Pulp Friction!
Lemons fighting the good fight against winter gloom.
Hi Foodie Friends,
We’re coming to you this week from tropical Port Douglas, where the air smells of open fire pits, incredible food, sunscreen, and good times ahead. Darren is here for Taste Port Douglas (more on that delicious adventure next week), but we couldn’t resist sending a little sunshine to those of you in the south in the meantime.
Melbourne may still be in its winter coat, but we’ve got a couple of recipes to trick your tastebuds into thinking you’re poolside: Meyer Lemon Sorbet and Bergamot & Wild Fennel Frond Cordial. They are the kinds of recipes that wake up your palate, clear your head, and remind you that summer will, in fact, return. And with so many generous gifts of lemons from our new neighbours’ trees, we couldn’t resist sharing some more of our favourites. Darren’s sorbet is smooth, zesty, and almost indecently refreshing - sunshine in a scoop - while my cordial is fragrant, delicate, and oh-so addictive.
We thought we’d also revisit our classic Lemon Drops Biscuits. They’re zippy, cheerful, and just the thing to shake off grey skies - or toast a tropical evening, depending on your postcode.
Wherever you are this week, these recipes are a reminder that good citrus has the power to brighten everything.
Bottling the Moment
Making cordial is the ultimate low-effort, high-reward ritual. Just three steps - infuse, sweeten, strain - and you’re done. It feels almost too simple for the payoff. No special equipment, just beautiful, fresh ingredients - just a touch of patience and a clean bottle or two. It’s a beautiful way to capture fleeting flavours, leaving you with something gorgeous on hand to transform an ordinary drink into something quietly extraordinary.
Why bother at all? Because a cordial is flavour, bottled. It catches a season in its peak moment - like bergamot in its short window, or wild fennel fronds before they wilt and dry - it stretches it out so you can taste spring in the middle of winter. With a splash in sparkling water it becomes an aperitif. A drizzle over fruit or panna cotta is dessert. A dash in gin or vermouth is a cocktail.
Bergamot’s perfume and fennel’s gentle aniseed make a wonderfully aromatic, refreshing drink after a hard day’s baking. I know bergamot and wild fennel fronds can be tricky to find, so backyard lemons paired with something herby — basil, mint, or Lemon Verbena - are just as magical. And with pineapples in season, you might also like to try my Pineapple, Vietnamese Mint & Lime Cordial recipe.
It’s Biscuit Week!
Biscuit Week on The Great Australian Bake Off did not disappoint. Episode 2 was a feast of crunch, crumble, and creativity! Darren’s tricky technical challenge was an elegant pistachio shortbread, luxuriously topped with pistachio ganache and caramelised pistachios. With a few key steps missing from the recipe, it was all about instinct and precision for the contestants. Luckily, you don’t have to guess - the complete recipe is available now on Studio Kitchen. Pistachio Shortbread.
In the Signature challenge, bakers whipped up indulgent filled biscuit sandwiches, each one more tempting than the last. But it was the Showstopper that took biscuit-making into another dimension: a biscuit diorama with a moving part. From whimsical scenes to ambitious engineering, the creativity was off the charts. This week’s Star Baker? You’ll want to watch the video below to see Aysha Moulton’s incredible bunny carousel in motion - a triumph of both skill, imagination and that all important touch of comedy.
There’s more biscuity inspiration over on Darren’s Substack so don’t forget to whizz on over there too.
Your Next Favourite Recipe Is Waiting
We’re always cooking—whether it’s in our kitchen or someone else’s—and we absolutely love it. Head over to StudioKitchen.com.au, where our ever-growing free recipe library is packed with dishes that balance flavour and ease. Stuck in a baking rut or simply craving something new? There’s always a fresh idea ready for you. Sign up for a free profile to save your favourites, so they’re right at your fingertips the next time inspiration (or hunger) strikes.
We have to keep it short this week as we have lots of prep to do for the weekend, have a wonderful week, see you next Thursday. Cath x