chasing serendipity: Masterchef pressure test

First things first - Happy new year!! For all my free time I'm a little behind on posts, so here goes a marathon catch up...starting with xmas - and after I get back from a hike today to celebrate the new year at nearly the end of the world in Ushuaia, my trip to get down here.

Yes, a little self indulgent, I'm starting off this xmas update on how awesome the pavlova I made at xmas was – crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, piles of cream and fruit delicately yet robustly balanced on top;) (I used the Donna Hay's recipe that was in the pressure test for Masterchef Australia - little known fact is how addicted I and my flatmate in the UK Chris was to this show.) so yes, I made it for my contribution to xmas lunch/diner.. and it totally rocked!!

My little gloat... pavlova!!!

Xmas this year was special – although not with my family I was with a great group of people from around the world who had converged on an apartment in Palermo, Buenos Aires. We pretty much ate our way through xmas eve, xmas day, boxing day with food from our countries (hence the pav although um it was sort of the first proper pav I've ever made), Carmen made it all very festive with hats and xmas décor, and in between lazing on the hammock, watching movies in the air con it was a pretty relaxed and fun couple of days. Even Santa made an appearance:)

Thanks to Ziss, Steffan, Urban, Miguel, Carmen, Jon and Chase for making it a great holiday!