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Finger Limes and Mountain Pepper growing well at Peppermint Ridge

December 10, 2014 By Julie Weatherhead Leave a Comment

This new summer rain has given a great growth boost to our bush food plants. We will have a great crop of finger limes and mountain pepper and the  new anise myrtle plants are growing fast in their pots. I have been experimenting with grinding up the fresh leaves of our native herbs with salt and garlic, ginger would be good too – even better to use the native ginger. These ‘herb crumbs’ spice up any dish.

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Anise myrtle with strawberries and rhubarb poached in pomegranate juice

We are doing a lot of experimenting and love anise myrtle – have made an amazing ice cream with it that we teamed with our own strawberries and rhubarb poached in pomegranate juice.  Last week we marinated pork belly with anise myrtle  before slow cooking it – the result was amazing – it creates quite a different flavour.

That’s the thing about bush foods, the flavours they produce are hard to describe because there is often nothing to compare them to.  Strawberry gum is a good example – the oil in the leaf smells a bit of strawberry, passionfruit and vanilla – quite unique. But when you team it with your favourite dishes  it creates whole new wonderful flavours that defy description. Try it and let me know if you agree.

Here at Peppermint Ridge we are thinking about how to create a Christmas lunch for our family that is spiced with Australian flavours, we will then carry that on to creating a truly different Australia Day lunch on Monday Jan 26 as our first event for 2015.

I think the finger limes should be great marinating fresh salmon and we love creating fresh sorbets with them. Have a look at some shots I have just taken of some of our crops that are growing fast – finger lime and mountain pepper. I have added a pic of our kangaroo family that doesn’t mind coming up close to the house.

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Copyright © 2014 Julie Weatherhead, Peppermint Ridge Farm.  All rights reserved.

At Peppermint Ridge Farm we are passionate about Australian native foods and spices.  We run bush food cooking classes, tours of our Australian Spice Garden, and foodie events on site in Tynong North, Victoria.  We are also available for private functions. Find us on our website: www.peppermintridgefarm.com.au.

Filed Under: Native Plants and Spices, Peppermint Ridge Farm Activities Tagged With: anise myrtle, australian food, australian native food, peppermint ridge farm, tourist attractions melbourne, victoria tourism

About Julie Weatherhead

Julie Weatherhead runs the Living Classroom at Peppermint Ridge Farm, the Cornucopia Living Heritage Centre and the Cornucopia Consulting Group with husband Anthony Hooper. She is an Environmental Scientist and Ecologist who has researched and developed the use of ecosystems to enhance organic vegetable gardening. Julie and Anthony have led workshops at Peppermint Ridge since 1996, teaching others about bush food, organic vegetable gardening and sustainable land management. They have developed unique methods of gardening to save time, water and money.

« Experimenting with Bush Food at Peppermint Ridge Farm’s Native Creative Cooking School
Having your bush food garden and eating it too! »

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HIGHLIGHTING

  • Tour and Taste Event Saturday September 24 2022 $110.00 – $120.00 (incl. GST)
  • Native Pantry Cooking School Friday November 18 2022 $170.00 (incl. GST)
  • Bush Tucker Sourdough Bread Class Friday October 7 2022 $170.00 (incl. GST)

NEWS FROM THE FARM

  • We have been working with a number of schools and kindergartens to develop native bushfood gardens. We can assist with garden design and supply of bushfood plants suitable for educational settings. http://peppermintridgefarm.com.au/education
  • We have limited quantities of freshly picked finger limes available-200g and 500g. PURCHASE HERE!
  • The nursery now stocks a wide range of advanced native food plants including sexed mountain peppers, strawberry gum, lemon myrtle, finger lime and anise myrtle!
  • Peppermint Ridge Farm is proud to support the Kat Muscat Fellowship. The fellowship provides funding  support to a young writer or editor. https://expressmedia.org.au/programs/the-kat-muscat-fellowship/
  • Check out this article from Broadsheet https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/travel/article/bookmark-eight-lesser-known-wonders-gippsland

 

GIFT VOUCHERS

Our gift vouchers are a popular choice if you are looking for a different experience for a friend or loved one. The vouchers can be used for our regular tour and taste lunches, Native Pantry cooking classes, to purchase native food plants from the nursery, native food spices and teas or our book, Australian Native Food Harvest.

Contact us to arrange gift vouchers.

Australian Native Food Harvest by Julie Weatherhead
Australian Native Food Harvest: a guide for the passionate cook and gardener. Purchase online now!

PRESENTATIONS ON NATIVE BUSHFOODS

Our presentations to libraries and community groups provide an opportunity to learn more about Australia’s wonderful native food plants:

  • history of native food plants
  • plants that grow best in your garden
  • growing and propagating native food plants
  • culinary uses

We also attend a number of field days, garden expos and festivals across Victoria.

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Peppermint Ridge Farm acknowledges the Kulin Nation of peoples as the first inhabitants and the traditional custodians of this land where we live, learn and work.

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