explore DRINKS spring edition

SPRING

GLENN MCGRATH ON CRICKET, THE MCGRATH FOUNDATION AND HIS LOVE FOR WINE

Spring

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Experience SPRING RACING

WITH RYDGES SYDNEY CENTRAL

Rydges Sydney Central puts you in the heart of it all. Located just 200 metres from Central Train Station for access to Rosehill Racecourse and only 10 minutes from Royal Randwick Racecourse.

With spacious newly renovated accommodation rooms, Free Wi-Fi and a host of restaurants and bars we will make your spring experience truly memorable.

Rydges Sydney Central 28 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 Phone: 02 9289 0000 Email: reservations_rydgessydneycentral@evt.com www.rydges.com/sydneycentral

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AUTUMN CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE INSPIRED COCKTAILS, NEED WE SAY MORE...?

WE TALK TO...

JAKE & JEN ORGANIC,

WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN?

BACKYARD BBQ RECIPES FOR THIS EASTER HOLIDAY SPRING

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N GLERN ATH G MCCKE T, THE

ON CRI ATION MCGRATH FOUND WINE AND HIS LOVE FOR

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CONTENTS TRENDS 10 On-Trend 85 Coffee Trends 95 Gifts & Gadgets

DRINKS 15 Woodford Reserve 17 Editor's Picks 33 Rosé 51 Spring Cocktail Recipes 61 Australian Distilleries 72 Fruit Beer 92 How To Latte Art 96 Last Drinks

VISIT 24 The Butler 76 Los Angeles

MEET

81 Venues for Melbourne Cup

18 Glenn McGrath

89 Melbourne's Coffee Scene

31 Amber Doig 42 Dames of Champagne 66 Marc Rodrigues 70 Ben Branson

ENTERTAINING 36 Food & Wine Pairing 46 How To Taste Sparkling Wine

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WELCOME

Spring. It’s the season that brings everything to life; from ‘bud-burst’ in the vineyards to footy finals and racing season in both the country and city centres. It’s time to dust off the racing frock, or treat yourself to a new one, visit the tailors or just the dry cleaners – either way, it’s time to come out and play.

As you’d expect this time of year, Champagne and sparkling wines feature alongside rosé and spring cocktails.

With Melbourne Cup in mind our gastronomic team visited The Butler in Potts Point, Sydney playing host to six lucky explore DRINKS readers for a Spring Carnival celebration; setting the table and matching the food to a selection of Mumm Champagnes. Turn to page 24 for all the ingredients and ideas on how to put on your own soirée this season.

An interesting trend in bars and restaurants this summer is the appearance of zero alcohol drinks. We’ve often come across mocktails for the designated driver or for those that want to enjoy the creativity of cocktails without the alcohol, the next stage of which is to get the true spirit flavours while still remaining at 0% ABV. One brand that has managed this is Seedlip, a distilled non-alcoholic spirit - bringing two flavours to Australia – Spice 94 and Garden 108. Both mix well with tonics and a full range of their drinks is available in our Seasonal Sips section starting on page 51.

Hot on the heels of the Cup is the summer’s biggest sporting event, the Ashes. The tour was in doubt just a month ago but the leather will be hitting the willow all summer long and the purists of the game have three months of the ‘Barmy Army’ to contend with. In a doff of the ‘baggy green’ explore DRINKS sort out one of the game's greats, and genuine good bloke, former opening bowler Glenn McGrath. McGrath’s influence on Australian cricket has been matched by his work with the McGrath Foundation and this year will mark the tenth Sydney Pink Test and a phenomenal achievement in raising money for breast care nurses. Read all about that and his love of Australian wine starting on page 18.

And for travel enthusiasts we’ve got the lowdown on LA, the coolest bars in town, where to go and stay in the city of angels.

Finally – we’ve taken our basic barista training and can report back that there’s a lot to learn if you want to make great coffee. We headed to Melbourne for coffee 101, and fortunately found a lot of excellent coffee shops, roasters and a city full of coffee lovers; turn to page 85.

I trust you’ll enjoy the edition; for those that would like to take part in our summer soirée (as in the feature on page 24) drop me a note at: ashley@hipmedia.com.au

Cheers,

Ash

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SNAPSHOT OF THIS EDITION

Champagne Brunch

Champagne brunch - is there a better way to start the day? On page 24 we feature The Butler one of Sydney’s hottest places to visit this spring.

CULTURE CUP The Melbourne coffee scene is in full swing, and some say that the coffee culture in this state is the best in the world. On page 89 we take you on a tour of a local roasting plant, how to perfect the perfect cuppa and some of Melbourne’s go-to cafes.

exploredrinks.com explore DRINKS brings you the latest openings, trends, rare finds and your entertainment guide for this spring.

GLENN MCGRATH

Australian Distillers On page 61 we discover some of Australia’s unique, quirky and iconic distillers who are producing some of the best liquid in the world.

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This edition we speak with one of Australia’s much-loved cricketers, Glenn McGrath. We talk about the McGrath Foundation, his involvement with cricket and his love for wine. Turn to page 18 for all the details.

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explore Drinks is published by Hip Media

169 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point, NSW 2060 Ph: 02 9492 7999 www hipmedia.com.au ABN: 42 126 291 914 The views expressed in explore DRINKS are of the respective contributors and are not necessarily those of the magazine or Hip Media. Copyright is held

by Hip Media and reproduction in whole or in part, without prior consent, is not permitted.

Other explore titles include: explore Whisk(e)y explore Rum explore Gin, Tequila & Vodka explore Beer

EDITORIAL Managing Editor | Ashley Pini ashley@hipmedia.com.au Editor | Sasha Falloon sasha@hipmedia.com.au Associate Editor | Hannah Sparks Assistant Editor | Lukas Raschilla Editorial Assistant | Stephanie Aikins

explore Cider explore Champagne & Sparkling explore Wine explore Cocktails

DESIGN Senior Designer | Racs Salcedo

To order your copy of explore visit: exploredrinks.com

SALES I ADVERTISING National Sales and Marketing Manager | Chris Wheeler

Hip Media was the winner of Small Publisher of the Year at the Publishers Australia Awards of 2010

ADMINISTRATION General Manager | Melinda Virgona PHOTOGRAPHY Asia Upward Ryan Stuart Miriam Brummel Luke Gibson CONTRIBUTORS Champagne I Ashley Pini Wine | Ben Canaider Beer | Lukas Raschilla Cocktails | Ben Davidson LA Scene I Paige Vreede DRINKS Drinks Curator | Ben Davidson

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ON-TREND

NEW: JACOB’S CREEK PROSECCO SPRITZ

Perfect for your spring picnics and outdoor soirées, Jacob’s Creek have released their new Prosecco Spritz. trends, upcoming We’ve put together a snapshot of the latest Combining crisp Prosecco with bitters, to date with events and venue openings to keep you up zesty blood orange and carefully selected ks. drin of ld wor ul botanicals, the team at Jacob’s Creek derf won the in new what’s have created a refreshing, classy drink with notes of bittersweet citrus. It pairs perfectly with light, fresh dishes like cured salmon, pasta primavera Sydney’s highly exclusive wine, food and music event is returning to the harbour’s Clark Island for its and prosciutto salad. third year running. Wine Island will feature the very best in food and wine pairings, a silent disco and even a treasure hunt, with opportunities to speak to the winemakers or complete one of many wine focused masterclasses. Your day will start with the journey to your island getaway on one of their ‘Bubbles Boats’, complete with a complimentary glass of sparkling. Once there it’s time to relax and enjoy the sweet sounds and delicious drops while taking in one of the most beautiful views Craving that sugar hit without the eventual in the world. For those who live for the high life, Wine Island has added in a new deluxe ten-star crash? Nexba’s range of natural, sugar free soft superyacht package this year. Packages start at $99 for 5-Star, $199 for 7-Star, and $399 for the 10drinks might be just what you’re looking for. The Star Superyacht. For more information on ticket packages, head on over to www.wineisland.com.au low calorie drinks are made from purely nonGMO ingredients and sweetened using Stevia leaf extract and Erythritol, a sugar substitute.

It comes in a great range of flavours with each just as tasty as your run-of-the-mill sugar based soft drinks, evident by them winning the It’s affordable, it’s boutique and it’s been named best pinot noir 2017 Product of the Year, the world’s largest in Australia. The Bellarine Peninsula, a cool climate wine region consumer-voted award for product innovation. in Victoria, is well known for its award-winning pinot noir and

VISIT: WINE ISLAND

TRY: NEXBA

TRY: $38 BOUTIQUE WINE WINS BEST AUSTRALIAN PINOT NOIR

now it’s one of the smaller local wine brand’s turn to assume the mantle.

Yes said the Seal’s 2016 Pinot Noir was considered as the top drop at the inaugural Australian Pinot Noir Challenge. It received the highest score (98 points) from leading judges and winemakers, amongst 250 others from across the country. There is a limited amount of the 2016 Pinot Noir currently available online at www.yessaidtheseal.com, with the winery set to release more bottles in October.

VISIT: THE VINO EXPRESS Fancy yourself somewhat of a wine connoisseur? Jump onboard the Vino Express this October, carrying you from Sydney’s Central Station to the Orange Wine Festival. The three-day premium food and wine package include two nights accommodation in a four-star hotel, a behind the scenes experience at a top quality vineyard, a local sparkling breakfast, an exclusive boutique vineyard wine-tasting, a vineyard walking tour with the vigneron accompanied by a wine-tasting and much more. Guests will also be taken to Orange Wine Festival’s two signature events, the Festival Night Market and the Wine in the Vines all day cellar tour. Packages start at $897 for a twin share and a fabulous singles supplement is also available. To book, visit www. orangewinefestival.com.au

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NEW: JOHNNIE & GINGER With warmer weather comes the excuse to daytime drink, as we all want nothing more than to bask out in the sun with a cold bevvy in hand. This spring swap that boring brewski for Johnnie Walker’s newest creation, Johnnie & Ginger. The premix combines the smoky taste of the malt and grain whiskies that go into Johnnie Walker Red Label with the spicy, crisp flavour of natural ginger ale. This makes for a refreshing drink, perfect for those long spring afternoons.

TRENDS

VISIT: MR. WEST Like the controversial rapper that shares their name, Mr. West is all about reinvention. Co-owners Caleb Baker and Josh Hodges have taken the space of an old two-dollar shop in Footscray and transformed it into a vibrant bar and bottle shop venue, complete with a rooftop courtyard and a lounge and pool room. Here you’ll find an electric range of craft booze, with an Australian focused wine list, spirits from around the world and 24 craft beers on tap. There are also bottled wines and cocktails on offer. Mr. West serves up an array of bites and small eats to line your tummy, including cheese, charcuterie, nuts and olives. On the ground floor, you’ll find the well-stocked bottle shop, which features hundreds of craft beers, wines and spirits.

VISIT: LADBROKES FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Throughout spring The Valley will play host to weekly Friday night racing. Starting in 1998, Moonee Valley Racing Club was the first Metropolitan club to hold night racing events and its popularity has seen 20 successive seasons.

The action isn’t just confined to the track, with weekly live entertainment performed in the Valley Beer Garden, food trucks offering up some of Melbourne’s top eats and even activities to keep the kids amused. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to www. thevalley.com.au

NEW: SEEDLIP

BEER VISIT: BINGS BAO &

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Looking for a drink to drink, when you’re not drinking? Seedlip, the world’s first ever distilled non-alcoholic spirit, has you covered. Ben Branson, entrepreneur and botany enthusiast, was inspired to distil the drink after he stumbled upon the 17th century book The Art of Distillation and started experimenting with recipes in his farmhouse kitchen. Seedlip is currently available in two expressions: Seedlip Garden 108, a vibrant, herbal tasting spirit that includes hand-picked peas from the Branson family farm and Seedlip Spice 94, a spicy, full-bodied spirit that includes Jamaican All Spice berries and American Oak. Both are best served with tonic. Keep an eye out for the range in David Jones stores.

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TRENDS

VISIT: JUNIPALOOZA Melbourne’s popular gin festival is back for a jampacked three days over the third weekend of October. The event will feature over 40 of your favourite gin producers from across Australia, Europe and even Sri Lanka! Tickets are $50 and give you entry to the festival as well as a free sample of every gin, either neat or with tonic! Now, that sounds like a pretty neat deal to us.

To purchase your tickets, head on over to www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/junipalooza-melbourne2017-tickets-31598830954

TRY: FERNET-BRANCA

VISIT: OLLEYVILLE AT SHAW VINEYARD ESTATE Shaw Vineyard Estate, Murrumbateman’s family owned winery situated between Canberra and Yass, has reopened their restaurant. Keeping with the 19th-century architecture of the property, Olleyville serves traditional farm-style meals at an affordable price, such as braised red wine lamb pasta with dry ricotta, grilled heirloom beets and carrot, the Olleyville Angus burger with swiss cheese and traditional lamb shank Sheppard’s pie. There is also an array of share dishes, including free range wood fired chicken, baked whole baby cone bay barramundi, wood fired pizzas and even a wood fired apple and rhubarb crumble, all cooked in the premise’s large wood fired oven and paired with one of Shaw Estate’s fine cool climate wines. For those looking for something lighter, there is a range of bar snacks and antipasto and cheese boards using local produce. Got a bit of a sweet tooth? Olleyville serves high tea and have hired an in-house pastry chef to create all your favourite delights. To compliment this, the coffee is from Canberra’s premium roasters, ONA. Olleyville is open Wednesday through to Sunday for lunch and dinner and weekends for breakfast.

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A stalwart of bars throughout the world, Fernet-Branca has become a favourite liqueur for bartenders, often referred to as the bartender’s handshake. Since its beginnings in 1845, Fernet-Branca has been made from the same recipe of 27 herbs, roots and spices, the quantities of which are a secret only known by President Niccolò Branca. Intrigued? For those wanting to appreciate the full flavours, Fernet-Branca suggests the liqueur should be experienced in three sips: First sip, pause for a few seconds and you will taste the decisive bitter tone of the Colombo and Aloe and the unmistakable character of gentian; second sip, will give the distinct spiced flavour of zedoary and the fullbodied taste of chamomile; and during the third and final, the overall richness of Fernet-Branca is revealed, with the balanced bitter aftertaste prevailing over the spicy tones of myrrh. So jump on the bartender’s bandwagon and next time you’re out asking for a Fernet-Branca, they most likely will enjoy one with you.

GET RACE READY AT BLOW BAR CO. Every girl wants to look her best for the Spring Carnival or any special occasion, so why not get yourself ready, completely stress free and with a glass of Champagne Taittinger in hand? Blow Bar Co. in Bronte offer makeup, blow dry and hair styling treatments, taking the hard work out of getting ready and giving you more time to relax with the girls over a glass of bubbles. They offer a range of blow dry styles, from sleek and smooth to fierce and curly, so no matter your type of hair you’ll be looking glamorous on race day. www.blowbarco.com.au 267 Bronte Road, Waverley NSW 2024 Balmain Store Opening Soon

CR AFTED CAR EFU LLY. D R INK R ESP O NSIB LY. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. 40% Alc. by Vol. The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ©2017

SPONSORED

WOODFORD RESERVE MEANS KENTUCKY

KENTUCKY MEANS HORSE RACING

In Kentucky, in the heart of the America’s South, you’ll find more thoroughbreds than any other state in the country. There are more racehorses in Woodford County than residents and it’s believed that the pure filtered limestone water and fertile grain that sustains these horses is why 76 per cent of Kentucky Derby champions are born and bred in the state.

It’s the same water, corn and rye that fills the troughs and buckets of these fine racehorses that also goes into making Woodford Reserve’s ultra premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The state of Kentucky has more barrels of bourbon than people, so it can be said the state is built on first-rate horses and top quality bourbon.

Sharing this rich history with the horse racing community, it seems only natural that Woodford Reserve is partnering with Magic Millions, Australia’s $10 million race day and auction event.

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The Magic Millions Carnival is the biggest event of Queensland’s Gold Coast, established more than 30 years ago. In partnering with the annual race day and yearling sale, Woodford Reserve is once more honouring their long-standing relationship with equine sports. The world’s favourite bourbon brand is already associated with premier horse events across the globe, including the Kentucky Derby, USA; Belmont Park, New York; Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, USA; and Royal Ascot, UK. The Jeep Magic Millions Carnival is the biggest thoroughbred auction and racing event in the Southern Hemisphere and Woodford Reserve is pleased to support this exceptional legacy.

To get you in the spirit of racing this season, the Woodford Reserve Mint Julep is a sure bet. The simple and delicious cocktail is refreshing and packs a punch, so sip slowly and savour the flavours.

WOODFORD RESERVE MINT JULEP GLASSWARE: Mint Julep Cup INGREDIENTS: 50ml Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 15ml Sugar syrup 6 x Mint leaves METHOD: Muddle mint leaves in a mixing glass, add syrup, Woodford Reserve and crushed ice.

Stir with a bar spoon and top with more crushed ice GARNISH: Mint sprig

DRINKS

EDITOR’S PICKS

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Unsure of which wines to drink this spring? Ashley Pini, managing editor, picks his six of the best wines to try over the warmer months.

R

TO

P PICK

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AT GRELUE VA

CALABRIA PRIVATE BIN MONTEPULCIANO 2016

MADFISH SHIRAZ ROSÉ 2016

RRP: $15 Region: Riverina Editor’s note: Intense, reddish purple colour. Enticing spice and ripe berry aromas. Raspberry jam flavour and firm, drying tannins to finish. Good value.

RRP: $20 Region: Western Australia Editor’s note: Great value. Fresh and a crisp rosé for spring. Red cherries, apple and pear, earth pink colour and a crisp forward palate - great fresh fruit, finishing with a savoury palate and a dry mouthfeel.

BRANCOTT ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC TERROIR SERIES

BLEASDALE POWDER MONKEY SHIRAZ 2014

JACK RABBIT PINOT NOIR 2016 RRP: $38 Region: Bellarine Peninsula Editor’s note: Aromas of sour cherry and drying oak. It has a long, wellsupported palate with forest floor and savoury oak flavours. The acid is fresh and tannins are soft.

RRP: $18.99 Region: Marlborough Editor’s note: Bright citrus aromas of limes are interlaced with nettle notes and subtle tones of tomato leaves. The palate shows juicy citrus fruit flavours with a lingering finish of passion fruit and nettles. The huge fruit concentration is supported by crisp, mouth-watering acidity and textural mid-palate leading to a lovely finish.

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RRP: $65 Region: Langhorne Creek Editor’s note: A nose reminiscent of Grandma’s spice cupboard. This wine has a generous and gentle, savoury palate with hints of tar.

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P PICK :

AT GRE FOR RS DOO OUT

BANROCK STATION CABERNET MERLOT RRP: $15 Region: South Eastern Australia Editor’s note: Displays pronounced vanilla pod, dark plum and fresh black cherry aromas. This a well-balanced merlot flaunts a palate of rich, juicy, ripe black cherries with dark plums and sweet spice. The oak in this wine is well integrated and has very fine, soft tannins and a very good length.

* prices may vary between retailer

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PHOTOGRAPHER ASIA UPWARD

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MEET

GLENN MCGRATH:

FROM WORLD-CLASS BOWLER TO GREAT ALL-ROUNDER Humble is the word that comes to mind after speaking with Glenn McGrath. Despite being one of Australia’s greatest former international cricketers, the co-founder and president of the McGrath Foundation that supports over 100 breast cancer nurses across Australia and a successful corporate speaker, commentator and coach, McGrath doesn’t think of himself as a role model. The born and bred country bloke sees himself as just another loving father, husband and friend who enjoys entertaining at home with his nearest and dearest. explore DRINKS met with McGrath at his beautiful Sydney home to discuss what he’s been up to since taking a step back from playing cricket, including his developing appreciation for wine fostered by his work with Hardys Wines.

ASHLEY PINI: There was a time when you were amongst it all, competing with the world’s best. How has life changed for you since retiring from playing cricket?

GLENN MCGRATH: Retirement is a very loose term for me. I think I’m busier now than when I was playing.

The biggest issue was going from a totally structured life, which is what cricket is, to no structure at all. When you’re playing, you’re very focused on the next game; preparing and doing everything for that. Now, there are several things that I can be doing in a day, and just getting my head around that, getting a bit of control, is sometimes a bit of an issue. I can

understand why when professional athletes retire and just go back into normal life they experience a lot of issues. I’m very lucky with the people I’ve got in my life, who have made that transition a little bit easier.

I’m not someone who lives in the past either, so sometimes I have to pinch myself to think I did play for Australia. Ten years go by very quickly.

AP: I remember reading that when you felt you were bowling well, you could envisage your next two overs. Does that clarity transition into other aspects of your life?

GM: I loved playing. I wanted to bowl every second over. It was all about taking wickets,

competing against the guys who were the best and it wasn’t a bad era of Australian cricket to be involved in either. Every time you walked onto the field, you had total confidence in your teammates. There were some pretty incredible players during my career.

When I was playing, I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve and how I wanted to go about it. I had no doubts whatsoever that it wouldn’t work.

I was very hazy when I first retired about what I was going to do with the rest of my life and that was pretty tough because I had had such a clear focus when I was playing. How it translates into life, these days? I don’t think I have that clarity.

It’s now a balance between trying to find things

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“IF I’M A ROLE MODEL, HOPEFULLY, I’M A GOOD ONE, BUT I THINK PARENTS ARE THE ULTIMATE ROLE MODELS FOR THEIR KIDS GROWING UP AND I JUST TRY TO BE A GOOD PARENT.” I have to do, things I want to do and spending time with the family. It’s a different focus and now having a young daughter again, that’s thrown life in a different direction, but I just love it.

breast care nurse to work with, and we had to go through the whole journey ourselves.

AP: The McGrath Foundation turns twelve this year. It has been a phenomenal success and credit to you. When you started the foundation, how many McGrath Breast Care Nurses did you envisage funding?

When she had a recurrence in 2003, there was a breast care nurse available, and the difference that made in our lives, Jane’s especially, was quite incredible. We had toyed with the idea of setting up a foundation before and I think going through that gave us a lot more clarity on what we wanted to achieve.

GM: There were a few around Australia, but when my late wife Jane was first diagnosed with breast cancer back in 1997, there wasn’t a

So we relaunched as the McGrath Foundation in 2005 with two very clear objectives. One was to raise awareness of breast cancer,

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particularly in younger women, and the other was to raise funds to place breast care nurses in communities across Australia. It was Jane’s dream, and it’s still a driving force of the foundation that every family, every individual going through breast cancer, has access to a breast care nurse where they live.

When Jane passed away, we had four nurses employed; now we have 117. A nurse costs about $120,000-$130,000 a year to put on, and we don’t put a nurse on unless we have three years funding up front, so you can get an idea of the numbers.

We’ve done a bit of a needs assessment and worked out that we’re currently about 79 nurses shy of achieving our goal. Obviously, each year that grows by a certain portion, so we’ve come a long way. I guess I’m in a lucky position in that I get to travel around Australia and speak to a lot of people that have dealt with our nurses about the positive impact they’ve had on their

MEET

“FOR HER TO COME INTO THIS ENVIRONMENT WAS PRETTY TOUGH AND SHE’S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE AND AMAZING STRENGTH. SHE SUPPORTS THE FOUNDATION 100 PER CENT.” lives. People often come up and thank me and the Foundation, which makes me realise that what we’re doing is making a real difference.

I’m really proud of that and also feel very lucky to meet my partner Sara as well. For her to come into this environment was pretty tough and she’s been an incredible and amazing strength. She supports the foundation 100 per cent.

AP: Is it a challenge to keep pushing the Foundation forward? Do you feel that without the impetus, it would slow down?

GM: We’ve got a fantastic team at the foundation which does the day-to-day running and we’re very lucky, but I think my involvement is imperative for it to keep growing. I also believe that there aren’t too many people around Australia that haven’t been touched by breast cancer in some way, shape or form, so there’s that connection and it’s about support now.

It’s been incredible how people have taken the Foundation on board and really supported it; the cricket community especially. To think back to that first Sydney Test after Jane passed away, and the way Cricket Australia, Channel Nine, The SCG, even the sponsors and the players really everyone to do with cricket - got behind it, was just incredible. And this year, The Ashes will be the tenth Sydney Pink Test.

Never in a million years would we have dreamt that it could come this far. I’m really proud.

AP: I understand you’re both coaching and commentating currently?

GM: You never know what the future holds. It’s funny, when I retired there were two things I

never wanted to do: one was coaching and the other was commentating. Now I’m coaching and commentating in India and enjoying both.

To add to that, when Jane passed away I said I was never getting married again and I was never having any more children. And now, I’m happily married to Sara, who’s an incredible person, and I’ve got a little two-year-old daughter.

AP: What other ventures are you now involved in? I believe you’ve started your own business?

All the things I said I’d never do, I’m doing (laughs)! So we’ll see what the future holds, but I’m enjoying getting back into cricket. I had a break for about five years when I just wanted to get away from the game. I think it had been such a big part of my life for 20 years and I wanted to do something entirely different. I did a few other things and then I just realised that I have so much to offer to cricket. It was a big part of my life that I would be stupid to let it go.

I still have some major sponsors and do quite a bit of corporate speaking. You know it’s funny, I couldn’t say two words in front of a class at school; I used to get so nervous. And up until just before I got picked for NSW, I couldn’t speak in front of the cameras. In fact, I couldn’t think of anything worse! Now, I can get up and speak for an hour quite easily and enjoy it. It’s amazing what you can get used to.

AP: You’re also a role model for young cricketers.

GM: It’s a bit of a loose term I think, ‘role model’. I just consider myself to be like anyone else. I’m a country bloke, born and bred out in the bush, and I don’t think I’m any different now than when I was living in the country. I’ve got some great people in my life and had some great opportunities along the way, which I’ve grabbed. I’ve tried to make the most out of my life.

There have been some tough times, without a doubt, but I think everyone has their own battles and challenges to face. It’s how you pick yourself up and carry on. I think that’s the important thing. If I’m a role model, hopefully, I’m a good one, but I think parents are the ultimate role models for their kids growing up and I just try to be a good parent.

GM: Sara and I opened an art gallery for about three or four years but, in the end, we decided to close that down before Madison was born.

To be a mum and run an art gallery was going to be a bit tough.

AP: You work with the Hardys Wines brand.

What is it that drew you to partner with them?

GM: Hardys is a major sponsor of Cricket Australia, so that’s where the opportunity first came about. A lot of cricketers in the past have been associated with beer, or when they celebrate you see them all with a beer, but I’ve always enjoyed a glass of wine. There’s nothing I enjoy more than catching up with mates over dinner or going out to dinner with Sara and just having a nice bottle of wine. When we have friends over, it’s all about good food and good wine. I think as I’ve gotten older, my tastes have probably matured a little bit.

AP: What varietal do you enjoy most?

GM: I don’t prefer one varietal to another. I like to start with a nice white, usually a sauvignon blanc or pinot gris these days, and then I like my shiraz.

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AP: Through the partnership, have you had an opportunity to interact with the Hardys family?

GM: I’ve had a fabulous time getting to know Bill Hardy, who I think is an incredible man. He’s a fifth generation family member of the wine company. That’s what drew me to Hardys - their history. Think back to 1853, the company had just started, and now it’s fifth generation, even sixth generation with Alix Hardy (Bill’s daughter) coming on board. I think those things are very important, to have a story and to have that history. Spending time with Bill and hearing his pride and his knowledge, and just everything he has for wine, is quite amazing. I think that’s what makes it special. I’ve learnt a lot from Bill.

AP: Considering you are a country boy at heart, does it help you to identify with wine as an agricultural product?

GM: A little bit. I’ve had a fair bit to do with farmers and the farming community, and I think they get a pretty rough deal most of the time from city people. I think it’s a great lifestyle but bloody hard work, and they don’t get the recognition that they probably deserve.

Spending time in McLaren Vale, where Hardys is based, walking around the vineyards and seeing the whole process from when it’s picked, right through to when it’s in the barrels and then bottled, is such a unique experience. Just the way the winemaking team goes about it and their knowledge. It’s good to see the pride and passion they take in an amazing business.

AP: Dinner time, who chooses the wine, you or Sara?

GM: We like similar types of wine, which makes it a little easier. I’ve always wanted to have a cellar and start collecting some wines. At the moment though, we just have a couple of fridges, so we don’t put anything away. I’ve got a few good bottles that have been stored in a warehouse for quite a few years, and we’re probably getting to the stage now where we start opening them.

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“I’VE HAD A FABULOUS TIME GETTING TO KNOW BILL HARDY, WHO I THINK IS AN INCREDIBLE MAN. HE’S A FIFTH GENERATION FAMILY MEMBER OF THE WINE COMPANY. THAT’S WHAT DREW ME TO HARDYS.”

see pink

TASTE SAUVIGNON BLANC

Ta_Ku Sauvignon Blanc Pink delivers all the taste of Sauvignon Blanc - but with a splash of colour.

TA_KU Sauvignon Blanc Pink Enjoy Ta_Ku responsibly

‘Serve Your Every ’

Let The Butler

Springtime Need PHOTOGRAPHER RYAN STUART GLASSWARE RIEDEL

Baked barramundi, smoked tomato & pomegranate sangrita, white cabbage, red radish and beurre blanc

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SPONSORED VISIT

What could be better on a warm spring day than sitting amongst a lush, green paradise with a glass in hand, taking in sweeping views of the Sydney skyline? ‘The Butler’, Potts Points’ multi-storey restaurant and bar venue, is the ideal spot to soak up the warmer weather and spoil yourself with some light, tasty fare.

Tucked down one of Potts Point’s historic back streets awaits ‘The Butler’, ready to serve you fresh food and flavoursome drinks before a fabulous view. The venue has come a long way since its days as the ‘Butlers Restaurant’, recently opening up the new bar Juanita’s and now dishing up modern, Latin-American inspired dishes on a patio oasis filled with verdant foliage. Bask in the bright glow of Sydney’s skyline and feast on small and large share plates focused on spices, slow-cooked meats, fresh seafood, and seasonal veg and salads.

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LEFT: Ruby tuna tartare, tomatillo, pasilla chilli, turtle beans and black quinoa tostada BELOW: Rock oysters with pickled cucumber, lime and guajillo oil

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SPONSORED

Cured salmon, green apple, habanero, onion and citrus

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Quinoa, pickled red cabbage, cucumber, mint, pomegranate and labneh

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SPONSORED

Lime Panacotta with blueberry and hibiscus

YOUR SPRINGSPIRATION MENU MUMM CORDON ROUGE: • Rock oysters with pickled cucumber, lime and guajillo oil • Ruby tuna tartare, tomatillo, pasilla chilli, turtle beans and black quinoa tostada

Lime panacotta with blueberry and hibiscus

Moving on to the drinks, you can’t beat one of their signature espresso martinis made three ways, with vodka and toasted coconut, rum and maple or cognac and cinnamon. There are also a range of light and fruity cocktails on offer and an extensive wine list by the bottle.

MUMM MILLÉSIMÉ 2008 • Baked barramundi, smoked tomato & pomegranate sangrita, white cabbage, red radish and beurre blanc • Quinoa, pickled red cabbage, cucumber, mint, pomegranate and labneh

Looking for some spring-spiration on flavours for the season, we hosted an intimate lunch at this casual, yet classy venue. Each dish prepared by head chef Amber Doig selected a threecourse menu matched perfectly with a glass of one of Mumm’s premium Champagnes to bring out the vibrancy of the fresh ingredients.

MUMM ROSÉ • Cured salmon, green apple, habanero, onion and citrus • Lime pannacotta with blueberry and hibiscus

The first course saw rock oysters with pickled cucumber, lime and guajillo oil and ruby tuna tartare with tomato, pasilla chilli, turtle beans and black quinoa tostada both matched with the bright, bubbly taste of Mumm Cordon Rouge.

For the second course, the rich flavours of citrus

peel, pears, hazelnuts and toast in Mumm’s Millésimé 2008, perfectly complimented the dishes of baked barramundi with smoked tomato and pomegranate sangrita, white cabbage, red radish and beurre blanc, and quinoa with pickled red cabbage, cucumber, mint, pomegranate and labneh.

Finally, the third course saw ‘The Butler’s’ signature plate, cured salmon with green apple, habanero, onion and citrus, and their tangy treat of lime pannacotta with blueberry and hibiscus paired perfectly with the fruity and elegant taste of Mumm Rosé.

For your next brunch, lunch or dinner head to The Butler and enjoy a culinary experience with one of the best city views in Sydney. www.butlersydney.com.au

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#DareWinCelebrate

DRINK RESPONSIBLY

A7217 Mumm Champagne - explore DRINKS.indd 1

3/8/17 2:41 pm

Q &A

MEET

‘THE BUTLER’S’ MASTER:

AMBER DOIG explore DRINKS sat down with The Butler’s head chef Amber Doig to chat about her start in the industry, her love of ‘Ibero-American’ flavours and her plans for the spring menu. explore DRINKS: Tell me a little bit about yourself, and how you got started in the industry.

AMBER DOIG: I finished school at 17 in New Zealand. I’m from Christchurch originally, my mother was a chef, and my mum raised me as a single parent from the age of 10. On the weekends I’d be in the kitchen with her, so it seemed quite naturally for me to pursue a career in hospitality.

I decided after school to come to Sydney. I’d always enjoyed coming here on holidays with my family, so I started my chef’s apprenticeship in Balmain, in a little café, and it developed from there. eD: Was it shortly after your time in Balmain that you went over to New York?

AD: Oh, no. I worked at a café in Balmain called ‘The Coffee Bean’ for two and a half years, and then I moved to the city and worked at the Intercontinental Hotel at their flagship restaurant.

I then went back to Balmain and worked at ‘Il Piave’ restaurant, which was a hatted, small Italian restaurant back in the day, and I was a sous chef there for about six years. While there, I helped them open up other ventures, but then I just felt like a change.

I went to American on vacation and, beforehand, I had this definition in my mind of what ‘Mexican’ or ‘South American’ food was. During my time in America I went and tried all these dishes I’d never tried before, I came back and felt like something was missing in my cooking. So I reached out to Empellón who I wanted to work for, and they sponsored me for just over a year. eD: Over in New York?

AD: Yeah, that was over in New York with Empellón. They started off with one restaurant in the West Village called ‘Empellón Taqueria’, and it was showing something different to the New York public. They’d make tacos, with New York ingredients, but also using ingredients from Peru and other South American flavours. The executive chef there, the owner, used to work at wd 50 under Wylie Dufresne, and also worked as a pastry chef at Alinea. From this gastronome background, he then married a Mexican lady and fell in love with Mexican food. I liked the idea that this white guy from Connecticut, having all this passion for the food ‘cause I felt quite the same.

I’m Kiwi – half Polynesian, half European –and I feel the same about the cuisine. I just loved it over there, but in the end I had to come back to Sydney. Coming back to Sydney, it was great to see what’s here and what’s not, and I was looking forward to introducing people to something new.

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MEET

eD: How would you describe your philosophy on cooking and food?

AD: I like to use ingredients I haven’t seen before and stay true to them and the techniques behind them. I enjoy showing my staff, front and back of house, what certain cuisine has to offer. That’s what I’m passionate about. eD: Regarding finding different or new produce, is that difficult in Australia because or do you think we’re quite lucky with what we’ve got here?

AD: In Sydney, we do have one or two providers of South American produce already preserved, like dried chillies. As demand grows slowly, a lot of people are trying to grow it here. Things like shishito peppers and green tomatoes. Local producers are slowly starting to provide a bit more for us. eD: Spring is approaching, and food and drinking habits often change. Do you alternate your menu based on the seasons?

AD: We try to. I’ll change a few things in October, but the great thing about this cuisine is things like ceviche you can eat all year round. I quite like eating summery things in the winter, although you do have to stay true to the seasons and what’s available. eD: For those who are yet to visit ‘The Butler’, how would you describe the food on the menu this spring?

AD: This spring we’ve just got light, fresh flavours; a lot of citrus flavours. We use chillies here, but not just for their spicy characteristics. There are certain ways you can handle chilli so they’re not spicy at all, but you receive the smoky, ‘chocolatey’ kind of coffee flavours from them. In spring, I really want to bring in some more kinds of ceviche dishes. eD: Do you have a particular theme with your menu? Is it based on your experiences over in New York?

AD: We’ve come up with this idea called ‘IberoAmerican’, so we’re allowed to pull from any sort of North, South and Central American cuisines. It’s inspired by the colonial Portuguese and Spanish

“I REALLY ENJOY SHOWING MY STAFF, FRONT AND BACK OF HOUSE, WHAT CERTAIN CUISINE HAS TO OFFER. THAT’S PROBABLY WHAT I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT.” moving to America and what they brought to the Americas mixed with the ingredients of the indigenous cultures and the resulting cuisines. I think we’re bringing to Sydney a combination of all of this. It’s quite good for me as a chef, because I get a bit of flexibility. It’s still tied within a certain framework, but there is the flexibility of being able to say, ‘Oh ok, I can use this amarillo chilli from Peru, or I can use guajillo chilies from Mexico, or use the technique of using lime and lemon to cure fish, or slow braised lamb from the Caribbean.’ It’s really great and exciting!

eD: So the dishes you’ve prepared for us today, will we see some of them on the spring menu?

eD: And all that produce is easy to get your hands on?

AD: I’d like to think Ibero-American will be one!

But honestly, I’m not too sure.

AD: Definitely. Even though the chillies may be native to those countries, we do get a lot of them here. As well as that, a lot of spices that were transferred around the Americas were from the spice trade, which the whole world has access to.

You can easily use cumin, or cinnamon, or bay leaves, and make it taste unique.

eD: Do you find people are dining differently or opting for different places nowadays? I know a lot of the share platters are really popular now, do you think this is a growing trend?

eD: Do you find the flavour profiles of some ingredients in the U.S. completely different to Australia?

AD: Limes from Mexico or from, say, the Dominican Republic are a little bit smaller but they’re so juicy and so ‘limey’. Which sounds weird, but it’s true! I really wish we could get our hands on them, but the equivalent we get from Tahiti or Australia are still delicious. I’d still encourage anyone if they ever have the opportunity to go over and try these [limes]; something as simple as an avocado or a lime grown in that part of the world is mind-blowing.

AD: The cured salmon dish with one of the Champagne matches today has become a signature dish for ‘The Butler’, so I would like to hang onto that one a little longer. There will be a couple of the new cold dishes that will move onto the spring menu. eD: In terms of Sydney, what do you think is the next trend in the culinary scene?

AD: I think so. Although the days of having one sole meal to yourself are not over. The share plates do work well as I think we’re all a bit greedy and nosey, so we want a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I think Sydney is moving towards a more casual, relaxed eating format with all these hole-in-the-wall, small Asian restaurants serving really quick but delicious and fresh food. It’s really nice to see. eD: And finally, are you currently organising anything around spring racing or the Melbourne Cup? AD: We’re currently working on a menu for the Melbourne Cup. It will be a share concept, as that is our thing, but with a few added delights I’m sure.

Turn to page 84 to see what The Butler is up to this Melbourne Cup

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SPONSORED DRINKS

Stop and Taste

the Rosés As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, nothing is more appealing than sitting out in the sunshine with a glass of your favourite refreshing drop in hand.

Synonymous with hot, hazy days and perfect for picnics, outdoor parties and long brunches, rosé is this season’s biggest trend. Its vibrant colour and hallmark flavours of strawberries and cream make it the ideal accompaniment to spring and summer afternoons spent relaxing with friends. So where does this pretty pink drop come from and how is it made?

WORDS STEPHANIE AIKINS

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Despite the French name, the origins of this varietal are believed to stretch all the way back to the ancient Greeks. After founding a settlement in Marseille in 600 BC, the Greeks started to utilise their extensive knowledge of viticulture to create a red wine that was pale in colour. Following the Roman takeover of the region in 125 BC, much darker wines began to be produced in the region yet Grecian ‘rosé’ remained popular. Fast-forward to the Middle Ages, and the monks of Marseille continued the tradition of crafting ‘rosé’ style wines as a source of revenue for the abbeys. Outside of France, ‘rosé’ started to become popular in the 1800s, as the British market preferred paler wines from Bordeaux made with cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes. Therefore, although the exact date that the first bottle of rosé was given this name is unknown, the style of wine is likely one of the earliest in existence.

Today, rosé is one of the fastest growing wine styles in Australia, with domestic sales up 25 per cent over the past five years according to Wine Australia. This is thought to be due to the popularity of the wine amongst the 20- to 30something ‘Instagram generation’ who enjoy both the photogenic nature of the pink varietal and its lighter taste when compared to reds.

Although the image that comes to mind when talking about rosé is of a translucent, dusty pink hue, the colour of the drop can actually range from a pale orange to a vivid almost purple. This variation in colour comes from the four different

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vinification processes: maceration, direct pressing, the Saignée method and blending.

MACERATION The maceration process is used for most commercial rosés. Once harvested, washed and destemmed, the grapes are pressed and left to soak in their skins for two to 20 hours at a cool temperature. The amount of time the grapes are left to sit with their skins is dependent on the grape variety, for example, Grenache grapes can take 24 hours whilst darker varieties rest for only a few hours.

Once the winemaker is satisfied with the rosé colour, they separate the skins from the juice by opening up a filter at the bottom of the tank to drain, or ‘bleed’, the juice into the fermentation tank.

DIRECT PRESSING In direct pressing, vin gris or ‘grey wine’ is produced as the skins of the red grapes have shorter contact time with the juice. Straight after the harvesting, cleaning and de-stemming process, the grapes are pressed, and the juice moved into the fermentation chamber. The resulting rosé is a nearly white colour.

SAIGNÉE The Saignée method is used to create much darker rosé that is often more savoury than the wines produced by the two other methods. This style of rosé production is not without its controversy, with then president of the Provence Wine Council in 2012, François

Millo, labelling Saignée method rosés as ‘not true rosé’ and a ‘bad way of making’ the drop. Regardless, many enjoy the wines produced via this method, as they are often bolder than other rosé styles. Saignée rosés are actually the byproduct of red winemaking.

During the red wine fermentation process, about ten per cent of the juice is ‘bled’ off.

This leftover juice is collected and then fermented to produce rosé.

BLENDING Finally, the blending method is the most common style used to craft sparkling rosés.

The blush wine is created by adding a little bit of red wine to a vat of white wine. Because it doesn’t take much red wine to colour a white wine pink, winemakers usually only add in around 5 – 15 per cent of red wine. One brand known to use this technique for their Champagne rosé is Champagne Taittinger.

The blending process is more complex and costly to produce due to the use of highquality grapes for this delicate, finely balanced Champagne that underpins Taittinger’s signature style. To give the cuveé its intense shimmering hue, a quantity of red wine (15%) produced from the best Pinot Noirs from Montagne de Reims and Les Riceys is added to the final blend. The high proportion of Chardonnay (30%) that completes the blend is key for producing wines of great elegance and finesse.

SPONSORED

Champagne Taittinger is one of the oldest Champagne Houses still owned and operated by the family. The name represents a family who are passionate about quality and are dedicated to upholding those standards without compromise.

As one of France’s most celebrated Champagne houses, Taittinger embodies pure elegance, grace and style and sees Champagne, not only as a great wine but also a symbol of love, friendship and celebration.

Producing wine of unmatched delicacy, sophistication and finesse, Champagne Taittinger is admired by critics and recognised as the Champagne of connoisseurs.

OU

“OUR ULTIMATE DESIRE [IS TO] CREATE A COMPLEX AND SENSUOUS WINE WITH A BRIGHT PINK HUE, CRISP CHARDONNAY BACKBONE AND A SUBTLE RED FRUIT FLAVOUR IMPARTED BY ELEGANT PINOT NOIR,” SAYS DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL ADJOINT,CLOVIS TAITTINGER.”

R

TO

Clovis Taittinger

P PICK :

GER N I T TAIT STIGE PRE SÉ RO

TASTING NOTES The perfect harmonisation of Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims and Les Riceys (15 per cent) and Taittinger’s signature Champagne (30 per cent) gives this blend its brilliant pink colour and its aroma of freshly crushed red fruits, like wild raspberry and cherry. On the palate, the bubbles are fine and the taste is of ripe, crisp red fruits. exploredrinks.com 35

MARLEY SPOON

Easy and healthy weeknight cooking doesn’t have to be boring. Throw out your go-to stir-fry recipe and sign up to Marley Spoon, the meal kit delivery service delivering local, market fresh ingredients based on chef-designed recipes straight to your door. Offering twelve new recipes each week and three favourites, there’s a large range of meat, vegetarian and fish options, making banal meals a thing of the past. At explore DRINKS, we believe a good meal deserves an equally good wine, so we’ve paired each of these meals with some of our favourite drops for you to enjoy.

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ENTERTAINING JAPANESE MEATBALLS WITH BROCCOLI AND MISO BUTTER Cooked up by culinary Marley Spoons creative director Olivia Andrews, these meatballs are on the table in 30 minutes and absolutely delicious. This Japanese-inspired dinner showcases seared ginger-laced pork meatballs tossed through an irresistible sweet and salty miso butter. Charred roasted broccoli and crunchy corn kernels add nuttiness and texture while a drizzle of citrusy ponzu adds a tang to the honeyed sauce. Served with sticky Japanese-style rice, this dish is set to become a firm family favourite.

SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 150g Sushi rice 20g Ginger 300g Free-range pork mince 40g Panko breadcrumbs 10ml Sesame oil 400g Broccoli 1 x Spring onion 1 x Garlic clove

2 x Tbs. Ponzu sauce 20g Miso paste 150g Corn Salt and pepper 1 x Egg Olive oil 30g Softened butter METHOD • STEP 1 Cook rice Preheat oven to 200C. Line two oven trays with baking paper. Rinse the rice well.

Add to the saucepan with the water (see staples list), cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 12 mins or until tender and water has absorbed. Turn off the heat and stand, covered, for at least 5 mins.

• STEP 2 Make meatball mixture Meanwhile, finely chop the spring onion and garlic. Peel and finely grate the ginger.

Place the pork, breadcrumbs, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, egg(s), salt, and most of the spring onion (reserve 1 tbs to serve) in a large bowl. Mix until well combined.

• STEP 3 Form meatballs Using wet hands, shape the pork mixture into 4cm balls. Cut the broccoli into florets then place on a lined tray. Drizzle 2 tsp sesame oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast broccoli for 15 mins or until starting to brown, turning halfway through.

• STEP 4 Grill meatballs Meanwhile, heat 1 tbs of oil in a large frypan over medium heat and cook meatballs, in batches if necessary, for 5-6 mins, turning, until lightly browned. Transfer to the second lined tray and finish cooking in the oven for 5-6 mins until cooked through.

• STEP 5 Brush meatballs Meanwhile, wipe out the frypan with a paper towel and melt the miso, butter and honey in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the corn kernels, stir to combine and warm through for 1-2 mins. Season with pepper and remove from the heat.

• STEP 6 Make miso butter Toss the broccoli and meatballs through the corn and miso butter. Divide rice and meatball mixture among bowls. Scatter over remaining spring onion and drizzle with ponzu sauce to serve.

ENJOY WITH: 2016 PORTRAIT EDEN VALLEY DRY RIESLING

APPEARANCE: Delicate green/gold AROMA: Fresh notes of newly picked apples and limes FLAVOUR: Elegant, with a crisp, dry finish exploredrinks.com 37

ONE-PAN BEEF AND PUMPKIN MASSAMAN CURRY WITH RICE NOODLES Welcome spring with our special One-Pan recipes of slow-cooked curries, soups and stews that showcase flavoursome cuts of meat for knockout dishes. Make these over the weekend and let their delicious flavours develop overnight for dinner the next day, or pop them on the stove earlier in the evening and kick back on the couch while it does its thing. This week, we bring you rich and creamy Thai Massaman curry.

SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 250g Beef shin 20g Roasted peanuts Small Bunch of basil 400g Japanese pumpkin 200g Large rice noodles 120g Carrots 270ml Coconut milk 50g Massaman Curry Paste 1 x Tbs. vegetable oil 1/2 x Tsp. sea salt 125ml (1/2 cup) water METHOD • STEP 1 Prepare beef and carrot Cut the beef into 2cm chunks, removing any excess fat. Peel the carrot, then quarter lengthwise and cut into 1cm chunks.

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• STEP 2 Brown beef Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 min or until fragrant. Add the beef and cook, turning, for 2-3 mins until browned. Season with salt.

• STEP 3 Cook curry Add coconut milk, the water (see staples list) and carrot. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the base of the pan, then stir to combine and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, peel pumpkin, then cut into 2cm chunks. Pick Thai basil leaves, discarding the stems. Coarsely chop the peanuts.

• STEP 4 Add pumpkin Once beef has been cooking for 1 hour, add the pumpkin, cover with a lid and return to a simmer. Cook for a further 10-12 mins until the beef and pumpkin are tender.

• STEP 5 Soften noodles Meanwhile, put the noodles in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover bowl with a plate and stand for 8-10 mins until noodles soften, separating the noodles occasionally with a fork. Drain noodles in a colander.

• STEP 6 Get ready to serve Stir half the Thai basil into the curry and season with salt and pepper. Divide noodles among bowls, top with the curry and scatter over the peanuts and the remaining Thai basil to serve.

ENJOY WITH: MOUNT PLEASANT ROSEHILL 2013 SHIRAZ

APPEARANCE: Vibrant purple AROMA: Display aromas of raspberry, violets and red currants, entwined with pepper and spice FLAVOUR: Well structured, with seamless balance and length. This wine displays all the hallmarks of this unique vineyard, with immense length and perfect structure shining through

ENTERTAINING CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE PIE WITH CORNBREAD CRUST Can you cook a golden chicken pie in half an hour with no baking required? Yes you can, with our clever cornmeal crust that needs just five minutes under the grill! Not only does the creamy polenta topping save you time, but it’s also perfect for mopping up the gravy of the delicious chicken, leek and corn pie filling.

SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 320g Skinless boneless chicken thigh 1 x Small red onion 2 x Garlic cloves 140g Celery 100g Peas Large sprig of parsley 20g Corn flour 2 x Tsp. Chicken stock powder 100g Corn Kernels Frozen 85g Instant Polenta

METHOD • STEP 1 Prepare ingredients Cut the chicken into 3cm chunks. Finely chop the onion and celery. Crush or finely chop the garlic. Coarsely chop the parsley, including the stems. Bring a kettle of water to boil. Combine the stock powder with 250mL boiling water.

• STEP 2 Start cooking chicken Place the cornflour in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Toss the chicken in the mixture to coat. Heat half the oil in a large deep frypan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4 mins or until golden, turning regularly. Remove and set aside. Do not clean the pan.

• STEP 3 Cook vegetables Add the remaining oil and half the butter to the pan, scraping the bottom. Cook the onion, garlic and celery for 4 mins or until softened. Add stock and return the chicken to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 6

mins or until the mixture has reduced and thickened.

• STEP 4 Finish pie filling Stir in the parsley, corn and peas, then remove from the heat and transfer to a large ovenproof dish. Preheat the grill to high.

• STEP 5 Make polenta Meanwhile, combine milk and remaining 125mL boiling water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisking vigorously, gradually add the polenta until combined, adding 1 tbs of water at a time if it thickens too quickly. Cook the polenta for 3 mins, whisking constantly. Stir in the remaining butter to combine and season with salt and pepper.

• STEP 6 Finish pie Working quickly, evenly dot the polenta mixture over the chicken mixture and use a spoon to cover the surface before it begins to set. Cook under the grill for 5 mins or until lightly golden.

ENJOY WITH: REDBROOK CHARDONNAY 2013

APPEARANCE: Pale to mid straw with a youthful green rim AROMA: Citrus and lifted stone fruit aromas drives the note of the wine with delicate savoury aromas of dried herbs, malt, shortbread, and oyster shell FLAVOUR: Tight citrus/lime flavours with a honeydew melon and white peach driving through the palate to a very long flavoursome finish.

Delicate savoury characters of dried herbs, fresh toast and malt exploredrinks.com 39

ENJOY WITH: VILLA MARIA PRIVATE BIN MALBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC

APPEARANCE: Pale lemon yellow AROMA: Crisp and vibrant, with aromas of fresh snow peas, zesty limes and freshly picked herbs such as thyme and sage FLAVOUR: Juicy acidity is balanced with flavours of melon, passionfruit and ruby grapefruit, capturing the essence of Marlborough

HALLOUMI AND SILVERBEET ‘GOZLEME’ WITH ROCKET AND ALMOND SALAD Rest assured, no dough-rolling is required for our version of this wildly popular Turkish stuffed flatbread. Using ready-made pita bread may not be traditional, but it’s a fantastic fast track to crisp golden pastries with a classic salty cheese, mint and silverbeet filling.

SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 250gm Halloumi Cheese Bunch of spring onion 1 x Lemon Greek Pita Bread (3 pack) Sprig of mint 20g Flaked Almonds 200gm silverbeet 70g Rocket 1 x Egg Sea salt and pepper 3 xTbs. olive oil

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METHOD • STEP 1 Prepare ingredients Preheat oven to 170C and line two oven trays with baking paper. Put almonds in a large, cold frypan over medium heat.

Toast for 3-4 mins until light golden, shaking the pan regularly. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

• STEP 2 Make filling Thinly slice the spring onion and silverbeet, including the stems and place in a large bowl. Finely grate the halloumi and add to the bowl. Pick the mint leaves (discarding stems) and coarsely chop. Add to the bowl with the egg(s) and season with salt and pepper.

• STEP 3 Fill gozleme Lay the pita bread on a work surface.

Divide the silverbeet halloumi mixture among the pita bread placing it on one half of each pita. Fold over to enclose.

• STEP 4 Cook gozleme Heat 1 tbs of oil in each of two large or medium fry pans over medium heat.

Cook one or two ‘gozleme’ in each pan (depending on size of the pan), for 2 mins, pressing down with a spatula. Carefully turn over and cook for a further 2 mins or until golden. Transfer to the oven tray and place in oven for 5 mins to warm through.

Repeat process with remaining gozleme.

• STEP 5 Prepare dressing Meanwhile, cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half. Cut remaining lemon into wedges. In a large bowl, combine lemon juice with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.

• STEP 6 Get ready to serve Add rocket to lemon dressing and toss to combine. Scatter over the toasted almonds. Cut the gozleme into square pieces. Serve the gozleme with the rocket salad and lemon wedges.

ENTERTAINING

ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND BASIL PARMIGIANA WITH PARMESAN CRUST You can’t go wrong with a cheesy Italian bake.

Here, sweet grilled zucchini replaces the usual eggplant in a golden parmigiana layered with thyme-infused tomato sauce, aromatic basil and creamy ricotta for extra richness.

2 SERVES INGREDIENTS 2 x Garlic cloves 400g Diced Tomatoes Sprig of thyme 180g Zucchini 50g Parmesan cheese 2 x Tsp. Dried Oregano 240g Ricotta 20g Panko Bread Crumbs 1 1/2 x Tbs. olive oil Sea salt and pepper Spray oil METHOD • STEP 1 Prepare sauce Crush or finely chop the garlic. Pick the thyme leaves, discarding stems. Put the garlic and 1 tbs oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 min or until lightly golden. Stir in the tomatoes and half the thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 8-10 mins until slightly reduced, occasionally stirring, then remove from heat.

• STEP 2 Prepare zucchini Meanwhile, preheat the grill with a rack 10cm from the element. Trim zucchini, then cut lengthways into 5mm-thick slices. Place in a single layer on an oven tray or two, lined with foil. Lightly spray both sides of the zucchini with oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill for 5 mins or until lightly golden. Switch to the oven at 200C. • STEP 3 Prepare cheese and herbs Meanwhile, finely grate the parmesan.

Pick the oregano leaves and coarsely chop. Combine the panko with the

ENJOY WITH: FONTANAFREDDA BRICOOTONDO BARBERA

APPEARANCE: A ruby-red wine with purple highlights

and plums, with slight spicy overtones hinting at black pepper and cinnamon

AROMA: The nose is packed with black fruit, especially blackberries

remaining oil, one third of the parmesan and the remaining thyme.

• STEP 4 Assemble parmigiana Layer one third of the zucchini slices in the base of the baking dish. Top with one third of the tomato sauce, half the remaining parmesan and ricotta. Scatter over half the oregano.

• STEP 5 Finish assembling parmigiana Repeat the process to make three layers, finishing with a layer of zucchini, tomato sauce and the panko-parmesan mixture.

Bake in the oven for 10 mins or until bubbling and the cheese melts.

FLAVOUR: Sweet, soft tannins come together in a closelywoven texture that merges with the fruit, while a crisp freshness provides a lingering, tasty finish

• STEP 6 Bake & grill Switch oven back to a hot grill and grill the parmigiana for 1-2 mins until the surface is golden. Set aside for 5 mins before serving.

SPECIAL OFFER Enter EXPLOREDRINKS at the checkout to get $50 off across box 1 & 2 www.marleyspoon.com.au

For more details on these great recipes head to www.marleyspoon.com.au exploredrinks.com 41

“I DRINK IT WHEN I’M HAPPY AND WHEN I’M SAD. SOMETIMES I DRINK IT WHEN I’M ALONE. WHEN I HAVE COMPANY, I CONSIDER IT OBLIGATORY. I TRIFLE WITH IT IF I’M NOT HUNGRY AND DRINK IT WHEN I AM. OTHERWISE, I NEVER TOUCH IT, UNLESS I’M THIRSTY.” - DAME LILY BOLLINGER

Dames

of Champagne

The wine and spirits business is full of such enterprising, dynamic and fierce females.

Interestingly, some of the wine world’s grandest world-changing women were widows, thrust into their roles by fate, and they all hail from Champagne: Dame Lily Bollinger, Marie-Louise Lanson de Nonancourt, Madame Clicquot, Madame Pommery and Camille Olry-Roederer.

WORDS ASHLEY PINI & STEPHANIE AIKINS

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MEET

CHAMPAGNE BOLLINGER:

Dame Lily Bollinger

Bollinger, sband in 1941, Dame Lily After the death of her hu into ionately known, was thrust or Bolly as she was affect ing be m fro Far r. ge pagne Bollin the leading role at Cham and an ter tas ted en tal a s , she wa launched into the unknown se had been her husbands clo avid brand ambassador and dslife. She was extremely han business partner during his vineyards, joyed cycling around the of the vintage. on in her approach and en and examining the health rs we she gro the h wit ps shi vity of Bollinger’s success, forming relation proach that saw the longe ap vy as d sav ote ess qu sin sly bu s ou thi s . She is fam Although it wa Champagne: to enjoy life of se en rpo Wh pu . e ne cor alo the I’m red en I drink it wh always remembe when I’m sad. Sometimes and . py am I hap en I’m wh it en nk wh it dri saying, “I drink if I’m not hungry and it obligatory. I trifle with it I have company, I consider it, unless I’m thirsty.”

Otherwise, I never touch

VEUVE CLICQUOT:

Madame Clicquot

Another well-know n veuve, or widow, of the Champagne world , was the great Mad ame Clicquot.

Barbe-Nicole Pons ardin was only 27 ye ars old when her husband Francois Clicquot passed aw ay . A determined woman, she wholeh eartedly assumed th e role of company head an d became one of th e on ly women in the late 1700s to run an internationa l business. She is credited by the industry as develo ping the riddling process, a vital elem ent of modern day Champagne production. At the time of her death in 18 66, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardi n was one of the on ly ve ry few brands to be known world wide, from China to Canada.

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Y: CHAMPAGNE POMMER

Madame Pommery

dame Pommery Alexandre in 1858, Ma d an sb hu r he of ath ar-old daughter.

W ith the de adult son and a one ye an to r the mo gle sin businesses, she was left a Champagne and wool the of ol ntr co l ful e purchased 120 Assuming us entirely on wine. Sh foc to ter lat the ld so built by the Romans promptly Reims that had been of y cit the ath ne be Champagnes. chalk pits to store and age her rs lla ce o int m the d nd pits were and turne nture as the undergrou ve s iou en ing an ed ntrolled This prov perfect temperature-co the it g kin ma , °C 10 t d at the time, a consisten ed the then ampagne world scoffe Ch the h ug tho Al r determination foster nt. he r, ye pla r environme no mi a gne marquees ns were extensive for of the largest Champa e on me co as her construction pla be to re erty saw her eno from a small ventu nt of her 124-acre prop me lop ve de d called Pommery & Gr an e as the process. rld War era. The purch see the buildings and to me co uld by the start of the Wo wo rs ito ampagne ne tourism, where vis brut style, the drier Ch the ing lop ve begin the trend of wi de th wi mmery, Madame ery who is credited -owner of Vranken-Po co , en nk Vra Importantly, it is Pomm lie tha ent day. According to Na up markets in 80 differ style that is popular to redible way, opening inc an in s es y.” sin bu lad easy d the s certainly not a very Pommery, “develope death in 1890. She wa r he of e tim the by countries

LOUIS ROEDERER:

Camille Olry-Roederer

Before Camille Olry-Roederer assu med her role as head of Louis Roe derer, the Champagne house was struck with tragedy afte r tragedy. Firstly, they lost large amounts of their land to bombings in World War I and the n a quarter of their market to the Bolshevik Revolution.

Secondly, the Prohibition and the Depression eras erased their sup por ting market. The house was “literally bankrupt,” says Xav ier Barlier of Roederer. “A house that was really in shambles.”

During the war era, the house stru ggled to remain afloat but afterwa rds, Madame OrlyRoederer was determined to cult ivate the association between her Cha mpagne and glamour through showing off her beauty as a prominent socialite on the Parisian art and fashion scenes.

She had a grand stable in Norman dy where she housed award-winni ng racehorses, and she soon established Cristal as the Champagne of the racing scene.

Cris tal gained international popularity in the 1960s and 197 0s in America, as it became the pre ferr ed drink of the artists and socialites that frequented the club s of Soho and Studio 54. Her own ership only ended with her death in 1972.

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MEET

L AURENT-PERRIER:

rt u co an on N e d son an L e is ou L Mariede ionary, Marie-Louis Lanson A fearless risk-taker and vis Père son Lan , firm ily fam l successfu Nonancourt left the highly e house, nearly bankrupt Champagn et Fils, and purchased the after her already been left a widow Laurent- Perrier. She had time Laurentthe First World War. At the husband was killed during h out of the wn and ranked number 98t Perrier was almost unkno blood, sweat in existence. Through her 100 Champagne Houses cess. The the House into a huge suc and tears she transformed ing the nts responsible for maintain current generation of desce Pereyre de n includes sisters Alexandra House’s excellent reputatio e Meneux de Nonancourt.

Nonancourt and Stéphani

LEFT TO RIGHT: Les Réserves Caveau, Caveau Grand Siècle, Les Réserves Remuage

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How To Taste

Sparkling Wine Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Vintage, Non-Vintage, Australian Sparkling – is there a difference? The short answer is yes, and the best way to navigate through all the intricacies of each sparkling wine is to run a tasting at home – here’s how it’s done.

WORDS BEN CANAIDER They can be our most luxurious, resplendent and complex wines, but Champagne and sparkling wines are also our most misunderstood. As a result, they are our most poorly appreciated. And in many ways, the progenitors of it all - the Champenois - are responsible for this. They’ve spent over three hundred years marketing the dream of bubbles in a glass. Of sophistication, wealth, and the kind of cavalier attitude that can go

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with those conditions. Sparkling wine - notably Champagne - is therefore about a dream and unreality. For the vast majority of drinkers, it’s not so much for analysing as it is for thoughtlessly and wantonly enjoying. Everyone nowadays is a table wine connoisseur (from pinot gris to sangiovese), but how many wellinformed, lucid Champagne and sparkling wine experts do you find yourself trapped next to at Friday night’s pretentious dinner party?

Well, a little learning can go a long way; and a little learning can also help you understand and appreciate Champagne and sparkling wines a little better, helping make your purchasing and serving and drinking decisions less focussed on brand names and labels, and more on wine quality.

And of course, the best way to do this is at home, via a tutored tasting, with a range of

ENTERTAINING

sparkling wines and sparkling wine styles.

And a few victims. Six people at a minimum, I reckon, to keep the mood a little formal, like a classroom. Oh, and you’re the teacher. With a glass in hand.

REQUIREMENTS You’ll need sparkling wines - a representation of the broad styles. Prosecco (from Italy), Cava (from Spain), Australian Vintage, Australian Non-Vintage, Champagne Non-Vintage, and Sparkling Australian Shiraz. So six wines, all up.

The Australian Vintage and Non-Vintage wines should be from the same maker - when I’ve conducted this experiment in the past I’ve used Chandon, from Victoria’s Yarra Valley, as it’s quality is high and consistent.

For Champagne use Bollinger Special Cuvee

(which is what Bollinger calls their non-vintage).

I really must be a stickler about this choice, as Bollinger Special Cuvee will deliver the contrasting flavours and characteristics to make the comparisons to the other sparkling wines even more vivid. The other wines should be purchased on availability.

You’ll also need six wine tasting glasses per person (use champagne flutes if you like, but standard XL5 tasting glasses will do the job), and you’ll also need a tasting placemat, which is nothing more than a piece of A4 paper with 6 circles drawn on it, each circle labelled one through to six. Use a black texta to write the same numbers on the feet of your wine glasses.

Then everyone will know which wine is which…

Have a cardboard milkshake cup for each taster, too, to use as a spittoon. It is advisable.

“AND OF COURSE, THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS AT HOME, VIA A TUTORED TASTING, WITH A RANGE OF SPARKLING WINES AND SPARKLING WINE STYLES. AND A FEW VICTIMS.” exploredrinks.com 47

“DITTO THE TWO AUSTRALIAN SPARKLERS; AND SO TOO THE CHAMPAGNE, WHICH WILL BE THE MOST GOLDEN COLOURED OF ALL THE WINES.” METHOD Have all the wines chilled. Once all the tasters are seated or assembled, open and pour the wines as uninterruptedly as you can, and in the order mentioned above. Prosecco, Cava, Australian Vintage, Australian NV, Champagne, and the Australian Sparkling Shiraz. Once poured, this is the drill: 1. SIGHT Two things to look at: colour and bead - or the bubble. Point out the following. The Prosecco colour should be clear and the bubble big. The Cava colour should be a little more golden, and the bubble smaller still. Ditto the two Australian sparklers; and so too the Champagne, which will be the most golden coloured of all the wines. It should also have the smallest bubble. The sparkling shiraz is self-evident… And the point of this all?

The Prosecco is made in a big tank and bottled by controlled transfer, under pressure. This is a much cheaper way of making sparkling wine, as opposed to the bottle-fermented, traditional method (as used in Champagne); but it doesn’t make for little bubbles. Furthermore, made in a big tank there’s no ability (or need) to add colour or complexity with oak. Hence Prosecco is a simple, appley, lemony white wine with bubbles and some sugar in it.

The Cava, however, will be a little more serious, particularly if you’ve bought one that is in a heavy bottle. And here’s a good trick. When buying Cava (or any sparkling wine) if the bottle feels heavy when compared to other wines on offer, then it is an indication that the sparkling

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ENTERTAINING

wine has been fermented in the bottle as all the best sparkling wine should be.

A heavy bottle can stand the pressure of bottle fermentation (it doesn’t explode…); a lightweight bottle indicates that the wine has been fermented in a big tank and transferred.

Oak barrel fermentation and then secondary bottle fermentation (the bit in the process where the wine gets the bubble) helps make for smaller more myriad bubbles (between 50 and 90 million bubbles per bottle). This should be evident in the Champagne. As should the deeper colour - which typifies the Bollinger barrel fermentation regime.

And all of this - even before smelling or tasting - should help your students see the difference in production methods and resultant complexity of flavours. I hasten to add, this observation is not so much about potential quality, but merely how the wine is made.

2. SMELL Keep this stage simple. Prosecco: apples and lemon. Cava: citrus and almond.

Australian Sparkling: the NV all citrus and strawberry; the Vintage more nutty and honeyed. And the Champagne: bread dough, biscuits, yeast, custard. And the sparkling shiraz, well, that will be selfevident.

3. TASTE The most wonderfully simple thing about sparkling wines is the way they stay true to form when it comes to smell progressing to flavour. Those aromas of fruit and the bouquet of fermentation and bottle conditioning lead directly onto the palate.

Thank goodness then for bubbles, that help makes this progression more exciting and gustatorily complex. The Prosecco will be playful; the Cava sprightly and minerally; the Australian sparklers with a hint of mousse

(that wonderfully fluffy, pillowy sensation in the mouth); and the Bollinger will have mousse galore. And the sparkling red will be self-evident.

OBJECTIVE Well, if the above-tutored tasting can help you and your peers understand more clearly the textural differences in the six styles of sparkling wine on offer then the objective has been met.

My objective in running such a tasting is to help people see, smell, and taste the fact that Champagne is the best sparkling wine, because it is more complex thanks to its manufacturing process. If your students stagger home with a reaffirmed love of Prosecco then you’ve done no harm. It’s not like you’ve been running an Amway night.

Finally, the only problem I ever have when running this tasting is the one question: “What about the sparkling shiraz?” The only reply is that the sparkling shiraz is self-evident.

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g n i Spr

SPONSORED

SEASONAL SIPS

Entertain and wow your guests by whipping up some of our easy-to-make, light, fruity and refreshing cocktails. As good hospitality extends to all, we’ve also included some non-alcoholic mixes so you can always have a drink in hand no matter the occasion.

RECIPES BEN DAVIDSON PHOTOGRAPHY RYAN STUART GLASSWARE RIEDEL & SPIEGELAU

BLOOD ORANGE MARGARITA GLASS: Coupette INGREDIENTS: 30ml Altos Plata Tequila 15ml Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur 15ml Campari 10ml Fresh lime juice 30ml Blood orange juice 10ml MONIN Agave Syrup METHOD: Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a coupette glass rimmed with sea salt GARNISH: Blood orange wedge

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ANTICA SPRITZ

YUZU & BASIL SMASH

GLASS: Wine glass

GLASS: Rocks

INGREDIENTS: 45ml Antica Formula Vermouth 60ml Fresh orange juice 60ml Soda water 60ml Prosecco

INGREDIENTS: 45ml Gin 15ml Lemoncello 30ml MONIN Yuzu Puree 10ml Fresh lemon juice 2 x Basil leaves

METHOD: Add ingredients into a large wine glass with a scoop of ice

METHOD: Add ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass

GARNISH: A slice of orange GARNISH: Basil leaves and a wedge of lemon Yuzu & Basil Smash

PINK GRAPEFRUIT MULE GLASS: Tall INGREDIENTS: 45ml 666 Vodka 15ml Campari 20ml MONIN Pink Grapefruit Syrup 20ml Fresh lime juice 100ml Ginger beer METHOD: Add ingredients to a tall glass and fill with ice GARNISH: Slices of grapefruit and lime Pink Grapefruit Mule

SPONSORED

SEEDLIP GARDEN & TONIC GLASS: Highball INGREDIENTS: 50ml Seedlip Garden 108 Top with tonic water METHOD: Fill a highball glass full of ice, add ingredients and stir GARNISH: A handful of fresh peas

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SNOW PEA AND CUCUMBER COOLER GLASS: Tall INGREDIENTS: 75ml Seedlip Garden 108 20ml Cloudy apple juice 10ml Sugar syrup 90ml Soda water 3 x Fresh snow peas 3 x Cucumber pieces METHOD: Muddle cucumber and snow peas in a mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients and shake with ice. Strain over crushed ice and top with soda water GARNISH: Snow peas and a cucumber wedge

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SPONSORED

Seedlip Spice & Tonic

SEEDLIP SPICE & TONIC GLASS: Highball INGREDIENTS: 50ml Seedlip Spice 94 Top with tonic water METHOD: Fill a highball full of ice, add ingredients and stir GARNISH: Red grapefruit twist

ROSE & LEMONGRASS GIMLET GLASS: Coupette INGREDIENTS: 45ml Gin 15ml MONIN Rose Syrup 15ml Fresh lime juice Bashed lemongrass METHOD: Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupette glass GARNISH: A piece of lemongrass and a rose petal

APPLE & ELDERFLOWER COLLINS GLASS: Tall INGREDIENTS: 45ml Malfy Gin 40ml Cloudy apple juice 20ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml MONIN Elderflower Syrup 90ml Soda water METHOD: Add ingredients to a tall glass and fill with ice. Stir well and crown with crushed ice GARNISH: Edible flowers, apple fan and mint sprig

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SPONSORED

SOLERNO SERATA GLASS: Stemless glass INGREDIENTS: 45ml Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur 30ml Ruby red grapefruit juice 60ml Soda water 2 x Dashes of bitter METHOD: Build in a stemless glass filled with ice and stir well GARNISH: Blood orange slice and a sprig of fresh rosemary

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n o i s s a P FOR SPRING Spring is here and now’s the time to get excited about long warm nights, picnics and Sunday sessions with friends. Passoã is the exotic passion fruit liqueur tantalising your taste buds to bring you into the moment.

Perfect for those feel good moments; Passoã is the ideal cocktail mixer to share amongst friends.

RECIPES BEN DAVIDSON PHOTOGRAPHY RYAN STUART

PASSOÃ GIN CRUSH GLASS: Stemless wine glass

INGREDIENTS: 30ml Passoã Passion Fruit Liqueur 40ml Gin 30ml Passionfruit juice or puree Tonic water

METHOD: Add all ingredients into a stemless wine glass, stir gently and top with tonic water GARNISH: Half a fresh passionfruit and edible flowers

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SPONSORED

PASSODA GLASS: Tall INGREDIENTS: 30ml Passoã Passion Fruit Liqueur ½ Fresh passionfruit Squeeze of fresh lime METHOD: Add all ingredients into tall glass and top with soda water GARNISH: Garnish with half a passionfruit and a mint sprig

PASSOÃ MARTINI GLASS: Martini INGREDIENTS: 30ml Passoã Passion Fruit Liqueur 40ml Vodka 10ml Vanilla syrup 1/2 x Fresh lime (squeezed) Served with a shot of prosecco METHOD: Add all ingredients into a shaker, shake and strain into a martini glass. Top with prosecco to taste GARNISH: Half of a fresh passionfruit

PASSOÃ SANGRIA Serves 4 GLASS: Wine glass INGREDIENTS: ¼ Bottle Passoã Passion Fruit Liqueur ½ Bottle rosé sparkling ½ Bottle orange Juice METHOD: Add all ingredients into a pitcher and gently stir and garnish GARNISH: Garnish with a selection of red fruits

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EST 2010

VISIT

DISTILLERS in Focus

A wonderful eruption of local distillers has taken place in Australia over the last few years – yet that is not to say that there weren’t any here before. Often when old meets new you get something truly eclectic and in this case, we find ourselves with a fantastic mix of passionate producers championing award-winning spirits. From premium XO brandy to avant-garde gins, it’s all happening right on our doorstep.

WORDS HANNAH SPARKS

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Hellyers Road Distillery

A TALE OF TWO In the unlikely city of Burnie, Tasmania, where the coast meets country, is a cooperative of dairy farmers producing some of Australia’s best whisky.

In 1997, at a time when the rest of Australia wasn’t concentrating on locally made spirits, the visionary dairy farmers at Betta Milk quietly began planning the build of a distillery where they would craft premium single malts. Set on neighbouring fields, the location was perfect - taking advantage of the locally grown barley, cool climate, clean air and pure rainwater driven in from the infamous Bass Straight that surrounds the area.

In 1999, the Tasmanian Whisky Proprietary as it was known then, would place its first whisky into barrels. It would be seven years before it would see the bottle, the distillery’s minimum age requirement, but when it reached the public in 2006, it was evident they had captured something special. People loved their whisky, and in 2010 it was awarded the title of Australia’s Best Whisky.

The distillery’s current name pays tribute to the man that entitled the original name of the road it sits on. The famous explorer and surveyor Henry Hellyer was well known for taking the road less travelled and his emblem is a reminder of the farmers’ patience, tenacity and decision to take a different path.

Hellyers Road has a range of age statement, pinot noir and port cask finished whiskies, plus special releases. The most popular is the Single Malt Original 10 Year, which showcases the distillery’s signature characteristics of vanilla and citrus. Combining the two tales, the distillery has also created a rich Cream Liqueur, using cream from the dairy business and three to fiveyear-old whisky from Hellyers.

HELLYERS ROAD DISTILLERY 153 Old Surrey Road, Burnie, TAS 7320 (03) 6433 0439 Opening Hours: Mon-Sun: 10am-4.30pm

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CRAFTING CLASSICS THROUGH TIME To make brandy, you need grapes, and in South Australia, there are bucket loads. That’s where family winemakers Angove, which owns vineyards across the state’s best known regions, established a brandy distillery in 1910.

The idea was first generation Dr. William Angove’s; he had wanted to make a plain spirit for fortifying wine and set up the distillery and barrel halls in the town of Renmark. It was his son Carl, however, in 1925 who established brandy making at St Agnes. With a passion for distilling and travel, he went to Cognac – for brandy is the same as Cognac, all but in the name - to learn from the very best and developed a style that was lighter and more delicate than other Australian brandies at the time.

It is this history that has put St Agnes on the map for our best brandy and even Best In World, three times in fact, with old reserves allowing the distillery to create VSOP (very superior old pale) and XO (extra old) brandies, up to 40 years old.

VISIT

Kangaroo Island Spirits

HOP TO AUSTRALIA’S FIRST GIN DISTILLERY Kangaroo Island Spirits is the original and one of the best when it comes to Australian gin.

Power couple Jon and Sarah Lark were inspired to open Australia’s first gin dedicated distillery in 2006, after returning from a trip to the UK where they visited one of the country’s leading producers of the spirit.

Their success is far from a lucky stab in the dark, however, with Jon coming from a long lineage of Australian distillers. His brother, Bill Lark, is recognised for starting Australia’s first boutique distillery in Tasmania and produces one of our best-known whiskies, Lark Whisky.

Master Distiller Ben Horley

The quality of St Agnes brandy must also be mentioned here, hand crafted every step of the way and double distilled slowly in copper pot stills, a job that only five Master Distillers have ever held, with Ben Horley the most current.

Brandy is a balance between art and science - taking wine, distilling it, and leaving it to age in barrels. This means that St Agnes is a quiet place for most of the year, apart from three months, when vintage takes place. It’s all hands on deck during this period to get the grapes as soon as they’ve been picked into fermentation. The rest of the year is when Ben and his trusty team of four tend to the spirit in small French and American oak barrels, making sure the brandy marries with the wood to gain concentration of flavour and colour. This is also a time for visitors, who are welcome by appointment each day to tour the distillery, see the process and taste the award-winning 15 Year Old XO in the old barrel halls.

ST AGNES DISTILLERY Bookmark Avenue, Renmark, SA 5341 (08) 8580 3148 Opening Hours: 10.30am (by appointment only)

What makes Jon and Sarah’s gin stick out from the bunch is their innovative use of native botanicals and continued dedication to traditional, handcrafted distilling methods.

Their most popular, Old Tom Gin, is a slightly sweet gin, aged in French oak for about a month and made with locally foraged botanicals such as juniper, coastal daisy bush, lemon and aniseed myrtle. More recently, the couple has also begun making infused vodkas and liqueurs, experimenting with Kangaroo Island delicacies such as honey, green walnuts, limes and ginger.

Keen for a visit? No points for guessing where to find the distillery, but be sure to give yourself a day, with Kangaroo Island Spirits located a 45-minute ferry ride from Adelaide and a further 45-minute drive once you’ve reached the remote island. On arrival, sit back in Jon and Sarah’s Gin Garden and enjoy a selection of their top spirits, coffee and platters of local produce. Or if you’re looking for a little more action, book onto one of their personalised tours or try your hand at making a gin (bookings essential).

KANGAROO ISLAND SPIRITS 856 Playford Highway, Cygnet River, SA 5223 (08) 8553 9211 Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 11am – 5.30pm`

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Great Ocean Road, Timboon Railway Shed Distillery

BARRELS OF HISTORY The Timboon Railway Shed Distillery is owned and operated by Josh Walker with the help of his partner Caitlin. A local entrepreneur who had been experimenting with home brewing for a few years, in 2015 the 26-year-old decided to turn his hand to spirits when he saw the distillery was for sale in the local paper.

A trip to visit several artisan distillers in Kentucky, US and some time with the distillery’s former owners to learn the craft gave Josh the confidence he needed to start making whiskies, flavoured vodkas and liqueurs.

Josh can now be found on most days managing all of the distilling from the 600L still that sits in the corner of the distillery’s restaurant. A short drive in-land from The Great Ocean Road, most visitors here drop in for lunch, choosing from one of Timboon’s seasonal dishes, and see where the magic happens. Members of the public can also enjoy some of the local history, with signs of the original Timboon railway station found within the building. And if you’re lucky, you might also hear the infamous tale of Tom Delaney, Timboon’s notorious distiller in the 1890s.

Delaney was well known amongst locals for his whisky and Josh is also quickly making a name for himself with his single malts. Using mostly ex-Australian fortified wine barrels, Josh creates whiskies rich in flavour, and this year Timboon’s Single Malt Whisky Christies Cut won Bronze at the Australian Distilled Spirit Awards.

Timboon’s other spirits include the sweet and earthy Otway Saffron Vodka and Premium Snake Track Vodka – a grain based spirit with a touch of vanilla. For those with a sweet tooth, we recommend a dash of Jim Love’s Strawberry Schnapps or Timboon’s delicious Coffee Cream Liqueur.

Unable to get to the distillery? You can find Timboon’s spirits online on its website or at Nick’s Wine Merchants and several small bars in Melbourne.

TIMBOON RAILWAY SHED DISTILLERY The Railway Yard.

1 Bailey Street, Timboon, VIC 3268 (03) 5598 3555 Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 10am – 4.30pm

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Hoochery Distillery owner Raymond ‘Spike’ Dessert III

DINKY-DI AUSSIE KIMBERLY SPIRIT Distillery owner Raymond ‘Spike’ Dessert III fell in love with the Kimberley when he first arrived from America in 1972 to develop his seed business in the rich and fertile soils of the Ord River Valley.

In 1995, with the booming sugar industry in the area, he found a way to diversify his dream and create Western Australia’s oldest, continuously operating, legal distillery.

Built on his farm just outside of Kununurra, he founded a small pot distillery, which has the capacity to produce over 50,000 bottles of rum a year.

Ord River Rum is thought to be the very first rum produced in Western Australia and is gaining a reputation as a genuine, traditional rum, winning Champion Rum four years in a row.

Known as the Hoochery, the distillery is proudly 100 per cent Australian-owned and familyoperated by Spike, his partner, two daughters and son. It uses locally grown ingredients wherever possible and its mascot, a red-eyed crocodile, can be found on every bottle.

Ord River Rum is made from local sugar cane and wet season rainwater, it is vat fermented, potdistilled, aged in oak barrels and hand-bottled.

The spirit is aged in 300-litre oak barrels, which naturally colours and flavours the rum, resulting in

a smooth tropical flavour with an oaky finish.

Earlier this year, Spike also released the 5 Rivers Tropical Spiced Rum due to popular demand.

While other spiced rums use cinnamon and vanilla, this one is made with the boab nut and mango, and it’s been a popular hit at the distillery.

Hoochery’s showroom is an old country saloon bar, built by the family and complete with an old piano and chandeliers. Guests here can view the barreling room, talk to the staff and take a guided tour, as well as try products including the Ord River Rum Cake – a secret

VISIT Distillery Botanica Owner and Master Distiller Philip Moore

BOTANICAL EXPRESSIONS After 20-plus years as a trained horticulturist and herbalist, Philip Moore decided to explore the art of distilling, focusing on showcasing Australian botanicals, using handcrafted techniques.

Philip bought a small still in 2006 and begun learning his craft through experiments – sometimes 100 a day – and any books he could get his hands on.

recipe and just one of the many rum flavoured cakes made by Spike’s wife that can be enjoyed at the distillery with tea.

HOOCHERY DISTILLERY 300 Weaber Plain Road, Kununurra, WA 6743 (08) 9168 2467 Opening Hours: Dry season: Mon-Sun: 9am-4pm Wet season: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Sat: 9am-12pm

Discovering that many of his experiments were palatable, Philip looked to find a more permanent office. With an early passion for liqueurs, the rustic wooden shed and its surrounding 2.5 acres of luscious gardens, now known as Distillery Botanica on the Central Coast of New South Wales, seemed fitting. Phillip could grow and use ingredients from the gardens in his spirits and visitors can easily travel from Sydney to the distillery.

Philip still makes a range of premium liqueurs, including the popular Mr Black Coffee Liqueur that has taken off in bars across the country, plus a vodka, but more recently he has turned his attention to one of the most on-trend tipples right now – gin.

Moore’s Vintage Dry Gin is one of Australia’s originals and was the first ever Australian gin to win a Gold Medal at the prestigious 2017 International Wine and Spirit Competition. It features a blend of traditional gin botanicals such as juniper and coriander, as well as native botanicals including macadamia and Illawarra plum to create a new age, uplifting gin.

Stepping outside of his place of tranquility and into another, this year Philip also partnered with the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney to create another gin using more exotic botanicals. Using the unique method of enfleurage, Rather Royal Gin captures the aromatic essence of each botanical, ranging from Pope John Paul roses to curry leaves and chamomile. And in the spirit of sustainability, 50 per cent of profits of the gin goes back to the Garden’s conservation programs.

DISTILLERY BOTANICA 25 Portsmouth Road, Erina, NSW 2250 (02) 4365 3968 Opening Hours: Wed-Sun: 10am-5pm

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THE ISLAND RUMAWAY Perpetual holiday or spoiling the sweet island life? Marc Rodrigues, former Diageo executive and current owner of Nusa CaĂąa, discusses the trials and the overall triumph of leaving behind the daily grind of the corporate world to start up his own Indonesian rum brand.

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MEET

Marc Rodrigues

explore DRINKS: What is your history in the alcohol industry?

days and modern nights. We are offering that escapism in every Nusa Caña serve.

Marc Rodrigues: After having worked on Australia’s most iconic spirit and wine brands, Bundaberg Rum, Jim Beam, Johnnie Walker and Hardys to name a few, I certainly have had the ability to understand the Australian drinks consumer and the industry that serves them.

What I’ve learnt that I am putting to use as we bring Nusa Caña to market is the following: Australians love their connection to drinking occasions and closely associate with the brands of choice that deliver those experiences.

Drinks brands in Australia need to match their consumers’ lifestyles and add to the consumers’ own persona. That could be the right wine for that special lunch with friends, or the rum with the boys on Friday night watching the footy.

eD: Why did you leave the corporate world?

With Nusa Caña we are bringing back the forgotten story of Indonesian rum. We know Bali is Australia’s favourite holiday destination for the reason that Bali is all about ancient

MR: It can be summarised in two words: lifestyle and satisfaction. The lifestyle means more than just the obvious reason of having an Indonesian rum and being based in Bali, the island of the gods. The lifestyle comes from not wasting time. Corporate life has a very large component of internal management, i.e. doing business with yourself. We at Nusa Caña, if we are working and not enjoying island life, we are out working with our consumers and customers around the world. We feel that gives us a greater connection to the hearts and minds of our consumers.

Satisfaction comes from using the experience you have to achieve what you know you can achieve and what needs to be done. We have a strong connection to our brand vision and that is to bring back Indonesian rum to the world;

a rum that has been forgotten about for 300 years. We are fortunate to have the experience and the skills to deliver this for Indonesia and for rum drinkers.

There is also the nice feeling of walking into your favourite bar and seeing and ordering your own liquid, then watching others do the same. eD: What’s fundamental when building a brand?

MR: You need to have a reason to exist. Ours is, as I touched on, our vision around bringing back Indonesian rum but secondly, we also want to bring the fun and escapism back to white rum that has been sadly missed. White rum used to be all about fun, parties and release. Of late, that has been lost as the leading brands move towards heritage. We are about how you feel on holiday, or when you meet good friends, or when you just want to escape. We are also young at heart!

To achieve this, we realised that four industry

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; SE N E M IM IS E R U SS E R P E TH S E “AT TIM ETHE PRESSURE TO ACHIEVE MILFIND STONES AND THE PRESSURE TO NTH”.

YOUR MEASLY WAGE FOR THE MO

veterans in their forties maybe couldn’t deliver this when it came to branding. So we engaged others who could. Firstly, Dan Mitchell and Stevie Anderson, both twentysomethings from the UK who are also based in Bali and are surrounded by our target consumers at Potato Head’s around the world. Stevie and Dan are responsible for our label and the mask! The true centre of our brand, the mask, allows all to hide behind it to be who they truly want to be. The team in Sydney’s Bold Inc. then took the label and developed the plan of how we would talk and engage with millennials around the world who share our passions.

Once we had our brand, we then hit our social media contacts from around the world. We have developed more than 75 years combined experience through asking people to join our vision and that continues today with every conversation we have. We are building a global tribe behind our barong mask.

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eD: Did you build a brand so you can live the island life?

MR: Maybe! In Australia, we should all live the island life for obvious reasons. I built a brand so I could live and share island life wherever I go; whether that is in Bali, Bondi, Sydney, Hong Kong or Shibuya, Tokyo (our latest launch). We plan to take the island life to London and Miami next year as well! eD: What are the challenges people might not understand when building a brand?

MR: Where do I start?! You leave a very well paid job to achieve the lifestyle and satisfaction I have spoken of, but it comes with a price, that being life compromises, hard work and work diversity that involves everything. At times the pressure is immense; the pressure to achieve milestones and the pressure to find your measly wage for the month. We have elected to bootstrap the start of this business to show our partners that the idea, the passion and the skills of those involved can

build the brand to where we share our story and liquid. The next step is to find partners to help fund our storytelling, so we can share our rum with more of the world. eD: Why a rum brand? What’s the long-term goal here?

MR: Rum is the no rules spirit. Drunk by farmers, pirates and billionaires, it’s drunk all over the world and for all occasions! And we love drinking! eD: What’s it like living the island life? Is it for everyone or do you need to be a certain type of person?

MR: I rarely wear shoes and dressing up means reaching for the good shorts! Island life means bad internet, scooter transport and beach bar offices, all of which I’m happy with. Best of all, I feel I get to experience humanity at its best, relaxed and energised, all of which builds inspiration into Nusa Caña. Oh, and living island life in Bali also means having island holidays on the Gili Islands (laughs).

WHAT TO DRINK WHEN YOU’RE NOT DRINKING The World’s First Distilled Non-alcoholic Spirits

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SPONSORED explore DRINKS: From quitting agency life, now to building your own brand, tell us about Seedlip from its inception to where it is today.

Ben Branson: My mother’s side of my family have been farming for 320 years and my father has been in brand design for the last 40, so Seedlip is certainly a product of my upbringing and was the perfect opportunity to work with both sides of my family to solve a modern day dilemma, ‘what to drink when you’re not drinking’.

Seedlip’s story originates from when apothecaries were distilling both alcohol and non-alcoholic herbal remedies in the 17th century. While researching herbs to grow at home, I came across a book written in 1651 called ‘The Art of Distillation’ that documented these remedies. Out of curiosity, I began experimenting with a little copper still in my kitchen, and in November 2015 I had handbottled and hand-labelled the first 1000 bottles, which sold out in three weeks. The next batch sold out in three days and the third batch in 30 minutes online!

Eighteen months later, I’m not handlabelling bottles, thankfully, and Seedlip is served in some of the best cocktail bars, restaurants and hotels in London, L.A., New York and Copenhagen.

This includes over 80 Michelin starred restaurants, the best three cocktail bars in the worlds, as ranked by the World’s 50 best bars 2016, and being stocked in retailers such as Harrods, Dean & Deluca, Fortnum & Mason and now David Jones in Australia.

eD: Given your agency background, has this helped with building the Seedlip brand?

BB: I was very fortunate to work on iconic brands such as Absolut, Nike and Heineken, as well as on start up challenger brands and this stood me in good stead, I think, on understanding the fundamentals of creating a meaningful brand beyond a bottle and a logo.

From the naming (a Seedlip is the Olde English name of a seed sowers basket my family used to use) to bring to life an aesthetic that was both desirable and unique, I only realised how much I’d absorbed in my career when it came to then applying that experience to my own brand. eD: Growing peas and farming has been in your family for generations, did you always want to stay in the family business? And did you always have the vision of creating your own spirits brand?

BB: I’ve always had a deep-seated love for nature and I’m happiest outside, but didn’t actually consider farming as a career as such. I just knew it was important to find my own way of continuing our family legacy, diversifying what we do and working with the land. Having worked on other people’s brands, I definitely dreamt of having my own brand one day but had no set idea of what that could be until I came across ‘The Art of Distillation’ and everything seemed to just fall into place. eD: Seedlip is listed in some of the best bars in London and New York, where can our readers find Seedlip in Australia?

BB: We’re excited to announce Seedlip is now available exclusively in David Jones stores and online nationwide, and we are also working with some of Australia’s most dynamic bars & restaurants to offer guests great adult options. eD: How has the reception been so far when consumers taste Seedlip? Are they surprised it has zero alcohol?

BB: Seedlip neat contains no alcohol or sugar, is extremely aromatic with a lighter, waxy consistency on the palate. Both Seedlip products are best mixed with tonic or as the base for non-alcoholic cocktails, and whilst

we haven’t deliberately attempted to mimic alcohol, our complex flavour profiles do mean people get an adult drink that isn’t lacking. eD: Tell us about the flavour profiles of Spice 94 and Garden 108.

BB: We have created two completely unique blends of plants, rather than matching any alcohol taste profile.

Seedlip Garden 108 is a herbal blend of peas and hay from our farm, rosemary and thyme, spearmint and hops.

Seedlip Spice 94 is an aromatic blend of all spice berries and cardamom, oak and cascarilla bark, lemon and grapefruit peel. eD: How can consumers best enjoy Seedlip?

BB: A Seedlip and tonic is our signature serve.

For Garden 108, we recommend a highball full of ice, 50ml Seedlip, a handful of peas (yes really!), topped with tonic water.

For Spice 94, a highball full of ice, 50ml Seedlip, top with tonic water and garnish with a red grapefruit twist. eD: From inception to the position Seedlip is today, how long has the process taken you?

BB: In November 2013 I discovered ‘The Art of Distillation’ and in November 2015 we launched in London. eD: We often hear people wanting to quit the corporate life to start their own liquor brand. What advice can you offer?

BB: Double the time you think it will take and the money you think you will need to launch your own brand.

Find an occasion, a need, a serve and a community, and get absolutely crystal clear with laser beam focus on what you are, why it exists and who for.

Embrace the unknown, celebrate your naivety, get ready to wear many hats and spin lots of plates. It’s a game of snakes and ladders!

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FRUIT BEER The fruit beer category is currently enjoying somewhat of a renaissance, so we thought what better way than to delve into just what makes a fruit beer. And with spring upon us what better time to mix it up and give a fruit brew a go.

WORDS LUKAS RASCHILLA

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DRINKS

Incorporating fruit and fruit flavours in beer is not a new phenomenon with a number of Belgian and French styles of beer using fruits in the brewing process. The Belgians first utilised fruit in their Lambic (wild yeast fermentation) style beers, which prior to the addition of a variety of fruits, are extremely sour and tart. Common fruit additions to Lambic beers are cherry (Kriek), raspberry (Framboise) and peach (pêche).

According to the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) guidelines, fruit beer is classified as beer made with any fruit or combination of fruit. The culinary and not botanical definition of fruit is used, so the fruit flesh, seeds, and parts that are edible in their raw state may be applied. Examples include pome fruit (apple, pear, quince), stone fruit (dates, prunes, raisin), tropical fruit (banana, pineapple, guava etc.), figs, pomegranate, prickly pear and so on. This does not include spices, herbs or vegetables in the classification.

Fruit beer should have a prominent fruit character but remain in balance with beer, and not come through as an artificial flavouring. The colour of fruit beer will depend on the fruit used

in the process with the colour of the fruit often being lighter than the flesh of the fruit itself, or taking on slightly different shades.

The key with fruit beer is balance, after all, it’s not fruit juice we’re drinking! The flavour of the fruit should be noticeable but not overpowering or taste artificial. Hop bitterness, malt flavours, alcohol content and fermentation by products such as esters should be present and well balanced. The fruit additions are designed to add flavour to the beer but not sweetness. Fruit adds fermentation that can tend to thin out a beer, resulting in a beer that may seem lighter than expected for the base style.

Ian Kingham of The Institute of Beer says, “As soon as you add fruit, you’re making a fruit beer.

Adding fruit can be juice, peel, whole fruits and fruit stones. A fruit beer is where fruit is added to give a dominant flavour of the beer.”

WHAT GIVES BEER A FRUITY TASTE? There are a number of things that can contribute to a fruity taste in beer, but the main ones are.

• The addition of fruit (real fruit flesh, juice or seeds, not flavourings) •A fermentation characteristic which is often seen in wild fermented beers in countries like Belgium • Aromatic or ‘fruity’ hop, the most well known being Citra, Galaxy and Nelson Sauvin

HOPS Hops can give beers a fruit characteristic. For example, some American pale ales will often use Citra hops, which impart an orange-like flavour. In Australia, Galaxy hops are often used which gives a tropical fruit type character, with Stone & Wood being one of the first breweries to use Galaxy hops in their brews. Pacific ales are all about Galaxy hops. The third kind of hop is a New Zealand hop called Nelson Sauvin which gives a pine needle, tropical fruit note and an almost like pine-lime flavour. The hops give a fruit aroma and fruit note to them and are added late in the brewing process.

Some hops have a bittering agent in them, are thrown in very early and give beer a whole lot of

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“THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS BEER CAN HAVE A FRUIT TASTE, NAMELY THROUGH FERMENTATION, AND HOP CHARACTERISTICS, BUT TO BE DEFINED AS A FRUIT BEER THERE MUST BE FRUIT ADDED IN THE BREW.” bitterness. At the end of the process, there are hops you can throw in late, because they have a nice perfume and aroma with low bitterness, which adds aroma and flavour to the beer. ‘Fruit’ hops are often referred to as aromatic hops and they are put in late in the process and are designed to add flavour and aroma to the beer.

FERMENTATION German wheat beers such as dunkelweiss and hefeweizen also express fruit aroma and flavour but do not use any fruit in the brewing process.

A hefeweizen is a Bavarian-style wheat beer that typically shows banana and clove flavour notes, which are derived from specialised wheat beer yeast strain. Similarly, the Belgian style Wit Beer, an example being Hoegaarden Wit, is usually made with unmalted and malted wheat

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(in addition to malted barley) and sometimes oats; flavoured with coriander seed and dried orange peel, although variations to the latter include using actual citrus fruits during the brewing process. Using hops or fermentation in themselves don’t classify the beer as a fruit beer. It must contain the addition of fruit, fruit juice, peels, stones or parts.

EXAMPLES OF FRUIT BEERS Wilson Hede, head brewer at Two Birds Brewing has used lime peel and coriander in the Two Birds Taco Beer since its inception.

Similarly, at the 2017 Great Australian Beer Spectapular (GABS) Two Birds created Slayer, a dragon fruit kettle sour. Hede says, “We used a similar brew to our Pale, which already has fruity tropical notes and after fermentation we

added around 2,000 litres of dragon fruit puree to the fermenter. The dragon fruit had a little bit of a red currant, raspberry kind of flavour which worked well with the fruity hops.”

Similarly, Two Birds Taco beer used the addition of fresh lime peel in the boil and after fermentation to pair with the citrus flavours brought out by the hops in the beer.

Fixation Brewing Co., famous for their Fixation IPA have created Fixation Squish, an IPA that blends grapefruit and blood oranges for a fruity, hop driven beer. Todd Delmont, managing partner of Fixation says, “What we’ve done is dry hopped the beer and added white grapefruit and blood orange puree postfermentation. It’s really about complementing the Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic hops and accentuating them with the fruit additions without overpowering the hops”.

There are a number of ways a beer can have a fruit taste, namely through fermentation, and hop characteristics but to be defined as a fruit beer, there must be fruit additions in the brew.

DRINKS

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR TOP PICKS SIERRA NEVADA SIDECAR The Sierra Nevada Sidecar is an orange pale ale; combining hops with a bright citrus character, as well as orange peel in the brew kettle and fermenter that add a zesty fresh orange flavour to the classic pale ale profile.

MATSO’S MANGO FIXATION SQUISH Fixation Squish is a fruity hop driven beer with citrus notes from the addition of blood orange and white grapefruit.

BOATROCKER MISS PINKY – RASPBERRY BERLINER WEISSE Miss Pinky is a Raspberry Berliner Weisse, that was first brewed in 2015 as a one-off release and its popularity made Boatrocker add this beer to the core range in 2016. Berliner Weisse is an old style of beer originating in Berlin and it is a sour wheat beer.

When we talk about sour beer, we are just talking about lowering the Ph of a beer using acid, in this case Lactic Acid. This makes a tart and refreshing beer. To counter balance the tartness Boatrocker brewers add 250 kilos of local raspberries per batch, which gives it its bright pink hue. The result is a note of fresh raspberries followed by a dry, tart finish.

This beer is based on a classic Belgium Blonde recipe. Using a 100% natural mango blend, the brewers have developed an easy drinking beer style with amazing fruit aromas balanced out with sweet dryness. This is a great tropical beer for the warmer weather.

GOLDEN ROAD TART MANGO CART Los Angeles based Golden Road Brewing offers Tart Mango Cart, a mango wheat ale (Berliner Weisse) made with fresh mango.

This beer pays homage to fruit cart vendors of LA and is designed to be a refreshing wheat ale with fresh mango notes and a slight tart finish.

TWO BIRDS TACO On a U.S. trip, after a flight from San Diego to Portland, Two Birds decided to brew a beer using ingredients of their favourite food on the trip; tacos. Adding fresh lime peel, coriander leaf and corn to the brew results in the fresh, fruity and zesty beer.

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LA LA LAND Ah Los Angeles, the City of Angels as it is known, La La Land.

This sprawling metropolis has a lot more to offer visitors than Hollywood, Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach and Rodeo Drive.

Here’s our guide to the venues that are well worth checking out. Some may be off the beaten path, but here born and bred Angelino, Paige Vreede has given us the real Los Angeles, so if you’re in need of a holiday across the Pacific, be sure to make LA one of your stops.

WORDS PAIGE VREEDE

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VISIT

CLIFTON’S If the walls of Clifton’s Cafeteria could speak, they would have decades of stories to tell.

Clifton’s was built in 1935 and still has much of the same architecture and design that it had over 80 years ago. With four different themed bars, this Disneyland for grownups is truly one-of-a-kind. Enjoy classics like Hurricanes and Mai Tais in their secret Tiki lounge, sip on some whiskey next to a giant redwood tree, or order a bottle of Champagne while listening to some live jazz in the ballroom.

There is a surprise around every corner in this magnificent, historic building.

648 S Broadway, Los Angeles CA 90014 T: +1 (213) 627 1673 W: cliftonsla.com Opening Hours: The Monarch Bar: Weekdays 11am-close Weekends 10am-close Gothic Bar: Thurs-Sat 6pm-2am Pacific Seas: Wed-Sun 6pm-Close, Mondays Closed

THE ACE HOTEL If coming to Los Angeles means wanting to feel like you are on the set of Entourage, then The Ace Hotel is certainly where you want to be. Though you may feel like an elitist on their rooftop bar, the crowd it attracts is generally laid back. In the afternoon, go for a dip in the rooftop pool then at night throw on your classiest attire and indulge in their signature cocktail Make Mama Nice Again – a gin, lime and cinnamon infused cocktail – a strange, but indeed, delicious combination.

929 S Broadway, Los Angeles CA 90015 T: +1 (213) 623 3233 W: acehotel.com/losangeles Rooftop Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 11am-2am

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EL CARMEN Established as El Carmen Café on Sept 15, 1929 as a family style restaurant by Mrs. Encarnacion Gomez, El Carmen moved from its location on 3rd and La Brea to where she is now at 8138 West 3rd Street in 1950. El Carmen was purchased as part of Committed Inc. in 1997 and transformed by Sean MacPherson into what has now become a staple of Los Angeles and the famous West 3rd Street. Once you pass the red curtains you’re transported into another world. Featuring 400 plus Tequilas, a curated selection of Mezcals, Sotols and Bacanoras along with authentically flavoured south of the border Mexican dishes using hormone free and grass fed meats. When you’re in town, come in and enjoy.

8138 W 3rd St, Los Angeles CA 90048 T: +1 (323) 852 1552 W: elcarmenla.com Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 5pm-2am

HARVARD & STONE With exposed pipelines, caged hanging lights, and an overall industrial atmosphere, the last thing you would expect to find are burlesque dancers debuting five-inch heels while dancing on pipelines, but alas, you could certainly find this at Harvard & Stone. The beer menu is unique and there are two bars to order from ensuring nobody is left without a cold one. Go late on a weekday and you may just catch a live local band. Whether you are admiring some seriously talented dancers, or rocking out to live music, any night of the week is a good night at Harvard & Stone.

5221 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90027 T: +1 (323) 466 6063 W: harvardandstone.com Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 8pm-2am

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VISIT RESIDENT Los Angeles is undeniably known for its music scene, but it is rare to find a music venue that can also double as a local watering hole. Beyond Los Angeles’s industrial stretch, past buildings adorned in street art, cut across a few alleys and pass two taco trucks and you’ll find a hidden gem, Resident. Try one of their refreshing margaritas while enjoying live music, or feast at one of the food trucks parked in their beer garden. If the round is on you, be sure to take advantage of their shot and beer special for just $10!

428 S Hewitt St, Los Angeles CA 90013 T: +1 (213) 628 7503 W: residentdtla.com Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 10am-2am

PHOTOGRAPHY Miriam Brummel

GOOD TIMES AT DAVEY WAYNE’S For some people, coming to Los Angeles means strolling down Rodeo Drive in hope of spotting celebrities. For others, Los Angeles is all about meeting the locals and having a good time, which is exactly what you’ll get at Good Times at Davey Wayne’s.

Enter through a fridge converted into a front door, and you’ll be transported back to the era of bell bottoms and afros. Sip on one of their dangerously delicious cocktails while grooving to ‘stayin’ alive” on the dance floor or grab an alcoholic snowcone from their outdoor retro camper. Whatever you decide to do, you will not leave this appropriately named venue disappointed.

1611 N El Centro Ave, Los Angeles CA 90028 T: +1 (323) 962 3804 W: goodtimesatdaveywaynes.com Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-2am Sat-Sun 2pm-2am

PHOTOGRAPHY Luke Gibson

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VISIT THE WALKER INN The Walker Inn might just be Los Angeles’s best kept secret.

Enter through the Normandie Club and head towards the bathrooms. To the left you will find a wooden door with a red light hanging above it. Press a button and a bartender will let you in… that is if you made reservations of course. Upon entering the dimly lit, intimate bar, you’ll feel like James Bond, although you’ll want to order more than a martini. Expect superb cocktails without the highfalutin vibe. The bartenders are kind enough to explain in detail all of the hard work that goes into each ambrosial cocktail placed in front of you. Indulge in a frozen grapefruit cocktail right out of the fruit itself, or use tinctures infused with various flavours to construct your own mixed drink. The drinks are based on what is in season and without a doubt, the talented staff behind the bar will know exactly what to serve up all year round.

3612 W 6th St, Los Angeles CA 90005 T: +1 (213) 263 2709 W: thewalkerinnla.com Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 6pm-2am

MANHATTAN BEACH POST Overlooking one of California’s most beautiful beaches, you can find Manhattan Beach Post.

The post office turned restaurant not only has an impressive drink menu, but the atmosphere itself is something to lure you in. Long wooden tables occupy the space, trying to fit in as many customers as possible. As one of the South Bay’s trendiest restaurants, reservations are highly recommended.

While you’re waiting for a table, be sure to head to the bar and try a Vic Vega – a refreshing take on a classic old fashioned infused with coconut. They have an exceptional tapas style menu that you do not want to miss out on. Who could say no to a charcuterie plate, replete with blue cheese and truffle honey, 3-year aged acorn prosciutto, and the most mouth-watering marinated olives.

1142 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach CA 90266 T: +1 (310) 545 5405 W: eatmbpost.com Opening Hours: Mon-Thur 5pm-10pm Fri 11:30am-10:30pm Sat 10am-10:30pm Sun 10am-10pm

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VISIT

V E NU E S F OR T H IS

Spring Carnival The race that stops the nation is fast coming upon us and spots at some of the best venues to watch Australia’s premier horse event are filling up faster. Although not all of us can be trackside on the big day, there are a number of restaurants and bars who will be getting in on the action by broadcasting the race on the big-screen, hosting fashion shows and, most importantly, the bubbles will be flowing! So reserve your place at one of these first-class venues, grab your friends, don your best racing wear and get ready for a day of bets and bubbles!

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KENSINGTON STREET SOCIAL Melbourne Cup is synonymous with class and Sydney’s Kensington Street Social is honouring that reputation by offering an ultra-stylish dining experience this cup day. Guests will feast upon a three-course Mediterranean/British share style menu of local produce, carefully curated by owner and Michelin Star culinary director, Jason Atherton, and expertly executed by executive chef Robert Daniels and his team.

To start off the event, guests will be given a glass of Champagne Taittinger Prestige Cuvée.

With aromas of white peach, hazelnut and brioche, as well as notes of fresh stone fruit and mild honey, Prestige Cuvée will be the perfect drink to awaken the diners’ palates. There will also be a range of cocktails, beer and wines on offer to keep the party going well after the winner is awarded. $120pp includes a glass of Champagne Taittinger Prestige Cuvée and the three-course share style menu.

3 Kensington Street, Chippendale, NSW 2008 For bookings: www.kensingtonstreetsocial.com

NOLA SMOKEHOUSE AND BAR Friendly hospitality and the love of a great horserace: the two things that unite Australians and Deep Southerners. NOLA, Sydney’s New Orleans inspired smokehouse and bar, know this and are bringing together the traditions of the Melbourne Cup and the Kentucky Derby on cup day with live music, flowing Champagne, a selection of beer, wine and cocktails and an array of delicious canapés. Champagne

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Taittinger Cuvée Prestige and Prestige Rosé will be the drops of the day, so you can relax, sip and place your tips in style. Be sure not to run off too quickly after the big event as there will be post-race celebrations held at the bar.

Tickets include food and beverage at $290pp with the event on from 12pm-4:30pm.

Level 1, International Tower 1, 100 Barangaroo Ave Barangaroo South, NSW 2000 For bookings: www.nolasydney.com/events

VISIT

MUST WINEBAR To ensure you have the ultimate Melbourne Cup experience, booking your place at Must Winebar is a definite must. The venue has hosted an annual Melbourne Cup party since 2002 and, this year, they’re teaming up with Champagne Taittinger to make it their best event yet. Guests will be greeted with a glass of Champagne Taittinger Prestige Rosé on arrival and treated to freshly shucked oysters and an assortment of tasty canapés. Catch the race on the big screen and then stay around to indulge in a long bubbly-filled lunch to be served in the Bistro, Private Dining Room and Champagne Lounge.

Sommeliers will be on hand to help you choose the perfect wine to accompany your meal from the specially curated wine list. Fashion store Harry & Gretel will be hosting a best-dressed competition for the gents and the ladies as well as a fashion show. The winners of the best-dressed awards will each receive a bottle of Champagne Taittinger Cuvée Prestige to keep the party going. At 4pm, the doors will open to the general public for one of the best after-parties in Perth.

519 Beaufort St, Highgate, WA 6003 For bookings: www.must.com.au/whats-on.html

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VISIT THE BUTLER Have your races rendezvous overlooking the Sydney skyline. The Butler, Potts Point’s rooftop bar and restaurant venue, are taking their Melbourne Cup celebrations to new heights, offering guests a shared banquet menu of their Ibero-American cuisine along with a glass of Mumm Champagne on arrival for a $150pp. Want a bit more bubbles to get you in the festive mood? For an extra $95pp you can add on a 2hr beverage package of Mumm Champagne. There will also be prizes for best dressed and even a how-to-sabrage class with a Mumm Champagne ambassador.

123 Victoria Street, Potts Point, NSW 2011 For bookings: www.butlersydney.com.au

PIER ONE What could be better than watching the country’s biggest race in front of the country’s best view? Pier One’s ‘Pier Party’ is offering guests the opportunity to catch all the action on the big screens before celebrating the rest of the day out near Sydney’s sunshine-soaked harbour. There will be a range of tasty delights served up from The Kerrigan and specialty bottles of Mumm Champagne will be sold for $98 at the bar. For those adventurous guests, Pier One is letting you try your hat (or fascinator) at mastering the art of sabrage. They’ll be hosting sweepstakes and giving out prizes for the Best Dressed and Best Hat. The best bit? This is non-ticketed event, so grab some mates and head on down to Sydney harbour for a healthy dose of sweet tunes, provided by DJ Delicious, and an even healthier dose of friendly competition.

11 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, NSW 2000 For bookings: www.pieronesydneyharbour.com.au

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DRINKS

Coffee Trends THE WONDERFUL AND WEIRD WAVE OF

Move over cappuccinos, long blacks and lattes, there are a few new kids on the block, and they’re making a bit of a scene in the caffeinated world. Read on to find out what new coffee trends are hitting our cafes.

WORDS LUKAS RASCHILLA

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COFFEE IN A CONE Who doesn’t like ice cream? How about coffee served in ice cream cones, particularly chocolate dipped ones?

Rolling out down under in Sydney and Melbourne, the caffeine-dessert hybrid is the creation of South African barista and entrepreneur Dayne Levinrad and is known as the “world’s most instagrammable coffee”. While any type of coffee will work, or milk drink for that matter (a hot cocoa for those chocoholics might be the order), it is best suited for a piccolo latte. We have dunked cookies in our coffee before, so this kind of has the same effect. One word of warning, you better be quick – you only have around 10 minutes to drink your coffee from the cone before all the chocolate melts, in which case your latte will become a mocha www.coffeeinacone.com/#coffeeinacone

MILK, CREAM... BUTTER? THE ‘BULLETPROOF COFFEE’ Traditionally, coffee has been used as a ‘pick me up’, to get you going in the morning, or to keep focus and attention. The Bulletproof Coffee is the latest concoction - designed for pre-gym workouts, CEOs, busy parents, and pro athletes.

The Bulletproof Coffee is made by adding 1-2 tablespoons of butter (preferably unsalted, grass fed) and 1-2 tablespoons of medium-chain triglyceride oil (MCT), a replacement for coconut oil. MCTs are easy for the body to break down and use as energy. According to founder, David Asprey, fats and caffeine help stimulate the brain.

Apparently the key here is using grass fed butter and blending it up, making it more like a latte.

Some sceptics have reported it tasting greasy and having an oily like aftertaste. The bulletproof coffee is meant to boost energy levels, and is ideal for those on the ketogenic diet. Next time you want a pick me up, throw some butter and MCT oil in your coffee!

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YOU SAY YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE BLACK? In the city known for its coffee, with locals claiming to have ‘the best coffee in the country’, White Mojo cafe in Melbourne, Australia is now offering a black latte.

That’s right, as black as the night, this dark coloured goodness is made from a smooth paste of ground black sesame seeds, peanuts and almonds with steamed soy milk. This produces a creamy, sweet drink with a dark charcoal colour. A charcoal black coffee punks can embrace. White Mojo’s general manager Samsky Yeung said, “We wanted to create something that’s unusual which can surprise our customers, that’s why we created the black latte.” www.instagram.com/whitemojo/?hl=en

DRINKS

TURN TO GOLD

HEY BARTENDER! BOTTLED ESPRESSO MARTINI

Much like the black latte above, the golden latte is in fact not a coffee at all, but made from the popular spice, turmeric. Golden Grind have made a business out of selling their own ground turmeric powder blend containing only turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. It has no caffeine or coffee and is 100% organic and vegan - perfect for the health conscious! It is simply frothed with your milk of choice, with almond and coconut being recommended, and voilà, you have the golden latte. Turmeric thought to have great medicinal properties, including the active ingredient curcumin - which is claimed to have anti-inflammatory effects. www.goldengrind.com.au

Australia’s most popular cocktail, so much so the cities of Melbourne and Sydney both hosted festivals in the drink’s honour recently, drawing coffee and booze lovers alike. The latest invention encourages you to stress less and scrap the barware and shakers required to make your own espresso martini. The version offered by Auri Gin, developed with World Barista Judge, Justin Metcalf, is perfectly blended with vodka and a coffee liqueur, the base being cold brew coffee. The ‘Ready to Drink’ espresso martini is a 300ml bottle at 8.6% ABV, the mixture creates two standard martinis, no mess, no fuss. www.luxe-brew.com/espressomartini

COFFEE TONIC - YOUR NEW FAVOURITE SUMMER DRINK Move over mimosa, the coffee tonic is the next brunch or summer soiree drink. Can’t decide between a coffee and a cocktail? The coffee tonic has come to the rescue to serve your mid morning caffeine needs and refreshment all in one. Made by adding espresso coffee to tonic water to taste, of course adding a spirit such as gin or vodka is optional. Garnish with an orange wedge for that touch of sweet citrus. Don’t have an espresso machine? Don’t despair, these can also be made by using cold brew coffee. One of the originators, Swedish roaster Koppi has been serving their Kaffe Tonic for several years now, in a science beaker for maximum coolness. This gives a caffeinated kick to those wanting something a little different than a regular coffee, while also lengthening the drink. www.koppi.se

THE AVOLATTE Some are calling it the sign of the food apocalypse and having gone too far but Truman Café in Melbourne, Australia has taken to the smashed avocado obsession of the world’s millennials and pushed coffee culture to a new level in creating the ‘avolatte’. Yes, that’s right, it’s a café latte, perhaps the most bourgeois of coffee styles, served in an avocado shell. In what started as a joke and reference to the Australian real estate magnate who told millennials to stop, “wasting money on coffee and avocado” it now has seen customers requesting it.

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DRINKS

’

Lover s A COFFEE

GUIDE TO MELBOURNE

Many would argue that Australia is now the hotbed for quality coffee, globally. We clearly love our coffee, and, for all intents and purposes, it seems like Melbournians are actually obsessed. Just ask a local where their favourite café is, or where the tastiest Ristretto can be found, and you’ll get a myriad of options to spend the morning with a great coffee and a paper.

Interestingly, it was the Italian cultural influence from the mid20th century that started to build a coffee culture utilising quirky cafés across the city.

And, quite possibly, we get better coffee here now than you would in Rome. There’s a high level of knowledge on not only what styles of coffee to order, but the origins of the beans, the roasting and what that means to the flavour.

WORDS ASHLEY PINI

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In my quest to up-skill my coffee knowledge and, hopefully, to be able to make a better coffee at home for my guests and myself, I decided to up stumps and head to the banks of the Yarra to check out what all the fuss is about, and maybe pick up a few tips.

Before exposing a distinct lack of knowledge, a quick run-down on coffee language was in order:

HAVE YOU HEARD OF MICROLOT COFFEE? Microlot coffee comes from a small number of specifically selected trees, chosen due to their superior bean quality.

These trees are then given time and attention to develop their unique, excellent product. This also requires some investment by the buyer and the grower to experiment in order to produce a coffee bean with special characteristics.

I know I’ve had plenty of good coffees, but could I really tell the difference when presented with a great coffee? What really makes the difference, and is it worth all the fuss? My first stop on the coffee trail went a long way to answering these questions.

Veneziano Coffee Roasters are based at 16-18 River Street, Richmond in a warehouse just around the corner from Mountain Goat Brewery and opposite the Royston Hotel. A coffee roaster, brewery and bar all within 100 metres. Perfect. Veneziano are proactive in coffee education and training, they use the latest equipment and have expert trainers doing regular training sessions in a state-ofthe-art facility.

What did I learn from the two hours of testing Jade’s patience? Firstly, I should probably enrol in a few more lessons but, that said, the skills I learnt in the session did make a huge difference to the quality of the final product. We stuck to a latte and worked on all aspects of the grind: from fine to course, the extraction time, using the tamper, texturing (not frothing) the milk, and most importantly, producing a coffee with great consistency. Cleanliness around the machine was a part of everything we did: wiping down, cleaning the wand (that dispenses the steam into the milk) every time it touches the milk and keeping all the glasses and cups warm and quarantined from the ‘mess’.

Making a great coffee is a combination of sourcing quality beans, the roasting, how the beans are handled and then prepared. I was there to learn all about those processes and started with the ‘Barista At Home’ course, under the guidance of the incredibly patient, and Victoria’s current Barista champion, Jade Jennings.

To make coffee really, really well, there are a number of components you need to get right. The first of which is time, because it’s just not that easy. You need to put aside enough time to apply some focus to your art - because it is an art. Put in the required effort and the benefits will come naturally.

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Veneziano offers a range of courses from the ‘Barista At Home’ course I did to an ‘Introduction To Espresso’ and ‘Roasting’ itself; ‘Latte Art’ (which apparently everyone wants to learn straight away), ‘Barista Training’ and for the real enthusiast, ‘Cupping’. Cupping is the exercise of grading the coffee: it’s the equivalent of a wine tasting, but with a far more detailed scoring sheet that rates all aspects of the coffee and strives to get international standards.

When making coffee for friends at home, consider the effort you’ve put into everything else you’ve served up and make sure the coffee experience lives up to the rest of the meal and drinks.

If you’d like to have your own Melbourne coffee experience jump onto venezianocoffee.com.au/baristatraining/ or check out marketlane.com. au/coffeeclassasp. Even time your trip to coincide with the International Coffee Expo (March) and really channel your inner coffee geek: www.internationalcoffeeexpo.com Heading to Australia’s coffee capital on your next holiday or a local looking for your new favourite café? During my whirlwind tour of the city’s coffee culture, I found a few joints worth an honourable mention.

DRINKS ALIMENTARI SMITH STREET EATERY AND FOODSTORE Alimentari is much more than your average delicatessen. Stepping into their store in Collingwood, this first-timer felt he’d hit the modern Italian fare jackpot. The extensive space is ingeniously divided into a French rotisserie, larder, fresh pasta bar, deli and casual dining space. But down to business; I had to try one of their famous speciality coffees. The team introduced a microlot program three years ago as head barista, Shane, wanted to educate customers on the origins of their coffee and showcase locally produced quality goods. To accompany this, the eatery offers up a seasonal menu finely curated by head chef and part owner, Paul Jones. In a rush? Snap up one of their ready-to-go, take home meals such as their paninis, salads or hot dishes.

304 Smith Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066

THE BRANDY KEW This is a café for both young and old. Arriving mid-morning, I came in just in time for the school crowd rush. Situated in the heart of Melbourne’s school district, this cute coffee joint is the favourite of busy parents, children and trendy teenagers alike. Seated around me were parents hurriedly downing the bottomless filter coffee while rushing their kids to finish their juice, next to others who had successfully completed the school run and were rewarding themselves accordingly. Keeping with the family friendly vibe, business partners Eamon Sheahen and Lindsey Innes have decorated their space with softer elements like pastel colours, light wood and even a lush feature wall of greenery. The Veneziano supplied coffee is simply excellent aromatic and strong to get you through the school or work day. A fresh and light menu of brekky favourites and slight twists on old classics accompanies this, like their standout chilli scramble with ham hock, chilli, cherry tomatoes, shallots and parmesan.

THE COMMON In ye’olde England, the common was a place for the community to gather, socialise and hear the news. Since taking over Melbourne Bourke Street’s ‘The Common’ at the start of 2016, Anthony Minasi has been focused on fostering this community feel between staff and customers alike. His takeover has seen the café go from strength-to-strength, as his choice to swap his coffee supplier to the aforementioned Veneziano Coffee Roasters resulted in a whopping 16 per cent increase in sales. The Common have adopted the current trend of seasonal bean rotation, offering a lighter style of espresso, which changes three or four times throughout the year dependent on season and crop but overall maintains a similar taste profile. Walking in and seeing the impressive bench set up that allows for four baristas to be working at once certainly sent my coffee craving sky high. This efficiency perfectly satisfies the corporate crowd that this café predominately services and the impatient explorer, like myself!

570 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

THE ALLEYWAY

68 Edgevale Road, Kew, VIC 3101 Seeking solace from the Melbourne winter chill, I stepped into The Alleyway.

Sitting myself in front of the fireplace, I spent a moment taking in the inviting atmosphere packed out with regulars. The café is run by father/son duo, Said and Raheeb, who are dedicated to creating a hip, young vibe, while fostering real connections with their regulars. As I sat there sipping my brew, I watched the father (Said) greet his customers by name and ensure they were properly looked after. Said has been working in the industry for over 35 years now and has owned between ten to 15 cafés in Australia since emigrating here. The idea for this café, however, came from his son Raheeb or “Heeb’s” (as he prefers to go by) journeys through America after finishing his studies. The result is a café that harmonises a chic Melbourne fit-out with vintage American design elements, like neon signs. Their menu is also American-inspired, including tasty buffalo wings and a delicious mac and cheese. They offer both espresso and filter coffee, making for a range of brews that are hard to beat.

138 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg, VIC 3084

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L’ARTISTE DE MONIN: TAKE YOUR COFFEE FROM BASIC TO BEAUTIFUL Trying to save money on your morning coffee but bored of your own mediocre looking brews? MONIN have decided you don’t have to sacrifice the beauty for bucks, and have created the world’s first topping solution specifically designed for latte art.

Simple to use and comes in two delicious flavours, caramel and cocoa, L’Artiste de MONIN will transform any coffee maker into a modern day Monet!

In light of L’Artiste de MONIN’s upcoming release, we’ve included three fun and easy to do latte designs using this innovative product.

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SPONSORED

LEVEL = EASY

DESIGN TWO: LAY YOUR HEARTS ON THE LINE

LEVEL = EASY

DESIGN THREE: SPIDERWEB

STEP ONE: Draw a continuous line, three times back and forth across the coffee towards the handle STEP TWO: Zig-zag the MONIN Latte Art Pen across the line in the opposite direction STEP THREE: Take note, you’ve created a music staff!

STEP ONE: Draw four even circles in a vertical line across your foam STEP TWO: Take your MONIN Latte Art Pen and draw a line straight through the middle of the circles STEP THREE: Voilà! You have the perfect line of love hearts

STEP ONE: Swirl the syrup into a spiral shape, from the outside to the inside STEP TWO: Draw your MONIN Latte Art Pen across the swirl from left to right and up and down STEP THREE: Take your MONIN Latte Art Pen and draw the diagonals. You’ve woven your own web!

DESIGN ONE: MUSIC TO MY EYES

LEVEL = MEDIUM

BEFORE YOU CAN CREATE THESE WONDERFUL DESIGNS, YOU FIRST NEED TO MASTER THE PERFECT FOAM! • Start with cold milk straight from the fridge • Open up the steam wand to release any water that had collected in the tip • Keep the tip of the steam wand towards the surface of the milk

•M ake sure that your steam wand is just off centre and watch as a whirlpool will form • I mportant! While steaming the jub should be at a 45-degree angle

• Turn the steamer off when the milk reaches 60 degrees Celsius • Circulate the newly steamed milk in little circles to ensure the milk and fine-textured foam are combined

If you’re invested to know more about L’Artiste de MONIN contact Australian MONIN importer: Stuart Alexander & Co

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Gifts

GIFTS MUMM Cordon Rouge Brut $51.95 www.danmurphys.com.au

& Gadgets

Spring, the time of year where we step out of hibernation and embrace the outdoors. Picnics, BBQs, roof top bars and alfresco dining are hot spots for spring, along with lighter style drinks and fruit forward cocktails. If you’re catching up with friends or planning a picnic, here are some of our favourite items, all in the spirit of spring. *Prices may vary between retailer Fressko Stone Flask 360ml $44.95 www.upcyclestudio.com.au

Luna Faceted Silver Metal Wine Cooler $104.00 www.artisanti.com

Polo Helmet Wine Cooler $234.75 www.annabeljames.co.uk

MONIN Cocktail Pack $29.90 www.barware.com.au/p/monin-cocktail-kit/ MONINcocktailkit

Cocktail Kit – The Champagne Cocktail $32.00 www.wandpdesign.com/products/ the-champagne-cocktail

The Shaken Cocktail Set $90.00 www.wandpdesign.com/products/ the-shaken-cocktail-set

Koziol Crystal Pitcher $24.95 www.quirksy.com.au

Ottoman Vienna Woods Beanbag $139.00 www.viennawoods.com.au

Moroccan FEZ Picnic Blanket $49.50 www.satara.com.au

Picnic FLORENCE Wicker Basket $180.00 www.satara.com.au

Picnic Rucksack $108.95 www.annabeljames.co.uk

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LAST DRINKS Trying to decide on that last drink to finish off your perfect evening? With rich notes of toffee, caramel and honey from the Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon, hints of fruit and spice from the Southern Comfort and the sweet flavour of MONIN Peach Tea Syrup, The Peach Tea Julep is a refreshing, strong hit to finish up your night. Allow enough time to sit around and enjoy the depth of its full-bodied flavour.

Peach Tea Julep GLASS: Julep cup INGREDIENTS: 45ml Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon 15ml Southern Comfort 5ml MONIN Peach Tea Syrup METHOD: Add ingredients into a julep cup and top with crushed ice GARNISH: Fresh mint and slices of fresh peach

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TIP #

ARE YOU ON A CRUISE SHIP? NO? THEN NEVER DRINK A COCKTAIL WITH AN UMBRELLA STICKING OUT THE TOP. PERIOD.

The Perfect Coupette Glass

We can all be a little classier. Dress better. Drink better. Raise the bar. So we asked the world’s leading barman to create the perfect cocktail glasses. Ladies and gentlemen, we present the Perfect Serve Collection. You’re welcome. spiegelau.com.au/perfectserve

Spiegelau_RaiseTheBar_Print Ads x8.indd 1

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