Zucchini Tips and Advice

Zucchini Young with Flowers
Zucchini Tips on growing, harvesting and storing We all tend to grow too many zucchini, or courgettes as they are known in Europe, and tomatoes for summer, don't we? Nevertheless, there will be someone in your circle of friends or neighbourhood who forgot to plant them and this is the inspiration to share. I grow [...]

Sylvia’s Special Spiced Anzac Biscuits

Sylvia's Special Anzac Biscuits on Steve's Glass Platter
I first made these Anzac Biscuits in 1988 based on a recipe in a clipping from The Adelaide Advertiser on 20 April 1988 when Margaret Kirkwood was writing the Cuisine pages and have been baking them ever since adding my own special touch over the years. The result is quite a different recipe that includes [...]

Sylvia’s Seven Top Tips for Christmas Entertaining

1. Keep It SimpleI know I keep going on about this, but it really is true. We all get caught up in the spiral of Christmas and then when the day is over, we just fall into a heap. Don’t! Try to keep a simple perspective on it all. Remember your “mise en place”, that [...]

Sylvia’s Simple Vinaigrette Dressing

Sylvia's Simple Vinaigrette
Many people request to know my secrets to a simple salad dressing. Finally, I have been able to write and publish it for you here and I hope you enjoy this velvety vinaigrette using honey from Honey Tasmania and any Tasmanian extra virgin olive oil. It's a light and flavoursome salad dressing that is simple [...]

A Bit About Asparagus

Asparagus spears
Asparagus officianalis is the young shoot of the plant related to the lily family and comes in a variety of colours from white, light green, dark green and violet or purple. The Persian word Asparag means ‘a sprout’ and asparagus sprouts forth from the ground as if out of nowhere. In about the 1st century [...]

Best Way To Truly Appreciate a Truffle

Sylvia's Tamar Valley Truffle Taster
This is the best way to appreciate a Tasmanian truffle. It is Winter. This also means it is Truffle time! This is the season to relish and savour a special winter indulgence. One of my most enjoyable culinary delights is creating new dishes with Black Périgord Truffles from Tamar Valley Truffles. Tasting a freshly dug [...]

A Piece on Pizza

A Piece on Pizza
Pizza is the famous Italian flatbread which has become almost ubiquitous after it was brought to America by Italian emigrants. It has developed an international food following with pizzerias all over the world baking this simple flat disc of bread with multi-cultural fervour. It has become a global food phenomenon and its simplicity and diversity [...]

Steve’s Garlic Infused Mash Potatoes

Sylvia's Tasmanian Blue-Eye Trevalla with Steve's Garlic Mash
This is a mash. But not just any old mashed potatoes. It's Steve's Garlic Infused Mash Potatoes! Fabulous with grilled steak with sauce, casseroles, lamb, chicken and even fish (as pictured above). Mashed potatoes are comfort food and wonderful for soaking up the delicious flavours from your plate, and for my husband Steve, making them [...]

Roast Cherry Tomatoes, Rosemary, Garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes and Garlic ready to be oven roasted
Roasted mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes are so versatile! They can happily accompany fish, chicken or even lamb. Use it to flavour freshly prepared Ligurian Handmade Pasta or add as a topping to Bruschetta (pron. brus-ket-a). I first prepared them this way in about January 2008 to accompany a Pink Ling dish. Here I have given you the [...]

Sylvia’s Kitchen Preserved Lemon Recipe Ideas

Preserved Lemon Potatoes Flathead Roasted Tomatoes Pesto
My Moroccan-style Preserved Lemons are handmade in Launceston, Tasmania using my own home grown lemons to my own special recipe that has evolved over 30 years. I make these Preserved Lemons about three times a year in small batches and in small jars. They are an artisan product, matured and ready for use. They have [...]