I attended the media launch of the Brisbane Good Food and Wine Show tonight at the Pullman Hotel and I can’t wait for the show to begin.  The evening started by catching up with many of the Brisbane based food bloggers I know – and a few I’d like to know better.

The event was sponsored by Yalumba Wines and we were greeted by Alastair McLeod, celebrity chef in Brisbane, who has as much of an Australian accent as I do.  He’s from Northern Ireland but he’s a dinky di Aussie just like me.  He gave a quick rundown on what to expect at the Brisbane Good Food and Wine Show starting the 8th of November.

There will be free samples of food all day long from over 300 producers and only $25 to get through the door.  It’s a food lover’s dream event.

Tonight we tasted and sipped and learned about food from the region and why it’s important to support your local producers.  We all knew that already, didn’t we?  Food that comes from our local region is fresher and that makes it better for us.  Plus, supporting local producers helps everyone in our area.

There were wonderful beef skewers from the Pullman Hotel chef that had been deftly massaged with sumac before grilling and they were served with a drizzle of sumac mayonnaise.  The beef was tender and flavourful and perfect after eating three samples of cheese, some Fat Hen olive oil infused with lemon myrtle (divine, by the way) and some grilled halloumi kissed with a bit of lemon juice and caramelised balsamic vinegar.

Then celebrity chef Matt Moran said a few words about why he loves the Brisbane Food and Wine Show and then he was off to make his famous Bombe Alaska.  We were presented with a layer of cake, a scoop of delightfully tangy raspberry sorbet and it was all cuddled in a blanket of the creamiest meringue that had been lightly torched.  Perfect ending, if you ask me.

The highlight of the evening was just before I left.  I met a man who was promoting the products of the Granite Belt.  He was a big man with a broad smile and he told me that I’d love a visit to his area.

He was happy that I was taking their handouts and did I have any questions about the Granite Belt, the Southern Downs, Stanthorpe or any of their producers.  If he didn’t have an answer, he’d get one.

I was thinking, “Wow, what a spruiker for those producers.”  Then I wondered, “I wonder what it costs to get someone that knowledgeable.”  Yeah, you’re probably ahead of me on this but it was the Mayor of Stanthorpe who came along to promote Queensland’s premier wine region.

I was very impressed and told him I’d write about him on my blog.  So Peter Blundell, you did a great job.  I’m sure I’m not the only one who talked with you that wants to make a visit to Stanthorpe.

I’ll be at the Good Food and Wine Show with my party shoes on next weekend, November 8-10 and if you’re in the area, I hope I’ll see you there.