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ENTERTAINING FEEDBACK
I was delighted to get this email, as it echoes my hopes for the Ruth Pretty Entertains book – that people can enjoy my food with their friends, without over-extending themselves. Entertaining should be a pleasure and not something to be dreaded.
Thought you might like to know that on Friday evening I invited four friends for dinner. Although I rarely experiment with food or have people for dinner, I decided to use some recipes from your book, and settled for your Frenched Lamb Racks, Melange of beans, broccoli and celery, herbed potatoes, and with Christmas Crackers for dessert.
I had rave reviews for the meal, and I must say I was quite pleased myself! I was particularly delighted that I was able to do nearly all the work beforehand, so that when my friends arrived I was able to enjoy their company, and only had to adjourn to the kitchen half an hour before eating. I especially loved the Spring Herb Dressing.
One friend in particular has taken the time to pop in today just to say how much she enjoyed the food.
Thank you Ruth. It was a joy to be able to prepare some of your recipes, especially as I am a fairly basic cook! Many thanks and much appreciation from me and my well-fed friends.
Margaret
RUTH PRETTY ENTERTAINS BOOK LAUNCH
If you thought writing a book was hard work you should try launching one … over seven days in November Ruth visited five centres for 20 events promoting her new book Ruth Pretty Entertains, published by Penguin.
During her author tour, Ruth conducted 7 radio and TV interviews including a live demo on TV One’s Good Morning Show, 6 lunch or evening events, 3 store signing sessions and 2 newspaper and magazine interviews, with more to come.
Three of the events – Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa – were fund-raisers. Ruth demonstrated a couple of the dishes from the book, talked about her experiences as a caterer and author and signed books sold on the night.
"I’m pleased that three very good causes benefitted from the events, and we raised well over $10,000. A good friend Dianne Kenderdine chairs the Anglican Women’s Trust in Auckland, and hosted the evening at Epsom Girls Grammar School.
"In Hawkes Bay we raised funds for the Parkinson’s Trust and in the Wairarapa Solway College was the beneficiary”, she reported.
Fortunately, the book is selling very well and Ruth thrives on the contacts with readers.
"In association with the Dominion Post, we did a lovely launch lunch function at Wellington’s Intercontinental Hotel. I’ve got to know the chef Ed Weicherding and we work well together. He and his team cook selected recipes from the book which is an interesting position for me, as often it’s my team cooking someone else’s recipe and I know how nerve-wracking it can be.
"What’s really great is meeting my readers. I’ve been writing the DomPost column since 1999 and many readers write or email me – so it’s fun to meet them in person at lunch. They tell me their favourites, and it’s rewarding to hear that people do actually make the dishes,” she smiled.
TOAST MARTINBOROUGH HAT TRICK
Described by judges as "a pleasure to eat’, Ruth’s popular Steak and Kidney Pie stole the show again at Toast Martinborough, taking out the top prize for the third year running in the Beef and Lamb competition.
The pie features rib-eye steak and lambs’ kidneys. Ruth believes lambs’ kidneys are more palatable than the usual ox, and rib-eye quality adds tenderness and flavour. The pastry is made from butter not vegetable shortening, which also adds fine flavour.
"It’s a real challenge to develop dishes that can be served up quickly and in such large quantities,” said judge Michael Coughlin, chef owner-operator of Bell Pepper Blues Restaurant in Dunedin.
"Ruth Pretty’s steak and kidney pie is perfect for the event – it’s flavoursome, tender, and a lovely harmony of flavours. A simple concept that works really well.”
Wendy Campbell of Wendy Campbell’s French Bistro in Martinborough, said simply of the stand-out dish on the day it is "easy to eat and tasted good”
Beef and Lamb judges Michael Coughlin and Wendy Campbell with a delighted Ruth and her award-winning pie. Of the more than 8000 portions of food served at the leafy Ata Rangi Winery site during the day, 1500 were award-winning pies.
Photo credit Mike Heydon
ABSOLUTELY CREATIVELY WELLINGTON AMBASSADOR
Ruth Pretty was deeply honoured by Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast at the 2008 Gold Awards when presented with the new Absolutely Creatively Wellington Ambassador Award. The theme for the 2008 Awards was the hospitality industry and the contribution it makes to Wellington’s vibrancy as a city.
Sponsored by the Wellington City Council, Kerry Prendergast said the awards "recognise an individual in our region who gives true meaning to the words creativity and innovation, and momentum to our city’s vision, both nationally and internationally.
"As an individual, Ruth has demonstrated creativity and innovation through her services to hospitality, with international exposure for herself and for Wellington”.
DIARY NOTE
Visitors are always welcome at our Kitchen Shop during the week, and by appointment during weekends. We stock all the items you can check out and buy on-line as well as many more kitchen related goodies. We use virtually everything in the shop ourselves, so if you want to talk to a staff member about how something works you can.
While we don’t run a Wedding Register service, during what we call "the wedding season" from December to March we find many a bride suggesting our shop as a good source of practical and/or beautiful gifts. Quite often groups of friends, or (say) the bridesmaids will club together to give a set of good knives or pots or something else of a quality that will last for years, We are happy to gift wrap those items for you
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