Life is a funny old thing. One morning you’re running around Rushcutter’s Bay thinking how good life is and how much you’re looking forward to the weekend. Then that afternoon you’re taking a call from your gorgeous little brother saying that your cherished mother is in hospital and that it’s not looking good. Just when she is starting to recover from the intensity of breast cancer and chemo. An anurism in the brain exploded and there is extensive bleeding. A quick dash home to grab some things and then you’re on the M5. Speeding towards Canberra Hospital with a heavy heart as you make calls to cancel your weekend plans. Read the rest of this entry »

turducken with cranberry & ginger sauce 

Casually drop the word Turducken into conversation and I can guarantee that the average person will respond by looking at you in a quizzical manner and saying ‘a tur-what?’ I remember asking the exact same question on my first encounter with the tri-bird concept. It was Autumn in Northern California and I was working for a rather large Sonoma county winery. One lunchtime we were sitting around chatting and somehow the conversation turned to all things turkey. At first I was certain that my colleagues were having a lend of me. Surely it couldn’t be true. Stuffing a chicken inside a duck and then the duck inside a turkey? Nooo way. Many more minutes of lunchtime banter later and the revelation that you need to debone the birds first and I began to believe in the possibility. But to be honest, really, the whole thing didn’t exactly ingnite my imagination and I went back to work that afternoon letting the whole Turducken thing fall to the back of my mind as I focused on barrels and wine. Read the rest of this entry »