delicious

Peach, mozzarella & tomato insalata, p 44 Werkstatt Pétillant Naturel Riesling 2024 ($35) “This frisky riesling is a perfect ‘final condiment in the glass’, working like a squeeze of lime to finesse the sweetness of peach, and the savoury mozzarella and tomato.” Lamb arrosticini, p 64 William Downie Pinot Noir 2024 ($30) “The suppleness of this pinot with its cherry juice, rosehip tea and woody spices is an ideal marriage in flavour profiles and texture.” Raspberry & lemon mascarpone loaf, p 110 Pizzini Brachetto 2024 ($25) “Brachetto is a brilliant drink! Lightly fizzy, fruity, but very, very refreshing. Here, the sweet treat finds a friend in a bright palate reset from bubbles and an additional hit of attractive fruitiness.”…

It’s probably no surprise, given the job I’ve been lucky enough to land in, but I’ve never been one for diet culture. Fasting? No thanks. Counting calories? Wouldn’t even know how. But even I find it hard to be sceptical when it comes to the Mediterranean diet – the magical secret that seeds longevity ‘blue zones’ along the coast of a far distant sea. Whenever the long life enjoyed by the people of Ikaria, or the surprising perseverance of Sardinian elders is mentioned, you hear about the same ingredients: olive oil, ocean-fresh seafood, sun-plumped veg and herbs. For me, that’s no diet. That’s a dream menu. For this issue, it was a joy to follow that coastline to delicious horizons: from Italy to Egypt, Palestine, Greece and beyond. The Mediterranean is…

Follow us on social —@deliciousaus #makeitdelicious WHAT YOU’RE LOVING… 1,451 LIKES, 181 COMMENTS This stunning limoncello meringue creation combines the twin joys of cheesecake and lemon meringue pie in one delectable package. Find the recipe at delicious.com.au RECIPE: @aoifenoonan_ PHOTO: @bendearnley STYLING: @berni_1976 LETTER OF THE MONTH… Having just received my Dec/Jan 2024 issue, it gave me pause for reflection. I have now been collecting delicious. for 20 years. Each month, when it arrives in the mail, I work through each issue, earmarking recipes that excite me, then put them into my spreadsheet, organised by occasion, main ingredient, etc – I have 2,283 recipes in my database! My daughter, who is now 25 and living out of home, regularly texts me for recipes she can remember me cooking, so she can cook them herself. delicious. has brought great joy…

Maison Bâtard It took eight long years, but when Chris Lucas’ Maison Bâtard threw open its doors on the top end of Bourke Street late last year, it felt like it had always been there. Over four levels, this ode to French exuberance begins in the basement with moody late-night supper club Le Club, and climbs up to an intimate rooftop terrace where Champagne cocktails are sipped under a mature maple tree. On the ground floor, the signature restaurant delivers lavish dining with a little silver service flair. Magic Apple Wholefoods, Cottesloe. Imbuing a 1970s icon with modern-day sensibility, Magic Apple Wholefoods resurrects an iconic juice bar that started in the Fremantle Markets and grew into an ’80s health food chain. Thanks to Perth hospitality powerhouse George Kailis (Gibney, The Shorehouse) Magic Apple…

EAT THE RAINBOW Add a splash of vibrant colour to your dining table with the Il Mediterraneo collection from Fenton & Fenton, which includes napery and tableware in bold designs and kaleidoscopic hues. fentonandfenton.com.au Spice it up Pep wants you to expect more from your pepper, which is why the new Melbourne start-up sources the freshest, fattest peppercorns from the volcanic soils of Cambodia’s Memot district, for a pepper that’s rich, complex and aromatic. eatpep.com BOXING CLEVER The team behind Sydney’s Barbetta and Cipri Italian restaurants has launched a range of gourmet gift boxes, so you can send the flavours of Italy to loved ones (or yourself), anywhere in Australia. There are 17 boxes to choose from, featuring everything from pasta and passata to wine, limoncello, olives and biscotti. From $75, with nationwide delivery. barbetta.com.au Let’s…

RAISING THE BAR Filipino food is having a moment; propelled in Melbourne by CBD diner Askal and its co-founder John Rivera, who also ushered in the purple ube reign with Kariton Sorbetes. Inuman (Tagalog for ‘drink’), on the Askal rooftop, is the city’s first Filipino cocktail bar. Coconut, hibiscus and even durian lend tropical vibes to drinks, while the snacky menu plays with the cuisine’s love of vinegar, aromatic herbs and chargrilling. INUMAN 167 Exhibition St, [email protected] + THREE MORE VENUES TO VISIT THIS MONTH Bar 1854. Adelaide This self-described ‘suburban speakeasy’ borrows a bit of inspiration from Parisian Champagne bars and a little from late-night Tokyo whisky bars, and puts it in a very Australian setting atop Unley pub The Cremorne Hotel. Along with a line-up of gin and whisky cocktails, the build-your-own margarita menu…