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...
The wonderful thing about growing your own apples besides the superior, just-picked flavour difference, is the incredible choice that awaits any keen gardener. Far beyond the readily available Jonathon and Red Delicious, is an array of varieties that offer an apple for every taste and recipe. And anyone with a small garden, or even a balcony, need not feel left out with new compact varieties, such as ‘Ballerina’, able to be grown in a pot and still produce a generous amount of fruit for a family- Maggie. Read the rest...
May’s Sunday Lunch menu definitely has Mother’s day in mind, and for me that means food that is delicious and seasonally based, but it also means food that is easy to cook and able to be made ahead of time where possible. This takes the pressure off the day and enables everyone to be part of creating a truly beautiful shared table for your Mum. To begin with, a glass of Sparkling Chardonnay or Sparkling Ruby Cabernet, followed by a perfectly easy Slow Roasted Oyster Blade, that I love to serve with Onion Cream and Braised Cavalo Nero. And to finish, somethings truly celebrate the rhubarb season, and to make the most of the very last of the strawberries, Rhubarb, Strawberries and Creme Fraiche. Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mums!- MB. Read the rest...
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