WEEKEND | 08-08-2015

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: P E O P L E : E A S Y E A T I N G : B O O K S : D I Y : G A R D E N : T R AV E L : E N T E R T A I N M E N T : F A S H I O N : H O M E

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SCREEN LIFE // Miles Teller stars in his dad’s favourite comic, Fantastic Four.

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PEGG’S JUST ONE OF US Sim o n Pe g g ta l ks Sta r Wa r s , M is s io n I mp o s s i bl e a n d G a m e of Th ro ne s a n d why h e ’ s con s ta n t ly p in c hin g hi m s e l f

+ MAKE //

H ow to c o lo u r yo u r k it c hen w it h a D IY sp la shb a c k p r o jec t

Weekend

+ TRAVEL //

T he secret to ri di ng France’s ‘very fast trai n’ i n comfor t

+ EASY EATING // Two of th e b e st na ke d c a ke s b a ke d i n th e b u f f at h om e

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welcome // in s id e to d ay WATERMELON NAKED CAKE: Recipe inside today.

Let us tempt you with naughty ‘naked cakes’ WEEKEND EDITOR Kir i te n Do l l e

I

F YOU hadn’t already noticed, we have a bit of a sweet tooth here at Weekend HQ. Last week it was cronuts and doughnuts and before that, a delicious raw coconut and salted caramel cheesecake. Just when you thought we couldn’t tempt you anymore, enter “naked cakes”.

It’s the trendy, new culinary term used to describe fondant-free, exposed crumb cakes popular in the wedding world – usually tiered, sandwiched with butter cream and decorated with fruit or flowers.

I was first introduced to these visually appetising cakes while planning my wedding earlier in the year.

I recruited my husband’s grandfather, a retired baker, to make us a naked cake, something he wasn’t familiar with, asking “Is that all you want?” “It’s all the rage,” I explained. It stood about 50cm high and was constructed of six individual cakes. It was impressive and we still have most of it in our freezer.

What I like about them best is icing-to-cake ratio – they’re not encased in centimetres-thick-perfect fondant and it doesn’t matter if they’re a little rough around the edges (ours developed a Leaning Tower of Pisa angle by the end of the night).

Have a party or special occasion coming up? This week the clever Lyndel Miller, food stylist and author, shares with us two recipes from her newly released book Naked Cakes: a mouth-watering, decadent chocolate cake with salted caramel popcorn, chocolate fudge frosting and dark chocolate glaze; and for the not-so-naughty, a watermelon cake with sweet coconut cream, figs and berries – you can even go back for seconds.

They’re swoon-worthy, ultra-pretty and easier to make than you think. It’s almost time for morning tea, yeah?

: CONGRATULATIONS Arthur Kent and Donna McKean, you are the winners of our Win a Whale Weekend Away with Weekend competition. Enjoy your holiday at the sunny Gold Coast. Thanks to everyone who entered.

EASY EATING

TRAVEL

+ inside today READ // Simon Pegg says he constantly

pinches himself. He’s the “ordinary guy” who gatecrashed the A-list and is enjoying every minute of it.

EASY EATING // Naked cakes. How to

make and bake a chocolate, salted caramel popcorn and fudge frosting cake and watermelon cake (pictured) with sweet coconut cream, figs and berries.

EAT WITH DAN AND STEPH //

The easy breakfast for time-poor parents.

: Our editor’s wedding naked cake in May. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

How to navigate your Weekend:

: We’ve colour-coded your magazine for easy reference.

Each section listed on the index page is coloured accordingly throughout. If you’d like to skip to Easy Eating, look for a yellow : symbol, or a magenta : symbol to skip to Make.

SCREEN LIFE

TRAVEL // Why everything’s grand

when you know where to stand on France’s ‘very fast train’. Our expert advice for travelling on the Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) comfortably.

MAKE // How to tile a kitchen splashback this weekend and save.

YOU // Can a good haircut and a nicely fitted pair of designer jeans increase a man’s chances of sex?

SCREEN LIFE // Actor Miles Teller

talks about scoring a role in a film based on his dad’s favourite comic book – Fantastic Four.

RELAX // The novel that explores apartheid-era South Africa and has been likened to To Kill a Mockingbird.

MIND // Know the difference between values you talk about and those you embrace.

: ON THE COVER: Simon Pegg. Photo: Charlie Gray/Paramount Pictures : CREATIVE: Jen Gourley and Kiri ten Dolle. : CONTRIBUTORS: Seanna Cronin, Alexia Purcell, David Stuart, Tracey Hordern, Maggie Cooper, Matt Sawtell, Simon Irwin, Angie Thomas, Maree Curran, Peter Chapman, Ann Rickard, Greg Bray, Helen Hawkes, John Grey, Roy O’Reilly, Rowena Hardy and Nick Bennett. : CONTACT US: weekend@apn.com.au : CONTRIBUTE: contributors@apn.com.au : ADVERTISING: Visit apnarm.com.au or contact your local sales consultant.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

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+ Square Pegg fits in round hole ‘ O rd i n a r y g u y w h o g ate c ra s h e d t h e A-l i st ’ i s e n j oy i n g e ve r y m i n u te o f i t

By JA M E S M OT TR A M

T

HERE are times when Simon Pegg must feel like he’s died and gone to nerd heaven. Starring in Hollywood franchises like Mission: Impossible and Star Trek, he’s the uber-fanboy who somehow made it over the crash-barrier to walk the red carpet without being dragged away by security.

He knows it, too, aware that the perception of him is the “ordinary guy” who gatecrashed the A-list.

“Sometimes I feel like that,” he shrugs. “But I also feel kind of comfortable.” He pauses for a second. “Well, this is the only thing I can do.”

If he has turned Hollywood on us, it has been out of necessity. Like the fact he takes a recliner chair with him to every film shoot – after Jeff Bridges “instilled in me the importance of being comfortable on set” and gifted him one when they worked together on 2008’s How To Lose Friends And Alienate People.

Then there’s his appearance: all toned and sculpted beneath a blue short-sleeved shirt. “I looked like a potato on Mission: Impossible III,” he chuckles. “Now, 10 years later, it’s all about how many sit-ups I can do.”

Fortunately, Pegg hasn’t lost that one-of-us quality that made him famous in the first place, initially channelled in the sitcom Spaced and later Shaun of the Dead, the zombie comedy film that broke him internationally.

Eschewing the sunnier climes of Los Angeles, Pegg still lives in Crouch End, north London, with Maureen, his wife of 10 years, and their six-year-old daughter, Matilda. And, crucially, the 45-year-old still retains that childlike enthusiasm for the job. “I’m constantly pinching myself,” he says, mock-studying his arm. “I’m covered in bruises from constant pinching.”

Along the way, he has appeared in Doctor Who, cameoed in zombie pioneer George A Romero’s Land of the Dead and even penned a “Shaun” comic for 2000AD. But not even Pegg can probably believe his current slate.

He’s just returned for Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, the latest in the blockbuster espionage franchise starring Tom Cruise as agent Ethan Hunt.

Then, in mid-August, he leads Absolutely Anything, directed by Monty Python’s Terry Jones (and featuring the voice talents of the other Pythons).

Most mind-blowing of all, Pegg has just co-scripted Star Trek Beyond, the third in the JJ Abrams-rebooted sci-fi franchise.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

: Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg in Las Vegas.

PHOTO: ALEX J. BERLINER

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION JETS TO #1 : The film debuted at #1 at the Australian box office on its first weekend and made up 38% of the market with the box office gross now standing at a very strong $5.155 million. That’s 21% above the last film released in the franchise Mission: Impossible– Ghost Protocol.

To date, his writing assignments – Shaun of the Dead and his other films penned with its director, Edgar Wright, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End – have all been in the realm of British comedy. But being asked to actually sculpt the next chapter for such an iconic property? To borrow from the title of his 2012 autobiographical book: Nerd Do Well. He doesn’t even seem stressed. “It’s becoming more and more fun,” he says. “It was very daunting at first, but now the story is taking shape.”

It was Abrams who first cast Pegg in Mission: Impossible III, and subsequently brought him on to Star Trek, initially to bring a little light relief as the Starship Enterprise engineer Scotty. Pegg cannot hide his excitement about working at Abrams’ production company Bad Robot, where the finishing touches are also being put to the Abrams-directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Two giant sci-fi franchises under one roof? “It’s quite a fun place to be right now! You just walk to get a drink, and you’ll hear a TIE Fighter in one ear and somebody talking about Spock’s ears in the other.”

While he also visited the Star Wars set (this, after all, is a man who once flew to America to see prequel The

Phantom Menace on the day it opened), Pegg’s 15-year-old self – not to mention his geeky character in Spaced – must be dazzled. “I look back and think sometimes, ‘What did I expect from my career or life?’ I didn’t really have any plans,” he says.

While Pegg is coy on the subject of whether he makes a covert appearance in Star Wars (after he inadvertently revealed that Daniel Craig does, inside a stormtrooper’s outfit), he is keen to stress that he doesn’t want to be in every pop-culture sensation out there.

“I’m a filmgoer as much as a film actor. Someone asked me the other day if I wanted to be in Game of Thrones, and I said ‘No’. The reason was because I love the show so much that I don’t want to see behind the curtain.”

In the case of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, it is his third outing in the franchise, one that has seen Pegg’s character, Benji, graduate from desk-bound techie to field agent.

This latest effort, directed by Jack Reacher director Chris McQuarrie, has Cruise’s Hunt the target of a covert organisation, led by a shadowy figure played by British actor Sean Harris. Again, Cruise is pulling off some death-defying stunts for real – and this time Pegg got to be in the passenger seat for one scene where Cruise races a car around the streets of Marrakech.

“I never felt unsafe,” says Pegg. “He was so in command of that car. He would do an e-brake turn into an alleyway at 60 miles an hour and… I never felt like he was going to crash us.”

Rather like Benji, “who has never really lost his admiration” for Ethan, the same could be said for Pegg and Cruise. “It makes me laugh sometimes just how much of a bloke he is,” he says.

That Pegg is on close personal terms with Cruise is just another pinch-me moment in a seemingly never-ending procession of them.

Last year, after filming Terry Jones’s comedy Absolutely Anything – a story about a group of eccentric aliens that confer powers to a mere mortal as an experiment – he was called by the producers to come and cameo, on stage, at the Python reunion at the 02 Arena. For one night only, he starred opposite Michael Palin in the classic Blackmail sketch.

Understandably, perhaps, Pegg seems more blown away by working with Robin Williams on Jones’s film, just a few months before the star committed suicide last August.

Growing up, Pegg “utterly idolised” Williams for his

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‘‘

We ’l l p r obably be m a kin g f i l ms tog ether when we’ re old a n d usel ess. . .

JUST AN ORDINARY GUY: Simon Pegg hasn’t lost that one-of-us quality that made him famous in the first place.

’’

role as an unhinged alien in the TV sitcom Mork and Mindy, Pegg’s “favourite” program when he was young.

“I remember doing impersonations of him at school,” he says. “To finally get to be in a film [with him]... I’m very proud that I got to have that moment.”

Born in Gloucester, Pegg says his artistic leanings were not just confined to the playground. His father, John, was a jazz musician and his mother, Gillian, an amateur actress; when they divorced when Pegg was seven, he lived with his mother, who later remarried (with Pegg adopting his stepfather’s surname).

“She has never been pushy but she supported me all the way,” he says. In return, he rarely strayed from the middle ground. “When I first came back from college and I told her I’d smoked a spliff, she went, ‘Oh.’ Then when I next came back, there was an article on my desk saying, ‘Cannabis: is it dangerous?’ That’s clever parenting.”

It’s mainly Shaun of the Dead and the other two films in the Cornetto trilogy (so-called due to some wry product placement) for which people stop him in the street. “It’s lovely to hear yourself quoted back to you.

It’s quite extraordinary. You realise how what you’ve done might have affected people if they can remember what you said. The worst thing you can do is be mediocre. I would rather have a seismic effect on one person’s life than be mildly entertaining to millions.”

Will he and Wright cook up another collaboration soon? “Yeah as soon as we can get into a room together,” he says. “Every time we see each other, we say we need to Skype and make some plans. I don’t see myself not working with Edgar. We’ll probably be making films together when we’re old and useless.”

Which is just as well, given how many of Pegg’s non-Wright Brit-flicks – films such as Run Fatboy Run, A Fantastic Fear of Everything and the recent Man Up – have crashed and burned.

Perhaps these films serve as a reminder that not everything he touches turns to gold.

Penning Star Trek arguably positions Pegg as one of Britain’s most successful comic exports. A Hollywood power-player? He is evidently relishing it, a chance to flex his authorial talents on a grand stage. “Now Scotty’s the main character,” he winks, “it’s gonna be amazing.” – The Independent

: Simon Pegg stars in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.

PHOTO: CHARLIE GRAY

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is in cinemas now.

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+ Oozy, chocolatey decadence Th i s c a ke co m e s w i th a l l th e t r i m m i n g s , s h a re s Lyn d e l M i l l e r

T

HIS cake is all about decadence and abundance and will really impress. It can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free self-raising flour instead of wheat flour in the chocolate cake recipe.

Chocolate cake with salted caramel popcorn, chocolate fudge frosting and dark chocolate glaze

Makes one three-tiered 20cm-round cake WHAT YOU NEED: : 2 quantities chocolate fudge frosting : 3 x chocolate cakes : 1 quantity dark chocolate glaze.

TO CROWN: : 1 quantity salted caramel popcorn While the cakes are cooling, prepare the chocolate glaze and salted caramel popcorn. To assemble, place one of the chocolate cakes on a stand or serving plate and spread with a third of the chocolate fudge frosting.

Repeat this process with the remaining cakes and frosting. Cover the top layer with the salted caramel popcorn, piling it higher in the centre of the cake. Drizzle the cake generously with the dark chocolate glaze, allowing the sauce to drizzle down the side of the cake.

Chocolate fudge frosting INGREDIENTS: : 250g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped : 120g cream cheese, softened : 245g sour cream : 125g icing sugar.

METHOD: Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of just simmering water. Do not let the base of the

bowl touch the water. Heat until melted and smooth, then remove from the heat and stand until just cool. Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream and icing sugar. Stir in the cooled chocolate until well combined. Use it to frost the cake of your choice.

Base chocolate cake

Makes one 20cm-round cake INGREDIENTS: : 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped : 2 tbs good quality instant coffee granules (use decaffeinated if desired) : 250ml boiling water : 125ml hot milk : 50g unsweetened (Dutch) cocoa powder : 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or natural vanilla extract : 250g unsalted butter, softened and chopped, plus extra for greasing : 300g raw sugar : 200g dark brown sugar : 450g self-raising flour or gluten-free self-raising flour : 4 eggs, lightly beaten.

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 160C. Lightly grease a 20cm round cake tin.

Place the chocolate and coffee in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Stir gently until melted and smooth, and stand until cool.

Meanwhile, place the hot milk, cocoa powder and vanilla in a bowl and whisk to combine well, then set aside to cool.

Using

an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. With the motor on low speed, add the flour, then the beaten egg and beat until just combined. Add the chocolate and milk mixtures alternately and beat until well combined. The batter should resemble a coffee-coloured frosting.

Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake stand in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Salted caramel popcorn

INGREDIENTS: : 2 tbs vegetable oil : 60g popping corn kernels : 110g sugar : 50g unsalted butter, chopped : 2 tsp sea salt flakes.

METHOD: Place the oil in a large saucepan with a lid over medium heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, add a couple of kernels of popping corn to the pan. They should spin around in a circle. Add the popping corn kernels, cover and cook until the corn starts to pop. Shake the pan gently until the corn stops popping, about seven minutes, then remove from the heat. Spread the popcorn over a baking paper-lined tray and discard any unpopped kernels in the bottom of the pan.

Place the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, shaking the pan regularly, until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the caramel is a deep amber colour, tilting the pan gently to make sure the colour is even. Carefully add the butter and stir for five minutes or until well combined. Increase the heat, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat again and simmer, without stirring, for another 5–7 minutes or until thick and caramelised.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt.

Carefully pour the hot caramel over the popcorn on the lined tray. Set aside to cool, then break it into pieces.

Dark chocolate glaze

IT’S A CHOCOHOLIC’S DREAM AND IS

INGREDIENTS: : 125ml thin (pouring/whipping) cream : 200g dark (70% cocoa solids) or milk chocolate, chopped.

METHOD: Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over low heat. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until smooth.

Use it to top the cake of your choice.

PURE, GOOEY GOODNESS.

PHOTO: NAKED CAKES

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+

THE FACTS: Copy Cat is 6.8% alcohol volume, 330ml bottles, $18 per pack of four, $60 a carton of 16.

MY S HOU T

with Sim on I rwin

Copy Cat is different again

O

: Recipes and images from Naked Cakes by

NE of the amazing things about taking an interest in beer is the different methods brewers will use to try to interest us, the mug punter, in their offerings.

In the life of this column, I have seen beers advertised as being made from 10,000-year-old “paleo water”, beers made with love or with soul, beers with clever names, beers with long stories attached trying to link them to a time or place or event, beers with no additives and all-natural ingredients, beers complying with centuries-old German brewing laws, and beers using strange ingredients (that means you, Sunshine Coast Chilli Beer).

This week’s drop is in another category altogether.

Copy Cat AIPA from Western Australia’s Mash Brewing is attempting to carve a niche by commissioning artists to design the label as a point of difference. And the label certainly is ... individual.

A pouncing large black cat, perhaps a panther, by the artist Heesco, adorns the bottle, and in truth (and I realise I am showing my age here), it reminded me of the artwork that was not uncommon on the Holden Sandman panel vans of my youth. (It transpires Heesco is actually a noted street mural artist who has done a lot of work in Melbourne, Sydney and other big places – thanks, Mr Google.)

Anyhoo, it is what is in the bottle that counts, and the Copy Cat does deliver. The “A” in the AIPA stands for American, and the beer does demonstrate that floral bitterness associated with the better style of beverage from the US West Coast.

Hugh the neighbour and I cracked a couple and agreed it was quite a drinkable drop. A pleasant amber yet slightly cloudy in the glass, it delivers an off-white head and a power of fruit on the nose.

As opposed to the English IPA, which can be really bitter, the US IPAs do keep the hops in moderation, although HTN did point out the bitterness seemed to have a cumulative effect, with the second bottle being more tart than the first.

At 6.8% alcohol volume, it is never going to be a beer for a longer session – maybe that is why you buy them in a four-pack rather than the traditional six. An interesting and pleasant drop, although you probably don’t need it by the carton.

Lyndel Miller, published by Murdoch Books, out now.

Email myshout@apn.com.au

LYNDEL MILLER: “I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS C AKE. IT ’S PERFECT FOR A SUMMER PART Y – AND THERE’S NO FEELING GUILT Y ABOUT GOING BACK FOR SECONDS.”

+ Berry tantalising

Watermelon cake with sweet coconut cream, figs and berries

WHAT YOU NEED: : 1 whole 5kg seedless ripe watermelon (see note) : 1 quantity dairy-free sweet coconut cream.

TO CROWN: : About 250g strawberries : 2–3 figs, halved : Handful of raspberries : A few pomegranate seeds : Jasmine vine.

METHOD: Place the watermelon on a large chopping board. Make sure your board is secure by placing a damp cloth underneath it to prevent it slipping while cutting.

Slice the top and bottom off the melon to create a flat top and base. With the melon standing on one end, remove the rind, including the hard white flesh. If your cutting is a little irregular, just trim the watermelon cake to achieve a uniform, cylindrical shape or as close as you can manage.

Pat the cake dry with paper towel, place it on a cake stand or serving plate and set aside. Prepare the coconut cream.

This can be used as a topping or, you can do as I do, and serve it on the side. If using it as a topping, smooth it over the surface of the melon, but do make sure you pat the watermelon dry first, so the cream doesn’t slide off.

Cut some of the strawberries in half lengthways. Pile on a few whole strawberries to make a sturdy layer. Now add

Weekend

Dairy-free sweet coconut cream

INGREDIENTS: : 2 x 400ml tins full-fat coconut milk (refrigerated for 6 hours or more) : ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract : 1 tbs honey or maple syrup.

METHOD: Remove the coconut milk from the refrigerator and scoop the cream off the top, leaving the liquid behind. Place the coconut cream, vanilla and honey or maple syrup in a bowl and whisk to combine well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

the fig halves. Fill any gaps with strawberry halves, raspberries and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, scatter on a few jasmine blooms.

Note: I used a 5kg watermelon, which serves about 12 people, but feel free to use a larger or smaller melon to suit the number of guests.

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+ THE WEEKEND COOK w i th M a g g i e C o o p e r

MAKE THIS QUICK, TAST Y AND HEALTHY DISH IN ADVANCE FOR BUSY TIMES

: In the US these biscuits are called tollhouse cookies.

PHOTO: MAGGIE COOPER

: Quinoa bircher is easy to prepare, and you’ll have enough for the week.

+ Look after yourself

Time to pay tasty toll

I

FOUND this old biscuit recipe a few years ago in my mother’s ancient cookbook. She had handwritten it so it was probably passed on to her by a friend.

In the US they are known as tollhouse cookies. I remember mum baking these biscuits when I was a kid.

The smell of the sugar, butter and vanilla transports me back to her kitchen in an instant. Mum used dark chocolate and hazelnuts. I’ve made them many times and have found just about any nut will do.

P r e p a rat i o n i s ke y f o r avo i d i n g u n h e a l t hy f o o d w h e n you ’ r e b u sy

Choc-nut biscuits

INGREDIENTS: : 2¼ cups plain flour : 1 tsp bicarb soda : 220g unsalted butter, at room temperature : ½ cup raw sugar : ½ cup brown sugar : 2 large free-range eggs : 1 tsp pure vanilla essence : ¾ cup dark chocolate chips : ¾ cups white chocolate chips : ½ cup shelled pistachio nuts, roughly chopped : ½ cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped.

METHOD: Preheat oven to 190C. Combine flour and bicarb soda in a bowl. Cube butter, cream together with the sugar in a separate bowl using an electric mixer then beat in eggs and vanilla essence. The dough will be quite stiff. Divide dough in half and add white chocolate and pistachios to one half, dark chocolate and hazelnuts to the remainder. Drop heaped tablespoons of the dough on to ungreased biscuit trays, leaving room for spreading.

Bake at 190C for 10–12 minutes or until golden brown.

Baking time will depend on your oven. Remove trays from oven and leave biscuits on the trays for another five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Store in a dark, airtight container. Makes five dozen biscuits.

Email Maggie at maggies.column@bigpond.com or check out her blog herebemonstersblog.com

Saturday, August 8, 2015

PHOTO: GLEN DAVID WILSON

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E AT

wi th D a n a nd Step h M ulheron

A

S NEW parents, some days it’s hard to even think about looking after yourself and what you’re going to eat throughout the day. I am guilty of looking in the fridge and cupboard, so tired that I can’t even think to put two ingredients together, and just decide to have two pieces of toast with Vegemite. I’m sure I’m not the only one.

In all honesty, it’s all down to preparation. We need to look after ourselves so we have the energy to look after the most important people – our family. We have included a recipe this week for a breakfast dish that can be made in advance, and you can make a whole week’s worth at a time. It’s super easy, quick to prepare, tasty and healthy. Every morning you can wake up knowing what you are having for breakfast, no matter what gets thrown at you in the morning.

Dan and Steph Mulheron won My Kitchen Rules in 2013.

Visit www.danandsteph.com.au or find them on Facebook – Dan and Steph – My Kitchen Rules and Instagram – danandsteph13.

Quinoa bircher with apple and pear compote, coconut yogurt and toasted almonds INGREDIENTS: Bircher – : 1 cup of quinoa : 1 ½ cups of water : ½ cup of coconut milk : Ground cinnamon.

Fruit compote – : 500g of fresh seasonal fruit – apple and pear or strawberry and rhubarb : 200ml of water : 100g of caster sugar : 1 tsp of vanilla bean paste : 1 cinnamon stick : zest of 2 lemons.

METHOD: Rinse quinoa under cold water until water runs clear. Bring water to a boil, add quinoa and simmer for 5–10 minutes until the grains sprout their tails. Rinse under cold water, drain thoroughly. Divide the quinoa into two bowls or jars and pour a quarter of a cup of coconut milk over each.

Combine all of the compote ingredients together in a pot.

Allow sugar to dissolve over medium heat and simmer until fruit breaks down into desired consistency.

Toast almonds in hot oven until slightly browned and then chop roughly. Allow to cool and store in container.

Layer quinoa and compote into your bowls or jars and place in the fridge.

At time of serving, top with toasted almonds and some yogurt.

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fa r mer s ’ marke t Feeling adventurous?

Look out for unusual root vegetables like kohlrabi and yacon at the Mullumbimby and New Brighton farmers’ markets.

+ I’ve a bone to pick ...

LO CA L P RO D U C E

w ith Kate O’Ne il l

C o o k s ay s p a l eo - i n s p i r ed c ra z e s er ve s u p nothi ng ne w ab ou t anc i e nt b roth : Nothing beats a pea straight from its pod – it’s sweeter and juicier than its frozen cousins.

+

W HAT’ S F R ESH

News from th e fa rme r s ’ ma rket s

In season

Celery: It should be a staple in everyone’s fridge at this time of year. Its subtle flavour is indispensable in stocks and soups and it can be added to anything from spag bol to fried rice for a bit of extra flavour and crunch. Celery is also delicious in salads, as a scooper for peanut butter or dips or added to juices or green smoothies. There is some excellent organic celery at the markets at the moment – try Organic Forrest (Mullumbimby Farmers’ Market), Summit Organics (Mullum and NewBrighton markets) and Denise Latham (also Mullum and New Brighton).

Root vegetables: Earthy-flavoured vegetables like carrots, beetroot, turnips and potatoes are just the thing for those winter slow cooks and casseroles.

Because they absorb minerals from the ground, they are full of nutrients, as well as fibre, which makes you feel full longer. If you’re feeling adventurous, try some of the more unusual root vegetables like kohlrabi (Summit Organics at Mullum and New Brighton) or yacon (Glenyce Creighton, Mullum and New Brighton).

Peas: These are one of the few vegetables that stand up well to freezing, which is why we all have a packet of them in the freezer. But when it comes down to it, nothing compares to a sweet, plump, juicy pea fresh from its pod. Shelling peas can be a simple pleasure, and one that kids enjoy too. Give them a bowl of peas in their pods for a snack and they’ll be entertained for at least 10 minutes! Fresh peas are delicious as is, in pasta and rice dishes, soups, or lightly steamed and served with butter and salt and pepper. Available from Everest Farm (New Brighton and Mullumbimby farmers’ markets).

PEAS BOILED IN LOTS OF WATER LOSE GOODNESS, FLAVOUR AND GO SOGGY

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B

ONE broth is the food trend of the moment. Everyone from Gwyneth Paltrow to New York Fashion Week models are sipping on it and raving about its health benefits, said to include everything from improved gut health to shinier hair and glowing skin.

With all the hype, you might think it was some newly-discovered superfood or diet fad, but that couldn’t be further from the truth says Mullumbimby mum Angela Deckker, who was brought up on the stuff.

Angela, who has just started a business selling bone broth at the Mullumbimby Farmers’ Market, grew up in Oregon in the US pacific north-west where her dad was a hunter, killing elk, deer, rabbit and squirrel to feed the family.

Nothing ever went to waste from the animal, including the bones, and her mum always had a bone broth on the stove.

“I loved venison broth,” says Angela.

She says the paleo diet may have “rediscovered” bone broth, but it’s actually something that has been around since ancient times.

To make her own broths, Angela uses either organic, grass-fed beef bones or chicken bones (including the necks and feet), soaks them in apple cider vinegar to help release the minerals, then simmers them for at least 24 hours, adding organic, locally-grown vegies and herbs for flavour and extra goodness.

She says the big difference between broth and stock is the time involved – a stock may simmer for four to six hours, whereas a broth might be on the stove for more than 36 hours.

The longer cooking time breaks down the bones, making them soft (“a friend of mine actually eats them,” adds Angela) and releases the minerals and other compounds like calcium, magnesium, silicon, collagen, glycine and glutamine in forms the human body can easily absorb.

Angela says bone broth is a nourishing food with a whole host of health benefits – it can help heal leaky gut and inflammation in the body, overcome food intolerances and allergies, improve joint health and even reduce cellulite.

She says local nutrition and environmental medicine practitioner, Dr Oscar Serrallach, is so convinced of its health benefits that he regularly recommends bone broth to his clients and has plans to offer cups of Angela’s broth to patients who visit his clinic in Mullumbimby as an alternative to a cup of tea.

Angela says the benefits and uses of broth are many and varied – she even makes her own moisturiser from the tallow produced during the cooking process.

“My friends think I’m a bit weird, because I’ll make the broth and if there’s any oil spilt on the bench at the end I’ll start lathering myself in it,” she laughs. : Find Soulfull Broths at the Mullumbimby Farmers’ Market every Friday or contact Angela at soulfullbroths@gmail.com

: Angela Deckker says bone broth is a nourishing food with a whole host of health benefits.

KATE O’NEILL

Lebanese lentil soup

Ingredients : 100 ml olive oil : 2 onions, finely chopped : 300g brown lentils : 2 litres Soulfull Broths beef, chicken, or vegetable broth : 2 bunches of spinach : 1 cup coriander : Juice of 4 lemons : Salt and pepper : 4 tbsp taklia(see recipe below) : 200g roasted pine nuts Method Heat the oil, and then saute onion and garlic until they soften and begin to caramelise. Add the lentils and stock, bring to a boil and then allow to simmer gently, cooking for 30 minutes or until the beans soften. Add spinach and coriander, stirring in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Cover pan and allow to cook for 2-3 more minutes. At this point you can either blend up the lentils, adding water if too thick, or serve straight away. Be sure to stir the taklia into each bowl and sprinkle over pine nuts.

Taklia

Ingredients : 6 cloves garlic, sliced : 4 tbsp olive oil : 2 tsp coriander seeds : 1 tsp sea salt Method Lightly cook garlic in olive oil. Dry roast coriander seeds and grind in a mortar and pestle. Add cooked garlic, olive oil and salt and pound to taste. : Recipes courtesy of Angela Deckker.

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+ Whale of a time

Le ge n d o f t h e S e a s de s e r ves th e reputati on it s na me c la ims Legend of the Seas

Legend of the Seas arrives in December for Royal Caribbean’s first season sailing from Brisbane.

During her five-month season, Legend of the Seas will embark on 15 itineraries in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific ranging from 2–18 nights, before repositioning back to Asia in April 2016.

Highlights include: : An 18-night cruise from Hong Kong to Brisbane on Nov 20, 2015, which calls at Manila, Puerto Princesa, Kota Kinabalu, Bali, Darwin, Cairns and Whitsundays. A similar cruise operates in reverse, departing Brisbane on April 20, 2016. : Nine South Pacific cruises ranging from 8–10 nights. : One 14-night cruise to New Zealand. : Visits to the Whitsundays and Cairns on two seven-night Queensland sailings. : One two-night sampler cruise, giving cruisers a taste of Legend of the Seas.

: Fun, food and frivolity are just three words to describe a voyage on Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas.

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W

T RAVEL

w i th F ra z e r Pe a rce

E DIDN’T order whale at the Japanese restaurant on our cruise ship – but one arrived anyway, and in spectacular fashion.

Only it didn’t come on a plate. It passed us by, about 50 metres off the port bow, as Legend of the Seas sliced through the open waters of the Timor Sea, about a day out of Darwin.

The Izumi Restaurant, high above the waves on floor 11 of the liner, offers an outstanding view for such a treat, and a dozen fellow diners took full advantage, swarming to the floor-to-ceiling windows to let out a broadside of oohs and ahhs as the whale breached and spouted at least five times.

Not a bad way to celebrate my wife’s birthday (her niece later claimed on Facebook that she had sent a whale-a-gram), and it finished with the ever-smiling Izumi staff providing a surprise cake and singing Happy Birthday in good voice – I think they get a lot of practice.

As well as live whale entertainment, the restaurant served up a terrific Japanese buffet selection and also free-flowing champagne.

After the whale excitement died down, I turned my gaze below to the sun-drenched pool deck, where a team of passengers was giving the allegedly “undefeated” crew

SOUTH AFRICA

LUXURY SAFARI LUXURIOUS accommodation, exceptional cuisine, welcoming service and thrilling game viewing combine to create an unforgettable luxury safari experience at South Africa’s Sanctuary Makanyane Luxury Safari Lodge. Situated on Saturday, August 8, 2015

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

line-up a lesson in water volleyball.

The pool deck was also the venue for crowd favourite competitions such as The Sexiest Man Alive and the World Belly Flop Title – hilarious entertainment and also an outlet for the more extroverted and shameless style of passenger.

But this is just a snapshot of life on board our 12-day cruise from Brisbane to Singapore on Legend of the Seas – one of the Royal Caribbean fleet – with day-trip stops at Airlie Beach, Cairns, Darwin and Bali.

When we boarded the spectacular 70,000-tonne liner (fresh from a $50 million makeover) at the Port of Brisbane to join 2300 other passengers, I really had no idea of what to expect, as it was my first cruise.

What I learnt over the next 12 days is that the Legend of the Seas crew of 700 is trained and motivated to provide extraordinary service to satisfy almost every taste and personality – and they are going full steam after the Queensland market with first-time embarkation at Brisbane.

Following its revitalisation in 2013, the ship now possesses new facilities guests won’t find on any other cruise ship sailing from Brisbane.

These attractions include a central atrium – with a breathtaking acrobatic aerial show – a rock climbing wall (I made it up the beginner’s section) overlooking a mini-golf course, an indoor swimming pool, kids’ club and a baby nursery.

private ground within Madikwe Game Reserve, one of South Africa’s premier game-viewing destinations, the lodge has just eight secluded suites.

Each one has spectacular glass-walled bedrooms, offering uninterrupted views of the surrounding forest and the Marico River.

Enjoy morning and night game drives in the Big 5 area, guided walks, birding expeditions, bush dinners and sundowners.

There is also a spa offering massage and aromatherapy, an award-winning wine cellar, an air-conditioned gym and a swimming pool.

Guests even have the option to sleep under the stars surrounded only by the African wilderness at the lodge’s raised Star View Sleep-Out Hide. : COSTS: Normally priced from $570 per night twin share, right now guests can stay for three nights for the price of two from just $1126 per person, valid for bookings up until August 31, 2015. : MORE DETAILS: 03 9536 1831 or reservations.australia@sanctuaryretreats.com

For information or to book a cruise, visit www.royalcaribbean.com.au, phone 1800 754 500 or see your local travel agent.

The ship also features six dining options including the Izumi, Chops Grille steakhouse and the exclusive Chef’s Table private dining room.

She boasts the stunning two-floor Romeo and Juliet grand dining room, an 800-seat theatre, the Vitality Day Spa and a fitness centre, steam rooms and a shopping arcade and medical centre.

You can do as little or as much as you like in a tightly packed program of activities (including karaoke, keno and trivia contests, shuffleboard and table tennis tournaments) and entertainment (professional comedians, singers, dancers, magicians, tribute bands, piano bar etc) outlined on the daily Cruise Compass booklet delivered to your cabin every night.

We found it easy to meet other cruisers as, like us, they were super-relaxed and intent on having a good time.

And we feasted on an endless supply of quality tucker 24/7 at the half-dozen or so restaurants and cafes.

Which takes me to the relaxed dining option at the Windjammer buffet restaurant, where serious self-control may be needed (you can always walk it off thanks to a designated 400-metre path around the boat).

While dining is inclusive of the fare, there are three speciality dining experiences on offer, with surcharges, to provide even more variety. *The writer was guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises.

MALDIVES

OUTRIGGER MALDIVES OPENS

SPECIAL limited-period opening rates discounts are available for the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort for stays up to October 31, 2015. The discount per night rates start from $700. For guests who stay for a minimum of four nights, the rates will include daily breakfast, three excursions to breathtakingly scenic island locations, $135 credit per person towards activities and a Navasana Spa experience for each guest. : MORE DETAILS: www.outriggermaldives.com Weekend

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WORST CASE SCENARIO: I can’t count the number of people I have seen struggling up and down the aisle with a big case. : Scenes like the Abbey of Senanque’s blooming lavender flowers in Provence, France, go flashing by as you travel on the TGV.

PHOTO: PHOTO: STEVANZZ

+ Streamline your trip K n ow wh e r e t o sta nd a nd every th i ng ’s Gra nde .

T RAVEL

wi th A n n R i c k a rd

M

Y TRAIN experiences in France on the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse, which means “very fast train”) have all been excellent.

I’ve had the good fortune not to encounter a train strike. I have also been blessed never to have experienced a train running late. (But both do happen occasionally, unfortunately.)

While train travel is simple and restful, getting in the right carriage is not. Unless you know what to do. Fortunately, I am here to tell you, even though you have not asked me to do so.

The TGVs are long and sleek and efficient and fast, and they stop at the station for just a few minutes.

You, along with about 50 others all carrying big suitcases, have mere minutes to find your carriage, get on and then locate your seat.

CHILEAN PATAGONIA

‘‘

W he n yo u k now how, it is ef fo r tle ss. W he n yo u do n’ t – o h , big st r e ss.

When you know how, it is effortless. When you don’t – oh, big stress. Your ticket – wisely bought in Australia from Rail Europe before you leave – will have the train, carriage and seat number on it. Memorising the train number is the first step, and key, to getting it right.

When you are at the TGV station waiting for your train to arrive, you must check the electronic board in departures, and wait for your train number to come up (usually about 10 minutes before it is due to arrive). At most stations, there is another small board with a cute picture of a train on it with the carriage numbers marked by an alphabet letter.

Check your carriage number against the alphabet letter and then, on the platform, look for the letter either painted on the edge of the platform or hung above.

If you stand on that exact spot, the train will pull up with

Experience Chilean Patagonia

TO MARK its 40th birthday, Contours Travel has released its next Deluxe Latin American deal to the wild and rugged Chilean Patagonia. This exclusive nine-day, eight-night package will show you the spectacular Magellanic forests, majestic Chilean fjords and surrounding glaciers, where sightings of sea elephants, dolphins and penguins are common.

The tour includes a three-night cruise aboard the M/V Via Australis, three nights at the luxurious Singular Patagonia Hotel, and another two nights at the lavish sister property, Singular Santiago. The offer is priced at $6679, a saving of $690 a person.

It also includes internal economy flights between Santiago and Punta Arenas, airport transfers, daily excursions, a welcome dinner with the best Chilean wines, daily breakfasts and dinners and most lunches. Departures are every fortnight from Wednesday, October 7, until March 23, 2016.

More at: www.contourstravel.com.au or 1300 135 391.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

your correct carriage right at your feet.

On you get with your big case, load it into the racks just inside the door, and by this time the train has glided smoothly out of the station and is now doing about 300km an hour with glorious lavender and happy sunflower fields flashing by.

You find your seat, sit down, relax.

Simple, no? But if you don’t do this, you could end up in a carriage far removed from yours, all the seats full and you in a narrow aisle with an enormous case to wheel the length of the long (very long) train, annoying all those passengers already sitting smugly in their seats with a baguette and glass of wine in hand.

I can’t count the number of people I have seen struggling up and down the aisle with a big case and a bewildered air looking hopelessly lost because they didn’t check their carriage number and stand on the right spot on the platform.

Yes, you learn so much from me. But the kind and informative people at Rail Europe will help you even more when you book your tickets here. : MORE: www.raileurope.com.au

CRUISE

Sydney to the Space Needle

TAKE an epic voyage sailing the Pacific to Seattle with a new cruise-stay-fly package. The 25-night package includes Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas from Sydney via New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and Hawaii; accommodation in Seattle; and a flight home. It sails on April 23, priced from $2599 a person twin inside cabin.

More on 1300 596 345 or visit cruise1st.com.au.

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g ard en

PREPARE: Encourage strong new growth in your roses and promote prolific spring flowers.

+

IN MY GARDEN

with Angie Th oma s

Time to feed and prune MO STLY SIMPLE, SINGLE FORMS RESEMBLING A SMALL HIBISCUS

: Abutilons look showy grown as a feature shrub, but they are drop-dead gorgeous if grown as a standard.

PHOTO: SUNDRAWALEX

+ Chinese lanterns

PHOTO: MIGUELPHOTO78

Fo r a n e a r - p e r fe c t s h r ub i n p a r t- s h a ded a rea s c h oos e th e a b utilon .

G REEN THU M B wi th M a re e Cu r ra n

I

F YOU are looking for a shrub that will grow up to 3m in sun or part-shade and flower prolifically throughout the year, then you should consider an abutilon. They are commonly known as chinese lanterns, thanks to the brightly coloured flowers that hang from the branches.

They must be close to the perfect shrub – not too big, easy to care for, a good range of colours, non-stop flowering… what more could you want?

The flowers may be white, bright or pale pink, red, yellow, or orange. They are mostly simple, single forms resembling a smallish hanging hibiscus flower, but there are some doubles.

The evergreen foliage looks a bit like maple leaves, and while it is usually green, there are some varieties with touches of white or gold in the leaves. These variegated forms look particularly effective in a semi-shaded position where they add a bright contrast to the greens often found in shaded areas.

The abutilons that we grow are hybrids, most likely originating from tropic and sub-tropical Asia and America. So they are well suited to our climate. They will tolerate heat and humidity, but will also not fret if they get a frost.

Use them as a background planting in a tropical or cottage-style garden, or as a feature shrub. I’ve seen abutilons form a very effective screen hiding a fence in a semi-shaded position in a tropical garden. Because they are naturally a bit open in their growth, you could prune a couple of times a year to maintain a tight, bushy growth needed for this situation. The ideal position for an abutilon is fairly sheltered in full sun to semi-shade in fertile, well-drained soil which is rich in organic matter. They need to be kept well-watered during dry times, and appreciate some protection from the hot afternoon sun in summer.

The most difficult part of caring for an abutilon is deciding when to prune, as they never seem to stop flowering. I’d suggest you prune quite hard in late winter or early spring.

Keep the plants well mulched, and feed a couple of times a year with a balanced fertiliser. If they get stressed, usually from experiencing hot, dry conditions, they may be attacked by scale insects. Treat that using a horticultural oil, and do what you can to improve the growing environment.

Abutilons look really showy grown as a feature shrub, but they are drop-dead gorgeous if you grow them as a standard.

Choose a plant with a single tall, straight central stem and remove all the lower branches.

Got a gardening question? Email maree@edenatbyron.com.au.

IN WARM areas, begin feeding roses planted earlier in June and established roses, using an organic-based potassium fortified fertiliser, which encourages plenty of strong new growth and promotes prolific spring flowers.

Mulch all roses with a 50mm layer of lucerne or pea straw, which helps retain soil moisture and suppress weeds. Watch for aphids, which love new rose buds and leaf shoots, and treat with an insecticide spray and fungicide to control common rose diseases like black spot and powdery mildew. Ensure good coverage both over and under the leaves.

Cool pruning

In cool and temperate zones, as the danger of frost passes, it’s time to prune roses, and there’s still time to make hardwood cuttings from the prunings. Many roses will grow well from cuttings taken when the stems are leafless. Discard the whippy growth below the flower, and aim for pencil-thick stems around 15–20cm long.

Use a slanted cut at the top and a straight cut at the bottom (so you know which way is up), and dip the base of the cuttings into Clonex Red Rooting Hormone Gel (which encourages better root formation), then insert cuttings into a pot filled with moist seed-raising mix.

Place the pot full of cuttings in a warm protected spot outdoors and keep soil moist. It will be several months before roots grow. Once the roots are established, it’s time to move cuttings into individual pots ready for a new spot in the garden or to give away to friends.

+

P ROD UC TS

Get lush lawn under your feet in time for summer ALL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FROM BUNNINGS

Weekend

: Patch Magic, $29.98/3.6L, is a three-in-one mix containing grass seed, slow release fertiliser and expanding mulch to grow grass anywhere.

: Prestige Tuff, $89/m, is the premi-

: Richgro Hose On Lawn Beetle and

: Munns Pooch Couch, $31.20/1kg,

um alternative to natural lawn. It features a lush, dense, wide blade 35mm pile with concentrated thatch.

Designed for heavy traffic areas.

Grub Killa, $17.47, is a highly effective product designed to control lawn beetles, grubs and other insects.

is a fine textured, hardwearing, evergreen lawn that is ideal for high wear areas often associated with pets or children.

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make

+ DIY splashbacks L e a rn th e tricks of th e tra de to s ave yours el f some mon ey

A

SPLASHBACK is not only a colourful addition to your kitchen but it will also make cleaning your walls much easier. And being able to do it yourself will save you money. We’ll teach you what you need to do before you lay the tiles on the wall, how to keep them straight, how to grout and how to apply silicon.

MAKE IT YOUR OWN: Who needs a tiler when you can take your time and add your personal touch.

STEP ONE

: STEP 1: INSTALL A SUPPORT TIMBER If you have a gap between the areas where you’re going to install your tile splashback, such as space between two cupboards, you’ll need to create something to support the tiles. Use a stud finder to locate a stud wall or a noggin behind the wall and mark its location. Use your long spirit level and lay it across the gap, this gives you the straight line you need, so that you can butt your timber up against it. Hold the timber against the wall and flush with the spirit level, then drill it into place.

: STEP 2: PROTECT BENCHTOPS BEFORE YOU START TILING Put drop sheets over the benchtops and floor to protect them from any grout or tile mastic. To make the tile mastic to glue the tiles to the wall, add a little water to your mixing bucket then add the mastic powder. Wear a dust mask and mix this until it is the consistency of toothpaste. If it’s too runny, add more mastic powder. If it’s too thick, add water.

STEP THREE

: Tiling your own splashback can save you money if you know what you’re doing.

Quick tip

: To work out the width of the last tile in a row, lay one tile in position at the start of the row. Then move it down the row one-tile width at a time, plus the width of a spacer, until you reach the end of the row.

If the final tile needs to be short, you can pre-trim one for each row before you start tiling.

PHOTOS: BUNNINGS

lay the first tile, about 1mm above the benchtop but flush to the end. Lay more tiles next to the first, putting yellow spacers under them to make sure they’re the same height above the benchtop and spacers between them so that they’re evenly spaced apart. One you’ve laid about half a dozen tiles, use your spirit level to check that they’re straight.

Repeat this process as you continue to lay more tiles.

: STEP 5: CUT A TILE You might find that once you’ve reached the end of your first row of tiles you might need to cut one, so it fits into the

: STEP 3: APPLY THE TILE MASTIC TO THE WALL

STEP FOUR

After you’ve mixed your mastic, use your 8mm notch trowel to apply it to the wall. Make sure that the wall is clean and dry before you start. Starting from near your benchtops, apply enough mastic so that you can lay your first row of tiles.

: STEP 4: LAY THE FIRST ROW Laying the first row of tiles gives you the foundation to lay the next rows, so it’s important to make sure that it is level and evenly spaced. Starting at the end away from the corner,

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make STEP SEVEN

: STEP 7: GROUT THE TILES Put masking tape on the top of the benchtops to protect them while you’re grouting your tiles. To make the grout, add water to the mixing bucket and then the grout powder. Mix it until it’s the consistency of toothpaste. Use your rubber grout trowel to apply the grout onto the tiles at a 45-degree angle so that it fills the gaps between all of the tiles. Remove as much excess grout as possible as you go. This will make cleaning up much easier.

STEP EIGHT

: Step nine: Remove the masking tape to apply silicon where your splashback meets your benchtop.

STEP FIVE

: STEP 6: LAY THE ROWS OF TILES

: STEP 8: CLEAN THE TILES

Use your trowel to apply more mastic for the next row of tiles. Starting at the end furthest away from the wall, lay the first tile of the second row, using spacers to make sure it’s evenly spaced. Work your way along, laying more tiles and use the spirit level to check that they’re straight. Continue doing this until you’ve laid all your tiles. After about 12 hours, when the mastic has set, remove all of the spacers. Use a paint scraper to clean between the tiles to get rid of any excess mastic and brush the tiles down.

: STEP 9: APPLY THE SILICON

STEP SIX space near the corner. To do this, turn the tile upside down and lay it next to the space where it will be laid. Mark the width of the tile you need, remembering to take into account the gap that is needed between the tiles and also the tile and the corner wall. Place the tile into the tile cutter, making sure it’s square, run the cutting blade along the tile and apply pressure to break it. When you lay this tile, put the cut edge closest to the corner.

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After about 30 minutes when the grout has dried, it’s time to clean the tiles. Dip your sponge into a bucket of clean water and wring it out, so it’s as dry as possible. Wipe this over the tiles at a 45-degree angle to get rid of the grout on them. Rinse your sponge regularly. Now’s also a good time to run a finger through the grout to make sure it’s evenly applied between the tiles.

Before you apply the silicon, remove the masking tape from the benchtops and unscrew the piece of supporting wood from the wall. Use your paint scraper to scrape off any tile mastic on the tiles just above where the piece of supporting wood was. Apply your sanitary grade, mould resistant silicon at a 45-degree angle in the gaps between the tiles and the benchtop, the tiles and the walls and under the bottom row of tiles, where the supporting wood was. To remove the excess silicon, spray water onto it and run a popstick along it to make it smooth and even.

For this project and more, visit www.bunnings.com.au.

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you

+

W E LOV E

w i th Hel e n H aw ke s

+ Look good, get lucky F o o t y j u m p e r, t h o n g s a n d a we l d e d - o n e s ky n o t wo r k i n g ? Tr y s m a r te n i n g u p f o r t h e l a d i e s

: Winter skin can be moisture-resistant because of dryness and scaly skin. The solution is easy – exfoliate.

Dirty Works Buttery Salt Scrub, $12.95 at Target, can be used in the bath or shower. Go gently, then soak skin with a good application of your favourite body cream.

: Relaxation is essential to wellness and beauty. Treat yourself to a natural coconut, soy and apricot Voluspa Apple and Blue Clover candle while you bathe or meditate. From $19.95 for a votive candle to $49.95 for a 100-hour candle.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

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B ET W E E N T H E S H E ETS w i th Hel e n H aw ke s

M

Y FRIEND Phil, a retired London hairdresser, recently observed how many attractive, well-groomed women over 40 he sees – and how few men. No offence to all the guys out there wearing their trendy t-shirts, or loafers.

But if more blokes realised how greatly a good haircut and a nicely fitted pair of designer jeans could increase their chances of sex, I think this situation would change dramatically.

A little manscaping doesn’t hurt either – cultivate a bit of designer stubble and get rid of that beard, make sure you have good teeth (and breath) and wear a touch of aftershave or just smell good from a soapy shower.

“The most a man will slap on his face is sunblock,” says Phil. And how many men do you know who would willingly pay $80 for a haircut, or $200 for a shirt?

A 2013 study by the Huffington Post found 35% of women use one or two beauty products daily, while 17% use three or four

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yo you u

‘‘

Of cour se if yo u’ re ga m e you c a n al way s t a ke on a m an who n e eds a b i t o f st yle help...

W E LOV E

+ w i th Tra cey Hord e r n

’’

products a day. Meanwhile, the majority of men (54%) don’t use a single product when getting ready in the morning.

Meanwhile a One Poll survey of 2000 women found they spent more than 100 hours on 30 trips to shop for clothes, 15 shoe-shopping excursions taking 40 hours, and a full 50 hours a year window shopping. No word on what men were doing but I’m betting they were probably playing sport, having a beer, or watching the football on TV. And good on them, although they diminished their chances of getting lucky by not going along to hold the shopping bags.

This is life, unless you live in manscaped Europe.

Of course if you’re game you can always take on a man who needs a bit of style help – I think real estate agents call it a “fixer upper”.

“When I met my husband he was so sexy, still is,” says Michaela.

“But his clothing just needed a little tweaking. He had a favourite black jacket, black steel-capped boots and a budget haircut.

“I think the worst things were the double pluggers (black yobbo thongs) and footy jumper. And he couldn’t leave the house without taking the esky. We stayed at a posh hotel and it came along. Call me a snob, I don’t

Weekend

DRESS TO IMPRESS: For all the blokes out there, bemoaning their lack of sex, try some sure-fire get-luckier tips.

care.” These days he looks “super hot” in a sports polo.

“Slowly his taste has adapted,” says Michaela, who denies she went full makeover, although the double pluggers and footy jumper are no more.

So for all the blokes out there, bemoaning their lack of sex, here are some sure-fire get-luckier grooming techniques. Combine them with a bit of flirting or good manners. : Teeth cleaned and whitened : A facial where blackheads and other nasties are dealt with : A good haircut – ditch the DIY or the comb over : A pedicure so those hairy feet with hangnails can be seen in sandals : A hairy nose and ear trim – get the barber to do it : A little bit of back waxing : A nice fitting pair of jeans and good cotton shirt to go with it – don’t tuck it in : Some evidence of exercise besides changing the channel : A little aftershave Good luck.

Helen Hawkes is a life and wellness coach. Contact her through www.thecalmzone.com.au or on 0403 805 001.

: Eye of Horus Goddess Mascara, an Australian brand that specialises in beautifying eyes, is a natural-based formula that won't clump, run or smudge. Fabulously volumising, nourishing and paraben-free, $34.95, www.eyeofhoruscosmetics.com.

: Maybelline Great Lash is an icon for good reasons: reasonably priced, great formula, conditions as it thickens and washes off easily. This is the all-time classic mascara, perfect for everyday use and is available at all good pharmacies, $12.95.

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s c reen life SUPERHERO REBOOT: Stellar cast lines up for superhero remake.

Fantastic Four

: Stars: Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B Jordan, Jamie Bell. : Director: Josh Trank : Rating: M : Reviewer’s last word: A young, fresh-faced cast revamps Marvel’s quartet of superheroes for a new generation in this well-crafted reboot.

Star profile: Kate Mara

: Kate Mara and Miles Teller as Sue Storm and Reed Richards in the Fantastic Four.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

+ Super cast calls Mi l e s Te l l e r b a g s ro l e fro m h i s da d’s favouri te comic b ook S C RE EN L I F E

with The I n d e p e n d e nt ’ s G i l l Pr i n g l e

I

T IS Hollywood law that any actor will eventually succumb to the lure of a superhero movie.

For some, the opportunity comes later in life such as Michael Douglas’s recent turn in Ant-Man. For others, the chance to wield superpowers is a milestone reached early on in a career. Either way, it is usually an offer that is hard to refuse.

But Miles Teller, acclaimed for his turn as a drummer in last year’s indie hit Whiplash, was a little ambivalent about taking the role of an elastic superhero in Fantastic Four when it landed in his lap.

“I think I collected comic books at one point in my life just because I thought that was a phase I’d go through as a boy.

But it was more of a collectable thing. I didn’t really get much out of reading them,” says the actor.

“The comic book format didn’t really speak to me.

: Quirky fact: Kate and her sister Rooney Mara both appeared in Best Picture Oscar-nominated films in 2011. Rooney was in The Social Network, Kate in 127 Hours. : Best known for: House of Cards, American Horror Story, 127 Hours. : If you like this movie you’ll like these: Ant-Man, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad. : Quote: “When my agents tell me how much I’m going to be paid for a film, instead of quoting a figure, they’ll say: ‘You’re going to make 10 pairs of Christian Louboutins’.”

“I only really dug it when they were converted into video games, like The X-Men, the one at the arcade specifically.

That was sick.”

While his Fantastic Four counterparts — Kate Mara, Michael B Jordan and Jamie Bell — are all acclaimed in their own right, Teller emerges as a natural leader of the quartet, media savvy from his recent experiences and quick to offer pithy responses to predictable superhero questions.

“Once I was cast, my dad revealed that when he was my age Fantastic Four was his favourite comic book. So I was like, ‘Well, that’s gotta be kind of tricky man. That now, at age 60, your son is playing this character that you grew up with’,” rattles off Teller.

Does he think he is the biggest star among the Fantastic quartet — which has been billed as the greatest ensemble of today’s young stars?

“I think I speak for all us (when I say) that I was very excited by the cast. Hopefully, we’ll be making these films for many years. I think the casting of it was, yes, by far one of the

most interesting parts about it. I don’t think people saw us individually as these characters at all. But they wanted to cast actors that maybe had a footing in dramatic acting, and I think that’s served us well for the story.”

Already signed up for two possible sequels, Fantastic Four is not Teller’s first big franchise. He plays a recurring character in the popular Divergent series, a role he has publicly slammed.

He is contenting himself in the meantime with the role of Mr Fantastic/Reed Richards, last played by the Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd. But he has loftier ambitions.

“If there’s any superhero I could play, it would be Thor,” he says. “Are you kidding me? For sure. I’d be jacked. I love the hammer. That’s the best.”

Having adopted sarcasm as his mantle against the world, it is hard to gauge Teller’s true feelings when you ask about the negative online fan reaction to this remake of Fantastic Four, which comes just eight years after the last Fantastic Four ensemble, starring Chris Evans, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis and Gruffudd.

“I absorb it all,” he says, “all the negative stuff people say. I see every hateful thing people write to me on Twitter.

Because I check it. I take it in.”

Fantastic Four is in cinemas now.

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R EV I EWS Wh at ’s n e w on th e bi g screen

Trainwreck

THIS is not your average rom-com, with stand-up comic Amy Schumer turning the player stereotype on its head with her razor-sharp wit. Trainwreck isn’t perfect but it’s fresh, funny and endearing. : Stars: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Tilda Swinton. : Rating: MA 15+ : In cinemas: Now.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

DIRECTOR Guy Ritchie brings great pace and action to this reboot of the popular 60s espionage TV series.

His ridiculously good-looking leading men have pretty good chemistry, although they are nearly outshone by Swedish actress Alicia Vikander. : Stars: Armie Hammer, Henry Cavill, Alicia Vikander. : Rating: M : In cinemas: Thursday.

Vacation

THIS nostalgia-driven comedy unfortunately misses the mark in its homage to Chevy Chase’s original Vacation films. By trying to go dirtier and darker than the films of the 80s, this new Vacation ends up not being all that funny. : Stars: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann. : Rating: MA 15+ : In cinemas: August 20.

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+ Scary times revisited + Byr o n B ay w r i te r we ave s st o r y a r o u n d apa r t h e i d - e ra S o u t h A f r i c a

EDITOR’S PICK: Got to love Miss Fisher. Marple was never this hot.

WORDS AN D MUS IC

Something to Hide

R EV I E W by C a ro ly n Ad a m s o f B o o k wo r m s a n d Pap e r m i te s , B a n g a l ow

By Deborah Moggach: From the author of Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Deceiving a husband because he scares you; having an affair with your best friend’s husband – this story shows everyone has something to hide. Four groups of people end up connected. – Wendy Umstad

R

ETURNING to his South African origins, Byron Bay novelist Russell Eldridge* offers an engaging fictional coming-of-age story around the time Nelson Mandela was on the run from the police and apartheid mastermind Hendrik Verwoerd was campaigning.

The story is told through the eyes of young Tom whose father, Harry Mac, is the editor of a local Pietermaritzburg newspaper which frequently challenges the policies of Verwoerd’s National Party.

Harry Mac is regularly visited by his arch-nemesis, The Kolonel from the state police, and warned about the articles he is printing.

The nature of these visits is retold over dinner at the family home with Harry Mac imitating the police commissioner’s mannerisms to the amusement of his family.

But when young Tom overhears a neighbour discussing secret meetings with his father and possibly a plot to assassinate Verwoerd he becomes anxious about his father’s safety – a realistic fear in a time of random home searches and citizens locked up without reason or charge.

The home of Harry Mac has had police attention several times because Windsor, son of their maid Essie, is on the run.

Tom’s best friend Millie often wakes him at night and they wander up to the Spook House where they tell each other secrets. Millie’s dad, Sol, is a philosopher haunted by the loss of his Jewish family under the Nazi regime. Numerous interesting characters (and I’ve mentioned only a few) each have their own story slowly revealed through the novel.

The publisher has likened the story to Jasper Jones and To Kill a Mockingbird and, to be fair, this is not a farfetched claim.

I was thoroughly engaged with the characters and the plot; the writing was terrific and I can highly recommend this book.

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YOU N G R E A D E RS

w ith Jo h n G rey

Something’s Amiss at the Zoo by Jen Breach and Douglas Holgate

Weekend

Grey Raider

By John Flanagan: Fictionalised retelling of the exploits of a US Civil War Confederate naval raider and the ship commissioned by Lincoln to bring her down.

There are captains at loggerheads and nautical action galore. Think Hornblower with added steam power. – John Grey

Sing It All Away by Walk off the Earth

: Harry Mac by Russell Eldridge. Publisher: Allen and Unwin.

RRP paperback $29.99.

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

* Russell Eldridge was, once upon a time, the editor of the APN-ARM paper the Northern Star.

ENGLISH is a funny language, and some of our names for things are funny too. An eggfruit has nothing to do with eggs, land mullet aren’t fish, and the hummingbird hawk moth is named after two birds but is most definitely an insect. In this book we meet the world’s worst zookeepers who are having trouble with some of their animals. The spider monkey won’t spin webs, the turtle dove doesn’t have a shell, who knows how the tiger shark is managing to survive in the jungle exhibit, and the elephant beetle is in serious danger of being squished. Enter the clever hero (representing our canny young reader) who calmly helps them through the confusion with just a little snarkiness.

Something’s Amiss at the Zoo. Publisher: Hachette Australia.

RRP paperback $14.99. Also available as e-book.

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Original tracks from a Canadian band known for their viral YouTube covers.

Singers swap roles as a catchy, folk and reggae base builds through varied instrumentation and styles to heavily produced, anthemic pop choruses. – John Grey

N EW ON DV D

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries

SEASON 3 Volume 2 of smart, sexy Phryne Fisher’s adventures includes special features with some spotlights on integral members of the production team, a key scene from the final episode, and the magnificent Miriam Margoyles. – TME Grey

Saturday, August 8, 2015

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TEST YOUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Quiz compiled by Roy O’Reilly.

M I N D YOU

QU I Z

1. Merlin the wizard counselled which legendary king?

2. A person whose emotions are easily observed is said to wear their heart on their (a) belt (b) collar (c) sleeve?

w i th Rowen a H a rdy

Explore your values K n ow t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t we e n va l u e s you t a l k a b o u t a n d t h o s e you e m b ra c e

3. The netball World Cup is currently being played in which Australian city?

4. Does the Danube River flow into the Black Sea or the North Sea? 5. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the Tiananmen Square massacre occurred in (a) 1989 (b) 1999 (c) 2009?

6. Doctors Rocks is in which Australian state/territory?

7. How many men are depicted in da Vinci’s painting The Last Supper?

8. Normally promoted as QClash, a recent match between which two bottom-placed AFL teams was dubbed “QTrash”?

9. Guests attending a recent 200th anniversary of victory in which battle were told not to act in a “triumphalist” way – to avoid upsetting the French?

10. Beginning with “c”, what is the term for a group of hired applauders in a theatre?

11. Why did NRL referee Bernard Sutton suspend play after 27 minutes in the recent Anzac Day match between the Dragons and Roosters?

12. The Summer of Love social phenomenon took place in San Francisco in (a) 1967 (b) 1987 (c) 2007?

13. Does Hooke’s Law, a principle of physics, deal with elasticity or gas pressure?

14. Which dual Olympic cycling gold medallist was born in Blackwater, Queensland, in 1983?

15. The sum of the numbers on a standard roulette wheel is (a) 333 (b) 666 (c) 999?

16. Who played Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 movie Gladiator?

17. Clive Palmer recently said that he would sue which Queensland senator for defamation after he claimed the PUP had considered a merger with the Liberal Party?

18. Which Australian test fast bowler was known as “Tangles”?

19. Beginning with “G”, which archangel is often depicted as the divine messenger?

20. Name the world’s most northerly national capital.

21. Which annual event in Washington DC is known as the “nerd prom”?

: People in a relationship can benefit from examining their values separately and then comparing what they have in common.

PHOTO: PABLOGRAPHIX

W

HAT are values? One definition is “principles or standards of behaviour; one’s judgment of what is important in life”. They could also be described as our internal drivers or compass that helps guide us through life and navigate its ups and downs.

Have you ever considered your values?

You may or may not be consciously aware of them, yet they are an intrinsic part of your uniqueness and are revealed in what you do and how you do it. You are likely to have five to seven core values – those that are most important to you, the ones that are established once we reach maturity, and some of which may have been sown early in life when demonstrated by those around us. Once adopted, they are unlikely to change, although the hierarchy may vary, depending on what is happening in our life and taking our attention.

You may also have around 10–15 other values that sit around, and possibly link to, the core ones, and they may change over time as we develop and adapt to our changing environment. The important thing to note is that what we sometimes believe are our values may be espoused, ie talked about, rather than embraced and modelled. Again, it will be clear from our behaviour.

For example, if one of your values is honesty, but you gossip behind someone’s back about them, I would suggest that honesty is espoused for you. Or if you say that care for the environment is a value and then mindlessly dispose of

22. In a recent survey, which star US golfer was voted by his fellow pros as the one they would be least likely to help out in a fist fight?

‘‘

W h at we s o met i mes b el i eve a r e o u r val u es may b e . . . t a l ked a b o u t rat h er t h a n emb ra c ed . rubbish or waste water, then it may not be a value you truly embrace.

As I mentioned, our personal values are central to who we are and, if we ever feel challenged by someone, it can be due to values. So whether in our primary relationship, with friends, family or at work, misalignment between our own and another’s values can lead to tension and cause conflict.

If you haven’t already explored your own values, I invite you to consider that, as it will be insightful and help you recognise what you care deeply about. If you are in a relationship, it would be worth both doing it separately and then discussing those you have in common (which could form the base for your relationship values) and those that differ.

Recognising and respecting each other’s values creates a stable platform for any relationship, and will help you support and appreciate each other more, particularly in the difficult times.

Rowena Hardy is a facilitator, performance coach and partner of Minds Aligned: www.mindsaligned.com.au.

NEXT SATURDAY IN WEEKEND

23. A major grievance of miners in the lead-up to the Eureka Stockade in 1854 was the cost of what?

24. Name the three nephews of cartoon cat Felix.

25. “Don’t Be Evil” is the slogan of which internet giant?

ANSWERS 1. King Arthur. 2. (c) sleeve. 3. Sydney. 4. Black Sea. 5. (a) 1989. 6.

Tasmania. 7. 13. 8. Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast Suns. 9. Battle of Waterloo. 10. Claque. 11. Hail storm. 12. (a) 1967. 13. Elasticity. 14.

Anna Meares. 15. (b) 666. 16. Russell Crowe. 17. Senator Glenn Lazarus. 18. Max Walker. 19. Gabriel 20. Reykjavik. 21. White House Correspondents’ Dinner. 22. Bubba Watson. 23. Miner’s licence. 24.

Inky, Dinky, Winky. 25. Google.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

+ READ //

M eet the mum who has created an al most perfect wo rk/l i fe bal ance

+ MIND //

How to se t f re e th e i nte rru pte d c h i l d wi th i n you rse l f .

Weekend