From the Editor Stable, balmy weather is a wonderful feature of life in February and March in most parts of the country. Add to this an abundance of fresh seasonal produce and you’ve got the perfect recipe for enjoying eating outdoors, whether it’s a relaxed meal around the barbecue, packing up a seriously yummy picnic, or having friends around for a glass of wine and nibbles alfresco.
We recently had friends around for an evening of tapas and we all relished the seafood delights my husband cooked up as we sat around on the deck and enjoyed the long twilight. It was such a chilled out evening and emphasised how easy it is to have fun treating friends to good food without stressing out or spending hours cooking.
Summer is perfect for such relaxed occasions because the very fact that you’re outside makes events more casual. So we’ve gone all out this issue to offer you plenty of ideas for fabulous food that can be cooked on the barbie, or served so that you can make the most of great weather. Look for some delicious recipes that capture the best tastes of summer.
This is the time of the year when we start cranking up our schedules again and those with school-age children will know how the demands of their calendar affect our everyday lives. We’ve selected recipes that have been a favourite with kids for tasty lunches and definitely won’t be left to languish in the lunch box. And don’t forget that there’s nothing better than home baking for offering the occasional treat or for after-school snack attacks. Try our suggestions for filling the tins.
There’s been a recent revival of interest in traditional skills such as gardening, baking and preserving. This time of the year there’s a glut of all sorts of fruit and vegetables. Why not make the most of the cheap seasonal price of tomatoes and have a go at making your own tomato sauce and relish? We’ve got a simple step-by-step guide to get you started. We’ve also got a recipe for making your own Red Capsicum Jam, and a quick lesson in making Apricot Jam. You may discover you’re a whizz at filling the pantry with your own preserves.
And now that we’re over the splurges of the silly season, we’ve got some fantastic ideas for budget meals. Sophie Gray offers recipes for making fab meals from mince and lots of suggestions for helping to make your dollar go that little bit further.
It all adds up to a magazine that’s packed full of useful recipes featuring our wonderful produce. I hope this issue will help you to revel in all that the New Zealand summer has to offer us lucky Kiwis. Enjoy!
Sarah Beresford
Editor |
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