Your Local Eats & Drinks

from Your Local: March 2022

Take a hike with Andrea Taylor

YOUR LOCAL EATS & DRINKS YOUR LOCAL Eats & Drinks

TOP TIPS FOR BETTER BARBECUING GRILLED HALOUMI WITH A LIME & CAPER DRESSING (serves 4)

By Gail Rast

EVERYONE loves a good barbecue - less fuss and more fun and flavour! Barbecuing has come a long way since the days of overcooked steaks, but many people are still intimidated by outdoor cooking. Here are our top tips that will have you be the master of the grill in no time: • Understand the difference between direct and indirect cooking. Direct cooking is when the food is cooked directly over the heat source. Indirect cooking is similar to roasting or cooking in an oven, and requires a barbecue with a hood. • Always ensure your barbecue is preheated before you commence cooking. • To reduce the chance of flare-ups and

retain the heat, cook with the hood down and don’t check on the food too often. • A light coating of oil will help the food to brown evenly and stop it sticking. • Bring meat (NOT chicken) to room temperature before cooking. • Trim excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups. • When using bamboo skewers for kebabs, always soak for an hour in water before using to avoid them catching fire. • Smoking wood or chips add extra flavour to your food. Always soak in water prior to using so that they smoulder slowly. • Never prick sausages or cut into a piece of meat to see if it is cooked, as the juices will escape resulting in a tough meat. • Food safety is particularly important when barbecuing. Always keep cooked and uncooked foods separate and ensure cooked food is placed on a clean plate. If you’d like to fine-tune your barbecue skills with practical, hands-on instruction, Life’s A Feast offers three barbecue cooking classes - Gourmet Aussie Barbecue, Seafood Barbecue and American Barbecue. For more information contact Gail on 0438 469 692. www.lifesafeast.com.au

Ingredients • 2 x 250gm blocks haloumi cheese • A little olive oil for brushing • 150gm baby rocket leaves Lime caper dressing • 1 large lime, zested and 2 tablespoons juice • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil • 1 tablespoon baby capers, drained • 1 small clove garlic, crushed • 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives • Salt & pepper Method 1. Preheat a barbecue to medium-high heat direct grilling. 2. For the dressing place all dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake. 3. Drain the haloumi and cut each piece into 8 slices. Brush lightly with olive oil. 4. Place haloumi on the barbecue and cook for 2 minutes each side, or until golden. 5. Serve the haloumi on a bed of rocket leaves and drizzle with the dressing.

Jolly 1st birthday celebrations at

Noosa Hinterland

Brewing Co. The inaugural Stein Holding competition was a winner! Start training now for their 2nd birthday!

Alfresco’s Alfresco’s LICENSED GARDEN CAFE Mediterranean Food & Drinks

NOOSA’S ONLY DENNIS THE DUTCH CHEF NOOSA’S ONLY LOCALLY GROWN LOCALLY GROWN COFFEE IS BACK! Open 7 days from 6am COFFEEfor breakfast & lunch NOOSA’S ONLY LOCALLY GROWN COFFEE NOOSA’S ONLY Noosa’s only locally grown coffee COFFEE PLANTATION

Noosa Black is a family owned and run coffee plantation nestled at the head of a picturesque valley near Kin Kin in the Noosa hinterland. We are the only commercial coffee grower in Noosa Shire.

We first planted our 6,000 coffee trees in 2005, nurturing them until we produced the award-winning coffee that we proudly offer today.

NOOSA’S ONLY COFFEE PLANTATION Noosa Black is a family owned and run coffee plantation nestled at the head of a picturesque valley near Kin Kin in the Noosa hinterland. We are the only commercial coffee grower in Noosa Shire. We first planted our 6,000 coffee trees in 2005, nurturing them until we produced the award-winning coffee that we proudly offer today.

100% ARABICA ∞ NO PESTICIDES SUN-DRIED ∞ LOCALLY ROASTED IGA Cooroy ∞ IGA Noosa Junction ∞ IGA Pomona ∞ Kin Kin General Store ∞ Cooroy Harvest Fresh ∞ Cooloola Berries ∞ Farmer & Sun Gympie ∞ Tewantin Market Garden ∞ Lyndols Macadamias ∞ Pomona Little Pantry @ NOOSABLACKCOFFEE

NOOSA’S ONLY

COFFEE PLANTATION Noosa Black is a family owned and run coffee plantation nestled at the head of a picturesque valley near Kin Kin in the Noosa hinterland. We are the only commercial coffee grower in Noosa Shire. BUY IN STORE We first planted our 6,000 coffee trees in 2005, nurturing them until we produced the award-winning coffee that we proudly offer today. BUY ONLINE Get your Noosa Black Coffee direct from the farmers: WWW.NOOSABLACK.COM

NOOSA’S ONLY LOCALLY GROWN BUY IN STORE

COFFEE NOOSA’S ONLY COFFEE PLANTATION Noosa Black is a family owned and run coffee plantation nestled at the head BUY ONLINE of a picturesque valley near Kin Kin in Get your Noosa Black Coffee the Noosa hinterland. We are the only direct from the farmers: commercial coffee grower in Noosa Shire. WWW.NOOSABLACK.COM We first planted our 6,000 coffee trees in 2005, nurturing them until we produced the award-winning coffee that we proudly offer today.

100% ARABICA SUN-DRIED IGA Cooroy IGA Pomona ∞ Cooroy Harvest Fresh Berries Tewantin Market Garden Macadamias @ NOOSABLACKCOFFEE

@ NOOSABLACKCOFFEE WWW.NOOSABLACK.COM

Get your Noosa Black Coffee direct from the farmers: WWW.NOOSABLACK.COM NOOSA’S ONLY LOCALLY GROWN COFFEE

NOOSA’S ONLY LOCALLY GROWN COFFEE NOOSA’S ONLY

COFFEE PLANTATION Noosa Black is a family owned and run coffee plantation nestled at the head of a picturesque valley near Kin Kin in the Noosa hinterland. We are the only commercial coffee grower in Noosa Shire. 100% ARABICA SUN-DRIED We first planted our 6,000 coffee trees in ∞ LOCALLY ROASTED 2005, nurturing them until we produced the award-winning coffee that BUY IN STORE we proudly offer today. IGA Cooroy ∞ IGA Noosa Junction IGA Pomona ∞ Kin Kin General Store ∞ Cooroy Harvest Fresh Berries ∞ Farmer & Sun Gympie Tewantin Market Garden Macadamias ∞ Pomona Little Pantry BUY ONLINE

100% ARABICA SUN-DRIED IGA Cooroy IGA Pomona ∞ Cooroy Harvest Fresh Berries Tewantin Market Garden Macadamias @ NOOSABLACKCOFFEE

Functions for up to 100 guests

Coffee + Bacon & Egg roll for $11.50

Food & drink inspired by cuisines from

Eastern Spain, Southern France,

Italy and Greece ... WWW.NOOSABLACK.COM

1381 Eumundi Noosa Rd | 07 5302 4717 (next to the Kev & Ken‘s)

LOCATED in an 80km/h zone, it’s the kind of place you can easily miss.

But stopping in at Alfresco’s garden café/ restaurant at Eumundi for breakfast or lunch is definitely worth doing. It’s part of Kev and Ken’s Flowerpot Men pottery and plant complex on Eumundi Noosa Rd (the Eumundi end).

Open from 6am, owner Dennis Dijst, who hails from Holland, will already have prepared his own muffins (how’s mango and coconut sound?) and prepped all sorts of traditional breakfasts -including a tradie’s special of a bacon and egg roll with coffee for a mere $11.50.

Breakfast ends at noon, when Alfresco’s Garden café turns into a speakeasy-style licensed restaurant for a cool experience under the big open space roof surrounded by lush bush, with a quality, diverse Mediterranean menu to delve through. The airy atmosphere and ample parking lends the venue well for catering functions and parties too.

Your correspondent was standing at the counter when a customer came over and said “That’s very nice coffee, and a very tasty muffin, too”, so Dennis is getting it right.

It’s Alfresco coffee, a special blend of Dennis’ own creation, the ingredients of which he was very careful not to divulge.

“Because we’re a little bit remote here, you have to get the coffee right,” Dennis said.

“We’re more of a destination, so you need to cater for passing drivers too.”

Dennis, a qualified chef, pastry chef and baker, said he will one day open for Friday and Saturday nights, but until staffing gets easier in these tough times, that will have to wait.

“We’re open seven days from 6am to about 3pm, that’s enough for now,” he laughed.

Before he came to Australia, Dennis worked at some classy restaurants in the Netherlands, and arrived in Brisbane in 2010.

“I went down to look at Sydney, then worked at many coastal places between Sydney and Brisbane,” he said.

“That journey took six years.”

When he got back to Brisbane he temped as a chef at a whole range of cafes and restaurants, requiring a lot of culinary dexterity, and learning a lot on the way.

“Greek, Lebanese, cafes, whatever was needed,” he said.

That has taught him about what works and doesn’t work when it comes to café/ restaurants. But Brisbane wasn’t for him, after so much time in small coastal towns all the way up from Sydney. He’s now a full Aussie and loves the local scene.

“I think I’ve found my home now. I’m 54 - I‘ve got to stop sometime,” he laughed. For more information go to www.facebook. com/Alfresco’s Garden café or call 5302 2717 for bookings.

NEW OFFERINGS AT BLACK ANT GOURMET

Cajun cuttlefish lychee salad, smoked peppers, minted cucumber pickle and a tangy lime yoghurt dressing mmmmm

Check out these new offerings from Black Ant Gourmet, Monday to Sunday @ 56 Main Street, Kin Kin

KIN KIN HOTEL REOPENED

Under new management and continuing to progress with renovations. Pull up a seat in the refreshed barn and enjoy a selection of craft beers and food showcasing fresh local produce. Open Thurs to Sun. www.kinkinhotel.com

Queenslands only Meadery & Tasting room located in the Noosa Hinterland ... Mead (Honey Wine) created with passion & local in season produce. FREE TASTINGS SATURDAYS 11AM TO 5PM OR BY APPOINTMENT

417 Pomona Kin Kin Rd, Pinbarren 4568 07 5485 1219 / 0420 284 2890 www.amritaparkmeadery.com.au

Thursday 12-8pm & Friday 12-10pm Saturday 12-10pm & Sunday 12-8pm (BYO Vinyl)

Beth (front) and Rob Noy, with staff Maya and Caleb - and the bus

FIRST ANNIVERSARY AT BUS STOP ESPRESSO

MARCH 17 might be St Patrick’s Day – but more importantly, it’s the first anniversary of the wildly successful Bus Stop Espresso in Cooroy.

Bus Stop’s owners Rob and Beth Noy said they were planning “a day full of surprises” when the date comes around.

“We will be giving away hampers made from local products every hour that day,” Beth said.

“And if you bring a friend who hasn’t been here before, they will get a free coffee on the day. It’s buy one, get one free.”

Bus Stop Espresso has arrived at the right time, as its setting, with large open shaded spaces surrounding it, incorporating a number of outside tables, has allowed COVID-sensitive customers a sense of security and tranquility to enjoy a coffee.

The business has also attracted a large number of local suppliers of fresh produce, making a ‘coffee stop’ a growing shopping experience.

“We were going to be staying open until 9.30 in the morning [when we first started],” Rob said.

“We’re here almost all day now, which is really good.”

Thursday, March 17 should be a great day, and for those who haven’t been there before, you can find the bus on Mary River Road, Cooroy, opposite the council waste tip site.

For long lazy lunches in the sun, events and functions or private catering in the heart of Eumundi.

Long lunches held every Saturday from 12.30pm onwards A La Carte Menu every Friday 12pm - 9pm Thursday Seafood Night from 5pm

Private transfers to and from Eumundi available upon request

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL 0431 728 190 WWW.BASKEUMUNDI.COM.AU

THERE has been a lot of frenetic activity at the old Mulberry Café premises in Cooroy’s Maple Street this last month.

That’s because Bill Misener and his family have been busy preparing a new culinary venture for the shop – Smoking Billy’s.

“I’ve been in the business for 35 years,” Bill said.

“I’ve had the bistro in Joe’s Waterhole (in Eumundi) for years.

“I was quite surprised with how busy Cooroy is compared to Eumundi.”

The menu, Bill said, will include ribs, wings, pulled pork, burgers, wraps and salads, and there will be vegetarian options as well as takeaway home-made ‘heat-n-eat’ choices.

The business’s Facebook site already has more than 600 followers, one of whom asked about the availability of hot sauces, the response being that will be another option.

At the time of Your Local’s visit, the paint was still drying on the new signage, and the opening date unknown but imminent, but it’s looking good.

The shop had been re-painted with signs indicating the start of a business called Little Brown Wolf, which never opened its doors. Prior to that it was a fried chicken outlet for a few months, then Mulberry Café. You can find Smoking Billy’s at Shop 4, 20 Maple Street, Cooroy, or visit www.facebook/smokingbillys. DID you know there are more than 20 different types of basil? Each has its own distinctive smell, flavour and culinary or medicinal use. Mary Valley Country Harvest Co-operative will have a beautiful array of some of these at the POMONA COUNTRY MARKET STALL EVERY SATURDAY FROM 7AM, along with info notes and recipes. Of course, there will be other fresh produce and preserves, direct from the growers and producers in the Mary Valley.