Lemon and Almond Basbousa Cake

A lot of food bloggers dream of compiling all their recipes into a published book.  Alice Phillips from Ally’s Kitchen is one blogger who has turned that dream into a reality.  Recently launched, her cookbook, Ally’s Cookbook – A Passport for Adventurous Palates is currently being reviewed by food bloggers all around the world. I […]

Hand of Fatima Pie

A few weeks ago I was invited to a housewarming party by Duck-Pancake-Matt who has moved into an apartment.  The party wasn’t in the apartment because there is a roof-top terrace and so up on the roof with a view of the ocean and the full moon rising is where the party was held. Duck-Pancake-Matt […]

Moroccan Chicken

We all know that life isn’t fair and that good people are not immune from having bad things happen to them.  And when people we love are struck by something they never saw coming, it creates opportunity for those around them to show they care. Just before the end of the year, Carl and I […]

Preserved Lemons and…The Misery of Jogging

One of the blogs I follow is My San Francisco Kitchen.  Recently Kristianne wrote a sentence that stunned me.  She said, ‘I’m going out for a nice long run‘.  How are the words, ‘nice long run’ compatible? I have had my second early morning session with the Jogging Group.  I should have had my third […]

Moroccan Lamb Harira Soup and ‘You Need to Rest’

When I was pregnant with Alfie, some well intentioned individuals (and I won’t say who because my in-laws aren’t really that bad) made a magnanimous gesture and suggested that they look after Archie and Arabella for a week during the school holidays as a way of helping me out. ‘You’re pregnant honey-one.  You need to […]

Playing with Fire

We’ve been back to the doctor and it wasn’t good news.  He’s concerned Arabella still has The Glange in her bloodstream and therefore needs to lie low and not go anywhere or do anything for at least the next few weeks.  He wrote her a medical certificate for another two weeks off school, minimum, and […]

Pilaf and…Just A ‘Little Niggle’

From the age of four Archie had episodes where he complained of ‘a sore tummy’.  I took him to various doctors and asked if it could be his appendix but they all said he was too young and it was probably just ‘a niggly appendix’. The ‘niggles’ came and went but one Monday morning when […]

Chicken Tagine and…We Have the Dress

In three months Arabella will be off to her Year 12 Formal.  It is being held at the Taronga Function Centre that is on the grounds of the Zoo and overlooks Sydney Harbour.  She has her partner organised and that would be Fred from Gunnadah who is Archie’s mate and has been visiting our house […]

Braised Beef with Kidney Beans and…A Memorable Birthday

A couple of years ago my birthday fell on a Saturday.  A few days before, Carl asked if I would like to go out for dinner with a bunch of friends.  I told him I would prefer to have a dinner party and Carl found that astounding, wondering why I would want to go to […]