You'll never go back to Bundaberg! I first made ginger ale from this recipe (equal parts sparkling water, ice and ginger syrup) for a family gathering a few years back, and the results were a great hit at the dinner. Even the older folks (you know who you are!) who turn their noses up at soda loved it. More recently, I converted most of my housemates into big fans of this zippy, spicy syrup, which has become the new favourite drink around our...

Pic by R Brewing homemade mulled wine is definitely one of the best ideas we had in this cold winter.  As the spices-infused red wine bubbles tranquilly on the stove, it fills the entire kitchen with the warmest intoxicating scent. After a long day of being out-and-about in the cold, nothing feels quite as comforting as sitting around the kitchen table with our hands wrapped around warm hearty mugs of mulled...

Beyond its unassuming exterior (I walked past without realising!), Tsukiji serves some of the freshest, most impressive sashimi in Melbourne. This was one of the first restaurants I ate at when I first arrived in Melbourne, and four years later, it's nice to see that some things don't change.  As you walk in through the main door, head over to the fridge in the corner, where you can pick from a variety of fishes and cuts. Each cut is clearly...

If you know me at all in real life, I am a sucker for secrets. It makes my eyes sparkle. R noted this trait a while ago when we were talking about my taste in movies (Spirited Away, The Secret World of Arrietty, Bridge to Terabithia), and how I adored movies that bring the audience from the ordinary into another world. It was no wonder then, I was drawn towards this recipe - the chocolate chip cookies with two secrets.   Secret number one:...

This is my spirit ice cream - immensely simple, and is one of the most rewarding ice cream I made. The best part about Melbourne winter is that I get to lounge around at home churning batches and batches of ice cream. Because everything is already cold right off the bat, each batch is done much faster, and while being photographed, they don't melt!  Most ice cream recipes start with heating milk, cream and eggs over the stove, which lend...

This is one of the posts that have been floating around my inbox for the longest possible time, until I finally plucked up the moxie to tackle it once and for all. I went over the Easter holidays, which is admittedly quite a few months gone from now. (It's a new record even for me.) Enjoy!                                              ***** One...

Restarting medical school after what seems like a prolonged holiday abroad definitely isn't easy, and it took a while to finally get into the swing of things. The friendliness and helpfulness of the hospital staff (and the patience of the seniors I'm shadowing!) is a big plus towards easing my way into hospital hours, and the mix of familiar faces with the new makes asking for help a tad easier. Meanwhile on the home aspect of my Australian...