In the colder months, what is better than curling up under a blanket, watching a movie and eating a biscuit with a steaming hot cuppa? This recipe is to make a biscuit that is substantial, flavoursome, easy to make (although a little time is needed) and not too sugary.

Biscotti literally means ‘twice baked’ – baked in a log, and then sliced and baked again. It is an Italian biscuit invented solely for the use of dunking in Tuscan wines. They are a very hard biscuit, barely any moisture, giving it a large shelf life. They were used in the Italian army rations, much like the Anzac biscuit. Continue reading ‘Foodies Column’ – Biscotti! →

Everyone loves history, whether it be local gossip, an obscure link in a family tree, wartime legends and famous battles, convicts and settlers, architecture or just a good historical novel! Well for all those history buffs, up until Sunday, May 25th, the History Trust of SA is holding its 5th annual SA HISTORY WEEK with a great variety of places to visit, state-wide.

We didn’t manage to get to all of them, but the ones we did see were a real treat. The Marble Hill Ruins, Mount Lofty (pictured right) are still a rather grand structure, even after the Black Sunday bushfires in 1955. It is easy to imagine the grandiosity of the purpose built Governor’s summer residence with the 360 degree view and huge stone walls that still remain. The tour, run by the Friends of Marble Hill, is interesting and thorough and you can even have coffee and cake in the old stable house. Continue reading History in the Hills →

On May 3rd and 4th, the 2008 Medieval Fair was held in Federation Park, Gumeracha.

It was an enthralling and informative event and surprisingly, there are a large number of people who are interested in this vast period of time in history. So interested, that they re-enact many different aspects of medieval life repeatedly; at festivals, fairs, competitions and club meetings all over Australia and the world.

Some 1000 years are covered under the banner of ‘Medieval’ or ‘Middle Ages’ and as such, there is a wide variety of costumes to choose from and it was heartening to see so many people taking advantage of this, not just the vendors and re-enactment groups, but at least half of the visitors too! The atmosphere (and the weather) was friendly, as we wandered amongst knights, peasants, outlaws, town cryers, blacksmiths, friars, musicians, merchants, soldiers, archers, lords and ladies. Continue reading Gumeracha goes Medieval →

The lights of Lobethal were switched, the cameras rolled and it was all action on Friday, May 2nd, when TV’s Getaway host, Catriona Rowntree, and the crew, visited Heart of the Hills Market for the first in a series of its Market Kitchen Demonstrations.

Guest chef, HQ Cuisine’s, Sean Bradshaw, cooked and presented to the TV crew and gathered crowd, three superb Adelaide Hills produce-based dishes in the newly set-up Heart of the Hills Market demonstration kitchen.

Above Sean’s enthusiastic instructions and the hissing and clatter of pans, the only other sound that could be heard was an approving “mmmm” as the audience tasted the Spring’s Smoked Salmon and B.-d. Farm Paris Creek Quark herb crepes with HQ Dill Mustard Sauce; the grilled figs with Noske’s smoked bacon and Udder Delights Chevre with HQ Onion Jam; and Autumn Moroccan pumpkin salad with seared Woodside Cheese Wrights fetta, HQ Mud Dressing, Moroccan Spice and Poppyseed Aioli. Continue reading Getaway gets a Taste of the Hills! →

If you peep into the dressing room at the rear of the Lobethal Centennial Hall on any Monday morning between now and June 12th, you will find a group of between 12 and 20 volunteers learning the exacting art of tapestry weaving.

These volunteers are learning to increase their own skill base and to participate in the weaving of the historic tapestry of LOBETHAL. The fabulous design is all embracing and shows what gives Lobethal the right to call itself a historic Adelaide Hills township with an interesting past and vibrant present. Much public input went into the design and we are almost ready to show it to you. Continue reading Tapestry Sponsors Needed! →

History Week this year will be celebrated by the Gumeracha and District History Centre, Inc. by an ‘Open Day’ to be held on Tuesday, May 20th, 2008, from 10am to 7pm. Anyone interested in accessing the Centre’s resources for family or general local history will be welcome to attend.

During the open day Volunteers will be in attendance to assist with enquiries. The Centre is located in Albert Street (Main Street), Gumeracha next to the library. A basic resource for family history research is found in cemetery records and the Centre holds burial records and cemetery maps and photographs of existing memorials for the area. Continue reading Gumeracha and District History Centre, Inc. ‘Open Day’ →

by Kendrea Rhodes

Silver, silver, silver, silver, bronze, bronze … No, its not the Olympics, but in the beer brewing world it may as well be!

The annual Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) were held on March 27th in Melbourne and Lobethal Brewers, Phil Jones (right) and Alistair Turnbull (far right), decided to enter with only 10 months experience of brewing at the Lobethal Bierhaus. They certainly didn’t expect the tremendous reception their new venture received! Continue reading BREWING IS BACK (IN LOBETHAL) →