The Grocer: Coconut Oil
20 Dec 2012There’s a new kid on the block in the world of oil – coconut oil. Joining the ranks of olive, macadamia and avocado, coconut oil is the latest ally of the health-conscious cook. more
Get your fresh Christmas produce at local farmers markets
20 Dec 2012With Christmas Day falling early in the week this year, we can use the weekend to source the freshest of salad and fruit ingredients, meat, seafood and treats for Christmas lunch from the local farmers markets. This Saturday the Village Market is on at Kelvin Grove from 6:00 am to 1:00 pm, while West Enders can head along to their usual Davies Park Markets from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm. Jan Power’s Farmers Market is at Brisbane Powerhouse on Saturday from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm, with a special Christmas Mitchelton market also running on Sunday December 23 from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm. The Bardon Community Market is also on this Sunday 6:00 am to 1:00 pm, as is the Northey Street Organic Farmers Market from 6:00–10:30 am in Windsor. more
Lifeless space transformed with Food from the Sky
20 Dec 2012In 2010, Food from the Sky transformed a lifeless space above a supermarket into an urban farm. A collaboration between Andrew Thorton and Azul-Valerie Thome, Food from the Sky sees organic vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and herbs growing on the rooftop, before being sold downstairs in Thornton’s Budgens community supermarket in north London. Combining their shared vision for sustainable microeconomics and the consumption of local produce, Andrew and Azul set up the permaculture garden to bring people together. Food from the Sky also runs training programs in sustainable urban food growth for kids and adults to share knowledge and encourage a healthy, local, down-to-earth future. more
The Grocer: Kale
13 Dec 2012Long gone are the days of throwing together some iceberg lettuce or even a sprig or two of rocket to spruce up your salad. Today’s favourite green combinations seem to always involve kale. more
Discover the face behind the produce with Meet Your Farmer
13 Dec 2012A visual story of paddock to plate, the Meet Your Farmer series of short films takes you behind the scenes of the farms in the state of Maine in the USA. One of eight in the series, this film on the Chase family farm shows how the produce from the farm is used at bakery and restaurant Chase’s Daily, where the family also holds an indoor farmers market. more
Read sumptuous food compendium The Gourmand
13 Dec 2012New literary creation The Gourmand combines food and culture into one neat, caress-worthy package. Taking an innovative and creative approach to the form of each article, interview or artistic musing, The Gourmand delves past the pretty stylised food shots and beautifully constructed flavours of a foodie’s dream land and into the culture of food and the different means of taking pleasure from all things consumable. Based in London, The Gourmand was inspired by the universal subject of food and the influx of new restaurants, cafes, markets and ingredients at our fingertips. Issue 01 has just come out, with Issue 00 still available online. Image via Eye Magazine. more
The Grocer: Pomegranate
06 Dec 2012The hard red hide of the pomegranate can be both uninspiring and misleading. But it is once you have cracked it open that you discover a cavern of ruby-red gems within. These pulpy seeds of the fruit are a mainstay in the gourmet creations of many Middle Eastern-inspired dishes. more
Boutique cellar InCider Trading opens in Fortitude Valley
29 Nov 2012All those deliciously crisp and cool craft ciders you’ve been enjoying on tap or in a bottle at dedicated bars about town can now be consumed from the comfort of your couch. InCider Trading is a boutique wine and cider cellar that’s just opened its doors along bustling Wickham Street in Fortitude Valley. more
People’s Food Plan hosts Potluck Picnic at West End
29 Nov 2012Gather together with local, like-minded foodies at the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance’s Potluck Picnic this weekend and have your say towards the People’s Food Plan. Shaping a food system that looks after people and the environment, the People’s Food Plan aims to target the important issues surrounding the future of food in Australia. The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance is a collaboration of passionate organisations and individuals, which is working towards instigating a food system where people have the opportunity to choose, create and manage their food supply from paddock to plate. Head along to the Potluck Picnic in Orleigh Park in West End this Sunday December 2 from 3:00–6:00 pm, bring a plate of local, fresh food to share and chat all things food-related with fellow locavores. more
Poorer cuts trending on the meat market
29 Nov 2012While, in recent times, we’ve been highly selective about the cuts of meat we place upon our dinner plates – opting only for the most tender, prime pieces – the times are now changing towards the days of old. more
Discover A Wolf In The Kitchen at Rosalie Gourmet Market
15 Nov 2012Preserving the garden and orchard's bounty in vinegar, sugar and oil conserves has long been a seasonal ritual. The labourious process of slicing ingredients, heating delicious concoctions and transferring the precious creation into a jar is sometimes unattainable in our busy schedules. Alla Wolf-Tasker has endeavoured to provide time-poor folk with wholesome, homely tastes that celebrate artisan processes and wholesome family recipes. more
Urban agriculture: New York Farm City
15 Nov 2012Making the dream of urban farming a reality is Brooklyn Grange Farm in New York City. Posited across two rooftops in Brooklyn and Queens, Brooklyn Grange Farm cultivates herbs, vegetables, wild flowers, bees, chickens and more above the city. From a pop-up small farm in Brooklyn to a fully sustainable business, this urban farm is just one of many that provides to chefs’ kitchens and the local community’s pantries. This short documentary delves into the passions and dreams of the urban farming folk of New York. Image via Tender is the Bite. more
New Sunday market in Stones Corner
15 Nov 2012A new market mixing fresh produce and food with handmade goods has started up in Stones Corner. Located along the shopping strip at the corner of Old Cleveland and Logan Roads, the market will run on the first and third Sundays of the month. Wanderers can indulge in a scoop of ice-cream and pick a bunch of flowers for the kitchen table at home, while browsing through the stalls of fresh fruit and vegetables by local growers. Find an exotic array of Green Valley spices alongside specialty tea leaves, with Karbala Brothers German Sausages and Bahbah Foods also amongst the producers. Drop by from 6:00 am to 1:00 pm this Sunday. Image via Lonely Planet. more
Bee One Third brings urban beekeeping to Brisbane
01 Nov 2012Introducing rooftop hives to Brisbane’s inner city and suburban areas is Bee One Third. The creation of part-time beekeepers Jack Wilson and Kat Skull, Bee One Third aims to increase local denizens’ awareness of food origin and miles as well as save the beloved honeybee. more
Get philanthropic with Boxed Water Is Better
01 Nov 2012Like the Italians are teaching us that coffee (good coffee) can come in a can, the Americans are letting us in on the little secret that water is better when boxed. Inspired to create a brand of bottled water that is better for the environment, Michigan-based Benjamin Gott came up with boxed water. Boxed Water Is Better delivers your packaged, transportable hydration source in sustainable, recyclable packaging, where the cardboard is made from trees from certified, well-managed forests. Boxed Water Is Better even donates 10% of its profits to reforestation foundations, with another 10% donated to water relief foundations. Pick up your carton of cool, refreshing boxed H2O from Southside Tea Room. more
The Street Photographer: Spring Hill Deli Cafe
25 Oct 2012For a few weeks last month, Spring Hill’s beloved red deli opened the doors to its new cafe counterpart, putting the menu to trial and gathering feedback from friendly locals. But the owners already had a trip to Italy planned, so we saw the doors shut again for three weeks, while they tasted their way around the Mediterranean. Back in business and full of inspiration, the ladies have pieced together a new menu, with sweet-tooth favourites like the brownie sundae and peaches and cream milkshake staying put. A new mural has joined the space, while the sweet pots of herbs and flowers in jars remain. Slip in for an early breakfast, before popping next door to the deli to pick up a panini to takeaway for lunch in the park later on. Check out Spring Hill Deli Cafe on The Street Photographer. more
Discover vegan wonderland The Green Edge at Enoggera
27 Sep 2012Employing the mantra ‘greener, kinder, healthier’ in everything it does is vegan grocer and cafe The Green Edge in Enoggera. Tucked off busy Wardell Street, The Green Edge stocks only 100% vegan products, meaning not even honey sneaks into mix. more
Pod Espresso opens organic store in Stafford
20 Sep 2012They’ve only been running their cafe Pod Espresso since February this year, but when the space next door became available Rachel, Sally and Tess jumped at the opportunity to fast-forward their dreams of opening an organic store. What was an orthodontic practice next door is now a freshly painted enclave of organic, raw and earth-friendly products, which stands alone and acts as a supplier to the cafe. more
Spring Hill Deli & Produce opens a cafe counterpart
13 Sep 2012Before you even lay your eager eyes on the menu, blackboard signs boasting brownie sundaes and milk & cookies and a cabinet of decadent salted caramel chocolate tarts stand to attention at Spring Hill Deli’s new cafe. In addition to these tempting treats, this spacious new cafe space adjoining Spring Hill’s beloved red deli sets a warm and friendly feel with rich wooden tones and splashes of nature. more
Gourmet corner shop Dan & Andy’s Hawthorne Garage opens
30 Aug 2012An epicurean cavern nestled along Hawthorne Road, Hawthorne Garage presents a world of grandiose provisions and delicious coffee for the local passerby. Open early and closing late, Hawthorne Garage is the perfect pit stop for nine-to-fivers, with easy lunch options of pre-packaged soups, salads and rolls, as well as tubs of muesli and yoghurt for breakfast or a treat. more