Italian food and culture migrated to Australia with our grandparents and great-grandparents—their passion for cooking traditional food is infectious. Despite its simplicity, Italian cuisine remains at the epicentre of Australian dining.

Once ubiquitous on street corners all across Melbourne, the humble local milk bar fell prey to supermarkets, rising rent and changing social climates. But are we seeing a contemporary revival of this old classic?

Oil is the ingredient hidden in plain sight. It features in just about every kind of cooking that there is and yet the types favoured vary wildly across culinary cultures. With the amount of oils available, it can be overwhelming to decide which one to use. Here are just a few of the classics.

I spend a morning in the house of my new friend, Katja Fuhrmann, watching her bake as we talk about her new side business of German-inspired cakes and pastries with a vegan twist.

Baristas—the soul of Melbourne’s illustrious coffee scene. What better way to find out what makes the perfect cup than by picking the brains of one of Melbourne’s baristas, Jess MacKay.

Books for Cooks—as the name suggests—is an independent bookstore dedicated to books about cookery, beverages and food culture. They sell new and antiquated books and are constantly on the hunt for the next title to add to their collection.

Absinthe’s history is as rough as a Sunday morning hangover. Over the last 150 years the spirit has inspired, destroyed and caused many a stir. What is it about this drink that eludes so many of us?