I look back in awe and amazement at the palate from which we cooks and chefs have to choose our produce and products from and I say look back from when I started cooking in 1970. For example, when writing menus in those days, Avocado was listed for two only because they were very seasonal and rare and expensive. Now, look at avocados and their year around availability.

The other expansive effect on the palate has been the brilliant range of ethnic cuisines from which to choose and the mighty Australian appetites that have embraced dishes from all over the world. Doesn’t that make choosing the dishes to capitalise on seasonal glut products easy?

Tradition also plays a big part in our choice of dishes. How long is it to Easter? – not long and naturally one thinks of Easter eggs which were originally hens eggs that had been painted or decorated in some fashion. However, the egg was and is significant as it culturally represented the start or rebirth of life and living. The old one of which came first…the egg or? Let’s leave that out.

But there are so many different ethnic dishes that have a traditional value and some rules by which we have to adhere – traditional Jewish food for example. When you start to explore the availability of the traditional dishes, you’ll find a richness of dishes from which to expand your menu knowledge and recipes.

Happy Easter and enjoy – even though you’ll be working hard through this busy period.

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