FRENCH gastronome Brillat-Savarin once said, 'what a country eats, defines its personality".
The aim of this website is to raise the awareness and appreciation of Australian food. If we can each be inspired and in turn inspire others to value local, regional and seasonal produce more, and to respect and value the people who grow and produce it, then it will have succeeded. We welcome you and invite you to discover the wealth of Australian Regional Food.

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NEWS, SNIPPETS, HAPPENINGS ~

Keep sending those emails with news of future events and recaps on ones just past. Tell us too if something has closed, moved or reopened. This site is for everybody!

ALBANY MARKETS WIN AWARD

The 2008 Vogue Entertainment +Travel Produce Awards, announcced this month have awarded the ALBANY  FARMERS MARKET  "BEST FARMERS  MARKET" in the country.

CHEFS SHOW HOW IT IS DONE

In keeping with the celebration of Hunter Valley Wine & Food Month, on the 1st June, four of the Hunter Valley’s best Chefs will prepare a fabulous lunch consisting of the freshest local produce

WALKABOUT THE WINERIES

Rutherglen will again be the most exciting place to be on the June 7-8 for Rutherglen Winery Walkabout the renowned wine festival in North East Victoria,

COUNTRY COMES TO TOWN

The gourmet delights of Queensland Granite Belt region will be showcased at Brisbane's South Bank on Sunday May 25 for the first South Bank Growers’ Market.

WORTH WAITING FOR

Feast your senses at Tastes of Gold Coast – an annual festival of food and wine, showcasing the very best of what the Gold Coast has to offer to be held from 22 August to 9 September. 

TIME FOR A (WINNING) COFFEE?

Zeta’s Coffee, grown and roasted in the Carool Hills behind Tweed/Coolangatta, has been named as a finalist in the prestigious Vogue Entertaining and Travel Produce Awards for 2008

ROCK SOLID ADVICE

The inaugural Granite Belt Food Forum  will be held on Wednesday 4 June 2008  9am-5pm at the Queensland College of Wine Tourism, Stanthorpe.

ORGANIC - MANIC OR PANIC?

Find out at The Organic Expo in Sydney on 25-27 July 2008, even bigger and better than ever, and now in it's fourth year. This is Oceania's only organic and green show and so if you're serious about building your business in these industries you should attend

HELP NEEDED

Someone in Melbourne is looking for  a supplier of kabocha or buttercup – it's Japanese winter squash and not to be confused with Jap pumpkins and butternut. EMAIL US

3 GREAT WA EVENTS

Winter Seafood and Shiraz (July 11-13); Mundaring Truffle Festival (August 1-3); Spring in the Valley Festival (Oct 11-12)

RESTAURANT 08

The biggest gathering of leading Australian restaurateurs and chefs come together in Melbourne – 26-27th May.

A SUNNY STORY

On the Ridge Cooking School have a newsletter choc-full of information and plans for this year.

FLAVOUR OF SUCCESS

There is still time for NSW food companies to apply to be on the Flavours of NSW stand at Fine Food Australia 2008 in Melbourne from 22-25 September. 

DSRD PROMOTES AWARD WINNING NSW FINE FOODS

Specialty food and beverage products that have won medals at the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW’s Sydney Royal Fine Food Show will be promoted at the NSW Trade and Investment Centre. 

ONE-STOP SHOW FOR FOOD PROCESSING

Companies in the food processing sector can see the latest developments in manufacturing technology at this year’s National Manufacturing Week,

AUSTRALIA'S FAVOURITE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL

Eighty of Australia's top chefs, winemakers and food critics will be joined by thousands of foodies in Noosa from May 16 to 18 the 2008 Settler's Cove Celebration of Australian Food and Wine festival.

THE ULTIMATE PUB CRAWL

Discover 30 of the quirkiest and most historic pubs in Queensland, in the Great Outback Queensland Pubs guide.

BRISBANE'S BIG CHEESE BITE

One of Australia's largest cheese events will see two days of cheese competition, celebrations, tastings and family fun in Brisbane on June 14 and 15. The Brisbane Cheese Awards with around 300 cheeses in 10 categories on Sat

SOUTH BURNET CULINARY COMPETITION

Brisbane chef Graham Waddell, took out the prize for Overall Best Dish at the 2008 PCA South Burnett Regional Culinary Competition.

GOURMETS AND GROWERS DESCEND ON SOUTH BANK

The gourmet delights of the Granite Belt Region will be showcased at South Bank on Sunday May 25 at the first South Bank Growers Market.

THE HUON FOOD TRAIL

In late June Michael Higgins of Huon Bush Retreats is set to release a booklet, The Huon Food Trail, which promotes the fresh produce and growers of the region south of Hobart.

WHISKY TOURS FOR TASSIE

On this new four day tour you become the distiller. Whisky aficionados and the just plain curious can experience every aspect of the whisky maker’s art.

TOP TASTES

If you are looking for a good excuse to visit Tasmania again, the ideal one is Voyages Cradle Mountain Lodge 14th annual 'Tastings at the Top'

IT"S NOT ALL ABOUT THE COUNTRY

Join The Sydney Institute of Marine Science on April 30, from 6.30pm-9.30pm for an informative evening, a talk and tour of the Marine Station, followed by a light seafood supper and wine.

EUMUNDI FOOD FEST 2008

Foodies on the Sunshine Coast are advised to put Sunday 13 July in their dairy as the date for the 2008 Eumundi Food Fest.

LOVE'S (ORGANIC) HARVEST

Organics has made a major television debut with four farm documentary episodes now showing on SBS. Love's Harvest, run on the SBS program Inside Australia (8pm Wednesday)

NEW WINE ACADEMY

Northern Sydney Institute - Ryde College has launched a new website for a new specialist wine academy, based in Sydney.

BRING A SARONG AND AN APRON

The Sunshine Coast is revving up for a celebration of Australian food and wine,  Noosa-style from May 16-18.

UNLEASH YOUR INNER FOODIE!

That's the command for visitors attending the  Good Food & Wine Show to be held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre from June 20-22. Celebrity chefs include Gordon Ramsay.

This Sunday, 27th April, 2008 from 10:30am until 4:30pm, the fabulous Warners Bay Wine & Food Fair featuring Hunter Uncorked, will be held on the foreshore of the picturesque Lake Macquarie. 

A SHARED TABLE 

Producers of McLaren Vale, SA, invite visitors to join a Shared Table for 20 every Sunday. The Long Table Lunches overlooking the vines feature menus based on the best produce of the bountiful Fleurieu region

LEARN CHEESE-MAKING

Learn how to make your own cheese. Saturday 26 April, from noon- 3pm, – soft, hard, blue, cow and goat cheeses. Find out how to select cheese and which wines match.

CONGRATULATIONS TO PRONTO FINE FOOD MERCHANTS! 

Pronto Fine Foods Merchants, Warrnambool, has won the Retail Division of the Powercor Great South Coast Regional Business Awards topping business in all the region's six shires. 

COOL DELIGHTS

Two new ‘cool’ delights are on offer this year for the NSW Southern Highlands' third annual Cool Flavours from June 7-9.

FOOD PARTNERS WINE IN GRANITE BELT

Culinary tourism is the latest initiative to be dished up by Granite Belt Wine & Tourism Inc.

PORT DOUGLAS ALIVE AND BUSY

News from the north shows many things planned for this year in food and wine.

COFFEE ROCKS!

Experience a little piece of heaven at The Rocks Aroma Festival on Sunday 6 July

COMING UP

If you are in Queensland in August try to make it to the South Burnett region for the Kingaroy Peanut Festival on August 2

GO SOUTH FOR THIS COOL EVENT

The Tasmanian Pinot Noir Showcase in Launceston on May  24, 2-5pm will allow wine-lovers to taste  over 50 Tasmanian Pinot Noirs from 25 producers.

HAVE YOUR SAY 

The Food Media Club Australia’s 2008 Australian Food Media Award are inviting the public to contribute to recognising the best food communicator in the land with a new LifeStyle Food Channel People’s Choice Award. 

LONDON (and Sydney) LEADS THE WAY

All 40 chefs participating in Taste of London will be competing for the coveted title of “Green Fingers” - an award given to the chef with the biggest and best produce.

RIVER HOUSE SHOWS THE WAY

Noosa's River House Restaurant, in conjunction with Vogue, Entertaining and Travel is hosting two very special dinners which will only feature produce grown within 50km of Noosa.

RARE CHANCE TO LEARN CHEF SECRETS

Keen cooks can now spend 20 hours in one week working alongside acclaimed Gold Coast chef Meyjitte Boughenout who won two Michelin Stars.

ASIA TASTES OZ

Over 100 Australian businesses will showcase their wares to major international buyers at South East Asia’s largest food and hospitality trade event–Food and Hotel Asia 2008 (FHA)–to be held in Singapore next week (April 22-25).

COMING UP

The Shoalhaven Coast Wine Festival (NSW) on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend (7th-9th June) will provide an opportunity for visitors to taste many local wines.

SWEET TALK

The new Beechworth Honey Experience in north-east Victoria celebrates the region’s sweetest product – honey. 

CHEERS TO MATSO’S BROOME BREWERY

Western Australia’s most remote microbrewery, Matso’s Broome Brewery, has picked up a swag of medals for their hand crafted lagers and ales at the Australian International Beer Awards.

LOCAL WINE ON SHOW AT MERCURE

Visitors to Western Australia will now be able to get a real taste of the West with the launch of Grands Vins Mercure.

TRAIL OF GOURMET DISCOVERY

Discover the hidden wine and gourmet treasures of Western Australia’s wine regions at ‘The Trail’, a new website

SOUTH WEST PARTIES

The Margaret River Wine Region Festival from May 2-4 is a three day event in celebration of the end of vintage,

GO BANANAS, SPORT!

World class sportspeople like Australian cricketers, Tour de France cyclists and professional tennis players all agree on one thing; if you are looking for an energy boost, reach for a banana.

FOOD IN THE CITY

Sydney suburbs Balmain and Rozelle’s showcase the very best in local, produce, fine dining, drinking and FOOD in Balmain Rozelle Food Week -21-27 April

DINING ACROSS THE DITCH

Savour New Zealand deserves a mention. What began as a bi-annual celebration of the country’s best produce and cooking expertise, has become an annual occasion (May 1-4)

EUMUNDI MARKETS COOK UP A STORM

Sunshine Coast foodies are eating up the free cooking classes hosted by chef Peter Wolfe at The Original Eumundi Markets

APPLES AREN"T ALWAYS JUST APPLES

Apples, just got a new member of the family! Jazz™ is Australia’s newest apple variety with a catchy name. Introduced to Australian growers by Montague Fresh.

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS SHOWS THE WAY

An innovative program launched in the Southern Highlands last week by Minister for Tourism Matt Brown, will see local residents become tourism ambassadors for the region.

INTRODUCING AZURE 

Autumn 2008 marks the first issue of Azure, one of the loveliest regional magazines around. This issue's subject matter is the breathtaking Whitsundays on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef.

BRAVO BAROSSA!

South Australia’s Barossa Valley has made the New York Times’ list of 53 “must-see” destinations for 2008.

NEW CHEF

Sunshine Coast restaurant icon, Andrew Strange, has become the new Executive Chef at the Buderim Ginger Factory Ginger Cafe. 

TWO ICONS GET COSY AT THE GINGER FACTORY 

The ‘ginger lover’s paradise’ is now even more enticing following the opening of the O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards Cellar Door at Yandina’s Ginger Factory. . .

SEEING RED!

THE BIG RED WINE book by multi-award winning writer Campbell Mattinson, is the only book in Australia entirely devoted to red wines.

MASTERCLASS RETURNS TO BRISBANE THIS WINTER

Food and wine lovers will be delighted to learn of the return of Brisbane’s popular Masterclass Weekend on July 26-27 featuring celebrated international and Australian chefs and winemakers. 

CHEESE LOVERS TAKE NOTE

Of course it's best to visit the regions and taste cheese in its home location BUT if you are unable to leave Sydney, help is at hand! The GPO Cheese and Wine Room has recently reopened after renovations. There are at least 100 cheeses for sale and 25 or more on the tasting menu.

BULL AND BUSH

Following Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s historic visit to Washington this week, Queensland-based Pure Blue Meats will now exclusively supply Australian Wagyu to Blair House, Washington’s official state guest house.

MAY DAYS

The Hunter Valley, NSW, has declared the entire month of May open to visitors who can feast on am impressive range of exciting activities.

WORLD YOUTH DAY OFFERS

Tourism NSW is inviting the tourism industry to be part of a promotion to capitalise on the thousands of visitors who will come to NSW during World Youth Day 2008, the biggest event to be held in Australia.

TOP TASTES

Tastings at the Top, a gourmet extravaganza for food and wine lovers will be held from from June 21 to 23, against the backdrop of Tasmania's stunning Cradle Mountain,

GATE TO PLATE

On 25th May 2008 artist Ken Done and celebrity chef John Meredith will be guests at the inaugural ‘Clarence Valley Gate to Plate’

ATTENTION EXHIBITORS

Those who would like to be part of the ‘REGIONAL FLAVOURS OF NEW SOUTH WALES’ STAND FINE FOOD AUSTRALIA 2008, at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, (22 - 25 September) – the closing date for applications is March 20, 2008.

MELBOURNE CATCHES UP

After two years of the hugely successful Sydney restaurant show, this year Restaurant 08 happens in Melbourne at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre from 26-27 May 2008.

FOOD OF LOVE

Australian Festival of Chamber Music will open with the food and music event, Chefs in the North, July 3. Merge fine food, wine and music under on the lawns of Jupiters Townsville.

CALLING ALL YOUNG CHEFS AND WAITERS

The Lexus Appetite for Excellence Young Chef and Lexus Young Waiter  awards, open to those aged 30 and under, are billed as the ultimate competition for young hospitality professionals. Applications close Friday April 4, and finalists will be announced May 26, www.youngchef.com.au

‘It’s easy to be green .....
Green Show due to commence Friday 25th July 2008 and run until Saturday July 27th

The Second Edition of the newsletter has been released. Follow this link to subscribe to the Newsletter. It has valuable information and tips which are not included in the Snippets.


REMINDER:

Make the most of the special offer to convert your standard listing into a Silver or Gold Premier Listing. It is a great way to promote your business and your passion for regional food.


BUON APPETITO!

Join Sally Hammond as she escorts a Reader's Digest 'Italian Lakes, Food & Wine' tour group through northern Italy from late September 2008. Organised by Iconic Tours, the twelve-day tour will visit Lake Como and the lovely lakes district and Florence, then Montepulciano,  on to Orvieto, and finally Rome. Wining and dining in the country that does it so well, with someone on hand to help you understand and enjoy it even more. Details: 1300 789 020, info@iconictours.com.au, www.iconictours.com.au


UPCOMING EVENTS . .

FoodService Australia (FSA EXPO) 2008
Celebration of Australian Food & Wine – Noosa Style
Narooma Oyster Festival
Gluten Free Food & Allergy Show
Lovedale Long Lunch
AusDrinks 2008
Hampton High Country Food and Arts Festival
Reef and Rainforest Carnivale
Tasmanian Pinot Nior Showcase
Goomeri Pumpkin Festival
restaurant 08
Casino Beef Week
Good Food & Wine Show
Shoalhaven Coast Wine Festival
See Change Winter Festival
Cool Flavours of the Southern Highlands
unWined at Griffith
Shoalhaven Coast Wine Festival
McLaren Vale's Sea and Vines Festival

. . .visit Events page for more info



WINE LOVERS

James Halliday is Australia's foremost wine authority. His Wine Companion is a guide to all wineries in regions throughout the country. Follow this link for comprehensive information on wineries in Australia

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