The air. The absolute clarity of fresh country air is something I try not to go too long without. And the connection to a community! Returning is always special no matter how exciting a trip is, and even though I love coming home with newfound knowledge and fresh ideas, nothing compares to being back home with my family. -MB Read the rest...
Maggie's long been a fan of risotto - it makes the perfect canvas for Verjuice, after all - so her latest recipe for these delicious little arancini should come as no surprise. Delicately flavoured rice, fresh garden peas and melting mozzarella, all tucked into the most perfect, golden shell. What's not to love? Read the rest...
I have to admit, that although we have an amazing example of just how robust fig trees can be, with a 50 year old Brown Turkey that produces prolifically on our vineyard property, my experience in planting newer varieties is that perhaps figs are not nearly as tough as many people would have you believe. The most important time for their ongoing success is in the first year after planting. Read the rest...
I’ve often said that my love of vegetables could so easily see me as a vegetarian, if I didn’t love eating meat as much as I do! When I’m looking for something fast and nourishing for lunch, I will more often than not turn to fresh vegetables as the basis for my meal. My garden has decided on more meals than I could count, so I always check to see what might be on offer there as my first inspiration. For some reason I always feel so virtuous when I make a salad for lunch; it’s fresh, tasty, filling and healthy and it fits the bill when I limit myself to taking a short break at the office. -MB Read the rest...
Combine the beauty of Autumn with the newfound change in the weather, and you have the perfect backdrop to sharing your table in celebration of the season. My entertaining always follows the golden rule of keeping things simple to let the produce shine. Using ingredients that are in season and prepared ahead of time makes all the difference - a stressed host is never fun! I always create generous platters of nibbles beforehand and have an icy cold glass of Sparkling Ruby Cabernet ready for everyone on arrival. With a choice of Pate, Kalamata Olives with fresh herbs and orange zest, just baked bread to dip into new season’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Dukkah, a perfectly ripe cheese, Fruit Paste and biscuits, it’s very easy to deem this ‘picnic on a plate’ as lunch, and spend the rest of the ‘cooking time’ enjoying myself! Read the rest...
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