When it comes to food and wine, local knowledge matters.
So you’d be crazy not to jump on board for the Best of Tamborine Mountain Food & Wine Trail tour on Saturday June 28.
It’s being led by local chef and cooking school proprietor Terri Taylor and will visit some of the Mountain’s best food and wine producers.
The day-long tour is part of Scenic Rim Eat Local Week, which runs from June 28 to July 6 and celebrates the region’s diverse range of produce.
Ms Taylor, who runs the Tamborine Mountain Cooking School, says her students often asked where they can source high-quality, fresh, local ingredients.
“I tell them to go to their farmer’s markets and look for the people who have dirt under their fingernails – they’re the real farmers,” says Terri.
“Sourcing food close to home is easy. And when you’re looking you generally know that if something is cheap then it’s in season.
“I wanted to put together a whole Mountain experience and that’s what I’ve done, in conjunction with the Tamborine Chamber of Commerce.”
The tour costs $99, includes food and wine tastings and a two-course lunch, and runs from 9am to 3pm.
The first stop will be Terri’s Tamborine Cooking School for a slice of her rhubarb cake and a brief cooking demonstration.
Next stop will be the Witches Falls Winery for a wine and cheese tasting. See the workings of the winery and learn how the grapes are crushed and turned into wine.
Next you’ll go to the Witches Chase Cheese Factory and Fortitude Brewery for more tastings, before heading to the Old Church Restaurant for a two-course Italian-style lunch.
With your belly full it’s time to take the bus to the Tamborine Mountain Organic Farm. Bring a bag and stock up on your supplies for the week ahead. Learn how farmer Adam Willson grows his produce organically.
Then it’s onto Vanessa Bull’s property to learn how she grows hothouse tomatoes and the final stop is at North Tamborine for an afternoon coffee.
“Tamborine Mountain has a rich farming history,” says Terri.
“It used to be a big dairy farming area. Then farmers started putting crops in – avocadoes and flowers were big.
“Now rhubarb and vegetables are the predominant crops. It’s an easy place to source local food. We have the Green Shed Markets, the Joseph Fruit and Veg shop does a huge amount of local stuff, delivered direct by the farmers.
“I recently had TV chef Alastair McLeod up here and he was blown away by the variety of food you can get in the Scenic Rim. People come to the mountain and are just amazed by what’s here.”
Terri encourages guests on the Tamborine Mountain trail will stay for the night as there’s plenty of activities on offer on Sunday June 29.
Book your seat on the Best of Tamborine Food & Wine Trail by emailing Terri Taylor c/o tamborinecookingschool@bigpond.com