Thursday, September 29, 2011

Preserving Winter Fruit



Hey you, yes you in the kitchen, holding that bowl of orange peels left from the bounty of winter citrus that were nurtured so lovingly by your favourite producer down at the weekend farmers' market. I can see what you're up to. You were planning to upend the entire contents into the waste bin that'll undoubtedly go into landfill and contribute to our already warming atmosphere weren't you? 

Shake your head. Lie to me. That's right. 

There's something else that we can do with these that'll add another awesome secret ingredient to your pantry and have your neighbours peeking over the fence with jealousy as you entertain your friends and family with beautifully perfumed renditions of Italian classics.

Preserved lemon is an ingredient that I know you're familiar with. Tangy. Robust. A burst of floral citrus and acidity all in one. It's proved to be quite versatile, contributing to some of the great culinary masterpieces and traditional peasant dishes of our time, providing a subtle backdrop or Kill Bill-style smack in the face.

Luckily for us, orange peels have just the same potential if not more. Google preserved oranges and what you'll find is 2.47 million images of sugar-laden, diabetes-inducing goodness. This is not what I'm suggesting.


Preserved orange peel
orange peel (with or without pith, whatever)
cheap rock salt (preferably local, organic and sustainably harvested)
aromatic spices and stuff

fresh orange juice/lemon juice/apple cider vinegar to cover
Pay close attention. This recipe is deceptively simple.
Stuff a sterilised jar with orange peel and handfuls of rock salt.
Throw some cinnamon quills or peppercorns or bay leaves or whatever in.
Cover with juice and/or vinegar.
Screw on the lid.
Chuck it in a dark place for a couple of months.

Jars must be stored in a cool, dark place as excessive heat and UV light can cause degradation of citric acid which is BAD. Reconstituted orange juice and any other non-fresh juice that is heat treated during processing should not be used as heat destroys acidity.

Fresh lemon juice has a pH that lies somewhere around 2-3, fresh orange juice typically has a pH of 3.5 and apple cider vinegar has a pH that falls between 4.25 and 5. For safe preservation, the pH should ideally be maintained below 4.6. 

If using apple cider vinegar this can be achieved by mixing it with a substantial amount of lemon juice to increase the acidity. If you don't have citrus juice, you can try adding powdered citric acid (no more than 8% of liquid weight). Palm vinegar is an inappropriate dress to wear to this occasion. White vinegar will have you thrown out.

Preserved orange peel will take your dinner parties where they never dared. If a riot breaks out when you hit the bottom of the jar, don't blame us.


Tuesday, September 20, 2011

MasterChef Live Promo Deal!



MasterChef Live is just around the corner and boy do I have something cool in store for you guys!

The lovely people who are running the show have provided me with a discount so tell your family, friends, frenemies, and spread the love!


Masterchef Live Ticket offer - Buy 2 adult tickets for $60 $50 and family pass for $99 $89! 
Save ten bucks! Awesome! That's more money for food that's going into my belly!

And enter your promotional code MCL03 or call ticketek on 132 849 and quote the code.



MasterChef Live, the ultimate foodie’s event is back this year from 7-9th October, Royal Hall of Industries & Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park.

This year it promises to be an even bigger cooking extravaganza with more masterclasses from judges Gary and George and Australia’s top chefs such as Kylie Kwong, Peter Gilmore, Adriano Zumbo, more free interactive hands-on cooking schools, Junior MasterChef workshops, and of course the chance to shop for amazing produce, fresh produce and cookware to help you become a MasterChef at home.

NEW for this year Contestant Friday - Contestants were so popular last year we have invited the favourites from all three series to host Friday along with some of Australia's top Chefs.  See your favourite contestants from all three series battle it out in the Mystery Box Theatre, plus watch as they re-create their signature dishes in the Contestant Theatre over the three days. Plus on  Saturday and Sunday see Gary and George take on the challenge in the Mystery box theatre.

See your favourite chefs, judges and contestants teach you all the tips and tricks you need to become a MAsterChef at home.

The line-up includes; Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris, Kylie Kwong, Peter Gilmore, Adriano Zumbo, Colin Fassnidge, Alessandro Pavoni, Vincent Gadan, Jacques Reymond, Anna Gare, Matt Kemp, Miguel Mastre, Dan Hong, Greg Doyle, Giovanni Pilu,  Warren Turnbull, and Tony Bilson and many, many more.


Book tickets go to Mastercheflive.com.au


Early bird offer - Book in advance and included within the price is a copy of MasterChef Magazine valued at $4.95!!





Saturday, September 3, 2011

Trading Music For Trees


Just last weekend I was lucky enough to be invited along to photograph an event at CarriageWorks called MUSICFORTREES - a non-profit initiative run by local sustainability advocates to empower people to change the world with small actions. The graceful artists who in a few short hours managed to raise enough funds to plant 17,290 trees included: DJ Tom with his ultra-cool old-school gramophone, Andy Golledge (the amusing man with so much beard it got caught in his harmonica), John Dixon, Jay Cooper, gorgeous duo Elodie Sablier and Eleanor Maurri of Les Deux Violettes, and the incredibly stark and alluring Jordan Leser.




MUSICFORTREES is part of the United Nations Environment Programme Plant For The Planet: The Billion Tree Campaign and works in conjunction with Trees For The Future - a group that has been reforesting degraded land, and improving biodiversity and sustainability around the globe since 1989. It's incredibly humbling to be asked to work with some seriously talented people, designers and musicians alike. I'm still feeling slight disbelief a week later. It was only two years ago that I got my hands on a DSLR, much less learn how to use the darn thing. Amazing.. 





I've spent the last fortnight slowly making my way through a book called 2011 State of the world: Innovations that nourish the planet by The Worldwatch Institute and I've learned that famine and poverty in developing nations are not caused by a lack of food as widely believed, but rather, through gross mismanagement of resources and a turbid market. Food aid unfortunately is a bit like slapping a used bandaid on a broken leg and doesn't do much to address the root of the problem besides sustaining poverty-stricken people for another day. An influx of food aid from international sources can actually cause detriment to market pricing and devalue local produce, meaning poorer farmers have little incentive to grow more food. Genetically modified seeds and high-input monoculture are too expensive for African farmers to sustain, and synthetic chemical fertiliser and pesticide use only assists in accelerating soil degradation and water pollution. Fuel for cooking and heating is produced through the incineration of biomass including wood, animal dung, agricultural waste, etc. Not only does burning biomass result in smoke inhalation (the largest cause of death in children under 5 in developing countries), but it also limits the amount of organic matter available to return to the fields to maintain soil fertility .




To better the world and advance food security to include the 1 billion starving people in poorer nations requires a paradigm shift in political responsibility, clean energy production and a movement towards agroecological farming. Solar cookers allow women to potentially triple their income whilst drastically cutting back on the amount of time spent collecting firewood. A lower demand for fuel also equates to more organic matter that can be incorporated back into the soil, reducing the need for chemical input and increasing the natural suppression of disease through composting.




Trees play an almighty part in food security as well, and not just in developing nations like Africa. They provide shade and reduce water loss, assist in preventing rising groundwater and salinity (a massive problem in agriculture around the globe), shed leaves which add organic matter to soil, sequester atmospheric carbon, increase precipitation, reduce temperature, and can also provide an additional source of food; all of which are incredibly important if increased sustainability of agriculture and food security are to be pursued. 



MUSICFORTREES holds a number of charity gigs a year. Make sure you check out their facebook page to stay updated on upcoming music-filled afternoons at CarriageWorks! :)




www.MUSICFORTREES.com


 See more photos of the last MUSICFORTREES event...

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