At the water’s edge

Down on the harbour you’ll find this elegant, light-filled eatery, where the food is just as appealing as the view.

Words Karl Puschmann

You’d be hard-pressed to find somewhere to eat with a more spectacular view than The Restaurant at Trinity Wharf. Perched on three piers that stretch out and over the glistening waters of Tauranga’s harbour, the only way to get any closer to the water would be to jump in.

It’s a view that would improve any meal. But Trinity Wharf’s executive chef Rob Forsman, doesn’t want the food to simply match the gorgeous views, he wants it to exceed them. Rob’s been working in restaurants for close to 25 years. During this time he’s worked as head chef for Aotearoa’s restaurant royalty like Simon Gault, Al Brown and the Bay’s Kitchen Takeover team before moving to Trinity Wharf 18 months ago.

It’s a long way from his humble beginnings. “I started as a kitchen hand,” he says. “It was out of necessity. I didn’t grow up dreaming of being a chef. That would be a really cool story to tell but it’s not the case. I’ve always enjoyed cooking, but it didn’t occur to me as a job until I started washing dishes.”

He spent well over a year in the “dish pit,” picking up knowledge around the kitchen and getting trained in the basics. Soon enough his days of scrubbing pans were over and his passion had been ignited. Not just for the work, but for kitchen culture itself.

“To be in a team of hardworking people who are all single-minded in their vision and all working toward the same goal is an amazing feeling. It epitomises kitchen work.”

He worked his way up the chain of command until he attracted the attention of Simon Gault, who offered him the head chef role at Ponsonby’s acclaimed Jervois Steak House. He was there for three years before accepting the head chef role with Al Brown at the trendy Federal Delicatessen beside Sky City.

“I loved working in these places. AI’s whole vision was to treat customers like friends and treat staff like family. It’s inspirational.”

That’s the mindset he’s instilling in his staff at Trinity Wharf. He wants to inspire and feel that inspiration himself. If the kitchen’s cooking, so to speak, then he reasons the food will take care of itself.

To that end, his first priority was to refresh the menu.

“We now use New Zealand ingredients and try to source as much as we can locally. There’s a lot of great produce and fruit in this part of the country and we want to support local business as well.”

While adapting from the single-focused restaurant business to the multi-faceted role at Trinity Wharf, with its multitude of menus for various occasions, events and the day-to-day, has been a challenge, it’s one he’s embraced.

Looking out over the glistening sea which is right outside the window, he reveals his hopes for The Restaurant at Trinity Wharf.

“We’d love to become a destination for the local population.” He smiles. “We’d absolutely love that.” 

ASK THE CHEF

Rob Forsman takes on UNO’s quickfire questions.

What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?

The street food in Southeast Asia. It’s not a polished, plated meal but the flavours are insane. It’s so humble but the love has been put into it. I recently went to Indonesia and ate my way around. I didn’t eat any Western food at all.

What’s your earliest food memory?

Baking bread with my grandmother. I was really little and the process was like magic to me – kneading the dough and seeing how it rises. Her secret was to pop it under the bed to proof.

How can you make everyone’s most disliked vegetable, Brussels sprouts, tasty?

Blanch them in a little bit of salt and sugar to take the bitterness off. Get some bacon nice and crispy, some caramelised onions, some chilli if it takes your fancy, and then toss them all together in the frying pan with some butter until you get a little colour on the Brussels sprouts. Colour is king.

What’s the next big trend in food?

I think people are going to start consuming a lot less meat. It’s become too expensive, and there’s a lot more awareness around the environmental impact. I think meat is on its way out. Slowly. We’ll never get rid of it. It’ll just become more opulent. More special. 

Trinitywharf.co.nz

Breaking the brunch rules

Pāpāmoa influencer Makaia Carr is taking on the big business of beverages headfirst.

Words Catherine Sylvester  |  Photos Erin Cave

Known to some as one of the first social media influencers in Aotearoa, and to others as the founder of the charity Kura Kai, Makaia has her sights set on bringing the humble mimosa out of the brunch-only routine and into our lunches, picnics, BBQs and beyond.

“I’m solely responsible for my life now,” the 44-year-old says, referring to her newly single status. “I knew this was the year to create something that will be exciting, enduring, and allow me to leave something for my kids.”

Brainstorming with friends in early January, the genesis of her new venture, Henlee, was born. 

“I realised the drinks industry would be a good option,” explains Makaia. “I thought that having a mimosa in a can would be fun, convenient and would reduce wastage.”

By February, meetings with a local bottling plant were underway, and by March the designers were at work. By late August, Henlee went to market and has been gathering momentum since.

“It’s such a strong New Zealand product,” she says. “We use Hawke’s Bay sparkling wine and Gisborne orange juice. It’s low sugar and low calorie and you’re guaranteed the same great blend every time.

Having made Pāpāmoa home since moving from Auckland a few years ago, Makaia was conscious of working and engaging with people and businesses in the region. She worked locally to create the perfect mimosa formula, with it being bottled in and distributed from the Mount. For brand design and packaging, she worked with the
Woods Agency, a local mainstay.

Makaia credits her 20 years of retail experience with giving her the skills necessary to successfully run a business.

“Those were my ‘university’ years,” she says, smiling. “I learned so much from old-school retailers about marketing plans, budgets, managing and leading teams. I was able to firstly apply that to my career in social media, and now to Henlee
and the beverage industry.”

With demand from Australia for the new mimosa in a can, and bars and retailers around the country stocking Henlee, it’s only a matter of time until an international market comes calling.

Makaia acknowledges that New Zealand wine has such great renown overseas but is happy to take things one considered step at a time. 

“I’m not going to rush things,” she adds. “For now, it’s all about focusing on making our mark. When people think mimosa, they’ll think Henlee.”

And if her track record and current momentum is anything to go by, it will play out exactly the way she has planned. 

Henlee.co.nz

On a roll

The Mount’s favourite sushi fusion restaurant and bar, Satori Lounge, has moved across the bridge to bigger, better and far more modern premises on The Strand.

Words Hayley Barnett

Lisa Wilson never pictured herself in hospitality, let alone owning and running one of the most popular sushi restaurants in the Bay. She didn’t even like raw fish. But, 13 years ago, that’s exactly what happened, and now she can’t imagine doing anything else.

“It was an accident, really,” says Lisa, gesturing towards her expansive, modern eatery on The Strand in Tauranga, which is right now heaving with the inner-city weekday lunch crowd.

“My ex is Chilean and sushi is huge in South America, so he talked me into giving him some of my savings to start a sushi restaurant in the Mount. Of course, he kept needing more and more money until eventually I didn’t have any savings left. And then we broke up!”

Lisa found herself having to quickly take the reins, all while working her day job in banking to stay afloat. 

After one too many reviews stating that the food was great but the service needed some work, Lisa realised she’d have to quit her day job and take on the restaurant full-time – and to stop responding to those reviews with “If you want quick service, head to McDonald’s.”

“It took me a while to learn that the customer is always right,” laughs Lisa.

Today is Tuesday – gluten-free day – at her new premises. It’s always been popular, but now that Satori Lounge has moved across the bridge, every day is popular.

It could be the new office crowds that she’s catering for, but I suggest it might be the fact that Satori Lounge has such a great reputation for fresh (and fast) sushi with a difference.

All the best dishes are still on the menu, like my personal favourites, the Citrus Sushi Roll and the Ceviche Sushi Roll,as well as the Honey Chicken Sushi Roll and, well, everything else.

“I don’t like to change the menu,” explains Lisa. “Chefs have tried but people know our menu and they like it, so why change it?”

It was the Citrus Sushi Roll that was responsible for Lisa’s about-turn on the raw fish front. She added more raw salmon little by little until her tastebuds agreed, and now it’s one of her favourite foods.

Though a change in menu won’t be on the cards, it seems the change in scenery is working to the restaurant’s advantage. Lisa even has plans to landscape the back into a garden area for diners with the help of Blair, her landscaping partner and father to her twin boys. 

So, whether you’re a hardcore sushi fan, or just keen to try the Honey Chicken Roll (the most popular dish), you’ll definitely find something to love about Satori Lounge. And say hi to Lisa if you see her fumbling around the bar area.

“I wasn’t cut out for hospitality,” she assures me. “I love talking to people too much!” Which is, funnily enough, what makes a restaurant so hospitable. That could be part of the reason this not-so-new eatery is really hitting the spot.  

satorilounge.co.nz

Whittaker’s Honey, Nougat & Almond Cheesecake

Servings: 12

Difficulty: Medium 

Prep time: 1 hour + setting time

Cook time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients

For the base:

300g Chocolate biscuits

50g (1/3 cup) Flaked almonds

110g Butter, melted

For the cheesecake filling:

500g Cream cheese

250g Sour cream

¼ Cup Brown sugar or honey

250g Whittaker’s Honey, Nougat & Almond Chocolate, chopped

1 tsp Gelatine powder

For the honey almonds:

50g (1/3 Cup) Flaked almonds

1 Tbsp Honey

Pinch of sea salt

To serve (Optional):

2 Tbsp Melted chocolate

Method

Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm springform cake tin. Blitz the chocolate biscuits and almonds in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and continue to blitz until combined. Firmly and evenly press the crumb mixture into the base and up the sides of the prepared tin. Place in the fridge to set for at least 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream and brown sugar or honey with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.

Place ¾ of the Whittaker’s Honey Nougat & Almond block in a heatproof bowl. Melt in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.

Place the gelatine in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of cold water and mix until dissolved.

Add the melted chocolate & gelatine mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat until completely combined.

Finely chop the remaining chocolate and fold it through the cream cheese mixture. Pour the creamy filling into the biscuit base and use a spatula to smooth out the top. Cover and leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Before serving, place the almonds on a lined baking tray. Drizzle over the honey and toss to coat. Bake in the oven at 160°C for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt.

When ready to serve, carefully remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with melted chocolate & sprinkle over the honey almonds.

whittakers.co.nz

Baker Gatherer

Hamiltonian Dane McGregor, otherwise known as the Baker Gatherer, started his baking journey with a love of food, childhood nostalgia, curiosity, and a willingness to experiment and create. Constantly learning and trialling new recipes and techniques, Dane has kindly shared some of his successes with UNO.

Beer and Pretzel Cupcake

A beer and chocolate-flavoured cupcake, topped with cream cheese buttercream and pretzels.

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Makes 12

Cupcake

130ml beer

120g butter

40g cocoa powder

200g caster sugar

1 large egg

70g sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract
120g plain flour
1¼ tsp baking soda

For the Top

80g butter, room temperature

150g cream cheese, room temperature

420g icing sugar

1 tbsp milk

Pretzels

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C bake and line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake cases. Set aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan, add in the beer and first measure of butter. Stir on a low heat until melted and combined. Do not boil.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, then whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar until dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.

Using a freestanding mixer or handheld beater, beat together the egg, sour cream and vanilla in a separate bowl until combined.

Slowly pour the beer and butter mixture in with the egg mixture, while still beating on a low speed. When combined, add in the flour and baking soda and continue to beat until smooth.

Transfer mixture to a small jug and pour into prepared cupcake cases, filling to about ⅔ full.

Bake for around 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and cupcakes spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

For the buttercream, add the butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a freestanding mixer or using a handheld beater, and beat for about 2-3 minutes until well combined.

Add the icing sugar in two stages, beating for another 3 minutes between each addition. If the buttercream is still quite firm, beat in small amounts of milk until desired consistency is reached.

Pipe blobs of buttercream on top of cooled cupcakes and decorate with pretzels. You can either roll the top of the cupcake in a saucer of broken pretzel pieces or spend some time arranging pretzels on top by hand. Enjoy!

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Banana, Peanut Butter and Bacon Cupcake

A soft banana cupcake, topped with peanut butter buttercream and crispy bacon.

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Makes 12

Cupcake

100g caster sugar

20g brown sugar

140g self-raising flour

½ tsp baking soda

2 large eggs

125g butter, softened

½ ripe banana (approx 70g)

1 tbsp milk

For the top

4-5 slices of streaky bacon
150g butter, softened
60g smooth peanut butter
270g icing sugar
1 tbsp milk

Peanut crumb

30g smooth peanut butter

30g icing sugar

METHOD

To start, flick oven on to 180°C bake and fill cupcake tray with cases. Set aside.

For the cupcakes, whisk together the sugars in a freestanding mixer.

Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and then add the eggs, butter and mashed banana. Beat for about 60 seconds.

Lower the speed and slowly add the milk before turning mixer back up for about another 30 seconds.

Fill paper cases about ⅔ full and bake for 16-20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched. Allow to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling, flick oven on to grill and grill slices of bacon on a sheet of greaseproof paper until cooked and crispy (or follow directions on pack). Allow to cool while you make the buttercream.

For the buttercream, beat butter and peanut butter in freestanding mixer
for 5 minutes, scraping sides down occasionally.

Sift icing sugar and add to the butter mixture in two stages, beating for another 3 minutes between additions.

On a slower speed, add the milk, then turn mixer speed back up and beat for another few minutes.

To make the peanut crumb, mix peanut butter and icing sugar together until it forms an even crumb and set aside.

Once the cupcakes and bacon are cool, pipe a blob of buttercream, cram full of crispy bacon, and sprinkle with the peanut crumb. This will have you all shook up!

---

Sconut

A fusion of a scone and donut, covered in cinnamon sugar and filled with jam and cream.

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Makes 16-20

Sconut

510g plain flour

5 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

60g butter

¾ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar

80g butter, melted

200g sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Filling

4 tsp water (optional)

1 tsp gelatin (optional)

200ml cream

80g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Strawberry jam

METHOD

To start, flick oven on to 180°C bake and line an oven tray with baking paper.

Using a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Add the butter and rub in to dry ingredients until it resembles a fine crumb.

Finally, pour in milk and vanilla, and mix through with a knife until dough comes together (add a little more milk or flour to get the right consistency).

Turn dough out onto a floured bench and knead for about a minute before rolling dough out to approximately 1cm thickness.

Using a circular cookie cutter or upside- down drinking glass, cut out circles of dough and arrange them on a prepared baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes or until risen and cooked through.

While baking, start prepping the cinnamon sugar. Melt butter in a bowl and set-aside. Also mix together the sugar and cinnamon in another
bowl too.

When the scones come out of the oven, immediately coat them in melted butter and cover with cinnamon sugar one at a time. Set aside to cool completely.

Once cooled, it’s time to fill with whipped cream. I like to use gelatin to stabilise the whipped cream, which then holds nicely inside the sconuts.

To start, add the water to a ramekin, then sprinkle over gelatin. Allow to sit for roughly 5 minutes.

Either using a freestanding mixer or a handheld beater, beat the cream,
icing sugar and vanilla for a minute to combine.

When the gelatin is set, place in the microwave for 10 seconds to melt back into a liquid before pouring into the cream mixture while beating on a high speed. Continue to beat until whipped.

To assemble your sconuts, slice in half, pipe with whipped cream and add a dollop of strawberry jam. Perfect to enjoy with a hot cup of tea!

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Spiced Rose Shortbread 

A smooth and warmly spiced shortbread, topped with sweet and fluffy rose-flavoured marshmallow.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Chill time: 30 minutes

Makes 12

Shortbread

180g butter, room temperature

70g icing sugar

225g plain flour

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

Marshmallow

60ml boiling water

1 tsp gelatin

100g caster sugar

1 tsp rose water

Pink food colouring

Dried rose petals (optional)

METHOD

Using a handheld beater, cream together the butter and icing sugar
until pale and fluffy. Add flour, spices and salt and mix through until a firm dough is formed.

Roll out dough until 1.5cm thick and slice into rectangles. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°C fan bake. 

When dough has chilled, bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

For the marshmallow, add boiling water and gelatin to a large bowl, stirring to dissolve. Add sugar, rose water and colouring, and beat with a handheld beater on high for 10 minutes until thick, fluffy and sugar has dissolved.

Pipe on top of cooled shortbread and sprinkle with dried rose petals. 

Change of art

Tauranga Arts Festival is renowned for bringing the world to the city’s doorstep but for this year’s October 19-29 extravaganza, the new team at the festival’s helm are embracing the moment.

Words Sandra Simpson

The Up-Doos - He’s a Rebel

Taking on the mammoth project that is the Tauranga Arts Festival is beyond exciting for the new festival organisers.

“In building this year's programme, we're reflecting a need to provoke joy and belonging for our audiences – as well as undertaking necessary conversations with the vital voices of Aotearoa,” says artistic director Shane Bosher. “We'll be staging some out-of-the-box experiences, including an interactive work for families, which we are super excited about.”

The superb travelling venue, the Carrus Crystal Palace, will be at the southern end of The Strand waterfront for music, a night of comedy and all the fun of a poetry slam, with other performances and events unrolling throughout the city.

Our place on the planet is Oceania, borderless and vast, ranging from the fiery volcanoes of O'ahu to the wild tides of Rakiura. It’s a place rich with story that UPU brings to roaring theatrical life with an all-star line-up of Māori and Pasifika performers who will invigorate the words of Oceanic icons as well as writers transforming Aotearoa today, including Maualaivao Albert Wendt, Briar Grace-Smith, Apirana Taylor, Tayi Tibble,
Selina Tusitala Marsh and Hone Tūwhare. 

UPU

Tusiata Avia, whose work features in UPU and is the author of a previous festival hit, Wild Dogs Under My Skirt, is the first female Pasifika poet to win the Ockham Award for poetry. The festival is delighted to feature the ferocious stage adaptation of that award-winning 2021 collection, The Savage Coloniser. Avia’s unapologetic examination of race and racism is full of bold humour and lacerating truths. “This is a red-hot festival ticket that audiences should fear missing out on,” Shane says.

The Haka Party Incident brings the events of a more-recent history – the “last New Zealand war” in 1979 – to the stage in an award-winning production. Resurrected is the eventful day when a group of Auckland University engineering students rehearsing their annual tradition of a mock haka are confronted by the activist group, He Taua. Provocative, resonant and unforgettable, this is a not-to-be-missed theatre event from writer and director Katie Wolfe.

The Haka Party

Laughter is an important component of any Tauranga Arts Festival and, thanks to an evening exploring questionable dating choices and romantic misadventures with Mr Wrong, the Carrus Crystal Palace will be a rollicking place to be. He’s a Rebel is a playful cabaret performed by The Up-Doos, actress-singers Liv Tennet, Esther Stephens and Aria Jones, who feature the music of Dionne Warwick, Shangri-Las and The Chiffons, among others. 

Meanwhile, in her new solo show Mean Mums, actress Morgana O’Reilly wants to tell you Stories about my Body, some not-so-funny, but some definitely funny, and with the healthy reminder to be more gentle and kinder to ourselves. Warning: There will be nudity (and you will love it!).

Do you love to sing, but only when no one’s listening? Two of Aotearoa’s musical heavyweights – award-winning musical director Jason Te Mete
and Rutene Spooner, a member of the Modern Māori Quartet – will tempt out your inner star and let you enjoy the thrill of a collective performance. In Battle Chorus, the maestros divvy up their audience and fight it out in a social singalong. With a complimentary drink to loosen the vocal cords, audience members will learn harmonies to great Kiwi hits, then join forces in a fun sing-off.

Tusiata Avia

A rising star with a voice born in the rushing mountain streams and placid green bush of Te Wai Pounamu is singer-songwriter Jenny Mitchell, who blends folk, alt-country and Americana into her own captivating style. Just as her songs speak to the family ties that bind, so too does her backing band that includes her identical twin sisters, Maegan and Nicola, accomplished performers in their own right.

Festivals encourage innovative art and Kiwi singer/songwriter Finn Andrews, lead singer of the rock band The Veils, does just that by joining forces with the luscious sounds of violin, cello and piano of NZTrio’s contemporary classical musicians Amalia Hall, Ashley Brown and Somi Kim to perform songs from One Piece at a Time, Andrews' first solo album and previously unreleased material.

Finn Andrews, Amalia Hall, Ashley Brown and Somi Kim

As well as top home-grown talent, the festival is thrilled to welcome Gráda, a five-piece Irish folk band (albeit one with a Kiwi member) that has reunited in 2023 especially for a New Zealand tour. Said to be to its genre what Arcade Fire are to indie (a big compliment), Gráda has appeared multiple times in Ireland’s top 10 music charts. 

Thought-provoking conversations are guaranteed with a Speaker Programme that includes novelist Emily Perkins, Jared Savage (Gangland), writer and director Katie Wolfe, comedian and writer Michele A’Court, children’s author Dame Lynley Dodd, and while playwright Nathan Joe, who also performs his Scenes from a Yellow Peril as a spoken-word event.

Another high-impact performer sharing stories from a life that straddles two cultures is Sameena Zehra, an award-winning performer, writer, director and blues singer-songwriter. Before moving to Aotearoa, Sameena lived in Britain where she performed at the National Theatre and toured internationally with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her show, Tea with the Terrorists, confronts everything, whether sombre or silly, with a light and insightful touch. 

Jenny Mitchell

A Seat at the Table is one of the visual art installations in the central city during the festival. Attempting to rebalance the voices at the table of contemporary fine art, this intriguing work asks spectators to move around a large dinner table, with each place occupied by work from a diverse point of view. Pull up a seat and taste a more balanced contemporary art diet. Like the festival itself, everyone’s invited to this party!  

Tickets from ticketek.co.nz or the Baycourt box office in Tauranga. See the full Tauranga Arts Festival programme at taurangafestival.co.nz

Fresh flavours

Stacey Jones introduces us to Tauranga's newest – and supremely talented – chefs.

You know you're having a food moment when, 13 years later, you close your eyes and you can still taste it. That happened when I first stepped into the French Café in Auckland and was treated to a deconstructed lemon meringue pie, perfectly executed by Simon Wright. So imagine my delight when I learned that the very same chef behind the infamous citrus dessert was venturing to Tauranga to head up Clarence Bistro. 

Simon Wright of Clarence Bistro

The arrival of new chefs in the Tauranga region is cause for celebration. With the culinary landscape constantly evolving, these talented chefs bring a big dollop of energy, flavours and new ideas.

Simon and his family previously settled in Whangamata after selling the French Café in 2018. A few years down the line, after setting up the renowned Gather & Roam, they felt ready for a new challenge.

Simon explains, “We loved being by the beach, so Tauranga was a lovely, natural transition. It has such a great balance of beach with a cosmopolitan twist.”

“We’re six months in and still finding our feet. We’ve launched a French du jour-style menu in a two- and three-course format to really capture the essence of a bistro. My food philosophy is to use the best of everything. Fish is line-caught, meat is organic or naturally raised, and vegetables are from a collective in Katikati, who are spray-free.”

But it’s not only the CBD that is being treated to some culinary creativity. I was delighted to discover that another passionate chef, Italian Simone Saglia, has taken over the reins of The Trading Post in Paengaroa, together with wife Kylie, who runs the front of the house.

Kylie and Simone Saglia of The Trading Post

“I started cooking and experimenting with food from a very young age,” Simone says. “I would visit my aunt’s house after school, and she would teach me how to cook. Hearing her talk about food, and then tasting how good it was, definitely sparked my interest.”

His journey led him to study at the culinary art school IIS Giolitti Bellisario in Mondovi, honing his skills at Michelin-starred restaurants. Venturing to London, Simone expanded his horizons before an exciting opportunity arose. “One night when working at Harry’s Bar, Neil Perry came into the kitchen and asked if any chefs would like to move to Australia and help him open Rosetta in Melbourne.”

With a culinary style that marries tradition with a modern twist, Simone lets the flavours take centre stage. His standout dishes include must-try lasagna, mouthwatering beef and chamomile ravioli, and exquisite agnolotti del plin with three cheeses.

While we’re on the subject of Italian cooking, meet Stefano Raimondi,
owner of Autentico, another chef who is bringing the essence of Italy to the Bay. He hits the nail on the head when he says, “Italian cooking classes, with a real Italian chef − how could you say no, right?"

Stefano Raimondi of Authentico

Embodying the Mediterranean spirit, his cooking style is a celebration of simplicity and tradition. He explains, “When I'm doing a menu, I usually find a good seasonal product, and my mind starts thinking about possible matching flavours and the best way of treating it. Remembering and mixing dishes learned in almost 20 years of cooking.”

Currently collaborating with Basilico pizzeria making fresh pasta and sauce, owning a food truck called Fritto, and planning pop-up dinners, Stefano has some delicious plans ahead. His classes run most Sunday afternoons and will feature favourites such as mushroom risotto and tiramisu. 

Stefano’s Italian cooking classes

All aboard

A dedicated rum bar in the Mount is making waves with its refined mixology and sophisticated eats.

Words Hayley Barnett

It’s official: The rum revival is real. While 2023 is being hailed as the year rum makes its comeback, there’s one new bar and eatery getting fully on board with the trend.

The dynamic duo behind Mount Maunganui’s Brew Co and Hide Thirst and Hunger recently set sail with another gem, Sailor Galley and Rum Bar. Also located along the Mount Main Street, where the now-closed Fish Face eatery was situated, this new project is a labour of love.

When the space came up for sale Matt and Kimberley Hayward jumped at the chance to secure it, with the aim of expanding its back garden terrace for the summer crowds, to take full advantage of the sun-laden deck.

The original plan was to set up a sophisticated wine bar, after the couple recognised a need for bars and eateries targeted at their more mature clientele. But, mulling over the idea, they decided it would be much more fun to do something a little bit different – and more relevant to their sunny seaside surroundings. And so they ran with the idea of a rum bar.

Matt and Kimberley have held true to their promise of sophistication – this isn’t some grubby old sailor’s quarters. The restaurant gives off more of a super yacht vibe. The modern fit-out feels very much like a wine bar, but offers premium rum and delicious cocktails, from local labels like Armada Spirits in Pāpāmoa, to rums further afield like Flor De Caña from Nicaragua.

The menu is suitably sumptuous with dishes like Smoked Bone Marrow on Sourdough and Burnt Butter Crumpet with Blue Swimmer Crab. 

Despite the name, the menu isn't too heavy on seafood. Executive chef Perrin Yates, former chef of Picnicka and Clarence Bistro, has designed a travel-inspired culinary journey offering up a good mix of refined and favourite go-tos – some of which are blended to create something delightfully gourmet yet casual. 

On the snack menu is the popular Boston Crayfish Roll as well as the Parmesan Churros with fire roasted capsicum sauce, both equally tasty.

Regardless of whether you're a sun lover, a rum drinker, or just a fan of good food, Sailor will hit the spot. 

Sailormount.nz

The A to Z of Dire Straits

Everything you didn’t know you needed to know about the legendary English rock band, playing at A Summer's Day Live in Tauranga on December 30.

Words Karl Puschmann

A Summer’s Day Live 

This annual concert has become a must-do Summer event. This year Dire Straits Legacy headline, supported by Nazareth and Hello Sailor. They play Tauranga’s Wharepai Domain on December 30. Other dates include Napier, Matakana and New Plymouth.

Banned

Canadian radio banned Money for Nothing due to a problematic slur in the song’s lyrics. The ban was overturned in 2011, a mere nine months after being instigated. 

Compact Disc

Dire Strait’s 1985 Brothers in Arms was the first album in history to sell a million copies on the then brand-new Compact Disc format. 

Dire Straits Legacy

Former Dire Straits members keyboardist Alan Clark, guitarist Phil Palmer, percussionist Danny Cummings and saxophonist Mel Collins started this band. They enlisted the legendary Trevor Horn on bass and keys supremo Primiano Di Biase. Marco Caviglia, the world’s authority on original frontman Mark Knopfler’s distinctive guitar-playing style, leads the band. 

English teacher

Before Dire Straits took off Mark Knopfler was an English teacher at a college in Essex.

Football

Mark Knopfler famously supports football team Newcastle United. The
club plays his soaring instrumental, 1983’s “Going Home (Theme Of The Local Hero)” before every home game.

Grammy Awards

Dire Straits won four Grammys, including Best Rock Performance and Best Music Video, and was nominated for seven others including Album of the Year and Best New Artist.

Headbands

Dire Straits wasn’t the most fashionable band around, but Mark Knopfler’s dedication to sporting a headband during the 1980s has since become iconic. 

Infidels

Mark Knopfler produced Bob Dylan’s 1983 album Infidels. Dire Straits Legacy keyboardist Alan Clark also played on the record. 

Jack Sonni 

Guitarist Jack Sonni played with Dire Straits from 1984 to 1988. He was in Dire Straits Legacy until passing away aged 68 in September. The upcoming shows at A Summer’s Day Live are dedicated to him.

Knopfler, Mark

The founder, frontman and flipping amazing lead guitarist of Dire Straits. Classic Rock described him as “a virtuoso” and Rolling Stone ranked him 27th on their 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. 

Lawyers 

After asking Sting to sing backing vocals on “Money For Nothing” Mark Knopfler got a call from The Police’s lawyers. Because Sting accidentally sang “I want my MTV” with the same melody as The Police’s hit “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” the lawyers demanded – and got – Sting a song co-writing credit.

Money for Nothing 

This pop-rock classic belittling the rock stars on TV was written verbatim from an actual conversation Knopfler overheard in a hardware store. The song reached No.4 here, spending 27 weeks in the charts.

New Zealand

Dire Straits regularly toured here throughout the 80s. Their first gig was at Western Springs Stadium in 1981. Their final was at Mt Smart Stadium a decade later in 1991. 

On Every Street

The 1991 follow-up album to Brothers in Arms couldn’t match its predecessor's success. With morale at an all-time low, the band called it quits after the accompanying tour.

Private Dancer 

Tina Turner’s darkly seductive comeback hit was written by Mark Knopfler for Dire Straits. He shelved it after deciding the lyrics were unsuitable for a male singer. 

Q Magazine

Popular UK music mag Q ranked Brothers in Arms number 51 in their 100 Greatest British Albums Ever list.

Romeo and Juliet 

Alongside its Shakespearian influence, this early Dire Straits hit from 1981 takes oblique inspiration from one of Knopfler’s real-life failed romances.

Sultans of Swing

Undisputedly Dire Straits’ greatest song. This sublime, melancholic rocker from their self-titled 1978 debut album is a sophisticated fusing of rock, blues and jazz and details the (mis)fortunes of a pub band. The 10-minute performance on 1984’s live album Alchemy will rock your socks off.

Twisting by the Pool

The band’s only No.1 single here was this rock n’ roll throwback from 1983’s ExtendedancEPlay EP. It spent four weeks at No.1 and was in the charts for 15 weeks. 

Uli Edel

In 1989 the director tapped Mark Knopfler to write the soundtrack for his grim drama Last Exit to Brooklyn. Edel followed up this film with Madonna’s 1992 erotic thriller Body of Evidence.

Vertigo 

The British label that signed Dire Straits in 1977 after a London radio DJ played a demo of “Sultans of Swing” on his show.

Walk of Life 

This cheery ditty off Brothers in Arms spent 14 weeks in our charts, peaking at No.3. The album’s producer wanted to leave it off the record but he was outvoted by the band. 

Xylophone 

The xylophone appears on “Love Over Gold”, the title track from the 1982
album that went straight to No.1 in our fair country. 

Yes 

The influential English prog rock band was formerly home to current Dire Straits Legacy bassist Trevor Horn. 

Zaragoza

This Spanish city was the literal end of the line for Dire Straits. The band played their final ever concert there at the Estadio La Romareda on
October 9, 1992. 

For tickets to A Summer’s Day Live, visit trademark.flicket.co.nz

Pouring their hearts out

UNO’s wine columnist Jess Easton heads to Hawke’s Bay to discover a resilient label which is perfectly balanced in more ways than one.

Words Jess Easton  |   Photos Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media

Woven into grapes on the Saorsa wine label is a heart so vivid and intricate, it almost pulses.

Everything they do, they do with heart. And while their recent viticultural journeys have involved a degree of heartbreak, they've also been pretty heart-warming too.

When we drop in to see them at their Haumoana home, a steady drizzle occasionally erupts into rain outside. A traumatic Cyclone Gabrielle-plagued summer has given way to a miserable winter and Alex has been busy digging boxes and boxes of their delicious wine out of the silt.

Saorsa is Gaelic, with rough translations of freedom, salvation, redemption and liberty. The label lived up to its name; despite the vineyard being in the heart of the Esk Valley, it came through the cyclone relatively unscathed. Unfortunately they had stored most of their stock at neighbouring Linden Estate and much of it was left buried beneath metres of flood-strewn material, however.

But this is where the heart comes in. As soon as he could after the unprecedented devastation, Alex was back helping clear the vineyards, pulling the drowned stock of neighbours out from beneath the wires, doing his bit to help resurrect an ailing industry.

Wife Hana, meanwhile, was ignoring the floodwaters lapping at their own home and spending days and nights on duty with the local volunteer fire department.

With Haumoana's fire station under water, their home became the
designated base, and remained that way for months afterwards.

Selfless and community driven, it's worth remembering the couple have
three children of their own, while Hana – a qualified stainless steel
engineer – has a full-time job as operations manager in the waste industry.

The pair are perfect foils for each other; Hana is a 100km/h live-wire, bristling with energy and zest, while Alex is all earthy calm. And somehow, impossibly, they've infused all this personality into their wines.

The Saorsa Syrah 2021 is luxuriously earthy and smoky, with hints of rose, yet retaining a freshness and liveliness.

And their Viognier 2021 is decadent and silky, with bold notes of peach and apricot mingling with toasted spices.

Saorsa's grapes are handpicked and treated with the utmost care. There are no shortcuts during winemaking and the whole process is an affectionate nod to tradition, mixed with modern sensibilities and style.

This is the dream Alex and Hana have created – making wine they love with the ones they love – all of which is infused with heart. 

Playing for keeps

Esteemed pianist Somi Kim is set to join Opus Orchestra
for a captivating soloist performance.

Words Casey Vassallo 

Photo Jen Raoult

One of sought-after pianist Somi Kim’s earliest memories is attending keyboard classes with her mum in South Korea. “I just remember loving how interactive it was… And that we could collectively experience and share the enjoyment together,” Somi shares. “I guess that's what I love about music and going to concerts – you're in that moment that will never be the same again.”

At eight years old, Somi moved to New Zealand, and despite her commitment to music she says she coasted on the back of her natural talent. That was right up until the end of her Master of Music degree at the University of Auckland. “I realised music was my saviour, and thought I’m going to give it a really good go,” she says. “Once I started putting in the effort, doors started to open.” 

Somi went on to win the Royal Over-Seas League Pettman scholarship with her Estrella Quartet chamber group in 2012, and complete two more degrees in collaborative piano at the Royal Academy of Music in the UK. The stack of accolades she’s achieved since are nothing short of outstanding.

Today, Somi has her dream job as the official pianist for Auckland’s NZTrio, and regularly plays with the Auckland Philharmonia and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. “Being in Europe helped me find my musical voice and with experience comes confidence… Which opens a lot more doors for you,” she says. “Coming back home and being able to give back to the musical community – the home that helped shape me into the musician I am – feels extra special.”

Her upcoming performance with Opus Orchestra is her first with the group. Conducted by Peter Walls, the Somi Kim: Mozart and More concert is coming to Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua this October, which includes music from Prokofiev and Hamilton’s own composer Martin Lodge. “I get to play a Mozart concerto, which is every pianist's dream,” she says of the dark and stormy piece she’ll be playing in D minor, alongside his operatic Overture to Don Giovanni. 

“Without orchestras like Opus, it would be difficult to get classical music out to places like Tauranga, Hamilton and Rotorua that just don’t get enough exposure like the main cities,” Somi says. “Music is an integral part of life. It gives us all a chance to sit back and take some time for yourself and be present with your emotions.” 

Somi Kim: Mozart and More will be heading to Hamilton on Friday, October 13, Tauranga on Saturday, October 14, and Rotorua on Sunday, October 15. 

Opusorchestra.co.nz

Acoustic spirit

Whiskey SoHo is the Bay’s top-shelf blend of musical talent.

Words Shiree Schumacher

Singer-songwriter Waylon McPherson has been steeped in music since childhood – strumming his way through various bands and playing to crowds over the years with some memorable success. But a voice injury, and the pandemic, forced a hiatus. After time to recalibrate and heal his voice, Waylon re-emerged as Whiskey SoHo – a multi-genre percussive solo-acoustic act that’s as interesting as it sounds. Singing, playing and percussing on his guitar using effect pedals manufactured by McPherson Stompboxes, his own Papamoa-based family business, he produces a full band-like experience. His sound is funky, soulful – and just like a great whiskey, hits all the right notes. 

What led you to become a musician?
I can always remember being drawn to music. When I was three or four years old, and my dad put on a Dire Straits Live Concert VHS, and that's when the penny dropped: “Wow, so this is how music is made!” I began to learn guitar at 10 years old and was totally into it, but it wasn't until I was around 18 and I played my first live show that I knew music was something that I wanted to be a large part of life.

How did you end up creating Whiskey Soho?
I’d been playing the cover circuit for quite a few years but during lockdown, all my gigs were cancelled. This coincided with a vocal injury, and I was advised not to sing until it was addressed. After quite a bit of vocal therapy, I was able to heal my voice back to a point where I could perform, and in late 2022,  I started working on Whiskey SoHo. 

What do you love about what you do?
The biggest thing I love about playing music live is how it brings people from all different walks of life together in a positive way. It's an addictive feeling when you are playing in front of a crowd that's really engaged. I love my day job, which is a company my wife Shelley and I started in 2008, McPherson Stompboxes NZ Ltd. We work with musicians all over New Zealand and around the Bay, building, servicing, repairing and modifying musicians’ instruments and gear. We are a musical household 24/7 around here.

What are your music career highlights so far?
Being managed by Ray Columbus and having a single on the NZ Charts. Being nominated for best new artist in the Juice TV Music Awards. Performing on Top of the Pops with Chefu and Opshop. Performing live on the Good Morning Show. Rotorua Sound Shell performance to a crowd of over 30,000 people. Supporting Midwave Breaks on the Mount Maunganui leg of their tour. I have played many memorable gigs, and they all make up epic lifetime experiences.

What inspires your music?
Life experiences, random thoughts and ideas. My style of writing is all about the vibe. Songs can have several storylines that are all intertwined. Even though my songs have meaning to me, I would rather the listener have their own idea of what it might mean to them. When I was six or seven, I remember really liking a song, and watching an interview where the artist was describing what the song was about, and I felt like knowing the backstory took away some of the magic of what the song meant for me.

How is it being part of Papamoa's music community?
Papamoa and the wider Bay of Plenty is such an incredible musical community, supportive, encouraging and helpful. The quality of the musicians in the Bay is world-class. There is so much inspiration every time someone releases new music, or you get the opportunity to catch a live show.

What is your favourite instrument to play?
Guitar! I'm totally obsessed with the guitar and have been since I was 10! The entire Whiskey SoHo act is built around pushing the boundaries of what you can do with just one acoustic guitar.

Who is your favourite band or musician right now?
I love so many styles and types of music, hence the  range of genres I write and play. I love that there is something for everyone and more amazing music is being written, recorded and released every day. When I connect with a song, I can enjoy it, regardless of the artist who wrote it, or who performs it. Every style or mix of music has its place and has the opportunity to connect with people, and the big thing is how to give people the opportunity to hear your music.   

whiskey.soho

Bella cucina

Forget takeaway pizza – these simply mouthwatering recipes from Kiwi chef Bri DiMattina will transport your tastebuds to the Italian countryside

Tomato with Whipped Feta

This tomato medley salad plays with the contrasting flavours of whipped feta and a sweet honey-chilli drizzle. Make extra of the whipped feta and the honey-chilli drizzle to reconstruct this later as a dip with other garden goodies. Though, honestly, it is best with fresh tomatoes – an addictive combination.

SERVES 2

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp honey

• ½ tsp chilli seeds

• 1 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp capers

• 500g mixed heirloom (or homegrown) tomatoes, sliced (little ones can be left whole)

• ½ small red onion, finely chopped

• Small handful of Italian parsley, roughly chopped

WHIPPED FETA

• 80g feta

• 40g sour cream (or yoghurt)

• ½ garlic clove, minced

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp olive oil

• Lemon zest and cracked pepper (optional)

Method

To make the whipped feta, blend the feta and sour cream in a food processor until smooth, then stir in the remaining ingredients by hand. Chill until required.

In a small pot, heat honey until runny (no need to simmer or boil) then add chilli seeds and stir thoroughly.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pan and fry capers until crispy. Leave to cool.

Layer whipped feta on the base of the plate, followed by tomatoes, capers, red onion and parsley. Drizzle with the honey chilli just before serving, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Zucchini Arancini

Arancini are usually made with rice, often from leftover risotto. They have a delectable filling, such as cheese, truffle or ragu, and are rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. A lot of Italian cooking represents this
style of using up everything, and is the spirit of this dish. If you, like me, are seduced into planting lots of zucchini, unsurprisingly you will have lots of zucchini to use up, so this is for you. Arancini are Sicilian and southern Italian, and a similar recipe in Rome is called suppli. There are many variations and other names as you travel through Italy, but I think this one, made purely from grated zucchini, is a uniquely New Zealand garden version.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 3 zucchini, grated

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• Small handful of parsley, finely chopped thyme leaves, to taste

• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup pecorino, finely grated 

• ½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs, plus more, to coat

• 100g mozzarella, cut into 1cm cubes

• Vegetable oil, to deep-fry

METHOD

Place the grated zucchini into a clean tea towel and wring out over the sink, to remove excess liquid. Place zucchini into a large bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Gently cook the onion and garlic until translucent, then add to the zucchini. Add the parsley, thyme, pepper, eggs, pecorino and breadcrumbs. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems too wet, add some more breadcrumbs, though it should be fairly moist.

Take a small handful of the mixture and flatten a little in the palm of your hand. Place a cube of mozzarella in the centre, then enclose with the zucchini mixture and shape into a ball. Roll in the fine breadcrumbs to thoroughly coat.

Half fill a large saucepan with vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat. Deep-fry arancini in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

NOTE: You can make these in big batches and freeze them after crumbing. They make a great lunch snack in the middle of winter.

Grilled Capsicum & Tomato Tart

This tart is almost better cold the next day than it is straight from the oven. Feel free to use puff pastry instead of shortcrust, but still leave a border around the edge so that you get a lovely crust.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

• 2 anchovy fillets

• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 500g shortcrust pastry

• 150g gruyere, grated

• 4 tbsp chopped herbs (such as thyme, sage and oregano), plus extra, to serve

• 2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced

• 3 large capsicums, cut into pieces and lightly chargrilled

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan-forced. Lightly grease a large baking tray.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the anchovies, shallots and garlic for a couple of minutes, until softened. Set aside to cool.

Roll out the pastry to a 30cm × 20cm rectangle and place onto the prepared tray. Spread the cooled anchovy mixture over, leaving a 2cm border around the edge.

Sprinkle with gruyere and herbs, then layer the tomato and capsicum on top, slightly overlapping.

Fold the edges of the pastry over to make a crust. Drizzle the topping
with olive oil. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until pastry is golden.

Cool slightly and serve topped with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and cracked pepper.

Spiced Apple Cake

This recipe hails from my mother’s café, Eliza’s Pantry. It’s super simple and uses four apples with their skin on. The apples don’t have to be at their best, it’s a little like a banana bread recipe for apples. They can be rescued because no one is inclined to eat them, and turned into something delicious – but the best part is that it is all just mixed up in a food processor, then baked.

SERVES 12

INGREDIENTS

• 4 apples, quartered, cored

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 2 tsp ground allspice

• 250g butter, at room temperature, chopped

• 2 cups plain flour

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• Ice cream and caramel sauce, to serve

CINNAMON CRUMBLE

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup rolled oats

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 25g butter

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced. Grease a 23cm springform tin and line with baking paper.

To make the crumble, combine the ingredients in a food processor and process until crumbly. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

For the cake, place the apples into the food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process for 1 minute. Pour into the prepared tin and sprinkle with the topping.

Bake for 1–1.25 hours, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve with ice cream, caramel sauce, or both. 

Where the boys aren’t

The Hits radio personality Lauren Mabbett is single and ready to mingle… But where are all the men?

Calling all singles in the Bay of Plenty! We're putting on a speed-dating night!"

What joy I felt reading those words as a single 30 *mumble* year old gal in the Bay of Plenty. I moved back here from living in Auckland and Wellington a couple of years ago and fairly quickly noticed the lack of 30-something single guys or even meetup-style events. So when a local bar started promoting their speed-dating evening, myself and a few of my single girlfriends were rapt. Finally! A chance to meet potential dates face-to-face and not via a dating app. As tempting as those photos of dudes holding up a fish or a dead deer are, or the profiles that solely consisted of a pic of some cash spread out on a bed (cool that you've got $180, go you!), it just wasn't working out for me.

Two days before the speed-dating night, the bar organising it posted on Instagram: “Apologies ladies, due to the lack of interest from males we've had to cancel the speed-dating night.” 

You could hear the resounding heavy sigh from women across the Bay. My point had been proven.

And it's not for lack of trying. Many nights my friends and I will go out and try and meet someone the good old-fashioned way – getting on the piss at a pub. However, a quick scan of the room usually results in disappointment. Groups of men old enough to be my dad, young enough to be my children, or all sporting those bloody wedding rings.

In the two years I've been back in Tauranga, I've been on one date. I met a guy from Tinder at a bar in town and straightaway realised he didn't look at all like his photos. His profile said he was 36 but he informed me in person he was 45 and didn't know how to change his age on the app (side note: If you can't figure out how to type in your own birthday, that's a bit of a red flag in itself). He then proceeded to spend our whole date talking about how much he hates the government and “Cindy”, all the while continuously calling me “chickadee”.

On the way home, while sitting on Cameron Road for 45 damn minutes, I thought to myself, “Even though I'm single, if the right guy for me isn't out there right now, there's no point pushing it. I have friends in other cities who will end up dating the wrong person for the sake of not being alone. They're not happy, but they believe they're happier than they would be being single.”

As the great Robin Williams once said, “I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone.”

As nice as it would be to at least be able to go on a few promising dates, being single certainly has its upsides. I have so much time for my good friends and family, I get to wake up and start my day exactly the way I want to, I can travel without having to work around anyone else, and I don't need to bother changing the second pillow case on my bed (apart from when it's covered in cat fur). Seriously, though, it's given me heaps of time to focus on myself which I haven't taken for granted. I've been filling my evenings doing standup comedy, hosting pub quizzes or going out for lovely dinners with friends. And if among all that I have no plans, there's something quite enjoyable about hibernating at home, ordering Uber Eats and catching up on White Lotus. Perhaps opening a bottle of wine too.

If you're single and over 30 in Tauranga, first of all, call me! Secondly, embrace it. Make each day your own and enjoy it. And if you get really desperate, I know a guy who has $180.

Listen to Lauren weekdays 9am to 3pm on The Hits 95.0FM. 

Wines worth hunting for

UNO’s new wine columnist Jess Easton is introduced to the wild Wairarapa through a unique fine wine.

Photos Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media

JESS EASTON

Jannine Rickards arrived for our Martinborough meeting adorned with luscious wines and an apology. She'd wanted to catch up earlier but needed to break down a boar she'd shot, she explained. And the day before that was a write-off, landing a hefty kingfish while out fishing.

Any further attempts to say sorry by the Wairarapa winemaker – who sells under the crazily appropriate Huntress label – were met by our group with thoroughly deaf ears and a barrage of questions, which she quickly silenced by opening a bottle of her Waihonga.

Fermented with wild yeasts, each of her vintages is a unique expression of the wild Wairarapa. Jannine (Ngā Puhi/Ngai Te Rangi) has an uncanny knack of conveying her love of nature and passion for hunting and foraging through her wine. Her own wairua (spirit) shines through, with an earthiness and intense connection between whenua (land) and palate.

Waihonga is Māori for “nectar” and the honey-coloured amber wine comes from pinot gris grapes fermented on skins with a dollop of skin-fermented riesling. It's fresh and vibrant with a deliciously long finish, dragging tones of peach, honey and spice along for the ride.

And what a ride it turned out to be. Tasked with finding wine matches for Kitchen Takeover's “Ki Tua” event earlier this year, combining delicious liquid offerings with the culinary mastery of Kārena and Kasey Bird, meeting Jannine seemed like a sign from the gods. One sip and I knew immediately this wine was going on our menu.

Fast forward a few months and Jannine's Waihonga sat serenely alongside Kārena and Kasey's Kai Kōhua dish, a deconstructed boil-up featuring bacon broth, nasturtium and watercress.

Ki Tua presented diners with five delectable courses, each inspired by legends of female Māori atua (gods), each paired with wines from Māori-owned vineyards or winemakers.

It was entirely fitting we opened things up with Tohu's Rewa Rose Méthode Traditionelle 2017. Tohu is acknowledged as He mātāmua taketake – the original and first Māori-owned and operated wine label. The stunning Greywacke Riesling 2021 was next up, made by winemaker Richelle Tyney (Ngati Tama ki te tau Ihu/Te Atiawa/ Ngāti Maniapoto/Ngāti Porou).

The Tiki WJM Waipara Pinot Noir 2017 followed The Huntress as the fourth match, produced by Sue (Ngāi Tahu) and Royce (Ngāti Ranginui) McKean. The second Tohu offering – the Raiha Reserve Noble Riesling 2016 – provided silky apricot and honey flavours with a dash of zesty lemon meringue and sweet citrus to finish.

Showcasing Māori wine talent was such a proud moment for our team.
And while New Zealand is renowned for our Marlborough sauv blancs and Central Otago pinots, plenty of sensational boutique offerings are
out there. Using Jannine Rickards as inspiration, sometimes you've just got to go hunting for them. 

Jess Easton is a director and owner of Kitchen Takeover, complementing her career as a Tauranga-based lawyer. Her lifelong love of wines has been taken to the next level, tasked with crafting the wine list and wine matches for Kitchen Takeover's culinary masterpieces.

Life is a cabaret

Celebrated vocalist and Pāpāmoa local Mandy Meadows is taking her internationally acclaimed cabaret, Piaf: The Legend, around the North Island.

Words Karl Puschmann

Édith Piaf is a true French icon. The singer was one of the country’s biggest stars and one of its few musical acts to have a global impact. Her songs, largely autobiographical ballads about love and loss, were received as instant classics that immediately joined the standards songbook to be covered and reinterpreted forevermore.

But despite all of Édith’s fame, her life remains shrouded in mystery. Even decades after her death the renowned French chanteuse still
keeps many dark secrets. 

“She was a very complex, complicated character,” vocalist Mandy Meadows says. “She was abandoned by her mother and father who were circus performers and grew up in a brothel. Nobody really knew exactly where she was from.”

Mandy has been fascinated by Édith for as long as she can remember. As an international singer, it’s no surprise that she’d be enamoured by the songs, but Édith’s life also captured her imagination. So much so that she created a cabaret style show around it.

Titled Piaf: The Legend, the show tells the story of Édith’s life via her remarkable songs like La Vie En Rose, La Foule and Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. For complete authenticity, Mandy sings them in their original French.

“All the songs are in French but the story is in English, so everybody can understand that because it is a show for everybody,” she says. “Whether you're a fan or not, it's really her incredible story that’s so captivating.”

Édith’s life was full of contradictions but never boring. From her childhood as a street urchin to helping POW’s escape during the war to becoming one of the biggest stars in the world.

“She was a real contrast of flaws and beauty,” Mandy says. “And unapologetically human, which is what I really like about her. She was a phoenix, rising above the ashes. There was nothing pretty about her life. It was really very tragic. But through all of that, she created these absolutely stunning songs and had a big, booming voice out of someone so small.”

Mandy first performed Piaf: The Legend in London’s Piccadilly Circus around seven years ago after funding its development by joining a paid clinical trial.

“I literally gave my blood for this show,” she laughs.

Since then she’s taken it all over the globe, leaving audiences spellbound and earning four and five-star reviews. Now she’s bringing that special French je ne sais quoi to the North Island. 

With dancers, a six-piece band that includes French accordion and clarinet and, of course, Mandy’s acclaimed vocals and performance leading the way the cabaret is all but guaranteed to transport you out of the regions and straight over to Paris. 

“I get quite emotional actually,” Mandy replies when asked how she feels while performing Édith’s passionate and powerful songs. “I really feed off the audience and I always cry. I always have that moment on stage where something really emotional happens and I feel the audience tense up. I do the same. It's a real energy and a beautiful thing. It's a really unique experience.” 

For more info, videos and tickets visit piafthelegend.com

Cool, calm and collected

With its artfully designed space, locally-sourced
treasures for sale and delectable food on offer, every detail of this café has been thoughtfully curated.

Words Hayley Barnett

As far as locals go, Gather is up there with the best. The vibe, the crowd, the food. It’s slightly bigger than a hole in the wall, but everything just works. And not one bit of it is an accident. Chatting with owner Steph Meaden, it’s obvious there was a very clear focus when she and husband Sam took over the Pāpāmoa spot three years ago.

“We knew we wanted to run a neighbourhood café but we both agreed it had to be three things – good for the community, good for the body and good for the environment,” explains Steph.

Having spent most of the first year behind the counter with their first baby in a front pack, this wasn’t easy to execute, especially during Covid 19 when supplies were limited and there were very few customers. But this is a couple who knows an opportunity when they see one.

They first opened the Tay Street Store two years prior to opening Gather, selling local products (mainly created by innovative and entrepreneurial friends), with the aim of branching out into food. When Gather came up for sale in 2020 the couple jumped at it. They had a bit of experience with a coffee caravan business , Lulu Coffee, which was a great first taste of the hospitality scene. It was just lucky they weren’t put off by dire times.

Today Gather is run by an all-women team, bar Sam who runs the finance and payroll back of house. Their head chef, Dominique Rojo Vivot, is Argentinian and the menu is largely influenced by her home country’s cuisine, with a colourful, vegan twist. The cheese puffs, vegan carrot cake and chimmi chilli eggs have all become loyal customer favourites. Thank goodness they’re staying on the upcoming, otherwise-new winter menu.

Steph and Sam aren’t chefs themselves but they were inspired by the very “farm to plate vibe” that they picked up on their travels overseas. “When we came home, we realised there’s an abundance of good food out there – you just need to know where to get it from,” says Steph.

Keeping in line with their noble ethos, they worked with their friends
– Mt Atkinson Coffee – who has a direct trade relationship with Ugandan coffee farmers and gives back through village projects. It does, however, come all the way from Auckland, which is quite a way away for Steph and Sam these days. A lot of product in the café is close to fully local, even the wide array of wares, skincare and clothing they sell in store. The clothing is actually designed by Dominique herself. Steph and the multi-talented chef even have plans to start their own pantry range.

With another baby in the front pack, Steph and Sam certainly have their
work cut out for them, but that’s all part of the fun.

“One day we’ll get back on the road – that’s kind of the idea of setting up a business!” she laughs. But right now, they’re both enjoying being part of a community which has embraced them and their passion for all things local and delicious. 

gatherpapamoa.co.nz

Plant power

Foodie Stacey Jones takes in Tauranga’s delectable plant-based restaurant scene

Falafel Metro

Last month, I emceed an event for Flavours of Plenty Festival called “Food for Thought”, featuring a panel of chefs who had all brought their distinctly different food cultures to Tauranga. One of the speakers, Tomer Rooney, was from CBD favourite Falafel Metro. Tomer grew up on a kibbutz in Israel and once a month, he would take the bus into Jerusalem to indulge in a fresh pita stuffed full of the delectable chickpea-based snack, topped with lashings of tahini. Yum!

The very next day I couldn’t get falafel out of my brain, so I decided to pop in to devour the aptly named “Jerusalem”. Holy smoke… I was in food heaven. The cherry on top? The dish was completely plant-based, not a morsel of meat in sight. “I love turning meat lovers to falafels,” Tomer explained. And it got me thinking… Where else in the Bay might one discover a plant-based bite that rivals the sensory bliss of its carnivorous counterpart? 

It seems I’m not the only one asking this question. Recent statistics reveal that a remarkable 34 percent of the New Zealand population has gracefully transitioned to a flexitarian diet (Massey University, 2022), reducing their meat intake and embracing the vibrant world of plant-based foods. So this month, I thought I’d reveal some of my top picks of places to eat where you can enjoy a meat-free meal that tastes as good,
if not better.

Falafel Metro is one of the best cheap eats you can experience in the Bay, so the fact that it's plant-powered too gives it a double thumbs-up. The team are constantly striving for improvement, having recently purchased a pita bread-making machine so everything you eat there will be produced in house. Less food miles = more eco goodness.

falafel metro  

Just around the corner in Tauranga CBD is Mudan, offering an array of
plant-based delights, all made from scratch including the tofu and noodles, plus it’s MSG-free. My pick would be their homemade Chinese hot spicy noodles with cooked tofu, fresh vegetables, and a delectable spicy sauce, or the kimchi fries.

neworientalmarket.com

Sugo Italian Restaurant

If you’re after something a little more fancy, Sugo Italian Restaurant is one not to be missed. Chef Ian Harrison, who was trained by Marco Pierre White, loves the challenge of creating food that is not only planet-friendly but ridiculously tasty at the same time. They have a dedicated plant-based menu featuring entrées, mains and desserts. My recommendation would be the mushroom bolognese with cashew nut parmesan, which I think is even better than the original version

sugosugo.co.nz

Sea People

Sea People makes ice cream using a blend of cashew and coconut milk, giving rise to a velvety-smooth, creamy texture that tastes as good as dairy ice cream, without compromising on flavour. Owners Mariah Whittaker and Allan Blondeau have a genuine passion for sustainability, creating a new generation of ice cream that is kind on the planet. Last time I was there I was treated to the olive oil ice cream – definitely worth
a try.
seapeople.co.nz

Tiny Seed NZ is a vegan baker offering a range of treats at the local farmers’ markets including Tauranga on Saturday and Mount Mainstreet on Sundays. My pick would be the orange and raspberry cake with caramel sauce. They also offer a grazing platter service which is 100 percent plant based – perfect for a guilt-free gathering.

Whittaker's and Naomi Toilalo celebrate Matariki

Naomi is the author of Whānaukai, New Zealand’s first entirely bilingual cookbook with the recipes available in English with a full Te Reo translation.

Kūmara celebration cake

KŪMARA CELEBRATION CAKE

300g Orange kūmara, peeled

1 tsp Salt

Zest of 1 ½ oranges

⅓ C Orange juice

1 Tbsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

⅔ C Brown sugar

⅔ C Caster sugar

⅔ C Oil, neutral

½ C Yogurt, unsweetened

2 ½ C Self-raising flour

½ tsp Baking soda

1 Tbsp Mixed spice

1 Tbsp Ground cinnamon

2 tsp Ground ginger

100g Whittaker’s Fijian Ginger and Mandarin chocolate

1. Pre-heat the oven to 140 fan bake or 150 bake. 

2. Grease two 19cm or 20cm cake tins with butter and line with baking paper. 

3. Grate the kūmara into a large bowl. Add the salt, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla. Stir to combine and leave aside.

4. Add the eggs, brown sugar and caster sugar in to a large bowl. Whip together until smooth. 

5. Continue to whip as you slowly add the oil and yoghurt. 

6. Sift the flour, baking soda, mixed spice, cinnamon and ginger on to the egg mixture. Add the kūmara mixture on top and fold all the ingredients together.

7. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and fold it in the batter. 

8. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins. 

9. Bake for 25 minutes and then place a large tray on top of the cake tins (this helps keep the moisture locked in). Bake for a further 15 minutes or until the cakes spring back when pressed in the centre. 

10. Remove from the oven. Tip the cakes upside down on to a cooling tray straight away to help flatten them out. Cool the cakes as you prepare your delicious frosting.

THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

180g Whittaker’s 62% Dark Cacao chocolate

3 Tbsp Cream

190g Butter, softened

½ C Icing Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla

1. Add the chocolate and cream to a small bowl. Gently melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring well between each time. Once smooth, leave to cool for 5 minutes. 

2. Add the softened butter, icing sugar and vanilla to a large bowl. Whip it until light and fluffy.

3. Add the warm chocolate mixture a tablespoon at a time to the butter mixture as you whip continuously. Once it is all incorporated, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

   ASSEMBLY

1. Spread half of the chocolate frosting on to one of the cooled cakes. Add the second cake and spread on the remaining frosting. Note: This buttercream can also be spread to cover the sides of the cake too if you prefer.

2. To top it I used dried orange slices, fresh strawberries and rosemary. You could also top it with maple candied pecan nuts and add some caramel for a touch of glam.

Enjoy with your whānau and friends this Matariki!

KEKE ĀRANI ME TE KŪMARA (KŪMARA CELEBRATION CAKE)

KEKE ĀRANI ME TE KŪMARA

Kia 300 karamu kūmara ārani 

Kia kotahi kokoiti tote 

Kiri ārani o tētahi me te haurua ārani

Kia hautoru kapu wai ārani

Kia kotahi kokonui wanira

Kia rua hēki

Kia rua hautoru kapu huka hāura

Kia rua hautoru kapu huka one

Kia rua hautoru kapu noni

Kia haurua kapu miraka tepe (kāore he huka)

Kia rua me te haurua kapu puehu parāoa whakatipu

Kia haurua kokoiti pēkana houra

Kia kotahi kokonui rau kikini whakauruuru

Kia kotahi kokonui hinamona kuoro

Kia rua kokoiti tinitia kuoro

Kia kotahi rau karamu tiakarete manarini me te tinitia

1. Whakamahanatia te umu kia 140 te pāmahana.

2. Hinuhinutia kia rua ipu keke (19, 20 rānei henimita te rahi), ā, whakaritea ki te pepa tunu.

3. Waruwarutia te kūmara ārani ki te oko rahi. Tukua te tote, kiri ārani, wai ārani me te wanira. Whakaranuhia. Waiho ki te taha.

4. Raua atu te hēki, huka hāura me te huka one ki te oko rahi anō. Wepua kia māene.

5. I a koe e wepu tonu ana, āta riringihia atu te noni me te miraka tepe.

6. Tātaritia te puehu parāoa whakatipu, pēkana houra, rau kikini whakauruuru, hinamona me te tinitia ki runga i te ranunga hēki. Tukua hoki te ranunga kūmara ki runga. Whakaranuhia te katoa. 

7. Tapahia te tiakarete kia iti te rahi. Kaurorihia ki te ranunga.

8. Whakainatitia te ranunga ki ngā ipu keke e rua. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins. 

9. Tunua ngā keke mō te 25 mīniti, kātahi whakatakotoria tētahi heri nui ki runga i ngā ipu keke (kia mau tonu ai te mōwai) . Tunua anō, mō te 15 mīniti. 

10. Tangohia ngā keke kua tunua i te umu. Huripokia ki ngā heri hauhau kia papatahi pai ai ngā keke. I ngā keke e makariri haere ana, mahia te pani reka tiakarete. 

TE PANI REKA TIAKARETE

Kia 180 karamu tiakarete parauri (62 te ōrau)

Kia toru kokonui kirīmi

Kia 190 karamu pata kūteretere

Kia haurua kapu puehu huka

Kia rua kokoiti wanira

1. Raua atu te tiakarete parauri me te kirīmi ki te oko iti. Āta whakarewaina ki rō ngaruiti. Ia 20 hēkona, kaurorihia te tiakarete. Gently melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring well between each time. Waiho mō te 5 mīniti kia makariri hāere. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.

2. Tukua te pata kūteretere, puehu huka me te wanira ki tētahi oko rahi. Whakapāhukahukatia kia tāhungahunga.

3. Tāpirhia tētahi kokonui o te tiakarete mahana ki te ranunga pata i a koe e tāwhiuwhiu tonu ana. Whakamātaohia mō te 10 mīniti kia kukū ai te pani reka. Once it is all incorporated, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken slightly. 

TE MAHI HANGA KEKE

1. Pania tētahi haurua o te pani reka ki tētahi o ngā keke. Tāpirihia atu te keke tuarua ki runga. Pania te toenga o te pani reka ki runga i taua keke,( ki ngā taha hoki o ngā keke mēnā e hiahia ana).  

2. Hei whakarākei, tāpirihia ngā ārani raki, ngā rōpere māota me te rohimere. Hei whakaaro anō, mahia ngā nati rare me te karamea.  Mānawatia a Matariki e te whānau!

THE NO KNEAD DOUGH

¾ C warm milk

¾ C lukewarm water

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 sachet instant yeast, 8g

2 C high grade flour

3 Tbsp neutral oil

1 ⅓ C high grade flour

1 ½ tsp salt

1 block of Whittaker’s Hazella chocolate (broken in to pieces)

1.25L rice bran oil

CINNAMON SUGAR

¾ C caster sugar

2 ½ tsp cinnamon

1. Add the milk, water and brown sugar in to a bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

2. Sprinkle over the instant yeast and stir with a whisk. Allow the yeast to activate for a few minutes (it should rise to the top).

3. Add the 2 cups of flour and the oil in to the activated yeast mixture. Stir with a whisk until smooth.

4. Cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes.

5. Add the remaining 1 ⅓ C flour and the salt in to the bowl. Mix until all the flour is incorporated in to the dough.

6. Once combined, stretch and fold the dough 30 times in the bowl. Take a piece of dough from the side of the bowl and lift it high and press it in the middle, turn the bowl a 1/4 turn and repeat the pattern. Each time you do a 1/4 turn, it is 1 count.

7. Cover and leave the dough to rise for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

8. Once risen, gently tip the dough on to a table. Cut into 12 equal squares.

9. Take a piece of dough, place three pieces of Hazella chocolate in the middle. Fold in the dough and pinch the seams. Place it on an oiled tray to rise as you repeat the pattern, making 12 in total.

10. Rise the fry bread for 35 - 45 minutes in a warm place.

11. As they rise, prepare the cinnamon sugar by combining the caster sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

12. Heat the oil in a cast iron pan to around 165-175 degrees.

13. Fry three fry bread at a time for 2 minutes on each side and roll in straight in to the cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately!

    PARĀOA PARAI POKE KORE ME TE TIAKARETE HĀNATI (NO KNEAD FRY BREAD WITH HAZELLA CHOCOLATE)

    TE POKENGA POKE KORE

    Kia toru hauwhā kapu miraka mahana

    Kia toru hauwhā kapu wai aromahana

    Kia toru kokonui huka hāura

    Kia kotahi pēke īhi tere (kia 8 karamu)

    Kia rua kapu puehu parāoa kounga

    Kia toru kokonui noni

    Kia kotahi me te hautoru kapu puehu parāoa kounga

    Kia kotahi me te haurua kokoiti tote

    Kia kotahi paraka tiakarete hānati

    Kia 1.25 rita noni

    HUKA HINAMONA

    Kia toru hauwhā kapu huka one

    Kia rua me te haurua kokoiti hinamona
    

    1. Riringihia atu te miraka, wai, me te huka hāura ki te oko nui. Kaurorihia kia rewa ai te huka.

    2. Ruia te īhi tere ki runga. Koheritia. Waiho mō te rima miniti.

    3. Raua atu kia 2 kapu puehu parāoa me te noni ki rō ranunga īhi. Whakaranuhia ki te koheri.

    4. Tūpokina ki te tī taora mō te 20 miniti kia rewa ake ai te pokenga.

    5. Tukua te toenga o te puehu parāoa me te tote ki te oko. Whakaranuhia.

    6. Kia 30 nga wā koe e kume, e pōkai ana. Kūmea te pokenga mai i te taha o te oko, waiho ki waenganui. Hurihia te oko ki te hurihanga hauwhā. Hāere tonu kia 30 nga hurihanga.

    7. Tūpokina ki te tī tāora mō tētahi hāora me te 15 miniti kia rewa ake anō te pokenga.

    8. Ka tino rite ana te pokenga, tapahia kia 12 ngā wāhanga pokenga.

    9. Tīkina tētahi o ngā pokenga, ā, tāpirihia atu ngā tiakarete e toru ki runga. Pōkaitia ngā taha ki waenganui. Kinitia te pokenga. Waiho ki tētahi heri, pania ki te noni. Me pērā te mahi ki ngā pokenga katoa.

    10. Waiho te katoa o aua pokenga kia rewa ake mō te 35 ki te 45 miniti.

    11. I a rātou e tipu ana, whakaritea te huka hinamona. Whakaranuhia te huka one me te hinamona ki tētahi pereti āhua rahi.

    12. Whakamahanatia te noni kia 165 ki te 175 te pāmahana, ki rō hōpane rino kia rewa ai.

    13. Paraitia ngā pokenga ki roto i te noni wera, e rua miniti mō ia taha. Kātahi, pōkaitia ki roto i te huka hinamona. E kai!

Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond 'Panna cotta'

with Spiced Red Plum Compote, Cocoa Almond Shards and Vanilla Chantilly Cream 
By Chef Will Mordido

Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond 'Panna cotta'

800mL Almond Milk (unsweetened) 

200g Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond Chocolate

13g Gelatine leaves

1. Soak gelatine leaves in ice water, adding each leaf to the water one by one to evenly hydrate. 

2. In a pot, add almond milk and Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond chocolate. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the chocolate is melted, then bring to the boil and remove from the heat.

3. Strain the gelatine, and squeeze out any excess water.  Then add to the hot pot of your almond milk and chocolate mixture. Stir until gelatine has melted then strain the mixture into a jug with a spout. 

4. Pour 100ml of the mixture into each glass and allow to chill in the refrigerator until set.

Spiced Red Plum Compote

x2 Star anise

x1 Cinnamon quill

1 tsp Heilala Vanilla paste

300ml water

80g Honey

x5 Red Plums

10g cornflour

30g water

1. To make the poaching liquid, add star anise, cinnamon quill, honey, Heilala Vanilla and water to a pot then bring to the boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer for 10mins.

2. Cut the plums in half, remove the seeds and place on a baking tray. 

3. Return your poaching liquid to the boil then pour over the plums. Tightly cover with foil, place in a preheated oven at 150°C and cook for 10mins. Check the plums and if needed, cook for a further 5-10mins or longer depending on their size. 

4. Once cooked, remove from the oven and using a slotted spoon gently remove plums from the poaching liquid and carefully peel off the skin while still warm.  For best results, allow the plums to cool in the poaching liquid (overnight is ideal) . 

5. Weigh out 250mL poaching liquid and bring to the boil. In a jug, mix together cornflour and 3OmL water and pour into the boiling liquid whisking until thickened. Allow to cool. 

6. Cut plum halves into 4 wedges (smaller if they are bigger) then fold into the thickened poaching liquid. 

Cocoa Almond Tuile Shards

50g Standard flour

50g Icing sugar

50g Egg whites

25g Cocoa powder

50g Unsalted Butter

20g Slivered almonds

1. In a bowl, mix together sifted flour, icing sugar, cocoa powder. Add egg whites and mix to a smooth paste. 

2. Melt butter in a microwave or pot on gentle heat then slowly pour into the bowl and stir until combined. 

3. Using an offset palette knife, spread the tuile mixture very thinly on baking paper or silicone mat then sprinkle the slivered almonds on top.

4. Place in the bottom rack of a preheated oven at 150°C for 15mins, checking every 5mins until the tuile is dry and crispy. Allow to cool then break into shards. 

Vanilla Chantilly Cream

200mL Cream

40g Icing sugar

1 tsp Heilala Vanilla paste

1. Whisk together all ingredients to a soft peak and transfer to a piping bag. 

To assemble 

1. Remove your set panna cotta from the fridge, spoon on plum compote, pipe on the vanilla Chantilly cream and finish with Cocoa and Almond Tuile Shards.

2. Finish by dusting over Freeze dried plum powder (optional)