As you may have seen on this site we will be opening for lunch on Saturdays as well as Sundays from September 7th and classes will be on Mondays only.
Saturday lunch should help with the pressure for tables on Sundays and the new series of classes is starting to take shape. Any requests for topics and guest presenters would be greatly appreciated.
A very busy month. So many old and new visitors to catch up with and then the Great Otway Truffle discovery has had me away from the blog for far too long.
For those that missed the Age story click here. http://www.scribd.com/doc/4227182/Otway-Truffle
Watch out for Mademoiselle’s [pictured] small screen debut on the last episode of Talk To The Animals in about 3 weeks time.
The local truffle harvest has been such an education. We, and our diners have been spoiled beyond belief. Now the withdrawal symptoms have started. Though I did make a bit of confit [duck] for the anticipated cold turkey.
I have received 50 evergreen oak trees inoculated with Tuber Melanosporum so with a bit of luck it’s only another 7 years to wait for our own.
I have just re-read Elizabeth Luard’s 2006 book Truffles [highly recommended] and have to agree with both her and Paul Levy that the most extraordinary effect that they produce happens when they are raw. Very simple dishes also create powerful reactions. I have also found that you can overdose quite easily on them. After driving to Melbourne with about a kilo of prime examples in a big jar of rice I had to curb my enthusiasm for fear of seeming to be utterly intoxicated on arrival. First reactions to the aroma are also quite illuminating, so spontaneous and for the most part ecstatic.
I have tried the Tasmanian, the ones from W.A, from the Yarra Valley and all are utterly magnificent.
I don’t understand the short term thinking in “My truffle is better than your truffle” marketing that’s going on out there. The effort should be to educate those that are interested on how to appreciate them or we will be seeing lots of dishes with slices of dubious truffle laced with truffle oil and the real thing will be relegated to export.
Tip: if the dish has an overwhelming “truffle” flavour/aroma its most probably truffle oil.
Saturday lunch should help with the pressure for tables on Sundays and the new series of classes is starting to take shape. Any requests for topics and guest presenters would be greatly appreciated.
A very busy month. So many old and new visitors to catch up with and then the Great Otway Truffle discovery has had me away from the blog for far too long.
For those that missed the Age story click here. http://www.scribd.com/doc/4227182/Otway-Truffle
Watch out for Mademoiselle’s [pictured] small screen debut on the last episode of Talk To The Animals in about 3 weeks time.
The local truffle harvest has been such an education. We, and our diners have been spoiled beyond belief. Now the withdrawal symptoms have started. Though I did make a bit of confit [duck] for the anticipated cold turkey.
I have received 50 evergreen oak trees inoculated with Tuber Melanosporum so with a bit of luck it’s only another 7 years to wait for our own.
I have just re-read Elizabeth Luard’s 2006 book Truffles [highly recommended] and have to agree with both her and Paul Levy that the most extraordinary effect that they produce happens when they are raw. Very simple dishes also create powerful reactions. I have also found that you can overdose quite easily on them. After driving to Melbourne with about a kilo of prime examples in a big jar of rice I had to curb my enthusiasm for fear of seeming to be utterly intoxicated on arrival. First reactions to the aroma are also quite illuminating, so spontaneous and for the most part ecstatic.
I have tried the Tasmanian, the ones from W.A, from the Yarra Valley and all are utterly magnificent.
I don’t understand the short term thinking in “My truffle is better than your truffle” marketing that’s going on out there. The effort should be to educate those that are interested on how to appreciate them or we will be seeing lots of dishes with slices of dubious truffle laced with truffle oil and the real thing will be relegated to export.
Tip: if the dish has an overwhelming “truffle” flavour/aroma its most probably truffle oil.
Its worth getting a very small amount of comercial truffle oil to see what its NOT like.
In 10 tears or maybe earlier I can see farmers’ markets with a little corner where voluminously overcoated ladies and gentlemen huddle in small groups exchanging little parcels of bliss for whatever currency is king at the time.
I promise no more truffle raves till next year, that’s the joy of seasonality.
Lamb is here, artichokes are blooming, asparagus has almost shown its head and broad beans are coming.
Just as the button to post this was about to be pushed, a message to announce the unearthing of another big one has arrived. Bliss!
In 10 tears or maybe earlier I can see farmers’ markets with a little corner where voluminously overcoated ladies and gentlemen huddle in small groups exchanging little parcels of bliss for whatever currency is king at the time.
I promise no more truffle raves till next year, that’s the joy of seasonality.
Lamb is here, artichokes are blooming, asparagus has almost shown its head and broad beans are coming.
Just as the button to post this was about to be pushed, a message to announce the unearthing of another big one has arrived. Bliss!
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