Sweet and sour pork, honey chicken, beef with black bean, Mongolian lamb; don’t forget the spring rolls and our all time favourite – fried rice of course! Does any of this ring a bell? Growing up – going to our local Chinese restaurant was something we always looked forward to; just as exciting as seeing […]
My sister Elles has always had a way with words. You could say that she’s a real wordsmith; I know, I know – sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Now all the Thomas girls are pretty good at talking; Cork Daddy will attest that it’s often hard to get a word in when we’re […]
Whatever you do – don’t do what I did a couple of years ago on Christmas Eve. Staying in Hat Head for Chrissie with the whole family, I was helping unpack the car when I reached for the shopping bag that housed the ham. Now I should of known the bag would be heavy, having […]
Do you ever buy pork mince? If the answer is NO, then you should definitely start. Lean, affordable and quick to cook, throw some in your trolley today and whip up this simple stir fry with hoisin sauce. Inspired by a trip I did to South East Asia years ago, I couldn’t get enough of […]
Mince. Every home cooks best friend. Easy, affordable, oh so versatile and talk about tasty. A flavour carrier that is perfect for making quick and easy midweek meals, it’s always a staple in my trolley. Beef, pork, chicken or sausage mince. There’s a recipe below for every occasion and to suit everyones taste buds and […]
This recipe for San choy bow marks the 14th mince recipe on the blog. And I have to admit, I think this is the pick of them. The ultimate midweek meal, this is one that the whole family will enjoy. It’s so quick and easy to whip up, it’s packed with hidden vege and you can […]
As Soph pointed out, I’m on a bit of a Vietnamese roll at the moment. I have a thing for fresh bread rolls, especially the baguettes you find in Vietnamese bakeries – light as air on the inside and crispy on the outside. Vietnamese cuisine is heavily influenced by the French (from years of colonial […]
One word for you. Flavour. When Jamie Oliver wrote his ‘5 Ingredient’ cookbook, in my heart I know why he wrote it. Not to ditch the Ottolenghi’s of the world, instead to say that food doesn’t need to be complicated and time consuming to be ‘oh so right’. Cork Daddy’s at rugby training and I HAD […]
There’s a story behind this fettuccine. When Charlotte was born Mim came and visited us in Wagga. A fabulous cook, she made a huge batch of my favourite fettuccine – decadent and rich, it’s a real crowd pleaser. Mim stocked the freezer with scrumptious home cooked meals for Cork Daddy and I – as new sleep […]
The ultimate trick to cooking a good stir fry is all in the pan and the high heat. I would love to get my hands on a commercial wok like they use in restaurants. I’ve always loved watching the chefs toss the ingredients high in the air and adding in the oil and sauces using […]
Who doesn’t love a good blt? This version should be renamed a plt as I prefer prosciutto instead of bacon. It’s a simple sandwich to make but is only as good as the ingredients you use. Make sure the bread is fresh and the tomatoes are really well ripened. Nothing ruins a blt like a poor […]
For mum’s 60th birthday party at Tomalong I cooked 12 kilos of pulled pork! That’s six slow cookers full! I had three slow cookers going during the day and woke up to my alarm in the middle of the night to tend to the meat. We had more pulled pork than you could poke a […]
We all need some quick and easy ‘go to’ meals for busy weeknights. One of mine is making Lebanese bread pizza’s. I buy the wholemeal kind (there are always some on standby in my freezer) and I scatter loads of green, leafy baby spinach or rocket on top (to make it feel a little healthier […]
The weekend is so close, I can taste it. As a young uni student, living in Neutral Bay, I remember inviting friends around for drinks, setting up rugs and cushions in the backyard and having a “roll your own nori roll” party. I had everything ready to go in Tupperware containers and my friends all enjoyed […]
I don’t even begin to pretend that I know anything about taking photos of food. I do know however, that the best food shots are taken with natural light during the day. How may I ask do you suppose I photograph dinner then?? Anywho, shadows aside – this pasta dish that I threw together with […]
If you like duck pancakes, I am sure you will like this meal. There isn’t a duck in sight, instead, a pig. Sticky, moreish, Char Sui style barbecue pork belly ribs, spring onion pancakes and an asian slaw with a delish peanut butter dressing. Yum! I have always loved going out for Chinese; “fried china” as […]
