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Introducing ... Regan Drew your local Tassie Gourmand!

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G’day There,

My name is Regan Drew and if you're lucky enough to be part of the upcoming Tassie Gourmand tour, we'll get to know each other well, but if not, here's a little bit about me and Tassie.

I worked in bars, bottleshops, nightclubs and pubs for around 13 years in Tasmania from the mid 1990s. Then I landed a real day job in Sydney, but I could never shake the association with quality wine. I undertook Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 Award studies and passed with Distinction, have been an Associate Judge for the Citi New South Wine Awards in 2013, been a Steward/Assoc Judge for the Royal Sydney Wine Show. The academic side is fine, but I love the agricultural aspect and had a couple of stints helping out in the Hunter Valley during vintage with Andrew Thomas of Thomas Wines. After being exposed to all this good wine, I've contributed writing wine review content for Cracka Wines and Sunshine Coast based wine hub The Grapehunter. After starting my own blog, vinonotebook.com, I was invited to be the "Weekend Magazine" wine columnist for the APN ARM stable of newspapers, with a readership of over 500,000.

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Hiding behind a mask. Wine varieties by another name.

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Hiding behind a mask. Wine varieties by another name.

In show business, names are as interchangeable as romantic partners. Reginald Kenneth Dwight? Try Elton John. Chaim Witz? That's Gene Simmons. And Norma Jean Mortensen? Marilyn Monroe. Let's not even start talking about Prince.

Did you know in the world of wine names can be interchangeable too? It's usually geographical, but sometimes just to mess with you, there's more then a few Norma Jean's on the shelves of your local bottle shop or on a wine list, moonlighting as Ms Munroe.

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Traditions... why keep them going?

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Family traditions are something rife in my family... well thanks to ME! haha I believe there is much more to them than, putting up a real tree we've bought and CARRIED HOME, naming it a one syllable B name, having a non-functional train sitting beneath it.... it's the memories, the time together and the symbolism of 'that time of year'.

My brothers and sisters (all 4 of them..!) roll their eyes, laugh at me and pretend to hate them. Secretly, they love them as much as me!

So, what is a tradition?

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Taste.E Tips // for surviving the SILLY SEASON!

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"Water gets warmer. Drinks get colder. Music gets louder. Nights get longer. Life gets better." - Anonymous

It's that time of year again, I am sure it comes around quicker as I get older! Although a great time of year with lots of fun, laughs, time with friends and family... it is also filled with parties, lots of alcohol, long hours, deadlines, stress, lack of sleep... a recipe for BURNOUT...

Here is how Taste.E are getting through this year:

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Made in Mudgee

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Words by Gregor Stronach I received an invitation a couple of weeks ago, by email – and it took me all of about 20 seconds of frantically stabbing at my keyboard to type “Yes please, of course, I would love to be there, it sounds amazing!” to lock in my seat at the Crow Bar for the Made in Mudgee event on August 25.

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How to UnWINEd on a Friday Night...

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"Sumptuous food with complimentary wine choices. A fun, relaxing and educational evening." - Matt Slee, Tulloch Wines

TGIF! After a long week, there is nothing better than settling in with a glass of wine... Our guests at The ArtHouse Hotel were lucky enough to do just that last Friday!

Lounging on the Chesterfields with a Tulloch Cuvee in their hand, our guests were well and truly “UnWINEd”ing into their weekend. As the last guest arrived and the last of the bubbles disappeared... our first “UnWINEd” dinner began.

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Whisky & Cheese @ The Hive Bar, Erskineville

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I’ve long been a fan of cheese pairings – but I’ll readily admit that they’ve all been pairings done with a range of wines, from the ‘top shelf’ end of the decadent scale to some seriously mediocre offerings lined up alongside a bowl of well-beyond room temperature cheddar cubes.

But even longer than I’ve been a fan of a cheese-pairing evening, I’ve been a devotee of whisky – specifically, Scotch whisky (with the occasional smattering of Irish, Bourbon, Canadian, Rye, Japanese… and especially Australian whisky thrown in for good measure…)

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Going Bonkas in Honkas... an adventure fuelled by cocktails and food!

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Travel while you're young and able. Don't worry about the money, just make it work. Experience is far more valuable than money will ever be. - Anonymous

Functioning purely off excitement and adrenalin I stood in the middle of Hong Kong Airport - I did it, I'm here.

With a few ticks off the bucket list already that day, I couldn't wait to start a week of new experiences!

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A night of indulgence... with life's guilty pleasures...

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Wine was breathing, cheese bubbling on the stove and you could faintly see your breath in the air when you spoke... yes, Winter was here and so was the Fondue Feast! As the last candle was lit, the first guests started to filter in up the stairs...

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Food Revolution Day with the Lunchbox Angels

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"FOOD REVOLUTION DAY IS FIGHTING TO PUT COMPULSORY PRACTICAL FOOD EDUCATION ON THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM. With diet-related diseases rising at an alarming rate, it has never been more important to educate children about food, where it comes from and how it affects their bodies." - Jamie Oliver

A brisk Autumnal Friday morning, the animals are awake and the Garden is starting to fill with the rich smell of morning coffees and fresh bread coming out of the oven... the scent of a big weekend ahead!

It's Food Revolution Day and The Grounds of Alexandria are hosting the Lunchbox Angels on a weekend of food education and fun for the whole family!

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Falling in love with Orange is something worth 'raven' about...

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The bubbles are poured and guests slowly start to trickle in.. the murmur of conversation thickens with each person and soon enough the room is a buzz with eager diners ready to "Fall in love with Orange".

The first wine of the night is the NV Cuvee of Printhie's sparkling range Swift. It is an easy to drink sparkling and pairs nicely to the two canapé courses of Baked Polenta, whipped cream cheese and basil pesto followed by the Cocktail Potatoes filled with crispy bacon, garlic mayonnaise and chives.

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Fromage a Trois ... My Top Three Cheese Boards in Sydney

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As the "go to" girl for cheese recommendations and advice with my family and friends, I thought it was high time I posted up my top 3 cheese and wine locations in Sydney.

Although I am no stranger to the cosy night at home with a generous cheese board and a bottle (or if you know me well... two, or three of red) with a friend - I love to venture out and try something new.

Having been to pretty much every cheese selling establishment in Sydney, I have narrowed it down to just three...

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Guillaume - elegant, refined and well worth the wait...

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As eagerly anticipated by Guillaume and his team as it has been by diners! I finally set aside a night to experience it for myself!

The website was yet to launch, so the excitement about the menu was the topic of discussion in the cab ride over...

"What do you think he'll keep from Bennelong?" "Ohh I hope the Tuna is still on the menu!!" "Can't wait... so hungry!!"

With rumbling tummies and the 9 months of waiting... 'we couldn't wait', is an understatement.

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Alpaca, truffle, shimeji... all discovered along "a foodie trail through the Southern Highlands"...

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The smell of freshly baked bread wafts around the room... as the Tertini 2009 Sparkling Cuvee Pinot Noir Chardonnay is being poured. A wintery night, reminiscent of my drive down to the Southern Highlands just a few weeks ago... you could faintly make out your breath as you spoke..

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Indulge your senses with a "Taste of Mudgee"…

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A hint of frost on the windscreen… rows of naked vines line the side of the road… rolling low hills in the distance… Yes, it is early Winter in Mudgee.

A region that is not defined by any one Wine or grape varietal, but is “good at many wines” Rob Black, Winemaker - Bunnamagoo Wines. This historic town is oozing with character which is reflects in its winemaking.

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A Journey through the vines at the "Taste of the Hunter Valley"...

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As an iconic region of Australia, it seemed natural to take our tastings through the vines of our closest wine producing neighbour. With a plethora of wineries to choose from it seemed a daunting task to select just two! So I let myself be guided by my palate.. "Hunter Semillon and Shiraz is something not replicated in any other wine region" Anthony Gismondi. After tasting my way through the region.. armed with tasting notes and the distinct taste of wine on my tongue.. the Taste of the Hunter Valley was born. Audrey Wilkinson's 2010 Cuvee Blanc on ice... the pungent aromas of the Golden Washed Rind from the Hunter Valley Cheese Co... the room sat still awaiting our 50 guests for the evening.

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Food, wine and a 'Taste of Orange'...

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A warmth fills the room as guests filter in to the bar... the hum of conversation and laughter steadily grows, casually interrupted by the pop of a cork followed with a gentle clink of a champagne flute... an event is definitely underway here.

The scents are ambient - a waft of blue cheese, venison stewing on the stove from the kitchen, a yeasty fragrance from the flow of sparkling wine.. the recipe for a great night out!

Upon arrival at The Far North, our host venue for the evening, guests are greeted with a glass of Printhie's sparkling range "NV Swift Cuvee" and a canape of House sugar cured Ocean Trout Crostini with Tzatziki caviar. The Cuvee complemented the oily fish on the Crostini nicely with the richness from the pinot.

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Food as Fuel - the Raw Way...

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With so many food fads, diets, pills, supplements, allergies, rules and restrictions on what we can and should eat, our relationships with food have become tainted. We have been brainwashed to fear food and to analyse what we eat in order to be healthy and have "the perfect figure". From calorie counting, to cutting out food groups or certain foods altogether?! This is no way to live... watching every mouthful and regretting meals...

Eating happily and enjoying life is all about one key concept.. BALANCE. Our plates should be as balanced as our lives. Choose colourful foods, natural foods and eat often!

With this paradigm in mind I have selected my favourite Sydney "Food Havens" full of natural, colourful and FLAVOUR PACKED goodies. Chefs are getting more creative with how they approach food and the dishes they are designing. They are going back to basics and in some instances, keeping it raw - no cooking required!

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Cafe: a review

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“Coffee is far more than a beverage. It is an invitation to life, disguised as a cup of warm liquid. It's a trumpet wakeup call or a gentle rousing hand on your shoulder ... Coffee is an experience, an offer, a rite of passage, a good excuse to get together.” - Nichole Johnson

Coffee to me is more than a caffeinated beverage, but a way to explore great new places. I have discovered where there is great coffee, I find great service, good food and new places...

Over the last week in my search for coffee I have in turn discovered some of Sydney's little gems..

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Nomad

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"Friends, like wine, get better with age..."

This week's favourite... Nomad, Surry Hills

After receiving the brief: "I want you to take me somewhere hidden away with good food and wine... I will leave it up to you..."

I started perusing the internet for reviews, blogs and Sydney's best kept secrets... After sifting through countless websites, one restaurant jumped out at me.. Nomad.

I was drawn to the concept, the wine list and most importantly.. the FOOD! A seasonal, ever changing menu that encouraged diners to share.. perfect! After receiving the OK! from my good friend and dining companion for the evening.. I called, booked and penciled it into the diary...