Leek and edamame risotto, Sunday out at the Hobsonville Farmers Market, ice cream at Giapo, and what Trip Advisor says!

Chop one large leek and wash it, then sauté with olive oil until soft. Add one cup of shelled edamame (I used the frozen ones) and sauté until the edamame are starting to cook. Add 400 g arborio rice and stir, when the rice is hot and starting to toast add a glass of white wine at room temperature (not chilled). Stir and after the wine has been absorbed add about 1 l of vegetable stock, one ladle at the time, stirring often until cooked. This risotto is perfect as it is (Vegan) but non-vegans can add grated parmesan cheese if they like, or start with butter instead of olive oil.

Serves 4

On another note, on Sunday I accompanied an Italian photographer to the Hobsonville Farmers Market, a nice covered market in a new residential development which is, I guess, still West Auckland, although it felt like the people were very North-Shore types. 

The kids had langos, the same that they get when they go to the Oratia Farmers Market. They like them, but they prefer gnocco fritto. And then we drove all the way back to Auckland city and stopped at Giapo for ice cream. I had orange sorbet, which came with candy floss and a violet on top. I will talk about Giapo again in the future, it is a bit of a landmark in Auckland's Queen Street, in fact if you go on Trip Advisor you will find Giapo ranked in second place among the 807 restaurants in Auckland... yes Second place, ahead or the French Cafe which is in 5th place although it is supposed to be one of the best restaurants in the city... and Giapo is just an ice-cream place! I guess that every business could list itself as a restaurant and cash on the reviews (although I have noticed another ice cream place in the city being only in 348th place...)!

At this point I also had to go and look what Trip Advisor had as number 1 restaurant in Auckland, and found this one (never heard of it, but I don't eat out often...).

Now tell me, do you ever read Trip Advisor's reviews? And if so, what do you think?

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©