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Jock Zonfrillo's widow pays tribute to her late husband

<p>Jock Zonfrillo's widow Lauren has paid tribute to her late husband with a simple but powerful homage. </p> <p>Up until recently, the marketing expert has been known in a professional capacity by her maiden name Lauren Fried, even after marrying the late chef in January 2017.</p> <p>However, after appearing on ABC's marketing program <em>Gruen</em>, the mother-of-two was introduced as 'Lauren Zonfrillo'. </p> <p>Lauren took to Instagram ahead of her debut on the panel show, sharing behind the scenes footage where she is seen in the ABC's hair and make-up department, with the name 'Lauren Zonfrillo' clearly labelled on her dressing room door. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7QXliXvAqb/?utm_source=ig_embed&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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7QXliXvAqb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lauren Zonfrillo (@laurenzonfrillo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The marketing expert has also changed her name on her LinkedIn, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, profiles.</p> <p>In the days before the one year anniversary of Jock's death, Lauren shared an emotional video to social media explaining how she plans to share Jock's legacy with his fans, saying she wants to focus on posting previously unseen content of the chef.</p> <p>She began by saying how she has been "finding her feet" as a "solo parent" and how her two kids have adjusted after their tragic loss.</p> <p>In the emotional video, she shared, "Next week will be a year since we lost Jock. I have no idea where that time went."</p> <p>"I really did have plans to get more of his projects out but somewhere between trying to find my feet as a solo parent - and just going through long periods of time where I found it really hard to look at videos and photos of Jock - the plan didn't go to plan."</p> <p>She continued, "So now I just want to focus on the work."</p> <p>"I've got hundreds and hundreds of hours of Jock cooking his favourite recipes explaining what vinegar or oil he used in different things, things he discovered on our travels, fun behind-the-scenes stuff, interviews, and it's a part of my life I want to start sharing with everyone again."</p> <p>"The purpose of putting it up is for us to enjoy it, to enjoy Jock, so I hope you do."</p> <p>Jock Zonfrillo was found dead in a hotel in Carlton, near Melbourne's CBD, on April 30th 2023 while Lauren and their two children were in Italy, and his death is still being investigated. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Family & Pets

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"The last one he wore": Jock Zonfrillo’s widow shares heartbreaking funeral detail

<p dir="ltr">Jock Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried has shared another bittersweet update revealing that she wore her husband’s iconic Scottish tartan scarf to his funeral in May.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fried took to Instagram to share a gallery of photos of her late husband wearing the scarf during the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/far-out-i-did-it-masterchef-winner-crowned" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>MasterChef</em> season finale</a>, with a heartbreaking caption.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What a gorgeous man, alway happiest in his kilt,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is the fly plaid (tartan over his shoulder) that I chose to wear to Jock’s funeral, the last one he wore,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many of the <em>MasterChef</em> judge’s celebrity friends took to the comments to show their support.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Missing his smile and energy so much,” commented fellow <em>MasterChef</em> judge Andy Allen, while celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay added a love heart emoji.</p> <p dir="ltr">Season 13 <em>MasterChef</em> contestant Dan Dumbrell also shared a bunch of red love heart emojis.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu3aoIDg99G/?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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu3aoIDg99G/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jock Zonfrillo (posts by Loz) (@zonfrillo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Chantelle Otten, sexologist and girlfriend of Paralympian Dylan Alcott, simply commented: “A beautiful man. A very sad time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans also shared their support and how emotional the final episode of this year’s MasterChef was.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Was extremely emotional, so very moving seeing you wear his tartan on your shoulder carrying your husband's coffin. Wishing you all the courage &amp; strength over the years to come Loz,” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Kept it together for the whole episode... until the video right at the end. I just bawled.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Jock was a shining example of what it can look like when men show their emotions, are empathetic, vulnerable, supportive and inclusive. Much love to you, Jock's family as well as the Masterchef family ❤️🖤” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My heart breaks for you guys Loz. Thank you for being so open with your sharing. Jock’s fans (myself included) are so appreciative. It makes us feel like he’s still here,” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was sobbing watching the last episode. Still can’t believe he’s gone,” commented a fourth.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“Papa activities”: Jock Zonfrillo’s widow shares bittersweet post

<p dir="ltr">The widow of late <em>MasterChef </em>star Jock Zonfrillo has shared a bittersweet post on how she is trying to fill his shoes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Following Zonfrillo’s <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/shattered-hearts-culinary-world-mourns-tragic-death-of-jock-zonfrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passing in Apri</a>l, his wife Lauren Fried has been keeping his Instagram account active to share memories of him, his last projects, and provide updates on how her family is coping.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the most recent post, Fried shared that their young son Alfie had asked her to do some things he had traditionally enjoyed doing with his dad.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Alfie has asked me to do some of his Papa activities with him - making crepes and doing hours of Lego were in his requests,” she wrote in the caption.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I went with the easiest option of a trip to the barber, which the boys used to do together, followed by gelato,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It put a smile on his face which was beautiful.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She shared a series of photos of Alfie getting his haircut and smiling proudly as he showed off the final look. In the last photo, Alfie is pictured with his new haircut and enjoying a scoop of gelato.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CugXCsrPZIO/?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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CugXCsrPZIO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jock Zonfrillo (posts by Loz) (@zonfrillo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Fans have flooded the comment section with their love and support for them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Lovely to see him smiling,” wrote one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So beautiful , Alfie looks so much like his Daddy ♥️” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh bless him. I hope somewhere in all of this ...that you are able to find a moment for you. Take care loz xx,” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So beautiful that you are keeping the memories he shared with his Papa fresh in his mind,” commented a fourth.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Beautiful! What a sweet moment! So nice to see that big smile! So happy this was the first thing to pop up on my insta feed!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Zonfrillo and Fried also have a daughter, Isla together and the late chef also has two adult children, Ava and Sophia, from his previous marriage.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Jock Zonfrillo’s widow shares touching throwback snaps

<p dir="ltr">Lauren Fried has shared a few touching throwback snaps of how sweet and loving her late husband Jock Zonfrillo was.</p> <p dir="ltr">The snaps were posted on Zonfrillo’s Instagram account, which Fried has taken over after she asked his fans on whether it would be appropriate for her to release his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/jock-zonfrillo-s-widow-breaks-silence-over-his-passing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unfinished projects </a>on social media.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a few snaps, Zonfrillo and his six-year-old son Alfie, were pictured spending quality time at a museum.</p> <p dir="ltr">In one photo, the chef could be seen lying on the floor and pointing at the ceiling as his son looked on. In another photo, the father-and-son duo were spotted playfully posing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If Jock had to be at a museum, at least he made it fun,” Fried captioned the series of photos.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fried also posted a short black and white throwback clip of the <em>MasterChef </em>judge beaming as his wife planted a kiss on his cheeks.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>MasterChef</em> judge <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/shattered-hearts-culinary-world-mourns-tragic-death-of-jock-zonfrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed away</a> on May 1, and is survived by his third wife, Fried, and his four children Ava and Sophia, from his first two marriages, and Alfie and two-year-old Isla, with Fried.</p> <p dir="ltr">Zonfrillo’s widow has opened up about how raw her grief still was and recently shared an <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/this-has-broken-me-how-jock-zonfrillo-s-daughter-is-coping-with-the-loss-of-her-dad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emotional snap</a> of how their youngest child, Isla was coping with her father’s death.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Jock Zonfrillo's wife's touching words at private funeral

<p>Late <em>Masterchef</em> judge Jock Zonfrillo has been laid to rest by his loved ones at a private funeral in Sydney. </p> <p>His wife, Lauren Fried, was there with their four children - Eva, Sophie, Alfie, And Isla - as well as other members of the late chef’s family, who had flown in from Scotland and the United States to pay their respects.</p> <p>Zonfrillo’s <em>Masterchef </em>co-hosts Melissa Leong and Andy Allen could also be spotted in pictures that circulated online after the service, alongside the likes of fellow Scot Jimmy Barnes, and chefs George Colombaris, Manu Feidel, Colin Fassnidge, Miguel Maestre, and Matt Moran. </p> <p>Barnes was later joined by his daughter, Mahalia, and the two performed a touching rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’ for the service. </p> <p>Lauren led their small procession of mourners into the chapel, with tartan draped across a shoulder, as an indigenous smoking ceremony took place, and bagpipes were played. Pictures revealed that Zonfrillo’s coffin had been adorned with the Royal Banner of Scotland, and topped with a bouquet of white roses and orchids.</p> <p>It was a heartbreaking scene to witness, but it was Lauren’s words within the chapel that have struck a chord with mourners, as she paid tribute to her late husband. </p> <p>“We are two halves that found each other at the exact moment in life when we were ready,” she said, according to<em> The Daily Mail</em>. “We were ready for that big love to live a life of adventure, to become parents together, to imagine extraordinary things and to actually make them happen.”</p> <p>Zonfrillo’s daughter Ava - one of two from a former relationship - added that “it goes without saying that at the heart of everything you did was family. </p> <p>“And one of the hardest things to accept is that you won’t be here to see ours grow.”</p> <p>And to everyone, they added, “for those who crossed his path and became his mate or were lucky enough to be in this family, keep this proud Scot in your heart when you have your next whisky.”</p> <p>No wake was held after the funeral, with one attendee informing <em>The Daily Mail </em>that “the family just wants it to happen without any of the attention his death has attracted, which has understandably been overwhelming.</p> <p>“They're trying to keep it as personal as they can. It's critical they be given the space to do that.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Tangy apricot Bavarian whip, fried rice medley and bombe Alaska: what Australia’s first food influencer had us cooking

<p>Our food choices are being influenced every day. On social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, food and eating consistently appear on lists of trending topics. </p> <p>Food has eye-catching appeal and is a universal experience. Everyone has to eat. In recent years, viral recipes like <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/02/11/baked-feta-pasta-recipe-tiktok/">feta pasta</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-dalgona-coffee-the-whipped-coffee-trend-taking-over-the-internet-during-coronavirus-isolation-137068">dalgona coffee</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-butter-boards-bad-for-you-an-expert-view-on-the-latest-food-trend-192260">butter boards</a> have taken the world by storm. </p> <p>Yet food influencing is not a new trend. </p> <p>Australia’s first food influencer appeared in the pages of Australia’s most popular women’s magazine nearly 70 years ago. Just like today’s creators on Instagram and TikTok, this teenage cook advised her audience what was good to eat and how to make it.</p> <h2>Meet Debbie, our teenage chef</h2> <p>Debbie commenced her decade-long tenure at the Australian Women’s Weekly in <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4814245">July 1954</a>. We don’t know exactly who played the role of Debbie, which was a pseudonym. Readers were never shown her full face or body – just a set of disembodied hands making various recipes and, eventually, a cartoon portrait.</p> <p>Like many food influencers today, Debbie was not an “expert” – she was a teenager herself. She taught teenage girls simple yet fashionable recipes they could cook to impress their family and friends, especially boys. </p> <p>She shared recipes for <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4925379">tangy apricot Bavarian whip</a>, <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4819441">fried rice medley</a> and <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4807813">bombe Alaska</a>. Debbie also often taught her readers the basics, like <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52249448">how to boil an egg</a>.</p> <p>Just like today, many of her recipes showed the readers step-by-step instructions through images.</p> <h2>Teaching girls to cook (and be ‘good’ women)</h2> <p>Debbie’s recipes first appeared in the For Teenagers section, which would go on to become the Teenagers Weekly lift-out in 1959. </p> <p>These lift-outs reflected a major change taking place in wider society: the idea of “teenagers” being their own group with specific interests and behaviours had entered the popular imagination.</p> <p>Debbie was speaking directly to teenage girls. Adolescents are still forming both their culinary and cultural tastes. They are forming their identities.</p> <p>For the Women’s Weekly, and for Debbie, cooking was deemed an essential attribute for women. Girls were seen to be “<a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4818166">failures</a>” if they couldn’t at least “cook a baked dinner”, “make real coffee”, “grill a steak to perfection”, “scramble and fry eggs” and “make a salad (with dressing)”. </p> <p>In addition to teaching girls how to cook, Debbie also taught girls how to catch a husband and become a good wife, a reflection of cultural expectations for women at the time. </p> <p>Her <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4920059">macaroon trifle</a>, the Women’s Weekly said, was sure to place girls at the top of their male friends’ “matrimony prospect” list!</p> <h2>Food fads and fashions</h2> <p>Food fads usually reflect something important about the world around us. During global COVID lockdowns, we saw a rise in <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-historical-roots-of-your-lockdown-sourdough-obsession-137528">sourdough bread-making</a> as people embraced carbohydrate-driven nostalgia in the face of anxiety.</p> <p>A peek at Debbie’s culinary repertoire can reveal some of the cultural phenomena that impacted Australian teenagers in the 1950s and ‘60s. </p> <p>Debbie embraced teenage interest in rock'n'roll culture from the early 1960s, the pinnacle of which came at the height of Beatlemania. </p> <p>The Beatles toured Australia in June 1964. To help her teenage readers celebrate their visit, Debbie wrote an editorial on how to host a <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48077701">Beatles party</a>. </p> <p>She suggested the party host impress their friends by making “Beatle lollipops”, “Ringo Starrs” (decorated biscuits) and terrifying-looking “Beatle mop-heads” (cakes with chocolate hair).</p> <p><a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55185376">A few months later</a>, she also shared recipes for “jam butties” (or sandwiches, apparently a “<a href="https://slate.com/culture/2013/03/the-beatles-and-the-mersey-beat-in-the-latest-blogging-the-beatles-how-the-beatles-popularized-the-sound-of-liverpool.html">Mersey</a> food with a Mersey name”) and a “Beatle burger”. </p> <p>We can also see the introduction of one of <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/italian/en/article/spag-bol-how-australians-adopted-a-classic-italian-recipe-and-made-it-their-own/9ogvr96ea">Australia’s most beloved dishes</a> in Debbie’s recipes. </p> <p>In 1957, she showed her teen readers how to make a new dish – <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48076527">spaghetti bolognaise</a> – which had first appeared in the magazine <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46465023">five years prior</a>. </p> <p>Debbie was influencing the youth of Australia to enthusiastically adopt (and adapt) Italian-style cuisine. It stuck. While the recipe may have evolved, in 2012, Meat and Livestock Australia <a href="https://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/marketing-beef-and-lamb/last-nights-dinner.pdf">reported</a> that 38% of Australian homes ate “spag bol” at least once a week.</p> <p>Our food influences today may come from social media, but we shouldn’t forget the impact early influencers such as Debbie had on young people in the past.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/tangy-apricot-bavarian-whip-fried-rice-medley-and-bombe-alaska-what-australias-first-food-influencer-had-us-cooking-199987" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Try this deep-fried salt and pepper octopus

<p>Time to prepare 40 mins | Cooking Time 2 mins | Serves 6</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Never cooked octopus at home? Try this easy entrée recipe today!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Deep-frying, when done properly, is a great way to cook seafood. It’s fast, cooking most foods in a few minutes, it quickly seals the food’s surface, locking in flavour and moisture and it adds appealing crunch, colour and aroma.</span></p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1kg baby octopus, cleaned and cut into small pieces </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 tablespoons fish sauce </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 tablespoons lemon juice </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 tablespoons salt flakes, crushed </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 tablespoon crushed white peppercorns </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 cups tapioca starch </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vegetable oil, for deep-frying</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Place octopus, fish sauce and lemon juice in a bowl and marinate for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.</p> <p>2. Place chilli, coriander, salt, pepper and cornflour in a large freezer bag, add the octopus and shake well to coat. Place octopus in a colander and shake well to remove excess flour.</p> <p>3. Heat oil in a wok or deep-fryer to 190ºC. Add octopus and cook for 1-2 minutes, until crisp and tender.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alternative species: Calamari, cuttlefish, squid, green prawns (peeled and deveined).  </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Season: Available year round. </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">To Buy: When purchasing fresh whole Octopus look for intact bright skin, intact head and arms, and a pleasant fresh sea smell. </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">To Store: Make sure Octopus is gutted and cleaned thoroughly. Wrap in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months below -18ºC.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Republished with permission of </span><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/deep-fried-salt-and-pepper-octopus.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wyza.com.au.</span></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Hot and spicy stir-fried duck

<p>Lightly dusted with Chinese five-spice, this tasty duck breast is stir-fried with a little honey, pear and fresh Asian greens to make a modern Asian lunch or dinner. It can be served as part of a shared meal with your favourite noodles or steamed rice on the side.</p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> 4<br /><strong>Preparation:</strong> 15 minutes<br /><strong>Cooking:</strong> 10 minutes</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>400 g (14 oz) skinless, boneless duck breasts, trimmed of fat</li> <li>2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice</li> <li>2 tablespoons sunflower oil</li> <li>4 small onions, thinly sliced</li> <li>4 small celery stalks, thinly sliced, plus a few leaves, to garnish</li> <li>1 firm pear, peeled, cored and diced</li> <li>1½ cups (230 g) sliced canned water chestnuts</li> <li>1 tablespoon honey</li> <li>¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar or sherry vinegar</li> <li>1 tablespoon salt-reduced soy sauce</li> <li>2⅔ cups (200 g) shredded bok choy</li> <li>1½ cups (135 g) bean sprouts, trimmed</li> </ul> <p><strong>Preparation</strong></p> <ol> <li>Cut the duck breasts into thin strips and sprinkle over the five-spice to coat.</li> <li>Set aside.</li> <li>Heat the sunflower oil in a wok or heavy-based frying pan over high heat and swirl to coat the base and side.</li> <li>Add the duck pieces and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the onions and celery and stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until softened.</li> <li>Add the pear and water chestnuts and stir well to combine.</li> <li>Add the honey, vinegar and soy sauce to the wok and heat through.</li> <li>When the liquid is bubbling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for a further 2 minutes.</li> <li>Increase the heat to high, then add the bok choy and bean sprouts, and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until the bok choy has just wilted.</li> <li>Divide the duck and vegetables among serving plates and serve immediately, garnished with celery leaves.</li> </ol> <p><em>This recipe first appeared in <span><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/spicy-stir-fried-duck">Reader’s Digest</a></span>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <span><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V">here’s our best subscription offer</a></span>.</em></p> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

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The secret that makes KFC’s fried chicken so crunchy

<p>Not all fried chicken is created equal.<br /><br />Below, KFC's secret recipe to drumstick perfection is revealed.</p> <div class="view view-article-slider view-id-article_slider view-display-id-article_slider_block view-dom-id-dd28f7ccf28aa8571c06db372d2237a1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>Make crispy chicken. Never leave the house again</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Nothing says comfort food quite like a bucket of fried chicken.</p> <p>But few places do it better than the aptly-named Kentucky Fried Chicken, especially when paired with creamy mashed potatoes and a buttery biscuit.</p> <p>What sets Kentucky Fried Chicken apart from the rest? It’s how crispy they’re able to make their chicken.</p> <p>Now, you can recreate KFC’s secret recipe at home by following the steps below.</p> <p>We bet you won’t even be able to taste a difference.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>Break out the 11 secret herbs and spices</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>To really nail the traditional flavor of Kentucky Fried Chicken, it’s all about their 11-spice seasoning blend.</p> <p>Combine KFC’s secret recipe for its breading with two cups of flour to thoroughly coat your chicken pieces after dipping in an egg and milk wash.</p> <p>2/3 tablespoon salt<br />3 tablespoons white pepper<br />1 tablespoon black pepper<br />1/2 tablespoon basil<br />1 tablespoon celery salt<br />1 tablespoon dried mustard<br />2 tablespoons garlic salt<br />1 tablespoon ground ginger<br />1/3 tablespoon oregano<br />4 tablespoons paprika<br />1/2 tablespoon thyme</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>Fry immediately</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Some insist that you should let the coated chicken sit before frying.</p> <p>Not at KFC—their rule is “from flour to fryer.”</p> <p>If the chicken is left to sit, the breading will soften for a less-than-crispy result and the skin will fall off the chicken too easily.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>All about the fryer</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>KFC swears by high temperature, industrial-strength pressure fryers for their extra-crispy skin.</p> <p>While you won’t be able at deep fry with your at home pressure cooker, you can still recreate the KFC crunch with a deep fryer, a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.</p> <p>Simply heat your oil to 350 or 360 degrees and leave each piece in for exactly 12 minutes.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>The real secret ingredient</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>According to Ron Douglas, author of <em>America’s Most Wanted Recipes</em>, the real key to the perfect crispy texture is one thing: Accent, which is monosodium glutamate (MSG) flavour enhancer.</p> <p>You can add this into your seasoning mix before breading or sprinkle it on the chicken after frying.</p> <p>Regardless, it’s a must.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>Take a rest</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Biting into a piece of chicken right out of the fryer isn’t the smartest idea.</p> <p>At Kentucky Fried Chicken, they “hold” the chicken in an oven set to 175 degrees for about 20 minutes according to a former employee.</p> <p>This allows the chicken to finish cooking while keeping it warm and the skin crunchy.</p> <p>Do the same by holding your fried chicken in a warm oven for a few minutes.</p> <p>Even if you follow the above step by step, cracking the crispy skin code may be difficult to do at home.</p> <p>That’s because the texture we all love and crave is largely due to their method of cooking - and if you don’t have a restaurant-grade pressure fryer, it can be tough to recreate.</p> <p>However, using KFC’s secret recipe along with a deep fryer can still have delicious results.</p> <p><em>Written by <span>Amanda Tarlton</span>. This article first appeared in </em><span><em><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/kitchen-tips/secret-makes-kfcs-fried-chicken-so-crunchy">Reader’s Digest</a></em></span><em>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><span><em><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></em></span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Food & Wine

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Egg fried rice

<p>You can eat this dish by itself or as an accompaniment to meat and vegetable dishes.</p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> 4</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 cups (400g) long-grain white rice</li> <li>2 tablespoons vegetable oil</li> <li>4 eggs, beaten</li> <li>250g (8oz) slices rindless bacon (bacon strips), trimmed and chopped</li> <li>3 carrots, diced</li> <li>8 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced</li> <li>2 cloves garlic, crushed</li> <li>1½ cups (200g) frozen baby peas</li> <li>250g (8oz) raw prawns (uncooked shrimp), peeled and deveined</li> <li>2 cups (180g) bean sprouts, trimmed</li> <li>3 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce</li> <li>3 tablespoons sake or dry sherry</li> <li>3 tablespoons mirin or 1 teaspoon honey</li> <li>1 tablespoon sesame oil</li> </ul> <p><strong>Preparation:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Put the rice into a large saucepan with 3 cups (750ml) water and 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil.</li> <li>Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked.</li> <li>Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.</li> <li>Add the eggs and swirl the wok to make a thin omelette.</li> <li>Cook the eggs until set.</li> <li>Remove to a plate, cool and thinly slice.</li> <li>Add the remaining oil to the wok and cook the bacon over medium heat until cooked through.</li> <li>Add the carrots, reduce the heat and cook for 2 minutes.</li> <li>Add the spring onions, garlic and peas and cook for a further 2 minutes.</li> <li>Add the prawns to the wok, turn up the heat, and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they start to turn pink and are cooked through, then add the bean sprouts and toss well to combine.</li> <li>Add the rice and egg to the wok, then pour in the soy sauce, sake, mirin and sesame oil and mix well to combine and coat the rice.</li> <li>Stir-fry over high heat for a further 5 minutes, or until the mixture is dry.</li> <li>Serve immediately.</li> </ol> <p><em>This article first appeared in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/egg-fried-rice">Reader’s Digest.</a></strong></span> For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestsubscribe?utm_source=readersdigest&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;keycode=WRA85S"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>offer</strong></span></a>.</em></p>

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Why McDonald's changed its French fries recipe

<p>A glaring report has found why McDonald’s French fries don’t taste as good as they once did back in the 90s.</p> <p>Canadian journalist Malcolm Gladwell hosts a podcast called <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/19-mcdonalds-broke-my-heart" target="_blank">Revisionist History</a></strong></span>, which looks at all things overlooked and misunderstood.</p> <p>He dug deep to investigate why McDonald’s changed its recipe to create a product that “tastes like cardboard”, Gladwell said.</p> <p>“They made the world’s greatest French Fry. Then they threw it away,” he said on his podcast.</p> <p>Gladwell's sleuthing takes him back to when McDonald’s changed their recipe for French fries on July 23, 1990. And the fast food chain hasn’t looked back.</p> <p>It’s all thanks to a man called Phil Sokolof, an American crusader whose heart attack in 1966 “turned him into a national evangelist of a low-cholesterol diet,” according to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/17/us/phil-sokolof-82-a-crusader-against-cholesterol-is-dead.html?_r=0" target="_blank">The </a><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/17/us/phil-sokolof-82-a-crusader-against-cholesterol-is-dead.html?_r=0" target="_blank">New York Times</a>.</strong></span></p> <p>After a heart attack at 43, the businessman spent $3 million of his own money financing newspaper ads condemning fast food chains like McDonald’s for poisoning America.</p> <p>He founded the National Heart Savers Association in 1985 and convinced McDonald’s to produce a low-fat, low-cholesterol hamburger in 1991.</p> <p>“I can’t say we’re going to tear down the golden arches by the year 2000,” Mr. Sokolof told The New York Times in 1990, “but I am confident that by the year 2000 they are going to be serving more healthful food.”</p> <p>At the time, McDonald’s was cooking its French fries in beef tallow, an animal fat.</p> <p>After Sokolof put out a full-page ad attacking the chain, headlined “the poisoning of America”, accusing McDonald’s of selling fries loaded in fat, McDonald's had to act. </p> <p>Although the chain denied the claim, it finally gave in on July 23, 1990 and changed the oil the fries are cooked in, thereby completely changing its taste.</p> <p>Gladwell explained that by changing the fat, described as “Formula 47”, McDonald’s changed everything about the fry.</p> <p>“They went from frying them in beef tallow to frying them in some combination of vegetable oil,” Gladwell explained.</p> <p>“And as you dig into this, what you realise is that that is not an inconsequential move. It’s not like when you’re frying an egg where it doesn’t really matter what you fry it in. A fried egg is a fried egg.</p> <p>“A French fry is a combination of a potato and some kind of cooking element. The thing you fry it in becomes a constituent part of the fry.”</p> <p>But as it turns out, they were wrong.</p> <p>“It turns out to be false that vegetable oil is healthier for you than beef tallow,” Gladwell said. “So not only did they destroy the French fry, they gave us something that was worse for us from a health perspective. So everything about it was a mistake.</p> <p>“If they had any balls at all, they would turn around and say, ‘We were wrong, and we’re going back to fries the old way,’” he said.</p> <p>What do you think of McDonald's fries? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

Food & Wine

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Are sweet potato fries better for you than regular hot chips?

<p>Sweet potato fries have been touted as healthier for you than regular hot chips – but are they really better for you?</p> <p>Although sweet potatoes are more nutritious than you than the white spud, containing more vitamin A and has a lower glycemic index, if you’re eating sweet potato fries at a restaurant or pub than they’re not any better for you.</p> <p>You see these sweet potatoes chips have still been deep fried and cooked in oil, rendering them just as bad as the regular hot chip.</p> <p>Lauren McGuckin, accredited practising dietitian and spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia, told 9Coach, “Sweet potato fries are no healthier than regular fries if they’re deep fried and/or cooked in oil and coated in salt. The preparation method is the key.”</p> <p>However, there’s a way to enjoy a healthier version of the sweet potato chips if you cook them at home in the oven.</p> <p>“Try baking sweet potato chips in the oven with a light spray of olive oil and seasoning with fresh herbs such as rosemary for a much healthier alternative,” McGuckin suggests.</p> <p>Try one of our delicious recipes today:</p> <ul> <li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2017/05/sweet-potato-fries-lime-coriander-sauce/">Sweet potato oven fries with lime coriander dipping sauce</a></span></strong></li> <li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/03/spiced-sweet-potato-chips/">Spiced sweet potato chips</a></span></strong></li> </ul>

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Are sweet potato fries better for you than regular hot chips?

<p>Sweet potato fries have been touted as healthier for you than regular hot chips – but are they really better for you?</p> <p>Although sweet potatoes are more nutritious than you than the white spud, containing more vitamin A and has a lower glycemic index, if you’re eating sweet potato fries at a restaurant or pub than they’re not any better for you.</p> <p>You see these sweet potatoes chips have still been deep fried and cooked in oil, rendering them just as bad as the regular hot chip.</p> <p>Lauren McGuckin, accredited practising dietitian and spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia, told 9Coach, “Sweet potato fries are no healthier than regular fries if they’re deep fried and/or cooked in oil and coated in salt. The preparation method is the key.”</p> <p>However, there’s a way to enjoy a healthier version of the sweet potato chips if you cook them at home in the oven.</p> <p>“Try baking sweet potato chips in the oven with a light spray of olive oil and seasoning with fresh herbs such as rosemary for a much healthier alternative,” McGuckin suggests.</p> <p>Try one of our delicious recipes today:</p> <ul> <li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2017/05/sweet-potato-fries-lime-coriander-sauce/">Sweet potato oven fries with lime coriander dipping sauce</a></span></strong></li> <li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/03/spiced-sweet-potato-chips/">Spiced sweet potato chips</a></span></strong></li> </ul>

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Pineapple quinoa fried rice

<p>This pineapple quinoa fried rice is a healthy take on a classic making for the perfect accompaniment with your next BBQ lunch.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 2</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tablespoon olive oil</li> <li>2 eggs</li> <li>6 large green prawns, peeled</li> <li>1 cup pineapple chunks</li> <li>1 carrot, julienned</li> <li>2 sprigs spring onion</li> <li>2 tablespoons tamari</li> <li>1 tablespoon fish sauce</li> <li>1/4 cup cashews</li> <li>2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (see note below)</li> <li>1 cup cooked and cooled brown rice (see note below)</li> <li>2 teaspoons sesame seeds</li> <li>2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped roughly</li> <li>Red long chilli, sliced finely, to serve</li> </ul> <p>Note: Use leftover rice that has been refrigerated, or for a speedy version look for pre-cooked quinoa and rice pouches. Freshly cooked, hot rice will make a too-sticky, glue-like texture in your fried rice.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Heat a tablespoon oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat.</li> <li>Crack in the egg and scramble.</li> <li>Transfer the cooked egg out onto a plate.</li> <li>Wipe the pan clean, return to medium-high heat and add one tablespoon oil.</li> <li>Add the prawns and cook for one to two minutes on each side or until they’ve turned opaque and light pink. Transfer to the plate.</li> <li>Return the pan to the heat and add the pineapple.</li> <li>Cook for two to three minutes, stirring, until the pineapple begins to caramelise a little.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium, add carrot, spring onion, tamari and fish sauce, stir quickly.</li> <li>Add quinoa and rice and stir-fry until they are mixed in well and warmed through.</li> <li>Return the egg and prawns to the mix and sprinkle the lot with sesame seeds, fresh coriander and chilli to serve.</li> </ol> <p>Are you a fan of fried rice?</p> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of <a href="http://www.aussiepineapples.com.au/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Australian Pineapples</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p>

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Sweet potato oven fries with lime coriander dipping sauce

<p>Oven-baked sweet potato fries sing with a zingy lime dipping sauce. It’s the perfect game-day snack. You just might need to double the recipe.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <p><em>For the fries</em></p> <ul> <li>1 large sweet potato, about 650 g, peeled and cut into chips, about 1 cm thick</li> <li>2 tablespoons polenta</li> <li>1 teaspoon sea salt</li> <li>½ teaspoon smoked paprika, or use ground cumin</li> <li>½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li> <li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li> </ul> <p><em>For the dipping sauce</em></p> <ul> <li>125 ml mayonnaise</li> <li>½ small garlic clove, finely chopped</li> <li>2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves</li> <li>3 teaspoons lime juice</li> <li>½ teaspoon grated lime zest</li> <li>½ teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce, or to taste</li> <li>½ teaspoon sea salt</li> <li>¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol start="1"> <li>Put the sweet potato chips in a large mixing bowl, cover with cold water and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain the sweet potatoes in a colander, then tip them onto paper towel to dry. Blot any remaining visible moisture with paper towel.</li> <li>Preheat the oven to 210°C. Adjust the oven racks so there is one at the top of the oven and one at the bottom. Put 2 baking trays in the oven to heat.</li> <li>In a small mixing bowl, whisk or stir the polenta, sea salt, paprika and pepper until combined.</li> <li>In a large mixing bowl, toss the sweet potato chips in the oil until each chip is coated. Tip the polenta/spice mix over the chips and toss well, until all the chips are well coated.</li> <li>Remove the baking trays from the oven and line with baking paper. Spread half of the chips on each tray, making sure there is plenty of room between the chips. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the chips and rotate the trays. Bake until the edges of the chips are turning dark, about 15–20 minutes more.</li> <li>Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, garlic, coriander, lime juice, lime zest, Tabasco, salt and pepper.</li> <li>To serve, place the fries on a plate with the dipping sauce in a small dish on the side.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> use orange sweet potato. </p> <p><img width="182" height="171" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36509/image__182x171.jpg" alt="Image_ (276)" style="float: right;"/></p> <p><em>This is an edited extract from </em>The Potato Cookbook<em> by Dale Whybrow published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $24.99 and is available in stores nationally. Image credit: Ben Cole.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, </strong></em><strong>The Way Mum Made It</strong><em><strong>, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a></span>.</strong></em></p>

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Stir-fried curry of beef with wild ginger, snake beans and holy basil

<p>Transport your tastebuds to Asia with this delicious and flavoursome stir-fried curry of beef with wild ginger, snake beans and holy basil.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">:</span></strong> 4</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tablespoons vegetable oil</li> <li>500 g beef fillet or similar, cut into stir fry strips</li> <li>3 tablespoons Prik King Curry paste</li> <li>3 tablespoons fish sauce</li> <li>2 tablespoons dark palm sugar</li> <li>2 tablespoons water</li> <li>6 kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn</li> <li>1–2 tablespoons wild ginger (krachai), shredded</li> <li>200 g snake beans, cut into 2½ cm lengths</li> <li>1 cup holy basil (or Thai or sweet basil)</li> <li>2 large red chillies, deseeded and julienned</li> <li>Steamed jasmine rice, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Heat the oil until smoking then add up to half the beef fillet. Stir fry over high heat just until the meat starts to colour. Remove the beef to a plate and repeat for the rest of the beef making sure that the beef does not stew in its juices. Once all the beef is cooked, put back in the pan with the red curry paste.</li> <li>Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, water, lime leaves and wild ginger.</li> <li>Stir fry until the sugar and fish sauce combine.</li> <li>Add the snake beans, basil and red chilli. Stir fry briefly, about 30 seconds, until the basil wilts. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with steamed jasmine rice.</li> </ol> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tips:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li>When stir frying quality beef over 300 g, it is best to stir fry in 2 batches, rather than risk ‘stewing’ the meat in the juices that can come out of the beef if the pan is too crowded.</li> <li>In this recipe, substitute the snake beans with green beans if you wish.</li> <li>Krachai, or wild ginger, is also called ‘lesser galangal’ andsometimes called ‘kachai’. This member of the ginger familygives a subtle spicy flavour and works well with seafood. Ithas a light brown skin and yellow interior. It can be difficultto buy fresh, but you can buy it pickled in brine. The bestbrand is called ‘Cock’ imported from Thailand.</li> </ul> <p><em><img width="185" height="210" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34543/spirit-house_frontcover_hr_185x210.jpg" alt="Spirit House _frontcover _HR (5)" style="float: right;"/></em></p> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of Spirit House The Cookbook by Helen Brierty &amp; Annette Fear, published by <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.newhollandpublishers.com/" target="_blank">New Holland Publishers</a></strong></span>, RRP $49.99, available from all good bookstores or online.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a></span>.</strong></em></p>

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Chinese fried rice

<p>Quick, easy, and (most importantly) delicious, this Chinese fried rice is the perfect dish to whip up for an easy midweek meal. Try it yourself tonight!</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> Four</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>1 1/2 cups white long-grain rice</li> <li>1 tablespoon vegetable oil</li> <li>2 eggs, lightly beaten</li> <li>400g small cooked school prawns, peeled and devein</li> <li>150g cooked chicken, sliced</li> <li>1/4 cup AYAM Light Soy Sauce</li> <li>2 teaspoons AYAM Chilli Sauce (Hot)</li> <li>1 teaspoon AYAM Pure Sesame Oil</li> <li>1 clove garlic, crushed</li> <li>2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger</li> <li>2 green onions, chopped</li> <li>1 tablespoon lemon juice</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet.</li> <li>Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying-pan over medium heat, add the eggs and cook until just set, remove.</li> <li>Add the prawns and chicken and stir-fry until hot. Add the soy sauce, chilli sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, green onion and lemon juice and stir to combine.</li> <li>Add the rice and stir-fry until hot. Slice the egg and serve.</li> </ol> <p>Mmm, doesn’t that sound like a great dish! What other dishes are in your mid-week meal repertoire? Share in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of <a href="http://www.ayam.com.au/store/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ayam Australia.</span></strong></a></em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/11/cauliflower-fried-rice/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Cauliflower fried rice</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2014/12/simple-fried-rice/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Simple fried rice</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/%20http:/www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/04/quinoa-fried-rice/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Quinoa fried rice</strong></em></span></a></p>

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