Late summer loving

BY CAM O’KEEFE

I love this time of year in our gardens and at our local markets, with the warmth of these long days having ripened the best of summer’s bounty before the slow change of season into the milder autumn months.

In the way of fruits, think plums, grapes and limes. While in the veggie department it’s largely about zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers and a (huge) variety of beans.

It also means tomatoes are beginning to bulge at their peak: I was fortunate enough to be given a few different varieties of tomato plants from the famed organic garden at Brae late last year (I know a guy…) and they are now at their yellow/green/red-ish best! It may be a little early to make wider assumptions, but with the disastrous weather experienced by almost every state this summer (whether that be flooding, storms, fires or – in some parts still – drought) enjoy as much as you can from our garden shelves now, as some crops in the short term may not bring this sort of plentifulness for the next year or two.

After a small hiatus of enjoying quality coffee at home (more due to broken machine issues than choice) I’ve been getting back into some of the better small batch blends available from cafes who offer retail bag sales.

A trusty favourite has always been Cartel Roasters and when I swung by recently to chat with the owner on his latest pick, he steered me in the direction of a new single origin he’d sourced from a teeny farm in Ethiopia.

 

Much like wine, I like the idea of tiny producers still being able to showcase their craft on the big stage, half a world away.

Cartel have always championed the little guys, another reason I (in turn) feel right about supporting their business.

The blend here was called Boji Kochere and was described to me as tasting along the lines of combining dark ‘winey’ berries (blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes etc.) with rich dark chocolate.

I’ll admit I’m not the greatest at explaining what I taste in coffee (although I did get a creamy kind of blueberry in there somewhere) but boy was it tasty. If you’re floating around the CBD, stop by their café and taste for yourself.

Speaking of ol’ favs, I was fascinated to see the change in menu direction recently from (probably) my pick of Geelong’s small restaurants.

As reported a few months back, Tulip has undergone a tasteful renovation and change of head chef, who has now added a more Asian feel to their offering.

Some dishes sound simple enough (prawn sandwich, tarragon mayonnaise, fermented hot sauce) but in that simplicity comes a welcomed freshness and playfulness (‘potato cake’, bonito crème fraîche, roe) I really like: it’s enough to give the restaurant a breath of new life without venturing too far from what made the place so likeable (and delicious) to begin with.

 

The menu feels slightly cheaper too, perhaps a nod to current economic times and the need to entice diners back to the more serious end of the local restaurant scene.

A couple of weekends from now, the Bellarine Agricultural Show returns to celebrate all things green and great about our peninsula.

Like many good rural festivals, the show provides an important forum for the community to gather and showcase their wares, while sharing their skills and (hopefully) educate some of the those in attendance.

What I’ve enjoyed in previous years is the extensive array of produce that’s featured: not just that which is available to purchase on the day, but also the homemade entries of preserves, loaves, biscuits etc. that go into the many competition grades (another classic sign of a great agricultural shows) that eventually get crowned winners.

What started from humble beginnings, the event is now well over three decades old, with no sign of slowing: a friend of mine is one of the show’s directors and she feels attendance this year is hoped to reach a record total in excess of 4,500 visitors.

As their motto goes: “A traditional country show reflecting old fashioned country values” …I like it!

 

Finally, and yet to try (although keen to try) but the growing juggernaut of the Hamo Hospitality Group has added yet another venue to their repertoire of local dining spots. Clearly not content with only the of success of Paddock Bakery and 1915 (both located at the Federal Mills precinct), the group has headed Newtown way with the opening of Woolstore Restaurant & Bar, found at the river end of Pakington Street. Judging by the fitout, it’s been a serious undertaking (and a sizeable one at that) spread over two floors with capacity for 150 guests.

I’m keen to see what they’re doing with the custom made parrilla grill that sits as a centrepiece for the whole venue. Besides the (needed) inclusion of good cow cuts, I’m told there’s some Aylesbury duck, beef ribs and veg that see a work out on this impressive bit of cooking machinery. Will report back soon.