February 2011
I felt impelled to write this article after a recent trip to one of my favourite spots in the world The Apple Isle.
I’m always blown away by the amazing cuisine, friendliness and grounded food philosophies I experience each time I travel there.
I am also extremely envious of a lifestyle where you can eat with the seasons and never want for anything that is further than two hours from your doorstep.
While exploring the Island for new and exciting foodstuffs I stumbled upon an 1837 Georgian Tower Mill- the only one in the Southern Hemisphere- which has been fully restored and is producing organic flour and specialising in ancient grains such as Rye, Spelt and Quinoa(Keen-Wa) also working directly with local producers.
The mill has provided work opportunities for the local kids who were trained as Millwrights and were hands on in the restoration of the Mill.
The local bakery, Companion Bakery is run by a baker (Graham) and his son (Madei) whose philosophy is ‘caring for the people you bake for and conserving the planet’s natural environment’; they not only run the bakery but they have a website called ‘sourdough companion’ which has a 24 hour webcam into the bakery, so you can see bread being baked, right through to recipes and forums to cover all your sourdough woes.
It’s truly refreshing to see such a passion for food and a genuine interest to educate people on the origins of the food they put in their mouth. This passion radiates throughout the island and through the local producers and all the local people you meet on the Island.
After touring the Mill, I headed up to Launceston for a delicious lunch at Stillwater, then a leisurely walk around town to take in the historic buildings and eclectic little collection shops.
Jumped in the car, back to Hobart picked up freshly shucked oysters which were enjoyed with a glass of bubbly from the nearby winery, planning my next days adventure all based around my stomach…..ahhh pure bliss!
I could go on and on about the many wonders of Tassie award winning restaurants, food festivals, wine festivals, locally distilled whiskey, organic venison, mouth watering stone fruit, the juiciest apples your ever eaten, quaint cafes, artisan charcuterie, Bruny Island cheeses and chocolate, smoked salmon, abalone, giant crab the best beef ever, jams and sauces, fresh wasabi, micro beer, wine, cider …………… but if you really want to experience it all get down there and do it for yourself!
This month’s recipe is from the Taste café in Hobart.
This recipe needs to be started two weeks before you want to serve as the cherries need to pickle.
Bruny Island Otto Cheese
with pickled red cherries
350g sugar
400ml red wine vinegar
6 cloves
10 black peppercorns
1 stick of cinnamon
2 star anise
4 bay leaves
500g sweet red Tassie cherries washed and dried
1 serve Bruny Island Otto cheese
Place the sugar, vinegar, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise and bay leaves into a saucepan and stir over moderate heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Simmer for about seven minutes.
Allow the syrup to cool.
Pack cherries into hot sterilised glass jars.
Pour over the cooled syrup, seal and store in the fridge for about two weeks before using.
To serve:
Place cheese onto a tray then into an oven preheated to 180’C.
Remove after 5 min and serve with a few cherries.
These cherries are also delicious served with cold cheese and smoked meats, terrine, pate and of course…..sourdough bread!