articles, recipes, ideas and tips for entertaining at home

Tarte Tatin is an upside-down tart, made most commonly with apples, where the fruit is caramelised in sugar and butter prior to baking. Because I like to incorporate local and seasonal produce into my cooking, I came up with this version, where pineapple and passionfruit replace the traditional apple. It’s a tropical twist on an old favourite, and it’s really good!

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The winner of our Baked & Delicious magazine subscription is…. (drumroll) – Trish Radge from Noosa Heads. Congratulations Trish!  You have won a subscription to Baked & Delicious which includes 60 issues of Baked & Delicious, each coming with a piece of silicone bakeware or fancy decorating tool, and 4 exclusive (subscriber only) gifts, in total worth $1,105.00.

Thank you to all that entered this competition. We received some very creative and clever entries, but our friends at Baked & Delicious felt Trish’s entry was the pick of the bunch.

For more information on Baked & Delicious, including subscribing, visit their website.

Enjoy your prize Trish!

Ayam, providers of authentic Asian groceries since 1892, generously sponsor the life’s a feast cooking school by providing us with a selection of their products. As Asian food has such a large influence on cuisine in Australia , many of our cooking classes feature Asian-inspired dishes. Quality of ingredients is paramount at life’s a feast, and consequently our alliance with Ayam is an excellent fit as their products are first class.

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I have been test-running the new Baked and Delicious magazine the past couple of weeks, and wanted to share with you some of the gorgeous recipes I have been making. Baked and Delicious is a fortnightly baking magazine, comprising recipes, step-by-step instructions and better baking tips. The magazine is beautifully photographed, and the recipes include sweet and savoury, traditional and modern. In addition, each issue includes a different piece of silicone bakeware, including pans, trays and moulds, to form a complete range of standard sizes and shapes to suit most recipes.

Olive, herb & parmesan loaf

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I’ve been doing some recipe development for a magazine recently, and they required a recipe for a Zucchini Cake to include in their next issue. I regularly make my Zucchini Pie with Bacon and Cherry Tomatoes, but I can’t say I’ve ever made a sweet zucchini dish. Always one to rise to a challenge, I remembered an old carrot recipe that was given to as a teenager (when carrot cakes were at the height of culinary fashion) and I used it to create this recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Loaf. Like its Carrot Cake counterpart, this is a very moist cake with the goodness of vegetables (in this case zucchinis) hidden in the cake. It’s really delicious served as afternoon tea, or as dessert with fresh strawberries and triple cream. You could ice it with a chocolate ganache, but I reckon it’s perfect just as it is.

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Spring has sprung, and the arrival of the warmer weather brings a delicious assortment of new season fruit and vegetables. To get the best quality and value produce in September, look out for:

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Baked & Delicious is a new fortnightly cooking magazine which, as the name implies, is all about baking. Packed full of recipes from international classics to traditional favourites, step-by-step instructions and baking tips, the magazine invites home bakers to go on a culinary journey every fortnight. Each issue includes a different piece of silicone bakeware, including pans, trays and moulds, to form a complete range of standard sizes and shapes to suit most recipes.

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As we’re nearing the end of winter, make the most of the in-season fruit and vegetables, as the selection will change as we move into spring. The benefits for eating seasonally are many – greater quality and taste, better nutritional value, more value for money and less impact on the environment. Currently in season are:

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Braising is a cooking technique in which the main ingredient is first seared and then simmered in liquid on a low heat in a covered pot. Braising is an excellent way to cook less expensive cuts of meat such as blade, chuck and skirt. The connective tissue, fat and sinew that hold the muscles of the meat together are broken down in the braising process, rendering the meat tender and releasing gelatinous juices to create a rich and full bodied gravy. Even the toughest cuts of meat will become tender when braised.

Beef Bourgignon is a braised dish

Make the most of the season’s best fruit and vegetables. Currently in-season and available Australia -wide are:

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