Milk Fed Suffolk Lamb Night

A Fantastic Lamb Tasting was held at Berta Restaurant, where a group of Sydney chef's got together to try some of Australia's best tasting lamb. The Lambs were grown by Richard Gunner, at his families property Southern Cross, in Tintinara, South Australia. Richard is the only person genetically selecting lambs for breeding through the use of ultrasound in a similar way to the production of wagyu beef. He applies this breeding technology to his flock, which is the worlds largest Pure Suffolk Flock. Richard was on hand to talk about Milk Fed Suffolk Lambs and answer chef's questions. Thanks to all those who joined us for a truly relaxed and fun night. Derek Nicholson

2011 Berta Restaurant Novello Olive Oil Dinner

http://nicholson-and.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-berta-restaurant-novello-olive-oil.html

Berta Restaurant Olive Oil Dinner
Berta Restaurant and Nicholson & Saville held a fantastic dinner welcoming in Australia’s 2011 olive oil season. Berta Restaurants Chef O Tama paired olive oils sourced by Derek Nicholson with outstanding dishes to displaying the oils truly unique attributes. The event highlighted the coming of age of Australian olive oils, with two of the oils used in the dinner winning awards at the 2011 Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition. Australia produces beautifully balanced and interesting oils often unlike those of Europe which is helping to forge a local Australian style of olive oil which is being recognised throughout the olive oil world.

The two oils used in the dinner, which picked up awards at the 2011 Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition were Picual and arbequina. The Picual won Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil – International – in the medium class and the arbequina won in the light and delicate category. O Tama’s menu was Italian inspired food that saw oils being used in varying ways with raw vegetables, to ragu’s through to an outstanding chocolate tart glazed with Novello Frantoio and paired with Novello Frantoio gelato. The tart was then spiked with Murray River Pink Salt Flakes to produce and amazing mix of savoury and sweet which at no point saw the flavours competing with each other only complementing the dish, to produce a very tight well executed desert.

Suffolk Milk Fed Lamb at Porteno

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/blogs/table-talk/terrys-top-ten--the-best-dishes-of-2010-20101209-18ql5.html

Suffolk Milk Fed Lamb at Porteno Sydney

Top Dish of 2010 By Terry Durack

I will let Terry Durack express how good Suffolk Milk Fed Lambs can be, with thanks to Ben, Elvis and Adan and their team at Porteno.

Follow the link in the title to read what Sydney's Top restaurant reviewer thinks of the Suffolk lamb at Porteno

Novello Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2011 Novello Frantoio Olive Oil

Novello olive oil is celebrated as the first oil of the season, coming straight from the tank before settling and filtration take place. It contains a high amount of fine fruit pulp giving it a green opaque hue and limited lifespan.

The Novello Frantoio is made from olives grown and processed on the Gwydir River in Moree north western NSW by Jenni and Peter Birch. This region has a history of olive growing dating back to the 1800's when the Department of Agriculture trialled cultivation using the mineral rich artisan bore water. Then in the 1950's a Greek family began growing and processing olives and selling the oil in their main street cafe. In 1993 Jenni and Peter started the third wave and now care for 250 hectares of olive trees, including Frantoio, Leccino, Coratina, Kalamata and Jumbo Kalamata.
The olive harvest starts in April and goes for six weeks; in this time the olives are processed 24 hours a day using a cold press centrifugal system. Due to the warm Mediterranean like climate, the olives are typically milder and sweeter than the cool climate southern oils at this time of year.

Tasting Notes:

Fresh green almond, mildly herbaceous with a full palate that has lingering green apple tones.