most authentically Italian face”…”in the open kitchen there’s no messing about with the age-old Italian formula of great ingredients, simply cooked. So if there’s no worthwhile cuttlefish available to toss on the grill that day, then you might have to settle for king prawns or local mussels or little octopus tentacles instead. But, whatever comes your way, it will have smokiness curling around licks of citric tang and perfectly balanced saltiness, and there’ll be no argument with the quality”.

 The Herald Sun – “Neil Perry had a very Australian upbringing. Keep that in mind as you dine at his new Italian ristorante, Rosetta, because Perry – the son of a Sydney butcher – seems to have miraculously absorbed Italy’s taste and style”.

For a sneak peek into just how to make the amazing cassata, have a watch of this…

“There’s no avoiding the Neil Perry stamp here: the big dining space, lengthy menu, dramatic fit-out, immaculately sourced produce, impressive wine list and big prices are all present and accounted for. But there’s nothing formulaic or rehashed about Rosetta and not just because it’s Perry’s first Italian foray. There’s a freshness, an energy and sense of fun that’s partially due to the over-the-top glamour of the décor, but is also centred on the quality and authenticity of the flavours and attention to detail. Rosetta feels both theatrical and true-to-life at the same time”. Australian Gourmet Traveller.

A big Italian style hug to all our wonderful customers and fantastic supporters over the past 6 months. It’s been a terrific journey for us so far and we are so excited about the future. A big shout out too to the committed staff that have taken Rosetta to their hearts. Good times ahead guys and we appreciate your hard work. Bravissimo, indeed!

Rosetta is open for lunch from 12-3pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and dinner from 6pm, seven days.

Bookings can be made by calling 03 8648 1999 or visiting rosettaristorante.com

“They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.”

ANZAC Day remains, after 88 years, one of Australia’s most respected national days.

We’ve all heard the term ANZAC, we’ve all taken the public holiday afforded us, and in many cases worn the poppy. But what is ANZAC Day really about?

ANZAC is a term that has always been worn with immense pride and still to this day. ANZACs are, literally, Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by those forces during World War 1, the now infamous battle at Gallipoli. It is a day when Australians and New Zealanders remember the ultimate sacrifice of our countrymen who have died at war. 60,000 Australian and 18,000 New Zealand soldiers landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. The plan was simple – take the Gallipoli Peninsula and open the Dardanelles to the allied navies who would ultimately capture Constantinople (Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of the Germans. The rest, as they say, is history.

The ANZACs landed on the peninsula at dawn and met immediate and overwhelming resistance from the Turkish. Expecting to arrive on shore to a flat beach, they were instead landed incorrectly, steep cliffs before them and enemy fire and shelling constant and unforgiving. Around 20,000 allied soldiers landed on the beach over the next two days, thousands of ANZACs dying in the initial hours and days. The remaining soldiers held out for reinforcements but eventually, after a long 8 months, the stalemate forced their evacuation. Nearly 8000 Australian and over 2700 New Zealand soldiers died in the campaign.

Despite the failure of the Gallipoli campaign, a powerful legacy was left by the soldiers who fought there. The ANZAC legend forms a strong part of the identity of both nations and the bond between them. The legend reminds us of the strength and honour of those before us and ensure we consult clearly on the decisions ahead and reflect on the meaning of war.

Today, both sides of the Tasman recognize April 25th as an occasion of national remembrance. Commemorative services are held across both nations at dawn (the time of the landing at Gallipoli), and later in the day ex-servicemen and women are celebrated as they partake in ANZAC Day marches.

ANZAC biscuits, it has been claimed, were sent to the ANZAC soldiers by their wives, a recipe designed so they would not spoil (note the omission of eggs) and because they travelled well via sea.

ANZAC BISCUITS
Makes 40

125g butter, chopped into small pieces
2 Tablespoons golden syrup
¾ teaspoon bicarb soda
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup plain flour
¾ cup soft brown sugar

Preheat oven to 160°C and line a large (or 2 smaller) baking tray with parchment paper.

Heat the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan, gently over a low heat until the butter melts.

Combine the bicarb soda and 1 Tablespoon of water in a bowl then stir into the butter mix.

Combine the remaining ingredients in bowl. Pour over the warm butter mixture and stir well to combine.

Roll rounded teaspoons of the Anzac mixture into balls.

Place about 4 cm apart on the lined baking trays and flatten slightly with your hand.

Bake 2-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes on the tray then transfer the biscuits to a wire rack until completely cool. Store in an airtight container.

At Rockpool, you don’t have to tell us mums are special. We know. And that’s why, for the first time ever, we are throwing open the doors of Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney on Mother’s Day, Sunday May 12 and inviting you to bring your mum in for lunch. Neil Perry himself will be rattling the pans as he and the team set out to spoil your mum (and those lucky enough to be at her table) rotten! The full a la carte menu will be on offer and every mum will receive a signed copy of Neil’s favourite Chocolate and Ricotta Cake recipe.

Rockpool Bar & Grill is open for lunch only. Bookings are essential, on 02 8078 1900.

Elsewhere around the country…we have all manner of wonderful Mothers Day options ripe for the picking and just perfect to show your mum a truly special day. Melbourne will be in full swing with all 3 restaurants open for both lunch and dinner.

Spice Temple Melbourne serves up lunchtime yum cha. Why not go the whole hog and book the enchanting and very beautiful Apsara Room for a private celebration of mothers, dumplings and spice! Start with one of our sensational teas – a Jasmine Pearl or Yukon Gold…move to Chicken and Crab Xiao Long Bao, Steamed Scallop Dumplings & Pork and Prawn Siu Mai. Conclude with one of our famous Rickshaws.

Spice Temple will also be open for dinner with our usual menu. 03 8679 1888.

Indulge in a little old school elegance next door at Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne.

Sink into our beautiful big leather chairs and spoil mum from the first minute with oysters and champagne. Move to one of Neil’s signature dishes – King Prawns with Goats Cheese Tortellini, Burnt Butter, Raisins and Pine Nuts – and of course on to one of Australia’s greatest steaks – the Cape Grim Grass Fed Rib Eye on the bone, 50 days aged, just perfect with our Creamed Silverbeet.  03 8648 1900.

Just along the way, grab a seat on the terrace or settle inside under the chandeliers as you soak up the Italian flare at our ever lovely Rosetta. Sip on Campari, Prosecco or Sicilian Fruit Cups, dine on Wood Roasted Lobster or Birds, House Made Ricotta, Risotto al Nero and Sorbetti. Mama will love you! 03 8648 1999.

Heading West now and Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth is business as usual – offerings of WA and Australia’s most divine produce. Treat mum to a seafood feast of Caviar with Toast and Crème Fraiche, Ceviche of Prawns and Hiramasa Kingfish with Avocado and Cherry Tomatoes and wash it all down with a cracking bottle of local wine – perhaps a Howard Park Riesling, or one of our current obsessions – the truly amazing Ipso Facto Chenin Blanc from the Margaret River. 08 6252 1900.

Can’t make lunch or dinner? That’s alright, there are still ways to share the love. Why not give mum a gift voucher for lunch or dinner at Rockpool Bar & Grill, Rockpool on George or Spice Temple?  Gift vouchers, together with signed copies of all Neil’s cookbooks, can be purchased on online at rockpool.com

Last week I asked all Rockpool head chefs what produce they were loving right now, and maybe something they were looking forward to coming into season…because I want to explore these great products and the great producers and suppliers we buy them from in more detail.

Phil is loving the salsify from Richard Kalina at Berridale Farm near Blackheath in the NSW Blue Mountains. An amazing story we will share one day of a man who thought he would invest in a hobby farm, a lifestyle, as such – no such luck! He accidentally grew a few things that had the chefs of Australia salivating and that hammock became a distant vision. Richard also grows organic rare heirloom radishes, eggplant, artichokes, fennel, berries and a whole lot more.

Dan has the feelers out for the sweet and truly incredible Genoa figs from Manjimup. Awesome…his words! They are on the Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth menu in the form of Charcoal roasted figs with Serrano ham, witlof, hazelnuts and Ramandolo jelly. King George Whiting from down South also rates a mention with Dan – coming to the menu…soon.

Back East now and Andy at Spice Temple in Sydney is all over fresh bamboo shoots from the hinterland of Byron Bay, and Melbourne Spice boy Ben is loving organic red jalapenos – used in the Spice Temple chilli sauce. Will, in Melbourne – always a man of few words says simply – pine mushrooms, Mornington Peninsula. Thanks Will.

Over to Brendan now at Rosetta who is waxing lyrical about the famous White Rocks veal from WA, a product we have used in our restaurants since day zip.

The White Rocks story…White Rocks has been a dairy farm for 126 years, being settled by the Partridge family in 1887. Back then they were milking half a dozen cows a day to make butter and cheese for home use and sale to the neighbours. Named after the white boulders at the entrance to the property, a few hours drive South of Perth, it was current farmer Michael’s great grandfather that settled here from England. The farm these days is a thoroughly modern dairy, milking 600 cows twice a day in a 50-stand rotary.

White Rocks veal is a humanely produced meat, a far cry from the veal of Europe that is a white meat from young calves that have been starved of sunshine, fed entirely on milk or milk powder to achieve the look and the tenderness, and kept isolated. It is illegal to do so in Australia. Here here.

The Partridge family raises only the highest calibre animals. White Rocks veal is the product of healthy animals grown in a natural and cared for environment. They live outdoors, they are fed milk from the White Rocks own dairy herd until their digestive systems develop naturally and are then offered grass, rolled barley and lupin as well. Natural probiotic yoghurt cultures are given to the animals to protect them from disease instead of commonly used antibiotics.

The meat itself is delicate in both flavour and texture, lean and milky. The pale pink of the meat reveals its true veal character.

Currently on the menu at Rosetta – Pan-fried crumbed White Rocks veal leg with lemon. And at Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth – Sautéed White Rocks veal sweetbreads and marron with onions, dates, cashews and watercress; and Wood fire grilled White Rocks veal cutlet.

A little while ago Sarah took us through the Tsukiji Fish Markets, today Sarah takes us vicariously through her food travels and the incredible snow Monkeys of Japan….

If there is one way to describe Japanese food – it has to be clean, pure, fresh, delicious! From the insane freshness of the sushi at Tsukiji Fish Market, to the clarity of flavours and great textures of their famous pancakes, okonomiyaki – the Japanese know a little something about balance of flavour and just ‘when’ to stop.

Following our recent visit to the markets and that unforgettable breakfast of fatty tuna belly with warm rice, it was back through the warm subway channels and onto a bullet train, Northbound for Nagano – our stop off to the long powdery slopes of Hakuba. Bullet train is a fantastic way to travel, though not necessarily great for sightseeing. By the time you’ve seen something worth seeing again…long gone! A distant blurry thing!

5 years ago I visited Niseko. The snow was incredible, the food in the village of Hirafu out-of-control-good. It really set the precedent and so of course I had a preconceived notion of how Hakuba was going to be.  In reality, the 2 famous skiing areas are quite different. Niseko is compact and tidy and almost grid-like, easy to get around on foot and the food diverse. Hakuba is almost more dramatic in it’s beauty but vast, in a small way, if that makes sense. Not as easy to get around, eating needs to be planned and you will freak the restaurant owners out if you just turn up in a small group without a booking, so it pays to have done your research and lock a few places in before you go – or at least when you arrive in town. We were a group of 8 and if we missed a spot one night, we invariably got in the next. It’s all pretty easy and as distant as many places feel, there was never much more than a 20 minute walked involved to most restaurants and izakayas. Many of them will actually send a car to pick you up as well, which, when the snow is falling heavily can be quite the temptation. Yes, it’s pretty and romantic, but it’s also about – 20C. Everything in moderation.

The snow was incredible!!! Did anyone want to hear about the snow? Ok – well – amazing, but back to the food…

Many restaurants concentrate on one particular style of Japanese cuisine – it may be sushi, bbq meats and seafoods, okonomikayi, soba, udon, tempura…while others will present a menu full of typical Japanese fare. Here are a few of my picks.

Hakuba 70, ph: 080-5090-5288

A small, relaxed, simple restaurant. Run by an elderly couple – the food is local and tasty. We always started with endamame and they were particularly good here. I indulged in a steaming bowl of katsu don – one of my go-to Japanese dishes wherever I am in the world! Word from my dining companions was the soba rocked!

Kobeya, ph: 0261 72-5382

The place if you want to immerse yourself in the smells of barbecue. We all came away from here satiated, happy and smelling like cooked meat, all for very good reason of course. The glasses of beer in this place were bigger than me, but all the better to wash down thinly sliced Wagyu or plates full of seafood that you cook at the table before you. It was a fun night out. These guys will pick you up…and drop you home…and great gyoza.

Mimasakatei

Relaxed, easy, well known for shabu shabu but we had great big bowls of sushi don and katsu don and huge pitchers of Sapporo beer. Really friendly staff!

Sari Sari, ph: 0261-85-4505

One of my 2 favourite meals in Hakuba. We were bustled upstairs at this tiny and very cute izakaya and seated around a long low Japanese table. Burners were placed before us and here we indulged in chankonabe – the hot pot of the sumo wrestlers! The wrestlers themselves eat this dish in massive quantities as part of a weight-gain diet (great!). Basically, a dashi base – then protein is added – chicken, beef, seafood, vegetables. Totally delicious! We tried to revisit, but too busy! AGH!

Emu, ph: 0261-72-430

Our last night in Hakuba and we concluded well. A tiny local’s place that does incredible okonomiyaki. Happy, bustling (and perhaps a little stressed) staff, food and pitchers of beer colliding from all angles and lots of happy chatter around the long thin room. Some fantastic gyoza to start, pancakes and ramen. All good here, all good!

There were of course a lot of other great food highlights. Who could forget the ‘strawberry milk bread’ and ‘curry donuts’ up the hill – fabulous big steaming cups of syrupy hot chocolate mid-ski that we splashed with a good shot of whisky (keeps you going, trust me!), anything and everything fun that comes out of a vending machine in Japan (including hot chocolate!)…

The other thing not to be missed whenever you are in the alpine regions of Japan, is, of course, the onsens. After a hard days’ work on the slopes, all your knees really want is a good long soak in a natural hot tub, with cold Japanese beer in hand. There is nothing quite like it and an integral part of Winter holidays here.

Fresh air and powder snow, hot chocolate with whisky – followed by a naked soak in a steamy onsen with cold beer – then rice, sushi and okonomiyaki with mates…it all makes for a night of solid dreaming and powers you to do it all again. I will always love Japan for it’s cuisine, it’s natural beauty and the fact that, this time, it provided me with a tick off my bucket list – the incredible snow monkeys. I’ll tell you about them another time.

Bye for now, S

Forget your packed lunch on Wednesday Melbournites! Pack $7 and head for Queensbridge Square instead – near the corner of Queensbridge St and the Yarra River, Southbank.

Last year we fed Melbourne in the pouring rain. This year, we are hoping Mother Nature may be a little kinder, but whatever she dishes out, Spice Temple, Rosetta and Rockpool Bar & Grill will be dishing out litre upon litre of delicious soup to do our bit towards feeding the hungry.

The Feed Melbourne Gourmet Soup Lunch is a wonderful incentive, bringing a bunch of Melbourne’s best chefs together at 2 pop up soup kitchens on Wednesday April 10 and Wednesday April 17. Our guys will be out there this week. Brendan from Rosetta is busily preparing the ribollita as we speak, Rockpool’s Will is on the Parsnip and honey soup and Ben is patiently braising the Chinese pork and cabbage.

At just $7 per soup which includes a bread roll from Phillippa’s Bakery, you would be mad not to people and let’s remember that $10 can successfully feed 20 people. Every cent from your soup purchase will go to Melbourne food charities.

The goal this year is for Feed Melbourne to raise $500,000 for the thousands of hungry and hard-up Melburnians who struggle to eat sufficiently every day. Thanks for your support soup eaters!

Recipies from Good weekend if you missed them on Saturday. The chicken can be replaced with seafood – thickly diced blue eye or whole prawns – but they will take only minutes to cook. You may want to cook the seafood, then remove it to allow the sauce to reduce.

 Pork belly is also a delicious option for the braise – cut the pieces large and render them slowly for about 30 minutes, then pour off the fat before continuing. The belly pieces will take about 1 1/2 hours to become tender.

The salad is adaptable – ramp it up with some toasted almonds and finely sliced shallots, or add finely sliced raw zucchini and mushrooms.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH CHILLIES

12 pearl onions, peeled

2 tbsp unsalted butter

olive oil

1kg chicken thigh fillet, bone in, skin on

sea salt

5 dried long red chillies

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

2 bay leaves (fresh, if available)

1 piece of orange rind

Serves 4

Bring a small saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pearl onions, reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the onions from the water and set aside.

Melt the butter with a splash of oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Put the chicken pieces into the pan in a single layer and season with sea salt. Cook the chicken slowly, turning occasionally until the skin is golden brown – about 5 minutes. Pour off any excess fat at this point.

Put the chillies in a bowl with 500ml boiling water and soak for about 30 minutes. Remove the chillies, reserving the water, and roughly chop. Blend or process the chillies, garlic, cumin and the chilli water until smooth.

Add the chilli sauce, bay leaves and orange rind to the chicken and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and braise the chicken until it is tender and the sauce has thickened a little – about 30 minutes.

Return the pearl onions to the chicken to heat through. Remove the bay leaves and orange rind, adjust seasoning if necessary. Divide the chicken among 4 large bowls and serve with steamed jasmine rice and cucumber salad.

CUCUMBER SALAD WITH MINT AND BASIL

40ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 clove garlic, peeled and finely crushed

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Lebanese cucumbers, seeds removed, finely diced

small handful mint leaves, finely chopped

small handful basil leaves, finely chopped

Serves 4

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper, and mix well.

Toss through remaining ingredients, check seasoning and serve immediately.