Southern Highlands Food & Wine Festival - Bowral

The sun was shining and it was a perfect day to get out of Sydney and get some fresh air.  We headed to Bowral on a Sunday bright and early and was rewarded with an early and not to crowded start to the Southern Highlands Food and Wine Festival which was held at the Bong Bong Racecourse.  (okay this was waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy back in September 2013!) - sorry a bit slow on the posts!

Masala bread at Bread @

 

Jo and her baker hubby are hitting the spot with the baking at the Food and Wine Festival.  Selling only at local markets under the brand Bread @- you gotta get in to get some of the best bread around.  This masala bread is laced with red onions and coriander tastes amazing.  I have had some with grilled cheese which is the bomb!

Dutch pancakes

 

Crispy and hot and covered in syrup and icing sugar - yummo

 

Onto a little cooking demonstration with Eschalot restaurant.  Making gnocchi with sage burnt butter sauce.

potato gnocchi with spring asparagus and sage burnt butter sauce

confit pulled duck with rhubarb and apple compote.

 

Hands down the dish of the day on offer from Eschallot and the food stalls.

Passion cello

 

Cello is a range of liquers, the well known limoncello along with lime and this wonderful passionfruit cello. Perfect for a glass of sparkles and making it into a passion belini. Got myself one of the last bottles on offer for the day!

It was the hot pink and the vibrant Graeme who grabbed my attention to this new cider from dcider.  Crisp and delicious (as in apple but no pun intended).  As cider is flooding the markets with so many brands and blends this one is making it's mark. I'm officially in love with it

Pink is in!

 

 

 

pastrami sandwich

 

There are so many stalls and goodies and fresh new products to try and we spent a few hours wondering around sampling everything (and purchasing a few things along the way).

 

On the way home, we made a quick stop in Bowral to check out the tulips (the festival started the day after the food and wine festival).  they were beautiful and in full bloom (which is a shame as they may not make it to the end of the festival!)

 

Guaranteed fabulous day out with friends and meeting local producers of the region.  Definitely a must do again!  Now I gotta go order some more dcider!