#tastemasterwa

[whereslisa]

You’ll see a beer theme running through several of my blogs this week and with great reason. If I was to be crowned Western Australia’s Taste Master, I’d be charged with exploring the 30 boutique breweries peppered through the state of Western Australia (WA) amongst many other things. Wow.

It may be nowhere as big as WA in its size, but Leeds has a very impressive beer scene of its own. We have our own brewery, a phenomenal range of quality pubs and purveyors of beer, as well as a calendar dotted with excellent beer festivals. And in my opinion, there are none more excellent than LS6 Beer Fest.

Read the full post on The Culture Vulture.

[whereslisa]

Introducing Dish, Leeds

Whilst I love immersing myself in a variety of new and unique food experiences, I still believe some of the most exciting, innovative and delicious taste experiences are to be found within the four walls of restaurants across the world. When imbued with a chef’s passion, creativity and talent, restaurants can be the most exhilarating places to experience food, serving up some of the best food that you'll taste in your life. Restaurants like MUST in Western Australia. I’ve mentioned MUST a few times throughout my campaign and with good reason. MUST in Margaret River was one of my first introductions to the cuisine of WA and I still dream about the meals I ate there. Pan fried gnocchi with wild mushrooms, the FRESHEST seasonal asparagus, crisp and oozing polenta bites and the showstopper – the espresso martini - it’s definitely number one on my list for when I (hopefully) return to WA as Taste Master!

In search of a comparable food emporium in Leeds, a twitter recommendation led me straight to the award-winning Dish.

What. A. Find. A relative newcomer to Leeds, Dish focuses on creating stunning, modern British food full of the influences that make Britain’s food as diverse and exciting as it is. I met Head Chef and Owner Eddy Nuttall, who told me more about the Dish philosophy, as well as his background as a chef which has seen him working in some of the finest restaurants throughout Australia and specifically, Western Australia!

As well as having a great chat with Eddy, I was also treated to a sample of the food that makes Dish so special. Wow.

Perched on a bed of salad was a ricotta, almond and spinach tart encased in a perfectly crispy blanket of filo pastry, surrounded by Dish’s take on piccalilli and brown sauce. An explosion of textures and flavours, it was an impressive introduction to the cuisine of Dish! Eddy explained that this sort of dish epitomised what he was trying to achieve with the restaurant – a modern British meal infused with a multitude of cultural influences, such as ricotta from Italy and filo pastry from Persia. It's definitely an approach that works, and I look forward to trying more of Eddy's creations in the future!

Where possible, Eddy sources all his ingredients locally and seasonally, celebrating the fantastic quality and diversity of British produce. The majority of ingredients he uses come from Yorkshire and Eddy even grows many herbs and vegetables in his garden, as well as foraging in and around Leeds. Hear more from Eddy on this below, along with his thoughts on the critical acclaim that Dish has received in just a few short months of being open:

Having learnt his trade in countless Michelin standard restaurants, Eddy loves cooking with modern techniques and Dish often hold special themed nights to showcase such techniques, such as the upcoming Gastronomic Molecular night on 22 May. Eddy makes sure that any modern techniques he uses serve to enhance the flavour of the food, so you're guaranteed a spectacle as well as a taste sensation.

A fantastic addition to Leeds, Dish is one of my favourite finds of the last two weeks and I can't wait to return to taste some more! If you haven't yet been, make sure Dish is on your 'must-visit' list and get yourself down there as soon as you can!

[whereslisa]

Diva Italiana and MUST support #lisafortastemaster

Whenever I reminisce about my time in Western Australia there’s always one place that comes to the forefront of my mind. MUST. A WA institution based in Perth and Margaret River, MUST is the perfect showcase of everything that made me fall in love with the region - a creative and perfectly crafted menu that sends your tastebuds into overdrive before you've even made your choice, the BEST seasonal produce and of course an amazing selection of WA's finest wine and cocktails! I had the best cocktail of my life at MUST (read about it here) and what better way to embark on my Taste Master campaign than by seeking inspiration from MUST to see what comparable delights can be found in Leeds?

Actually, us Leeds folk are a lucky bunch. If you look closely, the city is a veritable haven for the wine and cocktail enthusiast, home to a perfectly formed selection of wine and cocktail bars. Choosing one was always going to be hard, but I could not have chose a better starting point.

Tucked away in a quaint courtyard just five minutes from where I live is Diva Italiana, perhaps one of Leeds’ best kept secrets.

An Italian restaurant and cocktail lounge based in Pudsey, Diva Italiana's deceptive, quintissentially Yorkshire exterior contrasts wonderfully with its passionate ethos for serving beautifully authentic Italian food, crafted with the best produce and ingredients. I can vouch for the quality of the food having eaten there in the past, but this time it was ALL about the cocktails!

A tiny nook of a bar embued with a fusion of Yorkshire and Italian character, it’s the ultimate proof that the best things really do come in small packages. (Please excuse grainy photo - my phone obviously wasn't up to the challenge!)

Choosing a cocktail from their tantalising selection was always going to be tricky, so luckily Andrea Panella was on hand to advise. Cocktail Maker Extraordinaire at Diva Italiana, Andrea swiftly recommended their Prosecco Mojito, the perfect marriage of Italy’s most famous fizz along with the esteemed Mojito. An intriguing but beguiling combination, I watched in awe as Andrea set to work expertly blending the ingredients to produce a decadent delight.

You can see Andrew in action below, fusing mint, lime, sugar, edlerflower juice, pear vodka and prosecco to produce a taste that’s still zinging in my mouth!

Andrea also selected an amazing glass of red wine for Rob - a Malbec from the Veneto region. Rich and earthy, Rob was driving so I *may* have helped him out a LOT. All in the name of Taste Mastery, of course! It was just like being transported back to the amazing MUST :)

As we enjoyed our drinks we also chatted to the lovely Michele, who works with Diva to support the Owner who’s currently away on holiday. Michele moved to England from Italy a few years ago, and shared with me why he thinks Diva Italiana is so special (and why he thinks I should be Western Australia’s Taste Master!) :)

A brilliant start to my two weeks of trialling the Taste Master job, it’s whet my appetite for the amazing wine and cocktail discoveries I can make in Western Australia, starting with a LONG overdue return visit to MUST! :)