Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2020 i Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

What are those people shouting about, Mumma?” A simple question asked by my nearly five-year old as we watched the recent demonstrations on TV. But, if I’m honest, one I found not so easy to answer. What is the right way to explain the ridiculous concept of racism to someone whose only judgement on skin colour is a wish that we could all be rainbow hued like the Trolls in her favourite movie. 2020 has been the year of tricky kid questions. “Why is the park locked up? Why can’t I hug Nanma?” And “When will this ‘silly virus’ be over?” But it’s not just children who are questioning things. Our altered way of living during isolation, along with the tumultuous economic situation, has thrown up all sorts of questions.…

AS AMERICANS took to the streets Michelle Obama said she was exhausted by a heartbreak that never seems to stop, and prayed for the strength for a journey towards justice. “It’s up to all of us – black, white, everyone – no matter how well-meaning we think we might be, to do the honest, uncomfortable work,” she said. In an address to the graduating class of her former school, the Duchess of Sussex said she was sorry they had to grow up in a world where injustice was still present, but knew they would be part of the movement to combat it.…

Every morning I go for a walk around our farm. It has been frosty of late, the early morning sky brindled with fingers of winter. I breathe in the smell of dust and eucalyptus and am alone with my thoughts, before the busyness of the day unfurls and sweeps me in its wake. It gives me time to reflect. It has been said that crises release memories, relinquishing the collective wisdom stored from eras gone by. Lately, I’ve had vivid flashbacks of my grandmother, her relationship with the land and her stories of adversity. A farmer’s wife, she was moulded by the Depression and two world wars. I remember her simple tastes, her grit and her frugality. “Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves,” she would…

She describes the final night as a shattering. The eggshells she had been walking on shattered. The invisible tension that warned her anything could trigger a torrent of abuse shattered. And the green ceramic pot that he threw at her head in a furious rage shattered. It split her lip open, causing a deep gash, then broke into dozens of shards on the cold, hard floor. “I remember saying, ‘I don’t want to go to hospital’. That was part of that deep humiliation and shame. You know, ‘these things don’t happen to us’ … and the fear that he was going to come back,” Rachel recalls. She’d been living in fear, but the terror had crept into her life so slowly that she hadn’t noticed how bad it was until…

As New York shivered through the bitter winter of 1969, an elegant queue of travellers was waiting to board the SS Leonardo Da Vinci, a gleaming ship destined for the warmer waters of Puerto Rico and St Thomas before returning to port seven days later. Among them was 29-year-old Paulette Cooper, a slender brunette with aspirations to become a travel writer. But while the other passengers toted luxury luggage and wore furs to withstand the cold, Paulette stood apart. Instead, she wore a glamourous chiffon evening gown and carried only an attaché case. For over the course of this seven-day journey she planned to embark upon her own secret adventure, becoming the world’s first successful female cruise ship stowaway and launching her writing career with a glorious bang. The idea,…

There’s something celestial about the Kennedy family. They are America’s royalty, a clan of seductive, beautiful people whose impeccably styled technicolour daily lives are shrouded in myth, rumour and simultaneous deification and condemnation. The most tumultuous moments in the family’s life changed the course of history, while the seeming bad luck – which began 105 years before John F. Kennedy’s assassination when his great-grandfather was felled by cholera, age 35, and continues to this day with his grand-niece and her eight-year-old son tragically losing their lives in a canoeing accident only three months ago – has been mythologised into a curse. It’s no wonder then that thriller writer James Patterson, one of the best-selling authors of all time, decided to examine the rise and fall of the dynasty in his…

Before storing woollens and cashmere, wash them in a natural detergent. Moths are attracted to dirt and body oils left on clothes. Using a natural cleaning product will soften and refresh your garments as harsh chemicals can erode the fibres. Store woollens and cashmere in a cool, dry environment, ideally carefully folded in a linen or cotton bag to allow the air to flow. Don’t use hangers as they will cause dimples in the shoulders.…

The problem: Disappearing lippy There are some beauty hacks that will help to make your favourite shade last the distance. First up, the tried and true: lipliner works wonders to stop your lipstick from bleeding into fine lines. For a longer-term solution, add a lip cream to your skincare regime – it will activate to plump out fine lines and wrinkles. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat, $35. Nude by Nature Perfecting Lip Primer, $19.95. The problem: FRIZZY FLYAWAY LOCKS These are the bane of many in cooler months, especially if your hair is coloured or has natural curl. The key to keeping your tresses under control is to invest in serums which work to fight the fuzz and create shine in your locks. Work through the mid-lengths and ends, but avoid…

Meatloaf with fig glaze SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 2 slices (90g) white bread ½ cup (125ml) milk 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 medium (120g) carrot, chopped finely 1 trimmed (100g) celery stick, chopped finely 3 (75g) shallots, chopped finely 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1kg minced pork and veal (see Test Kitchen tips, below) 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh marjoram leaves ⅓ cup (110g) fig jam ½ cup (115g) glacé ginger 1 tablespoon boiling water CARAMELISED SHALLOTS 30g butter 8 (200g) shallots, halved ¼ cup (60ml) dry red wine 6 fresh bay leaves 1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a large oven tray with baking paper. 2 Place bread and milk in a large bowl; stand for 10 minutes or until milk is…

Miso ocean trout hotpot SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 35 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION TIME) 4 x 150g skinless boneless ocean trout fillets 2 tablespoons dashi miso paste 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil 2 shallots (50g), sliced thinly 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon finely grated palm sugar 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock 200g dried egg noodles 2 cups (160g) shredded wombok (chinese cabbage) 1 bunch baby buk choy (400g), halved 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 cup fresh coriander leaves 4 green onions, sliced thinly 1 fresh long red chilli, sliced lime wedges, to serve 1 Rub each trout fillet with 2 teaspoons miso paste; set aside until required. 2…

Broccoli and kale soup with lemon crème fraîche SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 30 MINUTES 200g kale leaves, stems removed, chopped coarsely 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large (200g) brown onion, chopped finely 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely 1.5 litres (6 cups) vegetable stock 650g sebago potatoes, chopped 450g broccoli, cut into florets, stems sliced thinly 1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 1 cup (240g) crème fraÎche or sour cream 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind shredded lemon rind, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). 2 Rub 50g of the kale with 2 teaspoons of the oil. Place on an oven tray. Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp. 3 Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat;…

TIP You can also bake this cake in a deep 20cm square cake pan. If you don’t have a piping bag, use a small spoon to ensure that you get the cake batter in between the figs, and tap the pan on the bench several times to ensure that no air pockets remain. Cake is best eaten on the day it is made. You will need to use a thick cream from supermarkets that is 48-51% milk fat. Blood oranges are in season from late winter to spring. If you like, you can use them in place of the oranges or mix the two, as we have done here.…

US author Curtis Sittenfeld was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the second of four children to a librarian mum and investment adviser dad. “I always loved to read and write. From a young age, I saw books, magazines and newspapers as containing all sorts of juicy information about life,” she tells The Weekly. Curtis’ first novel, Prep, published in 2005, received critical acclaim, with its heroine compared to Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. But it was American Wife, a novel based on the life of first lady Laura Bush, that established Curtis as a leading writer. Rodham is her sixth novel and despite being a huge Hillary fan, she has never met her “except in my dreams (literally while I’m asleep)!”…

Some time ago, during the renovation of an historic house in Sydney, a tin box, sealed with wax and wrapped in oiled canvas, was found wedged under a beam in a roof cavity. The house was Elizabeth Farm, where Elizabeth Macarthur, wife of the notorious early settler John Macarthur, lived until her death in 1850. The box – jammed with hard-to-read old papers, cross-written to save space – was put away and forgotten until recently … The contents turned out to be her long-hidden memoirs … hot outpourings, pellets of memory lit by passionate feeling. This is her story… The pains came on me as we were making our way to Chatham Barracks, from whence we would sail to Gibraltar. We did not get anywhere close to Chatham, though, before…

AS THEY remain in lockdown, royals are living life at a slower pace. While some spend time with family, others explore new hobbies. The Duchess of Cornwall has joined Taika Waititi in reading a chapter of James and the Giant Peach for the Roald Dahl story company. UNITED KINGDOM The Duchess of Cornwall meets one of six medical detection dogs who will be trained to detect the smell of COVID-19. A patron of Medical Detection Dogs, the Duchess said she had “every faith” in the brilliant canines. SWITZERLAND Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden introduced her children Oscar, four, and Estelle, eight, to the world of beekeeping. COPENHAGEN The Danish royal family has had some understated celebrations this month. Crown Prince Frederik celebrated his 52nd birthday in lockdown on May 26,…

THIS MONTH, WE’VE WATCHED AMERICA in flames and seen that Australia’s record on race is little better. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the most incarcerated people on earth, making up just three per cent of the population, but 28 per cent of prisoners. In 2017, after a massive national consultation amongst First Nations Australians, the Uluru Statement from the Heart was released. In the light of recent events, we reprint this eloquent call for reconciliation in full. SAMANTHA HARRIS, model “I’ve felt mixed emotions of anger and sadness watching these events unfold in the media. What happened to George Floyd and what is happening in America as a whole highlights minorities being fed up with how they are treated, especially by the police. “It has also made…

Melissa McGuinness is petite, but today she looks especially small and vulnerable, standing alone on a vast stage between towering blue curtains that threaten to swallow her up. It’s Ash Wednesday, which feels somehow weighted with significance, as she fronts 400 teenage boys at a Sydney Catholic school and recounts for them the most horrific day of her life. “It was a Saturday morning, 8 December 2012,” the 50-year-old mother of three begins. “My husband, Peter, and I were sitting, enjoying our morning cup of tea and watching the sun rise, as we did every single morning. Funnily enough, we were talking about how proud we were of my son, Jordan, who had graduated from high school and was four and a half months into a carpentry apprenticeship. “As we…

3¾ cups self-raising flour 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1½ tsp fine salt 2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened 375ml unfiltered beer Preheat camp oven over moderate coals, or preheat oven to 180°C. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl, then add the margarine and rub with fingertips until just combined. Pour in the beer and mix very gently, until a dough just comes together. Form into a loaf shape, then place on a pizza tray and set on a trivet in the camp oven, ensuring there are ample hot coals on the lid of the camp oven. If baking in a conventional oven, arrange the loaf on a lined oven tray. Bake for 30 minutes, until deep-golden. Cool on a wire rack.…

“Any behaviour that humiliates, frightens or disempowers another person is coercive abuse. It can be an ongoing issue and it can always escalate. Some of the warning signs can include having your choices taken away, gaslighting, constantly having your activities monitored and stalking on digital devices. “Coercive behaviour is often central to an abusive relationship, so it can be a sign that someone is in a physically abusive relationship. But abuse is abuse. Coercive control, like physical, financial and sexual abuse, is inexcusable. It doesn’t hurt your body but it can be just as painful and distressing and nobody has the right to do that to you. “The most important thing is to understand that you’re not alone, and that coercive abuse is absolutely real, it does happen and it’s…

Jenny Lumsden Mending lives while mortars fall At the end of a four-month deployment at a US military field hospital in Iraq in 2005, Jenny Lumsden was given a certificate. “It was to acknowledge I’d survived 100 mortar attacks,” the intensive care nurse and Senior Consultant to Air Force Services laughs. Embedded with an Australian team of specialists with the US military, Jenny worked in a tent hospital north of Baghdad preparing patients to evacuate to Germany. “I worked from midday to midnight,” says Jenny, 54. “Sometimes I’d be asleep, the sirens would go off, and the ground shake.” The team treated American service personnel and civilians caught in the crossfire. “We looked after an Iraqi family whose house had been grenaded by locals, and two children burned,” she says.…

Put Amal Clooney and Maria Ressa in a room next to each other, and you might think them an odd couple. The willowy Amal, at 1.74 metres tall, is as well known as a style icon and wife to actor George Clooney as for her work as a leading international human rights lawyer. Maria, on the other hand, is a 56-year-old diminutive livewire. An internationally renowned journalist, she is usually pictured gazing through her frameless glasses, clad in practical trouser suits and a dab of lipstick her only apparent make-up. Yet these two women are now allied in a serious battle for media freedom in the Philippines – a battle both describe as being important to the future of democracy worldwide. Meanwhile, Amal’s husband, George Clooney, has described Maria as…

Scarves are a great way to add style to your look, why not display them on decorative hooks? It’s recommended you store handbags in cotton dust bags, as dust and the elements can damage the leather and hardware on a bag. If you don’t have dust bags, a cotton pillowcase will do. Bags should be stacked neatly on a shelf if possible and stuffed with either acid-free tissue paper stuffing or a pillow. This ensures that the bag will not crease and lose shape over time. If you have a large bag collection, try rotating your handbags each season and using care products such as leather cleaner and leather care. Lastly, refrain from squeezing bigger bags into smaller shelves as this will bend and warp the handles over time.…

WINTER DRESS Witchery, $169.95. A long-sleeved maxi dress is a great piece to have on sunnier winter days; simply drape on a warm coat when the sun goes down. FESTIVE RAIN PARKER J Crew, $229 at davidjones.com.au. A festive print mac to cover you on the gloomiest of days. BLACK BOOTS R. M. Williams, $645. Pair these winter essentials with tights and a knit dress or skirt. MIDI SKIRT Sussan suede finish skirt, $89.95. A classic camel-coloured skirt is a wardrobe staple. Pair it with a great ankle boot and colourful knit jumper. WHITE SHIRT Witchery Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation shirt, $129.95. Every wardrobe needs a classic white shirt. Invest in quality; it will see you through many seasons. FEDORA HAT Lack of Colours, $129. Be sun smart and stylish.…

Some of the more uplifting scenes from lockdown were of people “making memories” with drive-by birthdays, at-home art installations and virtual everything. It’s safe to say that before the pandemic our minds were in a different, more distracted place with the cacophony of daily life. And we have forgiving ways of describing the effects on our brain function: names slipped the mind, facts perched on the tip of the tongue, we lost our train of thought or needed some mental gymnastics to figure something out. Before the breather that lockdown gave our brains, we may well have been less concerned about making memories than keeping memories. The good news is we each have the power to maintain our mental focus and memory throughout life. We might wonder if we’re losing…

The filling can be made, covered and refrigerated, up to 2 days ahead. This recipe is suitable to freeze for 3 months. Some butchers sell a pork and veal mince mixture. If it is not available, buy 500g of each. If you don’t have an ovenproof frying pan, use a flameproof baking dish or transfer the shallot mixture from the frying pan to an ovenproof dish. Broccolini can be substituted with asparagus in this recipe. Leftover cold risotto can be rolled into balls, rolled in dry breadcrumbs and deep-fried until golden. Serve balls as a starter or with salad for a light lunch.…

Perfect pick FRIDGE VS PANTRY The debate has finally been settled, but there isn’t a winner. Sweet potatoes are happy residing in either the fridge or pantry. They don’t like Arctic temperatures, though, so check the settings on your fridge aren’t too low or they’ll freeze. If they are sprouting, step away from the bin! Just snap any shoots off and cook your sweet taters as normal – sometimes they are actually tastier and sweeter after sprouting. Don’t peel away the goodness from them: eating the skin lowers your glycemic index and adds valuable nutrients to your meal. Just scrub them well before cooking. IMMUNITY JUICE SHOTS Juice your way to good health with Kuvings Master Juice Chef Gary Dowse, whose advice is to eat “more raw”. Most people don’t…

Sterilising jars The aim is to finish sterilising the jars and lids at the same time the mixture is ready to be bottled; the hot mixture should be bottled into hot, dry, clean jars. Jars that aren’t sterilised properly can cause deterioration of the contents during storage. Always start with cleaned washed jars and lids, then follow one of these methods: 1 Put the jars and lids through the hottest cycle of a dishwasher without using any detergent. 2 Lie the jars down in a boiler with the lids, cover with cold water, then cover with a lid. Bring to the boil over high heat and boil the jars for 20 minutes. 3 Stand the jars upright, without touching each other, on a wooden board on the lowest oven shelf.…

There’s nothing like global anxiety to elicit a retreat into nostalgia, so the screening of new British TV period drama Belgravia is very timely. It’s from the pen of Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and is consequently already creating quite a stir. While the plots and eras are different, like Downton, Belgravia boasts glittering locations, lush costumes and a story that unpicks the chasms between the classes. “Belgravia is the sort of comedy of manners and upstairs-downstairs drama that Julian writes incredibly well,” says producer Colin Wratten, who spent 12 enjoyable months making the show. “But he also writes women incredibly well, and at its heart Belgravia is about two strong-willed matriarchs who are separated by a class divide but who are both suffering from the death of a child.”…

2-5 years DUGONG MAGIC by Deborah Kelly, Hachette Marine biologist Deborah’s story of a mother dugong teaching her baby calf how to pull up tasty seagrass from underwater meadows at the bottom of the ocean, carries a solemn message. As humans ditch rubbish into the sea, the cloudy water snatches the sunlight, which the grass needs to grow, and the calf stays hungry. Fast boats sail too close to the beautiful creatures, and carelessly slung nets trap Mama dugong. These beautiful creatures were once mistaken for mermaids with their slow and graceful gliding. For thousands of years dugongs have been an important source of meat and oil for FIrst Australians, who also sing of them, tell stories of them and feature them in artwork. 3+ years JELLY-BOY by…

THE SAYING CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME has never been more true than it is now, with the cast of Big Little Lies reuniting online to sponsor meals for frontline workers. Nicole Kidman said she was “thrilled at the chance to reunite with my Big Little Lies cast for an amazing cause”. Meanwhile, Oprah is getting in on the pandemic puzzle craze, while journalist and cookbook author Annabel Crabb turns her talents to Play-Dough.…

It’s 9am at Windsor Castle and outside her day-room window Queen Elizabeth II is serenaded with bagpipes. It may sound like a scene from Camelot, but there actually is a much coveted position of Piper to the Sovereign – currently held by Pipe Major Richard Grisdale from the Royal Regiment of Scotland. And in fact, the tradition is a bit more modern than King Arthur; it was established in 1843 by the Queen’s great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who loved the romance of the Scottish woodwind instruments. I am reliably informed that Her Majesty is either finishing breakfast or at her work desk when the pipes blow, and even in COVID-19 lockdown, the soulful strains sing out and continue for an exacting 15 minutes each day. It’s a charming ritual that plays…

Marcia Langton is chic. Black leather jacket, knee-length skirt, musk-pink scarf, trainers and that curtain of silver-white hair that falls across eyes that have rings like Saturn, from brown through green to blue. She cuts a striking figure, standing in the MCA cafe, Sydney Harbour sparkling behind her, drawing friends, colleagues and extended family into her orbit until tables have been pushed together and a long, animated lunch is in progress. Love her or hate her, for 40 years, Professor Langton AO has been a formidable and controversial force in Australian public life. We’re used to seeing her on television, despatching critics with a lethal mix of academic rigour and withering scorn. I jumped in a cab this morning, expecting a quick and potentially intimidating interview with one of Australia’s…

1.5kg ripe tomatoes (Roma if possible), chopped 500g chopped onions 4 tablespoons of salt 2 cups sugar (can be brown sugar) 2½ cups malt vinegar 1 tablespoon plain flour 1 tablespoon curry powder pinch of cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon mustard Place tomatoes and onions in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and stand overnight at room temperature. Next day, place tomatoes and onions together in large saucepan with their liquid. Add sugar and stir over low heat until dissolved; add malt vinegar and bring to boil. Simmer for roughly 60 minutes, uncovered, until mixture has cooked and thickened a little. Mix flour, curry powder, cayenne pepper and mustard with a little vinegar to make a pouring paste and add. Cook for a further 10 minutes whilst stirring. Pour into hot sterilised…

A clear link has been established between violence towards women, and attitudes of disrespect and gender inequality. Research commissioned by the federal government has found that while Australians agree that violence against women is wrong, there is a tendency to minimise disrespectful behaviours, blame victims for violence and empathise with males. For more information, visit respect.gov.au Almost 1 in 4 women have been emotionally abused by a partner since the age of 15. Between 60 and 80 per cent of women who seek help for physical or sexual violence have also been subject to coercive control. 1 in 6 women and 1 in 16 men have experienced physical or sexual violence from a current or previous cohabiting partner. 2.2 million Australians have experienced physical or sexual violence from a current…

A lab? A wet market? Denise Scott has an alternative theory as to how the COVID-19 pandemic originated. According to the seasoned comedian, Studio 10 roving correspondent and one-time Dancing With The Stars contestant, she believes there is an unlikely person yet to be investigated for their role in the global crisis – her friend and frequent collaborator Judith Lucy. The timing of Judith’s new ABC podcast Overwhelmed and Dying is suspicious, Denise muses, arriving just as we’re all pondering what is truly important in life and hyper-conscious of our eventual, inevitable demise. “I’m not saying she brought the pandemic on to help her podcast but… you know, she is a bit of a marketing guru,” Denise chuckles. “The timing is quite phenomenal. Then again, Judith Lucy’s timing is always…

Gillian and Liz have been friends for two decades. They met at university, when they were asked to read aloud a scene from Harold Pinter about two elderly ladies airing grievances over tomato soup and complimentary bread. They became instant friends. Now, entering their 40s, they are captains of each other’s support teams, having grown up together and seen each other settle into adult life. They mean more to one another than they can ever truly say in a birthday card, text message or whispered confession over wine. They are the perfect example of why female friendship is so special and so powerful, because they help one another negotiate a female existence. They fully intend to stay friends for a lifetime – in fact, they have a Facebook event scheduled…

First things first Set aside some time to tackle this task without distractions. Ultimately you want to be able to sort everything in your closet into three piles – items that you want to keep, items that you want to offer to family and friends and a pile for charity or recycling. If space is an issue in your wardrobe, a great way to get the most out of the space you have is to put one season in good storage vacuum bags or plastic tubs with lids. While one season is stored away you will have a better vision of what you have to wear. Treasure or toss When going through your wardrobe, start with your hanging space, then move onto folded clothes and accessories. Be prepared to make…

westgold Recipes A selection of recipes lovingly created by the team at Westgold. Discover more recipes at westgold.com Fish with Caper Sauce If you are looking for a quick, simple and tasty mid week meal - then this one ticks all the boxes. The fresh fish, with a crunchy coating topped off with the flavour filled caper and butter sauce is simple, but explodes with flavour. Ingredients Approximately 300g of gurnard (or other white fish) Flour 1 egg lightly beaten Breadcrumbs 50g of Westgold butter Capers - about 10 to 20 per serving Salt & pepper Lemon wedges Method 1. Crumb the fish by coating in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, dipping in egg and then coating in breadcrumbs. 2. Melt the Westgold butter in the frying pan on…

Hugs are the best medicine A heartfelt hug helps relax babies, but only if it’s the right kind. Researchers in Japan found that a gentle hug, rather than a looser hold or a tight hug, is best for soothing babies under one. It also needs to be from a parent, since hugs from strangers didn’t result in the same slowed heartbeat. For newborns, hugging didn’t have the same effect, unless it was accompanied by a parent’s gentle hand pressure on their back. Unfortunately the effect was only seen on babies who weren’t crying or fussing, but the good news is the hug is a two-way street, soothing parents too. Healthier together A healthy and optimistic partner can rub off on you, keeping you in better shape. They might encourage you…

Slow-cooked Greek lamb with chilli garlic broccolini SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 5 HOURS 30 MINUTES 2 medium (300g) brown onions, cut into wedges 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled, bruised 4 bay leaves 6 x 10cm sprigs fresh rosemary 2 x 1.6kg lamb shoulders on the bone 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock 1 medium (140g) lemon, cut into wedges CHILLI GARLIC BROCCOLINI ½ cup (125ml) water 2 long fresh red chillies, halved lengthways 2 cloves garlic, crushed 20g butter 400g broccolini, trimmed 1 Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Oil the base of two large shallow-sided oven trays. Divide onion, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, then lamb between trays. Rub lamb with oil; sprinkle with oregano. Season. 2 Pour stock…

Frying pan coconut blondie with sea salt honeycomb SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 50 MINUTES (+ COOLING TIME) 200g white chocolate, chopped ½ cup (70g) macadamia halves 125g butter, chopped ¾ cup (180ml) canned coconut cream ½ cup (110g) caster sugar ½ cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar 1 egg, beaten lightly 1 cup (150g) plain flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 cup (80g) desiccated coconut 1½ cups (375ml) thick cream, whisked lightly SEA SALT HONEYCOMB 1 cup (220g) caster sugar ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup ¼ cup (60ml) water 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes 1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a large oven tray with baking paper. 2 Spread chocolate and macadamias evenly over tray. Cook…

Fig & Raspberry Upside-Down Linzer Cake SERVES 12 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES (+ COOLING TIME) 2 medium oranges (480g) 250g butter, softened 1 cup (220g) caster sugar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of ground cloves ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes 1 egg 2 cups (300g) plain flour ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 cup (100g) hazelnut meal 6 small fresh figs (300g), halved 125g raspberries CARAMEL ⅔ cup (150g) caster sugar ¼ cup (60ml) water 20g butter 1 Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced). Grease a deep 22cm round cake pan; line base and side with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above the edge. 2 Finely grate 2 teaspoons of rind from oranges then juice oranges; you will need ½ cup (125ml) juice. Beat butter, sugar,…

Literary fiction Rodham: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld, Transworld As America stumbles into election season, it’s tempting to recall what could have been if Hillary Clinton had made it to the White House instead of Donald Trump. This extraordinary novel is a piece of fantasy fiction, conjuring a world of what ifs. What if Hillary had rejected Bill Clinton’s marriage proposal? What if she had pursued her own political dreams earlier and managed to run for president unencumbered by the judgements attached to her husband’s devastating fall from grace? What if Hillary had been able to fly? It’s a fascinating premise which delves into the adult life of Hillary Rodham, told in her ‘supposed’ words and starting at college, where she catches the eye of the…

Romance CONFESSIONS OF A FORTY-SOMETHING by Alexandra Potter, Pan Macmillan The pressures of hitting 40 in an Instagramperfect world ring clangingly true in this uplifting romcom. In these troubled times, Alexandra Potter’s story is like a comforting hug with a side order of knowing laughter, so it’s no surprise it has already sold in more than 22 territories around the world. When her business, romance and California life fall apart, Nell Stevens heads back to London to start again. But everyone she knows has moved on. Friends are married, rents are exorbitant and her life feels a total mess when compared to those around her. But then she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Cricket, an octogenarian widow who refuses to give in to grief. Dramedy BETTER LUCK NEXT…