LIFE STYLE and central coast

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CATHY BAKER

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SALLY MACMILLAN

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AMANDA HUGHES-NALEVANSKY

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KRISTIE LOWE

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CLEO GLYDE, ANTHONY O’BRIEN, LISA CALAUTTI

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What happens when you gather great Central Coast culinary talent and let them get creative around an open fire at the exciting new Hawkesbury River venue, Bush River Kitchen? The coming together of local chefs and food professionals gave all a chance to share the primal importance of feasting in the fresh air in a truly magical locale.

The cares of the world seem to ebb away the more you wind along the serpentine curves of the Hawkesbury River on the sealed road to Bush River Kitchen, in the farming and fishing enclave between Lower Mangrove and Spencer, just east of the emerald sweep of Glenworth Valley.

Not far from a public boat ramp and the gateway to green water sparkling in the sun, the private 1.2-hectare property is elevated and backs onto National Park bushland, with views north over Mangrove Creek and the mountain valleys beyond. The driveway leads straight uphill to a double-storey timber house: in the garden, the outdoor kitchen appears like a man cave fever dream.

It is a pioneer-style marvel, with massive timber studs as the overall structure, coupled with suspended iron bars where cooking implements dangle in the breeze. Accompanying the domed, wood-fired oven is a traditional Argentinian Parrilla-style barbecue, used to cook with direct heat. Small pots sit on the grill shelf above flaming pink and orange coals.

As bluegrass roots music plays, the smoke – deliciously scented with herbs and roast meat – swirls around blokey blokes in cloth caps and Akubras, wearing leather aprons clasped with brass studs and buckles. Long hair, tattoos and concentration on the task at hand… we have clearly found the chefs. There is a hive of activity as bearded Kevin Spiteri from Smokin' Gauchos, the specialist who built the Parrilla barbecue, unfurls a long leather pouch with his collection of new and antique knives with timber and bone handles, wide or long and slender.

BUSHRANGER'S PARADISE

Italian chef Nico Coccia, from Osteria il Coccia restaurant at Ettalong Beach, is a gentle giant. He winds a sheet of freshly made pasta through a metal pasta-making machine on a wooden workstation. Once it is flattened, he fills small circles of round pasta with a parmesan, egg yolk and nutmeg filling. John Ralley, the owner and creator of this bushranger’s paradise, Bush River Kitchen, twists them into tortellini to help out. With a giant glass of red wine nearby, Nico’s hands keep moving all morning, tossing herbs into a casserole dish of lemon and oil on the cast-iron stove, spooning smooth, jammy cooked figs onto a firm ricotta cheesecake in tissue paper, shaving parmesan onto the steaming tortellini. At one point he reaches over to give the jumbo barramundi hanging from a hook a big kiss before shaving the scales. “Nico’s a beautiful beast, isn’t he?” exclaims cook and potter Jason Roberts, who was in charge of bringing the barramundi (from @HumptydooBarramundi).

John is using herbs tied to a stick, which he dips in a saucepan of oil and cooked lemons, to baste a whole goat that is splayed on a metal brace and tilted over a brick pit so the fire cooks and smokes it. When we ask what herbs he is using he replies, “parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme”. Special guest Angela Brewer, singer and founder of Coast Opera Australia, cannot resist bursting into a chorus of the Simon and Garfunkel song of the same name, to our delight.

Jason cleaves wood, swinging an axe to the crack of wood splitting; Nico hangs three cooked ducks to dangle over a pan as drops of fat hiss into it. The raw, elemental beauty of the timber, iron and flame has a primal appeal that is heightened by the freedom of cooking in the fresh air, without walls. The chefs, ever of service, send the dishes over for the guests, including aunties and mums, who are finding a seat in the gentle autumn sun.

The public can come to Bush River Kitchen for lunch and dinner experiences, with wine and whisky pairings; guest chefs cook with locavore ingredients in this intimate bushland setting designed for no more than 16 guests.

Ready To Feast

Dishes are placed around a jug filled with a profusion of wildflowers. The tortellini is served in cast-iron pots, tossed with silky, oil-coated mushrooms. Jason delivers his giant, wood fire-cooked Japanese pumpkin, “the wagyu of the garden” as he calls it, served cut open to reveal the farro – a whole-grain wheat – cooked in clay with Meredith Farm goat’s curd, zatar, pomegranate molasses, and lashings of olive oil. Jason also lays down the flatbread, made with half flour and half yoghurt.

A bowl of oversized mussels in broth is lined with slices of yolk-yellow bread around the edges. John is an experienced pastry chef and baker, so not only has he created plain rye sourdough, but a sourdough infused with pumpkin and confit garlic, topped with oats and pepita seeds.

The chefs seem to glory in the camaraderie. It’s a novelty for them to work among peers – other head chefs – rather than lead a large, younger team. There is a self-sufficient ease to the way they attend to their own tasks, yet a communal flow as they each lend a hand. And now, in the age-old tradition of clan and tribe, it’s time for the men to gather, share their stories, and explore why cooking and eating around the fire is their happy place.

“Humans are very drawn to fire. There is such an attraction because the community traditions of gathering and wood fire cooking are so linked. Modern society is a construct of busy work schedules that made us lose that nurturing hospitality, so the events of 2020 and covid created this incredible void that reintroduced the sanctity of slowing down. A lot of people used the lockdown period to rediscover the values that we had forgotten as a culture: the art of gathering and celebrating conversation. No screens – just being together around beautiful food, wine, fire and company.

“This is how Smokin' Gauchos was born. In lockdown, my family wasn't travelling or rushing to sports events and kids parties, so I had time to start cooking smoked meats. I’m a barbecue enthusiast who has always had smokers and wood-fired ovens, but when I went looking for my ultimate passion, a Parrilla Argentine grill, I couldn't find one to match the versatile type of cooking I wanted to do. I decided to create a prototype, spurred on by the desire to build a business around handmade goods. I not only embraced but leveraged the ceremonial joy of cooking a beautiful meal throughout the day.

“We launched Smokin' Gauchos in 2020: a passion project that is taking on a life of its own. As well as the Parrilla barbecues, we make handmade leather goods, iron tools, and gloves – and we are receiving an amazing response from all over the country.

“My dream is to make wood-fire cooking accessible to other barbecue enthusiasts and professional chefs. Smokin' Gauchos is above all about the love of cooking, and how it connects us, particularly around the fire.

“It is so satisfying to see how eclectic the Central Coast has become. You can have incredible wood-fired food in a superb restaurant like Osteria, or out here in the bush at John's venue. Coasties are so blessed to have access to the coast and forest.

“A day like today is a reminder of how to live well. Slow down before life gets too busy; know what you eat.”

@smokingauchos

“I’m originally from New Zealand and grew up on a dairy farm in Queensland, so camping and being around a fire with my family is in my blood. For me, the idea of a gathering around the fire is to ‘come for the food, stay for the conversation’.

“My grandparents on both sides were really good cooks – in fact, I still have my grandfather’s copy of Escoffier’s A Guide to Modern Cookery – and they not only inspired my calling but taught me the joy of creativity. I started my career as an 18-year-old apprentice chef at Ravesi's in Bondi in 1991 and by 1994 had landed at Bistro Moncur in Woollahra, where I graduated to the head chef position under the watchful eye of friend and mentor Damien Pignolet. I have now cooked professionally for more than 30 years. A good chunk of that time has been in front of a camera, sharing and telling stories around the world and teaching people to cook intuitively.

“During covid, I transitioned into ceramics, working with my hands as another outlet to create, heal and tell stories. It became a real source of purpose after my father passed away in 2022. Today, the larger solid pots are being used to cook farro and flatbreads while the fresh clay (raku) is for cooking whole chickens stuffed with fresh herbs.

“We’re using both smoke and heat to cook the goat – from Saratoga Quality Meats at Kincumber – over a three-hour period, moving the goat and coals at various times to adjust the temperature. Joints like shoulder and leg need a gentler heat. The amount of heat changes the structural element of the meat as it breaks down and becomes tender, but smoke helps us increase the flavour profile, which is why we’re using ironbark.

“Apart from being an exciting and visual way to cook, smoke and fire are nostalgic for me – a place where I can transcend the now and travel back to my childhood. Fire is where transformation happens.” @chefjasonroberts

“I was a pastry chef and had my own bakery in Alexandria, Textbook Patisserie, for seven years; I was always known for my croissants. Before that I was in restaurants, which is how I have known Nico for more than 10 years – through pastry! I still consult for other bakers on the side. I got this property three years ago at the start of covid. I already had friends here on the river, so we were looking around the Hawkesbury; I love that you can take the boat out and visit people by water. I wanted an outdoor kitchen so when we found this place, my love of hunting, fishing and the culinary arts came together. I kept everything very raw.

“I have been doing small private lunches once a month with different guest chefs. The whole idea behind this is that everything on the menus is hunted and gathered. I usually try to find like-minded chefs who have an affinity with the land, then we throw around ideas and go for it. Because people coming up for the lunches like the idea of lingering afterwards, I am going to set up accommodation and glamping tents. It's outdoor life, so we’re really embracing it.”

@bushriverkitchen

Chef and owner, Osteria il Coccia, Ettalong Beach

“I learned how to cook on the fire from my grandmother, who still makes her coffee on a fire stove. I studied cooking and worked in Spain at Michelin-starred restaurants, but a few years ago when Alex (my wife) and I decided to open our own place in Australia, I said, ‘That’s it! I’m done with fine dining!’ I was attracted to recapturing the regional cooking of my homeland and my past. The fire is my thing. I dedicated my first cookbook, Farm to Flame, to it.

“When Alex and I discovered the Central Coast, we loved the people. I find them very warm and neighbourly. We started with a small restaurant in Ettalong, which is such a beautiful place, then last year we moved to a bigger place along the beach. Our whole kitchen is built around the fire, which is rare. Our degustation experience is designed to showcase cooking over ironbark, stone fruit and olive wood in our charcoal oven. Everything, from our bread, to the ricotta cheesecake we’re having here today, to the fresh cream, is handmade in our kitchen. I work closely with a few of my favourite farmers, who bring me produce.

“Life is good on the Central Coast because everything is nearby. We have the sea; we have the land. If you want to go away for the weekend, everything is on the doorstep.

“Today is so special because it’s great to be on the land, by the fire. Here we are in John’s fantasy kitchen; I am cooking pasta with tools that Kevin built for me. The tortellini I am making is from a recipe that I was taught when I worked at a small restaurant in Italy. The mama of the owner taught us the perfect mix of flour and egg yolk, then the parmesan, egg yolk and nutmeg filling. Simple. Beautiful. The good things in life are usually the simplest.”

@osteriailcoccia

Amanda Hughes Nalevansky Content Director at Central Coast Life & Style

“In our search for great Central Coast stories, the idea of foodies and fire was a natural fit. There is so much pride in seeing Chef Nico and wife Alex (with her sommelier knowledge) change the culinary scene on the Coast forever at Osteria il Coccia – they are the true definition of ‘team’.

“Discovering the work of Kevin Spiteri, the mastermind behind Osteria il Coccia’s kitchen design, with not a conventional oven in sight, made me realise how the movement has really taken off. Similarly, having experienced Jason’s intuitive cooking methods in many different settings and crossover events, gathering around the fire brought back many fond memories of camping with my late father, hence making my own connection to cooking and flames a more personal one.

“The idea of capturing the synergy came together because everyone knows each other. When Kevin suggested John Ralley’s kitchen in the great outdoors of the Hawkesbury, we knew we had the perfect community story for our Food Edition. David Li’s stunning photography captures one of many, many special days that will be had over the flames at Bush River Kitchen.” @davidliphotography

There is something distinctively heartwarming about a local butcher that a supermarket, in all its cold efficiency, just can’t match. Cuts of meat are placed with a certain pride, reflecting an actual relationship between butcher and farmer. Meat is all they do. And the team who prepare your meat aren’t anonymous, but present at the shopfront to greet you with a smile and inspire your meal ideas. If you’re a regular, they probably know exactly how you like your favourite cuts trimmed and prepared. A neighbourhood butcher is part of the warp and weft of community food traditions, shepherding us through the rituals of Christmas, weekend barbecues and family dinners.

It is telling that the new owner of Kincumber’s Saratoga Quality Meats, Tony Palmer – who moved to the Central Coast in 2012 – was always a big fan. “I truly enjoyed knowing the two brothers who started the butchery that I ended up buying,” he says. “For the eight or so years that I was a customer, it was the place on the Coast with the best meat –pure and simple. It was such a pleasure being able to serve exceptional cuts. I remember how weekend guests would say, “Can we come up and have some of that amazing steak again?”

Saratoga Quality Meats’ commitment to sourcing the best beef, chicken, lamb and pork that Australia has to offer garnered a loyal following from locals all over the Coast, who rewarded their dedication by spreading the word for decades about the butchery with ‘quality’ literally in the title. Then Tony came along…

Saratoga Quality Meats is one of the Central Coast’s foodie crown jewels –a legacy independent butcher that cares where animals come from and how they are raised. New owner Tony Palmer chats about his conversion to the craft of butchery and his exciting plans. But the recipe for his famous sausages is a tightly held secret.

“I will only take on a project if it lights my fire. Any entrepreneur needs passion as a motivator,” he says. “When covid hit it was a brutal space for frontline retail to be in, and after decades in the business my favourite butcher was ready to sell. As soon as I took a close look I realised that it was an exceptionally good business.”

Tony grew up around food in Hunters Hill, Sydney, having Italian heritage from his mother’s side and an early start in an Italian restaurant, where he worked from age 11 to 18. “I pestered the head chef to teach me his ways and by 14 I was hand-rolling and cooking 300 pizzas on a Friday night for the students at St Joseph’s College; everything was prepared by hand,” he says. Over time, Tony drifted to ‘front of house’ and customer service. “It’s a more natural space for me. I enjoy talking about food and helping people have a memorable gastronomic experience. I ran a restaurant in Bowral and a cafe in Glebe, early in the cafe scene,” he says.

It was Tony’s travels to rural Australia, however that forged his understanding of farming. “I ended up working on a friend’s farm at Currabubula near Tamworth for a few Christmas seasons, jackarooing and getting my hands dirty,” he says. “For a city kid, the opportunity to be on the land was a blessing. I was lucky to fall into the hands of a beautiful old station hand called Ronnie, who taught me how to raise crops and stock well.”

Tony’s background in learning about rural livestock firsthand and working in commercial kitchens has dovetailed beautifully. How does his experience with chefs come into play now that he is a provider? “It helps me handle personality types,” he laughs. “Chefs are born of creativity. Like anyone in a creative field, you’ve got to start with amazing materials and resources. You're only as good as the food you procure.”

It is Tony’s mission to bring attention back to food’s field and farm origins. “With supermarket culture and plastic-wrapped meat you lose that connection to food. I want to know where my food is from: I care how animals are bred, grazed, born, harvested and treated,” he says.

When he bought Saratoga Quality Meats, Tony was happy to honour the company’s existing mastery and learn the trade. “My philosophy with any business is that you need to learn everything, from washing floors all the way up. This is the head butcher’s field of craft; you are there to learn. I said to the staff, ‘I’m a first-year apprentice – treat me as such. There is nothing that I won’t do’.”

Tony took over in March 2021, at the beginning of the second wave of covid, and gave the business a year of his time. “My job was to learn not just the craft of butchery but how the supply chain works,” he says. “I wanted to understand the background of every cut out there. Where is it being grown? How is it looked after? Are they using any chemicals in its production? You have to do the research.” He is proud that the butchery not only kept every single staff member, but has grown since then. “We had to make sure that whatever Saratoga Quality Meats was going to do, such as the fresh meat that existing customers were used to, was at the very least on par. But we’re really about taking everything we do forward or up a notch.”

Tony’s focus has been on blending existing and new relationships with producers, understanding the different flavour profiles of different regions and cuts and showcasing meals to help busy families. “I am passionate about the ready-to-heat space,” he explains. “Jason, my head butcher, and I have created a whole line of meals that just need half an hour in the oven: shepherd's pie, beautiful pork and veal Italian meatballs, slow-roasted lamb shoulder or lamb shank hotpots. Customers can have at least one meal decision made for the week.”

The business dances between sourcing excellence and budget concerns, especially in this environment of rising petrol and energy prices. “People love our quality, but can’t afford to be spending $25 a head per meal at home. We work towards a $10 a head meal on the table every night that’s good enough for a dinner party. I mean, you can’t even get out of Macca’s for less than $10 a head now!”

One thing that will never change is Saratoga Quality Meats’ commitment to sausages. “The last thing you change is a secret recipe,” assures Tony. “One of the differences between our sausages and the supermarket version is also that we use the highest quality meat. Our customers won’t end up with a pan full of fat and gristle. We are proud to sell more sausages – including Texan Chilli and up-andcomer Spicy Lamb and Jalapeno – than any other product. They are a gourmet meal in themselves.”

Embracing a sustainable snout-to-tail philosophy means there is a greater variety of ingredients on offer – “we’re big on the offal space”. Saratoga Quality Meats smokes its ham and bacon in house; produces its own pastrami and smoked turkey; and is launching its first turkey bacon. “We like to innovate but not leave the old favourites behind.”

Talking of innovation, Saratatoga Quality Meats has just opened a second store in Erina Heights, next door to BamVino on The Entrance Road. The main store at Kincumber will produce the meat and readyto-cook range and deliver it fresh to Erina Heights.

It was Tony’s own experience of the Central Coast as a getaway that first made him fall in love with the region and raise his kids there, a classic example of a real-estate investor who starts out thinking that they’ll come up to the Coast from the city occasionally, then ends up doing the reverse.

"I bought a place at North Avoca as a country escape. One Sunday when I was dreading driving back to Sydney, it hit me, I'm doing this the wrong way around! At that stage of my life a big city was becoming a great place to visit, but a less attractive place to live. We made the move and never looked back.”

Saratoga Quality Meats, 43 Avoca Drive, Kincumber, NSW 2251; 3/488 The Entrance Road, Erina Heights, NSW 2260. Call 02 4369 3262, see saratogaqualitymeats.com.au

Winter can be a good time to change our drinking habits – bubbles, whites and rosés always seem to go down best in spring and summer. Red wine comes with a vocabulary that includes terms such as tannin, big body, depth and structure, to name a few. It can sometimes be complex but don’t let that put you off if it’s all new to you – let’s break it down and bring it back to basics. Enjoy!

Firstly, let’s look at the different varieties which include lighter, fruitier and bolder reds.

Varieties which are light body, complex and elegant:

Pinot noir Gamay

Nebbiolo Sangiovese

Varieties which are bigger, medium body, fruitier and juicy:

Tempranillo Merlot

Barbera Zinfandel

Varieties which are bold, full body and overall full of tannin and oak:

Shiraz Cabernets (Cab sauvignon /Cab franc)

Malbec Chianti

Wine Pairings

Wine Number #1

Domaine Verret

Pinot Noir 2021

Food: Creamy Tuscan pumpkin soup with vegetables, boosted with pesto, garlic and rosemary. Serve with focaccia and parmesan crisp.

Some tips for drinking any style of red:

The optimal way to serve red wine is to bring it to room temperature or slightly cooler (17 degrees) and decant it. The process of decanting wine is not only to allow the wine to open up and amplify the aromas that are in contact with oxygen, but also to separate the sediment from the wine; red wine has solid elements in the bottle as it is not always filtered. In terms of glassware, the bigger the wine glass for red wine the better. This is not so you can drink more – it’s so it can breathe more and you can then truly appreciate the aromas and tasting notes.

Wine number #2

Sensi Sangiovese

“Collezione” 2022

Food: Yellow pork curry with coconut rice.

The ginger and makrut flavours lift the dish up, while lime and coriander balance the dish.

Wine number #3

Mount Pleasant

Rosehill 2021

Food : Lamb shanks with red wine sauce and brown mushrooms with creamy polenta and zesty oregano gremolata. Let the rosemary and bay leaves bring life to your kitchen.