I’m going to break with tradition for the first time since starting this blog by publishing a post without a recipe. But stay with me folks… as it is with good reason (and because I will reward you with an amazing rolled pizza recipe on the weekend).
A few short days ago I was in Adelaide meeting a slew of wonderful Australian food bloggers at Eat.Drink.Blog 3. It was a wonderful experience for me as I had been flying under the radar a little bit, trying to learn as much as I could before really diving into the Australian food blogger pool. This is probably because I have this terrible perfectionist streak and it has only been in the last few month that I felt I was finding my groove with ChewTown and its recipe development, photography and writing.
With thanks to the wonderful efforts of the Eat.Drink.Blog 3 organising committee (Amanda from Lamb’s Ears and Honey, Christina from The Hungry Australian, Alex from Eating Adelaide, Celeste from Travelling in Mary Janes, Erin from She Cooks She Gardens, Kirsty from The Natural Foodie and Natasha from Playing House) 80 food bloggers from all over Australia only had to organise their flights and accommodation to take part in an amazing array of tours, feeding frenzies, wine sessions, photography & styling classes, ethical discussions and much much more.
Our group was extremely lucky to have the support of so many people, companies and sponsors. For a comprehensive list of those who supported Eat.Drink.Blog 3 read this great post from Sara over at Belly Rumbles who puts it beautifully.
I am still a little shocked to have placed second in the Eat.Drink.Blog 3 photography competition announced on Saturday night and would like to express my sincere thanks to the judging panel (photographer Grant Nowell, Sumptuous editor Sky Harisson, and Sneh Roy from Cook Republic) for seeing something special in my Persian Delight Jelly photo.
I am so grateful for all that I learnt and all who I met and I look forward to dipping a little more than my toe in the big pool of the welcoming Australian food blogger community. Thanks to all who made it a wonderful experience.
I’ll leave you with a few highlights from the first day of Eat.Drink.Blog 3. I hope they convey the wonderful time we had sampling all of what the Adelaide Central Market and the Barossa has to offer!
I was delighted to try black garlic at Mushroom Man’s shop. I had been reading about it a few weeks ago and almost bought some online. It was a real surprise – earthy with a sweet garlic flavour and pleasant gelatinous texture. I am definitely getting a few of these black beauties sent to Sydney to experiment with soon.
A heartfelt thanks go out to South Australian Tourism Commission for arranging our bus ride out to the Barossa. Thanks also to our wonderful Barossa host Barbara Storey (Manager – communications and promotions for Barossa Grape and Wine Association) and our hilarious bus driver!
First Barossa stop was at Bibu Barossa in Tununda (yes, that is the Tununda town crier with his gorgeous pug). Thanks to Bibu Barossa Director, Kate Milroy and Barossa Fine Foods Brand Ambassador, Alex Knoll for the wonderful sampling plate to accompany our 12 glass tasting (yes, I said 12) of spectacular Barossa wines. To the winemakers, Paul Heinicke from Soul Growers and Tim O’Callaghan from Diggers Bluff, thanks for your enthusiasm and for bringing out some truly ballsy reds to taste!
Winemaker Andrew Quinn and chef Lachlan Colwill are truly on to something at Hentley Farm. After leaving Bibu Barossa in Tununda we headed to Hentley Farm in Marananga for a wonderful wine and food matching experience. Thanks to Andrew who greeted us in the garden with a glass of Hentley Farm Reisling matched with a crispy rice cracker topped with mushroom floss and snapper (yes, it was as good as it sounds/looks).
Thanks to Chef Colville for our spectacular bite sized matched morsels served with the Grenache Rose, The Beast Shiraz and The Beauty Shiraz. My spectacular find of the weekend (aside from the black garlic) was Ajwain spice. It was used on the chocolate and sea salt dessert canapé and was sensational (heading online to source some now).
Lovely post on the wekend, thanks Amanda – and simply stunning pics! No wonder you placed in the photo comp.
How fantastic! Your photos are stunning and your writing is just lovely! I'm super excited to have found your blog. The conference looked as though it was so wonderfully informative.
Wow, your photography is alway so fabulous. xxx
Great post Amanda and beautiful photos too! You are making me wish I was back there! So good to meet you! xo
Beautiful words and photos, a perfect review of the weekend!
Congratulations on getting second place. You really truly deserve it as you are an amazing photographer. Many admire your work, me included!
What a fantastic weekend it was! By the time those chocolate crackle things were out, I was so full I couldn't eat one more morsel of food. I won't be able to eat until Friday. I loved Adelaide, the market and most importantly all the wonderful, interesting people I met.
Really REALLY great to meet you over the weekend…I hope we get to catch up again in Sydney soon. And your photos are STUNNING! Those chocolate crackles…or lordy.
There are some beautiful photos here, Amanda – well done! So happy to hear you enjoyed yourself.xx
Oh wow! Your photos have captured the events so wonderfully, very nice! =)
Your photos tell the story of the weekend perfectly.
Great round up of the weekend's events Amanda! It was lovely to meet you and looking forward to that pizza recipe 🙂 congrats again on the photo.
I would have killed to have gone to this, but alas, I'm living in the UK at the moment. Congrats on scoring second place in the photo comp! Very well deserved, I say.
Congrats on 2nd place! Well deserved. Sounds like a fun time. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Thanks Amanda! It was so wonderful to be a part of it. Thanks to you and the committee for organising it!
So great to meet you too! Looking forward to Monday night drinks!
Absolutely! I'd love to catch up sometime. How good were those crackles?!
Hellooooo my dear Ms Chew Town! Can I just say what a pleasure it was to have met you and be "tour buddies" with you at the conference? You are such a joy to be around. And omg your photos are absolutely STUNNING!! Love every single one of your picture, they really captivate me and I read your post a couple of times. What a lovely round up of the day. P.s., I am totally missing the food at Hentley and wanna go back to eat the food by Chef Colwill!
What an amazing event. Looking at these photos is making me seriously hungry 🙂
will definitely have to check it out!
Hello Amanda 🙂 it was SUPER great to meet you in person ~ And i'm so jealous that your photos are STUNNING hehe even though we were at the same place at the same time taking photos of the SAME THING ahhaha it's simply not fair 😛
But then that's why you won the photography competition and it was very well deserved! I'm so happy for you!!!
Hope to meet you again soon xox
Looks like it was a great event and a fun time for all!
What an amazing weekend, and fantastic taste of SA on the first day. Your photos are gorgeous, capturing it perfectly.
No recipe posted! Oh wow, noooooo, and thank you for the lovely mention.
To agree with everyone else, your images are absolutely breath taking! Your trip looks not only photographs beautifully, it looks just as yummy!! What camera and lens do you use?
Wow amazing photos (I too would like to know what camera/lens you normally use) you totally deserved a place in the photography comp! Excellent summary of the first day!
My goodness the food at Hentley Farm was amazing! I'm coming to Melbourne in a couple of weeks so we should all catch up with Daisy et al! x
Thanks 🙂 I use a Nikon D7000 body with a 50mm f/1.8 Prime lens. The prime lens has the best depth of field.
Thanks! I just posted my camera details in the comment above for you.
Aw thanks Amanda! Great post with some seriously gorgeous photos. Well done on your win again!
Absolutely stunning photos! Congrats on being placed second too. Didn't get a chance to meet you I'm afraid but what a great weekend that was!