In My Tropical Kitchen, October 2026

Dear friends, welcome, this is my HRK thought for the month, encapsulating how I endeavour to approach my cooking. "Cook with my heart, respect the recipe, and have the confidence to add my own touch." Spring has been lovely this year, cool mornings and evenings, and it's not over yet. The garden has been responding with beautiful spring blooms, and the birds are singing. However, the hot Summer weather is almost here. That means some outdoor cooking and living to look forward to.

Recipes for Semolina Pizza Dough, Béchamel Prawn Pizza and Vegetarian and Pizza Supremes, all homemade

Cook in a Gas Fired Pizza Oven or a Conventional Oven, Your Choice

 We've been working hard on our recipe for the best pizza results using a Gas Fired Pizza Oven, and I think we've nailed it. The dough is light, yet crispy and delicious, and the freshest green prawns from Karumba, located in the Gulf Country region of North West Queensland ensured the Prawn Pizzas lived up to our expectations. After all a prawn pizza should really be about the prawns, the silky béchamel sauce, and a good dough. We cooked these pizzas in our gas fired pizza oven, but not everyone has one of those, so I have given you conventional oven instructions as well.

French Deep-Dish Custard Tart

It's not "too hard" to make a French custard tart like this in your kitchen. If you enjoy baking, you can make it. The pastry is easily achieved using a simple biscuit crumb base. The vanilla custard is creamy and dreamy, and is a cream enriched version of the custard, crème pâtissière, used in many French Pâtisserie tarts, but even more cream-enriched. Thanks  to Nagi Maehashi for this recipe from her recipe book "Recipe Tin Eats Tonight" that I based mine on.

Lamb and Pine Nut Meatballs with Moroccan Salad and Tahini Dressing

 

Spring is traditionally the best time to buy lamb in Australia when it is really in season. Prices should be lower, and lamb more abundant. Peak pasture growth in Spring on sheep properties leads to a surge in supply. We love eating lamb in our house whether it be a slow cooked lamb shoulder, or  the traditional Sunday roast lamb, however lamb mince really lends itself to cooking with Moroccan or Middle Eastern flavours. This recipe demonstrates how delicious lamb mince is when combined with Moroccan herbs and spices and meatballs are always a fantastic way to transform mince into a great meal.

In My Tropical Kitchen, September 2026

It's Spring, it's September, and I am loving the freshness of it all, despite what else is happening in this crazy world of ours. It's been an incredibly busy couple of months, hence my late submission to Sherry from Sherry's Pickings who hosts In My Kitchen each month. Thanks Sherry for taking the time to host the achievements of so many amazing home cooks around the world. Our French family has arrived from Montpellier in France to take up residence in Australia and we are over the moon about it. There's a lot of other good stuff from my kitchen to share with you which I hope you will enjoy.

Pumpkin and Apricot Fruit Cake, with a touch of nostalgia

 

Here we are in September already, and it's Father's Day tomorrow. This is a delicious cake for a very special day. Spring has well and truly sprung, and it is still cool enough here to bake a fruit cake and have this on hand over the weekend. This one is a real favourite in our family, particularly Mr. HRK, incorporating beautifully rich Kent or Jap pumpkin. It can also be iced with a lemon or cream cheese icing if you wish so that it is even more festive.

Blueberry and Bran Muffins

This is the perfect fruit muffin to bake at home. Loaded with fibre and laced with blueberries or even raspberries, these muffins are delicious and yet healthy enough to suit your children's or your work lunchboxes, your breakfast menu, or essential morning and afternoon teas. Dressed up in a pretty paper wrapper, and dusted with icing sugar over a layer of scented cinnamon, these muffins will impress.