With the abundant selection of fruit and vegetables currently available on the Sunshine Coast, there’s no excuse for not eating seasonally. Make the most of the late summer fruit and vegetables by enjoying:
Owner and operator of Life's a Feast cooking school, passionate about food, cooking, home entertaining and local produce.
Now that we are well into summer, it’s the perfect time to be enjoying the wonderful selection of locally grown fruit and vegetables available at this time of the year. Currently in season on the Sunshine Coast are:
Fruit:
Bananas
Blueberries
Figs
Limes
Lychees
Mangoes
Passionfruit
Paw Paw
Pineapple
Watermelon
I love a bit of spice in my life, so when I heard about a new Indian restaurant opening at Noosa Junction I did not need any encouragement to check it out. Noosa already boasts several Indian restaurants, but in my opinion they are in the “same old” category, offering your typical average Indian meal. Having heard only good things about Mystic India, I ventured there with high hopes of finding an authentic Indian restaurant that stands out from the rest.
Asparagus is in the height of its season, and as a result it’s inexpensive, plentiful and flavoursome – three good reasons to be cooking with it! In this recipe, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus is paired with Haloumi cheese and dressed with a Lime & Caper dressing – a divine combination! This dish works really well cooked on a barbeque – perfect for relaxed outdoor dining. Serve it as either a starter or lunch, together with with fresh crusty bread and a glass of well-chilled sauvignon blanc.
Being a foodie destination, Noosa attracts a number of food personalities and we are currently enjoying a spate of cookbook launches. With culinary celebrities such as Matt Moran, Luke Nguyen, Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Annabel Langbeim coming to town to promote their latest releases, we are spoilt for choice. Last Friday I was fortunate enough to attend Bill Granger’s launch of his latest cookbook at Rickys River Bar & Restaurant. Lunch at one of my favourite restaurants with one of my favourite cookbook writers – I was not going to miss this event!
The Sunshine Coast is pineapple country and locals and visitors can enjoy the sweetest of pineapples at a fraction of the price that city dwellers pay. Because they are readily available all year round, I normally have one sitting in my fruit bowl and enjoy using them in my cooking in a variety of ways. This recipe came to fruition because I am currently on a fairly strict eating regime (a Spring detox) and wanted something fresh and tasty for dinner, as an alternative to the heavy lentil curries and brown rice dishes I have been eating for the past week. Pineapples are gorgeous in a salsa, and marry really well with fresh chilli and mint.
I’m fortunate to live within walking distance of Queensland’s premium organic grocer and café par excellence, Organika. Located on Weyba Road Noosaville, Organika is owned and operated by brothers Josh and Kris Barry, who have many years of experience in the hospitality industry and the fresh produce market as well as boutique fine foods. Organika’s tagline is “a passion for organics” and Josh and Kris are committed to quality and purity in supplying organically honest produce.