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The Invisible Woman opening lines: My name is Elinor Gilbert. And I am the Invisible Woman. No, not the kind that can make a deck of cards look like it's shuffling itself. My blurb: Elinor was the best at what she did, because she could blend in. But, when her boss ends her career, she … Continue reading The Invisible Woman, James Patterson
Packed full of fresh coriander, flat leaf parsley, and a little bit of chives and lemon zest, these hake fish cakes will make for a perfectly simple meal any day of the week. Skip ahead to the recipe for Hake Fish Cakes Hake fishing in South Africa Merluccius capensis is one of our greatest exports, and … Continue reading Hake Fish Cakes
The key to making this confit garlic butter is to cook it low and slow. You want the garlic to be soft to the touch, and you do not want the butter to boil. Once cooled it is blended into a homogeneous compound butter, which can be served as is, or remelted to add on … Continue reading Confit Garlic Butter
One Night in Paris opening lines: It happened to people, this longing, emerging from an unknown void, grabbing the soul with a firm hand, the urge to simply let go and sink to the depths of the ocean. My blurb: Claire is not sure if she is just bored in her marriage, or bored with … Continue reading One Night in Paris, Nina George
These chocolate macadamia biscuits are a healthy, gluten free treat. I made a small batch, but you could easily double up the recipe. They will keep well if stored in an airtight container and make a great lunch box addition for children. Skip ahead to the recipe for Chocolate Macadamia Biscuits When biscuits are good … Continue reading Chocolate Macadamia Biscuits
This chocolate ginger slice is made from a base of condensed milk and chocolate, to which I have added nuts and cookies for texture, candied ginger for spice and dried cherries for something different. Use this recipe as a base and create your own flavour profile. Skip ahead to the recipe for Chocolate Ginger Slice … Continue reading Chocolate Ginger Slice
Exit Strategy opening lines: Nathan Gilmour knew things that other people did not. People, like his coworkers at the Port Administration in Baltimore. My blurb: Usually, Reacher is at the right place, at the right time. But, this time, even though he is at the right place at the right time. He is the wrong … Continue reading Exit Strategy, Lee Child
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is a chocolate based dessert heavy on the cherries. It served as inspiration for my black forest rusks which are full of chocolate and cherries. As I used a sugar free 80% dark chocolate, these are not overly sweet. Skip ahead to the recipe for Black Forest Rusks Full disclosure These rusks did … Continue reading Black Forest Rusks
You will need a lot of patience to make these dried cherries. The total time they take to dehydrate will be anything from 9 hours onwards, depending on the texture you want. I preferred to use them when they were still soft. Skip ahead to the recipe for Dried Cherries Making dried cherries In December, … Continue reading Dried Cherries
Billion Dollar Ransom opening lines: Elizabeth "Boo" Schraeder couldn't help but smile as she settled the tab at her favourite Beverly Hills salon. My blurb: Everything has to go to plan! At the same time, in three different places, five people are going to be kidnapped. But, despite the kidnapper mastermind getting this correct, he … Continue reading Billion Dollar Ransom, James Patterson
Given that we had salami curing in our kitchen, I felt I really had to make the easy cheesy salami bread from Jan Braai Junior! This bread does not need kneading, making it perfect for young hands. The high hydration recipe results in a soft bread, with texture from the meat. Skip ahead to the … Continue reading Cheesy Salami Bread
The heat was relentless for most of February 2026 and I did very little in my kitchen. We had one day of rain which was most welcome for my garden, and the water tank. On Valentines Day I prepared a meal I have been planning a long time. I made ravioli stuffed with burrata and … Continue reading February 2026 Showcasing In My Kitchen
Return of the Spider opening lines: My name is Alex Cross. I have been a criminal psychologist for the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit and am currently working - for the second time in my life - as a homicide detective with the Washing, DC, Metropolitan Police. My blurb: No matter where Alex is right now … Continue reading Return of the Spider
These recipes for comfort food are all about the good stuff. Karl says to be a cook, use your own judgement and not follow his recipes to the tee. It is important to think and use your senses, and this is exactly how I cook. Taste what you cook, while you are cooking it. The … Continue reading The Good Stuff, Karl Tessendorf
The key to making the perfect Maître d'Hotel Butter is to use the finest butter you can find. Once all the ingredients are blitzed together you can shape it into a log and wrap it tightly to use when you need a little oomph on a dish. Perfect to use on any steak, a beautifully … Continue reading Maître d’Hotel Butter
Cross & Sampson opening lines: My best friend, Alex Cross, has been my favourite ride-along ever since he joined the force, and that was a long time ago - before we both sported gray hair. My blurb: Damon Cross is missing, and Alex will move heaven and earth to find him. Bree cannot assist him … Continue reading Cross & Sampson, James Patterson
These candied ginger cookies get texture from the candied ginger slices, and extra heat from ground ginger. I absolutely love the flavour ginger brings to sweet treats, and if you are the same, then these are ideal for you. Skip ahead to the recipe for Candied Ginger Cookies Let's talk about candied ginger A few … Continue reading Candied Ginger Cookies
To have a change from my usual smoothie, I made this berry smoothie from Jan Braai Junior. As Jan suggests, this can be enjoyed in the car which is exactly where I have my smoothie every morning. Skip ahead to the recipe for Berry Smoothie Morning routines Do you have a morning routine? I do, … Continue reading Berry Smoothie
These almond cookies have the most amazing texture, reminiscent of marzipan. The key to the flavour in my opinion is using a very good quality almond extract. Skip ahead to the recipe for Almond Cookies Giving gifts The day I posted about not having to buy gifts for Dave's family, I went gift shopping. One … Continue reading Almond Cookies
These polpette in salsa al limone are baked in the oven for 2 and a half hours. That sounds like an impossibly long time for a meatball, but trust me, they will be perfectly moist. Make a double batch and freeze half for a quick weekday meal. Skip ahead to the recipe for Polpette In … Continue reading Polpette In Salsa Al Limone