Events

Akidi anyone? Yam goulash? Fancy some Cassava casserole? Or maybe some delicious Suya or Marrow Stuffed with Ackee Fruit? And how about Baked Mango Pudding for dessert?
How many of you know anything about African Fusion cookery? Not many I’d guess. So be prepared to set your taste buds tingling (but not with heat!) with Nina Gaskell’s African Fusion Cooking.
Nina was born in Nigeria and has lived in the UK since 1963. Together with her second husband Jeremy, she has travelled widely and the food they have tasted world-wide has inspired her to write a recipe book fusing African ingredients with European and other global influences to create new and exciting variations on traditional themes – Plantain Moussaka being one such example.
Thanks to Roger Ellis and Alan Shepherd we have the use of the Hall of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists (WCIT) which boasts a well equipped kitchen and an excellent dining hall. Consequently the organiser didn’t hesitate to get Nina on board for us with an evening of African Fusion Cooking.
Our evening will begin with a glass of something fizzy whilst Nina tells us about African food and African Fusion Cooking. She will then demonstrate some quick and easy recipes and talk us through some others in her book. We will naturally have a chance to taste these dishes accompanied by red and white wine.
Never one to hold back on experimentation, Nina has created a mouth-watering array of starters, mains and desserts. She incorporates some vastly different ingredients from those we would normally use – African staple foods such as blackeyed beans, okra, coconut milk, and sweet potatoes, as well as egusi seeds and plantain - but all are readily available in high street shops. For those who may have a few reservations, don’t worry. African food is not usually mouth-searingly hot and loaded with chillies but there will be chilli dips for those who like it hot.
At time of going to print, Nina has already decided to show us her signature dish of Blackeyed Beans and Sweet Potato Pie (AKIDI), Yam Goulash, Chicken in Peanut Sauce and carrot balls The other dishes will be selected nearer the time but we can guarantee a feast to tickle your taste buds and you won’t leave hungry!
This is something completely different for the London Branch. We have been very lucky indeed to secure Nina as she is much in demand and has also been busy filming. Moreover this is not the sort of event she usually does (nor do we for that matter!!) so we would urge you to support the event and even bring your friends. Nina has a very bubbly sense of humour and this shows in her passion for food so as well as having a tasty informative evening it will be fun.
A signed copy of Nina’s cookery book is included in the event cost. To find out more about Nina and African Fusion cooking, visit Nina’s website: www.africanfusioncooking.com.

If you have any specific dietary requirements, please check with the Organiser before booking.                                                                                                                           

      I have long thought that a selection of Pinot Noir wines from New Zealand would be interesting, showing different flavours from the various regions of this interesting country.                       
Pinot Noir, the “prima donna” of red grape varieties, is doing rather well in New Zealand; so well, in fact, that you could argue that overall New Zealand makes the best Pinot Noirs outside of Burgundy. In fact Pinot Noir is the most widely planted red variety in New Zealand with just under 1400 ha of vines.
Typically, New Zealand Pinot Noir is fruit-driven, forward and early maturing in the bottle. Alcohol levels are markedly higher than for Burgundies and natural acidity lower.
Many New Zealand Pinot Noir producers leave their fruit on the vine much longer than is either possible or acceptable in Burgundian vineyards, so that plummy flavours, heavier textures, and consequently a more Syrah-like wine structure, results. Markedly, the wines tend to be quite full bodied for the variety and very potable in their youth.
We have 9 wines tonight and these will show whether the above is true:
Trinity Hill, Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir, 2010
Urlar, Pinot Noir, 2009, Gladstone, Wairarapa
Brancott Estate , Pinot Noir, 2011, Marlborough
Staete Landt, Paladin Pinot Noir, 2009, Marlborough
Wimea, Pinot Noir, 2010, Nelson
Quartz Reef, Pinot Noir, 2010, Central Otago
Carrick Winery, Pinot Noir, 2007, Central Otago
Carrick Winery, Crown and Cross Pinot Noir, 2008,
Central Otago
Peregrine, Pinot Noir, 2009, Central Otago
These are fairly heavy reds and various “nibbles” will be available to clear palates, but this tasting will not include a full meal.

Because of judicious buying, the organiser is able to bring you this tasting at a very favourable price and your Committee would like to thank him for this excellent value event.                                                      

It is impossible to be absolutely precise as to the exact date when vines were first planted in this region of Bordeaux. During the Roman occupation of Gaul, the poet and Consul Ausonius (circa 310 – 384 and born in Bordeaux) owned vineyards in the area.
The vineyard areas of Saint Émilion and Pomerol which, together with Fronsac, make up the Libournais vignoble, are known to have more charm and individuality than their distinguished rivals in the Medoc some 45 kilometres away to the east and slightly north. The Medoc is generally flat, low-lying country, intensively planted principally with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on gravel soil compared with the steeper slopes of the region’s wines being tasted tonight which are planted predominantly with Merlot grapes on a limestone soil.
Our 9 fine wines tonight have been collected jointly over a period of time by Jeffrey Benson, who will lead the tasting, and the organiser and are as follows:
1986 Château Manieu, Fronsac
1990 Château Fombrauge, St Émilion Grand Cru Classé
1990 Château Couspaude, St Émilion, Grand Cru Classé
2001 Gravette de Certan, Pomerol
1976 Château Beausejour Duffau-Lagarosse, St Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé
1989 Château Canon, St Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé
1996 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol
1988 Château Ausone, St Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé
1986 Château Trotanoy, Pomerol
with our highlight being the 1^er cru Château Ausone, a wine you do not get to taste very often. David Peppercorn says “Everything seems set for Ausone to become the new Pétrus in terms of extraordinary wines produced in small quantities” - and probably at the same prices too!!!
Thanks to Roger Ellis and Alan Shepherd once again we have the use of the Livery Hall of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists which boasts a well equipped kitchen and an excellent dining hall where we shall be holding the tasting. Consequently the organiser’s first thought was to make this an extra special event with a cooked dinner afterwards as it was not appropriate to have “snack” food to accompany such fine wines.
This is likely to be a two course dinner as follows:
Duck Paté with Grand Marnier, leaf salad and French toasts
Chicken poached in red wine with shallots and button mushrooms, accompanied by baby pearl potatoes and Salsify
This will be accompanied by an appropriate wine – hopefully from St Emilion, but sadly not of the quality of those in the tasting!
If you have any specific dietary requirements, please notify the organiser direct.
If his schedule permits, we are hoping to have with us Jack Rubin, Chairman of The Marin Branch – Haskell Norman Chapter, as a visitor to London Branch from USA.