Campion & Curtis Newsletter - July-August 2007
Welcome to the latest Campion and Curtis newsletter. Well we're finally enjoying a serious winter in southern Australia and as food lovers you are all no doubt
whipping up casseroles, pot roasts, warming tajines, pots of soup and baked desserts. If not, there's plenty of inspiration right here with information on the best seasonal
ingredients to be gathering, plus recipes which makes great use of them. Also in this edition news of the latest duck crawl and a couple of just released local olive oils.
Plus festivals dedicated to Australian specialist cheese, chocolate, wine & chilli, and a few great places to consider dining at in Melbourne. So keep warm and enjoy.
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Winter produce
Take a trek to your local produce market, farmers market or local fruit and vegetable retailer and indulge in these beautiful fresh foods.
It has been an excellent season for rhubarb so enjoy it in a myriad or ways. Stewed and served on porridge, in crumbles or in the rhubarb and roasted almond sponge
recipe at the end of this newsletter. Other fruit to enjoy includes apples, pears and mandarins. Root vegetables are always perfect for winter cooking so gather
a selection of turnips, parsnips and swedes and enjoy them roasted or mashed to creamy perfection. Beetroot are great quality this year, as are leeks, fennel,
cabbage and cauliflower. So much to enjoy.
Duck Crawl Convention
Wine commentator Roy Moorfield was inspired by his love of Pinot Noir and duck dishes to create the annual Duck Crawl which became a sell-out event of the Melbourne
Food & Wine Festival. Now a more leisurely approach to this event has been created with the Duck Crawl Convention at Marlyland's Country House in the Yarra Valley.
The weekend begins with a tutored masterclass and is followed by a seven course duck dinner with matched pinot noir. There's even a duck inspired brunch the
following morning for those who haven't had quite enough duck for one weekend. Enquiries to 03 5963 3204 and the Maryland's Country House website.
The Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta
Not exactly a local Australian event but the just reading about the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta is enough to get any foodie booking a flight to the US.
The event is billed as The Wine Event with All Those Great Restaurants, and it begins with guest chef luncheons,
Slow Food preparations promoting regional culinary heritage as well as wine seminars, blind tastings, and discussions on biodynamic, organic and sustainable wineries.
There's also Mark Kiffin, The Compound Restaurant owner/chef and winner of the James Beard Foundation's 'Best Chef in the Southwest 2005' luncheon. A Silent Auction
of the week's best wines, including 45 rare wine lots to benefit the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta's education programs. The Grand Food & Wine Tasting at the
Santa Fe Opera and the amazing sounding Gruet Golf Classic scramble featuring six sparkling Gruet wine and dishes from six different Santa Fe restaurants every third hole.
Now if that doesn't make you feel hungry nothing will. The event will run from September 26 - 30, 2007. Details and enquiries to
The Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta website.
Chocolate Rush Festival
There are some things which come along and you just know the public are going to love it. In this case it's the new Chocolate Rush Festival to be held for the first time in the rural Victorian town of Bendigo
on the weekend of August 4th and 5th. As the name suggests Chcoolate Rush is a festival completely dedicated to chocolate. The program brings together many industry
professionals who are hosting hands on chocolate workshops, masterclasses and masters at work demonstrations. There will also be chocolate walks around Bendigo led by
Suzie Wharton, kid's classes, music on the chocolate stage and much more. If you are coming along join Allan for his World of Chocolate to be held at 11.30 am
and 2.30pm on Sunday 5th. Festival details and bookings can be found on the Chocolate Rush website
or by calling the Chocolate Hotline on 1800 223 422.
Slow Food Kids
Continuing with its aims of preserving food traditions, taste education
and encouraging conviviality, Slow Food Melbourne is running quarterly workshops for the next generation. Called Slow Food Kids, the workshops are a safe, fun and tasty opportunity to explore food issues that children from ages 6-12 may be starting to become aware of. Slow Food Kids events include The Mushroom Hunt, Strawberry
Jam JAM, Yabby Summer Sundays, and Look Mum, Yum Cha! Bookings and inquiries by email to melbourne@slowfood.com.au
Melbourne Specialist Cheese Show
If you partial to enjoying some good cheese every now and then, this is a diary date you won't want to miss. The eleventh annual Melbourne Specialist Cheese Show
will have 300 ripe, velvety, oozing bries and camemberts, creamy blues and aged cheddars on offer. Cheeses will include varieties produced from cow, sheep, buffalo and
goat milk, coming from regions across the country and includes producers from King Island, Milawa, Jindi, Shaw River and Woodside dairies. Your entry fee will include
cheese tastings plus five wine or beer tastings from Mt Langi Ghiran Wines and Gippsland's Grand Ridge Brewery. To be held on Sunday 12th August, 11am - 4pm at the
Palladium Room, Crown Towers Hotel, Crown Entertainment Complex Tickets are $35.00. For more information and bookings visit www.australiancheese.org
Wildflour Bakery
Wildflour Bakery was mentioned in the last edition of the C&C newsletter because they were under threat of having to find a new location.
Well good news - they have established a place to do the bread baking off-site and to keep the Fitzroy site running as a beautiful bakery and cafe. So get over there and support this
great addition to the vibrant Melbourne bakery scene. Don't miss the amazing rhubarb donuts if they are on offer too. 422 George Street, Fitzroy Tel 9419 1391.
Cobram Estate Olive Oil
Olive oil producers and afficianidos are always telling consumers that one of the key things to look for when buying olive oil is freshness. This is fair enough,
but the difficulty has been that very few producers are labeling their oils with the year of production. The only real way to get oils with this key component
was direct from a producer you trust at the grove or farmers' Market. Or through a specialist olive oil retailer. Well there is good news on this topic with the new
Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oils. At a recent tasting and launch Cobram Estate announced their latest release oils will be listed with a year of production and the
olive oil variety from which it was produced. Currently in store is the beautifully sweet and gently Arbequina 2007 EVOO and the fresh and zesty Picual 2007 EVOO. Both
are available at specialist food stores such as The Essential Ingredient. Hopefully this will be the beginning of an industry trend of labeling in this way. Let's hope so anyway.
Melbourne Dining
The Press Club
George Calombaris has drawn on his Greek food heritage to create a contemporary dining room in the old Herald & Weekly Times building.
The Kerasma sharing menus are probably our pick here as they provide a delicious range of amazing dishes to taste and enjoy.
Beautiful things such as sun-dried tomatoes and chilli bread with Cretan olive oil and Greek black salt, Crispy scallop loukoumades with taramasalata, Attiki and
lemon dressing plus the spit-roasted baby lamb from the rotisserie with white bean skordalia, lemon potatoes and marouli salad. Dessert is fantastic too with
a cocktail glass of creamy pannacotta and champagne-soaked strawberries, warm chocolate tart with pistachio ice-cream, beautiful baklava, Greek coffee ice-cream and
Ouzo soaked creme caramel. Without a doubt one of the best Melbourne dining rooms and it's great to see Greek food with such a quality, modern approach and setting.
And dare we say it a hot contender for The Age Good Food Guide Best New Restaurant award? We'll just have to wait
and see on that one. A great addition to the Melbourne dining scene. 72 Flinders Street, City; 9677 9677. The Press Club website.
Libertine
Those in any doubt about French dining making a comeback in Melbourne should book into Libertine in North Melbourne. It is owned and run by Nick Creswick and Zoe
Ladyman, a young couple dedicated to great food, top wines and presonal service. They have also created a space which is intimate, cosy and feels like a French dining room.
Fantastic fare on the current menu includes duck & rabbit terrine with pear & walnut pickle to kick off proceedings and hearty main courses such as quail Rossini with
jerusalem artichoke galette and sauce bigarade or stuffed Kurobuta pork chop, cassoulet beans & confit apple. The wine list is a winner too with a delicious
selection of Australian, New Zealand and European wines. Over winter Libertine also has a special 'pot au feu' degustation menu. Well worth a try!
500 Victoria Street, North Melbourne 03 9329 5228. Libertine website.
Journal Canteen
Rosa Mitchell is a talented Italian cook who has worked at places such as Gertrude Street Enoteca and is heavily involved in the Melbourne chapter of Slow Food.
She and her husband Colin also operate Yandoit Hills Winery. Rosa is now heading up the new Journal Canteen in the CAE building in the Melbourne CBD. This is great
news for food lovers as she is concentrating on Sicilian cooking and producing it at very affordable prices. A daily display of antipasto is backed up with dishes
like tagliatelle with peas and artichokes. Her famous ricotta fritters also not to be missed either. The list of Italian wines is excellent too.
A place to try for excellent home cooking, but get in soon as it's sure to be packed out before too long. Midday to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. Journal Canteen,
1st floor, 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.
Foodies' Tours of Melbourne
Dates have been set for public tours up to Christmas 2007.
Bookings are now open for the next Foodies' Bus Tours of Melbourne on Saturday 8th September,
20th October and 17th November 2007
Those keen to get a sneak preview can view photos from
journalist Ed Charles' recent trip on a Foodies Bus Tour of Melbourne here.
There is also a new page dedicated to tours for school students. These have been devised with food technology and hospitability students in mind.
More details here.
Campion & Curtis Cooking classes
All upcoming cooking classes are now posted on the Campion & Curtis website.
This includes Delicious Desserts, The Stylish Dinner Party, BBQ Masterclass and Absolute Beginners.
Classes can also be booked for private and corporate groups.
Full details on the Campion and Curtis home page.
Foodies' Travels - Far North Queensland (cont)
In the May-June edition of the C&C newsletter was details of a trip to Cairns and surrounds over
the Easter holidays. One great place which was not mentioned at the time was Epicurean Gold Gourmet Food Supplies in Cairns. This is the best local deli/food store which acts as a
wholesale business and retail outlet. This is the place to go for cheese in particular with all the current Australian favourites available from Fromage d’Affinois and
Morbier to Stilton Cropwell Bishop and much more besides.
Epicurean Gold Gourmet Food Supplies is at 250 Hartley Street, Cairns. Tel 4035 1251.
July - August recipes
Asian-inspired pumpkin soup
This soup came about when we got totally fed up with regular pumpkin soup. All we've done is add some Thai paste for flavour and coconut milk for creaminess.
Now, it's anything but boring.
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp Thai curry paste
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 tomato, chopped
1 kg pumpkin, peeled and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
400 ml coconut milk
Coriander leaves to garnish
Heat a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat.
Add oil and Thai paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often until fragrant.
Add onion, celery, tomato, pumpkin, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
Add stock to the saucepan, raise the heat and bring to the boil.
Reduce to a simmer, cover saucepan and cook for 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender.
Puree soup and strain into a clean saucepan.
Return soup to the boil, whisk in the coconut milk and adjust seasoning.
Serve with coriander leaves on top.
Serves 6-8.
Beef and prune tagine
The casseroles and stews of the Middle East and North Africa typically include dried fruit,
whose sweetness complements meats, vegetables and spices. This is a classic example of this style of cooking.
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
1 kg diced beef, blade or skirt
750 ml (3 cups) beef stock
250 g pitted prunes
Coriander leaves
Combine the spices, salt, lemon juice and oil to form a smooth paste.
Coat the diced beef with the spice mixture and leave to marinate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Place the marinated beef in an ovenproof casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid.
Add the stock, cover and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
Add the prunes, replace the lid and return to the oven for a further 45 minutes.
Check to see if the beef is nearly cooked. If so, cook for a final 30 minutes with the lid removed to reduce the liquid.
Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve.
Serves 4-6.
Pot-roasted chicken with red wine and mushrooms
This pot-roast produces something for everyone: you'll end up with crispy breast meat, tender drumsticks and thighs,
plus amazingly flavoured juices.
1 size 16 chicken
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
4 mushrooms, sliced
125 ml (1/2 cup) wine
250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock
250 ml (1 cup) tomato sugo
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil for cooking
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Use a large ovenproof saucepan with a lid.
Place the chicken upside down in the saucepan and add the remaining ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the oven and turn the chicken breast side up.
Brush with oil and return the pan to the oven without the lid. Cook for a further 45 minutes.
Cut the chicken into portions and either return it to the sauce or arrange the meat on a plate and serve the sauce separately.
Serve with a green salad and mashed potatoes.
Serves 4.
Rhubarb and roasted almond sponge
2 bunches rhubarb
3 tbsp (50g) brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
60ml (1/4 cup) sweet sherry
80 g (1/2 cup) blanched almonds
4 medium eggs
110 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
100 g (2/3 cup) plain flour
Runny cream
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Trim ends off rhubarb, wash well then cut the stems into 2-3 cm chunks.
Butter a shallow 2 litre baking dish.
Add rhubarb, brown sugar, nutmeg and sherry and toss together gently to combine.
Place into the pre-heated oven.
Cook for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
It needs to cook to a thick puree.
Place the almonds on a baking tray and cook until golden.
Allow to cool then chop roughly.
Scatter the almonds over the rhubarb.
Beat eggs and castor sugar until very thick and doubled in bulk.
Carefully fold in the flour.
Spoon the sponge over the rhubarb and almond mix.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until risen and golden brown.
Serve with runny cream.
Serves 6-8.
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