Wednesday, 26 November 2008
The Bun Launch
Beattie's Book Blog has done me proud, not only generously reviewing the book but running an extensive blog on the launch at Turnbull House, including three images of people eating and talking and enduring me talking. Guest speaker the food writer David Burton was amusing on the way we used to eat, at the Jolly Frog in Wellington and Hi Diddle Griddle in Auckland. If you want to know what he said, what I said, who was there, what food was on offer, check out Beattie's Blog or email me for the full blog.
Thursday, 13 November 2008
The Communion of the Easter Bun-Rabbit
Several already cannot come to the launch at Turnbull House, Saturday, 22 November, 3pm. Fiona Kidman is in Vietnam, Kathie Webber is trying to save the Buckinghamshire Library, Roger Hall is climbing the Pyramids, Galya and Bob Brockie are in Oz, Euan McQueen is in the Wairarapa, Katherine Lissienko is hosting her lad’s birthday in Auckland, Chris Finlayson is in Kaikoura, my dear brother John is in Fiji. Others may be recuperating from a new virus -- Kiwi culinary history exhaustion. I didn’t know when I started this book that I was to be the sixth cab off the Kiwi culinary heritage rank this year. Tony Simpson has reprinted his awesome A Distant Feast, Alexa Johnston Ladies, A Plate, Kate Fraser’s Cooking Times, Helen Leach The Pavlova Story, and David Veart First Catch Your Weka. I do offer a point of difference a friend identified – I offer a lot more recipes than most of the others. There is also sometimes an advantage in being last cab off the rank. Look at the Maori Party! Sorry, Helen, I miss you too.
Anyway, the other point of difference is that my book is primarily a celebration of food and loved ones, most notably my brother Michael, my oldest and dearest friend, who cannot be with us because he is not well. My formative bread making years were shared with him, and of course our Mum’s overwhelming provisioning, the subject of the first chapter, The Mum of Plenty Baking. Later Mike and I shared poker and peanuts, golf and beer barns, a Cab Sav McGill 76, even the kava he got a taste for in Fiji, where no doubt my youngest brother John is developing that taste right now.
Other celebrated folk are
Graham Kerr, whose leftovers I had access to courtesy of some lasses who lived in the same complex in the 60s
Fellow student flatters such as Win McLean and Roger Hall and Helen Faville
That wonderful Aussie actor Kenneth J Warren, who introduced me to Tom Ugly’s Rice and Kangaroo Tail consommé
English cookery editor Kathie Webber, who educated me, to the degree I could manage, new experiences like snail and quail and suchlike
A wonderful Armenian nun in Bethlehem who taught me about food and love
Graham Cooper, who taught me about food and love too
Railway guards, who taught me where the best spots were for paua, rock oysters and figs, and inspired my professional dedication to Kiwiana (I claim first use of the word, in my first slang book, along with leather ladies and underground mutton – Harry Orsman loved those two)
Harry Seresin, godfather to my daughter and café culture godfather to the nation
The haggis and malt whisky guests, including the dear cover lady Dinah Priestley who revealed my Protestant relations and that bread-making was in her family, and also
Ikar Lissienko, who claimed he was asked to deliver the address to my hagii (thanks, Jeanie Douche for the plural of haggis) because he was Russian, whose family provide a slew of authentic Russian recipes
David Burton, whom I knew when he was the guy at the Evening Post who assisted the continuous overseas press reports off the wire and into the bin, who is now our leading food writer/historian, if Tony will allow me to say that based on David’s astonishing output, several columns a week (I know how hard that is) and books and his continued practising of his preaching.
Finally, my dear sister and other cousin Audrey on the other paternal side and also on the cover with Dinah and moi, who provided me with the critical books and attendant info that prove we are bakers on both sides of the family. Oh, yes, my daughter Kate took the cover photo. All in the family.
Anyway, the other point of difference is that my book is primarily a celebration of food and loved ones, most notably my brother Michael, my oldest and dearest friend, who cannot be with us because he is not well. My formative bread making years were shared with him, and of course our Mum’s overwhelming provisioning, the subject of the first chapter, The Mum of Plenty Baking. Later Mike and I shared poker and peanuts, golf and beer barns, a Cab Sav McGill 76, even the kava he got a taste for in Fiji, where no doubt my youngest brother John is developing that taste right now.
Other celebrated folk are
Graham Kerr, whose leftovers I had access to courtesy of some lasses who lived in the same complex in the 60s
Fellow student flatters such as Win McLean and Roger Hall and Helen Faville
That wonderful Aussie actor Kenneth J Warren, who introduced me to Tom Ugly’s Rice and Kangaroo Tail consommé
English cookery editor Kathie Webber, who educated me, to the degree I could manage, new experiences like snail and quail and suchlike
A wonderful Armenian nun in Bethlehem who taught me about food and love
Graham Cooper, who taught me about food and love too
Railway guards, who taught me where the best spots were for paua, rock oysters and figs, and inspired my professional dedication to Kiwiana (I claim first use of the word, in my first slang book, along with leather ladies and underground mutton – Harry Orsman loved those two)
Harry Seresin, godfather to my daughter and café culture godfather to the nation
The haggis and malt whisky guests, including the dear cover lady Dinah Priestley who revealed my Protestant relations and that bread-making was in her family, and also
Ikar Lissienko, who claimed he was asked to deliver the address to my hagii (thanks, Jeanie Douche for the plural of haggis) because he was Russian, whose family provide a slew of authentic Russian recipes
David Burton, whom I knew when he was the guy at the Evening Post who assisted the continuous overseas press reports off the wire and into the bin, who is now our leading food writer/historian, if Tony will allow me to say that based on David’s astonishing output, several columns a week (I know how hard that is) and books and his continued practising of his preaching.
Finally, my dear sister and other cousin Audrey on the other paternal side and also on the cover with Dinah and moi, who provided me with the critical books and attendant info that prove we are bakers on both sides of the family. Oh, yes, my daughter Kate took the cover photo. All in the family.
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