I love the ease of pre-dinner drinks when I have dukkah on hand; it’s an essential in my pantry. It couldn't be simpler to add a bowl of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some crusty bread to the table while wine is being opened, providing that perfect nibble with drinks, yet still leaving plenty of room for the main course. Which is where I also like to utilise the crunch and spice of dukkah; the fact that it steps in for breadcrumbs when coating fish or chicken is another great tip for anyone who loves to entertain, because it looks far more impressive than the easy steps it takes to create! -MB Read the rest...
Because Verjuice can be used in lieu of any kind of acidulate; vinegar or lemon juice for example, it can easily become a welcome addition to your egg poaching technique. Just add a tablespoon of Verjuice to the poaching water and you will see its effect on keeping the whites of the eggs beautifully compact when they slide into the water. Of course the most important thing when poaching eggs is their freshness. Nothing can compare to just-laid eggs for poaching success, so if you don’t have chooks in your own backyard, it might be worth befriending someone who does! My method for poaching is as follows: Read the rest...
All animals reflect the feed they are given, but none more so than a pig. If you can buy from farmers who allow their pigs to range in a field of fallen apples, figs or even onions, you’ll taste the difference. The pig has always been central to the Barossa tradition, given the German heritage of the Valley. When I first settled here in 1973, almost every farm was mixed, including a vineyard and it was normal practice to have a couple hundred chooks, fifty turkeys and geese for the Christmas market and a pig or two, complete with mud holes for wallowing. This tradition of the mixed farm has dwindled in later years, but there are still those who keep their own pigs to slaughter each year, and they are rewarded with the most amazing flavour as a result of their farming efforts. -MB Read the rest...
August 23 2017
News
Just when we thought things couldn’t get better in Maggie’s world of ice cream, along comes another contender for our new favourite thing – Chocolate, Coffee & Biscuit Ice Cream. A decadent chocolate ice cream meets the crunch of sweet chocolate biscuits and a Vino Cotto coffee swirl; a combination like no other. As Maggie explains, Read the rest...
If ever I found myself at Karaoke, I would choose my favourite song because it is most familiar to me and I’d be less likely to muck up the words! I’d choose Summertime; such a beautiful song. I love singing and have a group that gets together at our place every week, I do everything I can to organise my schedule so I’m home for that, it’s nourishment on a different level to my more familiar world of food. -MB Read the rest...
