Truffles are the theme of the first two episodes and there is so much to learn from this sophisticated ingredient that lends itself to simple dishes with wow factor. Listeners will learn about the rise of the Australian truffle industry with a focus on the south west, from growers in Manjimup where they head out truffle hunting with Gavin Booth of Australian Truffle Traders, to Margaret River chefs such as Tony Howell of Cape Lodge.
Brearley and Hewer were formerly festival directors of Manjimup’s Truffle Kerfuffle between 2016-18, and have written and photographed for national and international publishers such as delicious, SilverKris, and The Weekend Australian Magazine. In short – they know their truffles well – and their fascination with the ingredient is evident through the multi-layered storytelling approach.
Brearley says “our time on the festival opened our eyes to what we have here in the south west. Manjimup is the heart of Australian truffle country, the powerhouse of production of black truffles for the Southern Hemisphere, but it’s here in the Margaret River Region that I head to enjoy them in season. The likes of Tony, who we hear from in episode two, knows how to get the best from this prized ingredient, as do the new guard of chefs, like Brendan [Pratt] at Vasse Felix, and really the list goes on.”
Listen to The Ingredient Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts
