Ingredient Spices

Pear upside-down cake

Growing up, we had a pear tree down at the bottom of the garden. It has had various swings tied to its low hanging branches over the years. A shady haven over the summer, as the weather cooled it would…

Broccoli pasta

Anyone who has dined regularly at our family dinner table will have eaten broccoli pasta.  Once upon a time it was our signature dish and we ate it with such enthusiasm that after leaving home I found I had completely…

Ginger kisses

These ginger kisses are for my boyfriend.  He’s rather partial to them you see and prior to me making these ones he had only ever eaten ginger kisses of the store bought variety.  A fact which as a passionate cook…

Campfire potatoes

In more recent times, my husband and I have become campfire experts. Several years ago, prior to marriage and a baby, at the start of our epic journey around the world (which culminated with us living in little old Dunedin) we travelled around Europe and…

Dad’s mince on toast

This recipe reminds me of my dad. When we were kids and it was Dad’s choice for dinner it would be either mince on toast or devilled sausages with boiled potatoes; my sister and I were never excited about eating…

Coconut & lime roast chicken

This is the second of two recipes intended for our hangi which sadly was rained out.  I had intended to marinate the chicken overnight, then wrapping it in banana leaves before placing it into the hangi baskets to spend the…

Layered vegetarian couscous salad

Two days ago it was Waitangi Day here in NZ; a public holiday to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. The weather was beautiful and so we thought what better way to spend a public holiday…

Chocolate Cinnamon Terrine

We first made this recipe two years ago, a decadent treat for Christmas day. Since then it has graced our table a number of times on auspicious occasions, when something particularly decadent is called for. We have nicknamed it Chocolate…

Spiced BBQ Lamb

We are just coming into some warmer weather down here in New Zealand so it’s a perfect time to enjoy some fresh spring Lamb. So wake your barbeque from its winter slumber, give it a good dusting off and crank…

Vietnamese inspired chicken burgers

This recipe began life as a chicken ball.  Bursting with flavour, its outward appearance (pale and insipid) did little to promote its culinary virtues.  I saw in it the potential for greater things however and thus set about turning it…