View From from the Hill: The city skyline view is sharply lit in the ice-chilled early winter morning sun. Directly below, from the third floor Apartment 30, cars whizz…
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…
Famous for its Gross National Happiness (GNH) – a philosophy that guides the government of Bhutan – Six Senses, one of the world’s leading operators of luxury hotels,…
Situated among Southbank’s big city brands like Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Sake and Rockpool, a quiet achieving Argentinian-inspired eatery has popped up amongst the glam. It’s the new flavour…
She’s been considered a bright new shining light in Aboriginal art, yet only a few art curators and collectors have ever seen her paintings. At 32 years of…
As the Whitsundays’ newest resort Elysian Retreat Long Island opens for business this week, we celebrate by sharing one of their in-house specialties: a Plated Prawn Cocktail with…
Designed to win over even the fussiest of gourmet guests, this Chocolate Fondant with cacao jelly and chocolate crumble is a winning and decadent dessert . Chocolate Fondant Makes…
It’s been a long focus of Essentials to celebrate the many landmark icons of Melbourne, Australia – its sensational cafés, historic restaurants and art galleries; including its people:…
There’s something I just love about Andy Pye’s work. He paints with a style that is sometimes unusual, and often highly accomplished – delivering beautiful and striking work…
Modern Siberia has arrived, embracing culinary flourishes from as far afield as France. Essentials discovers one of a new breed in Siberia’s capital city, Novosibirsk. Pardon My French,…
Preheat oven to 160C 500g sweet pastry (see recipe below) 750g frangipane ¼ cup good quality fig jam 10 ripe fresh figs, thinly sliced Poached figs and fresh…
500g caster sugar 1 tbsp liquid glucose 400ml water 2 tbsp gelatine powder 2 egg whites 2 tsp vanilla bean paste Icing sugar for dusting Method 1. Line…
In terms of making its mark on the Australian wine market, things have come a long way for the King Valley over the past twenty years. Today the…
Melbourne-based chef Alejandro Saravia says he was inspired by Frank Camorra’s approach of introducing authentic Spanish cuisine to Australia, and felt confident to introduce true Peruvian cuisine -…
Each month Hot Plates Australia – Coast-to-Coast takes a look at some of the most exciting dishes around the nation, created by some of our top chefs. Autumn…
Black garlic is garlic that has been naturally transformed to change not just its colour and texture but also its flavour. Gone is the pungent tang, replaced with…
In late 2018 Mansfield winemaker Ros Ritchie opened a new Cellar Door and Function Centre within the historic Magnolia House – a late 1800s American Victorian-era kit home that…
The midday sun is delightfully warm, never scorching; the air is softly humid. Sweet scents drift in the sea breeze and bright colours are everywhere. From the layered…
Finely milled roasted wattleseed is a wonderful ingredient in ice cream. Flavour extraction is via hot, not boiling water, similar to a plunger coffee. The wattleseed presents an…
Among the fields of milk thistle breathing salt sea air, Sailor’s Grave might well be Australia’s most lonesome brewery; however upon launching in 2016, partners Chris and Gabrielle…
Essentials takes a bite of The Big Apple and surrounds. When the sun shines in the northern hemisphere, both NYC and regional NY chefs keep the plates fresh, clean…
If you’re a fan of modernist sculpture, and can cast your mind back far enough (if you’re old enough I guess), you might recall a painted steel sculpture…
Crêpes are not as complex to make as one might think. These very thin and delicate French variations of the humble pancake can be quickly and easily poured,…
There’s something inexplicably powerful about Empire – an art installation project that has transformed the 1930s Dandenong Ranges mansion Burnham Beeches into a living, breathing arts organism of…
If you’re a little afraid of not knowing exactly how to cook fresh octopus and are concerned about spending big dollars on a complex cooking mistake, then don’t…
Artisan dairy producer Andre Kogut, for the past 12 years, has been making premium organic cheeses at his Blue Bay dairy in Mornington, south of Melbourne. Products include…
Arriving in 1951 from Paris, Mirka and Georges Mora transformed the Melbourne food and art scene. Their cafés and restaurants offered sophisticated food and their Tolarno art gallery…
Bondi Beach Opals, Fossils and Minerals is one retail discovery we’re truly excited about. Having opened a little over a year ago it presents possibly the very best…
There was a buzz about Bridge Road Brewers when they first opened in a shed behind a house near the old stone bridge over Newtown Falls way back…
New Australian hotel group Veriu is carving out a fine niche in the boutique accommodation market. We check in, to check out, the ‘millennial modern meets 1920s Hollywood’…