Garam masala usually appears alongside more familiar spices in Indian recipes. But, unlike other spices, such as cumin or turmeric, garam masala isn’t a spice itself – rather it’s a blend of different spices. In writing this post I discovered that garam means “heat” and masala means “spice blend”. Garam masala is an ingredient that … Continue reading
We’ve all heard about the benefits of eating fish. The Japanese diet for example is especially rich in fish, and at the same time Japan holds the title of the world’s highest longest life expectancy (84 years). I’m sure their diet must be a contributing factor. When it comes to choosing between types of fish a … Continue reading
At the start of a recent long lunch at Emerson’s in the Hunter Valley the waitress asked ‘Would you like to start with house-made bread?’ I almost said no wanting to save valuable stomach space for dessert. But, in the end I was glad my husband insisted on bread. Why? Because with the bread came with a delicious … Continue reading
With the indulgence of Christmas over I was determined that my first post of 2015 would be a super healthy recipe. I decided it had to contain flax seeds because I’d bought them in bulk months ago (every time I opened the pantry they looked at me begging to be used). At the same time I probably … Continue reading
Spain is famous for its culture, history, Mediterranean climate and afternoon siestas. It’s less well known as the home of tapas. And with so-called ‘tapas’ now appearing on menus across Australia it seems to me at least that we’ve taken and run with the term tapas, often with little respect to the authentic Spanish tradition. Continue reading
I’m only happy when I have my next pizza feast planned. Whether that’s a pizza night at home (my husband prepares the dough 36 hours in advance) or a booking at a top pizzeria. As I write this post I’m excited about next Saturday’s feast at 400 Gradi in Melbourne – their pizza maker, Johnny Di … Continue reading
I often buy a whole duck from my local farmers market. Not just because duck meat is so versatile but because the wonderful by-product of roasting a duck is as much as 250ml of duck fat. This fat then sits in my fridge in a glass container and is gradually used for cooking roast potatoes … Continue reading
