About Me

I am a keen home cook, mum of two boys, partner to Phil, human of two gorgeous cats and a lively farm of composting worms. I love creating seasonal flavour pairing experiments with pickles and cocktails. I have a background in web content management and community building.

kate ireland | peck of pickles self portrait with watermelon dahlia vertical — peck of pickles | kate ireland self portrait with watermelon dahlia

How did I start Peck of Pickles?

I started Peck of Pickles as a home cook making pickles and fell in love with photography and videography showcasing fresh seasonal produce, preserves and drinks.

Pickling: Sustainable food practice

I am passionate about the craft of pickling as a sustainable food practice that connects us with local, seasonal food and helps to reduce waste – I have completed a Cornersmith pickling intensive workshop and Sandor Katz’s Ferment yourself wild: 2020 Tour presented by The Fermentary, Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Sydney.

Seasonal flavour pairing experiments

I am fascinated by cocktail, soda fountain and milk bar history and recipes and bespoke product recipes for pickles, ferments, shrubs, syrups, bitters and more, which I use in seasonal flavour pairing experiments. I have participated in the Sydney European Bartender School Advanced Mixology course where I learnt techniques for making infusions and syrups to create unique craft cocktails. I am a current member of the Fine Drinks Movement where I have completed cocktail and spirit training: Kick start cocktail education, Classic cocktail education and How to be a cocktail bartender, Intermediate Gin Education. I am a graduate of Fundamentals of Spirit Production, University of Adelaide.

Responsible Service of Alcohol: RSA

I hold current national Australian and New South Wales Responsible Service of Alcohol: RSA certificates, and Food Safety and Covid Safety Certificates. I encourage my readers to drink responsibly. My recipes include non-alcoholic drinks or mocktails, low alcohol cocktails and mini cocktails as well as standard measured cocktails.

Food & drinks photography & videography

I am passionate about creating popular images of vintage cocktails with a modern sustainable pickle twist through my photographs by using real food and drinks, upcycled and reusable props and handmade backgrounds. I have studied photography at Sydney Community College and participated in workshops on food photography and styling with Sydney Community College and food and drinks photography with George’s Cameras and a small business product photography workhsop with Jasper Avenue and Hypop.

Featured photography

fresh pistachios in vintage sugar bowl — Fresh Pistachios in a Vintage Sugar Bowl

My image of Fresh Pistachios in a Vintage Sugar Bowl that forms part of the visual recipe for Pistachio Rosewater Orgeat Syrup was shortlisted in the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2020 Food Bloggers category. You can view the 2020 Finalists Gallery here.

View photography & print shop portfolios, showreel & JANCE honey cocktail collection

View photographic recipe galleries

You can find my work on Food Gawker, FoodYub, Recipe Lion, feedfeed, and Foodista . My recipes and photography have also appeared on the now sadly offline TasteSpotting, Recipe Pleaser and Collective Yum, as well as appearing in World Recipes and Dishfolio.

Bespoke cocktail design, photography & videography service

I provide bespoke cocktail design, photography & videography for distillers, brands, special occasions, corporate and customer delight packages. View more information about peck of pickles | kate ireland bespoke cocktail design, photography & videography service.

Contact me for a free consultation

Contact me using peck of pickles contact me form of email kate@peckofpickles.com.au

Connect with peck of pickles community

You can connect with me and the peck of pickles community on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Pinterest, YouTube, Tik Tok, LinkdIn, X and through subsbscribing to Peck of Pickles Newsletter.