With pavlova, fruit and Christmas in mind, we’re offering our cocktail party friends a delicate mouthful of meringue dotted with Christmas-y cranberries and served with a big bowl of Crème Chantilly for dipping or dolloping ….

Our Chocolate, Christmas Mince and Ganache Squares make the perfect end to a festive cocktail party.Perfect … well they’re very chocolatey, deliciously chewy, fragrantly Christmasy, delightfully easy to make and best of all, they can be made well ahead and frozen for up to a month or stored in the fridge for up to a week ....

These simple but delicious almond toffee tarts were famously made by the Irish culinary legend Myrtle Allen, in the 1980s at Ballymaloe House, County Cork. cApparently, they were so popular it was essential to order them at the beginning of a meal to avoid missing out when it was time for dessert ….

This recipe has to be as easy as it gets. Easy Cheesy Crackers. High protein, low carb, super-cheesy and pretty crunchy. Well worth it. Do have a crack! ….

Here’s a dainty looking canapé for your next drinks party. It’s made by putting together lots of fabulous flavours. One of the good things about this Tuna Butter and Pickled Carrot on Crispbread recipe is that the three components can be made well in advance, and, handily, can be used separately in many different ways ….

Our Corn, Coconut, Peanut, Lime Cakes are a very tasty way to start off an evening with friends. And we can attest that they’re equally as excellent with a glass of bubbly as with a glass of red or a beer. They are an entertainer’s dream too as they can be made days before, stored in the fridge (or even the freezer) and brought back to room temperature or warmed a little before serving ….

We think you’ll find these Gluten-Free Pork Balls with Chilli and Lime could make a very tasty addition to the celebratory season this year. They’re easy to make well in advance, and because they’re baked not fried, the clean-up is nice and easy too ….

This recipe for Mushroom Pate Crostini is light and savoury, smooth and crunchy, and with its umami base, it’s especially good for the vegetarians at your party. The Mushroom Pate makes a happy summer lunch addition, it’s great to take on a picnic too ….

These crisp tartlet cases filled with a creamy tofu creation and topped with spicy Tomato Kasaundi are very morish. And they’ll be a hit with the vegans at your party too. Something for everyone, now that’s a good party ….

These naturally gluten-free balls of cheesy deliciousness are ubiquitous in Brazil, where this traditional bread is eaten with any meal but most often at breakfast time. Many people prefer them with a glass of wine. And we tend to agree with them. So here’s to the cocktail hour, and the cheesy deliciousness of Brazilian Cheese Puffs to go with it ….

They might be one-mouthful bites but these Olive, White Anchovy and Red Capsicum Pinwheels certainly pack a moreish punch ….

With Christmas approaching and New Year just around the corner we're anticipating that there may be some celebrations afoot. And while we will be sending you some recipes for a cocktail party or two, you might like to think about something different to drink ….

This salad has all the elements we love. Simplicity, fresh produce, great flavours and eye-catching presentation. And a real bonus is that its simple preparation can all be done ahead and assembled at the last minute ....

A ripe pear is notoriously difficult to purchase so we always seem to have a number, in various degrees of ripeness, sitting in our fruit bowl …. just in case. This week a few rapidly ripening offenders were put to very good use in our Pear, Ginger and Honey Cake which we topped with Pears Poached in Mead ....

While we put macadamia nuts to good use in biscuits, cakes, puddings and so on, they also make a great savoury snack for an instant pick-me-up. And, of course, they’re delicious with a cool drink at the end of a day ….

Similar to the much-loved Lemon Delicious but with a more exotic flavour, this light and comforting gluten-free pudding is sure to please ….

While mandarins are still in season we thought we’d introduce you to these delicious Duck Breasts with Chinese Five-Spice and Mandarin. It’s an easy recipe but you’ll need to begin the day before by curing the duck breasts overnight in spiced salt, a process that helps crisp up the skin and enhances the tenderness and flavour ....

This week we’re focusing on delicious polenta, whether it be soft and creamy straight from the pot, or allowed to set, cut into shapes, brushed with olive oil and baked until crisp on the outside but with its trademark creaminess through the centre ....

Iranian Curry Powder has many uses - one example is to dust a whole fish before roasting. Also, it’s great mixed with some plain yogurt to serve with boiled chat potatoes or to marinate pieces of chicken before barbecuing. Try our recipe for Spice Roasted Macadamias. So versatile ....

The quinces and almonds in this cake make a wonderful marriage but it is the addition of pastry cream that gives it its fabulous texture and sticky crust ….

If you’re looking for an easy way to add extra flavour to a range of different vegetables, try this simple Japanese technique ….

Easy to whip up and even easier to devour, our gluten-free, Pear, Chocolate and Vanilla Cake is as delicious eaten warm as it is at room temperature. But don’t be put off by its modest appearance. A slice will deliver wafts of vanilla, sweet and juicy slices of pear and bursts of chocolate all in a moist, sweet gluten-free cake ….

Chargrilled eggplant is nothing new but it’s definitely worth a revisit, especially when crowned with a salad of pomegranate and walnut ….

 A Tarte Tatin was traditionally only made with caramelised apples and known as an upside-down apple tart but these days anything baked with the pastry on top, a good suntan, and turned up to serve, is referred to as a something-or-other Tatin, sweet or savoury ….

Our beef short ribs, slowly braised in the oven with a simple paste of fresh garlic, ginger, coriander and onions, some chicken stock and sherry, will make a very tender and succulent stand-alone dish. But when topped with its Hot and Sour Salad it will zing with chilli, fresh herbs and lime …

How often do you look in the fridge hoping for some inspiration for the evening’s meal? We find that if we have some delicious homemade sauces and condiments on hand then the ideas come a bit quicker and easier ….

This ambrosial Fresh Date and Vanilla Tart is the genius of Sydney pâtissiere, Lorraine Godsmark, and she is deservedly famous for it. I have basked in her glory for the many years I have been making her wonderfully rich, sweet and aromatic concoction ….

Winter Pesto is great to have on hand to enrich a wintery soup, serve as a pasta sauce with some freshly grated parmesan, pancetta and peas or use wherever you fancy some extra tasty, green flavour ….