Q&A - Donato Toce from Gelato Messina

1. 1. Give us a brief history of your career up until working with Gelato Messina?

Before working at Gelato Messina, I worked at A Tavola (renowned Sydney pasta restaurant) for 1.5 years as a senior Sous Chef. Before that, I worked as Head Chef at Pizza E Birra in Surry Hills.

2. 2. What do you see as your career highlight?

Meeting Danny Palumbo! (part-owner of Gelato Messina and brother of gelato master Nick Palumbo)

3. You are moving from being a chef to a gelato maker – how do you think this will be different? In what ways do you think this will be the same?

It is a whole new adventure! In saying that, there are still the same mechanics and formulas in creating something that gels beautifully, and I will still be called upon to use my creativity to introduce new flavours and combinations that work. I can easily transfer the skills I have acquired from previous jobs into the skills I will require as a gelato chef. My previous experience in food undoubtedly helps me in this job.

4. How did you come to work at Gelato Messina?

I was approached by Nick to come and help him in the kitchen and to lend my creativity to help him devise new flavours – they wanted to dedicate more time to flavour innovation and experimentation.

5. What does your job at Gelato Messina involve?

I assist Danny and Nick in the kitchen, formulating new recipes and flavours – with me on board there is more time allocated to dream up new combinations. We are thinking of new flavours every day! Some of the recent creations I have helped to create include ‘Persian Saffron and Pistachio Praline’ and ‘Pecan Pie’. Between the three of us I think we will see some great new, innovative stuff coming out of Gelato Messina.

6. What will we see more of now that you are working with Messina?

As we have more time now dedicated to dreaming up new flavours and testing our ideas out, you will see more flavours coming in more often. As Nick and Danny have been so busy, they have not had the opportunity to actually make the flavours we wanted to – now we will! And additionally, my creativity and previous experience will add to the Palumbo mix, all three of us are very creative!

7. What makes Gelato Messina different from other gelaterias? How is the process Nick uses different to other Gelaterias?

It is completely different – at Messina everything is done from scratch. We use no bases, no pastes, no artificial flavours – everything is literally used in its purest and rawest form. For example, the hazelnut flavour begins with hazelnuts, which are then roasted, smashed, puréed into a paste, for apple we peel apples and bake them with cinnamon – it is like taking raw ingredients and turning them into ice cream. The banana flavour has such a high percentage of fresh banana because the colour darkens slightly in the tub across time, just as a banana itself would.

Naturally, there is a lot of trial and error in this process, and it is incredibly labour intensive, but ultimately that is why Messina produces such a superior product. I compare it to the way we made pasta at A Tavola, where we used eggs, flour, etc and put it together to create pasta, except here we use different raw ingredients to make this wonderful thing we call gelato!

8. What are your favourite flavours?

I love trying to mix flavours to create a whole new taste, and trying to find new combinations that work, rather than having one specific flavour I love. At Messina, we are constantly searching for new, innovative blends that work together.

9. What are some of the more innovative flavours you are planning to make?

At the moment, I am trying to work out a sherry combination, and perhaps try one with lavender – something pretty! We are a creative bunch, so you will definitely be seeing a lot more. As we are not limited by the ‘pastes’ or ‘flavours’ that are available, we can pretty much do whatever we want - once we figure out how to make it work! Essentially we are only limited by our imagination, because we start everything from its raw ingredients we can formulate it from scratch to make it work. It is like a science lab in here!!

10. Why do you think that Nick’s gelato is so popular?

It is rare to see gelaterias that only have gelato these days – most seem to be morphing into cafes. But at Messina we only sell gelato and nothing else – gelato and gelato alone is Messina’s focus.

There is simply nothing like it that you can get from other gelaterias. Each flavour is just that little bit different each time it is churned, because it is an artisan product. It is so pure, natural and real – not to mention it tastes ridiculously good!!

Simple, yet a classic

Try this easy to make recipe from Gusto Bar and Kitchen in Watson's Bay.

Penne alla Siciliana

Ingredients:

Eggplants - 1

Garlic - ¼ of a clove sliced thinly

White Insolia wine - 60ml

Tomato sauce -200g

Penne - 150g

Baked ricotta - 100g

Capers - 1g

Chilli - just a touch - depends how hot you like it

Olive Oil - 30ml

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 5ml

Salt - pinch for the eggplants and to taste once the sauce is added

Fresh basil at the end before plating up

Process:

Shallow fry diced eggplants in olive oil with sliced garlic and chilli.

Deglaze with a splash of your Sicilian white Insolia Wine and add tomato sauce. Add capers and season to taste. Simmer at low heat until your sauce is about 2 minutes from being ready.

Meanwhile cook your penne in boiling water.

Strain and add to the sauce.

Blend all ingredients together and add basil then serve.

Crumble the baked ricotta on top and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

MUM’S EAT FOR FREE AT HELM BISTRO!

Stuck for Mother's Day ideas????

This Mother’s Day, spoil your mum to superb brasserie style food without breaking your budget at Cockle Bay Wharf’s Helm Bistro. To celebrate and honour this special day, Helm Bistro is offering mothers the opportunity to eat for free when they dine with a family of four or more.

NEW Bacchus Website

We have just completed the content for the new Bacchus website. Check it out! Also, don't miss the Chef 's new tantalising menu.

http://www.bacchusnewcastle.com.au/

Chocoholics anonymous

Here at chocoholics anonymous we like to divulge our chocolate obsessions and confessions. So here we go...

I was merely walking through Balmain on the weekend and could help but notice the chocolate Baklava at Efendy restaurant. I thought, what harm could one bite do - right? So I strolled in trying not to attract attention and placed my order. As the waitress handed it over, I was transfixed by it's luscious creamy chocolate covering. I was instantly in heaven - Turkish heaven. For a single moment the chocolate encased my body and ate ME all up. I couldn't help myself.... and to tell you the truth, I would do it again in a second.

K-POW

Just in time for the release of Alice in Wonderland I thought, I would share with you a little something quirky of my own. Something different for the sweet-tooths: this whimsical dessert is a specialty at ATavola in Darlinghurst.

Known for it’s unusual appearance and exploding combination of flavours – the Bomba is a must try.

If your not ready to venture into this wee dessert journey, then I wish you happy watching for another piece of Tim Burton’s crazy mind.

Recipe from Sydney's only Sicilian restaurant

Sometimes it is nice to try something new in the kitchen, so I thought I would leak you one of my favourites from Sicilian restaurant Gusto Bar and Kitchen in Watsons Bay.

Fighi e Prosciutto

Ingredients:

Fresh figs cut in quarters

Fresh sliced Parma Prosciutto

Shaved Pecorino cheese

1tbs natural honey

1tbs extra virgin olive oil

1tsp Fig Vincotto (reduced red port wine with figs)

Method:

Lay figs decoratively on the plate, then place prosciutto and chesse on top. Drizzle the honey, oil and fig vincotto lightly over the top.

A fine change

Having thoroughly enjoyed Monkey Magic the first time, I was interested to experience the subtle changes new sushi chef Michiaki Miyazaki has made since he started this year. My favourite was the he traditional sushi plate, which is now served with new garnish like snapper with shiso and plum paste, king fish with miso and cucumber. Another highlight was the salmon with grated daikon radish and ponzu sauce. Careful not to startle, this gentle evolution allowed for the previously loved to merge in with the new. I highly recommend testing it out for yourself.

French Chef reinvents pub food at Helm

French Chef Frederic Booms is shunning the traditional connotations surrounding ‘pub grub’, Frederic has exclusively designed a brand new menu for Helm Bar packed with robust yet flavour focused dishes. Undoubtedly imbued with Frederic’s signature European twist, the new Helm Bar menu represents superb brasserie style food at value-for money prices.

Confit Duck Leg & Waldorf Salad

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

4 duck legs

1 tablespoon sea salt

Pinch of four spices

4 thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

1 teaspoon on orange zest

1 garlic clove

1 star anise

500ml duck fat (enough to cover the leg)

Method:

1. Mix the sea salt, four spices, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, lemon and orange zest, garlic and star anise together in a bowl. Rub mixture over the duck legs.

2. Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Heat the duck fat in a pan until hot.

3. Wash the legs under cold running water, pat dry and place the legs in a dish. Pour over the duck fat.

4. Place in the oven for 2.5 hours to confit. When the duck is ready the meat should start to fall away from the bone.

Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:

1 small red onion, finely diced

4 celery sticks, finely diced

1 tablespoon of finely diced and fried bacon

100 grams walnut halves

Juice of half a lemon

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

1 teaspoon of chopped parsley

Sea salt and ground black pepper

1 green apple, finely diced

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl.

2. Toss together well and taste – season more if necessary.

Traditional Indian - Posh Spice's Kadhi recipe

Kadhi (serves 4)

Kadhi is a traditional North Indian dish. It is a spicy yoghurt-based soup which contains chickpea-flour and is eaten with rice. Traditionally eaten on Sundays, the  leftover homemade yoghurt for the week is used to make Kadhi for lunch with the family.

Ingredients

50 grams Chickpea flour

Pinch Mustard seeds

½ teaspoon Cumin seeds

2 whole dry red chilli

Pinch of asafoetida

4 curry leaves

1 teaspoon refined oil

Salt to taste

½ teaspoon Turmeric

250 grams Yoghurt

Method

1.     Heat oil in pan

2.     Add mustard seeds & cumin seeds – allow to crackle

3.     Add whole dry red chilli, asafoetida, and curry leaves

4.     Simultaneously, beat the yoghurt with salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, chickpea flour and yoghurt and ½ litre of water

5.     Whisk thoroughly & pour over the hot tempering

6.     Bring to boil, stirring all the time (3-4 mins)

7.     Simmer for 25-30 mins till the raw flavour of the chickpea flour is removed

8.     Finish with a pinch of sugar to compensate the extra sourness the yoghurt might have

9.     Pour into bowl

10.  Served with chopped coriander

11.  Best served with boiled rice 

Award Nominations flow for Doltone House

Doltone House has just been announced as a finalist for the 2009 City of Sydney Business Awards, as well as achieving finalist status for two award categories in the 2009 Metropolitan Awards for Excellence. The City of Sydney Business Awards recognise strong, successful and innovative businesses from within the Sydney region. The Metropolitan Awards similarly acknowledge business excellence, but in the field of restaurants and catering. Doltone House’s two nominations for these awards in the categories ‘Wedding Caterer in a Function Centre’ and ‘Function Centre Caterer’ are testament to the Doltone Group’s commitment to delivering an exemplary standard of cuisine.

Doltone House Group director, Anna Cesarano, comments: “We are honoured to have been made a finalist for these awards. At Doltone House we genuinely ooze passion and strive for excellence in everything we do – it is thrilling to be recognized for this.”

The winners for the City of Sydney Business Awards will be announced on the 1^st of September, while the Metropolitan Awards for Excellence presentation dinner takes place on the 28^th of September. 

Goodbye Gluttony

As even a cursory glance over the Wasamedia blog entries will betray, the staff here are hopelessly and shamelessly fixated will all things food. From Amy, who harbours a frightful captivation with chocolate, to Caroline, who derives rapture from the mere scent of cheese, to me, with my vociferous obsession for all things saccharine, little time slips us by without a mention, or a munching, of the aforementioned indulgences.  

It is only now, with the whisper of warmer weather in the air and with it, the promise of rising hemlines, that we come to realize we are not immune to the effects of our excesses. And so, somewhat reluctantly, we have entitled August a month of 'Wasamedia Wellbeing’. Mandatory components of this month include exercising three times a week, cutting back on alcohol, and most importantly, limiting our grazing on gluttonous goodies – the most consistent culprits being lollies, cheese, chocolate and, my personal kryptonite - gelato. 

On learning that gelato consumption was to be moderated as part of this time of temperance, my mood dropped (along with my insulin levels) - my monthly outlook seemed bleak in the face of having to control my gelatinous cravings. As I pondered how I could prevent my icy obsession from toppling me off my healthful high horse, I was struck with the delicious realization that, alas, it was only the 28^th of July! Wasamedia wellbeing month begins in August! Off to Messina for a gelato…

www.gelatomessina.com.au

Cheese Pilgrimage South

As a devout worshipper of all things cheese, I knew that it would have been sacrilege not to visit the Richmond Hill Café and Larder during my jaunt south of the border over the weekend.

Will Studd’s famous fromagerie was absolutely pumping on Saturday afternoon - with everyone from blue-rinsed grannies to leather boot-clad glamours hankering for a tasting of whatever treat was going.  Wedging myself into a corner of the cool-room, I took a few seconds to absorb the creamy, pungent (somewhat mouldy) aroma that is almost as good as the dairy hit itself.   

And then the raptures began: hunks of cheese from everywhere from the foothills of Geneva to the New South Wales high country were thrust upon me.   I devoured the lot and would have probably swooned all over the kindly fromagier (speaking of hunks…)  in a very ungodly fashion,  had it not been for the blue-rinsed queue behind me.

Twenty glorious minutes later I was staggering down Bridge Road under the weight of the much-acclaimed La Luna Holy Goat and a chunk of (real!) Morbier the size of my head.

Thank you Formaggi Ocello for giving me something to come back to.

Cheese club membership wish list... (5 months til Christmas!)

Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder: http://www.rhcl.com.au/index.php/cheese_club_view

Bruny Island Cheese Co: http://www.brunyislandcheese.com.au/cheeseclub.php

Ashgrove Farm Cheese (don't have a Club but I'd be happy just to live there for the Wasabi Cheese): http://www.ashgrovecheese.com.au/index.html

The Spice of Life

Looking around the sexy, intimate atmosphere of ‘Spice I am’ in Darlinghurst, no one would ever guess this was in fact the home of my napkin eating shame.

But I am getting ahead of myself, let us start at the beginning.

My love for spicy food was first ignited after spending time in Thailand, endless thick aired days dedicated to sampling the exotic, authentic flavours of my favoured cuisine. In fact, I had some to fancy myself as somewhat of a spice-eating connoisseur. So when I heard of Spice I am, a local restaurant famed for their fiery flavours and diverse thai cuisine, I was first on board to test it out. 

While the menu at Spice I am is positively heaving with tempting options, I was blinded to all as my spice radar locked onto “GAENG PA GAI” and the small text which hovered, like a challenge, beside it: “VERY HOT”.  Ignoring the waiters apparent bemusement to my assurances that yes, I did indeed want the dish served extremely hot, and no, I did not require any rice – a decision I would come to heatedly regret. 

Eyeing up the curry as it arrived, lush with whole chili’s, my confidence remained intact.  But then, the first spoonful – that first mouth popping, sensational spoonful - saw heat spread like lava to envelope my mouth. Taken aback, I nonetheless continued, refusing to let the rising tingle on my tongue deter me from spicy satisfaction.  It was not until half way through the dish my façade began to crumble. Unable to hide the creeping blush tinting my cheeks, the rain of sweat glistening my brow, I had to ask the waiter to bring me some rice – and quickly. As I gulped down the last of the water in search of cooling relief, my mouth instead responded in anger, the initially piquant burning sensation of the curry now flaring to an all encompassing oral fury! Red rage, pulsating, burning, burning!! Gasping for air, my clammy hands grabbed desperately, shamefully, at the nearest source of liberation – a napkin. Stuffing my mouth full with its soothing, papery goodness, I looked up to see my red faced dining companion, red faced I suspect, not from the heat of his dish, but rather my indiscrete and reprehensible behaviour. My advice for future patrons is ask for 'mild'!

Turkish Delight

Living and working in the heart of Darlinghurst, I'm definitely not lacking a choice in restaurants. Thai, Japanese, Indian, Chinese - it's all a stone-throw away. So for the last few weeks, I've been on a continuous quest for something new, something different. Trecking out to Balmain, I think I've finally found it at Efendy. I've never had Turkish cuisine before, apart from the occasional late-night, street-side kebab. And man, have I been missing out...

Efendy hosts a sophisticated a la carte restaurant downstairs, but we headed upstairs for their more casual meze bar experience. We settled down on the comfortable lounges in the back and after ordering some cocktails, decided on a range of small mezes to share. I'm not normally a fan of vegetarian dishes, but made an exception on this occasion - a decision I definitely didn't regret. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and was bursting with flavour, meat or not. The service was knowledgable and accomodating. We asked our waiter about her personal favourites, and her recommendations were some of the night's real stand-outs.

If you're looking for an authentic (but affordable) Turkish experience, Efendy Meze Bar in Balmain is the place to go!

Create your own Mexican showdown

It's a cold Monday evening, you've just come home from a long day at work and are in desparate need of some warm comfort food. Of course, the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen. The week has only just begun and the weekend couldn't seem further away: the Monday Blues are setting in.

Sound familiar? This is my usual Monday-evening predicament. But don't despair: I've found a solution! Home-made faijitas. Quick, simple and incredibly tasty. Added bonus: easy to eat on the lounge while watching the telly.


What you need:

* 4 chicken thighs, sliced in strips
* 6 flour tortillas
* 1 large onion, sliced in strips
* 1 small green capsicum, sliced in strips
* 1 small red capsicum, sliced in strips
* 8 medium sized mushrooms, sliced
* 1 tablespoon of butter

Marinade:

* 1 tablespoon of olive oil
* 1 tablespoon of lime juice
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon chicken salt

What you do:

1) In a bowl, mix together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili flakes, pepper, salt and chicken salt.

2) Add chicken strips to bowl and coat in marinade.

3) Prepare tortillas as directed on packet.

4) Heat butter over medium-high stove, add onions, capsicum and mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly until soft. Set aside.

5) Add marinated chicken to pan, cook for 3 - 4 minutes until brown.

6) Return vegetables to pan. Cook for one minute, stirring regularly.

To serve:

Spoon chicken and vegetable mixture down centre of tortilla. Add desired toppings (sour cream, sweet chilli, salsa, shredded cheese). Fold tortilla and indulge!



If you are feeling lazy, our pick for the best Mexican in Sydney is Tomatillo Mexican Grill in The Cross. Bill and the crew will ply you with their range of quirky tortillas and fantastic Mexican food.

Tomatillo
40b Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross
9326 0900
www.tomatillo.com.au

Nachos $9.90
Burrito $9.90
Quesadilla $9
Margarita $8.50
Mexican beer $7
Domestic beer $5

Turron, turrón, torró sounds like nougat to me!

As I slip through my favourite coffee house each morning a lovely lady who fuels my day with a hearty-breaky and coffee, handed me a little package…

Her instructions were simple: try it and report back. I felt like I was in a special european deli where the staff tells you they have something special out the back! With great honour I took my package and pondered a time to open it.

The little piece of heaven I received was an almond and cranberry infused slice of nougat. I am not a nougat fan at the best of times and never really understood what the fuss was all about until I met with this nugget of goodness. Nougat has that ability to hit with a lot of flavour and continue to give you long pleasure as the chewy composition extends the experience. 

To my friend who skillfully prepared this little gift…...Wasamedia are now nuts about nougat!

Appeal Dinner Never More Appealing

As I was ushered out of Doltone House by the twinkling lights of the Sydney cityscape on Tuesday evening, I noted internal fulfillment had been achieved on two levels. Firstly, satisfaction in the knowledge I had supported a worthy cause (the dinner attended being held to aid the Abruzzo earthquake victims). Secondly, selfishly, was the delicious sense of contentment one is overcome with after completion of a seriously good meal.

Coming together in support of the tragic Abruzzo earthquake, five of Sydney’s top chefs from the region* donated their time and skill to treat Doltone’s guests to a true Abruzzian culinary extravaganza. Beginning the evening was a generous plate of Mediterranean morsels – bocconcini, pancetta, juicy olives, roasted capsicum, spicy salami, crusty ciabatta – an array impressive enough in size and selection to gratify the most gluttonous of gourmets. Up next was the dish that had everyone raving: the knockout gnocchi. Fresh, handmade pillows of pasta perfection were saucily paired with the flavours of tomato and sage, and finished with succulent strings of lamb ragu.

By this stage, my immoderation radar was on high alert; I briefly flirted with the idea of ceasing to indulge further courses. But I am only human. When the main was placed in front of me (I barely noticed my empty gnocchi plate was gone!), my food-fagging façade crumbled quicker than filo pastry. And, of course, the main did not disappoint. The tender suckling pig, fennel seasoned and arranged in a hedonistic heap, was flawlessly complemented by a light and zesty orange salad.

Persimmon flavoured semi freddo paired fried honey almond pastry capped off what can only be described as an extravagant Abruzzian feast – a true testament to both the chefs, and Doltone House who allowed this seamless evening to go ahead.

* Elio Benedetti from Doltone House, Eugenio Maiale from A Tavola restaurant, Sandro Di Marino from Uccello and Jason Dalina and Antonio Di Santo from Brighton Le Sands

The cuttlefish’s new camouflage

A staple in Italy, risotto has done a loop of the boot. Blended with cuttlefish and squid ink, Daniele Giannuzzi’s risotto echoes the Puglia coast with its sea smelling ingredients. Scampi and bright green broad beans top the dish, tying together all the delicate flavours.

Squid ink risotto with cuttlefish, New Zealand scampi and broad beans

Serves 4

Prep time 20 minutes

480g Arborio rice

3 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves crushed

A splash of white wine

Fish stock: enough to cook risotto

12 Salt-water scampi

4 cleaned cuttlefish

Salt and pepper to taste

2tbs butter

2tbs parsley

2tbs chives

2tbs squid ink

Broad beans to top

 

Toast rice in olive oil, garlic and bay leaves in a pan. Add white wine and then gradually add the fish stock while continuously stirring for 8-10 minutes. Cover the risotto with a lid.

Clean and then dice the cuttlefish. Sauté in a saucepan and then add stir in the risotto cooking for a further 10 minutes.

In a separate pan, roast the scampi with oil and a spoon full of fish stock.  Combine the risotto and the scampi together. Remove the bay leaves. Add butter, squid ink, parsley and chives to the risotto and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and top with broad beans.

Gelato Messina: A most delicious love affair

It has been at least an hour now since my last visit to Gelato Messina, and my tastebuds are still dancing, my mouth still abuzz with the memory of its dreamy encounter.

 

With the inspiration for most of Messina’s gelato’s being derived from desserts, cakes and sweets, it is almost impossible to decide which of the veritable cornucopia of flavours to spoil yourself with. But do not fear - the incredibly helpful Messina staff, who are bona fide gelato experts, are brilliant at helping you to decide which flavour suits your particular taste and mood. Furthermore, no matter what your choice might be, each glossy mountain of indulgence – and art form in itself – is guaranteed satisfaction (I speak with experience on this point after a flavour sampling frenzy).

 

My personal favourite, the ‘Dulce de Leche’ (translated, it means ‘milk jam’), is pure creamery caramel confection – so luscious and smooth, it is almost palate cleansing in spite of its incredible intensity. Another must-try is the ‘Apple Pie’. It is almost shocking just how well this gelato manages to capture the flavours of real, home made style apple pie. While the sumptuous, yet delicately flavoured gelato is spectacular on its own, it is the addition of buttery chunks of pastry crust and generous squares of caramelized apple that make it truly unique. Wow.

 

I sense a new addiction coming on…

www.gelatomessina.com.au