In this week’s column: the hot local restaurants helping South Australia “punch above its weight”, a local chef shows Sydneysiders how to cook with fire, authentic Thai spicing up KI produce, and all about avocados.
SA get its mojo back
Back in the ‘80s Adelaide’s restaurants blazed a trail for others around the country to follow, and they did – and then they caught up, with Sydney leading the charge.
For a few years now, however, South Australia has experienced a resurgence in high quality dining – a fact which is now being recognised interstate.
The latest recognition came in the ‘Hot 50 Restaurants 2015’ in last week’s The Weekend Australian Magazine, which acknowledged “South Australia continues to punch above its weight with seven entries in the Hot List, the highest outside Melbourne-Sydney”.
Peel St, Fino Seppeltsfield, Etica, Africola, Magill Estate, Botanic Gardens and Orana were included in the list.
Noted national trends included branded seafoods, native ingredients and “wood-fired everything”.
Where the list fails is by omitting to say why South Australia is punching above its weight and giving us some extra credit for our pioneering food industry.
South Australia was arguably the first state to brand its seafood, and we have so many more branded seafood products than the story mentions (Fergusons, Coffin Bay Oysters, Boston Bay Mussels to name a few). Chef Andrew Fielke and producers such as Outback Pride have been experimenting with and developing Australian native ingredients for more than a decade, thank you; and “wood-fired everything” – chefs Nicolas Arriola (La Boca Argentinian Bar and Grill) and Duncan Welgemoed (Africola) definitely sparked off that trend.
In fact, Argentinian-born Arriola is heading east soon to teach the Sydneysiders a thing or two about cooking with fire as the Stamford opens a second La Boca Bar and Grill at Sydney Airport.
“I’m going across to Sydney in a couple of weeks to set up the asado (Argentinian-style fire pit and grill),” he says.
“It will be more challenging in Sydney because it takes a lot more effort to find ingredients there. In Adelaide it is easier to source whole animals. It’ is not just lamb and pig that we use, we barbeque veal, goat, deer and kangaroo as well.”
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See Arriola’s recipe for Chimichurri Pork Ribs here.
KI produce gets some Thai spice
Kangaroo Island locals and holiday-makers are very excited about KI Tru Thai restaurant at American River.
Started by local electrician Tony Blight and his chef wife Sirintip 18 months ago, the couple serves Thai dishes prepared using fresh KI produce at their property on Old Salt Lake Road each Thursday night before packing up their van and operating from the wharf playground at Kingscote every second Sunday afternoon. In summer they will also open on a Saturday night.
KI Tru Thai is more food truck than restaurant in that all the food is cooked and served from their mobile van, even though there is undercover seating provided at their American River property. All dishes are served on recyclable bamboo plates with wooden cutlery.
“We serve around 12 different dishes, including spring rolls, steamed dim sims, corn and chicken patties, chicken balls on skewers, pad Thai noodles, fried rice and a variety of stir fries and curries,” says Tony.
“We use local produce from Essence of Kangaroo Island, Fergusons seafood and some local vegetable growers.
“The regulars and tourists are loving it – we do up to 300 meals in one sitting in the summer season and 130 meals on a Thursday night.”
KI Tru Thai can be found at 148 Old Salt Lake Road, Haines, opposite the American River turn-off.
A Taste of the Village
Burnside Village is holding its own festival of food this month with four days of specials, tasting and cooking events showcasing the quality produce and dining available at the shopping centre.
H by Felici head chef Marco De Angelis and Sprout Cooking School’s Callum Hahn are set to inspire with cooking demonstrations, there will be tastings of Moet and Harris Smokehouse produce, a Village Market High Tea and more. Check out the full program of events here.
This week at the Adelaide Farmers’ Market – avocados
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Avocados have a high oil content, are rich in vitamins C and E and are also good sources of fibre. They are fantastic for maintaining a healthy appetite and are full of antioxidants, making this the reason they are often considered a ‘super food’.
The avocado is native to Central and South America and first arrived in Australia in 1840 with seeds planted in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney. Avocado trees are now established across Australia, apart from areas that experience heavy frosts.
There are two common types of avocado now available from Riverland producers at the Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market. The Hass avocado, which accounts for about 80 per cent of avocados grown in Australia, and the Fuerte avocado which has a thinner skin and a pronounced pear shape.
The Hass avocado changes colour as it ripens, going from a purplish black to an olive green, while the Fuerte has a glossy green skin and is particularly easy to peel with relatively loose skin. The best way to select an avocado is to gently press the top to test for ripeness. If it is quite firm, it will be ready in a few days and can be ripened at home at room temperature.
For a range of recipes using avocados visit the Australian Avocado website which is funded by the Australian Avocado industry levy.
Supply of South Australian grown avocados is limited at the moment, with more produce becoming available as it ripens over the next couple of months. Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market stallholder Eko Fruits now have Fuerte avocados and Fat Goose Fruits have Hass avocados. The market is open on Sundays (except during the Royal Adelaide Show) from 9am – 1pm at the Adelaide Showground, Leader Street, Wayville.
As supply increases Eko Fruits will also be back at the Prospect Farmers’ Market in October with their avocados and stone fruit. The Prospect Farmers’ Market is held from 3pm – 6.30pm on Thursdays and is located next to Prospect Town Hall on the corner of Vine Street Plaza and Prospect Road.
A box set
Three of South Australia’s oldest businesses, Haigh’s Chocolates, Yalumba and Coopers have joined forces to produce “The Collaboration”, a handmade box containing three special chocolates.
The collaborations are a 70% Dark Chocolate Truffle, made with South American, Pacific and African cocoa beans and hand rolled in layers of dark chocolate and decorated with gold fleck; the Antique Tawny Fig Liqueur, which includes Adelaide Hills Willabrand dried figs steeped in Yalumba Antique Tawny and dipped in tawny infused fondant, enrobed in two layers of milk chocolate and hand decorated; and the Stout Ganache, a rich, dark chocolate ganache centre flavoured with Coopers’ Stout, topped with smooth malt frappe and enrobed dark chocolate with bronze pearls.
The Collaboration boxes are available for $39.75 from Haigh’s Chocolates.
What’s on?
2KW Burgundy Week – August 27-28
Join Mischief and Mayhem founder Michael Ragg for this showcase of his Cote D’Or new releases matched with canapés ($90 per person) at 12pm on Thursday, August 27. Then on Friday, August 28, join Olivier Halley, owner of Chateau de Meursault, for a three-course lunch ($165 per person) as he showcases his iconic wines. Bookings essential. Phone 8212 5511.
Waywood Wines long-table lunch series #2 – August 29
Enjoy a four-course Middle Eastern-inspired feast prepared by Luscious Red matched with current, museum and pre-release vintages of Waywood Shiraz. Tickets are $95 per person. Limited places. Bookings essential. More information can be found here.
National Wine Centre Winter Food & Wine Festival – August 30
More than a dozen wineries from McLaren Vale, the Barossa Valley, the Clare Valley and the Adelaide Hills are taking part in this gourmet event, which will run from 11am until 5pm. A highlight of the day will be master classes from Skillogalee, Hither & Yon, The Lane Vineyard, Lobethal Road, Oliver’s Taranga, Dell’uva Wines, Artisan’s of the Barossa and also Lord Nelson Brewery. Tickets to the classes are $25 (bookings essential). Earlybird tickets to the festival are $20 and tickets on the day are $25. More information can be found here.
Foodies Book Club – September 3
The Adelaide Hills Foodies Book Club is hosting a special author dinner event featuring Beata Zatorska and Simon Target and food from their award-winning book Rose Petal Jam and its sequel Sugared Orange, with the students from Heathfield High School’s hospitality training program (under the guidance of chef Beverley Millott) preparing and serving food made or inspired by the recipes. Tickets are $60 per person. Books will be available for purchase and signing on the night through Matilda Bookshop. For bookings or more information, email Gillian Copping here.
Oz-Asia – September 24 to October 4
In a festival first, Adelaide’s Riverbank Precinct will be transformed into an Asian hawker-style market for the 11 nights of OzAsia. Expect food stalls with offerings such as dumplings, dosa, pad Thai, gyoza, themed bars, lanterns and nightly entertainment to delight market-goers. More information can be found here.
Asiafest – October 2 to 11
Food and cultural festival Asiafest will return to Rymill Park for 10 days this year, showcasing more than 20 of Adelaide’s restaurateurs in pop-up food stalls reflecting an Asian street market ambiance and the culinary delights of countries such as China, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and Japan.
Vale Cru annual tasting – October 18
Discover more than 50 premium small batch wines from 15 McLaren Vale winemakers at The Victory Hotel, Sellicks Beach. Enjoy tasting, cocktail food and a presentation by SALA South Australian Artist of the Year Giles Bettison. Tickets are $20 for members or $40 at the door. Tickets and further information can be found here.
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