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What are top chefs drinking this Christmas?

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Shutterstock

You’ll not be left wondering what the chefs are eating this year, nor most days it seems.

You can’t open a webpage without being directed to another babaganoush in three easy steps, or how to make the most of left over camel hump. We are flooded with cooking tips and tricks and to be honest, there’s so much of it, I need a drink.

But what are the chefs drinking this Christmas? Beside their lobsters, pulled pork, meringues and mesquite smoked turkey, let’s slip inside the stemware of the ones in white…

Let’s introduce our three chefs:

Darren Purchese

Darren Purchese

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darren Purchase, known for his experimental, altogether wonderful desserts and confectionary.

Karen Martini.

Karen Martini.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Karen Martini, celebrity chef, food writer and restaurateur.

cabinet-brigitte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brigitte Hafner, chef/food writer/farmer and owner of the Melbourne’s modern classic Gertrude Street Enoteca.

What are you having to begin?

Darren
Typically I love to start with a great French or Aussie sparkling, my favourites are Laurent Perrier Rosé or I have discovered a fantastic light Aussie sparkling in Jauma Petillant Natural 2013 from McLaren Vale in South Australia

Karen
I’ve really been enjoying Americanos recently – Campari, rosso vermouth, a splash of soda and a big wedge of orange – simple, but delicious. I’m also pretty partial to Champagne, and really enjoy some of the drier grower producer wines. And sparkling mineral water, I’ll always start a meal with a glass.

Brigitte
My starting drink at the moment is Maidenii vermouth on ice with an orange slice and dash of soda.

What’s the perfect food and wine match?

Darren
I am at my happiest at the start of a meal with a glass of bubbles, great bread, cultured butter and sea salt.

Karen
I’ve been eating a bit of seafood of late – oysters, crab and bugs and (here we go again) I tend to reach for Champagne. I particularly like a dry minerally blanc de blancs like Larmandier-Bernier. I’m also really partial to chilled, bone-dry sherry with some good anchovies and olives.

Brigitte
Egly Ouriet rosé champagne with Woodbridge smoked ocean trout, dill crème fraîche on crostini bread.

What about to finish, before you hit the couch?

Darren
We are blessed that Australia does great finishing wines. I like to compliment one of my desserts with a topaque from Rutherglen or a nice riesling such as Horrocks Cordon Cut.

Karen
Especially on some of the warmer days recently I’ve enjoyed finishing a meal with some sorbet or a slice of semi-freddo (lemon, passionfruit or the like) and I’m pretty happy with some iced tea with lemon verbena.

Brigitte
San Giusto Rentennano vin santo.

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