The pear tree is integrally linked to my life in the Barossa, and in particular to my sentimental attachment to our cottage. We are lucky enough to have a grand old pear tree, well in excess of 100 years, defining our landscape at home and as I look down from my attic window, its majestic form, towering over the cottage itself, is one of the most beautiful of all those I’ve admired in the Valley in my time here. Read the rest...
Last weekend, Colin and I had a great weekend away in Geelong. Friday night saw us eating fish and chips on the wharf, followed by lunch at Brae Restaurant on Saturday. We had a fantastic experience at Brae, with beautiful food, and incredibly knowledgeable staff who knew about every tiny element on the plate. It was the most beautiful room looking out on the country side and garden; it was really quite exceptional. On Sunday we had a fleeting visit to Werribee to visit my team at Fromage a Trois - Cheese & Cider Festival who were there sampling my heritage cider; what a lovely location for sampling such an array of food producers- MB | Read the rest...
On Wednesday night I was invited by Tourism Australia to experience Noma at Barangaroo in Sydney. It was certainly no ordinary dinner; the 10 course menu curated by Rene and his team goes with one of the most amazing meals I've ever had. To repeat what Adam Liaw said, it's like putting a megaphone on Australia and what we can do. We can be so proud of the produce that Australia has to offer. The whole experience was just an adventure from the first minute to the last. I was sitting with three amazing women journalists from France, Ireland and Malaysia; Camille, Orla and Julie helped to make it an extraordinary night. The details from welcome to goodnight were just impeccable; the night was certainly greater than the sum of its parts. And then to top off an already spectacular evening, on my way back to the hotel I came across the Marie's Crisis pop-up bar at QT, and was coerced in to standing around a piano in the foyer for a sing-a-long; what great fun that was!- MB Read the rest...
So many factors can determine the set on a lemon tart, but it deserves a little practice to get the texture of the filling just right to indulge in that wonderful freshness that only ‘Tart Au Citron’ can offer at the end of a meal. Of all the influencing factors, I suggest the most important is to give yourself plenty of time, so that way if the filling doesn’t set you can refrigerate the tart for at least an hour or so before serving. This is one of the best fall back plans I can share! Read the rest...
Spending time in my garden is my favourite way to wind down. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that my time becomes completely unstructured in the garden, or my having my hands buried in the soil that has the required effect, but something definitely shifts for me when I surround myself in nature. Read the rest...
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