There were no headaches getting to the Hunter Valley, a cruisy two hour drive north of Sydney. We arrived at our accommodation for the weekend the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley in the heart of Lovedale. The rather imposing grand entrance to the hotel, replete with circular driveway and sculpted gardens gives way to a far more relaxed warm environment inside.

After checking in, we joined our companions in the Vista Lounge which despite its location in the lobby of the hotel, was a pleasant place to enjoy a glass of wine or two with a freestanding stone wall, gas fires and modern low slung furniture giving the lounge a modern bar vibe.

The Vista Lounge

Before retiring for the night I eased myself into the corner of one of the couches and slowly sipped on a glass of Scarborough Yellow Label Chardonnay, pondering the weekend ahead. There is so much to see and do in the Hunter, so I wanted to use the few hours of free time in my itinerary the next day very wisely.

This naturally required further thought so I ordered some Pyrenees Lamb Cutlets with Chimmichurri which was a perfect foil for a glass of Keith Tulloch Shiraz Viogner before heading off to bed.

A room at the Crowne Plaza

The next morning I took a stroll around some of the hotel’s facilities. The resort sports an 18 hole golf course, swimming pool, day spa along with a range of sporting activities on its expansive grounds but the addition of a brewery later this year (Sydney’s Schwarz Brewery) should continue the resort’s ascension on the Hunter Valley’s culinary map.

The pool at Crown Plaza

I met with the Hotel’s executive chef Gavin Robertson who spoke animatedly about his plan for a new menu at the grill restaurant that will accompany the brewery and how each dish will incorporate different beer as an ingredient.

Gavin is also the chef responsible for creating the dishes to be served at Sandalyn Wilderness Estate, one of the 6 wineries participating in this year’s Lovedale Long Lunch.  Each year for the last 19 years, the Lovedale region of the Hunter Valley has hosted a Long Lunch that in true Hunter style, lasts a whole weekend. The Lovedale Long Lunch held on May the 18^th and 19^th this year will be the 20^th and no doubt the biggest yet.

Executive Chef Gavin Robertson

Lindsay Whaling from Sandlayn Estate holds court at lunch

Sandalyn Wilderness Estate will be serving two mains and two desserts from the Crowne Plaza’s Red Salt Restaurant at the long lunch. A Seared Atlantic salmon with Thai noodle salad and chilli lime reduction along with char-grilled white Pyrenées lamb cutlets with ratatouille and Boulangère potatoes with caramelised balsamic onions. I sampled both dishes and they were complemented well by the wines from Sandalyn Estate, a toasty chardonnay and an aged Shiraz with a slight medicinal edge.

Salmon

Pyrenees Lamb

Cheesecake

The next day I hit the Hotel’s Tea Tree Spa for a relaxing 50 minute Swedish Massage. Relaxation is a core part of the Hunter Valley experience, whether it be with a glass of wine in hand or whether the hands of a masseuse are melting away your aches and pains. What can also be assured of is that the hospitality will be second to none.

Jeremy Bowell stayed and dined at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley as a guest of the hotel.

Lovedale Long Lunch

The Lovedale Long Lunch takes place on the 18^th & 19^th May 2013. For tickets and further information visit the Lovedale Long Lunch website.

Rooms are available at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley beginning at $315 per night

It’s easy to forget that behind every statistic is a story. I’d heard that 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer by age 85 but until I got the phone call from Mum, that statistic had no point of reference for me.

Dad had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer, and the outlook wasn’t good.

After the diagnosis, one of the first things that our family was given was a pack by the Cancer Council explaining what we should expect with the cancer journey. It was so simple, but so helpful and provided a small measure of comfort for the ride ahead.

The Cancer Council believes that the fight against the many forms of the disease needs to be fought on a number of fronts, that’s why their efforts encompass world-class medical research, treatment and prevention campaigns, and ensuring that sufferers have the best quality of life possible.

96% of the Cancer Council’s funding comes from donations, so when I was invited by the Cancer Council to be involved with the 20^th anniversary of one of their key fundraising activities, Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, I jumped at the chance.

Chez Dee, Venue for the 20th Anniversary of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea

This year a number of Australia’s cooking luminaries including Matt Moran, Gary Mehigan and Poh Ling Yeow have prepared a range of dishes for a healthier alternative to the traditional morning tea. So it was that I gathered with a number of other bloggers at Chez Dee in Potts Point to sample the dishes and to hear more about the great work of the Cancer Council.

Zucchini Cheesecakes (top) Bacon & Egg Cupcakes (bottom)

Coffee from Chez Dee

On hand to talk to us was cancer survivor and Channel 10 host Barry Du Bois; journalist, TV host, blogger and author Sarah Wilson alongside staff and volunteers from the Cancer Council.

Sarah Wilson (left) and Barry Du Bois (right)

The morning was at times humorous, moving, informative and most importantly a whole lot of fun but what it really demonstrated to me was the power of people coming together to face illness, because together we’re much more powerful that a collection of individuals.

Rebecca Varidel from Inside Cuisine has her tea leaves read

Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is more than just another fundraiser; it’s a reminder that when we come together, we can tackle anything.

My Dad didn’t survive his battle with cancer but thanks to the work of organisations like the Cancer Council, the journey was that little bit easier. And one day, who knows? Maybe we’ll talk about cancer the same way we talk about smallpox. I hope so.

It’s only by coming together that we’ll make a difference and maybe one day, those statistics will just be another story.

This story is dedicated to Eric Bowell (1948 – 2012)

Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is officially held on May 24^th but can be held any time during May. To find out how you can host your own morning tea or simply donate, visit http://www.biggestmorningtea.com.au/  

Guillaume at Bennelong is part of the Sydney Opera House complex. It is a stark, bright, cavernous space that makes the most of its prime position overlooking Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour. It’s hard not to admire the engineering that went into Jorn Utzon’s masterpiece which is even more evident in this building with the exposed concrete ribs forming the sails on display high above our heads.

Place Setting

The gorgeous view from our table

Champagne? Don’t mind if I do!

Befitting its location in the Opera House Complex, a string quartet played a series of concertos as the invited guests milled around sipping Champagne and marvelling at the beautiful table settings and the spectacular view.

String Quartet

It wasn’t long before we were seated for lunch and the first dish in our 3 course meal was served.

We started with Green Asparagus, local lobster, poached egg and sterling caviar. The egg white was almost translucent yet the egg was perfectly cooked prompting a question to Guillaume. “How do you poach your eggs?” Guillaume responded that they are poached in the shell at 30 degrees Celsius and the temperature is gradually raised to 60 degrees to achieve that texture. The man is nothing if not fastidious with his cooking.

Green Asparagus, local lobster, caviar and poached egg

Our second course was Pan Seared Snapper With Sauce Vierge which we were told had been cooked in the Tefal Heritage Fry Pan and served with Guillaume’s legendary artery hardening Paris Mash and braised vegetables. I love the way that Guillaume made the braised vegetables and the snapper the equal heroes in this dish. It was simple, but the quality of the freshly picked vegetables (picked that day) really shone through.

Guillaume Brahami

Braised Vegetables

Pan Seared Snapper With Sauce Vierge and Paris Mash

Finally it was time for dessert and a delicious Nougat Glacé with Citrus Crepes was theatrically presented at the table in the Tefal Heritage Crepe Pan. If that wasn’t enough, a superb selection of delicate petit fours followed with coffee. An absolutely outstanding lunch.

Crepes with a view

Nougat Glacé with Citrus Crepes

Petit Fours

So what about the pans? After all, this was the whole point of the exercise. After the event, the attendees were each given a 30cm Tefal Heritage Non-stick Frypan to take home and use for ourselves. So are they any good? In a word, yes. I find the heavy base of the pan distributes heat evenly when I cook without burning the food. I like the red dot telling me when the pan is hot enough to cook, I also need to use very little oil when cooking. I don’t know how it compares to the other ranges that Tefal offer, but I can honestly say that my poor high end Danish frypan (you know the brand) is languishing in the cupboard at the moment.

Enough said.

Jeremy Bowell attended Guilliaume at Bennelong as a guest of Tefal.

After our first day on Hamilton Island and a sleep that could only be described as restorative, we were ready to continue exploring. My partner in crime opted for yoga class at spa qualia while I contented myself making snow angels in the crisp white linen of the king sized bed. Our appetites were ready to fire up again so we headed to the Long Pavilion.

Breakfast is a casual affair with the option of a continental or a la carte dining experience. My surroundings put me in an indulgent mood, so Eggs Benedict was the order of the day although the fresh fruit and yoghurt presented at our table made me feel the tiniest bit healthy, because fruit and yoghurt cancel out the calories in Eggs Benedict, right?

Fresh Fruit & Yoghurt

After a refreshing plunge in the infinity pool by Pebble beach, we headed to the Hamilton Island Marina to catch a ferry to the Hamilton Island Golf Club on adjoining Dent Island. The golf course is designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson and with the impressive clubhouse, lush, sculpted greens and views over the sparkling Coral Sea, the island appeals to golfers and non-golfers alike. My ability to play golf is about as good as my ability to sing opera or perform brain surgery so I didn’t play, but I did enjoy a fantastic meal at the club house, something I’m exceptionally good at.

The Main Pool at qualia

The Ferry to Dent Island

Golf on Dent Island

View over the Club House

We returned to qualia and took our golf buggy for a spin around the island. As sunset drew near, we headed to One Tree Hill, a favourite vantage point for people from all over the island with 180 degree views over the water and neighbouring islands. After a quick cocktail it was time to head back to the resort for the main event.

One Tree Hill

We had been invited to qualia to attend the Vogue Living Champagne Dinner which was set in the beautiful surrounds of Pebble Beach. Qualia has a reputation for gourmet experiences that can’t be replicated anywhere else and our dinner that evening was no exception. The lawn by Pebble Beach was transformed into an elegant tropical outdoor dining space, adorned with pineapples, magnums of champagne and the stunning table features designed by Megan Morton.

Table Settings at the Vogue Living Champagne Dinner

The 6 course menu designed by Executive Chef Alastair Waddell was superb and the matching Champagnes were transcendent but what stood out the most, and is the hardest to describe is the feeling I had when dining under the crystal clear sky, with the water gently lapping at the beach nearby.

Champagne and Matched food by Alistair Waddell

There was a moment during the meal where the noise from the tables around me disappeared, the stars above shone brightly and I felt at once an otherworldly feeling of euphoria and calm. Maybe it was the Champagne, but I think it was something more.

There is something truly magical about qualia, and I felt it that night. It is the feeling you have when you are able to let go of your every day cares and truly live in the moment. It is a rare place that can inspire those feelings and it’s why qualia deserves the accolade, best resort in the world.

Jeremy Bowell stayed at qualia as a guest of Hamilton Island

Great Barrier Feast

Hamilton Island will soon be playing host to some of Australia’s top chefs for Great Barrier Feast to be held from the 12th – 14th July 2013. Join Peter Gilmore from Australia’s top rated restaurant Quay who along with  with award-winning chef Dan Hunter of the Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld, Victoria and qualia’s Executive Chef Alastair Waddell will present an intimate weekend of Australia’s finest food and wine.

More information and bookings

A stellar line up of chefs including Kylie Kwong, Peter Kuruvita, Tom Kime, Sean Connolly & Colin Fassnidge has been assembled to showcase Tasmanian produce in the demonstration kitchen in the Tasmanian Pavilion at the upcoming Taste of Sydney event to be held at Centennial Park from the 14th to 17th March.

Expect to sample Cape Grim beef and Robbins Island Wagyu (both favourites of acclaimed chef Tetsuya Wakuda), Mussels from Spring Bay Seafoods, Lamb and Wallaby from Flinders Island Meat as well as a range of top Tasmanian beer, cider, whiskey and wine.

It’s an excellent introduction to the wonders of Tassie cuisine, but of course the best way to try it is to head there yourself.

Taste of Sydney will be held from the 14th – 17th March 2013 at Centennial Park, Sydney.

For more information and to book tickets, visit http://www.tasteofsydney.com.au/

Spring Bay Mussels

Top notch olive oil is now being produced all over the globe including some stunning examples right here in Australia. Like a fine wine, the flavour of an olive oil is heavily informed by the terroir (The geography, geography & climate of a place) and also by the harvesting process meaning oils can take on a range of characteristics. Some are bright and fruity, some have slightly bitter characteristics and some will have grassy or citrusy notes.

The Eliunt concept is about sourcing some of the best of these olive oils from across the globe and presenting them along with tasting notes and suggestions for use. The oil is packaged in small black borosilicate tubes which help protect against heat & light damage but I also suspect the glass was used because it looks sexy.

A tube of Eliunt oil on display

I accepted an invitation to visit the brand new Eliunt kiosk in Bondi Junction to sample the range of oils with a range of small dishes from across the globe. A white anchovy on a potato chip formed a very simple Spanish style tapas dish and was matched with the Olivar oil from Spain. The spiciness of this oil was a great foil for the anchovy.

Meanwhile a simple beef Carpaccio was a great match for the Italian Anfora oil. Somewhat puzzlingly, the tasting notes suggested the oils would have been better matched the other way around but I found the oils worked well when matched with a dish from the same country of origin. My suggestion when buying these oils is to get a range of styles from across the flavour spectrum and see for yourself what works with the dishes you are cooking.

Chef preparing tapas

A selection of tapas dishes

Beef Carpaccio

Great oils don’t need to be incorporated into food though, and I enjoyed a number of these with bread and a little salt. If you are going to buy oils to dip in, I’d recommend you try the spicier and grassier varieties as oils with bitter notes won’t work as well.

There are currently 10 oils in the range with plans to expand the range further in the New Year and beyond. For now though, their current range is excellent and includes a rather rare oil from Jordan, cleverly named Holy Oil which also happens to be one of my favourites.

Eliunt Gift Pack

The small packaging may put off some, but I like the idea of having a range of oils available to utilise without having large bottles deteriorate. That being said, I would like to see the oils available in larger sizes. The presentation packs though are worth getting your hands on as they feature a stand to present the oils in and a booklet describing each of the oils. They present beautifully and would make a great gift.

Eliunt also offer tastes of their oils daily at their stores in Hornsby & Bondi Junction as well as running tasting events, details of which are on their website. I look forward to seeing what other gems Eliunt will be bringing to our shores. If the first batch is anything to go by, we’re in for a treat.

Jeremy Bowell attended the tasting as a guest of Eliunt.

www.eliunt.com

Yes, luxury is a word that is overused today but it’s hard to find a superlative that more accurately captures the qualia experience and it’s an experience that begins as soon as you step foot off the plane.

The waters surrounding Hamilton Island

Arrival

Our flight was met by qualia representatives who greeted us by name and handed us fresh face cloths and cool bottles of mineral water before collecting our bags from the carousel and delivering them straight to our pavilion.

We entered the resort through the large wood and stone gateway playfully dubbed ‘Jurassic Park’ by qualia staff and arrived at The Long Pavilion, the stunning centrepiece of the resort where we were greeted with glasses of Veuve Cliquot and an almost dizzying water view that stretches from the infinity plunge pool at the edge of the pavilion and over the Coral Sea creating the illusion of a single body of water stretching to the islands beyond.

The Long Pavilion is resplendent with polished wooden floors, low slung furniture and is also home to a discreet restaurant and bar where we would have our breakfast each morning.

View from The Long Pavilion, qualia

The Long Pavilion, qualia

Infinity pool, qualia

The Resort

After a very relaxed check in process, we collected our golf buggy (The best way to get around the island) and drove the short distance to our pavilion. We were staying in a Leeward Pavilion which has views over the bush and of the Coral Sea.

Our pavilion had all of the conveniences you would expect from a resort of this calibre. A separate lounge area with minibar, large flatscreen TV with 120 complementary latest release films on demand and the real kicker for me, a remote controlled sound system with iPod input and ceiling mounted speakers so I could plug in my own music and have it stream throughout the pavilion.

Mercifully for our neighbours, each of pavilions is positioned for complete privacy so the sounds of my rather eclectic music collection wouldn’t disturb them and I could dance like an idiot on the sun deck without being seen. The bathroom was also impeccably laid out, with a separate standalone bathtub and rain shower, twin sinks and Aesop toiletries.

Champagne on arrival, qualia

The living room, Leeward Pavilion

Leeward Pavilion

Bathroom, Leeward Pavilion

Aesop Toiletries

Exploring

Our first afternoon was spent exploring the island by buggy. The marina on Hamilton Island plays host to a number of stores and cafes. Handy, as I managed to leave my board shorts back in Sydney.

Dinner that night was at coca chu, the newly launched South East Asian restaurant headed up by Executive Chef Adam Woodfield (ex Jimmy Liks, Sydney and Betel Restaurant, New York.) The menu presented a modern and seasonal take on South East Asian hawker food with the delicate balance between sweet, savoury, salt and sour that is the hallmark of Thai cuisine. Highlights included delicate morsels of lobster served on betel leaves and a rather menacing looking but sweet fleshed whole cooked fresh fish.

After dinner, it was straight back to the pavilion to prepare for the main event the next day, the Vogue Living Champagne Dinner at qualia, which I’ll cover in the second of my two part series on Hamilton Island.

Coca chu

Lobster Betel Leaves

Jeremy Bowell Travelled to Hamilton Island, dined and stayed at qualia as a guest of Hamilton Island.

Hamilton Island

The competition is called Pilgramers Descend on Hamilton Island – The Ultimate InstaMeet.

The Ultimate InstaMeet will involve a group of Pilgramers, Instagrammers on a Pilgrimage, visiting Hamilton Island from 23-25 November to see, taste and experience everything on and around the Island. The Hamilton Island Pilgramers will capture their experiences and post them on Instagram and other social media outlets such as You Tube, and Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ sharing the InstaMeet in real-time with their networks of friends and followers.

The group of Hamilton Island Pilgramers will be made up of passionate Instagrammers from around the country who will be personally invited by Hamilton Island to take part. Included in this group will be some well-known personalities, Australian Instagrammers, competition winners and the original Pilgramers from America.

Snorkelling near Hamilton Island

Who are the Pilgramers?

The original Pilgramers, university students who first coined the phrase ‘Pilgramers’, spent their summer travelling from city to city across America exploring and invoking community through Instagram and creating documentary webisodes along the way. Their social media campaign caught the attention of Instagram HQ, including its CEO and co-founder Kevin Systrom, so much so that they asked them to visit its headquarters in San Francisco to be interviewed and featured on the Instagram blog for the first ever Instagram #OnTheCouch video series. 

In the Pilgramers latest webisode, they’ve included a special call out to Australians to let them know that they’ll be heading to paradise, Hamilton Island.

How to enter:

To become a Hamilton Island Pilgramer and win one of four weekends away for the Ultimate InstaMeet from 23-25 November, simply:

1. Follow @hamiltonisland on Instagram
2. Post a photo on Instagram of your idea of paradise with the hashtag #hamiltonisland_Pilgramers_contest
3. Like Hamilton Island on Facebook to get regular updates of the competition.

Entries close Wednesday 31 October, and more details can be found on the Hamilton Island Facebook page, www.facebook.com/hamiltonisland.

The distributor in the case is Global Grapevine, a new venture from the dapper and dynamic father and son duo of Robert and Heath Felton. It’s not just Champagne they’re bringing to our shores but their portfolio also extends to the wines from the French regions of Provence, Bordeaux and Burgundy with plans to expand to other international regions such as Sicily and California.

Heath Felton

Not ones to do anything by halves, Robert and Heath decided to showcase their French portfolio of wines with a roving lunch. We began at China Doll on Woolloomooloo Bay Wharf with one of the exceptional bottles of fizz in their range, Champagne Jacques Rousseaux. From the Grand Cru villages of Verzenay and Yerzy just 17 kilometres southeast of Reims, It’s a refreshing drop with mid-level acidity and matches perfectly with the oysters we’re served. What’s more, it’s a snap at $49 a bottle and in my opinion in vastly superior to other more well-known Champagnes available at around that price point.

Champagne

China Doll

China Doll

One of the other star wines served at China Doll was the 2010 Chateau La Mascaronne Quat ‘Saisons Rosé’ ($34). It’ a pale almost luminescent dry and textural rosé and is a spot on match with a Vietnamese chicken salad. I also had a bottle with wood fired pizza the following week and it was superb with that too.

Rose

Chateau La Mascaronne also produce some cracking reds, some of which we sampled at our next destination, The Apollo in Potts Point. We arrived at the newly hatted Greek Restaurant and were greeted with shared platters of lamb, salads and bread. OK, I may be underselling the food with my descriptions here, but I can tell you, the food at The Apollo is sensational, and well deserving of its newly hatted status.

The Apollo

The reds that were served included the 2005 and 2000 vintages of the Chateau La Mascaronne Côtes de Provence Rouge; predominately Syrah based wines with some Cabernet Sauvignon and a touch of Grenache. While these wines have a bit of age, they exhibited great structure and were still laden with complex red fruit characters and a hint of leather.

Lamb at The Apollo

Our last stop on the roving lunch was La Croix in Potts Point, a gorgeous little French café where we dined on Brie and chocolate mousse. And what would be a more fitting end to the lunch than some more Champagne, in this instance the Aspasie Brut Cart Blanch, a full bodied Champagne with plenty of floral notes on the palate ($55).

La Croix

Mousse at La Croix

The roving lunch not only showcased some fantastic wines, but also the versatility of these French gems. And with wines of this quality at these price points, I’m not going to have to skimp on trying them either.

Wines imported from Global Grapevine can be purchased online at www.globalgrapevine.com.au and from selected independent retailers.

Jeremy Bowell attended as a guest of Global Grapevine

Petuna Ocean Trout

Petuna Ocean Trout comes from the remote south-west coast of Tasmania, where the cool wilderness waters of the Franklin-Gordon Rivers collide with the salt water of the great Southern Ocean, a unique environment that is hard to replicate and one that contributes to the texture and marbling of the fish.

This recipe makes a great breakfast treat and showcases one of the diverse uses of Petuna Ocean Trout

Smoked trout, scrambled eggs and tarragon with Petuna Ocean Trout caviar

Smoked Trout with Eggs

• 4 free range or organic eggs
• ⅔ cup cream
• 20 g butter
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices Petuna smoked ocean trout
• 2 teaspoons of Petuna Ocean Trout Caviar
• 1 teaspoon tarragon, torn
• lemon juice
• chargrilled sourdough

Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 10 mins | Serves: 2

Whisk the eggs and cream in a mixing bowl and season well with salt & pepper.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until hot.

Pour in the egg mixture and cook, pushing the cooked egg with a wooden spoon towards the centre of the pan, until all the egg mixture is just starting to firm up.

Place scrambled egg on the grilled toast, add a teaspoon of caviar to each and, serve with a smoked ocean trout, tarragon and season to taste.

http://www.petuna.com.au/