Category — Tips and hints

If the thought of co-ordinating the Christmas meal fills you with dread, don’t despair – you are certainly not alone. Even competent cooks can find Christmas Day a culinary challenge. What to eat, how much to serve, how to organise and manage the different dishes so everything is ready on time – these are just some of the challenges that confront the Christmas Day host.

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The arrival of cherries in Australia marks the onset of the festive season. Highly sought after, the cherry is a favourite with everyone.

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Of all the tropical fruits, mangoes surely must be the most celebrated. Exotic and fragrant, a mango enjoyed on a hot summer’s day is a pleasurable experience indeed.

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Although ready-made shortcrust pastry is readily available, nothing says “homemade” like homemade pastry. Making pastry is easy and your guests will appreciate the personal touch that has gone into your cooking. [Read more →]

Mirepoix is the French culinary term for a combination of aromatic vegetables – usually carrots, onions and celery – used as a flavour base. You’ve probably made a mirepoix many times when cooking soups, casseroles and braises. [Read more →]

Papaya is an exotic tropical fruit, originally from Central America. It is grown in warmer climates, and in Australia papaya is predominately grown in Northern Queensland areas as well as Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Papaya is harvested all year round with production peaks during spring and autumn. [Read more →]

The way a meal looks is almost as important as how it tastes. Food that is pleasing to the eye always tastes better: imagine being served a plate in a restaurant that looked like a dog’s breakfast – your taste would likely be negatively influenced.

Approach the presentation of your meal like an artist would a blank canvas – strive for a pleasing arrangement and be mindful of composition, colour, lines and textures.

As a home entertainer no one expects you to go to the lengths that Michelin Star chef’s go to for their food presentation, but following these basic guidelines will transform your tasty meal into a memorable one: [Read more →]

Chocolate can be very temperamental when it comes to melting, so it pays to know how to do it properly. Follow these tips and you’ll be melting chocolate like the professionals every time:
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Lemons are a citrus fruit with a tart taste which enhances the flavour of many foods and dishes. There are a number of varieties, Eureka, Meyer and Lisbon being the most popular. Lemons are available year-round in Australia, but are in season now when you’ll pay significantly less for them than you would in summer.

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More and more people are avoiding gluten in their diets. Whether they have been diagnosed with Coeliac disease or have non-coeliac gluten-intolerance, chances are you know someone who falls into this category. But what do you serve your gluten-free guests when they come over for a meal? [Read more →]