Where to get the good stuff for Christmas

Well Christmas isn't far away.  You're all probably much more organised than I am, and have your Christmas lunch planned down to what shade of orange your prawns will be.  As for me, I haven't even thought about what's going on the table.  If (like me) you have no idea, then it's time to start making plans.

To give you a head start, here are a few of my favourite suppliers of Christmas goodies:

Black Pearl Epicure

To be honest, if I could only buy my Christmas supplies from one shop, this would be it.  You name it, they've got it.  I love their massive cheese selection, but if you need more than cheese to celebrate Christmas (not me), the Black Pearl Epicure range includes Duchy Originals, Simon Johnson products, Osietra caviar, Almond Grove free range turkeys, specialty hams, Barossa chickens, Tetsuya's smoked ocean trout, Joseph olive oil, a terrific selection of chocolate etc etc etc.  On top of that, Emma and all the staff are incredibly helpful & friendly.  Make sure you pick up a special Christmas treat from Black Pearl - Christmas orders close on 4 December 2011.

36 Baxter Street
Fortitude Valley
P - 07 3257 2144
E - showroom@blackpearl.com.au
W - http://www.blackpearl.com.au/

Loria Continental Delicatessen

If you live within driving distance of Stafford Heights, pop over to Loria Deli one weekend.  It's a fantastic, family run deli, tucked in the shopping centre on Rode Road.  The strengths here are Italian goodies, including a great range of smallgoods, cheese, olives and cannoli, together with Italian cooking staples.  The prosciutto di San Daniele is the nirvana of pork (if you ask me), and wouldn't be out of place on anyone's Christmas table.  Again, the ladies at Loria Deli are always helpful, and prices here are some of the best you'll find in Brisbane for premium deli supplies.

Shop 21, 734 Rode Road
Stafford Heights
P - 07 3359 6087
E - loriacontinental@gmail.com

Bittersweet

Every Christmas meal needs to finish with good chocolate, and for my money Bittersweet makes the best chocolate in Brisbane.  Their chocolate is handmade and incredibly delicious, with 60 flavours to tempt you.  My all time favourites are the white chocolate macadamia clusters and the champagne truffles.  If you're anything like me, you'll walk out with way more than you meant to buy, and then eat most of them in the car on the way home (and then have to go back again the next day for more).

Shop 8, The Barracks
61 Petrie Terrace
Paddington
P - 07 3367 3323
E - info@bittersweetchocolate.com.au
W - http://www.bittersweetchocolate.com.au/

The Meat-ting Place

The Meat-ting Place specialises in organic meat, and is my favourite butcher in Brisbane.  Whether it's grass fed beef you're after, or a free range Christmas ham, the Meat-ting Place will have you covered.  The Meat-ting Place is taking Christmas orders for hams, turkey, ducks, pork, chicken & spatchcock.  This butcher should definitely be on your list if you're aiming for an organic Christmas this year.

Shop 3B Paddington Central
107 Latrobe Terrace
Paddington
P - 07 3369 9522
W - http://www.themeat-tingplace.com.au/

Shop 6/7 North West Plaza
97 Flockton Street
McDowall
P - 07 3353 8541
W - http://www.themeat-tingplace.com.au/

The Wine Emporium

The Wine Emporium is my favourite Brisbane wine store.  Sure, it may not be the cheapest, but their range is terrific, and staff are always helpful - don't be afraid to ask.  If you're looking for a special bottle of Champagne, Chablis or Chambertin to enjoy with Christmas lunch, pop into the Wine Emporium, and they'll steer you in the right direction.  Bernadette O'Shea has just sent around  their Champagne list for Christmas, which includes some very, very tempting bubbles.

Shop 47, Emporium
1000 Ann Street
Fortitude Valley 4006
P - 07 3252 1117
E - thevalley@thewineemporium.com.au
W - http://www.thewineemporium.com.au/

Sourced Grocer

Sourced Grocer is the new kid on the block in the Brisbane food scene, but it's quickly become one of my favourites.  It sells food that you just want to eat all the time - great stuff like Bangalow cheese, Gundowring ice cream, Mirool Creek lamb, Fever Tree tonic, Stella May terrines, Bangalow pork, Maleny Dairies milk and the list goes on & on.  Again, the guys & girls here are so friendly, they'll happily have a chat to you while you fill up your basket with everything that takes your fancy.  Plus they make a great coffee.

11 Florence Street
Teneriffe  4006
P - 07 3852 6734
E - hello@sourcedgrocer.com.au
W - http://www.sourcedgrocer.com.au/

The Wine Experience

If you haven't already guessed, wine is a big part of my life.  So I really enjoy visiting wine shops that are independent, and stock wines that you don't see every day of the week.  The Wine Experience at Rosalie fits the bill perfectly.  It may not be the biggest wine shop in the world, but real thought has gone into its range.  The Wine Experience has a terrific range of Australian drops, but also covers wine from Spain, France, Italy, South Africa, USA, Germany & Chile.  Not only does it have a great range, but prices are very reasonable and you're likely to walk out with a few extra bottles (just in case).

150 Baroona Road

Paddington  4064
P - 07 3368 1572
E - sales@wineexperience.com.au
W - http://www.wineexperience.com.au/

Rosalie Gourmet Market

Rosalie Gourmet Market looks like a normal suburban deli from the street.  But when you walk inside, it's like a Tardis.  Everywhere you look, the place is crammed with food.  There's fresh fruit & vegies, a great range of oils & vinegars, a cheese cabinet to die for, smallgoods, a bakery, Bendele Farm duck, Christmas hams, Christmas puddings and the list goes on....  I love wandering in here on the weekend and tasting a few cheeses from the cabinet, before going home to gobble up something delicious for lunch.  Christmas orders close on 14 December.

Corner of Nash Street and Baroona Road

Rosalie Village, Paddington
P - 07 3876 6222
E - admin@rosaliegourmet.com.au
W - http://www.rosaliegourmet.com.au/

The Food Store

Yes, I know the Food Store is at the Gold Coast.  But I went there recently, and was so impressed with their range that I had to include it in this list.  The thing that stood out to me about the Food Store is that they sell stuff you just can't buy anywhere else.  The main attraction for me is their range of Salumi products.  If you've never tried any of the Salumi range, jump in your car to the coast, park it out the front of the Hilton and order a platter for lunch/afternoon tea/dinner.  They'll slice it to order for you as well - you won't regret it.  If you're not a meat fiend like me, then there's plenty to grab your attention - a great range of Australian & imported cheese, Sweetness rocky road & mallows, Gundowring ice cream, Stella May terrines, in house baked bread and a fantastic range of wine (including a good range from Queensland).  Best of all, prices here are very reasonable, and not what you'd normally expect to pay at an international hotel chain.

Hilton Surfers Paradise
6 Orchid Avenue
Surfers Paradise 4217
T - 07-56808000
W - http://www.hiltonsurfersparadise.com.au/restaurant-the-food-store

Christmas Supplies

I can't believe it's almost December. Which also means it's almost Christmas. When it comes to Christmas, I tend to do everything at the last minute, but I know there are plenty of people out there that actually engage in some forward thinking. So here's a list of places that are worth checking out if you're looking for a few special items for an amazing Christmas feast. This list is just a start - I'll add more places to the list as it gets closer to Christmas, including Christmas markets.

Bittersweet Chocolate
Too hot to make your own chocolates to enjoy after all the prawns, turkey, cake, wine, etc? Pop into Bittersweet instead for a few chocolates that are sure to end the meal on a winning note.

Tenancy 8, The Barracks
61 Petrie Terrace
Paddington 4064
P - 07 3367 3323
E - info@bittersweetchocolate.com.au
W - http://www.bittersweetchocolate.com.au/

Black Pearl Epicure
For me, Black Pearl Epicure is probably the first place I'd head in Brisbane to pick up ingredients for a memorable Christmas meal. You'll find turkey, ham, duck, caviar, foie gras and truffles amongst their Christmas offerings. If you're looking for inspiration, this is the place to go. You'll find their Christmas order form here - orders close on 4 December 2009.

36 Baxter Street
Fortitude Valley 4006
P - 07 3257 2144
E - showroom@blackpearl.com.au
W - http://blackpearl.com.au/

Brisbane MarketPlace Christmas Twilight Market
The Brisbane MarketPlace at Rocklea will be holding a Christmas Fresh Market on Wednesday 23 December, featuring fresh fruit, vegetables and deli items. The market will run from 2pm to 8pm.

Wednesday 23 December 2009, 2pm to 8pm
Brisbane MarketPlace
Sherwood Road
Rocklea 4108
P - 07 3915 4200
W - http://www.brisbanemarkets.com.au/cms/newsroom/holiday-trading-hours-at-brisbane-marketplace.html

Cru Bar + Cellar
If you can find a park at James Street, it's worth popping in to Cru Bar + Cellar. I'm always impressed with wines I come across at Cru that you just can't buy anywhere else. With Christmas just around the corner, Cru is also very handily placed right next to the James Street Markets.

James Street
Fortitude Valley 4006
P - 3252 1744
E - cellar@crubar.com
W - http://www.crubar.com/

Fair Trade Christmas Market
The Queensland Fair Trade Collective will be holding their Christmas market on the 5th & 6th of December. Although its more of a homewares, toys & jewellery type market, there will be fair trade tea, coffee, chocolate and gift hampers. So you can pop in & pick up some fair trade coffee and also do your Christmas shopping at the same time.

Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 December 2009, 10am to 4pm
Marymac Community Centre
616 Ipswich Road
Annerley 4103
W - http://www.qldfairtrade.org.au/

Kelvin Grove Village Christmas Markets
Peter Hackworth will be running a special Village Christmas market on 23 December 2009, from 4pm to 9pm - with 100 stalls the Village market will be the perfect spot to pick up fresh food & produce for Christmas day.

Wednesday 23 December 2009, 4pm to 9pm
Blamey Street, between Musk Avenue & Victoria Park Road
Kelvin Grove 4059
W - http://www.kgurbanvillage.com.au/news/events/2009/dec/index.shtm?eventnum=2

The Meat-ting Place
If you're looking for a range of organic meat for your Christmas lunch, head over to the Meat-ting Place and get your order in today. A great butcher, who can supply turkey, ham, chicken, duck and pork for your Christmas feast. You'll find their Christmas specials here, and orders must be placed by 12 December 2009.

The Meat-ting place has stores at Paddington and McDowall.
W - http://themeat-tingplace.com.au/

Rosalie Gourmet Market
An excellent deli at Rosalie with a super range of cheese, smallgoods, fruit & veges and general deli items. Rosalie Gourmet Market also includes a bakery and sells a range of kitchenware. Christmas orders close on 14 December 2009, and you'll find the Christmas order form here.

Corner of Nash Street and Baroona Road
Rosalie, Paddington 4064
P - 07 3876 6222
E - admin@rosaliegourmet.com.au
W - http://www.rosaliegourmet.com.au/

Samies Girl
Is your Christmas lunch all about seafood? Samies Girl supplies a huge range of fresh seafood, including prawns, oysters, scallops, mussels, whole fish, fish fillets, crabs, bugs and octopus. Samies Girl doesn't take Christmas orders - they recommend buying your Christmas seafood on the 23rd of December, or you're likely to miss out.

15 Hercules Street
Hamilton 4007
P - 07 3131 4120
W - http://www.samiesgirl.com.au/

Stewarts Wine Co
Stewarts Wine Co have three stores across Brisbane. Every time I walk into one I'm impressed with the range and inevitably end up walking out of the store with a few bottles I've never tried before. They also have a good range of well-priced Champagne, if you're looking for that special bottle for Christmas lunch or dinner.

Stewarts Wine Co stores are located at Ascot, Portside Wharf and the Barracks.
W - http://www.stewartswineco.com.au/

Tognini's
For years Tognini's is where we've headed to pick up a few memorable cheeses to enjoy over Christmas. I'm always impressed by their range of cheese, but they also have a very solid deli selection. Their Christmas offerings include hams, turkey, pate, puddings, Christmas cakes (including gluten free), salmon and a range of salads. You'll find the Tognini's Christmas order form here, and orders must be placed before 21 December 2009.

Tognini's delis are at Milton and Spring Hill.
W - http://www.togninis.com/

Village Meats Rosalie
Village Meats at Rosalie is one of Brisbane's leading butchers, with a quality selection of ham, Bangalow pork, turkey, bacon and hand made sausages.

Shop 2, 155 Baroona Road
Rosalie, Paddington 4064
P - 07 3367 3396

WINE@Era
Although WINE@Era doesn't have a range as big as The Wine Emporium, you'll find some great wines here that you just won't come across anywhere else. I think it's a fantastic selection, with some excellent imported wines. And once you've stocked up on your Christmas tipples, you can pop into Era for a delicious lunch or snack.

102 Melbourne Street (Corner Merivale Street)
South Brisbane 4101
P - 07 3255 2033
W - http://www.erabistro.com.au/index.php?MMID=200

The Wine Emporium
The Wine Emporium may not be the cheapest place to buy wine in Brisbane, but they do have an amazing range of wines from all over Australia and the rest of the world. The staff are friendly and helpful, whether you're looking for a $25 bottle of riesling or a $500 bottle of Champagne.

Shop 47, Emporium
1000 Ann Street
Fortitude Valley 4005
P - 07 3252 1117
E - thevalley@thewineemporium.com.au
W - http://www.thewineemporium.com.au/

Bittersweet Chocolate

For years and years Hot Chocolate at Paddington was my favourite place to buy chocolates in Brisbane. Many a weekend afternoon we would wander in there, take about 10 minutes to decide what chocolates to buy and then leave with big smiles on our faces, knowing that they'd be lucky to last a couple of hours at home (one of my friends would eat hers in the car on the way home).

So I was very disappointed to find out that Hot Chocolate had closed. That was until I found out that Ann Atkinson, the owner, had opened a new chocolate store at The Barracks, called Bittersweet.

Its taken me months to actually pop in for a chocolate fix, but I dropped in recently. It's only a small shop, just next door to Coles, but once you step inside the door you are surrounded by chocolate. Not only that, but you'll be overwhelmed by the amazing aromas of high quality chocolate.

Getting in the store is the easy part - then you have to decide on what to buy. I stuck with two of my past favourites - a white chocolate macadamia cluster and a macadamia caramel (and yes I do like macadamias). Branching out a little, I also picked up a champagne truffle, mainly because it looked delicious. Although I do love the macadamia chocolates, I have to admit that when it came to eating them, the champagne truffle was an amazingly decadent ball of chocolate.

My wife picked out a dark chocolate ginger disc, orange & coconut truffle and a dark chocolate truffle - out of those three the dark chocolate truffle was the winner by a nose.

All up there are 60 different flavours, including ginger & benedictine truffles, whipped cream snails and kumquat clusters. You can buy chocolates in boxes of 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 96 (if you're really in need of a chocolate fix). Otherwise you can select as many as you like for $15 per 100 grams.

If you haven't been to Bittersweet, you're missing out on some fantastic hand made chocolates. As you've probably guessed, I'll definitely be back.

Bittersweet
Tenancy 8, The Barracks
61 Petrie Terrace
Paddington 4064
P - 07 3367 3323
E - info@bittersweetchocolate.com.au
W - http://www.bittersweetchocolate.com.au/

Spano's Super IGA Stafford

When it comes to supermarkets, I generally find their food selection to be pretty pedestrian. Very rarely do I find a trip to Woolworths or Coles particularly exciting from a food point of view.

Every now and again though I come across a supermarket that stands out from the crowd. This time it was Spano's Super IGA at Stafford. I'd been to the Super IGA at Stafford before it underwent its recent renovation, and don't remember being particularly overwhelmed. But we were at Stafford on Sunday and ended up doing our weekly grocery shopping there, to save a bit of time. As it turned out we took about twice as long as usual, because I was bowled over by the great range of products which they carried.

To give you an example, next to the meat section was a freezer full of rabbit, duck breasts, emu, spatchcock and crocodile. I wanted to buy one of everything, but settled on a couple of duck breasts. I used to eat duck for dinner pretty regularly in both Ireland and England (where you could always pick them up from Tesco), so I'm glad to see them popping up in Brisbane. I had a chat to the manager, who told me that although they weren't selling a lot of duck, the rabbit, emu and crocodile were flying out the door.

Other delicious goodies which caught my eye (most of which made it into the trolley) were Barambah Organics yoghurt, Byron Gourmet Pies (gluten free), Alli & Rose corn chips (with spinach or beetroot), quinoa and some amazing looking gluten free pizza bases.

If you (like me) are bored with your local supermarket, drive over to Stafford and check out the Super IGA. Although it's not our closest supermarket, I'll be happy to drive the extra distance for their fantastic selection of food. If only there were more supermarkets like this in Brisbane!

Spano's Super IGA
Stafford City Shopping Centre
400 Stafford Road
Stafford 4053
P - 07 3356 3613
W - http://www.spanosiga.com.au/

South Bank Regional Flavours

It's cold tonight, so I'll keep this post short and sweet. If I sit at the computer too long my fingers are likely to freeze off, which would probably be the end of the blog.

Anyway, this Saturday get along to the South Bank Regional Flavours event, which features about 80 stalls of food and wine from the Granite Belt, Darling Downs, North & South Burnett, the Scenic Rim and Gold Coast. Sounds like a great way to spend a winter's day.

South Bank Regional Flavours
Saturday 13 June 2009, 10am to 3pm
Little Stanley Street
South Bank 4101
W - www.visitsouthbank.com.au/regionalflavours

Foodbank

Just the other day I caught an ABC story on Foodbank. I'd heard of Foodbank before, but had no idea just what an amazing job they did. If you're wondering what Foodbank is, here's the blurb from their website:

Foodbank Queensland is a non-denominational community supported, non-profit organisation which relies on the support of a large network of dedicated people who have a commitment to fulfilling the aims and objectives of Foodbank Queensland.

The concept of Foodbank Queensland is simple - to feed the country's needy by redistributing surplus food.

Food growers, manufacturers and processors produce quantities of food which, for various commercial reasons, cannot be sold. The products may be incorrectly labelled, have faulty packaging, be part of a trial run or are not produced to exact specifications.

It is estimated that as much as 20% of all food produced is unsaleable for a variety of reasons.
Increasingly, welfare agencies are involved in an on-going struggle to provide food relief to thousands of people who are dependant on food handouts to supplement their welfare benefits.

Foodbank Queensland is the link between these two groups. Foodbank provides an outlet to food companies for their surplus stock and at the same time, allows community support agencies to save time and resources in the solicitation of nutritious food.

I was stunned to see just how much food is donated to Foodbank because it is apparently "unsaleable". Especially at the moment, with many people suffering financially, Foodbank is doing a tremendous job. You can watch the ABC Stateline story on Foodbank here.

If you're interested in helping out Foodbank, you can make a donation through their website.

Foodbank Queensland
179 Beverley Street
Colmslie 4170
P - 07 3395 8422
E - foodbank@westnet.com.au
W - http://www.foodbank.com.au/

Farmers' Market in the City

I regularly go along to Jan Power's Farmers' Market at Mitchelton, although recently I've done a great job of being away from Brisbane when they are actually on.

Luckily for me (and you), Jan Power's Farmers' Market is now also held in the city every Wednesday. You'll find the market at Reddacliff Place, which is at the top of the Queen Street Mall (just across from the front of the Treasury Casino).

I wandered up a couple of weeks ago and was surprised at just how many stalls they have managed to fit into the space. There are plenty of food stalls, and it's great to see them open till 6pm, so you can drop by on your way home (if there's any stock left by that time of the day). It sure beats a trip to Woolworths or Coles on the way home at the end of the day.

Jan Power's Farmers Market
Wednesdays, 10am -6pm
Reddacliff Place, Queen Street Mall
Brisbane 4000
W - http://www.janpowersfarmersmarkets.com.au/

House of Hew

On my last couple of trips up to the Sunshine Coast I've enjoyed some great frozen yoghurt at House of Hew at Mooloolaba. Every now and again when I can't handle the sweetness of say Royal Copenhagen, Baskin Robbins or a gelati (which isn't very often), I find frozen yoghurt fits the bill perfectly.

House of Hew serves organic frozen yoghurt, which comes in assorted fruity flavours. The last few times I've tried the churned option, where natural yoghurt is mixed up with strawberries, blueberries, mango, mixed berries, cherries, pineapple, blackberries or raspberries. On the weekend I had a blackberry yoghurt in a tub ($4 for a single) - not only did it taste lovely and tangy, but the yoghurt was the most amazing bright purple colour from the blackberries.

If a tub of fruity frozen yoghurt isn't your thing, try out one of their smoothies instead. I'm sure they will taste just as good.

House of Hew
109 Mooloolaba Esplanade
Mooloolaba 4557

Schulte's Meat Tavern

For so many years I've driven past Schulte's Meat Tavern on the way back from Toowoomba, wondering just what they sold (other than meat of course). Recently, on the way back from Peppers Hidden Vale, I dropped in to investigate.

To start with, there's a great range of meat, including beef, lamb and pork sourced from the local area. In addition to the fresh meat, there's a selection of smallgoods, including house-made wursts, which are famous for miles around (even my local Brisbane Woolworths sells Schulte's wursts). You can also buy a selection of wines (including Ballandean Estate) and plenty of specialty German food, like gherkins and sauerkraut.

I picked up two Kumamoto Wagyu rump steaks ($11.65 - which is actually grown on the property at Peppers Hidden Vale), some delicious prosciutto ($5), a bottle of Ballandean Estate Sylvaner ($16 - one of my favourite dessert wines) and a can of Almdudler ($2.35) which I'd never come across in Australia before. Almdudler is an Austrian soft drink, which I used to buy to wash down various kinds of wursts from the little snack stands in Vienna. Seeing a can on the shelf brought back some great food memories, so I just had to buy one.

Anyway Schulte's is a great place to drop into next time you're heading back to Brisbane from Toowoomba way. Not only will it break up the drive, but you're likely to walk out with some great local meat, smallgoods and wine.

Schulte's Meat Tavern
4424 Warrego Highway
Plainland 4341
P - 07 5465 6592

Aratula Markets

Whenever we get out of Brisbane, I always try my hardest to try and pick up some real fruit and veges on the way back to the big smoke.

On the way back from Warwick after a great country wedding, we stopped at the Aratula Markets in (surprise) Aratula.

Aratula is a small town on the Brisbane side of Cunningham's Gap. On the weekend we stopped to buy some local potatoes, sweet potatoes, Queensland Blue pumpkin (they had an amazing range of pumpkin varieties), parsnip (a whole bag for $2!), onions, miniature yellow zucchini (it makes great pasta), broccoli and new season apples. Our whole box of real fresh fruit & veges only cost $15. The vegetables made the most delicious roast I have had in ages. The potatoes ($1.99/kilo) and onions were particularly amazing.

It just goes to show that you can actually taste the difference between fresh vegetables and those that we usually buy at the supermarket. Next time you're going through Aratula, make sure you stop at the Aratula Markets. You'll remember what good vegetables should taste like.

Aratula Markets
Cunningham Highway
Aratula 4309
P - 07 5463 8144

South Bank Growers' Market

I've just checked my calendar and realised that the next South Bank Growers' Market is on tomorrow, 15 March 2009. Tomorrow's market will feature produce from the Granite Belt.

I went along to one of the Granite Belt market days at South Bank last year, and it was excellent. We ended up going home with fruit, wine, honey, chocolate and plenty of other great stuff.

If you're looking for something to do tomorrow morning, grab your green bags and head along to the growers' market. It's great to see the people of Brisbane supporting local suppliers, like those from the Granite Belt.

South Bank Growers' Market
Sunday 15 March 2009, 10am to 3pm
On the lawn between Stanley Street Plaza and Little Stanley Street
South Bank 4101
W - http://www.southbankmarket.com.au/gm.html

Maggie Beer Ice Cream

I bought a tub of Maggie Beer ice cream as the dessert (along with fresh berries) to round off our traditional Christmas eve dinner. After enjoying a bottle of 1996 Tarlant champagne, and plenty of other goodies, I wasn't exactly hungry by the time dessert swung around.

That was until the first spoonful of ice cream hit my mouth. I chose the vanilla bean and elderflower flavour, and it was absolutely fantastic. I would have to say that it was the best ice cream I've ever bought in a take away tub before. It really was that good. The flavours worked so well together - the richness of the vanilla beans was perfectly complemented by the subtle zing of the elderflower. As you can imagine, the tub didn't last long.

Before you rush out to stock up your freezer, it costs about $10 for a 500ml tub, so it's not exactly cheap. But if you've had a bad day, or just feel like splurging on some amazing ice cream, this is the stuff for you. It comes in a few other flavours, including passionfruit; burnt fig jam honeycomb & caramel; and quince & bitter almond.

I picked up my tub from the Zone Fresh on Newmarket road, but there is full list of Queensland stockists here. Now is the perfect time of year to gobble you way through the whole range!

Sameway Milk

Apologies for my recent slackness in posting. It's been a combination of getting a new puppy in early January, together with being way too busy at work.

Anyway, for a long time now I've been looking out for locally produced milk. I love the Barambah Organics milk, which is my favourite, and makes fantastic home coffees. But it can be a bit tricky to track down the one litre bottles.

A week or so ago I headed down the road to our local little IGA to pick up some skim milk for the puppy. As I knew she wouldn't be terribly fussy, I was looking for the cheapest skim milk in the shop. It turned out to be Sameway Slender milk, which I'd never seen before. On closer inspection I saw that it was Queensland owned, and produced in Nanango. So I bought a bottle of the Slender milk for the puppy and one of the normal milk (called Sameway Fresh) for me. Of course I'll always buy Barambah Organics milk when I can find it, but in the meantime I'll be regularly popping in to the local IGA to stock up on Sameway's milk.

I've had a look at the Sameway website, but it doesn't list the Brisbane distributors. Keep an eye out for it at your local IGA though, and hopefully you can pick up a bottle or two. It's yet another great example of the way that IGA support local Queensland producers.

Sameway Milk

P - (07) 4163 1599

E - info@samewaymilk.com.au

W - http://www.samewaymilk.com.au/

Samies Girl

I had a real longing for a seafood lunch yesterday, so I headed over to Samies Girl at Hamilton. I'd heard lots of good things about Samies Girl, but had never actually made it into the shop until yesterday.

Anyway it turned out to be a great place to buy seafood. There are prawns, oysters, scallops, mussels, whole fish, fish fillets, crabs, bugs and octopus in the display cabinet, together with a few doors of frozen seafood. I was there at about 1pm on a Tuesday and the place was surprisingly busy. Obviously I wasn't the only one in need of some good seafood on a hot Summer's day.


I ended up with a dozen small oysters from Port Macquarie and two plump Moreton Bay bugs for $26. The bugs had plenty of flesh in them and were particularly good.

If you live on the Northside, pop in to Samies Girl next time you're on the lookout for good seafood. It sure beats driving all the way out to Scarborough for a trip to Morgans.

Samies Girl
15 Hercules Street
Hamilton 4007
P - 07 3131 4120
W - http://www.samiesgirl.com.au/

Peter's Fish Market

My favourite place to get fish & chips at the Gold Coast is Peter's Fish Market. I can't remember how I stumbled across it the first time, but for the last few years it's the only place at the GC where I buy seafood.

Peter's Fish Market is a pretty innocuous looking building, only just down the road from more salubrious places like Palazzo Versace, Marina Mirage and the Sheraton Mirage Resort. Once you step inside though, your senses will quickly be drawn towards all the terrific fresh seafood on display. You'll find oysters, bugs, crabs, prawns, octopus, whole fish and the list goes on.

The best part about Peter's Fish Market though is that you can pick a fillet of fish (there are usually about 15 or so to choose from) and get that fillet cooked exactly how you like, with a serve of crunchy chips, wedges or whatever takes your fancy. It's much more fun than the fish & chips "special" that we've all eaten at some stage or another. For me, usually it's a toss up between red emperor or coral trout, which are my two favourite fish. This time I went for a good thick fillet of coral trout, which was grilled perfectly. You'll pay for the fillet according to its weight, plus a small cooking charge. Believe me, its worth paying a few more dollars for some quality fish & chips.

Once you've got your prawns, oysters or fish & chips, there are tables outside and across the road. If you're there at a busy time though, seats will be at a premium.

Next time you're feeling peckish for some seafood at this end of the Gold Coast, drop in to Peter's Fish Market. You'll find it hard not to walk out with bags full of fresh seafood.

Peter's Fish Market
120 Seaworld Drive
Main Beach 4217
P - 07 5591 7747
E - shop@petersfish.com.au
W - http://www.petersfish.com.au/

Elderberry Flower Drink

Last time I went to Ikea I had a good hunt around their Swedish food section. One of the things I picked up was a bottle of Elderberry Flower Drink. I've always been a big fan of the Duchy Originals elderflower cordial, so when I saw this one at Ikea I just had to buy it.

Anyway it turned out to be the perfect summer drink. It's basically an elderberry flower cordial, and mixed with ice cold water it makes an extremely refreshing drink. Unfortunately we've demolished the bottle now, so I'll have to make the long trip back to Ikea to pick up a few more for these hot summer days.

Ikea Logan

3539-3565 Pacific Highway

Slacks Creek 4127

P - 07 3380 6800

Main Beach Delicatessen

Until just recently, the Main Beach Delicatessen had been my favourite breakfast spot at the Gold Coast. But I went there for breakfast a couple of weeks ago, and the breakfast menu has really changed since my last trip. It was sad to see some of the delicious breakfast options have been taken off the menu and gluten free bread, although listed on the blackboard, was apparently no longer available.

Grudgingly we decided to give it a skip, despite memories of all the great breakfasts I've had there in the past. So if you head along to the Main Beach Delicatessen after reading my previous post, you might be a little disappointed.

There was a happy ending to the story though - I found a great place just around the corner called D'Lish Cafe, where we had an excellent breakfast (there's a post about D'Lish to come).

Main Beach Delicatessen
Shop 10, 14-16 Tedder Avenue
Main Beach 4217
P - 07 5564 0288

Butterfingers Shortbread

I try my best not to harp on too much about gluten free food. But every now and again I come across a new gluten free product that I've really been missing. The first one was of course beer. This time it's shortbread. I used to love shortbread. But unfortunately its been off limits for the last couple of years.


That is until I came across Butterfingers gluten free shortbread. You can pick up a packet at most supermarkets around Brisbane. Unlike some gluten free products, it tastes pretty much like any normal shortbread. And best of all, the company is Australian owned & operated. So it ticks all the boxes. I'll be buying a box or two to help me through the Christmas break.

Christmas Markets

Well Christmas will soon be upon us. As far as I'm concerned, the best way to stock up for days of non-stop eating is a trip (or two) to the markets. Usually you can find fresh, local produce at great prices. And while you're shopping for your favourite fruit, sausages or cheese, you're bound to come across something you've never tried before (which is my favourite part of any trip to the markets). I'll be dropping in to the Christmas Twilight Markets at Mitchelton to pick up as many Christmas supplies as I can carry.

I've listed below a few of Brisbane's regular food markets which are running in the lead up to Christmas. As I come across any other special Christmas markets, I'll add them to the post.

Fair Trade Christmas Market
Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 December 2008 - 10am to 4pm
Marymac Community Centre
616 Ipswich Road
Annerley 4103
http://www.qldfairtrade.org.au/

Green Flea Community Market
Saturday 6, 13 & 20 December 2008 - 6am onwards
Davies Park
Corner Montague Road & Jane Street
West End 4101

Jan Power's Farmers' Markets
http://www.janpowersfarmersmarkets.com.au/

Mitchelton Farmers' Markets
Sunday 7 December 2008 - 6am onwards
Tuesday 23 December 2008 - 5pm onwards
Blackwood Street
Mitchelton 4053

Powerhouse Farmers' Markets
Saturday 13 December 2008 - 6am onwards
Sunday 21 December 2008 - 6am onwards
The Brisbane Powerhouse
119 Lamington Street
New Farm 4005

Manly Fresh Food Markets
Saturday 20 December 2008 - 6am onwards
Manly Esplanade (between Cambridge & Cardigan Parades)
Manly 4179

Kelvin Grove Urban Village Markets
The Village Christmas Market
Saturday 20 December 2008 - 6am to 1pm
Blamey Street (between Musk Avenue and Victoria Park Road)
Kelvin Grove 4059
www.kgurbanvillage.com.au/news/events/2008/dec/index.shtm?eventnum=0

Organic Growers Market
Sunday 21 December 2008 - 6am to 10.30am
Northey Street City Farm
Corner of Northey and Victoria Streets
Windsor 4030
http://www.nscf.org.au/Market%20And%20Cafe/organic.htm

Saturday Fresh Market
Saturday 20 December 2008 - 6am to 12pm
Brisbane MarketPlace
250 Sherwood Road
Rocklea 4106
http://www.brisbanemarkets.com.au/cms/index.php/BMP-Saturday-Fresh-Market.html

Browns of Mooloolaba

I always love coming across new places that sell fresh seafood. Browns of Mooloolaba sell seafood that is about as fresh as you'll ever get. Their prawns, crabs and bugs are locally caught, which means they come straight off the boat to you.


I was lucky enough to have a feast of fresh prawns and Balmain bugs today for lunch, which were delicious. The best thing about really fresh prawns is that you just can't stop eating them. Luckily we only bought a kilo, so we had to stop eating eventually.

Browns of Mooloolaba also sell oysters, fish fillets and a variety of gourmet foods from the Spirit House, Tetsuya, Maggie Beer and Simon Johnson.

Browns of Mooloolaba
10 Parkyn Parade
Mooloolaba 4557
P - 07 5444 6422
E - enquiries@brownsofmooloolaba.com.au
W - http://www.brownsofmooloolaba.com.au/