Lockdown Tryouts – Chicken!

Robin BoyleAustralian, Indian & Sri Lankan, Lunch, Main course, North American, Poultry

Covid-19 lockdown has given everyone plenty of opportunities to experiment with their cooking, to go back to old favourites and to try out some of those newspaper cut-out recipes. Not everything we have tried has worked but we are generally very pleased rather than disappointed. In this post we include some new and some old favourite chicken recipes. The last …

Lockdown Standbys – Easy Flatbread Pizzas!

Robin BoyleAs easy as ..., Australian, General Interest, Italian, Lunch, Main course

Covid-19 lockdown has given everyone plenty of opportunities to experiment with their cooking, to go back to old favourites and to try out some of those recipes cut out from newspapers and magazines. Not everything we have tried has worked but we are generally very pleased rather than disappointed. In this post we include one our favourite standbys – pizzas …

Tartiflette – A creamy gratin from The Alps!

Robin BoyleCheese, French, Lunch, Main course, Recipe, Vegetables

The Savoie and Haute-Savoie are two regions in the east of France. They are on the edge of the Alps, bordering Switzerland and Italy. With a cool alpine climate, Savoyarde food is heavy but delicious, with potatoes, cheese and other dairy items dominating. Some years ago we spent a week at Chamonix. One morning we caught the gondola up the …

Lockdown Tryouts – Eggs!

Robin BoyleAustralian, Brunch, Dessert, European, General Interest, Lunch, Main course, Pastry, Picnic

Covid-19 lockdown has given everyone plenty of opportunities to experiment with their cooking, to go back to old favourites and to try out some of those newspaper cut-out recipes. Not everything we have tried has worked but we are generally very pleased rather than disappointed. In this post we include two savoury and one sweet successes where eggs are a …

Asparagus – One Of The Most Versatile Vegetables!

Robin BoyleAustralian, General Interest, Lunch, Main course, Recipe, Vegetables

The asparagus season in Australia starts around the beginning of September – maybe August in some regions. Imported asparagus can be obtained all year round, but it is the local season that one waits for. And then you have an abundance of a vegetable that is so easy to work with, has a lovely flavour and texture and which is …

Lockdown Tryouts – The Oven!

Robin BoyleFish & Seafood, General Interest, Lunch, Main course, Recipe, Vegetables

Covid-19 lockdown has given everyone plenty of opportunities to experiment with their cooking, to go back to old favourites and to try out some of those newspaper cut-out recipes. Not everything we have tried has worked but we are generally very pleased rather than disappointed. In this post we include some savoury successes from the oven. Cazuela – An Argentinean …

A Pan-Fried Cheese & Ham Toastie – With an Egg!

Robin BoyleAustralian, Cheese, Lunch, Snack, Supper

One great aspect of lockdown is having the time and inclination to try old-favourite recipes. Recently The Melbourne Age ran an article on How to make the perfect toasted cheese sandwich. It provides heaps of ideas and options. So recently we have been cooking our version. It derives from a visit to Dallas, Texas, some years ago. The Lumen Hotel …

Virtual Dinner Party No. 11 – To Celebrate a Birthday!

Robin BoyleAustralian, Dessert, Dinner, Dinner Party, General Interest, Lunch, Main course, Poultry

(Update: For VDP No. 12, click here) Coronavirus Lockdown At the end of August in Melbourne 2020 we were still in lock down, with some weeks still to go. We were – and still are – largely confined to our homes. However, the same does not apply in other states, which have moved back towards a more normal lifestyle. For …

Egg and Potato Salad – Creamy and Soothing!

Robin BoyleAustralian, Barbecue, Dinner, Eggs, Lunch, Picnic

Boiling eggs to the ‘well done’ point is easy enough. However, it can be another thing peeling them so they don’t look half destroyed. Recently we found this Internet article: The secret to peeling the perfect boiled egg. The article summarises all the issues people encounter trying to achieve perfection. It is worth a read, then you can do your …

A Blast From The Past! No. 2

Robin BoyleChinese, Dinner, Entree, From the Archives, Lunch, Miscellaneous

Elizabeth Chong’s Pork Dumplings Some decades ago we would often hear Elizabeth Chong’s name mentioned. In particular, from various friends who had attended her cooking classes in Melbourne. They would recreate the recipes for us, producing memorable meals of Cantonese cuisine, based on freshness and elegance combined with simplicity. Our experience is that Cantonese cooking, and Chinese cooking in general, …