Jeanie Beales

After a couple of university degrees, a teaching career in Art Education and English at secondary and tertiary level, a few years in journalism, the modelling and fashion industry, and a family followed. Then, one day when marking about the 256th essay during exam time I decided - enough - I'll do my own writing instead and have never looked back. Travel writing, recipe development as well as writing about homesteading matters, camping, health, children, medical matters, press releases and copywriting keep me busy. Holidays and weekends have been spent in the great outdoors, hiking, fishing and diving all around the world. Learning tricks from other cultures on planting and gardening brought new ideas to food gardens and creating beautiful outdoor spaces. And everywhere I go my camera goes too - so many of the articles are illustrated with my own photos.

How to Make Authentic Biltong – Tastes Better Than Jerky!

May 23, 2022November 5, 2020 by Jeanie Beales

Once you have tasted biltong, you’ll be a fan of this spiced dried meat that South Africans have made famous around the world. As with jerky, biltong making arose out of necessity. In the early days, when there were no fridges to store fresh meat, and once a steer had been slaughtered or an antelope … Read more

Traditional Scottish Shortbread Step by Step

December 16, 2020October 16, 2019 by Jeanie Beales

In our household Christmas was associated with Scottish relatives bringing across beautifully packaged traditional shortbread, when they came to stay with the cousins in South Africa. My mom would get busy in the kitchen preparing the shortbread, according to the way her great aunt from Edinburgh had taught her. What makes Scottish shortbread different to … Read more