About: maryellenbelleville

On the Plate: M’jadrah – a beaut budget bite!

There’s only so many ways you can stretch your dollar – with fuel and food prices all creeping steadily upwards – I find I’m...

On the Plate: French-inspired refreshing dessert

Many years ago at a convention for chefs, cooks and all manner of foodie-types, I recall one sagely piece of advice. “Life’s short –...

On the Plate: Fish ‘n chips – must be Friday night!

Having a routine can be very liberating – or totally constraining. Anecdotally I've heard the stories that you could tell which day of the week...

On the Plate: Lunch for one please

Yippee! It is so lovely to be able to get out and meet up with friends at your favourite local café, restaurant and we...

On the plate: Reconnect with food

Yay! Time to reconnect with family, friends but still observing the masks and hugs at double-arm's length! That requires strong resolve because we surely...

On The Plate: To can or not to can

It was the freshly picked broad beans that started me up. Sure, I love them lightly cooked and double peeled so that you just...

On the Plate: Call me?

One thing’s for sure over these past several months, and that’s the amount of time we’ve been spending on the phone. And I hope...

On the Plate: Kinda blue

The word ‘blue’ has many connotations.

On The Plate: August – marking a midway point

Not that you can really see ‘em as I grit my teeth to face another crisp mid-winter day, but believe me, I am grinning!...

On the Plate: Rocketing along

As we snuggle in and mark off the chilly winter days, my thoughts seem to return often to the restorative power of home cooking...

On the Plate: Reaching for the chocolate – and blonde brownies – again

It’s been so chilly I find myself reaching for a mug of hot chocolate again as we slide into winter. And what better way...

On the Plate: Wintery, toasty times – a call to all crumpets

Nuffin like a bit o’crumpet, eh? Yes indeedy, and this time, you can make your own!

On the Plate: Minestrone – a meal in a bowl

Brrr… winter well and truly arrived right on cue with those icy winds and horizontal rain on June 1.

On the Plate: I see red, I see red, I see red

It’s true to say that during lockdown and isolating there seems to have been more time for me to read, read, read.

On The Plate: Introducing the böreks

A gift of surplus silverbeet from my green-thumbed neighbour was very welcome (I hasten to add it was passed over to me keeping strict...

On the Plate: Occasion food – the new normal

The routines we’ve all had to adopt over these past several weeks are often described as the “new normal”.

On the Plate: Out of hibernation comes creativity

It was the ancient Greek philosopher Plato who sagely advised “Necessity is the mother of invention”. And it’s sure been necessary to be inventive...

On the Plate: Sweet potato, the super vegetable

Never trust a vitamin in a capsule.

On The Plate: A stocktake of resolutions

Not everyone goes through the annual rigmarole of making resolutions for the New Year - I certainly don’t.

On the Plate: Feeling like a yo-yo as the ho-ho season looms

Well, I don’t know about you, but with the wild swings in our weather, massive winds, soaring temperatures that plummet the next (or same)...

On the Plate: Small changes add up to a big difference

Several recent articles and events have really focused my attention and thoughts on what each and every one of us needs to do -...