bkk's Profile

This looks like caramel slice- very common here in Australia, most Mum's have probably made it once in their lifetime though some versions have you cook the middle layer too. To cut it once set, use a hot knife, wiping between cutting to get neat slices. And @aliciafig you could try them in mini cupcake tins, just keep an eye on them as they cook- I cook the base until light golden. Here is a multitude of variations on the classic http://www.taste.com.au/search-recipes/?q=caramel+slice&x=0&y=0

@M! I agree, although we often have unwrapped lettuce sitting on a shelf. Lettuce rarely comes wrapped in plastic here, unless it is loose leaves, and we leave it on shelves because we are too lazy to reach down and actually open a drawer.

Despite where it may, or may not have been invented, the good old pav is still considered an Aussie dessert, same as it is considered a NZ dessert- both countries love it and have been making it for years. (though there is an argument that whilst the dessert came from New Zealand originally, the name came when the dish was made for Pavlova in Perth, Australia).
For those who have troubles with a traditional pavlova, a pavlova roulade may be your solution. It's a variant, but delicious and less prone to the giant air bubbles/collapse of your standard pavlova. Donna Hay has a good recipe http://thefridaybaker.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/maple-pear-pavlova-20-2/

Um, for some of these I ask why bother? Sure I'm with you with sponges and dish towels but clean my remote? Well its never been cleaned and I'm still kicking, Same with my phone. I get rid of visible dirt and gunk off my keyboard but I'm not going to get a Q-tip and go to town. There's something to be said for being too clean. A friend recently pointed out an ad for a hand soap dispenser that uses motion sensors to dispense the soap, the ad warning of the germs that accumulate on the dispenser. As she noted , 1) we've lived for many years touching the dispenser and have come to no harm and 2) what do you do after you touch the dispenser? Wash your hands. Our society seems to becoming too obsessed with germs.

Ok, I second (or third..or whatever the count is up to) ideas on side dishes, also ideas for healthy recipes but can I suggest low-cholesterol recipes??? I never find any decent, well reviewed ones on the net. They all seem to belong to somewhat scary fitness/illness blogs and websites.
Also second the idea of themed weeks- as an Aussie an Australian week would be fascinating to read, and I'd love to have some new recipes from far away places.
May I suggest dessert recipes for two as well? Some tried and tested scaled down recipes would be useful.

My favourite cook book when I was a kid was based on food mentioned in Roald Dahl's books, so pencils with their ends dipped in toffee so you could actually suck on your pencil (instead of chewing on pens) and lickable wallpaper. I was about 6 or 7 when I discovered the book and well aware that I shouldn't be eating the real life version of many of these recipes (tar anyone?) But food versions of inedible things were very appealing and a bit of fun. If you can't have fun when you're a kid, when can you?

As said above this have been in Australia for quite a few years. As a kid I would steal all the froth off my mums cappucino. A babychino just guarantees the Mum can enjoy her cappucino froth and all. I make them at my work but we serve it in a normal size cup with a little bit of hot chocolate in it.

@Viktoria -I hardly think drinking some milk froth is the same as the sexualisation of children. Kids have been copying their parents for years, whether it be wanting their own kid-version of their parents coffee or playing mum to a baby doll, cooking at a play stove. This is all normal and certainly isn't in the same vain as racy lingerie.

I've instigated the game Blinx refers to- Its called Phone Stack, when I dine out with friends. If we've gone to all the trouble to dress up and go out for a nice dinner the least my dining companions can do is actually engage in conversation and not sit on Facebook reading about their other friends who are off doing other things. If you wanted to see them, go and see them, no need to sit across from me and ignore me. Here's a link explaining the game: http://www.news.com.au/technology/smartphones/phone-stacking-game-to-get-friends-off-mobiles-at-meal-time/story-fn6vihic-1226247534506

Apparently the dog from Season 1 didn't get on with the dogs that live at Highclere (the estate which poses as Downton), so they got the new dog in and instead of pretending it was the same dog they create 'Isis'. I think the names of the dogs may be in honour of the fact that Lord Carnarvon, the Earl who lived at Highclere funded the excavation of Tutenkhamun's tomb and subsequently died in Egypt (his death fuelled the idea that there was a curse on the tomb, but was more likely due to blood poisoining)

I'm grabbing some as soon as I can find the perfect recipe box, that's my only obstacle. I don't think they can be called outdated now that it seems some people still have use for them.