BAD NEWS 

You're too late for Autumn in Stanley (north-western Tasmania) - the Producers Lunch on April 13th. Old Cable Station www.oldcablestation.com.au  owner Charlotte Brown says it is sold out BUT the next luncheon, starring Winter Producers  is on Sunday July 13, so best to book early to avoid disappointment! There is also a French Cooking School & Dinner planned for Friday 25 & Saturday 26 April. Cooking School and you may register your interest by phoning 03 6458 1312by phone or emailing stay@oldcablestation.com.au  

PUMPKIN TIME

The drought is over! After skipping a year, the Collector Village Pumpkin Festival is on again this year on Sunday 4 May in the township of Collector, around 45 minutes drive from Canberra, ACT. A good old fashioned day in the country for all the family where you can chase away the late autumn chills with a hearty cup of pumpkin soup or enjoy a relaxed chat with family and friends over pumpkin scones. Baking competitions, races, art and craft displays, blacksmithing and sheep shearing demonstrations, vintage cars,  and more. More information: www.pumpkinfestival.com.au

Congratulations to Canberra!

Canberra and region winners of the recent Qantas Australian Tourism Awards are to be congratulated especially the Canberra Institute of Technology’s Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management which took out the Tourism Education and Training category for the second straight year, and Grazing at Gundaroo which won the Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services category. The awards were announced at a gala presentation on Friday 29 February at the National Convention Centre, Canberra.

More information: www.visitcanberra.com.au

TOP TASTES

Taking place from June 21 to 23, against the backdrop of Tasmania's stunning Cradle Mountain, Tastings at the Top is a gourmet extravaganza for food and wine lovers now in its 14th consecutive year. It will be hosted by leading wine consultant Peter Bourne, aka ‘The Wine Man’, and food consultant Helen Waterworth. Several Tasmanian producers will display their goods and leading local wine producers will also be on hand. For more information: http://www.cradlemountainlodge.com.au

MAY DAYS

The Hunter Valley, NSW, has declared the entire month of May open to visitors who can expect to experience freshly pressed olive oils and learn the intricacies of cheese making, as well as attending wine dinners, wine schools, tutorials and tastings, produce trails and cooking demonstrations – all complemented, of course, by the region's renowned wines. Some may even sample a local delicacy – snails! Wine and Food lovers will be able to indulge in a number of must-do activities such as the renowned Lovedale Long Lunch, Broke Fordwich Spirit of the Vines and the much anticipated Hunter Valley Legends Dinner. Full details and bookings visit www.hvwineandfood.hvva.com.au or call 02 4991 4533.

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

A YEAR OF HUNTER GATHERINGS

It's all happening in the Hunter in 2008. Events to be hosted by the Hunter Valley Vineyard Association in 2008 include:        
April 2008

Hunter Semillon & Seafood Festival -18th – 20th April: From Friday 18th to Sunday 20th April, 2008 the Hunter Valley Vineyard Association will proudly host the ever popular, must do Hunter Semillon & Seafood Festival. 
 
Hunter Uncorked Warners Bay Wine & Food Fair - 27th April: Warners Bay Wine & Food Fair, featuring Hunter Uncorked, will be held on the foreshore of the picturesque Lake Macquarie.  Premium wines from over 10 Hunter Valley wineries, from boutique companies to the larger well known brands, will be available for tasting and sale.  Delicious meals from Hunter Valley and Warners Bay Restaurants as well as Hunter Valley cheeses and local olives will also be available.  

May 2008:

Hunter Valley Wine & Food Month - 1st – 31st May: Hunter Valley Wine & Food Month is a favourite for many visitors to the Hunter.  The month long celebration kicks off with the Hunter Legends dinner, where local industry legends are inducted into the legends honour board for their service to the industry and region.   Visitors to the Hunter Valley throughout the month also enjoy the renowned Lovedale Long Lunch, Broke Fordwich Spirit of the Vines, fabulous wine dinners and lunches as well as tutored wine tastings.
 

September 2008

Shoal Bay Jazz, Food & Wine Festival featuring Hunter Uncorked: 6th- 7th September. Enjoy a weekend of fabulous Jazz, Hunter Valley wine and local produce at Shoal Bay Resort and Spa’s Jazz Food and Wine Festival. Held on the foreshore of the magnificent Port Stephens this weekend of Jazz features concerts, wine dinners and finishes on the Sunday with day of a Jazz, Wine and Food featuring Hunter Uncorked. 



November 2008

Hunter Uncorked at Balmoral Beach - 2nd November:
The Hunter Valley Vineyard Association will be bringing the best of the Hunter Valley to Sydney with Hunter Uncorked at Balmoral Beach.  Visitors have the chance to relax by the sea and let their tastebuds savour the delicious food and fabulous Hunter Valley wines available for tasting and sale.   The event will showcase wines from 16 boutique and iconic wineries including Brokenwood, Allandale, Deluliis, Tulloch, Scarborough, Tyrrell’s, and Littledale Wines to name but a few.  Live entertainment and children’s activities will be available throughout the day to ensure a great family day out.
 
For further information regarding the Hunter Valley Vineyard Association and events to be held throughout the year visit www.hvva.com.au or call 02 4991 4533.

INTRODUCING AZURE 

Autumn 2008 marks the first issue of Azure, one of the loveliest regional magazines around. That's little wonder when the subject matter is the breathtaking Whitsundays on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. Publisher and editor Susan Boyd states one of the aims of the aptly-named quarterly magazine as 'to encourage you to get out, explore, enjoy and discover' which, incidentally, closely fits the aims of this site too. The current issue has plenty on markets, food and dining as well as almost anything else to do with this lovely region. Call 07 4948 2600 or see www.azuremagazine.com.au

FREE PASSES TO HUNTER SEMILLON & SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

In its seventh year, the prestigious Hunter Semillon and Seafood Festival will be held in the Hunter Valley, NSW, from Friday 18th until Sunday 20th April with a number of must-do events scheduled. The Festival will feature over 150 Hunter semillons and sumptuous seafood prepared by the region's best winemakers and chefs. The flagship Hunter Valley event promises a first class wining and dining experience to all that attend. For further information regarding the Hunter Semillon and Seafood Festival visit www.huntersemillonandseafood.com.au .

If you would like to attend, we have FIVE double passes to the Festival to give away. The first five people who email  this site with their name and address by April 10th will win a double pass.

BRAVO BAROSSA!

South Australia’s Barossa Valley has made the New York Times’ list of 53 “must-see” destinations for 2008. The Barossa was the only Australian destination on the acclaimed list and was chosen as a favourite along with the likes of the Maldives, Prague, Easter Island, London and Vietnam. The New York Times is recognised as having one of the world’s most respected travel sections and with a circulation of more than one million, the inclusion of the Barossa is a coup for the region and South Australia. The article heaps praise on the Barossa as one of the world’s oldest Shiraz regions and also describes Adelaide as a “foodie” destination. A new reward card has been launched in Barossa recently, capitalising on the booming food and wine industries in the region. The Butcher, Baker, Winemaker Trail Card has been developed to offer food and [ine lovers a taste of all things gourmet in the Barossa, and will further strengthen the region’s reputation as the home of Australian wine and food.

NEW CHEF

Sunshine Coast restaurant icon, Andrew Strange, has become the new Executive Chef at the Buderim Ginger Factory Ginger Cafe. His role at the Ginger Factory café will include refining the menu to showcase Buderim Ginger. Andrew’s previous career highlights include touring as the official chef for The Rolling Stones. He has also spent much of his recent career using his knowledge and experience to develop upcoming local talent through chef apprenticeship schemes and cooking classes. Meet Andrew in person at the Ginger Factory Tuesday to Saturday each week. The Ginger Café is open from 9am to 5pm everyday at The Ginger Factory, Yandina, Queensland. 

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. The partnership struck between iconic Queensland-owned companies, Buderim Ginger and O’Reilly’s offers award-winning boutique wines for sampling or purchase from the factory’s new cellar door on the Sunshine Coast. The Canungra Valley Vineyards’ premium range of wines, the O’Reilly’s Generation range, has enjoyed success on both the national and international stages, taking out several awards at events such as the Queensland Wine Show and the prestigious San Francisco Wine Show. The O’Reilly’s cellar door is open seven days a week. The Ginger Factory is located at 50 Pioneer Road, Yandina. Access from the Bruce Highway is via the Coolum/Yandina exit. (Visit www.oreillys.com.au or call 07 5446 8077)

SEEING RED!

THE BIG RED WINE book by multi-award winning writer Campbell Mattinson, published by Hardie Grant recently, is the first guide of its kind in Australia, the only book entirely devoted to red wines, and ideal to use as a reference when travelling to various wine and food regions. THE BIG RED WINE BOOK (rrp $24.95) includes reviews for more than 1000 red wines, including more than 500 new releases across all prices and styles. Each new wine is rated and judged on its price, investment potential and value for money. Tasting notes and ratings for past vintage favourites are also listed.

BULL AND BUSH

It seems the President of the United States is not only enamored with our Prime Minister, but also with our meat. 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. Set to focus world attention on Australian beef, the supply deal was secured after President Bush, Prime Minister Rudd and a number of international diplomats dined on Australian Wagyu flown in by Pure Blue Meats www.purebluemeats.com.au  this week.

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). The food and beverage products from the record number of exhibitors will be displayed at the Austrade-organised Australian National Pavilion, the third largest contingent after Italy and the USA. For the first time, Austrade will organise a Wine Australia Pavilion, featuring 32 wines at Wine & Spirits Asia 2008, which is part of the larger FHA event. Austrade will also run a special Wine Australia Seminar by Singapore-based wine educator and writer Lim Hwee Peng.
Attending exhibitors:

ACT: Inland Trading (Canberra)

QLD: Suncoast Gold Macadamias (Gympie); Kialla Pure Foods (Greenmount);  Posi Pour Wholesalers (Ashmore); Unreal Ice (Nerang) and Beech Ovens (Brisbane)

NSW: Dullo Chocolates (Zetland); Alpine Berry Farm (Alpine); Horticulture Australia Limited (Sydney); Mulwarra Export (Chatswood); Bentivoglio Estate (Rylstone); The Real McCoy Snackfood (Blacktown); Tulloch Wines (Pokolbin); Viva Pasta (Caringbah)

SA: Hahndorf Hill Winery (Hahndorf); Bickford’s Australia (South Salisbury); NEO Fine Foods (Adelaide); Nookamka Estate Wines (Barmera); Nova Vita Wines (Adelaide); Pure Oils Group (Loxton); Sigismondi Estate Wines (Lyrup)

TAS: Australian Honey Products (Launceston); Dry Ideas (Hobart); Hellyers Road Distillery (Burnie); Lark Distillery (Hobart); and Roslyn Estate Wines (Campania)

VIC: The Fudgeman (Corio); Adler Trading (West Airport); Australiasian Wine Exports (Fitzroy); Belgium Choc (Pheasant Creek); Billy Goat Bites (Geelong); Borgcraft (Altona): Boundary Bend Marketing (Lara); Buller Wines (Beverford); Edlyn Foods (Tullamarine); Floridia Cheese (Thomastown); Fresh Cheese Co (Brunswick); Guzzardi Fine Foods (Thomastown); Hussey & Co (Somerville);  Inter Agri Group (Albert Park); La Nuova Era Caffe (Essendon); Passion for Pasta (North Laverton); Redlegs (North Brighton); Sunbeam Foods (Rowville); Venue Wines (Mildura); Repsmart (South Melbourne)

WA: Wescobee Wines (Bayswater); Harvey Fresh and Harvey Beef (Harvey); Golden Egg Farms (Palmyra); Golden Boronia (Kewdale); and Champ Enterprises (North Fremantle)

COMING UP

The Shoalhaven Coast Wine Festival (NSW) on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend (7th-9th June) will allow visitors to taste many local wines. Visitors will simply buy a festival glass for $5 at the first cellar door or winery they visit for a free wine tasting at all other participating wineries. Live entertainment, photographic and art exhibitions, special lunches and dinners, winery and vineyard tours together with local produce and delicious food will also be available. More Information: 
Shoalhaven Coast Wine Industry Association Inc: www.shoalhavencoast.com.au Shoalhaven Visitors Centre: www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au  
or phone 1300 662 808 Kiama Visitors Centre: www.kiama.nsw.gov.au  or phone 1300 654 262

SWEET TALK

The new Beechworth Honey Experience in north-east Victoria celebrates the region’s sweetest product – honey. At the centre you can learn about Beechworth’s long association with honey and the process of how this sticky treat is made. The story of honey is illustrated in an interpretive display which includes a beekeeper who takes visitors on a journey to see how bees collect the golden nectar from flowers, eucalyptus forests and valley grasses. The honey then goes to a modern packing plant where it is extracted, filtered and bottled. Visitors can also enjoy honey-themed treats, such as honey biscuits and honey flavoured ice-cream, in the centre’s courtyard. Kids will love the giant jigsaw puzzle and the challenge of spotting the queen bee in the glass-fronted live bee display. The Beechworth Honey Experience – located at the corner of Ford and Church streets - also features a concept shop that sells souvenirs, gifts and lots of delicious honey. It is open daily from 9am to 5.30pm. For more information, call 03 57281432 or go to www.beechworthhoney.com.au

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. The most significant wins for Matso’s were in the Fruit Beer Draught and the Dark Lager Packaged categories. www.matsos.com.au

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, a new specialist wine list that showcases some of the State’s most attractive wines. The new selection is available at the Mercure Perth, and will be introduced later in the year at the Mercure in Broome, following its major upgrade, refurbishment and extension. www.mercure.com.au

TRAIL OF GOURMET DISCOVERY

Discover the hidden wine and gourmet treasures of Western Australia’s wine regions at ‘The Trail’, a new website which showcases the best of WA’s food and wine trails. Choose from several itinerary options including pinot noir and truffles in a Pemberton forest; fresh crabs and chardonnay by the water in Peel; oysters and reisling at historic Albany; succulent lamb and shiraz in the old Swan Valley; or aged venison and vintage cabernet in Margaret River. www.thetrail.com.au

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. The festive fun begins at the opening street party with a wine barrel cart race down the main street of Margaret River. Saturday is serious wine and food sampling at the Vintage Festival in Cowaramup or mini festivals in Augusta, Margaret River and Dunsborough, www.margaretriverfestival.com

GO BANANAS!

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. “Bananas have three great attributes to offer anyone involved in sport,” says Sports Dietitian Glenn Cardwell, author of the sports nutrition manual Gold Medal Nutrition. “Bananas are easy to eat, they taste great, and they generate muscle energy to sustain the athlete during events. Bananas provide sugars in an easy-to-peel package. Once digested, the sugars become glucose in the blood. Glucose is the very same sugar that muscles use for energy, and the reason why the banana is a favourite of both elite and recreational athletes around the world.” The best banana for any active person is a ripe fruit, one that has begun to have brown mottling on the skin. A riper banana has had a lot of its starch broken down to glucose, making it both sweeter and quicker to digest. As the glucose is absorbed from the intestine it goes to the muscles to be burned as fuel during muscle contractions.

More information on Australian bananas from the Australian Banana Growers' Council: www.abgc.org.au/pages/home.asp

FOOD IN THE CITY

April 21 to 27 is when Sydney suburbs Balmain and Rozelle’s plan to shine as they showcase the very best in local, produce, fine dining, drinking and FOOD. One of the oldest areas of Sydney, this picturesque precinct is much more than dazzling views and village lifestyle, Balmain and Rozelle possess some of the finest food Australia has to offer. In the last two years Balmain and Rozelle have added new, innovative and world-class food establishments setting new standards and now they are ready to shake it up with the very first, Balmain Rozelle Food Week taking place from the 21st of April to the 27th. For a full program and breakfast lunch and dinner options, see: www.balmainrozellechamberofcommerce.org.au  

DINING ACROSS THE DITCH

ARFG may be regional, but it's not parochial! Time to mention Savour New Zealand, which began as a bi-annual celebration of the country’s best produce and cooking expertise, has become an annual occasion shifting north to Auckland from its former Christchurch base. The 2008 event will be staged at the Langham Hotel, Auckland and run from 1-4 May. Delegates can literally pick and choose their ultimate food and wine experience by purchasing one, two or three day passes. On offer are masterclass sessions with acclaimed local and international chefs as well as lunches and dinners culminating with cocktails, and exclusive whisky and cognac nights. The Dish Symposium entitled ‘Teach our Children Well’ will draw interesting debate around getting our children ‘food smart’ by encouraging the younger generation to grow food and preparing delicious meals. The symposium will involve food industry members including producers and chefs as well as government agencies. For information on Savour New Zealand 2008 visit www.savournewzealand.co.nz

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS SHOWS THE WAY

IT"S NOT ALL ABOUT THE COUNTRY

The Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) through its research focuses on ensuring that Sydney’s waters will return to sustainability for commercial and recreational users, and that an education program for students meets these requirements. The marine environment of Sydney Harbour and its estuaries and surrounding coastal waters are remarkably pristine, but there is room for improvement and much has to be done to confront the many changes that lie ahead. On April 30, from 6.30pm-9.30pm, join SIMS, located on the harbour shores of Chowder Bay, Mosman, Sydney’s only marine station for a talk and tour of the Marine Station, followed by a light seafood supper and wine. This evening, for Sydney Slow Food Members and others, is a presentation of the work of SIMS through scientific research, explaining how the marine biologists and scientists work to identify and eradicate imported alien species, restore overfished species and many other studies.   Details: www.sims.org.au or Slow Food NSW, 0410 561 902,  iinfo@slowfoodsydney.com.au  www.slowfoodsydney.com.au

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. The annual event (now in its sixth year) brings together local producers, growers, chefs, restaurateurs, entertainers and food lovers in this village setting with a host of activities and entertainment throughout the day. The Tucker Tent is the main hub of the Food Fest, and there'll be a Celebrity Cook-off,  Raw Talent Cook-off and a Farmer’s Market, showcasing the sub-tropical, the unusual and unique local foods and produce.
Further information, email foodfest@optusnet.com.au or visit www.eumundi.info

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)  relays the lives, trials and tribulations of organic producers to audiences nation-wide. Produced by Rebel Films Australia, it follows the distinct tales of garlic, cheese, egg and raspberry producers.  Last night it was ACO-certified raspberry farmers Brad  Smith and Isabel Canty of Fruit Fetish farm in central Victoria. The show's producers hope that it will give an insight into organic farming would help people understand why a premium price on organic is necessary. Watch Inside Australia on SBS, Wednesday at 8pm or contact Rebel Films Australia on (03) 9388 2788 (www.rebelfilms.com.au) for your DVD copy. 

NEW WINE ACADEMY

 TAFE NSW - Northern Sydney Institute - Ryde College has launched a new website (www.sydneywineacademy.com.au) for a new specialist wine academy, based in Sydney. The Sydney Wine Academy will deliver both local and international wine courses for those in the wine trade and keen amateurs. The Academy incorporates the successful Sommeliers Certificate and Wine Studies Courses currently offered at Ryde College, the new operation will now deliver courses from the internationally recognised, London-based, Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET®). For more information about our wine courses, call: (02) 9448 6369 or visit www.sydneywineacademy.com.au  sydneywineacademy@tafensw.edu.au 

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. As always it will be hot and happening. This year's celebrities include Martin Boetz, Serge Dansereau, Matt Moran, Valli Little, Brent Savage and many more. There will be degustations to savour, food trails to explore, coking classes, a live concert and a Great Aussie Picnic.
Details: www.celebrationofaustralianfoodandwine.com Ticket bookings and information: 07 5455 4455.

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 this year. Gordon Ramsay will be there, along with several other top celebrity chefs appearing in the Diners Club Celebrity Theatre to present their best recipes. The Regional Producer's Market will showcase the very best of producers from around Australia, and there will be a wealth of other attractions: coffee-making demonstrations, master-classes and displays. In fact everything you need to unleash your IF.
www.goodfoodshow.com.au

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.  In its second year the Fair is a guaranteed feast for the senses with premium wines from twelve Hunter Valley Wineries as well as Hunter and Warners Bay produce available for tasting and sale.  There's free entry and the opportunity to relax on the lawn areas, picnic with foods prepared and served  by the restaurants of the Hunter and Warners Bay or meet and talk to the Hunter’s winemakers There will also be live music, carnival rides and jet boat rides as additional entertainment for the whole family.
More information:  www.uncorked.hvva.com.au or call 02 4991 4533.

A SHARED TABLE 

Tori and David, hosts at 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 celebrating the season.  In Autumn it's olives, verjuice, wines, quinces, pears, grapes, apples, beans, walnuts, leeks, almonds, figs and mushrooms. It's also the season for ducks, hares and rabbits.  Every Shared Table features local wines, and when available the winemakers and food producers will join the group. Bookings essential. Autumn Menu at www.producers.net.au

LEARN CHEESE-MAKING

Just time to plan on learning to make your own cheese. Saturday 26 April, from noon- 3pm, learn from a hosted tasting of soft, hard, blue, cow and goat cheeses with Grace, and find out how to select cheese and which wines match.  Share a Cheese Board lunch as part of a relaxing, intimate afternoon. Bookings Essential - only 10 places. Bookings: tori@producers.net.au, phone 08 8323 0060 or mobile 0434 008 046

CONGRATULATIONS TO PRONTO FINE FOOD MERCHANTS! 

Gourmet Delicatessen and Food Store Pronto Fine Food Merchants of Norfolk Plaza Warrnambool, Victoria, has won the Retail Division of the Powercor Great South Coast Regional Business Awards topping business in all the region's six shires.   Pronto owners Ted and Sally de Kok, also winners of the  2008 WIN Television Retail Award, are passionate about food, cooking and eating and with Pronto Fine Food Merchants they have created a gourmet delicatessen and food store where people love to shop. 

“We are delighted and very proud to win the Retail division of the regional business awards." says Ted.  Pronto stock the most extensive range of gourmet food in the South West region of Victoria and provide the largest and most comprehensive range of quality smallgoods, local and imported cheese available, all freshly cut to customers individual specifications.  Plus they also feature many locally produced items such as Shaw River Buffalo Cheese, Apostle Whey Cheese and the Timboon Organic range. For further information email prontofinefood@bigpond.com

COOL DELIGHTS

Two new ‘cool’ delights are on offer this year for the NSW Southern Highlands' third annual Cool Flavours from June 7-9. They are a ‘Taste of Italy’ at Southern Highland Wines Cellar Door & Cafe with traditional Italian dishes using local produce, entertainment Italian style and tastings of several varieties of award-winning wines from three local wineries and the first ever Li-Sun Mushroom Guided Tour of the disused 600 metre railway tunnel at Mittagong where exotic mushrooms grow in profusion.
The Festival brings together a range of Southern Highland based ‘foodie’ activities for the three day Queens Birthday holiday weekend in early June to celebrate the emergence of the region as NSW’s latest food and wine destination. Other activities include a special menu from Grand Hotel Bar & Brasserie, Bowral. exhibition by artist Greg Hyde at Milk Factory Gallery & Café, Bowral, The ‘Produce Dinner’ at Centennial Vineyards Restaurant, ‘A Taste of Provence in the Highlands’ and ‘Boules on the Green’ at Mount Ashby Winery & Cellar Door’, and Cheese Making Workshops at award-winning Small Cow Farm, Robertson. A full list of activities – with an indexed map showing locations - is listed in the Cool Flavours 2008 brochure available now from local Visitor Information Centres and Southern Highlands Food & Wine Inc. or it can be downloaded from www.southernhighlands.net.au or www.southern-highlands.com.au

FOOD PARTNERS WINE IN GRANITE BELT

Culinary tourism is the latest initiative to be dished up by Granite Belt Wine & Tourism Inc. (GBWT) as part of its push to tap into Australians’ continuing fascination with food. The group's mission is to develop a sustainable tourism industry on the Granite Belt.  As food and wine are the perfect partners, the creation of a food steering committee is a natural development. To learn more about Queensland’s premier wine region and follow its progress, visit www.granitebeltwinecountry.com.au or phone 1800 SO COOL

PORT DOUGLAS ALIVE AND BUSY

News from the north shows many things planned for this year in food and wine. First up the Lotsa Printing Longest Lunch, this year on Friday May 30, is an integral part of Reef & Rainforest Carnivale’s gourmet calendar and usually sells out weeks in advance. The following evening Quicksilver's Food, Wine & a Taste of Port promises to be an evening of fine wining and dining. More details: phone 07 4053 9112 or visit the website www.foodandwinenq.com.au

COFFEE ROCKS!

If you appreciate good coffee, fine teas, luscious chocolate, fresh spices or have an insatiable sweet tooth, experience a little piece of heaven at The Rocks Aroma Festival on Sunday 6 July between 10am and 5pm. Featuring a range of coffee roasters from boutique to well-established brands, this annual festival will allow visitors the opportunity to compare the different roasts as they wander through Sydney’s heritage quarter, The Rocks. Tea lovers are not forgotten either. They can also enjoy a wide selection of fine brews at the Teas of the World stalls and chocoholics will satisfy their cravings at the Chocolatiers Boulevard. The festival, presented by Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, will be complimented by all-day live music to warm up a winter day. More information: www.therocks.com

COMING UP

It may be months away, but it will come quickly enough. If you are in Queensland in August try to make it to the South Burnett region for the Kingaroy Peanut Festival on August 2 and join in the annual celebration of the lifestyles and livelihoods of rural Queensland as Kingaroy showcases the strength and capacity of the region’s peanut industry. Details: peanutfest@southburnett.biz Phone: 07 4162 8466 or email: peanutfest@southburnett.biz

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. That evening a  special pinot dinner at Stillwater Restaurant will present  a special tasting menu matched  with Tasmanian pinots. The menu will include acclaimed Tasmanian produce like  Petuna salmon, Bothwell Wagyu  beef, ocean run scallops,  Gunns Plains capretto and Lenah  wallaby all marked with Chef Don Cameron's special  touch.   Bookings: 03 6331 4153 or email info@stillwater.net.au
Details on the showcase: www.pinotshop.com  or 03 6331 3977

 HAVE YOUR SAY 

Ever wanted to make your opinion known? Now is your opportunity. The Food Media Club Australia’s 2008 Australian Food Media Award categories have been announced and there are 23 categories for 2008.  For the first time, the public is invited to contribute to recognising the best food communicator in the land with a new LifeStyle Food Channel People’s Choice Award. Nominations for all categories, listed at www.foodmediaclub.com.au   close on 1 July 2008, with the exception of the Lifestyle FOOD Channel People’s Choice Award, which closes off on 31 July 2008. Winners for all categories will be announced on 27 September at a black tie gala Award ceremony in the Parkside Ballroom, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. The public is also able for the first time, to buy tickets to the glittering star-plus bi-Annual Awards event – to support, mingle and meet favourite ‘foodie’ nominees. Anoint the person who most deserves your vote within the Lifestyle FOOD Channel Peoples Choice Award category nominations by simply going to the Club website www.foodmediaclub.com.au

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 as executive chef in a prestige restaurant in Belgium before coming to Australia and winning numerous additional awards here. These classes which will run from 2pm to 7pm Monday to Thursday, are ideal for serious cooks. “I want my students to learn the skills that will allow them to create wonderful food for their families and friends. Anyone can learn to cook, the most essential ingredient is a passion for perfection,” says Meyjitte, chef-owner of Absynthe, Australia’s Regional Restaurant of the Year.  For more information about Absynthe Master Classes phone 07 5504 6466 or email meyjitte@absynthe.com.au

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 for one of the biggest food and wine festivals in Australia, the 2008 Settler's Cove Celebration of Australian Food and Wine festival. Award-winning chefs will team up with local restaurateurs, iconic winemakers and serious food writers will treat the public to three celebratory days of culinary creativity and digestive indulgence. Wine tasting, food trails, degustations, cooking classes and live entertainment are all on the program.

More information: +61 7 5455 4455, www.celebrationofaustralianfoodandwine.com

THE ULTIMATE PUB CRAWL

Discover 30 of the quirkiest and most historic pubs in Queensland, from the iconic Birdsville Hotel to the "Pub without a town" in Toompine in the Great Outback Queensland Pubs guide. Reprinted due to overwhelming response, the guide shows Outback pubs as a meeting place for the locals and a classic accommodation option for travellers so you'll always know where to go for a cold beer, hearty meal and great Outback hospitality.

More information: call 1800 247 966 or visit www.outbackholidays.info

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 Saturday June 14, attracts entries from most of Australia's specialty cheese producers. The next day many of the award-winning cheeses can be tasted at Brisbane's Big Cheese Bite at Norm Buchan Park, Rosalie, adjoining Government House. Cheese producers will showcase the largest range of Australian-made cheeses ever seen in one location. There will be free tastings of award-winning cheeses and a wide range of produce, fabulous food and gourmet goods for sale. Brisbane Cheese Awards (Saturday June 14 at Royal on the Park, Alice Street, in the Brisbane CBD) and Brisbane’s Big Cheese Bite (June 15 at Norm Buchan Park on the border of Rainworth and Paddington).

More details: 
www.brisbanesbigcheesebite.com.au  www.brisbanecheeseawards.com.au

SOUTH BURNET CULINARY COMPETITION

Brisbane chef Graham Waddell, one of a team of chefs at leading Brisbane restaurant Baguette, took out the prize for Overall Best Dish at the 2008 PCA South Burnett Regional Culinary Competition. His Szechuan Pork Fillet with Crayfish Nam Jim and Peanut Crumble was teamed with a 2007 Barambah Verdelho and featured local produce including Hi Oleic peanuts, Barkers Creek Pork fillets and Redclaw from Linville. Pictured: Graham Waddell

More information: pca.com.au/cookoff

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 for the first South Bank Growers Market. The event is a fresh initiative of the South Bank Lifestyle Markets calendar and will feature live entertainment alongside 40 stalls of produce, wine and products from the region, south west of Brisbane.

"The Granite Belt region has an abundance of first class growers, producers, restaurants and wineries. This market will allow foodies in Brisbane to tempt their taste buds with some of the best produce in Queensland," said Ross Alexander of South Bank Lifestyle Markets.

More information: +61 7 3252 5735

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' (21-23 June 2008) one of Australia’ best food and wine experiences. It’s a three day festival which celebrates premier Tasmanian produce in degustation dinners, cooking demonstrations, a fresh produce market, and wine tastings. Factor in World Heritage wilderness walks and spa treatments at the luxurious Waldheim Alpine Spa and it's obvious that Tastings at the Top encompasses the very best of Tasmania. Hosted by ‘The Wine Man’ Peter Bourne and Helen Waterworth a cheese consultant it's a chance to get up close and personal with Tasmanian produce and meet providores, boutique winemakers, brewers, cheese makers, confectioners, whisky distillers and specialist growers from various regions in Tasmania. For bookings: Cradle Mountain Lodge (03) 6492 2100 or reception@cradle.voyages.com.au