Don't Shoot The Messenger

ON THIS EPISODE

- The lost art of letter writing

- Hunter Valley wines with Myles Thomson

- A $12 cup of coffee

- The AFL’s indigenous participation issue

- Our Book, Screen and Food recommendations

The lost art of letter writing

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans – and why we love a good book about letters

- Synopsis of the novel and why we think it resonates

- Why the genre “epistolary fiction” (stories told through letters, emails, or diary entries) works

- Other examples of letter novels

- Famous real-life collections of letters published as books

- New technology v old-fashioned letter writing – and is there a renaissance

ITEM 2: The Cocktail Cabinet: With Myles Thomson of Prince Winestore. This week: HUNTER VALLEY WINES

Tedeschi Capitel Tenda Soave 2024

Domaine Font de Courtedune Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Le Mourre VV Village 2023

www.princewinestore.com.au 177 Bank Street, South Melb & Hansard Street, Zetland NSW & David Jones Food Hall, Castlereigh St Sydney

BSF. BSF brought to us by Red Energy.

Owned by Snowy Hydro, a leader in renewable energy. Switch to 100% Aussie owned Red Energy.

BOOK: Caro: The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor

SCREEN: Corrie: Run Away on Netflix

FOOD: Caro: Xinjiang Lamb Skewers

600g diced lamb (preferably something a little fatty like rump or shoulder)

4 teaspoons cumin seeds

4 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoon Sichuan pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

30ml soy sauce

10ml grapeseed oil

10g fresh ginger, finely chopped

Zest and juice of ½ lime 2 spring onions, finely sliced Handful coriander, torn

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

First make the dry spice mix - toast the cumin and fennel seeds in a dry pan on a low heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Place the seeds in a mortar and pestle and adding the Sichuan pepper and sugar, grind to a coarse. In a bowl, combine half of the spice mix in the soy sauce, oil, ginger lime zest and juice. Add the diced lamb and massage the spices into the meat before letting in marinate for at least 2 hours to absorb the flavours. Reserve remaining mix for later. Thread the marinated lamb onto skewers (if using wooden skewers be sure to soak them in water for at least 1-2 hours prior). Fire up your grill or barbecue until smoking hot. Grill the skewers over a high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, turning frequently, until deeply charred and cooked through. Sprinkle with the reserved spice mixture all over them and roll on the grill for another minute. Transfer the skewers to a plate and finish with the spring onions, coriander and red chilli.

SIX QUICK QUESTIONS

FOR RED ENERGY Red Energy. Moving home? Stress less and make the move to Red Energy. Call 131 806.

Caro to Corrie: What recent news poll results surprised you

Corrie to Caro: The AFL has had a tough off-field start to the year. What was the good-news story this week

Caro to Corrie: What wins the prize for This Year’s Diplomacy Faux Pas

Corrie to Caro: What’s going on with Sam Kerr

Caro to Corrie: If you were a media owner, what would you be seeking to acquire right now

Corrie to Caro: How much is too much for a cup of coffee

SIX QUICK QUESTIONS

FOR RED ENERGY

Corrie to Caro: Who’s your hot date this week

Caro to Corrie: Who was your hot date last Sunday morning

Corrie to Caro: What are you embarrassed to admit you did for the first time this week

Caro to Corrie: What was your Oscars Red Carpet 3,2,1 Brownlow vote

Corrie to Caro: Off the back of last week, what’s your second-Favorite Autumn plant

Caro to Corrie: What’s your latest Favorite animal Instagram account

BSF. BSF brought to us by Red Energy.

Owned by Snowy Hydro, a leader in renewable energy. Switch to 100% Aussie owned Red Energy.

BOOK:

Corrie: The Courageous Life of Weary Dunlop by Peter FitzSimons

SCREEN:

Caro: Scarpetta on Prime

FOOD:

Corrie: Yotam Ottolenghi’s Apple, Blackberry and Ginger Crumble Cake

Ingredients

180g plain flour

1½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

4 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (360g)

35g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1½ tsp

180g unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature, plus about 10g extra for greasing

130g caster sugar

3 eggs and 1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla extract

300g blackberries

single cream (or custard), to serve

Crumble topping

90g plain flour

80g demerara sugar

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

60g flaked almonds

¼ tsp salt

75g unsalted butter, melted and then slightly cooled

Method

First make the crumble topping. Put the flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, almonds and salt into a medium bowl. Stir to combine, then add the butter and, using a fork, mix together until combined and clumps form. Set aside in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan. Grease a large, deep ovenproof dish – about 26cm wide – with butter and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the apples, ginger and lemon juice in a separate small bowl and leave to macerate while you make the batter.

Place the butter, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to beat on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Whisk the eggs, egg white and vanilla extract in a small jug and, with the machine on, stream into the creamed butter mixture, in 4–5 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until combined. The mixture will appear curdled but don’t worry: it will come together again. Reduce the speed to low, add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Reserving 100g each of the macerated apples and the blackberries, gently fold the rest into the cake batter.

Scrape the mixture into the greased dish and smooth over the top. Scatter the reserved apples and blackberries on top, followed by the crumble topping: break the crumble into uneven clumps for texture, and make sure some of the fruit is poking out in places.

Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Set aside to cool for about 30 minutes before serving warm, with the cream.

The Cocktail Cabinet: With Myles Thomson of Prince Winestore. This week: Bellarine wines for our special Queenscliff dinner

www.princewinestore.com.au 177 Bank Street, South Melb & Hansard Street, Zetland NSW & David Jones Food Hall, Castlereigh St Sydney

Send through your feedback and suggestions to [email protected] - or hit us up via out socials!

ON THIS EPISODE

• A review of the Academy Awards

• The Swans error of judgement

• Bellarine Wines with Myles Thomson

• Hot dates

Academy Awards 2026 - Quick overview

- Not what they used to be

- Highlights. (with a fashion recap in Six Quick Questions)

- Lowlights

The Sydney Swans Bondi “error of judgement”

- How the opening night pre-match tribute unfolded

- Caro’s Andrew Dillon interviewed AFL response

The Cocktail Cabinet: With Myles Thomson of Prince Winestore. This week: Bellarine wines for our special Queenscliff dinner

www.princewinestore.com.au 177 Bank Street, South Melb & Hansard Street, Zetland NSW & David Jones Food Hall, Castlereigh St Sydney

BSF. BSF brought to us by Red Energy.

Owned by Snowy Hydro, a leader in renewable energy. Switch to 100% Aussie owned Red Energy.

BOOK:

Corrie: The Courageous Life of Weary Dunlop by Peter FitzSimons

SCREEN:

Caro: Scarpetta on Prime

FOOD:

Corrie: Yotam Ottolenghi’s Apple, Blackberry and Ginger Crumble Cake

Ingredients

180g plain flour

1½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

4 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (360g)

35g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1½ tsp

180g unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature, plus about 10g extra for greasing

130g caster sugar

3 eggs and 1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla extract

300g blackberries

single cream (or custard), to serve

Crumble topping

90g plain flour

80g demerara sugar

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

60g flaked almonds

¼ tsp salt

75g unsalted butter, melted and then slightly cooled

Method

First make the crumble topping. Put the flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, almonds and salt into a medium bowl. Stir to combine, then add the butter and, using a fork, mix together until combined and clumps form. Set aside in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan. Grease a large, deep ovenproof dish – about 26cm wide – with butter and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the apples, ginger and lemon juice in a separate small bowl and leave to macerate while you make the batter.

Place the butter, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to beat on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Whisk the eggs, egg white and vanilla extract in a small jug and, with the machine on, stream into the creamed butter mixture, in 4–5 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until combined. The mixture will appear curdled but don’t worry: it will come together again. Reduce the speed to low, add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Reserving 100g each of the macerated apples and the blackberries, gently fold the rest into the cake batter.

Scrape the mixture into the greased dish and smooth over the top. Scatter the reserved apples and blackberries on top, followed by the crumble topping: break the crumble into uneven clumps for texture, and make sure some of the fruit is poking out in places.

Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Set aside to cool for about 30 minutes before serving warm, with the cream.

SIX QUICK QUESTIONS

FOR RED ENERGY

Corrie to Caro: Who’s your hot date this week

Caro to Corrie: Who was your hot date last Sunday morning

Corrie to Caro: What are you embarrassed to admit you did for the first time this week

Caro to Corrie: What was your Oscars Red Carpet 3,2,1 Brownlow vote

Corrie to Caro: Off the back of last week, what’s your second-Favorite Autumn plant

Caro to Corrie: What’s your latest Favorite animal Instagram account

SIX QUICK QUESTIONS

FOR RED ENERGY  Red Energy. Moving home? Stress less and make

Corrie to Caro: What literary funeral fact shocked you this week

Caro to Corrie: What clothing item summed it all up over the weekend

Corrie to Caro: What makes you happy in March

Caro to Corrie: Which true story-inspired TV series will you NOT be watching

Corrie to Caro:  What’s your interstate must-see

Caro to Corrie: What new literary genre has captured your attention

The Cocktail Cabinet: With Myles Thomson of Prince Winestore. This week: what to drink when you’re watching the footy at home

⁠Breheny Draught⁠

⁠Atlas Wines The Spaniard 2022⁠

www.princewinestore.com.au 177 Bank Street, South Melb & Hansard Street, Zetland NSW & David Jones Food Hall, Castlereigh St Sydney

BSF. BSF brought to us by Red Energy.

Owned by Snowy Hydro, a leader in renewable energy. Switch to 100% Aussie owned Red Energy.

BOOK:

Caro: The Elements by John Boyne

SCREEN:

Corrie: Under Salt Marsh, new on BINGE

FOOD:

Caro: Caro’s steak recipe

1 x 500g steak, 2-2.5cm thick (ask your butcher what they recommend)

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 big handfuls of rocket leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

Marinade

5 cornichons, finely sliced

1 tablespoon capers in vinegar, drained

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper Tabasco, to taste

Combine all your marinade ingredients in a shallow, wide bowl, large enough for the cooked steak to rest in. Give it a good mix and then taste. The marinade should be punchy, with a good hum of acidity. Adjust the heat to your liking, but keep in mind that it will mellow as the steak rests.

Drizzle the steak with olive oil, then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat your barbecue or griddle pan until it's smoking hot - this is crucial. Place the steak on the grill and cook for 2-2½ minutes, depending on the thickness. Flip the steak and cook it for another 2 minutes. I like my steak medium rare, so this timing generally works for me, but if you're nervous, a steak thermometer will be your best friend: rare is 45-50C, medium rare 50-55C, medium 55-60C, medium to well done 60-65C and well done 65-70C.

Once cooked, place the steak in the bowl with the marinade and spoon the marinade over it. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes. Lay the rocket out on a plate and gently toss with a touch of lemon juice to bring it alive.

Once rested, slice the steak on an angle and drape it over the rocket. Spoon the remaining marinade over the top.

For feedback and tips, get in touch at [email protected]