Moppity Vineyards, Hilltops NSW

It didn't come as a great surprise when the good folk at Moppity took home (yet another) award - Best new brand 2010, Quaff 2010. They've been very busy lately collecting awards and trophies. 
So we decided to go ahead and test the wine and see what the hooplah is all about! Well, in short, they've nailed it on every front. Great wine, great range and unbelievable price (though that'll change soon, inside sources have warned me). 
We were so impressed that we decided to put three of their wines on our wine-list: Cab Merlot, Rose and Sav Blanc. Central Ranges has emerged as a region to watch out for. Every year, something big comes out of that area. Thanks to people like Jason Brown, we haven't seen anything yet....

Veggie patch - spring is here!

XXXX Summer Bright Lager

I know I'm challenging a lot of loyalties here, but let me say this, Summer Bright is the Aussie answer (finally) to Corona. There might be a bit of a difference but I guess we can live with it. Now, I'm more of a wine kinda guy but every now and then I end up in situations where you shouldn't ask for wine if you dont want to labelled a w**ker. Just grab a beer. In those situations, I wouldn't mind a Summer Bright. It's light, fresh and crisp. Add that magical wedge of lemon and voilà! Now the serious part - it's so much cheaper than Corona.

Another beauty by Ben Glaetzer

Bishop, by Ben Glaetzer. 2009 Shiraz. It's so much more than what it seems like when you first open it. It evolves into something much larger, much more lovable overnight. Beautiful shiraz. Available for around $30 AU, this is a great wine to stock up on.
Great on its own. Medium-bodied, gentle spices and mesmerising aroma. Berries are evident and the palate is full. All of that aside, it has that something special about it. Something that makes it a love t first sip.
It's no secret that Ben Glaetzer has been changing the way wine is produced and made in the Barossa. For a few years, he's been busy belting out wines that are more elegant than in your face. Lot gentler than what most people expect from the Barossa. Wines that are thoroughly enjoyable. This is a fine example of all that class and elegance that Ben has added to Australian wine.

Healthiest meat in Australia!

If someone asked me what was the healthiest meat that I could get in Australia a few years ago, I would have said 'Organic Chicken'. Or 'Organic Lamb'. Or something like that. But back then, Kangaroo meat was something out of a trivia night.
All Kangaroo meat (to my knowledge, at least) is organic. As far as I know, Kangaroos used in the meat industry are all wild. They do not have any antibiotics or hormones applied by the humans to boost their growth. For a simple reason - there's no need for it. 
The more I know this meat, the more confused I get. Why isn't this the most popular meat out there? This is by far the healthiest meat available to mankind. It has no man-infused chemicals in it. It is the only source of a fat that is highly beneficial to humans (according to the CSIRO). It has huge quantities of iron it in. It tastes awesome! Then why? Why isn't it the most consumed meat in Australia? Even the hippies I see flocking the organic op-shops hardly ever go for organic Kangaroo meat. And contrary to the common belief, they do eat meat.
I have tried a few different recipes with Kangaroo meat. I like all of them. Actually, that's an understatement. I love all of them. Chilli Kangaroo stir-fry is awesome and a personal favourite. Kanga steaks on mash. Kanga curry. There's a lot you can do with this versatile meat.
The best part is that I don't have worry about all the chemicals, antibiotics and hormones that are a part of the meat industry in the west. I dont have to worry about getting some kind of cancer later on in my life. Human organs are not made to handle unnatural chemicals that we find in most meats and other food products today. It's all as simple as that.

Grill it!

Going by taste alone, I don't think there's a better way of cooking food than grilling it. And then there's the health-related stuff as well. Personally, if I can grill it rather than fry it or bake it, I grill it. If it's a lazy evening, beer is in the air, I char-grill it. And if it's chicken or lamb that we're talking about, I some times flame-grill it.

Some people say roasting works well as well. Yes it does. So does baking and deep frying. No dispute there at all. But grilling is the simplest and fastest way of cooking food that tastes great and is healthy and feel-good at the same time! So grill it!!

Here's a quick recipe that everyone can adopt and come up with a kick-ass chicken dish in less than ten minutes! Once you've marinated the chicken overnight (or for at least a few hours in the fridge). Enjoy!

Take 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat it in a pan. Add 5 tablespoons of tomato paste to it an mix well. Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the mix and keep cooking on low heat. Now add 1/4th of a cup of red wine (I go for a Cabernet Merlot, gives the chicken a robust taste and adds good colour) and keep heating till you can't smell the wine anymore. Now add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and let the mix cool.

Dice a half a kilo of chicken breast or thigh fillets (or use the whole fillets) and then mix with the mixture when it has cooled down (or else it starts to cook the chicken when mixed). Refrigerate overnight or at least for a few hours.

G R I L L:

If you do not have a grill, heat a pan and add some oil to it (spray oil works best). When the pan is hot and you can see the oil has heated up, throw the diced chicken in the pan or the fillets - you should hear a sizzle. cook on one side for approx. 3 minute and then turn and do the same. Once the chicken has been grilled completely, you can serve it with toasted bread and diced tomatoes and cucumbers. Too easy.

Grilled Sandwich - Vegetables and Cheese!

This one takes less than 5 minutes once you're grill is good to go!

Came up with this one on the go. Got myself a few vegetables from the markets. Chopped them up and threw them in the freezer last week. I do that genius stuff every now and again.

Yesterday afternoon, feeling a bit hungry, don't want a big lunch.... what do I do... oh! the frozen vegies. Out they come and voilà! One of the simplest lunch recipes was born.

Steamer ready! If not, boil some water. Throw the veggies in. They just need to been softened up a bit, not cooked entirely. The mix that I'm using is very simple -

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Carrots

Beans

You can use the frozen vegie packs from the supermarket. I just happen to be in the fresh markets every week so I usually do my own.

Use any type of bread, I use white (that's because I run and exercise) and spread the steamed vegies on the bread. Grate some cheese on the top when you're done. Some salt and pepper (freshly ground if that's an option). On to the grill and make sure the bread gets toasted nice and crisp - that ensures two things, one, the bread feels good to bite into and two, the cheese melts.

Nothing you didn't know! BUT. How many times have you DONE this in the last 2 years? Exactly.

Home-grown, no pesticides, no chemicals herbs and veggies.

Most people would say "isn't that Permaculture?". Most probably it is. I just dont know all the principles of permaculture...
Ok - growing your own veggies might not always be the cheapest way to go around doing things in hospitality. It tastes better. Would people notice? Most probably not. As a specific characteristic, it's hard to tell with pin-point accuracy that the coriander garnish was grown within 15 mtrs of the table you're having the meal at. As a complete meal/food experience, you would. Guaranteed.
I'll keep posting the progress of the patch. Mostly, I plan to plant herbs etc. Maybe a few cherry tomatoes... Ahh! Natural sweetness!

The Tin Soldier - Chardonnay 2007

Probably one of the best wines to have come out Hunter Valley in recent times. 2007 is outstanding, 2008 is really good. James Halliday gave 2007 a score of 94/100 - nothing else needs to be said about this wine.

Downside, not much available out there. You wouldn't find any of this stuff in the bottleshops (that's what Mark Hussy from the winery told me) and it being a boutique winery, not many bars would be stocking it.

As far as the flavours go, very well balanced, very subtle. Fruit and spice are the obvious flavours that leap out of the glass.

A better way of doing sausages!

Ok, I ran this through most of my friends and most of them liked it. One of them, a farm-boy, didn't. He went on record saying that it was criminal to do 'sausages' this way. I respect his opinion. He's from a farm near Tamworth.


Most common way of doing sausages in Australia is pan frying them. Throw in a bit of oil, heat it up and then add the sausages and pan-fry them until they are cooked through.
Here's my way:
Fill a pot or a large wok with hot water, add sausages and bring to boil. Take the casings off and discard them - your body doesn't them. Now, marinate these sausages in your favourite marinade. Mine is Worcestershire with Hot English Mustard. Cover the sausages with the marinade. I like to have them glazed with honey after the marinating. 
Put the sausages away overnight or at least for a few hours. When you're ready for them, take a non-stick frying pan, use olive oil spray and when its hot enough, throw the sausages in. Minimal grease, maximum taste. Please eat healthy - choose your sausages carefully, make sure they are organic and are made from actual meat.

Metala 2008 Cabernet Shiraz

Not as bold as some of the Penfolds reserve releases you can find for a decent price right now, which, in my case, is better. I like my reds to be elegant. Classy in taste, not in price or look. So, yes, I found this to be a great wine. Goes down well without food. Add a bit lamb meatball to it and its a treat.

Borderline subtle, not very spicy at all, this is a wine that anyone can enjoy.

Witches Falls 2007 Syrah

Most people don't know this but there is a region in Queensland that grows a considerable amount of grapes and a lot of wine comes out of it - the Granite Belt. Wineries are scattered all over the place and also spill over to the nearby areas such as Mt. Tamborine. Witches Falls is located in that region. The actual vineyard is minuscule. Owners get a lot of grapes from the Granite belt and mix it up.

The 2007 Syrah is their premium range. The bottle I bought at the cellar door set me back by $48. It's nothing like your usual Barossa Shiraz. It tastes very different - you can tell. Was it good to drink? I can't say I enjoyed as I enjoy the stuff out of the Barossa but having said that, it's not a bad drop. We had it with dinner. Spicy Asian cuisine. It went down very well. It wasn't bold and powerful at all. I thought it was quite mellow, subtle and easy to drink. We had a glass or two after dinner, on its own and it was again, easy to drink, even without food. Price is a bit high - if you've got a Dan Murphy near you, you could easily get something far better in that price range.

Mariner Pinot Noir - Marlborough, NZ

Pinot Noir is a tricky wine. Everyone wants to grow this grape. Recently, I came across a winemaker from the Pemberton area, WA and he told me that they grow this grape and make pretty good Pinot Noir. I tasted the wine he so graciously gave me. I told him it wasn't good. He probably doesn't like me that much any more but the reason I told him that was simple - I told him the truth. He came back with "this is not the top range, mind you" and I told him that's good because I would've been worried about his winery if it was.

Mariner Pinot Noir is a wine that has a feel-good wholesomeness to it. It is something that you'd want to take for a nice sunny lunch in the winters. Share it with friends and family. This is the wine that'll make you a star if you take it to a dinner party. It's not easily available and that's the downside. It's extremely likeable. Easy to drink and goes very well with food. Try it with whatever you like. Personally, I think you need to drink a good wine with something that you like. Lamb, Chicken, Steak, Pork - vegetarian stuff. Anything. Even fish, if you're a seafood person. Mariner uses this new thing called a zork. It's a rubber cork-screw cap combination. I quite like this idea - no cork (which is always good) and it's better than a screw cap as it fits back in quite nicely.

Maglieri Shiraz - SA

I don't know what it really is about these Shiraz' coming out of South Australia that makes them good. People cite the weather - climatic conditions etc. Whatever it is, it is good for us. We get to taste these beautiful wines. Maglieri Shiraz 2008 is a fine example of another good, honest wine that came out SA. It comes with a cork though...

Open it up, have a glass and then leave it sitting for an hour. Have another glass. You feel the life in the wine. You'll notice it has grown. And this is it. This is what keeps us wine lovers attached to this beautiful world of wine.

Taste - nice, subtle and easy to drink, it is not a strong, full-on Australian Shiraz

Angove Family Vineyards - Cab Sav 2008

This is a steal. Cabernet factor is very obvious, those who love cabernet will like it very much. Here's an idea, get a dozen of these and chuck them in the cellar - not to age but to drink when you feel like a good wine - this way your other stuff in the cellar (not ready to drink) is saved. Use this as an alternative to that expensive Coonawara cabernet that you've got in the cellar. Or just grab one before a dinner at the local Thai restaurant!

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz

What a beauty! This is the kind of wine that you could take to a dinner and instantly become a star. I'm not entirely sure but this could have come from the vineyard planted by Dr. John Kirk of the CSIRO in the Hilltops region. 
Amazing wine. Subtle, yet full of flavour. Slightly spicy, holds beautifully and goes great with food. I tried it with roast chicken and it was a great experience. I had a glass of it before food, on its own and it was a treat. All in all, a great wine. Get as many as you can, it'll only go up in price like its sister wines - the shiraz viognier 2008.

Bad food addiction

Just like most nations in the west, Australians are addicted to bad food. Every night I see fast food joints, pizzerias and other take-away businesses getting flooded by people. More is good. The more you get, the better you feel. Years down the line, just when you're starting to wind down, relax and enjoy life, you get diagnosed with ..... 
I keep repeating to all my friends, eat healthy. That kebab you had last night - do you know what was in it? Was it chemical-free? The body is not supposed to handle all that crap that is being put in our food products. It ends up reacting to it in ways that lead to a very uncomfortable life and a sad end.
Not trying to scare you! Just trying to emphasise the need to eat good food. Try to eat fresh or organic whenever possible.
TRY THIS:
Pick one thing that you eat on a daily basis. For most people (and myself), it is ice cream after dinner. Try not eating it for a week. I promise you, you'll struggle the first couple of days. Just like smokers do when they try to quit. Try it.

Importance of Low-carb diets

Low-carb diets are important for us to live a happy and prosperous life. This is the probably the simplest way of describing the hype around the low-carb, low GI push in recent times. What we eat affects and in some ways, controls the way we feel, act and in most cases, look. It's real simple. The more junk food we eat, the more unwanted fats/carbs we inject into our bodies. It is possible to lose/control weight just by eating the right foods. In simple words, we need to eat more low-carb foods such as vegetables (Broccoli, Pumpkin, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts etc) and less high-carb, high-fat foods such as white bread, pizza, fizzy drinks, sweet cordials, deep fried meats and deep fried anything.
Nothing comes close to home-cooked fresh food. At Monal we make sure all meals are cooked from fresh produce wherever possible. It's important, we want you to look, feel and live better.

Gramp's Shiraz by Orlando Wines

As we all know, 2006 was the best vintage in the Barossa in recent years. Most of the wine to have come out of that region in 06 was stunning in all aspects. Red wine vintage was particularly good. 2006 Gramp's shiraz is one of the best wines to have come out of that vintage.
Perfect from start to finish. Open a bottle and see it grow from an infant to full-bodied Barossan beauty. It takes a life of its own. Perfect with a lamb dish or on its own.


Alcohol: 14%

Croque Monsieur

Classic French Bistro dish. We add a couple of poached eggs to it which, in France would qualify for a Croque Madame but we decided to keep it simple. We're doing it with Brie, slightly more expensive but worth it! Bread done with a bit of mustard and butter, loaded with Béchamel. Bliss.