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 →

A miracle happened last Friday. A small miracle but a miracle nonetheless. At 8.50 in the morning we (husband, daughters and cat) left our house for our long weekend road trip. We have friends who leave at 5 in the morning. I know, five am!? I seriously doubt that will... Read more →

I recently had a chance to sit on the couch with a cup of peppermint tea and my cookbooks. We've been so busy lately that there hasn't been time for such simple pleasures. The colder weather has me searching for hearty, warming recipes. I came across a delicious looking Seedy... Read more →

Bread and butter pudding was often mentioned in the books I read as a child. Any time I read about food I'd get very hungry. Especially if those book children were eating sweets, google buns or pop cakes and drinking ginger beer. If you read the Faraway Tree books by... Read more →

When it came time to prepare the olives for pickling I was really surprised at how much the girls enjoyed the process. I had thought they would have a quick go, lose interest and go back to playing a game or reading their books. Instead, they sat at the kitchen... Read more →