This might just be one of my favourite desserts of all time and one of 2 or 3 desserts I ask for on my birthday when my mother asks the usual question, ‘What do you want for your birthday?’. This year it was the trusty Pavlova’s turn to be wheeled out. In this case, it was a ‘whopper’ made with 6 egg whites which makes a pavlova big enough to feed 8.

I really hope you try and enjoy this wonderful foodologist family recipe!!

Ingredients
6 egg whites
2 cups castor sugar
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For cream
1 pint whipping cream
4-6 teaspoons icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For topping:
1 punnet Sliced strawberries
1 Mango sliced
1 punnet fresh raspberries
1 punnet fresh blueberries
2 passion fruit
2 kiwi fruit sliced

Method
Using an electric mixer , whisk the egg whites until stiff. Slowly add the icing sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating to dissolve each teaspoon. Add the cornflour with the last spoon of sugar and finally fold in the vinegar and vanilla essence. Heat the oven to 120 degrees centigrade. On a piece of baking paper, draw a large circle, approximately 8 or 9 inches in diameter and sprinkle the paper with a little cornflour. Spread the meringue and shape with edges slightly higher than the centre (like a gooey pie case). Place in the oven for 1.5 to 2 hours until crisp and no signs of moisture on the outside. Turn off the oven and open the door to let it cool before removing the meringue case and then remove the paper.

For the filling, whip the cream and add the sugar and vanilla essence ensuring not to over whip the cream. Put cream into the shell and artfully arrange the cut fruit on top.

The Silver Spoon: new edition

Phaidon Press reissues Italy’s most successful cookery book in November

Italy’s best-selling cookery bible, The Silver Spoon, took the world by storm in 2005 when it was published in English for the first time by celebrated publishers Phaidon Press, selling over one million copies worldwide.

Now available in 12 languages, The Silver Spoon will be launched in a new revised edition in November 2011, and promises to set alight the nation’s taste buds for authentic, home-cooked Italian food.

Pizza Napoletana

Featuring a gorgeous red cover, the new edition of The Silver Spoon includes 400 stunning new photographs as well as new introductory material, such as how to compose a traditional Italian meal, how to set an Italian table and typical food traditions of different regions. It also contains a section with original menus from the 15 most famous Italian chefs of the last 50 years. Additionally, it includes menus from Italian celebrity chefs working in Australia, including Stefano Manfredi, Karen Martini and Stefano de Pieri.

The Silver Spoon or Il Cucchiaio d’Argento as it is known in Italy, was first published in 1950 when a group of cooking experts were commissioned to collect hundreds of traditional Italian recipes from different regions, making them available for the first time to a wider audience. In the process, they updated ingredients, quantities and methods to suit contemporary tastes and customs, while at the same time preserving the memory of traditional recipes for future generations.

Roman Saltimbocca

Like its previous versions the new revised edition is presented in a simple and user-friendly format that makes it both accessible and a pleasure to read. With over 2,000 recipes, all of which have been fully revised and updated for modern kitchens, The Silver Spoon is the definitive book on Italian cooking and stands alongside other culinary classics such as The Joy of Cooking and Larousse Gastronomique. Now with its exciting new additions, the new and updated edition will ensure that it remains a kitchen staple for years to come.

Grilled Stuffed Squid

Chef Endorsements:

Stefano de Pieri:
‘The Silver Spoon is an Italian classic that you can never get enough of, it represents the soul of Italian cookery’.

Stefano Manfredi:
‘Every cook who loves Italian food should have Il Cucchiaio d’Argento in their library. Not only is it indispensable as a recipe reference, but also as a source of inspiration’.

Giorgio Locatelli:
‘Throughout the years, I have seen chefs in many different kitchens refer to all types of cookery books. But Il cucchiaio d’argento is the only book that made it to my Mum’s kitchen. Most Italians consider this book their ‘Bible’ on home cookery’.

Angela Hartnett:
‘The Silver Spoon was the first Italian cookery book I ever bought. It is an excellent reference for classical Italian recipes and I’m delighted that at last it is being translated into English’.

Gordon Ramsay:
‘The Silver Spoon is an amazing encyclopedia of Italian food – comprehensive and inspiring’.

Gennaro Contaldo:
‘It’s my kitchen bible – I’ve had a copy for as long as I can remember’.

Tiramisu

from the book The Silver Spoon (new edition) 2011
$59.95
Phaidon Press

Photographs by Edward Park and courtesy of Phaidon Press

Sick of dry roast Turkey that you struggle to even swallow? This Turkey Burger uses the classic pairing of cranberries and pecans to make a burger that is fit for serving at the christmas table but which you can serve any time of the year. Just in case you are wondering about the watermark at the bottom of the image, I haven’t taken this from someone else but it is a ‘sneak preview’ for a little side project that I am working on. I will announce it in full when it is ready but couldn’t resist releasing this to both give you a sneak preview as well as a great alternative recipe for your Christmas break. I would like to wish all of you a wonderful upcoming Christmas and hope you all have happy holidays and look forward to showing you more new and wonderful ‘foodological’ stuff in the new year and beyond!

Ingredients

500g Turkey Mince
1 teaspoon (approx 6g) Salt
3 cloves Garlic (crushed)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh Thyme
1/3 cup dried Cranberries
2/3 cup real egg Mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons Wholegrain Dijon Mustard
4 Tablespoons roughly chopped Pecans
4 Hamburger Buns
Rocket (Arugula)
Sliced Tomatoes (optional)

Method

To make the burger patties, mix the turkey mince, salt, garlic, thyme together in a bowl until well mixed. Then add the cranberries and mix lightly until well combined. Lightly wet your hands and divide the mixture into 4 equal parts and roll into balls and place onto a plastic cutting board covered with a sheet of baking paper. Place another piece of baking paper on top of the balls and flatten them lightly either by hand or with a rolling pin. Place the burger patties into the fridge and chill for at least an hour. During this time, they should firm up.

To make the mayo, place the Mayonnaise, Mustard and chopped pecans into a bowl and mix well to combine. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Grill the burgers either on a BBQ or a frying pan on a medium heat until cooked through. Grill the buns until lightly toasted and arrange the rocket (arugula), tomato (if using), mayo and patty on the bun and enjoy!

The Family Meal

I received this little present in the post a couple of weeks back and it is fair to say that I was more than a little excited. Ferran Adria is one of the most recognisable names in the highest of high class gastronomy of recent years due to his success at El Bulli, multiple winner of the World’s best restaurant awards. So when he releases a book about cooking at home for your family, you want to read it…trust me! The instructions are easy to follow and the recipes range from simple to a little more advanced and introduce a few simple versions of the more well known techniques for which he is recognised, namely those associated with the Molecular Gastronomy movement.

Easily accessible for the keen amateur, this is a great addition to your cookbook library. There’s still time to ask for one in your Christmas stocking!!!

Following is the press release from Phaidon:

Phaidon press is pleased to announce the global publication of a new cookbook from the man cited more than any other as the world’s greatest chef – The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adrià. While Ferran Adriá is better known for his groundbreaking gastronomic creations, this highly anticipated book will, for the first time, reveal his secrets for creating simple, seasonal and delicious home cooked meals.

Cheeseburger

The Family Meal’s recipes are inspired by the ordinary meals by the staff of the legendary El Bulli, five-time recipient of the San Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant Award. Every evening at 6pm, Ferran’s team stops what they are doing to sit down together to a three-course dinner which they call the ‘family meal’. This time of day is extremely important to Ferran, it is a moment when he and his team can pause, gather themselves and prepare for the day ahead, just as a sit down dinner in the evening is important for all families, large or small.

Bread and Garlic Soup

Ferran believes the secret of good cooking is organisation and shows us how easy it can be, with a little preparation, to create no fuss, delicious meals at home. The Family Meal presents an international repertoire ranging from Spanish to Japanese to Mexican, reflecting the staff mix of El Bulli’s ‘stagaires’. The book is arranged into 31 menus for easy to prepare three-course meals, such as Saffron Risotto with Mushrooms to start, a main of Pork Ribs with Barbecue Sauce, and a Crème Catalan to finish. Another meal begins with a Gazpacho followed by a Cheeseburger and Almond Biscuits. Some recipes involve a signature Ferran technique, like using N2O cartridges to foam a dessert, but most are decidedly simple. All of Ferran’s everyday recipes are carefully designed to provide nutritious, flavoursome and economic meals.

Mexican Style Pork

Each meal is introduced with an image of all the necessary ingredients and a timeline to ensure the recipes are made to perfection. Then, every individual recipe is relayed step-by-step with all the know-how that results from more than two decades in the world’s most innovative kitchen.

Figs with Cream

The menus also have been designed to provide tempting dishes for any occasion. Uniquely, the quantities of ingredients needed for each recipe are given in servings of 2, 6, 20 and 75.

Generously illustrated with hundreds of new, specially commissioned photographs, The Family Meal is the book by Ferran Adrià everyone has been waiting for.

from the book The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adrià, by Ferran Adrià
$39.99
Phaidon 2011

Photographs by Francesc Guillamet and Maribel Ruiz de Erenchun and courtesy of Phaidon Press

I was recently looking up a specific brand of beef jerky that used to be available in Adelaide but that I hadn’t seen for some time (to my disappointment). To my delight, I discovered a website solely dedicated to the availability of mail order beef jerky in Australia (Internationally too??). To say that I was excited is just a bit of an understatement. Those who know me personally, know that I am a big fan of beef jerky. Anyway, www.beefjerkyoriginal.com caters specifically for a niche that I belong to and so I decided to place a little order which you can see in the picture above and in the list below.

I received one of each of the following:

Outback Tucker Beef Jerky Original
Black Market Beef Jerky
Black Market Chilli Beef Jerky
Boomerang Sweet Chilli Beef Jerky
Boomerang Teriyaki Beef Jerky
Bull Bar Beef Jerky Chilli
Bull Bar Beef Jerky Original
Cranky Creole Beef Jerky
Fresh Garlic And Onion Beef Jerky
Humpty Doo Beef Jerky
Humpty Doo Beef Jerky Chilli
Jims Jerky 200gm Drywors
Jims Jerky 30 Gram BBQ Beef Jerky
Jims Jerky 30 Gram Chilli Beef Jerky
Jims Jerky 30 Gram Garlic Beef Jerky
Jims Jerky 30 Gram Safari Flavored Beef Jerky
Jims Jerky 90 Gram BBQ Flavored Beef Jerky
Jims Jerky 90 Gram Chilli Flavored Beef Jerky
Jims Jerky 90 Gram Garlic Flavored Beef Jerky
Jims Jerky 90 Gram Piri Piri Flavored Beef Jerky
Jims Jerky 90 Gram Safari Flavored Beef Jerky
NT Original beef jerky
Road Kill Mild Jerky
Roadkill Beef Jerky
Roadkill Beef Jerky ring Burner
Roadkill Big Boy Stick 50g
Territory hot Jerky
Territory Jerky Flaming Hot

I’m not going to review them all here. This is not really the scope for a full review of every brand of beef jerky. However my favourites in order of brand are the following:

Bull Bar Jerky
Territory Jerky
Perky Jerky (Garlic)
Roadkill Jerky

I might add however that none were bad and each had its own unique flavour, texture and appeal.

However, if you are like me and you love your jerky, check out this site:

www.beefjerkyoriginal.com

A year of cooking and eating with family and friends

Images shot by John Laurie and are courtesy of Pan MacMillan

Adrian Richardson’s philosophy is simple: things taste better when they’re homemade.

Baking your own bread; making fresh cheese, pasta or tomato sauce from scratch; curing salami and other meats; flavouring your own oils and vinegars; making chutneys and preserves … In The Good Life Adrian shows you how to do all this, and more.
Adrian was born into a family passionate about food:

‘My family has strong Italian roots, and it’s no secret how important food is to Italians.‘
‘My most vivid childhood memories revolve around food in one way or another. As a boy, I loved to help my grandfather gather tomatoes and beans from the garden, help my mum pod peas, or to roll out pasta dough with my nonna to make her legendary ravioli.‘

Adrian’s first cookbook, the popular Meat, was a comprehensive compilation of all meat recipes. In The Good Life Adrian’s passion for seasonal produce and his back-to¬basics approach to preparation is brought to all varieties of food, from vegetables and seafood, sauces and marinades, desserts and more.

‘I want my children to understand that carrots grow in the ground; to know that bacon comes from a pig not a packet; that the pasta al forno they love so much doesn’t come from a factory, but has been lovingly cooked by me or their mum.’

The Good Life is not about flash, fancy, show-off food that can only be replicated in a restaurant. They are dishes you can put together easily. They are about comfort and simple pleasures. And, above all, they are about flavour.
With beautiful photography from John Laurie,The Good Life contains delicious family dishes, classic roasts and warming winter puddings, with canapés, cakes and drinks for picnics and summer parties.
Also included are nine master-classes on the basics, with step-by-step intructions on how to make your own salami and other cured meats, fresh yoghurt, bread, sausages and more.
Peppered throughout are ideas for entertaining, hints on how to get kids into cooking, as well as tips on food shopping and how to get the most out of what’s in your fridge.
The result: a feelgood family cookbook that reconnects readers with food at its source.

Mixed mushroom risotto with truffled pecorino

Serves 4

1–1.25 litres good-quality chicken
stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
300 g arborio rice
3 tablespoons white wine
60 g fresh peas (or frozen)
3 tablespoons roughly chopped
flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons roughly chopped thyme
50 g butter
50 g truffled pecorino, grated
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Stock
100g butter
500g wild and cultivated mushrooms,
wiped to remove any dirt, quartered
5 thyme sprigs
1 garlic clove, crushed
375 ml water
salt
freshly ground black pepper

To make a good risotto, you need to start with good stock, and this risotto begins by making a mushroom stock. This is combined with good-quality chicken stock which really intensifies the mushroom flavour. I love to serve this risotto with truffled pecorino instead of the more usual parmesan, as it adds another layer of pungent and rather mysterious earthy flavour.
To make the stock, combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30–40 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid. Strain and reserve the mushrooms and stock separately.
To make the risotto, measure the volume of mushroom stock (there should be 400–500 ml) and add enough chicken stock to make up 1.5 litres. Pour into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaf and fry gently for 3–4 minutes, until the onion is soft but not coloured. Add the rice and cook gently, stirring, for 3–4 minutes. Increase the heat and add the wine. Allow it to boil vigorously until most evaporates, then add the reserved mushrooms. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, then add around half of the simmering stock. Cook for around 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the stock has been absorbed. Stir in the peas, then add the remaining stock a ladleful at a time, allowing each ladle to be absorbed before you add the next. Keep adding stock until the rice is cooked al dente — you may not need the full amount of stock. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, thyme, butter and pecorino.

Season with salt and pepper and stir well. Cover the pan and allow the risotto to rest for a minute before serving.

I got this through from Pauline Nguyen this morning from Red Lantern in Sydney. I think it is really awesome.

I bought ‘Secrets of the Red Lantern’ long before I had heard of the restaurant or Pauline and since going there in late 2009, I find myself going back to this book again and again. It is a truly beautiful book not just outlining the a veritable stack of vietnamese recipes but also the story of how a migrant family fitted in to their new home with the associated trials and tribulations that come with such a move. She is a truly gifted gastronomic writer.

You can also find out more about her brother, Luke Nguyen’s various books, ‘Indochine’ and ‘Songs of Sapa’ and video travels ‘Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam’, and also her partner Mark Jensen’s book, ‘The Urban Cook’.

I strongly urge you to check it out and ‘Share the Journey’

“This year’s finalists range from renowned SA icons such as Nippy’s and Beerenberg to newcomers including family-run Emmalines Country Kitchen, based in Lobethal, and food distributor Galipo Food Company,” Dr Plowman said.

“Congratulations to all representatives from the local food industry who have made the cut. It is a well-deserved achievement for many of these busy small to medium sized local businesses who are helping to put SA on the map in the ever-growing food arena.
“Well done also to Cole Thomas, Tegan Webb and Michele Lally, finalists in the Innovate SA Visionary Leader (Young) category, which recognises an individual who inspires and influences others through their vision, creativity and commitment to excellence.”
Award winners, including the acclaimed SA Food Industry Hall of Fame, will be unveiled at the presentation gala dinner, to be held on 25 November at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

Open to the public, the black-tie dinner will be hosted by Channel 7’s Nuala Hafner, the daughter of local food identity Dorinda Hafner.

The four-course menu, exclusively designed by Adelaide Convention Centre chef Tze Khaw and his team, stars local produce matched by six Adelaide Hills wines.

Entertainment includes the fastest portrait artist in the world, Brad Blaze, as well as a surprise performance to be unveiled on the night.

To commemorate this year’s ‘the art of food’ theme, the gala dinner will for the first time feature an array of works by 10 unique local artists. Door prizes and Applelicious Gourmet Dessert Apple gifts will also be given to guests.

Tickets are on sale until the end of October. For more information visit www.safoodawards.com.au or www.facebook.com/safoodawards to win a free double pass to the gala dinner.

South Australian Premier’s Food Industry Awards 2011 finalists:

Innovate SA Young Visionary Leader Award

Cole Thomas, 35, is a chef, food/wine communicator, business owner and culinary innovator. Cole owns and manages Culinetic, Cole Thomas Culinary Solutions, which provides consulting services to the food industry and consumers.

Michelle Lally, 34, is co-owner and director of Savannah Lamb. Michelle manages the sustainable farming business and markets the hand-reared lambs to consumers in SA and Victoria.

Tegan Webb, 23, is Marketing and Export Co-ordinator with fourth generation SA family business, Spring Gully Foods. Tegan’s role includes establishing new domestic and international markets, managing exporters and maintaining customer relationships.

Food & Beverage Development Fund SA Valuing Workforce Development Award

Barossa Fine Foods has grown from a single outlet in 1991 to eight retail outlets and a factory facility employing more than 120 staff. Their diverse product range includes fresh, organic and free-range meat as well as a vast array of smallgoods.

Cocolat was formed in 2004 and consists of three dessert cafes and a production kitchen. Employing 50 staff, Cocolat produce a broad range of handmade items across the bakery, chocolate and gelato lines.

Spring Gully Foods has more than 65 years experience as a condiment and spreads manufacturer that combines the strength of a family business with the reach and diversity of a large company. Employing 40 staff, they have multiple brands, a diverse product range and are growing their national and international markets.

Peats Soil and Garden Supplies Creating Sustainability Award

Kangaroo Island Pure Grain currently represents 94% of growers who produce high quality products for export – grains, oil, seeds, pulses and honey – to ensure the long term sustainability of farming on Kangaroo Island since its establishment in 2009.

Mexican Express was originally a Mexican food wholesaler established in 1991. Today they are an innovative food manufacturer pioneering the way for cheese based sauces as well as providing contract packing and recipe development, with a focus on both dairy and tomato sauces.

Robern Menz acknowledges its business is only as good as its employees and works tirelessly to recruit, train and retrain people in a competitive labour market, resulting in low staff turnover. As the State’s largest confectioner, Robern Menz produces the iconic Menz FruChoc.

Savannah Lamb produces and supplies stress-free, ethically raised lambs to premium butchers, restaurants and direct to consumers. More recently they are exporting to one of Victoria’s most acclaimed restaurants MoVida AcQui.

Beerenberg Developing Markets Award

(Domestic)

Barossa Fine Foods has grown from a single outlet in 1991 to eight retail outlets and a factory facility employing over 120 staff. Their diverse product range includes fresh, organic and free range meat as well as a vast array of smallgoods.

Richard Gunner’s Fine Meats has been in operation since 2001, producing and marketing premium, branded meat. The business has grown from a staff of three to now employ more than 70 people.

Emmalines Country Kitchen is a family-owned food manufacturing business, based in Lobethal, supplying home-style bakery products to more than 1 000 stores across Australia.

(International)

AgriExchange is one of the largest fresh produce growing, packing, marketing, distribution and exporting companies in the Southern Hemisphere. Formerly called Yandilla Park, this agribusiness has a focus on horticulture, while also specialising in farm management services.

Ferguson Australia provides premium quality fresh and processed seafood such as lobster medallions, lobster oil and lobster glazes to the UK, Hong Kong, China, Dubai and France.

Tucker’s Natural was established in 2007 and with a staff of 25, produces premium savoury and sweet crackers and biscuits for both the domestic and international export markets.

Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society Fostering Value Chain Award

Beerenberg are unique in that they are a manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer and farm. Since 1970 Beerenberg has developed into an international brand with a strong global presence.

Gelista Premium Gelati is a manufacturer and wholesaler of premium quality gelati. Established in 2009 their vision is to be the leading brand of luxury gelato in Australia as well as producers of premium recipe variations for specific health and dietary requirements.

Nippy’s was established in the early 1930s and this 100% SA family-owned business is renowned for its fresh range of premium juices available nationally. Nippy’s employ 75 full-time staff and have three manufacturing processing plants at Moorook, Waikerie and Regency Park.

Richard Gunner’s Fine Meats has been in operation since 2001, producing and marketing premium, branded meat. The business has grown from a staff of three to now employ more than 70 people.

Bickford’s Australia Growing Small Business Award

Barossa Valley Cheese Company is proud of its artisan ethos, centering on a range of award-winning cow and goat milk cheeses, which are available nationally and in their Angaston based Cheesecellar.

Kytons Bakery dates back to 1938 when they were a small fundraising bakery. Today Kytons Bakery are an iconic brand with national exposure as home of the best lamington in the nation.

Lifestyle Bakery has been established for more than 10 years and is a market leader in creating and providing a unique selection of healthy, high quality bread and other baked goods.

SARDI Leading Innovation Award

Mexican Express was originally a Mexican food wholesaler established in 1991. Today they are an innovative food manufacturer pioneering the way for cheese based sauces as well as providing contract packing and recipe development, with a focus on both dairy and tomato sauces.

Lifestyle Bakery has been established for more than 10 years and is a market leader in creating and providing a unique selection of healthy, high quality bread and other baked goods.

Carisma Potatoes is Australia’s only certified low GI potato, grown by The Mitolo Group, a South Australian family-owned company with a 40 year history in the potato and onion sectors.

DTED Servicing Industry Award

Galipo Food Company has grown to the one of the largest, most respected and professional food service distributors in SA. Offering a diverse range of more than 4 000 products, Galipo is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for the food service industry.

Mitani Products provides a blend of quality herbs, spices and seasonings to the poultry and meat industries, adding value to a range of food industries and enhancing the reputation of many SA food suppliers.

TAFE SA Regency International Centre is a world-class facility that delivers training in cookery, patisserie, bakery, butchery, food processing, hospitality and tourism. The Centre has been in operation for 38 years with employee numbers growing from 10 to more than 160, while training more than 8 000 students.

Foodland SA Understanding Consumers Award

Carisma Potatoes is Australia’s only certified low GI potato, grown by The Mitolo Group, a South Australian family-owned company with a 40 year history.

Gelista Premium Gelati is a manufacturer and wholesaler of premium quality gelati. Established in 2009 their vision is to be the leading brand of luxury gelato nationally, as well as producers of premium recipe variations for health and dietary requirements.

Olga’s Fine Foods is a meat processing business supplying fresh value-added meat products for over 30 years and is home to Australia’s first beef chevapchichi.

Robern Menz acknowledges its business is only as good as its employees and works tirelessly to recruit, train and retrain people in a competitive labour market, resulting in low staff turnover. As the State’s largest confectioner, Robern Menz produces the iconic Menz FruChoc.

Images courtesy of Nick Clayton and PIRSA

I was ecstatic to recently receive an email from one of my Gastronomy tutors to see if I was interested in reviewing a book which they thought would suit my blog. After agreeing wholeheartedly, I received in the post a copy of the book ‘Testicles: Balls in Cooking and Culture’ much to my delight from Tom Jaine at Prospect Books in the UK. Whilst one could comfortably house such a tome in the ‘offal’ section of any complete cook book collection, it is much more than just a cook book.

The book is broken up into three sections. The first indulges the mythology surrounding of the use of this ‘ballsy’ ingredient throughout history including anecdotes and tales of its cultural significance. For example, did you know that the Sporran is a little Scots purse designed to conceal what you are not supposed to see

They say there is nothing worn under a Scotsman’s kilt, but it appears that the sporran, a leather purse attached by little chains that they wear on top of the aforesaid kilt, was specially designed to be positioned at the height of the ‘male bounty‘ in order to hide it. In reality, as the organs swing free you can guess what they look like through the cloth, which renders otiose this prudent and prudish precaution. The sporran is therefore like a pair of pants worn on the outside.

(p. 22)

It then goes into the methods beginning with a ‘lexicon of anatomical, culinary and fantastic terms to describe edible testicles’. For example, Lambs Frie’s (sheep testicles) ‘were also referred to as the queen’s frivolities, in memory of the dish with which – it seems- Lois XV treated Madame de Pompadour in order to stimulate her amorous appetites’ (p 63). Then there is a further vocabulary related to their use in culinary terms, some descriptions of the techniques used for ‘isolating’ this ingredient followed by a brief description of the most common types of testicles used in cooking.

The book finishes with what could only be described as a thorough collection of recipes dedicated to these ‘offal’ delicacies. Some examples include ‘Frivolities in tomato sauce’ (p 99), ‘Bollocks in the nest’ (p 95) and a recipe from none other than Auguste Escoffier of Cock’s combs and Cock’s stones a la greque (p 126).

My own experience with this food stuff is limited to a brief experience at turkish restaurant in Haringay, London where once it was mentioned that I was soon to be married, I was quite strongly offered by the owner a small plate of what I believed to be either goat or sheep testicles, straight off the hot BBQ which were lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and served with a wedge of lemon as a starter. I wasn’t sure if it was a dare or a joke but all eyes were on me as the plate was served up. I was under the distinct impression that it was believed that the dish would ‘give me strength’ for my wedding night (if you know what I mean!!). I had seen on more than one occasion people eating this at the same restaurant, usually older Turkish men who seemed to be quite fond of the dish. With trepidation, I squeezed some lemon on to the little morsels and tentatively tried. They were soft and tasty, without any typical ‘offal’ tastes that one might associate with liver, spleen or kidney but more akin to sweetbread. As sense of relief came from the owner and chefs at the restaurant and a round of small strong drinks were then brought to our table. The night continued into a blur but the experience will stay with me.

This book is most entertaining and sheds an interesting light on a much maligned food ingredient. At a time when so many people associate the term ‘gastronomic’ with the finest of premium and luxury ingredients, this book serves to remind us all of the importance of all foods in furthering our gastronomic understanding and on the relevance of gastronomic writing. The book is written in a friendly ‘tongue-in-cheek’ style that is sure to bring a smile to all but the most sour faced individuals.

The following contains information from the publishes, Prospect Books:

About the Book

This book was first published in France in 2005 and has been magnificently translated into English by the food writer and historian Giles MacDonogh. It is part cookery book, part dictionary, and part cultural study of testicles: human and animal. Their culinary use is the bedrock, although it would be impossible to ignore the wider implications of these anatomical jewels. Blandine Vie has a delicious way with words, and a delight in exploring the furthest corners of our vocabulary, both scurrilous and euphemistic.

The book opens with a discussion of balls, of pairs, of virility and the general significance thereof; it then delves more deeply into the culinary use of testicles, in history and across cultures; there follows a recipe section that ranges the continents in search of good dishes, from lamb’s fry with mushrooms, to balls with citrus fruit, to the criadillas beloved of bullfighters, and Potatoes Leontine, stuffed with cocks’ stones. To close, there is an extensive glossary, drawing on many languages, that illustrates the linguistic richness that attaches to this part of the body. It is in this section particularly that the ingenuity and intelligence of the translator is on display as he converts the French original into something entirely accessible to the English reader.

About the Author
Blandine Vie is the author of many cookery books in France. Giles MacDonogh has written extensively on the history of food (especially his biographies of Grimod de la Reyniere and Brillat-Savarin) as well as on the history of Germany.

In Australia, the book is available from:

Books for Cooks
233-235 Gertrude Street
Fitzroy VIC 3065
(03) 8415 1415

Alternatively, buy the book from Amazon here:

Join Simon Bryant and learn about cooking with sustainable South Australian seafood for Christmas.

Watch the cooking class and then taste all of the wonderful flavours over a delicious lunch with other participants. Copies of recipes including details of products and where to buy them at the Adelaide Central Market will be provided.

DETAILS
Date: Saturday 19 November 2011
Time: 11.30am to 2pm
Venue: Upstairs Kitchen, Adelaide Central Market
Cost: $130 incl GST

The Gouger Street Stage at the Adelaide Central Markets will also come alive on Friday 18 November from 11am to 2pm with a cooking demonstration of seafood paella, free tastings and local seafood products showcased by chef Nick Finn of The Highway.

Food SA is excited to be bringing this new program ‘Regional and Seasonal’ to the Adelaide Central Market with our aim of feeding connections between producers, traders and consumers through highlighting the seasonal produce grown and manufactured in SA by our members.

REGISTER
Please register your ticket online at http://foodsasimonbryant.eventbrite.com.

FOOD SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC
PO BOX 124 GLENSIDE SA 5065
PLANT RESEARCH CENTRE,
WAITE CAMPUS
2B HARTLEY GROVE URRBRAE SA 5064
ABN 59 149 235 570

TELEPHONE +61 8 8303 9435
FACSIMILE +61 8 8303 9424
EMAIL contact@foodsa.com.au
WEB www.foodsa.com.au