nic cooks

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Australia. By the age of 85, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will have been diagnosed with cancer. Probably the most depressing start to a blog post I have written but unfortunately they are stats we cannot ignore.  Everyone knows someone who has had cancer.  The story is not all doom and gloom though.  In Australia we are fortunate enough to have organisations like Cancer Council who are committed to education, research and prevention of cancer.

This May Cancer Council are celebrating 20 years of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea.  This is a great event and an easy way to get involved in raising funds to help Cancer Council continue their great work. Read more »

There are definitely highs and lows when it comes to cheese making.  I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: cheese making is an art not a science. You can repeat a cheese making process over and over again and the results are always slightly different.

We are getting to the pointy end of the year of cheese making.  This is the 9th Cheesepalooza challenge and we have made it to the final, advanced chapter of the book.  This months challenge was mould ripened cheese, the common or well known varieties being Brie and Camembert. Read more »

I love the change is seasons. Sydney is currently changing from summer to winter. Coming from the Northern Hemisphere I am used to four distinct seasons in a year, but in Sydney I think we only really get two seasons: summer and winter. The change from summer to winter is usually quite a gradual change.  One day will be hot and sunny then the next I’ll be looking for jeans and jumpers.

I love the change in season for two reasons: firstly, I get to dig out a new set of clothes from the back of the wardrobe; secondly, I get to cook a different range of foods.  Move over salad and barbeque, it’s time for winter comfort food.  In Manchester it never got hot enough to worry about putting the oven on, so Read more »

Back in September 2012 I decided enough was enough and it was time to deal with the kilograms that had slowly attached themselves to my waistline, cheeks and chin.  Over the years, as my cooking skills have increased, so has my waistline and my husbands cholesterol levels.  Learning to make bacon and cheese was a fabulous idea but I now know that all good things should be eaten in moderation.

While doing my research on how to reduce the husbands cholesterol I came across the 5:2 diet. A fasting diet that helps reduce cholesterol and is also great for weight loss.  The 5:2 diet involves fasting for 2 non-consecutive days a week.  Although it is described as fasting, which to me implies no food, what it actually means is restricting your daily Calorie intake to 500 Read more »

Last week I experienced the worst possible mishap a food blogger can have in the kitchen; my oven broke.  This means no more baking until I get my new kitchen.  Yes, that is correct; although I am currently frustrated by the lack of oven I can put up with the inconvenience as it has accelerated the need for my new kitchen. Watch this space for the renovation journey.

Not deterred by the lack of oven I was still keen to participate in this months Sweet Adventures Blog Hop.  Hosted by JJ from 84th&3rd, the theme for this hop is Cocktail Party.  I love the idea of cocktail party food AKA cute, bite sized morsels. This inspired me to create cute, bite sized dessert, with a dash of alcohol thrown in to further enhance the cocktail theme. Read more »