Category: Julie’s Blog

Ducks in your pie

What do these creatures do? Apart from quack …

Hey Bud!

Brussels sprouts look cuter than cabbage, and they can taste a whole lot better, too, if you arm yourself with a few must-do’s …

Bring them home for an Italian feast this weekend

Italians don’t need much of an excuse to get together and share good food – they do it most days – but 2^nd June is significant in the modern history of Italy as it commemorates when, in 1946, after the second world war and the downfall of fascism, Italians went to the polls to vote to either retain the monarchy or to abolish it and form a republic.

Things falling off trees

This blog is about things falling off trees … I was sitting here tucked up nice and cosy at my place with the cats at my feet, supposedly working, and I was admiring the trees outside the window. They’re ablaze with golden and russet leaves and I wasn’t thinking about much else as I enjoyed […]

Best sirloin steak in the land

Best sirloin steak in the land in the Beef & Lamb New Zealand Steak of Origin Competition. Winner announced.

The warm Muzzies!

Whether you call her mum, mom, mummy or mother, or some kind of cutsie name like ‘mushja’, it’s time for a case of the warm ‘muzzies’ this Sunday. By that I mean, it’ll be Mother’s Day in most parts of the world and time to spoil your mum. Take her a cup of tea in […]

More than cute – they’re edible!

Ah yes, hippiedom, flower power, all of that, but no, actually, these flowers are for eating not sticking in a vase or around your hair. And pretty they look, too.

Hear my roar – Cook food from scratch

What? 44 ingredients in sausage rolls? Are you kidding? Better to know what is in the food you eat if you want to stay healthy …

They do give a fig

A really nice couple, these two, and they deserve all the success that can possibly come their way. Ha! Writing that, I know I’m transparent. Yes, I’m hoping they’ll send me a truckload of their gorgeous figs every year come harvest time!

Fear of frying

Only read this if you really want to know how to cook eggplant.

Should you salt eggplants?

Oh god, I haven’t even talked about salting eggplants …that old chestnut …

How to grow your own gorgeous eggplants

Sometimes the bees are a long time coming, so Remo gently brushes or taps the flowers to dislodge pollen to help fertilise the flowers. It works! Up to you whether you make a buzzing noise or not as you do it.

The New Black

A smoky sweet-wood aroma, sticky texture, and rich plum notes like an aged balsamic: this is garlic noir

Not an ordinary lunch

Five award-winning chefs cooked my lunch!

My life of corn

Sweet corn is at its sweetest when just picked.

Summer’s here. Yippee! Handfuls of beans from the garden every day!

Beans and beer in the afternoon.

I wonder what would happen if a kitten ate a bumblebee?

On a lazy summer’s day with nothing more than the antics of kittens to think about, I reckon a gin and tonic in the shade is the way to go. All that tinkling ice and fresh lemon is pretty irresistible.