Innholdsfortegnelse for Christmas 2025 i The Australian Women's Weekly

When I saw the beautiful images from our Christmas cover shoot, I smiled with joy. Peter Brew-Bevan’s photos of Julie Goodwin with her family at the beach feel so iconically Australian – if there was a soundtrack to this shoot it would be Paul Kelly’s How to Make Gravy. The images immediately made me want to book flights to Adelaide where my family will be spending Christmas this year at Mum’s house by the beach. After feasting over a lazy lunch we usually wander down to the water for an afternoon swim. The Weekly has loved welcoming Julie back as a columnist this year, and hope you have enjoyed her Family Favourites recipes – including her Christmas classic, Prawn and Mango Salad (page 201). It seemed only fitting to celebrate…

Last Christmas Eve, as the Prince and Princess of Wales stood in Westminster Abbey with their three children, George, Charlotte and Louis, the carols they sang in celebration of those who had shown “love, empathy and kindness” would have soared to the vaulted ceiling with particular poignancy. The Royal couple were perhaps reflecting on the love and kindness that helped them endure the most “scary and unpredictable” year of their marriage as Catherine fought cancer. “It brings you face-to-face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you never considered before,” she had revealed. “And with that, a new perspective on everything.” In January this year, they shared a photo of Catherine looking happy, strong and officially in remission, along with a tender tribute from Prince William. “The strength you’ve shown…

There was a time, before photography was widespread, when special moments were preserved in “memory books” – albums filled with precious mementoes and keepsakes. In the early 1800s, a wealthy Viennese family was painted for their memory book in a Christmas tableau. But apart from the tree, it’s a scene few of us today would recognise as festive. Saint Nicholas, tall and solemn in bishop’s robes, is no jolly Santa. The family look towards the door, terror on their faces. There, complete with horns and blazing red eyes, lurks a demon, the sack on his back bulging not with toys, but an unfortunate child. It’s Krampus, Saint Nicholas’ malevolent counterpart. While Saint Nic rewarded good children with sweets, nuts and toys, Krampus handed out lumps of coal, whippings, and worse.…

“You must have a passion in life, something to look forward to, because that is the secret to ageing well.” Just over a year ago, Liz Hicklin took to the stage at a packed Melbourne theatre and ticked off a bucket-list dream – delivering a standup comedy routine. She was 93 years old. “I was a nurse, and now I’m a comedian, so I’ll have you in stitches,” she quipped, sharing her cheeky and hilarious reflections on life, love and ageing. “People ask me what the secret is to ageing well,” she continued, “I consulted AI and it says good food and plenty of exercise, but that’s a bit dull isn’t it? I say it’s lots of sex!” Draped in a kaleidoscopic ‘Harry Styles’ patchwork cardigan that she knitted for…

It’s a sunny day in Katoomba, NSW, and the Baroque Room at the Carrington Hotel is full of women in gowns and men in breeches learning reels for the evening’s regency ball. Dance master David Potter is calling out steps to a tune with the decidedly unrefined name of Mr Beveridge’s Maggot. “It means favourite,” David explains. “It came out of the same place as ‘ear worm’. It’s a tune that grabs you. One that runs around in your head.” The music is particularly thrilling to modern Jane Austen fans – known as Janeites – because it’s the piece Elizabeth and Darcy dance to in the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Emma also dances to it with Mr Knightley. “It’s the fantasy,” says Kathy Potter, who is…

After 16 years as a professional basketballer, representing Australia at two Olympics, winning a World Championship, eight seasons in AFLW, three premierships and twice being voted best player in the game, Erin Phillips is ready for her most challenging season yet: Christmas. “I love everything about it,” laughs the 2025 AFL Hall of Famer. “The family gathering. Little faces lighting up. Food and music, movies and games. It’s a time of joy and happiness, a time to reflect and remind myself how blessed I am, and try to pass that luck and Christmas spirit on to people less fortunate.” The season kicks off early in the Adelaide home that Erin, 40, shares with her wife Tracy Gahan, 45 (a fellow basketball pro whom she met in 2006 and married in…

Iarrived in Torquay, Devon, on the afternoon of Sunday, May 10, 1970, the day before location filming began for the second series of Monty Python. I and all the Pythons and Connie Booth (we were married at the time) were booked into the Gleneagles Hotel on Asheldon Road in the Wellswood district. Donald Sinclair [the hotel’s manager] was a former naval officer, and he had a temperament and manner that established him in my mind as the rudest man I’d ever come across in my life. As Michael Palin described him in one of his diaries: “He seemed to view us from the start as a colossal inconvenience.” My clearest memory was of a Python group dinner on the first evening. I was mildly amused at the way Sinclair was…

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“I have never lost my delight in Christmas, or my joy in eating food that nourishes body and soul.” Maggie’s roast chicken with pancetta & walnut stuffing SERVES 6 PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS (+ RESTING TIME) 2kg free range chicken 1kg Dutch cream potatoes, peeled, chopped coarsely ⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil 60g unsalted butter 1 lemon, juiced ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, extra 100ml verjuice ¼ cup rosemary leaves STUFFING 60g pancetta, chopped finely ½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra if needed 4 fresh chicken livers (optional) 1 large (250g) brown onion, chopped finely 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped ¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves ¼ cup lemon thyme sprigs 1 cup coarse sourdough breadcrumbs ½ cup (60g) walnuts, roasted and…

Fran's hosting tips The key to stress-free entertaining? Prep ahead as much as possible. When planning your menu, consider fridge, freezer and oven space. Once you’ve chosen your dishes, delegate! Play to each guests’ strengths. For reluctant cooks, suggest bringing bread, selecting wine, mixing a festive cocktail, assembling a cheese platter or creating a fun play-list. For ingredient quantities, if you’re serving multiple protein dishes, one recipe easily feeds double the stated serves at a buffet (unless you love leftovers!) Finally, get any leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours to keep them food safe. From the Test Kitchen We’ve also tried this glaze with hot honey, which gives the ham a delicious spicy kick. If you’re glazing a half leg of ham, halve the glaze recipe. You can score…

My baked camembert (page 191) is guaranteed to WOW your guests and it's secretly the easiest Christmas appetiser ever! Christmas baked camembert SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 15 MINUTES Who’s ready for the ULTIMATE Christmas party starter? This baked camembert is gooey, golden, and full of festive cheer. It’s so easy to make in the air fryer and the combo of honey, garlic, and crunchy chilli takes it to the next level. Perfect for dipping crusty bread or crackers into while sipping a cheeky glass of bubbles. 1 x 200g camembert ¼ cup (90g) honey 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons crispy chilli oil 1 Make crisscross cuts about 1cm deep into the top of your camembert (careful not to cut through the edges) and pop the cheese into…

PG 204 Preserved lemons PG 204 White Christmas Sugar & spice almonds MAKES 5 CUPS PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES (+ COOLIING TIME) 1½ cups (240g) pure icing sugar 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon 5 cups (800g) natural almonds 1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line two oven trays with baking paper. 2 Sift sugar and cinnamon together twice into a medium bowl. 3 Place almonds in a colander; rinse under cold water. 4 Tip the wet almonds onto oven trays. Sift cinnamon mixture over almonds; toss to coat. 5 Roast almonds for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, or until fragrant and browned. Cool on trays; they will become crisp on cooling. Separate almonds; store in airtight jars or pack in cellophane gift bags. From the Test Kitchen…

As South Australia’s first policewoman, Miss Cocks prided herself on being ready for anything: Clairvoyants preying on the grieving mothers of soldiers fallen in France; drunk husbands abusing embattled wives; mothers fretting over frisky daughters. She wasn’t, however, prepared for her junior constable to arrive at work with a British Bulldog puppy. “Let me introduce Asquith,” Ethel Bromley declared with a flourish, placing the tan puppy on the floor, “our new Women’s Police Branch mascot!” “Asquith appears to have a leak,” Miss Cocks said, gesturing to a wet patch on the floorboards. “And a taste for your decorations.” Asquith was now chewing a branch of Ethel’s Christmas tree, fashioned from wattle branches and Red Cross greeting cards. “Isn’t he adorable?” Ethel said, scooping up the puppy. “Mother gave him to…

December 28,1960 In this issue ... Four-year-old Robyn Jeston was chosen as cover model, declared the opening page of this issue, as she “symbolises the spirit of Christmas”. Robyn wasn’t the only festive touch in the magazine. On page 4, staff reporter Winifred Munday spent time with migrants from countries including Romania, Latvia and Switzerland, to learn how they incorporated their traditions into an Aussie Christmas. In Europe, royal reporter Anne Matheson was among the crowd in Brussels celebrating the marriage of Queen Fabiola and King Baudouin of the Belgians, while our fashion pages reported on the latest in Parisian bridal fashions. Closer to home there were pictures of the Melbourne Christmas lights on page 9, while a special gallery of dogs introduced readers to some of the gorgeous pooches…

Grilled figs with burrata & mint SERVES 8 PREP + COOK TIME 20 MINUTES ¼ cup (25g) walnuts 8 fresh firm but ripe figs, halved lengthways ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 3 x 125g fresh burrata ¼ cup loosely packed fresh round mint leaves 1 tablespoon vino cotto 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Place the walnuts onto a baking tray and bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant. Working quickly, place the hot walnuts into a tea towel and rub to remove the skins. Set aside to cool. 2 Preheat a barbecue grill on high heat; place the figs cut-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes or until you have char marks. Remove and set aside, then drizzle with a little olive…

Sophie Tedmanson EDITOR DEPUTY EDITOR Tiffany Dunk CREATIVE DIRECTOR Joshua Beggs FEATURES News & Features Editor Samantha Trenoweth Senior Writer Genevieve Gannon HEALTH & BEAUTY Health & Beauty Editor Ashleigh Austen STYLE Style Director Mattie Cronan Market Editor Lilly Veitch TRAVEL Travel Editor & Chief Copy Editor Bernard O’Shea COPY Deputy Copy Editor Bronwyn Phillips Deputy Copy Editor Nicole Hickson Copy Editor Georgia Moore FOOD – WOMENSWEEKLYFOOD.COM.AU Food Director Frances Abdallaoui Food Digital Managing Editor Sarah McInerney Digital Content Producer Chanel Gellin DIGITAL – WOMENSWEEKLY.COM.AU Digital Editor Orlaith Costello Senior Content Producer Tia Thomas Social Content Producer Jessica Parker Social Content Producer Lizzie Wilson ART & PHOTOS Shoot & Photo Director Jane Vincent Senior Designer Madeleine Wright Senior Designer Jennifer Mullins REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Maggie Beer (Food), Georgina Bitcon (Home Hints),…

Birdsong was nature’s first alarm clock before the concept of time was even imagined. Their calls and cries set the rhythm for our day, signalling when to rise and when to rest. A lullaby of coos, or the rude shock of a rooster’s crow. We learnt to decode their complex concertos so we too could know when a storm was approaching or when a pride of lions was on the prowl. Understanding their language became critical to our survival. Birds kept us safe. They have always served as our scouts and guides, weathervanes and soothsayers. As we gathered berries in the forest or fished in the streams, their chirruping symphonies accompanied us. They became our friends. Well, ‘friends with benefits’ when we discovered how delicious they tasted roasted over coals.…

Christmas for Hunter Page-Lochard’s family starts when the lights go up around Sydney. He and his wife, Laura Thomas, put their daughters, Mila, six, and Evara, three, into the car and drive to the parts of town with the prettiest, twinkliest houses. They spend the evening walking around, admiring what Mila calls “the fairy lights”. Other than that, the most important thing at Christmas time, Hunter says, is just making sure everybody is together. “We don’t have traditions per se. If anything it would be travelling to a coastal location, whether that be Byron, or down south. We’ve done the GC [Gold Coast]. Wherever we can get close to a beach, we try to do that.” Hunter's Christmas picks What’s on the top of your Christmas tree? A nice shiny…

It was a little after 12 on a cold, clear December night, just a few months into Malala Yousafzai’s first year at Oxford University. One of her new acquaintances had invited her to join him in “an experience that every Lady Margaret Hall student should try once”. They had made their way along dark corridors to a cramped prayer room and were now clambering out a tiny window onto a narrow ledge. Below them was “a multistorey drop to the cobblestone courtyard,” Malala remembers. “When you get to the end, there’s a short jump to the next section of roof, only about three feet. You can easily make it – just don’t look down,” the third-year student advised. A blast of cold air hit Malala’s face as she jumped and…

Unlike the Hollywood movies that promise perfect families and endless cheer, December can be a mixed bag for many of us. Between the shopping lists, our social calendars and year-end deadlines, most of us arrive at the holidays feeling frazzled, not festive. Yet beneath the tinsel and to-do lists, the season often stirs something deeper. The fairy lights go up, workplaces wind down, and suddenly there’s space – to reflect, to remember, to reach out. “Life is so fast-paced these days, and many adults are so caught up in the busyness of life that we neglect – through no fault of our own – to keep in contact with people we know and love,” says psychologist and author Dr Marny Lishman. “By the time we get to Christmas, we start…

Velvety and elegant, rose pairs well with citrus notes for a boost of joy, or layer with vanilla or sandalwood to amp up the romance. Rose 1. Kayali Fleur Majesty Rose Royale | 31 EDP, $179. 2. Maison Crivelli Rose Saltifolia EDP, $368. 3. Narciso Rodriguez All of Me EDP, $226. 4. Bvlgari Allegra Fiori D’amore EDP, $465. 5. (S)MER Petal to the Metal EDP, $395. 6. D.S. & Durga Rose Atlantic EDP, $302. 7. Maison Louis Marie Antidris Cassis EDP, $162. 8. Chloé Le Parfum EDP, $290. Like a comforting hug, vanilla evokes warmth and sensuality with its soft, creamy and slightly woody charm. Vanilla 1. Burberry Goddess EDP, $309. 2. Tom Ford Vanilla Sex EDP, $399. 3. Dries Van Noten Camomille Satin EDP, $485. 4. Chanel N°5 EDP,…

From the Test Kitchen Soak wooden skewers in a tall jug of boiling water for 10 minutes before using. Southern scallops are a small, deep-shell variety. If you can’t get them from your fishmonger, the regular, flat-shell variety will be equally delicious. From the Test Kitchen The salmon needs 24 hours to cure; make sure you start this recipe with enough time ahead of serving. Use a mandoline to slice the vegetables thinly. DO AHEAD The gravlax can be made 4 days ahead. Store, unsliced, in the fridge. The pickled vegetables can be made 1 week ahead. Store separately, covered, in the fridge. Swedish gravlax platter SERVES 8 PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES (+ 24 HOURS REFRIGERATION TIME) You need to start the gravlax recipe at least 1 day…

White forest cake SERVES 8 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION TIME) 1 cup (150g) plain flour ¾ teaspoon baking powder 6 eggs ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar 100g unsalted butter, melted and cooled 250g mascarpone 300ml thickened cream 2 tablespoons icing sugar mixture Maraschino cherries or extra fresh cherries, for decorating CHERRY JAM 300g cherries, pitted and quartered ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped 1 tablespoon kirsch (or lemon juice) WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE 360g white chocolate, chopped (eating chocolate, not cooking chocolate) 200ml single cream CHOCOLATE SHARDS 100g white chocolate melts, melted 1 CHERRY JAM Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add cherries, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds and stir until the cherries start to soften and…

Scotch Finger & berry ice-cream cake SERVES 10 PREP TIME 15 MINUTES FREEZER TIME 12 HOURS+ The ideal summer celebration dessert. It’s best to make it a day ahead so the layers are completely frozen. Take it out of the freezer about 5 minutes before serving to soften slightly, making it easier to cut into slices. 250g packet Arnott’s Scotch Finger biscuits (or 250g Arnott’s Gluten Free Scotch Finger biscuits) 100g unsalted butter, melted 600ml thickened cream 395g can sweetened condensed milk 1 cup (150g) frozen mixed berries fresh mixed berries, cherrries and icing sugar (ensure gluten free, if required), to serve 1 Line a 6cm x 13cm x 24cm loaf tin with baking paper, extending the paper 2cm above edge of tin. 2 Place Scotch Finger biscuits in the…

For the baker For the home cook For the trendsetter For the entertainer SCAN for more Looking for more gift inspiration? Scan the QR code for shopping guides, appliance product reviews and our favourite cookbooks of 2025. Find them all at womensweeklyfood.com.au CURATED BY FRANCES ABDALLAOUI, CHANEL GELIN, SARAH MCINERNEY AND LILLY VEITCH. ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE.…

The literary gems The Transformations by Andrew Pippos, Picador It opens in a newsroom and ends at a nudist beach. These are the first and last scenes of The Transformations, a literary delight from Andrew Pippos, award-winning author of Lucky’s. The former journo turned university lecturer draws on lived experience for The Transformations, a modern love story that unfolds in the office of a slowly dying newspaper. The author manages to make the story both sombre and sexy, a true skill! Anyone who has worked in publishing will recognise the characters and remember the sinking feeling of receiving an unexpected all-staff meeting request. The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee, Penguin Random House This is not a drill. A new Harper Lee book has dropped. Don’t panic – but…

Christmas has always been a special time of joy and celebration, centring around food, family and friends. In my childhood memories I see a table groaning with food Mum prepared with such love and such abundance. I love doing the same. I enjoy every part of it, from thinking about the food weeks beforehand – the excitement of ideas as to whether I will add something new to the family traditions – to planning not only the shopping but working out everything that can be prepared before the day. I love to be organised with my prep to take pressure off Christmas Day, and part of that is asking family members for help so that we can simply enjoy the company of our loved ones. A Christmas roast is a…

Letter of the month How inspiring to read the stories in the December AWW from three octogenarian ladies – Sandra Atkins (Goodwill hunting), Ita Buttrose (Let’s talk about sex) and Jeanne Socrates (Go your own way), all of whom are still actively and meaningfully engaged in living their lives to the full. As a Baby Boomer just a few years younger, I share their enthusiasm and joie de vivre as I contribute as much time as possible to my church and community, while steadily working through my travel bucket list. Challenges, fulfilment and joy do not have an age limit, so let’s be determined to find them as we become older. Secret Harbour, WA. Paper free For the past few years, I’ve been getting The Weekly on my iPad. It’s…

I’ve had one of those years. The kind where every week feels like a marathon, every weekend another set of logistics, and every “day off” quietly fills itself with jobs I’ve been putting off since April. By the time mid-year rolled around, I realised something: I wasn’t tired, I was done. As cooked as the crackling I’m famous in my family for. And the thought of hosting Christmas this year felt less like joy and more like another task on a never-ending list. It was time for a shift. Christmas Day also falls annoyingly right in the middle of my big break. Because I’m the one with the longest table and the dinnerware obsession (So. Many. Plates!), I’ve always been the logical choice to host The Big Day. Plus, I’m…

From the window of a Piper Chieftain, King Island stretches below like a rumpled green blanket, its paddocks carved up by swamp paperbarks and wild sea pressing at every edge. The flight from Melbourne is short but rarely smooth. Bass Strait has a way of reminding travellers who’s in charge. “See that big factory down there?” Nick Dobromilsky says, leaning towards his eight-year-old daughter, Eleanor, and pointing at a cluster of squat buildings near the coast. “That’s the cheese factory.” But she doesn’t dare look. Her eyes are shut, hand clamped in his. She’s a nervous flyer, aware of every bump and dip. Nick gives a tight squeeze. They’re almost there. Seven months ago, he and his wife, Genevieve Blanch, along with business partner Graeme Wilson, bought those buildings –…

Magic is happening inside a nondescript school hall on a busy suburban street as choreographer Justyne Leeke puts her crew through its paces. “Raise your arms, twirl! Great, now shake it,” she shouts through a blast of ’70s disco hits, blonde curls bobbing. There’s a bedazzlement of rainbow sequins that would make Dame Edna look drab. But the students’ smiles – and their parents’ evident pride – outshine even those flamboyant costumes. Pure joy explodes as music and movement unite in a celebration of unstoppable spirit. This is no ordinary chorus line. These dancers are from the Star Performers & Twinkle Stars Dance Studio, a wonderful place in southern Sydney where children and adults with special needs learn to express their abilities in a fun, safe space. “It gives them…

Growing up, I loved animals. I was born in the UK and lived there for 12 years before moving to Australia with my family. As a kid, I was constantly nagging my parents for a pet, always bringing an injured bird into the house, or building a frog pond. I was obsessed with The Crocodile Hunter, and loved learning about wildlife from Steve and Terri Irwin. When I was maybe six years old, I found a frog in our backyard. Not knowing any better, I figured he’d need a swim. I filled up the bathtub with water and let him go in there. I can still remember the look on my mum’s face when she saw it. Unlike me, the rest of my family aren’t really into wildlife, especially my…

Merry Christmas from The Weekly PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN PAUL URIZAR. STYLING BY MICHELE CRANSTON. BONNIE & NEIL TABLECLOTH, BONNIEANDNEIL.COM.AU. VINTAGE TABLE FRUIT BOWL FROM ROBERT GORDON.…

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No 1 Fruity gin spritzer MAKES 2 LITRES (8 CUPS)/SERVES 8 PREP TIME 10 MINUTES Place 1 cup chilled dry gin, ½ cup chilled orange juice, 1.25 litres (5 cups) chilled blood orange-flavoured mineral water, ½ cup passionfruit pulp and ½ teaspoon orange blossom water in a large jug; stir to combine. Add 3 sliced large yellow peaches and 3 sliced plums; stir to combine. Serve chilled over crushed ice. No 2 Minty apple frappé MAKES 1 LITRE (4 CUPS)/SERVES 4 PREP TIME 15 MINUTES Blend 1 coarsely chopped green-skinned apple, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons mint leaves, 1 chopped Lebanese cucumber, 50g baby spinach leaves, 1 cup coconut water and 1 cup clear apple juice in a high-powdered blender until well combined. Serve frappé topped with thinly sliced…

MAKES 70 MADELEINES PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS (+ REFRIGERATION TIME) 2½ cups (375g) plain flour 2½ teaspoons McKenzie’s baking powder 1 tablespoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice pinch of salt 1⅔ cups (370g) caster sugar 10 eggs, beaten lightly 2 tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons vanilla extract \ 400g butter, melted, cooled, plus extra for greasing 300g white chocolate melts, melted, cooled white sprinkles, to decorate EQUIPMENT 45cm foam cone toothpicks 1 Sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt into a large bowl, whisk in the sugar until the dry ingredients are evenly combined. 2 Whisk in the beaten eggs, honey and vanilla, then whisk in the butter until smooth and combined. Cover and refrigerate batter for 2 hours or overnight. 3…

PG 215 Coffee filter blooms Paper bag stars Transform plain paper bags into stunning 3D stars! So simple and fun, you’ll want to make a galaxy. What you’ll need: Paper bags (brown or coloured with a flat square base; you will need 10-12 per star) Glue stick or craft glue Scissors String or ribbon for hanging To make: • Cover base square of a bag with glue, and follow with a line of glue up the centre. Stack the next bag on top, press in place, and repeat until you have a stack of 10-12. • Trim the tops of the stacked bags into points or your chosen star shape. (If the stack is thick, make two smaller stacks, cut separately, then glue together.) • Open each bag carefully so…

For more holiday inspiration from The Weekly’s experts, head to our website at WomensWeekly.com.au Turkey is a favourite at Christmas time – on the dinner table with all the trimmings, and on the outskirts of Ephesus with a story that’s seldom told. Here among ruins sprawling uphill from the Turkish port of Kuşadasi stands the house where Mary, mother of Jesus, is said to have lived out her final days. “The people built a small village here, and they welcomed the Virgin Mary very warmly, and they built a small stone house for her,” says guide Ayşegül Çakir, who is leading us on a shore excursion with Regent Seven Seas. It’s a 30-minute drive from the port to the House of the Virgin Mary – or Meryemana Evi, as it’s…

A THRILLING READ Silent Bones is the thrilling new novel in the Karen Pirie series from bestseller and modern-day ‘Queen of Crime’, Val McDermid. When torrential rain causes a landslide on a motorway in Scotland, it reveals a crime scene: Someone hid a body in the tarmac eleven years before. As Karen and her team investigate, they untangle a mystery that connects the murder case with Scotland’s rich and powerful. Karen’s team will be tested to their limits – and possibly beyond ... RRP: $34.99. Visit geni.us/SilentBones_HAU NOTHING COMES CLOSE TO A HOLIDAY CLOSE TO HOME WITH CELEBRITY CRUISES Get a whole new point of view from Celebrity Cruises’ award-winning ships, the stunning Celebrity Edge and the renewed Celebrity Solstice debuting in 2026! Explore the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand…

Roast pork shoulder SERVES 8 PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES (+ STANDING & OVERNIGHT REFRIGERATION TIME) I have cooked this beautiful pork shoulder for many a family gathering over the years. It pairs wonderfully with my indulgent Super-crispy Roasted Potatoes (page 20). 2.8kg free-range pork shoulder, bone in, skin on 1 sprig of bay leaves 1 litre (4 cups) boiling water 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons fennel seeds finely grated rind of ½ lemon 2 tablespoons sea salt ¼ cup (60ml) verjuice apple chutney, to serve 1 Using a scalpel, Stanley knife or small sharp knife, score the skin of the pork just through to the fat. 2 Place the pork onto a trivet or rack; tuck bay leaves underneath the pork. Place rack…

Summer pudding SERVES 8 PREP + COOK TIME 40 MINUTES (+ OVERNIGHT REFRIGERATION TIME) 360g raspberries 300g blueberries 300g mulberries 300g blackberries 250g strawberries, quartered 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar ¼ cup (60ml) verjuice ¼ cup (60ml) water 18 slices (approximately) stale white sandwich bread, crusts removed ½ cup (160g) raspberry and pomegranate jam crème fraîche and extra fresh berries, to serve 1 Place all the berries, the sugar, verjuice and water into a medium saucepan over low heat and stir until berries have softened. Strain the berries over a large bowl, reserving the syrup. 2 Line a 2-litre (8-cup) pudding basin with a double layer of plastic wrap. Cut slices of bread in half into triangles. Brush one side of bread triangles lightly with syrup. Reserve 5 bread slices,…