When we bought our cottage nearly 20 years ago, one of its most endearing aspects was the maze of strawberry plants, growing wild in all sorts of nooks and crannies around the property. I have always adored wandering around the yard, pinching strawberries, still warm from the sun, to pop in my mouth as I tend to the garden. Left to ripen on the bush and eaten without refrigeration there is no better way to welcome the warm weather than with strawberries. Read the rest...
I have loved trifle ever since I was a child. Was it being able to eat right down to the bottom of the bowl where I’d find the sherry-soaked cake, or was it the jelly and the fruit? Whatever it was, I have never tired of eating trifle. This version is a bit fancy, I grant, you, but it’s easily within the province of the home cook. It can be a wonderful way to use leftovers too, or sit with equal splendour on the table for a special occasion. -MB Read the rest...
Holidays are all about relaxing from the moment I walk in the door of our beach house. It’s about having time to go for a walk every morning, reading lots of books, listening to music, swimming, of course, and lovely, simple meals accompanied by beautiful wine. Holidays at the beach should be just that - holidays. -MB Read the rest...
Celebrate our national day with a selection of quintessentially Australian recipes. Whether you're hosting a BBQ or heading to the beach, Maggie has your Australia Day menu covered! Read the rest...
Cucumbers are perfectly timed for their regular appearances across Summer, making a great addition to a simple salad, used as an essential part of crudites, or grated into a thick set yoghurt for a more traditionally Greek take on things, but it’s quite a rare occasion when a recipe really makes cucumbers the star of the dish and I’ve often wondered if that’s because the cucumbers that eventually make their way onto our plates via transport and storage aren’t a pinch on what comes out of a home garden. The difference with a homegrown cucumber, besides the unparalleled freshness, is the water content is at its maximum when just picked and that makes for the very best crunch, and flavour - well worth any gardener’s effort to have on hand in the heat of Summer. -MB Read the rest...
