Australian House & Garden 55H&G SUMMER SORTED
Styling by Ashley Pratt (73). Photography by Will Horner (73), John Paul Urizar (74, 82), Getty Images (69, 85), William Meppem/bauersyndication.com.au (86).
(^83) | Cook a perfect steak every time
by following these three simple rules:
When selecting a steak, look for cuts
of uniform thickness.
Remove meat from the fridge 10
minutes prior to cooking to allow
the muscle fi bres to relax.
Brush the steak, not the grill, with
oil and season both sides.
(^84) | Acquaintances will quickly become
friends with the help of Kikki.K’s
Cute Conversation Starters ($10/pack
of 50). Call (03) 9645 6346 or go to
http://www.kikki-k.com.
(^82) | Elevate a carafe of tap water by
adding fruit, herbs or even vegies. Slice
them paper thin – think ribbons of
cucumber, medallions of lime and
clusters of mint or berries. Alternatively,
try a charcoal stick (binchotan) for an
elegant sculptural look that purifi es your
water too. Kishu binchotan, $19/110g;
http://www.amasia.com.au.
90 | A group of white
or coloured tapers in
a sturdy ceramic plant
pot is an e ective
alternative to pillar
candles. Take a look at
Queen B’s range of
slimline taper candles;
(02) 9957 1668 or
http://www.queenb.com.au. (^) >
87 PLAY IT AGAIN
Chef and avid entertainer
Guillaume Brahimi makes a
mix tape for every occasion.
These are his go-to tracks:
I Got You, Jack Johnson
Summer Sun, Koop
Quelqu’un M’a Dit,
Carla Bruni
Get Lucky, Da Punk
Candela, Buena Vista
Social Club
Smooth, Carlos Santana
& Rob Thomas
Better Together, Rhythms
del Mundo & Jack Johnson.
85 | When it comes to garnishes, chef James Viles from
Biota Dining in Bowral, NSW, makes a beeline for
the garden. “Pea flowers (right) and yarrow flowers
look beautiful and add an extra dimension to simple
dishes. For a garnish with bite, try radish pods.”
(^86) | Protect your spread from pesky fl ies with a pretty food
cover, cloche or even a length of muslin draped over the table.
(^89) | Labelling drinks
is a good idea at large
gatherings. Keep things
stylish with strips of pretty
fabric tied around the glass
stems, or place a pile of old
stamps in a lovely dish for
guests to stick on their glasses.
88 SUMMER WINES
Michael Gray from Monster
Kitchen and Bar nominates
his fave drops from the ACT:
2014 Nick O’Leary Riesling
2014 Clonakilla
Viognier Nouveau
2013 Collector Tiger
Tiger Chardonnay.