Rich Reward

Dark chocolate - in banana bread, creme caramel and mousse - is a treat to be coveted any time of the day or night. By Karen Martini.

The Vital Ingredient

Would-be cookbook writers need passion, and more, to make it into print. By Jacqui Taffel.

Map Strategy

Ignore the potholes and sidetracks; planning is the shortcut to success.

Outback: Recipes And Stories From The Campfire

Outback: Recipes and Stories from the Campfire by Andrew Dwyer The Miegunyah Press, $49.95

Family's Sweet Taste Of Success

Gary Adler Marion Adler Bishop. One of Melbourne's best-loved chocolate shops turns 50. By Lisa Mitchell.

Lite Of Her Life

Jill Dupleix is fighting fat by cutting down, not cutting out. Just don't expect her to give up chocolate cake, writes Lissa Christopher.

Chocolate Mousse

Today's cutting-edge chefs may think they invented foam but it has been around a good while - since the 1700s, according to historian Alan Davidson. Recipes for foams both sweet and savoury (and, yes, mousse is the French word for foam) were recorded by 18th-century French writer Menon. His book Suppers at Court, published in 1755, describes Louis XV's favourite chocolate drink as a mixture of melted chocolate, boiling water and beaten egg (white or yolk). The 19th-century painter and keen cook ...

The Fragrant Gourmet

If you adore the marriage of sweet citrus and bitter chocolate, then get out of the kitchen and over to the perfume counter.

Harris Opens Chocolat Box Once More

The Lollipop Shoes By Joanne Harris Doubleday, $32.95

In The Engine Room

NO OTHER room has brought more joy to Margaret Fulton's family, friends and countless other Australians than her kitchen. It's a cosy, comforting space, full of cooking memories from a lifetime of recipes, and wonderful aromas.

Fishing For Easter Recipes

If you have not already been counting down the days, then here's a quick reminder; it's almost Easter.

A Sweet All-rounder

This versatile chocolate cake recipe can star in any occasion, writes Belinda Jeffery.

A World Of Flavours Online

Typing the word ice-cream into google delivers a plethora of recipes, ideas, blogs and histories relating to the sweet treat.

Fear Not - Help Is At Hand

Two kinds of people are reading Epicure this morning; those who are turning the pages, between sips of pot-brewed orange pekoe tea and bites of jam-slathered sourdough; perusing the recipes and the wine recommendations and thinking (perhaps a little smugly) of those Christmas presents tucked away in the cupboard. And then there's the other kind; speed-reading; scanning the industry gossip for their name, flicking over the restaurant review and noting the all-important score; perhaps glancing at ...

Baking Makes A Big Difference

The Nestle sweet baking study is hardly likely to highlight any negative statistics related to the cooking habits of those partial to a cake or muffin.

Vistorta Torta Di Cioccolata

Flourless chocolate cake13 tbsp butter, softened

Top Five ... Kids & Cooking

Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School, 126 Weston Street, Brunswick East, phone 9380 9777

Science Of The Senses

From confectionary concoctions to dark delicacies, chocolate's role is to delight and seduce. Jane Faulkner asks the experts why the whole world loves the brown bean. IT'S been one of the toughest assignments to date. The mission was to find out from the experts, and scientifically evaluate, of course, exactly why people love chocolate and baking with it.

Staving Off Winter's Chilli

WHAT makes a fantastic hot chocolate? It's like any debate over coffee preferences isn't it? Each to their own brew, bean or blend.

Your New Good Living

This week Bill Granger comes to the rescue of a budding (and ballooning) bride. From the breakfast loaf with dried fig and apple to chicken, shiitake and Asian greens soup, his recipes on page 10 will suit anyone who's keen to wind back