A list of things I'll eat at Regional Flavours, Brisbane

You may remember that I recently spent a weekend gorging myself on the best produce, meals and drinks that Brisbane and the Lockyer Valley have to offer, all in the name of research for the Regional Flavours event, held at Southbank Parklands in Brisbane.

I am pleased to say that the festival is this weekend, and I will be in Brisbane from this Friday evening until Sunday - ostensibly to attend an industry dinner with my husband and to celebrate my birthday week - but we all know it's to eat my way through Regional Flavours, right?

Here's a little list of deliciousness that I'm planning on eating and drinking at Regional Flavours 2016:

QLD pork belly and black garlic dumplings with XO sauce from Stokehouse at River Quay

Crumbed Mozzarella with local thyme-infused honey from Popolo at River Quay

Chocolate macarons from Aquitaine Brasserie at River Quay

Fresh pumpkin dishes fresh from the Lockyer Valley at The Picnic Patch

The very freshest fruit, vegetables and condiments from the Producer Showcase - berry me up!

And of course, a flight (or three) of excellent James Squire beers at The Hunting Club

If that little taster (see what I did there?!) has whet your whistle for a weekend of amazing food and drink - as well as celebrity chef features, edible garden treats food trucks galore and just a really supportive environment for people who like to eat their way through life - pop over to the Regional Flavours website (here) to check out the final program and plan your visit and if you see me hanging suspiciously around near the Food Trucks, come say hello. My mate Brooke of Blonde Ambition will also be cruising through Regional Flavours, so there's a red hot chance you'll find us both entertaining a crowd with some top-notch karaoke at The Hunting Club at some point!

Regional Flavours is on this Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 July 2016 from 10am to 5pm at Southbank Parklands, Brisbane. The Hunting Club will open 4pm to 7pm on Friday, 15 July and 10am to 7pm on 16 and 17 July. Parking in the area will be limited so your best bet is to catch a train, bus or CityCat.

Sunshine Coast Cafe - Bohemian Bungalow, Eumundi

A recent birthday celebration for my aunt had the extended family coming from across the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane to one of my favourite Coast towns, Eumundi for a long leisurely lunch together. Some of these uncles and aunts hadn't seen me since I was a teen, so I had a lot of fun surprising them!

Bohemian Bungalow has become quite the institution already, with a famous Sunday session featuring an ever-changing roster of bands, duos and single artists from 2pm to wind down your weekend; and a gorgeously eclectic decor which will have you going for a stroll around the restaurant to check out their treasures.

I wore a favourite Passion Q split-sleeve dress from Whitehaven Emporium - these guys do the best boho-style prints ever - with Spendless Shoes Wisdom boots, an old French Connection belt and tassel necklace from Whitehaven Emporium. 

Such a cute and colourful place to catch up with friends or family

How adorable is my dad here, catching up with his nieces. He's the cutest guy around. #biased

Even high above the kitchen, there are little vignettes to find - this race of handpainted horses was so quirky.

I know a certain BFF of mine who would've liked me to snaffle some of those antique biscuit and cake tins.

What's a birthday creme brulee without a scoop of vanilla bean icecream and a candle?

We had such a lovely lunch here, the birthday girl has even popped back a few more times since then to enjoy the atmosphere.

Do you like your cafes quirky and unique? Any other eclectic places in South East Queensland worth a try?

Regional Flavours 2016 - the tastes of Queensland

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I recently experienced a gourmet's ultimate weekend experience, heading to Brisbane for a 24 hour whirlwind trip of the city's best food and then out west for another day and night to the Lockyer Valley to see where most of that food is produced.

As well as enjoying great food with exceptional company, I also faced that classic food blogger problem... my pants were too tight for me to try everything! So heed my warning if you're planning to head to the Regional Flavours event on 16th and 17th July, elastic-waist trousers and loose dresses will be what those in the know are wearing!

My taste buds are already tingling as I start thinking about the delish fare which will be served up at Brisbane's Southbank Parklands. The eighth annual festival aims to offer visitors a taste of the varied and quality produce Queensland has to offer, and educate consumers and home cooks on the benefits of eating food grown right here in the Sunshine State.

Celebrating our fertile soil and homegrown harvests isn't exactly new,

this vintage tourism poster just screams 'Eat our fruit'!

This year's event will dish up a culinary delight, with the Parklands filled with cooking demonstrations by notable chefs, free tastings and stalls run by local food producers, restaurateurs and traders, food trucks, kid's activities and live musical entertainment. Oh, and the whole weekend's festivities are free too!

I'll definitely be heading down for the weekend, and I've listed my favourite producers, providores and picks that I recommend you keep an eye out for!

Schulte's Meat Tavern

A carnivore's paradise, this family-owned butcher and delicatessen chain should be proud of its Plainland and new West End locations that follow the same formula for produce-to-plate philosophy - it's worked for them for over 60 years! When I visited, my blogging companions and I were lucky enough to be given a tour of the premises by Alistair Macleod, well-known chef and tv host, and a proud ambassador for the Lockyer Valley. Offering a huge range that includes Yagaburne beef, Lockyer Valley veges and Granite Belt wines, Schulte's is serious about quality and community.

Holmwood Produce

The trend towards locally sourced products doesn't end with food, with many folks looking for regional herb and spice growers as well. I was fortunate enough to spend time at Holmwood Produce's beautiful lavender and native food farm during my tour through the Lockyer Valley, and as well as having the friendliest donkey greeters, the fresh lavender and lemon myrtle used in the afternoon tea treats were so scrumptious that I fell in love with the property.

Bauer's Organic Farm
Every now and then, you meet someone SO passionate about something that you can't help but join them as an advocate. That someone was Rob Bauer, long-time Lockyer Valley farmer and convert to organic farming over 30 years ago, well before the current organic fad really took hold! Seated at a long table under the eucalypts and hearing Rob share stories about local farmers getting sick and dying from exposure to common chemicals used in farming, the entire table of guests began to think differently about the way we shop for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Bauer's is a diverse property, supplying carrots, potatoes, corn, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin and beans, as well as numerous other smaller crops - all on one of Australia's first certified organic farms.

The Charming Squire
Southbank's own microbrewery is probably the perfect weekend venue for discerning Brisbanites, with something for everyone. The talents of their brewers, who are constantly creating new beers, and the constant communication between chef and brewer showcases beer and food pairing in a new (to me) and exciting way! The tasting plates that were offered were beyond amazing, featuring such tasty gems as Woodfired Corn Cobs with parmesan spiced crust, puffed quinoa and chipotle butter; and my favourite, the Slow cooked beef croquettes with Turkish almond & tahini dip. If you're looking for BB and I at Regional Flavours, you'll probably find us propping up the bar at the atmospheric and moody pop-up bistro and bar The Hunting Club, where we'll be working my way through the Charming Squire drinks list! Hosted by The Charming Squire and Target 100, this venue will also host the likes of Paul West, Alistair Macleod and Hayden Quinn.

Merlo

Having experienced a 'cupping' session at Australia’s largest independently owned and operated coffee roaster, Merlo Coffee on my recent food adventure of Brisbane, I now feel that I have earned the right to call myself a real coffee connoisseur. Tony and Frith led us through 

a short history of coffee, sampling their current blends, using our senses to differentiate between blends and getting expert advice on making the best coffee at home, at Merlo's Fortitude Valley Torrefazione. Possibly the best way to start my day, really. Interested in kicking off your own food adventure of Brisbane with a decent cuppa? Merlo hold public coffee appreciation sessions at various Torrefaziones in Brisbane.

Popolo - River Quay

Make sure you stroll all the way along the Parklands (you'll probably need to, to digest all that food) to River Quay. This strip of fine dining establishments is home to Stokehouse Q, Aquitaine Brasserie, The Jetty, Cove Bar + Dining and my favourite, Popolo Italian Kitchen and Bar. I've dined at Popolo before and it's right up there in my list of favourite Brisbane restaurants.

The menu walks that perfectly fine line between too simple and overly extensive, the food is fresh with a lot of emphasis on showcasing local produce, and the whole place has that classic Italian ambience. It's casual without lacking in service or quality of food, but at the same time classy without being pretentious and stuffy. I'm going to get specific now, and tell you exactly what I'll eat at Regional Flavours from Popolo, and if you know what's good for you, you'll be stuffing these morsels in your mouth too. The crumbed Mozzarella with thyme-infused local honey is going to be the bee's knees. (See what I did there?)

Could eat these all day, every day. The Bee One Third locally produced honey is also going to be available at Regional Flavours... my top tip is to get there early and try and snag your suburb, they sell out quickly!

Regional Flavours 2016 is a fantastic opportunity for local food producers, restaurateurs and traders to showcase their mouth-watering wares, and to show everyone that QLD is no longer the backwards banana-bending state of old. The event which is staged over two days at my favourite polace in Brisbane - Southbank Parklands - will definitely exceed expectations and appetites. I urge you all to put the dates in your diary and come along, as there will be something for everyone - whatever your personal tastes.

All the Regional Flavours stage presenters, stallholders, food trucks and vendors have been hand-selected and are definitely hungry-tummy-approved. Adriano Zumbo, Maggie Beer, Hayden Quinn, the Masterchef lads Gary, George and Matt, Miguel Maestre, Alistair Macleod, and River Cottage's Paul West are just a few big names that will be hitting the stages, but check out the full program on the Regional Flavours website for more details. You’re going to want to start planning your eating agenda now.

I'm planning on being in Brisbane for the entire weekend, staying at Brisbane Marriott, so come hang with me. We can eat until our belts explode.

For stays between 14-18 July 2016, Brisbane Marriott Hotel is offering a special discounted rate of $199 a night if you book before July 1, 2016.

Will I see you at Regional Flavours 2016?

*I was a guest of Brisbane Marketing, the listed venues, and Brisbane Marriott for my recent foodie adventure through Southbank, Brisbane and the Lockyer Valley - they do great work showcasing this corner of the world, and I am incredibly happy to support them.

All images my own, or supplied by Brisbane Marketing

Weekend Reading

I've officially survived my first full term at my school job. (I know, I know, I haven't really blogged about what I'm doing with two jobs, but if you follow me on Instagram, you'll pick it up pretty quickly. I work in a school, and also still at Lorna Jane casually.)

Ok, here are some great things on the internet for you to enjoy this weekend.
1. Here's a sweet post from Vicki over at Style on V, suggesting Five Little Ways to Spread a Little Kindness.

2. Completely in love. My go-to lippie of the last three months has been Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Grapefruit. I use this balm all the time - I'm definitely going to have to re-purchase soon, and with 3 for the price of 2 at Priceline at the moment, I'll try a few other shades in the range too.

3. Tell me, do you want the same thing as me from your blog reading? You want high wit, and low prices? Someone who would wear an amaze ballgown skirt with converse sneakers and a striped tee? Well get following Beth of Almost Posh. She's an Adelaidean with attitude, and she juggles the three big ones - work, her kidlet and blogging - well.

4. It's now almost October. Gah! I'm still searching for a little more inspiration for how best to keep my focus in 2015, and not get too sidetracked. More suggestions are welcome!

5. Trainee Mama (excellent blogger, cool mama, my bestie) is so different from me in so many ways. She's a gym instructor *insert grossed out emoji face here* and she really enjoys green smoothies *insert facepalm emoji here, oh wait, they don't have one yet* FACEPALM.

She wrote this week about a groovy little blend-y appliance with the bottle actually on the top, and was talking about some of her fave smoothie recipes on her Facebook page. If you're that way inclined, head over and check them out. If you're not, pour another dash of cream in your coffee and relax.

6. For those of you not into starting your day with a big ol' bunch of kale, these Apple Bacon Pancakes (let that sink in a moment) by Shay of Mix'n'Match Mama are the bee's knees. The cat's pyjamas. The ant's pants. Go cook them now for someone you love.

So happy weekend! I have huge plans to vacuum and get the media room ready for our new lounge that's being delivered. Then I'll mix and match cushions on it for seventeen hours. Huge plans, eh.

What about you? Discovered anything amazing cruising the internet lately? Good stuff I should read (that's not about Sam and Snez, or the #libspill)?

The big freeze - slow cooked shredded beef taco recipe

If you're anywhere in Australia and have watched the news over the last few days, you'll know that apparently there's a gigantic cold trough moving up from Antarctica, ready to freeze us all.

(Sidenote: the next weather reporter who says Antarctica without the first C will possibly be responsible for me through the remote through the tv screen. Just sayin'.)

Since it's going to be ugg boots on, stay in pyjamas all day kinda weather, I think there's a red hot chance that we'll pull our new slow cooker out. And once that happens, there's an even greater chance that we'll be enjoying Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Tacos.

I first saw this recipe over at Fat Mum Slim, and it was the first slow cooked meal I've ever cooked (Yes, my husband was aware that finely tuned domestic skills weren't on my resume when we married.) I love this meal because it cooks away all day in the slow cooker, makes the house smell amazing and festive, and then comes together in no time, with the simplest of ingredients. And by 'comes together in no time', I really mean that. Because there's nothing worse than deciding on a slow cooked meal for dinner, but it'll take 8-9 hours to cook... when you only decided at 1pm.

I am loving our new slow cooker too, and trying to use it at least once a week. It's an upgrade from our previous smaller appliance, and this new Russell Hobbs one is great! It's a hefty 6L, and is designed so that you can brown meat in the removable cooking pot on the stovetop, then transfer the pot into your slow cooker. (Less washing up will always get my vote!)

SLOW COOKER BEEF TACOS (adapted a teensy bit from Fat Mum Slim)
{Makes 12 Tacos}

INGREDIENTS
For the beef
800g chuck steak (in one piece)
1 cup passata (tomato puree)
1 cup beef or chicken stock (can use water if you’re out of stock)
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of chili powder
1 tsp sea salt

For the Lemon/Lime Sour Cream
½ cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
1 tsp salt

To serve
12 soft or hard tacos
Shredded cabbage
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Coriander leaves or any other toppings you like

METHOD
Place the beef {make sure you keep it whole}, spices, salt, passata and stock in the slow cooker.

This slow cooker pot is the cats pyjamas. Super easy to use on the stove or in the slow cooker, and washes up like a dream!

Cook on high for 4-5 hours or until the meat easily shreds.

Prepare the fillings including the lemon/lime sour cream by combining the sour cream, salt and lemon or lime juice in a small bowl.

Remove the steak from the slow cooker, shred on a chopping board then place in a serving bowl.

Top with about ½ a cup of the remaining cooking liquid to moisten the beef (be careful… this liquid will stain white plastic spoons and all fabrics!)

Warm the tacos according to the packet instructions.

Lay out all the ingredients, let everyone assemble their own and tuck in!

For our first slow cooker night, I set the table with some new PartyLite Discovery votives, colourful Mexican servingware and tablerunners, and coral roses (of course). It was an easy and fun way to make a regular weeknight meal special!

What's your go-to slow cooker meal? I really want to expand my repertoire and try some different (yet easy) recipes!

Weekends don't need to be fancy to be excellent

How does that saying go? A Sunday well-spent brings a week of content? Well, how about a long weekend spent doing not much around the house brings a week of overdue laundry?

I've been lucky enough to enjoy two long weekends in a row - well, last weekend was a regular two day weekend, but due to my dropping a shift a week at Lorna Jane, I now get both Saturdays and Sundays off, like regular working people! And this past weekend was a divine three-day weekend that I got to spend with BB, doing lovely Wintery things, thanks to the Sunshine Coast Show holiday.

To be honest, the long weekend started pretty poorly. I wasn't feeling at all well when I got home from work on Thursday evening, even though BB text me this photo:

How I wasn't excited about receiving this text from BB as I counted down the last hour of work

before heading home on Thursday evening, I'll never know!

After a delicious dinner of spaghetti bolognaise and an early night, Friday dawned grey and cool. We shmoozed around with Stevie in the house for the morning before heading out for a coffee and perhaps a stroll around the local Homemaker Centre, looking for bedroom furniture inspiration. As often happens, we got pretty sidetracked and ended up buying an entire room for furniture... for the family room!

I've taken some before shots, and will blog about this room's transformation as we go - it's going to be quite the change. (On a sidenote, if you're near the Sunshine Coast and interested in buying a chocolate leather three-seater recliner couch and two recliners in excellent condition, shoot me an email - we'll need them out of the family room soon!)

The buying process at Oz Design Furniture actually took two days, with the whole 'must head home and measure up' thing; but both BB and I love the direction we've chosen for that room. It's currently a room with a big TV on one wall and a couch facing it, but we really want to make it more social and welcoming, more of a place for conversations and interactions, so we're getting two couches to face each other instead. We have a cosy media room as well, so it's going to be nice to have the family room less about the TV.

Sunday was another very relaxed day, but slightly more social - we met up with Trainee Mama and family for Australia's Biggest Morning Tea before heading up the range to enjoy a hearty lunch together at the Mary Cairncross Reserve Cafe - thank goodness there was a were blankets at each table and a large fireplace burning when we arrived, the cafe literally sits in the clouds!

I chose the toasted lamb wrap with shredded braised lamb shanks, sweet potato and beetroot ($14.95);

while BB decided on the chicken fajita ($17.95) - it was the largest fajita I've ever seen, he could hardly get his big man-hands around it!

Now, this ain't a restaurant review blog, but it must be said that the meals were incredibly filling and good value for money, and pretty darn tasty. It's a great space for a family get-together, and the blankets to tuck over your legs were a nice touch.

Peta and I obviously couldn't leave without an outfit photo, although a flat grey background was about all we could muster - remember, we were in the clouds!

I wore Dotti long-sleeve tee, French Connection vest and jeans, and brightened it all up with my Tangerine Louenhide Baby Switch and coral Oroton brolly. 

I was pretty toasty in my furry vest; I've had it a few years now but only pull it out once or twice a Winter. Peta was rocking a fluffy vest as well, and the husbos thought it was funny to joke that they had tweeted each other prior to meeting up this morning to arrange to wear matching hoodies. In hindsight, open-ish ballet flats were a bad idea, my feet were frozen and I was jealous of Peta in her Hunter wellies. (Note to self, keep an eye out for coral Hunters ever going on sale!)

Good times with these two, although I confess I was really only hugging Ned because he's like a little soft squidgy radiator, emanating heat. 

I think I've got back into the swing of having two days off with my husband pretty well, we're hoping more short camping trips are on the cards  over the next few months as well as more more local Sunday drives and exploring.

How was your weekend? Was it long? And did you manage to avoid all household chores like me?

Homemade Creamy Chicken Ravioli - it's easier than you'd think!

Pasta is my happy place.

Yes, I know that lots and lots of women say this, but it truly, rooly is. My husband works away often, and when I'm cooking for one, 99 percent of the time, I make myself pasta. It's filling and full of carbohydrates which I need to eat regularly to function. Don't believe me? Keep bread, potatoes and pasta away from me for a week, and I'm a mess.

For convenience, most often I use bought dried pasta, but I occasionally make my own pasta, as it's incredibly easy and quite therapeutic. One of these days I'll actually make enough to freeze and then I'll be super-organised-housewife of the year.

This is a pasta and sauce recipe which I adapted from a whole lot of others, so I can assure you that you can't go wrong with pasta and filling... just throw in whatever you like!

Basic Pasta Dough

serves 3-4 (Or two, if you're hungry people. I won't judge your portion size.)

200g white flour (I prefer to use 00 pasta flour)

pinch of salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbsp olive oil

Sift together the flour and salt onto a work surface and make a well in the centre with your fingers. Pour the eggs and oil into the well, then using the fingers of one hand, gradually mix the flour into the liquid.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured bench until it is completely smooth. Wrap in clingwrap and leave it to rest for 30 minutes (if it's hot where you are, pop it in the fridge on the top shelf). If you're filling the pasta (ravioli, tortellini, etc), then jump on down to the filling and sauce recipe below. If not, then roll the pasta out through a pasta machine a few times, starting with the widest setting and finishing with a finer setting. How thin you like your pasta rolled out is completely personal preference, the Italians won't chase you down and shake their rolling pins at you.

Yes, I have a pretty red pasta machine. My husband is awesome like that.

Creamy Chicken Ravioli

1 quantity Basic Pasta Dough

115g cooked chicken breast, coarsely chopped

55g cooked spinach

55g prosciutto, coarsely chopped

handful of basil leaves, torn roughly

1/2 cup grated parmesan (NOT the powder stuff, although that has a special place in my kitchen)

pinch of nutmeg

2 eggs, lightly beaten

flour for dusting

300ml cream (regular, pouring, whatever floats your boat)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

115g sliced mushrooms (I like Swiss Browns because they look cute)

salt and pepper

Place the chicken, spinach, prosciutto and half the basil  into a food processor and pulse until completely chopped and blended. Transfer to a bowl, stir in 2 tablespoons of the cheese, the nutmeg and half the egg. Season with salt and pepper.

Tasty layered ingredients, then...

... whiz bang - it's all green and mushed!

Divide the pasta dough in half. Roll one piece out using your pasta machine or rolling pin (go muscles!), cover with a damp tea towel and roll out the other piece of dough to approximately the same size. I often use a ravioli press, but today I decided on cookie cutters because I wanted round ravioli. Place small mounds of filling, about 1 teaspoon each, in rows 4 cm apart on a sheet of dough. Brush between the mounds with the remaining egg. Lift the second sheet of dough on top of the first, and press down firmly between the pockets of filling, pushing out as many air bubbles as you can. Use your cookie cutter or a pizza wheel to cut the ravioli into individual pieces.

Your ravioli does not, I repeat, does NOT need to look round and even.

This is not MasterChef, people. This is dinnertime.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the ravioli in batches, return to the boil and cook for five minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel, then transfer to a warmed dish.

Meanwhile, pour the cream into a frying pan, add the garlic and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and half the remaining cheese. Season to taste and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining basil, then pour the sauce over the ravioli. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan, garnish with extra basil if you're fancy - I'm not - and serve to ravenous people.

Serve with wine. Wait, what am I saying? Serve every home-cooked dinner with wine.

Do you make homemade pasta? Or are you of the opinion that it's more hassle than it's worth? Can I change your mind?