Doing Lunch! in Melbourne

Following a hugely successful Sydney show, Lunch! lands in Melbourne on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 August at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. 

Lunch! is a trade show, attracting a record number of buyers from the retail, foodservice and hospitality industries including: restaurants, cafes, pubs and clubs, hotels, delis and supermarkets, caterers and government.  It is also a unique opportunity for smaller, boutique producers to have a taste of a mainstream trade show in the Lyndey Milan Producers’ Showcase precinct within the show. 

In Melbourne, my area will feature:

Apthorpe Farm: delicious array of relishes from a fruit and vegetable farm in Hampton, Queensland.

Bondi Chai: sold around the world, this mix-with-milk premium blend is creamy and smooth and is low fat, low caffeine, gluten-free and contains no trans-fats or other artificial nasties.
Dovedale Bread: gluten free, wheat-free and dairy-free range of rice, fruit, rye, corn and grain breads from Wodonga, Victoria.
Hank's Jam: premium jam, chutney and condiments from this 20 year industry veteran, ‘just like Grandma used to make’.
Wymah Organic Olives: range of certified organic olive products includes table olives, tapenades, extra virgin olive oil and infused oils.

Come along, visit my producers and check in on these other interesting attractions:

• Working Lunch! Theatre – panels featuring industry hardhitters discussing food trends, food merchandising and the business of food franchising.
• Lunch! Table – with competitions such as Smoothie and Juice and Australian Sandwichship titles and a number of different senimars on one of my favourite liquids, coffee.
• Menu Inspiration Academy – practical sessions with pricing and projected profit.

I look forward to seeing you at Lunch! in Melbourne.

Is it time to do Lunch!?

Seeking an event that exposes you to hundreds of buyers from small boutique cafes to major supermarkets? An event that lets you meet buyers face to face and develop long lasting relationships? Then Lunch! is for you. After a hugely successful inaugural show in 2012, Lunch! is back and will be in Sydney on 24 & 25 June.

Lunch! is targeted to Australia’s growing $20 billion food-to-go market. The show provides an opportunity for exhibitors to meet buyers from the retail, foodservice and hospitality industries including: restaurants, cafes, pubs and clubs, hotels, delis and supermarkets, caterers and government.

The Lyndey Milan Producers’ Showcase precinct will feature a number of outstanding Australian boutique producers. If you are looking for a show to exhibit your products, then it’s not too late. Click here for more details. Specialist producers already booked include:

Hank’s Jam

ABOUT: Hank’s jam is one of the leading companies in the jam market. Having started 20 years ago in Hanks own kitchen it has blossomed into an expanding jam business that is sold both in Australia and internationally. Hank’s Jam has all the texture and flavour of jams like Grandma used to make. However, they focus on attention to detail; source the best available ingredients, offer outstanding service and create unique and interesting products.

PRODUCTS: (sizes range from 285g-600g)

Hank’s Jam offers a range of jams, chutneys and condiments. The company is constantly coming up with new products that will excite the market, such as their new chilli jam and onion marmalade.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website; Facebook

Pure Pie

ABOUT: Pure Pie were a big hit at the recent Noosa International Food and Wine Festival.  They handmake artisan pies packed with flavour and innovative ingredients. The company places an emphasis on using fresh local produce and the best quality cuts of 100% Australian meat. As a result the pies are wholesome, fresh and individual to each customer.

PRODUCTS: (sizes range from individual 300g pies to 1000g family pies)
Pure Pie offers innovative flavors in their pie selection. Ranging from free range chicken, white wine, mushroom and tarragon to free range butter chicken. Designed to suit any taste bud.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website Facebook

The Other Chef Fine Foods

ABOUT: Family owned and award winning company, The Other Chef Fine Foods, offers a range of jams, relishes, sauces, oils and vinegar that are full of flavour. In each product they use as much locally grown products as possible and steer clear from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. With their products you have your own chef in the kitchen!

PRODUCTS: They have an extensive selection of products ranging from jams to olive oil. With the majority of the Other Chef Fine Foods products having won a fine food medal, you can’t go wrong.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website Facebook Twitter

Nicholson Fine Foods

ABOUT: Nicholson Fine Foods is a multi award-winning family company which tailors its products to suit the needs of both the home cook and professional chef. Each product is designed to simplify the cooking experience and enhance the flavor of every dish.

PRODUCTS: Nicholson Fine Foods has a unique product offering, in that they offer everything from sauces and vinegars to the ready-made bio burger and chocolate mousse. My personal favourite is their Euro Style Spiced Beetroot Finishing Vinegar

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website

Sydney Seafood School: a South American cooking adventure

Sydney Seafood School provides participants with the opportunity to learn new skills, taste different flavours and most of all have a bit of fun. I’ve been teaching at Sydney Seafood School for almost 20 years. Started to demystify seafood cooking for customers of Sydney Fishmarket, it is now a popular venue with all manner of guest chefs, food writers, celebrities and seafood demonstrators giving classes. I love face-to-face teaching. It keeps you real and the Seafood School is perfectly set up for this with a demonstration auditorium, spacious hands-on kitchen and dining room for clients to eat the fruits of their labour. I only teach three hour food and wine matching workshops, usually focussing on a different cuisine.

South American seafood
Each time I teach these classes I develop new recipes and work with different ingredients, especially different types of seafood, different cuts, whole fish and fillets and different techniques. Coming up on the 5^th of June I have a completely new class South American seafood and wine matching workshop. South American food is so NOW,  brightly coloured, a blend of culinary techniques and until recently relatively neglected.  So I set about researching and worked on developing some different recipes with authentic flavours but with a little of my trademark simplicity.

Things to consider when developing recipes
A priority is always seasonality, both in terms of seafood and other fresh produce. This makes sense from a flavour and financial point of view.  Then  I always consider using different cooking techniques, to facilitate using a range of skills and showing the variety of methods used in a particular cuisine.  Finally I like to use a mix of different types of seafood, using the opportunity to show something whole before cleaning and preparing it for cooking. With these recipes I tried to incorporate authentic South American flavours, remembering that sharing food is a very social event: about celebrating, enjoying food with friends and family. So the recipes must be fun, achievable and taste great. These is what I finally chose:

Ceviche
Ceviche is typical of the area and was a must.  The fish is marinated in lime juice, which changes the protein to 'cook' it until it becomes opaque and softens. While keeping to the traditional method of making ceviche, I wanted to make it pretty to serve and so added some salad ingredients. The combination of the cucumber, radishes and red onion give it crunch in contrast to the soft fish. 

Churrasco prawns with aji sauce
This dish is often served with a Chimichurri sauce, but when I preferred to make the less well-known Peruvian Aji sauce. This is a sweet onion and jalapeno combination, a sweet and spicy combination which brings the prawns to life.

Moqueca with mussels and clams (pictured above)
Moqueca is a Brazilian coconut stew, usually made with white fish. However, I decided to use shellfish as well, all of it only taking 2-3 minutes.

Tuna empanadas
Empanadas tend to made of meat, but because I love them I wanted to do a seafood version. I chose tuna for flavour but I found my first attempt a bit dry, especially when coupled with puff pastry. I tweaked the recipe, increasing the roma tomatoes and adding some cream cheese (surprisingly quite authentic) giving it a richer finish. I also used shortcrust pastry.  Left-over Aje sauce went well too.If you are feeling inspired by these ideas, why not come down and join me at Sydney Seafood School on 5^th June 2013. It will be a bit of fun.

Click here for more information.

The Bridge Room’s Pyengana Cheddar custard

I was thrilled to be invited to the Bridge Room for the announcement of the 2013 Australian GrandDairy Awards late last year.  Ross Lusted, Chef and co-owner and his lovely wife Sunny, General Manager and co-owner have been overseas far too long, albeit opening many Aman resorts. Both have had stellar careers and one mouthful of Ross’s food, served with Sunny’s stylish supervision and I remembered why I had always enjoyed his food all those years ago at the original Rockpool and the Park Hyatt’s harbourkitchenbar. 

 

Their newish venture with The Fink Group, The  Bridge Room, is a pared-back but appealing space, warm with the use of wood,  in a low-rise 1030s heritage listed building on the corner of Bridge and Young Streets.  Ross created a menu to showcase the award winners. He shared his recipe for  Pyengana Cheddar custard with me. Pyengana Cheddar which was named 2013 Australian Grand Dairy Champion in the cheddar-style cheese category.  In a strange twist, I learned from a recently discovered relation, that the cheesemaker and manager of the factory  in 1905, Thomas James Molphy married into my mother’s family. I knew there was a reason I loved cheese!

 

Scroll down for Ross’s recipe. 

 

Nearly 400 Australian cheese and dairy products were judged by a panel of 21 expert judges accordingly to the industry standard criteria: flavour and aroma, body and texture, and colour and appearance.

 

Other notable Australian Grand Dairy Award winners were:

• That’s Amore Cheese’s Cuore Blu Burrata – awarded Champion Fresh Unripened Cheese.  Owner Giorgio has only been making his delectable range of fresh Italian style cheeses for two years.  Not only he is a talented cheesemaker, but he starred last year at the Good Food & Wine Shows’ Cheese Alley which I co-ordinated,  on the masterclass stage demonstrating stretched curd to an enthralled audience.
• Paradise Beach’s Pesto Swirl Dip was awarded Champion Dairy Dip.  This is only one of owner Steve’s luscious dips, make just north of Sydney using premium Australian ingredients.  Steve also makes pita bits, perfect with his dips!

Look out for these and more Australian Grand Dairy medallists at your favourite gourmet food retailers.

Pyengana Cheddar custard, hazelnuts, muscatels and saba

Makes: 12 x 50g custards

500ml cream

40ml milk
100g Pyengana Cheddar, grated
2 leaves gelatin
 
Garnish
24 hazelnuts, roasted and peeled
100g Miche, roasted and finely ground (method below)
24 dried muscatels
100g Pyengana Cheddar
Saba (concentrated grape juice syrup)

To make the Miche crumbs, peel the crust from day old Miche, place the chopped bread into a food processor and pulse the bread to form breadcrumbs. Once the crumbs are formed in the processor add 20ml olive oil and a little salt, pulse again until combined. Remove the crumbs from the machine and lay out evenly on a baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 170⁰C for approximately 8 minutes or until the crumbs are brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled return the crumbs to the processor and pulse again quickly to create a very fine crumb. These crumbs will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days.

To make the custards, combine cream and milk in a heavy based saucepan and heat to 72⁰C.  Remove from the heat and stir in the grated Pyengana Cheddar. Add the gelatin leaves that have been soaked in cold water to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer. Pour the strained mixture into individual molds and refrigerate for approximately two hours.

To serve, with a hot spoon scoop the custards out of the molds and place in the center of a cold plate. Dust with toasted miche crumbs, grate roasted hazelnuts over the custard and finally grate some more cheddar to finish, serve with dried muscatels and a drizzle of Saba.

Lyndey’s Note: Miche is a type of sourdough bread which is large, round, rustic and flat.

Guest post: work experience with Lyndey Milan

For the past few days we've been lucky to welcome Alice Henderson to our office.  As well as recipe development, testing and writing, I took Alice to Mornings on Channel this morning.  Alice has written a delightful account of the day.  Over to you Alice.

Bouncing out of bed this morning pre-sunrise, I couldn’t wait for another day in the food industry with Lyndey Milan. Brainstorming, recipe developing and testing (and tasting) aside for the day I headed straight to Channel 9 to observe a cooking segment on Mornings by Lyndey.

Armed with the recipe (not only read but memorised), an eye wide open for a celebrity-sighting, and a growing excitement to stand behind the scenes for the 4-6 minute segment, I knew it was going to be a great morning. Through the main gate and past the reception desk to meet Lyndey in hair and makeup, it was then time to prepare the bench that would be wheeled onto stage in the final advertisement break before the segment.

The produce for today’s recipe was just outstanding; award-winning produce from the Sydney Royal Wine, Dairy and Fine Food shows (sydneyroyal.com.au). Fresh egg tagliatelle, Coolangatta Estate Semillon, Pacific Reef Fisheries tiger prawns, Tathra Sydney rock oysters and Brasserie bread to name a few. Yes, this was truly a medal-winning seafood pasta dish. Eager to help however I could, I got stuck into peeling the 2012 Champion winning cooked prawns to be tossed through the pasta before serving. Once all was set up and checked, it was time to head into the studio. Standing behind the cameramen looking at the set before me, Sonia Kruger and David Campbell well at home on stage, it was quite amazing to see how a live television show is produced. With a final check of equipment and implements, the cooking began.

 Medal winning seafood pasta

A master of the kitchen, Lyndey chopped, stirred and in minutes produced an absolutely-can’t-wait-to-try-that seafood pasta that smelt so delicious I was mentally working out which night next week I could cook it at home for dinner. All done and dusted, the bench was whisked back out of the studio for clearing and cleaning. After a sip of double-winning Semillon, a spoonful of pasta, and a photograph of the final dish we were ready to head back to the office. Having watched Lyndey on my television at home for several years it was such a thrill to stand in the studio this morning, soaking up every second of the experience.

Alice Henderson, food writer and trained chef, on work experience

Click here for the recipe on my main site.

Celebrating Sydney Royal Trophy winners and Champions on Kerri-Anne

Last week in my regular segment on Kerri-Anne (Thursdays at 9:40am) on the Nine Network I presented a selection of the newly crowned champion and trophy winners from the 2010/2011 Sydney Royal Wine, Fine Food and Cheese & Dairy Produce Shows. I combined a few of these products into a mouth-watering:

Striploin steak sourdough sandwich with walnut chilli dip and eggplant

 and

Crab, Potato & Leek Ravioli with truffle infused extra virgin olive oil

Click on the links below for the recipes on my main site:
Stockyard Striploin steak on Brasserie Bread Boulot with Hasham’s Walnut Chilli Dip and eggplant
Pasta Di Porto Crab, Potato & Leek Ravioli with Pukara Estate Truffle Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I have a long history with the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW. I am a long time councillor and board member. This is my first year as Chair of the Sydney Royal Wine Show; formerly I was founding Chair of the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show. Australian producers enter thousands of products into the three Sydney Royal Shows each year. To maintain credibility and integrity, the products are judged by panels made up of industry experts, producers such as winemakers and educators and specialist media.

Here is a full list of the champion and trophy winning products featured on Kerri-Anne:

Sydney Royal Wine Show
Three time trophy winner (Macquarie Group Perpetual Trophy, Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Annual Prize for Best Semillon and Albert Chan Memorial Prize for Best White Wine of Show): 2005 Margaret Semillon, Peter Lehmann Wines. This true Barossa Semillon is named in honour of Peter Lehmann’s wife, Margaret. Released as a five year old wine, Margaret is a fruit driven, deliciously dry, white wine.

Sydney Royal Fine Food Show
Champion Oyster: Pristine Angasi, Pristine Oyster Farm. Brothers Brendan, Tony and Guidera have been farming oysters in Coffin Bay, South Australia for twenty years. The award-winning native angasi oyster is plump, sweet and strong tasting.

Champion Prawn: Crystal Bay Farm prawns 21/30. Grown by Seafarm, one of the largest prawn farming operations in Australia, sustainable Crystal Bay prawns are available all year as fresh-chilled, cooked and uncooked.

Champion Beef: Stockyard Gold Beef. Established in 1948, family owned and operated, Stockyard is one of Australia’s most reputable producers with an internationally recognised brand. The award winning, consistently tender and flavoursome Gold range is derived from Angus genetics, fed and cared for over 200 days and MSA graded to ensure superior eating quality.

Champion Deli Meat Gourmet Product: Barossa Fine Foods Duck Terrine. All Barossa Fine Foods’ products are 100% gluten-free and made from traditional recipes handed down through four generations.

Champion Flavour Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Pukara Estate Truffle Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Hunter Valley based multi-award winning Pukara Estate produces distinctive, sophisticated and flavoursome extra virgin olive oils and vinegars. The Truffle Infused oil is rich, earthy and decadent.

Champion Regional Food: Nicholson Fine Foods Euro Style Spiced Beetroot Finishing Vinegar. Nicholson Fine Foods is an artisan food company that creates and develops an eclectic range of products for professional chefs and home cooks alike. With spiced earthiness, the multi-purpose Euro style Spiced Beetroot Finishing Vinegar can be used to dress salads, barbecued meat, fish or chicken.

Champion Fancy Pasta: Pasta Di Porto’s Champion Crab, Potato & Leek Ravioli. Pasta Di Porto’s range is free of artificial colours, preservatives and flavour enhancers. Most ingredients are grown by local farmers and/or sourced nearby. Some are also certified organic. To maintain high quality and freshness, only small quantities are made.

Champion Sourdough or Artisan Bread: Brasserie Bread Boulot. As well as supplying numerous cafes, restaurants and delis, Brasserie Bread runs their own café, baking school and retail shop in Sydney’s Botany. Taking two days to make, the Boulot is a traditional round sourdough with ingredients that include 16 year old sourdough starter, organic flour and river salt.

Champion Bottled Beer: Matilda Bay Brewing Company Alpha Pale Ale. In 1984 a group of guys got together in Fremantle, Western Australia to make beer under the Matilda Bay Brewing Company brand. Alpha Pale Ale mirrors traditional English India Pale Ale yet with assertive bitterness and distinctive fruit and citrus aromas from local hops.

Champion Traditional Sausage: Avoca Beach Butchery's Australian Breakfast Sausage. Robbie Hunt from NSW Central Coast based Avoca Beach Butchery has a passion for quality meat. He produces a range of sausages with an emphasis on quality and versatility – suitable for the oven or barbecue.

Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Produce Show
Champion Butter: Fonterra Spreyton Duck River Premium Butter. Fonterra Spreyton, near Devonport is supplied with high quality cow’s milk from some of the best dairying land in Australia. The Duck River Brand is named after the Duck River near Smithton, where the factory was originally established in 1904.

Gold Medal Dip: Hasham’s Dips Walnut Chilli Dip. Established in 1998 Hasham’s Dips is a Cairns based family owned and operated business. Their variety of dips, tapenades, pesto and marinated vegetables are made from local produce, using traditional recipes. Turkish style Walnut Chilli Dip is made from fresh walnuts and hot chilli.

It is love … a three course romantic dinner in 30 minutes

I prepared this simple, yet impressive three course romantic dinner on the Kerri Anne show on the 9 Network last Thursday. To quote a cliché: minimum effort for maximum effect. 

Easy is a word that best sums up this menu. The ingredients are easy to source, the recipes are easy to follow, all three courses are easy to eat and, last but not least (another cliché) the food is easy on the stomach. Oh, and easy on the eye too.

Oysters natural, served on the shell, is the first course. They should be freshly shucked. If you are unsure about shucking oysters, ask your fishmonger to release the hinge, but keep the top of the oyster attached. Why would anyone forgo the delicious liquor inside? The oysters are served simply with a squeeze of lemon and freshly ground black pepper. 

For mains, beautiful fillets of Regal King Salmon are wrapped in prosciutto and simply baked with asparagus spears.  Eight minutes in the oven and you are ready to serve.  

Dessert takes minutes too. Top seasonal fruit – I love a mixture of blueberries and raspberries – with light sour cream or crème fraîche, sprinkle with dark brown sugar and grill or blowtorch until golden and bubbling. Serve with a crisp biscuit or wafer.

Dinner is served.

Click on the links below for the recipes.
Oysters Natural
Regal Salmon with proscuitto and asparagus
Cheat's berry brulee


Happy Valentine’s Day.

Australian Pork masterclass

Back in October I blogged about how you could win with Australian Pork.

Even though everyone wins when eating or cooking with Australian Pork, one lucky taste.com.au reader, Fotini Starvridis, was a triple winner. She won a pork masterclass, a Brilliant Cut Knife and my three latest books: Just Add Spice, Lyndey Milan’s Best Collection and Balance. Matching Food and Wine, What Works and Why.

The pork masterclass was held a couple of weeks ago. Fotini and I had a lovely time getting to know each other while delighting in lots of porky goodness.

Prior to the masterclass, Fotini nominated roast pork (with crackling) and pork larb as two recipes she would like to cook with me. I added char siew and pork belly to bring the number of pork recipes to four and to demonstrate different cuts and cooking methods.

First up, we cooked Glass Crackling Pork Belly, adapted from a recipe by chef Michael Moore.

Glass Crackling Pork Belly

Click here for the Glass Crackling Pork Belly recipe. When you make this recipe, plan ahead as the rind (crackle) really benefits from two hours pre-salting to reduce moisture and ensure the resultant crackle is ‘glass-like’. I know the method is fairly lengthy (salting and then marinating), but I recommend you follow all the steps to achieve excellent crackle and tender meat, ever so lightly scented with Chinese five spice.

Next up we cooked the perennial Chinese favourite, Char Siew Pork which we later served with noodles and vegetables.

Char Siew Pork just out of the oven

I have been cooking this recipe for many years. The taste, texture and flavour belie the effortless method and store cupboard ingredients. Char Siew Pork is so versatile – we served it warm with noodles and baby bok choy but it is equally delicious the next day served cold, sliced with salad greens and a dash of chilli soy dressing. Cook it now to celebrate Chinese New Year!

Char Siew Pork with noodles and bok choy

Click here for the recipe on my main site.
The celebratory pork rack was next. We cooked Gingered Pork Rack, a recipe from Just Add Spice. This is a great dinner party recipe that can be prepared and cooked in under an hour. The 1kg rack (perfect for four serves) is roasted and while it rests, the sauce comes together in the pan juices with the addition of ginger, cinnamon, marmalade, orange segments and my favourite Indonesian soy sauce, Kecap Manis.

We served the Gingered Pork Rack with roasted potatoes and broccolini in a pool of the gingery orange sauce.

Gingered Rack of Pork

Click here for the recipe on my main site.

The last recipe of the day was one I cooked on my Brilliant Cut Knife dvd, Pork Larb, the ten minute wonder!

There are quite a few ingredients, but all are pretty easy to find at your local fruit and vegetable shop or Asian grocery store. The sweetness of the pork mince is the perfect carrier for these strong Asian flavours. For a more substantial dish, you can add reconstituted rice stick noodles, but don’t substitute the lettuce cups – they are the perfect serving vessel.

Click here for the recipe on my main site.

Day trip to Cabramatta

My long time friend Carol Selva Rajah has been hosting tours to Cabramatta for 20 years. I attended one of her first tours with my daughter Lucy – she was 5 years old and I recall she loved the Vietnamese duck soup. So it was fitting that I went along to celebrate Carol’s milestone late last year. Sadly Lucy lives in London now and couldn’t make it.

The group with Carol (in white) in the middle

We headed off bright and early on a Saturday morning and while some things at Cabramatta have changed since my first visit, many have stayed the same.  The bright towering displays of fresh produce are certainly the same.  Back then, of course, many of the herbs, fruit and vegetables sold in Cabramatta were alien to most of us, nowadays coriander is about as common as iceberg lettuce!

Carol at one of the vibrant fruit & vegetable stores

It was fabulous to have insider knowledge of where to go for the best of everything at Cabramatta and Carol didn’t disappoint.  I was especially enamoured with the produce.

Banana flowers – commonly used to made a salad with coconut cream and prawns

And the pork!

Behind the scenes at the pork roasting house

Then it was time for lunch at Lina Lam’s modern Vietnamese restaurant, Ban Truong (42 John Street, Cabramatta 2166 – telephone 02 9727 4492), where we met Dai Le, the former ABC journalist wife of Markus Lambert, PR Manager at Fairfield Council.

Margaret Fulton with Dai Lee

As you would expect lunch featured many new and innovative examples of Vietnamese cuisine.

Regional food stars at Brisbane Good Food & Wine Show - starts this Friday

For the third year running I’ve been asked to host the Lyndey Milan Producers’ Market at the Brisbane Good Food & Wine Show.

My friends at Forever Knives will be there too and I’ll be demonstrating my Brilliant Cut Knife on their stand at various times throughout the day. Make sure you come and say Hi.

I’ll also be chatting and interviewing these fabulous artisan and boutique producers at the Lyndey Milan Regional Producers’ Market:

Hills of Byron is an award winning, plantation roasted coffee from the Bryon Bay hinterland with rich flavour and aroma. The 18,000 Arabica coffee trees meet pesticide and herbicide free growing standards prior to being processed, roasted and packed. A judge at a recent coffee competition stated ‘the coffee has a good sweet aroma with hints of pleasant strong toasty fragrance and mix of molasses or honey’.

Silverwood Organics from Longreach in western Queensland sells and delivers organic meat packs. Silverwood grows the dorper breed of sheep which naturally shed their wool and are also known for their excellent carcass and superior eating quality. The free-range lamb is grown in natural Mitchell grass paddocks without chemicals or supplement feeding. To avoid undue stress, the lamb is processed locally by an organically accredited processor. Half or full packs with associated cuts are available online for home delivery. Just one taste and you will be convinced.

Located in the Barossa Valley, Careme Pastry, is owned and operated by William and Claire Wood, who, coming from a restaurant background we were always disappointed with the quality of commercially available ready-made pastry. Careme only use natural ingredients, free of additives, preservatives and colours to produce their hand-crafted pastry products. Their product range includes ready to use pastry dough: all butter puff, sour cream shortcrust, vanilla bean sweet shortcrust and dark chocolate shortcrust as well as a range of tarts, pies, savoury galettes and sweet tarts and croissants and pastries. Stephanie Alexander commends it!

Champion producers at Restaurant 2010

Restaurant 2010 is the key trade show for the food and wine industry, attracting business owners, restaurateurs, significant hospitality suppliers as well as key primary producers. It runs for two days (25 & 26 October) at the Royal Hall of Industries at Moore Park, Sydney.

Following very successful Lyndey Milan Regional Producers’ Markets at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane Good Food & Wine Shows for the past three years, the exhibition organisers, Diversified, have asked me to put together a similar producers market for Restaurant 2010. The focus for Restaurant 2010 is on champion producers with a product suitable for the food service and/or restaurant trade market with supporting sales and marketing channels. Also there is only one per product category.

Click here to register. Its free!

I am delighted to present a fabulous group of champion producers:

Sublime Gelato
For nearly 10 years Sublime Gelato has been making authentic Italian gelato, sorbet and desserts in Sydney. All products are hand-made and the wide range of flavours is authentic yet innovative and unique. Sublime Cookies and Cream Gelato was recently awarded NSW Champion Frozen Dairy Confection Classes at the 2010 DIAA awards. Gelato have also won numerous medals at the Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Show as well the Grand Dairy Awards.

At Restaurant 2010, Sublime will be exhibiting:
Gelato: Pistachio, Belgian Chocolate, Cookies and Cream, Vanilla Bean (French Vanilla), Hazelnut, Tiramisu and Caramello
Sorbet: Mango, Lemon, Strawberry and Passionfruit

Jelm Lamb Pastoral Company
Multi-award winning Jelm is a family run business located at Sunnydale near Cootamundra in the Riverina district of NSW. The lambs and their environment are hormone and chemical free to ensure maximum quality, taste and texture. Proprietor Mark Williams manages the process from the farm to the abattoir through to preparation, packaging, delivery and storage. The result is numerous Sydney Royal Medals covering grass, grain and milk fed lamb. Jelm will be exhibiting their range of lamb products.

Stockyard Beef
Stockyard Beef, established in 1958, own and operate a 9200 head feedlot with supporting grain and pasture properties in Oakey, Queensland. They specialise in grain fed beef, especially high quality long fed and wagyu categories. Key values such as selecting superior genetics such as Angus, raising cattle in a clean and stress free environment and the right balance of nutritious feed ensure consistent tenderness and flavour. Stockyard is MSA graded to ensure superior eating quality. As well as Australia, their markets include Japan, Korea, Middle East, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, USA and Russia. Stockyard has won numerous medals and trophies and in 2010 Stockyard was awarded Champion status in both the Sydney Royal Fine Food Branded Beef Competition and the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show. In fact, since 2006, Stockyard has been awarded Champion four times, making it the most successful beef brand in Australia.

Stockyard will be exhibiting their multi-award winning Gold range as well as Grain Fed (a young beef category grain fed for 70 days and MSA graded), CAAB (a 150 day Angus product certified by Australian Angus Beef) and Stockyard Wagyu (the ultimate in eating quality utilising Stockyard’s own wagyu genetics and unique feeding program).

Bellissimo Coffee
Bellissimo Coffee is located in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane. They are a new boutique coffee roaster that uses the highest quality beans that are organic, satisfy fair trade arrangements and are rainforest friendly. As a first time exhibitor, Bellissimo won a Gold Medal and Class Champion (overall winner) Espresso at 2010 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show for their premium blend Bellissimo Emporio. Amazingly Bellissimo Emporio was only created in 2010 and as well as being awarded Sydney Royal Champion also won a Gold Medal in the Cappuccino class at the Royal Hobart Fine Food Show.

Bellissimo will be exhibiting their range of coffees, including their multi-award winning Bellissimo Emporio. They will also be exhibiting Conti commercial espresso machines (the Conti Twin Star 2 – the first commercial coffee machine in Australia to feature a revolutionary top model multiple boiler coffee machine with a newly developed group head design to provide optimum flavours during extraction and the Conti Essika SsK2) and Santos commercial coffee grinders (Santos 40A and Santos 55 – with the newly developed silent operating system which significantly reduces noise and automatic dosing control grind on demand technology for precision grinding).

Country Valley
Country Valley is located one hour south-west of Sydney in rural Picton and the Fairley family have been farming the lush valley for over 150 years. The dairy was established in 1958 and is now managed by John & Sally Fairley who run about 145 head of Freisian/Jersey cross cattle on 300 acres, producing a range that includes milk, yoghurt and cream. To maintain supreme freshness the dairy is 100 metres from the processing plant. Country Valley have won numerous awards and medals including Champion Yoghurt for their Lush Traditional Homemade Natural Yoghurt at the 2010 Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Show plus seven Gold Medals for other products. Most significantly they won the 2009 Sydney Royal President’s Medal – there were up again five other champion producers from the wine, dairy and fine food competitions, judged on a multi-faceted basis.

At Restaurant 2010, they will be exhibiting:
Country Valley Organic Milk
Country Valley Organic Lite Milk
Country Valley Premium Full Cream Milk
Country Valley Lite Milk
Country Valley Skim Milk
Country Valley Classic Cream
“Lush” natural yoghurt (champion at RAS 2008 & 2010)
“Lush” plain (sweetened) yoghurt

Managing Director (and farmer), John Fairley, will be on the stand for the duration of the show.

Grima’s Farm Fresh
For over 50 years Grima’s Farm Fresh Produce has operated in the Sydney basin. The family business has been managed for the past 20 years by third generation Grima brothers Sam and Stephen who, with their wives run the business as well as participate in growers’ markets. In recent years Grima’s have diversified in growing a wide variety of baby vegetables for the restaurant trade. The brothers are also working with local chefs in growing other varieties of vegetables. Grima’s are regulars at most Sydney growers’ markets: Entertainment Quarter Moore Park, The Good Living Growers Market at Pyrmont, Northside Produce Market at North Sydney and Hawkesbury Harvest Market at Castle Hill. They also at the Flemington Market in the growers section.

At Restaurant 2010 they will be exhibiting an array of their vegetables including pencil leeks, golden beetroot, target beetroot, baby beetroot, radishes, baby turnips and finger and baby fennel.


Sam and Stephen with their wives Theresa and Sharon will be on the stand.

See you there!