- Jill Dyson,
- Southern Highlands, NSW, Australia
- Click on the link to read Jill's latest blog post. Jill has been running FoodPath in the Southern Highlands of NSW with her partner Nick since April 2010. They have grown the business to a level where they now include a range of activities including tours, workshops and collaboration with others (cooking schools, wineries, etc). During the past 10 years Jill and Nick have got to know the local producers and continue to promote and support these local small businesses. They have organised and run many food related activities including taste education workshops and producer visits. It was after they organised a successful tour for a group of chefs from some of the best restaurants in Sydney that they realised they could turn their interest into a business - and this led to the setting up of FoodPath - Culinary Tours with a Difference. Now Jill and Nick are working closely with Southern Highlands Tourism and Wingecarribee Council to help raise the profile of their area as a food destination where everyone will benefit - tourists, local consumers and the producers themselves.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Good news, the cafe in The Old Cheese Factory at Robertson is reopening on 1 July 2012!
That complex is the gateway to the Southern Highlands from the East so we were disappointed when it closed a couple of months ago. One of the new owners is Warwick Noble who was head chef at Berry Wood-Fired Sourdough Bakery. He and Susan McMurdo will own and operate the cafe.
The Cheese Room remains as a great destination for cheeses and local produce. Hopefully FoodPath will be visiting again soon with our tour groups.
That complex is the gateway to the Southern Highlands from the East so we were disappointed when it closed a couple of months ago. One of the new owners is Warwick Noble who was head chef at Berry Wood-Fired Sourdough Bakery. He and Susan McMurdo will own and operate the cafe.
The Cheese Room remains as a great destination for cheeses and local produce. Hopefully FoodPath will be visiting again soon with our tour groups.
Well we had a great day today at Biota Dining - thanks guys for looking after us so well!
- Top 40 Orchard from Wollondilly
- Maytree Wines from Canyonleigh
- Highland Organics cheese from Moss Vale
- BD Bakery with their huge range of breads and
- Wollondilly Farmgate with a range of products
The regulars who were there included:
- Apple Thief Cider with Granny Smith and Pink Lady Cider and their Pear Cider
- Reg and Lauren from Filbert Farm with raw and roasted hazelnuts from Werai
- Norman and Robyn with a huge range of potatoes from Wildes Meadow
- Michael McNamara from Pecora Dairy on Jamberoo Pass with sheep's milk cheese
- Bruce Hindmarsh from Canyonleigh with olive products
- Joe from the Hospital Shoppe in Bowral with a range of home made jams and cakes
- Veronica from Flour Water Salt with their great bread
- Katrina from Redleaf Farm with free range lamb from Fitzroy Falls. Katrina also supplies the free range suckling pigs for the spit that are served with lunch
- Fresh lemonade from Lola and her Mum, and more!
After the market we headed inside to join our group of ten at the FoodPath table.
Date: Sun 29 July
Time: 10.30 for a tour of the market and 12.30 for lunch
Price: $55
To book: Contact us from www.foodpath.com.au or email info@foodpath.com.au
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Gnocchi has
been a traditional Italian small type of dumpling that has been around since
Roman times. Subsequently the dish has been taken up in many countries across
Europe and beyond – wherever there have been Italian immigrants.
There are now
many regional varieties and gnocchi can be found made from breadcrumbs, potato
or semolina.
The use of
potato is a relatively recent innovation, occurring after the introduction of
the potato to Europe in the 16th century. They are best prepared with red potatoes.
Our FoodPath Cooking Class on Sun 1 July will take us through the steps involved to make Gnocchi using local potatoes. If you visit the market at Biota Dining next Sun 24 June you will meet the potato farmer in person!
Come to our class with Gail Wilson in her beautiful house and learn some new skills, then sit down and share lunch together. What a nice way to spend the day?
Date: Sun 1 July 2012
Time: 11am - 1.30pm
Venue: Monreale Bed and Breakfast, 10 Kyeema Close, Burradoo NSW 2576
Price: $95
Want to book? Contact us from the website www.foodpath.com.au
Sunday, June 17, 2012
The Showcase of Local Produce at the launch of Gibraltar Social on Fri night went well.
We had about 22 different products and that was only some of what we have in the area!
I am always amazed not only by the range of local products that we have in the Southern Highlands, but the quality too!
What was interesting was the number of locals who did not know about many of the things we reduce here - cheeses, chutneys, fresh roasted hazelnuts, honey from Burradoo and more - and they enjoyed tasting them and finding out where they can can buy more!
Thanks to the producers who came along to display their goods on the night - David Snibson cheese maker from Highland Organics, Kym Burrows from Sutton Forest Olives and Chris and Sally Harvey from Mount Ashby Wines.
Good idea to have an evening for the locals - congratulations to the Gibraltar Hotel for the initiative!
We have been asked to help again in August so will be putting our thinking caps on for that.
Until then - support our local producers at the markets and in the local shops when you can - and everyone will benefit.
We had about 22 different products and that was only some of what we have in the area!
I am always amazed not only by the range of local products that we have in the Southern Highlands, but the quality too!
We have been asked to help again in August so will be putting our thinking caps on for that.
Until then - support our local producers at the markets and in the local shops when you can - and everyone will benefit.
Have you ever stopped at Marulan to visit the Meridian Cafe? If not, you should!
I love it when these small country towns have a great cafe that acts as a meeting place for locals and attracts visitors too.
Robert and Alison have been in the area for the past 14 years and started the cafe about 8 years ago. They have tried different opening hours to find the best configuration for them and their customers - and think they have cracked it now. They don't open for dinner but are open 6 days a week for lunch. Simple menu, everything freshly made on site and very reasonable prices.
Their customers mainly come from surrounding properties or people meeting halfway between Canberra and Sydney to catch up over lunch. And what a great idea! Yesterday when we were there one couple we know from Berrima were lunching with friends from Sydney who have a property at Marulan - a good example.
The food is all made in house by Alison who has a close relationship with a permaculture farm just out of town. Her salads are from there and included rose petals and the freshest greens.
We are interested in seeking out farms to visit in the Marulan area hence our "market research" and looks like there could be Boer goats, olive oil and maybe some historic houses. Wouldn't that be fun!
Anyway we will keep you posted.
In the meantime if you are passing Marulan, turn off the Hume Highway and find the Meridian Cafe in the main street - you can't get lost :) Tell them we sent you!
I love it when these small country towns have a great cafe that acts as a meeting place for locals and attracts visitors too.
Robert and Alison have been in the area for the past 14 years and started the cafe about 8 years ago. They have tried different opening hours to find the best configuration for them and their customers - and think they have cracked it now. They don't open for dinner but are open 6 days a week for lunch. Simple menu, everything freshly made on site and very reasonable prices.
Their customers mainly come from surrounding properties or people meeting halfway between Canberra and Sydney to catch up over lunch. And what a great idea! Yesterday when we were there one couple we know from Berrima were lunching with friends from Sydney who have a property at Marulan - a good example.
The food is all made in house by Alison who has a close relationship with a permaculture farm just out of town. Her salads are from there and included rose petals and the freshest greens.
We are interested in seeking out farms to visit in the Marulan area hence our "market research" and looks like there could be Boer goats, olive oil and maybe some historic houses. Wouldn't that be fun!
Anyway we will keep you posted.
In the meantime if you are passing Marulan, turn off the Hume Highway and find the Meridian Cafe in the main street - you can't get lost :) Tell them we sent you!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
We have decided to introduce a new product to our range of tours - a Private Hosted Tour.
Coming to the Southern Highlands and not familiar with the area?
We often get enquiries from people who are coming to the Highlands for the weekend and are looking for something interesting to do. If we don't have tours scheduled this can be difficult.
When we travel I know that we are always looking for some way to get behind the scenes and not be "just a tourist" - and spending the day with a local is what we would love - so we have decided to offer this to our customers!
As well as knowing a lot about the food grown in the Southern Highlands we are also familiar with other interesting aspects of the Highlands like - history, gardens, arts and crafts, nature, food and wine.
The range of possibilities is extensive and we would plan the time together based on your interests.
So - come with us for a half day or a full day and meet the locals along the way.
Tour only (meals excluded). Transport - you follow us in your car.
Contact us to discuss from www.foodpath.com.au or info@foodpath.com.au
Coming to the Southern Highlands and not familiar with the area?
We often get enquiries from people who are coming to the Highlands for the weekend and are looking for something interesting to do. If we don't have tours scheduled this can be difficult.
So - come with us for a half day or a full day and meet the locals along the way.
Tour only (meals excluded). Transport - you follow us in your car.
- Half day - $75 per person
- Full day $135 per person
Contact us to discuss from www.foodpath.com.au or info@foodpath.com.au
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Our next Preserving Workshop is coming up on Sun 17 June 2012 at Monreale Bed and Breakfast in Burradoo. This month Steve is going to tell us about pickling and fermenting food - another way of preserving our food in ample times to use during the year.
These workshops are popular and Steve is very knowledgeable. We always have fun.
The day finishes with a light lunch of crusty bread, cheese and some of Steve's pickles.
If you are interested contact us from the website www.foodpath.com.au and we will send you a booking form.
Monreale is a fabulous venue and we are grateful to Gail who owns the premises and who is a generous host.
Date: Sun 17 June 2012
Time: 10am - 1pm
Price: $95
The day finishes with a light lunch of crusty bread, cheese and some of Steve's pickles.
Monreale is a fabulous venue and we are grateful to Gail who owns the premises and who is a generous host.
Date: Sun 17 June 2012
Time: 10am - 1pm
Price: $95
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
On the way home today we drove to Windellama out of Goulburn to collect some sheep's milk cheese from Vanessa Bradley, artisan cheese maker. We have been asked to do a display of local produce next week for one of our hotels and our cheese makers are special, so we always include them if we can. Vanessa and her mother have a flock of East Fresian and Awassi sheep that are bred for their milk.
While we were waiting I got some great photos of the sheep....
Not only do Vanessa and Judy look after the flock, they also milk the sheep and Vanessa makes the cheese - a full time job! Their cheese and yoghurt are both very good.
The sheep are dry during winter until their lambs are born - so there are only the harder cheeses available at the moment - but they are my favourite.
If you haven't tried Thistledown Creamery cheese it is available at the Cheese Room in the Old Cheese Factory in Robertson, at the EPIC market in Canberra on Saturday mornings or your can mail order by contacting the farm direct.
You can taste the cheese if you come to the Gibraltar Hotel in the Southern Highlands on Fri 15 June. This is where we will have a showcase of local food for members and friends of the new Gibraltar Social Club. Might see you there?
Today was freezing in the Southern Highlands, there was even snow beside the road as we drove South towards Jugiong. We were rugged up so it didn't matter and it cleared to a beautiful crisp day.
This morning a guy came in while we were there to invite us to have a look at the transit of Venus through his telescope!! I was excited because I had been trying to find the best way to see this on my lap top. Here we were in this tiny town in Southern NSW looking through a huge telescope and this tiny black perfect circle crossing the bright white background.
Bit off the point for a food blog? Not really because on the way back we visited a sheep's milk cheese maker out of Goulburn - but that's another post :)
Have you ever been to The Long Track Cafe at Jugiong? If not, do yourself a favour and visit it next time you are driving South to Wagga, Melbourne or wherever. It is only 5 mins off the Hume Highway - a little gem in the middle of the country. Once we discovered it we always stop there and so do many others.
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