Pure New Zealand

New Zealand is known for it’s; lush green pastures, rugged snow capped mountains, pure rivers & lakes and all round beautifully diverse landscape.  All these great assets combine in the clean environment to produce some of the finest natural products in the world.

From Manuka honey packed with anti-bacterial properties to the purest milk powder money can buy.  New Zealand has been carving a place in the export market for many years and it’s only getting stronger as demand in countries like China and the United States grows.

Now seemingly there are a plethora of top natural products coming through so how do you decipher the best kind of products to get your health conscious hands on.  Well not only will we give you a top ten guide to the best type of products but we will also recommend some of the most trusted brands producing them.

Manuka Honey – Our favorite honey product is the UMF Manuka honey from Comvita.

Sauvignon Blanc – There is simply no better Savignon Blanc in the world then New Zealand’s Cloudy Bay.

Organic Infant Formula (Milk Powder) – The most trusted brand is Karicare by Nutricia.

Propolis –  Due to their extensive experience in bee products, Comvita get our vote here again.

Merino Wool – For a range of fashionable and practical merino products you can’t go past Icebreaker.

Lamb – Just remember to always look out for the quality mark when buying New Zealand lamb.

Kiwifruit – You can’t go past the largest exporter Zespri for quality Kiwifruit.

Bottled Water – For the finest New Zealand water at your next dinner party, check out Antipodes.

Thermal Mud – There are a few options but we have found this product the best thermal mud option.

Colostrum – One of our stranger exports but renowned in China for it’s health benefits.

The right knife for the job.

I’m sure there is many a person out there reading this now who has watched their fair share of cooking shows like; Mastechef or Top Chef .  Watching intently as the various recipes are being made by the contestants, admiring the knives they use under pressure to cut their protein or delicately score the skin of a sumptuous cut of pork belly.

Now you are thinking it’s your turn to take the next step in your culinary journey, maybe to make a living of it and maybe just to up your game in your kitchen at home.   Well what better way to begin by building up your collection of chef knives.  

Finding the right knife is really important as there is a massive difference between a good knife and a great knife.  The quality may not be visible immediately but give it one to two months and you will start to see the difference in quality.  So this is where we come in.  The Quick Ten know you are serious about cooking so we have not mucked around here, we have gone straight for proven quality in creating this Top 10 list.

Nenox Karin Gyutou

Wusthof Classic

Global GF-33

Tojiro-DP Gyutou

MAC Brand Mighty

Misono UX10 Gyutou

Shun DM0706 Classic

J.A. Henckels

Chroma Type 301

Rober Welch Signature

Succulent Chicken

So often people say that most unusual meat (and other undefinable fleshy food) tastes like chicken, well maybe not survival expert Bear Grylls but that’s because he has eaten the most inedible things on the planet.  However aside from these taste affiliations, chicken is one of the most widely used protein’s (as they love saying on either Top Chef or Masterchef) across the world and provides the base to many a great recipe.

Sure there are multiple uses for chickens like; eggs, pets, fighting or even used in Indonesia to channel evil spirits.  But the plethora of poultry recipes available is something that any real food lover should spend time working through and refining   That’s where we come in, we are about to narrow down your initial decision making and give you the best chicken recipes so you can at least begin your culinary journey on the right foot.

Now you don’t have to worry, these chicken recipes have been researched based on quality, bold flavours and robust ingredients.  So essentially what we are trying to say is that we went into this not looking for finicky, and delicate Michelin star recipes but chicken meals you can re-create at home in your very own kitchen.

Chicken Teriyaki – Recipe and relevant cook book

Honey Glazed Lemon Roast Chicken - Recipe and relevant cook book

Chicken Bacon Roulades - Recipe and relevant cook book

Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie - Recipe and relevant cook book

Kung Pao Chicken - Recipe and relevant cook book

Peri Peri Chicken - Recipe and relevant cook book

Chicken Cacciatore - Recipe and relevant cook book

Rotisserie Chicken - Recipe and relevant cook book

BBQ Sticky Chicken with Lemon & Garlic - Recipe and relevant cook book

 Chicken Marbella - Recipe and relevant cook book

This is more than just home brew

I’m sure of all of you remember your first taste of beer fondly.  Mine happened when a cold beer was secretly handed down to me by my dad whilst he is watching sport with his mates. Whispering nervously he said “just a sip mate, but don’t tell your mom”.  Man, that beer tasted like shit! I doubled back in disgust and carried on drinking my coke, swearing to myself I would never taste that amber fluid again.

But oh how times and tastes changed.  Sure the first few attempts at drinking beer did not go down so well but then I started fostering this unusual taste for it.  Before you know it, it became the tipple of my choice and has been for many years….well until it’s like 2 in the morning and I’m needing to cleanse the pallet so opt for some vodka soda’s and freshly squeezed lime.

Anyway, enough with the reminiscing here though and more about the breweries who produce the best beers in the world. Who are they?  Well we are about to find out as we jump on this little journey into the world of brews.  The deciding elements in creating this top ten list has been the sampling of some of the top beers from these brewers.  But more importantly finding the breweries that offer a range that can be appreciated by a broad spectrum of beer drinkers.  I’m sure we will not please everyone and maybe upset those knobs who will only drink the finest Trappist beers from Belgium and who have a penchant for being spanked by a dominatrix, but hey, thems the breaks.

Epic – A brewery in New Zealand that has one of the best Pale Ales that we have ever tasted.  To be completely honest their entire range of beers is absolutely outstanding.  So if you are looking for that x-factor in your next beer purchase then look these guys up. Check out: Epic Brewery

Weihenstephaner – One of the oldest brewries in the world and the best in Bavaria.  Our personal favourite is the clean tasting Pilsner. Check out: Weihenstephaner Brewery

Unicer – We know we are going to get grief for having this Portuguese Brewery at number 3 but dam it their Super Bock brand is simply the best main stream pale lager in the market today.  I don’t care if you are a veteran beer critic who only likes boutique beers from micro breweries, Unicer’s beer is superb. Check out: Unicer’s Super Bock

Brewery Bosteels - Brewed in Belgium and famous for the production of  Kwak.  Served in a traditional glass (mini yard glass) and wooden stand. Needless to say a night on this left me trying to jump start an abandoned bob cat in the middle of Brugge at 3am. Check Out: Brewery Bosteels

Deschutes - This American brewery has a serious range of beers that have been generating awards for a while now.  You can’t go past their Mirror Pond Pale Ale. Check out: Deschutes Brewery

 BierVision Monstein – This brewery is located high in the mountains of Switzerland and is fact the highest altitude brewery in Europe.  Their beautifully refreshing Bernina is sensational and truly encapsulates the fresh mountain ingredients such as the water and hops. Check out:  BierVision Brewery

Kiuchi – This Japanese brewery started back in 1823 and has been producing everything from Sake to beer.  If you are feeling like something a little different then you get your lips on a bottle of the Red Rice Ale which has a multitude of differing flavors that will get your taste buds in a spin. Check out: Kiuchi Brewery

Erdinger – Another German triumph in the world of brewers and one of the largest wheat beer breweries round today.   I personally feel in love with Erdinger’s famous Weissbier whilst working in London and spending a few Friday winter lunches at The Slaughtered Lamb in Clerkenwell. This beer definitely sneaks up on you but is an absolute pleasure. Check out: Erdinger Brewery

Wells & Young’s – This top ten list would not complete without a good sturdy English Brewery and in terms of their beers you don’t have to look any further then the signature “Wells Bombardier”.  This will keep you happy no matter how rubbish the weather is. Check out:  Wells & Young’s Brewery.

Guinness - Just because it’s main stream does not make this brewery any less iconic or worthy of making this top ten list.  We have also had the added bonus of trying the famous Irish stout fresh from the brewery tap in Dublin. Check out:  Guinness Brewery.

The best way to start your day!

Staying healthy is a combination of a few key things like;  maintaining a good diet, keeping stress free, using the right skin care products and keeping fit.  So with all these things you need to keep an eye on to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it’s very useful when an appliance comes along that can create a wholesome supplement very quickly.

What are we talking about? A juicer of course and it’s come a long way since it’s beginning back in 1928.  Sure in 1928 the basic premise was the same in terms of extracting essential vitamins from fruit but it was more about juice from citrus fruits.  Nowadays it’s about extracting juice from all manner of fruits and vegetables.

A favourite juice recipe of ours is “A Very Berry Meledy”.  Simply add: 2 cups of strawberries, 2 cups of blueberries, 1 1/2 cups of raspberries.  Then juice till your heart is content and you will be revitalized before you can say “which juicer should I buy?”.  Indeed though which juicers should you buy? Well check out our top ten that has been compiled based on; design, reliability, and price.

Breville BJE200XL 700-Watt Compact Juice Fountain

Hamilton Beach 67650 Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor

Waring JEX328 Health Juice Extractor

Black & Decker JE2200B 400-Watt Fruit and Vegetable Juice Extractor

Big Boss Juicer, 700W 18,000 RPM

Omega J8005 Nutrition Center Single-Gear Commercial Masticating Juicer

Cuisinart CJE-1000 1000-Watt 5-Speed Juice Extractor

Waring PJE401 Juice Extractor

Juiceman JM1000M Juiceman Express Junior Juice Extractor

Jack Lalanne’s JLSS Power Juicer DeluxeElectric Juicer

The wine growing region of Sicily

Italy is famous for many things like; pizza, pasta, passionate people, mafia, the Roman Empire, and ancient architecture to name a few.  But it also produces some of the finest wine this world has to offer, with it being served in some of the finest restaurants and bars.

Italy has some of the oldest wine grown regions in the world with the production of wine starting back in 800AD when viticulture was introduced in Sicily by the Mycenaean Greeks.  The climate and soil is often reflected in the wines created here with it commonly being described as a “touch of the land” in every bottle, or in basic terms, earthiness.

So to help you cut through the plethora of their popular Bianco (white) and Rosso (red) wines we have collated a list of the best wines they have to offer.  We have not broken it down into red or white wine but included them together in the one list and matched it with one of our preferred recipes (or take a look at these great recipes from Masterchef), which will compliment the earthy undertones. Buon appetito!

Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon – Produced by Tenuta San Guido which works well with a winter warmer: Italian Sausage Soup

San Angelo Toscana Pinot Grigio – Produced by Castello Banfi and is a good food match with: Cioppino

Campofiorin Rosso del Veronese – Produced by Masi and with it’s deep rich flavor works well with: Salt Encrusted Prime Rib Roast

Peppoli Chianti Classico – Produced by Antinori with this refined Chianti going well with: Chili Rubbed Pork Tenderloin With Apricot Ginger Glaze

La Segreta Rosso – Produced by Planeta which could be drank with a nice meal of: Cajun Crawfish and Shrimp Etouffe 

Moscato D’Asti – Produced by Saracco and will sit nicely after a desert like: Strawberry Cheesecake 

Malvira Roero Arneis - Produced by Saglietto and could be paired with: Wild Salmon

Chianti Classico Riserva – Produced by Il Molino di Grace and works well with: Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Moscato d’Asti Scrapona – Produced by Marenco with this light sparkling white going well with: Astoria Crab Pasta

Anselma Barolo – Produced by Famiglia this red wine could be matched with: Sausage and Bean Ragout

The coffee machine brand 'Elektra'

Coffee has become one of the biggest beverage industries in the world spreading far and wide, giving it’s energizing hit with gay abandon.  Crazy to think that coffee’s origins started back in the 13th century in the country of Ethiopia, eventually spreading through Europe and the world.

With the spread of the black elixir came the love for; what it could do, how it could smell and what it could taste like. This love for coffee has driven people to take it home with them to brew in favor of trusting their local Barista.  Not only has this given these people the benefit of experimentation of the perfect brew but also the ability to help them with their hangover without leaving the comfort of their abode. 

So if you are considering forgoing the local coffee shop and bringing a coffee machine into your kitchen?  Then this top ten list is going to help you choose the best possible coffee machine for your taste buds and budget.

Try these amazing organic coffee beans!

1. Elektra: This is the best in terms of design, pedigree, features and is sure to impress the people you choose to entertain.  A must for the coffee nut! – View Now
   
2. Luca Trazzi XI: Not only does it provide classic retro looks but it makes amazing coffee.  We should know as we have one and have done for quite a while. - View Now
3. Bugatti Diva: The design is not merely a gimmick, the shape helps spread heat to the top to heat the coffee cups and keep them and the perfect temperature for making the perfect brew. – View Now
4. Rancilio Silvia: Just make sure you get a great coffee grinder to ensure you utilize this little gem of a coffee machine. – View Now
5. DeLonghi: They may not be the best looking coffee machines but they are certainly the best value for money in terms of cost and quality of coffee produced. – View Now
6. Miele: Whilst this might break your budget a little bit, it is truly one of the finer coffee machines in the market that will make you as good if not better then in Barista within a 5 mile radius. – View Now
7. Gaggia  Titanium Super Automatic: We are not big fans of automatic coffee machines that require zero intelligence or passion to operate but if you are in need of a great coffee and quickly in the morning then this one is our pick – View Now
8. Saeco Aroma: Although not brimming with features it offers great value for money and can whip up a mighty fine coffee. – View Now
9. Nespresso CitiZ: A stylish, small, yet simple addition to your kitchen.  Probably for the lazy Barista is us but hey if the coffee is good then who cares. – View Now
10. Phillips Senseo: The main reason why this machine has made the list is becuase of it’s size or lack there of.  If you are short on space and a bit of cash then this one is for you. – View Now

These two made the TV Masterchef format popular

Masterchef – Get recipes from this show: Masterchef at Home

Gordan Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares - See where it all began:Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares: Complete UK Series 1

Top Chef - Get recipes from this show: Top Chef The Cookbook

Hell’s Kitchen - Get recipes from this show: Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell’s Kitchen

Nigella Bites - Get recipes from this show: Nigella Bites: From Family Meals to Elegant Dinners

Top Chef Masters - Get recipes from this show:How to Cook Like a Top Chef

The Naked Chef - Get recipes from this show: The Naked Chef

Iron Chef - Get recipes from this show: Iron Chef America/Supreme Cuisine

Great British Menu - Get recipes from this show: The Great British Menu Cookbook: Book 2

The Next Food Network Star - Taken a look behind the scenes with: Food Network Star: The Official Insider’s Guide to America’s Hottest Food Show

Bangers and Mash anyone?

Comfort food is the type of thing to serve on a cold winter’s day after a game of footy, when you are ill or just plain hung over and feel like shit.

Wholesome comfort food evokes childhood memories, so everyone’s idea of comfort food differs slightly, especially if from another country. A good pie often hits the mark for the Anglo Saxon Kiwi, the sexy Swedes love a good meat ball, paella or churros in Spain and goulash in Hungary.

Comfort food isn’t supposed to be the healthiest. Usually it is hot, sometimes it is meaty, sometimes its sweet but it always cheers you up, so if you’re feeling glum try one of these and stop being a miserable sod.

Check out all your comfort food recipes here!

1. Apple and rhubarb crumble with custard
2. Soup (chicken, bacon and vege, onion)
3. Macaronni cheese
4. Bangers (sausages) and mash with onion gravy
5. Roast dinner with all the trimmings – Beef, chicken, lamb or pork
6. Hot chocolate pudding
7. Baked potatoes
8. Beef stew and dumplings, (any stew chicken chasseur, coq au vin, beef n guinness, beef bourguinon
9. Toast and egg
10. Cottage pie (not to be confused with cottaging)

My pot is bigger than yours!

Are you an avid fan of the hit series Top Chef (now fast approaching double figures in terms of series)?  Have you always agreed with what Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Padma Lakshmi had had to say about the contestants and their recipes? Well don’t worry about what they have to say, as we have sifted through the episodes and got what we think are the Top Ten Recipes from the show.

No longer will your dinner parties lack panache or excitement as you start perfecting the below dishes to wow your guests.  Just remember to make sure you have all the right ingredients and utensils for the job so that you don’t have to make your way to the local takeaway joint.

So with out further a due here are the best recipes delivered by the Top Chef contestants:

1. Crispy Gulf Snapper with Pulled Pork & Citrus Grits by Richard Blais – Recipe and Utensils required
2. BBQ Kobe Beef with Cardamom, Tomato and Ginger Broth by Jennifer Carroll and Kevin Gillespie – Recipe and Utensils Required
3. Quinoa Pasta with Salsa Verde, Gremolata and Tomatoes by Michael Chiarello – Recipe and Utensils required
4. NY Strip with Red Wine Reduction, Beets, Truffles and Herbs by Jennifer Carroll – Recipe and Utensils required
5. Calamari Steak, Scallops, Salmon, Shiitake, Shiso with Rice Noodle Salad by Jennifer Carroll – Recipe and Utensils required
6. Slow Baked Turbot, Eggplant Caviar & Black Olive Jus by Ed Cotton - Recipe and Utensils required
7. Steamed Mussels, Yukon Gold and Blue Potatoes with Lemongrass Potato Sauce by Jennifer Carroll – Recipe and Utensils required
8. Chorizo, Bacon and Tongue Tacos with Guacamole and Pickled Onions by Rick Bayless – Recipe and Utensils required
9. Crispy Lamb Chop with Artichoke 3 Ways by Tre Wilcox and Richard Blais – Recipe and Utensils required
10. Sous Vide Chicken, Mushrooms, Yams, Lobster Sauce, & Lobster Hash by Mike Isabella -Recipe and Utensils required