Alex Cassegrain - Wine Time

with ALEX CASSEGRAIN

SENIOR WINEMAKER CASSEGRAIN WINES

When it comes to wine, the romantic aspect is the sound of a cork being pulled out of a bottle, and this has been the primary form of closure for wine for centuries. These days finding wines still under cork, whilst still common, is becoming far less popular for not only the winery/ producer but also the consumer, as it is now the screw cap that is the preferred closure. This is primarily due to the wines produced these days being consumed much faster than what used to be the “norm” and both restaurants and consumers prefer the ease of a screw cap. Both types of closures have positive and negative attributes, however, arguably the best thing about the cork can very easily be the worst. Whilst many wines are designed to be aged, having a cork closure can be very beneficial, resulting in a fantastic product allowing the wine to “breathe”. The biggest drawback of this closure is that it can leak if not properly stored but also it can cause a taint known as “cork taint”. Even if it’s just a few per cent of wines affected, it can result in a loss of aromatics all the way to a wine that is heavily tainted and sometimes not drinkable. When you factor in potential costs as a result (replacement or loss/ damage to reputation)

These days the decision can be easy finding wines for some producers to still under cork, make the move to screw whilst still common, cap. is becoming far less Compare this to a popular for not only screw cap closure the winery/producer whilst this taint is all but also the but non-existent and consumer... the consistency of the product over its life is very reliable, this closure is sealing the external part of the wine. The slightest of hits to the lid can cause it to lose its seal and result in an oxidised wine. Personally, I do enjoy a wine under cork, and I am not phased about getting a bad wine as it can happen, but when you get an aged wine under cork that is in its form, there isn’t much that can top that.

GM Brendan Johnson and Head Chef Matt Tonks

Huge Congratulations on

Cheers, it’s a great feeling! I’m so glad for our hard working chefs. They do an amazing job.

We are really proud of our parmis and schnittys here at Setts. It’s a staple for any good Pub bistro menu so you need to do it well and our chefs really take pride in making sure that we have a really consistent offering.

We don’t cut corners! Many pubs will actually buy in their chicken schnitzel already crumbed which is a frozen product (I'm cringing thinking about it!) but we do all the crumbing in house. We spend about 8 hours

It’s a staple for a week crumbing our any good Pub schnittys but we think its bistro menu so you important! Now everyone need to do it well has an opinion on how to do the perfect schnitty and our chefs really – we don’t mind keeping take pride in making our chicken slightly sure that we have a thicker and we have really consistent found having a mix of offering. panko crumb and bread crumb works a treat. We also add a touch of herb in there. And of course you have to have a great topping to go with it. We think of course we do a great parmi but have also created great homemade pepper or mushroom sauces that go great over a schnitty!

Haha, we haven’t seen him for a while but every now and again we bring out a monster schnitty meal. It’s over 1kg in size (3 times the normal size) and not many people can finish it. I hear actually he might make an appearance again next year perhaps.

Any time is the right time for a parmi right? But Thursday Schnitty night is probably your best bet. It's very popular and you definitely need to book a table - you can do that on our website. In the winter it’s footy training night so we usually get a heap of hungry footballers and every week we do nearly a thousand schnittys or parmis.

For bookings or more information -

Tuesdays from 5pm

Coming Soon!

Wednesdays from 6.30pm

Fridays from 6.30pm to 9.30pm

Sundays from 11.30am

$4 SCHOONERS & HOUSE WINE Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday 5pm to 6pm

Thursdays from 5pm

Restaurant opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday – 11.30am to 2pm & 5pm to 8pm Sunday – 11.30am to 2.30pm

Port Macquarie Golf Club 700 Ocean Drive Port Macquarie NSW 2444 reception@portmacquariegolf.com.au | (02) 6582 0409

Summer means stone fruit season and let me tell you this year’s crop is looking delicious. The supply of peaches and nectarines has begun so now is the time to get stuck into the fruit on offer this year. Peaches are highly versatile, maybe use them in a dessert, or grill them with your savoury dish, whatever takes your fancy. Christmas is approaching fast so make sure you get in quick and order Ken’s famous Christmas trays before books close. Again, we would like to thank all our regular customers and our amazing staff. We wouldn’t have the success without our local community. Ken

A strange collaboration evolving into this year’s most highly anticipated feast. Founder of the Australian Gin Collective Joey Dable reached out to Legendary Local Pitmaster Adam Roberts and Cocktail King Andy Crowther to make plans for Port Macquarie’s second gin dinner.

A fusion feast between American low ‘n slow barbecue and Australia’s most highly awarded gin; Four Pillars. Huge tables filled with smokey, decadent offerings such as whole briskets, reverse seared steaks, pork shoulder and sausage links, accompanied by perfectly paired cocktails and a gin soaked desert. Hosted over two evenings at Black Duck Brewery, there are few tickets left for Friday 25th and Saturday 26th of November.

THE AUSTRALIAN GIN COLLECTIVE

Tell us how Friends.Meat. Gin came to be? The domestic gin scene is still relatively unknown to most and growing rapidly. Our goal was to spread the word on Gin is not all fruits and florals, although they are delicious. Flavour profiles can be complex and range with deeper, aged and earthy as well; a perfect pairing with barbecue.

this time around? We reached out to industry this beautiful and complex drink. Last year, we had the privilege of publishing a book all about Australian Gin Distilleries, where we got to meet and greet some amazing providers from around the country and taste what they had on offer. I really wanted to expand on that concept. We held our first gin crossover dinner with the wonderful team at Drury Lane a few months ago and showcased gin from The Farmers Wife Distillery, fitting in perfectly with Drury Lane’s fresh locally sourced produce. The concept was a hit and we sold out of tickets in under 2 weeks. I thought it would be time experiment pairing gin in a way that hasn’t been done before - with American low ‘n slow barbecue. What better person to approach for such an idea than our very own local Pitmaster, author and competitive barbecue champion, Adam Roberts. giant Stuart Gregor, Co-Founder of Four Pillars and the President of the Australian Distillers Association. He was thrilled to come on board. Hailing from the Yarra Valley of Melbourne, and Australia’s most awarded craft gin, they often endeavour collaborations to continue to throw an exciting twist on their offerings. I won’t reveal too much about the cocktails on the night, but expect to see an interesting range of these limited gins. Spice Trade - Aromas of finger lime, chilli, cardamom and turmeric. The spices of green szechuan, long pepper and red chilli blended with lemon and anise myrtle add to the intensity and depth of the gin. Bloody Shiraz Gin - Shiraz fruit, steeped in high-proof gin for eight weeks before pressing, resulting in a deep, rich, reddish purple. Aromas of fresh pine needles, citrus and spice, and distinct peppery, dense raspberry notes. I’m really excited to be cooking up for this Gin and Barbecue event in November. I’ve travelled far and wide in my barbecue journey to date and I’ll be bringing my ‘A Game’ to ensure no one leaves hungry or disappointed in the food.

I’ll be bringing my Hogpit smoker trailer for some serious low ‘n slow smoking and grilling and to rotate meat to perfection, pairing the flavours beautifully with the amazing cocktails on offer.

Some of my favourite cuts will be on the share platters including whole beef brisket, pork shoulder, my signature Jalapeno and Cheese links, spiced chicken, turkey slices, reverse seared steak and a bunch of sides to match.

This will be my last cookup of the year before I head to the America’s for a month-long ‘food study tour’, finding inspiration for my next barbecue book due out next year. If you miss this one,

It’ll be a while before the next one - so snooze and lose and all that!

ROMEO LUXURY CARAVAN BAR

Gin and BBQ seems like a fun

get involved? I have done a couple of Adams BBQ classes so as soon I heard he was also involved, all the boxes were fit me at 6 foot 4! Despite the vintage appearance, Romeo was built from the chassis up, with extra height added of course. ticked. Our focus for Romeo is predominantly weddings and private events but when Joey asked me to come on board to make cocktails from Four Pillars that showcased their Gin, I couldn’t say no. I love the idea of experimenting with this pairing.

Romeo? Anyone in my circle will tell you I’ve always wanted to do something like this. Romeo is the name for the van which eventually turned into the personality of the entire brand. Romeo & Juliet is one of, if not, the most wellknown love story – so the name was very fitting for the Wedding Industry. Romeo himself is impulsive, playful, and intelligent just like the entire offering. I think I had my own bromance with Romeo even before he arrived.

across it? The idea of modifying an actual vintage van was on the cards but fell through early on. I realised that internally they wouldn’t I worked closely with a team of builders in Melbourne for 8 months.

focused on? The brief was simple. I wanted something elegant, practical, and adaptable. He has an array of characteristics including almost 4 metres of service windows, a hot water system, stainless steel ice wells, fresh and grey water tanks. The stand out being the 3 tap ice bank keg system. All I need is power and you’ve got a fully operational bar that can serve draught beer. I could be in the middle of a field with a generator and pour you a cold schooner out of an ambient keg. How does your offering work? Essentially, you provide the booze and we do the rest. We work with you every step of the way assisting you with beverage quantities, selections and times and from there we work with the client to build a package that meets their vision. We have more than just the van now. I have other portable bars that are just as capable if the Van isn’t logistically possible. The Wedding venues we work with often have bars already built in and we’re more than happy to work with that. Give us the space and we will make it happen.

and Romeo? Definitely. Romeo is only half of the love story. I am working on a Juliet. Let’s leave it there.

Friday 25th and Saturday 26th of November. Tickets $170pp / Tables of 10+ Black Duck Brewery 6 Acacia Avenue, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 friendsmeatgin.eventbrite.com

Principal and Director of Delicate Minds Support by Choice Pty Limited, Cindy Newman and her team of therapists focus on providing early intervention therapy and support to families raising neurodivergent children. The therapists at Delicate Minds, are skilled and qualified to match their expertise. They trust in the process of delivery a unique, compassionate, friendly approach to working holistically with families facing challenges navigating daily life raising neurodivergent children.

CINDY NEWMAN – Degree Qualified Clinical Child and Adolescent Counsellor studying her Masters in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. She is a registered Clinical Member of PACFA, Certified Autplay Provider and qualified facilitator for Tuning In To Kids and Cool Kids / Cool Teen Anxiety Program. SCOTT NEWMAN – Support Worker. The person all our clients love. He is particularly skilled in supporting our clients to implement the therapy learnings in our community through creative and joyful experiences. SHARNI GEARY – Special Education Teacher working in Behaviour Therapy. Sharni loves working with families in the home, clinic or school to support them in identifying and implementing behavioural strategies. Sharni facilitates Social Thinking/Social Skills group therapy for preschool and primary aged children. JOSS HEWITT - Play Therapist earning her qualifications through the Queensland Institute of Play Therapy. She is also an Occupation Therapy AHA and studying towards her Diploma of Counselling. She is our queen of play and provides amazing, competent knowledge in her play skills. TEGAN PICTON - Administration /Office Manger welcoming you into our space with her friendly and positive energy. She is passionate in her role, sharing her love for children and always choosing to warmly interact with our families. Her goal is to let our children’s personalities shine.

Welcome to Hastings Data Loggers. We are the main Australian and New Zealand distributor for Tinytag Data Loggers, Probes and Accessories and offer a comprehensive sales and support service with indepth stock for same day dispatch.

Our sales and technical staff can assist with any question. Since its inception in 1993, Hastings Data Loggers has built a first class reputation as Australia’s Portable Data Logging Specialists. We are committed to quality, service and customer satisfaction and enjoy a hard earned reputation for providing excellent pre and after sales service. This focus enables our staff to offer in-depth product and technical knowledge to assist you in choosing the most suitable logger for any given application. We offer a level of service to the point that when placing an order with us before 2 pm you will receive the delivery to your doorstep the next day in 99% of cases. Hastings Data Loggers also stock an exclusive range of Australian made probes that are compatible with the Tinytag range of data loggers. For the non-technical, data logging is a generic term that describes the process by which an electronic device records information such as Temperature or Relative Humidity. So the words Data Logging mean much the same as recording. An electronic data logger is a small selfcontained miniature computer that once setup via a computer will operate independently of the computer using its internal battery. Data loggers are housed in a diverse range of cases that can allow them to operate in a wide range of conditions some of which can be quite extreme. To find out

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MANAGING EDITOR

How long have you worked at FOCUS? Too long! Seriously though 17 years.

on and why? Any edition that helps promote a major event in town like Fotsun, Artwalk, Slice of Haven, Port Cup, Boots and Beach to name a few. I do take a lot of pride in helping to promote events in our local area that attract people to discover our region.

on or just love? We have had some amazing covers over the last 200 issues. The ones that stood out for me were the Tastings on Hastings covers. We always went

CIRCULATION

COORDINATOR

How long have you worked at FOCUS? 2 years.

work on and why? November 2021. I was sent on my first photography assignment to Sticky Tips Bee Hive. I got covered head to toe in a sting proof suit and walked among thousands of bees and, November 2022. My beautiful wife Kate has been writing for Focus since the very first edition and done so many amazing things for the community during this time.

on or just love? Definitely Men in Business - August 2015. above and beyond with those to create something iconic.

FOCUS? Every month we interview amazing people, doing amazing things, and 200 issues later, we just keep finding people that live in our community doing amazing things. It always blows my mind, even now, that we keep finding people that have something interesting and exciting to share. We live in a beautiful town, no doubt, but it’s the people that make it so special.

EDITION CO-ORDINATOR SALES MANAGER

How long have you worked at FOCUS? 11 years and 6 months

work on and why? Christmas edition is always fun, lots going on, lots happening and people are so happy and excited.

on or just love? The yellow cover that we did for our 2nd edition in our “new format” is gorgeous and is definitely a fave. From our “old format”, the two Men In Business covers we did, they were both pretty cool.

where can we find you? When I’m not at FOCUS I’m at Physie.

where can we find you? Walking the dogs at Nobby’s Beach or on the sideline of a basketball court watching my son shoot hoops.

FOCUS? Everyone here has a unique relationship with each other. We’re like a family. We’re not afraid to disagree or to admit we’re wrong. It’s a really enjoyable workplace to be part of.

PHOTOGRAPHER

How long have you worked at FOCUS? I have been working with Focus for about 5 years now. I started working as the photographer on the Coffs mag then have been shooting down in Port for about 2-3 years.

on or just love? That’s a hard one. There isn’t any specific cover but my favourites are usually the ones that have a creative idea and a bit of a challenge behind it. Like throwing water at Nathan Tomkins, or coloured powder at Raye Alford or spending hours with Dylan Gaul trying to write the perfect ‘2’ with a sparkler. I proudly run the Wauchope Physical Culture Club (dancing) with my sister and another lady.

FOCUS? The people I work with. Honestly I am so blessed to have an amazing crew of people around me each day that make this job super fun. I would also like to say a huge thank you to my clients. Some have been with me from day 1 at FOCUS and I am lucky to have such amazing businesses to work with each day :)

where can we find you? Usually working on my own photography business and travelling. But when I’m home, I’m usually sitting on the mower.

FOCUS? I love the fact that I get to spend a little bit of time each day photographing and spending time with some incredible people from all walks of life.

SALES EXECUTIVE EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR

How long have you worked at FOCUS? 6 years

work on and why? I would have to say our March and August issues each year profiling our local and talented men and women doing extraordinary things in their businesses and industries are always exciting editions.

on or just love? This month’s November cover to celebrate our 200th edition is pretty special. I have worked with our cover star Kate Wood-Foye as a client and contributor of Focus for years.

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR

How long have you

I started on the Coffs magazine a little over a year ago, and then I joined the Port team at the beginning of 2022.

on or just love? The Feb ‘22 mag, there was a big wedding feature and local makeup artist Karina was our cover girl. It was just an amazing creative photo and it was great to see a fellow makeup artist taking centre stage!

where can we find you? I am Probably at the beach or juggling life with my busy 2 year old - never a dull moment!

FOCUS? Our team is a closeknit family who each bring amazing talents to the table. It is a pleasure to work alongside each of the FOCUS legends. Equally, I’m privileged to bring to life campaigns for my wonderful clients, many of whom I have worked with since day one. They make my job an absolute pleasure!

SENIOR DESIGNER

How long have you worked at FOCUS? I’ve been with Focus before the first issue, I met Jay about 20 years ago as a Junior designer.

on and why? I always love the Women in Business and Men in Business editions. They’re always bumper editions, the theming and the photography.

on or just loved? The Tastings on Hastings cover shoots were always fun, and a lot of work went into them. I really love working with our talented photographer Gav, and he’s got to be one of the best in the biz.

where can we find you? I’ll be working on other projects, landscaping our new build, or taking it easy with my wife and two girls.

FOCUS? The fast pace. It’s monthly, so every time it rolls around, it’s go time, working with Kyle on so many pages, two mags averaging around 128 pages each, 248 pages in 10 days, it’s pretty cool.

a cosmetic tattoo artist, makeup artist and hairdresser and I have my own business, so when I’m not working on Focus I’m kept very busy there! I’m also a mum to two gorgeous girls, and wifey to Gavin (Focus’ photographer!), so they keep me on my toes too!

FOCUS? I love continuously discovering how much local talent with interesting stories we have here on the Mid North Coast!

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

How long have you worked at FOCUS? In 2011 I joined the Focus team as part of my school-based work experience. From there I was offered a permanent and full-time role as a junior graphic designer so I left school to pursue this career and passion.

on and why? I always enjoy working on the Men and Women in Business editions as I get to learn about the faces behind our incredible local businesses.

where can we find you? I enjoy enjoy spending time outdoors with my wife, daughter and our puppy. We love exploring the nature within our local area. I can also be found at World Gym working on my calves.

FOCUS? The people that I work for and with are amazing. FOCUS really is a little family and I feel lucky to have been a part of that for 12 years. I’m also passionate about our product and I love how well FOCUS profiles local people and businesses.