Our Chefs and Regional Wines Star at Upper Goulburn Annual Long Lunch
By Susan Kinloch
Our Chefs and Regional Wines Star at Upper Goulburn Annual Long Lunch
By Susan Kinloch
The Upper Goulburn Winegrowers’ Annual Long Lunch showcasing the region’s best in culinary expertise was bursting with great food, exciting, quality wines to match each dish, surprise dinner auctions and fantastic entertainment. Our region’s wines and food operators came together as one to showcase the region’s best at the Upper Goulburn Long Lunch. The lunch was held at the Mansfield Showground’s Edward Harris Pavilion on Sunday May 15th. Delighted guests assembled for pre-luncheon wines from local winemakers served with delicious canapés prepared by Ben Browning from Benjamins Restaurant at the Golf Club. A selection of hors-d’oeuvres using regional Buxton trout, vine-ripened tomatoes and organic chicken matched to a sample of Upper Goulburn sparkling and lighter style wines excited the palates and kick-started what was to follow. The Pavilion was decked out magnificently to receive guests to a sit-down three course luncheon, matched expertly with the right wines from the region. A fully equipped Crawford Kitchen was on site and the show began. The menu was designed around autumnal flavours and the slow cooked movement. Christian Bergmoser from Magnolia Catering, served up his Loin of Yarck venison, wrapped in prosciutto, slow roasted pink, served with a trio of jelly (two chosen wines, and rosemary), garnished with a brunoise of dried local olives paired off with 2008 Barwite Pinot Noir & 2010 Ros Ritchie Pinot Gris. Megan Knapp, Pure Taste and Gill Belle, Mansfield Regional Produce Store tempted diners with their alternate drop, giving guests the opportunity to switch or share - Twiced-cooked Berkshire pork with sour cherry glaze, sautéed celery, cabbage and braised root vegetables OR Braised brisket of beef with red wine, spiced plum, bay leaf and Autumnal vegetables of silver beet, parsnip and carrot. The Kinloch 2010 Pinot Meunier matched so well with the pork and Sedona Estate 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon went delightfully with the slow-cooked beef. Conversations were lively, but alas short once Tenor Robert Barbaro burst into song, superbly accompanied on the keyboard by Director of More than Opera, David Kram. Robert brought the “shed” down with his Lanza like - Italianate voice - encore after encore was not rejected and the guests fully sated all round, with good wine, good food and song! Just before entrée, Gary Hubbard our auctioneer stirred the crowd as he used his craft to auction off two separate dinners for 12, to be designed and prepared by chefs Christian Bergmoser and Megan Knapp. Bidding was fierce among competing sections of the shed and the final gavel announcing the two winners, Sandra Glue and Ken Hall. Dessert was then served by the Deck on High’s Michael Nelson who served up a treat as the final dish, which was a tasting plate of Belgian couverture chocolate terrine; spiced hazelnut baklava; poached gewürztraminer figs on frangipani biscuit with Indian fairy-floss. This was matched to the 2008 Delatite late-harvest Gewurztraminer. Master of Ceremonies, Malcolm Kinloch then invited chefs and winemakers to talk about their respective dishes and wines, invited questions from the floor, more wine, more lively conversation and sadly the afternoon came to an end, but not before savouring mini citrus tarts from All
Things Tea with tea and coffee! See you next year – Sunday 29th April 2012.
Things Tea with tea and coffee! See you next year – Sunday 29th April 2012.
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