The thing with recipes is they come and go. New food styles and trends in cuisine and ingredients pop up all the time. Sometimes we see an ingredient that is new to us, but has been used in a particular cuisine for hundreds of years.  The world of food is ever changing and ever evolving but as with most things there are always the classics. These are the core favourites; the recipes we allwant to  make, eat and share over and over.

When I create a recipe it must be perfect for the brand and appliance. It must showcase the KitchenAid standmixer, processor, blender or additional attachment at its absolute best.  The recipe is then always triple tested as a minimum and often in different versions of the appliance to make sure it ALWAYS works.

So……here are what I think are the top 10 – not in any particular order, just the recipes you Ask Jo for or about most often….

And I added a couple of success points under each, so the next time you enjoy them the result will be as I hope…. Perfect!

1. Pavlova

start with a  clean dry sparkling clean mixing bowl and whisk

eggs at room temperature

long moderately low heat and gentle cooling

2. Scones

cold butter (well chilled & cut into small cubes)

don’t over work the mixture

a nice hot oven

3. Brownies

use really good quality chocolate!

gently melt the butter & chocolate before stirring in the brown sugar

whisk the eggs and sugar until very thick and very light and creamy

4. Yo yo’s

use icing sugar

cream the butter and icing sugar very well

don’t over mix once flour added

5. vanilla ice cream

cook the custard gently, but until steaming, thickened and very smooth

chill mixture very well

deep FROZEN ice cream attachment

6. white bread

use good quality strong/ bread flour

knead (with the standmixer & dough hood) until dough is soft smooth

be patient allowing dough to prove

7. chocolate beetroot cake

cream the butter and sugar very well

use RAW beetroot

bake uncovered then cover

8.  sponge cake

beat the eggs and sugar until very pale and thick

do not over mix once flour mixture added

bake until just firm, but not over cooked

9.  Anzac biscuits

measure golden syrup accurately

allow for spreading during baking

allow to cool before removing from tray

10. rum balls

don’t over ‘process’ the biscuits

measure the condensed milk accurately

roll into small balls and refrigerate

Enjoy creating these favourites whether it’s for the first time or if your rediscovering an old friend!

Happy cooking.

Jo.

There are a couple of different ways to make a Pavlova. Recently I learnt some other/new techniques. I would like to share these with you! The secret lies in the proteins of the egg white, so I have now adapted my own techniques to account for this. It takes a little patience but I think the end pav is quite spectacular. (See below for more about this)

Meringues are an amazing emulsion of egg white and sugar, beaten into frenzy until the mixture is glossy, white and holds very firm peaks.

Each ingredient has a role to play, so here is a quick ‘How To’ for a perfect Pav every time!

Eggs: The best free range, if not organic, you can find and always at room temperature. Cold eggs will not give you good volume.

Sugar: Always use white castor sugar (as it is finer in texture) and beats in readily. Sometimes for a fancier or more advanced meringue the sugar is cooked with water to syrup and then beaten into the whites. This is known as Italian or Swiss meringue.

Brown sugar can also be added but it must be added with some white sugar.A brown sugar meringue is golden in colour, has a delicious chewy texture and often a more caramelised flavour.

Raw caster sugar (now the new “sweetheart” of sugar) is gorgeous but sadly is NOT suitable for meringues.

Cornflour & Vinegar: These are added to a meringue to encourage the marshmallow centre. A little goes a long way so just a dash of vinegar and normally about 2- 3 times the amount of cornflour to vinegar. Great meringues can also be made without cornflour. If you only use vinegar they will be a little firmer in the centre. 

Plate or cake pan:  you can draw a circle on a large sheet of baking paper and place this on a baking tray, using the circle as a guide to formed the shell.  Or line the base and sides of a cake pan (a ‘PushPan’ cake pan is perfect!) and spread the meringue into this. The PushPan is great, as the sides drop down, making removing the shell so easy. The shell itself will have perfectly formed straight sides. Be sure to line all pans with baking paper.

Oven temp: long and slow and preferably without the fan. Fan forced will encourage the shell to crack and can collapse at the end of the cooking. I also like to bake the shell in the bottom third of the oven and allow the meringue to completely cool in the oven.

Cooling: Always bake in a slow, low oven and then turn off the oven. You can leave the door ajar and allow the meringue to cool slowly (some times even overnight). The slower and longer the better the result. I have also started to NOT leave the door ajar and just let the shell cool slowly with the oven off and the door shut. I really like the result.

Storage: once completely cooled, transfer the pav to a large, sealed, airtight container and it will keep for a couple of days (depending on the humidity of the weather).

KitchenAid tips:

Use a sparkling clean and dry mixing bowl and wire whisk. Stainless or the newer glass mixing bowl are both suitable but I prefer the coolness of the stainless steel – as stainless steel assists the firmness of the meringue. If the mixture stays cool the volume will hold better.

Adding the sugar: Normally the sugar is added in small amounts (about 2 tbs at a time)  and beaten very well in-between each batch. But the power of the KitchenAid allows you to add the sugar ‘in one go’ and simply leave the mixer to beat on high for about 10 minutes for an incredible result. Make sure the egg whites are beaten up to light peaks before adding any sugar if using this ‘all in one go’ technique.

Humidity: Yes it does make baking a great pav more challenging. But follow my tips and you will get a great result.

The NEW ‘slow’ egg protein technique:

Try whisking the egg whites on a LOW speed (speed 2 or 4) until they are just soft. This slow beginning breaks the proteins in the egg and produces a stable lovely meringue shell. You need to be patient waiting for this SLOW speed to whisk the white, so don’t hurry it.  A standard 3 egg meringue will take about 3 minutes to whip, so for a larger amount of white, you might need to wait 5 – 6 minutes (but I have found it so worth it)

Once the egg white is fluffy and just soft, add the sugar and you can of course increase the speed. Many go up to speed 6 until the sugar is incorporated and then right up to high (speed 10) until the meringue is very very thick and glossy.

To whet your appetite here are a couple of my favourite KitchenAid meringues. Just click on the gorgeous image to be whisked away to the KitchenAid Australia website with these recipes and many more!

You might like to begin with the SLOW technique I mentioned above – I really like the shell it produces. Give it a try and see what you think. I would love to hear how it goes!

Happy Cooking

Jo

Over this last Chrissie/summer break I have popped along to many a gathering. It seems, it’s my trusted favourite recipes I always return to and they are quickly gobbled up… so after many requests for the these two recipes… here they are….

• The ‘stand out’ chicken and mayonnaise sandwich:

It’s all about the flavour of the chicken, the creamyness of the mayonnaise and the bread used!

The chicken:
Begin with a good quality whole chicken or a good kg of thighs with the skin and bones/ the flavour kept in the chicken when poaching with skin and bones on and in adds a super flavour).
Pop the chicken into a pot and cover with stock (fresh, tetra pack or a good cube with water), add a roughly chopped stick of celery, some roughly chopped carrot, a torn bay leaf and a handful of parsley. Now partially cover with a lid, bring to the boil and reduce to a low simmer. Cook gently for about 35 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. After about 20 minutes, remove the chicken (discard the skin and bones) and pull all that delicious poached chicken into nice shreds. Keep the stock for your next sauce, simmer, soup etc.

The mayonnaise:
Fresh is best always and with your KitchenAid standmixer/ processor or hand blender it couldn’t be easier. I often mix the mayonnaise with a good dollop of sour cream or even Greek style yoghurt and make sure the mayo is well seasoned.

Lemon Mayonnaise

Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise

The bread: I like to use a good quality rye, sour dough or nice grainy bread. And of course you can use Gluten free bread (if needed).
If you like perfect sandwiches, you need a square loaf so the sandwiches are nice and even. (And it’s easier to ask the bakery to slice the bread for you). Crusts – I like them, but many prefer to trim them off.

The little crunchy extra:
Nuts and celery: I toast the nuts until golden: often almonds, but you can also use macadamias, walnuts or a combination. Roughly chop and combine with that thick creamy. Combine the nuts and celery into the mayonnaise just before making the sandwiches.

A sensational apple flan cake:

I created this cake years ago from a classic Italian recipe, adding my own twist and flavours. I have used it over and over again, varying the fresh fruits and dried fruits.
It can be made in a large flan tin or a PushPan is perfect (have you seen PushPan, they are so easy to use). You can also vary the fruit using apples, pears or stone fruit.
It’s really the simplest method of combining a thick batter, tossing in the fruit and pressing it into the pan. Best Eaten on the day made, but equally delicious served a couple days later, lightly warmed with a dollop of ice cream

2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
2 tbsp milk
125g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
Grated zest 1 lemon
2 tsp vanilla extract
135g (1 cup) self raising flour (or gluten free flour*)
25g (1/4 cup) almond or hazel nut meal
70g (1/2 cup) currants
6 large granny Smith apples, or firm pears, peeled and cut into rough chunks
Icing sugar to dust

Preheat the oven to 180oC. Line the base and sides of a large 26 cm PushPan or grease the sides and line the base of a large fluted flan tin

Attach the mixing bowl and flat beater to the standmixer. Place the eggs and oil into the mixing bowl. Beat on speed 4 for 1 minute or until the mixture is thickened and foamy. Add the sugars, lemon rind, vanilla, flour and almond meal. Beat 20 seconds or until combined.

Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the currants and apples and using a large spoon, lightly combine until the fruit is coated in the batter.
There is a small about of batter, do not worry about this; it just has to coat the fruit.

Pour the fruit into the prepared pan. Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Dust heavily with the icing sugar.

Transporting to the venue:
Good study quality high sides containers with a good lid / seal are so required and the golden rule… do forget to bring your precious container home!! I think I have lost many beloved Tupperware containers over the years… !!

Yes, we all look forward to that divine glazed ham on the Christmas table and then eagerly tuck into many slices for days after. But you are then faced with the dilemma of what else can you do with it!

But first I hope you have cared for the ham? This means always keeping it well wrapped and moist. Ham bags are now even sold at the supermarket! But really am old pillow case will do. The steps are easy: Rinse well in a white vinegar and cold water solution and light wring out. Place the ham inside the moist cloth and tie up with string or even simply tuck the open end under neath. Be sure to repeat the process every 5 days so the ham bag is clean!!

So as simple as it sounds here are my top 6 recipe ideas for the left over ham:

Frittata:
Toss big chunks of potato, sweet potato and red capsicum is hot garlic oil and cook until golden and just tender. Whisk in your standmixer (with the whisk attachment), about 6 eggs with a good dash of cream or milk and season well with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and throw in some chopped fresh parsley and spring onions. Shred plenty of the ham and toss it all the ingredients together. Pour the mixture into a greased deep frying pan or greased deep removable base cake pan (try PushPan, they are fabulous). Top with grated cheese ( if desired) and bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes or until firm.

Ham & Potato salad:
Cook large chunks of your favourite waxy or all purpose potato in lightly salted water until tender. Drain well and cool.
Combine some natural yoghurt, sour cream, whole egg mayonnaise with salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh chopped basil or coriander and parsley. Combine with lashings of shredded left over ham, roughly chopped hard boiled eggs and some chopped capers, olives or finely disced red onion.

Ham fried rice:
In hot oil sauté a little finely chopped garlic and ginger with chilli (optional), add chopped spring onion, thinly sliced celery, capsicum, green beans and a handful of green peas. Remove from the wok/ pan. Add a little more oil with the cold cooked rice and toss well until warmed through. Add lashings of the shredded ham and some cold shredded turkey or pork and toss well. Add the set aside vegetables and season with some soy sauce, a little sesame oil and sweet chilli sauce.

Carbonara style: Pasta
Toss chopped spring onions with finely chopped garlic until just softened. Add cream and a little stock to the pan. Throw in plenty of fresh chopped parsley and lasting shredded ham with some grated cheddar and parmesan. Toss thorough hot pasta – spaghetti/ fettuccine/ penne etc.

Tomato and basil toss:
In a large frying pan. Heat olive oil with plenty of chopped garlic, spring onions until softened. Add loads of roughly chopped Roma, cherry or any ripe red tomato, loads shredded ham, basil leaves, fresh grated lemon rind and plenty sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with thick gold toast (bruschetta) or warm or even cold pasta.

Quesadilla:
Take 2 tortilla, spread one with shredded cheese (combination of mozzarella and cheddar is delicious), top with shredded ham and finely diced tomato.
Top with the second tortilla. Heat a frying pan over a low heat and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place in the Quesadilla and cook gently until the underneath is golden and crisp. (about 2 minutes). Carefully turn over and cook the other side for about 1 minute. Cut into large triangles to serve.

Sneak it into some of these recipes below: ham can be used in place of bacon, salami or added into eggs, omelettes, meat sauces, casseroles, braises, and simmers even stir fries.

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Egg & Bacon Pie

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Raddichio & Bacon Risotto

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Eggs Benedict

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The Best Scrambled Egg

Four Cheese Summer Lasagne

A cream cheese frosting in indeed an all American favourite, so true to its origins I’ll stick with the term frosting. But I have seen and it’s quite ok to say cream cheese icing, it’s totally up to you.

Are there tips and tricks to a firm, perfectly smooth frosting, that stays on cake, doesn’t drip off or have unsightly butter / icing lumps? ….. Keep reading

What’s in the frosting: the basics are cream cheese, a little butter and icing sugar.

The cream cheese. For the thickest frosting use a full fat cream cheese. Yes the lighter version can be used, but this lighter fat frosting will be very soft and much thinner is consistency.

Butter: Salted or unsalted, what ever you have on hand.

Icing sugar: You can use pure or icing sugar mixture. I find pure will give you a slightly thicker result.

Room temperature is a must!! This is a golden rule. The cream cheese and butter must be softened so you can press them when tested between your forefinger and thumb.

Lumps: These are a disaster to the frosting. You mustn’t have any…. So sift that icing sugar first. Or as I prefer to do, pop the icing sugar into the mixing bowl on the standmixer, attach the whisk, and the pouring shield and turn to speed 1. Mix for about 30 seconds or until lump free.

Flavours: My favourite is simply vanilla or a touch of lemon rind. But there’s plenty more try a few of these variations. Finely grated orange rind, or lemon rind, several drops orange blossom water or rose water, pinch ground cardamom, cinnamon or ground ginger. A few drops of a pure good quality coconut or almond essence.

Lemon juice or milk: Yes you can add a touch but be careful; they will thin the cream cheese very quickly. That’s fine if you want a drippy flowing style but I like my cream cheese frosting thick and firm!

Beating: Now this is very important. Don’t over beat. Too much beating can cause the cream cheese to thin. Your frosting only needs to be beaten until just combined and in your standmixer or processor… this is just about instant!

Standmixer or Food processor: Totally up to you. Both work beautifully. Below you will see 2 recipes (on the for the stand mixer and the other for the processor)

The technique:
Weigh and measure the ingredients. Have the cream cheese and butter at room temperature. Sift or whisk (in the stand mixer, but remember to use the food shield) the icing sugar. Place the ingredients into the mixing bowl on the standmixer. Attach the flat beater, turn to speed 1 and mix until just combined. Increase to speed 4 and beat about a further 10 seconds. Or if using the food processor pulse for about 8 seconds only. It’s all very quick and this is the secret. Don’t over beat.

Here are 2 classic KitchenAid signature recipes with delicious cream cheese frostings:

Nutty Hummingbird Cake

Carrot Cake

Initially the food processor was very much a commercial ‘chef’ appliance as many believed it another blender. But the culinary goddess Julia Child lead the way introducing shortcrust pastry, that you could not fail at.

The processor sits beside the much loved standmixer and the pair can create just about every dish you can imagine.

The food processor is a fast, robust and instant very large chopper, slicer and shredder.  The KitchenAid Artisan food processor has so many fabulous extras and features; it is a bit more than your average processor. 

Before we start with the info, here are some of my favourite processor recipes to whet your appetite and get you inspired!

Here is a simple breakdown to help demystify it all and ensure you are grabbing for your processor! 

The Artisan processor has 3 bowls…. this is so very clever. It means you are able to continue preparation without constantly washing the bowl, makes such sense. And what’s even better, the bowls all sit inside each other for storage.

The ‘box’ of bits that come with the processor holds the slicing, shredding and chopping mixing blade (multipurpose), mini blade (for the small mini bowl) and a clever dough blade and whisking attachment. And yes, you can do a small quick meringue!

What to do with each bowl: 

Large bowl (this is the ‘work’ bowl that must always be on the processor) with the multi purpose blade fitted (large chopping blade), you can…

• chop all vegetables, fruits, herbs, herbs, various nuts, chilled meats, chicken and fish, do general blending and mixing. 

 Medium bowl (this is the middle size bowl that fits into the large bowl). 

• shredding, slicing and grating. (You add these onto the bowl with a little disc stem.  
• this bowl is then easily removed from the large bowl and sat aside.
• the larger bowl is left perfectly clean so instantly you can continue with the preparation.

 Small Bowl (the mini bowl)

• it sits within the large bowl and has its own mini blade
• small amounts of chopping of  herbs, vegetables, nuts, pesto’s, marinades, icings etc 

Some tips on technique:

Adding the food: 

There are various ways to add food to the bowl.

When using the multi purpose blade:

For chopping, mixing or blending you can add food directly into the bowl, then cover and processor. OR Cover, start the processor and drop food into the wide chute or into the smaller food chute. It depends on what you are chopping. 

Meat: 

I always roughly chop the meat into large dice (discarding all bone and gristle). Attach the multi purpose blade; cover and turn the processor on… drop the meat into the bowl though the small chute. I find this is the most even result for meat processing. Many call this grinding or mincing, but it is not technically mincing. The result will be great for meatloaf, rissoles, and fish cakes etc, but not ground or minced in a uniform fashion. For this you require a food grinder.

Grating / shredding Cheese:

Only firm cheeses and they must be well chilled. The cheese must also only be added through the small food chute

Nuts: 

Attach the multipurpose blade, place in the nuts. Cover and PULSE till required texture. The nuts will chop very fast.

Pastry: 

Attach the multipurpose blade. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl. Cover and pulse. Then with the motor running, quickly drop the chilled butter cubes down into the small food chute. Then follow with the water and egg yolk etc (if using). Mix until the dough starts to come together. Do don’t over mix.

Cakes:

Attach the multipurpose blade. Place the dry ingredients into the bowl. Cover and Pulse. Add the remaining ingredients and processor until combined. Do not over mix.  Please note the processor makes a good quick mix cake. It is NOT a standmixer and will produce a cake different to the texture obtained with a kitchenAid standmixer.

When slicing, grating and shredding:

You can use the large bowl (work bowl) or place the medium bowl (chef’s bowl) into it. Attach the disc you are using and cover. Turn the processor on and have it running. Place the food into the small chute 

For small / long thin items items:

Single carrots, several beans, celery sticks, onion quarters, fruit quarters, all firm cheese. 

For larger or whole foods:

Cover the processor; remove the large chute, add the whole or halved small apples, onions, potatoes etc. Insert the pusher and firmly push down. Replace the food and repeat.

That’s about it…..happy processing !

The cream can be pouring cream, often known as pure, thickened cream (it has a little gelatine added), or double cream.

Butter is a whole food and a natural food. It is to me an essential ingredient in baking. It adds flavour, colour, tenderness and a beautiful ‘crumb’.

The butter sold at the supermarket fits into 4 basic varieties

1. Salted

2  Salt reduced

3. Unsalted

4. Continental unsalted (this means a lactic acid is added)

My preference is for the continental unsalted or unsalted, I simply adore the texture and flavour.

For the most part unsalted butter is used for all baking and desserts. Salted is for eating or perhaps sauces and savoury cooking. Many recipes will say to use unsalted butter and add 1 teaspoon of salt to the recipe. This little teaspoon of salt is to balance the flavours. Packaged standard salted butter can often be too salty for baking, so use unsalted and add that teaspoon of salt that’s recommended.

Now making your own:

1. Pour the cream (and 1-2  teaspoons salt if you are using) into a clean and dry the mixing bowl on your standmixer.
2. Attach the wire whisk.
3. Turn to  speed 10 and beat and beat and beat. The cream will firm soft peaks, then firm peaks, then begin to over beat, a curdled mixture forms, but keep going and going. In about 3 minutes the solid section will completely separate from the liquid.                                        
   
4. Pick up the solid section and form it in a ball. Allow the fresh buttermilk to drain off. Smooth the ball of butter and little and form into a ball or any shape you like. Keep that delicious fresh creamy buttermilk and use it for pancakes, pikelets or muffins.
   
5. Use your homemade butter as you would the shop brought. Remember butter will absorb flavours from within the fridge, so keep it covered.  It also freezes well covered tightly for up to 3 months.

There is something very comforting about home made butter, especially with home made sour dough bread. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

For some other buttery inspiration remember to pop onto the KitchenAid website or just click the gorgeous images below for some fabulous recipes…

The push came for me in the last couple of weeks as I have been working with (and so enjoying listening to) a terrific raw food chef, Kemi Nekvapil.

Kemi comes from a true chef back ground, and in her ‘past life’ she was a baker. The road to raw food health is easy… well Kemi tells us that it is and she really has motivated me.  She herself is the picture of health and has some fabulous ways to ‘pick up’ on adding more green, raw and uncooked foods in your diet to improve your health, in your day to day life. You can get some great tips on adding more raw on her website.

Kemi has a signature Green Smoothie… I was initially interested as she blended it all up in the KitchenAid blender. As you know, anyone using one of my babies always gets me!

The result is a delicious thick and creamy green smoothie, packed with raw foods (fruits and vegies)… and it’s truly yummy!

Here I am a good three weeks in and yes I am feeling great and actually crave that smoothie every morning! Its filling and I know all those vitamins and nutrients are helping me guard off the winter lurgy.

Her website, as well as having great tips, is fab reading. Trust me! Kemi will so motivate you http://www.kemisrawkitchen.com.au 

Kemi’s Signature Smoothie Recipe:

2 oranges peeled – with lots of the white pith left on

1 stick celery

1 ripe banana

2 big handfuls baby spinach

About 2 cups water (preferably filtered)

Optional: 2 kiwi 

Method:

It’s as simple as roughly chop all pop into the jug of your blender, cover and select the puree tab. 

I have added a few extras in  depending on what’s in the fruit bowl or the fridge… some mornings it’s a couple of kiwi fruit,(skin on) or some slithers of fresh ginger, a roughly chopped pear, broccoli florets and fresh chopped mint.

The other great thing about this Smoothie is it keeps well in the fridge… so you don’t need to make it every morning.

I am now eager to add more and more raw… yesterday I ate loads of veggie sticks with a home made mayonnaise and guacamole (in the blender yet again) and a huge bowl of three cabbage coleslaw with fresh herbs, loads of nuts and sesame seeds…. 

Lunch today hmmm  I’ve  have had my yummy smoothie, but the blenders sitting there on the bench……so  here’s a little KitchenAid ‘blender’ recipe  motivation. Its not all raw, but delicious all the same! So let’s do it….let’s get a little bit more raw and drink to good health!

Spuds are available all year round but for many of us it’s the colder months that scream potato!

Storage:  is easy! Keep them dry, cool and in the dark. My favourite possie to store them is in the ‘bin’ under the sink. The ‘bin’ needs to be deep and large, but with a lid that has air holes. The potatoes must breath and be kept away from any dampness or light.   There are ‘bins’ available from kitchenware stores that are purpose made for spud storage!  Of course you can make your own, but remember the air holes.

Troubles with spuds:

That green tinge: When a potato is exposed to light it will turn green under the skin. The potato is actually producing chlorophyll. This greenish tinge must not be eaten as it will make you sick.  Sadly supermarkets tend to sell potatoes in plastic bags… who knows how long they may have been exposed to light? My best tip is to buy from your local fruit & veggie shop and choose a variety that is in high demand. I love the potato man at the markets… both the formal market and absolutely from the my local farmers market. I can’t wait for that 1^st Saturday of the month! The stall holders are often the growers too so they’ll be able to give you all the right tips and info!

Sprouting bits : These are stale, far too old to be eaten. Throw them out!!!

Softness: Again, they’ve seen better days….if they’re not too far gone you could throw them into a soup but if they’re really floppy out they go!

Varieties:

There used to be two varieties inAustralia: Old & New! But the flood gates are now well and truly opened and we have many to now choose from. Basically it all comes down to floury, waxy or an ‘all rounder’.

My favourites:  

For Mash: Dutch Creams

For Roast potatoes:  King Edward or Nicola

For Salads: Pink Fir or Kipfler

For Chips: King Edwards, Russet Burbank or Bintje

The all rounder: for me it is the Desiree

For some of my favourite KitchenAid tatie recipes try these:

*sensational homemade fries, potato & egg salad and prawn & potato salad!

Just click the gorgeous piccies to see the full recipe on the KitchenAid Australian website.

Enjoy your spuds!

Jo.

The (ever gorgeous and stately) Langham Hotel in Melbourneis presenting a series of Afternoon Teas, one you may never forget! In collaboration with the amazing renowned and Melbourne’s very own extraordinary pastry & dessert Chef – Darren Purchese.  Darren is the master of science and all things dessert.

 Darren of the incredible D&P Sweet Studio in South Yarra (http://burchandpurchese.com/)  is  joining the Langham to present some of his most delectable, delicious and beautiful of petite cakes, layered mouses, thsse amazing salted caramel chocolate bars (made especially for none other than Nigella Lawson) and of course  his famous meringues…. to name but a few.

Darren’s style is quite different with twists of exploading flavours and textures in every bite. The Langham  also provides a divine signature selection of perfect sandwiches, fluffy scones and perfect silver tea pots of tea and the finest bone china – of course!  It is the most spectacular whimsical, pretty and so so very delicious 2 hours or so you may ever spend!

To be part of these amazing teas you can book through www.ariabar.com.au or make a reservation on 1800 641 107.

At this stage only three of these very special afternoon teas are planned

Friday 20^th April, Friday 4^th May & Friday 1^st June 2012

Here is a little look at what you can expect:

My favourite Questions and Answers:

What is the correct time for afternoon tea: This one is open to debate, but many believe somewhere around 3pm is ‘correct’.

High Tea? this is a larger serving of food, usually including a hot dishes and served on high tables.  Not to be confused with an elegant Afternoon Tea

Do you wear your finest favourite frock, hat and gloves or gentleman a smart suit? – YES absolutely.

Should you add the milk first, to your tea? No, if your china is of fine quality. Milk is only added first if the china cup requires a little cooling (poorer quality you see)

Do you noisily stir your sugar into your tea? NO! And no dunking of anything ever!!

So grab your girlfriends, boyfriends & Mum for an exceptional Afternoon Tea

Once you’re back to earth and thinking you might just do a little number at your house here are my favourite KitchenAid classics.

Don’t forget your cake stands, best china, cake forks, cloth napery and my favourite additions: chilled Pimms with lemonade and a glass of a decent bubbly.

You can find some gorgeous recipes just waiting to be whipped up for your own afternoon tea if you’re feeling inspired. Try the links below for starters with just one click and check out www.kitchenaid.com.au for many more!