The rolling hills of Maleny

The local region offers a diverse range of local produce, including cheese, honey, chocolate, ginger, tropical fruits, spices, wines, berries, avocadoes, macadamias, seafood, olives, gelato and coffee to name but a few!  The unique and diverse local produce of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is highly regarded by chefs and discerning foodies Australia-wide as well as internationally.

Pineapple plantation at Nambour

Being accepted for this month’s Foodbuzz 24 x 24 allowed me the opportunity to be able to discover the stunning array of local produce which attracts discerning food lovers from afar, and share it with the food community.     

My itinerary essentially entailed visiting as many local growers and producers as I could fit into a day, which included a combination of visits to farm doors, roadside stalls and farmers markets.  And to conclude the day, a meal put together from the various produce collected upon the way. It was a full day’s gourmet adventure!    

Me and hubby Paul at the Flame Hill Vineyard

Joining me on the gourmet safari was my husband Paul, and our good friend Geoff who, like me, is a passionate foodie and is visiting from Sydney.  My male companions acted as drivers, navigators, tasters and assisted in the photography and videography.     

Geoff inspecting the local strawberries

Setting off from our neighbourhood of Noosa Heads, our first stop was Yandina markets, about a 30 minute drive. The Sunshine Coast boasts many local markets, however we chose Yandina Markets because it specialises in local produce and has an extensive selection. Ranging from vegetables and tropical fruit to organic meats and macadamias, the great thing about this market is the diversity of produce and the opportunity to chat to the growers and producers. Our purchases included free-range organic ham, organic beetroot, freshly picked broccoli, pineapples, papaya, chillies and numerous other fruit and vegetables.     

Sugar cane stall at Yandina Markets

Next stop was The Ginger Factory, the world’s largest ginger factory and one of the Sunshine Coast’s premier tourist attractions. Princess Diana was one of the more famous visitors to The Ginger Factory, so we learnt! The place is fringed with beautiful tropical gardens and comprises various attractions including a cooking school, ice-creamery, Honeyworld  (where you can see a live bee show), Gingertown (a heritage-style village) and rides, tours and shows.     

The Ginger Factory

The Ginger Shop is a ginger lover’s paradise and features the world’s largest selection of ginger products including ginger beer, crystalised, ginger, ginger jam, ginger beer and ginger bread men to name a few! Our “souvenirs” included  fresh ginger, crystalised  ginger and a bottle of ginger beer. Unfortunately my husband Paul loathes ginger so did not partake in the various tastings on offer!     

Macadamia nuts

Our drive took us through the beautiful Sunshine Coast Hinterland. It is common to see roadside stalls that operate on an honesty system, such as this one selling avocadoes:     

A roadside stall selling avocadoes

Local farmers offer their produce this way presumably to save on labour costs, but it any case you can be sure that whatever you buy is super-fresh!     

The next port of call was the Flame Hill Vineyard at Montville. With their quality wines and spectacular views, this place is not to be missed.     

Flame Hill vineyard

The grape varieties grown are Chardonnay, Verdelho, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. We opted to enjoy a tasting of most of their wines , and came away with several bottles of Summer White, a blend of viognier and chenin blanc and a bottle of the dessert wine. I will definitely return to dine at their award-winning cellar restaurant, where their small but outstanding menu showcases local produce and was designed to complement their wines.       

Grape vines and the beautiful views from Flame Hill Vineyard

We continued our drive through the green hills of Maleny, dairy country. Our first stop was Maleny Cheese, a demonstration cheesery which offers visitors the opportunity to sample all their products.  Naturally we took full advantage of this, and were most impressed with the Buffalo Brie, the marinated feta and the Chilli con Cheddar. They also produce a stunning range of natural and flavoured yoghurts, which we added to our purchase.     

The great selection of cheeses at Maleny Cheese

Our next stop was Maleny Dairies, a family-owned and operated dairy in a picturesque setting. They produce 4 different types of plain cow milks, flavoured milks, goat milk, cow and goat yoghurts and Guernsey cream.  Their products have won numerous awards.  We opted for a bottle of rich Guernsey milk.     

Maleny Dairies

Although we were hoping to make it to Kenilworth to visit another winery and an olive farm, the day had gotten away from us so we headed back in the direction of home to Eumundi, a pretty little town that holds a fantastic weekly market that offers art, craft, fashion and food. However, our destination was Cocoa Chocolat, producer of exquisite hand crafted chocolates and truffles.    

   

To say that the owner and Chocolatiere Louisa Raven is passionate about chocolate would be an understatement!  Self-confessed workaholic, Louisa’s business won Best Confectionery Outlet for the State of Queensland 2009 and when you see the care that goes into making her products you can understand why. Our purchase included a selection of the beautiful chocolates.      

Exquisite hand-crafted chocolates at Cocoa Chocolat

Also in Eumundi, located in the aptly named Strawberry Lane, is Eumundi Strawberries.  We were hoping to “pick our own” strawberries, but unfortunately we were not able to due to prior weather conditions. However we were able to taste their wares and purchase a large punnet of sweet ripe red strawberries.      

Eumundi Strawberry Farm

Heading back to Noosa Heads, our last foodie stop was Noosa Junction Seafood Market. This busy seafood shop has a good selection of local seafood including cuttlefish, Mooloolaba prawns, Spanner Crabs and local fish varieties. We chose some fillets of local trevally for our dinner.     

Arriving home, we unpacked our purchases – what a fantastic selection of goodies!     

Gourmet goodies galore!

By this time the sun was almost down, and after such a beautiful day it seemed a shame not to enjoy the sunset so we jumped back in the car to the Noosa Hill Lookout which offers spectacular views of the beach, river and hinterland.     

The beautiful Sunshine Coast at Sunset

Our final task of the day was to plan and prepare the evening meal put together with the results of the day’s foraging.
The menu we came up with was as follows:    

Organic Free Range Ham, roasted beetroot, organic feta cheese, onion jam with toasted Turkish bread     

    

Local Trevally en papillote with butter, white wine and dill
Kipfler potatoes roasted with fresh herbs and garlic
Steamed broccoli with garlic macadamia nut oil     

    

Platter of fresh fruit, soft cheese and hand-crafted chocolates    

    

The meal was actually really easy to put together, and washed down with a bottle or two of the wine we had picked up on our travels, it was a fitting end to a fabulous foodie day.   

To view other videos we made on the day, check out http://youtube.com/lifesafeastcomau  

Local Markets Directory – http://www.sunshinecoastvisit.com.au/pages/markets/    

Ginger Factory – http://www.gingerfactory.com.au    

Nutworks – http://www.nutworks.com.au/    

Flame Hill Vineyard – http://www.flamehill.com.au    

Maleny Cheese – http://www.malenycheese.com.au/    

Cocoa Chocolat – http://www.cocoachocolat.com.au/    

Eumundi Strawberries – http://www.qldstrawberries.com.au/farms/index.htm    

Foodbuzz 24×24: Food Trail Adventure – Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia is a post from: entertaining made easy

Australian recipes use the following measurements:

1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 tablespoon = 20ml (4 teaspoons)
1 cup = 250ml

When using American and British cookbooks, recipes use different measurements, so you will need to adjust the quantities as follows:

American:
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 tablespoon = 15ml (3 teaspoons)
1 cup = 237ml

British:
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 tablespoon = 15ml (3 teaspoons)
1 cup = 284ml

Measuring Cups usually come in sets of ¼ cup, 1/3 cup, ½ cup and 1 cup. Measuring Spoons come in sets of ¼ teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon. You can purchase these in most kitchenware shops and the kitchenware section of Department Stores. The Chefs Toolbox sells a funky set of Australian standard measuring cups and spoons, with the cups collapsing for easy storage. To purchase this product, visit The Chefs Toolbox (you’ll find it under “Chefs Tools”).

Another useful addition to your kitchen is a pyrex measuring jug. These can be purchased at kitchenware and department stores.

Kitchen Tool of the Month: Measuring Cups & Spoons is a post from: entertaining made easy

Essentially Thai covers a diverse selection of Thai dishes, including:

• Starters and Snacks
• Salads
• Stir-fries
• Rice
• Noodles
• Soups
• Curries
• Seafood
• Poultry
• Meat
• Desserts 

My current favourites from the book are Steamed Prawn and Coconut Dumplings, Roast Duck Pomelo and Mint Salad, Stir-Fried Chicken with Chilli Paste and Cashews, and Barbequed Squid with Green Peppercorns and Basil.

Beautifully photographed, Essentially Thai will inspire as well as make it easy for you to create beautiful, authentic Thai food.

Review: “Essentially Thai” cookbook is a post from: entertaining made easy

The festival comprises cooking demonstrations, food and wine tastings and lectures as well as lunches and dinners, tours and live entertainment. The who’s who of Aussie Food was there, including Matt Preston of Masterchef fame and Matt Moran of Aria Restaurant, Sydney.

The animated Matt Preston

I was lucky enough to have tickets for the Asian Food Trail Tour on the Friday, which was one of the festival highlights for me. The tour entailed a visit to the Garnisha Spice Farm at Boreen Point, about 20 minutes drive from Noosa Heads. Upon arrival we were greeted with cocktails and a selection of mouth-watering canapés. Own Tim Warren, who grows an impressive variety of spices, took us on a tour of the farm which was fascinating.

Garnisha Spice Farm

 Then we sat down for lunch and were treated to a banquet prepared by Martin Boetz (Longrain Restaurant, Sydney) and Lien Yeomans (Green Papaya, Brisbane).  And what a feast it was!  The meal was accompanied by wines by Hungerford Hill, and it’s fair to say that a lot of eating, drinking and making merry was enjoyed by all. On the way back to Noosa, we stopped at local Gourmet Store and Fresh Food Market Belmondos, where we indulged in coffee and afternoon tea. I’m not sure how any of us managed to squeeze any more food in!

Martin Boetz preparing lunch

During the festival, I attended a number of cooking demonstrations, including “Top Queensland Produce” (Shane Bailey, Berardo’s Noosa and David Pugh, Restaurant Two, Brisbane) and “Two Master Chefs (Matt Moran and two staff of George Columbaris’ restaurant the Press Club, who were replacing George who was unable to attend the festival due to the volcano disrupting airline shedules).  It is always inspiring to learn new tips and cooking secrets from chefs of this calibre. 

Matt Moran cooking up a storm

I also attended a lively discussion “Masterchef Phenomenon…Food, Magazines and Cookbooks” featuring Matt Preston, Matt Moran and Trudi Jenkins. Some interesting little titbits were revealed about this season’s Masterchef, and general discussion around what constituted its resounding success.

There were plenty of food and wine tasting on offer, including an exciting assortment of Queensland produce and wineries from all parts of Australia. I was surprised at the quality of some of the Queensland wines I tasted, and the cheeses were really excellent.

The wine tastings were a popular activity

There were many more activities and events that I did not attend – after all you can only eat and drink so much, right? Next year I will definitely be joining the “Seafood Afloat” Trail and one of the degustation dinners. I can highly recommend this festival which takes place late April / early May – so mark your 2011 calendar now!

A good time was had by all!

Review: Noosa Food & Wine Festival 2010 is a post from: entertaining made easy

Awarded New Zealand winemaker Villa Maria Estate recently launched its 2009 Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc. I have been a big fan of Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc for a few years now, and their new vintage did not disappoint!

This vibrant Sauvignon Blanc is bursting with a fruit-salad-bowl of flavours including ripe gooseberry, passionfruit, fresh citrus lime and exotic herbaceous aromas. With layers of juicy flavours, intensity and fullness with a refreshing crisp, clean and racy finish, it is an ideal accompaniment to chicken and seafood dishes. I enjoyed a bottle last week with pan-fried salmon and lemon-dill tomatoes and it complemented the dish perfectly.

The 2009 Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc features fruit grown from Villa Maria vineyards throughout the Wairau and Awatere Valleys in the Marlborough region. To achieve the quality and depth of flavour that this wine delivers, Villa Maria harvests its grapes at varying levels of ripeness over a five-week period.

Villa Maria wines are available Australia-wide at good wine retailers. A bottle of the 2009 Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc retails for around the $20 mark. You will also fine Villa Maria wines in many of Australia’s top restaurants, including Otto and Icebergs Dining Room.

Enjoy this exuberant and delightful wine.

review: Villa Maria 2009 Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc is a post from: entertaining made easy

Similar to my own philosophies, The Chefs Toolbox believe that cooking should be fun, not a chore and they encourage their customers to focus on healthy, traditional cooking using fresh ingredients. Their motto is “Cooking is Fun with the Right Tools” and their products are all designed with this in mind.

I cannot recommend their products highly enough and they are fantastic value for money, many of them covered by a lifetime warranty. Their product range includes non-stick cookware, top-quality knives, silicon bakeware, and practical cooking tools and utensils.

Their non-stick cookware brings the best qualities of commercial cookware to domestic kitchens.  The range features a hard-wearing exterior and a non-stick interior for perfect stovetop (including induction cooktops) and oven cooking. It offers fast even heating, low fat-cooking and easy cleaning.

Their top quality knives are designed in Australia and manufactured to strict specifications using the very best raw materials from Germany. They are so comfortable and easy to use that I prefer using them over my much more expensive Global knives.

The silicon bakeware is magical stuff – cakes and muffins are removed with the greatest of ease with no need to grease.  Made to commercial standards, they can be used in the microwave, oven (including gas), freezer and dishwasher. They can also be folded for easy storage.

Like all their products, their commercial-grade utensils and tools are stylish and easy to use and clean. The range includes silicon utensils, electronic scales, digital thermometer / timer and cooling racks to name but a few.

The Chefs Toolbox products are available in Australia via their website or through party plan. Party-plan is done by way of a Cooking Party, whereby a consultant will come to your home and do a cooking demonstration using their products. Everyone has the opportunity to get involved and it’s a fantastic opportunity to “try before you buy” as well as have some fun with friends. What retail store would offer you this?

Because I share their philosophy about food and cooking and am so impressed with their products, I have recently become a Chefs Toolbox consultant. Should you be interested in hosting a cooking party (there are some fabulous incentives for doing so!) please contact me on 0438 469 692. I operate on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.  If you prefer, you can purchase their products via their website or call me on 0438 469 692 and I will be happy to place your order for you.

review: The Chefs Toolbox kitchenware is a post from: entertaining made easy

The view from our room

The Maldives are located South-West of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean on the equator and are made up of over 1000 islands of which only 200 are inhabited. Blessed with unbelievably blue waters, a near perfect climate and an abundance of coral and marine life, water activities are a key attraction for many travelling there.

Pristine waters of the Maldives

We chose to stay at Kanifinholu, a small island about 30 minutes by speedboat from Malé the capital. The one resort on the island is run by Club Med, known as Club Med Kani.  As food is an important consideration for us when deciding where to stay, we chose Club Med as they offer a diverse range of eating options including European, Asian and local cuisines. The other great feature Club Med offers is that everything is included in the package price, including food and alcohol.  Like many exotic destinations, the Maldives is incredibly expensive for eating and drinking so to have food and alcohol included was definitely the way to go.

Maldivian Sunset

The resort boasted a buffet restaurant, and a smaller a la carte restaurant. Most evenings we dined at the buffet restaurant, as the a la carte restaurant was very difficult to get into as it only seated about 40 and the resort was at its maximum capacity of 400.

As far as buffets go, I would rate this one close to 10 out of 10. Each evening the buffet was a different theme – Ocean, Asian, International, etc. There were choices for every taste regardless of the theme, from pizza and pasta to curries and barbequed selections.

Beautiful buffet, featuring fresh local fruit

Quality produce was used, and this was reflected in the quality of the food. At lunch and dinner a generous selection of French cheeses was offered, and included my favourites Munster, Pont l’Eveque and Livarot. Served with real French baguette, they went down a treat! The seafood was plentiful, diverse and incredibly fresh. On most evenings raw fish (in particular tuna) was offered, in many forms including sashimi, sushi and marinated Tahitian style.

The view from the buffet restaurant

One evening each week the buffet restaurant is relocated to beachfront and we dined under the stars. The buffet theme that evening was “Ocean” and an amazing selection of seafood was available including local lobster. It was just divine dining en plein air listening to the gentle sound of the ocean.

Beachfront dining

Each evening we enjoyed pre-dinner cocktails either at the Beach Bar or the Terrace Bar. Most cocktails were included, so Caprioskas, Mojitos or Martinis were the order of most days.

Local fresh fruit featured highly on my breakfast plate – I particularly enjoyed the local papaya with local limes. For lunch every third day or so they had a beach barbeque, where the chefs grilled local fish as well as meats and vegetables. Very civilised, eating lunch on the sand in your bikini!

Hubby enjoying a pre-lunch drink

The only disappointing dining aspect was the complementary wines. Both restaurants offered a white, rosé and red – all French wines and very non-descript.

The dining highlight was the evening of our 10-year wedding anniversary, where we opted for the Romantic Dinner (at a considerable extra cost).

Pre-dinner drinks on our 10th wedding anniversary

A beautiful table was set up on the beach and we assigned a personal waiter. The meal comprised of entree of a mixed cold plate of fois gras, smoked salmon, cured meats, fine cheese and other goodies. Main course was a whole large lobster, which was cooked to perfection. For dessert the Executive Chef (who I had befriended earlier in the week) arranged a beautiful anniversary cake – enough to feed about 20 people rather than 2! It was a perfect balmy evening with a gentle breeze, the moon almost full and the water less than 10 metres away – it truly was a memorable dining experience.

10th anniversary cake

The local Maldivian waiters were absolutely charming and nothing was too much trouble for them. On our last evening they laid a special table for us, as can be seen in the photo below.

As part of their activity program, the resort offered cooking demonstrations 3 times per week. The dishes being demonstrated were Maldivian Fish Curry, Sushi and Creme Brulee. I opted for the first two (as I consider myself fairly competent in the Creme Brulee department). The Maldivian Fish curry was made with super-fresh fish, various spices and coconut milk and was rich and delicious. The Sushi Class was fun, as I put my hand up to roll which I had never done before and am now inspired to try it at home!

Sushi cooking class

Maldivian Fish Curry (serves 4):

Ingredients:
30ml vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely sliced
10g ginger, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 curry leaves
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
10g chilli powder
30g curry powder
15g ground cumin
10g ground turmeric
500g firm white fish (eg snapper) chopped into bitesized pieces
150ml coconut milk
Salt to taste

Method:
1.    Heat oil in a frypan or wok over a high heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and curry leaves and cook until the onions are golden brown.
2.    Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, chilli powder, curry powder, cumin and turmeric and cook until fragrant.
3.    Add the fish and the coconut milk, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes or until the fish is tender, stirring occasionally.
4.    Serve with rice or chapatti.

We managed to dine one evening at the à la carte restaurant and I must say it was lovely to be served a meal at the table for a change instead of queuing up at the buffet. The restaurant juts out over the water, and we were lucky enough to score the best table in the restaurant and watched the fish and the reef sharks circling for food while we dined.

Dining at the a la carte restaurant

Food highlights during our stay for me include fois gras, super-fresh tuna sashimi, lobster, excellent variety of French cheeses, beautiful French bread (made the way it should be), local fruits including mangosteens.

In summary, I can highly recommend Club Med in the Maldives. Apart from being an idyllic location with luxury accommodation, the food was first class for a resort of its size. The diversity of food offerings means that there is something for everyone, even the most discerning foodie.

Luxury accommocdation in an idylic location

magical Maldivian dining is a post from: entertaining made easy

Originating from the Bolivian part of the Amazon basin in South America, the Achacha is grown in North Queensland and the first harvest is available now. The Bolivian name of the fruit is Achachairú and translated means “honey kiss”. An Achacha is egg-shaped in appearance about 4cm x 6cm, has a seed similar to a lychee and when ripe is bright orange in colour. Nutritionally, achachas contain a high Vitamin C content, as well as Folic Acid, Potassium and Riboflavin.

To eat fresh, score the skin with a sharp knife and remove (don’t throw them away though, as the skins can be used to make a refreshing drink – see below!). Enjoy the delicious flesh avoiding the seed. Achachas can be successfully frozen for many months and can be served frozen as a palate cleanser between courses (as you would serve sorbet).

Add them to a fruit salad for an exotic twist, or drop a peeled fruit into a glass of bubbly for some festive fizz!

The skins of the Achacha are also very nutritious and can be used to make a thirst-quenching drink. Try this recipe:

Ingredients:
Washed skins from 12 Achachas (skins can be collected and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for  up to a week)
2 litres water
1/2 cup honey or 1/2 cup raw sugar dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Method:
1. Place the Achacha skins in a blender or food processor and blend with 1 litre of water.
2. Add the honey or sugar syrup and the other 1 litre of water.
3. Place in a jug and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Strain the drink, and keep chilled until ready to drink.
5. Serve with fresh mint leaves if desired. You can also serve with lime wedges or add some rum for a refreshing alcoholic drink!

Achachas are available from selected greengrocers, including Harris Farm.

Achacha – the Amazonian fruit now grown in Australia is a post from: entertaining made easy

POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice

Try this delicious cocktail, made from Mount Gay rum, pomegranate juice, lime juice and sugar syrup:

Ingredients (for 2):
100ml Mount Gay Rum (or other dark rum)
50ml fresh lime juice
50ml pomegranate juice
30ml sugar syrup (see recipe below)
4 or 5 ice cubes

Method:
Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until well combined. Strain into 2 chilled martini glasses and enjoy!

For the Sugar Syrup:
Stir 1 cup of caster sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolved. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool, then refrigerate.
Store leftover sugar syrup covered in the refrigerator – it will keep for around 2 weeks.

recipe: dark rum and pomegranate cocktail is a post from: entertaining made easy

1. Microplane grater
How I ever survived with just a cheap box grater I’ll never know.  A razor-sharp Microplane grater will make easy and fast work of grating anything from nutmeg to chocolate and cheese.  They retail in Australia for around $40 AUS, and come in a number of different models, including coarse, ribbon and zester.

Microplane grater

2. Salad Spinner
I love my Zyliss salad spinner at this time of the year. It dries salad leaves and herbs with an absolute minimum of fuss. The dried leaves can be refrigerated in the spinner until you’re ready to use them, and the bowl can double up as a salad bowl. So much easier and tidier than using a tea towel.

Salad spinner

3. Silicon Spatula (known as a scraper in the US)
This versatile and indispensable utensil has a myriad of uses, from mixing to scraping: ideal for transferring cake batter from a bowl to a baking tin, removing the contents of a food processor and getting the last bit of pasta sauce from the saucepan. I also use mine over the stove as a stirrer – it’s perfect to use with non-stick cookware as it doesn’t scratch.

Silicon spatula

What are your favourite kitchen utensils / gadgets? Please leave your comments as I would love to know!

what are your favourite kitchen tools? is a post from: entertaining made easy