'Somehow I was never told that rhubarb was good for me, so I grew up loving it. I loved its beautiful rose-pink colour, its sharp and surprising flavour, and the way I could trail a spoonful of proper custard through my bowl of rhubarb and admire the patterns I made.' It is with great pleasure that I welcome my friend, Helene Dsouza, food blogger at Masala Herb, to Good Things. Helene's blog is a melting pot of global dishes: Austrian, French, Indian and fusion; and is a visual and culinary feast. You will find recipes as diverse as Semolina Dumplings (Grießknödel); French Yogurt cake (Gateau au yaourt); and Red Spinach stir fry (Tambdi Bhaji). Helene was born in Austria and her family has both French and Austrian origins. After graduating from hotel management and commerce studies in Salzburg, Helene decided to take a break, spread her wings and travel to India. It was there that she met her husband and they live in Goa, which is (according to Lonely Planet) 'a tiny, glorious slice of India hugging the country’s western coastline and bounded by the Arabian Sea'. In this guest post, Helene shares her recipe for a mushroom and pea pulao. Now, over to Helene... 'Cheese courses are too often overlooked, which is a crime when you have [such good] camembert. Half the cheeses were split lengthways and layered with the earthy lushness of local truffles, while the others were drizzled with honey and thyme before being baked. Both lifted the already beautiful cheeses, but for me the oozing joy of the baked version was really hard to beat.' With the approach of the festive season, I'm literally tickled pink to share this recipe for creamy coconut ice with you — mainly because it's the best, creamiest coconut ice I have ever tasted and I know that once you've tried it you and your taste buds will love it too! 'I am absolutely in love with the south of Italy. It really is the soul and the spirit of the country. I’m talking about Siciliy, Campania of which Naples if the capital, Basilicata, Puglia, those sorts of areas, around the boot, the heel, the instep… and Sicily of course, the island down the bottom. In terms of food and wine, over the last twenty years I have made a personal discovery of those areas and I really can’t get enough of them.' 'I remember the wonder of being a child, when food was always exciting. But that magic I felt as a kid has often disappeared in our adult lives. I want to bring back the wonder of food on a monumental scale, to remind us just how magical food can be... and make us all feel like kids again.' The weatherman turned on a perfect Springtime weekend when more than twenty Canberra Region wineries celebrated the Wine, Roses & all That Jazz Festival recently. The event gave punters such as Peter and myself the opportunity to tour local vineyards and talk with the winemakers, sample a range of outstanding award-winning wines, and indulge in delicious food while relaxing to the sound of music amongst the vines. This weekend I'd like to welcome to Good Things another passionate cook and friend in food, Manuela Zangara from Manu's Menu. I've been following Manuela's blog for some time, as week after week she posts the most inspiring recipes, all beautifully photographed. She has also just published her first ebook of Christmas menus. Manu is married and has two little daughters (6 and 4 years old), and lives in Sydney, Australia, having moved there seven years ago from Milan, Italy. Her husband is of Indian origin, which is why she often presents Indian recipes. When it comes to food, Manuela says her parents are her greatest inspiration. 'Cooking is all about creating memories with your family... that's what my parents did with me and that's what I am keen to do with my little ones,' she tells me. Manuela says her parents are not chefs, but the family used to spend a lot of time in the kitchen together, especially on weekends. Her dad makes the best Sacher torte ever, he doesn't have a very sweet tooth, but apparently he's very good at baking and decorating cakes. What is her favourite food? Manuela says she has so many favourite dishes, but says Lasagne is on top of the list... pure comfort food, she says. It's the dish she makes to cheer herself up when she is down. 'Any kind of lasagne will do (with meat, vegetarian or with pesto)... as long as it has bechamel and cheese, and I am a happy woman,' she laughs. Manuela has kindly stepped in with this sumptuous Good Things guest post and I know you are going to enjoy her recipe for Gelatina di Caffè or coffee jello. Over to you, Manuela... 'At the market, we pick through the fruits and vegetables and choose among cuts of fish and meat with an eye toward finding the best. But all foods bear the blessings of life... All things have a divine radiance. Put that radiance down on the grocery list and remember to look for it.' 'Dearest Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancake, I have a question to ask of you and it is simply this: where have you been all my life?!' |
Welcome...Üdvözölöm
Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion. Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writers and chefs; and news on food, cookbooks and cooking. - Liz Posmyk
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NB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes.
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