There’s nothing quite like a good cup of freshly brewed coffee to rev up your day. However, coffee has other uses. Not only does it add flavour to desserts and bakes, the liquid and the grounds make an excellent marinade for meat Coffee, like red wine, is acidic and acts a...

Winter is the ideal time to enjoy hearty cheesy, meaty, fishy or vegetable pasta bakes. Comforting and nutritious, they can often be prepared in advance and cooked just before serving. They’re the perfect prepare-ahead meals for family or friends. The origin of lasagne can...

Puddings — as we know them — are distinctly English creations. There is a school of thought that the Roman sausage was a type of pudding, and the Portuguese have their pudimand the Spanish their pudin. However, it was a new style of oven which...

According to my American friend Susan, the newest dinner craze in California is one of the oldest standbys — the meatloaf. This summer she has been barbecuing meatloaves but says they’re popular sliced cold in sandwiches the next day so occasionally pops one in the o...

The Fourth of July is celebrated in the US with a national holiday and families gathering together to enjoy the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776. Food plays an important part. And there’s mothing more American than ‘fruit’ pie. When immigrants arr...

Hundreds of oyster buffs at the recent Coromandel Oyster Festival enjoyed warm and rain-free weather between days of showers and gales. Held at The Mussel Kitchen just south of Coromandel township, organiser Anne Louden said it was a great example of how smaller communities ...

Many of our dishes now embrace Asian flavours with gusto. Gone are the days when we thought ‘fusion food’. Kiwi cooks are creatively and instinctively combining foods and flavours from around the world. A popular new sauce appearing in many recipes is sriracha (see-rotch...

My favourite animal is steak,’ quipped American writer Fran Lebowitz.   And yes, there’s nothing quite like a perfectly grilled beef steak. It’s ‘feel good’ food and it can be dressed up in so many ways — including served with a mushroom, mustard or...