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62 Articles

WORDS OF WISDOM A very profound read about actress Susan Sarandon (My Year of Letting Go, AWW, March). Her wisdom about what is important and her empathy as an actor made this story a very giving one. S. Yarrow, Tamborine Mountain, Qld NO HOLDING BACK Sexual abuse and rape is not new. However, what is new is seeing an individual like Grace Tame, who has been serially raped, named as our Australian of the Year (AWW, March). This courageous young woman has given voice to so many others who are now coming forward to speak their truth, and she is emboldening yet more women to realise they are not to blame. Considering the events in Australia’s Parliament House over recent months, the choice of Grace, back in January, was almost…

Royal news & views

PRINCESS MARY has shared a conversation she had with daughter Josephine about International Women’s Day. “Equality is not about being equal, but about gender not having a role when opportunities present themselves and decisions are made … or when following one’s dreams.” PRINCESS EUGENIE said words can’t express the love she and husband Jack Brooksbank feel for their newborn son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, who she’s introduced to the world. “Our hearts are full of love for this little human,” she said. THE QUEEN virtually visited Australia to unveil a statue of herself in Adelaide. She joked it might alarm people to suddenly see the statue out the window. “Gracious! Has she arrived here unexpectedly?” she said of the piece by Robert Hannaford.…

Royal news & views

SONG OF SURVIVAL Singer Maria Venuti (right) has celebrated her 80th birthday by returning to the stage for the first time since her stroke in 2016. She sang to raise funds for the Stroke Foundation. AUSSIE IN VOGUE Sydney Uni alumnus Margaret Zhang, 27, has become the youngest ever Vogue editor-in-chief, taking the top job at Vogue China. She was anointed by Vogue icon Anna Wintour. SAM STEPS DOWN After eight years at the helm of Sunrise, Sam Armytage is taking time out to “enjoy a bit of slow living” and spend time with her family, new husband Richard Lavender and her dog, Banjo.…

Virtual awards still bring sparkle!

THE PARED-BACK format couldn’t dull the Golden Globes, and while the red carpet was sparse, Jamie Lee Curtis (above right) brought enough glamour for a dozen stars in an Alex Perry creation. Jane Fonda (above left) received the Cecil B. DeMille Award and made a plea for on-screen diversity, and Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and daughters Sunday Rose, 12, and Faith Margaret, 10, attended via Zoom. In a touching tribute, Emma Corrin thanked Princess Diana, whom she played in The Crown, as she accepted her Best Actress award. “You’ve taught me compassion and empathy beyond any measure. On behalf of everyone who remembers you wonderfully and passionately in our hearts, thank you.” Sacha Baron Cohen, who won two Golden Globes, also collected an AACTA, to the delight of his Aussie…

Virtual awards still bring sparkle!

‘We’re continuing to break the cycle’

Maryam Chimosa was just two years old when her family set up home in Brisbane, Queensland. She’d been born in a Kenyan refugee camp, the safe sanctuary her parents and two older siblings had arrived in after fleeing Somalia’s civil war. “We didn’t know what to expect,” Maryam says now of those early, disorientating years in Australia. “My parents didn’t speak English. We weren’t familiar with the system in the same way that people who grow up in Australia have parents who are aware of the things that happen in schooling. It was difficult, definitely, with us not having English as our first language, and our parents not being able to support us because they didn’t speak it either.” Meanwhile, James Cosentino grew up as an only child in a…

‘We’re continuing to break the cycle’

Role model royals

IN the fallout from Harry and Meghan’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, the spotlight falls glaringly on the Cambridge family to keep the British (and Australian) monarchy moving forward. More than ever, Prince William, Catherine and their three children are seen as the – hopefully – shining future of what, as The Weekly goes to press, is a royal family under attack. It’s pertinent that the first member of the House of Windsor to publicly deny the shocking claim of racism within the royal family that Harry and Meghan alluded to in their interview was Prince William. He and Catherine were visiting a school in East London when a reporter shouted: “Is the royal family racist, Sir?”. Off-the-cuff media questions are frowned upon by royal aides and consequently usually ignored,…

Role model royals

It has been a cataclysmic month for the royal family on so many fronts and as The Weekly goes to press one thing is certain, there’s a lot more hurt and upheaval to come. With Prince Philip in hospital – he underwent heart surgery on March 3 – and COVID-19 preventing the Queen from visiting her 99-year-old husband, early snippets from their grandson and granddaughter-in-law’s interview with US talk show queen Oprah Winfrey started to screen. One can only imagine how the 94-year-old monarch felt sitting alone in her “Windsor bubble” as Oprah declared, “you’ve said some pretty shocking things here” to Harry and Meghan in the bucolic garden of a Californian home (not theirs or Oprah’s we were later told) and offered, “I just want to make it clear…

In the name of my daughter

It was 10 o’clock at night and in their home in England’s Derbyshire Hills. Rosie Ayliffe and her partner, Stewart, were on the verge of turning in when a knock on the door plunged them into the abyss of every parent’s nightmare. Initially Rosie assumed the two policemen now in her lounge room were there for something trivial, but their demeanour quickly suggested otherwise. “There’s no easy way to tell you this,” one of them started. “Your daughter’s been involved in an incident – she’s been fatally wounded.” The officer was trying to soften the blow, but how could he? Rosie’s only child, 20-year-old Mia Ayliffe-Chung, had been murdered in the most horrific circumstances, stabbed in a backpacker hostel half a world away in remote north-eastern Queensland. It was incomprehensible.…

In the name of my daughter

“Finding my power” -Toni Pearen

It’s a jungle outside Toni Pearen’s place, a sea of swaying green treetops stretching down from her hilltop eyrie to the ocean, surf booming far below on the rocky headland. Safely home again after her attention-grabbing stint on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! Toni has settled back into the comparative tranquillity of family life on Sydney’s northern beaches. Everything is the same, yet subtly different since she became the show’s uncontested breakout star. It’s not simply that multi-talented Toni has gained newfound coolness with her children, Lucky, 11, and Ever, eight, and even husband Will Osmond. The most significant shift, perhaps, lies in the 48-year-old’s mindset. “I really went into I’m A Celebrity with quite low expectations,” she confesses, settling down for a chat at her well-scrubbed vintage…

“Finding my power” -Toni Pearen

TOGETHER FOR CHANGE

What does it take to bring together women from all sides of politics to stand shoulder to shoulder and demand change? It takes a month like no other in Canberra, and an invitation from The Weekly. “This month has been very much a breaking point,” says Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. “There is a reckoning going on. I fundamentally believe this. Women have had enough. Decent men have had enough. The politicians and community leaders who fail to see it do so at their peril I think.” It was a month in which a snowballing sequence of events by turns distressed, angered and shocked Australians. It began with federal government staffer Brittany Higgins’ allegations that she was raped in March 2019 on the Defence Minister’s couch, and came to believe that…

TOGETHER FOR CHANGE

Dear Mum, There are still times when I go to call you. It seems inexplicable to me that you actually died. I used to wonder how it would feel, and after 16 years, I’m still not sure. The main thing I want to tell you is that I get it now. I understand that all those times I thought you were smothering or controlling were all just manifestations of love. And I hope my boys will one day understand the same of me. Liam left home at the beginning of the year to begin his university life, and I fell to pieces. I was right back to being 17 and leaving home for uni myself. Had I even given you and Dad a backward glance? Had I an iota of…

Luck has moved through the lives of Sydney couple Mina and Rob Caterjian in a most capricious way. They struggled to conceive and suffered several miscarriages over eight years until they welcomed a brown-eyed daughter with a loving and curious personality. For 11 months, their lives felt full of happiness and good fortune, until fate turned again and they received the grave news their little girl, Ellie, had a rare and aggressive cancer. The doctors were despairing that there was nothing they could do when their luck changed again: Ellie was accepted into a new research program using DNA sequencing to develop treatment targeted to her cancer’s specific genetic mutation. It was still a long shot at a cure, but for Rob and Mina it was hope. The Zero Childhood…

Ellie’s story

“They said yes, she can use this drug. Thank God!” Every year in Australia, almost 1000 children or young people are diagnosed with cancer, plunging their families into the same fear and uncertainty Mina and Rob felt after Ellie’s diagnosis. About 10 to 20 per cent face the grim prospect of limited or no treatment options. Until now. Zero Childhood Cancer was set up to develop a precision treatment regime which aims to understand each child’s cancer at a genomic level in order to find the medication to target the unique mutation. “Precision medicine is about trying to take the trial and error out of treating patients,” says Program Leader Vanessa Tyrrell. Historically, she explains, treating cancer was about trying to match one type of cancer to the best type…

Thomas’ story

Among the children added to the program was Thomas Edney whose cancer was discovered in 2014 when he was just two years old. A shy little boy, he was on a family holiday on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula when his parents, John and Abigail, became concerned there was something very wrong. “At first we thought it was gastro,” says John of Thomas’ bouts of vomiting. Abigail took him to a local GP who insisted they go to the hospital. The family returned to Melbourne and went straight to hospital. “I thought we were going to be there about two hours,” Abigail says. Days later Thomas was transferred to a major children’s hospital where doctors did an MRI. “I remember being called into the room with about four doctors. That’s when I…

WOMEN of the LAND

Keelen MAILMAN FOR LOVE AND COUNTRY Keelen Mailman sits on her veranda, watching the sun set behind the vast plains and rocky outcrops of Mount Tabor Station, or Goorathuntha in the local Bidjara language that her mum treasured and taught her. “I love the late afternoons,” she says with that deep, warm, Queensland accent. “The sun’s not as harsh, you’ve got through your hard day, you’re coming towards the dark and you just sit out on the veranda having a cuppa and a smoke and a wind-down, thinking about your kids [she has three] and your grannies [her seven grandchildren] and your work. That’s my time that I really love.” Keelen’s family has cared for this land for generations, and for the past 24 years, it’s been her turn.…

WOMEN of the LAND

“I was lost before Lauren”

Jock Zonfrillo raises his three-year-old son, Alfie, high above his head and playfully blows raspberries on the toddler’s tummy, soaking up fits of giggles. “I’m a complete clown – totally immature most of the time,” Jock says, laughing. With the blond poppet now wedged on his hip, the Scottish chef, once described as a “kilt-wearing firebrand”, moves like bottled lightning around the kitchen, making coffee for the TV crew filming at his Melbourne home while checking on wife Lauren as she feeds the latest addition to their family, 14-week-old Isla. “He’s a tornado!” laughs Lauren, 40, a business advisor and marketing specialist who regularly appears as a panellist on ABC series Gruen. “He’s got a lot of energy, he’s always fun to be around and he’s a very proud Scot,”…

“I was lost before Lauren”

In bed with the MAFIA

Amid the warm, fragrant hills of Calabria, deep in southern Italy, some of the most dangerous men on Earth are sitting in steel cages, their tough, sun-bronzed faces betraying little beyond a leisurely contempt for the proceedings around them. This heavily-guarded courthouse in the old spa town of Lamezia Terme is the setting for the biggest Mafia trial in Italian history, and if the defendants don’t look too worried it is because the past record of such prosecutions suggests a high chance of getting off. The ancient codes of omertà (silence) and clan loyalty have long protected the capi (bosses) of organised crime, feeding their sense of invincibility and frustrating efforts to bring them to justice. This time, though, the authorities believe they have a secret weapon – a group…

In bed with the MAFIA

The last of the Flying Nightingales

I’ve been given my instructions. Don’t come on a Wednesday – she might be at the casino. If I’m bringing biscuits, don’t make them chocolate – she prefers plain. She won’t be saying “I” when she talks about what she did in the war – she’ll explain when we meet. So I follow orders and arrive on a hot Tuesday morning in November at Aegis Anchorage, an aged-care home a half-hour’s drive north of Perth’s city centre, with a notebook and recorder in one hand, and a packet of English shortbread in the other. It’s Melbourne Cup Day and the residents are gathered around a big screen in the foyer, sipping bubbly and wearing jaunty hats. I’m ushered into room 39 and there, sitting in an armchair in the corner,…

The last of the Flying Nightingales

Highway to hell

"Just sit back and try to enjoy it,” husband said, throwing me the keys. “It’s good to have time together.” Ok, I’ll harden up, stiffen my upper lip and keep calm and carry on for the sake of my eldest child, who’d recently got the ‘L’ plates. He’d passed the test and now I had to pass the ultimate parenting test – spending time alone in a moving vehicle with a child who apparently knows more than me about driving, even though he’s never done it before. Oh boy. #soblessed I tried to get out of this as I’m an uncomfortable passenger. It’s usually my way or the highway – literally. Either I drive or I walk, which my husband says isn’t a bad idea. Perhaps if I walked more…

Highway to hell

Adelaide, Liza & finding ME

On Twitter and Instagram Alan Cumming describes himself as “a Scottish elf trapped in the body of a middle-aged man”. It’s a brilliantly evocative epithet, but while he’s certainly a mischievous elf, I don’t see today’s Alan Cumming as trapped – and only the floppy mop of wavy grey hair hints as his advancing years. The 56-year-old actor, director, singer, writer, podcaster and cabaret club impresario is living his best life, a star of stage and screen, happily married and even in COVID-racked America finding a silver lining. We are talking on a zoom video call and Alan has just arrived back at his home in freezing New York to film episodes of the Fox TV series Prodigal Son. He’s full of beans but unusually a little on edge in…

Adelaide, Liza & finding ME

My story My journey out of darkness

My friend bought me a pair of sparkly silver shoes because she said I shouldn’t walk the red carpet in anything less. I remember them glistening as I stepped along that scarlet runner, between frenzied camera crews jostling for space and an iPhone-clicking crowd. They weren’t there to see me. I was one of the unknown faces in the slipstream of our major cast; part of the show’s creative team nominated for a number of Australian film and television awards. We won a bunch of gongs that night. I have photos of myself in a flowing, electric-blue dress, drop earrings, my arms around the waists of my smiling colleagues. I look happy. But photos don’t tell the full story. The full story here was that I’d come from a psychiatric…

My story My journey out of darkness

A school for young & old

The first day of school is daunting. Unfamiliar faces, places and activities awaken anxiety while the fear of not making friends is paralysing. The students arriving at a new purpose-built school in Sydney’s beachside suburb of Coogee are certainly feeling this, filled with nerves about what lies ahead. As the doors swing open there’s a sense of excitement as everyone rushes to introduce themselves, to form tentative bonds. Sadly, several clearly feel left out and ill at ease. “They mixed with everyone bar me,” says one newcomer sadly. “I don’t know whether or not to come again.” The terror, we are about to find out, is far worse when you’re someone who hasn’t experienced a first day of school in over 80 years. That’s the situation 11 Australian seniors find…

A school for young & old

Step back in time

At a time when Instagram and Facebook feeds were flooded with meals worthy of a MasterChef winner, Jessica Rowe felt at a loss. Surely, she thought, she couldn’t be the only mum who was incapable of presenting such a glorious feast each night for her family? Rather than wallow, in 2017 she launched a project to help make herself – and others like her – feel less inadequate. And so the Crap Housewife was born. Each night Jess would post a photo of the not-so-impressive meals she was putting on the table for husband Peter Overton, 54, and their two daughters Allegra, 14, and Giselle, 11. From burnt sausages and mash to baked beans on toast, no meal was deemed too unphotogenic to grace her social media feed. “I did…

Step back in time

The memory remains

As both a neuroscientist and the author of Still Alice, I’ve been talking to audiences around the world about Alzheimer’s and memory for over a decade. Without exception, after every speech, people wait for me in the lobby or corner me in the Ladies Room to express their personal concerns about memory and forgetting. Many have a parent, grandparent, or spouse who had or has dementia. They’ve witnessed the devastation and the heartache caused by profound memory loss. When these folks can’t remember their Netflix password or the name of that movie starring Tina Fey, they worry that these failures might be early signs that they too are succumbing to inevitable disease. Our fears around forgetting aren’t only about a dread of aging or Alzheimer’s, they’re also about losing any…

The memory remains

Memories are made of this

Get out of your routine. Vacation to a new city, rearrange the furniture, celebrate a half birthday, eat at a new restaurant, rent your dream car for a weekend. Routine, ho-hum, vanilla-again days are the kiss of death to remembering what happened. Get off devices, look up. You can’t remember what you don’t notice, and you’re not noticing what’s happening if your eyes are glued to your phone. Your best friend from kindergarten might have been in the line in front of you at the cafe, but you totally missed that memorable reunion because you spent the entire time browsing Facebook. If you want to have vivid, three dimensional, richly detailed memories of what’s happening in your life, you’ve got to get out there and live in the three dimensional…

Best friends forever

Dear Sue, It may not be your birthday in Canada yet but it is in Sydney. We age faster Down Under, you know! So, once again, it’s time to celebrate the annual “festival of Sue”! The other night I sat down and ran through a few possible birthday gifts. A superb dinner at a ridiculously expensive restaurant? But then I wouldn’t be there. I mean, what fun would that be? A generous gift certificate from a fancy shop? Hmm, maybe. But I’d have to Google a shop near you and then fiddle about on their website and they probably wouldn’t have the right size and nobody wants a diamond necklace that doesn’t fit! I thought briefly (very) about suggesting we meet in Rome or Barcelona but who knows when that…

Best friends forever

ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE.…

Morning Glory WAKE UP TIRED EYES WITH MARC JACOBS MULTI-TASKING BASE, WHICH IS A CONCEALER AND FOUNDATION IN ONE. AVAILABLE IN MORE THAN 30 SHADES, IT’S INFUSED WITH CAFFEINE, AN INGREDIENT KNOWN TO REDUCE INFLAMMATION, AS WELL AS OAT AND COCONUT EXTRACT TO MAKE SKIN GLOW. SWIPE RIGHT From the suffragettes who wore red lipstick when they marched for voting rights to Queen Victoria, who reportedly believed a crimson pout could repel death, swiping on a ruby lip is the ultimate power move. The trick: Choose a richly-pigmented, velvety formula that lasts. Just landed! Bespoke skincare Fine-tuning formulas to suit specific skin-care needs just got easier. SkinCeuticals Custom D.O.S.E (or Diagnostic Optimization Serum Experience) starts with a dermatologist consult, meaning there’s no risk of mischaracterising your skin’s needs or missing…

As we age, our hair changes. One of the best products to restore shine and health is oil. Just a few drops skimmed over mid-lengths to ends will make hair feel softer and stronger and seal against humidity-causing frizz. Most can be used as a treatment on damp hair or to style dry strands. Keep in mind: a little goes a long way. FOR THICK HAIR Schwarzkopf Professional Oil Ultime Argan Finishing Oil, $27.95. FOR DAMAGED & DRY HAIR Christophe Robin Regenerating Serum with Prickly Pear Oil, $76. FOR FINE & FRIZZY HAIR KMS Moist Repair Hydrating Oil, $32.95.…

It’s a rare day when I don’t have at least one conversation about skin with a friend, colleague or family member. More specifically, about the cream or serum that will transform their complexion. Inevitably, I always answer a question with a question: what ingredients do you already have in your regimen? The transaction we enter into with the pots lining our bathroom cabinet is anything but simple. At a basic level, we know the time we invest in our beauty regimens (a process that used to be called moisturising, but is now self-care) pays dividends in terms of how we feel about ourselves. But at the end of the day, we also want returns … and that’s where actives come into play. “One of the things we learned from our…

8 hours That’s the amount of sleep you need to get every night on a regular basis (combined with no snoring and day napping) to reduce your risk of heart failure by 42 per cent. Big bird Next time a cacophony of bird song wakes you in the wee hours, consider the benefits before you slam the window shut. German research into the lives of more than 26,000 adults across Europe has revealed that just a 10 per cent increase in bird species is as beneficial for your life satisfaction as making more money. Note to self: refill bird feeder. Buzz feed A Japanese research team has discovered a fascinating (and cost-effective) way to detect cancer. Turns out, mosquitos are able to smell a certain odour which is only present…

April health watch

APRIL 2 Each year on World Autism Awareness Day, iconic buildings in Australia — and all over the world — turn their lights blue to promote autism awareness. In support of this initiative, Autism Queensland also asks people to wear blue on the day. Visit goblueforautism.com.au APRIL 24-30 Run by the World Health Organisation, World Immunisation Week promotes vaccinations, which save millions of lives worldwide. Join the WHO social media campaign by using #vaccineswork. APRIL 28 International Guide Dog Day is a chance to celebrate the important role that guide dogs play in helping blind and vision-impaired people achieve their goals and live independently. Show your support by visiting guidedogs.com.au…

April health watch

For finding purpose … Change Your Thinking to Change Your Life by Kate James, Pan Macmillan Australia For anyone who feels stuck, mindfulness coach Kate James has packed her latest book with practical ways for readers to overcome limitations and figure out what they really want. For a healthier brain … Brain Body Food by Ngaire Hobbins APD, Ngaire Hobbins Ngaire wrote this insightful book after seeing patients suffer from physical and cognitive declines because they were unaware that our nutrition needs beyond 60 are not the same as when we’re younger. For parents of small children … The Secret of Half-Arsed Parenting by Dr Susie O’Brien, Murdoch Books A light, refreshing read that challenges the expectations and unrealistic goals put on parents these days, offering a new way to…

How to MAX your morning RITUALS

Research from the worlds of neuroscience and behavioural psychology has uncovered the amazing extent to which we’re affected by arbitrary factors in our environment. Like the fact that coffee tastes sweeter if you drink it from a red mug. Or that we perceive time to pass more quickly if we’re in a blue room with slow music playing. These kinds of neuroscientific insights into how our senses and emotions interact can allow you to enhance your mornings – and improve how you feel at the start of every day – in a scientifically proven way. See the light It is evolutionarily ingrained in us to be awake, cognitive and energetic in daylight and to rest and recuperate at night. If it were possible to wake up under a beautiful blue…

How to MAX your morning RITUALS

6 EASY WAYS TO BUILD STRENGTH

“The beauty of bands is that they create resistance, so the body is forced to work a little harder to achieve the movement,” says Kirsten. To coin a cheesy quote, sometimes small ripples make big waves. It’s not often a sentiment used to describe workouts that get results (cue: no pain, no gain), but then again, you may not have tried Fluidform Pilates. Founder and principal instructor Kirsten King has a method of movement grounded in classical Pilates that cleverly caters for people of all ages, fitness levels and walks of life. Devotees rave about her use of small movements to get big results. “Careful, subtle movements will activate your muscles, creating stability in your joints and tone in your muscles,” says Kirsten. Interestingly, she counts the most significant benefits…

6 EASY WAYS TO BUILD STRENGTH

Easing a chronic problem

Dressed in a suffocatingly fitted jacket top and pants, I waddle over to my trainer. I wait anxiously as she attaches me to a machine via a multitude of wires and electrode discs on my body. With an enthusiastic nod, she asks me to squat. She turns on the machine and my body vibrates. Every single muscle contracts, and as electrical pulses fire through me, the burn is real. But will the result also be real? I hope so. While SpeedFit, using electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), is primarily touted as the 20-minute work-out that surpasses hours in the gym, it’s not the reason I’m here. I have a different goal. EMS has been shown to help alleviate pain, and that’s something I’ve lived with for three years. But, I’m far…

Easing a chronic problem

Research shows that women suffer more chronic pain than men. So, why is this? “We don’t really know if women’s pain is simply more reported than men’s, but there are certainly underlying elements that mean women are genetically predisposed to pain,” Dr Gustin says. “Throughout their lives, women’s bodies go through significant changes, so chronic pain can happen any time.” Hormones, reproductive status, menstrual cycle and menopause can all cause pain. And as women age, they experience more loss of bone mass and osteoarthritis than men.…

Get crafty for Easter

Fork pom poms You will need • Fork• Scissors• Wool/yarn Instructions 1 Take a length of yarn (the more yarn the thicker and fuller your pom pom will be). 2 Wrap around fork (a). 3 Use a smaller piece of yarn to tie a double knot between the middle fork prongs (b). 4 Slide off the fork and use scissors to cut the end loops, fluff your pom pom and trim any uneven strands (c). Drinking straw carrots Using carrot template (below left), trace onto cardboard, cut out and punch a hole in top and bottom. Slide carrot onto a straw and top with a green pom pom. Use as a decoration or write names on to keep track of drinks. The kids get crafty on Easter with The Australian…

Get crafty for Easter

Sophie’s Easter table

Pumpkin and parmesan polenta SERVES 6 PREP TIME 20 MINUTES COOK TIME 45 MINUTES 3 cups (450g) cubed pumpkin (you can also use sweet potato) olive oil, for drizzling 1½ cups (285g) polenta 75g butter, cubed 1 cup (95g) grated parmesan cheese 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Place the pumpkin on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 45 minutes or until the pumpkin is cooked through. Transfer the pumpkin to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth, adding ¼ cup (60 ml) water to loosen it a little. 2 While the pumpkin is cooking, bring 4 cups (1 litre) generously salted water to the boil. Whisk in the polenta in a thin, steady stream. Cook over low heat, stirring almost continuously,…

Sophie’s Easter table

I love how this pie is shaped like a giant Easter egg! It’s the perfect dish to serve on Good Friday if eating fish that day is something you observe. But it’s also wonderful for a picnic, to take to a friend or for an easy meal any day. The idea for shaping and cutting the pie like this comes from one of my favourite books, Salt & Time by Alissa Timoshkina. And speaking of time, give yourself plenty to make this, because if you do the filling at least a few hours ahead and it’s nice and cold when you come to assembly, it’s much easier to handle.…

Quince frangipane tart

Possibly my favourite thing to make and share, a frangipane tart is a thing of beauty and deliciousness. The frangipane refers to a mix of ground almonds, butter, sugar and egg, spread on the base of a shortcrust pastry shell, topped with fruit and baked. It looks pretty, tastes beautiful and is all done and dusted (with icing sugar, if you like) in advance. A note on the frangipane mixture: it does make a difference if you toast and grind the almonds fresh, but if you don’t have time, almond meal will work. I also recommend doubling the frangipane mixture and freezing half – it’s such a handy thing to have ready to dollop on some frozen puff pastry and top with a bit of fruit for a quick dessert…

A moveable feast

Sticky pomegranate barbecued chicken wings SERVES 6-8 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES ¾ cup (165g) firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup (250ml) pomegranate juice 1½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses 3 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ cup (60g) barbecue sauce 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce 2kg chicken wing drumettes 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds 1 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Line two oven trays with baking paper. 2 Combine sugar, juice, pomegranate molasses, garlic and sauces in a medium saucepan; season. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, simmering, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half and thickened. 3 Meanwhile, combine chicken pieces and oil; spread, in a single layer, between trays. Season with salt and freshly…

A moveable feast

TEST KITCHEN TIPS

We baked the frittata in a Classica ‘Grigio’ ceramic oval baker available from Harris Scarfe, harrisscarfe.com.au The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently before using. You can substitute pomegranate juice with apple or cranberry juice. Pomegranate molasses is a thick syrup used in Middle Eastern dishes. Harris Scarfe ambassador Poh Ling Yeow used a Russell Hobbs ‘Desire’ hand mixer to whip up the mixture and as a twist added a few drops of food colouring to give the coconut filling a vibrant pink hue.…

Beetroot and red onion dip SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ COOLING TIME) 4 medium beetroot (600g), trimmed 1 medium (70g) bulb garlic 1 large red onion (200g), cut into thick wedges 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons horseradish cream ½ cup (50g) walnuts, toasted 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar 1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). 2 Wrap beetroot bulbs in foil and place on a small oven tray. Bake for 1 hour or until tender. 3 Place garlic, onion, thyme on a small oven tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with olive oil and season. Bake with the beetroot for 30 minutes or until onion is soft. 4 Allow beetroot to cool wrapped in foil. When beetroot are…

The clever condiment

Tender soy-brined chicken schnitzel with cheat’s onion gravy SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 20 MINUTES (+ 1 HOUR BRINING) ½ cup (250ml) Kikkoman Soy Sauce ¼ cup (55g) firmly packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar ½ bulb garlic, halved 2 sprigs thyme ½ lemon, thinly sliced 700g chicken breasts, halved horizontally and pounded to 1cm thick ⅓ cup (50g) plain flour 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups (150g) panko breadcrumbs vegetable oil, to shallow fry mashed potato, to serve CHEAT’S ONION GRAVY 1 tablespoon plain flour ¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce ½ cup (125ml) water 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 280g jar caramelised onion 1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves 1 Place soy, sugar, vinegar, garlic, thyme, lemon and ½ cup (125ml) water in a bowl, whisk until sugar…

The clever condiment

Miguel’s Spanish feast

Seafood paella a la Maestre SERVES 2-4 PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES splash extra virgin olive oil 100g clean calamari, scored 5 large green prawns, unpeeled (see tip, opposite) 3 cups (750ml) chicken stock 250g bomba rice (use arborio if you can’t find bomba) 10 black mussels, cleaned 10 pippies 4 scallops, in the half shell 200g white fish, sliced into 5 pieces (see tip) ½ cup snow peas, sliced lemon wedges ½ bunch chives, chopped SOFRITO 3 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped 5 large roasted red capsicums from jar (piquillo) with liquid 6 cloves garlic, peeled ½ bunch parsley ½ bunch chives 25ml extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon saffron threads 2 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 SOFRITO Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until chunky.…

Miguel’s Spanish feast

Easter indulgence

Rhubarb and chocolate hot cross bun pudding cake SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES Make an extra batch of rhubarb mixture to serve the cake as a dessert, if you like. 400g rhubarb, trimmed and chopped ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar 1 orange, rind finely grated and juiced 8 Bakers Delight Traditional Hot Cross Buns, halved 3 eggs 300ml thickened cream ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar, extra 150g dark (45% cocoa solids) chocolate, chopped coarsely ¼ cup (35g) toasted hazelnuts, chopped 1 tablespoon demerara sugar 1 Place the rhubarb, sugar, orange rind and juice in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the rhubarb is just tender.…

Easter indulgence

It's Easter time!

Easter chicks MAKES 12 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES (+ COOLING TIME) You’ll find writing gels in the cake decorating aisle of the supermarket. For a fun presentation idea, serve the baskets on a bed of edible coconut grass. In a large snap-lock bag, rub ½ teaspoon green food colouring into 2 cups (160ml) desiccated coconut. 125g butter, at room temperature ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar 1½ cups (225g) self-raising flour ½ cup (125ml) milk 2 eggs, at room temperature 1½ cups (115g) shredded coconut yellow food colouring 60 red Smarties, for combs and feet 12 brown Smarties, for beaks store-bought black writing gel BUTTER CREAM 300g butter, at room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla essence 3 cups (480g) icing sugar 4½ tablespoons milk, at room temperature 1…

It's Easter time!

Did you know? Broccolini is a distinct vegie variety that is a mix of broccoli and Chinese kale. It is recognisable by its loose florets and tender stems. It also has a mild, peppery taste that becomes sweeter when cooked. It’s the perfect no-waste vegie – don’t cut the stem off as it’s sweet and tender to eat. To keep it fresh, store in an airtight container in your fridge and use within a few days. NO BACKYARD, NO WORRIES Now you can grow your own vegies without a garden. The Vegebag is made from fine, commercial-grade mesh which helps produce a microclimate while also providing pest control, weather moderation and weed protection. This product flew the Aussie flag at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, winning the title of Garden…

Easter table inspiration

Layer up Layer complementary plate designs and add a themed place setting. We’ve wrapped egg cups and Easter eggs with napkins in the shape of bunny ears. Set a theme Splashes of yellow bring a sense of vitality to our central colour theme of blue and white. We’ve introduced various textures and treats across the table to leave guests with a feeling of abundance and joy. Fresh fruit & flowers Nothing evokes feelings of freshness like generous groupings of fruit and flowers. With hydrangeas as our hero, we used a variety of blooms in our central colour theme. A bowl of fresh lemons completes the picture. Bunny ear napkins 1. Fold a napkin into a triangle. Starting at the peak of the triangle, fold over towards the long edge. These…

Easter table inspiration

No garden required

It’s a trend that was on the rise well before lockdown, but when 2020 saw the world head home, indoor plants became the hottest thing in interiors. The chance to reconnect with nature while also taking up a mindful practice has boosted sales in nurseries around the nation, while debates over fiddle-leaf fig care or the best types of fern are now regular topics of conversation. “Apart from looking beautiful and filling our homes with living things, there’s a ritual in looking after indoor plants which is very meditative and relaxing,” plant guru Craig Miller-Randle (@craigmilran) says of the cause of our current obsession. “Plus, when you get something that is alive and you look after it and it responds positively to you, that’s rewarding – it’s a win/win.” But…

No garden required

Find your light

Forget about certain rooms being better for certain plants – all that matters is how much sun they’ll receive. “All plants need light and none will do well for long in a very low- or no-light position,” Craig says. “As a general rule, approximately 2-4m from a north-facing window is the Goldilocks zone of bright, indirect light; and 50cm-2m from a south-facing window is filtered or shade light.” Bright-light buddies Low-light lovers…

Find your light

Second skin Don’t throw away the vitamin-rich white rind on a watermelon – use it in pickles, jams or stir-fries. Alternatively, freeze it and blend with fruits and vegetables for a delicious smoothie. Plump it up Intensify the colour and perfume of sweet peas when planting seed by watering with half-strength seaweed solution and a pinch of Epsom salts added to the watering can. Quick refresher To keep rice soft and fluffy when reheating it in the microwave, put it in a microwave-safe bowl with an ice cube on top and cook on High for 60-90 seconds, then discard any unmelted ice. Soft touch Use a fluffy chenille stick (from craft stores) to clean the straw in a sippy cup. Double duty Recycle a Postpak mailing box by removing any…

THE Reading room

Science fiction Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, Faber There’s an Orwellian aura to Kazuo Ishiguro’s powerful new novel; so much so that you can’t help feeling we will be living in this world of beneficent robots and genetic editing all too soon. Klara is an extraordinary protagonist, an AF – Artificial Friend – whose kindness, self-sacrifice and humanity pose many questions about what we humans have become. We first encounter Klara in a robot store. She is not the latest design – the B3s have sharper cognitive functions and better solar absorption – but B2s, from the fourth series, in the words of the ‘Manager’: “some say have never been surpassed”. It’s saleswoman’s patter but Klara, we quickly discover, is special. She has a unique appetite for observation…

THE
Reading room

About the author

Kazuo Ishiguro was born in Nagasaki, Japan, and moved with his family to Guildford in the UK when he was five years old. His grandfather would send him children’s superhero books from Japan, which captivated him in suburban England. Kazuo initially wanted to be a musician, but facing rejection studied for an English and philosophy degree, and a master’s in creative writing. He published his first novel at 27, and at just 35 won the Booker Prize for The Remains of the Day, which also became a hit movie. In 2017, Kazuo won the Nobel Prize in Literature.…

About the author

Friendship GRACE UNDER PRESSURE by Tori Haschka, Simon & Schuster Female friendship and mummy angst fuel this frothy, heartwarming tale of cookbook creator Grace Harkness, who teams up with a group of harried Sydney mums who’ve decided to leave the tiresome men in their lives and set up a “mummune”. It should be a dream sharing the load of school pick-ups and boring chores, while having a sympathetic ear to call on, but of course there’s trouble in utopia. Grace’s mums will have you chuckling, while also empathising with their plight. Thriller THE GOOD TEACHER by Petronella McGovern, Allen & Unwin The principal chooses kindy teacher Allison to take Gracie into her class because she is the best. Holding her dad’s hand, the four-year-old is grieving – her…

Wartime tale THE PARIS LIBRARY by Janet Skeslien Charles, Hachette “Paris is a city of readers,” Odile tells her 12-year-old neighbour, Lily, who is interviewing the eccentric French World War II bride for a school project. We first meet Odile at the American Library in Paris. She knows the numerical Dewey Decimal System of cataloguing by rote. Her Papa heads for 785 (Chamber Music); Maman to 648 (Housekeeping). Odile stands out in the US small town of Froid, wearing high heels to take out the trash. Weaving between the outbreak of war in Paris and the talk of Cold War in 1983, Lily and Odile’s bond intensifies when Lily’s mother dies. A story of women’s courage and loyalty – Odile carries books to banned Jewish subscribers during wartime. Literary…

Children’s corner

2+ HELLO! A COUNTING BOOK OF KINDNESSES by Hollis Kurman, Walker Bold illustrations by Barroux accompany the author’s moving rhyming story, which outlines 10 steps of kindness: “What if a place got so scary, that we had to run away?” She continues, “Hold my hand and count to ten – together we’ll make it better again.” 5+ SMALL TOWN by Phillip Gwynne, Puffin Based on a true story. Milly asks why people leave their town and Dad says it’s because it is so remote. Milly makes a video to ask if refugees would like to live in her town. Do you need a doctor, asks one? The town bounces back. 4-10 GO AWAY, WORRY MONSTER! by Brooke Graham, Exisle It is Archie’s first day at school and…

Children’s corner

From where she sat at the back of the bus, the driver’s death was a confusing spectacle to Emily Jackson. She had a good view down the length of the vehicle from her position, leaning against a window smeared with the fingerprints of happy children. Her seat was elevated over the rear wheel axle, so as she rode she could see youngsters jumping and crashing about the interior, playing games and teasing each other across the aisle, occasionally throwing a ball or smacking a catcher’s mitt into a rival’s head. Half of the other parents on the bus were ignoring their children’s activity, gazing out the windows at the Nevada desert, some with AirPods in their ears and wistful looks on their faces. Others were making valiant attempts to dampen…

One of the keys to successful investing is to make a habit of it, regularly tucking cash away to get the benefit of compounding returns over time. Investing just $100 a week can see you accumulate $48,000 over 10 years – and over time, the returns your money earns do more of the heavy lifting to grow the balance. This assumes an average return of 6.5 per cent per annum. Effie Zahos, money commentator at Canstar and Channel Nine’s Today, looks at five ways to invest $100 weekly for various life stages and goals. #1 You have a home loan Interest rates are at record lows, but tipping an extra $100 each week into your home loan is a low-risk investment strategy. Pay an additional $100 a week into…

Aries MAR 21-APR 21 The planetary posse of Mercury, Venus, sun and new moon in Aries appoints you as this month’s passionate and charismatic leaders. As first sign of the zodiac, your power hour is when you wake: that clear space when you direct fresh energy and attention to the inevitable challenges of the day ahead. As Aries welcomes the new moon on April 12, tune into this significant time portal for illuminating revelations about how to burgeon without burnout during the rest of 2021. And if the mid-month Sun/Pluto clash shocks or rocks your composure, don’t be an April Fool: stay smart, breathe slowly and deeply, think quickly and save heated responses to the draft folder. Taurus APR 22-MAY 21 The first half of April’s dynamic energy recommends getting…

Remember the time

For almost 200 years, Sydney’s Royal Easter Show has been the proverbial jewel in the Showgirl crown of Aussie agriculture. In 1823, the newly minted Agricultural Society of NSW put on its first show at Parramatta – then the “bread bowl” of the colony. It showcased the finest produce and the latest newfangled equipment and techniques, and it was a rare catch-up for farming families tilling the soil west to Penrith and along the Hawkesbury. In 1869, the show moved to Prince Alfred Park, near Central Station, bringing the country to the city. Then, in 1882, the location changed to Moore Park. In 1891, Queen Victoria bestowed the ‘Royal’ title on both the Agricultural Society and its increasingly popular show. The first fireworks display lit up the sky above the…

Remember the time

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