26 February, 2017

On Becoming A Food Writer

“The words, Rogers! The words!” The news editor’s voice boomed across the wide open plan office. He stood up and ambled down the line of desks in the centre of the room, banging loudly on each desk with a rolled-up newspaper. A couple of the cadets sitting in front of me jumped nervously. George Williams … Continue reading →
22 February, 2017

The Sensual Art of Nyonya Cuisine

I’ve come to talk to Carol SelvaRajah about her recently released food memoir, Dining with Dragons. SelvaRajah grew up surrounded by Nyonya cooking at her childhood home in Klang, Malaysia, and is an expert in this unique and elaborate cuisine. As I approach her home, a fragrant nutty smell beckons me inside and up the stairs. When … Continue reading →
12 February, 2017

Apples of Love for Valentine’s Day

A tiny village in Valencia, Spain, hosts a tomato festival, La Tomatina, each year at the height of summer.  Actually it sounds to me more like a tomato war than a celebration of the most popular fruit vegetable in the world. At the last festival 30,000 people from around the world descended on the small … Continue reading →
5 February, 2017

Kong Hee Fatt Choy!

I was running late for my appointment with Carol SelvaRajah, one of Australia’s leading exponents of Nonya and Malaysian cooking. When I arrived, she was on the phone to her brother in Kuala Lumpur, Dr Abel Arumugam. She opened the front door, waving me in, while continuing with the instructions for chicken rendang. “After you’ve … Continue reading →
28 January, 2017

The Best Summer Birthday Cake Ever

It’s been a long hot summer Down Under. In fact it’s been the hottest month of January ever recorded. One night, a couple of weeks ago, was the warmest January night in Sydney ever (records for the city go back to 1858). And right in the middle of the month one of my grand-daughters turned … Continue reading →