Australian Gourmet Traveller - (02)February 2021 (1)

I wasborninScotlandandmyfamilyleftthecountrywhenI wasseven

tomovetoNewZealand.Mymotheris fromtheShetlandIslands,way

upintheNorthSea.Everysummerwewouldgoupthereandstaywith

mygrandparentsforabouta month.Mygrandfatheranduncleswere

fishermenandwe’dheadoutontheirboatsintheeveningandgo

fishingfortroutinthelochsordredgeforscallops.We’d have these

longsummereveningssurroundedbylotsoffood.

MyScottishgrandmotherusedtomakea thingcalledreestitmutton,

whichis driedmutton.TheNorwegianandRussianwhalerswouldcome

toshoreandtheyhadlotsofwhale,buttheydidn’thaveanymutton,so

mygrandmotherwouldtradethemuttonforwhale.Asa kidI ate whale.

I oftendropthatintodinnerpartyconversationforeffect.

Werecentlyhada ’70spartytocelebratemydaughter’s13thbirthday.

I madedevilsonhorseback;mymother-in-lawmadea salmonmousse,

whichwassetina fishmould;andwehada fondue.Werealisedaswe

wereeatingallthisfoodjusthowhorribleit wasandhowfarwe’dcome.

It’ssafetosaythe’70swasnota greatculinaryperiod.Growingup

inNewZealandduringthattimemymumwouldmakecasserolesusing

pre-madepowderedbases,whichtobefairwerequiteinnovativethen.

It wasverystandardcolonial,meatandtwoveg;mince and potatoes.

I didn’ttrysushiuntilI wasabout 30 yearsold.

I liveinWillungainSouthAustralia.There’ssucha strongfocusonfood

andproducedownhere.Duringsummerit feelsliketheMediterranean

• you’ve got the food, the wine, the sea. It’s such an easy place to live.

TheNewZealand-Australianactorongrowing

upinScotland,’70sdelicacies,and his new role

as a disgraced celebrity chef.

ERIK THOMSON

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Asa kid I ate

whale.I often drop

thatinto dinner

partyconversation

for effect.