Saturday the 17th  November was a great day for the Lyttelton Farmers' Market with its move into the main street  of Lyttelton. The stalls are now spread along London Street on both sides of the road, allowing space  for  buskers and other local artists. On the first Saturday, this created a rea...

  Gruff Junction goat cheese and home-made mascarpone   This appetizing Italian cheese paté flavoured with basil is easy to prepare and makes a decorative centerpiece for the table. The custom of mixing herbs with cheese is a very old one, and often spices were added as well. The combination i...

Now that whitebait are in season, why not try something a bit different (and lighter) than the usual whitebait fritters. The flavour of the whitebait is enhanced by cumin and Toum. They don't overpower the delicate flavour.  200g whitebait 100g plain flour 1½ tablespoons of cumin...

With new garlic arriving in, I have had success making Toum again.  This traditional Lebanese garlic fluffy stuff is heaven, but difficult to make. Unlike mayonnaise, there is no egg to help with the emulsion process and bind everything together. More often than not, you end up with runny garlicy ...