THE WORLD IS WAITING
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For nearly 60 years, Abercrombie & Kent has been creating inspiring adventures exploring the world’s most remarkable
locations and cultures. Our portfolio of Small Group Journeys includes the eternal travel favourites — Africa, Egypt, Japan,
India, Spain and Morocco — as well as more off-the-beaten-track, emerging destinations that are full of fascination and
intrigue such as Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Mongolia, Madagascar, Georgia and Armenia.
If you’re looking for a shared adventure in true A&K style — exquisite accommodation, perfectly-paced itineraries, curated
cultural experiences, exclusive access and privileges, expert resident tour directors, and unforgettable encounters with local
people and wildlife — start exploring now and find yourself somewhere amazing on an A&K Small Group Journey.

Kenya & Tanzania Wildlife Safari

Egypt & the Nile

Classic Japan

12 days from $13,770 pp
Departs throughout 2022

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Departs Jan-May & Sep-Dec 2022

9 days from $16,210 pp
Departs Mar-May & Sep-Nov 2022

On this comprehensive introduction to East Africa,
witness abundant and diverse wildlife roaming vast,
sun-drenched panoramas, and stay in comfortable,
spacious lodges with ideal locations in the region’s
greatest parks and reserves.

Journey to the heart of an ancient land that
has captured the imagination of travellers for
millennia. Follow in the footsteps of Pharaohs,
emperors and conquerors from Cairo to Luxor
and along the Nile to Aswan.

Discover the incredible breadth of Japan’s
culture and history, from contemporary Tokyo to
the charms of traditional Kyoto, visiting historic
temples, overnighting at a ryokan and sampling
its culinary treasures.

Taj Mahal and the Treasures of India

Spain & Portugal:
A Journey Across Iberia

Splendours of Morocco

14 days from $13,845 pp
Departs Jan-Apr & Oct-Dec 2022
Explore India’s greatest treasures as you visit the
timeless Taj Mahal, seek the graceful Bengal tiger,
witness a holy rite beside the sacred Ganges, and
gain a fascinating glimpse into rural life as you
journey through the Rajasthani countryside — all
while staying in royal palaces-turned-luxury hotels.

14 days from $15,765 pp
Departs May, Jun, Sep & Oct 2022
Explore the best of the entire Iberian peninsula
on one spectacular journey, discovering how
Moors, Jews and Europeans influenced the
culture, cuisine, architecture and arts of Spain
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Departs throughout 2022
Discover exotic Morocco, from the
timeless walled city of Fes to the bustling
medina in Marrakech, viewing local Berber
life in the ruggedly beautiful High Atlas
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To learn more about the full range of A&K Small Group Journeys, please call Abercrombie & Kent on 1300 851 800,
visit www.abercrombiekent.com.au or talk to your travel agent.
*Terms & Conditions apply. Prices shown are per person based on twin share and are subject to availability.

The
Mediterranean
issue

Food
88

GRECIAN ODYSSEY
Brisbane’s Hellenika takes us
on an Aegean adventure with
a modern spin on Greek classics.
Chicken souvlaki .....................90
Corfu bianco (John Dory
with potato, onions and
lemon) ....................................93
Greek salad ..............................93
Piperies (char-grilled
peppers) ................................94
Ari Onassis ................................95
Silverbeet and veal
dolmades with tzatziki.......95
Htapodi (grilled octopus) ......96
Galaktoboureko
(baked filo custard
with orange syrup)..............96

98

A WAY OF LIFE
Eat like you’re on holiday with
light and bright recipes from
Food from the Mediterranean.
Green shakshuka with
Brussels sprouts,
olives and labne................100
Saffron and lemon rice
with fried onion ................. 103
Smoky eggplant with
sumac onions..................... 104
Grilled sardines with
agrodolce dressing .......... 104
Baby snapper in crazy
water .................................... 105

106

SUN-KISSED SWEETNESS
Food writer and pastry chef
Letitia Clark shares Italian
desserts from her latest book,
La Vita è Dolce.
Roast stuffed peaches
with almond crumble ....... 109
Sparkling lemon sorbetto
in lemons............................. 109
Ricotta, pear and hazelnut
layer cake ............................ 110
Almond, ricotta, olive oil
and lemon drizzle cake.... 112
Perfect pure panna cotta ..... 113

JANUARY 2022
ON THE COVER
Hellenika’s corfu
bianco (p93)
Recipe Simon Gloftis
Photography Chris Court
Styling Vivien Walsh

SUBSCRIBE
magshop.com.au/GMT
Details p84

PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR (SARDINES) & DUY DASH (MCCLAREN VALE).

Regulars
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26
28
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30
32
36
43
52
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116
136
146
154

UPFRONT Editor’s letter, contributors and news.
FIVE OF A KIND Mayonnaise.
QUICK WORD Meg Mason.
COMMUNITY X KYLIE Marlon Motlop.
KITCHEN GARDENER Sugar snap peas.
WINE COUNTRY South Tasmania.

Features
56

MEDITERRANEAN PANTRY
From Spain and Italy, to Morocco and Turkey, we
hero the essential ingredients from across the Med.

58

THE LIFE AQUATIC

64

APPOINTMENT EATING

70

TAKE ONE FIG

Your expert crash course in summer crustaceans,
including what to look for as you hit the fish markets.

Lee Tran Lam rounds up 22 of the most intriguing
dining experiences to mark in your 2022 diary.

Greece’s vegetable-forward cooking tradition is finding
a new audience in Australia, writes Nadia Bailey.

74

BACK ON THE MENU

78

AFTERNOON DELIGHT

With overseas dining back on the menu, here are the
spots chefs and restaurateurs are yearning to revisit.

Hannah-Rose Yee curates the best books (and
accompanying sips) for hot summer afternoons.

COCKTAIL HOUR Tommy’s Margarita.
REVIEW Dining out.
FAST Simple, everyday meals.
MASTERCLASS Hortopita.
ANATOMY OF A DISH Fattoush.
THE ART OF TRAVEL Mediterranean living.

Travel
118

COASTAL VINES
A taste of the Med with a distinctly Australian twist
awaits at McLaren Vale, uncovers Susan Gough Henly.

CHECKING IN The Tasman, Hobart.
STYLE Home, fashion and beauty.
OBJECTS OF DESIRE Ice buckets.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Gourmet Traveller acknowledges the Gadigal people of the
Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of the place we
now call Sydney, where this magazine is published. Gourmet
Traveller also pays respects to Elders past and present.
This issue of Gourmet Traveller is published by Are Media Pty Ltd (Are Media). Are Media may use and disclose
your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, including to provide you with your requested products or
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126

A CHEF’S GUIDE

128

ESCAPE TO PARADISE

138

LA DOLCE VITA

From local lokantas to the best döner, chef Maksut
Aşkar shares the best dining destinations in Istanbul.

A new wave of luxe openings has hit the coastline
of the Mediterranean, discovers Anna McCooe.

If you know where to look, there are stylish ways to get
out on Australian waters, writes Alexandra Carlton.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

5

THE GRIT AND
PASSION OF
THE PEOPLE

Editor Joanna Hunkin
Deputy Editor Karlie Verkerk

Art
Art Director Lauren de Sousa
Group Designers Jeannel Cunanan & Kelsie Walker

Words
Digital Editor Yvonne C Lam
Writer Jordan Kretchmer
Writer & Editorial Coordinator Georgie Meredith

Food
Group Food Director Sophia Young
Senior Food Editor Dominic Smith

Style
Creative Consultant Hannah Blackmore
Group Lifestyle Director Brooke Le Poer Trench
Group Market Editor Sarah Stern

Contributors
Nadia Bailey, Alexandra Carlton, Alix Davis, Fiona Donnelly, Michael Harden,
Anna Hart, Susan Gough Henly, Kylie Kwong, Anna McCooe, Samantha Payne,
Simon Rickard, Katie Spain, Lee Tran Lam, Hannah-Rose Yee

Advertising
Group Commercial Brand Manager
Advertising Production Manager
Brand Executive
Senior Events Manager
Director of Sales (NSW/Vic/WA/SA)
Victoria Head of Direct Sales
Queensland Head of Sales
Creative Director
Production Controller
Advertising Production Coordinator

Rhyl Heavener (02) 8114 9420
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Marketing, Research & Circulation
Marketing Director
Senior Marketing Manager
Circulation Manager
Senior Research Analyst
General Manager Subscriptions
Senior Subscriptions Campaign Manager
Junior Subscriptions Campaign Manager
Syndication Content Sales Manager

Louise Cankett
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Are Media
Chief Executive Officer
Executive General Manager
Group Publisher
Director of Sales
General Manager, Brands & Commercial Solutions
Business Manager

Jane Huxley
Sarah-Belle Murphy
Nicole Byers
Andrew Cook
Jane Waterhouse
Rowena Silva Das

Editorial office GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia phone +61 2 9282 8758

COME AND VISIT
THE COOL CLIMATE
CANBERRA
WINE DISTRICT

Published by Are Media Pty Limited. ABN 18 053 273 546. 54-58 Park St, Sydney, NSW, 2000, (02) 9282 8000. The trade mark Gourmet Traveller is
the property of Are Media Pty Limited and is used under licence. ©2020 All rights reserved. Printed by Ovato, 8 Priddle St, Warwick Farm, NSW, 2170.
National distribution by Gordon and Gotch Australia Pty Ltd. 1300 650 666. Gourmet Traveller cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.
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canberrawines.com.au

Editor’s letter

The last time I swam in the Mediterranean was three
years ago, in the grey half light that fills the sky just
before dawn. Our early morning dip capped off a night
of endless dancing and laughter as we celebrated my
best friend’s wedding on the tiny island of Poros in
Greece. Together with about 70 other guests, we took
over a small seaside resort and embarked on a week of
festivities that saw us spend our days floating in the
Med and our evenings eating at different tavernas
around the island. It was heaven.
Imagine my surprise, as I sat poolside at Brisbane’s
lush Calile Hotel last year, to find myself transported
back to that halcyon holiday, as I dined at Hellenika for
the first time.
Like most people, as we bid farewell to 2021, I am
ready for a holiday. I am ready to lose myself in the
magic of the Mediterranean once again. Whether
it’s recreating the flavours of Greece through Simon
Gloftis’ recipes from Hellenika, or planning a summer
break at one of the Med’s most luxurious new openings,
this issue is intended to treat everyone to a little seaside
escape. Indulge and enjoy. We look forward to sharing
more adventures with you this year.

ED

WHAT GT LOVES THIS MONTH

G

G
PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY (PORTRAIT) & AGATHE BARISAN (CHANEL).

GOIN

R ME

RE WE
’

T

A

P

OU

HE

RE

W

magshop.com.au/gmt
Details p84

Editor’s letter

SUBSCRIBE NOW

PROV

Svante
Officially a watering can, this
playful creation by Swedish
designers Mats Broberg and
Johan Ridderstråle serves up
both form and function. Available
in copper, brass and nickel.
robertplumb.com.au

Oroton for pets
Just when you thought your best
friend couldn’t get any cuter,
Oroton has unveiled a stylish
new range of pet accessories,
including dog leads and leather
collars in a range of sizes.
oroton.com

Aje x Local Supply
Australian fashion house Aje
has teamed up with ethical
sunglass brand Local Supply to
create an exclusive range of
sunnies that are stylish,
sustainable and support local
charities with every purchase.
localsupply.com

Gabrielle Chanel
Fashion Manifesto
After premiering in Paris in 2020,
this must-see exhibition makes its
international debut at the National
Gallery of Victoria. Follow it up
with a leisurely lunch across the
river at Gimlet or Di Stasio Città.
On now until April 25.
ngv.vic.gov.au

EMAIL ASKGOURMET@AREMEDIA.COM.AU // FOLLOW @ GOURMETTRAVELLER // ONLINE GOURMETTRAVELLER.COM.AU
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

7

Contributors

Coriole Vineyards,
McLaren Vale, SA

8

118

SIMON GLOFTIS

SUSAN GOUGH HENLEY

DUY DASH

chef and restaurateur

writer

photographer

Grecian odyssey, p88
Forging a name for himself in
the kitchen before opening
venues across Brisbane and
Burleigh Heads, Simon Gloftis
(who is of Greek and Polish
descent) understands the art of
Mediterranean dining. Sharing
recipes that are part of his family
legacy and that appear on the
menu at Hellenika, Gloftis’ poolside
Greek restaurant, this Med-spread
will add good vibes your summer
dining repertoire. “I am really close
to these recipes because I cook
all of them myself,” says Gloftis.

Coastal vines, p118
Travel, wine and food writer
Susan Gough Henly divides
her time between a farmhouse
in France and a treehouse on
Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Along the way she fell in love with
South Australia’s verdant McLaren
Vale. “Sometimes the French take
themselves too seriously and often
the Aussies don’t take themselves
seriously enough,” says Gough
Henly. “But in McLaren Vale
the combination of passionate
irreverence and a fierce focus
on quality is perfectly balanced.”

Coastal vines, p118
What started as a creative outlet
for Duy Dash quickly snowballed
into a fully fledged career and he
began shooting food and travel
editorials across the country. For
this issue, the Adelaide-based
photographer captures the
burgeoning wine region of
McLaren Vale on the Fleurieu
Peninsula. “It’s been a joy to
showcase one of my favourite
places in South Australia,” says
Dash. “It’s really matured into
a place of great food, amazing
wine and gorgeous landscapes.”

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

PHOTOGRAPHY DUY DASH (McCLAREN VALE).

p

Your design statement...

... lies within.

The difference is Gaggenau.
Grand architecture demands grand interior pieces.
Refrigeration is one such design element and should speak
to who you are. Every Gaggenau piece is distinctively
designed, crafted from exceptional materials, offers
professional performance, and has done so since 1683.
Make a statement: www.gaggenau1683.com.au

Dishes and destinations
The Gourmet Traveller team share where
they’ve been and what they’re eating.

Cloudy Bay and East 33’s Natural Wonders tour
With vistas like this, the journey is nearly as delightful
as the destination, when you hop aboard a seaplane
to visit East 33’s oyster farm at Wallis Lake in NSW.
There, you’ll be treated to an oyster-inspired
three-course lunch with matching Cloudy Bay wines.
Jordan Kretchmer, writer

Institut Polaire, Hobart
Cold climate wines are the drawcard at
Institut Polaire, but once you’re inside
you’ll be wooed by the bar snacks and
chef’s menu. Sea urchin sandwiched
between perilla leaves, dipped in
tempura batter and lightly fried is just
one of the many moreish small bites.
1/7 Murray St, Hobart, Tas.
Alix Davis, contributing editor

Mosconi, Brisbane
Catherine Anders’ cooking is
a Mediterranean masterclass in how
to make the best produce taste even
better. These tender Freemantle octopus
tentacles, resting on a simple white bean
purée, brightened by a sauce vierge,
tastily illustrate her deftness of touch.
164B Arthur St, Fortitude Valley, Qld.
Fiona Donnelly, Qld state editor

El Grotto, Perth
Perth’s favourite beachside cantina
pays tribute to the beloved tortas of
Mexico via this flank steak, refried black
bean and avocado sanger, served
in a flat telera wheat roll. An ideal
accompaniment to anything El Grotto’s
easy-going bartenders throw at you.
5/148 The Esplanade, Scarborough, WA.
Max Veenhuyzen, WA state editor
10

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

P&V, Sydney
I love P&V – it’s fun, flirty and has a revamped
menu of restaurant-quality snacks, including this
caper-studded beef tartare adorned with crunchy
puffed tenderloins. Washed down with a glass
of juicy Lamoresca rosato, it’s pure joy.
268 Oxford St, Paddington, NSW.
Georgie Meredith, writer and
editorial coordinator

Burnt Butter & Marmalade Negroni
30mL
20mL
30mL
10mL

Burnt Butter Triple Juniper Gin*
Campari
Quality Sweet Vermouth
Spiced Marmalade Cordial*
Tumbler Glass
One large block of ice

method
Stir briefly (10 seconds) over cubed ice and strain into the glass.

garnish

*

burnt butter triple juniper gin

Dehydrated orange.

ingredients
100g Unsalted butter
500mL Never Never Triple Juniper Gin

method
→
→
→
→
→

Gently brown the butter in a frying pan.
Pour gin into a container, add butter and combine.
Rest for several hours with lid on.
After several hours, place container in freezer.
When the butter has completely frozen, strain the
liquid through a coffee filter.
Pour your butter infused gin back into the gin bottle
and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

*

spiced marmalade cordial

ingredients
250g
125mL
1
¼ tsp

Marmalade
Boiling water
Cinnamon quill (added whole)
Allspice

method
→
→
→

Combine marmalade and boiling water over mediumhigh heat.
Add cinnamon and allspice and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Strain to
remove solids and store in the refrigerator.

for more recipe ideas visit:
www.neverneverdistilling.com.au
follow us on instagram:
@neverneverdistillingco

the
pa i n
of
p e r f e c t i o n,
b o t t l e d.

levantinehill.com.au

NEWS
JANUARY

Edited by JORDAN KRETCHMER

Kata Kita,
Melbourne

PHOTOGRAPHY GRIFFIN SIMM.

p

18

FEELING ’22
Hot restaurant openings, test your food knowledge
with our culinary quiz, big ticket events and
a new summer-ready drink to try.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

15

T H E L AT E ST F R O M C H E F S A N D R E STAU R A N TS A R O U N D AU ST R A L I A

R E S TA U R A N T N E W S
Clockwise from left:
Kata Kita’s dining room
and the Indonesian-style
hot and spicy crab;
snacks at the Champagne
Bar at QT Melbourne; the
kitchen and counterseats
at Wilma.

Kata Kita is the second restaurant
from the Sanusi family, opening on
La Trobe Street in Melbourne’s CBD.
Showcasing Indonesian hospitality
by combining traditional recipes with
locally sourced produce, order up babi
guling (five-hour slow-roasted spiced
pork) with lawar (vegetables with
coconut and fried shallot sambal); and
Indonesian-style hot and spicy crab.
The family also want to familiarise
people with bebek goreng madura,
a slowly simmered duck dish, served
with lemongrass and galangal sambal.
Also in the CBD, QT Melbourne
is bringing an extra hit of luxury to its
lobby, with the arrival of the Champagne
Bar. Bottles of vintage Champagne and
Martinis can be enjoyed alongside the
new snack menu replete with lobster
rolls and oysters.
Connie’s Pizza is moving on up to
a bigger home above Heartbreaker. The
late-night hole-in-the-wall will now be
able to seat more than 70 guests, and
also has a rooftop deck with views over
Lonsdale Street, from which you can
enjoy 18-inch pizze, eggplant parmigiana
and baked clams along with classic
cocktails by The Everleigh Bottling Co.

CANBERRA
The capital has welcomed newcomer
Wilma, which has been pitched as
a progressive Asian barbecue restaurant.
Headed up by James Viles (ex-Biota
Dining) along with Brendan Hill (ex-Aria),
the pair will serve up hot smoked char
siu pork and glazed chilli beef ribs
alongside XO pippies and sashimi to the
sprawling 200-seat restaurant and bar.
16

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

PHOTOGRAPHY HAYDEN DIB (QT), GRIFFIN SIMM (KATA KITA) & PEW PEW STUDIO (WILMA).

MELBOURNE

News

SYDNEY

PHOTOGRAPHY KENNY SMITH (PALOMA), DEAN SWINDELL (ROTHWELL) & STEVEN WOODBURN (BAY NINE).

Clockwise from above:
watermelon, molasses and
goat’s cheese; and burrata
with peaches and hazelnut at
Il Pontile; Bay Nine’s tokoroten
with kuromitsu and kinako;
chef Tomohiro Marshall Oguro;
crab salad at Rothwell’s;
Paloma Wine Bar’s Alex
and Karla Munoz Labart.

Sydney is having a real Mediterranean
moment. Beau, a new laneway wine bar
and deli spin-off by the Nomad crew,
will serve lunch-ready manoush topped
with spiced lamb shoulder and zhoug;
and Ortiz anchovies and shanklish in
the front deli. Later in the day, the wine
bar will offer cheese, house-made
charcuterie, a cold seafood bar and
left-of-centre wines on tap.
Il Pontile is bringing a slice of the
Italian seaside to Woolloomooloo’s
finger wharves. Chef Mario Percuoco
– a Naples-born chef whose father
opened Buon Ricordo in Paddington
in the ’80s – is on the pans. Menu
standouts include linguine al cartoccio
(pasta in a paper parcel with mixed
seafood) and sweet layered sfogliatelle.
Potts Point has welcomed Bones
Ramen, a new pint-sized restaurant
by Mike Mu Sung, who also owns the
nearby Farmhouse. Chef Jacob Riwaka
(ex-Rising Sun and Cornersmith) has
crafted a short and sharp menu that
features four ramens and four snacks,
which may include celeriac chashu with
Jerusalem artichoke, shiitake and oyster
mushroom broth; or pork shoyu with soy
egg, watercress and bamboo shoots.
Bay Nine Omakase has opened
at Campbells Cove, the waterfront
dining precinct in The Rocks. Chef
Tomohiro Marshall Oguro, who honed
his sushi-making skills at Sushi-E and
Stephen Hodges’ Fish Face, has spent
the last two years forging strong
relationships with seafood suppliers.
The restaurant features a 10-seat
counter dining experience alongside
a handful of smaller floor tables.

QUEENSLAND
Dan Clark’s second venue Rothwell’s
Bar & Grill sees the 1889 Enoteca owner
joined by chef Ben Russell (ex-Aria) to
deliver an elegant dining room and
refined classics to a historic CBD
building. Expect spaghetti crowned
with sea urchin and caviar, fruits de
mer platters, Moreton Bay bugs with
café de Paris butter, and lattice pastrywrapped beef Wellington, accompanied
by grand chandeliers, U-shaped booths
and polished silverware.
Finally, the owners of Burleigh Heads’
Labart have opened Paloma Wine Bar.
Chef Alex Munoz Labart’s menu offers
European-leaning small plates, such as
fried school prawns; pig’s-head risoni;
and burrata with white anchovies and
peppers on toast. You’ll also find steak
frites, plus the ‘la burger’, which sees
a permanent menu spot for Labart’s
much-loved lockdown burger. Wine-wise,
expect both old and new world producers,
many available by the glass.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

17

FOR GOODNESS SAKE

If you’re not familiar with the wonders of sake, this new
edition from the mountains of the Aichi Prefecture is
the ideal introduction. Sake Sake’s Junmai is
a contemporary take – replete with its Jonathan
Zawada-designed label and unusual food pairing
suggestions – on 2500 years of tradition. Direct from
Sekiya Brewery, it uses rice, water and koji to create
bright, balanced pure sake, with blossoming floral notes
and a subtle, savoury backbone. $69, sakesake.me

Christmas may be over but there’s still time to treat yourself with a subscription
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magshop.com.au/xmas28

O N T H E PA S S

w i t h PA U L A PA N TA N O , L O L A’ S L E V E L 1

What are some of your favourite dishes on the menu? I love the socarrat.
It’s a crisp rice, which is not like a risotto or a paella – it’s a bit different. It
took me a while to train the staff to do it because it’s quite tricky. I also love
the pan tumaca, which is like a bruschetta, the only difference is we grate
the tomato. That dish reminds me of my childhood.
So much of Spanish cooking is about preserved goods, such as
anchovies and jamón. How did you settle on the perfect ones to use?
It took me a long time to find the right anchovies. There are brands that are
super famous, but to me too salty. Once I did a tasting of 15 different types
of Cantabrian anchovies – it was insane. I tried the Don Bocarte – they are
amazing, so delicate and elegant. The flavour is beautiful but not too
overpowering, and the olive oil they use is of an amazing quality, too.
You also cook with a charcoal grill. How did that come about?
When I arrived in the kitchen there was only a flat grill. I said, unless I have
a charcoal, I’m not going to be here. Now we’re planning to increase the
size of it, because charcoal is the life of the menu.
Lola’s Level 1, 180-186 Campbell Pde, Bondi Beach, lolaslevel1.com.au
18

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

PHOTOGRAPHY PARKER BLAIN (SAKE SAKE) & NIKKI TO (PANTANO).

Can you tell us about how you developed the menu at Lola’s Level 1?
When I met [the owners] Manny and Marco, the idea was to do something
more Mediterranean, not just Italian. I’m from Argentina but I have a Spanish
background in my family, so I grew up in an Italian-Spanish environment.
I’m not afraid to see new things, to learn new things, and to taste.

10

News

SUMMER EVENTS WORTH BOOKING

11

T
1. Which Italian
cheese is
named after
sheep’s milk?

CUL
E
H

INARY

QU

THREE OF A KIND

17
IZ

2. In wine
terms, what
does blanc de
blancs mean?

3. Jollof rice is
considered the
national dish of
which country?

4. Campari, red
vermouth and
soda water are the
three ingredients
for which classic
cocktail?

5. What does
bánh mì
translate to?

6. Which celebrity
does not have
their own cooking
show — Lady
Gaga, Paris Hilton
or Selena Gomez?

7. Now considered
a culinary delicacy,
what were
Akoya originally
farmed for?

8. True or
false: jackfruit
is the largest
tree-borne fruit
in the world.

9. Name two
types of
Japanese
noodles.

10. What are
juvenile
oysters
known as?

11. Name the
three main
types of grapes
used to make
Champagne.

12. What’s the
name for a Korean
paste made
from fermented
soybeans
and salt?

13. Which famed
New York
restaurant recently
overhauled its
menu to be
entirely vegan?

14. Which of
these is not
a pasta shape:
mantecato,
conchiglie,
mafaldine?

15. What are
the four key
flavour profiles
found in Thai
cooking?

16. In which year
was Gourmet
Traveller first
published: 1982,
1966 or 1971?

17. Where was
Neil Perry’s first
restaurant?

18. In the 1996
film Big Night,
what is the
centrepiece of
the feast?

Answers on page 22

1

Sydney Festival
After spirits were dampened last year, Sydney
Festival is poised to return in all its theatrical
glory. Highlights include Sydney Symphony Under the
Stars, a 22-night music series called Speakers Corner,
and free performances dotted throughout the city.
January 6-30, sydneyfestival.org.au

2

Australian Open
This grand slam event returns to remind
everyone just how well Melbourne does sports
and culture combined. While the athletic prowess and
fierce competition is the centrepiece of the event, you
can also expect well-curated dining experiences by
Shane Delia, Ben Shewry, Nornie Bero and more.
January 17-30, ausopen.com

3

Mona Foma
Tasmania’s annual summer festival will take place
across two weekends in both Launceston and
Hobart. Mona Foma artistic director and Violent
Femmes bassist Brian Ritchie has curated the dual city
festival with boundary-pushing art, theatre and music.
January 21-23 (Launceston); January 28-30 (Hobart),
mofo.net.au

3

2
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

1

News

RECIPES FOR SUCCESS
Food For Everyone founder and artist
Gemma Leslie has just released a third round
of her recipe-meets-charity posters. Made in
collaboration with long-standing and upcoming
chefs and authors, the series creates visual
representations of recipes, with half of all profits
from sales being donated to food banks,
including OzHarvest, SecondBite and Asylum
Seeker Resource Centre. The latest series of A2
posters includes recipes by Guillaume Brahimi
(apple tarte Tatin with vanilla bean crème
anglaise), author Emiko Davies (tagliolini al
limone) and this month’s Gourmet Traveller
cover star Simon Gloftis (Hellenika’s htapodi).
Growing since its inception last year, Food For
Everyone now includes plates, a colouring book
and tea towels. “It began as a project to raise
money for those struggling at the height of the
pandemic, and today we’re a social enterprise
partnering with food banks across the country,”
says Leslie. $90, foodforeveryone.org.au

Spreadable cheese may sound like something that
should only appear in children’s lunch boxes, but hold
that thought and trust cheesemonger Anthony Femia.
Finca Valdivieso is a family-run dairy that began making
Manchego in 1880 and its Manchego cream cheese
combines summer truffle harvested from Soria with the
raw milk cheese. It is now being exclusively imported
by Melbourne’s Maker and Monger. “It’s best served
alongside lightly toasted crusty sourdough that’s been
rubbed with fresh garlic and thinly sliced Iberico jamón,”
says Femia. $25, makerandmonger.com.au

Answers 1. Pecorino 2. Champagne made exclusively from white grapes
3. Nigeria 4. Americano 5. In bread 6. Lady Gaga 7. Pearls 8. True
9. Ramen, udon, soba, yakisoba, sōmen and hiyamugi are all possible answers
10. Spat 11. Chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier 12. Doenjang
13. Eleven Madison Park 14. Mantecato 15. Sour, salty, spicy and sweet
16. 1966 17. Bondi (Blue Water Grill) 18. A timballo (baked pasta dish)

20

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

BOOK NOW
Fresh from a successful
season in Melbourne,
Moulin Rouge! The
Musical will touch down
at Sydney’s Capitol
T h e a t r e i n M a y.
moulinrougemusical.com

PHOTOGRAPHY KATE SHANASY (MAKER AND MONGER).

CRÈME DE LA CRÈME

PHOTOGRAPHY PETE DILLON & PAUL GOSNEY.

PREMIUM MARKET
When Anthony Puharich opened Victor Churchill in Sydney
12 years ago, he didn’t anticipate the global recognition the
butchery would receive. Now, with some time to reflect and
grow, he’s brought the concept to Melbourne.
“They say, ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it,’ and Victor Churchill
has been referred to as the most beautiful butcher shop in
the world, so I’ve applied the same thinking,” says Puharich.
“But I never would have gotten away with a copycat version
of the Sydney shop. I had to give Melbourne their own thing.
It’s got tweaks and improvements for them to feel proud of.”
The familiarity of Churchill’s avant-garde meat market
remains in all its marble-floored and copper-accented glory,
with the spectacle of butchers at work and fat-marbled
steaks arranged artfully, the scent of rotisserie-cooked
chickens filling the room. “You walk in and know it’s Victor
Churchill – Melbourne has the salt brick dry-ageing room
and the wooden chopping blocks; the butchers are still on
display too. The single biggest difference is the 12-seater
bar we’ve created,” says Puharich. People will be able to
take a seat and enjoy dry-aged steaks grilled over coals,
or a selection of house-made charcuterie with a glass of
Champagne or shiraz. Along with the obvious signatures,
there will also be brasserie-style starter plates, such as
steak tartare, carpaccio, oysters and even lobster freshly
plucked from the tank.

The evolution of the store hasn’t been linear or fast
moving. “I was meant to open Victor Churchill New York
with Anthony Bourdain – I’d met Anthony when he was
here filming No Reservations and we became friends,” says
Puharich. The pair started planning, but reported leasing
complications followed by Bourdain’s untimely death meant
this plan never eventuated. “I didn’t think about expansion
for a couple of years [after that],” says Puharich. Eventually
he began searching for the right location and building.
A Melbourne shop made sense, given Vic’s Meats (the meat
supply arm of the business) has been working with
restaurants in the state for more than 17 years, including
Flowerdrum, Grossi, Stokehouse, Attica, Brae and MoVida.
“There’s all these great chefs that I’ve had long
relationships with,” says Puharich. After relocating to
Melbourne to ensure the smooth opening, Puharich is
hopeful the reception of the High Street store in Armadale
is as appreciated as Sydney has been. “I love Melbourne,
and they know their stuff down here,” says Puharich.
“There’s a reason why they were next.”
953 High St, Armadale, Vic, victorchurchill.com
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

21

Five of a kind

Mayonnaise
Swiped on a sandwich or mixed
through a salad, these mayos are
the best on the market.

DOODLES CREEK
MAYONNAISE
Named after the spring-fed
stream running through the
producer’s family farm,
Doodles Creek has
perfected the classic
French-style mayonnaise.
White wine vinegar and
lemon juice bringn a subtle
tang, while free-range
egg yolks provide
a buttery consistency
and rounded flavour.
Great for potato salads.
$10 for $285gm,
doodlescreek.com
VO

TEA

M F
A

ROZA’S
DILL AND PARSLEY
Chopped herbs are a vibrant
addition here, giving Roza’s
velvety spread a wonderfully
garden-fresh flavour. This
one is as versatile as it is
delicious and works wonders
with seafood. Layer on
toasted sourdough and
serve with mussels; pair
with chunky hot chips and
battered fish; or elevate
your dinner-party blinis
with a generous dollop.
$9 for 240ml,
harrisfarm.com.au

WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH. PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY.
STYLING LAUREN DE SOUSA.

GT

KEWPIE
WASABI
Japanese mayo label
Kewpie is a cult-classic the
world over, and for good
reason. The OG mayonnaise
is silky, sweet and packs
a perfect umami punch
– add wasabi oil and
horseradish to the mix and
the result is this bright,
sinus-clearing condiment.
Drizzle over rice bowls or
pair with miso-roasted
salmon for a piquant kick.
$5.85 for 300ml,
twoprovidores.com.au

URITE

WEST WALLA FARM
FRENCH MAYONNAISE
Rich and yolky, with a thick,
whipped consistency, this
decadent jar of mayo is the
reigning champion here.
Made in New South Wales
with local free-range eggs,
it’s luxuriously creamy and
offers a beautifully rounded
flavour with just a hint of
acidity. An ethereal dip for
fritto misto or simple
poached prawns.
$10 for 250gm,
westwallafarm.com.au

GIN MAYO
The brightly illustrated tube may be the first thing to
catch your eye, but it’s the zippy, Marie Rose-style sauce
inside that will keep you coming back for more.
Sweetened with tomato paste, it’s then spiked with
Bobby’s dry gin to bring zingy, botanical afternotes.
Slather on a bacon and egg roll, and boom – the crowd
goes wild!
$15 for 170ml, notwasted.com.au

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

23

OR

MEG MASON
A

24

D WIT
H

C
QUI K W

Interview HANNAH-ROSE YEE

The best-selling author of Sorrow and Bliss
on a Kiwi camping Christmas, feijoas and
why she can never eat another Ginger Nut.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Memories

My parents moved to Australia from New Zealand when
I was 16 and my brother stayed behind because he was
already at university. What we didn’t know was that we
would never, to this day, ever live in the same country at
the same time, ever again. We haven’t had that home that
you trek back to every Christmas; we’ve been much more
of a literal and figurative moveable feast… But about three
years ago, my brother and his wife bought a farm in the
South Island of New Zealand. There was no house on it,
but we decided that we would go camping there. So for
three weeks, all of us descended.

PHOTOGRAPHY GRANT SPARKES CARROLL.

My mum produced a full Christmas dinner that we ate
out in the middle of a field at a long table. She’d done
these amazing roast chickens, and all these vegetables
that she had made my whole childhood and that just
taste like Christmas to me. We hadn’t all been home,
somewhere that belonged to us, for 25 years by then.
It was the most meaningful and
incredible Christmas.
If I even

The most amazing food holiday we’ve been on was to
Sri Lanka before the pandemic. The house that we stayed
at had a beautiful chef who worked there. At breakfast she
would serve buffalo curd with treacle. I gather you were
meant to have a little scoop on the side with fruit or an
amazing pancake-y thing she was making. I could just put
it away, to the point that she started calling me curd lady
and serving me a separate, very ladylike serving of curd
and treacle without even asking if I wanted it, because
she knew I did want it.

I had to write a whole manuscript and then throw it away
in order to arrive at being able to do Sorrow and Bliss.
It was going badly the entire time and
was going to ultimately fail – I never
catch the scent
had a good day with it – for some
of one now I am wildly
reason, I regressed and I just started
There are fruit called feijoas. They
offended…
I
don’t
know
eating Arnott’s Ginger Nuts. If I even
grow wild in people’s gardens [in
when I’ll be able to eat
catch the scent of one now I am wildly
New Zealand]. I used to eat them
offended, the association is so strong.
until I was honestly quite ill and when
a Ginger Nut again.
I don’t know when I’ll be able to eat
I go back, I try to time it with feijoa
a Ginger Nut again. I hope soon,
season… They’re really tart – they’ve
because they are delicious and
got kind of a floury texture, and
perfect, but not right now. It’s too soon.
they’re quite fleshy. It sounds utterly disgusting, but
I promise if you love a sour flavour they’re just amazing.
I’m desperate to get to London again. I miss all my
Everyone in New Zealand will be able to tell you about
friends. I’ve missed seeing the book come out there,
feijoas. Maybe that’s the test of a real New Zealander;
which was a tiny private tragedy. When I lived there that
it’s like a password.
was my ambition professionally, and I waited a little while
to do it by having children first. And then the fact that
I came here [Australia] in Year 12 and then I went to
Sorrow and Bliss is set there, and the fact that it’s had
Sydney University and I met Kate Gibbs – Margaret
its biggest success there, it was sad to miss it… I’m dying
Fulton’s granddaughter – and we became best friends
to make up for every single lunch I didn’t get to have.
and remain best friends to this day. I went to her house
I’m going to be chain lunching it all around London,
for dinner and tasted, for the first time, the splendour of
when I can finally go!
Hokkien noodles. I remember thinking that I had never
eaten anything so delicious and exotic in my entire life,
It’s incredible when someone like Gillian Anderson
and she finds it hilarious that it was a basic staple for them
endorses your novel, or Ann Patchett talks about it
that I found fit to go home and tell my mother about.
on a podcast, or Olivia Wilde reads it on a superyacht.
But you can’t manufacture those moments, and there’s
really no way to even metabolise them. But the ones
that connect with your own story, and your personal
experience or desires or aspirations or disappointments
– I think they’re the ones that are glorious. 
Sorrow and Bliss (Fourth Estate, $33) by Meg Mason is on sale now.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

25

MARLON
MOTLOP
Kylie Kwong celebrates the
individuals helping to grow
a stronger community. This
month, we meet Marlon Motlop,
proud Larrakia man and farm
manager of Indigenous food
producer The Native Co.

I deeply admire
Marlon Motlop
for his talent as
a professional
sportsperson,
musician, singer,
songwriter and
Indigenous grower
and farmer. Marlon embodies and
practices the ancient wisdom of his
First Nations heritage channelling this
powerful energy and becoming an
incredible role model for all.

26

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

M

arlon Motlop has fond memories of growing
up in Darwin, feasting on native citrus fruits
such as lemon aspen and ocean-fishing for
barramundi and mud crabs off the northern
coastline. It was these small adventures that sparked a quiet
interest in native foods for Motlop, but it wasn’t until later
in life that it became a fully-fledged passion.
The former AFL player, who enjoyed a five-year tenure
kicking goals for Port Adelaide Football Club, is now farm
manager at The Native Co – a family-run company that supplies
restaurants with high-quality, native Australian ingredients.

WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH (MAIN) & KYLIE KWONG (INTRO). PHOTOGRAPHY MARK POKORNY (KWONG).

“Damien Manno, Josef Capobianco and
Daniel Motlop [my cousin] founded The Native
Co after identifying a gap in the market for
Australian First foods,” explains Motlop. “They
wanted to fill that gap, not just with seasonal
produce but with a consistent supply of Australian
natives all year around.”
Motlop found his way to the role after
volunteering in the company’s greenhouses, an
experience that brought back memories of his
The Native Co has recently expanded into
younger days foraging in Darwin. “It just took
the New South Wales market, supplying produce
me back to my childhood,” says Motlop. “I think
to some of Sydney’s top dining destinations.
working with native products and First foods
And while their place on the menu is exciting for
gives you that sense of being on Country, so
Motlop, it’s their birthplace and history that really
I was pretty excited about
inspires him. “Every product we
“Take warrigal
investing some time into
grow has a significant story and
making this work.”
greens, for instance. place of origin. It has a deep
The Native Co’s growing
connection to not only the
They were one of
space, which was established in
Australian country, but First
the
first
food
to
2018 on the edge of the Barossa
Nation countries within our
Valley, has since doubled in size,
nation,” he says.
be given to British
with approximately 6000 square
“Take warrigal greens, for
settler to help
metres of land to grow an
instance. They were one of the
fight
scurvy.”
abundance of native herbs and
first foods to be given to British
leaves; including river mint,
settlers to help fight scurvy, and
saltbush, native thyme, karkalla, samphire
now they’re known around the world. But their
and crystal ice plant, to name a few.
origins are from the east coast of Australia,” he says.
“Essentially we have a hydroponic water
“It’s such a small plant, but it plays such a big
system set up and everything is fed organically;
part in Australian history and the documents
we don’t use any pesticides inside the hot houses,”
of settlement, with even more significance for
says Motlop. “We have up to 16 different species
the people of east coast Australia.”
of native produce growing inside, all year round.
This year, Motlop was awarded one of
I’m pretty much here every day, harvesting,
12 scholarships from Nuffield Australia – an
maintaining or planting.”
organisation that supports primary producers
to travel and study an agricultural topic of choice.
Motlop hopes to use the funding to further
broaden his understanding of native foods,
sharing their stories and recognising them
as important parts of Australia’s history.
“Every product originates from somewhere,
and a certain country of people has a specific
cultural connection to them somewhere along
the line. That’s what I’m fascinated by.” 

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

27

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H
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T
I
K

EN GARD
EN
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Sugar snap peas
These little delicacies may be the youngest
vegetable we grow but they deliver an abundance
of sweetness, writes SIMON RICKARD.

Most vegetable varieties have ancient pedigrees. Pumpkins were
domesticated in Central America around 9,000 years ago. Egyptian
frescoes from 3000 BCE depict lettuces and onions. The sugar snap
pea is the youngest vegetable we grow; a baby at just 50 years old.
Sugar snap peas’ roots are ancient, however. We know that wild
peas, native to the eastern Mediterranean, were foraged from nature
since Neolithic times. The first evidence of their domestication is in
Turkey, in around 7500 BC. It took a further 1500 years for them
to spread westwards to Europe, and another 5000 for them to travel
eastwards to Asia.
These were not the shiny green nuggets we shake out of freezer
bags today, however. For most of their history, peas were dried and used
as a “grain”, similar to wheat and barley. “Pease pudding” was a staple in
medieval Europe, commemorated in the nursery rhyme: “Pease porridge
hot, pease porridge cold, pease porridge in the pot, nine days old”. Its
descendants are still seen today, such as the Dutch pea and smoked
sausage soup called, rather onomatopoeically, snert.
It wasn’t until the 16th century that Europeans thought to eat peas
fresh. It became a craze at Louis XIV’s Versailles, and the idea caught

ILLUSTRATIONS ADOBE STOCK.

Grow your own

Simon is a
professional
gardener,
author and
baroque
bassoonist.
@simon_rickard

on around Europe. By the Victorian age, the
British were breeding separate strains of starchy
‘marrowfat’ peas for canning (think mushy peas),
and exquisitely tender baby peas for the table;
the kind of peas we all know today.
Meanwhile in China, pea breeding had taken
a different path. There, peas were developed not
to have big, tender seeds, but to have crisp, edible
pods. This was the snow pea, or mangetout
(“eat-all”) as the French dubbed it when they
were introduced to Europe in the 1880s.
Snow peas found their way to the USA,
perhaps with Chinese gold diggers during the
Californian gold rush. They found the mild,
maritime climate of the Pacific Northwest to
their liking, and Oregon became a centre of
snow pea production.
It was here, at Oregon State University that
Calvin Lamborn began trying to breed a better
snow pea in the 1950s. Snow pea pods are very
prone to buckling, making them difficult to pack
and transport efficiently. Lamborn attempted
to breed a snow pea with thicker, non-buckling
pods. By complete chance, he got something quite
different. Whereas snow peas are at their sweetest
and most tender before the seeds begin to swell,
his new pea variety was at its best when the seeds
reached maximum size. Its pods were smaller than

those of a snow pea, but they remained crisp and
juicy even as the seeds developed their highest
sugar levels. Lamborn realised he was onto
something, and the first sugar snap peas were
released to the world in the 1970s.
Growing sugar snap peas is simple. The
plants like cool soil and mild weather. In most
parts of Australia and New Zealand, they can
be sown from autumn right through until early
spring. I sow mine in September, so I can harvest
them now, over the summer holidays.
Peas like alkaline soil, so check the pH
and apply lime if necessary. They don’t need
particularly fertile soil, however they do need
perfect drainage. Soak the seeds in water overnight
before sowing 2-3cm deep. Dwarf varieties such
as ‘Sugar Bon’ are self supporting, but climbing
varieties such as ‘Cascadia’ require support. Bean
poles won’t do. Peas climb by means of fine, wiry
tendrils, so they need strings, chicken wire or
traditional “pea sticks”to give them purchase.
A deep mulch will help to keep the soil cool.
Those things attended to, it’s simply a matter
of waiting three months for this youngest and
most delectable of all vegetables to bear its crop. 

It wasn’t until the
16th century that
Europeans thought to eat
peas fresh. It became
a craze at Louis XIV’s
Versailles, and the idea
caught on around Europe.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

29

South Tasmania
The wine produced in southern Tasmania has an
ethereal quality that speaks to the nuances of the
sub-region, writes SAMANTHA PAYNE.

S
Samantha is
a sommelier,
writer and wine
consultant.
@sl_payne
30

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

omething interesting is happening with the
way we’re starting to discuss Tasmania as
it relates to wine. “The sceptics would say
Tasmania is all one GI, but it’s very easy to
refute that when you see the wines coming out of
all the different regions,” says winemaker Peter
“Dredgey” Dredge.
As he refers to it, GI stands for Geographical
Indicator, a fancy (and legal) way of describing
where a wine is made. Discussions around GIs
often take place over time when the broader wine
narrative of place pushes against the nuance of

a sub-region. We’ve seen a similar push-pull tension
when talking about GIs in Central Otago in New
Zealand’s South Island. Similarly, winemakers have
the option of labelling wines under the umbrella
of one static region or a specific sub-region.
Under his label, Dr Edge wines, Dredge has
created a series of pinot noir, chardonnay and riesling
releases that celebrate the different expressions of
the northern, southern and eastern regions of
Tasmania. The wines are all made in the same
way to highlight their unique qualities. “I’m a big
believer that 95 per cent of people just want to

S

Wine country

A

SO

UT

H

TA

NI
MA

Coal River
Valley
Derwent
Valley

PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING LAUREN DE SOUSA.

The Palawa people first arrived in Tasmania 40,000
years ago. These ancestors of the Aboriginal Tasmanians
were cut off from the mainland by rising sea levels circa
6000 BC. The South East Tribe was one of nine tribes
whose country ranged from Storm Bay and the
D’Entrecasteaux Channel to South Cape, New Norfolk and
the Huon Valley. For the Muwinina people, the area around
present-day Hobart was their country called nipaluna.

IA

drink my wine and not think about it, but for those who
are curious, I mention the region on the labels so people
can look into it,” explains Dredge.
No one knows the legacy of southern Tasmanian wine
better than Mardi Ellis, daughter of Gerald Ellis, who
founded Meadowbank Wines in 1976. She is now the
torchbearer of some of the family’s phenomenal vineyards
under the guidance of her father, together with winemaker
Dredge. A sustainable, family-first philosophy focusing on
“stewardship of the land” drives the winery and the region’s
success with more than 80 per cent of the family’s 1987,
1997 and 2007 plantings going into some of Tasmania’s
best-known wines, such as Arras. “The Agricultural Society
of Tasmania told Dad that ‘grapes would never grow here’
and now he plants more sites every 10 years,” says Ellis.
So what draws winemakers to the south? Kiwi Samantha
Connew asked herself this question in 2016, launching her
brand Stargazer in southern Tasmania’s Coal River Valley. “It
was a process of elimination,” she explains. “I needed to be
down south because of the lower rainfall; and it’s cooler,
making it suitable for organic management and suited the
three grape varieties I wanted to grow.”
Connew and Dredge agree that wines from the south
have an almost “ethereal” quality. Connew describes it as “an
intensity of flavour still with a light touch”, this is compared
with wines from the east which are “slightly more muscular
and have incredible savoury and graphite-like tannins”.
“We should absolutely be championing the sub-regionality
of Tasmania, but we don’t need to have registered GIs to be
able to talk about the nuances of these sites,” she says. “I want
people to understand we’re not one homogenous blob but
we’ve only got 200 hectares of vines in the ground; what’s the
point of splitting everyone up and drawing up boundaries?” ●

SOUTH T
AS
AN

Port
Arthur

TE

OF

M

Bruny
Island

A TA
S

Hobart

2019 Pooley ‘Cooinda Vale’ Chardonnay,
Coal River Valley, $65
There are many examples of outstanding
chardonnay from southern Tasmania, but this
single-vineyard drop from the Pooley family is
exceptional. Perfumed pears meet oyster shell
salinity with a tightly wound acidity that is the
perfect side to sunshine and prawns.
pooleywines.com.au
2021 Meadowbank Gamay, Derwent Valley, $45
There’s a reason why this wine has a cult
following; it’s a textbook example of a “crunchy,
chilled red”. The combination of established vines
(from 1987) and newer 2015 plantings create
a depth of flavour rarely seen in this variety.
meadowbank.com.au
2019 Hughes & Hughes Riveaux Road Vermouth,
D’Entrecasteaux Channel, $45
This bitter-sweet vermouth is made with pinot
noir and syrah from the Derwent Valley and the
D’Entrecasteaux Channel, and aromatised with
locally sourced wormwood, boronia, native
pepperberry and lavender tea tree. It is then
sweetened with Bruny Island honey for good
measure; serve on ice with a sprig of rosemary.
mewstonewines.com.au
2021 Stargazer Riesling, Coal River Valley, $35
From what Connew calls a classic Coal River
Valley vintage, this wine showcases beautiful
aromatics with juicy citrus characters (unusual
for the region) alongside fresh Granny Smith
flavours and a sherbert-like acidity.
stargazerwine.com.au
2020 Tolpuddle Pinot Noir, Coal River Valley, $93
The vineyard was established in 1988 but it wasn’t
until 2011, through the magnificent vision of Martin
Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW (of Shaw and
Smith fame), that we have been able to uncover
the true potential of this site. A magnificent
example of pinot noir bursting with aromatic
raspberry and sour cherry flavours.
tolpuddlevineyard.com

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

31

Cocktail hour

For weekly cocktail
inspiration, follow
us on Instagram
@gourmettraveller

TOMM Y’S
MARGARITA

3

LAS TO

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G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Y

TH

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Pour 60ml tequila, 30ml fresh lime juice
and 10-15ml agave syrup into a cocktail
shaker. Shake ingredients and pour into
a rocks glass filled with ice.

TR

REE TE

The original Tommy’s

Tequila Fortaleza
Reposado
This buttery, citrus-forward
tequila is produced from
estate-grown agave in
the aptly named town
of Tequila in Mexico.
$155 for 750ml
drnks.com

Arquitecto Blanco
Tequila
Made from sustainable
agave that’s double
distilled in copper, it’s
clean and crisp with
a subtle kick of pepper.
$89 for 700ml
winonawine.com

La Gritona
Reposado Tequila
Soft and distinctive,
this 100% blue agave
tequila offers a vegetal
flavour with a smooth,
round finish.
$105 for 700ml
danmurphys.com.au

WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH. PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING HANNAH BLACKMORE.

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loral, sharp, sweet and sour, the
Tommy’s Margarita has become
a modern icon in the world of
classic cocktails. Built from just
a few staple ingredients, it’s simple enough
to pull off at home, but must always be
made with 100 per cent agave tequila and
never mixto tequila, which has corn or
cane sugar added prior to fermentation.
A riff on the classic Margarita (which
comprises tequila, triple sec and lime), the
Tommy’s was first concocted in the late-1980s.
“The inventor Julio Bermejo, who
named the cocktail after his family’s San
Francisco restaurant, wanted to create
something that expressed the nuances of
tequila and agave without any distraction
of the salt,” says Liber Osorio, co-founder
and director of Milpa Collective in Sydney.
“By replacing the triple sec with agave syrup,
it’s basically a Margarita made entirely from
Mexican ingredients. The agave softens
the flavour and makes it really smooth.”
This seductive drink is a delicate
balancing act of flavours, and served on the
rocks, unlike its original counterpart, which
is frequently blended with ice. “It’s smooth,
sweet, strong and the ultimate expression
of tequila in a cocktail,” says Liber. “The
perfect, simple summer drink.”

A G o u r m e t Tr a v e l l e r r e a d e r e v e n t

TICKETS
ON SALE
NOW

THE MENU

Rēwena potato bread,
Lewis Road Creamery butter,
Marlborough sea salt
Kiwi G&T (Little Biddy Gin - Classic,
West Coast & East Imperial Yuzu Tonic)

A TA S T E O F
AOTEAROA
Join Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin along with Tourism
New Zealand and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise for an evening
of wining and dining, as we explore New Zealand’s regions and
celebrate the country’s extraordinary produce at one of Sydney’s
most acclaimed new openings, Lana.
From Cape Reinga in the far North Island to Bluff in the deep South Island, a
world of fresh produce and fine wine awaits gourmet travellers in Aotearoa New
Zealand. In Aotearoa, there’s a special connection to both the land and sea;
a relationship founded on care and respect. When combined with lush, green
pastures, fertile soil and cool, clear waters, the results are outstanding.
Whether it’s to plan your next visit, or simply to enjoy a taste of New Zealand
with friends, join us for a special culinary journey as we highlight New Zealand’s
unique producers, winemakers and regions. This bespoke event will take place at
Lana, an exquisite new fine-dining restaurant located in Sydney’s historic
Hinchcliff House, developed by acclaimed New Zealand restaurateur Scott Brown.
Lana head chef Alex Wong will share an exclusive six-course menu with
diners, showcasing some of New Zealand’s most prized ingredients, paired
with a selection of fine wines. Be the first to experience a taste of Aotearoa
New Zealand and whet your appetite for future journeys ahead.

VENUE: Lana (Hinchcliff House), 5-7 Young St, Sydney NSW 2000
DATE: Wednesday, 16 February 2022 TIME: 6.30pm
PRICE: $130 per person, featuring a six-course bespoke Lana menu,
highlighting New Zealand produce with matching apéritifs and wines
TO BOOK: email rsvpgt@aremedia.com.au
or visit gtreaderdinner.eventbrite.com.au

Snack
Sanford scampi, horopito pepper,
finger lime, shiso leaf
Ara Select Blocks Organic
Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough

Entrée
Smoked Ōra King salmon, kawakawa,
green apple, wakame
Palliser Estate Riesling, Martinborough

Mid-Course
Cloudy Bay Clams, potato & leek
ravioli, pikopiko, bottarga
Greystone Chardonnay,
North Canterbury

Main
Silere Alpine Origin Merino Lamb,
macadamia & puha pesto,
sheep’s milk yoghurt
Akarua Pinot Noir, Central Otago
Antipodes Sparkling Water,
Whakatāne

Dessert
Hokey pokey, preserved feijoa,
Mānuka honey, salted caramel
Batched Premium Cocktail

Brought to you by Tourism New Zealand
and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise

ADVERTISING FEATURE

SAVOR
the NEW
Competition is a known driver
of innovation, but there’s more
to Auckland’s dining scene
than sharp knives and shiny
fit-outs. As the city’s chefs
redefine contemporary New
Zealand cuisine it makes for
dynamic dining in this Pacific
city. With an impressive line-up
of restaurants, Savor Group
is at the forefront of the city’s
hospitality scene.

AMANO

BRITOMART

When Amano opened in 2016, it proved a
game-changer for Auckland dining. Taking
its cues from the rustic sensibilities of Italy, and
building on them with punchy flavours, it sated
appetites for hand-crafted contemporary
cuisine. Located in a former dockside
warehouse in the harbour precinct of Britomart,
the setting also raises the bar, with the interiors
of this warehouse-style space transformed by
multi-award-winning architect Jack McKinney.
With heritage in its bones and provenance
respected on the plate, Amano continues
to bring the best of everything to the table.
Executive chef Andrew Hanson only works with
in-season produce, amplifying flavours at their
best, and it’s a joy to watch him and the team

AZABU

M I S S I O N B AY

Before Azabu came to Mission Bay, it wowed
in Ponsonby, where it has earned a dedicated
following for exquisitely presented JapanesePeruvian cuisine and immaculate cocktails.
Whereas the Ponsonby restaurant is a very
internal affair, Mission Bay offers up a sublime
location. Looking through pōhutukawa trees
to the beach and iconic volcanic cone of
Rangitoto Island beyond, it’s a quintessential
coastal setting just east of the city. The
restaurant opens up to this spectacular outlook
in an indoors-meets-outdoors design by
Herbst Architects, renowned for their sensitive
residential work on coastal sites.
The Rogu Gin courtyard is at the centre
of the pavilion-style restaurant, which is
connected to the historic, stone Mission
House. Not that the missionaries could have
conceived of Nikkei-style tostadas, dumplings,
tempura and sashimi being served on these
grounds. But they’d be unlikely to disapprove
of the impeccable quality of the food, which

at work in the open kitchen.
Amano (from the Italian “a mano” – by hand)
is a haven of hospitality that starts the day with
freshly baked pastries and a line out the door for
morning take-out. For those not scurrying back to
a desk, the better option is to take a seat, have a
pastry and coffee or something more substantial
from the breakfast menu.
As an all-day eatery, the segue into lunch and
dinner is an easy one in this space of generous
proportions and heart.
66-68 Tyler St, Britomart
amano.nz

draws on premium local produce such as scampi,
kingfish and lamb. (Lamb Chuleta with a smoky
aubergine and coriander puree is a signature.)
Artfully presented with Japanese aesthetics
and the Peruvian zest for colour, don’t forget to
look up from the plate and enjoy the sea view.
44 Tamaki Drive, Mission Bay
savor.co.nz

OSTRO

BRITOMART

Maybe it’s the sparkling harbour view and the
buzzing atmosphere, but there’s a celebratory
air about Ostro. The light-filled dining room
and generous bar have a magnetism that
makes you want to drink Champagne, eat
oysters and devour freshly caught crayfish.
The outlook is just as compelling: an entire
wall of glass looks out on to the action of
Waitematā Harbour, with views across to
Devonport. It gets even better when those glass
doors concertina open and the connection to
the sea becomes almost tangible.
While the view is unique to Auckland, Ostro
has an international edge. This shines through
in haute-bistro fare which celebrates the
best local produce. From the raw bar’s local
oyster selection, through to toasted crayfish
brioche with horokaka, lemon curd and basil,
and Cloudy Bay clams with seaweed, chilli,
chives and karengo, the kitchen deftly honours
uniquely New Zealand ingredients.
Ostro is located in the historic Seafarers
building in Britomart, which makes it a natural
choice for after-work drinks , but its one-of-akind setting makes it equally appealing for
a celebratory long lunch.
52 Tyler St, Britomart
savor.co.nz

Q&A

L U C I E N L AW
RESTAURATEUR, FOUNDER
OF SAVOR GROUP
Your family has a
background in restaurants –
tell us about that.
My father came to New
Zealand from China when he
was four and his family worked
as market gardeners. Dad set up
Mandarin, the first fully licensed
restaurant in Hamilton. It was
very much family-run and I have
fond memories of Sundays spent
prepping for the week – Dad
butchering, my grandparents
making dumplings and a fantastic
shared dinner at the end.

NON SOLO PIZZA
PA R N E L L

Twenty-five years is a long time in a relatively
youthful city, and an eternity in hospitality, so
it’s fair to say that Non Solo Pizza is more than
an institution – it’s part of Auckland’s fabric.
More affectionately known as NSP, this
stalwart in the inner-city suburb of Parnell has
never strayed from its roots – and herein lies
its success and longevity. Serving classic pizza
and pasta, and more robust secondi in the way
of Tuscan T-bone and roasted pork belly with
duck-fat roasted potatoes and salsa verde,
this local legend stays true to its heritage but
is always current and relevant. The outstanding
food and hospitality experience at NSP keeps
you coming back because it is so consistently
on point.
At the heart of the eatery is the leafy
courtyard, with a I’ve-been-transportedto-Tuscany feel. It’s where regulars come to
refine the art of the long lunch – be that on
a weekday or lazy Sunday – working their
way through the menu, then culminating in
a crescendo of asiago, gorgonzola and
taleggio, accompanied with moscato.
While the wine list more than represents
New Zealand’s top-tier wineries, it respectfully
honours Italian heavyweights, too, with an
impressive offering of Super Tuscan and Barolo.
1052/259 Parnell Rd, Parnell
nsp.co.nz

You started out in advertising
working at Saatchi & Saatchi in
London before returning to your
first love – hospitality. How
does one inform the other?
Advertising teaches you to look
for creativity in different places
and within your team. Finding
new ideas is crucial for
developing a creative culture,
and that applies to any
great restaurant.

What makes a
great restaurant?
People don’t go to restaurants
because they are hungry; they
go because they want an
experience, whether that’s for
the amazing craft of cooking, or
something bold and fun.

What are your views on the
Auckland food scene?
When I opened Ebisu 10 years
ago, the central city was just
beginning to come to life. But it
has really come of age in the past
five years. While everyone is
doing something different, the
one thing I believe we’re all doing
is championing New Zealand
produce and without doubt
we’re blessed with some of
the world’s best.

REVIEW
JANUARY

Oncore by Clare
Smyth, Sydney

p

Dining out
This month, we review the best
waterside dining across the
country, including Rickys in Noosa
and Stokehouse in St Kilda.

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Review

RICKYS RIVER BAR
& RESTAURANT
2 Quamby Pl,
Noosa Heads, Qld
rickys.com.au
CHEF Scott Klimisch
OPENING HOURS
Wed-Sun noon-late
PRICE GUIDE $$
BOOKINGS
Essential.

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Noosa
Heads, Qld

YO U ’ R E S O F I N E
Stately Noosa stayer Rickys is in sparklingly good
form – bigger and better than ever – sailing towards
its second decade, writes FIONA DONNELLY.

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From left: relaxed
riverside dining at
Rickys; spanner
crab spaghettini.

EFRE
E R
S
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T

VERDICT
Worth splashing out at
this golden oldie.

oastal but not coasting. The
catchphrase perfectly sums
up this Noosa riverfront
destination. Can you think of another
venue that 15 years on from plating its
first spanner crab spaghettini, would
still have enough oomph to daringly
take over the tenancy next door and
double in size? I’ll wait.
Of course, this feat has been
somewhat easier for Rickys – its owner
is joint landlord for both tenancies.
But it’s still a huge vote of confidence.
More importantly for diners, knocking
through into sadly now shuttered
Japanese eatery Wasabi, means Rickys
has doubled its waterfront tables.
And whether you’re here for sunset
cocktails and dinner, or lingering over
a long sun-splashed lunch, you’ll want
to relish those cooling breezes and
bask in the river’s reflected glitter
and dappled light.
The new addition feels seamless.
This room has always been more about
the mesmeric ebb and flow of the river

alongside, than fussy design. Interiors
are classic – fresh white walls, plenty
of polished timbers, white linen-topped
tables, white molded chairs with
well-plumped cushions and of course,
floor-to-ceiling glass to maximise views.
It’s unstudied yet stylish – a look that’s
come to epitomise Noosa. It’s also an
aesthetic in sync with the food offering,
which puts the best of local centre-plate.
A starter of snappily fresh spring
greens is a tasty case in point. Al dente
asparagus spears arrive draped
casually over a fat blob of milky ricotta.
The whey cheese, lightly accented by
lemon myrtle, has a vivid pool of green
mint oil at its centre. Tucked beneath
are more greens – broad beans and
zucchini coins – resting in a slick of the
subtly flavoured mint oil. A scatter of
nutty dukkah with toasted sunflower
seeds and pine nuts adds texture and
there’s a pretty garnish – coriander
and borage flowers for extra verve.
Chef Scott Klimisch (ex-Locale,
Noosa) came aboard at Rickys in

August. You can feel the influence of
earlier stints at Melbourne’s Cutler & Co
and Bistro Guillaume. His spanner crab
spaghettini is a cracker. This version of
the signature dish is rich and garlicky
and packs a whack of chilli heat and
just a smidge of parsley to complement
the sweet oceanic brine of the crab.
All you need is a squeeze of the lemon
that sits alongside.
There are just a handful of mains
to choose from. Spanish mackerel,
caught locally, leans classic French
on the plate, scoring a creamy celeriac
purée with steamed mussels and leek.
Duck breast is likewise old-school, flesh
blush pink and paired with Jerusalem
artichoke purée, purple kale and
a mandarin jus for cohesion.
These days the drinks list may be
accessed via a QR code, but it retains
the breadth and depth Rickys is known
for. By the glass or half bottle, say, you
can either keep things simple with a
$14 Godello from Spain, or splash out
with a 2005 Grand Cru Chardonnay for
$540. Service remains assured, not the
easiest feat in a tourist town, but clearly
management makes this a priority.
It’s fitting Rickys owners’ side
project Maravista Farm gets a shoutout on the menu. This 250-hectare
hinterland property supplies honey and
a growing share of the plant-based
component of Rickys’ menu. In return,
restaurant waste goes to Maravista for
composting. The transition towards
a closed-loop system yet another
indication of how this institution is
pushing to stay fresh and keep its
appeal evergreen. 
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

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Review

St Kilda,
Vic

HOUSE RULES
raw tuna flavoured with brown butter
and truffle. Also worth your time is a
glorious spiced corn tart, a pretty thing
filled with corn custard and topped with
puffed sorghum for crunch and lime
zest for tang. A hand-chopped beef
tartare is successfully flavoured with an
oyster emulsion and crowned with
slivers of pickled green tomato while a
uncomplicated plating. It’s a perfect
side dish of lightly pickled asparagus
match for the room’s pared back style
spears (apple cider and juniper are part
that channels idealised beachside
of the pickling equation) partnered with
dining with its blushing sun-kissed
buffalo curd turned pale purple with the
colours, the sand-coloured timber
addition of mountain pepperberry
floors and soft pink light fittings evoking
comes close to stealing the show.
nostalgic memories of summers
The long-time Stokehouse dessert
(and sunburns) past.
The Bombe has been retired for less
The fish and chips, still up there at
bombastic sweet stuff like superb
$42, is both excellent and generous.
house-made gelato that’s flavoured
The fish, perhaps dusky flathead, is
seasonally (go the cherry if it’s there)
coated in an airy and commendably
and a vanilla slice with caramelised
crisp batter that comes with block-like
puff and a passionfruit sauce.
triple-cooked chips and a
Wine list and service, always
particularly compelling houseClockwise from
left: executive
Stokehouse strong points,
made tartare sauce with lemon
chef Jason
have emerged from lockdown
juice and capers given starring
Staudt; carrots
unscathed and the view, of
roles.
cooked over the
fire; dining with
course, is delicious as ever.
Spend some time with the
a
view.
Opposite:
The direction in the kitchen has
snack menu, particularly if the
Port Phillip Bay
made the always persuasive
tuna belly bites are present,
snapper and
package even more so. 
teeny little numbers filled with
spiced corn tart.

T

here’s never been a good
reason not to go to
Stokehouse. View-deprived
Melburnians have been packing the
joint for years to perch above the
boardwalk and stare thirstily at beach
and bay, swarmed and glittering in
summer or hazy watercolour grey
in winter. At times it can feel like
a clubhouse for the buffed, filled and
botoxed, but Stokehouse still projects
a particular relaxed, Aussie egalitarian
vibe, remarkable in a place that serves
some of the most expensive fish and
chips in town. But it was always worth
considering because of the view.
With chef Jason Staudt in the
kitchen, however, what’s outside the
window needs to do less of the heavy
lifting. Staudt’s food is clean-edged
and sure-footed with a penchant for
excellent ingredients and pretty but

38

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

PHOTOGRAPHY PETE DILLON (PORTRAIT, DISH) & KRISTOFFER PAULSEN (INTERIORS).

Chef Jason Staudt’s dishes are the perfect match for
this beachfront icon, writes MICHAEL HARDEN.

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STOKEHOUSE
30 Jacka Boulevard,
St Kilda, Vic
stokehouse.com.au
CHEF Jason Staudt
OPENING HOURS
Mon-Sun noon-late
PRICE GUIDE $$$
BOOKINGS
Essential.
VERDICT
With chef Jason Staudt
in the kitchen, the food
at Stokehouse now
rivals the view.

NEWCOM

C OR E VALU E S

Chef Clare Smyth puts her signature stamp and personal
touch on Crown’s finest jewel, writes KARLIE VERKERK.

C

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G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Smyth’s Northern Irish heritage and
mod-Brit culinary sensibilities within
a fresh Australian context.
Set inside a casino-slash-hotel,
Oncore could easily have fallen into
the trite and deeply impersonal trap.
But it hasn’t. Smyth – despite not being
able to travel to Sydney until February
2022 – has undeniably put her stamp
on everything. In some cases, literally
– many of the plates are decorated
with her fingerprints.
The menu features a range of Core
signatures made with local ingredients.
There’s the “potato and roe”, which
heroes a humble spud from the NSW
Southern Highlands. Topped with trout
and herring roe and doused in a sinful
seaweed beurre blanc, it’s where ocean
and earth meet in perfect harmony.
The same could be said for the
“beef and oyster”, which is a play on

K

yndi Lauper’s Girls Just
Want to Have Fun plays softly
as a selection of skilfully
assembled snacks hits the smooth,
leather-topped table. It’s not a track
you’d expect to hear at a fine diner, but
then again, this is no ordinary fine diner.
This is Oncore: acclaimed UK chef
Clare Smyth’s long-awaited Australian
restaurant – and follow-up to her
three-Michelin-starred Core in London.
Located on level 26 of Crown Sydney’s
Barangaroo tower, with 180-degree
views of the iconic harbour, it’s fair to
say she is taking things up a notch.
Oncore is everything you’d expect
from a polished fine diner, and more.
Punctuated with playful (hear the
best-of-the-’90s playlist curated by
Smyth herself) and whimsical touches
(see the smoke, the moss, the edible
oyster shells), it successfully showcases

a classic Victorian steak and oyster
pie, sans pastry.
In the open kitchen, a team
of accomplished chefs is led by
Alan Stuart (Core, Restaurant Gordon
Ramsay). And while the food is
technically faultless and precise,
it is also engaging and inventive.
Take the “Core apple” dessert, for
example – the restaurant’s take on
a toffee apple, featuring Lobo apple
brandy from the Adelaide Hills.
Or the “Core-teser”, a towering
textural treat
inspired by the
CK LOO
much-loved
UI
flavours of
ONCORE BY
a Malteser.
CLARE SMYTH
Oncore may
Level 26,
be the grandest
Crown Sydney,
Barangaroo, NSW
opening of 2021,
crownsydney.com.au
but with Smyth’s
CHEFS Clare Smyth
toe-tapping
and Alan Stuart
playlist, whimsical
OPENING HOURS
flourishes and
Fri-Sun noon-3pm;
Wed-Sun 6pm-11pm
personal touches
it’s memorable
PRICE GUIDE $$$$
for many other
BOOKINGS Essential.
reasons. After all,
VERDICT
Fine
dining
done with
girls just want to
a fun and personal flair.
have fun. 

PHOTOGRAPHY TOM ASTERIADES (SMYTH).

Sydney,
NSW

Q

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Clockwise: views of Sydney
Harbour; chef Clare Smyth;
beef and oyster.

Review

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KUTI SHACK
Main Beach Carpark,
Beach Rd,
Goolwa Beach, SA
kutishack.com
CHEFS
Brendan Roach and
Rhys Badcock
OPENING HOURS
Thur-Sun 8am-4pm;
Fri-Sat 8am-8pm.
PRICE GUIDE $
BOOKINGS
Recommended.

STINA

Goolwa
Beach,
SA

VERDICT
Simple, authentic
seaside charm.

N

TH

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DE

LOV E SH ACK
A beachside diner delivers top-notch pipis and
a pitch-perfect coastal vibe, writes KATIE SPAIN.

PHOTOGRAPHY JACQUI WAY.

F

or many South Australians,
foraging for pipis at Goolwa
Beach is a quintessential part of
childhood beach holidays. Bare feet are
wriggled in the wet sand until the pale
clams appear (as if by magic) and are
scooped up and carted off in buckets,
shells clinking all the way home.
Here, chefs Brendan Roach and
Rhys Badcock put pipis on a pedestal,
serving them with a view of the beach
from which they came. It’s a big team
effort. Kuti means pipi in the local
Ngarrindjeri language and the tasty
morsels are harvested by Ngarrindjeriowned KutiCo and processed by
Goolwa PipiCo, which backs onto the
little seaside eatery and is a pipi cellar
door of sorts. Take-home packs can
be snapped up for $20 per kilogram.
Dining in is an immersive
experience. The recently renovated,
modern shack-like building is nestled

between Goolwa Surf Lifesaving Club
and the sea, and the sandy carpark
heaves with action. Surfers gather to
swap wave reports and surf life savers
arrive for their shift in the sun. Inside,
a casual, open plan dining space
offers rugged coastal views.
Waitstaff are as local as the seafood
on the plate. Co-owner Vanessa Button
leads the way through share plates and
more substantial dishes. A bowl of pipis
swimming in XO sauce is a must. The
salty, punchy broth is best slurped
direct from heart-shaped shells and
mopped up with chunks of sourdough.
Messy but fun. Pipi linguini is another
crowd favourite. Boston Bay speck,
garlic, lashings of lemon butter and
parmesan complement the clam’s
sweet, nutty flesh.
Crisp, fried whitebait with dill mayo
is delightfully all crunch and punch,
while Coffin Bay oysters are served on

Left: grilled Coorong mulloway with
warrigal pesto and almond couscous
at Kuti Shack. Below: chef Brendan
Roach with the catch of the day.

a custom ceramic oyster plate made
by Button. Classic fish and chips is
presented with a twist; Coopers
battered SA gummy shark fillet is
laced with a gentle medley of spice.
Daily specials are scrawled on
butcher’s paper and the seafoodaverse, vegetarians and children
are well looked after. During school
holidays, opening hours extend to
every day except Wednesday.
The predominantly South Australian
wine list is small but carefully curated to
complement seafood and casual beach
vibes. A token French fizz, Riverland
cocktail, and South Australian beer
and cider are also available.
The small team’s respect for the
local environment and its traditional
owners is tangible.
Simple but meaningful aesthetics
add to the laid-back charm. Woven light
shades and traditional pipi catchers
hang from the ceiling (the work of
Ngarrindjeri elder Ellen Trevorrow),
while the bright mural on the building’s
exterior is a depiction of the nearby
Coorong by artist Cedric Varcoe. It’s
all pitch perfect. There’s little need for
cosmetic distractions when Mother
Nature is the jaw-dropping star. 

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

41

A G o ur m e t Tr av e lle r p r o m o t i o n

ENJOY IT WITH…
a refreshing
cocktail like this
zingy cranberry
and apple iced tea
punch. Scan the
QR code below
for the recipe.

SUMMER REFRESHER
As the weather warms up, sweet glazed prawns and a fresh salad are the perfect combo

Cranberry chilli prawns
with rice noodle salad
SERVES 4
PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINS

16 whole green prawns,
peeled, tails intact
1 tsp sesame oil
200g thick rice noodles
2 eschalot, thinly sliced
150g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Lebanese cucumber, halved
and thinly sliced
1 cup mixed Asian herbs (coriander,
basil, mint)
¼cup (35g) Ocean Spray® Craisins®
50% Less Sugar, chopped
Lime wedges, to serve
marinade & DRESSING
½cup (160g) Ocean Spray®
Whole Cranberry Sauce
¼cup (60ml) soy sauce
Juice and rind of 2 limes

1 tbsp honey
¼tsp chilli flakes
1 MARINADE & DRESSING Add the
cranberry sauce, soy sauce, lime rind and
juice, honey and chilli flakes in a jug. Season
with salt and pepper and mix to combine.
Set marinade mixture aside. Place prawns
in a large bowl and combine with ¼ cup
marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate.
Reserve remaining mixture for dressing.
2 Preheat chargrill or barbeque over
high heat. Skewer each prawn
lengthways with a wooden skewer.
Drizzle with sesame oil. Place on the

chargrill and cook for 2–3 minutes each
side, or until charred and caramelised.
3 Meanwhile, cook the noodles in boiling
salted water for 3 minutes, or until tender.
Drain and refresh. Place in a large bowl.
Add the eschalot, tomatoes, cucumber,
half the herbs and half the dressing and
gently toss to combine.
4 Place prawns and noodle salad on
a platter. Top noodle salad with remaining
herbs and sprinkle with Craisins®.
Drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve
with lime wedges.

SUSTAINABLY GROWN
Ocean Spray® Whole
Cranberry Sauce RRP $3.60;
Craisins® 50% Less Sugar
RRP $4; Light Cranberry
Classic™ RRP $4.65

For more inspiring recipes visit oceanspray.com.au

JANUARY

EVERYDAY

From weeknight suppers to simple entertaining, these
everyday recipes keep things fresh, fast and simple.

VEGETARIAN

GLUTEN FREE

DAIRY FREE

Photography ALICIA TAYLOR Styling STEVE PEARCE
Recipes & food preparation JESSICA BROOK

Farinata with blistered tomatoes
and chilli chickpeas
SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK 25 MINS (PLUS RESTING)

250 gm canned chickpeas, rinsed,
drained, pat dry
100 ml olive oil, plus extra to shallow fry
½ tsp paprika
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
250 gm vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
1 avocado, peeled, stone removed,
cut into wedges
1 cup loosely packed watercress
Lemon wedges, to serve
FARINATA BATTER

100
250
1
2

gm chickpea flour
ml cold water
tbsp olive oil
tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
and rosemary

1 To make farinata batter, blend all
ingredients with 1 tsp salt in a blender
until smooth. Transfer to a jug, cover
and set aside at room temperature
to rest (30 minutes).
2 Heat 1cm oil in a large, deep frying
pan over medium-high heat. Add
chickpeas and stir continuously until
crisp and golden (2-3 minutes). Add
paprika and chilli, and stir until fragrant
(1 minute). Remove with a slotted spoon
into a bowl and season to taste.
3 Preheat grill to high. Add 1½ tbsp oil
to a 25cm heavy-based oven-proof frying
pan (ideally cast iron) and place on a low
shelf in the oven to heat (5 minutes).
4 Meanwhile, place tomatoes on a tray,
drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and season; place
under grill and cook until starting to blister
(5 minutes). Remove and set aside.
5 When frying pan for farinata is very
hot, carefully add half of the batter,
swirl to cover base and place under
grill. Cook until edges are starting to
crisp and golden (6 minutes). Transfer
to a plate and repeat with remaining
batter, adding extra oil to the pan.
6 Serve farinata topped with avocado,
tomatoes, chickpeas and watercress,
with lemon wedges on the side.
Note Farinata is a crisp chickpea-flour
crepe popular in some areas of Italy.

SERVING SUGGESTION
Add poached or fried eggs
for a delicious and nutritious
weekend breakfast.

44

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Everyday

MAKE IN ADVANCE
Make a large batch of
empanadas and freeze,
uncooked, for easy
entertaining.

Chicken empanadas with mojo verde
SERVES 4-6 (MAKES 18) // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 20 MINS

1
1
2
1
400
1
1
½
6
60
6

tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
onion, finely chopped
garlic cloves, crushed
tbsp dried oregano
gm chicken thigh mince
long green chilli, finely chopped
hard-boiled egg, peeled, roughly
chopped
cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley,
finely chopped
white anchovies, finely chopped
gm (½ cup) pitted Sicilian olives,
finely chopped
sheets store-bought shortcrust pastry
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

MOJO VERDE

1 long green chilli, chopped
½ cup each loosely packed flat-leaf
parsley and coriander
50 gm green pitted Sicilian olives
60 ml (¼ cup) each white wine vinegar
and extra-virgin olive oil
1 Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying
pan over high heat. Add onion, garlic
and oregano and cook, stirring, until
golden (2-3 minutes). Add mince and
cook, breaking up any lumps, until
starting to colour (5 minutes).
2 Remove from heat, add chilli, egg,

parsley, anchovies and olives; mix to
combine. Season to taste and cool.
3 To make mojo verde, combine all
ingredients in a small blender and
blend until smooth; season to taste.
4 Using an 11cm-round cutter, cut
4 rounds from each pastry sheet.
Place 1½ tbsp of mixture in the centre
of each round. Fold to enclose, pinch
edges and pleat to seal.
5 Heat vegetable oil in a deep saucepan
to 180˚C. Deep-fry empanadas in batches
until golden and crisp (4-5 minutes).
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain
on paper towel. Serve with mojo verde. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

45

Grilled Balmain
bugs with charred
grapes and ouzo
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 20 MINS
(PLUS RESTING)

60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil,
plus extra to brush
8 medium Balmain or Moreton Bay
bugs, cleaned, halved
2 tbsp finely chopped oregano
1 tbsp finely chopped dill
1⁄2 small white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp each ouzo and red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
380 gm red grapes
Baby Greek basil and toasted za’atar
flatbread, to serve
1 Preheat a lightly greased chargrill
pan or barbecue to high. Brush cut side
of bugs with oil and season. Grill, cut
side down, until meat is lightly charred
and edges start to pull away from the
shell (4 minutes). Turn and cook until
meat is just tender (3 minutes).
2 Meanwhile, to make dressing, combine
oil, oregano, dill, onion, ouzo, vinegar
and honey in a small bowl and season
to taste. Brush half of the dressing over
bugs, then cover loosely and set aside.
3 Toss grapes in oil, place on chargrill
and cook, turning occasionally, until
lightly blistered (4 minutes).
4 Transfer bugs and grapes to a large
platter, then spoon over remaining
dressing and scatter over baby Greek
basil. Serve with flatbread.

SWAP IT OUT
You can substitute
the Balmain bugs with
butterflied prawns.

46

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Everyday

Saganaki with watermelon, and cucumber salad
SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK 5 MINS

2
60
60
2
250
300
250
1
¼
1

small pita bread
ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
ml (¼ cup) Sherry vinegar
tsp sumac
gm kefalograviera cheese (see note),
cut into 1.5cm-thick slices
gm seedless watermelon, rind
removed, roughly chopped
gm baby cucumbers, cut into wedges
small red onion, thinly sliced
cup baby mint leaves
tbsp honey, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 200˚C. Brush pita with
1 tsp oil, place on a baking tray and bake
until golden and crisp (2-3 minutes).

2 To make dressing, place 2 tsp oil,
vinegar and sumac in a small bowl;
season to taste and whisk to combine.
3 Heat remaining oil in a large nonstick frying pan over high heat. Add
cheese and fry, turning once, until
golden (1-2 minutes each side).
4 Toss watermelon, cucumber, onion
and mint in a bowl with 1 tbsp of the
dressing. Drizzle honey over cheese
and serve with salad, crisp pita and
extra dressing on the side.
Note Kefalograviera, a hard sheep’s
milk cheese, is available from
select delicatessens. If unavailable,
substitute kefalotiri or haloumi. ➤

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

47

Everyday

Italian antipasti salad with sopressa dressing
SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK 5 MINS

60
60
½
60
150
1
1
2
80
250

48

ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
gm sopressa, finely chopped
tsp fennel seeds, crushed
ml (¼ cup) red wine vinegar
gm heirloom tomatoes, sliced
small trevisio radicchio, leaves
separated
cup loosely packed basil leaves
store-bought marinated artichoke
hearts, cut into wedges
gm mixed pitted olives, halved
gm buffalo mozzarella, thickly sliced
Focaccia, to serve

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

1 Heat oil in a small frying pan over
medium heat. Add sopressa and cook,
stirring, until golden and crisp (4 minutes).
Remove from heat then add fennel seeds
and vinegar; season to taste and stir to
combine. Set aside to cool.
2 Arrange tomatoes, radicchio and basil
on a platter. Top with olives, artichokes
and mozzarella, then spoon over
sopressa dressing. Serve with focaccia.

ON THE SIDE
To make this salad
more substantial, pair
with seared tuna or
char-grilled chicken.

Peri peri pork belly skewers
with paprika potatoes
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 15 MINS (PLUS MARINATING, RESTING)

4 cloves garlic, crushed
240 gm roasted capsicum, chopped
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp each smoked paprika and
caster sugar
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 kg pork belly, rind removed, cut into
2.5cm pieces
140 gm (½ cup) Greek yoghurt
Baby cos leaves, pickled chillies and
baby lemon balm, to serve
PAPRIKA POTATOES

¼ tsp each chilli flakes and caster sugar
1 tsp each smoked paprika and smoked
sea salt flakes (see note)
300 gm store-bought potato chips

1 To make peri peri sauce, combine
garlic, capsicum, lemon rind and juice,
chilli flakes, paprika, sugar and vinegar
in a small food processor and process
until smooth; season to taste. Place
pork in a large bowl. Add half of the
marinade, toss to combine and set
aside for 30 minutes.
2 Preheat a lightly greased chargrill
pan or barbecue to medium-high heat.
Thread pork onto 12 metal skewers and
brush with oil. Grill skewers, turning
occasionally and basting with marinade,
until lightly charred and cooked through
(5-6 minutes); cover loosely and set
aside to rest (5 minutes).
3 Meanwhile, to make potato seasoning,
combine chilli flakes, sugar, paprika and

smoked salt in a small bowl. Place
potato chips in a large bowl, sprinkle
with seasoning and toss to combine.
4 Transfer skewers to a platter and top
with lemon balm. Serve with yoghurt,
baby cos, pickled chillies and chips.
Note Smoked sea salt flakes are
available from select supermarkets. ➤

MIX IT UP
This marinade works just
as well with chicken or
quail, says Kell Devitt from
Devitt Wholesale Meats.
If time permits, marinade
the meat overnight.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

49

Everyday

Blackberry swirl
ice-cream with
Cinzano apricots
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 15 MINS
(PLUS FREEZING)

110
250
1
395
250
1
¼
600
6
80
90

gm (½ cup) caster sugar
gm frozen blackberries
tbsp lemon juice
gm sweetened condensed milk
gm mascarpone
vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped,
pod reserved
tsp Himalayan pink salt flakes
ml thickened cream
firm apricots, halved, stone removed
ml (1⁄3 cup) Cinzano Bianco
gm (¼ cup) honey

1 Place a 2 litre-capacity loaf tin in
freezer. Combine sugar, blackberries,
and lemon juice in a small saucepan over
high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally,
until syrupy (10 minutes); transfer to
a bowl and refrigerate until cold.
2 To make ice-cream, place condensed
milk, mascarpone, vanilla seeds and salt
in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
3 Place cream in the bowl of an electric
mixer and whisk until stiff peaks. Fold
mascarpone mixture into cream, then
pour half of the mixture into chilled tin;
add half of the blackberry mixture and
swirl. Pour over remaining cream mixture
followed by blackberry mixture and swirl.
Freeze for 4 hours, or until frozen.
4 For apricots, heat a large non-stick
frying pan over high heat. Add apricots,
cut side down, and cook until golden
and caramelised (2 minutes). Carefully
remove apricots from pan, then add
Cinzano, honey and reserved vanilla
pod; bring to a simmer. Return apricots
to pan, cut side up, and simmer until
tender (2 minutes). Serve with ice-cream. 

We use meat from Devitt Wholesale Meats and fresh seafood
from Fishtales in the GT Test Kitchen and in all our photo shoots.

Taste The Wild
Just like wine has terroir, the taste of the environment in the grape,
so too every Australian Wild Prawn has merroir, the taste of the
wild ocean and rugged, remote place of origin. Meet the hardworking
people who catch your Australian Wild Prawns and discover
the region and species right for your style of cooking.

Scan to discover
your species

australianwildprawns.com.au

You get more with

Australian
Wild
Prawns

Hortopita
Packed with bitter greens, herbs
and salty cheese, this savoury Greek
pie makes for the perfect light meal.

Masterclass

I

t’s an idyllic scene: people of all ages, small knives in hand,
foraging for wild greens – “horta” – on rugged Greek
cliffsides. The various deeply coloured leaves, bitter and
delicious, are breezily thrown together with feta and herbs
to fill crisp golden pastry. Just like its much-loved spinach-only
relative spanakopita, this savoury pie is perfect shared warm
from the oven or packed up for an alfresco picnic.

Pastry substitute
If you’re pressed for time, substitute the olive
oil pastry for golden fillo. Brush the pastry layers
with melted butter before layering into a round
pie tin or rectangular baking dish; fill with greens
then top with a few more layers of fillo.

1

5

4
RECIPE DOMINIC SMITH. PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR. STYLING AMANDA CHEBATTE.

Step by step

1

For olive oil pastry, process 400gm
plain flour and a large pinch of salt in
a food processor to combine to rough
breadcrumbs; add egg and pulse until just
combined. With motor running, gradually
add 80ml extra-virgin olive oil and 100ml
cold water and process until dough just
comes together; turn onto a work surface
and knead until smooth. Halve dough,
wrap each piece in plastic wrap and
refrigerate for 2 hours to rest.

2

Preheat oven to 200°C. Blanch
250gm mixed bitter greens (see tip)
until tender (2 minutes). Drain, refresh,
then squeeze out as much water as
possible in a sieve. Wrap in a clean tea
towel and squeeze out remaining water.
Finely chop greens then transfer to a bowl
along with 200gm crumbled feta, and
2 tbsp each finely chopped flat-leaf
parsley and dill; refrigerate until required.

3

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp extra-virgin
olive oil in a frying pan over high
heat. Add 4 thinly sliced spring onions
and 4 finely chopped garlic cloves; cook,
stirring occasionally, until softened and
starting to colour (5 minutes). Add to
greens mixture and stir to combine.
Season to taste and set aside to cool
to room temperature.

4

To roll pastry, working quickly
with one half of the dough (keep
remainder refrigerated), roll on a lightly
floured surface to a 33cm round. Transfer
to an oiled baking tray, top evenly with
greens mixture, leaving a 3cm border
around the edge. Roll remaining pastry
to a 33cm round. Brush around the edge
of base pastry with egg wash, then top
with second pastry round.

5

To seal edges, curl up sides,
pinching edges to seal. Make a
small incision
in the top of the pie to allow steam to
escape. Brush with egg wash, then bake
until golden and cooked through (25-30
minutes). Serve with lemon wedges. 

Ingredient tips
We used a mixture of silverbeet,
kale and English spinach; remove
thick stems before blanching.
This a great way to use up any
leftover greens in your fridge.
You can also use frozen spinach;
simply defrost then squeeze to
remove excess moisture.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

53

When passionate chefs and Aussie pig farmers
come together, magic happens!
Sharing skills, knowledge and passion,
they bring joy to all things pork.
They are PorkStars.

Left to right
Chef Ben Sinfield – Banh Xeo Bar, Anne-Maria & Frank Vigliante – Taluca Park Free Range, Chef Mike Eggert - Totti’s

porkstar.com.au

Anatomy of a dish

Fattoush

THE ALLIUMS AND HERBS
Thinly sliced spring onions, which offer a grassy heat, add a little
oomph alongside freshly crushed garlic. A generous handful of
herbs – specifically mint and parsley – is also required, while
a sprinkle of tangy sumac gives the dish its Mediterranean flavour.

A virtuous mix of crunchy
vegetables and toasted pita,
this Mediterranean salad
sings of summer.

WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH. PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN PAUL URIZAR. STYLING AMANDA CHEBATTE.

O

ne of Jerusalem’s most
heroed plates, fattoush,
sits on a throne above
all other salads, and
rightfully so. A fragrant jumble of
crisp vegetables, golden pita and
a flourish of sumac, all drizzled
with lemon and olive oil, it’s an
ode to the Mediterranean and
the region’s long, hot summers.
Deriving from the traditional
Egyptian and Levantine fatteh
(pita, topped with basically anything
you like), this dish is almost as
common in Jerusalem as hummus.
In his cookbook, Jerusalem, chef
and author Yotam Ottolenghi says:
“Wherever you go in the city, at
any time of the day, a Jerusalemite
is most likely to have a plate of
chopped vegetables – tomato,
cucumber and onion, dressed in
olive and lemon juice – served next
to whatever else they are having.”
Different variations feature
tweaks in ingredients, but here
we deep-dive into an original.

Find
one

Pomegranate and purslane make
an appearance in the fattoush at
Sydney’s Nour restaurant, while
pumpkin and chickpeas are the star
of the show at Melbourne’s Rumi.

THE VEGETABLES
The summery mix of vegetables that
make up this salad work together in
harmony; cool, crunchy cucumbers are
complemented by sweet tomatoes and
spicy radishes, all of which are chopped
into chunky pieces. Lettuce is optional,
but if you do decide to use it, gem or
cos are the way to go.

THE DRESSING
Lemon and good-quality olive oil are the staples
here, but a little cider or vinegar for tang doesn’t
go astray either. Some recipes have their own
variations, like Ottolenghi’s, which calls for
yoghurt and milk to make a creamy dressing.

THE BREAD
Golden shards of grilled
or fried leftover pita
are the textural element
that make this salad so
special. Add at the last
minute for a crunchier
result, or mix through
the vegetables before
dressing for softer,
chewier fragments.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

55

56

OIL AND VINEGAR

TINNED FISH

SNACKS

Whether you’re cooking with it or simply
drizzling over a plentiful salad or classic
hummus, a quality bottle of olive oil is an
absolute necessity. Choose from grassy
and fruity, or pungent and peppery drops,
depending on your palate. Vinegar, such
as balsamic, is another Mediterranean
pantry essential, used to add zing to
dressings or to flavour marinades.

In Spain and Portugal, tinned fish is
a way of life. You can find anchovies
and sardines, as well as clams and
octopus, on pintxos bar and restaurant
menus alike. These shelf-stored treats
are perfect for impressing impromptu
guests; simply peel back the tin and
serve with fresh, crusty bread (and
a glass of chilled wine).

Pulling together a Mediterranean mezze
platter? In addition to cheese and
salumi, you will need a selection of crisp,
carby vessels. These patatas fritas, or
potato chips, are a heavenly scoop for
taramasalata. While taralli (breadstick-like
biscuits hailing from southern Italy) are
excellent paired with tapenade or tzatziki.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH. PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING HANNAH BLACKMORE.

MEDITERRANEAN
PA N T RY

From Spain and Italy, to Morocco and Turkey, the Med encompasses
21 different countries, each of which meets the sapphire blue coastline of the
famous sea. Here, we hero a few essential ingredients from across the region.

Find these
products at:
The Culinary Club,
Continental Taralli
Biscuits, Pariya,
Ocello, Simon
Johnson, The
Essential Ingredient.

PICKLED VEG

GRAINS

SPICES

Pickled and marinated vegetables, such
as artichokes, olives, capers and turnips,
are an easy way to boost flavour. Try
throwing in some Kalamata olives with
pan-fried fish, or stirring a handful of
capers through a tomato-based pasta
sauce. They bring extra salt, tang and
texture when tossed through salads.

Grains are more than just an add-on
in Mediterranean cooking, they’re the
star of the show. Bomba rice, the hero
ingredient of Spain’s national dish, paella,
is a prime example. Orzo and barley
are the perfect addition to soups, while
farro and couscous make great bases
for hearty salads.

Any good dish needs an element of
spice, and in the Med, they’ve got almost
every kind covered. Our favourites are
smoked paprika, which can be used
as a seasoning for patatas bravas; and
sumac – your go-to when flavouring
a fresh and crunchy fattoush salad
(see p55). Of course, sea salt flakes
play a key role, too.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

57

Eastern rock
lobster

p

60

THE LIFE AQUATIC
We ask the experts to give us a crash course in all things crustacean
this summer, including the most common varieties found in
Australian waters and what to look for when you hit the fish markets.
Words JORDAN KRETCHMER Photography JOHN PAUL URIZAR

Styling AMANDA CHEBATTE

MEET THE EXPERTS
ROCK LOBSTERS

John Susman
Seafood expert, author
and owner of Fishtales

58

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Anthony Yotis and Laura
Di Florio Yotis
Owners of The Fishmonger’s
Son, Melbourne

When buying lobster, make sure it has all its feelers and legs
intact, and make sure it’s not blowing bubbles. “When the
fishmonger picks it out of the tanks, it should be lively and its
tail springy,” says John Susman. Put it under ice once you get it,
which will put it to sleep before you dispatch it, and results in
softer, juicier meat. You can also buy good quality cooked rock
lobster. “Just make sure it smells fresh and sweet, with no notes of
ammonia,” says Susman. When you’re buying a lobster, you also
want to get the most out of it. “It’s not just about the meat. Use the
shells wisely to make a stock, sauce or bisque… Also spend a bit
of time picking the meat out of the legs, because that’s delicious.”

Blue
swimmer
crab

p

61

CRABS

Balmain bug

p

62

BUGS
Slipper or bay lobsters – which
we colloquially call bugs – are
a by-product of the prawn trawling
fisheries. “Currently, there’s
a shortage of bugs,” says Susman.
“You see a lot of this species out of
Indonesia and the Philippines, and
it’s hard to pick where they are from,
so always ask the question of the
fishmonger.” Closely related to rock
lobster, these guys don’t survive
well out of water and are mostly
available cooked or frozen.

Crabs are mostly caught in pots
commercially, and are sustainably harvested
and managed, with minimal impact on the
environment and no bycatch. With all crabs,
the shells should be vibrant in colour and
have a fresh sea aroma. Like all crustacea,
as they grow they drop their shell, and the
soft-shell process begins. At the moment
all soft-shell crab comes from Southeast
Asia, mostly out of fisheries that have
questionable sustainability credentials.
Generally they are quite small and are
juveniles removed from the biomass.
Instead, opt for locally caught crabs where
possible. When refreshing a frozen lobster
or crab, mix a brine – 30 to 50 grams of
salt per litre – then add ice to make a brine
slurry. Add the crustaceans and leave for
10 to 15 minutes. “Because it’s salty, and
the animal is salty, there will be no osmotic
transfer. People say to put it in the fridge
overnight, but that can promote oxidation.
With a really cold, salty solution, that will
protect the animal from the salt coming
out of it, or the fresh water going into it,”
explains Susman. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

59

SOUTHERN ROCK
LOBSTER
You will often see these
in the tanks of Chinatown
restaurants. “Like the
eastern rock lobster, it’s
beautiful to cook because
of its fat content... and has
a really good, crisp texture.”
Like any lobster, it should
be cooked in generously
salted water. “The
measurement I use is
30 grams of salt per litre
of water,” says Susman.

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G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

EASTERN ROCK LOBSTER

WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER

TROPICAL ROCK LOBSTER

Found along the New
South Wales, Tasmanian
and South Australian coast
lines, this rock lobster
hides in holes and crevices
around reefs. It is rarely
exported and tends to have
a firmer texture than other
lobsters. “It has a really
deep flavour profile –
lobster is characterised by
being rich and sweet, and
the eastern rock lobster
has mouth-filling notes of
umami,” says Susman. “It’s
beautiful to cook because
of its fat content.

Often called crays by
Western Australians,
this rock lobster is only
found along the Western
Australian coast, and is
caught in baited pots.
Until two years ago, almost
all of the harvest went to
China. “It’s a fast-growing
species and has a natural
sweetness to it. It can
overcook quite quickly,
but a lot also come to
market ready-cooked,” says
Susman. “On the east coast
we haven’t always seen
a lot live, but now they are
becoming more prevalent.”

Marked by its peacock-like
spots, this rock lobster is
typically hand-harvested,
traditionally by Indigenous
fishermen in the Torres
Strait, and is also found in
Far North Queensland and
northern Western Australia.
“It tends to be great for
sashimi, because it has
those high sweet notes,”
says Susman. Being from
warmer waters, it has
a lower fat content than
other lobsters, making it
more challenging to cook.

SPANNER CRAB
“You can buy these live and
New South Wales has had quite
a good season, and spanners
are readily available,” says
Susman. You can also seek out
good frozen raw meat, ideal for
pasta or risotto. While cooked
spanner crab meat is perfect for
cold entrées or salads. “It has
shellfish-like flavour, and is by
far the best crab meat,” adds
Laura Di Florio Yotis.

MUD CRAB
“The price of mud crabs has
gone up recently because
the quota of mud crabs has
been reduced significantly
in Queensland, which is the
principal region of production for
muddies,” says Susman. They
are feisty critters and should be
stored covered in a damp cloth.

BLUE SWIMMER CRAB
These crabs are harvested
live, but die quickly once they
are out of the water. “Frozen
is a really good way to buy
blue swimmers,” says Susman.
Fisheries plan their harvest
around catching and preserving
the integrity by freezing. The
process occurs at around -60°,
capturing the quality of the crab
at the time. A domestic freezer
at home is around -4° to -8°, and
therefore shouldn’t be used to
store crab for prolonged periods.
If you want to serve cold blue
swimmer crab, such as in a salad
or canapé, buy it precooked. ➤

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

61

MORETON BAY BUG

BALMAIN BUG

Spending most of its life in
sandy and muddy seabeds,
Moreton Bay bugs are generally
more consistent in their flavour.
“They tend to be more lobsterlike,” says Susman. To seek
out locally caught bugs, try
Australian Bay Lobster
Producers, which is a small
facility dedicated to sustainable
land-based aquaculture.

Gaining the colloquial name as
a nod to the Sydney waterfront
suburb of Balmain, these guys
tend to spend most of their lives
in the seagrasses. “They can
be incredibly sweet, through
to smelling of garlic weed,”
says Susman. “The less you
do to these things, the better,
so you can really get to
understand the flavour profile
of them,” says Anthony Yotis.

Moreton Bay bug
Balmain bug

Moreton Bay bugs have
narrower bodies and wider
set eyes, while Balmain bugs
have extra segmentation
on their upper body.

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G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

SCAMPI

YABBY (NOT PICTURED)

MARRON

These delicate crustaceans are
found in deep cold waters off
New Zealand and Western
Australia and are available
frozen. “These things oxidise
very quickly. Because they come
from very deep water, when they
are exposed to oxygen, the meat
disintegrates quickly,” says
Susman. When buying, they
should be consumed or cooked
soon after purchase, and never
refrozen. “Generally they have
a milder and more delicate
flavour than bugs and lobster, as
they feed on other crustaceans
and small fish,” says Laura.

These guys are sustainable,
farmed and can be found in
freshwater dams, but are often
hard to find commercially.
“They take on the qualities of
the water they live in, and so
you have to purge them,” says
Laura. “They burrow into banks,
resulting in a bit more of an
earthy taste.” It’s best to buy
these guys live, or better yet
go yabby pulling. Yabbies can
also last up to a week out of the
water. “They can crawl around
so be careful to store them
accordingly,” adds Laura.

“Marron has a beautiful flavour
and texture,” says Anthony. More
delicate than yabbies, they are
the largest of the different types
of freshwater crays and are
sustainably farmed in South
Australia and Western Australia.
These rare creatures are hard
to come by in markets, and are
best bought live. “If someone’s
really hankering for a marron,
my advice is for them to contact
their favourite restaurant and
ask them for their fishmonger’s
details because they are rarely
found in retail settings,” says
Susman. 

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

63

APPOINTMENT

EATING
To ensure you have a flavourpacked 2022, LEE TRAN LAM
rounds up 22 of the most intriguing
new dining experiences to
mark in your diary.
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G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

1

Nagesh Seethiah cooks scallops in
ghee over charcoal and serves them
with fermented green mango at Manzé,
Melbourne’s first Mauritian wine bar. His
menu reflects the island’s Asian, French
and African influences. Enjoy prawn
samosas, lamb with masala and vegan
vindaye with Mauritian beer, spiced rum
or something great from Moira Tithra’s
wine list, which showcases underrepresented producers. manze.com.au

2

PHOTOGRAPHY TRENT VAN DER JAGT (CASA MERIDA) & PARKER BLAIN (GREENHOUSE).

Sommelier Bridget Raffal cofounded Women and Revolution
to promote female winemakers. Plot
a trip and visit one of her recommended
producers: Irina Santiago-Brown
(Inkwell Wines, McLaren Vale, South
Australia), who creates bright, minimalintervention drops; Shashi Singh (Avani,
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria), who
“makes beautiful shiraz”; Charlotte
Hardy (Charlotte Dalton, Port Elliot,
South Australia), “her barrel-fermented
semillon is a particular favourite of
mine”; or Tessa Brown (Vignerons
Schmölzer & Brown, Beechworth,
Victoria), who runs the winery with
Jeremy Schmölzer – “they are
producing some of Australia’s best
riesling.” womenandrevolution.com.au

From far left: Arkhé’s bar
seating; a Yucatán spread
at Casa Merida; snacks at
Arkhé; Future Food System
in Melbourne.

4

3
3

At Arkhé in Adelaide, Jake Kellie’s
menu is fire-focused: even the
sorbet is made from grilled strawberries.
It’s served tableside with fizzy elderflower
kombucha and elderflower cultured
cream. The dessert is inspired by the
wild flowers Kellie would see in the
Adelaide Hills. arkhe.com.au

4

Chefs Jo Barrett and Matt Stone
have left Future Food System to
join Byron Bay’s Harvest team, but Joost
Bakker’s ambitious Melbourne house
(which generates its own food) is still
open. Tour the mushroom wall, rooftop
garden and other sustainable features.
There are planned chef collaborations,
too. futurefoodsystem.com ➤

5

7

6

8

With dishes such as emu tartare
with anise myrtle and burnt
barbed-wire grass panna cotta with
native raspberry, Three Little Birds
chef Chris Jordan tells stories of his
Indigenous culture via pop-up events.
Catch him at Brisbane’s Gallery of
Modern Art or Home of the Arts in
Surfers Paradise. 3littlebirdsevents.com
At Sydney’s new Paski Vineria
Popolare, chef Enrico Tomelleri
serves variations on tortellini (in brodo,
alla panna) and other Italian classics
(trofie with pesto). Giorgio De Maria and
Mattia Dicati offer drinks by unique
producers, such as unconventional
wine from a monastery north of Rome,
or vermouth by an Italian chemist
who studied old archived recipes.
paski.com.au

At Aura’s Hobart rooftop, Joey
Astorga highlights local ingredients
and the power of flavours developing
with age: there’s bottlebrush sorbet,
created from fermented flowers and
strawberry vinegar; and potato bread
served with macadamia cream and
chickpea miso. aurahobart.com.au
Don’t dismiss The Rocks as
a Sydney tourist trap: Placemaking
NSW’s creative director Joanna Savill
is revitalising the area with new venues.
There’s the 101 George St pop-up from
the Swillhouse team, and Frank Mac’s
– a gin joint with more than 100 juniper
blends worth toasting. therocks.com

Hickson Distillery
in the Rocks. Below
right: from left,
Mattia Dicati,
Giorgio De Maria
and Enrico Tomelleri
of Paski Vineria
Popolare.

The tea selection features
ma lao mit from elevated
Chinese forests so hard to
access, legend has it that
monkeys were taught to
gather the tea leaves.

8
66

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

PHOTOGRAPHY NIKKI TO (PASKI).

6

9

Maurice Terzini and Joseph
Vargetto’s new Cucina Povera
restaurant in Melbourne captures
the resourceful way Italian-Australian
immigrants would turn garages into
second kitchens, where preserves,
sauces, wines and sausages were
produced. It follows on from Terzini’s
recently launched Belongil Beach
Italian Food in Byron Bay, which also
celebrates his European roots.

13
Clockwise from left: premium tea and
Cantonese dishes; and bold interiors
at Uncle Su restaurant on the Gold
Coast; a sustainable cocktail at Re Bar.

10

10

Perth’s Ethos Deli + Dining
Room is undergoing changes:
the current space will become a wine
room featuring no-waste cocktails (made
from apple-core brandy and banana-skin
liqueur), while Melissa Palinkas and
Susan Whelan open a new deli location.
Sydney’s Re Bar expands its sustainable
playbook with its Never Wasted menu,
turning Gelato Messina’s pandan pulp,
Artificer’s coffee chaff and leftovers from
other venues into inventive cocktails.
ethosdeli.com.au; wearere.com.au

11

At Melbourne’s Mamé Cocoa,
Santiago Cuyugan presents
Japanese-style nama chocolate with
yuzu, black sesame and sake flavours.
“I would love to make a Filipino line-up
to tap into my heritage,” he says. His
dream? Mamé Cocoa sweets infused
with ube, kalamansi or dark chocolate
grown in the Philippines.
mamecocoa.com

12

OzHarvest is bringing Massimo
Bottura’s Refettorio concept to
Sydney. Chef Jez Wick will turn rescued
and donated food into menu magic:
think smoked mushroom and shallot
croquettes with burnt onion cream, or
bread and butter caramels with pecans
and burnt butter waffles. The eatery
will also offer free meals to people
facing food insecurity. ozharvest.org

13

The Star’s Uncle Su restaurant
on the Gold Coast offers premium
tea served the traditional ceremonial
way. Executive chef Song Yao Su’s
selection features aged Pu’er from
Yunnan, a green tea with 1200-year-old
heritage, and ma lao mit from elevated
Chinese forests so hard to access,
legend has it that monkeys were
taught to gather the tea leaves.
star.com.au/goldcoast ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

67

14

At Arimia in Western Australia’s
Margaret River region, chef Evan
Hayter uses soaked leaves from the
estate’s “peppy” trees to fuel a fire pit
and cover kangaroo as it’s cooked.
This Indigenous practice finishes meat
evenly and gives it a peppermint flavour.
“Our latest use for these leaves is for
producing our own version of katsuobushi
using green lip abalone and crayfish,”
he says. He shaves it over crayfish
cappelletti, like the bonito flakes they’re
meant to imitate. arimia.com.au

15

At Sydney’s Ante bar, Matt Young
will pour good drops from his
Black Market Sake stock, “including the
last remaining bottles of some seriously
amazing sake that I’ve hoarded for this
exact reason,” he says. Like hard-to-get
Yorokobi Gaijin sake, which Young has
aged for seven years. The menu, by
award-winning chef Jemma Whiteman,
travels beyond Japan’s borders. ante.bar

16

At Tres a Cinco and Grainshaker’s
pop-up bar in Melbourne, you’ll
find drinks by award-winning bartender
Jenna Hemworth (like her take on an
Agua de Valencia) and food by Sarai
Castilla. The chef’s menu leans on her
Mexican background, but has local
twists, like the aguachile that stars
Australian kingfish instead of the
typical prawns. tresacinco.com.au

17

After years of foraging, chef Kane
Pollard realised Australia’s climate
wasn’t defined by summer, autumn,
winter and spring. With Indigenous
entrepreneur Daniel Motlop, who named
his distillery after the Larrakia belief in
seven seasons, the duo will showcase
wild meats, native yams and other
foraged ingredients, paired with Motlop’s
native spirits, at Adelaide’s Tasting
Australia festival. tastingaustralia.com.au

18

FYI for fans of Perth’s Si Paradiso:
Sunnyboy is the team’s new
seafood-celebrating venue. The menu
is by Paul Bentley, the location is by the
coast and the opening is due in April.

68

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Clockwise from from above:
a new cocktail and refreshed
menu and interiors at Sokyo.

19

21

PHOTOGRAPHY ASHLEY LUDKIN (SMITH & DAUGHTERS) & TRENT VAN DER JAGT (CASA MERIDA & SANTA CATARINA).

19

The interiors of The Star Sydney’s
Sokyo have been refreshed, and
so has the menu. Chase Kojima presents
a designer version of a baked potato –
prepared with a bacon-infused crème
fraÎche, chive oil, diced ponzu jelly and
Ibérico ham. He also pays tribute to his
heritage with tuna tartare and crispy rice.
“I like to plate this dish to reflect the
colours and look of the Japanese flag,”
he says. star.com.au/sydney

20

At Shannon Martinez’s new
Smith & Daughters and Smith &
Deli complex, explore the expectationdefying vegan food she’s known for,
including a plant-based mortadella that’s
taken two years to nail, inspired by the
Chinese noodle-making method of
kneading dough under water.
smithanddaughters.com

22

Ingredients thrive at Margaret
River’s Glenarty Road: native
plum pines, Red Centre limes, Queen
Anne peaches and ice-cream beans are
all grown here. Chef Jess Widmer also
makes good use of its 120 macadamia
trees, transforming the nuts into purées
and desserts. Visitors can enjoy them,
cracked fresh, on tours.
glenartyroad.com.au 

21

Sydney’s Milpa Collective is
mapping Mexican cuisine via its
eateries, from Sonora (representing
the country’s north-west) and beyond.
Recently, it’s opened venues that zero in
on specific regions: Casa Merida covers
Yucatán, Santa Catarina has a Oaxacan
outlook, and Londres 126 is dedicated
to Mexico City. milpa-collective.com.au

From top: a Yucatán spread at
Casa Merida; a pisco, blackberry
and lime cocktail at Santa
Catarina; char-grilled brussels
sprouts at Smith & Daughters.

20
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

69

TAKE
one FIG

Lemons and olive oil, bitter wild greens and sweet figs –
Greece’s vegetable-forward cooking tradition is finding
a new audience in Australia, writes NADIA BAILEY.

W

hen Fofi Gourlas was a teenager, her parents
gave her a nickname: hortofaga, or “weedeater”. It was a gently jibing, affectionate
term. In Greek, the word refers to the idea
of a certain bovine-slowness at the dinner table, as well as
a love of eating greens.
Growing up in suburban Sydney in the 1970s, Gourlas
has happy memories of weekend expeditions to the Blue
Mountains to forage for wild dandelions with her mother.
Less pleasant are the memories of her classmates’ horrified
reactions when they clocked what was in her lunchbox –
which was invariably fragrant with the typical Greek flavours
of garlic, oregano and parsley.
“As soon as I unwrapped it, it just reeked,” she says.
“I always felt really embarrassed.” She soon convinced
her mother to pack her a more socially acceptable lunch:
Vegemite sandwiches, made with white bread.
But within the Greek community, things were different.
When her parents arrived in Australia in the late 1950s,
they brought their food traditions with them – a diet rich in
vegetables, in legumes, in the dark leafy greens that Gourlas
loved so much. Fish was eaten once or twice a week, red meat
more rarely. Every Saturday, she would go with her father to
the markets and come home with vegetables by the box:
artichokes, green beans, tomatoes. Her mother would make
prasorizo – a risotto-like dish sweet with caramelised leeks and
aromatic with dill and parsley – hulking pastitsio and pies
filled with salty feta and foraged greens. When Gourlas went
vegetarian at 16, her mother’s cooking barely had to change.
It is this home-style, vegetable-forward way of cooking
that Gourlas has captured in her book Artichokes and Village
Greens; a style that will be familiar to anyone who has grown
up in the Greek diaspora. “It’s the typical Mediterranean
way,” says Gourlas. “In Greece, the focus is on eating a mainly
plant-based diet.”
Not that this would be necessarily apparent from what
you tend to find on offer at Greek restaurants in Australia,

70

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

PHOTOGRAPHY ALAN BENSON (ARTICHOKES AND VILLAGE GREENS, CRU AGENCY, $34.99) & LEAN TIMMS (IKARIA).

where the grill reigns supreme; with souvlaki, gyros and
lamb shoulder at the centre of menus. In the Australian
consciousness, Greek cuisine has become synonymous
with the meat platter. How did this happen?
Gourlas attributes it to the fact that meat was something
of a luxury in post-war Greece. “When Greek migrants came
to Australia, back around the time when my parents did, that
generation felt deprived following the war and the depression
in Greece,” she explains. Plant-based cooking was associated
with poverty back home, and in the new country, meat was
cheap and plentiful. The desire to both assimilate and adapt
to Australian tastes meant that eating habits changed both in
the homes and restaurants of Greek migrants. This kind of
evolution makes sense. But it also meant the diaspora dining
scene sometimes failed to represent the depth and variety of
the cuisine, offering up a version that was much more skewed
towards a carnivorous diet than it ever was in Greece.
In fact, eschewing animal products is baked into the
country’s history. In the Greek Orthodox tradition, the Lenten
fasting cycle forbids the consumption of meat, milk products,
cheese, eggs and fish across almost six months of the year.
“During fast days, it’s essentially a vegan diet,” explains
Gourlas. This means that even though you’re fasting, you’re
still eating well. Lunch on a fast day might involve tomatoes
stuffed with rice, vegetables and fresh herbs rather than the
traditional Athenian mincemeat, plates of horta brightened ➤

In the Australian
consciousness, Greek cuisine
has become synonymous
with the meat platter.
How did this happen?

Fofi Gourlas

Clockwise from left:
Fofi Gourlas, author of
Artichokes and Village
Greens; spanakopita;
cheese tart with rocket,
fig, blue cheese and
date salad. Opposite:
the fishing village of
Armenistis in Ikaria.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

71

Australia’s climate is well
suited to producing the
building blocks of
Mediterranean cooking,
and ingredients are
abundantly available.

72

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

PHOTOGRAPHY LEAN TIMMS (IKARIA: FOOD AND LIFE IN THE BLUE ZONE, HARDIE GRANT, $45) .

Meni Valle

with lemon juice, bite-sized dolmades and soufico,
a symphony of vegetables baked generously in olive oil;
and all this accompanied by a glass of red wine.
Like Gourlas, author and food educator Meni Valle
grew up observing Lenten fasts – in her family, this meant
that every Wednesday and Friday they went without meat
and other animal products. “I didn’t think of it as a religious
thing,” she says. “I just thought this was the way we ate.”
Valle sees the traditional Greek diet as not only
economical, but also particularly holistic. “There’s a whole
category of plant-based Greek cooking called lathera,” she
explains. “Lathi is the Greek word for oil, so lathera are
dishes cooked in oil.” The vegetables are rich in fibre and
antioxidants, while the olive oil imparts healthy fats and
allows the body to absorb fat-soluble nutrients.
“In summer, you’d make lathera with things like green
beans, zucchini, tomato; in winter, you might use cauliflower
and okra; and in spring, artichokes, broad beans and peas.
And lots of olive oil – you don’t put a teaspoon or
a tablespoon, you’re going to put a good glug of it in there,”
she says. “Do not be scared of olive oil.”
Though her family hails from Northern Greece, Valle’s
interest in the Greek plant-based tradition was sparked when
she visited Ikaria. The North Aegean island is one of the
world’s fabled Blue Zones, a term conceived by researchers
Michel Poulain and Gianni Pes to describe specific areas
where people tend to live exceptionally long lives and have
significantly lower rates of chronic disease. Along with
Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa in Japan, Loma Linda in
California and Costa Rica’s isolated Nicoya Peninsula,
Ikaria is a region where the locals have maintained a lifestyle
that combines a vegetable-led diet, gentle daily activity and
a robust sense of community. Though the Ikarian diet isn’t
wholly vegetarian, Valle notes that when meat or fish is eaten,
it’s usually as a side to a vegetable dish rather than the main
meal. “You would have meat maybe once or twice a week,”
says Valle. “A bit of fish, a bit of chicken.”

Clockwise from
far left: kolokithai
pita (zucchini pie);
a seaside house
on the way to
Nas; alfresco
taverna dining
at the port of
Evdilos. Opposite,
clockwise from
top left: Ikaria
cookbook author,
Meni Valle; fried
barbounia (red
mullet); the
fishing village
of Gialiskari.

Unlike mainland cooking, which is richer and heavier,
Ikarian food tends to be lean and pared down, with an
emphasis on vegetable and bean dishes, pickles, olive oil
and herbs. Valle’s book, Ikaria: Food and Life in the Blue Zone,
captures the simplicity and beauty of the region’s cooking,
spanning familiar beats like moussaka and yemista through
to lesser known dishes like kolokithopita (a Greek pumpkin
pie with filo pastry) and volvoi toursi (pickled hyacinth bulbs).
The beautiful thing about this way of eating is that it
requires a small list of ingredients and only simple cooking
techniques to put together a meal. A plate of vegetables baked
in olive oil. Earthy beans flecked with herbs. Crisp fritters
served with tzatziki. Bread, salty cheese, wine. In Australia,
our climate is well suited to producing the building blocks
of Mediterranean cooking, and its raw ingredients – from
garden to grove to field – are abundantly available. At a time
when Australian tastes are evolving alongside a consciousness
of the environmental impacts of meat consumption, Gourlas
and Valle’s books both lay out paths that show how eating
responsibly and eating well are perfectly compatible.
As for Gourlas, it’s been a long time since she’s been
teased for her eating habits. “I went to a park with a friend
and we cut wild dandelions, and had them for dinner,” she
laughs. “Now lots of friends ask me to take them foraging.” ●
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

73

Interviews GEORGIE MEREDITH

74

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

GUY GROSSI, Grossi Florentino, Vic
For me, there are two standouts that I just can’t wait to visit. The first is Dario
Cecchini – the butcher of Panzano in Chianti, Tuscany. His food doesn’t just speak
of heritage, region and tradition, it shouts it from the rooftops. Dario has a number
of spots that show off the amazing bounty from the local Chianina cattle; one is his
family’s macelleria, where you can enjoy meatballs made from lean meat, served rare
and skewered with local rosemary. The other is the restaurant Officina, where you
can have a quintessential bistecca alla Fiorentina experience, which involves a perfectly
grilled T-bone weighing more than a kilo. The second destination has to be Uliassi,
Mauro Uliassi’s amazing beachside dining room in Senigallia. It is a true temple of
gastronomy that flexes the bounty of the sea, teamed with a contemporary take on
local Italian. Dishes like his pasta with octopus, lard and rosemary always stand out,
as do of course the new creations. The whole experience puts you at ease, whether
you’re eating on the patio where you can literally touch the sand and smell the
ocean, or inside the elegant dining room. This is an experience you won’t forget.

PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS MINERVA/GETTY IMAGES (TUSCANY).

BACK ON
THE MENU

Dream no longer –
overseas dining is back
on the cards. Here are
the spots chefs and
restaurateurs are
yearning to revisit,
from Italian seaside
trattorias to road-side
snacks in Vietnam.

Clockwise from above: cooking
over fire at Asador Etxebarri in
Spain; a quiet Tokyo laneway;
outside Asador Etxebarri.
Opposite: a village in Tuscany.

JORDAN TOFT, Mimi’s, NSW
Asador Etxebarri is probably one of my favourite
restaurants out there. It’s off the beaten track, outside
of San Sebastián and Bilbao, in a beautiful farming
and mountain region about 40 minutes away from the
coast. It started out as a little asador in the middle of
town where the locals would go and drink cider and
have tapas and pintxos. And now it’s grown over the
last two decades. When I went in 2008 it was low-key,
all wooden tables, but they were still serving white
truffle and purple congo potatoes. They’re really
famous for simple food, particularly their aged cattle
that they select, age and cook over wood and charcoal.
I’ve been back a few times since. It’s where I found
inspiration for that style of cooking – over fire, simply
done, produce as king and equally pared back.

PHOTOGRAPHY OSCAR OLIVA POZA (ASADOR ETXEBARRI EXTERIOR), MARIANO HERRERA (ASADOR ETXEBARRI DISH),
CON POULOS (TOFT), NIKKI TO (MEAD) & ALEXANDER WESTERMANN/GETTY IMAGES (TOKYO).

RHIANN MEAD, Bennelong, NSW

“It’s off the beaten track, outside of San Sebastián
and Bilbao, in a beautiful farming and mountain
region about 40 minutes away from the coast.”

I can’t wait to visit Sansan in Tokyo
again. It’s a small izakaya hidden away
on a quiet street just a few minutes walk
from Shibuya station. It’s the kind of
place a tourist could easily pass by
without noticing, but when I first
visited I was lucky enough to be with
a friend who lived locally. The owners
come from Fukui, and their aim is to
showcase dishes that represent the
incredible produce from the area.
The sake is also strictly from the Fukui
prefecture and one of the best examples
of sakes I’ve ever had in my life. When
we went, we shared dozens of small
plates – fresh and tempura vegetables,
soba noodles, corn soup, sashimi,
boiled octopus, shellfish and grilled
meats. The sashimi was absolutely
a highlight, it was incredibly fresh and
tasted like tangerine. I asked if the chef
had used citrus to season the sashimi,
and my friend translated a beautiful
story from the owner, who explained
that the fish was sourced from Tsuruga
Bay where they feed off the fruit that
falls from the tangerine trees growing
on the shoreline. The flavour that
came through was incredible. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

75

BIANCA MARCHI, Same Same, Qld

JORDAN THEODOROS, ex-Peel St, SA
It’s not so much a specific overseas restaurant that
I am looking forward to revisiting or trying out for
the first time, but more about going back to places
where I have fabulous food memories. I lived and
worked in Myanmar in the late ’90s and still
reminisce about the time we holidayed on the
east coast – we ate the most perfectly grilled whole
grouper with hand-cut chips while drinking long
necks of ice-cold Mandalay beer in a shanty
makeshift restaurant on Ngapali Beach. All for
less than $3 per head! I would love to get back to
Thailand and Indonesia and feast on street food
from sunrise until late at night. Be it risking a raw
pork larb laced with scuds and sawtooth coriander
in Chiang Mai, a som tum on the run in Bangkok,
or the rich and diverse array of Padang food in the
backstreets of Bali and Lombok.

76

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

ANGELA SCLAVOS, Essa, Qld
With borders reopening
and travel back on the cards,
London is on the top of my
list. It’s a place I have always
wanted to visit. Among the
many amazing restaurants on
offer, the one that has me most
excited is Sessions Arts Club
in Clerkenwell. I love the allure
of entering through the hidden
red door covered in foliage, and
riding the elevator up to the
fourth floor to be transported
to another world. It combines
my love of art and food in a casual
yet elevated way. Everything on
the menu by Florence Knight
sounds incredible, especially the
crab croquettes and the sea bream.

Clockwise from left: sunrise on
the water in Indonesia; the Piazza
del Duomo in Milan; pork belly,
fennel and orange; and the
interiors at Sessions Arts Club.

PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE TURVEY (BOAT), ROSS HELEN/GETTY IMAGES (MILAN) & PHNX AGENCY (SCLAVOS).

I was born in Milan and grew up there, so I’m dying to go back to
an old favourite: Trattoria Milanese. It’s one of the most famous
traditional trattoria from that area. It reminds me of home – I grew
up eating there, every birthday celebration was there, I just love it.
I took my partner Ty there about seven years ago and it was just such
a special experience for the both of us. The most famous dish on the
menu is cotoletta Milanese, it’s like an Italian schnitzel. I also can’t
wait to go back to a bakery called Sissi. It’s this tiny little coffee shop
that makes all its pastries in-house. They’re famous for their brioche,
which is made fresh and filled to order, so you can get fresh cream
or chocolate. It’s pretty incredible. I haven’t been back for three
years so I really hope we can.

SAM YOUNG, private chef, NSW
I left Hong Kong 20 years ago when I was 13 years old, so it’s kind
of become a holiday destination for me now. I always look forward
to going back. I love that you can have really cheap street food or
snacks, but you can also look forward to three-Michelin-starred
restaurants. When I go back, I always eat a bowl of wonton mee
– the way they make the noodles in Hong Kong, and the produce
over there, is always really excellent. The other dish that I always
eat is roast goose, specifically from this restaurant called Yat Lok.
Eating goose in Australia isn’t huge but it’s big in Hong Kong
culture, and a proper barbecue shop is hard to find in Sydney.

London’s Big Ben.
Above: outdoor dining
in Hong Kong. Right:
a colourful building
in Vietnam.

PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTOPHER WISE (HONG KONG), SYLVAIN
SONNET/GETTY IMAGES (LONDON) & JESSE HUNNIFORD (YATES).

JAMIE YATES, Pigeon Whole Bakers, Tas

COSKUN UYSAL, Tulum, Vic
I’d love to go back to London, an all time favourite of mine.
There’s a new Turkish restaurant that’s just opened there called
Zahter. Esra Muslu is the owner and chef – she has a great
reputation for her inventive cooking with fresh vegetables in
olive oil. I love her zucchini flowers stuffed with spiced rice
and cooked in an olive-oil broth. My other destination would
be Kadeau in Copenhagen; it was the sheer warmth of the
welcome I received a couple of years ago that has stuck with
me. In an open kitchen, chefs and staff took such care to
explain the dishes they served to guests, and one sensational
dessert in particular lives in my memory: a smoked yoghurt
ice-cream with burnt butter and roasted quince.

I’m craving those side of the road, tent-type family
eateries in Vietnam. When I was there, I never
really knew what I was going to get. I’d just walk
up, hold up one finger to imply one order (because
I couldn’t speak Vietnamese, clearly) and they’d
bring it over. Those soul-filled, nurturing meals
like co‚m gà, bún bò huê÷ or any phò‚. Riding your
scooter along a deserted road and pulling over at
someone’s home to slurp down a bowl – it’s quaint,
it’s real and it’s incredibly personal. In that
moment the food is everything. You’re hot and
sticky, just like the food. Viet cuisine is so fresh
and moreish, I’m never sick of it. 

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

77

AFTERNOON
DELIGHT

Styling LAUREN DE SOUSA

Photography ALANA LANDSBERRY

78

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Is there anything better than a summer
afternoon spent reading? Yes: a summer
afternoon spent reading – with a drink
in hand. HANNAH-ROSE YEE curates
the best books for hot afternoons.

A

thing I will never tire of talking about,
or writing about, or shouting at
someone at the pub over a plate of chips
and an ice-cold beer about, is a summer
read. Hot days and a big, chunky tome to crack
open and swim around in go together perfectly
for me. Like Elizabeth and Mr Darcy in Pride and
Prejudice (a great summer read). Like Inspector
Adam Dalgliesh and crime solving in any of PD
James’s murder mysteries (fantastic summer reads).
Like Tina Brown and gossiping about the royals in
The Diana Chronicles – which might just be the best
summer read of them all, if you care about the
royal family, or insider newspaper tidbits, or even
the broader landscape of celebrity culture in the
’80s and ’90s, which, naturally, I very much do.
I love reading and I love a good book. But I love
reading a good book even more when the weather
is warm, the days are long and I have nothing
but time to marinate in both. It’s the kind of
indulgence that summer is made for: achievable,
yet deeply satisfying. So go on – indulge. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

79

NON F

IC

TION
TASTE: MY LIFE THROUGH FOOD
STANLEY TUCCI (FIG TREE, $45)
Moreish and gin-soaked and gossipy
– like the very best long summer lunch
– Stanley Tucci’s memoir Taste is an
absolute delight. First of all, the man
can write. More importantly, he can cook.
Within these pages you’ll find recipes for
pasta alla Norma, slow-cooked ragù and
the perfect martini, as well as stories to
accompany them regaled with vim and
vigour. Tucci generously includes his
wedding menu in the book, too, a delicious
insight into his relationship with second
wife Felicity Blunt – yes, Emily’s sister
– complete with five desserts and pasta
served at one in the morning. Heaven.
PAIR WITH: An ice-cold Martini, of course.
With olives.
MY UNAPOLOGETIC DIARIES
JOAN COLLINS (W&N, $49.99)
The clue is in the title: these are Dame
Joan Collins’ unabashed writings from the
year 1989 right up until 2009. Collins has
been a diarist since adolescence and you
can tell; her entries are spirited, dishy and
succinct. Cameos from Princess Diana,
Rupert Everett and Elizabeth Taylor will
keep you entertained, but it’s Collins’
sparkling memory and eye for a good
anecdote that is the real drawcard here.
PAIR WITH: An Angelo Azurro – aka a Blue
Angel. The height of ’80s decadence.
THEROUX THE KEYHOLE
LOUIS THEROUX (MACMILLAN, $34.99)
If you’ve ever wanted a window into
the fascinating mind of one of the most
fascinating minds, this is it. The multihyphenate Louis Theroux – journalist,
documentarian, podcaster, author and
beyond – turns the questions on himself
in this new release, pondering his life in
lockdown, his relationship with his wife
and children and his career highs (and lows).
PAIR WITH: A mind expanding concoction
of ice cold Absinthe.

80

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

NON F

IC

TION
MANIFESTO BERNARDINE EVARISTO
(HAMISH HAMILTON, $35)

Booker Prize-winning writer Bernardine
Evaristo is a literary treasure, and
Manifesto is her latest feat. A thrilling
collection of essays that takes an
unflinching look at her experience as
a Black female author and the racism
and sexism she has faced along her
path to phenomenal success.
PAIR WITH: Charlotte Dalton 2021
A Change is Gonna Come Pinot Noir.
THE HOUSE OF GUCCI
SARA GAY FORDEN
(HARPER COLLINS, $22.99)

You’ve seen the film. You’ve watched
Lady Gaga and Adam Driver camp it up
onscreen. Now read the unbelievable true
story of the scandalous 1995 murder of
Maurizio Gucci, scion of one of the world’s
most recognisable fashion families. This
impeccably researched book by journalist
Sara Gay Forden served as the source
material for the Lady Gaga film, but trust
us, the full saga is even wilder. Beach
reading doesn’t get better than this.
PAIR WITH: The most on-trend drink of
summer, yuzushu.

STOLEN FOCUS JOHANN HARI
(BLOOMSBURY, $32.99)

Bestselling author Johann Hari has
a unique gift for examining a subject
everyone is talking about and unpicking
it at the seams. He did so with anxiety
and depression in his 2018 book Lost
Connections and he’s doing it again this
month with Stolen Focus, an investigation
into our inability to pay attention to anything.
It’s not just the fault of the pandemic or
mobile phones, says Hari, but our diet,
pollution, the fact that we don’t read
enough and our constant switching of
gears both at work and at home. This is
a fascinating read, released just in time
for a new year.
PAIR WITH: A detoxifying cold brew of
green tea and fresh mint. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

81

CTIO

FI

READ
S

N

COOPER NOT OUT JUSTIN SMITH
(MICHAEL JOSEPH, $32.99)

It’s summer, and who doesn’t love a story
about small country towns, cricket and the
triumph of an underdog? This charming novel
follows Sergeant Roy Cooper, an otherwise
unimpressive man who has never been
dismissed in all his years batting for his local
cricket club. When a big city sports columnist
catches wind of his prowess, he just might
find himself representing the nation at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground.
PAIR WITH: A jug of Pimm’s and dry, of course.
We prefer ours with cucumber, mint and
plenty of ice.
WAHALA NIKKI MAY
(DOUBLEDAY, $32.99)

Three best friends, all mixed race women in
London in their mid-30s, navigate the chasm
between expectation and reality. Three big
personalities. One shocking twist. Wahala is
a ride of a read, sharp like a knife and full of
insight into female friendship. A hugely buzzy
book that you’ll want to pack in your bag for
a weekend away.
PAIR WITH: A Chapman, Nigeria’s
signature drink.
THE LAST WOMAN IN THE WORLD
INGA SIMPSON (HACHETTE AUSTRALIA, $32.99)
The Miles Franklin- and Stella Prize-longlisted
novelist Inga Simpson has crafted a finelytuned thriller in The Last Woman in the World.
Pacey and unputdownable, the story centres
on a woman living in isolation in the Australian
Outback asked to welcome a stranger and
her sick baby into her home. A true nail-biter.
PAIR WITH: An ice cold Australian lager.
82

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

A GREAT HOPE JESSICA STANLEY

FI

N

READ

Set against the backdrop of our postKevin07 political landscape, A Great Hope
is an epic and engrossing read about
John Clare, a charismatic trade union
leader whose mysterious death unravels
the fabric of his family’s lives. Debut author
Jessica Stanley weaves her characters
and their perspectives together with ease;
from Sophie, John’s forthright blogger
daughter, to his pristine Melburnian wife
Grace, and Tessa, his brilliant colleague.
An Australian saga to sink your teeth into.
On sale February 22.
PAIR WITH: A lip-puckeringly dry sauvignon
blanc. Classic 07 vibes.

S

CTIO

(PICADOR, $32.99)

A THREE DOG PROBLEM
S.J. BENNETT (ZAFFRE, $29.99)
This cosy murder mystery series imagines
Queen Elizabeth II as a Miss Marple-esque
super sleuth – and Buckingham Palace
as a den of murderous iniquity. Soothing,
smart and just a little bit silly, A Three Dog
Problem involves a body in a swimming
pool, a palace in disarray and a
nonagenarian monarch with a knack for
crime-solving. What more could you
possibly want?
PAIR WITH: The Queen’s signature tipple:
gin and Dubonnet.

LOVE AND OTHER PUZZLES
KIMBERLEY ALLSOPP
(HARPER COLLINS, $29.99)

A good romantic comedy is hard to find,
but Love and Other Puzzles is all that and
more. Meet Rory, a planner and list-maker
and go-getter doing everything right, who
can’t understand why it all feels wrong. So,
for a week, she decides to make decisions
based on clues in the New York Times
crossword puzzle. This Australian novel
is warm and witty and wise – the kind of
book you’ll want to spend all weekend
in bed with. On sale February 2.
PAIR WITH: Something sparkly and pink. 
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

83

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FOOD
JANUARY

La Vita è Dolce
by Letitia Clark

PHOTOGRAPHY CHARLOTTE BLAND.

p

106

The sweet life
Hellenika’s modern Greek feast, light
and bright Mediterranean recipes, and
Letitia Clark’s Italian-inspired desserts.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

87

GRECIAN
88

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

ODYSSEY

Recipes SIMON GLOFTIS
Food preparation REBECCA LYALL

Words FIONA DONNELLY
Photography CHRIS COURT
Styling VIVIEN WALSH

Brisbane’s Hellenika takes us on
an Aegean adventure with a modern
spin on authentic Greek flavours. Opa!

Chicken souvlaki
SERVES 4-6 AS A MAIN // PREP TIME 15 MINS //
COOK 20 MINS (PLUS MARINATING, RESTING)

“We use free-range, skin-on and
bone-out chicken thighs, and marinate
them for at least a day,” says Simon
Gloftis. “The onion paste acts as
a tenderiser as well as being there
for flavour.”

D

reaming of nabbing a lazy Mediterranean-style breakfast by the pool next
time you’re in Brisbane? How about fat slices of oozy soft-boiled egg,
scattered with salty bottarga, sitting on a bed of taramasalata on toast? Or
as it’s described on Hellenika’s menu – eggs with eggs with eggs. It’s just
one of the signature dishes served at the Sunshine State's top Greek eatery.
More than a decade after the opening of the first Hellenika on the Gold Coast
– it’s now at the Calile Hotel – Hellenika has grown into something more elaborate.
But the estiatorio’s warm taverna heart still beats strongly. For owner Simon Gloftis
it’s all about respecting family traditions by using the best produce he can find.
“I’m able to put the food I want on our menu. It’s authentic Greek food – the food
I had in my grandmother’s house. Okay, sometimes it’s tweaked a little,” he laughs.
Known for an almost forensic approach to searching the best producers, Gloftis
says using the tastiest ingredients is non-negotiable, particularly when crafting clean
dishes that don’t rely on forceful spices or sauces. “Produce is the whole ball game.
You can’t shortcut it. You can’t half-arse it,” he says.
One reason Hellenika’s Greek salad is so memorable is because Gloftis buys the
entire plum tomato harvest from Noosa Reds. The fish section of the menu, printed
daily, reads like a primer on the value of establishing strong contacts with suppliers.
Gloftis, who also co-owns SK Steak & Oyster, is old-school. “Restaurants come
and go but Hellenika hasn’t because I won’t allow trends to dictate my menu.”
Respect for tradition informs everything at Hellenika and you can taste that
regard in these recipes. Just don’t cut corners when selecting the ingredients.
48 James St, Fortitude Valley, Qld, hellenika.com.au

90

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

onions, coarsely chopped
tbsp smoked paprika
tsp dried Greek oregano
ml lemon juice
ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra
for drizzling
1.5 kg chicken thigh fillets, trimmed
Lemon wedges and tzatziki or natural
Greek yoghurt, mixed micro herbs
and shaved baby cucumbers, to serve
1 Place onions in a blender with paprika,
oregano, lemon juice and olive oil,
season to taste and blend until smooth
and combined. Transfer to a large bowl
with chicken, season to taste and mix
until combined. Cover and refrigerate
to marinate for 12 hours or overnight.
2 Preheat a lightly greased barbecue or
char-grill pan to high, barbecue chicken,
turning frequently, until charred and
cooked through (15-20 minutes). Rest
for 1 minute before serving.
3 To serve, transfer to a platter, drizzle
with extra olive oil and serve with lemon
wedges, cucumber, herbs and tzatziki
or yoghurt on the side. ➤

PHOTOGRAPHY SEAN FENNESSY (INTERIOR).

Simon Gloftis

2
2
2
15
50

Chicken Pink and
green plates from
Mud Australia, used
throughout. All other
props stylist’s own.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

91

John Dory Palissade
chair from Hay. All other
props stylist’s own.

92

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

CORFU BIANCO

John Dory with potato, onions and lemon
SERVES 4-6 AS A MAIN // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 40 MINS (PLUS STANDING)

“This is a perfect year-round dish, especially in the Australian climate,” says Gloftis.
“It’s hearty enough for the cooler months but the colours are so beautiful, it just looks
like summer on a plate.”

350 ml extra-virgin olive oil
6 small Desiree potatoes (150gm each),
peeled, cut into 1cm-thick slices
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 white onions, thinly sliced
12 spring onions, white and light green
part cut into 1cm pieces
300 ml white wine
¼ cup each loosely packed flat-leaf
parsley and dill leaves, coarsely
chopped, plus extra, to serve
100 ml lemon juice
500 ml fish stock
6 skinless John Dory fillets (150gm
each), pin-boned
Lemon wedges, to serve

1 Heat oil in a large deep-sided frying
pan or flameproof dish over medium
heat. Add potatoes and cook, stirring
gently, keeping the shape of the
potatoes until translucent (10 minutes).
2 Scatter over garlic, onions and spring
onions to cook, stirring gently until
onions are translucent with no colour
(5 minutes). Add wine and reduce by
half (10 minutes). Stir in herbs with
lemon juice and 500ml stock, bring
to a simmer and season to taste. Cook
potatoes until they begin to soften
and edges start to brown (5 minutes).
3 Carefully remove half the potatoes
with a slotted spoon. Place fish over
remaining potato mixture, return
potatoes and spread evenly and
cook until fish is just cooked through
(6-7 minutes); season to taste. Stand
for 5 minutes before serving. Liquid
should be thick like honey – if not,
mash some potatoes and gently stir.
4 To serve, divide potato and fish
between plates and spoon over some
sauce. Scatter with extra chopped
herbs and serve with lemon wedges.
Note If John Dory isn’t available,
substitute small snapper, barramundi
or any other seasonally available small
firm white fish.

Greek salad
SERVES 6-8 AS A SIDE // PREP TIME 15 MINS
(PLUS MARINATING)

“I take a lot of pride in our Greek salad
– it’s probably the most expensive in
Australia (currently $32) but it’s worth
it,” says Gloftis. “The dried oregano
is rubbed by hand. In fact, it’s nearly
a full-time job for someone one day
a week because we sell so many salads.”

6 baby red radishes, trimmed, halved
150 gm pitted Kalamata olives in brine,
drained (see note)
1 large red onion, cut into 3cm pieces
(see note)
2 green capsicum (200gm), halved
lengthways, seeded, cut into batons
300 gm telegraph cucumber, peeled,
halved lengthways, cut into 3cm
pieces
600 gm vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into
3cm pieces
6 Greek golden peppers in brine
(15gm each), drained (see note)
½ cup loosely packed dill sprigs
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra
for drizzling
250 gm barrel-aged feta, drained,
cut into 2cm pieces
10 gm dried Greek oregano, crushed
1 Place radishes, olives, onion,
capsicum, cucumber, tomatoes,
golden peppers and dill in a large
bowl. Pour over vinegar, season to
taste and toss to combine. Stand
for 10 minutes for flavours to develop.
2 Transfer mixture to a large serving
bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Top
with feta, scatter with dried oregano
and drizzle with extra olive oil.
Note It is important to have all
ingredients at room temperature to
take the fridge chill off them. Hellenika
uses white onion and a mix of Kalamata
and Mammoth olives. Greek golden
peppers are available from Greek
grocers and specialty food shops. ➤

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

93

PIPERIES

Char-grilled peppers
SERVES 4-6 AS MEZEDES // PREP TIME 5 MINS //
COOK 15 MINS (PLUS COOLING)

“When I was a kid at every meal there
would always be a block of feta cheese,
a bowl of olives and these peppers,”
says Gloftis. “The trick is to burn the
skin, peel it off while it’s still warm and
salt quite generously. Then let the
peppers sit in olive oil. That’s where
the gold is – when you dunk bread
into the pepper juices.”

6 small mixed bullhorn peppers
(120gm each), pierced
80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Micro parsley leaves, to serve
1 Preheat a lightly greased barbecue
or char-grill pan to high. To cook
peppers, grill, turning frequently
until charred, softened and cooked
through (12-15 minutes).
2 Transfer to a heatproof bowl, cover
with foil and stand at room temperature
for 1 hour for skins to loosen. Remove
skins, taking care not to break peppers;
and discard. Make a small incision in
side of each pepper and carefully
scrape out seeds; discard seeds.
3 To serve, transfer to a serving plate,
scatter with micro parsley leaves and
drizzle with extra olive oil.

94

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Silverbeet and veal dolmades with tzatziki
SERVES 6-8 AS MEZEDES // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 1 HR 5 MINS (PLUS COOLING)

“Our dolmades are a bit more substantial than most Greek dolmades. They’re
bigger and we use silverbeet to wrap them instead of vine leaves,” says Gloftis.

Ari Onassis
MAKES 1 // PREP TIME 5 MINS

“This is a beautifully refreshing
summer cocktail. It really is the
perfect combination of old-school
and innovation,” says Gloftis.

60
30
30
1
2

ml Mastiha liqueur (see note)
ml St Germain Elderflower liqueur
ml Hendrick’s gin
tbsp lemon juice
cucumber sticks, to garnish
Ice cubes, to shake

1 Place all ingredients into a cocktail
shaker with ice; shake until well
combined and chilled. Double strain into
a coupe or martini glass and serve with
fresh cucumber sticks. Makes 100ml.
Note Mastiha (or mastika) is a sweet
pine-scented Greek liqueur made by
distilling the resin from the mastic tree,
native to Chios.

125 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra
for drizzling
2 onions, finely chopped
75 gm speck, rind removed, finely
chopped
150 gm medium grain white rice
1.2 litres chicken stock
1 00 ml lemon juice
2 tbsp each finely chopped flat-leaf
parsley and dill
3 tsp smoked paprika
1 kg veal mince
3 bunches silverbeet, leaves picked,
stalks removed, plus extra leaves,
for lining pan (about 38 leaves)
Tzatziki, to serve
1 Place a large heavy-based saucepan
with 80ml oil over medium-high heat.
Add onions and speck and cook, stirring
occasionally until onion has softened
and has no colour (4-5 minutes). Add rice
and stir until coated in oil (1-2 minute).
Stir in 200ml stock and 50ml lemon juice
and cook stirring until liquid is absorbed
(6-8 minutes) the rice will be par-cooked
at this point. Stir in herbs and transfer to
a large oven tray and spread out;
refrigerate to cool completely.

2 Meanwhile, bring a saucepan
three-quarters full of water to the boil.
Blanch silverbeet leaves, in 3 batches,
until just wilted (30 seconds); refresh
in iced water, then drain and pat dry.
Cut out centre white stalk from each
leaf leaving only green leaf.
3 To roll dolmades, remove rice mixture
from fridge and transfer to a large bowl.
Add paprika, 2 tsp sea salt flakes and
1 tsp cracked black pepper along with
raw mince; mix until combined. Roll
mixture into 40gm balls and place on
lined oven trays. Makes 38 balls.
Working with one silverbeet leaf at
a time, place a leaf on a work surface
then place a ball in the centre; fold in
sides and roll firmly to enclose. Repeat.
4 To cook dolmades, line base of a large
saucepan (40cm-diameter) with extra
leaves and tightly pack dolmades into
saucepan in a single layer; add remaining
stock, lemon juice and oil then weight
down with a heatproof plate. Bring to
the boil, then simmer over low heat until
rice is cooked (40-45 minutes). Transfer
dolmades to a shallow dish, drizzle with
extra olive oil and cool slightly.
5 To serve, transfer dolmades onto
a platter, drizzle with extra oil and
serve with tzatziki on the side. ➤

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

95

HTAPODI

Grilled octopus
SERVES 4-6 AS MEZEDES // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK 15 MINS (PLUS DRYING)

“When I first started using South Australian octopus I had to fly down and meet the
fishermen because they wouldn’t give me any. It took me four or five months to convince
them to do it. It’s the best octopus out there!” says Gloftis. Begin this recipe a day ahead.

1.2
2
2
60

kg octopus, cleaned, tenderised
tbsp lemon juice
tsp dried Greek oregano
ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus
extra to serve
Charred sourdough, charred lemon
cheeks and micro parsley, to serve

1 To prepare octopus, cut tentacles into
individual lengths. Place on a wire rack
over an oven tray and leave to dry out
in fridge for 24 hours.

2 Preheat oven to 220˚C. Grease and
line 2 large oven trays with baking paper.
To cook octopus, place on prepared tray
with 2-3cm space between each tentacle
and roast until reddish in colour and
moderately firm to touch (10 minutes).
Remove from oven, return to wire rack,
and stand in fridge until cooled completely
and drained from any cooking juices.
3 To make dressing, place lemon juice,
oregano and oil in a bowl, season to
taste and whisk to combine.

4 Preheat a lightly greased barbecue or
char-grill pan to high. Char-grill tentacles
until all juices and liquid have evaporated
and tentacles are charred (6-8 minutes).
Roughly cut into pieces. Place in a bowl
with half the dressing, season to taste
and toss to combine. Transfer to a plate
drizzle over remaining dressing, scatter
with micro parsley and serve with
charred sourdough and lemon cheeks.
Note Ask your fishmonger to clean and
tenderise the octopus.

GALAKTOBOUREKO

Baked filo custard with orange syrup
SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 1 HR 10 MINS (PLUS COOLING)

“I love eating this one cold from the fridge. But really, it’s best eaten straight
off the bench about an hour after it’s finished cooking,” says Gloftis.

270
18
1.2
1
400
3
65
85

gm butter, coarsely chopped
sheets filo pastry
litres milk
tbsp vanilla bean paste
gm caster sugar
eggs, lightly beaten
gm cornflour
gm plain flour
ORANGE SYRUP

200 gm caster sugar
2 small oranges, thinly sliced
1 Place butter in a saucepan over low
heat and skim occasionally until milk
solids separate and butter is clarified
(10-12 minutes). Strain through a fine
sieve lined with muslin (discard solids)
and keep warm.
2 Brush a 5cm-deep, 24cm x 30cm
baking tray with clarified butter, trim filo
96

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

to size, then line base of tray with
4 sheets of filo, brushing sheets with
clarified butter as you layer them.
3 To make custard, bring milk and vanilla
paste to the boil in a saucepan over
medium heat. In a large bowl, whisk
the sugar and eggs together, then mix in
the flours, until combined. Gradually stir
in half of the warmed milk until smooth
and combined; then gradually stir in
remaining milk mixture. Transfer to
a large clean non-stick heavy based
saucepan and place over medium heat.
Cook, whisking continuously until ribbon
stage (when beaters are lifted, batter
falls from beaters like a ribbon) and
thickened; be careful not to scramble
eggs (8-10 minutes).
4 Preheat oven to 165˚C. Pour in batter
mixture, smooth top, then top with

remaining filo sheets, brushing each with
butter. Brush top with butter and lightly
score top in a rectangle pattern; bake
until pastry is golden (40-45 minutes).
5 Meanwhile, to make orange syrup,
combine sugar and 100ml water in
a small saucepan over medium heat and
stir until sugar has dissolved (5 minutes).
Add orange and bring to a simmer; cook
until slightly reduced (8-10 minutes).
Cool to room temperature.
6 Stand galaktoboureko on a wire rack
in tray for 1 hour. Pour over half syrup.
Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before cutting
to serve. To cut, run a sharp knife along
the edge of the pastry. Following the
rectangular pattern, slice into desired
size portions. Use a pallet knife to lift
out. Serve drizzled with extra syrup. 

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

97

A WAY
Eat like you’re on holiday with light and bright recipes
from this new book, Food from the Mediterranean.
Food photography ALICIA TAYLOR
Travel photography HANNAH BLACKMORE

Styling OLIVIA BLACKMORE

OF LIFE
Grilled sardines
with agrodolce
dressing

p

104

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

99

Green shakshuka with Brussels sprouts,
olives and labne
SERVES 4 // PREP & COOK TIME 30 MINS

Sicilian green olives and labne give this classic North African and Middle Eastern
dish a Mediterranean twist, making it perfect for breakfast, lunch or tea.

80
300
1
2
150
125
8
60

ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
gm small Brussels sprouts, halved
medium leek (350gm), thinly sliced
cloves garlic, crushed
gm kale, coarsely chopped
ml (½ cup) vegetable stock
eggs
gm (¼ cup) pitted Sicilian green
olives, chopped
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
125 gm (½ cup) labne

100

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

1 Preheat grill to high.
2 Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large
heavy-based ovenproof frying pan over
medium heat. Add Brussels sprouts and
cook, stirring, until browned and almost
tender (3-4 minutes). Add leek, garlic
and kale; cook, stirring occasionally,
until vegetables soften (5 minutes).
Stir in stock and bring to a simmer.
3 Using the back of a spoon, make
eight shallow indents in the mixture.
Break 1 egg into each hollow. Place
pan under hot grill for 6-8 minutes or
until egg whites are set and yolks remain
runny, or until cooked to your liking.
4 Meanwhile, combine olives, parsley,
lemon rind and remaining oil in a small
bowl; season to taste.
5 Serve shakshuka topped with
labne and olive mixture. ➤

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

101

102

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Saffron and lemon rice
with fried onion
SERVES 4 // PREP & COOK TIME 1 HR 15 MINS

The addition of saffron imparts
a beautiful golden colour to the rice
while adding a sweet-earthy flavour.
A delicious vegetarian meal in its own
right, this dish also makes a lovely side
with grilled or barbecued meat or fish.

½
2
300
560
80
200
½
¼
40

tsp saffron threads
medium lemons
gm (1½ cups) white basmati rice
ml (2¼ cups) chicken or vegetable
stock
ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
gm pickling onions (about 5),
thinly sliced (see note)
cup flat-leaf parsley leaves,
coarsely chopped
cup fresh dill, coarsely chopped
gm (½ cup) flaked almonds, toasted

1 Combine saffron and 2 tsp boiling water
in a small cup. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2 Cut 1 lemon into 5mm slices. Finely
grate the rind from the remaining lemon,
then squeeze; you will need 1 tbsp rind
and 2 tbsp juice.
3 Rinse rice in a sieve under cold
running water until water runs clear.
Add rice, saffron mixture and stock to
a medium saucepan over high heat;
bring to the boil. Place lemon slices
on rice. Place lid on pan, reduce heat
to low; simmer for 12 minutes. Remove
pan from heat; stand, covered, for
10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.
4 Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan
over medium-high heat; cook onions,
stirring, until golden and crisp (7 minutes).
Drain onions on paper towel.
5 Transfer rice to a large bowl with
lemon rind and juice. Add half the
onions, half the combined herbs and
half the almonds; season and stir gently
to combine. Serve rice topped with
remaining onions, combined herbs
and almonds.
Note Pickling onions look like brown
onions but are about half the size and
slightly sweeter. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

103

Smoky eggplant
with sumac onions
SERVES 4 // PREP & COOK TIME 45 MINS
(PLUS COOLING)

Sumac brings a sharp citrus flavour to
dishes and is an essential ingredient in
Mediterranean cuisine, used in cooking
and as a condiment.

1
2
1
3
190
1
1
2

small red onion, very thinly sliced
tbsp lemon juice
tsp sumac
medium eggplants (600gm)
gm (⅔ cup) Greek yoghurt
tbsp tahini
clove garlic, crushed
tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Toasted bread, to serve

1 Heat a chargrill pan or barbecue
to high. Combine onion, 1 tbsp of the
lemon juice and ½ tsp of the sumac
in a small bowl; set aside.
2 Prick eggplants all over with a fork.
Cook eggplants on the chargrill pan
or barbecue, turning occasionally, until
skin is charred and flesh is very tender
(30 minutes). Place eggplants in a large
sieve over a large bowl; drain. Cool.
3 Meanwhile, combine yoghurt, tahini,
garlic and remaining lemon juice in
a small bowl. Season to taste.
4 Remove and discard skin from
eggplants, keeping tops intact. Halve
flesh and arrange on a serving plate.
Season well. Drizzle eggplant with oil.
Spoon yoghurt sauce over eggplant;
top with sumac onions and remaining
sumac. Serve with toasted bread.

104

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Grilled sardines with agrodolce dressing
SERVES 4 // PREP & COOK TIME 25 MINS

This agrodolce (sweet and sour) Italian recipe uses currants and
grapes for sweetness and vinegar for a sour note. Pictured p99

80
1
170
2
60
50
750
1

ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced
gm (1 cup) red grapes, halved if large
tbsp currants
ml (¼ cup) red wine vinegar
gm (⅓ cup) pine nuts, toasted
gm fresh sardines, cleaned
tbsp chopped thyme
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

1 Heat 60ml (¼ cup) oil in a large,
deep frying pan over medium-high
heat; add onion and cook until softened
(4 minutes). Add grapes and currants;
cook for 1 minute. Add vinegar; simmer
for a further minute or until slightly
reduced. Stir in pine nuts.
2 Rub sardines with remaining oil;
season and sprinkle with thyme. Heat
a chargrill pan or barbecue to high;
cook sardines until lightly charred
(2 minutes). Turn and cook for a further
minute or until cooked through.
3 Serve sardines with agrodolce
dressing, topped with parsley.

Baby snapper in crazy water
SERVES 4 // PREP & COOK TIME 35 MINS

The key to this dish is a well-flavoured “acqua pazza” or crazy water,
where tomatoes and chilli are added to make the water “crazy”.

2
5
1
1
¼
2
2
½
2

kg ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
cloves garlic, 1 chopped, 4 thinly sliced
cup basil leaves
tsp caster sugar
cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil
baby snapper (600gm each), cleaned
long red chillies, finely chopped
cup (125ml) dry white wine
baby fennel bulbs, thinly sliced,
fronds reserved
400 gm mixed cherry and grape tomatoes
4 thyme sprigs
½ cup marjoram leaves
Chargrilled sourdough, to serve

1 Blend chopped tomatoes, chopped
garlic, basil, sugar and 1 tsp sea salt
flakes in a blender until smooth. Pour
into a large fine sieve over a large bowl;
push liquid through sieve using a ladle.
2 Heat oil in a large heavy-based
saucepan over medium heat; cook
fish for 4 minutes on each side or
until golden. Transfer to a plate.
3 Cook sliced garlic and chilli in same
pan until softened and starting to colour
(4 minutes). Add wine; cook for 1 minute
or until evaporated. Add fennel, mixed
tomatoes, herbs and 1 litre (4 cups)
of the tomato liquid; season to taste.
Bring to the boil and return fish to pan.
Reduce heat to low and cook, covered,
for 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook for
a further 5 minutes or until fish is just
cooked through. Season to taste and
serve with chargrilled sourdough. ●

This extract from Food
from the Mediterranean
by The Australian Women’s
Weekly Test Kitchen (Are
Media Books; $34.99)
has been reproduced with
minor GT style edits.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

105

Sun-kissed

Roast stuffed
peaches with
almond crumble

p

109
Photography CHARLOTTE BLAND

sweetness

GUTTER CREDIT

In her second cookbook,
La Vita è Dolce, food writer
and pastry chef LETITIA CLARK
indulges in the desserts of Italy.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

107

Letitia Clark

A

steaming bowl of pasta is a very fine
thing, but it’s the gelato eaten in the
dappled sunshine a few hours later that
really delights, and in a different way
too, because it is a treat. The knowledge that it is
something special, a little luxury, an indulgence,
not just sustenance, makes the pleasure even more
poignant. This is because, unlike the majority of
savoury Italian dishes, the focus is not on harking
back to times of poverty and ‘la cucina povera’,
but instead a celebration of the arrival of sugar
in Italy, introduced by the Arabs.
Italians have a sweet tooth to rival my
own, and while Italian sweets are sometimes
internationally overlooked, there are enough
cakes, biscuits and pastries to keep even the
sweetest tooth content. The variety is extraordinary,
and of course, as with all Italian food, each region
has its own specialty.
Whether made at home, bought in a pasticceria
or eaten in a bar, in Italy, a little something sweet
is eaten every day. It could be a heaped spoonful
of sugar in the early morning or post-lunch espresso,
or a cookie or slice of cake for breakfast: there are
always opportunities for a moment of sweetness.

108

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Roast stuffed peaches with almond crumble
SERVES 8

“Towards the end of summer, Italian peaches swell to the size of small melons, and
the gradation of colours on their skin rivals the most exquisite painting: blush pink,
speckles of gold and scarlet dimples, saffron yellow,” says Letitia Clark. Pictured p187

80
30
1
30
30

gm amaretti biscuits
gm whole almonds
tbsp demerara sugar
gm butter
gm (¼ cup) 00 or plain flour
Pinch of salt
Zest of ½ a lemon
4 firm but fragrant peaches, halved,
stone removed
Amaretto (optional), for drizzling
Mascarpone, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 170°C.
2 Place amaretti biscuits, almonds,
sugar, butter, flour, salt and lemon
zest in a blender and pulse until
a rough crumble. Take walnut-sized
pieces of mixture in your hand and
squeeze, forming 8 rough balls.
Press each ball into the hole of each
peach half to create a false stone.
3 Place peaches in a baking dish
and sprinkle over Amaretto. Transfer
to oven and bake until peaches are
tender and slightly shrivelled (1 hour).
4 Allow to cool slightly, then serve
with mascarpone.

Sparkling lemon sorbetto in lemons
MAKES 1 LITRE (4 CUPS), ENOUGH TO FILL AROUND 6 LEMONS

“Lemon sorbetto, or simply sorbetto as it is known in Sardinia, was originally made
from just three ingredients: water, sugar and lemon,” says Clark. “Most bars and
trattorias will have a large machine constantly churning a slushy lemon sorbetto
mix to be sold in little Champagne flutes with a straw at the end of a meal.”

250 ml (1 cup) lemon juice
(roughly the juice of 8 small lemons),
plus the zest of 1 lemon
280 gm (1¼ cups) white sugar
100 ml water
200 ml fizzy water (preferably a salty
brand like San Pellegrino)

1 If you wish to serve the sorbetto
inside lemons, cut off 1cm from the
bottom of the fruits to create a flat
surface for them to stand upright. Cut
the top off (a larger 2-3cm here to create
a hat) and reserve as a lid. Scoop out
the flesh as if preparing a Halloween
pumpkin and squeeze flesh through
a sieve to obtain juice for the sorbetto.
Freeze lemon shells before using; they
look much more effective slightly frosty,
and will keep sorbetto colder for longer.
2 Place lemon zest in a small saucepan.
Add sugar and still water and bring to the
boil. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until syrupy.
3 Strain syrup through a fine sieve into
a bowl (discard zest). Stir in lemon juice
and fizzy water then transfer to an
ice-cream machine and churn.
4 Serve in hollowed-out lemons. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

109

Ricotta, pear and hazelnut layer cake
SERVES 8-10

“This classic southern Italian cake originated in the late 1990s in Minori, created by the
renowned pastry chef, Sal de Riso for his eponymous pastry shop,” says Clark. “It is
a beauty to look at and to eat, and is impossibly chic without requiring too much effort.”

FOR THE CAKE

170 gm hazelnuts
100 gm butter, melted, plus extra for
greasing
3 eggs
150 gm (⅔ cup) white sugar
70 gm 00 or plain flour
Pinch of salt
FOR THE RICOTTA FILLING

600 gm ricotta
150 gm (⅔ cup) white sugar
300 ml (1¼ cups) cream
FOR THE PEARS

300 gm pears (4-5 small pears), peeled
and cored
50 gm (¼ cup) white sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
100 ml (scant ½ cup) water
Half a vanilla bean or a few drops
of vanilla extract
1 Preheat oven to 170°C. Spread
hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast
in the oven until light brown (10 minutes).
Set aside to cool. Increase oven
temperature up to 180°C.
2 To make the cake, grease and line
a 23cm spring-form cake tin. Place eggs
and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer
fitted with a paddle attachment and mix

110

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

on medium speed until pale, fluffy
and tripled in volume (3 minutes).
3 Grind hazelnuts to a fine powder
in a food processor then fold through
egg mixture, along with flour and salt.
Fold in melted butter then pour batter
into prepared tin.
4 Bake in oven until risen and golden
(20-30 minutes). Remove from the oven
and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove
from tin and slice in half horizontally.
5 For the filling, beat ricotta and sugar
until completely smooth (2-3 minutes).
6 In a separate bowl, whip cream to firm
peaks; then fold through ricotta mixture.

7 Cut pears into 2.5cm pieces and place
in a small saucepan with sugar, lemon
zest, water and vanilla bean or extract.
Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat
and poach pears very gently until tender
and translucent (10 minutes). Remove
from heat and stir in lemon juice. Strain
through a sieve, catching syrup in a bowl
to use later. Discard zest and vanilla bean.
8 Paint exposed sponge layers with
syrup using a pastry brush. Place the
bottom half of the cake on the base of
the spring-form cake tin with the ring
around it, to help you build your cake
and keep the sides contained.
9 Stir cooled pear pieces into ricotta
mixture, then spread mixture on top of
the sponge in the tin. Place the other
sponge half on top (fitting it into the
cake tin) and press down gently.
10 Transfer cake to fridge and leave to
set for a few hours, ideally overnight.
11 Release cake from tin and transfer
to a serving plate. Sprinkle with icing
sugar before slicing and serving.
Note You can decorate the cake with
some extra hazelnuts and/or a slice
of candied pear. ➤

“This classic southern
Italian cake is a beauty to
look at and to eat, and is
impossibly chic without
requiring too much effort.”

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

111

1 Preheat oven to 180°C.
2 Using a pastry brush, grease a 23cm
cake tin with melted butter (you can
use a bundt or a standard round tin).
3 Place all remaining cake ingredients in
a blender and blend to a smooth batter.
4 Pour batter into cake tin and spread
evenly. Bake until risen and golden
(40-45 minutes). Set aside to cool.
5 Meanwhile, to make syrup, combine
sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan
and simmer over low heat until syrupy
(3 minutes). Pour syrup over cake and
leave to cool completely before turning
it out onto a serving plate.
6 To make glaze, place icing sugar in
a bowl. Add 2 tbsp of the lemon juice
and mix thoroughly, adding more juice
depending on your desired texture.
7 Drizzle glaze over cake before
slicing and serving.

Almond, ricotta, olive oil and lemon drizzle cake
SERVES 8-10

“This is based around one of my favourite classic English cakes, the saintly
lemon drizzle,” says Clark. “Like lemon drizzle, this cake is moist, citrusy and
extremely satisfying to make and eat.”
FOR THE CAKE

250
200
100
150
2
200

112

Melted butter, for greasing
gm ricotta
ml (scant 1 cup) olive oil
gm (1 cup) ground almonds
gm (1¼ cups) 00 or plain flour
tsp baking powder
gm white sugar
Pinch of salt

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

4 eggs
Zest of 3 small lemons
FOR THE SYRUP

70 gm (⅓ cup) white sugar
Juice of 3 small lemons
FOR THE GLAZE

250 gm (2 cups) pure icing sugar
2-3 tbsp lemon juice

This extract from
La Vita è Dolce by
Letitia Clark (Hardie Grant,
$50) has been reproduced
with minor GT style edits.

Perfect pure
panna cotta
MAKES 6

“The simplest, purest panna cotta,
flavoured only with vanilla, and with
a perfect wobble,” says Clark.

400
100
50
1
2

Flavourless oil, for greasing
ml cream
ml milk
gm (¼ cup) white sugar
vanilla bean, split
leaves gelatine (3-4gm)

1 Using a pastry brush, lightly grease
6 ramekin-size or espresso cup-size
moulds with oil.
2 Combine half the cream with milk,
sugar and vanilla bean in a saucepan
over medium heat and bring to a scald.
You will see small bubbles appearing
at the edge of the pan when it is ready.
Remove from heat.
3 Soak gelatine in a bowl of cold water
to soften. Squeeze as much moisture
as you can from the gelatine then add
to hot cream mixture and stir to dissolve.
Add remaining cream to mixture, then
strain through a sieve into a jug,
removing vanilla bean.
4 Pour panna cotta mixture into
prepared moulds, transfer to the fridge
and leave to set for at least 4 hours.
Remove from fridge around 15 minutes
before serving to take the chill off.
5 To serve, turn out panna cottas from
their moulds onto serving plates. 

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

113

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TRAVEL
JANUARY

Coastal cruising

The art of Mediterranean living, exploring
McLaren Vale, a chef ’s guide to Istanbul,
luxury new openings around The Med,
and how to cruise like an Italian.

Milos,
Greece

128

PHOTOGRAPHY VANGELIS PATERAKS.

p

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

115

The art of…
Mediterranean living
This summer is about living the good life, and la dolce vita
has never tasted sweeter, says ANNA HART.

116

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

The art of travel

ILLUSTRATIONS GETTY IMAGES.

T

Anna is a travel
and lifestyle
journalist, and
author of the
travel memoir
Departures.
@annadothart

he word “Mediterranean” is one of
education in good living. I returned from Athens
those transcendental words that we
vowing to drizzle pine-scented honey over crumbly
see, taste and feel the moment we hear
triangles of white cheese forevermore. Spanish tapas
it. Immediately evocative of grassy,
has been so ubiquitous that it’s almost difficult to
aromatic olive oil, unctuous chunks of broken
find a restaurant that doesn’t have “small plates”
bread, the scent of lemons, the sweet sensation
as a menu heading. The Italian ritual of aperitivo
of sunshine and salt on bare skin, it’s useful
– Spritzes and snacks at sundown – is surely one
shorthand for a way of eating, and a way of living,
of the boldest, practically neon, signs of a civilised
that we all aspire to.
nation. The Mediterranean is essentially a finishing
And yet despite its enviable global brand
school for bon vivants, every nation offering its own
recognition, the word buckles under pressure.
dense curriculum on how to extract the most
Some 20 sovereign nations are technically classed as
pleasure possible from food, and from life.
Mediterranean, a wide variety of
One of the core tenets of
cultures with distinct cuisines,
Mediterranean dining is that
The Mediterranean is
from Albania to Syria. Ever
what we do with food, we do in
essentially
a
finishing
since the British cookery writer
our lives, and therefore passion
school
for
bon
vivants,
Elizabeth David first described
and pleasure should suffuse
a unified Mediterranean cuisine
every dish. Every plate is
every nation offering
in her 1950 recipe book A Book
a platform upon which we
its own dense
of Mediterranean Food, chefs and
perform our beliefs about
curriculum
on
how
writers have tried to pin down
ourselves. Feed yourself like
the strong yet slippery image she
royalty, and you’ll feel like
to extract the most
conjured up. But neither the
pleasure possible from royalty… and this has nothing
criteria of a trinity of “olive,
to do with how much money
food,
and
from
life.
wheat and grape”, nor physical
you spend. It took me a long
contact with the Mediterranean
time to realise this, something
Sea, quite nails it. Portugal doesn’t have a coastline
the Italians have known for aeons, but the penny
in the Med, and yet Portuguese cuisine is
finally dropped for me, in Rome. This is why the
unmistakably Mediterranean in character.
Italians excel in producing affordable “peasant food”
David herself writes of “those blessed lands of
that is fit for kings. But when in Rome, I fed myself
sun and sea and olive trees”. It’s the word “blessed”
like a queen. I ate platefuls of ricotta-stuffed ravioli,
that is most telling. Mediterranean eating, and
I snacked on fried artichokes, I fuelled myself around
Mediterranean living, is all about abundance. An
the Pantheon on a potent café granita. I fed myself
abundance of flavours, an abundance of pleasure,
like a queen, and by the end of the weekend, I felt
an abundance of satisfaction. Mediterranean food
like a queen. For the first time in a very long time.
is about feeling blessed – every dish a delicious
Rome’s robust Mediterraneanism certainly
delight, every mealtime a harvest celebration, every
worked its magic on me, and I would heartily
day a holiday. And so we shouldn’t be surprised
recommend a course of Mediterraneanism to
that our tastebuds are clamouring for
any lockdown-wearied traveller.
Mediterranean flavours. We’ve been through
Some of the most Mediterranean travel
two years of periodic bouts of pleasure scarcity,
experiences I’ve ever had have been in Northern
a rationing of the pleasure we take, not just from
California, New Zealand’s North Island, Australia’s
our plates, but from people and pastimes and places
Barossa Valley and Stellenbosch in South Africa.
we love. Of course we’re hungry for salted sardines,
They share some geological decorations, true, but
croquettes, slow-roasted tomatoes and artichokes…
more importantly, these are magical Mediterranean
and the abundance that underpins it all.
destinations where life feels abundant, easy and
My first international trip, after a decidedly
pleasurable. The Mediterranean that inhabits
un-Mediterranean lockdown in London, was to
our imaginations is not a geographic reality, it’s
Rome. I wasn’t going to mess around with any
a philosophy, a manifesto for good living, that
weaker representatives; I knew I wanted to hurl
is right for now. It’s an intoxicating daydream
myself headlong into la dolce vita.
of endless summers, freshly harvested produce,
When I visit a classic Mediterranean destination,
gatherings of family and friends and the sybaritic
such as Italy, France, Spain or Greece, I expect an
pleasures of coastal life, salt and sunshine. 
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

117

COASTAL
VINES

A taste of the Mediterranean with a distinctly Aussie
twist awaits at McLaren Vale. SUSAN GOUGH HENLY
discovers the best places to dine, drink and play in
South Australia’s greenest wine region.
Photography DUY DASH

The sprawling
gardens and
vines at Coriole
Vineyard.

O

n the Fleurieu Peninsula, just 40
kilometres south of Adelaide, McLaren
Vale is an undulating, vineyard-latticed
valley meandering down through
a horseshoe of hills to a pristine coastline
rimmed by aquamarine waters.
Moderated by sea breezes and enlivened by
immoderate winemakers and assorted other
characters, it embodies a sweet spot of nurtured
nature, what might even be called a Mediterranean
state of mind, done in a distinctly Aussie way.
“Gulf St Vincent sure resembles the
Mediterranean, only we have better sand,” says
Mark Lloyd of Coriole Vineyards. His son, Peter,
adds, “We’ve certainly taken some cues from the
Old World but, with our ease and openness,
we’ve developed our own home-grown style.”
A magnet for Italian immigrants after World
War II, McLaren Vale became one of Australia’s
first areas to grow olives and almonds. Today,
it’s Australia’s “greenest” wine region, with the
country’s highest number of certified biodynamic
and organic vineyards. There are more than 80,
mainly family-owned, cellar doors while the
Saturday Willunga Farmers Market champions
hyper-local gourmet goodies from the land and
sea. “It’s our community larder,” says Salopian
Inn restaurateur and chef Karena Armstrong.
“We’re hugely blessed where we live,” says
winemaker Stephen Pannell, “I try to create wines
that suit our soils, climate and way of life – wines
that I want to drink with the food we grow and eat
here. We live in a country we wish was cooler but
is only getting hotter. I’ve been experimenting with
Italian, Greek, Spanish and Portuguese varieties
to make wines that reflect our sense of place.”
“We may be a casual bunch, but we’ve become
passionate about coming together as a community
to protect this beautiful bit of land,” says Armstrong.
“We’re surrounded by vineyards framed by olive
groves and it only takes five minutes to get to the
beach. People come here to relax and swim and
just be. That’s why we all love it so much.” ➤

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

119

Clockwise from
left: chef Tom
Tilbury in the
garden at Coriole;
petit four at
Gather at Coriole;
Hiramasa kingfish
at Salopian Inn;
oyster pearl,
buttermilk and
sunrise lime
at Maxwell
Restaurant.

Feast on
Tom Tilbury’s
thoughtful
dishes of bright,
interesting
ingredients that
deliver the
purest of
flavours.

E AT
Salopian Inn
Former Icebergs Dining Room and Bar and
Billy Kwong chef Karena Armstrong is at the
helm of the eclectic Salopian Inn, a McLaren
Vale institution. Her sublime dumplings and
pork buns go down a treat with a cocktail or
two from the 190-strong gin list from around
the world and Australia. The mains offer riffs
on ethically sourced local meats with organic
kitchen garden veggies along with wines from
their beautifully curated list. Corner Main and
McMurtrie Rds, McLaren Vale, salopian.com.au
Maxwell Restaurant
Michelin-trained Fabian Lehmann delivers
delicate morsels in an inspired dégustation
menu at McLaren Vale’s high-end dining venue.
There’ll be house-baked sourdough from local
stone-milled spelt flour and dishes that celebrate
the estate’s own limestone-cave-grown mushrooms,
while the new spring menu delivers gems like
trout with pickled carrot ribbons and homegrown horseradish. Olivers Rd, McLaren Vale,
maxwellwines.com.au
Gather at Coriole
Sit in front of a roaring fire under the grapevinedraped pergola or in the shade of the mulberry
tree with sweeping views of vineyards stretching
all the way to the sea and feast on Tom Tilbury’s
thoughtful dishes of bright, interesting
ingredients that deliver the purest of flavours.
Hello kangaroo, karkalla coastal succulents,
muntries and hay emulsion. There are marinated
Coriole olives and Kris Lloyd Artisan cheeses,

120

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

too. It all works perfectly with their foodfriendly Italian varieties. 79 Chaffeys Rd,
McLaren Vale, coriole.com
Little Wolf Osteria at Mitolo Wines
Chef Vincenzo La Montagna keeps it authentic
and delicious at this airy modern Italian
restaurant fashioned out of shipping containers
with gorgeous views to the Willunga Range.
Think the finest salumi, blue swimmer crab
spaghettini, big steaks char-grilled over the
hearth and an abundance of salads perfect for
sharing over a long lunch. 141 McMurtrie Rd,
McLaren Vale, mitolowines.com.au
Victory Hotel
This legendary gastro pub is always pumping.
Head to the cellar to choose your wine from
publican Doug Govan’s extraordinary, wellpriced global collection. Rub shoulders with
the locals over a burger and a juicy grenache
or some Coopers’ beer-battered King George
whiting with a McLaren Vale fiano.
Main South Rd, Sellicks Hill, victoryhotel.com.au

Below: the Cube
at d’Arenberg.
Right: vines in
McLaren Vale.

d’Arry’s Verandah at d’Arenberg
Set in the original homestead, stalwart d’Arry’s
Verandah showcases locally sourced products
spiced with flavours from around the globe.
The service is excellent and the outlook stunning.
The lobster bisque is arguably more famous than
The Cube. Enjoy simpler lunch fare at Eat@Polly’s
in the quirky building home to d’Arenberg’s cellar
door (after you’ve checked out the wine sensory
room and Alternate Realities Museum).
Osborn Rd, McLaren Vale, darenberg.com.au
The Currant Shed
Anything by chef Wayne Leeson and the team at
this top-notch lunch spot is memorable. Dishes
are driven by what is in season (and what they can
harvest from their kitchen garden) but an all-year
round highlight is the entrée of pork, peanut,
chilli and bean sprouts. The six-course chef’s
selection (with paired wine) is the way to go.
104 Ingoldby Rd, McLaren Flat, currantshed.com.au

Pizzateca
Classic Napoli-style thin-crust, wood-fired pizza,
antipasti, and char-grilled lamb are made with
love by the Mitolo family for Aussie families to
devour at tables on the grass under the gum trees.
319 Chalk Hill Rd, McLaren Vale, pizza-teca.com
The Little Rickshaw & Pearl
In nearby Aldinga, two newcomers are drawing
rave reviews from the locals. In a pint-sized
rustic tin shed, The Little Rickshaw charms
with sparkling fresh Southeast Asian delicacies,
while beachside Pearl channels a Greek Island
taverna vibe with its sustainable offerings of
calamari, whiting, school prawns and mussels.
thelittlerickshaw.com.au, pearlaldingabeach.com.au
Star of Greece
There are few better places to be in the world
than on the deck of the Star of Greece feasting
on a plate of local squid, a glass of McLaren Vale
rosé in hand, looking at the translucent waters
lapping the sandy shore. It’s the next best thing
to having open borders and a boat in the Aegean.
1 Esplanade, Port Willunga, starofgreece.com.au ➤

Chalk Hill Collective does an
enterprising job of blending wine,
spirits and food in one stylish,
relaxed locale complete with views.

Clockwise from left:
the main bar at Swell
Brewing Co; the dining
room at Maxwell
Restaurant; the tasting
room at d’Arenberg.
Opposite: a distiller
at Settlers Spirits;
Chalk Hill Collective.

PHOTOGRAPHY MEAGHAN COLES (CHALK HILL COLLECTIVE).

DRINK
Renowned for grenache, shiraz, and cabernet
sauvignon, McLaren Vale is increasingly winning
accolades for its Mediterranean varieties such
as sangiovese, fiano, tempranillo, nero d’avola,
montepulciano, vermentino, piquepoul, nebbiolo,
and barbera.
With an irreverent bunch of winemakers at
the helm, it also wins the award for some of the
quirkiest wine names in the business: April’s
Dance Sparkling, Little Demon Fiano, Derelict
Vineyard Grenache, Monkey Bum Shiraz, and
The Mongrel Sangiovese set the tone.
Check out iconic wineries such as Wirra Wirra
whose late founder Greg Trott was McLaren Vale’s
mischievous vinous Pied Piper; d’Arenberg whose
quirky art-filled Cube embodies its moniker of
“the art of being different”; and classy Coriole,

Australia’s Italian varieties’ trailblazer. Other
must-visits include Gemtree to get the lowdown
on biodynamic winemaking and explore its eco
trail; Primo Estate, which offers olive oil, Grana
Padano, and wine tastings; SC Pannell to sample an
appealing array of Mediterranean varietals; Maxwell
Wines with its passion for mead and mazes; Italian
champions Serafino, Mitolo, and Vigna Bottin;
Hither & Yon, South Australia’s first certified
carbon neutral winery; and other gems such as
Shingleback, Samuel’s Gorge, Yangarra Estate,
Samson Tall, and Bec Hardy Wines.
The rising popularity of alternative varieties
and the wine community’s welcoming nature
attracts adventurous new blood to the region.
Among them, emerging brands such as Silent
Noise, Sherrah Wines, Lino Ramble, Varney
Wines, Brash Higgins and Aphelion Wine.
And in a trifecta, the Chalk Hill Collective
does an enterprising job of blending wine, spirits
and food in one stylish, relaxed locale complete
with breathtaking vistas. Taste Chalk Hill and
Alpha Crucis wines, sample a range of awardwinning gins at Never Never Distilling Co and
feast on northern Italian-style pizzas and other
street food at Cucina di Strada.
Don’t stop there. Craft breweries such as Swell
Brewing Co, South Coast, Kick Back Brewing,
Shifty Lizard, Vale Brewing and Goodieson
Brewery are must-visits as are Settlers Spirits and
McCarthy’s Orchard Cellar Door for apple and
pear cider, heirloom fruit and produce, and
old-vine wine, too. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

123

S TAY
Old Chaff Mill
The artfully restored stone and glass Old Chaff
Mill offers two double-storey suites each with
spacious bathrooms, contemporary kitchens, and
living areas enriched with historic artefacts. The
Millery sports a combustion heater and secluded
outdoor clawfoot bath while The Granary features
a Juliette balcony with views over the vineyard.
Fresh local goodies for breakfast and welcome
nibbles include the estate’s own shiraz and olive
oil. Enjoy treatments and massages at the spa
tucked into the atmospheric pond-side former
dairy. It’s minutes to Silver Sands beach and
a short drive to the heart of the vineyards.
371 Plains Rd, Sellicks Hill, oldchaffmill.com.au
The Jetty
For beach views, The Jetty looks out over Port
Willunga’s stunning coast and is a stone’s throw
from The Star of Greece restaurant. There are
four modern apartments to choose from. Views
(and sundowner locations) don’t get much better.
16 Esplanade, Port Willunga, thejettyportwillunga.com.au

The artfully
restored stone
and glass Old
Chaff Mill offers
two double-storey
suites enriched
with historic
artefacts.

Hotel California Road
Hotel California Road at Inkwell Wines is a luxury
micro-hotel for adults only. Set in the vineyards on
a private floor, each king suite features an expansive
deck, soaking tub with floor-to-ceiling windows
overlooking the vines, a floating king bed and all
the mod cons. 377 California Rd, Tatachilla,
inkwellwines.com
The Vineyard Retreat
With six distinctive (including one fully accessible)
self-contained guest houses, generously stocked
with local provisions and complimentary minibars,
and each with private decks, The Vineyard Retreat
offers an excellent base for gourmet touring and
its concierge services are perfect for those seeking
insider’s guidance. Enjoy a soak in the retreat’s hot
tub with panoramic views to the water. 165 Whitings
Rd, Blewitt Springs, thevineyardmv.com.au 

Clockwise from
top left: inside
The Granary’s
bathroom and
bedroom at the
Old Chaff Mill; The
Vineyard Retreat.
124

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

The Millery
at the Old
Chaff Mill.

A FARM-TO -TABLE CAFÉ
I spend two weekends a month in Yeniköy,
which is home to one of my favourite
cafés: Apartıman. It’s run by four siblings.
One brother is in charge of the restaurant,
one sister is in charge of the morning
menu and the other sister is in charge
of the evening menu. They also have
a farm in Kırklareli City, which is close
to the Bulgarian border, that the second
brother takes care of. Here, they grow
ingredients for their restaurant and
make amazing cheeses.

FO O D F R O M H ATAY PR OVI NC E
Çiya Sofrası is the restaurant that I have
been visiting for the longest. Zeynep
Abla, the chef and wife of owner Musa,
is from my hometown. She remembers
me coming to the restaurant with my mum
when I was in secondary school – about
30 years ago. Whatever I was having there
then, I am still having today; the quality
hasn’t changed. I go there to eat seasonal
home-cooking made with traditional
recipes I grew up with.

W H E R E IN D U STRY I NSI D E R S
G O FO R KE B ABS

Istanbul, Turkey
From local lokantas to the best döner, chef
MAKSUT AŞKAR shares his tips on where to eat
and drink in Turkey’s largest city.

N

eolokal, chef Maksut Askar’s restaurant inside the SALT
Galata museum, is one of Istanbul’s most exciting fine-diners
and draws heavily on Askar’s southern Turkish heritage.
Although Askar was born in Hatay – a province on Turkey’s
Mediterranean coast – he has developed a strong understanding of the
diversity of Anatolian cuisine. Best of all, he knows where to find these
regional flavours in Istanbul. Prepare to have your Turkish food horizons
broadened at these must-visit locations.

126

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

W H E R E WO RK E R S E AT
AWAY FR O M H O ME
In Istanbul, lokantas (cafeteria restaurants)
are important. They are where working
people go when home is far, because
they’re the closest meal to feeling at
home. This is an old tradition in Anatolia.
When I’m at [my wine bar] Foxy, I go to
a nearby lokanta called Nato Lokantası
that’s been open since 1952. It makes
daily specials, and what’s cool is that there
are specific dishes made on specific
days of the week, such as kadınbudu
köfte (meatballs).

PHOTOGRAPHY YEVGENIY11/ADOBE STOCK (ISTANBUL).

A CHEF’S GUIDE TO…

For kebabs, I go to one place and one
place only: Adana Ocakbaşı. Most chefs
and restaurateurs go there, so you know
it’s a good place. I am not particularly fond
of eating lamb chops or meat kebabs –
I like offal, and Adana Ocakbaşı makes
really good lamb testicles, hearts, liver,
kidneys and sweetbreads.

A chef ’s guide

CLO S E TO F I NE D I NI N G ,
FA R F R O M ISTA NBU L

For kebabs, I go to one
place and one place only:
Adana Ocakbaşi. Most
chefs go there, so you
know it’s a good place.

T HE ON LY C O CK TAI L
B AR I GO TO
Geyik in Cihangir is the only cocktail
bar I go to. The owner is an amazing,
brave woman who I admire a lot. She
runs the coffee roastery and cocktail bar
all on her own. She does the classics,
plus her own inventions. The bar is
super small with strictly outdoor seating,
so everyone is on the sidewalk. For
me, cocktails are divided into two
categories: Negronis and the “others”.

MY FAVO U R I TE DÖ N ER

PHOTOGRAPHY BUKET YAŞAR (OD URLA).

A V E RY T U RK I S H E X P E RI EN CE
If I wanted to have a real-deal meyhane
(wine bar) experience, I would go to
İnciraltı Meyhanesi in Beylerbeyi on
the Asian side. It offers some very old
meyhane recipes, such as papaz yahnisi
(priest’s stew). Now it’s bonito season,
and bonito is not fatty enough to grill so
it’s perfect for this dish, made with lots
of onions, bay leaves, garlic, sometimes
tomatoes, allspice and a bit of cinnamon.
Another meyhane I go to is Asmalı Cavit
in Beyoğlu. It’s got a great vibe, the
tables are close to each other and it
feels very local.

Everyone has their favourite döner. It’s
a matter of personal taste. I like tail fat
and the taste of lamb. There’s this guy,
Dönerci Engin, who has been making
döner for 35 years. He learned it from
his father and he’s from a city called
Erzurum, which is famous for its döners.
The herbs he uses in the meat marinade
are unique and different from others.
I go there at least once a week. They
have the option of lavash (thin flatbread),
somun (country bread) or flatbread. We
don’t call it flatbread in Turkey: we call it
pide or tombik, which means “chubby”.

If you’re looking for something close to
fine dining in Izmir, try OD Urla – they
serve 500 people a night. I say “close to”
because there’s no way you can do finedining and accommodate such a number.
Still, what chef-owner Osman Sezener
does is incredible. I love him. He works
like a mad person and the crew he
works with is just amazing. 

Clockwise from
top left: the
modern interiors
at OD Urla; chef
Osman Sezener;
sahlep ice-cream
with hazelnut and
pear at OD Urla;
beyin tava (fried
brains) at İnciraltı
Meyhanesi.

ME MO R I ES OF MY
MOTH ER’S C O OK ING
I don’t really crave sweets, but when
I do it’s usually traditional desserts that
my mother makes. Lades Menemen in
Beyoğlu only makes egg dishes and
dairy desserts, like the famous chicken
custard, ekmek kadayıfı (bread pudding)
and kataifi (a type of vermicelli baklava).
I go there for breakfast and whenever
I crave rice pudding made the way my
mum makes it. They’ve been serving
all-day breakfast for almost 50 years.

As told to Jessica Rigg for
The Local Tongue. For more
chef’s guides from around the
world, see thelocaltongue.com

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

127

Escape to
paradise

128

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

The view from
Vora in Santorini.
Opposite: the pool
at White Pebble
Suites on Milos.

A new wave of openings has hit the coastlines of the
Mediterranean to redefine luxury. ANNA MCCOOE discovers
the latest and greatest line-up of what we’ve been missing.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

129

L

ight blue water, white-washed buildings,
bronzed bodies, golden beaches. The
Mediterranean is more than the glittering
basin between southern Europe and North
Africa; it’s an aesthetic trigger. So harmonious is the
sun-bleached colour palette to the eye, that mere
memories switch the brain to holiday mode, suspending
the senses in a glorious state where the full spectrum of
the human experience pares back to in-the-moment bliss.
Ah the Med, it’s been a while. But, while Australia
had our walls up, the operators in this sunseekers’
paradise have upped the ante on their luxury tourism
offering. Old properties were renovated, new terroirs
were claimed by prestigious hotel brands, and modernday themes of sustainability and wellness have rippled
through the coastline. All the while, we hung framed
pictures of umbrella-lined beach bars on our walls,
cooked the region’s cuisines and longingly tracked
their Covid vaccine rollout. Now that we’re ready to
go, it’s time to catch up on what we’ve missed.

Soho Roc House, Mykonos, Greece
Between the thumping beach clubs of Paraga and
Paradise beach, the members-only group’s first
foray into Greece is the antidote to overtourism
– if you can get in. One of the few good things to
come out of 2020, the exclusive British brand took
over San Giorgio hotel and legendary Scorpios
beach club, just a short barefoot stroll up the
beach, where Soho House and Soho Friends
members staying at the hotel can skip the queue.
Back at the 44-bedroom hotel, the look fuses
Cycladic white plaster exteriors with bohemianchic rattan and reed and Soho-certified comforts
(Shoreditch Grind espresso pods and Cowshed
toiletries). The pool is lined with sun lounges,
but the best dipping is directly into the Aegean
via the private jetty.
Bookings require a Soho House membership ($2630
annually) or Soho Friends membership (around $180
annually) which prioritises people in creative industries.
From $326 per night (Soho House) and $435 per night
(Soho Friends), sohohouse.com
Six Senses Ibiza, Spain
A waft of incense from the shamanic smoke
cleansing ceremony that greets guests on arrival
confirms it: altruism is the new hedonism on this
Balearic island. Opening to guests in July 2021, the
newly minted Six Senses outpost is embedded into
the cliffs of Cala Xarraca Bay, at the quiet northern
tip of Ibiza. A temple of wellness and sustainability,
the resort is dotted with massage catacombs, yoga
pavilions and organic gardens, which service both
the spa and four in-house restaurants. The 116
guest accommodations include townhouses, pool
suites and beachfront caves. All this is proclaimed
in the hotel literature to provide “a meaningful
setting for deep spiritual experiences rooted in the
local culture”. We know this is also a soothing
place to nurse an Ibiza-grade hangover.
From $865 per night, sixsenses.com ➤

130

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

PHOTOGRAPHY SOHO ROC HOUSE.

The pool at Soho Roc House
overlooks the Aegean Sea.
Opposite, clockwise from
top: spectacular ocean
caves at Six Senses Ibiza;
the Cycladic white façade
of Soho Roc House is
pure Mykonos.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

131

One&Only Portonovi, Montenegro
With a 238-berth superyacht marina and helipad, Portonovi
has been making a play as “the new Riviera”. One&Only’s
arrival in May 2021 cements this status as a playground for the
haves and have yachts. Built from scratch along 1.2 kilometres
of the Adriatic Sea, the portfolio’s first European property,
also marks a new era of luxury on the untapped white beaches
of the former Yugoslavia. The Balkan beauty hits all the
hallmarks of modern luxury: a spa and wellness program by
Chenot, Michelin-starred chefs, and architecture that puts
a chic new twist on the region’s old Venetian palaces.
From $770 per night, oneandonlyresorts.com

The Experimental, Menorca, Spain
When this next-gen luxury retreat opened in 2019 it was a hot
contender on every design obsessive’s bucket list – just before
everything paused. Now it’s back and buzzier than ever. Built
on 30 hectares in the footprint of a 19th century finca, the
43-room hotel taps into the global agrotourism trend to serve
up horse riding, pottery classes and food sourced from the
hotel’s own garden. And still the setting is Instagram-ready.
Interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon has created a fun
luxury haven in fresh pastel hues and clean, curved lines.
From $291 per night, menorcaexperimental.com
Domes of Corfu, Autograph Collection, Corfu, Greece
New to Glyfada beach on Corfu’s west coast, Domes of Corfu
is a bohemian 233-room resort, which holds the secret to
a successful family holiday: it has places to be together and
apart. There are four new restaurants, a spa, an adults-only
pool, two more pools, Montessori-inspired crèche and kids’
clubs and teen zone. Previously known as the Louis Grand
Hotel, the five-star hotel was privy to a large-scale sustainable
refurb through the slowdown to reopen under Marriott’s luxe
banner in September 2021. From $234 per night, marriott.com ➤
132

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Above: subdued
interiors at The
Experimental
in Menorca;
Right: an infinity
pool at Kalesma
in Mykonos.

PHOTOGRAPHY KAREL BALAS (THE EXPERIMENTAL) & YIORGOS KORDAKIS (KALESMA).

Kalesma, Mykonos, Greece
For all the international chains colonising the coast, hot new
hotel Kalesma is elevating the Mykonos luxury scene, Greek
style. Opened in May 2021, this Cycladic paradise above
Ornos Bay is founded on the local concept of authentic
“philoxenia”, which literally means “love of the foreign”
but is deeply rooted in Greek culture to express open-armed
hospitality. With just two villas and 25 suites, each with its
own infinity-edge pool, the hyper-local property was built on
generations-old family land to include a sunset lounge and
one of Greece’s most hotly anticipated restaurants, Pere Ubu.
From $2022 per night, kalesmamykonos.com

PHOTOGRAPHY GEORGE FAKAROS (DOMES OF CORFU).

The main pool at
One&Only Portonovi
in Montenegro; and
a superyacht available
for charter; a suite at
Domes of Corfu.

Villa Igiea, Gulf of Palermo, Italy
An old hotel made new, this Sicilian glamazonian nabbed
the best spot on the coast in the 19th century when it was
built as a private home. After a pandemic-era renovation,
the palazzo reopened in June 2021 under the hotelier Rocco
Forte banner. On the food and beverage front, the Florio
Restaurant offers refined Sicilian fare while the Terrazza
Bar Igiea and the Alicetta Pool Bar are more relaxed.
From $621 per night, roccofortehotels.com
Concepció by Nobis, Palma, Spain
Fusing Scandi design with deep Spanish roots, this boutique
hotel in a mid-16th century former soap factory is pure eye
candy, designed by Swedish architects Wingårdhs. More
about local flavour than beach, the 31-room boutique hotel
is situated at the junction between the Old Town and
hipster hood, Santa Catalina. The in-house restaurant,
bar and lounge weave together locals and tourists while
the guest-only pool is the place to soak up the atmosphere.
From $321 per night, concepciobynobis.com

134

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Vora, Santorini, Greece
Vora is a “micro hotel” of three cave-like villas carved into
the cliffs over the Aegean. Architects K Studio didn’t dare
compete with the volcanic views over the caldera at sunset.
Instead, muted colours and natural textures harmonise with
nature. The serenity extends to the hospitality approach,
which is intimate and individual and includes access to
private chefs, chauffeurs, in-suite massage services and
yachts for charter. The tiny haven isn’t new, it’s been
operating since 2018, but 2022 will see a fourth villa
complete the vision. From $1290 per night, voravillas.com
White Pebble Suites, Milos, Greece
The topographically blessed island of Milos has a new haven
of cool for travellers seeking a sophisticated barefoot scene.
Opened by Greek-Australian trio Lefka Georgantis, Helen
Logas and Aphrodite Lambrou, White Pebble Suites on the
waterfront of Pollonia, is the culmination of a dream. The
trio engaged Athens-based KKMK Architects to pair their
Antipodean expectations with a local spirit. They responded
with sculptural Cycladic minimalism featuring curved
cement and built-in furniture across 12 rooms.
From $358 per night, whitepebblesuites.com

The topographically blessed
island of Milos has a new
haven of cool for travellers
seeking a sophisticated
barefoot scene.

The Rooster’s tranquil setting
on Antiparos. Clockwise from
top right: sun lounges by the
pool at White Pebble Suites
on Milos; an aerial view of its
Cycladic minimalist design.
Opposite: the pool and
restaurant at Concepció by
Nobis in Palma.

The Rooster, Antiparos, Greece
The antithesis of neighbouring party palaces, Antiparos is
a short ferry from Paros but too far for most fly-and-flop
party seekers. Therein lies its charm. At the heart of the
non-action is The Rooster on Livadia Beach, which is all
about slow living. The wellness resort is centred around
yoga, healing rooms and farm-to-table dining with 17
individual houses, each with a private pool and Aegean
views for days. From $680 per night, theroosterantiparos.com ●

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

135

CHECKING IN

The Tasman, Hobart
We take the guesswork out of local travel with our tips on where
to stay, eat, drink and play. This month, GT heads to Tasmania.

S T A Y

Quick
look

136

The newest addition to Hobart’s burgeoning luxury accommodation line-up is The Tasman, a boutique
hotel with 152 rooms spread over three buildings spanning three centuries. The sandstone-walled
St Mary’s Hospital was built in 1847 and now houses stylish suites with vaulted ceilings, a fireplace
and freestanding tubs as well as the sexy cocktail bar, Mary Mary, and the light and airy Peppina
restaurant. Art deco influences are evident in the rooms within the former government offices building,
built in 1939, while luxurious modernity reigns in the newly built Pavilion wing. There are 270-degree
views encompassing kunanyi (Mount Wellington) to the harbourfront and the River Derwent, plus
a line-up of Tasmanian partners (including Lark Distillery and House of Arras) for minibar provisions.
The Tasman is the first of Marriott’s Luxury Collection hotels to launch in Australia and is located
within walking distance of many of Hobart’s attractions. marriott.com.au

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Where
12 Murray St,
Hobart, Tas
Facilities
Prices from $398
per night for a
standard room.
Gym Yes
Restaurant/Bar Yes
24hr concierge Yes
Free Wifi Yes

WORDS ALIX DAVIS. PHOTOGRAPHY ALPEGOR/STOCK.ADOBE.COM.

Hobart,
Ta s

E X P L O R E

Checking in

Discover Tasmania’s stunning sea cliffs – the tallest in the
southern hemisphere – with a Pennicott boat tour of the
Tasman Peninsula. In addition to the breathtaking scenery,
there’s the chance of spotting dolphins, seals and whales.
Drive yourself to the meeting point and you can also visit
Port Arthur for an imaginatively curated insight into
Australia’s convict past. pennicottjourneys.com.au

Clockwise from
left: Aløft’s dining
room; stracciatella
with wood-roasted
peppers at Osteria
Vista; The Tasman’s
Heritage Suite; the
Tasman Peninsula.
Opposite: Hobart
Harbour.

O F

T O W N

Spend an afternoon gazing at the bluffs of the east coast while enjoying
uniquely Tasmanian cuisine at Van Bone. Hyper-local ingredients are
expertly handled by chef Tim Hardy who almost exclusively uses
a wood-fired oven and grill to create the 13-course set menu that focuses
on sustainability as well as big flavours. The purpose-built restaurant is
a thing of beauty, as are the ever-expanding kitchen gardens.
vanbone.com.au

E A T

PHOTOGRAPHY FELIPE DARIN (ALØFT), DEARNA BOND (OSTERIA VISTA),
ADAM GIBSON (THE TASMAN) & ANDREW MERRY/GETTY IMAGES (TASMAN PENINSULA).

O U T

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

DINNER

Start the day in-house with Peppina’s
Italian-inspired breakfast grazing
table featuring charcuterie, fresh fruit
and a selection of ever-changing
hot dishes or cross the street for
baked eggs with creamed Cygnet
mushrooms and house-made
sourdough or a fresh pastry from
the all-day menu at Daci & Daci
Bakers. On a sunny day (or even
if it’s not) head to Room for a Pony
in North Hobart for a Chinese fried
chilli omelette.

Berta in the CBD offers
sophisticated breakfast and lunch
options in a small but bright
shopfront dining room. Fill up on
a Littlewood lamb roll or enjoy
a sticky pork belly salad with chilli,
mint and cucumber. On Fridays
don’t miss whatever Analiese
Gregory is cooking at Lucinda.
Want to head out of town? Lunch
at Osteria Vista at the Stefano
Lubiana winery is a taste of
Tuscany in the Derwent Valley.

In-house at Peppina, chef Massimo
Mele serves up sophisticated seasonal
takes on the Italian classics he grew up
with in Naples, including his mother’s
ricotta torta. Institut Polaire, just across
the road is a wine bar-cum-bistro that
makes its own wine (you’ll find it in the
minibar in your room) and gin as well
as serving excellent bar snacks and
meals. Aløft at the Brooke Street Pier
offers contemporary Asian flavours in
a sleek Scandi setting with water views.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

137

La dolce
For an island nation, Australia’s boating culture is a far
cry from anything you’ll find in Europe. But if you know
where to look there are still stylish ways to get out on the
water, writes ALEX CARLTON.

vita

PHOTOGRAPHY THOMAS JASTRAM/ADOBE STOCK.

Photography PHILLIP CASTLETON

138

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

JORDAN KRETCHMER WEARS AJE BONJOUR BELTED DRESS IN PALM GREEN.

S

ydney’s usual mid-afternoon breeze is swaying
the shoreside eucalypts and chopping the
bottle-green waves as our ride pulls up at the
Birchgrove jetty in the city’s inner west. Our
skipper, Daniel Da Silva, expertly guides our vessel,
La Dolce Vita, alongside the weathered white pylons.
He looks the part in a crisp shirt and striped epaulettes.
Da Silva may be pulling the levers and turning the
wheel but the boat itself is the real star of the scene.
La Dolce Vita is a classic Italian speedboat,
complete with polished chrome accents. The 26-foot
Comitti Portofino runabout was built in 2002 from
a single African mahogany log and imported to
Australia from its birthplace on Lake Como. Similar
models, usually made by the better-known brand Riva,
swept Brigitte Bardot around the Gulf of Naples in
1963’s Le Mépris, and acted as a getaway vehicle for
the female leads in the 1967 caper Deadlier Than the
Male. They’ve appeared in so many James Bond films
they’re practically a character.
Our mission today, if we
“The Mediterranean choose to accept it, is to find
is naturally calmer out whether we can capture
a little Italian water magic
than our wild on Sydney Harbour.
oceans… the winds
For a land that’s girt by
can be brutal.” sea, Australia doesn’t seem
to have the sort of boating
culture we associate with Mediterranean countries.
One yacht charter insider notes that Australia’s
maritime and environmental regulations make things
difficult; you aren’t allowed to pull up to an Australian
beach and throw on a barbecue like you can around
the coast of Italy, France or Greece, and our shorelines
aren’t dotted with beach clubs or amenity-packed
marinas waiting to welcome recreational seafarers.
Plus, the Mediterranean is naturally calmer than our
wild oceans. “The Whitsundays give you
some sheltered islands to duck into but other than
that charter yachting isn’t like it is on the Med; the
winds can be brutal,” the insider shared.
But perhaps that’s not a bad thing. After years of
Covid lockdown, the Med is reportedly so packed with
boats you can practically cross countries by leaping
from deck to deck. More superyachts clogged the
waterway in the 2021 European summer season than
ever before. Charters were up 340 per cent, a rep from
brokerage firm YachtLife Technologies told Bloomberg.
In July 2021, according to the Financial Times, there
were 834 superyachts bouncing round the waters of ➤

Exploring Sydney
Harbour aboard
Italian speedboat
La Dolce Vita.

PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE BACK (FRONT OF BOAT).

A day on La Dolce Vita
can be punctuated with
prosecco, picnics and
gelato. Opposite: Shark
Beach in Vaucluse.

Greece, 945 in France and 1353 in Italy, which is way
ahead of previous years.
Our stout little ferries, cheesy harbour cruises and
cringeworthy party boats are not examples of Australia
putting its best boat forward, but it’s still possible to
capture a little bit of European elegance on the water.
As the wind whips my hair – I should’ve gone for
a Sophia Loren-style headscarf – we power towards
our first stop: the pretty hidden cove of Lavender Bay
on Sydney’s north shore. The sheltered bay is dotted
with moored sail boats and lined with everything
from modern, clean-lined mansions to whitewashed
wooden boathouses.
We clamber ashore where an Italian picnic has
been set up for us; a selection of cheeses, cured meats
and prosecco, laid out by To Dine For, one of the many
luxury pop-up picnic providers that have ridden the
picnic craze spurred by the end of lockdown. It’s not
exactly the same as charcoaling whole sardines over
olive wood on a remote island in the Cyclades; but,
our position beside the shimmery views of the
Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Luna Park is
still a waterfront view that’s the envy of the world.
After, we head back on board to buzz around
to Barangaroo for classic, velvet scoops at Rivareno
Gelato: pistachio made with nuts from Sicily and
sorbetto cioccolato, a sorbet that’s rich with bitter
dark chocolate. La Dolce Vita can also be hired for
restaurant transfers – for a little slice of Amalfi in
Sydney, we could have chosen to pull up to a mooring
outside Otto at Woolloomooloo or Ormeggio at The
Spit. It’s breezy. It’s pretty. And while Covid rules and
restrictions still make Europe a tricky proposition for
Australians, it’s a worthy stand-in.
Are we on the Riviera? No. But as far as messing
around in boats go, it’s a pretty nice way to get a little
taste of the sweet life.

140

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

M

ORE TO

Our stout little ferries,
cheesy harbour cruises
and cringeworthy party
boats are not examples
of Australia putting its
best boat forward.

RE

EX P LO

1. The Huon River, Tas,
on Danish wooden ketch Yukon

3. The Kimberley, WA,
on boutique adventure boat True North

If you’re interested in boat-talk, then
you’ll want to know that the Yukon is
a 22-metre pole-masted gaff-rigged ketch.
If you’re not, all that matters is that this is
an extraordinarily beautiful sailing boat.
Originally built in the town of Fredrikshavn
on the Jutland peninsula, Denmark, in
1930, she underwent a loving restoration
between 1997 and 2004. She now takes
passengers around Tassie’s Huon Valley,
including trips to Bruny Island and long
lunch charters in collaboration with Fat
Pig Farm. Be quick, she’s earmarked to
disappear on a round-the-world voyage
in mid-2022. yukon-tours.com.au

The beauty of this luxury expedition
ship is that, at just 50 metres and
sleeping 36 passengers, she can explore
untouched corners of Australia’s western
wilderness that other vessels cannot.
The Kimberley Waterfalls adventure
begins in Broome and includes a visit
to the famous Horizontal Falls. The ship
navigates the Prince Regent and Hunter
Rivers and guests can hunt for mud
crabs, barramundi and black-lip oysters
in pristine waterways away from the
crowds. truenorth.com.au

2. The Murray River, SA,
on houseboat The Floathouse

“The Hawkesbury is a bit of a hidden
gem,” says Christina James from
superyacht hire group Yotspace.
Their six-night Hawkesbury River
voyage on the 10-guest Corroboree
begins in Sydney and includes a visit
to the Hawkesbury River Pearl Farm
and exploration of sites of significant
Indigenous heritage around Ku-ring-gai
Chase National Park. And unlike other
charter companies, Yotspace journeys
can be booked by the cabin as well
as exclusive hire. yotspace.com 

PHOTOGRAPHY OLIVER STREWE/GETTY IMAGES..

This is a boat trip for those who don’t
want any part of the actual boating
bit. It’s a charming-yet-luxe stationary
houseboat that’s moored at the river
town of White Sands, an hour’s drive
south-east of Adelaide. The boat sleeps
two and includes a barbecue, kitchenette
and a swim deck if you want to cool off
in the tea-brown waters of the Murray.
airbnb.com.au

4. The Hawkesbury River, NSW,
on superyacht Corroboree

A G o ur m e t Tr av e lle r p r o m o t i o n

Gourmet shopping
They’re the flavours of the month, so put these items at the top of your wish list.
1

Harvey Norman DéLonghi Coffee Machine
connects to the Coffee Link app via wifi for
beverage personalisation – you can set
your preferred aroma level, milk quantity
and temperature, plus access new recipes.
RRP $2199, harveynorman.com.au

4

Krosno’s Avant-Garde collection boasts
clean lines and tapered silhouettes. This
crisp, contemporary glassware range
includes wine, champagne, tumbler and
martini glasses. Available in sets of six
from $49.95, krosno.com.au

7

Liebherr’s newest addition, the Monolith
Wine Cabinet, accommodates 100
Bordeaux bottles across three individual
temperature zones. It’s the perfect built-in
solution for a discerning wine connoisseur.
From $16,490, home.liebherr.com.au

2

Zebrano With all-embracing styles and
sizes from 14 to 24, Zebrano’s collection
covers a wide spectrum of looks from
gorgeously gothic to feminine and flirty,
in beautiful, touchable fabrics that will
make your heart sing. zebrano.com.au

5

Happy Happy Foods create delicious,
plant-based products that are happier for
you and happier for the environment. Their
premium plant-based milks complement
espresso for a smoother-tasting latte.
eatdrinkhappyhappy.com

8

Traeger Grills The Ironwood 885 grill uses
WiFIRE technology so you can adjust your
grill anytime, anywhere from the Traeger
app on your phone. It starts quicker, heats
up faster, and puts out better smoke. RRP
$2899.95, seabreezesupply.co/our-grills

3

Abercrombie & Kent Embark on the
luxury expedition cruise of a lifetime to
extraordinary Antarctica, where towering
icebergs and massive glaciers showcase
flawless beauty. From $18,770 per person,
abercrombiekent.com.au

6

Banks & Solander Discover this boutique
micro-distillery hidden in the back streets
of Botany, NSW. Upgrade your cocktail
experience with their award-winning
gins, limoncello and coffee liqueur.
RRP from $60, banksandsolander.com

9

Serendipity Keep your cool with frozen
delights from Serendipity, producers of
super premium ice-cream and dairy-free
treats in a vast range of flavours. Includes
gluten-free, vegan, kosher and halal.
RRP $10.50, serendipityicecream.com.au

Gourmet Traveller Marketplace

FOOD, WINE & ART

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mod ing clas
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Acc & coo ailable
av
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dini ckages
a
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What s for
dinner?
zestbyronbay.com.au

0400 417 711 • 6 Henry Lawson Dr Mudgee
littlecookingschoolmudgee.com.au

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llo, w

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Botany
NSW

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Celebrate all year round with
our gourmet crackers.

banksandsolander.com
@banksandsolander
@banks_and_solander

AM 19703/21
Rosella Namok
River trees blossom 2021
Acrylic on linen
105 x 85cm

TO ADVERTISE 0405 745 129 I HOMESTOLOVE.COM.AU/DIRECTORY

Phone: 1300 411 342
Email: hello@byronbaycrackers.com
@byronbaycrackers

Gourmet Traveller Marketplace

ACCOMMODATION, FOOD & CLOTHING


ŀijĻį°ąó°ˀijˉzŀįŔÓŗēįˉēèˉŢČÓijĻˉ9įÓÓĂˉèēēÏijˉ°ČÏˉŕóČÓʘˉ

1800 336 153

info@clementinesleepwear.com.au

clementinesleepwear.com.au

Handmade ceramics
from Spain

Elevate your home cooking and wellbeing with the best Mediterranean olive oils;
Choose from medicinal Wild Olive Oil, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil Ladi Biosas, naturally
infused EVOOs, multi-awarded Early Harvest olive oil Agourelaio and many more.

View our full range of high quality extra virgin olive oils at
www.GrecianPurveyor.com
Call us: (02) 8916 6206 I Email us: info@GrecianPurveyor.com

Trophy-winning dairy and
non-dairy ice creams.
Made using artisan techniques &
premium natural ingredients.
Our range includes gluten-free, vegan and Kosher.

serendipityicecream.com.au

A carbon-neutral Australian premium producer.

KNIFE SHOP
A

U

S

T

R

A

L

I

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We stock Australia’s largest range of KNIVES, AXES,
CARVING TOOLS, SHARPENING PRODUCTS & ACCESSORIES.

WWW.KNIFESHOPAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

SHOP 2, 7 WOLVERHAMPTON ST, STAFFORD QLD 4053 (07) 3352 4550
RETAILER ENQUIRIES WELCOME

TO ADVERTISE 0405 745 129 I HOMESTOLOVE.COM.AU/DIRECTORY

www.sunpots.com.au

02 4847 5052 info@sunpots.com.au

Gourmet Traveller Marketplace

ACCOMMODATION & FOOD

MISSION BEACH
holidays

Where to stay...
What to do in tropical paradise

Located at the Gateway to McLaren Vale
with sweeping views of the Onkaparinga
Gorge, Victor’s Place is a destination
restaurant and the home to Varney Wines.
Our menu is carefully curated by Executive
Chef Chris Bone to follow the seasons,
sourcing produce from small local producers
who share our ethos for quality & true flavour.

currong.com.au
Ph: ( 07) 4088 6699
www.missionbeachholidays.com.au

Celebrate & enjoy the holidays
with your 15% GT discount

Open for Lunch and Dinner
Reservations at victorsplace.com.au
victorsplace.mclarenvale

(use code GT15 @ checkout) Offer ends: January 31, 2022

CYGNET COAST HOUSE TASMANIA

A little free range Berkshire
pig farm, butchery & deli.
We create artisan smallgoods &
charcuterie with ethically raised
tasty pork from our farm.
Visit our website for our product
range & delivery locations.
bundarraberkshires.com.au
bundarraberkshires

Stay in luxury, architect designed accommodation on a totally private and
tranquil peninsular, only a few minutes drive to the village of Cygnet.
coasthousetasmania.com | stay@coasthousetasmania.com | Tel 0409 446 290

A new category of drinks
available exclusively at SIMON JOHNSON
We are very excited about returning to Italy next year! To celebrate, we are
offering Gourmet Traveller readers a 10% discount for the duration of January
on all bookings for both our guided and self-guided Italian tours which are
made directly through Hidden Italy. Please mention Gourmet Traveller when
booking. This is not available in conjunction with any other offer. The offer
ends on 31 January. Please see contact details below:

Matthew Jukes is a world-famous wine taster and writer,
based in the UK, and he has worked in the wine trade
_hkho^k,)r^Zkl'

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HOME . FASHION . BEAUTY

Splash out
Breezy home buys, poolside
essentials, summer skincare and
eye-catching ice buckets.

146

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING HANNAH BLACKMORE.

STYLE

Home

AU NATUREL

MERCHANDISING CLAUDIA STEPHENSON. PHOTOGRAPHY LYNDEN FOSS (INTERIORS).

Strip back the colour palette and
create a sense of calm with cork,
linen and shapely earthenware.

FROM TOP Eternal artwork by Thomas Gouws, $1400 framed, Fenton & Fenton.
Italian Murano glass lamp, $3800 for set of 2, The Vault Sydney. Artie Wave
coffee table in Putty, $1605, GlobeWest. Ribbed terracotta vessel, $553, Casa
Shop. Felix Arc 3 seater sofa in Snow, $6340, GlobeWest. Belgian washed linen
long cushion, $80, Adairs. Totem candle holders in Golden Limestone, $140 for
small, $180 for large, Fenton & Fenton. Allegra lounge chair in Sand Cotton, $1560,
Satara. Sun Goddess sculpture by Nadia Robertson, $85, Fenton & Fenton.

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1 Christie Rise and Fall pendant in Bone China, $1448, Dunlin. 2 Arlo napkins in Soft Pink, $34.95 for 4, Salt & Pepper. 3 Alayna Cream and Gold Tribal
Shag rug, from $250, Miss Amara. 4 Plissé electric kettle in White, $270, Alessi Australia. 5 24-piece MetroChic cutlery set in Stainless Steel, $799,
Villeroy & Boch. 6 Kalinda leather barstool, $429, The Banyan Tree. 7 Aerin Lattea Medium vase, $495, Becker Minty. 8 Cappelen Dimyr No.10 rug,
from $5550, Tigmi Trading. 9 Smeg Linea 600mm White Ceramic 4-burner gas cooktop, $2290, Harvey Norman. 10 Delonghi Lattissima One White
Nespresso coffee machine, $449, Winning Appliances. 11 Fiskars Norden large cook’s knife, $189, Finnish Design Shop. 12 Organic White starter set,
$199, Villeroy & Boch. 13 Asko 15-Place Setting Turbo Drying built-in dishwasher in White, $1599, Harvey Norman.

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MERCHANDISING CLAUDIA STEPHENSON.

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Home

COUNTRY COOL

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PHOTOGRAPHY MAREE HOMER.

Rustic farmhouse meets modern
minimalism in this white, bright
and welcoming kitchen.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

149

Style
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St ay

White Pebble
Suites, Milos

White hot
Keep cool in lightweight fabrics in
the palest shades of blue and yellow.

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G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

MERCHANDISING SARAH STERN.

1 Isa Boulder Fickle underwire bikini top, $193, Matches
Fashion. 2 Isa Boulder Course high-rise bikini briefs, $145,
Matches Fashion. 3 Artesano Pinta grosgrain-trimmed straw
hat, $299, Net-a-Porter. 4 Mustique organic linen dress in
Canary, $595, Bondi Born. 5 Victoria Beckham belted pleated
cloqué pants, $772, Net-a-Porter. 6 Alighieri The Unwinding
Answer 24kt gold-plated necklace, $799, Matches Fashion.
7 Postcard belted jumpsuit, $1350, Zimmermann. 8 Khaite
Indira pleated striped jacquard bralette, $687, Net-a-Porter.
9 Johanna Ortiz The Traveller wrap skirt, $643, Net-a-Porter.
10 Hibbert linen shirt in Bright Gold, $375, Orlebar Brown.
11 Jil Sander resin hoop earrings, $845, Farfetch. 12 Bulldog
Blues Vendee stripe swim shorts, $475, Orlebar Brown.
13 The Row Meera slingback sandals, $1262, Net-a-Porter.
14 Muuñ Rosa G round basket bag, $221, Matches Fashion.
15 Loewe + Paula’s Ibiza sunglasses, $578, Net-a-Porter.

Pool side
Lounge in style with these chic
and playful summer essentials.

PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING AND MERCHANDISING LAUREN DE SOUSA.

From top: Bianca visor in Natural/
Nougat Stripe, $195, Helen Kaminski.
Drawstring summer shorts in
Fruttivendelo Stripe, $220, Alex
and Trahanas. Donna sunglasses
in Water, $385, Lucy Folk. Paddle
and ball set, $155, and pool towel
in Seaside Cream, $59, The Beach
People. Oli V-neck one piece in
Lemon, $250, Sir The Label. Oasis
strap leather ring sandal in White-Tan,
$225, and Romy Raffia mini tote market
bag in Natural-White, $195, Aje.

Beauty

GLOW UP
Create a radiant, sun-kissed glow
with these bronzing beauties.

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Bronzer defines your features. Even
those with the cheekbones of Bella
Hadid will benefit from a little dimension.
Our pick for gentle contouring is Trinny
London’s Cheekbones in Serena, $45
(1) – start at the hairline and extend to
underneath the cheeks, then a dab
at the temples too.

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F E E L I N G

G I L T Y

A healthy glow can quickly veer into
disco-ball if you layer without strategy.
For times you want more radiance than
colour, opt for Pai’s The Impossible Glow,
$59 (6). It can be used as a glowy primer
when applied where highlighter would
ordinarily go, sinking into skin and
delivering a gorgeous sheen.

B A L A N C I N G

A C T

The trick to a flattering base is balance.
Bronzer only comes into its own once
you add a hit of rosy colour to the cheeks,
and a little highlighter to catch the light.
As a finishing touch, swipe Chanel
Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick
in Or, $71 (5) just beneath your brow,
cheekbones and even down your nose.

WORDS BROOKE LE POER TRENCH. PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING HANNAH BLACKMORE.

A

1

sweep of bronzer in the
right shade can give your
complexion an instant
pick-me-up. Of course,
that’s also the trickiest part of this
seemingly simple transaction: the
shade. Get it right, and you’re dining
companions will ask which island
paradise you’ve just returned from.
Your skin will have a gorgeous hit of
warmth (without the sun damage) and
you’ll quietly glow. However, like many
base steps, bronzer can easily go wrong
if the shade doesn’t suit your skin
tone, resulting in a muddy wash that
will do little for your complexion or
confidence. To find the right match,
avoid any bronzer that looks too orange,
as the result will be unnatural. Instead,
opt for a shade that’s one or two tones
darker than your skin. As for favourite
formulas, we’re spoilt for choice. For
day-to-night, Kosas The Sun Show
Moisturising Baked Bronzer, $48 (2)
is talc-free with a sheen that makes
you glow, not sparkle. The formula
we have spied in many pro makeup
artists’ kits is Nars Bronzing Powder
in Laguna, $54 (7), because it blends
so beautifully. For those who love
a creamy formula that melts into skin,
we can’t go past Chanel’s Healthy
Glow Bronzing Cream, $91 (4) with
a cream-to-gel finish. And finally,
when we’re flitting here are there,
Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer in Baked,
$31 (3) is perfect for touch-ups.

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Screen queens
A hardworking sun defender will be the
MVP of your skincare lineup this summer.
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GT team
favourite

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PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING & MERCHANDISING HANNAH BLACKMORE.

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1 A primer, moisturiser and sun defender with a hydrating collagen boost, this 4-in-1 base is sure to become your new go-to. Naked Sundays SPF 50+
Collagen Glow crème, $34.95, Mecca. 2 Professed to be the MVP for a “lazy gal’s approach to SPF”, this is the sun safety all-rounder you need. Supreme
Screen, $49, Ultra Violette. 3 With bioactive ingredients from aloe vera and cane sugar, UV damaged skin is gently soothed and repaired. Hydra-repair
Intensive day cream,$90, Grown Alchemist. 4 An oil-free broad spectrum SPF, charged with vitamin E and glycerin for a healthy dose of moisture. Skin
Shady 50+, $42, Tbh. 5 Australian owned and made, this fragrance-free lotion calms sun-drenched skin with Kakadu plum and aloe vera. Sensitive Body
Milk, $24.95, We Are Feel Good Inc. 6 Keep it sun safe and sustainable with this 100% natural sunscreen that’s reef safe, water resistant and plastic free.
Sunbutter sunscreen, $29.95, Go For Zero. 7 This ultra-protective cream uses micronised zinc technology to keep skin safe against UVA and UVB.
Superstar® SPF 50+, $65, Liberty Belle. 8 Paraben, fragrance and chemical free UV defence that’s perfect for sensitive skin. Dr Dennis Gross, All-Physical
Daily Defense UV Shield, $76, Mecca. 9 With vitamin E for nourishment and pycnogenol to fight free radicals and restore elasticity, this weightless cream
is a hard-working hero. To Save Face, $42, Mecca. 10 A super absorbent, non-greasy gel for instant relief after too many rays. I Solari After Sun cream, $55,
Santa Maria Novella. 11 Prevent sun damage with this dermatologically-tested mineral sunscreen. Invisible Zinc Sheer Defence, $34, Chemist Warehouse.

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Objects of desire

Chill out

Clockwise from top left: Lismore Nouveau ice bucket, $439, Waterford. Serax by Marie Michielssen concrete wine cooler, $475, Becker Minty.
Mario Luca Giusti Antarctica ice bucket in Frost Blue, $300, Italian Luxury Group. Georg Jensen wine cooler, $220, David Jones. Ceramic wine
cooler in Sea Green and Navy, $220, Alex and Trahanas. All other props stylist’s own.
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PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING LAUREN DE SOUSA. MERCHANDISING GEORGIE MEREDITH.

For relaxed summer entertaining,
keep one of these stylish ice buckets
handy and always refill the ice trays.

T H E P E R F E C T G I F T TO
I N S P I R E N E W A DV E N T U R E S

AVA I L A B L E T O P U R C H A S E W H E R E A L L G O O D B O O K S A R E S O L D A N D AT A R E M E D I A B O O K S . C O M . A U
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