Tuesday 11 July 2023
To Krill A Mocking Turd
Tuesday 6 September 2022
Saturday 17 May 2014
LET THEM EAT CHEESE
Today the Rock milked the cow and I had 8 litres of milk to play with. I decided to make mozzarella but maybe because the rennet was old or Im a crap Cheese maker all I got was a pasty cross between ricotta and quark. But i was not to be shamed. I found this recipe for Ricotta cakes They are a cross between a Sally Lunn and a scone. light tasty and rich. I added some currants and choc bits for interest. I wont ice them as they are sweet enough.
Ingredients below. heat oven to 180 deg cream butter and sugar add eggs and ricotta and vanilla the add dry ingredients and mix lightly . drop on tray and back for about 15 mins. They are really yum
- 2 cups (400g) white sugar
- 250g butter, softened
- 425g ricotta cheese
- cup of currants and cup of choco drops
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups (500g) plain flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) icing sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
Friday 16 May 2014
BEAUJOLAIS BESTIES
Today we returned to an old haunt for lunch - the Wellesley. It is with out a doubt one of the most beautiful olde world hotels of NZ. The soft scent of good cigars and old spice ooze from its dark panelled oak walls .
A forever stilled bisons head hangs over an old wood smoke drenched fireplace. A baby grand piano sits on black and white checkerboard tiles in the Hotel lobby waiting for musical fingers to make the keys dance.
We dined at a table in the corner of the bar. It seats a spreaded ten or an intimate dozen.
The old McGinnity Restaurant was once draped in starchy white linen redolent of the sumptuous leisurely privileged age of last century .
Now it is a renamed bistro style café - 1815. It is not well patronised, probably because few people realise it has been opened again post earthquake repairs needed to shore up its weak brick bones.
A chef came up to the bar and we all in unison squealed with glee. Chef Anton from our beloved heady days at the now defunct Beaujolais wine bar in Woodward St was master of the 1815 kitchen.
Recently lunch in many establishements has become tiresome as plates are over dressed with all manner of flowers. Moleculargastrofuckery abounds in the trendiest of food dens. But I don't want flowers with my meat and I don't want to drink from a jam jar..
And that's the reason we squealed when we saw Anton as he does real food real good. His plates do not need to be dressed. The substance of the food he cooks with love is enough get the mouth waters streaming.
The menu was basic as it appears the hotel is hampered by the last of the earthquake repairs .We opted for a tasty haloumi and tomato bruschetta to start . We fought over the last one. It was seasoned well and flavours balanced to perfection.
Then we opted for Chef Antons most popular Beaujolais Dish. A steak sandwich with béarnaise sauce and chips. It is as wonderful as it is simple. The meat was tender, rocket crunchy and the chips crispy. It took us back to the days where and when deals were done , politicians rolled, rumours started, lies told, truths sacrificed, affairs begun and finished, $1000 bottles of wine savoured over endless afternoon hours and Stump jump red quaffed in the time it took to ring parliaments bells.
And on that steak were no flowers, no microgastrofuckery no silly plastic syringes- just good meat, good salad and good chips - food in no need of frippery.
The service was impeccable, the surroundings welcoming and company was just grand. And we welcome back Anton, a man that knows good food don't need no frills. I do hope Anton enters Wellingtononaplate
Thursday 8 May 2014
Of Boil Ups and Noble offerings
The staff were attentive, welcoming and fast. Our table was in prime place. Right in front of the open kitchen. The fit out of Charleys is classic and classy bistro and the place fair bustles with the business of sating the diners. We were within an ozone whiff of an ice bed of "in the shell " Bluff Oysters. At $6 an oyster they are very pricey. None of us indulged instead opting for starters of breads and dips.
The taramasalata dip was heavenly. As was the rich whipped pate. Knives were keenly scraped inside the jars to seek out the last morsels. Lips and knives were licked clean.
I love flounder so despite the attraction of much on the carnivores dream of meaty selections I opted for the Patiki. It was deep fried in a crispy crumb . So crispy I had to crack it to get at the sticky tender fish. I was worried it was overdone and it was - Just a smidge. I normally ask for my fish to be undercooked. It reduces the chances of a dry offering. Anyway the crispy fish was very good. Not great but memorable. We drank Dog Point sauvignon and it loosened the chatter from us in an instant.
We talked of our lives and family and food and politics as we always do.
I left late in the afternoon knowing two things. Charley Nobles will be a stayer on the Wellington hospitality scene and time and distance do not erode true friendships.
And I'm suspecting the gang might have to organise a Boil Up in Geneva.
BB score 8/10
Friday 25 April 2014
anzac biscuits
1 cup (150g) plain flour
2/3 cup (90g) rolled oats and 1/3 or whole grain oats
1 cup (85g) desiccated coconut
3/4 cup (155g) dark cane sugar
130g butter
3 tablespoons treacle
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons water
put water treacle and butter in pot and boil.
add to sifted dry ingredients
roll into small balls press flat with a fork and cook on a sheet of baking paper on a tray for 15 mins in a mod 160 deg oven
Friday 17 January 2014
Wednesday 15 January 2014
INTERNETTING THE DOTTY COMMOS
Well sort of. Bradbury has not written a political strategy as much as he has written a very crap comms and engagement plan built round a launch. We don't know what the party will really do apart from fight some issues like the GCSB bill repeal and that it wants to position itself as a political kingmaker.
The name "internet party" reminds me of a idea a few IT peeps looked at over 13 years ago. They bought me on board to look at how we could make the idea fly. Basically it was a party where the members would vote on issues on line and that would give their MP's a mandate issue by issue.
It was a bit before its time as social media, those days was a descriptor of a gossip columns in the local paper. It didn't get off the ground because everyone involved was short of the cash needed to pull it together.
So maybe Kim is thinking along similar lines. Not so much a party for the people but a party of the people
It has been interesting listening and watching commentators totally dismissing the Internet Party. I was talking to a mate today who like me believes that no-one should write off this digital political spawn.
Its because we both see how cynical GenY are. These digital natives distrust everything and they hate most the things which impinge on their ability to move around on the net sucking up what the want when they want at the least cost.
The reason we think the Internet Party has a chance is simple. DotComm literally has a big following on the net - close to 350 thousand on twitter and around 20 thousand on Facebook. He is seen by the GenYers as the man who is fighting against big business, fighting what they see as Big Brother Governments and fighting for their freedom in their new digital playground.
Everyday I watch in despair as young smart men and women, successful and educated , swear their allegiance to Dotcom.
He is the ante hero they can identify with, a victim of what they see as tyranny, a winner, a master of the digital universe and irreverent. GenY struggles to take anything really seriously unless its something that impinges on what they see as their freedoms. So they revere him . They see him as the only one who is fighting for their freedom on the net - the place they are most at home.
DotComm knows how to deploy the net, and that means he can harness this large group of normally apathetic voters by taking the one election issue they care about their digital freedom direct to them - And he can talk to them on their smartphones and they can talk to him. Interactive politics has come of age.
While Bradbury may be v keen to be part Kims party I would doubt that the paper that has been leaked is much more than a ham fisted touting for some work.
Alistair Thompsons involvement is much more interesting. He does understand the net and his undisguised admiration for Dot Comm in the past means it comes as no surprise he is jumping ship. He sees himself as a fighter for internet freedom . DotCom is his general.
I struggle to see why anyone cannot see that there is a serious possibility that after the next election - Key maybe sitting down thrashing out a coalition with DotCom. Wonder who will be sweating then?
Saturday 30 November 2013
SMALL BLESSINGS
Its the small things that count. We have tables in the Wairarapa trains now and the seating has been reconfigured to give more leg room. an hour and a half on a train is a long time so well done to state owned Kiwirail for making these changes. Every carriage is full o public servants and for many of them the time on the train is spent working. So there is an economic benefit in creating workspaces for them. Its really a good example of a “whole of government “ approach….
Friday 6 September 2013
JONES NO JERK.
Jones has never lifted his pedal from the metal. He has shown that he is wily, smart and honest, well as honest as you will get any poly to be.
He deserves to carry the red banner.
Tuesday 3 September 2013
50 SHADES OF PAY AND CONFIRM
So his time has come - so to speak.
2 rumours have been circulating the beltway - the first relates to Jones state of health. He fought off bowel cancer- but the word is that it is back - easy to believe as it seems he is fighting for the top job on the left as if he has nothing to lose.
The second relates to his infamous indiscretion - his onanistic play in a lonely hotel room egged on by the frantic coupling of some pneumatic porn starlets. His remote decision to pay and confirm resulted in political emasculation for a while but at the time the kumara vine was heavy with the rumour that it was not Shane who had wracked up the porn bills but a member of his whanau.
He came dangerously close to showing undue favouritism in the Bill Liu scandal. And if there is anything that points to a serious personality flaw then this is it but in this scandal he proved to be as slippery as a coozer covered in KY.
Shanes crime was never about the porn. It was about expecting the taxpayer to foot the bill even if he paid back the charges eventually.
Yet it seems to be the fact he watched porn that dogs him . The irony is that the heavily pornographic novel 50 shades of grey is a world wide best seller. Millions of sticky fingers turned the pages as readers became engrossed by its scintillating romp in the musky world of slap and tickle. The fine line between pleasure and pain was bolded in everyday ink. Now it is to be made into a movie - thus mainstreaming the masterbatory murk.
So Shanes guilty pleasure, if indeed that is what it was, will soon be available at Video Easy for all the aunties to watch.
Labour is such a broad church encompassing vast differences in the religion of lefty politics that this race could well see all three candidates get close to 30 percent of the vote each . And as the factions bow to such very different political idols - it is unthinkable that either Robertson or Cunliffe will bow out at the 11th hour if it looks like Jones is gaining too much support. Dogged by Dogma they are.
Jones is the dark war hardened stallion and knows it. He makes the other two look like braying mules. Hooton says as much today in NBR.
Jones , the peoples prince may yet get his money shot.