I've just got a new lot of pepperberries in, please let me know if you need any as they are a seasonal thing. Pepperberries can be used just like you would your normal pepper in a grinder.

They are fairly hot so use with a little care at first. They have a faint eucalyptus aroma which reminds your of the Australian bush, I use the berries and the leaf all the time in my cooking and absolutely love it.

Mountain pepperleaf comes from the same bush, it's just the leaf that is ground to a fine power, sprinkle onto food or as you're cooking, perhaps not so strong as the berries, but still with it's own unique flavour.

I hope that you all have a great Australia Day today and stay safe on the roads.

We are going to celebrate very simply with a BBQ and cook some Spanish Mackeral that a friend just caught on the beautiful Coolum coast. I'm going to cook it in foil with some lemon myrtle and mountain pepper plus plus, I'll take some pics and let you know how it goes.

Have a great day
Jude

An "old bushie" told me the other day that if you smoke some water and put it on your bush tomatoes they grow well. Bush tomatoes, as we know, grow in the heat of the desert and need a good bushfire to propogate. Now if you take your billy-can and put it over a fire and allow the smoke of the fire to get in the water then when its cold water your bush tomatoes, they will love it and prosper!

The bush tomatoes pictured opposite are the dried version, you can buy them from www.makingtracks.com.au. When using grind them first.

This recipe was sent to me by Jenny Bury....... .

Quandong Fruit slab
after you reconsitute your required amount of dried Quandongs, add some sugar or honey to taste and a small amount of glucose syrup,boil up and mash until a pulp, cool down then place onto plastic lined trays and lay in the sun for 2-3 days and then flip over on plastic sheets and dry other side off.
when dried, cut into small squares and dust with castor sugar and store in glass jars-magnificant !

March 27, 2010 7:50 PM

It's the final week, the lead up to Christmas, a little hard on the purse, the credit card and with all thos parties one after another, and all that food that leaves the diet far far behind and the digestive tract and "beyond" in no doubt that over-indulgence has well and truly happened. 

So, if I can suggest and recommend you make a Pepperberry Sorbet you might want to tell me where to put my pepperberries...but actually IT DOES WORK this Pepperberry and Lemon Sorbet is just the shot for the "tricky guts" and it will set you up for the next round of gourmet food and party pies.  I made some for a party last Sunday and it was real hit, it surprised me how many of the men really loved it. I doubled the quantity of pepperberries in the recipe so it was brigter in colour and hotter (pictured)

So onward every onward with the next round of merriment.

Pepperberry & Lemon Sorbet

I received this comment (see below) from Desmond Morley who has been getting Gumbi Gumbi from me for over a year now.....although there is no scientific proof that I'm aware of to support any claims of the healing qualities of Gumbi Gumbi, it has been used by Aboriginal people as a healing remedy for thousands of years...I'm not a herbalist and don't pretend to be, nor would I sell any product such as this with any guarantees, but I am interested in the results of people who have used it and feel that it has contributed to their good health.  I have also put Desmond's comment,  on my Community Forum and would be keen to hear any comments that you might like to make.

"When I found that I had prostate cancer and that my PSA reading was 12.4, the hospital took some biopsies which indicated that my cancer was aggressive, I immediately informed our five children. One of my sons Stewart had recently had a conversation with a man who was visiting England from Australia, what the Australian told my son was that he had suffered from prostate cancer, and that the doctors had told him there was nothing more they could do for him, and that his prospects were not good. He had heard about Gumby Gumby, so he decided to look into the matter more fully, he manage to obtain some which he ground down into a powder this he put into A A size gelatine capsules and he took just one day. According to the Australian man he had lived far beyond what was expected of him, and his PSA reading and gone down to about 4. I decided to except radiation treatment from the local hospital in Sheffield, and at the same time take Gumby Gumby in the same way that the Australian man had described. My first PSA checkup was six months after the end of the radiation treatment, and my PSA reading and gone down to 0.6, after a further six months I had another checkup, and my PSA reading and gone down to 0.3. The result is that now I do not have to go back to the hospital for a further check for a full year. I am 76 years of age, and although the radiation treatment took away much of my vigour and vim, it is returning, and I feel better now than I have been for the last two years."

Gumbi Gumbi (Pittosporum angustifellium) is an age-old Aboriginal natural remedy, also known as Cumbi cumbi and meemeei depending on regional dialects.

It is sometimes described as the most multi-purpose bush medicine in the central Queensland region.  It is rare because it is eaten avidly by cattle.

Gumbi Gumbi is drunk as a tea and has reportedly wonderful healing properties.  The dried leaves of Gumbi Gumbi can also be crushed and put into an empty capsule (purchased at the chemist) and taken that way.

This wonderful recipe using dried Quandongs has been passed onto me from Mark Lees who is a ranger at the Northern Kosciuszko National Park, he has made it for the staff there who have assured me it is the yummies pie going

Prep Time:  1 Hour

Serves 6

Ingrediants

2 cups quandongs (dried preferably)

1 litre water

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornflour

250gram short crust pastry

200 grams mixed berries

200 ml custard

Method

Simmer quandongs with water and sugar until thick and hydrated then stir in mixed berries.   Make a smooth paste with the cornflour by adding a little water.  While quandong and berries are simmering stir in the cornflour mixture bring to the boil until the first bubbles appear then take of the heat and cool.

Grease a 20cm pie tin and then line with pastry pressing the pastry into the sides and leaving an overlap of pastry.  Fill the pie crust until 3/4 full with quandong and berry mix, pipe a swirl of custard over the quandong and berry mix.  Brush egg wash around edge of pie crust and top with a pastry cover.  Crimp pie edge to form a seal and brush top with egg wash.  Run a folk over pastry to form a pattern then place five holes in pastry top and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 180C for 30-45 minutes or until pastry is cooked and nicely browned.

Notes:

May need to extend or reduce cooking time depending on your oven

Keeps for 5 days in the fridge sealed well or 4 months in the freezer

Serve with whipped cream

Take one Coral Trout or any fish that you fancy

Stuff fish with Vegetables, whatever you like, zucchini, mushroom, pumpkin, onion, carrot, etc sprinkle with mountain pepper, murray river salt and lemon myrtle to taste, you could also use aniseed myrtle here instead of lemon myrtle, this herb goes fantastically well with any seafood.

I usually use of good sprinkling.  For this fish I used a heaped dessertspoon of lemon myrtle.

Now peel some paperbark of a paper bark tree, wash it and soak for about 5 minutes in water, use wet, then wrap fish in it...

I also wrap it all in foil, as it not only keeps the paperbark in place, but also stops coals and stuff getting into the food. 

The paperbark gives a lovely smokey flavour.  Onto to the BBQ for about 40 minutes, check after 30 minutes, just depending on the heat of your fire and also the size of the fish, little pieces or smaller fish obviously take less time ...now it's time to sit down, enjoy a drink....and have fun

I'm not sure how many of you think about what you actually feed your dog or cat. 

Although I've always fed my dog scraps and a mixture of dog food and fresh food plus some dried food, it came home to me a while back when Barney wouldn't stop scratching.  I checked for fleas, but there wasn't any and it occurred to me that he had a little more dried food than he usually does.  Even though it was supposedly a quality one it's still got a lot of preservatives in it.  When I stopped the dried food and went onto raw and natural food the scratching stopped!  Havn't been back to it and he hasn't scratched. 

I was talking to a farmer from a cattle property who has a lot of kelpies, he was saying that a good dog used to last for 20 years, nowadays they go from 10 to 15 years because of the change in diet to tinned and dried food.  Interesting isn't it......I then had a talk to another acquaintance who trains dogs, has been with the army dogs and also trained police dogs, he said much the same as the farmer, also he felt that a lot of the cancers that dogs are now getting relate back to the prepared food that they are fed....keep the bulk of the food that you feed your dog fresh eg kangaroo, chicken necks etc.  Barney loves roo tails that I freeze (they have been chopped into sections) I give him one a couple of times a week, his teeth never get scale on them and since the dried food episode, no more scratching.  I must admit I also put some fresh garlic in with his food which is also good for their skin.  Good old kangaroo meat, raw, low in fat and the dogs love it.  Go to your butcher and check out what they've got, ask what's in it.  It's better a pay a bit more, your dog will require less and mix it with vegetables, rice, cereal whatever....it's not only better for your pet, but also much cheaper.

Everything in Melbourne now seems to be either in bud, blossom or about to shoot...Spring is a great time of the year.  Time to get out in the garden and start gardening and time to consider your bush food garden.  There are three methods used for propogating most plants, either start by planting seedlings, use cuttings or dividing plants or else by grafting.

Unless you have cuttings in your garden or are dividing existing plants or share with friends seeds are the cheapest way to get plants.  You often create the most hardy plants as they are grown from the start in your garden and weather to your garden's individual specifications.  If using rainforest plants  plant them as soon as you can, as they often won't germinate if left in storage for long periods of time.  For temperate and alpine plants store in the refridgerator or similar cool, wet temperatue for weeks to simulate winter or else plant at the beinning of winter to germinate in the Spring.  Scratch the hard-coated seeds eg wattles to stimulate germination.

Something like Native Thyme (Ocimum tenuiflorum), pictured, are great seeds for your garden, grows from arid to tropical, it is common throughout Australia, plant in full/part-sun, provide a little extra water to get started but is drought tolerant once established.

Leaves of the Native Thyme can be used in salads, sauces and soups.  Leaves can be used fresh or dried, they make a refreshing tea.

I had an unusual request a few weeks back, Rachel Sims a student at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales  was doing a design project on Bush Tucker, she asked for a lot of different seeds, herbs and spices to complete the work.  She kindly sent the finished project to me to take a look and I was blown away, it is fantastic. 

"The aim of the project to establish new behaviours and attitudes towards Australia's native cuisine. The intent is to educate urban dwellers, redirecting their practice and broadening their knowledge of native food consumption" quote from Rachel's project

After being involved in Aboriginal art and culture for many years it has been a bit of an uphill battle to get non indigenous Australians to take the time to reflect on the paintings or try bush food.  After seeing a project like Rachel's it really gives me much joy to realize that the message has not ony got thru as to the importance of this land and what it produces, but also, that the message is understood.

"The quintessence of the project is to objectify bush tucker being an essential part of urban and rural Australia" quote from Rachel's project

Art reflects the emotions of the people at the time, it always has and always will.....Australian Aboriginal Art is now recognized as a world-wide art movement and as Australians we embrace it in every way, from the gifts that we give to overseas visitors to large companies like Qantas and at events such as our Olympic Games, proudly displaying Aboriginal icons and motifs.

The bush food industry is still in it's early days, but I am hopeful that within the next few years each Australian kitchen cupboard will have some food that is a native to this land and be able to incorporate it into their own every-day cooking with confidence. 

Rachel has kindly let me put a link thru to her project, please take the time to reflect on it and enjoy, not only the work that she's put into it, but also the valuable message.

Project 'Bush Tucker Taste Tradition'

A fungal disease know as Myrtle Rust was found on a property in north NSW in April 2010.   The NSW Department of Industry and Investment is leading the activities to supress the outbreak.  This potentially a very threatening problem and is classified as Category 1, meaning that if it is detected and reported it will be acted on straight away.

The fungus that causes Myrtle rust has not been found before in Australia. It belongs to a group of fungi known as the ‘guava rust complex’. Myrtle rust can affect plants belonging to the family Myrtaceae a large family which includes many Australian native species, such as Eucalyptus species.

The rust has been identified as Myrtle rust based on the host range seen so far in Australia and the structure of its spores. Information is continuing to be gathered on its host range under Australian environmental conditions through surveillance activities, and laboratory-based host testing of a range of important commercial and ecological species of Myrtaceae.

The fungus causes spots on leaves and stems that develop masses of orange to yellow powdery spores. The disease most often affects young shoots and the growing tips of plants causing leaves to become curled and distorted. More information, along with photographs of host plants can be found on the Department of Industry & Investment NSW website.

This myrtle rust could potentially have widesspread effect on the natural environment and also have a serious effect on the commercial aspects of the native flower industry.  The majority of sites found to have the rust are retail and commercial nurseries in NSW, but be beware....if you have a lemon myrtle tree please inspect it for potentail rust infectation, and if you do find something, don't break off the leaves and throw away report them

National Exotic Plant Pest Hotline for reporting sightings: 1800 084 881

State contacts:

• South Australia: 1300 666 010
• Tasmania: 03 6233 3352
• Western Australia: 08 9334 1800
• Victoria: 13 61 86
• Queensland: 13 25 23
• Northern Territory: 08 8999 2118
• NSW: contact the Quarantine Domestic Hotline 1800 084 881

Picture of the rust can be found on

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/myrtle-rust

This complex of diseases is native to South America and is also present in the USA (Florida and Hawaii) and Mexico. It is not known how this disease entered Australia, however, rust fungi produce microscopic spores which are easily carried on the wind, on people’s clothing or on goods that are shipped around the world.

Australian Aboriginal Bush Tucker - Bush Food

Australian Aboriginal Bush Tucker for thousands of years the aboriginal people have lived off the land, eating well when food was plentiful and conserving in times of drought.  This food is called bushfood or bushtucker it's our native cuisine.  Today bushfood is modern, contemporary and fun, it can be used in all our favourite recipes or create new and exciting ones.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, MAY 2012 BE SAFE, HAPPY AND HEALTHY

NEW ON SITE BUSHFRUIT PASTES,AND BUSHFOOD CURRIES AND RUBS (recipe inside pack)

I had a wonderful day with my Outback Chef market stall at the Art & Soul Festival at Phillip Island on Saturday and met up with a lot of friends as well as made some great new friends.   It was also a great chance to try out my new Spicey Bush Tomato marinade as well as Outback Five Spice and my Glace Riberries.....got thumbs up all round so I'm very happy to get such good and positive comments.

WATTLESEED ICE-CREAM

250ml full cream milk

600 ml thickened cream

100g sugar

pinch salt

2 teaspoons roasted wattle seed

LEMON MYRTLE & COCONUT ICE CREAM

250 mul full cream milk

300 mil thickened cream

300 ml coconut cream

100g sugar

pinch salt

1 tsp ground lemon myrtle (can add more if you want it stronger)

DAVIDSON PLUM ICE-CREAM

375g Davidson Plum puree

300 ml thickened cream

100g caster sugar

Note:  this one is quite tangy as the Davidson Plum is tart, more sugar can be added if you want it sweeter.

METHOD FOR THE THREE ICE-CREAMS

Mix all ingredients together, heat in saucepan

Chill, churn in ice-cream maker and freeze

or if making by hand, put in freezer and take out and beat by hand during freezing process

PEPPERBERRY & LEMON SORBET

200 ml lemon juice (approx 3 lemons)

450 ml cold water

200g caster sugar

2 egg whites (lightly beaten)

0.5g freeze dried ground pepperberry

METHOD

Combine sugar and water stirring over heat until dissolved

Boil for 5-10 mins until light syrup (110C)

Cool and add juice

Chill, churn in ice-cream maker, add pepperberry (it will then go bright pink)

Add egg whites when sorbet has started freezing

If doing by hand, beat egg whites until stiff add to mixture after juice and add pepperberry

Davidson's Plum can be used in the same way as blood plums when stewing fruits or jam making;  but remember they are a lot more tangy than blood plums with a high acidic taste.  You can also mix the two together and add sweetners to get the required taste.

A really quick and easy way to make JAM is with CSR's special jam sugar.....I usually buy it in my local IGA supermarket, it's in a brown coloured bag marked Jam Making Sugar.  Follow the instructions on the side of the packet, but in short it's equal parts fruit to sugar ie 1kg fruit to 1kg jam sugar, boil for 4 minutes and then bottle, it really is that easy.

Botanical name Davidsonia pruriens, Aboriginal name: Ooray.  Tim Low call's this plum "the Queen of Australian rainforest plums". 

The plum looks like a blood plum, but is very sour in taste. It has two flat seeds that are about the same size as the blood plum's.  It is a small, narrow rainforest tree.  The varieties found in North Queensland are different from those in Southern Queensland and Northern NSW.  The plums that Outback Chef sells are from Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland.  It is an importnt fruit in the modern bushfood industry.

According to research done by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) a division of the Australian Government

A high level of lutein, a carotenoil compound that plays an important role in eye health was detected in Davidson's Plum, possessing higher levels than avocado.  Lutein improves visual function and symptions in atrophic age-related macular degeneration this is the leading cause of vision loss in aging Western societies.  Lutein protects the retina from damage by inhibiting inflammation.

There is also relatively high antioxidant activity detected in the lipophilic fractions, which unlike hydrophilic antioxidants, which do not accumulate in the body and are excreted in urine, lipophilic antioxidants penetrate the lipoprotein cell membrane more easily and therefore reach a higher level of bioavailability.  The presence of anitoxidant compounds that are active in both the hydrophilic and the lipophilic environment, within the same food source, may provide more comprehensive protection for oxidative stress.  Subsequently this may result in higher levels of protection and possibly more pronounced health benefits.  In this aspect, Davidson's plum exceeds the quality of the Blueberry control and other traditionally consumed fruits.

for more information

The flesh of Davidson's plum has a high level of anthocyanins, a potent antioxidant with a range of health benefits. Anti-diabetic effects and reduction of obesity have been reported arising from their consumption.  A possible good source of a natural food colour with health-enhancing properties for a wide application in beverages and confectionery might be considered.

Cooking tips using Davidson's Plum

For those of you who have been asking for more Quandong recipes "Mark's Quandong Pie with Mixed Berries and Custard" is, I have been assured a "ripper".  If you go to the recipe section of this website you'll find it under it's heading.  Mark is a ranger and also tells me a chef in another life, at the Northern Kosciuszko National Park....he very kindly passed this recipe onto me to share with you, he has made it many times for the staff at the Tumut Visitors Centre.  I am yet to try it myself, but am certainly looking forward to making it in the next week.....but if any of you do please let me know the results.

If you want to learn more about our environment and also the heritage of this wonderful park why don't you go on a Discovery Tour.  There are a variety of tours on offer that gives a "hands-on" environmental experience for school groups and people of any age.  From 1/2 day to a whole day you can learn to be a bush detective, make your own bush jewellery, weave baskets, mae traditional bush tools...or if you want to just sit, talk or listen....perhaps going on an Aboriginal cultural tag-along tour is more for you.  So if you're in the Tumut, N.S.W. area visit the centre and enjoy a Riverglade Wetlands Walk, a Cave cultural tour or go night stalking, did you know that 80% of Australia's native animals are noctural....there's something for everyone.  For more information contact the Tumut Region Visitors Centre for an order form on 02 6947 7025 or email tumutrvc@environment.nsw.gov.au

"Plant me I'm special" If you want to send a message, as in the written one or give a gift and need a tag.....why not make a GREEN statement.   I now have hand-made, recycled A4 paper and gift tags available impregnated with Australian native seeds.  Even if you want to send out a company message, make it a green one.   This paper can be planted and after about 10 days the little seedlings will appear, I have used Swan River Daisy, a pretty little mauve flower that is a native to Western Australia.  The paper acts as mulch then disintegrates and the flowers grow.  These are new to site and more cards are to be added to the page -  for more info

Wattle Seed wild harvested.........Botanical name....Acacia victoriae.....Common names  ....Elegant wattle, Prickly wattle, Gundabluey, Bramble wattle, Elegant acacia.
 
Traditional Aboriginals used A. victoriae in arid regions of Australia as a food source. Occuring in all main land states.

Women would collect seed pods from the trees when ripe, separate seed 'yandy' clean in a wirra. Parch by fire, pound and ground into a flour. Mix water with flour to make a dough, then place in fire coals/ash to get a "jonny cake."

Green pods fully formed were also lightly roasted and the seed eaten.

In plentiful times seed could be stored away, it has a very hard seed coat. From the legumaceae family it has a pea flavour. Having a high protein level approx 17%, carbohydrate 41%, fibre 29%,fat 3 % (Brand&Cherikoff 1985) and a low Gi average 1480+270 KJ /100gms (Brand &Maggire  1992).

 
Most of todays  uses are based around  making a roasted  hazel-nutty flavour from the seed. By roasting the raw wattle seed until it pops (similar to pop corn). This new unique flavour has many uses in coffee like beverages(caffine free), essences, beer, baking, confectionary, dairy and marinades.

Over the past few years even the pod/husk of A. victoriae have been researched for its medical properties in the fight against cancer.

Current situation

Myrtle rust has been confirmed in a public parkland area at Noosaville.  Biosecurity Queensland is working with the council to determine the source of the infected plants.  To date the plant disease has been confimred on 19 sites.  The infected properties include production and retail nurseries, one queensland Government property and now a public parkland area.

Current operations

Nationally, the decision has been made that it is not feasible to eradicate this disease from Australia.  Biosecurity Queensland is continuing to work with industry to develop ongoing management options.  The focus of surveillance to date has been on production, retail nurseries,  and any bushland surrounding  the infected areas. 

Spreading the word

Biosecurity Queensland is now on Twitter and Facebook.  Get updates and images by following on Twitter: @Biosecurity Qld and Facebook: Biosecurity Queensland.

website  www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au.

The emerging native food industry will have benefits to all;  from the growers to the end users. 

Today my focus is on Aniseed myrtle "Backhousia anisata", an aniseed flavoured herb with a fresh eucalypt after taste.

It is related to the ever-popular lemon myrtle and is grown in the rainforest areas of eastern Australia.  The leaf is used either fresh or dried, the latter being ground to a fine powder.

Tests done in September 2009 by RIRDC (Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation) a division of the Australian government have found that aniseed myrtle has a superior antioxidant capacity, which gives us protection from oxidative stress and helps in the anti-aging process.

High in Vitamin C, E and folate, also chlorophyll a and b;  which is the major pigment present in plants, also plays a vital role in reducing oxidative stress in the human body.

It has high levels of lutein, a compound important in the role of eye health.  It contains high levels of zinc, calcium and evaluated as very high in magnesium.  The samples of aniseed myrtle were evaluated in dried form.

So how to use this in your cooking....below is an extremely simple recipe I use to put on salad greens.....the comments that I get are positive and I've had a number of people say to me what's in it"  Whilst they don't detect the aniseed taste in the first instance they do make the comment that there is something "soft" in it....and go back for more...this is a subtle entry to the world of using aniseed myrtle.  Use it instead of Star Anise or fennel in your cooking.

Aniseed myrtle salad dressing

1 teaspoon Aniseed Myrtle

2 tablespoons of sweet and sour sauce

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of fish sauce

Mix all together and mix into your salad

SPECIAL OFFER....receive a 10g sample bag FREE (that's about  tablespoon full) if you sign on for my "very newsworthy" newsletter and also send me an email requesting the aniseed myrtle offer.  If you've already signed on just send me an email requesting the sample.

for more information on the health benefits of our native foods, including Aniseed myrtle, go to

So what's bush tucker about this soup you might say???  My main aim is to educate you into using our wonderful herbs and spices as part of day to day cooking...this recipe is very easy and quick to make and utilizes Australian salt and pepper......

INGREDIANTS

1 brown onion

1 desertspoon of white miso (you can purchase this sometimes in the supermarket and also at  grocery shops)

1 bunch of asparagus

1 bunch of bok choy

Murray River Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon Tasmanian pepperleaf

2 cups of water

METHOD

Chop onion and brown in saucepan with a little oil, add chopped asparagus (save a couple of asparagus tips to decorate if you wish)

Add desertspoon of white miso paste

Add 2 cups of water

Add chopped bok choy

Add 1/2 tspn of Tasmanian pepperleaf

Cook until tender, taste .....and then add the salt to taste

Put in a food processor or barmix together until smooth....serve

Serves 2 people in fairly decent sized bowls

This Bushfood Combo is a hands-on bushfood kit designed to get things happening in the kitchen.  If you are interested in bushfood, but when it comes down to it don't know where to go in everyday cooking.  This kit is available at a special price, it incluces favourite bushfoods as well as fact sheets and how the Aboriginal people used them in their everyday cooking as well as easy to follow recipes and all the latest information on the health aspects of bushfood.  If you havn't yet tried any bushfood I can recommend this kit and am offering it at great value to entice you along the way a bit.

It has been known since the 12th Century that the aniseed flavoured herb fennel is good for eyesight.  Hildegard of Bingen who was a herbalist of that time said that fennel strengthened the eyes, brain and hearing.  The poet, Longfellow wote " above the lower plants it towers, the fennel with it's yellow flowers, and in an earlier age than ours, was gifted with the wondrous powers, lost vision to restore"  So what's that got to do with Anise myrtle? a lot they both have that same aromatic aniseed flavour and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation has been doing extensive research on Anise myrtle and found that it is not only high in Vitamin E but also lutein, a carotenoid compound that plays an important role in eye health. 

Chlorophyll a and b have also been identified, this is implicated in the reduction of oxidative stress in the human body, which is linked with the prevention of chronic diseases.

Anise myrtle (Backhousia anisata) is a medium-sized tree grown int he rainforest areas of eastern Australia and is related to the lemon myrtle.

To use in cooking it can be substituted for Stan Anise, Pernod or even fennel to give that great aniseed flavour.   Use with fish or chicken or what I often do it  put some in when I'm baking vegetables, just mix Anise myrtle with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and add.

Just heard a great recipe idea for using your Anise myrtle.....one of my customers made a white sauce and added some Anise myrtle to the sauce, then poured it over his baked vegetables, sounds good and worth a try.

Now is the time to consider planting muntries, a native of South Australia to west Victoria, these great little berries have four times the anti oxidant as blueberries and a component in them that is great for your skin.  This Australian native food is also known as native cranberries or emu apples as they have a spicy apple flavour.  They are a low growing shrub that is practical to grow on a trellis for easy picking.  If anyone has a favourite Muntrie recipe that you don't mind sharing I'd love to hear from you....there were muntrie recipes in some of the older CWA cookbooks, as they were a favourite with the early settlers who made jams and jellies out of them....kids love them for the crunchy apple-like flavour and texture.  I 'll check on some of my old cookbooks (when I locate them) and advise.  Will be getting fresh (as in frozen) muntries on site shortly and I am keen to do some trial and error cooking with them.....will keep you informed.....

for muntrie seeds http://www.outbackchef.com.au/products/muntries-munthari-kunzea-pomifera/119/1

Ive just got a load of muntries in from the grower.  I must admit Im very excited to recieve these sweet little berries.  If you havnt tried muntries before their flavour resembles a sweet spicy apple.  They grown naturally as a ground cover, but now are being grown on a trellis in orchards.  Known to have at least 4 time the anti oxidant powers than blueberries, they also contain a wax in the fruit that is said to be very good for skin health.

They have been frozen and vacuum packed, yes I am getting organized with my packaging now!!!

Samples of the plant were bought back to England in 1889 for cultivation and were probably amongst the first Australian species of bushfood introduced there.

This magazine is a great read about those who are involved in Australia's new rural industries.  Their passion for their particular industry.   It features profiles on individuals and their businesses....this month it has included Outback Chef and the native food industry in it's profile.  Passion to Profit magazine has been selling in the newsagents but is now available on site and will be in the future.  Click to read magazine.

 See previous blog to work in conjunction with this Flavour wheel, compiled by; RIRDC in conjunction with the Queensland Government
 

For more information contact the Department of
Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
on 13 25 23 or visit www.deedi.qld.gov.au
© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment,
Economic Development and Innovation, 2010.

For a larger (readable) view of this wheel

I've written a lot about myrtle rust, until last year it was relatively unknown.  It still surprises me that many who are involved in the plant industry don't know much about it.  It was introduced possibly via Hawaii from the USA where it was used as a biological control against myrtaceae that is a weed there.  Our native animal such as koalas are already becoming stressed by invasion and destruction of habitat.  More information Biosecurity Queensland 13 25 23 or go to www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au

This sequel to Womat Stew, a favourite with so many children, Wombat Stew Cookbook is just the thing to inspire the inner chef.  It's full of really good-fun recipes and the illustrations are sensational.  With recipes such as Bandicoot Ginger Biscuits, Possum Peanut butter Balls and Dingo damper the fun goes on and on.  I really recommend this book as one that I'm sure will not only delight your children but also bring out the inner "child" spirit in any adult.

To all those that have been waiting, this book is now back in stock.  From roasts to rissoles and everything in between this outback bush cookbook is a lot of fun.

The Tumut Region is holding a Harmony Day, if you want to celebrate and learn more about indigenous culture, then a visit to Tumut and the National Park is well worth it. See the menu below....

 
For more information regarding the  events, please
contact the Tumut Region Visitors Centre on 
02) 6947 7025, or Cooee Cottage on 02) 6947 3362.
tumutrvc@environment.nsw.gov.au
www.tumutregion.com.au

NPWS Aboriginal Discovery Programs Tumut in partnership with Cooee Cottage, the Brungle and Tumut Community Working Party and the Tumut Shire Council will be hosting three community activities in Tumut on the 4th, 6th and 8th of October finishing with a Community Harmony day being held at Cooee Cottage in Tumut from 11am to 3pm.

NPWS Aboriginal Discovery Program

NAIDOC Harmony Day Menu

Saturday 8^th October 2011

Bush Tucker Fusion Menu

Main Tucker

Kangaroo Stew with Mountain Pepper and Bush Tomatoes

Tender diced Kangaroo served in a thick and tasty sauce

of bush tomato and mountain peppers.

Emu Curry

Emu fillets slowly cooked in an Australian Yellow Curry with Lemon myrtle.

Bush Tomato Sausages

Locally made sausages mildly spiced with bush tomato.

Native Fish Skewers with Lemon Pepper Rub

Fish fillets tossed lightly in a tangy lemon myrtle and mountain pepper rub

cooked on the BBQ

Bush Treats in Bush Tomato Rub

A grubby little morsel for those who are game served with

a strawberry gum, chilli and native lime dipping sauce.

Bush Dampers served with a selection of Australian Native Jams

Desserts

Lemon Myrtle Cheesecake

Served with fresh cream and rainforest plum coulis.

Chocolate and Wattleseed Cheesecake

Served with Chocolate Grande Marnier Sauce

Quandong and Mixed Berry Pie

Beverages

A selection of Native Teas and Wattle Seed Coffee

HARMONY DAY
Saturday the 8th of October, 11am - 3pm
Cooee Cottage

This event is for the whole community to come along and
experience first hand our local Aboriginal Culture and enjoy the
many traditional aspects of our local Aboriginal community.

 Sample some tasty treats of the Australian bush and
discover the many great flavors you can use to cook with.

 See cultural demonstrations.

 Sit by the fire, chat with a local Elder or listen to stories
from the Dream Time.

 Try your hand at making traditional tools, bush jewellery or
learn to throw a Boomerang painted by you.

For more information regarding the  events, please
contact the Tumut Region Visitors Centre on 
02) 6947 7025, or Cooee Cottage on 02) 6947 3362.

www.tumutregion.com.au

We are currently on the look-out for my retailers to stock Outback Chef products, please let me know if you know of any retailer that could be interested.

VIC

PROVINICIAL GOURMET FOOD & GIFTS, Doncaster Shoppingtown, Doncaster

THREE DUCKS GLUTEN FREE, Burnley Street, Richmond

KURANDA NATIVE NURSERY, Croydon

SOMETHING AUSSIE, North Melbourne

NSW

TUMUT VISITORS CENTRE, Tumut

YAAMA GANU CENTRE, Moree

QLD

REDLANDS INDISCAPES CENTRE, Capalaba

WA

YEUN WING GENERAL STORE, Broome

REEVES ON CAMPBELL, Albany