From long summers picking stone fruit in Invergordon to writing recipes for national cooking shows, Shepparton High School graduate Julie Jansen has come full circle — this time with her teenage son Ethan by her side.

Now living on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Julie has never lost her connection to the Goulburn Valley.

“Shepparton still feels like home,” she said.

“I grew up on our family’s stone fruit orchid, where summers were spent climbing ladders, picking apricots and peaches, and watching my grandparents cook with whatever couldn’t be sent to market.”

That early love for fresh, local produce shaped a career in home economics, recipe writing and catering.

A graduate of Shepp High’s class of 1990, Julie fondly remembers being inspired by her home economics teachers, Mrs Brasher and Mrs Wheaterman.

“They taught me so many skills, and from then on, I knew food was what I wanted to do,” she said.

Now, decades later, she’s poured those lessons into The Shared Apron — Everyday Cooking for Teens, a beautifully practical cookbook she co-wrote and tested with her son, Ethan.

The book is designed to help young people feel confident in the kitchen through easy, nourishing recipes.

“It started with Ethan asking ‘Why do you do that?’ while we cooked,” Julie said.

“So we began writing things down, testing recipes, and it just grew from there.”

Built for everyday use, the cookbook is spiral-bound — an homage to the old-school community cookbooks Julie grew up using.

“It sits flat on the bench,” she said.

“We wanted it to be practical — something teens could pick up, use, and not be overwhelmed by.”

While based in Noosa, Julie and Ethan still regularly visit the Goulburn Valley to see family and enjoy the contrast between the coast and country life

To learn more, visit: thesharedapron.com.au

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