My name is Bashiera Parker and I’m Woolworths TASTE’s commercial content producer. If you ever stumble upon my Instagram account, you’ll see that my bio reads “equal parts cooking and chaos” because after I clock out at TASTE, I clock in at home where three little rascals rule the house. I wouldn’t be able to survive either without Woolworths’ W.Lab range.

Sticky counters and stained dishcloths are the order of the day. And when I get home, sticky fingers and stained clothes. W.Lab, however, recently had a refresh – a much stronger brand identity that communicates efficacy, value and sustainability better. But here’s what matters: they haven’t messed with the formulations. A few were slightly improved to keep up with the latest technology, but the core stayed the same.

Trust me, I’ve put them through their paces. Between recipe-testing on set and three kids at home, my W.Lab stash works overtime.

Fragrance boosters and fabric softeners

Let’s be honest, three kids generate a lot of laundry. The W.Lab laundry liquid carries the load – every wash, every day. But the real secret is what goes in alongside it. The Cotton Fresh fragrance booster keeps everything smelling clean and vibrant for up to 12 weeks. Just add the fragrance beads directly into the washing machine drum before loading. School uniforms, towels, linen, even gym bags.

Zesty Lime dishwashing liquid

The dishes never stop. The Zesty Lime dishwashing liquid has powerful ingredients to dissolve grease and grime, leaving everything sparkling and scented with a fresh lime fragrance. Even the kiddies’ bowls come up clean, which  is no small feat.

Anti-bacterial kitchen cleaner

And then there’s the kitchen. After a shoot day, my counters have seen things. The anti-bacterial kitchen cleaner is formulated with powerful anti-bacterial agents to remove sticky messes and tough grease, leaving everything sparkling and hygienically clean. A quick spray and wipe, and it’s like the chaos never happened.

Window and glass cleaner

But my favourite W.Lab moment? The day the kids decided spaghetti belonged on the sliding door. Don’t ask. The window and glass cleaner handled it – streak-free and effortless. But the kids helping to clean up their own mess was the real win.

Whether it’s recipe-tested dishes piling up in the TASTE kitchen or three sets of grass-stained, food-smeared school clothes at home, Woolworths’ W.Lab range has me covered. It works hard and cleans smart – that’s the motto, and it couldn’t be more fitting.

Producer: Bashiera Parker

Production: Bianca Strydom 

Assistant: Chevonne Fourie

Photography: Shavan Rahim

Videography: Romy Wilson

Woolworths’ W.Lab range of cleaning and laundry products is built on three pillars: value, efficacy and sustainability. Every product is third-party tested for effective cleaning, every time. From dishwashing liquid to laundry capsules, thick bleach to stain removers, W.Lab works hard so you can clean smart.

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Renowned for its rich, creamy versatility, Gouda undergoes a stunning transformation with age. The soft, sweet, mild cheese of its youth matures into a masterpiece of texture and taste, turning firm and crumbly, typically with crunchy protein crystals, and developing an intensely sharper profile rich with caramel notes.

Discover a Gouda for every palate here, with our harvest table spread

Woolworths has four gouda types that get infinitely more complex in the aging process, so every age has a story – and every one has a Gouda cheese to find and fall in love with:

• 2-month matured ‘Young’ Gouda is creamy, mild and buttery. Pair it with fresh pears, green apples, sourdough and fresh lemonade with mint and a green apple juice.
• 6-month matured ‘Mature’ Gouda is rich, rounded and nutty. Pair it with fig preserves, charcuterie and peach iced tea and light kombucha.
• 10-month matured ‘Extra Mature’ Gouda is complex with caramel notes. Pair it with caramelised onions and toasted mixed nuts with premium non-alcoholic ginger beer.
• 20-month matured ‘Vintage’ Gouda is crystalline, intense and savoury. Pair it with honeycomb, roasted hazelnuts, fresh figs, balsamic glaze and tonic water with orange peel or sparkling mineral water with grapefruit.

Loaded gouda fries

Use Gouda in your cooking – and with a dish that celebrates the flavour profiles of every block in the range. These crispy, golden fries are drenched in layers of velvety cheese, and topped with bacon bits and more fried crispy curds for the moreish loaded cheese fries.

From the first creamy bite to the last crumbly morsel, every age of Gouda invites you to taste something extraordinary. Whether you’re building a showstopping cheese harvest table or piling those droolworthy loaded fries high, there’s a Gouda for every moment, and every bite is worth the wait.

Find more gouda recipes here

Recipe and production: Bianca Strydom 

Food assistant: Chevonne Fourie

Photography: Jan Ras

Videography: Romy Wilson and Kaylene Sauls

From young and creamy 2-month Gouda, to richly matured and beautifully complex 6-, 10- and 20-month, discover the full Woolworths’ Gouda range crafted for every taste and every moment.

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Envy apples are sweet and crunchy – their exceptional flavour means they definitely deserve the Flavourburst label at Woolies.

A cross between Royal Gala and Braeburn apples, Envy apples are also slow to brown, even after they’re cut. So whether you’re slicing them to enjoy throughout the day, adding them to your breakfast, or baking them into a sweet treat, their versatility makes them the perfect choice for anything you have in mind.

Here are 2 sweet Envy apple recipes to get you started:

1. Envy apple cake

Thinly sliced Envy apples make up the layers of this delicate French-style cake, with just enough batter to hold everything together. As it bakes, the apples soften into a tender, custardy centre, making every slice all about the fruit. This cake is simple, elegant and a delicious way to let apples shine.

Envy apple cake

2. Envy apple granola

There’s no need for added sugar when you have an Envy apple. This home-made granola gets its natural sweetness from freshly grated apple, which also helps create those deliciously crisp, golden clusters as it bakes. Packed with oats, hazelnuts and seeds, it’s an easy, wholesome breakfast staple that’s just as good sprinkled over yoghurt as it is eaten by the handful.

Envy apple granola

Looking for more apple recipes? Check out:

5 irresistible apple recipes

Producer: Bashiera Parker

Recipes and production: Bianca Jones

Videography: Romy Wilson

Photography: Shavan Rahim

Envy apples are favoured for their sweet, sophisticated flavour, delightfully satisfying crunch, beautiful red colour and naturally white flesh.

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Now with even more shades to choose from, Clinique’s Even Better foundation range proves that finding your perfect match has never been easier. But instead of trying it on skin, we did what we do best and took inspiration from the full spectrum to bake and ice an ombré buttercream celebration cake because this is something worth celebrating.

Meet your perfect match

Finding your perfect match – and a foundation that offers you the coverage and benefits you need – doesn’t always come easy. But Clinique offers three options, blended seamlessly on every member of the TASTE team. Watch head of commercial content, Fatima Saib, and commercial content producers Bashiera Parker and Lerato Tlali find their perfect match.

Even better, three ways

There are three options to choose from in the Even Better range, all of which offer both make-up and skincare benefits and are dermatologically tested.

• The Even Better Clinical Vitamin Makeup is a lightweight foundation with SPF 50 and a vitamin-rich formula for more vibrant, healthy-looking skin every day.
• The Even Better Makeup Broad Spectrum offers medium coverage and visibly reduces dark spots in 12 weeks – great for the office.
• The Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation offers 24-hour full coverage and instantly perfects with a matte finish, plus visibly improves skin, making it ideal for a night out.

Triple-layer chocolate-and-vanilla cake

Triple-layer chocolate-and-vanilla cake

Find more cake recipes here

Recipe and production: Bianca Strydom

Food assistants: Chevonne Fourie and Astrid Field 

Photography: Shavan Rahim

Videography: Romy Wilson

Clinique’s Even Better range has expanded with a shade and foundation fit for everyone. From lightweight to medium and 24-hour full coverage, these dermatologically tested products offer sun protection and vitamin-and-serum-powered technology to actively protect and improve skin. Choose Clinique for a smooth, flawless finish every time.

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With a nip still very much in the air, picture this: rice piled high with a generous ladleful of tomato bredie made with Woolworths’ free-range lamb neck. But first, a quick starter to wake up the senses: a steaming bowl of lamb-and-bean soup made with aromatic spices and Woolworths’ free-range stewing lamb.

Moroccan lamb with vegetable-and-barley soup

Woolworths’ free-range lamb neck is highly flavourful, budget-friendly and fall-off-the-bone tender when cooked low and slow, as you would in a tomato bredie. The low, slow heat melts the meat until rich and juicy. The lamb stewing meat comes from hard-working shoulder, neck or shank that enriches broths, as in this rich and robust lamb-and-bean soup.

Moroccan lamb with vegetable-and-barley soup

Tomato-braised lamb with fragrant spices

Tomato-braised lamb with fragrant spices

Find more lamb recipes here

Recipe and production: Bianca Strydom

Food assistant: Bianca Jones

Photography: Jan Ras

Videography: Romy Wilson

Woolworths’ free-range animals are free to roam pastures and natural veld and are never given any routine antibiotics or growth stimulants. The lamb you’ll find in the fridge at Woolworths is specially selected for flavour. Free-range lamb neck is highly flavourful, budget-friendly and fall-off-the-bone tender when cooked low and slow, while the stewing meat is packed with marbling that enriches broths, soups and curries.

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Have you tasted Honeygold® grapefruit?

This citrus fruit, exclusive to Woolworths, has bright, sunshine-yellow skin.

In season from June to early November, this fruit’s sweet grapefruit flavour sets it apart:

• The skin is thinner, softer and easier to peel;
• They contain barely any seeds, making snacking all the more enjoyable;
• They’re sweeter and juicier than you’d expect.

We passed a few around the office and here’s what the team had to say (spoiler alert: no one could believe they were eating grapefruit!).

Plus, we made a smoothie that delivers the most satisfying, zesty citrus lift.

Honeygold® tropical smoothie

This vibrant drink showcases the sweet notes of Honeygold® grapefruit in both freshly squeezed juice and segmented fruit to deliver a zesty citrus lift that cuts through creamy mango and banana-flavoured milk in a refreshing tropical smoothie. A drizzle of wild blossom honey ties everything together with natural sweetness, while optional chia seeds and collagen powder add an additional boost.

Honeygold® tropical smoothie

Find more smoothie recipes here

Recipe and production: Marcelle van Rooyen

Food assistant: Chevonne Fourie

Videography: Romy Wilson

Photography: Jan Ras

Honeygold® grapefruit, exclusive to Woolworths, are refreshingly juicy and surprisingly sweet. Plus, they’re easy to peel and enjoy anywhere.

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With its small florets and long, slender green stems, Woolworths Tenderstem® broccoli is the kind of vegetable that makes you stop mid-shop, toss it into your basket and wonder why you haven’t been buying it all along.

A hybrid of Chinese kale (gai lan) and traditional broccoli, its mild, sweet, nutty flavour and tender texture runs from stem to floret, so there’s really no waste – you’ll want to eat the whole thing.

Best enjoyed steamed, roasted or even eaten raw, it’s as versatile as it is beautiful on the plate. We’ve done the hard work for you and incorporated it into two delicious recipes that are guaranteed to make Tenderstem® broccoli your new veggie staple.

Tenderstem® broccoli korma

This quick broccoli curry is about to become your favourite weekly vegetarian meal. Readymade korma sauce adds a delicious nutty flavour, while coconut milk enhances the creaminess. Include chunks of paneer for added protein and heartiness.

Tenderstem® broccoli korma

Tenderstem® broccoli mops with Gorgonzola-and-pecorino sauce

For an easy snack that also fulfils your veggie quota, try these broccoli mops. The Gorgonzola-and-pecorino sauce is decadent and creamy. Simply char the broccoli and use those stems to scoop up the delicious dip – no cutlery required!

Tenderstem® broccoli mops with Gorgonzola-and-pecorino sauce

Find more Tenderstem® broccoli recipes here

Recipe production: Marcelle van Rooyen

Food assistant: Bianca Jones

Photography: Shavan Rahim

Videography: Romy Wilson

Tender and juicy, and grown and handpicked, by expert farmers exclusively for Woolworths, Tenderstem® broccoli is best enjoyed as a snack with your favourite dip, in a flavourful curry, or simply steamed and served as a side. 

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Authentic, premium and a true celebration of Thailand’s rich culinary heritage, the Blue Elephant range is what you need to conjure up a restaurant-quality, Thai-inspired dish at home.

Blue Elephant makes authentic Thai cuisine effortless, exciting and utterly delicious. Visit your nearest Woolworths store and experience the magic for yourself.

Better yet, enter now to stand a chance of winning a private cooking experience for two in Thailand at the Blue Elephant Cooking School and Restaurant. The prize includes five nights’ accommodation in Phuket, three half-day cooking classes at Blue Elephant Cooking School, and a private dinner at Blue Elephant Restaurant in Bangkok. Please note that flights and transfers are not included.

What are you waiting for? Your culinary adventure starts here!

Click here to enter

Master Chef Nooror, who opened the first Blue Elephant restaurant in Brussels in 1980 and developed the range of curry pastes and sauces, recently visited the TASTE kitchen where she made a lamb curry using Blue Elephant massaman curry paste, a mild yet complex and deeply aromatic blend of herbs and spices rooted in the culinary traditions of southern Thailand.

The curry paste is Master Chef Nooror’s heirloom family recipe and its signature warmth comes from cardamom and galangal, which is balanced by the subtle tang of tamarind and Thai lime.

Lamb massaman curry

Deeply warming, with a complex spice profile, this lamb massaman curry is a celebration of Thai flavours. Pair it with rice for a rich, velvety and truly memorable dish.

Lamb massaman curry

The Blue Elephant range is extensive. Chef Clement Pedro went in store to explore the full complement, choosing a few of his favourites: red curry paste to make lamb knuckle curry, green curry paste to make a broth for mussels, and tom yam chilli paste for glazed beef shortrib.

Mussels in a coconut green curry broth

A silky coconut-and-green curry broth wraps every mussel in fragrant, aromatic flavour. The sweetness of the mussels pairs beautifully with the creamy curry broth, while a zesty coriander-and-lime relish adds freshness.

Mussels in a coconut green curry broth

Tom yam chilli-glazed beef shortrib with crispy ginger-and-peanut sprinkle

This recipe uses the bold, tangy-savoury depth of Blue Elephant tom yam chilli paste to create a glaze that transforms beef shortrib into a showstopping dish. Paired with crispy ginger-and-peanut sprinkle, each bite is textural with a nutty warmth that ties the fragrant Thai-inspired flavours together beautifully.

Tom yam chilli-glazed beef shortrib with crispy ginger-and-peanut sprinkle

Lamb knuckle red curry with jasmine rice and roasted pumpkin wedges

Rich, aromatic and deeply complex, red curry perfectly complements succulent lamb knuckle in this recipe. Served over fluffy jasmine rice and accompanied by caramelised, roasted pumpkin wedges, this dish brings together smoky sweetness, tender protein and bold Thai-inspired flavours.

Lamb knuckle red curry with jasmine rice and roasted pumpkin wedges

Find more Thai recipes here

Recipes: Master Chef Nooror and Clement Pedro

Food production and styling: Abigail Donnelly

Food assistant: Bianca Jones

Videography: Romy Wilson

Photography: Jan Ras

The Blue Elephant range brings authentic Thai recipes to home cooks worldwide, using only fresh Thai herbs, traditional spices and premium-quality ingredients. Every product is crafted in Thailand, free from MSG, artificial colorants and preservatives, with many lines carrying gluten-free and vegetarian certifications alongside the prestigious Thai Trust Mark and Thai SELECT accolades.

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Few things make a house feel like a home: familiar aromas wafting through the air, something freshly baked or straight out the oven resting on the kitchen counter, and an instantly recognisable glass jar beside it with a handwritten-style label and red-and-white gingham-patterned lid. Bonne Maman is both the secret ingredient elevating many a dish, and yet, the one jam that instantly makes those dishes taste like home.

The reason for this lies in the natural ingredients used to make Bonne Maman. With the brand name translating to “Grandmother” in French, these are traditional, homestyle apricot, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and cherry preserves. It’s made with five, simple, high-quality ingredients which excludes high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colours, or preservatives, but uses non-GMO verified fruit instead to deliver authentic, homemade flavour, with large pieces of premium fruit – just like ouma used to make.

Simply spread it on toast, add it to your marinade or use it to make a few of our top recipes. Scroll down for the very best Bonne Maman recipe ideas.

1. Lamb skewers with apricot jam glaze

Lamb ribs get a serious upgrade with a harissa-and-apricot glaze. Thread the lamb, apricots and red onions onto skewers, then baste with a glaze made using Bonne Maman apricot jam and rose harissa paste until sticky and charred.

Lamb skewers with apricot jam glaze

2. Duck breasts with blueberry-and-tarragon sauce

This dish is a celebration of bold flavours and minimal effort. And the star? The sauce, which is made by whisking the pan juices into a bold, silky jus using Bonne Maman® blueberry preserve.
Duck breasts with blueberry-and-tarragon sauce

3. Strawberry preserve sweet rolls

These sweet, sticky buns are a fruity take on cinnamon buns. Bonne Maman strawberry preserve is spread on the bread dough, which is then rolled up and baked. Drizzle with extra preserve and then serve with a hot cup of tea.
Strawberry preserve sweet rolls

Find more jam recipes here

Recipe and production: Marcelle Van Rooyen

Food assistant: Leila Mokotedi

Videography: Kaylene Sauls

Photography: Jan Ras

The secret to Bonne Maman lies in the natural ingredients used to make these traditional jams and preserves. Using non-GMO, verified fruit, you’re guaranteed authentic, homemade flavour, ideal for both sweet and savoury dishes, and a jar full of large pieces of premium quality fruit, also enjoyed simply spread generously on scones or toast!

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If you want to make a restaurant-quality dish from the comfort of your home, you need to stock one premium Woolworths ingredient: Parmigiano Reggiano.

A medium-fat hard cheese that needs no introduction, your cooking will speak for itself when it gets that sweet-salty flavour upgrade.

It’s a no-brainer in savoury custard piped into profiteroles but elevates almost any dish – even humble ramen.

1. Parmesan profiteroles with Parmesan custard

These profiteroles are the ideal end to a meal if you prefer a savoury finish. Cheesy profiteroles are filled with a decadent Parmesan cream and garnished with crispy pancetta.

Parmesan profiteroles with Parmesan custard

2. Cacio e pepe ramen

Pasta night meets ramen night. Comforting, carby and cheesy – cacio e pepe ramen is the girl-dinner upgrade you didn’t know you needed.

Cacio e pepe ramen

Find more Parmigiano Reggiano recipes here.

Recipes and production: Marcelle van Rooyen

Food assistant: Bianca Jones

Photography: Romy Wilson

Videography: Shavan Rahim

Fresh Parmigiano Reggiano is the difference between an average home-cooked meal and a gourmet dish. This medium-fat hard cheese is made from cow’s milk, has a sweet-salty flavour with fruity, buttery notes, and a crumbly texture. It’s perfect in a rich, creamy cheese custard piped into savoury profiteroles, and takes weeknight ramen noodles to the next level in a cacio e pepe base made with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and of course, a few extra shavings over the top! Whether you’re creating elegant appetisers or elevating simple comfort food, Parmigiano Reggiano transforms everything, proving that one exceptional ingredient is all you need to turn ordinary into extraordinary.

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Near Lambert’s Bay, some three-and-a-half hours from Cape Town, you’ll find the Sandveld, where Woolworths grows its speciality potatoes at Patrysvlei farm. This is also the home of the new red skin potato.

The moderate climate, sandy, aerated soil and pivot irrigation work together to ensure farmers can grow and harvest potatoes all year round. Patrysvlei farm has been supplying Woolworths since 1985, starting with Everyday potatoes, before developing other speciality potato varieties, and now, red skin potatoes.

The new red skin potato is a real all-rounder. Boil, bake or roast to bring out its earthy flavour. When cooked, it becomes creamy in texture and creates pillowy pockets with crisp skin when added to a Mexican-style dish.

Are you ready for crispy, golden loaded red skin potato wedges?

Loaded red skin potato wedges

Woolworths’ red skin potatoes are roasted until soft inside and beautifully golden on the outside. Then, they’re layered with ‘nduja sour cream, guacamole, pickled onions and jalapenos. A little spice, a little acidity, and a whole lot of flavour.

Loaded red skin potato wedges

Find more potato recipes here

Recipe and production: Bianca Strydom

Food assistant: Chevonne Fourie

Videography: Romy Wilson

Photography: Shavan Rahim

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The days are short and the nights are long – the first bite of winter has already set in and your soul is craving something that warms you from within. Spicy foods, of course, provide actual heat, but it’s more than those warm mouthfuls that you’re after, isn’t it?

That’s a universal craving, felt from the bustling streets of Durban in South Africa to Morocco up north.

What we need is something that transforms the chill into comfort. A kind of solace on those cold, cold nights, where that heat spreads through your chest like internal sunshine.

Lamb curry bunny chow

Try this lamb curry bunny chow. Born in Durban in the 1940s, a bunny chow is a hollowed loaf of white bread cradling a rich, aromatic lamb curry, like we’ve made here using Woolworths’ Cape Malay curry and mother-in-law spice mixes.

The bread soaks up the curry’s complex gravy and provides the perfect balance. However, it doesn’t detract from the much-desired heat and deep, warming embrace of this traditional South African curry.

Lamb curry bunny chow

Spicy Moroccan chickpea-and-pumpkin soup

Travel north to Morocco, where harissa originated. It’s made using chillies, garlic, caraway, coriander and more, just like Woolworths’ harissa blend. Here, we’ve brushed it onto naan and paired it with a flavourful curried soup made with Woolworths Moroccan rub and mild curry powder. This soup offers immediate warmth, awakening the senses radiating a comforting glow.

Spicy Moroccan chickpea-and-pumpkin soup

With these recipes – and the right spices – it doesn’t matter where you are, the warmth we crave when temperatures drop is but a teaspoonful away. You can create the kind of nourishing heat that makes winter something to savour, not something to endure.

Find more winter dishes here

Photography: Sadiqah Assur-Ismail and Shavan Rahim

Videography: Sadiqah Assur-Ismail and Romy Wilson

Recipes and production: Abigail Donnelly and Marcelle van Rooyen

Food assistant: Bianca Jones

Looking for a little extra flavour and kick? Make your meals tastier using flavour-packed seasonings and herbs from Woolworths.

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