Months ago when I went to the Noosa Food and Wine Festival, I met Bill Dowling, his lovely wife Caroline and tasted Bill’s Beetroot Marmalade. Caroline put a bit of goat cheese on a cracker and sprinkled a few pieces of this chutney on top and I was in heaven. I kept telling people around me to try it. We went to Noosa with friends Jan and David and I found them on the other side of the room and brought them back to have a try. We all bought a jar.
Then I went home with all my goodies from the festival and the jar of beetroot marmalade made it to the back of my pantry shelf. I’ll admit it, I have a horrible pantry. I just hate it. I designed my previous pantry myself with a counter bench with power points, slide out shelves, well lit — perfect. The one I have now is in a corner, almost pitch black in there and no matter how I try to light it, it’s still dark.
“Do we have any English mustard?” John says.
“In the pantry,” says I.
“Can you find it for me? I’ve looked for 5 minutes.”
So I’m not surprised that I lost the marmalade.
This weekend was clean the pantry and toss out anything past its use-by date and that’s when I found the marmalade. I couldn’t open the jar fast enough. I had one tiny piece of goat cheese left and a new wheel of South Cape herb and chive soft cheese and I was ready.
I ate the goat cheese with beetroot on top without a thought to sharing it with you. Sorry. It was fantastic. I went outside and took a photo of the opened jar and didn’t think to wash off the label. Sticky fingers.
Then I remembered you and made up a few crackers and took a picture and then ran upstairs to John’s office and said, “Look what I found?” He doesn’t get as excited about food as I do but he eagerly ate a cracker or two and said, “This is really good.” He’s a man of understatement. Orgasmic meals get, “that was all right, wasn’t it?”
Most of the stockists of Tasmanian Gourmet Kitchen products are in Tasmania but thankfully, no matter where in the world you live, you can order some of this chutney. You have to hunt for the “view cart” link once you select a product to buy but I promise you, it’s there.
Bill’s Beetroot Marmalade is on the sweet side, which of course is why I love it, but everyone I’ve served it to raved about it. There’s also garlic and ginger and other spices. It reminds me a lot of the roasted garlic and onion jam from Maine’s Stonewall Kitchen. A little bit goes a long way but I’ll never be without either one!
This isn’t a sponsored post, I’ll tell you if anyone ever asks me to do one. 🙂 I met these friendly people, tasted their products and I was smitten!
Do you have a favorite chutney recipe? Care to share it with us?
What a great appetizer! I love Stonewall Kitchen products (in fact, it’s dangerous to let me anywhere near them – I buy way too much for my pantry to hold!).
I’m originally from Maine and when I order I get a case at a time sent to me in Australia. 🙂
Bill’s products are new to me and I’m so excited to discover them. Thank you Maureen! A tasty appetizer indeed. Just perfect for Goat Cheese Month too!!!
Thanks for sharing…
This chutney was brilliant over goat cheese!
I love this beetroot marmalade! It’s the best that I’ve tried. He told us that he makes it in small batches on a stove!
He does and he chops all the beetroot himself! I wonder if he does all the cleanup by himself? 🙂
Well you’ve definitely sold me on this! If I ever spy some I’ll be sure to pick some up. And my pantry is awful, too. Well, it’s unorganized and messy right now although I do have a fairly decent one. I organize it and it slowly gets out of place all over again. hmmm…I may just have to make that today’s project! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
I tried to have an organized pantry, may stay organized for a week or 2.
Goat cheese and beet root go so very well together.
This makes me laugh. My ex-husband (a designer of power stations) would periodically put my pantry items in alphabetical order. I’m not kidding. It lasted like that until the first time I put something away. 🙂
I had to laugh at your reaction to eat first, and to share with us second – lol! Sometimes that’s just the way it is too! Sounds like you found a great tasting chutney – thanks for sharing! I have a lazy susan in my kitchen cabinet that holds pantry items and my actual pantry is full of all the electronic kitchen gadgets we own. Rice cooker, icecream maker, food processor, etc…. Both are a nightmare 99% of the time!
I wonder how many tiers on a lazy susan I could get for my pantry items 🙂
Oooooooh! That sounds fan-freaking-tastic! I can see why you didn’t waste anytime taking flash pictures for the blog. That right there tells me how good it is 🙂
It is really good. Bill knows his beets 🙂
So nuce to be back and catch up on your site, Maureen. Love this marmalade and wish I had a jar for breakfast with toast today.
I don’t know if I’d use this with toast 🙂 It’s a much more savory taste than “real” marmalade. Great to see you!
Oh beetroot wow astonishing we have a special recipe that includes horseradish (they go so well together), vinegar, sugar, olive oil and a pinch of salt. It has astonishing effects on your immune system.
I love the idea of horseradish in the chutney! Lovely to see you again!
Oh wow, Beetroot Marmalade – that sounds amazing. The colour is wonderful… something I’ll have to try and remember next time I have my hands on some raw beets, would love to give it a try.
I made some courgette and nectarine chutney last year – put the recipe on my blog… that was really good. My friend made some rhubarb and strawberry chutney too which was some of the best stuff I’ve ever had in my life!
I love strawberry rhubarb anything! I’m making some tarts today 🙂
Great and tasty photo!
Maureen…shhhh don;t tell…I have never tried chutney, giggle. Thsi looks and sounds divine xo
No ??? OMG.. you must. start with Stonewall Kitchens. You can buy online. Then start making your own. 🙂
will do! xo
Oh, my! I’m so glad you cleaned out the pantry to share this with us! And I need a pantry makeover, too! LOL!
When you get your pantry organized, Laura, let me know. Maybe it will inspired me to have a second try at making this one I have more usable.
Sounds terrific. I don’t believe I’ve ever had beetroot marmalade. My life is way too sheltered. Jalapeno jelly and goat cheese (or even cream cheese) is another terrific combo. My current pantry is one of my best ever – open shelving in the basement! I can store tons of stuff, and it’s easy to see. And running up & down the stairs is good exercise. 😉 I also have a closet in the kitchen that was just able to hold one of the restaurant wire rack units on wheels – I just wheel the entire contents of the closet out into the kitchen! Or that’s the theory – in practice I just reach in and grab.
I don’t have a basement but that’s what my mother did when I was a kid. Everything was stored in huge cabinets down there. I can still hear, “Maureen, get me two cans of Italian tomatoes from downstairs please?”
Dear Maureen,
I have never even heard of beetroot marmalade but I can imagine how great this must taste. Beetroot has such great health benefits too!
Dash down to Tassie and get some 🙂 or look for Bill at any of the big food shows, because he must go to them all. Or you can come to the Sunshine Coast and I’ll serve some to you.
Sounds divine! I love beets! 🙂
If you love beets and you have the teensiest of sweet teeth.. this is for you 🙂
Oh no, sounds like you have a Narina style pantry 😛
This sounds amazing, especially with cheese, now I’m craving cheese and chutney!
I was too and you know what? I ate it all! need.more.cheese
I haven’t tried such preserve, but I am sure would love it as I am a big fan of everything beets. 🙂 Heading over to check Mr. Bill’s products. Thanks Maureen! 🙂
I subscribe to your blog Maureen but it does seem to take a very long time for me to get the email notification. Never mind – I’m here now! I keep hearing great things about the Noosa Food and Wine Festival. I think goat’s cheese would go so well with something sweet like beetroot marmalade. My husband is a bit like your husband. I’ll cook something spectacular and we’ll sit down to eat and he’ll almost be finished, have not had said a word, and finally I can’t stand it any longer and I’ll say, ‘So do you like it?’ and he’ll look all shocked and say, ‘Oh sorry, yeah, it’s great. I was just enjoying it so much I forgot to say something’. Praise is hard to come by xx
I know what you mean. John would never be unkind, it’s not his nature but “it’s okay” means it’s pretty good. I’ve talked with my techo expert in the other office and told him mailchimp needs to be checked. He said, “yes, dear.”
I get the notice on time……I assume. My problem is I am so busy I don’t always have time to open, read, and drool as soon as I would like.
I still haven’t gotten around to click everything I love to munch. That recipe looks so amazing. I have quite a few chutney recipes. Let me work on one.
Mr Bill sounds like the perfect produce brand 😀
All the preserves sound delicious!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
LOL, Uru, I called him Mister Bill. I think he probably just uses plain old Bill. 🙂
“I couldn’t open the jar fast enough” – that says it all, Maureen! I love your enthusiasm for the product and that you wolfed down the bit of goats cheese without sharing. It reminds me of the poem by William Carlos Williams – “This is just to say”
I had to go look up William Carlos Williams! I love food that gets me all excited. 🙂
Crackers with goat cheese and beet marmalade look divine. I love simple finger foods like this. I can make an entire meal with nothing but finger foods. Goat cheese makes almost anything taste divine. NOTE TO SELF: Must try this.
That sounds perfect with goat cheese. I know what you mean about the thought of taking a photo being a second thought because I am too engrossed in the moment of enjoying deliciousness. But that’s the point of great food, to make you forget everything else. 🙂
Yes, yes, yes! I can just imagine how good this would taste.
I did a clean out of my pantry six months ago and was amazed how many duplicates I had of everyday staples – I must buy the same things over and over again without bothering to check the pantry first lol
Oh yum! Beet chutney sounds delicious. It’s good that your pantry is clean now.. you can store more chutney!
I haven’t seen beetroot marmalade here , but I bet it’s delicious, all that earthy sweetness in ajar, Mmm. I’ll have to see if I can find some here or maybe get it shipped! GG
beetroot marmalade? WHAT! That sounds amazing!
What a delicious sounding marmalade, love this and your photo looks fantastic. I’m ready for some right NOW! thanks for sharing, I’m thinking of re-creating this chutney…………
Share your recipe when you’re done? like in a guest post maybe?? 🙂
i love the sweetness of beets! i bet they make a fabulous jam. i am no expert in making jams or chutneys, so maybe i will just steal some of your commenters’ suggestions 🙂
Beetroot marmalade sounds delicious! Your photographs are beautiful!
When I was a kid I used to hate beets but now I can’t get enough of them!
I have never tried them in a marmalad before and think I need to change that soon
YUM! What a great idea. I love finding preserves and food I love and then trying to make it myself – but maybe this is just one of those specialties that you have to buy – as you do – by the case! You certainly have my curiosity more than peaked!
🙂
Valerie
Valerie, I think it’s possible to make this. I’m definitely going to try 🙂
I have had Bill’ beetroot marmalade and I think we finished it off in under a week. I also like Mr’s Balls Blatjang which is a South African chutney. Its great over bobotie pie. 🙂
I know! I have a jar that I haven’t opened because I want to share it with my sister but I couldn’t help myself with the onions. I want more.
We moved to Tassie a few years ago and we go through Bills Beetroot Marmalade like water in our house! Honestly, two jars a week. In salads, on fish, on meat.. straight out of the jar! It’s a little on the expensive side, but it’s our weekly indulgence. Now we give it to family and friends as Christmas presents, and each year they ask for more. This Christmas season just gone, all of the local providores in the entire Hobart region SOLD OUT of it for weeks! We were shattered!
Virginia!! I found Bill’s Beetroot Marmalade at the IGA in Maleny in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. I bought 2 jars. I wish I could make that stuff. I know I could live on it. Thanks so much for coming by! ***added Holy Cow, “V” I didn’t know you were famous. 🙂 I just looked you up – you are so gorgeous and those video clips are really good (except don’t watch that music one with the sound turned way up or everyone will rush in to see what’s going on).
We’ve finally got a shop up here on the Sunshine Coast that sells the beetroot marmalade. No caramelised onions on their website yet. These are as good as the beetroot. Heavenly!