INFUSED M A G A Z I N E A Gorgeous Excuse to catch up with the girls
Ageing Gracefully Tips on trying aged wine (and when not to)
Spring Clean, getting your house tidy
Summer time!
great ideas for enjoying the upcoming long summer evenings
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Gather your best girlfriends together for a day of fun and decadence Enjoy a glass of bubbles while wandering through our finest curated market stalls Choose from a tapas-style brunch, lunch and afternoon tea with delightful accompanying wines Take time for some self-care in our wellness workshops Become inspired in our beauty and fashion workshops Educate yourself on the fun stuff with our master classes in wine appreciation, cheese tasting, and more!
What a gorgeous excuse to catch up with your girlfriends!
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FOO D & BEV ERAG E
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H EA LT H & W E L L B E I N G
ENT ERTA IN MENT
OCTOBER/2019 6/HEALTH AND WELLBEING
8/ FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Summer is almost here! Enjoy the beautiful enchanted evenings.
To age or not to age, that is the question.
10/ FOOD AND BEVERAGE Forget about taking time to smell the roses – we’re all about the cheeses.
12/ FASHION Bike shorts and blazers, sneakers and dresses - Athleisure is here to stay.
16/HOME AND LIFESTYLE Spring cleaning - classic tips for keeping your home tidy.
18/ ENTERTAINMENT Family game night. Careful, it can get very competitive!
Dear Reader, Welcome to the October issue of Infused. This month we celebrate the warmer season and longer summer evenings. We give you tips on making the most of daylight savings, enjoying time with your family, some expert spring-cleaning hacks and some great food and wine tips. Wine expert Kate Day is back to tell us about which wines we need to drink when they are aged and which we need to enjoy while they’re young. She also gives us some great tips on specific wines. In a complementary piece, expert Keiran Spencer gives us the best advice on pairing cheese with wine, or just enjoying it by itself. Why not enjoy daylight savings and take a chilled bottle and some delicious cheese to the park or beach with someone special one night this week? In fashion we look at the enduring trend of Athleisure. Yes, I hate the word as much as the next gal, but there’s no denying the cuteness of mixing a blazer and leggings or sneakers with a dress. Check out our article for some ideas to keep up with the trend.
We are sad to be finishing off our High Tea Party events, but we will be sure to go out with a bang! This is your last chance to be part of our final events in Sydney and Melbourne. If you use the code EDITOR when you purchase tickets, you can get LUXE tickets for just $75! But hurry – it’s selling fast, and Sydney only has tickets available to the Friday session!
We’d love to see you at one of our Gorgeous Excuse events. So, gather some mates, lock in a date and book a special day or night out! Enjoy $20 off tickets to A Gorgeous Excuse events by the High Tea Party with code INFUSED
Want to say hello, have a question or feedback? Drop us an email at admin@thepeppermintgroup.com.au
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
s g n i n e v E d e t n Summer Encha Here are our best ideas for ways to enjoy your extra daylight savings hours.
I’m very excited about the longer days and the onset of Daylight Saving in NSW, which has just started. Often after dinner in the warmer months we walk to the local park where the kids play or kick around a ball, and we get to know all the other people who live in our neighbourhood. So with the warmer, brighter evenings in mind, here are some things you can look forward to doing in the evenings after work and dinner. In winter you have to save these for the weekend, but in summer there’s no barrier.
1. Exercise – don’t just go to the airconditioned gym like you did in winter, go for a run around the neighbourhood. The heat of the day has abated, it’s time to enjoy the fresh air. 2. Walk more instead of taking the car. Going out for a meal? If the weather is nice you could take a stroll to the restaurant or friend’s house or cinema. Take time to chat and smell the flowers on the way to your destination. 3. Watering is best done at sunset in the warmer months, to prevent the sun from evaporating the moisture. And it can be rewarding to do your pruning, planting, turning on a daily basis and see how beautiful your garden can become. 4. Use the yard/balcony/courtyard. In Sydney, after a hot day, there’s nothing as soothing as catching the southerly as it hits to cool down the city while on your balcony. Sometimes it’s nice to even watch a summer storm as it approaches.
5. DIY – got a project that you’re saving for the weekend? What’s to stop you in summer? You could work on it in the backyard or on the veranda in the evenings. It can be a nice way to wind down and express yourself creatively, whether you’re painting a piece of furniture or doing some woodwork. 6. See the neighbours. We always see (and hear) much more of our neighbours in summer, when everyone’s windows are open and people are more likely to be out and about. Why not invite them over for a cuppa or a drink? You’ve got nothing to lose. And everything to gain. 7. Have a picnic dinner – this is a nice thing to do. Either take sandwiches or you could buy fish and chips and take them to the local park (or beach, if you’re lucky enough to live near one) with a blanket. Enjoy an alfresco dinner in a beautiful setting and enjoy the lack of cleaning up at the end.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Ageing Gracefully Winemaker Kate Day gives us some tips on trying aged wine (and when not to)
As we all know, you never ask a woman her age. But when it comes to wine it’s the opposite. There are definitely some wines that get better with maturity. And there are some wines that come under the “forever young” banner. Sauvignon Blanc is a great example of a variety that needs to be drunk ASAP. I would only be looking at current vintage (i.e. the previous year, 2018) or at a stretch if I was really thirsty the 2017 vintage. The aromatics and structure of a Sauvignon Blanc don’t lend themselves to ageing as well as other varieties. It’s the young, taut
actress of the wine industry that should never age. So if you are partial to a bit of Savvy Blanc, always make sure you are drinking them young and fresh! Hunter Valley Semillon is quite a different kettle of fish. When young it’s acidic, punchy, and like drinking a margarita, only without the margarita, or salt, just the lemon wedge. But age this baby for a few years in the bottle (no less than three) and you will be rewarded for your patience. This wine ages gracefully like the gorgeous Helen Mirren. Imparting delicious secondary buttery, toasty characters
in harmony with the mellowed out citrus it had in spades to begin with. Try a McWilliams’s Elizabeth Bottle aged Semillon. Or, if you really want to splurge get yourself a bottle of the Tyrrell’s Lovedale Semillon. A true Aussie Icon. Red wines are a little different. They contain a higher amount of tannin, which is derived from the skins, seeds and stems when extracted during the fermentation process. Tannin is perceived as a bitter, drying, astringent taste in the mouth … think of the halfdrunk cup of tea sitting on the bench that you’ve forgotten whilst packing the kids lunches. That’s tannin. As red wines age, the tannins soften, making the wine smoother and, in some cases, more approachable. Some red varieties have more natural tannin than others, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo and Malbec. You will be rewarded by ageing these wines to soften them up. If you have no patience (like me) and just want a soft, approachable wine here and now with your Wednesday night pizza, look for less tannic varieties such as Pinot Noir, Grenache and Shiraz. These are more fruit-driven, lively whilst young, and don’t need the gift of time to soften in the bottle. I do live by the old adage that wine sometimes improves with age but I definitely improve with wine! Cheers, Kate x
Kate Day, trained winemaker, viticulturist and wine industry consultant, has 17 years of industry knowledge. Her span of work and experience extends from France, Australia, America and New Zealand, with her consulting business seeing her represent clients globally.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ADVERTORIAL
Blessed are the cheese makers Forget about taking time to smell the roses – we’re all about the cheeses. Keiran Spencer gives us the best tips on smelling, buying and eating cheese, and tells us about his latest venture, Coolamon Cheeses. Someone who looks after the ageing of cheese is called an “affineur”. These are essential people who have to know when the cheese is at its optimum and ready to eat, sometimes within weeks and sometimes after many years of ripening. Affineurs consider the age, aroma, firmness, colour, texture and flavour of cheese. And when they describe cheese it sounds very similar to how a sommelier describes wine!
to other delis, restaurants and so on. We love our visitors who stay to dine in our café too. We have white cheeses, yellow, red and orange cheeses. Then – to delight the senses – there are big wheels of cheese and little wheels of cheese, but a good slab or wedge of cheese is always a winner. With wide flavour ranges, you will find cheese described in terms of their acidity, saltiness, textures or fruity tones.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that, as a former winemaker, I was excited by the opportunity to run an artisan cheese business. My winemaker background has helped tremendously. So now I run Coolamon Cheese where we make our cheeses by hand and sell it in our deli, as well as wholesale
The first thing to know is that there is a world of difference between cheese made in huge volumes, spinning from a factory production line – to the smaller, purer quantities, handmade by a caring cheese maker. Our cheese maker has been known to sing the cheese to sleep
so it matures well, in quiet and still rooms until it reaches peak perfection. I love watching people try our cheese. For example, I love bringing our fine cheeses to people who have only had production line cheeses – I don’t need to tell them there’s a difference once they’ve sampled them at Coolamon Cheese. I have also tempted people who would normally turn away from blue cheeses – and convinced them to just try Coolamon Cheese’s Belle Isle Blue, or The Rock, or a Uberta Soft Blue … I consistently find
them totally surprised that the flavours are so different from their previous experience of blue cheeses. While we continue to produce our very popular camembert-style cheese (the Coolamon) and our brie-style (De Brie), as well as feta and quarg – this year we’ve also produced lactosefree cheeses from cow’s milk, under our Uberta range. Most lactose-free cheeses sold today are not dairy based, so I’m very proud of our milky achievement.
The village of Coolamon is nestled among the surrounding farms of the Riverina and – being a farm boy myself – I love to go out to the local farm to bring back the milk and maybe pat a new-born calf or two while I can. We are delighted to use the milk from this one single source because that gives us more control on the quality profile of the milk. There’s an old Monty Python joke, “Blessed are the Cheese Makers” – well I certainly feel blessed to be an experienced winemaker who is now bringing that expertise to cheese. I’m now off to pair a wedge or two with a glass or two!
FASHION
Bike shorts & Blazers? Yes, it’s an ugly word, but Athleisure, the fashion trend of dressing up your sports gear, isn’t going anywhere this summer. Here’s our guide to looking sharp in your sneakers.
Sneakers with dresses, the
addition of a pair of sneakers will have you giving off that enviable coolgirl vibe in one easy step.
Bike shorts with blazers, a most
L-R: Anina Heé, Emily Ratajkowski Images source: net-a-porter.com
unlikely match, taking hi/lo dressing to another level and pairing power blazers with cycling shorts. Want to try? Think balance – the blazer should be oversized to offset the traditionally sporty, tight shorts, the boxier the cut, the better.
Leggings & heels, clear
mules and leggings, anyone? Heels can partner perfectly with leggings for a stylish look.
Crop Tops, if you’ve got the
abs not only are they fun to wear, they can be super flattering-especially styled with flared bottoms.
Image Source: aubrewinters
Styled Hoodies, Try layering it over a slip dress or under a suit or leather jacket. Throw on a pair of heels to dress it up even more.
Image Source: Backgrid
Image Source: whowhatwear.com.au
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I’m a modern Australian... with a Mediterranean heritage.
Sofi Spritz is an all-Australian wine cocktail inspired by the Italian-style of aperitivo, balanced with sparkling water, citrus & herbal extracts.
HOME AND LIFESTYLE
SPRING CLEANING Tidy Up Tips
T
his is the time of year that we traditionally go through our homes and vacuum in places we haven’t vacuumed since last year, clean windows we can’t reach and organise a council clean-up for the stuff we don’t need anymore. So we thought it was a good time to remind everyone of some classic tips for keeping the home tidy.
1. ALL IN ONE GO. I don’t agree with everything Marie Kondo says, but her idea of spending one whole day doing a proper tidy/throw-out is an idea that appeals to me. I like the thought of really dedicating a proper day to tidying, just like how you’d dedicate a day to painting, and after it’s over you can sit back and enjoy your home. 2. CLEAN-UP BOX. Now that your home is clean, have a clean-up basket or box in the corner of the living room. This is essential if you have small children. You can easily put toys/craft/stationery in the clean-up box and make the kids put it all away when they get home from school. That way you have a tidy home but you’re not always the one putting things away.
your calendar. Is it an excursion note? Fill it out, tell your child to put the slip in their bag and put the date in your calendar. Then either photograph or dispose of the note. A bill? Pay it (or schedule your bank to pay it on the due date) and discard it. 5. TOO MUCH STUFF. Remember it’s a lot easier to keep a tidy house if you don’t have a lot of crap. With that in mind, maybe it is time to go a little Kondo on the place and send out the things that don’t bring you joy. Also be mindful of joy-sparking next time you’re at the shops.
3. DON’T LEAVE THE ROOM WITHOUT. Some families have a “don’t leave the room without” policy – everyone takes something with them when they exit the living room, especially when it’s bedtime. This establishes a strong habitual cleaning mentality. 4. TOUCH EACH PIECE OF PAPER ONCE. That means, if you get a school newsletter or note, don’t just put it on top of the microwave. As soon as you touch it decide what to do. Is it a birthday invitation? RSVP then and there and put the date in
“Tidying Up With Marie Kondo” Image source: Denise Crew/Netflix
ENTERTAINMENT
family game night
Ideas for a family board game night It’s true: eventually your kids get to a magical age where you can enjoy family outings, play board games together with pleasure, take them out to dinner without anxiety. I was talking to a friend about board games and their family is very serious about them. They regularly play, not just in school holidays. There’s a lot to be said for doing this. It brings your family together for quality time, it teaches about failure and success and collaboration. So what games do we recommend? Here are a few ideas.
Guess Who? – This is a good one for younger children, and it teaches them logic and the process of elimination. My six-year-old loves it. Uno – This classic card game comes in a novelty enormous size and my nephews and kids are having a lot of fun with it. Scattergories – This is a very simply game of trying to come up with names of items in a list that start with a pre-determined letter. You don’t even need the actual game to come up with a homemade version of this. It can be very funny. Pictionary – This game always guarantees lots of laughs, especially when people creatively draw what’s on their list. Blokus – A friend has recommended this logic game and I’m looking forward to trying it out. Each person has to form squares with their blocks on a central board and block everyone else from putting their squares down. Cards – Spoons, Spit, Snap, Gin Rummy – there are so many games to teach kids with a standard deck. And it’s very easily transportable! Exploding kittens – this deceptively simple card game is funny and can get competitive.
Join us in 2020! for a gorgeous excuse to catch up with the girls
Book in your quality time now! Catch up over great wine and gorgeous food! Very limited spaces available in 2020 with our smaller more exclusive events For dates & locations visit www.agorgeousexcuse.com.au