Where I Ate Last with Tony Astle: Maison Vauron and Christmas Meringue Roulade

This week Tony Astle ate at Maison Vauron, a French Bistro in Auckland’s Newmarket. 

They offer fresh, authentic cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere, and offer the opportunity to explore their unique wine cellar with a variety of wines from throughout France. 

Tony sampled the Planche de Charcuterie, Pan cooked Tarakihi, and Saucisson de Canard. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Recipe of the Week: Christmas Meringue Roulade 

Serves 12   

Ingredients 

12 egg whites (room temperature)  

400g caster sugar  

2 tsp vanilla essence  

2 tsp vinegar (white, malt or cider)  

2 Tbsp cornflour  

  

Method 

1. Line two oblong sandwich tins with non-stick baking paper. Ensure there is plenty of overlap of the baking paper on all sides of the tins.  
2. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees Celsius  
3. In an electric mixer whisk the egg whites (on full speed) until they form firm peaks.   
4. Steadily add the sugar by degrees until it is all incorporated.   
5. Add the vanilla and vinegar and continue whisking for 5 more minutes.  
6. Reduce speed and add the cornflour making sure to incorporate it well.  
7. Divide the mixture between the 2 sandwich tins and smooth out the tops.  
8. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes.  
9. Remove and let them cool to room temperature.  

  

To Roll  

1. Lay a large sheet of tin foil on the bench and lay a sheet of baking paper on top of the foil. Liberally sprinkle the baking paper with icing sugar.  
2. Gently loosen the meringue from the baking paper in the tin, then invert (crust side down) onto the icing sugar coated baking paper.  
3. Spread with whipped cream and then spread the fruit mince.  
4. Roll away from yourself to form a roulade shape.   
5. Seal both ends of the foil/paper and refrigerate for at least an hour - or make it the day before and refrigerate overnight.  
6. Repeat rolling process for second roulade.  
7. Serve with fresh berries. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Finding the hidden gems at the hospitality scene where I
ate last with Tony Astell on Kerry WOODAM Mornings and
a very good morning to you, Tony Astor where have
you been?

Speaker 2 (00:12):
I've been everywhere? However, I went to a very special
place last Friday. Finally enough and I had after twenty
five years of dealing with Maison Varn for cheeses and
all sorts of things that I buy like coffee of duck,
and I've never ever done there. Unbelievable that I hadn't.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
I suppose you're a busy well.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
I was always you know, open at lunchtime. We were rapping
all the time. But exactly anyway, I was taken there
last Friday, and honestly I actually got so excited. It
was like going back to France. I haven't. It's the
closest I've ever come to in New Zealand to a
real French, authentic bistro.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
It really is, isn't it? Because I've had lunch there
before and it's yes, I agree with you. The vibe
of the place, the staff and the food as close
as you'll get.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
To being there, because you know downstairs is upstairs. All
the cheese and things, but you can actually dine in
both of them. But I went upstairs and what I
loved about it, I mean because I can't help myself
with the wine. The wine selection up there is probably
one of the best in New Zealand. And we're talking
from reasonable cheap prices up to hugely expensive. But you
can just pick a bottle out of one of those
cases that are on the around the place. All they

(01:21):
do is put ten dollars on it and they serve
it to you know. And also the waiters. You know,
I'm sorry about this New Zealand, but they were all
French and look at it. They were just so pleasant
and knew their job, knew every damn thing that they
were talking about. And John chrisoft of course in Scott
and Peter Peter was there. They were, I mean, all

(01:42):
the owners are there, yes, and that's the amazing thing
about There was Peter Roperty outside scrubbing the footpath. Yeah,
you know, and John christoften you know, bullying me as
he does because you know, I bully him back.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
But it was just a which is also very French,
to have the owner's hands on and in there a
lot of people won't know about it. Because it is
tucked down a side street. It isn't open at night.
But boy, you're missing out if you haven't been there.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, well it's McCole Street. It's number five actually, I
think number five McCole Street in Newmarket, and it's it's
best to actually probably take an obit, but there's plenty
of parking around here during the day. An uber would
be a good idea, especially if you're going to get
What I loved about it was he said to me,
you know, we close at three o'clock and that's not
in the morning. You know. He obviously your fame percentage

(02:30):
it jumped in before me. But anyway, look, we just
ordered the food and I had the charcuterie board, which
really is probably the best one I've ever had in
New Zealand and probably in France. Everything was mostly homemade
or hand crafted, and it was unbelievably fantastic, and it
was reasonably priced and huge portion.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Yeah, I can't believe thirty six dollars for that.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
I mean, that is huge.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
I mean, and that would do most people, a lot.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Of people, you know. But the funny thing is there,
I was sitting there and I thought, God, I don't
know every person here. Obviously I've closed.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
But also the fact that you know, a lot of
people won't know about it and a lot of but
a lot of people will be brassed off we're talking
about it because a lot of people do know about.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
It because it's always was absolutely packed, and of course
now we're going to fill it up with some more people.
But I also had the I mean, there was there
was this duck sausage I mean, oh yeah, I mean,
and I had soft poachry eggs on had a red
wine sauce, and it had pave potatoes which is almost
like a gritar do fine wise, but you actually pressed

(03:33):
it and then you cook it again. It was just
absolutely fantastic. And I must say I didn't left till four,
so but it was four in the afternoon.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
Well that's there we go, old dog new tracks. I
think too with with this place, Like the first time
I went there, which was years ago, I think I
had a kish which I hadn't tasted the like of
since I had been in France. It was it is
the authentic experience, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Well Donald Morris used to have dasionally and they actually
did fantastic tisches. But it's actually a very French keiche
instead of some of those crappy things that you're gone
by in those warming boxes. Oh the cheese selection there
is unbelievable. I mean that of plus my little feet
just go. It stinks to hell, but oh my god.

Speaker 1 (04:20):
Yeah, it's a lovely, lovely place to go. You can't
book either, can you.

Speaker 2 (04:24):
No you don't, but no, I mean you will get
a take. Well, actually I think you can book because
when I arrived there, the person that had oh no,
we had actually booked. Now it's down downstairs is a
very casual sort of area, but upstairs it's still very casual.
But it's like actually dining in a wine sellad. Yes
it is, and it was it just I have to

(04:47):
give it. Even though it's not really a four or
five tick sort of place, it's probably the best authentic
bistrow in the country.

Speaker 1 (04:55):
So if you're visiting Auckland, when you're here for any
of our concerts, make some time in your day to
go and visit Maison Verrall. It is a beautiful French
pistro with the best selection of mine, lovely people, lovely owners,
and you can do a group dinner menu if you
book in advance and have private functions.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
Well worth going online and looking at because there's so
many things they do do. They also do out catering
that all sorts of stuff. But it's just it's just
one of those little gems that people don't well I
think a lot of people do know about it, but
I know we've talked, We've told the whole world.

Speaker 1 (05:26):
So how do you stay so whip it?

Speaker 2 (05:29):
Slim My tummy's leaning on the bench.

Speaker 1 (05:32):
Here, Okay Christmas Meringue Roullard recipe on our website newstalk
setb dot co dot nz, which is just very very timely, Tony,
thank you so much. Where I ate last with Tony
Estell Maison Varron. Yeah she's a winner Winter Chicken Dinner