Fire up the barbie with Julie Biuso

Fire up the barbie! Summer has arrived on cue! The smell of smoke  and charring is wafting in the breeze ... and, if you are like me, you want to be part of it. It couldn't be easier with these gorgeous little pork balls. Wrap them in lettuce cups with plenty of fresh herbs and a squirt of lime and munch them around the barbecue. Whoof! They're pretty good! My fave Wellington man Martin Bosley was in town last Saturday – at Te Matuku Oysters on Waiheke – strutting some great food. I LOVED his salt-crusted fish recipe with panzanella salad, so I asked him for the recipe, and do you know what? He gave it to me, so here it is. Nice man is Boz! You can also check out the updated and newly published The Best Fish Guide here www.bestfishguide.org.nz, to make sure you are cooking with sustainable fish. You may be surprised! My big news is that I have posted the Summer Cooking Classes schedule. We’re introducing something new for our summer classes!   I’m just too excited to express in words about collaborating with the fabulous Cat Vosper at Casita Miro on our Shared Kitchen summer classes. We’ll rendezvous at the fabulous and funky Casita Miro at 11.00am for a tutored sherry tasting with Cat. Cat’s an expert, with a genuine love of all things sherry, from bone dry to medium palate, through to decadently rich and syrupy sweet. You thought sherry was an old ladies’ drink? (Settle down!) Cat will show you its amazing range, the beguiling scents, nutty nuances and rich fruitcake complexities which linger on and on. This is an amazing opportunity to learn about one of Spain’s treasures. Then you will be transported to Rocky Bay to my place for a cooking demonstration which will form a 3-course lunch. You’ll taste some Waiheke specialties and enjoy some great wines, along with the food, and go away informed, inspired, and with a great set of recipes.  For the cooking class / lunch, you don't need to bring anything (just good humour and a rumble in your belly!). You will be at my place before midday, and we'll rock straight into it. There will be a great set of recipes based on fresh seasonal food, much from my own garden (or what I can pinch from my friends' gardens on Waiheke!), and local products, including award-wining olive oils, honeys, preserves, edible flowers, our famed oysters and breads, and  lovely wines, too. The atmosphere will be convivial, but you will learn heaps of tips. That's the most common comment made about Shared Kitchen classes – picking up tips and hints, and seeing how it is really done. Cooking Class Schedule and info   There's plenty of time to purchase Christmas Gift Vouchers for your family and friends, but if you are wanting to order cookbooks (very happy to sign them with a dedication), FURI knives or our gorgeous range of edibles, you better get cracking if you want them in time for Christmas. And don't forget to have a chat with your friends about the foodie trip I am taking to Puglia next year in May. Bookings are rolling in, so if it is top of mind, get it discussed and actioned. Have a great week, and try and keep your sanity: Christmas comes but once a year :-)