Autumn really is such a relief after the heat of Summer in the Valley, that I find myself feeling renewed and in a very productive mood. Just as well too, because we are in the throws of Vintage; harvesting our grapes, picking figs every second day, and a bounty of plums besides, and we’re doing our best to keep up with the 50 tonnes of quinces that are ripening at a rate! It seems that Summer’s energy accumulates all at once into the produce of Autumn. You can taste the season’s history in the fruit and I love that.
This year is shaping up to be a very good vintage for red lovers; our Shiraz will be one to look out for. It’s been a steady ripening season which has given a beautiful balance to the harvest. We’ve already picked our whites – Chardonnay, Riesling and Semillon - and are just about finished on the Shiraz. And if you love Verjuice ( how could you not?!) try and grab some soon because we have just bottled our new season’s run and it’s as delicious as always.
I mentioned in my previous newsletter that I was in preparation for an offal feast as part of Barossa Slow Food. It was intended as a hands on demonstration and degustation for 12 people but that quickly became 16! ‘The more the merrier’ was in keeping with the ideals of the day and we all had a ball.
Cooking offal is a culinary tradition in the Barossa and every one of the recipes in the offal lunch, while having my slant on it, had strong links to familiar old local dishes.
Teaming up with Richard Gunner, from Coorong Angus Beef, and James Godfrey, who is the chief winemaker at Seppelt’s, we created a delicious array of dishes based on my longtime philosophy with food – waste nothing! This is of course where cooking offal originates, when meat came from the animals on the farm and every bit needed to be used as food.
We started with ‘Brains in burnt butter with Flor Fino sherry’ which is a popular recipe from the Pheasant Farm Restaurant days. ‘Lambs’ kidneys in caul fat’ followed, then ‘Stewed and barbecued intercostals’, ‘Rabbit liver crostini with caramelised onions and capers’ and ‘Smoked tongue with vino cotto’.
James added the superb quality and flavour of Seppelt’s Flor Fino, Amontillado and Oloroso and the richness of the offal was balanced beautifully. Offal and sherry are such great flavours together that it may be the idea of their combination that has you rediscovering them both.
I have included some of the recipes from the day if you feel like cooking offal, Barossa style.. it’s a lovely way to ‘slow down’.
The 93rd Annual Tanunda Show was also part of the Barossa Slow programme and as always encouraged a wonderful turnout of traditional produce. I feel very passionately about supporting our local shows in the Valley (we’re lucky enough to have the Angaston Show as well) to ensure the art of ‘slow food’ cooking is not lost. And there’s nothing better than wandering through the show hall to look at the biggest pumpkin, the best scones or the most impressive Deutsch Kuchen.
The jams and preserves are my favourites. Its wonderful to see all the old Fowler preserving jars filled with the colours of snugly arranged stone fruits. It really is an artform.
This year the Farm Shop also sponsored a new category – ‘Cooking with Grapes’. I’m always interested in other ways to use grapes and the entries were so creative it reminded me of just how important good food is to Barossans. There was Shiraz grape cheesecake, Cabernet cordial, grape and olive tapenade, grape relish and grape and red onion marmalade, amongst others.
Taking inspiration from the produce that surrounds us can result in some wonderful new recipes to add to the generations of traditional dishes in a region, and in the Barossa we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to inspirational local produce. Slow food is alive and well in the Valley!
Speaking of utilising what surrounds us, we have a new addition to our paste range – Spiced pear paste.
The pear tree in our Barossa garden, as old and as tall as the cottage itself, still bears prolifically and has long provided me with more bounty than I could use so I’ve wanted to make this paste for years. My daughter, Elli, gave me the inspiration to combine it with ginger for a unique, spicy flavour like no other.
Match it with any goat’s cheese, firm or fresh, or any young, slightly acidic cheese. Or serve with a sharp, nutty cheese such as Manchego or Parmigiano or possibly best of all, a really sharp Farmhouse cheddar. This deliciously spiced and slightly sweet pear paste is the perfect counterpoint to the acidity of the above cheeses.
Toss through a salad of rocket, Parmigiano and walnuts with a light dressing of Verjuice and walnut oil. Make a bruschetta of young goat’s curd and pear paste strips, drizzle with olive oil and grill or add the paste to a sauce for game or lamb. It’s my new favourite thing!