We’re pretty excited about our new handmade cast iron tapas pan from Oigen and to celebrate we’ll be sharing a collection of tapas recipes perfect for your next dinner party. First up is a seriously tasty sausage and polenta dish that is really only an excuse to chug down a bottle of Rose or two.
There is a belief in the western world that Japanese men (and women) are underperformers on the drinking front. Whilst true for some of the population who have a deficiency in ALDH2, I’ve learnt from many business trips that the Japanese have a hearty constitution when it comes to alcohol. Read more
On Wednesday 19th October 2011 Chef’s Armoury hosted the official launch of Oigen and Naked Pan cast iron cookware at the Electrolux Showcase, Sydney.
The J-Pop version of the famous Bob Marley tune sounds over the ipod speaker thanks to impromptu DJ Tanaka san, a salaryman from Suita. It’s half nine and we shuffle past a group of businessmen to the remaining three spots in the back of a bar the size of an SUV. We have entered the world of the Tachinomiya.
A recent trip to Berridale has restored my faith in organic produce. To many, organic produce are misshapen, bruised and overpriced objects of unwanted fruit and veg at the supermarket.
Morning prayers at the Fukuchi-in monastery are a serene experience and take place around 6am. The ancient temple is elaborate and after prayers we are taken on a tour of the shrines. Images of great generals and leaders of industry adorn the shrines giving the impression that Koyasan is a very desirable place for one’s soul to rest.
Today’s chef has an ever increasing arsenal of kitchen gadgetry.
Combi ovens, sous vide – water baths, the pacojet, gastrovac, liquid nitrogen and ultrasonic stirrers that make stunning food with push button precision while offering a wow factor not achievable in the domestic kitchen. With all of this ingenuity why are cutting edge chefs turning back to cast iron cookware as way of setting themselves apart from the crowd?
As a card carrying carnivore I wouldn’t normally get excited about vegetarian food but I’ve just flown 11 hours, caught 2 trains, a cable car and a very dodgy bus, to experience Shojin Ryori cooked by the monks of Fukuchi-in temple at World Heritage listed Mount Koya.
