Local brewery’s ale judged number one in international competition

The Little Brewing Company’s (TLBC’s) draught Mad Abbot Tripel was judged the number one Trappist-style abbey ale at the 2011 Australian International Beer Awards in Melbourne last week.

Mad Abbot Tripel received the only Gold Medal awarded for draught or packaged beer in the Abbey Style, Dubbel and Tripel category, taking the number one spot from among some of the best Trappist-style abbey beer producers in the world, many of whom have been brewing these ales for far longer than the local brewery.

Not to be outdone, the brewery’s Mad Abbot Dubbel received one of seven Silver Medals awarded for packaged product in the same category.

TLBC’s Mad Abbot Tripel was one of three Gold Medals in contention for overall Champion Belgian and French Style Ale, which went to Oud Beersel from Belgium for its Lambic style beer, Oude Kriek. Oud Beersel is an artisanal Lambic brewery that was founded in Brussels in 1882.

For those dining out in Port Macquarie, the Mad Abbot Tripel is served at The Corner Restaurant, the Mad Abbot Dubbel is served at Fusion Seven, and the Mad Abbot Dubbel is on tap at Flame on the Water.

The Mad Abbots can be tasted at the brewery’s Cellar Door in Uralla Road, and they are also available from Lighthouse Cellars in Watonga Street.

Of the 29 Gold Medals awarded at the 2011 AIBAs, 12 went to Australian breweries.

This year’s AIBAs received 1,195 entries from 34 countries around the world, with an increase in entries from the US, and South-East Asian and Scandinavian countries. Nearly 50 per cent of the entries were from overseas countries.

Ends

Enquiries: Kylie Little: 02 6581 3949 or 0431 012 544.

Year of the Locavore

Have you read Kim Honan's blog?  If not, take a look!

http://yearofthelocavore.com/blog/2011/03/

Another Feather in our Journey of Flavour Cap

Hastings Valley produce tops the State! 

RICARDOES MAKES IT A HAT TRICK!

Ricardoes Tomatoes and Strawberries has taken out "best tomatoes" at the Sydney Royal Easter show for the third year running.

Co-owner Anthony Sarks was notified on the opening day of the show today (April 14) that the Blackmans Point farm’s consignment of tomatoes for the 2011 event had once more been awarded "best tomatoes in NSW and south-east Queensland" in the iconic District Exhibits Competition.

Ricardoes first entered the competition in 2009 and has now taken out the honours every year since. In awarding the title, judges have consistently praised the high quality of Ricardoes’ produce.

The win comes just as Ricardoes has added a new tomato soup to its range of award-winning preserves, in time for the cooler months. Its range of 26 jams and relishes has been selling widely beyond the Hastings since the farm began offering online ordering on its ricardoes.com website two months ago.

Issued by PORT P.R. April 14 2011 on behalf of Ricardoes. Inquiries: Susie Boswell, 0411 040 888; Anthony Sarks 6585 0663.

Farmers Market Feedback

This letter was received today from Grace Connor regarding the Farmers Market.

"I have moved here from the far north coast and use to love going to the renowned markets in Byron Bay and Bangalow for their diverse range of quality goods and food on offer.  I have to say that the Laurieton and Port Macquarie Artists/Farmers Market are as good as, if not better in my view than those up north I use to visit.

I know Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is constantly looking to improve the facilities and times local producers and artists can set up and sell goods to the public, ie the Town Green combined markets and the Glasshouse twilight markets, both of which I thought were great.

I was recently at the Bellingen markets and feel that most of the markets in this area are so much better than Bellingen, which was a surprise to me as Bellingen is so famous for being a great market.  I know people make the trip from places such as Tamworth and Armidale just to go to them.

In short, I believe we have some fantastic local producers and artists that support and attend our markets and I would just like to say keep up the good work re promoting and developing our region and what we have to offer."

March 2011 Newsletter

Introduction

Welcome everyone to the March Journey of Flavour Newsletter. 

JoF Car Rally

On Sunday, 27 February the Journey of Flavour Annual Car Rally saw 52 cars rev up their engines to visit local businesses in Port Macquarie, Laurieton and Blackmans Point.  Click here for further details.

Promoting JoF and your business

Journey of Flavour material will help to distinguish your business from competitors. If you would like to purchase an end sign, please contact me, they are $75 (incl GST) per sign. Email wendy.beverley@pmhc.nsw.gov.au or phone 6581 8221.

If you run out of brochures, shelf wobblers or stickers, contact me and I will send you more.  There is no cost to you and its another way of distinguishing your business to visitors and residents alike as an elite business.  You will also be promoting Journey of Flavour and business excellence.

If you have recipes you would like to add to the website, please email through to me.

Insync Networking Evening held on 14 March

Modishe in Wauchope kindly hosted the evening.  35 Customer Care & JoF members attended and were entertained by Troppo Bob. Bob Knuckey & Christine Lowder from Moisture Cure and Bev Watson from Modishe spoke about their businesses and their experiences as members of the Customer Care and Journey of Flavour programs. Click here for further details.

JoF Kitchen Challenge

Eight (8) friends decided they would like to get in on the MKR action and are running their own competition.  4 married couples (including myself & hubby Andy) have been cooking up a storm every Sunday night in the hope to take out the $400 up for grabs.  Our focus is on using local produce, great taste sensations and spending time with friends. Click here for further details.

Springwise

For your daily fix of entrepreneurial ideas log onto Springwise.  Its network of 8,000 spotters has yet again found some smart new business ideas. Click on the link below to view some of these great business ideas.  

http://www.springwise.com/food_beverage/

Dates for your diaries:

Friday, 1 July 2011

Customer Care Service Excellence Awards

Port Macquarie Panthers

Sunday, 23 October 2011 (tentative)

2011 Holiday Coast Credit Union Tastings of the Hastings

Port Macqaurie Racecourse

Our newest members to the Journey of Flavour program are Gaian Poultry & Game, Fusion 7, McWilliams Quality Meats and Bliss Restaurant. 

Don't forget to submit your nomination for the Customer Care Awards by Friday, 25 March.

Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries - New On-Line Sales Site

Popular Port Macquarie fruit farmers Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries have launched into online sales of their award-winning preserves range.  The farm is a Hastings household name, supplying fresh tomatoes and strawberries to district homes and local fruiterers and restaurants. Its tomatoes have been awarded best in the Sydney Royal Easter Show exhibits for the past two years running.  “We’re hoping to make it a trifecta when judging for 2011 takes place in about eight weeks’ time,” Ricardoes co-owner Anthony Sarks said.

“But at the moment we’re pretty excited about one of the other arms to our business, our preserves, and the success it’s having. “Public response to the preserves, made from our own farm produce, has been awesome, so much so that we’ve found it necessary to answer demand to make the range available by mail order from February 1. “From our foundation products of basil and pasta sauce and strawberry jam just a couple of years ago we’ve regularly grown our list to a total of 25 products of both pantry essentials and some more exotic gourmet lines. “That number rises to 60 if you include all the possible combinations of our new line of mini products, in a tasting or sampler size, introduced just before Christmas.

“There are five of our most popular products in the mini range. Customers can select any three of them, presented in triple gift-packs we’re calling Ricardoes Trios. They flew off the shelves as keenly priced gifts and souvenirs during the festive and holiday season and visitors asked where they could get hold of supplies once they returned home.

“Locally, customers can pick them up from among the full range of items available only at the farm, along with our other best-price produce, or we have a number of loyal outlets in town and around the region stocking both tomatoes and a selection of preserves.”

The farm’s two newest lines are a fresh tomato puree and a rich tomato paste at $5 each from the farm or online. They follow two gourmet lines, a strawberry finishing vinegar and olive tapenade, created late last year. The tapenade, or olive paste, was so immediately popular Ricardoes has responded to calls for it to be available also in a larger size.

“Our preserves eat up very few food miles, being created right here in a new industrial kitchen owned and operated by The Other Chef’s Eric Robinson,” Anthony Sarks said. “The range has won all sorts of national fine food awards, which is a real tribute to our farm workers and our manufacturer.

“They might eat up a few more food miles now we’ll be posting them around the countryside and interstate, but the bonus is that expanded sales mean more jobs locally and a boost to our regional economy. We also strongly support local tourism and fresh produce promotional campaigns like Journey of Flavour run by private enterprise and the council.

“An important point about our website and new online sales is that we hope soon to have a simple third-party facility where Hastings residents can order and pay online and have us post some local Ricardoes’ products on their behalf to friends and relatives anywhere in Australia.”

Ricardoes Online can be accessed at www.ricardoes.com, click on Online Ordering.

Friday, 4/2/11
Port PR

Journey of Flavour Website, Car Rally & Farmers Market

"The website is fantastic and the concept of the car rally is amazing.  I am really proud to be a JoF member.  Personally, I have had nothing but great feedback.  Customers are noticing the signage and making enquiries.

The last Farmers Market and Artists Market outside the Glasshouse was wonderful exposure for us! Wonderful timing with all the tourists in town.  Sonia Fingleton is a wonder." 

Warm regards
Kerrie McMahon
World Par-TEA
www.worldpartea.com