Taste of Kiwi

After our memorable Cook Strait crossing, we didn’t have much time to have lunch. We grabbed a Subway sandwich each and ate them on the way to our first stop on the wine tour.

There were thirteen of us, and we managed to cover a lot of the world with passengers from New Zealand, Australia, England, Norway and the USA. On the South Island side of the strait it was fine and sunny, so my brother-in-law got the weather right. The Marlborough region sees a lot of sunshine—usually grabbing the highest amount each year—so it’s excellent for growing grapes.

Our first stop was at Drylands, one of the larger vineyards with ties to Australia and the USA. We started with a welcome glass of sparkling wine and gradually worked our way through the list. I like wine, so I sampled most of them—both red and white. Most enjoyable.

The second stop was at Framingham. After another eight or so samples here, and I started to feel the wine. This tour was unlike the samplings I’d done before. Obviously it pays to go on a tour rather than turn up with just hubby. The people behind the counter were most generous with their samples, and we purchased a bottle of Framingham Marlborough Classic Riesling here. For those of you who enjoy wine this is a classic New Zealand, off-dry style wine with rich fruit and a juicy acidity. It has complex varietal characters of lemon citrus, mandarin and stone fruit with a long mineral finish. It’s best served with Asian style cuisine and seafood. Sounds good, right? I intend to have some tonight with my dinner.

Our next stop was Nautilus Estate where Mr. Munro and I purchased a carton of wine. Nautilus is shipping it home for us. Our quiet bus was growing progressively noisier, and there was much more chatter and laughter by this stage. I was pacing myself, skipping the odd tasting, and I made inroads on their oil/bread samples.

Our final stop was Hunter’s. Hunters is an older vineyard and one of the first in New Zealand to take their wines overseas and scoop gold medals at the wine shows. Mr. Hunter died tragically early in a car accident (age 38) and his wife took over the running of the vineyard. Her name is Jane Hunter and she has received many wine awards, including the inaugural award for women winemakers, world wide. She also has an OBE.

I loved the Hunter wines. In fact there was only one I disliked. Yep, I admit it—I was decidedly tiddly when I left, but I wasn’t alone. We drove to our last stop, the Makana Chocolate Boutique, with the music blaring really loud Beetles and Queen classic hits.

So, I leave you with a tip—if you intend to hit a wine trail, it’s a good idea to have a hearty meal first. Your head will thank you for it!

Have you been wine tasting before? Do you like wine, and if so, which one is your favorite?

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Whenever I have a cup of coffee in a cafe, I always check out the muffins. Any flavor will do as long as they’re fresh. If I manage to time it when they’re still warm from the oven so much the better. I think muffins are good because they’re reasonably healthy and don’t have as much fat as cream cakes. That’s my reasoning anyway. I also enjoy baking muffins because they’re quick and easy.

When I want to bake a batch I always turn to Alison Holst’s Marvellous Muffin cookbook, which contains recipes for both savory and sweet muffins. The following recipe is an adaptation of her Double Chocolate Muffin recipe. I call them Black Forest Muffins.

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa
¼ – ½ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup dried cherries

Place dried cherries in a bowl and add a little boiling water to cover – a few tablespoons. We want to reconstitute the cherries a little. Place other dry ingredients plus chocolate chips in a large bowl. Add the cherries plus the liquid.

100 grams of butter (about 8/10 of a stick)
1 egg
1 cup plain unsweetened yoghurt
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla

Melt the butter. Beat the egg and combine with the milk, yoghurt and vanilla. Combine with the dry ingredients, folding together until mixed. Do not overmix.

Spoon into 12 well-greased medium-size muffin pans or use paper muffin cups. Bake in a hot oven at 200C (400F) for 10 – 12 minutes until centers spring back when pressed lightly.

Enjoy with good company and a cup of tea or coffee.

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You might have seen this recipe on the loops recently.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
1 Coffee Mug
4 tablespoons flour(that’s plain flour, not self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
Small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to share!)

I decided to try the cake and hubby and I both enjoyed it for our dessert, served with yoghurt.
It’s quite a dense cake because there’s no baking powder, but it definitely rises. A little too well. If you make it, put a plate under your mug when it’s cooking in the microwave to save on cleanup. Also make sure you clean your plate and mugs straightaway because the mixture adheres rather well! I mixed the egg, oil and milk in a separate mug and added to the flour mix. Hubby and I also decided that one mug cake was enough for two.

I decided I’d try a variation:

Leave out the cocoa and chocolate chips. Grate in the rhind of half a lemon and add a handful of berries. I added raspberries because I like them but blueberries would work. Mix in the same way with all the other ingredients. Once your mug cake is cooked – squeeze half a lemon into a cup and mix in two teaspoons of sugar. Stir and spoon over your cake before eating. Serve with cream, ice cream or yoghurt. This was yummy!!

A third variation would be replacing the chocolate and chocolate chips with instant coffee and a few chopped walnuts.

Enjoy!!

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My husband went out with a friend fishing this weekend. Fine by me. I’m not a fishing fan.

“I’m taking your car,” he said.

“Oh,” I replied. There went my plans to go out for a coffee. Without the car I was stranded at home.

Fast forward a day and I decided to make a pot of coffee at home. I keep a small supply of ground beans in a airtight container. The plastic measuring spoon lives inside that container. Three spoons make a pot of coffee just the way I like it. I searched high and low for my coffee container. I looked in odd places. Yes, it’s true. When I’m concentrating on characters I’ve been known to put things away in strange places. I checked the pantry four times – that’s where the coffee lives. I checked the fridge twice. I checked sundry kitchen cupboards. In the end, desperate for coffee I opened a new packet of beans and ground some coffee. My measuring didn’t work out since I didn’t have my spoon. I ended up drinking weak coffee.

When hubby rang, I said, “Do you have my coffee?” I was feeling a little feisty by this stage so I figured I’d spread it around.

“Yes,” hubby said, shocking me speechless for an instant. He’s never taken my coffee before.

“Why? You’ve taken my car. You’ve taken my coffee.”

“I didn’t think you’d mind,” he said.

Fast forward some more. I made a pot of tea. I decided to eat some of the dark almond chocolate we’d purchased while doing our grocery shopping. It occured to me that there were three Cs. Car. Coffee. Chocolate.

I started to laugh. Huh! I thought. I have control of the chocolate, and instead of the normal two squares I limit myself to, I ate more. I’ve had WAY more than my share of that chocolate. It’s hubby’s favorite. That will teach him.

Jenyfer Matthews awarded me with a Blogging With Purpose award this week. Doesn’t it look pretty?

I’m meant to award it to other bloggers. At this stage I’m going to award it to a new blog, and I’d better mention I do a weekly post on this blog. I’m not awarding it to myself, but to the other bloggers. Their posts all relate to adventure in some way. The topics vary but are all equally fascinating. I award this to the Danger Zone.

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It’s true. I adore eating chocolate. So, to celebrate one of the world’s greatest culinary inventions…

1. In a recent survey 52% of Americans stated chocolate was their favorite flavor. The second favorite flavors were berry and vanilla with 12% of the vote each.

2. Half of Americans (51%) choose what chocolate they eat by the shape of the piece.

3. The melting point of cocoa butter is just below the human body temperature — which is why it literally melts in your mouth.

4. Theobroma Cacao is the official scientific name given to cacao by Swedish Botanist Carolus Linnaeus in the 18 th century. The word Theobroma comes from the Greek language literally meaning, ‘food of the gods.’ While the exact origin of cocoa is still debated, it said to have been introduced by the ancient Maya to Central America from the South American highlands of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. The word for cacao (cocoa in Spanishi) is thought to have been created by the Olmec Indians whom historical linguistical investigations indicate may have been using the term around 1000 BC Mayan Indians were the first to create a beverage from cocoa.

5. Recent studies have shown that eating chocolate may actually be good for you. Researchers have found that raw and / or minimally processed cocoa – as is found in Yachana Jungle Chocolate – contains flavonoids similar to those found in green tea. According to preliminary studies, these antioxidants have been linked to help accomplish the following:

Decrease blood pressure
Improve circulation
Lower death rate from heart disease
Improve function of endothelial cells that line the blood vessels
Defend against destructive molecules called free radicals, which trigger cancer, heart disease and stroke
Improve Digestion and stimulate kidneys
Has been used to help treat patients with anemia, kidney stones and poor appetite

6. Placebo-controlled trials suggest chocolate consumption may subtly enhance cognitive performance. As reported by Dr Bryan Raudenbush (2006), scores for verbal and visual memory are raised by eating chocolate. Impulse-control and reaction-time are also improved. This study needs replicating.

7. Today, chocolates of every description are legal, unscheduled and readily available over the counter. Some 50% of women reportedly claim to prefer chocolate to sex, though this response may depend on the attributes of the interviewer.

8. Acne – There is no established link between developing acne and eating chocolate.

9. Cavities – Studies have not placed chocolate high on the list of cavity-causing products. The cocoa butter in chocolate may provide protection against tooth decay.

10. Addiction – As a food substance, chocolate has no addictive ingredients.

11. Store chocolate in a cool (60-70° F), dark, dry place away from strong-smelling items such as peppermint or dirty socks. Chocolate has a tendency to absorb other odors. Do not store chocolate in the refrigerator.

12. White chocolate is not technically one of the types of chocolate because it does not contain any chocolate liquor. It must contain at least 20% cocoa butter and 14% milk, plus sugar in varying amounts.

13. For all things chocolate in a blog go here.

And final words of wisdom…
Put “eat chocolate” at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.

Are you a chocolate fan like me, and if so, what is your favorite chocolate treat? If…gasp!…you don’t enjoy chocolate, what is your favorite flavor?

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Kate Alexander, my heroine in my upcoming release, Playing to Win is an aromatherapist who offers massage and uses essential oils during her treatments. Basically aromatherapy is defined as the skilled and controlled use of essential oils for physical and emotional health and well-being. It is the study of scent.

Here’s a very brief excerpt from Playing to Win:

“Damn, that feels soooo good.”

Forest birdsong and the bubble of flowing water poured through concealed speakers in the corner of the dimly lit room. A tea candle flickered under a bowl of scented water, steam rising to release floral notes of lavender and exotic sandalwood.

Like Kate, I love scents and feel that scent is important in our everyday lives. A particular scent can bring back memories of the past, both good and bad. It can make you wrinkle your nose with distaste or bring a smile. Different scents trigger different reactions in a group of people. Think of the scents around you every day. There are the food smells that might bring hunger pangs. The scent of chocolate brings pleasure and anticipation, or at least it does in me. Just the smell of good chocolate makes me think of how it will taste in my mouth. And I dare anyone to walk past a Subway store that’s baking. Does anything smell better than freshly baked bread?

One of my favorite floral scents is lavender, although I’m also a big fan of anything citrusy. Throughout the ages oils, herbs and plants have been used in medicine. These days some people don’t believe they can help but for me scent is a big part of my well-being. For example going outdoors and smelling my favorite flowers always makes me smile and feel better, if I’m feeling a little down. Of course the fresh air might be part of it but I like to think scent plays a part too.

Here are some uses for lavender oil:

Headaches – 1-2 drops of neat lavender oil, pressed between forefingers and massaged at temples and nape of neck.

Sinus problems – 1-2 drops onto a hanky and breathe in the aroma or 1-2 drops onto a bowl of hot water, place towel over head, lean over bowl and breathe.

Bites, stings, burns – use neat 1-3 drops onto affected area.

Insomnia – 1-2 drops on hanky and place inside pillow slip where you can gently breathe the aroma.

Bruises, muscle aches, stomach upsets – 5 drops into 10mls of carrier oil – arnica is an ideal base for bruises and muscle aches. Massage gently over the area.

Note: as always use common sense. If the injury/problem is severe, seek medical advice.

What are your favorite scents, either food, flowers, perfume or something else? Which scents do you favor? Which scents make you wrinkle your nose the most?

Everyone who comments will go into a draw to win a download of my upcoming release, PLAYING TO WIN. I’ll draw the winner on Wednesday so don’t forget to check back to see if you’re the winner.

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Kate Alexander said:

When I opened my door I expected Jamie. Instead I found myself face-to-face with a glaring stranger. I gaped. Yes, I probably looked a little like a fish but consider the situation. What would you do when faced with a tall, dark and sexy stranger dressed in a designer suit. I mean what man doesn’t look good in a suit? My friend, Danielle says they’re good for hiding beer bellies, which is true. But this man didn’t have a beer belly. I know because I sneaked a look while he was glaring at me and eyeing me up and down. It made me want to squirm so I brazenly did the same to him. My cheeks went hot, my stomach took a dive south and I felt as if I were on a rollercoaster. I haven’t dated for ages because I’m too busy running my business and keeping ahead of the bills. But I started to think of sex. Heck, doesn’t this man ever smile? Who is he anyway? Ooh, sexy voice. He spoke and I started to think about sex again. He’s probably at the wrong house. I must grab a chocolate bar from the pantry. Maybe that will stop me thinking about sex…

Lane Gerrard said:

I expected a blonde bimbo with old eyes and a hard face. Instead an innocent pixy answered the door, fresh-faced and dressed in loose baggy clothes. She has freckles—-cute little golden dots across the bridge of her nose. When I asked if she was Kate Alexander she said yes, but her tone was cautious and she edged away from me. Hell. Not that I blame her. I can practically feel the smoke coming out my ears. The woman’s trying to blackmail me. Dammit, she’s not getting away with it, no matter how cute she is!

Will Kate have enough chocolate? Will Lane change his mind about her? Will they ever get together?

Read Kate and Lane’s story in PLAYING TO WIN by Shelley Munro, coming to Cerridwen Press on 17 Jan 2008.

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