Mother's Day 2017

If your mother is an avid reader, here are some gift ideas for Mother's Day.

Hippy Days Arabian Nights

By Katherine Boland

Published by Wild Dingo Press

This memoir by artist Katherine Boland is a rollicking good read.

Katherine follows her heart and her dreams with gusto, not stopping to consider the "could haves" or the "should haves."

She arrived in Australia as a child with her family on the 10-pound Pom scheme.

My niece and fellow foodie Jong-Ee Kao was keen to try my roasted cauliflower recipe, so here it is.

Roasted cauliflower with lemon and mustard

adapted from Neil Perry's recipe

Serves 4

1 head cauliflower

2 tbsp plus ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or to taste

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 tbsp salted baby capers, rinsed and drained

1 tbsp chopped flat parsley leaves

Put oven rack on the middle shelf and preheat to 220 degrees C.

Valentine's Day 2017

So, it's that time of the year for romantics to celebrate St Valentine's Day.

What to give your beloved, where to go for that romantic dinner and how much does a dozen long-stemmed roses cost?

Maybe I'm being unromantically practical, but sometimes a good back rub or foot massage, when your soul is as weary as your tired body, can be more meaningful than flowers and chocolates.

How about loading and unloading the dishwasher for a change or prepare a picnic by the beach or in the park while the babysitter minds the children?

Chinese New Year of the Rooster 2017

The Year of the Fire Rooster will start on January 28, 2017 and last until February 15, 2018.

According to the Chinese zodiac, the rooster is the 10th animal in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac signs.

The Years of the Rooster are 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029...
The Rooster is almost the epitome of fidelity and punctuality.

For our ancestors who had no alarm clocks, the crowing was significant because it awakened people to get up and start to work.

Cooking demonstrations at Williams-Sonoma, Chadstone shopping centre.

Ennis Le from Hanoi Mee.

Looking for some culinary inspirations for your next dinner?

Come to Williams-Sonoma at Chadstone shopping centre on Thursday, 12 January at 5pm and watch talented chef Ennis Le from Hanoi Mee in Port Melbourne, while he whips up some exciting modern Vietnamese dishes.

Book a ringside seat at the demonstration kitchen of Williams-Sonoma, which is on the lower level, near David Jones.