Shades of Cinnamon - From Africa To Beyond… Recipes, Food, Photography & Lifestyle

Yogurt Bavarois with Grapes

My reasons and joy for travelling are manyfold, and one of them being the inspiration that I get for new ideas and trends in the world of food. For me there is nothing to beat the exhilarating feeling when experiencing new foods, smells and tastes during my travels. It is no secret that my love for Italy is overflowing – I love her people, her language, the beautiful towns and cities steeped in history and most of all her food. My bookshelf is filling up with Italian cookbooks, which I have been drooling over and translating until well into the night. This simple Yogurt Bavarois with grapes or “Bavaresi allo yogurt cereali e uva“, is just one of the beautiful recipes I came across in Italy, and I couldn’t wait to recreate it when I got home.

October 14, 2016

October is Pumpkin Month

As we experience the last cold weather here in South Africa before Summer arrives, it seemed appropriate to take advantage of the beautiful pumpkins that are filling our grocery shelves. Our normal limited choice of traditional pumpkins has suddenly given way to pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, and I couldn’t resist these little beauties. Pumpkins go hand in hand with the month of October, Halloween, and falling leaves, and to mark these occasions for my friends in the Northern Hemisphere, and for those of us in South Africa dressed in our Winter woolies, here are two recipes to keep our hearts and tummies warm. Continue Reading

October 5, 2016

Truffle Hunting in Tuscany

It was a perfect day in Florence as Michelle and I headed out into the Tuscan countryside, for truffle hunting, and wine tasting . Hilary, our vivacious guide and sommelier extraordinaire, drove us in true Italian style, racing through the busy streets of the city, dodging scooters and tourists, and up the winding hills into the beautiful countryside. Lush green hills interlaced with vineyards, forests and olive groves sped past us as we made our way to San Miniato, a hillside village in the Arno Valley where we were to start our truffle hunting experience.

September 27, 2016

15 Minute Almond Shortbread

I’ve been playing around with some flavourings and decided that a little hint of almond, subtle but distinct, would be just the thing for this easy shortbread. These are flaky and melt in your mouth delicious, so if you want a quick easy shortbread that takes 5 minutes to mix up and 10 minutes to cook, these babies are for you. Although not made like traditional shortbread, I promise you it tastes just as delicious . If almond isn’t your thing though, it is just as tasty with vanilla essence as a replacement. Continue Reading

September 7, 2016

5 Healthy Breakfasts we should be eating

Purple means Plums, Blackberries, Blueberries, , Acai and all things good and healthy. When you see these beautiful colourful fruits on your plate, you just know your meal is going to be overflowing with health and goodness. Here are 5 tasty breakfast ideas from around the net to make your weekend as bright as it should be.

August 26, 2016

Roasted Pumpkin, Parmesan and Basil Muffins

I’ve always had a soft spot for muffins. There are not too many that I would turn my nose up to, in fact sweet or savoury, they press all the right buttons for me. I always triple test my recipes before putting them up on the blog, but I have made these delicious Savoury Roasted Pumpkin, Parmesan and Basil Muffins more times than I can count. They are absolutely delicious , try them, you won’t be sorry.

August 12, 2016

Simply Delicious a cookbook by Zola Nene

Simply Delicious – Zola Nene

‘Food has always been a huge part of my life; important occasions were always marked with a feast of some sort…’ this book chronicles my food journey thus far – how it started and what has shaped me into the chef I am today.’

Extracted from Simply Delicious by Zola Nene (Struik Lifestyle)

August 4, 2016

Malva Pudding – South African Dessert

This dessert says “South African” like no other and is comfort food at its very best. Every South African cook has a variation of this pudding in at least one of their cookbooks. Overflowing with sweetness, this apricot flavoured spongy cake-like dessert is worth every single calorie. And believe me, you will be going back for more. It’s just one of those desserts that makes you throw caution to the wind and forget about those jeans that are already too tight. Tomorrow is another day for dieting, unless of course there are left overs, because this amazing pudding is delicious heated up the next day too.

July 26, 2016

Supper Club

Four friends plus a supper club that has been going for over twenty five years adds up to an incredible amount of meals cooked together and shared with love. We’ve had loads of fun and laughter, sampled many bottles of wine, and eaten some spectacular meals. This is our latest meal cooked from the beautiful cookbook JAN – A Breath of French Air. Continue Reading

July 12, 2016

Crunchies – A South African Favourite

When I orginally started my blog it was for the sole purpose of keeping a record of all my recipes for my children who live around the world. My mother’s recipes have always remained very close to my heart, as I lost her in my teenage years. Although there are only a few, I feel they are a way of keeping her memory alive. Continue Reading

July 6, 2016

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