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Eat Drink Blog 2015 - Postcards and morsels and a little slice of history

28/11/2015

30 Comments

 
Matthew Evans, the Gourmet Farmer, makes his keynote speech at Eat Drink Blog in Canberra - photo by Bec Doyle
Once upon a long, long, long time ago, Canberra, my home town, became a meeting place. I'm a vintage Canberran, but that event was well before my time. And I suspect it was way before yours too. Think back 20,000 years, maybe more, to when the first Australians, the Aboriginal people, gathered here for corroborees. Special meetings at which they mingled, danced and feasted on bogong moths. 

History tells us that the first European settler in the district was a Mr Joshua John Moore, who established a farm called 'Canberry'. Apparently this name was a derivative of Nganbirra, from the Wiradhari verb Ngangirrabirra, meaning either 'a place for meeting' or 'they meet or assemble.' At least that's what I gleaned from a newspaper article in The Mail, dating back to 1927. 

Some readers may not be aware that in the early 1900s, the government of New South Wales suggested locations for the seat of Government for the new Commonwealth of Australia. The regions of Orange, Yass-Canberra and Bombala were shortlisted. In 1908, the Yass-Canberra region was chosen in a House of Representatives ballot and so the Commonwealth surveyor of the day, Mr Charles Scrivener, was sent on a mission to select a suitable a site. The place must be distinctive, and have picturesque views, he was instructed.

Scrivener surveyed the site and noted it as being
‘in an amphitheatre of hills with an outlook towards the north and north-east’. It goes without saying that he had chosen the best location. 

Parliament House, which would also become an important meeting place, was opened in the new capital city, Canberra, in 1927. And that's the area's history in a nutshell for you.

After attending the Eat Drink Blog Australian food bloggers meeting in Adelaide in 2012 (which was outstanding, by the way), I felt excited at the prospect that some day, perhaps, the event might be held in Canberra and maybe I could be involved in making it happen.

When I learned that a team of energetic young local women had banded together to form the committee for Eat Drink Blog (EDB) 2015 in Canberra, I was delighted – particularly when I received an invitation to join the brainstorming group.

It was my pleasure to coordinate and judge the EDB 2015 writing competition, and I was also honoured to be included on a panel discussion, and other aspects of the planning. It all seems like such a long time ago now 
– and the 2015 event has been and gone, although I'm sure those who organised it, and those who attended, won't forget EDB too soon.

A little slice of history... 

One of the things that struck me was that much of EDB was held at the Nishi Gallery in Acton, or 'New Acton' as that part of town is now known. You see, the Acton settlement was actually the first suburb in Canberra, from when the Commonwealth surveyors arrived in the early 1900s. It would continue to be the administrative hub of the city for forty or fifty years to follow.

The first homes in Canberra were built in Acton, together with the first hospital, post office, horticultural nursery, bank, and a small gaol. The original Acton farmhouse was initially used to accommodate officials. Towards the end of 1913, The Residency, now known as Old Canberra House, was built. Opposite that was the Constable's Cottage, which has a buggy shed in the back garden. It was in that little shed that my family and I lived from 1958 until 1961. I hope you won't mind that I've thrown in another slice of history. 

The Hotel Acton opened in December 1924 and was built to accommodate public servants, politicians and visitors. It was beautifully restored in the year 2000 and would become the heritage listed Diamant Hotel, which was gutted by fire in 2011. Stay with me, please, I'm getting to the point. The Nishi Gallery, where many of the EDB events were held, is situated within that complex. 

Eat Drink Blog 2015 - postcards and morsels...

The Eat Drink Blog committee organised more than just a conference. The program offered participants a deliciously interesting and fun experience. An event where folks could meet and mingle with like minded food enthusiasts, food bloggers and food producers, while having a taste of some of the best things Canberra has to offer. 

As you'll see from the following postcards, EDB delegates met at The Hamlet food truck dining precinct, where we were welcomed by ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr. The food and beverages on offer at The Hamlet were mind blowing. Truly. I wasn't wearing stretchy pants, so I could only manage a Brod Dog and a lemon meringue milkshake from April's Caravan. Later, participants were treated to a Frugii Dessert Laboratory ice cream tasting and demonstration; and/or cocktails at Hopscotch; and/or whiskey and food matching at Marble & Grain. 

The following morning, delegates were transported to the Capital Region Farmers Market, where we were treated to breakfast from local producers and a cooking demonstration by chefs from the CIT. I have always wanted to see a croquembouche being made and I was not disappointed by the very talented CIT chef Dammika Hatharasinghe.

After our morning at the market, we were transported to the Nishi Gallery in Acton for a highly entertaining keynote  address by Gourmet Farmer and former Canberra lad, Matthew Evans.  Matthew was a regular presenter at my former cooking school and I was delighted when he said yes to my invitation for him to be the keynote speaker.

At lunchtime, we walked across the footbridge by the lake to the container village at Westside Acton Park, where I enjoyed a crisp and crunchy Banh Mi salad. Others indulged in delicious looking fish and chips, and a gelato. 

Back at the Nishi Gallery, my colleague, Wendy Johnson, stirred the pot on the topic of restaurant reviews. Next, the wise and knowledgeable Todd Wright, from Threesides Media, talked about SEO. Next, the amazing, Tess Godkin, showed us how to style and photograph food so that it looks like a spread from a glossy magazine. Just wow. And then the smart phone savvy, Alice Lau, demonstrated her skills with photography and videography.

That evening, delegates enjoyed a regional produce dinner at A.Baker in Acton, where the writing and photography competition winners were announced. I say again, it was a genuine pleasure to be in charge of the writing competition. Congratulations once again to the winners and runners up. Well done! 

On the last day of EDB, delegates met once again at the Nishi Gallery, where we were treated to breakfast featuring local producers, The Fix Cold Pressed Juices, The Muesli Bar, A.Baker and Six8 Coffee Roasters. First up was the panel discussion: Fulltime Blogging the Holy Grail? featuring Amanda Whitley from HerCanberra, Carla and Emma  a.k.a. The Merrymaker Sisters and moi. Feedback from this session has been good, at least from my perspective, and I think that by sharing our own experiences, between us, we gave our blogger colleagues some food for thought. 

Carly Jacobs from Smaggle lifted our spirits with her talk on Fitting It All In- How to build your blog when you are too damn busy. Finally, the The Merrymaker Sisters were back to present a session on How to Self-publish Your Cookbook. In the afternoon, delegates were split into groups and transported to a variety of destinations, including The Cupping Room, to meet the World’s Best Barista Sasa Sestic; lunch and a coffee roasting session at Two before Ten, Aranda; a Canberra region wine education session at The Canberra Wine House; a cooking demonstration and lunch at The Boathouse by the Lake; or a beer making and tasting tour at Bentspoke Brewery. And that, as they say, was a wrap. 

Eat Drink Blog gave me the opportunity to meet a few of my fellow food bloggers in person. People such as Sandra from Please Pass the Recipe, Sherry from Sherry's Pickings, Margot from Gather and Graze, Gary from Yummy Lummy, and Clare from The Life of Clare, among many others. 

I would like to thank the EDB 2015 Committee: Rachi, Giulia, Tara, Linda, Amanda and Belinda for pulling together a marvellous EDB event and showcasing Canberra in the best possible way. Thanks for including me, too! (Exclamation mark essential here). Thank you also to EDB sponsors HerCanberra and Visit Canberra. Thank you also to my long-time Canberra food writer colleague, Wendy Johnson, for agreeing to assist me with the judging of the entries in the restaurant review category of the writing competition. I couldn't have done it without you. A huge thank you to Essential Ingredient Canberra, Capital Wines, Bakers Secret, OXO Greensaver and Corningware for their generous sponsorship of prizes for the writing competition. 

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr welcomes delegates at EDB
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr welcomes delegates at EDB
Brod Dog hot dog by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Cool DJ at The Hamlet, by Liz Posmyk Good Things
Milk shakes from April's Caravan, by Liz Posmyk Good Things
Flowers at the Capital Region Farmers Market by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Piping custard into choux pastry by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
CIT chef Dammika Hatharasinghe makes croquembouche, Liz Posmyk Good Things
Making croquembouche CIT chef Dammika Hatharasinghe
Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Liz Posmyk, food writer, Good Things, with Gourmet Farmer, food writer and chef, Matthew Evans
Canberra food photographer, Tess Godkin, shows EDB participants how to style food
The Merrymaker Sisters, Tara Cheyne, Amanda Whitely and Liz Posmyk, photo by Ari Rex
Liz Posmyk speaks on panel at EDB 2015 in Canberra with Tara Cheyne and Amanda Whitely, photo by Ari Rex Photography
The EDB panel shares a laugh
Burger at Two Before Ten in Aranda, by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Jake Irwin, coffee roaster at Two Before Ten in Aranda. Image by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Orchid hanging at the Nishi Gallery - Liz Posmyk, Good Things

Note: I was hoping to present a visually rich summary of Eat Drink Blog 2015 using my own photographs, however the SD card on my pocket rocket camera decided to fail on me and I lost a few hundred pictures. I was only able to rescue a few that I had instagrammed. Thank you to EDB, Rebecca Doyle Photography and Ari Rex Photography for allowing me to use a few of your images, watermarked appropriately. 

Tell me dear readers, were you aware of Canberra's history as a meeting place? Have you ever made a croquembouche? And were you one of the delegates at Eat Drink Blog? 
30 Comments
Gary Lum link
26/11/2015 02:23:19 am

This is a fabulous post Liz. EDB15 was such a good time. Thank you for the shout out too 😃

Reply
Lizzy
26/11/2015 02:48:45 am

Thanks ever so much for your kind words, Gary. It was a pleasure to meet you, finally. : )

Reply
Krista
26/11/2015 03:07:54 am

What an inspiring event, Liz! And you are radiant. :-) I especially love the one of you laughing. :-) I've never made croquembouche, but it sure is beautiful. :-)

Reply
Lizzy
26/11/2015 03:51:11 am

Naaaaw, Krista, thank you SO much for your kind words, love... thank you xx

Reply
Tandy | Lavender and Lime link
26/11/2015 04:48:14 am

Thank you for sharing some history with us! So awful that you lost your photographs - I might have cried. This looks like such a great event that I would love to attend it next year :)

Reply
Jane @ Shady Baker link
26/11/2015 06:04:35 am

These events are truly incredible Lizzy! How wonderful to be involved. You look gorgeous by they way!

Reply
Lizzy
30/11/2015 04:02:11 am

Oh Jane, you are too kind! Thank you. I remember how we met at EDB in Adelaide xx

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John / Kitchen Riffs link
26/11/2015 10:29:10 am

Sounds like a fun time! Your coverage of events had me feeling I was there. Great pictures, too. Thanks!

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Francesca link
26/11/2015 04:03:36 pm

It must have been an interesting weekend to catch up with so many 'known' bloggers and being surrounded by like minds with similar passions. Alos thanks for all those links- allowing us to pop into visit all the recipients of this years awards. Something to save up for those quiet and/or exhausted times.

Reply
Lizzy
30/11/2015 04:03:23 am

My pleasure, Francesca x

Reply
e / dig in hobart link
26/11/2015 04:41:01 pm

what an inspiring event it must have been, meeting people from the full spectrum of food media (social and traditional!).

Reply
Carmen
26/11/2015 04:41:25 pm

I always love your blogs, and I love the way you've captured local artisans in your pics xx

Reply
Lizzy
30/11/2015 04:02:32 am

You are so sweet, thank you x

Reply
Amanda link
26/11/2015 05:22:34 pm

It certainly looks like everyone had a great time - well done all of you!

Reply
Lizzy
30/11/2015 04:02:53 am

Thank you so much, Amanda x

Reply
Eha
26/11/2015 06:22:15 pm

Did not know half these facts about Canberra . . . thank you both for the old and the new! And I do love your photo with Matthew Evans: now is he so tall or are you more petite than I realized or is it a bit of both :) ?

Reply
Lizzy
26/11/2015 09:49:20 pm

Hello Eha, my pleasure! Matthew is quite tall... and I am about 5 feet two inches! : )

Reply
Fiona Ryan
26/11/2015 07:40:09 pm

Lovely photo of the croquembouche with Chef smiling in the background.

Reply
Lizzy
26/11/2015 09:48:41 pm

Thanks Fiona, I like that one too... so glad I instagrammed it!

Reply
Hotly Spiced link
27/11/2015 07:02:05 pm

That must have been a terrible moment when you realised you had lost so many precious photos! I heard so many good things about EDB this year so all credit to you and the team who put it together xx

Reply
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
28/11/2015 12:12:34 am

Sounds like you had a great time Lizzy!

Reply
David link
28/11/2015 09:23:14 am

Wonderful photos, Liz! It looks like you had a spectacular time.

Reply
Peter
29/11/2015 09:26:20 pm

I like the photo of you with the Gourmet Farmer. And that choux dessert looks great. Can you make one please.

Reply
Maureen link
30/11/2015 03:49:36 am

This conference was really well organised and delivered. Kudos to all of you in Canberra who helped to make it such a success. I'm sorry I missed it.

Reply
Lizzy
30/11/2015 04:01:38 am

I was sorry that you didn't come to this, my friend!

Reply
Toni | 2 Aussie Travellers link
2/12/2015 12:45:37 am

Oh it looks like so much fun, I wish I'd heard about it earlier as I've not yet been to Canberra and it would have been such as great chance to have an intro to the city. Can't wait to see where next year ends up being held.

Reply
Simone Mason
2/12/2015 06:40:30 am

Love those photos, Liz. I'd heard that the food scene in Canberra had come a long way. Thanks for the history, too. Next time I visit, I'm staying in Acton for sure.

Reply
Sandra link
6/12/2015 06:55:36 pm

Hard to believe this was 8 weeks ago, what a fab weekend. The best part was putting names and faces to avatars and blogs. Thanks for the history, One of my fave topics, you are truly a Canberran, and thanks formthe link love too Liz it was great to meet up

Reply
Lizzy
6/12/2015 07:12:59 pm

Hi Sandra, it was a delight to meet you... and congrats again!

Reply
sherry M link
24/12/2015 07:38:29 am

it was lovely to meet you there in real life Liz. thanks for the mention in this post. i had no idea about the ancient history of canberra. fascinating.

Reply

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    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

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