Honolulu farmers markets

I have been visiting Hawaii for the last week, I'm in love with this place, the people, it's spirit, the cool asian fusion food and the fresh organic produce from the farmers markets up at Diamond Head every saturday. I went crazy taking photo's and trying some culinary delights. The highlight been a pesto, roma tomato pizza, the line was long but it was worth it every bite was an explosion of farm fresh ingredients and homemade wholemeal pizza dough.

Capra organic goat's cheese

Emma, Matt and baby Selwyn from whom I met at the conference, I transported some of there beautiful handcrafted cheeses in an esky in my suitcase and they made it back to Sydney and yes they are beautiful. They have been winning awards all over Victoria and soon they will be available in Sydney, completely certified organic, Emma has a background as a naturopath and in total they have 65 goat's that they milk twice everyday of the year!

Organic famers association conference bairnsdale, victoria

I really am blessed with my life, I have just returned from a guest speaker spot at the organic farmers assoc conference on the weekend, I spoke to 125 organic famers, educators and food producers, it was so inspiring and enriching to tell my story and also meet so many wonderful people working from the heart on the land and changing the face of australian agriculture.

The stories were uplifting and encouraging, the highlight speakers for me were Nigel Kieran who won farmer of the year in 2008, and also Shane Blundy a beef and lamb farmer from Cherry Tree Organics, there stories of resilience, diversity and respect for nature blew me away, learnt alot about the challenges of organic crop farming and grazing.

Another highlight was meet Kane a young man from a third generation or organic famers just oustide Bairnsdale, his story of resilience was growing up with deaf parents and his father running a very successful organic crop farm. My late father was very passionate about holistic land management n his own work and also social nutrition so everything he had taught me about respecting nature and working with her and not using harsh pesticides or chemicals really resonated with me on this trip.

Thanks to Stephen Cross and the people of Bairnsdale for there openness and hospitality.

Beautiful palm cove; a chef's gotta take a holiday sometime

Have been eating out in restaurants the last 4 day' over the Anzac long weekend, visiting crocodile farms, lingering in rainforests and eating fresh organic papaya, ah and chilling out in a hammock on the beach.

San Fransico, farmers markets, mushrooms and the golden gate bridge

Giovanni's shrimp van north shore hawaii

Eating in America

Hello.

3.5 weeks later I have returned from an amazing and inspiring whirlwind tour of San Fran, New York and lastly Honululu (for r and r and prosurfer at pipleline ooglin)

What a trip!

After eating out at restaurants, I was slightly worried I may have lost my touch in the kitchen. But alas 4 day's back and I have cooked for a client and created 3 new recipes which I will post.

The higlights of my trip

1. Visiting ferry farmer markets in san fran
2. Eating clam chowder ( i know so touirsty but delicious) - see funny photo of me with the live crabs; poor little darlings
3. Meeting my new mentor and the wonderful rebecca katz
4. Eating at herbivore in mission san fran
5. Learning to deconstruct a menu (thanks rebecca) and ask the waiter for what I really want (always a fear because I know what happens in the back of house ie kitchen.
6. New York New York Vegan baking at Natural Gourmet Institute with baking goddess Fran.
7. Eating at Angelica's kitchen
8. Discovering Cleanplates new yorks www.cleanplatesnyc.com (healthy tasty guide t manhattan) - Hanging out in the village eating shopping, eating shopping.
9. Falling in love wth great mexican food at Chipotle.
10. Grassfed burgers everywhere..
11. Wholefoods, so great so many cool things
12. Just simpley being in new york I love this city.
13. Pumpkin Pie in Brooklyn.
14. Helicopter ride over manhattan whoooo
15. Hawaii - crazy fusion food that really works and explodes in your mouth
16. North Shore pipleine masters - wow whoo.

Please mail me for food details if you heading to any of these cities I really hit the ground running and did a lot of research.

Ian Gawler Living Well

Last weekend I was in Victoria as you may have read in my November newsletter, it was such an inspiring trip and I cooked for 38 residents with cancer over 3 day's.

The ingredients were bio dynamic, local and full of vitality, you really could taste it in each bite, also the amazing women cooks poured there heart and soul into each dish.


Now I'm about to start a series of vegetarian cooking workshops before I head off to the states....

For more info head to the news section of the organic cook website, and also for a read of a 6 page feature in prevention magazine which is out now in newsagents.

enjoy the two new asparagus recipes.

x

Gabriellas Homemade Italian Salami