Flynn & Tonic

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Is this the Golden Age of the Dobber?

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Aussies are a funny bunch.

We love the great outdoors, tomato sauce (on everything), and nicknames that have little-to-no bearing on the person’s actual name. We are notoriously laid-back (except where sport is concerned, which inspires a sort of preternatural passion in even the most unassuming of individuals), and abide by the principle of a “fair go”, which is basically just a less fancy way of saying “do unto others”.

But whether you find our traits charming or cringeworthy, there is one thing Australians are most definitely NOT: dobbers.

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The Real Reason Parents are Scared AF of Homeschooling

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If you woke to an audible crack in Sydney this morning, allow me to explain: that was the sound of millions of parental hearts breaking.

Not because they were facing their 700th jigsaw puzzle and four millionth load of laundry for the day (that’s more of a 3pm meltdown thing).

Not because the ABC Kids app had imploded from over-use.

And not because they’d finally had enough of finding sultanas in increasingly bizarre places around the house.

No, the catalyst for their collective nervous breakdown came down to an announcement containing just a few short words: Home. Based. Learning.

With most of us still actively recovering from PTSD from 2020, the thought of homeschool reopening for business is enough to push even the most hashtag-blessed of us into a terminal decline. Despite Gladys’s attempts to sugar coat it as “just four days”, we all know the truth – if you thought the past fortnight was hard, just wait till you get to those 96 hours of living hell.…

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The Princess and the Peeved: some thoughts on THAT Oprah interview

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I have a confession to make.

Before today, I really, REALLY didn’t like Meghan Markle.

I firmly subscribed to the Piers Morgan school of thought that she was a fame-hungry hypocrite, self-obsessed and painfully ‘woke’ and contrived.

But after sitting glued through all 120 intense minutes of Oprah’s interview with the Sussexes, I must now give a mea culpa (or should that be a megha culpa?).

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Confession time…

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Confession: I’m More Afraid Of Mothers’ Group Than Being A New Parent

“It takes a village to raise a child, and in most urban societies we’re sorely lacking in that sense of traditional community support for parents. Most people are lucky to have a monthly FaceTime with their family, let alone reap the benefits of intergenerational experience and shared knowledge. But at what point did someone have the bright idea of shoving a bunch of hormonal, sleep-deprived women in a room together – none of whom know what day it is, let alone offer any genius insights into how to look after a newborn – and think that was an adequate replacement?”

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Indian Stirfry

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Wait, Indian Stirfry?! Say what?

OK, I know I sound like I’m crossing my cuisines here, but stay with me… This is a riff on a traditional Indian side dish called Karahi Broccoli, which gets its name from the pot it’s cooked in, a Karahi (or Karhai)… pretty much an Indian version of a wok. Don’t happen to have a traditional Indian cooking vessel lying around the house? A normal wok or fry pan will do just fine (I prefer non-stick so you can use less oil).

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Avocado: you’re doing it wrong

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We’ve all been there. You’ve bought a hard avocado. Every day you squeeze it gently, hoping that this, surely this would be the day it’s ripe enough to eat. Finally, you feel the flesh give under your greedy fingertips. At last! You cut through the black skin, anticipating the creamy deliciousness on the inside, and… ew. Bruised, browned, and downright bleurgh.

Let’s face it: there are few things more culinarily disappointing than a dud avo. How are you meant to enjoy your smashed avo toast in your overpriced Sydney property without it?! So I was very excited – nay, exhilarated – to learn the following life hack, which I’m going to share with you now.

Checking your avocado? YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG. That’s right, if you want to know if it’s ready to eat, you need to be feeling for softness at the top of the avo near the stem, not squeezing the lower cheeks. Hold the avocado upright, and use one finger to press down – if you feel it give, it’s ripe and ready to rock. Still hard, and you’ll need a few days. Trust me, even if the cheeks still feel firm to the touch, if the top is soft, you’re in business. By the time the cheeks soften, the avocado can be past it’s prime, getting brown – or those weird dark stringy veins they can get (yuck).

Don’t thank me – just try it. It’ll change your life.

Orecchiette with Broccoli

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Orecchiette with Broccoli

Over summer we were lucky enough to have a friend stay with us who is a) Italian, and b) a professionally trained cook. Best houseguest ever, right?! Although this definitely put the pressure on my own culinary abilities (let’s just say that compared to a pro, my knife skills resemble a toddler painting with an eel), we were treated to several beautiful home cooked meals (and home cooking is always better when it’s someone else cooking).

We had a variety of dishes over the three weeks he was with us, but through all emerged some common themes, which we agreed were the reason Italian food is just so damn good.

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Caprese Salad

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If my Facebook feed is to be believed, half of Sydney is currently enjoying a European summer. Italy, the Greek Islands… it’s like the social media world has conspired to make me jealous as hell, and guess what Mark Zuckerberg? It’s WORKED! While everyone else is knocking back Aperol spritzes and partying till dawn, I’m wearing 25 layers of clothing and the only reason I’m up at 3am is to feed my newborn. Yep, J-E-A-L-O-U-S.

So while Instagram has left me summer lovin’, I thought I’d try and eat my emotions – literally. Caprese Salad – the next best thing to being in Capri!*

(*Yeah, I don’t really believe it either)

GO FOR GOLD

Like so much of Italian cuisine, a Caprese Salad works because it’s a simple mix of flavours that all play off each other beautifully. But when you’re only using a few ingredients, you need to make sure they’re the absolute best you can possibly obtain and afford – think quality extra virgin olive oil, real bufala mozzarella (not the hard balls you buy at the supermarket), super ripe tomatoes and lots of fresh herbs. So yeah, I’m probably pushing my luck making this in the dead of winter – not exactly tomato season, is it? But my basil plant at home is still going gangbusters (it clearly thinks it’s in southern Italy, too) and I managed to get a beautiful array of heirloom tomatoes, so away we go!

PIMP IT UP

A traditional Caprese should resemble the Italian flag: red tomatoes, green basil and white mozzarella. However, I’m a sucker for a colourful dish, so love the effect you get with a variety of tomatoes (red, orange, green and yellow). The traditional version would also only feature basil (which is frankly all you need), but if you’re feeling a bit crafty, what’s really beautiful is to add a few finely chopped fresh mint and oregano leaves. Any Italians reading this are probably screaming, ‘No, no!’ reading that, but what’s a tradition without someone breaking it, right?! What’s also delicious is adding one teaspoon of chopped fresh red chilli (no seeds) for a bit of zing. If you want to make something a bit more substantial (say if you’re serving the dish alone for a light lunch), try scattering a handful of rocket leaves on top.

FAST FACTS

  • Basil is a real little nutritional powerhouse, boasting anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral properties. It’s also a really good source of vitamin K (you only need half a cup to deliver more than half your required daily intake)
  • Tomatoes are chock full of vitamin C, K and beta-carotene (which converts to vitamin A in the body)
  • Mozzarella not only contains calcium, but phosphorus – which the body needs in order to use calcium

Caprese Salad (Insalata Caprese)

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

Ingredients

  • 750g mixed tomatoes (look for a variety of  shapes and sizes – green, yellow, cherry, ox heart, etc)
  • 250g bufala mozzarella (2 balls)
  • 1 cup freshly picked basil leaves
  • Extra virgin olive oil (the best you can get your hands on)
  • Balsamic vinegar (the best you can get your hands on)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Chop your tomatoes in a variety of ways – slices for the larger ones, halved or quartered for the smaller ones. Make it visually interesting so you delight the eyes as well as the taste buds!
  2. Arrange the tomatoes on a flat serving platter.
  3. Sprinkle with half the basil (and oregano/mint if using) and salt to taste.
  4. Tear or slice the mozzarella into manageable pieces, and arrange on top of the tomatoes. Scatter with the remaining herbs.
  5. Drizzle your olive oil and balsamic over the top. Generally you want 2/3 olive oil to 1/3 balsamic, but don’t get too heavy handed – you want to dress the ingredients, not drown them.
  6. Finish with a crack of black pepper (again, not too much – simplicity is key here!) 

Fig, haloumi and rocket salad

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Fig, haloumi and rocket salad

The summer fruit season may be on its last legs, but there’s at least one thing to look forward to before those endless months of apples and pears: figs! Lush, exotic and unique, figs have a season shorter than a Kardashian marriage – just a few measly weeks from late summer to early-mid autumn – which means you’ve got to grab them while you can.

Warning: they also don’t last for very long (heck, even getting them home in one piece can be a drama, squishy little suckers), and refrigerating them can take away a bit of their flavour (although when it’s a million percent humidity, like it has been in Sydney recently, it’s the price you have to pay if you want to avoid your fruit disintegrating within 24 hours).

This salad is REALLY quick, and makes a beautiful meal with some fresh bread, or as an accompaniment to any Middle Eastern flavours. Sweet figs, salty haloumi and bitter rocket – a classic combo, but an effective one.

SUGGESTED ADDITIONS:

  1. Feeling indulgent? Top with some slices of fresh prosciutto.
  2. Feeling healthy? Add some lightly toasted pumpkin seeds for added crunch.

FAST FACTS:

  • Figs are full of vitamins A, E and K – known for their antioxidant properties.
  • They’re also high in fibre and potassium.
  • Figs are a good source of prebiotics – which is the type of fibre that feeds healthy gut bacteria. There’s no point eating probiotics if you don’t have prebiotics!

 

Fig, haloumi and rocket salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients

3 cups baby rocket

4 fresh figs, cut into quarters or eighths, depending on size

180g haloumi, sliced into 1/2 cm pieces

1 sprig fresh mint, leaves picked

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, picked

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Extra olive oil for grilling

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Black pepper

Method

  1. Combine thyme and olive oil in a small bowl, set aside.
  2. Brush a griddle pan with olive oil, and get to a medium-high heat. Cook the haloumi until you have dark grill lines on each side – usually around 1-2 minutes each side.
  3. Meanwhile, toss the rocket and mint leaves together on the plate or bowl you are serving in.
  4. Arrange the fig pieces, then add the warm haloumi.
  5. Drizzle salad with the thyme-infused oil and balsamic, then finish with a crack of black pepper.