Maggie Beer's Farmshop

This year seems to be passing me by way too quickly.  I am so confused about what's next for me.  I've had so many commitments of late that I have had very little free time to enjoy life and thus little to blog about.  Food and cooking however have been a huge passion.  I am loving my kitchen and am spending hours experimenting with recipes, digging up old magazine cut outs and tweaking some of my favourites.

I also took a little break and headed to South Australia.  A change of pace and plenty of fresh produce and wineries to explore.

Maggie Beer has done wonderful things for the food industry in Australia - from restaurants to cook books and her own authentic produce.  Her farmshop in Barossa Valley was a little difficult to find, but so very charming.  It was the perfect pit stop on a bitterly cold and wet late autumn Sunday afternoon.  The open fire in the corner hit the spot (as did the cheese picnic basket and glass of red wine).

I came home with some delicious quince paste, a bottle of verjuice for cooking as well as some of Maggie's olive oil and dukkah.  The dukkah is incredible.  The different nuts and seeds create the most intense flavour and surprise to the taste buds.  Can't wait to use it as a coating for lamb.

Cheese picnic basket {$15}