With a wintery chill in the air, now is the perfect time to upgrade your kitchen and get a new Neff Oven installed – just in time for hearty roasts and slow cooked winter warmers.
So check out these great new promotions we are running until the end of June and get cooking!
Neff are proud to announce that we are sponsoring the Grampians Grape Escape again this year .. and its looking like another amazing event!
Held over 2 days (5th and 6th May) the 2012 Grampians Grape Escape promises all that you have come to expect: great entertainment, fabulous food, stunning wine and plenty of new surprises.
To celebrate their 21st birthday the program is also growing into the wider region and will include
10 days of lead in events, commencing on ANZAC Day, 2012.
Once more we will be taking charge and hosting a range of cooking demonstrations over the weekend including:
But the list doesn’t stop there are we are still adding more demonstrators to the program over the coming weeks with the Official Program will be released soon so stay tuned to
http://www.grampiansgrapeescape.com.au as we announce more details.
With the weather hotting up, now is the perfect time to hit the cookbooks and get inspired with some easy summer entertaining ideas and what better way to do just that than by winning a copy of Donna Hay’s fantastic book 'Fast, Fresh, Simple' RRP $39.99.
That’s right, we have 6 copies of this great book to give away to you our friends and what’s more all you need to do to be in the running is tell us what you love most about summer entertaining!
Simply post your answer via the contest application on our facebook page to enter.
Also remember that we will be running more competitions over the next few months including tickets to events, cookbooks, magazine subscriptions and more, so make sure you click "LIKE" on our facebook page and get in the running to win some great prizes.
About Donna Hay Donna Hay is Australia's leading food editor and best-selling cookbook author. Her food, recipes and styling focuses on basic ingredients, simply prepared and beautifully photographed – hallmarks of her work which have set the benchmark for food publishing worldwide and inspired a whole new generation of cooks.
TERMS & CONDITIONS THE NEFF KITCHEN: WIN A DONNA HAY FAST FRESH SIMPLE COOKBOOK COMPETITION The Promoter for this Competition is Sampford IXL Pty Ltd, ABN 25 123 411 898, 421 Smith Street, Fitzroy, VIC 3065. 1. Introduction (a) These terms and conditions apply for The Neff Kitchen Competition (theCompetition) promoted by Sampford IXL Pty Ltd (the Promoter). (b) Information on entry to this competition and the prizes for part of these Terms and Conditions. (c) Entry into the draw is deemed acceptance for these conditions of entry. (d) The Promoter’s failure to enforce any one of these terms will not give rise to any claim or right of action by any other person or participant. 2. Duration The promotion commences on 20/10/2011 at 9:00 am (AEST) and closes on 12/11/2011 at 11:59pm (AEST) (“the Promotion Period”). Your entry must be received by us by no later than the closing time. 3. Eligibility (a) Only Australian residents are eligible to enter the Competition. (b) The Promoter’s employees and their immediate family, associated agencies and companies associated with the Competition are not eligible to enter the Competition. 4. How to participate (a) Entrants must tell us their favourite springtime recipe by leaving a comment below or on our facebook page (b) All entries must be in English. Incomplete or incomprehensible entries will be deemed ineligible. (c) The promoter will not be responsible for any late, lost or misdirected entries. (d) Only one entry will be accepted per person vis blog and facebook. 5. Judging (a) This is a game of skill and chance plays no part in determining the winner. (b) All entries will be judged for creativity by a panel of internal judges, at Sampford IXL, 421 Smith Street, Fitzroy, Victoria on Monday 14th October 2011 at 12:00pm. (c) The winner will be notified via the neff kitchen blog and facebook www.sampfordixl.com.au in October 2011. (d) The judges’ decision is final and no further correspondence will be entered into. 6. Prizes (a) The six [6] entries judged as the most creative by the panel of judges will each win a copy of Donna Hays cookbook Fast Fresh Simple. (b) Prizes are subject to availability and the terms and conditions of the entities supplying the Prize. Prizes are not exchangeable, transferable or redeemable for cash. (c) If a Prize is unavailable for any reason, the Promoter may provide the winner with a different Price of the same value.
We have some fantastic news to share with you all. We have just announced that we are sponsoring the Tastes of Victoria stages at this year’s Royal Melbourne Show.
Situated in The Grand Pavilion, the hub of fine food for the show the Tastes of Victoria stages will be fitted with Neff working kitchens. Each stage will have seven, 30 minute demonstrations and classes running from 11am to 6pm each day of the show, and best of all they are free to join in and watch.
The Tastes of Victoria Stage will feature some of Australia’s leading chefs, local producers and food industry professionals. This stage will highlight Victorian produce and has engaged an impressive list of Chefs who share a passion for local and seasonal produce.
The second and more intimate stage will be the Mini Masterclass Stage, which will host award winning Victorian producers from the Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards and The Australian International Beer Awards and the Royal Melbourne Wine Show.
Of course it wouldn’t be the Royal Melbourne Show without a large helping of fun for all the family so the stages will also be the focal point for a wide range of giveaways and competitions, tastings and there’s even a cook off between Junior MasterChef contestants and top chefs that will be sure to put the Neff Kitchens through their paces!
Stay tuned for more information on the celebrity and MasterChef contestants that will be appearing and when they will be on stage as we release more information over the next few days.
To start the festivities we have 5 double passes to The Royal Melbourne Show to give away to you, our friends – all you need to do to be in the running is tell us what your favorite farm yard animal is by leaving a comment below or on our Facebook page.
Entries close at 5pm Wednesday the 21st September 2011 so get you entries in and we hope to see you there.
Please note winners will be drawn randomly at 5pm EST on Wednesday 21st September 2011. Winners will be notified by email and via The Neff Kitchen Facebook page shortly afterwards.
Many of you will recall that we at Neff recently took part in Saturday In Design – a design event held so as to allow brands like Neff to showcase our latest products to the Interior Design and Architectural community. The event is held in Sydney and Melbourne on rotation and this year it was Sydney’s turn, so we packed up our baking trays and headed there to do a little showing off!
We exhibited at a photographic studios called The Stables which gave us a great venue to showcase the latest Neff releases including our Vario Steam Oven with our award winning Slide and Hide doors.
With over 1500 people expected to visit us on the day we set the challenge to our very own NSW demonstrator Bridget O’Connor to cater for them using the Neff products on display. After much debate (and a few very yummy tasting sessions) Bridget came up with a fantastic and incredibly popular range of biscuits that could be cooked live on the stand and be offered to guests straight from the oven – YUM!
As you can imagine these home cooked biscuits proved a very big hit and after countless requests for the recipes Bridget very kindly agreed to share these special recipes with all our friends so please find them below.
So, if you were one of the lucky ones who got to try them on the day, or if your just a lover of biscuits then now is your chance to bake your own batch .. but be warned, you will be very popular if you make these so you better put the kettle on!
Rocky Road Biscuits
Here’s what you will need
200g Dark Chocolate, chopped
125g Butter, chopped
1 Cup Plain Flour
½ Cup SR Flour
1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 Cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
½ Cup Mini Marshmallows
½ Cup Chopped Pecans
1 x 55g bar Chocolate Coated Turkish Delight
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Here’s How
Place chocolate & butter in an induction suitable saucepan & place on Neff induction cook top on lowest setting till chocolate & butter are melted. Stir well to combine.
Combine flours cocoa powder & brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir in marshmallows, pecans & Turkish Delight.
Stir lightly beaten eggs & chocolate mixture into dry ingredients & mix well.
Roll tablespoonsful of mixture into balls & place onto trays lined with baking paper. Flatten lightly with a fork.
Bake in preheated Neff oven on Circotherm setting at 170c for 12 to 14 minutes until cooked. Allow to cool on trays.
Makes approx. 40 biscuits.
Cranberry & Oatmeal Biscuits
Here’s what you will need
180g Butter
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Castor Sugar
1tspn Vanilla Essence
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ¼ Cup SR Flour
2 Cups Rolled Oats
1 ½ Cups dried Cranberries
Here’s How
Cream butter, sugars & vanilla together till light & creamy. Add egg & mix well.
Fold in flour & rolled oats. Add cranberries & mix well.
Roll tablespoonsful of mixture into balls & place onto trays lined with baking paper. Flatten lightly with a fork.
Bake in preheated Neff oven on Circotherm setting at 170c for 14 to 16 minutes until cooked & golden. Allow to cool on trays.
Makes approx. 48 biscuits.
Lemon Coconut Biscuits
Here’s what you will need
125g Butter
1 cup Castor Sugar
2tspns grated Lemon Rind
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Cup SR Flour
2 ½ Cups Coconut
Here’s How
Cream butter, sugar & lemon rind together till light & creamy.
Add eggs & mix well. Fold in flour & coconut.
Roll mixture into 2cm balls & place onto trays lined with baking paper. Flatten lightly with a fork.
Bake in preheated Neff oven on Circothem setting at 170c for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked & lightly golden. Allow to cool on trays.
Makes approx. 45 biscuits.
I was lucky enough to drag myself away from the city recently to take a quick break in Daylesford with some friends, to relax and soak up some good food, wine and company. And when staying at Peppers Mineral Springs Retreat I knew I had to book in early to get a table at their famous afternoon high tea.
After spending the morning saddled up to a horse on a particularly bumpy path, it was a welcome treat to be able to settle into the warm surrounds of the Spa’s own restaurant, and sample their beautifully prepared delicacies. So with my champagne flute in hand, I was eager to taste their carefully selected menu of sweet and savoury foods, and make up for a missed lunch and a sore behind.
Starting with some fresh salmon and cucumber sandwiches, I breezed through the more ‘sensible’ choices and headed straight to the macarons. With just the right crisp on the outside, and creamy ganache on the inside, they easily dissolved in my mouth and left me fighting for spares. Next up were the passionfruit tartlets, carefully piped into pastry bottoms with just the right amount of sweetness to clear my palate for some heavier chocolate offerings.
These came in a variety of styles – rich coffee mud mousse, powdery bites of cocoa rum squares and a speckled pistachio nougat that sent my tongue into spasms. But none of this compared to the final round of warm baked scones, served with dollops of double cream and homemade jam. Needless to say, we all left feeling very spoilt and content, with new plans to revisit again soon. And with a spa bath waiting for us in our villa, could a day really get any better?
The Neff enamelled roaster is perfect for cooking your winter roasts, casseroles, braising and even baking. Suitable for use use on the cooktop or in the oven the roaster features a heat resistant glass lid and attractive design making it ideal for serving.
We have been given 5 of these great products to give away to our friends all you need to do to win is send us your best original, quick and easy weeknight recipe. All entries will be judged by our very own team of home economists and the 5 best entries will win their own roaster.
Entries can be emailed on neffinthekitchen@sampfordixl.com.au or sent by mail to Neff ‘in the Kitchen’, 421 Smith Street, Fitzroy, Victoria. 3065.
Entries close 16th Sept 2011 so be quick
Entries are open to Australian Residents only – full terms and conditions can be viewed here
I got the main concept of this recipe from the amazing Silver Spoon cookbook but over time I have to admit I have chopped and changed a few things (mainly to compensate for what was in the fridge). Despite my amendments one thing stays true to the original and that you just can’t beat a “cook in one pot” chicken dish as a mid week family meal. It may not be the prettiest thing to look at but it is certainly one of the most succulent, flavoursome and simple meals you could hope to throw together. Give it a try this week and let us know how you go.
Serves 4
Cooking time - about an hour
Here’s what you will need
A whole Chicken – cut into 8 pieces (keep the bones in for flavour)
3 cups of button mushrooms whole.
2 tbs plain flour
25g butter
3 tbs olive oil
2 small onions chopped
2 glasses of white wine (one for the dish the other for you)
4 fresh tomatoes – halved and deseeded
Half a cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper to season
Here’s How
Cut your Chicken into 8 pieces of roughly equal size – do not debone! If you prefer you can buy chicken portions but make sure they still have their skin on and bones in place.
Lightly dust the chicken portions in flour and heat the oil and butter in a large deep pan.
Add the chicken to the pan and brown allover, turning frequently.
Add the mushrooms and onion and cook for a few minutes until the onion has softened.
Pour in the wine and place the tomatoes on top.
Reduce the heat to a simmer covering the pan and cook for about 15 mins.
After 15 mins turn the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Note: At this stage you should have enough liquid / gravy to cover most of the chicken – if you don’t then add a dash of water.
Cover and continue to cook for another 30 mins or until chicken is tender and cooked through, taste and add seasoning as required.
Remove from heat and transfer into a large serving dish sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve with steamed rice.
Note
Stir through a glug of truffle oil just before serving to give an extra hit of flavour.
UK architect and writer Carolyn Steele was in Australia recently speaking at design events and food events about her favourite topic, and the subject of her latest book. We were lucky enough to grab a seat so we thought we should share it with you all.
Hungry City: How Food Shapes Our Lives looks at how cities have evolved through food, the relationship between cities and agriculture, and how food shapes the way we live.
It’s a fascinating topic. Steel traces back to the beginnings of agriculture, when people lived off the land, to the development of towns and cities where the action was centred around areas of food sale and production – Sydney’s Market Street was, predictably, where food vendors sold their wares. The public life of the city used to be around the markets, where people went to buy food, to gossip and haggle and interact with their local communities.
Food production gradually began industrialised; food was canned and preserved to withstand travel, and food centres were built on the outskirts of cities in the form of supermarkets.
“Cities have become eviscerated,” says Carolyn of the state our cities are in now, food-wise. “Food used to be in the middle of cities and used to be how people transacted with each other, where the public life of the city was. Supermarkets and industrialisation have changed this.”
Carolyn calls the modern world a ‘sitopia’ – a world shaped by food.
“It’s so profoundly woven into our lives that we can’t see it! The trouble is that the sitopia we live in at the moment is shaped by big business – it’s not shaped by us.”
Thinking about the way we produce and access food in this way makes you question your day-to-day practices. Small-scale food producers and suppliers are finding it harder and harder to get by. We buy produce regardless of whether it’s in season, because we can get it – even though the distance it travels and the resources required to get it to us are terrible for the environment.
With things like vertical farms and other forms of inner-city farming still in their beginning stages and not widely adopted in most cities, we need to start thinking about ways to support our local food producers and let food shape our cities in a more positive way. Seek out your local farmer’s market, and buy direct from the grower. Use fruit and vegetables that are in season and at their best.
If food is shaping the way we live, let’s make sure we live the best way we possibly can.
After hearing various reports about the latest pop-up restaurant/bar concept Babushka in Hawthorn, I was keen to find out what the fuss was all about, and see if their potatoes were really hitting the mark. Hoping to check out the décor in daylight, I beat the Saturday evening crowd and went along late in the afternoon to grab a quick bite and a glass of their boutique vodka.
Set up in less than four weeks, the bar sits on the busy corner of Burwood Road and Power Street, previously a somewhat dubious theatre restaurant, now painted a distinctive Communist red. I am told by the bar girl that it is really just a showcase for a new vodka the owner has started bringing into Australia, after buying a distillery in Russia, set to remain for about six months or so until the brand takes off.
The graphic menus are still crisp on the bar, displaying all things potato – both liquid and otherwise. Before settling in to make my choice, I take a wander around the expansive maze of rooms – all creatively white-washed, then decorated with stencilled black birds and some distinctive black and white images. Marlon Brando looms down from behind the bar of the private room at the end, suavely setting the scene for some serious action.
Finding a seat in an old church pew by the window, I order some fresh fish and chips and grab a glass of ‘From Russia With Love’ on the rocks. Its crisp edge cuts through the slightly greasy batter and sends warm ripples down my throat. So this is how they keep themselves warm in winter!
Although not quite a foodie destination – the menu has only a handful of very basic bar snacks, and sadly no pierogi or borsch in sight – the cool interiors are sure to provide the perfect backdrop for some Friday night festivities, and a chance to play roulette with a great list of Charlie juice-laden cocktails.
