Hazelnut and vanilla verrines with quince jelly, figs and cape gooseberry… or with alpine strawberries

Crema di nocciola e vaniglia con gelatina di cotogne, fichi e alchechengi

A few days ago I was in Christchurch where I bought some hazelnut flour (Hazelz). I love hazelnuts!

For 4 verrines I used:

2 eggs

3 tbps sugar

1 tbsp (level) cornflour

400 ml full cream milk

1 drop real vanilla essence

1 tbsp (heap) hazelnut flour

1 tbsp Frangelico liquor

for the topping

4-8 tbsp quince jelly (see below)

figs and cape gooseberries to decorate

In a pot mix the eggs with sugar and cornflour and add the milk little by little. Simmer stirring constantly until a custard form, then add the vanilla essence. Pour 200 ml of this custard into a measuring jug (I used the same one I used for the milk) and set aside, then put the hazelnut flour and Frangelico into the remaining custard and stir well. Fill four verrines or glasses with the hazelnut cream (this will be quite thick) and then pour the (thinner) vanilla custard on top. Let it cool down then add the quince jelly. I made the quince jelly by cooking the quinces and then straining the juice overnight in a jelly bag (actually, I use a clean pillowcase that I keep just for jellies) hung over a bowl. Don't squeeze the bag or the jelly will be cloudy. Usually for thick jellies I measure the liquid, add the same amount of sugar and bring back to the boil, but here I only used half the quantity of sugar and I got a soft, almost 'liquid' jelly, good to pour over desserts like this. A tbsp or two per glass will give you a nice covering. Refrigerate. Before serving decorate with slices of figs and cape gooseberries.

For this dessert instead I didn't use quince jelly but I just added some alpine strawberries and some Fresh As raspberry powder. For decorations I used some (edible) pansies. While the first verrines were very 'Autumn', this one was more like a 'fruits of the forest', it reminded me of foraging in the mountains in Italy for alpine strawberries, raspberries and hazelnuts. It works really well. 

But who ate what? Max got this one, and we had the other three, all delicious!

I also like to add some photos of the Transitional Christchurch Cathedral of Christchurch, better known as the Cardboard Cathedral. If you live in New Zealand you will know that the Christchurch Cathedral was significantly damaged in the 2011 earthquake. I haven't been to Chch since last August and so much is being rebuilt now (or demolished, to be rebuilt), a long job! 

 I really wanted to visit the Cardboard Cathedral, I heard so much about it and I wasn't disappointed! Usually I am not a fan of modern churches, but this is truly beautiful, and special. It was designed, for free, but Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, who works in many 'disaster' areas using materials like paper, cardboard and wood.

Why is it call Cardboard Cathedral? Yes, those 86 'tubes' which make the A-frame are cardboard (specially treated, of course). Have a look at this 2 min video to see how it was built. Well done Christchurch, and ありがとう Ban-san.

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

This recipe is for Sweet New Zealand #34, the blogging event open to all Kiwi bloggers (living in NZ or overseas) and expats blogging from NZ. May's host is Sue from Couscous and Consciousness. Sue lived in Christchurch and her house was destroyed by the earthquake, so I hope that she will find the images of the Cardboard Cathedral uplifting. Visit her blog and click here to share you sweet creations with her. Also let me know if you are keen to be a host in 2014, and book a month!

Party Food for Girls in Christchurch and the Sonny Bill Williams'cup

Party Food for Girls at Mercato, Christchurch Photos by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Yesterday we arrived in Christchurch and on the same afternoon we presented the book in a lovely shop called Mercato. The wonderful staff at Mercato had prepared some tasting from the book: Petit fours, grissini, vanilla sugar balls, choux pastries and puff pastry pizzette, and the children discovered the joys of chocolate bombs (blocks of chocolate to dissolve in your hot milk for a lovely hot chocolate). I was also lovely to meet Christchurch food blogger Zo of Two Spoons (in the bottom right pic, on the left).

Today we went to Plain FM for a couple of radio interviews, and tomorrow we will be at the Farmers Market in Ohoka in the morning, and then at the Children Bookshop in Chch in the afternoon (see details below).

My readers overseas may or may not know that there is the Rugby World Cup here in NZ at present, with the finals on this Sunday. I haven't talked about it on the blog, since I am far from being a rugby expert, but I went to see two live games (the firsts ever!) and I am learning the basic rules of the game. Yet, after all these weeks, I am still not able to recognize most of the All Blacks, and I get confused with their names and faces. In the plane to Christchurch my children tried to give me a 'crash course', and I asked my daughter which one is the one that all the girls like. Ah yes, Sonny Bill Williams! 

Air NZ served us coffee in All Black paper cups and I am not sure who was the player on my cup, but I thought that it would be a good memento to get my hands on Sonny, so I asked the stewardess if she had him. She told me that probably his cup was there at the back and that she would get me one.

After a while I saw her walking up and down, and then finally she came up to me and said, quite loudly:

"Ah, you are the one who wanted Sonny Bill Williams, sorry I didn't remember where you were sitting, I'll bring him to you right away!"

Of course everybody turned to look at me. I guess they were a bit deluded when all I got was a cup with his photo, but it is going to be a while before I'll ask for a rugby player again! 

Christchurch, la città dei giardini

Ogni anno vado a Christchurch, anche due o tre volte all'anno, sicuramente non è la mia città per me, troppo pianeggiante e con un clima ballerino, ma in compenso ha dei bellissimi giardini. Comincio con quello dei miei suoceri, visto che questo post è soprattutto per mia mamma e gli amici/parenti in Italia: ecco qualche foto.

Vicino alla loro casa c'`e Jellie Park, che è molto carino, ma nulla confronto ad Hagley Park, il parco principale nel centro della città.

Pieno di turisti, molto inglese, addirittura con il 'punting' (che fra l'altro avevano cominciato i cugini di mio marito molti anni fa - ne hanno poi cominciato uno a Melbourne, in Australia), ma con alberi bellissimi, un grande giardino botanico e il più antico roseto pubblico del paese.

Devo dire che preferisco il punting alla spiaggia di Christchurch, nella quale non sono mai riuscita a fare il bagno, o prendere il sole, e neppure a fare una camminata decente per via del vento.

Le ortensie a Hagley Park sono spettacolari!

E anche le dalie.

Il roseto, i giardini botanici e la serra sono bellissimi, la parte del parco con le piante native un po' meno interessante per chi vive ad Auckland o in altri posti della Nuova Zelanda con il "bush" (come viene chiamata la foresta nativa qui). 

Nel parco c'è un caffè e anche un ristorante spagnolo nel vecchio Curator's House, che oggi da il nome al ristorante, dove ho mangiato molto bene (anche se c'erano limitate scelte vegetariane).

Ciao Christchurch, magari la prossima volta vengo in autunno :-).

Photos  by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Vegan Thai Salad Rolls

With this recipe I would like to take part to the contest piatti unici, from the blog Burro e Miele.

This is the first contest that Eleonora of Burro e Miele hosts, and I really wanted to take part, although my

idea of a 'piatto unico' tends to be different from the traditional Italian types. This is Vegan, gluten free, fat free, light, and yet fully balanced and filling (or at least, it is for me :-)). Best consumed with beer, or with a glass of chilled Cracroft Chase Pinot Gris (please scroll to the end of this post for another Christchurch earthquake update).

Vegan Thai Salad Rolls

On Saturday I went to the Oratia Farmers Market and bought some smoked salt and garlic. The smoked salt is really nice and mixed with a few spices and herbs, so I thought of using it to marinate some organic tofu to put inside my Thai salad rolls.

I cut the tofu into thin strips and then I sprinkled the salt on. After 30 minutes I turned the tofu slices over and sprinkled the smoked salt on the other side too. After other 30 minutes I lightly fried the tofu slices with rice bran oil. I put it on some kitchen paper to remove the excess oil, and set aside.

I used Thai rice paper wrap, which are gluten free. You need to soak the rice papers for a few minutes in warm water (five at the time) and then place them flat on a dried tea towel.

For the filling I also used some Thai chillies in brine, but not in all of the rolls, for others I used leaves of Vietnamese mint, but you can also use Thai basil and Thai mint. Then I used thin slices of carrots, chives, bean sprouts, and of course the tofu (each slice broken into two pieces for easy rolling).
You can also use shredded lettuce, and any other vegetable cut into Julienne strips.

Place the tofu and vegetable on the rice paper. Keep the decorative leaves/chillies a little to one side so that when you roll up your rolls they will be more visible.

Roll the rice paper, folding the sides in as you go, to seal the roll. The wet rice paper is sticky so it will seal well!

Herbs and chillies makes nice decorative motifs, and they are edible too. Make the most of them!

Place your rolls on serving plates, 5 or 6 per child (don't overdo it with the chillies for young kids)
and 7 or 8 per adult.

To serve I used three sauces: soy sauce, Thai sweet chilli sauce, and miso sauce (just a little miso paste diluted with hot water). Each sauce makes the rolls taste quite different!

My little boy loves Thai sweet chilli sauce, so he just had his own little dipping dish. Eat with fingers!

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

And now some news from my friends Wilma and Alessandro from, Cracroft Chase in Christchurch (if you remember I have written about them here). They are safe, but their house had some damage, they are sleeping in a big tent (with beds and chairs) and cooking on the BBQ, but they are in great spirit (I really admire them), working to clean up and start anew.

Incredibly their vinery was fine, and all the wine is safe. I am thinking that the restaurants in Christchurch that used to sell their wine will not open for a while (if ever), and so if you would like to support a Christchurch business, and drink some excellent and well priced Pinot Gris, please check their website.

I wasn't asked to write this, it was my idea, Wilma and Ale, I hope you don't mind.

XX

A.

Party Food for Girls at Frankfurt, and Sweet as... also!

 My husband was in Frankfurt at the book fair presenting his books, and I asked him to go to the New Holland Publishers stand to take a few pics of Party Food For Girls. 

Here it is, on the NZ stand, first on the left,

And in the International New Holland Publishers' stand, Food & Drink section, top shelf, second from the right.

And a little surprise too: another of my books, Sweet As... is also at Frankfurt, in the inspirational gift's section, top shelf, first on the left.

We are packing today to go to our South Island's tour :-). First book launch tomorrow at Mercato in Christchurch (see invite below, if you live in Chch do come and see us)

Follows a demo at the Farmers Market in Ohoka on Friday morning, then back to Christchurch for another demo at the Children Bookshop (I will post another invite tomorrow), and then Oxford on Sunday morning for another Farmers Market. In between we will squeeze in interviews, but mostly try to spend time with the kids' grandparents. I may not have time to blog much, and no much internet, so I apologize in advance. Please keep your finger crossed for me, for sun at the Farmers Markets, and for fun in Christchurch!

Finally I would like to thank Emily from KL in Malaysia for buying the book and showing it off in her blog :-), and Artu' for doing the same in Italy :-).