Home Quarantine Tips

I’ve currently been in home quarantine for 7 days, so I’m halfway through after cutting my holidays early leaving Brisbane last week. My state (Tasmania) had just put in place that anyone returning to the state from overseas or the mainland had to self quarantine for 14 days as a precaution in case any of us had the Covid-19 Virus to stop the spread of this virus to the community. I like to remain positive so I have been keeping a diary on Facebook of what I’ve been doing & I have just loved cooking my way through the week.

I’m now in my 8th day of home quarantine and despite having a long list of things I have needed to do at home for quite some time, (I am very skilled at procrastinating!!) I have been watching some awesome, inspiring and fun live videos on instagram and facebook by some of my favourite Chefs.
So I thought I would share my list so far and please let me know if you have anyone else to add to the list – I haven’t gone out of my way to search for these they came up on my feeds and I have started enjoying them and may be slightly addicted!! (I have barely watched netflix etc)

Also as an aside the Pets of Isolation – what’s your pet doing today? group is really good too – not to mention the Bin Isolation Outing Facebook group!!

eloiseemmett.com has live cooking workshops with her kids about 3 times a week – visit her website to see what is coming up & you can even cook along – once I get some more ingredients I can’t wait to make some of the recipes!!

Massimo Mele has been sharing videos of his son cooking with him too and has more coming out soon.

On instagram I’ve been drooling over Dan Hong’s videos https://www.instagram.com/hongsta_gram/

I’m loving watching Massimo Bottura’s fun live videos too. https://www.instagram.com/massimobottura/

David Lebovitz has been making amazing drinks & cocktails!! https://www.instagram.com/davidlebovitz/

Darren Purchase always has great recipes https://www.instagram.com/darrenpurchese/channel/

George Calombaris has been cooking up a storm too https://www.instagram.com/gcalombaris/channel/

I’m so looking forward to Charlie Carrington’s Masterclasses that travel around the world virtually – It’s Vietnamese starting soon https://www.instagram.com/charliesatlas/?hl=en

UPDATE: I completed my 14 days in home quarantine only to continue into home self isolation. So not much has changed. I am unable to continue working at the gym and even though the gym is doing live stream classes to our members the Bodybalance class I teach has strict copyright laws, so members are still able to do all those classes on the Les Mills on Demand App and so am I. I am fortunate to be able to exercise at home even though it is not as much fun & my motivation is a bit low. I have a few bits of pilates equipment at home too so I have been enjoying a stretch on the roller too. We are allowed to go out to exercise and maintain social distancing and have no more than 2 people together (unless you have more than 2 in your immediate family). I try to go to my local dog beach once a day so my dog can get some exercise too and I take off my shoes and walk on the sand and in the sea water. It has always been my happy place and now even more so. I have had most of my food delivered and we are allowed to go out for essentials while maintaining social distancing.

Everyday I have a routine take a photo of the sunrise, go for a walk on the dog beach with bare feet & paddle in the water (as long as it is good weather). Choose cookbooks of the day to read – 1 non Thermomix cookbook and 1 Thermomix cookbook or cookidoo collection, I post these on my instagram stories and on my Facebook page. They are chosen in relation to facebook memories or what is going on at the time. Of course morning coffee, breakfast, lunch & dinner are very important parts of the day. Checking social media & posting food pics throughout the day. watching any live cooking videos that are on during the day and cooking along with any of the cookalongs. Saturday nights is virtual happy hour with my friends and Sunday nights are virtual family dinner night. There have been some great positives to come out of this time. I have slowly been ticking off a list of things I have always wanted to cook, some have been great and some not so great!! It is all part of the adventure.

We do Sunday Night Virtual Family Dinner via Facebook Messenger every week now – this is the Swedish meatball recipe from cookidoo.
I love to watch the sunrise every morning – it’s a perfect way to start the day!!
Saturday night Virtual Wine Time – I had some delicious grandvewe cheese and made the gourmet crackers & quince paste and my friends surprised me with a drop off of fresh oysters and Tasmanian Sparkling Wine that brought me to tears of joy!! We have continued a regular wine time and have a group chat every sat night at 6pm.
DIY Atlas Dining Masterclass Week One VIETNAM – Fish Cake, Cucumber Salad – I have created a new post with all the recipes I am cooking from the masterclass here.
So I had a crazy idea to do a live facebook video of me doing a cook along with Eloise Emmett’s live video – we thought it was hilarious!!
Fresh Field Grove Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Quince Cupcakes – I ade 1/2 with steamed quince & half with my homemade quince paste.
Immunity Boosting Shot from the Thermomix USA facebook page
Dalgona Coffee
Flu Fighter Chicken Soup
Eloise Emmett Braised Octopus with Weston Farm smoked paprika fresh pasta & olives
I ordered Frogmore at Home & it was so delicious more pictures to follow – I put a dress on and even some earrings for our wonderful date night at home.
Fish Croquettes from Eloise Emmett’s live workshop
Chilli Mussels from the basic cookbook
Hot Cross Buns – recipe from the Basic Cookbook
Octopus recipe from the Tasmanian Pantry cookbook
Dani Valent’s recipe for Soft-bake Choc Chip Cookies
Lamb Tagine adapted a recipe from the Cornersmith cookbook
Hot Smoked Salmon & Feta Steamed Omelette
A friend dropped off a truckload of quinces so I made Quince Jelly
Homemade Pita (recipe on cookidoo) with Charlie Carrington’s signature Hummus recipe
Hamish Blake & Ben Shewry did a fun cookalong on instagram – 2 courses for a romantic dinner – We were given our list of ingredients to have ready and then 5000 people watched and cooked along!!
I used frozen prawns and adapted the dessert recipe and made it in the thermomix lucky I had extra bowls!!
Flambe Prawn Pasta was so delicious!! Also it was my first time doing Flambe!! Heaps of fun!!
I didn’t fully melt my chocolate for the chocolate mousse so mine was a choc chip mousse but it still tasted delicious!! Hamish’s mousse look a bit like this too!! We made these 2 recipes in 1 hour with Ben instructing us – it was seriously the best fun ever!!
Belated Easter Isolation Truffles – Orange, Cardamom & Pistachio Truffles from the Dani Valent site
It doesn’t look pretty but it is Dani Valent’s Hungarian Grandmother’s Goulash recipe served with sweet potato mash.
Chicken Soup
Rhubarb Champers – for some reason while in isolation I have decided it’s the perfect time to try all the recipes I have been meaning to make – this one is from the Devil of a Cookbook.
Elaine’s Chocolate Cake recipe from Ben Shrewy’s grandmother – I was meant to go to a Masterclass at Attica so this was the next best thing.
I made a delicious hot chocolate with the leftover ganache and my facebook followers gave me permission to eat cake for breakfast.
I did an ANZAC slice cookalong facebook live with my customers I always like to put chocolate on top. I made a hot chocolate to clean the bowl YUM!! My pop is the one in the top far right in this picture.
ANZAC morning spent on my front deck – we will remember
It was such a special treat to have my favourite Sushi at home from Masaaki’s
Nico Moretti Recipe for Tom Yum
Dani Valent recipe for Pasta with Burnt Butter and Sage
Darren Purchese Recipe for Canele’
It’s been fun making my favourite weekend brunches at home while supporting local bakeries & producers
Nico Moretti recipe for Orecchiette con Broccoli
Apple Chilli Jelly
Little Missy Patisserie at Home
Nico Moretti’s Butterflied Roast Chicken with Herbed Lemon & Garlic Butter
Takeaway Ramen from Panko Chan
Dani Valent Crumpet recipe
Pineapple Pisco Sour
Huon Crab Apples dropped off to me from a friend’s tree
Hamish Blake & Ben Shewry’s TransTasman instagram cook along Fancy Fish n Chips
Hamish Blake & Ben Shewry’s TransTasman instagram cook along Hot Pav
Pumpkin Soup with Virtual Bacon Dust – my favourite Pumpkin Soup
Humming Bird Cake I made for my friend’s birthday
ISO Birthday Survival Kit
Little Missy Patisserie Eclair
Darren Purchase recipe for Ched Bundy – Serial Griller
Tried making the Aloft mushroom dumplings but they were not as nice as the Aloft ones!!
Rosemary Gimlet
Corn Custard with Chicken Congee from the Dani Valent site – recipe by Victor Liong
Homemade tonic water
Spicy Tan Tan Ramen from Panko Chan
Truffled Scrambled Eggs on Pigeon Whole Bakers home baked croissant
Pisco Sour – I used Pisco in the Atlas Masterclass for the Peruvian menu so I had to made some cocktails with the leftovers!!
Pierogi – with homemade quark filling inside
We had a DIY Dark MOFO Winterfeast at a Friend’s house I made Bloody Mary Oyster Shooter’s with Bruny Island Oysters & Cape Grim Vodka
Chilli Mustard Prawns with Fresh Pasta