Cucumbers are perfectly timed for their regular appearances across Summer, making a great addition to a simple salad, used as an essential part of crudites, or grated into a thick set yoghurt for a more traditionally Greek take on things, but it’s quite a rare occasion when a recipe really makes cucumbers the star of the dish and I’ve often wondered if that’s because the cucumbers that eventually make their way onto our plates via transport and storage aren’t a pinch on what comes out of a home garden. The difference with a homegrown cucumber, besides the unparalleled freshness, is the water content is at its maximum when just picked and that makes for the very best crunch, and flavour - well worth any gardener’s effort to have on hand in the heat of Summer. -MB Read the rest...
Anyone can have pate at any time of the year, but it’s the accompaniments that will take it to the next level, and what better thing to have on hand in the fridge for holidays? My pate contains no chemical preservatives, so it needs to be kept refrigerated until the very last moment before serving. It’s even better on an ice bath, as you would for freshly shucked oysters. -MB Read the rest...
I always wanted to try brioche and ice cream sandwiches after reading about the Sicilian practice of serving warm brioche with gelato for breakfast some twenty years ago. It wasn’t until my second visit to this fascinating island, where I visited a bar in Zambucca that I was finally able to taste it. I was so excited, and thought it a great idea, considering I usually have brioche in the freezer, and always have plentiful ice cream on hand, as you can imagine! -MB Read the rest...
Grapes have been such an influential inspiration for so much of what I do - if not the most influential when I consider Verjuice, Aged Red Wine Vinegar, Vino Cotto, fruit pastes, jellies, and of course our wines. The entire process of growing grapes and finding every which way to use them became a natural part of life from the moment we moved to the Valley all those years ago - as it is for so many Barossans. -MB Read the rest...
Gazpacho is the perfect choice to start off a special Summer menu. I especially like to make it for dinner parties because it can be made ahead of time and left in the fridge for the flavours to meld until you’re ready to serve it. -MB Read the rest...
