lambshank pies

The great Aussie meat pie - you’ve gotta love it. Apart from pavlova and vegemite, it’s pretty much the only thing that comes close as our national dish. And while I don’t really agree with the concept of trying to sum up the cuisine of a nation in one particular meal, particularly a nation as multicultural as this one, I must confess that I do have a rather strong attachment to the humble pie. Read the rest of this entry »

sean’s red capsicum chutney

There’s nothing quite like the acquisition of a new cookbook: the anticipation, the pleasure of purchasing, the rushing home with your new treasure tucked under your arm, the quick flick through to get yourself acquainted, the long slow perusal of every page. But most of all I enjoy the decision making that goes into deciding which recipe to first christen the book. Read the rest of this entry »

pistachio & rosewater cake with frozen natural yoghurt

While do I love exploring new ingredients and cuisines, sometimes I get just as excited when I am reacquainted with a neglected old friend. On my recent trip to the north end of our beautiful wide brown (and red) land, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to do one of my favourite things and suss out some of the food habits of my travelling companions. One piece I learnt early on was that the gorgeous missy Margot was a fan of fresh fruit topped with yoghurt and honey for breakfast. So for our first leg into Kakadu we stocked up with sweet pineapple, oranges, apples, pears, and passionfuit and a big tub of yoghurt. Read the rest of this entry »

june’s fig jam 

Whenever someone asks me where I learned to cook, I tend to respond with ‘trial and error’. And while there has certainly been many many trials and a few errors along the way, this doesn’t really fill in the whole picture. You see June, my wonderful mum, was and is a fabulous cook. So it was really under her guidance that my cooking education began at home. Read the rest of this entry »

home preserved lemons

I have always been fascinated by the food of North Africa and the Middle East. One of the first overseas trips I ever planned was a voyage to Tunisia with my high school friend and maths guru, Paula. Unfortunately that particular journey is still yet to be taken but over the years I have magaged to visit Turkey, Syria, Jourdan, Egypt and a particularly memorable dash to Morocco with my snow bunny sister, Batgirl.

These journeys have introduced me to many new flavours from sumac and tahini to rosewater and pomegranate molasses but by far the most valuable addition to my pantry has been that cornerstone of Moroccan quisine: preserved lemons. It is truly amazing that with some salt and a bit of time you can transform the lemon peel from the part you throw away to the perfumed and zesty hero of the show. Read the rest of this entry »