After a day of picking Apples and these delicious Chinese Pears, we had an abundance of pears!  I decided to make something a little different!

Hundreds of beautiful pears just waiting to be picked in the Blue Mountains!

Picked pears are super delicious when served with cheese and other pickles.

Pickled Pears

Makes 3 x 450g jars or 1 big one.

500ml apple cider vinegar

800ml water

350g raw caster sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

8 cloves

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

3cm ginger, unpeeled and sliced

1 kg small pears, such as Chinese or Corella, pealed and halved

1 Place all the ingredients apart from the pears in a saucepan over low-medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil.

2 Add the pears, reduce the heat to medium and cook the pears for 10 minutes or until the pears are just cooked but still retain a bite.

3 Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to a colander and set aside to drain. Increase the heat to high, and boil the syrup for 15-20 minutes or until reduced and slightly thickened.

4 Pack the pears into warm sterilised jars or one big jar and pour over enough hot syrup to cover the pears. Seal and store for 1 week before eating.

Image and Styling: Kirsten Jenkins

After a fantastic weekend of apple picking in the Blue Mountains – and lots of beautiful apples in stock, there is only one thing left to do!

Caramel & Apple Pie

850g sharp green apples, peeled, cored and chopped, (granny smith apples, for example)

450g jar dulce de leche

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

60ml pouring cream

2 x 435g frozen careme vanilla bean pastry, thawed, or other bought sweet shortcrust rolled to a thickness of 3 mm

35g vanilla custard powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon demerara sugar

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cook the apples, dulce de leche and cinnamon in a large saucepan over medium–high heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the apples are slightly softened.

2 Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. Stir through the cream.

Line a 26 cm ovenproof frying pan or pie dish with half of the pastry. Scatter the custard powder over the top then spoon in the apple mixture. Top with the remaining pastry, trim any excess from the top layer that doesn’t match up with the bottom and press to seal.

3 Cut a cross in the top of the pastry using a sharp knife. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg then scatter with the demerara sugar. Bake for 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

Image and Styling: Kirsten Jenkins

As Sydney’s answer to Rodeo Drive or Knightsbridge, Double Bay is the high-fashion capital of the Eastern Suburbs. Perfectly turned-out ladies who lunch flock to its exclusive designer stores and chi chi restaurants.

Grand Federation homes and charming semis still line the intimate tree-lined avenues of this aesthetically delightful suburb, set alongside contemporary masterpieces and luxurious villas, where taste and discretion are the order of the day.

Woollahra Library at Double Bay is a highlight – reopened in 2016 and is a constant hive of activity with green walls, study rooms, a reading room with a fireplace and even a slippery dip for the children. The revitalised Kiaora Lane is almost like a central shopping hub within that area of Double Bay. There is a buzz in this wonderful hub with restaurants and cafes such as China Diner, Little Jean and Bake Bar popular with the community.

On the shores of Double Bay you’ll find sailing clubs, marinas and two boutique beaches, including the gorgeous Redleaf Pool [now called Murray Rose pool]. Just 4km from the CBD, Sydney’s top private schools, including Cranbrook, Scot’s, Kambala and Ascham are all in the vicinity. An undeniable air of affluence and an international ambience flavour Double Bay, where the perfectly groomed and the well-heeled can be found enjoying its cosmopolitan attractions.

The beauty of Double Bay is nearly all conveniences are accessible by foot, but easy access to public transport (buses, trains and ferries!) also make it a perfect and convenient location.

However Double Bay is also filled with many people who don’t quite consider themselves the ‘typical’ Double Bay resident who frequent boutiques and shops. We asked one of our current vendors for her take on Double Bay and why she loves this suburb:

Anything that stands out to you when you think of Double Bay

The best places to grab a coffee:

I like to buy my freshly roasted coffee or take away at Elbon coffee (www.elboncoffee.com.au)

The things you like most about living in the area:

All the above! I like living in this beautifully kept art deco building in my sunny apartment with lots of trees around. I can see the water and cruise ships swimming past. The sea breeze keeps my apartment cool in summer and the northeasterly sun keeps it warm and bright in winter.

Your favourite shops:

I am great fan of Mud Porcelain in Kiaora Lane and like to drink coffee in their little cafe.

Local Events that are upcoming or ongoing:

Woollahra Library – they have wonderful events on throughout the year.

Local parks and places you would recommend:

I like to walk to Redleaf Pool for a quick swim. Sit with a book under the trees in Blackburn Park. Walk up to Darling Point Road to McKell Park and look across the harbour. Walk up to Queen Street to meet friends for a coffee.

It’s a story that could have been lifted straight from a romantic comedy, but for Marc and Gillie it’s the wonderful story of their lives; filled with love and a shared passion for art. The dynamic duo has carved a niche in the contemporary art scene, creating pieces that inspire, bring joy and have a quirky twist.

It was fate – and a love for art – that brought these two together and they have manifested and expressed this love every day for over two decades, building and creating their own world, one art piece at a time. Together they embrace all art mediums; painting, sculpture, video, photography and more.

Gillie and Marc invited me into their wonderful work studio in Alexandria and shared their thoughts on their favourite space.

What is your favourite room in your studio?

We just love our studio! It has two floors with high ceilings. Huge and expansive with loads of shelving to showcase our work. But my favourite space is the centre of the upstairs section where we sit and meet with our customers and visitors.

Why is it your favourite space?

It’s a beautiful spot as we are surrounded by all we have created, our work. It’s truly special. We have a 180 degree view of our creations, all the things we love. It’s just wonderful to see our passion come to life.

How does your favourite space represent who you are?

Everything in here is our creation and it represents the bond Marc and I have. We still sit up every night talking about ideas and the ways we can create those ideas. It represents our unity. It has been a long journey and now we have arrived at this place. This is what we love, art has kept us on this path and we are very lucky and grateful.

What do you like most about your favourite room?

Our clients give us feedback, it is a big part of our lives. And, the feedback we invariably get is that our art makes them happy. So, when I look around here, it makes me smile. There is a lot of fun in our creations. We are a little bit quirky and a little silly and we certainly don’t take life seriously. Overall our art is positive and sitting here in this space reminds me of all of that.

If you could invite anyone into your favourite space, who would it be?

We have a lot of admirers who are fellow artists and they are all welcome. But really, I’d invite anyone into our studio who appreciates art. We welcome anyone who embraces art and can connect to us.

What would you change about your favourite space?

We always want more space! Everyday, we dream up new ideas and more space would be great!

What advice would you give on how to create the perfect space?

I don’t have any specific advice, each to their own really. But for Marc and I, because we love creating spaces and undertaking home renovations, our approach as artists is to incorporate all aspects of the interior design in an artistic manner. The furniture and interior has to tie in well with the art you already have. Incorporate all that make you happy and create a warm atmosphere. We also like creating airy rooms with high ceilings. And, remove the clutter!