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53 Articles

They came, they laughed, they hugged, they even announced they were having a baby. No one could accuse Prince Harry and his new bride Meghan of not delivering during their action-packed Aussie tour. And, of course, The Weekly’s intrepid royal reporter Juliet Rieden was with them every step of the way, from rattling around Melbourne on a tram to ferry rides to Fraser Island and downpours in Dubbo. Juliet witnessed firsthand the “Meghan effect” as the new royal dazzled the cheering crowds (see page 18). It was plain to see this is a young woman very much at ease and in love, and whose spontaneous displays of affection and loving glances at her equally smitten husband warmed hearts wherever they went. As if a baby announcement and a tour wasn’t…

SHINE ON, SALLY What a thought-provoking and mind-blowing article on Sally Field, which detailed the stark reality of her childhood (“Things I never thought I wanted to say out loud”, AWW, October). She went through so much as a young child – absent father, cruel stepfather and a distant mother – and had nowhere and no-one to turn to. Sally is a shining example to those in despair and gives hope to others that when one wants to achieve something, one can do it. I wish her well. M. Buckley, Noble Park, Vic. SPREADING KINDNESS Having just read Nicole’s November issue Editor’s Letter, I felt compelled to tell you about a wonderful group of women who have journeyed together for 30 years, supporting one another while also contributing to charity…

In Brief NEWS BITES

1940-2018 GOODBYE TO A LEGEND Clean Up Australia Day founder Ian Kiernan has died, aged 78, but he leaves behind a powerful legacy. Ian’s simple idea of caring for his local environment spread throughout the world. He will be missed. A royal cousin PIPPA Middleton and her husband James Matthews have welcomed a son. The Duchess of Cambridge’s younger sister checked into St Mary’s Hospital just three days after she stepped out in stunning emerald green for the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. The little boy is the first child of the couple, who married in Berkshire last year. The newest arrival is a cousin to William and Kate’s children Charlotte, three, George, five and six-month-old Louis. KERRYN WINS THE WENTWORTH BY-ELECTION was mere weeks away when The…

In Brief NEWS BITES

AROUND THE WORLD

JUST KITTING The US embassy is feeling embarrassed after accidentally sending out a meeting e-invite with a photo of a cat in pyjamas relaxing with a snack. FRIENDSHIP BENCH A mental health project called The Friendship Bench has helped more than 30,000 people in Zimbabwe, and is now being expanded to other countries. It involves free ‘talk therapy’ delivered by grandmothers. BROADCAST SNOOZE They say never wake a sleeping baby, and one meteorologist from Minnesota proved you don’t have to. She wore her son on her back while presenting a weather segment.…

AROUND THE WORLD

Don’t be one of the boys

Mateship is an Aussie identifier, that special male bonding club that says you’re one of us. Politicians love the word – it’s who we are as a nation. But for Hunter Johnson (above), mateship isn’t always a positive force – its blokey concept of masculinity is one of many cultural constructs at the heart of a cavernous gender problem which is brainwashing our boys and creating, at best, confused and, at worst, suicidal young men, unable to form meaningful relationships. “Growing up I saw guys constantly having the need to earn their masculinity, whether it was drinking the most, taking drugs, in their language ‘getting the most women’, showing the least emotion,” explains Hunter. “But I also saw the fragility of it. All it took was one comment – for…

Don’t be one of the boys

All aboard the royal love train

From the moment they arrived, it was clear this royal visit was going to break new ground. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had hoped to slip into Sydney quietly a day before official proceedings and chill out at Admiralty House, the Governor-General’s home he and his wife had kindly turned over to Harry and Meghan for the tour. Instead, the couple was greeted with a posse of TV cameras, reporters and long lenses focussed on incoming planes. Meghan appeared, curiously holding folders of paperwork in front of her stomach, and immediately a baby bump frenzy swept through social media. It’s possible the royal couple hoped to wait a little longer to share their happy news, but the only way to focus the tour back on the Invictus Games and…

All aboard the royal love train

‘I found a secret window into happiness’

For once, quick-witted Julia Morris was lost for words. When a married man she scarcely knew groped her under the table, on a rare night out with her husband and friends, the comedy queen was literally shocked into silence. “How weird is that? Someone did something to me and I didn’t say anything,” marvels Australia’s favourite funny woman, who has spent more than 30 years reducing hecklers to red-faced shame on the stand-up circuit. “I didn’t call him on it … I got such a fright that I kind of thought, you know, if I tell [husband] Dan, I don’t want him to feel like he has to rise to protect me or absolutely blow the night apart. But I was fascinated that I didn’t say anything until we got…

‘I found a secret window into happiness’

Love, loss and diamonds

Within minutes of landing in Kununurra, Frauke Bolten had made up her mind – by sunset she’d be on a plane back home to Germany. It was 1981 and Kununurra was a dusty frontier town, perishingly hot with little more than salty scrub bush as far as the eye could see. The rugged Australian outback was a world away from the rolling green hills of her European home, but with rich soil and endless sunshine, her husband Friedrich thought it was the perfect place to build a dream farm for his wife and their three children. As their plane bounced along Kununurra’s red dirt airstrip, Frauke didn’t quite share his vision. “It was so remote and so isolated,” she recalls, “I honestly thought no intelligent soul could live here.” The…

Love, loss and diamonds

Malala turns 21

Rio’s Sugarloaf Mountain is one of the most beautiful spots on earth to spend a 21st birthday. The girl in candy pink watching a ballet performance on top of the mountain with Copacabana beach spread out below claps and smiles radiantly at her father next to her. The pint-sized dancers in tutus are from one of Rio’s most violent favelas, the ballet project a chance to dream in a place where their school is frequently closed because of shoot-outs between drug gangs and police. The birthday girl is from the other side of the world and she too knows about guns, having narrowly survived being shot on her school bus, her smile just a little lopsided as a result of damage to the nerve under her left eye. The world’s…

Malala turns 21

“Oh, my heart!”

When the Queen’s granddaughter Princess Eugenie married her long-term boyfriend, Jack Brooksbank, in the same spot as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex earlier this year, it may have been the royal wedding sequel but it was every bit as box office. Holding on to their hats on a blustery, autumnal morning, 30 members of the royal family led by the Queen, 92, and the Duke of Edinburgh making a rare public appearance at 97, joined a starry cast of show business royalty at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, to watch Eugenie, 28, and Jack, 32, tie the knot after more than seven years together. With the couple positively beaming, October 12 was a day of infectious happiness and family reconciliations. Sarah, Duchess of York, who had been kept at…

“Oh, my heart!”

“People in long, happy marriages tell a lot of fibs” Dame EMMA THOMPSON

Emma Thompson has a new look, but the sound is familiar. Impervious to interruptions, immune to hesitation, it whoops and loops in elaborate conversational circles before finally giving way to a re-application of peachy-coloured lipstick. “Bugger. Worn it all off. Think I’ve been banging on too much,” she says. Banging on is one of the things Emma has done brilliantly down the years. She not only has opinions on everything, but the verbal virtuosity to ensure they are fully and inescapably broadcast. In the past, her fondness for saying what she thinks has landed her in trouble, with critics labelling her “the most annoying woman in Britain”, but the actress isn’t listening, and today, reassuringly, there is something else she wants to talk about. First, though, that new look. The…

“People in long, happy marriages tell a lot of fibs” Dame EMMA THOMPSON

“My son didn’t have to die”

Every time a young person dies from a drug-related death at an Australian festival, Adriana Buccianti’s phone rings. It has happened consistently since her own son Dan’s drugs-related death at Victoria’s Rainbow Serpent festival in 2012. And it happened in September, when two people died at Sydney’s Defqon.1 festival. “Those calls are never easy,” the Melbourne grandmother admits, sighing. She answers and speaks because she feels like a “lone wolf” on a quest that few took seriously until this year. Adriana, 63, is determined to ensure pill testing services are made available at every Australian festival to keep young people safe and to stop “these senseless deaths”. “I feel like I’m the only one standing but I’ll do everything in my power to ensure no parent goes through what I…

“My son didn’t have to die”

The downfall of Gérard Depardieu

In a huge, 18th-century house in the centre of Paris, Gérard Depardieu, France’s greatest film star, lives a strange, perilous life, wreathed in tales of indulgence and excess. For more than 40 years, since he first arrived in the city as a penniless vagabond from the provinces, Depardieu has shown a remarkable talent for both acting and wrapping the French public around his saucisson-sized fingers. His wild ways and monstrous appetites for booze, feuding and scandal have made him into a peculiarly French hero. Many here see him as a kind of one-man version of The Three Musketeers – a raffish, cavalier throwback to a more romantic age – but the country’s seemingly limitless capacity for forgiveness now faces its sternest test. In late August, it was revealed that a…

The downfall of Gérard Depardieu

Amazing Australian Brigitte Muir OAM

Tintin comics ignited Brigitte Muir’s spirit of adventure, and her first mountain climbing experience was, as a child, scaling mounds of coal outside the Belgian industrial town where she grew up. It was not the most auspicious beginning, but many real mountains and a move to Victoria later, Brigitte became the first Australian woman to climb Mount Everest, and the first Aussie to scale the highest peak on every continent in the world. “I really like going up,” the 60-year-old says. “There’s a sense of reaching up for something, like reaching for a star. Her most physically testing climb was Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, where bad weather set in and what would have been a four-day climb took 14. “We had just four days’ food, and there were avalanches left,…

Amazing Australian Brigitte Muir OAM

TILL DEATH US DO PART

On a rainy Saturday morning in August 2010, Sally Challen left her house in Claygate, Surrey, in the south of England. She had bought the house less than a year earlier, her first step away from a 31-year marriage. That morning, she returned to 1 Ruxley Ridge, just around the corner – her former marital home. Though she had told few people, Sally, 56, and her husband, Richard, 61, were planning to reconcile. They were about to begin clearing the family house so they could put it on the market. The Challens’ home was valued at about $1.84m, and with this they intended to take an extended trip to Australia, a late-life adventure, before deciding where to live next. But first Richard wanted bacon and eggs for breakfast, so Sally…

TILL DEATH US DO PART

Seniors having A MOMENT

When she hit 65, Mariella Stanton decided she was tired of feeling ashamed about her age and trying to hide it. Instead she resolved to embrace it, to own it, to age with elan. She was going to age disgracefully. She had hurtled through life, wrangling her three children, her job, her divorce and focused on family and home. Dutiful and busy, busy, busy looking after other people. Now she was busting out. To the astonishment of her now adult children she announced, “now I can finally be selfish and focus on myself.” The first thing she did was get a tattoo. Mariella is part of a generation that are going to change social expectations of ageing. As baby boomers reach retirement age they are not going to fade away…

Seniors having A MOMENT

12 days of Christmas kindness

The 1st day of Christmas Kindness in the bag Rochelle Courtenay was moved to major acts of community kindness when she read about the “period poverty” that many women face. In 2015, she founded Share the Dignity to provide sanitary items to homeless women. Then, around Christmas that year, she was cleaning out her bathroom cupboard when she had an idea for another way to support women in need. “I had an abundance of cosmetic stuff that people had gifted me but I’d never used,” Rochelle says. “I also happened to be cleaning out my handbag and thought how cool it would be if you got all of this stuff in a handbag for Christmas.” She took a photo of her bag filled with toiletries and posted it online. It…

12 days of Christmas kindness

Meet Doctor the new Who

When I meet Jodie Whittaker she is dressed entirely in black. A black knit rib top, black skinny jeans, black ankle boots – flat, no nonsense. We’re sitting in the library of the London’s Charlotte Street Hotel which is all cluttery cosy with tapestried couches. She couldn’t be more at odds with the surroundings. Her hair is in a variation of a blonde bob, her make-up understated. Down-to-earth Yorkshire woman. There is a firmness to her. You don’t mess with her. There’s a strange kind of deep-seated confidence and strength and that’s something that she brings to the roles she plays. There’s very little of the vamp in her, but with her huge eyes and voluptuous lips there’s a trace of a woman who can do anything. Including take on…

Meet Doctor the new Who

Half a century & not out

My 50th is fast approaching. I’m not disturbed about the actual turning 50 – apart from the odd creaky bone, incontinence pad (note: only required when dealing with an occasional persistent cough) and comfortable shoe insert I’m ageing well, like a fine Shiraz. However, I’m disturbed about the interest shown in “the big day”. It seems everybody has a suggestion on how I should celebrate this momentous occasion, ranging from a dress up party for 300, a trip to Africa to go on safari to get up close with a lion (why?) and one of the more ludicrous – lunch with my “Top 50” girlfriends. Ludicrous because of the conversation I’d have with number 51 – “Look, I’m really sorry. Thanks for years of loyal friendship but you haven’t quite…

Half a century & not out

You’ve come a long way, baby …

When a two-pence newspaper called The Australian Women’s Weekly first appeared on Sydney newsstands in June 1933, it debuted an agenda that would change the face of Australian publishing. There were two front-page features. One, “Equal Social Rights for Sexes”, outlined Mrs Linda P Littlejohn’s “greater determination than ever” to fight for the establishment of women’s social rights. The other, “What Smart Sydney Women Are Wearing”, needs little explanation. The Weekly was not the first Australian magazine for women – that honour belongs to Louisa Lawson’s The Dawn, published in 1880 – but it was the first to truly capture the lives, loves, struggles and concerns of Australian women. It was a journal of record, a place of indulgence and escape and a trusted source of news that united women…

You’ve come a long way, baby …

My grand mother’s spirit lives on in my garden

If you want to understand the Prince of Wales, what makes him tick, how he works, his deep loves, private passions and quiet reflections, the garden at Highgrove is where the royal’s soul is laid bare. Highgrove is Prince Charles’ own creation where his personality, his hopes, dreams, beliefs, artistic sensibility and sense of humour are all on display. The gardens and house at Highgrove are much more than a bolthole from London’s glare and bustle. Unlike Birkhall, the Scottish home he inherited from his grandmother alongside his mother’s Balmoral Castle estate, or Clarence House, his town house in London next to St James’s Palace, Prince Charles purchased Highgrove himself in 1980. It is a Georgian house in the heart of picture-postcard Gloucestershire where he grew the garden from scratch,…

My grand mother’s spirit lives on in my garden

I sipped an early cup of tea and turned on the computer to check my emails. There were five headed MUM in capital letters. Clearly I’d done something wrong. “You pressed ‘reply all’ again!” wrote the first one. “You’ve been planning Christmas without talking to us! We’re not 10 years old anymore!” Damn! The email was supposed to go to one at a time. I wanted to tell them, gently, that I was “doing” Christmas and didn’t need any help. “We do things the same way every Christmas anyway,” I pointed out to the MOTH (Man of The House). If you don’t count the legendary “sugared almond” fight of 1998 and the year the Christmas tree fell on the cat, things have gone pretty well. “And we always ‘face time’…

Tropicana Embrace vivid colours and motifs of the tropics. STYLIST’S TIP Mustard tones work nicely with tropical prints. Classic Play with graphic prints to make a statement. STYLIST’S TIP A monochromatic outfit is a fail-safe option for a polished look. Sun-kissed Muted earthy tones make for the perfect injection of sun-kissed colour. STYLIST’S TIP Pair muted tones with bold accessories for a striking look. Bold & bright What’s a summer wardrobe without a vibrant colour palette? STYLIST’S TIP Balance bright colours with stripes or textures.…

Utter radiance A subtle highlight can deliver striking results in the youthful shimmer stakes, however the trick is to be precise and sparing. “Take a light-handed approach to sweep highlighter across the high parts of the face and cheekbones, avoiding the inner-eye area”, says make-up artist Annette McKenzie. “This is where you want to bounce light off from the face.” In terms of formula and finish on your highlighter, Annette suggests avoiding dry texture products, as they are less forgiving on mature skin. Instead, opt for liquid or cream products, as these formulas are less likely to accentuate fine lines or uneven textures, but rather add radiance and luminosity to the skin. Strong lips Make a bold-coloured lippie your go-to colour this summer. Annette suggests using matte textures, as these…

OVERNIGHT REFRESH SAY GOOD MORNING TO FIRMER, PLUMPER LOOKING SKIN WITH OLAY’S PRESTIGE-INSPIRED GIFTSET. INCLUDING CULT REGENERIST MICRO-SCULPTING CREAM, NIGHT CREAM AND MIRACLE PRE-ESSENCE, FUEL YOUR SKIN WHILE YOU SLEEP. Regenerist Overnight Miracle Gift Set, $64.99. Celebrity fragrances UPLIFT YOUR SENSES WITH A SPRITZ OF THESE ALLURING SCENTS, COURTESY OF YOUR MUCH-LOVED CELEBRITY. DREAM BY DELTA GOODREM EAU DE PARFUM 100ml, $49. Juicy nectarine, wild moon flower and iris sit atop a woody base in this delectable scent. BORN LOVELY BY SJP EAU DE PARFUM 100ml, $39.99. With notes of mandarin, freesia and cedar wood, this scent will see you through summer, autumn and beyond. BY INVITATION PEONY NOIR BY MICHAEL BUBLE 100ml, $49. Has a milky softness thanks to a base of cedar wood and sandalwood, while black coffee…

1 NATIO ROSEWATER HYDRATION MOISTURE BALANCE DAY CREAM SPF 50+, $19.95. A super light formula with broad spectrum SPF cover – the rosewater and plant extracts keep skin feeling smooth and refreshed. 2 ULTRACEUTICALS ULTRA UV PROTECTIVE DAILY MOISTURISER SPF 30, $79. Offers triple skin protection with a boost of hydration. 3 ESTÉE LAUDER DAYWEAR ADVANCED MULTI-PROTECTION ANTI-OXIDANT CREME SPF 15 50ML, $75. Blends skin hydrators and barrier-boosting lipids to lock in moisture.…

Mermaid beauty is the banner under which sits the new wave of glow-enhancing beauty products. Leading the charge are reflective pastel tones, duo-chrome shimmers and luminous skincare ranges, all of which are designed to impart a flattering glow. Yet with a moniker like mermaid beauty, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this trend is geared towards a certain generation. Delve beyond the fantastical name and you’ll find that what this trend champions is an aesthetic of exuberance and luminosity.…

DO YOU KNOW YOUR heart attack risk?

Our radar is always on in general practice for “red flag symptoms”. Some of these are obvious like bleeding, jaundice or particular types of pain. Some are more subtle hints of underlying serious diseases that may not be immediately obvious, but can be catastrophic if they are overlooked. In recent years there has been a renewed focus on the awareness of heart disease in women. This is because one in three women don’t demonstrate the “typical” symptoms of heart disease that have traditionally been applied to men. The symptoms experienced by women are often vague and nonspecific, so they may not trigger a visit to the doctor or emergency department. Rather than the classic gripping left-sided chest pain we usually associate with a need to rush to hospital with suspected…

DO YOU KNOW YOUR heart attack risk?

How to protect your heart

+ Have your blood pressure checked at each visit to your GP, or once a year, and check for diabetes + Quit smoking + Keep alcohol to a minimum + Watch your weight + Exercise daily + Check if any medications or over-the-counter preparations might increase your blood pressure (such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) + Eat foods rich in nutrients including plant-based foods, (fruit, vegetables and wholegrains) and omega-3 rich fish + Eliminate animal fats, trans fats and added sugars + Avoid salt in processed foods or added to your meals + Reduce stress and take care of your mental health…

Q Could you please give me some advice on a heel spur – are there exercises or a shoe that might help? A.W., Vic. A heel spur is a bony calcium deposit on the underside of your heel. It is a sign of inflammation and often associated with plantar fasciitis. A podiatrist may assess the biomechanics of your foot. Strapping your foot or orthotics may help. The pain can be reduced by wearing supportive footwear, and doing stretching exercises for your foot and calf muscles. Q The Heart Foundation now says that fish oil is not as good as they thought for heart health. Is it still worth taking fish oil for arthritis? L.D., NSW. The recommendations about fish oil have ebbed and flowed for years. It is clear that…

Mind body health A health report from Harvard Medical School reveals Tai Chi appears to improve the ability to multitask, manage time, and make decisions. For those with mild cognitive impairment, Tai Chi slowed the progression to dementia more than other types of exercise and improved their cognitive function at a rate similar to other forms of exercise or cognitive training. 22% This is the increase of endometrial (uterine) cancer, one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women, from 1982 to 2008. Its incidence has increased due mainly to rising obesity levels as excess body fat alters the body’s hormone balance. Visit savethebox.org.au to help raise funds. Eye strain solution Studies indicate a possible link between blue light from digital devices and increased cataracts and eye strain. A University of…

Know your bones

Osteoporosis occurs when bones lose calcium and other minerals, making them fragile and more likely to fracture. In Australia, it results in over 165,000 fractures annually but there is a lot that can be done to manage your bone health if you have osteoporosis. One innovative solution is a joint initiative of Osteoporosis Australia and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. Know Your Bones is an online bone health self-assessment which generates a report explaining your risk and gives personalised recommendations. If the report shows you have risk factors you can take this to your doctor who can offer treatments to reduce your risk of having a fracture.…

Know your bones

Julie’s summer dinners

Fettuccine with tomato, chilli and fetta This is a delicious and simple weeknight dinner. SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 20 MINUTES ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 6 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely 8 small red chillies, sliced 250g ripe grape tomatoes 400g dried fettuccine 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked 100g fetta, crumbled into chunks ½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan lemon wedges, to serve 1 Place the oil and the garlic into a cold frying pan. Put the pan over a low heat. As the oil warms up the garlic will start to sizzle. Once it is sizzling and before it turns brown, add the chillies to the pan. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and raise the heat to medium. Toss the tomatoes in the pan…

Julie’s summer dinners

The basics – peeling prawns Here we show how to prepare raw or cooked prawns for salads, platters or in cooked dishes. STEP 1 REMOVING HEADS Cut behind the head, or twist off head using your fingers, to remove it. You can keep the head to make stock; they will freeze for up to 2 months. STEP 2 PEEL AWAY THE SHELLS Use your fingers to peel the shell off, starting from where legs are attached. Leave the last segment of shell and tail for presentation, or remove if recipes specify. STEP 3 DEVEINING Make a small cut in the centre back of each prawn using the tip of a small sharp knife. Insert a skewer or toothpick through the skin and under the vein; lift this out in one…

Backyard barbecue

Smoky eggplant with lentil, walnut and pomegranate salad SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 45 MINUTES 4 small (920g) eggplants 2 tablespoons tahini 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes LENTIL, WALNUT AND POMEGRANATE SALAD 1 medium (140g) lemon 400g can lentils, drained, rinsed ¾ cup (85g) coarsely chopped walnuts, roasted 2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley ½ medium (160g) pomegranate, seeds removed GREEN YOGHURT 1½ cups (420g) Greek-style yoghurt 1 cup baby spinach leaves 1 cup fresh coriander leaves 1 Preheat a covered barbecue with all burners on low and hood closed until temperature reaches 240°C (220°C fan-forced), or follow manufacturer’s instructions. Line a disposable foil roasting pan with baking paper. 2 Halve eggplant lengthways. Score deep diagonal lines 2cm apart in…

Backyard barbecue

Treasures from our Test Kitchen

Early in 1980, I was cooking away in the Test Kitchen when Mrs S (Mrs Ellen Sinclair, the Food Editor at the time) returned from a business lunch with French people who owned the Grand Marnier label. She was a bit flustered and asked me if I could dream up a recipe using a substantial amount of Grand Marnier, as opposed to a tablespoon or two in a dessert. The hitch was, the French had to have the recipe to take back to France in two days’ time. Now, some of you may know, fruit cakes are my special thing, so I carefully made up a recipe on paper, and the next day flew into action, modifying the recipe as I went along; the result is the recipe overleaf. It…

Treasures from our Test Kitchen

PAMELA’S TIPS

• I’ve gone a little crazy over glacé orange slices lately. You could use them in place of the glacé apricots and pineapple, keeping the orange-flavour theme going in this recipe. Or, use the glacé orange, finely chopped, in place of the mixed peel. • Don’t be put off about making the syrup for this recipe. Let the sugar melt slowly and tilt the pan so the sugar browns evenly and stir it gently. Remember, sugar reaches a very high temperature, you’re caramelising it here, so be careful. Remove the pan from the heat, add the juice, stand back as the mixture will spit and spatter as the cold juice hits the hot caramel. Lumps of toffee will form, which need to be melted. Sometimes if you just leave the syrup alone,…

Salad season It’s always salad season in The Weekly’s Test Kitchen and our new cookbook, Big Salads, is brimming with vibrant, nourishing and filling salads. With our top tips for dressings and preparation, your salad will be the star of the show at your next barbecue. $14.99 from newsagents and wherever good books are sold. Visit awwcookbooks.com.au The power of yoghurt It’s no secret that yoghurt packs a probiotic punch and is a delicious way to start your day or a healthy afternoon snack. We love adding it to smoothies or topping a summery fruit salad. We’ve discovered Danone Activia has been reformulated and it’s now even better for you, with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Available from supermarkets nationally. Winter wonderland Rug up and immerse yourself in the…

Red velvet cupcakes MAKES 12 PREP AND COOK TIME 30 MINUTES (+ COOLING TIME) ¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour 2 tablespoons NESTLÉ cocoa ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 100g butter, softened ¾ cup (250g) NESTLÉ Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 egg 1 tablespoon red food colouring gold pearl sugar and gold stars, to decorate CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 1¼ cups (200g) icing sugar, sifted 80g butter, softened 125g cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons NESTLÉ Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Line a 12-hole muffin pan (⅓ cup/80ml capacity) with paper cases. 2 Sift flour and cocoa into a medium bowl. Add vanilla, butter, condensed milk, egg and food colouring. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until mixture is light and fluffy. 3…

Christmas gifting

Little gluten-free Christmas cakes MAKES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES (+ COOLING AND STANDING TIME) 1kg dried fruit mix 1 cup (140g) pitted dates, chopped ½ cup (160g) fig jam 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind 1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind 1 tablespoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 cup (250ml) ginger beer 250g butter, softened 1 cup (220g) firmly packed dark brown sugar 4 eggs, at room temperature 1 cup (110g) almond meal ¾ cup (110g) gluten-free plain flour ½ cup (75g) gluten-free self-raising flour walnuts, pecans, macadamias, blanched and natural almonds, to decorate ⅓ cup (80ml) dark rum, plus extra, optional ribbon, to decorate 1 Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Line the base and sides of six deep 9cm round cake…

Christmas gifting

1 Golden classic “Celebrate the joy of entertaining this Christmas by bringing together your friends, family and loved ones.” White and gold creates a classic look that never goes out of style. This simple, beautiful table setting relies on the classic white and gold theme that’s so enticing for family and friends around Christmas time. Then to bring your setting to life, simply add a few glamorous – and delicious – extra touches of gold in the form of elegant Ferrero Rocher Cones, Ferrero Rocher 3 Piece packs and the classic individual Ferrero Rocher chocolates. How can you resist? 2 Modern twist “Let Ferrero Rocher add the perfect touch of magic to your festive table setting.” Timber and gold combine for a more modern, magical Christmas…

THE Reading room

US novelist and mum-of-two Therese Anne Fowler grew up in a tiny town in Illinois near the Mississippi River, where her childhood “was a time of unfettered enthusiasm for the natural world”. She was an avowed tomboy with two brothers, and was one of the first girls in the US to play Little League baseball. Therese was encouraged by her university professor to write and published her first work in 2008. But it wasn’t until Z , her novel about Zelda Fitzgerald, appeared in 2013 that her career took off. “I was surprised and relieved,” she says. Her new novel is about another famous family, the Vanderbilts. A Well-Behaved Woman By Therese Anne Fowler, Hachette There’s something utterly seductive about the opulence of…

THE Reading room

FOUR COURAGEOUS

MILES FRANKLIN: A SHORT BIOGRAPHY by Jill Roe, HarperCollins “Mar 30, 1899. Herewith a yarn I have written … with a little of that mythical commodity love, thrown in for young readers. Awaiting reply, Miles Franklin.” She didn’t wait long – in a week Angus and Robertson rejected My Brilliant Career – “a serious mistake”, George Robertson later acknowledged. It was published by Blackwood in 1901, when Miles was 21. The brilliant writer died in 1954 and left her estate to establish the Miles Franklin Award for literature. At her funeral, the minister read from her other success All That Swagger: “All too swiftly the day descended and declined.” REACHING TIN RIVER by Thea Astley, Text Beautiful reprint of this 1990 novel by fearless author Astley. Courageous narrator Belle longs…

FOUR COURAGEOUS

THE OTHER WIFE by Michael Robotham, Hachette Robotham’s unravelling of the life of a psychologist, Professor Joe O’Loughlin, lurches faster than an underground train. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s 13 years earlier, his late wife Julianne died of surgical complications, and he “endures” for the sake of his daughters. Now his surgeon father William is in an induced coma, after catastrophic head injuries; his wife is at his bedside. Joe thought his father lived with his mother, Mary, but at his bedside is other wife Olivia. A couple for 20 years, they have raised another child together. The attack happened at their London home. Joe looks incredulously at the pink sweaters and jeans in his father’s wardrobe; Viagra on the bedside table. Robotham’s flair makes O’Loughlin’s final bow intriguing reading. THE HONOURABLE…

Historical fiction

So Much Life Left Over by Louis De Bernières, Penguin Glorious poetic slice of life from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin author, of the ramifications of post-Great War service for two fighter pilots in the 1920s. Ceylon tea plantation owners Hugh and Daniel are “missing the extremes of experience that made them feel intensely alive during the war”. Hugh’s wife Gloria runs a clinic, where Daniel’s wife Rosie works. Daniel and Rosie’s daughter Esther adores her Uncle Archie who, over from India, enchants her with Kipling-esque animal stories. But when Rosie gives birth to a boy with his “outsides on the insides”, who dies, “…happiness slipped out of the door.” Daniel takes a Tamil lover, then returns, as Rosie desires, to Blighty. His mother-in-law’s gardener “Oily Wragge” sleeps…

Historical fiction

Sunlight glances off a speedboat’s wake as it roars away from Thao Dien district with its embassies, Western expat residences, pilates studios, cafes and sprawling millionaires’ follies. I’ve been watching the river since sunrise from a bay window in my room at the Villa Song, a French colonial-inspired boutique hotel, and the prettiest place to stay in Ho Chi Minh City. By the far bank, a family of four gathers under a plastic canopy to eat breakfast on the deck of a cobalt blue fishing boat. An island of reeds and grasses and plastic refuse drifts downstream towards the Mekong Delta. Around the next bend, an immense steel bridge carries peak-hour scooters in their thousands towards the cluster of skyscrapers and French colonial terraces of Saigon (as locals still call…

Lay back & daydream

In the heart of tropical paradise, Daydream Island Resort presents guests with the ultimate in barefoot bliss. Perfect for families, couples and groups, the resort provides an idyllic setting to explore the Great Barrier Reef and indulge in all the nature-based activities on offer. Stylish yet affordable contemporary rooms and suites are complemented by an extensive food and beverage offering, including three restaurants and three bars across the island, giving guests a plethora of options for every desire. An extensive range of activities are available, from snorkelling and sailing to helicopter rides, with swimming pools and gym facilities at the resort for those who don’t want to go more than a flipper kick from their premium accommodation. The highlight of Daydream Island Resort? A spectacular 200m free form Living Reef,…

Lay back & daydream

MYER CHRISTMAS must-haves

stand tall Luxe Champagne Glitter Triangle Leaf Cone, RRP $29.99 La La Land Flora The Explorer Ceramic Mug, RRP $17.95 La La Land Australian Sweets Set of 4 Melamine Plates, RRP $39.95 tasty Gingerbread Folk Christmas Miniatures Box 130g, RRP $12.99 Merry & Bright Extendable Legs Santa wearing White and Red Knit Jumpers, RRP $49.99 decoration Merry & Bright Brown Fabric Sausage Dog with Spring Body, RRP $16.99 Heirloom 60cm Red Fabric Standing Santa holding Baubles and Filled Sack, RRP $99.99 Luxe 100 Pieces - Shatterproof Silver, Champagne, Rose and Pale Lilac, assorted pack RRP $99.99 kris kringle Pana Chocolate Christmas Gift Pack, RRP $29.99 Myer 2018 Charity Bear - Anthony, RRP $19.99 hang me on a tree Eucalyptus Brown Fabric Reindeer wearing Red Scarf, RRP $9.99 for nana Farmhouse…

MYER CHRISTMAS
must-haves

Brewing hot & cold

Whether you are looking for a soothing hot cuppa or a refreshing iced tea, Red Seal’s Hot or Cold Tea range offers you the unique ability to customise your teatime experience. The convenient tea bags come in a variety of fruity flavours and can be brewed in both hot and cold water quickly and easily. Healthy and delicious, every flavour in Red Seal’s Hot or Cold range contains no sugar, caffeine or artificial sweeteners and is gluten free. Make delicious iced tea at home, add a tea bag to your water bottle for a flavour boost on the go, or take your time and savour a pot of piping hot brew with friends. A tasty alternative to water and excellent value for money, Red Seal Hot or Cold Teas are…

Brewing hot & cold

Sagittarius NOV 23-DEC 21 The planetary trinity of sun, new moon and Jupiter in Sagittarius doing a happy dance on December 7 ushers in the Archer clan’s fabulous astrological new year. When mid-month Mercury joins the crew you’ll certainly be talking the talk, but in the midst of festive merriment might want to consider pressing the edit button occasionally. No need to tell all: a hint of mystery never hurt. Your primary December survival strategy is adaptability, as this month calls for flexible dancing with shifting goal posts and sudden adjustments – fortunately it’s your forte. Wishing you all the best for a cool yule and joyous new year. CAPRICORN • DEC 22-JAN 20 What people say they’ll do in December and what they actually manage can often seem seriously out…

How did we get so bamboozled about motherhood? And how did we get so judgey? Be sexy the moment you come home with a newborn! Not that sexy, you strumpet! Stay at home! Go to work! Don’t get isolated! Stay off social media! Caring about your appearance is shallow! Lose weight! Take time for yourself! Do all the housework! And be sure to enjoy your new life as a whirlwind of wet wipes and criticism. When kids are little, getting anything else done is miraculous – like showering, or eating something that isn’t toast. Meanwhile, your phone pings with another Insta pic of a well-scrubbed cherub whose calm mum has a hairdo and an air of knowing precisely where she left her cup of tea. If not an outright lie,…

It’s a celebration

Deck the halls, hang the wreath and put the tree up – Christmas is almost here. Set your festive goals high with these delicious holiday entertaining ideas that will wow your guests and create a beautiful Christmas to remember. From super easy cocktails to delightful desserts, Harvey Norman has everything you need to create gorgeous gifts and food for the ones you love. Enjoy! 12 tempting truffles Whip up these decadent truffles with a pop of Christmas colour Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender (MQ9087X), $199 Unique ACTIVEBlade technology helps to blend even the hardest foods. The innovative flexible shaft allows for easier blending while the SPLASHControl makes for mess-free results. Comes with four included attachments. Sour Cherry and Brownie Truffles Get the recipe at hn.com.au/recipes 11 ice cream…

It’s a celebration

Fran's 12 Christmas tips

1 SET THE SCENE A gorgeous Christmas table really creates a festive mood, so let your creative side free. Set the scene with all the trimmings from the tablecloth and napkins to the centrepiece and surrounding decorations. 2 PLANNING AND PREPARATION The key to stress-free entertaining is to take time out early to think about the menu, especially if you would like to make a traditional cake or pudding. As a starting point, think about the main protein component. Family tradition may well dictate ham, turkey or seafood. Next, choose sides, salads and sauces to go with the main attraction. Finally, top and tail the menu with a light starter or shared platter and a showstopper dessert that can be done a few days in advance. Enlist the help of…

Fran's 12 Christmas tips

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