Essentials Magazine Spring-Summer 2010

issue 19 spring-summer 2010 www.essentialsmagazine.com.au

Artist: Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown

Roi’s RestaurantAustralia’s best food secret

Arabian DelightsRed Ramia Trading & Café Fez

Turbo Charged

PRICE: FREE

5th BirthdayPREMIUM EDITION

4 It’s not only about quality of materials andmanufacture.

Wilko Cabinets Pty Ltd. - Adventurous Living

Ww i l k o c a b i n e t s

It’s not only about quality of materials and manufacture.

It’s innovative design to suit the specific requirements of the site.4

This house was always going to be an interesting project. It’s a curved house designed to take in views from the Warby Ranges, featuring clean, modern lines and materials, contrasted with stone masonry. The professional couple wanted cabinetry for their entire house, including their own individual offices. It would have been inconceivable to treat each element as a separate project, and not acknowledge the architectural and onsite design considerations.

In the kitchen, the bench fits seamlessly into the window design. Bench tops respond to the architectural stonework, while the high-gloss surfaces capture and reflect natural light. We carefully selected colours to meld with the house and landscape beyond. The drinks bar is concealed behind retractable doors and utilises a small space. It was purpose-created to integrate a wine storage refrigerator, and is made from recycled Red Stringybark. Draw handles were avoided, because simplicity was the key. The offices feature angular bookcases that are shaped to the curvature of the building, and while their designs mirror one another, different materials reflect the taste of each individual. Throughout the house as a whole, materials and detailing are integrated, creating a sense of unity and flow.

If the idea of unique design suited to your individual requirements, making optimum use of available space and light, and combining innovative and high quality materials, appeals, talking to us could be rewarding.

55 Devil’s Creek Rd, Buckland Valley, Victoria, 3740. Tel. 03 5756 2260 Mob. 0419 575 374

4 It’s innovative design to suit the specific requirements of the site.

Classic country appeal, plenty of bench space, durable and with a warm, yet modern appeal. This unique galley style kitchen with connective breakfast bar in Porepunkah, Victoria is a wonderful

celebration of Australian lifestyle. Featuring ‘select’ Australian mountain ash timber cabinets with stainless steel perforated mesh inserts, beautifully seamless deep square-form laminate bench tops and ‘Zimbabwe Black’ granite splashbacks, the design considerations for Wilko in this case were to insure architectural balance was met with a family friendly harmony; blending with the property’s open-plan lounge and connective river view decking. Beauty without the obligatory geek, the use of standard-fit premium stainless appliances including a 900mm cook top and canopy style range hood, produced an elegant look without excessive design challenges. A large in-built pantry keeps the galley appearance neat and petite, while the connected island breakfast bar softly moves the kitchen space through to heart of this family home. Reflecting the owner’s wishes for indoor-outdoor ‘ease-of-flow’ entertainment including BBQs with friends in summer, and semi-formal dinners in winter, this very intelligent approach to the modern country kitchen is a proud achievement. Maintaining an extremely cosy and calm feel, this very Australian galley also boasts ‘smart-thinking’ form and functionality as found in the most personally crafted commercial designs. If the idea of a unique design suited to your individual requirements, making optimum use of available space and light combining innovative and high quality material, appeals, talking to us could be rewarding.

55 Devil’s Creek Rd, Buckland Valley, Victoria, 3740. Tel. 03 5756 2260 Mob. 0419 575 374

Plunkett Fowles Cellar DoorCnr Hume Fwy and Lambing Gully Rd, AvenelT 03 5796 2150 W www.plunkettfowles.com.au

Feel happy...Stop, unwind, taste and enjoy

Stone DwellerSwww.plunkettfowles.com.au

new from...Stone DwellerS 2008 rieslingWHITE WINE OF THE YEAR - 2009 Fed Square wine Awards

GOLD - le Concours des Vins du Victoria 2008

GOLD - national Cool Climate wine Show 2009

Stone DwellerS 2008 GewürztraminerSILVER - le Concours des Vins du Victoria 2008

Stone DwellerS 2008 Sauvignon BlancSILVER - royal Melbourne wine Show 2009

BEST OF CLASS - 2009 Fed Square wine Awards

Stone DwellerS 2008 ChardonnayJames Halliday Wine Companion 2010 - “Still very light colour; an elegant wine, with a lingering, drawn-out finish emphasising the length of the palate; citrussy acidity also comes to the party, the oak very well integrated and balanced.” Rating 94

Stone DwellerS 2008 Chardonnay Pinot noirRecommended and served by Qantas Club Business Class lounge.

Stone DwellerS 2008 Pinot noirJames Halliday Wine Companion 2010 - “well-made, capturing all the varietal character available; spicy/briary notes are authentic; clever use of higher than normal acidity to balance the alcohol; surprise packet.” Rating 89

Recommended and served by Qantas Club Business Class lounge

Stone DwellerS 2008 Cabernet SauvignonGOLD - Strathbogie ranges wine Show 2009

Stone DwellerS 2006 ShirazSILVER - Strathbogie ranges wine Show 2009Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front 17/09/09

“Shiraz is the Strathbogie ranges’ best-performed grape variety. lifted and aromatic, peppery and fruit-driven... earthy, meaty character. Quite lovely.” Rated: 92 Points

Stone DwellerS 2008 MerlotSILVER - Strathbogie ranges wine Show 2009Max Crus - Daily Advertiser 1/12/09“More power to merlot we cried as this stood among a table of shiraz and cab sav.” Rating 8.6/10

Plunkett Fowles Cellar Door

Cnr Hume Fwy and lambing Gully rd, Avenel VIC 3664

t 03 5796 2150

Essentials_DPS_StoneDwellers_ad.indd 1 11/12/09 4:01 PM

tastings • wine & food flights • lunch dailyOpen. 9am – 5pm, seven days

Artist Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown 40

magazine spring-summer 2010 page 6

managing editorJamie Durrant

associate editorEmma Gardiner

sub editorTony Kleu

guest arts editorHans Sip

advertising | salesJamie DurrantTel 0419 006 391

graphic design | art directionJamie Durrant

advertising creativeCreated in-house by Essentials Magazine

writersJacqui Durrant, Varia Karipoff, Jamie Durrant, Emma Gardiner, Gilbert Labour, Ivan Durrant, Julie Tyers

recipesRoi Rigoni, Dietmar Sawyere, Sandy Leatham, Adele Aitken, Michael Pugh

photographersJamie Durrant, Charlie Brown, Clare Plueckhahn

additional photographs & contentEssentials would like to thank the followingcontributors for additional content and images:Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown, Wayne Quilliam, Graham Gillies , Llawela Forrest @ Run Forrest, Dietmar Sawyere, Graham Gillies, New Holland Publishers Australia, Judy Durrant, Fix St James, Clonakilla, Grove Estate Wines, Chrismont Wines, McIvor Estate, Myrtleford Chamber of Commerce Inc, Frasers Hospitality Pty Ltd, Provincial Home Living

[email protected]

[email protected]@layoutlooks.com [larger files]

our websiteswww.essentialsmagazine.com.auwww.issuu.com/essentialsmagazine

publisherEssentials Magazine Pty LtdACN: 132 426 576PO Box 967, Benalla, Victoria, 3672Tel 03 5762 3485

All photographs and text are the property of Essentials Magazine and or the rightful copyright holders. Under no circumstances are they to be reprinted or published by any means whatsoever without written permission of the editor. While we always try to clear and confirm all editorial content (both text and photographs) before publishing, we welcome the opportunity to correct any errors or omissions. The opinions of the contributors and/or columnists are not necessarily those of the publisher. Essentials aims to please and support the North East region via pleasurable and positive content. Every effort is made to confirm event and calendar dates and factual information, although at times please understand that errors can occur – we’re only human!Essentials strongly recommends travellers phone event managers and tourist operators to confirm dates and events prior to enjoying the fruits of this region. Essentials Advance Plus cardholders are required to register their cards online. We welcome your reviews, letters, feedback and support.

Price in Australia: FREE at selected touristlocations, $24.95 12-month subscription via www.iSubscribe.com.au

This issue: No. 19 – spring-summer 2010

(Dear Molly ‘the Monster’, sweet, sweet pup we miss you!)

Essentials Magazine is printed in Australia by GEON Impact Printing.

features20 Just Like Heaven – Roi’s Restaurant, Tawonga28 i quattro superiori – Chrismont Premium Wines Launch at Pope Joan34 Table by the River – Berowra Waters Inn40 Turbo Charged – Artist Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown 61 Arabian Delights – Inside Red Ramia Trading & Café Fez

food & drink12.5 Canberra and Regions – Cool-climate wine coup 16 South of the Border – BBQ flavours for summer19 Home is Where the Heart is – Tallis Wines14 Food Fix – Pre-wedding jitters cured at Fix St James, Sydney26 Deus ex Machina – Choosing the perfect coffee machine72 Wine Insiders – Star Lane Vineyard, Beechworth80 Blessing in Disguise – Plunkett Fowles Wines, Cellar Door

art, fashion, design39 House of Love – The art of matching a living space to its people44 All You Need is Love – Boundary Rider, Ivan Durrant50 Jewel Arts – Jeweller Karin Tremonti’s Albury store relaunch70 Art Space – Photographer Wayne Quilliam

discovery & adventure34 Fraser Suites, Sydney – Room 4106 37 Love the Life – Myrtleford, Victoria, hero businesses

regulars8 Essential Insider9 Essential News10 Wine Awards78 Must-Drink Wines

COVERTrevor ‘Turbo’ Brown – Bunjil, 2007

Acrylic on linen, 123 x 92cmPhotography by Jamie Durrant

© Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown

eco friendly opulance

The Experience:Contemporary, luxurious, environmentally sustainable studio accommodation for couples – unwind in world-class detailed opulence. The studios are a perfect base for discovering vineyards, local produce, gourmet dining and the Victorian Alps and Bright region. Set in rolling pastures with fabulous views of the Buckland Valley and Mt Buffalo. Escape to your luxury studio and enjoy the peace and quiet of the beautiful Australian alpine wilderness.

tel. 0419 133 318 • email. [email protected]

www.thebuckland.com.au

the buckland | luxury retreat

R I S E O F T H E M I C RO B R E W E R SWORDS JACQUI DURRANT

Essentials Magazine talks with Ben Kraus about why microbreweries like his own Bridge Road Brewers are finally gaining the drop on the big boys.

More than ever, Australian beer drinkers are moving away from the big commercial brewers in favour of small bottlers whose approach is driven by quality. Even famous brands are suffering declines of more than 10 per cent in sales. One of the microbreweries leading this change is Beechworth’s Bridge Road Brewers, whose co-founder and chief brewer, Ben Kraus, has a firm grip on the reasons behind the historic shift. ‘People are more willing to try different styles,’ says Ben. ‘We’ve seen this at our brewery. Our range of beers has moderate to big flavours, and in the past some drinkers found the bigger beers too challenging. Now they’re moving away from our lighter styles to those with fuller flavour profiles.’ Beyond the brewery, small bars are springing up everywhere, good restaurants are becoming more focused on beers and matching them to food, and many bottle shops want to offer a wider range of options. ‘This has resulted in a big up-take of specialty beers, which also feeds people’s interest.’ Creating a diverse range of distinctive flavours is fundamental to Ben’s approach. The brewery has on tap eight beers representing a range of styles. These include the Hefeweizen, a German-styled wheat beer, the full-bodied malty Celtic Ale and a Chestnut Pilsner made with local hops and chestnuts. ‘Our beers are what they say they are,’ explains Ben. ‘We go for the more robust end within each style. Pale Ale is a style that is traditionally “hoppy”, but our Beechworth Pale Ale is “hoppier” than the mainstream. We like the characteristics of the different styles to shine through clearly and not remain hidden.’ A beer tasting at Bridge Road Brewers, followed by a beer and wood-fired pizza, has become one of the quintessential Beechworth experiences. Adding to the atmosphere, the brewery is located in historic 19th-century stables that once belonged to Crawford and Co. – a stagecoach company that competed with Cobb & Co. Even the beer labels refer to Beechworth’s history by incorporating the iconic bushranger Ned Kelly. ‘He was crazy,’ muses Ben. ‘Who would even consider, let alone follow through on, a plan to pull on suits of armour, and then go out and shoot and be shot at? He could have fled to Western Australia instead with no problems!’ The big brewers can’t offer a genuine local experience like Bridge Road Brewers, but Ben identifies other areas where he, and the businesses working with small brewers, have an advantage. ‘It’s difficult to compete with the big brewers, but on other levels they can’t compete with us,’ he says. ‘They will lock pubs into contracts, whereas microbrewers don’t do that. There are publicans and bar owners who appreciate having that autonomy. And while the major chains use their purchasing power to offer the major brands cheaply, independent bottle shops can compete by offering a wider range of beers. This becomes a valuable point of difference.’ However, the most telling reason beer-drinkers are turning away from the big guns towards microbreweries is that for a small price premium they can have handcrafted beer made from the best local and imported hops, malts and barley. ‘We’re producing more than just a refreshing drink,’ says Ben. ‘Our beer is full of flavour. At the end of the day, our sales just keep rising.’

Old Coach House, Brewers LaneFord Street, Beechworth, VictoriaTel 03 5728 2703www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.au

magazine spring-summer 2010 page 9magazine spring-summer 2010 page 8

essentialinsider[i] spring-summernews


Freeman on Ford

FREEMAN ON FORD LUXURY

TOP VIN0 FROM MCIVOR ESTATE

NEW ESPRESSO BAR... JUST OFF THE RAILS

The Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Tim Holding, recently opened the renovation of Beechworth’s only five-star luxury hotel style accommodation, Freeman on Ford. Renovations include two new luxury suites, some of the most incredible bathrooms Essentials has ever seen (lots of Italian marble!), an expansive guests’ dining room that opens onto to a grand terrace overlooking a landscaped garden complete with private swimming pool and spa. ‘We have a passion for bringing visitors to Beechworth and offering high standards of service and facilities as can usually only be accessed in city hotels,’ owner Heidi Freeman said. ‘We are delighted to have Minister Holding open the renovation as it’s been a busy time and now it’s time to celebrate,’ she said. In September Freeman on Ford was named in the Hotel Motel Association Australia (HMAA) national awards for excellence in the five-star hosted Accommodation category – Victorian finalist winner. Freeman offers four Victorian era rooms and three inspired by the 1930s ‘golden age of Hollywood’.

97 Ford StreetBeechworth, VictoriaTel 03 5728 2371www.freemanonford.com.au

Essentials recently tried a line-up of McIvor Estate’s new-release wines and were quite frankly blown away by the quality. Vignerons Gary and Cynthia Harbor purchased the property, located in the southern part of the Heathcote wine region, close to the sweet rural hamlet of Tooborac, just over 10 years ago. As Cynthia is of Italian heritage, the couple have a great love of all things Italian. This year, their nebbiolo is back with a vengeance, a 2008 vintage that smacks of mulberries, dried fruits and some lovely spice. Another highlight of the range is the sangiovese, a fellow Italian varietal which is showing great harmony with the Heathcote region growers. Several producers besides McIvor Estate are turning out some outstanding examples. Dark, beautifully textured and quite seductive, the McIvor Estate 2008 Sangiovese is a great wine that is well matched to pizzas drizzled with estate-grown olive oil, wood-fired at the cellar door.

Cellar door open weekends, lunch/pizza bookings essential 80 Tooborac-Baynton Road, TooboracTel 03 5433 5266 www.mcivorestate.com.au

Old has become new again in the Wangaratta railway station precinct with the opening of Café Dérailleur. The former quaint Railway Café, which was built in 1947 to service the growing demand from rail passengers in post-war Wangaratta, has been given a new lease on life with the creation of an espresso bar operated by Eric Bittner. Small, quirky and unique, the café serves an organic fair-trade coffee blend from Coffee Supreme, using beans sourced from Ethiopia and the Pacific Rim. A changing single-origin coffee is also offered for those people wanting to taste a different coffee, and experience the varying flavours of espresso.

The menu or ‘daily offerings’ reflect Eric’s experience and his passion for baking, with all bread (sourdough, fruit sourdough, ciabatta, focaccias and panini) baked on the premises and used in the often-changed quick bites on offer. The sweets include lemon curd tarts, French vanilla slice and little almond crescents (or Kipflen as you would see them in Austria), but the baklava will test your resolve to eat just one.

Café Dérailleur38 Norton Street, Wangaratta, VictoriaTel 03 5722 9589

spring-summernews [n]

[wa]wineawards

Michelini Wines’ Alternative Italian Teroldego Wins Gold

Alpine Valley’s Michelini Wines recently took out no less than three awards including gold, silver and ‘Chairman’s Wines to Watch’ trophy

at the recent 2010 Australian Alternatives Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS) held in Mildura. New release 2008 Emo Selection Teroldego, produced in honour of Michelini’s founder Emo, took out the gold and Chairman’s Award, while the 2009 Teroldego took home a well deserved silver medal. Showing a commitment to producing some of North East Victoria’s top Italian varietal wines, the Michelini team are now considered industry heavyweights. What is this new alternative award winning varietal? Known as the Royal wine of Trentino, Teroldego is an old indigenous variety of the Trentino Alto Adige region in northern Italy, home to the Michelini family. As far back as 1851 the Michelini family began growing grapes and making wine in the Trentino Alto Adige region of the Italian Alps. Emo remembered the wine produced from Teroldego, grown in his home town of Rovereto and would constantly rave about it with passion, saying ‘this is the wine,’ insisting ‘you never get better than this one!’. In the case of the recent awards Emo has been successfully proved right. In September 2006 Michelini Wines released the first of two premium wines under the Emo Selection range, a 2004 Merlot which was featured in Essentials magazine, and at the time of its release hailed by wine critics and local wine collectors alike. The new 2010 release 2008 Emo Selection Teroldego was launched at the 2010 Myrtleford La Fiera festival long pasta lunch, coinciding with the Sydney to Melbourne Italian Connection Rally. On the day around 100 people enjoyed an alfresco four-course premium lunch at the winery cellar door, produced by local chef Frank Martinez of Bright’s Sole e Luna. Considered an epic ‘wine of the day’, the Emo Selection Teroldego was thoroughly enjoyed by all, given its impressive dark fruit and wonderful structure and fine balance.

A winery to watch, Essentials suggest you log on to the Michelini’s website and take advantage of the new Emo Michelini Wine Club. Membership benefits include: generous discounts, free delivery of premium wine packs, news and regular updates and free membership.

For further details visit: www.micheliniwines.com.au

2009 Teroldego – Silver Medal, AAVWS Mildura November 2010Showing intense purple/red colour, this wine has lovely spicy vibrant characters on the nose. The palate has good mid palate fullness and characters with firm yet not overpowering tannin finish. Drink with veal scaloppini, within 2-3 years of vintage.

2008 Emo Selection Teroldego – Gold Medal and Chairman’s Wines to Watch trophy, AAVWS, Mildura November 2010Showing dark purple red colour, the nose has notes of chocolate and spice, unusually rich palate with medium tannin and drying oak finish. Enjoy with spicy Italian dishes like polpetta and cellar 5-10 years.


Australia’s wine history, reputation and lore have traditionally been anchored and developed mainly

around blockbuster reds predominantly from South Australia, the Riverina and the Rutherglen and Glenrowan regions with a smattering of contributions from Western Australia and other Victorian regions. Some kudos has also been accorded the less robust red wines from the Hunter Valley where legendary names such as Lindeman’s, McWilliams, Tulloch and Brokenwood have led the field. The common climatic denominator seems to be warm to hot temperatures that allow full ripening of grapes. Hunter Valley Semillons and Clare and Eden Valley rieslings have also consistently been at the pointy end of national acceptance. Lately, however, there has been a subtle but emphatic emergence of quality wines of reliable pedigree from the cooler viticultural areas. The North East Victorian region was featured in the last issue of Essentials. (see: Alpine Caravanserai online at www.issuu.com/essentialsmagazine/docs/essentials-mid-winter-2010/60).The other cool-climate areas of note are the NSW regions of Orange, Cowra-Canowindra, Hilltops (Young) and, of course and more notably, the ACT (Canberra) and regions. Leading the field in terms of international recognition, is the Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2009, which was recently elevated to rarefied heights in the

WORDS GILBERT LABOUR

Langton’s Classification’s exceptional category where it shares prominence with the likes of Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Hermitage, Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz, Chris Ringland Shiraz, Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, Henschke Hill of Grace, Mount Mary Quintet and the Grosset Polish Hill Riesling among an elite group of 17 wines. To put the award in perspective, quoting and paraphrasing from Langton’s Classification booklet which is released only every five years: ‘It is the most famous wine classification outside of Europe and recognises ultra-fine Australian wines with a reputation for authenticity, consistency and provenance… the Clonakilla 2009 Shiraz Viognier is perhaps one of the most important advances in the development of Australian Shiraz since the release of 1952 Grange Hermitage.’ This is truly the pinnacle of achievement and recognition for cool-climate wine in Australia, and a well-deserved tribute to Clonakilla winemaker Tim Kirk’s single-minded dedication and perseverance with his Rhone-inspired quest and passion. Other ACT region wines to make their mark at gold medal level on the current show circuit include winemaker Richard Parker and viticulturalist Brian Mullany’s multi-award-winning Grove Estate 2007 Sommita Nebbiolo, Clonakilla Hilltops 2009 Shiraz and 2010 Riesling, as well as Nick Spencer of Eden Road’s The

Long Road 2009 Shiraz (which I strongly hinted as one to watch in an earlier issue of Essentials), the superb Alsace-styled Helm 2009 Premium Riesling and Helm 2010 Classic Dry Riesling, Greg Gallagher’s 2010 Riesling and the ever-reliable McWilliams Barwang 2008 Chardonnay. Other reds of gold-medal stature are the Lark Hill (Canberra) Biodynamic 2009 Shiraz, the Lerida Estate 2008 Lake George Shiraz Viognier, Ravensworth 2008 Shiraz (crafted by maestro Bryan Martin at Clonakilla where he helps makes the Clonakilla range), Pankhurst 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, the quirky but thoroughly enjoyable Mt Majura Tempranillo Shiraz Graciano and finally Jason Brown’s Moppity Hilltops 2009 Shiraz. These cool-climate wines do not buxomly and brashly confront the palate as do some of the wines from hotter regions. Rather, they seductively, and initially perhaps shyly, weave their spell around a core of silky smoothness and fragrance. All this is underpinned by fine tannins (in the reds) and brooding but definite opulence of fruit which sensuously emerges and, in siren allure, entices and rewards the vinous senses. My recommendation is to source as much of these wines as you can, as soon as possible; they will undoubtedly soon be in short supply. They will reward careful medium-term cellaring as well as offering hedonistic pleasure and enjoyment now.

Canberra and Regions Cool-Climate Coup

magazine spring-summer 2010 page 12.5

For some people, a wedding is the pinnacle of their life’s achievements; a way of saying to the world, ‘Look! I

am a proper grown-up.’ But what of couples who have no immediate plans to mature? Is there any point going to all the trouble and expense of getting hitched? Stevie and I have been together for six years so the decision to walk down the aisle has not been hasty. If fast weddings are called ‘shotgun’ then ours has been something along the lines of ‘slow train through India’. We were never quite sure we would get there. In light of this, I wonder if marriage is the right thing for us. Is it really wise to disturb the status quo? I want to be sure the spark is still there so I book a table at a little city eatery known for its ever-changing, smooth sailing menu and eclectic wine list. Stevie and I are going on a date. We sit opposite each other in the warm candlelit glow, transfixed by the menu. If Stevie is my true love, then food is my first. Presented on a simple black-and-white xerox sheet, the dishes described are modern Italian with a Francophile twist. Swooningly delicious choices such as twice-cooked duck with quince and ginger and

WORDS EMMA GARDINER

Six weeks out from her wedding, Emma Gardiner decides to do some romantic due diligence at a hidden Sydney gem, Fix St James.

New Zealand salmon with beets and soft egg go head-to-head with the mysterious ‘Feed Me Fix!’ menu. Greed and curiosity win the battle and we order the Quick Fix (five dishes to share). There is nothing I love more than a bit of star treatment so I am delighted when Stuart Knox, the proprietor of Fix St James, comes over and pours us a glass of 2009 Villa Calappiano Prosecco to welcome us. Now there’s a man who knows the way to a girl’s heart (for the blokes out there, it’s charm and bubbles). We get chatting and discover that Stuart used to be the sommelier and restaurant manager at the toqued dining institution, Level 41. In fact, nearly everyone who works at Fix St James is ex-Level 41. From assistant manager Tristan Rayner to head waitress Brooke Turnell, they are all Dietmar Sawyere alumni; this is evident in the exceptional standard of service. Crusty house-baked sourdough rolls are presented and dipped into fruity West Australian extra-virgin olive oil. Oysters with pickled cucumber arrive and a fennel, Meredith cheese and grape salad lands on the table.

food fix


food fix I surrender the oysters to mybeloved, who smiles unashamedly withdelight as he slams them down with ease.I suffer from a gag-inducing aversion tooysters, so I amuse myself with the salad,zesty with fresh mint, parsley and thespringtimecrunchoffennel. Stuart reappears with a newbottle,indefianceofourhalfemptyglasses,andpresentsuswithaglassofS.C.Pannell2008 Pronto Bianco from the AdelaideHills. Passionfruit mingles with cucumberinthisbright,drywine. Thediningroomstartstofillwithapost-workcrowdoflawyersandlate-nightshoppers,bagsintow.Thevolumegoesupanotchas thekitchenstepsupthepace. Ithink we’re in for a bigger-than-expectednight. Next dish to fly from the kitchenistheschoolprawnswithchillisalt.Cookedwhole,thesetastylittlecrittersareallfresh-crispy-crunch, layered with just the rightamountofsaltyheat. Beforewedrainourglassesforasecond time, Tristan wanders over, Patinarosé in hand. This herbaceous blend ofmerlot, pinot noir and cabernet francheralds from Orange, NSW and partnerswellwiththenextcourse,acountryterrinewithcandiedcumquatsandanendivesaladwith mustard and thyme dressing. Theintensesweet-and-sourliftofthecitrusisagoodmatchtotheterrine,whichisdelicatein texture and big on flavour. The endivewithitsbitternesshelpstocutthroughtherichness of the terrine. Adding a cleaner,lighter touch, this combination is yetanothercleverbalancingactwellcraftedbychefsSamBennettandDavidNemeth.

Things are now getting serious.A steady stream of punters are walkingthrough the door and the dining room iscrowded.ThroughtheservicewindowStevieandIwatchSamandDavidgothroughtheirpaces, working the range and plating upwith speed – and aplomb; they have notevenbrokenasweat. The warm hubbub of the room(and the wine) casts a spell over us andwe now feel like lovers on a first date, allflirtatious promise and jibes. By the timeour final course arrives, we have forgottenallourworries. Italiansausageandsproutrisottopaired with a complex Schmitges 2008Dornfelder pinot noir comes close tosatiatingus.Strangerstorestraint,wecleanourplatesand,withouthesitation,moveonto ordering dessert: honey and clove setmilk with quince and spiced custard tartwithrhubarbandginger. Never one (or two) to say no, wesavour a luscious Seppeltsfield SelmaMelitta with tobacco, toffee and raisinflavour notes and devour our desserts thesecondtheyarrive.Theresoundingfavouriteis the clove blancmange with its gravellysprinklingofsweetcrumbs.Aspoonwariswaged. To finish, we have yet anotherglassofwine;thistimeit’sthePatina2010StickyTeaRiesling.We’realittlebitdrunk,a littlebit tiredandalothappy. I thinktheweddingisstillon.

111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000Tel 02 9232 2767www.fixstjames.com.au


BARBECUED TEXAS BRISKETThis recipe is popular with our regulars. It’s brilliant hot from the barbecue or served cold, pulled into shreds.

Serves 8–10

Ingredients

Dry aged beef brisket, about 1.5–2 kg1 tablespoon chili flakes1 teaspoon ground cumin2 teaspoons caster sugarFreshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Rub mixture all over the meat, massaging it in well. Leave for 1–5 days, refrigerated as required.

Barbecue roast at 150 degrees Celsius, fat side up, on a rack with some water underneath in a pan, and covered well with foil.

Roast for 3½ hours with our dry-aged meat and about 5 hours with non-aged meat.

Increase temperature to 220 degrees Celsius. Baste with pan juices and return to barbecue oven uncovered for 20 minutes.

The old-fashioned Aussie BBQ of minute steaks and snags is a thing of the past,’ says Sandy Leatham of

Hook and Spoon. ‘There’s much more interesting stuff out there: beef brisket, mutton forequarter – large pieces that are carved and shared at table. My butcher has just come back from Peru and he told me how the shops sell large pieces of meat perfect for outdoor cooking, basting and BBQing – no steaks in sight!’ When it comes to cooking for large groups, Sandy says, the main thing is to avoid rushing. ‘Settle in for the morning or afternoon to baste and tend the meat. Enjoy the cooking process and take your time. If you are inclined to stress, then plan, plan, plan. Cook what you feel confident with and work your cooking times out backwards. ‘You can slow cook the meat in the oven beforehand and finish it on the BBQ just before service. The key is to keep the heat low. I used to cook on open fires a lot. What worked best was when I moved hot coals from the fire to a nearby area and cooked the meat there. A lot of my customers use Webers and variations on that theme and they get wonderful results.’ Sandy says that her favourite BBQ meat is mutton because it’s so versatile. ‘It’s used a lot in Arabic, Mexican, South American, Indian and Chinese (they

do a type of kebab on the coal-fired BBQ in the street). A lot of my customers love it because it tastes so good with just some salt and pepper – but it can also handle any spice combination you want to rub into it, pour over, mop around or marinate it with.’ Lazy people need not fear; Hook and Spoon still offers plenty of low maintenance options. Sandy says that the team has been playing around with sausage fillings. ‘Everything we use is fresh and the only preservative we use is salt. Our most recent creations are a “ploughperson’s sausage” that has pickled onions, seeded French mustard and chunks of cheddar cheese in it, one with local black olives chopped into the mix, a pork and fennel combination and a merguez that has roasted red capsicums, garlic and paprika. Needless to say, they all taste pretty good.’ A word of warning from Sandy: when it comes to marinades and sauces, it’s important not to overdo it. And make sure they all fit within the same theme. ‘If you’re cooking with South American flavours, try a traditional chimichurri sauce. Don’t just get out the Heinz!’

16b Carrier Street, Benalla, VictoriaTel 03 5762 2044www.hookandspoon.com.au

south of the borderThink smoky, spicy and seriously southern when it comes to BBQ flavours this summer.

WORDS EMMA GARDINER RECIPIES SANDY LEATHAMPHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT

‘

Sandy Leatham


SANDY’S SOUTHERN CHILI RIBSThis beef rib ‘mop’ has the right amount of vinegar to keep the ribs tender and moist. It also has a slightly sweet, but mildly spicy flavour which will produce a tasty rack of beef ribs. I use a (new, and never been used to wash up with) cotton dish mop, the kind on a handle – that looks like a tiny floor mop – to slop goodly amounts of the marinade over the meat at intervals of about 20 minutes to keep it moist and tasty.

Serves 8–10

Beef ribs, 2kg½ cup water ½ cup cider vinegar ½ cup soy sauce ½ cup Worcestershire sauce 4 tablespoons paprika 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons ground cumin 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground oregano 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper2 tablespoons ground black pepper2 tablespoons salt

Method

Mix all ingredients together well, thoroughly basting the ribs with marinade at intervals of about 20 minutes to allow ribs to become moist and tasty. Do this for a few hours, refrigerating in between.

When you are ready for barbecuing, baste again and cook on a medium-hot plate for 10–15 minutes, basting as you go.

SLOW BARBECUED MUTTON This is adapted from an American recipe

Serves 8–10

One piece of mutton shoulder (about 2.5kg) rubbed with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Basting Sauce

1 cup cider vinegar⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce3 tablespoons coarse salt 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper⅓ cup soy sauce1½ cups water

Boil ingredients together then cool for use while barbecuing.

Dipping Sauce

¼ cup soy sauce¼ cup cider vinegar2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1½ teaspoons brown sugar Freshly ground black pepper to taste½ teaspoon coarse salt2 garlic cloves, finely crushed¼ teaspoon ground allspice2 cups water

Boil ingredients together and reduce to around ¼ original liquid volume.

Method

Preheat barbecue to a temperature of 120–125 degrees Celsius. Place the mutton, fat side up, in the centre of the cooking grate over a drip pan, away from the most direct heat. Cover the grill.

Cook the mutton, basting with the basting sauce every ½ hour; until the meat falls off the bone (4 to 6 hours of slow cooking).

Note: The internal temperature of the meat should be about 88 degrees celsius while cooking. If the meat starts to burn, cover it loosely with aluminium foil.

Transfer the cooked mutton to a cutting board and let rest for at least 25 minutes. Slice the meat thinly across the grain or finely chop it with a cleaver.

Spoon half of the dipping sauce over the meat. Serve the mutton on toasted or grilled hamburger buns, on slices of crusty white bread, or by itself, using the remaining dipping sauce as desired.

PICTURED CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT Barbecued Texas brisket; southern chili ribs;

Sandy’s relaxed ‘offspring’ Georgia and Corrie on the farm; view of the Hook & Spoon’s Strathbogie

Ranges property where free range beef and mutton is produced


SILENT

rangecellar door tasting & sales – wilsons rd wangandary, victoria

tel. 03 5725 3292 web. www.silentrange.com.au

Shh! Let the wine tell the story

Home is Where the Heart isTallis Wine: breaking new ground in the Dookie HillsWORDS JAMIE DURRANT

Feel like joining the party? The Tallisman club offers many benefits including a massive 25 per cent discount on all wines and a $50 joining voucher. Club members are invited to celebrate annually with the Tallis family and winemaking team, who are renowned for their exclusive hosted dinners on the property. To join, simply log on to: www.talliswine.com.au

Join the Tallisman Club

Happy workforce: Team Tallis

Richard Tallis

cellarclub

The undulating wheat and wine-cropped farming plains of Dookie in Victoria’s North East offer very real

home comforts for locals Richard and Alice Tallis. Their family property Boorinda on ‘back blocks’ Major Plains Road is an impressive farm retreat that boasts sweeping views of the Broken River Valley and Strathbogie Ranges. With rich red volcanic loam soils and its ‘big sky country’ sunny days, complex wines are once again being produced here in what was once Victoria’s largest wine growing region. Very much a family thing, Richard and Alice together with their three children and a loyal team of very local friends all share in the successful operation that is Tallis Wine. The Tallis team has done a fine job of winning over some of the toughest industry critics and fans, recently taking the 2010 Federation Square Wine Awards ‘best in class’ award for their 2007 Dookie Hills Viognier – a wine made cleanly with minimal intervention and great expression of fruit through perfect harvest timing and subtle oak and barrel maturation. The winemaking team, Tanya Blackmore and Richard Tallis,

together have managed to place good old Dookie firmly back on the winemaking map by skilfully producing top quality boutique products. In this year’s 2011 Australian Wine Companion James Halliday rated Tallis Wine a four-and-a-half-star winery and noted Tallis as an ‘excellent winery able to produce wines of high to very high quality, knocking on the door of a five-star rating’. Essentials recently visited the Tallis family plot, with its 20-hectare vineyard, to learn more about the winery’s rise to national recognition. The team’s concern for quality of soil structure and fruit, barrel fermentation and other fine details epitomise the effort that goes into producing the James Halliday 94-point co-fermented Silent Showman Shiraz Viognier. It takes labour intensive, sometimes agonisingly fussy, winemaking to produce a range of premium wines such as Tallis’s – beautifully complex, with many offering soft fine tannins and subtle oak integration. The Tallis team seems intent on holding retail prices comparatively low, keeping business ticking over well and

wine club members happy to indulge. Recently released products include the 2010 Dookie Hills Rose, the Shugg’s Folly 2007 Sparkling Viognier and the 2009 Preservative Free Shiraz. Just the thing for toxin-free drinking this summer, if you get our drift... Girl-next-door beauty Katie Stringer manages administration and communication, Paula Ludeman handles finance Tanya Caruana does sales and Scott Feldtmann helps in viticultural consulting. Tanya Blackmore lives just over the hill with husband James, the Dookie Harvest Cafe foodie. With Alice and Richard’s lovely kids Julia, Sam and George helping out wherever they can, you get the picture that this isn’t any ordinary winery, it’s a festival of life! Good hearts, smart minds, happy faces and great plonk: surely this is the way a family-owned winery is meant to be?

Tallis Wine CompanyBoorinda, 195 Major Plains Road,Dookie, VictoriaTel 03 5823 5383www.talliswine.com.au


WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANTRECIPES ROI RIGONI

just like heaven

August 2010 was an unusual month: bitterly cold, with rain at volumes not

seen in 18 years. Everything pointed to my past. Friends from 20 years ago contacted me, entering my life again. The laptop crashed. On start-up, it displayed the date January, 1981. A CD re-release of the album Disintegration, by British gothic-pop sensations The Cure, popped up on Apple’s iTunes. Then, just as I tried to focus on my work, a bunch of my closest high-school mates dragged me to a small reunion in a Melbourne pub. Something was in the air. I felt the need to seek some sort of clarification, some meaning in my past. I needed an escape. Cue Roi’s restaurant in the sub-alpine hamlet of Tawonga, Victoria. A local Bogong Estate pinot noir was poured for me. It was beautiful, presenting with loads of upfront forest-floor, layered wild-ferment nuances. A copy of The Age Good Food Guide for 2005 fell from the bookshelf beside my table. I picked it up and, flipping through, was reminded which restaurants in both Melbourne and North East Victoria were hitting their peak

at the time of Essentials’ first edition. Three-hat winner Stefanos in Mildura; Country Restaurant of the Year, Lake House; two-hat winner Simone’s of Bright; one hat for Milawa Bakery and Restaurant with Michael Ryan at the helm; and up-and-coming stars Roi’s and Taxi just missed out on a hat with a tidy 14/20 score each. I had been invited by Roi Rigoni’s creatively minded wife Sue White, to sample a homemade seafood gnocchi, cooked with fresh pippis, blue swimmer crab, mussels, calamari and more. Whether or not to visit was a serious no-brainer. I got the call at 4pm; I could be tasting by 6pm, and tasting I was. The sheer volume of fresh seafood bursting out of the bowl made an immediate impression. ‘How could this be?’ I thought to myself. This represented incredible value. Was this special treatment? But I saw others smiling as more of these towering bowls emerged from the kitchen with massive blue swimmer crab claws reaching out – astonishing. Roi’s silky-textured gnocchi was accompanied with seafood cooked simply,

but cleverly. Tomato, a little garlic and chili, perhaps a little wine, and with fresh green peas adding extra colour and ‘pop’. Utterly sweet, the crabmeat crowned this dish with awesome outa-the-wild-deep-blue glory but never stole the show. Steamed gently, the clean and delicate pippis were baby shellfish gems; the calamari melted in the mouth; and the mussels – well, don’t get me started on the mussels – I could eat another three bowls! Sue’s invitation was a gracious one. With her softly mannered, yet ‘eyes-on-the-prize’ fast acting, professional floor management, I was in safe hands. Roi’s is an unexpected and exciting find. I notice guests of all races and ages enjoying the space together with ease. A young Indian couple, out on a first date, settle quickly in the surrounds – what can only be described as Sue’s artsy-cool, eclectic collection of books, lamps, sculptures, glassware, art deco posters, and tastefully chosen antique sideboards.

ro i ’s restaurant

Time’s passing, and with it life’s special moments: beautiful food, soul-inspiring music, sweet thoughts of friends, happy memories and all the emotions wrapped within. It was time to take a step back and reflect. Seated alone one winter’s eve at Roi’s restaurant in the heritage-listed Kiewa Valley, I was served the finest meal, and many of the answers my heart yearned for.

[continued over]

CRISPY PORK BELLY with hot candied

Italian fruit chutney

‘at Roi’s it feels as if time sometimes

stands still’}{

The room is open plan, with richly coloured baroque-inspired tablecloths, gleaming glassware, wood fire. Layers of historic collectables liven up every inch of the walls, shelves, tables and bar. I look carefully around the room. Roi’s jester logo seems to pop up everywhere, dancing in myriad forms: within the design of a stained glass window, in a painting hung high above the bar, and boldly bright, sculpted by hand in butter. The sculpture was made over 10 years ago by travelling Tibetan monks. The orange glow of an old world globe is moody, the Murano glass quirky, the rare liqueur bottles simply elegant. In a side room, a collection of 1950s seven-inch vinyl, (all hits), sit upon ’50s chrome kitchen tables, complete with cool’omatic vintage food processors and accompanying tea towels and cutlery. It’s an urban Australian museum, lovingly preserved for all to enjoy. As I view the records I recall programming a jukebox my father bought and moved into the family living room when I was eight. There were too many kitsch Elvis 70s show tunes (Viva Las Vegas!) for comfort, but my needly robotic, push-button music machine was thankfully also loaded up with Ram Jam’s Black Betty, Blondie’s Union City Blue and Kiss’s Rock and Roll All Night. I played those over and over; I was in heaven back then. It felt good simply to see seven-inch discs again. I’m sure Sue and Roi won’t be offended when I mention they are a beautifully eccentric couple. Roi talks passionately of food preparation, food traditions, and the dishes of his childhood in the Veneto region of northern Italy. He is a calm and generous soul, boasting moments of great humour and strength. Watching him in the kitchen is enjoyable – and an education. He’s never too serious, always one-step ahead of the game, with an addictive ‘can do’ attitude to quality food and quality of life, whatever the situation. I admire him immensely. Evincing a child-like energy and a no-fuss lust for life, Sue is bold and a little fancy-free in spirit. Wearing what I’d describe simply as ‘Greville Street black’ and ensuring only the best French covers of classic 80s Brit pop is played over the restaurant iPod, Sue is one cool, buzzing busy bee blessed with a heart of gold. All Aussie, very Melbourne and perfectly particular about delivering (and sampling) a decent wine, Sue brings a special brand of relaxed service to Roi’s, rivalling the best of its city counterparts. As she says, ‘You can take the girl out of Fitzroy, but you can’t take the Fitzroy out of the girl.’ Roi’s the restaurant is an icon in its own right. Sue and Roi have successfully run it for almost a decade and a half. Many lives and fine moments have filtered through this place. Even today, some of my closest friends happily recall the copious amounts of great red wine we drank up there. ‘Roi’s a champion,’ my old band-mate Julian says. There is a world of living memory and discovery attached to this home of fine food and wine. I firmly believe that every loving being should visit this place at least once in their lives, and certainly now, while the food is at its best ever. As I sat soaking up the eclectic sights and aptly programmed music, my memory was jolted. Here at peace, I realised that a vital part of myself, that I

had once loved so much, was missing. At this moment Sue offered me a glass of silky-smooth Tawonga Vineyards cabernet just as I was about to be served Roi’s new standout signature dish, Rolled Shoulder of Veal with ‘Considera’. Sue, who knows about my musical past, was warm and thoughtful. Sensing I needed somebody to talk to she sat beside me. Before long, she had encouraged me to play a few songs for her after dinner, and to consider getting out there again, performing, singing and playing the guitar as I once did. I now felt even more at home; Sue was onto something! Roi’s rolled shoulder of veal was as decadent as I had expected. Stuffed with braised cabbage, ricotta and breadcrumbs, its textures were even silkier than the wine, the light jus accompaniment a silken added touch. Beside the artfully rolled veal slices sat a small leaf bouquet of mâche rosettes – a miniature floral abstraction of a salad vegetable. Its taste was creamy, buttery, full flavoured and slightly peppery, a complete and complex salad in one: beautiful. The Considera (polenta with minced pork fat), a rich and luxurious side from Roi’s ‘heart of home’ Veneto region, added guts and body to the dish. With the sweet and succulent taste of the veal balanced with sage, and the additional hint of clean milkiness from the ricotta, the veal was complete. The quality of my meal was outstanding. ‘Roi truly is a champion,’ I echoed Julian. One of the gifts of living is to appreciate and acknowledge the people

who have helped to form the positive emotions within our deepest of memories. Some things never fade. I cannot help but think about placing Sue and Roi alongside my most cherished family members and friends. By simply eating and communicating with them, within their space, I’ve felt a connection that is, put simply, just right. These are good people, who give and give. So if you’re heading out to sample fine food, think beyond top service and start thinking ‘choose life’. Communicating with people – the right people – is what life is all about. We humans are extremely tribal. We thrive in groups. Comforts felt within the Roi’s restaurant space spoke volumes to me about the elusive ‘missing elements’ I had been searching for. I’ve pledged to myself to make changes, to spend more time with my personal tribe, less time racing towards a work deadline. At Roi’s it feels as if time sometimes stands still. This space knows no racing. Traditions are honored, childhood memories are spoken out loud and generosity is served up easily, as it might be in heaven. No matter where I go, the memory of Roi’s will stay with me always.

Roi’s handmade fresh strawberry icecream Grostoli stack

Open Thurs–Sun from 6:30pm177 Kiewa Valley Highway, Tawonga, VictoriaTel 03 5754 4495

HANDMADE GNOCCHI with blue swimmer crab, pippis,

mussels, calamari, flathead, prawns, garlic, tomato,

peas, sweet chilli

‘the delicate pippis were baby shellfish gems’}{

Roi’s pork belly is cooked under pressure with a Kiewa River stone

The story of making considera in the old Italian Veneto families

It starts as the pig is dressed for butchering. Legs and forequarters are removed and prepared for prosciutto, pancetta and capocollo. Sausages and cottechino are made. The bones that are left at the end of the day are salted and barbecued. Much homemade wine is consumed while feasting off the meaty barbecue bones.

Next morning the fire is lit outside, the remaining excess pig fat is minced and placed in a big cauldron. The fat liquefies in the cauldron and is taken away to make soap. The remaining remnants become the basis of considera. Next, polenta and fresh sausage is cooked and eaten. More wine is consumed and a great day is had by all.

Roi’Rigoni

as you go, this may take up to two hours. The run-off fat may be kept and used to flavour roasts or other dishes at a later date. As you get to the bottom of the pot crunchy bits will form (sosolli). This is now the base for the polenta.

To make the polenta, put the drained, rendered-down sosilli into a pot with the butter and flour, as if making a roux. Meanwhile peel and boil the potatoes until soft. Using a potato ricer, squeeze the potatoes into the pot with the pork roux. Stir with a wooden spoon for 15 to 20 minutes over a low heat until polenta is almost solid. Place polenta mixture in a mould and chill. Slice polenta and heat in a non-stick frypan when ready to serve with the veal.

To Serve

Place a slice of heated considera on a plate. Slice the hot veal to desired thickness and place overlapping the considera. Pour the reduced jus over the veal slice. Serve with a side salad of mâche rosettes drizzled with olive oil.

ROLLED SHOULDER OF VEAL on Considera (polenta shot through with pork crackling)

Serves 6-8

1 shoulder of veal (boned)2 large cups of fresh sage leaves300g butter400g dry ricotta6 slices white bread diced (crusts removed)Fresh grated nutmegSea salt and ground pepperGood homemade beef or chicken stockMâche rosettes (see www.fraisfarms.com.au)

Method

Lay shoulder of veal on bench. With a very sharp knife, butterfly the shoulder. Pound with a mallet until evenly flat. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

In a warm pan, using half the butter, fry the sage leaves until they are crisp. Add the ricotta to the pan and fry off. Remove sage and ricotta from pan, place in a bowl. Fold bread cubes into mix to absorb residual liquid.

Using a pallet, spread the ricotta mixture over the butterflied veal leaving a border three fingers wide at the top. Roll the veal up tightly.

Lay out a long sheet of silverfoil (enough to roll around the veal twice). The foil should lie at an angle to the veal, allowing the ends to form a perfect seal as you roll it up. Before you roll the veal, rub with remaining butter. Roll and tuck in the ends tightly.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan- forced 180). Place rolled veal on a deep baking tray. Ladle enough homemade stock into tray to submerge the veal by one third. Bake for one-and-a-half hours.

Remove the tray, pour off the stock and reduce the stock in a pot until maximum flavour is achieved to provide the jus for the sliced veal.

CONSIDERA

A forgotten recipe from the Veneto in Italy

1kg potato (any)3kg ground pork flare fat from the butcher150g butter 1 ½ cups plain flour Sea salt and ground pepper

Method

Render the pork fat in a large pot (an outside barbecue hot plate may be best as the process is long and slow). As the fat starts to render down remove the liquid with a ladle

ROLLED SHOULDER OF VEAL stuffed with braised sage, ricotta,

breadcrumbs; served with considera and mâche rosettes

‘its textures were even silkier than the

wine’ }{

WORDS JACQUI DURRANTPHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURANT

For three generations the Sciannimanica family has been roasting coffee and

designing premium blends. In addition to making superb coffee (best sampled at Bar Cosimo in CosmoreX’s Fyshwick roasterie), they also import and retail a range of commercial and domestic espresso coffee machines, direct from Italy, which they service in-house. In terms of sales, the Sciannimanica family takes very seriously the job of matching the right coffee machine to individual expectations. Attilio prides himself on answering the kinds of essential technical questions customers never even thought to ask. Essentials magazine asked Attilio to start with some simple advice on how to select a coffee machine. ‘It comes down to the build quality and the design,’ says Attilio. ‘Some cheaper machines will look exactly the same on the outside as much higher quality machines, and you have to look at the internal components to know the

difference. Like a car, the general rule of thumb is that the more you spend, the better the quality.’ Over the years, he has seen thousands of customers, most of whom prefer to start with a small domestic coffee machine. Others jump right into what he terms a micro-commercial. ‘Domestics are good starter machines. We usually find that people who get a kick out of making coffee will upgrade to something better. They get “upgrade-itis”. The rest go back to drinking instant!’ Attilio runs us through the nitty-gritty of domestic machines: ‘The first consideration is the size of the filter.’ Domestic machines often have small coffee filters (otherwise known as the ‘coffee basket’, into which you tamp the coffee), but larger ones produce far better results. He also advises customers to consider the water boiler: some are made of aluminum (occasionally with a stainless steel lining), but brass or stainless steel boilers are far

Deus ex machina: it’s a famous Latin phrase that translates as ‘god out of the machine.’ Stricly speaking, it refers to a plot device in stage plays whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly solved by an unexpected intervention. If you’re having problems finding the perfect coffee, Canberra coffee merchants CosmoreX can’t literally pull gods from their coffee machines. But listen to owner Attilio Sciannimanica’s advice on how to choose the perfect machine, and you’ll be one step closer to reaching espresso heaven.

deus eX machinacosmorex coffee

BFC Diadema Junior ‘Extra’ espresso machine [top of page], and in action [above], RRP. $2950


superior because, unlike aluminum, they won’t corrode. Finally, he points out that it’s wise to choose a machine that has a simple design with a proven track record (such as the Saeco Via Venezia or Rancilio Silvia). Even years down the track, spare parts will still be available. All this said, Attilio admits that the smaller machines are ‘fiddly to operate’. They’re lightweight, which means they can slide around a bench top, and the small size cramps the ergonomics. However, what bothers Attilio most is that small domestic machines generally have one boiler to handle the separate tasks of heating water for coffee and producing steam for frothing milk: ‘This means flicking a switch and waiting for the machine to heat up or cool down between operations.’ In summary, he says, ‘If used correctly, domestic machines will make a quasi-commercial coffee; if not, they will annihilate your coffee!’ The next step up from a domestic machine is a micro-commercial (otherwise known as a semi-commercial or, to use a hideous Americanism, a ‘prosumer’). The big surprise here is that while micro-commercials look like domestic machines on the outside, internally, they’re built to full commercial standards. ‘People cannot believe how much easier and more forgiving these machines are to operate,’ enthuses Attilio. ‘They are simpler and more convenient to use because they are ready to deliver both brewing water and steam any time you want them – even simultaneously if you wish. On top of that,

they also have an instant hot water tap for your long blacks, teas and other needs, just like a café machine. And whereas the domestic machines weigh about 5kg, these are a robust 20kg.’ He adds that the micro-commercials have a three-litre water tank, unlike commercials, making them suitable for home or office use. They also won’t let you down in commercial operations like hotel bars, where offering quality coffee is a necessary but minor part of the business. With two or more ‘groups’ to hold coffee baskets, and sporting ‘wands’ on either side, top-notch commercial machines are the powerhouses of the café world. The price difference between machines can be considerable, but this reflects the quality and longevity of the internal components, the size of the boiler, and electrical ratings. No two ways about it: cheaper machines are slower to heat up, and have less capacity to pump-out coffees quickly. ‘They can struggle to operate under extreme performance conditions, for example, making coffee for a football crowd,’ warns Attilio. He stresses that it’s up to individuals to decide what’s best

for their business, but holds that more costly machines have obvious advantages including power and reliability: ‘Machines breaking down cost you money not only in repairs, but also in lost business.’ Reflecting on the current state of coffee culture in Australia, Attilio says that consumers’ greater appreciation of fine coffee is not being matched by vendors. ‘Cafés are not coffee houses. They are focused on food. Even with quality beans, someone who doesn’t know how to operate their machine can make under-extracted, bitter or burnt coffee.’ The upshot is that if you’re madly passionate about coffee, owning your own machine is the only guarantee of pleasure. ‘Lots of people who’ve bought machines from us come and say, “We don’t go out for coffee anymore”.’ They’ve found that the most lovingly made coffee in town is found at home.

47 Kembla Street, Fyshwick, Australian Capital TerritoryTel 02 6280 7511www.cosmorexcoffee.com.au

BFC Diadema Junior ‘Regal’ espresso machine, RRP $2950

Pictured, left: The great espresso machine line up – a small portion of the machines in the Cosmorex Coffee showroom

Coffee grinders of all shapes and sizes looking for the right home


i quattro superiori WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT

Chrismont recently launched a premium range of wines at chef Matt Wilkinson’s relaxed new Melbourne eatery Pope Joan. Essentials’ Jamie Durrant joined an enthusiastic party of restaurateurs, sommeliers and wine lovers to sample what can only be described as new benchmarks for King Valley wines.

Super premium style wines, made with traditional winemaking techniques, as

perhaps they would have been made 100 years ago,’ explains winemaker Warren Proft, of the newly released Chrismont premium wines range. Warren smiles with pride and a slightly youthful cheeky excitement as he talks. He is quietly confident, calmly sharing the day’s limelight with Chrismont’s owner, Arnie Pizzini, who is greeting guests with hospitable warmth and his special brand of down-to-earth good humour. This day, Chrismont’s collection of four flagship tier wines are being launched: Simpatico (the charmer); Cristina, a tribute to Arnie’s late sister Christina; IL Ré (the king); and the super-Tuscan styled Arnaldo, named for their patriarch and founder. The wines are a total knockout. After the first few tastes, jaws drop, conversations spark up with a ‘how did they do this’ intrigue and fascination. Excitement builds as Pope Joan’s petite dining space with open kitchen fills to a busy yet bearably chaotic buzz. Tables are

set with beauty and precision. Increasingly more wine flutes continue to appear, their contents sparkling with fine beads reflected in the chrome waiters’ trays. Delicately crisp oysters and Matt Wilkinson’s herbed and buttery Welsh rarebit make for some divine and easy bite-happy starters. Matched to Chrismont’s toasty and exceedingly beautiful (predominately pinot noir) 2005 vintage méthode champenoise sparkling wine, Simpatico, the lunch is off to a fine beginning. ‘All of the wines are made from carefully selected parcels of fruit from some of the King Valley’s best performing vineyards. The pinot noir from Whitlands, chardonnay from Cheshunt, cabernet from King Valley, and the sangiovese and nebbiolo from Whitfield; are all hand picked and fermented in small batches. We use open fermenters for our reds and delicate hand plunging, aiming to balance but not over-extract the tannins – always looking for harmony and dynamics. We whole-bunch press and oxidatively handle the

whites, helping to reduce tannins and get a good start to the wild yeast fermentation in barrel. The Cristina chardonnay has extended barrel maturation on lees, up to two years, allowing a whole range of extra flavours to develop and intensify. The reds are also matured for two years in barrel and are periodically racked by gravity to aid clarification. The table wines are not filtered or stabilized conventionally but essentially achieve this naturally through the extended winemaking process. And if the fruit was not up to scratch in that particular vintage, then we wouldn’t make the wine. It’s taken a very long time to get here but I think it’s been worth the wait.’ If you think the process sounds a little obsessive then you’d be right, however it’s this constant attention to detail that produces iconic and world famous wines. Warren explains further that in making the wines he is always hovering over them, checking and tasting, monitoring them up to 10 times a day, regardless of whether anything needs to be done.

‘

[continued page 31]


i quattro superiori

hedonistically complex and detailed palate

challenge preconceptions{ }

2005 Chrismont Cristina ChardonnaySoft parmesan polenta, truffle, noosa spanner crab and prawn


2005 Chrismont Il Ré Nebbiolo Sweet and sour braised goat neck, mash spuds

Silky textured, grippy tannins and a long full-bodied finish

{ }


Whenweareseatedforanentréeof soft parmesan polenta, truffle, Noosaspannercrabandprawn,the2005Cristina,a premium cool-climate chardonnay ispoured. Its fragrance is dynamic andemotive to say the least. Guests scanthe supplied tasting notes, sniffing andsipping,concentrating.Thewine’slarger-than-life fragrance and hedonisticallycomplex and detailed palate challengepreconceptions. This extremely intensewine, its nose all whites peaches,nectarines and spicy oak, is beautifullybalancedwitharoundbutterscotchdepthfrom its time on lees. Matt’s polenta iscreamy and rich with top quality agedparmesan teasing the palate, the lift oftruffle adding body and interest. Thesimplicityandcleanlinessoftheseafoodisskilfullyandcleverlybalancedwiththeminty zing of flat leaf parsley. The dishhighlights Matt’s ability to uncomplicatethings, allowing texture and balanceto highlight a chardonnay of enormouspowerandstructure. Chrismont has a celebratedhistory with Matt Wilkinson, havingteamed up with him for several of itsspecial King Valley festival degustationdinner events. In each case Matt hasdelivered refreshing modern EuropeancuisinewellsuitedtomanyofChrismont’ssavoury, layered and very textural Italianvarietals.WithChrismont’snewpremium‘super Tuscan’ sangiovese cabernetblend, Arnaldo, he serves wild-shothare, licorice-spiced pumpkin purée andchestnutgnocchi, the light juscarryingadetailedhintofcinnamonspice.Thefirstoftwomains,itisatriumphoftextureandtaste.Theperfectlyseared,crispygnocchiistonallyroundandsweetwithchestnuts.The hare, seasoned just so, is tenderand flavorsome, a younger animal, notpungent.Thepumpkinpuréeisultrasoft,smoother than silk. This is a dish thatcould be eaten time and time again withpleasure.Thedelightfuljuswithitsspicysweetness balances perfectly the lifted-cherry flavors of the 2005 Arnaldo; theearthiness of the chestnuts and the wildhareareagoodpairingforthewine’sdepthof fruit flavour and complexity. Warrenexplains that sangiovese predominatesin the Arnaldo, making up 80 per cent;the addition of 20 per cent cabernetmakes it a much more seamless wine,with greater length of flavour and softer,finertannins.Awineforseriousdrinking,itexudesdeepandimpressivenotesofforestfruits,spices,creamandlicorice–thesignofatopsangiovese.Givensuchhighquality,Chrismontisretailingitataverygenerousprice. Asthelunchprogressesintotheafternoon, the group of 30 or so guestsbegin to mingle and relax. As an eatery,Pope Joan is impressively different inits approach. A converted North Fitzroyshopfront, it feels much more laid-backand social than many of its Melbournecounterparts. Interior structures are

artfully adapted and decorations arewhimsically playful. Seventies Italianmodernistwalltilesarelitwithindustrialenamel pendulum lamps. The kitchenbar and shelving are made of mixed-species timbers in blonds and deepreds,ofvaryinglengths,sotheylooklikelarge versions of children’s slot-togetherpuzzles. An outdoor porch light ofwrought-ironlacehangsfromthecentreofthediningroom,inplaceofachandelier,and a plywood moose head designed byAugustinScottdeMartinvillepeersdownupon odd collections of vintage timberdining tables, arranged harmoniously ifhaphazardly. Chrismont’s IL Ré – The King,premiumnebbiolo,isawinecertaintosecurethe King Valley leadership in alternativevarietal winemaking within the Australianindustry. The King Valley and many ofits Italian producers work unceasingly toinspire critics and wine collectors alike.

PREMIUM WINE DESIGN

Picturedclockwisefromtopright:

Chrismont’spremiumrangeofwines;

winemakerWarrenProft;Chrismont’sKing

Valleyvineyards,mid-winter;basket

pressingpremiumfruit

[continued over]


It is with this wine and others from their premium range that Chrismont have now managed to conjure the winds of change. Energetically powered with a lush and complex nose of cigar box, dried flowers, mulberries, cherries and chocolate, the 2005 IL Ré amazingly manages to carry all of this fullness and overwhelming excitement through to the palate with the addition of silky textured, grippy tannins and a long full-bodied finish. Matt’s second main, a slow-braised sweet and sour goat neck with gentle middle-eastern spices was a grand match. Again texture was impressive, the meat falling apart softly and a bed of mash spuds ever so lavish in its utterly smooth and creamy finish. As the saying goes, good things come in small packages – or small parcels (of fruit) in Chrismont’s case. Matt Wilkinson and Chrismont both seem to be on winning streaks if we consider this philosophy. With the new premium range of detailed and handcrafted wines launched and loved by many, and with Pope Joan quickly gaining a respected underground following, the penny has finally dropped. Steady as she goes, the slower pace, wins the race. Now, finally, it is time to celebrate.

Chrismont Cellar Door, King ValleyOpen 7 days, 10am to 5pm 251 Upper King River Road, Cheshunt, VictoriaTel 03 5729 8220Email. [email protected]

Chrismont Cellar Door, MilawaOpen 7 days, 10am to 5pm Shop 1, 1605 Glenrowan-Myrtleford Road (Snow Road), Milawa, VictoriaTel 03 5727 3982

SMOOTH CREATIONSChef Matt Wilkinson

(right); Wild shot hare, licorice spiced pumpkin, chestnut gnocchi, broad

beans, served with the2005 Chrismont Arnaldo

Sangiovese Cabernet (top left)


MENU

CanapésWelsh rarebit

(posh cheese on toast)crispy oyster, bacon vinaigrette

2005 Chrismont Simpatico Pinot Noir Chardonnay

EntréeSoft parmesan polenta, truffle, Noosa spanner crab and prawn

2005 Chrismont Cristina Chardonnay

1st mainWild shot hare, licorice spiced pumpkin, chestnut gnocchi,

broad beans2005 Chrismont Arnaldo

Sangiovese Cabernet

2nd mainSweet and sour braised goat neck,

mash spuds2005 Chrismont Il Ré Nebbiolo

FinishingBarolo wrapped cheese, crackers

*

*

*

*

. .

. .

2005 Chrismont Simpatico Pinot Noir Chardonnay

Crispy oyster, bacon vinaigrette


Neon lights in pink and green are reflected in the rippling waters of Darling Harbour some 41 stories below. Displaying colour and movement similar to a flowing curtain of night

sky’s rare aurora borealis, there is magic at play witnessing this iconic Australian city from such a height. Floor-to-ceiling glass views look west over smooth twinkling suburban lights and towards the Blue Mountains sketching a jagged horizon clearly beyond. The sun is setting in a perfect cliché dusky, dirty outback orange tone. At eye level, aircraft drift past quietly and softly. They soar and bank, like giant prehistoric birds floating in the twilight. They enhance and excite the view rather than interrupt or clutter. The sounds of the city are non-existent at floor 41. Reclining in a sleek Italian-designed day bed, I find the complimentary Australian pinot chardonnay sparkling wine drinks all the more effortlessly. Looking north, full city skyline and harbour views stretching clearly all the way out to the heads are breathtaking. Immediately in front, three buildings are counted; only this handful are a few stories taller than room 4106. Below, Sydney’s Town Hall and St Andrew’s Cathedral with its gothic revival bronze tipped stone spires seem comically dwarfed. Similarly miniaturised freeway arterials with their pinspot cars zoom past and into the night. Up high, the chaos of modern city life becomes a thing of beauty. The experience is addictive and mesmerising.

A slick contemporary 42-story tower of glass and steel, Fraser Suites is the creation of Foster + Partners, headed by renowned architect Norman Foster. Lord Foster, a master of the sharp-edge, ultra-modern is famous for creating the Swiss Re London headquarters, 30 St Mary Axe, nicknamed The Gherkin. In this structure layers of diamond-shaped glass panels are pieced together in a purity of mathematics and natural geometry. Within the foyer of Fraser Suites Sydney, Foster has created a Manhattan-inspired six-metre-high chandelier that towers beside an equally impressive art deco mirror pieced together in tiered and bevelled mirror segments. A focal point to a theme celebrating a golden era of modern sophistication, these deco mirrors are carried throughout all 201 luxury suites and through to the surface of the mezzanine breakfast lounge’s overwhelmingly ostentatious buffet table. Unlike so many big-ticket, ‘clone of clones’ corporate accommodation options, Fraser Suites Sydney delivers beautifully functional amenities including a glass-bottomed lap pool, spa and sauna, as well as other perfectly designed liveable creature comforts. Waking up in a king-sized bed with large LCD-TV actually mounted perfectly centred at eye level, is one example of simple, pleasing functionality that is surprisingly rarely executed in modern hotel rooms. Peter Thomas Roth citrus, lime and grapefruit body products make bathing a fresh and revitalising experience, while the obligatory fluffy-white bath robes complement the experience. Individually numbered and signed contemporary Australian

Room 4106. A two-bedroom penthouse located in the heart of Sydney. A view to a kill.

WORDS JAMIE DURRANT PHOTOGRAPHY FRASER HOSPITALITY

FRASER SUITES, SYDNEY


art prints add value and substance to the molten-brown and metallic silk layered interiors. Stainless steel Smeg appliances, CaesarStone benchtops and glass splashbacks complete a streamlined modernist kitchen, open plan to the lounge/dining which also features the best in imported furnishings and a cracker surround-sound DVD system with that real cinema ‘thud’. We’ve all heard the philosophical riddle: ‘if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it really make a sound?’ – challenging thoughts on observation and knowledge of reality. Similarly, the Fraser Suites penthouse experience challenges notions of reality. At altitude, as an observer, peace and tranquillity seem to reside. Cocooned within soundproof glass, you find the sensation of any possible vibrating, rumbling urban noise is dulled beyond a silent whisper. Does this city’s hum therefore exist at all, and is there really any frenetic pace at play? Is it all merely an illusion? Fraser Suites Sydney could be described as a new and thoughtful approach to large-scale, high-rise accommodation development. It is without doubt a contemporary diamond in the corporate rough. It is beauty and the beast played out in perfect modern harmony.

488 Kent Street, Sydney, New South WalesTel 1800 800 488www.fraserhospitality.com

ROOM WITH A VIEWTop: Fraser Suites, Sydney delux

two bedroom penthouse, right: Manhatten-inspired foyer


Happy Valley HotelWORDS JULIE TYERS

Since Johanna and Michael Bowers took over the Happy Valley Hotel in Ovens in March 2007, they have enjoyed laying down roots and making a commitment

not only to the community, but to the iconic hotel too. ‘When the kids finished school we thought “now is our chance”. It was our tree change and we’ve not looked back,’ says Johanna. ‘We see ourselves as custodians and we want to ensure that when a traveller comes around the bend in 20 years, we’re still here.’ The hotel, built in 1854 to cater for the influx of gold miners to the region, is steeped in history, a cultural touchstone for locals. ‘We held a 90th birthday party here recently for a man who told us that he’d celebrated his 21st here. He said when he came to the place in those days, people would tether up their horses outside.’ One of the best things about the hotel, Johanna says, is that everyone in the area has a fondness for it. Its rich local connections make it a community hub. Walk into any of the hotel’s eight cosy guest rooms and you immediately get a sense of going back in time. Cast iron beds, high ceilings and wooden floors are typical of the late 19th century and illustrate perfectly the Bowers’ commitment to retaining the heritage feel of the place. That special ambience is not the only pleasure that awaits guests. The hotel’s menu of what Johanna describes as ‘above average, honest pub food’ is extensive. Mains include chilli prawn salad with orange dressing and crushed peanuts, and baked basa fillet on asparagus with sweet potato chips and champagne cream sauce. Fresh watermelon salad with pomegranate molasses and fresh mint, and the merlot-poached oranges with crushed pistachios are just two of the delicious desserts from chef Ezra Wagonlander’s kitchen. Staples like potpies, steaks and Happy Valley Hotel’s famed chicken parmigiana are also available. Johanna and Michael pride themselves on their patronage of local producers. ‘It’s hard to keep our wine list down because there are so many great local wineries,’ Johanna says. Johanna and Michael’s daughter Jessica, 23, and Patrick, their 22-year-old son, live in and help out. ‘It’s funny but the kids ribbed us over our “tree change” three years ago but it didn’t take them long to follow us up here to live among these wonderful people,’ Johanna says.

Happy Valley Hotel4994 Great Alpine Road, Ovens, VictoriaTel 03 5751 1682Email: [email protected]

Johanna and Michael Bowers


Myrtleford Butter Factory WORDS JACQUI DURRANT

Bronwyn and Naomi Ingleton’s Myrtleford Butter Factory is the culinary powerhouse of Myrtleford. As experienced chefs, the pair have revived the once

derelict building by converting it into a restaurant and produce store. Most recently, the venture has come full circle with Naomi returning the building to its original purpose: that of making fresh cultured butter. Naomi is the only artisan in Australia solely dedicated to making butter, and she’s gone to fanatical lengths to create a unique product. She uses only local Goulburn-Murray cream mixed with her own combination of four different butter cultures. The process of selecting and blending the cultures is not unlike that of blending wine, and Naomi and her mother Bronwyn (also a chef) experimented for more than three months before they settled on a combination that gave them the right flavour profile. It gives the butter a discernable flavour that you won’t find anywhere else. Outside Naomi’s ‘butter room’, visitors can watch the butter-making process through a series of windows. The ripened cream is churned and lightly salted before being shaped into batons and laboriously wrapped by hand. Naomi has opted to use pink salt sourced from Lake Dimboola in Victoria’s Western District, and rather than over-process the mixture, she prefers to leave in the satisfying crunch of occasional salt crystals. The label on the butter’s foil wrapping includes a map so that buyers will know how to find Myrtleford. The finished butter is so creamy and full-flavoured it is worth enjoying for its own sake. A refreshing and tangy buttermilk, which has a consistency more reminiscent of thin yogurt, is a delicious bi-product of the butter-making process. But for most people who have never tasted truly fresh butter, the simple pleasure of eating this butter with crusty bread comes as an epiphany. At the moment, Naomi is churning 2000 litres of cream every week: that is 500 litres roughly every second day, with each batch making 200 kilograms of butter. There is some room for expansion, but given the hands-on and specialised nature of the process it already looks as if demand will eventually outstrip production. ‘We can only do so much,’ says Naomi. ‘Two churns a day is the most we could ever manage without loosing quality control, so we don’t plan to go beyond that.’

‘Its taken us a lot to get to this stage,’ says Naomi. ‘And I know why no one in Australia is doing it. It’s bloody hard work!’ ‘I grew up in a family who made fresh butter, and I remember its taste from childhood,’ reflects Bronwyn. ‘These days, lots of people wouldn’t even have that memory.’

Open. Open daily from 8am, Thursday-Tuesday (closed Wed).Dinner Friday and Saturday nights. Great Alpine Road, Myrtleford VictoriaTel 03 5752 2300www.thebutterfactory.com.au

Naomi Ingleton


The first step in Michaela J’s design process is to be introduced to both the inhabitants and the house. ‘I always

say that I need to come over and meet everyone,’ she laughs. ‘I learn so much from that “first date”: from observing what kind of haircuts people have to the kind of tiles on the bathroom floor.’ As in any new relationship, trust is a critical part of the process. ‘I won’t take a job if I feel I am not gelling with someone. They need to be willing to give themselves over to me and trust me with their budget. I don’t take this job lightly because when I am finished, everything needs to fit perfectly. Your home has to make you feel the way you want to feel. Some designers take the “it’s my way or the highway” approach but I don’t. It’s your home and it’s my job to help you love it.’

In the same way that every human is unique, Michaela emphatically maintains that a 1950s bungalow has an entirely different personality to an architecturally designed modern house and that the difference needs to be respected. ‘I don’t like to rape and pillage. I do enormous amounts of research so that I can maintain the character of the space while still managing to have all the mod cons,’ says Michaela. Michaela, a self-proclaimed hippie with style, encourages her clients to think about the environmental impact of their interior design choices on the health of the planet, as well as that of their family. As a member of the Window Coverings Association of Australia (WCAA), she is at the forefront of understanding the ‘nerdy’ side of the industry: fabric technology, fire safety and

Occupational Health and Safety. ‘I want people to understand that there are a lot of chemicals involved in the production of some materials and the carbon footprint is huge. This toxic legacy doesn’t necessarily end when the fabric is in your home so I try to steer people towards using natural fibres that can be easily washed, are flame retardant and don’t have any harmful side effects,’ explains Michaela. But you do not have to sacrifice aesthetics to bring your green credentials up to scratch. Michaela describes her personal style as, ‘sensual, textural and dramatic’. ‘I have lots of clients coming to me and saying that they’ve been somewhere and “seen my style” and that they have to have it,’ says Michaela. Splitting her workload between corporate clients and private homes, Michaela says she doesn’t have a preference: ‘I see every job as a wonderful new opportunity to get out there, meet people and create something stimulating and inspiring in the world.’ There is only one thing that she won’t do and that is beige: ‘I have never met a “neutral” person in my life so I refuse to run with the beige, beige and more beige design mentality. I want people to enjoy the luxury of colour because it gives so much enjoyment.’

The House of LoveBenalla-based interior designer Michaela Jane Walsh believes houses have personalities too. She talks to Emma Gardiner about the fine art of matching a living space to its people.

email. [email protected] tel. 0409 181 063

TURBO CHARGED TREVOR ‘ TURBO’ BROWN

WORDS VARIA KARIPOFF PAINTINGS TREVOR ‘TURBO’ BROWN

Bunjil, the personal totem of Latje Latje painter Trevor “Turbo” Brown, graces the cover of this issue of

Essentials. In indigenous culture, totems help connect a person to their origins and to the world and are usually handed down to an individual at a young age. Sometimes they signify what one could have been in the past life; more often a totem resonates symbolically in the life of its bearer. Bunjil – the supreme god and creator – is represented by an eagle. Here Turbo’s eagle ascends, soaring above adversity – a sky streaked with darkening clouds that propel the eagle’s flight. Perhaps this echoes Turbo’s meteoric rise in the art world. He’s no stranger to destitution, disadvantage and homelessness but his life in the past 10 years has seen a turnaround and then some. Having been represented by the Koori Heritage Trust and now by a commercial gallery, his works are collected by art institutions and private collectors alike. Given the naive quality of his paintings and his preference for

animal imagery he has been likened to 19th-century artist Henri Rousseau. The comparison, while understandable, is flawed. Rousseau was a French artist imagining and contriving jungles he’d never seen whereas Turbo’s animals possess a raw vitality, making them very much alive. They are more akin to portraits of friends and family, communicating personality and quirks that engage with the viewer on an equal footing. Unlike imagined creatures, indigenous fauna are a link to Turbo’s cultural heritage, a way to take part in his own dreaming. Born in the late ’60s in Mildura, Turbo spent some time in his teens living on the banks of the Murray, starved of human interaction. Forcefully removed from his family, the odds of him ‘making it’ were slim at best. Now he lives in Melbourne and his life story, from addiction and misery to success, is the bewildering stuff of feature-length documentaries. This spring, new works will be exhibited at Boscia Galleries in Melbourne; next year 10 of Turbo’s pieces will head overseas.

Passionate Melbourne collector Hans Sip has been documenting some two hundred indigenous paintings and artefacts from his personal collection to be sent to Italy, alongside a selection on loan from North East collector Adam Williams, for an exhaustive travelling exhibition starting next February. On seeing the catalogued image of Bunjil, Hans pauses, ‘Why did I ever hang it landscape? I guess I assumed it was flying through the air.’ The powerful bird with outstretched wings looks more iconic seen rising, unfettered. Turbo’s paintings will be displayed along with the works of about 90 contemporary Indigenous artists including John Cummins, Clifford Possum, Billy Doolan and Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi. Cataloguing, insuring and packing the large collection are arduous tasks, a labour of love for the small team. Their enormous effort has been rewarded with the financial support of the Italian government and participating galleries. From small beginnings it is essentially a

Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown, March of the Echidnas, 2009 Acrylic on linen, 199 x 122cm


show on the grand scale that will step onto the world stage with a catalogue to be sold at the Louvre, St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum and MoMA. Turbo has exhibited in London, where his paintings were well received, and had work auctioned in Paris. This time around his acrylic animal paintings will be shown in Sardinia, Milan and beyond. Gori-Illa, the title of the exhibition, is the GuGu-Yalanji name for the Rainbow Serpent which, creation stories say, came from the south near Melbourne and travelled north forming the landscape. Similarly, Turbo’s paintings, created in urban Melbourne, will soon travel north to find new audiences. Among the paintings heading overseas is Turbo’s Smiling Koalas, a trio who sit atop a branch grinning exuberantly. Mike Sill of Australia Dreaming Art, who has represented Turbo since 2006, chuckles warmly at them. Turbo’s animal depictions fall into three different categories, he explains: they’ll be close to a real depiction, come will be more prone to abstraction, others will be plain crazy. The

koalas, with gum-leaf drunk expressions, could be called Nutty Koalas. Mike was taken by the spontaneous, colourful and joyful nature of Turbo’s work. Though Turbo’s difficult youth meant that he missed out on being initiated into some cultural practices, he yearns to depict elements of his indigenous background. ‘For example, you’ll get a kookaburra with flashes of colour from the Koori flag,’ Mike explains. The cover image of Bunjil features the white streaks of tribal paint with which an elder might decorate his flesh. The streaks not only reference cultural practices, they are a quite sophisticated method of describing the feathers of the eagle seen at a distance. For all the frenetic pace at which he works amid flurries of unmixed paint, Turbo has a deft touch with a brush and prefers to paint on a large scale. The new works on show at Boscia Galleries largely feature bird life. Mike admits that Turbo’s work has polarised critics, the harshest of whom denigrate the naive quality as childish. But Turbo is content outside

the established art movements, painting instead what matters most to him. Given the recent whirlwind of activity and shows, what next for Turbo? He is quite adamant that he’ll soon be exhibiting in New York. An avid watcher of ego-driven wrestling programs, Turbo loves the idea of world domination. Mike teases about Turbo’s tongue-in-cheek megalomania, before acknowledging that as far as going to New York, ‘There’s no reason why his work can’t.’

Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown – Dreamtime AnimalsOctober 22 – November 20, 2010Boscia GalleriesLevel 4, 175 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, VictoriaTel 03 9639 0399www.bosciagalleries.com

Australia Dreaming ArtTel 0413 087263 www.australiadreamingart.com.au

Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown, Sea Eagle, 2008Acrylic on linen, 199 x 122cm


Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown, Playing Koalas, 2008Acrylic on linen, 107 x 91cm


Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown, Bunjil, 2007Acrylic on linen, 123 x 92cm


Brain surgeons, scientists and psychiatrists know what the brain is and which part does what, but they can’t pinpoint what we know as ‘the mind’ – the important bit. To be in love,

to have close friends, family, is to feel safe; is to understand each other’s minds, to be in some way compatible, making us more human, happier. Art is a concrete manifestation of what’s going on in the artist’s head, a view of their mind. No wonder art is so popular, and that the most popular activity around the world, including sport, is to visit art galleries. It’s amazing really: we can time travel, and be on the spot with a friend two hundred years ago. How much better we are, to know Van Gogh and to feel his love and devotion to art, nature and colour. So let me give you a trip inside my head, my mind; what I was thinking and how I arrived at the thirty paintings in the Boundary Rider Exhibition. For centuries, artists have tried to evoke feeling, mood, emotion and passion through the use of colour; but nothing, in my opinion, evokes a greater response than the sight of a wall of your team’s colours running through the banner on the MCG. I was walking to the game. As I got closer and closer, and the crowd got thicker and thicker, my adrenaline started pumping. Footy records being sold, vendors spruiking, teams’ colours, scarves, T-shirts, and the odd cry: ‘Carn the Pies’ – there was something joyous in belonging to a group not individually known to each other, but worshipping the same team, symbolised by its colours – such a buzz. We were all of the same mind, in a kind of group love-in. Strangers sitting together, high-fiving like long-lost friends: ‘Have a chip, mate.’ ‘Cheers, I’m going for a beer would you like one?’ And then there’s that unwritten code, a kind of honour among friends: once you place your coat or scarf on a seat, you can walk away for an hour knowing it’s still your seat when you get back. What can I say, it’s a beautiful thing.

I am writing this, on what would have been John Lennon’s seventieth birthday. Yes John, I agree – ‘All you need is love’, but I have to add: art and football.

As Collingwood ran onto the ground, it hit me: here’s the art answer I’d been looking for. The response to colour is cultural, and nothing could be more cultural than the inherited family right and desire to pay undying devotion and love to the heroes wearing your clan’s jumper. Boundary Rider is painted in an out-of-focus, semi abstract manner to eliminate the concentration on individual players and outside influences, so emphasising the teams’ colours and their environment, where the emotion is the greatest. They are a homage to football barrackers everywhere. Life just doesn’t get any better: Collingwood won the Grand Final, and our heroic boys played their hearts out for us. I’d been searching for a final painting, an image to complete my three year’s Boundary Rider Series, and now I’ve got it. There they are, grasping the Premiership Cup, victory arms in the air, and black and white stripes everywhere. In the middle of the group is the hard-to-make-out figure of coach Mick Malthouse; for some reason, reminding me of the men in black suits and top hats peering around the stage curtains watching Degas’ ballerinas perform. However, unlike them, Mick’s not menacing, but the cement sharing the glory with the rest of the team, covered in the burst of flickering white light from the explosion of celebratory ticker-tape confetti bombarding the entire world like snow in a plastic souvenir shaker dome. All you need is love, and love is in the air.

BOUNDARY RIDER A L L-YO U - N E E D - I S - LOV E

WORDS AND PAINTINGS IVAN DURRANT

Ivan Durrant, 33, 2010Acrylic on board, 99 x 145cm


Ararat Regional Art GalleryNovember 4 – December 12, 2010Town Hall, Vincent Street, Ararat, VictoriaTel 03 5352 2836

Ivan Durrant, Port Power, 2010Acrylic on board, 99 x 145cm (Section)


Ivan Durrant, On the Bench, 2006Acrylic on board, 99 x 145cmNational Gallery of Australia, Canberra


Ivan Durrant, Ball Carrier, 2010Acrylic on board, 99 x 145cm



56 Ovens Street Wangaratta VIC 3677T: 03 5722 0865 F: 03 5722 2969 E: [email protected]: Mon-Tues 12-5, Wed-Fri 10-5, Sat-Sun 1-4 A Cultural Service of the Rural City of Wangaratta

images above (l-r): Jurate PETRUSKEVICIENE, Autumn Visions I & II (detail), 2009, Mokume shibori, natural dyeing on silk; Anita LAURENCE, North East View, 2010, acrylic on cotton paper; Rob MCHAFFIE, Shilo sleeve (detail), oil paint, 2009 © Courtesy the artist

what’s on @ Wangaratta Art Gallery spring-summer 2010-2011

29 January - 13 February

recent paintings by 14 artists working in north-east Victoria

a Wangaratta Art Gallery project curated by Gallery Director Dianne Mangan

19 February - 20 March

Neil Diamond’s iconic Shilo album cover adapted by 100 contemporary artists

The Shilo Project: A NETS Victoria Touring Exhibition developed by the Ian Potter Museum of Art,

the University of Melbourne

National Exhibitions Touring Support (NETS) Victoria is supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund, by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and through the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments. NETS Victoria also receives signifi cant in-kind support from the National Gallery of Victoria.

11 December - 23 January

21 pieces of textile art by Australian and international artists, curated by

Marie-Therese Wisniowski

Toured by Fairfi eld City Museum and Gallery

ArtCloth:Engaging New Visions

Paint Works The Shilo Project


Essentials PackageOne nights luxury accommodation in a king suite, inclusive of a two course dinner at Atrium, fully cooked breakfast, a bottle of King Valley prosecco and late check-out at 11.00 am

Package rate $290 for twoSubject to availability, valid until December 30, 2010

the Perfect PlAce tO StAy, inDulge AnD DiScOVer VictOriA’S Stunning nOrth eASt

Quality hotel Wangaratta gateway 29–37 ryley Street Wangaratta P. 03 5721 8399 E. [email protected]

www.wangarattagateway.com.au

www.tremonti.com.aumagazine spring-summer 2010 page 51magazine spring-summer 2010 page 50

Jacqui Durrant talks with jeweller Karin Tremonti on the re-launch of her Albury store, personalised jewellery design, and what she would wear to the supermarket.

The flagship store of Tremonti Fine Gems and Jewellery is located unobtrusively

on a leafy Albury Street. It’s not especially noticeable, except for the heightened level of security: barred windows, video cameras and a steel-grilled barrier door. These make the premises of Swiss-born Karin Tremonti seem a little more like a Swiss bank vault than a jewellery shop, but as I will discover, these precautions are fully warranted. Today Karin’s wearing a diamante-studded T-shirt with the words femme fatale splayed across a skull and cross-bones. This is thought provoking: a femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman who ensnares her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into deadly situations. If Karin is a femme fatale, she’s one who’s in exuberant mood: just back from shows in Hong Kong and Shanghai, she’s buoyed by the positive responses to a display of exclusive Tremonti designer jewellery and gem stones received at one of the worlds’ most highly regarded jewellery exhibitions. She’s also had a meeting to discuss jewellery needs with Cate Blanchett, and has picked up another Aussie Hollywood A-lister fan, Olivia Newton John. Like most of Karin’s clients, whether in Australia or overseas, they are searching for jewellery that ‘doesn’t look like everything else.’ They expect jewellery

that is memorable, that makes a personal statement: a piece of ‘Jewellery Art.’ Focusing on a more individualised service is one of the reasons Karin recently closed her retail shop in Beechworth, preferring to pour her considerable energy into re-launching the Albury store. Albury is unlike a regular jewellery shop in that the amount of finished jewellery is limited. The real experience is about indulging in creative possibilities, and in the excitement of seeing raw materials. ‘If a client’s never been here before, most don’t know what to expect. But if they know me, it means they want to get trustworthy advice, and they want to be involved in creating something.’ As Karin speaks, it’s impossible not to notice that she’s wearing two of her signature rings: one eccentrically modelled on a round of Swiss cheese (a playful nod to her homeland) with a diamond sitting in one of its holes; the other, a huge brilliant-cut diamond which forms the bulls-eye in two circles of rubies and black diamonds. Each ring shows a different side to Karin’s jewellery design: on one hand, artistic designs that interpret organic and futuristic forms; on the other, designs that are classical, yet with enough oomph to grab anyone’s attention. Quite clearly, Karin’s also no stranger to bold colours, reflecting her boundless passion for gemstones of every imaginable hue.

For Karin and her husband and ‘partner in crime,’ Mark, sourcing gemstones – especially the rare and unusual – is an on-going adventure. Karin has been dealing in gems since she finished her apprenticeship at the age of 22, when she travelled to Brazil and bought her first aquamarines and golden topaz. She and Mark have undertaken some risky ventures. In 1994 they purchased 140 tonnes of the apple green ‘Australian jade’, crystophrase: ‘I’m afraid we flooded the world market.’ These days it’s Mark who does most of the buying. ‘Every year he tells me, “Next year, I promise I’ll buy less gems”,’ says Karin shaking her head. ‘He’s a gem junkie.’ The sheer amount of gems held on site is something else that sets Tremonti Fine Gems and Jewellery apart from regular stores. A showcase holds gems gathered literally from every corner of the globe: intensely green tsavorites, royal-blue colour-change tanzanites, blood-red translucent rhodolites, tourmalines ranging from mint green to pink, and 20ct clean peridots from Burma: ‘The colour of spring; a fresh green,’ says Karin. ‘A lot of people come in here and they’re amazed; they didn’t even know stones like this existed.’ For good measure, Mark brings out a folder containing more loose gems.

jewel artsKarin Tremonti Fine Gems and Jewellery

www.tremonti.com.aumagazine spring-summer 2010 page 51magazine spring-summer 2010 page 50

[continued over]

Who ever knew that natural sapphires could come in all the colors of the rainbow or that some rare sapphires change colour depending on the angle of light? Even the natural diamonds at Tremonti come in different colours, including cognac, orange, canary yellow and the phenomenally rare, fit-for-princess Argyle pinks. The opportunity to find a gemstone that strikes a personal chord is one of the things that Karin’s clients enjoy most, and it’s a surprisingly emotional process. ‘People form attachments to particular stones,’ explains Karin. ‘It’s like this stone is talking to you and part of your soul gets attached to it. At the end of the day, this is the kind of thing that gives your jewellery the soul.’ ‘Do you want me to show you some black diamonds I just bought?’ she smiles. Karin wanders off, returning with not one, but several bags. There are tiny yellow diamonds, and also a few rings purchased for fun at the Hong Kong show (one outrageous example featuring a diamante-encrusted finch that perches on your finger). ‘And these,’ she says of some unusual jade beads which she aligns on the table-top in an imaginary strand, ‘I can’t stop buying them.’ Next, she pulls out elliptical-shaped, marmalade-coloured citrines with intricately arranged facets. ‘Wouldn’t they look amazing as earrings.’ Half an hour later I remind her about the black diamonds. ‘It’s terrible,’ she says by way of apology, ‘I get totally carried away. It’s very easy to distract me from work. I can look at these pretty things all day long.’ Karin’s propensity to ‘look at pretty things’ isn’t as frivolous as it sounds. This devotion has made both her and Mark exceptional judges of gem quality, which varies widely according to rarity, clarity, size and colour (Karin tells me that the most desirable colour for a ruby is ‘Pigeon blood. From a healthy pigeon that’s eaten

good food of course!’) She stresses the importance of knowing quality. ‘For example, some people who go for diamonds will go for size to impress their friends, and not know anything else about it.’ I ask Karin about the flood of loose gemstones available over the internet at low prices. ‘Well, it can be a bit of a scam. You see something that looks like a nice big stone, and then you get it, it’s this big.’ (She pretends to hold something between her fingers not much bigger than a pinhead.) You also never know what’s treated – artificially enhanced by dying, led glass filling, irradiation or other methods. And these treatments are changing all the time. We’re on top of what scams are going on that are new to the market, because we work closely with people from the world-leading gem laboratories of the Gemological Institute of America, and the Gem Research Swiss laboratory. We know so many people in the trade; people from all over the world we’ve been dealing with for decades. We have a business built on trust. It has to be, because there’s so much dishonesty sneaking into the trade.’ Twice a year Karin and Mark travel together overseas to attend and display at international jewellery shows. It helps Karin to keep her finger on the pulse of international design and fashion. She’s internationally renowned in her own right for her interchangeable jewellery, in which the faces of rings can be swapped over, and alternatively used as pendants. One of these rings, set with a massive tanzanite, won the American Gem Trade Association’s international award in 2000. So far, no one else has satisfactorily replicated the precision system that enables the different pieces to click securely together. Currently there’s an international song and dance about her suite of matching jewels titled Memoirs of the Ocean. This includes a necklace of 282 carats

www.tremonti.com.au


of opalized sea-shells (collected by Mark over many years), surrounded by pink and white diamonds that recall both the light reflected on beach-sand at dawn, and the white foam of breaking waves. ‘Memoir of the Ocean’ is currently on a world tour that started at Place Vendôme in Paris, in a series of ‘private viewings’ by selected parties. A ‘private viewing’ might sound a bit exclusive, but anyone who is an existing client of Tremonti Fine Jewellery and Gems can speak with Karin Tremonti personally to find out what’s involved in setting up a jewellery viewing in their home. ‘You can get a group of your friends together and make your home a venue,’ Karin suggests, ‘although there are some security issues to be considered first. We have had very successful private shows recently in Melbourne and elsewhere, and look forward to many more.’ At the end of the conversation, Karin offers me an insight into her philosophies. ‘When a client finds a piece of jewellery that speaks to them, or when they help design something, they will always remember the process of how they got there. This is what makes it special.’ Since she often uses ostentatiously large stones, I ask her, ‘Is bigger better?’ ‘Yes!’ she replies emphatically, before laughing mischievously. ‘Big is visible,’ she explains. ‘If it’s not visible, why bother? I also think women should not be shy to wear jewellery. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Wear it shopping. If you have it, show it!’ Another of Karin’s clients is due to arrive soon, but before I leave, we enthuse over a photograph of a tiara of platinum and pink diamonds that was displayed at the invite-only ‘Argyle Pink Diamond Tender’ at Hong Kong’s Peninsula Hotel. ‘But seriously, where would you wear it?’ I ask. ‘I’d wear it to the supermarket,’ replies Karin. And by the gleam in her eye, I know that she would.

Please call for your appointment638 Kiewa Street, Albury, New South WalesTel 02 6041 [email protected]


Poached Veal Fillet, Langoustine, Leeks, Caviar Veloute


I passed through Sydney in the early 1980s and on that first visit to Australia

my very first meal was at Berowra Waters Inn. We had arrived that afternoon on a flight from Auckland and, after checking into our hotel, had taken the hire car and a map and headed off to the ‘bush’ to visit this restaurant I had read about in the food journals and magazines of the day. We had a booking for 7.30 for dinner but the journey was faster than I had anticipated. We were heading down through the Berowra regional park just before 7pm. It was a balmy summer’s night in January and the cicadas were in full chorus. I parked under a gumtree on a dirt road, following the directions I had been given. Anticipating a fine dining experience, we had dressed for the occasion and the rather warm evening was already making me uncomfortable about my choice of attire. After several minutes of searching, I discovered a sign overgrown with native bush. It pointed down some concrete steps to a pontoon, which contained a couple of fishermen and little else.

In one of life’s ‘six degrees of separation’ moments, I realised I knew one of the fishermen, a young Maori lad called Reece who had been one of my apprentices a couple of years earlier in New Zealand. Reece confirmed we were in the right spot and that the Inn was just around the river bend. This was confirmed several minutes later when another car arrived with similarly overdressed people, who proceeded to wait and perspire on the pontoon with us. By the time we had reached our reservation time, there were a couple of dozen guests on the pontoon and stretching up the steps to the track. At a quarter to eight the number had swelled to almost 40 well-heeled patrons. Shortly a small ferry rounded the river bend and plodded across to the landing without a care in the world. Only capable of taking 12 or so guests at a time, the ensuing rush was a polite version of a breakdown in rugby. Being first on the pontoon, we were able to secure a place on the first ferry. We headed downstream and to my first meal at the Inn. I immediately fell in love with the location and with the sandstone and glass-louvred building on the banks of the river.

Its simplicity and location reminded me of the alpine chalets and mountain pastures of my childhood, not because of its look but its aesthetics, its serenity, its simplicity and the rugged remoteness of the place. While dining I fantasisied, as young chefs tend to, of what I would do with the restaurant if it were mine. It only took until 2007, 25 years later, for that dream to became a reality—although it nearly had in 1995. My Sydney restaurant Forty One had only been open a couple of years and was breaking records weekly when Gay Bilson decided to sell the Inn. I was very excited at the idea of buying it, but in the end the demands of Forty One, plus the potential stress of taking on Australia’s most established and awarded restaurant of the time, straight after Gay and chef Janni Kyritsis had departed, seemed a foolish idea. So, in 2006, when my general manager at Forty One casually remarked that he’d read a piece in the Sydney Morning Herald about the Inn being available again, my interest was immediately piqued. The wheels starting turning. And this time the dream became a reality.

T A B L E B Y T H E R I V E RBEROWR A WATERS INN

THE HISTORY OF THE INN — MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS

WORDS AND RECIPES DIETMAR SAWYERE PHOTOGRAPHY GRAHAM GILLIES

Internationally acclaimed chef Dietmar Sawyere recently launched his new book, Table by the River, highlighting the history and tastes behind the Australian icon that is: Berowra Waters Inn. Dietmar shares his thoughts and recipes with Essentials.

Table by the River by Dietmar Sawyere, $49.95, New Holland Publishers


Seared Kangaroo Carpacciowarm kipfler potato, fresh winter truffle

Carpaccio2 kangaroo loin filletssea salt freshly ground black pepper 40ml (1½fl oz) aged balsamic vinegar40ml (1½fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

Kipfler Potatoes150g (5oz) kipfler potatoes, washed, skins on25g (¾oz) shallot confit (see recipe following)100ml (3½fl oz) truffle vinaigrette (see recipe following)

To Serve10g (⅓oz) fresh black winter truffle10g (⅓oz) chives, finely sliced20g (⅔oz) chervil sprigs

Potatoes and truffles are a great combination and here I have paired them with a seared carpaccio of kangaroo. Kangaroo is a lovely, gamey meat that in my opinion is best served raw or very rare because it has little fat and can easily become dry when cooked. A gamay or pinot noir would best suit this dish.

For the carpaccio

Season the kangaroo fillets well. Heat a grill plate or cast iron pan and quickly sear the meat, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove from the pan and place on a sheet of clingfilm. Roll it up tightly, forming a cylinder, and leave to cool.

For the kipfler potatoes

Boil the kipfler potatoes in salted water until they are easily pierced with a knife, about 15–20 minutes. Drain and while still warm peel the skins off and discard. Slice the potatoes and toss with the shallot confit and truffle vinaigrette. Season with sea salt. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

To serve

Slice the kangaroo finely and place in a bowl. Season with sea salt and dress with the aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Leave for a couple of minutes and then drain. Cover the base of four plates with a mosaic of kangaroo slices. Neatly dress a pile of the truffled potato salad in the middle of each plate of kangaroo. Place generous slices of the fresh truffle on each and sprinkle with chopped chives and chervil sprigs.

Truffle Vinaigrette50ml (1¾fl oz) red wine vinegar50ml (1¾fl oz) sherry vinegar100ml (3½fl oz) truffle jelly stock (without gelatine) or veal jus 600ml (20fl oz) grapeseed oiltruffle salsa to tastejuice of ½ lemon

Method

Place the two vinegars and veal jus in a food processor and blend well. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil. When all is incorporated, add truffle salsa and lemon juice and blitz for a few seconds. Adjust seasoning.

Shallot Confit250g (9oz) shallots, finely chopped1tsp sea saltenough olive oil to cover1 sprig lemon thyme

Method

Place the shallots in a stainless steel pan and season with sea salt. Cover with oil and add the lemon thyme. Heat gently and cook slowly, uncovered, until shallots are tender. They can be stored for up to a week in the fridge in their oil.

Champagne Velouté250ml (9fl oz) champagne or sparkling wine400ml (14fl oz) chicken stock100g (3½ oz) chopped shallots100g (3½ oz) chopped leeks500ml (17½ fl oz) creamsea salt freshly ground white pepper Place the champagne in a non-reactive saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by two-thirds. Add the chicken stock and chopped shallots and leeks and reduce by three-quarters. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, add the cream and reduce by about half. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve again and season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Notes: Always use dry champagne or sparkling wine. Variations are done the same way as a beurre blanc – either by adding ingredients to the finished sauce or by varying the reduction.


THE HISTORY OF THE INN — THE LATER YEARS

Gay and Tony Bilson purchased Berowra Waters in 1976. Tony had

spent time on the Hawkesbury River as a child and loved the area. The couple commissioned the architect Glenn Murcutt to redesign the building. Respecting the Aboriginal philosophy of ‘treading lightly on this earth’, Glenn developed a glass ‘verandah by the water’ that remains the heart of the building today. At Berowra Gay and Tony created Australia’s first internationally recognised restaurant. In the early 1980s Tony left and was replaced in the kitchen by Janni Kyritsis, who with Gay continued to refine the restaurant through the rest of the decade.

By the mid-1990s the restaurant scene had changed dramatically and restaurants such as Forty One, Rockpool and Pier were well established in the city. The fact that Berowra Waters Inn had been successfully drawing diners in search of fine dining to the lower Hawkesbury River for 20 years was a great testament to those who had been part of the Bilson years at Berowra. In 1995 Gay left Berowra to operate Bennelong restaurant at the Sydney Opera House with Janni as chef, and she leased the restaurant to Martin Teplitzky. The Berowra Waters property was sold after a couple of years and then in 2001 was bought by Jeremy Laws, initially as a holiday home. But, after researching the

history of the Inn and realising its unique place in the history of Australian cuisine, he decided to reopen it as a restaurant and operated with some success until 2007. In a last-ditch effort to breath life into the building and the restaurant he loved so much, Jeremy talked to the Sydney Morning Herald, which ran an article about him looking for someone to take over the operation of the restaurant. Coincidentally, I was at a turning point: Forty One Restaurant was 16 years old and there were only two years left on the lease. While I had enjoyed my time in the city, I was looking forward to a change. Berowra was the perfect next step – it would give me a dream location for my next restaurant. How could I resist?


Seared Yamba Prawn Tail Garlic Butter, Parsley, Lemon, Croutons

Serves 4

Parsley Coulis 6 shallots, sliced30g (1oz) butter20ml (⅔fl oz) Pernod100ml (3½fl oz) champagne velouté(see recipe previous page)50g (1¾oz) cooked spinach, drained and chopped 100g (3½oz) curly parsley, chopped

Garlic Beurre Noisette100g (3½oz) butter3 cloves garlic, crushed20ml (2/3fl oz) lemon juice1 lemon, peeled, segmented and diced1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced

Seared Prawns12 medium to large raw prawnsGarlic oilSqueeze of lemon juiceSea salt

To Serve

2Tbsp mini croutons, fried in butter (see recipe opposite page)Micro parsley

The Hawkesbury used to be famous for its prawns but it is mostly little ‘schoolies’ that are now caught in the river. We get our large prawns from the north coast around Yamba and they are sweet and delicate. This dish is a variation on the garlic prawn. A nice new world chardonnay would match this best, or a semillon.

For the Parsley Coulis

Sweat the shallots in the butter without colouring them. Add the Pernod and reduce by half and then add the champagne veloute. Bring to the boil and add the spinach and parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes and then blend to a smooth puree.

For the Garlic Beurre Noisette

Heat the butter in a non-reactive pan with the crushed garlic cloves until the butter solids start colouring. When the butter is foaming and a nut brown colour, add the lemon juice, remove from the heat and strain through a coffee or oil filter. Add the diced lemon and tomato and keep warm.

For the Seared Prawns

Peel the prawns, leaving the tails attached. Slice down the back of each prawn and remove the intestinal tract. Continue slicing through the prawn without cutting through completely, then you can butterfly the tail out. Lay the prawns on a tray and brush with the garlic oil and then blast them with a blowtorch until they start to curl up. Season with lemon juice and sea salt.

To Serve

Spoon some of the parsley puree onto each plate and top with the seared prawn tails, add the lemon and tomato to the garlic beurre noisette and spoon over the prawns and sprinkle with the fried mini croutons and micro parsley.


Mini Croutons1/4 of loaf of unsliced white sandwich bread150g (5oz) clarified butterSea salt to taste

With a bread knife, slice bread into even slices about 4mm thick. Remove crusts, then dice the bread into 4mm cubes. Heat the clarified butter and add the bread cubes. Stirring, fry until golden brown. drain and season with sea salt.

Poached Veal Filletlangoustine, leeks, caviar veloute

Serves 4

The veal 320g (11oz) white milk-fed veal fillet or loin20ml (⅔fl oz) garlic oil1 sprig lemon thyme

The langoustine4 large langoustines or scampi1 large leek20g (⅔oz) butterpinch of smoked sea saltjuice of 1 lemon

To complete12 pencil leeks20g (⅔oz) oscietra caviar (also known as osetra or ossetra caviar)80ml (2½ fl oz) champagne velouté(see recipe previous page)12 sprigs chervil

It is very hard to find good quality white, milk-fed veal in Australia but once in a while a producer gets it right. The delicate nature of milk-fed veal lends itself to

matching the langoustines, and the caviar is the ideal ‘seasoning’. A chardonnay or a shot of vodka goes nicely with this.

For the veal

Place the veal fillet in a vacuum pouch with the garlic oil and lemon thyme and seal on high. Poach in a water bath at 62°C for 50 minutes. Remove the meat from the vacuum bag and discard the herbs. Rest the veal in a warm place for 20 minutes.

For the langoustine

Peel the langoustines, leaving on the tail fans and reserving the shells for a soup or crustacean veloute (see recipe, page 261). Cut the leek crossways for a 10cm (4in) section of the whole leek, then slice that carefully down its length but only halfway through – take off the 4 outer layers, making 4 large rectangles of leek. Blanch these rectangles in boiling salted water and refresh in ice water. Drain and dry on a towel.

Turn the langoustine over so the underside is up. Using a sharp knife, make a small

nick in a couple of places along its back to stop it from curling up when cooking.

Lay out the 4 rectangles of leek and carefully roll up a langoustine in each. Brush the top with softened butter and chill before cooking.

To cook, heat a non-stick pan. When hot, place the langoustine, butter side down, in the pan and cook for a minute until browned, and then turn over and finish cooking for a further minute. Squeeze with lemon juice and season with smoked sea salt.

To complete

Cook the baby pencil leeks in plenty of salted boiling water. Drain, season and toss in a little knob of butter. For the sauce, heat the champagne veloute and add the caviar.

Slice the veal and arrange the medallions on serving plates next to the sautéed langoustine. Arrange the baby leeks by the veal and spoon the sauce generously around. Garnish with the sprigs of chervil.


A Berber tribe goat hair tent, shown with Café Fez banquet, at Myrtleford’s Red Ramia Trading magazine spring-summer 2010 page 61

If you’re an avid Essentials reader, you should by now be more than aware of Myrtleford’s wildly fantastical homewares and architectural antiques store, Red Ramia Trading. This exotic retail empire continues to import the most desirable products from around the planet while expanding in a myriad of creative and colourful directions. Jamie Durrant and Emma Gardiner set out to explore the secrets beyond the little ‘Great Wall of China’ on Victoria’s Great Alpine Road.

PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT

DelightsArabian



Red and Leigh Ramia with grandaughter Sahra

Regan Ramia with wife Belinda and daughter

Madilyn Saige

and consequently has appointed herself official product ‘hunter-trader’ for China. Having just had her first child (daughter Sahra), Minette says that while it will be a few months before she heads overseas again, she is dying to get back to China. ‘I have been on a lot of buying trips with dad and even got to do my own trip last year. It was a bit scary going on my own but I have been enough times to know what to look for in terms of pricing. China is where we stock up on lots of and new furniture, pottery and stunning antiques.’ In keeping with the import theme, Minette brought her partner, Mike, home from China. The pair met while they were managing Dini’s, a kosher restaurant that catered to the Jewish community in Beijing. Mike, who is originally from Manchester, England, has taken the position of head chef at Café Fez while Minette manages front-of-house. ‘We now have a pom cooking Lebanese!’ laughs Minette. Amanda, the middle Ramia, is the cocktail and catering queen of the family. Having spent more than 10 years working in restaurants such as The Press Club, and Watt Modern Dining in Brisbane, Amanda’s specialty is very much the cutting edge of hospitality trends and operations. Amanda has an admirable passion for continually perfecting and reinventing the Café Fez experience, one that keeps customers coming back for more. As the newly-appointed Moroccan specialist, Amanda is looking forward to brushing up on her Arabic during her next buying trip. ‘I am going to head over at the start of next year. I will travel to Morocco for two or three weeks to buy and pack shipping containers. After that, I’ll spend the following three weeks travelling to Spain and South Africa.’

Regan, the eldest son, is the handyman of the family, and built the current Red Ramia Trading premises. He also looks after sales, builds shopfittings and is the buyer for India. Reg will spend the next few years travelling to Delhi and Jodhpur sourcing stock, as well as widening their never-ending quest for South American suppliers. The highlight of 2010 however, has been the birth of his and wife Belinda’s first child, daughter Madilyn Saige. ‘I have turned to mush!’ he laughs. Red acknowledges that the family has grown… ‘And so has the infrastructure. The business has been evolving for many years so this is just the next step in the journey.’ Red Ramia Trading will soon introduce new stock items of increased value and quality, building on its already successful range of architectural antiques and unique ‘big ticket’ building materials. But its range is already outrageously impressive and downright jaw-dropping, including massive Chinese hutong gates, decorative doors and window panels, hand-carved and painted pillars, intricately forged Moroccan wrought iron, stunning gazebos and other hard-to-source international building materials. There’s simply no stopping the energetic hearts and minds of the Ramias and their desire to grow bigger, better, and even more beautiful. Red Ramia Trading is an iconic Australian success story which has yet again set off on a new and exciting passage.

145 and 157 Great Alpine Road, Myrtleford, Victoria Tel 03 5752 1944www.redramia.com.au Open 7 days


Water lilies share sunlight with antique Asian glass buoys, floating and

sparkling in turquoise and greens. Rows and rows of Moroccan mosaic zellig tables, teasing and appealing to the eye. Intricately carved Marrakech timber doors, hand-forged wrought iron screens and hand painted tiles – they’re all here and call out to you with a world traveller’s shared inspiration. A magical mystery tour of delights from countries like China, India, Morocco and Japan, the challenge with shopping within this multi-continental trading fantasyland is to snap up a bargain, or do a deal, before day becomes night. With an astonishing amount of widely varying and utterly addictive stock to browse through, it’s easy to while away hours travelling through this enormous globe-trotter’s emporium. Walking from room to room, in and around the fabrics, textures, timbers and colours, there is always something emotive and historically rich to discover. To browse this store is rather simply, a crazy and beautiful cultural and educational experience second to no other. Jewel-like lanterns are framed in silver and gold. Intricately patterned silks lie beside large wooden chests crafted in extravagant elm and oak, their colour toning as warm as toast and their metal latches and detail dating back to the Qing dynasty. One room features thousands of pottery pieces, in limes, yellows, blues and reds; plates, bowls, jugs and shapes, they are all crafted with care and bend and move in a comforting flow. Without a doubt their painted lines and dot and diamond designs were loved by their Moroccan artisan creators. Each piece, a magnificent collector’s item, is just waiting to come home with you. Proprietors Red and Leigh Ramia now share this spectacular business with their official partners, the three children, Regan, 31, Amanda, 29, and Minette, 27. Given their wealth of travel and practical working experience, it’s fitting that each member of the family now specialises in an appointed country or sphere of the business that matches their personal backgrounds and inspires a positive and rewarding future. Minette, the youngest Ramia, speaks fluent Mandarin after spending two-and-a-half years living in Beijing,


TURNING JAPANESEBrightly coloured antique imports

ITALIAN INSPIRED MAZEQuality, tough indoor-outdoor furniture

INDUSTRIAL EDGE Solid and functional with great looks

inside cafe fezWORDS EMMA GARDINER PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT

RECIPES MICHAEL PUGH

Hidden away behind a formidable and ancient Chinese gate, you will find Café Fez, a treasure trove of twinkling Moroccan lanterns, silver

teapots and colourful woven cushions. Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, and Friday nights for dinner, Café Fez has become a destination in itself for travellers heading up to the High Country. Featuring a traditional menu of Lebanese favourites, artisan cheeses, a 100 mile wine list, frou-frou fruit sodas and a quixotic array of cocktails, this chilled out little gem is the perfect place to relax with a group or snuggle up to a beau (or belle) in one of the low-slung cushioned booths. Amanda Ramia, the café manager, says that most of the dishes on the menu are made from recipes handed down by her grandmother. “Mum spent time in the kitchen learning the recipes from Nanna. The lamb kibbeh, hommus and tabouleh are exact replicas but the kibbeh samak (Middle Eastern fish and chips) is a loose interpretation.” While none of the kitchen crew are fully qualified chefs, Amanda says that they all have enormous amounts of experience in making ‘clean, fresh, good, home-cooked food’. On top of the usual daily business, the café has become a popular spot for weddings, Christmas parties, work functions, and recently hosted a Girls’ Night Out for 100 women, complete with belly dancers.


The Fez Experience

Lebanese is my favourite cuisine so it is very tricky to make a decision at Café Fez. Should I go for my faithful

old friend, haloumi, or should I venture into Lebanese nouveau with the fish kibbeh? And then there is the drinks menu. A heavy-hitting wine list replete with local favourites and small-batch boutique drops is complemented by a cocktail list that would not be out of place in New York City. Because it’s morning and because I drank too much last night, I opt for a Blood Orange & Cardamom Frou-Frou fruit soda and Red Ramia, the big daddy of the Ramia family, comes to my rescue by ordering one of just about everything for us to share. I salivate a little while we wait, the spicy smells from the kitchen piquing my curiousity about what lies ahead. In the meantime, I spy on the other tables: happy couples tucking into mountains of fresh food. Everyone seems to be completely absorbed in the moment, looks of relaxed pleasure on their faces. When the food comes out, it just keeps on coming. Grandma’s cabbage and mint salad joins a dish of carrot, beetroot and celery slivers, felafels, flat bread, dips, lamb kibbeh, piles of tabouleh, haloumi with salsa and beef kofta. Everything is impossibly fresh and healthy tasting; exactly what I need. My Frou-Frou soda, served with a sprig of fresh mint, is tingly and spectacularly real tasting, the fruit flavours like something from the past (remember when things tasted like what they were supposed to taste like?). Satiated, I head to the counter, only to be handed a white box full of Lebanese sweets. More food - Lord have mercy! Can they sense that I have the willpower of a gnat? I last about 20 minutes before I start tucking into our stash of pistachio, walnut and peanut-filled Lebanese baklava and pastries. Within another 30 kms, the only evidence of lunch are the flakes of golden pastry clinging to my jumper and the sense of lasting satisfaction.

WORDS EMMA GARDINER

Fez Pie, recipe page 68


FEZ PIEServes 4

1 teaspoon cumin seeds½ teaspoon coriander seeds½ cinnamon stick, broken up2 whole cardamom pods1 teaspoon fennel seeds2 clovesBlack pepper2 garlic cloves peeled2 cm knob fresh ginger peeled½ teaspoon dried chilliHandful coriander leavesJuice of one lemon1 medium brown onion, roughly chopped500g beef, cut into large chunks 500g tin tomatoes1 teaspoon sea salt2 tablespoons good olive oil2 sheets of short crust pastry

Method

Dry roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cardamom pods, fennel seeds, cloves and cracked black pepper for roughly five minutes, until the flavours are released.Smash the spices in a mortar and pestle until fine.

Place garlic, ginger, chillies, coriander leaves, lemon juice and onions in a food processor and pulse until blended. Heat the olive oil in a heavy base pan. Fry the onion mixture for five minutes until translucent. Add the spices and fry for a few more minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes and sea salt.

In a separate pan fry the meat in a little more olive oil, sealing the meat. Then add the meat to the tomato mix, cover with a lid and cook very gently for two hours, stirring occasionally.

Place the meat mixture in four single serve pie ramekins (or one large pie dish). Cover with the pastry, press down the edges firmly and trim excess pastry. Glaze the top with egg wash. Cook in a moderate oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

CABBAGE SALADServes 4

½ head of cabbage shredded½ cup of slivered red onions1 tablespoon dried mint3 tablespoons olive oil3 tablespoons white vinegar1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Toss cabbage, onion and mint together and chill. Combine oil, vinegar and salt in a jar and shake well. Dress tossed vegetables with dressing.

Lauren, Amanda and Minette Ramia

KIBBEH SAMAKServes 4

Fish Kibbeh

1 cup fine white burghul 500g flathead fish1 small onionSmall handful of corianderSmall handful of parsleyGrated rind of 1 lemon1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon black pepper

Filling

1 small white onion cut into ringsSmall handful of pine nuts1 tablespoon ghee

Method

Place the burghul in a sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Squeeze out the moisture and set aside.

Remove the skin from the fish and remove any bones. Chop the fish roughly.

Place fish and the onions in a food processor and pulse until just combined.

Combine fish and onion mix with the burghul, coriander, parsley, lemon rind, salt and pepper. Place mix back in the food processor and pulse again until well blended.

Heat the ghee in a frying pan and brown the pine nuts. Remove the nuts and set aside. Next add the onion rings to pan. Fry until transparent. Return the pine nuts to the pan and remove from the heat.

Roll the fish mixture into large balls; they should resemble the shape of a pear. Make a hole in the centre, fill it with the pine nut and onion mixture, then seal again by rolling back into a pear shape.

You can either bake the balls in a moderate oven for 45 minutes or deep fry in hot oil.



Wayne Quilliam, Jagara, 2008Photograph, 59 x 118cm

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Wayne Quilliam, Latji Latji, 2008Photograph, 59 x 118cm

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STAR LANEV I N E Y A R D

B E E C H W O R T H


In terms of Australian winemaking at its very best, few regions are celebrated as passionately within the national restaurant trade as the Victorian sub-alpine region of Beechworth. A high-altitude landscape of granitic, shale and mudstone soil profiles, grape vines naturally work much harder there to find nutrients to sustain fruit growth and are slow to ripen in the cooler climate. It hosts an exclusive, and at times very private winemaking community made up of some of the nation’s most eccentric and obsessive creative wine minds. Now talented newcomers Liz and Brett Barnes of Star Lane Wines are leading a charge to allow outsiders in. Presenting an outstanding collection of premium release new wines, their luxurious cellar door is a prize high on style and begging to be explored. Essentials’ Jamie Durrant takes a look inside.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT

Simply travelling to and arriving at Star Lane Winery and Vineyard should be celebrated. It’s an outstanding

location, just a few minutes’ drive east of Beechworth resting on a 400-metre plateau with gigantic striking white cumulonimbus floating dreamily close. A crunchy white stone driveway leads to wide parking bays evenly marked out with beautifully pointy and sharp, salmon-speckled granite boulders salvaged from the property’s dam constructions. Segmented with low redgum post and beam fencing, lavish gardens complete with water fountain and alfresco dining areas frame the winery, which is positioned on high, observing the vineyard in a commanding manner. The property is softly undulating with healthy green pastures, occasional rocky outcrops and rows of neatly aligned vines. The leaves of Star Lane’s shiraz, merlot, nebbiolo and sangiovese plots are brilliantly back-lit in lime as the sun moves across the lower afternoon’s sky. Beyond the vineyard the sun spotlights pink granite boulders

peeking out from nearby forested hills. Pencil thin, tall rows of poplar trees dress the property and form architectural lines that lead the eye towards the cellar door. This very Aussie-themed structure, inspired by shearing sheds, is impressive in scale and height with its tasting rooms on both upper and lower levels, massive, hand-milled, rustic timber barn doors and gleaming, near-silver corrugations flowing high. The presentation, intention and materials used feel sympathetic and somewhat pure within its environment. The building is epic in design; yet never imposing. The upper-level private tasting room and balcony showcase Australian timbers milled and finished with care. Red stringybark beams flow elegantly overhead. Underfoot, a Tasmanian mixed species floor is striped in native apple box, red box and redgum timbers finished to a super-high gloss. Large panels of glass frame the vineyard views and balcony at one end of the room and

allow visitors to peer down upon the gleaming polished concrete winery floor interior at the other. Without a doubt, the room’s central feature is the large redgum slab dining/tasting table built to seat 16 comfortably. Its organically flowing curved chrome-pipe leg/base construction is a modern art masterpiece. Freakishly foreign and rather imposing therefore, it appears part organic – almost intestinal – and part machine-robotic. Its design welds abstractionist thinking, with individual lines that float free within their own space. Look closer and the pipe segments are suggestive of a creature from the deep or a horrific monster in a sci-fi movie. Metal tendrils look like connective sections of a larger and more daunting alien organism. The eccentric dining chairs are animal appendages waiting to consume their guests (in great comfort, I might add). The whole piece is something you’d expect to find in New York’s Guggenheim museum rather than in the cellar door building of a winery.

C E L L A R D O O R

[continued over]


After this first impression youmight be forgiven for wondering if thewine will be as outlandishly striking indesignandbuild. Creating wines at a premiumlevel is a task that is altogether laborintensive, risky and expensive. There arenoshortcutstoproducingincrediblewine;ifthewinemakerandvigneronaretotakeastep inthisdirection, theymustdecideto push themselves and the business totheextreme.InthecaseofwinemakerLiz

Barnes,whoisrelativelynewtothetrade,she has admirable determination and anability to learn incredibly quickly. Havingcompleted a diploma in winemakingin 2004, she produced her first ultra-premium white-label Star Lane merlotin 2005 under the guidance of RickKinzbrunnerofGiacondaWines.RickwaskindenoughtocomeonsiteandhelpLizand Brett select fruit and produce whatcanonlybedescribedasacrackerofawine.

‘He’s just one of those guys.The first time he helped us here he hadfruit coming in at his place; and here heis helping us down here with our firstvintage; so that’s the sort of guy he is,’saysBrett. Liz: ‘HegivesalotbacktoalotofpeopleintheBeechworthcommunity.’

[continued over]

AboveLizandBrettBarnes;LeftGourmetGrazingPlatterwithItalianAsiago,MilawaBrieandMilawaBluecheese;Milawasoughdoughbread;homemaderouladeofpork,veal, pineand pistachionutswrapped inprosciutto.

T A S T I N G R O O M


T H E V I N E Y A R D

‘CREATING WINES AT A PREMIUM LEVEL IS A TASK THAT IS

ALTOGETHER LABOR INTENSIVE, RISKY AND EXPENSIVE. THERE

ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO PRODUCING INCREDIBLE WINE.’


Since the 2005 vintage Lizhas since gone on to produce a rangeof seamless and exquisite, complexwines including a white label Shirazandthebeautifullybalancedblacklabelproducts: shiraz, merlot, rosé, nebbioloandsangiovese. ThechallengeforLizandBrettnow is to continue producing stunninglow-yield, flavour-rich fruit from theirtiny vineyards, 2.5 hectares or lessin size per varietal. Star Lane’s nearperfect winemaking soils and climatealone are not enough. The fruit mustbehandpickedandsortedmeticulouslyinto separate batches on a series ofdays during a vintage year of perfectfruit development – never easy. Onlythe best fruit makes the grade for theultra-premium white label wines, whilethe premium black label wines use theremainderofthefruitandinsomecasesa smaller blended portion of the ultra-premiumfruit. ‘The2005and2006fruitwereall under the white label because theywerereallygoodyears,’saysLiz. ‘In 2007, we didn’t have anyfruit (due to frost), and in 2008 noneof the fruit came up to grade. With the2009vintage,someofthepressingswillbe under black and some white. Someof the lower vineyard sections by thecreek that were picked later, taste a lotbetter, so these selections will be usedin thewhite label.2010 isshapinguptobeagoodyear;however they’llprobablybe a mixture of the two in both labels.So the difference in the label releases isbasedsimplyonfruitqualityandvineyardsectionofthatparticularyear.It’salogical

andmethodicalprocess[thatis]incrediblytimeintensive. ‘We use large rectangular androundopen-vatfermentersforthemerlotand the shiraz. With the sangiovese andnebbiolo,wehaveverysmallquantities…sosmallerfermentersareused.Theroséis barrel fermented, so it’s first free-runjuice,andisputstraightintobarrel–it’sacombinationofbothmerlotandshirazwhichintensifiestheflavour.So,thefruitis de-stemmed and crushed, and goesstraightintobarrelortank(stainlesssteelopentoppedvats),andwedon’taddanyyeastculture’. Thislackof‘added’yeastcultureandwaitingfornaturalyeaststobeginwineferments is a practice that is becomingincreasingly popular in Australia, thoughthetechniquehasbeenwellrespectedinthe Beechworth winemaking communityforyears. ‘Basically there is yeast on theoutside of the berries. Some people saythe yeast comes from the winery, butwe’ve found that to be not necessarilytrue because our winery was so new,sterileandclean,in2005.Sotherewerenoyeastculturesintheairatall;itwasalloff the actual berry itself.’ But Star Lanehas never had problems with a stoppedferment, as some people do with wildyeasts:‘It’salwaysgonewellforus,’saysLiz. ‘Weallowthewinetogothroughmalolactic fermentation naturally also,which is a slower, traditional Frenchtechnique.We’dnevermakeacommercialstyleofwine.WiththeFrenchmethodit’salotmoreriskytohavemalogoingmoreslowlyandbeingleftwithoutsulphurfora period of time. There is a higher riskof bacteria destroying the wine. So the

waywemakethewineisalotmorerisky,but you get a much better result as thenatural yeasts allow a reflection of thevineyardtocomethroughintothewine.’ Afterferment,differentbatchesofwinemadefromthevarioussectionsofthe vineyard are pumped in to both newFrench oak barrels and older barrels.Next,thebatchesarelabeledaccordingly,then left to mature for up to two yearsbefore careful blending, fining, bottlingandlabeling. Sealed in heavy Bordeaux andBurgundybottlesfromFrance,thewineslook most impressive. It’s quality all thewaywithStarLaneand,fortherecord,thefinalproductlooksanddrinksbeautifully. The ultra-premium white labelproductsdeservedlycarryahigherprice,andarefavouredbymanyofMelbourne’stop restaurants and cellars. The blacklabel premium nebbiolo with its lushfruit,softtanninsandbrilliantfragranceisnowalsodrinkingandsellingparticularlywell. The lower barrel room tastingroom, recently opened to the public,offers a cool and contemplative areafor sampling some of Liz’s beautifullycomplex wines. Spilling out from thetasting room are an expansive terraceandlawnwithseatingandshadedpicnicareas, suitable for family and friends toenjoyaluxuriousgourmetgrazingplatterprepared onsite, matched to the wine oftheirchoice.

51 Star Lane, Wooragee, (via Beechworth), Victoria Tel 03 5728 7268 www.starlane.com.au

C E L L A R D O O R



Open for lunch and dinner, Wednesday – Sunday.

a. 37 Camp St, Beechworth, Victoriawww.thegreenshed.com.aup. 03 5728 2360

must-drink wines

Jamie Durrant samples new premium release wines

must-drink wines

SAM MIRANDA 2010 ROSATA

Musk: a wonderful first scent that livens the senses upon splashing this wine in the glass. Like a kid in a lolly shop, I find immediate delight in sampling this classy little drop. For quite some time now, Sam Miranda’s premium-branded Rosata has been a warm-weather favourite. A classic summer wine and also great simply as an aperitif, the gentle fragrances that drive this wine are floral, subtle, sweet and memorable. Honeysuckle, lychees, sour cherries and spice. Muskmelon and a tiny hint of vanilla. It’s all here in one delicate and smartly presented package: pretty hard to resist. When I drink this wine I instantly think of the holiday season. Good friends, warm nights, relaxation – a lack of work pressures and therefore a lack of stress. Drink this wine with me and you’ll soon arrive at a new state of mind, asking ‘Now what the hell was all that stress about again?’ Sam’s Rosata is a wine that manages to take us not only on a journey, but on a beautifully seductive journey. It is coloured with all the beauty and summer holiday memories that we’ve grown up with, working on our subconscious. However the wine is most certainly a willing enabler, waiting silently for us to fall upon its grace. Its soft textural layering of scents unwind slowly, rolling and unfolding, blossoming and singing. It has spunk and lift balanced with clean fruity, green apple ‘crunch’ acidity. It is a genie in a bottle. Fanciful, playful, magical and consumable.

SAM MIRANDA 2010 PINOT GRIGIO

If Sam Miranda’s 2010 Rosata is the slightly sweeter scented, more romantic summer aperitif of choice, then the 2010 Pinot Grigio is perhaps its more thirst-quenching, mineral-driven big brother. Almost gin clear in colour, appearing as clean and crisp as fresh mountain water, this wine is stunning in the glass. With a wonderful nose of green pear, pink lady apples and just a hint of melon, this extremely approachable Italian-style wine is one of the leaders in Sam Miranda’s large stable of wines. As with any great chef cooking sublime dishes, a key talent in winemaking can be to know when and how to keep the approach simple. With the 2010 Pinot Grigio there is little need to overthink the drinking. Its fruit is elegant and fragrant enough to excite; however, it’s not necessarily a ‘showy’ wine clouded with complexities. At first sip, it seems like a nice enough quaffer, with perfect acid balance and great length of flavour. But dig or sip deeper and you’ll begin to understand just how nicely pristine this fruit really is. The King Valley region, and in particular its Italian producers, have continued to successfully produce and release a wide and educating range of Italian wine varietals into the market place. Notably, prosecco has taken off in a big way, perhaps a sign that wine drinkers are learning to enjoy the simplicity and beauty of clean summer fruit. Sam Miranda’s prosecco is a wine that is true to its varietal character with lifted green apples shining through and delighting the palate. It is in these terms that the 2010 Pinot Grigio stands so tall. A great wine to enjoy on its own, and even better paired with a range of cheeses: a good washed rind, a vine-ash chèvre and perhaps a more peppery pecorino style. Add some fresh cut fruit, some quince paste, a handful of raw nuts and you have the perfect early evening entertainer.

Snow Road, Oxley, VictoriaTel 1800 994 750www.sammiranda.com.au


WOOD PARK 2008 FORGOTTEN PATCH SANGIOVESE

Now this is what wine drinking is all about, a stand-out classic! A wine to be inspired by, a wine to come back to, a wine to bloody well drink. Love it, totally love it! If you’ve been hiding in some dark corner of the world lately, lost without a cellarhand or sommelier to help you with a guiding light, and if you have not tasted a really topnotch, easy drinking, fragrant, spicy, lush-fruited red wine in a while then get your laughing gear around this one. Wood Park have produced an honest no-brainer top drinking wonderful wine. Every once in a while I casually drop into Wood Park Wines’ tiny cellar door at the Milawa Factory complex, prop myself up on the seat in the corner and set about tasting my way through their extensive range of smartly handcrafted wines, seeking out exactly which drops are able to galvanise my senses and get my tasting enthusiasm right back on track. It’s a much-loved affair and one that can be executed reasonably quickly; however I do suggest taking your time and tasting with care as the wines made here by well-respected North East vigneron John Stolks are always a pleasure to behold. John’s Forgotten Patch Sangiovese plot is a special vineyard. Don’t get me wrong here; I haven’t been there, however I do know that it’s capable of producing fantastic fruit. I’m also reasonably willing to bet this now famous and therefore remembered ‘forgotten patch’ is likely to be situated somewhere within the Carbor-King Valley cool-climate region, sitting at the base of the Black Range and Mt Buffalo with snowdrift icy winds cooling the heels of the vines. The cool climate is a major influence in the slow ripening of fruit, allowing more complexities and details to eventually shine through the wines. It is not surprising to learn, therefore, that many of the best producers in the King Valley/Alpine Valleys regions tend to let the fruit do the talking, with traditional French and Italian winemaking techniques being implemented so minimal fruit interference occurs. With lovely deep cherry, tobacco, chocolate, nutmeg and other spices, and just a final hint of cream exciting the nose, the beautiful immediacy of this wine is confirmed. With a relatively fat and smooth palate for what is traditionally a lighter styled varietal creation, this drop is big with a floral, lush, silky and extremely more-ish body. The generous mid-palate length is a joy to experience and is really what this wine is all about. Sure, this wine smells amazing – and, by the way, has a slightly sharp acid character making it a great pairing for rich Italian foods – but for me it is designed for one thing: indulging. In an era in which we’re led to believe trophies, medals, point-scoring and stars make the winery, it’s brilliant to discover a real hidden gem that does all the talking on its own. A wine to curl up with and just plain enjoy. Wood Park, I thank you!

WOOD PARK 2008 MEADOW CREEK CHARDONNAY

This chardonnay is a premium wine made from fruit specially selected from the best section of an already ideal low-yielding, north-facing cool-climate vineyard blessed with gravelly soil. Fermented with natural wild yeasts and matured for a generous period in new and old French oak barrels, the Meadow Creek is a serious wine. A clean, minerally and matchstick flinty nose is weighted with a deeper butterscotch creaminess. Although not as simple as I’d prefer a chardonnay to be (the oak influence is quite pronounced), the Wood Park 2008 Meadow Creek is a firm and classy wine that might easily be mistaken for a French premier cru when paired with the right foods. A lobster tail tortellini served with seafood bisque lifted with lemon zest and fennel might be a grand accompaniment – the richness of the bisque warming the spiciness of the oak and the lemon zest highlighting the wine’s beautifully flinty character. It has gold medal stature and an elegance to match. Certainly a wine to watch in coming vintages.

Cellar door open 7 days, 10am–5pm Milawa Cheese Factory ComplexFactory Road, Milawa, VictoriaTel 03 5727 3778www.woodparkwines.com.au

must-drink wines


MEDITERRANEAN SPIRITClockwise from top left:

First buds of spring; Stone Dwellers 2010 Savagnin;

Vineyad row and lavender blooms at Plunkett Fowles’

Avenel property; chalk it up: wine flights and daily lunch

specials; vintage inspired posters of premium label

Ladies Who Shoot their Lunch


I like to think of it as the Prince of wines – it’s the wine “formerly known as”,’ laughs Plunkett Fowles cellar door manager Ian Firth. He’s speaking of the wine

varietal savagnin, which not so long ago went by an entirely different name. The short version of the story begins a decade ago, when Australian vignerons began planting what they thought was the popular white Spanish grape albarino. The first sign that something had gone awry came in 2008 when a French expert visiting the Barossa suspected that what went in the ground was really savagnin – a grape originating from the Jura region of eastern France. Some 2009 vintages were labelled albarino, but extensive DNA testing finally confirmed winemakers’ worst nightmare: that CSIRO had been supplying vineyards with the wrong varietal. Hence savagnin – the grape formerly known as albarino. While some wine-producers gritted their teeth over the mix-up, for Plunkett Fowles it was a blessing in disguise. The granite-rich terroir of their cool-climate Strathbogie Ranges vineyards is ideally suited to aromatic whites such as riesling and gewürztraminer, and this rule has been proved once again with their first vintage of savagnin. The long ripening season associated with the high altitude of the Plunkett Fowles vineyards (490 metres) has accentuated savagnin’s enchanting white-petal floral aromas, dry nutty mid-palate and refreshing acidity. The 2010 also shows notes of cantaloupe and white pepper spice. ‘This summer will be really great, because 2010 was about as perfect a vintage as you can get in the Strathbogies,’ says Ian. As a result, the 2010 savagnin has already won a gold medal at the Victorian Wine Show, as did the riesling. ‘These are perfect summer wines; because they are so intensely aromatic they can take being chilled,’ Ian adds. At the Plunkett Fowles cellar door, chef Adele Aitken has already matched the savagnin to a summery Goats’ Cheese Tart, and the riesling to cured salmon on a potato pancake with horseradish cream. Her Mediterranean-inspired menu makes the best of local produce. Vegetables and herbs are pulled straight from the cellar door’s organic vegetable patch or the Fowles family garden at their Strathbogie property ‘Killeen’. The mushrooms are locally grown, as is the Hughes Creek Lamb. Adele bakes her own baguettes, while her charcuterie plate features smoked ham and smoked sausage made by local butcher Scott at Avenel Meats. It is surprising to say the least that the Plunkett Fowles cellar door is only a minute’s detour off the Hume Highway near Avenel, perched on a hillock overlooking the Strathbogie Ranges. (For the geographically challenged, there’s no traipsing down back roads.) A Mediterranean courtyard offers alfresco dining and a safe children’s playground. Inside, the dining room is airy and casual with a view to craggy Mount Bernard. The menu recommends wines by the glass to match each dish, or you can opt for a ‘wine flight’ featuring three of the wine and food matches crafted by Adele and Ian. If you’re travelling up the Hume and plan on making Plunkett Fowles your pit stop, you may find it turns out to be your final destination. At the very least, expect a long delay.

Corner Hume Highway and Lambing Gully Road, Avenel, VictoriaTel 03 5796 2150www.plunkettfowles.com.au

Blessing in disguisePlunkett Fowles Wines, Cellar Door

WORDS JACQUI DURRANTPHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANTRECIPE ADELE AITKEN

Goats’ Cheese Tartwith Stone Dwellers 2010 Savagnin

Serves 8-10

Filling900g goat’s cheese500g cottage cheese9 egg yolks¾ cup plain flour250g soft butter3 tablespoons of chopped thymeSalt and pepper to taste

For the tart casing2 sheets prepared puff pastryButter for greasing

Method

For the filling, combine the cheeses in a food processor until smooth. Add yolks and combine. Add remaining ingredients and combine until smooth. Add flour, softened butter, thyme and seasoning to taste and continue to process until ingredients are well combined.

For the tart casing, lightly grease a 30cm flan tin with butter and line with puff pastry. Blind bake this at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

To finish, pour the cheese filling into the tart case and bake at 150 degrees for 40 minutes, or until lightly golden and set. Serve warm with roasted peppers, spinach and olives and a glass of Stone Dwellers 2010 Savagnin.

SUMER LUNCHAdele’s stunning

Goat’s Cheese Tart


‘


Adventurous Hearts

Adventuous Must Drink WinesReviewed by Jamie Durrant, page 78

Open. 10am - 5pm, dailySnow Road, Oxley, Victoria. Tel: 03 5727 3888

www.sammiranda.com.au

the best of all possible barsWORDS JUDY DURRANT

playing at seasoned vignerons for the eveningthese cockies flock around the cellar tableclad in the unofficial group-hug uniform of slit-the-sky-open whitescaps slashed with that familiar yellow tick-of-approval sporty logo

(kind brown apple-pip eyes catchsulphur-dusted underarm eiderdownas the chemist lifting a wing demonstrates daisy’s mark again

handling beaks like medieval axesthey dip into drink quaffing mouthfuls back or thoughtfully rolling them aroundstumpy black-tailed tonguesavouring every nuance of lake guy ’91

knock-kneed they walk on two left feet clomping and stomping like teeth jawing toffeelike trestles on their last legs splayed they slideas they reflections in the pool imbibe– an unlikely a tribe of high flyersas you’d ever see

with a hop and a skip of the dentist’s pincersplump chests bump and parry jostle gently a little nip on the neck brings a point homeand crests like raised eyebrows all aroundare the sign of confidences sharedthe satisfying winding down by these renowned perpetratorsof white-gown hypertension

sidling up like two crabs in lovelike two crabs squared by π r ²they bunch up two deep on the narrow ledge– angels rubbing wings and revellingtill bang! tipped off to the nosey blue-checkered vanthey’re launching screechingwhite noise indelibly black-inking bottlebrush-pink sky

parting at the hip they let rip with no-hands easegliding sideways to land on twigs quivering leaves pausing a moment to tear strips from eavesrelaunching to lunatic soup and circle indiscreetly squawk and grumblechalk-sccreech the blackboard well into the night

where mumbling dreamily in contented sleepthey crack the joke taste the nutty treat with the flashy pink galahs in flightmix black and white to the world at their feetreminisce the unmatched-before-now boutiquebouquet of hydro delight in the best of all possible bars

Exclusive Labels Woman’s Stylist 59 Ford Street, Beechworth Victoria. Tel. 03 5728 1981• •

Essentials Magazine Spring-Summer 2010

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Transcript of Essentials Magazine Spring-Summer 2010