Moves are afoot to help even out the balance of power in franchising, writes Ed Charles ONE of the problems of being a small franchisee is that disputes with the franchisor are unequal. Franchisees are often small businesses while the franchisors are big, multi-million-dollar businesses that can leverage their market power and afford large legal bills. But the balance of power is moving a step closer to being evened out with the likelihood of the Senate passing legislation that will […]
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Loan gymnastics
The Australian — Wealth: With mortgage providers jostling for business in a highly competitive market, there is a loan to suit almost anybody, reports Ed Charles July 19, 2006 WITH low interest rates and competition among mortgage providers we are able to borrow more money than ever before to buy homes. In some cases it is possible to borrow four times one’s salary. The problem is that the median cost of a home in Sydney is 8.5 times the median […]
Which bank wants to sell you a package? Every bank
From The Australian: EVERY bank wants to sell you a package. The idea is that if, in addition to a home loan, they can sell you transaction accounts, credit cards, insurance and multiple mortgage accounts for investments they can make more money. And hopefully you can make more money too. This is the thinking behind professional packages which has been extended to the latest generation of portfolio loans. Portfolio loans are where wealth management meets packaged home loans. Typically, for […]
Become a French pastry chef in five minutes and impress your friends
Ingredients One sheet frozen puff pastry Two apples A couple of tablespoons of icing sugar Perhaps it takes 20 minutes with cooking. But it only takes 5 minutes of preparation to make something that a smart patisserie would be proud of. And certainly you can impress your friends. I was hoping I would find some kind of super puff pastry from a local providor. I reckon they thought I was a weirdo, especially when I turned down their suggestion of […]
15 14 things to do with rosemary this weekend
I’d prefer it if my front garden was a herb garden. Instead it is a stupid pattern of topiary, hard to maintain and even worse to eat. My neighbour has a rosemary hedge which I’ll sometimes “harvest” just because I can (when they’re not looking). If like me you have a plentiful supply, here are 14 things to do with rosemary for Weekend Herb Blogging #39 back over with Kalyn’s Kitchen this week. 1. Par-cooked new potatoes roasted in the […]
FROM NICHE TO NATIONAL – How a gourmet yoghurt spread across Australia – A HOMEMADE SUCCESS STORY
From The Australian, Entrepreneur: Detailed research and some great timing has paid off for this niche market player, writes Ed Charles THE secret of a successful product is that it must be something that people want. And it must be something that a lot of people want most days in their lives. For businesswoman Ivone Ruiz it turned out that homemade yoghurt was exactly what Coles felt that people wanted to see on its shelves. It started when she discovered […]
Shadows of my colonial past: kedgeree
Ingredients Smoked fish – ideally smoked haddock but smoked cod will do. One good-sized fillet. Onion garlic Rice: long grain or pilau hard boiled eggs Curry powder plus turmeric, coriander and cardamon pods. Cinnamon quills. fresh coriander Bay leaf Butter Ghee or oil Lemons Yoghurt This is quite daggy and old fashioned. In fact it is a colonial dish. Yet I find it extremely comforting and delicious, probably because of the amount of butter involved. And it’s entirely appropriate that […]
Aperol Pink Grapefruit Double Agent
Ingredients 45ml Aperol 45ml pink grapefruit juice Tonic water Ice A couple of months ago a bottle of Aperol arrived. I pitted it against Campari, my favourite aperitif. The conclusion was Aperol to Campari is as Averna to Fernet Branca. When I want to stimulate my appetite or put a meal to bed I go for the most bitter aromatic concoction that I can lay my hands on. The same before I eat a meal. Aperol was the junior partner […]
Frozen scallops vs fresh
It’s a no brainer really. You want fresh, not frozen, fish, especially when eating shellfish. Possibly the ultimate is a boating holiday on west coast of Scotland where you dive with scuba tanks for scallops. I’m sure there are similar experiences to be had in the cold waters off the US. Cold water adds an edge to scallops, which is perhaps why the best ones in Australia come from Tasmania. Ditto oysters. But for some chefs that’s not enough. They […]