Chefs create tribute to Patricia
By Douglas Elder, Head Chef, Epicurean Centre Last weekend we held the annual Patricia lunch at our Milawa site. As both a celebration of family matriarch Patricia Brown, and as a platform for the launch of the latest releases of the company’s flagship wines named in her honour, the lunch is also a chance for [...]
New twist on a classic dish
By Douglas Elder, Head Chef, Epicurean Centre It has been some time since my last article. And we’ve had a long, hot, dry and extremely hectic summer period at the Epicurean Centre here in Milawa. The Christmas holidays are one of the busiest times of year for us, with thousands of people flocking to the [...]
SEARCHING FOR THE BEST BOLOGNESE SAUCE
By Douglas Elder, Head Chef, Brown Brothers Epicurean Centre In light of the amazing news that Italian and Juventus superstar footballer Alessandro Del Piero is to come Down Under to play for Sydney FC , I thought that it would be a good opportunity to talk about Italian cuisine, and in particular the Aussie favourite, [...]
How to cook risotto with ‘stinky cheese’
By Douglas Elder, Head Chef, Brown Brother’s Epicurean Centre One of the things that we are lucky about in the NE of Victoria is having the Milawa Cheese Company. Only just down the road from the Epicurean Centre, their cheeses are a constant on the menu, and are used in many other dishes as well. [...]
The Rise of Vegetarianism
Now let’s get one thing straight. Chefs don’t hate vegetarians! There may have been a time many years ago when they were looked upon as an annoyance to many professional kitchens, but times have changed and vegetarianism is now ingrained into mainstream cookery. When I was a child, my older sister one day decided to [...]
Broccoli Side Shoots And An Old Fashioned Greengrocer
One of my favourite things to eat in the middle of winter is broccoli side shoots. You will very rarely see them in stores, but anyone who has grown broccoli at home will know the delights of these mini greens. After you cut the central head of a broccoli, the plant will continue to produce [...]
Secrets To Great Slow Cooking This Winter
As the mercury plummets here in the North-East, many a mind is turning to the joy of slow cooking this winter. Images of slowly bubbling pots of meat on the stove bring fond food memories to many people, often conveying thoughts of comfort, family and warmth. No matter what you want to call it – [...]
By Popular Demand
By Douglas Elder, Head Chef, Epicurean Centre The one segment of Masterchef that I do enjoy watching is the chef challenge. It is the one where the contestant cooks off against a professional chef. It is not very often that the amateur will win, however, it is great fun when they do. Not as funny [...]
AUTUMN DAYS
By Douglas Elder, Head Chef, Brown Brothers Epicurean Centre Everyone has a favourite season. Some people love summer for the endless days of heat and beaches. Some love the cold months of winter with open fires and red wine. Me? I love autumn. This is both professionally as a chef, and also personally. And, for [...]
The Evolution Of a Dish
By Douglas Elder, Head Chef I am often asked how we come up with ideas for the dishes here at Brown Brothers. The answer to that is wide and varied. At any given time there will be dozens of ideas floating around in my brain. Some have been there for a while, some are brand [...]
