Chef Julia Busuttil Nishimura shares 5 things she's loving right now
A beautiful book, a cosy hot water bottle, a 3pm snack, and the perfect, prettiest weekender bag...
Julia Busuttil Nishimura (Julia Ostro) is a Melbourne-based chef, cookbook author, columnist and a mother of three little boys, including the most gorgeous 5-month-old little dumpling. (See a video here of her two older boys meeting their baby brother. OMG!)
Back in 2018, my best friend, Aimee, turned me on to Julia’s first cookbook, Ostro: The Pleasure That Comes from Slowing Down and Cooking with Simple Ingredients and we have been huge fans of her recipes ever since. Her Everyday Banana Loaf is an all-time favourite in our house as is her Pear, Ricotta & Pine Nut Cake. Yummm.
Her cooking is influenced by her Maltese heritage and Japanese family, and also by her time spent living in Tuscany, where she first learned the joys of the Italian kitchen. (Of course her Italian recipes always resonate with my Italian husband and our Italian-food-loving kids!)
Julia has gone on to create three other beautiful cookbooks, and most recently wrote a really sweet children’s book, Sundays Under the Lemon Tree, which is about family, food and rituals. She also has a Substack, where she shares delicious recipes in a fortnightly newsletter.
I was very happy she agreed to share five things she’s loving right now…
Beit Trad: Recipes, Stories & the Art of Lebanese Hospitality
One of the most beautiful books I’ve bought in a long time. Beit Trad is a guest house in the Lebanese mountains and this book is all about hospitality, life and joy. Sarah Trad shares recipes, stories and the art of Lebanese Hospitality. Part cookbook, interiors and storytelling, Beit Trad is just so lovely.
The only way I can get my 5 month old to stay asleep in his cot is if I warm it up first with a hot bottle. I then take it and use if for myself - it’s become a bit of a winter ritual. I love this Wilson and Dorset hot water bottle, made from NZ sheepskin.
A 3pm snack
My go to 3pm pick me up is dates filled with any kind of nut butter and dipped in melted chocolate. I have been making these for years and I just never tire of them. Sprinkled with a little flaky salt and popped into the freezer. I did some fancier ones recently and they were so well loved by everyone!
This Weekender Bag
I love a sturdy bag that can be use for the beach / farmer’s market / every day! This one by Gabriele Frantzen from Lee Mathews is just so beautiful.
I love the way Sam sees the world. He is a photographer and filmmaker who has become well known for iPhone photography and videography. His work is truly beautiful and such a balm on a usually faster paced platform. I really love the snippets into his life in Umbria too.
Huge thanks to Julia for sharing her five things with us. I’m off to make those nut butter dates. Yummmm. And I’ve started following Sam Youkilis for a bit of escapism to Italy.
To see what other friends have shared for their five things, click here.
Courtney xx
loved this, i have the banana bread in the oven now! xx