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Friday, January 22, 2010

The Jervis Bay Locavore

A box of local Jervis Bay produce from Source Food Co.- fruit vegetables, honey and coffee

Jervis Bay is slowly cementing its reputation for seasonal bio-dynamic produce, artisanal breads and cheeses. And a few innovative local eateries are showcasing these ingredients such as Hyams Beach Cafe and The Gunyah Restaurant at Paper Bark Camp in Woollamia.

Another exciting Jervis Bay enterprise is Source Food Co. which - as the names suggests - sources the best local produce and sells direct to the consumer from a rustic shed in Huskisson. No pesticides, no chemicals, no supermarkets. Source is also ambitious in its aims to teach people the lost art of how to grow food. The owner showed me a huge glossy purple eggplant grown by a 12-year-old boy in his backyard!Inspiring.

A little further down the road and on the Princes Highway is the Contadino Olive Farm where I always stock up on my extra virgin olive oil when I'm passing through. Their oil is a delicious all rounder with warm mellow flavours. The Morabito family use their traditional Italian farming knowledge to companion farm their olives with vegetables and flowers, and with chooks and turkeys scooting around providing that all-important rich manure.

Happy eggs from happy chooks

Because they look imperfect you just know they're going to taste perfect

Zucchini flowers picked fresh that morning

sweet green peppers - I hope mine look like these!

Mr Morabito with a bottle of his wife's fiery chilli

This sauce was pricey at $7 a bottle but made up the most delicious Bolognaise sauce.

And when we got home that organic tray of vegetables went straight into the oven with some of the Contadino olive oil and a few herbs from the edible balcony. This is how vegies use to taste - earthy, sweet with lots of flavour. A fitting way to end our south coast road trip.

7 comments:

  1. This produce looks fantastic , as does Paper Bark in Jervis Bay!! Did you stay there?

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  2. I love purchasing produce and everyday cooking ingredients from its source. I would certainly travel to get my olive oil.

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  3. As much as I love Sydney, I love leaving it to lap up the country goodness just as you have here.
    LOVE the look of your vege's!

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  4. i nearly cried when looking at those fresh chook eggs. I want some chooks so badly. I think i'm turning rural LOL

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  5. Why do I find barrels of fruit so appealing? I'll never understand that! Your (?) box of local produce just looks like perfection to me, and so healthy, lots of colour and everything is obviously fresh. I hope there were some leftover roast veg for a sandwich the next day - nothing beats a roast veg sandwich:)

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  6. Dear Indira,

    Thanks for visiting my blog. I am delighted that you enjoy reading my blog! I must say you have a great blog and I have been reading your blog for a while and especially interested in your edible balcony :)

    Cheers,
    Ellie

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  7. Dear Gastronomy Gal,
    We didn't stay at Paper Bark Camp this trip but we did stay there during New Years three years ago. Quite a magical experience especially for this city chick who thinks 'going bush' is crossing the harbour bridge! Indira

    Dear A cupcake or two,
    The morabitos are so passionate about their food I love supporting their business. I think it's so important to support the growers and producers we admire or else they'll be gobbled up by the big supermarkets and commercial operations. Indira

    Dear John@heneedsfood, so lovely to hear from you. And enjoyed quickly checking out your blog as well. Maybe our duelling forks and knives will cross in a restaurant soon! Indira

    hi suziwong66,
    I know... fresh eggs... nothing better... maybe there may be some room to sueeze them in on the balcony.... Indira

    Hi coby,
    I've led a sheltered life... never tried a roast veg sandwich. Will do next time. And yes anything in a barrel look better..!Indira

    Hi Ellie,
    thanks for those kind words and for following the edible balcony... Indira

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