Foodtourist

A little bit of the moon from Pupillin in Hobart this Sunday. If you have a ticket to @bottletops_21 drop by and try a taste from these two magic magnums made by Renaud Bruyère and Adeline Houillon (oh and say hello to us too)! Impossibility rare, especially in magnums, it will be a pleasure to share them a little more widely than usual. We’re there for a good time not a long time - possibly only the first hour or until these disappear. That’s about as long as our aged feet will last. (And there’s nothing for sale - this is just for the pleasure of tasting.)

What a joy to finally, after more than 2 years, very briefly visit Melbourne and to eat and drink at @publicwineshop. The best of teams (hopefully we tagged everyone) helm this glorious venue, so reminiscent of the wine bars we love in France that we felt we were walking into somewhere very familiar - or maybe it was @sarahrayfitzsimmons’s surprised smile! An added bonus was @campbellburtonwines generous sharing tastes of some newly-released wines from Cyril Alonso he had had open for trade customers that day. Three tienturier gamays in one cuvée and 31 varieties in another. The world can be grateful for the work Alonso is doing to save so many rare varieties. The wines are alive!

A trip to Launceston: 1-2. The new Elizabeth St @breadandbuttertasmania (including excellent sandwiches) 3. Pasta at @havilahwine (always delicious but an essential address on Sundays) 4-5. @fryed_fishandchips , @kyeemaseafoodstasmania’s new fish and chips shop (because a good fish and chip shop, where the provenance of the fish is known, always comes in handy) 6. Dumplings at @pachinko_eats, particularly full of soul on this trip. 7. Coffee and pastries at @princessquarebar (photo is missing the most immaculate napkins in town). 8. Cataract Gorge walking track (proof we aren’t always eating or sitting in front of a laptop) 9. The chocolate ice cream at @thedevilsownicecreamery (because anyone who makes their ice cream with @elgaarfarm milk and cream should be encouraged)

Feeling thoroughly spoilt to have this special delivery of various types of raddichio from @feldsfarm. It came (thanks @joycejohnston2013) just as we just ate the last of another collection from about 3 weeks ago. It’s extraordinary how long they last, especially the dark red ones. If you live in Launceston you can buy direct from them at @harvest_launceston on Saturday mornings. If you don’t live in Launceston these are worth driving for, especially considering their longevity. They are one of the most winter-brightening things we know to eat. So many wonderful vegetables, not part of Tasmania’s rather basic eating traditions (yes we love carrots, potatoes, onions, broad beans etc too but …) which seem to flourish here, including these. It’s a big opportunity. Much of the focus in Tasmania’s agricultural policy is about exporting the things we’ve always grown. Just a small pivot to support / encourage people growing produce that’s currently mostly acquired from elsewhere is surely as worthy a thing to encourage. These types of bitter greens are available in Tasmania but mostly they have come on a boat from interstate. Encouraging the replacement of those imports is surely as worthy as encouraging exports and has the added advantage that if the boats can’t operate for any period (as has happened) the fresh vegetable aisles in the supermarkets wouldn’t be quite as empty. Oh … and if there is any opportunity to support a bigger local globe artichoke crop / season that would be a bonus too!

The view across the bar at @pachinko_eats last week. Lots of our wines at the moment but even if there weren’t it’s the sort of collection that reminds us we are part of a community - wines and sake from importers who are friends, from vignerons we’ve hosted (imported by a friend not us) and of course we see the faces of the people we work with when we see the bottles that have come from us. We’re sure this is one of the reasons why so many people love these wines. Drinking a glass is a direct link to a person not a brand. We’ve missed direct contact with so many people in the last 2 years but the connections remain strong.

Notice the subtle change of name in @twometretall’s signature early-release beer. This is NOT a marketing decision. It is a very firm statement making a stake in the ground to mark the fact that this farmhouse beer (made on a farm so they can use that descriptor with some pride) is now made entirely without the need to add any yeast. All the yeasts that do the work, including finishing the fermentation in the bottle, are living on the farm. This is no mean feat for a young beer. All we can suggest you do is get to the Derwent Valley (their rustic farm bar is open regularly (currently Fridays and Saturdays) and ask Ashley to explain how it is made and why he feels this is such an important milestone. And taste it too - complex and refreshing at the same time. Here he is in full flight … while @jane_huntington keeps everything calm and flowing! At the moment you can only taste the new beer at the bar but it will be released to a wider audience later this year. Always such a pleasure to visit and enjoy their hospitality. Not your average brewery visit!