I was saddened this week to learn of the gas explosion at Denise Acabo's legendary A l'Etoile d'Or confectionary shop in Paris - on Valentine's Day. Denise Acabo at A L'Etoile d'OrL'Etoile d'Or is renowned for stocking only the very best from all over France, and recipes for many of the traditional French sweets and handcrafted chocolates date back to the 19th-century. A L'Etoile d'OrI'm so glad that Denise, who is as sweet as her shop, is okay. Let's hope that she has support to rebuild and that the forced closure of this adorable little spot near the Moulin Rouge is ...
On the Adelaide Fringe Parade
What a month it has been in Adelaide with record heatwaves followed by floods! Rain was still falling steadily on Friday afternoon just hours before the Fringe Parade was scheduled to start, the air heavy with uncertainty. An event that takes months to organise and attracts up to 40,000 people, we all had our fingers crossed that the parade would go ahead. I was especially anxious as my daughter Georgi was Production Coordinator for the event!The vibrant Fringe Parade kicks off the Adelaide Fringe, an annual, open-access arts festival that runs over four weeks during February and March and ushers ...
On Vintage Menus
This past week has been like wading through a never-ending Chinese menu. You know the sort - with an overwhelming number of dishes to choose from and too many decisions to make, your mind boggles with options and possibilities. If only someone could swiftly order an entire Chinese banquet so that I can just get on with the pleasurable act of eating!But as the French say 'on ne peut pas faire d'omelette sans casser les oeufs' (you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs) and soon my scrambled life will be in order. Boxes will be emptied, the barrage of email correspondence and opportunities ...
To Have and to Hold
It's just over a week ago that I held my new book in my hands, head in the clouds, my heart filled with joy. This week, however, I have arrived back down to earth with a thud. Instead of holding fresh hopes and possibilities, I have spent my days clutching heavy boxes filled with the trappings of my life - some awfully heavy.For the past seven months all of my worldly possessions have been packed tight in a giant shipping container parked in the middle of a dry, barren paddock. It's a ridiculous sight and about as far away as you ...
Delicious Days in Paris
Look what I got in my hot little hands yesterday, just in time for my birthday!Even more reason to celebrate....Out for Mother's Day Jane Paech with Delicious Days in Paris
On Jubilee George
As a child, I found such unexpected pleasure in the rambling vegetable patch that burgeoned just outside the kitchen door, pulling carrots for dinner and watching the Queensland Blue pumpkins swell. The veggie patch, however, was often the bane of my mother’s life, and I can still see her flying through the kitchen door violently flapping her tea-towel and calling out ‘you brute’.George was the culprit, our pet sheep.An animal of formidable character and cunning, George was no ordinary sheep. One day, the rams followed him into the garden and started to chase him. He quickly led them towards the ...
A Fork in the Road: Tales of Food, Pleasure & Discovery
In the snatch of tranquil summer days between Christmas and New Year the world seems to wind down to a gentle breeze and there's no better time to loll about with a new book. Over the past couple of days, accompanied by crumbly bites of shortbread and numerous cups of tea, I have been wrapped up in Lonely Planet’s newly released A Fork in the Road: Tales of Food, Pleasure & Discovery on the Road, a Christmas gift from my girls along with Carla Coulson’s Naples A Way of Love.A Fork in the Road combines my two favourite genres, food ...
On Christmas Traditions
I don't usually reblog, but in the spirit of Christmas, today I am making an exception. The Nutcracker is a treasured family tradition and this post is a recent entry from my daughter's blog, 1001 Children’s Books You Should Read Before You Grow Up. Georgi has given herself the challenge of reading as many of these classic tales as she can before she grows up (much more). I hope you all have a happy holiday season filled with your own treasured traditions that will, in time, become precious memories.
A Magical December in Paris
Baby it's cold outside but if you're lucky enough to be in Paris right now there are plenty of things to do and see to warm the cockles of your heart. December is an enchanting time to visit, when the City of Light transforms into a magical winter wonderland and Christmas is just around the corner. Rug up, take an evening stroll through the streets and marvel at the Christmas trees that twinkle from apartment windows and foyers. Grab a warm crêpe sprinked with lemon and sugar and soak up the festive atmosphere as you pass plush hotels - their doors and archways ...
Deck the Halls at Port Elliot
By the time we deck the halls and stuff the stockings, Christmas and summer holidays will be upon us. Cricket fans have arrived for The Ashes and shoppers have converged on city stores as Adelaide falls into Christmas madness. It’s enough to make you want to hit the road and take in a deep breath of seaside air!A super little spot to escape to for a day, a weekend or a breezy summer break is Port Elliot, just an hour’s drive from Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula. With an old-world feel this laid-back little village near Horseshoe Bay is, surprisingly, ...