Hating Brussels sprouts could be in your DNA.
That’s the headline and premise of an article in the Huffington Post on what is categorically of late been classified the most hated vegetable in Britain and the United States, the Brussels sprout. Most hated! That’s some feat. I give them a pleasant twist with onions, coppa, sweet chilli sauce and vine tomatoes.

A tour of Chelsea Food Market in New York, shops and stalls you should not miss and a magnificent little resting spot for the weary shopper.

A tour through the stalls of the La Boqueria Market in Barcelona, arguably the best food market in Europe – what not to miss, when to go and the top tips on some of the tastiest tapas at the market. *Warning, image not suitable for sensitive readers*

Pre-Christmas dinners and catch-ups of a casual nature can pose a quandary in matters of dessert. It’s far too much effort required to make an all-out steamed pudding for a late lunch for four friends. And yet, you want to acknowledge that Christmas is around the corner (two days in this case) and step into festive mode.Enter: Easy Layered Semifreddo Christmas Cake with Berry Sauce & Nuts

A silly poem, conversations on longing and finally, lamb chops. I’ve made these Greek inspired lamb chops (nothing that I claim to be authentic Greek) by using tomatoes, fresh thyme, Kalamata olives, garlic, a little feta cheese and spritely mint.

Good quality dark chocolate flecked with tart strips of dried apricot and roasted hazelnuts tumbled together in small tins and jars, make delicious edible gifts for lovers of indulgence. The ingredients added make the act of melting, pouring and chilling chocolate appear complicated and the treat sophisticated. It really could not be easier to do. And showing off some fine Mustardseed and Moonshine platters

This Saturday (17 December 2011), at 2 30 pm a group of Cape Town cookie crafters will be gathering at the Cut&Bake studios to sample Cut&Bake’s cookies, drink bubbles, snack on some savouries and swap our home-made cookies and chocolates. Details and how you can get involved here..also a recipe for unusual, tempting Spiced Cocoa Cookies with Roasted Hazelnuts & Rosemary.

I was asked to contribute to the Summer Memories Food Section in the December issue of Oprah Magazine South Africa, featuring 6 food personalities. (I’m a food personality?!) I chose a South Indian Crab Curry, that despite the heat and complex spiciness, is one I always enjoy with my family during the summer December holidays, each year without fail. This is my version – inspired by my mother’s Crab Curry and Rick Stein’s Coconut Chilli Crab.

One of the most unforgettable lines in the movie Bend it Like Beckham, is from Jess, as her poor mother battles to get her to learn the basics in the kitchen: ” Anyone can cook aloo gobi, but who can bend a ball like Beckham? ” Well, I tell you a really good aloo gobi is hard to beat. I tested the Fresh Living Cookbook version here…

On one of my daily iPad magazine browses, my eye caught sight of a triangle shaped pastry topped with slices of fig (one of my very favourite late summer fruit) and drizzled with a thick chocolate sauce. I didn’t quite note which magazine featured the pastry, but the visual stayed with me. An adaptation of a sweet tartlet, these savoury asparagus, mini vine tomato and fresh bocconcini pastries use ready rolled butter puff pastry and are drizzled in a thick and rich sweet and slightly tangy crema di balsamico which I love using with sweet fruit as well.