Australian Gourmet Traveller - July 2022

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Food The spice issue 82 SCENTS OF PLACE Tour the Middle East with chef Paul Farag’s favourite dishes from Aalia. Chermoula lamb ribs fatteh...85 102 SPICE WORLD Grilled prawns, corn, saffron Experience the evolution of pine nut milk.........................87 spice through Eleanor Lord’s Dandelion cacik and ras el new book, The Nutmeg Trail. hanout crudités ...................87 Scallops with ginger and black Fried cauliflower in baharat pepper ................................. 107 and tahini sauce .................88 Salted chicken with green Shawarma-spiced chicken ginger and red chilli ......... 107 with garlic toum...................88 Every week tomato lentils .. 108 Halawet el jibn and candied Pork shoulder vindaloo ....... 109 Turmeric and tamarind pine nuts ...............................90 Coconut basbousa and jamu...................................... 109 fenugreek custard...............91 92 PASSAGE TO INDIA 110 OUT OF AFRICA Helly Raichura delivers Bengali spice at Enter Via Laundry. Chef Anto Cocagne delves into the flavours of Africa in her new Wattleseed and poppy seed cookbook, Saka Saka. fritter .......................................94 Red rice..................................... 113 PHOTOGRAPHY ELISE HASSEY. Beetroot Hindi..........................95 Cassava and prawn Mughlai lamb curry.................97 Green beans and coriander fritters.................................... 114 Rabbit kedjenou ..................... 114 stir-fry .....................................98 Sautéed beef with spinach Stir-fried warrigal greens sauce..................................... 115 and vegetables ...................98 Fat rice ...................................... 115 Pine mushroom malaikari ...100 Bengali prawns and seablite ................................ 100

JULY 2022 Features 60 SPICE OF LIFE ON THE COVER Elevate your pantry with Larissa Dubecki’s breakdown Aalia (p82) of the most iconic spice blends through history. Recipes Paul Farag 64 BALANCING ACT Photography Ben Dearnley Anne Hasegawa uncovers the spicy secrets of umami’s lesser known sibling, yakumi. Styling Steve Pearce 68 A TOUCH OF MAGIC SUBSCRIBE Traditional aphrodisiacs are still seducing diners in unexpected ways, writes Anna McCooe. magshop.com.au/GMT Details p79 73 HOT HISTORY Discover a world of heat with Nadia Bailey’s peek into Regulars the history of chillies from around the globe. 11 UPFRONT Editor’s letter, contributors and news. Travel 28 A QUICK WORD Pallavi Sharda. 120 ROCK THE KASBAH 30 THE KITCHEN GARDENER Bitter oranges. 32 COMMUNITY X KYLIE Christine Manfield. Step into a world of spice and colour. Hannah-Rose 34 FIVE OF A KIND Masala chai. Yee journeys across the heart of Morocco. 36 WINE COUNTRY Mornington Peninsula. 38 COCKTAIL HOUR Trinidad Sour. 132 TREASURE HUNTING 41 REVIEW Dining out. Sail through the Maluku Islands with Max Anderson as 49 EVERYDAY Simple, fast, everyday meals. he discovers the archipelago’s dark and storied past. 58 MASTERCLASS Harissa. 118 THE ART OF TRAVEL Moderation. 130 CHEF’S GUIDE Nashville, Tennessee. 140 CHECKING IN Ovolo South Yarra, Melbourne. 146 STYLE Home, fashion and beauty. 154 OBJECTS OF DESIRE Incense holders. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY Gourmet Traveller acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of the place we now call Sydney, where this magazine is published. Gourmet Traveller also pays respects to Elders past and present. This issue of Gourmet Traveller is published by Are Media Pty Ltd (Are Media). Are Media may use and disclose your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, including to provide you with your requested products or services and to keep you informed of other Are publications, products, services and events. Our Privacy Policy is located at aremedia.com.au/privacy/. It also sets out how you can access or correct your personal information and lodge a complaint. Are Media may disclose your personal information offshore to its owners, joint venture partners, service providers and agents located throughout the world, including in New Zealand, USA, the Philippines and the European Union. In addition, this issue may contain Reader Offers, being offers, competitions or surveys. Reader Offers may require you to provide personal information to enter or to take part. Personal information collected for Reader Offers may be disclosed by us to service providers assisting Are Media in the conduct of the Reader Offer and to other organisations providing special prizes or offers that are part of the Reader Offer. An opt-out choice is provided with a Reader Offer. Unless you exercise that opt-out choice, personal information collected for Reader Offers may also be disclosed by us to other organisations for use by them to inform you about other products, services or events or to give to other organisations that may use this information for this purpose. If you require further information, please contact Are’s Privacy Officer either by email at [email protected] or mail to Privacy Officer, Are Media Pty Ltd, 54 Park St, Sydney, NSW 2000. GOURMET TRAVELLER 7

HAR D TO FIND Joanna Hunkin Editor EDIT Acting Deputy Editors Alix Davis & Anna McCooe Winter warmers 1 The Cloud cashmere maxi poncho, $445, Cashmerism. Art 2 Teministeriet Green Northern Berries tea tin Art Director Lauren de Sousa No.262, $29.95, Ithika Gifts + Lifestyle. Designer Holly Doran 3 Mori dinner plates, $160 for six, Pomelo Home. Words 4 Velvet lambswool blanket, $174.95, Nordic Fusion. Acting Digital Editor Callum McDermott hardtofind.com.au Senior Sub-editor Suzanna Chriss Writer Jordan Kretchmer @gourmettraveller Editorial Coordinator Charlotte Wishart Food Group Food Director Sophia Young Senior Food Editor Dominic Smith Style Creative Consultant Hannah Blackmore Contributors Max Anderson, Nadia Bailey, Fiona Donnelly, Larissa Dubecki, Michael Harden, Anna Hart, Anne Hasegawa, Matty Hirsch, Kylie Kwong, Samantha Payne, Simon Rickard, Jessica Rigg, Katie Spain, Max Veenhuyzen, Hannah-Rose Yee Advertising Group Commercial Brand Manager Rhyl Heavener Advertising Production Manager Kate Orsborn Brand Executive Amelia Paterson Director of Sales (NSW, Vic, WA and SA) Karen Holmes Head of Direct Sales (Vic, SA, WA) Will Jamison Queensland Head of Sales Judy Taylor Senior Events Manager Cate Gazal Advertising enquiries [email protected] Marketing, Research & Circulation Marketing Director Louise Cankett Circulation Manager Dariya Kaing Senior Research Analyst Ania Falenciak Senior Manager Subscriptions Ellie Xuereb Junior Manager Subscriptions Anjali Israni Are Media Chief Executive Officer Jane Huxley Group Publisher Nicole Byers Director of Sales Andrew Cook Business Manager Georgina Bromfield Editorial office GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia phone +61 2 9282 8758 Subscriptions Gourmet Traveller, Reply Paid 5252, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia, phone 136 116, email [email protected] [email protected] GOURMETTRAVELLER.COM.AU Published by Are Media Pty Limited. ABN 18 053 273 546. 54-58 Park St, Sydney, NSW, 2000, (02) 9282 8000. The trade mark Gourmet Traveller is the property of Are Media Pty Limited and is used under licence. ©2020 All rights reserved. Printed by Ovato, 8 Priddle St, Warwick Farm, NSW, 2170. National distribution by Gordon and Gotch Australia Pty Ltd. 1300 650 666. Gourmet Traveller cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such materials are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. Price in Australia, $9.99; in New Zealand, NZ$10.99; digital edition, $3.99. Subscription rates: 1 year (12 issues) $74.99 via automatic renewal; 1 year (12 issues) $79.99 via credit card or cheque; NZ (airspeed) 1 year, $120; overseas (airspeed) 1 year, $180; digital edition monthly, $2.99; 6 months, $9.99; 1 year, $19.99. Vol 20 No 5 ISSN 1034-9006 8 GOURMET TRAVELLER

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SUBSCRIBE NOW Editor’s letter magshop.com.au/gmt There are few things more inviting than the aroma of gently toasted spices on a cold winter’s night. Or, as Details p78 was the case when we shot the cover for this issue, an Arctic autumnal afternoon. The scent alone is enough Editor’s letter to start warming you, even before you sit down and tuck into their subtle, complex flavours. It’s easy to see why spices have been so coveted throughout history, acting as a form of currency across centuries and civilisations. As Max Anderson discovered when he visited Indonesia’s Maluku Islands, spice was once so valuable to the Dutch, they traded Manhattan – then known as New Amsterdam – for the islands, which were the sole source of nutmeg at the time. In this issue, we explore a world of spice, flavour and history, from Helly Raichura’s Bengali recipes, to a Middle Eastern feast from Paul Farag. Along the way, we also visit Africa, Asia, Morocco and Tennessee. Whether it inspires you to travel, or simply to cook something new, we’re confident this issue will encourage you to spice up your life. OURMEG WHERE WE PP R O V ED ’VE BEENThe Tasman, Hobart There’s a lot to love about T Hobart’s grandest new hotel, A The Tasman, but guests staying WHAT GT LOVES THIS MONTH in the St David’s Park Suite have one extra-special luxury: this PHOTOGRAPHY ELISE HASSEY (MOROCCO) & ALANA LANDSBERRY (PORTRAIT). July luggage Jaraman half-bottles timber bath, handcrafted from You’ll always stand out from the Good things come in small Tasmanian blackwood. Exquisite. crowd – and baggage carousel packages and as demand for – with July’s vibrant new magenta quality wines in small formats JOANNA HUNKIN, EDITOR colour range, which includes free grows, Taylors Wines has personalisation on every case. released its Jaraman collection in demi-bottles. Small but mighty. july.com/au taylorswines.com.au ENTIALS RAVEL ESS Maison Balzac T Elise Pioch Balzac has been bringing a touch of French flair to Australian tables for 10 years now and her new collection, Les Fruits de Mer, is her most playful yet. We especially love the new pom pom candle holders. maisonbalzac.com EMAIL [email protected] // FOLLOW @GOURMETTRAVELLER // ONLINE GOURMETTRAVELLER.COM.AU G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 11

Contributors Passage to India p92 NADIA BAILEY HELLY RAICHURA ELISE HASSEY PHOTOGRAPHY PARKER BLAIN (MAIN). writer chef photographer Hot history, p73 Passage to India, p92 Rock the kasbah, p120 Writer Nadia Bailey went deep into Helly Raichura shares her Indian Photographer Elise Hassey went the library stacks to research the heritage through her restaurant from her coastal hometown of chilli’s spread across the world. Enter Via Laundry. The Carlton Yamba to the North African “Chillies are commonly referred to North restaurant focuses on the country of Morocco for a photo as ‘chilli peppers’ due to the hyper locality of Indian cuisine, and assignment that captures the Spanish colonisers, who came to the nuances within it. In this issue thrilling beauty of the coastal the New World in search of black Raichura shares recipes from its metropolis and its many medinas. pepper (which was very expensive current Bengali menu. “The food “From streets filled with the sweet at the time),” says Bailey. “Instead, often looks simple but so much of scent of orange blossoms, they found chillies and – equating it is slowly made and artisanal,” exuberant bazaar bargaining, its heat with black pepper’s spice says Raichura. “It’s only when you golden sunsets over the ancient – called it pepper as a canny look closely you can see how Marrakech rooftops and endless marketing move. Though the much knowledge and experience mint tea, Morocco’s rich culture capsicum family has no relation, the – and how few food kilometres – engages and delights every term persists to this day.” go into a single dish.” sense,” says Hassey. 12 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

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Dishes and destinations The Gourmet Traveller team share where they’ve been and what they’re eating. Shangri-La Yanuca Island, Fiji Yes it’s good for kids - but you know a resort hits the “luxe family vacay” mark when parents get an hour or two each day free of all parental responsibilty. I took mine at golden hour, along with a herbaceous gin cocktail known as a Basil Smash. Thanks kids club! Anna McCooe, acting deputy editor Lake House, Daylesford Poly, Sydney You know a dish is good when you order Barbecued oysters covered in oh-so-buttery goodness is just one it again a day later - and so does your of the tasty snacks that has us so dining companion. A thick layer of sweet enamoured with this inner-city wine bar. spanner crab sits atop chewy koshihikari Trust the chef and order the full tasting rice in a rich umami-spiked sauce on menu. You won’t regret it. the Lake House’s autumn menu. 76 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills, NSW Joanna Hunkin, editor Lauren de Sousa, art director Ori’s Bar, Bondi Agnes Bakery, Brisbane Da Orazio’s bar offshoot is peddling I hopped aboard the kouign-amman this golden disc that sandwiches layers (pronounced “queen ah-mahn”) hype train of mortadella with cacio e pepe sauce, a couple of years ago, and I’m glad I’m still all before coating in breadcrumbs riding it. This one from Agnes Bakery was and frying. This idiosyncratic take exemplary: sweet, buttery and brilliant. on the deli staple is one of the ost fun we’ve seen yet. 85 James St, Brisbane, Qld Callum McDermott, acting digital editor 75/79 Hall St, Bondi Beach, NSW Jordan Kretchmer, writer 14 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R





PHOTOGRAPHY JANA LANGHORST. J U LY NEWS Edited by JORDAN KRETCHMER Moonhouse, Melbourne p19 THE HEAT IS ON Chefs pick their favourite spicy dishes, a hot sauce shop, new restaurants to try and fiery condiments worth seeking out. G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 17

THE LATEST FROM CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS AROUND AUSTRALIA SYDNEY PHOTOGRAPHY VICTORIA CHAN (MASHI NO MASHI), NIKKI TO (MANON) & STEVEN WOODBURN (MAYDANOZ). RESTAURANT NEWS While chef Somer Sivrioğlu may have become a household name in his birth Clockwise from above: land of Turkey thanks to his role judging Maydanoz’s dining room and Masterchef, he’s back in Australia, Zumrut cocktail; cacik with opening Maydanoz down the Wynyard grilled cucumber and mint at end of the CBD. Focusing on vegetables Maydanoz; duck à l’orange at – but not wholly vegetarian – the Manon; wagyu ramen at Mashi 100-seat restaurant plucks inspiration No Mashi. from the Aegean Turkish coastline. Meze-style bites favour bright herbs, 18 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R spices and grains and legumes, be it carrot hummus with turmeric and dukkah; dolmas with sun-dried eggplant, rice, chickpea, tomato and mint; and cavolo nero and leek pie with zucchini and haloumi. Wine-wise, mineral-driven drops taken from amphora vessels and organic vineyards will lead the wine list, which can be enjoyed alongside complimentary dips and flatbread during Maydanoz’s weekday happy hour. The CBD scores another win with the arrival of French brasserie, Manon. Taking up shop in the former Jet Bar Caffe digs on the corner of the Queen Victoria Building, the Euro-chic diner is being overseen by Marco Ambrosino and Manny Spinola, who most recently opened Lola’s in Bondi. The corner QVB spot is primed for its all-day service, from baguettes, coffee and croque- monsieur from 6am to late-night suppers on Fridays and Saturdays. For long lunches and dinners you’ll find bone marrow tartine; steak frites; crab bisque soufflé, beef Wellington and duck à l’orange, all to be enjoyed in an elegant setting that draws upon the architecture of the QVB and the classic style cues of French bistros. Across the way in Pyrmont a ramen concept has arrived at The Star direct from Tokyo. Mashi No Mashi centres Ozaki beef from Japan, a hyper premium beef, which they describe as being the top one per cent of Kobe beef, sourced from the top 20 best farmers in Japan. Co-founder chef Hisato Hamada developed 24-hour stewed Ozaki beef bone stock, and is excited to bring the concept to Australia after spending much of his childhood in Sydney.

News PHOTOGRAPHY PARKER BLAIN (MOONHOUSE), RAOUL GERARD (FARRO) & JANA LANGHORST (MOONHOUSE). Over the bridge chef Sam Young caters to vegans and coeliacs, with an Clockwise from (ex-Lotus) has opened S’more alongside emphasis on slowly fermented spelt above left: his partner Grace Chen in Castlecrag. sourdough pizza, alongside organic The pair, who delivered some serious spelt pasta, house-made desserts sourdough spelt decadence throughout lockdown and cocktails. pizza at Farro; through their private catering gig, the Big Sam Young Experience, will continue In Ballarat, Pencilmark Wine Room Alberta’s Kitchen to serve up luxury bites, including XO is set to open at the original Underbar and Store’s pipi linguine, lobster pasta and bone-in Ballarat site. Chef and owner Derek sirloin with ginger shallot relish. Boath is behind the new wine bar, which Ben Ing in the will focus on minimal intervention kitchen; pipis VICTORIA producers. He will also oversee the at Moonhouse, move to Underbar’s new location, which Flinders Lane has a new izakaya- will retain its small, intimate feel, moving and the bar. inspired bar restaurant dubbed Otōto, into Vera, a luxury seven-room hotel from the team behind Akaiito. Literally set to arrive on Sturt Street. meaning younger brother in Japanese, the underground bar is located below WESTERN AUSTRALIA its big brother Akaiito. Head chef Winston Zhang doesn’t stick wholly to In Busselton, Alberta’s Kitchen and a Japanese menu, also including Store has opened, backed by two former ingredients and techniques from Korean Noma alumni. Owners Ben Ing and Kirsty and Chinese cuisines. You can expect Marchant met while working together at robata-grilled meats; kingfish sashimi the esteemed Copenhagen restaurant, with grapefruit, daikon and ponzu and will bring their experience in the served elegantly atop a slab of pink salt; kitchen and on the floor to the producer- and steak tartare with shallots, shio koji, focused eatery. Rather than being pear, cured egg yolk and prawn crackers. a restaurant or café, the space will evolve, starting with morning bites, with Following some delays Moonhouse plans to introduce a lunch service and has opened in Balaclava. The Chinese special dinner events. Working directly bistro by Commune Group is headed up with the farmers and producers, the by executive chef Anthony Choi and menu is ever changing depending on head chef Shirley Summakwan, who access to produce. combine nostalgic Chinese flavours with a top-notch Australian wine list. In Hawthorn, Farro has opened another location. The organic pizza spot G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 19

Clockwise from left: On Saengyojanr; Dan Hong; Annita Potter and her jungle prawn curry; Louis Tikaram. On Saengyojanr Dan Hong (Mumu, Sydney) (Ging Thai, Melbourne) “A couple of weeks ago I had an amazing Sichuan-braised fish at Loon Fong in Chinatown. Most people are used to the chilli oil version but “I visited The Boiling Crab in Glen there are many different versions including a green Sichuan pepper and Waverley recently and indulged in a spicy pickled chilli braised fish that we had. Not super spicy in terms of heat, but the numbing sensation was insane, as the green Sichuan seafood boil that is now one of my peppercorns are known to be the most fragrant and numbing. The fish absolute favourites. Even though it’s was melt in the mouth and the whole dish was addictive.” Cajun-style, the aroma and warmth Loon Fong, Shop 2/63 Dixon St, Haymarket, NSW. reminded me of my childhood in Thailand, eating stir-fried crab with chilli jam.” HOT PLATES The Boiling Crab, Shop 7-9, Chefs share the best spicy dish they’ve 52 O’Sullivan Rd, Glen Waverley, Vic. eaten this year. Louis Tikaram (Stanley, Brisbane) Annita Potter (Viand, Sydney) PHOTOGRAPHY MILAD K (HONG). “The beef rendang from The Indonesian Kitchen at “Setting up my own restaurant over Mullumbimby Farmers Market is so spicy and amazing. the past year has left little time to dine Chef Rini uses lemongrass, galangal and chillis from her out. But one spice-forward dish I’m garden to cook the most aromatic and spicy rendang proud of at Viand is a curry of jungle with local Byron bay beef. It’s the perfect breakfast prawns with long leaf coriander and when I’m home visiting my family in Mullumbimby.” golden shallots. It is a boiled curry The Indonesian Kitchen, 51 Main Arm Rd, made from a fresh paste of green Mullumbimby, NSW. chillies and wild ginger. Not only do you have the spiciness of the small scud chillies but also the pepperiness from the wild ginger working in harmony with each other, an explosion of flavour which isn’t masked by coconut cream.” Viand, 41 Crown St, Woolloomooloo, NSW. 20 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

News 1 23 SOME LIKE IT HOT T H R E E O F A K I N D PEPPER GRINDERS This chilli oil created by Melbourne chef Sandra 1 Le Creuset Seah is as crisp and chunky This practical, classic grinder comes in a series of poppy, bright as it is moreish. Amped up colours, making it a solid choice to have in both the kitchen and on by the addition of Korean the table. $70, lecreuset.com.au. chilli flakes, dried shiitake and Sichuan peppercorns, 2 Dinosaur Designs Sculptural in its form, this pepper grinder could be mistaken for this chilli oil is both a tabletop artwork thanks to its stylish resin exterior. It will bring both versatile and delicious. seasoning and style to any dinner table. $330, dinosaurdesigns.com.au $17.50 for 212ml, 3 Hay sixeyedscorpion.com This salt and pepper grinder designed by George Sowden features a stainless steel exterior and ceramic grinder, replete with a playful colourway and simple aesthetic design. $80, hayshop.com.au JU ST OPEN ED PHOTOGRAPHY PETRINA TINSLAY (FEATHER AND BONE) AND KLAUS L. MØLLER (HAY). ETHICAL OMINIVORES Sydney’s Feather and Bone Providore has opened its second location, with the ethically focused butchery arriving in the eastern suburbs. The whole animal butchers specialise in sustainable practices and transparently sourced meats, and offer their expertise when it comes to using the whole animal and serving lesser known cuts of meat. Co-owners Laura Dalrymple and Grant Hilliard also plan to welcome some of their favourite farmers to the shop for a series of special in-store events. Punters will also find takeaway food and ready-to-eat meals prepared by in-house chef Hamish Pollitt, including lamb shank ragù; Lankan red goat curry (using O Tama Carey’s curry powder); and chicken and corn soup; alongside ready-to-eat sandwiches and bone-boosted broths. featherandbone.com.au, 270 Bronte Rd, Waverley, NSW G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 21

News HEAT WAVES table sauces to add more spice.”) followed by phase two, aka the death era. (“This was when flavour went Condiments have long inspired fierce allegiance and out the window, because it was about extreme heat. debate ( just ask anyone what they think of Vegemite), but They pushed it to fulfil thrillseekers”) Finally the third it’s the humble hot sauce that captured the devoted gaze phase or present wave favours natural and craft of Mat Garthwaite. Tired of working in the music industry, sauces. “I want that to be natural – people spend so he made a quick-fire exit and launched Mat’s Hot Shop, much money on organic groceries or making an which had its beginnings in markets and online, before its organic meal, and then they’ll put sauce on top of it Collingwood shop cropped up late last year in Melbourne. filled with additives, preservatives and junk.” To The saucy shop pulls together fiery condiments from ensure they are bringing punters along for the ride across the globe including oils, sauces and chutneys, with – no matter their spice threshold – Mat’s Hot Shop a focus on naturally made, Australian numbers. “At first, offers tastings of the 170-odd sauces on the shelves. I struggled to find 10 local makers doing all-natural hot “We chat to customers about what they are after: the sauces when we launched – now we stock around 55,” heat level they are comfortable with, and the flavours says Garthwaite. He also hopes to introduce people to they enjoy.” From there they narrow it down to five or sauces whether they seek heat or not. “People have really so choices from their selection of all things fermented, bad experiences with hot sauce. There’s this extreme side funky, fruity, briney, umami-spiked and pickled. to it and the challenge side – that’s the last thing I want “They are generally surprised by the flavours and the people to worry about with what we do,” he says. “The fact hot sauce isn’t just the red sauce you find on the priority is the flavour, and it’s not a competition. I want to table any more. There’s so many crazy different find you something you can enjoy and use on a day-to-day flavours. We always break it down to smoky, sweet, basis to make your food better.” This speaks to the savoury and sour – and then we can point you in any broader trend afoot within the hot sauce-making direction.” So when it comes to condiments, the world community, which Garthwaite refers to as the “third wave” really can be your oyster, with a good glug of natural of hot sauce. Phase one was the initial introduction of hot hot sauce on it. 204A Wellington St, Collingwood, Vic, sauces to tables (“Think Tabasco, high vinegar – simple matshotshop.com. 22 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

News KITCHEN DREAMING Aboriginal designer and curator Alison Page has joined forces with Breville in a partnership between First Nations People and the National Museum of Australia. The new line of kitchenware reflects 65,000 years of ongoing Australian Indigenous culture through the collaborative design initiative. The Aboriginal Australian Culinary Journey sees art by Western Desert artists, Yalti Napangati, Yukultji Napangati, Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri, and Sydney artist Lucy Simpson (pictured), adorn a series of appliances. 100 per cent of Breville’s profits will go to three Indigenous-focused charities, including the National Indigenous Culinary Institute. breville.com.au TOP CHOCS Flavour worlds collide in this left-of- centre collaboration between Melbourne’s much-loved crispy chilli oil slingers, Chotto Motto, and vegan chocolatiers, Birdsnake. The product of their unlikely friendship is a tongue- tingling, palm-sized chocolate bar that’s as cute as it is flavoursome. Rice crisps and a subtle undercurrent of chilli deliver Chotto Motto’s signatures, while Birdsnake has infused 65 per cent Ecuadorian vegan chocolate with warming cinnamon and nutmeg. $14.50, chottomotto.com.au WINE TASTING Hunter Valley winery Mount Pleasant is embarking on a fresh chapter, with a revitalised cellar door experience. Celebrating its centenary last year after being founded in 1921, the cellar door’s new menu has been devised by chef Justin North alongside newly appointed head chef, Kyle Whitbourne. Inspired by Mediterranean snacks and the direction of chief winemaker Adrian Sparks you can expect a mix of excellent bites – be it lightly marinated yellowfin tuna with sesame, kohlrabi and dashi or wild boar and fennel seed salami – ideal for tasting with Mount Pleasant’s elegant and balanced wines. mountpleasantwines.com.au G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 23

News EAT FOR GRGIFTING HARISSA HITS SALTY PHOTOGRAPHY KRISTOFFER PAULSEN (HARISSA). SWEETS Melbourne chef Tom Sarafian continues to expand his range of flavour-boosting pantry Butter purveyor Pepe Saya has teamed up with staples, with a new harissa. After Olsson’s Salt to create this successfully releasing a toum and hummus, indulgent new caramel. With both chocolate- his latest effort is a rich red paste full of coated or straight-up charred bullhorn peppers and red chillies. It caramel options, the old-school treats are can be used to marinate meats or served handmade in Marrickville with cooked meat, as a dip for veggies or by Adora Chocolates. as a condiment for chilled prawns or oysters. From $19.95, pepesaya.com.au $19 for 300gm, sarafian.com.au O N T H E PA S S with ALEJANDRO HUERTA, N0 92 How did you get into cooking? My grandmother and mum both love cooking and that’s why I got into it. I realised food brings people together and nourishes. I then studied the culinary arts and fell in love. I went to work at Pujol in Mexico City and stage at Noma. What are you trying to do at No 92? It was a wine bar doing European food, but little by little, we’ve started doing more Mexican food to reflect my experiences. Tell me about your tortillas. We press our tortillas to order. In Mexico, tortillas are one of the most important ingredients. My family would never eat a tortilla that’s a day old – it’s something Australians don’t understand. Cooked fresh – it’s much softer and lighter, like a thin pancake – instead of it being dry. How do you serve your mole with ceremonial tortillas? Mole is the most traditional salsa for Mexican cuisine. We do a red mole with roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, different chillies like morita and ancho chilli, and pistachios, pepitas and peanuts that give texture. We serve it with seasonal mushrooms and then make an XO with black garlic and fermented porcini mushrooms. We cook the tortillas halfway – take the wood seal with the pattern of the Aztec sun – we put some thickened hibiscus syrup on the wooden seal and put the tortilla on top, and seal the colour on the plancha again. How do you use spice? We focus on Mexican chillies, but I like using ingredients from other cultures. When Noma were here doing the MAD symposium, they were talking about “What is Australian food?” It’s the mix and match of all these things. It’s Italian, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese. I like that because in Mexico we call them mestizos – we have our Aztec heritage, but we also have Spanish culture. It’s been a mix of cultures – that’s something I like to reflect in my food. No 92, 92 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe, NSW, no92gpr.com.au 24 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Clockwise from left: the rooftop bar at QT Newcastle; king salmon sashimi with golden sesame and ponzu at QT; Porter House Hotel Sydney. THE LATEST BOUTIQUE AND LUXURY HOTELS HOTEL NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY MARK LANE (QT). NEW SOUTH WALES kitchen thanks to executive chef Massimo Speroni, who joins from Sydney will welcome the grand new Brisbane fine diner Bacchus. At Jana, Porter House Hotel Sydney in July. Speroni has designed a menu with The MGallery branded property will a range of local, dry-aged steaks, and an host 122 guest rooms across 10 floors, overall emphasis on simple dishes that while an adjoining five-storey hospitality hero produce from the Hunter region. venue will be home to a Euro-inspired delicatessen and wine bar called Henry’s QUEENSLAND Bread and Wine, as well as an in-house florist, all-day diner and café. Upstairs, Situated between Surfers Paradise and you’ll find modern brasserie Dixson Broadbeach, you’ll find the brand new & Sons, with cocktail bar Spice Trader Langham Gold Coast, housed within the due to open later this year. tallest of the three Jewel towers. The property is the first Gold Coast resort to Up the coast, QT Newcastle has offer direct beach access in more than 30 opened, with 104 rooms and suites, years, with the luxe 339-room hotel a restaurant from a chef with Michelin overlooking the sprawling beachfront as star experience, and a rooftop with well as the Gold Coast hinterland. Guests sweeping views. It’s taken over the will also have access to a pool bar, former David Jones building, in Hunter Cantonese fine diner T’ang Court, all-day Street Mall, right in the thick of town. The diner Akoya, open-air cocktail bar Coral heritage-listed building is more than 113 Moon, and Palm Court, which will host years old, and boasts prime harbour The Langham’s much-loved afternoon views. As with QT’s other locations, the tea. Much like its other locations, The hospitality line-up is a major part of the Langham Gold Coast will also incorporate appeal – for both guests and locals, with wellness with Chuan Spa, a holistic spa Jana, the signature restaurant, set to that draws on traditional Chinese prove popular. It’s a modern Australian medicine practices. bar and grill, with some firepower in the G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 25

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A QUICK WORD WIT H PALLAVI SHARDA The Indian-Australian actor and star of The Twelve on her favourite spices, solo travel and the problem with dill. Interview HANNAH-ROSE YEE PHOTOGRAPHY YIANNI ASPRADAKIS. 28 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Memories The taste of home for me is very simple North Indian I went on a little solo monk- cooking: dhals, chapatis and a bowl of yoghurt…If I’ve been like retreat on the west coast on the road a lot and eating set food, if I can get that in front of me it almost brings a tear to my eye. of Mexico to a tiny surfer village. I think that was I was very curious as a kid about cooking. I would watch the most magical trip. my mum create these meals. She was this magician with a sprinkle of cumin seeds and a touch of turmeric. What One thing I’d always do [making The Twelve] is if we were always fascinated me was the way she could take raw shooting out in Parramatta I’d go to the local South Indian ingredients – nothing in our home was bought. Even the restaurant and I’d buy dosa for my cast that day. [My co-star] dough was kneaded at home. A lot of people buy the dough Sam [Neill] and I used to sit together at lunch and I think he for dosa from a packet and mix it in with water but my mum very quickly got the sense of how cheesy my sense of would grind the lentils with the rice and ferment it for two humour is. I’m very lucky to have worked with him. I did flex days. She taught me the basics when I was very young and slightly and told him that I actually finished law school and I’ve survived on those basics ever since. he didn’t – but he’s playing the lawyer…It is interesting that I went to Melbourne Uni law school and the first time I sat I actually travel with my spices. Customs is always through an entire case was in make-believe [on The Twelve]. hilarious, I’m like, “No, no, please don’t take my spice jars!” I always have cumin seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric, ground I have never watched a legal drama and I’ve actually coriander and panch phoron, which is an Indian five spice stayed away from them in my career. There’s always mix. My mum always does one up for me and I travel with it something triggering when someone sends me a script for wherever I go. On my last stop I always gift my spices to a doctor or a lawyer, like, no I didn’t want to do that in real life a friend before I return to Australia. so I don’t want to play that. But The Twelve is not a traditional procedural in that sense. It was very obvious from the writing I used to be a sweet person, but I’m in an equal that it wasn’t about the procedure of law per se, as much as opportunity stage in my life between sweet and savoury. it was about the humanity of the characters. I think my tastebuds have changed and my eating habits have changed overall. But I love spicy. Gotta be spicy! You Being back in Australia to shoot this role was very can’t have savoury without spice…I hate dill. Put dill in the symbolic for me, as someone who in my younger years was room and I will start to gag. I’m a chocolate fanatic. If I start, told that this sort of thing wasn’t going to happen, you wouldn’t I can’t stop. And Mum’s kulfi, which is like an Indian pistachio see an Indian woman in a leading role in a big Australian ice-cream that she makes, it’s delicious. television show. And also, [my character] Corrie is someone who is very sexually empowered and we see this overtly on I was in Mexico last year on my own. I wrapped [Netflix screen, and I don’t think that has ever been inhabited by rom-com] Wedding Season and I had some time before a South Asian woman in Australia before. This could be starting The Twelve in Australia, which never happens, and a generalisation, but in my experience certain things are very I went on a little solo monk-like retreat on the west coast of taboo and not spoken about. Let’s just say I’m a bit scared Mexico to a tiny surfer village. It was the off-season and there about my parents watching a couple of episodes! ● weren't a lot of tourists around. I think that was probably the most magical trip. I’ve had wonderful holidays, going to Italy The Twelve screens on Foxtel and Foxtel Now. or Greece with friends and travelling around, spending time in merriment, but the most memorable one recently is that time spent alone. G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 29

PART ONE THE KITCHEN GARDENER Bitter oranges The cook’s choice for a zesty marmalade, the bitter orange hits its peak in winter, writes SIMON RICKARD. O ranges are a natural hybrid between two wild citrus species, the mandarin and the pomelo. No doubt you are familiar with the mandarin. But you might not know the pomelo, which bears fruits almost the size of a soccer ball, with very thick pith, and a mild bitter flavour. The orange probably first appeared in the region bordering southwestern China, northeastern India and Myanmar, where the ranges of the pomelo and mandarin overlap. The word “orange”, famous for not having a rhyming partner, comes to us from Sanskrit n¯arangah, via Persian n¯arang, Arabic n¯aranj, Spanish naranja, Italian arancia, and finally French and English orange. The word “orange”, to describe a colour, was not used in English until the 16th century. The term “orange” actually applies to two rather different fruits: the bitter orange, and the sweet orange. Bitter and sweet oranges are non-identical twins. They share the same parentage, but are quite different from one another. The bitter orange inherited its thick rind and bitter taste from the pomelo, but its orange colour and cold tolerance from the mandarin. Don’t be put off by the term “bitter”. It doesn’t mean that bitter oranges are “failed” sweet oranges. They have a different function from sweet oranges. They are flavouring agents, not designed for eating out of hand. Bitter oranges are the cook’s choice, since their dry flesh and highly perfumed, pectin-rich rind impart a big orange flavour without adding excess moisture. 30 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Grow your own Bitter oranges are at their best in winter, when we appreciate their zingy flavour and cheery colour, in the form of marmalade. ILLUSTRATIONS ADOBE STOCK Simon is a Marmalade is made with “Seville” oranges, Bitter oranges’ spring blossom is used to make professional the best known variety of bitter orange. orange flower water, used in sweet and savoury Marmalade is said to have originated in Dundee, dishes around the Mediterranean basin. The gardener, in chilly Scotland, where citrus trees definitely flowers are distilled to make neroli oil, used in author and won’t grow. Just like sherry from Jerez, and port perfumery, while petitgrain oil is derived from the wine from Porto, Seville oranges were imported bitter orange’s shoot tips. baroque into Britain from the Iberian Peninsula, where bassoonist. the climate is more to their liking. The word Bitter oranges can be grown in most parts of @simon_rickard “marmalade” has its roots in the Portuguese word Australia and New Zealand, even in places with for quince paste, marmelo. If you’ve ever visited reasonably cold winters. They make very Seville in Spain, you would have marvelled at the ornamental trees, with dense, evergreen foliage and 14,000 orange trees planted in the streets, surfeit of richly scented blossom in spring. It helps festooned with pretty fruit. to know which rootstock your tree is grafted onto for maximum success. Some rootstocks perform “Seville” oranges flavour liqueurs such as best in hot sandy soils, others tolerate cold, clay Grand Marnier and Cointreau, as well as soils. Some result in a full-size tree that you can sit traditional French canard à la bigarade, reimagined under, while others result in a dwarf tree suited to in 1960s Britain as duck à l’orange. Seville orange pot culture. “Trifoliata” is a good all-round rind finds its way into Scandinavian glögg at rootstock for backyard growers. Christmas, and Sicilian desserts such as cassata and panettone. Apart from the “Seville” bitter Bitter oranges are at their best in winter, when oranges, there is the “Chinotto” bitter orange, we appreciate their zingy flavour and cheery colour which gives us the bitter black drink of the same the most, maybe in the form of chunky homemade name, and “Bergamot” oranges perfume Earl Grey marmalade spread on thickly buttered toast. As tea with their fragrant rind. spring approaches, sweet oranges come into season. I will cover those in the next issue.

CHRISTINE MANFIELD Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we meet celebrated chef, author, and culinary travel guide, Christine Manfield. I was first inspired by “ Y ou can’t help where you’re born but you Chris Manfield’s can choose where you live,” says Christine dynamic energy and Manfield, speaking from her home in intensity 25 years northern New South Wales, where she lives ago when I met her with her partner of more than 40 years, Margie Harris. while working for Neil Perry. With each She laughs as she says it but there is a profound truth exchange I always behind those words. Choosing where to live – and the learn something new from her, she is one journey that has taken her on – has been one of the driving of this country’s greatest cookbook forces behind Manfield’s diverse and storied career. authors and a natural, generous teacher. I have keenly followed her rich, broad and colourful career path, holding her in the highest regard, as I do Maggie Beer and Stephanie Alexander. I love the way Chris’s career has kept evolving well after hanging up her restaurateur hat. Most of all, I admire the way she takes everyone along on her wonderful journey. 32 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Today, Manfield is a household name – a leading cookbook author and chef, who was the creative force behind Sydney’s award-winning restaurants Paramount and Universal. She has been guiding small groups of culinary adventurers through India since the late ’90s, and has continued to host domestic tours throughout the pandemic, with a focus on connecting to in Adelaide, it made Manfield realise “anything country and First Nations’ culture. was possible”. But just how she got here has been a long Searle left Adelaide to open Oasis Seros in and winding road, one that began with leaving Sydney, with Manfield joining him to make her Brisbane. “We’re talking Brisbane in the ’50s and professional transition into the kitchen. She and ’60s, when it was a tin pot, redneck town. I still Harris were ready to leave Adelaide, which had have family there but it’s a place that I ran away come to feel like “a country town”. from when I was 20 in the early ’70s because “We were spending a lot of our time living of the really right-wing government. in Paris and New York. The only city at the time “That oppression and “Travel really became that had a pulse was Sydney.” suppression, I just wanted to Manfield quickly found WORDS JOANNA HUNKIN (MAIN) & KYLIE KWONG (INTRO). PHOTOGRAPHY BROOKE DARLING (MANFIELD) & MARK POKORNY (KWONG). get as far away from as the impetus for a deep success in Sydney, opening possible. I moved to Adelaide. immersion into the Paramount with Harris in In the early ’70s, that was the 1993, and becoming one of food world...I was most liberated state in the city’s brightest new food Australia, and progressive in always interested in stars. A decade later, she terms of its social policies.” an experience other went to London to open than what I knew.” East@West in Covent Garden, After leaving school at to further acclaim, before 15 with no qualifications, Manfield’s newfound freedom returning to Sydney to open inspired her to return to Universal in 2007. school and earn her teaching degree, introducing “I knew I had one more left in me so I wanted her to a world of new flavours along the way. to come back and complete that vision. That’s how “Being a student and living with international Universal came about. I opened Universal with an students, I got introduced to this whole wide exit strategy – it was all purpose planned. Not world. Spice started to inform or be part enough businesses think about that… My motto of my everyday experience and was the food has always been leave on a high and leave them that I craved and started to bring into my wanting more.” everyday repertoire.” Which is how we find her now, at home and Manfield went on to teach for seven years, preparing to head to Adelaide for the final leg of spending the school holidays travelling and her Indian Cooking Class book tour, before she exploring new cultures. “Travel really became hosts two tours of the Ikara-Flinders Ranges at the impetus for a deep immersion into the food the Arkaba Homestead. world and that’s really how it all collided and came “Coming into the business, not a teenager together. I was always interested in an experience but mid-life, made me more hungry. Life’s too short other than what I knew.” for mediocrity. Reach for the stars and push yourself During that time, she became friends with to get there. Don’t ever become complacent. a fellow teacher, Phillip Searle. When he left “I’m still on an incredible learning curve. teaching to open his own restaurant, Possums There’s still so many opportunities out there. That’s the beauty of food and travel. Being able to juggle both those things and make them work for me. It’s part of my everyday life, they’re not separate.” ● G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 33

Five of a kind MONK’S CHAI ORCHARD STREET This aromatic and Blended in Melbourne, this spice-forward mix favours ethically focused chai blend clove and nutmeg, while possesses a subtle warmth piquant black pepper thanks to the addition of pimento undertones are balanced by and cayenne peppers, contrasted the sweetness of ironbark with the sweetness of organic honey. The amber jar is agave. Made by baristas, this chai refillable and preserves the comes with detailed brewing bold flavour of the tea. instructions to recreate $28 for 240gm a café-style chai latte at home. orchardstreet.com.au $25 for 250gm REMEDY & SPICE Richly redolent of ginger and cardamom, monkschai.com this sticky chai maintains its powerful aroma from packet to brew. Focused solely on chai blends, this Melbourne- based tea maker nails the balance of aromatics with black tea. $29.95 for 250gm remedyandspice.com.au Masala chai Originating in India, this spiced black tea blend has become a favourite around the world. IMPALA & PEACOCK VOURITE GTTEAM FA This non-traditional chai calls upon WORDS JORDAN KRETCHMER. PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING EMMALY STEWART. CHAI WALLI wattleseed and chicory root in Drawing on founder Uppma Virdi’s grandfather’s place of black tea to deliver heritage as an ayurvedic doctor and remedial tea blender in India, this chai possesses herbaceous a toasty caffeine-free take on the and floral top notes with a delicate lingering of brew. The biscuity notes pair well cardamom, cinnamon and clove. The female-led tea with oat milk, and it can also be outfit is committed to the art of chai, holding online served chilled and black. courses, blending and education workshops. $29 for 110gm $15 for 100gm, chaiwalli.com.au impalaandpeacock.com.au 34 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

The genius of Maurice O’Shea. Captured by Max Dupain. Continued by Mount Pleasant. Mount Pleasant. Created by a legend. OVER 100 YEARS OF WINEMAKING visit www.mountpleasantwines.com.au

Mornington Peninsula VICTORIA Wondering what to pair with spicy food? The answer lies 90 minutes south-east of Melbourne, writes SAMANTHA PAYNE. Samantha is S pice is every sommelier and winemaker’s more excellent example of the food pairing potential a sommelier, nightmare; in basic wine-tasting principles, of this variety than Australia’s spiritual home of writer and wine you want wine to pair cohesively with all pinot gris/grigio, Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. consultant. fruit, acid and alcohol elements integrated @sl_payne with the dish. But what’s the one thing spice does? Mike Aylward, winemaker and owner of Ocean It exacerbates all those elements in the wine. Eight, explains the secret to pinot gris’ pairing with spices: “The wine sits almost behind the palate, the However, there’s a hidden power in pinot gris’ weight handles chilli and spices and the acidity neutrality and subtle citrus notes; and its versatility cleans and refreshes the palate after every bite.” across aromatic spices – from garam masala and coriander root to Sichuan pepper. And there’s no “Since we started, the pinot gris has been one of our most consistent styles of wine; that’s due in

ON PENINSULA Wine country MORNINGT Port Phillip Mornington STE OF MORNING A TA Sorrento 2021 Quealy Mornington Peninsula Pinot Grigio, $28 Phillip TON Island The queen of aromatic whites in the Mornington is a delightful take on classic pinot grigio. Crunchy Bass Strait pear meets ripe yellow peach with a lovely saline minerality. It’s slurpable, gluggable and PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING EMMALY STEWART. part to the variety itself being so consistent to work with. a benchmark for textural whites in this country. All we need to do is barrel ferment as it adds a beautiful quealy.com.au richness to the wine,” says Aylward. And with this vintage producing 2500 to 3000 cases, gris production shows no 2019 Kerri Greens Clementine Vendange Tardive sign of slowing down at Ocean Eight. VT Gewürztraminer Pinot Gris, $40 Most of the planting material for Australia’s pinot gris A little left of centre but perfect for a spicy stew. began in the vineyard of what is now called Charles Sturt A blend of gewürztraminer and pinot gris grapes University in Wagga Wagga. This vineyard was first planted was left on the vine for an extended time to let in the 1970s by the founding fathers Dr Tony Jordan, Brian botrytis ripen to an extreme. The result? Nectar of Croser and Dr Max Loder. In the late ’80s, winemakers the gods with ginger blossom and lychee notes. Kevin McCarthy and Kathleen Quealy took cuttings to the Mornington Peninsula to create the first mass planting of kerrigreens.com pinot gris. Quealy was told about the variety’s potential in Victoria by her university lecturer (who hailed from Alsace in 2021 Ocean Eight Pinot Gris, $40 France, which makes arguably the world’s best pinot gris). This wine displays refreshing citrus flavours of His insight and Quealy’s tenacity paved the way for mandarin, cumquat and Granny Smith apples. Mornington Peninsula to become Australia’s home of pinot The Ocean Eight style shines with elegance and gris, with their first commercial release in 1993. a palate weight between classic gris and grigio. The lemongrass notes pair well with ocean trout. We know the Mornington can make classically aromatic styles of wine, but what about those wanting to push oceaneight.com.au innovation? Winemaker Tim Elphick from Stilvi is entering his third vintage with a focus on exploring the depths of 2021 Montalto Savagnin, $40 pinot gris. “It’s an extremely complex variety, and we can try An excellent Australian aromatic wine. different old and modern techniques to preserve acidity and The elevation and red clay soils of Mornington give enhance texture,” says Elphick. “I’m playing around with this wine similar lemon pith and oyster shell skin contact, inspired by Georgian and Greek wines and characteristics of a Savagnin from France’s Jura their use of qvevri for extended fermentation.” region. Perfect with fragrant spices and seafood. Quealy explains that Mornington’s coastal plains and montalto.com.au lighter soils cause pinot gris and grigio grapes to ripen earlier while retaining natural acidity, creating a generous middle 2020 Scorpo Pinot Grigio Tradizionale, $45 palate without unctuousness that’s perfect for pairing with Allowing wine extended skin contact increases the a variety of dishes. “Pinot gris is rustic – it eschews overdone aromatic characters – it soothes. There’s an almost ozone beautiful pink notes in the skins. Morello cherry, character, a fresh-air salinity that’s like a breath of fresh air.” ● dragon fruit and subtle spices suit red-braised wallaby tail or duck with Davidson’s plum sauce. The Mornington Peninsula is located on the traditional lands of the Boon Wurrung/Bunurong people scorpowines.com of the Kulin Nation. They are the protectors of the lands from the Werribee River to Port Phillip Bay to Westernport G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 37 Bay to Phillip Island, fertile grounds traditionally used for hunting kangaroo and cultivating native yam daisy.

Cocktail hour TRINIDAD SOUR Jacoby’s Trinidad Sour I n theory, a cocktail made with a whopping Chill a coupe glass. Combine 45ml Angostura bitters, shot-and-a-half of Angostura Bitters just 20ml rye whiskey, 30ml orgeat and 20ml freshly shouldn’t work. Yet, it’s the bracing intensity of flavour and unmistakable squeezed lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker Christmassy spice that make the Trinidad Sour with ice, shake vigorously and double strain into the such a curious and compelling drink. coupe. Orgeat is a sweet almond syrup flavoured with Bartender Giuseppe González came up with rosewater or orange-blossom water, commonly found in the polarising modern classic at Brooklyn’s Tiki cocktails, and is available from select bottle shops. celebrated Clover Club and entered it into a cocktail competition back in 2009. Using Trinidad and Tobago’s most popular flavouring agent as the feature ingredient – backed up with rye whiskey, orgeat and lemon – may not have wowed the judges, but the unorthodox move has amassed more than its fair share of fans. Chief among them? Pasan Wijesena, owner of Jacoby’s Tiki Bar in Sydney’s inner west. “Ironically, despite the amount of bitters, the drink isn’t bitter at all,” he says. “It’s quite rich, spicy, sweet and vibrant, while the lemon keeps it nice and balanced. I think that bartenders have as much fun making this one as guests do drinking it.” THREE RYE WORDS MATTY HIRSCH. PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING EMMALY STEWART. S TO For weekly cocktail inspiration, follow us on Instagram @gourmettraveller TR Y Rittenhouse 100 Proof Michter’s US1 Single The Gospel Straight Rye Barrel Straight Rye Straight Rye At 50 per cent ABV, it’s an The entry-level rye Made in Melbourne unapologetically punchy whiskey in the heavily using single-sourced rye expression, but the awarded Michter’s stable grains, The Gospel offers boldness is pleasantly is a standout. Velvety, a woody, complex and balanced by notes of elegantly spiced and distinctly Australian take cocoa and orange peel. ideal for cocktails. on the style. $90 for 700ml $115 for 700ml $91 for 700ml nicks.com.au carwyncellars.com.au thegospelwhiskey.com 38 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

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J U LY REVIEW Dining out This month, we explore some of the hottest restaurants across the country, including Melbourne’s Parcs and Sydney’s Parlar. Parlar, Sydney p43 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 41

Review T UICK LOO Q HE CLASSI K 20 Ninderry Rd, Clockwise from left: C Yandina, Qld pa thong ko; chef Yandina, Aaron Tucker. Qld spirithouse.com.au CHEF Aaron Tucker OPENING HOURS Lunch Tue-Sun; Dinner Wed-Sat PRICE GUIDE $$ BOOKINGS Essential. VERDICT Vibrant Thai dished in tranquil, leafy surrounds. SPIRIT HOUSE and galangal. Fermented coconut cream at the base supplies a welcome There’s nothing quite like Sunshine Coast’s Spirit contrast, with texture from a cracker House. Here vibrant Thai dishes pair beautifully with made from shiitake broth and tapioca. There’s a lot in play – all of it good. idyllic water views, writes FIONA DONNELLY. Spirit House’s signature is a whole I’m seated in a red-lacquered Thai-style pavilion – which still manages crisp fish, sometimes baby barramundi, pavilion, transfixed by views of to feel like it’s been here forever. served with tamarind chilli sauce. It’s a sunlit lagoon that’s waterlily- still available with a $10 surcharge. dotted and bordered by leafy palms, Covid sadly scuppered the menu’s I opt instead for a lobster krapow and bamboo and colourful cordylines. sharing format. Since reopening in April road-test the wok hei supplied by new a one-sitting per session, $95 three- wok burners. Coins of sweet Western It feels tranquil, timeless and miles course ($115 four-course) prix fixe has Australian lobster tail accompany my removed from everything – including been the go. stir-fry, curving coolly around a spicy the hum of the nearby Bruce Highway mess of chewy Korean rice cakes – a distraction that dissolves as you Sand whiting fished from Tin Can freighting a whisper of smokiness. The enter Spirit House’s garden setting. Bay, up the coast, comes out in an noodles are swathed in a sauce aromatic batter imbued with coriander full-bodied with anise, roasted chilli This Sunshine Coast drawcard has root, white pepper and garlic. It’s a fun, paste and topped with Vietnamese been captivating diners for 27 years. upside-down take on som tam, the crisp mint, Thai basil and more rings of chilli. No matter how many times you visit, tempura fillets crowned with green it’s impossible not to unwind as you fall papaya strands, birdseye chilli, and The drinks list favours aromatic, under a subtropical spell. coriander. A sprinkle of a brick-coloured spice-friendly options, with a great dust of dehydrated shrimp paste, line-up of beers including local brews. Given the serenity, it’s the last place tomato and chilli adds zing. There’s you’d picture vandalism striking. But in crunch, freshness and spice aplenty. Desserts are thought-through, too. August it was so badly wrecked during Pa thong ko, Thai doughnut, is light a break-in, it closed for seven months. A larb entrée showcases crudo and airy. A slick of duck egg custard Fortunately the owners have been able water buffalo meat, sourced from North brings richness and there’s snap too to use the downtime, installing a new Queensland. The hand-cut buffalo is from a cracker crafted from coconut kitchen, upgrading dining areas, adding dark and gamey. It’s mixed with a fiery sugar caramel. A light snow of cured bars, a wine cellar and rebuilding its dressing powered by black chilli paste egg yolk supplies salty umami balance. Chef Aaron Tucker steps aside this winter after five years. His replacement is Tom Hitchcock. The team remains but Tucker’s deft touch will be missed. Undoubtedly, Spirit House will sail serenely as it’s done for decades. ● 42 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Left: Parlar’s bar. Above, from left: Morcilla sandwich; chorizo, Manchego and egg on English muffin; bacalao croquette with sturgeon caviar. TH UICK LOO Q K ER E NEWCOM Shop 3/81 Macleay St, Take heed, though: At around $15 Potts Point, NSW each (and $40 for the caviar croquette), Potts Point, parlar.com.au these bites quickly add up. The NSW CHEF José Saulog temptation is to order one of everything OPENING HOURS – but you may live to regret your Lunch Fri-Sat gluttony when the bill arrives. Plus you’ll Dinner Tue-Sat want to save room for the larger dishes. PRICE GUIDE $$$ Like the vitello-tonnato-esque wagyu BOOKINGS carpaccio, served on a pool of bonito Recommended. allioli. It’s a real winner. For mains, there’s an excellent steak and a couple VERDICT A pricey but of great fish dishes, but the fideuà worthwhile addition to marinera is a star: the Valencian dish, similar to paella, is a lovely jumble of the Sydney scene. sweet seafood atop crisp, salty pasta. For dessert, go for the crema Catalana PARLAR – crème brûlée’s Barcelonian cousin. Chef José Saulog’s homage to Catalonia is the talk of Parlar means “to talk” in Catalan, the town with a buzzy vibe, seamless service and fine and the atmosphere here is always buzzy. Most of the time that translates tapas to match, writes CALLUM MCDERMOTT. to a vibey, euphonic din. But at times, a loud group can overwhelm the The first thing you’ll notice as It’s worth enjoying your apéritif with acoustics of the small room, to you enter Parlar’s sleek Potts thin slices of wonderfully fatty jamón every other table’s detriment. What Point space – next door to its ibérico, but I suggest diving straight a beautiful room it is, though. There sibling, Franca Brasserie – is the into the tapes (Catalan for tapas) – isn’t a bad place to sit, whether you’re service. The team has cracked the a ripper roster of bites. Start with the up at the bar, on a banquette, or front-of-house alchemy of appearing pan tomate, a riff on the humble scooched into a central booth. Cream as soon as you need something, then Catalan dish pa amb tomàquet: toasted walls, lit up by warm sconces and instantly fading into the background. bread garlanded by a glossy gradient offset by pops of tangerine and You’ll see staff address all sorts of of red, orange, yellow and green tobacco furnishings, frame the snafus with graceful guile. tomato slivers. The anchovy churro is striking space. It’s a shame about a nice sweet-salty interplay; the the drab bathrooms, which pull you Consider kicking things off with bacalao croquette topped with caviar out of the seductive spell of the luxe a cocktail. Highlights include the is a fun gussy-up of a classic; and the dining room. Twisted Sangria and the Riviera – morcilla sandwich – served on its side a refreshing lip-smacker that pairs with a stegosaurus spine of cornichon Sydney can punish your wallet, and gin and sherry with grapefruit. slices – is deeply satisfying. It’s Parlar is certainly up there. But it has The lengthy wine list is packed with bread-heavy, but inform staff of dietary the service, atmosphere and – most varietals from up, down and around needs and they’ll serve a substitution. importantly – the food to back up the the Iberian Peninsula. punchy price point. ● G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 43

Review DESTINAT In among the exotic ingredients is Aldinga, a healthy smattering of Fleurieu Peninsula producers; Feather & Peck SA eggs, Choice Mushrooms, Cape Calamari, Fleurieu Milk and prime THE LITTLE RICKSHAW Ellis Butchers cuts. A menu of Southeast Asian spice and soul showcases the All dishes are best shared and best of the Fleurieu Peninsula, writes KATIE SPAIN. many put vegetables in the spotlight. THE ION Vegan kimchi dumplings heave with a medley of house-made kimchi, roast PHOTOGRAPHY DUY DASH.carrot, gochugaru (Korean chilli If the number of local winemakers warren of stone and corrugated iron powder), candle nuts, gochujang dining at The Little Rickshaw is an walls. The long, narrow kitchen looks (fermented red chilli paste), roast indication of community support, out over a courtyard which, weather capsicum, Japanese brown rice owners Mike and Trinh Richards have pending, allows enthusiastic waitstaff vinegar and sesame oil. Protein is put it in spades. Wine and hospitality to comfortably welcome 40. on a pedestal, too. Wagyu thin skirt stalwarts are all part of the patchwork topped with a chimichurri-style betel at this Southeast Asian-inspired Over the years, the menu leaf sauce and bonito vinegar is an restaurant. The regulars were there in underwent a culinary metamorphosis exercise in balance, while the 2017, when TLR launched as a pop-up of sorts. It just keeps getting better. palate-bending garlic chilli hand- Vietnamese takeaway stand in the The efforts in the kitchen are pulled noodles with char-grilled SA quaint town of Aldinga. Back then, collaborative, adventurous and king prawns showcases the kitchen’s Trinh and Mike juggled hospitality day inspired. TLR’s soul is Vietnamese 19-plus varieties of chilli. The small jobs and ran their little stall on Sundays but dishes (split across bites, grazing, but beautifully executed dessert with the help of Trinh’s mother Loan feasting and dessert) shift and menu highlights Trinh’s love of (aka “Ma”) who grew up in Vietnam’s change with the seasons. In winter, pepper; none more than the savoury Bao Lô. c and her husband (a former Thai spices permeate curries and pink pepper panna cotta with fisherman) who hails from Mũi Né. during summer, the hibachi gets Davidson’s plum compote, star anise a workout. Japanese flavours such and crisp palm sugar wafers. Like the Word of mouth buoyed TLR’s as kosho, koji, smoked soy, and clientele, the wine list heaves with transition from pop-up, to café, and white shoyu feature in the likes of small-batch innovative McLaren Vale finally, the bustling haunt it is today. plump Abrolhos Island scallops producers. A seat among them is A wooden A-frame leads the way to nestled in decadent bone marrow coveted but well worth the effort. ● the 1850s blacksmith hub’s rustic rabbit and torched miso butter. 44 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Q UICK LOOK 24 Old Coach Rd, Aldinga, SA thelittlerickshaw.com.au CHEF Trinh Richards OPEN Lunch Sun Dinner Thurs-Sat PRICE GUIDE $$ BOOKINGS Recommended. VERDICT Good spicy things come in small, soulful packages. The Little Rickshaw dining room. Opposite, clockwise from top left: garlic chilli noodles with char-grilled king prawns; and kimchi and roasted carrot pot-stickers; chef Trinh Richards; pink pepper panna cotta with Davidson’s plum compote.

Review TH UICK LOO Q K 198 Little Collins St, that are at their best served alongside ER Melbourne, Vic a smashed melon dish turned funky parcs.com.au with a house-made orange kosho that CHEF brings an attractive lick of chilli heat to Dennis Yong the proceedings. Or golden fried rice that somehow manages to turn OPENING HOURS ostensible scraps – outer cos leaves Dinner Tue-Sat from Sunda (salted down and spiced), PRICE GUIDE $$ leftover salmon pieces from The BOOKINGS Windsor dehydrated for intensity – No bookings. into a multi-layered beauty that might VERDICT haunt your dreams. A worthy cause made Then there’s Yong’s clever, witty surprisingly delicious. take on cacio e pepe – umami e pepe – that throws Hokkien noodles and E NEWCOM Clockwise from bread miso into the mix and is already left: Parcs’ – deservedly – becoming the latest Melbourne, façade; golden Melbourne cult dish. Vic fried rice; chef Dennis Yong. The drinks at Parcs keep with the program with wine leaning minimal PARCS intervention and house-made kombucha on the list. That’s probably Trash becomes treasure in the most surprising way at the least surprising thing about Parcs this Melbourne diner, writes MICHAEL HARDEN. but also a good indication of how it rolls. Those looking for a classic Any regular restaurant diner and reducing wastage to intriguing and restaurant experience might prefer knows that moments of often vividly delicious good use. The another venue. Those after an genuine surprise are rare. philosophy is all in the name: Parcs is adventure, not always perfect but Good restaurants – new or old – will “scrap” backwards. always interesting and often genuinely have revelatory dishes cooked with surprising, will have an excellent time. ● skill and finesse that remind us why If the sustainable stuff sounds we spend so much money dining out, a little too woke and worthy, I give you PHOTOGRAPHY PARKER BLAIN. but are still mostly variations on the Exhibit A: ice-cream flavoured with familiar. Surprise is an infinitely more a miso made from the scones left over uncommon beast, a good reason to from The Windsor’s high tea. The dairy immediately add Parcs to your in the scones creates a subtle blue must-do list. cheese flavour in the fermenting process that is matched, brilliantly, Parcs is owned by Windsor Hotel with an accompanying pear, poached proprietor Adi Halim, the man behind in a cocoa nib flavoured syrup. both Sunda and Aru where chef Khanh Chances are you’ve never tasted Nguyen has been improving the lives of anything quite like it. Melbourne diners for the past few years. Parcs chef Dennis Yong cooked And there’s plenty more where with Nguyen at Sunda but has been that came from. How about oysters given his own platform in a modest, with a mignonette-adjacent sauce former mod-Italian diner in Little made with mango kombucha vinegar Collins Street where he is putting his that’s been aged in beeswax? Or fascination (and talent) for fermentation mussels teamed with a spicy, deep- flavoured paste of fermented pickles 46 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R



TURBO CUISINE & FRY ONE TWIST, THOUSANDS OF DELICIOUS & CRISPY RECIPES www.tefal.com.au

J U LY EVERYDAY From weeknight suppers to simple entertaining, these everyday recipes keep things fresh, fast and simple. VEGETARIAN GLUTEN FREE DAIRY FREE Photography CHRIS COURT Styling STEVE PEARCE Recipes and food preparation JESSICA BROOK G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 49

Everyday Mixed seed and spice crêpes with roasted pumpkin SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 40 MINS (PLUS RESTING) 65 gm plain flour, sifted Whisk milk, egg and butter together. yolks runny (2 minutes). Remove then 1 tsp each nigella seeds, sesame Gradually add milk mixture to flour, add remaining oil and Aleppo pepper, seeds, coriander and fennel seeds whisking until smooth; set aside to and cook until fragrant (30 seconds). 2 tbsp finely chopped chervil, lemon rest (30 minutes). 5 Place crêpes on plates and top with thyme and parsley 2 Preheat oven to 220˚C fan-forced. pumpkin, sprouts, eggs and serve with Place pumpkin, 1 tbsp oil, date syrup and Aleppo pepper oil. 160 ml (⅔ cup) milk lemon juice in a lightly greased roasting Note Aleppo pepper, named after the 5 eggs, 1 egg lightly beaten tray, season to taste and toss to city of Aleppo, Syria, is available from combine. Roast, turning occasionally, select Middle Eastern grocers or online. 20 gm unsalted butter, melted, plus until caramelised (20 minutes). If unavailable, substitute equal measures extra for brushing 3 Heat a crêpe pan (or non-stick frying of paprika powder and chilli flakes. pan) over medium heat, brush with a little 400 gm Kent pumpkin, peeled, seeded butter, add 80ml (1/3 cup) batter, swirl GLUTEN-FREE and coarsely chopped to cover pan, cook until just set (1-2 minutes), turn and cook until golden To make these crêpes 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil (1-2 minutes). Transfer to a plate and coeliac-friendly, simply 2 tbsp date syrup keep warm; repeat with remaining batter. 1 tbsp lemon juice 4 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan over replace flour with 2 tsp Aleppo pepper medium heat. Add remaining 4 eggs buckwheat flour. and cook until whites are just set and 100 gm mixed sunflower and kale sprouts, to serve 1 For crêpes, place flour, seeds, half Aleppo pepper and herbs in a bowl. 50 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R