HERBS AND SPICES: Rachel Blanchard from Salt Bird and Libby Morgan from Morganics said yesterday’s FOOD Affair was a wonderful event. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 0422food14
THE days of placing a large container of iodised salt on your table at meal times are long since gone, a producer at yesterday’s FOOD Affair vouched.
Gloomy skies that hung over Orange yesterday did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of crowds attending the final FOOD Week event.
Orange company Salt Bird was just one of many food and wine producers tempting crowds with the best in regional produce.
Co-owner Mark Blanchard said taste buds had changed and iodised salt was just a little old-fashioned.
“All that went out years ago,” he said.
Mr Blanchard said he and wife Rachel use salt from the Murray River and mix in herbs and spices to set the taste buds soaring.
“They’re designed and produced here in Orange and we try to use as much local produce as we can,” he said.
Sharing a stand with Salt Bird at yesterday’s FOOD Affair was Morganics, a garlic farm on the slopes of Mount Canobolas.
Owners Libby and Ken Morgan say the soil and climate makes their garlic more “punchier” than ones grown near the coast or overseas.
“It’s got a lot more flavour than an imported garlic,” Mrs Morgan said.
It was the first time Morganics had attended FOOD Affair and Mrs Morgan said the public’s reaction had been “marvellous”.
“Hearing what the public wants get you through all the hard labour,” she said.
MasterChef winner and Orange resident Kate Bracks hosted this year’s Producers’ Pantry and used local produce to demonstrate the tips and tricks she learnt during the competition.
nadine.morton@ruralpress.com