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Shadow Footprints

Wanderings in Virtu and Verity.

Friday, July 30, 2004

Food, glorious food

Since I don't work Fridays (although I'd like too, and the bank manager would like me to,) I was able to schedule going to the Food Show today. I got up late, had a coffee and a muffin for breakfast (thanks David). I picked up Lin, a real foodie. (Where's your blog Lin, and why won't you comment on blogs, apart from the four you admitted to? You're not so shy but do you need others to ask?)

We made our way to the Auckland Showgrounds for the Food Show. I was able to get tickets cheap via the NZ Wine Society for us. We were expecting today to have less visitors than on the weekend. We didn't anticipate all the prams.

We sampled and nibbled our was all around the show, enjoyed a presentation.
Get Set Party!
One box of mystery food and drinks plus two dynamic presenters divided by 30 minutes = Get Set Party!™ An exciting and entertaining stage presentation by World Champ Flair Bartender Hayden Wood from the liquid kitchen and fun, fast-paced chef Graham Wilkinson

The chef made some great tastes, and the bartender's production encouraged me to check out his stall for other tastes.

While Lin checked out more stalls I learnt how to taste olive oils.

Choosing and Using The Good Oil
A step-by-step guide to healthy eating with olive oil - what to look for when tasting and choosing.

We each picked up a lot of leaflets and a few samples (cereals, pre-measured pasta, soup, good honest chocolate) before seeing the final show of the day.

Stunning Small Tastes
Prepare for a tastebud transformation out of your comfort zone. Tantalising tapas with Paul Burns from Kapiti Cheeses

This guy needs more experience talking to the crown while doing his demonstration. One of the guys working with him, Ben was hot. I could see him while he was waiting to bring the coffee on-stage. I did enjoy the affogato this was used to make. It's on my list to serve at dinner parties. I bought some Crema di Balsamica from Casa Rinaldi. I'll be keeping this concentrated balsamic vinegar for serving on ice cream even though the bottle suggests using it for garnishing and seasoning meat, fish and vegetables and flavoring ice cream and strawberries. I might serve strawberries with it to my guests but as I'm allergic to them I won't be adulterating the flavour.

The only other things I picked up was some coffees for work and for home, and some limoncello.

After all the eats dinner was unnecessary.