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Kitchen spy: Cindy Sargon

Michael Harry
Michael Harry

You might have seen Cindy Sargon on various television food shows, or heard her voice on several hundred commercials, but her real forte is fresh pasta. She launched Alligator Brand with partner Michael Coade, a chef, from a Yarraville, factory in 1993. To celebrate 20 years of supplying carbs to everyone from Pope Benedict to Qantas, the couple asked a few of their famous friends, such as Shannon Bennett, Neil Perry and Andrew McConnell, to share a pasta recipe on their website. Sargon's kitchen is the hub of her meticulously restored 1958 mid-century modern pad in Melbourne's east.

The staples

My pantry I always have Murray River Pink Salt. We use that on everything. I love chilli, the hotter the better, so I have Sriracha, sambal, chilli oil, chilli flakes, whatever. I always have Tabasco on hand, too. You can use it in a quick pasta or add it to a Bloody Mary, so it's versatile from the pantry to the bar. I also love using tahini in dressings for roast chicken or slow-cooked lamb (Mayver's pure unhulled tahini is my preferred brand).

My fridge I've usually got some of our fresh pasta in there, but it's a bit like the hairdresser who never gives their partner a haircut - often we run out at home. Our new black truffle ravioli made with West Australian truffles is a favourite.

In my kitchen

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I bought my Ptolomeo bookshelf many years ago. It's designed by Bruno Rainaldi, and I love the way the books are so precariously stacked … or are they?

Favourites

Some of our cookbooks go back to when Michael was cooking in the '80s; some are new. One of my favourite Australian cookbooks is Damien Pignolet's French, which is full of good classics. But my all-time favourite is La cuisine est un jeu d'enfants. It's in French and English, with beautiful illustrations, and it was first published in 1963.

Last dinner at home

Last dinner we had was on Wednesday night for Michael's son's birthday. It was simple but one of our favourites. Ribs, slaw and garlic bread. Pork ribs, cooked American style. I blanched them off to get them extra tender, then marinated them using a recipe from the cookbook Pork & Sons by Stephane Reynaud and threw them on the barbecue.

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Favourite

I love my cutlery drawer. You can see everything displayed, because if you don't see it, you don't use it. These are all vintage Georg Jensen pieces. It's great to eat with beautiful things.

I'm drinking

We have a juice every morning. I just make a batch in the morning and everyone has a glass before they run out the door. Beetroot, carrot, cucumber, mint and apple, all in the juicer. I don't drink bottled mineral water; just give me good old Melbourne tap water any day.

Saturday night tipple Love a gin and tonic with Tanqueray No. 10 and lots of fresh lime and ice, but it's more of a summer drink. Winter for me is all about red wine. Pinot noir or burgundy. I love Bindi wines from the Macedon Ranges.

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Most memorable meal

It's not the physical meal you remember, it's the people you were with, and the moment in time. For me, it's my first trip to Paris in the early '90s with Michael and my daughter. A friend caught the train over from London and we bought a whole lot of picnic stuff and some wine from French delicatessen Fauchon and sat in the Jardin des Tuileries.

Tool kit

Good knives, from Stelton or Michel Bras. Yes, you have to keep them sharp and, no, I don't sharpen them myself. Michael used to be a chef, so he can do that. It's a male job in this house, just like the rubbish bin.

Hardware

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We have a butler's pantry that we fitted with a small Bromic commercial ice machine (it's great having continuous ice, especially in summer) as well as a small commercial Hobart dishwasher, which only needs a 60, 90 or 120-second cycle - it's brilliant! The cooktop is a flush set lab cooktop by Barazza. I love its elegance and simplicity. You can't be precious about the brass benchtop. I simply wipe it down - the whole idea is to let a patina develop.

Secret vice

I love a good burger. I don't think they're particularly unhealthy - it depends where you get the burger from.

Coffee kit

I had a really beautiful La Pavoni machine that has recently packed up, so I got the Otto stovetop espresso maker, which is an Australian interpretation of the classic Atomic. We are still working each other out. I'm just learning the quirks and developing a relationship with it, but it's a great little machine and a beautiful piece of design.

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Michael HarryMichael Harry is a food and drinks writer, editor and contributor.

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