I am really delighted to announce and offer details of the Food Trail Weekend, which I am holding in the Barossa Valley in South Australia, along with my good friends Jan Angus of Hutton Vale Farm and Winery and Michael Wohlstadt of Barossa Heritage Pork. This is partly to celebrate the release of my second cookbook What Katie ate, at the Weekend which goes on sale nationwide in Australia on October 22nd, but also I have a huge love for the Barossa region ever since I shot a 4 days photo job down there in June 2013 and I thought it would an amazing place to hold my first ever workshop and foodie get-together.
I have totally fallen in love with the region and its people due to their passion and friendliness. Every time I go to the Barossa I find my worries seem to melt away and I just get stuck into the amazing, locally produced food and wine, great banter and local restaurants and wineries. Therefore, I thought it only fitting, seeing too as I have a lovely Barossa feature in my new book, to hold my first ever photo workshop and combine it with a great weekend of food, wine and lots of good fun-filled conversations. My original post on the Barossa and what started this love affair for me can be found here where you can read all about Hutton Vale and my total bewilderment when I walked into the place. It was a photographer’s dream.
With all transport to and from each location included, all attendees are free to enjoy the amazing wines the Barossa offers without the worry of who’s driving home to the hotel. Both days will include a sumptuous lunch in the heart of two of the most beautiful spots in the Barossa using free-range meats reared at each location, and amazing veggies and fare all sourced either on farm or locally. On the Sunday, the afternoon feast will be cooked by myself for all guests, before I offer some tips on how best to prop and food style and photograph each dish.
The dates of the event are Saturday October 18th and Sunday 19th.
Details of the event are as thus:
FRIDAY OCTOBER 17
1.00pm – 3.00pm
I will be a guest speaker at Alabaster in Tanunda at their annual ‘Ladies Lunch’. This is not part of the weekend food trail, but if you are interested to attend the event please contact Alabaster directly via their website.
Alabaster is a gorgeous clothing and home wares store, which I find impossible not to visit when in the area.
It is filled with the most beautiful stylish and simple; clothing, jewellery, accessories, cushions, throws, ceramics etc. and just generally everything really gorgeous for you and your home ~ a lot of which are sourced and produced locally. Lots of natural fabrics and hand thrown pottery and hand woven blankets etc. I seem to have a consistent habit of having to sit on my case every time I pack for the airport to return to Sydney after visiting this Tanunda store… A lot of the products, eps. the throws and pottery, remind me of items I would find back at home in Ireland.
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SATURDAY OCTOBER 18
8.30am – 10.00am
I will be signing copies for sale of my new book What Katie ate, at the Weekend at the Barossa Farmers Market.
11.00am
Weekend food trail attendees to arrive via pre-organised tour bus to meet me at the market for an hour long general meet and greet, and tour around market picking out veggies and items for Sunday’s lunch.
12.30pm
Weekend food trail attendees to arrive via pre-organised tour bus at Hutton Vale farm in Angaston
1.00pm
Welcome glass of wine and nibbles.
1.30pm – 2.30pm
I will be giving a 30 minute presentation of photo work and journey from graphic designer to food photographer and cookbook author with a 30 min Q&A to follow after.
2.30pm – 5.00pm
Lavish, fun lunch for all guests set in the gorgeous surroundings of Hutton Vale ~ all food and wine supplied by Hutton Vale cooked by Jan and her little elfs.
Attendees to be driven back to their place of accommodation.
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SUNDAY OCTOBER 19
11.30am
Weekend food trail attendees to arrive at Michael’s farm in Lyndoch.
11.30am – 12.30pm
Attendees to enjoy glass of locally produced sparkling wine and a recipe from What Katie ate, at the Weekend’.
12.30pm – 2.30pm
I will be giving a photo workshop on methods I use to style and shoot each of the day’s menu items.
Running through propping options, lighting techniques and general shooting tips.
All food to be served will be recipes from my new book.
2.30pm – 4.30pm
Lunch on lawn, cooked from strong>What Katie ate, at the Weekend, for guests by Katie.
4.30pm – 6.30pm
Michael and Katie to give tour of farm, including walk through dairy heard and pig feeding ~ allowing attendees to get many photo opportunities of pigs, vines, cows, general farm area etc..
6.30pm – 7.00pm
Farewell drinks on lawn.
Attendees to be driven back to their place of accommodation.
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Cost per person for 2 days food experience and photo workshop:
AUD$800
to include:
Return chauffeured van/mini bus to and from accommodation to each location on Sat and Sun.
Signed copy of What Katie ate, at the Weekend.
All food and drink at Hutton Vale and Michael’s Farm.
2 hour intensive styling and photo workshop with Katie and one on one Q&A session.
Sunday Lunch cooked and presented by Katie Quinn Davies.
Accommodation suggestions can be arranged on request.
All flights/transport to and from the Barossa region is at the responsibility of the attendee.
Bookings to Barossa Food Inc by contacting:
Gill Standen-Thomas on barossafood@outlook.com
or +61 405 133 115
Payment will be via electronic bank transfer (details to be provided on booking)
Tour strictly limited to 20 people. First in, best dressed.
50% deposit required at time of booking.
Amazing produce sourced from the Barossa Farmer’s Market
The exceptionally warm and welcoming Jan Angas, who will be hosting lunch on the Saturday at Hutton Vale Farm. Jan will be cooking up a feast for all attendees, using produce grown and farmed on site.
A fab and fun lunch I hosted at Hutton Vale back in October 2013 which will feature in my 2nd book What Katie Ate at the Weekend.
My good mate Michael Wohlstadt who will be hosting lunch on the Sunday at his 1,000 acre farm in Lyndoch and afterwards offering guests a tour of the farm, pigs and dairy.
You’ll be able to get up close and personal with some of these little fellas for some great photo opportunities.
Michael at his weekly stand at the Barossa Farmer’s Market.
Some info on Michael and his farm:
For over 40 years Michael Wohlstadt has produced milk and meat in the Barossa Valley. His Jersey dairy cows and pigs graze in the foothills of the Barossa ranges where he has proudly revived the traditional way of raising pigs as part of a mixed farming enterprise. The way it used to be, when a farmer’s labour and skill included growing food, and producing meat and fibre on a single property. It is a practice and custom that is gradually being lost over time.
The Jersey milk that Michael produces is used to raise his free range Berkshire and Tamworth pigs. All are heritage or traditional breeds, whose pork stands apart from the other breeds. They are black or orange in colour, or mixed orange and black spotted by crossing the two, known affectionally as plum puddings.
Barossa Heritage Pork is marbled, with soft and creamy fat which renders easily during cooking. The meat suits both slow and high temperature cooking and stays moist, tender and flavoursome. The key is the milk diet, which is complemented by the breed’s character and a free range environment. Old time breeds combine at Barossa Heritage Pork… Beautiful Jersey cows graze upon open paddocks on the property, and, provide the daily milk supply for the Berkshire herd that also graze on the pastures. Berkshire pigs are black with pink skin underneath and are well suited to freely roaming in the paddocks. A heritage breed, the livestock equivalent of heirloom tomatoes, Berkshire is considered the premium pork for flavour and moisture. The meat is compared with Wagyu beef, both having extra marbling throughout, which stops the meat from drying out, thus retaining more of the meats juiciness. Berkshire pork has a superior taste, richer colour, sweeter flavour and delicate texture compared with other breeds of pig.
Apart from the full cream Jersey milk, Michael feeds local grain that he mills, and the pigs graze improved pasture. There are no feed additives tainting the meat, and no growth stimulants or hormones.
Premium cuts are utilized for ham, and cured and smoked meats. They are delicate, and produced using traditional methods. Barossa Heritage Pork is available by order, or every Saturday morning from the Barossa Farmers Market, Angaston. There are over 20 cuts and products available each week.
Some recent videos of Michael and his work
http://www.salife7.com.au/barossa-valley/accommodation/farmstays/the-dairyman-s-cottage
http://media.canberratimes.com.au/travel/beautiful-barossa/barossa-valley-barossa-heritage-pork-special-promotion-4635903.html
Restaurants Michael supplies:
Appellation, Marananga, Barossa
2011 Australian Good Food and Travel Guide Top Restaurant in SA
Celsius, Gouger Street, Adelaide
Rockford Wines, Krondorf, Barossa
Rockford’s exclusive “Stonewall Table”
Wanera, Angaston, Barossa
Links of interest:
Barossa.com
Barossa Heritage Pork
Barossa Farmers Market
Dairyman’s Cottage
The Louise
Finally the cover of my new book ~ more details to come on that very soon.
Note – Marque restaurant post to follow shortly. Due to dates for attendee flights to Barossa/Adelaide, I felt it best to get this post up pronto! 
Stay tuned for a fab Marque set of shots, review and book giveaway.