Serves 8 I’ve always enjoyed reading novels that tell stories of French country living, featuring quirky characters who are quintessentially French. I’ve been intrigued by this slow, sometimes hard, way of life where things are done “just so” and pride is part of every bit of French produce or dish that is prepared. Imagine my…

Serves 8 to 10 Nothing says love quite like rose petals so why not spoil your loved one with this show-stopping dessert this Valentine’s Day. This pavlova is much easier to make than you would imagine.   Here’s what goes in: For the meringue: 5 egg whites 280g of castor sugar 1 teaspoon of baking…

Serves 4-6 The weekend is a good time to cook some slow food. Perfect for this Melanzane Parmigiana which requires some preparation time. I’ve put this on the blog before, but I’m bringing it back up to the top as a meat free dish which I’m promoting on my Instagram page this week – “7…

Pavlovas make such an impressive dessert and I love how versatile they are- you can leave out the chocolate and change this to vanilla flavours instead, allowing you change toppings to things like passion fruit or lemon curd. But today we’re all about the chocolate, which I thought would be a perfect Sunday treat! Here’s…

This is a Jamie Oliver inspired recipe. I was reading “Jamie Cooks Italy” this weekend, digging deep for some carbo-loading inspiration ahead of the 94.7 cycle challenge. Fascinated by the unusual combination of ingredients, and the fact that I had several enormous fennel bulbs in my garden, I decided to give it a try, with…

My blog has suffered many interruptions this year, mostly because I’ve been busy putting my recipes together in a book. I’m delighted to share that “Pink Gin and Fairy Cakes” has been published and I’ll be selling it at the Kingsmead Christmas Market this week Thursday. This market is a must on your Christmas shopping…

Here’s a quick pasta sauce that you can make without too much time or effort. Perfect for a Monday, especially if you’ve joined the #meatfreemonday movement! Here’s what goes in: 2 tins of chopped, peeled tomatoes half a cup of chopped red and yellow peppers half a teaspoon of crushed garlic half an onion, chopped…

It’s International Champagne Day… and it’s Friday! So you have 2 very good reasons to drink some bubbly! This is my Champagne Float, made by adding a strawberry and champagne sorbet to your glass of bubbles. Refreshing and delicious on a hot summer’s day! Here’s what goes in: 250g of strawberries, washed and chopped 1…

Milk Tart is a uniquely South African dish deliciously loaded with milk and sugar – in this case, condensed milk! This particular recipe, while perhaps perceived to be cutting corners, is in no way inferior. Tennis biscuits, condensed milk and reduced cooking time for busy moms … need I say more? Here’s what goes in:…