Dear friends, How can it be June already? It's been a big month of enjoying the magnificent weather here right now in North Queensland and keeping busy with harvesting and preserving all of the fresh and surplus produce coming our way, not to mention eating it.
There's only one Nigella Lawson, and this delicious, fragrant and beguiling cake is one of my all time favourites of her many cakes. With the apricots shining like jewels on the surface along with the chopped Pistachios, and the beautiful flavours of Rosewater and Cardamon within, this cake could proudly be served as the finishing touch to a Middle Eastern Banquet, or as an afternoon tea treat.
It's pickling season. This Cucumber Pickle was made from a couple of the largest cucumbers I have ever seen, and were surprisingly very crispy and sweet. Even cucumbers which look as if they are on steroids, and these did, can still be pickled or the smallest ones as well. How versatile is the common cucumber?
This Mexican Chicken Traybake is now at the top of my list of delicious chicken traybakes, and I've cooked a lot of them. Full of authentic tasty Mexican flavours, a homemade Arrabbiata Sauce, colourful vegetables and succulent chicken, this meal is a real winner. It's Mexican Fiesta time.
This is my go to fruit cake recipe, all year round, when I'm not baking my Rum fruit cakes at Christmas time. This cake is also festively flavoured enough to grace your Christmas table, when dressed up in ribbons and bows. Laced with brandy and adorned with whole glacé cherries throughout, it is a delicious cake to have on standby in your pantry or refrigerator when needed. This one will be travelling away with us shortly.
