Tasty Tasmania
Ashley Hale, Austravel Marketing Executive, tantalises her tastebuds in Gourmet Tasmania…
With a culinary heritage as rich and diverse as the landscape itself, Tasmania is a true paradise for food-lovers. The clean air, pure waters and deep soils are the perfect recipe for the prime dairy products, fresh seafood, succulent beef, juicy berries and some of the world's best cool-climate wines the island is famous for producing. And one of the best ways to sample the tantalising delicacies is to take off on a self-drive gastronomic tour – with your taste buds as your guide.
Whenever I get the chance to eat out, I never decide what to have until I've read everything on the menu. It’s a great way to make sure I don’t miss some regional speciality that I know I wouldn’t be offered anywhere else. And because my trip to Tasmania was going to be a bit of a culinary adventure, I was keen to study the itinerary for the tour just as closely. It certainly paid off too, showing me that my appetite for indigenous cuisine would be more than satisfied every single day. So to get your mouth watering, here are my personal recommendations…
When staying in Hobart, a visit to Salamanca market is a must. Saturday morning is market day at Tasmania's number one lifestyle precinct and offers you the chance to meet the people who create, make and grow the produce you’re about to enjoy!
After a very comfortable overnight stay at Henry Jones Art Hotel and a welcome breakfast of fresh local produce, spend a half-day driving through historical sites and amazing natural landscapes, to Freycinet National Park. Take a day or so to explore, you’ll have plenty of time to see the abundant wildlife in its natural habitat, discover the spectacular beaches and stretch your legs on some of the beautiful walking trails. One thing you won’t want to miss though is a trip to Kate Berry’s Farm, one of Tasmania’s hidden gems which serves the most deliciously creamy ice cream – the creamiest I’ve ever tasted – fabulously fruity jams and wonderfully light, refreshing berry wines. I timed my visit just right and even managed a friendly chat with Kate herself!
To the north east of Tasmania is St Helens a haven for freshly caught crayfish, flounders and scallops served in the colourful eateries in this bay-side town. From here travel on to the ‘Garden City’ of Launceston. It’s well worth your while, especially if you take my tip and take a drive along the Tamar Valley wine route. Amongst the array of award-winning cool climate wines you’ll discover, two real highlights are Pipers Brook and Pipers River wineries which produce some of the most exquisite wines in Tasmania.
There are still loads of delightful treats I haven’t even begun to tell you about. But if you’re anything like me, the chance to discover them for yourself is the perfect recipe for a great gourmet holiday!
Ask your Austravel Designer to create a self-drive itinerary to take in the gourmet highlights of Tasmania.
Why not get a taste of Tasmania and experience Down Under at home with these lovely dishes!
Spring Bay Scallops in ½ shell with leek & thyme butter & sour dough, pine nut gratin
From Daniel Alps at Strathlynn
Ingredients:
Spring Bay Scallops in ½ shell - 6 per person
Bread crumb & pinenut mix
- 100gm Pinenuts roasted in the oven until golden & finely chopped
- 300gm Breadcrumbs (Dried in oven)
Leek butter
- 200g softened butter
- 4 baby leeks (chifonade)
- 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp finely chopped thyme
Method:
- Sweat leeks slowly in 1 tbsp butter, add thyme and allow to cool in fridge.
- In mixer place leek, softed butter, & juice of two lemons. Mix for 30 seconds or until well combined.
- Place scallops on a baking tray still in shell and sprinkle with a little salt & pepper to taste & add a little lemon juice.
- Put one teaspoon of leek mix on scallops and top with 1 tbsp of crumb mixture.
- Cook in oven at 170 C for 8-10 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Soft-centred Callebaut Chocolate Pudding
From Daniel Alps at Strathlynn
Ingredients:
- eggs
- 5 yolks
- 125g sugar
- 250g good quality chocolate
- 250g unsalted butter
- 80g sifted plain flour
Method:
- Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler, be careful not to let the mixture get too hot.
- Once both have melted and combined, take off the heat and cool slightly.
- Cream eggs, yolks, and sugar until thick and creamy looking.
- Slowly add chocolate to egg mixture until combined.
- Fold in sifted flour.
- Divide mixture into 6, well-greased ramekins, and fill to 1cm from the top.
- Place in the fridge overnight.
- When required, pre heat oven to 180C and bake for 8-10 mins.
- Serve with crème anglaise or ice cream!
