LFC News March 24 2021

Mar 252021
 

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Cathy Romeo, Karen Olsen, Lee Hirsh, Mary Turner, Natalie Nigol, Robin Gale-Baker, Stuart Rodda and Vasundhara Kandpal.

We would love to hear from more of you and include some of your words about any food-related matters in future newsletters. Email us with your contribution(s)!.

Re-opening news

A new community garden, called Regent Community Garden, is starting in Reservoir. Their launch party is on Sunday (i.e. 28th March), 1.30-4.30pm.

Mooroolbark Urban Harvest (aka food swap). is celebrating 5th birthday on Saturday, 10th April, 10-11.30am. Red Earth Community Park, Brice Avenue, Mooroolbark. Wear your best party gear. There will be birthday cake and tea or coffee provided (but you’ll have to bring your own mug).

The Basin Food is Free Community Garden has resumed its working bees. 1st Sunday and 3rd Thursday of each month. Rear, 2 Liverpool Road, The Basin.

Yuck Ice cream FOOD

YUCK Ice cream FOOD, who are based in Croydon North, makes ice cream with fresh, raw vegetables. There are 5 flavours: celery & fennel, garlic & onion, peas & parsley, radish & zucchini and red chilli pickles. The vegetables are blended with sugar, honey, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and double thick cream to make the ice cream. There is no cooking (hence all the nutrition from the vegetables is retained) and no use of gums (unlike most ice cream). It is a unique food which can be eaten at any time of day. You can buy the ice cream every week at Eltham Farmers’ market. Welcome, Jimmy!

Three new articles from Robin

The March newsletter from Sustainable Macleod contains three articles from Robin Gale-Baker:

Stuart’s not-so-small hand tool of the week – a flamethrower

As drastic as it sounds, a flamethrower can be used safely to quickly kill weeds without using nasty chemicals, and also destroy any seeds which the weedy plants have already made before they can fall to the ground and continue the cycle. If you can, use an existing LPG cylinder, cheap flamethrowers are around $50 and you can cover a large area quite quickly. This tool is not for the normal small home garden.

Read Stuart’s other articles about garden tools.

Want some kefir grains?

Karen Olsen, who is based in Eltham, regularly has spare kefir grains to give away (a batch every week or so). If you want some, email Karen with your phone number and she will put you on her list to contact when a batch is ready for you.

In passing, Karen would like to give a shout out to Robyn at Peninsula Fresh Organics, who gave her the grains in the first place – she finds that kefir grains can vary in flavour, depending on where they come from, and Robyn’s ones make a lovely brew.

Some more sources of free spent coffee grounds

A few new, local sources of free spent coffee grounds. If possible, you should ring them in advance.

There are now 29 local sources of free spent coffee grounds listed on our website.

You might have noticed that all 5 of the new sources are from within Darebin. Furthermore, 22 of the 29 sources listed on our website (i.e. 75%) are from within Darebin. This is not a coincidence. Rather, it is because Darebin is more organised than elsewhere when it comes to local food (which is also why there are more community gardens in Darebin than anywhere else) and it is also because Natalie Nigol from Darebin Council tells me when there are new cafes added to their Cafe to Garden program.

Do you know?

Sweet potatoes

Mary Turner has written in: “A disease on the leaves of my sweet potatoes started slowly but is gradually overtaking the whole plant. What is the disease and do I need to destroy the plant before harvest?“. She also asks, “How to I tell when my sweet potatoes are ready to harvest?”” Email us with your replies.

Prickly pear fruit

Cathy Romeo has written in: “I recently bought some prickly pear fruit in Mount Beauty – I spotted them on the nature strip as I was driving, where an elderly couple had little fruit stall. Although I have bought some for now, I am interested in knowing where one can get them from in Melbourne. Can anyone suggest anywhere local where I can buy prickly pear fruit?” Email us with your replies.

Custard apples

Inspired by Cathy’s question, I also have a question: “Can anyone suggest where I can buy custard apple fruit (not the plant, just the fruit)?” Email us with your replies.”

And the winner is …

The winner of Open Gardens Victoria’s recent productive patch competition was newsletter contributor Jian Liu, who lives in Camberwell. “Boldly, the garden utilises aquaponics and, by recycling household waste, the Liu’s have developed a ‘closed system’ for nutrient collection and soil improvement.” Read more.

Jian’s article about her pond is one of my favourite articles on our website. Her Instagram account is also incredible popular.

Vasundhara’s recipe of the week – beet wellington

Ingredients

3 medium beetroots
1½ cups walnuts
500g mushrooms
4 large sprigs of rosemary
1 x 320g sheet of dairy-free puff pastry
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200degC fan-assisted.

Peel and roughly chop the beetroot, then transfer it to a baking tray. Season with a pinch of salt and drizzle with olive oil, then roast in the oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the walnuts to a food processor and process them until they have completely broken down. Then add the mushrooms and rosemary to the food processor and process everything together until the mixture turns into a smooth paste.

Transfer the mushroom mixture to a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry for 12-15 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture sticking to the pan (add a splash of olive oil if necessary). When it’s done, transfer the mushroom mixture to a large mixing bowl and leave it to one side.

Add the beetroot to the food processor and blitz into gritty form. Then transfer the processed beetroot to the mixing bowl with the mushroom mixture. Add the apple cider vinegar and season generously with salt and pepper (give the mixture a taste to make sure you have seasoned it appropriately). Stir everything well to combine, then leave the mixture to cool completely (we leave it outside during the winter to cool down quickly).

Meanwhile, line a baking tray with baking paper and unroll the sheet of puff pastry on top of the baking paper. When the wellington mixture has cooled, use a spoon to transfer it down one side of the pastry, stacking it approximately 5cm wide and tall. You will need to leave approximately 3cm on one side, as well as above and below the mixture.

Next, carefully lift one side of the pastry and cover the mixture, pressing down around the edges to enclose the wellington tightly. It is important that the pastry is tight around the mixture to prevent the wellington collapsing when it is in the oven.

Trim any leftover pastry, then brush the wellington with olive oil. Use a sharp knife to cut slices along the top of the pastry to allow the moisture to escape, then bake the wellington in the oven at 200degC fan-assisted for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

Read more of Vasundhara Kandpal’s plant-based recipes on our website. Vasundhara is a professional cook who operates a meals delivery service called Green Karma in Briar Hill, Eltham, Eltham North and Montmorency. Read her menu and order.

The history of this newsletter and the website: 2018

When I first joined Local Food Connect in 2012, the subject of local food producers was much discussed at Committee meetings and, when establishing the Local Food Directory in 2014, I simply assumed that the local food producers and their interactions with the public were, or should be, at the centre of the local food community that we were trying to foster. But this has turned out not really to be the case. This first became apparent to me through my involvement in setting up Eltham Farmers’ Market: there are lots of interactions at farmers’ markets between producers and the public but these interactions are basically the same regardless of whether or not the producer is local; and, as a corollary, some local food producers who do not participate in markets only have, and only seek to have, limited interactions with the local community.

Rather, I concluded that the centre of the local food community that we were trying to foster is more the numerous community gardens that exist in North East Melbourne together with the food swaps and workshops that are often associated with them. For those who have never been to a food swap or a community garden working bee, these are essentially social events involving people who have a common interest, namely growing veggies and fruit trees. It is also clear from my interactions with newsletter readers that many/most of the readership have a similar home growing interest. In other words, it is more the home growing of food that binds us together than the local commercial growing and making of food.

I therefore decided that I wanted to talk to, and hopefully visit, each of the 60 or so community gardens and work with each of them to develop material for the website. Hence the community gardening section of the website was borne. But I also recognised that this would be a major task so I waited until the other parts of the website were stable before commencing it. In the event, it took me from mid 2017 to mid 2019 to develop a proper database of all the community gardens, with pages on each of these gardens. I progressed Council area by Council area, starting with the most active areas (e.g. Darebin) and ending with the least active (e.g. Whitehorse).

In passing, some community gardens and food swaps are much more vibrant and active than others. If you want to get involved but have found that your local one is pretty dormant, you can drop me an email and I might be able to recommend some others near you.

Read the earlier history.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link last week was Lucinda’s article on preserving tomatoes.

Joke (or pun) of the week

Submitted by Lee Hirsh: My wife was going to make a batch of pancakes.
Then she wasn’t.
Then she was.
Now it looks like she is just waffling.

Read more jokes.

Upcoming events – introduction

Website calendars

By type of event: All once-off events, Cooking, Everything else, Garden tours, Free.

By Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

Upcoming events – not cooking

Newly announced
March
April
May

Upcoming events – cooking

Newly announced
March
April
May
In Richmond
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 25th March, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • La cucina Toscana: Thursday, 25th March, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pizza making party: Friday, 26th March, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indian cooking master class: Friday, 26th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Nonna’s comfort food (Italian): Friday, 26th March, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 27th March, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Chinese cooking master class: Saturday, 27th March, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Going native Australia: Saturday, 27th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 28th March, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vegan cooking master class: Sunday, 28th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Gnocchi in tutta l’Italia: Tuesday, 30th March, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 1st April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Nonna’s comfort food (Italian): Tuesday, 6th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 8th April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • La cucina della Puglia: Thursday, 8th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vietnamese cooking master class: Friday, 9th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Thai cooking master class: Friday, 9th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Gnocchi in tutta l’Italia: Friday, 9th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 10th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Korean cooking master class: Saturday, 10th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 11th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Mexican cooking master class: Sunday, 11th April, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Spanish cooking master class: Sunday, 11th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pasta e basta!: Tuesday, 13th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 15th April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • The cuisine of Central Italy: Thursday, 15th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Street food of Asia: Friday, 16th April, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
  • Japanese cooking master class: Friday, 16th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 17th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indian cooking master class: Saturday, 17th April, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indonesian cooking master class: Saturday, 17th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 18th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Italian cooking master class: Sunday, 18th April, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pizza making party: Sunday, 18th April, 6.30-8.30pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pasta e basta!: Tuesday, 20th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 22nd April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • A night in Rome: Thursday, 22nd April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pizza making party: Friday, 23rd April, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indian cooking master class: Friday, 23rd April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 24th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Chinese cooking master class: Saturday, 24th April, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Going native Australia: Saturday, 24th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • A seafood feast: Tuesday, 27th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 29th April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Japanese cooking master class: Friday, 30th April, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Chinese cooking master class: Friday, 30th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 1st May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Thai cooking master class: Saturday, 1st May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Street food of Asia : Saturday, 1st May, 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 2nd May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vietnamese cooking master class: Sunday, 2nd May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Japanese cooking master class: Sunday, 2nd May, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 6th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vietnamese cooking master class: Friday, 7th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Thai cooking master class: Friday, 7th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 8th May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Japanese cooking master class: Saturday, 8th May, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Korean cooking master class: Saturday, 8th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 9th May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Mexican cooking master class: Sunday, 9th May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Spanish cooking master class: Sunday, 9th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 13th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Street food of Asia: Friday, 14th May, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 15th May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indian cooking master class: Saturday, 15th May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indonesian cooking master class: Saturday, 15th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 16th May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Italian cooking master class: Sunday, 16th May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pizza making party: Sunday, 16th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pasta e basta!: Tuesday, 18th May, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.

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