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When we saw The Bavarian Restaurant and Beer Garden my mom was immediately drawn to the idea of eating there. We were meant to be in Austria, and what could bring us closer than traditional food, here in South Africa? The Bavarian Restaurant and Beer Garden The space inside is small, and there are outside … Continue reading The Bavarian Restaurant, Graaff-Reinet
I came up with this caramel ganache recipe as I wanted to use the very last bit of the spiced caramel I had made. If you are going to use store bought caramel you need to ensure that it is totally smooth. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Caramel Ganache ♥ Inspiration on … Continue reading Caramel Ganache
Love Marriage opening lines: In the Ghorami household sex was never mentioned. If the television was on and a kissing-with-tongues scene threatened the chaste and cardamom-scented home, it was swiftly terminated by a flick of the black box. My blurb: Yasmin Ghorani is fulfilling her father's dreams and becoming a Doctor. She has also stepped … Continue reading Love Marriage, Monica Ali
Nothing compares to roasted beets in my opinion. But I am always up for something new. These whole beetroots are boiled and served with a yoghurt sauce. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Whole Beetroots ♥ On Monday I had to go to a specific shop to purchase a particular item. While … Continue reading Whole Beetroots
Amerae Vercueil is a food stylist and photographer which explains why the photographs in Food That Loves You Back are stunning. Plant-based eating is more than just putting vegetables on your plate. It offers the opportunity to experiment with different flavours and textures, and discover how a single vegetable can be transformed into a multitude of … Continue reading Food That Loves You Back
This recipe for caramelized shallots and anchovies has the perfect balance between sweet and salty. The term agrodolce comes to mind when I think of the flavour combination. The sauce is great for any ridged pasta such as rigatoni or garganelli and is finished with fresh parsley and Parmesan. To be more authentic it can … Continue reading Caramelized Shallots And Anchovies
Jailhouse Lawyer opening line: I wasn't present at the courthouse in Erva, Alabama, on that morning in June, when events unfolded that would suck me into the undertow of Douglas County. My blurb: Martha's primary concern is her son. And when her company forces her hand, she finds what seems to be the ideal job. … Continue reading Jailhouse Lawyer, James Patterson & Nancy Allen
I would love to experiment with fresh yuzu, but this is a citrus fruit we do not get here. There are always egg whites in my freezer so I used them to make this yuzu angel food cake with dried zest. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Yuzu Angel Food Cake ♥ I … Continue reading Yuzu Angel Food Cake
To make garganelli you need a wooden board with ridges, as well as a small rolling stick. This tube shaped pasta is similar to penne and the ridges carry the pasta sauce. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Garganelli ♥ Dave and I watch MasterChef UK which is amazing. The format is fantastic, … Continue reading Garganelli Made From Two-Sided Striped Pasta
Unholy Murder opening line: The yellow JCB digger was backhoeing a deep trench for the concrete foundations to be laid. My blurb: Nick Durham seems like a nice man, and could be the perfect partner for Jane. But Detective Tennison is investigating his father. And she cannot let her personal life get in the way … Continue reading Unholy Murder, Lynda La Plante
I used my own method to make the spinach egg dough from The Pasta Man. It was wonderful to work with and I really enjoyed using it for patterned pastas. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Spinach Egg Dough ♥ If you have ever been to hospital you will know there are standard … Continue reading Spinach Egg Dough
De Camdeboo Restaurant is the onsite dining facility at The Drostdy Hotel in Graaff-Reinet. The dining area is stunningly appointed. With a formal atmosphere that lends itself to the amazing meals and fine wines you will experience. De Camdeboo Restaurant The restaurant boasts an interesting wine list, supporting the Old Vines Project. If you cannot … Continue reading De Camdeboo Restaurant, Graaff-Reinet
I love the method that Ellie Goulding has used for her Orange And Almond Cake. An entire orange is cooked until soft, and then used, peel and all. Zero wastage for a healthy sweet treat! Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Orange And Almond Cake ♥ About 15 years ago, my Doctor prescribed … Continue reading Orange And Almond Cake
Fear No Evil opening line: Matthew Butler cocked his head to one side, considering the big-boned blonde in front of him. Read an extract: She was handcuffed and shackled to a heavy oak chair bolted into the concrete floor beneath bright fluorescent lights. If the woman was anxious about her predicament, she wasn’t showing it … Continue reading Fear No Evil, James Patterson
Expect a glut of pasta recipes from me while I work my way through The Pasta Man. I am trying to recreate Mateo's cover photo but I am not having much success. The first pasta I made was this rich egg dough. The egg yolks make this an extremely pliable dough. Head straight on to the … Continue reading Rich Egg Dough
The Drostdy Hotel in Graaff-Reinet has to be one of the most luxurious places we have stayed in locally. A totally fantastic place which can be the perfect stop over if you are heading from Gauteng to the Western Cape or vice-versa. The Drostdy Hotel The original hotel has been transformed into a boardroom, reading … Continue reading Drostdy Hotel, Graaff-Reinet South Africa
When I was sent a signed copy of The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adrià, I was immediately drawn to the recipe for Crema Catalana. The book contains the meals he fed his staff at elBulli and from these, Dave and I have chosen one entire meal to make. A lot of the ingredients … Continue reading Crema Catalana
Black Cake opening lines: He should have known it would come to this. He should have known the day that hak gwai wife of his ran away from home. My blurb: Benny's mom could surf waves most men would steer away from. The water was her friend, but it also held her secrets. Now Benny is … Continue reading Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson
The secret ingredient in this chocolate fudge cake is freshly made espresso. It added a richness of flavour and the cake stayed super moist for a week. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Chocolate Fudge Cake ♥ I use quite an expensive razor blade that for years was sold online at a 3-for-2 … Continue reading Chocolate Fudge Cake
Ellie Goulding, in her book Fitter.Calmer.Stronger, has a great resource on how to go about making your own smoothie, which I am sharing with you. Ellie is devoted to smoothies and suggests that you only use herbs in a green smoothie. I went ahead and just randomly picked what to use, and I was quite … Continue reading Make Your Own Smoothie
