Jackie Middleton

My Profile Information

2009-10-14T00:57:00.000-07:00

Biography
A self-confessed food nerd; Jackie works with food on all levels; styling, writing and consulting. With a long history in the restaurant industry from large 5 star hotels to boutique dining rooms, Jackie has taken the best of it to forge a career as a freelance food stylist and menu designer.
Having worked for Peter Rowland Catering with the key prestige clients of the Birdcage at the Melbourne Cup Carnival over the last two years, impressing the toughest of critics at the launch of the 2008 Age Good Food Guide and talking with people daily about what’s hot and not in the world of food; Jackie’s skills are expansive.
Food is a very competitive market place and taking it to the ‘next level’, is a requirement in 2011; Jackie loves nothing more than to help people achieve those goals with knowledge and passion.

Food and lifestyle stylist
• EARL Canteen - all publicity photos
• Bravada Films/Channel Nine - various television commercials
• Frankie magazine, Issues 11 and 12 - recipes and styling
• Black Swan dips - television commercial still shoot
• Healthy Habits sandwiches – POS sale cards
• Public Relations shots, Spring Racing Carnival, Emirates, L’Oreal, Myer, SAAB
• Vintage Cellars Members magazine - recipes, beverage matching and styling
• Many restaurants - website food images
• R&R Publications - ‘Food on the Run’ cook book
• Worlds longest Lunch - recipes, styling and photography
• Jenny Craig weight loss - assistant stylist
• Assistant stylist to Caroline Velik and Deb McLean
• Gourmet Traveller Magazine - work experience ‘Italian Desserts’ two day shoot

Writer
Author of http://www.eatingwithjack.blogspot.com/
http://www.ieatidrinkiwork.com.au/ contributing writer and feature blogger

Consultant
Cookery demonstrator - Prahran Market, Harvest Best of the Season
Menu design - seasonal and event basis
Project food consultant for major events
• food creative management; overall food design, costing, styling and management with your choice of caterer/chef
Food product development
Chef and restaurant profile development
Food trends education
• 2008 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival panellist on food blogs
• 2008 Meetings and Events Australia; professional development educational presentation on menu design and food trends
• 2007 RSVP ‘Taste makers’ panellist on food trends

Significant projects and clients

2010/11 EARL Canteen
• development and implementation
• menu design and creative
• styling for publication and store merchandising
2009/10 Prahran Market
• MFWF event styling
• cooking demonstrations
2008 Healthy Habits
• a total menu, food display, packaging and product review
• new recipe design and staff training
2008 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
• menu design and planning for Worlds Longest Lunch at Flemington racecourse; 1250 people
2008 Dairy Australia, Dairy Awards
• themed canapé menu, styling and design for 300 people
2007 and 2006 VRC Spring Racing Carnival
• full creative management of prestige clients of the Birdcage enclosure.
36 clients in total including; Emirates, Myer, L’Oreal, Motorola, Andrew McManus, Lavazza, SAAB, Herald and Weekly Times, The Age, The Sofitel
All menu, food and beverage design, operational planning and event supervision
2007 The Age Good Food Guide Launch
• menu design and planning for 500 chefs, restaurateurs and media
2007 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival
• menu design and planning for multiples of events including the feature Deluxe Supper for 600 people with live action food stations
2007 Gourmet Traveller Ovarian Cancer Charity Ball
• menu planning with GT, 800 people event to their dish and image guidelines

Specialist Skills
• Extensive food knowledge of multiple cuisine styles and trends
• Advanced food and wine palate
• A stylised food and props eye; ‘what looks good and why’
• Strong local and international restaurant knowledge
• Food trend spotting and education
• Food service development; redesign an existing space
• Recipe writing and/or development
• Produce and prop sourcing
• Wine purchasing, negotiation and list development
• Food and theme ‘translation’ for major events, between client and chef
• Menu proofing and word smithing
• Strong understanding of dietary needs and allergies

The Dessert Banquet

2008-11-14T03:32:00.000-08:00

Bring back decadence we say...

A beautiful dessert banquet was shot at CI Studios in Richmond with Clare Plueckhahn. The theme was decadence with inspiration coming from a high tea or a fancy afternoon baby shower.

The laid table, let the banquet begin.

Have your cake and eat it too; almond, white chocolate and citrus cake with wild figs and honey mascarpone. DIY strawberries; ripe cocktail strawberries with dips of double cream and pure icing sugar. Be sure not to double dip...
Everyones favourite butterfly fairy cakes with a sophisticated twist, turkish delight confetti and pistachio crumbs.
A trifle of a dilemma, which eclectic glass hold the most? Raspberry, vanilla anglaise, almond jelly and dark chocolate truffle trifles.

Suitably decadent recipes are available for all images.
Please contact me for more information.

Healthy Habits

2008-10-14T05:03:00.000-07:00

Point of sale, counter top cards to promote different menu items through out the day.

Simple, yet smart presentation of menu items.

Black Swan Dips

2008-10-14T04:58:00.000-07:00

The closing still of a relaunched advertising campagin.

Fresh, fresh, fresh was the brief.

In Season with Jack - Asparagus

2008-09-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

15th September 2008
Local asparagus appearing at the market is as much a spring time indicator to a foodie, as new cherry blossom is to a gardening nut. It’s a part of the year to look forward to.
Out of season imported asparagus is just not the same, quickly deteriorating after harvest dried, split -or worse- wrinkled bases should be avoided.
I love Stephanie Alexanders stance on the seasonality of this special produce “Be wary of imported asparagus and think how much moisture it has lost on its 20-hour minimum trip from where ever it was harvested. And ask yourself why you must have asparagus in the autumn or winter.”(Cooks Companion, 1996)

A member of the lily family, asparagus are shoots that rapidly break through the soil and grow from a base ‘crown’. With white, green and purple colours all available from the same variety asparagus is labour intensive to grow and hence the price reflects this making them an even more special vegetable to enjoy at their peak. Wild asparagus with particularly slender stalks and spear like tips are occasionally available at market from local foragers, these are as special as the wild mushrooms that Autumn offers us, yet rarer.

Considering the delicate nature of asparagus it seems only fitting to follow the correct etiquette and eat each spear with your fingers, just as long as there is no messy sauce. Why not eat like the Queen.

To take advantage of this spring speciality, why not consider asparagus for a perfect breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Why not start the day with steamed asparagus, coddled eggs, hollandaise and toasted brioche for breakfast, a decadent lunch of asparagus and pea soup with lemon poached salmon and herb crème fraîche or dinner of prosciutto wrapped asparagus with rare roast beef, parsnip puree and truffled jus.

Soup for lunch it is… dress it up with the salmon or just simple and refined on its own

Asparagus and pea soup with herb crème fraîche
1 kg fresh local asparagus – tips reserved and roughly chopped
250g of fresh peas (frozen baby peas are ok instead)
2 shallots – chopped finely
2 cloves garlic – chopped finely
½ cup white wine
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp parsley leaves
1 lt vegetable stock
Sea salt and pepper

½ cup crème fraîche
1/3 cup mixed soft herbs (such as parsley, mint, chives and dill) – chopped finely
1 lemon – skin zested and juice squeezed

Mix the crème fraîche, mixed herbs, lemon zest and half the lemon juice

Sauté shallot and garlic in the olive oil until translucent
Add asparagus and peas cook for 2 minutes, deglaze with the white wine and add the stock
Cook until soft and then puree until velvety with the parsley
Season to taste and gently warm with the reserved tips

Dollop with the herb crème fraîche to serve

From ieatidrinkiwork

In Season with Jack - Kangaroo

2008-08-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

20th August 2008
S.O.L.E. is the buzz food term of 2008, but eating well with the keys words - sustainable, organic, local and ethical - in mind can be a challenge.
Red meat, though we know it’s good for us doesn’t typically lend itself to the SOLE movement but excitingly, kangaroo meat does.
Now forget the mental ‘Coat of Arms’ stigma, even a Greenpeace sponsored report, is in favour of eating our favourite cute and furry. Kangaroos eat the same foods as cattle and sheep (and less of it); yet produce no nasty methane gases that warm our planet and their soft feet don’t damage the land either. Now if that wasn’t enough, the meat is also incredibly good for us, and what about the fact that it’s also organic… sounds too good to be true, well eat up, because it isn’t.

Kangaroo meat is high in protein, iron and zinc, and also has a mere 2% fat content that makes it one of the leanest meats available. Kangaroos are wild harvested in Australia, not farmed and are therefore free range and typically organic (you can not curtain wild kangaroos so, grazing on sprayed fields may occur). In 2007, 70% of kangaroo meat classified for human consumption was exported to game loving European plates such as Germany and France, were excellent flavour and the health qualities of the meat are important. Luckily for the Australians who are savvy enough to already appreciate our native game meat; it is inexpensive in comparison to other meat products, at just fraction of the cost for kangaroo cuts, which boast a third of the fat.

All lean, wild meats can be challenging to cook, yet two easy rules apply; either cook it long and slowly or very quickly and serve rare. I’ve taken the first tact.

Kangaroo Bolognese
I tweaked a traditional Bolognese recipe to take advantage of some cheap and healthy kangaroo mince at my local butcher, yet loved the subtle gamey flavour better than the original beef recipe.

500g kangaroo mince –available from butchers and supermarkets
100g smoky pancetta, cut into a small dice
1 lg onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 carrots, chopped
3 sticks of celery, chopped
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 glass of red wine
1 cup of chicken stock
2 tbsp of tomato paste
I can tomatoes
A handful of chopped parsley
Sprigs of thyme
Bay leaves
A grind of nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Parmesan for grating

Sauté the onion, garlic, carrots and celery in the olive oil until just soft, add the pancetta and bay leaves cook until the fat melts
Add the kangaroo mince and lightly brown
Deglaze with the wine allowing it to evaporate and then add stock, tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, nutmeg and herbs
Mix well, cover and gently simmer for at least an hour, checking that it doesn’t get too dry.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with al dente spaghetti and a generous grating of parmesan cheese

Unpublished to date

In Season with Jack - Passionfruit

2008-07-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

27th July 2008
Passionfruit is a very elegant fruit to eat. Carefully cut in half and balanced, to not loose a single drop of the tart juice, you wiggle the seeds free from the clutches of the purple skin and gingerly dip in the teaspoon to savour the pulpy flesh, an upturned little finger to complete the picture.
Eating them straight from the half orb is a delicacy at some times of the year and a requirement in heavy fruiting season, yet were would the humble pavlova be without passionfruit, or what about the perfect icing for the Aussie vanilla slice – it’s essential.
With a wide selection of varieties and their cross breeds available, it’s still the basic black with its dried wrinkly skin when ripe, that is the most popular. But people, most likely, have not tried the large panama or the even larger and squint-your-eyes-tart yellow varieties that are seasonally and regionally available.
The traditional Aussie black variety that you can’t kill from your backyard fence, is ripe and perfect when it looks like it should be thrown away; deeply wrinkled and even perhaps with a dried out skin, the flesh is heavy with pulp coated seeds. The larger purple skinned panama looks like a smooth botoxed version in comparison, but still look for heavy fruit with smooth fresh skin and be intrigued by the extra fragrance and orange tint inside. The even larger yellows are rarely seen in perfect shape in our markets, yet should you like your fruit sharp and tart, this one is for you, perhaps a plant for the other fence? Other varieties such as the yellow banana shaped passionfruit and the red skinned are also available for home enthusiasts. With intriguing extraterrestrial looking flowers they also make a lush cover, no matter the variety.

My Mums Impossible Pie with a passionfruit twist
This pie really is impossible. Just mix all the ingredients together and it impossibly creates a base, custard like centre, and a chewy coconut top. Being one of the first family sweets I ever cooked I have tweaked it numerous times over the years, chocolate, berries and banana… but the coconut crust is an absolute winner with a passionfruit tang. No matter the permeation, the smell from the oven is a fond childhood memory and has me eager for the hour to lapse.

4 eggs
1 tbsp soft butter
½ cup plain flour
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup shredded or desiccated coconut
Splash of vanilla extract
Flesh and seeds of 2 black or one large panama passionfruit
30ml white rum

Mix all ingredients together with a hand mixer.
Grease a tart dish (I use a round pyrex version) and pour in the mix.
Bake at 180˚C for one hour, cool
Serve with passionfruit and sugar laced whipped cream

From ieatidrinkiwork

In Season with Jack - Oysters

2008-06-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

24th June 2008
The northern hemisphere saying of “Oysters ‘R’ in season” refers to the months ending with the letter r when oysters are their best. Inverse this and you have June as an optimal oyster eating month in Australia. During the warm summer months oysters spawn (reproduce) and lose a lot of their flesh weight and quality. New techniques such as the non-spawning triploid oysters have the advantage in the Christmas market, but are still a rarity.

In Australia we have three main varieties of oysters; Pacific, Sydney Rock and Angasi; the later two being native. Pacific oysters were introduced to Australia in the 1940’s and have since become the most grown variety due to their quick growth and larger size.
Pacific oysters are typically sold at 60-70mm lid length, know as plate size, but older Australians whom have grown up on the smaller Sydney Rock Oysters are now being tempted into the Pacific oyster market with the release of smaller ‘bistro’ oysters (photo) of 50-60mm in length; more in fitting with a traditional Sydney Rock Oyster without the iodine tang on the palate.

Oysters are, unfortunately, typically sold open on the half shell, and by the time consumers eat them, are dead and far from their best. Oysters sold unshucked are far superior, yet they require the practiced skill of a shucking knife and a little patience and nerves of steel.
Most quality fishmongers will have some unshucked oysters out the back to sell you; these will keep refrigerated unopened for a few days in the fridge covered with a dam cloth.
It’s best to have a skilled person to show you how to safely open an oyster, there is a trick to it that can be quite simple once mastered but challenging to learn. Otherwise seek out restaurants that prioritise having shucked-to-order oysters on their menu and try this briny delicacy at its best.

There are infinite recipes for oysters, yet as with most things the classics are often the best. Try simple dressings such as French red wine vinegar and finely diced shallot or a hot, sour, sweet and salty combo from Thailand such as a nam jim. More elaborate toppings such as local Yarra Valley salmon roe and chives or even a spicy gazpacho jelly spiked with sherry vinegar. A favourite accompaniment from the south west of France is with tiny versions of the North African merguez sausage, push the oyster off the shell with the sausage and take a bite! Or just keep it simple with just a wedge of lemon and some buttered rye bread.

From ieatidrinkiwork

In Season with Jack - Rouzaire Brie de Nangis

2008-06-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

5th June 2008
There is a reason why brie is the ‘it’ cheese of the Australian market place; it has wide appeal. From some fluffy, entry level, local varieties that you find at the supermarket to the cream of the crop from the Brie region in France.
Brie can be as accessibly easy or as sophisticated and earthy as you can bear.

A favourite from the imported end of the scale is Rouzaire Brie de Nangis. A little smaller and hence quicker to ripen than its bigger and better known brother Brie de Meaux, Rouzaire is now the only Brie de Nangis producer. Named after its originating town, Nangis - but no longer made there - the style was revived in its original format, by the Rouzaire family who now make it in Ile de France along with other signature white mould styles. Produced year round but best from the European spring and summer grasses, Brie de Nangis is in perfect condition now in the southern hemisphere. Though not good for the food miles it’s a privilege to be able to eat this decadent treat as our cooler weather sets in.

Packed in a nice little wooden box, Rouzaire Brie de Nangis is 1-2 months old as it leaves France on board a ship to Australia, the journey takes about 4 weeks, and lands in our speciality stores in prime condition; young, furry white rind with a firm milky and sweet centre. Some of the better stores such as Richmond Hill Café and Larder in Melbourne, then also further age it, until a matured version with a moreish mottled white and beige rind, soft and oozy pâte, and a mushroomy flavour has developed.

The pictured Brie is about 100 days old or just over 3 months and at its earthy best, with the characteristic soft yellow pâte that indicates the rich cows milk used and its 50% fat content. Rouzaire also make a larger brie with a centre of truffle, not to be missed for serious cheese lovers and truffle lovers, I guess they have the foodie community covered!

It would be sacrilegious to cook with such a beautiful cheese; so just serve it simply after dinner with some fresh bread and an elegant shaved celery heart and apple salad. The crunch of the salad compliments the silky texture of the brie and the sweet acid of the apple to balance the fat on your palate.

Further enjoy with a glass of your favourite Champagne or perhaps –for something a little interesting - try a soft ripe red, such as a Heathcote shiraz.

From ieatidrinkiwork