Sometimes you just need a cookie. It's a sentiment which seems to be a common theme around here these days -- although it's not quite as opinionated or parenthesised this time, ahem. These little morsles have made many an appearance on Instagram over the years, generally in a fit of irritation over something or other, occasionally for dinner, and very unfairly with nary a recipe to be seen. Of course this is almost to be expected for something with the word "emergency" in its name. As … [Read more...]
Spelt Crepes, Mulled Wine Poached Pears & The Decadent Pantry
I've always been a bit of a perfectionist. Not in a 'the lines have to be straight' kind of way but more 'just fix that little bit, and that little bit, and that other little bit because they're driving me mad'. Details and I were best friends for years, or so I thought. The predisposition to perfection -- call it low-level OCD if you must -- is terribly handy for activities such as folding fitted sheets (I have the most organised linen cupboard ever, to RJ's chagrin I never quite make it to … [Read more...]
Pineapple & Kiwi Green Smoothie and Prep.Prop.Style.Shoot Snapshots from Breakfast
When a chef, one who runs a holiday property in the country none the less, emails to ask if you want to come down to Tasmania to teach a two-day food photography and styling workshop, the only possible answer is yes. When she mentions that she'll do all the cooking, talks about stringing fairy lights through the trees for dinner and sends you photos of a possible picnic location at the end of a pier you know it's meant to be. And so it was that I found myself, a mere month after that … [Read more...]
Pear, Macadamia & Coconut Baked Oatmeal
It's no secret that I'm a bit of a porridge fan. I've been known to eat it for dinner as often as I do for breakfast -- because anytime is a good time for porridge if you ask me. RJ however won't touch it with a ten-foot pole, well not in the cook-on-the-stove-eat-with-a-spoon form at least... However, I've just discovered that if I bake it into a cake-like slice, all bets are off. How very sneaky convenient. I stumbled across this fragrant pan of inspiration over on Rebekah's blog, … [Read more...]
Wholewheat Pear & Blueberry Muffins for Mother’s Day
A letter to my Mom on Mother's Day 2015. Hi Mommy! I miss you. You remember a few weeks back when we were in the midst of one of our usual slightly-random-but-filled-with-pretty-things conversations and you said "I've been feeling like you're really far away lately"? Well something caught in my throat because I'd been thinking the same thing only a day earlier, even though we talk all the time. Of course those calls are great but it's the telepathy across the world moments that make … [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...]
Spiced Pear, Red Wine & Chocolate Cake
I'm sorry, it was entirely unfair for me to wait this long to post this cake. Entirely. It was baked and devoured back in April as part of a Seasonal Sunday Lunch feast and somehow is only now seeing the light of day. Remember this Drunken Chocolate Caramel Tart madness? This is that, but re-born into dark, rich cake. With spiced red wine poached pears. And a sticky red wine sauce. And as I just got back from a girls weekend in the Hunter Valley a red wine infused dessert is so … [Read more...]
