Virtual Dinner Party No. 13 – Leeks, Chicken, Citrus Fruits!

Robin BoyleAustralian, Dessert, Dinner, Dinner Party, French, Fruit, General Interest, Main course, Poultry, Vegetables

(Update: For VDP No. 14, click here) Coronavirus Lockdown – 2021 Here we are in July in Melbourne, 2021, and we are in lockdown again. Other states and territories too have been locked down when Covid outbreaks occur in the community, having escaped from our hotel quarantine system. Each lockdown only means several dozens of infections, or even less than …

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 …

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 …

We Invite The Neighbours In: For Drinks and Nibbles!

Robin BoyleGeneral Interest, Nibbles & Hors d'oeuvres, Photos: Food, The Cottage

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 …

We Invite The Neighbours In: Perfect Weather!

Robin BoyleGeneral Interest, Nibbles & Hors d'oeuvres, Photos: Food, The Cottage, Wine

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 …