January 11th, 2010 tanner
Due to the popularity of the recent Chef’s Tour of the Tablelands, , another tour will be conducted on the 2nd February 2010.
This tour will take in the southern coastal wet tropics corridor and visiting a bio-dynamic poultry farm, exotic fruit farm, vanilla plantation, tea plantation, pepper & spice farm, fruit winery, pasta producer, eco-banana plantation and meet the chilli man at the historic Garradunga Pub.
Any chef interested in participating can contact Nola at info@australiantropicalfoods.com
Posted in Chef's Corner | Comments Off on Next Chefs Tour of the Cassowary Coast
January 11th, 2010 tanner
As part of the Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation’s Gourmet Food Project, the current Queensland Chef, David Pugh, is blogging to showcase the best of Queensland produce including tropical foods. The blog includes information and recipes on key, seasonal ingredients.
The role of the Queensland Chef is to work with Primary Industries and Fisheries to profile Queensland produce, industries and primary producers. This blog is aimed at consumers, especially those more innovative food followers, however, on a broader level the Gourmet Food Project has opportunities for chefs, growers and producers to network and get involved in promoting quality regional produce to a wider market.
For more information, contact:
Kaye Nunan
Principal Food Industry Development Officer
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
Telephone: 07 3239 3254 Facsimile: 07 3239 3504
Email: kaye.nunan@deedi.qld.gov.au
Website: www.dpi.qld.gov.au Information Centre: 13 25 23
Posted in ATF HOT NEWS, Chef's Corner | Comments Off on The Queensland Chef 2009-2010
December 7th, 2009 tanner
Local Chefs Discover the Regions Produce
On Thursday 3rd December 25 chefs from Tropical North Queensland’s best restaurants embarked on a tour of the tablelands. Visiting 13 sites and 5 producers that included fruit, vegetable and herb growers, meat producers, native food producers, cheese maker, nuts, coffee, a distillery and an ice-creamery, they were astounded at the quality of products available regionally.Â
 The tour was organised by Australian Tropical Foods as part of a Food Industry project, initiated by Advance Cairns and funded through Queensland Government Department of Education, Economic Development and Innovation. It bought together chefs and farmers face-to-face in an effort to source local food for the regions restaurant menus.Â
Just-picked ultra fresh zucchini’s with beautiful flowers were like a magnet for chefs who would prefer their produce comes directly to them from the Tablelands instead of the road trip to Brisbane and back.
The meat producers who care with a passion about their animals and the quality of the meat will surely receive some orders, and for many chefs, they were unaware of the beautiful local cheese on offer.
The day was long and action packed and dropping into Mt Uncle Distillery in the late afternoon for a Mojito (or two) made of their new Platinum Rum just hit the right spot. That was followed by the final visit of the day at Emerald Creek Ice-Creamery where a feeding frenzy of around 15 great tropical flavours was eagerly consumed.
The day was a great success and set the plans for another tour in the early part of 2010 to include the Cassowary Coast .
For more images go to Chefs Tour of the Tablelands
Posted in Chef's Corner | Comments Off on Chef’s Tour of the Tablelands
October 12th, 2009 tanner
Available Now until the end of January
“NATURES NATURAL CHOCOLATE”
Other names: Diospyros digyna
, Chocolate Pudding Fruit, BlackPersimmon.
Intro: Not a fresh fruit to be eaten off the tree.
History: Native to Mexico
Shape: The fruit is about the size of a very large apple and tomato-shaped.
Weight/size: Typically weighing 700g to 900g and ranging between 60 -120mm in diameter.
Colour: The fruit has a bright green and shiny skin when unripe. When it ripens, the skin turns dark brown. The flesh is black when ripe.
Taste: The flesh tastes like chocolate, but only when perfectly ripe. The taste is otherwise slightly bitter.
Buying/storage: The crown on top of the fruit should be raised, which indicates the fruit is mature. During ripening, changes of the fruit are dramatic: overnight it turns dark green and later brown-black, and goes from rock hard to soft and mushy. Do not refrigerate until ripe. Ripe fruit or pulp may be refrigerated for a few days, however, freezing is better. Frozen whole fruit or pulp retains its subtle flavour for more than six months, and frozen pulp is suitable for use in any recipe.
Preparing/serving: Only eaten when very soft. Simply cut the fruit in half around the centre and scoop out the flesh and remove the seeds. Very soft fruit has a delicate skin, which may disintegrate when cut. Flavour is enhanced by the addition of a little rum, vanilla, cream or coffee liqueur (Kahlua or Tia Maria). It makes a delicious ice cream and is also great in mousses, cakes, cheesecakes, muffins, bread and preserves.
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Posted in Chef's Corner | Comments Off on Feature Product – Black Sapote
October 12th, 2009 tanner
NSW has a way to deal with restaurants and food outlets who don’t abide by the Food Safe rules. Food outlets are added to the NSW Name and Shame list, with a total number of premises on the list at 813. For a full list of premises on the Food Authority Name and Shame list is at www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/penalty-notices
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Posted in Chef's Corner | Comments Off on NSW Name and Shame list surpasses 800
October 12th, 2009 tanner
It was Heston Blumenthal who recently was responsible for food poisoning at his molecular gastronomic restaurant The Fat Duck, but now when Jörg Zipprick, a German food writer dined at Ferran Adria’s acclaimed $600 a meal E Bulli restaurant near Barcelona in Spain, he was unimpressed with this high temple of “molecular gastronomy” and says menus should carry health warnings informing diners of the additives in the dishes.
“These colorants, gelling agents, emulsifiers, acidifiers and taste enhancers that Adria has introduced massively into his dishes to obtain extraordinary textures, tastes and sensations do not have a neutral impact on health,” says Zipprick, adding that some have a laxative effect.
Molecular cooks also use polysaccharides from seaweed, which Zipprick says are suspected of causing intestinal cancer. Adria’s response is that the chemicals he uses have been part of haute cuisine for years and he denies his dishes pose any risk to health.
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Posted in Chef's Corner | Comments Off on Molecular Gastro
October 12th, 2009 tanner
It used to be regarded as “poor man’s food” but now rabbit has been reborn as a gourmet meat. Popular in Australia through the Depression rabbit farmers has made a resurgence in popularity.
Farmed Rabbit Industries of Australia director Doug Horridge said farmers in Tasmanian could not meet american made electronic cigarettes demand and there was a desperate need for more growers. `Restaurants and butchers are crying out for rabbit, but need a consistent supply. He says the demand is so great he has to buy in rabbits from Victoria to supplement the 50 he produces each week
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Posted in Chef's Corner | Comments Off on Rabbit back on the Menu if you can get it!
October 12th, 2009 tanner
Where do your semi-dried tomatoes come from? 
An outbreak of hepatitis A has been linked to contaminated semi-dried tomatoes in Victoria with about a dozen Victorians diagnosed with hepatitis A this week.
Experts from the Department of Health fear a rerun of May’s spike in the disease in Victoria and South Australia that was associated with the consumption of semi-dried tomatoes. The virus is spread when traces of faecal matter contaminate hands, objects, water or food and are then taken in by mouth. Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Dr John Carnie, said that while the new outbreak was being investigated people should avoid eating “raw” semi-dried tomatoes. “People who may have semi-dried tomatoes at home should not eat them unless they are thoroughly cooked” such as in pizza and quiche,” he said. “Restaurants and cafes should also follow this advice.”
Posted in Chef's Corner | Comments Off on Semi-dried tomato warning
October 11th, 2009 tanner
Blogging gets a Grip
The proliferation of food blogs has put the magazine world in a spin! Recipes are now at your fingertips , culinary adventure experiences are now virtual and kitchen gossip is spread at a lightning pace on the world wide web. This has been all too much for the Conde Nast Magazine ‘Gourmet’ that recently stopped print after 68 years. They don’t need to pay journalists, food stylists, photographers and production, not to mention the carbon footprint left by the tonnes of paper. It’s now all done virtually by blogging.
Some of Australia’s most popular blogs are…
http://www.notquitenigella.com/
http://www.tomatom.com
http://www.cookingismypassion.blogspot.com/
http://chezpim.typepad.com/
http://grabyourfork.blogspot.com/
Posted in Chef's Corner | Comments Off on Future of Food Magazines
September 15th, 2009 tanner
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This is a good time to dine around Australia. It’s the time of year when restaurants are being judged under numerous awards.Â
The Restaurant & Caterers Queensland Awards held in July for all regions and Brisbane awards in August, came together this week in Brisbane for the state  2009 Restaurant & Catering QLD HOST PLUS Awards For Excellence.
The Australian Gourmet Traveller 2010 Restaurant Guide Awards was held last week and will print their guide to be attached to the October edition.
Then there is the Sydney Morning Herald’s 25th annual Good Food Guide Awards and The Age Good Food Guide Awards for Melbourne.Â
The Lifestyle Channel ‘I Love Food’ awards and coming up is Delicious Taste Best Cafe Awards.
For Chef’s it has been the Nestle Golden Hat Award and the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Young Chef of the Year award.
Posted in Chef's Corner | Comments Off on A Time for Restaurant Awards
Due to the popularity of the recent Chef’s Tour of the Tablelands, , another tour will be conducted on the 2nd February 2010. 
