Is there anything better than a not-too-sweet, slightly sour jam atop lavishly buttered toast? The answer is no, no there is not. February for me is the month of foraging. The rambling blackberries that line our country roads are now dotted with purple black fruit that sparkle like jewels in the late summer sun. Filled … Read more
A lush take on porridge that just so happens to be vegan and gluten free. Sometimes I get stuck in breakfast-making rut and inspiration is slow to come. To combat this and make myself feel more prepared for the return to school, I made a big batch of muesli and have started to make the … Read more
Kawakawa adds subtle peppery notes to a refreshing summer sorbet. Make it while strawbs are cheap and plentiful! There are some crops that thrive in my garden, and others, strawberries being one of them, that don’t. I’ve tried my best and I haven’t given up yet, however. Perhaps next year will be the year! And … Read more
This festive Italian specialty is as delicious paired with a Christmas Eve nightcap as it is with a Christmas morning coffee – and yes, there’s still time to make it. I love the magic of Christmas. The carols, watching Christmas lights begin to twinkle as night falls, stockings hung by the fireplace and Christmas sweet … Read more
Tis the season for ice blocks – and if you have a stash of these in the freezer, you won’t even need to venture out to the dairy. While here in Taranaki it feels as though the rain might never stop, the temperature at least is warm and conducive to enjoying one of these coconut … Read more
Whether savoury or sweet, plain or piled high with toppings, these English muffins will take your sourdough game to a new level. These English muffins have become a staple in our household, where I make a batch about every fortnight that’s then frozen for use throughout the week. They’re delicious toasted with lashings of butter … Read more
An effervescent fermented beverage a bit like kombucha, water kefir is a refreshing drop for the warmer weather. Here’s how to make it. As I sit here typing, my kids are sitting at the table colouring in, sipping the glasses of water kefir I just photographed for this recipe. Our middle boy Ahi has just … Read more
The myriad plants we call ‘weeds’ get a bad rap, but many of them are nutritious, delicious and crying out to be added to your next salad. When lockdown 1.0 hit and we were confined to our house and garden, I began a wee love affair with edible weeds. Not only are they free, they’re … Read more
Farewell winter’s veg and welcome in spring with this delicious tart, perfect for a classy lunch or a simple dinner. While this tart makes the most of winter brassicas, it’s also a nod at the arrival of spring. I love tarts, and our kids do too – they’re quick and easy to whip up and a … Read more
Brown bananas ruining the aesthetic of your fruit bowl? Turn ’em into these healthy-ish biscuits to fill the tins. We have been away for the past few days, so the prep I would normally do at the weekend in anticipation of filling the week’s lunchboxes didn’t get done. Thankfully, we all woke early this morning … Read more
A whole heap of vegetables covered in a delicious peanutty, gingery sauce – what’s not to like? This has become one of my go-to weeknight meals. It’s quick and easy to prepare and I feel really virtuous when I serve it up as there’s a good 10 cups of vegetables packed into it, which when … Read more
Waffles don’t need to be sweet – these cheese and onion numbers make an excellent savoury breakfast with an egg, or an equally tasty dinner with leftover mince. It’s easy to default to sweet breakfasts without thinking. At least that’s the case in our household, as porridge or bircher muesli is more often than not … Read more
Soup season is here! This flavoursome spiced pumpkin number is bulked up with the addition of grains and hearty greens. We’ve had four days of heavy rain, and this morning as we drove up the driveway on the way out to school, the sun finally came out and the top of Taranaki Maunga revealed itself, … Read more
Spice up the classic banana muffin with a subtle touch of star anise. These muffins came about one rainy Saturday when the cupboards were bare and there was nothing much left in the fruit bowl aside from some very sad-looking bananas. Fortunately we know sad bananas result in the best kind of baking so we … Read more
The Middle Eastern sesame seed paste tahini adds a subtle flavour and lovely fine texture to these classic choc chunk biscuits. I get a huge sense of satisfaction out of baking for my family as I know the food that fills their lunchboxes is both delicious and full of nutritious ingredients. Plus I get to … Read more
Got more feijoas than you know what to do with? Preserve them to enjoy all year round. I may have mentioned before that we have 26 feijoa trees. It means that at this time of year, come rain or shine, you’ll often find us outside under the trees picking up each and every feijoa that … Read more
A honey-scented, seed-studded loaf that’s super adaptable. And no kneading required! It was about six weeks ago that the supermarket shelves were first stripped bare of hand sanitiser and toilet paper. A week or so after that whole aisles of bread racks stood empty as the panic-buying took hold. And now here we are confined … Read more
This versatile ingredient is brilliant for roasting and frying, and it’s a great way to extend the shelf life of butter. It’s also super easy to whip up at home. Until about a year ago I religiously used olive oil to fry and roast with. I preferred using this oil over more refined oils that … Read more
A tarte tatin is a classic for a reason: simple (you don’t have to make the pastry if you don’t want to), elegant and delicious to boot. I may have mentioned before that we live part way up a mountain. This has a significant impact on our growing season, making it shorter than it would … Read more
If you’re not the foraging type, fear not: supermarket berries will work just fine (but imagine how wholesome you’ll feel if you pick your own!) This is one of my favourite times of the year, when we pile the kids in the car and head east, over the hills to where the blackberries grow best. … Read more
Got a glut of zucchini? Turn ’em into chips and they’ll be gone in a flash. It’s that time of year again when gardens are bursting at the seams with fresh produce, and if there’s one crop on which you can rely, it’s zucchini. I have three plants in my garden this year, and two … Read more
Everyone needs a good spud salad recipe in their repertoire, and this herb-packed offering is hard to beat. This is my go-to potato salad recipe and it was one I had never written down nor considered sharing. Until before Christmas, that is, when we headed inland to celebrate the festive season Kiwi style with a … Read more
What’s a lovely summer picnic without a lovely savoury scone? These scones make wonderful picnic food and are packed with flavour and texture. Whip them up, wrap them in a clean tea towel and head outdoors to picnic under the shade of a leafy tree with good company and an equally good book. Scones are … Read more
Celebrate stonefruit season – and the end of this crazy old year – with a classy wee cocktail. There’s nothing quite like celebrating with an elegant cocktail and given that 2019 is drawing to a close, and peaches are now at their best, what better reason to get into the kitchen and rustle up these … Read more
Nutty buckwheat pairs beautifully with those delicious green spears for a light lunch or addition to a spring dinner spread. Asparagus season is well and truly upon us, and it can be enjoyed many ways – lightly steamed, grilled on the barbecue wrapped in bacon, in salads, with egg for breakfast. In this recipe the … Read more
This dish strikes the perfect balance between comforting and interesting – perfect for a weekend brunch. It’s easy to get stuck in a breakfast rut and let’s face it, if you’re searching for inspiration in the cereal aisle you’re bound to leave empty-handed. The breakfast below, however, serves up more than its fair share of … Read more
Fritters are a New Zealand classic and these ones, packed with fresh spring produce, make a perfect light lunch or dinner. Spring is well and truly upon us – my garden has exploded and I take such pleasure in being able to harvest its bounty on a daily basis. We are currently enjoying purple sprouting … Read more
What’s better than bread and butter pudding? BRIOCHE and butter pudding, naturally. There is something wonderfully simple about the humble bread and butter pudding. Stale bread (or in this case brioche) is buttered and soaked in a custardy base, peppered with lemon zest, currants and almonds and baked until crunchy, custardy and utterly delicious. BRIOCHE … Read more
In the little town of Inglewood, you’ll find a cosy spot serving up top-notch pies, decadent doughnuts and coffee as good as any you’d get in the big smoke. Sixteen kilometres southeast of New Plymouth, under the shadow of maunga Taranaki, lies a little rural town by the name of Inglewood. With a population of … Read more