Caponata
Serve it with pasta, on its own, or as part of a charcuterie board; in Sicily caponata goes with everything. I think breakfast time was the only time we weren’t served this sweet and sour eggplant dish. Every restaurant and nona has their own recipe, resulting in different degrees of sweetness. After asking almost everyone […]
Spiced Paneer + Oyster Mushroom Skewers with Fresh Mint Sauce
Words and images by Emma Galloway Veggie skewers can all too often be a lacklustre combination of vegetables, charred and then served as is. But with a little bit of love, they can be flavour-packed meals in their own right. I’ve given oven and frying pan options for cooking, but they can also be popped […]
Apricot and Almond Slice
Recipe Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images Ashlee DeCaires This is a lovely light cake perfect for a summer picnic or a dessert to serve at your next BBQ. When apricots are no longer in season you can replace the fresh versions with tinned – I love the Delphi24 ones from Vetro. Black Doris plums would also be […]
Ceviche
Recipe Harriet Boucher, Images Ashlee DeCaires Serve this ceviche as a starter for your alfresco summer dinner after a day’s fishing. Adjust the lime juice to your preference – don’t let it overpower the sweetness of the melon. 2 cups watermelon, cubed (about a 600–700g wedge) 400–500g white fish, cubed 1 small shallot, finely diced […]
Amaretto Semifreddo with Moscato Apricots
Recipes Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images Ashlee DeCaires Semifreddo means semi frozen, and while I don’t want to say it’s a cheat’s version of ice cream, it is a heck of a lot easier and you don’t need a machine to make it. I’ve poached the apricots in moscato, a light sweet summery wine, or you could […]
Panelle
Words Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images Ashlee Decaires I recently returned from our Taste of Sicily tour (2023) where we enjoyed such amazing food. Many of the dishes that stood out were ridiculously simple, and panelle was a great example of this. We enjoyed it freshly fried standing in the bustling market of Palermo as well as […]
Frangipane Christmas Mince Pinwheels
These are a twist on tradition mince pies. Frangipane 120g butter, softened ½ cup sugar 1 egg 1 tbs flour 1 cup ground almonds 1 tsp almond essence (optional) 2 cups of Christmas mince (store bought or homemade) 4 sheets of ready rolled pastry Make the frangipane by creaming the butter and sugar together until […]
Cheers to Champagne
Words Vicki Ravlich-Horan Images Ashlee DeCaires If you are looking for authentic French fare, La Cave on Riverlea Road in Hamilton is the place to go. From foie gras to escargot, pastries to cheese and chocolates, plus wine, of course. And you can’t get any more French than Champagne! We popped in to check out […]
Raspberry & Orange Shrub
Words and Images by Emma Galloway I don’t drink alcohol, so I’m always playing around with alcohol-free beverages that still have a celebratory air about them. Fruit shrubs (aka drinking vinegars) are one I turn to throughout the year, using all manner of seasonal fruit and flavourings. Here I’ve kept it simple with raspberries and […]
Grinding Out Waste
Excelso coffee have long been on a path of reducing their waste, be it sewing the sacks the coffee beans come in into cool reusable bags and aprons or encouraging their clients to ditch the single use coffee cups, they are always looking for new ways to lessen their environmental impact. But what about the […]