May 21, 2020
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...
May 7, 2020
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”.
Always a glass half full kinda...
April 9, 2020
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...
March 26, 2020
On the Plate: Sweet potato, the super vegetable
Never trust a vitamin in a capsule.
There, I’ve said it - and I realise that many of you have for a long time sought...
March 12, 2020
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.
But to kick off a new decade,...
December 5, 2019
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)...
October 14, 2019
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 -...
August 1, 2019
ON THE PLATE: Chocolate can be good for you
“Go on treat yourself!” is what my dear friend used to say. We all owe it to ourselves to break out from time to time...
July 18, 2019
ON THE PLATE: Chocolate can be good for you
“Go on treat yourself!” is what my dear friend used to say. We all owe it to ourselves to break out from time to time...
July 3, 2019
ON THE PLATE: One-pot wonder is no balls up
Don’t you just love a one-pot wonder? Recipes often lay claim to this, but here, dear readers, is my definite one-pot plus one-bowl recipe to reduce the washing...
June 19, 2019
ON THE PLATE: Forgive me if this column gets a bit cheesy
What’s in a name? For some time now only the product actually produced in a specific region can correctly, even legally, be given a...
June 6, 2019
ON THE PLATE: French Onion Soup served on a trip down memory lane
The way we eat today, and the way we have so wholeheartedly embraced the cuisines of many cultures certainly makes for a plethora of...
May 22, 2019
ON THE PLATE: Let’s dine in tonight refining the art of the table
A recent extravaganza exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, The Best of the Best – Art of Dining, was truly an over the...
May 8, 2019
ON THE PLATE: Green-banana flour power
Well, I recently wrote about green oranges – now it’s green bananas! And again, there’s an element of synchronicity on three levels, which will become...
April 24, 2019
ON THE PLATE: MUSHROOMS HELP BRIDGE THE SEASONAL DIVIDE
I had been saying to people that I’m going to change my middle name to mushroom because you just never know where I’ll pop...
April 11, 2019
ON THE PLATE: Seeing red at Easter
Am I looking forward to Easter? Yep! We’ll have a staycation this year and I’ve planned on enjoying some traditional Easter fare. What makes me...
March 28, 2019
ON THE PLATE: Silverbeet is pure gold
I’m at a bit of a loss as to how best to describe these very tasty and ohso- easy to make silverbeet snacks. I could...
March 14, 2019
ON THE PLATE: PANTRY TRICKS AND MYSTERY BAGS HELP IN THE HEAT
Having a few tricks up your sleeve is always a handy way to be able to feed people without too much time spent laboriously...
February 28, 2019
ON THE PLATE: NOSE TO TAIL, ROOT TO STALK
We are becoming far more aware of reducing waste, of the dire effects the way we live, shop, use and discard all manner of material...
January 31, 2019
ON THE PLATE: GREEN ORANGES AND SOME FENNEL fun in summer
Slip slop slap – you know the drill and while we should protect our skins from harmful UV all year round, we’re more onto...
January 16, 2019
ON THE PLATE: Hop to it and celebrate
Our family opted for an Aussie-themed Christmas Day lunch this year, and the long, long table for 30+ folk looked absolutely resplendent decked with...
January 3, 2019
ON THE PLATE: Time for the summer daze now that the silly season is behind us
Well that went in a flash! I have to confess, I didn’t really attend to mailing any real Christmas cards for 2018. Yep, I opted...
December 20, 2018
ON THE PLATE: A really cool yule treat
There’s never enough time is there? No matter the resolutions we all make to be more organised - oh well, at least we had...
December 5, 2018
ON THE PLATE: Simple suppers turn into world tour
Of late our Sunday nights have been a chance to kick back and have what I’ve termed Sund’y Night’s Simple Suppers – and my,...
November 21, 2018
ON THE PLATE: Things are getting chilli in the kitchen
You’ve got to be intrigued by a man who can grow enough chillies in his backyard to produce 100 bottles of gourmet sauces per...
November 8, 2018
ON THE PLATE: Give this vegan kimchi a try
Korean cuisine is regarded as an especially healthy one given it uses a lot of vegetables, seafood, small amounts of meat – offered more...
October 18, 2018
On The Plate: Eight years on and the food journey continues
It is almost impossible to believe I have been writing this column for eight years. In that time businesses, including mine, have come and gone....
September 26, 2018
On The Plate: A pasta primed for spring
Spring, yay! Don’t you just “lurv” these crisp mornings and chilly evenings and warm-you-to-the-bone sunshine in between? I do. You can just feel that solar...