Sylvia’s Crayfish Prawn Sandwich with a Difference

Sylvia's Crayfish Prawn Sandwich
Festive food left-overs anyone? I have come to the rescue. This is not a recipe but an idea turned into a simply delicious mouth-watering mid-festive season meal, snack, appetiser, canapé, hors d'oeuvre or whatever because you are tired and can't be bothered to cook! Well, that's completely understandable after Christmas Day. Here is something that [...]

Sylvia’s Strawberries Balsamic Mascarpone Almonds

Sylvia's Strawberries Balsamic Mascarpone Almonds
Strawberries - their bouquet and flavour are just gorgeous! When I was Head Chef at Ruby’s Café in Adelaide we received regular deliveries of beautifully fresh ripe red strawberries and raspberries grown at Springton and Norton Summit in the Adelaide Hills. Simplicity is the key when preparing a dish of fresh berries and our desserts [...]

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 Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins

Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins

A new spin on my muffin recipe that I just love to make when I feel like the classic mix of raspberry and white chocolate. Again, I do not bake my muffins too sweet, I’m sweet enough as it is 🙂 ha, ha! But then again you can add more sweetness if you wish. I […]

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 [...]

Baked Quince with Cloves and Cinnamon

Baked Quince with Cloves and Cinnamon
Quintessentially Quince! Quinces are divine. Their perfume pervades the larder and kitchen when in the bowl and being cooked. I just love them! Do you? Some people are intimidated by them, but I'm always excited by them, especially when I receive them as gifts from our guests and culinary students whom I am very grateful [...]

Sylvia’s Plum Bruschetta with Crème Fraiche

Sylvia's Plum Bruschetta Crème Fraiche
Looking for new and easy ways to use ripe stone fruits from the orchard this season? Try this recipe I shared on ABC Radio Tasmania Afternoons Friday 19 January 2024 whilst chatting about food and cooking with the delightful John O’Hara. This recipe for a mouth-wateringly simple dessert (that I have finally written) takes me [...]

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 Lemon Posset with Berries

Sylvia's Lemon Posset with Berries
When I was Chef at The Peacock Inn Chelsworth in countryside Suffolk England we served delicious desserts. Patrons could choose from freshly baked frangipane fruit tarts, ice creams, crème brûlée in different flavours, sticky date toffee pudding, selection of English and European artisan farmhouse cheeses and more. But one dessert stands out as being the [...]

Sylvia’s Chocolate Draped Pears

Sylvia's Chocolate Draped Pears
Pears and apples belong to the rose family and have their origins in the Caucasus. Both were introduced into Europe and northern India by the Aryan tribes from the original region. The wild pear has now been developed into nearly 1,000 varieties after interbreeding with native wild pears of Europe and Asia. Talk about going [...]