|
  
|
Australian Winter Black Truffles (Tuber Melanosporum) from The Wine and Truffle Company
Kirkfood are pleased to announce, we have just agreed on a distribution arrangement with the biggest Truffle producer in Australia, The Wine and Truffle Co.  Over ten years ago, a group of people from various parts of Australia, with a shared love for all things fine in food and wine, had a vision of collaborating to produce the finest of wines and establishing the largest trufferie in the southern hemisphere.
The enthusiasm and expertise of this group led them to a small, rich horticultural region of Western Australia. Nestled between the mighty Jarrah and Karri forests east of Margaret River, lay the fertile stretches of Manjimup.
The richness of the soils and the cool climate here are ideally suited to growing premium grapes and the famed "Perigord" or winter black truffle (tuber melanosporum). Such is the bountiful nature of the region, that it produced the coveted Winestate Award (2001) for the best Merlot in Australia and New Zealand.
Their Vision
It was here that the Wine and Truffle Company chose to turn their vision into reality, and where they planted around 13,000 truffle inoculated hazelnut and oak trees, and sturdy vines on which to develop their dream.
Their Success
The Wine and Truffle Company vines have now produced their fourth vintage received with resounding success and acclaim. They have continued to win many prestigious awards and accolades throughout Australia.
In spite of its awards, the Wine and Truffle Companys board of directors have insisted on keeping the prices of their premium wines to affordable levels at local restaurants, wine stores or direct from our mail order service.
The trees of the trufferie continue to mature under the expert guidance, nurturing and monitoring of the companys Mycologist. The Hazelnut trees produced their first crop of nuts in 2002, and the very first and highly valued Perigord, or winter black truffle, (Tuber Melanosporum) was discovered amid much excitement in July 2003.
As well as fresh truffles in season, there are 11 products in their range which will apeal to most palettes, including Truffle Oil, Truffle Salt, Truffle Mustard, Hazelnuts in Truffle Honey, Truffle Honey and Hazelnut Dukkah, All The wine and Truffle Company Value Added products are now in stock.
Click here and type "truffle" into the search field for the full Wine and Truffle Company Range.
More about Truffles:
There are about thirty different varieties of truffles in Europe but only a few have any gustative qualities. Most truffles mature in winter, some in summer, a few others in the fall. To the untrained eye, all black truffles look very similar on the outside but the color of the flesh varies greatly, along with the taste and the aroma.
Tuber Melanosporum (truffe du Perigord).
For thousands of years, the truffle, one of nature's noblest gastronomic ingredients has been synonymous with banquets, conviviality and unforgettable moments of savoury delight.
The black winter truffle is THE ONE that everybody raves about. In the Northern hemisphere, it reaches maturity between December 1 and March 31 (in fact it has a fuller taste in February than in December). In the Southern hemisphere maturity is between June and end of August.
In Europe it can be found in Southwestern and Southeastern France and also in some parts of Spain and Italy. "Terroir" has no impact on the quality of the product: a melano from Tarragon, Spain will taste the same as one from Carpentras, France. The only difference may be in the shape of the truffle: when it grows in a sandy area, it is rounder and smoother; when it grows among rocks, its shape will be more irregular. Most of all, the melano needs the conjunction of a certain type of tree (oaks for the most part, or hazelnut trees), a certain type of soil (chalky) and a certain type of climate (Mediterranean; hot summers scattered with rain storms; no harsh freezes). Attempts to replicate the symbiosis truffle/tree and cultivate truffles have had limited success: even when the necessary conditions for truffle development are recreated, there is no guarantee that truffles will indeed grow. The melano is born early May and grows during the summer. Early on, it has a reddish scaly skin; it turns black when the truffle is ripe. The flesh is firm, purplish-black and shows some fine white veins.
To get the truffles ready for consumption or processing, they are brushed to remove the dirt that clings to them. They used to be washed by hand but professionals have a device reminiscent of a small washing machine: the truffles are placed in a rotating drum equipped with sets of soft bristles and nozzles that dispense warm water. Then, a small notch is made with a sharp knife to expose the flesh, check the veins and feel the texture. Finally, the truffles are sorted by variety and by quality (whole or pieces, aroma, degree of maturity). By the time the truffles are cleaned and sorted, 20% of the initial weight has been lost. Some will be sold as fresh truffles, others will be used in our value added product range so that they can be enjoyed year-around.
Fresh truffles have a very heady, earthy aroma, especially when they are at peak maturity; if you eat a raw truffle, the aroma lingers in your esophagus for hours. When truffles are first sterilized for bottling (1re cuisson or first boil), they render 20% of their weight in truffle juice; their aroma is not weakened, just transformed (in fact, some people prefer the taste of 1st boil truffles to that of fresh truffles); the juice is a true nectar that will give incredible dimension to any sauce. A 1st boil truffle is the product that top restaurants use when fresh truffles are not available. Consumers are not so fortunate: the overwhelming majority of canned truffles on the market are 2nd boil, where the truffle juice and the truffle are canned separately a second time, in smaller containers: during this second sterilization, the truffle does lose a lot of aroma, but the price tag does not go down. In addition, a canned melano, brumale and indicum will look exactly the same after being sterilized: they all lose their white veins and the flesh becomes uniformly black. The bottom line is: buyers beware! Read the labels carefully: the mere mention "truffles" does not give you any clue as to which variety of truffle is in the container. And if "1re cuisson" or "1re bullition" is not specified, you may still pay some good money for your truffle and wonder what the fuss is all about?
Fresh winter black truffles should be available in July through to the end of August. Stay tuned for more details on how to order.
Click here and type "truffle" into the search field for the full Wine and Truffle Company Range.
|
Bringing sexy back! The Calendrier des From'Girls (Cheese Girls Calendar)
|
Making cheese sexy is not an easy task. Unless you’re French! The French Cheese Calendar is tasteful and a must have for any cheese or food enthusiast. We are a bit late with these Calenders, so below you'll see a sneak peak at January (Mademoiselle Eva Morbier, Morbier AOC Franc-Comtoise) and further down, February (Mademoiselle Laetitia Brin d'Amour, Brin d'Amour)
|
Véronique Richez-Lerouge is the creator of these beautifully directed cheese calendars and is also founder of France's regional cheese association.
You may or may not know about the war raging in France between the manufacturers of sterile, "safe" supermarket cheeses and proponents of traditional cheese making. More and more producers of traditional cheese are opting out of their raw milk ways in favour of satisfying the white coat brigades of "health authorities" who have scant respect for flavour or tradition. |
The "Association Fromages de Terroirs" has responded to the call, but choosing a different tact in order to bring attention to their cause. Since 2006 the Association has produced the Calenders "Fromage Girls" to highlight the importance of protecting the real cheese that still remains.
In 2008, they use the skills of the famous nudist photographer Dany Leriche. Rather than political arguments to get their point across they choose to respond using more subtle themes such as the arts, sensuality, fun and aesthetics, all the sorts of things we enjoy and connect with but will never be found in a laboratory test tube. We think they are doing an excellent job and have great pleasure in bringing the Calendar Cheese Girls to Australia. All funds go towards helping l'Association Fromages de Terroirs in their campaign.
Camembert Mesdemoiselles Adeline, Clara Chaource, Solene of Selles-sur-Cher, Emma de Tomme de Savoie, Berenice Brie de Meaux, Elsa de la Fourme d'Ambert, Barbara Munster, Eva Morbier, Apolline of Crottin de Chavignol alongside new recruits as Aurore de Neufchatel, Laetitia Brin d'Amour and Clotilde of Maroilles…arise this year, with the emblem of the twelve signs of the Zodiac as a tattoo. "The body like the Cheese is shaped by nature"
There are only limited quantities available, at $30 each so make sure you secure your copy early. Click here to buy and type 'Calendar' into the search field. |
Kirks Butter Puff Pastry
| Puff pastry is back in stock and better than ever. Our Puff is genuinely hand-made using high quality flour and 100% Corman butter as the fat component. The Corman butter is hand folded into the base dough; the dough is then chilled and rested between turns. Once baked it separates into delicate layers of mouth watering buttery pastry. A good butter puff should raise without a greasy residue – Laurent Meric the patissier, confirms that the use of a fine, technical butter in exactly the right proportions guarantees a nice delicate, dry rise. Using ordinary butter has its setbacks. There are seasonal variations in butter which will be reflected in finished product.
Available frozen and ready rolled. We only use Corman professional butter in the process to give a memorable mouth feel and consistent flavour year in year out. Our premium ready rolled pastry saves chefs on labour and costs without compromising on quality. To order online, click here and type "puff" into the search field.
|
It's HERE.....Finally! A Real Fresh Cream Cultured Butter.
Kirks are proud to present this butter of tradition, the true pillar of the Carlsbourg family. A generous, fresh and authentic pasteurized butter profits from the Protected Label of origin which guarantees not only the use of of the Ardennes milk, but is also manufactured in Ardenne. Sold by the pat. Available Now. click here to order online (type 'carl' in the search field).
Click here to download the Carlsbourg Butter specification sheet.
Click here to order online (type "carls" in the search field)
To order online, click here and type "puff" into the search field
In stock Now.....Air Freighted Mountain Gorgonzola.
This is a traditional Lombardian classic, and is the original Gorgonzola before modern taste dictated a creamier, milder blue. Our Gorgonzola featured here differs greatly. To begin with it is produced by small scale cheese-makers in the Valsassina Alps, in the province of Lecco. The alpine pastures produce a variety of flowers and herbs which, without question, contribute to the high quality and unique flavour of the milk that goes into making these alpine cheeses. The first curd is produced the day before and left to cool, the second curd is warm and full of whey. The two curds are then layered, alternating between rich warm curds and the previous day's cool curds. This is a unique natural process, as opposed to the industrial method used by modern cheese makers. This is often referred to as Mountain Gorgonzola or Natural Two Curd Gorgonzola and is produced in very limited quantities. Its flavour begins with a savoury, creamy taste and then as the cheese ages the taste becomes more robust, more intense and piquant.
 |
Introducing,
Boks Bacon.
"The Best Bacon". Authentic, "dry cured (green)".
It's said that the smell of bacon cooking is one of the most evocative for the senses. You smell it and it takes you instantly to a special time, a special place in your past. |
Can you imagine the smell, and the taste, of bacon that is the product of free-range pigs and Tasmanian leather-wood honey - the farm and the forest, all in one?
And can you believe that in this modern day and age there are still butchers who prepare and smoke their own bacon that's free of artificial flavours and preservatives?
It is hard to believe, because when you think of bacon, you tend to think of pale, pink rashers of meat, dominated by white fat, and too often slimy or even wet when you open the vacuum-sealed pack.
Let Boks Bacon introduce you to bacon as it is meant to be.
Johannes Franciscus Andreas Boks immigrated to Australia in 1951 with his son Johannes Franciscus Maria Boks. They brought with them a traditional Dutch recipe that had been handed down from generation to generation. It was renowned for its smoke flavour. That became Marcus's legacy. Now he has improved upon it.
Today, Marcus has refined two styles of bacon that are beginning to appear in Tasmanian specialty food stores and some leading Hobart restaurants.
Boks super premium product is its free-range bacon cured in leather-wood honey.
These are no ordinary pigs. They come from a farm at Sorell in southern Tasmania, where they spend the days walking about their paddocks. They want for nothing, their diet supplemented by prime grain. When the sun sets, they slumber in enviro shelters on beds of straw.
Free range pigs from Sorell Southern Tasmania - Hampshire Cross Landrace breed specially bred for their temperament and ability to live outdoors.
And when the moment of truth comes, their succulent loins are massaged with honey from stands of leather-wood in Tasmania's rain-forests harvested by an apiary at Cambridge.
The sweet, floral characteristics of the honey soften the saltiness of the bacon to create a breakfast treat second to none.
Boks premium product is its wood-fired traditional bacon - prime pork loins, hand-rubbed with salt and sugar and aged till they are cured. Then they are smoked in a traditional wood-fired smoker.
This wood-fired bacon is the one you use to enhance other meats and dishes. Try wrapping it around a piece of prime beef for a fillet mignon. Add a rasher or two to a risotto or casserole.
It's also the bacon to use if you want a sensational crackling on your breakfast bacon rather than the taste of honey.
Boks will be exhibiting their fantastic green bacon at the Fine Food Show in Sydney on the Tasmanian stand. CLICK HERE to order online (Type "Boks" into the search field)
Kings Prosciutto - San Danielle Ham. Available in Australia now by kirkfood.
|
King's, a century of tradition.
In 1907 Luigi Muraro, a Venetian “norcino” (pork-butcher), decided to move to Sossano, a little village in the province of Vicenza. The name “Sossano” probably derives from the ancient word “coelsenus” - healthy sky - as this area has been renowned for its salubrious air and mild climate since the Roman era. This is also where, at the very beginning of the XIXth century, a little family business started its activity which, in a few years, would transform it into a big food company.
A number of documents exist, bearing witness to the important business relations the company had in Italy back in the period between the 30s and the 40s: anti rapporti commerciali che la ditta intratteneva in Italia: at that time, the first hams to be produced, called “San Michele” – a tribute to the ancient church of Sossano -, started to be sold outside the Veneto region, particularly in Liguria and in many fashionable resorts of the Côte d’Azur.
Indeed, the Liguria region is where this ham obtained its first, important and prestigious recognition, when the Dukes of Windsor – Edward VII and Wally Simpson – fell in love with the San Michele ham during a summer holiday. After they returned to England, the Dukes continued to eat the San Michele ham, which was subsequently renamed King's (in 1947) in their honour.
After the Second World War, following a period of economic crisis affecting the whole of Italy, King’s resumed its process of expansion and became, in a few years, a leading company in the production of quality hams.
|
*Traditional Wicker basket not available in Australia. |
 |
1950 was a big year in the history of the Company: that was the year when King’s produced a three-dimensional trademark, a real “aesthetic object”: the famous wicker basket which came to characterise the “San Michele” and “San Daniele” hams, making them known all over Europe.
The following years saw a remarkable growth.
In the 60's, the Company decided to make further investments and the King’s Ham Factory was created in San Daniele del Friuli, in 1961. There, between the Carnic Alps of San Daniele del Friuli and the hills of the Berici Mountains, in Sossano, King’s has cultivated the secret of a prestigious product for almost one century.
|
of the production of King’s hams until, in 1988, the Company became temporarily part of the Nestlè Group, thus strengthening its leadership on the market. In 1999, the Company restored its Italian origins by joining the “Gruppo Principe”, owned by the Dukcevich family.
To order your supply of Kings Prosciutto click here. (type KING into the search field)
The new kirkfood.com.au
Established in Melbourne in 1985, we are a family business passionate about food. We supply the ingredients for the great chefs in restaurants (and the great chefs at home!) to create the finest cuisine for every table. In 1989 we expanded our food wholesale and supply operations from our base in Melbourne to include Sydney. We are proud to have developed strong relationships with chefs across the metro areas in both of these international cities. If you haven’t heard much about us, that’s because our ingredients are the heroes of our business. The chefs who use them are the ones you hear about. We are the people behind the ingredients behind the great chefs of Australia.
Kirk Food Associates have been supplying specialty, luxury and gourmet food and smallgoods to restaurants, caterers, cafes, reception venues, wineries and delicatessens in Melbourne & Sydney for over 20 years and we are continuing to grow our business and share our passion for fine gourmet food. We believe one of life’s great joys is the way people come together to share the experience of food; preparing and enjoying a fine repast is all about great people, fantastic food, wine, friends and family. And to prepare a great meal, you need to start with the finest ingredients. We take pleasure in being in the business of supplying our customers with the highest quality ingredients to create the best meals for Australians to share and enjoy. This is what makes our industry, and our business, fulfilling and exciting every day for us here at kirks.
Please enjoy browsing through our knowledge-base and food archives or our products page and feel free to create your own account to make purchases. Our products page is segmented into antipasti, butter, cheese, coffee, condiments, confectionery & biscuits, cream & yoghurt, pastry ingredients, larder ingredients, herbs & spices, Asian ingredients, oil & vinegar, pasta & rice, seafood & game and smallgoods. If the essential ingredient you are looking for isn’t in our catalogue for that special event on your Calendar, call us or email us and we’ll be happy to assist however we can. Our website is operational 24 hours and offers real-time stock levels and prices.
Friday Cheese Lounge
You've worked hard all week, time to wind down and start thinking about the weekend. We've selected a few of our favourite cheesey tracks for your enjoyment. A new track is posted evey Friday on our home page, click here for tracks that have been and gone. So sit back and chill out just for a few minutes.
Five Ways to order from kirkfood - kirks
We want to make it easy for you to place your order with kirkfood. We are a family business not one of those multi nationals that practically make it impossible to order.
Order by fax, download a standard kirkfood order form and fax to Syd 9667 3353 Mel 95532188
Order by phone during business hours on 1300 88 43 78 (anywhere in Australia) 6am-4pm Mon-Fri
Order by answering machine on 1300 88 43 78 (anywhere in Australia)24/7
Order in person face to face at either warehouse in Melbourne or Sydney 10am-3pm Mon-Fri
Order right here on the web 24/7, click here and away you go.
End the war on Error! Order your Weapons of Mass Digestion online at www.kirkfood.com.au
|
