Welcome, No sooner had I sent last week’s newsletter with it’s photo of some of my group and me on camels in glorious Morocco than we heard of the devastating earthquake. Tourism in Morocco was hit hard by Covid 19 and now these magnificent, resilient people are begging for tourists not to cancel their trips as this would harm them and their economy even more. Carol Prior from By Prior Arrangement with whom I organise my tours there as ever, has her finger on the pulse and is in constant touch with the team of tour guides, riad owners, restaurateurs and others who make these tours so wonderful. Her frequent updates are informative and inspiring. Read the latest here. Great news that the IMF banking convention, set to take place in Marrakech early October has NOT been cancelled. It will bring much needed income to local businesses. Certainly my tour next year will be going ahead and we are planning a fundraiser in Sydney on 5 October to send aid asap to these beautiful people. Watch this space.
On Saturday morning I undertook the Chef’s Challenge on ABC radio on NSW Weekend Mornings with Simon Marnie. I listened to the providores on air first then came up with three recipes which I wrote out after and sent in. Click on the link to hear all three, though only one is printed there. It’s always fun.
Then on Sunday I was back on air with him talking about the influence of The Australian Women’s Weekly where I was Food Director for nearly a decade. Some lovely listeners rang in with memories and stories of the magazine and the cookbooks. Here is the link to listen and the interview starts at 1:01. such fun. Weekend Mornings – ABC listen
Happy cooking, eating, drinking and travelling– Lyndey x
L: the article in the current issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly on the influence it had on how we eat and R: MCing the Foodservice Association Australia Awards
Recipes of the week
BLOOD ORANGE POKE BOWL Poke bowls are all the rage and here use seasonal blood orange and red cabbage GET MY RECIPE HERE
BEST EVER SCONES WITH QUICK STRAWBERRY JAM We made these by the thousand in my cafe way back when – incredible GET MY RECIPE HERE
In the kitchen with Lyndey
Pork with Blood Orange Glaze, Fennel & Blood Orange Salad
Here’s a clip of a TV segment I did a few years ago. You can watch it by clicking on the arrow or read the recipe online here. If you would like to see more of my videos on both food and wine, subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE or follow me on Instagram.
Money Saving Tips
Prawn Bisque with a rich flavour just from prawn shells and heads
Everyone is talking about the rising cost of living, power and goods. So here are my tips for saving money on food without compromising on flavour.
1. Buy fresh produce in season. Not only does it taste better, it costs less! If you want something in particular and it isn’t available or is more costly than usual, substitute something else.
2. Use up all of everything you buy. Cooking a whole chicken? Boil up the bones with a carrot, onion, parsley stalks and peppercorns and make your own stock or soup base. Do the same with meat bones.
3. Store things correctly so they will keep well in your fridge. Soak celery in icy cold water, drain then wrap well in plastic in the fridge. Store herbs and green onions (shallots) in damp kitchen paper inside a plastic bag to keep them fresh. Store potatoes and onions in a cool, dark place.
4. Try growing your own herbs and chillies.
5. Take advantage of weekly specials and build your weekly meals around them.
6. Use left-overs in another meal e.g. cold roast meat and vegetables can enliven a salad; left-over vegies can go into pasta, soup, frittata or risotto; make “ice-cream” or banana muffins from over-ripe bananas and finally, almost anything can be turned into a curry!
7. Only buy what you need. Check the fridge and pantry before you shop.
8. Use your freezer e.g. liquids like wine, coconut milk and stock can be frozen for later use, bread stores well in the freezer or make breadcrumbs. Add odd bits of grated cheese to the breadcrumbs to use as a savoury topping
9. Use secondary cuts of meat. They take longer, slower cooking but pack a punch with flavour. Far more than any fillet.
10. Use lesser-known, seasonal seafood species like leather jacket (or ocean jacket), salmon off-cuts in pasta or sardines. vongole or clams also go a long way, especially in pasta.
11. Freeze prawn shells when you use prawns. When you have 250g shells and heads, you can make prawn bisquefor 4 without having to buy any more prawns.
Wine
Artwine Albarino made a perfect match for my prawns with chilli, garlic and zucchini noodles
Albariño is a grape variety I first got to know on a trip to Spain many, many years ago. We began in Santiago del Compostela which is in Galicia in North West Spain. Albariño, known as Alvarinho also grows in North West Portugal. I had never tried it before but always believe in eating and drinking local. Fast forward and Australian winemakers started experimenting with such grape varieties and Albariño developed a following. However, around 2008 it was found that many of these grapes were in fact French Savagnin. That’s why Artwine call theirs the Real Thing Albariño. I came across a bottle recently and put it in the fridge. So when I cooked a simple dish of prawns with chilli, garlic and zucchini noodles I was looking for a wine to go with it and decided to try it. Well, it was fabulous.
The 2022 is only Artwine’s fifth vintage (and it’s authentic) and I found it delightful: the wine is dry with lovely citrus and stone fruit flavours with an appealing minerality. It is all Estate Grown, single vineyard and vegan (as no egg whites are used in the fining of the wine). For me it was simply delicious. $35 RRP.
Things to Read, Cook & Attend
Children & teens are shown the correct way to prepare nutritious delicious food by Sheridan Rogers
Bespoke Kids Cooking Classes with Sheridan Rogers Experienced food writer and teacher, Sheridan Rogers has earned a great reputation for her cooking classes for both kids and teens. With the school holidays coming up she is running classes from 25 September – 6 October. “My kids’ cooking classes aim to teach children to prepare a wholesome, nutritious meal which they love to eat and can reproduce at home. I hold my classes in my home in a beautiful setting which spills out into the garden where the children and I have fun looking at and identifying the various herbs and vegetables. We cook savoury dishes kids love to eat and can cook at home themselves – and we also indulge in a few wicked things! Hygiene, nutrition – and loads of laughs – are all on the agenda. The children eat the food we have prepared at the end of the class and take home whatever is left over. The classes are a mix of demonstration and hands-on.”
I actually have a family member who did one of these and he loved it.
My next culinary tour to Moroccois from Saturday 27 April – Wednesday 8 May 2024 with the highly experienced By Prior Arrangement with peerless contacts there.
Testimonial: Such a wonderful way to experience Morocco!
Lyndey is an exceptional tour host and our guides and drivers were first class.
It was a memorable tour filled with unique experiences. Debra and Neil
Taking in the best Morocco has to offer, this authentic gastronomic experience will see you visiting ancient palaces and medinas and enjoying exclusive dining experiences.
We will travel from Rabat the capital, to spiritual Meknes and Fes, and then onto intoxicating Marrakech, the red city. On the way, we will explore the archaeological site of Volubilis, visit a Berber village in the Atlas Mountains and relax by the coast in tranquil Essaouira. Together, we will discover the delicacies of Moroccan and French food, dine in humble local eateries and upmarket restaurants, and experience the making and flavours of Moroccan dishes during cooking classes. Luxury accommodation is in charming, authentic riads.
Inclusions
Personal hosting by me
11 nights accommodation
Meals as per itinerary: breakfast daily, 7 lunches, 11 dinners with ½ bottle of wine per person
Transportation throughout in luxury air-conditioned vehicles with professional experienced English-speaking driver, including related expenses and allowing for physical distancing
4×4 pick up and drop off to and from the desert camp
Bottled mineral water and hand sanitiser in the vehicle daily
English-speaking local licensed guides in Rabat, Volubilis, Fes, Marrakech and Essaouira with all entrance fees included to the sites visited with the guides
Atlas excursion including mules and the specialist trek guide
2 cooking classes
Local tourist taxes
Porterage
Restaurant tips
Drivers and guides gratuities
Bank transfer and currency fluctuation fees
Cost $10,000 per person (twin share).
More information HERE, full itinerary HERE or email me or travel@bypriorarrangement.com with any questions. I’ve just seen that Singapore Airlines has some early bird saver flights to Europe on sale now.
Puglia Culinary Adventure – May 2024
Spend an unforgettable week with me learning the secrets of a deeply passionate and undiscovered region of Southern Italy. Puglia is the sun-drenched heel of the boot that spans two seas, the Adriatic and the Ionian. Basilicata is its neighbour to the West. Both agricultural regions are abundant with healthy soil, over 50 million olive trees and a tradition of wine growing that has seen a fabulous dynamism in the last ten years. This area produces some of the most exciting food and wines on the planet. With award-winning Southern Visions Travel.
Trip Highlights
An in-depth visit to the UNESCO site of Matera, with free time to explore and shop
Bakery visit in Altamura at a DOP bakery
Visit to the Trullo Capital, UNESCO Heritage Site, Alberobello
A hands-on cooking class with a Nonna and me
Insider’s look at burrata cheese making from cow to table
Salsa di Pomodoro tomato experience
Olive grove tour and oil tasting at an ancient olive oil estate
Private lunch at Li Veli Winery
Visits to Lecce and Ostuni (the White City)
A half day on the water from Polignano a Mare followed by a seafood lunch
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