The Durvillea Diary – Cookies, oh my!

Posted on by Genevieve
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We Durvillea Girls love. to. bake.
 
Yesterday (Labour Day) was my friend Tim’s 28th birthday. Tim has quite the sweet tooth - so I decided to bake him some world-famous-in-my-family cookies. My mother discovered this recipe several years ago in Bill Granger’s ‘Sydney Food’ cookbook. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone — my friends love me a lot when I make them.
 
 
Please enjoy my ‘Wicked’ notebook…
 
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees celcius.
 
Now, being the young independent woman that I now am, starting up my new kitchen, I have yet to purchase an electric beater. So yes, mam - I did it like they did before electricity came about… I creamed that unsalted butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon! It wasn’t actually too difficult, just make sure your butter is nice and softened first (NB you don’t want to melt your butter at all, as you’ll think you have a nice creamy texture, but then butter will come back up to room temperature and it will be no more).  
 

Creamed them the old school way...

 
 Also starting up my new pantry, I found myself without any vanilla extract! However, luckily I have such well decked-out friendly neighbours… this vanilla bean paste is pure luxury. However, I used about half the quantity of vanilla required as this is more concentrated.  
 

Mmm vanilla - borrowed from friendly neighbour J.T.

I even said “Hi-diddly-ho, Neighbour!” 

After adding the vanilla, I mixed in a lightly beaten Astrolabe Farm fresh egg.

 

Free-range, organic, of course!

 
When you add eggs to creamed butter and sugar, don’t fret if it looks like it is curdling!  Once you add your dry ingredients, it will come right.
 

Adding the lightly beaten egg

 

All whipped, light and fluffy!

 
Now you’re ready to fold in your dry ingredients – at this stage I like to ditch the wooden spoon for a good spatula. 
 
I usually use Swiss Chocolate with this recipe when I’m being a little bit fancy, however, this time I used some good old Cadbury milk chocolate buttons (as this is what I had in my cupboard). I do prefer to use bigger pieces/chunks than chocolate chips.
 

Classic kiwiana Edmonds

 
I start folding in the 1 & 1/2 cups of  chocolate pieces when the dry ingredients are about 3/4 combined, so that way you are working the mixture a bit less.
 

Important not to over-mix

 
At this point, you can also spoon the mixture into glad-wrap or grease-proof paper and create little logs that you can freeze, slice and bake at a moment’s notice! 
 

Working their magic

 
They are best placed in the centre of your oven. I like to take them out when that are starting to get quite toasty brown around the perimeter. I like a bit of crunch – but they should still be soft in the middle. (FYI I would usually line my baking tray with grease-proof paper, however I didn’t have any, so I greased my tray with a little bit of melted butter, just in case!).
   
Baked and ready for cooling

Now, they may not be the neatest looking little cookies – more on the rustic side – but holy moly they are tasty.  

I know what you’re thinking — is that cookie going to fit in that jar? It did.
 
 I even dressed them with a bow.
 
P.S. Hannah (Jules Taylor employee and also Tim’s other-half) made him a pretty epic Bart Simpson birthday cake. I am going to try and secure a photo of it from her, and put it up on our facebook page this week (if she lets me)! 
 
-Genevieve
 
 

Spring has sprung down on the farm

Posted on by Jane
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Riesling vines ready for the experiment

Seed ready to go

Blossom trees are in full bloom. There is now a green haze over the vineyard as the vines leaf out. This year Nick and I have decided to plant alyssum under the first 20 rows of the vineyard. This will mean that we don’t have to spray for weeds and will provide a habitat for insects. Nick mixed the seed with compost and sprinkled it along the rows. In preparation Nick has sprayed every second row for weeds. We are experimenting to see how this will influence germination. Jane

Nick mixing the seed and compost

The Durvillea Diary – October 13th – “Gimme my Cardonnay”

Posted on by Genevieve
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Everyone knows Chardonnay is making a come-back.

Durvillea is eager to annouce that in addition to our Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir, our 2011 vintage will also include our new Durvillea Marlborough Chardonnay!

We are thrilled that the 2011 Chardonnay will complete our list of classic varietals in the Durvillea range.

Not on shelves yet, but due for release in early 2012. Get excited!

…Oh, and … “it’s pronounced Chardonnay, Kim.”

 

-Genevieve

The Durvillea Diary – October 12th – Astrolabe Reef

Posted on by Genevieve
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Jason being interviewed for 3 News

 You may have recently heard (or seen on 3 News NZ) about our parent label – Astrolabe – having 3 shipping containers of our wine aboard the “Rena” stranded on the Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga, New Zealand.

As a winery, we live off nature and the land. At Durvillea, we are interested in working towards a more sustainable wine industry. The cartons are made from 100% recycled fibre, the bottle is lighter in weight, and the grapes are sourced from sustainable vineyards. With luck, the environmental impact of losing wine at sea should be negligible; the glass should return back to sand, the wine will dilute. The impact of some of the other cargo on board and the oil leaking from the ship, however, is of real concern. The Durvillea/Astrolabe team is saddened by the damage being caused to our ocean, sealife and shoreline by this ship, and we can only hope the situation does not get worse.

-The Durvillea/Astrolabe Team.

Art and Craft-musings on the banks of the Thames

Posted on by Jane
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Lois Waghorn

This morning Simon and I woke ridiculously early as we struggle to adjust to Northern Hemisphere time. We went walking along the Thames. It was breathtakingly beautiful looking down the river as we crossed the Vauxhall Bridge. We marvelled at everything from the lamplights to Westminster. Walking back through St James Park Simon won the spot the squirrel competition.
As we wondered down the river pathway we thought about Simon’s Great-Great Grandfather Arthur Waghorn who worked as a lighterman on the Thames. He left England with his wife Louisa and young family to settle on Banks Peninsula. I always think it is interesting to consider the influence of these ancestors on who we are. These people we assume left in the hope of making a better life and taking an opportunity. They were brave and bold and I hope we reflect a little of that strength of character.
One of the traits that undoubtedly runs through the Waghorn family is creativity. As I listen to Simon discuss his wines I think it is clear how important his skill as a winemaker is balanced with his creativity in crafting the wines. Art or craft – maybe both?
Creativity is openly expressed by the women of the extended Waghorn family. Simon’s mother was a potter and a painter. His sister Sarah carries on this and is indeed a wonderful potter. “Sarah’s pots are hand built sculptural pieces. Using the coil method she uses a few simple tools and concentrates on form and natural shapes. The majority of her work is in sculptural and earthenware clay.”
www.sarahford.co.nz
Our niece Julia Waghorn is a talented graphic designer.

Julia Waghorn

She is stylish, creative and also very funny. Stealing from her website she describes the influence of a creative family. “Julia’s grandmother was the person who began her interest in Graphic Design. As a child they would spend hours in Lois’s games room drawing and painting. “
www.juliapenelope.com
Arabella, our youngest daughter is also bitten by this creative bug.

Arabella screen printing Meg's wedding invitation

She is in her 3rd year at art school at Auckland University. She is currently involved in an interactive installation in Myer’s Park as part of the Fan Trail project which is part of the Rugby World Cup activities.
“Inspired by Myers Park’s history as a colonial shanty town, Elam students combine what little is remembered from the past with the contemporary. Abstracted dwellings of geometric forms, clustering and lacing through the grassy hills, suggest community and a collective culture.“

“The living sculpture explores the displacement of those who once lived on this site as well as travellers who’ve come from near and far to attend the Rugby World Cup 2011 games. “

http://www.creative.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/about/events/amped-in-the-park

Check out their blog.

http://elamfantrailproject.blogspot.com

I hope you enjoy a glimpse at the artistic work of our crafty lot.

-Jane.

Winter Ramblings

Posted on by Jane
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Now is the winter of our discontent…….
So it’s my turn to write a blog. Yes, I could tell you what is happening down on the farm but that essentially is pretty much the same as last year. It is mid-winter. Pruning is the keyword. For the past week the sun has shone every day and every morning there have been frosts -3, -5 that sort of thing. While Nick is working his way through the vineyard I have been working my way around the garden. In the vegetable garden very little is happening but the garlic is in.
Tonight I made friends with an old friend on facebook, which set me musing on using social media. Of course we use it communicate our brand story and it feels a very immediate way to reach people. I love the contact with “old friends” and new. I like keeping in touch with my girls , their friends and my lovely neices and nephews. I love the random nature of the comments and being able to engage and disengage at will. But most of all I love Skype. I love seeing the girls. This week was also a first as Simon held a skype tasting with our new agents in the US. It was fantastic to meet their team and for Simon to take them through the wines all without leaving home. I’m not sure it will replace market visits but it is a good option, cheap and ecologically sound.

Really my main focus is getting the garden ready for the wedding.

“The wedding” you say… “wasn’t that in March?” Indeed Meg and Henry’s was, but now Libby and Peter are getting married next March. I am so desperate to start planting. I have lists of seeds I plan to buy from Kings Seeds.
www.kingsseeds.co.nz.

Pink Peony Poppy

I also plan to do a mass planting of hydragenas. This all works out quite well for the company as we hold all tastings here at the farm. It is a nice side effect to have things under control. I have quite a sense of urgency because in September we are off to the UK on a sales trip (no skype date this time). We will be serving Durvillea at a wine dinner at Providores in London.
So if you are in London come along we would love to see on Tuesday 13th September. Here is the link:
http://www.theprovidores.co.uk/news/news_2011.php

 

 

[Up date]: I have come home today to finish this blog quietly in front of the fire. There is a polar blast sweeping up the country and this afternoon it has been snowing. This is extraordinary in Marlborough. It has been cold but beautiful. I have spent most of the afternoon gazing out the window. We just don’t see snowflakes in Marlborough. My sister Nicola lives in Christchurch. Here is a photograph she took of Reilly the Jack Russell stretching his legs.
So it’s quiet winter focused on family, garden, books (the Man Booker Longlist out) and trying to keep warm while dreaming of flowers. However there is also Friday office drinks……watch out for Miss Ferrier’s social report in our next Durvillea dispatch.

 

Oh, and to finish: http://vimeo.com/27709878 Check out this lovely video of snow on Cuba St in Wellington by Ro Tierney

 

 

 

Have Yourself a Merry Little (Midwinter) Christmas

Posted on by Genevieve
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Let your heart be light: Everyone has their traditions – something they eagerly anticipate each year. Today, I would like to share with you mine.

For the past five years, my friends and I have come together once a year to make merry Midwinter Christmas. For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, Midwinter is a little somethin’ a few of us down below partake in to observe Christmas in all its wintry, frosted glory… with pinecones roasting atop the fire, mulled cider, festively decorated interiors – as so many Christmas songs, stories and traditions are lost on us in our December summer. So, the exact date is not hugely important - what is, however, is spending an overtly festive day together, accompanied by merriment and turkey.

Christmas decorations come up, Judy and Chris Martin blare ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (one after the other, of course)… there is cocktail attire, fairy lights, cranberry-laiden wreaths… there has even been “Pin the Tail on Rudolph”.

This year’s menu included: an organic free-range Turkey (Boris Junior – brined to ensure maximum tenderness and flavour… this is a must) roasted with a pork + cranberry + pinenut stuffing and orange + sage butter, maple-syrup roasted golden kumara + giant yams, potatoes + parsnips par-bolied + then roasted with garlic in duck-fat, blanched brussel sprouts sauteed lightly with lardons and celery heart leaves, and finally little sausages wrapped in bacon.

Dessert consisted of vanilla panna cottas served with citrus-poached tamarillos and sugar-toasted pistachios.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sous chef: This Guy (a Durvillea-aproned Michael).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a special champagne toast to our Durvillea Girl Libby to celebrate her engagement to her fiance (I love calling him that!) Peter. My speech was one for the books…

 

I look forward to Midwinter Christmas every year, probably more so than anything else. Sitting down to dinner with my favourite people, it really is magical… oh no, I don’t want to get all Love Actually on you. So, I hope you all enjoy the photos – because, we really did have ourselves a Merry Little Midwinter Christmas.

Hmmm, maybe I will get all Love Actually … so, to finish:

Particularly enjoy the incredible crassness of this moment when I try to squeeze three extra syllables into the fourth line…

… now if you really love Midwinter Christmas, come on and let it snow.

*Dishes inspired by Chirstmas recipes from (of course) Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey, Nigella Lawson etc. etc.

 

Who’s that girl? Introducing Genevieve!

Posted on by Meg
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Genevieve is the newest member of the Astrolabe/Durvillea team. She has taken over from Sophie who has left Marlborough on an exciting overseas adventure! Gen’s official title is Sales & Marketing Administrator. You will see her posting on this blog and on our facebook and twitter accounts. She is also the person you will most likely come into in contact with should you ring or email Astrolabe Wines.

Here is Genevieve’s “Who’s that girl? interview” – questions from Libby.

What is your role at Durvillea Wines? 

As the new Durvillea Girl, my role at Durvillea Wines is to liaise and facilitate Durvillea Girl business-talk (alright, and chatter), to help man the social media desk, and to assist in promoting this wonderful wine to any and all that would like to know.

What makes Durvillea Wines different from the other wine brands out there?

Durvillea is unique in that it has been a way for the ladies in winemaker Simon Waghorn’s life to share in and celebrate what a lot of their lives have been shaped by; wine making. They have put their unique style, their tastes and their beliefs behind this great product, creating a distinct and personal finishing touch to their husband’s/father’s creation.

How did you become interested in the wine industry?

I have always loved cooking – ever since I was very young – and after graduating high school in South Korea midway through the year (American system) I had 9 months with which to do whatever I pleased before the start of university in NZ in February. Going to culinary school had always been a dream of mine, and thus I enrolled at the New Zealand School of Food and Wine in Christchurch. There, I learnt the basics of classic cooking and delicious wine from a wondrous starting age. And then, my first year of university in Wellington rolled around where something quite magical happened… I met Libby and the Waghorns.

What is the best bit about working in wine?

The people. Everybody you meet is interested in such simple (yet rewarding) pleasures; wine (of course), yummy food, fresh Marlborough air… however whilst still maintaining  a positive work-ethic, and producing great products. And I think you can taste this lifestyle in the wine.

How are you enjoying life in Marlborough?

Loving it. I enjoy having the ability to pick oranges from the bush outside and squeeze myself fresh juice for breakfast, to collect eggs from the hen-house for scrambled eggs – and to dry one’s washing in the sun [a wise woman has told me that feeling the sun on them makes wet clothes feel happy]! I also like how most things are closed on Sundays… it lets you know that Sunday is meant for better things.

Most of all; I like how you can see all the stars at night.

What is your favourite wine in the Durvillea range, and why?

My favourite would be the Durvillea Pinot Noir. I enjoy its more subtle qualities. With the Marlborough region not being known for its Pinot Noirs, it is nice that Simon has taken the grapes and created a style a bit different from the full-bodied reds you would find in Central Otago etc. Instead of trying to mimic their successes, he has created his own Marlborough-styled Pinot. I find it quite delicious.

What is your favourite non-DV wine varietal?

Feijoa sparkling wine… the world needs to get ready for this. Okay, okay maybe not. I most enjoy a light sparking white/champagne for special occasions.

Tell us about your best food and wine experience ever.

To me, this is a very big question. To be honest, I have yet to experience the two together in harmony. I recently had the pleasure of dining at Martin Bosley’s … which was out of this world. Popcorn Ice-Cream: Salty. Sweet. Delectable.

Other top food experiences range from fondue in a tiny French restaurant in London shared with my mum, fresh soft-shell crabs sitting at a table on the beach – under the stars – with friends in Thailand… the list could go on…

For the wine, on a recent trip to Wellington I had a glass of Francis Ford Coppola’s Syrah. It was so unique to anything I’d ever had before… very strong bouquet of vanilla bean… I found it so silky – my palate was quite intrigued.

Top tip for a visitor to Marlborough? 

For a visitor to Marlborough I would recommend a walk on the Wither Hills (beautiful views to be had), a browse in Thomas’s, a trip to the summer farmer’s market… but perhaps most importantly, to just sit down and enjoy the wine, the people and the peace.

What is your favourite winter comfort food? Give us a recipe!

Being a good New Zealander, I love my lamb… and being a good human-being, I love Jamie Oliver.

For my favourite kind of winter comfort dish, I would use this recipe – but with lamb –and change the white wine to a glass of red… the Durvillea Pinot would be more than just swell here.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/lamb-recipes/game-ragu-with-pappardelle

 

Enjoy!

To see the previous Who’s That Girl? interviews click here.

Olive Harvest 2011

Posted on by Meg
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Just a quick post to show you some photos from the Astrolabe Farm olive harvest for this year.

On our first day of picking we had quite a large team of friends and family and we mostly picked by hand, with the assistance of a backpack harvesting machine we have christened ‘Fingers’ that shakes the olives down.

The second day helpers were a little thin on the ground as it was a week day so we experimented with hitting the trees with old broomsticks to shake the olives off. It sounds brutal but it doesn’t seem to harm the trees and is quite traditional. We brought in a bumper crop that day in record time and managed to get the olives to the press before a rather nasty southerly swept in.

All photos by Nicola Forrest-McLernon and Arabella.

Olive tree on a beautiful Marlborough day

It was an absolutely beautiful day for our first pick. I stepped off the plane from Wellington (where it was windy and rainy) to a clear, crisp and sunny South Island day.

Simon and 'Fingers' the olive harvester

Olives shaken or picked onto the nets for collection.

Jane empties olives from the net into a bin

Freshly harvested olives

Delicious harvest feast of bacon and egg pie, buffalo sausages and pumpkin soup

Who's this mystery woman? Come back next week to find out!

Who’s that girl? Visit the blog next week to be introduced to the latest addition to the Durvillea team…

My attempt at pork dumplings!

Posted on by Meg
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Hello all, Meg here.

It has been a very long time since I wrote on this blog, but, in my defence, I have been quite busy finishing my MA, having a wedding and starting Teachers’ College so at least I have been doing something somewhat useful with my time!

A few weeks ago it was my partner Henry’s birthday and his sister Jessica was kind enough to bring down some Chinese dumplings from Auckland to serve at his party. We had been to the restaurant that she had got them from and really enjoyed them so she bought some frozen ones and carried them down to us in her hand luggage.

I love dumplings and enjoyed having them at home so much that I thought I would try making some. I used frozen dumpling wrappers that I found in the freezers at Yan’s supermarket here in Wellington. I would guess that you could find them in your local Asian supply store too. If you can’t find them and you are not as lazy as me you can google “dumpling wrapper recipe” and find plenty of options. Please excuse my dodgy food photography!

I mixed the following ingredients to make my dumplings:

  • 500g pork mince
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
  • 3 finely sliced spring onions
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice (although I did have some constructive criticism that less spice might have been good).

Just mix everything well. This part of the recipe is easy!

Next, take a dumpling wrapper and place about a teaspoon sized ball of mixture in the middle. You may need to lay a damp tea towel over the wrappers so they don’t dry out. They defrost pretty quickly and they can’t be refrozen. The next step is to wet your fingertip and rub it around the rim of the wrapper to make it stick. You then fold the two sides together, making sure to get any air out.

I then attempted to pleat the edges of the dumplings to make them neater. I don’t think it has much effect on taste or cooking time but it does make it a bit tidier when it come to eating and steaming.

We then cooked them in bamboo steamers although there are lots of instructions on the internet for pan frying and then steaming in the fry pan. If you use bamboo baskets don’t forget to put down wax paper or cabbage leaves as they are very sticky!

I served them with some noodles and bok choy stirfried with lots of garlic and with some oyster sauce on top (please ignore the dish brush that has snuck into shot!).

Next time I’d like to try a vegetarian recipe so if any one has a good one please do leave a link!

Last week I was lucky enough to have dinner at Martin Bosley’s restaurant. As you may know, Sophie is leaving Astrolabe (this Friday!) so it was nice to have a chance to catch up. Of course she is my cousin so it isn’t like we won’t see each other again but it was still great to catch up with our Durvillea hats on. Also joining us was Genevieve (the “new Sophie” so to speak). We had a great time – here’s a little picture of Gen, Sophie and I outside.

-  Meg