Holst secret is out

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 7, Issue 342, 3 July 1990, Page 7

Holst secret is out

No longer is it a secret why well-known Kiwi gourmet Alison Holst is in such demand as a guest speaker. Booked five years ago by the Waimarino Plunket, Alison Holst finally visited the Waimarino recently, armed with a microwave oven, meat packs, sharp knives and a sharper wit. Her visit was sponsored by the New Zealand Beef and Lamb Marketing Bureau Inc., with lamb dishes featuring strongly on the evening menu and beef to a lesser degree. Alison Holst captivated the 200 plus capacity crowd with her unique mixture of humour, common sense, and down to earth approach to food preparation and meal planning.

Kitchen-weary cooks were guided step by step through complex boning techniques made to look easy by a professional; Mrs Holst offered time-saving tips and economy encouragement, peppered by anecdotes about a recent European sojourn taken by she and her husband. Dishes were deftly prepared with accompanying aromas and layed out for inspection by an anticipating audience. Consequently the supper table - particularly the sweet section - was virtually untouched. Ticket saies and the sale of raffles and cookbooks on the night boasted takings of $800. Those who attended left with a renewed enthusiasm fired by fresh ideas.