Cooking Questions with Mark Lane Your own personal chef

I have been cooking professionally for 39 years, both in New Zealand and internationally. My business, Culinary Lane Catering is based in Millwater, providing three and five course dinners in your home, out-catering and grazing tables.

Now you can gain the benefit of my experience by emailing me your cooking questions.

Amy: What flavours (other than chocolate) and types of desserts seem to be popular with most people and so are a fairly safe bet with a larger group?

I am always a fan of cooking seasonally to get the best pricing. This time of year, deserts can centre around fruits such as pears, apples, oranges, lemons and rhubarb. For me you can’t go wrong with a good crème brulee (only 4 ingredients, cream, eggs yolks, sugar and vanilla). This can be made well in advance and just gratinate with demerara sugar when serving. To jazz it up add some caramelized fruit at the base before adding your brulee mix (see my recipe crème brulee recipe on page 45). A fresh fruit crumble made with stewed apple, pear and rhubarb always goes down well. Some other choices could be a tart tatin (caramelised apples topped with puff pastry) or a lemon tart. You could accompany the desserts with a Crème Anglaise, fruit compote or a vanilla bean ice cream.

unusual brands/types that people may not have tried before. Go to a specialised shop and have a taste of different options. If you are going to put chutneys, pates, etc on then try making your own. Find some freshly baked Artisan bread, get great quality meats and you could put some seafood such as poached prawns and smoked salmon on the table. I serve my grazing tables with some hot items also, like chicken skewers, mini meat pies and arancini. Having plenty of different sauces gives extra variety too.

Mark Lane | Culinary Lane Catering www.culinarylane.co.nz | email culinarylane@gmail.com