Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Nibbles & Hors d’oeuvres”
Mid-August we held VDP No. 14 – six of us in attendance. The menu was prepared by our Melbourne friends and designed so that all dishes could be more or less ready when we sat down. There were two inspirational recipes from the night. One was the terrine in green aspic. The terrine recipe is a favourite of our friends …
(Update: For VDP No. 6, click here) Coronavirus Lockdown With most of us in self-isolation or even total lockdown, a VDP (virtual dinner party) is one way to catch up with friends and to continue to test your cooking skills. We have now had a few VDPs. Here is the link to the first of those: Virtual Dinner Party No. …
Australia Day, January 26, is a contentious date because it celebrates white settlement in Australia. We raised this issue in an earlier blog post here. We feel it is important to have a national day so until our leaders come up with an alternative we will probably continue to celebrate on the 26th with a gathering of friends. We started …
This is a continuation from We Invite The Neighbours In: Perfect Weather! Easy to prepare nibbles With Launceston and the Tamar region having very agreeable summery weather from November to March, we can plan events at Olive’s Cottage with a high degree of confidence. We aim to be outside and use the main deck or the barbecue pit. (We can …
Summer Climate Launceston and the surrounding region, including the Tamar Valley, has a remarkable summer climate. Daily maximums are consistently in the mid to low 20s (Celsius), rarely dropping below 20oC and rarely making it above 30oC. On average, the region’s maximum is a couple of degrees higher than Hobart and a couple of degrees lower than Melbourne, while those …
Say it quickly and you could think that Baba Ghanoush was named after someone called Barbara. It came to our notice as Lebanese restaurants began to proliferate in Melbourne. Now it is more or less a household term. It is based on smoked or charred eggplant (aubergine) and tahini (made from ground sesame seeds). To these add some garlic, lemon …
In reading the contents of this post, also check: Food Safety Is Paramount It makes sense that dill pickles should involve dill. However, the key ingredient is the seed, not the herb part. While green dill is relatively easy to find, the seeds can be difficult to track down. You might have more luck finding a packet of pickling spices …
(Continued from Tomato Sauce – Italian Style) As well as an abundance of herbs and tomatoes, you may well have an abundance of cherry tomatoes. And maybe you also have a surfeit of figs! Below you will find two simple but excellent Italy-inspired recipes: grilled cheese-stuffed figs and a pasta sauce using cherry tomatoes. Three years ago on an extended …
This time of the year, at least in the southern states of Australia, the flowering gums are glorious. It is also when we celebrate Australia Day, on January 26. It is a contentious date because it celebrates white settlement in Australia. The issue has been thoughtfully addressed here. In 2015 the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition took steps …
Most of us are very familiar with Middle Eastern dips made from tahini, eggplant and chickpeas. Many variations have emerged. Here we give two interesting options that are worth a try, both sent in by viewers of the blog. One dip is made from fresh broad beans and the other is made using smoked almonds. They are cracker alternatives to …
