The Aristologist

The Aristologist New Zealand home cook, writer, researcher publishes a food history journal “The Aristologist.”

Chicken and lamb meatballs in a prawn consommé with peas, garlic shoots and mushroom.🌞I’d made these chicken and lamb ba...
30/06/2025

Chicken and lamb meatballs in a prawn consommé with peas, garlic shoots and mushroom.
🌞
I’d made these chicken and lamb balls several days ago - ate some - froze some. These were frozen - thawed - poached and roasted 200c in the air frier. Accompanied by a prawn consommé (made and frozen some time ago) in which I’d simmered mushroom, garlic shoots and peas - it was gorgeous. The chicken lamb and prawn flavours and aromas combined brilliantly.
🐾
Hector (one of the puppies) came back to join us while his mum and dad were in Bali. He helped me plant feijoas by the vineyard plot - and along with the hazelnuts, hopefully will help as a windbreak.

Cauliflower and blue cheese soup with air frier bread and butter.; Astrolabe Grovetown Spatlese Riesling. 2021.🌞Morning ...
29/06/2025

Cauliflower and blue cheese soup with air frier bread and butter.; Astrolabe Grovetown Spatlese Riesling. 2021.
🌞
Morning coffee in Hastings. I noticed cauliflower and blue cheese soup as a special on the menu. Thought I’d make some for dinner.
🌞
Oiled and roasted a small cauliflower in the air frier until colouring. Meanwhile sautéed an onion until transparent. Added the harder core of the cauliflower and some chicken stock, cooked till softening then added the rest of the cauliflower with milk and a jellied chicken and lamb stock left over from previous dinner. When all cooked and suitably reduced, blitzed and crumbled in about 1/3 cup of blue cheese. Stirred to melt and plated.
🍷
Astrolabe Grovetown Spatlese Riesling 2021. Not really intended to have with the soup, but opened on arrival of neighbours, and I thought would be nice outside while basking in the 15deg C sunshine - a brief interlude in an otherwise dreary cloud and drizzle soaked day.
8.5% ABV, fermentation stopped to retain sweetness. A fair hit of acid needed the sweetness to give a balanced, sherbet and lime - zesty medium sweet wine. Not exactly a dessert wine - the acid was too upfront, but would be good with spicy food - a curry. Overall I love this wine - it’s not subtle, but in the right company it shines. Cauliflower soup wasn’t the right company.
🌙Venus in the frosty morning sky.

Chicken stuffed with lamb, French beans, carrot and broth.: Marc Cellars Chardonnay (California).🌞I’ve previously stuffe...
28/06/2025

Chicken stuffed with lamb, French beans, carrot and broth.: Marc Cellars Chardonnay (California).
🌞
I’ve previously stuffed a chicken leg with a lamb chop, which was definitely worthwhile.
🌞
Took some “chicken nibbles” - bits of the wing - and deboned them. Into the cavity a mixture of lamb mince and sautéed (and cooled) garlic, thyme and Cavolo Nero. Wrapped in plastic - refrigerated, then poached in stock for 10mins. Back in the fridge again.
🌞
A broth was made by simmering the extracted bones with chicken stock, onion, thyme and some lamb bones I’d frozen after making a lamb curry the previous night. In this simmering mass I parboiled the beans for three mins, and the carrot under tender. Refrigerated these. Broth reduced and strained.
🌞
At dinner - basted the carrots in foaming butter and thyme, until starting to colour, then the beans briefly, placing these into the air frier to keep warm (60degC). More butter and did the same with the meatballs. Plated with broth over. Both loved it - deliciously interesting meatballs, and the broth superb.
🍷
Marc cellars Chardonnay. California. . A reasonably cheap mass market white. Unoaked and just a bit of malolactic. Lots of pip fruit, medium body, a sense of being almost off dry, a creamy gentle core and a nice balanced acidity to finish. An interesting number, worth trying especially if you can’t stand oak in chardonnay. Perfect with the chicken … and lamb.
A lovely meal!

Malo, Havelock North 🌞Had a friend from Wellington up to the Bay. Where to go? If you want a restaurant that can be tot...
26/06/2025

Malo, Havelock North
🌞
Had a friend from Wellington up to the Bay. Where to go? If you want a restaurant that can be totally depended upon to deliver consistently delicious meals in a buzzy, attractive space - then it’s Malo. In the heart of Havelock North Malo is almost an institution - albeit a modern one. Although at times their plates can verge on the fussy - many punters like that - there is an underlying bistro-esque rusticity that I find attractive.
🌞
Pork and Paua sausage with black garlic mustard. Delicious.
🌞
Cauliflower bruschetta with raisins and Hohepa feta. Very delicious!
🌞
Parsnips and carrots with crumbs. Yum. And the fries are perfect.
🌞
Pork belly (the others had this). They thought delicious!
🍷
Albariño Brothers Wild fermented 2024 Albariño.
Body, crisp acidity and tropical fruit - this stuff has it all. My favourite Albariño - hands down.
🌞
A lovely meal, lovely staff, lovely ambience - Malo has never failed to please.

Pork and prawn meatballs, tomato and garlic sauce, fries and faux mozarella.🌞We were late home and had to knock this up ...
25/06/2025

Pork and prawn meatballs, tomato and garlic sauce, fries and faux mozarella.
🌞
We were late home and had to knock this up quickly. Fortunately I had some of the pork and garlic shoot stuffing left over yesterday, and while the butternut was cooking for previous days dinner made four meatballs with the pork, adding some prawns, panko and egg; fried then simmered in chopped tomatoes and garlic. Into the fridge. So as soon as home (late and pitch black) - chopped two potatoes, tossed in olive oil and salt, into air frier 20mins at 180C. Put the meatballs back on to simmer. Fed hungry dogs and made a gin and tonic. Plated the fries, meatballs over then a sprinkling of “mozarella” over the top - unfortunately had no salamander/ grill, so not ideal. However it was pure pleasure - we both agreed - bloody delicious.

Pork-stuffed Butternut with dandelions.; Anselmi Capitel Croce, 2017.🌞Butternut halved, seeds scooped out, scored and fi...
24/06/2025

Pork-stuffed Butternut with dandelions.; Anselmi Capitel Croce, 2017.
🌞
Butternut halved, seeds scooped out, scored and filled with chicken stock, then into the air frier for 20 mins at 180C. Meanwhile pork mince mixed with chopped garlic shoots and tomato paste, salt and pepper. The pork then stuffed into the butternut cavity as well as over the tail. Roasted at 180C for another 20mins. Halved and plated. With red stalked dandelion from the garden (originally from via ) and vinaigrette.
🍷
Anselmi Capitel Croce. 2017, Veneto, Italy. 100% Garganega. - an intriguing dry white, with a personality all of its own. Lemon yellow, herbaceous , grass, and complex fruit with a creamy, almost flat, chalky middle, and then an acidic tang before a persistent tail. Frankly it was odd - I like odd, always have.
🌞
A lovely meal, sweet butternut, delicious pork with a crisp caramelised top, slightly bitter leaves. Washed down by the Venetian oddity.

Kohlrabi and pea mash, Cumberland sausage and quince sauce.: Fitou, Ch de Montmal, Languedoc, 2024.🌞Deliciously rustic f...
23/06/2025

Kohlrabi and pea mash, Cumberland sausage and quince sauce.: Fitou, Ch de Montmal, Languedoc, 2024.
🌞
Deliciously rustic for a cold and dreary day. Cumberland from the matched with the earthy turnipy flavour of the kohlrabi.
🌞
Sausage poached to cook in chicken stock, removed and set aside. Added kohlrabi, peeled and diced, to the stock with peas. A slab of butter and simmered until the liquid had nearly gone. Whipped with a whisk. S and P.
🌞
Sausages coloured in a pan with butter. Quince sauce. Juice of two mandarins reduced to almost nothing, deglaze with red wine, reduce by half, add equal amount chicken stock and a little Dijon mustard and black pepper. Reduce again then add an equal amount of quince jelly and simmer for a few mins, spoon over the sausage and mash. Salt to taste.
I also had a couple of Brussel sprouts that were parboiled in the chicken stock with kohlrabi, ten mins, then set aside and caramelised in the butter and sausages.
🌞
Beautiful ! Sausage robustly delicious. Mash superb - would be great with duck.
🍷
Fitou, Ch de Montmal. 2024 - a blend of carignan, Grenache and Syrah. Robust plummy dry red, smooth, and lifting on the palate with a final acidic grip, gentle tannins and good tail. A just-right red for a rustic sausage and mash.

Assumption is the mother of all f**kups. And this was a case in point. Grabbed a bottle from the fridge - just another b...
22/06/2025

Assumption is the mother of all f**kups. And this was a case in point. Grabbed a bottle from the fridge - just another bloody Chardonnay, as B arrived home with pizzas from a place in Hastings I’d never heard of - and assumed they’d be pedestrian.
🌞
Those two assumptions were wrong. The photographs reflect the fact that they were never intended to be posted - but I will because they reveal my stupidity. Both the wine and the pizza were simply brilliant. The pizza had to be reheated in smaller pieces in the air frier and I overdid it for the last piece, which is when I photographed it. Thick crust and bloody delicious - I would definitely recommend - and - I’d argue - on par with anything else in the Bay (and that is saying something).
🍷
The wine was nothing like my expectation. This was complex, undefinable French dry white, not a chard, not a sav, or Pinot Gris, - it was on the aromatic scale of things, crisp, refreshing, perfect balance - and, turning to google I learnt it was a mixture of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, and Bourboulenc! It doesn’t suck the wallet dry so if you see this one please give it a go….

So - sorry about the images - and the assumptions …. mea culpa……

Conor Mertens .mertens at Elephant Hill winery, Hawkes Bay. . Lunch. Five course (plus) tasting menu. $75🌞What to say …...
20/06/2025

Conor Mertens .mertens at Elephant Hill winery, Hawkes Bay. . Lunch. Five course (plus) tasting menu. $75
🌞
What to say …. I haven’t enjoyed a meal so much in some time. From morsels to substantial dishes, Mertens combined intelligent culinary exploration with pure deliciousness, and apparent unfussy simplicity with underlying complexity. No favourites, it was all devoured with immense pleasure. The portions were perfect and the final chocolate / ice cream dessert could not have been a better finale.
🌞
Mertens is a culinary treasure and clearly the word has gone out - I’ve never seen the restaurant so full.
In his second week at Elephant Hill, my hope is that he will be a permanent fixture, given free rein to create the magical gems he did yesterday.
🌞
With the shared plates I had a lovely citrus-minerally viognier and a Lowburn 2019 Pinot Noir - light, elegant and totally in synch with the evolving series of dishes.
🌞
I cannot recommend Mertens at Elephant hill highly enough - easily of Michelin quality, staff lovely, space airy with brilliant views. And, apart from not being able to hear our conversation, because of a nearby table of 16 preschooler’s on ecstasy, who thought continuous, deafening laughter was de-rigeur when fine dining, it was a brilliant return to form at Elephant Hill. Congratulations - so pleased for you!!!

Marsala marinated lamb rump with a pea, Cavolo Nero and potato mash, and warm mint vinaigrette. : Dune, Tirari, McLaren ...
18/06/2025

Marsala marinated lamb rump with a pea, Cavolo Nero and potato mash, and warm mint vinaigrette. : Dune, Tirari, McLaren Vale, 2024. Australia.
🌞
I had some lamb rump - cap on, scored the top and then decided to cook porterhouse steak instead - B was late and had to cook something quickly on her arrival home - didn’t post because it was pretty ordinary. The lamb rump however needed to keep till next day - so doused it in Marsala (sweet) and wrapped it in a plastic bag in fridge. Why Marsala, because I didn’t have red wine open, couldn’t find Madeira and Marsala (a cheap knock off) was sitting in front of me. Next day …….
🌞
Lamb rump seared to render on fat side, then quickly on others. Into an air frier 200C for 15 mins. The fat side browned into a dark crispiness - presumably the sugar in the “Marsala”. Rested 20 mins before slicing.
🌞
I’d gone round in circles over accompaniment. With only one induction hob to use, I wanted something single-pot but felt like a mash and another side dish e.g. peas. On the way to Farmlands to pick up some bamboo canes I thought why not combine the two using my mash method - so
An onion finely diced sautéed in butter. Added finely chopped Cavolo Nero and mint, two potatoes peeled and diced, salt pepper and covered in chicken stock.. bubbled slowly until the juices nearly evaporated (don’t let it stick). Using a balloon whisk turn it into a rough mash - not a puree, the peas more crushed than smooth.
🌞
Dressing, a rather old fashioned but delicious warm vinaigrette, very loosely based on Nico Ladenis - Chopped mint, lemon verbena, fennel grind and a diced roasted red pepper (from a jar) a sugar cube, salt and pepper, simmered in raspberry vinegar, white wine and olive oil for about ten mins.
🌞
B agreed - one of the best combinations in recent past - absolutely gorgeous!!
🍷
Dune - an Australian blend of Negroamaro, Touriga Nacional, and Mataro. - Lovely - red wine on training wheels, smooth, gentle, fruity, nothing harsh, finest tannins and the perfect accompaniment to the lamb. Around $30.

The second vineyard cover crop was cut down and churned into the topsoil, in the countdown to vine planting in October. ...
17/06/2025

The second vineyard cover crop was cut down and churned into the topsoil, in the countdown to vine planting in October. So from original pasture it was firstly cultivated, then compost over, and the first cover crop seeded last spring. That was cut down and the area covered in black plastic over the heat of summer. Then this second cover crop - phacelia, buckwheat, crimson clover. It struggled a bit and, as expected, the frosts put paid to the buckwheat before it started to seed.
I’ll probably cultivate once more and hoping that that, with frosts will kill off any remaining grass grub. They were a nuisance last year in the orchard, and my thought was that, at least in the vineyard, the covering of plastic disrupted their life cycle over the spring summer period.
🌞
In a week or so I’ll auger holes where the vines will be planted and add compost to those and cover them back up, until it’s time to plant. Then I’ll put in the trellising (eshalas) with macrocarpa poles.
🌞
That’s the plan anyway. Today I’ll prepare some planting holes for more orchard trees - greengages and medlars that I couldn’t source last year.

Not another Faves a la Catalana I hear you think. But this was B’s request, and I saw some garlic shoots at the supermar...
16/06/2025

Not another Faves a la Catalana I hear you think. But this was B’s request, and I saw some garlic shoots at the supermarket yesterday and the combination is perfect. I also played with a variant of the hasselback potato, which I was very pleased with.
🌞
Sautéed finely chopped half an onion in olive oil then added the other half sliced. Added 0.25 cup diced garlic shoots, a handful of lardons, fried without colouring the onion. (Normally I fry the lardons first but in this case didn’t). Added half a black pudding diced, then 2 cups of broad beans, a double splash of Pernod and about a cup of chicken stock. Reduced over 20 mins until the black pudding is melting, the beans soft - very well cooked (Catalans cook their broad beans for quite a while), and the sauce is concentrated and luscious. Now fry slices of the remaining black pudding to sit on top.
🌞
The potato - a large unpeeled agria was cut transversely into two. The flesh was scored as you would an aubergine (or mango in hotel breakfast rooms). Don’t go completely through but as deep as possible. Salted. Covered in olive oil to soak into the cracks. Air frier 180C for 40min.
🌞
Sorry to bang on about black pudding and broad beans but. as a Catalan national dish, it’s popular for good reason. Unless you are vegan / vegetarian, please give it a go. Black pudding, like oysters, are exquisite gems worth going to phobia therapy for. The roast potato - crisp outside and creamy inside - excellent!!
🍷
Vallformosa Brut Cava. - wine club arrival. Refreshing bit of fizz from Spain. Made from Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada grapes - which is a good reason to try it. Smooth and dry at first and a bit crude at the finish, but totally serviceable. Don’t expect a creamy, elegant mousse, this is one for thirsty-hot days and nothing intellectual. Good value at $25.

Address

Napier

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Aristologist posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Aristologist:

Shortcuts

Share

Category