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Private Notes
Paul Mercurio travels to Sun Country on the Murray River, where the Farm Gate Trail offers up a wealth of produce including free range pork, salt bush lamb, edible cactus, oranges, award winning cheese, and wonderful winery cellar doors.
Echuca is set within an irrigated pastoral and agricultural district on the Murray River, just across from the New South Wales border town of Moama. It offers organic fruit and veggies, tender veal and goat, fresh greens, and olive oil - and its all on the menu!
Paul's first stop in the Hunter Valley is at Binnorie Dairy where he meets cheese maker Simon Gough. Simon happily shows off his array of cheese making equipment and homemade cheeses.
In Shepparton, Paul collects and cooks with fresh fruit straight from the orchard, organic pheasant, olive oil, local milk produced and marketed under its own label, and local lamb.
When it's the right time of the year, the Oberon state pine forest is a fantastic location for picking fresh tasty mushrooms. From slippery jacks to saffron milk cups, Paul is able to select a variety of mushrooms for his up and coming cook. With advice from knife wielding Deb, he stays away from the nasty varieties.
The Gold Coast is an area full of remarkably fresh, delicious produce. Beef straight from the paddocks, fresh seafood, boutique beers, hand-made cheeses, and organic heirloom vegetables are all on the menu.
The Adelaide Hills is a picturesque part of Australia offering beautiful farm land, villages and vistas. Situated only twenty minutes from the city of Adelaide, The Adelaide Hills proves to be a perfect location to relax and regenerate. With towns such as Hahndorf and Lobethal comes an abundance of fresh local produce, whether you're after organic vegetables, home grown deer, handcrafted goat's milk cheese, smoked fish or a pot of locally brewed beer.
The Waikato Region is located on the North Island of New Zealand. Surrounded by natural beauty, it is a region where the scenery is lush and green, the soil is fertile, and temperatures are ideal. Cattle and crops prosper in this superb environment. Paul cooks with organic herbs and vegetables, hand-crafted goat's cheese, bee, and eel.
Just over an hour from Melbourne is the Bellarine Peninsula which offers an abundance of activities such as snorkeling, kayaking and swimming with dolphins. Paul cooks with lobster caught off Queens Cliff Harbour, free range eggs, freshly baked bread, tomatoes, and Port Arlington mussels.
Paul visits Australia's capital city, and discovers it possesses dedicated farmers, cellar doors, and stunning crops, including Wessex saddleback pork, French black truffles, organic vegetables, capretto goat meat and locally made wine.
On the North Island of New Zealand lies the city of Rotorua, a destination seeped in Maori culture, and renowned for adventure activities that promise excitement. Rotorua also possesses a wealth of fresh produce local markets, and breweries. Paul cooks with pheasant, native bush foods, and trout.
The Coral Coast is the picturesque region that stretches along Australia's western coast, surrounded by beaches, marine life and national reserves. The Coastline begins at Cervantes and extends all the way to Exmouth where the renowned Ningaloo Reef lies. With all of this sun comes plenty stunning seafood, ripe fruit and organic vegetables, including rock lobster, capers, fresh fish, bananas and locally farmed lamb.
