Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2016 i The Australian Women's Weekly

THE QUEEN has been a Weekly cover star more than 60 times, but the last was back in 1982. With Diana Spencer in the family, the royal limelight shifted focus. This month, however, we are proud to be featuring Her Majesty as The Weekly’s cover star again, with her grandson, Prince William, and great-grandson Prince George. I suspect we won’t be the only ones. The Queen will be back on front covers around the world as months of celebrations for the longest-reigning monarch’s 90th birthday kick off. The Queen’s real birthday is April 21, but her official birthday will be marked with typically British pomp, ceremony and a lavish Patron’s Lunch along The Mall in London across the weekend of June 11, a day after Her Majesty’s husband, Prince Philip’s,…

CAST YOUR MIND forward half a century or so when, if things take their natural course, a 60-plus King George VII will finally be sitting on the British throne and Australia’s head of state. If we’re lucky, as a teenager, he may have emulated Grandpa Charles and spent time studying in Australia, or perhaps followed Uncle Harry and trained with our armed forces. At the very least, George should have made some use out of that customised surfboard he was given by Manly’s Mayor as a baby and frolicked in our surf on his jaunts to this far-flung corner of his realm. When he tours on those official visits, he will be accompanied by a small group of dignified media, all Palace-approved and trained by his father King William V,…

IN THE PAST, Australians have seen the error in reading too much into the demeanour of a person under pressure. Thirty-six years ago, we decided that a young woman whose baby had vanished at Uluru, and who said a dingo had taken her baby, didn’t show what we thought was appropriate grief. And so we witch-hunted her and condemned her, on astoundingly cock-eyed forensic evidence, to life imprisonment. We did not own up fully to our mistake until 32 years had passed. Is His Eminence Cardinal George Pell – a Ballarat boy, who underwent operations as an infant to remove an abscess from his throat, who signed with Richmond as a star AFL prospect when an adolescent, but who chose to become a priest – also a victim of a…

ON THE EVENING of their wedding, Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall flew by private jet to the south of France and headed for Saint-Paul de Vence, an ancient hill village, which, when you’re an 85-year-old bridegroom, can come as something of a shock. The narrow, cobbled streets are as steep as the local prices, and as Deputy Mayor Nadine Gastaud explains, “Everyone has to walk. We banned cars in the 14th century”. If Rupert was looking faintly distraught by the time he and Jerry had puffed their way to the sun-dappled summit, it was perhaps because the significance of their honeymoon destination had started to dawn on him. Saint-Paul is a Jerry haunt from the hedonistic heyday of The Rolling Stones era. The band first arrived in the area…

Breville Mum’s going to absolutely love this beautiful pastel blue mixer, and not just for its streamlined good looks! It features an innovative scraper beater and scraper whisk, which wipes the sides and bottom of the bowl with every single turn. This means that not only are your ingredients mixing more efficiently, but also any cleaning time is dramatically cut down. It also boasts two bowls to accommodate all your ingredients. Just brilliant! Breville Scraper Mixer Twin in Frosting $599 BEM820FRO CREATE MASTER PIECES WITH FOUR OF THE BEST MIXERS FOR MOTHER’S DAY KEYWOOD CHEF Sense In keeping with Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Rose Quartz (which has calming properties), this pretty pink pastel mixer will change the way you approach baking forever. It has been redesigned to give you…

Lancôme La Vie Est Belle L’Eau de Toilette Florale, 50ml, $110. The popular fragrance has been given a floral twist with notes of osmanthus absolute, iris pallida and jasmine sambac. Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle Body Cream, 150ml, $85. A luxe and nourishing body cream that is simply a treat to lather on your skin. Tom Ford Eye Colour Quad in Lilac Dream, $125. A glittering glow can be yours with these four metallic eyeshadows that will instantly illuminate your eyes. Guerlain Le Petite Robe Noire Nail Polishes in Pink Tie, Black Perfecto and Red Heels, $36 each. For a pop of colour and a high-gloss finish, try one of these adorable nail polishes. Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist Intense Deluxe Edition, 200ml, $79. This lightweight mist with flower extracts helps to hydrate…

Q What’s the difference between osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory arthritis? D.O., NSW. There are dozens of different types of arthritis. In general, OA is due to “wear and tear” on joints. Inflammatory forms of arthritis are usually the result of autoimmune inflammation where the body’s immune defences mistakenly attack your own tissues and cause joint pain, stiffness and joint damage. QI shut my leg in a car door a couple of months ago and the wound on my shin hasn’t healed. Should I be worried or is it just a matter of patience? I have poor circulation. T. F., Vic. The shin is a tricky place to get a wound because healing is so slow there. The skin is thin and the blood supply less than other parts of your…

Negroni MAKES 6 PREP TIME 5 MINUTES 1 cup (250ml) gin ½ cup (125ml) Campari ½ cup (125ml) vermouth 6 pieces orange peel 1 Place the gin, Campari and vermouth in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes; shake vigorously. Strain into glasses; garnish with a piece of orange peel. Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Julie’s tip: This is quite a punchy cocktail. If you’d like to tone it down a bit, add some fresh orange juice or a splash of soda water. Baked camembert with candied walnuts SERVES 6 AS A STARTER PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES 1 cup (100g) walnut halves 1 cup (160g) icing sugar 200g wheel of camembert (see Julie’s tip) 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves ½ crusty baguette, torn into chunks 2 tablespoons garlic-infused…

Red lentil soup with prawns SERVES 4 AS AN ENTRÉE PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil 1 medium (350g) leek, chopped finely 1 teaspoon garam masala 1/2 cup (100g) red lentils, rinsed 1 medium (120g) carrot, peeled, grated 4 sprigs curry leaves 16 uncooked large king prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact 2 long green chillies, sliced finely pappadums, to serve 1 Place 2 tablespoons oil into a saucepan over medium heat; add leek and garam masala. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until leek is soft and golden, then add lentils, carrot and 3 cups (750ml) of water. Bring to the boil; skim away any froth and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for a further 20 minutes or until just starting to…

Spiced pear tart SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION TIME) 1¼ cups (125g) hazelnut meal 2 cups (300g) plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar, plus 2 tablespoons extra 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind 200g unsalted butter, chilled, chopped 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 1 egg 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 cinnamon stick 4 semi-ripe pears, peeled, cored, cut into 2cm pieces 1 cup (80g) flaked natural almonds 1 tablespoon icing sugar 1 Combine the hazelnut meal, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and rinds into a bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. 2 In…

“A comedy of soaring delights” - Empire Magazine Australasia There’s not many films that come along that can make you laugh till your cheeks hurt, make you cry, and even make you want to stand up and cheer in your seat, but the new film Eddie The Eagle does just that. Based on real life events, Eddie The Eagle stars Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service) as Eddie, a normal bloke who with aspirations to become an Olympic ski-jumper who becomes a national treasure and worldwide celebrity despite his lack of skill on the slopes. Co-starring the dashing Hugh Jackman as Eddie's knockabout coach, Eddie The Eagle is the kind of feel-good crowd pleaser that's going to put a huge smile on the dial of everyone from tweens to your…

He was born in Brisbane, but raised in Sydney, where Dominic Smith recalls “a series of escapes and barefoot adventures, featuring bush cubbies, sunburnt Sundays on Bondi Beach, three older adoring sisters, a near-drowning and house on fire”. Dominic, 47, now lives in Austin, Texas, and has taught creative writing at a clutch of universities while working on his own award-winning fiction. This is his fourth novel. “Our house has three full-time residents (me, my wife, and our neurotic but loveable housecat) and two part-timers (my university-aged daughter and my 17-year-old daughter),” he says.…

PEARL OF WISDOM Knowledge comes by taking things apart, but wisdom comes by putting things together. MERLIE CLAYTON, WYNDHAM VALE, VIC. Dying with dignity I had the privilege of being with my mother when she died of cancer. I know she would have preferred, before the extreme pain of her last months, to terminate her life at a time of her choosing. Hooray for Andrew Denton’s crusade to end the needless suffering of the terminally ill. We can choose to not let our pets suffer, yet the law as it stands will not give us the same choice. The options discussed (Watching My Father Die, WW, Apr) applied to the terminally and chronically ill. Perhaps the aged and physically infirm could also be considered. It’s time Australia joined…

DEBORAH HUTTON “I’m a huge fan of the Queen and while she is still with us I would like her to remain our head of state. Would I want Charles to be our King? No.” JUNE DALLY-WATKINS “No. Being part of the Commonwealth is our history and why would we want to change our history? [After the Queen] it’s time for the next generation to take over as head of state. I think Prince William is ready for this role.” ITA BUTTROSE “Like many Australians, I respect the Queen and her years of service to the Commonwealth, and believe she should remain our head of state until she dies or steps down from the throne. On her death, Australia should become a republic.” KATHY LETTE “For an egalitarian country which…

“Thanks to the 2015 scholarship, we have doubled the number of Strong Girl Fitness classes, as well as started a program for boys, Built Strong.” 2015 People’s Choice Winner Rowena Gilbett HOW TO ENTER If you or someone you know is aged between 18 and 30 years old, with a great business idea, charity or creative venture to fund, or innovation to research that will transform the lives of others, we encourage you to enter. You can do so by post to The Australian Women’s Weekly Qantas Women of the Future Competition 2016, GPO Box 4178, Sydney, NSW 2001, or online at aww.com.au/WOTF with the following: • Your name, mailing address, daytime contact phone number and email address. • Your date of birth. • A recent photograph of yourself.…

“People will talk, you’ll be asked questions about its history. Lie.” SOMETIMES A HUMBLE humour columnist needs to step up to the plate. For 83 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly has guided you through the minefields of family life – fashion foibles, finger food and forbidden pleasures. Today, on behalf of the magazine, it’s my responsibility steer you through another F-word – farmers’ markets. Just like the poodle perm in the mid-1980s, they’ve sprung up everywhere, and just like that unfortunate perm it can all go horribly wrong. There are unspoken rules about farmers’ market participation and this is the first time somebody has been brave enough to speak out. At least it’s the first time somebody has been brave enough to speak out on this page, in this column,…

STATEMENT COAT PLEATED SKIRT Editor’s picks Stylish additions to your outfit SHIRT DRESS MATCHING SEPARATES Editor’s picks Stylish additions to your outfit SUEDE SKIRT PRINTED MAXI Editor’s picks Stylish additions to your outfit…

Lasers are divided into two main groups: ablative (which remove the top layer of skin) and non-ablative (which don’t damage the skin’s surface). “The ablative lasers are more expensive and have a higher rate of complications, and should only be used by a doctor,” says Dr Yiasemides. “Ablative lasers include the erbium and carbon dioxide lasers. They are ablative to the skin and create better results than non-ablative, but have a longer down-time [usually two weeks] and more risks of scarring and permanent pigment change of the skin – like white marks [hypopigmentation]. “These days, they are usually fractionated [only a percentage or fraction of the skin area] to reduce side-effects and downtime. They are good for acne scars and photo-ageing of the skin, and can reduce wrinkles, uneven skin…

MANY HEALTH conditions “run in families”, but you are not a powerless captive to your genes. By knowing your inherited predisposition to preventable or manageable diseases, you can make changes that will mean you can avoid the impact of some of these conditions. Q Has a family member had a blood test showing elevated iron levels? An inherited condition called haemochromatosis causes the body to absorb more iron than normal from food. It is one of the most common inherited diseases. If you inherit the gene from one parent, you are a carrier and may pass it on to your children. To develop the disorder you have to inherit the gene from both parents. Excessive iron can cause damage to your liver (shown by an increase in liver enzymes), heart…

Binge drinkers at increased risk of depression New research from the University of Newcastle reports 16 per cent of young Australian women are considered “extremely frequent” binge drinkers and may be increasing their risk of depression. The research found the women were having five or more drinks per session usually more than once a week. A further 26 per cent were binge drinking usually once a week. “The women in this binge drinking category were at elevated risk of depressive symptoms in both the short-term of one to six years and the long-term of 10 to 15 years,” Jennifer Powers from the university’s Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing says. Energy drinks affect the heart A University of Adelaide study has found drinking more than two energy drinks a…

Pork parmigiana bake SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 25 MINUTES 1 small (230g) eggplant, sliced thinly lengthways cooking oil spray 4 slices (60g) prosciutto 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 (800g) uncrumbed pork schnitzels 4 (100g) bocconcini 400g can cherry tomatoes 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh cress or baby basil leaves 1 Spray eggplant on both sides with cooking oil; cook on a heated grill plate (or grill or barbecue) over high heat for 2 minutes on each side or until browned and tender. 2 Meanwhile, preheat grill. Place prosciutto on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Grill for about 3 minutes or until prosciutto is browned and crisp. Remove from grill; cover to keep warm. Leave grill on. 3 Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a…

Millionaire’s shortbread MAKES 20 PREP AND COOK TIME 50 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION TIME) 125g unsalted butter, softened ½ cup (110g) caster sugar 1 egg yolk 1 cup (150g) plain flour 1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour 395g canned sweetened condensed milk 30g unsalted butter, extra 2 tablespoons golden syrup or treacle 1 cup (140g) roasted salted peanuts 200g dark chocolate, chopped finely 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease a 20cm x 30cm rectangular slice pan; line the base and long sides with baking paper, extending the paper 5cm over the sides. 2 Beat the butter, sugar and egg yolk in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in sifted flours until combined. Press mixture evenly over base of pan. Bake…

I often have to throw away dried and stale old bread – we just can’t get through a whole loaf. Any tips? Belinda Garvey, via email. Stop! Don’t throw away that stale bread! There are several practical and delicious ways to use it up. BREADCRUMBS: Breadcrumbs are an excellent ingredient to have on hand when making meatballs, stuffings and puddings, and toasted they can be used to top roast vegetables or on pasta. To make, remove the crusts from the bread and discard. Tear bread pieces into chunks, place in a food processor and process until they form fine crumbs. If not ready to use immediately, place in resealable bags in the freezer, expending as much air as possible before sealing to prevent freezer burn. To toast breadcrumbs,…

1. Alpha Keri Alpha Keri’s new Micellar Body Cleansing Milk combines the qualities of Micellar water with a moisturising cream that cleanses and nourishes, delivering radiant skin. RRP $14.99 (400ml). alphakeri.com.au/product/micellar-body-cleansing-milk/ 2. APT APT’s Small Ship cruises allow you to explore the world’s treasures in style. The 15-day Southern European Sojourn goes from Barcelona to London on the MS Island Sky. RRP from $15,495* per person, twin share.aptouring.com.au/SmallShip2017. Phone: 1300 398 614. 3. Ballantyne Butter Ballantyne has helped families make special occasions better since 1929. Make everyday moments brilliant with Ballantyne’s premium dairy range. It’s 100% Australian made and family owned. ballantyne.com.au. 4. Black & Decker The Black & Decker three-in-one, 21.6-volt Cordless Stick Vacuum lets you clean all corners of your home quickly and easily, so you can get…

DO YOU NEED more space, more storage, a better room flow, more light? Rather than move, consider renovating. A well-considered and executed makeover can add both ambience and value to your home. With renovations forecast to reach $9 billion this financial year, according to the Master Builders Association, you won’t be alone! The trick is to get it right and that’s not easy. You don’t want to be the one telling “reno from hell” stories to family and friends. It comes down to knowing what you want and how much you are prepared to spend. Set a budget and stick to it. Don’t be tempted to spend more than you can recoup within a couple of years if, for some reason, you have to move sooner than expected. Check out…

EARPLUGS REQUIRED! Two of the world’s great actresses, Meryl Streep (above, with Hugh Grant) and Catherine Frot (below), each have unusual dream roles in sumptuous must-see films – playing an opera singer who cannot sing! Frot won the best actress César award this year in the title role of Marguerite (opens April 21), while Streep plays Florence Foster Jenkins in the biopic of the same name (opens May 5). There is a lot of fun and laughter to be had in both, but essentially they are poignant portrayals of lonely women seeking fulfilment and meaning in life. Treat yourself – see both. Watercolours in focus Showcasing the National Gallery of Victoria’s extraordinary collection of watercolours and gouaches for the first time in 25 years this May is the exhibition Luminous:…

THE YID BY PAUL GOLDBERG, PAN MACMILLAN. When three State Security heavies head out on a snowy Moscow night in 1953 to arrest a retired Jewish actor they expect little resistance. They don’t expect the “decrepit Yid” to bow low with pomp and ask, “Are you, perchance, familiar with commedia dell’arte?” They certainly don’t expect him to be the only survivor of this encounter. So starts a funny, intellectual revenge fantasy set in Stalin’s last days. The cattle cars are arriving for what appears to be an imminent solution to Russia’s “Jewish Question” when Shimonovich Levinson dodges arrest. He and a ragtag group of unlikely rebels wittily bicker and bluff their way through a seemingly doomed uprising. It’s a hard book to describe, but if Larry David and Quentin Tarantino…

“The Cate Blanchetts of this world stand in our shadow.” ONE OF MY friends belongs to a frequent flyers’ club. She spends hours adding up her points to see when she can fly free to Paris. “Maybe for Christmas? I’d like to go right round the world. I’ve heard good things about Reykjavik and apparently Quagmire, Wisconsin, is to die for,” she enthused. “Lucky old you,” I said over cold tea and Tim Tams. “There’s nothing like December in Iceland to bring the roses to your cheeks.” Okay, I admit I’m jealous of her frequent flyer status, but I remind myself that I, too, belong to some exclusive clubs. I’m a member of the Frequent Frothers. We meet at the cafe two days a week. Benefits? Pay for 10 cups…

WHEN DANIEL WILDENSTEIN, the world’s wealthiest art dealer, died aged 84 in 2001, his high society clients took comfort in the belief the venerable family business would carry on as usual. After all, Daniel’s two sons, Guy and Alec, were just as suave, dashing and – if necessary – as ruthless as their dad and the power of the Wildenstein name to get big deals done was undiminished. The first indication things might be different came with the startling revelation that Daniel had left just $65 million. This for a man who lived in one of Paris’s grandest residences, whose private art collection was filled with masterpieces by the likes of Picasso, Monet and Renoir, who travelled the world by private jet and owned Europe’s leading racehorse stable. In the…

THINK OF EUROVISION and you’ll likely conjure up images of flamboyant, sequin-coated extroverts sashaying across the stage to catchy beats in a gloriously kitsch and camp celebration of pop music. Which is why, at first glance, Australia’s 2016 representative, Dami Im, might not seem an obvious choice. The 27-year-old singer is a self-confessed introvert who’d rather a quiet coffee than a glitzy cocktail. A devout Christian, you won’t see her performing explicit moves in a raunchy outfit on stage, or stumbling out of a nightclub in the early hours. Indeed, Dami started out as a gospel singer before becoming an award-winning classical pianist in her teens. Yet dig a bit deeper and you’ll realise that Dami is, in fact, the perfect Eurovision choice. After moving to Australia from South Korea…

We four She was the first daughter of the then Duke and Duchess of York, born on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, the London home of her maternal grandparents. As third in line to the throne, it was never imagined that the young Princess Elizabeth would reign as monarch. When her sister, Margaret Rose, was born in 1930, the family was complete. Her father dubbed them “we four”, with his eldest nicknamed “Lilibet” and his youngest “Bud”. They lived at 145 Piccadilly and the Princesses played in shared secure gardens behind the house with other neighbourhood children. The Duke and Duchess of York proudly introduce their daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, to local families at Glamis Castle on July 11, 1935. The Duchess was raised in the…

LABEL LOVE: Crossroads Model mum Robyn Lawley (right) has collaborated with Crossroads for its new-season autumn collection. Inspired by long weekends away and the classic outdoors Australian lifestyle, the collection features easy-to wear knits and casual denim that are all about comfort. Oversized acrylic scarf, $24.95, polyurethane jacket, 8-22, $59.95, viscose drape tunic, 8-22, $39.95, and cotton blend leggings, 8-22, $39.95, crossroads.com.au. TAKE A BOW Lady-like and versatile, the pussy-bow blouse goes well with a leather jacket to toughen the look, or wide-leg pants for sophisticated style. 1. Katies polyester top, 8-20, $49.95, katies.com.au. 2. Embody Denim rayon viscose top, 12-22, $169.95, embody denim.com. Suede for city chic The best way to update your winter wardrobe this season is with an injection of soft suede. Swap in…

COME CLEAN Regular facial cleansing is one of the most important steps in your skincare regimen. It helps remove dirt, make-up, excess oil and dead skin cells. Try: 1. Skin Doctors pH Balancing Cleanser, 100ml, $24.95. 2. Antipodes Hallelujah Lime & Patchouli Cleanser, 200ml, $39. 3. Paula’s Choice Calm Redness Relief Cleanser, 198ml, $29. 4. Clinique Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam, 125ml, $29. 5. Gernétic Glyco Cleansing Milk, 200ml, $52.90. 5 minutes WITH LINDY KLIM 1 I always travel with ... Living between Bali and Melbourne, I cannot live without my Milk By Lindy Klim Beauty Wipes and Chanel Hydra Beauty Essence Mist – they both help to freshen and energise my skin on a long flight. 2 Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than ... when she knows exactly who…

Imagine waking up every morning to the sound of your alarm, excited and happy to be starting a new day. When you look in the mirror you admire your body. Everyone tells you how great you’re looking and asks what your secret is. Sound too good to be true? If you, like many other women, don’t feel this way, you may have a hormonal imbalance. Research has documented that over 40 per cent of women have an undiagnosed underactive thyroid gland. If you feel tired all the time, crave sugar, use alcohol and coffee to lift yourself, retain weight around your middle and feel the cold, you could be suffering from this problem. What Does Your Thyroid Do, and What Does This Mean For You? The thyroid gland is the…

Share your mum’s kitchen success story. Mum has taught me that cooking is not just about food. It’s about sharing love and spending time with family and friends. What is it that makes your mum so special? Mum has always been the heart of our family. She’s there for everyone, any time of day. She works hard but never says no to helping family and friends, and always cooks up an amazing feast, even after a long day at work or babysitting. What is unique about the relationship between you and your mum? My mum is my best friend – apart from looking like twins, we are so similar in our personality traits, it creates a unique understanding of each other. What are the most important values you have learnt…

Beef and beer pie SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION AND COOLING TIME) ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil 1.2kg trimmed beef chuck steak or gravy beef, cut into 1cm cubes ¼ cup (35g) plain flour 2 large (400g) brown onions, chopped finely 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 cup (250ml) beer 2 cups (500ml) beef stock ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper 1 egg yolk, beaten lightly 2 teaspoons milk SHORTCRUST PASTRY 3 cups (450g) plain flour ½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes 200g butter, chopped 2 eggs 1 tablespoon chilled water, approximately 1 Heat…

STEAMED WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE Serves 12 Prep and cook time 1 hour 20 minutes (+ refrigeration time) This recipe uses a Thermomix . For the coulis, combine 200g chopped mango flesh, 30g caster sugar, 50g water, grated rind of 2 limes and 50g lime juice into the mixing bowl and cook for 4 min/90°C/ speed 3. Transfer into a sealable container and allow to cool, then cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use. Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease and line a 19cm springform cake pan and set aside. Place 125g Granita biscuits and 40g softened butter into the mixing bowl and blend for 15 sec/speed 8, or until a wet breadcrumb consistency is achieved. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press to form an even…

SLEEK HEAT On chilly nights when you just want to thaw out and cuddle up, the Dyson Hot+Cool fan heater offers powerful heat projection for fast, even heating. QUIETLY CONFIDENT Competing noise just isn’t Dyson’s style. While you relax, the Dyson Hot+Cool fan heater silently goes about its business of making the room warm and cosy. Engineered to be 75 per cent quieter than previous Dysons, it’s the only fan heater with Quiet Mark accreditation. TOTAL CONTROL Select your perfect temperature to the exact degree and maintain it with the Dyson Hot+Cool fan heater’s intelligent thermostat. This means no over-heating and no wasted energy, making it ideal for overnight use while you sleep. There’s even a built-in sleep timer. HEATS & COOLS & DECORATES Keep warm in winter, cool in…

My six great garden disasters It’s been nearly half a century since I first planted a strawberry, 40 years since I began to earn my living growing plants and almost that long since I wrote my first gardening book. So my garden is perfect, right? I wish. Here are the six great gardening mistakes of all time and how I’m guilty of every single one of them. WEEDS GUILTY! I’d never plant a declared weed, but nature has a way of sneaking in new weeds when you least expect it. How was I to know that the new variety of hellebore would cast its seed over half an acre of garden? Solution: Pull out the parent and any of its offspring. Always watch any new arrival to see…

MRS MONEYPENNY is Heather McGregor, a businesswoman who has been a columnist at the UK’s Financial Times for more than 15 years. She is the author of several books, including Careers Advice For Ambitious Women (Penguin). You can follow her on Twitter (@mrsmoneypennyft), or send her an email at mrsmoneypenny@ft.com. I’M QUITE KEEN on chocolate, as you’d know if you looked at the bathroom scales when I get on. I am not much of a connoisseur – a Freddo Frog does it for me – but I know many people who are and I am fascinated by people who have started chocolate businesses. Chantal Coady started Rococo Chocolate more than 30 years ago, armed with a degree in textile design and a passion for chocolate, plus a belief that the…

THE LAST PAINTING OF SARA DE VOS BY DOMINIC SMITH, ALLEN & UNWIN . This quietly beautiful novel offers storytelling at its most masterful, and the prowess is in both the rich, evocative detail and the multi-layered characterisation. At the heart of the plot are two protagonists more than 300 years apart, their tales unfolding in alternate chapters. Sara de Vos is one of a handful of female artists from the 17th century Dutch Golden Age. She is married to landscape artist Barent and only ventures into landscape painting herself when their daughter dies from the plague and the family descends into bankruptcy. Sara’s powerfully haunting At The Edge Of A Wood is dripping with grief, love and loss, affecting all who see it. Three centuries later, Australian Ellie Shipley,…

OUR TINY, USELESS HEARTS BY TONI JORDAN, TEXT. Janice is helping out at her sister’s house in the aftermath of the collapse of her marriage. Caroline’s husband, Henry, has confessed to an affair, his wardrobe has been dutifully shredded and he has been seen off the premises. Janice is hopeful that Caroline’s marriage is salvageable, but she has her own relationship woes to manage with ex-husband, Alec. Add to all that Lesley and Craig, the nosy neighbours next door, and it soon transpires that Henry’s departure was merely the first act in a crazy, chaotic weekend. Our Tiny, Useless Hearts is the first novel I’ve read from popular Australian author Toni Jordan, but I’m declaring right now that it won’t be my last. Laugh-out-loud funny, yet with real emotion at…

Taurus Apr 22-May 21 Matters affecting your image, personal appearance, title or reputation will be held up in May and even if you assumed one episode was rolling smoothly from April, it may not be until the beginning of June that every final piece of the jigsaw is in place. If you must launch crucial new plans to change the way you are seen or appear, make allowances for rescheduling or even a complete reversal, as Mercury is retrograde this month in your own sign of Taurus. It’s a great time for dress rehearsals, not final acts. Gemini May 22-Jun 22 Your ruling planet Mercury appears to be moving backwards this month and as your zone of secrets is most affected, a matter which you are covering up from everybody…