August 13, 2013

Jazz Apple Masterclass

Agnes food event

Disclosure: I attended the Jazz apple masterclass courtesy of Jazz Apples and Media Moguls.

I’ve said previously that there’s only three kinds of apples I like. My preference goes: Granny Smiths, Jazz apples, Pink ladies.

Now I wish that Jazz apples were sponsoring me to say this (and you know I’d disclose if it were true) but I actually do buy them and they are my second favourite apple.

The main reason I like Jazz apples is because they’re really crunchy. They’re quite sweet, so I go to them when I don’t feel like something sour. They’re also good for cooking because they retain their shape.

One evening last month I attended a Jazz apple masterclass hosted by Alana Lowes (from Masterchef season 3). I don’t watch the show, so had no preconceptions, and can tell you very honestly that:

1: She is gorgeous (I mean LOOK).

2: She is really charming and personable.

3: And finally, she cooked us pork ribs for dinner, so she knows that ribs are a good way to win people over (clever).

The class was held at Raw Materials studio in Footscray, and myself plus a few other food bloggers crowded around the kitchen.

To start off and to cleanse our palate, Alana handed around a sorbet that she’d made that morning. It was a simple apple and rosemary sorbet, made with apples, sugar, lemon juice, and brandy.

Then she showed us the ribs that she’d popped into the oven before we arrived so they’d have time to cook. She made up a sauce of smokey BBQ sauce, orange juice, and garlic, and every now and again made sure to give the ribs a good basting.

To serve with the ribs, she made a Jazz apple slaw, which was easy to put together – Jazz apples cut into match sticks (that she cut by hand! I wanted to give her a mandolin) and a dressing of garlic, Dijon mayo and lemon juice.

The apple slaw really complemented the smokey, spicy ribs.

When the ribs were nicely caramelised, she squeezed over a generous serving of fresh lime juice and sprinkled on some chilli salt. Delicious.

For dessert, she made an apple and rhubarb filo scrunch.

Alana cut apples into chunks, sliced some rhubarb, and mixed it with fresh grated ginger, brown sugar, orange zest/juice and allspice.

The apple mixture smelt SO good with the ginger and allspice.

This was piled into the middle of buttered filo sheets and the filo was scrunched up over it. It then went into the oven while we gorged ourselves on ribs and apple slaw.

When baked, the filo scrunch was cut up and and served with a quenelle of ice cream. Such a quick and easy dessert to make.

Thanks again to Alana and Jazz Apples for the class, it was good fun.

If anyone is interested in the recipes, they can be found on the Jazz Apples website:

Jazz Apple rosemary sorbet

Sticky smoky spicy pork ribs with Jazz Apple slaw

Jazz Apple rhubarb filo scrunch

And for more on the masterclass, check out: I Eat Therefore I Am and Peach-water.