Top Ten Hunter Valley Gourmet 2014

Now we all love a list and this year we are sharing our suggestions for the Hunter Valley Gourmet Top Ten - featuring in no particular order some of our favourites and some of our new discoveries and some others who you might be interested in. 

Seriously, these selections are based on genuine Hunter Valley Gourmet and are not a paid list or clients of ours.  Word of mouth, referral and recommended to us by close friends, we are in a privileged position to share this list with you - the Top Ten Hunter Valley Gourmet for 2014.

Please, share your thoughts and nominate yourself, your business, or your own recommendation if you have a better suggestion or would like to be included in the next edition.  Above all we are fair, open minded and eager to share everything Gourmet about the Hunter Valley.

Great Gourmet Hunter Valley Wine Drives

Great Wine Drives - Gourmet Traveller

For decades the Hunter Valley has been Sydney's playground, a place to enjoy a weekend away in the country with family and friends all washed down with a healthy dose of local shiraz, semillon and chardonnay. Just close enough to make the couple-of-hours drive north of Sydney an easy run, the magical mix of vineyards, some outstanding wines and the imposing Brokenback Range continues to draw visitors, both local and international, to the region in ever-increasing numbers.

Hunter Valley Gourmet Restaurant

Leaves and Fishes Restaurant

Focusing on seafood, with an Asian kick, Leaves & Fishes started when co-owner Damian Burke began growing his own Silver Perch in the dam below Leaves and Fishes’ front deck. Harvesting and serving them in the restaurant, Sharon and he designed and built together, they became one of the first seafood restaurants in the Hunter Valley region. Offering good, fresh food in a friendly atmosphere has always been their continued goal.

Hunter Valley Gourmet BBQ

Tuscany Wine Estate Gourmet BBQ

Located in the heart of Australia’s premium wine country; Hunter Valley and only being a 2 hour drive from Sydney, many other factors such as the professional team with a high level of service ensuring you are made to feel you are at home; it is the food.

The Mill Restaurant at Tuscany Wine Estate Resort does not serve function food, rather prides itself on every meal with menu’s designed to give the highest quality, freshness, unique, variety; not your run of “The Mill”  experience.  Apart from the food we have the opportunity of offering various dining locations, ensuring those long stays offer a different dining experience each evening in both location and menu style.

Hunter Valley Gourmet Boutique Tours

Hunter Valley Boutique Wine Tours

This tour is a great introduction to the depth of Wine Country's industry! Yoll travel with a wine qualified host and experience insights into the industry not afforded everyday visitors to the Valley.  Also included are olive, cheese and handmade chocolate sampling.  Lunch consists of "clean, green" produce - a scrummy antipasto platter full of mouth watering selections.  On long weekend or event weekends,  a cafe style menu is provided.

Hunter Valley Luxury Accommodation

Blackwattle Gourmet Luxury Accommodation

Blackwattle Luxury Retreats offer two exclusive self-contained luxury cottages with romantic couples accommodation and luxurious small group self contained accommodation. The beautiful Lovedale location, in the world renowned Hunter Valley wine region of New South Wales of Pokolbin, Rothbury, Lovedale and Mount View, promises the ultimate getaway with the best of the Hunter Valley within just a few minutes.

Hunter Valley Gourmet Smokehouse

Lovedale Gourmet Smokehouse

Located on the picturesque Majors Lane Vineyard Estate in the heart of Lovedale, we are now home to Majors Lane Restaurant, Lovedale Smokehouse Gourmet Pantry, Lovedale Smokehouse Café, Majors Lane Cooking School, Majors Lane Wines Cellar Door and a Gallery of Local Art. 
We pride ourselves on showcasing the Hunter Valley’s best produce by offering a unique dining and tourism experience, and would like to thank the following publications and television programs for helping us spread the word about Hunter Valley producers:

Hunter Valley Gourmet Pizza

Hunter Valley Gourmet Pizza

A family owned business that has been in the Hunter Valley since 1998. We have expanded since then to include three locations with plans for more all across the hunter.  Nick and Nicky have been in the industry since 1976 when it was still in its infancy. They have grown and evolved along with the styles and tastes that have led to its current form.

Tinklers Fresh Hunter Valley Produce

Fresh Hunter Valley Gourmet Produce

Utilising our fertile soils and farming experience, we grow an abundance of seasonal produce including table grapes, peaches, nectarines, avocados, figs and mixed citrus. These and many other seasonal vegetables are available fresh or there is a wide range of jams, marmalades, pickles and relishes to chose from.

Hunter Valley Tour Guides- Two Fat Blokes

Hunter Valley Gourmet Tours

With an amazing 140 different wine outlets, over 50 outstanding restaurants the task to choose the right ones to visit can be a daunting one. We are also blessed with stunning natural beauty and an abundance of wildlife and that famous lay-back ‘Hunter Lifestyle’.  In fact, one of the world’s most respected wine magazines named the Hunter Valley as one of the top ten wine travel destinations in the world for 2013. The Hunter Valley is the only Australian wine region to make the list.

Binnorie Gourmet Cheese Hunter Valley

Hunter Valley Gourmet Cheesemaker

Set right in the middle of the Hunter Valley's fabulous Pokolbin vineyard district, Binnorie Dairy produces a range of cheeses with distinctive characters unavailable outside the region.  One of the ways this is achieved is by using only locally sourced milk.  "In the same way that wine reflects its regionality, due to soil variation and climatic conditions, so it is with dairy produce."

It is a real pleasure to keep seeking and finding hidden gems in and amongst the Hunter Valley Gourmet Region to share.

Christmas Wine and Cheese Hampers

Making Christmas Wine and Cheese Gift Baskets is simple...

Some background on cheese...

Cheese is made from the curds (solids) of cow, sheep or goat milk, which are separated from the whey and ripened, according to Stephanie Alexander in her Cook’s Companion. With different processing styles, additives and curing methods, there is virtually no limit to the variety and taste spectrum that can be achieved. Farmhouse cheese is cheese that has been made on a farm with milk from that farm exclusively.

Will Stud, Australia’s sole member of France’s Guilde des Fromagers, suggests nine categories of cheeses.
Blue - Ripen from the inside out and moulds are injected. Think roquefort and gorgonzola
Cooked – low moisture content, long shelf life. Think parmesan, gruyere, emmental.
Fresh – uncured, unripened. Think ricotta, cottage cheese, mozzarella, marscapone
Goats – Distinctive taste, sprinkled with ash. Think Chevre.
Processed – ripening is halted by heat treatment for uniformity. Think supermarket.
Semi-hard – treated at lower temp and matured for 4-12 mths. Think cheddar, raclette.
Sheeps – Traditional Ethnic cheeses. Think fetta, roquefort.
Surface-Ripened Washed Rind – curd is pressed and dipped in brine alternately.
Surface-Ripened White Mould – Mould grows on surface and develops in. Think Brie, Camembert.
Preparing the Cheese Platter
Stephanie Alexander advises to be selective with your cheese for the platter. If you have a single perfectly ripe cheese do not bother adding to the selection – one fine tasting is far superior to a motley jumble of dried out pieces. Far better to have one fine experience than a confusion of inferior choices.

Tips
- Remove the cheese from the fridge prior to serving – let the cheese come to room temperature.
- Don’t feel obliged to serve cut kiwi fruit or unripe hard strawberries with the cheese platter – they do nothing to improve the experience.
- Grapes present well on the platter and are a sweet balance.
- Fig Jam is a great spread on crusty bread in between
- Crusty Bread works best with the cheese platter – sourdough bread with dense crumb and chewy crust makes for a satisfying compliment.

Wine for the Cheese Platter
The general rule, according to Stephanie Alexander, is the lighter the cheese, the lighter the wine. Don’t necessarily think that you always have to serve a dry, full bodied red wine.
A sticky dessert wine sits well with a creamy blue cheese.

Christmas Gift Baskets make the ideal birthday present for a person who has everything. Gourmet hampers make for a pleasant surprise that keeps giving for long after the occasion, as there is no rush to open and sample all of the jars and bottles in the gift. For more tips and advice on gourmet gifts, call 1300 284 684.

Christmas Gift Baskets Delivery

Christmas Gift Baskets for Delivery Australia wide are in full swing at Hunter Valley Hampers, and we invite you to jump on board to join the momentum. Take your time to place a corporate order in time for pre Christmas delivery and, for orders in excess of $1000 we will reward you personally with a 750ml Moet NV Champagne!
Gifts Baskets make a stunning impression especially when you work with the Staff at Hunter Valley Hampers who can turn your vision into a unique "Create Your Own" Christmas Hamper.

Call 1300 284 684 to discuss your order, or view online at www.huntervalleyhampers.com.au/