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Campion & Curtis Food and Wine Newsletter - June 2005
Welcome to the June 2005 edition of the Campion and Curtis newsletter. A winter chill is finally beginning to be noticed across the SE states of Australia with cool nights
and crisp mornings now the norm. All we need is a few storms from the south and we'll be set. We've been getting out and about in regional Victoria in recent weeks and
have come across a few foodie gems which are included here. Also lots of festival events, including A Taste of Slow to be held in August-September, cooking classes and a few of our 'new' favourite wines.
Click here to visit the Campion and Curtis website
Winter produce
We've been making a real effort to buy and cook the great ingredients in the markets. This has included root vegetables such as turnips. parsnips and swedes as well as
cabbage and potatoes. The root vegetables were simply peeled, cut into a chunky dice, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper then roasted for an hour or so.
We served them alongside a beef and shiraz pie, which is a heavenly Friday night dinner at this time of year. Swedes and turnips have also been boiled and
mashed with plenty of butter as a beautiful side dish. Mandarins have become a staple in the children's lunchboxes. Also loving pears and apples over the past few weeks.
Chestnuts are still going strong and have appeared in a great pasta dish with smoked chicken and lots of chopped flat leaf parsley. Walnuts seems to be of top quality so far too and appeared
as part of the topping on a very good apple crumble last week. Ensure all of these ingredients are in your shopping basket this week and enjoy them while you can.
A Taste of Slow
Funding for A Taste of Slow has been agreed to by the Victorian government and will run in partnership with Slow Food Victoria and the
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Discussions on this event have been on-going for some years and in ernest since the Slow Food Murray Darling National Congress
held in Mildura in 2003. Details at this point are just beginning to emerge, however highlights of the event will include:
* Celebrating traditional foods through 'slow tables' or communal meals around the State.
* Chef Stefano de Pieri will host a 'slow table' on the Murray River
* Slow Food hands-on cooking activities with leading chefs for adults and children
* Food Forums and Sustainability Debates
* Regional events celebrating the best local produce that has been grown using sustainable and ethical processes, and the diverse food cultures in Victoria
* Slow Market Place where the producers and growers will come together to share their quality produce.
Our congratulation to all involved as this will be a seriously good event for food wine and food lovers, plus an opportunity to promote the philosophy of Slow Food to the wider community.
The festival is planned to run from August 28 to September 11 2005
around the city and state, with many events to be held in the historic Abbotsford Convent precinct. More news will be included as it comes to hand.
Food and wine events
The Mornington Peninsula is again hosting the Winter Wine Weekend on the Queens Birthday, June 11-13th. Most of the celebrations occur at the Red Hill recreation
reserve with over 150 wines on tasting from a gamut of peninsula winemakers. Varietal wine seminars are also on offer exploring chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot grigio
and shiraz. Through the weekend 45 wineries will host special tastings, tours, dinners and wine lovers events. More info on the MPVA website.
Risotto Con Rossi is another great food and wine event on the Queen's Birthday weekend. Held at the Chrismont winery in The King Valley, Victoria the event focuses on
risotto and the estate wines. Food, wine and music for all to enjoy on 11th and 12th June, 11am - 5pm. Bookings on 03 5729 8220.
Avalon Wines have the hot/spicy & shiraz event running on the Queens Birthday weekend. Plenty of food on offer to keep the winter chill at bay, plus the release of the 2004 shiraz and tempranillo.
Between Moyhu and Cheshunt, in the King Valley. 11am - 50m, 11th and 12th June 03 5729 3629.
Kyneton Olive Oil are celebrating the release of the 2005 harvest with an open weekend from Sat 11th to Monday 14th June. Chef Jake Ward will be on hand with
cooking demonstrations every hour from 11am - 3pm daily, visitors can also sample the latest oils and olives. 2090 Kyneton Heathcote Road, Barfold via Kyneton.
Tel 0419 191 192.
National Sparkling Red Day is one event we're pretty keen on, having been known to pop the cork on the occasional bottle of this iconic Australian fizz.
Tuesday 21st June is the date for the next day of celebration with the main festivities centering on Jimmy Watson's in Melbourne. Bookings for that event can be made on 03 9347 0419.
Even if you don't live in Melbourne you can easily insert a few bottles in the fridge now in preparation for your own celebrations. Invite a few food and wine
lovers around, and ensure the menu has a duck dish or two. Cheers!
Prahran Market have established a series of cooking demonstrations with well known chef Gabriel Gate. Held once a month Gabriel cooks with the produce of the season
in the market square from 12.30 - 2pm. Recipes are provided and the sessions are free. The next session is on Friday 10th June. Prahran Market is at 163 Commercial Road,
South Yarra.
Cooks Books
Joanna Savill and Maeve O'Meara have been bringing the best eating and shopping spots to the food loving public of Sydney for over a dozen years now. Now they've released
the 10th anniversary edition of the SBS Eating Guide to Sydney. It searches out the very best meals from pizza and pastizzi, from French fine-dining and Czech beer
halls to Japanese sake places, Korean barbecue places and where to get the best dim sum and Peking duck.
Published by Allen & Unwin $26.95.
Eating out
Chef Michael Lambie made the switch from Circa to Taxi effortlessly it seems and along the way his cooking got better than ever.
The dining room is very much in the modern end of architecture and design, with fantastic lighting and massive windows allowing diners to gaze along the river and over
the city. The kitchen offers a mix of Lambies excellent Mod Oz cooking combined with a menu of Japanese inspired dishes. The vegetarian tasting plate was particularly
good as was the duck sushi. If you're dining with junior foodies, as we were, nudge them in the direction of the Japanese-crumbed organic chicken, they'll love it.
Our only criticism was some of the Japanese dishes were a touch sweet, but otherwise we loved the food, wine and service.
A serious contender for restaurant of the year perhaps? We'll wait and see. Taxi Dining Room, Federation Square City 03) 9654 8808
Port Pier Café is one of regional Victoria's culinary gems. It's a simple red brick building on the Portarlington foreshore with views
across the bay to the Melbourne skyline. Surprisingly the menu offers a far from simple selection of Spanish food from grilled chorizo, Catalan bread with jamon, potato tortilla,
and chicken croquettes for starters, through to paella and the best fried potatoes we've tasted in years. Great Spanish beer (Mahou and Estrella) and wine too. Not to be missed in our opinion.
Portarlington Foreshore Portarlington 03 5259 1080 Melway 239 F2
Last month we made mention of the chef George Biron making a once a month visit to Melbourne to cook a regional lunch at Circa. Well we were part of a packed dining
room last Sunday and were reminded of what a fantastic cook he is. The meal began with a fish soup, then moved onto a sampler of starters - artichokes with olives, capers and grapefruit, Cardoso jamon with persimmon and pear, plus a
vitello tonnato, to name just a few. Main course choices included Birregurra lamb with broad beans and egg & lemon sauce, daube of Birregurra beef with marrow as well as
veal liver Venetian style. Yes, there was still room for desserts including Mr. Bras chocolate pudding with milk sorbet and a rhubarb fool with cape gooseberries & lemon verbena ice-cream.
All this for a set price of $55.00. Incredible value for money for food and service of this quality, and a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Bookings on 03 9536 1122, Circa 2 Acland Street, St Kilda. If you need any more encouragement read a recent menu here.
New products
A couple of young chefs we've known for some time have come up with an innovative new foodie product that's going down as treat with local chefs. Jim Walsh and Glenn
Flood have devised a method of incorporating different herbs, spies and flavours into pastry. They call themselves Fusion Pastry and make puff pastry in the traditional
French manner, but along the way incorporate ingredients such as saffron, Provincial herbs, black sesame and smoked paprika into it. Sweetcrust and shortbread is also available
with a range of flavours like roasted cinnamon, passionfruit, Dutch cocoa, gingerbread and orange blossom, to name just a few. Having tried the Provincial herb on our aforementioned
beef and shiraz pie, we give the product a big thumbs up simply because it tastes just like the real thing. The products are distributed by Passion for Food on 03 9769 5000.
Il Fornaio is an excellent bakery in St Kilda that's been serving up wonderful breads, cakes, tarts, coffee and cafe meals to hungry locals for some years now.
A recent makeover has brightened the space up somewhat, although it still has that classic concrete and metal industrial feel to the place. A recent visit snared a few family favourites.
The lemon tart was a lemony as ever and the jam doughnuts a real treat. On the bread side we picked up a loaf of their pan de nero. A mix of white and wholemeal flour means this is no lightweight, and it
has a great depth of flavour. We're been loving it toasted and served with honey for breakfast or toasted and served under poached eggs. A great winter loaf in our book.
2 Acland Street, St Kilda 03 9534 2922.
Recent Drinks
Have to admit we've been getting onto the shiraz viognier bandwagon in recent months. We're loving the aromatic freshness the viognier brings to the red, and also feel
it makes a great food friendly drink. A few recent favourites include Innocent Bystander shiraz viognier which is vibrant purple in the glass, with a decent whack of
tannin to balance the full-on fruit flavours. Also loving the Mr. Riggs shiraz viognier. Again a big, food friendly wine we loved to the last drop.
Cooking classes and food tours
Tony Tan cooking school. Tony Tan offers cool Nonya, a spice box workshop and the ever popular Tony's choice this month.
Convivial Times If you are keen for a bit of European sunshine join the food tour to Northern Spain
Essential Ingredient. Frank Camorra is in with tapas from MoVida, Loretta Sartoi follows soon after with sweet Italian baking from biscotti to cannoli.
Also of interest is a class from Sydney chef Matt Moran from Aria restaurant. It's quite rare for Melbournians to get an opportunity to see one of Sydney's top chefs in a class like this,
so don't miss it.
Queen Victoria Market Cooking School It's seafood month here and to celebrate all classes feature market fresh fish -
From Shellfish to Fishcakes on Tuesday 14th June with Stephane Le Grand and Seafood With Indian Tastes on Saturday 18th June with Keshav Kadel from Niranker restaurant.
Cooking Co-ordinates, Canberra Pasta and tomatoes free demo and a knife skills/sharpening masterclass are both on in up-coming weeks.
Simon Johnson Talk+Eat+Drink
Peter Kuruvita presents a selection of dishes from his Flying Fish restaurant.
Gourmet Safaris
A winter fondue banquet is on the cards here with raclette, pork and all the trimmings.
Sydney's Seafood School Hands on dinner class with Justin North, followed by classes in Thai cooking and making a bouillabaisse.
They have also announced details of a residential cooking school to be hosted by Peter Evans, from Hugo’s to be held at the luxurious Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island.
The all inclusive package includes daily cooking sessions with Peter, as well as the option of a couple of fishing expeditions. Full details on the website.
Slow Food Gippsland have teamed up with wood fire oven builders John & Anna Rando, plus the team at
Cannibal Creek wines to present a
wood fired oven building day. The session kicks off at 10am on Saturday 18th June, at Cannibal Creek Vineyard, 260 Tynong North Rd, Tynong North.
Further information on 03 5942 7758 and via sophieoneil@optusnet.com.au
Click here to visit the Campion and Curtis website and find out about up-coming cooking classes and food tours.
If you have a fantastic event coming up let us know via email - wfood@vicnet.net.au
Cheers until next month, Allan and Michele
June recipes
We've been thinking roasts this week as we consider weekend meals, so here are a few of our favourites that are sure to be on the shortlist. Enjoy.
Roast rib of beef with potato gratin
Classic dinner party stuff and minimal work once it's in the oven. You might like to serve it with some steamed vegetables or a simple green salad.
6-8 waxy potatoes, such as desiree or bintje
Butter
185 ml (3/4 cup) cream
185 ml (3/4 cup) milk
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg
Oil for cooking
2 x 3 ribs of beef (1 per person)
250 ml (1 cup) red wine
250 ml (1 cup) beef stock
Freshly chopped parsley
Peel potatoes and place in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to the boil.
Cook for 5 minutes - you don't want they completely cooked. Drain.
Butter an ovenproof dish, one that you can serve at the table.
Slice potatoes into 5 mm thick slices and arrange in the buttered dish.
Mix cream and milk together and pour over potatoes. Scatter garlic slices over, season with salt and pepper and grate fresh nutmeg over. Cover with foil.
Heat a heavy-based frypan over medium heat. Add a splash of oil and brown ribs all over.
Transfer to a baking tray.
Return frypan to a high heat, add red wine and allow to reduce by half. Add stock and bring to the boil. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Place potatoes and beef in oven. Cook for 40 minutes, check beef, it should be medium-rare.
Once cooked to your preference, remove from oven, cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes.
Remove foil from potatoes and return to the oven. Reheat red wine sauce.
Slice beef, arranging a rib on each plate. Serve straight away with red wine sauce and potatoes.
Serves 6
Wine Match - Cabernet Sauvignon
Pot-roasted chicken
This pot roasted chicken produces something for everyone as you'll end up with crispy breast meat, tender drumsticks and thighs plus amazing flavoured juices.
We often cook it for dinner on a Sunday night.
1 size 16 free-range 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
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Use a large ovenproof saucepan with a lid. Place chicken upside down in the saucepan.
Add remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper.
Cover with lid and cook for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven, turn chicken breast side up, brush with olive oil and return to the oven (without the lid).
Cook for a further 45 minutes.
Cut chicken into portions and either return to the sauce, or arrange on a plate and serve sauce separately.
Serve with garden salad and mashed potatoes.
Serves 4
Wine Match - Rhone Red
Recipes from Food with Friends - recipes and menus for easy entertaining
Published by Hardie Grant Books. RRP $39.95.
Find out more here.