From the Editor, Leigh O’Connor.
Spring returns not in petals, but in brightness - a sharp awakening of the palate. It’s salt and acid, brine and citrus; the electric clarity that cuts through Winter’s heaviness.
Think lemon zest flickering like sunlight on water, vinegar sparking against the tongue, pickles crunching with tangy vitality. This is not softness, not perfumed bloom, but a season defined by precision.
Spring is clean lines of flavour, a palate rinsed clear and made radiant. It’s the sting of grapefruit, the mineral kiss of the sea, the invigorating snap of fermented vegetables. A thrill that is both ancient and new, primal yet refined.
Salt sharpens, acid lifts - together they etch brightness into every bite. In this season, clarity is luxury; refreshment is beauty. Spring is not a meadow of florals - it is the exhilarating strike of flavour, distilled into its purest, most brilliant form.
Come with us this week as we explore how Chefs are using sharpness to cut through the seasonal transition…
Achieving flavour clarity is a cornerstone of refined cooking, where each element in a dish sings in harmony rather than competing for attention. Citrus, brines and acidic ingredients are essential tools for Chefs seeking to brighten flavours, balance richness and bring focus to a plate.
Used with precision, these ingredients can elevate a dish from flat to vibrant, sharpening the palate and enhancing complexity without overpowering the core elements. Find out how to use citrus as a natural amplifier, brines for more subtle flavour enhancement and acidity for contrast.
Sweet endings have long dominated the dessert world - think molten chocolate cake, sticky date pudding and pavlova. However, a quiet revolution is taking place on plates across Australia, where Chefs and home bakers are embracing a darker, more complex flavour profile: bitterness.
At the heart of this movement is the humble tart - sharp, elegant and layered with nuance, it’s the perfect vehicle for bitter ingredients to shine. We dish up the Art of the Tart and show you how to put bitter desserts on the family table.
When the spoon slips how do you rescue your recipe? Every cook knows that kitchens are places of triumphs and tragedies and often both within the same meal. One careless shake of the hand, one spoon too many and suddenly a dish that was meant to sing tastes out of tune.
The shock of too much salt, the heaviness of excess sugar, or the fiery dominance of spice can feel like the end of the road. However, recipes, like people, are resilient. With patience and creativity, even the most wayward dish can be coaxed back into harmony.
New Zealand is a land where the earth breathes - a geothermal wonderland where steam curls from ancient craters, bubbling mud pools churn in volcanic rhythm and the ground beneath your feet hums with primal energy.
From the moment you arrive, there is a sense of being drawn into something elemental, a world shaped by fire and water, mystery and motion. We take you on a Spring adventure to Aotearoa where the scent of sulphur lingers in the crisp air like a whisper from the earth’s core.
Read on…
