Category: Blog
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Roving Band of Peacocks
This afternoon I walked out onto my driveway to discover an urban farmer’s worst nightmare…a gang of street peacocks feasting on my blackberries! These 4 ladies (technically “peahens” because all “peacocks” are male, and the non-gender-specific word for them is “peafowl”) obviously belonged to someone. It’s not every day you see 4 gorgeous, well-cared-for peahens…
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How to Watch a MasterChef Premier…from a MasterChef Survivor
My blog today is actually not on my site! It’s on the site of a MasterChef season 4 contestant named Marie Porter. Marie is one unique gal. She and her husband Michael have a fascinating website and company called Celebration Generation which is remarkably like my own…there’s a blog that covers cooking and baking, DIY,…
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Did I Make the Finals for TasteMaster?!?
Friends, I woke up this morning, eager to find out if I was among the 3 finalists for Tourism Australia’s Taste Master…the dream job of a lifetime. And the vegemite jar was empty. No Western Australia for 6 months for this crazy cook! I want to deeply thank everyone from the bottom of my heart…
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How to build a spot-watering system for berries, bushes, and trees
So you’ve planted some blackberries or raspberries or blueberries, and you spent your first year trying to remember to water them deeply once a week. Occasionally you’d leave the water on all night by accident. Occasionally you’d forget to water on that one week when it was blisteringly hot, and your berries nearly died. And…
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All About Australian Wine
Most Americans are familiar with Australian wine. Ask any person with average wine knowledge what wine comes from Australia and they’ll tell you, “Shiraz.” Of course, many other varietals are raised there, but Shiraz (the same grape as Syrah) is the most popular wine grape grown in Australia and it is responsible for making Australian…
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Tequila 101
So I’ve just returned from an agave cutting demonstration at Agave Azul, my favorite gourmet Mexican place in Dallas. Tequila has been one of my favorite liquors for over a decade, but it’s only just now coming into its own as a true craft beverage. Fraught with an out-dated reputation as a harsh alcohol only…
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The truth about Vegemite…from an American foodie
If you show this bottle of Vegemite to 10 Americans, half of them won’t know what it is. Out of the remaining 5, four of them will recoil in abject horror and begin dry-gagging, while the remaining 1 will say, “Oh, I love that stuff on toast!” Show that same bottle of Vegemite to 10…
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Kangaroo Loin with Mushroom Sauce
**PLEASE NOTE** A video on how to make this dish is located at the bottom of this recipe! Yes, yes…you’re shocked and a bit disgusted that I’ve posted a kangaroo recipe. Folks…kangaroo is the venison of Australia. It’s their most common game meat. It jumps into the road in the middle of the night and…
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Foraging for Morels in Arkansas
Anyone who classifies themselves as a “foodie” knows about morels. These miraculous mushrooms are the most coveted table fungus on the planet, rivaling the reputations of even the black and white truffles of southern Europe. However, unlike truffles, which CAN be cultivated and dependably harvested, the morel has resisted ALL attempts at cultivation. Every…
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I’m on the shortlist for the Best Job in the World!
I’m walking on air today, because it was just announced that I’m on the shortlist for the Best Job in the World! Honestly, I already thought I had the best job in the world…I spend my days cooking, gardening, brewing beer and wine, traveling, and sharing these experiences with my amazing fans all over the…