“We both love PANDAN and grow it in our vegie patch. Infusing it in a cocktail seemed like a good idea. And it was!”
An invite to Merrick and Georgie Watts’ home for lunch is one you should always accept. Life in the couple’s airy Maroubra home – a converted church just a block back from the beach – revolves around good food, drinks and company, whether they’re entertaining or not. The pair are joyful cooks, often found working together in the kitchen (with kids Kinga and Wolfe roped in to help, and Jango the Great Dane waiting for scraps). The dishes they gravitate towards sit “between comfort and challenge,” Merrick says. “We like wholesome, fresh and comforting foods, but we also love trying new recipes and new cuisines.”
When asked to put on a spread for delicious., Georgie went straight to their kitchen garden. “We love spending time in the garden, and really love using fresh herbs from our vegie patch. I bought some pandan, betel, holy basil and perilla online a while ago, and they are in most of the recipes we’ve cooked here.”
According to Merrick, the secret to hosting is turning a casual affair into something more memorable: “Invite people over for
