Welcome to another year of food news via campionandcurtis.com. We’ve been busy relaxing over January, but now we're back into it with a vengeance.

 

The C&C website has a revamp plus a few new additions including The Green Kitchen and Our Favourite Links. Enjoy!  www.campionandcurtis.com

Melbourne heads into serious food festival time with lots of great events in the city and countryside over the next few months.

 

The Harvest Picnic is a much loved event held at Hanging Rock near Woodend. Visitors get to wander from stall to stall and sample the food and wine on display. There’s an opportunity to taste everything from cheeses, preserves and ice cream through to smallgoods, fresh produce and wine. The Age Harvest Picnic will also feature cooking demonstrations and live music. Bring a picnic blanket and relax with friends under the gum trees. www.harvestpicnic.com.au/

 

It’s time to draw straws and see who will be the designated driver this year. Grape Grazing is a fantastic two day celebration where 21 wineries offer a food, wine and music experience for visitors. The big news this year, well we think so, will be the teaming of Dominique Portet Winery with celebrated chef Philippe Mouchel. All the details are at the website. http://www.grapegrazing.com.au/welcome.html

 

 

Yes, surprise, surprise we’re just about to launch our next book The Foodies Guide to Melbourne.

You’ll find more at www.campionandcurtis.com/foodies.html 

 

This is our 'official' definition of what it means to be a foodie

 

foodie /'fu;di/,foody (plural -ies) n. Informal

1. sb who takes an enthusiastic interest in the preparation or consumption of good food.

2. sb who typically plans dinner while eating breakfast and/or lunch.

3. food lover.

4. person always searching for the newest and best food shops, restaurants, takeaways and ingredients.

5. sb with an insatiable craving for good food and wine.

6. one who plans holidays around food festivals, winery walkabouts or regional cuisines.

7. a person dedicated to the pleasures of the table.

8. a person who thinks that blue is a type of cheese.

9. habitat; in and around Melbourne and country Victoria; survival dependant on having the latest Foodies' Guide and proximity to good food and/or wine; cannot go for more than three hours for a fix.

10. See also glutton for pleasure, gourmet, epicurean and connoisseur.

 

Sound like someone you know?

 

January has provided us with an opportunity to enjoy a few of those bottles of wine we’d gathered over the past twelve months. Two of our favourites included William Ferve petit chablis, which was an absolute delight with plates of seafood nibbles. While a chilled bottle of Pipers Brook gewurztraminer matched beautifully with Thai chicken salad, see recipe at the end of the newsletter.

 

All through February Cavalli restaurant in Melbourne will be celebrating their third birthday with a Pinots of the World promotion. Week one will feature pinots from Oregon, week two features New Zealand, week three celebrates Tasmanian and French pinot while the final week puts Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley wines on tasting. Cavalli Restaurant, 161 Fitzroy Street St Kilda, 03) 9537 0666.

 

The James Beard Foundation website is well worth a visit for those interested in the current food culture in the USA. The foundation, set up after the death of American food authority James Beard, celebrates the country's culinary artists, provides scholarships and educational opportunities. They also host an annual cookbook awards. Membership to the foundation brings benefits such as a calendar offering news in the field of gastronomy and upcoming events, a quarterly magazine, Beard House, and a restaurant directory guide to some of the best American chefs. www.jamesbeard.org

 

While organisations and food groups such as Slow Food are relatively well known, a not so widely known group we’ve come across in recent times is the Accademia Italiana Della Cucina. As the name suggests this is an Italian focus food group who meet regularly for special dinners and celebrations of Italian culture. The website offers a great insight into the activities and background of this group, including the fact they will be celebrating their 50^th birthday in 2003. Janine D’Angelo - janine@netspace.net.au – is the contact person for the Melbourne group, although we believe groups also operate in Adelaide and Sydney. www.accademiaitalianacucina.it/inglese/home.html

 

In March 2003, Slow Food Australia will gather for their second National Congress. The venue will be Mildura and the Murray River will be the focus as writers, chefs, farmers, food producers and passionate food lovers descend on the Mildura waterfront for four days of meetings, launches, panel discussions, dinners and excursions. This second congress will include the launch of the Australian Ark of Taste project and the new 'Slow River' scheme for the Murray River to lead the great food rivers of the world into a combined tourism exchange.

 

In attendance will be all of Australia’s Slow Food Convivium leaders and a delegation from Italy including the President of the International Slow Food Movement, Carlo Petrini, and the head of the International Office with two of the movements Vice-Presidents.

 

It promises to be a feast of ideas, discussions, food and wine. The congress is open to both members and non-members of Slow Food. Contact James Broadway for further details on vinaio@bigpond.com or 0403 040 177.

 

Queen Victoria Market Cooking School has a full program of presenters for Summer 2003. Learn about Indian bread with Kshav Kadel, Chinese New Year noodles with the chefs from Red Emperor restaurant, contemporary Mexican with Justin Pola from Blue Corn and BBQ Basics part I & 2 with yours truly.

Bookings on 03) 9320 5835.

 

Simon Johnson, Purveyor of Quality Foods has also announced his new Talk+Eat+Drink program of classes hosted by both well known Sydney and international chefs. Damien Pignolet from Bistro Moncur will be presenting 'Real Bistro Food' on Feb 15^th, David Thompson will be the host on Feb 22^nd. The man himself, Simon Johnson, will be presenting a class on whipping up dinner in 30 minutes – showing how it’s all in the ingredients on March 1. Places fill fast here, so book soon on 02) 9552 2522.

 

Sarah Stegley and Marieke Brugman are recognised nationally and internationally as the hosts of a world class cooking school and gourmet retreat near Mansfield, Victoria. They offer food and wine lovers opportunities to visit for cooking school weekends (often with visiting chefs), to participate in cycling tours in Australian wine regions, as well as food tours to fantastic locations such as India, Bhutan, Ireland, Turkey and South Africa. All news and info at www.gtoa.com.au

 

We have been hearing a few rumours recently that certain TV stations are considering wine as the subject of new shows. No news yet on who could, or would, present these shows – but we’ll bring more news as it comes to hand. Also rumours abound that Melbourne's wholesome foodie Sherry Clewlow and Sydney's Kylie Kwong are filming, for Foxtel and ABC respectively.

 

Over 3500 entries were received from 60 countries for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2002. Winners in each language were announced in November 2002, and Australian authors and publishers have made a very good showing.

 

Finalists include well known names such as Luke Mangan (Luke Mangan Food), David Thompson (Thai Food), Stephanie Alexander (Cooking and Travelling in South-West France), Greg and Lucy Malouf (Ababesque), Stephen Downes (Advanced Australian Fare) and Charmaine Solomon (Complete Vegetarian Cookbook), not to mention Campion and Curtis in the Kitchen.

 

Winners will be announced on February 28, 2003. Best of luck to all involved.

Details on www.cookbookfair.com

 

Next month news about dining experiences at NewQuay, new seasons apples and pears, new farmers' markets and preserving recipes.