Food and restaurant news changing Queensland’s dining scene

If you’ve set your heart on attending a specific Noosa International Food & Wine Festival event (May 14-17) and haven’t laid down your money yet — it may already be too late. Tickets are rarer than hen’s teeth for Saturday’s ’70s Beach Party & Clam Bake and both Asian food trails have sold out.

You might just be able to squeeze in to Sunday’s repeat of the ’70s clam and beach shenanigans — but the Westpac Wild Food Dinner is another booked-out session. Ditto a Pure Indulgence Caviar lunch on Sunday, Saturday’s fun-sounding Noosa Main Beach seafood lunch and the Champagne Masterclass on the same day.

The good news is there’s still a variety of options left — for those who act fast. Events with tickets available include new seafood trails to Mooloolaba Wharf, and there are a few places up for grabs on the new Hinterland Trail to the Walker family’s picturesque Mary Valley farm, famous for its pasture-raised nomadic chooks sold through Walker Farm Foods.

The hinterland trip includes a lunch cooked by The Long Apron’s Cameron Matthews, Sydney chef Alex Herbert and Marty Boetz of Cooks
Co-op. Kacey Walker is cheery about the prospect of her family being in the spotlight.

“It’s a massive opportunity — I’m sure we’ll look back in 10 years and say, ‘Noosa came to us’.”

The Walkers are eager to give visitors an authentic taste of ethical farm-life.

“On the tour they’ll be right in the middle of things — they’ll be surrounded by chooks and cows and laying hens,” George Walker says.

“The kids are a big part of farm life so they’ll be around, too,” he says.

Martin Duncan and Kaceyare also corralling local producers, who’ll be providing tour-goers with a taste of their wares and more tales of country living. noosafoodandwine.com.au

Source: News.com.au   February 11th 2015