Cork & Fork Wine & Butchery Lunch is just over a week away and the two Michaels are getting excited.
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Winemaker Mike De Iuliis is hosting the event at his Pokolbin vineyard on Saturday, August 10, and Michael Robinson, of Hungerford Meat Co, will be on hand to conduct a butchery workshop and help prepare lunch.
The menu has been released and it looks the goods. There will be a smoked lamb rib cook-off as well as smoked lamb sausages, goats' curd, lamb kofta and lamb pie. There's also smoked lamb shoulder, lamb leg cooked over charcoal, lamb wellington and lamb osso bucco, as well as winter greens like honey-roasted carrots with caraway yoghurt, smoked cauliflower with miso and mutton fat potatoes.
Binnorie Dairy will supply labna, marinated goats' fetta and washed rind.
It's casual with a focus on fun - as well as informative. There will be salumi, a sit-down feast-style lunch, live music and wine. And this year there is a pick-up and drop-off option for people who would (quite rightly) prefer to leave their car at home.
Cork & Fork - Lamb-BBQ is on August 10, 11am to 4.30pm at De Iuliis Winery, 1616 Broke Road, Pokolbin. Tickets cost $150 per person (kids under 12 just $25); $175 per person with return transfers from Cessnock/Pokolbin; and $199 per person with return transfers from Newcastle.
Food & Wine has a double pass to give away to Cork & Fork, including a return bus transfer to and from Hamilton Station (leaves 10.30am and returns approximately 6pm) for two people. The prize is valued at $398. To enter, send the words "Cork & Fork" with your name, address and number to freelunch@theherald.com.au. Entries close on Monday at 9am.
Wine bar by night
Good Brother Espresso on Newcastle's King Street has "quietly came of age", says owner Steph Whitehead, and extended its opening hours to transform into a cosy little wine bar in the evenings. The concept is called Good Nights at Good Brother.
"We always wanted to do evenings here," Whitehead, who also owns Suspension Espresso in Islington with her husband Chris Johnston, told Food & Wine.
"We had held a few evening events here in the past and the cafe transforms into such a beautiful space; it feels magical at night. We now have this lovely flow into the evening where people come in for a meeting over a coffee and then stay for wine or meet after work and stay on."
What's On: The best things to see and do in Newcastle
The wine list is small but considered, featuring small, independent wineries. On the menu are charcuterie and cheese boards, a vegan share plate and revolving hot dishes created by Whitehead's mother, Bev.
"Mum has an inescapable need to create food. Her dishes draw inspiration from all over the world but it mostly just comes from the heart; it's just a part of who she is," Whitehead said. "We make all own sauces and relishes in-house and any leftover compost materials feed our family chickens."
Suppliers include Local Crop, Baked Uprising, Bacco's Bakeries, Covered in Crumbs and Just Been Laid, and regular trips are made to Newcastle City Farmers Market.
Good Brother Espresso, 40 King Street, Newcastle, is open Monday and Tuesday, 6am to 5pm; Wednesday to Saturday, 6am to 10pm; and Sunday, 6.30am to 3pm.
Beer & BBQ Festival
Hunter Valley Beer & BBQ Festival is on this weekend at Hope Estate, Pokolbin. Two sanctioned rounds of the Steak Cook Off (Saturday) and Australasian BBQ Alliance Championship (Sunday) will take place, and there will be live music, beer masterclasses, wine tasting, a Kids' Zone, food and market stalls and displays and demonstrations. Go to hopestate.com.au for ticket prices and package deals.
Food Hub opens at The Station
Feedback Food Hub + Foodcycle launches at The Station, Newcastle, this Saturday, August 3, 11am to 3pm. There will be junior farmer workshops held on the hour, every hour; workshops; and the official launch of Feedback's FoodCycle: a domestic food waste program that allows the community to manage their food waste in "food hubs" around Newcastle.
"I applaud Feedback Organic Recovery's David Sivyer for this far-reaching solution to what is a problem with domestic food waste," Slow Food Hunter Valley founder and Earth Markets chair Amorelle Dempster said. "It is such a valuable resource in the food chain and harvesting it to create a thriving urban food culture, on our common grounds, is to be applauded."
Raise a glass
The Newcastle Club performed well at the 2019 Gourmet Traveller Wine awards, winning Best Listing of NSW Wines (and a three-glass rating) and Best Club Wine List for the second year running. The judges said "this list stands up against any in the country, with an incredibly well-selected collection that marries a treasure trove of local, Hunter Valley wines, with a stupendous depth of Australian fine wine producers and keenly selected imports". Nagisa, Eremo, The Cellar, Yellow Billy and Restaurant Botanica were awarded two glasses in the Best Listing of NSW Wines category, and Subo one glass.
Final days at Reserve
Speaking of wine, Reserve on Hunter Street is about to crack open the nine-litre 2011 Lake's Folly Cabernet and will be pouring it until its empty. The wine bar and restaurant closes at the end of the week so book a table or pull up a chair at the bar while you can.
Quacking burger on offer
Rascal's burger of the week is "A Cluckwork Orange" - fried chicken, roast duck breast, à l'orange glaze, sweet potato fries, ranch, pickles and onions. It's available until Sunday evening.
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