Passata di pomodoro (aka tomato puree) is an indispensable item in any kitchen pantry. Many of us regularly use passata in pasta sauces and casserole recipes so, for approximately 30 Slow Food members, the opportunity to make our own was too good to pass up! Early on a Sunday morning in February we gathered, along with 15 or so crates of Roma tomatoes, at the home of Slow Food members Lyn de Reggie and Peter Miles.

The crowd, fueled on coffee supplied by Fiori Coffee, all pitched in to process the tomatoes and to get to know each other a little better. A fantastic lunch was served consisting of pasta and fresh tomato sauce followed by luscious poached figs served with greek-style yoghurt and roasted macadamia nuts, and rich chocolate cake.

Once the tomatoes had been washed they were then cored, scored and squeezed (to begin to remove the seeds) and put through the passata mill. After a few hours the optimum processing flow had been determined – part of which involved a person scraping the puree sieve which left them covered in tomato juice from head to toe. From time to time the mill seized up (once due to a ring slipping off a finger and into the mix!) but our trusty team of fixers managed to get us back on track in no time.

Towards the end of the day when all available containers had been filled there were still tomatoes waiting to be processed. Someone suggested sun drying the remainder and, ever resourceful, Lyn and Peter dragged out their tomato sundrying equipment. It was all hands to the task as the remaining tomatoes were spread out to dry. These morsels of tomatoey goodness have now been stored in oil for use at a future Slow Food Perth event.

UPDATE: View Landline’s story about Gabrielle, “Blessed are the Cheesemakers”

On a warm summers day a group of Slow Food members and Perth foodies headed to Gabrielle Kervalla’s biodynamic farm at Gidgegannup to celebrate, or more aptly commiserate over, the end of an era.   Gabrielle and her partner Alan Cockman have sold the herd, which are moving down to Albany to an organic farm, and the property.

The contribution of Gabrielle to developing the profile of artisan cheese in Australia cannot be under estimated. Gabrielle began her business in 1984, with 15 goats on two 30-hectare blocks. After 30 years of hard work and dedication, Kervella cheese was being transported to quality restaurants and suppliers throughout Australia and Gabrielle was, quite rightly, being referred to as “the doyenne of Australian biodynamic cheeses”.

This article from the Sydney Morning Herald provides us with an idea of the significance of Gabrielle’s achievements, and what Gabrielle and Alan’s future may hold.

On behalf of the Slow Food movement, and foodies throughout Australia, thank you and farewell, Gabrielle.