Where the wild things are: SBS Food

"When your dinner is still running free, where do you start? Jane de Graaff braves the gore and looks at the process of getting wild game from the field to the table."

By: Jane de Graaff

Note: Article featured in the food pages of the SBS website.

I owe a great deal of thanks to Greg Benton and his family for taking a rookie like me along on their family camping trip, showing me how it's done and for putting up with my many silly questions. Man did I have a lot to learn.

Transformation of the degustation: I eat, I drink, I work

Transformation of the degustation: riding the wave of new degustation experiences

"From the standard multi-course meal to the newer 'tea-gustation' and 'coffee-matching', the idea of dinners matched to a beverage of choice is taking off around Australia. Jane de Graaff talks to the people championing the transformation of the degustation... from cocktail to coffee matching."

-By: Jane de Graaff

Article featured on the wonderful I eat, I drink, I work website.

Love to be mis-quoted

In keeping up to date with all my blogging/food writing/tweeting contacts, I read a fabulous article about the debates around codes of ethics for food bloggers.

The article is an interview with a favorite food blogger, Ed Charles (tomato), for the online magazine Upstart.

What I quickly feel the need to point out is that there's a comment in there attributed to JdG- and yes it is a comment that I left on a website discussing the topic.

What I need to address is that the small bit of my comment that they did pull out to use isn't quite representative of my complete view of the subject.

'However not all comments were that positive, the signature JdG wrote that "to require guidelines [for blogs] would be to hobble a medium that revels in its freedom.”'

Implying that I don't support the idea of a code of ethics for the world of food blogging, which is NOT the case at all.

The original comment that I made was in reference to the idea of a code of ethics being mandatory for food bloggers. The total comment was;

"I think what needs to be recognised is that bloggers have a freedom that makes blogging what it is. The blogs that are successful are popular for different reasons, some because they do not follow the rules and provide renegade commentary, and others because they adhere to the traditional rules and build for themselves a sense of 'integrity'- there is room for both as long as readers are able to identify which is which. Truth and fact in both is preferable, but not required. To require guidelines would be to hobble a medium that revels in it's freedom."

My point was that codes of ethics are wonderful if people have the choice to adopt them- but hobbles them if it becomes mandatory/required to adopt them... that's all.

For the record, when I write/blog, I always write with a journalists code of ethics in mind. But that doesn't mean that I think everyone else should have to as well.

Personal bloggers are not journalists, nor should they be treated as such- it's fun to keep that in mind when you're reading something entertaining that you have found online.

I guess I wasn't misquoted... more taken out of context on something that I feel very passionately about- otherwise the article is a great read, and one that I recommend.

And you can quote me on that. :)

Uncovering Umami: SBS Food

Uncovering Umami:

"Never mind the sixth sense, Jane de Graaff goes in search of the fifth taste. Umami."

-By: Jane de Graaff

Note: Article featured in the food pages of the SBS website.

I strongly recommend a few umami taste experiments at home- give it a go and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Christmas feast with a conscience: Good Living (SMH)

Feast with a Conscience:

"Sourcing a local and organic Christmas meal from within NSW can be done."

-By: Jane de Graaff

Note: Article featured in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Living lift-out.

Image: Miriam Neilson from Pasture Perfect Pork. It's where I'm getting my free range and organic ham this Christmas, because I know the pigs lead happy lives.

A multicultural Christmas: SBS Food

A Very Multicultural Christmas:

"With a population whose heritage spans the globe, there's no longer a common 'traditional' Australian Christmas dinner. SBS Food talks to some of Australia's top chefs to find out how their heritage affects the Christmas table."

-By: Jane de Graaff

Note: Article featured on the Food Pages of the brilliant SBS website.

Meeting Matt Preston

Cue MasterChef music.

It's official. I'm in love. I'm leaving Patience to run away with food writer extraordinaire and TV personality Matt Preston.

Or more correctly, I'm leaving Patience to run away not just with Mr. Preston, but to carry on a torrid and florid affair with his cravats.

After all- the man and his neck-ware of choice are synonymous. You simply can't have one without the other. Thank goodness.

But there is much more to this bear of a man than his cravats and TV personality. And I would be telling a lie if I said that I didn't have a writers crush on this man long before he appeared on TV rolling chocolate over his tongue whilst staring into the middle distance.

My crush began several years ago reading his wondrous and transporting accounts of food and dinning that appear regularly in The Age's Epicure and weekend supplements. It was only reinforced by seeing his passion for food moved from the page to the screen. Though that tiny box is sadly ill equipped to hold his enthusiasm for flavour and food history.

I went weak at the knees recently when I was asked to read his book 'Cravat-a-licious' and interview the man.

(You can check the interview out here on the wonderful Sassi Sam website)

Sassi sent me the book along with the details of the publicist 'should I be available' to set up an interview.

Available? .... Whose gonna stop me?!

I was thrilled to be granted 20-minutes in between radio and TV appearances- and was determined to bridle my enthusiasm and maintain my dignity during the process.

I should confess right now that about two months ago I spotted Preston dinning at Sydney's Bodega with Chef extraordinaire (and Melbourne's favourite son) Andrew McConnell.

I tried to work up the courage to say hello and express my love of his work.

I told myself to wait till the meal (mine and his) was over and try and catch him outside, but after several glasses of sherry my confidence failed me and I simply smiled on the way out- telling myself that no-one wants to harangued by ditzy fans while sharing a meal with friends.

He assures me that he would have been delighted if I'd said hello.

I'll know for next time...

In a candid moment during our interview- a moment that I was NOT prepared for- he did the unthinkable and .... removed hi cravats!

I almost stopped breathing- what was wrong with this picture?

Then, he offered them to me to examine. When I told my sister this, she asked if I had managed to steal one or tried to trade them for my underpants. Sadly, I did neither- where's a sister when you need her!

Still, despite failing to make off with a cravat (and forgetting to ask for an autograph on the book)- the interview was thoroughly enjoyable. It's hard not to love a man so clearly passionate about what he does. Luckily what he does is write about food... and we love to read it.

Note: I have no doubt that Patience is tired of hearing my declarations that I am leaving him for this or that chef/food writer/insert other ridiculous idol here.

It must be said that he is called Patience for a very valid reason and that indeed, I have no intention of ever leaving him- unless I meet Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal... and maybe Fergus Henderson.

What!? A girl can dream can't she...?