Food, Wine & Beverages

If ever there was a day for comfort food where we live on Wellington's south coast, it was last Thursday.

Our cat Parker is a greedy little fellow, always with his paw out for something to eat. The thing that surprises us is that he never gets bored, as we would if we ate the same thing day after day.

Much as I enjoy browsing round food stores there are times when I don't feel like going out to shop. On those days I have a look to see what's in the pantry, fridge or freezer and have fun putting together a serendipitous meal

Nowadays people have a better idea of what Italian food should be, although sadly, to many it's still just pasta and pizza but with good Italian cooking, all roads lead to home.

With the smell of wood smoke on the night air and the first misty chill of oncoming winter, my appetite turns to the warming, comforting and hearty dishes that keep the cold months at bay.

Getting three home-cooked meals a day into our grandchildren seems like an impossible goal given today's pace of life. Yet children's need for good, nourishing food remains a constant.

Whether yours is by the beach or in the backyard, state of the art or run of the mill, fuelled by gas, charcoal or driftwood there is something wonderful about cooking on a barbecue.

Tomatoes are one of the richest sources of lycopene, the potent age-defying antioxidant that gives fruit and vegetables their red colour.

New Zealanders munch their way through an average of 2.6 kilograms of baked beans per head each year but few would realise the true nutritional benefits of this 'super food'.

Being able to eat your way to a healthier you sounds too good to be true, but that's just what the annual Wattie's National Soup week aims to teach us.