Food
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Breaking down compost
Lucy Young for The Hub Foundation This month YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) hosted an enthusiastic group of composters at an advanced composting workshop. We got down and dirty, hands in buckets of ‘ingredients’ for a balanced compost, and our noses being used as finely balanced instruments to analyse the quality of finished compost. As…
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Fourth win easy as pie!
Country Cob Bakery has reclaimed its crown for Australia’s Best Mince Pie for the fourth year running.The win was among five national titles and 14 gold medals for the Kyneton bakery at Australia’s Best Pie and Pastie Competition in Sydney. This year’s Baking Association of Australia competition attracted almost 2000 entries nation-wide and Country Cob…
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Preserving our heritage apples
Harcourt has always been known as the ‘apple centre of Victoria’ but in recent years some of its heritage apple varieties have almost disappeared.One family of long-time Harcourt orchardists is trying to do its bit to save these heritage gems by making them available to the wider community. Carr’s Organic Fruit Tree Nursery co-owner Katie…
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A recipe for success
Kyneton’s Ian Kohlman has made history as the first bloke to cook his way from the Kyneton Show to the state final in baking.“I’m feeling stoked,” he said. “Isn’t it ridiculous something like this and you feel so excited about it.” Kohlman won best carrot cake against a strong field of competitors at the last…
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A golden idea
To celebrate the 2021 Castlemaine State Festival and as a nod to the region’s gold rush heritage, The Tea Dispensary in Castlemaine’s Templeton Street has created a special ‘gold blend’ featuring black tea with edible gold flakes. The Tea Dispensary’s founder Lisa Candy said there had already been loads of ‘golden moments’ during the festival.…
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Banquet in the vines
This autumn, modern Thai restaurant Longrain heads north to central Victoria, bringing an exclusive Thai banquet to the picturesque winery and working farm, Sutton Grange. Longrain will offer weekend lunches at the Sutton Grange Winery, located a short drive from Castlemaine and Kyneton, each Saturday and Sunday from March 13 for a limited time only.…
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A fungus lover’s foray into foraging
Interest in foraging for wild food is on the rise, and magnificent mushrooms are very much on the menu. But if you’re gathering your own, you’ve got to get it right. From the right knowledge and equipment, to following a foragers’ Code of Practice. With fungi being incredibly diverse, delicious (and sometimes deadly) a new…
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A calmer way of cooking
For many, the coronavirus pandemic has been the impetus for seeking out a slower, calmer and more sustainable lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle that foodie Alyce Alexandra has long supported and lives out at her Mount Macedon property. Passionate about the avenue of food from seedling to stomach, it is her mission to get more people…
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Tea taking the world by storm
Tea for two has taken on a whole new meaning for Australian beverage business East Forged, whose nitrogen-infused cold-brew teas are gaining international attention – and winning accolades at the same time. The product of two tea-loving ladies, Campbells Creek’s Tania Stacey and Brisbane native Kym Cooper, East Forged flips the traditional notion of iced…
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Take a well-earned break
Cellar doors across the Macedon Ranges are holding a series of events this month as part of the new Summertime Fling Festival. Three weeks of events promoting everything wine, food and fun are underway and will continue until January 31. The Macedon Ranges Vignerons Association is running the event to encourage lovers of wine and…
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Artisan cheesemaker takes first bite of trade
There was plenty of cause for big cheesy grins as Castlemaine’s new artisan cheesemaker savoured its first bite of retail trade on Friday. Over the past few months, Long Paddock Cheese has been established at The Mill, Castlemaine, by the passionate partnership team with Cheese Full Circle Pty Ltd. The new venture features an artisan…
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Cultural farming venture for Harcourt
Work has begun to establish an Indigenous Bush Tucker Farm at Harcourt. “I’m confident to say we’ll probably get going just before Christmas,” local Dja Dja Wurrung man, Harley Douglas said. Mr Douglas is shouldering the role of farm manager, while Castlemaine-based Gunditjmara person Claire Barker will be garden manager and says they’re particularly looking…