What they didn’t tell me about Australia

Monday 10 February 2014

I heard many things about this great land before I embarked from the plane. I heard tales of spiders the size of dinner plates, long car journeys, blisteringly harsh heat and smiling friendly faces in the grocery store. But I missed one vital story. The story about Sydney being full of fat juicy roaches who are immune to Mortein and nuclear disasters. On my very first day at work, whilst training with a work colleague, a giant bush cockroach darted across my feet. Let’s just say I revealed A LOT about myself that first day (starting with my sailor mouth). I relayed my horror to a friend over dinner and she sort of nodded and said, yep well that’s Sydney for you. Cockroachy. It went from bad to worse when we moved into our new apartment and discovered that they are fans of things like kettles, microwaves, kitchen sinks. I’ve become a pro at wrangling them (and by wrangling I mean ending their existence swiftly) – I even have a resident flip flop that lives in the kitchen ready to strike when one of them makes an appearance. Mornings will never be the same.

Totally off topic and only relevant because I am sure she doesn’t have to put up with cockroach shit, but have you heard of Donna Hay? She is a food stylist, author and editor-in-chief of her own magazine. An all round Australian institution and I am completely awestruck.

Donna Hay Magazine : Issue 51 - demo, Page 1Donna Hay Magazine : Issue 63, Page 9Donna Hay Magazine : Issue 62, Page 19e9b7c1b4f9024c9774cb9b458829aaeDonna Hay Magazine : maple brulee tart /  Issue 51 - demo, Page 162Donna Hay Magazine : Issue 56, Page 1caramel applesDonna Hay Magazine : Issue 59, Page 1

All images via Donna Hay

6 comments

  1. The second picture - omg. And that is disgusting. I'm not scared of roaches but I'm also not a fan of them all over my stuff. That's just super sick.

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  2. Love love love Donna Hay ...... of course I drool not only over all of her food but the photographs are to die for. Good luck with those monsters!!!!

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  3. Yes, she's amazing alright! I've already eaten, but starting to feel hungry again looking at those beautiful pics. x

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  4. I love Donna Hay. Just love her stuff. When I shoot food, I tend to do bright and light, but I am SO drawn to her moody, dark work. Maybe I need to branch out.

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  5. Glad I am not wrangling those crunchy bugs!!!Love Donna Hay, and have many back issues. Amazing recipes and great photography.

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  6. Oh yea... the cockroaches. I came from Malaysia where they're aplenty. The small ones that live in your microwave are especially disgusting. I threw away most of my kitchen appliances after moving out of my student accommodation because the student kitchens were

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