Marzipan
Stollen with Marzipan baked into its CentreOne of my favourite Christmas foods is marzipan, which is something I grew up with in the UK and is intimately connected with my ideas of Christmas along with turkey, fruit cake, Brandy butter and cardamon- and...
Autumn in the Garden
I'm part of a Coromandel Writers' Group that is working on seasonal writing, as part of the Calendars Project, run by the University of Bergen with Dr. Scott Bremer. Here's one of the pieces I've written for it, which I hope you enjoy. What season is happening for...
Chia Seed Pudding
When I’m eating on the run, I often look for chia seed pudding on the menu. It’s healthy (seemingly a superfood packed with protein, fibre, antioxidants, calcium and omega-3s) and it’s so easy to snack on - fruity, sweet and a lovely even creamy texture. If you like...
Koftas
Koftas are meatballs, made with onion and the fragrant spices of the Middle East and one of the wide range of foods from that part of the world that have now become more common in our diets - think pita bread, hummus, olives, dates, sumac, mint and yoghurt.So, all of...
Chipotle Ribs with Roast Corn
Got some friends or whanau coming over this summer? Why not make pork ribs?Think about that tender meat falling off the bone, crunchy bits from the grill or barbie, tangy and sticky with sauce? There’s not much to do to make this tasty meal – in fact you could cook...
Anyone for a Gin?
Do you know we have our very own gin distillery here on the Coromandel Peninsula?As the days get longer and warmer, I do enjoy a gin and tonic on the deck… there is something about a long gin that is very thirst quenching on a humid day, isn’t there? It’s the...
Beef brisket
The new owners of our local butchery are the lovely Matt and Chelsie. Chatting the other day, we agreed it can be tricky to cook a less-familiar cut of meat, so they are providing the meat and I am providing the expertise... starting with beef brisket.It’s a meat...
Finding time for yourself as a parent
I've recently got a job writing for Natural Parent Magazine. Thinking back on when my son was a pre-schooler has been great fun (and a bit nostalgic!) Here's the first of the articles I've written, which I hope you enjoy. Having young children is all-consuming… every...
Visit my art studio (virtually!)
Debs looks at a piece of Damar Gum in her art studio Another Arts Tour has just successfully finished in Coromandel. I had a great tour this year selling paintings, books and cards. For those of you who couldn't visit, I've made a video showing you around - just...
Coromandel Arts Tour
Te Kouma — recent painting The Arts Tour is coming up again... I've been involved in the Coromandel Arts Tour since 2006. I was part of the group of artists who came together with the vision for an artists' studio tour — this is what I wrote at the time — "If you’ve...