Royal Melbourne Show 2015

The Royal Melbourne Show 2015 will be from September 19 to 29 this year at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

A school holiday favourite with families and friends, there's always plenty to see and do at the show, no matter what your interests are.

City children can pet baby animals and get an experience of rural life while culinary artists can exhibit their creativity at the cake pavillion.

There is always gourmet food and wine for the tasting and who can forget showbags?

Happy Father's Day 2015

Father's Day 2015

Sunday, September 6, is Father's Day in Australia, when all dads should be pampered, taken out to lunch or dinner and be the recipients of new socks, ties, golf clubs and perhaps a new lawnmower.

The funniest gift suggestion I had, when I was writing on Father's Day gift ideas for the local newspaper, came from a popular garden centre.

"If Dad is a keen gardener, why not give him a bag of fertiliser for Father's Day?"
I could just imagine his reaction: "Oh, shit!"

Favourite recipes

Nothing beats a home-cooked meal and my niece Jong-Ee Kao from Singapore is a wonderfully creative home cook.

I'm sharing one of her favourite recipes here.

Why not share your favourite recipe with us at www.awokonthewildside.com?

Grilled Seafood with Cranberry Couscous and Cucumber Salad
Seafood
150g baby squid, left whole
350g or 12 fresh prawns, shells on

Melbourne PorkStar 10th anniversary

Melbourne PorkStar

I was privileged to attend the 10th anniversary of PorkStar when it hit Melbourne recently.

Over 100 chefs and food media were totally indulged by the talented team at Pastuso Peruvian restaurant in ACDC Lane.

Chef Alejandro Saravia and the team at the fabulous Pastuso showcased the luscious beast, "The Pig," with their Peruvian style of shared dishes.

There was crackling galore and even the dessert had a sprinkle of crackling.

Enjoy the photos!

2015 Pepperjack Battle of the Steaks

Battle of the Steaks

The 2015 Pepperjack Battle of the Steaks is on!

If you enjoy juicy, flavoursome steaks, check out the Battle of the Steaks at selected restaurants and pubs and you could win a prize.

Whether you like your steaks rare or even blue, medium-rare, medium or well done (aka incinerated), restaurateur Adam North of French-inspired steakhouse Entrecôte in

Domain Road, South Yarra, has the following tips on how to cook the perfect steak:

How to grill a porterhouse cut:

Tiffin time at Nazaaray

Tiffin time at Nazaaray Estate

The irrepressible duo, Paramdeep and Nirmal Ghumann, invite you to indulge in tiffin time at their picturesque winery, Nazaaray Estate, on Sunday, August 2 from 11.45am to 2pm.

What a civilised way to spend a leisurely Sunday afternoon, savouring the delightful taste sensations cooked up by the Tandoor man.

Celebrate end of financial year at CoffeeHead!

Celebrate the end of financial year at CoffeeHead!

Why not celebrate the end of the financial year with a blast at CoffeeHead?

The popular cafe, roastery and retail outlet has organised a night to remember on Friday, June 26.

CoffeeHead's doors fling open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

Savour the flavours of New Orleans-style finger food, bask in the warmth of roasting chestnuts and kick up your heels and dance the night away to live jazz and blues.

Sip on fine whiskies and luxuriate in the most indulgent chocolates from Sisco Chocolates.

Tiffin Time at Nazaaray Estate

If you haven't visited the lovely Nazaaray Estate, why not enjoy start by enjoying the Queen's birthday Sunday lunch on 7 June, 2015?

Situated in Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula, Nazaaray is set in picturesque grounds, a fine backdrop to the award-winning wines produced by winemaker Paramdeep Ghumann, to my knowledge, the only winemaker in Australia who wears a turban!

Celebrate Buddha's birthday at Dandelion Restaurant

Buddha's birthday at Dandelion Restaurant

In celebration of the birthday of Buddha, Dandelion in Elwood presents an inspiring menu for the mind, body and spirit.

The vegan menu for the birthday celebrations reflects the Buddhist cuisine of Hue, in keeping with the general Buddhist precept of ahimsa, or non-violence.

The evening will include a water blessing by the monks from Wat Dhammarangsee, Melbourne’s oldest Buddhist Temple.
The menu will feature Dandelion's interpretation on dishes traditionally prepared for Buddha Day celebrations and will include:

Good Food and Wine Show 2015

Wake up your tastebuds!

The Good Food and Wine Show is on again from Friday, June 5 and throughout the long weekend until Monday, June 8.

Celebrate the best in food and wine from Australia and the world at the 15th Good Food and Wine Show, at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.

A Wok on the Wild Side