Category — Articles

Many people are put off by the idea of serving three courses at a dinner party, possibly because of lack of confidence and culinary expertise, and usually because of time constrictions with the food preparation. Serving a first course lengthens the time spent around the dinner table, hence adding to the enjoyment of the occasion.

Here are a number of ideas for easy entrees that can be put together in less than 10 minutes. So no more excuses for not serving a starter! 
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How often have you bought a bunch of herbs, used a small amount then thrown the rest away? Growing your own herbs is simple and there are so many reasons to grow your own herbs: to save money, to prevent waste, the maintenance is low and the taste is infinitely better than store bought herbs. Plus it is extremely satisfying to pick fresh herbs that you have grown to use in your cooking. [Read more →]

Christmas is less than 2 months away and there is no better time to start planning than now. A little forward planning and organisation will leave you free and relaxed to enjoy the fun of the festive season, rather than allowing yourself to become unnecessarily stressed.

Firstly, think about the type of Christmas entertaining you plan on doing – it may be a BBQ for 6, a buffet for 20 or a stand-up cocktail party for 50. [Read more →]

There’s no doubt about it, home entertaining is back, in a BIG way.  We have all heard about the current state of the economy and what the experts are forecasting. The reality is that eating out is a luxury that many people just won’t be able to afford to do on a regular basis.  [Read more →]

Hors d’oeuvres (pronounced “or-dervs”), or appetisers, are welcoming morsels designed to wake up the appetite and sustain your guests until the meal is served. Hors d’oeuvres can also be served without a meal following, such as at a reception or cocktail party, and can be served at the table as part of the sit-down meal. 

Fresh hand-made hors d’oeuvres are delicious, but are often time-consuming and complicated to make. life’s a feast offers these suggestions for stylish, store-bought hors d’oeuvres that can be served with a minimum of fuss: [Read more →]

An article I read in this week’s SMH Good Living about food sustainability reminded me of an article I wrote earlier this year for the life’s a feast monthly newsletter. So here it is, for those of you with a conscience: [Read more →]

The weather is warming up and the days are getting longer – it’s the time of year to start thinking about eating outdoors. Here are a number of suggestions to ensure your alfresco experience is an enjoyable one: [Read more →]

I had a culinary disaster several weeks ago – the first in quite a while. I was staying at my Mum’s place for a few days, and made pears poached in port for dessert. As the wonderful aroma of the liquor filled the house, we all eagerly anticipated dessert. However it was not meant to be, as at tasting time it became quickly evident that, not being entirely familiar with Mum’s kitchen, I had mistakenly used salt instead of sugar! [Read more →]

I am often asked by my clients what is the best way is to serve the meal once it has been cooked. There are a number of ways of getting each course from the kitchen to your guests’ plates, and your choice will be influenced by the meal you are serving, the number of guests and the degree of formality of the occasion. [Read more →]

In addition to the anxiety associated with the meal, many hosts worry whether the conversation will flow easily amongst their guests. Most of us have experienced that awkward silence where no one knows what to say, or a lively debate turning into a heated argument. Without stating the obvious, dinner parties and entertaining are not just about the food – conversation is an integral part of the occasion. As a host you are largely responsible for ensuring that the conversation does not become boring, uncomfortable or overly intense. [Read more →]