NEWSLETTER: Summer 2001/2002
- Christmas is coming!
- Great Summer party ideas
- Hooray for Herbie!
- Spice Discovery Tour to India - 2003
- Australian Peppercorns
Christmas is coming!
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, And to make it really stunning, you'll put some spice with that!
Yes, Christmas is indeed coming, and this year it falls on a Tuesday. There must be thousands of small family-owned businesses around the country who are giving in to the temptation to make their last day of trading before Christmas the Saturday, in order to have Sunday-Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday to relax. Our small family-owned business is one of them! So please, make a note now, that WE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY 24TH DECEMBER. And, as always, we are closed on Sundays and public holidays.
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Great Summer party ideas
Summer is traditionally party time in Australia, so now is your opportunity to augment the old cheese and biccies with some super - and very popular - alternatives. Don't forget the fantastic slow-roasted tomatoes with sumac (recipe is on the back of the pack), which can be done well in advance. You can cause quite a stir with dukkah as well - empty it straight from the pack into a bowl and serve it with chunks of bread and olive oil for dipping. If you're firing up the barbecue, an ever-popular starter is baby lamb cutlets marinated in chermoula and a squeeze of lemon. Cook until just done, tender and moist, and serve them on a platter for your guests to help themselves. No need for plates - just hold by the bone, and there's less washing up! And while you have the chermoula out, add a few teaspoons to a scone mixture and cut into bite-sized squares or rounds. Top them with cumin-flavoured hummus and watch them disappear in record time. If you're making a bowl of hummus, don't forget to add a mixture of whole and ground cumin seeds for interest, and drizzle some oil mixed with Spanish smoked paprika across the top for authenticity.
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HOORAY FOR HERBIE!
It doesn't come naturally to blow one's own trumpet, but we just have to tell you … Ian's book Spice Notes - a cook's compendium of herbs and spices has been recognized by his peers in the industry in the following ways.
We hope you'll agree that it's all just cause for a little trumpet-blowing!
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Spice Discovery Tour to India - 2003
It's now just over a year until we take our next Spice Discovery Tour to India - world stability allowing. These are, as we're frequently told, uncertain times, and because of this it's impossible to guarantee prices or dates. If world tourism continues to stall, we can hope for lower airfares - but the final price will depend on exchange rates, airfares and any inflation in India and Sri Lanka. Our travel agent has given us an estimated cost of $7750 per person. This includes all travel, all accommodation, breakfast and dinner daily, and four lunches. Pre-bookings can be made with a $50.00 deposit to the travel agent, refundable if the cost exceeds the estimate when official bookings open mid-2002. For more information, contact Mr. Ossie Pitts at Travellers World, telephone: (02)9438 3033, fax (02) 9438 2674.
ITINERARY SPICE TOUR JANUARY 2003
There are plenty of days that laundry can be put in -it's very important to travellers! Hotel bookings are not in place yet, but rest assured, they will be the best available at every place
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Australian Peppercorns
We have Australian black peppercorns back in stock, since the recent harvest has been dried. It may seem excessive to have four types of black peppercorns, but there really is a difference! The Australian peppercorns are a reddish-brown colour, with a fruity, raisiny, pipe-tobacco aroma and a mild flavour. ASTA peppercorns (refers to a standardised grade set by the American Spice Traders' Association), grow in Sarawak and have a lively, fragrant aroma. These small berries have a high proportion of piperine-bearing skin. Telicherry peppercorns come from southern India - the large berries have an excellent classic pepper aroma and flavour. Inside the black skin of a peppercorn is the hot, white heart of the peppercorn, so the larger the berry, the more intense is the pepper heat. Our super-grade black peppercorns , also from India, are different because their turning-black process is accelerated to a much shorter time, and instead of drying in the sunshine, they are kiln-dried, which gives them a more intense 'piperine oil' kind of flavour. It is easier to taste than it is to describe in words! Suffice it to say that they are indeed superior, and anyone who loves pepper will appreciate the difference.
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We trust that you will all have a safe and loving holiday period, with a plentitude of fantastic food. We wish you all a very Herbie Christmas and a Spicy New Year!
