Known for her bold creations on Masterchef Australia and nourishing recipes on Channel 10’s Farm to Fork, Sarah Todd considers her home kitchen as the place of origin for many of her crowd-pleasing dishes. Inspired by flavours from all corners of the world, Sarah finds pure joy and excitement when cooking outside of the traditional norms.
‘When experimenting at home, I like to use recipes that I didn’t grow up with. That way I can come in with fresh eyes and easily adjust certain flavours.’
However, experimenting doesn’t just stop at food with Sarah. Since entering the world of specialty coffee, she has been playing with flavours and notes of coffee when cooking, and entertaining for guests.
‘Cooking or baking with coffee is quite simple. I like to think about how the flavours and notes of coffee might compliment my dish, just like I do with wine.’
One coffee experiment that Sarah raves on about is the Captain Espresso, a signature cocktail at her Goan restaurant, Antares. A rum-based take on the classic espresso martini, Sarah and her team stumbled upon the recipe by simply playing with the flavours of their local coffee with complimenting ingredients. As a result, the moreish cocktail has become a staple on the Antares menu, which patrons travel far and wide for.
Agreeing that coffee is an ingredient commonly overlooked in culinary practice, Sarah explains that it’s the bold and acidic flavours that make experimenting with the beverage so interesting. While we are used to following the methods of traditional recipes and cuisines, Sarah shares that the joys of creating a signature dish simply comes from thinking outside the box.
A dish that Sarah looks forward to sharing with the La Marzocco Home community is her personal take on the Indian dessert, Gulab Jamun. Described best as milk-based donuts traditionally served in a rose water syrup, Sarah plans on sharing her own take on the dessert by serving the dish with an espresso syrup using her Linea Mini of course.
Watch this space for the mouth-watering recipe.
To learn more about Sarah Todd and to purchase her book, My Indian Kitchen, visit her website.
