March 9th, 2012 by Mark Bristow

Australians are pretty good at handling themselves in a crisis.  Our rapid responses to the floods, bushfires and more in recent years show that when the pressure’s on, we have what it takes to be ready in the face of natural disasters. But what about UNNATURAL disasters? I am, of course, referring to the very real and totally-not-fictional threat of zombies. Just because the unholy armies of the night ... Read more

March 8th, 2012 by Mark Bristow

Coffee is a big part of everyday life for millions of people throughout Australia and around the world. We drink coffee for all kinds of reasons, from jump-starting our body and mind, to reaping the social benefits of enjoying a relaxing cuppa with friends.  Sometimes we'll drink it out and about, and sometimes we drink it at home, often with the aid of a coffee machine from ... Read more

March 2nd, 2012 by Mark Bristow

There's an old joke that goes something like: "This milk is so old, it should be eligible to vote!" *cue laugh track* For many of us, this is funny because at one time or another, it was true.  We've all been there - maybe years ago, or just last week, we've all left something in the fridge for so long that by the time we rediscovered it, it ... Read more

February 27th, 2012 by Mark Bristow

Australians are passionate about many things.  Sport.  Getting a fair go.  The country's unique culture. And as it turns out, the correct storage conditions for chocolate. After we published the blog Chocolate in the fridge – right or wrong?, we asked for your thoughts on this topic and received an overwhelming response from both sides of the argument. Anti-Fridgers Our Facebook friends were asked to Like our status if they ... Read more

February 27th, 2012 by Mark Bristow

Ants can strike at any time.  If the six-legged fiends aren’t already marching two-by-two through your home, then they could very well be planning their next offensive as we speak. There are many reasons to keep ants out of your kitchen.  It’s not a good look for your benchtops and tiles to be moving.  The ants can devour the food you were saving for yourself and your ... Read more

February 23rd, 2012 by Mark Bristow

A lot of people have been talking about spills lately.  While managing the political kind takes a lot of time and effort, managing common household spills in the kitchen can actually be surprisingly easy. Here are thirteen tips for managing spills: 1. Make sure that your kitchen workspace is clear and uncluttered, providing fewer distractions and making any spills that do happen easier to get to and clean. 2. ... Read more

February 21st, 2012 by Mark Bristow

Happy Pancake Day!  If you haven’t already tucked into a stack of pancakes, crepes, flapjacks, pikelets or other sweet or savoury treats, now’s the perfect time to grab the ingredients you'll need to round out the day (geddit?) with a batch. Unlike many other arbitrary food holidays (which are often the invention of food manufacturers as a marketing ploy), Pancake Day has a traditional origin.  Shrove Tuesday ... Read more

February 21st, 2012 by Mark Bristow

A dishwasher needs to be big enough to tackle any challenge, clever enough to take proper care of your plates, and affordable enough for any household, so that you invest more of your time and money in the things you care about. Euromaid, a 100% Australian-owned company, has developed a dishwasher that can not only reliably handle all of the above and more, but is exclusively available ... Read more

February 20th, 2012 by Mark Bristow

We’re now partway between Valentine’s Day and Easter, making this a prime season for chocolate-lovers.  Shops are putting their leftover heart-shaped choccies on special and introducing new varieties in the shape of eggs and rabbits. But whether you're saving the sweets from your sweetheart for later or building a burrow for the Bunny in advance, opinion is divided over whether chocolate should be stored in the fridge ... Read more

February 17th, 2012 by Mark Bristow

Moving house?  Taking your trusty appliances with you?  Here’s a guide from Appliances Online to moving one of the biggest, most awkward and most sensitive appliances around – the refrigerator. Empty the fridge first This should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised by how many people forget about it.  Eat up the food you don’t want to lose, and let the rest go (maybe store the good ... Read more