♥ a food, travel and lifestyle blog ♥
3 Days to Live opening lines: My life felt like a dream. I guess that happens when you elope, hop on a plane, drift off to sleep, and wake up in a foreign country. My blurb: Samantha Bell is a former CIA agent, who gave up her job to marry Kevin Drexel. But all she … Continue reading 3 Days to Live, James Patterson
March 2023 went by in a flash! We enjoyed two lots of local motor racing, and both the Formula 1 and MotoGP seasons started this month. Friends of ours from Knysna came to stay for 3 nights, and we enjoyed good food, good wine, and great company. I also went on a mission to find … Continue reading March 2023 Showcasing In My Kitchen
It's All About the Food embodies Estelle's philosophy that "where and how I buy is as much a part of the story as what I cook". This resonates with me so much and made me excited to dive right into her cookbook. Author Estelle Sacharowitz reveals that she thinks about food all the time. ‘And … Continue reading It’s All About The Food
Dave has salad for lunch everyday at work, and to take it from boring to extra-ordinary, I made these toasted seeds. They add a nice bit of crunch to the salad leaves. And I can play around with the spices for different flavours. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Toasted Seeds ♥ Once … Continue reading Toasted Seeds
Private Beijing opening line: The lights of Beijing, city of twenty-two million souls, stretched as far as the eye could see and shimmered and danced in the July heat, adding a touch of magic to the darkness. My blurb: Jack Morgan believes in putting his people first, ahead of his own safety and security. So … Continue reading Private Beijing, James Patterson
Did you know that the word chai means tea? And therefore, calling it chai tea does not make sense? You may hear the term masala chai which denotes the tea is made with spices. My recipe calls for black tea, water and honey for sweetening. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Chai ♥ … Continue reading Chai
This yoghurt bundt cake has a delightful nutty layer using pecan nuts and cinnamon. The cake was so good that I made it twice. And it lasts a week which is great if there are only two of you enjoying it. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ ♥ Last month I got an … Continue reading Yoghurt Bundt Cake
The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days Of Christmas opening line: What is the worst present you have ever received for Christmas? My blurb: What would you do if the twelve days of Christmas were sent to you? I mean, what could one possibly do with ten lords-a-leaping if they do not speak English? And what … Continue reading The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas
You may have realized I was working my way towards this recipe for Agnolotti Ripieni Di Ragù? I made so much of the pork neck ragu that it seemed the logical place to use half of the batch was in a filled pasta. And as I had promised to do so when I made the … Continue reading Agnolotti Ripieni Di Ragù
You need two days to make this pressed pork belly, even though it does not need much of your attention. Most of the time is taken up in the oven and the fridge. The result is truly restaurant worthy and will impress your dinner guests. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Pressed Pork … Continue reading Pressed Pork Belly
Dark Vector opening line: Jun Chu stood on the deck of a three-masted junk given the auspicious name Silken Dragon. My blurb: Yan has been coerced into completing her ex-husbands’ mission. She wanted nothing to do with the criminal life he led, but now she has no choice. Her mother and child are being held … Continue reading Dark Vector, Graham Brown
I so enjoyed how the pork neck came out when I made melanzane that I decided to make a large batch of pork neck ragu. Some was enjoyed with hand cut pasta, and the rest was used to make agnolotti. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Pork Neck Ragu ♥ When I booked … Continue reading Pork Neck Ragu
I love having a few bottles of Salsa Di Pomodoro in my fridge. It means when I don't have time I have pasta sauce ready to go. And it can be used for making casseroles or adding to a curry in a hurry. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Salsa Di Pomodoro ♥ … Continue reading Salsa Di Pomodoro
While reviving my sourdough starter I baked these sourdough ciabatta breadsticks. They don't need a very active and lively starter and they need to be eaten within 24 hours of baking. They are very addictive as you can just tear small pieces off everytime you walk past. So that way you don't feel like you … Continue reading Sourdough Ciabatta Breadsticks
I woke up this morning and realised February 2023 was done and dusted. And I had not even scheduled, or typed up my #IMK post. That really is not like me at all. But with continuous rolling blackouts which are affecting us at work, I am well behind in a lot of things. Nonetheless, we … Continue reading February 2023 Showcasing In My Kitchen
Dave and I had an amazing dinner at Chorus two months ago. The Restaurant at Waterkloof holds many special memories for us, and I am so glad that we will be able to continue making them at the restaurant in the sky. Now run by Bertus Basson, the focus is on seasonal cooking, where the … Continue reading Chorus At Waterkloof, Somerset West
I tested this recipe for cold oven sourdough bread a few times. First off, I wanted to make sure the actual bread would work so I used my normal baking method. This meant putting the bread into the oven to get the perfect oven spring, and then turning the heat down. The result was a … Continue reading Cold Oven Sourdough Bread
Last year I made a batch of this cranberry semifreddo. We had the kids over for dinner and I had not the time to make dessert. This is unusual for me, but the very reason I keep ice cream in one form or another in the freezer. Hannah enjoyed it so much she asked for … Continue reading Cranberry Semifreddo
Hellburner opening lines: "That's his third course correction, sir," Santos said. "There's no doubt he's chasing us." My blurb: Sokratis Katrakis has done everything he can to ensure the world thinks he is dead. But his old time business partner, David Hakobyan is well aware he is still alive. The Armenian lives a life most … Continue reading Hellburner, Mike Maden
It is a bit strange to use a French cheese in an Italian dish. But it works so well that I really encourage you to make this brie and tomato pasta. It is simple to prepare and the only thing that takes time is marinating the tomatoes and cheese. Head straight on to the Recipe … Continue reading Brie And Tomato Pasta
