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25.01.2022 COOK: 50 different meatless recipes for Meat Free Mondays, or any meat free meal. What are your go-to ingredients for meat free cooking? http://decisivecravings.com.au/meatless-meals-recipes/

24.01.2022 BAKING SWAP: Calling the home bakers, lovers of festive treats and snail mail. Our Christmas Baking Swap is back! Last year we organised our first ever BAKING SWAP with beautiful parcels of bakes and treats sent all over the world. It was such a joy and a real highlight for me during last years holiday season! I would love for it to go ahead again this year but we need to reach a minimum amount of participants first (we arent far off!) Whether you bake the goods yourself O...R buy a few of your favourite festive treats (you dont have to bake!), this will be just one more way to spread some much needed cheer this year, and also help those in need. There will be a registration fee of $5 to secure your spot, 100% of this fee will be directly donated to a cause or charity initiative. Our baking swap is open to EVERYONE & ANYWHERE in the world. Though the swap is not religious, the more you can include/represent local festive treats in your parcel the better because sharing food culture is the best and it is just one more way to help us feel weve travelled in 2020. All the details via the link below and please feel free to share or loop in any friends you think would be interested! http://decisivecravings.com.au/join-2020-christmas-baking-/

24.01.2022 That beautiful pear tree back in Weinheim at the botanical gardens a few weeks ago. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! @ Schau- und Sichtungsgarten Hermannshof

24.01.2022 A small moment of calm last night. This is my favourite window in the house because were almost surrounded by green - the wall covered in creepers that changes colour depending on the season, and the tops of trees to our right. Its also a hub of activity day and night for the birds who perch, chirp, chatter and fly by - like at the end of this video. Have a great day!

24.01.2022 READ: Our latest Foodie Profile is for the book lovers out there, and anyone with an interest in London. So pleased to have Miranda Mills of the Tea & Tattle Podcast and Mirandas Notebook, on DC. She shares her favourite cookbook, a family recipe for cherry and banana loaf, and even book recommendations paired with each season! If you have been craving a good book, this q&a has plenty of suggestions. Enjoy this one with a cuppa. Jen xx http://decisivecravings.com.au/miranda-mills-foodie-profile/

23.01.2022 Day three. Today we mostly baked with rye, as well as breads that use a combination of flour types (#mischbrot). We also prepared a ciabatta dough (to bake tomorrow) and learnt some theory about pre-doughs and a type of German starter called #anstellgut (kind of like a lievito madre). Last day tomorrow then hopping on the train for four hours to hopefully get home in time for dinner. Special love to my family & friends in Melb. Thinking of you all @ Weinheim

22.01.2022 As we approach the end of the month I always check our top pieces on the site being read and searched. I am very glad to see this in our top ten for June. In this native Australian bush food beginners guide, Sharon Winsor, the CEO and founder of Indigiearth, an award winning native food and products business based out of NSW; generously shared with me her wisdom, experience and knowledge a few years ago. Sharon, a Ngemba Weilwan woman of Western NSW, grew up eating bush foo...ds in the wild. She takes us through the basics of native Australian bush food even sharing her prize winning recipe for double chocolate wattleseed cheesecake. In this guide youll learn about the incredible amount of bush foods native to Australia, the six sacred seasons, where bush foods grow, as well as the Australian bush food chefs and cooks, farmers and producers that should be on our radar. Thank you Sharon! x http://decisivecravings.com.au/native-australian-bush-food/

21.01.2022 RECIPE: A few weeks back I shared an article I wrote for SBS Food about the art of recording family recipes. In it I mentioned a recipe that sparked the article, my Nonnas wild fennel and roasted chestnut soup. I think of her now every time I make this. It may not be exactly the way she made hers but it lives on and Ill be sure to share it with my daughter. Here it is for any of you craving an earthy soup with fresh flavours. Xx http://decisivecravings.com.au/nonnas-wild-fennel-roasted-/

20.01.2022 Some other places youll find DC in addition to here on Facebook... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/decisivecravings/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/decisivecraving... Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/decisivecraving/

19.01.2022 READ: So excited to share my latest piece for SBS Food inspired by my own family recipe recordings. There are some tips on writing your own, and advice from Tessa Kiros and Alissa Timoshkina. https://www.sbs.com.au///06/18/art-recording-family-recipe

19.01.2022 Our recipe of the month for September just went live. This one is quick to put together, flavoursome and easy: puff pastry pizza! Enjoy!! http://decisivecravings.com.au/puff-pastry-pizza/

18.01.2022 We went strawberry picking! Picking strawberries has been on our list for ages & yesterday we finally did it. We hitched the baby bike trailer & rode our bikes 15kms (each way ) into the countryside. It was a little bit of a mission but a beautiful sunny day and we returned with 4kg of bounty and maybe a bit of sun stroke lol! My husband made jam on our return and I made the sponge cake pictured. Needless to say we have a fair bit left over. Thinking of turning the rest into strawberry syrup and a salad, but would love any suggestions! #strawberryseason #cake @ Erdbeer-Hof Gleidingen

18.01.2022 Ukraine In my latest piece for SBS Food I chatted to the lovely Olia Hercules about her brilliant new cookbook, Summer Kitchens. Covered is the regionality of Ukrainian cuisine, with particular attention to the food of its seven borders, dish stereotypes, comforts & so much more. Olia also generously shared two recipes for you to try here: https://www.sbs.com.au//find-cabbage-dish-your-dreams-ukra Ive easily made half a dozen recipes from the book so far, but my favour...ites without a doubt have been the courgettes with herbaceous lyok dressing (pg 210) & the crushed potatoes with broad beans (pg 238). There are so many more recipes I cannot wait to make but especially so, the borsch with duck and smoked pears (pg 132), and the apples fermented in pumpkin mash (pg 38), as well as the potato-dough dumplings with plums and honey (pg 290) and the steamed bilberry doughnuts (pg 300). See more

17.01.2022 Just out of the oven in time for lunch today Today was my second bake since the course and I honestly wish I could share the smell and taste. I used my starter with honey in it which goes with a recipe that calls for three sets of kneading with one hour long rests, then a big sleep of 14-15 hours. Using this and paying attention to the activeness of the starter, not skimping on kneading & shaping resulted in this loaf. So so encouraged after just making some small & basic tweaks. I also used a proper lame for the first time. #sourdough

17.01.2022 SHOP: Last call to shop festive stationery! Due to the delays expected for Christmas deliveries this year, final orders must be placed by end of day tomorrow (24/11). https://decisivecravings.bigcartel.com/products... Our stationery set with recipe card has sold out, but stickers and cards can be bought individually and there is a sticker set and card bundle available. Messages in greeting cards can be hand written, simply leave your message in the order notes, as well as the recipients' address in the shipping details and I can send direct to them. Shipping is available worldwide. To all of you who have purchased stationery so far, thank you SO much! I will send an update about charity donations from all sales, closer to Christmas. Jen xx

17.01.2022 RECIPE: More CAKE (as promised yesterday)... Today Im excited to share a recipe for Spiced Honey Cake from Yasmin Shenhav of Sunny Side Up. This is something she makes every year to celebrate the tradition of Jewish New Year, which starts this Friday and ends on Sunday. Apart from the traditional use of apples and honey (for a good and sweet new year!), she also uses Silan (date syrup), and a lovely combination of spices. ... Recipe here: http://decisivecravings.com.au/spiced-honey-cake-recipe/

17.01.2022 Currently on a train, alone (without my daughter) for the next five days to do an intensive baking course at a national academy here. Very nerve wracking to leave my little family for the week but excited to learn more about flours, starter, and techniques with all types of bread, especially sourdough. Wish me luck!! And if you have any questions please let me know and Ill add them to my already long list for the instructors! Xx

16.01.2022 DRINKS: A wonderful gift for family and friends, or just for yourself! Very proud of my friend Belinda Coniglio who has cultivated a new vine stem at her Nonnos vineyard - a range of low preservative and uncertified organic Ros, shiraz and bottle fermented sparkling Chennin. They are now available for same day delivery in Sydney and next day delivery in Melbourne from DRNKS online. Xx https://www.drnks.com/search?q=VINO+ITALIA&type=product

16.01.2022 CHRISTMAS MAIL: Under one week to go. If you're thinking of sending some Christmas mail this year, I'd love you to pop by the DC shop and have a look at our festive stationery. There's baking themed stickers, a greeting card and bundles too. A percentage of all sales will be donated to charity and shipping is available worldwide. Due to the heavy delivery delays expected due to Covid-19, final orders must be placed by the 24/11 next week to make sure they arrive on time. Link below to shop/browse and messages can be written in cards and sent direct to loved ones too! https://decisivecravings.bigcartel.com

15.01.2022 Trying to carry this mood from the playground yesterday into my week... Happy Monday xx

14.01.2022 Cookbooks and apple pies. A kitchen scene from last week as we take it very slow this week. To my Victorian friends, thinking of you all - please hang in there. #comfortfood

14.01.2022 RECIPE: 2kg large raw prawns (shrimp), unpeeled 200g butter 10 garlic cloves, finely chopped 45g (3/4 cup) chopped parsley Less than 1 tsp Peri Peri sauce or chili powder... Juice of 4 lemons 400g Feta cheese This was our most viewed recipe the last week. Have you made Tessa Kiros prawns with feta before? Happy weekend everyone! Find the full recipe here: http://decisivecravings.com.au/prawns-with-feta/

12.01.2022 Purple plum tart from a few days ago. Plums of all kinds and colours are everywhere at the moment but I chose these for a recipe by Edna Lewis. It has a simple rustic tart base with some lemon zest, and a topping of purple plums that are pre-baked with sugar (see second photo). Once baked and cooled, she instructs to arrange them to look attractive which made me smile. I probably have enough cookbooks but am really, really enjoying hers, The Taste of Country Cooking which is my newest addition. What are you cooking from at the moment, and any recommendations? #plumtart #cookbooks

11.01.2022 A bake from a few days ago. Still getting used to my new lame but having lots of fun in the process. This loaf was again using an Italian rustic style pagnotta recipe that has honey in the starter and the actual dough mix. It involves three rounds of kneading with one hour rests in between and a final rest of 14-15 hours. The smell in the house is worth the effort alone! #bakingbread

11.01.2022 A small break from bread (starter is on the counter & waiting for it to bubble), so instead sharing a pic of some honey madeleines made at the weekend. My tray has lost its coating so need to get a replacement, any long lasting recommendations would be awesome if anyone has any? The Madeleine recipe I use is always the same trusty one by Justin Gellatly & Fergus Henderson from the cookbook, Beyond Nose to Tail! #madeleine

11.01.2022 ORDER: Delicious food you can enjoy safely at home, that helps others! In this round-up of Melbourne Food Orders for Good, Ive put together a small list of food based initiatives where the proceeds from your orders are helping those who have directly been affected by the lockdown. This includes hospitality workers to public housing residents. Ive also included the details for a pay it forward produce box through CERES Joes Market Garden. If you have any additions youd lik...e to see featured in the list, please email me: [email protected], Jen x http://decisivecravings.com.au/melbourne-food-orders-for-g/ (Image credit: Spencer Davis on Unsplash)

09.01.2022 SOURDOUGH: This piece has had quite a jump in the last week. How is everyone doing? http://decisivecravings.com.au/melbourne-sourdough-bakerie/

08.01.2022 Late night baking bounty and the lingering smell of bread in the air. What I also love is the crackling sound the crust makes straight out of the oven on the cooling wire. Happy Friday and weekend all! Xx #bakingbread

08.01.2022 A little postcard from the archives. I’ve often found the smallest coffee shops are the best ones. This is a goodie from our trip to Munich almost a year ago at Standl 20 . Da wo's an Kaffee gibt, which you’ll find at Elisabethmarkt. There is also a fantastic cheese shop/stand nearby that make wonderful cheese toasties! A little spot to bookmark. Hope you are all having a good Sunday.

07.01.2022 Last bread related post for a while I promise! (Well at least until I start baking again ). I call this the bread walk - a virtual tour of the bread made over the course of four full days. #bread

05.01.2022 RECIPE: The most viewed recipe this week (second to the Eritrean doughnuts). I actually made this at the weekend but added halved fresh sour cherries with the raspberries. The combination was wonderful, slightly sour but also still slightly sweet. What are your favourite fruits to use in cakes? http://decisivecravings.com.au/coconut-and-raspberry-cake-/

04.01.2022 Day two. Todays highlight was most definitely making baguettes. Lots of bread shaping today, including the Swabian mixed bread (large round loaf), toast bread (like a white tin loaf), Swabian seele bread, a spelt wholemeal loaf, as well as a kind of twisted baguette - a local speciality called Strohsackbrot. Definitely baking much more than we can eat!

04.01.2022 RECIPE: Each month this year Ive committed to sharing a new recipe. This months is tomato risoni (also called orzo). The bulk of the recipe is baked in the oven and at the end you stir through some fresh mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil and fresh dill. Easy, flavoursome and filling, and a good one for mid week meals. http://decisivecravings.com.au/new-tomato-risoni-orzo-dill/

04.01.2022 Done & dusted! I did not eat everything pictured here but definitely gave it a good crack and contributed to making some of it. Had to take a few days off (back to real life) but wanted to share the final installment of what we made on the fourth/last day: decoration bread! Scalpels, stencils, special rolling pins and scrapers were all out in full force & surprisingly was one of my favourite days during the course. We also made a wonderful seeded loaf, ciabatte, and did a t...aste test of the bread baked on the previous day. Such an amazing experience and I now have a completely different perspective and insight into German bread baking. Ironically with the heatwave were having I cannot bring myself to bake, its just too hot, but I look forward to putting some of what we learnt to the test as soon as it cools down! #baking @ Akademie Deutsches Bckerhandwerk Weinheim See more

04.01.2022 RECIPE: For those that missed it, this months recipe is a creamy potato salad with fresh tarragon and juicy caper berries. If you love vinegar in your salads or in general, then this is one for you! Its lovely as a side dish with sausages, or grilled meat, as well as part of a rice bowl. http://decisivecravings.com.au/creamy-potato-salad-tarrago/

04.01.2022 READ: A baker to bookmark + a recipe for Stollen. In our latest Foodie Profile I chat to Munich based baker Julius Brantner. He shares his philosophies and approach to bread baking, and though he couldn't share a recipe of his own (because they're not suited to home baking), he recommends a fabulous recipe for Stollen (it's in German but Google Translate will fix that for you!!). Enjoy!... http://decisivecravings.com.au/julius-brantner-foodie-prof/ (Image by Kathrin Koschitzki, 2020) Julius Brantner.

03.01.2022 Coffee and chocolate cake whether separate or together are always welcome! This chocolate cake is one of my favourites & its from Samin Nosrats Salt, Acid, Fat, Heat on pg 410. I usually only make half and just dust it with powdered sugar or just leave it as is, but this time I made the full sandwich and filled it with salted caramel. I also added some powdered cinnamon, cardamom and coriander to the cocoa which gives it a really warm, spicy flavour. Highly recommend t...his recipe if you have the book! Also, this months e-news is on its way & features a wonderful recipe for spiced honey cake from Sunny Side Up (https://www.facebook.com/Sunny-Side-Up-107474947413428) which she makes to celebrate Jewish New Year. If youre not yet subscribed & would like to be, the link is below. Hope you are all having a good week so far. Xx #chocolatecake http://decisivecravings.com.au/subscribe/

03.01.2022 Summer berry stands. Almost two years ago we relocated here with my husbands work. On our first day as we emerged from our new home still filled with boxes from the previous tenants we discovered a berry stall just around the corner. To our joy we soon realised this was a summer fixture, strawberry shaped stands/huts on the streets (often near corners) that sell strawberries, cherries, blueberries and raspberries - sometimes potatoes and asparagus too, direct from farms. Now in our third summer this is something I look forward to with the arrival of the warmer months - the aroma, and taste of summers best waiting for us on the street. #summer #tasteofsummer #berries

02.01.2022 Hi guys, although a bit belated, Im excited to finally share Augusts recipe of the month! This is based on something I grew up with, but with two yummy additions. I normally eat this in summer (currently eating this about twice a week at the moment) but it can definitely be eaten all year round. Enjoy creamy potato salad with fresh tarragon and juicy caper berries. If you dont have caper berries Ive added some swap suggestions in the piece.... http://decisivecravings.com.au/creamy-potato-salad-tarrago/

01.01.2022 Bisquit, keks, and pudding, just a few food words that in German have a very different meaning to the English words they sound like. I rounded up a few of these terms and explain their true meanings in my latest piece for The Local Germany this month. https://www.facebook.com/TheLocalGermany/posts/10158341152591013

01.01.2022 Day one done and dusted. Exhausting full first day with LOTS of theory but the highlight was most definitely a first attempt at making pretzels and bread rolls!!! Some snaps from a walk around town yesterday including the beautiful botanical garden here (look at those pears!!). xx

01.01.2022 Another lockdown Thinking of all of you in Melbourne right now. xxAnother lockdown Thinking of all of you in Melbourne right now. xx