Blood Orange Jelly

So on a windy spring day I decided to try my luck with the last blood oranges here of the season and make this jelly. So in Australia we call it a jam but its a recipe from a book a friend of mine, Ellie, introduced me to by Christine Ferber. A master of all things preserved, the recipe is as follows.

1.2kg Blood Oranges
750g grannysmith apples
1kg plus 1 cup sugar
750g water plus 200g
2 oranges
juice of 1 lemon

Rinse apples, remove stems and cut into 1/4s without peeling.
place in preserving pan with the 750ml water.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 min, Pour this preparation through a sieve lined with muslin. Let refrigerate juice over night, next day, measure out 500g juice, leave the sediment in the bowl to form a clearer jelly.
Squeeze the blood oranges, Measure 500g juice and put the seeds into a cheesecloth bag.
Rinse and brush the 2 oranges in cold water, and slice them very thinly into rounds.  Poach the rounds in the 200g water until the slices are translucent.
Add the apple juice and orange juice and sugar and lemon juice, and seeds in the cheese cloth bag, bring to the boil and stir occasionally, skim frequently for a clearer jelly.
Continue cooking on high heat, for 10min.
remove cheesecloth bag, return to boil. Put jam into jars and seal immediately.
For the actual recipe, the book is 'Mes Confitures', by Christine Ferber, the best preserving guide, or so says my Jamming buddies Ellie and Yossy from Brooklyn, NY.

We had great fun one summer shooting and preserving that every time i do this it now brings back so many fun memories, just what it is all about. Enjoy!

Spring Flea @ Good Company

Spring has sprung and we are celebrating so come and join us, on offer with be flowers, homemade jam and sweet baked goods. Also we will have swimwear from Sol Bellow and Shoshanna shoes also some vintage and new styling goods.

Cant wait to see you all!

Beautiful Palm Beach Wedding

I think I need to put up some inspirational shots for the week ahead. Here are some great snaps of the food we did for a dream wedding in January this year. The menu was Asian canape menu which worked beautifully with the climate and the environment. we had witlof and prawn with a gazpacho dressing, spicy pork meatballs with vermicelli on cute little bamboo forks, salt and pepper squid, with lime wedges and we used the chic Wasara paper goods, which really adds to the day. For starters they are disposable, you can save on hire, return and pick up and they look amazing.

This is defiantly one of my favourite functions. Elegant, stylish and the food went perfectly with a great passion fruit cocktail!

Good Company Launch

Ive added a few more photos from our talented in house photographer, Sophie Daley from My Lens Of Love. We launched our very lovely Good Company a few weeks ago which despite the rain we had a great day full of baby magnolia cupcakes, rose lemonade and homemade marmalade. There were friends, family and a few people coming to see what all the fuss was about.

There were also a few giveaways which included these beautiful bunches of sweetpeas, by Melinda Tulima, who also has great displays in the shop if you ever are up at Palm Beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches and your home needs a bloom or two, feel free to drop by and have a look.

As the weather warms up we will also be having a flea market so be sure to keep your eyes on this space, happy Tuesday.

Neil Roake

So here we have a fabulous cook book author, Neil Roake, from South Africa. I stumbled across his books while looking for inspiration for my own book in Anthropologie New York. Such an creative and colourful shop, I wish we had a few here in Australia.

Neil has written 3 now and also opened a 'cafe in a container' in Durban at The Concierge Boutique Bungalows called Freedom Cafe, there is also a book to accompany the cafe!

 Like Neil and his books the cafe looks colourful, creative and very well styled. I would love to pop by for a cherry and almond sticky bun or escargots and champignons. Yum.

So you can order them online, i haven't seen them here in Australia but he is defiantly worth a look. It reminds me alot of our coastline and the dream of a little beach house weekender to cook, surf, dive and have fun with friends in the summer dusk light. Enjoy!

Good Company

So here it is, a launch of our beautiful new collaboration, between Follow Studio, Melinda Tualima Flowers, My Lens of Love and Belinda Black Catering. We now have a beautiful studio space at the old Post Office at Palm Beach in Sydney, Australia, to meet and greet clients and for those who would like to browse and be inspired or purchase some stationary from Follow Studio. 

The space has been styled by the talented Follow Studio, flowers provided by Melinda and these snaps are from the keen eye from Sophie @ My Lens of Love. So if you are in need of a caterer, florist, photographer for your special day or stylist/ invites/ stationary look no further. We would love to see you drop by for a visit. I will be posting more photos soon. 

The White House Cont'd...

I Cant help but be dreaming of the weather in Bali at the momment. I know I should be embracing winter and cooking beautiful braises and relishing the time of year in Sydney while we have it but....I love the heat!

Mind you I did cook a lovely lamb shank and cinnamon braise yesterday that makes me happy it is cold.

So I thought a few more snaps of this pretty house and its surroundings wouldn't go astray. The people who look after the property keep it beautiful although are nice and relaxed about it. They are helpful and very friendly, when you lease the house for a holiday you also get a beautiful lady who will cook breakfast and keep the place in order for the day.

The bathroom shots are also from the shack out the back that sleeps 2 in the double bed. I love the black washed polished concrete and the Mexican style tiles from Java. There are so many talented crafts in Indonesia and it is great to see them all displayed.

See you next year White house!

The White House

I have just returned home from 10 days of swimming, eating, drinking and absolute happiness in Bali. These are some pictures of an amzing house we stayed at whilst in Bali. It is called the White House and you can book it through a company called Masion Bulle. They have a great wesite and plently of ouses to have a look at when your sitting at your desk on a Sydney's winter's day and dream. Many more pictures to come. 

Narooma Oyster Festival

Last weekend we were at the Narooma Oyster festival, we had the most amazing time, we ate oysters from Tuross and Narooma and all the surrounding areas. We were so spoilt for choice and the festival was so popular they actually sold out on the first day. It is an anual festival that includes music, sculpture, rides and a tent that you can stop and have a little break in and listen to some interesting talks about oysters and also watch a live cooking competion, also there was Julie Goodwin on hand to judge and entertain, apparentley she is a local! all I have to say after such a weekend is Thank you Narooma and see you this time next year.

J mcbride studio

I cant help but add some more beautiful photos of Jodies work. I have had the bride say how beautiful they were and with all her experience working with one of New York City's top wedding photographers, Christion Oth, its not hard to belive why.

These were taken at the same stunning wedding of Mrs Jess Ownes on Sydney's Northern Beaches at Avalon surf club where Jess designed the whole place herself, stella effort.

The mexican themed food was of course, Belinda Black Catering.
It is so exciting working with such creative people and also those so passionate about what they do that you almost forget it's a job and have a really great time, even if you are in the kitchen for the night, it definatley is worth it.
Enjoy....

Jessica's Wedding....

Here are a few shots from a beautiful wedding I catered for a couple of weeks ago. It was held at Avalon surf club and it was styled by the beautiful bride herself, Mrs Jessica Owens. It was such a magical night and these photos are of the sweets table, also by a friend of mine, Mav.

Garage Christening

A few weekends ago I found myself in Stanmore of all places and cooking another paella, again I hear them say, I know, although it was for a friend that has a great little catering buisness in Balmain, Hatrich Catering. Hattie was away for the weekend and asked me to fill in, I post these pics beacause we actually help this in a garage because of the heavy rain. It gave the day a different vibe and I loved the old table and chairs, it really made the cosy event seem rustic and relaxed. Also the watercres, fennel and pomegranate salad was so fresh with the rice dish and it went down a treat, I will post something other than Paella next, I promise.
By the way, Australian pomegranate are coming in to season, they are amazing with slow roast lamb, just sprinkled on top, also on top of fruit salad and in salads. To remove seeds simply cut them in half and the hold cut side down, to a bowl and whack the top with a wooden spoon and watch all the seeds fly into the bowl! Store extra seeds in cranberry juice and use later.

Paella at Clareville for Bassike

In December I had the privilege of catering for Bassike chrissy party at Clareville Beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches. A really beautiful little area that is a well kept secret on the shores of Pittwater. It was a very relaxed afternoon, the guests enjoyed cocktails, ate beautiful paella, went paddle boarding and listened to an amazing sax/ DJ, very spoilt little people indeed!

In the paella I have used a traditional recipe with fresh stock, saffron, calaspara rice and a hint of chili.
We used bamboo cutlery displayed in the classic American Ball jars I love.

sweet things

 

Some sweet things from the menu created for Jessie & Russ' Palm Beach wedding. More to come!

Photography by Lauren Michelle Weddings.

shades of yellow and white

Photography by Follow Studio.