Dec 102014
 

Local food-related events

santasantasantaEltham Farmers’ Market

The market will be on three Sundays in December, 14, 21 and 28, so that we can buy fresh and local food for the Christmas period. Please check the Eltham Farmers’ Market page for the market for stall and entertainment information.

Eltham SGA POD

For those gardeners in the Eltham area, you may like to join the monthly get-together of the SGA POD this Sunday at a garden in Eltham North. For details please contact Meredith on 0438 398750 or at meredith@baag.com.au.

Community Leaders in Sustainability course

The Sustainable Homes and Communities Program (jointly funded by the Cities of Darebin and Banyule) is recruiting participants for the next round of the Community Leaders in Sustainability course which will begin in early 2015.

The free course provides skills and training in project management, leadership, grant writing, effective marketing, building partnerships, community group member recruitment and advocacy, as well aspects of environmental sustainability. In return, participants are expected to put their new found knowledge and skills into practice, and work to deliver a project which creates positive environmental outcomes locally.

For those interested, you can obtain an application form from info@sustainablecommunities.vic.gov.au and return by Dec 12.

Other food activities/information

Little Yarra Market (from Michelle Fisher)

Want to avoid the Crazy Christmas rush this year? Shop local!

This month’s Little Yarra Market will be a great opportunity to buy beautiful Christmas gifts in a relaxed fun atmosphere. Hand-crafted toys, locally-made skin care products, clothes and jewellery and all types of treasures plus fresh locally-grown produce including in-season – nectarines, peaches, apricots, cherries, blackberies and raspberries.

20th December, 205 Little Yarra Steiner School Yarra Junction

Pectin stock

Following on from the recent series of information about less food waste, those of you who make jams and other preserves may like this recipe.

The stock is made from fruits rich in both pectin and acid, such as tart apples, red currants, blackcurrants, quinces, tart guavas, and most citrus (including leftover citrus peels). Cover chopped fruit with water, boil and then strain as when making jelly. The stock can be bottled or frozen until required. It can be added to an unset preserve (20ml/1 tabs of liquid stock to 1.5 kg of fruit mixture reboiled for about 5 mins, then retested for set. (Source unknown)

Icecream recipes

Check out this website of chef and author David Lebovitz for unusual but delicious sounding ice creams and sorbets! And while you are at the website, you might like to explore for many other recipes suited for this time of the year.

Dec 042014
 

Local food-related events

Workshop invitation – ‘shop, store and cook to avoid food waste’ – this Thursday, 4th December featuring MasterChef 2013 winner Emma Dean

There are still a few places left for this workshop. If interested, please register at Eventbrite.

The workshop will be full of easy ways to shop, store and cook to avoid waste, and Emma will demonstrate a few yummy recipes which make use of leftovers.

The workshop will begin at 5.45pm and happen at Murundaka Co-housing, Bamfield Road, Heidelberg Heights.

hurstbridgeThe new Hurstbridge Food Swap is on this weekend

10-11am, Sunday 7 December (note the changed start time).

At the rear of Allwood House, 901 Main Road, Hurstbridge.

No dig garden workshop

Sat 13th Dec, 3-4.30pm in Heidelberg West. Gold coin donation appreciated to help with refreshment costs. Book with Marina marinabistrin@optusnet.com.au or 0438 580889 – she can email you a flyer and give you more info.

The presenters, Sharon Wright and Marina Bistrin, are facilitating the workshop as part of their CERT IV in training and assessment.

LFC online searchable recipe database

All 150 recipes from our book Pick, Share, Eat are now available online in a searchable database at www.localfoodconnect.org.au/recipes, plus a further 40 from other local authors. Use the sidebar to search by ingredient, author or course.

If you have any good recipes that you would like included, just email the details to us at info@localfoodconnect.org.au.

Trivia fact of the week: the recipe that is most often viewed on the website is mulberry and apple jam by Helen Vavala from Yarrambat.

More ideas for using food leftovers/scraps

(from Carol Woolcock on how to use lemon rinds)

“1. Finely grate the rinds and store in a container in the freezer. Useful when only a teaspoon or so of grated rind is required and you don’t want to grate a fresh lemon (or you don’t have any).

“2. Allow the lemon halves to thoroughly dry (in the sun or when you have turned the oven off after cooking). These make great fire lighters (and scent the room as well). I also save any lint from the clothes dryer and stuff the halves with this).

“3. Remove the white pith and cut the rind into narrowish strips. Blanche in boiling water for a couple of minutes then drain and place in a sugar syrup over a low heat until semi-transparent. Remove from the syrup and drain on baking paper until dry (may take a couple of days). Can then be used in fruit cakes etc or dipped in melted chocolate for a treat with coffee. A couple of teaspoons of the lemony syrup can also be added to a glass of water (soda, mineral or tap) for a refreshing drink.

“4. Dip the halves in a saucer of bicarb soda and use to clean soap scum from the shower door. Depending on how much scum is present, you will need to re-dip the skin. Rinse off with plain water for sparking glass. Farewell to easy off BAM!”