Newsletter, August 13, 2008

Hi there,

Last weekend I had a fun day on a Gourmet Safari in Sydney. We dropped in at a number of Italian places (Sydney has dozens, but we visited about six) ate far more than we should have, and bought heaps of wonderful food to take home. It reminded me how much we are all alike.

I saw the same passion and enthusiasm of an Italian-born cheese-maker in inner-city Sydney that I recognised from many in the same profession around this country.  You just know that if you could put a group of them together in a room, there would be an instant bond (and yes, professional disagreements too).

Regional food producers are like that. I was reminded of this quote:

All big things in this world are done by people who are naive and
have an idea that is obviously impossible. (Dr Frank Richards (1875-1961) English writer)

Each of the people listed on this website had some sort of a dream – even if it was born of desperation from failing stock prices or the effects of drought. But they followed though on it. Each time we visit a region, we are so overwhelmed by the collective guts and courage of people doing the impossible – and, most of the time, succeeding.

The original Australian Regional Food Guide was aimed at providing a self-guided way to explore food outlets and meet producers all over the country, so now we would like you to tell us , please, who is delivering that same idea at a local level. If you are involved with a group doing this, you may like to take out a Premier Listing to let everyone see exactly what you are doing.

With your collective help, we’d like to compile a list (the first of quite a few planned for the site) of Food Trails around the country. We want to put the details all together in one  place and also on the regional pages. Tell us where they are, who is running them, include a website, and any information at all. They can be ones which are self-guided with a map and directions, or organised for certain days with a leader and transport.

‘Culinary Tourism’ is the current term for what is actually a wonderful win-win deal. People come from the cities, or even other countries, to an area and learn about what is involved in producing regional food. They stay awhile, making the local accommodation providers happy too; they eat in the cafes and restaurants (and do we have some ideas about this – but more on that another time!); they buy things to take away with them; but most importantly there is a greater respect for the people behind the produce, and the region which produces it.

Better still, if these visitors bring children with them, a whole new generation is exposed firsthand to the crisp and juicy texture and unforgettable flavour of an apple freshly picked from the tree, or how wonderful organic tomatoes or fresh-from-the-boat fish, or newly baked bread looks and smells and tastes. These benchmarks will stay with them forever and make them better cooks and more knowledgeable and appreciative diners in the future.

It’s a hugely exciting world, isn’t it – this regional food adventure?

Thank you for supporting this site and please help make it even better.

Have a great week,

Sally & Gordon

In this edition of the Newsletter Photographing your product Initial impressions are lasting impressions. The way you promote and advertise your product visually can determine how potential customers will feel about it. Discover the two principles that make the difference between mediocre images and excellent photos.

CHEESE PLEASE

Well-known cheese expert Will Studd sent this to us during the week. Some of the power of this site is that we can contact many people very quickly and I believe some of you may want to have your say in this.

“Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ ) has finally announced  the terms of its long awaited review of domestic dairy processing standards which currently ban the production and sale of most cheese made from raw milk.

Hard cooked European cheeses such as Parmesan , Gruyere and Emmenthal have long been granted an exemption from these standards based on the fact that they undergo a high temperature step in production , and more recently a special exemption for Roquefort cheese was granted after a long and expensive court battle and  subsequent FSANZ review.

The current assessment of the standards follows the precedent created by Roquefort,  and the  two applications  (A 530/531) lodged in February 2004 by Will Studd.

This review  does not necessarily mean that the ban will be lifted , and there is a lot of domestic resistance to change.

It has taken twelve years of lobbying to get to this point , and its very unlikely another review will be undertaken for another decade.  

If you care about good cheese please make a submission to FSANZ .  

Without a choice on the production and sale of raw milk cheese in Australia we will never develop a genuine cheese culture, or experience the authentic regional flavours of  cheese enjoyed by our counterparts overseas.”

If you are interested in following this up go to http://www.foodstandards.gov.au

SALLY’S RECIPE: HUMMUS

I love the good-for-you taste of hummus. This Middle Eastern spread has really caught on in Australia, even if most of us have issues with how it is spelt. Remember yoghurt? We had trouble deciding how to spell that too.

Healthy as it is meant to be, when I read the labels of commercially prepared hummus, so often I find that the fat content is really high. This wouldn’t be a problem except I find it so incredibly more-ish that I want to feel free to eat LOTS if I want to. Without a guilty conscience.

The way I get around this is to make my own. The only fat comes from tahini, which is a sesame seed paste anyway, and a natural source of calcium. It is available in most supermarkets now, and if not there, in a deli.

Hummus is so simple to make – almost quicker than writing it on the shopping list and walking across the store to put it in your trolley.

HUMMUS
Cook some dried chick peas if you have the time, but canned ones are quicker and just as good. If cooking them yourself, do not add salt until the chick peas are cooked as they will toughen.

2 cans chick peas (garbanzos), drained, liquid reserved
1 tablespoon tahini
1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon

Place the drained chick peas into a food processor bowl with a little of the reserved liquid. Whiz to break down a little. Add tahini and garlic and whiz until becoming creamy. Carefully pour in lemon juice and add a little extra liquid as needed to make the hummus consistency desired and whiz until very smooth. Makes about 2 cups.

Use as a dip or sandwich spread. Stir in some chopped chilli for a change or add parsley with the lemon juice if desired.