My kinda prawn cocktail

It's Australia Day soon. Four years ago on that day, I met my sweetie pie Matty. I baked for my brother's party, serving up party pies, pavlova, and a few other Aussie classics. Mark's buddies rolled around and tucked in. They all enjoyed the food, but one person was particularly effusive in his praise. Matt complimented my on my party pies and I was smitten. A few hours of celebratory drinks and several karaoke songs later, I had him in my clutches. He didn't stand a chance (insert Predator noises here).

Flying visit to Gallipoli

When Matt and I visited Europe last year, a case of seriously crossed wires meant we made a quick stop in Turkey. In the months leading up to the big trip, I sent through a vague itinerary suggesting we "talk turkey" that night, ie. lock down dates, check out hotspots, maybe book some flights. Matt, on the other hand, thought we were headed to the land of borek and baklava. His mind was made up.

The great European adventure of 2012

Matty and I (he's the one with facial hair) in an awesome London diner

Until July of 2012, I hadn't had a holiday for three years. I'd had a maximum of one week off work in that time and it was beginning to show. When you start answering the phone like Lurch you know it's time to take a break.

Peach and raspberry frangipane tart

I grew up in stonefruit heaven. Each summer, we'd eat peaches and apricots until our little tummies felt like they would burst. I thankfully avoided the right-of-passage: picking fruit over the summer. I saw how utterly ruined my sister was after a day on the fruit blocks and promptly begged the local supermarket for a casual job.

Preston Farmers Market

Matty and I cannot agree on farmers markets. I can think of nothing better to do on a Saturday morning - mooching around a park, eating samples of deli bits and other bobs. Matt would rather sleep in. It's not a terrible option but you can't nibble on your dreams and those cheeses won't eat themselves.

Coconut and mango tapioca pudding

When we were kids, we had lemon sago pudding for dessert pretty often. It's not sexy, but I could eat bowls full of the stuff. It's a bit of a standard recipe from Mum's side of the family - so much so that my cousin served it with blueberries on top as a mini dessert at her wedding recently.

New Years Resolutions

2012 is done and I'm super tired. Matt and I have travelled, moved house, been burgled five (count 'em: five) times, bought a car (his name is George), I started a new job and a new blog. A mixture of good and bad, probably the way it's meant to be.