Soba noodles are long, flat thin Japanese buckwheat noodles from Asian food stores and major supermarkets. Note

The only spider you'll ever want to drink.

Roasting the tomatoes concentrates the flavour, which goes well with pumpkin. Serve the salad warm. Note

Sandwiches can be made up to two hours before the picnic. Note

Originally a French dish, this potato is all the better with rich and delicious caramelised onion.

You will need about 3 limes for this recipe. Note

Dried lavender is available from gourmet food stores and cake decorating stores. Note

Soupe au pistou is a Provencal minestrone served with a good dollop of basil pesto.

A simple but delectable roasted capsicum soup with fried provolone polenta.

You need two oranges for this recipe – one for the salad and one for the juice. You can substitute fresh baby beetroot with canned baby beets, or the chicken with pork fillet or salmon, if you like. Note

Ginger wine, a beverage that is 14% alcohol by volume, has the piquant taste of fresh ginger.You can substitute it with dry (white) vermouth, if you prefer. Any type or combination of glace fruit can be used in this recipe. Note

Exquisite and delicious Asian-style marinated duck with peppered strawberries from Australian Women's Weekly.

We used large, 25cm diameter, packaged pizza bases for this recipe. Note

A perfect summer dish of barbecued sausages with tomato relish.

Authentic Japanese red miso sauce, also known as akamiso, from Australian Women's Weekly.

Ask your fishmonger to butterfly the sardines. It is correct that the sardines are not cooked in this recipe. Note

Seasoned flour is plain flour with added seasonings of choice such as salt, pepper, mustard, herbs. Note

You may use any type of mushrooms for this recipe, we used a combination of oyster, swiss brown, shiitake and button mushrooms. Note

To get ½ cup of pomegranate pulp, use a medium pomegranate. To remove the pulp, cut pomegranate in half, then hit the back of the fruit with a wooden spoon ­ the seeds usually fall out easily; if not, dig them out with a spoon. Discard the shell and white pith. Note

Invented in the 18th century by the Duc of Levis-Mirepoix, mirepoix has since become a classic preparation of French cooking.

A super fast and easy stir-fried hoisin lamb and vegetables dish from Australian Women's Weekly.

The chicken can be marinated a day ahead. Recipe best made close to serving. Note

Teppanyaki is traditionally cooked on a grill plate on or near the table, and is eaten in batches.

A fragrant and exotic Vietnamese-style tea from Australian Women's Weekly.

A green and healthy turkey salad with a tangy lemon mustard dressing.

More fun and delicious animal cupcakes that the whole family will love.

We used a mixture of parsley, basil and dill for this recipe, but you can use any herbs you like. If your frying pan does not have a heatproof handle, cover the handle with aluminium foil to protect it from the heat of the grill. Frittata can be served warm or cold. Reheat slices of […]

We used large (25cm diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. It’s important to slice the potatoes as thinly as possible. Note

We used thick-cut ling fillets in this recipe. Soak skewers in cold water for at least an hour before using, to prevent scorching during cooking. Note

Sopressa, a salami from the north of Italy, can be found in both mild and chilli-flavoured varieties. If you can’t find it easily, you can use any hot salami, but the taste won’t be exactly the same. Note

A bright, colourful and fragrant saffron vegetable tagine with cinnamon and preserved lemon.

Ponzu is a citrus-based sauce and is often used for dipping in Japan. It is readily available from Asian food stores and some major supermarkets. Note

Garlic is easy to roast and has a more mellow taste than it does raw or fried. Make it and freeze it by the tablespoon wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Roasted garlic beaten with softened butter adds a whole new dimension of flavour to mashed potato or steamed corn cobs. Note

You can use soft goat’s cheese in place of the feta. Note

For an impresive starter or light lunch cut one sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry into four equal squares. Place the pastry squares on an oven tray, bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve the pastry squares topped with a dressed salad and a slice or two of pan-fried haloumi. […]

Have a Tex-Mex night with these delicious lamb fajitas, guacamole and salsa cruda.

A beautiful and flavour-packed sardines with preserved lemon salsa from Australian Women's Weekly.

You need to purchase a large barbecued chicken, weighing approximately 900g, for this recipe. Note

Ready-made tempura dipping sauce is available from most Asian grocers. Note