I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream!

Tune of the Moment: "Too Marvelous for Words" as sung by Frank Sinatra. I feel the need to admit I first heard this song while watching the film "What Women Want", which I adore in spite of the fact that Mel Gibson is the leading man. It has a fan-freaking-tastic soundtrack-songs performed by Frank, Nancy Wilson, Sammy Davis Jr, Nnenna Freelon and more, and yet another soul-grabbing score by Alan Silvestri (love, love, love him).


This is a live version (love seeing the timer in the top right corner-it's so retro!)..

But this is the version used in the film which I prefer (it's just audio)...

As promised, here is my interview with my fantabulous big sister. A little bit about her: she is a long-time ice cream maker and enthusiast who is working on opening her own hand made ice cream shop at the end of the year.

1. What is your favourite flavour of ice cream (or your favourite flavour combination)?

Oooh, tricky question. Whatever flavour I'm currently working on perfecting! Recently that's been lemon chocolate chip, and honey and rosemary ice cream, since we're entering winter here in Cape Town, and the citrus are really good right now, and rosemary survives our mild winters. If I had to pick a couple favourites, they would probably be vanilla cookie dough, toasted almond and butter pecan. All subtle flavours that let the dairy shine through!

2. Why are you so passionate about ice cream? I.e. What is it that you love about the icy, creamy substance?

As an ice cream maker, I like the challenges ice cream presents; balancing flavours, perfecting the texture, creating flavour combinations which both surprise and delight. Ice cream really showcases its ingredients, even intensifies them, making you aware of every nuance an ingredient - toasted pecans, perfectly ripe strawberries, fresh cream - can offer.  And ice cream is an incredibly joyful product to feed to others. 

3. What are the (three) most important qualities that good ice cream embodies?

Good ice cream should be creamy and luscious in texture, use top quality ingredients, and taste primarily of its flavouring ingredient, not sugar!

4. You've lived in and visited many places in the world, how does the ice cream differ from place to place?

Like any internationally recognised food, ice cream takes on different forms in different cultures. This can be reflected in obvious ways, like flavours (green tea ice cream in Japan, strawberry and clotted cream in England) and portion sizes, but also in terms of the texture and sweetness levels locals expect. In Malaysia, ice creams are garnished with a lot of syrups and multicoloured jellies, in Sicily cornstarch is often used instead of eggs to create a lighter texture, and Americans sometimes serve their ice creams sandwiched between cookies. I really look forward to trying local ice creams when I travel to new places.

5. ...Name some of your favourite international ice cream experiences/brands.

Ben 'n Jerry's was my introduction to American-style, fudgy-textured ice creams, and I still think they make the best mass produced product out there. As a student in New England, I didn't have a freezer in my dorm room, so I used to leave a pint on my window sill in winter, where the snow kept it perfectly cold.

As an exchange student in Italy, I lived two blocks from the best gelateria in Bologna, Gelatauro, where I ate gelato almost daily and learned that even frozen foods should follow the seasons. In winter there was no strawberry gelato because local strawberries aren't available then, but I never missed it, when there were persimmon, blood orange and chestnut gelati to try and adore. 
 I think I started to understand ice cream's potential as a flavour showcase and 'serious' food after university, when I was an office intern at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California - dessert at staff lunch was usually ice cream, and I always took a bowlful back to my desk. As with all the food made there, the ice cream was ice cream in its purest form, somehow more than a sum of its parts. That's also where I first tasted noyau, a bitter almond flavour derived from apricot kernels, which is best described as marzipan on crack.

        6. You were recently in New York visiting me, and we ate a LOT of ice 

            cream; what ideas or inspiration did you take home with you?

Travel is so important in prompting creativity, and there are so many amazing flavours and ideas happening in New York! I was blown away yet again by the quality and variety of ice creams at Laboratorio del Gelato's new shop (although I gave the cheddar cheese ice cream a pass!). It made me feel brave enough to re-attempt making basil ice cream, which I abandoned a while ago (tasted like pesto), and I really must try a dried fig ice cream and a salted peanut ice cream (theirs were amazing). 

I also really enjoyed the ice lollies made by People Pops at the Chelsea Market, I tried blackberry and basil, blueberry chai (correction: I tried blueberry chai...but it magically lasted one lick and was whisked out of my hands and into those of another...uh um) and a plum snowcone. I started out making ice lollies before I moved into ice cream, and it made me want to unpack my molds and play around with ice lollies again.  

This week in the kitchen I am trying to replicate Jacques Torres' chocolate chip cookies which after extensive tasting I thought were the best in New York. I think they'd make awesome ice cream sandwiches. I also have a list of potential ice cream flavours I've taken from the amazing jam flavours, cordials and chocolate bars I've seen in New York's gourmet food shops, like strawberry and lemon thyme, and raspberry and ginger. 

6. What do many people not know, but should know, about ice cream/the manufacturing of ice cream?

Mass produced ice cream is often made with vegetable oil substituted for part of the cream, because oil is cheaper and doesn't need to be refrigerated like cream does. Get a funny coating/feeling on the roof of your mouth? There's oil in that ice cream! Mass produced ice cream also usually has more air - known in industry as overrun - beaten into it, because air costs nothing and dairy costs a lot. So when you're tempted to buy a big tub of cheaper ice cream instead of a small tub of high quality ice cream, weigh it - you might find that 'overpriced' smaller tub weighs more, and you are getting more bang - ingredients and flavour - for your buck. I'm a big proponent of not buying any ice cream when I don't recognise items on the ingredients list, because ice cream doesn't need to be full of chemicals and hydrogenated oils to taste good. So support small, independent producers, and pay more to get more. 

            8. Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, sherbet...what's the difference?

Ice cream and gelato are both frozen dairy desserts, but ice cream typically has more fat in it, making it a richer product, and is served at a lower temperature, so it is firmer. Gelato usually has more sugar, and sometimes has powdered milk added to thicken it. Gelato has less overrun (air) beaten into it than commercial ice creams, but roughly the same as high quality artisanal ice creams. Sorbets are made without any dairy, and have an icy texture, and sherbets are made with milk but no cream. I've only seen sherbets in America, and rarely even there.

            9. Which chefs/ice cream makers do you admire and why?

I admire Lindsey Shere, Chez Panisse's original pastry chef and author of "Chez Panisse Desserts", for her classic, elegant taste in pairing ice cream flavours and desserts, and introducing me to flower and herb flavours for ice cream. I still love Ben 'n Jerry's, for their flavours' sense of fun, and showing that mass produced ice cream can be good quality and have soul. And I think David Lebovitz's "The Perfect Scoop" is the best ice cream recipe book out there. 

My big sister-the intrepid ice cream adventurer.

Watch this blog for news on big sister's ice cream venture-it's gonna be super delish and amazing.

New York City: A Foo-topia (Part 2)

Tune of the Moment: "Albert and Joey" from Adrian Sutton's astounding score for the National Theater's production of "War Horse". What can I possibly say about this music other than to command you to buy it immediately and feed your soul with pure beauty!

"War Horse" is a theater production based on the children's novel of the same name by Michael Morpurgo. The play uses full-size puppets and actors to tell the story of a young boy, his horse and the effects of WW1 on their lives. It is nearly impossible to sum up, in words, how magnificent this production is and how proud I am of the accomplishments of the South African Handspring Puppet Company (who are receiving a special Tony Award for their achievements on June 12th!) whose involvement in the production is pivotal to its great success. Here's the "trailer" for the production:

To further feed the whole Proudly South African shtick, I just found out that Adrian Sutton, although English by birth, grew up in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Ek is baie trots. I have to explain why I am so obsessed with his War Horse score-without giving anything of the play away. The opening scene is simply a foal walking around the circumference of the stage. It is the first audience-sighting of the puppet and its life-like qualities are immediately stunning and emotionally engaging. This visual is paired with Adrian's whimsical music and the combination is completely compelling and moving. His score is also so very British-in the best possible way. It seems to pay homage to icons like Vaughan Williams while remaining original and distinctive. Here is a video of The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra playing Adrian Sutton's War Horse Suite:

And, just to really convince you all I've become an equine-obsessive, here's a last clip from the play that pairs the beautiful puppet work with the score:

Back to the food. I promised you a run-down of Le Pain Quotidien (incidentally a British franchise that has jumped the pond to the USA). I love LPQ because of its decor and atmosphere. I'd be lying if I said it was because of the food. The food is good-some meals better than others-but it's the warmth of the soft lighting, the Provencal wooden tables and paneling, and the high ceilings that really get my goose....yes, I used that expression bestowed unto me by my mum....we really do become our mothers....oi va voy. However, I won't knock its breakfast spread-beautiful and delicious pastries (good muffins), great oatmeal (they had a farro porridge special once that was happiness in a bowl), and decent frittatas. My biggest gripe with LPQ is that they will not toast their bread and, I'm afraid, it's in need of a good toasting! I don't think they even own toasting machines-they're above it but, sadly, their bread is not. And I know for a fact I am not alone in this opinion. Anyway, if you go there for lunch, order this:

Quinoa and green salad with a massive artichoke...

Tuscan bean salad with a side of prosciutto...

Tomato Gazpacho-which surfaces every summer and is really, truly superb.

If, like my father, you find LPQ's offerings too bitsy and unsatisfying, be sure to chase the meal with desserts from Mario Batali's Eataly.

And, having done double-blog duty today to make up for my long absence, I'm done. Eat yourself silly as summer finally graces us with its presence. And, once you've finished your fill of avocados and such, listen to something that deeply touches your soul and sends you to sleep with a smile on your face. It could be this...

Bless you, Peggy Lee...

Or this...

Randy AND The King's Singers?! Too cool

Or this...

Never heard it in French-pretty awesome.

Or this (last one, I promise!)...

Happy flying.

New York City:A Foo-topia. (Part 1)

Tune of the Moment: "On The Street Where You Live" from Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady", sung by Bill Shirley (who dubbed all singing for Jeremy Brett). The whole issue with overdubbing in "My Fair Lady" and other musical films of the era completely fascinates me, especially since Marni Nixon ("the ghostest with the mostest") provided singing for so many iconic actresses-Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Wood, Deborah Kerr. Her biography, "I Could Have Sung All Night", is a compelling, entertaining, well written account of her life in show business-buy it and read it!

Here is the original version of "On The Street Where You Live" from the film:

And then there's this....sigh....I always cry when it gets to Jeremy Irons singing "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face". This is from the "Kennedy Center Honours" ceremony in 2001 where Julie Andrews was the honouree. Julie was the original Eliza Doolittle-in the theater production of "My Fair Lady"-hence the musical numbers. It features Patrick Wilson (total dish), Kristen Chenoweth, Robert Goulet, Audra McDonald and Jeremy Irons (at 6 minutes in-worth waiting for!).

And here is a little clip from Marni's website showing her incredible work-most of which was done as a "ghost":

And here is Marni doing an overdub guideline for future translations of "The Sound of Music":

I totally forgot that I'm supposed to devote equal page time to music AND food...oh well... here goes...

I recently graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with a Master's degree in Jazz Performance. Yup. Two years and it's done, fini, klaar, kaput. Time certainly flies. My mother and sister flew out from South Africa to attend my final graduate recital and the commencement ceremony. Although they may not admit it, they also flew out to partake in NYC's culinary offerings. My sister is a foodie-having studied abroad in Bologna, worked on an Italian dairy farm, interned at Chez Panisse in Berkley, and dabbled in food journalism back home in Cape Town. She is also the convivium leader of Slow Food Mother City, which is a chapter of the international Slow Food movement, and is something of an ice cream expert (interview coming soooooon). My mum is one of the most intuitive cooks I know-she has a knack for flavour-pairings and tweaking recipes successfully. She also always over caters, as a point of principle-it's one of her finest qualities. Visual proof...

Christmas Spread '10

Christmas Leftovers '10

Birthday Desserts '10

So, appetites in tow, my mum and sister arrived and we visited several of my favourite city spots. Here's a bit of a visual tour (with some words thrown in for good measure because I like blogs that have at least a sentence or two to feed the thought process)

First port of call (always!) is Sarabeth's on Amsterdam for breakfast. Sarabeth's is a bit of a New York institution, known for its impressive breakfast fare-omelettes, eggs benedict, waffles, pancakes, muffins, scrumptious preserves. I'm a big fan of their "Red Omelette" (a fluffy omelette filled with melting cheddar cheese and topped with a red pepper/tomato sauce and sour cream) but on this particular trip I ventured out and ordered the spinach and goat cheese omelette....with a side of the red pepper/tomato sauce....ok, fine. And I ordered it egg whites only. Happy now?!

Such. Delicious. Ness.

Another favourite of mine is Community Food & Juice who, incidentally, also do amazing breakfasts. However, we hit up this Columbia/Upper Westside hang for a spot of early supper. The actual restaurant itself is a wonderful, airy, relaxed, informal space and the food is seasonal and inventive without being affected. Between the three of us, we sampled some of the most enticing items.

Top to Bottom: The Full Spread

Asparagus & Endive Salad w/ Toasted Farro

Bowl of Beets w/ Goat Cheese & Pistachios

Rice Bowl w/ Grilled Salmon, Radicchio, Carrots, Bean Sprouts & Peanut/Cilantro/Lime Sauce

On the day of my graduation I was adamant that I have a breakfast of champions since I knew that I would be spending the better part of the morning standing around in a Harry Potter-esque robe, fiddling with my mortar board, being excessively happy and excited, then sitting for a long period during which Jessye Norman would deliver an overly self-indulgent speech in a faux-high society accent, followed by more standing around in a queue waiting for the dean to get to the letter "S". So with my female posse by my side we fueled up at Aroma Cafe-an Israeli cafe/coffee joint that is consistent with a capital "C". Their lunches are delicious-salads, sandwiches on fluffy bread, and flavorsome soups-and I was delighted to discover their breakfasts are equally blissful. My sister ordered the Aroma All Day Power Breakfast (two eggs, feta, cream cheese,  cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, mixed greens with a drizzle of olive oil, and a side of our fresh baked bread.), my mum and aunt inhaled the muesli and I wolfed down the shakshuka (2 sunny-side eggs on top of a rich tomato and pepper sauce, served with tahini and bread). The perfect pre-graduation meal.

I know you're all dying to know what the post-graduation meal was, right? Off to Bouchon Bakery we goooooo.

"The French Laundry's" Thomas Keller has created the perfectly formed Bouchon Bakery chain (they're just opened up at Rockefeller Plaza)-both a bakery and cafe-style restaurant serving a handful of delicious dishes. The chicken dumpling soup is always outstanding, as is the soup de jour (sunchoke & pear was a recent flavour pairing) and the list of sandwiches on delicious pressed bread are consistently satisfying. If you're stumped as to what to try, just ask for their  plain bread and butter (it'll show you just how darn good the typical staple can be) and a bowl of their homemade ice creams-you cannot go wrong!

Soup du Jour-Broccoli with an onion marmalade garnish

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Trio of ice creams-Vanilla, Chocolate, Salted/Burnt Caramel

I fear this post is too long and too rife with visual food porn as opposed to verbal food porn. So, I will create a second post, a "part two", in order to pay adequate attention to Le Pain Quotidien and another musical moment.

Grad-u-ay-ted.

Sundays Swimming in South African Pride (& Vegetables)

Tune of the Moment: "Hlompha Bophelo" by Tutu Puoane from her album "Quiet Now".

Tutu is a South African singer who, after studying at my alma mater, the University of Cape Town, moved to Belgium to further study jazz. Our paths didn't cross in South Africa but since I've moved to NYC, we've communicated frequently on Facebook, managed to meet up on visits to Cape Town, and she's fast become a mentor and source of constant inspiration.


I spend a lot of time thinking about those of us who move away from home-whether for a short amount of time or permanently-and what the consequences are, if any, and how it ultimately shapes us as people. To leave one's comfort zone is a massive undertaking and challenge, and while it may seem like the proverbial grass is always greener elsewhere, those of us who have made the move know this to be fiction and not fact. This is especially true if one's home-nest is South Africa-a place of overwhelming natural beauty, inspiring people and a nation that is growing, learning and sparkling daily. So, here is a video of the Tutu Puoane Quartet featuring Ewout Pierreux, Nic Thys and Lieven Venken, playing Tutu and Ewout's composition, "Mpho", named after their adorable daughter.

You can find out more info about Tutu at http://www.tutupuoane.info/home.html

Onto the edible stuff... It's now been a month since I committed to being a pescetarian. I eat fish but no other animals. This change came about after reading Jonathan Safran Foer's book "Eating Animals" as well as other literature that pushed this already teetering non-meat-eater over the brink. Anyway, I've received basket-loads of teasing from my fellow beer-drinking, burger-chomping classmates (they all think it's a passing fad) and, as a true Leo, I see this as a challenge and it will only drive me further down the road to fish-eating bliss. Watch this space...

As spring is springing (tomorrow it could cloud up and rain torrents so I don't want to say that spring has sprung), the tendency is to say goodbye to soups and hot bowls of deliciousness (my freezer is currently sans its supply of Zabar's vegetable soup-boo). I've been frequenting some of my favourite places and enjoying being reminded of why I love them so. The first establishment is Angelica Kitchen in the East Village. When I was interning over last summer, I often darted into the vegan haven for a bowl of dashi broth ladled over earthy soba noodles. Or I'd satisfy all my senses by inhaling a cup of their miso soup (far superior to most in my opinion) followed by their "Thai Me Up" salad (strands of raw daikon radish, butternut and carrot over lemon kale). 

So, with happiness in my heart, I found myself in the 'hood over this past weekend and ordered another favourite of mine-quinoa, amaranth and rice mix with steamed kale, savoy cabbage, turnips, parsnips and sweet poatato, all doused in their raw Thai tahini sauce. Simple, steamed vegetables, with lashings of fresh flavours is the ultimate "temple" food, i.e. good food that does good things for you.

On the other end of the spectrum, I haven't eaten a bagel in the longest time possible-seriously, a good two or more months! I had a conversation with a real New Yorker (born and bred-a rare find!) last night, Miss Strapless Dress, and she asked me if I considered myself to be a true Manhattanite now that I'd (nearly) finished studying in the city. I told her I would NEVER offend her by saying that I considered myself to have achieved this precious status. And, in fact, I definitely don't feel anywhere near to becoming a Yankee-toting, lady-cursing, taxi-hollering, authentic New Yaawker... yet. I can but aspire :)

So, to help my cause, I greeted the day by leaving my apartment in sweats, an over-sized hoodie, flip flops and a messy ponytail to visit my local Lenny's and order a toasted H&H whole wheat bagel laden with low fat cream cheese, smoked salmon, tomato and red onion. It. Was. Totally. Awesome. And, what's more, it made me feel one step closer to joining Miss Strapless Dress's superior pedigree.

In other musical news, my final graduation recital is this coming thursday, 12th May, 5pm-6:30pm at Manhattan School of Music, Myers Studio. It's the culmination of the past two years spent in the Masters program at MSM and I'd love to share the experience with as many people as possible so please come along! It's free too...never a bad thing. Graduation is the following day, friday 13th, and, no doubt, there'll be celebratory meals for weeks to come. My mother and sister are also coming to visit me in the grand US of A so check back soon for culinary geeking out and an interview with my older, wiser, ice cream-obsessed sibling. I'm going to leave you with a track from South African guitarist and composer, Tony Cox. I love Tony's aesthetic, music and the way his songs make me yearn for biltong, Cape sunsets, dust roads and Marcel's Frozen Yogurt.

"Kierboom" by Tonx Cox

And more! I'm on a roll... Freshlyground is one of South Africa's proudest musical products. The MTV Award-winning group has played around the world, shared the FIFA World Cup theme song with Shakira (her hips don't lie), and they continue to endear themselves to Saffers near and far. Love, love, love them and nothing puts me in a better mood than hearing lead singer Zolani Mahola's unique voice interspersed with the sounds of Julio Sigauque's delicate guitar lines. Proudly SA all the waaaaaay.