The Country on The Rocks

By Jackie McMillan

Just when you thought you might have to take trainers to cross the city to enjoy the farm fresh produce on offer at Cook and Phillip’s Hawkesbury Harvest Farmers & Gourmet Food Market each Friday, those of you in the neighbourhood of The Rocks have been granted an even better way to sample and buy farm fresh produce. The Rocks Farmers’ Market launched last Friday 19th September, 2008 on a day filled with beaming sunshine. Buckets of brightly coloured tulips scattered between the stalls caught my eye as I wandered through, gasping at the availability of products even I had never seen before.

I was very excited to see both Kale and superb mashing Otway Red Potatoes (yes, I’m a fan of Colcannon) from Block 11 Organics. Better yet, I could also see that these products had only travelled 316 kilometres to be there. So if your eye (like my own) is geared toward reducing your food kilometres, here’s a market that makes it easy with a clear indication of food kilometres at every single stall.

Authenticity is the key with this market, open every Friday (10am-3pm) and Saturday (9am-3pm). You’ll actually be meeting the farmers and producers themselves, as I found out when I chatted to John Meredith from the famed Thirlmere Poultry about his cross-breed ducks ‘ they’ve been running for thirty five years. I’m still on the fence as to whether I like them better than last week’s market offering of Pepe’s Duck‘ but I’ll let you know when I’ve sampled them a few different ways. It’s a tough life testing all this wonderful duck.

However I have no doubt that the mushrooms from Li-Sun Exotic Mushrooms, which grow in a disused railway tunnel in the Southern Highlands 118 food kilometres from Sydney, represent the best mushrooms I have ever purchased. You can also purchase Over The Moon Jersey cow milk from Johnson’s Farmgate. I’m not ashamed to say that this milk makes Coco Pops into an almost religious experience – even a Dining Reviewer has her vices.

Pasta Emelia (for those who don’t want to blow fuel on driving 9.2 kilometers to her store in Bronte) also have some fine offerings that are well worth taking home. I was treated to a wonderful lunch at Pony where chef Damien Heads employed Pasta Emelia’s Angel Hair Pasta with Confit Tomato, Garlic Oil and Herbs. The simplicity showed off the spectacular nature of the pasta. My greedy eyes wandered over her Truffle Cream – but it’s important to leave something new for a second visit!

The Rocks Farmers’ Market is located at Jack Mundey Place (corner Argyle and George Streets), The Rocks. For full transport details visit www.therocks.com or call 131 500.