Gourmet excellence on the Mornington Peninsula
Louise Johnson
Mornington Peninsula Regional Awards for Excellence dinner - Mornington Peninsula Chocolates
Creating a menu to highlight regional produce is any chef's dream, especially when that produce is as excellent as the entrants for the inaugural Mornington Peninsula Regional Awards for Excellence.
Table Matters at Mornington Star executive chef Tim Menger says it was a delight to work with the passionate entrants and their products. The region has an amazing range of producers and the menu, designed for the award dinner on July 8, uses everything from locally made yoghurt to olive oils, quinces and coffee.
The awards allow the region to showcase its offerings and draw attention to this part of Victoria and the Mornington Peninsula certainly has its fair share of classy restaurants and funky, quirky cafes, not to mention the producers making exceptional local products. Winners and finalists will go on to the Victorian Awards for Excellence in August, and if they make it through that the Savour Australia National Awards in Brisbane in October.
Tim's menu adheres to his modern Australian style, with French influences. He says that with a good grasp of technique anything is possible. "Flavours are there to be tried and tested, and just because it's in a book doesn't mean that it is right," he says.
The producers menu
The Taste
- Shot of tomato essence from Flinders Farm
- freshly shucked oysters with Red Hill pickled cherries from Elfred's
The Table
- Red Hill Bakery bread with Ridge Estate olive oil, Mornington Peninsula olive oil and Aromatic Spices dukkah
The Ground
- Soup of Gazzola Farms broccoli with truffle oil
- Ten Minutes By Tractor Chardonnay 2007
The Produce
- Red Hill Cheese paradigan log ash goat's cheese with Asparagus Direct purple beetroot, wild rocket and crushed hazelnuts
- Darling Park Pino Gris-Viognier 2007
The Sea
- Steamed Port Phillip King George Whiting with smoked haddock mousse, Cochrane Farms cauliflower royale, Asparagus Direct pencil leeks and a white wine, ginger and cream foam
- Montalto Riesling 2006
The Land
- 12hr braised spiced pork belly with Pivato Farm celeriac puree, Hickinbotham pale ale sauce, and Ellisfield Farm quince
- Paringa Pinot Noir 2007
The Farm
- Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm strawberry liqueur with vanilla froth
The Fruit
- Mille feuille of allspice meringue made with local free range eggs. Served with stewed Delgrosso apples and pears, Ashcombe woodland honey, Blue Bay Cheese yoghurt and Cazan's Gourmet Foods blueberry sauce
- Foxey's Sticky Gris 2007
The Finale
- Five Senses Coffee with Mornington Peninsula Chocolates
Regions
- Mornington Peninsula (VIC)
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Good eating on the Mornington Peninsula has been rewarded this month with the inaugural Regional Awards for Excellence.
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