Australian food and wine newsletter
October 2002 edition
 
Welcome to the October edition of Campion and Curtis, Australian food and wine newsletter. Please feel free to pass this on to all your food and wine-loving friends wherever they may be, and visit us at our website www.campionandcurtis.com
 
In-season
Mid spring is an unusual time of year in terms of fresh produce. Sure there’s plenty of asparagus, good Asian greens, broad beans, fresh herbs, lemons, avocados and Valencia oranges, but the real bounty of spring begins in November with mangoes, pineapples, cherries and artichokes. Until then we’ll continue to use asparagus and broad beans like there’s no tomorrow. In keeping with this approach try our green risotto recipe at the bottom of the newsletter, plus a lemonade recipe the junior members of the Campion-Curtis family have been making while on school holidays. You can also view comprehensive seasonal lists on
 
Eating out - Melbourne
Melbourne is well known as a food city with strong Italian, Greek, Asian and French influences, but in recent times the country on everyone’s lips has been Spain. Andrew Wood of Divine Magazine recently joined forces with The Spanish Trade Commission to present a four-day food and wine feast. The dinners at Chez Phat sold out in no time flat and public also had an opportunity to taste great Spanish foods and products at the Prahran Market.
 
Mo Vida @ The Carron Tavern in West Melbourne has been receiving rave reviews about its new Spanish menu courtesy of chefs Frank Camorra and Vanessa Hodge. Restaurant reviewer Michael Harden from Melbourne Weekly magazine loved the big flavours and big portions, he made special mention of conejo relleno a la morella, " a superb dish of oven-roasted boned rabbit filled with a chicken and olive farce served on a pile of fantastic field mushrooms tossed in Jerez vinegar". Matt Preston writing in The Age had this to say. "There's the inevitable paella, but this one is dark, crusty and huge, the short grain rice shot with peas, fish, impossibly tender mussels and whole prawns. The flavour is intense and smouldering."
It sounds like the sort of place we need to try. The Carron Tavern is at 398 Spencer Street, Melbourne
03) 9328 3846.
 
New restaurant alert. Bok Choy in Brighton has had a soft opening, but friends tell us the food is good. It's great to see a wonderful Chinese restaurants finally opening up on the bay side of town. Owned and operated by David Yap, of Choi's fame in Riversdale Road, it has a similar menu and is open for lunch Monday to Friday and dinner each day. 330a New Street Brighton 03) 9592 0253.
 
Eating out – Sydney
Pino’s is your classic Sydney café spot, barely room to move inside and a pavement packed with tables and chairs for customers. On the food side they offer simple fare, toasted pide bread for breakfast and better than average pasta at lunch. But it’s the coffee that always draws us here, rich, aromatic and expertly made. If you’re ever in this part of town it’s well worth a visit. Pino's is at 2B Clarke Street Crown Nest 02) 9439 3690.
 
We’ve also heard high praise about the Golden Century Seafood Restaurant. According to our source the seafood is truly fresh from the many tanks and there are people queuing up outside until the wee hours! The 2002 SMH Good Food Guide gives them 15/20 and one chefs’ hat. A must on our next visit to the emerald city. Golden Century 393-399 Sussex Street, Haymarket. 02) 9212 3901
 
Good Food Month - Sydney
What a month  to be in Sydney, so many fantastic events to explore. We're listed our pick below but there's so much more to explore.
If you needed an excuse to eat out in Sydney this is it. $25 lunches every weekday during October, eat at restaurants such as Aria, Bel Mondo, Bathers' Pavilion, Bistro Moncur, Quay, Forty One, Mezzaluna, Sailors Thai Canteen, MG Garage, Wine Banc, Salt and Restaurant V11. Bookings recommended.
 
Serious food shoppers in Sydney must have already picked up a copy of the new Food Shoppers' Guide To Sydney, by Helen Greenwood & John Newton (Penguin Books $25). Get along to Bathers Pavilion to meet them both and hear them talk about their new book over lunch. Tuesday 15th October $65 Bookings on 02) 9969 5050.  
 
The Sydney Food & Wine Fair takes place on Saturday 26th October at Hyde Park North from 12-3pm. Indulge in some of Sydney's top chefs food and beverages from Australian Wineries. Proceeds from the day go to the Aids Trust of Australian.
 
Cooking schools
Simon Johnson’s Talk, Eat, Drink series 2 classes continues Bill Granger presenting recipes from his newest release Bills Food on Oct 12th, also in October are classes with Warren Turnbull (sous chef at Banc), and Anthony Musarra (Harbour Kitchen and Bar). For all enquires or bookings call 02) 9552 2522.
 
The Queen Victoria Market Cooking School has a timely Christmas baking class with Loretta Sartori pencilled in for Saturday 19th October at 1.30. If you need help with the pudding this year, Loretta could be your saving grace. Bookings 03) 9320 5835
 
Peter Wilson from Kennedy & Wilson Chocolates is holding a one-day masterclass on Monday 21st October at The Barn, Yering Station winery. A big chocolate fest is planned with a structured tasting of the world's best brands, plus the entire Kennedy & Wilson range along with cocoa liqueur, the raw ingredient. Bookings on 03) 5964 9549 cost $30.
 
Food tours
Convivial Times began when Leonie Furber decided to combine her food and travel interests into a personalised program of day trips, tours and special product workshops. They offer Taste Workshops, a Chefs Table program of restaurant visits and have tours planned for 2003 to places as diverse as Papua New Guinea, Spain and France. Details are available for the entire program of events on the website www.convivialtimes.com.au
 
Recent bottles
Crawford River is cool climate wine district and winery in far west Victoria. We recently tasted the 2001 riesling and were very impressed. It was a classic pale lime colour in the glass and had hints of tropical fruit and apricots with a delicious mineral finish on the palate with hints of spice. Definitely one for riesling lovers to search for. 
 
In keeping with the Victorian approach we’ve also enjoyed The Nobbies Pinot Noir 2000 in recent weeks. This has aromas of cherries, spice and berries in the glass and a savoury mouth-feel with very little residual sweetness. Thanks to Ricci and Brett for both of those bottles (and a delicious lunch).
 
Farmers Markets
The growth in farmers markets around the country is continuing at an amazing rate. Barely a week goes by without another one popping up in rural areas.
 
The Phillip Island Farmers market began last week and had a great turnout on what was a fairly wet and windy day. On offer was some excellent asparagus and hydroponic lettuces, nougat, preserves, free-range chickens, plus great sausages hot off the barbecue from Jindivick Smokehouse. The Phillip Island Market will be held on fourth Saturday of every month on Churchill Island from 8am-1pm.
 
The first Cardinia Ranges Farmers’ Market will be held at the Pakenham Racecourse, Racecourse Road, Pakenham on Saturday October 12. The event promises to showcase Cardinia’s diverse range of produce including boutique wines, freshly harvested asparagus, gourmet pesto and sauces, organic fresh herbs, native plants, organic teas, smoked meats and farmhouse cheeses. The market will be held on the second Saturday of every month.
 
If the idea of travelling out to the country to source your ingredients directly from the grower is not how you like to spend your Saturday mornings, then help is at hand. The first Farmers Market at the Collingwood Children’s Farm on Saturday 12 October will offer the best of both worlds. The market aims to bring a slice of rural life to the city and provides Saturday morning shoppers with an intimate and unique market experience.
 
On offer will be spring fruits and vegetables, new season olive oils, sourdough breads, local coffee, free-range chicken and eggs, artisan cheeses and smoked meats. When you finished with the shopping trip the Children’s Farm offers plenty for younger members of the family to enjoy. The Market will run between 8am and 1pm with a gold coin donation to help with the upkeep of the farm. Collingwood Children’s Farm, Yarra Bend, Collingwood will run the second Saturday of every month.
 
Farmers Markets: The Real Food Revolution
The inaugural Australasian Farmers’ Market Conference 2002 is to be held on 21 – 23 November in Bathurst NSW. This will be an opportunity for all those active in the Farmers’ Market movement, and others wanting to get involved. Come along and share knowledge, passion and fresh delicious produce, also meet expert speakers from the United States, New Zealand and Australia. Over two days you will get practical advice on how to start a farmers’ market, how to promote it, the economic development benefits and much more. For further information contact Lisa Schofield at Bathurst City Council on 0419 447 290 or lisa.schofield@bathurst.nsw.gov.au.
 
Food and wine news
Melbourne’s Federation Square project is expected to be up-and running soon. There are many food and wine projects planned for the development including a 600 seat ballroom and function centre called Zinc to be operated by Epicure Catering. There's also a multi -level pub to be known as Transport to be operated by Paul Mathis, who also has a hand in a noodle bar called Chocolate Buddah. Other premises include the Victorian Wine Bar, the River Restaurant and a Charmaine’s Ice cream store, along with many more.
 
Balinese Food Festival
From 1 –15 October, Grand Hyatt Melbourne will be hosting an authentic Balinese Food Festival with special guest, Balinese chef, Lother Arsana. Chef Lother is a native Balinese who learned his craft from a young age in the Bali village of Tabanan. He has spent more than twenty years working for Hyatt’s hotels in Bali and has co-authored a cookbook called The Food of Bali – Authentic Recipes from the Island of the Gods. Bookings may be made by contacting (03) 9653 4660.
 
Food and wine books
Peter Howard is well known to Australian foodies through his segments on the Today show and cookbooks such as Barbecued! His latest release is a carnivores delight titled Meat! and offer over 80 recipes presented in an easy to understand and inviting manner. Besides recipes Peter also includes an at-a-glance table so home cooks can match up the best cuts of meat to different methods of cooking. One well worth having a look at.
Meat! by Peter Howard, published by Lothian Books. $36.95
 
 
Simple Deli Food comes from New Zealand food writer and stylist Julie Le Clerc. It explores the ingredients typically found in the contemporary delicatessen and offers advice on what they are, plus recipes that put them to good use. There are chapters dedicated to dried pulses and grains, one about the products from the bakery, another explores pasta and noodles. The deli food concept is stretched a bit far sometimes, but the recipes look and sound terrific. 
Available from Penguin Books $29.95.
 
Fans of Jamie Oliver will be putting his latest release onto the Christmas list. Jamie's Kitchen tells the story of the man himself setting up a new restaurant kitchen which doubles as a training ground for young chefs. Expect lots of colour photos of Jamie, over 100 recipes and the laid-back advice he’s renowned for.
Available from late October, Penguin Books $49.95. Watch for an 8 part series to accompany the book, or is it the other way round?
 
Eating in
The Food Lovers’ Guide to Australia continues on TV screens every Friday evening at 8pm on SBS.
 
On October 4th find out about the delights of Tasmanian ocean trout, travel to Mt Isa with Joanna for a full-on Ethiopian feast. Also learn about the amazing range of potato varieties through Prahran Market’s Michael Mow and the Dobson family who grow many of Australia’s best potatoes.
 
On October 11th get the low-down on growing and cooking with fresh bamboo and learn the secrets of making sang choy bao with Cantonese chef Anthony Pui from Melbourne’s Flower Drum restaurant.
 
October 18 will give viewers an insight into how Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead at the Mexican Embassy in Canberra. The Ambassador’s wife Gaby Steger, her friends and staff prepare a selection of celebration dishes, plus Mexican classics like tamales and hot chocolate. The Ambassador Raphael Steger also demonstrates the proper way to drink tequila.
 
The episode on October 25th has Maeve joining a Perth family as they celebrate one of the fun events in the Jewish calendar, Hanukah is an eight-day Jewish feast where families get together to play traditional games, eat chocolate money, light a Hanukah candle each night and feast on luscious jam donuts and latkes (potato pancakes). Meanwhile Joanna has the tough job of tasting 40 different kinds of mango!
 
October 25 focuses on buckwheat noodles with a look at the harvest in Tasmania and a special soba night by Sydney-based noodle master Yoshi Shibazaki. Maeve travels to a fig orchard in regional NSW to find out the difference between the Black Genoa, White Adriatic and Brown Turkey varieties.
 
BBQ Business
A big hello to everyone who came to  the recent Secret Men's BBQ Business cooking demos, book signing's and cooking classes. Yes it's that time of year again, when real Aussie blokes wheel the barbie out of the shed and get it up-and-running for another long hot summer. 
 
Find our more at  
...everything you need to know barbecue book"..."solidly Australian".  Epicure, The Age
 
The Green Kitchen
We’ve been thinking long and hard recently about the environmental impact the average kitchen makes on the world. It's in the kitchen the majority of household waste is generated and where a large proportion of home energy and water resources are consumed. Recent statistics from The Australian Greenhouse Office shows that one-fifth of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions come from households and that each of the 7 million households in Australia produce more than 15 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year.
 
We’ve come up with an idea we call The Green Kitchen that we’d like to see become a resource of practical ideas on how the average home kitchen can be run in a green manner as possible. Initially we’d like to hear from you and ask for your ideas and feedback on this whole idea. So pass on your thoughts on saving energy, using water wisely, composting, cleaning, cooking and recycling. We'll make it a part of the Campion and Curtis website in the early 2003. Send us your best ideas to michele@campionandcurtis.com
 
Culinary questions
We’re always happy to try and answer your culinary questions, simply send us an e-mail on michele@campionandcurtis.com and we’ll endeavour to get back to you ASAP.
 
In the November issue we’re going to have a taste test pink salt, some brilliant cabernet releases from WA and start the build-up to Christmas with our pudding recipe.
 
Culinary competition
Last month we posted a pretty tough set of culinary questions – so tough in fact no one got all seven answers correct! We’ve another quiz on the drawing board for the January issue, so get the thought processes working. Here are the correct answers:
 
Q1) In what year was the book Stephanie’s Menus for food lovers by Stephanie Alexander first published?
Answer – 1985 by Methuen Haynes
 
Q2) Catarratto, plavai, and torbato are all used to make what?
Answer - These are all grape varieties used to make white wine.
 
Q3) Name the central character in The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester.
Answer- Tarquin Winot
 
Q4) Which famous French blue cheese is about to be banned from Australia by Food Standards Australia & New Zealand because it is made with ‘raw" milk?
Answer – Roquefort.
 
Q5) What is dukkah and how is it made?
Answer – Dukkah is a combination of spices and nuts that are roasted and lightly crushed.
 
Q6) Who was the editor of the first Age Good Food Guide in 1980/81?
Answer – Claude Forell
 
Q7) Name David Thompson’s cookbook published by Simon & Schuster in 1993.
Answer – Classic Thai Cuisine
 
Don't forget if you have any food or wine news you think we’d like to hear about, contact us at michele@campionandcurtis.com
 
To unsubscribe to this newsletter contact us at michele@campionandcurtis.com
 
Cheers, Allan Campion and Michele Curtis
 
Spring risotto
We usually make this vegetable risotto with chicken stock because it creates a richer dish, but use vegetable stock if you prefer.
 
1kg broad beans
500g asparagus spears
Olive oil for cooking
1 onion, finely diced
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
500g (2 1/2 cups) arborio rice
250ml (1 cup) white wine
1.5 litres (6 cups) hot chicken or vegetable stock
100g parmigiano reggiano, grated or shaved
50g butter, diced
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Pod broad beans and blanch for 2–3 minutes, then remove and refresh under cold running water. Remove and discard pale green skins from broad beans. Prepare asparagus by snapping the ends woody off and cut spears into 3cm pieces. Blanch in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then refresh under cold running water.
 
Bring stock to a gentle simmer. Heat a large heavy-based pan over medium flame. Add 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil and onion, leek and garlic and cook for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add rice and stir to coat with oil. Pour in white wine and stir until it is absorbed. Begin adding the hot stock, just enough to cover the rice at first, then a ladleful at a time as the stock is absorbed. Stir well with each addition.
 
Continue cooking until the rice is cooked but each grain is still slightly firm in the centre. Add asparagus spears and broad beans and remove from the heat. Add cheese, butter and parsley and stir until risotto is creamy and cheese has melted. Check seasoning and serve.
 
Serves 6
 
From Fresh, The Seasonal Produce Cookbook. (C) Allan Campion and Michele Curtis
 
Lemonade
This recipe produces a great lemon syrup that makes a refreshing drink when diluted with water, tonic or mineral water. If you've been wondering what to do with all the lemons from your tree, here's the answer.
 
3kg caster sugar
4 tablespoons citric acid (available from supermarkets)
2 tablespoons tartaric acid (available from supermarkets)
1 tablespoon sea salt
Grated rind of 12 lemons
Juice of 18 lemons
2 litres boiling water
 
Place the dry ingredients into a large bowl along with the lemon zest and lemon juice.
Pour over the boiling water and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Cover and leave to cool.
Pout into sealable bottles and refrigerate until needed.
 
Makes 4 litres.