NYC Tastes

Celebrity Chef and Masterchef Judge Benny Maskwameng put on a fantastic lunch recently showcasing the flavors of South Africa; his first in the United States.  The meal was held downtown at the new IAC Brookfield and it almost felt like Chef Benny had been cooking there for years.  His infectious smile and booming personality were an absolute pleasure to watch as he created some of his favorite dishes like this Seafood Delight with tempura prawn tail, stuffed calamari, crayfish with avocado mayo and mussel with lemon-dill veloute. Pan Seared Lamb Loin with red wine jus atop sugar beans, lentils and green peas with roasted butternut squash puree and potato croquettes. And to finish a deconstructed Amarula Milk Tart with glazed fresh berries and a mixed berry sorbet. Everything from the delightfully light avocado crayfish to the rich flavors of the lamb were incredible and that dessert...OMG.  It incorporated Amarula Liquor which is made from the exotic mar...

I was invited to a press lunch last week hosted by South Africa tourism, held in the DeGustibus Cooking School in Macy’s. I enjoy a decent amount of South African white wine but I honestly know very little about the food so I was incredibly excited to learn something new. After a little bit of wine and mingling we were invited to sit down for our three course lunch and cooking demonstration by Chef Wamu himself. Our first course was Chicken Bunny Chow paired with Raats Chenin Blanc 2009. The chicken was spicy with potatoes and carrots mixed in on top of a cake bread. This had a lot of nice big curry flavors going on. I really liked how the sweet cake bread worked with the spices on the poultry. Our next course was Beef Bobtie paired with Rudi Schultz Syrah 2007. I absolutely loved this dish. The top was like a custard with lots of saffron and turmeric mixed in and a base of milk soaked bread. Once I got past the smooth yellow top a fragrant broth of grou...