As December approaches this weekend, that means one thing to those of us who plan our lives around food: summer eating can officially begin. Celebrating that, our contributing cook Elizabeth Hewson this week presents two dishes absolutely ripe for these breezy, warm days. Try her rice-stuffed tomatoes and fried zucchini for two light and easy dishes that make the most of summertime veg and warm weather dining.

The beginning of December also signifies it's time to start planning our Christmas feasting. Indigenous chef Mindy Woods is a woman who understands native Australian ingredients. In her lovely new book Karkalla at Home, she demonstrates how we can fold Australian ingredients into everyday dishes to make them even more delicious than usual. Try her Aussie pavlova and her pork belly with native ingredients to start yourself on your festive cooking journey this year.

Happy (seasonal) cooking.

In a very special offer, cellar director John Lehmann selects three exciting European-style red wines for a super six deal that will save you $66. Details here.

Melbourne restaurateur Chris Lucas has poured his heart, his soul and his money into his extraordinary new project, Maison Batard, a restaurant that opens in Melbourne's Bourke Street on Tuesday. According to Lucas, well known for his Chin Chin venues in Sydney and Melbourne, among other venues, Maison Batard is a legacy project that follows a lifetime of creating hospitality icons. “I could sell a lot of chateaubriand but I don’t think I will get the money back I’ve spent creating Maison Batard,” Lucas says. Read all about the restaurant here.