Anzac Biscuits

Anzac Day – a solemn day where we remember the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps soldiers who fought in Gallipoli in 1915. Tomorrow’s marks the 101 year anniversary. We also offer our thoughts on this day to all the other servicemen and women, past and present, who protect our country.

And of course at this time of year, the Anzac biscuit is seen everywhere – across cafes and supermarkets. It was thought during the war, the wives’ soldiers used to send them the Anzac biscuit. Since, they are made of ingredients that don’t spoil easily, they were perfect to transport abroad. Fast forward to today, and it’s a popular commercial food, sometimes seen year-around!

Why not spend some of your Sunday making a batch! We’ve got our foolproof recipe below for the delicious biscuit… The traditional combination of oats, coconut and rich golden syrup makes for the perfect edition to your afternoon cuppa, or to pass around after Dawn service tomorrow morning.

You’ll need:

2 1/3 plain flour, sifted

1 2/3 cups rolled oats

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 cup desiccated coconut

250g butter, chopped

80ml golden syrup

60ml water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

Preheat oven to 170C, line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.

Place flour, oats, sugar and coconut in a bowl and stir to combine.

Place butter, golden syrup, water, vanilla and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Then add the bicarbonate soda, and stir into flour mixture until well combined. Spoon onto baking trays, allowing room to spread.

Cook for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 40 cookies – enough to pass around!

Caves House, Jenolan Caves

The iconic & fabulous Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains – we often associate it with being a popular destination for school excursions or tourists. However, just a few minutes walk away is the  beautifully Victorian Era styled Caves House – one of the most unique wedding venues I’ve seen! Built within natural cave formations, the site also has a long history of love, with it being a popular honeymoon spot in the early 1900’s and to this day, home to many proposals!

Within Caves House there are two fabulous room options – you can choose to have up to 100 guests underground, or up to 30 in the Temple of Baal, which their aboveground venue and has spectacular limestone wall formations. With fantastic acoustics and a 300-stair chamber entrance, it’s a venue worth checking out if you want an impressive setting for your special day. They also have a wide range of accommodation options for you and your guests.

To find out more about Caves House, click here. Or better yet, take a trip there for the day and explore one of the most spectacular caves systems in the world – a perfect day out these school holidays!

Click here to hear my chat with Carolyn from the Caves House on this week’s episode of Weddings, Parties, Celebrations on 2GB.

Photo credit to Instinctive Images

Leaving love in the hands of the experts

Last year, Channel 9 aired the first season of Married at First Sight – captivating the nation with such a ground-breaking, unconventional way of finding true love. If you watched it, I’m sure you were glued, and well, if you didn’t – Season 2 starts tonight for you!

I spoke to Mel Schilling, Psychologist and dating expert; part of a team on the show who carefully pair 4 new brides and 4 new grooms to marry upon sight. Well, it’s more of a commitment ceremony as it’s illegal to marry someone you don’t know in Australia – but still, what a brave and bold move to make!

So I can hear some of you ask why. … Well, can you believe that the percentage of Australian singles is the highest it’s ever been?!  And the participants on Married at First Sight,  have tried everything to find love. They’ve been through all the motions of dating life in Australia with unfortunately no success. So, they have passed on the task to find love, onto professional psychologists and dating experts.

And whilst yes, this idea may first sound quite ridiculous, it’s based on some strong findings. Mel explained that it’s been proven time and time again that arranged marriages are the most successful. So using the team’s expertise, they’ve matched up each couple based on the their values and family history – aligning them with those who share the same views, or perhaps even balance out some of their qualities – ying and yang!

Throughout the experiment, they are counselled by the team on how to handle and overcome conflicts, assessing their growing connection and attraction along the way. I’m sure those who watched Season 1 remember that Zoe couldn’t look Alex in the eye when she first saw him down the aisle – they however ended up being the most successful match and are still enjoying a wonderful relationship together!

Sure, I know what you might be thinking – but I recommend you tune in tonight regardless! It’s captivating, and puts the method of finding love into a whole new light for some singles who have genuinely tried it all!

And as for any insights on the show from Mel? Well, of course it’s all hush hush right now, but we know that there are smiles on the final episode – who doesn’t love a happy ending!

Click here to find out more and get a quick sneak peak!

To hear my chat with Mel as well as the full episode of Weddings, Parties, Celebrations, click here.

Wedding dresses throughout film history

Weddings in film – throughout the history of the movies we have seen our most beloved movie stars get married on-screen, and in the most inspirational gowns!

I spoke to movie expert from SCREEN-SPACE, Simon Foster, about our pick of the best wedding dresses in film.

The Father of the Bride (1950) – Elizabeth Taylor

This iconic gown was made by studio craftswoman Helen Rose, who went on to work on movies like Last Time I Saw Paris and High Society. This one-off piece was designed by Edith Head who won 8 Oscars in her career for costume design.

Funny Face (1957) – Audrey Hepburn

Although she didn’t play a bride in the film, but wore it for a photo shoot in Paris – this tea-length dress turned Audrey into a fashion icon and made this a timeless bridal style. It was designed by the actress’s personal and professional couturier Hubert de Givenchy.

Runaway Bride (1999) – Julia Roberts

Whilst she has worn many gorgeous wedding dresses in her film career, this one is a favourite. A gorgeous off-the-shoulder design by Amsale.

Sex and the City (2008) – Sarah Jessica Parker

A Vivien Westwood designed gown, it was just so very Carrie – but it was also available as a limited edition for $9,875! The dress was so popular that it sold out within a few hours of the film’s premiere and to this day, is one of the most sought after second-hand dresses.

Mamma Mia (2008) – Amanda Seyfried 

Almost ahead of it’s time, is this dreamy-boho ethereal inspired gown, designed by one of Hollywood’s most respected costume designers, Ann Roth. Despite the dress becoming so popular with the public, it was unfortunately never made available for sale!

Bride Wars (2009) – Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway

Both gowns were designed by Vera Wang, who we know as one of Hollywood’s most respected designers. Kate Hudson’s dress became a number 1 seller to the public for many years, being sold for just $6,000 – quite a steal really!

The Twilight Sage: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011)

This classic long-sleeve silk sheath gown with open lace back was made by Carolina Herrera. It did go onto sell to the public, but was pulled from the shelves shortly after when women would pretend they were engaged just to be able to try on the dress.

Did we leave out your favourite? Let us know your pick in the comments below.

Click here to listen to my chat with Simon, and Sunday’s full episode of Weddings, Parties, Celebrations.

Mud Crab Pasta

One of my favourite easy entertaining dishes, or simply just as a treat for the family, is this delicious mud crab pasta. Quick to make, incredibly tasty, and perfect for this Good Friday!

You’ll need:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 garlic whole garlic cloves, bruised

1 chilli, halved

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 punnet (250g) cherry tomatoes, halved

400g fresh mud crab, picked

1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped

1 lemon, juice and zest

400g dried spaghetti

Cook spaghetti as per packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan with garlic and chilli over low heat until the garlic is just golden and the chilli and garlic have infused the oil (approx. 2-3 minutes). Strain the oil into a hot frying pan and add the fish sauce. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and gently cook until just softened. Remove from the heat and add the crab, stir gently until the crab is just warmed through by the hot oil.

Add the hot pasta, parsley, lemon juice and zest, and serve!

If you can’t get your hands on fresh mud crab, most good fish mongers will sell the meat frozen, which makes it much easier and convenient to have on-hand. It also means that you can stock the freezer, for an impressively tasty and fast lunch or dinner, any day of the week!

We’d love to see your mud crab pasta creations over the long weekend. Upload to Instagram, and tag @Katering so we can check them out!

A hidden gem in Coogee

Wylie’s Baths, Coogee

There is a hidden treasure nestled along the coastline of Coogee, overlooking the famous Wedding Cake Island, with 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean. Wylie’s Baths, the first communal bath in Sydney, boasts a 50 yard long pool, three outdoor decks and a marque seating up to 150 guests. This heritage listed site is built on a natural rock ledge on the southern end of Coogee Bay and is one of the most unique venues in Sydney!

And I’ve been lucky enough to have worked closely with Wylie’s for a long time – it’s one of our favourite seaside venues. It really is the most unique spot, and being fortunate enough to be a preferred supplier, we’ve created so many fabulous weddings and events for our clients over the years.

Whilst it’s set in one of Sydney’s most popular suburbs, not many people are aware of it, but I think it’s a place everyone should see and enjoy! So why not head over there this weekend, and whilst you are checking out this gem, do your part for the environment and take part in the Great Easter Urchin Hunt all Easter long weekend. Children will learn how to safely remove sea urchins from the pool, and return them into the ocean. For every sea urchin they find, they’ll score a delicious chocolatey egg!

Want to know more? I spoke to Tony from Wylie’s Baths Trust this week and he shared his story of Wylie’s with me. Listen to our chat here.