farm visits
Through my work I get the opportunity to visit many farms. Having grown up on a farm myself, I can well understand the passion behind some of these wonderful producers and I love discovering the fresh produce, and ethics behind their food production methods.
Here are some of the fabulous farms that I have had the opportunity to visit.
Wild Forage Australia… foraging for seaweed for inspired chefs of the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and beyond
I have been quite fascinated by the whole concept of foraging. It has always been on [...]
Rhodavale Pork… ethically farmed, pastured pork direct to the public
I am a sucker for a pig story. I don’t know what it is but I [...]
Bunya Red Farm… Capers, Caperberries and a roadtrip to the beautiful South Burnett
I love a good roadtrip, and a visit to Bunya Red Farm near Kingaroy was the [...]
Mighty Bean Tempeh – the Sunshine Coast’s mightiest bean of all and best tempeh ever!
I often say, I love all of my producers, and I do. And I know I [...]
Our Farm to Your Plate… grass fed beef, quite literally from their farm to your plate
Our Farm to Your Plate is a pastured beef producer based at Gunalda, north of Gympie. [...]
tasmanian farm visits…
sunshine coast farm visits…
Basil in abundance? Basil Pesto…
Excited at the prospect of having ample space for a herb garden, I could possibly have been a little over zealous when it came to planting my basil… two little basil bushes would have been [...]
My love affair with snails…
I have spent a lot of time thinking about snails. More than I ever would have expected since I have never been a great fan. As a common garden variety, I thought they were pretty [...]
STROM magic at Spicers Peak…
STROM… has been doing some amazing things… What is it? STROM is a traditional Czech spirit dating back to 1870, the recipe of which has been brought to Australia (Sunshine Coast) by a very dynamic, [...]
Real Food Festival 2013 Official Program Launch at Spicers Clovelly Estate
There is nothing like a fantastic lunch to set the theme for what is set to be another great Real Food Festival. Launching the Official Program for this year’s event, festival director Julie Shelton, and [...]
Cameron Matthew’s Haloumi, Zucchini and Mint Salad
This salad was served as part of an elaborate lunch to showcase the Sunshine Coast’s fabulous produce for the Official Program Launch of the Real Food Festival at Spicer’s Clovelly Montville. While created by Cameron [...]
cheese making madness… the Mad Millie way…
I always thought making cheese was really complicated… and I guess, well yes it is, how I had it in my mind… My idea of cheese making was perhaps a little more romanticised than it [...]
Wagyu Beef Rump with Zucchini ‘Spaghetti” Fresh Shitakes and Truffle butter
I recently had the pleasure of enjoying the a cooking class focusing on the ever divine truffle at The Golden Pig Food & Wine School in Brisbane. While there a number of fabulous dishes with [...]
Not So Mellow Yellow…
I'm not sure about you, but I LOVE the colour yellow! I always have! As a little girl I shunned pink, and turned to yellow. I LOVED being surrounded by it. It made me feel [...]
Issan Chicken with Chilli Tamarind Sauce
This is another fabulous recipe shared by Katrina Ryan from The Golden Pig Food & Wine School. A Thai dish, this was featured as part of the Vietnamese cooking class I attended, the beautiful tangy [...]
Vietnamese Sausage
I love the concept of ‘nose to tail’ cooking and Freestyle Escape Cooking School has hosted a number of these classes, one of which I attended where ‘noes to tail’ specialist Peter Wolfe cooked up [...]
Via Italia
I have a little favourite place I go… while it is in actual fact a restaurant, for the purpose of this review, I am going to classify it as more of a café as it [...]
The farmer goes to market…
In the early hours of the morning, while most of us are still asleep, farmers and producers from around the Sunshine Coast are making their way to various locations, their vehicles laden with fabulous array [...]
Mushroom Tart
Tonya, from Cooking on the Bay Cooking School made one of these delicious Mushroom Tarts on a recent visit while she was on the coast. It is easy to make and perfect for a light [...]
Sakana Sushi Bar – Mooloolaba
I love Sakana. It happens to be one of my favourite foodie treating locations. I am not too concerned whether or not I am treating for lunch or dinner, just as long as I am [...]
Rose Meringues
I have done so many different version of this with different fruit and cream combinations. I used to have a lot of trouble making pavs and meringues, this is my favourite fail safe recipes. However, [...]
Something to wine about…
Is the thought of being handed a wine list, laden with the expectation you will choose something your date is going to love, enough to elicit a cold sweat? You’re not alone. Wine list phobia [...]
From the buffalo to the cheese…
Buffalo are not something you expect to see roaming across the hinterland. They are majestic beasts... huge, in fact… so it seems quite surreal to find them dotted over 100 expansive acres at the Thompson [...]
Green Paw Paw and Bamboo Shoot Salad
This is a beautiful fresh crisp salad that is ideal for serving with duck featured in our Midsummer Day's Feats story. Green paw paws and bamboo shoots can often be found at the farmers’ markets [...]
Red Claw Crayfish Bisque
If you have possession of a bunch of red clay crays, you will no doubt find yourself also in possession of the shells. It is a shame to waste them when you can make this [...]
Black Rice in Bamboo with Dragonfruit
Cooking rice in bamboo pots is quite common in Asia and quite the novelty although it tastes just as great if simmered in a small saucepan if you don’t have easy access to bamboo. [...]
Smoked Duck Breast with Cinnamon Pears
The combination of the cinnamon pears with the smokiness of the duck makes for strange bedfellows but is just delicious. Ingredients: 6 cooking pears 2 tablespoons cinnamon powder 1 sheet paperbark* 30cm square 4 [...]
The Real Foodies…
Food plays such an important part of our lives, it is often hard to pin point at which point an individual goes from simply part taking in food, to becoming a foodie, in the sense [...]
STROM Cured Salmon
This is a recipe developed by Jamie Milverton from Jamie’s Gourmet. I think it is spectacular, reason being it has my favourite two ingredients for the moment; the locally produced STROM and salmon. [divider] Ingredients [...]
Bunya Nut Falafels
This is a great recipe by Peter Wolfe from Cedar Creek Farm, and a great use of bunya nuts for when they are in season... love... Peter made these to go with his Red Claw [...]
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