EDITORAWW FOOD • ISSUE THIRTY FOUR 3
A Letter From Amanda
As I feel a cool
ocean breeze
through my hair
and drift to a
faraway place,
I finally start to
unwind. Sadly,
though, I can’t get
too complacent,
because a new
year, and all that
it entails, is just
around the corner.
For us Downunder,
our annual holidays and New Year
roll into one. Like the calm before
the storm, by late January, the
holidays are a distant memory and
life is back to its crazy pace.
But, while I’m on holiday, I still
dream about food. And, if I’m not
daydreaming about it, I’m either
eating it or preparing it for loved
ones, including my son, Orlando,
who seems to be constantly hungry.
This issue, we feature a holiday
section that brings those daydreams
to life. The outdoor kitchen feature,
page 16, sums up what holiday food
is all about – relaxed eating enjoyed
in the open air.This time of year, too, we are
blessed with the most amazing
fresh produce. Make the most of it
by sharing the flavours with family
and friends. Check out our salads on
page 36 and leafy herbs on page 92,
foodie feasts for all to enjoy.Now that we welcome the
New Year and try to enforce our
resolutions, we also aim to be better
people, eat healthier and get fitter.
So we’ve included recipes along
those lines, such as the ice-cream
sandwiches on page 74. This is ice-
cream with a difference, as it’s low
in both fat and sugar. Great news!
As the year gets into full swing,
we celebrate Australia Day, one
of the best days of the year. For
this proud Aussie, it’s close to my
heart. We all join hands and unite
in peace and harmony, with family,
friends and neighbours, and, of
course, good food. I usually bake
a pavlova (sorry, my Kiwi friends
who wish to claim this as your own);
however, this year, I’m seriously
swayed towards our luscious cover
recipe, that Aussie icon we grew up
with, Vanilla Slice, page 8. But with
a twist – who doesn’t love a good
passionfruit icing drizzle, making
the most of this seasonal fruit? Yum!It’s time for me to watch the
waves, embrace harmony, feel
blessed and daydream about what
amazing food we can all share and
enjoy during 2018.Wishing you all a peaceful New
Year. Love the ones you’re with...