Hundreds of chefs around the world now use Australian native ingredients on their menus everyday. Thousands of dishes have been created featuring them and probably millions of diners now recognize that an original, unmistakable, Australian cuisine is emerging from this concerted effort.

Apart from regular menus, you could develop a series of Australian menus offering including breakfast, morning tea, lunch dinner and cocktail party all with the unique flavours of Australia. Australian ingredients such as Lemon Myrtle, Wattleseed, Alpine Pepper, Yakajirri and Paperbark together with Australian game meats such as kangaroo and emu which have really become popular on menus also.

Topics included in the latest version of the Australian Menu Planning Guide are;

Breakfast
Freshly squeezed juice cocktails, Blended Smoothies, Sparkling Wines, Cereals, Cold Buffet Breakfast, Breakfast Sausages, Live Breakfast Stations, Cold Plated Breakfast, Hot Plated Breakfast, Breakfast Crepes, Breakfast Bakery

Coffee Shop & Room Service
Cookies and Biscuits, Friands, Sweet Muffins, Savoury Muffins, Café meals / Room Service, Gourmet Wood fired pizzas, Australian Gourmet Meat Pies

Buffet
Bread Selection, Buffet Soups, Buffet Salads, Antipasto, Hot Buffet Dishes, Wet Dishes, BBQ Dishes, Carvery and Roasts, Buffet Condiments, Potato & Farinaceous Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes, Live Pasta Station, Buffet Desserts

Canapés
Cold Canapés, Hot Canapés, Canapé Oysters, Soup Canapés, Hot Fork Styled Dishes, Antipasto, Live Cooking / Carving Stations

Alacarte
Amuse Bouche, Soups, Cold Appetizers, Hot Appetizers, Vegetarian Appetizers, Oysters, Sorbets, Main Courses – Seafood, Main Courses - Meat, Poultry & Game, Vegetarian Main Courses, Desserts, Australian Cheeses, Ice-creams, Gelato, Chocolate Truffles

This is the third edition of the Australian Menu Planning Guide. When you order the Australian Menu Planning Guide, you’ll receive regular updates and special offers for 12 months. So when we publish a new version, you’ll receive an update within days via email. The Australian Menu Planning Guide comes as a PDF and requires Adobe Acrobat to be installed to be read. This is handy for chefs that travel who don’t want to carry around large and bulky cookbooks.

The Australian Menu Planning Guide is also included in our Chefs Hamper which is includes a wide range of Australian native ingredients and allows chefs to experiment and plan menus.

So join the elite group of creative chefs, chefs who are pioneers in their own exploration of the newest concept in food anywhere in the world.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=38 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:55:33 +1000 20.00 AUD 38 1166 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/Australian-Menu-Planning-Guide-cover.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=36 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=36 Now in a 250g or 8.8oz glass jar for your convenience.

Bush tomato chutney is one of our most popular products with chefs in restaurants and catering on the airlines using it as it comes or making a version of my recipe for what I call 'Bushetta'.

This is toasted slices of a French stick either spread with Alpine pepper butter or better still, made with Alpine pepper bread. Then the Bush tomato chutney is prepared by mixing equal quantities of the chutney with finely chopped tomato. I leave the skin on for texture but remove the seeds and juice unless using heirloom tomatoes as available in the US. To flavour the mixture I add torn fresh basil and a generous sprinkle of Yakajirri - a new product about to be added to our store next week. Top the bread slices with the mix and serve with antipasto.

The Bush tomato chutney can also be blended to a sauce, added to mayonnaise, hollandaise or a bloody Mary. Turn it into a salsa by added steamed or BBQd sweet corn kernels, some Spanish onion and yellow bell peppers (capsicum).

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=36 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:14:00 +1000 9.35 AUD 36 0.6 Vic Cherikoff 9839 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/tomato-chutney.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=35 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=35 This is our all-purpose spice mix which includes a bit of zing from mountain pepper combined with a herb finish from the blend of lemon aspen, lemon myrtle and aniseed myrtle. It also includes a few conventional herbs and spices to round out the flavour and make it a highly versatile seasoning. For a few ideas of use and more information on the mix visit our page on Wildfire spice.

Wildfire Spice is gently spicy but is a complex flavoring and ideal for barbequing, grilling and baking.

COLOUR - coarse, multi-ingredient, multi-coloured herb, spice and salt flecks

AROMA - complex, mixed spice nose tending to Mediterranean but with a wild woody Australian character and suggestion of pizza

PALATE - full chicken and spice mid-palate with pepper and mild chilli heat followed by complex herbaceous citrus aromatics and toasted seeds

Use it as a dry marinade or rub over seafood, meats, eggs or vegetables.

Try a heaped teaspoonful per 500g (about a pound) of dough or batter when baking bread or for pizza bases, crepes or savoury pancakes.

Use Wildfire Spice in burgers, meatloaf or other savoury mince meat or sprinkle some liberally over your next stir-fry, salad, pasta or pizza.

You can also add a sprinkle and infuse the flavour into red wine or mushroom sauces for steaks and chops; add some to warmed olive oil for that tasty dipping oil with some fresh bread or make salad dressings with oil and vinegar and Wildfire Spice to taste.

See what I mean about all-purpose?

I also like mixing some into sour cream and topping baked potatoes or seasoning kumara chips or slices baked in the oven. It turns boring vegetables like cauliflower and kale into gourmet treats (OK, so you still need a nob of butter as well).

Get some seed mix such as linseeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and maybe some finely chopped almonds and add a generous amount of Wildfire Spice to make a delicious dukkah or spiced seed mix. As an alternative, dry roast the seeds and while they are still hot, add a splash of soy sauce and then mix this into some Wildfire spice. These mixtures can be used as a sprinkle for olive oil soaked bread or as a crusting over meats and seafood for frying, broiling or grilling.

The more you use my Wildfire Spice mix the more favorite applications you'll find. I can promise you that!

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=35 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:14:08 +1000 8.20 AUD 35 0.05 926 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/wildfire-spice-sachet.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=34 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=34 OK. So it's not really dust but our Red Desert Dust is a seasoning with a gutsy, aromatic mix of conventional and native Australian ingredients and ideal as a finishing flavor over meats, potatoes, eggs or cheeses such as baked ricotta. Try a simple grilled cheese on toast sprinkled with Red Desert Dust and taste the added dimensions of flavors from the native Australian ingredients.

COLOR - Central Australian red sand colour with green, purple-black and bright red flecks and pale tan sesame seeds

AROMA - spicy, peppery primaries with roasted chicken notes and a herb finish

PALATE - initial sweet and salt, followed by a full chicken and pepper mid-palate with complex spice and toasted seed

Put it on salmon, white or red meats and bake to doneness then blacken the spice mix under the grill or broiler. This lessens the herb notes but brings out the peppery zing and smokey spice flavors.

There are a few herb inclusions in Red Desert Dust which work as flavor enhancers for tomato dishes such as gumbo, stews or your favorite pasta sauce so add some early in the cooking and let the ingredients combine and meld to a richness you won't forget.

Red Desert Dust can also be used as a dry rub or marinade, adding complexity to meats. Alternatively, mix some into butter or your favorite substitute and melt over cooked meats allowing the warmth to heighten the impact of the ingredients.

Another use is as a general flavoring in dressings, mayonnaise or oil and whisking will help infuse the flavors or warming works, either way, as appropriate. Try adding Red Desert Dust to pancake batter for an interesting savoury crepe which can be filled with tinned tuna, salmon, roast chicken strips etc and moisten with snow pea sprouts or some enoki mushrooms for a simple snack or entreée.

One easy nibbly I often make is to slice Lebanese flat bread into segments, drizzle them generously with olive oil (Australian, of course) and sprinkle on the Red Desert Dust (or try my other seasoning mixes for variety). I might add a little extra salt to some. Lay the segments out on a baking tray and place into an oven at 100°C (212°F) to dry to crispness. It only takes about 5 minutes. Serve with an Australian riesling or unwooded chardonnay or an ice cold beer.



]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=34 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:11:27 +1000 8.20 AUD 34 0.05 Vic Cherikoff 900 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/red-desert-dust.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=33 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=33 Lemon myrtle sprinkle is deliciously aromatic and an extremely versatile, all native ingredient, herbal and fruit mix which can be used in an extremely wide range of dishes, including an exceptional herbal tea.

COLOR - bright green herb with pale yellow flecks of citrus

AROMA - early sweet lemon, lime and lemongrass oil bouquet with a citrus middle nose

PALATE - robust lemon flavour-scent complemented with a mild acid citrus back palate and faint anise and green tea late notes

Lemon myrtle sprinkle could be considered even more lemony than lemon myrtle because of its unique formulation. It is a blend of the best quality lemon myrtle leaf; wild, rainforest lime pulp and lemon aspen pulp (specially dried in the dark and milled at sub-zero temperatures) which provide a hint of acid; and I have worked in more lemon myrtle using encapsulated, lemon myrtle essential oil. Finally, there's some aniseed myrtle which is a good source of trans-anethole. Trans-anethole is a phyto-estrogen and immune system stimulant. This results in a mix which is probably closer to 125% as lemony as lemon myrtle leaf alone and a more rounded flavour as well.

But back to the lemon myrtle in Lemon myrtle sprinkle. This 'herb' comes from a tall rainforest tree (up to 30m) and once was only found in SE Queensland, from Brisbane to Cairns but is now widely planted in coastal New South Wales and some even in South Australia, Victoria as well as our coldest State, Tasmania. The growth rate is highest in warmer climates but leaf quality can vary with plant nutrition, watering regimes, the weather, time of day and harvest cycles. The Lemon myrtle leaves are now more-often machine harvested for the food, cosmetic, fragrance and cut flower industries. Some growers still pick by hand, particularly for cottage industry products such as oils and vinegars where a whole leaf may be added as a garnish. Generally, though, larger scale manufacturers look to the distilled essential oil which might be solubilised or encapsulated for functionality and ease of use. So for culinary uses as an all-purpose, sweet or savoury lemon seasoning.

Lemon myrtle sprinkle can be used in an unlimited number of ways: As a herb tea, just infuse to your own taste in boiling water or tea. I love a tiny amount added to my freshly brewed, super-strong coffee as it brings out the flavor of the coffee itself and adds those heady aromatics of citral to complement the coffee. It's also good in hot chocolate. Try Lemon Myrtle tea with ginger juice, black or green tea, rooibos or other herbals and even chill and gas it with a soda stream to make your own soft drinks. (Add sugar or fruit juice and sweeten it to taste). I tend to make a strong infusion to use as a health-giving tea and a weaker one as a soft drink which I drink a lot, ice cold and bubbly. As a lemon spice, Lemon myrtle sprinkle is best used as a finishing seasoning. By this I mean add it to hot or just-cooked food before serving and the essential oils are driven out by the warmth to reach your tastebuds. So if you bake chicken or fish, add a sprinkle of Lemon myrtle sprinkle as it comes out of the oven and it'll be full-flavored by the time it gets to the table.

As a flavouring, say, in custards or any soft cheeses, clotted cream, yoghurt or other dairy product you can just add it to taste or infuse the flavor out by infusing some Lemon myrtle sprinkle in warmed milk and add this as a concentrate. You can obviously make this as strong as you like and by leaving it stand for up to 10 minutes, out comes the essential oils and up goes the flavor.

You can replace the milk with sugar syrup (say, 500ml water and 500g sugar dissolved by heating the stirred mixture slowly) and use this over stewed fruits, ice cream (or to make your own ice cream), thicken it with agar agar or gelatine to make a soft jelly or add lemon juice and turn it into a lemon spread with the pectin.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=33 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:52:42 +1000 8.20 AUD 33 0.05 883 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/lemon-myrtle-sprinkle.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=32 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=32 Fruit Spice is a really unique seasoning for enhancing fruit flavors of soft or stone fruits such as berries, apricots, peaches or tropical fruits like mango. You can also use it to make ordinary fruit jams and jellies more fruity.

COLOR - visually mixed green herb fines and pieces including micro-crystals of natural flavor and with flecks of dark purple fruity spices

AROMA - passionfruit and berry front notes with a hint of cumin and the tiniest suggestion of caroway

PALATE - full-on fruit to match the aroma and with a subtle pepper and anise long palate

It only takes a light sprinkle, stir it in and wait for a few minutes for the flavor to infuse. It takes less time if the product is warm to hot. If you purée fruit for dessert sauces or make syrups from cooked fruit and sugar, Fruit Spice will add a delicious strawberry-passionfruit character with a subtle lemony hint.

And here's a really good recipe for a salad dressing - one which I still use often. Blend some strawberries and add Fruit Spice by the pinch, to taste. If I don't have fresh strawberries on hand, try apple and strawberry juice. You might even add a bit of cracked black pepper. Now, if you are serving a salad of interesting green leaves such as radicchio, cos, rocket, coral, baby beetroot leaves, cresses and more, you can dress it well ahead of time with this Fruit Spice and juice mix. You see, if you use an oil based dressing, the oil wilts the leaves quickly unlike juices which actually make the leaves more turgid or pumped up. I once cooked a lunch for 60 chefs as a demonstration meal and made this dressing so that I could prepare the salad hours beforehand and just chill the salad covered in plastic wrap. It looked better than when I made it and tasted so good I had nearly all 60 chefs ask what I used to flavor the leaves. What better recommendation?

I love using this mix in yoghurt, custards and whipped cream and think that it makes one of the best ice creams you will ever try. If melons eg honey dew melons, are in season, give them a sprinkle of Fruit Spice and see the difference. Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Fruit spice by the generous pinch also turns up the gain on vegetable casseroles and other wet dishes with pumpkin, sweet potato or kumara. And it makes a fruity Asian or Indian curry come to life!

Store your Cherikoff Fruit Spice in a cool place or conveniently on the door trays in your refrigerator.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=32 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:59:48 +1000 8.20 AUD 32 0.05 976 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/fruit-spice-sachet.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=31 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=31 We Aussies love chilli so this herb and spice mix has a bit to add those special tingles for your tongue. It's not too hot but formulated to give that Wow! factor and the flavor blends well with the lemon myrtle, lemon aspen and pepperberry as the native Australian mix.

COLOR - pale yellow mix with bright red chilli fines, sesame seeds and green herb flecks

AROMA - spicy, roasted chicken nose with a sweet lemon, lime and lemongrass oil bouquet

PALATE - full chicken and spice mid-palate with pepper and chilli heat followed by complex herbaceous citrus aromatics and toasted seed

I have used a chicken flavored, vegetarian base for this rub since it is a flavor which goes with a wide range of other foods. However, if you are at all concerned, please note that this is a fully vegetarian seasoning and a great example of the molecular basis of taste where the similarity of the plant protein extract to chicken protein results in the same taste to our brains.

One of my favorite uses for Rainforest Rub is on potato chips. I mean the thin slivers of the humble potato, deep fried and unhealthy. You might call them crisps. I dust them with Rainforest Rub and the lemony chicken and chilli makes one of the most morish snacks I know. You might want to try it on the thicker, softer wedges and fries (they apparently can't be called French anymore since S11 made this not politically correct), on corn, sweet potato or taro chips or pop corn as well.

Not surprisingly, Rainforest Rub is great over chicken to intensify the flavor of what must be the world's most popular bird. Use it as a general seasoning in and over practically any dish, including roasted, grilled, broiled, barbecued, stir-fried or braised poultry, pork or seafood, vegetables, veal or game. Season stews, stocks, soups and sauces and like all of my mixes, you can add it to breads and batters for a savoury twist to these.

As a way to carry the seasoning on foods such as yabbies, crays, lobster, octopus, calamari, prawns or shrimp, mix it with breadcrumbs or a fine polenta. You can even add some grated cheese such as a cheddar or parmesan. I have also found a site with a whole bunch of chicken recipes. You could easily put an Australian twist to the easy, delicious ideas you'll find there.



]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=31 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:16:46 +1000 8.20 AUD 31 0.05 Vic Cherikoff 944 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/rainforest-rub-sachet.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=30 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=30 Alpine pepper is a carefully considered formulation of the peppery leaves and fruits of a high country wild pepper bush found in the mountains of Tasmania. The firey leaves get draped in snow in the winter and blasted by Antarctic winds kissing the icy valleys where this tough plant grows.

COLOR - olive and pastel green herb pieces with dark purple flecks of fruits of the spices; sumac and pepperberries

AROMA - woody peppery note with a hint of fruit

PALATE - herbaceous short palate with conventional pepper zing then exhibiting an increasing burn with rich berry and a hint of green tea

You may think that you have tried all the varieties of pepper already but here is a totally new one. Sure. There's black, grey and white pepper as well as green, pink and red pepper which all come from the same plant (a climber, originally from India). You may have even tried betel pepper, Indian long or Javan long peppers or the rough-leaved pepper - all are different species of the same genus, Piper.

However, here in Australia, we have a totally new type of pepper which is more closely related to the source of aspirin or oil of Wintergreen than to the tropical true pepper vine. We call it mountain pepper and it's actually a herb although the berries we call pepperberries are also used - sparingly. I say this because chewing on a few pepperberries is like having a grenade go off in your mouth.

I also include a specially prepared, encapsulated extract of the leaves which imparts that instant zing of bushy heat. There's some forest anise, which not only ideally complements the taste but adds to some serious functionality in that the combination is super-strongly anti-microbial so that there is some preservative action when using Alpine pepper as a marinade. Finally, I have added some of the tangy, Turkish sumac for its fruitiness to enhance the pepperberries and some conventional Piper corns in their black and white forms are added for those familiar pepper notes.

You'll grab for the Alpine pepper as most cooks would for a peppermill. It can easily and deliciously substitute for ordinary pepper on meats, seafood, soups, vegetables, eggs and cheese dishes. Use it to taste and you'll discover that Wow! factor you want in your food. Alpine pepper can also be used in far more ways than just as a seasoning over cooked dishes. Use it as a dry marinade on meats or add it to breads, batter and pastry as a herb mix. It makes the best salt and pepper squid you'll ever try.

Now here's something I discovered by accident - Try sprinkling Alpine pepper over raw or cooked fruit or mix it into ice cream (particularly strawberry flavoured), yoghurt, cream cheese or custards. Alternatively, generously season peeled and sliced bananas with Alpine pepper and pan-fry them in butter and a dash of your favorite oil (olive, macadamia, avocado, walnut, pumpkin seed, whatever) until they just brown and soften. Serve with ice cream and a small cup of strong coffee.

By the way, I store my Alpine pepper on the door of my freezer. It keeps the aromatics fresh and is always at hand so it won't go the way of less valued spices which get buried and lost or just forgotten in the pantry.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=30 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:56:43 +1000 8.20 AUD 30 0.05 Vic Cherikoff 909 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/alpine-pepper-sachet.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=28 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=28 See each individual fruit confit for a complete description but get the set as a standard pantry item for refrigerator or freezer storage and to have some on hand when you need it. For that easy addition to an otherwise ordinary dish, reach for one of our Fruit confit products and add that special Wow! Factor. Any one of them will transform an ordinary salad, sauce, meat or vegetable dish, pasta, rice or other carbohydrate into something spectacular. And they really make any dessert complete. try them on your breakfast cereal too as they contain huge amounts of anti-oxidants and could be thought of as 'super-foods'.

It's also good to know that a little of any of the fruit confit products you have on hand will go a long way because of the strength of flavour and the meticulous care we take to make an exceptional fruit confit collection with just the right sweetness in the syrup yet still plenty of the original character of the particular fruit.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=28 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:45:58 +1000 42.00 AUD 28 2 Vic Cherikoff 930 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/native-fruit-confits.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=27 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=27 Wild rosella flowers are actually modified leaves or calyces for the botanists. However, as a foodie, all you need know is that the acid flowers in this fruit confit are sugar-cured using sequential additions of different sugars until we are happy with the super-rich crimson syrup, the firm texture of the flowers and the perfect balance of acid crispness and sweetness.

Use the rosella confit syrup by the dash into dessert sauces or to brighten up a plum, raspberry, strawberry or cherry sauce. Scoop a spoonful of the rosella confit flowers and some syrup onto yoghurt or ice cream or just garnish a dessert plate. Coarsely chop the wild rosella fruit confit as a garnish for meats, poultry (better than cranberry saucewith turkey) or a simple salad. Great with cheese or as something different, try dropping some of the fruit along with a dash of the syrup into a sparkling white wine or champagne.

And how about a wild rosella vodkatini? They make great mixer cocktails or even non-alcoholic mocktails.

Recent studies have shown that wild rosella flowers are super fruits when it comes to the antioxidants they contain. The levels eclipse the usual antioxidant fruits like blueberries, cherries and cranberries This means that not only are they absolutely delicious, they are good for you too.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=27 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:40:14 +1000 8.60 AUD 27 0.5 Vic Cherikoff 9932 5 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/rosella-confit.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=25 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=25 Rainforest Mist by Vic Cherikoff is powered with extracts from four rainforest superfoods renown for their active principles: Vic's research in the 1980s proved that the Kakadu plum is the world's highest fruit source of vitamin C but that is not the whole story about this superfood. It also contains folates, iron and other polyphenolic antioxidants each supporting the other to provide a huge synergistic benefit for your immune system.

The second fruit is Wild rosella with its brilliant crimson flowers (actually swollen modified leaves for the botanists) and the colour comes from a group of antioxidants called the anthocyanins. Rosella happens to be extremely well endowed with 2 of the most active forms of anthocyanins.

Next, is the essential oil from Lemon myrtle, which is a powerful anti-microbial, even more effective than tea tree oil. This is combined with the essential oils of aniseed myrtle, which contains compounds which are currently in trials as learning enhancers, adding to their known activity as immune boosters, phyto-estrogens as well as anti-oxidants.

And then there's the water. We use a natural filter to purify the water - living trees. Our highly innovative, ice cold, pressure chilling system was developed to extract the purest water from fruits picked from these trees. This "ice crystal water" preserves our precious underground and rainwater supplies and makes use of fruit water which would otherwise be wasted in the fruit juice industry.

Did I mention that we also use nitrogen to protect and preserve the fruit extracts and essential oils and as a propellant because it is inert and safe, even in the confines of an aircraft at cruising altitudes? It also does not contribute to greenhouse degradation because it is a natural component of air.

Forget jetlag, tiredness, lack of focus or hunger pangs. This is ENERGY without the calories.

Free from artificial preservatives and fragrances. No wheat, starch or thickeners. No oxygen enrichment (oxygen itself, is a highly reactive chemical in our bodies that's why we need antioxidants). No bush flower essences (that would be bottled stupidity - they are a product of an overly active imagination and if you think they have worked for you, then recognize the power of the placebo) and it's way beyond just a plain water spray (even if it is French water).

This is real, solid pharmacology meeting ethnobotany; ancient plant lore meets modern science; and you could say it is 40,000 years in development. Rainforest Mist is so pure you can breathe it, in fact, that's how it's designed to be used. A one second facial spray while breathing in through your nose and wait 20 seconds to feel the uplift. It's a gentle lift to clear tired eyes, refresh and invigorate you and aid concentration, focus and learning.

We don't have to make any claims of efficacy. Just try it for yourself and you let us know what you discover.

For more information, please visit this site.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=25 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:23:41 +1000 22.68 AUD 25 0.12 Vic Cherikoff 118 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/o18-cherikoff-refresh.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=22 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=22 Paperbark smoke oil is a delicious flavour oil used in the same ways as truffle oil only even more versatile. It is ideal for any meat, fish, shellfish, vegetable (try it over roasted sweet corn on the cob), eggs, rice, mash, condiment, dressing in fact, any dish that a subtle hint of smoke can enhance. Try a seeded mustard made interestingly smoked with just a dash of paperbark smoke oil. Whisk some in to your favorite sauce. It even works in a basic custard or how about some paperbark smoked ice cream?

The smoke is infused into a canola oil (GMO free) which makes it cholesterol free and because it is used sparingly, the added oil hardly matters if you are concerned about dietary fat.

Available in a 150ml spouted bag and easily shipped globally.

For more information and recipes, visit the product glossary pages on www.cherikoff.net, look at our article on Paperbark smoke oil or go to Benjamin Christie's website and search for paperbark smoke oil.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=22 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:32:37 +1000 15.45 AUD 22 0.2 Vic Cherikoff 874 150ml (5oz) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/paperbark-smoke-oil.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=21 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=21 Paperbark is a natural material can be used as a food wrap to impart a delicate smokey flavour to chicken, pork, veal, poultry, kumara, oysters, fish, scallops ... the list goes on. Paperbark is biodegradable and unlike similar functional materials it is not plastic coated (potentially carcinogenic) nor made of aluminium (potentially contributing to Alzheimer’s disease).

Simply unroll the Paperbark Roll, then wrap the food in an appropriately thinned piece of paperbark and bake it in an oven, a dry heavy pan or on a hotplate over medium heat. It imparts a delicate smokey flavour which works best with white meats and starchy vegetables which are slowly cooked in the paperbark so that the smoke created when the natural oils in the bark are combusted and absorbed into the fats in the food.

Of course you can also use paperbark for its visual appeal and bake fish in its own juices and without added oils or fat; although we'd recommend our paperbark smoke oil for these more delicate, fast-cooking items. Our paperbark smoke oil adds the flavour really simply - brush on the smoke oil once the food is cooked. See the information specific to the paperbark smoke oil for more details.

PLEASE NOTE: We cannot ship paperbark to the USA. Instead, use our Paperbark Smoke Oil.



]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=21 Sun, 05 Aug 2007 17:40:35 +1000 4.80 AUD 21 0.5 Vic Cherikoff 653 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/paperbark-roll.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=20 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=20 Now in a 250g (8.3oz) glass jar.

Quandong is a word from the Wiradjuri Aboriginal clan for the native peach but Aborigines never had access to sugar to make a quandong confit. However, there are a few Aboriginal chefs who use our product now. The quandong fruit is only similar to peaches (and apricots) in that it has a stoney seed and a subtle peach-apricot flavour. The plant is more closely related to the sandalwood. Nevertheless, the fruit is highly prized by gourmands who know the taste and recognise that the preserved quandong fruit confit is vastly superior to the commonly sold dried quandong.

Our harvesters visit the quandong trees many times over their fruiting season and only hand pick the best, fully ripe fruits each time. Over the ensuing 3-4 weeks, these get cut in half, de-seeded and snap frozen at their peak.

We then grade them and only use premium fruits in our superb Quandong fruit confit: We use a special blend of sugars and slowly and painstakingly nurse them over a 6 week period adding sufficient sugar to cure the brilliant brick red fruits to confit stage. We then balance the pH with fruit acid as a natural preservative and add a hint of essential oils from two particular native food plants to safeguard the sugars from fermentation. And when you open a jar or sachet of Cherikoff Quandong fruit confit, you'll be impressed at the richness and appeal of this wild fruit and appreciate the care which went into every jarful.

Because this is an expensive fruit, you should think of how to feature it in your recipes rather than mixing it in so much that it disappears. I like to finely slice the quandong halves and use these as a garnish over sweet or savoury dishes including marla (kangaroo) steaks, seared tuna, Asian noodles, lamb shanks or finish a meal with ice cream or tarts topped with quandong confit and drizzled with quandong fruit confit syrup.


]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=20 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:48:27 +1000 16.40 AUD 20 0.5 9911 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/quandong-confit.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=19 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=19
Wattleseed is also available in 100g as well as a 200ml extract see Wattleseed 100g or Wattleseed Extract

Wattleseed is a highly versatile and nutritious roasted grain (Acacia seeds) with an amazing coffee, chocolate, hazelnut flavour.

Spicemaster notes for Wattleseed:

COLOR - toasted chocolate brown grounds, milled to perfection for cooking or use in espresso, drip filter or plunger coffee equipment. Also available as a dark brown water-based liquid

AROMA - toasted roasted notes with coffee, chocolate hazelnut characters

PALATE - chocolate short palate with coffee notes less the bitterness and a nutty finish similar to hazelnuts (filberts)

Wattleseeds from around 100 species of Acacia have been used as foods by Australian Aborigines for at least 6,000 years. This matches the first cultivation of wheat on the fertile deltas at the mouths of the Nile in Egypt; the Euphrates in Mesopotamia (now Iraq); and the Indus in India.

However, while the move to cultivation began a trend of reliance on an ever-decreasing number of food species, Australian Aborigines maintained a completely different relationship with the Land. They saw themselves as part of the ecosystem and did not attempt to conquer it. They were care-takers of their country and employed land management methods to maintain ecological bio-diversity in Australia and the long-term health of the land. Maybe there is a lesson here for modern societies everywhere.

Add wattleseed to bread or muffin mixes, pasta, white chocolate and chocolate fillings, biscuits and beverages. Also use as a flavouring for red wine sauces, in marinades and dessert sauces or any application where the wattleseed get boiled or moist cooked. This softens the grounds and releases the flavour.

If the use is just a cold blending then use our Wattleseed extract which is a concentrated water based extract (see the entry on the specific item for more information).

Approximate usage rate is from 2-3%, depending on the flavour of other ingredients and whether the watttle is enhancing or competing with these other tastes."

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=19 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:15:27 +1000 20.50 AUD 19 0.23 Vic Cherikoff 782 200g http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/wattleseed-200g.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=18 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=18
Ground Wattleseed is also available in 100g or 200g sizes. See Wattleseed 100g or Wattleseed 200g

Wattleseed Extract is a highly versatile and nutritious flavouring for sauces, bavarois, creme brulee, ice cream, pavlova, crumbs or as a coffee substitute.

To make a Wattleccino™ is simple with Wattleseed extract - just dilute a tablespoonful of extract with a quarter cup of hot water and top up with frothed milk). Also try Wattleseed extract as a flavouring for beer, cream or red wine sauces, in marinades and dessert sauces.

Approximate usage rate is from 2-3%, depending on the flavour of other ingredients and whether the watttle is enhancing or competing with these other tastes.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=18 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:25:00 +1000 20.50 AUD 18 0.24 Vic Cherikoff 735 200ml http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/wattleseed-extract.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=17 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=17 New pack size - now in 250g (8.3oz) glass jars.

We wild harvest plum sized, rainforest limes from private forests in sub-tropical Queensland and snap freeze them at their peak ripeness. The Rainforest limes get sliced and begin a three sugar curing process over 4-6 weeks until the natural organic acids in the juice are perfectly matched and balanced with sweetness. You have to taste the result - it's the best lime product you'll ever try!

We include the sugar syrup with the fruit as this is sweetened juice only, no water added. Add a splash to iced mineral water (and try adding a dash of vodka or white rum for a cocktail). Try our Rainforest lime fruit confit as a dessert garnish, particularly with a classic lime tart. Simply chop the slices and use about a half a teaspoonful per serve. Garnish iced cakes with our Rainforest lime fruit confit slices or top freshly baked biscuits or friands with some chopped lime confit.

The drained and chopped fruit slices are also delicious in stir-fries and salads or with cheese. Alternatively, finely chop the Rainforest lime fruit confit slices, add a dash of white wine vinegar and some chopped coriander leaf (cilantro). Use this as a garnish on slow-cooked lamb shanks or top your favorite steak, some chicken or fish fillet.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=17 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:43:58 +1000 8.60 AUD 17 0.5 925 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/rainforest-lime-confit.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=16 Six Australian herb and spice seasonings to refill your Australian Herbs, Spices and Seasonings Canisters. Each pack includes one each of

* Alpine Pepper - 30g
* Oz Lemon - 30g
* Fruit Spice - 30g
* Wildfire Spice - 40g
* Red Desert Dust - 40g
* Rainforest Rub - 40g

All packed in stand up, resealable pouches.

Please note that the individual packs are available at US$6.20 or A$8.20 each.

We recommend storing the sachets in your refrigerator or freezer or transfer the contents to your canister set and that will protect the herbs from spoilage by light.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:38:50 +1000 49.00 AUD 16 0.25 975 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/sachets.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=15 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=15 This is our all-purpose spice mix which includes a bit of zing from mountain pepper combined with a herb finish from the blend of lemon aspen, lemon myrtle and aniseed myrtle. It also includes a few conventional herbs and spices to round out the flavour and make it a highly versatile seasoning. For a few ideas of use and more information on the mix visit our page on Wildfire spice.

Wildfire Spice is gently spicy but is a complex flavoring and ideal for barbequing, grilling and baking.

COLOUR - coarse, multi-ingredient, multi-coloured herb, spice and salt flecks

AROMA - complex, mixed spice nose tending to Mediterranean but with a wild woody Australian character and suggestion of pizza

PALATE - full chicken and spice mid-palate with pepper and mild chilli heat followed by complex herbaceous citrus aromatics and toasted seeds

Use it as a dry marinade or rub over seafood, meats, eggs or vegetables.

Try a heaped teaspoonful per 500g (about a pound) of dough or batter when baking bread or for pizza bases, crepes or savoury pancakes.

Use Wildfire Spice in burgers, meatloaf or other savoury mince meat or sprinkle some liberally over your next stir-fry, salad, pasta or pizza.

You can also add a sprinkle and infuse the flavour into red wine or mushroom sauces for steaks and chops; add some to warmed olive oil for that tasty dipping oil with some fresh bread or make salad dressings with oil and vinegar and Wildfire Spice to taste.

See what I mean about all-purpose?

I also like mixing some into sour cream and topping baked potatoes or seasoning kumara chips or slices baked in the oven. It turns boring vegetables like cauliflower and kale into gourmet treats (OK, so you still need a nob of butter as well).

Get some seed mix such as linseeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and maybe some finely chopped almonds and add a generous amount of Wildfire Spice to make a delicious dukkah or spiced seed mix. As an alternative, dry roast the seeds and while they are still hot, add a splash of soy sauce and then mix this into some Wildfire spice. These mixtures can be used as a sprinkle for olive oil soaked bread or as a crusting over meats and seafood for frying, broiling or grilling.

The more you use my Wildfire Spice mix the more favorite applications you'll find. I can promise you that!

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=15 Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:25:45 +1100 10.95 AUD 15 0.08 918 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/australian_wildfires_spice.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=14 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=14
Wattleseed is also available in 200g as well as a 200ml extract see Wattleseed 200g or Wattleseed Extract

Wattleseed is a highly versatile and nutritious roasted grain (Acacia seeds) with an amazing coffee, chocolate, hazelnut flavour.

Spicemaster notes for Wattleseed:

COLOR - toasted chocolate brown grounds, milled to perfection for cooking or use in espresso, drip filter or plunger coffee equipment. Also available as a dark brown water-based liquid

AROMA - toasted roasted notes with coffee, chocolate hazelnut characters

PALATE - chocolate short palate with coffee notes less the bitterness and a nutty finish similar to hazelnuts (filberts)

Wattleseeds from around 100 species of Acacia have been used as foods by Australian Aborigines for at least 6,000 years. This matches the first cultivation of wheat on the fertile deltas at the mouths of the Nile in Egypt; the Euphrates in Mesopotamia (now Iraq); and the Indus in India.

However, while the move to cultivation began a trend of reliance on an ever-decreasing number of food species, Australian Aborigines maintained a completely different relationship with the Land. They saw themselves as part of the ecosystem and did not attempt to conquer it. They were care-takers of their country and employed land management methods to maintain ecological bio-diversity in Australia and the long-term health of the land. Maybe there is a lesson here for modern societies everywhere.

Add wattleseed to bread or muffin mixes, pasta, white chocolate and chocolate fillings, biscuits and beverages. Also use as a flavouring for red wine sauces, in marinades and dessert sauces or any application where the wattleseed get boiled or moist cooked. This softens the grounds and releases the flavour.

If the use is just a cold blending then use our Wattleseed extract which is a concentrated water based extract (see the entry on the specific item for more information).

Approximate usage rate is from 2-3%, depending on the flavour of other ingredients and whether the watttle is enhancing or competing with these other tastes.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=14 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:19:48 +1000 13.10 AUD 14 0.12 Vic Cherikoff 839 100g http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/wattleseed-100g.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=13 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=13 OK. So it's not really dust but our Red Desert Dust is a seasoning with a gutsy, aromatic mix of conventional and native Australian ingredients and ideal as a finishing flavor over meats, potatoes, eggs or cheeses such as baked ricotta. Try a simple grilled cheese on toast sprinkled with Red Desert Dust and taste the added dimensions of flavors from the native Australian ingredients.

COLOR - Central Australian red sand colour with green, purple-black and bright red flecks and pale tan sesame seeds

AROMA - spicy, peppery primaries with roasted chicken notes and a herb finish

PALATE - initial sweet and salt, followed by a full chicken and pepper mid-palate with complex spice and toasted seed

Put it on salmon, white or red meats and bake to doneness then blacken the spice mix under the grill or broiler. This lessens the herb notes but brings out the peppery zing and smokey spice flavors.

There are a few herb inclusions in Red Desert Dust which work as flavor enhancers for tomato dishes such as gumbo, stews or your favorite pasta sauce so add some early in the cooking and let the ingredients combine and meld to a richness you won't forget.

Red Desert Dust can also be used as a dry rub or marinade, adding complexity to meats. Alternatively, mix some into butter or your favorite substitute and melt over cooked meats allowing the warmth to heighten the impact of the ingredients.

Another use is as a general flavoring in dressings, mayonnaise or oil and whisking will help infuse the flavors or warming works, either way, as appropriate. Try adding Red Desert Dust to pancake batter for an interesting savoury crepe which can be filled with tinned tuna, salmon, roast chicken strips etc and moisten with snow pea sprouts or some enoki mushrooms for a simple snack or entreée.

One easy nibbly I often make is to slice Lebanese flat bread into segments, drizzle them generously with olive oil (Australian, of course) and sprinkle on the Red Desert Dust (or try my other seasoning mixes for variety). I might add a little extra salt to some. Lay the segments out on a baking tray and place into an oven at 100°C (212°F) to dry to crispness. It only takes about 5 minutes. Serve with an Australian riesling or unwooded chardonnay or an ice cold beer.



]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=13 Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:24:44 +1100 10.95 AUD 13 0.08 916 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/australian_red_desert_dust.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=12 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=12 We Aussies love chilli so this herb and spice mix has a bit to add those special tingles for your tongue. It's not too hot but formulated to give that Wow! factor and the flavor blends well with the lemon myrtle, lemon aspen and pepperberry as the native Australian mix.

COLOR - pale yellow mix with bright red chilli fines, sesame seeds and green herb flecks

AROMA - spicy, roasted chicken nose with a sweet lemon, lime and lemongrass oil bouquet

PALATE - full chicken and spice mid-palate with pepper and chilli heat followed by complex herbaceous citrus aromatics and toasted seed

I have used a chicken flavored, vegetarian base for this rub since it is a flavor which goes with a wide range of other foods. However, if you are at all concerned, please note that this is a fully vegetarian seasoning and a great example of the molecular basis of taste where the similarity of the plant protein extract to chicken protein results in the same taste to our brains.

One of my favorite uses for Rainforest Rub is on potato chips. I mean the thin slivers of the humble potato, deep fried and unhealthy. You might call them crisps. I dust them with Rainforest Rub and the lemony chicken and chilli makes one of the most morish snacks I know. You might want to try it on the thicker, softer wedges and fries (they apparently can't be called French anymore since S11 made this not politically correct), on corn, sweet potato or taro chips or pop corn as well.

Not surprisingly, Rainforest Rub is great over chicken to intensify the flavor of what must be the world's most popular bird. Use it as a general seasoning in and over practically any dish, including roasted, grilled, broiled, barbecued, stir-fried or braised poultry, pork or seafood, vegetables, veal or game. Season stews, stocks, soups and sauces and like all of my mixes, you can add it to breads and batters for a savoury twist to these.

As a way to carry the seasoning on foods such as yabbies, crays, lobster, octopus, calamari, prawns or shrimp, mix it with breadcrumbs or a fine polenta. You can even add some grated cheese such as a cheddar or parmesan. I have also found a site with a whole bunch of chicken recipes. You could easily put an Australian twist to the easy, delicious ideas you'll find there.



]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=12 Tue, 25 Apr 2006 13:17:01 +1000 10.95 AUD 12 0.08 957 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/australian_rainforest_rub.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=10 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=10 New pack size - now in 250g (8.3oz) glass jars.

This Australian rainforest fruit confit has an amazingly aromatic, cinnamon and clove flavour and is great as a garnish for almost any dessert or served with ice cream or yoghurt on its own or with other fruits (bananas, mango, stone fruits). Try riberry fruit confit with a good Australian soft cheese, some baked ricotta or a classic Australian cheese plate.

Even though they are preserved with a sugaring process and are obviously sweetened, they are also good in salads and stir-fries or over meat. Try them in a maushroom risotto. Remember, you can always reduce the sweetness by adding a little top quality, red wine vinegar. Add some riberry fruit confit and a dash of the syrup to a salsa made with some sweet corn kernels, diced bell peppers and Spanish onion and some chopped chilli to taste. Use the riberry fruit confit syrup in mineral water or add some to a wheat beer. Try them in a little reduced balsamic vinegar or add a few berries to a quality beef jus. Ideal in a rich beef and Alpine pepper sauce.

If you're not yet drooling in anticipation at all these ideas, just add a few riberries and a splash of the riberry fruit confit syrup to a chilled glass of champagne or a Riberry Vodkatini while you contemplate your menu.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=10 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:37:39 +1000 8.60 AUD 10 0.5 Vic Cherikoff 870 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/riberry-confit.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=9 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=9 Lemon myrtle sprinkle is deliciously aromatic and an extremely versatile, all native ingredient, herbal and fruit mix which can be used in an extremely wide range of dishes, including an exceptional herbal tea.

COLOR - bright green herb with pale yellow flecks of citrus

AROMA - early sweet lemon, lime and lemongrass oil bouquet with a citrus middle nose

PALATE - robust lemon flavour-scent complemented with a mild acid citrus back palate and faint anise and green tea late notes

Lemon myrtle sprinkle could be considered even more lemony than lemon myrtle because of its unique formulation. It is a blend of the best quality lemon myrtle leaf; wild, rainforest lime pulp and lemon aspen pulp (specially dried in the dark and milled at sub-zero temperatures) which provide a hint of acid; and I have worked in more lemon myrtle using encapsulated, lemon myrtle essential oil. Finally, there's some aniseed myrtle which is a good source of trans-anethole. Trans-anethole is a phyto-estrogen and immune system stimulant. This results in a mix which is probably closer to 125% as lemony as lemon myrtle leaf alone and with a more rounded flavour as well.

But back to the lemon myrtle in Lemon myrtle sprinkle. This 'herb' comes from a tall rainforest tree (up to 30m) and once was only found in SE Queensland, from Brisbane to Cairns but is now widely planted in coastal New South Wales and some even in South Australia, Victoria as well as our coldest State, Tasmania. The growth rate is highest in warmer climates but leaf quality can vary with plant nutrition, watering regimes, the weather, time of day and harvest cycles. The Lemon myrtle leaves are now more-often machine harvested for the food, cosmetic, fragrance and cut flower industries. Some growers still pick by hand, particularly for cottage industry products such as oils and vinegars where a whole leaf may be added as a garnish. Generally, though, larger scale manufacturers look to our distilled essential oil which we provide solubilised or encapsulated for functionality and ease of use.

Lemon myrtle sprinkle can be used in an unlimited number of ways: As a herb tea, just infuse to your own taste in boiling water or tea. I love a tiny amount added to my freshly brewed coffee as it brings out the flavor of the coffee itself and adds those heady aromatics of citral to complement the coffee roasted notes. It's also good in hot chocolate. Try Lemon Myrtle tea with ginger juice, black or green tea, rooibos or other herbals and even chill and gas it with a soda stream to make your own soft drinks. (Add sugar or fruit juice and sweeten it to taste). I tend to make a strong infusion to use as a health-giving tea and a weaker one as a soft drink which I drink a lot, ice cold and bubbly. As a lemon seasoning, Lemon myrtle sprinkle is best used as a finishing flavouring. By this I mean add it to hot or just-cooked food before serving and the essential oils are driven out by the warmth to reach your tastebuds. So if you bake chicken or fish, add a sprinkle of Lemon myrtle sprinkle as it comes out of the oven and it'll be full-flavored by the time it gets to the table. Added to a buttery fish sauce or chicken stock and there's nothing better.

As a flavouring, say, in custards or any soft cheeses, clotted cream, yoghurt or other dairy product you can just add it to taste or infuse the flavor out by infusing some Lemon myrtle sprinkle in warmed milk and add this as a concentrate. You can obviously make this as strong as you like and by leaving it stand for up to 10 minutes, out comes the essential oils and up goes the flavor.

You can replace the milk with sugar syrup (say, 500ml water and 500g sugar dissolved by heating the stirred mixture slowly) and use this over stewed fruits, ice cream (or to make your own ice cream), thicken it with agar agar or gelatine to make a soft jelly or add lemon juice and turn it into a lemon spread with the pectin.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=9 Sat, 17 May 2008 10:50:13 +1000 10.95 AUD 9 0.07 Vic Cherikoff 873 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/australian_oz_lemon.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=8 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=8 Fruit Spice is a really unique seasoning for enhancing fruit flavors of soft or stone fruits such as berries, apricots, peaches or tropical fruits like mango. You can also use it to make ordinary fruit jams and jellies more fruity.

COLOR - visually mixed green herb fines and pieces including micro-crystals of natural flavor and with flecks of dark purple fruity spices

AROMA - passionfruit and berry front notes with a hint of cumin and the tiniest suggestion of caroway

PALATE - full-on fruit to match the aroma and with a subtle pepper and anise long palate

It only takes a light sprinkle, stir it in and wait for a few minutes for the flavor to infuse. It takes less time if the product is warm to hot. If you purée fruit for dessert sauces or make syrups from cooked fruit and sugar, Fruit Spice will add a delicious strawberry-passionfruit character with a subtle lemony hint.

And here's a really good recipe for a salad dressing - one which I still use often. Blend some strawberries and add Fruit Spice by the pinch, to taste. If I don't have fresh strawberries on hand, try apple and strawberry juice. You might even add a bit of cracked black pepper. Now, if you are serving a salad of interesting green leaves such as radicchio, cos, rocket, coral, baby beetroot leaves, cresses and more, you can dress it well ahead of time with this Fruit Spice and juice mix. You see, if you use an oil based dressing, the oil wilts the leaves quickly unlike juices which actually make the leaves more turgid or pumped up. I once cooked a lunch for 60 chefs as a demonstration meal and made this dressing so that I could prepare the salad hours beforehand and just chill the salad covered in plastic wrap. It looked better than when I made it and tasted so good I had nearly all 60 chefs ask what I used to flavor the leaves. What better recommendation?

I love using this mix in yoghurt, custards and whipped cream and think that it makes one of the best ice creams you will ever try. If melons eg honey dew melons, are in season, give them a sprinkle of Fruit Spice and see the difference. Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Fruit spice by the generous pinch also turns up the gain on vegetable casseroles and other wet dishes with pumpkin, sweet potato or kumara. And it makes a fruity Asian or Indian curry come to life!

Store your Cherikoff Fruit Spice in a cool place or conveniently on the door trays in your refrigerator.

]]> shop@cherikoff.net (Vic Cherikoff) http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=8 Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:23:10 +1100 10.95 AUD 8 0.07 979 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/images/aust_fruit_spice.jpg http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6 http://www.cherikoff.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_reviews&products_id=6 This discounted pack includes a Dining Downunder Cookbook as well as a selection of Australian seasonings. These Australian seasonings include one each of;

* Alpine Pepper
* Sprinkle
* Fruit Spice
* Wildfire Spice
* Red Desert Dust
* Rainforest Rub