Peter Gordon's Olivado Upside Down Cake

July 30, 2002

There is something very satisfying about a silent house. I am sitting in my new study making the most of the lack of noise. There are no builders hammering, no gas fitters fitting, no painters playing loud music, no electricians whistling.

The door no longer slams 10 times an hour as people go out to visit their vans, have a quick cigarette, bring in more equipment. The plaster dust has settled and I am able to sweep up the last bits with some confidence that the place will stay clean for a day or two.

Now the tradesmen have left, the rain has stopped and the muddy footprints have stopped, too.

There are a few little jobs to be done - replacing the paint the gas installer managed to remove along with the masking tape he had carefully applied to protect same paint, carpeting the stairs after all because there was so much carpet left over, having another look for the spice racks that belong on the pantry doors.

The cat has reclaimed his territory and is enjoying having the run of the whole house. A few more boxes to unpack and I will be able to say I am back home.

I was revisiting some of my old food haunts recently to replace some of the pantry items I gave to son Ben before moving back north. Not much point in bringing half-bottles of everything. One of the things I purchased was some avocado oil.

Olivado introduced avocado oil in New Zealand in December 2000 and it has become very popular among food lovers. Chef Jamie Oliver has described it as the next "it" food ingredient. Last year Olivado won a marketing award and the oil is now selling in Australia, Korea, Japan, Europe and the United States.

Olivado recently sent me a recipe developed by top Kiwi chef Peter Gordon who, with Anna Hansen, is co-owner of the gourmet London restaurant, The Providores. It's his version of the traditional upside-down pear and polenta cake, with the avocado oil providing a green tinge to the cake, as well as enhancing the flavour.

Peter Gordon stumbled on avocado oil during a trip back to New Zealand to record a TV programme on Food of the South Pacific and organised his own personal supplies to introduce to his customers in London.

If you want to read more about avocado oil, visit http://www.olivado.co.nz/ where you will find further innovative recipes.

Peter Gordon's Olivado Upside Down Cake

4 ripe pears
380g demerara sugar plus 50g for sprinkling
4 eggs
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
1 cup Olivado extra virgin avocado oil
100ml apple juice
150ml sweet white wine
300g flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
120g polenta

Set oven at 180C. Line a loose-ring cake tin with baking parchment. Sprinkle the base with 50g demerara sugar.

Peel the pears, cut in half and remove core. Place them, cut side down, on the base of the tin. Beat the remaining sugar, eggs and vanilla for two minutes. Add the oil, juice and wine and beat in for 20 seconds.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and polenta and mix in thoroughly. Pour this batter over the pears and bake for 30 minutes, then cover the tin with foil and bake until a skewer inserted in the cake some outs clean - about 30 minutes more. Leave to cool for 30 minutes in the tin, then remove the rim and invert the cake over a plate.

This cake will keep really well for four days and is best served with whipped cream.