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

We have been busy firming up several tours and workshops for next year and have a busy schedule lined up. If you are on our mailing list you should have received our December Update the morning. If you didn't and you would like it, please let us know and we will email to you.

Scheduled Summer activities include:

• Two Berry Picking tours (Sat 11 and 18 Jan)
• A Winery Tour (Fri 3 Jan)
• Two Family Farm Tours (Fri 10 and 17 Jan)
• A FoodLovers Walking Tour in Bowral (Sat 15 Feb)
• Preserving Class with Steve Hogwood (Sun 16 Feb)

We are looking forward to welcoming Robyn Darley to our FoodPath team next year. She will join Steve Hogwood and Biddy Maupin who run regular classes for us and also Patricia Phillips from the Blue Bowl Cooking School with whom we collaborate for the Market to Table Tours.

Robyn will be running a wide range of cooking classes including Making Dairy (quark, yoghurt, marscapone, gourmet fetta and paneer - a full cream ricotta), Sausage Making, Bread Making, Pastries and more. Robyn has extensive experience as a Cooking Teacher - you may have seen her demonstrating cheese making at the Southern Highlands Food and Wine Festival? Robyn runs Cheese Making Classes for Small Cow Farm so she will not be running those for us. If you want to learn to make cheese please contact Small Cow Farm. When you live in a small community it is important that you all work together...

Cheers,
Jill

Thinking Christmas?
Give "an experience" to someone you care for.

GIFT VOUCHERS are available for a range of FoodPath products.


Options include -
Market Tour (Bowral or Biota market) - $30
Food Lovers' Walking Tour in Bowral - $55
Jam Making Class and Light Lunch - $95
Mystery Tour (2 people) - half day - $85pp
Mystery Tour (2 people) - full day - $150pp

Contact us to order now.
www.foodpath.com.au, info@foodpath.com.au, 0419 617 021 or DM us from the Facebook FoodPath  Culinary Tours page.

Last weekend we had a workshop with Patricia Phillips from the Blue Bowl Cooking School that was great fun. We used the wonderful kitchen facility at the Berrima Public School, part of their Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden project.
Patricia was so organised with everything set up to make four different things and it ran like clockwork -

• Individual panforte
• Spiced "stained glass" cookie decorations
• Mini Xmas pudding truffles and
• Meringue Xmas trees

As a small business we were very excited to be announced Runner Up in the "Excellence in an Attraction or Tour Service" category at the 2013 Southern Highlands Business Awards for Excellence on Fri night. Very gratifying to know we are up there near the top - there were seven finalists and the competition was tough.
We love what we do and look forward to getting better and better!

Last Thursday we were invited to put on a showcase of local produce for an international conference group at the Gibraltar Hotel. I arranged for a couple of our producers to come along and talk about their products and we took some jams and vinegars from Cuttaway Creek Raspberry Farm. Nick talked about the Highlands as a whole as a food growing area. Everyone is always surprised about that - a "food bowl" so close to Sydney, but it is true! Closer to Sydney than the Hunter, we always tell them.
Kym Burrows from Sutton Forest Olives came along and spoke about her olive growing and the processing and we had a tasting of a range of her products, including her 2013 Robust and Fresh and Fruity olive oils which won awards recently in the National competition.
Alastair came from Bousaada Wines and gave the group a tasting of his Yellow Box Mead - and they loved it. In fact the group bought lots of product from all three producers so everyone was happy.

Well it is all over now until same time next year - but the Food and Wine Festival was a great success!! The weather was perfect which was very lucky - makes such a difference.

The festival is close now - just next weekend! Come to the Southern Highlands and join the fun.
To be held at the Bong Bong race course out of Bowral - plenty of parking but also a FREE shuttle bus service from the Bowral railway station.
Live music on both days. Over 60 stalls either food or food related. Delicious lunch options from some of our best chefs - or enjoy a family meal eg a burger or sausage on a stick from one of our local beef producers.
A program of talks, Master Classes, cooking demonstrations over both days in the Pavilion.
Not to be missed! Last year was good, this year will be even better!
Entry $10. Tickets available on line at www.southernhighlandsfoodandwinefestival.com.au or at the gate on the day.

We are running a Preserving Workshop at Eling Forest Estate, Sutton Forest with Stephen Hogwood of the 1910 Bottling Company on Sun 20 Oct 2013. Steve is very knowledgeable and a great teacher. This time he will show us how to bottle fruit using the Vacola system.
Finish with a light lunch including many of Steve's products.
During the next month we also have a private class and this is always available if you have a group you would like to bring?
Eling Forest Estate is a beautiful venue with a historic house, B&B accommodation, a Cellar Door Cafe and a Winery. The workshop is run in the restaurant kitchen in the historic house. Details provided on booking.

DTE: Sun 20 Oct 2013
Time: 10am - 1pm
Price: $105 pp

Group size 8 - 12. Minimum numbers apply.

To book contact us - www.foodpath.com.au, m: 0419 617 021, e: info@foodpath.com.au

Looking forward to another leisurely day at Biota in Bowral on Celebration Sunday, 29 Sept 2013. Join the Market Tour first in the restaurant garden followed by a 3 course lunch of tasting platters at the FoodPath table.
Did you know that Biota Dining not only achieved two hats in the SMH Good Food Guide this month, but was also awarded Best Regional Restaurant and Best Regional Wine List.... fantastic!

Great value at $20 pp for the Market Tour and $65 pp for lunch.
A nice way to spend a Sunday?
Let us know if you would like to join us.
www.foodpath.com.au m: 0419 617 021 e: info@foodpath.com.au

We have three Family Farm Tours scheduled for the next school holidays so tell your friends and come and join us. Always fun these are a great thing to do with your children or grandchildren.
These tours appeal to locals, visitors and grandparents who have children staying during the school holidays.
We are visiting two farms on different days - both are fun and quite close to Bowral. Alan and Colin always run an interesting tour set up so the kids have lots of fun.
Check our website "Activities" page and contact us if you have any questions.
Looking forward to having you along.

Dates: Tues 24 Sept, Sat 28 Sept and Sun 6 Oct (on the long weekend).
Time: 10.30 - 12.
Price: $35 per adult, $15 per child 3 - 12yrs of age. Children under 3yrs FREE.
Directions provided on booking.

Children must be supervised by an accompanying adult.

Minimum numbers apply.

          



To book contact us - w: foodpath.com.au, e: info@foodpath.com.au, m: 0419 617 021

We have another Jam Making Workshop coming up with Biddy Maupin, affectionately known as Lady Bucket.
Biddy has a stall at the Mittagong and Moss Vale Market every month and makes a wide range of jams, jellies, chutneys, fruit cake and a chicken and duck liver pate.
Our first class with Biddy was fun. This time we will learn how to make:

• Seville Orange Marmalade
• Passionfruit and Lemon Butter
• Strawberry Jam and
• Quince Jelly

It is very exciting that the busy weeks are getting closer and more frequent - we must be doing something right!

• Had a corporate group last Sat 17 Aug for a Winery Tour and Lunch 
• A Truffle Tour at Robertson on Sun 18 Aug with 30 people!! 
• During the week we had a group of 21 Yr 9 Ag students from Sydney plus 2 teachers for two days of Farm Tours. 

I enjoyed them all - the variety is good and we are able to visit different venues to suit different groups.

• On Fri we did a presentation to a group of visiting corporate representatives at Craigieburn, who have been very supportive of us. Developing some new team building options for that market. And finally 
• Today we had 5 people for a Market Tour at Biota and 12 for lunch. A full day but a nice way to spend the last Sun of the month.

Had our first Truffle Tour last Sat and it was very popular. Thirty six people came along. Was a beautiful day which was lucky considering it is the middle of Winter. We met Barbara and Ted and Jet the truffle dog. Ted gave a talk about the truffle business and passed around a container of fresh truffles which created a lot of interest. Fascinating to see what they look like and to smell the pungent exotic smell.


Back to the shed for some tea and coffee from our local coffee roasters in Bowral - Rush Roasting, and everyone was given a couple of truffle treats - one a Brie impregnated with truffle on a biscuit and the other a slice of hard boiled egg (that had also been impregnated with fresh truffle) on a biscuit, topped with shaved truffle.
Everyone was fascinated to learn more about these exotic fungi that are pretty new to the Southern Highlands. Interest is high and our tour on Sun 18 Aug (10am - 12pm) is almost full, so we have scheduled an extra tour - on Sat 10 August from 1 - 3pm.
To book contact us - footpath.com.au, info@foodpath.com.au, 0419 617 021

We have a few spaces available this month for Celebration Sunday at Biota Dining due to a cancellation.
This is a popular day - with some people coming back again and again.
A nice way to spend the last Sunday of the month meeting our wonderful local food producers at the market in the restaurant garden in the morning, followed by a delicious 3 course lunch of shared platters at our FoodPath communal table.
If you would like to join us contact us - www.foodpath.com.au, info@foodpath.com.au or m: 0419 617 021

Or - make a weekend of it and come on our Truffle Tour on Sat 27 July as well!

Well, three family tours in one week - a good start to the year but time for a rest. We had huge groups for the first two and a smaller group today. Always get last minute bookings which is interesting - people waking up and looking for things to do with the kids that day.
The first tour was mostly grandparents, but the next two were young families who had come to the Highlands to stay. Most were happy to have access to tours like ours so hopefully we will see them again.
Now we are looking forward to the Bowral Market Tour on Sat morning then we are going to the Writers Festival ourselves, looking forward to that.
The Truffle Tours are filling up - that is something different.
We have also been asked by the CWA to put together a tour for a Moroccan Chef. They are studying Morocco this year and have a visiting chef coming to run cooking classes and put on a dinner - and come on a tour with us to see what local produce is about.
Next week we have a corporate group for a tour and we have been asked to put a tour on for a Sydney Travel Club. Always something going on and a variety of activities, which keeps things interesting.

Let us know if we can do something for you or if you have any suggestions or feedback. Cheers, Jill

So far we have had two Family Farm Tours in the Southern Highlands this school holidays and one to go - tomorrow! Colin and Kaaren have a range of animals for their own children and have kindly invited us in to share, for the tour - and the kids have loved it.

We recently had a couple along on our table at Celebration Sunday at Biota who had received it as a gift from a friend. They were "farm sitting" sitting while she went overseas.
Apparently they loved it because I received the nicest message today from the friend -

"Jill, I've just gotten back from my trip and can't thank you enough for looking after my friends so well. It was the highlight of their stay, they said it was so well run and everyone was very friendly. It was their "best dining experience ever".  They enjoyed it so much that Ann is planning to come back and do the same Tour with her mother, I am hoping to tag along with them too! Thanks again - wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone else".

It is feedback like this that makes it all worthwhile - thanks Dru.

Nick and I are on the committee of our local industry body "Southern Highlands Food and Wine" which aims to support our local food and wine businesses and to showcase the Southern Highlands as a food and wine destination. Our first SH Food and Wine Festival was held last year and was a great success. This year will be bigger and better.
Check this video clip prepared by one of our members Victoria Hansen.
http://youtu.be/K88AnD35VYs

Thank you for a fabulous day! Interesting stall holders, wonderful food and great company. Thanks (Dell, Mittagong)

A note to thank you for a really enjoyable day. It was all we expected and more. We would love to come back in the Springtime, so keep us in the loop please. Very nice people around the table, such a lovely way to spend a Sunday. (Chris, Mittagong)

We have a preserving class with Steve Hogwood of the 1910 Bottling Company scheduled on Sun 4 Aug. This time it will be on Pickling and Fermenting.
This is an interesting topic and covers the history and health benefits of fermenting food.
Our venue has changed to Eling Forest Estate which is on the Hume Highway at Sutton Forest, just before the Moss Vale/Canyonleigh exit - about 1.5hrs from Sydney. Steve runs his business from Eling Forest now and this is a beautiful historic location, well worth a visit.

Date: Sun 4 Aug 2013
Time 10am - 1pm
Price: $105
Inclusions: Tea/coffee on arrival, DVD with handouts, a jar to take home and a light lunch of crusty bread, cheese and Steve's pickles.

If you are interested in pickling and would like to come to our Pickling and Fermenting workshop contact us from www.foodpath.com.au and we will email you a booking form.

We now have two dates confirmed for our truffle tours to Ted and Barbara's farm near Robertson! This is special because not many truffle farms will let you visit.

• Sat 27 July
• Sun 18 Aug

I think that today is the first time I have ever eaten truffle on the day that it was harvested! Actually I can count on one hand the number of times I have eaten truffle or even seen them - which makes today all the more special.
This afternoon we met with Ted Smith who has a trufferie near Robertson. Last year they found their first truffles and we wanted to ask if we could run some Truffle Tours this year.
Ted brought with him a small 40g truffle beautifully packaged and labelled. The pungent smell was strong and unmistakable.
After some discussion Ted agreed that we could run tours with a minimum of 10 people - as long as his supply of truffles holds up. Very exciting. They are well set up and a tour will include a welcoming cup of tea or coffee, a talk in the hay shed about growing truffles, a visit to the trufferie where we will see the truffle dog in action. We will finish with a tasty truffle treat.
I will write up the tour description and pop it on the website as soon as we have confirmed dates.
Nick from ABC Illawarra radio has already asked if he can come along - it is an unusual tour and will be popular, I'm sure.

Saw Biddy today at the Mittagong Market and she is keen to do more Jam Making Classes. She loved it and so did we!
Spoke to several people who were sorry they missed out - so, all being well, we should have our minimum numbers (group of 8) soon and can set another date.
Let us know if you would like to come?
Includes morning tea on arrival and light lunch at the end with tastings of all Biddy's wonderful products - parmesan biscuits, flourless fruit cake, duck and chick liver terrine.
Next time we will ask Biddy's French husband to come along too - because he is part of the team.
Date: To be confirmed
Venue: The Cookability Kitchen, Bowral
Time: 10am - 1pm
Price: $85