For those who have been absorbing as much as the Fringe and Dunedin Arts festivals can provide, the upcoming Easter and Anzac long weekends may provide a welcome chance to hunker down and enjoy home and hearth - or head away one last time in the caravan or to the bach before winter sets in.
Being a bit later this year, the long-weekend picnics and walks might require a few more layers and warmth, and possibly swapping those end-of-season barbecues for slow-cooked casseroles or roasts.
As we want to be enjoying our long weekends and school holidays, popular social media cook Vanya Insull aka ‘‘VJ Cooks’’ shares some easy dinners with an extract from her latest book Everyday Comfort Food, while columnist Alison Lambert has put together some ‘‘one-pan wonders’’ to cut down on your time in front of the stove.
But it is not Easter without a few sweet treats such as Vanya’s Snickers cheesecake, while Jo Elwin takes advantage of having a bit more time to create a sticky bun and pudding cake using Central Otago’s wonderful plums. If heading out on a picnic, her no-bake chocolate slice will hit the spot, as will Alison's spiced biscuits - both of which use whisky to add some warming notes.
We also have not forgotten the traditionalists with baker Michael Jones sharing his popular hot cross bun recipe - no chocolate here - as nothing is better than a fresh-out-of-the-oven warm spiced bun with lashings of butter.
The weather has also influenced our wine writer Mark Henderson, who has dived into his store of Central Otago pinot noirs as he contemplates the future of wine.
Rebecca Fox
Lifestyle editor
