Food festival mania

Festivals are popping up almost everywhere in Australia, with hundreds held each year. Amongst them, food and wine festivals are proving their appeal to locals and tourists alike.

And, there is no mystery as to why. Great food and wine are a well-known Aussie passion, and savvy foodies are in constant search of their next delicious discovery.

There appears to be a food or drink festival to tickle almost everyone’s fancy. Festivals for lovers of oysters, pumpkins, truffles, whisky, red wine, lamb, chocolate, coffee, chilli, beef, cheese, noodles and many more, are springing up all over the land.

In May, Game Farm proudly sponsored the Noosa International Food and Wine Festival. Attendees happily savoured samples of our Quail Eggs prepared by Stephanie Alexander, Quail and Cornfed Chicken. Coming up in June, we’re looking forward to the Good Food and Wine Show Sydney. Kim Terakes will be cooking with Game Farm’s Quail Breast Fillets, yum!

If you’re not lucky enough to stop by a food festival, why not try something new at home with one of our favourite recipes. This week we love Spatchcock Basquaise by David Bitton.

Secrets to food and wine matching

It’s the last day of May and as we welcome in the first month of winter, let’s console ourselves with the knowledge that we can now, without guilt, indulge fireside with a good drop and the best comfort food winter can offer.

For those interested in making the most of this experience, we’d like to share our thoughts on the meeting of food and wine.

Before we get carried away, the basics must be addressed. It is important to understand the basic tastes of wines, being sweet, bitter or sour. Much else of what we make out to be tastes is actually scent, such as fruity and floral. Also worth considering when matching wine and food is the weight and texture of the wine, for example a heavy Shiraz as opposed to a light Pinot Noir.

Next are the rules. It used to be a given that whites are to be paired with white meat and reds with red meat, but this isn’t really the case anymore especially with the increasing array of variety available. We say drink what you like and experiment with the pairings you make!

But, if you need a little more guidance than that, consider applying these fundamental guidelines to steer you in your decision-making. Essentially there are two main approaches to food and wine matching, complimenting and contrasting.

Complimenting is all about matching the flavours and weight of the meal with that of the wine. For example, Stuffed Quail with Cranberry Compote matched with a smooth merlot. Contrasting on the other hand, is all about pitching food and wine at opposite ends and balancing their differences. Such as, matching our Quail Breast Fillets in Paprika Cream Sauce with Garlic and Mushrooms with a zesty young Riesling.

Planning a delicious feast of food and wine should be fun, so don’t limit yourself by starting with an elaborate meal and scouring the cellars for the perfect wine. Why not start with the wine and cook to match?

You might also like to read more about pairing food with game by checking out our previous post here.

Happy wining and dining, cheers!

Have you bought our Deboned Spatchcock in Lemon & Oregano?

Game Farms Deboned Spatchcock in Lemon & Oregano reduces the preparation time required in the kitchen, making it simple to cook and enjoy with family and friends.

We recommend serving the Spatchcock with….

Warm Potato, Olive and Parmesan Salad

1kg small chat potatoes

100ml extra virgin olive oil

5 green onions, thinly sliced on an angle

2 garlic gloves, finely chopped

2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 tsp chopped fresh oregano

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped

1/2 cup shaved parmesan

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Place the potatoes in a baking dish.

Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and season.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons oil, green onion, parsley, oregano and olives in a small bowl.  Season to taste.

Transfer potatoes to a large serving bowl, then pour over the dressing and toss to coat well.

Scatter with parmesan and serve  warm with Game Farm Spatchcock.

Enjoy!

Let us know what you served with your Deboned Spatchcock in Lemon and Oregano, by leaving a comment below.

Available at selected Coles, Harris Farm and Woolworth supermarkets across New South Wales.

Coles WORLD SQUARE

Coles ST LEONARDS