The Southern Mallee deserves a better reputation as a food-producing region – and an upcoming dinner aims to help address that anomaly.
That’s the view of Janet Flohr, project manager for the Southern Mallee Producers Dinner, to be staged in May by Lameroo Forward Inc., featuring entirely Mallee-sourced produce.
While the inaugural 2022 event was a sell-out success, the region is often unfairly overlooked for its produce, Mrs Flohr explained.
“We’re actually a massive producer and an event like this helps spread that news beyond our region,” she said.
“We’re very proud of our local produce and sometimes we get a bit overlooked as a food-producing area.
“For this dinner, we’re accessing as much local produce as we can, and that’s an important part of the event.
“We’re trying to raise our profile, which in turn brings benefits to the area.”
The 2024 dinner will be led by a “cosmopolitan cook and artist duo”.
After 10 years in Cambodia and previous decades living in Sydney, France and the USA, international cookbook author Robert Carmack moved to the Mallee recently and will be chef for the 2024 dinner.
“He will craft Farm Gate to Fire Pit – an exciting salute to Mallee culture, customs and victuals, beginning with snacks warming around the fire and followed by a sit-down dinner of foods with French flair,” Mrs Flohr said.
“He’s got some unique and innovative ideas about the food, and it’s going to be a great surprise on the night for everyone there.”
Mr Carmack’s Tasmania-born and Alice Springs-bred partner Morrison Polkinghorne will impart his artistic background on the dinner, designing the evening’s unique decorations and table settings.
The duo collaborated on award-winning The Burma Cookbook, while Mr Carmack is also the creator of a further five recipe collections.
Mrs Flohr said local farmers and enthusiastic beer connoisseurs were concocting another unique beverage from a local grain that could outperform the highly rated Dry and Dusty from 2022.
In addition, local gin maker Mallee Spirits, a two-time bronze medallist at the Tasting Australia Spirit Awards, will have locally made beverages available to purchase during the evening.
Completing the line-up of local produce, organisers recently put the call out for local cooks to submit their favourite home-made jar of chutney, relish, pickle or kasundi.
The idea is to include a bottle of home-made condiment on each table, as part of the mission to showcase local produce – and as a tribute to local home cooks.
To be held at the Lameroo Memorial Hall on Saturday 4 May 2024, the dinner is part of the statewide Tasting Australia initiative.
The Southern Mallee event will include a four-course dinner and paired beverages, while other drinks will be available for purchase.