Category Archives: general

Aug8

Fabulous food shows

Posted on August 8, 2009 by jo richardson

I am so lucky to live in Melbourne… and for everyone else we are only a plane ride way. This wonderful city just thrives on food shows. Goodness, I literally think there would be a world class food show / festival each and every fortnight if not month.

Last weekend I enjoyed more of the ’Taste of Victoria’ and and two seperate exciting produce packed local farmers markets . This weekend The Chocolate Rush Festival is in full swing.

Chocolate Rush is in it’s third year and yet again has been a whirlwind of truffles, incredible desserts, cakes, pastries, sauces, ice creams and SO much more. There is even chocolate wrestling and an X rated pavillion!

Please stay tuned for my next update with plenty of recipes and fun snaps with local and international foodies, pastry chefs and chocolatiers.

The festival continues today (Sunday 9th August) with a jam packed day of classes, tastings and hands on events for adults and kids.

The chef’s stages are packed with many KitchenAid standmixers and processors and Profiline supurb cookware. It makes me so happy to see the mixers ‘purring’ away sesssion after session and very delighted chefs and presentors using them non stop.

If you come out to the festival today, please come up and say hi! You’ll see me on and around centre stage at the Masters at Work classes – happily chatting, cooking and helping out.

The gates are open from 10 – 5pm. Melbourne Showground , Epsom Rd Ascot Vale.

More soon too on the bithday party of all birthday parties! Happy Birthday KitchenAid Oh what a night…. we cooked, ate and laughed. These recipes and fun pics soon.

It is magical week of fun and laughter and delicious recipes and eating- stay tuned I can’t wait to share more with you!

Jul29

My ‘cost less’ family meal secrets

Posted on July 29, 2009 by jo richardson

My ‘cost less’ family meal secrets

Our grandmothers did it, our mums did it… so now is the perfect time to go back to it. My secret to a couple of effortless, ‘cost less’, delicious and quick family meals is already lurking in the fridge.

Those few roast potatoes, half bowl of creamy mash, ladleful of bolognaise, half a chicken carcass with a little meat on the bones is the base of some terrific easy meals.

For centuries leftovers have been used to create meals – famous dishes like pizza and paella originated to use up what’s left.

The rules to keep it healthy and hygienic are easy. I like to ‘plate’ the meal in the centre of the table with a serving spoon or tongs…. I do not plate up every meal. I let the family and friends do this themselves (with a lot of encouragement from me about not skipping the broccoli, or forgetting the beans!). I find this means there are not half eaten bits and pieces left on plates, but clean and untouched bits and pieces. On clearing the table the family is well trained to pop these ‘bits and pieces’ into the waiting containers which get sealed and popped into the fridge.

But what to do with these bits and pieces? Here are some ideas… Read the rest of this entry →

Jul29

Showing off KitchenAid on TVSN

Posted on July 29, 2009 by jo richardson

Showing off KitchenAid on TVSN

I must confess, I’m a big fan of new kitchen products. So you can imagine how much fun I had introducing a new limited edition KitchenAid standmixer on a recent regular cooking segment I do. KitchenAid has just released candy apple standmixer the most a beautiful “candy apple red” standmixer you have ever seen to celebrate the company’s 90th birthday.

What a milestone! The mixer is of course known and loved all over the world by celebrated professional chefs, caterers, cookbook writers and millions of home foodies. So last week I showed off the new standmixer on the KitchenAid segment of Foxtel’s paid television channel ‘TVSN’.

Each show we use various KitchenAid appliances and attachments. My co-host Peter Mason and I cooked up a storm, making fresh pasta sheets and cutting them into fettuccine – here’s some pics of us on the set.