Don’t you just love a good food book or movie? One that takes you to a place that you’ve never been or encourages you to eat something that you’ve never tried or seen before? I’m pretty sure most of you have read the book or seen the film “Under A Tuscan Sun” (and promptly started scouring real estate sections to buy a piece of Tuscany!). Well, the author Frances Mayes and her husband Edward have a new cookbook called The Tuscan Sun Cookbook. A softcover book with recipes from antipasti, primi, secondi, contorni, dolci and apertivi e digestivi there is the occasional picture of a handsome Italian man. There are some beautiful looking dishes like the When In Rome artichokes which are trimmed globe artichokes stuffed with cherry and croutons and a Fig and Walnut tart.
Thanks to Harper Collins, five lucky Not Quite Nigella readers will win a copy of The Tuscan Sun Cookbook! For a chance to win all you have to do is tell me what is your favourite thing to do when the sun comes out! Simply add your answer as a comment to the story. The competition ends at midnight AEST on the 18th of March, 2012. You can enter this competition once daily and it is open to anyone within Australia.
***The winners are:
Sarah O. of NSW
Cate F. of NSW
Sally S. of WA
Christiana T. of NSW
Brydie P. of NSW***
Best of luck!
Lots of love,
Lorraine
xxx
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332 Comments | Add your own
Ohh YAY another cookbook give away
I don’t own any Italian cookbooks so I really hope I win a copy ~
Thanks Lorraine for the chance to win a book!
What a beautiful cookbook! Thanks for this great giveaway, Lorraine. My favorite thing to do when the sun comes out is take a nice walk or lie in my hammock. Thanks for sharing!
ohhh, foiled again! Oh well, I’ll just have to buy my own copy. I rather liked that movie. Have you seen the mini series A year in Provence? The books are great too.
Oooooh, foiled again — I’ll just have to buy my own copy. I really enjoyed the book, as I recall the movie had too many parts left out. Have you read the series of books A year in Provence? I believe they were before the Under the Tuscan Sun book; they are wonderful and equally as inspiring to own your own little bit of France!
I just love to wake up when the sun is rising and head to the beach for a refreshing early morning swim!!
There are five words there that are an instant hit for me…”Tuscan, Sun, Cookbook, Recipes, Italian…” All good!
As for what to do in the sun, make it a setting one. A long laden table of sumptuous food, overlooking nearby vineyards, rickety wooden chairs to sit upon,and a bunch of all my best buddies… yes, i think that would do nicely
thanks for the chance to win! my favorite thing to do when them sun comes out is to get outside and if it’s warm enough, to eat dinner out on the screened porch!
oops meant to say when the sun comes out, not them sun!
I love to follow the coast with the rising sun on my left as I head to Manly to swim with the Bold and Beautiful and feel the warmth of the sun on my back when I plunge into the ocean.That glorious sun and a hot chai latte at the end of a few k’s is a great motive for an early start.
I didn’t know they had a book come out. I will have to check it out at the store. Loved the movie. Watched it many times.
To recline on a chair and read a book is my favourite way to enjoy sunshine.
Looks like an amazing book
I always have a nice relaxing cup of tea on my verandah when the sun comes up enjoying the sun rays dancing on my face.
When the sun comes out…….I head for Tuscany! So before I get there in September I’d love read my own copy of this book. Then I can become a true mangiafagioli.
… I don’t even have to think of what will happen, I can see it coming- no escape
my dear husband will drag me off the bed to go running with him and then if I’m lucky he will cook me a delish breakfast, so he needs all the help he can get with cooking ideas!!! Love tuscany by the way xx
When it’s warm, I like to sit in the grass by the garden edge and pull stray grasses out of the lavender patch. Listen to the bees, smell the lavender, feel the sun.
ooh ooh oooooh! Does it have photos of their garden too??I gotta go find a copy. Great I-talian food and a fabulous garden-BLISS!
Book looks great! Thanks for sharing!
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is head to the beach!
When the sun comes out I retire to the coffin in the basement
Being a red head, my relationship with the sun can, at times be a little strained. I always love to be in the sun in the early morning taking a swim at the beach. The best way to start any day!
I am a reasonably new subscriber but love having my daily dose of NQN.
When the sun comes out I do sensible things like hang the washing out to dry, there are few simple pleasures in life but crisp clean sun dried washing is one of mine
I’d love to win a copy of this book, thanks for the opportunity!
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is to potter around in my garden. I once dreamed of an entirely edible garden but now I have my own garden I realise that there are many other needs to be served such as privacy screen plants.
I loved the movie watched it many times. When the sun comes out which is rare in Sydney at the moment I like to sit in the early morning sun & feel the warmth on my skin while watching the world slowly wake
Jo
Oh please, please, please, Lorraine I am heading off to Italy two months today to follow my Tuscan Sun Dream, this would make my adventure complete and perfect. Francesca’s adventures have inspired me for my trip. I am doing a cooking tour in Positano (has anyone seen a white dress like she wears when in Positano?) to be able to come home and cook her recipes would make it perfect! That is if I come home!!
When the sun is out I reflect on all the good things that have happened in my life
walk the dog!
I crave the water so either the beach or a pool works for me. Failing that? The sprinkler put the back.. I’m not fussy
When the sun comes up and light peaks around the sides of my curtains, I check the time to see how much time I have left until my alarm is about to go off. I then turn around and appreciate the extra few minutes that I get to cuddle my husband before the mad rush of getting breakfast ready for the kids and doing the school run!
Beach and barbecues with family and friends!
My most favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is to sit on my back patio with a freshly brewed coffee and enjoy the peacefulness. Ahhhhh….
On a fine Sydney day like today, I like to sit outside at my local cafe, sip a nice coffee and write. Sunlight on fine days seems to energise the world and evokes the most inspiration.
A picnic!! Delicious food, a bottle or two, of cold white wine, under the Aussie sun – with some Aeroguard on hand too, of course!
Although I equally like to sit out in the sun and have a nice glass of chilled wine and a seafood platter or something fancy, another favourite is to get out the ‘slip-n-slide’ water slide and play on that in the backyard – look like a total idiot but it is so much fun!
When the sun’s out and the wind’s not, I like to go out back, get in the kayak and peacefully paddle down the canal. Or walk the dog on the beach. Or head to Mooloolaba for a coffee. I have lots of ideas!
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is to host a BBQ in our backyard with lots of good food & drinks
Hi, Would love to win the cookbook…in the sun I love to picnic with gourmet delicacies accompanied by a beautiful pinto grigio
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is be done at Maroubra Beach with a good coffee and watch it a beautiful sun rise. Feel the sun on your face. People are walking the beach and listen to the sound of the water. And then the day begins…..
All what I love is, Say thanks to Gad for all what happend in my life and sit on my backyard with a Cup of cold red wine, little peaces of cheese and grapes rest and think
Go on a ferry ride on Sydney harbour…
When the sun comes out, especially after a day at work away from the boys, running in the backyard being chased by master 2 and 5 with water pistols is currently top of my list. Followed by communal slurping of an entire watermelon. A nice welcome home.
We love to entertain on our back alfresco when it is sunny!
My favorite thing to do when the sun comes out is go for a walk on our local greenway.
I would love to win the book. I really want to go to Tuscany,though.
Invite friends and family around for an Aussie BBQ at our house.
Laying on a sun-lounger, sipping a refreshing Moscow Mule
What a great sounding book. I’ve spent a fair bit of time in Italy over the years, with Florence being my favourite city in the world. A long apperative sitting in a cobbled square watching the people and the sun setting would be my ideal. I’ll just have to check out this book at Amazon. GG
Yum Italian! My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is go out for icecream!
i go for a long brisk walk then sit outside in the fresh air and read the morning paper
Pop open a bottle of cold bubbly and sit somewhere where I can see the water and watch my daughter have a play.
before the sun gets to hot I love to go for an early morning swim- pool or sea doesn’t matter. Then afterwards lay in the sun to dry off and head home for a delicious breakfast of pancakes, fruit and yoghurt!
The book sounds gorgeous!
When the sun comes out I love to go to the beach and enjoy jumping through the waves. The feel of the sun and water on my skin, the smell of salt in the air… I love it all.
I read the book Under the Tuscan sun years ago and loved it. The movie was dreadful, full of ridiculous cliches about an Italy that does not exist.
Okay, boring I know, but I like to sit outside with a cup of coffee and solve sudoku puzzles.
With the ocean & birds as background noise, I don’t need anything else to feel completely relaxed.
my favorite thing to do when the sun comes out is take my 2 year old boy to the pool – he has soooo much fun
Loved the book! Loved the film and have seen it more than once! And my love affair with Tuscany began long before everyone tried to rent a villa there for the summer! Oh, yes, may I use the word ‘love’ again and say I would SO love to have the book
! Together with 95% of your readers it seems 
! And when the sun comes out so does the lunch:what can be more perfect than that bowl of pasta and a glass of chianti classico and a smile from up above?
First thing in the morning I love to look outside – I know that no matter what else is happening in my life, good or bad, I know the sun always rises to cast the day in her glorious light, whether it be full sun or filtered by cloud, I know she is there,illuminating our world,and filling me with hope and joy for the day ahead.
I Love to spend time in the garden , especially on a Wednesday when i volunteer at our local community garden , its a great opportunity to get together with like minded people and have a social morning the best part is wine morning tea comes i always bring something to share , and in lots of cases i make something different each time
This week it was arancini balls and banoffee pie , a few weeks ago i made the beer bread you posted it went real fast , i love to make an occasion of it and a reward for our hard work , thanks for the inspiration, would love to win the book , then i could surprise the gardeners with something different i like to surprise them all.
When the sun comes out, I like to take all three kids (3,6 and 9) outside for lunch or dinner. We all help make the salad or set up the barbie and then after eating, we all go for a nice walk around the block or to the park. Lovely!
Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved to water the garden. It makes me especially happy when I make rainbows using the light shower setting
. The days of water restrictions were very dark times for me!
Sit under a tree and listen to the birds!
When the sun comes out I love to gather with friend at a gorgeous cafe on the water (e.g. Blackwattle Cafe) and enjoy an indulgent iced coffee!
I love a spontaneous BBQ or get together with friends, or even better when we get to head out on a mates boat and spend the day on the water.
I get the ugliest hat in history, shove it on my head, and smother myself with sunscreen, then relax & enjoy
My favorite thing to do when the sun comes out is to head for the beach with my husband, beach umbrella and two old dogs, then coffee afterwards. In Western Australia we have had an abundance of hot sunny days this summer.
Gather friends, pack the esky with bubbly, beer and fabulous food, sun block and mosquito cream, down to the beach for fun under the sun.
Ilike to head for the beach with my beautiful girls (dogs) and just go for a fresh walk along the water.
There is nothing better than that first cup of freshly made coffee, in solitude….just as the sun is rising on a hot summers day
WONDERFUL!!!!! I love this part of Italy!!!! They must have a wonderful time in Europe. Food, wine, views, etc, etc.
Marita
I love to spend time outside with my two beautiful children, running under a sprinkler or filling up a baby pool and watching them splash about
It is great 
Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of this cookbook
My favorite thing to do when the sun is out is to appreciate it because we haven’t had much of this summer in Sydney and I need a sunny book to cheer me up.
My sunrise is usually 8 AM and I love to have breakfast in our sunroom.
Sunny Saturdays are spent walking with my BFFs and their dog BFFs along the promenade of Bondi Beach and then back to my place for coffee and iced water in the backyard, gossiping? you bet!!
I will head to the beach or sit outside in the garden with a good book to read.
When the sun comes I love to sit outside with my little 7yr old & read my Bible while he eats a slice of watermelon & plays a game where he spits seeds in a bucket to see how many he lands in there! It’s a quiet & peacefully ‘warm’ meditation for both of us!
When the sun is out I love to potter around my little patch of garden checking my tomato bush, strawberry plants, passiofruit and capsicum. And then relax with a good book. Really it is sunny now, I should go and check my plants. Frances’ Under the Tuscan Sun is one of my favourite books(yes I have read it while sitting in my little garden), oh to have a garden in Tuscany!!
Give the legs a stretch and take the dog for a walk! Nothing beats a fresh juice down at Brighton beach with the dog!
My favourite thing to do once the sun is up is to take our dogs to the dog beach for a walk, swim and run around – the enjoy it so much and it really doesn’t feel like exercise – and I usually end up laughing so much watching them play that its a great way to start the day … however we are just about to move into our new home and its a very very large block with its own orchard and chicken coop – so in about a months time my new favourite thing to do when the sun comes up is going to be feeding the chickens and collecting my fresh eggs!
When the sun comes out? I live in Queensland it comes out almost everyday its when it doesn’t that hard decisions have to be made. Other times we just enjoy the great outdoors and hardly ever spare a thought for you lot down south.
Lie on the beach with a good book and drift off to sleep.
I love to get outdoors and have a big run around session with the kids, do some gardening and feast out on slalads
When the sun is out I love to sit in a shady place with a good book and a nice cool drink….
With Sydney’s weather the way it is this February, my first thought on a sunny day is lined-dried sheets with the smell of sunshine in them!
When the sun comes out especially after a cloudy, humid period, I recruit friends , picnic baskets filled with fresh luscious produce purchased from farmers’ markets , delicious wine , drinking filtered water and boiling water in thermos flask for tea and coffee and find a shaded spot beside the upper reaches of the Yarra and enjoy the invigorating fresh air , food and great company to recharge those batteries that are going very flat.
When the sun comes out, and it starts to get hotter,
Nothing makes me happier than being in the water.
With my little one in tow and hats on our head,
Going for a long swim, followed by a nap in bed!
I hope you are picking these at random Lorraine because my favourite thing to do is put on the a/c and bake or if I’m lazy, I read.
I spread some cloth on our lawn and sun-dry beautiful vine-ripened tomatoes freshly picked from our garden. While they are drying, I gather the children and set off for a picnic, with a wicker hamper filled with home-baked goodies. We play, frolic and ramble, without fights or tantrums. Oh no, that’s not me, that’s what the perfect-mum bloggers do – me, I would probably just try to get a decent amount of washing on the line and then see where the rest of the day takes us.
Love Frances Mayes! My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is a long lazy lunch, preferably somewhere by the water and revel in the sunshine sipping a glass of wine.
favourite is to grab the paper and a fresh oj and read it outside listening to the peace and quite of the bush behind me.
With all this lovely rain to water my garden. I make use of it by buying those poor plants at the Hardware store that they forgot to water for one and two dollars, plant them and give them a drink. Then wait for the next drop of rain. You don’t have to wait too long in Sydney at the moment. My garden is looking beautifully lush and colourful!
Put on some sunscreen, put on a hat and spend the day in my garden!
Me + sun + balcony + crossword + bowl of stewed apples/pears/peaches & fresh cream = ALL I NEED OUT OF LIFE!
cuddle with my husband
Take my family on a picnic, cooking up our perfect catch on the BBQ by the river!
Bella! Love cooking, love Italian food and love the feel of the gentle sun’s rays on my skin in the early morning and going for a 20 minute walk to absorb the Vitamin D our bodies need.
The wife and I strip off and go skinny dipping in our secluded back yard pool .nothing is as good as going back to nature,total freedom
Suns out? Give me a book or newspaper and a chair where the sun is on my legs and I’m in heaven!
When the sun comes out? Go for a walk with a Golden Gaytime
There’s a cookbook now! Oh, wow!! I have read & re-read & cooked from the book so often… The rustic peach tart with a bit dollop of mascarpone is my favourite.
When the sun’s out? Well! I live in Darwin where the sun is almost always out and, at this time of year, WAY too hot. So I spend most of my time inside in the air conditioning! But… I can always close my eyes, pretend I’m Francis, and picture a long food laden table on a (lightly) sun-kissed terrace with a view of olive trees, surrounded by dear friends and family, and with a chilled glass of delicious local wine in my hand… *sigh* …heaven!
I like to enjoy my first cup of tea for the day while quietly collecting my thoughts and fighting off the cat. She likes to greet the day with tooth and claw and wrestling!
I love going to the park with my husband, baby and dog and playing around and going for walks. Relaxing and enjoyable
Definitely stay in the shade and read cook books and drink a little red wine and enjoy some cheese.
Sit in the garden under the wisteria laughing at the Magpies who have taken over my garden!
I love to walk along St Kilda Beach foreshore and collect glass that has been worn down by the sea. To see it change from sharp to smooth always amazes me. Next is a coffee on the way home basking in the splendor that is Australia, the best place in the world to live! Melbourne has the best coffee by far. I am very open to the dream of traveling to Tuscany and comparing lifestyle and coffee! Vida
I’m currently in the process of creating a tuscan garden in my backyard, so i’m busy when the sun comes out creating a gorgeous place to be in the sun!!
Hi Lorraine… I love the goodness of the sunshine… cycling, gardening and even just sitting to read. Love Frances Mayes.. fingers crossed!
Lucky Australians
Just wanted to mention, I enjoyed the write up (interview) on Maureen’s blog today!
When the sun comes out I like to… press snooze just one more time. Hehe.
As soon as the sun comes out I grab the family and head down the lake for a day full of swimming, fishing, kayaking and picnicking! I would love a bit of Tuscan sunshine to the picnic fair
My favourite movie is “Under the Tuscan Sun” it is so much my life. I love on the coast and my solace in life is the company of friends, family and food.
There are ups and downs but the joy of a meal is constant.
Alfresco breakfast of fresh nectarines, peaches, and bircher muesli overlooking our beautiful veggie garden my husband and daughter have lovingly created in our tiny patch of backyard.
Off again to our beloved Tuscany, with base in Florence, in 3 weeks time. Now I will have to buy this book myself because we “foreigners”, i.e. the ones who do not live in Australia, can not participate in the give-away-lottery (lol). So sad!
I love to go out for a stroll with my baby son and my husband to centennial park.
When the suns out its washing!!love to put sun kissed sheets back on the bed,would be better if that bed was somewhere in Italy,even better if if I were in it being served a lucsious breakfast,oh well its ok to dream!!!!
In Queensland the sun is always out. I laze with my family and enjoy favourite foods and good conversation. Life is sunny and happy.
With the weather we’ve had this summer, sun shine dictates hang out the washing and jump on the mower.
I wouldn’t mink a bit of Tuscan sun.
Oooh, me me me me me!! My dinner tonight was completely in homage to my weeks spent in Tuscany last year – caprese salad with a baguette dipped in olive oil. So good!
When the sun comes out, I jump on my bike and go and go and go. I love my hours on the bike in the sun… and the resulting really stupid tan on my legs, which extends only halfway up my thighs, and then stops abruptly for moon-pale legs. Makes cut-off shorts a little embarassing, but I show my legs with pride, dammit!
When the sun comes out I like to take my book, my tray of tea & munch-ables & settle into the sun room & read. A little slice of Heaven, or chocolate cake at least.
When the sun comes out, dictates summer school holidays for me, so I sleep in until the kids let me. Have my coffee slowly instead of burning my mouth, lounge for a little while taking my time, do the house work with a whistle in my step, have fun with the kids, maybe a dance competition. Take my time cooking a gorgeous dinner for my gorgeous husband. Possibly a glass of wine, a cup of tea and then bed. What a day and we’ll do it again tomorrow with some shopping thrown in
Drink beer. It sounds cliched but, really, what’s better than a cold beer on a hot, sunny day.
When the sun comes out, I love taking the kids outside to play. If they spend all day indoors, they go stir crazy (resulting in me going actually crazy!).
This cookbook sounds great!
Summertime is time to pack up a picnic and head to the beach. Summer is the best time of year
I love to have my breakfast on the table outside and read the paper.
Hi gorgeous! Sunshine makes me head to the beach / park for a lazy picnic, or to a lovely outdoor cafe / beer garden that serves amazing food and drink to savour with friends in the sunshine x
When the sun comes out I like to get my dose of Vitamin D and go for a stroll to the local cafe and get a nice coffee and grab the paper then just relax in the park and just enjoy the scenery.
Depends on the time of year. Right now I like to watch the sunrise, have a cuppa and watch my chickens and ducks morning rituals.
Living for almost 7 years in Italy and I fell in love with everything Italian, especially the food and the ingredients. This must be a fabulous cookbook! On beautiful sunny days I love to go with husband and dog out for a long walk through the vineyards outside of Nantes. Throw a picnic into the bargain and it is a perfect day.
yeah.. that movie was nice comforting, reminding me that what ever I am doing in live is right an correct. Its not Tuscany but hey there r many amazing places in this world.
Good luck to the australian folks! lucky people… XD
ah the sun, something us Sydneysiders havent seen much of this season.
I usually spend the first 2 – 3 minutes saying “oohhh and ahh, how lovely”, and as a freckled redhead I spend minutes 3.5 minutes onwards saying “oh no Im burning!”
In the summer time I love to lay on the beach and dry off after a play in the surf. To drown that salty taste, nothing beats a vanilla Cornetto…yum!
Hit the beach!!
I had no idea she created a cookbook too! How lovely. And sunny
I love to go for walks in the sunshine. And the beach. Simple things.
Heidi xo
I love to pick fresh figs from the garden for breakfast and sprinkle them with soft brown sugar and grill them, a simple and healthy start to the day
when the sun comes out… I dry my clothes under the sun! lol… love that smell of sun-dried laundry
When the sun comes out I like to sit facing it drinking a strong hot coffee to kickstart my day.
Turkish apple tea cocktails! Cheers
I like going for drives to a park, a beach, anywhere scenic!
I head straight for the pool!
When the sun comes out, I head indoors and turn on the air con. M.S. and heat don’t match.
I wake up and make myself a fritata sandwich with sun dried tomatoes. Yummy!
Sunbathe at the beach with the latest bestseller – I like to be ‘Well-Read’ all over!
Go for a stroll around Centennial… keeping fir in the morning is a ‘Walk in the Park’ for me!
Actually I always believed that the Tuscan way was “Daylight (when the sun comes out)is for working and night time is for sleeping”
I love taking my 4 year old son on a walk to the playground when the sun is shining. He’s happy, I love watching him play and we are both getting exercise!
Love to relax with a book outside:-)
I was lucky enough to hear the author read from her book while in the US. Home now on the Far South Coast when the sun comes out I enjoy a walk on the beach with the dog – both of us plump from enjoying too much good food!
When the sun comes out I like to greet this heavenly body and give thanks for the light, warmth and happiness it adds to my mind, body and soul. The sun gives me life and lifts up my spirits.
I love Italian cookery. All the product is so fresh and seasonal.I can always do with a new cookbook for ideas.
Whenever the sun comes out I love to go to the river with my camera, and catch the light on the water.
But cooking Tuscan style, and eating al fresco, is pretty good too.
I like to make the most of the sun and take my two children to the part with a picnic lunch
Gardening, I love being out there enjoying the sun, and making sure everything looks lovely.
Fav thing to do when the sun comes out is to take the kids to the park or the local pool
Badminton!!! Or ShuttleCock as some call it, so much fun to be had letting our competitive streaks come out.
Get out the bicycles and go for a ride, enjoying nature and getting fit at the same time.
When the sun comes out I do the washung and hang it in the sun to dry.
When the sun comes out I do the washing and hang it in the sun to dry.
I confess to being a bit of a lizard – any hint of sun and it is straight off to the beach for a quick dip and a self-indulgent lie on the beach with a good book (not forgetting to slip, slop, slap).
I have an entire bookshelf devoted to books about buying a little olive farm in Italy or France! I’d love to win this to add to my collection.
My favourite thing to do in the sun is to spend the morning at the beach and then enjoy a picnic while the taste of salt is still on my lips. A pimms to accompany some delicious nibbly bits would be ideal.
I’m not a gourmet or wine buff but “The Tuscan Sun Cook book” will give me I hope the skills to enjoy simple cuisine and wine. When the sun comes out its gardening time with a cool white wine at close quarters and as I dig, slosh and plant I often remember the beautiful Italian language and people which I experienced first hand as I visited the region some 20 years ago. They are still up most in my warm sunny memories of Tuscany. The area is extraordinarily beautiful and “The Tuscan Sun Cook book” will remind me of this unique country every time I cook a recipe from it. Bellamissimo.
ooh love to win this..yes that is such a wonderful movie..fav thing to do when the sun comes out..funnily enough do the washing,after all the rain,blue skies and fresh breezes are so nice after weeks of mud!:)
I’m not entering, because I feel my ccokbook collection is breeding. But I must say one of my favourite things to do is to pack a picnic and go off to a beach or national park, spread a blanket, let the keds run feral, whilst the adults sit back, sip and relax. The kids can come back and graze at leizure. Bliss for everyone.
Well as my background is Italian I should probably only be using my Nonna’s recipes, but who can resist yet another cook book?! It seems you can never have too many. When the sun comes out, my boyfriend and I grab my sweet little dog and take her to the park for a walk and a picnic with my brother and his girlfriend and we always have the best day filled with, sun, fun and delicious food.
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is to prepare salads, meat and a delicious dessert or cakes. Then invite family and friends around for a barbeque.
What else … when the sun comes out I SMILE. A
When the sun comes out I find myself in the garden collecting home grown fresh produce and enjoying my time creating dishes from my own patch.
Sit. Sometimes with a book, sometimes a cuppa, sometimes with the cat, but I sure love to just sit in the sun & let it soak into my bones, especially after days of rain.
Another beautiful cookbook to devour that enables me to float away to places I can only dream of.
Make a myriad of refreshing drinks like fresh home made soy milk and drink elderflower cordial mixed with chilled spring water. They go really well with a scrumptious piece of protein like smoked chicken or smoked salmon
I take a walk on the beach – sun and sand for me!
Sunbathe with an ice cold homemade lemonade!
My husband and I like to walk along the banks of the Brisbane River soaking up any cool breezes and passionately discussing food and travel. When we get home nothing quite quenches like a bottle of Pinot Gris and with our glasses dripping with condensation we’ll continue our banter. If the garden is lucky, as the sun goes down I’ll get out with the hose and freshen it up, I love seeing the sunbeams through the stream of water.
Another gorgeous book to drool over.
Can not beat heading outdoors to a picnic when the sun comes out. Gourmet sandwiches and home made lemonade, yumm!
When the sun comes out, its the perfect time for me to entertain! I love to have friends and family around, to share time and a meal with them.
Head to the beach.
Hello again
Well what to do when the sun comes out – its not all that often on the weekends lately, so if its dry and sunny, I love to get to the fish markets (picking up my sister on the way) and buy some fresh cooked prawns and oysters, bring them back home…. We carry the outdoor table under the jacaranda tree, and open a crisp bottle of white wine… Sit and enjoy the seafood and wine – the chooks and cats love it too they gather around us at our feet and look forward to their treats – prawns heads 
There is nothing quite so relaxing as sitting in your back yard, watching the chooks enjoying themselves and scratching around..
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is the laundry. Then I can hang my washing on the line and enjoy the sun- dried smell of my linen. Susan
My favourite thing to do is to sit out on our balcony overlooking Melbourne with a glass of wine and some great cheeses and take some “down time” with the pile of foodie magazines that seems to keep growing!
sit in the sun and soak in it!
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is normally just to go outside and soak it in. Thank you for the opportunity to win such a lovely looking book.
Grab a rug and some good friends, and enjoy some wine and pate in the park
When the sun comes out I like to start gardening and go for bike rides, there’s something more inspiring about the outdoors and my wilderness garden when it’s sunny! Gardening also gives me ideas on what to cook based on what I manage to grow in excess, at the moment, everything has silverbeet in it!
When the sun comes out there is nothing better than sitting on the deck overlooking the ocean, reading a good book, drinking good wine and hubby cooking on the BBQ.
Unfortunately as a over organised grown up the sun being out nearly always means I try and get all the laundry done.
But my favourite thing to do is put on my Cream album and sit in the sun with a glass of wine and a book
Soak it up (in a sun smart kind of way!) and take my girls to the beach to get their toes wet & sandy!
Picnic with all the bells and whistles!
I love all of Frances Mayes’ books about her house in Cortona. Thanks for chance to win the latest book.
I love to sit outside with a glass of bubbly and look at the garden and just have a bit of quiet time. Or, go to the beach of course.
When the sun comes out i love sitting outside on the deck entertaining family and friends drinking bottles of wine and sharing a lovely meal while creating new memories
When the sun comes out i love sitting outside on the deck entertaining family and friends, drinking bottles of wine and sharing a lovely meal while creating new memories
( sorry my email address was wrong)
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is go for a run/walk with my dog to stretch both our legs with maybe a dip in the ocean to cool off.
My favourtite thing to do in the sun is to walk along the beach in that hazy afternoon heat with an ice cream as big as my head dribbling down my arm! Bliss!
Start planning for an impromptu family barbie – we never miss a chance
Go for a swim!
I love to wander around the back garden, weeding and noting new growth. A cup of tea under the banana tree makes everything alright, with a curled cat beside you. Those few moments when you can enjoy the luxury of 30 minutes in the sun are so precious.
Oh I love Frances Mayes books! HAve several of them (but not this one). Favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is take a walk and swing in our newly erected hammock on the deck.
When the sun comes out I just hope and pray it doesn’t bring a temperature higher than 27 degrees with it.
Floating around on an inflatable lounge chair in the pool with pina colada in hand!
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is take a picnic to the park with my son and husband and enjoy the afternoon!
love to swim & wanna enjoy different flavours of ice-creams
Since reading under the Tuscan sun I have wanted to learn to cook Italian foods… this would be a great way to start
I love going for a walk around the river. It’s relaxing, good exercise and it’s great to get out in nature!
I take a long walk and breathe deeply – I love sunny days!
Is there anything finer than a sunny day sitting on a picnic rug or at an alfresco café enjoying beautiful food and wine with family and friends in the warm sun with fresh air?
When the sun comes out, I make sure my little dog and cats have plenty of water.
potter in the garden with my 10 month old enjoying the rays and sharing nature with my son!
I love to walk in the Botanic Gardens when it’s sunny!
When the sun comes out
I slip slop slap
Take a long walk on the beach
I even take a nap
Sip Ice Tea while sharing a laugh with my best friend
Wishing i was reading the Tuscan Sun Cookbook as my day begins to end!
I love a good picnic in our local park with my family. A good, fun day in the Aussie sun!
When the sun comes out,I just hope it doesn’t bring too much heat with it
Go for a walk while my son rides his scooter next to me!
When the sun comes out after the rain I think how lovely the garden is going to look.
When the sun comes out, I love to sit on my front porch with a cappuccino and read, read, read.
Bath my dog so he can dry in the sun!
relax outside with a book:-)
Go for a picnic near the beach
Go to the beach and watch my son build sandcastles!
When the sun comes out I remind myself I saw the weather forecast last night and it’s not going over 27, so don’t fret.
My favourite thing to do when the sun comes out is to plate up some ripe tomoto’s with olive oil & fresh goats cheese, loaf of italian bread and sit in the sun eating it.
Altho’ our dams are still getting ‘topped up’ as I write on this Sunday pm, and outside activities are on the ‘waitlist’, I feel awfully good reading what so many other previous bloggers have said: the simplicity of walking, oft with a dog, gardening, putting out washing, reading under a tree – beautifully healthy and normal activities leading to a contented curling up in the bed later. Walking for me, quietly playing music, humming to myself or just listening to the birds . . .
Go to the park for a game of cricket with my husband and son.
Have an Aussie BBQ with friends.
Ya! Sun’s out were off to the park to feed the ducks our left over bread.
I love to get out the slip n slide and act like a big kid with my friends.
I live in Qld but as of late the sun has not been shining,
We may get a little chance but it is limited timing.
We go to the park and hope it’s not muddy and slimy,
My kids don’t care either way, just put their gumboots on and have some fun.
Coffee at a cafe (outside table of course!)
Go for a bike ride along the river and enjoy nature.
My friend and I went to the National Gallery of Australia to see the Renaissance exhibition last weekend. We then sat in the Gallery’s lovely cafe, sipped our soy lattes while the sun is shining onto us. Yep this has to be one of my favourite things to do when the sun comes out!
What a fantastic giveaway – I don’t own any Italian cookbooks and after seeing the Renaissance exhibition I think I must start cooking Italian :>
Wow. I already have the 3 books in the series and would love the cookbook to top it off.
My favorite thing to do when the sun comes out is head to the beach for a swim. Then when you are still all sandy and salty have a lovely BBQ with fresh salads made fem lettuce straight from the garden.
I love to laze by the pool with a good book.
Just get out amongst it, whether it be going for a walk, watering the front garden or picnicking in the park!
Water the garden and watch it grow!
Sit back, relax with a nice cup of coffee and enjoy the sunshine.
Dear Lorraine,
Following my previous post (#223) – have you been to the National Gallery of Australia? The Renaissance exhibition is until early April and if you are going to be in Canberra anytime before then you should definitely check it out!
Another favourite activitiy when the sun comes out for me is to have lunch at the Pork Barrel Cafe in the Old Parliament House Rose Gardens. It’s a beautiful restaurant with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that overlook the magnificent Rose Gardens. Not to mention their delicious pan-fried haloumi with roasted baby beetroot and sweet red pepper dressing. And you can swap normal sausages for chorizos in your big breakfast :>
I love to sit outside with a good book and a glass of wine.
When the sun comes out I like to sit in a shady spot in the garden, reading a good book, sipping on peach ice tea.
Snooze in the shade, and dream of faraway places.
Go to the gym and work out in the air conditioning!
Catch up on my magazine reading (and snooze off!)
Anything relaxing outside:-)
I also like doing the washing and putting it out on my sunny balcony when the sun comes out (don’t you just love the smell of the sun in your clothes?) I have to say we are in much need of the sun on the east coast right now…:(
Enjoy the first coffee of the day while I tend to my garden.
I love to get back to my childhood and play on the ‘slip-n-slide’ water slide with my friends.
I love baking delicious sweet treats when the sun comes out (nothing beats a sunny kitchen + the smell of delicious cakes/pastries), and eating them on the sunny balcony with home-made chai tea with lots of milk :>
Read the newspaper and do the crossword, under a shady tree!
When it’s a lovely sunny day I like to sit in the warmth, eating something sweet, drinking tea and flick through my cookbooks-planning the perfect dinner party!
When the sun comes out, we love taking a picnic lunch into the Sydney Botanic Gardens and sitting under a shady tree overlooking the harbour.Follow this by a walk around the gardens to admire the wonderful plants in flower, always something to look at! Pure heaven and it only costs a train fare into the city!
My favourite thing to do in the sun is have a lovely picnic with my boyfriend or friends with lots of little bits and pieces – nice cheeses, olives, dips, crusty bread – then lay on a blanket and read or sleep =)
Sunny weather is great for eating gelati!
Love to take a book outside and be lazy:-)
Take a book to the park and find a big shady tree to sit under. Enjoy nature and relax with a book!
When the Sun comes out, I take a deep breath and wonder how HOT it is going to be today and then make plans to be somewhere cool.
On long, hot, summer days, I wait till the sun has passed overhead, then I’m into our pool, with the ipod and speakers playing my fave, laid-back tunes, floating in my blow up chair, a long, cool, iced tea, and my little dog – who never leaves my side – lying on a boogie board floating beside me with her own umbrella poked through it.
getting the kids going down the local rock pools and exploring for new creatures
swim and soak up the sun
Feed the ducks at the river.
still loving the book outside:-)
Family, friends and food under dappled sunlight, relaxing and enjoying all the different activities that our wonderful land affords us.
Hard to decide, but I love to pack a picnic and head either to the beach or the Botanic gardens with my family. Good food, good company!
Fave thing to do when the sun is out is to take photos of flowers
Bring on the gelati!
I love washing the sheets and curtains and having them dry naturally. With all this rain you have to pick your day. Bring on the sun!
ok a picnic or the beach-but the book still comes:-)
I love picnicing. Good food, wine and friends. Life is good.
I love sunny days as I can wander around with a pretty parasol ^^
Feeding the ducks scraps of bread.
Walk the dog!
…. still feeding the ducks while the sun shines!
When the sun comes out in Michigan is when I love having my morning coffee with a stroll in my garden…you see my whole yard is one huge continuous garden. There is something growing all season with Crocus peaking out right now. Then comes the Forsythia and Budding Pinks, there is an ancient apple tree that has huge white and purple Japanese Iris & Peonies filling the air with the aroma something that could never be bottled. Then I stroll off to a beautiful Lilac that is old and twisted, growing at the top of the cliff of the river, the winds over the years have blown on it continuously making it into an old twisted trunk like the old mans cane. There is the fish pond with moss on the rocks and ground annuals that are fun to re-do every year into a cascading flower-fall…the wall of ferns that grow in the shade perfumes the air with an earthy patchouli type a fragrance. Then the Roses that beckon you to smell them deeply till the petals almost get sucked up your nose from breathing so deep. The coffee is long since gone in my cup but that doesn’t stop me from grabbing the pruning shears and spending more time in my beautiful garden Under the Michigan Sun
May not be entirely sun smart, but SOAK IT UP!! my excuse is that I have been vitamin D deficient in the past…
Picnic under a shady tree
Swim at the beach, preferably with dolphins…!
when the sun comes up i just gotta hop out of bed, make a cup of lady grey tea, and get out there and enjoy life! so much to be thankful for
When the sun comes out, I love to garden,
Harvesting my efforts in my very own Eden,
Taking a break to smell the roses,
And to admire the pretty posies,
So when the sun comes out in my garden,
That’s when I enjoy my little piece of heaven.
Still sitting under a shady tree, listening to the birds!
Host a backyard barbie(themed!). We get our friends to bring one new activity each and have fun with that, My son and daughter-in-law were just here visiting from the U.S. and brought a new dice game called “Farkle” – such fun!!!
Sugar: I cannot believe it! The sun IS out! For the whole day!! Won’t win a wonderful cookery book tho’, I bet – how very boring can you possibly be when you say ‘I did three loads of washing and weeded about 30 pots of vegetables’! Well, absolutely true: but, I guess, not all that exciting! Huh
!?
When the sun comes out I like to be up before it and get the whole days worth of the shining rays. I like to open the house up make a hot cuppa grab the paper and sit outside, also in the late afternoons to watch the kids run about with their ice blocks treats after school
I like to go back inside because I’m a night owl by nature or I will do some gardening or outside work that is really hard to do in the night.!
if the sun’s out all day, i love waking up, going for a brisk walk outside, sitting down for a leisurely breakfast and flat white over the paper (outside table at my favorite cafe) followed by a dip in my local saltwater pool to cool off. then head home to prepare a bbq dinner of a juicy steak or perhaps marinated chicken thighs, bbq’d corn and dessert of something fruity and in season – thinking some stone fruits with greek yoghurt… finishing off with a glass of wine and good company!
Because the sun is shining, I’m still sitting under a shady tree, listening to the birds!
Family bbq today in the sun:-)
Have the sun beam on my face. Vitamin D doses make me feel alive.
When the sun comes out, so does the camera. From the yellow light at dawn to the white light at midday, I love catching memories with my lens.
I love to get up and see the sun come up so I can start the day with a great feeling!
Walking on the beach, listening to the waves
When the sun is out I love to take my shoes of and walk in the grass.
When the sun comes out – I call my pup and off for a park walk we go. We both love it!
Perth athe moment-hiding inside:-(
I love going for a walk around the block, especially in autumn when the trees & plants are a lovely red/yellow/ orange colour…so picturesque!
when the sun comes out i like to brew an espresso, walk out to the alfresco, take a deep breath of fresh air, feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, finish my coffee, and walk into the chaos that is my life with two children under two..
thats easy, 360 days a year the sun shines here and we light up our wood bbq, cook porridge, home grown tomatoes or what is in season, toast and then a large pot of water use for our fresh coffee and then to wash up the dishes.
When the sun comes out, late on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, it is wonderful to relax with a friend or friends over a glass of wine with finger food, unwind and talk about our busy weeks, family, events, cooking, the garden, anything but politics! Their is no greater joy than sharing the sunshine with friends, laughter, good wine and great food.
I eat gelati, because it tastes SO much better when the sun shines!
If it’s a weekend afternoon then a cheese plate on the back deck and a big wine glass filled with ice, then 3/4 sauvignon blanc and top with soda (love my spritzer).
ok i admit it-a glass of champs with the book:-)
When the sun comes out our family loves to go to the beach have a swim catch some beautiful squid and whiting cook it fresh on the bbq and watch our son and dog run around! Just perfect!!!!
Another gelati to follow my first gelati!
A lovely early sunny morning is perfect with a walk along on the beach, letting the water lap over your toes. If I was in Tuscany, I would be pickling olives and drying tomatoes on racks in the sun (which is a dream and on the bucket list) whilst filling zucchini flowers with ricotta and anchovies before frying them quickly in a tempura batter. The sunshine makes everyone smile, from the walk along the beach where everyone says ‘good morning’ to the evening meal of freshly picked vegetables with a glass of crisp chianti. In the sunshine, e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g is achievable! x
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When the sun beams down on our family invasion it makes our day a special occasion!
My favourite thing to do is hang the washing out!
I love to get out in the garden with the kids or go on a picnic near the river
When the sun comes out I love to get out in the garden and enjoy my flowers!
Walk for hours on the beach, maybe even taking a swim!
pour myself a strong cup of green tea and relax
When the sun comes out, my first priority is putting out the washing!!! Do you know how much it rains here???
My family loves to head to the beach at the end of the day and watch the final rays Of the sun being out. As the hot summer sun sinks behind the vast Indian Ocean we indulge in fish and chips!
Smile! Just because beautiful weather makes me happy
Pull some weeds in the garden, and admire the flowers (without the weeds!)
A sunny 32 degrees here in Perth-time for the beach:-)
Lovely weather with plenty of sunshine is the perfect time for a picnic!
I would light the barbie and invite some friends around for lunch.
Entertain friends on a Sunday afternoon!
When the sun comes out I love to go on a tour to vineyards and wineries to see their beautiful wines and how the match them with some lovely food. The book looks great!!
Take my little girl for a play in the park
Play in the garden and plant plants with my little girl. She loves nature.
Hang out the washing..there is nothing like sun-warmed, breeze-fresh sheets to slip into at night!!
Have a barbie with great food and wine, and share some laughs with long lost friends!
Head to the beach and eat fish and chips!
Cook a scrumptious roast lunch on the bbq rotisserie and invite family over for a laugh and a catch up.
Go outside with the kids
garden,
play,
even jump on the trampoline
I love to go to the beach, nothing beats that!
I love to spend the early hours watering my garden. It’s so relaxing.
going to the park with family and friends and having a bbq or picnic after the kids have had fun playing
Swim at the beach and dry out by walking along the beach.
when the sun comes out I like to sit in my patio and read beautiful cookbooks and plan my dinner!!
Laying on the sun lounge with a good book:-)
When the sun comes out I like to go for a walk and just enjoy being out and about.
I love to sit out in the sun with great company, a never-ending supply of cocktails and lots of antipasti and nibbles! Yum!
I love to walk on the beach with my feet in the water eating a lemon gelati and to smile at the sun.
When the sun comes up… me and mine, love to pack a picnic and hit the park (adjacent to the beach) for a day of fun, family, food and frolicing.
LOUNGE like a LIZARD!
I love to sit in the shade of a big oak ree, sip a cool drink and read a good book.
When the sun comes my bottle of fake tan does too, my legs when deathly pale are not for show.
When the sun comes out i love totend to my herb/vegie garden and host BBQs for friends and family.
i love to sit out the front of my home with a nice hot coffee and listen to the new day starting out the birds,the wind ah the peace.
Thanks for the email telling me i had won a book it was a great surprise for me after a long day at work,looking forward to surprising my friends at the garden , on sunday we are having a work shop and my idea to make pretzels as a fund raiser has been taken on board , we will be cooking them in a wood fired oven ever thought about doing something about wood fired ovens , breads etc .
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