Eatable Volume 10: Heat

As we get ready for another La Niña summer, we find ourselves thinking about how we are affected by heat in many ways, thanks to either climate change, or by simply adding fire, spice and chilli to our cooking. This edition offers up a fiery solution to an otherwise potentially wet summer ahead. Regardless, chillies can also be a way to cool our bodies even on the hottest days.

There are thousands of chilli varieties around the world, and while it’s impossible to feature all, we take a look at Korean chilli thanks to Melbourne Korean condiment maker and chef, Eun Hee An, of Moon Mart condiments. We also feature some of our favourite common fresh varieties for different dishes at any time of the day, and take a look inside the pages of the cookbook, Poan, for spice pastes to add a bit of Balinese heat. How burnt is burnt when it comes to cooking?

We speak with Ester chef who loves the flavour of burn when it comes to cooking. Producer Nick Brown, winemaker of Rugherglen’s All Saint’s Estate, is wary of the long term effects of warmer weather, including earlier harvest times, and how external heat must be controlled when it comes to wine making.

Writer Freya Herring visits Sri Lanka, a country in the midst of an economic crisis, however still one of the most beautiful and balmy places on Earth. In drinks this month, we sip from classic whisk(e)y cocktails, which have a refreshing warmth to them, as Pasan Wijesena demonstrates, plus the bartender behind Sydney’s Firedoor shows us how to create a magical mocktail from wood-fired ingredients.

This issue is coming in hot.