MERRY XMAS EVERYONE! It’s best to start planning for your holidays in 2015, so here I am, sharing my final post on Tweed Australia Culinary Getaway (you can read part 1 here). There is so much to love about Australia – the people are incredibly friendly, laid-back and fun; plus the food, I swear Australia does a better breakfast and a better coffee than anywhere else in world.

My journey to Tweed in Gold Coast has made me love Australia more. It is the perfect place to live and holiday any time of the year. The climate is classified as sub-tropical climate, which means it is rarely too hot and doesn’t get too cold. Along the Tweed Coast, their seaside fishing villages have held onto the magic of a traditional Aussie beach holiday where you can swim at safe patrolled beaches, paddle a kayak, find a quiet fishing spot and enjoy a leisurely time. When you think of a holiday on the Tweed, you’ve got to be thinking about morning walks along uncrowded beaches, lazy days in the sun and splashing around in the surf.

The Tweed regions fertile volcanic soil produces the most fresh, flavourful produce all year round. Attracting some of Australia’s finest chefs and most awarded restaurants who effortlessly transform this wealth of locally grown produce into mouth-watering culinary delights. So where are the best dining locations you ask? Well there is Knigscliff, Salt Village, Tweed Heads, Tyalgum, Tumbulgum and Murwillumabah just to name a few. The Tweed also dishes up some truly awesome foodie events organised by Aria Events & Entertainment.

Take a leisurely drive through the Tweed Valley and you’ll pass roadside stalls selling freshly harvested produce from nearby farms. You can also stock up your picnic basket at Farmers’ Markets where you can chat with our growers and providores. Don’t forget to sample the unique Tweed specialties like native fingerlimes plucked straight from the orchard in Chillingham!

{ CHILLINGHAM BUSH TUCKER }

Address: 1292 Numinbah Rd. Chillingham NSW Tel: +61 2 6679 1022 Website: http://www.chillinghambushtucker.com.au

Buck’s Native Bush Tucker Garden is beautifully maintained, easy to walk through plantation. The garden is full of native plants and a number of exotic fruit trees that are local to the Tweed Valley area, Chillingham NSW Australia. He supplies hard-to-find fruits, greens and herbs that are regularly delivered to the kitchens of some of Australia’s top restaurants.

In the early 70s, he has been growing bananas, avocados and mangoes since he took over the property. In the mid 90s, he decided to try something different. He looks at the bush tucker fruits that were native to the area because they wouldn’t need much fertilizer or insecticides. He also talked to chefs to find out what fresh produce they had trouble sourcing – like kaffir limes which, at the time, they could only get in a powdered form. So he trail planted 17 tress and it flourished. Now, he has about 3000 trees.

The finger limes also create lots of interest, as he snaps open the small pod-shape fruit to show us the caviar like small lime bubbles. His own unique seedless variety is a staple in many restaurants. He expanded his initial planting of 20 tress to almost 1000. Every Monday morning, he sends off a kilo of fingerlimes to Tetsuya’s in Sydney and Ian Hemphill from Herbie’s Spices.

Buddha’s hands fruit from the foothills of the Himalayas. He also developed his own natural fertilizers and an insecticide derived from the neem tree to produce a harvest that is totally chemical-free.

The rustic Chillingham Bush Tucker roadside stall is now manned by Buck’s wife Anne, and is a source of fresh local produce.

{ FLUTTERBIES COTTAGE CAFE }

Address: 23 Coolman street, Tyalgum NSW 2484 Tel: +61 2 6679 3221 Website: http://www.flutterbies.com.au

Flutterbies Cottage Cafe is a gorgeous place to stop and enjoy organic coffee. You’ll find an in-house coffee micro-roaster and elegant Tea Room. Locals come here for a cuppa, enjoy a hearty meal reminiscent of grandma’s cooking.

Flutterbies is open seven days for breakfast and lunch, and is fully licensed so you can enjoy a glass of French Champagne or wine with your meal. The food is fresh and homemade, and the organic coffee is roasted right here on the premises! And remember to ask for one of the world-renowned Flutterbie cakes. Every Friday night Flutterbucks hosts a Pizza Night, showcasing great local musical talent in a relaxed environment.

{ TYALGUM VILLAGE MARKET }

Address: 21 Coolman Street, Tyalgum New South Wales Tel: +61 416 019 757 Website: http://tyalgumvillagemarket.com

The Tyalgum Village Market happens on the LAST Saturday of every month. It is a mini festive market where the villagers come together and share their handmade and artisan wares, amidst music, food and festivity. Make a weekend of it and stay at Celestial Dew – the newest Guesthouse in town right next door to Flutterbies. For a small country town, there is so much to enjoy here.

{ GARDEN OF LIGHT TOURS }

Website: http://www.flutterbies.com.au

The Garden Tours are offered in association with Flutterbies Cottage Café. This beautiful property, spreading over 25 acres, has been 15 years in the making. It includes a Cottage Garden, Tuscan Garden, Wisteria Arbours, the lily shrouded pond and hillside woodlands of the Butchart and Monet inspired gardens, a Secret Garden, an Angel Walk, along with vegetable, fruit and herb gardens and a magnificent tree house beside the creek. Tours are run in September and April. Be sure to look for their facebook messages for starting dates.

Local students help to build this treehouse!

And we have 2 very friendly dogs.

{ MAVIS’S KITCHEN AND CABINS }

Address: 64 Mt. Warning Road, Mt. Warning NSW 2484 Australia Tel: +61 2 6679 5664 Website: http://www.maviseskitchen.com.au

One of the most memorable meal I had at Tweed is Mavis’s Kitchen. Much of what we have for lunch comes from the vegetable and herb garden that meanders through their own biodynamic kitchen garden. Their produce thrives on subtropical rain, sunshine, organic fertilizers, and tender loving care from Charlie, one of the owners of Mavis’s Kitchen and Cabins at Mt. Warning. And, it gets picked not long before you arrive… food really doesn’t get any fresher than that and you can taste the difference! Additional ingredients, such as free range eggs and organic coffee are sourced from nearby organic farms and they even found a few preservatives free wines to include in the list.

We started with a Mavises Tasting Plate (Min 2 People) featuring Hand-made Empanada with pork & sage, Salted Cod, Chilli and coriander fritters, Mushroom A la Grecque, Spiced Chickpea & Barley Salad, Homemade stuffed Middle Eastern Vine Leaves with Humus, prawns with shaved fernel orange salad.

My favourite dish is the lamb shoulder where the meat has been marinated with lemon, garlic and oregano for 2 days before putting it into the oven to roast for 3 hours. You get a fork tender and flavourful meat. It is served with Rosemary Salted chips, Organic Greek salad with Persian Feta & Tzaziki.

Mavis’s meat selections are specifically dedicated to indulgent meat lovers and certain to satisfy diners. Sink your teeth in country-style signature Duck Confit. The pan roasted duck thigh is served with fondant potato, asparagus, sugar snaps & rhubarb jus. The rich flavours from the thick creamy sauce complemented with every bite.

{ CHEESE MAKING WITH DEBRA ALLARD }

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/CheeseMakingClasses Email: drallard@bigpond.com Instagram: debra_allard_cheesie

Next, we met Debra Allard from Burringbar, New South Wales. She is a keen cheese maker, once started a cheese making business, but now teaches cheese making classes in her area. She is a very friendly lady and we learnt how to make cheese within 20 minutes! I didn’t know cheese is so easy to do. Careless me, I dropped my camera into the pot of milk too.

{ Kathmandu Kitchen }

Address: 2/106 Marine Parade, Kingscliff NSW 2487, Australia Tel: +61 2 6674 5746 Website: http://kathmandukingscliff.com.au

Our last meal in Tweed was at Kathmandu Kitchen Nepalese & Tibetan Restaurant. Hailing from the Kathmandu Valley, owner/chef Shankar Shrestha serves authentic dishes bursting with the aromas and flavours of Nepal and Tibet.

In Nepal and Tibet, the preparation and presentation of food is carried out with deep respect and gratitude. Thanks are offered not only for the various ingredients, but are also given to everyone involved in the production of the meal, from the rice grower through to the chef.

We ordered a MT EVEREST BANQUET which serves appetizers like Prawn Spring Roll, Sekuwa, Samosa and Momo. I really like Momo, which is also probably the most well loved meat dish in Kathmandu, Nepal. Served with a tomato and coriander chutney, Momo resembles a lot like Chinese dumpling which makes me feel like I am home.

Then came a range of mains like Star Anise Duck Curry, Jhinga Prawn Masala, Tibetan Style Chicken Curry and Himalayan Lamb Korma. The fragrant Himalayan lamb korma is cooked in coconut cream and 20 herbs and spices. For a unique way to finish off, try a slice of the chocolate chilli cake!

{ A WALK AT JOHANSEN PARK }

With so much good wine and food, it makes me want to move to Australia – particularly Tweed, perfect for a romantic getaway. Ended our trip with a quick drive to Johansen Park – such a lovely beach and the cooling weather!

{ GOING HOME … WITH SCOOT }

We began our Tweed journey with Scoot, and of course, ended our journey with Scoot – which is the only airlines that flies directly from Changi Airport to Gold Coast Airport. The flight is 7h 30mins. We got the Scoot In Silence seats which gives you extra leg room as well as privacy.

Meals are not provided on board. But Scoot have expanded their inflight meal menu with a selection of premium meals, hot meals, light meals, snacks, and beverages to choose from. I had the Nasi Lemak which is not bad as compared to other in-flight meals I have had! While watching movie, you can purchase a Scoot Snack Pack to munch! (NOTE: Don’t forget to apply for VISA!)

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Thank you Scoot, Destination Tweed, and Aria Events & Entertainment for making this trip possible.