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Lucy, meet Alice.

Introducing Alice Emily Reschke -
7th May 2010

Koonara is very pleased to welcome another little girl into the brood! Nicole was setting up for the Arts Festival when she felt a bit "funny", so thought she would call me. "I could be in labour" she said. 3 hours later, Alice was born into the world, 7 pounds 2, and looking like a very beautiful pickled people (for those old enough to remember them).

Look at all those wrinkles - like a shar pei puppy...plenty of room to grow into.

baby!!!

Last leaves have turned and are off, and pruning has begun. (showing just how far behind I am on my monthly emails). This photo was taken of our golden orb spiders in the vines, keeping all our pests in check.

which means we've never had to use pesticides in the last 10 years. Getting closer to organic...

 
A little golden orb hiding in the turning leaves. Not to scale thankfully...
 

Dancing with the Stars

 A brilliant night was had by all recently at the Bard Palais, in Mt Gambier (the home of my first over-age concert - the divynils). Money raised by the stand-like-stone foundations goes towards local community initiatives.

After serious deliberations the judges crowned Lisa McCormick and Euan Doidge the winners, followed in second place by Carolyn Gazzard and Jason Coleman.

The People's Choice award was closely fought with audience members voting by giving a donation, in total the People's Choice award raised $7,393 and was won by Rachael Messenger from Penola. In total Swinging with the Stars raised a staggering $19,000 for the Stand Like Stone Foundation.

Winners Lisa McCormick and Euan Doidge

Mel Hollick & Heidi Kain

Wow. They just don't get any shorter than that.
What? I'm just saying what you're all thinking...


Sonya and Ali


Click above for more photos
 

Cru Bar
This ultra-hip bar in Brisvegas is airy, cool, and are serious about their food & wine.

www.crubar.com

Koonara Comfy Club - Every Friday in July we have silent movies on the big screen, Tapas thanks to Di'vine Cafe, and new release wines. 5pm to 8pm, come and enjoy...

October 15-17, 2010 Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations and Barrel Series 13 Auction This three day event is filled with tastings, masterclasses, tutorials, live music, entertainment, gourmet food and of course, fantastic Coonawarra wines! www.coonawarra.org

 

Cooking with MacGyver: Wild Mushrooms

Always something you have to be careful of, there are two wild mushrooms in the pine forests around Coonawarra which are great eating: Slippery Jacks (Left) and Saffron Milk Caps (bottom). Slippery Jacks are easy to identify as they have a very slimy top, and a sponge-like bottom. Saffron milk caps are bright orange, and will go green if bruised (just the spot, not the whole mushroom).

Wine To Match:

Ezra's Gift Coonawarra Shiraz 2006 ($24)
Drinking superbly at the moment; Expecting big things in the show circuit this year. 100% Grande Reserva St Martin French Barrels, yet the wine is so dense you barely see it. Only 500 cases made, and will be sold out soon.
 www.koonara.com

Wangolina Station Section 67 Sauvignon - $27
This is a Sav Blanc like you have never tried before. Forget the me-to-NZ stuffo, this is the future of Sav Blanc, with a little barrel ferment - also known as Fumé (Foo-may) Blanc - giving it an incredible texture and length of lychees and Guava.
Track it down.
www.wangolina.com.au
 

Luke Lambert 2008 Heathcote Nebbiolo $38
Swapped a mate a bottle of this the other day, and was blown away with the quality. Fermented using wild yeasts and bottled
without fining or filtration.

If you want to cut your teeth on this relatively obscure variety, this is the one to do it. Great balance of flavours, big juicy wine without being hot. A cracker.

Dinner Party in under 20 min:

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock
• 50g of butter
• a finely chopped onion
• 500g of carnaroli (or arborio) rice
• 200ml of white wine
• 25g of dried porcini mushrooms
• 200g of assorted, finely sliced, mushrooms
• 100g of butter in pieces
• 2/3 cup of grated parmesan

Method

Place a pot of simmering chicken stock on the stove top. In a wide pan heat  butter, add a finely chopped onion and saute until transparent - about a minute.

Add arborio rice and stir until the grains are transparent - about two minutes. Add white wine and allow it to completely evaporate. Add two or three ladles of chicken stock, then stir. Add dried porcini mushrooms (soaked in water for a minute, then drained) and assorted, finely sliced, mushrooms.

Add chicken stock a little at a time, waiting until it is absorbed before adding more, and stir. After 15 minutes  or so, add a couple of good pinches of salt and taste. It should still be a little chalky. Remove from heat, stir in  butter in pieces and grated parmesan.

Put the lid on and rest for 3-4 minutes. Serve with grated parmesan.

Music to Match: Needtobreathe

Loving these guys at the moment: super catchy, upbeat blues rock. Get into them before they become huge (remember the Colbie Calliat prediction? I know what I'm talking about). Standouts are Lay 'em down, Something Beautiful, and Need more time.

http://www.needtobreathe.net/
http://www.myspace.com/needtobreathe