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Hummingbird Cake

3 cups plain flour1 teaspoon each: baking soda, ground ginger1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup sugar1 1/2 cups canola oil3 eggs, lightly beaten225g can crushed pineapple, undrained3 bananas, mashed1 cup walnuts or nuts of your choice, chopped1 teaspoon vanilla essenceCream Cheese Icing: 50g butter200g cream cheese, softened1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence2 cups icing sugar, siftedPreheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a deep, 23cm round cake pan and line with baking paper.Sift the flour, baking soda, ginge...

Herzog Winery, Restaurant & Bistro

It was Mothers' Day and my husband and I wanted to celebrate memories of our mothers. Demand for lunch was so great that every restaurant cover in Blenheim was reserved. Rather than turn customers away, Herzog opened its gourmet restaurant (usually dinner only) serving the same menu as in their fully-booked Bistro. How lucky were we? Fine-dining at Herzog is always a pleasurable experience. The restaurant is renowned for its award-winning food (the chefs are imported from Europe for the season) ...

Tamarillo & Banana Bakes

6 tamarillos, peeled and sliced3 tablespoons brown sugar2 large, ripe bananasMuesli Topping: 1 cup apricot & almond muesli or similar2 tablespoons brown sugar1/2 cup flour50g chilled butter, finely dicedCombine the sliced tamarillos with the brown sugar and stand for 30 minutes, until juicy.Preheat the oven to 180°C.Peel and slice the bananas into four or six cups or ramekins, depending on appetite. Add the tamarillos and juice and mix.Combine the muesli, brown sugar and flour in a bowl. A...

Mille Feuilles

A thousand leaves — also known as Napoleon — is a quick-to-make sweet treat to serve with coffee or after dinner. It is based on a recipe from Penguin Cordon Bleu Cookery and although their recipe uses a block of puff pastry I have chosen ready-rolled pastry sheets.2 sheets flaky puff pastry3/4 cup cream, whipped3-4 tablespoons good raspberry jamGlace icing: 3/4 cup icing sugar1-2 tablespoons hot waterPreheat the oven to 200°CBrush a large baking tray or 2 smaller trays with wa...

Blueberry Pudding

Blueberries: 1/4 cup each: sugar, water2 tablespoons lemon juice1 teaspoon cornflour3 cups frozen blueberriesPudding: 1 cup self-raising flour1/4 cup sugar1 large egg1/2 cup milk50g butter, melted1 teaspoon vanilla essence Combine the sugar, water, lemon juice and cornflour in a saucepan. Stir in the blueberries. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl. Whisk the egg, milk, butter and vanilla in...

Funky Baked Apples

4 Granny Smith apples1/2 cup craisins1/4 cup brown sugar2 tablespoons butter, choppedjuice 1 orange4 cinnamon sticksCore the apples using a corer. Cut the top quarter off the apples.Combine the craisins, brown sugar and butter. Stuff into the centre of the apples. Place in a microwave-proof baking dish. Place the 'hats' on the apples and top with more stuffing mixture.Sprinkle with the orange juice. Cover loosely with plastic film. Microwave on high for 8 minutes.Carefully insert a skewer in the...

Cranberry & Apple Pie

400g sweet short pastry 1 1/2 cups each: apple pie filling, fresh or frozen cranberries4 tablespoons brown sugar1 tablespoon custard powderPreheat the oven to 190°C. Place an oven tray in to heat — this will assist the baking of the pastry base.Remove a 1/3 of the pastry and place in the freezer. Roll the remaining pastry out thinly.Line a 23cm lightly-greased flan dish with the rolled pastry. Trim the edges with a knife.Combine the apple pie filling, cranberries, brown sugar and cus...

Quince Upside-Down Cake

Wash the quinces well before using.Poached Quinces: 1 1/2 cups sugar1 each: star anise, cinnamon stickfinely grated rind and juice 1 lemon4 cups water3 medium-large quincesCake: 150g butter, softened1/2 cup caster sugar1 teaspoon vanilla essence3 eggs, lightly beaten1 1/2 cups self-raising flour1/4 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon mixed spice1/4 cup walnut meal or ground almondsPlace the sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, lemon rind, lemon juice and water in a deep saucepan. Bring to the boil, ...

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Choose a butternut or dry crown pumpkin for best results. Ensure the mashed pumpkin is fairly dry.2 cups mashed pumpkin1 1/2 cups sugar1 cup each: water, canola oil4 eggs3 1/3 cups standard flour2 teaspoons each: baking soda, ground cinnamon1 teaspoon each: salt, baking powder1/2 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg, ground clovesPreheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly oil and flour two 23cm x 12cm loaf pans or similar.In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, water, canola oil and eggs. Beat unti...

Pavlova

The pavlova, New Zealand's national dessert, is a crisp shell of meringue with a marshmallow centre, topped with whipped cream and fruit.Pavlova: 2 egg whites1 1/2 cups caster sugar1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence1 teaspoon each: white vinegar, cornflour4 tablespoons boiling waterTopping: 1 1/4 cups cream1 tablespoon icing sugar1-2 each: green and gold kiwifruitPreheat the oven to 180°C. Place all the ingredients for the pavlova in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a rotary beater or el...

KITCHEN METRICS & HANDY HINTS

Standard measurements as used in recipes created by Jan Bilton. Abbreviationsg            gramskg          kilogramsmm        millimetrecm         centimetreml          millilitre°C         degree Celsius Grams to OuncesThese are converted...

Asparagus Hints

Asparagus is one of the more expensive vegetables but this is due to the unusual way it is grown — beds require two or three years of cultivation before they yield a crop. Furthermore, careful tending is essential and asparagus must be harvested by hand. • When buying asparagus, choose firm, bright green (or pale ivory) stalks with tight tips. • Contrary to popular belief, thin asparagus spears aren't more tender than the thick ones. Tenderness is usually related to colour — the...

A Guide to Cooking Oils

Sources of cooking oilsCooking oils are produced by pressing seeds, beans, fruit or nuts to extract natural vegetable oils. They perform the same function as fat in shallow and deep frying. Oils can also be used in baking, sauces and salad dressings. Unrefined oilsThese have been cold-pressed then left to mellow for a few months before being bottled. They tend to be cloudy but have good colour and flavour. They are often more expensive than refined oils.Refined oilsThese have been extracted...

Floriditas

Wellington claims to have more restaurants and cafés per head of population than New York, a claim that I find quite credible. Floriditas is an institution. It's the closest I've gotten to a Parisienne-style café for some time. The décor is tasteful and unpretentious, the food full of flavour and reasonably priced. Their enticing egg dishes are drawcards for brunch or lunch but the menu also offers a range of other temptations including fabulous bakes from their own bakery. Although we've alw...

Ara Wines — A blend of both tradition and innovation

Ara is a special piece of land in the Wairau Valley located just outside the Marlborough township of Renwick....

TEN HANDY HINTS FOR USING PAPER TOWELS

1) Place paper towels between your good china plates to prevent the base of each plate scraping the top surface of the plate below. 2) Use a whole roll of paper towels as a back support (lumbar roll) when driving the car. 3) Drain fried foods on paper towels. The towels absorb the excess fat. 4) Wipe up messes on the floor with paper towels rather than using  your dish cloth — it is more hygienic. 5) Paper towels are great for cleaning glass. 6) Cover potatoes or kumara with pape...