Every year my daughters make Christmas presents to give to friends and family members. This year we were a bit stuck with what to make. After all, there's only so many tea towels, aprons and bags someone can use. Ditto with bookmarks and art work. We were stumped until Miss... Read more →

When we visited my parents in Canberra last week, we picked a huge box of lemons from their tree. And there were still so many more left on the tree. Now I understand why in the old days, people would spend some much time canning and preserving fruit. It's hard... Read more →

On a recent visit to my parents in Canberra, my daughters learnt how to make the great Sri Lankan delicacy, string hoppers. String hoppers are eaten instead of rice and are sooo yummy. They are like little patties of vermicelli noodles made from rice flour and water. The girls had... Read more →

When the weather gets cold I go in search of warmth. Hot cups of tea, pots of stew and baked goodies. My oven which has been sad fully neglected over summer suddenly becomes my favourite kitchen gadget. Seriously, how amazing are ovens? Roasted chestnuts are a recent discovery of mine.... Read more →

I love this time of year. The weather is getting warmer, there's lots of fun things to do and Christmas gifts to make. All the cafes and restaurants that were empty over winter are overflowing till late in the evening as everyone takes advantage of the long, balmy nights. There's... Read more →

You may remember that earlier in the year I had a go at pickling some olives I had foraged. They've been hiding in the cupboard where I completely forgot about them. When I did discover them again, the news wasn't good. There's a layer of green mould growing on the... Read more →

I started making dehydrated and activated pecans a couple of years ago. I was eating nuts as an afternoon snack and getting an upset stomach. A friend suggested activating the pecans (soaking them overnight in salted water) would counteract the negative of effect of their phytates. Once soaked, they need... Read more →

I'm not sure why I suddenly got the urge to make a raw vegan cheesecake but I'm glad I did. It was Gareth's birthday last week and we celebrated with this cheesecake. I was so happy when everyone wanted seconds - even Gareth who is a wheat and refined sugar... Read more →

Why does homemade taste so much better than shop bought? I know the ingredients are better when you make something yourself. You can grow the ingredients or choose ones that are in season and organic. There's no need to add preservatives or chemicals because your jars won't be sitting on... Read more →

From soda bread to damper making over an open fire - it's all about baking at the moment. It's the beauty of winter - cold and wet enough to light fires out in the open without setting the bush on fire. The fire itself is magical. When we get to... Read more →