I went to the Brisbane Good Food and Wine Show with John and Rob. It was my first time at the GF&W and imagine my surprise when person after person walked through with a granny shopping trolley.
I went in with Rob so we could use the elevator while John parked the car (4 hours @$40!) and grumbled that we didn’t bring anything to carry our goodies home in. Rob offered his basket under his walker and that would have to do.
Within the first 11 minutes we’d filled that so we bought another cart. Every family needs two, right? By the time we got to the car we had Rob’s seat filled, the shopping cart filled AND we had a zipper chiller case filled with cheese. Yes, that’s John and yes, the cart’s nearly full.
Right away we met Fe and Maria from the Andes Mills quinoa company and they were all decked out in their Peruvian costumes. Of course I didn’t have the camera out by then – we’d just walked through the door and I hadn’t gotten my pass yet. For some reason I had to have a press pass in order to take photos.
I had a big smile when I walked up to the Morris Wines stand. Meet David Morris, an award winning, 5th generation wine maker. Morris Wines have been around since 1859 and that probably explains why they win so many medals at the wine shows.
When we moved to Wodonga in Victoria, one day John said, “Let’s take a winery tour today and get away from the computers.”
Morris Winery was our first stop. This was nearly 20 years ago and we were driving down a one lane road (it has two lanes but only one lane in the middle was paved) and then we pulled off at what looked like a country farmhouse.
Down the back there was an old shed with the door open – and I followed John in. There were huge barrels everywhere and in the middle was a glass tasting room. It was my first taste of muscat and I was in love.
Another memory stall was the Milawa Cheese Company. Milawa is in the middle of nowhere in Victoria but it’s a big foodie place with Brown Brothers winery and restaurant, the olive shop and the mustard shop and then it’s Milawa Cheese. It’s a family business and at the stall in Brisbane I’m greeted by Ceridwen Brown daughter of company founders David and Anne Brown.
She’s got the most beautiful smile and when John said he wanted to buy some Ceridwen (ashed goats cheese) she said, “That’s the cheese that’s named after me!” When we lived down south we used to buy cheese and eat in their restaurant often.
If you’re in Australia, are you in love with Pukara Estate oils and vinegars? We found Renee Johnston, Pukara Estate’s gourmet goddess who handles all their Connoisseur Club Soirees. She’s going to do one at my house soon, want an invitation? I could drink their red wine liqueur vinegar by the glass so imagine my joy when Renee said, “Want an explosion in your mouth? Try one piece of bread dipped in the red wine liqueur and one piece of bread dipped in the herb olive oil and eat them together.”
I already had some red wine liqueur vinegar in my pantry but I bought another bottle and a bottle of the herb olive oil too. She was right. I cracked open the herb oil tonight and drizzled it on some sliced potatoes and then sprinkled some dried herbs on top and baked them. I’ll show them to you soon.
Tell me you wouldn’t want some of this guy’s pastries? Ilias the Greek was so much fun. He would have posed for me forever I think. Any man who’ll wear wings has to be okay in my book.
Ilias was born in northern Greece and moved with his family to Adelaide. He’s been an auto racer, opal miner, private pilot, restaurant owner and now makes the best Greek sweets around. If you don’t believe me, ask him! He offers Baklava triangles, Lady finger baklava (Floyeres), Nougat (Mandolato) and Honey Puffs (Loukoumathes).
If you’re in Australia and you love food, then Maggie Beer has to be on your top ten list of food mentors because she’s certainly one of mine. She gave several demonstrations today and all eyes were glued on her every move and nobody missed a word she said, even though she had a lot of noise to talk over.
Maggie Beer is a cook, passionate promoter of Barossa Valley produce and has her own line of food products. What I like best is that she’s real. She cooks like we do – only better. She’s not afraid to fail but I suspect she rarely does.
I met so many new people, it’s not possible to share them all with you – like this guy from the Smelly Cheese Club who invited us to taste every cheese on that table. I know I want one of the fancy smokers from Bradley Smokers. My son keeps saying, “Mom, you don’t have a smoker??” I want to visit the wine country on the Granite Belt. I want some lemon myrtle infused olive oil from Fat Hen Farm. I want to offer a cheesemaking class at home by Mad Millie.
I must shut up now or you’ll be bored. I think I want too many things. Do you go hog wild when you go to a food mecca like the Good Food and Wine Show?
G’day and sounds like you had a wonderful time with some wonderful opportunities presented to you Maureen, true!
I am like a kid in a candy store re the Good Food and Wine Shows as love interacting with companies and producers who are PASSIONATE about their foods and you can learn so much from viewing from afar too!
Cheers! Joanne
I know you’d be as bad as I was – buying everything in sight. We had the best cheese platter after dinner tonight. Swoon. 🙂
What a great event. I would go crazy and have so much fun!! Good times. 🙂
I did go crazy and I had so much fun!
Sounds like a wonderful show! And you obviously had a great time. You can never buy too much food and kitchen swag. Never. 😉 Fun post – thanks.
John says you can buy too much. He’s convinced. 🙂
What a fun expo!
All three of us had a great time.
I’m surprised you ended up with only TWO carts. 🙂 Lots of goodies that I would have liked to bring home as well. Especially Nick’s loukamathes.
I need to find that guy and have a chat. He sounds like such a fun person.
Sounds like you had a great day. I’d love to meet Maggie Beer, if i get to Australia, I’m definitely visiting the Barossa. GG
I couldn’t think of a better goal!
Oh my goodness, I would have taken my nanna trolley too! Love these events Maureen!
Next year we’re bringing TWO trolleys. 🙂
How very exciting the day must have been Maureen! I go to the Sydney show and it just about blows you away- although I’ve never had a problem taking photos before. I have my granny trolley too and fill it about half a dozen times! I’m glad you had such a great time 🙂
I know and I saw people taking photos. I think they just wanted more people wearing media passes which I thought was dumb. Mine kept flopping over to the green side most of the time.
I haven’t been to the Sydney show in a few years but yes everyone has a granny trolley too! There’s so much to buy and try 😀
I bought a bag of white cheddar corn chips and someone (who shall remain old) ate half the bag already! He’s gonna get fat! 🙂
What a great bunch of happy people! I love going to food shows. We have a big one in Auckland next weekend and I am so looking forward to it.
Everyone always seems to be happy at a food show, don’t they? 🙂
As much as I love cheese, think I would have spent most of my time at the Greek pastries booth. And after filling up with same I would dance with that wonderful Greek gentleman until late in the afternoon.
The oils and vinegars would be the place most of my money would be spent.
Thanks for taking us along on your Foodie Adventure. Had fun. 🙂
What a great day out and I never go anywhere without my granny trolley. If I do ever leave it at home I always regret it. If I had my trolley with me at this event, I would have returned with it crammed to exploding. And how dare the car park owners profiteer like that – this was supposed to be a day about supporting small industries in Australia – what a bunch of thieves xx
So what was your secret for keeping it to just two carts? This sounds like a wonderful show. I enjoy events like this – seeing what is new and actually meeting the people who make/manufacture or grow is something I find really exciting, stimulating and inspirational. Thanks for the report!
I carried the cheese cooler, John had the granny cart and Rob had his wheelie walker with the storage compartment. No more hands!
It looks like you had a great day! What a fun expo and definitely the place to take a trolley 😉
NOW I know and now we have two. 🙂
When I fell pregnant, my husband bought me a nanna trolley for my birthday and I wanted to smack him. Turns out they’re very handy and now trendy too!! I wouldn’t mind a second one now! Great show, parking’s a bit rich though…
I love them for farmer’s markets – we never go without it and now we can take two. 🙂 I nearly croaked when he told me he paid $10 an hour to park.
Oh, so not bored…. I am reliving memories of visiting all of these producers in Victoria last year!
YUM!
I would have bought so much too… I didn’t even know Brisbane was holding this event…. obviously they wanted to keep it a secret 😉
I posted about it and a few others did but you must have been getawaying. 🙂
OMG I’m so jealous! I wanted to go so bad but the flights were just too expensive. So glad it’s always such a success!
Hi Monique, maybe you’ll get the next one!
Wicked photo of Ilias the Greek – what a cheeky looking chap. Sounds like you had a ball. Someone should try to lock you up, next time there is a food show in town.
Hi Maureen! I was there too! It would be wonderful to meet you sometime just to say gidday! And yes, I go nuts at the expo too! Last year was the first I’d ever been to and I think I was so euphoric I floated around! Sadly I didn’t get to stay as long this year so I had to be picky which stalls I honed in on. I looove the cheese alley though! The deals are amazing and I love trying the cheeses from around Australia in the one place. My other favourite stalls were Beerenbegs, Nic and Rosso’s (from last year’s My Kitchen Rules) macarons and the yummy gluten-free chocolate Christmas pudding from Itha’s Puddings & Gourmet Foods. I’m kicking myself I didn’t buy a pudding but I plan to take their flyer into my local gourmet deli and beg them to please stock them for Christmas!
Oh Bugger, I would have loved to have seen you. Where do you live?
Oh, I can so relate to that! The last food fair I was in, was all about Italian food and if I had not been there on foot, I’d probably would have bought half of it 🙂
We had a car outside as we live 1 1/2 hours north of Brisbane but we still had to walk around with it for hours. Thankfully one of the cheese purchases came with a zippered chiller bag. I’d love an Italian food show!
Sounds like a fabulous time. I like food shows (and trade shows) as I always seem to meet interesting people and learn about new, locally made products. Ilias the Greek has won my heart – any man with a passion for pastry is a man I can get along with!
Oh Yasmeen, one peek at your blog and he’d be in love too! It was a great day.
Great post – looks like a fantastic event for food lovers! Beautiful Photos too Maureen 🙂 Love your work 🙂
I almost didn’t post this one Lisa because I thought the photos were so bad. I didn’t bring the big camera because I didn’t want to haul it around but I will next time. My little camera stopped working and most of these photos were off my phone. I know you’re the phone photographer par excellence. I should have taken your class! bugger about that.
what fun. we have the taste here in hobart, but i don’t think we’ve ever attracted the likes of maggie beer! wonderful!
ilias the greek looks like fun, but his goodies sound magnificent. i would probably have to buy one of everything.
Matt Moran, Alastair McLeod, Maggie Beer and heaps of others were doing demonstrations. Even a master class in cheese. I can’t wait for next year’s show.
Wow, looks amazing Maureen. I think next time you should rent a little trailer – of course that might double your parking fee but I think you’ve already made up for that with all your goodies!
LOL shhh.. whisper that because John is sure to faint.
“Do you know how much we spent at the Good Food and Wine Show, Maureen?”
“Uhhh.. don’t tell me.”
“You’d cry!”