The Hawkesbury Harvest Farm Gate Trail

Urban Graze

It is the time of year when thoughts start to wander towards Christmas, summer holidays and the New Year. New Year resolutions are not for everyone but if  you had been thinking that you would like to improve your cooking skills, then one of the most beautiful places to do a cooking class would have to be Millthorpe, west of the Blue Mountains.

The historic town of Millthorpe is located between Bathurst and Orange and chefs Joel Owen and Tarrah Laidman of Urban Graze came across it when conducting their truffle tours.  

Joel and Tarrah have run highly successful cooking classes in Sydney's Hills District for four years and when the opportunity arose to open a cooking school in Millthorpe they jumped at it, opening the school around four months ago.  

Using the freshest ingredients possible, the classes are designed to be accessible to all (including children's classes in the holidays) and in no way intimidating.  There are upcoming classes on seafood, tex- mex, Thai, pasta and wood fired pizza cooking just to name a few.  The purpose built kitchen is stunning but again is deliberately built to resemble a home, rather than a commercial, kitchen.

It would seem that running the cooking school here is not enough for this energetic couple, for they have also taken over the lease of the Commercial Hotel and opened a restaurant called Basalt.  At the back of the hotel is a wonderful kitchen garden in the making.  Joel and Tarrah have taken many lessons from the providore business they ran in Canada and are growing their own unusual coloured/heirloom/baby vegetables and fruit.  Joel takes delivery of a beehive very shortly and bees and vegetables are to be joined by 6 or 7 chickens.  All this fresh produce will be used in the kitchen at Basalt and in the cooking school.

Predicting the future is not a talent of mine.  However I can predict with certainty that a cooking class and a meal at Basalt is in my future and sooner rather than later!

For more information please see www.urbangraze.com.au

26 Victoria Street
Millthorpe NSW 2798

0263663888

Please visit the Hawkesbury Harvest website 

Riverview Produce

Number 26 Map 1 of the Hawkesbury Harvest Farm Gate Trail maps

 

On Yarramundi Lane, in Richmond, there is a young couple working 7 days a week to produce glorious vegetables, available for sale from their on site shop.

David and Charmaine Bugeja married in 2002 and David bought the 20 acre property in 2001.  His father lives on one side and his uncle on the other side of him.. and it feels as though there are healthy vegetables growing as far as the eye can see. Much of David's produce is grown hydroponically, with water from the nearby river being used and recycled, with minimal waste of this precious resource.

This is one of those stories where the photos speak for themselves ..although if photographs had scent you would smell earth, garlic and basil as well!

If you are thinking of fresh produce over the holiday period then here is a wonderful place to purchase - although customers should be aware that David and Charmaine will close the shop from Christmas Day for their annual two week holiday - a much needed break in an extremely busy routine.

Riverview Produce

198 Yarramundi Lane Richmond

0417 695 845

Please visit the Hawkesbury Harvest website