Blog
Nothing beats great fish and chips. Ocean & Paddock in Albany ticks all the boxes. The menu is HUGE… from beautiful local dhufish to deep fried mars bars to polenta fried prawn tacos. We’ve been here a few times now and it’s a real gem. Finding gluten free battered seafood can be a mission but not here! It feels like an age since I bit into a crunchy fried prawn 🍤🍤 Ocean & Paddock is definitely in my top 10 places to eat in Albany.
The shape of the Gugelhupf Cake comes from special mould to give the 'King of Cake' its crown shape. Yallingup Gugelhupf sources the best ingredients and bakes in genuine ceramic moulds. You'll find gugelhupf loaves in a range of savoury and sweet flavours. One for the roadtrip list.
Established by Drew and Rosemary Brent-White in 1998, Windance Estate is a family owned and operated vineyard. Just five kilometres south of the picturesque Yallingup beach and in the heart of the Margaret River wine region, the team at Windance focus on producing quality wines whilst incorporating sustainable land management and environmentally friendly viticultural practices.
Sometimes it takes a stroke of luck to stumble upon these little gems whilst venturing the South-West. We always pop in for a tasting in their humble little tasting shed and always leave with a case of award winning wine.
My haul of exquisite local produce from Margaret River Farmers' Markets and Gourmet Escape, plus the little adventures in between.
Ben and Elvis from Porteno. An old shearing shed with stunning rustic decor. Akrady lamb cooking over the fire. Local produce. Feast in the Forest was everything I've ever wanted from an afternoon down south.
Twas a frantic morning in the office when tickets to the satellite events at Gourmet Escape went on sale. I think I leapt out of my chair, fist in the air, yelling yessssss!
It was so lovely to step away from the stiff corporate hoo haa and just experience an amazing feast where the food simply spoke for itself.
CANAPES
Charred toast with romesco and marinated sardines
Water crackers with morcilla and smoked oyster mayo
Black lipped mussels in chilli and black bean
Leeuwin Estate Wines was on the pour and Colonial Brewing Company's latest addition, #1. I swear when I go to edit my photos, every second photo has a dirty big man thumb in the background (thanks Ryan!). The photo ahead just took it one further as he found another recruit.
MEATS AND SIDES
Cordero a la cruz - wood fired lamb with chimichurri
Crispy fried brussel sprouts with lentils and mint
BBQ peppers with ricotta. chilli and garlic
Ensalada clasica - tomato and onion salad
DESSERTS
Porteno pavlova
Just when you think you have a pretty ace wicket, Rich Keam comes along and knocks you for six. Rich is the lucky winner of the Best Job in the World competition which allows him to travel through Western Australia sampling all the glorious produce we have to offer. Rich wanted to check out the goods on Beaufort Street and joined us for our Roving Dinner. Look out for Rich at the Beaufort Street Festival, he will be making a couple of appearances on the Food Stage.
Sarah Turnbull (TourismWA), Rich Keam (Taste Master) and myself at Mary Street Bakery
Who hasn't flipped over a chocolate bar to peer at the nutritional table before you start snapping off each square. Those little calories might grab your eye but right next door is the long list of stuff that resides in your foil wrapped block of artificial taste. I prefer my chocolate stripped right back, no purple wrappers in this house.
Bahen & Co use vintage chocolate equipment and you will only find two ingredients, cacao and cane sugar. Each bar is beautifully adorned its own special paper holding chocolate that smells like it should and tastes even better. I have been lucky enough to meet Josh and his lovely wife Jacq and witness all the good things they do. I always make the effort to stock up whilst in Margaret River.
Watch this little video and you too will be racing down south to get your hands on the real stuff.
Bahen & Co Chocolate from Commoner Films on Vimeo.
Seeing as I am now 30, driving to collect takeaway before midday in your pjs does not seem like an option. So instead, I opened the fridge and deliberated until the lightbulb flickered with some South West spaghetti. I was longing to use my Coat of Arms (kangaroo and emu) chorizo from Margaret River Venison and thought the Oak Valley Truffle Butter from Urban Locavore would add some earthy depth.
Ingredients
cloves garlic, chopped
VOO olive oil
30g Coat of Arms chorizo, sliced
5 mushrooms, sliced
armesan, grated
tbs truffle butter
paghetti
alt and pepper, to taste
Method
dd water to saucepan and bring to the boil, add spaghetti until al dente.
anfry garlic, chorizo and mushrooms in olive oil on medium heat
eason
lace into bowls, top with grated parmesan and a good dollop of Truffle Butter
COFF
A sense of happiness washes over you instantly when you arrive down south. Deliver crispy pork belly and a charcuterie board to the table and you are transported into heaven. Vasse Felix never disappoints.
The food at Cullen Estate is honest and oh so fresh. Their food shines with locally grown and reared produce.
