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The Better Homes and Gardens Summer Series airs at 7pm Fridays on Seven, 7TWO and 7plus. To find these fantastic recipes, projects, advice and more, scan the QR code or visit bhg.com.au. GRAHAM ROSS visits Boongala Gardens, the perfect example of an Aussie rainforest. MELISSA KING shows you how to add interest to your garden with sculpture art. ADAM DOVILE creates a tensegrity floating pot-plant holder that looks like it’s defying gravity. COLIN FASSNIDGE makes flavour-packed lamb kofta and pita bread with tzatziki sauce.…

Consider this your invitation to a summer romance. One that’s filled with warmth and flavour. In my opinion, summer is the most vibrant, vivacious time of the year. Fruit is bursting with sweetness, your skin feels fresh from the beach, river or pool, and the bright colours in your garden give you motivation to celebrate, make and gather. Sorry winter lovers, but summer really is where all the zesty, bright, juicy stuff happens. This month’s ‘Entertaining’ issue lands in that sweet spot just before Christmas, when festive tables and fridges are stocked for days of grazing. Then we roll happily into New Year – the moment for your cocktail shaker to shine. But it’s also a beautiful time of balance. After months of full calendars and long working days, January…

The warm tones of these servers perfectly bridge the balance of sunset and evening. Use them to serve up your salad alongside your summer spritzes. Long Stone servers in tortoise, $125, from Dinosaur Designs. Create a centrepiece worth celebrating with a floral display housed in this glorious yellow twisting vase. Can’t you just picture it brimming with yellow wattle or vibrant red and pink dahlias? &Klevering Marshmallow vase in opaque yellow, $135, from Trit House. Melamine has never looked so glamorous. These pretty side plates will elevate your table spread by adding a pop of sun-kissed colour. Also available in dinner plates and bowls. Heritage Petals side plate in pink, $16.95 for two, from Myer. Don’t let the sun set on your soirée. These lamps can soak up the summer…

Editor Megan Osborne Creative director Scott Cassidy Managing editor Sophie Al-Bassam Chief sub-editor Jo McKinnon Digital editor Tahni Mesann Design director Monique Larracy Senior designer Carol Tang Garden editor Jenny Dillon Senior food editor Sarah Murphy Stylist Nonci Nyoni Creative projects editor Geneva Vanderzeil Senior content producers Jade Coull, Rachel Iorfino, Livia Gamble Content producer Jada Susas Enquiries (02) 9282 8000 REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS In your garden Tony Fawcett Moon guide Milton Black Better pets Caroline Zambrano Better finance Andrea Black Better books & experiences Rachel Iorfino ADVERTISING Head of commercial, home & lifestyle Rhyl Heavener Advertising enquiries (02) 9282 8000, advertising@aremedia.com.au Head of sales NSW Jimmy Kerr Head of sales VIC Nisar Malik Head of sales QLD & SA Judy Taylor Director of sales Anna Quinn TELEVISION Host Johanna Griggs…

CINTIA GONZALEZ Crafter Cintia is a multidisciplinary crafter who enjoys elevating regular everyday materials into attractive and practical objects. This issue, “with a little bit of imagination and some gold lustre, oyster shells that were destined for the bin can be transformed into pearly heirlooms,” says Cintia. See page 112. RICK STEIN Chef and author Rick Stein is the beloved champion of locally sourced seafood, with more than 25 cookbooks and 12 restaurants across the UK and Australia. This month, Rick shares his tips for handling Christmas chaos, plus a hazelnut pavlova recipe from his latest cookbook, Christmas (see page 132). MICHAEL RANTISSI & KRISTY FRAWLEY Authors, caterers and vegie lovers Michael Rantissi worked as a chef in Tel Aviv, Paris and New York before moving to Sydney in 2004…

Letter of the month Rediscovering your magazine recently reminded me why your publication holds a special place in so many homes – it’s the genuine sense of connection with readers. My children absolutely loved the family-friendly recipes; they were an instant hit. But what touched me even more was a story I wasn’t expecting to find. I opened the November issue to the feature written by senior content producer Jade Coull, sharing the beautiful story of her grandfather. I was deeply moved. Her story mirrored my own childhood in so many ways. My father, also named Antonio, came to Australia with the same hopes, dreams and determination to build a better life. He, too, had three daughters. He, too, lived simply, but created a life filled with love, tradition and…

Growing up, my uncle was an orchardist and boxes of fresh, juicy, tree-ripened peaches are one of my favourite memories of family gatherings. I remember sitting cross-legged on the grass with my cousins eating fruit so sweet and heavy with juice that it dribbled down our chins. We knew the peaches were extra good when we had to double over to stop the delicious juice running down our arms. Even today the aroma of peaches brings back those great summer memories. You haven’t truly tasted a peach until you’ve picked and eaten one straight from your own backyard tree. Peach trees are perfect for small gardens because they are self-pollinating, meaning you only need one tree to produce a good crop. When it comes to choosing the right one, the…

PROSCIUTTO, PESTO AND PEACH SANDWICHES Preparation time 15 mins Makes 4 1 loaf Turkish bread ⅓ cup basil pesto 60g baby rocket 200g sliced prosciutto (about 12 slices) 2 yellow peaches, thinly sliced ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves 2 tablespoons hot honey CHILLI HONEY RICOTTA 500g smooth ricotta 1 tablespoon hot honey 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional) Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season STEP 1 To make the chilli honey ricotta, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste. STEP 2 Cut Turkish bread crossways into four equal portions, then cut each portion in half horizontally. STEP 3 Spread the bases with chilli ricotta and the top sections with pesto. Top the ricotta with rocket, prosciutto, peaches and basil…

When chef Michael Rantissi and hospitality pro Kristy Frawley opened Kepos Street Kitchen in Sydney’s Redfern 15 years ago, the breakfast scene in Australia was very different. While other cafes served up a full English, Michael put falafel and salads on his breakfast menu. At the time, he said people thought “he’d landed from a different planet”. These days, cafes are serving much more adventurous fare, and Kepos Street Kitchen is still going strong. Michael and Kristy have helped Aussies realise that a salad can be eaten at any time of the day, and as a tasty and satisfying main. We chat to Michael and Kristy about their passion for vegies, and share some recipes from their latest book of Mediterranean salads, Salata. BHG: You have a range of cuisines…