GONE SHOPPING

Follow in Paul Mercurio’s footsteps on TV show Mercurio’s Menu, as he scopes out his favourite local produce

WORDS ANNE LOH

Paul enjoys the good life at the
Good Living Growers MarketThere’s nothing better than connecting with the people who are intimately involved in growing, rearing or cultivating the quality Australian produce that becomes wonderful meals.

We lead you to the boutique food and drink producers Mercurio discovered.

Hunter Valley

Paul Mercurio may brew his own beer but that doesn’t stop him from sampling a pint wherever he finds a brewery, which is how he ended up at Potters Brewery (Wine Country Drv, Nulkaba, tel: +61 (2) 4991 7922). Drop into Margan Estate’s (266 Hermitage Rd, Polkobin, tel: +61 (2) 6579 7004) cellar door for a taste of the region’s shiraz and semillon, then nip next door to Bistro Molines (tel: +61 (2) 6574 7216) for a bite of French fare.

You can pick up fresh fruit and homemade jams from Hillsdale Orange Orchard (Thomsons Rd, Bulga, tel: +61 (2) 6574 5173), and buy sourdough buns from Morpeth Sourdough bakery (148 Swan St, Morpeth, tel: +61 (2) 4934 4148) to go along. The Hunter is also home to Nortenhof Boer Goat Stud (82 Keppies Rd, Paterson, tel: +61 (2) 4938 5291), a farm of African goats bred for their premium meat. Leaves and Fishes (6 Lovedale Rd, Lovedale, tel: +61 (2) 4930 7400) is a delightful restaurant in a boathouse serving the best of local produce. Visit Snails Bon Appetite (Congewai Valley, +61 (2) 4998 0030) to find out how escargots are reared for restaurant menus.

Fleurieu Peninsula

Fresh herbs from the garden of Fino
RestaurantThe peninsula is home to some of the finest produce around, as well as some of the best wine producers in South Australia. A good place to start is at The Producers At McLaren Vale (126 Branson Rd, McLaren Vale, tel: +61 (8) 8323 0060) where visitors can have a go at blending wine, pressing olive oil and making cheese. Check out Mt Compass Venison (26 Main St, Mt Compass, tel: +61 (8) 8556 8216) and learn more about this less gamey venison as well as tucking into venison burgers, hotdogs and award-winning pies. Cockles are in season November to May and you can try your luck “shuffling” at the beach or join Spirit of the Coorong Cruises (tel: +61 (8) 8555 2203), which includes a cockle lunch feast. Take the opportunity to tour Mundoo Island (via Hindmarsh Island, tel: +61 (8) 8555 2242), a sheep station turned cattle farm. For adventurous dining, visit Fino Restaurant (8 Hill St, Willunga, tel: +61 (8) 8556-4488) and ask the chef to “feed you” – he loves the challenge of feeding customers with the day’s produce.

Southern Tasmania

Black Devil Cherries from Lennonville
OrchardsBruny Island is home to some of Tasmania’s greatest produce. The cherries from Lennonville Orchards are exported to USA – you’ll find a stall at the ferry during cherry season (1 Jan to 15 Feb). Get Shucked Oysters are cultivated on Bruny Island, where the season runs November to May; get them from the van or from the Hothouse Café on Morella Island (linked to Bruny Island). Find 15 types of fudge and a wonderful cherry cheesecake at Island Produce (53 Adventure Bay Rd, Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, tel: +61 (3) 6293 1456). On the way back to the city, drop into Grandvewe Cheeses (59a Devlyns Rd, Birchs Bay, tel: +61 (8) 6267 4099) and taste some sheep’s milk cheese. Mures Fishing has been in the seafood trade for 40 years, and supply the restaurant trade and their own establishment, Mures Lower Deck and Upper Deck (Victoria Dock, Hobart, tel: +61 (8) 6231 1999).

Byron Bay

Big birds at Sunforest TurkeysMany people come to Byron Bay for a change of lifestyle and The Byron Farmers Market (Butler Street Reserve, Byron Bay, tel: +61 (2) 6687 1137) supports that dream with local growers selling their own sugar cane juice, macadamia nuts, smoked fish, prawns, pork bacon and sausages, organic turkeys, honey, olives and more; it’s open every Thursday morning. With such riches it’s no surprise that Nadine Abensur holds vegetarian cooking classes at Art Piece Gallery (105 Stuart St, Mullumbimby, tel: +61 (2) 6684 3446). Also reaping the rewards of the region’s fertile volcanic soil are Zentveld’s Coffee (193 Broken Head Rd, Newrybar, tel: +61 (2) 6687 2045), Corndale Garlic (tel: +61 (2) 6628 4148) and Sunforest Turkeys (tel: +61 (2) 6684 7074). The Byron Beach Café (Clarkes Beach, Lawson St, tel: +61 (2) 6685 8400) is home to the area’s hottest new chef, Daud Kendall. For a break, try out classes at Black Dog Surf School (Shop 8, Plaza, Jonson St, tel: +61 (2) 6680 9828).

Tropical North Queensland

Snappy hour at Hartley’s
Crocodile AdventuresWhen in Cairns, step into Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures (Captain Cook Hwy, tel: +61 (7) 4055 3576) where you can see how top quality crocodile skins are produced and exported to Europe. For a taste of crocodile and other Australian game meats, check out the Ochre Restaurant & Catering (43 Shields St, Cairns, tel: +61 (7) 4051 0100). Pinata Pineapples produces the famous Mareeba Gold – a pineapple low in acid and sweet – while Nerada Tea Plantation delivers six million kilograms of fresh tea leaves annually. Both products can be found at the local shops. To socialise with some local wildlife, check into Acton Ridge Farmstay (122 Nash Rd, Millaa Millaa, tel: +61 (7) 4097 2293).

Bellarine Peninsula

Paul muscles in on Portarlington
musselsBegin a visit to the breezy Bellarine by sampling the region’s famous Portarlington mussels. You can buy them from the SeaBounty’s boat at Gem Pier, Williamstown, every Sunday from 10:30am until sold out (tel: +61 (3) 5257 1343). Or pick up some fresh fish from Bill Cull Fisherman, he sells his seafood from his boat at Queenscliff Pier every Sunday from 9am ’til 2pm. Otherwise head to Ol’ Duke restaurant (40 Newcombe St, Portarlington, tel: +61 (3) 5259 1250) for some great seafood. Bellarine’s produce is legendary and this includes Lonsdale Hydroponics (21 Yarram Creek Lane, Point Lonsdale, tel: +61 (3) 5258 2665) where truss, cherry, roma and loose tomatoes grow in abundance. The same is true for the fat, juicy red strawberries you can pick September to May at Wallington Strawberry Farm (440 Wallington Rd, Wallington, tel: +61 (3) 5250 1541). Locals are spoilt with Terry English’s lamb, fattened on the fertile grasses of Bellarine Estate. It is here, at Bellarine Estate (2270 Portarlington Rd, Bellarine, tel: (3) 5259 3310), that owner Peter Kenny has established the renowned Julian’s restaurant, where head chef Graham Henderson makes the most of all these delicious local treasures.

Sydney

it doesn’t get fresher than the
Sydney Fish MarketThe Sydney Fish Market (Bank St, Pyrmont, tel: +61 (2) 9004 1100) is well worth a visit, with its fascinating behind-the-scene tours. Hop round to the Good Living Growers Market (Pyrmont Bay Park, Pyrmont) every first Saturday of the month and buy up Willowbrae chevre goat’s cheeses and micro hydroponic, organic salad leaves and herbs. Saturday is also a good time to visit Eumundi Smokehouse (402 New Canterbury Rd, Dulwich Hill, tel: +61 (2) 9569 0205) and pick up some of that Stolichnaya vodka sausage. Enjoy a meal at iconic Sydney restaurant Icebergs (1 Notts Ave, Bondi Beach, tel: +61 (2) 9365 9000) where the killer sea views are as mouth-watering as the menu. Afterwards, have a famous Portuguese custard tart from La Patisserie (45 New Canterbury Rd, Petersham, tel: +61 (2) 9569 1107). Then try your hand at catching a mud crab on the Crab ‘n’ Oyster Cruise (Kangaroo Point Wharf, Brooklyn, tel: +61 (2) 9985-8237).