Sandor Katz and The Art of Fermentation

Tags

Art of Fermentation, Fermentation, Michael Pollan, Milkwood Permaculture, Sandor Katz, Sauerkraut

You may have read my post on Capturing Cultures at Real Food Projects with Holly Davis? Nothing’s changed. I’m still fascinated with fermenting my own foods, primarily vegetables.

So much so, that I have bought Sandor Katz’s most recent epistle on the subject, “the Art of Fermentation”. I’m about half way through. I’m finding it un-put-downable.

‘The Art of Fermentation’ by Sandor Ellix Katz
You’ll note my beautiful bookmark courtesy of Kitsa’s Kitchen!
(Image by TSL)

If you have an interest in traditional or cultured foods and nutrition, you will already know that Katz is considered the Godfather of lacto-fermentation. If not, his story is quite fascinating.

In brief, he grew up in New York and attended Brown University. He is openly gay and suffers from AIDS. In 1993, in his early thirties, he moved to rural Tennessee where he joined a “queer international community deep in the wooded hills”. (I bet there are some stories to tell there!) His particular interest in fermentation grew from overlapping interests in cooking, nutrition and gardening. And, it all started with an old crock he found at the back of an old barn, in which he made his first batch of sauerkraut. Since then, this self-proclaimed ‘fermentation revivalist’ has developed his love of fermentation to the extent that he now travels the United States, and the world, teaching workshops on home fermentation.

Sandor Katz
(Image from Wild Fermentation)

And, as Michael Pollan explains in the book’s foreword, “Sandor Katz writes about the transformative power of fermentation with such infectious enthusiasm that he makes you want to try things just to see what happens”. It’s true. He does. He writes with a wonderful passion that is open and full of warmth. I’d love to meet him…

Our perfection lies in our imperfection. (Sandor Ellix Katz)

Well, guess what? I’m going to. In February 2014. Because Sandor Katz is coming to Sydney (and Brisbane and Byron Bay and Hobart and Melbourne!)

The lovely people from Milkwood Permaculture have organised a weekend of intensive sessions here in Sydney on the art of fermentation with none other than the man himself. I’ve booked myself into two sessions – the first is on fermenting vegetables which includes dry salting vegetables to make dishes like sauerkraut, kimchi methods, and making basic brines to pickle vegetables. The second is on fermenting beverages which covers simple alcohols from fruit and honey, vinegar, kombucha, water kefir and homemade sodas.

How excitement!

It should be said that after much deliberating, I decided to forgo the remaining sessions on fermenting milk and fermenting grains, legumes and starchy tubers. In a house where one of us is gluten intolerant and another is allergic to dairy, that just seemed like overkill.

Anyhoo, if you have an interest in meeting the delectable Sandor Katz and learning from him about the art of fermentation, I urge you to head over to the Milkwood Permaculture website to get all the details. Maybe we can start a wee lacto-fermentation collective…?

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Best Sydney (Breakfast &) Lunch Spots: West Juliett

Tags

Best Sydney Cafe, Real Food, Slow Cooked Pork, Sydney, West Juliett, Whole Food

Some of the Sweet Options at West Juliett
(Image by TSL)

What if I told you that the Twelve hour pork with ‘slaw on offer at West Juliett is so good that I forgot I was meant to photograph it before I started eating…?

True. I LOVE this meal. See – here it is…

Twelve hour pork, fennel, sharp cabbage, apple, kohl rabi, parmesan
(Image by TSL)

And, when I say I love this meal, I mean really love it. Whenever LM asks me what I want for lunch, I say the West Juliett pork salad. It is so good – it goes without saying that the pork is full of slow-cooked yumminess, but the spicy-sweet slaw is equally good. I think there may even be some home-made pickled cabbage in the mix.

We have visited the fine establishment that is West Juliett on several occasions in the past two or three months and I always have the pork salad. Honestly? – it got to the point, on my previous visit, that I was compelled to try something else on the menu. I felt I was being unfairly biased towards the pork. Our lovely waitress assured me that the Juliett Salad of avocado, seasonal vegetables, leaves, nuts, seeds and herbs with a side of chicken, was equally fab’. Turned out, it was pretty fab’. It just wasn’t quite on a par with the pork number that I so love. It’s a matter of taste, I reckon’.

LM loves the burger. He always loves the burger! And, the good folk at West Juliett are pretty good at ensuring his dairy-free requirements are met, too.

Grass fed burger, beetroot relish, butter lettuce, pickles and aioli (but sans cheddar) served with a bowl of hand cut chips with crisp herbs
Please note the beetroot juice is only like that because LM has already had a hefty bite out of his burger!
(Image by TSL)

But it’s not just the food that rocks at West Juliett. LM will tell you that he has had his best coffee ever in a Sydney café here. He’s an espresso man. If you’re a connoisseur of such matters, the café uses a ‘seasonally changing coffee that is contract roasted locally by White Horse coffee’.

And, they even make their own milkshakes and sodas. I’ve not tried a milkshake (yet) but we often partake of a soda…

Rhubarb and something soda at West Juliett
(Image by TSL)

What I particularly love about places like West Juliett (and Cornersmith), apart from the fact that they are located in my wee neck of the woods, is that they care about where they source their product. And, it shows. They make all their own yoghurt and baked goods on site (and the smells are seriously
a m a z i n g when the chocolate chip cookies are just coming out of the oven). There’s a section on their menu dedicated to explaining the provenance of their supplies – fresh jersey milk from Warrnambool, grass fed beef from Taralga Springs and free range eggs, tomatoes and honey from Mary in Wyong.

West Juliett’s Menu
(Image by TSL)

The cafe is pretty unassuming from the outside. But, every time we’ve visited it has been humming. The people watching isn’t bad, either. Lots of hipsters in this corner of Marrickville.

On a nice day, there’s a fair amount of outdoor seating. Sadly, when we were there last week it was a tad chilly for al fresco dining so we headed inside. There were a few hardier souls than us who braved the wind…

The unassuming West Juliett
(Image by TSL)

Inside the bustling West Juliett
(Image by TSL)

Homemade preserves at West Juliett
(Image by TSL)

West Juliett is open from Monday – Saturday, 7am – 4pm. You can find it at 30 Llewellyn St, Marrickville. It’s seriously worth a visit!

You say ketchup, I say tomato sauce…

Tags

Condiment, Dairy Free, food, Gluten Free, Homemade, Homemade Ketchup, Homemade Tomato Sauce, Ketchup, Recipe, Sugar free, Tomato Sauce

TSL’s Tomato Sauce
(Image by TSL)

The teenager came home from school yesterday and announced he is on a health kick. I’m not 100% sure what prompted this interest in getting healthy (although, it has to be said I have some ideas), but I’m certainly not knocking it. When pushed, he suggested that this really meant he would limit his consumption of fizzy drinks to one per week… And, then he completed a fairly lengthy ‘man work-out’, so he’s starting well!

As you no doubt know, here at Casa TSL we try to limit our sugar consumption. The teenager is sort of forced to comply with this by default. Poor sausage. But, since he is now on a health kick, I thought I should give him a wee boost by whipping up some easy-peasey home-made tomato sauce (aka ketchup).

Blood may be thicker than water, but it’s certainly not as thick as ketchup. Nor does it go as well with french fries. (Jarod Kintz)

This is the tomato sauce you whip up when you want a fast, reasonably un-processed solution.

Let me be clear – this is not the prepared-from-scratch number you make on a lazy Sunday afternoon of bottling. Rather, it is a good compromise between that and the approximately 30% sugar-laden commercial tomato sauces.

And the best bit? – The teenager has given it his tick of approval!

TSL’s Tomato Sauce
(Image by TSL)

Ingredients:

170g tomato paste
60ml apple cider vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp molasses
60ml water
½ tsp salt
1 x small garlic clove
1 Tbsp finely chopped onion
A pinch garam marsala (or all spice, as an alternative)

Method:
(Note how complex this recipe is!)

Combine all ingredients in a blender at medium-high speed until very smooth. And, you’re done!

Boo-ya!

Mile High at Peter Gordon’s Sugar Club

Tags

Auckland, Dining Out, New Zealand, Peter Gordon, Restaurant, Sky City, SkyTower, The Sugar Club

The Sugar Club
(Image from here)

So. Last week I did something impulsive. Quite impulsive, really. I was very generously offered a late invitation to join a party for dinner at the newly opened Sugar Club at the top of the Sky Tower in Auckland. Private dining room, no less.

Yes – that’s the Auckland in New Zealand. And yes, I live in Sydney which is in Australia. But really, what’s 2,160 kilometres between friends? As it happens, LM and the teenager were off to Melbourne to check out universities for the weekend and I was at a loose end. I looked online and webjet offered me a reasonably budget flight. I figured it was meant to be…

I’ve written before about my longstanding crush on Peter Gordon. So it was extra-special to have the chance to dine at his newly launched Sugar Club just 7 days after it opened. If you’re not familiar with the restaurant’s history, here’s a blurb from Peter’s website:

The Sugar Club has an iconic history in New Zealand, opening in central Wellington in 1986 with Peter as head chef – and being the first Kiwi chef to bring an Asian and Middle Eastern-infused menu to a New Zealand restaurant. Since then, The Sugar Club opened branches in Notting Hill and Soho in London, again with Peter as Head Chef. During this time, Peter also wrote his first of seven cookbooks, The Sugar Club Cookbook.

Peter Gordon is credited as being the ‘godfather’ of fusion cuisine. He is known for pushing boundaries – where one national cuisine starts and another stops. For him fusion is “fun and it’s playful. It’s simply one of many cuisines, and it happily sits amongst them like a magpie, borrowing from them all.”

Clevedon Valley Buffalo Mozarella, tomato tamarind relish, pickled Medjool dates, macadamia nuts, lemon oil
Seriously bad lighting!
(Image by TSL)

Beef Pesto
Peter Gordon’s signature dish
We had sides of duck fat roasties; endive, radicchio and parmesan; AND steamed greens
(Image by TSL)

Yuzu Avocado Sorbet with coconut tapioca, passionfruit, and mango, but without the macadamia wafer (for the gluten-free girl)
Another Peter Gordon signature and it is SO good…
(Image by TSL)

That was MY meal. Here are a couple of the dishes…

Grilled Cinnamon Quail with roast ginger carrots, plum tapioca
Apparently superb!
(Image by TSL)

Pumpkin Coconut Curry with tofu, spinach, ginger rice
For the vegetarian-inclined
(Image by TSL)

Chocolate Star Anise Mousse Cake with poached tamarillo, honey yoghurt cream
It was a close run thing, but I’m not mad about tamarillo
(Image by TSL)

Our party of 12 was very well looked after by the very charming and efficient Edward. We had a super evening. The food was superb and the wines delicious. I suspect we were treated particularly well given our ‘private dining room’ status organised by our lovely host. My only complaint is that my images aren’t as good as they would be if LM had been the photographer. Apologies!

Peter Gordon is cooking at the Sugar Club for the next month before he hands over the reins to Head Chef, Neil Brazier. I reckon’ it’s definitely worth a visit!

 

Best Sydney Breakfast (& Lunch & Dinner) Spots: Three Blue Ducks

Tags

Best Breakfast, Best Brunch, Best Sydney Cafe, Bronte, Bronte Beach, food, Gluten Free, Gluten-free diet, Nose to tail, Restaurant Review, Slow Food, Spring Wellness, Sprouted Gluten Free Bread, Sydney, Sydney Restaurant, Three Blue Ducks

2 Ducks at Three Blue Ducks
(Image by LM for TSL)

After our Sunday wander around the periphery of Waverley Cemetery (see previous post!), we were a mite peckish. All part of LM’s cunning ‘adventure’ plan. He perfectly executed our arrival at the ever-fabulous Three Blue Ducks to coincide with a recently vacated outdoor table.

And, my fresh coconut water went down a treat…

View to the water from Three Blue Ducks
(Image by LM for TSL)

Fresh Coconut Water
(Image by LM for TSL)

In case you a) have been living under a rock; b) live anywhere but Australia; or, c) have another good reason for never having heard of Three Blue Ducks, I urge you to go and check out their story here. Essentially, five guys living the Sydney life, serving up seriously good nosh in an informal and unpretentious café on the main drag of Bronte. And, did I mention the food is seriously good?

Three Blue Ducks Entrance
(Image by LM for TSL)

…and from the other direction!
(Image by LM for TSL)

LM being artistic at Three Blue Ducks
(Image by LM for TSL)

Three Blue Ducks ‘Street Art’ Wall
(Image by LM for TSL)

Tetsuya’s philosophy was always to get the best ingredients you can afford and do as little as possible to make them amazing. And that’s still what we do now. Despite the fact we’ve got no tablecloths, we’re next to a bus stop, it’s got graffiti and it’s more casual, I think the philosophy is the same. We’re still using the same suppliers I’ve been using for 13 years. (Darren Robertson, Chef – Three Blue Ducks)

While the vibe may appear to be laid back Australian, the food is anything but. And, the service team is both disarmingly efficient and knowledgable* (which this picky gluten-free diner is particularly happy about!).

If your eyes are better than mine, check out the menu…

Three Blue Ducks Menu
(Image by LM for TSL)

I have had the braised lamb shoulder with peas, bacon, cos lettuce, onion and mustard jus on my last couple of visits, so I was determined to try something different this time…

Beetroot, haloumi, red onion, spinach salad with spiced pistachio and almond gazpacho – YUM!!!
(Image by LM for TSL)

I was not disappointed. This salad was the bomb! It would have been great without the pistachio praline and almond gazpacho. But with them… Total heaven. Maybe the lamb has been bumped off my favourite spot?

LM had the slow cooked pork. I don’t think he’s ever tried anything else off the lunch menu, he loves it that much…

Slow cooked pork with apple, brussels sprouts, chilli, honey and fried egg
(Image by LM for TSL)

…the locals were pretty friendly, too!
(Image by LM for TSL)

Three Blue Ducks is at 141-143 Macpherson St, Bronte, NSW 2024.

They are open for breakfast and lunch 7 days from 7am. Dinner is served Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Bookings taken for dinner only.

*Our fab’ waitress recommended we try the gluten-free ‘sprouted quinoa and millet’ bread. I have been looking for a gluten-free sprouted bread for ages and I wasn’t disappointed. It was excellent. She even gave us the details of their supplier. I’ll be ordering some from Spring Wellness next week. They deliver!

When I Die, I Want to be Cremated…

Tags

Bondi to Coogee Walk, Cremation, Death, Pohutukawa, Sydney, Sydney Views, Waverley Cemetery, Winter in Sydney

Waverley Cemetery
(Image by LM for TSL)

Sometimes on a Sunday, when we have nothing in particular planned for our day, LM informs me that he is taking me on an adventure. I love these days.

Adventure days usually involve the pooch. They usually involve us driving to a part of Sydney I am unfamiliar with, followed by a walk and, if we are lucky with our chosen area, are punctuated with a nice meal or snack-age.

This past Sunday, LM took me to Bronte. Specifically, we went to the surrounds of Waverley Cemetery. I say ‘surrounds’ because one member of our adventure party was not permitted access to the actual cemetery.

Waverley Cemetery keeps the dogs out
(Image by LM for TSL)

Waverley Cemetery makes it VERY clear dogs are unwelcome
(Image by LM for TSL)

Waverley Cemetery is hands down one of the nicest cemeteries in Sydney, if not Australia. The pure white angels against the blue sky with the ocean in the background make this a spectacular place. (Review on Trip Advisor)

The Waverley Cemetery is an iconic heritage site on the cliffs overlooking the water between Bronte and Clovelly Beaches in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It has been in operation since 1877. And, while it is fair to say the Waverley Cemetery seems to be a particularly fine example of a burial ground, I suspect this may have rather more to do with its location and bazillion dollar views than its occupants.

And, when I die, I want to be cremated. But, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t care less if I had a bazillion dollar view. What would I care? – I’d be dead. What I would care about is that my dog could come and visit me and be allowed to mourn my passing in the appropriate way…* Just saying.

Bazillion Dollar Views at Waverley Cemetery
(Image by LM for TSL)

More Bazillion Dollar Views from the Cemetery
(Image by LM for TSL)

…and from another angle
(Image by LM for TSL)

Bella outside Waverley Cemetery
(Image by LM for TSL)

Anyway, the Bronte-based Waverley Cemetery is quite large. We wandered happily around its circumference for almost two hours. We took in the small section of the Bondi to Coogee walk that backs onto the cemetery, too.

Clearly, the residents within Waverley Council are very law-abiding…
(Image by LM for TSL)

…VERY law-abiding
(Image by LM for TSL)

Clovelly Bowling Club – the world’s best lawn bowls site?
(Image by LM for TSL)

Almost enough to get me barefoot bowling…
(Image by LM for TSL)

Part of the Bondi to Coogee Walkway
(Image by LM for TSL)

Bazillion dollar views…
(Image by LM for TSL)

I have written about my love of pohutukawa trees before (here). They are colloquially known as a Kiwi Christmas tree because they usually flower at Christmas time – that’s summer-time for us, Northern Hemisphere. Well, Sydney has been experiencing an unseasonably warm winter – 20° C/68° F was the high on Sunday. Look at what we found.

Lots of flowering Pohutukawa in the middle of winter!
(Images by LM for TSL)

Oh, and we did get our meal. And, it was fine. More on the Three Blue Ducks in my next post!

*not really, but it sounded good at the time of writing.