Patron: Margaret Fulton OAM President: Ian Hemphill herbie@herbies.com.au Vice President: Veronica Cuskelly vcuskell@bigpond.net.au Treasurer: Robert Goldman robertg@rcnsw.asn.au Committee: Kelly Drew drewk@fleishman.com Karen Hughes karen.hughes@ap.effem.com Simon Marnie marnie.simon@abc.net.au Sydney Pemberton sydp@ign.com.au Gawen Rudder gwensfood@bigpond.com.au Jeremy Ryland jeremy@thefoodmakers.com Stewart White swhite@whiteworks.com.au Hilary Wright hawright@solae.com

Please contact any Committee member if you have comments about the Food Media Club.

Editorial Production: Konmac Publishing Services, tel:(02) 9427 4810 fax:(02) 9420 3929 email: konmac@bigpond.net.au

The copy deadline for the April/May 2006 issue is Friday, March 17. Please submit contributions by email to editor@foodmediaclub.com.au or to Annie MacDougal at the secretariat (secretariat@foodmediaclub.com.au)

Food Media Club Australia Inc, 4 Henley Street, Lane Cove, NSW 2066 Tel:(02) 9427 4810 Fax:(02) 9420 3929 ABN 71 220 250 354 Website: www.foodmediaclub.com.au Email: secretariat@foodmediaclub.com.au editor@foodmediaclub.com.au webmaster@foodmediaclub.com.au

President�s message As we stand at the brink of a new year, we all wonder where the last year went and look forward to the challenges and hopes ahead. 2006 is an ambitious one for your Club, as it is this year that we hold the biennial Vittoria Australian Food Media Awards. Members will be receiving an Awards newsletter separate from this one, as,unlike your copy of FMCA Update, which is for members only, the Awards newsletter will be distributed widely to achieve maximum coverage and awareness.

2006 also sees the implementation of the initial Food Explorer program, which has been made possible through the generous sponsorships we have received.An enormous amount of work has gone into bringing Food Explorer to this stage and we all look forward to reading updates on its progress.

Provenance seems to be the latest buzzword we are hearing with respect to the food we consume. In its tangible form we are seeing the mandatory introduction of country of origin labelling, while in its most extreme form we are being told which herd gave the milk to produce the cheese we are buying. Why not the names, ages and family trees of each cow as well? No doubt we will see some fanciful examples of imaginative marketers leveraging consumer interest in the provenance of foods.

We should not forget, however, that this consumer need has arisen as a result of a crisis in confidence in many foods. Therefore, as food professionals we should always be mindful of the needs of consumers and never assume that information about the origins, processing and distribution of foods should only be doled out on a �need to know� basis. Transparency is another buzzword.

In your last issue of FMCA Update, award winning member John Newton wrote an excellent article on the Adelaide Food Summit, which was held over two days during Tasting Australia. John�s insight into the chasm that exists between the �romantics� and the �rationalists� was sobering; as he rightly points out, we all have to take the blinkers off and address future issues with open minds. It is your Club�s intention to keep you abreast with what is happening through Update and various functions.

Enthusiastic members from various states have expressed interest in holding their own functions; after all, we do have members all over the country. Historically, the greatest concentration of events has always been where the majority of the membership is, in Sydney. To facilitate functions wherever we have a nucleus of keen members, we have developed a Functions Kit which addresses key elements such as strategy, planning, budgeting, invitations, bookings, sponsorship protocols, evaluations and writing an article on the event for FMCA Update.

Remember that this is your Club. Send us your latest news for inclusion in Update and don�t forget that the Directory of Food Professionals is a free service to members who wish to list their products or services on www.foodmediaclub.com.au

I look forward to seeing as many of you as is possible at the Awards launch on March 8. Ian Hemphill

FMCA PHILOSOPHY FMC Australia is an association of food professionals who have expertise in diverse food-related areas such as journalism, production, marketing, public relations, food science, nutrition, education, recipe development, food styling, catering, restaurants and small businesses. Our common bond is a love of food and a willingness to share information. Our mission statement is: to communicate food issue and to encourage excellence and professionalism through an exchange of ideas and information.

FMCA UPDATE � EDITORIAL POLICY FMCA Update is the official newsletter of Food Media Club Australia Inc. Views expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of FMC individuals. The newsletter�s editorial policy is based on the premise that the newsletter be used to further the information and understanding of issues relating to food. Where possible the newsletter will encourage contributions by members, particularly new writers. The newsletter will not be used as a vehicle for public relations.

OBJECTIVES OF FMCA UPDATE To be a true forum for members. To encourage excellence and professionalism through an exchange of ideas and information. To profile food trends and issues and inform members about club activities. FMCA Update will be published six times a year.

Sustainable Seafood Day � a wake-up for the nation

Seafood sustainability is one of today�s major issues. Australians need confidence that our magnificent supply and range of seafood will be there for generations to come. Duncan Leadbitter reports on an eco label which is helping consumers make the right choice to ensure that sustainability, and alerts us to the inaugural Sustainable Seafood Day on February 17.

�Consumers are increasingly questioning what fish they should or should not eat. They hear many stories about this species being overfished or that fishery taking endangered species. Now, a simple logo from the MSC can provide the assurance they want.� Martin Palmer, Martin�s Seafoods, Sydney

Seafood is health food and consumers want more � and the Federal Government is urging Australians to eat more � but there are limits to what the ocean can provide. For many fisheries around the world, those limits have been breached. Over the past 30 years the number of overfished stocks has tripled and now one in four fish stocks are overfished.

At the end of last year the Federal Government announced a major restructure of the south-east fishery, with a $220 million buy-out to secure fish stocks and guarantee a profitable industry.

According to a recent survey by the Bureau of Rural Sciences, the Australian Federal Government�s main research arm, 40% of Australian consumers think that commercial fishing is unsustainable, and 57% of the consumers surveyed believed that the provision of a sustainability label would influence their purchases.

One solution is third - party verification of sustainable fishing practices, such as the eco-labelling certification provided by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC),an international non-profit organisation.

Through the work of the MSC, Australia is taking steps towards producing a global solution to a global problem. Politicians, scientists, food industry educators and high-profile chefs have all pledged their support.

To carry the MSC logo � a tick of approval � a fishery must undergo a rigorous certification process. This blue oval logo is a way for concerned consumers to see at a glance whether the seafood products they buy are sourced from sustainable fisheries, which are commercially-driven partnerships delivering both community benefits and sustainable ecological benefits.

The MSC now has 14 fisheries certified to the MSC Standard globally. This may not sound like much but it includes the world�s largest managed fishery (for pollock in Alaska), and covers Alaska salmon, pollock, New Zealand hoki and South African hake. There are also smaller-volume and higher value species available such as Western Australian rock lobster.

Indeed, there are now about two million tonnes of fish available globally which could carry the MSC�s sustainability label � which is 10 times the entire Australian catch. European retailers are avidly catering to consumer interest. The MSC�s blue trade-marked logo is currently displayed on more than 280 products in 24 countries.

In Australia there more than 30 MSC-labelled products for sale � mostly frozen and canned offerings � and there are plans for more. The world�s first fishery certified to the MSC�s strict environmental standard was an Australian fishery, the Western Australian Rock Lobster Fishery, and several other Australian fisheries are currently undergoing the certification process.

Food service remains an area where consumer interest is not yet being satisfied, despite the availability of sustainably certified hake and hoki.

While acknowledging the Federal Government�s recent initiative of a national seafood education campaign, �What�s so healthy about seafood?�, in response to research which shows that Australians are eating less seafood at home, from the Marine Stewardship Council�s perspective, ensuring that consumers can buy tomorrow the fish that was available today is critical to the health of the industry and the environment.

The MSC is urging Australians who love their seafood to participate in the inaugural Sustainable Seafood Day to be held in Australia on February 17 to raise awareness of responsible fishing practices by demanding evidence of sustainable fishing practices from their seafood suppliers.

Increasingly, the MSC will become the name associated with a global solution to this problem by establishing an environmental standard for well managed and sustainable fisheries.

Duncan Leadbitter is a respected Australian marine biologist and an FMCA member.

�The seafood industry has long had the reputation of being high on the list of anti -environmentalists in the food industry, and while sadly this can remain the case in certain fisheries and individual enterprises, the actions of the MSC are proving that the industry must, and can, change. The commercial benefits of providing sustainable, environmental supply in the contemporary seafood world are real � a third party independent certification of this provides consumers, end-users and the trade with the security that this is a genuine endeavour. Like never before, there is a need for the MSC to be encouraged , respected and endorsed by the seafood industry, not only for the absolute moral position we must take for the future of our planet, but clearly if we plan to be a growing part of modern food supply.� John Susman, Bizzfish, Sydney

�Gone are the days when we could consider our wild-caught fish as a limitless resource . In the 23 years I�ve been involved in the food industry, it has been obvious that fish populations are dwindling. The Marine Stewardship Council�s work goes a long way in assuring all of us as consumers that the management of fish stocks is being handled in a sustainable manner, so that we can continue to enjoy our seafood.� Steven Manfredi, Manfredi Enterprises

�I commend the whole blue-label MSC accreditation system which allows consumers to make an informed decision on buying fish that they know have been environmentally responsibly managed. The social and environmental cost of overfishing is a very real and sobering issue. Ensuring that a sustainable supply of our local fish will be there for future generations to enjoy in their diets is an imperative legacy.� Catherine Saxelby Consultant Nutritionist

�If we as Australians are to continue to enjoy the beautiful fresh and healthy harvest of our waters in the years to come, we must ensure that our fisheries are managed sustainably. I congratulate the Marine Stewardship Council � it has an important job ahead of it. It would be irresponsible to endanger any of our marine life because of thoughtless human greed and myopic management of this precious and delicious natural resource, which we take for granted will always be on our plates.� Margaret Fulton OAM

2006 Awards to be launched on March 8

The Vittoria Australian Food Media Awards 2006 � the flagship event of the FMCA � will be launched at a gala function at The Mint in Sydney on March 8.

The biennial Awards are viewed by the Australian food media as the industry�s highest accolades, and invitations to the launch will be posted shortly to all members and the broader food media.

The launch will serve to introduce the 2006 Awards judging panel and sponsors, and to announce this year�s categories and rules of eligibility.

The Awards� brochure and entry details will be distributed at the launch, and thereafter will be available from Annie MacDougal at the FMCA Secretariat.

As in previous years, the broad range of categories will attract entries from food journalists, authors, photographers, stylists, producers, broadcasters, presenters and advertisers.

Entries will be accepted at the FMCA Secretariat until June 2 when they will be submitted to the judges, and the winners will be announced at the black-tie Presentation Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney in late September.

Meanwhile, back at the farm...

When HRH Prince Charles converted Duchy Home Farm at Highgrove to organic farming 20 years ago, it was still considered an activity of the left-leaning lunatic fringe. Last spring, FMCA member Cherry Ripe was granted an exclusive radio tour for ABC Radio National (even the BBC has never been granted such access). Here, Cherry reports for FMCA Update.

Finally, after eight months of wangling and negotiation with the Palace Press Office, my tour of Prince Charles�s organic farm at Highgrove had come through! I�d managed to convince the Palace that I wasn�t going to send up Prince Charles as so much of the British media � even the BBC � does so gratuitously. Then there were security clearances, and the problem of submitting the car rego number a fortnight in advance.

On a chilly, misty morning last English autumn, I slung on four layers of clothes, popped the wellies in the boot, set the Sat Nav in my borrowed car and headed south-east, hitting a terrifyingly fast motorway in fog at 125kph.

The farm buildings are 100 metres up a country lane, just off a main road. There�s nothing flash about the entrance � no stone pillars or iron gates � just hedges, and two discreet signs almost obscured by brambles: Broadfield Farm, and Duchy Home Farm, each emblazoned with the crest of the Prince of Wales. On one was a plaque announcing that this was a GM free zone.

Prince Charles began converting the farm to organics in the early 1980s,when his children were small. Its 1800 acres are now farmed totally organically, achieved through a seven-year crop rotation: three years of clover and grass to build nitrogen and increase fertility, followed by four arable crops such as oats, then beans and either rye or barley for malting.

It is a mixed farm, also growing commercial crops of vegies (onions, carrots, beetroot and parsnips) and carrying livestock. There�s a dairy herd of 180 roan-and-white Ayrshires (a traditional native UK breed), 500 Llyen sheep (a Welsh breed),Angus steers for beef, plus a smattering of a couple of rare breeds of pig. The Prince has re-planted 24 kilometres of hedges, not only to shelter his livestock but to encourage wildlife and natural predators of harmful insects.

As we gathered in the lee of one of the farm buildings for organic coffee, the mist lifted and we set out across fields of clover, the grazing pasture of the dairy cows. We walked up around stubble fields of recently harvested wheat, cunningly underplanted with a second �cash-crop� of turnips as winter fodder for the sheep, to a brilliant yellow field of mustard, ready to be ploughed in as �green manure�.

The tour was organised by the Soil Association,the UK�s major (75%) organic certification body, and three of its big guns turned up on the day. Along with the Prince�s farm manager, they presented the most passionate, articulate � convincing � argument as to what has gone wrong with conventional agriculture in the developed world since the widespread adoption of petrochemical inputs since WWII: fertilisers and pesticides.

They asserted that the consequences of 50 years of intensive farming � ecological, social (rural employment) and in terms of human health (cancer) � are far more serious than people realise.

While it could be argued that Prince Charles is a radical greenie, it�s not inconsistent also to contend that he is an ultimate traditionalist, reverting to the farming practices of his ancestors.

No matter what one thinks of Prince Charles, he does practice what he preaches.

I see no contradiction in being simultaneously an ardent republican and a huge fan of this too-often pilloried chap.

Cherry Ripe�s radio documentary of Prince Charles�s Duchy Home Farm at Highgrove is audiostreamed on the ABC Radio National website until the end of February: www.abc.net.au/rn/bigidea

Christmas cheer and gifts galore at the Club�s Annual Party

It may have been impossible to �deck the halls with boughs of holly� but decking the bar with beer, wine and Bolly set the scene for a night bright and jolly at the Sofitel Wentworth�s Garden Bar for the annual FMCA Christmas party in Sydney. Vice President Veronica Cuskelly reports.

The recently renovated Garden Court Bar of the Sofitel Wentworth proved to be an excellent space for the FMCA�s annual Christmas bash. More than 100 members, guests and sponsors exchanged festive greetings while sauntering, with a glass of beer, Bolly, wine or mineral water in hand, towards the Christmas tree to deliver their gifts for Barnardos Australia.

After one or two more drinks and feasting on award-winning cheeses and the exquisite canap�s prepared by the hotel�s Executive Chef, John Thurgood, the party was in full swing. Vibrant chatter with many new and old friends catching up soon drowned out the background music of traditional carols.

The celebrations were interrupted briefly when FMCA President Ian �Herbie� Hemphill welcomed everyone and thanked the sponsors of the party and the many sponsors who had supported the hugely successful functions all year. Ian also individually introduced the new members who were attending their first function.

Jenny Soo, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Sofitel Wentworth, formally welcomed everyone to the hotel, and then Bill Taylor, Chief Brewer at Lion Nathan, Mitchell Taylor from Taylors Wines, and Paul Boothby of Fine Wine Partners, representing Bollinger, gave us insights into their products and their companies.

The frivolity continued before the highlight of the evening, when the gifts from the tree were presented to Karen Dawson from Barnardos Australia and �Herbie� announced that a cheque for $1,000, the proceeds of the raffle, would be donated to the Save the Children Fund�s Pakistan Earthquake Appeal.

A hush fell on the room for the drawing of the sensational raffle prizes, punctuated by the shrieks and cheers of the lucky winners to whom Christmas had started very early.

As the party wound down, petits fours were served and everyone left with one of our now famous �goodie bags� filled with delightful sponsors� gifts, including a magnificently boxed mango � a great party and a grand finale to the FMCA year.

OUR THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS: FOR OUR FOOD & DRINKS: Bollinger Champagne (Fine Wine Partners), Breville, Lion Nathan, Maxwell & Williams, Meat & Livestock Australia, One Harvest Calypso Mangoes, Santa Vittoria Azzura Mineral Water, Sofitel Wentworth Sydney, Summerfruit Australia, Taylors Wines FOR THE RAFFLE PRIZES: Breville: 800 Class Juicer, valued at $530, and 800 Class Citrus Press, valued at $296; Meat & Livestock Australia: meat tray valued at $200; Sofitel Wentworth Sydney: 1 Superior room and breakfast for two, valued at $350; Summerfruit Australia: a selection of fruit, presented on a Maxwell & Williams platter with two matching bowls, valued at $115

Events Fine Food Queensland Brisbane Convention Centre March 26 to 28

Queensland is gearing up for its biggest food industry exhibition, with some 10,000 visitors expected from the retail and foodservice sectors.

The show will be divided into product areas to help buyers find what they need, with special sections for drinks, meat, seafood, bakery and natural products.

For the first time, Queensland will have its own group stand, allowing small producers from the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, North Queensland and inland areas to show their ranges.

Running alongside will be Hospitality Queensland, a complimentary show featuring a full range of catering and hospitality equipment. Exhibitors in this area include Watsons, Irinox, Comcater, Stoddart, Moffat, Global, Advantage, Spilsbury, Sealy, Dunlop and 2Clix.

In addition to the exhibits there will be a series of special events, including the Great Aussie Meat Pie Competition, Hospitality Free Seminar Theatre, and the first of the state finals in the Dairy Farmers� Caboolture Best of the Best Pizza Challenge (the national final will be held at Fine Food Australia in Melbourne in September).

Entry to Fine Food Queensland is restricted to members of the food and hospitality industries. For more information, visit www.foodqueensland.com.au or telephone Katrina Simmonds on (03) 9261 4512.

Luncheon at �Invergowrie� April 1, from 12 noon Exeter, NSW Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine and Southern Highlands Hospitality Services invites FMCA members and their guests to a lavish lunch to launch the Southern Highlands Wine Country promotion in the April/May issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine.

There will be tastings from Southern Highlands regional wineries and selected regional food producers, and the price includes a two-course luncheon with wine from the region, espresso coffee and petits fours in the beautiful grounds of the estate. There will also be keynote speakers on the day. Venue: The Ballroom, �Invergowrie� Bundanoon Road, Exeter (90 mins from Sydney CBD) Time: 12.00 noon for tastings Luncheon at 1.00pm Cost: $110 per person Bookings: (02) 4883 4495

Dining Guides

Sydney and Melbourne are spoilt by having a number of restaurant guides but there have been none in the other capitals. At the end of last year, however, Canberra and Adelaide produced slim volumes to fill that void.

A Gourmet Guide to Canberra and the Region divides the nation�s capital into City Centre, Inner South, Inner North and further afield, then looks at breakfast, popular cafes, restaurants with views, stylish dining, winery dining, multicultural dining, family favourites and pub food. A brief listing of local producers, food markets and events is also included, as are recipes from some of the key eateries. From the Visitors� Centre; tel: 1300 727 655.

Your Guide to Dining in Adelaide follows a similar path in dividing the city of churches into geographic sections, together with the wine district�s offerings. Ring 1300 655 276 for copies. Neither publication provides critical evaluations; more a detailed listing � but it�s a good start.

NEW MEMBERS

The Food Media Club Australia welcomes: Alison Avery, Senior Account Manager, Sally Burleigh PR, Sydney; tel:(02) 9555 2285; email: alison@sbpr.com.au Claire Cooper, Manager, Southern Highlands Food + Wine Project, Moss Vale, NSW; tel: (02) 4862 4070; email: ckc@cmgroup.net.au Janine Davis, Account Director, Consumer Division, Porter Novelli, Sydney; tel: (02) 8904 9697; email: jdavis@porternovelli.com.au Kylie Edwards, General Manager, Sally Burleigh PR, Sydney; tel: (02) 9555 2285; email: kylie@sbpr.com.au Amber Forrest-Bisley, Media and Public Relations Adviser, Sydney Fish Market; tel: (02) 9004 1171; email: amberf@sydneyfishmarket.com.au Fiona Pennington, Senior Consultant, Dennis Rutzou Public Relations, Sydney; tel: (02) 9413 4244; email: fpennington@drpr.com.au

CHANGES IN MEMBERS� CONTACT DETAILS Malu Barrios from Sydney Showground has really made a sea change to the Top End and is now General Manager of the Darwin Convention & Exhibition Centre, to be opened in mid 2008. You can contact Malu on (08) 8923 9000 or email: mbarrios@darwinconvention.com.au Meaghan Emery is now Events & Sponsorship Manager for Restaurant & Catering Queensland and can be contacted on tel: (07) 3360 8888 or email: memery@rcq.org.au Samantha Hain�s new email address is: samantha@rimarketing.com.au Sue Nunn�s new email address is:sue_nunn@internode.net Neale Whitaker is now Executive Creative Director of bills Licensing Pty Ltd and can be contacted on tel:(02) 9280 7113 or email:neale.whitaker@gmail.com Lisa Yates�s new email address is: admin@nutsforlife.com.au

Local foodie wins 2006 scholarship

Adelaide member George Ujvray has won this year�s FMCA/Le Cordon Bleu Scholarship to study for a Master of Arts in Gastronomy. Here, George outlines his very food-orientated background.

Growing up watching my father set up a successful food manufacturing company, food has been a major part of my life since my earliest memories. In 2001, I formally joined my family company, Olga�s Fine Foods, and dedicated my life to a career in food.

I have a BA(Hons) and PhD from the University of Oxford (UK) and an MSc from the University of Adelaide. I am also a certified Associate Food Safety Auditor (RABQSA) and have completed a smallgoods making course at Regency TAFE, South Australia.

In addition, I personally have many interests in food that are not related to my company.

First is the development of regional South Australian food groups which will not only create innovation and diversification in the industry, but also via increased competitiveness will increase quality and lower prices for consumers.

Second are the areas of food science and molecular gastronomy. This interest has allowed me to develop novel and functional foods for the company which have been incorporated into some of our most successful products.

Finally, with both myself and my wife coming from dual ethnic backgrounds, the birth of our daughter has made me acutely aware of the diversity of culture that she will grow up with and the duty of my wife and I to pass it on to her, partly via our distinct food cultures (Hungarian, Estonian, Spanish and Indian!!!).

Being the recipient of this award and studying this course will help me to develop a public voice for my interests in gastronomy. I think that these are exciting times for the study of gastronomy in Australia and I hope that in doing this course I will be able to pave the way to making my own contributions to its development.

I would like to thank the Food Media Club Australia for giving me the opportunity to study this wonderful course. During the recent Tasting Australia, I had the opportunity to meet many members of the Food Media Club. In particular, I would like to thank Dr Barbara Santich and Liane Colwell for encouraging me to apply for this scholarship.

Crash course for food writers

The FMCA often receives requests for information on courses for budding food writers and reviewers, but nothing appeared to be available until our own award-winning food writer John Newton got together with the Centre for New Writing at the University of Technology, Sydney, to offer a four-night course: for two hours each Tuesday night in February, John will take a group of aspiring food writers through general food writing; taste and flavour with practical sniffing and tasting of chocolate, olive oil and honey; the why and how of restaurant criticism; and finally, the politics of food. This course has closed, but email the head of the New Writing School, John Dale, at John.Dale@uts.edu.au and register your future interest.

Planet Cook backs Food Explorer

Planet Cook, ABC Television�s new children�s culinary adventure program from Fremantle Media, has joined forces with the Food Media Club Australia to help promote a better understanding of food among kids aged 5 to 11.

Kids got the chance to experience Planet Cook and the Food Explorer program up close at the Australia Day celebrations in Sydney�s Hyde Park on January 26, with the Planet Cook team performing five live cooking demonstrations on the ABC stage and providing expert advice about food.

Hosted by international celebrity chef Kevin Woodford and featuring Ruby Wax as the voice of fact-filled super-computer Roxy, Planet Cook is a unique, live-action cookery adventure show for children, where mealtime disappointments are a thing of the past.

Set on a tropical island, each episode sees Captain Cook guiding three young Cook Cadets as they create a meal against the clock. Each recipe is inspired by the natural world � from leaf-eating dinosaurs to volcanoes � which allows Captain Cook to create delicious dishes such as �Erupting Volcano Surprise�.

All recipes have been analysed by independent, qualified nutritionists to fit within the context of a balanced, healthy diet.

Planet Cook was originally produced in the UK by independent production company Platinum Films, where it was a huge hit with children. Fremantle Media, a leading international creator and producer of program brands, is representing the distribution, production and licensing rights for the Planet Cook brand worldwide.

Watch out for the new Planet Cook DVD �What�s Up Croc?� to be released by ABC DVD on February 16.

The Food Explorer program was designed by the FMCA after extensive research and discussion among its members about the lack of food education in schools. It aims to teach young children good habits by offering them hands-on experience in preparing and cooking fresh and healthy meals with a food professional. Children then leave the class with goodie bags and the inspiration to make healthy food choices.

Food Explorer will start in Sydney primary schools on February 14, with 40 schools booked into the program to date. Sydney metropolitan primary schools can book a Food Explorer visit by contacting Kate Tye on tel: (02) 9524 2939; mobile: 0411 460 988; email: foodexplorer@optusnet.com.au

Training for new presenters will take place on February 14 and 15 at Sydney Seafood School, so ring Kate if you�re able to donate your services.

There is great synergy with our sponsors � Dairy Australia, Fresh for Kids (Sydney Markets Limited), Sunbeam, Tupperware, The Australian Women�s Weekly, and ABC TV�s Planet Cook � whom we thank for their support.

COLUMN ATE Hopping mad. �This land is cursed, the animals hop not run, birds run not fly, and the swans are black not white.� Thus spake Dirk Hartog on his arrival in the west of our wide brown. Last year we learnt that the Kangaroo Industry Association was planning to re-invent the �roo. It seems their research has revealed that we are turned off eating the flesh of half our national crest and much-loved Skippy. Fair enough . . . shark is �flake�, pigeon is �squab� and deer (a.k.a.�Bambi�) seems more culinarily acceptable when it�s �venison�. New branding/positioning suggestions for kangaroo included �Marsupi-meal�, �Kangarli�, �Ozru�. �Ruluru� and Column Ate�s failed entry (mysterious to anyone who doesn�t follow the Swans): �Paul�.

And the winner was . . . as announced by ever enthusiastic Club member Mel Nathan in her Food Companion International magazine . . . drum roll... �Australus�. Get ready for menu items of �Crusted Australus rump� and �Rack of Australus�, as served at Kingsley�s Australian Steakhouse in Sydney for the pre-Christmas launch.

What bird is that? No, not a black swan. Although the Roman gourmet Apicus oft feasted upon flamingo, parrot and crane, a royal banquet given by King Richard III in 1387 featured 50 roasted swans, re-dressed and served in full display with feathers arrayed and bodies gilded.

�How to cook a galah� is a famous bush classic and recorded in Laurel Evelyn Dyson�s classic of the same name. It�s a recipe worth repeating: Take 1 plucked galah; a stone or axe head; 1 clove-studded onion; bouquet garni; a dash of very dry white wine and a good pinch of salt. Place all ingredients in a large iron pot and add sufficient water to cover well. Bring to the boil. Simmer gently until the stone or axe head is soft when pierced by a fork. The galah will then be ready to serve.

King George V indulged his evil-tempered pet parrot, Charlotte, to the most disgusting extent. The reportedly hideous grey and pink creature was encouraged to roam the breakfast table, staggering amongst the plates to pick up a boiled egg here, and helping herself to marmalade there. Naturally the feathered fiend in her rapture tended to deposit piles of parrot poo on the tablecloth. The King would simply slide a mustard pot over the evidence.

Like �bird �flu through a Chinese chicken coop�, our friends at Meat & Livestock Australia spread the word on lovely lamb for Australia Day again. Predictably, Sam Kekovich�s TV monologue on un-Australian behaviour outraged, amused, and, we�re betting, sold � like last year � more lamb than you could poke a blunt stick at. Great work, MLA . . . it�s encouraging to see that political incorrectness lives in our culinary world.