Jay Porter//Porterhouse Orangerie
For those of you who are regulars to the recipe section of our website you will have seen some of the epic creations we have be lucky to have from the marvellous Jay Porter @porterhouseorangerie. An absolute powerhouse when it comes to cooking, Jay brings us a wealth of knowledge from cuisines from around the world, she understands the passion behind the products we produce and has a wealth of knowledge about the seasonings and their uses.
She really is a true asset to the brand and we are so excited to have her on board!
Here's a little bit of background from the good lady herself:
My culinary journey started when I lived for many years in Spain. Where I spent most of my 20’s in small villages with communities who introduced me to foods I’d never tasted before. Different cooking methods over embers in makeshift outdoor kitchens, Fire pits dug into the ground, cooking on hot sands and of course open wood fire cooking that is embedded into the rich Spanish Culture. Outdoor cooking is a way of life and the diversity of the food and abundant wild food available, literally blew me away.
This was so very different and so far away from the convention domesticated Kitchen of Home. I learnt the value of food, where it comes from, how it’s grown, reared and cooked is a fundamental part of life and an art that is passed down through generations.
I was taught the importance of using every aspect of an animal, using the botanicals, understanding plants and how you can use the medicinal as well as the floral to create, enhance, amplify potent salsas, bastes, marinades and infusions. Foraging for herbs that lift and enhance a meal, cold smoking and brining for preserving, wood fired baking also became a new normal for me.
Over time I knew that cooking would be a large part of my life and as I moved through different regions in Spain. Constantly seeking more knowledge I was always welcomed by fellow foodies who were always eager to show me freshly prepared ingredients, recipes which got me fired up and fuelled my thirst for extending my culinary skills.
I loved the way whole communities could come together to gather around a large table to celebrate and prepare local grazed livestock and cook a feast over a campfire, share stories and this simple act of sharing food made everyone feel included, loved and happy. I took away so much and after living abroad for 10 years and went on to travel throughout Europe and discovered that outdoor fire cooking is predominantly steeped in each country's heritage.
Today I cook for my family, friends and still like to play with flavour profiles, mixing it up a bit and being experimental. I use more contemporary ways of cooking with my fire pits and Kamado's. When I discovered Angus and Oink a few years ago. I was so ridiculously excited to see that worldwide ingredients were being used and they are the bedrock of the company.
This for me evoked memories of my culinary adventures and inspired me to pull up a chair around my fire pit and cook without the need to worry about sourcing ingredients from afar, delivering on flavour but saving time.
With a busy lifestyle environment this to me is priceless, they also enable me to cook dishes from around the world with the extensive range and ever evolving seasoning and I’m beyond thrilled to be a part of this growing, thriving company.