
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Fresh Broad Bean Dip

Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Oratia School Garden



Monday, October 27, 2008
IWW awards for Italian women
Founded by Patrizia Angelini, Italian TV journalist and presenter, the IWW is the first international network of Italian businesswomen.
“The Premio IWW will showcase success stories and recognize the contribution of Italian women to the global economy and the promotion of the Made-in-Italy brand.” said Angelini.
Award categories include business, not-for-profit, academia, public administration and the arts.
It is open to women of Italian heritage from all over the world.
Barbara Raffellini, originally from the Cinque Terre but today lives in Sydney where she runs PR agency, miraworld and is the IWW’s Governor for Oceania.
“Women of Italian descent have, and continue to play an important role in international trade and in strengthening commercial and cultural relations between Italy and the rest of the world.” said Raffellini.
“We look forward to receiving their nominations.”
Registration closes on November 10, 2008 and forms can be downloaded from http://www.italianwomenworld.com/
More information is also available at IWW’s interactive page on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Italian-Women-in-the-World/29924036459
Cercando donne di origine italiane per il Premio IWW
Roma, 21 ottobre 2008: L’associazione Italian Women in the World (IWW) ha lanciato oggi il premio internazionale per una donna italiana che si è distinta nel suo campo professionale.
Fondata da Patrizia Angelini, giornalista televisiva Rai e condutrice del programma Focus Europa, IWW è il primo network mondiale di professioniste manager, imprenditrici e donne di cultura italiane.
“Il Premio IWW promuoverà la figura femminile attraverso la divulgazione delle storie di successo delle donne che lavorano con l'estero e valorizzono il Made in Italy” ha spiegato Angelini.Le categorie professionali sono impresa, no-profit, università, ricerca, formazione, pubblica amministrazione, e libero professionismo.
I primi dieci premi saranno dedicati alle donne Toscane, mentre gli altri premi speciali sono riservati professioniste delle altre regioni.
Sono ammesse donne italiane o di origine italiana fino alla 4ª generazione, residenti in Italia e all'estero.
Barbara Raffellini, originaria delle Cinque Terre ma che oggi vive a Sydney dove dirige miraworld - un agenzia internazionale di comunicazione, è la governatrice IWW per l’Australia e la Nuova Zelanda.
“Parte integrale della lunga storia tra l’Italia, l’Australia, la Nuova Zelanda e il commercio estero sono le protagoniste che hanno sempre un ruolo piu' importante – ha dichiarato Raffellini – mi piacerebbe, quindi, vederli presente in questo premio mondiale.”
Ci si può auto-candidare o si può essere presentate da terzi entro il 10 novembre 2008, registrando sul sito www.italianwomenworld.com o visitando la pagina del IWW su Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Italian-Women-in-the-World/29924036459
Sunday, October 26, 2008
One potato, two potatoes...
Thank you to all who attended the opening of the Waitakere Slow Food Photographic Award on 22 September 2008.
We had a great evening with wines provided by Coopers Creek and a Potato based menu:
Petite and Perlas potato canapés with sour cream and red caviar
Roast potato rolled canapés with rocket salad and gorgonzola piccante cheese
4 types of Focaccia with potatoes (just potato, potato and pesto, potato and Moroccan seasoning, and potato and cheese)
2 types of Spanish Tortillas (potato and red onion, and potato, spring onion and cheese)
Rich Potato and Chocolate Cake
Potato and corn meal gluten free soft biscuits
Keep scrolling down for the Rich Potato and Chocolate Cake recipe.
Awards:
It was great to see such a variety of entries exhibited and on behalf of Slow Food Waitakere I would like to thank the artists who submitted a photo, and congratulate the winners:
Jill Jessop – K Road, 1970 (Society) Christine Johannis – Still Life with Mashed Potatoes (Food) Elizabeth Mertens – The Universal Vegetable (Amateur) Max Nyenkamp – My Favourite! (Special mention)
Thank you also to the Judge for the event, photographer John Chapman, to Lopdell House gallery manager Lesley Smith, Public Programmes Coordinator Mels Barton, and all the staff at the Lopdell House for their great support.
The event was possible thanks to the generosity of
A.S. Wilcox, Ecopac, and Fujifilm.
The exhibition will run until 16 November 2008.
418 Titirangi Rd
Titirangi
Waitakere City
Ph 09 817 8087
http://www.lopdell.org.nz/index.html
Alessandra’s Rich Potato and Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
800 g potatoes
50g butter
400 g sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50 ml Cointreau liquor
5 free range eggs
200 g self rising flour
2 tbsp candied citrus peels
For the chocolate ganache
250 g dark chocolate
250 ml cream
Candied citrus peels to decorate.
Peel and cut the potatoes. Boil until soft, and then place into a food processor with the butter. Mix until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients, one at the time, and always mixing between additions. Fold in the citrus peels at the end. Line two 23 cm round cake tins (or equivalent size square tins) with baking paper. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for approximately 30-35 minutes. Take out of the oven but let the cakes cool completely in the tins before moving them it onto a serving plate. To make the ganache: gently melt the chocolate with the cream at bain-marie (double boiling). Spread the ganache over the cakes and sprinkle with some more citrus peels.
Serve cold, cut into very small pieces.
Recipe copyright © Alessandra Zecchini 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Building my vegetable garden




Monday, October 13, 2008
One potato, two potatoes...




Sunday, October 12, 2008
Oratia Farmers Market
The Oratia Farmers Market is on again!
Every Saturday, 9 am to 12 noon, at Artisan Wines - 99 Parrs Road - Oratia, Waitakere City
For more information contact:
Here are my picks from the market:
Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©
The best ice cream in Auckland,
Karlene & Terry, artisan beekeepers,
Bush honey, my favourite Earthbound Honey!

Aldo's sons, Marco and Leon, are looking after the salads stall.
Go and visit them next Saturday!
Antoine making ravioli.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Mini Rose Upside-down Cupcakes

Monday, October 6, 2008
Gardening


Three broccoli heads left...

And broccolini

Camellia japonica
???
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Italian Film Festival
The 13th edition of the Italian Film Festival in Auckland opened on 1 October at the Rialto Cinemas in Newmarket. The Festival's special guest this year is Italian movie director Silvio Soldini, who was was officially welcomed to New Zealand with a Powhiri at the Marae of the University of Auckland. For more information about the Italian Film Festival please visit:
http://www.italianfilmfestival.co.nz/
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
I inherited...
This smells wonderful!

There was too much of this and it took a few years to control it down to a small clump.