HARRIED: ‘Feeling strained as a result of having demands persistently made on one.’ And that folks in a word is what I’ve been lately – harried. Which explains why there was no recipe last week. What there was, was total chaos at Chez Melkkos & Merlot. Because why? Because roof. A week ago I had a roof and now, R100 [...]
I was threatened with divorce towards the end of last year – 25 times. Turns out I have more male readers than I realised and pretty much none of them found my festive season bias toward all things sweet particularly pleasing. I admit it’s been a while since I’ve done a big old hunk of meat. So this roast beef [...]
It wasn’t pretty, but somebody had to do it – eat all the leftover Christmas cake and pud that is. Along with all the panettone and trifle. As I sluggishly emerge, Jabba the Hutt-like, from my self-induced Christmas carb coma, I’m counting the cost. I don’t need to get on a scale to know the damage is considerable. One of [...]
A worried reader contacted me a few days ago to enquire about my startling lack of a post last week. The explanation for my absence is simple. It goes like this: lipstick on a pig. You see, like any other cook, I have bad days in the kitchen – especially when I’m originating recipes. When I’m on post deadline and [...]
Other than boerewors, beef is not something I braai very often. I simply think most cuts of beef respond better to other cooking methods. And at R140+ per kilo, beef steak – whether it be rump, sirloin or fillet – is not something I’m overly keen to feed the masses on. But last time I checked, a cow consisted of [...]
Chicken and leek is one of those flavour combo no-brainers. Add some mushrooms to the mix, top it with flaky puff pastry and you have a pretty awesome chicken pot pie. But Merlot and I like shaking things up a bit in the kitchen. So we wondered what would happen if I took this traditional flavour combination and put it [...]