Lovedale, Hunter Valley NSW 2320
http://www.lovedalelonglunch.com.au
http://www.lovedalehuntervalley.com.auhttp://www.lovedalelonglunch.com.au
The Lovedale Long Lunch was started in 1994 and includes seven wineries and vineyards to visit over the Long Lunch weekend. 2008 was my first time to this event and I managed to try all the meals and desserts offered from all seven wineries participating with the help of my foodie friends who joined me.
First purchase your “LLL” commemorative tasting glass ($5) at any of the participating Lovedale wineries. Choose a plate of entrée size gourmet cuisine ($20) matched with a complimentary glass of the winemakers’ specially selected wine to accompany it.
Desserts ($8), local cheese ($8), fresh coffee (from $2).
Desserts ($8), local cheese ($8), fresh coffee (from $2).
Out of all the dishes I thought the Allandale Winery had the best selection of food and was definitely a cut above the rest in terms of serving size, quality ingredients, cooking technique and flavours achieved. I also liked the Tiramisu dessert from The Warraroong Estate and blueberry cheesecake from Gartelmann Hunter Estate. I noticed a lot of the dishes overused rocket leaves which I started to find a bit annoying and uninspiring — it was like there was a special on rocket that week and they bought it by the tonne!
Emma's Cottage Vineyard
Flamed grilled spiced tiger prawns on toasted almond, spring onion & herb cous cous with lemon & honey dressing
Wine: 2007 Emma’s Cottage Semillon
Aromatic Sri Lankan chicken curry with steamed jasmine rice, coriander, mango chutney & minted cumin & yoghurt raita
Wine: 2007 Emma’s Cottage Shiraz
Belgian Chocolate tart with sticky caramello & macadamia crumble
Warraroong Estate
Peppered Atlantic Salmon fillet served on a soft tangy lemon-mascarpone polenta with ‘Il Cacciatore' salsa verde of capers, lemon, garlic, parsley and extra virgin olive oil
Wine: Warraroong Estate 2003 Shiraz
Wine: Warraroong Estate 2003 Shiraz
Sauteed Home Made Potato Gnocchi, with local chorizo sausage, wild rocket and vine ripened tomato tossed in fresh basil pesto
Wine: 2007 Warraroong Estate Long Lunch White
Wine: 2007 Warraroong Estate Long Lunch White
Traditional Italian Tiramisu served with seasonal berry compote, fresh whipped cream and shaved Callebaut chocolate
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)
Sandalyn Estate
BBQ honey soy ocean trout served on a new potato, Manzanilla olive and basil salad with preserved lemon and parsley aioli
Wine: 2006 Sandalyn Estate Chardonnay
Braised Mandagery Creek venison with shiraz and lemon thyme, served with caramelised pumpkin cous cous
Wine: 2003 Sandalyn Estate Conservatory Shiraz
Redsalt’s Black Label Scotch Whisky fudge-cake with double cream and chocolate velvet sauce
Gartelmann Hunter Estate
Barbecued garlic and thyme marinated lamb tenderloins on a warm minted potato and pumpkin salad dressed with Gartelmann extra virgin olive oil
Wine: 2004 Gartelmann Wilhelm Shiraz
Wine: 2004 Gartelmann Wilhelm Shiraz
Blackened chicken on spiced char-grilled garden vegetables with balsamic glazed onion relish, wild rocket & pesto pine nut dressing
Wine: 2001 Gartelmann Reserve Semillon
Wine: 2001 Gartelmann Reserve Semillon
Blueberry cheesecake tart with Autumn berry compote and freshly whipped cream
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)
Wandin Valley Estate
Salt & Pepper Squid on steamed jasmine rice with garlic, capsicum, white wine, fresh garden herbs with a hint of chilli a pinch of saffron & a splash of cream
Wine: 2008 Wandin Valley Estate Verdelho
Slow braised beef infused with vanilla beans and Wandin Valley Shiraz, oven roasted sweet potato and gremolata
Wine: 2007 Wandin Valley Estate Fatsos Red
Wine: 2007 Wandin Valley Estate Fatsos Red
Cooper Wines
Malaysian prawns and calamari curry with pumpkin, coriander and lime leaf rice dumplings
Wine: 2006 Cooper Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine: 2006 Cooper Cabernet Sauvignon
BBQ Moroccan chicken with chargrilled eggplant, walnut and labna salad with mint & honey dressing - served with Turkish bread
Wine: 2007 Cooper Verdelho
Allandale Winery
Twice cooked Tuscan lamb shank with a vegetable caponata of eggplant, tomato, celery and olive cheeks on saffron potato mash with charred ciabatta bread
Wine: 2006 Allandale Matthew Shiraz-Viognier
Wine: 2006 Allandale Matthew Shiraz-Viognier
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)
Orange glazed pork belly resting on wok tossed Asian vegetables with rice noodles and a sweet mango chutney
Wine: 2007 Allandale Chardonnay
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)
Dessert assiette: Caramel & espresso mousse caged by chocolate, pistachio nut & chocolate brownie and a burnt orange tart with poached blueberries
5 comments:
The food looks simply divine - did you try all that?!? And totally seeing your point on the rocket.
Mmm, might have to do the LLL next year...
Some of that food is really weird and confusing to me, like the BBQ honey soy ocean trout served on a new potato, Manzanilla olive and basil salad with preserved lemon and parsley aioli. Hello too much. And shaping rice with dariole moulds - shudder.
How was the wine pairing?
Some of the desserts look amazing, though and it seems that that lamb shank tasted as good as it looks, drool. I hope you had a few friends there to help you eat alla that!
Did you eat ALL of these dishes. I mean I've heard of a long lunch but wow...
Food looks great-it's been a few years since I last went. Would love to know what the dishes were like-did you try them?
That sounds like a beautiful LONg lunch, Everything looks devine! and I just wish I could have eaten just a few of those dishes, and maybe even been lucky enough, like you, to taste them ALL! YUM!
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