Any farming is of course beholden to the weather, and particularly for any of us in South Australia, that is highlighted by our dependence on rainfall. Always reliant on the rhythm of the seasons, for any small producer or grower, there is also the issue of diversity and how to stand out in the world of ‘big business’, but I do think that it is more a matter of lateral thinking to see that being small-scale equates to being more exclusive and that is always a bonus. Everyone loves discovering a hidden gem, and that especially applies to food and wine. Getting your name out there on the back of true substance is the key, not always easy to achieve, but the Barossa has a wonderful reputation for its ethos in supporting local producers, so it has always felt like a head start just being here to me! -MB Read the rest...
For those of you asking for my neenish tart recipe featured in last night's episode of The Great Australian Bake Off, you'll find it here. This recipe brings back some great memories from my childhood. When I was young, Mum and I had a special tradition of buying a neenish tart each from a bakery on the rare occasion we went shopping in the city. As small and sweet as neenish tarts are, I have never found one that compares to those from our expedition - until I decided to make them myself. I've always been scathing about 'mock' cream, although I'm not now that I make it like this. I admit these are fiddly to make, so I must confess that I only make then when there will be enough people to eat them all, otherwise I'd finish them off and make myself sick! -MB Read the rest...
I’d always wanted to try brioche ice cream sandwiches after reading about the Sicilian practice of serving warm brioche with gelato for breakfast some twenty years ago. It wasn’t until my second, and fairly recent trip to this fascinating island that I visited a bar in Zambucca, that offered warm brioche and a selection of gelato. I was so excited to finally taste this, and thought it a great idea to have the components on hand for a casual, no fuss day, when anyone might drop in. For me, it’s always about using what’s on hand. I’ve found that the brioche freeze beautifully and I always have a stash of my ice creams in the freezer, as you can imagine! -MB Read the rest...
I grew up in a household where food was always important, but like so many of that era, we ate simply and to a budget, unless the occasion was a very special one. As I grew up and eventually moved away, travelling and working in different parts of the world, my food influences opened up in parallel to my experiences. I have always been influenced by the wonderful people I have had the opportunity to meet throughout my life, but the most impactful influence has been living in the Barossa, there is nothing that compares to growing and harvesting your own food when it comes to expanding food knowledge. -MB Read the rest...
I'm having a wonderful time in Japan filming Maggie in Japan with Foxtel's LifeStyle FOOD. To see what's I've been up to, head over to my Facebook page. -MB Read the rest...
