Good Food. Good Wine.

Serving size: 6 

Ingredients

6 to 8 pieces of osso bucco veal shank

Plain flour (gluten free if required)

3 onions roughly chopped

2 celery stalks diced

4 baby carrots roughly chopped

2 tins of 400g chopped tomatoes

5 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper

Dry white wine

Method

Dust 6 to 8 pieces of osso bucco (veal shank from the hind leg, cut across the bone, each piece about 4cm thick) with plain flour, heat some olive oil in a skillet and brown the meat lightly.

In a pot large enough to hold all the osso buco, saute 3 chopped onions in a little olive oil until they become transparent (not coloured) with celery and carrots. Arrange the osso buco on top of the vegetables, season with a little with salt and pepper, add tomatoes and dry white wine to cover the meat. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 90 minutes.

After that time, add half a cup of chopped parsley and 5 minced garlic cloves, and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and serve arborio (risotto) rice.

Matt was raised on a dairy farm at Badgerys Creek in NSW and it was while living in regional Australia that he developed a commitment to the land and his love for food and local produce.

At age 15, Matt finished school to initiate a career as a chef. He commenced his apprenticeship at La Belle Helene Restaurant, Roseville, on Sydney’s North Shore and it was here that Matt discovered and practiced the art of classical French cooking.

In 1991 Matt and business partner Peter Sullivan, launched their first restaurant - The successful partnership led them to open their second restaurant Morans Restaurant and Café in 1995 which was also well received on the food scene. Moran’s was awarded best new restaurant in the 1995 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide

December 1999 saw Matt Moran and business partner Peter Sullivan open the doors to ARIA Restaurant. Located in one of the most enviable positions in Sydney at No. 1 Macquarie Street, East Circular Quay, ARIA overlooks the Sydney Opera House and Sydney’s spectacular harbour.

At ARIA, Matt believes that seasonality is an important basis for menu production and one of the most significant ingredients in achieving a flavoursome, balanced and premium quality menu. As such, ARIA’s contemporary menu is inspired by his passion for sourcing the finest seasonal produce available. Vogue Entertaining has described Matt Moran’s food at ARIA as “a revelation.”

Distinguished wine writer James Halliday has called the wine list ‘the best in Australia’ and the Sydney Morning Herald has said of the restaurant’s unmatched location: “If you were any closer to the Opera House, you’d be in the audience.”

ARIA has been awarded two coveted Chef’s Hats by The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Since 2003 Matt Moran has been a member of the International Culinary Panel for Singapore Airlines. He has represented Australia internationally promoting food and wine in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. In May 2003, he was invited to New York to appear at the esteemed New York culinary institution James Beard House.

Since its inception in 2005 Matt has been part of the judging panel for the coveted Vogue Entertaining & Travel Produce Awards.In 2005, ARIA Restaurant and Matt featured prominently in Heat in the Kitchen, an insightful documentary looking at the lives of three Sydney chefs and their restaurants. The documentary followed the restaurants for a year coinciding with results from the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards. The show aired on SBS in Australia and is still broadcast internationally.

Allpress Espresso, 58 Epsom Road, Rosebery, NSW, 2018 - (02) 9662 8288

Opening Hours - Mon to Sun, 7am - 10am and 12 noon to 2pm

In 1986, the love for traditional Italian espresso prompted Michael Allpress to leave his career as a chef, and establish one of New Zealand’s first specialist espresso coffee companies.

Aiming to supply the wholesale market with freshly roasted 100% Arabica coffee, it wasn’t long before Michael was roasting late into the night just to keep up with demand. After the addition of a new Petrocini roaster in 1996, Allpress Espresso became agents for La Marzocco espresso machines. Regarded internationally as the leading brand for reliability, innovation and engineering the partnership has became a natural enhancement to our own company values.

Now firmly established in New Zealand and Australia Allpress Espresso would like to provide your espresso bar, café or restaurant with everything you need to serve the most satisfying espresso possible.

The first vintage of Thomas Wines was produced in 1997 and they have since grown to become one of the Hunter Valley’s top producers of Semillon and Shiraz. The portfolio consists of two ranges, Individual Vineyard and Two of a Kind with a total production of only 4000 cases annually. Andrew Thomas and the winemaking team, focuses on making wines of exceptional quality.They have a ‘hands on’ approach to winemaking, implementing a modern spin on age-old techniques. The wines are lavished with attention, ensuring that high standards and attention to detail is maintained.

Andrew’s most recent accolade, Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year 2008, wine show success and the vast, positive feedback from the media, is a reflection of their passion for the Hunter and the outstanding wines produced.

Specialising in Semillon and Shiraz, Thomas Wines are dedicated to producing wines of exceptional quality and individuality. The fruit is sourced from arguably some of the Hunter’s most distinguished vineyards and reputable growers, to make wines which are individual and unique. The wines are lavished with attention in the winery using a modern spin on techniques of an age old tradition. The flagship wines Braemore Semillon and Kiss Shiraz head an outstanding line up, where each wine is an expression of its own ‘terroir’.

The Braemore vineyard, situated on the sandy alluvial flats of Hermitage Road, consistently produces outstanding semillon featuring freshness, vibrancy and remarkable longevity. This is a traditional Hunter Valley style exhibiting delicate lemon and lime fruit characters intermingled with an attractive grassy complexity, and is supported by a zesty, citrus-like acidity providing a pleasing purity and freshness to the finish.

Celebrate the 17th anniversary of Jazz in the Vines at Tyrrells Vineyard, Pokolbin, Hunter Valley.

Saturday 31 October 2009 - 11 am to 6 pm at Tyrrells Vineyard, Broke Road, Pokolbin - featuring James Morrison, Grace Knight, Christine Anu, Paulini, Monica Trapaga, Galapogos Duck, Watussi and many others. Jazz in the Vines has been renowned for its laid back atmosphere, food and wine indulgence and great music appealing to Jazz lovers and non Jazz lovers alike.

Luxury Self Contained Hunter Valley Accommodation www.thevintry.com.au

The Vintry offers boutique, luxury, self contained accommodation for up to 8 people in the heart of Australia’s Hunter Valley Wine Country at Pokolbin, just 2 hours drive north of Sydney.
The Vintry was created with a single vision in mind. That is, to offer a complete wine experience. Wine; from vineyard to glass and sharing that experience with friends. The Vintry experience; an encounter of relaxation, food and wine created to meet or exceed the needs of our guests.
Tickets  http://www.jazzinthevines.com.au/tickets.php 

A variety of fruits and vegetables are essential to a balanced diet. The best fruit and vegetables to eat are those that are in season. They are often the cheapest too.

Fruit; Bananas, Grapefruit, Lemons

Vegetables; Beanshoots, Broccoli, Carrots, Fennel, Mushrooms, Potato, Pumpkin, Silverbeet.

Rock Restaurant in the Hunter Valley is an exciting fine dining destination for food and wine lovers. Multi award winning, Rock has become one of Australia’s dining benchmarks with contemporary Australian cuisine with classical French influence.

Seasonal menus showcase regional produce prepared with passion, matched with Poole’s Rock Wines.  Rock Restaurant is open from Thursday to Saturday 6:30pm till late or for relaxed meals, snacks or coffee at Firestick Cafe which is open 7 days from 9.30am to 5.00pm.

Chef Andrew Clarke is a passionate advocate of fresh, seasonal and regional ingredients. His food challenges and excites, its presentation displays both form and balance like good artwork.

His state-of-the-art kitchen includes a wood-fired oven to be used to make traditional wood-fired pizzas during the day, and as a showpiece oven at night.

Andrew Clarke’s cooking career began with Anthony Musarra at Mesclun Brasserie, where he quickly learned the basics of contemporary Australian cuisine. After a year, he moved to The Edge restaurant to work with Gary Skelton at his popular fast-paced restaurant in East Sydney. During this time, Andrew also worked with Matt Browns Greens delivering fresh fruit and vegetables to some of Sydney’s finest restaurants. Subsequently, he accepted a position at Claude’s Restaurant under Tim Pak Poy, one of Australia’s finest chefs. Andrew worked at Claude’s for three years during which time Tim passed on his skills, knowledge and passion for fine dining. Since then Andrew has assisted prominent Sydney caterer Leigh Stone-Herbert of Absolute Ambrosia, and worked at a number of Sydney restaurants including the Bathers’ Pavilion.

The most familiar way to eat walnuts is as shelled nut kernels or as in-shell walnuts that has long been a tradition of the Christmas season in Western European cultures.

However, this is not the only way large quantities of walnuts are consumed.

Salted pickled walnuts
Immature green walnuts (still inside the green husks) are picked prior to the shell hardening. Nuts are pickled in brine. To serve, slice thinly and serve with some good, stronger tasting cheese. This goes well with a good port, etc. There a few local producers of this delicacy but imported versions are available from speciality food stores.

Sugar pickled walnuts
Similar to salted pickled walnuts but cured in sugar syrup. These are eaten as a sweet with cream or ice cream. Produced in Romania but not generally available. Please let us know if you know of a source of this speciality.

Fresh walnuts (not dried)
There is a major market for these in Europe. Nuts are sold immediately after they fall from the tree. In this form, the walnuts need to be treated like fresh fruit and are kept in cold storage. They only last a few weeks. While popular in Europe, these are not generally available in Australia except directly from a few growers. If you would like to make contact with growers able to sell in form, please let us know so that we can attempt to put you in contact with an appropriate supplier.

Walnut oil
Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The oil from walnuts is a concentrated source of such beneficial fats as well as being a delicious addition to your salad dressing. 

A note on storing walnut oils. For best shelf life, buy walnut oils in tins or keep the oil in a cupboard away from the light. This is true for any unsaturated oil, not just walnut oil. While attractively shaped bottles can help sell the product, something in an ugly tin will keep fresher for longer.

In-shell (dried) walnuts
The moisture content of fresh walnuts as they fall from the tree varies according to climatic conditions from 10-30%. The freshly harvested nuts are dried to 8% total moisture content. In this form the nuts in-shell can be kept for up to 2 years if stored correctly.  

Walnut kernels (shelled walnuts)
Walnuts that have discoloured shells, etc, that cannot be sold are typically shelled and sold as kernels. In addition, there is a large market for walnut kernels for use in manufacturing in cakes and confectionary. Any sort of strong or bitter taste indicates nuts that are too old and have gone rancid.

Nuts that have been kept too long have a stronger bitter taste (rancidity) and have put many of the older generation off walnuts. Next time you have some fresh Australian walnuts, share them around and watch for the faces that light up in delight when they discover what walnuts really taste like.

Boiled Eggs

Allow eggs to return to room temperature if stored in refrigerator.

Add to a saucepan of water, some salt and a tablespoon of vinegar and bring to the boil on high heat. Gently place eggs into the water and turn down heat to keep the water simmering.

For soft boiled eggs, cook for 4 minutes, medium boiled 5 to 7 minutes and hard boiled eggs for 10 minutes.

Scrambled Eggs

2 eggs, 1/3 cup (80mL) cream, salt, 1/4 oz (10g) butter

All eggs stored in the refrigerator to return to room temperature. Crack the eggs and place in a bowl with the cream and a pinch of salt and whisk together.

Put the butter in a non stick frying pan over high heat until melted. Pour in the egg mixture and cook for around 20 seconds until it begins to set around the edge. Use a wooden spoon to stir and bring the egg mixture from the edge of the pan into the centre. Gently fold the egg mixture in, do not scramble. Cook for another 20 seconds them fold again from edge to centre until eggs are just set. do not over cook.

Turn out onto a plate and serve with crusty sourdough or wholemeal toast.

ART SCRAWL is an exhibition of local artists that began 13 years ago.

This year sees a range of superb works from some 70 artists and more than 20 young artists will be exhibiting and offering works for sale. These include photography, jewellery, prints, ceramics, glass, paintings, drawings, woodwork, sculpture and children’s artworks.

It is held on the long weekend in June. This year our opening night will be Friday 5th June, 2009, at 6.30pm at Pokolbin Community Hall, McDonalds Road, Pokolbin. Entry to the opening is $10 for guests and visitors, but free to exhibitors and school children.

The exhibition will continue over the June Long Weekend with a $2 entry fee.

All funds raised go directly to the Pokolbin Community Hall in an ongoing effort to improve facilities. This is a major fund raising event providing an opportunity for artists of all ages to showcase their talents.

Opening Times Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June 10am -4pm, Monday 8th June 10am - 3pm

Enquiries www.artscrawl.com.au

Accommodation www.thevintry.com.au

A variety of fruits and vegetables are essential to a balanced diet. The best fruit and vegetables to eat are those that are in season. They are often the cheapest too. 

Fruit; apples, bananas, grapefruit, grapes, kiwifruit, watermelon, figs, lemons, persimmons.

Vegetables; beanshoots, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, mushrooms, potatoes, pumpkin, spring onions, turnips.

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 brown onion finely chopped

1/4 cup Pine Nuts

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

150g baby spinach

1 tablespoon thyme leaves

2 cups fresh multigrain bread crumbs

Sea salt

Ground pepper

Method 

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium to high heat. Add onion, pine nuts and garlic. Cook stirring often for 4 minutes until onions and pine nuts turn a golden brown. Add spinach to the pan, cook stirring often for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Remove pan from heat. Add thyme, bread crumbs to pan and combine mixture well. Season to taste. Fill chicken cavity with stuffing and tie the legs together with kitcken string.

2008 Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling

Delicate, floral wine with lemon-lime freshness and zing. Displays typical minerality and lemon and lime intensity. Great length and showing signs that this wine will will develop into a classic vintage.

The continuing drought in Australia again played a role in Petaluma’s Hanlin Hill Vineyard, planted in 1968. Just enough rain fell at just the right time to allow the old vines to ripen their crop. The vines flowered early and the whole season from then on was one month in advance on the average season. For only the third time since 1979, we finished picking before the end of February.

The vineyard received 2,001 degree C days of heat in the growing season versus the long term average of 1,773 degree C days. However, this number was skewed by an intense heat wave in the first two weeks of March, by which time the vineyard had been picked and the juice was safely in the tank. To the end of February the accumulated heat was only marginally more than average.

The hand picked fruit was transported to the Petaluma Winery in the Piccadilly Valley and processed immediately. The bunches were de-stemmed, the berries gently crushed and chilled to less than 5 degrees C then pressed in a Willmes tank press.

The free run juice was then cold settled in stainless steel tanks, clarifying without filtration. This bright clear juice was then racked into fermentation tanks and inoculated with Petaluma’s chosen yeast. Cool fermentation (10 to 13 degrees C) then proceeded over 6 to 7 weeks and at sugar dryness the wine was chilled in place to minus 2 degrees C, before a gentle filtration to bottle in June 2008.

The 2008 Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling is the product of a drought vintage. However, wonderful balance has been the hallmark of this vineyard since our first vintage in 1979 and in 2008 we achieved low pH and high acid that winemakers dream about. Passionfruit, pear and apple aromas and flavours are backed up by lovely intense lemon-lime with a slately, mineral dry finish, typical of the Hanlin Hill Vineyard.

Andrew Hardy - Winemaker

Fresh Figs are very perishable so don’t travel well and once they are picked they do not ripen any further.  For these reasons, it is difficult to find good quality, ripe fruit in a fruit store.  Once at home should be kept refrigerated.

The fragile skin often scars during the growing period from the leaves rubbing against the fruit leaving the flesh inside undamaged. Recommended storage temperature is 32 to 36 degrees F or 0 to 2 degrees C. Under ideal conditions, fresh figs will store for as long as 5 to 7 days.

A good fig will be heavy with its own juice with its skin just about to split and their flavour rich and concentrated. A ripe fig can be eaten skin and all and can be eaten fresh, that is, uncooked. They are perhaps best enjoyed wrapped in thinly sliced prosciutto and roasted.

Varieties include the pear shaped Black Genoa with dark purple skin and red flesh; White Adriatic with brownish-green skin and pink flesh; smaller green-skinned varieties such as Flanders or Cape White; or the greenish-yellow skinned and honey-coloured flesh of White Genoa and Archipal.

Figs are a terrific accompaniment to; salt-cured and air-dried ham such as prosciutto and Spanish ham; soft cheeses such as gorgonzola, brie and goat’s curd; nuts; orange and lemon; honey; sugar; rocket, radicchio and fennel; roast pigeon, grilled quail and roast duck; mascarpone; cream; butter; balsamic vinegar; vincotto; brandy, cognac and armagnac.

Figs are low in fat and high in dietary fibre and contain vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and also iron and calcium.

[Read the rest of this entry…]

Doctor Max Lake, founder of Lake’s Folly Vineyard and recognised as “the father of Australian boutique wineries”, has died aged 84.

Dr Lake is best remembered for starting the first boutique winery in Australia, Lake’s Folly in 1963 in the Hunter Valley, but was a hand surgeon by trade.

He died in his Longueville home on Sydney’s North Shore on Tuesday night, surrounded by family and friends.

His contribution to the Australian wine industry saw him awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2002 for “service to the establishment of the boutique wine industry in Australia as a winemaker, judge, promoter and author.” Doctor Lake is survived by his three children Stephen, David and Paula.

Doctor Max Lake achieved success in three distinctly different fields—as a surgeon, winegrower and author—although he is probably best known as one of the pioneers of the Australian wine boom.

Born in the United States in 1924, he studied medicine at Sydney University and was the first Australian to specialise in hand surgery.

Then, in 1963 in the Hunter Valley of NSW, he established Lake’s Folly, one of Australia’s first and most prestigious boutique wineries.

In 1966, he made his name with a benchmark book, Wines of Australia. As his surgical career came to an end, he leapt wholeheartedly into the world of wine and food, as a member of the Food Standards Committee and a renowned international judge. Applying his medical background to the science of flavour and smell, he also became an obsessive student of the senses.

His influential writing and research includes the books Scents and Sensuality and Food on The Plate. Wine in the Glass.

Serving Size: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

220 g block of good quality dark chocolate, chopped to make easier to melt

125 g unsalted butter

225 g or a firmly pack cup of brown sugar

100 g of whole hazelnuts (ground with mortar and pestle or rolling pin)

5 eggs, separated yolks from whites

1 tablespoon sifted cocoa powder

CINNAMON CREAM

250 mL (1 cup) of thick or double cream

1 tablespoon of sifted icing sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and grease and line the base and sides of a 20 cm (8 inch) springform tin.

Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the base of the bowl is not touching the water). Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter have melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Add the sugar and ground hazelnuts to the melted chocolate and stir until there are no lumps. Add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring well after each addition. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until firm. Leave to cool completely in the tin before removing the side of the tin. Dust the top with cocoa powder.

To make the cinnamon cream, whip the cream, then mix in the icing sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Serve with the cake.

Killcare is one of the Central Coast Peninsula’s most beautiful and secluded beachside hamlets. Set amongst tranquil, natural bush beside the Bouddi National Park, Killcare is an easy 90 minute drive north of Sydney.

 Adding to the appeal of this Central Coast jewel is the newly refurbished Bells at Killcare Boutique Hotel, Restaurant and Bar. Bells at Killcare offers a luxury retreat together with an authentic regional restaurant.

The centre of activity is the gorgeous newly refurbished manor house, decorated using the colours of Killcare beach as inspiration. The house has a grand 60 seat dining room, 2 private dining rooms, a massive outdoor dining terrace, a cocktail bar and library that offers guests the ultimate dining experience. One of Sydney’s favourite and most celebrated chefs, Stefano Manfredi, has recently taken over the reins, offering a seasonal, Italian inspired and produce driven menu.

On the menu, one might find locally harvested seafood such as Hawkesbury River oysters and crayfish caught off nearby Macmasters Beach, Gundooee Wagyu beef from the Central Tablelands or Bangalow Sweet Port from the Northern Rivers. The estate’s vegetable garden is harvested each morning and produce is selected for the daily menu.

Bells at Killcare offers boutique accommodation in classic country style. The eight, soon to be eleven coastal style cottages are self contained king spa suites which are set into the lush gardens of the retreat offering privacy and relaxation. Each suite offers attention to detail including heated towel rail, cosy fires, soft bathrooms, goose down quilts and Aveda toiletries. There is a wide range of massage therapies that can be booked in advance to be enjoyed in the privacy of the cottage.

The nearby villages of Hardy’s Bay, Wagstaff and Killcare are close by for exploration, as are a number of Central Coast beaches and unique bush walks and wildlife in the Bouddi National Park.

Bells at Killcare - Boutique Hotel, Restaurant and Bar

107 Scenic Road, Killcare Beach

Cental Coast, NSW, 2257, Australia

Phone: 02 4360 2411

Fax: 02 4360 2422

Web: www.killcarebells.com.au

Email: info@killcarebells.com.au

Serving Size: Serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 Cup plain flour

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 Eggs

1 1/4 Cups (100 grams) of fresh breadcrumbs

50 grams fresh, finely grated Parmesan cheese

Small handful of finely chopped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley

4 Chicken breasts, cut into thirds

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

25 grams (1 oz) butter

Method

Put the flour and a little seasoning in a flat bowl or plate. Beat the eggs in another bowl and put the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, parsley and seasoning in a third bowl and stir together well.

Dip each piece of chicken in the seasoned flour, then the egg and finally in the breadcrumb mixture. Cover and chill for up to 2 hours before cooking.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large non stick frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, turning once until lightly golden. Cook in two batches, adding a little more olive oil and butter if needed.

Serving Size: Serves 1

Ingredients

1/2 Cup of tinned Cannelli Beans (drain and rinse)

1 Small tin of tuna in spring water (around 100 grams)

1/2 Celery stalk, sliced on diagonal around 5 cm or 2 inches in length and about 1 cm thick

1 Tablespoon of fresh, roughly chopped Italian (flat leaffed parsley)

1 Small lemon, peel and pith removed, thinly sliced

2 Teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 Lemon for juice

Method

Layer the cannelli beans, tuna, celery, parsley and lemon slices in a small serving bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and squeeze over the juice from 2 lemon halves.

You should not ignore your thirst. Often people mistake thirst for hunger which leads to overeating and dehydration. It is said that more than have the population are chronically dehydrated. Even mild dehydration slows down the body’s metabolism.

A lack of water has been found to be the most likely cause of daytime fatigue with a 2% decrease in body water triggering a degree of memory loss, trouble with simple problem solving and difficulty focusing on a page or computer screen.

Some early research has indicated that 8 to 10 glasses of water a day could easy back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

• Start the day with a glass of water and try to drink 2 litres a day
• Two cups of coffee a day is alright to drink for most people
• Four cups a tea a day is good for you
• Eat two pieces of fruit and plenty of vegetables every day. Most fruit and vegetables contain 90% water which helps meeting your fluid needs.
• Alcoholic drinks dehydrate the body. Set a limit of one to two standard drinks a day and always drink water when consuming alcohol.

The food we eat and what we drink has a significant effect on our health. We also get emotional comfort from food. We need to find foods that fulfil both roles; to boost physical health and to provide physical comfort.

Eat well

• Our immune system needs many foods that are rich in nutrients, especially vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E as well as minerals such as copper, zinc, selenium and iron.
• As we age, antioxidants found naturally in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil amd wholegrains can boost our naturally occuring supplies.
• Supplements should be taken with care as excessive quantities of some nutrients such as zinc, vitamin A, iron and selenium can depress the immune system.

Boosting your mood

• Exercise - a good long walk can clear your mind and help give you a sense of accomplishment making you feel good all day.
• Start your day with porridge and a spoonful of wheatgerm for a vitamin boast.
• After a long day at work, take away may seem easy but preparing ahead is a much better option. Why not make a big pot of soup early in the week full of seasonal vegetables. Freeze individual serves for lunches or weeknight dinners.

Passionfruit are in season during late summer but can be found throughout most of the year. When you are looking for passionfuit, look for fruit that feel slightly heavy for their size. Their skin should feel relatively thick and be slightly wrinkled.

Common varieties of passionfuit

The purple skin variety have a hard, smooth skin that begins to wrinkle as the fruit gets older and a yellow pulp with black edible seeds.

Panama passionfruit have a smooth, purple-pink skin with a fragrant sweet, yellow-orange pulp with black seeds.

Banana passionfruit have an elongated shape with a smooth yellow skin and a delicious tart pulp.

The yellow passionfruit have hard, dimpled, yellow skin and pale orange pulp speckled with black seeds.

Health benefits of Passionfruit 

Although passionfruit is not a variety of citrus, it is a source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is important for maintaining a strong immune system and keeping your skin, teeth and bones healthy. Passionfuit is  actually higher in fibre (per 100 grams) than many other fruits, which is helpful for keeping your digestive system active.

You can store passionfruit at room temperature for up to 10 days and they can be kept in the fridge for around two or three weeks.

Passionfruit ideas

Passionfruit is commonly used as a topping for ice cream, cakes, sorbets, pavlova and is great in fruit salads. If you enjoy passionfruit, why not try one of the following simple and delicious ideas:

Place fresh pineapple chunks, a few sprigs of fresh mint and some sliced apple in the blender. Blend until the mixture is fairly smooth; add crushed ice; pour into a tall glass and mix through some passionfruit pulp.
Freeze whole passionfruit as a cool summer treat for kids to scoop out and eat.
For a scrumptious dip, mix passionfruit pulp with light cream cheese or ricotta, and serve with seasonal fruit.

The markets are starting to see the first of the new season apples coming in now.

Apples contain no fat or cholesterol and are an excellent source of dietry fibre. Eating a medium sized apple will provide you with a third of your daily Vitamin C requirements and chewing an apple helps prevent tooth decay by stimulating the flow of saliva.

Apples have many health benefits and are one of the very few foods identified in human studies as being able to reduce the risk of disease. According to Horticulture Australia, these studies showed that eating fruits was generally protective in reducing disease risk and that vegetables collectively had a reduction. However apples are different. In the studies it was found that eating apples had a direct effect in helping to reduce disease risk.

Apples and the flavoniods found in them have been linked to a reduced risk of lung cancer in a large number of studies. Apples may also offer some protection against other forms of cancer with a recent study showing that apple intake was consistently associated with a reduction in risk as part of a healthy and varied diet.

It has been found that eating apples has been linked to a reduction in cardiovascular disease of up to 22% in woman in a large study of a number of years and other studies have shown a reduction in the risk of heart disease from apples and the flavonoids they contain. Apple flavonoids are strongly linked to a reduced mortality from heart disease in men.

An Australian study has shown that eating whole apples can protected against asthma. Asthma is a significant health issue as it is believed that over 2 million people have the condition in Australia. The finding is consistent with a number of studies. Additionally it appears that apples can generally improve lung health and there is research to suggest that eating apples during pregnancy.

Selection and Storage

Choose an apple that has skin that is firm and smooth to touch. Apples should be stored in a refrigerator so they stay crisp for longer.

Dietary Fibre

According to the the World Health Organisation, high levels of dietary can help prevent weight gain and apples are rich in fibre—containing more fibre per serve than leading breakfast cereals.

Not only can fibre help control our weight, Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council encourages optimum fibre intake to reduce the risk of conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular problems and certain cancers. Plus fibre each day is essential for good digestive health.

Low Glycemic Index

Carbohydrate foods with a low GI (glycemic index) release sugar into the bloodstream gradually to provide a longer lasting energy. Because apples have a low GI of 38, they provide a sustained source of energy for the body.

In general, it is recommended that a low GI product be eaten with every meal.

Potassium

The Australian Government has suggested that we try to increase the amount of potassium in our diet because it can help control blood pressure and apples certainly make a good contribution.

In fact, fruit and vegetable consumption generally has been shown to help reduce blood pressure in those with elevated levels.

Vitamin C

Vital for healthy skin and a strong immune system—plus vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant.

Essential Minerals

Apples also contain calcium for healthy bones and teeth, iron to help transport oxygen in the body and zinc for the immune system.

B Vitamins

Vital for the release of energy from food—the B group vitamins are needed in the diet each day and they can be found in apples.

No fat, cholesterol or salt

It is reassuring to know that while apples contain so many nutritional benefits they don’t have the things we don’t need.

A variety of fruit and vegetables are essential to a balanced diet. The best fruit and vegetables to eat are those that are in season. They are often the cheapest too.

Fruit; bananas, blackberries, blueberries, grapes, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, tomatoes and watermelons.

Vegetables; asparagus, beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, celery, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, mushrooms, pumpkin, snow peas, sweetcorn, turnip, zucchini.

The Lovedale Long Lunch was started in 1994 to market Lovedale as a premium wine producing area and tourist attraction. Now in its 16th year, it includes seven wineries and vineyards to visit over the Long Lunch weekend.

The Lovedale Long Lunch has been the winner at the Hunter Region Awards for Excellence in Tourism for the category Significant Regional Festivals and Special Events in 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2007. In 2006 the event was classified as a Regional Flagship Event by Tourism NSW.

The Lovedale Long Lunch is an annual event, held on the third weekend in May. It is a progressive-type of lunch where visitors wine and dine their way around the 7 participating wineries along the Lovedale trail.

Music and art add to the total indulgence of the senses. Take all day or all weekend to linger in the beauty of the spectacular vineyards, taste the award winning wines and savour the best of Hunter cuisine.

Serious Long Lunchers should perhaps heed the advice of previous survivors - skip breakfast.

Participating wineries are: Emma’s Cottage Vineyard, Warraroong Estate, Sandalyn Wilderness Estate, Wandin Valley Estate, Gartelmann Hunter Estate, Tatler Wines and Allandale Winery.

How to Long Lunch - 4 Easy Steps

1. It doesn’t matter where you start, it doesn’t matter where you finish, but first purchase your “LLL” commemorative tasting glass ($5) at any of the participating Lovedale wineries.
2. Choose a plate of entrée size gourmet cuisine ($23) provided by some of the Hunter Valley’s most talented chefs, matched with a complimentary glass of the winemakers’ specially selected wine to accompany it.
3. Delicious desserts ($8), local cheese ($8), fresh coffee (from $2) and a host of other delights await you at every venue. (These items don’t include a complimentary glass of wine.) All prices are GST inclusive.
4. Relax and enjoy!

To complete the food and wine experience, stay at The Vintry for luxury self contained accommodation at Pokolbin.

A terrific evening at The Cowrie started when the friendly driver from the complimentary shuttle service arrived as we opened the front door of the house and at exactly the requested time. It is only a short drive from our holiday accommodation at North Avoca Beach but a wonderful service to take any worry about driving home after an enjoyable evening.

By booking an early table, we were looking forward to making the most of the remaining hours of daylight to take in the views from high on the hill, across Terrigal Beach and out to the Pacific Ocean. We were brought into the restaurant immediately and offered a table by the window that could not have been bettered.

A local favourite for over 30 years, The Cowrie has a loyal following from holiday makers that stay on the beaches of Avoca, North Avoca, Terrigal and Wamberal. Open 7 days a week, they offer a lunch special between 12 noon and 2.30pm with any two courses and a glass of wine for $37 (at time of publishing). Dinner is from 6pm until 9pm and is from the a la carte menu or the 5 course degustation menu.

Both menus looked terrific and with the luxury of the ride home from the shuttle service, I decided to indulge in the degustation menu with the matching wine selections.

Tuna carpaccio, lemon, capers and baby olives, finished with a lemon infused olive oil
2008 Petaluma Riesling, Hanlin Hill Clare Valley, SA

Crisp pork belly, spiced Pedro Ximenez glaze with an onion & apple chutney
2007 Chestnut Grove Verdelho, Manjimup, WA

Seared coral trout fillet, grilled baby fennel with a black olive tapenade
2006 Ingoldby Chardonnay, McLaren Vale, SA

Medium rare W A Grainge Black Angus beef fillet with potato puree, onion jam and red wine jus
2006 Lengs and Cooter Shiraz, McLaren Vale, SA

Chef’s selection of dessert or a cheese plate for one
2006 Brown Brothers Orange Muscat Flora, Milawa, VIC
Or Morris Liqueur Muscat, Rutherglen, VIC

Tea or Coffee served with Petit fours

$100.00 per person
$150.00 per person including wine

Recommendations from the a la carte menu would be the entree of Spanner and Blue swimmer crab timbale, with cucumber, mesculin and dill vinaigrette $34 with a glass of 2006 Brown Brothers Pinot Grigio from Milawa, Victoria at $9. For the main try the Lemon thyme grilled chicken over kipfler potato with roasted corn and tomatoes $36 matched with 2005 Lethbridge Menage Pinot Noir Geelong, Victoria $10.

I like this wine. Interestingly, and I think this is a bit of the Chardonnay story, when I went to the bottle shop the other day, I bought 6 bottles of a wonderful Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. This was a wine for the holidays. Chilled and perfect for sitting back and enjoying with family and friends at the end of a day by the pool or at the beach.

But I wanted something to go with a meal and I went looking for a Chardonnay. Classic in style with enough weight to compliment the food. Hadn’t decided on the meal, but wanted a wine with some substance, some real character. Started looking at Victoria. Whether it was region first or just a couple of favourite wine makers that came to mind, I am not too sure.

Picked up a few bottles from a couple of different regions but was looking forward to trying the Giant Steps from Yarra Valley.

Giant Steps was established in 1997 by the Sexton family after they sold their successful Devils Lair Winery in the Margaret River and moved across the country to the Yarra Valley. Giant Steps focuses exclusively on the distinctive expression of single vineyard sites in the Yarra Valley including the Sexton Vineyard on the Warramate Range situated on a steep, north facing hillside site.

Their wine making aims to express the true character of each site, therefore there is minimal intervention. This wine was whole bunch pressed to tank then transferred to barrel after 8 hours settling. The juice was barrel fermented at between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius with both natural and cultured yeasts. Lees were stirred weekly, then monthly after May. There was no malolactic fermentation and minimum fining.

Oak has been used to perfection with all French oak barriques. 40% of the blend was new oak with 30% 1 year old and 30% older. Giant Steps have used a combination of fine French coopers and allowed 11 months of oak maturation.

The nose is full of ripe fruits; pears, melon and a hint of cashew nuts. On the palate there is a great mouthfeel, terrific length with hints of white peach and wheat. There are wonderful minerally tannins providing a textural finish without being too rich.

So what to serve with Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay? Try with roast Bangalow sweet pork but would go well with some washed rind farmhouse cheese.

For many the thought of a wonderful, traditional hot Christmas lunch or dinner with all the trimmings can turn to dread with the notion of getting the turkey perfectly cooked. Cooking the turkey is often only a once of year thing, but by following this simple recipe, you will feel less stressed and hopefully have more time to enjoy the wine and good spirits of the day.

Method

Pre heat the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius then place the turkey, with nothing on it, in a baking dish and in the oven for 30 minutes

Melt 2 cups of margarine (not butter as it will burn) and pour over the turkey.

Wet a clean tea towel and place over the turkey then return to the oven.

After 30 minutes, remove the tea towel and baste with the juices from the bottom of the pan. Re-wet the tea towel, place over the turkey again and return to the oven.

Repeat the basting every 30 minutes, continuing to re-wet the tea towel each time, until the turkey is cooked.

If you do not think the turkey looks brown enough, leave the tea towel off for the last half an hour of cooking time.

The turkey should take around 40 minutes per kilogram to cook at 180 degress Celsius or if you have a meat temperature probe, check the turkey between the fleshy part of the thigh or breast. The turkey will be cooked with an internal temperature of 70 to 72 degrees Celsius.

Ceviche is often described as an appetiser of small pieces of raw fish marinated in lime or lemon juice, often with onions, peppers, and spices. In this recipe, we use fresh scallops with lime juice, chilli and olive oil.

Serving size: Serves 4

Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients

16 scallops cleaned and in their shells, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, 1 teaspoon of finely grated lime zest, 60mL (1/4 cup) lime juice, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 2 red chopped deseeded chillies, 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, whole coriander leaves.

Method

Remove the scallops from their shells and leave the shells to one side.

Mix together the lime zest, juice, garlic, chilli, chopped coriander and the olive oil in a non metallic bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place the scallops in the mixture and stir to coat.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow the acid from the lime juice to “cold cook” the scallop meat which will turn white.

To serve, place each scallop back into a half shell and spoon some of the lime dressing over each of the scallops and top with a whole coriander leaf.

While many know Stephen and Prue Henschke for their red wines from Eden Valley in the Barossa Ranges, some in the know have also discovered their Lenswood vineyard in the Adelaide Hills. Henschke’s white wines from Lenswood, including Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris may be a little harder to find but are certainly worth asking for at your local fine wine store.

The Barossa’s hot, dry summers which produce the big and voluptuous shiraz wines are just not right for pinot noir. The Adelaide Hills provided a unique, more humid and wetter region that could not be found anywhere else in South Australia. With an altitude of 550 metres, high rainfall and a slope of 30-40%, vineyard management is difficult but the pursuit of quality has seen pinot noir fruit with wild berry fruit characters evident producing wines with a voluptuous mouthfeel. As the vines become older, these characters will become more intense.

Henschke have recently released a sparkling wine made from 100% Pinot Noir from Stephen and Prues’s Lenswood vineyard in the Adelaide Hills.

The hand selected pinot noir was whole bunch pressed, settled, cool fermented and underwent malo-lactic fermentation; the wine was subsequently bottle fermented and left on lees in bottle to age.

Henschke are very proud to release their first sparkling wine to celebrate Henschke’s 140th anniversary. In 1997, Prue and Stephen decided to select fruit from certain sites and clones which were just colouring, at veraison, for sparkling production from their pinot noir vineyard at Lenswood, rather than using these components for a dry red table wine. They had originally thought about releasing a wine for the millennium, however as the year 2000 got closer they realised that the wine needed more time to develop complexity on its lees. They continued to make the sparkling base wine in most years when the fruit quality was ideal.

With nearly 10 years of vintages on lees it seemed an appropriate time to look at a complex blend. Multiple vintages from 1997 to 2005 were blended in an assemblage-style blend in April 2008, as a mature disgorged non-vintage blanc de noir.

Careful selection of only the best fruit has meant that this is a very limited production wine.

Vivid pale gold with green hues. The complex nose is sweet and creamy, exhibiting lemon, stone-fruit and potpourri with nutty, toasty, yeast autolysis aromas; exotic with crème caramel hints. A complex, full, rich and creamy palate with layers of spicy strawberry/raspberry flavours; excellent intensity and great acidity carries through to a zesty finish. Excellent bead.

A celebration wine for drinking now.