Each month we try a recipe from one of Australia's great food magazines or a favourite cookbook, a product on our list, or simply something seasonal and give you our feedback on the recipe itself and how our products contributed to the finished product (if they're used!).

Any cookbook can be purchased through Yarra Valley Provender, either at retail price or retail plus $5.00 if my supplier does not stock it.

January 2008
The zucchinis are taking over the vegie garden. My favourite recipes are pasta with zucchini sauce (Neil Perry), bread and butter pickles (Stephanie's Encylopeadia), zucchini cake (a 20 year old magazine cutting) and roasted zucchini (Silver Spoon). I planted two Italian varieties as well as the usual black jack and golden, and they are so full of flavour. Unfortunately their tags seem to have disappeared - but keep an eye out in your local Italian grocers about September next year.

December 2007
New Year's Eve and a fabulous Tuna with Coconut and Chille relish. Just one comment, if a recipe says cook fish for 3-4 minutes on high, beleive them! Six minutes was overcooked.

November 2007
We were lucky enough to be the recipients of a locally grown lamb. Roasted to perfection in the wood fired oven - on a bed of diced onion, tinned tomatoes and Christine Manfield's Harissa. Scrumptious. Christine's Preserved Lemons also are a treat with baked potatoes and roasted capers.

October 2007
I was lucky enough to be in Santorini this month. The Greek really do know how to enjoy their food. One of the great appetisers were 'tomato pancakes'. We would call them tomato fritters, but served hot, they were a fantastic nibble. Also the fava bean (dried broad bean) puree.Most meals were a series of plates in the centre of the table, and it really is a convivial way to eat. Beats watching television!

September 2007
The first of the spring asparagus called for 'a recipe'. Once again, Gary Rhodes' Keep it Simple provided inspiration. After cooking the asparagus, put in a saute pan with a little of the cooking water, some butter (Isigny) and some Simon Johnson Seeded Mustard. Gently simmer rolling asparagus in the sauce. This was served with his paprika-roasted chicken, another excellent recipe.

August 2007
We had a weekend away with several friends and one of 'our meals' was breakfast (for 10). This turned out to be a great brunch dish. Push slices of bread into muffin tins (or use hollowed out English Muffins). Line with proscuitto, some spinach leaves and crack an egg into the centre. Sprinkle over grated Heidi Gruyere cheese, and bake for about 15 minutes at 180C. A great way to serve everyone at once!

July 2007
Ever feel like a light supper - say Sunday night or when you get home from a longer than usual day. Why not rustle up some Croque Monsieur. Use great bread, sliced thickly, spread both insides with Delouis Fils Mustard, layer with free range ham and some Heidi Gruyere. Butter both outsides liberally and pan fry. Slice into three and wrap in butchers paper to serve. Great to make ahead and leave in the fridge - just let them soften a little before trying to prise off each sandwich.

June 2007
One of the home cooked meals we ate while away was Rabbit Cacciatore. Such an easy dish - as per the recipe in The Silver Spoon. If you're a fan of Italian cooking, it certainly gives you plenty of ideas. All recipes are very simple, easy to adapt if you need to, and remind you to use the best of fresh, local ingredients and let them shine through. If you need a copy, please just ask and we will source one for you.

May 2007
No cooking this month as we were away, mostly in northern Italy. We are copious amounts of food, very regional in nature and exceedingly fresh. The Italians were very proud to serve local specialties, local wines and in season foods.

April 2007
I attended the Peter Watson spice course run by CAE in Melbourne, which was very informative. Why not try some of his recipes. Grilled lamb chops that have been marinaded in PW Moroccan spice mix with lemon juice and oil. Cook very quickly over high heat. Or, chicken pieces dipped in the dry Chicken rub mix that is Southern Mediterranean inspired and then grilled.

March 2007
Black figs are ripe in our area. Simply make a cross in the top of the fig, insert a wedge of great English Stilton (try Cornwall Bishop or Colston Basset), wrap the fig in thinly sliced proscuitto, and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes. Drizzle Balsamic Glaze on the plate and serve.

February 2007
More zucchini anyone? I have a great recipe for Zucchini Bread, which I make in Silpat Muffin silicone tins or a loaf tin and freeze. It's always a hit, even with non-zucchini eaters. Just make sure you drain the zucchini well. If you'd like the recipe, please just ask.

January 2007
Zucchini anyone? It's been a great year for zucchini, so ways of preserving them are welcome. One of the best is Stephanie Alexander's Bread and Butter pickles. It keeps really well and is simply delicious with leftover ham.

December 2006
Christmas parties, New Year's Eve - all great opportunities for easy pantry-based ideas. And the one which was a firm favourite? Lebanese flat bread, lightly sprayed with olive oil on the base, spread with black olive tapenade on the top, sprinkled with Maldon Sea Salt, cut into triangles or other shapes with the pizza wheel and baked in a moderate oven for 10 minutes. Also great if brushed with oil and sprinkled with dukkah. Stores well.

November 2006
We recently had a week of visitors, which meant that dinners needed to be prepared ahead or easily put together. The week started with Eggplant Parmigana followed by the Yoghurt semifreddo with watermelon and cherries (we substituted strawberries) from Karen Martini's "Where the heart is" was a real hit. The balsamic dressing on dessert was considered optional by some, but the Iranian Fairy Floss was indispensable. The final dish of the week was also from this book - Roasted Duck Ragu. Now a firm favourite.

October 2006
Quarter (or cut into eighths) an eggplant and place in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with olive oil and bake about 45 minutes. Add about half a jar or Goan Cuisine Eggplant Kasundi, mix and return to the oven for another 30 minutes. Serve as a side dish (great with roast pork), scrape the flesh from the skins and use on bruschetta, or mix with yoghurt or hummus for a great dip. Why not use 2 or 3 eggplants and have it ready for all sorts of uses?

September 2006
A friend cooked dinner the other night - the braised fennel (Stephanie Alexander's encyclopaedia) reminded us all of how great fennel is. Thanks Graeme!

August 2006
Karen Martini's new book, "Where the heart is" is full of easy, flavourful recipes. Try the lamb shanks with pearl barley (Il Saraceno organic) and lentils (SJ green) for a great variation on the traditional lamb shank broth.

July 2006
It's cold and wintry - just right for Duck boulangere with hazelnut-rosemary spinach from Gary Rhodes "Spring into Summer" or "Cookery Year." I used maryland pieces rather than legs, and will be cooking this dish again, and often. Do try the spinach with hazelnut too.

June 2006
I pulled Kylie Kowng's 'Heart and Soul' off the shelf after not using it for some time. Her sizzling beef is so easy, and served with chinese greens and rice – a firm favourite.

May 2006
Back home and some new products to try. Yamato Ray Soy Sauce, Organic Miso, Sushi Vinegar, Ginger Vinegar and Wasabi Oil. Several people have mentioned the wasabi oil in a very positive way. Perhaps once the quinces have been poached, preserved, jellied, pureed and turned into paste. As I type this, I'm poaching quinces in red wine (Neil Perry's The Food I Love) and the aroma floating through the house of quince and vanilla bean is superb. Two large quinces will fill one Fowlers No 31 jar.

April 2006
I've been overseas for most of April, and have had some amazing food experiences. One of the highlights was lunch on Santorini - a feast of dishes packed with flavour, and amazing freshness. Calamari sauteed with olives and capers. A rocket and iceberg lettuce salad with sundried tomatoes, very small cubes of Greek cheese, capers and toasted sunflower seeds. And tomato pancakes - we would call them fritters. I recall seeing this in a Gourmet Traveller Greek Issue, so will have to dig it out and try them.

March 2006
Figs are ripening in abundance at friends and neighbours. Our tree has just 12 figs. Luckily the birds seem to be feasting on something else. So it was bruschetta - a sourdough roll from the freezer, sliced and grilled was the perfect amount for two, topped with some roquefort (luckily purchased before Will Studd was forced to destroy a large amount), fig quarters and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, quickly grilled to warm the fig. Perfect with sherry.

February 2006
An evening picnic with friends called for several dishes which could be shared. Greg and Lucy Malouf's Saha and a friends abundance of eggplants was the inspiration. Sweet and Sour Eggplant Salad was a great hit - the pomegranate molasses added a really special flavour.

January 2006
It's still raspberry season. So several kilos have been pressed to extract the juice which will be frozen - in just the right quantity for raspberry ice-cream. Christine Manfield's recipe from Paramount Cooking for Passionfruit ice-cream works every time, whether raspberry flavoured or passionfruit.

December 2005
It's raspberry season. And while the best way is definitely just eating them off the canes, as we pick a few kilos a day, other options are always welcome. Eton Mess seems to be a pretty perfect way of using fresh, frozen or slightly crushed berries. Firstly, crush some meringue, then simply mix with whipped cream (or softened ice-cream) and berries of your choice. Great for a family dessert, but always gets rave reviews when served to guests too!

November 2005
The vegie patch is just about perfect. Lots of things planted, all the weeds under control, and the asparagus looking and tasting fantastic. Cooked quickly and dunked into a soft-boiled free-range duck egg, barbequed and drizzled with balsamic vinegar, wrapped in proscuitto and baked in the oven, or stir-fried with some lamb, snow peas and an Asian sauce, it must be one of the most versatile vegies around.

October 2005
Still got pumpkins from last season? Try this recipe based on one from English chef, Paul Gayler. Melt a little butter and mix with freshly sliced chilli, light soy sauce, lime juice, freshly grated ginger, palm sugar, and crushed garlic. Pour over peeled and sliced (5mm) pumpkin, add water or chicken stock to just cover and bake for 40min at 190C. Serve as is, or drain and grill lightly. Great as a side dish or added to a warm salad.

September 2005
Staying at a fabulous B&B in Byron Bay, we were served this great breakfast starter. Here's our version: In a medium sized, interesting glass (say, a v-shaped one), put a layer of yoghurt (plain or flavoured), then a layer of RealGoodFood Organic Toasted Cereal, then another layer of yoghurt. Top with a little fruit depending on what's in the garden or freezer, eg, blueberries, raspberries, poached rhubarb, or chopped pineapple mixed with passionfruit.

August 2005
From the team at Simon Johnson: Possenti Roaring Lady is a favourite amongst the staff - toss it through warmed pasta with a few olives and a shaving of Reggiano.

July 2005
I've just been introduced to a new butcher in Melbourne and am trialling vacuum-packed smallgoods. Quality proscuitto, ham and other meats are hard to get in our part of the Valley, so if this works, we'll add them to the list. Let us know if you'd be interested!

June 2005
The wood-fired oven is complete and the first challenge: pizzas. Using a ciabatta dough, spread with Crespi Salsina Sanremo Intense Tomato Spread (my favourite product in the entire list), and topped with Mauri Buffalo Mozzarella, our guests added vegetables, pesto, salami or proscuitto to create their own taste sensations. And the verdict? If this was the first pizza, can't wait for the second.

May 2005
Winter's not far away and chocolate seems to be on everyone's mind. We've been trialling Ghiradelli Double Choc Hot Chocolate, and can highly recommend it. The Valrhona Sauce au chocolat is also hard to resist.

April 2005
We've just had a break in Sydney, so road-testing a recipe from Neil Perry's new book seemed the only thing to do. Judging by the success of the Lamb Cutlets with Lemongrass and Ginger and Barbequed Salad (both also in the April-May edition of Vogue Entertaining) the book will be used frequently. The weather was not favourable to barbequeing, so I quickly cooked the chops on a ridged pan and grilled the vegetables in the oven. Both were extremely flavoursome and so easy! Maggie Beer's verjuice was used on the veggies.

March 2005
Have you seen Spicery? The latest (2004) book from Ian and Elizabeth Hemphill. With great explanations of various spices and recipes highlighting their use, it will quickly become a favourite. This month it was "Pork fillet in orange sauce". Taking just over an hour from start to finish, the combination of orange, onions, sherry and pork was terrific (the spice was coriander seed and we used pork steaks). With rice and home grown green beans, just delicious!

February 2005
Simon Johnson tartlet cases filled with whatever you can find in the fridge or pantry. Using some goats cheese, cream cheese or marinated fetta as a base, why not add red onion marmalade; halved cherry tomatoes and fresh basil; Crespi Salsina Sanremo Intense Tomato Spread; a few sauteed mushrooms or some pitted olives or olive tapenade before heating for a few minutes. Cold tarts using smoked trout or salmon work well too. Easy to prepare for a party, but equally easy to make just two or three for Valentine's Day. Unused tartlet cases freeze really well.

January 2005
Christine Manfield's Stir cookbook has been getting a real tryout. I know it's been out for a few years, but in combination with her pastes, all the dishes tried so far have been fantastic. This month the fish in banana leaf. Blue eye coated with Sambal Bajak and drizzled with lime juice. Cooked twice - once in banana leaf and once in foil, and served to different guests. Both times got a great response.

December 2004
Seafood extravaganza at our place this year. One of the offerings was straight from the Christine Manfield Stir cookbook - but I bought the Spicy Satay Paste. Simply marinate some green prawns (never frozen are great, but really hard to get out here, so keep a back of frozen, peeled green prawns in the freezer). Served as part of a seafood platter, these prawns were a hit and will become a regular BBQ offering.

November 2004
Need a quick idea to serve with drinks? Take some day old bread (ciabatta, turkish, baguette or whatever is to hand). Slice thinly and lay on a baking tray. Brush or spray with olive oil. Bake until crisp. When browned, spread thinly with Crespi Salsina Sanremo Intense Tomato Spread or a flavoursome olive tapenade such as Peter Watsons. Serve warm if possible. Guaranteed positive reaction.

October 2004
This time of year is rather hectic for us, so Peter Watson's marinades and spice mixes are a menu-saver. The Sarawak Chix Marinade is great for chicken, and the Seafood BBQ Marinade is great for, yes, seafood! Prepare the night before for a flavoursome dinner quickly prepared when you get home from work. Likewise, roll pork, chicken or fish slices or fillets in one of the curry mixes for a change of flavour in a stir fry. You make like to mix the curry mix with flour if medium hot is preferred!

September 2004
Valrohna Sauce au chocolat was the product of the month. Simply heat and serve over ice-cream (or a banana split), or use to make a decadent hot chocolate or milk shake.

August 2004
Weekend guests arrived, armed with prepared dishes and special treats – all with a Greek heritage. The Olympics were on, so what other theme could we suggest? The August issue of Gourmet Traveller was the main inspiration. Gold medals to the Sagnaki with green olive salad, the feta and chilli dip, and the moussaka. Silver to the Yoghurt cake with bay syrup as it needed significantly longer cooking time than recommended.

July 2004
Fish masala - one of the new, dry Peter Watson spice mixes, comes with a recipe card. The recipe is easy to follow and accurate, but should come with a warning that the spice ix is hot! We'll use half the recommended amount next time.

June 2004
Not a new recipe, but Maggie Beer's roast chicken with garlic and verjuice from Maggie's Table is simply stunning. Naturally we used Maggie Beer's verjuice. Using a locally grown free-range chook, the flavours combined extraordinarily well and the slightly lemony, slightly tart jus was perfect. We needed to cook the chicken longer than the recipe suggested. The beans below would have made a great accompaniment!

May 2004
Emptying the fridge led to a great green side dish. Lightly fry fresh bread crumbs (or Japanese dry bread crumbs) in butter and oil until crisp. Cook greens (beans, broccoli) in salted boiling water until al dente. Refresh under cold water if serving as a salad. Just before serving, mix vegetables, bread crumbs, a spoonful or two of olive tapenade, toasted almond flakes and some diced preserved lemon.

April 2004
Delicious was again the inspiration this month, with Bill Granger's Curried Prawn Noodles from the April issue an easy taste sensation. We used the Goan Cuisine Xacuti Paste, which gave a mellow interesting flavour. This paste also works wonderfully well with coconut cream in a vegetable curry.

March 2004
Browsing through the March issue of Delicious one Monday night, a "Tuesday night dinner" sounded easy, healthy and tasty! Chicken with zataar, and as I have a tin of Peter Watson Zataar with thyme, the decision was easy. And the result? A new, regular 'fast' dish - especially good served with tomatoes from the vegie garden and great "Verona" bread from the supermarket in Seville!

February 2004
Valentines Day and Creme Brulee seemed an appropriate choice. After looking through several books, the Marco Pierre White version which cooks the custards in a bain marie rather than stirring on the stove top seemed the best option. However, a step is missing from his book "Canteen" (the heating of the milk). Using fresh vanilla beans was an absolute treat - we opened the pack of 5 and the aroma was sufficient! Who needs the creme brulee? I did keep going and cook the creme brulee, caramelising the demerrera sugar with a blow torch (available through Yarra Valley Provender - call or email if you'd like a price - or the recipe).

And the result? Delicious. The trick with caramelising the sugar is to stop just before you think it's ready as the sugar will keep melting for a few more moments.

January 2004
The summer barbeque sensation would have to be the Peter Watson marinades. Luckily friends are trying several Yarra Valley Provender products, and even inviting us to join them. When you spend all day on the farm, it's great to defrost some prawns and leave them to marinate in the PW Seafood BBQ & Grill mariande, and then throw them on the barbie for a few minutes! We've also tried the Jamaican West Indian BBQ marinade and it packs a punch!

December 2003
Christmas and New Year arrived with frightening speed. The non-alcoholic drinks of the season were the Buderim Ginger Refresher and the Vincotto Originale mixed (separately) with San Pellegrino. Guests arriving after that drive from Melbourne gave rave reviews. The grapefruit-flavoured San Pellegrino is also now a permanent fixture in our household.

November 2003
Roast Chicken, a perennial favourite. This time from Gordon Ramsey's Secrets, but using two large chicken pieces. The flavours, ease of preparation - all fantastic. Timing? Not quite right. After 30 minutes, not even a hint of colour on the skin - perhaps because we used different pieces of chicken. However, we found an extra 10 minutes at 220°C gave a fantastically crisp skin.

The value of a well-stocked pantry was obvious one frantic Friday night. We used Inaudi porcini mushrooms, their soaking liquid, a leek, garlic and a touch of cream to make an impromptu sauce for some mushroom ravioli which happened to be in the freezer. Served with a salad from the garden, no-one guessed I had no idea what would be for dinner!

October 2003
"Bang Bang Chicken", featured in the October Gourmet Traveller was a great success. A really fresh tasting, gentle dish, it would be perfect for a summer lunch or, as suggested, part of an Asian Banquet.

The Garibaldi Biscuits from the same issue were not quite to our taste, being a little sweet - perhaps I simply put too much castor sugar on top. Fantastically easy and quick to make.

A quick thumbs up for the butter-cream-sage pasta sauce, which coated beetroot ravioli beautifully, from Gordon Ramsey's Secrets.

September 2003
The weather having turned cold again, "Melting shoulder of herbed lamb" from the September/October issue of Vogue Entertaining leapt off the pages. The lamb was delicious, moist and tender, but the braised leeks sublime.

A city trip allowed me to collect some cheese, so the "Gorgonzola tarts with pears" from the September issue of Gourmet Traveller seemed a great replacement for a traditional cheese platter or dessert. The recipe worked perfectly, and would also work with a Stilton or a local blue cheese.

Which leads me to ask, would cheese be a great addition to the Yarra Valley Provender list? Let me know ..... Some customers have also requested bread and fish. Any suggestions would be welcome.

August 2003
Some generous friends gave me Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons for my birthday. It's a fabulous book and was reviewed in last month's Vogue Entertaining and Travel. With stories and recipes from around the Mediterranean, this book is a delight to read, let alone cook from. I've tried two recipes, "Moroccan Chicken with tomatoes and saffron-honey jam" and "Simple Greek Lamb". Both highly recommended - delicious and worked just like the recipes suggested.

July 2003
Chicken braised with turmeric and harissa, from the June issue of Gourmet Traveller. But what harissa? In the past, I've made my own, or cheated and used sambal olek, but this time used Christine Manfield's Harissa. And the verdict - definitely a recipe to remember. The chicken is marinated in the harissa overnight, and therefore takes only a short time to cook the next day. The resultant sauce was rich, almost sweet and with just a touch of heat. Enjoyed by all who shared it!