Argentina in Robe

 21st July

The crackling of sweet, basking local pig in licking flame and radiating heat, perched on assadores was quite the stimulus for a Spring Sunday afternoon.

 

The cook at the BBQ, with tongs, or in this instance, huge knives and jousting sticks is the Asador. Scott Fennell wore this hat, prepping, prodding for plating his pig in Di and John Stewarts backyard, catering for what could be a sixty person Asado. Twenty locals and enthused visitors to Robe sipped and nibbled crackling crumbs, huddling around the coals of a red gum stoked cooking source. The pink previous pig was toasted for 9 hours, 'al asador', arched and stretched over flame and mirages of heat drifting from the amber mound below. Aside the bouts of rain, enthusiasm was not lost in the anticipation of the pork to be acquainted with her table size chopping board.

 

 Champagne for laughing ladies. Little creatures scoping out fire and pig gazing manliness pre feast. Favoring the hue of red, diners bought an array of vino tinto to compliment the long lunch. Some Italian bottles and beautifully aged local drops.

 Peppery roquette from the garden, salad slaws of crunch, colour and bite to cut through the big butteriness of the pig dotted the 7 meters of table. Providore's Anthony D'Augello baked for the occasion. Sweet burger buns - almost brioche like, without the density, to wedge all of the 9 hours of goodness for a 'lick your fingers' approach dining.

 

The Argentinian Asodo - interactive in preparation, observation and consumption! Here's Spring and Winter culinary fun for when the crays and boats are asleep.

Sails Restaurant - Variety Bash Fundraiser Dinner

29th July

 

 

 

 

The annual Variety Bash for children's charity has been kicked into a feverish, fun fundraising few months, thanks to a few locals making the time to do so. A golf day saw the pennies swinging in the right direction, an auction in Casterton, dinner at the church behind the Robe Providore with fare to feast by chef Anthony D'augello. An excuse to have wonderful company, thoughtful food and wine is admittedly invented by many without hesitation. However, these events were summoned for a cause beyond the benefit of filling our bellies and glasses.

 

Sails Restaurant presented a four course menu to conclude the stream of events for the fundraising. People layered and buffered from the cold, huddled in the spacious space. Anna Heffernan, Antony Kokiousis and Paul Bobridge glided around contented diners providing no reason for standing guests. The pace between the dishes perfected by the kitchen. The dining room embracing. More so as the pouring of the beautiful wines became a little adventurous into the narrowing glasses.

    Herbert Vineyard Pinot Gris offered a gentle introduction to food. Melony with a mild citrus awoke tastebuds. Wangolina, Karatta, Norfolk Rise, Koonara and Karatta could be sipped and were all staged when their bottle was grasped. Tempting Wines, 'Seductress Shiraz' recommended as the vino for the beef main course.   

    Dispersed throughout courses a $10 blind bottle of wine was yours by purchasing a numbered cork to correspond to a bottle in disguise. Eruptions of excitement animated the evening as numerous wines scattered tables. Raidis, Hollick and Bellwether amongst the generosity of the sponsoring Vineyards.

 

    Adam Brookes, Tom Tilbury and Hamish Curry were the boys with the pans and perfect pace. Amuse Bouche, Tempura oyster with pickled cucumber and citrus aioli started the salivary glands as the incredible texture of the light tempura batter contended with the unique sea creature some may normally debate to crunch or swallow whole. Here was the 'crunchers' oyster dish.

    Fresh seafood in tomato, saffron and vegetable stew for entrée. At the clearer end of a stew spectrum, this clean medley of tomato and vegetable was complimentary to the delicate SA seafood.

    Appreciate shredding strings of beef after a long braise in the prodible, tender form that is ever so comforting in the months of cold. Main course - Braised beef rib of this calibre, potato galette, onions, pea and horseradish puree. Tight potato galette in micro layerd slithers, peppery bites of horseradish that danced throughout the crisp allaciousness of gentle battered onion and daring beef. Most silent  moments of the table appearing here in satisfaction.

    Lemon and vanilla pannacotta with poached pear and rhubarb tea was the icing on the cake without the cake or the icing. Fourth course, dessert and a delicate completion to the eating of the evening. Pear as dark as well baked quince, herbaceous tea for the crunch of a sesame seed toffee and soft panacotta to swim in shallowly.  

    Memorable dining correlated to a memorable effort for Children's Charity. Some of the things that bring us together to dine.

Snippets of Sips - Coastal Leader

June

Picture: Cape Jaffa Cellar Door 

A column exploring Robe and the South East's talents in their Culinary endeavours.

Enthusiasts channelling their passion and knowledge into mediums for cutlery and glassware enjoyment.   

We have an abundance of such people proximal to us, transforming their foodie creations into accessible ones.

The regular snippet of insight into these palatable crafts and founders, aspires to be an informative and interactive way to learn of our local members of the community and produce.

Appearing in the Coastal Leader newspaper regularly and open to your ideas and feedback.

ABC - Tasha Impey

 

A big thanks to Tasha from ABC South East, SA. Accommodating me into her crazy story chasing Cross Media Reporting routine on Tuesday. Our chat at the Union Café Robe about my little world of coffee obsessing was brought to life in a radio interview Wednesday, a thorough capturing of my journey into the world of the caffeined beans. For those to read, Tash has put together an article based on the interview with a link to my blog. Love the love of the South East! Enjoy your South America adventure Tash. Drink some coffee out of a sock.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/06/12/3779953.htm?site=southeastsa

Melbourne International Coffee Expo 2013

    To commence the immersion into a caffeinated paradise, one had to slide snail style along Racecourse Road behind the thousands looking towards an entire complex of dedication to coffee and the nerdy aspects that make the beans work. Melbourne Showgrounds catered again for the largest Coffee Expo Australia has ever seen. More than 10,000 sets of feet trundled through the pavilion over the four days. Hosting international professionals for both the stage and stalls, one's pallet was not the only sense that was stimulated. The most advanced of roasting, extraction, packaging design and equipment gleamed in every direction. The wafts of coffee grounds for pour over, chemex, cold drip, espresso and traditional cupping channelled between the sharp panes of Slayers, La Marzocco's, Spirits, Probate, Probatones, Dietrich...

Beautiful aromatics and texture of beans from remote and intriguing corners of the globe. Varietals and process method took centre stage for cup profile characteristics. Rather than specifically their country of origin, the respect for the varietals of cultivars that shine through is a brilliant relatively new focus. Immaculately graded coffee. Quality and not quantity was everywhere and I was in heaven.  

  Many honey processed, red, yellow and orange bourbons, Colombian, Costas, Centrals and Africans on tables. Light roast styles dominating for the gentle infusion of the pour overs, rather than extracting methods. Also the tendency of the coffees performing best under such conditions. To have a darker espresso roast running through my fingers was few and far between. Lots of light, dense little beans.

Within a two day visit espresso, piccolos and filter tastings glided from cup to lips in a repetitious fashion. Stop one near to the entrance was Campos Coffee. Cupped Colombian El Manana COE # 9, Fazenda Sera Do Sao bento COE # 2, Kenyan Tchakakhani AA and a Roberto Achieve micro lot. The stand out Kenyan had a fragrance of mangoes. The greener mango tannin giving the cup a amiable dryness. Stronger body than acidity.

Wonderful enthusiasm around the table by the Campos team. Interactive, breaking down the shyness of those first time Cuppers. Sleek black packaging with clear imagery of farming and animals relative to the origin of the packaged beans.

Ducale saw the outlet to shed prolific coffee jitters. The DC Tunes chimed over the burring and steaming of machinery. People sampled the award winning 'Origin', the 'Monsoon' and 'Reale' blends. A big chocolaty, stone fruit sweet blend 'B-Side' linked with the support of the company's DC Tunes program. Part of the coffee sales wriggle their way into the appreciated bands that play for the Ducale beats program. Sharing and caring team of guys lifting the spirit further in the center of the Expo.

Brew Bar Single Origins - Whisked past this eye catching elongated brew bar stall to grasp a chemex of an Ardi Sidamo Guji Ethiopian, Natural Heirloom. Juicy cranberry. Preserved lemon, tight acidity left a bouncy reminder of the brew for moments after. Fighting for a gap in the cluster of listeners to an informative introduction to the coffee's home paddock. The farmer himself gave details of the reality of the growth and harvest and the conditions for the Graders responsible for the clean screen sizes, uniformity and lack of damaged and quakers. The hours poured over these seeds are fundamental for each stage after. The women (most commonly) deserve this acknowledgement for the tediousness of this crucial step. I have never liked my long black quaker ridden...

Single Origin Roasters, an awesome team from Sydney and in addition, Q/R Grader Andrew Hetzel representing CQI, Coffee Quality Institute. It wasn't espresso so much I was tasting here - but a fascinating exercise involving varying concentrations of several acids that occur in coffee throughout its roasting and extracting life. Mr Hetzel ran the informative quest to mimic an exercise one would be required to master if sitting a Q Grade Exam. Citric, Malic, Acetic, Phosphoric and tartaric acids were dribbled in sample cups of filtered coffee, for a wee tastebud challenge. Discussion of the influence of each acid in the mouth and circumstances where the each would be most prominent in the application world. Incredibly informative hour that has aided me in some roasting queries crossed whilst on the job. Wendy De Jong wonderfully assisted the exercise. Her 25 years of experience in coffee oozed onto the table to aid our clambering minds. Many of us eager to pick up the knowledge spilled.

       The 'Yee ha' espresso blend I packed in my bag for home. I have been chipping away at the beautiful medium roast through Nakeds at work. Rich, creamy caramel cup. Acid is mellow, but balanced. Toasty peanuts and raw sugar.

The Burundi I tasted on my heels out of the bustling stall was extracted well. Not a memorable cup for me - owed to the time of day where the tastebuds were wanting their cue to knock off with a beer and not another stimulant...

Market Lane Coffee, Mecca Espresso, Reuben Hills and Seven Seeds shared a stall at MICE. A short mac of the Reubin Hills Espresso blend was a great punchy experience. Grated cocoa texture that was silkened by the milk. The Colombians in this blend fervently tasteful. Groovy stand. The crew working the machines very cool and loving it.

Proud Mary and Latorre and Dutch magnified their stand for another year. The baby blue of espresso ceramic cups bobbed up and down around the brew/espresso bar as portafilters tapped clean and steam arms purged. The interludes of silence from the bar perpendicular were the sounds of gentle pour overs blooming and dribbling juice. No need to ask for a sample - you were handed samples like medication in a nursing home. The difference being a brigade of tasters with no resistance to sample these beautiful drugs. El Salvador's - honey processed, orange bourbon, a dryer cup than the neighbouring washed red bourbon. Tight and raspberry like. Same farm, El Mazano, but varied flavour profile due to their varietal, not origin location. Matt shared his experience with some honey processed coffee in Bali, reminiscing of the slimy mucilage feel of the parchment before drying.

When the information of the extraction and infusion from the Barista and Roaster angle began to consume you, several feet away Andres Latorre Canon could waltz you through a table of magnificent samples to cup. Tastes of crops to come to Australia. Outstanding Gieshas, Costa Rica and El Salvs. The Panama Giesha 'Hartmann' honey had the most distinct stewed apricot aromatics and flavour. The lively fizz alike to Fanta as Andres described. Patiently stepping through the evolution of change in the flavour profiles as the amber liquids cooled, this Panama and a Costa Rica 'Sanora' Villa Lobos shone as favorites. The table of 'El Manzano' El Salvadors bourbons, Costas and honey and natural Panamas were superior. Charged to see these gems being pampered in the roasting equipment in the near future.

 The Melbourne International Coffee Expo wasn't just another gathering of caffeined coffee professionals out to buy and sell and show and see. It was very much a stage for everyone to put their best toes forward in a huge Industry where pride plays a main character. Pride without arrogance or greed is a wonderfully powerful thing.

The exhibitors and industry enthusiasts shared and exchanged valuable knowledge that is better spread than kept for only a few to boast. It was very nice to feel on an equally passionate field as most at M.I.C.E 2013.

Byron & Below
06 September 2012 

 

A little side tracked by the run in with Coffee cherry finds and the purchase of my first 7 2' surf board - regrettably the writing was stunted for the remainder of the journey from Byron to home, Robe SA. The tastebuds made discoveries down this stretch of coast that still can be recalled. Bellingen was a pivotal stop. An alternate village of eager sustainable folk that are living, breathing and loving the simplistic existence of a small cluster of like mindeds' in the hills. Exchanging and sharing; nurturing thrifty community gardens, sourdough starters and locally brewed IPA. Every beverage or bite that passed my lips oozed with love and was outstandingly delicious. I recall a duo playing stringed instruments in 'The Purple Carrot' Tapas bar that reminded me of Warren Ellis' style of strings in The Dirty Three. The 'Golden Orb'. At the time, the curious artists were not playing often and were yet to publish any of their unique sound for the world to hear.
 

    No 2 Oak st - read a small sign above a small restaurant perpendicular to the small main street of the small Bellingen township. Shani, a wonderful host ensured there space made for my lonesome self in their bulging restaurant that was typically booked out. Rated highly in the Gourmet Traveller, I suspected many of the diners had travelled far for their fork full. Not in a van with an eagerness for a shower and real bed as I.
Dim lighting inside, warmed further by a fireplace and the comfort of linen and impeccable silverware. Big glasses for the big red grape juice for the noses that want to be big. Never have I been so nurtured as a dining customer as in No 2 Oak st.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No 5 Church st, Bellingen is the Friday night scene. This tapas bar bore candles in a spacious square space, crammed with assorted chairs for comfort. Along a far wall the biggest red gum communal table spread its trunk from the entrance to the bar. Convenient for some! Crunchy topped chickpeas with crusty buttered sourdough to nibble as we sipped the local IPA - brewed by the fellow sitting next to us. A folk band sent us a stream of jovial sound that saw most feet having a bounce at least several times over the course of the community felt night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meandering south, dodging the crowded pockets was the motive following my Bellingen joy. The Blue Mountains, Three Sisters was a mesmerizing early morning gaze at a pink and apricot haze to present our day ahead. The van and we crossed the Mallee plains, pausing for fuel and reputable steak sandwiches with the lot from the shops that the truckies stop.

 

 

Sun, surf, scenery, sleep & stomach attention are the makings of a break from the norm of routine. Mix them up a little on a beautiful journey and you will discover answers to everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

01 September 2012 

Quarry lane - cherries of the trees


An article read in Country Style Magazine shortly before the Byron trip encouraged this pursuit of Ewingsdale Coffee and his field of Coffee trees and processing plant. The one lane road was misleading, in that paddocks of grazing cattle meandered over vibrant green sheets of treeless space. I arrived to a tall home amongst feverish growth, where I interrupted a lunch that I thought the Robert I was looking for was perched. Not Robert. This polite man could smell the pursuit of the cherries I wore and gladly left his plate to show me his backyard of coffee growth; recreational growth; healthy future beans of a bruised blood red. Typica and Caturra he had in his paved back doorstep. Bursting with fruit, the limbs of the plants arched towards the earth. Arching as a pregnant womens back under the heavyness of wonderful new life. 

Internodel spacing and the importance of the ferment time, parchment for sweetness, the porous nature of green bean - this man new it as a chef new the foundations of a maison plus for service. The preperation of the cherries before their roasting life I had read only of in books and magazines. The journey of the seed in its long maturing months to the hard-green stage. Another piece of the puzzle of the smooth seeds I see after processing and shipment. I thank this wonderful passionate for sharing his knowledge and time with me. Leaving your lunch and charging my camera for these photos make me all the more grateful.   

 Further down this mysterious lane, on a track I thought the van would not make, Ewingsdale coffee and Robert I found. My visit here was well timed, as he poured a pick of glistening cherries into a hulling machine. A belt slapped the fruit from the seed with incredible efficiency. Drying patios with cherries dehydrating themselves closer to the 12% moisture sat neatly by the factory he preppared the processed cherries for their forward journey to ovens ahead! A pocket of bustling caffeine activity in the secluded hills of Byron Bay.

Never visited before

Terribly tough evening stroll by The Pass. Being anonymous alike to a feeling encouraged in a city, but in a destination as spectacular and quintessential as Byron Bay. Nice and due perspective. I have been intently reading a local writers magazine of the nature of her surfing and poetic existence here in Byron and abbroad. I envision furious Surfers here once upon a time. Some secrets we would prefer to be kept as such.

Campos Coffee, Superior blend - 'Byron Fresh Cafe.' Consistent, great espresso. Beautiful position, watching the world pass. It could have been Eddie Vedder on his Ekulele before me.

  

'Kinoko' Sushi bar, Byron Bay - Nikon Ichmonji Sake. Melony, sharp, direct rice wine. I devoured the Isoba Age (Tempura scallop), Eel with tamago and shitake mushroom, Dengaku eggplant (Peanut miso) as thoroughly as the peering at the chefs doing their calm rolling thing within the bar we sat.

 

The West

New West suburb additions since a previous visit were a welcomed treat. If ever to return to this glorious part of Melbourne, I can be comfortably assured that a magnificent caffeine brimmed cup can exist.

 

'The Milking Station' - Padre coffee, Padre's self titled blend. I love this concept roasteries have with naming blends that are like a reassuring gesture from the roasters and baristas themselves. Enjoyed my black. Bouncy. Milk based weaving past me didn't appear tight. Busy place! No groans from neighbouring customers, just lots of smiles and 'Mmm's' at the food. Beans, guac, hot sauce (El Yucateco). Beans not bubbled soft, still retaining some crunch texture, a rare 'bean side' trait that I treasure.

 

'Common Galaxia' - Decor of such straight lines. The flare of their coffee is given a fantstic space to flourish. Market Lane - Guatemalan La Perla as a black. Apricot. Tart syrup mouthfeel, alike to the skin of the stonefruit itself. Buttery. Anna's pour over Panama Don Pepe Geisha was a walk back in time to cupping at MICE at the Proud Mary niche. I've been on the road for almost a week, tasting a taste each day. This cup is magnificant. 'Common Galaxia' - Seddon. Hope its still there in a week from now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The evening before the flight, following the paved path of excellent coffee. A night in with far too many bottles of red and an 'all hands on deck' approach to dinner, preparing a traditional Czech potato pancake. Everybody took a roll. You could have been the teary, tipsy onion dicer, the egg cracker for carefull sniffing of the ripeness of the interior, the potato juice mopper with the chux, or the muscle for the folding. 

 

 

 

 

  

Between Byron

 

Commencing the adventure to northern NSW began with a beverage. Most predictably, the excursion will conclude with one. Byron Bay is to be the height of our trek by plane, then indulging in the ease of a meandering road down the coast in a Van, usually home in the Forth Valley of Tasmania. Two weeks away from the Roasting house and the decadent calm rhythm of the winter existence of Robe, SA. It is due that I shake up some candid complacency and I've loaded my ipod with some Dirty Three, Nick Cave and Michael Brookes to venture into some break to the predicted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ballarat - 'The Mallow' A bar with the most encouraging of dim lighting. Incredible globes that paint warm hues over any bottle or glass you may grasp. I left my fingerprints over a 'Mornington Peninsula IPA' and 'Two Birds Sunset Ale'. The IPA was a bitter lemon, rich brew. Definite malt, great to smooth out all that citrus rind. The 'Two Birds', brewed in Yarraville was a syrupy, fruitier pint. The bitter factor very subtle after the IPA. Fruity beer but big.

'The Cornershop' - Yarraville. Favorite first stop consistently when entering Melbourne from the West. Hawthorn brewery 'The Flavour Merchants' struck gold here with a Czech styled Pilsner. My pic out of the three for the day.

 

Chef Simon in the kitchen worked his piano fingers over the stove to produce the prodable beef ribs nestled atop soft polenta, Celeriac strips and parsley. Side kicked by slow braised green beans, in tomato and cumin, Goats fetta.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post the dense dinner, the delightful Harry extracted a soy latte from the Slayer, using Supreme's Supreme blend. Diligently dosed, diligently tamped, diligently poured. With contageous enthusisasm, he explained the behaviour of the coffee and the machine for me of the day that I had chosen to be Cornershop cornered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could sleep in this place - nestled amongst the pressed tin, people and pots. Nestled like the ribs on the polenta.