Smart cafes offer accounts, provide table service to there regulars and go the extra distance and create an environment for people to do business, a lot of which is normally done in an office.

My office is the best around, actually best around for hundreds and hundreds of miles. Grindz Cafe, First Ave Tauranga. Owner operators  are a hubby and wife team , Steve and Lesley.

Steve is the front man. The man who never stops smiling and welcoming guests. The man who says yes to soya flat white decaf lattes, says yes to Big Grinds Breckies. The man who says yes to triple short blacks. The man who is in first five position calling the shots and controlling the flow of the team.The man who takes your tin and sends your order down the very efficient line. The man who sets the flavor of the cafe. The man who plays good tunes.

Lesley is in the kitchen, the small but very powerful engine room. The one who pumps out hundreds of breckies. The one who starts before the birds in the morning and fills the cake stands and cookie jars with lots of quality yummy sweetness. The one who fills up the cold cabinet with salads, pies and all wonder of savory creations. The one who pumps out an impressive array of sweet and savory muffins.The one who commands her small but  very efficient team to create and serve the great cafe food we regulars know about.

Quality and consistency are the keys factors in running a good cafe. Grindz ticks those both off with 100% pass. If Grindz was a band they would be rock stars. If Grindz was a sport team they would be the winning all blacks. If cafes could receive Knighthoods it would be Sir and Lady Grindz!!

The beans become easier to digest, and remove some of the flatulence related to dried beans, by pre soaking them. This also speeds up the cooking time.

Used in many ways and  are a star in number of different dishes. They partner very well with salty type ingredients like olives, preserved lemons, capers, pickled gherkins and anchovies. Makes a fantastic puree with  lots of lemon, zest and juice, fresh Italian parsley, garlic and olive oil. The perfect beans braised  together with smoked paprika, garlic, tomatoes,  and a  smoky ham hock, to create wonderful home made ‘baked beans’.

white bean puree

A favourite is to add black olives, picked parsley leaf, preserved lemons, steamed diced red skin potatoes, fresh mint with cooked cooled haricots. Toss together and season well with falky sea salt, fresh pepper and some good extra virgin olive oil. Simply divine and perfect partner for some grilled oily fish like fresh mackerel or piper; or serve with BBQ marinated lamb shoulder.

Cheap and readily available in most grocery stores. Put them on your shopping list today!

The zest of all citrus is the underused wonderful sweet fragrant expression of the fruit. Used to flavor so many sweet and savory foods.

Preserved lemons are a wonderful way to process extra lemons, for use later in dishes. Easily done, and providing a jar full of lemons with great salty lemon taste. Below is a recipe

Preserved lemon. Lemons and Sea salt are all that is needed. Wash lemons and slice down through length, in quarters, till almost cut through. Add generous amount of salt into the slit lemon cavity. Pack into clean sterilized jars. When full push down, adding more lemons to completely fill jar. Top with lemon juice if not overflowing full. Seal with lid. Store in cupboard and use after two months. Liquid will be thick and syrup like. Use the rind not the flesh.

Rolled oats are older than time in Scotland as a grain served at breakfast time. Boiled with a little water and salt to slightly thickened and served with cream and brown sugar.Breakfast done! Excess porridge had mutton fat melted through it, poured out of the saucepan and set into a biscuit like shape. When cold this was pocketed and carried into the hills.Born was the famous Scottish Stovie.

The secret to good porridge is a few things. Soak the grain overnight in cold water, just enough to cover. This activates the growing enzyme in the oat, and makes it easier for the body to digest. Soak dried fruit like raisins, sultanas or dates with the oats as well. Bring to the boil and simmer till slightly thickened. Serve with thick unsweetened yoghurt. Add a nut like almonds and the perfect morning breakfast has been created. Yum!!

Top Tips

Grate raw into a salad
Juice with apple, carrot and ginger for a morning blast
Boil, peel and pickle in vinegar
Peel quarter, season and oil. Roast in hot oven till just soft
Makes fantastic chutney
Roasted beetroot with venison
Beetroot and feta go well together, and look spectacular

Recipes
Beetroot with lentils, ginger and feta
400 gm lentils
800mls vegetable stock
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic crushed
10gm fresh ginger, crushed
20mls cooking oil
400gm beetroot, peeled, cut into wedges and roasted
100gm feta cheese, diced
Handful chopped fresh parsley
Juice of half a lemon
Sweat onion, garlic and ginger in oil. Add lentils and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer till soft. Remove from heat; add roasted beetroot, feta, lemon juice and parsley. Season and toss together. Serve.
Note can be served warm or cold.

Beetroot relish
1k boiled, peeled diced beetroot
500gm cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced
400ml white vinegar
30gm fresh ginger, crushed
10gm allspice powder
1 tsp clove powder
100gm brown sugar
100gm resins
Put all ingredients into saucepan. Bring till the boil and simmer till nearly all liquid evaporated and mix thick and syrupy. Season with salt and pepper. Add hot to clean sterilised jars.

Beetroot, feta and mint salad with rocket
6 or 8, beetroot, boiled, peeled, cooled and cut into wedges
Handful of shredded mint
100gm wild rocket
150 gm feta cheese, diced
Dressing
20gm wholegrain mustard
20ml olive oil
20ml balsamic vinegar
Sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper
Mix beetroot with all dressing ingredients. Add feta cheese. Mix mint and rocket together and place on a platter. Top with beetroot mix
Garnish with mint tips. Serve.

Beetroot soup
25ml cooking oil
1 onion peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 small carrot peeled and diced
300gm potatoes peeled and diced
500gm beetroot, peeled and diced or grated
5gm caraway seeds
2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
Small handful of fresh dill
Sour cream

Sweat onions, celery and carrot in oil. Add potatoes, beetroot, caraway seeds and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer till vegetables cooked. Puree till smooth. Add    back to saucepan. Bring to the boil, season and add chopped fresh dill. Serve with sour cream.

What a fantastic time of the year it is. The summer sun has filled the garden to busting with crops producing vast amounts of sun-drenched produce. Courgettes, peppers, eggplants and tomatoes, red onions: the med range. Carrots, beetroot, early parsnips and new season’s kumara. The roots and tubers for roasting, grilling and steaming. Basil, coriander, chillies, parsley and French tarragon. The herbs for pesto’s, oils and marinating.
In the kitchen it’s a time to think of the pantry. How to convert all that produce into goodness to have on a rainy day. To have on a day when the garden is bare. Chutneys, relishes, oils, jams and sauces and all its variations.

Below is a great recipe for taking tomatoes into the next season.

Tomato Kasundi
4-5 kgs tomatoes
150g salt
200g yellow mustard seeds
100g black mustard seeds
250ml peanut oil
200g cumin
200g coriander seeds
100g fresh turmeric
Fresh chillies to taste
450g ginger, grated
4 heads garlic
20 stems curry leaves
800g sugar
1.5 litres white wine vinegar

Method
Chop tomatoes coarsely, put in bowl, sprinkle with salt, cover and set aside overnight. Fry off the mustard seeds in a small amount of oil gently until they pop. Roast and grind the cumin and coriander seeds in 1/2 cup of oil. Fry off all spices until fragrant. Drain tomatoes and discard the juice and brush off all the excess salt. Add to the pan with all the remaining ingredients. Simmer gently uncovered stirring frequently for 1 1/2 hrs. Set aside to cool before pouring into sterilized jars. Don’t be afraid to increase the amount of tomatoes to 5 kgs in this recipe. Use curry powder to taste as a replacement to the curry leaves if you can’t get them.
Enjoy.

The true recipe is up for much debate as well, but with many ingredients like bacon, fresh herbs, and a range of lettuce types being added in different versions Caesar Salad.

1/2 to 3/4 cup croutons
1 coddled egg
1 to 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 anchovy fillet
Pinch of salt
3 drops Worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 head Romaine lettuce, hearts and tender leaves only
Coarsely ground black pepper

To make croutons:Preheat oven to 180oc Trim the crust from day-old peasant-style bread (Italian or French bread) and dice into 3/4-inch cubes. Toss with enough olive oil to coat, but not drench. Sprinkle lightly with salt and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until just golden brown. Halfway through the baking time, give the pan a shake to make sure the croutons toast evenly. Remove from oven and completely cool croutons. Store in an airtight container.

To coddle egg: Coddling causes the yolk to become slightly thickened and warm. Bring a very fresh egg to room temperature by immersing it in warm water (otherwise it might crack when coddled). Place the egg in a small bowl or mug and pour boiling water around the egg until it is covered. Let stand for exactly 1 minute. Immediately run cold water into the bowl until the egg can be easily handled; set aside.

To make dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the garlic, anchovy, and salt until blended. Whisk in the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk in the coddled egg until the mixture is thick, approximately 1 minute (this enable the lemon juice to “cook” the eggs). Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with one hand while vigorously whisking the mixture with the other. When the dressing is well combined, whisk in 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese.

To assemble salad: Separate the Romaine leaves and discard the coarse outer leaves. Wash, drain, and pat with paper towels or spin-dry the remaining leaves. Tear into bite-size pieces and set aside. In a large wooden salad bowl, add 1/3 of the dressing and toss with the croutons until well coated. Add the Romaine lettuce pieces and the remaining dressing; toss until coated To serve: Divide the salad between two chilled plates and sprinkle each salad with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and coarsely ground pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 to 4 servings

Steamed fish
With brown rice and yogurt

• 600gm gurnard, tarakihi or snapper
• 200gm brown rice
• 400mls water
• 100gm plain unsweetened yogurt
• Lemon grass tops tied in bunch
• Baking paper
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lemon juice

Boil together rice and water in saucepan with tight fitting lid. When boiling turn down to simmer, and cook till all liquid gone.Place fish on baking paper. Season with salt and pepper. Place into bamboo steamer. Add small amount of water to steamer pot, and add lemongrass. Steam fish till just cooked. Let rest for a few minutes. Serve with rice and yoghurt and lemon juice. Serves 4

150gm rock salt

250 dark brown sugar or muscavado sugar

Large bunch fresh dill chopped

Fillet of skin on fresh salmon

Mix together sugar, salt and dill. Cut salmon in half to give to equal sizes piece. Spread salt mix on to one flesh side of one of the salmon pieces. Place other half on top. Place in container and cover with glad wrap. Place another container on top, and apply weight and refrigerate. Caned food works well. Place in fridge for 3 days. Drain of liquid that appears everyday. Slice thinly and serve with toast or crackers and caper mayonnaise.

Mayonnaise recipe

2 egg yolks

10ml vinegar

2 gm salt

2gm whole grain mustard

250ml salad oil

10 ml lemon juice

10 ml boiling water

In mixer combine egg yolks, vinegar, salt, and mustard. Mix till combined, then while mixing drizzle in oil. Add lemon juice then boiling water. Enough boiling water to slightly thin the mix. Check and adjust seasoning if required.

Makes approx 300mls. Add chopped capers to this recipe.

The Saturday of that weekend found Cuisine Concepts at the Millton Vineyard and winery in Gisborne, preparing and serving a 4-course lunch. A long table was dressed in formal white, beneath a canopy of  chestnut Trees. The occasion was celebrating the new vintage of the Millton grand cru, Clos de Ste. Anne range of wines.

Four courses started with Fennel cured salmon and steamed courgette Terrine. Platters of spring vegetables, dressed simply with good olive oil and seasoning were served next. Main of Angus eye filet, mushroom risotto, béarnaise and red wine jus followed. Simply cooked and seasoned, creating a platform to taste two stunning red wines. Platters of ciabatta with olive oil and salad leaves accompanied the meal. The last course was Hohepa Gouda cheese served with pears.

A stunning day in Gisborne was matched by simple good food and stunning Millton wines. A memorable day in the company of James and Annie Millton, their staff and a long white table filled with very happy lunch guests. Fantastic day!!