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Kitchen spy: Annabel Crabb

The columnist, political commentator, TV presenter and cook shows Stephanie Clifford-Smith inside her kitchen.

Stephanie Clifford-Smith

Annabel Crabb is more likely to have nightmares about accidentally buying salt-reduced or low-fat food than facing our most powerful politicians in an interview. Among Australia's chief political commentators, and arguably our most entertaining, she doesn't eat meat but cooks the ethically raised stuff for her family - her partner, lawyer Jeremy Storer, and children Audrey, 6, Elliott, 3, and six-month-old Kate. Despite not having a sweet tooth, she is a keen baker and dessert cook. Give her cheese, wine and an afternoon making pierogi and she's happy. The third of her Kitchen Cabinet series is now showing on ABC1.

Inspiration

Quite often I'll start with an ingredient that looks good and go from there. I get a lot of inspiration from Wendy Sharpe (not the artist), who's a childhood friend from my country town. She's an incredibly inventive and adaptive home cook with a good eye for ingredients and presentation. She lives in France now but we're in close correspondence as she consults on the recipes for Kitchen Cabinet. I also love Peter Gordon and Ottolenghi cookbooks. And my mum, of course, who's a great cook.

The staples

My pantry: Tinned tuna, with chilli if I'm cooking for myself, without for the kids. Salted capers because I'm a complete salt freak. Currants, saffron, dried apricots, moghrabieh, pomegranate molasses. I keep a vast vat of everyday cooking olive oil, and it's embarrassing but my choice is usually based on the beauty of the tin. Then I use the tins for planters and vases. For dressings, I like any grassy, peppery olive oil.

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My fridge: Butter, for baking. I go through about a kilo a week and have panic attacks about running out. Stewed quinces and quince jam. Pink grapefruit curd, which is part of my current obsession with making all kinds of curds. Eggs. A big tub of Bulgarian feta. Because I don't eat meat, if I make something for the kids I'll quite often substitute feta for the meat component in my serve. Kefalograviera cheese, which makes great toasties, and I really like gruyere as well. Sourdough starter, which my partner, who bakes bread, made on the day our son was born, so we'll always know how old it is. It's quite freaky to have something living in your fridge.

I'm drinking

I drink a foolish amount of builder's tea with sugar and milk - full fat, of course, there's no skim milk coming into this house. I'm a bit mad for elderflower cordial at the moment, too. I was never a coffee drinker, until I had kids and stopped sleeping properly, so now sometimes I have a milky cup during the day. I drink a powerful amount of booze, too. All my favourite wines are South Australian. Also, because I'm South Australian I'm allowed to drink sparkling red and not be criticised. I love a basket-pressed shiraz and I'm hopelessly wedded to riesling.

Saturday night tipple: Gin and tonic with cucumber.

My tool kit

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Digital scales revolutionised my cooking life but I still love my old Tala measuring cups if I'm going by volume rather than weight. KitchenAid mixer. Copper pan. A cloche terracotta baking oven is great for baking bread. I go through stupid amounts of baking paper. Le Creuset pots. A copper bowl for beating egg whites and cream.

Favourite: My notebook, where I write recipes I've either invented, adapted or cooked with success, sometimes making a note of who I've cooked them for.

Food discovery

I've become obsessed with amardeen, which is Syrian apricot paste in sheets. It's so good and versatile. I love making apricot, macadamia and white chocolate biscuits with it. (Find it at most Middle Eastern grocers.)

Secret vice

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Smoked oysters. It's not like I've got some excellent artisanal brand, either. I'm very happy with the bog-standard ones, straight from the tin.

Most memorable meal

When I was pregnant with Audrey, Jeremy and I were in Bologna in a simple little restaurant, nothing fancy. I had a main dish that was a plate with 12 different kinds of hard cheese and a pot of honey. No bread, no crackers, just the cheese and honey. It was so good.

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