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Add an edible edge to a festive favourite with this easy recipe! Fruit, chocolate and berries combine to create this merry berry summer fruit wreath - it's a must for any Christmas spread!

Create something special this festive season and delight your guests by preparing this white chocolate and pistachio Christmas tree recipe. It's a centrepiece that's good enough to eat!

We love a good cocktail and brunch is an opportunity to have one a little earlier than usual. This raspberry mimosa recipe is an easy drink to have up your sleeve when the occasion calls for cocktails!

This refreshing sparkling berry punch recipe was made to be enjoyed in the summer sun! Make an alcohol free version by swapping wine for sparkling grape juice, lemonade or soda water

Enjoy the complex botanicals of good gin in this fruity, summery gin and watermelon fizz recipe. Serve stacked with plenty of ice and lime wedges for a refreshing summer drop

Enjoy a salad with a difference with this delicious recipe for ginger, crab and watermelon salad. Drizzled with lime dressing and topped with toasted coconut, this dish is all about the tropics

This refreshing recipe for watermelon granita with Malibu coconut cream creates a wonderfully cooling dessert that's perfect enjoyed with friends on a hot summer afternoon

Take a moment to relax on the night before Christmas with Bluebird Copper Kettle Kumara Crisps paired with a light and tangy cucumber and dill yoghurt dip. It's the perfect light snack before the day of indulgence ahead!

Cherries are gently stewed in lemonade and layered with lemon curd, cream and coconut for this silky cherry fool recipe

These ice-cream pops are a delicious enjoyed on Christmas Day, or on Boxing Day when you have extra pud to use up!

Skip the soggy sandwiches and jazz up your kids' lunchboxes with this flavour-packed turkey and corn pita pocket. It's stuffed with oozy cream cheese, sweet cranberry sauce and a fresh corn salad for a tasty lunch they'll want again!

Megan May gives the classic sugary Shrewsbury biscuit a healthy makeover

Naturally sweet and fruity, this quick and easy banana and raspberry wrap makes a healthy afternoon snack idea for your children. You could also pop it in their lunchbox for a school treat - they'll love it!

The combination of fresh fruit and sweet chocolate will quickly become a favourite snack fpr your little ones. They're super quick to make, and can be enjoyed after school or as a lunchbox treat.

Treat Mum this Mother’s Day to a bowl of wholesome, overnight chia seed bircher - a recipe that’s effortless to make, and to eat! Children will love to layer the spoonfuls of bircher with the sweet, Doris plum yoghurt. Top with a little sprinkle of toasted almonds

Strawberry pink flamingo cake! This cake is perfect for a girls pink themed birthday party, plus the strawberry's add a fresh fruit appeal.

The marriage of walnuts and blue cheese is a culinary relationship that has stood the test of time. In this salad, which is perfect for late summer and autumn, our happy couple are joined by earthy, crimson-veined beet leaves, pear and pomegranate to create a passionate wee dish full of crunch and salty creaminess. Serve it with a dark sourdough loaf and a glass or two of wine. Recipes and styling by Fiona Hugues. Photography by Jani Shepherd. Gatherum Collectif.

In this salad, bite-sized pieces of duck are teamed with fresh sweet plums, sharp rocket, tart lime juice and salty nuts – sweet, salty and sour all happening at once. Delicious. Recipes and styling by Fiona Hugues. Photography by Jani Shepherd. Gatherum Collectif.

Don’t be intimidated by this recipe. Please try it, even if just for the strawberry juice, which is brilliant – especially in a glass of chilled Champagne!

This is a modern take on the Tuscan classic of prosciutto and melon. I’ve made my own duck prosciutto, which is very easy to do but must be made a week in advance as the duck needs to hang in the fridge. You can tea-smoke the duck once it is ready, to add an extra dimension, or simply enjoy it as it is. Muscatels are a type of aromatic dried grape; if you can’t find them, use sultanas instead.

Serve this shake in a tall glass and let Tim Tam Espresso Martini biscuits give you the ultimate afternoon pick me up. Recipe by Happy Mum Happy Child.

Tim Tam Strawberry Champagne biscuits form the base for this cool retro-styled slice that will turn afternoon tea into an event. Recipe by High Tea With Dragons.

Tim Tam Pina Colada biscuits are the perfect accompaniment to this tropical fruit parfait. They’re easy to make: simply layer the parfait components into glasses and serve with an indulgent Tim Tam Pina Colada biscuit or two on the side. Recipe by The Style Insider.

This cocktail by Kiwi chef Peter Gordon is like a light breeze, with gin and refreshing aloe and cucumber

Named after a former Barcelona goalkeeper, Francisco Urruticoechea, as it was his favourite drink.

Consider this your mid-afternoon wake-up call! A velvety chocolate ice cream laced with coffee.

Enjoy this sweet/salty take on oysters with a fresh watermelon salsa topping. It's summer in a shell!

If you adore anything lemony, like I do, and have a spare corner in your garden, you should grow a lemon verbena bush. This herb, with its distinctive citrus flavour and heady scent, is extraordinary – just a few leaves add fragrance to drinks, dishes, pot-pourri and even flower bouquets. Recent French guests of ours from the Rhône-Alpes region commonly drink this beverage, which they call ‘verveine’, and swear by it as a winter cold-preventative – with the addition of honey and schnapps, they say, it “cooks them out of illness”. Traditionally, it takes 40 leaves and 40 days to make their version of the brew, but in summer I’ve found this quick infusion suits me fine and is deliciously refreshing poured over ice. Add edible flowers and a few berries if you want to pretty things up a little.

Vibrant peas, corn and chilli combine with smoked salmon in this zesty salad.

If you like Caesar salad and prawn cocktails, you'll appreciate this salad of prawns, egg, prosciutto and crispy bagel croutons - just add cocktail sauce!

Colourful and crunchy, this dish has everything you want from a salad, including tuna, beans, tomatoes, cucumber, spinach and parsley.

This in an easy and delicious salad to put together - strips of rotisserie chicken served on a bed or pre-cooked lentils, beetroot, and rocket. All you have to do is assemble!

This light and billowy cream pie is a case of assembly, rather than cooking, meaning anyone can make it!

Coffee and chocolate are a match made in heaven, and when frozen in mousse form it's a dream come true!

Like a Neapolitan dream, this mousse cake has a base of chocolate mud cake, followed by a layer of chocolate mousse, then strawberry mousse and topped with fresh strawberries.

Ice cream laced with lemon curd and crumbled mini meringues = lemon meringue ice cream.

Enjoy all the elements of a delicious strawberry shortbread but in ice cream form! Biscuit crumb and strawberry jam top vanilla ice cream in this moreish dessert.

I can still remember my mum making me and my sisters iced coffees when we were studying for our end-of-year school exams. I’m sure it was the caffeine and sugary ice cream that got us through!

It’s tempting to just throw a bunch of fruit and veges in a blender and hope for the best, but that’s not what makes a good smoothie great. By using a recipe, you can ensure the correct balance of acidity and sweetness. Also, the consistency will be just right – not too thin, but not a thick sludge either. Most importantly, a great smoothie will be healthy – not simply a whole heap of sugar disguised as fruit. This green goddess smoothie is one of my trusty standbys. I regularly knock one back for breakfast or for a mid-afternoon snack. The pear provides the sweetness, the lime the acidity and the avocado makes for a smooth and creamy texture, plus it’s packed full of goodness. Enjoy!

If you’re a fan of mojito cocktails (who isn’t?), then you’re sure to enjoy this alcohol-free version. You may find you don’t miss the rum after all!

Using real strawberries gives this drink a refreshing edge, while the vanilla and cream make it rich and delicious.

Using melted dark chocolate, cocoa and brownie in the topping gives this shake all the richness a real chocolate lover craves.

Sadly crayfish aren’t as abundant now in the foreshore as in the times when Jani and I were kids clambering around the rocks. Over the holidays there’s often a generous relative or diving mate who will arrive with a juicy cray wrapped in newsprint. This recipe is one both Jani and I loved during our time in the USA – Jani in Nantucket, me in Maine – where lobsters are abundant local fare. It’s a great way to stretch a cray to serve a few hungry holiday goers. For the best results, use the freshest bread rolls you can get your hands on. Photographs by Jani Shepherd and styling by Fiona Hugues; Gatherum Collectif.

Back when I first tried shandy it was all sand, sun-bleached hair, wooden beads and tasselled beach towels. The tassels have returned and a shandy remains the go-to thirst quencher at the end of a hot summer’s day. It’s also a drink that makes a great accompaniment to Mexican-inspired meals. Photographs by Jani Shepherd and styling by Fiona Hugues; Gatherum Collectif.

Jani and I spend hours on our photoshoots and inevitably share childhood food stories as memories are triggered by different ingredients. One recent discovery is our shared love of Strawberry Toppa ice blocks – that delicious Kiwi invention of the 1950s. The rather rustic icy treats on these pages are our version of the sublime relationship between strawberries and cream – with a cheeky, grown-up twist. Photographs by Jani Shepherd and styling by Fiona Hugues; Gatherum Collectif.

The Venice dusk cocktail, brings you one step closer to sipping a cocktail on one of the terraces overlooking picturesque Venice.

Perfect cocktail party drink

Pimm's is a gin-based liquor infused with liqueur, fruit juices and spices. We've added fresh fruit, fragrant mint and cooling cucumber to create a refreshing alcoholic punch, perfect for warm Summer evenings.

You can add some thinly sliced blood orange as well as the lime to this classic cosmopolitan if you like.

Turkey, fresh mint and coriander, slices of chilli and crunchy cabbage all wrapped up in rice paper – what’s not to love about this fresh and zingy idea for turkey leftovers? After a day of heavy eating these are just the trick for a light lunch or supper.

This fruity and refreshing cocktail from popular Sydney bar, Della Hyde's, seasonal menu combines gin, mango and basil to create the ultimate Summer drink.

Can you imagine devouring a slice of rich, creamy cheesecake and feeling nothing but pleased with yourself? When it’s made solely with raw ingredients and contains no wheat, refined sugar or dairy, you can afford to be the smuggest hedonist in town

A delicious way to dress a bowl of greens. I like to stir it through wilted spinach, leafy Asian greens, beans and broccoli.

Quick, crunchy and quirky! I love salads with interesting textures, colours and flavours and this salad has all three. I use a microplane to slice the vegetables and knock it together while the steak is on the barbecue. The only rule is not to dress it until you serve it, so it retains its sensational crunch.

Refreshing watermelon, lime and berry cheesecake jars make the ultimate dessert this summer!

Pretty pastel coconut ice! A beautifully delicious sweet treat everyone will love!

This gorgeous cocktail recipe is courtesy of Sydney's popular bar, Della Hyde. It combines tequila, ginger and rhubarb to create a wonderfully zesty and fruity beverage to cool you down during a warm Summer evening.

Julie Goodwin's mouthwatering chocolate trifle makes the ultimate sweet indulgence this holiday season! This festive favourite is perfect to share with family and friends!

This one might be a little bit outside the box, but I love to play with savoury and sweet. You could use this basic method to experiment with all sorts of different flavour combinations. - Al Brown

Try this light and tasty way of preparing raw fish. Although coconut milk is often used in the Pacific for this dish, it makes a refreshing change to leave it out.

Why eat raw? When raw food is heated above 45°C, the enzymes that help you absorb essential nutrients are destroyed, so enjoy these delicious "good for you" raw chia chocolate puddings. Photography by Rob Shaw/bauersyndication.com.au

Have you heard? Fermented food is in! Try this simple recipe for delicious homemade sauerkraut. It’s easy to make, colourful and makes a great gift to enjoy with hot dogs and corned beef sandwiches. It’s an instant hit of healthy. Photography by Todd Eyre

A common ingredient in Moroccan and some Middle Eastern cuisines, preserved lemons add a wonderfully complex citrus note to both sweet and savoury dishes. They can be expensive to buy, yet they’re so easy to make. Photography by Todd Eyre

There's a real art to creating the perfect chicken club sandwich - get organised by clearing a space and having all your ingredients at the ready!

This gift takes a few months (so start now for the following Christmas), but the magic and shared wonder is well worth the wait. Photography by Jani Shepherd/Gatherum Collectif.

This icy cold limoncello keeps guests guessing as to how the lemon got inside the bottle. The secret is patience. Photography by Jani Shepherd/Gatherum Collectif.

Lauren Matthews of The Kitchen Collective & Kate Rose of Mea Culpa share their fresh orange negroni recipe.

Lauren Matthews of The Kitchen Collective & Kate Rose of Mea Culp share their sweet and sour cocktail recipe.

Lauren Matthews of The Kitchen Collective and Kate Rose of Mea Culpa share their creative highball cocktail. Photography by Lauren Matthews.

Lauren Matthews of The Kitchen Collective and Kate Rose of Mea Culpa share a cocktail recipe for a stylish Christmas soirée. Photography by Lauren Matthews.

Fran Abdallaoui and Pamela Clark share their recipe for a salad with green papaya, a classic Vietnamese and Thai ingredient.

Start your evening off with a bang with this seriously seditious cocktail

Long White Vodka has landed, bringing a host of refreshing cocktails to please the thirsty crowd

Do not underestimate the humble coleslaw! This version is always a hit as it follows a few of the “must-do” slaw rules. Photography by Todd Eyre.

A classic drink with cooling cucumber and subtle dryness, this Pimms has a few extras including added flavour from aniseedy fennel flowers. Photography by Jani Shepherd/Gatherum Collectif.

Warm summer afternoons call for this delicious prawn, zucchini and mint salad - light, fresh, and perfect for the festive season!

Mea Culpa's Kate Rose . Photography by Mike Rooke.

Mea Culpa's Kate Rose shares her highball secrets. Photography by Mike Rooke.

Kate Rose from Mea Culpa's bloodbath cocktail is full of beetroot and lemon, but it isn't healthy. Photography by Mike Rooke.

Kate Rose from Mea Culpa shares her take on a kiwi highball. Photography by Mike Rooke.

Try this refreshing jam cocktail by French mixologist Damien Barte of Napier's wine, cocktail and craft beer bar Monica Loves. Photography by Rachel Dobbs.

Also called salsa fresca, this is an uncooked salad traditionally made with fresh tomatoes and almost always with coriander for flavour and fragrance. Photography by Jani Shepherd / Gatherum Collectif.

This recipe is a salsa fresca, uncooked Mexican salad, using fresh ingredients marinated in lime juice, salt and olive oil. Photography by Jani Shepherd / Gatherum Collectif.

These dark ice cubes add simple fresh flavour to lemonade and introduce a mysterious, slightly sinister, quality to your Day of the Dead gathering. Fill glasses with the black ice and top up with lemonade. Photography by Jani Shepherd / Gatherum Collectif.

One of the simplest, but one of the most important, things you can do would be to try to replace sugar with honey wherever feasible. The honey bee is a keystone species. It is responsible for the pollination of a third of our crops, not to mention wild and native flora. Varroa has decimated our feral bee population, so your local apiarists are carrying out a massive task and need your support. Furthermore, honey is local, contains trace amounts of several micronutrients, and possesses other purported health-benefiting properties. Part of a sustainable dining event by Taste and Lincoln University. Recipe by: Michael Smith, photography by: Jani Shepherd and styling by: Fiona Hugues.

Fruit and vegetables straight from the garden make perfect Flatbread toppings for a light summer meal

A simple Carpaccio is not only beautiful to look at on the plate but sensationally soft and delicious to eat – try it at your next soiree and really impress your guests.

Raw chocolate and superfoods go so well together, both in flavour and nutrition. This is Megan May's delicious ‘jaffa bowl’. Photography by Melanie Jenkins.

There are plenty of versions of hummus recipes out there but this is a great go to – easy and fast. Tart, lemony and creamy all at the same time, it easily becomes a light meal before you know it.

Faeries of the glen terrarium! This cake decoration is perfect for a fairy themed birthday party - like a little edible magical world on your table.

Hold on tight, we're taking flight! This cake decoration is perfect for a Alice in Wonderland themed birthday party, or a infant's nursery rhyme birthday party.

Brave knights defend the realm! This waffle cone castle cake is perfect for any birthday knights, and kingdom themed birthday parties.

Pretty in pink, crown princess cupcakes for your little birthday princess!

Lord of the Rings-inspired hobbit house birthday cake! Make this birthday cake for any Lord of the Rings enthusiasts, and Hobbit fans of Sam, Frodo, Pippin and Merry.

Life in a fish bowl! Create this cool jelly fish bowl for a underwater themed birthday party.

These butterfly cake pops are cute additional birthday party food. All the kids will love these chocolate covered marshmallow and raspberry jellies with butterfly sprinkles.

Word play Happy Birthday! Write a message to the birthday child, or write all the names of the guests. You could even play a game and the guests can make words from the letters you create!

Recycling lolly truck cake for the Chief of recycling! Use bottle lollies to keep with the recycle theme, but you can use mixed lollies, if you prefer.