Big Things

Our Gracious Hostess asked me for an explanation of the picture I posted a couple of weeks ago and I like to look after my readers, so I thought I would post about this peculiar phenomenon.

Believe it or not, this is a sculpture that is meant to depict a group of fruit in honour of Central Otago's reputation as the fruit bowl of the South Island. It is situated as you enter Cromwell, and was recently re-painted so the thing on the right of the picture would look more like a nectarine and less like a giant bum on a stick.

They like this sort of thing in New Zealand. When they want to draw attention to the 'main feature' of a town, they build a giant sculpture of it and stick it somewhere prominent. They are usually made of fibre glass but sometimes concrete, corrugated iron or other materials are used. Hence there are kiwi-fruit, carrots, paua shells, Wellington boots and, of course, sheep dotted around the countryside.

Once I was arranging to meet a friend in Gore and she suggested we meet at the old brown trout. Naturally, being English, I asked if this was a pub. 'No,' she replied laconically, 'It's an old brown trout.' It was, and still is I believe.

They also like these these maxi-ture sculptures in Australia. With their typical antipodean descriptive flair, they call them 'Big Things'. There are over 150 of them and some people take road trips to take photos in front of them and tick them all off their list. Yep, those Aussie larrikins... Among the Big Things are a variety of fruit and vegetables (mushrooms; avocados; bananas; pineapples; potatoes - you can bet that looks attractive), insects (mosquitoes; ants), household implements (taps; rolling pins; spanners) and - naturally - the odd bottle of rum or tinny.

So, that's the what, but as to the wherefore, your guess is as good as mine!

My newest favourite thing: Amisfield

To be fair, it’s probably not that new, because I’ve liked Amisfield for a while (frequently showing it off to our guests), but we went there for dinner last night and it sparked off a whole new appreciation.

The building is a fabulous design whose handsome schist walls, copper roof, redwood beams and clean, sloping lines reflect the early colonial cottages of the region. Nestled beside Lake Hayes, a single sheet of glass affords one of the most spectacular views across the Central Otago landscape, while the crackling wood fires keep things cosy.

We had opted for the ‘Trust the chef menu’ in which we are assured of exquisite dishes with fresh ingredients and subtle sauces so as not to overwhelm the flavour of the magnificent produce.

The staff were friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable: they matched wines for us; joked about our accents (the English chap was delighted to be able to offer us aubergines rather than eggplants); and pleasantly took the photo of the large group at the table next to us.

We began the night with bubbles, as you do. The Arcadia brut is one of the best sparkling wines I have ever drunk and one of my favourite ways to celebrate a special occasion. Our dishes arrived at our table on pewter-looking plates that made us feel as though we were at a medieval banquet.

To begin, we had whitebait lightly dusted in flour and then gently fried, served with rocket leaves and sourdough bread. This was followed by a plate of Parma ham, shavings of parmesan, and leaves of fragrant basil. The salmon with wilted greens, tomatoes and pine nuts continued the fishy theme and went superbly with a flinty Dry Riesling. The blend of citrus and spice cut cleanly through the fish oils and enhanced the experience perfectly.

We also had a plate of roasted aubergines, chickpeas, tomato, tahini and mint to share which was a simply delicious explosion of flavours. The pinot gris was sublime matched with the mini pot-roast chicken served with feta and tapenade. Side dishes of mixed leaves and the creamiest mashed potato you have ever tasted complemented the complex but subtle ‘each peach pear plum’ notes detected in the wine.

The portions were enough that we were satisfied but not satiated and, as neither of us are really pudding people, we finished off with a selection of the three desert wines. My favourite was the Lake Hayes Noble which was rich and sweet with a lemony zing that had me licking my lips all the way home.

I really enjoy this style of eating – it’s like tapas but the chef chooses whatever is freshest and best. There is no danger that you won’t like anything (you are asked about any dislikes or allergies at the beginning) so you can sit back, relax and know that you will be served the most sumptuous of treats.