My MUSE | Amelia Ferrier

Hi everyone, Olivia here, introducing this week's My MUSE: the creative, effortlessly charming, and beautiful (inside and out), Melie from Melie's Kitchen.

I first heard about Melie through her lovely mum, Lisa, who would often show me photos of the incredible cakes Melie was creating while visiting my Newmarket boutique. It has been such a joy to watch her journey on Instagram and see her beautiful recipes and creativity continue to evolve.

To celebrate winter entertaining, we photographed Melie in her element—at home in the kitchen. She also shared one of her favourite recipes with the MUSE community: a simple yet beautiful starter that's perfect for sharing, lingering over, and enjoying with good company.

I caught up with Melie to chat about cooking, entertaining, and the things currently inspiring her, both in and beyond the kitchen

For those who may not know you, tell us a little about yourself and how Melie’s Kitchen came to be.

I'm Melie, the recipe developer and face behind Melie's Kitchen. I've been running the account since I was about 14 years old, back when Instagram first came about! I've always shared recipes, although in the beginning it was mostly desserts and baking. I started doing cake orders for friends and family, which grew and grew until I was basically running a bakery out of my parents' kitchen on the weekends (lol, sorry Mum and Dad). I then wrote my first cookbook, Melie's Kitchen, at the end of high school before moving to Dunedin to study food science. After university I got much more into savoury cooking and started sharing those recipes too. These days I spend my time developing recipes, creating content and helping people feel a little more confident about cooking at home.

You've built such a loyal following. What do you think people connect with most about Melie's Kitchen?

I think all of my recipes are very authentic to my style of cooking. I try not to jump on every trend or cook what everyone else is doing. If I'm sharing a recipe, it's because it's genuinely something I love and would happily cook for my own family and friends. I think people connect with that authenticity.

You make entertaining feel beautiful but approachable. What, in your opinion, is the secret to a great dinner party?

I think the secret to a great dinner party is the people around the table! In terms of the food, I always like to cook things that can be prepared in advance or served at room temperature so I'm not stuck in the kitchen while my guests are there. If I'm doing something like a roast chicken or a baked dish, I'll usually time it so it comes out of the oven about 45 minutes after everyone arrives. It gives people time to settle in, have a drink and catch up before the food comes out. I also avoid things like creamy pastas or dishes with warm noodles. They're hard to cook for a crowd and don't hold particularly well if they aren't eaten straight away.

You've created a beautiful recipe for our MUSE community. Tell us about the dish and what makes it perfect for winter entertaining.

This dish is hardly even a recipe, it's so simple! You can get your oven heated, pop everything into the skillet and then just whack it in the oven when you're ready to serve. It means you can spend more time with your guests and less time in the kitchen. I think we can all get a little underwhelmed by the same cheeseboards and supermarket hummus, so this is a delicious, warming and interactive starter that really switches things up.

What's always in your fridge and what's always in your wardrobe?

I always have a massive jar of Turkish tahini, a tub of good-quality Greek yoghurt and a wedge of good parmesan in my fridge. In my wardrobe, I always have a frilly floral blouse ready to throw on (they're the best thing to cook in because it's impossible to notice if you've spilt a bit of food on them!) and a silky sheer button-up shirt.

How would you describe your personal style?

I'd say my style is fairly casual, but always feminine and flowing. I don't love anything too tight-fitting or overly revealing. Give me beautiful frills, pretty patterns and little cute details that make me feel girly and put together. I'm also an absolute sucker for a blouse or a matching summery top and skirt.

 

What is currently on your MUSE wishlist? I love the La DoubleJ Full-On Foulard in Blooming Tulip Placée Mint! Such a gorgeous top (even though I need more bottoms, not another blouse!).

And finally, finish this sentence: A woman is most powerful when she…is confident in herself!

 

Baked Sticky Date & Blue Cheese Dip with Walnuts & Sage

Serves 6
Ready In 25 minutes

Ingredients:
150g pitted fresh Medjool dates, roughly chopped
100g Danish creamy blue cheese
50g French chèvre cheese
1⁄4 cup walnuts pieces
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 handful fresh sage leaves
30g salted butter, melted
1 1⁄2 Tbsp runny honey

Preheat your oven to 200°C fan bake.

Sprinkle the dates into a small skillet (or oven dish), followed by the blue cheese, chevre, walnut pieces and rosemary. Toss the sage leaves in a small bowl with the melted butter, then spoon the sage and butter over the top (drizzle over any butter left in the bowl). Drizzle the honey over the top. Bake on the upper oven rack for 10-15 minutes, or until everything is melted, gooey and bubbling. Serve it hot out of the oven with fresh sourdough or focaccia, for dipping.