Home Cooking

Oh my, I've been doing a lot of cooking for the last 15 months. As I'm sure you have been. Very quickly it all got a bit too the same, a bit too boring. I have been craving new and different flavours in the food that I’m eating. Experimenting.

I have discovered several new cooking apps that I really like such as Food52 and NYT Cooking. Do you have a favourite cooking app? Of course, I also love pouring over cookbooks too. We have a great selection in our bookshop.

Shown above: Vegetables from an Italian Garden; Home Farm Cooking; A Year of Good Eating.

I’m also looking at spices that I’ve never used and even hot sauces, all kinds of sauces! The Truffle Mustard that we carry at the store goes very well with grilled steak. My son-in-law Josh whips up the most delicious Salsa Verde that pairs nicely with grilled veggies, meat, or salmon. I’ve tried making it too, pretty successfully. Here is the recipe for you to enjoy. We'd love to see the results so be sure to tag us online — @informinteriors — or send us a photo via email.

Salsa Verde

• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems
• ½ cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems
• 2 tablespoons finely cut chives or scallion tops
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped capers
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• ½ teaspoon sumac (optional)

Place parsley, cilantro, chives, capers and lemon zest in a small bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup oil, lemon juice and sumac, if using. Season with salt and pepper.  (via NYT Cooking)

The same Josh — he is my cooking idol — also plates his food beautifully. I used to think that presentation wasn’t so important, but it is. I use a mix of vintage and new platters, bowls etc. One eats with one's eyes before one's mouth.

Top Row Above: Iittala Collective Tools Serving Spoon; Arita Stefan Diez Serving Bowl; Stelton EM77 Vacuum Jug
Bottom Row Above: Edward Wohl Serving Boards; Tubissime Mustard with Truffle; Alessi Cheese Please Grater 

Now that summer is starting, it is wonderful to head out to forage or pick fresh. Home gardens are growing and the farmers' markets are filling up again too.

Whew, it’s almost summer. The greens are growing, the bees are busy. 

I feel so hopeful.

-Nancy

Nancy's Driveway on the Sunshine Coast