Pineapples Are Art

The Pineapple Princesses were recently the lucky winners of a Radio National, Bush Telegraph, favourite pineapple recipe competition.  The competition was coordinated by The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art on Brisbane’s South Bank where they were holding an exhibition Harvest: Art, Film + Food “a celebration of food in art” with works from their collection and commissioned pieces.

 

 “The exhibition examines the ways land cultivation, food, food products and systems of distribution have throughout history, been central to the formation of world views and artistic expression.”

Zinnias and fruit 1932 by Hans Heysen

Still life: Coconut and other things 2009
by Shirana Shahbazi and Sirous Shaghaghi

The highlight for us was, of course, LA based art collective (Fallen Fruit) David Burns and Austin Young’s wall paper designs and glass cabinet display of pinapalia. The cabinet is the result of a callout they made to members of the community to contribute pineapple memorablilia. Their thought provoking ideas on "public fruit" and collaboration are excellent reading in the Harvest catalogue.

There were some real treasures! Perhaps you’re lucky enough to own some of these gems yourselves!

Public Fruit Wallpaper, Honolulu 2012 by Fallen Fruit

 

 

 

 

 

Our lunch at the GOMA Restaurant created by their Executive Chef, Josue Lopez, was a feast of discovery. We enjoyed:

Moreton Bay Bug poached in GOMA churned butter, saffron broth, seaweed, broccoli. A delicious light entrée, the crunch of baby fennel and sliced broccoli stalk complementing the soft bug flesh.  Saffron broth was poured over the composed ingredients at the table by the attentive and well informed wait staff.

Living Risotto of sprouted beans and legumes, broad bean, garden flowers, verjuice. This was the least successful dish of the lunch.  Rather than a risotto (there was no rice) it was more of a green porridge.  The chick peas and some of the beans were quite crunchy and the dish was heavily salted.  However, as part of the seven dish degustation, in a very small portion, it could work much better.  On top is not white cheese but freeze dried macadamia oil. The garden flowers were a counterbalance to the colour of the risotto.

Roasted Holmbrae chicken, textures of corn, sorrel, winter leaves. A satisfying main course with a tasty combination of flavours. The corn puree successfully under laid the succulent chicken, crisp kale and nasturtium leaves.

Wattle custard, Daintree chocolate paint, Daintree vanilla curd. What an exquisite flavour! The airbrushed chocolate was pretty spectacular. The dessert seemed to be very well thought out, from concept to execution.  Simple and complex at the same time.

Old fashioned whiskey cocktail . Nant single malt sorbet, blood orange and bitters, crisp honey. A fresh tasting dessert of citrus, whiskey and honey.  There is a Nant distillery in Brisbane city as well as Bothwell in Tasmania.  Lots of texture contrast – soft cherry puree balls, granular sorbet, honey leather, freeze dried cherry pieces, whiskey snow.

The Harvest catalogue is a beautiful production with commentary about the exhibition, the food related films that were shown and recipes using some very exotic ingredients from ten selected chefs.

http://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/

Many thanks to Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Hilton Brisbane, Virgin Airlines and Radio National! Anne and Ann.