First NZ Food Bloggers Conference, Saturday 12 November 2011

On Saturday I went to the first NZ Food Bloggers Conference, held in Kumeu, deep in the Auckland's wine country region. It was an amazing day: the Food Blogging scene is really growing in New Zealand, and it was great to catch up with blogger friends, and meet new bloggers from all over New Zealand. We started at 9am with registration, followed by the welcome address by the conference organizer Allison Pirrie-Mawer. The first presentation at 9:30 was Web Design & Web Optimisation by Andrea Wong, followed by a talk on Social Media by Jaco Swart. Then we had a lovely morning tea at the Tasting Shed, and look at the the photo of the happy faces checking out the contents of our (very full) goodie bags! 

After morning tea I presented a session on Writing for different media types: books, blogs, magazines and private clients, which was fun! (Actually, Sasa said that it was hilarious!). Meanwhile attendees twitted like crazy about what was going on, so that those bloggers who couldn't attend could at least keep in touch with what was happening. After my session Emma Boyd talked about Fisher & Paykel's blog Our Kitchen (and lots of bloggers wished that they could blog as part of their job too!), before returning to the Tasting Shed for lunch and chats.

At 1:30pm we returned to our presentation venue for a Blogger Q&A Panel entitled Discussions around food blogging held by Bron Marshall, Sasa, Jemma Adams, Rosa Wakefield and Vanessa Opera. Of course the "buzzing" grew louder when the subject of "visitors' numbers" was raised! After the panel we had a Food product demo and taste session presented by Louise Fawcett of Pacific Harvest, followed by afternoon tea and a nose to palate wine tasting at Coopers Creek vineyard. The last session was a practical Food photography tips workshop, presented by Bron Marshall, before finishing off with more wonderful spot prizes for everyone! Finally we drove to Auckland for dinner and more chats at Cook the Books.
 

 Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

A big thank you to all the bloggers that made the conference possible, to all the attendees, and to our sponsors:


The Tasting Shed
Cook the Books
New Holland Publishing NZ
Kohu Road

Gü

Teza

I Love Pies

Mad Millie

Pacific Harvest

Whittaker's

Kokako

Gravity Coffee

Bell Tea

Annies

Photo & Video International

Coopers Creek
Loaf
Cuisine
Hubbards


Stop press! One hour after publishing and we made it into the Beattie's Book Blog!!!

http://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/first-nz-food-bloggers-conference.htmlhttp://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/first-nz-food-bloggers-conference.html

Pasta with pumpkin and porcini mushroom cream

This is the last baby bear pumpkin that I harvested last Autumn from my garden, and kept it in my potato draw for months (the others got eaten during Winter). Yesterday I finally cut it to take part the Italian blogging event Fuori di Zucca; the recipe is a bit.. Autumn style, I know, but it may be useful now for the readers in the Northern Hemisphere. 

I planted baby bear pumpkins for three years, and loved them, they are little so when I cut them they are perfect for one meal. To be honest last year I had a new mysterious pumpkin too in my garden (possibly from a seed in my compost), and my baby baby bears were quite different! Some were green and some were gray... A friend told me that I may had some cross pollination going on.  This year I planted a different pumpkin, a big Italian one, and had no more space in the garden for baby bears... I regret it now, when I cut my last tiny pumpkin inside it was fresh and perfect and sweet smelling... what a perfect veggie to grow since it can be stored for months! 

For the sauce I used 20 g or dried porcini mushrooms soaked for 30 minutes in water. I cut the pumpkin and cubed it, then passed it in a pan with 20 g of salted butter (Vegan can use margarine) and a couple of peeled garlic cloves. When the butter started sizzling I added the porcini and their soaking water.

Instead of salt I added one organic vegetable cube. I covered the veggies with a lid and let then simmer  for about 30 minutes. Then I added 200 ml of cream (Vegan can use vegetable cream) and simmered the sauce for about 20 more minutes (on low). I finished it with some freshly chopped parsley. The creamy sauce was perfect for tortiglioni pasta, and the pumpkin was so creamy and soft that it melted in the mouth. Very nice with a glass of Pinot Gris :-).

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

With this recipe I take part to Su le maniche's event Fuori di Zucca 

Book giveaway: Sweet Feast

This week I have another sweet giveaway kindly offered by New Holland Publishers NZ: Sweet Feast (RRP NZ$45) by New Zealand food author Julie Biuso. Over the past six years Julie Biuso has shared some of her favourite and most popular dessert recipes with Taste Magazine readers and this is a collection of her very best sweet treats.

To win a copy of this book simply leave a message to this post (with your name please :-) by November 16. The winner will be picked with the random.org generator on November 17th 2011. This competition is open to NZ residents only.

Also, there is still time to enter the 

Christmas Pohutukawa Honey Giveaway

To win two jars of J. Friend and Co. Christmas Pohutukawa Honey

please click here.

The Dishwasher

Welcome back to Black and White Wednesday, organized by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook. These weekly appointments are quite addictive really, but I would never have thought that I could spend so much time pondering which photo to use for a subject as trivial as my dishwasher!

The photos were taken from two different angles (different lighting) and in the end I opted for the first one, but what do you think?? I don't know much about photography, so please feel free to giggle with me :-).

 Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

Plum Cupcakes and a sweet review on 3News

Photo by Shaun Cato-Symonds,  and Recipe by Alessandra Zecchini ©

These Plum Cupcakes are from Party Food for Girls, they are fruity and dairy free, and you can find the recipe here. 

On the same page there is also a lovely review by Lyn Potter for the 3News website. Lyn was helped by an almost 11 years old girl to make four recipes out of the book, and Arantxa and I really appreciated this :-). 

The verdicts by both mother and daughter were really positive, in particular we like one of the comments the young reader made: 

"I like having a party book that a girl my age helped to write: she knows what kind of party food we like". 

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.3news.co.nz/Party-food-for-girls/tabid/420/articleID/231917/Default.aspx#ixzz1d4M33W5o

Pasta Caponata

The sauce is a bit like a caponata, or at least, the caponata that I make! Eggplants and capsicums are more affordable now, and are among my favourite vegetables:

Ingredients:

1 eggplant,

3 capsicums (red, yellow and green)

1 stalk of celery (optional)

1 garlic clove (peeled)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus some to drizzle)

one 

2 tbsp black olives

a few capers

salt to taste

Cut the eggplant into cubes and sweat with salt for 30 minutes. Rinse well. Cut the capsicums into cubes as big as the eggplant, and the celery cut into thin slices, if using. Place all the veggies plus the garlic into a pot that can be covered with a lid, add the olive oil and sauté for a few minutes, then cover and simmer on low for about an hour, adding a little water from time to time and stirring often. I usually add the olives, capers (rinsed) and salt halfway through the cooking (actually, I add them when I remember...) and cook until the eggplants are mushy and the other vegetables really soft. Cook the pasta al dente (I used rigatoni) and dress with the vegetables, adding a little more olive oil at the end. I love this pasta :-)!

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Oltre il vetro la foresta

I had a really busy week, with this big event on Wednesday, another sugar rose demo on Thursday at Arcadia for a school PTA, the opening of our very own "Italian Women Film Festival" (the first movie was L'appartamento directed by Francesca Pirani), and yesterday morning I actually shopped for clothes (something really rare for me!) and got lots of nice Italian things :-). And of course I had to work too, plus do all the usual things that a Mom does! Today I really really really needed to do some housework, and some gardening. Hubby went to work into the garden in the morning and I thought of doing the opposite: cleaning in the morning and gardening in the afternoon. And now that it is the afternoon it is raining!!!

So, a bit disappointed I will keep on cleaning (not so much fun) but I also thought that it was the perfect afternoon to post some sunny photos for Oltre il Vetro, il blog candy di Cappuccino e Cornetto.

We had to take photos of what we see from our window(s) and all I can see is trees, only trees, and often birds like kereru eating the berries of the Nikau palms. 

Al caro team di Cappuccino e Cornetto, la mia casa si trova in mezzo alla foresta, e allora da tutte le finestre e terrazze vedo solo alberi, palme e felci giganti, e molti uccelli. Uno scorcio di Nuova Zelanda per voi, se mai vorrete venirmi a trovare :-). Ah, e quella e' la bandiera italiana, ne abbiamo diverse, ma quella italiana sventola spesso nella nostra foresta

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

Go for orange colours... but the last photo is missing!

I was not sure if you post this or not... I roasted some veggies, pumpkin, potatoes (previously boiled but not too soft) and orange kumara with red onion... everything was drizzled with olive oil and the first two were seasoned with salt, smoked paprika, garlic, cumin seeds and just a little chili. The kumara and red onion just had salt and olive oil, and once baked I added some Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena. Everything was so yummy, but ... by mistake I must have deleted the image with the roasted veggies! I looked for it on my phone, it was gone, completely gone! I think that these days I am taking far too many photos with my iPhone, and to make space I need to delete a lot of them, and sometimes I delete them before downloading them!!! Yes, it is not the first time that something like this has happened :-(. Does it ever happens to you? And does anyone know how many pics I can have on my iPhone at any moment? I am so scared of overloading it... thank you and enjoy the pics of the 'raw' vegs!

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Warrior Kids

Last night I was at the launch of Libro International latest book: Warrior Kids, the manual of a bold programme that teaches children self-mastery and conflict resolution through a blend of Maori and Eastern martial arts, and counselling. The programme has been developed by Tim Tipene over 18 years of teaching around New Zealand and over the years has helped many children and families in New Zealand. I made the food for the launch, happy to support  Tim in his endeavour to target issues like bullying, lack of confidence or abuse in the home, issues that greatly effect our children and community.

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

You can read more about it here 

Spiego anche in italiano, perché mi sembra giusto informare: ieri sono stata alla presentazione di questo libro, che è un manuale per insegnanti e persone che lavorano con bambini vittime di abuso, di bullismo, e con problemi come ADHD o forte emotività. Insegna arti marziali come sistema di autodifesa, ma soprattutto autocontrollo, concentrazione, e autodisiplina. Fondamentale in questo programma è la funzione terapeutica e psicologica: si crea l’ambiente giusto e sicuro dove i bambini e ragazzi possano esprimersi, si parla in gruppo o individualmente, prima che sia troppo tardi. Io ho preparato il buffet, ed è stata una bella serata.

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

Kawakawa Tea with New Zealand Honey

Photo by Alessandra Zecchini©

For Black and White Wednesday, organized by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, I am proposing something really 'Kiwi', (although I don't see many New Zealanders drinking it!). Kawakawa tea!!!

I have many kawakawa plants in the bush around the house, the leaves are beautiful and make a lovely tea, and even an infusion used in Māori medicine for several ailments. The seeds can be used as long pepper (the plant is related to the pepper family) and if you like an extra tip, New Zealand bush inspired but created by an Italian (me :-), I use kawakawa instead of vanilla to flavour cremes and custards and panna cotta and so on. To give you an example have a look at my Flan with Kawakawa crème and Kahikatea berries!

But mostly I like to go into the garden/bush, pick a few leaves, wash them and pour hot water over them. One or two leaves per cup will suffice, the smell is truly delicious, and this is foraging at its best because everyone can do it!  And of course I like to add a teaspoon of NZ honey, which reminds me: if you live in NZ and would like to win some artisan organic honey please click here!

J. Friend and Co. Christmas Pohutukawa Honey Giveaway

Today, and for the next two weeks, I have a very sweet giveaway for you, kindly offered 

by J. Friend and Co. So if you like to win some honey read on!

 J. Friend and Co have just released their latest festive offering:

Christmas Pohutukawa Honey

Known as the iconic Kiwi Christmas tree, the Pohutukawa has

become an established part of the New Zealand Christmas tradition, and Pohutukawa honey is one of my favourite Native New Zealand honeys.

 If you like to win two jars of J. Friend and Co Christmas Pohutukawa Honey (you could keep one and gift the other jar to a honey loving friend... or just keep both for your Festive Season), just:

1) Leave a comment to this post saying that you would like to win! 

That's all!

The winner will be picked with the random.org generator on November 15th 2011. Please remember that this giveaway is open to New Zealand residents only, and good luck!

Broken silverbeet bruschetta, a demo in Italian and what about advertising???

My silverbeet is not big enough to be picked, but I was working in the veggie garden and I broke one entire little plant by mistake. Well, I cut it right back, and maybe it will grow again. I sauté the leaves with olive oil, some onion weed (again) and a few black olives. A pinch of salt and pepper and some grilled bread for bruschetta, and lunch for two was ready, maybe unplanned, but ready!

On Saturday Arantxa and I had our first book presentation in Italian, at the Dante Alighieri Society of Auckland. It was enjoyable to do the workshop in my language, and Arantxa did very well too. Once again I took out my iPhone quite late (there were lots of people and all the cupcakes were gone), and I really missed Bron taking photos for me :-)!

Lastly, I received an email from a company who asked to buy a space on this blog for advertising. I didn't respond and after a few days I got a second email. I wasn't interested, but I though of asking more details and I found out that they would pay me US$100 per year ($120 for online gaming), but no mention on what they would put on their "window" in my blog. I immediately thought of a Vegan blog that I often visit, and it has an ad for McDonald in Auckland! Well, I did see the same ad in other blogs too (possibly just because I live in Auckland), but seeing it on a Vegan blog was quite something... I don't know what you think, but it seems very little money for a year of advertising something you may not even like! Or worse, something that really cheapens your blog! I love to hear your opinions about this, and if you had similar experiences.

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

My Max likes...

... eggs and soldiers on Saturday morning, but even better if instead of 'soldiers' made with toast strips, we have thick grissini :-). Actually, I have to agree with him, I like them with grissini too.

And he likes boats and sailing, so two weeks ago he started a sailing course at the local sailing club, and it was so sweet to see all the little boys and girls going into the water with their little boats, they looked like little nut shells from afar! New Zealand is a great place for kids to try different sports and have outdoors experiences, where I come from is not so easy (or affordable) to get into a sailing club, and I am sure that this is true for many other countries, so today I feel particularly happy about living here. And I just felt like sharing this with you, especially with those of you who asked me about life in New Zealand :-).

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Spring Asparagus Salad, and yes you can eat the flowers too!

Lots of people know by now that I eat flowers, but still, some think of it as a bit of a freak thing to do. But if you have a few edible flowers in your garden (absolutely organic, no sprays allowed) they just make your dishes look so pretty, and they are not merely a decoration, they can have flavour and fragrance too! I used onion weed flowers, which have a mild garlic/oniony taste, and nasturtiums, which are probably the only flowers that the general public in New Zealand seem to consder edible (some claim to use them in salads, but in all these years here I have seen more trendy talk than action, and still far too much coleslaw). My first borage flowers and a few little violets added perhaps little taste, but they are eye catching with their blue hues, and welcome on my plate anytime.

On a large plate I prepared a bed of baby spinach leaves and then I steamed some asparagus. To save time and gas I steamed the asparagus over the vegetable soup that I was cooking for dinner (so that I could make lunch and dinner at the same time). I meant to photograph the finished soup too, since all the veggies come from my garden, but I forgot. Anyway, it had my last cabbage, carrots, celery (mostly leaves), cavolo nero, broad beans (they are here, finally!) and onion weed (of course). It was a lovely soup, and I just had to add pasta and seasoning, all the rest was from my garden. Anyway, back to the asparagus salad: after steaming the asparagus I rinsed them under cold water and placed them over the spinach leaves. And then I added the flowers. I am not a fan of vinagrette and complex dressings, so I just added salt, extra virgin olive oil and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena. I also think that a simple Japanese miso and sesame seed dressing like this one could go well. This was a light but satisfying lunch for two.

Another bit of news, this month Arantxa is in Girlfriend Magazine (by herself, no Mum :-), the editor of the magazine came over to interviewed her, and she was really really nice, so I would like to thank her, also for quickly sending the magazine to Arantxa as soon as it was out.

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

PS: yesterday I had 995 page views, the closest I ever got to 1000. The top visitors were (as always) from NZ, 249, followed by US with 205, and Italy with 154. Sometimes it seems that it is not what you post on that day that matters, but some sort of random mystery....