If you’ve had a chance to flick through the November issue of Table (on sale now at Coles supermarkets and newsagents for $3.95) you’ll have seen our Aussie Entertaining feature, Sunday Barbie (pg 66). With the bright blue sky, sun sparkling on the water and iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background, it looks like the perfect summer’s day. Well, not exactly – those gorgeous photos were photographed on a chilly day back in mid-August. With the temperature hovering around 17 degrees and wispy grey clouds threatening rain, our models for the day, Table team members Dilvin and George (who says we aren’t a multi-talented bunch?), could barely stop their teeth chattering as they shivered in summery clothes. When the plucky pair were finally allowed back into their winter coats they were almost as blue as their backdrop.

But surely we don’t have to shoot so far ahead? Well, actually, yes we do. Like many monthly magazines we work at least three months ahead of the month on the cover. Not only do we have to come up with the overall theme for each issue and ideas for individual features, we have to write all the recipes; have them tested at least once; commission a photographer, food preparation person and stylist for each shoot; lay out and colour correct the photos; edit the recipes and other text to fit the layouts, and proof read everything several times to make sure that there are no mistakes. That’s a whole lot of work. Plus we also have to leave time for the printers to do their magic, before each exciting new issue gets to you.

Not that we’re complaining. Gathering in the test kitchen to compare turkey stuffing recipes in September? Happy to oblige. Easter eggs in December? Bring ’em on. Taste-testing marshmallow eyeballs for our kids Halloween party in July? It’s not that scary.

Where it does get hard is when we want to shoot recipes that feature produce that is only in season for a short period of time, such as cherries. If we wait until we can buy gorgeous, plump Australian cherries in Coles, then they won’t still be there for you to buy three months later. The solution? Cheat and use expensive Californian cherries which arrive in store several months before the home-grown variety, or shoot in January when the fruit is best and hold on to the story for 12 months until they grace the supermarket shelves again. You might think that a magazine like Table is all about great food but if you work here, it’s also all about being organised...

Happy eating!

The Table team

 PS: When we decided to put together an all-Aussie issue, celebrating true-blue classics such as Beef Wellington, Fish & Potato Pie and of course, the perfect Pavlova, we had no idea it would strike such a cord with you, our readers. We have been inundated with letters and calls from people wanting to share their favourite Australian recipes with us, and we want you to keep them coming! To share your favourite dinki-di recipe, or remind us of one we might have forgotten, post it in the comments section below, email us at atable@acpmagazines.com.au, or send a letter to Australian Table, PO Box 4088, Sydney NSW 2001.

How would you define Australian food? That’s the question we asked ourselves when we were putting together this month’s Aussie Issue of Australian Table. No longer just ‘meat and three veg’, many of our favourite foods have their roots in a diverse range of countries. Dinner tonight? How about Sweet & Sour Pork, introduced by early Chinese immigrants. Or perhaps Chicken Schnitzel, originally from Austria. In taking the best bits of cultures from around the globe – as well as incorporating indigenous bush foods into traditional Anglo recipes – modern Australian food is both diverse and delicious. Need inspiration? This issue of Table has 80+ Aussie favourites, including 16 dinky-di dinners, the ultimate surf ‘n’ turf barbie, mince meals the whole family will love and all your cake shop favourites including lamingtons, coconut ice and pavlova. 

So head to Coles or your local newsagent now for a copy of November Australian Table and enjoy our you-beaut tucker!

If you’ve enjoyed a cheeky chardonnay or lively merlot with dinner this week, it seems you’re not alone. According to the reader survey we did back it April, 52% of Table readers (and just about all of the Table team) enjoy a glass of vino at least two to three times a week. And why not? It’s a pleasant way to relax at the end of the day, which is why we regularly include wine suggestions with our seasonal and entertaining features.

But what makes a good wine match? Here at Table we’re fortunate enough to be sent dozens of bottles in the hope we’ll review them in the magazine, so we have the luxury of being able to try them before we make our recommendations. If you’re not lucky enough to be able to try before you buy however (ask your local bottle shops if they do tastings), there are some general principles that can help you pick the perfect partner for that bowl of fettuccine carbonara.

The ‘rule’ used to be that you should always drink red wine with meat and white wine with lighter dishes such as fish or chicken, but in reality you don’t have to be so dogmatic. The idea is to balance the food and the wine so that neither overpowers the other so it stands to reason that it’s the weight of the wine more than the colour that matters. A full-bodied white wine such as a pinot gris will work better with a meat dish than a lighter-style red wine such a sangiovese or pinot noir. Similarly, light, low-tannin reds will work with lighter dishes.

But it’s not just the main ingredient of a dish that matters. Ask yourself what the dominant flavours are and which types of wine replicate those flavours. Creamy chicken curry? The buttery, oaked flavours of a chardonnay would work well with the rich, full-flavoured sauce. Fish in a lemony dressing? A wine with high-acidity such as a sparkling wine, semillon or sauvignon blanc will complement the citrus zing perfectly. Hints of pepper or spice? Look for a wine such as a shiraz that shares the same flavours. Desserts will make a dry wine seem overly acidic, so try pairing them with a sweet, fruity wine such as a botrytis. Wine makers will use key words and phrases such as ‘green’, ‘tropical fruit’, ‘allspice’, ‘vanilla’ to give you an indication of the flavours their wine contains.  

 At the end of the day though we think successful food and wine matching comes down to two things: choose a wine you actually like to drink and have fun. Cheers!