What is Mace?

I recently discovered the spice ‘Mace’ when I made the Traditional Plum Puddings.  Mace is a traditional plum pudding ingredient. 

Mace is the lacey outer layer of the nutmeg seed.  It has a similar flavour to the nutmeg seed, which we commonly buy ground, but it is less intense.  It is a regular spice added to Indian curries.

We stock it at Maxi Foods Ballarat in the gourmet herbs and spice section.  It will soon be available in Castlemaine as well.    I provide some images which I sourced from Google images and Pinterest.  The nutmeg seed (black) and the mace (red), in situ, is particularly beautiful.

Product Review: Moorish Rocky Road

I wouldn't normally review this type of product, but it is very very good! Treat your self this little indulgence.

Product Review Georgina and the Castlemaine Bakery crew

When you walk past Georgina’s fresh cake display you should know that most of the treats have been made in the bakery, from scratch.  Georgina’s cakes, slices, quiches and tarts are all made locally in the bakery by our fabulous bakers.

Our cream cakes all contain fresh cream.  Our Vanilla Slices are world class!  Our fruit tarts will warm you up and our Christmas mince tarts (my favourite) are available ‘out of season’!

Orders for birthday and other occasion cakes make our day!

Enjoy (in moderation!)

Product Review Hazeldenes Tuscan Herb Chicken

This prepared whole chicken roast is so easy to cook and tastes fabulous.

Preheat oven to 200c, cook for 1 hour.  Done.

I have cooked this chicken for several years now (not every day) and it never lets me down.  The flavours are very gently spicy, the kids will love this, the meat always comes out juicy and moist, perfectly cooked and ready to eat.  The four portions easily separate to serve.

With any vegetables or chips you choose to add, this chicken is an excellent choice.  It is so easy to cook. 

It costs $10.99 and can be located on the butcher’s meat case in the ‘chicken’ section!

Enjoy!

Product review: Salt Kitchen Charcuterie, Pork and Fennel Sausages

We are so fortunate in Central Victoria to be blessed with so many local food producers right at our door step, many of whom are relatively small and dedicated to their trade.

We discovered Mick Nunn and Salt Charcuterie in Ballarat about five years ago and we have ranged his products ever since. I bring them to your attention! Sometimes the local producers are drowned in the marketing of the multinational brands and their excellent products are overlooked.

Mick produces a large range of gourmet sausages and meats. Wagyu beef products, hams, bacons, pastrami, Spanish Chorizo and a load of sausages, all smoked in the traditional way. This is the Salt Kitchen website: Please take a look.

https://saltkitchen.com.au/

Tonight, I review the Pork and Fennel Seed sausages. I have always been a big fan of the pork and fennel blend, often found in ‘Sicilian’ pizzas so I was delighted to get that big fennel flavour with dinner. Cooked inside on the stovetop. No tomato sauce needed! These beauties are a meal in their own right, but as usual I had to add a ‘large’ range of oven roasted potato, sweet potato, onion, carrot and of course Brussel sprouts to round off a full meal and avoid being called a carnivore!
However, given the fact that there are fennel seeds in the sausages frees me from that title!

Unfortunately, there was no room for dessert! I have been told it is time to bake a cheesecake. A few months ago, I baked three cheesecakes in one week because I wasn’t happy with the recipes I chose and had to make a few changes to get it right. I think I’ll do it! I’ll let you know if I do!

I post a range of photos of the Salt Charcuterie range taken at the Castlemaine store. Ballarat has an equal offering. Offer them some local support. We do!

Product Review: Oakwood Free Range Berkshire Pork Smoked BBQ Pork Ribs

If you think the name is a mouthful, wait until you try these beauties.

Ralf smokes these meaty free range pork ribs in a real smoke house where they develop their delicious flavours. They can be pan fried on the stovetop and they are ready to eat in less than 10 minutes. They are very good indeed. There is no need to add cracked pepper or Murray River Pink salt. All the flavour is provided in the pack!

Now, to save you my usual rhetoric about how good things taste, I provide you with a quote from a vegetarian who ‘sampled’ these BBQ pork ribs:

‘it’s enough to make you stop wanting to be vegetarian!’

Broccoli

I cooked the usual seasonal Brussels sprouts and broccoli with these ribs. I want to briefly talk about cooking broccoli. As you know steam is hotter than boiling water, so don’t boil broccoli, steam it. 2-3cm of water in a pot, lid on, will boil in a minute. Once boiling, put in your broccoli and steam for 3 minutes. No more, no less.

Remove with tongs and add fresh olive oil and sprinkle on the Murray River Pink salt.

Ready to eat in 4 minutes from go to gob.

BTW, the broccoli stem is the best part of the broccoli, not the worst. Eat it first!

Oakwood BBQ Ribs!

Located in the Delicatessen

Masani Lasagna - Product review

Hi Ballarat foodies, I'm considering ranging these hand made lasagnas from the famous Masani Restaurant in Carlton, which is currently closed due to the crisis. We are ranging them in Castlemaine.

There is a Black Angus Beef and a Vegetarian lasagna, both precooked, so all you have to do is heat them in the oven (not microwave!)

They are made completely from scratch including hand rolled pasta from a small Victorian flour mill.

I 'quality control' tested one tonight. Oh my goodness! They are so good. They are actually unbelievably good!

I was asked tonight if we should range them in the delicatessen at Maxi Foods. If you want them, you will have them!

The question is: should Maxi Foods offer Masani Italian precooked Lasagnas? $9.95 pce.

The photo below is the vegetarian version. The beef lasagna didn't make the shot...

Oakwood Cheese Krankys - product review

Oakwood Free Range Berkshire Pork Cheese Kranskys

For those of you that have not yet discovered the Oakwood Smallgoods smokehouse at The Mill on Walker St, Castlemaine, I strongly urge you to use this venue as an excuse to break your self isolation and legally go to buy some food.

I write a brief review of the Free Range Berkshire Pork Cheese Kranskys here, but the bigger picture is the production house where all the goods are made in the old traditional german style. Ralf smokes his range of delicacies in a real smoke house. The flavours are unique, the process is clean and traditional and the result is as expected.

We offer a relatively small range (although large) of Oakwood's products at the supermarket, but the range Ralf offers at his Charcuterie is extensive. Just the aroma of the products as you walk in the door is enough to bring out your adventurous spirit and sample meats you may have never tried before.

My search for local suppliers has revealed some gems in Castlemaine and Ballarat. Supermarkets are generally boring. My task in life is to make your supermarket experience a whole lot better. Maxi's wonderful staff are my greatest support.

We are fortunate to be one of Oakwood's local re-sellers.

OK. Cheese Kranskys. I'll keep it brief:

I usually cook them on an open flamed barbecue, but given the climate I know you will forgive me for cooking them inside on the stove. I used a ribbed cast iron pan so the authentic stripes formed on each sausage.

It is of course appropriate that given the weather, this is the type of food that would ordinarily be consumed be on a wintery European day with snow building up on the window sills and a chilly arctic breeze forcing its way under the door.

So my review is exactly that. Once you bite into these beauties, the flavour, whilst I have never been there, makes you feel as though you are in a German Village in the Black Forest. Quite a unique experience indeed.

Close your eyes and sip another schnapps! If you have a pair of lederhosen, wear them.

Oakwood Free Range Berkshire Pork Cheese Kranskys

For those of you that have not yet discovered the Oakwood Smallgoods smokehouse at The Mill on Walker St, Castlemaine, I strongly urge you to use this venue as an excuse to break your self isolation and legally go to buy some food.

I write a brief review of the Free Range Berkshire Pork Cheese Kranskys here, but the bigger picture is the production house where all the goods are made in the old traditional german style. Ralf smokes his range of delicacies in a real smoke house. The flavours are unique, the process is clean and traditional and the result is as expected.

We offer a relatively small range (although large) of Oakwood's products at the supermarket, but the range Ralf offers at his Charcuterie is extensive. Just the aroma of the products as you walk in the door is enough to bring out your adventurous spirit and sample meats you may have never tried before.

My search for local suppliers has revealed some gems in Castlemaine and Ballarat. Supermarkets are generally boring. My task in life is to make your supermarket experience a whole lot better. Maxi's wonderful staff are my greatest support.

We are fortunate to be one of Oakwood's local re-sellers.

OK. Cheese Kranskys. I'll keep it brief:

I usually cook them on an open flamed barbecue, but given the climate I know you will forgive me for cooking them inside on the stove. I used a ribbed cast iron pan so the authentic stripes formed on each sausage.

It is of course appropriate that given the weather, this is the type of food that would ordinarily be consumed be on a wintery European day with snow building up on the window sills and a chilly arctic breeze forcing its way under the door.

So my review is exactly that. Once you bite into these beauties, the flavour, whilst I have never been there, makes you feel as though you are in a German Village in the Black Forest. Quite a unique experience indeed.

Close your eyes and sip another schnapps! If you have a pair of lederhosen, wear them.

Stay well, stay safe and don't forget to subscribe to the Maxi Foods website to receive your weekly handbill by email (if it interests you).