About Copper & Thyme

Where bistro elegance meets home cooking

Chef in kitchen

Hello, I'm Elena

Welcome to Copper & Thyme, where simple food is beautifully done. This isn't just another recipe collection — it's an invitation to slow down, to savour the process of cooking, and to find joy in sharing good food with the people you love.

I started this journey in my grandmother's kitchen in the Adelaide Hills, where copper pans hung from hooks and fresh herbs grew wild in the garden. She taught me that cooking isn't about fancy techniques or expensive ingredients — it's about respect for what you're making and who you're making it for.

After years working in restaurants across Australia and Europe, I returned to those fundamental truths. The best meals are the ones made with care, whether it's a slow-braised lamb shoulder for Sunday dinner or midnight pasta when hunger strikes late.

Here, you'll find recipes that honour both tradition and innovation. Some take time — the kind of patience-rewarding projects perfect for lazy Sundays. Others come together in minutes, proving that simple can be spectacular. All of them are tested, refined, and ready for your kitchen.

This is bistro cooking for home cooks: elegant enough to impress, approachable enough to make on a Tuesday night. Welcome to my table.

Get in Touch

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! Cooking should be flexible. While I provide specific ingredients for best results, feel free to adapt based on what you have available or dietary requirements. If you're unsure about a substitution, drop me a message and I'll help you work it out.

I love hearing from fellow home cooks! Use the contact form above to send me your recipe along with a photo if you have one. I review all submissions and feature selected recipes in our community collection, always with full credit to the creator.

Most definitely! Each recipe includes a difficulty rating and detailed instructions. I believe anyone can cook beautiful food with the right guidance. Start with recipes marked "Quick" or those with shorter cooking times, then work your way up to the more involved projects as your confidence grows.

Yes, every recipe includes a nutrition panel with key information per serving. These are estimates calculated using standard ingredient databases, so actual values may vary slightly based on specific brands and measurements.

Please do! I'd love to see what you create. Tag @copperandthyme so I can share your beautiful work. Feel free to share photos and links to recipes, though please don't copy the full recipe text elsewhere — a link back here helps keep this project growing.

Subscribe to the newsletter! I send weekly updates with new recipes, seasonal cooking tips, and the occasional kitchen story. No spam, just good food and honest conversation about cooking.