Cooking your own meals at home each evening is cheaper, healthier, and more rewarding than relying on takeaway or microwaveable meals most nights of the week. However, there…
There can be no simpler meal – mushrooms on toast. For many, during autumn, you’ll know where to find some fresh pine or field mushrooms. But if you’re…
It’s garlic, but not as you know it. Rich, dark and delicious, black garlic is an ingredient for the everyday cook to make dishes more interesting, more fun…
So what makes a batch of hot cross buns extra special and are they difficult to bake? The simple answer, we feel, is loads of added flavour and…
There’s nothing as good as the flavour of freshly BBQ corn on the cob, but did you know the same result can be achieved on regular gas stove…
This no-bake cheesecake is one of the most simple and delightful offerings we’ve presented. While it does include some sweetened baked strawberries, this will only take a few…
Master stocks are typically a mix of Asian ingredients beginning with water, soy sauce, rock sugar and Shaoxing or rice wine. Other commonly added spices and flavourings include:…
Sweet and tangy classic lemon tarts with buttery sweet pastry are low cost, easy and delicious treats. Adding to their presentation, we’ve added sweet lemon zest and the…
From its origins in mid-19th-century Russia, Beef Stroganoff has become one of the most popular Russian dishes around the world. Our recipe has its origins in Siberia where…
If you’re lucky enough to be sipping some elegant white wines at home during the COVID-19 lockdown, then this simple recipe makes a good pairing. It can also…
Shortcrust pastry is often used for the base of a tart, quiche or pie. It can be used to make both sweet and savoury pies such as apple…
Have you ever considered the volume of food ingredient-to-price ratio when buying vegetables? Often pumpkins come out on top and more importantly, they’re loaded with a variety of…
These simple and delicious soups offer an energy and emotional lift. Incorporating fresh fruit and vegetables with garden pickled herbs and the added protein of seeds, they’re a…
Borodinsky Bread is one of the most favourite varieties of bread in Russia. This traditional dark-brown sourdough loaf is made of rye and wheat flour, with a pinch…
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of harvesting ripe and fragrant red or black currants, then you’ll know of the rich and spicy-sweet floral aromatics that cover your…
Over the coming weeks and months, Essentials will to continue to support its readers during the COVID-19 crisis with clever food strategies, supportive ideas to share. We’ve now…
Broth, brodo, bouillon – call it what you will; if you think it’s simply for peasants, then I’m here to inform you that you’re wrong, and are missing…
Given the current COVID-19 crisis, it’s rapidly becoming very apparent that money saving recipes – soups, braises, sauces, tarts, preserves, foraged foods and more is going to help…
In terms of cash saving Soviet era recipes, this Belyashi (Russian pan-fried pies) with lecho (pepper ragu) pair is one of the most satisfying and flavoursome we’ve tasted.…
Kefir is fermented milk and an amazing source of probiotics. It offers a pleasing tang and the softness on the tummy comes from the slow fermentation of quality…
So the saying goes, the best chefs enjoy nurturing people – offering care and sustenance to make the body strong and the heart warm. In response to the…
In 2011 artisan baker Louise Ritchie began a heath-focused fascination with natural slow-ferment breads that can make gluten more digestible. Fast forward to 2020: while her artisan loaves…
If you’re a passionate vegetable or fruit grower living in Australia, you might be aware that this summer’s erratic climate has played havoc with vine maturation of gourmet…
Given the changing season, cooler days and easing of summer crowds, now’s a good time take the drive to Victoria’s glamours Mornington Peninsula. While inland Red Hill winery…
Few desserts entertain better than a decadent cheesecake bursting with colour and natural fragrances. They may look tricky but we’ll let you in on a secret… they’re a…
The Queen Garnet plum is considered by many the crown jewel of Australian plums. Jam-packed with seven times more antioxidants than other plum varieties, the Queen Garnet is…
Barcelona is a city that feels and appears alive in every sense of the word. Entangled, connected, moving, energetic, in so many ways an uplifting gift. Streets leading…
TFE Hotels and Hume Partners Property will launch Australia’s very first cross-laminated timber (CLT) hotel and the tallest timber adaptive-reuse project in the country, Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne…
Founded by Matt and Lentil Purbrick (of Grown and Gathered) in partnership with Matt’s father head winemaker Alister Purbrick of Central Victoria’s Tahbilk winery; Minimum is a new…
Essentials’ Megan Chalmers unleashes a decadent dessert – Poached Fruit Crostata Tart with Lemon Ricotta Ice cream – the perfect accompaniment to the changing summer-to-autumn season. Poached Seasonal…