Leichhardt launches Food and Wine Festival – Long Lunch Series on 22 August 2015

Good food and wine and a special location in the Leichhardt Town Hall and adjoining outdoor area.  What more could a great food and wine festival need. But there is more –  long communal tables, stalls with great food and wine choices – and artisan merchandise. All this topped off by entertainers and cooking demonstrations by ‘chefs with taste’!

If you are an artisan or your business is in Leichhardt, Annandale, Balmain, Rozelle, Lilyfield or Birchgrove you will have ‘stall first preference’.

Grab this opportunity to join in this Leichhardt Local Government community celebration.

In 2015, the inaugural event on 22 August will be the lead-up to a ‘long-long’ lunch at the Norton Street Italian Festa on 25 October.  Now in its 29th year, Festa is Australia’s largest street festival regularly attended by over 130,000 visitors.

From 2016 there will be three annual Leichhardt Long Lunch Food and Wine Festivals. Each year the Series will close as a highlight of the popular Norton Street Italian Festa.

The new Series is an initiative of the Leichhardt and Annandale Business Chamber, sponsored by Leichhardt Council and organised by Impact Exhibitions and Events of the Norton Street Italian Festa.

For more information check out the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/leichhardtlonglunch

Top 5 Things to Do at the Barossa Vintage Festival

The Barossa Vintage Festival is a celebration of the rich heritage and gastronomic pleasures of this renowned region in South Australia. Running from 15-19 April, The Barossa Vintage Festival is Australia’s largest and longest-running tourism festival showcasing 95 events over 5 days. From grand feasts to market bazaars, long table lunches and even gastronomic golf! There’s a little something for everyone.   Here are our Top 5 things to do on your Barossa adventure   The Feast Set in an authentic vintage show hall of long feasting tables, old-world charm and intimate conversation. Wine makers will drink with you, roving players will beguile you, and a 7-piece swing band with dancers will keep you serenaded as you eat your way through a grand feast buffet. The Feast will give you a real taste of celebration – Barossa style.   Sunday Spanish Breakfast A Spanish breakfast fiesta awaits you on the lawns of Yelland & Papps’ cellar door. Tuck into a bountiful spread by Elli Beer whilst enjoying a glass or two of vino. Then take a swing at the piñata and be captivated by a roving Spanish band and bubble blower. This is the perfect start to your vintage Sunday morning.   The Scarecrow Trail Pack a lunch, grab your bicycle and follow the famous Scarecrow trail through the spectacular scenery of the Barossa. The Scarecrows, each with their own unique identity, will guide you from winery to winery on one of the most memorable cycling routes you’re ever likely to take.   Wine Bluffs – A Comedy Wine Tasting! Comedians Damian Callinan & Paul Calleja will walk you through an enthralling cellar door experience with a comedic twist. With a combined 30 years in the comedy industry and even longer in the cellar, they know their wines and have the punch lines to match!   Full Moon Farm Gate A traditional market hosted in a picture perfect setting at Langmeil Winery. Wander through the beautiful stone buildings and stables filled with vendors offering local and homemade produce. With live music from local musos, it’s a true celebration of all the reasons to love being in the Barossa!   For further information visit barossavintagefestival.com.au.

Buon Appetito! Salt Meats Cheese Goes National With TheGourmet.com.au

Fine foodies rejoice, now you can get premium Italian foods delivered straight to your doorstep!

Salt Meats Cheese, the famous fine Italian food and providores shop in Alexandria, Sydney, has partnered exclusively with online gourmet food destination TheGourmet.com.au, which means foodies all over Australia can shop the pretty pastas, premium oils, flavoured salts, exquisite providores and gourmet sauces the shop is famous for.

“We are excited to be able to offer a taste of Italy to customers all over Australia,” said Maria Gruttulini, General Manager at TheGourmet.com.au.

“We already offer restaurant quality meat, market fresh seafood and farm fresh produce, so our refined customers are delighted to have access to the best Italian pantry available in Australia at prices that are lower than in the shop. Molto buono, indeed!”

The Salt Meats Cheese shop in Alexandria has become a mecca for foodies and chefs, but online shopping and delivery has previously only been available to Sydney metro customers.

“We are thrilled to be able to spread the joy of traditional Italian cooking all over the country thanks to our partnership with TheGourmet.com.au,” said Stefano De Blasi, Director at Salt Meats Cheese.

“If you only try one of our products, I would recommend our pasta sauces. They are made in Australia by chefs following traditional Italian recipes and procedures, and are one of our best sellers.”

To shop Salt Meats Cheese products, head to TheGourmet.com.au

Celebrity Chef Luca Ciano will dazzle us at the Norton Street Italian Festa

Celebrity Chef Luca Ciano will be a special guest chef at this years Norton Street Italian Festa. Make sure you come by and see him cook his Millefoglie di Parmigiano with prosciutto di Parma and zucchini flowers.

Luca was born and raised in Milan by an amazing family from whom he inherited his passion for food and respect for people. 

Luca’s career includes the famous 2 Michelin-starred restaurant” Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia” in Milan, as well as international experience at London’s Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Relais & Chateaux in Bermuda, and in Australia at the Sheraton on the Park and The Westin in Sydney, and Cypress Lakes Resort in the Hunter Valley.

In 2001/2002, Luca took part in the Salon Culinaire International de Londres Competition where he was awarded a Bronze medal for Senior Pasta Class, and a Merit Award in the Nestle’ Master Chef Grand Prix. A number of his signature dishes from his London days have been published in Chefs of Distinction (2003 and 2004 editions).

In 2008 he joined Barilla, where he developed and established the “Casa Barilla” cooking school, where he still offer regular hands-on cooking classes and demonstrations in Sydney. Based on regional Italian gastronomy, and showcasing the breadth of Italy’s cuisine, he has travelled with this concept around Australia, New Zealand and many Asian countries.

In 2012 Luca was awarded in Italy by APCI (Professional Italian Chef Association) ‘LES TOQUES BLANCHES D’HONNEUR’, CONFERIMENTO ONORIFICENZA PROFESSIONALE ALLA CARRIERA

Since January 2010 Luca has been a contributor for the Australian BBC Good Food Magazine, where his signature Italian regional dishes are published on a regular basis.

Luca now consult for restaurants, magazines and Italian brands in Australia and around the world, providing guidance and assistance in their daily operations.

www.lucaciano.com

Serving Up ‘Restaurant Australia’ Around the World

Later this month sees the international roll-out of Tourism Australia’s ‘Restaurant Australia’ campaign gather momentum with high profile launch events taking place across the world, including the United Kingdom, Singapore, Korea and Hong Kong.

Australia’s top chefs, freshest produce and finest wines will play starring roles in the launches and the ongoing campaign activity which, once fully rolled out, will target visitors from 17 of Australia key overseas tourism markets.

The UK launch will see Australia House in London transformed into a ‘pop-up’ restaurant where each evening, for six consecutive nights (22 to 27 September), a renowned Australian chef will treat diners to a delicious meal inspired by their own memories of holidaying in Australia.

The six Australian chefs – each representing a different state or territory – are Maggie Beer (representing South Australia), Skye Gyngell (NSW), Luke Rayment (Queensland), Matt Stone (WA), Shannon Bennett (Victoria)and Rachel O’Sullivan (Northern Territory).

The UK event is being organised in partnership with the state and territory tourism offices, Wine Australia and leading Australian food producers. Twenty-nine different premium Australian wines, each available in the UK, have been donated by Wine Australia and will be served during the week.

The Korea launch of Restaurant Australia takes place on September 23 in Seoul with up to 100 VIP guests, trade and media attending an outdoor event at the Australian Ambassador’s residence. Amongst those attending will be Mr Gwang-Ho Choi, the Australian-educated winner of Korea Master Chef.

The Singapore launch (26 September) will focus on Tasmanian seafood and involve Tetsuya Wakuda, an internationally renowned chef with strong culinary connections to Australia, cooking up a ‘Tasmania Seafood Seduction’ meal at his Waku Ghin restaurant at Marina Bay Sands.

One of Tasmania’s most well-known and award-winning tourism operators, Rob Pennicott, will also attend the Singapore launch.

Rob and his family operate a number of award-winning tours showcasing Tasmania, including a sea cruise where guests catch and then eat a delicious seafood feast which is accompanied with gourmet local produce and Tasmanian wines, boutique beers, ciders and juices.

The centrepiece of a week of ‘Restaurant Australia’ activity to support the Hong Kong launch, which took place last week, was an Aussie-inspired ‘long table’ lunch for 100 VIP guests and media prepared by renowned Australian chefs Ben O’Donohue and Eddie Cofie at popular harbour-front restaurant, Alfresco Lane.

Tourism Australia Managing Director, John O’Sullivan, said Australia’s people, produce and place sat at the heart of its ‘Restaurant Australia’ campaign, as a way to demonstrate the country’s world class food and wine experiences to the world.

“Our aim is to demonstrate Australia’s culinary credentials on a global stage, and what better way to do it than harnessing our country’s best chefs, freshest produce and finest wines, all served up in the most iconic of Australian venues overseas,” he said.

Further information about the campaign strategy is available at http://www.tourism.australia.com/restaurantaustralia.

Geelong’s Winter Food & Wine Extravaganza – Hottest Ticket in Town

Over 2,500 people are expected at next weekend’s second annual Extravaganza- Eat Drink Discover Geelong. With an incredible line-up of national and local talents including Max Allen (wine writer), Richard Cornish (food writer and cookbook author); MKR stars Josh Geard and Danielle Nadja; chef’s Will Swinton, Jesse Hughes and Sarah Roe; and a mouth watering collection of over 60 of the region’s artisan food, beer and wine producers, the event is sure to warm the cockles of locals and visitors alike.

Tickets are available on the door although event organisers are encouraging patrons to pre-purchase online to gain priority access.

 

Local producers are getting excited about this unique chance to share their produce. Australian Tea Masters have created a special breakfast blend aptly named the “Geelong Breakfast Tea”, available for the first time at Cartel Tea’s stand at Extravaganza Geelong. According to Cartel Tea owner Sharyn Johnson, “the tea is a vibrant breakfast style blend using a selection of the best black teas from five leading tea producing countries.” According to Johnson, “the new Geelong tea will suit even the most discerning of tea palates with notes of malt, toast, honey and dried plums- rich in flavour, body and clarity.” A first for Geelong to have its very own tea!

 

Hitting the Extravaganza floor for the first time includes stallholders Wildings Pantry Essentials, Advance Mussel Supply, Warren & Hutch, Moriac Free Range Pork, Prendergast and Grace Fine Biscuits, Two and Five, Backyard Harvest, Lethbridge Wines, Blackpod Vanilla, the Minya Vineyard and Winery, Dinny Goonan Wines, Waybourne Winery, Timboon Fine Ice cream, Apostle Whey Cheese,  Bonappucino, Lana’s Garden Rhubarb Preserves, Basalt Wines, Summerfield Winery, Amherst Winery, Round the Way Bagels, Goldfields Farmhouse Cheese and more.

 

Wine and cider writer for The Australia, Max Allen heads the panel for the Wine and Cider master classes with some of the region’s best wines being featured in the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz classes. Event organisers suggest patrons pre-register online for the Wine master classes, the amazing Sensation Flavour Master Class*, Coffee Cartel master class, Little Creatures Beer School, Camilo Olive Oil Class, Screaming Seeds Spice class and the inaugural Cider Master class (all included in the ticket price) as seats are limited and filling fast.

 

Extravaganza Geelong is a major highlight on the Taste of Central Geelong program for 2014 and is fast becoming one of the most talked about events in Geelong. The event is supported by Regional Development Victoria, Aussie Farmers Direct, City of Greater Geelong, Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine, Little Creatures, Boomaroo, Grovedale Kitchens, Bellarine Taste Trail, Tourism Geelong, Gartland Real Estate, Bendigo Bank, Golden Plains Shire, Playground Geelong – Just Awesome, LBW Chartered Accountants, Provincial Wisdom and GSDM Marketing, Wine Geelong, Bayview on the Bellarine, Central Geelong Marketing, What’s On Geelong, Geelong + Surf Coast Living Magazine, E&D Magazine and Healthy Together Geelong. Product sponsors include Cartel Roasters and La Madre Bakery. Charity partner is Second Bite.

 

The hottest ticket on Geelong’s winter calendar,  Extravaganza -Eat Drink Discover tickets are available through http://www.eatdrinkdiscover.com.au or on the door.Visit http://www.extravaganzageelong.com.au for more information and follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ExtravaganzaG) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ExtravaganzaGeelong?ref=ts&fref=ts).

 

10am-5pm on Sunday 13 July at Deakin Waterfront, Geelong.

 

ENDS

Images and interviews are available on request

Images will be available from both Saturday and Sunday upon request.

For media enquiries contact:

Penny Whitehead

Mobile:  0404 846 2020404 846 202

Email:  pwhitehead@provincialwisdom.com.au

 

Ticketing Information

• Tickets to Extravaganza – Eat Drink Discover are $30 for adults and $10 for children and include a tasting glass (adults only) and entry to Master Classes upon registration.
• Tickets are available online or on the door: http://www.eatdrinkdiscover.com.au
• Free Master Class registration when booking online
  • Coffee Cartel Master Class 10:30am-11:00am
  • Olive Oil Master Class 11:00am-11:30am
  • Chardonnay Master Class 11:40am – 12:10pm
  • Spice Master Class 12:00pm- 12:30pm
  • Pinot Noir Master Class 12:30pm-1:00pm
  • *Sensation Flavour Master Class 1:15 – 2:00pm
  • Little Creatures Beer School 1:30-2:15pm
  • Cider Master Class 2:40pm- 3:10pm
  • Shiraz Master Class 3:40-4:10pm

Underground Cooking in the Heart of the City

Two large underground earth ovens will be temporarily installed in Hyde Park to cook a traditional feast of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delicacies in celebration of NAIDOC in the City.
Crocodile, kangaroo, emu, chicken and fish, as well as vegetables such as corn and sweet potato, will be slow-cooked in the earth oven at the City of Sydney event on Monday 7 July.

Sydneysiders are invited to sample the food once it’s served from 1pm.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the NAIDOC in the City event was a great way to celebrate traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cooking, culture and history methods in the heart of Australia’s biggest city.

“The City of Sydney is a strong supporter of NAIDOC Week events because they are an opportunity for everyone in our community to acknowledge and celebrate the oldest living culture on the planet,” the Lord Mayor said.

“By bringing this earth oven right into the city centre gives all Sydneysiders, workers and visitors a chance to experience a slice of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life.”

From 5am on the day of the event, chefs from Goanna Hut and Fred’s Bush Tucker will begin lighting fires inside two 1.5-metre wide, 40-centimetre deep pits that are scattered with large rocks.

Once the wood has burned down and the rocks are heated, the marinated and wrapped food will be placed inside the earth oven and sealed in with banana leaves, branches, wet hessian and sand to cook for about three hours.

The free NAIDOC in the City event, from 11am to 3pm, will also feature a range of other family-friendly activities and performances, including live music, dance, food, art and elders’ storytelling at a pop-up lawn library.

The Australian Museum, Sydney Observatory and Taronga Zoo will also be hosting stalls focussing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artefacts, astronomy and Australian animals.

Television fitness stars, Move it Mob Style, are among the many performers who will entertain the crowds on the day. The talented dance crew will also host a workshop where children will be encouraged to join in and learn some new moves.

Entertainment will be focussed on the main stage with some exciting original music acts, as well as in the traditional dance circle and dedicated kids’ zone. There will also be a marketplace with arts and crafts, food stalls and information stands.

The theme for NAIDOC Week 2014 is Serving Country: Centenary and Beyond. It was selected by the National NAIDOC Committee to honour all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who have fought in defence of country.

NAIDOC Week celebrates the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, which grew from the first political groups of the 1920s and is a chance for all Australian to celebrate the world’s oldest living culture together.

NAIDOC in the City
Monday 7 July, 11am–3pm
Hyde Park North
sydneynaidoc.com.au

‘Top 10 Food and Wine Events in Central NSW – Winter and Spring 2014’

Central NSW’s food and wine calendar is brimming with authentic and tasty ways to spend a long weekend in the country. Don your gumboots for a truffle hunt, learn to cook venison in a farm-house kitchen, try bush-tucker over smoky camp fires or join a wine-show dinner.

 

It all begins just 2.5 hours’ drive from Sydney in a region that offers a rich cultural heritage, magnificent landscapes and beautiful places to stay.

 

Central NSW is one of Australia’s biggest food and wine bowls with award-winning producers, wine-makers, restaurants, cafes and farmers markets. It includes Bathurst, Orange, Mudgee, Parkes, Cowra and Forbes.

 

To plan your stay, Central NSW Tourism has released a list of its top 10 food and wine events coming up this Winter and Spring.

 

‘Top 10 food and wine events’ in Central NSW

 

1. Small Acres Cyder Tasting Lunch (Orange) 22 June, 20 July, 17 August, 21 September, 19 October. The first producers of cider in the region are famed for their ‘appscato sparkling’ and once a month you can enjoy special event lunches at the cider house with homemade Normandy chicken pie and a guided tasting of their range. www.smallacrescyder.com.au

 

2. Mandagery Creek Venison Farm Kitchen (Orange) 14 June, 12 July, 9 August, 26 October. Take a tour of the venison farm, learn how the produce is used in a cooking demonstration and enjoy a relaxed three-course lunch. The farm kitchen is set in a garden surrounded by pine forest and paddocks, there is no nicer place to enjoy Orange’s fine produce. www.mandagerycreek.com.au

 

3. Neila’s Hands-on-workshops (Cowra) 28 June, 27 July, 30 August, 27 September.

Nestled amongst Cowra’s history is a one-chef hatted restaurant (SMH Guide 2014) renowned for its local produce. Book a hands-on workshop with recipes and lunch including their signature pasta making studded with black sesame seeds. www.neila.com.au

 

4. Cooking Classes at Bishops Court Estate (Bathurst) most Mondays.

Stay at this historic boutique hotel and join culinary host Christine for regular cooking classes in the kitchen followed by a candle-lit dinner in the chapel. There’s something for everyone from the Asian themed ‘Spice it up’ to fast dinners with flair in ‘Secret women’s business’. www.bishopscourtestate.com.au

 

5. The Cowra Wine Show Weekend (Cowra) 25-27 July

A smorgasbord of events from Lachlan Valley producers includes gourmet markets, master-classes, organic winery tours, dining events and a public tasting.www.cowratourism.com.au

 

6. Borrodell Vineyard Black Tie and Gumboots Truffle Hunt and Dinner (Orange) 19 July. A stunning vineyard setting with valley views is home to Sisters Rock restaurant, 150 types of heritage apples, premium accommodation and the annual Black Tie and Gumboots Truffle Hunt and Dinner. Don your boots and hunt for truffles with the dogs then enjoy a five-course dinner with entertainment.www.borrodell.com.au

 

7. Trundle’s Bush Tucker Day (Parkes) 6-7 September

Bond with the vibrant Trundle community over smoky camp fires, cook outdoors and taste bush-tucker straight from the land. Fun games include the Billy Boil Sprint and the Damper Throw. Trundle is 55km NW of Parkes.www.parkes.nsw.gov.au

 

8. NSW Small Winemakers Show (Forbes) 25-29 August. A celebration for small winemakers that crush no more than 500 tonnes annually, this event has been held in Forbes for 25 years. The public tasting is on 29 August and cost $25 for canapés and tastings from around 100 NSW vineyards.www.nswwineshow.com.au

 

9. Mudgee Food and Wine Festival (Mudgee) 12 September to 5 October

At the top of the menu in this month-long festival is ‘Top of the Plate’, a new event that features around 30 cafes, wineries and restaurants plating up some extraordinary dishes using local produce. This is a delicious way to try the cheese, olives, nuts, saffron, chocolate and huge variety from Mudgee’s Fine Foods producers. www.mudgeefinefoods.com.au

 

10. Orange Wine Festival (Orange) 17 October to 2 November

Orange’s biggest food and wine celebration includes degustation dinners, a night market, tastings with wine-makers and special events in this historic town’s restaurants, wine-bars, cafes and venues. www.tasteorange.com.au

 

Accommodation in Central NSW is available in eco-suites, historic properties, self-contained cottages or boutique hotels.

 

Central NSW is just a click away, for more information and travel deals go to www.centralnswtourism.com.au

Bastille Day Feast at Albert St Food & Wine

Chef Jason Rodwell will bring his love of regional French cuisine to Albert St Food & Wine with an extravagant hunter-themed Bastille Day feast.

 

The French-inspired dinner will take place on Sunday 13^th July at 12.30pm.  from 6.30pm to 10pm at a cost of $75 per person.

 

Inspired by his travels through regional France, Rodwell will present guests with a magnificent red wine-marinated boar, the perfect reward for a hunter after a tough day trawling French forests.

 

The beast – complete with apple in its mouth – will be immersed in Côtes du Rhône wine, juniper berries and bay leaves for three days prior to the event. The boar will be served with handmade buckwheat crozets, a type of pasta that is a specialty of the Savoie region, and a sauce made from Cacao Barry single origin chocolate.

 

During his stint in France, Rodwell worked as a chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Auberge du Bon Laboureur in the Loire Valley and Chalet Le Torrent in the Savoie. While living in France, Rodwell developed his passion for rural earthy flavours and spent many enjoyable hours sampling village produce and exploring the wine regions.

 

Before the mouth-watering boar is served on Bastille Day, Rodwell will showcase his culinary prowess with a selection of hors d’oeuvres and starters, including hare and foie gras royale, terrine de chasseur and raclette cheese from Australia.

 

To conclude the soirée L’Artisan’s The Authentic cheese washed in-house with Chablis will be served along with a dessert of poached pears and hazelnuts, with a warm waffle and salted caramel ice cream.

Accompanied by matching Champagne and other French wines at an additional cost, Albert St Food & Wine’s Bastille Day rendezvous will be sure to ignite the Francophile in us all.

 

About Albert St Food & Wine:

 

Albert St Food & Wine is a restaurant, wine bar and wine store housed in a former bank building in the heart of Brunswick’s Sydney Rd precinct.

 

Jason Rodwell’s innovative contemporary European cuisine focuses on organic and local produce emphasising the “paddock to plate” philosophy. Jason has been driving the team at Albert St Food & Wine since its inauguration in 2011. The team has received multiple accolades including two consecutive Chef Hats in The Age Good Food Guide, a rating in the Australian Gourmet Traveller Top 100, and was awarded Best Dish at the past two Taste of Melbourne events.

 

For bookings please contact:

Albert St Food & Wine
382 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056

03 8354 6600

www.albertst.com.au

 

On the Spice Trail with Herbie

Herbie’s Spices is inviting Australians to join his virtual tour around the globe on “Herbie’s Spice Trail”.  After exploring Chettinad and Kerala in India earlier this year, spice enthusiasts will be transported to various global locations highlighting the culture and origins of spices of these gastronomic destinations.

 

“We often have a large number of enquiries regarding our spice mixes, the origins of the mix and the spices themselves, so together with the Herbie’s Spices team, we thought it would be a great idea to provide some education for our customers.  The ‘Spice Trail’ is the result,” says Ian Hemphill, Director of Herbie’s Spices.

 

The “Spice Trail” will visit locations with various cultural and culinary personalities in an effort to profile the global spread of spices.

 

“There’s a great misconception that spices only come from one corner of the globe. Our Herbie’s Spice Trail will highlight that in fact spices come from just about anywhere you’d like to mention,” adds Ian.

 

Recipes for each highlighted spice will also be revealed every month and “spice-trekkers” will be invited to share their own recipes, using the profiled spice, through Herbie’s Facebook – www.facebook.com/herbiesspices, Twitter – www.twitter.com/herbiesspices and Instagram www.instagram.com/herbiesspices accounts.