(Update: For VDP No. 7, 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 number of VDPs. Here is the link to the first of those: Virtual Dinner Party …
Beetroot – Salads, two Dips, one Cake!
My father, George, grew beetroot for as long as I can remember. He would generally pick them when they were quite large, in order to gain maximum food quantity to feed the large family, but they were always beautifully tender. Growing up, only the ‘red’ variety was available; and it was also known as red beet. Today it comes in …
A Way With Avocado!
Avocado Vinaigrette This dish was fashionable some decades ago. You don’t see it often now, but if you do, typically it is over-done, over-worked, over-flavoured and over-dressed. It makes a great entree; very refreshing and it feels healthy. Print recipe. We like ours simple: Halve each avocado, remove pip. Place each half on a serving dish. (You can take a …
Chile – Atacama!
This post follows on from: Chilean Lakes The aridness and extent of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile boggle the mind. The desert is about twice the size of Tasmania and is one of the driest regions on earth. The Google satellite map below (click to enlarge) shows it stretching from the Pacific in the west to the Andes foothills …
Patagonia – Chilean Lakes
This post follows on from: Argentinean Lakes The Google satellite map below (click to enlarge) shows the extensive lakes system in northern Patagonia, stretching from Bariloche in the east (Argentina) to Puerto Varas in the west (Chile). The snow-capped Andes and various volcanoes are quite apparent. In the west, Puerto Montt is a major port, with sea connections past the …
Torres Del Paine National Park
This post follows on from: Tierra Del Fuego and Cape Horn Patagonia Patagonia is one of those mystery places: we know the name but we don’t really know much about it or where it actually is. Patagonia isn’t a country but a region on the southern tip of South America. It is large – a little bigger than South Australia …
A Tassie Dinner Party – In July!
Tasmania does get cold, let’s be honest. So entertaining at Olive’s Cottage in winter has to be done inside where there is limited seating and the cooking is done just a metre or two away from the dining table. Recently we had a dinner party for four of our family members on a Saturday night in July. At one stage, …
Made At Home – No. 4
In reading the contents of this post, also check: Food Safety Is Paramount Flavoured oils are simple to make, however, you need to be cognisant of potential problems from contamination. Hence, check the link given above. Shake them or stir them from time to time. Use good quality extra virgin olive oil. Store out of the light. Use them to …
Shoots and Sprouts
If you will excuse the pun, there are always new products sprouting up in the markets and supermarkets. Recently we noticed a new range of shoots and sprouts: radish, rocket, watercress, chervil, sorrel, chives, … They aren’t inexpensive, but they do look terrific. Great for garnishes. And depending on how many you have, you can add them to a salad. …
Showing Friends Around – Part 1
In 2014 we received some surprise news: our two German friends, from Bavaria, would be visiting us in Australia in August 2015. They are perhaps the two most travelled people we know, and since meeting them for the first time in the late 1980s we have received numerous postcards from their exotic and mysterious destinations. We have been fortunate to …
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