From beachside Bellarine to the rolling hills of the Moorabool Valley and buzzing Geelong, a new drinking and dining frontier is waiting to be explored. The post The exciting food scene on Melbourne’s doorstep appeared first on Gourmet Traveller ..read more

If there was a gold medal for flavour in the Olympics, these snacks would win it. The post Sensational Olympic recipes and snacks that would win gold appeared first on Gourmet Traveller ..read more

Flour or not, the magic of a home-baked cake is still in easy reach. For flourless cakes, almond meal, polenta and semolina are your flourless friends. While they don’t have the same binding properties as conventional wheat flour, they can deliver a lovely, denser texture to your cakes or a fluffy, spongy consistency perfect for a roulade.  The flavour combinations are endless in flourless cakes, showcased in our best  recipes here. We have famed Sydney bakery Flour and Stone’s flourless chocolate cake, a beautiful blood orange cake made from coarse hazelnut meal ..read more

Spice is the bane of every sommelier’s existence; the ultimate test of our mettle. Because not all spices are created equal. From blazing heat to aromatic, it all alters a wine pairing. My journey through various culinary landscapes has illuminated the multifaceted nature of spice on the palate. These undertakings have taught me that we experience spice in three ways – through texture, flavour and level of heat. Fire engine-red birdseye chillies bring searing heat that will scare off any wine you try to pair with it. On the other hand, aromatic spices tend to present more texturally in the mou ..read more

One bite will remind you of the allure of a just-baked savoury pie. While many argue over what is the most delicious pie in the world, all savoury pie recipes are glorious in our eyes. From that golden pie crust to the warming pie filling, pie recipes are made for comfort cooking. Pastry is key: we like to make our own when we can, but store-bought works as well. The pastry might consist a sturdy, buttery shortcrust base with a puff pastry top like in Bourke Street Bakery’s traditional meat pie; light and feathery for a turmeric and ginger chicken fillo pie; or take the form or a free-form oli ..read more

The best Bali resorts will always rate highly on the to-do list for Australians who travel. The tropical Indonesian island is for weddings, birthdays, and multigenerational hangs amid the colourful processions of Bali-Hindu tradition. The best Bali accommodation spots are meeting points for distance-challenged relationships, an easy escape, and a place to recover a mislaid soul. And it serves all these purposes with the promise there will be a daybed somewhere glorious with your name on it — whether it be at the cool sibling hotel to the well-known Ayana Resort Bali or one dripping with design ..read more

How did you come to love wine? A lot goes into wine from the vineyard into the bottle. That’s where the passion stems from. I am originally from the western district of Victoria, close to Coonawarra, so it started with an interest in agriculture and viticulture and the wine followed. A wine that changed your life? A bottle of 1975 Pierre Gimonnet Blanc de Blancs. I was in Champagne with industry friends and Pierre’s grandson, Didier, took us into the caves. He showed us their bottling lines and then we drank together. That bottle opened my eyes to the story wine can tell. What are you doing di ..read more

When it comes to sneaking away for a passionate rendezvous, you’re either a rug-up-by-the-fire romantic or a walk-along-the-beach romantic. If you’re the latter, you’ll want to head to the sunshine state Queensland – swelling with tropical rainforests, intricate waterways and winsome nonchalance. So that you can meander along the coastline at sunset or sauna together after a day spent dipping in and out of the big blue, we’ve curated an edit of Gold Coast romantic getaways to book. From Surfers Paradise luxury hotels to Currumbin Valley Airbnbs, read on for our top picks. Our top picks for rom ..read more

Fresh mushrooms for silkiness, dried mushrooms for intensity and Fontina for bite. If you can’t find Fontina, Taleggio or another washed-rind cheese would work well in its place. Ingredients 500 gm mixed mushrooms, such as Swiss brown, portobello and chestnut 2 tbsp olive oil Finely grated zest of ½ lemon, plus extra to serve 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 400 gm dried maccheroni Calabresi 250 gm mascarpone 20 gm mixed dried mushrooms, softened in 60ml boiling water for 20 minutes 50 gm parmesan, finely grated 150 gm Fontina, torn into 3cm chunks 1½ tbsp coarsely chopped sage, plus 1 tbsp extr ..read more

Named for the time they take to set in the fridge, these 15 hour potato bites have become a social media sensation. Here, we dial up the flavour of these potato layered cubes with a splash of vinegar and an optional topping of crème fraîche and caviar. Begin this 15 hour potato recipe a day ahead. Ingredients 1 kg sebago potatoes, peeled 100 gm duck fat, melted 1 tsp each onion powder and garlic powder ½ tsp ground paprika 2 tsp cornflour Vegetable oil, for frying 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar Crème fraîche, Avruga caviar and micro fennel, to serve (optional) Method 1 Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forc ..read more