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Granite: 12 month cheddar style cheese from Long Paddock

Words by Richard Cornish
Images Supplied

They say patience is its own reward. We have been watching these beautiful big wheels of cheese slowly mature over the past 12 months. Every time we visit Long Paddock Cheese in Castlemaine we have asked, “are they ready yet?”. And now Granite is ready.

Granite is a cheddar style cheese that has been wrapped in cloth and sealed with lard to allow the 8kg cheese wheels to slowly mature. This method also helps the rind develop a complex community of moulds, yeasts and bacteria that help promote the complex flavours within the cheese.

‘A lot of cheesemaking is about the development of micro-organisms’. says French-born cheesemaker Ivan Larcher.

Ivan and his wife and fellow cheesemaker, Julie Larcher, relocated to Castlemaine from Limoges in France two years ago to found Long Paddock Cheese and cheesemaking school. Despite COVID, their cheesemaking school has been a run-away success with classes booking out shortly after opening to sales. Long Paddock cheeses have met with similar acclaim gracing the tables of some of Victoria’s best restaurants and sold through topline cheesemongers, as well as factory sales through the Long Paddock store in the Mill in Castlemaine.

Granite is a triumph of cheesemaking. It is named for the granite that dominates the hills around Castlemaine and refers to the colour and texture of the rind, a stony looking grey. Cheddar cheeses undergo a technique known as cheddaring in which the curds are milled and stretched which leads to the distinct cheddar texture. Granite has a semi-hard, dense yet crumbly interior that is daffodil yellow in colour, and moist and buttery on the tongue. Its flavour is complex with grassy and buttery aromas, a hint of earth, a clean line of acid and long satisfying umami deliciousness.

Grill it, put it in a toasty, serve it in a ploughman’s platter, put it on a cheeseboard or do the English thing and eat it alongside a fruity eccles cake. This is a great iteration of the famous Cheddar cheese that is distinctively its own beautiful creation.

THE DETAILS

WHAT: Cloth bound cheddar cheese
WHERE: Available from Maker & Monger, Prahran Market, Ripe Cheese, Queen Victoria Market, K-sein Fromagerie at South Melbourne Market, Harper & Blohm, Brunswick and Alphington, Abbotsford and Bendigo Farmers Markets and Long Paddock, Castlemaine
WHEN: From April 4
MORE INFO: Long Paddock Cheese

We wish to acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

St Huberts reopens as Hubert Estate after multi-million dollar development

Words by Jay Dillon

Locals of the Yarra Valley have been observing the slow rising of the ground from the Maroondah Highway for the last two years. It’s either a giant mole that’s dug its way from the UK or there’s a new cellar door on its way. 

The St Huberts vineyard was established in 1862 by Charles Hubert de Castella, contributing to the first wave of vine planting which began with Yering Station to the west. The estate built a huge reputation for high-quality cabernet wines, particularly in the late 1970s and 1980s. Through these years the estate passed through many hands, most recently; publicly listed winemakers and distributors Treasury Wines Estate.

Around 2016 the vineyard property was sold to entrepreneur Gerry Ryan, who was responsible for the $16 million redevelopment of Mitchelton Wines, Nagambie. Treasury Wines has clearly not been willing to give up the heritage wine label and instead will continue to own the St Huberts brand and rent back the newly developed property, renamed as Hubert Estate, from Gerry Ryan.

‘For visitors, it will be an fantastic proposition, as you go there and do a number of interesting things across the day. Rather than just a tasting at the cellar door’. Explains Tony Layton, Business Manager St Huberts.

The property’s soft launch today (March 31) will focus on the ‘mole mound’ centrepiece building which will house St Huberts Cellar door on the top floor and a wine retail shop called Notes. Here visitors will be able to access over seventy different labels from the Treasury Wines portfolio, as well as the ‘Notes’ brand of wines that targets emerging varietals and unorthodox winemaking techniques. The basement level opens as a gallery space featuring indigenous artists from Victoria and beyond.

Quarters at Hubert Estate restaurant will open on April 8, which is built around a fast-casual and high-quality menu. Expect pizza, pasta, burgers, salads and of course an extensive wine list. As the team finds their sea legs, the restaurant will open for five days for the first month.

It’s a massive investment into the Valley, with a function and event space called ‘Harriet’ and an eighty room hotel slated to be completed by the end of the year. There are other food and wine offerings to be added in the future, in addition to a high-end day spa.

Hubert Estate is shaping up to be a centrepiece of the Yarra Valley’s ‘golden triangle’, bringing something new whilst paying respects to the heritage of the site. One imagines Charles Hubert de Castella would approve.

THE DETAILS

WHAT: Hubert Estate
WHEN: Cellar door, retail store and gallery open today March 31. Quarters at Hubert Estate restaurant will open on April 8.
WHERE:3 St Huberts Rd, Coldstream
MORE INFO: Hubert Estate

We wish to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Introducing exceptional salami from Colin and Sally’s Organic Farm

Words by Richard Cornish 
Images Supplied

Out in the green rolling hills at Dollar, between Mirboo North in the Strzelecki Ranges and Foster in South Gippsland, is a farm where Sally Ruljancich and Colin Trudgen raise their Angus cattle and Wiltshire Horn / Poll Dorset cross sheep.

They have been instrumental in the direct-from-farm movement in that part of the world for over a decade and are known for the exceptionally flavoursome lamb and beef. Ethics are essential to their operation from caring for country, soil regeneration, flock and herd health, and community care.

“In some farming models breeding cows and ewes are bred into the ground,” says Sally.

They are not cared for. All our animals are looked after throughout their life. Traditionally, old breeders are in bad conditions and sent to the market where there is not much return.

But because Colin and Sally look after their ‘girls’ so well, they are in such good condition when they are no longer able to breed that they still have high-value meat. “And I had always wanted to make small goods,” says Sally.

This is where champion salume maker Robbie De Palma comes in. The 7th generation Sydney small goods maker is a perfectionist. “He made it clear he would not take any trim,” says Sally. “He told us that salami is not a dumping ground for old, cheap meat,” she says. Colin and Sally sent their best rump and topside to the Padstow-based De Palma. “Beef is quite lean, so we also sent up back fat from the pigs raised by our friends at Amber Creek Farm,” says Sally.

Robbie De Palma is a traditionalist and uses the bare minimum of ingredients to make the salami. The meat is ground, mixed with fermenting culture, salt and pepper, then stuffed into natural skins. The salami is allowed to ferment at a reasonably warm temperature until the lactic acid bacteria produce enough acid to stop the bad bugs from getting hold. The salami is then slowly air-dried for weeks, preserving the salami.

The result is a great-tasting salami where the beef does the talking with a lovely hit of salt, a rich mushroom note from the naturally occurring beneficial mould on the outside, and a clean lactic acid tang. Slice fine and enjoy with crusty bread and a glass of wine from Dirty Three or Waratah Hills in South Gippsland. The salami is joined by beef bresaola (sold out) and in three months’ time, lamb culatello – salted and air-dried muscles from the hind leg.

THE DETAILS
WHAT: Exceptionally good salami from South Gippsland
WHERE: Online from Prom Coast Food Collective, or instore at Stella’s Pantry and Leongatha Health Food
WHEN: Now and June 22 for the culatello
MORE INFO: colinandsallys.com.au

We wish to acknowledge the Gunaikurnai people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Healesville says farewell to Yarra Valley Pasta after 25 years

Words by Teyha Nicholls
Images Supplied

They say all good things must come to an end, and the same is true for one of Healesville’s most iconic and longstanding providores, Yarra Valley Pasta.

It’s the end of an era for fans of artisan, hand-made pasta, both in the Yarra Valley and beyond. After 25 years in business, owner Lisa Giffard says her choice to close the doors is led by her heart.

 

“It’s time for me to focus on my family. I’m going to just enjoy my boys, not rush around, and spend more time with my mum and dad,” she explains.

The providore was well known for its traditional Italian fare, praised by locals and critics alike for its authentic flavours, passed down from Lisa’s mother, Maria Colaneri, and their ancestors in the Molise region of Italy.

Throughout the pandemic and afterwards, the business continued to trade consistently with support from locals. Their pasta and sauces could be found in shopfronts across the state, while plenty of home-delivery services approached Lisa for partnerships.

“Covid was actually very good for our business. There was that really big push towards supporting local. I think people were finding empty shelves at Coles while the little guy down the road was still employing people, so our retail side went gangbusters, but our restaurant obviously took a big hit.”

But between running the business, keeping staff employed during the lockdowns, homeschooling her children and caring for her ageing parents, Lisa found herself — very understandably — exhausted. As any business owner will know, staying open requires innovation, and innovation requires energy.

“When we opened in 1997 there was nothing in Healesville. You couldn’t get a decent cup of espresso anywhere, so we were new and exciting. Of course [the business] has had lots of different lives, but it was time to reinvent again and in order for the business to thrive, I would need to dig a lot deeper and find a different energy and headspace.”

The future for Lisa looks like more time spent with family and recharging the batteries for business ventures to come.

Yarra Valley Pasta has been integral in cultivating Yarra Valley’s reputation for artisan produce and excellent global dining. While their closure is a loss for the region, theirs is a legacy that won’t soon be forgotten.

THE DETAILS:
WHAT: Yarra Valley Pasta closure
WHERE: Healesville, Yarra Valley
WHEN: March 2022
MORE INFO: Yarra Valley Pasta

We wish to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

OHO Markets – Autumn Collection 2022

Here we are in Autumn already and with that comes our OHO Autumn Collection.

Don’t forget those all-important dates this season in your shopping calendar.
There’s Easter and then the big one to celebrate… Mother’s Day.

So we’ve put together a collection to help you along with an easy shopping trip while supporting our
regional Victorian makers and producers.

Happy Shopping!

Miss Amelie Gourmet ticks all the boxes

Words by Amanda Kennedy
Images Supplied

Picture this –it’s a lazy Friday afternoon and you’ve knocked off early. You’ve snagged a prime spot for a little people-watching on the wide, shady balcony of Beechworth’s newest spot. Take your time sipping some local vino while you graze through a delicious selection of cheese and charcuterie. This is what it’s all about at Miss Amelie Gourmet, the third location from co-owners chef David Kapay and businessman Ken Little.

David Kapay began to make a name for himself locally when in 2016 he opened Miss Amelie restaurant in the historic former Wodonga railway station. The fine dining establishment serving modern European cuisine soon became a destination, along with Little Miss, its petit cocktail bar next door.

Fast forward to 2020 and the Covid-19 reality of hospitality, David saw a chance to share his love of good food beyond the hobbled business model of the restaurant.

I started making some pies at a mate’s bakery and before you knew it Miss Amelie Gourmet was created. We opened our Wodonga location then we opened up a retail outlet in Albury. This one (in Beechworth) is the next step up.

And what a step it is. Located on the corner of Ford and Camp streets in the centre of town, the 150-year building has been home to several pubs, a few cafes and even a fish and chip joint at one stage. David and business partner Ken worked closely with local trades to breathe new life back into the building which had been vacant for several years.

The result is a stunning two-level licensed café/restaurant that is set to become Beechworth’s most exciting food destination yet.

Looking for a weekend spot to spread out the paper whilst sipping an espresso? Check – coffee coming right up with beans from Albury roastery Platform 9 Coffee Roasters. Got a craving for freshly churned Italian-style gelato? Yep, what flavour would you like? Someone special got a birthday coming up? Choose from a pastry case piled high with all manner of tempting treats or order one of their spectacular celebration cakes. Can’t be bothered cooking but still want to eat well? Grab one of their take-home meals for you to simply heat and eat.

Whatever you do, just don’t miss out on the medal-winning pies that started this whole thing off. Baked fresh at their Wodonga headquarters, the crowd-pleasing pies are now stocked in all three of Miss Amelie Gourmet’s locations as well as more than a dozen regional outlets. With flavours like Thai Red Curry Duck, Tasmanian Scallop & King Salmon Chowder and their newest creation the BBB (Beef, Bacon & Bridge Road Brewers Pale Ale) good luck choosing your new favourite.

THE DETAILS

WHAT: Miss Amelie Gourmet
WHERE: 85 Ford St, Beechworth
WHEN: Mon to Thurs 7am – 4pm, Fri to Sat 7am – 7pm, Sunday 8am to 4pm
MORE INFO: missameliegourmet.com.au

We wish to acknowledge traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Beaufort is turning itself into a Vegemite mecca with new pop-up museum

Words by Tehya Nicholas
Images Supplied

It’s difficult to think of a spread, or anything for that matter, more divisive than Vegemite. Some love it, others (who are wrong) hate it. The yeast-based, Australia brekky staple has divided families and friends since the day of its conception and we have just one man to thank for this. His name is Cyril Callister and his legacy is about to be honoured at a pop-up exhibition in Beaufort.

Perched in a former 1950’s petrol station, the museum comes just a year before the 100 year anniversary of the black spread’s invention and hopes to bring some vital tourism to the small regional town.

Secretary of the Cyril Callister Foundation and Beaufort community leader Liza Robinson says the exhibition will feature plenty of Vegemite memorabilia and plans to “build on the history, legacy and efforts of Cyril Callister starting back in the early 1900’s.”

Callister’s colourful past, from growing up in a working-class family in the nearby regional town of Chute, to making bombs in Scotland during World War I, to crafting soap back in Victoria, is traced through the exhibit, all the way to the fateful moment Callister was enlisted by Kraft as a food chemist to make a nutrient and flavour-dense spread for the company.

Vegemite was pegged to compete with British-born Marmite, but it took a while for sales to kick off. It wasn’t until World War II and Australian soldier’s ration kits included a tin of Vegemite that it became something of a national icon. Then after the runaway success of the Happy Little Vegemite commercial in 1954, Vegemite was firmly planted in the hearts, pantries and sandwiches of Aussie’s for good.

The pop-up museum is free to enter, although donations are welcome to make this exhibit a permanent attraction. There’ll be Vegemite samples to try, merchandise to purchase and plenty of history to absorb. The doors are open on the fourth Saturday of every month, until at least June this year.

“The response so far has been very good. I think it’s a great long term tourist attraction for Beaufort, one that we can really build on in the future” Liza explains.

If there’s one thing we can safely feel patriotic about, it’s Vegemite, so why not pencil in a visit on your next weekend trip? Just be sure to pack the sandwiches.

THE DETAILS
WHAT: Pop-up Vegemite exhibit
WHERE: Servo @ 23 Beaufort
WHEN: 10am-2pm, fourth Saturday of every month until June
MORE INFO: Cyril Callister Foundation

We wish to acknowledge the Wadawurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Macaron obsession is here to stay with new dessert store in Bendigo

Words by Tehya Nicholas
Images Supplied

In 2018, Australia’s obsession with the doughnut came to a crashing halt. Doughnut shops, like Doughnut Time, were forced to close. Our obsession with the calorie-filled creation was over, and in its wake, there was a dessert-sized hole just waiting to be filled.

Enter the sugary French macaron. Where the doughnut was dense, homey and naughty, the macaron is airy, ethereal and dainty. Macarons are difficult to make, which has become part of their appeal. They are, as one journalist called it, “the Gwyneth Paltrow of desserts.”

There is one baker in Bendigo riding high on this new wave of macaron-obsession, and has just opened a permanent storefront in Bendigo to satiate our endless craving for this charming dessert.

Hayley Kapperer started her baking business, Flavour and Heart, in 2015 just ahead of the ubiquitous macaron trend. An avid baker who would ” finish a 12-hour shift and come home to cook for another three hours” just for the joy of it, Kapperer became fixated on the macaron because of their technical challenge.

Macarons were the first thing I cooked that I stuffed up. Being incredibly stubborn, I decided to keep making them until I got them right, and then I fell in love.

After selling out consistently at the Moonlight Market in Bendigo, she decided to commit herself full-time to the dessert business. Seven years later, the light, sweet meringue-based sandwich filled with jam, cream or ganache has become Kapperer’s bread and butter.

It’s pretty massive. I sold 800 macarons in about three hours [on my first day], which was crazy. Three months later I decided to quit my full-time job and go full-time with Flavour and Heart.

These days, whether she’s set up at Moonlight Market, Bendigo Community Farmer’s Market or a private event or function, rarely a day goes by when Kapperer does not sell out completely. She has accumulated hordes of followers, waiting patiently for a new release of her famed “Big Boy” range (macarons stuffed with fresh fruit or unique fillings like strawberry cheesecake and caramel slice). It isn’t hard to imagine her new shop doing the same sort of business.

In the age of stores that sell everything, bakeries that serve meat pies alongside cinnamon scrolls, Kapperer’s Flavour and Heart is a refreshingly sweet place of indulgence, perfect for those who enjoy their desserts quaint, light and Instagram-friendly. Just make sure you get there before they sell out.

THE DETAILS
WHAT: Flavour and Heart
WHERE: 2/14 Panton Street, Bendigo
WHEN: Open Saturdays, 10am – 3pm (or until sold out)
MORE INFO: Flavour and Heart

We wish to acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

OHO Markets – Valentine’s Day Collection

We only just seem to have celebrated Christmas & here we are in February thinking about Valentine’s Day.

Give the shops a miss this year and take a browse around the OHO Markets.

You’ll be gifting your special someone not only a unique gift but also supporting our regional Victoria makers and producers.

Happy Shopping!

Zero Waste Market – all the flavour with none of the packaging

Words by Amanda Kennedy
Images:Supplied

Mount Zero Olives’ Zero Waste Warehouse Market is no longer an insider’s hot tip. Open to all, the popular one-day event is the ideal opportunity to stock up on all those tasty treats for your pantry. All you need to do is bring along your own bags, bottles, containers and jars.

If you’ve ever wondered the impact of re-using your own containers then picture this – organisers believe the event saves an estimated 1000 glass olive oil bottles while diverting packaging from more than 300kg of olives and grains each time they throw the warehouse doors open.

Mount Zero Olives began as a family-owned olive grove on the edge of the Grampians National Park three hours west of Melbourne. A drive to share their quality product further afield led them to expand their range beyond olives and oils.

This zero waste market is just one of the ways in which they walk their talk. Another can be seen in their partnership with traditional Wimmera region land owners, the Barengi Gadjin Land Council.

Choose from Mount Zero’s core range of products including olives, extra virgin olive oils, grains, pulses and salts as well as the hyper-local Sunshine Honey, harvested from hives behind the warehouse. Oh, and don’t skimp on the ultimate martini accessory for this summer, Gordal olives. You can thank us later!

Friends of Mount Zero will also be in attendance offering their package-free produce. Get in early to snap up traditionally Japanese fermented products from Koji & Co. Saeko Iida, originally from Yokohama, Japan, founded Koji & Co in 2019 to bring her range of miso and shio koji to growing a cohort of fans. These carefully crafted fermented foods support gut health and the body’s immune system while bringing bonus flavour to your cooking.

Another hot ticket is always the 2-litre bulk buckets of goat cheese from Meredith Dairy. Generally reserved for catering, these buckets will bring you weeks of joy as the irresistibly silky cheese graces your salads, sandwiches and more. A fridge without Meredith Dairy marinated goat cheese is a sad fridge indeed.

Naturally, current health guidelines will be in place for stallholders and guests to ensure a Covid-safe event.

THE DETAILS

WHAT: Mount Zero Olives’ Zero Waste Warehouse Market
WHEN: Saturday 29 January 9am – 2pm,
WHERE: 6 Law Crt, Sunshine West
MORE INFO: Mount Zero Olives

We wish to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.