I remember when I was a kid, every country town had an agricultural show (in the vein of the Melbourne and Sydney versions, but a darn site smaller). The highlights included sheep shearing, of course, dog trials and best pig and horse competitions (only good looking ones need apply), etc., etc.
But they also had competitions for the best sponge, fruit cakes, preserves, etc., as well as the biggest pumpkin, marrow and, in our town – because we were at that time New Zealand’s berry fruit capital – strawberries. (And, just out of interest, one strawberry per punnet may be fun and look good, but they invariably taste like sawdust.) Anyway, my Mum was the sponge champion and won most years, but Dad invariably lost out in the biggest pumpkin category to Mr Easton, who lived down the road and over whose fence Dad would peer all year – proclaiming, almost to the end, that this year he had him beat. Sadly, Mr Easton had a secret weapon of some sort or other up his sleeve, because invariably at the last moment his pumpkins had a sudden grown spurt and my father would once again be relegated to second spot.
I was reminded of those ‘palmier days’ by a couple of competitions from overseas which, in a similar vein to the Levin Agricultural Show, inspire all and sundry to spend every waking moment worrying about a little rosette that no one else in the world really pays much attention to.
The first is the Tokyo Ramen Show, which attracts an audience of 3 million foodies per year – all intent on deciding which region (all of which produce their own version of this classic soup) produces the crème de la crème. Traditionally, based around soy, miso and pork bones, the true aficionado will taste each and every bowl (30-40) and will then offer up their judgement which, I’m told, rarely coincides with that of the so-called expert judges. I wonder if, in a similar vein to wine judges, they spit out the soup once tasted, because I would think that by a quarter way through everything would taste the same (not to mention how full you would get!).
The next competition that tickled my fancy was the World Porridge Making Competition in Cambridge in Scotland. I can remember when the Dunedin Highland Pipe Band won the World Pipe Band Competition in Edinburgh. The Scottish were mortified (although my Scottish side of the family, who mostly lived in Dunedin, loved it). So you can imagine how the Scots felt when the Swedes took them on at the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships and won both titles. If Scotland had a Navy, I reckon they would have declared war. Anyway, for your information, the traditional category, which has to be made using a wooden spurtle (spoon), can only involve untreated pin head oatmeal, salt and water – none of those bloody rolled oats or instant rubbish. Whilst the specialty category allows a lot more leeway – think Sticky Toffee Porridge (sounds good), Blueberry Chia Jam (not sure) or Spinach & Mussel Porridge (sounds revolting). But the good thing about porridge is, as my father would always say, no matter what time of the day you ate it, it should always be accompanied by a wee dram of Scotland’s finest – whisky, that is. Maybe that’s why Mum never served us porridge.
And, as Monty Python would say, now for something completely different! A couple of weeks ago, we were talking about TV cooking game shows and I mentioned how ordinary some of the American numbers were that were being shown on SBS’s Food Network. Well, it shows how little I know, because I notice that Channel 7 have picked up those shows from the USA Food Network and are starting a new Food Channel, which will not only feature this rubbish, but reruns of ‘My Kitchen Rules’ and the like.
Well, I for one, have no interest in watching this channel, but I must admit that I thought their explanation for continued re-runs of these shows had a rather inspired spin:
“Channel 7 are not repeating these shows, but are instead ‘reheating’ them.”
Now that makes all the difference!
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ASPARAGUS WITH PARMESAN CUSTARDS (for 4)
Put 300 ml light cream, 300 full cream milk and 100 gm freshly grated parmesan in a bowl over simmering water and, when the cheese is melted, remove and cool completely.
Then whisk 4 large egg yolks and lightly ground pepper into the above mixture and pour into 4 souffle dishes. Top each with a round of buttered baking paper and place in a baking tray. Pour boiling water into the tray one-third of the way up the dishes and bake in a preheated 150C fan forced oven for 20-30 mins until set, but still a little wobbly in the centre. (Can be precooked and reheated for 1-2 mins in the microwave.)
Serve with crisp, peeled blanched asparagus spears for dipping. And, to prepare the asparagus, bend each spear until it breaks – it will break where the ‘woody’ part ends. Then, using a vegie peeler, peel about 2 cm off the ‘new’ bottom. Cook in lots of rapidly boiling , well salted water until crisp-tender – don’t overcrowd.
http://www.hueyskitchen.com.au/
Click here to go to Hueys Youtube channel
Who Is Iain “Huey” Hewitson
Born 4 October 1948 (age 69)
Otaki, New Zealand
Culinary career
Iain “Huey” Hewitson (born 4 October 1948 in Otaki), is a New Zealand-born chef, restaurateur, author, and television personality who moved to Australia in 1972.[1] He is best known for his television involvement with Network Ten. He was also the face of supermarket chain BI-LO.
image for illustration only.Photo by https://www.ludolefebvre.com