Bloggerview with Tara Matthews, swimwear desinger.

Tara Matthews

Name and Occupation

Tara Matthews

Swimwear/bikini beachwear designer who follows the sun…

OK time to plug whatever it is you want

Well, you should check out my new range of swimwear @ http://www.tara-matthews.com/ 

What cookery book do you use the most?

I love a cookbook called The California Cook by Diane Rossen Worthington and of course anything from Ottolgenhi, especially Plenty. I collect cookbooks but then end up not using them very much…rather an indulgence!

What do you like to cook for friends and why?

My friends from all corners of the earth ask for my brownies, I have been making them since I was a kid- best thing is I can make them and not eat them as I think I have just eaten too many over the years. Also Pesto is another specialty constantly requested and being in Corsica a lot, there is no Asian food available so I tend to cook quite a lot of Indian dishes for friends.

One kitchen gadget you could not live without

Tough one I guess my magimix as I also use it for making green juices in the morning!

What sweets did you like as a child?

I spent from age 2 ½ to almost 5 in Vienna so my childhood sweets are mostly Viennese. I loved manner hazelnut wafers , mozartkugeln (chocolates with marzipan) haribo coca cola and gummy bears.

There was also this amazing marshmallow fluff covered in chocolate and coconut flakes- purely synthetic but delicious called Blaschke Kokoskuppeln. (wow checking spelling for these I found this site- which I need to erase asap AustrianGrocery.com)

What is your earliest food memory?

Seriously cant remember…but I lived in Cameroon till I was 2 and half and apparently I would only eat if the cook fed me- so on Sunday’s when he was not around I starved! I guess would be in Austria having Schnitzel and going sometimes outside Vienna to a place that had the most amazing chicken and roast pork.. and I remember when we went to Delhi for holidays all the cousins would meet when we arrived and go to Bengali Market and have lunch.

A celebration is not complete without......

Me…no just kidding…friends, when you want to celebrate you want to do so with good friends! Some nice Champagne or wine is nice too.

What is your favourite food item?

Again, I have too many! I love Japanese, Thai, Chinese food and tend when I go out to eat, to eat Asian as I can’t cook these cuisines but I am hoping one day to take some courses! I love the bread from Le Club, the bakery below my house in Corsica I could live on that with some Corsican cheese and a nice glass of wine- but I rarely indulge like that. I love vegetables…I miss them when I don’t eat them and I am bit of a sugar-holic but I am slowly giving up…

You travel a LOT, which countries food do you look
forward to most?

Yes constantly on a plane all the time! I have my favorite things to eat in each
city, usually not trendy places but more just good food places. I am a bit of a food
snob so basically if I have a dish I like in one place, I wait till I go back to have it
again (also my way of dieting).

Brussels - Mama Roma (most amazing pizza http://www.mammaroma.com)
Lilicup (best cupcakes not sickly sweet at all http://www.lilicup.com)
Market at Place de Chatelain – best waffle stand!

Paris Au Coins de Gourmets- amazing Cambodian food (used to live there and
love the Amok- steamed fish in a banana leaf)
Angleina- best hot chocolate in the world! (http://www.angelina-paris.fr)
Chez Marianne- best falafel sandwich

Ajaccio

Le Spago- my friend’s place, where all the cool people of Ajaccio
hang out and has the best club sandwich and fries in the world!
La Bergerie- Also another friend’s place run by Bea and it is the most

beautiful rest in the world and probably most romantic (although still
waiting to go there on a date, I can imagine…)- it is only open from
June- Sept and is all candle lit and by the water- magical!
A Nepita- amazing daily changing menu by British chef Simon Andrews in
Ajaccio who garnered a Michelin star at his last place, now opened
his own place with his associate Julian and this is my fav place if I
want an amazing meal and at €25 for 3 courses at lunch amazing!
La pirate- Capo Beach- great salads at the best beach payotte, with feet
in the sand and great people watching.
Le Piment Rouge- best pizza on the island and run by another friend!
Le club- best bread in the world!

Delhi Bengali Market- this is a simple place but has amazing street food like
potato cutlets and chat and fresh pomegranate juice.
Delhi Golf Club- my fav place for black dhal and tandoori food- you need
to go with a member but best place to eat and prices don’t seem to
have changed for 20 years- and only the member can pay ;)
360 at the oberoi- when I am sick of Indian food I go here for
amazing fresh sushi!
Big Chill- amazing mud pie only place I will eat it!
Sagar- best south Indian dosa’s that I love!

New York

Houston’s (now called Hillstone) best ribs and veggie burger and
coleslaw salad. (http://www.hillstone.com/#/restaurants/houstons)
Tal Bagels- best bagels in the world! (www.talbagels.info)
La Esquina – best roasted corn on the cobb. (esquinanyc.com)

LA

Senor Fish- best potato and fish taco ever! (http://www.senorfish.net)
Casa Bianca- best whole-wheat pizza with breaded eggpalnt (http://www.casabiancapizza.com)
A Votre Sante- love this healthy place everything is good (http://www.avotresantela.com)
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf – one word ice blended mocha!

Rio

Niteroi Fish Market- love to buy prawns and fish and then go
upstairs
and have bahian cooks make you most amazing meal- about 2000
calories but worth it!
Celerio- trendy salad bar in Leblon where you weigh your food and then
grab a table on the terrace and people watch!
Majorica- best steak ever- local neighborhood place in Botofogo- only
order 1 steak for 2 people as huge!
Paxeco- In Gavea best pastels and croquets and fruit salad ‘caipvodca’
with tangerine, apple, grapes, strawberries and pineapple all
crammed into the same glass.

A cooking tip you would like to share with everyone?

I don’t like a lot of salt- lime is a great replacement and brings flavors out; I use it on lots of things!

Favourite restaurant?

I honestly don’t have one I have lots!! Depends for what..
Indian food in London- Moolis
Japanese in London- Nembu-Tei best spicy tuna rolls
Dim Sum- Phoneix Palace in London
For a truly amazing meal- A Nepita
Most Romantic – La Bergerie
Summertime chillin- Le Pirate

Most memorable meal ever?

Well in terms of a dining experience I would have to say Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck. It was really something so different to what I usually eat- thoroughly enjoyed it but not the type of food I could eat everyday! Most of my other memorable meals were with good friends and family and all about the people rather than the food…

Where do you go for your favourite cocktail?

Villa Corcovado Rio- my friend’s place and they make me the best passion fruit caipirinhas.i am not a big drinker but I inhale those while swinging in my hammock! (http://www.villacorcovadorio.com/)

Which seasonal ingredient do you look forward to seeing most during the year?

I am not a big fruit eater but in Corsica I love the white peaches, figs, cherries and mare de bois strawberries in the summer and and in winter the sea urchins!

You have been extremely naughty and you are about to have your last supper, who would you like to join you?

Boringly my family and close friends for my last supper as would want to be with them not anyone famous…I know that is the usual answer..sorry to disappoint!

Which chef do you most admire?

- Raju Rawat who is the head chef at Moolis- my favorite Indian fast food healthy restaurant in London. His Father was my aunt’s cook in India and I have know him since I was tiny- he has worked super hard trained in some of the best Indian restaurants in India and London and now is doing something for himself and I really admire where he is today and how hard he works – and his cooking is to die for!

Fine dining or relaxed local?

Can I say both for my food list mostly local but I do love some fine dinning too!

In what way would you like to see things develop in the restaurant or bar industry?

Be nice to see more places like Moolis, healthy quick tasty food that does not cost a fortune and is just delicious. Check it out http://www.moolis.com

Favourite food blogs?

Although it looks like all I do is eat I don’t follow any blogs. I look at Moolis blog and that is about it- although | do look at various websites like new york magazine to see what is new in NYC, Los Angeles magazine, the evening standard website and a few others…especially the Canyon Ranch spa webstite, has lots of good ideas!