What's cooking: Adrienne Moors

Adrienne Moors

Adrienne Moors started cooking for her family at 12. These days she owns the Essential Deli in Mt Eden, which was highly commended in Viva's annual gourmet takeout food awards last week.

What was the first thing you cooked?

It is a long time ago, but I recall fudge and pikelets made standing on a stool in front of a green enamel Moffat stove.

What is your idea of the perfect meal?

Something I don't cook. We have always dreamed of having a taverna on a beach serving the best quality ingredients prepared in the simplest fashion, and with accommodation, so nobody has to drive afterwards. We are not there yet but we haven't given up the dream.

What is the best meal you've had?

A romantic anniversary dinner cooked by Philip Johnson at Michael Seresin's restored boatshed in the Marlborough Sounds. We still recreate items on the menu at home but can never recreate the atmosphere of that evening. We were truly spoilt.

What do you eat when you can't be bothered to cook?

Cheese (Brie DeMeaux, St Agur), quince paste, spiced figs, a baguette and a good red wine.

What do you always have in your fridge? In your cupboard?

In the fridge are Reggiano, pickles, olives, capers and the freezer De Brood Bakker bread and LemonZ limoncello. In the cupboard - good tomato sauce, chargrilled artichokes, Kara coconut milk, crunchy peanut butter, Colonna olive oil, balsamic, Maldon seasalt.

Is there anything you won't eat?

I am not fond of offal, but will try most things to ensure I know what they taste like. I would probably have serious problems with bugs and beetles. I struggled with an entree of five local delicacies in a Bouchon in Lyon - tripe, Andouillette sausage, braised pigs' feet, veal head and puy lentils. I enjoyed the lentils.

What is your favourite restaurant?

Delicious is our wonderful local and we are so well looked after.

Your favourite bar?

Suite on Hobson St. Owners Scotty and Dave have created an awesome cocktail and bar menu. Great fresh salads, too. The atmosphere is relaxed.

What is your favourite gadget?

The espresso machine. I am dysfunctional without it.

Your favourite cookbook?

Anything my husband likes. We both spend a lot of time at Cook the Books, but the ones we use the most are Philip Johnson, Peter Gordon, Annabel Langbein and Donna Hay.

What are three foods you could not live without?

Cheese in all its wonderful varieties, tomatoes - fresh, tinned and dried - and wheat flour - it gives us pasta and bread, pizza and cake and while many people manage to live without it I really wouldn't like to have to.

What do you eat for breakfast?

Luxury brunches on Sundays are at the Winter Garden Pavilion in the Auckland Domain - a serene spot with an excellent chef. Or at Wuz's Cafe in Muriwai - the best view and a great Mediterranean omelette.

What is the most popular thing in your delicatessen?

It might be Schoc Chocolate, possibly our New Zealand reared ham, butter chicken pies or Caesar salad. Often it is all the unusual lines that people can't find elsewhere - sumac, pomegranate molasses, juniper berries, orange & rose water, elderflower cordial.