Join Jill and Nick as they take you behind the scenes to see where your food actually comes from!

Our next preserving class is scheduled for Sun 19 Aug, 10am - 1pm. These are always fun and you go away confident that you can bottle your own fruit and serve to your family and friends. Get some friends and come and join us! Price: $95 -includes a light lunch. Contact us from the website www.foodpath.com.au to enquire or book .

Wow, what a big day at Biota Dining in Bowral today for Celebration Sunday.
There were five new stalls at the Produce Market in the restaurant garden which is growing each month. These included truffles from Marulan, beef from Sutton Forest, horseradish and chilli products from Goulburn, fine food from Moss Vale and jams from Harrington Park - all fabulous.

This is probably the last market this season that we will see the Highland Gourmet Potatoes from Wildes Meadow and delicious Filbert Farm hazelnuts from Werai. We will have to wait patiently for them to come again next season. It makes you appreciate them all the more when they are not available all the time. Don't you agree?

We had a huge group on the FoodPath long table for lunch today - twenty two, our largest to date! All went well and everyone enjoyed themselves; and the food was delicious again.
However, we think we will limit numbers in future so the group is more manageable and everyone can meet and greet as they would like to. We are not really about large groups - more about friendly intimate experiences :)
So - we already have bookings coming in for next month Sun 26 Aug, so if you want to join us please don't delay in case you miss out. Contact us from the website to book www.foodpath.com.au.
Price: $55 Time: 10.30 Market Tour, 12.30 lunch.

• Next Sunday 27 May – Celebration Sunday at Biota where we celebrate local food. This is a regular event on the last Sunday of the month. FoodPath are collaborating with Biota and very happy to do so because, as you know, we are passionate about local food and supporting our local producers. This month we have found fresh hazelnuts from Werai, apples from the 100 year old Tennessee Orchard at Yerrinbool (the large apple you see from the Hume Highway) and a large range of potatoes at Wildes Meadow. You are welcome to come on a FoodPath Market Tour in the restaurant garden at Biota and join us for lunch at the FoodPath table.  $55 per person.
• Sat 2 June – A Food Lovers Walking Tour in Bowral where we set up with about 5 specially food shops to have a talk and tasting. Includes coffee with our local coffee roasters. Price : $55
• Sun 3 June – a Pasta Making Class with Gail Wilson at her beautiful B&B in Burradoo. We will be making pumpkin ravioli with sage burnt butter sauce and will then enjoy this as part of our lunch with a glass of wine. Gail has grown the pumpkins herself and they are currently being cured in preparation for the class. Price: $95.

To book contact us from the website www.foodpath.com.au.

Chestnut time is almost upon us - and it is a short picking season so don't miss out.
Want to try something different - come with us on our FoodPath Chestnut Tour on Sun 25 Mar 2012.
Very popular with the Spanish and Europeans generally.
During the great depression chestnuts were part of the staple diet in northern Italy where they grew wild.

Chestnut gathering is a nice communal thing to do - rather like mushroom gathering for the wild mushrooms is.

The chestnut farm we take you to has over 300 trees but they only sell to pickers, not having to look any further.. that is how popular it is.

We are delighted to have secured a place for a FoodPath group again this year.
Come along and join the fun!

Meet at the Exeter General Store at 11am and follow us to Wingello.

Bring a picnic or we can get one for you. We will roast some chestnuts on a brazier for tasting and give you some recipes to take home.
Wear sturdy shoes and gloves if you have them. Be mindful of the weather and dress appropriately (sun screen or raincoat). Being the Highlands we go ahead whatever the weather.
Price: $45 or $65 (incl lunch).
Suitable for children accompanied by an adult. Price: $11.25
To book contact us on info@foodpath.com.au or ring Jill on 0419 617 021

First we had a tour of the Moss Vale Produce Market.
Some changes since last month -

• The pumpkins are finished so Louise and Luke from Marulan were not there

Don't pumpkins look great as a decorative feature!

Pam and Paul of Doolan Country Jams & Chutneys

• Phil is between seasons with his organic vegies so said he had a limited supply - but he still had English spinach, baby leeks, baby endive, potatoes, baby brussel sprouts, cavolo nero, kale and broccoli - and it was sooooo fresh! 
• Jim was there with his fresh and roasted hazelnuts but said this was probably the last time for the season. He was selling barefooted hazelnut trees too - great for anyone who is planning to grow truffles!
• The two Steve's were there with their newly formed business Phatt Duck and Hog. They make great pies and chutneys and more. Steve from the 1910 Bottling Company is now making the fillings for the fruit pies. Won't be long before they build up a following.
• Mary was there with her olive oil and soap, Jo with her great range of breads, Michael with his free range eggs, Rhona with her fruit leather, dried fruit and fresh fruit, Biddy with her famous chicken liver pate and Seville orange marmalade, Susie with Hindmarsh olives and Pam and Paul from Doolan's jams with their jams, jellies, butter and chutneys. 
• All fabulous products and our group certainly enjoyed buying things they would take home and enjoy. 
• Coming to the Market on a tour with FoodPath means you get an inside look at what is going on with food in the Highlands and you get a personal introduction to the producers, which makes it special. Helps to build relationships between the grower and you, the consumer... which is the way we are heading. People really want to know more about the food they eat these days, which is great.

• Wow, what a busy weekend we had - 3 tours in 2 days!! We are just coming up for air.
  

  
  

  On Sat we had a private group who did 2 FoodPath tours - a Farmers Market Tour in the morning and a Food Focused Walking Tour in Bowral in the afternoon. 

  

  
  

  

  
  

  How special to have Jim there with his fresh hazelnuts! This only happens for a short period when they are in season. Jim does not grow commercially but the locals know where to find him - one of the benefits of coming on a tour to the markets with FoodPath :)

  
  

  

  
  

  Someone said to me "why would anyone want to pay to go on a tour to the market when they can go themselves?" Well, the advantage is that you get lots of background information and local knowledge from Nick and Jill which enhances your experience - while you get to know who the local producers really are. When you know - you can continue to support them which will help you and will help them! 

  
  

  Small producers do struggle and we are very keen to support them.

  
  

  

  
  

  It was a big day on Saturday but it was fun and the feedback was great. 

  This private tour was a present to a bunch of family and friends - what a lovely idea? 

  We are getting more and more requests for gift certificates. 

  A FoodPath tour or workshop is certainly something different and this group said that every year they choose something they can do together as a family. 

  
  

  

• FoodPath Culinary Tours with a Difference