Kitchen
A new list for the warm weeks
Menus at the house are rewritten twice a year, and the rewriting begins in a school exercise book. Catherine Nicholson lists the dishes she wants to keep, the dishes she wants to retire and the dishes she is afraid to touch. Then she cooks them all in a single week, and the staff eat the results in the afternoon, scoring each out of ten. Anything under eight returns to the bench, and the cook responsible buys the tea.
What has joined
A grilled barramundi is now the first main on the coast list, set on wilted greens with lemon butter and capers. A corn fritter has joined the starters, with avocado and a little chilli jam. A cold pineapple dessert, made with fresh fruit and a short biscuit base, has replaced the heavier pudding that held the same place.
What has left
The lamb shank has been retired for the season, together with the creamy mushroom soup. Both will return in the cooler months, and regulars are already asking when. Catherine says a dish that is allowed to rest tastes better on its return, which is a lesson she learned from the sponge.
What stays exactly as it is
The passionfruit sponge is made every evening, the pumpkin scones are baked every afternoon and the lamingtons are cut by hand. The puddings are the part of the menu that guests remember, and they are the part Catherine is most reluctant to change. She will tinker with a sauce but never with a sponge.
A note for those with allergies
Please tell Alana Curtis when you book, and again when you order. Most of the new dishes can be made without gluten, dairy or nuts, and the fritters can be made without egg on request. The kitchen keeps a written record of each evening's requests, and Catherine reads it before the first order is taken.