Hot Bytes 6 - Summer 2009

Hello again from the team at BLUE KITCHEN GOURMET FOODS - makers of the finest quality chilli sauces, preserves, curry pastes and condiments. This being our first issue for 2009, gives us the chance to wish you all the best for the new year. We hope 2009 brings you health, happiness, prosperity and unexpected delights. We are off to a flying start, after taking a couple of weeks off (see the "Random Bit", below), building up our stock levels which were significantly depleted over Christmas. It seems that people can't get enough chilli over the festive season, with BLUE KITCHEN filling up many a Christmas stocking. We noticed this year that gourmet food hampers were very popular gifts, and coming from the centre of the 'clean, green food bowl' that is the NSW Far North Coast, our range featured in these hampers, along with macadamia and pecan nut products, olives and infused oils, pestos, tropical fruit preserves, honies, and natural health items - all of which are grown and manufactured in this region.

Wollumbin (Mt Warning) - centrepiece landmark of the NSW North Coast Region (Photo © David Palmer)

We welcome any feedback on our newsletter - and don't forget to send us your favourite chilli recipe, random bit, photograph or any other HOT BYTE you'd like to share with the other subscribers to this e-zine. Remember, every email received gives you another free entry into our regular gift basket give-away. It's as easy as that!

HOT SPOT 1: ITALIA

A couple of issues ago, we featured the artwork of South Australian painter, Lise Temple, winner of the 2005 Heysen Prize for Australian Landscape, just one of her many awards.

Lise has been busy of late, and her website has been updated to include samples of her "Food Art" paintings - check them out at:

www.chillies.com.au/foodart

Lise recently returned from her dream painting odyssey in Italy, and scattered throughout this e-zine, you'll find some photographic mementos of her time there - featuring, of course, some reminders of the ingredients used in the fine European cuisine that's available throughout Italy.

The bad news is that Lise's bags, diary, and some of her paintings were stolen in Paris on the way home. So if you're looking for an investment in unique & original Australian art, plus a chance to support this emerging artist, go no further than her website for a reasonably priced painting, or contact her via email for a commissioned piece.

[Note: BLUE KITCHEN has no financial interest in the sale of any of Lise's artwork.]

Chillies and Garlic at Rialto
A Chilli and Garlic plait at the
Rialto Markets in Venice

HOT SPOT 2: INGHAM ROAD SEAFOOD - TOWNSVILLE, QLD

The shop at Ingham Road Seafood

This issue's featured BLUE KITCHEN outlet is Ingham Road Seafood at 159 Ingham Road in Townsville, Queensland. Ingham Road Seafood pride themselves on being Townsville's largest and finest local seafood retailer. Their friendly, and professional staff offer cooking and serving suggestions to help you choose what best suits your needs. They offer a diverse range of fresh and frozen products including fresh fish, prawns, crabs, bugs, oysters and scallops, squid and sea urchin, direct from the trawler, plus game, poultry, smoked products and sauces and condiments to complement your meal. They also prepare seafood platters for parties & functions. Contact them at the above address, via their website, or phone: (07) 4721 1464

A HOT DATE FOR YOUR DIARY:
If you're in Western Australia in early March, don't miss the 2009 Perth Chilli Festival.

Held over the weekend of March 7 and 8, from 10am to 5pm (both days) it promises to be THE chilli event for the West this year. The venue is the beautiful Araluen Botanic Park, 362 Croyden Road, Roleystone 6111.

A strong "chilli" theme will be the feature of this event, balanced with some non-chilli products, so all tastes will be catered to.

We are hoping that BLUE KITCHEN will be represented there, so keep an eye out for our distinctive jars and logo. Make sure you drop in to our display and say hello. Pick up some real bargains on the day as well!

For more information, contact the festival organiser, Liz Dunn, on (08) 9496 1171 or check the Araluen website

www.araluenbotanicpark.com.au

A selection of produce available
at the Bologna Markets, Italy

IN THE HOT HOUSE:
There are annual and perennial species of chilli. They are warm season plants and can be grown in tropical and sub-tropical climates all year round. However, many of the perennial types that are grown in warmer climates are cultivated as annuals in cooler areas. Seeds may be sown in warm areas from August to December, but in colder climates, sow from September to mid November only. They are attractive plants that look as good in flower beds or planters as they do in vegetable plots. The fruits follow star shaped white or varigated flowers and come in many shapes. Depending on the variety, chillies ripen from green to shades of red, orange, yellow, brown or purple. BLUE KITCHEN has a couple of 'Rainbow' variety plants in the back garden, which have all colours of fruit on display at the same time as they ripen. Very attractive!

THE SUMMER RANDOM BIT:

As mentioned above, BLUE KITCHEN managed to squeeze in a few days of some well-earned R&R over the Christmas break, the highlight being a visit to Black Rocks camping area at Jerusalem Creek in the Bundjalung National Park (near Evans Head, NSW). Here, the BLUE KITCHEN team, and friends, took up the traditional annual challenge of beach cricket - this popular event rivals that of the game that takes place each year at the Melbourne Cricket Ground - with maybe not as many spectators (apart from some bemused dolphins) - but as you can see, it is taken just as seriously!

The "Real" Boxing Day Test Match

SUMMER WINNER

The lucky winner of a gift hamper of fabulous BLUE KITCHEN products for this season is:

KARYN ANDERSON

from Gosford, on the Central Coast of NSW. Karyn gets her favourite chilli products from Macro Wholefoods in Crow's Nest whenever she's visiting her mother in North Sydney. Congratulations, Karyn - you should have received your gift basket by now - Enjoy!

You too, can be a winner, just by being a subscriber to this e-zine. You can also send us a friend's email address and get an extra entry. It's simple - and it's free!

More chillies & garlic at Venice's Rialto Markets

Seafood at the Rialto Markets
Seafood for sale at the Rialto Markets

Tortellini in Bologna
Perfectly crafted tortellini in a Bologna shop

HOT RECIPE

This issue's BLUE KITCHEN recipe is quick & easy, and can be used as an entreé or expanded into a main course. It's one of our favourites - GARLIC PRAWNS IN A COCONUT MILK, GREEN CURRY SAUCE.

Ingredients:
• 6 - 8 pp large, de-headed, shelled & cleaned prawns
• 8 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon macadamia oil
• 3 - 4 teaspoons BLUE KITCHEN Green Curry Paste
• half teaspoon coarsely crushed black pepper
• pinch sea salt
• 400ml coconut milk
• 6 sprigs of fresh coriander leaves

Method:
Prepare the marinade by mixing in a bowl: the coconut milk, lime juice, chopped garlic, oil, curry paste, pepper and salt. Immerse the prawns, stir a little so the prawns are evenly dispersed in the liquid. Let stand for 30 mins, in the refrigerator if the outside temperature is too warm or if the neighbour's cat pays a visit. Pre-heat the oven for some crusty bread rolls which are perfect with this dish, especially for mopping up the juice. Pour the contents of the bowl into a hot, wide, heavy based frying pan, savour the aromas while the prawns turn pink - usually 5 - 8 mins if you keep the heat high. If the prawns are on the biggish side, turn them with tongs to ensure even cooking.

SPECIAL OFFER TO E-ZINE READERS

We have a limited supply of new season Preserved Lemons, and our popular Davidson's Plum Jam. The Preserved Lemons are a staple ingredient in Moroccan cooking, and can be used when baking chicken or fish. They are great when finely diced and tossed through cous-cous or a chermoula dressing. Our Davidson's Plum Jam is a tart, marmalade style jam which uses the Northern NSW variety of the native Australian rain-forest plum. Spread it on toast, on scones, as an alternative to cranberry sauce, or a couple of spoonfuls mixed in yoghurt makes a tasty, quick-and-easy dessert.

As a special offer to our HOT BYTES subscribers, both these products are for sale for $7.50 each (plus p&p) - a saving of $2.50 per 250g jar. Email us with your interest & contact details & we will get back to you to organise delivery. Don't miss out, as stocks are strictly limited.

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Chillies, olives & herbs in Padova

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