APRIL 2019 – Happy Easter – hope you enjoy a few Easter eggs – well deserved.

Easter Funnies

What happened to the egg when he was tickled too much? He cracked up.

What do you call ten rabbits marching backwards? A receding hareline.

What do you call a sleepy Easter egg? Egg-zosted!

KOMBUSHCA - So what is it, and what's all the fuss about?

Kombucha isn't some new concoction, dreamed up by an ambitious young entrepreneur eager to crack the celebrity chef circuit. It's a bubbly, fermented tea.

Kombucha isn't some new concoction - it's a bubbly, fermented tea that's been popular in many Asian cultures—Chinese, Japanese, Korean—as well as in Russia and Germany, for a long time. It's unclear how ancient it is—it's possible it originated as recently as the 19th century. But it's only recently, with the rising popularity of fermented foods and extravagant claims about their health benefits, that kombucha has found its way into our lives- cafes, shops, supermarkets, restaurants and tea houses.

Sometimes inaccurately called mushroom tea or fungus tea, it's based on a fermenting agent commonly referred to as SCOBY: "symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast." A slab of this admittedly kind of yucky-looking culture is placed in a glass of sweetened black tea to create kombucha. The finished drink is fizzy, acidic and slightly alcoholic. Is it delicious? You be the judge…

Kombucha tea, like many fermented foods, is trending as a key to boost the immune system and reverse the aging process. Kombucha tea is said to contain antioxidants, compounds that block the action of free radicals (activated oxygen molecules that can damage cells). For people who have cancer, proponents claim the tea can improve the body's defenses (especially in the early stages of cancer) by detoxifying the body and enhancing the immune system. After the body has been detoxified, the tea is said to help repair and balance the body and fight off disease”. And since kombucha is a probiotic, , it appears there may be something to the claim that it, like other fermented foods, can be useful in aiding digestion and possibly even help fight minor infections, colds and flu.

What’s on your Bucket List?

What is a bucket list? Simply put, it is a collection of goals, dreams and aspirations that you would like to accomplish within your lifetime. The basic meaning of a bucket list is to keep track of your goals and to take steps to achieving these goals in order to maximize the incredible experiences in your life.

AMAZING EXPERIENCES TO BE HAD!

Here’s 25 ideas to get you thinking…
1. Kiss in the rain
2. Abseil down a Waterfall.
3. Bake a loaf of bread
4. Wash an Elephant
5. Sky Diving
6. Bathe in the Blue Lagoon, Geothermal Spa, Iceland
7. Dive with Sharks
8. Stay in the Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden
9. Hike the inca trail
10. Go to Disneyland
11. Watch a USA Baseball match
12. Bake a Cake and eat the batter!
13. Join a book club
14. Learn Pottery
15. Go to a Nude beach
16. Attend a Yoga Retreat
17. Eat croissants in Paris
18. Drink Sangria in Spain
19. See the Northern Lights
20. Feed the homeless
21. Visit the Tulips in Holland
22. Have some fun at a slip n slide
23. Take a tour of your local city as a tourist
24. Set out to sea on a boat at sunset and sip champagne
25. Weekend away at a winery and a tempting and scrumptious cheese board…..

No-bake chocolate tart

This easy no-bake chocolate tart, inspired by coconut rough, is an egg-cellent Easter treat.

INGREDIENTS

250g packet Arnott's Choc Ripple biscuits
125g unsalted butter, melted
200g milk chocolate, finely chopped
200g dark chocolate, finely chopped, plus extra, melted to decorate
1 cup thickened cream
3 cups shredded coconut, plus extra, to decorate
Easter eggs, to decorate

METHOD

Grease a 3cm-deep, 23cm fluted tart tin. Process biscuits in a food processor until finely crushed. Add butter and process until combined. Press mixture into prepared tin. Place in the fridge while preparing filling.



PERFECT LUNCH FOR GOOD FRIDAY
Salmon with three-herb sauce ravigote



INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup fresh continental parsley leaves, firmly packed, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh dill sprigs, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
30g baby cornichons, finely chopped
1 French shallot, peeled, finely chopped
1 lemon, rind finely grated, juiced
2 tablespoons baby capers, drained
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Pinch caster sugar

185ml (3/4 cup) Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil Light Flavour
1.4kg side of salmon (skin on)
Baby herbs, to serve
Lemon zest, to serve

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 80C/60C fan forced. Position oven rack in centre of oven. Place a 1m piece of baking paper on a large baking tray, allowing the sides to overhang.

Place the parsley, dill, chives, cornichon, shallot, lemon rind, 2 tbs lemon juice, capers, vinegar, mustard, sugar and 165ml of the oil in a bowl. Season and stir well to combine.

Place salmon on the tray in the centre of the baking paper. Drizzle with remaining oil and 1 tbs lemon juice. Season. Fold over the long and short sides of baking paper to enclose. Tie with string at 10cm intervals to secure. Bake for 50-60 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a platter. Spoon over two-thirds of the sauce ravigote. Sprinkle with the herbs and zest. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side

Paprika hasselback potatoes - a perfect side to serve

1kg baby Red Royale potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon thyme sprigs
1/4 cup (20g) finely grated parmesan
Thyme sprigs, extra, to serve

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place 1 potato on a clean work surface. Place a chopstick along each side of the potato. Use a small sharp knife to thinly slice the potato down to the level of the chopsticks at 3mm intervals (this stops you from cutting all the way through). Repeat with the remaining potatoes.

Step 2

Place potatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with paprika and thyme. Season well. Toss to combine. Arrange, cut-side up, in a roasting pan. Roast, turning occasionally, for 35-40 mins or until golden brown and crisp. Step 3

Place the potatoes on a serving platter. Sprinkle with parmesan and extra thyme. Serve immediately.