Matt Dobson 
When we think of the Gold Coast, images of sun, surf and sand are the first that come to mind. We have recently spent a long weekend looking at the Gold Coast from a different perspective. I wanted to take a closer look at the Gold Coast Hinterland region from Mt Cotton to Tambourine Mountain … Read more
This Wild Rice & Blue Cheese Risotto is created out of a pantry clean-out challenge! I am preparing to take a challenge set down by KatieGirl a fellow food blogger. The challenge is as follows: Clean out your pantry, and gather up the items that are lurking in the back corners. The ones you just know you will … Read more
Innes Lake Vineyard was to be vineyard number six on our wine tasting tour but alas we arrived Saturday morning at about midday to find the restaurant was fully booked and the staff run off their feet serving people. I had obviously made a slight “faux pas” in underestimating the popularity of this vineyard of … Read more
The next vineyard on our tour of the North Coast Wine Trail is the Douglas Vale Historic Homestead and Vineyard. Surprisingly the vineyard is located in Port Macquarie. I don’t know how we have not stumbled upon it previously. The property is spread over 8 acres and is managed by the Douglas … Read more
Where do you go to purchase premium quality genuine Wagyu beef, beautiful fresh local seafood, organic produce, and difficult to source, speciality items? If you are anywhere near Port Macquarie you go to “About Food.” About Food is located in “The Hub Centre” Bellbowrie Street, Port Macquarie. Sue and Dave have recently almost tripled the … Read more
Cassegrain Wines is the biggest vineyard we will be visiting on the North Coast Wine Trail. It is located on the Pacific Highway near Port Macquarie. The property has five hectares under vines at this location, with the four main varieties being Semillon, Verdelho, Chambourcin and Pinot Noir. The vineyard was established by the Cassegrain … Read more
Sherwood Estate is located west of Kempsey, in the Macleay Valley. The property has 7.75 hectares under vines. Surrounding the cellar door is a beautifully hedged formal garden. The centrepiece of the gardens being a gorgeous white gazebo, which I am sure is popular for weddings. It is day two on the North Coast … Read more
After receiving an invitation to be a guest of Cooking With Company for their upcoming Slow Cooking Workshop I was excited to learn that we would be cooking produce from Raging River Wagyu. I had sampled the beautiful product from Raging River at a Wagyu Degustation Dinner hosted by Horizons Restaurant in Coffs Harbour. The … Read more
We have set off on our vineyard road trip. Our first stop of nine vineyards is Two Tails Wines. This vineyard is located 25km west of Coffs Harbour along the Orara Way, at Nana Glen. It truly is a boutique vineyard, with just a small plot of carefully selected grape varieties, specifically grown to suit … Read more
Raleigh Vineyard is 15 minutes South of Coffs Harbour and is the next stop on the North Coast Wine Trail. The vineyard is set on the banks of the Bellinger River, so the grounds are lush, green and peaceful. We sampled the selection of wines on offer and found the grape varieties we had enjoyed … Read more
I have been meaning to put this recipe on the website for a little while. Every time I serve these delicious sweet caramelised onion, I always get asked how I made them. It is a very simple dish once you know how! The addition of sugar and brandy really makes a huge difference in the depth of … Read more
Coffs Coast and the surrounding towns have quite a number of growers markets for locals and tourist to enjoy. The Coffs Harbourside Markets are probably the most picturesque of these. They are set under the trees near the beach and marina on the jetty foreshore. The market has a unique, beachy, “Coffs Harbour feel.” We … Read more
Well after a complete failure I started my second attempt at making this illusive Homemade Camembert Cheese. I purchased the unhomogenised milk and warmed it to the appropriate temperature. I am pleased to see that it looks as it should, with the fat floating about on the surface. Stage One Once heated, the milk is poured … Read more
Today I planned to make my own little Camembert Cheeses, as you’ll read below, this didn’t quite happen according to plan. As a result, I have made both Ricotta Cheese & Quark – which is similar to cream cheese. The moment of truth has arrived. I am attempting to make my own little Camembert’s today. … Read more
A few years ago while we were tasting our way around Tasmania we visited a Lavender Farm, I have always meant to try and recreate some of the Lavender dishes we sampled. Initially, I had been a little apprehensive about eating Lavender as it seemed a little odd to flavour food with a scent I … Read more
These sweet little treats came about by chance. I had egg whites leftover from making another dish and no time to make anything significant. Rather than let them go to waste, I went with the quickest use I could think of meringue, Turkish Delight Meringue! This recipe is a little different to most meringues as … Read more
The Spanish theme was one I had been looking forward to tackling for this week’s challenge. I imagined putting up lots of gorgeous Tapas dishes which I have been meaning to try and never quite got around to cooking – Catalan Chickpea Salad being one of those. Spanish cuisine is full of beautiful flavours and … Read more
My second dish for the Spanish theme is the very traditional Spanish Omelette or Tortilla Espanola (it sounds so much better in Spanish). I have never really made this in the true Spanish method. I usually add cheese and a throw it in a quiche dish but this time I have stuck to the recipe … Read more
Woolgoolga Curry Festival Whether you approach the town from the North or South the diverse nature of Woolgoolga is immediately obvious. The town is adorned at one entrance, by the iconic white temple of the Sikh community and at the other entrance, you will be greeted by two large, ageing elephants. For a town of 4,500, … Read more
Just in time for Winter, I have the easiest, tastiest Sticky Date Pudding you will ever try. It is luscious and rich, and if you eat it really quickly, it’s not fattening at all, I promise. The secret ingredients are ginger and orange rind, these flavours are just wicked together. Don’t forget lots of Salted Caramel … Read more