![]() Regular market shoppers at the Paddington Markets, Capital Region Farmer's Markets and Old Bus Depot Markets will be familiar with Anthea Cahill and her 'real chai' stall. The fragrant aroma of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves will stop you in your tracks, if the sample cups of chocolate chai (with real chunks of yummy French dark chocolate) don't! Anthea is passionate about chai and tells me she discovered it when she was travelling in the Czech Republic in 2004. She came home and took the plunge into small business after initially making up packages of her own chai blend as Christmas gifts for friends. 'I tried out at Gorman House Markets and was a big hit', she said. 'Old Bus Depot Markets and EPIC followed and then I had staff and here we are'. Anthea's real chai range includes a caffeine free tea based on chicory and dandelion; white Christmas chai made with white chocolate, cranberries, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger; chocolate made with chunks of French chocolate; and original made with black tea, spices and love. For me, real chai is a far cry from the powdered, way-too-sugary substance sold in many cafes. There are recipes and videos on how to make the perfect brew with real chai on Anthea's web site, together with testimonials and FAQs. And if you can't make it to one of the real chai market stalls, you can shop online via the site. Try my prunes poached in Real Chai and Indian Spice and Vanilla! ![]() In between running a restaurant, preparing a range of frozen meals and curry pastes, making media appearances and writing various blogs, the amazing Jackie M finds time to feed the crowds every Saturday at her Orange Grove Markets stall at Leichhardt in Sydney. I had read and heard many good things about Jackie's cooking, particularly her Char Kway Teow and Roti. A container of Jackie's freshly made Roti Kaya (Roti with Coconut and Pandan Jam) disappeared before I had the chance to photograph it for this snippet. Indeed, it was so delicious, Peter and I couldn't help but tuck in immediately. If you can't make it to Leichhardt, Jackie's food is also available from The Happy Hawker stalls at the Concord Hospital Market, Marrickville Markets and Hornsby-Kurringai Hospital Markets. Jackie's restaurant is at 85 Majors Bay Road, Concord and is open from 5.00-10.00pm Thursday to Saturday. Bear in mind that reservations are limited! ![]() Ken Fuz, owner of Black Horse Fine Foods, is a quiet, unassuming gentleman who just happens to produce a very fine range of jams, marmalades, chutneys, relishes, sauces and other specialty foods. Black Horse is a small family business based in Canberra. "We take a lot of time to prepare our products by hand," says Ken. 'Each batch is made to our exacting standards and there are no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, therefore you get a high quality product every time'. Why the name Black Horse? "I've always had a vision of owning a black horse", Ken explains. "Oh, I've not seen rhubarb jam since I was a kid!", a lady shopper exclaimed as she sampled Ken's jam. I can vouch for that one, it's yummy, especially with scones. Ken also makes an amazing Carrot and Cardamom Jam. I used it recently to glaze some pork knuckles before baking! The flavours were lovely. Black Horse Fine Foods are available at the Hall Markets in Canberra on the first Sunday of each month; the Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston on the second and fourth Sunday each month; and at the Capital Region Farmer's Market every Saturday. Delivery can be arranged. How's that for good old fashioned service! ![]() Here's a couple of bashful young fellows, Wes Johnston and Todd Sheens, from the Torry Hill Orchard in Young, NSW. You'll meet Wes and Todd each Saturday at the Torry Hill Orchard stall at the Capital Region Farmer's Markets. They will be at the markets during cherry season, selling boxes of freshly picked Ron cherries. Peter and I always make a beeline for the stall, as there are also wines, sauces and some yummy cherry pies on sale. The pies are made by a local bakery in Young, using fruit from the Torry Hill Orchard. Buy also from the Torry Hill Orchard farm shop at 537 Cowra Road, Young, telephone 02 6382 5676. ![]() Beatrice and Tobias Koenig grow premium organic garlic, potatoes, apples and other seasonal produce on their biodyamic farm, Ingelara, near Michelago. Eager shoppers were lining up to buy braids of garlic, garlic bulbs and garlic flower stems, which Beatrice advised are delicious baked or fried. 'You can even use the seeds from the flower head and sprinkle over food', Beatrice told me. Crates of beautiful baby apples are on show with the arrival of Autumn. I filled my market basket, the fruit is perfect size for the lunch box. Visit the Ingelara Organic Produce Stall at the Capital Region Farmer's Market each Saturday. ![]() One of the most inviting stalls to have caught my eye at the Capital Region Farmer's Markets recently is Windellama Organics. Look at the quality of the produce in the images below and the smiles on the stall owner's faces and you will understand why. Growers, Lyn Jones and Russell Farr, previously worked in the online travel industry, but say they always wanted to have a farm. 'We wanted to farm good quality produce,' Lyn explained. 'Which is why we chose to go organic. This is our third season. Among a range of certified other organic produce, berries are our thing'. On their stall, Lyn and Russell offer berries, beans, radish, cucumber, snow peas, tatsoi, mizuna, eggs, parsley and a salad mix that includes nasturtium flowers. You will find Windellama Organics at the Capital Region Farmer's Markets and Southside Farmer's Markets in Canberra each weekend, and look for them on Facebook too. Their farm is at Windellama, an hour northeast of Canberra, close to Tarrago. ![]() Lovely to see apple growers, Gary and Sue Armstrong from the Doonkuna Orchard back at the Capital Region Farmer's Market this morning. The Armstrongs bring crisp, fresh apples from their orchard in Crookwell to the markets. Ginger Gold apples were on show at the Doonkuna stall today... an early 'dessert' variety, according to Sue. Ginger Gold are lovely stewed and served with cereal; and are great for pie making too. Last year, Gary explained to me that he has mixed feelings about the news of the ban being lifted on the importation of New Zealand apples. "Chinese apples and pears are already being sold in Australia, but many people aren't aware," he said. 'The addition of New Zealand apples will have a big impact on the wholesale prices and also saturate the market with a lot of fruit. Supermarkets here are asking too much for [apples], sometimes up to $7.00 or more per kilo, so consumption is down. The Aussie dollar is high, so this affects our exports too'. The new changes to the importation of apples may quite possibly hurt the Australian growers in terms of sales, but Gary also points out the issues with the threat of new diseases. Even more reason to shop for Aussie Apples. ![]() Sebastian Nedziak was beaming when he told me that his Gum Tree Pies had won eleven medals at the 2011 Great Aussie Meat Pie Competition just recently: four gold medals and seven silver medals! He and wife, Melinda, hand make their gourmet pies at Yackandandah using locally sourced, best quality vegetables, rump steak, chicken breasts and Brown Brothers wine. The award-winning pies are really, really good and the range includes steak and red wine; lamb and mint jelly; creamy cauliflower; curry pumpkin; and chicken and vegetables, among many others. Pick up your pies hot and ready to eat, or take home freshly made pies ready to either bake or freeze. You will find Gum Tree Pies at the Capital Region Farmer’s Market and Southside Farmer’s Market in Canberra; Yackandandah Lions Club Market; and various other markets. ![]() Marco Marinelli is quite a character... a good Italian-Australian boy, born in Adelaide to a family with long connections to Adelaide's Central Market. As such, he was taught to appreciate the best of gourmet and fresh foods from an early age. Funnily enough, Adelaide's authority on mushrooms says he didn't like mushrooms as a child. Things have certainly changed over time! With an increasing range of reasonably priced standard and specialty mushrooms at his stall, The Mushroom Man has redefined the mushroom experience for the people of Adelaide. There are fresh porcini grown in the Adelaide Hills, chanterelles, truffles, white and brown Swiss, buttons, flats, Asian gourmet (including black fungus, enoki, king brown, oyster, shimeji, shiitake, mousseron and pines. Gourmet lines include truffle oils, vinaigrettes, and salt fusions (such as the wild mushroom and black garlic salt pictured below). One of the most interesting is the black garlic, an almost candied product with a sweet, smokey flavour. Visit the Mushroom Man at Stall 68 at Adelaide Central Market. ![]() Every Saturday, Sam Pincott travels some two and a half hours from Holbrook, NSW to the Capital Region Farmer's Market in Canberra to sell his farm fresh eggs. On 800 acres, Sam and his wife, Prue, run a herd of grass fed beef cattle and free roaming Isa Brown hens. 'Using holistic principles, we've incorporated both into a portable system,' Sam explains. 'The chooks follow the cows around the farm. They roost and lay eggs in portable sheds which we move onto fresh pasture twice a week. As the cows move out, the chooks move in. We also allow long recovery periods between grazing on each paddock, to ensure that there's always plenty of grass for the stock.' The eggs are produced in a chemical free environment, no hormones or antibiotics are used.And the hens are guarded by two Maremma dogs, who live with them and protect them from predators. Holbrook Paddock Eggs are great tasting, cracking fresh, with firm white, bright yolks and strong shells. |
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