lanacoora-chillies.com.au

Here it is…… the slab of the new smokehouse here at Lanacoora Chillies.

Doesn’t look like much yet, but time will tell. The walls have been started, stone from our own block!

Until then, our small cold smoker is running hot (what else can I say???). As we speak, five kilograms of jalapenos are being transformed into wonderful, smoky chipotles with a hint of eucalyptus……

Our chipotles are of course, for sale. Each chipotle is one Australian Dollar. Postage will be added of course, but will be kept to a minimum. I am nowhere near ready to have a checkout type situation, but an email (chilli@lanacoora-chillies.com.au) or a phone call (0421324783) will do it. Other smoked chillies (anchos, pasillas etc) will be available from time to time.

Sawtell Chilli Festival is on next weekend. Due to circumstances etc, I cannot offer a large variety of fresh chillies for tasting, as is usual. However, we feel that you will be more than satisfied with our smoked varieties, our smoked flakes, our flakes and powder. Also our chipotle mayonnaise, and I am in the process of trialling a savoury chilli chocolate sauce – awesome on prawns and chicken. When the chillies are growing again, we will be out there with all varieties in full swing.

Bye!!

Winter is a lovely time of year. As it gets colder we all gravitate indoors in front of a nice warm fire. So too, do the animals it seems. Rats and mice scurry across the floor making little mouse and rat scurrying noises, and scavenging any crumbs of samples of food the family has left behind. Unfortunately they chew wiring and cords as well, as my son found out recently. He walked on  an extension cord which had been pulled from the appliance. He got an electric shock which frightened him, shorted the power to the house – thank whatever for the safety switch, and reminded us to be more wary when it comes to electricity.

The unfortunate thing is of course, is that they choose also to go into T1 – the poly tunnel which is currently home to a significant number of chilli plants, (not to mention a few tomatoes, turmeric and horseradish). It seems also that they have built up a tolerance over time to chillies, as have many of us, and have determined to eat as many as they possibly can. At the time of year when production is way down anyway, and the plants in the ground failing due to lack of water, I could well do without the pitter patter of tiny vermin paws!

The upshot of this situation (and a slight case of leaf wilt) is that I cannot be at all the events. This weekends markets are out I am afraid, as while we can offer chillies for tasting, we can offer none for sale. In two weeks time, there is the Sawtell Chilli Festival, and it is our intention to have much more on offer there. Some say classical music helps them grow…….

Just to reassure you, I am not resorting to poisoning the creatures. The tunnel has some lovely humane traps in it filled with chocolate, grain and peanut butter. I know there is nothing better than chillies, but I am hoping that they will be looking for a change of taste.

Isn’t it always the way??? Since writing my last post – yesterday! – the Sawtell Chilli Festival is back on once more. It seems that the publicity about the cancellation encouraged some wonderful people to come forward and offer sponsorship. So it is off to Sawtell on Saturday 7th July, as planned. See you there!

Well people, the sad news is that the Sawtell Chilli Festival, which has become a regular event on the Australian Chilli Lovers calendar, is unable to take place this year. It appears that the organisers had been in negotiations with a potential major sponsor for some months now, but in the last month, they refused to contribute funds to stage the July Festival. This is not just a blow to those of us who were planning on being there, but particularly to the Sawtell community, who have been deprived of an opportunity to show us just how beautiful it is on that part of our East Coast. Special mention must go to the Chamber of Commerce, who has backed the festival every step of the way, and to all the local businesses. I will personally give thanks to those fantastic people at the caravan park, who, I am sure are not the only accommodation service to provide full refunds to us all. If ever you are heading that way, drop in and give Sawtell a big hello.

Next however, mention must be made of another chilli festival that has come about. Each year, Byron Bay (there are few who have not heard of this sun-blessed mecca) hosts “A Taste of Byron”. This year, they have chosen to include – particularly on the first day of the festival – the inaugural Byron Bay Chilli Festival. The area is home to one of Australia’s hot sauce pioneers – The Byron Bay Chilli Company, whose sauces and corn chips are world famous – and well they should be.

This festival promises to be a fantastic one, as it encompasses some of the finest fresh produce of the region, and the country. Should you wish to attend, I would advise you to be quick with booking accommodation, it is sure to fill up fast.

The dates of the A Taste of Bryon Food Festival are Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September, 2007. Further information is available from www.atasteofbyron.com. This is the start of the Queensland School Holidays, so traffic to Byron from Queensland will probably be heavy. Take care, and we will see you there.
All of this means that I will in fact, be at the Tamborine State School Markets again this month – Sunday 24th June. The mountain is a beautiful part of the world in winter, and there are plenty of eating places with warm log fires. Yes, even in Queensland.

It is raining today, a fantastic soaking rain, which won’t break the drought, but will fill up our water tanks and go partway to helping our streams flow once more. People want rain, but many are not prepared when it comes. This is evidenced by the accidents on our roads. Please drive more carefully in wet weather, and plan your trip. Too many people are dying.