Historical Sicily – Piazza Armerina, Villa Romana di Casale, Caltagirone
Learn all about Historical Sicily at Piazza Armerina, Villa Romana di Casale and Caltagirone on Dominique Rizzo’s Sicilian tours.
Tag Archive for: cooking tours
Hot List of Food Specialities of Cairns
Hot List of Food Specialities of Cairns with Dominique Rizzo’s Chef’s Tour
Daintree Vanilla and Spice,
Napier Rd, Redbank
Based in the Daintree Rainforest, directors George and Josette Gonthier have used skills and techniques handed down through generations, transforming a much-loved hobby into a full-scale commercial business as one of the first commercial growers and producers of some of Australia’s finest vanilla beans.
Working closely with the University of Western Sydney on a unique system to process the vanilla beans, results have proved a more superior quality bean than what is currently being imported into Australia with optimum vanillin content.
The future is bright for Daintree Vanilla & Spice with plans to develop a range of vanilla by-products such as essences, powders, tea, coffee and perfume, as well as a range of other spices. They are working towards becoming Certified Organic by the National Association of Sustainable Agriculture, the nation’s leading organic certifier. They recently took out the coveted ‘ABC Delicious Produce Award, From The Earth’ for their ground cinnamon and were the only Queensland producer on the podium in 2014. Celebrity chef Maggie Beer is also a regular purchaser of the award-winning cinnamon.
www.daintreevanilla.com 
Hot List of Food Specialities Cairns #2
Rainforest Bounty at Platypus Eco Bend
66 Lindsay Rd, Malanda
Dr Geraldine McGuire and husband Atherton (Athy) Nye call home to an 80 acre property located adjacent to the Wet Tropics World Heritage area on Queensland’s Atherton Tableland. Geraldine is an environmental scientist and talented cook who has lived, worked and travelled extensively throughout Asia, the Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
The jewel of their Platypus Bend Eco Retreat is 40 acres of tropical rainforest. In the Café, Geraldine presents her cooking demonstration using the best seasonal ingredients available from their luxuriant native fruit orchids, kitchen gardens and rainforest offerings to harvest the.
www.rainforestbounty.com.au
Hot List of Food Specialities Cairns #3
Tarzali Lakes Smokehouse Cafe
Lot 3 Millaa Millaa-Malanda Rd, Tarzali
Peter Whiddett’s vision of an integrated aquaculture and tourism park became a reality some 10 years ago on his return from Asia where he acquired his experience in aquaculture.
Peter has developed the Tarzali Lakes property from a run down dairy farm to a fully operational commercial aquaculture and tourism enterprise.
The Smokehouse Café is where smokehouse master, Dave Hoffman, an experienced third generation master butcher, is at his best. Dave’s list of meat industry accredited awards includes two state Sausage King gold medals plus his selection as one of Australia’s most innovative butchers by Meat and Livestock Australia in 2002.
http://www.tarzalilakes.com/
Hot List of Food Specialities Cairns #4
Gallo Dairyland
Malanda Rd & East Barron Rd, East Barron
Gallo Dairyland is a family owned business spread across 1000 acres of rich red volcanic soil, the dairy farm milks on average 500 cows twice a day. The farm has been converted into an integrated educational dairy farm experience and visitors experience how the old age method of cheese making has evolved to become a complex and innovative process, developing new and unusual cheeses, alongside the old favourites.
The dairy also houses handcrafted chocolates made from the finest Swiss couverture, on display at the café/restaurant. The chocolatier works her magic to create a beautiful assortment.
http://www.gallodairyland.com.au/
Hot List of Food Specialities Cairns #5
Mt Uncle Distillery
1819 Chewko Rd, Walkamin
Mt. Uncle Distillery has built an impeccable reputation in producing award-winning premium liqueurs and spirits and is North Queensland’s first and only distillery, securing themselves as a premier attraction on the Atherton Tablelands.
Set in landscaped gardens on a banana, avocado and macadamia plantation, Mt. Uncle Distillery is as pleasant on your eyes as it is on your taste buds. Products include marshmallow liqueur, gin, rum, vodka and whiskey.
http://www.mtuncle.com/
Healthy Travelling Tips
This season it doesn’t matter if you are going abroad or just cruising around our beautiful country, there is no excuse to let your health slide. Here are some useful travelling tips to stay in top condition and return home feeling revived and full of vitality.
1) Be well prepared so you can go with the flow.
If you are flying, always drink lots of water, take a small atomiser filled with water to refresh your face during flights. Snack on nuts, almonds, seeds and some small amounts of dried fruits. Eating fresh fruit will fill you up and have you less likely reaching for the chips, breads and salty snacks on the plane tray.
If you are travelling in a car or van cut up fresh fruit and drizzle with lemon juice to ensure no browning occurs. Take some whole meal crackers, cut up carrots, celery and or cucumber and a container of hummus or dip. Baked corn chips and healthier snacks like boiled eggs, snow peas or even your own frozen yoghurt will all stay fresh and chilled stored in an esky. Make yourself a container of fantastic salad, bring along shredded roast chicken or make some wraps. If you start strong – then the temptation to snack at the road side service stations is eliminated and you will save money meaning more to spend at your vacation destinations.
2) Don’t be a Spoil Sport….being healthy is not about missing out!
Make sure you take along some of those exciting treats that you love to eat at Christmas to have along the way. Try my gorgeous Chocolate Balls that have no sugar in them – they don’t need refrigeration and with their delicious chocolaty flavour you won’t believe they are good for you.
3) Make sure you have a healthy breakfast or brunch that will sustain you for hours.
If you are travelling by plane, after a meal get up and walk around to help with digestion and get the blood flowing. Remember we generally only eat 4-6 small meals a day so don’t fall into the trap of eating every time the trolly comes around. Ask for fruit and extra bottles of water, and if you feel like a drink, have one but follow it with water. My favourite plane drink is a Virgin Mary – spicy tomato juice, pepper, lots of ice and lemon, I have this when I think I may be hungry as it makes for a reasonably healthy in between snack.
If you are doing an adventure for the day, grab a tub of yogurt, a healthy muesli bar or a pre-made healthy muffin to get you going until lunch, we all know that the fresh sea air makes us hungry.
4) Be restaurant and menu savvy.
If you have to eat out, don’t dive straight into the fast food trap. Try to always choose a healthier option – burgers are fine as long as they are loaded with salad, and ask for what you want, say no butter, whole meal bread for a sandwich, grilled fish, dressing on the side – you’ll feel better for it and your body will thank you too. Did you know that you can eat up to 18 x fresh oysters or grilled prawns instead of just 3 x fried calarmari – and you won’t be denying yourself and again feeling proud of yourself for making the better choices.
