In the 10 years that we have been at Taste, the biggest change in cooking trends is the resurgence of home baking.
Give or take a few, there are more than 40,000 varieties of rice in the world so if you are finding the results of a dish don’t seem right, you are probably using the wrong rice.
by Mourad Lahlou. This treasure of a book teaches the fundamental building blocks of Moroccan cooking.
Long lazy summer days often mean an endless diet of barbecues, green salads and crusty bread which while fantastic in December, all start to taste the same by February.
Nothing epitomises the taste of summer like a home-grown tomato. What flavour, what perfume and what colour! Is it a fruit or vegetable though? That depends on who you are asking.
2011
Festive fare - December
Christmas traditions and customs differ from country-to-country and in new world countries such as New Zealand, they also seem to differ from family-to-family as we come to terms with making a religious winter festival into a summer one.
Who invented ice cream? - November
It is hard to imagine life, summer in particular, without this universal treat. The first frozen dessert is credited to Rome’s Emperor Nero.
School holiday cooking - October
One of the easiest ways to entertain young ones in the school holidays is in the kitchen, but finding an economic and healthy option is often not so easy.
Dependable carrots - September
My biggest food epiphany was the discovery of vegetables on my first visit to Italy.
Recipe: Cooked Carrot Salad
Easy Mexicano snack - August
This winter, we have discovered how easy it is to make quesadillas at home (or in the shop for a warm lunch).
A true Neapolitan Pizza - July
Flat dough baked in a coal oven or on hot stones in one form or another belongs to every culture, but it is Italy’s pizza that is universally known and enjoyed.
Baked Penne and Mushrooms - June
Spicing up a winter favourite - May
All of us here at Taste love to get new food products to try out and last month it was an Ethiopian spice mix Berbere (pronounced ber-ber-ray).
Easter indulgence - April
For those of you who are unfortunate enough not to be chocoholics, cupcakes are a good substitute as they can be decorated to suit any occasion.
Recipe: Ann’s Vanilla Cupcakes
Seasonal Change - March
Autumn is definitely my favourite season of the year.
Spicy Chicken Casserole with Sweet Peppers
Berry delicious - February
This is a good time of the year to try some new ideas for lunch boxes.
Recipe: Dried Cranberry and Cinnamon Friands
Back to the future - January
Recently my husband was given a Weber barbecue and he is now literally obsessed with cooking on charcoal.
Recipe: Roast chicken
2010
Taste of Morocco - December
Traditional Moroccan one-pot cooking recipes are ideal for summer as they tend to be aromatic, syrupy, zesty and spicy with a freshness that provides a welcome relief from a traditional kiwi barbecue on hot humid nights.
Recipe: Tagine of spicy kefta with lemon
Beef to go - November
Homemade burgers are a favourite meal at our house, either done simply for the family or poshed up with specialty breads and fancy butters for entertaining.
Recipe: Mike’s favourite beef burger
A complex vinegar - October
Balsamic vinegar (aceto balsamico) is traditionally made from a reduction of cooked white grape juice and is not a vinegar in the usual sense.
Recipe: Mantuan Chicken
French renaissance - September
To the French, food is extremely important, probably more so than anything else. It is to be savored and eaten at leisure, accompanied by fine wines and in fine company.
Recipe: Chickpea Dip (Poischichade)
A winter favourite - August
Soup is a universal food, found in almost every part of the world and is a food for all seasons. What is more welcoming than a steaming bowl of soup on a cold, stormy night, or a refreshing cold soup on a hot summer day!
Recipe: Spiced Parsnip and Coconut Soup
Warming up to soup - July
Chilly days and long, dark evenings are perfect for staying indoors and taking the time to prepare hearty, warming and sustaining food for families and friends.
Recipe: Parmesan and bacon pancakes with chive butter
A stew by any other name - June
Every winter, there is much debate in our household about what exactly it is that defines whether a dish should be called a stew or a casserole.
Recipe: Chicken tagine with lemons and olives
Delicious waffles - May
As a child I would look forward to the times when Mum would borrow her friend's waffle iron. How we loved making waffles.
Recipe: Oatmeal Raisin Waffles
Home baking on the rise - April
“We are what we eat” is not just an empty phrase and if we want to know exactly what we are eating we have to make it ourselves.
Recipe: Buttercream Icing
Health convenience foods - March
At this time of year, with Easter just around the corner and autumn approaching, we all start to become a little bit bored with traditional summer salads.
Recipe: Chickpea pa
Jams and other preserves - February
The huge rise of interest in growing one’s own vegetables in the last few years has had an equal rise in the time honoured tradition of preserving.
Recipe: Hot aubergine chutney
Bring on the barbecue - January
After the hectic Christmas celebrations are over and once the fridge has been emptied of all the left over ham and turkey we can really begin to enjoy summer which in our house means barbecuing every night.
Recipe: Barbecued eggplant
