More from the Market.

AS we wandered around the market, we discovered a stall selling jams and chutneys. My dislike of all things fruity when combined with meat has been well documented here, but Furry canna pass up a free sample. And there are plenty of delights to sample here. The company is Elfred's of the Peninsula, and they are doin' some seriously funky stuff...

We first sampled the chilli jam. A smoothsweet taste of damson plums gives way to a chilli hot of moderate magnitude. I was expecting something akin to dodgy sweet chilli sauce, but this is more complex and rounder than that. It IS chilli jam. Being the gastronut that I am, I immediately began designing recipes around it. Mix it with chocolate and pour it over wine-simmered pears, thin with balsamic vinegar and use over a blue cheese tart. Stuff figs with it.

It was really REALLY good!!

We also picked up some:



But what really REALLy got my juices flowing was their Mumbai chutney. I am all good for some green mango pickle with meat, but I have never been a fan of meat and chutney since the great Keens Curry Powder on Mince with Sultana's and Sliced Banana debacle of 1972.

But I am happy to say, I am now a proud convert. It's sweet. The way a good curry is sweet. Sweet with complex spices and slow cooking. Sweet with nuts and cinnamon and fenugreek and ginger. A really, really complex and smokey flavour.

I marinated a couple of Lilydale free-range chook breasts in it for about 4 hours, oven baked and served it on coconut and lime basmati rice.

And it was so heavenly, I forgot to take a photo!!

BUT, I did find this:

Elfreds of the Peninsula 23 Alma Street Tootgarook VIC 3941 Tel: 03 5985 3103 email: elfreds@elfreds.com.au Website: www.elfreds.com.au

Elfreds of the Peninsula is the creation of Fred Johnson and Michele Flack. Fred is an European Chef who has been living and working on the Mornington Peninsula for the last ten years. He has cooked in various restaurants, hotels and catering establishments from Portsea to Melbourne and all over Australia. Michele is an Art Teacher who has swapped her paintbrushes and palette for a different form of art. Her flair adds to the colour and vibrancy of Elfreds. Elfreds are keen to promote local produce and are proud to be part of the Mornington Peninsula wine and culinary region of Australia. Elfreds' products which are a range of chutneys, relishes, sauces, pickles, preserves, spices, jams and marmalades are recipes that have been gathered over the last 20 years by Fred working as a chef in various parts of the world. Products vary with the seasons and Fred and Michele select the best produce when it is at its prime, as seasonal changes allow. Elfreds are currently trading at Red Hill, Mornington Racecourse, Flemington Racecourse, Werribee Racecourse, Dingley, Balnarring Racecourse, Mornington Main Street, Queen Victoria Gaslight Market and various wine and gourmet shows. You can also find their products in various shops and deli's.

Get thee some of their produce ASAP!!!

And the above article lead me here, to an online Mornington Peninsula Gourmet guide!!

For those of you who know how passionate I am about my beloved MP, this may hep you understand WHY!!!