Slice of Life

By Peter Gordon - January 2008

Juliet and cheese

Well, it’s barely 3 weeks into the new year and it’s been flat out. Michael and I managed a five day break in Istanbul over the new year which was fantastic as I did no work at all, which is a rare treat. We were supposed to be filming a teaser for a tv show based around spices, but that didn’t eventuate as is so often the way with television. So instead we simply ate our way around this remarkable city.

Got back to London which was incredibly cold, but bright and crisp and not too wet. Last weekend we were up at our good friend Juliet Harbutt’s home in Oxfordshire. Juliet set up and runs the British Cheese Awards, which is an incredible achievement as she was born and lived in New Zealand for the first 30 or so years of her life. She also set up the NZ Cheese Awards, but hasn’t been involved in those for some years now. Juliet lives in a fantastic stone cottage, several hundred years old, and is really at home rambling around the countryside in her Saab convertible, or walking through the woods.

Juliet recently created a new business making a delicious cheese called Little Wallop (which she wrote about in her regular NZ House and Garden column recently). Her partner in this new business, who came round for dinner, is former pop-star, and current farmer, Alex James, from Brit Pop band Blur – at one time the biggest selling band in Britain. Alex farms just down the road from Juliet’s home, and finds it hard having to weather the stigma of always being referred to as a celebrity farmer. As he says he’s as dedicated as the next man, and the fact he was once a crazy party animal shouldn’t matter at all. But, as he is still one of the most recognisable faces on the street, he’s just having to deal with it.

Also for dinner that night we had the company of chef Emily Watkins and her partner, who run a local pub in Kingham which has had all the British press a flutter. Emily worked for 3 years in Italy before returning to the UK to cook at The Fat Duck, the much acclaimed and almost impossible to get into 3 Michelin Star eatery in Bray. Emily said what she most enjoyed with working with Heston Blumenthal was his curiosity. When ever he was told you have to cook this in such and such a way, he’d always ask WHY? Heston has created a niche for himself and his cooking in the UK and also happens to be one of the most pleasant chefs you could ever hope to meet. Funnily enough, Juliet cooked Molly’s Chicken, a dish inspired by my grandmother, and I did wonder what Molly would have made of the company.

A few days ago I was co-presenting an event promoting NZ wine in the UK. The event is called Wine + and it is focussed on wine from absolutely everywhere. I teamed up with the Sommelier Hamish Anderson, who is the wine buyer for the Tate group. I cooked the food and this is what we served:

Pinot Gris:
Mud House 2006, Marlborough
Spiced rose petal and kumara curry with tangerines

Riesling:
Pegasus bay 2006, Waipara, Canterbury
Minted goats cheese crostini with Manuka honey and toasted almonds

Sauvignon Blanc:
Goldwater 2006, Wairau Valley, Marlborough
Neudorf 2006, Nelson
Seared Yellowfin tuna with sweet nori puree and gingered yuzu tapioca
Hot-smoked salmon in baby gem with nam phrik num dressing, pecans and avocado

The wine and the food went down really well, and hopefully it’ll keep our wines in the minds of the many restaurateurs and sommeliers here in the UK.

The next day I flew to New Zealand. I’ve only just arrived and am only here for 5 nights. Time to get the new menu up and running with my head chef Ben Mills and to see what else we have in season. I’ll be back again in late March, in time to celebrate our 3rd birthday at dine by Peter Gordon.

Cheers, Peter

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