Network Ten Executive General Manager Russel Howcroft in his Hawthorn kitchen. Photo: Pat Scala
Recipe stalwart: "Most Sundays I'll make pizza dough (singing Nobody does it better' by Carly Simon while I work). I use plain flour, a bit of olive oil and Lowan yeast to make the dough. The key with the base is to make it super thin, somewhere between paper and cardboard and to cook out the mushrooms first as a topping, otherwise they'll make your pizza soggy." Photo: Pat Scala
Recipe stalwart: "Most Sundays I'll make pizza dough (singing 'Nobody does it better' by Carly Simon while I work). I use plain flour, a bit of olive oil and Lowan yeast to make the dough. The key with the base is to make it super thin, somewhere between paper and cardboard ? and to cook out the mushrooms first as a topping, otherwise they' ll make your pizza soggy." Photo: Pat Scala
Recipe stalwart: "Most Sundays I'll make pizza dough (singing 'Nobody does it better' by Carly Simon while I work). I use plain flour, a bit of olive oil and Lowan yeast to make the dough. The key with the base is to make it super thin, somewhere between paper and cardboard, and to cook out the mushrooms first as a topping, otherwise they' ll make your pizza soggy." Photo: Pat Scala
Secret vice: "Chocolate buds. There's a stool in the pantry and you'll often find me sitting on that just grabbing handfuls of the stuff." Photo: Pat Scala
My inspiration: "One of my favourites is The Harry's Bar Cookbook, which taught me how to make a bellini. But my stepmother, Elizabeth Howcroft (we call her Elizabeth the Second, my mum is Elizabeth the First), is a wonderful cook and produced this book of recipes, Australian Family Cooking, years ago. It's the basis of what I like about family cooking." Photo: Pat Scala
The pantry staples: " I make pizza most Sundays so there are always cans of tomato in the pantry and olive oil (I tend to buy them if I like the design of the label)." Photo: Pat Scala
The pantry staples: "There?s always Fallot & Co French mustard for steaks and salad dressings and Sirena tuna, although I often wind up eating that directly out of the tin." Photo: Pat Scala
The pantry staples: "There?s always Fallot & Co French mustard for steaks and salad dressings and Sirena tuna, although I often wind up eating that directly out of the tin." Photo: Pat Scala
The fridge staples: "I often do blonde pizza toppings so I like to keep stocks of creme fraiche, which I mix with parmigiano reggiano." Photo: Pat Scala
The fridge staples: "There's always a bottle of champagne and a few jars of Mary McCarthy's relishes (we buy them from her little honour stall in Main Ridge." Photo: Pat Scala
My toolkit: "I use a Thermomix for making my pizza dough (Kate uses it for soups and, occasionally, mango ice-cream). Otherwise my essential tools include my Zyliss pizza chopper, a wooden rolling pin (which I use for my pizza bases on our stainless steel bench), a Microplane for my cheeses and my wooden paddle." Photo: Pat Scala
I'm drinking: "I like red wine of any style but if there's a Margaret River going I get very excited. People know I like wine so I receive plenty of gifts, and occasionally I get lucky (I recently got a bottle of 2004 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz). But my favourite wine is Jim Barry from the Clare Valley. I have a Le Creuset carafe with a cork stopper that I like to pour my wine into (which saves me having to feel guilty about all the empty bottles). Otherwise, I'll have the occasional Glenmorangie whisky with mum." Photo: Pat Scala
Favourite: "Kate and I met a couple at a local bar a few years ago and they ended up inviting us to their wedding at a winery in Bordeaux. This is an apron from the winery, Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, and every time I see it I'm reminded of what an awesome trip it was." Photo: Pat Scala
Network Ten Executive General Manager Russel Howcroft. Photo: Pat Scala