HOLY EMPANADAS! 24 HOURS TO LIFT OFF!

The kitchen’s looking mighty busy at the moment!  But not satisfied with just opening a restaurant, we’ve just made 1000 empanadas for this weekend’s World Chefs’ Showcase for Crave Sydney International Food Festival. 500 x Peruvian style alpaca and 500x silverbeet and feta. Of course they’re going to be baked, not friend. We’re all about healthy eating at Morena!

ALL ABOUT PERU AT CRAVE SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL!

This October is all about CRAVE Sydney International Food Festival 2011 and we’re presenting the very best of Latin American cuisine to food enthusiasts from around Australia.

We’ve got loads of events going on throughout the month, each of which will focus on something different about the Peruvian culture, cuisine and our love of Pisco!

Not only is Morena showcasing the best of Peru but the Sydney Magazine’s World Chef’s Showcase Gala Dinner will be showcasing Alejandro Saravia! He’s there to make his amazing Andean Garden dish for the esteemed guests. Other chefs include Alejandro’s chef idol, Gaston Acurio, Matt Moran, Neil Perry, Justin North, Mark Best and many many more.

Alejandro will also be cooking up the lunchtime food for the World Chef’s Showcase events over the weekend. 1000 Empanadas! 500 Peruvian style Alpaca empanadas and 500 Silverbeet and Feta empanadas for the vegetarian option.

For more details on CRAVE got to www.cravesydney.com.au or for Morena, www.morena.com.au

Peru comes to Sydney with our new restaurant, MORENA!

We’re very excited to announce that the preparations for our first restaurant are underway! Situated in the heart of Sydney’s upbeat Surry Hills, MORENA will showcase the amazing variety of flavours, ingredients and dishes of Latin American haute cuisine, with a fine dining service and a fun, relaxed vibe.  We’ll also have a courtyard and a fantastic bar called Alma Morena which is going to serve the best Latin American cocktails!

MORENA will launch in Sydney’s Surry Hills in October – just in time for the CRAVE Sydney International Food Festival (http://www.cravesydney.com.au) – and we’ll have lots going on over the month of October including Piscos nights, Degustations, a special 1940s style cocktail evening showcasing Latin American cocktails and canapes with Metalab designers’ fantastic Latin American inspired jewellery.

Our website is www.morena.com.au.  We’ll be adding to it over the next couple of months so make sure you check it out or go onto Facebook – www.facebook.com/morenasydney.   

Morena Facebook now online

Hope you managed to catch the Getaway show tonight!  You can view it a bit later online at www.getaway.ninemsn.com.au. We had great fun making it! We’re now online on our new facebook page for MORENA – go on and LIKE us and you’ll be on our exclusive friends list for events and promotions at the new restaurant. www.facebook.com/morenasydney.

Morena is now on Facebook - www.facebook.com/morenasydney

We’re on Getaway This Weekend!

Behind the Scenes in Lima

Yes after a bit of a wait, we’re ON  this weekend! Check out the Lima Food Tour with Jules Lund and Alejandro Saravia this Saturday (9th July 2011) at 5.30 PM AEST.  Earlier in the year Alejandro shot this feature with Jules in Alejandro’s home city of Lima – showing Jules around the fantastic culture and cuisine of this amazing city.  Jules then got his very own Peruvian Cuisine Masterclass…If you miss it on Saturday you can check out the link on http://getaway.ninemsn.com.au/videos/ after 11.30 PM on Saturday night…

Electrolux Cooking School Dates for August 2011

We’re very excited to be taking part in the Electrolux Cooking School again this year. Alejandro will be hosting three classes at the famous Queen Victoria Markets.  The classes will be: Peru – The Spanish Influence on Friday 19th August, 5.00pm; Cook Healthy With ‘Superfoods’ Saturday 20th August, 12.30pm and The Best of South American FlavoursSunday 21st August, 12.30pm. If you fancy coming along, book your place now! 03 9320 5822 or email: cooking@qvm.com.au

Alejandro Saravia Hosts Peruvian cooking class at QVM

Alejandro Saravia Hosts Peruvian Cooking Class at Q

Congratulations Lima!

Here is a bit of history to learn and celebrate our culture.

On the 18th of January 1535, Lima, the ‘City of Kings’ was founded by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro.

During the exploration of Cuzco, Pizarro was impressed and through his officers wrote back to King Charles I of Spain, saying:

“This city is the greatest and the finest ever seen in this country or anywhere in the Indies… We can assure your Majesty that it is so beautiful and has such fine buildings that it would be remarkable even in Spain.“

After the conquest of Peru by taking Cuzco in 1533,  Jauja was established as Peru’s provisional capital in April 1534. But Jauja was too far up in the mountains and far from the sea to serve as the Spanish capital of Peru.

Pizarro thus founded the city of Lima in Peru’s central coast on 18 January 1535, a foundation that he considered as one of the most important things he had created in life.

It is said  that he marked out the main Plaza with his sword and each year on the anniversary of that day, the proud citizens celebrate with a mixture of popular, religious and military events.

From “A taste of PERú“ we would like to send our best wishes to this beautiful city and the proud Limeños, and invite you to check out our “A taste of PERú” – Gormet Tour, to discover the ‘City of Kings’, now recognised as the Gastronomic Capital of South America!

Congratulations Lima.

 

Next stop: Perth!

After a very busy Christmas time, shared with family, friends and of course, enjoying Peruvian flavours, “A taste of PERú” is back!

We love the idea of promoting Modern Peruvian Cuisine in Australia, and after Sydney and Melbourne, Perth is our next exiting stop.

For all those who follow “A taste of PERú“, and are in Perth from the 1st to the 6th of February, here is the list of our events, don’t miss them out!

Peruvian Master Chef Live!

This opportunity is ideal for those looking forward to becoming more familiar with the use of Quinoa and explore its potential in a wide range of applications. Chef Alejandro Saravia will be demonstrating the use of Quinoa in two occasions:

- Friday 10th of December 1:30pm to 2:00pm at the Basic Skills demonstrations stage.

- Sunday 12th of December 1:30pm to 2:30pm at the BBQ demonstrations stage.

There will be three main recipes prepared by Alejandro plus other tips for making nutritious and delicious recipes.

- Quisotto, a risotto type dish but made using Quinoa, this is quite an innovation presented by Alejandro and Olive Green   Organics.

- Quinoa Taboule, Alejandro style!

- Quinoa dessert, so nutritious and sooooo delicious.

Something important is that all recipes are quite easy to make. If you are the busy type person or the discerning entertainer, you will learn and love the presentations. Come and taste the uncomplicated ways of achieving sound nutrition for the family regardless of whether someone at home has a food  allergy problem or not.

Alejandro will be available to answer your questions and to chat with everyone about his experience with the foods from his mother land, Peru.

See you all there, Peruvian food lovers!

Experience “A taste of PERú” at Sails

As a part of the increasingly popular Sydney International Food Festival in October, Sails on Lavender Bay is proud to announce two ‘world dinners’ featuring Peruvian cuisine at the restaurant. For gastronomic lovers, this foodie experience is a must!

“A taste of PERú” with Guest Chef Alejandro Saravia will definitely heighten your food awareness and knowledge on Tuesday 19th & Wednesday 20th October.

Chef Alejandro Saravia introduces Peruvian gastronomy concepts in the form of a special 6 course tasting menu with matching wines for $135 per person. Saravia’s cuisine style is a fusion of Peruvian recipes using traditional and haute cooking techniques, which have been tailored to the Australian palate by combining local seasonal produce.

Saravia started his career working as a chef in Lima, then travelled to the United States and Europe to broaden his culinary experience working in recognised kitchens such as The Fat Duck (UK), Les Ambassadeurs (France) & La Gorda (Barcelona) to name a few…and after arriving in Australia in 2006, worked for the Opera Bar, Pier Restaurant and Salon Blanc.

“A taste of PERú”  - 6 course tasting MENU with matching wines

Drawing inspiration from his native country Peru and array of fine dining experiences, Saravia’s “A taste of PERú” at Sails will be most educational. Both dinners start at 7.00pm and bookings are essential (due to limited seats).

‘We’re delighted to have Chef Alejandro Saravia onboard at Sails, and feel this will be a special treat to our regular diners and food lovers of the Sydney International Food Festival’ said Greg Anderson, owner ‘Not only will guests learn about Peruvian cuisine, but get to experience this special menu with matching wines at a great price!’.

Only an 8 minute ride from Circular Quay will tempt anyone to make the journey by ferry, as Sails is located next to McMahons Point wharf…otherwise this north shore restaurant is easily accessible by taxi, car, public bus, or water taxi.

Sails on Lavender Bay, 2 Henry Lawson Avenue, McMahons Point NSW 2060

Bookings essential: (02) 9955 5998

www.sailslavenderbay.com