Jill Dupleix on dishes worth a comeback, how to re-imagine a classic, and taking peach melba into the future
And "a little list of things I really never want to see again."
It never ceases to amaze (or amuse) me as to where and when inspiration strikes. I was at a wedding last week and as a squadron of Bombe Alaska (I’m designating that as the collective noun for the classic dessert) glided from the kitchen to table, sparklers-a-sparkle, I remembered this chat with legendary Australian food writer and editor Jill Dupleix (currently culinary editor of the AFR Magazine and also found here on Substack) about what I was terming comeback dishes.
As I often do, I emailed myself with a single subject line: BOMBE ALASKA. JILL D. Which is the kind of thing that could get me on an NSA watchlist. And then the thoughts came thick and fast, and I found myself stood by a dancefloor emailing myself more seperate lines like TERRY AND JILL, GREEN SALAD; KIDNEY TURBAGO; and NOODLES. The first of those is now in a draft form, so watch this space.
The original comeback piece, published in The Guardian, underwent several changes. Chefs and dishes were in and then out (if you have any doubt that food is political, I give you the Chicken Kiev/Kyiv), and in the end Jill’s contribution was also minimized. It’s honestly played on my mind for a couple of years now. Jill’s probably not given it a second thought, but when you have such gold, you feel you have to use it. And so here it is, only slightly edited.
It was one of those conversations that lifts the mood, quick paced and would go off on tangents (some of which have been straightened in the edit). It was also instructive in how to conduct yourself, Jill having come prepared. She’d brainstormed not just comeback dishes but those that can stay lost with her other half, Terry Durack (chief restaurant critic at the Sydney Morning Herald).
I should say that this conversation was back in 2022 so Jill’s list may have slightly changed. Her stance on vol-au-vents or tuna bake may have thawed but I feel that her joy at the sight of good flummery is probably unchanged.
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