2006 Good Food & Wine Show
This year's show will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th June with  a winning combination of  celebrity chefs, inspirational shopping ideas, wine & food tasting galore and new for this year, and seminars on health and vitality, as well as collaboration with the Victorian Wine Industry Association Check out www.goodfoodshow.com.au for a comprehensive overview of the latest, the best and the most delicious and innovative explorations in the food and wine industry. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster7 13 6100 or www.ticketmaster7.com.au .
 

SOMETHING TO NOTE
On Thursday evening, June 29, under a spectacular marquee on the grassy lawns of Jupiter’s Townsville Hotel and Casino, an extraordinary culinary event will take place ~ Australian Chefs in the North - Festival Dinner. This prelude event hosted by Lyndey Milan, Food Director of The Australian Women’s Weekly to the opening of the world class Australian Festival of Chamber Music, will feature some of Australia’s best known chefs from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Townsville in a six-course Degustation Menu, matched with superb Queensland wines and accompanied by sublime musical interludes. Tickets: Phone 07 4727 9797 or 1800 449977
 

Final bite at a FIG:

Got an innovative idea you believe has commercial potential? Then you could be in the running for a much sought-after Food Innovation Grant (FIG). But be quick because applications for the final round of the National Food Industry Strategys Ltds FIG program close on 26 May, 2006. The Round 11 FIG is worth up to $500,000 for individual projects, which have to be completed by 30 June 2007. Seventy three Australian companies have so far received a FIG. Details:  www.nfis.com.au/Innovation,  1300 130 360  or email fig@nfis.com.au

Want to go to the UK?
Australian food companies are a step closer to being served up in the UK following the recent presentation of lifestyle products to Sainsburys Director of Brand. NFIS Ltd and Austrade are working with the major retailer in a bid to establish an in-store platform for Australian food. Companies that have attracted the interest of Sainsburys must now demonstrate their products point of difference and ability to compete. New opportunities have also been identified for gourmet food products, with presentations to Sainsbury's likely to take place mid-year. 
If you think you have a product that fits the bill,  contact Kim Riggans: 1300 130 360 
or kim.riggans@nfis.com.au

FOOD FACTS
The Foods for life:  a 'weighty issues' conference to be jointly hosted by the National Centre of Excellence in Functional Food (NCEFF) and dairy industry leader Murray-Goulburn Cooperative on June 30, will look at the scientific and technological challenges facing the development of foods for appetite control. The Sydney conference follows the 2006 Annual Functional Food Centre Industry Conference being held in Brisbane on 26 May which has the theme of Foods for Life: growing well healthy ageing.
For details for both conferences visit: www.nceff.com.au or call the centre on 02 4221 4620.

LADIES ONLY
If youre a woman in a senior role in a rural industry and aged 36 or older you might be eligible for a $10,000 Corporate Governance Scholarship. The scholarship will enable successful applicants to complete an intensive five-day corporate governance training course. The Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is also calling for applications from 18-35 year olds for one of 14 fully-funded scholarships to attend the AICD course, under its Young Peoples Corporate Governance Scholarships scheme. For further information visit www.rirdc.gov.au  or email annemarie.ribas@rirdc.gov.au 

NOOSA DOES IT AGAIN - very soon

In a mega-tribute to Australian food and wine, an influential line-up of leading chefs, winemakers, media, restaurateurs and serious foodies will meet at the Settler’s Cove Celebration of Australian Food and Wine – Noosa Style! from 12 to 14 May, 2006. The fun weekend includes Celebrity Chefs’ Cooking Classes, an Asian Food Trail, a Mediterranean Food Trail and a Seafood Trail,  Noosa Farmers’ Market,  Cooking Demonstrations and The Food Summit followed by The Wine Summit. All this will be topped off by the Great Australian Degustation  at berardo’s restaurant and bar (p. 176). Full program at: www.celebrationofaustralianfoodandwine.com.au 

LOVE AUSTRALIAN OYSTERS?

Botanical Restaurant's Oyster Frenzy is on again. With oyster quality at its best, this is the time to enjoy oysters from all over Australia; Rock oysters, Pacific Oysters, Native Oysters, Wild Oysters, any oysters they can get their hands on -  as many as you can humanly consume in 3 hours - washed down by the best wines, as part of the package price. The last Oyster Frenzy saw the team open over 7000 oysters. Monday, May 29, 2006,  Botanical Main Bar, 6-9pm, $65 per person (all inclusive) www.thebotanical.com.au

DIARY DATE

Emeu Inn Restaurant, B&B and Wine Centre(p 312) in Heathcote, Victoria, is about to hold its seventh annual Deep Winter Wine Dinner on Saturday, 29 July.  In partnership with Greg & Natala Flynn of Flynn’s Wines, the night will begin with a seated tutored tasting by the winemakers, followed by a six-course dégustation dinner, prepared by Chef Fred Thies,  of dishes with an Italian theme matched to five of Flynn’s Wines from Heathcote. For more information, contact Leslye Thies at Emeu Inn on 5433 2668, at  bookings@emeuinn.com.au or check-out the website:  www.emeuinn.com.au

Lovedale Long Lunch Preview  
An appetiser for the annual Long Lunch will see boutique wineries and their makers, regional Hunter olives, cheeses and olive oils, available to taste, all in the one location Saturday 6 May 2006 from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at The Vintage Wine & Visitor Information Centre, 455 Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin. Hunter Valley Wine Society is hosting a Lovedale Rd (& surrounds) Tasting at The Vintage Hunter Wine & Information Centre in the heart of Pokolbin’s Wine Country. This tasting will be a preview to the Lovedale Long Lunch which is to be held on 20 & 21 May 2006. Bookings & further information is available via email lunch@lovedalelonglunch.com.au or by visiting www.lovedalelonglunch.com.au

HILTON HITS THE MARKET: Adelaide Central Market @ The Brasserie
The Brasserie’s 'Seriously South Australian' concept was so successful that Simon Bryant and his team are continuing the promotion of South Australia’s gourmet food and wine regions, from 1 May – 11 June 2006, featuring a different region every six weeks. Commencing 1 May, the Brasserie goes next door to the Adelaide Central Market to bring diners a “who’s who” of local providores including Say Cheese, Feast, Standoms, Aubergines, Haigh’s, Angelakis Brothers and Providore. The promotion starts with the “Adelaide Central Market Seriously Vego” cooking class in the main kitchen on Tuesday 2 May. Simon Bryant will present the best ingredients from the Adelaide Central Market and create with them some sensational vegetarian dishes, paired with wines from Brackenwood Vineyard. Over the next six weeks chefs will present a number of unique dishes, showcasing the best ingredients available from the Market. www.hilton.com

Organic Expo 2006: Catriona Macmillan, from The Organics Directory (www.theorganicsdirectory.com.au) and OTACNet - Organic Traders' and Consumers' Network (www.otacnet.com.au) reports that the next Organic Expo will be held on 21 to 23 July at Sydney Exhibition Centre and be Australia’s leading and largest ever organic and environmental lifestyle show with over 140 exhibitors and 8,000+ visitors expected to attend this year’s event. The theme is ‘nourishing our children in the 21st century’.  Guest chefs will include Kylie Kwong and Holly Davis and panelists will include presenter Joanna Savill, food writer Cherry Ripe, author and biodynamic farmer, Patrice Newell and third generation organic farmer John Priestley. For more information about the show or to enquire about exhibiting, contact Smeaton Hackett Events on 02 9451 4747, mary@shevents.com.au or visit www.organicexpo.com.au.

CONGRATULATIONS!!
News from the recent Fine Food Queensland exhibition announces that the winners in the Great Queensland Pie Competition were split into two categories. The overall winner for the Meat Pie Competition was Mick's Bread Kitchen of Ingham Qld. The overall winner of the Gourmet Pie Competition was Mick's Bakehouse of Wagga Wagga, NSW (p. 54). The Caboolture Best of the Best Pizza Challenge was well attended at the exhibition, and Chris Symons from Vitto in Pacific Paradise was declared Queensland State Champion. He will now go onto compete in the national challenge to be held at Fine Food in Melbourne in September.

GOOD WEBSITE
Petra Frieser has launched a great new website www.localharvest.com.au It is essentially a regional food directory, listing in categories  many Sunshine Coast (QLD) producers who are retailing products at the Noosa Farmers Market and Eumundi Markets as well as other local markets and retail outlets. The aim of the website is to make locals and visitors aware of exactly what there is and when and where to find them. Worth looking for too is her new book, A Gourmet Odyssey – Noosa to Mooloolaba, showcasing some of these individuals. It is full colour publication incorporating recipes and images of the region in an overview of the Sunshine Coast’s produce people and a summary of some of the products available.

Campaspe Congrats!
Campaspe Country House in Woodend, Victoria (p 348)  has been recently awarded an Excellence Award by Tourism Victoria as part of their Tourism Excellence Program in recognition of its leadership and commitment to delivering excellent visitor experiences. There were only four awards offered in total across the state and Campaspe Country House was the only hotel/restaurant to receive the award. Campaspe Country House has been invited to become an industry member of the Tourism Excellence Strategy – a five year program devoted to raising the level of professionalism of tourism businesses within the state. www.campaspehouse.com.au  

Barramundi at Bullo River Station
The extraordinary wet season this year has resulted in an exceptional and late fishing season at Bullo River Station, in the western corner of the Northern Territory, with the river literally brimming with its famous barramundi, weighing up to 50 pounds, along with thread fin salmon, jew fish, mangrove jack and black bream which are expected to bite hard until the end of May. 

The following Victoria Events are coming up.

21 May - Beechworth Harvest Celebration, Victoria
Showcasing the diversity and quality of Beechworth's local produce, the annual Beechworth Harvest Celebration brings together local food and wine producers under a marquee in the main street of town, with everything to taste and buy. Celebrating the end of the harvest season there will be winery workshops, street entertainment, cooking displays, competitions and food art. Beechworth is in north-east Victoria, approximately three and a half hours' drive from Melbourne. Inquiries: www.beechworth.com/harvest

10- 12 June – Winter Wine Weekend,  (Queens Birthday Long Weekend)
Mornington Peninsula. Enjoy great wine, great food, great music – a sample of what the idyllic region has to offer. The weekend's signature event is the Winter Wine Fest, held at the Red Hill Showgrounds on Saturday 11 June between 11am and 4pm. This year visitors can taste more than 150 wines from 40 Mornington Peninsula vineyards and enjoy gourmet snacks from leading peninsula wineries, restaurants and producers. Bookings and Inquiries: 03 5989 2377 or visit www.mpva.com.au

10- 11 June – Brown Brothers Winter Festival,
A fun-filled three days of great wine and food. Visitors will be entertained by Jazz Band - Zoot Suit, and tempted by delicious gourmet food and local produce stalls. The Epicurean Centre will be open daily for lunch and the cellar door from 9am to 5pm. General inquiries: 1800 001 515 or visit www.brown-brothers.com.au
 

10 - 12 June – Rutherglen Winery Walkabout, 
North East Victoria will again delight wine lovers from far and wide on the June long weekend, and is a chance to compare, contrast and buy the magnificent wines from over 20 participating Rutherglen wineries. A special event at the year's Walkabout is the Young Bloods of Rutherglen Cocktail party on Saturday 11 June. General inquiries: 1300 787 929 or visit www.rutherglenvic.com

24 - 25 June – Yarra Valley's Smaller Wineries Shortest Lunch
The annual event held on the shortest weekend of the year. Gourmet food accompanied by superb wine from 14 participating wineries,  with a backdrop of lovely countryside and sensational views. The event runs from 11am to 5pm each day. Inquiries: 03 9730 1349, email yarratrack@netspace.net.au or visit www.yarravalleywine.com