A recent family birthday brought us to Almazett’s for a Middle Eastern feast. The set menu had us enjoying delicious hommus and eggplant dips with warm pita bread, followed by dolmades, felafel and lamb-filled pastries. Then it was tender lamb and chicken kebabs with pilaf. We ended with an orange blossom scented milk pudding. We think it’s excellent value for money at $35.00 pp. If you go on a Saturday night there’s the bonus of a very talented belly dancer! Almazett, 210 Balaclava Rd, Nth Caulfield 03) 9509 8959

 

We’ve also had some excellent pizza recently at Pizza Espresso, it also rated a mention by Matt Preston in Epicure, The Age. A wood-fired oven takes centre stage here and a steady stream of well-made thin crusted dinners are distributed to locals eating in and taking away. Well worth a visit if you’re on that side of town. Pizza Espresso, 17 Macedon Rd, Lower Templestowe 03) 9852 2333

 

BBQ King is a place adored by young and old. We love climbing the staircase to the packed dining rooms so we can have our fill of crispy skin chicken, Peking duck (Mia’s favourite), roast pork and any number of noodle and stir fry dishes. We always leave feeling completely full to the brim and planning our return visit. BBQ King 18-20 Goulburn Street, Sydney 02) 9267 2433.

 

Fu-Manchu is a funky little eat-in/take away in Darlinghurst that we adore. Mostly because of the authentic, full flavoured dishes but also because its seems appropriate to be elbow to elbow with other diners as we rush in for our san choy bao, chilli salt cuttlefish and any other number of soups and noodle dishes. Fu-Manchu 249 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst 02) 9360 9424.

 

There are plenty of opportunities to learn new skills at cooking classes and demos over the next few weeks. Try Kurt Sampson’s Middle-Eastern cooking class at Queen Victoria Market on Saturday 17th August, demonstrating the magnificent food he’s renown for at Harvey’s in South Yarra. Bookings on 03) 9320 5822. Or pop down and see the king of the grill himself, Allan Campion, rustling up his favourite BBQ recipes on Saturday 14th September - you have been warned!

 

Stephanie Alexander will visit De Bortoli winery to share her experience of travelling through South - West France, and writing her latest book Cooking and Travelling in South – West France. De Bortoli’s chef Maurizio Cianciaruso will create a wonderful luncheon. Cost of 3 course luncheon & talk $65.00 – 11.30am - Thursday 15^th August. Bookings 03) 5965 2271.

 

Simon Johnson’s Talk, Eat, Drink series 2 classes in Sydney have recently been announced and include Guillaume Brahimi from Bennelong (Aug 10^th) and Mathew Evans (August 24^th). For all enquires or bookings call 02) 9552 2522.

 

Luke Mangan has just announced two cooking class and lunch sessions at his Salt restaurant in Sydney. $125.00 gets you a cooking demo and a 3 course lunch with matched wines, recipe notes and a signed menu. To be held on two consecutive Saturdays, 24th and 31st August. Bookings on 02) 9332 2566.

 

Sydney has just had a weekend long celebration of wine slurping, sipping and spitting. We hear there were many disappointed visitors however who attended after hearing the rumour there would be a special appearance by that great man of wine Oberon Kant AO, BSE, to celebrate the release of his new book Oberon Kant's Big Book of Wine. Alas he never showed and visitors had to make do with a nice chat with his niece Laura Kant who was visiting from the old country. Rumours that Laura is in fact Oberon have been firmly denied by his publicist. Visit www.spittoon.com.au for an insiders guide to the wine industry.

 

We've had a pretty good run of wines appearing on our dinner table recently. One of the more memorable was the Seville Estate Old Vine Reserve Shiraz 2000. This is a serious complex and more-ish wine is packed with rich berry, mild pepper flavours and just a hint of mint. Definitely one for the cellar, if you can resist the temptation. We've also had a very good bottle of Brown Brothers Shiraz 2000, which was blood red in the glass and packed with plenty of berry/cherry flavours, aromas of stewed plums, and a decent whack of spice to round it off. Have a bottle, as we did with a pot-roasted chicken.

 

The Salamanca Market in Hobart operates every Saturday morning from 8.30am. We were lucky enough to visit recently and can highly recommend it. Particularly appealing are the beautiful fresh. Asian ingredients grown by a local family who migrated to Tasmania from Laos a few years ago. The panoramic views across the Derwent River are pretty good too.

 

The Yarra Valley Regional Farmers Market began in March 1998 and features excellent seasonal fresh produce and local foods from a range of Yarra Valley growers and producers. The market is held on the third Sunday of each month at Yering Station, on the Melba Highway, Yarra Glen. Next market is on Sunday 18th August. While you’re in the valley checkout the Yarra Valley Food Trail by following the distinctive blue and orange signs. Find out more on www.yarravalleyfood.com.au

 

Stephanie Alexander has been working hard with the staff and students of Collingwood College in inner city Melbourne to create and operate the Kitchen Garden Project. The idea is to introduce children to the growing of fresh ingredients and to teach then the skills required to transform them into delicious food, as a regular part of their schooling. They are always keen to hear from potential sponsors and volunteers – find out more on the kitchen garden page at www.stephaniealexander.com.au/.

Pettavel winery restaurant, just west of Geelong on the Princes Highway, recently received a 19/20 score from food reviewer Stephen Downes in the Herald Sun and 17/20 from John Lethlean in The Age. We had to see what all the fuss was about and checked out the place, and it's very impressive. Choices included oxtail and cheek tortellini with onions and sage, boned corn-fed chicken with Angel’s chorizo and braised kale, wild Barossa pigeon with mushrooms, tiny pasta and porcini glaze. Desserts included pot-roasted quince with lemon mascarpone, pomegranates and vanilla ice cream. Bookings on 03) 5266 1120.

 

Pearl Restaurant in Melbourne are running a special promotion this month. Have lunch in the restaurant on any week day in August and you'll receive a complimentary glass of the delicious Yarrabank Brut 1998 sparkling on arrival. This is a sure fire way to get customers into the mood for some of Geoff Lindsay creative food. 631-633 Church Street, Richmond 03) 9421 4599.

 

For those who love the points system in wine judging, Wine Spectator magazine recently awarded Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz 1998, 95 points out of a possible 100, which puts it in the ‘classic’ category. This is a plump Shiraz with tremendous depth and power . . . It’s dark, rich and plush, bursting with spicy black cherry and blackberry flavours that linger effortlessly as the round focussed finish hints at white pepper and exotic spices. Don’t wait too long to find out for yourself as there were only 500 cases made.

 

For lovers of wine statistics a recent BRL Hardy media release said seasonal conditions have provided them with their best and largest vintage in their 10 year history. BRL Hardy wineries throughout Australia expect to crush 313,600 tonnes of wine grapes, which is more than 20% of the total 2002 Australian vintage. South Australia, which supplied most of the company's grapes, experienced the coolest summer on record and the driest harvest period since 1905/06.

 

Wine X magazine is no more – despite winning 'World's Best Wine Magazine' last year. Darryl Roberts, Publisher of Wine X U.S. has released a statement which says " Wine X U.S., which is doing fine, is taking over operations of the Australia/NZ issue, and publication should resume sometime in late Fall 2002 (read spring)". It remains to be seen if they will also be taking over the local creditors, who are believed to be owed around $250,000. 

 

The rumour mill has been working overtime in recent days about a certain high profile food business - word has it that they are just days away from closing the doors for good. All will be revealed in good time.

 

We recently tasted an outstanding vinegar, the Uniq muscatel wine vinegar from Catalonia in Spain. It has the most amazing apple cider, stone fruit and honey flavour with a beautiful sweet and sour balance. We’ve been using it in salad dressings and to add extra depth to pan sauces. It’s so good we’ve been known to sip it straight from the spoon. Vital Ingredient in Melbourne 03) 9696 3511 and The Essential Ingredient in Sydney 02) 9550 5477.

 

Foodgatherers recently hosted an information night and tasting on an ancient variety of wheat known as spelt. It dates back approximately 10,000 years to when it was grown around Palestine and has been found in archaeological remains in Turkey and in Egyptian tombs. It's a distant cousin of modern wheat and retains its original character and nutritional traits. The Foodgatherers spelt is grown organically in NSW and Melbourne bakery Phillippa's are producing a white and a wholemeal bread. It's well worth searching out a couple of these beautiful loaves which have a great nutty flavour and a chewy texture. Find yours by calling Phillippa's on 03) 9576 3111.

Greenpeace have released a True Food Guide, which is a guide to shopping GE Free. It provides an overview of the GE debate, plus a comprehensive guide to which products on supermarket shelves are GE free or not. A copy can be ordered by calling 1800 815 151.

Necia Wilden, Epicure, The Age

 

Donna Coutts, Food & Drink, Herald Sun, Melbourne

 

Every so often a book comes on to the market that demands attention. Such is the case with Campion and Curtis in the Kitchen.

Margaret Johnson, West Australian

 

Andrew Wood, Divine Magazine