MAXI-PRINT FREE ISSUEMID-WINTER 2012

BLACK LABELS: B E N A L L A ART GALLERY

WADDINGTON’SWINTER FEAST

COOPER’S PIESYARRAWONGA

BAKINI MELBOURNE

FOOD / WINE / ART / PEOPLE / PLACES

express

97 Ford Street, Beechworth, Victoria tel +61 3 5728 2371 – www.freemanonford.com.au

Spoil yourself and your significant others, in a world of unique opulence and 5 STAR luxury at Freeman on Ford in historic Beechworth. Experience this award winning, iconic establishment where history is interwoven with sensational decor.

Stay in the centre of town, and enjoy exquisite shopping choices and well-known eateries – surround yourself with style. Whether you choose one of our traditional Victorian rooms, or a new deluxe suite, your accommodation will stand alone in quality and integrity. Indulge in the fantasy of being spoilt like a King or Queen. Freeman on Ford is Beechworth’s first and currently, only 5 STAR boutique hotel. There are seven en suite rooms all offering use of the pool and grand living areas. Secure undercover parking is available onsite.

Gift vouchers now available.

EXPECT THE EXCEPTIONAL

97 Ford Street, Beechworth, Victoria tel +61 3 5728 2371 – www.freemanonford.com.au

contentsPage

04

managing editorJamie Durrant

associate editorVaria Karipoff

sub editorTony Kleu

design | art directionThe Durrant Agency

writersVaria Karipoff, Jacqui Durrant, Jamie Durrant, Ivan Durrant

contributors Natalie Wayt, Astrid Adamson, Danee Georgiou, Holly Jones, Nedra Kriekenbeek

photographersJamie Durrant, Charlie Brown, Nathan Akland

recipesJan Waddington

additional photographs & contentEssentials (express) would like to thank the following contributors for additional content and images: Apple Inc.,The team @ Run Forrest, The Benalla Art Gallery, Tolarno Galleries Melbourne, Leah King-Smith, Fiona Foley, Angela Day, iStockphoto.com, Bakini Melbourne, Divine Linen Beechworth, Andrea Donaldson, Monash Gallery of Art, Lorenzo Galli Wine Scholarship, Bridge Road Brewers, InterContinental Hotel Sydney, The Art Gallery of Ballarat, King Island Dairy.

editorialjamie@essentialsmagazine.com.au

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

publisherEssentials Magazine Pty Ltd ACN: 132 426 576PO Box 967, Benalla, Victoria, Australia 3672

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 before 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 print edition at selected touristlocations; iPad extended issue – App free, $2.99 per issue/download. Now avaliable on the App Store.

This issue: #23 – mid-winter 2012 (It’s summer in Vladivostok!)

Essentials (express) Magazine is printed in Australia by Southern Colour

food & wine

12.5 WinterDining–atTheGreenShed,Beechworth17 Waddington’sWinterFeast–Stylishandinspiringwinterrecipes23 MelbourneReview–BakiniCucinaRegionale32 40°South–KingIslandDairy36 ProvincialPride–Cooper’sHandmadePies,Yarrawonga42 PlayingHideandSeek–HideandSeekWines,Nagambieaccommodation

15 LuxeStays–InterContinental,Sydney28 TheNewStandard–StandardHotel,NewYork

retail

14 FifteenMinuteswithAngelaDay–ofNicheSkinCareStudio22 ChineseWhispers–RedRamiaTrading,Myrtleford46 CreatingaLuxeLoveNest–DivineLinen,Beechworth

art & culture

26 JohnPeterRussell’sTreasureIsland–BelleÎle,France41 BlackLabels–IndigenousworksfromtheBenallaArtGallery

regulars

6-10 ExpressionsofInterest–Foodandtravelnews50 Winenews–2012LorenzoGalliWineScholarship

COVER:Brook Andrew

Sexy & Dangerous, 1996Duraclear mounted on acrylic,

183.5 x 121 x 0.6 cmImage courtesy the artist and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne

express

McCormacks Lane, Buckland Valley, Victoria, Australia[t] 0419 133 318 [w] www.thebuckland.com.au [e] stay@thebuckland.com.au

the buckland | luxury retreat

“Combines comfort with a seclusion so complete that the only passing traffic is likely to be a kangaroo” – Condé Nast Traveller

“These utterly private studios make the perfect romantic getaway for couples” – Vacations and Travel Magazine

“Unique boutique lodgings in a serene setting” – Voyer Magazine

“The epitome of luxury” – The Age Newspaper

A new Hub in St Kilda, Melbourne

Hotel breakfasts don’t normally conjure up imagesa of gourmet delights, but the newly opened Hub café, part of Hotel Urban, has put an end to boring pre-cooked buffets and

retractable cloches. Hub’s breakfast menu and coffee is showing hotel guests and locals that it’s the new hot spot in town. A warm, modern all-day eating place, Hub is located streetside at the beach end of bustling Fitzroy Street. Breakfast and brunch rule here and everyone is welcome. The morning menu covers the classics well: various egg options are teamed with classy sides like smoky char-grilled bacon, Persian feta or bratwurst sausages. For simple pleasures, there are Zeally Bay toast and not-to-be-missed house-made crumpets with lemon and honey. The cinnamon porridge with caramelised pears and oat crumble really hits the spot on a chilly winter’s morning and the silky house-cured salmon with soft-cooked eggs, salmon caviar and dill on toast is the ultimate luxury comfort food. The coffee, by Genovese, third-generation, family-owned Melbourne blenders and roasters, is a hit with locals and hotel guests alike. If St Kilda’s many bars and busy nightlife mean morning is not your best time of day, don’t worry – breakfast is served until 2pm and there are lunch options from noon: think Scotch fillet steak sandwich, penne puttanesca or slow-braised lamb shanks with parmesan and cauliflower mash, as well as daily specials. It’s no wonder that Hub offers more than your average hotel. Hotel Urban’s general manager, Roger Fowler, is a hospitality veteran who’s been around the area for over 20 years, working at some of St Kilda’s top dining spots, including the Stokehouse, Prince of Wales, Il Fornaio and NorthSouth. ‘Hub’s classic-meets-modern menu and eclectic interior have been set up with the local community in mind, just as much as our hotel guests,’ says Fowler. Donning the chef’s whites is Christine McCormack. At just 27 years she is a rising star who is genuinely passionate about cooking, putting her heart on the plate to bring her love of great produce and natural finesse to this exciting new eatery.

35-37 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Victoria (two doors up from Cafe Di Stasio)Open: Monday to Friday 6.30am-5pmWeekends 7.30am-5pm Public Holidays 8am-3pm

expressions of interest

Ladro Kids Menu and Gluten Free Both kids and gluten-free eaters will rejoice in Ladro’s new menu options. Ladro, Melbourne’s beloved Italian restaurant, famed for its award-winning selection of rustic homemade style pizza, pasta and classic Italian dishes, has introduced a new menu designed especially for kids. The choose-your-own-adventure menu offers littlies the choice between pizza or pasta, bombolini (Italian doughnut on a stick!) or ice-cream for a teeny-weeny $12.50. With the introduction of Ladro’s junior menu comes new family-friendly pre-7pm booking. Co-owner Sean Kierce says, ‘With kids of our own we know what we like when dining out: the freedom to relax knowing that the kids are welcome and looked after.’ Now all Ladro’s popular pizzas are available on gluten-free bases. The new bases still offer that perfect balance of woodfired softness and crispiness, and there’s no extra cost for getting your favourite regular pizza menu topping on a gluten-free base. ‘Everyone should have the opportunity to dig in to their food without hesitation,’ says co-owner Ingrid Langtry. ‘That’s why we wanted to start making gluten-free bases.’

224 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, VictoriaTel 03 9415 7575www.ladro.com.au

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winter 2012

La Madre Bakery Introduces Four New LoavesThe talented crew down at Geelong’s eco-friendly bakery, La Madre, have just launched a new wholewheat sourdough range fondly called the Three Sisters, plus a new potato and rosemary loaf to complement their existing sourdough ensemble. That’s a total of four superb new handmade loaves to sink your teeth into! Crafted by hand at La Madre’s HQ, each ‘sister’ has been made from the same mother culture though each has a unique and delicious mix of ingredients. Sourced from one of Australia’s best flourmills, Wholegrain Milling, the flour is 100 percent stoneground wholewheat baker’s flour certified organic by the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia’s leading organic certifier. Each loaf has a well-rounded earthy flavour, is rich in fibre and contains more vitamins and minerals that you can poke a stick at! Like all the goodies made by La Madre, the Three Sisters range and the new loaf comply with the sustainability ethos bakery owners Anna Spurling and Tez Kemp have instilled in their business. The philosophy is simple – nothing but the bakers’ hands have been used to craft each loaf with the best ingredients available, and no preservatives or additives have been used. La Madre’s bread is simply better for the environment as well as our tums! La Madre’s Three Sisters ranges includes:7 Grain Wholewheat Loaf (780g, $6.95): Who said a split personality was a bad thing? This loaf’s got seven! Made with seven different whole grains and rolled in sesame seeds, this beauty is perfect for breakfast and lunch.Wholewheat Tin (600g, $6.00): There is no doubt this loaf will become the toaster’s best friend. A tin-shaped sourdough made using the finest organic wholewheat flour, it is ideal with light fruit jams like marmalade.Wholewheat Cob (800g, $6.95): Big and beautiful is this large loaf. Perfect for feeding a hungry crowd. The other new addition, the Potato & Rosemary Loaf (600g, $6.95), begs to be partnered with a warm bowl of soup or the pan juices from a hearty roast. Rosie, as the loaf is affectionately known at La Madre, is made from the bakery’s signature sourdough and filled with roasted desiree potatoes, fresh rosemary and nigella seeds.

18 Milton Street, Bell ParkTel 03 5272 1727 www.lamadre.com.au

Land2LoungeOld logs, tree stumps and reclaimed timbers are finding a new home as unique and striking homewares thanks to Land2Lounge, a flourishing new creative export from the Mornington Peninsula. L2L’s distinctly handcrafted pieces, as functional as they are artistic, include chunky box stools, trunk side tables, laminated blackwood side tables, box candle holders and the signature dash mirror (named after her rather ‘dashing’ father) – pieces that display refined simplicity while showcasing beautifully organic textured timber finishes, hand-polished to perfection. Since designer Andrea Donaldson launched the homewares label earlier this year, her passion for revealing the natural beauty of Australian timbers and bringing them into everyday living spaces has brought her great success; the response in sales and promotional has been overwhelming. The L2L label makes divine use of select Australian timber species catalogued and sorted at the Donaldson family timber mill where Andrea’s father has spent a lifetime salvaging old trees and recycling aged timber. Andrea and her father take special pride in bringing the old timbers back to life, crafting them to cleverly reveal natural ‘flame’ colours within the grains. Andrea’s cool creative touch adds style, warmth and functionality to her understated and earthy pieces. ‘I want to create relaxed alternatives to the classic designs, without using plantation timbers and still keeping it all 100 percent Australian-made,’ says Andrea. ‘Living by example is an extension of being a role model for my children. I want the business to be based on sound principles, sustainability and a home-grown passion for the local environment. I’d like them to understand that what we do now greatly impacts on our future.’ Taking on the role of single parent with two young girls, Andrea struggled to find work that suited her children’s schooling and activity timetables. Finding herself exploring a creative path toward a brighter future, and with a desire to connect with family and home, the label Land2Lounge and its designs were born. ‘Suddenly all the pieces came together, all my strengths added up and directed me to starting the business,’ says Andrea, whose natural affinity with interior styling and photography was honed during her career as an international model. (She shoots all her own promotional photography with her digital camera.) ‘My style has slowly evolved, honed by years spent at my retired parent’s hobby timber mill. I’ve always dabbled in creating homewares as a form of relaxation.’ Her attractive original pieces have long filled and enhanced the homes of friends and the show rooms of ski resorts. Andrea’s love and respect for the outdoors separates her designs from the mainstream. Each and every piece is unique. ‘Even the designs on the candleholders are burnt on freehand, making no two pieces alike. It’s always intriguing how the timber colours vary, dependent on the location they come from. Hand-finishing with natural oils and varnishes also truly brings out the individuality of each piece.’ Andrea DonaldsonEmail andy@land2lounge.com.auTel 0409 324 901

Page07

The MGA Collection: Bill HensonWangaratta Art Gallery – 28 July to 26 August, 2012From July 2012, visitors to High Country Victoria will get their chance to explore some of Australia’s finest examples of richness in mood and true depth of darkness in photography when 29 works from Monash Gallery of Art’s Bill Henson collection go on show at the Wangaratta Art Gallery. As one of Australia’s leading contemporary photographers, Henson has claimed critical attention over the past 30 years with photographs that evoke moments of beauty within the brooding drama of cinematic tableaux. MGA has been collecting Henson’s photography for a number of years and now holds one of the largest collections of his work, concentrating on work made between 1977 and 1992. Stephen Zagala, curator of the exhibition, notes that the gallery holds some of the artist’s most iconic works from the 1980s and 1990s. The collection has recently been significantly enhanced by the gift of 10 gelatin silver prints from Henson’s Untitled sequence 1977, a generous donation made by James Mollison AO through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program. MGA has staged the exhibition, a significant survey of Henson’s early career, to celebrate the gift by Mr Mollison, a former director of the National Gallery of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery. ‘It seems an appropriate time to give the public the opportunity to view these great photographs,’ curator Zagala says. Dr Shaune Lakin, director of MGA, adds: ‘This travelling exhibition will give the public a great opportunity to get to know the artist’s work.’ While many of us are familiar with Henson’s images through reproduction, the opportunity to view the actual photographic prints offers a much richer visual experience and a deeper appreciation of his art. Henson prints his work by hand, using chemicals and carefully chosen paper stock. The uneven surfaces of his early black-and-white works are a result of this wet process, and give the photographs a mysterious, almost alchemic quality. These material properties are not evident in reproductions of Henson’s images. The other aspect that is lost in reproduction is the physical difficulty of seeing Henson’s pictures clearly. Darkness appeals to Henson’s romantic sensibility, and he tends to let shadows obscure visual detail so that enigmas lurk at the threshold of perception. Publishers like to override this quality of Henson’s work by adjusting the contrast and brightness of the images for print. But viewers of this exhibition will find themselves drawn into an inscrutable visual space of shadows and deep, reflective blacks. Wangaratta Art Gallery presents The MGA Collection: Bill Henson as part of the Gallery’s Silver Jubilee year exhibitions program and are pleased to be offering Henson’s superb and enigmatic photographic work to the people of the North East of Victoria and visitors to the region.

Entry is free56-60 Ovens Street, Wangaratta, VictoriaTel 03 5722 0865

expressions of interest

Blanc de Noir New Vintage #1Biodynamic wine maker Neil Prentice has added a new sparkling to his popular Holly’s Garden label. The new wine, named ‘Blanc de Noir New Vintage #1’, is a multi-vintage blend that includes wines from the 2008 to 2011 vintages. The fruit used is 100 percent pinot noir from the deep volcanic, mineral rich basalt soils of the Holly’s Garden vineyards in Victoria’s Whitlands, 750 metres above sea level. Whitlands, on the western edge of the King Valley in High Country Victoria, is one of Australia’s highest and coolest vineyards and is also well suited to producing high quality sparkling wines and prosecco. Prentice’s new sparkler is perfect as an aperitif: the soft cherry tones and underripe strawberry fruit aromas come through with a little ruby grapefruit acidity. We love it alongside a little treat such as caviar, oysters or sashimi – or simply quaff a glass on its own in a moment of peace and quiet.

Find it in restaurants (Dandelion in Elwood, Libertine in North Melbourne, MoVida in the Melbourne CBD, Ilona Staller in Balaclava and Richmond’s Union Dining), buy it at Barrique in Healesville, Cloud Wine in South Melbourne, Blackhearts and Sparrows in Fitzroy North and Randall’s in Newtown, or order it online at www.hollysgarden.com.au

Page08

TOP LEFTBill Henson Untitled 1985–86 (section)1 Print From A Series Of 154Chromogenic Print 106.0 x 86.0cmMonash Gallery Of Art, City Of Monash Collection

LEFTBill Henson Untitled 1985–861 Print From A Series Of 154Chromogenic Print 106.0 x 86.0cmMonash Gallery Of Art, City Of Monash Collection

winter 2012

Essentials (express) for iPad a World LeaderEssentials (express) launches new iPad magazine, celebrates worldwide aclaim and high ranking iMonitor score.

In May this year, Essentials launched its debut iPad magazine internationally. Essentials (express) magazine was developed to take advantage of the new iPad Retina display with what director/editor Jamie Durrant calls ‘super high resolution’ food and art photography. Essentials, a much-loved culture and arts magazine, has been read by up to 2.4 million food-savvy and art-loving tourists over the past six years. Durrant says Essentials – previously distributed as a 70-page hardcover glossy to food and wine touring regions including Canberra, High Country Victoria, Melbourne and the Yarra Valley – will remain in print as a new format free issue. However the new international iPad edition is much larger, with  200 pages of articles, galleries, recipes and multimedia included in the launch issue. Made available to 1.13 million Australians and 35 million iPad owners worldwide on the App Store, Essentials (express) is one of the first independently published Australian magazines to take advantage of the new iPad’s technologies. The Essentials (express) magazine for iPad autumn launch edition features strong arts based content, with several high definition digital art slide galleries built into articles, including stunning previews of exhibitions such as Fred Williams – Infinite Horizons (National Gallery of Victoria) and Grace Kelly – Style Icon (Bendigo Art Gallery) and a presentation on Benalla Art Gallery’s impressive Ledger Collection. Also featured is an ‘in-cover’ music single release by Melbourne rock musician Davey Lane. Essentials (express) iPad mid-winter edition will be released on July 30. It includes a 50-page high definition digital slide presentation of the exhibition Picasso To Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters, from the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the Museum of Modern Art, New York, international luxury hotel reviews, a tour of Edward James’s surrealist sculpture garden, Las Pozas, in Mexico, recipes matched to Boynton’s Feathertop Wines by Japanese master chef Kin San, and exclusive new music from Australia and Europe. iMonitor, a global app-ranking program run by McPheters, assesses more than 5000 magazine and newspaper apps around the world and is seen as one of the leading ranking programs in the sector. It judges apps on navigation, stability and rich interactivity. Essentials (express) magazine was featured by McPheters as the highest-scoring  new international magazine app (May, 2012); we’re amazed and gratified! Essentials (express) scored 13, which puts it in the 96th percentile for apps – a rank that includes major publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Australian Gourmet Traveller and American Express Food & Wine Magazine.

iMonitor review – New & Noteworthy Apps, International: ‘Essentials (express) magazine (Free App;$2.99/Issue;$10.99/Yr) (5.0, 4.5, 3.5, 13.0, 2.5) We love the way the pages load and the way diverse elements slide or pop into place in this app from Australia’s Essentials Magazine Pty Ltd and Oomph — and the photo galleries are exceptional. At first glance, we thought that they launched with an out-of-date issue (a surprisingly frequent occurrence) — but of course it’s now Autumn 2012 in the southern hemisphere!’

Essentials (express) magazine is now available on the App Store. Free app, $2.99 per single issue.

Page09

Springhill Farm Gluten-free Bakery Range and New Baking Mixes

Ballarat-based Springhill Farm has been busy this winter. The family-run pioneers of gluten-free baking launched two new baking mixes and, for the first time, is offering a gluten-free bakery range to Coles. The two new baking mixes – The Real Bread Mix Seeds and The Real Bread Mix Fruit are both gluten-free and provide tasty options for the gluten intolerant. The unique blend of ingredients in each mix creates delicious loaves of bread with unbeatable texture and as-good-as-the-real-thing taste. Now, instead of avoiding the baked goods section for fear of not finding anything gluten-free or being restricted to the gluten-free isle of the shops, coeliacs can now run to the bakery for a wide variety of yummy gluten-free options. The new Springhill Farm gluten-free bakery range features brownie, rocky road and Florentine varieties each conveniently packed with five pieces to a tray. The pieces are tasty snacks for kid’s lunch boxes or for a mid-day office pick-me-up.

http://springhillfarm.com.au

BILL HENSON

Early work from the MGA Collection

A Monash Gallery of Art Travelling Exhibiton

Wangaratta Art Gallery28 July - 26 August 2012

56 Ovens Street Wangaratta 3677 T: 03 5722 0865 E: gallery@wangaratta.vic.gov.au www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au Hours 12-5 Mon-Tues 10-5 Wed-Fri 1-4 Sat-Sun A Cultural Service of the Rural City of Wangaratta Image: Bill HENSON Untitled 1985–86 (detail), 1 print from a series of 154, chromogenic print, 106.0 x 86.0 cm, Monash Gallery of Art, City of Monash Collection

The development of this exhibition was assisted through NETS Victoria’s Exhibition Development Fund (EDF), supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund.

Drinking a Galaxy of IPAHave you ever thought there isn’t enough beer showcasing Victoria-grown hops? If you answered yes, then you’ll agree with Bridge Road Brewers’ decision to launch a range of single hop India Pale Ales this year: Galaxy, Stella and Summer.  The new IPAs are highly refreshing brews, but they also make great educational tools (yes, you read that correctly), and will no doubt become favourites of hopheads – Australia’s crazed and serious craft brew drinkers. To ensure an even playing field, each beer has been crafted with identical pale malt profiles and yeast strains. Each hop variety, grown and developed in High Country Victoria, just up the road from Bridge Road Brewers, is added  to the beer in the same very generous proportions at the exact same stage of production. This allows each IPA’s flavour profile to accurately reflect the unique characteristics specific to the type of hop used. The end result is well worth some serious study. The Galaxy (pictured) has wonderfully fresh notes of citrus and freshly cut grass, leading to a more tropical mango and stone fruit richness. We loved its lighter, easy-drinking body and ultra-refreshing dry yet punchy, hop-heavy edge. Something of a welcome shock to the system, the Galaxy IPA couldn’t be further away from a commercially brewed beer, and we simply love Bridge Road for that. Galaxy, known as Australia’s best hop for aroma, has generated a great worldwide demand, with Galaxy single hop IPAs now also popping up in Europe and the US. Bridge Road Brewers created a world first with this IPA in 2009, and it has built a reputation for itself with this highly sought-after seasonal beer.

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

expressions of interest

CLOCKWISE FROM TOPBridge Road Brewes’ Old Coach House, Ben Kraus with Galaxy hops, the new Galaxy IPA beer.

Page10

The home fires are ablazing at The Green Shed Bistro this winter. A company of 10

is dining in the main hall with a few couples sharing entrées. We’re here to sample the latest chef-de-ouevre from dynamic husband-and-wife team Nathan and Megan. I’m practically salivating as I read the new menu (a train ride into the north and a skipped lunch notwithstanding). The ever-attentive waiter Jed notices my starving wolf eyes and promptly seats us by the open fire, the simply gorgeous dishes appearing quickly thereafter.

The wine

The wine list at The Green Shed is quite comprehensive. When in doubt, go for the best! Farrside by Farr, 2009, is a pinot that comes highly recommended – Gary Farr is perhaps the best maker of pinot down under. Grown on north-facing black volcanic soil in the Geelong region, it sure lives up to the name of noir. There is something darkly rich and masculine about the savoury notes, while the violet overtones and Asian spice make it a great pairing with the eastern-influenced cuisine at The Green Shed, particularly the entrées.

The wine pairing for the heartier mains was The Sixties Block 2010 from Campbells Winery, Rutherglen. A six-blend wine of some varietals I’ve never tried alone, let alone together (shiraz, tempranillo, graciano, tinta cao, souzao and carignan), it is nebbiolo-esque and fragrant with mulberry and plum. It gets its name from the swinging decade when the vines were planted.

Tempura nori noodle roll with silken tofu, fresh wakame salad and sweet black bean soy dressing

It just so happens that my husband is an art installation maestro at a Melbourne gallery. Viewing this dish I wish some of the contemporary art sculptures he displays looked half as good. There is something playfully sculptural about the three upright nori towers, which alternate with sesame-coated cubes of tofu. The bright green wakame (seaweed) salad looks spectacular alongside the black and white sesame cubes. Thankfully, this vegan dish delivers on taste too. The black bean sauce has a lovely soft granular texture due to the thick fresh black beans and is clean on the palate, not oily, or clingingly salty. The tempura is light and crunchy. It all tastes super fresh and opens up the appetite – the floodgates as I call it. A perfect start.

Baked chilli crumbed king prawns with a coconut prawn mousse and a daikon, cucumber and lime dressing

That’s prawns, plural. The dish comes with two prawns, perfect to share as they are HUGE and have a delicious plucked straight-out-of-the-sea freshness. The coconut mousse packs a spicy punch, which is then cooled off with the finely cubed salad of daikon, tomato and cucumber. The dish is a welcome respite from stodgy winter food. With a nod to Asian flavours it is all about nature’s best – the honesty of fresh seafood and the earthy tones of the daikon salad. Chef Nathan understands the importance of textures and how they can be combined on a plate to enhance taste and the sensuousness of eating. He’s a bit of a magician when it comes to getting all the elements right, as the next dish demonstrates.

Crispy fried calamari with hummus, spiced roast eggplant, parsley jelly and balsamic olive oil dressing

Reading the description I did wonder how this would look on a plate. I was prepared to be surprised and delighted, a bit like the UK celebrities at the table for Heston’s Feasts. It was, perhaps, the savoury-sounding jelly that piqued my interest. Rest assured it is nothing like the

WORDS VARIA KARIPOFFPHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT AND NATHAN AKLAND

THE GREEN SHED B E E C H W O R T H

w i n t e r d i n i n g a t

vision of my grandma’s aspic that flittered across my mind. When it arrives, the jelly is small and neat, a translucent green with a dainty parsley leaf in it. It looks friendly. The calamari is perched atop an artful dollop of hummus and the eggplant is in neat cubes. It is such a wonderful, explorative direction to go. Calamari has for the past decade been incarnated as salt and pepper squid by many cafés. The Green Shed has taken this favourite and given it colour and style; it is at once familiar and entirely new.

The hummus has a pleasantly grainy texture and is perfectly seasoned, tying in nicely with the finely crumbed, crisp calamari. The parsley jelly has a brief, cooling feel and cuts through the oil of the calamari. Soft, buttery eggplant melts into the hummus. It shouldn’t work, technically, but the chef’s skill brings it off as a simple, tasty dish.

Roast parsnip and silver beet tart with goat’s cheese mousse, candied chickpea crumb and buttered carrot sauce

This is as rich and hearty as vegetarian food comes. I have a couple of vego friends who would launch themselves upon this soon-to-be classic winter warmer like a hungry Spanish kid wolfing down chorizo sausage. Actually, the Spanish kid would love this too. It has

crunch – from the golden pastry crust and the candied chickpeas – as well as creaminess from the carrot sauce that the tart rests on, while whipped goat’s cheese crowns the top. The inside is soft and pleasing with the silverbeet and that most wholesome of root vegetables, parsnip, combined in a bechamel. The zing comes from caraway seeds and the mild goat’s cheese, which has a secondary bite. The size of this dish is generous. Even for the fussiest of vegetarians it would be the best way to go on a cold winter’s night. 

Brined chicken breast with red lentil chicken mousse, curried crushed peas, potato bhaji and chicken glaze

East and West come together harmoniously with this crowd-pleasing dish. Nathan explains that the chicken breast is butterflied and cooked slowly and tenderly in a brine of water, sugar, lemon zest and spice for 6-8 hours. This quintessentially French way of cooking imbues the chicken with moisture and a sublime saltiness. It is then filled with lentil and chicken mince and sous-vided for 45 mins at 80 degrees. Finally, it is pan fried to order, arriving with a golden, crunchy skin on a bed of lightly curried peas. The potato bhaji is an Indian-style

hash brown – it is moreish with a satisfying crunch and fluffy potato inside. This really is an exploration of culinary history with a modern difference. 

My train journey is far behind me as I relax in my chair, having been expertly fed and watered by Beechworth’s best. Fine dining at The Green Shed is a taste trip through the crossroads of East and West. Cross-cultural influence, Nathan explains, has occurred since the very beginning. He points to the English spice trade in India as an inspiration for the curry spices in the typically British bed of crushed peas. I think of the Siberian dumplings pelmeni that I grew up on and which came via China through Mongolia. It’s comforting to be along for the ride with experienced and innovative chefs at the helm.

Open for lunch and dinner Wed–Sun37 Camp Street, Beechworth, VictoriaTel 03 5728 2360www.thegreenshed.com.au

Page12.5

’WITH A NOD TO ASIAN

FLAVOURS IT IS ALL ABOUT

NATURE’S BEST

Full name Angela Grace Day

Current job position Owner and beauty therapist at Niche Skin Care Studio, Wangaratta. (opened for business 12 months ago).

What is your favourite winter pastime?Lounging around an open fire with Champagne, a generous plate of hors d’oeuvres and some loud classical music.

If you’ve had a bad dose of winter cabin fever, where would you rather be staying? I would love to escape back to Il Saraceno Grand Hotel, an ancient Arab fortress on the Amalfi coast, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and Capri. Magnificent!

How would you describe your personality?Friendly! I have been guilty of talking too much, all my life. Your family, the Ciavarellas, are famous for their boutique Italian wines. Do you have a favorite winter drop, and what, typically, is on the dinner table (food and wine) come Australia’s summer Christmas? The new release Ciavarella Oxley Estate shiraz is pretty fantastic as a winter drop, but the fortified durif and white port are a delicious way to warm up at the end of an evening. I love cooking and at Christmas I can’t go past making lots of hors d’oeuvres, particularly to please the seafood lovers in the family, followed by traditional turkey roast. Then my French sister-in-law provides the pièce de résistance, a Bûche de Noël (literally, a Christmas log – a decadent French chocolate cake). As for the wines, we begin with Champagne and move on to something special from the cellar to savour while we eat.

How long have you studied beauty therapy and what are your qualifications? I became a diploma-qualified beauty therapist in 1988 and in 2011, I gained LASER / IPL certification. I have learned continuously since the day I entered the industry. There are always short courses and seminars available that keep me enthusiastic and up-to-date.

There are a lot of skin-care studios throughout Victoria, though we’ve heard you’re at the top of the list. What makes Niche stand out from the crowd? You might have to ask my customers! Comments they make to me are along the lines of professionalism and RESULTS!

What are some of the most popular skin-care treatments at Niche?Facials are by far the most popular service we offer. Everything from a 30-minute mini facial or a decadent one-and-a-half-hour facial with a scalp massage, right up to a top-of-the-line Limelight™ Facial for clinical results. Clients refer friends and family because the facials all actively improve skin condition. At Niche we use concentrated products, specialist equipment and a caring touch to deliver results in the most relaxing way possible.

What exactly is skin rejuvenation; who can be helped and why?Oh, I love this question! So many people are unaware just how fantastic it is to rejuvenate their skin. Extrinsic factors cause premature ageing, and can be reversed in many cases. Our IPL treatment can actually cause the skin to regrow its own collagen! (Collagen is a supporting fibre in the skin which depletes from about age 26.) It also removes discolourations in the skin such as pigmentation, redness and scarring.

The end result is an even coloured, smoothed, plumped up skin, and it’s achieved non-invasively! We use vitamin-based skincare while performing treatments to ensure completely brilliant and enduring results, even reversing DNA damage. I love doing these treatments. Clients are always amazed by the improvements.

We all age, some more gracefully than others. Are there any basic secrets to having more youthful, radiant skin? I don’t see ageing as unfortunate. Our society is ageist in many ways and I spread the message to all my clients to achieve the healthiest and most beautiful skin they can while respecting the stage of life they’re at. A mix of self-confidence and great ingredients is the key to ageing gracefully.

What are some of the key skin-care products you offer, and what sets them apart from off-the-shelf supermarket items? The skin is very limited as to what it can absorb and utilise. The quality, balance and formulation of ingredients is everything. Unfortunately, many off-the-shelf cosmetics are full of fillers, thickeners, perfumes and preservatives; they are more all about a feel good/smell good experience, not necessarily real results. At Niche we use and sell products that bring about a serious and very positive change in the skin’s heath and appearance.

Can guys, as well as girls, gain healthier skin, and can you explain in ‘blokes terms’ what a facial really is and how a guy might benefit?Everyone with skin can look after it! Blokes only (I’m under instruction):‘Fa.cial’ [fey-shuhl] Something you should have every four weeks to stay handsome. A bargain when you consider the outcome! Also, can be bought in the form of a gift voucher for anyone you want to personally impress. For this, you will be revered by women and the envy of other men. (That’s gold! Editor.)

Wow! Did somebody say head massage!?Of all the massages I have learned and taught, Indian Scalp Massage is my favourite. There is something about a scalp massage that can transport you to an ethereal level… who doesn’t want that?

What has been one of your best customer achievements thus far? Have you inspired or helped to boost anyone’s self-confidence?The moment of realisation for a client that their appearance fits with how they feel is often a very emotional one. Some people live for years with conditions that diminish their self-esteem, and it’s wonderful to help people achieve the result they need. This is the essence of beauty therapy.

To botox or not to botox?I want to know who it was that said wrinkles are bad… and… why have so many been sucked in by the message? A ‘frozen’ face might look okay in a static pose, but honestly, am I the only one who wants to shout ‘ridiculous’ as soon as they begin to speak or attempt to eat or smile? Care for your skin without denying your age. I happen to love lined faces that show a lifetime of living. It seems to be the transition to this point that some people have trouble accepting. I think it’s a case of ego versus self-esteem.

Sun bake or spray tan? Unnecessary.

Character lines or plastic fantastic? Character!

Favourite Rolling Stones song? (I can’t get no) satisfaction.

Champagne or chardonnay? Champagne.

Silver or gold? Diamonds!

Kids or goats? Laugh my arse off... kids!

49B Reid StreetWangarattaTel 03 5721 8706www.nicheskincarestudio.com.au

Essentials recently sat down for a hot chocolate with beauty therapist Angela Day and asked her to reflect on regional life, skin health and how to boost self-confidence while admiring the skin you’re in.

Fifteen minutes with Angela Dayof Niche Skin Care Studio

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Even in bad weather, Sydney shines: the harbour reflects a million tiny hopes and bubbles with promise. Rome has the

Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain but Sydney has the world’s most alluring harbour and I often want to toss a coin into it for luck. On any given day you can hear the murmur of foreign tongues, the squeal of gulls, or the astonishingly loud hoot of a ferry. I’m watching the morning traffic crawl across the Harbour Bridge. A vapour of grey is suspended over the city as ferries leave the Circular Quay terminal. From my sleek armchair I accept the offer of a second cup of coffee from an attentive waiter here in the Club Lounge of the InterContinental. Two refined types discuss LA and a film release. One of them looks suspiciously like Luhrmann but isn’t. I think. The InterContinental, as I discovered the previous evening, is just a minute’s walk to the water and a short stroll from there to the Opera House. I’ve never been quite in the thick of it like this before and I am starting to fall in love with this city. The hotel has been instrumental as a matchmaker by bringing the city to me. The hotel is housed within the façade of the 1851 Treasury Building; it feels grounded within the history here, particularly since the oldest part of Sydney, the Rocks, is just a stone’s throw away.

The 30-odd storeys soar, taking in commanding views of the Botanical Gardens, and of course the harbour. After being checked in I was advised that I had made it in time for complimentary drinks and canapes in the Club Lounge, a little extra luxury the hotel bestows on club members. With the last sliver of light, I see the Conservatorium of Music from my room’s huge window. A window seat with mauve cushions offers the best vantage point. The décor lends the room a warm, intimate feel. Most importantly, every inch of the king-sized bed is perfect, and the bathroom, tiled black and white, is classically glamorous. The hotel has 450 rooms but each offers a private retreat, thoughtful touches and genuine hospitality. There are fluffy white robes, bath crystals and a personalised greeting – the TV displays a welcome message for me. In the rooftop Club Lounge, the designers have allowed the 180-degree views to dominate. Think of this space as an exclusive airport lounge and you’re on the money; it is elegant and understated. Help yourself to dumplings or satay skewers from under the cloches at the bar and enjoy a drink or two. There is free wifi here – and several computers too in case you’ve left your iPad in your room.

The mood lighting allows the twinkling city lights to work magic from the outside and there is a wrap-around balcony to get you even closer to the clouds. Dinner is downstairs at the Opera Café where the French-inspired buffet menu will spoil you for choice. For entrée there is everything from sushi to pasta to salad and cold cuts. A wagyu roast is carved on the spot by an obliging chef; it is deliciously tender. With a side of baby vegetables and a few glasses of vino, I manage to leave room for dessert. The dessert case is a treasure chest. I settle on apple and rhubarb pie, cream and a coulis of berries. I update my facebook status simply: Status – satisfied! Above all, the InterContinental is remarkable for its staff. Professional and switched-on, it was the graciousness of everybody I encountered that puts this hotel on a world-class level. It made me realise how easy it is to overlook something that is the very soul of a city – its people.

117 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSWTel 02 9253 9000www.ichotelsgroup.com

InterContinental, Sydneyluxe stays

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WORDS VARIA KARIPOFF

’Along with figs, quinces and pomegranates, rhubarb is one of Jan’s favourite ingredients: ‘There’s nothing quite like it in terms of flavour, and the deep red variety we grow is so visually appealing.’ Her rhubarb poached in honey, orange juice, zest and vanilla, is slightly caramelised, while retaining a pleasing tartness that offsets the sweet frangipane tart. She suggests pairing the tart with Gundowring ginger ice-cream.

Honey Poached Rhubarb and Frangipane Tart,recipe page 20

World travellers, food and garden fanatics, one-time self-sufficiency adherents, and happily lapsed vegetarians – there’s a lot to Jan and Rod Waddington of Waddington’s at Kergunyah. Here Jan reinterprets some favourite menu items found at their ‘restaurant in a paddock’, to put together an easygoing winter feast.

Waddington’s Winter FeastRECIPES JAN WADDINGTON PHOTOGRAPHY AND FOOD STYLING JAMIE DURRANT

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’ Thyme and garlic roasted mushrooms can be served as a side-dish, or atop a fillet of beef. Portobello mushrooms make a suitable ‘stand-in’ when Jan and Rod run out of their own field mushrooms.

Thyme and Garlic Roasted Mushrooms,recipe page 20

Roasted Stuffed ApplesJan fills her baked apples with a delicious stuffing of coarse breadcrumbs, whole flame raisins, chopped Mount Buffalo hazelnuts, golden shallots, garlic, fresh parsley and fennel tops – a classic sweet-savoury accompaniment to the pork.

Serves 6

6 whole Granny Smith or golden delicious apples cored1 cup coarse sourdough breadcrumbs1 tablespoon Australian extra virgin olive oil½ cup Mt Buffalo hazelnuts, toasted and chopped½ cup flame raisins2 tbsp chopped fennel fronds and Italian (flat-leafed) parsley2 chopped golden shallotsSalt and pepper

Method

Heat oven to 180C

1. Mix all ingredients together and stuff into the cored apples.

2. Place into a baking dish and cook until the apples start to crack (around 15 to 20 minutes).Note: The apples should still be firm with the filling starting to ooze out.

To serve

Serve with Cuban slow roasted pork and an Australian apple cider.

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’Slow-roasted ‘pull-apart’ pork recalls Jan and Rod’s culinary experiences in Cuba and Argentina. Jan prefers pork from the old-fashioned breeds such as Berkshire, which were ‘bred for flavour’. She suggests a side salad of shredded fennel, orange segments and red onion, which provides a fresh contrast to the pork’s tender richness.

Cuban Slow Roasted Pork,recipe page 20

Honey Poached Rhubarb and Frangipane Tart Sweet Short Crust Pastry (base)

80g icing sugar125g plain flour75g unsalted butter2 free range egg yolksSeeds from 1 vanilla bean

1. Sift icing sugar and flour2. Add butter and process in food processor until it resembles fine bread crumbs.3. Add vanilla and egg yolks and pulse until the dough just comes together.4. Enclose in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.

Frangipane Filling

100g butter150g unsalted butter150g caster sugar4 free range eggs60g plain flour185g almond meal

1. In an electric mixer beat butter and sugar for two minutess then add eggs one at a time, beating until well combined.2. Add sifted flour and almond meal.3. Beat for one minute.4. Transfer to bowl and refrigerate for at least three hours before using. Note: Can be frozen.

Honey Poached Rhubarb

750g freshly picked rhubarb, cut into 30mm batons½ cup honeyZest and juice from 1 organic orange1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Melt honey on low heat, add rhubarb and toss honey until coated.2. Cook for five minutes then add orange juice, zest and vanilla.3. Next slowly poach for 30 minutes or until juices are absorbed and the rhubarb is soft but not falling apart.

Method

Heat oven to 180C

1. Roll out pastry and line a 24cm tart flan with a removable base.2. Prick bottom of pastry with a fork.3. Spread frangipane over bottom of tart.4. Bake for 15 mins or until golden and pastry is crisp.5. Arrange cooled poached rhubarb on top.

To serve

Serve with Gundowring vanilla bean or ginger ice-cream. Garnish with fruit crisps.

Carrot Deluxe 1kg heritage variety baby carrots (orange, purple, yellow and white)Herb and garlic oil2 large carrots (orange) for puree1 quantity of horseradish cream 1 cup of beetroot crumbs (recipe below)Violet flowers for garnish

Method

Heat oven to 180°C

1. Remove tops from carrots, leaving a small amount of the green stem on. 2. Wash carefully and lightly peel the carrots. 3. Dry and then paint carrots with olive oil that has garlic cloves and fresh herbs ‘blitzed’ in it. 4. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Cover with foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until just cooked through. Be careful not to overcook.

Horseradish Cream

1. To make the horseradish cream, finely grate a peeled horseradish root into 200 grams of sour cream. 2. Add salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. 3. Mix well and refrigerate until required.

Carrot Purée

1. Peel and chop the two large carrots. 2. Just cover the carrots with either vegetable or chicken stock. Note: you can add a slice of fresh ginger while cooking.3. Cook until very tender, remove ginger, drain and process until very smooth with 1 tablespoon of cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon and salt and pepper.

Beetroot Crumbs

1 cup coarse sourdough breadcrumbs3 cloves garlic, finely chopped2 tsp savory or thyme leavesSalt and pepperJuice of 1 medium beetroot1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1. Mix breadcrumbs, cloves, garlic, thyme leaves, salt and pepper together with enough of the beetroot juice to soak through the bread crumbs.2. Spread the mix on an oven tray and cook on the lowest oven setting possible; or leave overnight with the pilot light on until crisp but not burnt.3. When dry add the pomegranate molasses and mix through.

To serve

Place some hot carrot purée on the plate. Add some assorted coloured carrots, quenelles of horseradish cream and the rest of the carrots. Sprinkle with beetroot crumbs and arrange fresh-picked violets on top.

Thyme and Garlic Roasted Mushrooms Serves 6

6 large flat field mushrooms or portobellos6 cloves garlic, finely sliced90g finely diced butter1 tsp fresh thyme leaves½ cup white wineSalt flakes Freshly ground pepper

Method

Heat oven to 180C

1. Wipe mushrooms to remove any dirt.2. Arrange garlic, butter and thyme over mushrooms.3. Season and splash wine over.4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

To serve

Serve with roast pork, or as individual appertisers with a glass of Australian pinot grigio or a light-bodied red wine.

Cuban Slow Roasted PorkServes 6

2kg free range Berkshire pork shoulder2 tsp cumin seeds1 tsp black peppercorns4 cloves garlic3 tsp salt1 tsp dried oregano½ cup orange juice½ cup sherry2 tbsp olive oil

Method

Heat oven to 200C

1. Heat a small pan and toast cumin seeds and peppercorns until they begin to brown.2. Using a small mortar and pestle, crush the spices with garlic, salt and oregano to form a paste.3. Add juice, sherry and olive oil to the paste and mix well to combine as a marinade.4. Rub the pork all over with the marinade and then cover and leave overnight.5. Place pork in a baking dish, uncovered, in the 200C preheated oven. Cook until rind is brown, then reduce oven to 150C, cover the pork with foil and continue to cook slowly for at least 4 hours or until pork can be pulled apart.

To serve

Serve whole, ready to carve topped with fennel sprigs and a handful of fresh cumin seeds.

jan waddington

waddington’s restaurant interior

’Heirloom carrots with carrot purée and horseradish cream are served on the leaf of a canna lily, garnished with candied beetroot crumbs, marigold petals and violets. The Waddingtons cultivate many edible flowers in their extensive garden, including begonias, white pea flowers and their tendrils, nasturtiums, and fennel seed heads and their yellow pollen.

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Carrot Deluxe,recipe opposite

BAKINI CUCINA REGIONALEWORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT

It’s an exciting addition to Melbourne, an authentic Italian gem: Bakini restaurant on

St Kilda Road is our 2012 pick as the best new Italian restaurant south of the Yarra. With pride and confidence its chefs, operating from an open-plan kitchen that forms the heart of the restaurant, is in full operatic artful swing. Quickly and carefully they pump out classically designed ‘cucina regionale’ dishes as highlights of their new winter menu. Given the packed house upon arrival this Wednesday evening, the public love every inch of the lavish attention to detail this restaurant is able to provide. Bakini is one cool Italian, presenting a top quality food and wine experience coupled with excellent service. With loads of visual flair, it is both sexy and streamlined – clean , sharp and stylishly detailed. The mood is warmed by soft lighting from modern chandeliers, stunning all-

glass wine display cabinets and an impressively large white marble kitchen island, where performance food action is on show for all to see. Bakini, beautifully managed by the very welcoming and energetic Maurizio Barrottie, excels. A man with a deep knowledge of fine Italian and Australian wines, Maurizio talks with passion of his love of Sardinian Vermentino and fine riserva Chianti. A sharp and extremely attentive maitre d’, his impeccable floor performance is hard to ignore. Head chef Simone Righetto, born and bred in Verona, is one serious food lover and an artist, who paints his plates with a magician’s flair for detail. Having spent time in the two-Michelin starred Gambero Rosso restaurant in San Vincenzo, Tuscany, Simone brings both professionalism and precision to Bakini’s

dishes. From your dining seat, watch him plate up: he’s sharp, fast and very expressive with his hands, simultaneously directing his team, as though conducting a well-rehearsed symphony orchestra.  ‘I want to transmit the natural flavours of pure produce to the plate. By limiting the number of ingredients in a dish to three, customers can experience the true depth of Italian flavours – which is, I believe, what today’s diners want,’ says Simone.  ‘They seek a journey back to the authenticity of regional cuisine because this, after all, is what Italy is famous for.’

Continued over page

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’SIMONE’S EPIC RAVIOLI DI

BACCALA IS A HAND-PAINTED

MASTERPIECE IN BLACK SQUID INK

& RICH YELLOW BUTTER.

This season, diners can expect slow cooked and delicate dishes inspired by such places as Lombardia, Venezia and Piemonte.  The piadina di quaglia (roasted quail with squacquerone cheese and pan-roasted vegetable caponata) is perfectly cooked, tender and sweetly juicy. The colourful and fragrant caponata is a wonderful match for the cows’ milk squacquerone – a cheese similar in appearance to a fresh mozzarella but richer and more silky in texture. This dish is a great winter starter as it is extremely hearty in flavour yet very light in body, and beautifully simplistic also in its rustic and authentically regional feel. Simone’s epic ravioli di baccala (ravioli with cod purée and sage butter) is a hand-painted masterpiece in black squid ink and rich yellow butter. Generous and flavoursome, this pasta delight, crafted in-house, showcases the fine texture of the soft and slightly flaky cod flesh. It is a punchy and divine dish. Bakini prides itself on a well-crafted wine list, boasting both premium drops and affordable high quality Italian imports listed by the glass. The 2010 Bollini Pinot Grigio (Trentino, Italy $10 a glass) matches well with the quail. Its rich floral and stone fruit nose adds an ideal lift to the pleasantly firm acidic and full bodied palate. Additional savoury characters and some minerality also detail the body, focusing the rounder ripe apricots and mixed stone-fruit flavours. Also noteworthy by the glass is the beautifully fragrant 2011 Medhurst Wines Rose (Yarra Valley, $9) and the punchy 2009 Poderi Colla Nebbiolo d’Alba (Piemonte, $13.50), a top import. If you’re looking for a more detailed and fuller-bodied aged wine, the Bonacchi 2006 Chianti Riserva (by the bottle only) certainly hits the spot. The rich and highly complex nose of cherry, tobacco, nutmeg, mixed spice and mint does take some coaxing, but with a little time in the glass and a few aggressive swirls, the dusky tannins and generous mid-palate length will no doubt win you over. In the coming spring, Bakini’s menu will take a pleasant trip to the undulating hills of Tuscany, and for summer, Simone will channel the robust dishes and delicious Mediterranean-

inspired flavours of Sardinia and Sicily. Keeping seafood simple and well presented is a specialty: Simone’s winter menu grigliata di mare (seafood grill) is an extravagantly and textured taste sensation. Fat scallops, king prawns, seared Atlantic salmon and creamy-textured sweet scampi are softly dressed with a simple and fresh herb crust. Nothing too complex – just add a squeeze of lemon and a sip of vino and you’re in seaside heaven. It’s often a very good sign should a restaurant get its desserts ‘just so’, and the dolci on offer at Bakini were excellent. The cioccolata ghiacciata (frozen milk chocolate with blood orange sorbet), is almost semifreddo, yet slightly softer, mousse-like in texture. Dusted in cocoa and topped with a quenelle of house-made orange sorbet, this dessert had balance, texture and richness with a palate-cleansing lift from the sorbet. The ultimate Jaffa dolci for big kids, this dish ended the night on a pin-sharp positive note – as did the cafe corretto, a rocket-fuelled deluxe coffee that struck a memorable chord. The bar is open from 11.30am to 11pm Tuesday to Thursday and 11.30am to midnight Friday and Saturday. The restaurant opens from noon, Tuesday to Saturday.

568 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VictoriaTel 03 9988 2593www.bakinirestaurant.com.au

From previous page

’ PICTURED CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT:Ravioli di baccala (ravioli with cod purée andsage butter), griglaita di mare (seafood grill),

cioccolata ghiacciata (frozen milk chocolate withblood orange sorbet), head chef Simone Righetto

John Peter Russell was an adventurer; a generously spirited, warm and charismatic raconteur. Little wonder that Robert Louis Stevenson, inspired and intoxicated by Russell’s colourful tales of teenage years spent voyaging to faraway exotic islands full of overly welcoming native girls and an abundant,

never-ending supply of tropical fruits and fish, where any dive in the ocean could bring up a bucket of pearls, headed off for the South Seas. For the ailing, mentally exhausted writer, a new home and lease on life was offered. But it was Russell who found the true treasure island – Belle Île, off the west coast of France. Satisfying his search for fulfilment, he discovered an overflowing chest of brilliant pigments: love, family, and creative companionship in the continual flow of visiting artists. His great friend Van Gogh had struggled hard to achieve his dream of an art colony in Arles, failing miserably at his first and only attempt through irreconcilably violent conflict with Gauguin in the Yellow House. On the other hand, such a colony grew organically on Belle Île as a reflection of the Australian’s sympathetic and empathetic approach to all with whom he came in contact. Gauguin was the only exception. His disgraceful, syphilis-spreading attitude towards women was never to be countenanced. More Fauve than Impressionist, Fishing Boats, Goulphar, 1900, a view of Belle Île from the sea, shows Russell at his creative peak. Searching for honesty and humanity, he lays open his entire life for all to see: it’s a painted autobiography. Viewed from the sea, the fishing boats’ red sails have the strongest impact with their overpowering, brilliant, raw scarlet reflections. It was during his teenage voyages that Russell made his first tentative attempts at drawing and painting, mentally committing to art as his future. The sunsets and sunrises, doubled in power by their uninterrupted reflections, reminiscent of an Australian bushfire, must have made an indelible imprint on the emerging artist. With his never-dying love for boats, boat-building, and the sea, Fishing Boats, Goulphar, shows how deep into his soul he reaches to paint. Finding the perfect colours to express how he felt about nature was a dominating obsession with Russell, as repeated many times in the letters he wrote to his old travelling mate, Tom Roberts, back in Australia. Russell had painted side by side with Monet on Belle Île, mastering the Impressionist technique so expertly that Monet was compelled in a letter to a companion to say: ‘That friendly Australian chap’s paintings are better than mine’. But Impressionism wasn’t enough. Likewise, the scientific approach of Seurat and Pissaro, with its colour spectrum theories of dots and dashes, left him cold. He needed something more direct, more brilliant to tell his story. The only way out was to grind his own pigments in an inner search for true colour and a new approach. How perfectly he tells it in paint, on the cliffs at Belle Île: echoing that gold and green pure light dancing and flickering through the rich wet tropical leaves, the bright red and orange tropical flowers that he’d discovered when sailing through the Coral Sea to the Orient – such a harmonious backdrop to the sunset sails. Then unexpectedly, right through the centre of the cliffs he places a deep, dark gorge leading down to the water, menacing with its sense of evil and foreboding. The heavy blues and greens express tension against the contrasting landscape and sea. It’s a warning: ‘Attempt to leave your island home and friends, head back to sea... you may be heading to your death.’ All that Russell desired was anchored at the top of that cliff: his home, his wife Marianne, nine children and his extended family of creative friends. He’d been denied family as a boy, when his dominating father sent him from Sydney to boarding school at Goulburn, 200 kilometres from home; then later, as a teenager, sent to sea on a shipboard apprenticeship. He knew loneliness but had the personality to overcome it, making friends wherever he went, no more so than in the art world where many leading British, French, American and Australian artists spent time at Belle Île. Some came to learn how to paint under his guidance, like Matisse, and others sought comfort, like Rodin during his most depressing period, when the establishment had shunned his sculpture of Balzac. Russell praised it and immediately commissioned a bust of Marianne. Fishing Boats, Goulphar, marks a turning point in the history of art, and cements Russell as a creative and leading innovator. As he said to Matisse: ‘A new way of painting will evolve on the shoulders of Impressionism.’ Russell found it using broad areas of colour in a poetic expression of mood. And it was only five years later, in 1905, that Matisse headed the exhibition that first gave the Fauves their name – the so-called ‘Wild beasts’, for their use of broad raw colour areas to achieve the same end as Russell. Unfortunately for John Peter Russell, his insistence on not competing with his fellow artists through exhibitions led to his great achievements being partly undiscovered and sadly undervalued. He should be placed at the top of the art tree with his great friends Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse and Rodin.

JOHN PETER RUSSELL’S TREASURE ISLANDWORDS IVAN DURRANT

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John Peter Russell Fishing boats, Goulphar, 1900

Oil on canvasOn loan to the Art Gallery of Ballarat from Jeff, Ann, Jen and Joel Brown

WORDS / JAMIE DURRANTPHOTOGRAPHY / THOMAS LOOF & NIKOLAS KOENIG

life less ordinary, isn’t that what we’re chasing? The standout boutique wine, the unpasteurised French cheese, a sea-fresh sashimi and that perfectly barista’d coffee (single origin, roasted in-house, thanks) are what add colour to our sometimes excessively high-tech and web-driven lives. We realise that beauty,

as demonstrated by those foodie delights, lies in the simplicity of individual creation, individual thinking or taste. Bespoke, boutique handcrafting is fast becoming the new world standard.

A

new standardthe

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’A PLACE WHERE THE AFTER WORK SUITS MINGLE WITH URBAN FASHIONISTAS

So I’m pleased to reassure you that, no,we’re not all just clones wielding iPads and smartphones. We do, thank heavens, still have a lot ofindividuality, of personality, to share with the world.Socialnetworkinghasprovedthatmanyofusbrave(ortwisted)individualshaveaninsatiabledesiretoshowourselvesoffas theemotionallychallenged internetextremists–orself-brandingcreativeexhibitionists–weare.Inthisdayandage,onlineatleast,everybody’sa personality and individuality is everywhere, evenif it is, in part, a performance, a facade. Clones andcommercialism are out; the ‘look at me, I’m gonnarock your world’ persona is in. Entertaining avatarshaveraisedittoanartform,encouragingusalongfortheride. This socio-technoexistencehasnowbeenenlivened by the much talked about, individualistic,free-thinkingand-speakingTheStandard,NewYorkhotel. It’s a place that takes pride in its appearanceand has a desire to inspire, posing shamelessly as amonolithicmodernistworkofart.Itis,mostnotably,there to be shared and enjoyed with many otherspirited free-thinkers – the hip kids who drop in tosip on a High Line Fling cocktail or curious worldtravellerskeentosniffouttheaction.Butthisplaceisnotjustacrudenewtrendinghangout:itishistoryinthemaking,apositivetrendforalltherightreasons. The Standard, New York, is anything butordinary.Itgetsusoutofthestraitjacket,commandscreative attention and, in a way, cleanses the mind.It’sjustwhatthedoctorordered,providingaffordableluxurywithLennyKravitzmeetsGeorgeJetsonover-the-topretrostyling–beautifulandguaranteedtoputasmileonone’sface.Thewelcomingrooms,thoughmodestinsize,nearlyalloffereitherManhattanskylineorHudsonRiver viewsandpresenta fresh senseofequalityandfree-flowingcomfort. Straddling the city’s much-hypedpedestrian parkway, The High Line – a craftilyconverted freight train line decommissioned inthe mid-80s – The Standard is stark, futuristic andpowerfulindesign.Thecoolexteriorofgreyconcretestripsalignedwithatapestryofsilveryreflectivemetaland glass segments is understated elegance at itsbest, balancing on slender, sleek pylons, painted farmore thin, sharp and shapely than average freewayoverpass constructions. This is the newest of AndréBalazs’s expanding collection of Standard hotels,including The Standard, Hollywood on SunsetStrip, The Standard Spa, Miami Beach (a holisticand hydrotherapy spa hotel), and The Standard,DowntownLA.

HUDSON SUNSET RoomwithaviewoverlookingtheHudsonRiver

Continuedoverpage

’LENNY KRAVITZ MEETS GEORGE JETSON OVER-THE-TOP RETRO STYLING

money: they run a cool show and we want in. Art and architecture aside, The Standard performs simple functions well – a bed for the night, a quality meal, a decent drop of wine, etc. Sure, it’s a place created with exactly the right amount of bling to entice even the fussiest of design junkies, but it is sensitively coloured, emotionally, thanks to upbeat, youthful staff with can-do attitudes. With this, the days of the stiffly ‘posh’ high rise hotel are, thankfully, truly gone. The icon on the High Line, The Standard, has created a new playing field and for this we can be deeply grateful to Mr Balazs.

848 Washington Street, New York, NY 10014 Tel +1 212 645-4646 www.standardhotels.com/new-york-city/

Setting a new benchmark in urban hotel development and with a contagious dose of the city’s energy, sex appeal and a smattering of local pride (start spreading the news!), The Standard, New York, is an 81-metre tall mound of concrete, timber, metal and glass gone right, a cool architectural gem that is a highlight of the now thriving Meatpacking District. This neighbourhood, like Melbourne’s inner-northern Fitzroy, Carlton and East Brunswick suburbs, has been transformed into New York’s hottest place to eat, drink and dance. As you’d imagine, this is where the suits mingle after work with urban fashionistas dressed in tight black jeans and perfectly crumpled designer T-shirts (shades and gym-ripped bodies optional). The Standard’s lower-level outdoor Biergarten offers traditional German food and three quality ales, very popular in their extremely tall glasses. The atmosphere is vibrant, especially on weekends, when it’s packed. The beer obviously works! Australians may be confused by the routine of buying a beer token then hitting the bar, but the system does seem to work. One of the most valuable gifts the Standard brings to the district is its desire to share an appreciation of local creative arts exponents. The Standard Culture, an offshoot website dedicated to music, the arts and local happenings is a frequently updated and well-crafted blog that includes fresh music videos, great articles and must-do diary dates. As a detailed, highly opinionated roundup of what’s on in New York City, it certainly shows off the hotel’s strong sense of individuality. The entertaining ‘This is who we are and this is what we like’ repartee, and fresh music clips from Jack White and Brooklyn’s own brilliant pop/dub sensation, Santigold, seals the deal for us. We know these guys are on the

From previous page

O p e n . Tu e s d a y t h r o u g h t o S u n d a y9:30am-4pm weekdays, 9:30am-5:30pm weekends .

• Closed Mondays• Bookings by appointment on Mondays accepted• www.venezianocoffee.com.au

139 Grant Drive, Benalla, VictoriaTel. 0427 666 398

Tina Felton | tinafelton@bigpond.com

the garden CHEF cafeWinter Harvest Week: 1st-8th August, 2012

Free hot chocolate with every meal sold, or nursery purchase during Winter Harvest Week 2012.Proudly supported by North East Espresso,  distributors of specialty roaster: Veneziano Coffee.

Roasted Chestnuts • Delux Fish & Chips • Product Giveaways

WORDS VARIA KARIPOFF PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT

King Island comes with a special mystique; the windswept island’s air is regarded as the cleanest in

the world and it is one of a few Australian islands that have largely escaped overdevelopment. Like the air, the rainwater that falls has not crossed a landmass. Coming by way of the Roaring Forties it escapes the polluting effects of hovering over land with its cities and smog. So King Island, almost equidistant from Tasmania and the Victorian coast (80 and 90 kilometres respectively), has quietly built a reputation for outstanding beef, dairy produce and seafood, as well as uninterrupted ocean vistas and a remoteness that is increasingly rare. Tourists are welcomed heartily but, perhaps because there’s no tropical climate or coconuts, they don’t come in typically rowdy droves.

40° South

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King Island Dairy

King Island Black LabelCloth Wrapped Cheddar

The finest shaped wheels are selected and wrapped in cloth for further maturation to make this well matured and beautifully milky-clean flavoursome cheddar. It’s a firm, close-textured cheese with a flavour spectrum from delicate to rich as it matures. The distinctive orange and white mould on the cloth is the fingerprint of each wheel thanks to the unique wild yeasts of the island.

2012 Australian Cheeseboard Perpetual Trophy and 2012 Champion Cheddar Cheese, Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Produce Show

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King Island DairyRoaring Forties Blue

King Island Dairy Roaring Forties Blue is a full-flavoured blue with a sweet, slightly nutty character and a tropical fruit aroma. This rindless cheese is matured in its wax coating, which cuts off the oxygen supply, promoting its sweet and fruity flavour. The wax also assists in retaining the blue’s moisture, creating a smooth and creamy texture. The cheese is named after the Roaring Forties gales that frequently bring westerly winds to the island, which lies on 40 degrees latitude.

2012 Australian Grand Dairy Awards’ Champion Blue Cheese

King Island DairyEndeavour Blue

King Island Dairy’s Endeavour Blue is a traditional gorgonzola-style cheese matured in an 8kg wheel. It has a soft creamy texture, a feisty savoury blue flavour and fruity overtones with hints of cauliflower and black pepper. Its slow maturation process, requiring careful monitoring, makes it the most complex blue vein cheese King Island Dairy produces.

2012 Dairy Industry Association of Australia Champion Cheesemaker

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King Island Dairy Stormy(pictured over page)

King Island Dairy Stormy is made in the style of Normandy’s famous Pont L’Eveque – one of the world’s strongest smelling and sweetest tasting cheeses. Known colloquially as ‘stinky cheese’ it has a wild and earthy aroma and an interior that is soft and mild with a surprisingly sweet and subtle buttery flavour. During creation the rind is washed with a special bacterium brine solution, delivering a distinctive aroma and red/orange colour.

2012 AGDA Champion Washed Rind Cheese;2012 DIAA gold award

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From previous page

The island, discovered by seal hunters in the late 1790s, saw about 60 ships succumb to the testing ocean conditions through the 1800s, and the deserted beaches remain dotted with historic wrecks. Even the rolling pastures are reputed to be a legacy of that time. The story goes that straw mattresses washed ashore from the European ships burst, scattering seed that germinated on the cool and rainy island. Perhaps in tribute, one settlement (smaller even than the ghost town Currie), is called Grassy. Islands inspire all manner of fables and fantasies. But one indisputable fact about this isolated isle deep in the tempestuous Bass Strait is that the testing but wholesome climate is conducive to the production of food of the purest and highest quality. And above all, King Island Dairy reigns supreme. The dairy recently took out numerous premier awards at the Dairy Industry Association of Australia’s annual celebration of the best in dairy products. King Island Dairy’s Endeavour Blue, a traditional gorgonzola style cheese, won Dylan Beecroft the coveted title of Australia’s Champion Cheesemaker for 2012. With a soft creamy texture, it beat the competition with its feisty savoury blue flavour and fruity overtones masking hints of cauliflower and black pepper. A slow maturation process encouraged by the cool climate helps give the Endeavour Blue its wonderful complexity of flavour. Other awards won were for the dairy’s Stormy Washed Rind, Discovery Ash Brie, Seal Bay Triple Cream (a brie style) and Black Label Loorana Brie (all gold), and Black Label Cloth Matured Cheddar, Roaring Forties Blue and Stokes Point Smoked Cheddar (all silver). King Island Dairy attributes its success to the passion evident among the community, the quality of craftsmanship from a close-knit team and the pure ingredients at hand. Claire Perry, quality manager for the dairy, was raised on the island, the third generation of farmer-settlers. She has left several times, only to return, having realised that ‘the grass isn’t greener anywhere else’, despite the spartan life on the island. She dismisses a riproaring gale, which brought monstrous winds and swells the previous weekend, with a laugh: ‘If the rugged weather won’t clean the cobwebs out, nothing will.’ Having worked for the company for about 10 years she knows just how vital the brand is for the island’s economy. The island is just 65 kilometres long and 30 wide, so she knows ‘where the milk is coming from [and that] it’s not carted over long distances’. Sixteen farms supply the milk. Her job as custodian of the recipes is to ensure that tradition and consistency are maintained at the highest level, making the most of the quality local milk. King Island Dairy was founded in 1901, but first began making specialty cheeses in the 1970s. Since then, the quality of the milk used and the ever-growing team of skilled cheesemakers have ensured that the dairy consistently ranks among Australia’s finest. Claire notes that the range of cheeses has also grown substantially, keeping pace as the Australian palette becomes more adventurous, allowing stronger-flavoured cheeses on the market. Those who make the journey to King Island are rewarded with a rare experience – pristine seascapes, occasionally awe-inspiring weather and superb food straight from the source. You don’t have to travel that far to try King Island Dairy’s produce though: just pop into your supermarket.

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’There is a direct correlation between less sunlight in winter and your increased need to sleep. Like

it or not, your body clock is in synch with the long nights, and just like our ancestors, we are still mostly roused from slumber by morning light. Decreased levels of Vitamin D (produced naturally when we are in sunlight) also mean less serotonin. In short, as our circadian rhythm adjusts to winter we are more likely to feel average and want to sleep it off, resorting to grizzly-bear-like hibernation. In my house there are frequently grizzly moods when the morning alarm pierces the still-dark room. Add in flu season and you’re likely to be spending even more time indoors, or in bed, at this time of year. There is an upside to winter though: we can use this time to recharge and nourish ourselves. My bohemian Parisian aunty, a Sydney transplant, dreads the continental cold but always redecorates her apartment elegantly with luxe fabrics, flowers and softly burning candles to make it through the winter blockade. While I won’t be rushing to follow her beauty regime (she washes her hair with freshly squeezed orange juice) I can’t go past her logic in creating warm, inviting spaces to counter the cold outside. When I step into Divine Linen one shyly sunny winter day in Beechworth, I warn owner Di van Dorssen that I’ll be doing some serious shopping. It’s much easier to make purchases in

creating a luxe love nestdivine linen, beechworth

carefully curated stores, particularly when in the slower paced environs of the country. I take the time to explore and indulge in the tactile qualities of the homewares. My eyes immediately fall longingly on the centrepiece bed. I’d just had my fourth wedding anniversary – linen being the prescribed gift. The headboard is covered in Belgian linen, there is an abundance of pillows and the duvet is folded over, beckoning me. The designs of the Vic High Country (formerly Sydney-based) Vivian Grace and innovative New Zealander Bianca Lorenne make up the bulk of the linen. There’s quite a playful, detailed quality to these stylish all-cotton bedclothes, which are cut to fit Australian bed sizes. Among details like joyfully pom-pommed sheets and hand-sewn ‘love’, a classic palette of white and robin egg blue dominate. Vibrant scatter cushions work into the neutral colours with little effort. The cushion fabrics are handpicked by Di from France and Italy and feature flowers that are bold focal points. Winter blankets are textured and come in warm tones of grey and crimson; the plaid one reminds me of a classy hunting lodge with a wood fire burning. French is a bit of a theme here. A whole range of Côte Noire products are on display, with scented soaps, candles, and laundry products (imagine how good your sheets would smell!) I pick

up a natural vegetable candle in the delightfully named scent of ‘Bois Ancien’ (ancient wood) as a gift to my sister. She later texts me to say it is divine – Di has picked the right adjective for her store. I love the glass vases, which are shaped like Victorian-era scientific beakers, and the little nod to our current woodland animal fascination – hares carved out of wood. While there is a focus on natural fibres and products, such as the locally made Bee Gorgeous natural beeswax candles, you don’t need to spend a packet to enjoy a mood lift this winter. For the kitchen there are in-house tea towels that have vintage-inspired prints on Belarussian linen which come in at the cheap and cheerful price of $19.95. Boxed luxury soaps are about half that. Current specials also include fresh water pearl earrings (stud 9ct plate or hook SS) $19.95, and black pearl SS drop $29.95. If you’re in the market for jewellery, beauty products or a fabulous card to complete a gift, Divine Linen covers those bases with unique items. I walk away with heirloom quality pillowcases and delicately scented candles to make winter slumber more dreamy.

45 Ford Street, Beechworth, VictoriaTel 03 5728 2088 www.divinelinen.com.au

THERE’S QUITE A PLAYFUL,

DETAILED QUALITY TO

THESE STYLISH BEDCLOTHES

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WORDS VARIA KARIPOFF

AWARD WINNING AND FARM FRESH:Cooper’s Pies Spinach, Ricotta and Feta Pie

It’s a brilliant success story, and one that’s a striking must-study business model for anybody

wishing to invest in the future sustainability of Australia’s now highly threatened farming, food production future. Cooper’s Handmade Pies, a boutique family business based in Victoria’s sun capital, Yarrawonga, is paddock-to-plate gourmet savvy, feed-the-hordes tourist friendly, and now leads the pack with premium ingredient recipes that are both class-leading and beautifully balanced in flavour. Cooper’s is the brainchild of entrepreneurial gem Kirsty Heather, a young down-to-earth, can-do business dynamo who, in the space of two short years, has developed a strong fine food brand that is firmly focused on handmade quality over greedy corporate quantity. It’s clearly a recipe for success, because Kirsty’s French burgundy style Lamb and Vegetable Pie was recently named Victoria’s best meat pie by Melbourne’s Herald Sun after a statewide search. In the case of the lamb, it’s grown in the nearby Riverina district of Warragoon by Kirsty’s uncle David Cooper, who also breeds prize-winning merino sheep for wool production and

national herd improvement. Kirsty’s mother Judy grows many of the herbs and vegetables for the pies on her rural acreage just outside Yarrawonga. With the addition of an environmentally friendly business philosophy that includes recycling, composting and using biodegradable packaging, Cooper’s is one provincial brand we should all certainly be proud of. Situated in the heart of Yarrawonga’s now bustling specialty shopping precinct, featuring up to 40 boutique stores, Cooper’s ‘HQ’ comes in the form of a warmly presented café/eatery that also showcases a ‘we love local’ selection featuring an impressive range of quality North East Victorian wines and gourmet food products across the retail shelves in addition to the constantly improving fine food menu. Determined to discover a new world of puff pastry nirvana and bask in the warm inner glow of pie enlightenment, the Essentials team recently sat down to sample four best-selling products from Cooper’s Handmade Pies’ small kitchen production line.

137 Belmore St, Yarrawonga, VictoriaTel 03 5743 1922www.coopsfood.com.au

provincial pride

Steak and Mushroom Pie

Many beef pies claim to contain big chunky meat pieces, however this is one candidate that finally delivers, not only on quantity and size, but on care in creation. Never had we so enjoyed a pie, and we’re aware that this a huge claim! Slow-cooked beef chunks combine with sautéed field mushrooms and onion and a light ‘real’ non-gloopy gravy (bless Cooper’s cotton socks) to make a well contained, yet moist pie filling. The result is that you can easily eat this pie by hand without fear of spilling half the gravy down your jumper. The traditional pastry also holds firm and offers a sensibly large crimp on the edge, perfect for clasping your hungry fingers onto. The stunningly fresh ingredients, enhanced with fresh rosemary, fill the pie with flavour, giving it some seriously classic appeal. Factor in the practicality of that wide edge crimp, and it begs to be eaten. It’s a blessing!

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COOPER’S HANDMADE PIES, YARRAWONGA

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT

The Award Winner: Lamb and Vegetable Pie

The first thing to strike you when cutting into this award-winning gem of a pie is the aroma: rich, sweet, and fragrant. At first we thought this was due to the healthy swig of red wine added to the recipe for the pie’s filling – however further investigation reveals much of the fantastic flavour is also derived from the slowly cooked and beautifully caramelised carrots and tomatoes, combined with celery, field mushrooms and fresh herbs. Although added veg such as potato and peas are clearly present, they do not overpower the flavour. Given the careful attention to the slow cooking of the carrots, and the falling-apart tender chunks of lamb, the filling tastes and resembles a classic French lamb burgundy, rather than an Irish stew. So this pie gets a firm thumbs up from us; it’s a stand-out winner. Nearly all Cooper’s handmade pies (except the pasties and spinach, ricotta and feta rolls, which are wrapped in light puff pastry), are made with a savoury pastry base, topped with a flaky puff pastry top or lid, crimped broadly in what is without doubt Cooper’s signature style. The end result is an easy to handle product with a well-balanced filling-to-pastry ratio – no doubt another key factor in the drive for excellence that helped Cooper’s secure its statewide award.

Nanna Cooper’s Cornish Pastie

It’s all about the parsnip! Bright, clean, fresh, flavoursome parsnip; the cool root vegetable. This is a stunning offering. We cannot recall ever tasting fresh vegetables this clean, this good and this fresh in pies. Diced turnip, onion, parsnip, carrot and minced beef are slow cooked to perfection so they will not be dry. Add ground cumin, and fresh thyme and rosemary – you can actually see, and certainly taste, the herbs in these pillows of delight – and you have an excellent, truly lovable pastie. Again, Cooper’s have followed tradition and chosen to make this a practical item of indulgence, with a tell-tale broad Cornish pastry crimp, or handle. Although it’s not likely that a group of Aussie or Cornish coal miners will drop into Cooper’s to grab a few of these perfectly executed English classics, it is a lot of fun eating this little number turned on end and fancy free. Great, too, for hungry little grubs after footy training: mums, take note!

Page38 ’THE FIRST

THING TO STRIKES

YOU WHEN CUTTING INTO

THIS AWARD- WINNING GEM OF A PIE IS THE

AROMA

Spinach, Ricotta and Feta Pie(pictured on opening page)

Just one bite into Cooper’s spinach, ricotta and feta roll, we were so excited that we had to cut a piece and plate it up for a nearby local friend, just to test the reaction. Instantly, the same surprised response: ‘Oh wow, this is good, but how come, why so good?’ That seems to be exactly the sentiment expressed by just about everyone after their first bite of these delights. The answer, says Kirsty Heather, is in the ‘high quality ingredients, and is also due to my desire to perfect a filling recipe that was originally inspired by a traditional Greek recipe’. ‘Personally, I love the flavour of spinach. However, a lot of spinach and feta rolls are made with poor quality leaves and they aren’t seasoned well enough to bring out the true flavour of spinach. The result is a gritty, bland taste. Also, commonly, really salty feta cheese is used – the combination is terrible.’ To create the perfect balance, Kirsty uses a silky and flavoursome handmade local marinated feta from Boosey Creek, coupled with fresh Australian ricotta cheese, lemon zest and a little honey and nutmeg. Wrapped in a light flaky puff pastry, this product is both healthy and hearty. A brilliant and easy vegetarian meal that’s high in iron and protein content, it’s sure to boost the immune system and help us through the cold winter months.

THE GIRL’S A WINNER:Cooper’s Pies brand

creator, award winning chef and entrepreneurial

gem Kirsty Heather

Brook Andrew Sexy & dangerous, 1996Duraclear mounted on acrylic,

183.5 x 121 x 0.6 cmImage courtesy the artist and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne

In 2001 Benalla Art Gallery had the foresight to acquire some of the most celebrated works created by indigenous Australian artists during the 1990s:

Brook Andrew’s Sexy and Dangerous, 1996, Untitled #11 from Leah King-Smith’s series Patterns of Connection, 1991, and two images from Fiona Foley’s series Native Blood, 1994. These works differed radically from popular mainstream conceptions of Aboriginal art (as typified by the Papunya Tula dot paintings), in that they reinvented historic photographs of Aboriginal people to challenge long-held European cultural perceptions and biases concerning indigenous identities. In the 19th and early 20th centuries Europeans saw indigenous Australians as – at best – either exotic curiosities or objects of ethnographic interest, to be described and categorised and labelled in any manner that science saw fit. To this end, the increasingly widespread technology of photography was put to use, capturing images of indigenous peoples for study. These photographs were as much a cultural construct as reality, as they were staged to fit European conceptions of ‘primitive’ peoples. By creating images of ‘savages’, white people confirmed to themselves their own superior ‘civility’. A century later, indigenous artists revisited these photographs to confront a range of white versus indigenous issues. For her series Patterns of Connection, King-Smith worked with 19th-century images of Aboriginal people sourced from the State Library of Victoria. Untitled #11 uses an image by colonial photographer Charles Walter, created at the Lake Tyers Aboriginal Mission, Victoria, in 1869. King-Smith re-photographed this image using a fish-eye lens, with the resultant image being surrounded by a darkened margin. Peering into this partially concealed world we see four indigenous women wearing white dresses. Their clothing evinces the ‘civilising’ mission of the Anglican Church which established the reserve six years earlier. These women had been removed from their country, so over their image King-Smith superimposes her own semi-transparent photographs of the Australian bush. In having the landscape appear to run through these ghostly women, King-Smith reaffirms their spiritual connection to the land, repopulating the bush with an indigenous presence. Sexy and Dangerous, created when Wiradjuri artist Brook Andrew was only 26, is now one of the most widely-recognised images in contemporary indigenous Australian art. It features a digitally-reproduced 19th-century photograph of a Cape York Aborigine whose portrait possesses an astonishing immediacy. Undoubtedly, the sitter was recorded as a spectacular example of a ‘native type’, the bone through his nose symbolising all of his ‘savage’ potential. Meanwhile Andrew has deepened this sense of ‘danger’ by adding white stripes to the sitter’s body, suggestive of ceremonial and war-paint, and in turn, of ritual and death.

BLACK LABELS – THE BENALLA ART GALLERYWORDS JACQUI DURRANT

However, Andrew also destabilises the meaning and timeframe of the portrait, using deceptively simple means. By placing the words ‘Sexy and Dangerous,’ across the sitter’s chest in both English and Mandarin, he tears the photograph from its historical context, catapulting it into a globalised ‘here and now’. Printed onto duraclear and mounted on a perspex sheet (modern materials that nevertheless recall old glass photographic slides) the image stands poster-sized at almost two metres high. In that context the words function virtually as an advertising slogan. Suddenly there is a commercial and cosmopolitan aesthetic to the work in which the sitter’s style, nakedness and striking gaze become both enticing and desirable. The perspex sheet is suspended mid-air so that as light shines through the printed image reappears on the wall behind. This softer second rendering is both haunting and ephemeral. The physical space between the image and its projection is one that we dare not invade, as if doing so might disrupt connections between past and present, might awaken the dead. What we finally have in the combined images is an actual person: a ghost from the past whose identity is unknown but who is no longer ‘of a type’ – and his presence has made a mark upon us. In her series Native Blood, Fiona Foley re-stages 19th-century ethnographic photographs of indigenous women, using herself as the sitter. The women in the original sepia images often appeared only partially clad, in grass skirts; through repetition such poses came to be regarded as ‘natural’. However, when Foley – a woman of Badtjala heritage – boldly adopts the same bare-breasted poses in her contemporary self-portraits, she makes us question the way in which whites photographed indigenous people, and in turn, our common unthinking acceptance of such images from history without regard to, or empathy for, the original sitters. Foley’s unabashed womanly beauty is also a celebration of both her Badtjala heritage and of her gender. In this way, the works in Native Blood challenge racist attitudes towards the indigenous female body which even now continue to hold cultural currency in sections of mainstream Australian society. The statements made by Foley, Andrew and King-Smith are concerned with European constructions of indigenous identities, particularly as historically connected with acts of indigenous dispossession and cultural oppression. Their images are not meant as easy viewing, but rather, to uncover the cultural forces that have shaped notions about Aboriginal people in mainstream Australia, and to have us question the assumptions each of us takes for granted about indigenous peoples.

Open 10am-5pm daily. Admission is freeBridge Street, Benalla, Victoria | Tel 03 5760 2619 benallaartgallery.com

Fiona Foley Native blood, 1994Type C photograph, edition of 15,

set of three each 50 x 40cmImage courtesy the artist and Niagara Galleries, Melbourne

Leah King-Smith Untitled No. 11From the series Patterns of Connection

Cibachrome photograph no. 2 in edition of 10Image courtesy the artist and

The Benalla Art Gallery

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It was a sunny yet cool winter’s morning when I drove up a dusty country lane within the

Nagambie Lakes district of central Victoria, an area known for its water sports and recreational boating. A much-loved and eccentric old family friend was leading the way, having arranged for me to meet the owners of the aptly titled Hide and Seek Wines vineyard – a softly undulating property with grand views of the wobbly folding Strathbogie Ranges on the horizon, beyond the calm river valley flats. Our driveway entry point was golden framed with low and understated granite pillars from which the crunchy gravel drive snaked towards the riverside homestead via a roughsawn timber-stacked art installation / gateway that cleverly doubled as signage. It is quirky and extremely impressive. I was soon introduced to property owners Tony and Nedra Hammond. Their charming and playful children, Finn and Brielle, running fast and free around the house and expansive garden, led the way to an outdoor entertaining oasis that overlooks a private stretch of the Goulbourn River. Surrounded by nature, this ideal and very secluded position showcases aged river gums, water birds, clear skies and views to die for. This was no ordinary property: it was utterly homely and at the same time resort like with a cluster of palms. Clearly newcomers, their fronds swayed smoothly, dancing with their surroundings. Everything seemed to fit rather well.

Nedra, prepping lunch, seemed to be fiddling with some fancy fresh ingredients, I was pre-occupied by the snapping claws on the freshly netted spiny freshwater cray that was threatening to scissor its way through my camera’s lens and escape from the outdoor dining table, though Tony kept its rage at bay with barbecue tongs. I framed and snapped quickly as my rather relaxed family friend poured and sipped the very first glass of wine. He stood back quietly, looking on with a smug schoolboy grin, knowing he’d found me a cool food experience, one that I’d be greatly thankful for. Photoshoot complete, the seemingly ferocious spiny having obligingly ‘smiled’ for the camera, I was ready to sample the 09 chardonnay; while my model and his mates fell asleep in the deep freezebefore their appointment with the barbecue lunch pot. The wine, clean and restrained, was immediately impressive, showing that very Aussie new world approach in winemaking. Though it has that firm ‘good food wine’ acid strength I like, it soon opened up as a winner with warm characteristics of soft smoky apricots and fresh blanched almonds colouring a detailed, tight and lifted zesty palate. With a swirl in the glass, an elegant fragrance of honeysuckle flowers added to my resort-like experience. Was I really just an hour-and-a-half north of Melbourne, I thought to myself, or halfway across the Pacific Ocean, floating in a Cook Islands’ lagoon with the scent of sweet frangipani drifting past my nose?

With such a powerful teasing of the senses, this wine certainly set the imagination alight. Waking me from my pre-lunch reverie, Tony pushed a freshly cooked cray claw in my face. ‘Careful it’s hot,’ he warned. ‘But it’s bloody fantastic.’ Pulling the clean white meat from the cracked claw, my first reaction was sheer amazement at the taste – utterly fresh, clean and astonishingly sweet, with just a hint of minerality from the mountain-cool fresh river water. I had heard that these crustaceans were among the finest food to be found anywhere on the planet, and with this first delightfully succulent bite I could only agree. With Tony cracking claws quickly, Nedra plated up the tail meat, sipping her wine and seeming to swing her hips a little also. All of this combined in an elaborate but effortless dance, performed with such skill as we worked our way through the claws that it could have been mistaken for a regular matinee performance. Prep sorted, Nedra joined the table with passionate conversation and a selection of stunningly presented Thai-style cray tails nestled in lettuce cups and dressed with a mixture of chopped home-grown chilli, baby lemon grass, mint and kaffir lime leaf, garlic, palm sugar, and freshly squeezed lime juice, extremely well balanced with a dash of premium fish sauce.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE DURRANT

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’THE WINE, CLEAN AND

RESTRAINED,WAS IMMEDIATELY

IMPRESSIVE

PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK

Continued over page

’

Nedra, who recently started a work-from-home copywriting business, was keen totalkfoodandwinemarketingandlovedthefactthatIwasimpressedwithherwine.Sherevelsinawonderfullybalancedlifestyle,happilycraftingwords for her former city colleagues, but at arelaxedpace inhernew ruralhomeoffice.Herenthusiasmhighlightstheprideshetakesinherhomebase,andhowconducivethecountryairistowritingandcreativity.AsItookanotherbiteofmysecondcrayfishtail,itwasobviousthatherculinaryskills,likewise,areflourishinginthisruralretreat. Tony then led us, a second glass ofwine in hand, on a short tour of the garden,theexpansiveboatshed, theprivatebeachandthe conversation firepit – a smartly designedseating area, with central fireplace sculpted ingranite, adjoining a long, swirling stairway thatleads down to the water’s edge. Last stop onthe tour was a pre-plating inspection of thelambshoulderTonyhadslowroastedinalargecast iron French pot placed atop a barbecuehotplate. The shoulder, rubbed with seasoningandrosemarysprigs,hadcookedtoperfectioninacombinationofitsownjuicesandhalfabottleof white wine. The result was perfectly cookedmeat,fallingapartandflavoursome–thebestofwhatIguessisacollectionofpartytricks.Foravigneron,Tonysuremakesagreatchef. Roast veg and lamb pulled-apart andplated up, the 2009 shiraz was poured andproved,withoutanydoubt,aperfectmatch forthe food. From the first swirl-of-the-glassnasalreview, I was well impressed. The explosivelyrich nose of chocolate and clean vibrant plumwas powerful yet extremely clean. With timethe bouquet opened up to reveal surprisingadditional complexities of licorice, soft spiceandmulberries,cementingthewineinmymindas an easy drinking gem with luxurious mouthfeelandappeal.Itsoverallfragrancewasonparwith some of the better central Victorian reds.Obviouslytopqualityfruitandlowcroppingperacre have contributed to the rich and detailedflavours. In keeping with popular, new worldwinemaking techniques the Hide and SeekShirazwaslight-bodiedforitsintensityofflavour,with a silky mouth feel. A drink-now wine, itcommanded attention, beckoning us to pouranotherglass.Wedid, theconversation stayinglivelyastheafternoonsunlitupthetrunksoftheriverredgumswithawarmorangetone. AfterlunchTonytookmeonacruiseoftheexpansiveandtranquilNagambieLakeswaterways.

On that single journey we witnessed allmanner of water life, from pelicans, ducksandplatypustohappyriversidemutts,localrowers and superfast water rats riding andduckingundertheripplesofourboat’swake.The cruise was a chance for Tony to openup, toexplaina littleabouthispastandhisdreamsforthefuture.Hetoldhow,asachildgrowing up on third-generation farmland,he learned toconstructalmostanything inlocaltimbersandwaswelltrainedinlookingafterthelandanditsresources.Thebeautyofhis lovinglycreated redgumkitchenandother homestead finishes make a lot moresense when one knows he comes froma long line of farmers, timber fellers andcraftsmen.OnarrivalIhadthoughthemustbefilthyrich;nowIunderstoodthathewassimplyadiligentandrichlyskilledworker. The winemaking is a more recententerprise, yet Tony’s attention to detail isadmirable.Heplans tocontinually improvefruit quality by thinning out the bunches,irrigating minimally where required, andcarefully managing the canopy. For a self-confessed tyro vigneron he sure has hisfingeronthepulse. Hide and Seek is without doubtone of those beautiful handmade winebrands that we all end up falling in lovewith. Although the property does not havea functioning cellar door, Tony and Nedraplantobuildaluxuryaccommodationwingsoon,allowingoutsiderstotakeasneakpeakat this brilliant little part of a very personalworld. I strongly advise visitors toNagambie to buy a case of the wines. Ifyou call the winery to arrange purchaseand home delivery of your wine, ask forpermissiontostrollaboutthegardenandtotheriverside.Forthecitybound,theHideandSeek website offers all the buying optionsyouwouldexpect.There’ssomuchqualityandeasydrinkinghere,ataniceprice,thatEssentialsishappytoendorseHideandSeekWines with a firm thumbs up for premiumboutiqueproducerswithheart.

2202OldWeirRoad,NagambieVIC3608Tel0357941800www.hideandseekwinery.com

From previous page

THISPAGE,CLOCKWISEFROMTOPLEFT:Summervines,TonyandNedraHammond,Nedra’s

dressedfreshwatercraytails,riversideboatshed;OPPOSITEPAGE:LambpotroastwithShriaz

’A DRINK-NOW WINE, IT COMMANDED

ATTENTION, BECKONING US TO POUR

ANOTHER GLASS.

Page45

’ HUTONG INTERIOR

Unfortunately, in Beijing hutongs are

disappearing fast,

RED RAMIA TRADING

Your gateway to

a great world of shopping

HAND-CRAFTED BY XIENG MU

Leatherbound notebooks and satchels

A love of Asian antiques first drew Red and

Leigh Ramia to China almost a decade ago.

Now China’s ever-changing treasure trove of

beautiful furniture and enchanting objects, as

well as its people, keep them going back.

With an existing fascination with

Japanese furniture, Red and Leigh Ramia –

purveyors of all things exotic at Red Ramia

Trading in Myrtleford – started looking at the

Chinese furniture being imported into Australia.

They found it overly ornate, not in keeping with

most Australian homes. Travelling to China

‘almost on a whim’ eight years ago, they sought

out the furniture they believed would be more

suited to Australian tastes. So began an odyssey.

On their first night in Beijing, the pair

checked into the Hua Du Hotel in the Chaoyang

district, home to many foreign embassies and

the city’s growing CBD. Arriving after dark, they

waited until morning to get their first glimpse of

the city: a two-way throng of bicycle traffic and a

smattering of dilapidated old buildings. On their

most recent visit, last February, they again stayed

at the Hua Du – only now the traffic below is

made up of BMWs and Jaguars clogging a vastly

modernised city. China has changed, to say the

least. This rise in prosperity, followed by the

GFC, brought unexpected benefits to the Ramias

as Chinese craftspeople sought to diversify. ‘A lot

of the older dealers have not kept up with the

times; they are still selling the same merchandise

year after year,’ says Red. ‘However, the younger

generation, often the children of the people we

were originally dealing with, are now creating

subtly-styled Chinese furniture that’s more

practical and better suited to Western tastes.’

What most caught the eye of Red and

Leigh during their last visit were pieces made from

recycled Chinese elm, left with a natural timber

finish. There were chests of drawers, sideboards

and even coffee tables, most with deep drawers

and plenty of functional storage space. There

were also Chinese elm kitchen islands and work

benches made in a more robust, rustic style. Red

is especially fond of an expanding bookcase that

concertinas to fit different spaces. Many of the

pieces are on castors for easy moving.

As an interlude to business, Red and

Leigh love to walk. This time they chanced upon

a hutong – a traditional neighbourhood formed

by lines of siheyuan, courtyard residences, joined to

one another to form small alleyways – not far from

Tiananmen Square. ‘They’re beautiful streetscapes

with a wonderful historic atmosphere,’ Red says.

‘Unfortunately, in Beijing they are disappearing

fast, although other cities like Lejian, in the

Yunnan province, have embraced their hutongs.

A few in Beijing are being preserved.’

CHINESE WHISPERSR E D R A M I A T R A D I N G

WORDS JACQUI DURRANT

PHOTOGRAHY JAMIE DURRANT

Continued over page

Page47

’ THE YOUNGER

GENERATION ARE

MAKING CHINESE

FURNITURE THAT’S

MORE PRACTICAL

AND SUITED TO

WESTERN TASTES

The Ramias noticed one shop in particular. ‘It had a buzz about it,’ recalls Red, ‘with plenty of young people browsing, so we decided to take a look.’ Inside they found hand-crafted, leatherbound notebooks and satchels filled with notepads of recycled-paper. ‘We liked them so much we talked with the young owner, Xieng Mu, who as it happened had been hoping for an international customer.’ As with many of the Ramias’ undertakings, this chance discovery has added yet another range to their expansive stock. But, says Red, ‘It’s exciting when you find something you know you’ll be importing for a long time to come.’ Their visit concluded with the acquisition of traditional objects, including tea sets made of a double-layered porcelain (an airlock between the layers retains heat inside while keeping the outside cool). There are also hand-painted ‘meditation balls’, invented during the Ming dynasty and traditionally made in Baoding, not far from Beijing. Held in one hand and rotated, they chime softly. The overall soothing effect is great for stress relief. Now that Red and Leigh have toured China and seen more than their fair share of artefacts, antiques and furniture, Red says it’s the people they trade with who keep them coming back. ‘We’ve been visiting twice a year for quite a while now, and they know us. They always take us to lunch before doing business, and they practice their English on us. We always look forward to seeing them, as they do us.’

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

From previous page

Page48

’WE LIKED THE LEATHERBOUND

BOOKS SO MUCH WE TALKED WITH OWNER,

XIENG MU, WHO’D BEEN HOPING FOR

AN INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER

NOW IN STOCK:Furniture in recycled Chinese elm: chests of drawers, sideboards and coffee tables with deep drawers and plenty of functional storage space.

’VIEW OF MODERN BEIJING

BMWs and Jaguars now clog a vastly modernised city

Portelli’s Enoteca Sileno in Carlton – was awarded to Krystina Menegazzo, one of John’s own staff members! Each scholar also received a gift of etched Schott Zweisel glassware, a bottle of Galli Estate wine and a certificate to commemorate their achievement. The scholars in the 2012 program were taught by some of the leading specialists in the Italian and Australian wine industries. Joining the judging panel to facilitate the program were Sandro Mosele (winemaker, Port Phillip Estate & Kooyong), Kevin McCarthy (winemaker, T’Gallant), Mark Walpole (viticulturist and co-owner, Greenstone) and Ben Ranken (senior winemaker, Galli Estate Winery). The Lorenzo Galli Wine Scholarship celebrates the diversity and richness of Italy’s wine and history while showcasing the latest trends in Australia with its interpretations of Italian varietals. The program’s patron, Pamela Galli, conceived the idea of a scholarship to honour Lorenzo, her late husband. Tuscan-born Lorenzo arrived in Australia in 1952 and diligently built up a successful property business. He added vigneron to his list of achievements when he and Pamela created Galli Estate Winery in Victoria’s Sunbury region in 1997 and also developed their 260-acre Heathcote Camelback vineyard. The Heathcote site now provides fruit for the majority of Galli Estate’s wine portfolio. Lorenzo had a love for Italian grape varieties and the winemaking craft from growing grapes to their production; it was his dream to share that passion and encourage younger people to learn more about that process. While Galli Estate Winery continues to craft premium, sought-after wines with an Italian leaning, the scholarship is Pamela’s personal tribute to Lorenzo.

www.winescholarship.com.au

After an intense two-day masterclass held in Melbourne, Karina Dambergs, group sparkling winemaker for Taltarni Vineyards

and operations manager at Clover Hill Wines in Tasmania was named dux of the 2012 Lorenzo Galli Wine Scholarship. The event, now in its fourth year, is Australia’s only education program focused on Italian wines. The talented dux won the event by acing two days of challenges including a blind tasting of more than 100 wines and a written exam. She not only won bragging rights but also scored a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy valued at $10,000 to experience the country’s wine regions and producers. Pamela Galli, founder of Galli Estate Winery and patron of the scholarship, personally presented the prize to Karina. The fierce competition was held at Galli Estate Winery in Plumpton (VIC) where nine other hopefuls battled for the title. Judges Jane Faulkner (wine writer and show judge), Michael Trembath (Italian premium wine importer) and Dan Sims (wine consultant) congratulated Karina on winning the distinguished title. ‘There were 10 wonderful, bright and engaging scholars this year but, as always, only one can be dux. Karina impressed us with her ability to navigate through complex wine styles and varieties with succinct commentary and discussion along the way. She was a pleasure to have in the masterclass and clearly enjoyed the experience,’ said Faulkner. Scott Cosgriff of NSW, a solicitor and masters student in wine technology and viticulture at the University of Melbourne, received the ‘The Writers Award’ for the most outstanding essay and was presented with a selection of wine titles from Hardie Grant books. The ‘Enoteca Sileno Award’ – an encouragement award comprising a $1,000 at-cost wine voucher to spend at John

The Lorenzo Galli Wine Scholarship Class of 2012 comprised: Bree Boskov (sommelier/wine sales representative – Circa Restaurant and The Spanish Acquisition, VIC); Christian Canala (sales manager – La Cantina Wines and Mercato, SA); Frieda Lucie Henskens (director – Henskens Rankin Wines, TAS); Harri Hunter (junior sommelier – Circa Restaurant, VIC); Karina Dambergs (group sparkling winemaker – Taltarni Vineyards, TAS); Krystina Menegazzo (wine marketing coordinator and blogger – Enoteca Sileno/La Donna del Vino blog, VIC) ; Lisa Jenkins (manager/sommelier – City Wine Shop, VIC); Scott Cosgriff (solicitor and masters student in wine technology & viticulture at University of Melbourne – NSW).

The Writers’ Award: Suzanne Little (winemaker/director – The Little Wine Company, NSW); Thomas New (assistant winemaker/viticulturist – Bent Road Winery, QLD).

2012 Lorenzo Galli Wine Scholarship Dambergs Scores Dux at the 2012 Lorenzo Galli Wine Scholarship.

Wine News

Dux: Karina Dambergs, group sparkling winemaker for Taltarni

Vineyards and operations manager at Clover Hill Wines in Tasmania

Pamela Galli, founder of Galli Estate Winery and patron of the scholarship, presents the ‘Enoteca Sileno Award’ to Krystina Menegazzo

16B Carrier Street, Benalla, Victoria.Open: Monday–Friday, 9am-5.30pm – Orders Welcome

Tel. 03 5762 2044 Fax. 03 5762 2544Email. sandy@hookandspoon.com.au

Web. www.hookandspoon.com.au

...old fashioned free-range beef and mutton, long hung for tenderness, freshly prepared, delicious meals to take home, award winning pies, tender steak and an array of gourmet

snags from the old butcher shop at the railway end of Carrier Street, Benalla, Victoria...

KKK

KHathryn

ammertonB E E C H W O R T H

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