| Dear food loving people, I hope all is well in your worlds as this huge, great year draws to a close - I hope its been a good one for all of you.
We've had a wonderful year with safaris on all sorts of fronts. We've covered new ground with our safaris and have introduced some new guides who have been terrific, had our best year ever in Greece on our island hopping odyssey, launched the Food Safari book and have nearly fallen over to find its already gone into reprint as its been so hugely popular. I've had the best time getting around the country and meeting Food safari devotees - what a privilege...and what a great fun bunch. |
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| North Sydney Markets 10th Birthday - the goddesses of Food Safari We had a fabulous time at lovely North Sydney Markets 10th birthday celebrations. Three goddesses of their cuisines from the Food Safari series came to demonstrate some easy and delicious recipes....Lebanese Goddess Judy Saba showed off fattoush, a marvelous summer salad and kafta for the barbie while Portuguese Goddess Fatima Barroso showed off chourico while Indian Goddess Daisy Rajan showed how to whip up Gugarati potatoes...all delicious and different and all divine recipes in the Food Safari book.
By the way, Daisy is doing a special Magic of Spices class on Valentines Day at the North Sydney Community Centre - www.northsydneycentre.com.au
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| Gift Certificates for Christmas I've just been doing a bit of a chuck out at home - very liberating getting rid of junk...I had a conversation with one of my mother's friends at a birthday party recently who said she could live without most of her "stuff", other than a few treasured paintings. My mum shuddered - she loves to keep special things with her - books of poetry and photos of us all and paintings from the children... However, as you wrack your brains for Christmas presents, have a think about this: giving an experience is a wonderful gift ...and our safaris are such an entrée into many delicious worlds...please contact our office to purchase your gift certificates - 02 9960 5675 Also if you want to do something good for the world, consider a donation (on your behalf or someone elses as a Christmas gesture) to Ozharvest, the charity I support. A single dollar provides a meal for someone who really needs it. A great idea is to sponsor a "freedom Pack" for someone who sleeps rough. In the pack is a sleeping bag, a yoga mat, a thick plastic raincoat and treats and it costs $25. Ozharvest can send you a certificate. Contact www.ozharvest.org...and they do gift certificates too! |
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| New Waterfront Safaris We have twisted the arms of our friends at a couple of top waterfront restaurants to put on special banquets for us during March. Ormeggio at the Spit
Come and let us introduce you to the delights of a great new restaurant Ormeggio on the water at Middle Harbour. Our host is chef and co-owner Alessandro Pavoni who will be one of the stars of our upcoming Italian Food Safari series. Alessandro is from Brescia and we've asked him to design a special menu that draws on the best regional food from home...we know it will definitely include a sensational seafood risotto which he will demonstrate to us on the day. He's a master at risotto...and heads a great team at this beautiful new Italian regional restaurant right on the water at the Spit. We'll have three courses including wine (with French bubbles to start) and a cooking demonstration from Alessandro. Book early for this one. Seating will be in tables of 10 so grab a few friends and come along! That's Saturday 6th March from 12.30pm to 3.30pm...$115 Flying Fish in Pyrmont
At the end of one of lovely old Jones Bay Wharf and overlooking the sparkling harbour, Flying Fish is the domain of our talented friend Peter Kuruvita who grew up learning the best of Sri Lankan cooking from his grandmother. Peter's food is a modern take on the cuisine and there are many delights in store for us at a special lunch on Saturday 20th March from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Start with a glass of bubbles and enjoy 3 courses with wine - $115 |
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| Food Safari Book Launches Here are some photos from my travels...one Canberra woman who is in the midst of chemo dragged herself out of bed and came to have a book signed...she told me that when she gets through this time she will aim to come on our Greek island trip - I said I'd be there in Santorini to raise a glass to her and her tenacity; I've met 12 year old boys buying the book for their dads for Christmas, beautiful husbands getting a signed copy for their food savvy wives, people who have travelled hundreds of kilometers to be at a signing or a dinner...heavens what a gift I've had. And what a barometer the success of the series and the book are in terms of where we are at as country - It makes me truly believe that Australia is on the right path - that we welcome the new and exotic, especially in terms of food. All in all, an exciting evolution. We also had a launch at the lovely Spice I Am restaurant in Darlinghurst, an event that was covered by a couple of food bloggers who took some great pics and wrote some nice and interesting things. Have a look at: http://www.atablefortwo.com.au/2009/11/23/food-safari-book-launch-at-spice-i-am-darlinghurst-sydney-nsw/ This appearance on A Current Affair: http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=970937 |
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| Travels in 2010 Italian Food Safari to Melbourne and the Victorian High Country
This autumn we journey into the Italian realm - featuring some of the highlights of the Italian Food Safari program which goes to air around the same time.
We've chosen the week from Monday 22nd March to Sunday 28th March...this weaves in nicely around events for our Italian hosts in the King and Ovens Valleys and the area that's referred to as the High Country. We will arrive as the trees are turning brilliant shades of amber and gold and as grapes are being picked for vintage ...and Australia's newest find - Italian style prosecco is also m The timing gives you the opportunity to go along to the Melbourne Grand Prix after our farewell brunch or have enough time for some retail therapy before heading home. If you'd like to stay on, please let us know and we can book that in for you. You will have an exceptional week of luxurious accommodation in Melbourne (Sofitel on Collins) and country Victoria (Lindenwarrah in Milawa) combined with "kiss on both cheeks" warm Italian hospitality, countless "money can't buy experiences" including making our own pasta at a newly opened cooking school, enjoying time with 3 generations of food and wine loving families, al fresco lunches at long tables in the clear country air, visits to Italian winemakers in the King and Ovens Valleys, feasts prepared by legendary chefs, visits to producers, and much more...all with a backdrop of autumn trees and the beautiful Victorian High Country at its best. Our grand finale is with Italian cooking legend Guy Grossi who will prepare a special dinner for us with matched wines at the very upmarket Grossi Florentino restaurant Host and guide: Maeve O'Meara Inclusions: 6 nights Luxury accommodation in Melbourne and Milawa, porters, transfers to restaurants and coach transport to Victorian High Country, meals as specified - 6 breakfasts or brunch, 5 lunches, 5 dinners, wines included, gratuities. Twin Share: $3375.00 Single: $4225.00 Click here for itinerary |
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| Broome Girls and Pearls In winter leave the cold grey city and come with us to the sunshine and the scents of frangipani, the glorious long stretch of Cable Beach where you can ride camels in the late afternoon, walk for miles and daydream, watch the clouds reflected in the beach wash, see the sun set over water and revel in the sheer beauty of the place. Now as well as catching your breath and indulging in a luxurious spa treatment on us, we want to introduce you to this wild beautiful place full of history and magic. We'll be shown the land with an award winning indigenous guide who truly makes you see the red cliffs and turquoise water with new eyes; we'll have cocktails with our feet in the sand after a camel ride along that fabulous stretch of beach.
One of my favourite moments on a recent trip was watching a film at the lovely old outdoor cinema Sun Pictures - we are trying to get a special film shown on the night we visit...and we may have some luck as our host during our stay is Marilynne Paspaley of the famous pearling family. Marilynne has just opened a resort called Pinctada Cable Beach ( www.pinctadacablebeach.com.au) nestled in the natural landscape just a brief walk from the sand dunes of Cable Beach..its already won awards and its just the spot for a group of girls to relax...not too big or small...nice pool, the attention to detail that you only get from having the owner look after you...plus...some incredible dinners in our honour, morning stretch classes to start the day, introductions to local art galleries and some of her favourite places...plus...those pearls.
We've had long discussions about what we could do with this fabulous connection...and we have a few ideas only a woman could dream up. We'll have a private showing at the very luxe Paspaley Pearl showroom, with champagne and pearl meat - you have to try this delicate flavour...and we try on pearls...and we get to wear whatever pearl masterpieces we like for our final evening dinner....the whole princess treatment! There's more...not just a group of great women getting together (and some of my life's funniest and most incisive conversations have come from spending time with the Gorgeous groups) ...but a day at the Broome Races with introductions to loads of great Broome people and so much more. Treat yourself or leave this lying around in a strategic place...numbers are limited. Hosts : Maeve O'Meara and Marilynne Paspaley Dates: 17th to 22nd June 2010 Flights: Girls get your frequent flier points working and get in and book those flights now. See attached itinerary for timings..and please feel free to book for a few days before or at the end of our safari. Airfare between $885 and $1125 depending on who you travel with. Inclusions: 5 nights accommodation in a Shinju Studio at Pinctada Cable Beach Spa Resort, 1 Pinctada Spa treatment, all transfers, 5 breakfasts, Indigenous walking tour, Broome Race Day, Camels, cocktails and supper, a night at the movies, morning stretch classes, 3 dinners at resort (welcome night, dinner at Selene Restaurant and final Gorgeous Gala dinner), great fun and good company. Twin share: $3762.00 Single supplement: $4904.00 Click here for sample itinerary |
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Thank you for all your support this year. We look forward to many great adventures with you in 2010. |
