December 7th, 2009 nola
Local Chefs Discover the Regions Produce
On Thursday 3rd December 25 chefs from Tropical North Queensland’s best restaurants embarked on a tour of the tablelands. Visiting 13 sites and 5 producers that included fruit, vegetable and herb growers, meat producers, native food producers, cheese maker, nuts, coffee, a distillery and an ice-creamery, they were astounded at the quality of products available regionally.
The tour was organised by Australian Tropical Foods as part of a Food Industry project, initiated by Advance Cairns and funded through Queensland Government Department of Education, Economic Development and Innovation. It bought together chefs and farmers face-to-face in an effort to source local food for the regions restaurant menus.
Just-picked ultra fresh zucchini’s with beautiful flowers were like a magnet for chefs who would prefer their produce comes directly to them from the Tablelands instead of the road trip to Brisbane and back.
The meat producers who care with a passion about their animals and the quality of the meat will surely receive some orders, and for many chefs, they were unaware of the beautiful local cheese on offer.
The day was long and action packed and dropping into Mt Uncle Distillery in the late afternoon for a Mojito (or two) made of their new Platinum Rum just hit the right spot. That was followed by the final visit of the day at Emerald Creek Ice-Creamery where a feeding frenzy of around 15 great tropical flavours was eagerly consumed.
The day was a great success and set the plans for another tour in the early part of 2010 to include the Cassowary Coast .
For more images go to Chefs Tour of the Tablelands
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October 12th, 2009 nola
Available Now until the end of January
“NATURES NATURAL CHOCOLATE”
Other names: Diospyros digyna
, Chocolate Pudding Fruit, BlackPersimmon.
Intro: Not a fresh fruit to be eaten off the tree.
History: Native to Mexico
Shape: The fruit is about the size of a very large apple and tomato-shaped.
Weight/size: Typically weighing 700g to 900g and ranging between 60 -120mm in diameter.
Colour: The fruit has a bright green and shiny skin when unripe. When it ripens, the skin turns dark brown. The flesh is black when ripe.
Taste: The flesh tastes like chocolate, but only when perfectly ripe. The taste is otherwise slightly bitter.
Buying/storage: The crown on top of the fruit should be raised, which indicates the fruit is mature. During ripening, changes of the fruit are dramatic: overnight it turns dark green and later brown-black, and goes from rock hard to soft and mushy. Do not refrigerate until ripe. Ripe fruit or pulp may be refrigerated for a few days, however, freezing is better. Frozen whole fruit or pulp retains its subtle flavour for more than six months, and frozen pulp is suitable for use in any recipe.
Preparing/serving: Only eaten when very soft. Simply cut the fruit in half around the centre and scoop out the flesh and remove the seeds. Very soft fruit has a delicate skin, which may disintegrate when cut. Flavour is enhanced by the addition of a little rum, vanilla, cream or coffee liqueur (Kahlua or Tia Maria). It makes a delicious ice cream and is also great in mousses, cakes, cheesecakes, muffins, bread and preserves.
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October 12th, 2009 nola
NSW has a way to deal with restaurants and food outlets who don’t abide by the Food Safe rules. Food outlets are added to the NSW Name and Shame list, with a total number of premises on the list at 813. For a full list of premises on the Food Authority Name and Shame list is at www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/penalty-notices
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October 12th, 2009 nola
It was Heston Blumenthal who recently was responsible for food poisoning at his molecular gastronomic restaurant The Fat Duck, but now when Jörg Zipprick, a German food writer dined at Ferran Adria’s acclaimed $600 a meal E Bulli restaurant near Barcelona in Spain, he was unimpressed with this high temple of “molecular gastronomy” and says menus should carry health warnings informing diners of the additives in the dishes.
“These colorants, gelling agents, emulsifiers, acidifiers and taste enhancers that Adria has introduced massively into his dishes to obtain extraordinary textures, tastes and sensations do not have a neutral impact on health,” says Zipprick, adding that some have a laxative effect.
Molecular cooks also use polysaccharides from seaweed, which Zipprick says are suspected of causing intestinal cancer. Adria’s response is that the chemicals he uses have been part of haute cuisine for years and he denies his dishes pose any risk to health.
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October 12th, 2009 nola
It used to be regarded as “poor man’s food” but now rabbit has been reborn as a gourmet meat. Popular in Australia through the Depression rabbit farmers has made a resurgence in popularity.
Farmed Rabbit Industries of Australia director Doug Horridge said farmers in Tasmanian could not meet demand and there was a desperate need for more growers. `Restaurants and butchers are crying out for rabbit, but need a consistent supply. He says the demand is so great he has to buy in rabbits from Victoria to supplement the 50 he produces each week
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October 12th, 2009 nola
Where do your semi-dried tomatoes come from? 
An outbreak of hepatitis A has been linked to contaminated semi-dried tomatoes in Victoria with about a dozen Victorians diagnosed with hepatitis A this week.
Experts from the Department of Health fear a rerun of May’s spike in the disease in Victoria and South Australia that was associated with the consumption of semi-dried tomatoes. The virus is spread when traces of faecal matter contaminate hands, objects, water or food and are then taken in by mouth. Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Dr John Carnie, said that while the new outbreak was being investigated people should avoid eating “raw” semi-dried tomatoes. “People who may have semi-dried tomatoes at home should not eat them unless they are thoroughly cooked” such as in pizza and quiche,” he said. “Restaurants and cafes should also follow this advice.”
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October 11th, 2009 nola
Blogging gets a Grip
The proliferation of food blogs has put the magazine world in a spin! Recipes are now at your fingertips , culinary adventure experiences are now virtual and kitchen gossip is spread at a lightning pace on the world wide web. This has been all too much for the Conde Nast Magazine ‘Gourmet’ that recently stopped print after 68 years. They don’t need to pay journalists, food stylists, photographers and production, not to mention the carbon footprint left by the tonnes of paper. It’s now all done virtually by blogging.
Some of Australia’s most popular blogs are…
http://www.notquitenigella.com/
http://www.tomatom.com
http://www.cookingismypassion.blogspot.com/
http://chezpim.typepad.com/
http://grabyourfork.blogspot.com/
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September 15th, 2009 nola
This is a good time to dine around Australia. It’s the time of year when restaurants are being judged under numerous awards.
The Restaurant & Caterers Queensland Awards held in July for all regions and Brisbane awards in August, came together this week in Brisbane for the state 2009 Restaurant & Catering QLD HOST PLUS Awards For Excellence.
The Australian Gourmet Traveller 2010 Restaurant Guide Awards was held last week and will print their guide to be attached to the October edition.
Then there is the Sydney Morning Herald’s 25th annual Good Food Guide Awards and The Age Good Food Guide Awards for Melbourne.
The Lifestyle Channel ‘I Love Food’ awards and coming up is Delicious Taste Best Cafe Awards.
For Chef’s it has been the Nestle Golden Hat Award and the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Young Chef of the Year award.
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September 15th, 2009 nola
NuNu’s at Palm Cove - Best Breakfast in Queensland
39 winners were announced at the 2009 Restaurant & Catering Queensland HOSTPLUS State Awards for Excellence. Queensland’s largest hospitality and tourism awards highlighted the Industry’s finest within the state at the Awards for Excellence presentation night dinner Hillstone St Lucia.
Five hundred hospitality professionals came together, travelling from Port Douglas in the North to Coolangatta in the South and out to St George in the West. All six regions came together to celebrate the culinary diversity of the state and to see who the top performers were for 2009.
Early in the night Michel Flores from Townsville was honoured for his contribution to the industry and presented with the 2009 Queensland Lifetime Achiever Award.
Then the credits rolled to announce; Brisbane’s Mons Ban Sabai Thai Garden Restaurant, Queensland’s Best BYO Restaurant and Best Thai Restaurant.
Brisbane proved they are home to the Best Seafood Restaurant with Lure Seafood Restaurant at The Coro (Milton), the Best Pizza Restaurant with Sugo Mi (Bulimba), Best European Restaurant, C’est Bon (Woolloongabba), Best Coffee Shop/ Tea Room, High Societea (Clayfield), Best Café Restaurant, Boroughs Café Wine Bar ( Sandgate), Best Chinese Restaurant, Enjoy Inn (Fortitude Valley) Best Italian Restaurant , Bar Alto (New Farm) and Best Fine Dining Restaurant, Gianni’s Restaurant (CBD).
Brisbane Restaurateur John Kilroy’s new Jellyfish Restaurant (CBD) picked up Best New and Best Specialty Cuisine Restaurant while Cha Cha Char (CBD) regained its title as Queensland’s Best Steak Restaurant.
The Sunshine Coast’s Wasabi Restaurant won Best Asian Restaurant (Noosa Sound), Rocco Noosa (Noosa) Best Entertainment Restaurant, Lindoni’s Ristorante Italiano (Noosa) Best Alfresco Dining Restaurant, Blue Ginger (Noosaville) Best Informal Dining Restaurant and Best Indian Restaurant was India Today Restaurant (Caloundra).
The Gold Coast saw Chill on Tedder (Main Beach) win Best Chef Owner Restaurant, the Watermark Hotel & Spa Gold Coast- Waves Restaurant won Best Casual Dining Buffet Restaurant and the Gold Coast Arts Centre was awarded Best Venue Caterer 2009.
Nu Nu Restaurant (Palm Cove) was awarded Queensland’s Best Breakfast Restaurant, The Beach House (Hamilton Island) was awarded Best Tourism Restaurant whilst Capers at the Beach Bar/Grill (Airlie Beach) won Best Professional Development under 100 Staff.
Best Institutional Caterer was QR Catering Unit, Lifestyle Chef won Best Site Caterer and Best Event Caterer was given to Spotless at Indy.
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre received top accolades with both Best Function/Convention Centre Caterer and Caterer of the Year 2009.
The supreme Restaurant of the Year title belongs to Philip Johnson’s Brisbane Restaurant E’cco Bistro. E’cco was also named Queensland’s Best Contemporary Australian Restaurant.
The crowned winners from Queensland will now compete in the Restaurant & Catering Savour Australia National Awards for Excellence to be hosted in Canberra. The prestigious national awards evening will be held on the 19th of October and the winners will be announced at a presentation dinner at Parliament House.
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September 15th, 2009 nola
Three celebrity chefs, three new celebrity inspired event menus. Hilton Hotels Australasia has launched the latest concept in event catering “Celebrity Inspired Events Menus”. The menus, which have been created by Hilton’s award winning chefs Luke Mangan, Simon Bryant and Ramon Freixa, will establish a new standard in event catering by offering seasonal produce and seamless delivery, creating consistent event catering standards with celebrity chef designed event menus available at eight Hilton Hotels in Australia and New Zealand.
Hilton Hotels Australasia Celebrity Inspired Event Menus are now available at Hilton throughout Australia and New Zealand. Contact details for each hotel can be found at www.hilton.com
For more information: click here
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