Table of contents for TAK2439 in Take 5

As youngsters, my friends and I loved the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which follows two drag queens and a trans woman as they travel across Australia in a tour bus. We’d make up our own dances to the soundtrack, get dressed up in elaborate outfits, apply colourful make-up (I even put glitter nail polish on my cheeks – do not recommend! It burns.) and force our parents to pay for the privilege of watching us perform. I’ve since worked out it wasn’t that pleasurable for them, but we had a ball! Living in Sydney, home of the Mardi Gras parade and Oxford Street, we’re spoilt with cabaret shows, comedy gigs and bingo Drag Queens. Reading Lea’s story this week on page 10, I realised something’s…

Every family had a story, and I loved learning mine… Andra Putnis, 46, Canberra, ACT. I tumbled out of the car, feeling tired and messy. The sun was starting to set, and it had been a long drive from our hometown of Toowoomba, Qld, to Redhead in Newcastle, NSW. “Ring the doorbell,” my mum, Inta, instructed. I did as she said and then stood beside my sisters Liana, six, and Mara, four, waiting for Grandma Milda to answer. At nine, I was the oldest of us girls. The door swung open, and Grandma Milda appeared, smartly dressed and statuesque, with her hair set. “My little babies,” she beamed. “Come in.” She ushered us into the kitchen where she fed us cold cucumber, dill and sour cream soup. We were then…

A trip to the dentist left my blood running cold Ann Guyatt, 79, Toowoomba, Qld. Massaging the top of my left jaw, I winced. “Is your mouth still giving you trouble?” my hubby, Bob, asked me. “I don’t think it’s healed properly,” I replied. “I’ll go and see someone as soon as we’re back.” It was August 2014, and six months earlier three of my back molars had been giving me grief every time I bit down, so I’d had the worst one removed Afterwards, I’d experienced a dull ache which I hoped in time would fade, but that wasn’t the case. Maybe he fractured Bob and I were travelling through Queensland and the Northern Territory, working on farms for a few weeks at a time as we went, so…

Italian-style sausage & bean stew SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 10 MINS 6 pork and fennel sausages 400g jar tomato and peppers pasta sauce 2 x 400g cans borlotti beans, drained, rinsed ¼ cup parsley sprigs Crusty bread (optional) 1 Cook sausages in a heated, oiled large frying pan. Remove from pan. Add sauce, beans and 1⁄3 cup water to same pan. Bring to boil. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 mins or until sauce thickens. 2 Meanwhile, slice sausages thickly. Return to pan. Simmer, uncovered, until heated through. Season. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve with crusty bread. Pork stir-fry SERVES 4 PREP 15 MINS COOK 10 MINS 400g pork fillet, thinly sliced 400g fresh flat, wide rice noodles 500g Asian greens, coarsely chopped ½ cup teriyaki…

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Kate Kirsten, Editor Rachel Williams, Deputy Editor Kim Bonett, Art Director Fiona Parsons, Picture Editor Vanessa Mckenzie ARE MEDIA Chief Executive Officer Jane Huxley, Director of Sales Andrew Cook, Director of Content Sally Eagle, General Manager Entertainment Susan Armstrong, Commercial Brand Manager Jessica Ashworth, Head of Consumer Marketing Louise Cankett Subscription enquiries: Customer Service 136 116 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST) International +61 2 9692 3535 Email magshop@magshop.com.au Website www.magshop.com.au Advertising enquiries: advertising@aremedia.com.au Affiliate enquiries: affilliate@aremedia.com.au Published by Are Media Pty Limited (ABN 18 053 273 546), 54-58 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. ©2024. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written permission. Take5 is a registered trade mark of Are Media. Use of trademark strictly prohibited.…

I was desperate to marry and have kids at 21 – but it took longer than planned Sam Jones, 54. Sitting across from my colleague Ian at the pub, my jaw hit the floor. Where did that come from? I thought. An engaged man, due to be married in four months, Ian had just dropped a bombshell that he had feelings for me. “I don’t think I can go through with the wedding,” he told me. It was 1989, and we worked at a bakery. I was a pastry chef, and he was an apprentice baker. I’d fancied him as soon as I met him but had pushed my feelings aside, knowing he was engaged. “Don’t do anything rash,” I said. “Spend time on your own and decide what you…

Lamb & zucchini pappardelle SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 30 MINS 250g pappardelle 1 tbsp olive oil 250g lamb fillets, trimmed, thinly sliced 1 red onion, sliced 1 long red chilli, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 zucchini, sliced 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, sliced 1 cup frozen broad beans, thawed, podded 120g pkt baby spinach ¼ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta Parsley leaves, lemon wedges, to serve 1 In a large saucepan, cook pasta following packet directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pan. Cover. 2 In a large frying pan, heat half the oil on high. Cook lamb in two batches, 2-3 mins each, until browned. Transfer to a plate. 3 In same pan, heat remaining oil on high. Sauté onion, chilli and garlic…

VIRGO Aug 24 –Sept 23 If it’s been hard to get on with a VIP in your life lately, maybe it’s time to change the way you’re tackling your issues. If one tactic isn’t working, try another and see if you have more luck. ★Relationships are challenging! LIBRA Sept 24 – Oct 23 You don’t have to push too hard. You’re a magnet for good things. It’s when you forget this that you start to have issues. So whatever it is you want right now, remember that if it’s meant for you, it will come your way in time. ★ Attract rather than chase. SCORPIO Oct 24 –Nov 22 You’re a brave person and you chase your goals. But right now, you’re feeling a little less bold. That’s a shame…

I knew there was something wrong with my girl’s fiancé Linda Heptinstall, 78, Mundaring, WA. Passing me her phone, my daughter beamed. “What do you think of this guy?” she asked me. It was January 2017 and Kim, 29, had been using a dating app in the hope of finding a husband. Something about the man smirking in the photo, Travis, 27, gave me a bad feeling. “Perhaps keep looking,” I suggested, but a few days later, he asked her out. “He’s picking me up from our place,” Kim said, excited. “You’ll get to meet him.” When he arrived, Travis seemed too eager to impress, chatting like an old friend. It was off-putting, but I kept quiet for Kim’s sake. As long as she’s happy, I told myself. After that,…

If the potatoes you bought from the supermarket start sprouting, bury them in your garden and they will grow. Eileen Reid, Tauranga, NZ. To remove stubborn dog hair from your carpet, try sprinkling baking soda on it, then vacuum it up 15 minutes later. Linda Perez, Geraldton, WA. Once I’ve opened a package of frozen food, rather than just reseal the bag with a clip, I place the remaining food in a ziplock bag. This prevents any spillage, and you can see at a glance how much you have left come shopping day! Jane Lawrence, Sheffield, Tas. The easiest way to peel fresh ginger is with a teaspoon.on. Trust me on this! Kim Choi, Ballarat, Vic. To stop water stains on stainless-steel taps, rub candle wax on…

When I saw my boy lying on the ground, I assumed the worst… Sarah-Jayne Jarick, 46, Bundaberg, Qld. I sat on the porch of our house, watching my husband, Matthew, and my son, Eli, hammer wooden logs into the large gum tree at the bottom of the garden. They’d built a platform not too high up that Eli, 13, could sit on, and the logs were to be steps leading up to it so he could climb there safely. “It’s looking good,” I shouted to them. We live on a remote farm with lots of land, so it was nice for Eli to have somewhere to play outside rather than sit in front of a TV or a computer. I also have a daughter, Michaela, but at 15, she was…

Ricotta raspberry mousse SERVES 8 PREP 20 MINS + CHILLING 500g fresh ricotta cheese (purchase from deli) 1-2 tbsp milk ½ cup raspberry jam 300ml thickened cream ¼ cup icing sugar Fresh raspberries, shaved dark and white chocolate, to serve 1 In a food processor, pulse ricotta and milk about 20 sec. Add jam. Pulse to combine. Transfer to a large bowl. 2 In a medium bowl, beat cream with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar. Beat to combine. 3 Working in two batches, gently fold cream into ricotta mixture. Spoon mousse evenly among eight glasses. Chill 1 hour. Serve topped with raspberries and chocolate. PHOTOGRAPHY: AREMEDIASYNDICATION.COM.AU…