An Arabic Afternoon Tea with Karima & Sivine

Don’t let these sweet faces fool you, this mother and daughter duo are a resilient and passionate pair, filled with fire for their family and culture, and respect for each other. To interview them was entertaining to say the least! Stories both sassy and sobering flowed of the challenges and victories faced by their ancestors and themselves as migrants from Lebanon, living in a new and unusual land, far from home, familiar food and culture. This is the story within their increasingly popular cookbook; Sofra - Lebanese Recipes To Share.

Laughter and food stole the show. After a morning together preparing in my Palm Beach Kitchen, our guests arrived to Karima cooking Za’atar Manoushe (Flatbread with Za’atar) on the saj in my garden, and served with Labne bil Zeit (Strained Yoghurt Balls) rolled by Sivine and myself in a variety of toppings; sumac, Aleppo chilli and a mix of Za’atar and roasted pistachio. A vibrant platter of fresh mint, olives, tomato and cucumber graced the table to pair with the flatbreads and labne.

A selection of Lebanese sweets; Nammoura (Semolina Slice Studded with Nuts), baked and as it comes out of the oven finished with hot syrup of sugar, lemon and orange blossom water. Traditionally it is cut up into small diamond shapes with an almond in the centre of each.

Bascot bil Tamer (Mum’s Date Shortbread) was the other sweet treat on the table, a melt in your mouth shortbread with a date, rose and orange blossom filling, completed the spread.

Ahweh (Lebanese Coffee) and Shai (Cinnamon and Cardamom Tea) was served and due to the extremely warm weather for an Autumn afternoon, a last minute edition of Lemonada (Fresh Lemonade with Mint and Rosewater) was swiftly made by Sivine and gratefully devoured by all.

Photos from the afternoon by the clever and creative Molly Grover

Sofra, the highly anticipated cookbook by mother-daughter duo Karima Hazim Chatila and Sivine Tabbouch, offers an intimate glimpse into Lebanese cuisine through the lens of traditional family-style spreads. Alongside treasured recipes, Karima and Sivine share poignant stories of cooking, sharing, and identity, passed down through generations around the kitchen table. From Sivine’s culinary influences growing up in Lebanon to Karima’s childhood memories as a second-generation Lebanese-Australian, the pair offer a heartfelt exploration of their heritage and the stories and flavours that have shaped their lives. 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
As Lebanese diaspora living in Sydney, Australia, Karima and Sivine are the co-founders of the popular immersive cooking school, Sunday Kitchen, and considered Sydney’s foremost in traditional Lebanese cuisine. The release of their debut cookbook Sofra marks the first time Lebanese weekend cooking has been celebrated in a dedicated volume.
 
Written through Karima’s voice and featuring Sivine’s cherished recipes, Sofra transcends the traditional cookbook format with each chapter presented as a culinary spread. From village breakfasts to neighbourhood picnics, cultural celebrations and sweet bites, the authors have carefully crafted its contents to reflect the rich tapestry of Lebanese gastronomy.
 
Perfect for inspired at-home cooks, readers can explore a mix of classic Lebanese dishes and Sivine’s signature creations from freshly rolled Warak Enab to charcoal Kafta and wholesome Tabbouleh. Many recipes skew vegetarian, reflecting the natural abundance of Lebanese home cooking, and each section is supported by a detailed preparation list for easy recreation.

Through its vibrant storytelling and mouthwatering recipes, Sofra serves as an insider's guide to crafting traditional Lebanese spreads, embodying the joy of sharing meals and the enduring legacy of the authors' family traditions.

Quadrille - Hardie Grant Publishing - Photography by Luisa Brimble ~ Food Styling by Karima Hazim Chaltila

A Christmas Afternoon Tea with Nadine Ingram

It certainly was a tantalising Christmas Afternoon Tea in my Palm Beach Kitchen with one of Australia's legendary bakers' Nadine Ingram, from Flour & Stone Bakery in Woolloomooloo and her divine cakes.

Guests gathered from near and far to hear from Nadine and eat her cakes woven with love and story, from her new book Love Crumbs (Simon & Schuster). It was a walk through the meadow chapter of the book, featuring;
Where The Orchard Meets The Meadow ~ Nectarine. Chamomile. Honey.
Layered Chamomile Cake, with Honey Custard, Pavlova infused with Vanilla Sugar & Pink Peppercorns, and topped with Roasted nectarines.

Layers of Memories ~ Caramel. Passionfruit. Macadamia.
Sponge cake, passionfruit curd, macadamia praline and a caramel mousse, finished with a creme fraiche frosting and fresh passionfruit pulp.

Ode to John Olsen ~ Pistachios. Rhubarb. Ginger.
Pistachio Sponge, Ginger Custard and Baked Rhubarb, layered and finished with a ginger cream and crushed pistachio nuts.

Sipping on The Rabbit Hole tea, a conversation between myself and Nadine flowed as we all heard that to be a cake maker is to be woven into the sweetness of people’s lives, to bake layers of love crumbs as an exploration of romance, adventure and comfort. She shared the stories behind the cakes, the bakery and what motivates Nadine Ingram to keep creating and baking. Laughter and tears were inevitable as she divulged her deep connection to family and the community she fosters with both her staff and her customers. Nadine’s new book is as much about recipes and cake, as it is about hearing her poetry and words. She reveals her exploration of the sensory parts of nature that spark her creativity and the perfume, spice and fruit which are at the forefront of these adventures. Many have commented it is a book where the emotion filled stories will find you moved to tears in the midst of cake. It seems you’ll need a hankie either way, to wipe your tears or your drool over her cake.

Nadine Ingram’s latest book features 50 utterly original, natural and romantic cakes that belong at the heart of every celebration. Her reliable cake recipes are written with the precision of a world-class pastry chef and the warm encouragement of a countrywoman.

‘A book like no other, beautifully braiding the poetry and practicalities of baking.’ Nigella Lawson
Photography Alan Benson & Styled by Emma Knowles | Illustrations Samantha Denmark

Gratitude to Sam for capturing the afternoon so beautifully - Images © Samantha Mackie

An Autumn Afternoon Tea with Paola Bacchia

As we free fall through the final days of Summer, and the season shifts again to Autumn, I'm in the planning for a few events in my Palm Beach Kitchen in this next season. You could say I'm filled with anticipation for our first Afternoon Tea with An Author for 2024, as I have a secured the perfect guest, Paola Bacchia coming from Melbourne to join us the weekend before Mother's day, to cook from and talk about her new book 'At Nonna's Table'.

Join me for our Autumn Afternoon Tea with an Author with Paola Bacchia, a cookbook author, food photographer & cooking teacher. Born in Melbourne to parents from Northeast Italy, Paola established the blog “Italy on my mind” & instagram page ten years ago. She runs Italian cooking classes in her Melbourne home & has run workshops at the Anna Tasca Lanza cooking school in Sicily & food and wine tours of southern Puglia & Friuli Venezia-Giulia. Her fourth cookbook “At nonna's table” is a tribute to her mother Livia, with 60 delicious dishes that celebrate the best of Italian home cooking, alongside heartfelt stories from Paola's childhood & her mum's life, this book will delight lovers of food & family. Your ticket price includes a copy of the book, a rich conversation and a scrumptious Italian inspired afternoon tea; think old fashioned coconut & almond slice, crostata with jam, cinnamon amaretti and pear cake.
Come with a friend on Saturday 4th May at 2pm - 3.30pm ~ Cost $99 ~

A Springtime Afternoon Tea with Belinda Jeffery

Excitement levels were HIGH with the presence of Belinda Jeffery as the next guest in my Palm Beach Kitchen! It was a fabulous Springtime Afternoon Tea with Belinda, one of Australia's favourite cookbook writer's and the queen of kindness. Her beautiful new book In Belinda's Kitchen is filled with delicious, fail-safe recipes and delightful stories. Belinda's wise words and warm encouragement ensured an extra special conversation. We chatted about her love of cooking, baking and recipe writing, stories of her restaurant days and her passion for farmers market fresh produce, there was lots of laughter too. The afternoon tea was a selection of Belinda's favourite cakes and freshly baked scones, served with Jane's home made jams and oodles of cups of fragrant tea. On the table was Belinda’s Really delicious cheese scones, Pistachio and lime syrup cake with pomegranate seeds, Brown butter pecan cake and Sharne’s chocolate cake with raspberries. It was my great pleasure to spend the morning baking and chatting with Belinda in my kitchen, she is such a generous soul.

‘When I write my books, I always imagine myself next to you in the kitchen, as we talk and laugh, and go about the lovely business of making delicious food…’  ~ Belinda Jeffery ~

A Wintery afternoon tea with Maggie MacKellar

Join me for our first wintery Afternoon Tea with An Author with Maggie Mackellar and the release of her latest book Graft - on motherhood, family and a year on the land. In Graft, Maggie describes a year on a Merino wool farm on the east coast of Tasmania, and all of life - and death - that surrounds her through the cycle of lambing seasons. She gives us the land she knows and loves, the lambs she cares for, the ewes she tries to save, the birds around her, and the dogs and horses she adores. This book is a stunning thanksgiving for a place and a moment in motherhood; and a timely reminder of the inescapable elemental laws of nature. There will be soup, scones and fragrant tea, as I share a conversation with my friend and one of my favourite writers, Maggie MacKellar. Ticket price includes a copy of the book and afternoon tea ~ Saturday 22nd July from 1.30pm - 3.00pm ~ Cost $89 ~

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