Search

Placeholder Content Image

The ultimate chicken pie recipe

<p>Looking for something impressive (but quite easy) to make this weekend? Look no further than this scrumptious pie. Served with a salad, it’s a delicious meal for summer that will impress the entire family. </p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> Four to six</p> <p><strong>Preparation time:</strong> 15 minutes</p> <p><strong>Cooking time:</strong> 40 minutes</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li>4 tablespoons butter</li> <li>1/4 cup onion, chopped</li> <li>1/4 cup celery, chopped</li> <li>1/4 cup carrot, chopped</li> <li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li> <li>2 tablespoons flour</li> <li>2 cups milk</li> <li>1/2 cup thick cream</li> <li>1 cube chicken stock, dissolved in hot water</li> <li>2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped</li> <li>1/2 cup frozen peas</li> <li>1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme plus more for garnish if desired</li> <li>Frozen shortcrust pastry</li> <li>Fozen puff pastry</li> <li>1 egg</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Method:</strong></span></p> <ol> <li>Allow puff pastry to thaw at room temperature and then gently unfold.</li> <li>In a large pot, melt butter over medium high heat.</li> <li>Add onion, celery, carrot, and salt and sauté until onions are translucent and vegetables start to get tender.</li> <li>Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook for one to two minutes.</li> <li>Gradually whisk in milk, cream and chicken stock, and bring to a slow boil.</li> <li>Simmer gently over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken (should take about five minutes).</li> <li>Turn heat to low, and add chicken, peas and thyme.</li> <li>Preheat oven to 220.</li> <li>Line the base and side of a pie dish with the shortcrust pastry. Trim the edge. Line with baking paper and fill with rice or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper, rice or dried beans and bake for a further 8 minutes, or until pastry is lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool a little.</li> <li>Pour chicken mixture into a baking dish.</li> <li>Place the puff pastry over the top to enclose the filling. Use a small, sharp knife to trim the edge.</li> <li>Using a pastry brush, brush egg onto the top of the puff pastry.</li> <li>Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The puff pastry will be a deep golden brown colour.</li> <li>Cool for 5 minutes before serving.</li> </ol> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

“Grandma meant Elmo”: Cake-maker reveals hilarious baking blunder

<p>An American baker has left the internet in stitches after misreading her customer’s custom cake request, instead delivering a baking blunder for the Sesame Street history books.</p> <p>In a video posted to her TikTok account, Brianna Romero - who is known professionally as Brinni Cakes - confessed her mistake to the world, recounting the story of how a recent order from a grandmother had led her to the creation of her new friend ‘Emo Elmo’.</p> <p>“So my worst nightmare happened,” she said, with audio playing over a timelapse of Brianne constructing another cake. “Last week a lady DMed me and asked me if I could make her an emo cake, and I was thinking ‘yes, of course, I love emo and I love goth, and I know I’ve been perfecting my black frosting so I’m ready for this’.” </p> <p>Brianna went on to explain that she’d gotten all of her customer’s information, and set to work. However, an hour before she was set to deliver the cake, she decided to offer the woman a number candle - an offer that was soon accepted. </p> <p>“She said ‘yes, the cake is for my granddaughter and she’s turning four’”, Brianna explained in the clip. “And I thought that that was a little bit weird, ‘cause I don’t know an emo four year old.”</p> <p>After trying to understand the weird request, Brianna figured that the little girl must just be a fan of something like Netflix’s Wednesday series. Unfortunately, this was not the case. </p> <p>“Something felt wrong,” she noted, before describing how she’d reach out again to ask what the theme of the party was, only to find out it was Sesame Street. </p> <p>“So my heart sinks a little bit because this is now making sense to me,” she said. It was then that Brianna returned to the original exchange between herself and her customer, and had her worst fears confirmed. </p> <p>“I misread emo,” Brianna admitted, “and it said an Elmo cake.”</p> <p>Luckily, Brianna was a quick thinker in her time of stress and rushed out to find an Elmo topper for her cake, before offering the cake for free.</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610.266px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7212109376436391210&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40brinnicakes%2Fvideo%2F7212109376436391210&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2Fe19d4562cc04495c8778154678f1d382_1679200086%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-useast5-i-0068-tx%2F1ad8d307d5f74948880bf2e0f91228f3.image%3Fx-expires%3D1683669600%26x-signature%3DCxdjPe36YRrx4SrRRwvAPwRsevY%253D&amp;key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p>Brianna’s audience were obsessed with her tale, and the video shot to viral heights, with over 11.7 million views to its name. </p> <p>“As soon as you revealed it was for a 4yr old I was like ‘oh no, grandma meant Elmo’,” one follower wrote. </p> <p>“Praying it’s Elmo with a side bang,” said another. </p> <p>Her misfortune drew in over a thousand comments, but there was a recurring thought that stood out among the chorus, and that was a request to see the baked blunder. </p> <p>And while Brianna admitted in an update that she hadn’t had the time to snap pictures on the day of delivery, she did her best with her follow-up video, sharing photos of cakes that looked “almost exactly” like her own, to the delight of her worldwide audience. </p> <p>“This is so funny,” someone said. “Elmo with a side bang has me in tears.”</p> <p>Meanwhile, another commenter wanted to know what the recipients had thought about their unique goods. </p> <p>“She tried to pay still but I told her everything that happened and we just laughed it off,” Brianna said. “It was just for a small family party anyway.”</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Main bomb maker of 2002 Bali bombings released early

<p dir="ltr">Umar Patek, a convicted terrorist and the main bomb maker in the 2002 Bali bombings, has been released from jail.</p> <p dir="ltr">Patek, a leading member of the al Qaida-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah, helped build the car bomb that killed more than 200 people, including two Kiwis and 88 Australians, at two nightclubs in Kuta Beach in 2002.</p> <p dir="ltr">Patek served just over half of his original 20-year sentence and was released from jail after Indonesian authorities claimed that he was successfully reformed.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The special requirements that have been met by Umar Patek are that he has participated in the de-radicalisation coaching program," Ministry of Law and Human Rights spokesperson Rika Aprianti said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Patek will be required to report to the parole office once a week, before it becomes once a month.</p> <p dir="ltr">He is required to stay on parole until 2030, but his freedom can be revoked if he fails to report to the parole office or breaks the law.</p> <p dir="ltr">During his jail stint, Patek received a total of 33 months of sentence reduction with the most recent one on August 17, Indonesia's Independence Day.</p> <p dir="ltr">This saw Patek given a five-month reduction of his sentence after fulfilling the parole requirement of serving two-thirds of his current sentence</p> <p dir="ltr">At the time of the reduced sentence, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government will look at making "diplomatic representations" to oppose Patek’s release.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I feel a great deal of common distress, along with all Australians, at this time," Albanese said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We had been advised by the Indonesian government of this further reduction.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This will cause further distress to Australians who were the families of victims of the Bali bombings."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nine News</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Classic Apple pie

<p>There’s nothing quite like a warm slice of apple pie. Served with ice cream. Or cream. Or custard. Or all three, if you’re feeling especially naughty. This recipe combines homemade pastry with an irresistible filling for a classic dessert that won’t last long in your fridge.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Pastry</em></strong></p> <ul> <li>1 ¾ cup plain flour</li> <li>½ cup self-raising flour</li> <li>⅓ cup caster sugar</li> <li>Salt</li> <li>2 eggs</li> <li>185g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes</li> <li>1 tablespoon milk</li> <li>1 tablespoon caster</li> <li>1 tablespoon chilled water</li> </ul> <p><em>Filling</em></p> <ul> <li>1.1kg apples (we like to use a mixture of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious), peeled, cored, sliced about ½ cm thick</li> <li>¼ cup granulated sugar</li> <li>¼ cup light brown sugar</li> <li>1 tablespoon lemon juice</li> <li>1 teaspoon cinnamon</li> <li>¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg</li> <li>¼ teaspoon salt</li> <li>2 tablespoons unsalted butter</li> <li>1 ½ tablespoons corn flour</li> </ul>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Shepherd’s pie with sweet potato topping

<p>Not only is this dish the perfect comfort food for a chilly evening, but it’s also a meal with an interesting history.</p> <p>Made to use up any leftover meat, Shepard’s pie dates back to the 1790s. When it is made with beef it's called cottage pie and if it is made with lamb, then it's shepherd's pie.</p> <p>The sweet potato really spices this recipe up a bit to give it some kiwi flavour.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tbsp. butter, olive or coconut oil</li> <li>1 brown onion, finely chopped</li> <li>2 medium carrots, medium diced</li> <li>2 celery sticks, medium diced</li> <li>450g lamb mince</li> <li>1 ½ (375ml) cups beef stock</li> <li>1 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce</li> <li>40g tomato paste</li> <li>2 large sweet potatoes, peel and cut to quarters</li> <li>2 more tbsps. of butter</li> <li>Dash of cream or full fat milk</li> <li>½ cup mozzarella cheese grated</li> <li>¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated</li> <li>Freshly ground salt and pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 180°C for a fan forced oven.</li> <li>Heat butter in a large pan and on a medium heat add onions, carrot and celery.</li> <li>Cook stirring for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.</li> <li>Add lamb and cook until browned, for about 5-8 minutes, squashing any lumps with a fork.</li> <li>Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste.</li> <li>Season with salt and pepper.</li> <li>Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally and cook for 30 - 40 minutes or until sauce thickens.</li> <li>When meat sauce has thickened, spoon into an oven proof dish and spread with mashed sweet potatoes.</li> <li>Sprinkle with the two cheeses.</li> <li>Bake 20 minutes or until the top is golden and juices are bubbling through.</li> <li>Serve with some simple steamed broccoli.</li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Shepherd’s pie

<p>For a hearty meal that is sure to satisfy, this family favourite Shepherd’s pie will be a hit with young and old alike.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves</span>:</strong> 4</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients</span>:</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li> <li>1 brown onion, diced</li> <li>2 carrot, finely diced</li> <li>500g beef mince</li> <li>2 tablespoon tomato paste</li> <li>400g can peeled tomatoes</li> <li>1 cup beef stock</li> <li>1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce</li> <li>1 teaspoon mixed herbs</li> <li>750g potatoes, washed, peeled and chopped</li> <li>¼ cup milk</li> <li>50g butter</li> <li>Salt and pepper, to season</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method</span>:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and cook onion and carrots for 5 minute or until softened. Add mince and cook for three minutes or until browned.</li> <li>Season with salt and pepper. Stir through tomato paste, tomatoes, stock, <br />Worcestershire sauce, and herbs. Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Remove lid and cook for a further 10 minutes.</li> <li>Meanwhile, add potatoes in saucepan of salted water. Boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until tender. Drain well and mash with butter and milk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.</li> <li>Spread beef mixture evenly in an ovenproof baking dish. Spoon potatoes into large pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe rosettes over beef mixture. Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes or until topping is browned. </li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

News of Bali bomb-maker's sentence cut short sparks fury

<p>The bomb-maker behind the devastating 2002 Bali bombings has been released early from Indonesian prison only days after his sentence was reduced by a further five months.</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared this decision will add trauma to the victims’ families and says his diplomats are lobbying the Indonesian government regarding the reduction.</p> <p>This decision means that Umar Patek, the man who made the explosives that killed 200 people, including 88 Aussies in 2002, will have served only half of his original 20-year sentence. Indonesian authorities insist he has been ‘deradicalised’ but Mr Abanese has described him as ‘abhorrent’.</p> <p>The sentence had already been reduced by 18 months on a previous occasion, meaning his total reduction is now one year and 11 months. He would have been eligible for parole in January 2023 after serving two thirds of his sentence.</p> <p>Patek admitted making the suicide vests that went off at Sari Club and Paddy's Pub in Kuta but claimed he did not know what they would be used for.</p> <p>After nine years on the run in the Philippines and Pakistan, he was caught in 2011 and spared the death sentence after co-operating with police and apologising to victims' families.</p> <p>This coming October marks the 20th anniversary of the bombings.</p> <p><em>Images: Australian National Museum / Getty</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

What family violence survivors want policy makers to know

<p>For a long time, policy makers and legislators seeking to address the problem of <a href="https://www.anrows.org.au/research-areas/statistics-prevalence-and-community-attitudes/">domestic and family violence</a> have sought higher penalties and <a href="https://www.agd.sa.gov.au/documents/Discussion-Paper-coercive-control.pdf">tougher laws</a>. But when it comes to finding practical solutions to this complex problem, the voices of those with lived experience of the system have not always been heard.</p> <p>A recent <a href="https://www.rightsnetworksa.com/_files/ugd/8cf77c_bcc168e3171a46c48efd0aac455df0b0.pdf">study</a> I coauthored with Suryawan Rian Yohanesh from <a href="https://www.unitingcommunities.org/">Uniting Communities</a> (an NGO focused on overcoming disadvantage) involved interviews with survivors of domestic and family violence about what changes they’d like to see.</p> <p>Our interviewees told us they want changes giving them control over legal processes like <a href="https://www.police.sa.gov.au/your-safety/intervention-orders">intervention orders</a> (sometimes called “Apprehended Violence Orders” or AVOs), which are legal orders designed to stop perpetrators of violence or abuse from being near or interacting with their partners or children.</p> <p>Currently, if you want to obtain one of these orders, the police and prosecutor often lead the process. They generally decide whether it goes to court, what evidence is collected or used and what parameters that order has (such as whether the perpetrator can collect kids from school or access firearms). The abuse survivor can feel shut out of these decision-making processes.</p> <h2>Getting the first response right</h2> <p>Survivors of violence, and those working to support survivors, want programs focused on getting the first response right every time. As one service provider said:</p> <blockquote> <p>Being told that your abuse is ‘not serious enough’ or there is no abuse identified is one of the most damaging things that can happen. It can impact the relationship of trust going forward. It is therefore critical first responders are adequately trained in trauma-informed care and practice, and have training in best practice responses to domestic violence, so that the victims can also be referred to suitable support services.</p> </blockquote> <p>If that first response (by police, for example) is dismissive or re-traumatising, it can leave survivors vulnerable to ongoing violence and harm, and distrustful of the legal system. As one survivor said:</p> <blockquote> <p>I didn’t feel like I was taken seriously or believed. [I was] made to feel like I was being judged as hysterical, ridiculous and time wasting. This made me feel unsafe to approach police again which was fairly scary, because they were the place I was supposed to be able to count on to help, and I wasn’t sure where else I could go.</p> </blockquote> <p>This type of response can be devastating for women and families already experiencing disadvantage or isolation, including <a href="https://www.anrows.org.au/project/improving-family-violence-legal-and-support-services-for-indigenous-women/">First Nations women</a>, culturally and linguistically diverse women, <a href="https://www.anrows.org.au/publication/women-disability-and-violence-barriers-to-accessing-justice-final-report/read/">women with disabilities</a> and <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/domestic-and-family-violence-regional-rural-and-remote-communities">women living in regional areas</a>. Many of these groups already face myriad practical barriers when it comes to reporting violence.</p> <p>A mishandled first response can reinforce <a href="https://theconversation.com/narcissism-and-the-various-ways-it-can-lead-to-domestically-abusive-relationships-116909">narcissistic or controlling behaviour</a> by perpetrators, who use these experiences as evidence of their own power. To say, “See, I told you nobody would believe you.” One interviewee said:</p> <blockquote> <p>The system that is being built to protect women from this type of abuse can be turned into a weapon in the hands of those men that are seeking to perpetuate control against their partner or their family.</p> </blockquote> <p>Survivors said they want greater focus on perpetrator accountability by exposing the true impact of the violence on the lives of others, not just the aspects of the behaviour leading to criminal offences or breaches of the law.</p> <p>This means engaging professionals to help the survivor confront the perpetrator with the broader health, financial and social impacts of their behaviour.</p> <blockquote> <p>With this support team, the victim survivor could be encouraged to develop a strong recorded, accumulative evidence case. And these other professionals could be empowered to confront the defendant about the harm that he is causing to his partner, and in many cases also to his children.</p> </blockquote> <p>These practices should be <a href="https://www.anrows.org.au/project/improving-family-violence-legal-and-support-services-for-indigenous-women/">informed by cultural knowledge</a> and supported by community leaders who can help improve awareness of the rights of women. The support team could also help identify pathways for safe repair of relationships, social connection and financial security.</p> <h2>Longer term support</h2> <p>Survivors also need longer term support packages, including opportunities to <a href="https://www.monash.edu/arts/gender-and-family-violence/study/scholarship-opportunity-graduate-certificate-of-family-violence-prevention#:%7E:text=For%20the%20first%20time%2C%20the,for%20family%20violence%20victim%2Dsurvivors.&amp;text=Timeframe%3A%20For%20successful%20scholarship%20candidates,be%20completed%20by%20October%202022.">access tertiary education or training</a> and specialist legal and financial services. </p> <p>As one participant told us:</p> <blockquote> <p>I’d really like to see some kind of focal point, resources for [domestic violence] survivors. To support people to rebuild their lives. Getting the universities and tertiary institutions to help with retraining and teaching, employment. Somewhere where people can break back in. Including social life, as well as financial security and employment.</p> </blockquote> <p>Those with lived experience of domestic and family violence want perpetrators to be held to account – not just in the courtroom, but in their workplaces and their social networks.</p> <p>They want to be put at the centre of the system, and be recognised as the powerful agents for change they are.</p> <blockquote> <p>No legislation is good enough until people with lived experience have been consulted […] All these people with lived experience are not being heard. They are the ones that have the knowledge. Every time you don’t go to the coal face you miss the point.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/all-these-people-with-lived-experience-are-not-being-heard-what-family-violence-survivors-want-policy-makers-to-know-180872" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation.</a></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Image: Shutterstock</span></em></p> </blockquote>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Easy and delicious choc, hazelnut and caramel pie

<p dir="ltr">Start your week off right with this decadent pie that is sure to impress the whole family. </p> <ul> <li dir="ltr">Cook time: 40 minutes</li> <li dir="ltr">Prep time: 40 minutes</li> <li dir="ltr">Serves: 10 people</li> </ul> <h2 dir="ltr">Ingredients</h2> <p dir="ltr">Melted butter, to grease</p> <p dir="ltr">120g unsalted butter, softened</p> <p dir="ltr">2 Tbsp brown sugar, firmly packed</p> <p dir="ltr">1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels</p> <h3 dir="ltr">Caramel Filling</h3> <p dir="ltr">3/4 cup caster sugar</p> <p dir="ltr">1/4 cup water</p> <p dir="ltr">120g unsalted butter, chopped</p> <p dir="ltr">1/4 cup thickened cream</p> <p dir="ltr">1/2 tsp sea-salt flakes</p> <p dir="ltr">1/2 tsp vanilla extract</p> <h3 dir="ltr">Chocolate Ganache</h3> <p dir="ltr">1/3 thickened cream</p> <p dir="ltr">1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread</p> <p dir="ltr">Coarse sea salt (optional)</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Method</h2> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 20cm pie tin; set aside. Put butter and sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Stir in crushed pretzels. Press mixture evenly onto base and up sides of prepared tin. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in a tin on a wire rack. </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">To make caramel filling, combine sugar and water in a medium heavy saucepan and stir over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, without stirring for about 8 minutes or until mixture is golden in colour. Remove from heat. Carefully add butter, cream and salt (mixture will bubble up). Stir over low heat for about 5 minutes or until mixture is caramel in colour. Stir in vanilla. </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Put caramel filling in a medium bowl. Chill, uncovered, for about 40 minutes or until cold but not firm. Pour caramel mixture into crust, spreading evenly. Cover and chill for about 1 hour or until firm. </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">To make ganache, put cream in a small saucepan over low to medium heat. Bring to just simmering. Remove from heat. Stir in the chocolate-hazelnut spread until smooth. Spread the ganache over the caramel mixture. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Cover and chill for about 1 hour or until set. Serve. </p> </li> </ol> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ef324be7-7fff-7696-e734-427d53ab03fe"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Cook's tip:</strong> This crust has a crunch with a difference! Made from pretzels instead of biscuits, the salt factor delivers a huge flavour burst. Remember, the finer you crush the pretzels, the easier it is to cut the pie. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Better Homes &amp; Gardens </em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Aldi Shoppers rave about $40 samosa maker

<p><em>Image: Facebook </em></p> <p>Aldi strikes again, sending fiercely loyal customers into frenzy over popular samosa maker.  </p> <p>Shoppers everywhere have been raving about this $40 bargain, with many praising it for making “restaurant quality snacks” in minutes.</p> <p>The gadget has been branded “absolutely amazing” with customers and fans sharing snaps of their homemade treats online.</p> <p>The machine can cook up to 24 samosas in one go and features automatic temperature controls and a non-stick surface.</p> <p>One Aussie dad was so impressed by the appliance that he took to Facebook to show off the samosas he made, saying it’s a “big hit” with his family.</p> <p>He made his own mixture using potatoes, peas, onions, chilli, herbs and spices which he then added between two sheets of puff pastry in the samosa maker.</p> <p>Many excited to grab this product, with one woman commenting: “I need one of these machines!”</p> <p>Others are just stunned the samosa maker could be used for other snacks.</p> <p>“WAIT you can make cupcakes in the samosa maker?? Life changing.”</p> <p> </p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Best Aussie meat pie crowned

<p><em>Image: The Today Show</em></p> <p>The coveted title of Australia’s best, no-fuss plain meat pie has been won by a WA bakery.</p> <p>Pinjarra Bakery takes the crown for baker of the ‘Best Plain Meat Pie’ in Australia, at The Official Great Aussie Pie Competition.</p> <p>The bakery, located one hour south of Perth also has three locations in Waroona, Maddington and Port Kennedy. They are reportedly “stoked” to gain the title for their much loved ‘Chunky pie’.</p> <p>“We’re absolutely stoked!! Best meat pie in Australia…gotta be happy with that! Thank you to the judges and everyone at @officialauspie” the bakery wrote on a post made on the competition’s Instagram page.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSl7PU2te2c/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSl7PU2te2c/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Pinjarra Bakery (@pinjarra_bakery)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Pinjarra Bakery steals the title from the last year’s winner, Rolling Pin Pies &amp; Cakes in Ocean Grove, Victoria.</p> <p>The competition holds 18 different pastry categories, including ‘Best Gourmet Pie,’ ‘Best Gourmet Sausage Roll,’ ‘Best Plain Sausage roll’, ‘Best Vegetarian Pie’ and ‘Best Apple Pie’.</p> <p>This year, 'Best Gourmet Pie' went to the 'Dancing Scallop Pie' baked at Paradise Bakehouse in Queensland, while 'Best Gourmet Sausage Roll' went to the 'Garlick Chicken Roll' baked at The Little Red Grape Bakery in South Australia.</p> <p>Founded in 1989, the competition aims to recognise the high-quality pie-making standards of Australian bakers.</p> <p>According to the competition website, each entry is assessed to some basic criteria. Pies are expected to have a pastry top with "good lamination" that is also "not too thick". While fillings must have absolutely no "gristle or bone" and have a balanced "meat to pastry ratio".</p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Maker George becomes Making It Australia’s first winner

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After a whole series of challenges, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has whittled it’s contestants down to just three: George, Rizaldy and Jack.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the rest of the crafters returning for the final episode, the final three were pitted against each other and George was crowned Australia’s first winner of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV4McDHhTk6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV4McDHhTk6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by George Roppingly-Goode (@george_can_create_it)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When asked about how it felt to be Australia’s first winner, George told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">OverSixty</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that she “couldn’t believe it”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I didn’t think I’d make it past a few episodes,” she said, sharing how making it to the final and winning left her feeling stunned.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Walking away from the show, George said one of the things that surprised her most was the friendships she made with the rest of the Makers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I didn’t think I’d walk away with 12 new friends,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">George explained that being on </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> also proved to her that she could persevere and go out and achieve the things she wanted to, despite what she had been told over the years.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As for the future, George will continue creating on a personal and professional level, and sharing her work on </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/george_can_create_it/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. She also hopes that her being on the show will inspire other women to pick up power tools and embrace more ‘masculine’ crafting techniques.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If I can do it, so can others,” she said. “The university of YouTube is also a great resource. If you don’t know how to use a jigsaw, you can just find a video and learn.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUwjCkzB6px/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUwjCkzB6px/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by George Roppingly-Goode (@george_can_create_it)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fellow finalist Jack</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was just as thrilled to make it to the end.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was truly ecstatic and also very thankful to have made it that far in the competition among such talented and amazingly creative contestants,” Jack said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">”I was proud of my efforts and definitely inspired and invigorated by the other projects.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQA7HUeFhYf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQA7HUeFhYf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Toy Architecture (@toyarchitecture)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rizaldy shared the sentiment and added that getting through was a huge achievement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“That sums up all our hard work, our skill set, stories behind the projects and most of all it is all about having fun and sharing what we can do with the world,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It has never been a competition for me. I joined </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to show the world that making things is a lot of fun and they can do it too.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All three finalists agreed that the experience of being a Maker had been unforgettable, and that they had walked away with new friends from all over the country.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If it wasn’t for lockdown we would all have gotten together,” George said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have met amazing fellow Makers who are now my friends forever,'' Rizaldy added. “Spending time with the sensational judges and witty hosts is unforgettable.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I met some really incredible people along the way, including the hosts and judges,” Jack said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“TV is a hoot!"</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: george_can_create_it / Instagram</span></em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

“My age isn’t a barrier”: Maker Will shares his crafting experience

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an act of kindness saw no eliminations on </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> last week, the Makers returned this week to face another series of challenges that ended with an elimination.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Will, the youngest Maker to appear on the show, said his goodbyes to the rest of the contestants.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVEp342lHe-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVEp342lHe-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Will Thomson (@willmade_aus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following his elimination, Will sat down with <em>OverSixty </em>to share his experience on the show and how it felt creating pieces under pressure.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What was the highlight of being a Maker?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can flat-out just say the entire thing. The entire experience of the show, everything I did.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s been little highlights, but I definitely can’t pin down one thing [as] the best. It was all just fantastic.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: It sounds like it, and it looks like you all had an amazing time on the show and made some really great friendships.</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yeah for sure. Coming in, I was excited to see other creators and what they did and how they work and how their minds work, and we all met, and we all got along so quickly and well.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">30 minutes after we met each other, it was like meeting friends you’d known for two years or five years, 10 years. That was a pretty surreal moment to meet other like minded people and be able to work with them creatively.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What surprised you most about your <em>Making It</em> experience?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was all surprising. It was all the emotions at once, but it was all the time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Maybe one thing you could say that surprised me was what people could achieve in a limited time frame, and such a short time frame.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: <em>Making It</em> saw contestants from a variety of age groups and backgrounds come together to craft, but how did you feel being the youngest competitor on the show?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I kind of see myself as an old soul sometimes, so I'm happy to work with anybody. My age isn’t a barrier for me, I don't feel.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One thing you could say is [that I was] lucky enough that I kind of found making early and I can grow and develop that for years to come.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What’s next for you after <em>Making It</em>?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A few things. I finished my trade, so I’ve just become a sparkie.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[There are] a few other things on the horizon, which is exciting. There’s some tradie things I want to start and have a dabble in and [I’m] kind of finding those little paths now.</span></p> <p><strong>O60:<em> Making It</em> posed challenges that saw you use a whole range of different skills and techniques, has it changed how you have gone about your creative practice since leaving the show?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I definitely learned a lot from other Makers. I find it easier to use harder material, I suppose, than softer materials … I hadn't done much in textiles or paper and I learnt a little bit more, which is developing into a skill set.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: Last but not least, if you had the chance, would you do it again?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes, for sure. It was such a fun, adrenaline-filled challenge. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As I said, all the emotions, all the time. The atmosphere and everything was unreal and it was just an absolute delight. Yeah, for sure, I'll do it 100 percent. If you ask me tomorrow, if you ask me in five minutes time, I’ll do it again. </span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVFUWs5FZI5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVFUWs5FZI5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Will Thomson (@willmade_aus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The remaining four contestants will craft their hearts out on the next episode of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, airing next Saturday night at 6pm.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: willmade_aus / Instagram</span></em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

‘Holy smoke, what am I doing here?’: Maker Andrew shares his experience

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the latest episode of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the remaining Makers were tasked with inventing a large-scale device to solve a common problem.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After wowing the judges with his chicken-powered alarm clock, Andrew was the next Maker to leave the show.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The metalworking extraordinaire sat down with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>OverSixty</em> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">to tell us about his experiences on the show and what he has gone on to do since.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What was the highlight of being a Maker?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The highlight of being a Maker was to live and work with an incredibly talented, inspiring group of people for a long period of time. That is something that doesn't happen often in your life, and [I have] very strong, warm memories of it.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What surprised you most about your <em>Making It</em> experience?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What surprised me most, I don’t think I was as prepared as much as I should have been. When I got there and assessed myself against the abilities of the other competitors, I was a bit intimidated because these people not only were great artists but had skills in all these other areas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And I thought, ‘Holy smoke, what am I doing here?’ And I said to them I’m the Volkswagen that snuck into the BMW car park, and [I’m] gonna get found out real quick. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But I lasted longer than I thought.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: On the show, you mentioned that you were formerly a booby trap instructor for the army. How did you make the transition to crafting and metalwork?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That was one of many skills,  many qualifications I had in the army. I was a mine warfare and booby trap instructor. I taught a couple of courses in the area, but my main employment was working with army tanks. But I did [work as a] booby trap instructor as one of my extra qualifications. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well, I got out of the army after 20 years. And then, as a 40 year old, joined the shire as an apprentice diesel mechanic. And I learned a whole lot of new skills there that I didn't have: workshop procedures and how to do things safely and they put me on a welders course so now I had some skills. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And coming off of a farm we had 100 years or more … [I] had access to all these materials. And I now had a welder in my hand. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So … just one day, the wife said to me, ‘Why don’t you go up to the shed and do something creative?’ and I built this cow. And I didn't think it was real good. But I took it down [to display] and no-one shot a hole in it or pushed it over with their ute. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And someone said take it to an art show. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anyway, I did that and it won first prize. I couldn't understand how it would do that, because I didn't think it was very good. But the judges were academics out of Sydney and they saw something in it. And they gave me a fistful of money and my name in the paper and I thought, ‘This is alright, I’ll have another crack at this’, and it just flowed from there.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What’s next for you after <em>Making It</em>?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well I’ve got two basically completed public artworks in my shed that I’ve got to deliver, one to Maroopna, in Victoria and one in Jinjili, up the hill.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I'm currently working on a fruit bat for a private commission. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next week, I'm jumping on a bus as a tour guide, touring the various public artworks I have in the region … and I’ve got the microphone, and I’ll tell them all about the artworks as we go around the district.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: <em>Making It</em> posed challenges that saw you use a whole range of different skills and techniques, has it changed how you have gone about your creative practice since leaving the show?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m now more open to try different things, and maybe mix what I'm doing with something else. You get into something and you're comfortable with it, you tend to stick with it, especially if it’s successful.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But now I'm open to thinking about change and different things to stay in front of the game.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: Last but not least, if you had the chance, would you do it again?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If I knew that certain logistic problems were sorted, I would. Otherwise no. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It's a once in a lifetime, amazing experience and you'd never be able to duplicate it a second time because it was the wonder of getting under the lights, and going to the city, and I'm a country boy and I hate driving around the city and it’s all those events all tied together [that] made it a once-only, amazing thing. I don't think I'd get the buzz out of it a second time.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUMFJGZpWbO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUMFJGZpWbO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by David Andrew Whitehead (@scrapartoz)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With only five Makers remaining, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> returns next weekend for another crafty episode.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

Maker Dan opens up on Parkinson's diagnosis

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In episode six of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Makers were set the task of completing one piece in the Mega Craft Challenge.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Contestants were tasked with creating an outdoor oasis in a challenge that saw them create spaces with soft lighting, firepits, swings, and functioning water fountains.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jack took out the challenge with his secret silver cinema, complete with a projector and a series of white curtains.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CUcTEfnBCh0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CUcTEfnBCh0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Making It Australia (@makingitau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As always, one person made their exit from the show, and this time it was Dan.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After his departure, Dan sat down with <em>OverSixty </em>to chat about his time on the show and the meaning that crafting has for him.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What was the highlight of being a Maker?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The Incredible Makers, Judges and other people that I got to meet were definitely the highlight for me. This is seriously like the Making Olympics!!</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What surprised you most about your<span> </span></strong><strong><em>Making It</em></strong><strong><span> </span>experience?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The pace was so fast!</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: In a personal moment on the show, you shared that you were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Not to pry, but this is an important issue to many of our readers. Are there any alternative treatments you are considering? Has your diagnosis put pressure on the crafting you do or increased the appeal of making things now?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">I have always broadcast the enormous sense of duty that accompanies my insatiable internal drive to create. As for [Parkinson’s Disease (PD)]? When I received the news I was actually a little relieved! I had been searching for the correct cause of the restriction in my right hand for several months. This diagnosis came with medication that provided rapid relief and a dim light at the end of a tunnel.</p> <p dir="ltr">Making it was an AMAZING adventure/distraction to which I adhered to a chance to prove to Kye (wife), Australia and MYSELF, I am still the Dan! So, yes, in the 15 months since my PD diagnosis, Crafting and Making has certainly gained emotional magnitude.</p> <p dir="ltr">With regard to treatments: I'm currently managing symptoms with medication. I'm hoping, prioritising my own health and wellbeing, stress minimisation, and a balance of rest/work will prolong the medications' effective window. Although unfortunately DBS Deep brain Stimulation has already raised its head in a few consultations.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What’s next for you after<span> </span></strong><strong><em>Making It</em></strong><strong>?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Keep showing my wife, Kye, that I love her! And developing the OCG (Obsessive Compulsive Garden) and I [am] hopeful I can complete my Electric Hotrod by March 2022. Work wise I've been making deliberate choices to consolidate and focus on what makes me happy. This has inspired me to launch<strong><span> </span>DeleurDesign</strong>. In order to combine, my passion for the environment and minimising our impact, making skills, knowledge of a broad and growing array of materials and ability to design and create unique practical and beautiful solutions to problems for waste management in particular. Lastly, I am going to raise some funds for Parkinson's Disease Research. If you are familiar with the #CARBAR I Created while on Making It Australia? IT WILL SOON BE COMPLETED AND UP FOR GRABS!!!</p> <p dir="ltr">I encourage you to join me on this journey<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/deleurdesign/" target="_blank">@DeleurDesign</a><span> </span>on Instagram or find me on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60:<span> </span></strong><strong><em>Making It</em></strong><strong><span> </span>seems to be challenging the idea that eliminations mean you no longer appear on the show, can you give us an insight into what’s been happening behind the scenes with the eliminated Makers?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">They did an amazing job of selecting Makers! Assembling a group of Makers that became instant family! We still chat and create every day!</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: Last but not least, if you had the chance, would you do it again?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Yes!</p> <p dir="ltr">Starting this weekend,<span> </span><em>Making It Australia</em><span> </span>will air on Saturdays at 6 pm on Channel 10.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @deleurdesign / Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

Maker Russell reflects on Making It experience

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Episode two of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> saw competitors embrace their inner child in two creative challenges.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the first-ever Team Challenge, the Makers came together to make functional billycarts, with Russell, Rehana, Dan, and Denise winning with their Beelycart.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CT4MDN7Nbt0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CT4MDN7Nbt0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Making It Australia (@makingitau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rizaldy took out the Main Challenge with his magical forest cubby house.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, another person had to go, and this time it was Russell.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They sat down with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">OverSixty</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and revealed their highlights of being on the show, as well as an insight into the show's unusual elimination process.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What was the highlight of being a Maker?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I would say that the biggest highlight was the other Makers. To be with such talented people, it was such an experience, like, the creative energy when we were all together.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And we all got along so well, like we were all so different yet all so similar at the same time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I don’t know how to explain it, it was as if we’ve known each other for years.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We would have dinners and hang out together while we’re not filming. And it was so good because we got to talk about art, we got to talk about film, about music, and it just [had] so much positive energy.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What surprised you most about your <em>Making It</em> experience?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The thing that probably surprised me the most [that] I could do more than what I thought I could.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sometimes when you look at someone else who’s talented or who’s really good at something, and you’re like, I can’t do that. But I realised when I got there … everyone was sort of positive and encouraging … and it made you want to try stuff.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And so I found out that I actually could do a lot of things that I didn’t think I could do.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: On the show you told Susie and Harvey that crafting is a way of representing your identity as a non-binary person. Could you tell us more about that and how it felt representing the queer community on the show?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes of course. One of the reasons why I went on the show was I wanted to be a good representation for the queer community and to be someone that people can look to, because when I was younger, there wasn’t a lot of role models, as such, to look to. … you know, if there was someone like me when I was younger, maybe I could’ve got a better understanding of myself a little earlier than I had in life.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I have been contacted by quite a few people on social media with just all these kind words and comments of support and admiration of some sort.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It makes the whole experience even greater to be able to bring happiness and joy to the people that I’ve never even met.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What’s next for you after <em>Making It</em>?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well, at the moment I’m in lockdown, but I have started a YouTube channel, and I want to base it around crafting. It’s called </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFDW0TRqu0_LRhgtC6leVpA/featured"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Procrastinating with Russell</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [and] I want to base it around being a creative and someone who deals with mental health.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I feel as if there is a big stigma around mental health and it has… definitely increased during COVID and lockdown, and it’s become very noticeable with everyday people. So if I make relatable content … it will be a positive influence to people.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Like being creative, you just can’t help but smile and have fun. And, you know, you don’t have to be a fine artist of any sort. And anyone can do it as well, be it a four year old or a sixty year old.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: We love the way the show seems to be trying to do away with the idea of eliminations. You and Kat seem to still be there in some capacity. What’s the deal?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well, we pretty much stayed at the farm. Kat [has been] hanging out the washing and I’m sewing up a storm.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: Last but not least, if you had the chance, would you do it again?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a heartbeat. Definitely, I would. It’s the greatest thing I’ve done so far.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CT4VuhGP7cL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CT4VuhGP7cL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Russell Zorino-Brown (@luckyfellow)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">returns next Wednesday and Thursday on Channel 10.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Channel 10</span></em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

EXCLUSIVE: We chat with Maker Kat

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The debut episode of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> saw 13 creatives test their skills in two challenges.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jack came out on top in the first Faster Craft challenge, while Robert won the main Master Craft challenge with his traditional shield carved from red gum.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, one person had to go, and Kat was delivered the bad news after her Gaelic harp lacked finishing details and its iconic shape.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844110/making-it-ep1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/24746c9540954f85a085fa02448af98d" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Supplied</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After her departure, Kat sat down with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over60</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to talk about her time on the show, and give a few hints about whether we will see her again.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What was the highlight of being a Maker?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The experience of meeting other people and forming such good memories while we were together.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We all got on so well. I was nervous about coming on the show but there were no dramas at all. I don’t know how [the show] pulled it off.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What surprised you most about your <em>Making It</em> experience?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[Everything that happened] behind the scenes was interesting, and getting to how production [of a TV show] works.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: On the show, you surprised Susie and Harvey by sharing that you bought your first book recently. What was the book that you bought and have you made any more progress?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[It was called] </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The subtle of not giving a f**k</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. I’m about halfway through but whenever I try to read I get distracted by other things … I might stick with my colouring books.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What’s next for you after <em>Making It?</em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m currently studying a cert 3 and 4 in fitness, and want to become a [personal trainer] next year. I want to expand my brand and start by offering it to friends and family… I just want to make people around me more healthy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m also getting into photography and doing photoshoots for my friends and family. … I saved up and got myself a new camera… I don’t have eight hours on a weekend to paint but [with photography]  I can go out for an hour or two and satisfy that craving for art.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: You were the first to be “eliminated” . . . but it seems like you are still on the show! Can you tell us more about that? Is <em>Making It</em> trying to change the format of elimination style reality shows?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can’t go into too much detail about it, but it won’t be the last time you’ll see my face on the show.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s not like other reality shows like </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Bachelorette</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> where it’s your love life that gets squashed [after elimination].</span></p> <p><strong>O60: Last but not least, if you had the chance, would you do it again?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Absolutely. I would totally do it again.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making It Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will be returning on Thursday night and challenging the remaining makers to construct their own Happy Place.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Supplied</span></em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

“Prince Charles wasn’t happy”: Royal cake-maker spills on Charles and Diana’s wedding creation

<p>Dave Avery, the man who designed and made Prince Charles and Diana's wedding cake for their big day, has revealed it was the prince who called him to make changes to the design – after Diana had approved it.</p> <p>The head baker of the Royal Naval Cookery School, Avery designed the couple's five-tier fruit cake which stood at 165cm for the July wedding 40 years ago in 1981.</p> <p>Avery, then 37, had been selected to bake the royal wedding cake – an auspicious task but one that he was more than capable of. Avery, now 78, told 9Honey via Zoom from the UK, he still clearly remembers walking into Buckingham Palace for his first meeting with Princess Diana – known at the time as ‘Lady Di.’</p> <p>“I’ll never forget it," says Avery. "She was beautiful. She was very pleasant, very polite, we had a few little chats.”</p> <p>Avery had been given the task of designing the wedding cake and he’d gone to the palace to show his plans to Diana. She had approved the designs with no changes but when Avery arrived back at the Royal Navy Cookery School in Chatham, he received word from the palace that Prince Charles was not happy.</p> <p>"I got a phone call that Prince Charles wasn't happy," says Avery. But thankfully, it wasn't a criticism but rather – something the Prince wanted added.</p> <p>"We hadn't put on the Red Dragon," says Avery. Once we added the Red Dragon symbol of Wales, which was Prince Charles' call sign when he was flying helicopters with the Navy, the Prince was happy.</p> <p>The cake’s design included hand-painted symbols representing Prince Charles' military roles, the Prince of Wales emblem, St Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and Highgrove – one of which took eight hours to complete.</p> <p><strong>How big was this Wedding Cake of the Century?</strong></p> <p>The five-tier cake stood at 165cm and took some time to bake with the bottom tier alone taking Avery 12 hours. As well, Avery used a spirit level and set square to ensure the dimensions were perfect.</p> <p>He was sworn to secrecy during the 14-week process of designing and making the cake and says the pressure was on to get everything perfect: "If there was anything wrong, the whole world would have known about it, not just me," he says.</p> <p>When it came to the baking of the cake, Avery turned to a favourite recipe he had from his mother for a rich fruit cake.</p> <p>"But I had to take things out and add things in to improve it. I had worked on that recipe for up to five years until I got it absolutely perfect."</p> <p>As perfect as it is, Avery says he won’t be sharing this recipe: “I’ve been asked many times, but no,” he adds.</p> <p><strong><em>The Wedding of the Century</em></strong></p> <p>2021 marks 40 years since Prince Charles married Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral on July 29th - a wedding which drew a global television audience of more than 750 million people.</p> <p>A new documentary has been made to mark the occasion which will screen on BritBox Australia, aptly titled <em>Wedding of the Century.</em></p> <p>The original documentary includes remastered footage of the wedding plus never-before-seen interviews with those closely involved in the wedding planning, including the florist and one of the photographers.</p> <p><strong>Was it all successful?</strong></p> <p>After the wedding, Avery received a letter from the new Prince and Princess of Wales saying "how thrilled they were with the cake."</p> <p>They even saved the second tier to use at Prince William's christening on August 4th, 1982. Diana loved Avery's work so much she asked him to make William's first birthday cake, too, "a sponge with nursery rhymes around it.”</p> <p>These days Avery has retired from the Royal Navy after serving for 22 years. He went on to open a cake shop, baking wedding cakes (naturally) before going back into teaching.</p> <p>As Avery says: "It's the wedding of the century, it's the cake of the century.”</p> <p><strong>Image: Getty Images</strong></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Slow-cooked meat pie hack dubbed a "game-changer"

<p>A fan of a slow cooker has surprised others by using it to cook a meat pie, potatoes and mushy peas.</p> <p>Home cook Alison came up with the idea after seeing a similar meal online and posted it to the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/slowcookedwonders" target="_blank">Slow Cooker Wonders</a><span> </span>Facebook group.</p> <p>"Husband's dinner tonight, hope it works!" she wrote.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842268/slow-cooker-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7f3bbd4791454a5faa4d29fa4ff8fd04" /></p> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Many were fascinated by the idea.</p> <p>“I hope this comes out good, it’ll revolutionise teatime,” said one.</p> <p>“I need to know too, please, would be a game changer for me.”</p> <p>Others were surprised by the backlash, as group members were quick to criticise.</p> <p>“Those mushy peas (are) definitely going to run all over the pie lid and potatoes! Good idea if it works, but I would definitely put a few air holes in that pie lid or it might explode,” one group member pointed out.</p> <p>“Why can’t people just be kind? She’s cooking, it’s her husband. Are you eating it? No, her husband is. What’s wrong with experimenting and trying things? Jeez, get a grip,” said one.</p> <p>“The peas will soggy it all and potatoes won’t cook. Intrigued.”</p> <p>Alison did not mention how the meal went or whether her husband enjoyed it.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: Facebook</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Come on ALDI, we need this in Australia NOW

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Australian shoppers<span> </span><span>are seriously missing out </span><span>after discovering an "incredible" feature offered in ALDI stores overseas.</span></p> <p>The German-owned supermarket giant has put other Aussie supermarkets to shame with a contraption that appears to bake bread for you right then and there.</p> <blockquote style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="6851150202527616262"><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ninathegerman" target="_blank" title="@ninathegerman">@ninathegerman</a> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/germanshopping" target="_blank" title="germanshopping">##germanshopping</a> with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/ninathegerman" target="_blank" title="ninathegerman">##ninathegerman</a></p> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-6851150174706764549" target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - ninathegerman">♬ original sound - ninathegerman</a></blockquote> <p>The machine was featured in a TikTok by a German woman who showed off how to use the machine.</p> <p>“So apparently they have this machine where you just press the button and it bakes the bread for you right then and there,” she told viewers.</p> <p>“But remember, if you press the button you have to buy the bread.”</p> <p>Fans were thrilled by the device.</p> <p>“Omg! This is the most amazing thing ever,” one person wrote.</p> <p>“Germany has always been on another level,” another said, while someone else argued: “European countries are so far ahead technologically.”</p> <p>“Wow! How incredible to get freshly baked bread like that,” a third wrote.</p> <p>Some were suspicious about how the machine baked bread that quickly.</p> <p>“For sure they don’t bake it for you when you press the button,” one person said.</p> <p>ALDI has confirmed that there are no plans to introduce a machine in Australia any time soon.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

Our Partners

Over 60

© Copyright 2024 OverSixty.All Rights Reserved.