Summer time and the livin’ is easy…

Unless you’re a vegetarian at a barbecue (or so I’ve heard from my meatless mates).

“Sure there’s veggie patties and soy sausages” they say to me, resignedly, “but it’d be so nice – just for once – to be the one with an enviable portion of food instead of the poor sod with a disintegrating tofu burger because someone mistook silken for firm.”

(And yes, I know nobody really talks like that, but I’ve a habit of paraphrasing badly).

…continue reading miso mushrooms with polenta

“I won’t eat it!” shrieked the Bean. “You can’t make me!”

“It’s really tasty” said my mother.

“And you might like it this time” coerced my father.

“No! Never! Eeeyeurgh!”  came the response.

“Well, I guess there’s more for me then” said I, prying open the lid of the container.

The Bean, not waiting for the smell to assault her senses, fled the room.

…continue reading durian ice cream

Turns out there wasn’t quite as much time before Christmas as I’d initially thought and my plans for making everyone and their neighbour a bevy of sweet treats was left somewhat unachieved.

It seemed possible at first, two or three recipes a week until the BIG DAY, but then life happened. Wonderful, laughter drenched (rain drenched) life!

Parties. Catch ups. Lunches (oh lordy me the lunches…) Picnics in the rain. Post-dinner conversations huddled in blankets.

…continue reading chocolate compost clusters

The weather, so promising in October, has faded to a dull damp grey that threatens to overthrow my long-anticipated plans for a Summer spent burning on the beach before flinging myself into cool blue water.

Darn it.

It was especially ominous the day I iced these cookies.

…continue reading pomegranate molasses & spice cookies

Imagine me, alone in my kitchen at half past eight on a Friday night with the girls coming over for lunch the next day.

The ribs were rubbed and waiting for a beer bath. The table was set.

And there was nothing on the menu for dessert. Nothing. For. Dessert.

(Ok, so there were the cookies I’d made earlier and a couple of punnets of cherries, but please. That was not going to do. Especially for an Argentinian barbecue themed Christmas feast.)

…continue reading tres leches bombe alaska