I fly through the gate of Kilkenny Primary School just as the siren blows, sending children scurrying across the grounds to their classrooms. This morning I am on my way to observe a cooking class in the school's kitchen, but pause for a moment to marvel at the vegetable garden. At this time of the year it's brimming with fat cabbages, silver beet, shiny eggplants and broad beans.In Adelaide's western suburbs, Kilkenny Primary was one of the first South Australian schools to roll out The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program. A highly regarded Australian cook, restaurateur and food writer, Stephanie launched the program in ...
On a Fine Lunch at Fino
Just an hour’s drive from Adelaide and a short pedal from the cellar doors of the McLaren Vale wine growing region, Willunga is one of those country towns that inspires a ‘tree change’. Steep green hillsides frame the town, with views through to the sea past orchards and olive groves. Corduroy-ribbed vineyards snake up hills and wood-smoke curls in the air. The vibrant centre itself has a thriving arts community and a jumble of historic stone buildings that house quirky galleries and an array of good eateries.What I find most intriguing is a European provincial feel about the town and surrounds ...
Bobo Cordial & Bottles of Pop
Yesterday, tucked in a deep, dark corner of my mother's kitchen, I stumbled upon a vintage bottle of Bobo The Clown cordial, raspberry extract still inside! Memories flashed back - of scorching summer days in the late '60s and early '70s when my brothers and I would cool off under a sprinkler on the lawn and dash into the house to guzzle a glass or two of Bobo with a homemade biscuit. Reading the label today, however, I was quite taken aback. To make the cordial, the recipe calls for 1.5 kg of sugar to be dissolved in two litres of boiling water, the syrup is then cooled and ...
On The Loose Caboose
This week, quite by chance, I am continuing the theme of trains and trams. A couple of days ago I met my friend Susie for brunch at a quirky cafe right on the train line in the up-and-coming inner west. For visitors to Adelaide and those sans transport it takes a mere 5 minutes to ride the Grange or Outer Harbor line from the city just one stop to Bowden. The platform itself is a little grungy but it soon fades in your mind when you enter into the restored, heritage-listed railway station, now the light and airy Loose Caboose.Alternatively, and perhaps an easier option, is to hop on the free city tram that glides ...
A Whale of a Winter
Mention Victor Harbor to any South Australian and evoke fond memories of fish and chips on the beach, dripping ice creams and trips on the horse-drawn tram across to Granite Island, home to a colony of fairy penguins.Just over an hour’s drive south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula, ‘Victor’ has been a popular seaside holiday destination and weekend getaway for generations, while the surrounding Encounter Coastline offers a growing number of attractions.A few kilometres east of Victor the small seaside village of Port Elliot has an old-world feel and a number of charming boutiques, antique shops and cafes. It is also a popular base for walkers and cyclists, ...
On Deleted Scenes of Paris
So very often as a writer I reluctantly pull back text that I'm attached to in order to make it fit snugly on the pages, or to comply with a tight word count for an article in a travel magazine. Mostly, these extra words are superfluous to the story and sadly, have to go, whether interesting or not. Over the past few days I have been so absorbed working on an edit that I wondered what on earth I was going to blog about this week until it suddenly occured to me that, in fact, I have a growing pile of material that has never seen the light of day.A lot of ...
On Cultured Blue Vein Butter
When my friend Gilly, Food Manager at the Sticky Rice Cooking School, told me she was asked to source some Blue Butter from Woodside Cheese Wrights for a chicken, olive and preserved lemon tagine, and that the requesting chef was raving about this new product, I was intrigued.The award-winning Cheesery based in the Adelaide Hills is well known for its delectable range of artisan cheese made from milk sourced from small, local dairies, but their foray into butter is relatively new. Determined to get my hands on a pat, I arrived early at the Showground Farmers' Market on Sunday morning to snaffle a block to take home and slather on a fresh loaf of ...
Delivering Goodness with OzHarvest
I zip up my OzHarvest jacket on this cold Friday afternoon and wait with anticipation until it's time to jump in the truck. Today, I am joining Tim as he drives around the city picking up and 'delivering goodness', experiencing first-hand how this wonderful charity works. OzHarvest touches the lives of thousands of Australians by rescuing excess food that would otherwise be thrown out, and redistributes it to local agencies that support the vulnerable. The national statistics are astounding with 35 tonnes of excess food collected each week and delivered to over 500 charities. OzHarvest operates across Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide - where it began operation two ...
On Travelling Light & the Gift of Chocolate
While in the process of looking for a new apartment, I have been living a rather vagabond existance, migrating between my daughter's apartment in the East End and my parent's place on the coast. Secretly, I am enjoying the freedom. There is something incredibly liberating about having 'no fixed address', no baggage to weigh you down and room to dream about all sorts of possibilities. Stripping oneself of material possessions brings a lightness of being, and some of my happiest times have been when I lived out of a suitcase.Another thing I am enjoying in this transient state is the stories around the dinner table with my parents. My father ...
On Crêpes & Carpe Diem
Le Carpe DiemThere are surprisingly few French cafés and restaurants in Adelaide so when my daughter Georgi excitedly told me that an authentic French crêperie had opened up in the East End, just a couple of streets from her apartment, I couldn’t wait to visit. Yesterday morning, I finally made it to Le Carpe Diem with my youngest daughter Anni, who has already made it her 'local'.We are greeted with a round of friendly bonjours and the sweet smell of French pastries: pains au chocolat, croissants and sticky pains aux raisins. The two storey crêperie is cosy and pretty with an ...