From its humble and ancient past; virtually unknown beyond country farmhouses, Verjuice has become a staple ingredient in home kitchens and industry enterprises across Australia and internationally, due in large part to Maggie becoming the first in the world to produce it commercially. As Maggie explains, “I can’t honestly tell you how many times I came across the magic word ‘verjuice’ before I looked it up. And then the penny dropped. This was the obvious product for us to make as vignerons and for me to use in cooking." Read the rest...
On Saturday night I attended the Origins Dinner; the finale of special occasions for Tasting Australia. Thirty chefs supplied food in waves for 500 people; it was a night of delights from every quarter! The pristine oysters to start, with a glass of Deviation Road Sparkling, were just in the most magnificent condition, and I kept helping myself to them quite greedily. Tasting Australia is now all finished for the year, and I must send my huge thanks to Simon Bryant and Paul Henry, and the team behind them, for another incredibly successful festival!- Maggie. Read the rest...
Established over a century ago, Maggie’s Barossa orchard is made up of a collection of 2000 trees including heirloom apples and pears, all bursting with the kind of flavour many of us might remember from our childhood; real flavour, and that’s exactly what you’ll find filling each of her cider bottles. Read the rest...
Last Friday I took 24 visitors around the Barossa for Tasting Australia, showing them my favourite things in the Valley. We started at the Farm Shop with a light lunch and a walk around the dam, then off to Seppeltsfield and a visit to the Jam Factory, but it was taking them to the amazing restoration of what was the Adelaide Town Hall organ that now graces the Barossa Regional Gallery in its former glory, that truly made me proud of what the Barossa community can achieve together. Steve Kaesler gave us the history of the organ and played for us; the sheer drama of it just touched everybody. And then to Rockford Wines on Krondorf Road to a really terrific tour of the winery and a very special tasting in their private cellar. We then had a quick visit to Mengler Hill to watch over the patchwork of the Valley from the sculpture park before finishing at Artisans with some great plates of food from the Harvest Kitchen. I think a good day was had by all, and I most particularly enjoyed showing my guests that the valley has so many layers.- Maggie. Read the rest...
Did you know, when Maggie and Colin were still running the Pheasant Farm Restaurant and their girls were only little, Mother’s Day meant a hand-picked flower presented to each table by either Saskia or Elli? Is that not the sweetest thing? It started a tradition that still holds strong in the Beer family to this day, and now includes Saskia and Elli’s children too. Of course that’s not the only tradition surrounding celebrating Mother’s Day for Maggie - you know good food will be involved. Every time. Happy Mother's Day to all the Mums!- Maggie. Read the rest...
