Hi there,

With the days getting shorter, somehow it seems that time is accelerating.

Was this a short month for you? It certainly was for us.

This month we have so much to share that this letter will be short too. The site is busy and we are adding many new listings – all with their link to the maps that we told you about last time. It is exciting to click on any listing and find that there are so many other interesting producers, cafes and stores in the vicinity.

To help you see what we mean, the quiz question is linked to the maps as well. Do have a try as it is a VERY good prize.

In this newsletter, we also tell you how to find products on the site, we share some nutty notes, and much more.

PLEASE get involved and help us out if you can. We’d love it if you could let us know about your favourite café, cooking school, food trail ……just anything that will make this site even more valuable.

DID YOU KNOW the blog has a place for comments where you can talk about anything to do with regional food, not just the blog topic. Please make use of it.

Enough! Time to check out all the interesting things for you this month…..

Cheers,

WHICH NUT? A TRIVIA QUIZ TO SEND YOU NUTS

(facts gathered from a press release urging us all to try 10 different types of tree nuts in 2010)

So, which nuts….

1. . . have a variety that contains a deadly poison?
2. . . were once collected by a Spanish colonial official for his hungry troops
3. . . two nuts are native to Brazil?
4. . . are good for people with diabetes?
5. . . were called one of the ‘five sacred nourishments’?
6. . . were adopted and promoted by another country?
7. . . have almost five times the antioxidant potential of raw broccoli?
8. . . were believed to be an aphrodisiac by the ancient Greeks and Romans?
9. . . are related to the almond, peach and nectarine family?
10. . . contain natural melatonin which helps induce and regulate sleep?

VALE SIBYLLA HESS-BUSCHMANN

The Australian indigenous food industry has recently lost a unique and gifted pioneer. She was a reader of this newsletter and we know this because she correctly answered the quiz question in February, 2009.

As part of our correspondence with her at the time she stated: ‘With all the three F's – Fire, Flood and Famine (Drought) – we ought to have a closer look at the foods that have survived the three F's in ten thousands of years with exceptional nutritional profiles, sustenance and survival. Our and the rest of the world’s palate have not embraced native Australian foods enough other than survival foods with mediocre tastes, however with Fusion Cuisine and innovations, native Australian herbs and fruits are adding a new frontier to an all Australian cuisine experience.’

Vic Cherikoff, another tireless proponent of indigenous foods, posted a tribute on his blog shortly after her passing on May 28th, 2010.

Her contribution will be long remembered with gratitude.

TUTORIAL - LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS SITE

Every week we are quietly adding more content to this site. Here is a tutorial on how to search for produce: throughout the whole country as well as by state and region. If you are connected to a broad band service you can opt to view the short video tutorial below.

As we are talking about nuts this month, here’s what happens when I search for "pistachios"  Australia-wide from the Home page:

1. Locate the Search window on the top of the RH column.

2. Select the "Search our directory" phase to search the listings and enter the word "pistachio". Click the "Search" button.

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3. The search results will appear with columns displaying business that grow, sell or showcase pistachios. Premier Listings are displayed in red. Clicking on the business name will link through to additional information of that business.

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4. If you know the state and region you are looking for, go to that area. Select state from the menu bar above the pictures on the Home Page. Once there, put in your Keyword, pistachio (or whatever else you are looking for) in the left-hand box of the Search bar, hit Search on the right hand side of the search bar and you’ll get:

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Click on the producer's name and you and contact details and links to a map will be displayed.

PLAUDITS FOR A PAIR

Two amazing people, brother and sister Raymond and Jennice Kersh, were each presented with an AM in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Awards. The Kershes were rewarded for decades of tireless and largely unsung effort in bringing native Australian food to the notice (and enjoyment) of Australian diners.

Raymond Kersh is a chef with a palate that is able to integrate indigenous flavours – many of which have no true equal in mainstream European foods – with more familiar foods and dishes. He has the skills to do this in such a way, and at such a level, that for many years the pair operated restaurants in Sydney’s city centre which attracted hundreds of business diners and international visitors.

The effect Raymond’s food, and Jennice’s welcoming attention as the front of house part of this double act, will never be fully appreciated. Their selfless desire and tireless labour to raise the status of both indigenous food and appreciation of the aboriginal people of this country makes them the ideal recipients for such an accolade.

CONGRATULATIONS RAYMOND AND JENNICE!

LAST MONTH'S QUIZ

The first correct answer came from Janice Hart at Wilberforce, NSW, who told us that cooking classes at The Spirit House on the Sunshine Coast are from Tuesday to Sunday, with a Friday night class operating from October to April.

To book the night class  you should phone 07 5446 8977. All other class bookings on-line. For this quick response Janice won a copy of the latest book from The Spirit House, Spirit House – Essentially Thai, valued at $45.

THIS MONTH’S PRIZE IS

THIS MONTH the prize is only open to Australian residents over 18 years of age, who have not won a prize at all from this newsletter so far.

This very generous prize comes from Mornington Peninsula, and here is what Visit Mornington Peninsula tell us:

Mornington Peninsula’s “Winter Indulgence” sees leading wineries, spas, restaurants, gardens and accommodation offer exclusive experiences only available in winter. Food and wine lovers can treat themselves to a host of special events that are part of the program, where the region’s gourmet produce and acclaimed pinot noir and chardonnay are stars of the show.

• Make a diary note and booking for an indulgent six course lunch at Heronswood’s Fork to Fork cafe on 16 July. Chef James Palmer has designed a menu showcasing local produce foraged from fields, paddocks and vineyard of the Mornington Peninsula.
• Meanwhile, Montalto Olive Grove & Vineyard celebrate their annual olive harvest with “Abundance at Montalto” on the 17th and 18th of July. The weekend festival will offer a range of free activities at the vineyard including market stalls with new season olive oils, estate cured and marinated olives, cooking demonstrations and plenty of activities for the kids.
• To get you in the mood for some Winter indulgence, we have a case of mixed wines from one of the Mornington Peninsula’s acclaimed wineries - Moorooduc Estate  - valued at $280  - to giveaway. More details on the Winter Indulgence program at www.visitmorningtonpeninsula.org

TO WIN THIS generous prize, you must be the first person who can correctly This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it how many other regional producers and businesses are listed along with Montalto on the marker for their town on the Google map accessed from the Montalto listing on the Australian Regional Food Guide website.

AND how many are listed with Moorooduc, AND how many with Fork to Fork? You must answer all three parts of the question to be eligible to win the prize.

It’s not really all that hard, and it is an exceptionally good prize!

Be the first to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it now.

BRIGHT IDEAS

GO FOR A (FARM) WALK

We all know about Food Trails and they are a wonderful way to see an area and get a feel for what makes it unique. BUT not every visitor has the time to do this, and not every producer can be available every weekend to greet people who just may drop in.

Those clever, clever folk at Mudgee have come up with an alternative. They have designated that the third Sunday of each month, from 9am-noon, be set aside for Farm Walks. A roster of local producers are involved and so each month there are three fascinating places for visitors to choose between (or they can visit all if they wish) and each producer only needs to be involved a few months each year. It also means producers can nominate the months when they have the best selection of their produce available.

The produce includes olive oil, free range pork, chemically free vegetables, and a working sheep and goat dairy producing handmade cheeses.

More details: www.mudgeefinefoods.com.au

You could be forgiven for thinking that landscape photography should be a breeze. We are surrounded by land and often captivated by beautiful scenery. It should just be a matter of pointing the camera and clicking to capture that stunning picture. Think again. Just because we readily see the beauty of our surrounds doesn’t mean that it will be easy to replicate it on a  photograph. This edition of Focal Point gives  few pointers on photographing vistas.

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