Stock your cheese board with our pick of the season’s best new WA morsels.
French farmhouse favourites
Gluten-free pate and terrine specialists Poach Pear have added three new tasties to their menu: pork rillette, duck and orange pate, and farmhouse terrine. For the uninitiated, pork rillette is the French version of pulled pork, turned into a rich spread. Poach Pear stays true to the original, offering strips of pulled pork soaked in a lard jus. Just add crusty French bread and you're good to go. Buy it Boatshed Market, Subi Farmers Market, Fresh Provisions and selected IGAs. For a full list of stockists, visit poachpear.com.au.
Sweet tooth comb
We can't get enough of the luscious hand-cut honeycomb from local beekeepers Honey I'm Home Produce, run by husband-and-wife team Blaine and Tristan Campbell from their Beechboro home. Blaine recommends serving the floating comb over cheese (our pick: the triple cream brie from Dellendale Creamery in Denmark). Buy it Honey: The Lettuce Shop, Kookery and Saturdays at the Subiaco Farmers Market. Visit hihp.net.au. Cheese: Whitfield Estate in Denmark and The Herdsman in Wembley. Visit dellendale.com.au.
Smallgoods, big flavour
Southwest organic meat gods Blackwood Valley Beef have released a range of premium smallgoods. The latest addition, Blackwood Beef Chorizo –
a blend of beef, paprika and spices – had our taste buds tingling when we grilled it and doused it with fresh lemon. There's also Blackwood Valley Pastrami and Aged Blackwood Smoked Bresaola (beef prosciutto). The Wood Smoked Spiced Blackwood Beef, with a subtle mix of natural spices added for that extra flavour hit, happens to be Blackwood Valley Beef director Warren Pensini's favourite.
"It's a unique product in the market place because it has no added nitrates, and it tastes superb and matches beautifully with beer!" says Warren. "It's consistently our most popular product when we do tastings, however the Chorizo is now giving it a good nudge." Luckily the smallgoods are available at selected stores and the Manning Farmers Market. Buy it Kakulas Sister, Fresh Provisions Mt Lawley, Nosh Gourmet Foods, and Leeming IGA. For stockists, visit blackwoodvalleybeef.com.au.
Goose!
On top of our preserves and jams list is Duck Duck Mother Goose with its fusion of sweet and savoury flavours – its poached pear chutney tastes like the inside of a pear pie with a spicy undertone. Coming out this spring is a candy-like pineapple, chilli & lime jam, delicious turmeric-infused beetroot relish, and an easy-to-spread blueberry, sage and juniper jam. The company is also releasing a lavosh bread range including rosemary, plain sea salt and celery seed. The two lovely ladies behind the brand, Renelle and Amanda, set up shop in Mandurah where they produce delicious gourmet preserves and a selection of baked goods using only the best of West Australian fruit and veg. "We source our ingredients from a range of farmers markets (mainly from Subi and Vic Park) and we also get produce from The Local Grocer," Renelle tells us. Although they've only been on the West Australian food scene for less than a year, they're already turning heads – they've just been asked to showcase their goodies at this year's Margaret River Gourmet Escape. Buy it Kookery, The Local Grocer, Nosh Gourmet Foods, and selected farmers markets. For a full list of stockists, visit facebook.com/duckduckmothergoose.
Cheddar gorgeous
We're extremely smitten with the new Pale Ale Cheddar from Beersine, a local business that incorporates beer into products like cheese, meat, bread and sauces. While the Hop EVOO and Malt Ketchup aren't half bad, it's the cheese that has our epicurean hearts all aflutter. "I make it combining Capel Cheddar with Feral Hop Hog," says Beersine owner Mitch Mitchell. "I'd make the cheddar myself, but I can't afford to set up a dairy. It's definitely in our long-term plan, though!" Buy it Nosh Gourmet, Gangemi's Wines & Spirits and various IGAs. beersine.com.
