Call to end menu mystery for seafood
Fish cafes and restaurants should be forced to state clearly on menus where their seafood is sourced, say prawn and barramundi farmers battling to protect their industry against a flood of cheaper imports. The Seafood Importers Association of Australasia estimates 70 per cent of seafood eaten in Australia is imported, mostly from Thailand, China, Vietnam and New Zealand. Australian Barramundi Farmers Association president Dr Ken Chapman, who is leading the push to extend country of origin labelling to all food outlets, said Australians were being misled. “Barramundi is the iconic Australian fish and Australians expect to get Australian fish if they order barramundi," he said. “We are saying—let the consumer choose." Fishmongers and other retail seafood outlets have been obliged to state the country of origin of seafood since 2006 but restaurants, cafes and fish and chip shops are exempt. During the 10 years to 2006-07, the quantity of imported prawns more than doubled, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics found. The Sun Herald (Sydney), March 1.
Where there's a wilt there is a way
Now is the time for all good shoppers to come to the aid of disaster-struck farmers. Floods at one end of the country and fires at the other have damaged many fruit and vegetable crops, leading Sydney chefs Bill Grainger and Donna Hay to team up with the Federal Government to encourage shoppers not to turn up their noses at wilted greens or discoloured fruit. "Just because some of this stuff doesn't look perfect doesn't mean it can't taste perfect if you cook it the right way," Mr Grainger said as he supervised Agriculture Minister Tony Burke at his Darlinghurst cafe, bills. As Mr Burke chopped tomatoes, Mr Grainger suggested roasting them, or tossing them in a pan with some oil, salt and cumin to bring out a richer flavour and colour. "I use balsamic vinegar for roasting them sometimes," confessed Mr Burke, who is considered by colleagues to be something of a chef. "That's a good idea!" responded Mr Grainger, then narrowed his eyes. "You get that from Jamie Oliver?" Shoppers should expect tomatoes from Victoria to be softer than usual and leaf vegetables such as broccoli may be yellowed around the edges or a touch on the limp side. Pears may be discoloured, and Gala apples could be slightly paler in colour. The Sun Herald (Sydney), March 1.
Name your price A North-West cafe has come up with a unusual way of attracting customers
If patrons at Devonport's Rosehip Cafe are not happy with their bill, they only have themselves to blame. In a bid to increase patronage in tough economic times, cafe owners Vanessa and Leigh Wells have introduced a priceless lunch menu. While the cafe still offers fixed-priced drinks, sweets and an all-day breakfast, at lunch time they ask patrons to choose their meal, eat it and then pay what they think the food is worth. A fortnight into a one-month trial, the Wells say the new pricing policy is a hit. ``About half our customers offer to pay more than we would have asked and about half offer less,'' Mrs Wells said. ``So it works out about even, but it is bringing more customers in and that was our goal.'' The couple, who bought the 28-seat cafe in March last year, decided to introduce the priceless menu to differentiate their cafe. ``We are a block away from the CBD so it is harder to get people to realise we are here,'' Mr Wells said. Sunday Tasmanian, March 1.
As crisis bites, diners swap cafe for cocoon
Perched around a big black table—eating plates of poached lamb fillet and greens at a thrifty $10 a head—the dinner party guests are in good cheer, despite the economic gloom. Hostess Andy Dinan is staging her second soiree in a week around her new 12-seat dining table. Last Monday, she hosted a girlfriend's birthday lunch at home, with guests assigned to bring nibbles and cake. Tonight, she will toast another friend with a welcome-home barbecue. A year ago, she and her husband ate out every week. Now, the art gallery owner spends more time in her kitchen than inside a restaurant. Food is a steady reckoner of the global financial crisis. Grocery sales are up, while spending at restaurants and cafes is down. Eating in, it seems, is the new eating out. There are other signs, too, of a flight to home and hearth. The latest Roy Morgan magazine readership survey shows food and entertainment titles are up year on year, while business, women's fashion and travel publications are down. Readership of recipes+, the March cover of which is dedicated to "Brilliant budget ideas", grew 60 per cent to 279,000 in the 12 months to December 2008. Sunday Age (Melbourne), March 1.
Self-service
There's no need to worry about tipping at one of Adelaide's newest hotels - it's strictly DIY everything, writes Jessica Hurt. Usually it’s what a hotel has—an infinity pool, a swish cocktail bar or even a pillow menu—which sets it apart. But at the Majestic Minima, it's what it doesn't have which makes it unique. There's no restaurant, the closest thing to a bar is the wooden outdoor setting on the roof, and there's no staff. Yep, that's right, no room service to satisfy those late night cravings, no one to help you with your bags and no receptionist to ring when you are woken in the middle of the night, as I was when the last of the guests stumbled out of the bar across the road. But when you have Melbourne St, with its cafes, restaurants, boutiques and bars, at your doorstep, who needs any of these things in the hotel? And who actually orders from those pillow menus anyway? The Minima—think minimalist—is setting new trends in the city as Adelaide's first 24-hour self-check-in hotel. A vending machine in the foyer issues your key, lets you pay for car parking and pre-pay for your breakfast at a nearby restaurant. While not much differentiates hotels these days, this one, which opened last May, stands out as it is aimed at the budget conscious, techno-savvy traveller. The Advertiser (Adelaide), February 28.
Tourists needed to fan economic embers
Restaurateur Gary Cooper surveys his dining room at Bella Vedere Cucina overlooking the Yarra Valley. It is lunchtime, and instead of the usual 60 customers sipping wine and gazing across vineyards, he has two. Today, instead of the usual weekend tally of 100 lunchtime diners, he is likely to have 30. "In four weeks' time, if we cannot build numbers and pick up the business for at least one good week, then we will be in dire straits," Mr Cooper says. Seven kilometres west, just north of Yarra Glen and only a few hundred metres from the charred gullies of Steels Creek, Ross Greenaway, the manager of the Balgownie Estate winery and conference centre, has a similar tale. “People have cancelled well into March, by not wanting to be seen to be rubber-necking out of respect for the people up the road in Kinglake,” he says. Tourism operators as far away as the Gippsland Lakes have reported a crash in bookings because travellers fear venturing into what they believe are potential fire zones. There are widespread layoffs of tourism staff. The Age (Melbourne), February 28.
Britain chef's poison scare
Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal has temporarily shut down his Michelin-starred restaurant amid a food-poisoning scare, it was reported yesterday. Blumenthal shut down The Fat Duck after dozens of guests reported feeling unwell. Health officials say initial tests came back negative but Blumenthal decided to close the restaurant as a precaution. ``We have done everything in our power and I've never come across anything like this before,'' he said. Blumenthal opened The Fat Duck in the village of Bray, west of London, in 1995. The Advertiser (Adelaide), March 2.
Big Macca's fracas - Nothing new in pricing
Who would have thought that the Big Mac would be the impetus for a national debate on social responsibility and ethical business practice? Any attempt by McDonald's to base prices on ``socio-economic factors'' would not represent anything new; demand-based pricing now operates in all sorts of industries. For years some retailers have been demanding higher prices where there's less likely to be complaints, and petrol prices in Brisbane this week showed a similar trend. But that wasn't the outrage in the great Big Mac Rip-off Expose this week. It was the calculated way it was done and what it said about corporate responsibility, that fed the unrest. This was McDonald's, the company that led us to believe its new low-fat fast-food alternatives were a product of its social conscience. This was McDonald's, where the marketing budget has been used to sell its community-minded spirit, its commitment to encouraging children to be active, and offering a fair deal for the whole family. The Courier Mail (Brisbane), February 28.
Wine drinkers encouraged to turn to the local tipple
It is a novel way of surviving the financial crisis, but it may be vital to the state economy. Sydney is being advised to turn to the drink—and preferably our own. Figures show that NSW is the least parochial of the states when it comes to choosing a drop of wine, preferring global brands over supporting local wine-growers. As global markets have fallen into recession, Australia's wine exports markets have suffered. The volume of exports fell 9 per cent in the 12 months to February, while export earnings dropped by 17 per cent. But growers are targeting local consumers with the launch of NSW Wine Week tomorrow, sponsored by the Herald. Hyde Park will be converted into a cellar door from 11am, showcasing wines from over 100 vineyards from around the state. The chairwoman of the NSW Wine Strategy, Tiffany Nugan, said the industry was facing tough times and the first task for regional growers would be to win over drinkers in their own state. Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney), February 28.
Provedores' market on drawing board as Green Square booms
New development at South Sydney's Green Square precinct is luring retailers to the area to service the growing population. While much of the commercial development remains in the construction phase, residents are applying pressure to have more convenience offerings. To help fill the gap, the developer Waltcorp is planning a boutique food emporium in the style of international markets such as Spitalfields in London and—closer to home—the James Street Market in Brisbane and the Ferry Road Market on the Gold Coast. Green Square is to get Wyndham St Markets—an adaptive reuse of the old Rentokil office and warehouse headquarters opposite Alexandria Park. The CB Richard Ellis's leasing agent, Daniel O'Brien, said the development had already attracted significant interest from boutique butchers, bakers, fishmongers, fruit and vegetable provedores and cafe and restaurant operators, all of whom were keen to capitalise on the area's strong population demographics and limited retail offerings. Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney), February 28.
Good times still roll as boom's glow fades
At Perth's Bistro Felix along Subiaco's trendy Rokeby Road, they're now putting on a ``recession concession'' menu. Around the corner at the equally hip Pure bar on Hay Street, you can drown your sorrows with a $10 cocktail, but only on ``Recession Thursday''. The sun is setting on the once-in-a-century boom in the west, with Treasurer Troy Buswell yesterday declaring the state's AAA credit rating was under threat despite Western Australia being on track to post a $1 billion-plus surplus this year. While happy to be in the black, Mr Buswell said the half-year $800m surplus he announced—which included a $500 m jump in royalties—was down 40 per cent, mainly due to plummeting stamp duty from a stalled housing market, mixed with ballooning government spending. Weekend Australian. February 28.
What I cook when...
Annie Smithers walks around her Malmsbury garden, leaving a guest to flip prawns on the barbecue. Smithers gleefully points out her vegetable seedlings, the greenhouse and her fat lamb. "And that's chook mahal," she says, gesturing to a wire-and-wood enclosure. In answer, high-voltage clucking emanates. "Ooh, someone's laying something," Smithers says. Eventually, produce from this garden will supply Annie Smithers Bistrot, just down the highway in Kyneton. Today, it contributes to a casual summer lunch, served under a gumtree. Back in her modest kitchen, Smithers, 42, plates food with aplomb and ferries platters outside. Her partner, Leanne Coates, surveys the gathering with mock disgust. "Only in Melbourne would we dress in black for a picnic," she says. As people help themselves to quiche and juicy prawns, Smithers and Coates spill war stories about their year running Daylesford restaurant Linton House, a decade ago. The Age (Melbourne), February 27.
Chef, lies and soccer
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has been caught out lying again—this time to fight his way to the top of the food chain. The foul-mouthed chef has been exposed lying about his much publicised soccer career with top European club Glasgow Rangers. The explosive accusation—published yesterday in British newspaper News of the World—comes just months after Ramsay was caught up in a sex scandal, in which it was revealed he had been cheating on wife Tana with writer Sarah Symonds. Ramsay, 42, has repeatedly bragged about being signed to the top Scottish side as a 16-year-old, saying he played with the team until a knee injury forced him off the pitch and into the kitchen. Herald Sun (Melbourne), March 2.
My favourite fruit? Go fig
Matt Moran
Many chefs, when asked, find it difficult to nominate a favourite fruit. Depends on the season, they say, or what you're using it for. Not me. I love a new season raspberry or cold climate quince, but there's one out-and-out favourite: the fig. Some ingredients are destined to be bit players, others naturally take centre stage. Figs are one of the latter. With their unique texture, earthy flavour and undeniable good looks, they're movie star material. Figs are thought to be one of the first fruits cultivated by man. Known as ``the tree of life' in ancient Egypt, they've been found in tombs there. They're unusual in structure: the edible pulp inside is the remains of the flower. Sunday Telegraph (Sydney), March 1.
Tourism pitch aims to poach visitors for region
A trip to Canberra is being pitched as a culinary and cultural adventure in a new national tourism drive to lure visitors to the region. Launched at Piallago Estate Winery yesterday, the Poacher's Way initiative unites 25 businesses across the ACT and into NSW under the one brand. The plan is so promising that federal Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson wants to roll out the concept around the country through the next Australian Tourism Development Plan in coming months. Mr Ferguson said it would help promote whole regions, not just individual attractions. Canberra Times, February 27.
Pubs and clubs hit by a million dollars of fines
Victoria’s pubs and clubs were hit with more than $1million in fines last year for breaching laws such as serving drunks and allowing drunk and disorderly people to remain on the premises. The number of infringements issued against bar owners has soared from 412 in 2006 to 949 last year. Each infringement carries a penalty of $1361. The number of warnings issued to licensees rose from 51 in 2006 to 106 in 2008. Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson said some pub and club owners risked being shut down. "Breaches of licence conditions and liquor laws are serious offences and licensees risk serious consequences, including losing their businesses," he said in a written statement. The Age, February 27.
Proposal to rate venues on safety
NSW licensed venues would be given safety ratings under a "star system" being explored by the State Government. Gaming and Racing Minister Kevin Greene yesterday launched a discussion paper on the system, which had been proposed as a means of countering antisocial behaviour and alcohol-related violence. The discussion paper says venues could be star-rated in the same way as films, recorded music, restaurants and energy-efficient electrical appliances. NSW has about 14,000 licensed venues. The public is invited to provide comments on the proposal before the end of March. Newcastle Herald, March 2.
Perth pubs owner battles debt squeeze
Compass Hotel Group, the owner of some of Perth's best-known pubs, is teetering on the brink after breaching its banking covenants for the second time in less than six months. In signing off on Compass' $80.7 million interim net loss last week, auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers warned there was "significant uncertainty" over the group's prospects to continue as a going concern. Auditor Gareth Winter wrote in his report: "(The) breach of a debt covenant, the current liability classification of a bank debt (and) the risk and possible future consequences of a future breach of debt covenant ... indicate the existence of a significant uncertainty as to whether Compass Hotel Group and its controlled entities can continue as a going concern and, therefore, whether they will realise their assets and extinguish their liabilities in the normal course of business." The West Australian, March 2.
Tax rise takes the fizz out of alcopop sales
Alcopop sales have dived by more than 25 per cent following a huge tax rise and it seems young drinkers didn't just move on to cheaper types of booze. Research has backed the Federal Government's strategy to use a 70 per cent tax rise on ready-to-drink products in an effort to curb binge drinking. It shows that about half the drop in alcopop consumption translated into increased sales of beer and spirits. Associate Professor Tanya Chikritzhs, of the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University, compared industry-provided data for the three months to June 2007 with the same period in 2008. The alcopops tax increase took effect in April last year. She found Australians consumed 91 million fewer standard drinks in the Ready-To-Drink (RTD) category in the three months following the tax hike—a drop of 26.1 per cent on the 2007 period. The Advertiser (Adelaide), March 2.
Efficiency in tourism
Huon tourism operators are getting serious about improving environmental best practices. About 40 businesses have joined a program organised by the local tourism association, whereby they measure energy use, water use, and waste. The federally-funded program is called Green TEA (tourism environmental audit), and is supported by the Kingborough and Huon councils, and Totally South Tourism. The businesses include B&Bs, hotels, tour operators. Sunday Tasmanian, March 1.
Grape yield comes a cropper
The Australian wine grape crop is expected to fall 11 per cent this year, mainly due to weather conditions. The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation said yesterday that at the halfway mark, the crop was expected to come in at 1.63 million tonnes. ``This would make the 2009 harvest well below the record 2005 harvest of 1.93 million tonnes but well above the drought and frost affected 2007 harvest of 1.34 million tonnes,'' the AWBC said. ``The expected reduction compared to last year is the result of a 13 per cent decline in the national yield (tonnes per hectare), marginally offset by an additional two per cent of bearing area coming on stream this vintage. ``The yield would be 20 per cent below the long-run average.'' The Advertiser, February 28.
Oversupply pushes wine group into red
Wine group Australian Vintage has made an unwelcome return to red-ink territory, posting a net loss of $127.8 million for the first half of the financial year. The result, which comes just six months after the company posted its first annual profit in three years, was blown out by $128 million in stock write-downs. It compares with a $600,000 profit in the previous first half. The write-downs dwarf the $29 million write-down to the value of wine stocks that the company made in 2006 in response to a global oversupply of cut-price plonk. ``These results should be considered in the context of one of the harshest and most unforgiving six months ever faced by the company,'' chief executive Dane Hudson said. ``In Australia, the wine industry battled chronic oversupply, which was exacerbated by the unpredicted high-volume 2008 vintage.'' The Australian, February 26.