You'll Love Coles Pavlova?

If the rumours are to be believed, if you make a Pavlova on a humid day, you'll die. Well something like that as the rumours are persistent and loud. But in Queensland, Summer humidity is a constant. So feeling nervous about my first attempt at making a Pavlova, I decided to buy a back up You'll Love Coles Pavlova for $7.00.

Lucky for me, I didn't need the back up and one evening, my taste buds piped up, "hey, Jo! How about something nice for dessert?" So I whipped up some Chantilly Cream and decorated with strawberries, kiwi fruit and banana. The You'll Love Coles Pavlova looks great, it's beautifully uniform, sits up high and has enough body to hold the cream and fruit. The bad news is, after you've made your own Pavlova ... it's just second best. So make your own, I dare you.

New Year's Eve

"The only way to spend New Year's Eve is either quietly with friends or in a brothel. Otherwise when the evening ends and people pair off, someone is bound to be left in tears." - W.H. Auden.

I subscribe to the W.H. Auden school of thought when it comes to New Year's Eve. Since I would rather spend it in the company of friends, as opposed to shagging a random stranger, I decided to host a dinner party. Entree was an Anti-Pasto Plate and Pork and Veal Terrine, main was Osso Buco with Soft Polenta or for those with allergies Roast Lamb with Chat Potatoes and Roast Pumpkin and a Berry Pavlova for dessert.

We also made Champagne Cocktails. Champagne Cocktails are so easy and delicious - blend one bottle of pink Champagne, one tub of lemon sorbet and serve in a champagne flute with fresh strawberries. Here are some food snaps from the evening:

Pork and Veal Terrine. My recipe comes from the lovely Marcus and features a number delicious ingredients - brandy, cream, pistachio nuts and moreish chicken livers. Mmm.

Berry Pavlova. The recipe comes from the 'Women's Weekly Cooking School' cookbook. I finished the Pavlova with Chantilly Creme.

The majority of the chocolates come from Chocolate to Die For (bar the Mint Cameos which come from the Blue Cat). Chocolate to Die For changed ownership about a month ago but the girls are still as friendly as ever. The new owner even has ambitions to make her own chocolates on site so stay tuned.