I don't do winter well. I'd take sweltering over cold any day -- and the fact that the lowest Sydney winter temps are still significantly higher than the north-east America-land ones I grew up with matters little when I have to get out of bed each morning to an un-heated apartment. Now Sydney has been gracing us with well above average late-autumn temps this year, but even so we are looking straight into three months of cold before things begin to look up again. It's about this time … [Read more...]
Roasted Pear, Parmesan & Spiced Pecan Salad
Another one from the archives, a salad made and shot last September -- after Cape Cod and before our road trip -- at mom's farm. Two weeks amongst row of pears dropping fruit at our feet and grapes staining our fingers purple. Sometimes the words flow and sometimes they don't. Right now they aren't, so instead just some pictures to hopefully brighten your day -- and possibly your dinner. Pictures of medusa-esque pear trees so heavy with fruit they don't know what to do with … [Read more...]
How to Cut a Watermelon – a simple yet brilliant technique (Video)
It's the simple things -- finding a leftover piece of cake in the fridge, receiving an offhand compliment from a stranger, cracking a recipe with an unexpected twist -- that surprise and delight me. But it's the "why didn't I think of that first" discoveries that really stick with me. Cutting a watermelon seems a simple task, just rounds and wedges, right? But late last year I came across a whole new way. During our trip we spent a week in Cape Cod with my extended family. We ate and … [Read more...]
Slow Smoked Pepper-Crusted BBQ Brisket
Remember how I said I was going to work my way through drafts and archives? This is one of those, written in the beginning of December 2013 then filed away (but certainly not forgotten) in favour of far too many Christmas dessert recipes, it happens. In any case, instead of changing it to suit late summer I'm leaving it as is, because I can. Stay tuned for all the sides too. ------ Yesterday (well yesterday when I wrote this on 2 December) was the first day of summer in Sydney. For some … [Read more...]
In My Kitchen: September/October 2013
As good as it was to be off on another adventure it is so very good to be back in my own kitchen and eating veggies on a regular basis. I contemplated doing a collage of the food we ate while we were away but there is just too much of it... I'm not even kidding. Most of the fun things from our holiday ended up on Instagram so if you are looking to waste time, plan an eating holiday, or just make yourself hungry go for it. In the meantime here are a few things from before we left, things … [Read more...]
Cape Cod Kale Salad
Salad is a simple act. A few fresh vegetables washed in cool water. A sharp knife slicing effortlessly through crisp leaves. A tangy dressing thrown together with what's on hand. The first bite is refreshing after days of excess. The second is calming and reassuring. A return to clean simplicity, shared with family over the sound of old stories, squealing children and end of summer breezes. I probably should have made another batch for the second half of our trip … [Read more...]
Concord Grape Curd & Vegan Meringue Pie Parfaits
Well now isn't that a mouthful in more ways than one. I mentioned that we are off on another adventure, however as the first two weeks of our trip involved hanging out in Cape Cod with my extended family, followed by a week at Mom's farm in upstate NY, it was nearly impossible to keep me out of the kitchen. I found myself whipping up salads and cakes and more salads along the way so figured I may as well pull out a slightly unusual twist for this month's Sweet Adventures Blog … [Read more...]
