Rocking in to 2025

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Kia ora Gastronomads


I hope everyone had a good chill during the holidays. Melbourne at Christmas was wonderful. My family and I ate at some really really good restaurants – The European, Supernormal, Taksim Square, coffee at Marios and Albert's Wine Bar. Oh and the sparkling gastronomic paradise of the Victoria market. Stood in line for a croissant at LUNE. Took in the extraordinary exhibition of the dotty work of Yayoi Kusama at the NGV.

Tours in 2025

All of my tours are gastronomic, concentrating on food, wine and cooking. Morocco is a land of passion, crushed rosebuds and falling pomegranates. Southern France is a land of sunshine, ribald humour and rivers of olive oil. The Basque Country is enigmatic and welcoming with the most three starred restaurants in Europe. Puglia in Southern Italy is a sunny land of sweet people, unbelievable seafood, heady wines and very old olive groves. Southern Portugal is beautiful and romantic, the wine lusciously fruity and smooth and they can sing! The only tour not about gastronomy is India. This dramatic tour is centered on shopping, textiles, interiors, crafts and fashion.

India – 3 – 12 March 2025 – Tour Full
Marrakech – 12 – 18 May 2025 – Tour Full
Uzès  – 30 May – 5 June 2025 – places available
Basque Country – 14 – 20 June 2025 – one place left!
Puglia  – 31 August – 6 September 2025 – places available
Portugal – 14 – 20 September 2025 – half full

Uzès is my favourite as it is my home town in France. I wrote a whole book about it 'Never Put All Your Eggs In One Bastard' where I sang the praises of this stunningly chic town where everyone smiles – maybe because the sun shines 300 days a year. Think straw lavender hats, espadrilles, sleepy villages, ancient vineyards and intense cuisine. On the tour we have cooking lessons, wine visits, shopping expeditions, singing, dancing, eating in starred restaurants, pottery demonstration and going mad in the market. The last night bash is at my place. Find out more HERE.

Hawkes Bay F.A.W.C! (Food and Wine Classic) – March 2025

Venez venez! – the gastronomic and vinous festival in Hawkes Bay is happening again in March. Are you very ready to faites la fete with Pask Winery and moi? I will be hosting a French dinner, talking, singing and sharing ma vie en rose on Friday 21 March. Bookings and more info are HERE. 

F.A.W.C! is a series of exceptional food and wine experiences set in stunning locations in Hawke’s Bay. Running from March 14 – 23, F.A.W.C! is a chance to get up close and personal with chefs and food producers, wine makers and the clever people that create the New Zealand food and wine scene.

Supper Club

Every Wednesday and Saturday more or less I host a Supper Club in my inner city apartment in Auckland. First of all you walk in bearing herbs and flowers from your garden then you sit down to stare adoringly at me teaching or chat with your classmates then we take all the delicious food out to the floating pointy terrace and have dinner, story telling, book reading and singing if anyone has had one rosé too many. You leave with recipes, connections, photos and smiles. Book or find out more HERE.

It's Been Six Weeks Since My Last Confession

This is the title of my new book to come out mid-October. It is a collection of confessional essays about my life, family, friends and anyone else who has had the misfortune of crossing my path. You willl find out what happened the day my father won a house in a poker game, what agony aunt advice I would give on designer clothes to pack in your end-of-the-world survial kit and how to make edible sunshine. I am self-publishing for the first time so learning new skills like the meaning of the words spot UV, paper stock and C format. I will be posting progress on social media.

Tuna, White Anchovy, Piquillo Pepper Pintxo (tapa)

  • Serves 8

  • 1 ripe tomato

  • 8 slices baguette toasted

  • 160g tuna in olive oil

  • 4 roasted piquillo peppers (bottled)

  • 8 white anchovies (boquerones)

  • Finely chopped parsley

Method:

  1. Slice the tomato in half and grate the flesh. The skin will fold back.

  2. Grill or toast slices of bread and spread with tomato pulp.

  3. Lay slices of tuna on each piece of bread. Lay half of a piquillo pepper on top of the tuna.

  4. Top the pepper with a white anchovy (boqueron) and sprinkle with parsley.

That's it for the first newsletter of the year. I'm jumping in the pool every day, walking, stretching and looking forward to my luxury shopping/textiles trip to India in March where everything is just a big fat hot pink saga of beauty and inspiration.

Peta