Global Gobbler guest #10 - Maria-Christina

Name: Maria-Christina
Age: 51
Occupation: Linguist, thinker, writer and mother
Favourite food: Olives, extra virgin olive oil, bread and garlic - I could live on this!
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: What better way to reward this mother on the second Sunday in May.

The Verdict

Imagine...May late afternoon....beachside....palm trees and large mature cypresses,,,a breeze blowing up from the sedately cold St. Kilda beach....sounds of traffic...a taxi ride with four large bags and assorted boxes…sitting in a park on a warm rug…no plastic or take-away food indeed…a picnic it is, only in location.

The entree of sharp pomegranate seeds layered below spicy almonds, honey cured olives all tossed in Nigella seeds and separated by a lemon slice presented in a beautiful glass. Served with a sparkling Shiraz for the occasion.

The tangy taste of the almonds, olives and seeds were delicious and combined with the pomegranate seeds made for a luscious flavour and a feast for the eyes. Being a small eater this was just about a whole meal for me! But I loved it! Particularly knowing that these olives were home-cured - they were the best - juicy and fragrant - and I would gladly buy such olives any day!

The next course...buckwheat flat bread and goats cheese, pistachio, figs with fresh tomato and basil. This was delicious....the combination of goats cheese and pistachio worked really well....and added to that some figs, it was a true palate pleaser. The buckwheat bread was very tasty...but a little too heavy given this mother's small appetite. The recipe for the muddled goats cheese please!

The main course was a lightly tossed salad with crunchy truffled potatoes with juicy roasted sweet corn, roasted hazelnuts and perfectly cooked asparagus all blended with a gentle olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. This is the food I would like to eat all the time.

The dessert...a light almost cloud like rhubarb crème oozing tangy rhubarb flavour over a sweet banana and carrot bread made with pine nuts, juicy raisins and a subtle blend of warming spices. The bread tasted of an Oriental bazaar...perhaps cooked in the time of Marco Polo…

Each dish was memorable, delicious and healthy. One point....the feast would easily have fed more people! I will not forget this afternoon as it slowly darkened and the gleam of the beach dimmed.

Gracias hijo!

A Gourmand's Picnic - RIP 11 May 2008

Can you hear the crunch of the pomegranate seed? Taste the sweet muddled goats cheese? Smell the pungent truffled potatoes? Or marvel at the pillows of rhubarb creme?

I hope so. Photos from A Gourmand's Picnic were taken, edited and then lost care of a faulty usb.

Hopefully the review provides adequate colour and flavour.

The highlights for me:

• A olive success and another winning combination care of the amazingly adaptable Nigella seed;
• Rich creamy goat cheese offset with sweet fig and crunchy pistachio and a wholesome flatbread;
• Truffled potatoes - what a flavour with a salty hit of capers. Thankfully balanced with a fresh salad highlighted by roasted sweet cornm hazelnuts and mint; and
• The rhubarb creme - another hit stand-alone dessert. Banana and carrot bread - moist, spicy, sweet and nutty.

A Gourmand's Picnic required a boot-load of cutlery and serving dishes, a mountain of tupperware and plenty of patience but was definitely worth it. Perhaps the first of many offsite GG meals...perhaps once the thermometer rises above 20C...

A Gourmand's Picnic

E
Combination of home-cured split olives in lemon and rosemary flavoured olive oil, almonds roasted in Nigella seeds and salt, shaved lemon, mint and pomegranate seeds.

S
Goats cheese muddled with figs, thyme and cracked pepper and coated in a crushed pistachios and thyme then served on home made walnut and poppy seed buckwheat flatbread rubbed with tomato, basil and olive oil.

M
Twice roasted kipfler potatoes tossed with truffle oil and chives and served with a salad of asparagus, grilled sweet corn, roasted hazelnuts, red onion, avocado, rocket, mint and dressed with red wine vinaigrette.

D
Banana, carrot and pine nut slice spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and and served with creamed rhubarb mascaporne and lemon zest.

A menu for the senses...too broad for just one country...breaking down cultural barriers with food.

A invite has already been issued for this menu but don't despair - a trip to the land of the maple leaf is on the way. Remember, a seat at the table is always on offer - globalgobbler@gmail.com for reservations.