Farmers Market brings exclusive Mediterranean flavours to Canberra

 Using their Mediterranean culinary expertise and impressive experience, owners of multi-award winner Pilpel Fine Foods have developed an exclusive range of exotic flavours for the Capital Region Farmers Market visitors.

 Pilpel Fine Foods produces dips and soups which are gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and contain no animal fat, preservatives, artificial colours or flavours, representing an ideal option for vegan and vegetarian people.

 Pilpel Fine Foods, the Hebrew word representing the whole capsicum family, was founded in December 2004 by Israeli couple Dari and Yehiel Kaplan who came to Australia in 1989 in search of some international experience.

 “My husband was a chef in a five-star hotel in Israel and wanted to become executive chef, but to do so he had to get international experience. We were both a bit young and crazy and just decided to pack our bags and come to Australia. We’ve never looked back on that decision,” Dari said.

 The Kaplans had been owners of a restaurant and catering service for 15 years when they decided to start Pilpel Fine Foods in Bondi, NSW.

 “The catering and restaurant market is very demanding and we needed a new adventure. Yehiel loves creating new products and so we saw a perfect niche market with dips and soups. With my graphic design background, I could create beautiful labels for our products too,” Dari said.

 “We started with six dips sold in deli stores and independent supermarkets. Within nine months we had entered David Jones. We now have 13 dips in the range and we introduced soups and pesto last year,” she added.

 With four kids, four employees and on average 13-hour daily shifts, the Kaplans have found time to travel to Canberra every Saturday for the past two years to sell their products at the Capital Region Farmers Market at the Exhibition Park.

 “When we first started our business, some of our friends moved to Canberra and started talking so highly of Canberra people that we thought we had to try the Farmers Market,” Dari said.

 “It was the best decision we made. The Farmers Market has put us on the map, so to speak. Customers saw the consistency in the quality of our products and started visiting us every weekend. We now have strong contacts and good support in Canberra,” she said.

 Dari said Capital Region Farmers Market is the only market she visits with her husband who has developed a range of products exclusively for Canberra residents.

 “We like having direct contact with Market customers and getting their feedback. We can understand what they want and have a much more hands-on approach on our business,” Dari said.

 “Throughout the years, some of our customers have started asking for specific products and so we have developed a whole range of products strictly for the Farmers Market, which includes marinated olives, antipasto, curries, marinades and cheese spreads.

 “We bring a lot of our Mediterranean background from Israel to our products whilst always keeping an Australian twist to our recipes. We use Australian produce as much as possible. This way, we’re giving back to Australian farmers and residents.

 “We have formed close relationships with a lot of the customers and some of them now buy our new products without even tasting them first simply because they trust us,” she added.

 The Sydney Royal Fine Food Show awarded Pilpel Fine Foods 10 medals for its dips in 2006 and medals for all its soups in 2007.

 “Food experts predict that in the next few years, Australia will have the best food in the world which will be made of a combination of Mediterranean, Australian and Asian flavours. This obviously works for us,” she added.

 Pilpel Fine Foods has also introduced non-vegan pesto under the brand name Darikay.

 The Capital Region Farmers Market has over 100 stalls and is open every Saturday morning at the Exhibition Park (EPIC) from 8 am to 11 am.

 The Farmers Market is a genuine farmers market, offering a diverse range of fresh food and agricultural produce straight from the producer to the customer. There are over 100 market stallholders each Saturday morning selling everything from fruits and vegetables to specialist organic products, meats, breads, chocolate, wine and olives.

 All funds generated from the Market are fed back into regional communities and other projects chosen by the Rotary Club of Hall which founded the Market in 2004.

 For more information on Capital Region Farmers Market, visit www.capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au.

  Released for Capital Region Farmers Market by Dennis Rutzou Public Relations (www.drpr.com.au)

 For further information please call Kim Larochelle or Nicola Rutzou on (02) 9413 4244.

Last November the Canberra Youth Theatre Actors Ensemble wowed audiences in its sell out installation-based production Comfort. Comfort was recently listed in The Canberra Times as one of reviewer Alanna Maclean’s 10 favourite theatre productions for 2007 in Canberra, stating it was “youth theatre at its best and most imaginative”.

This year the CYT Actors Ensemble will be engaging audiences’ with a production about community. CYT has commissioned Ross Mueller, a Melbourne based playwright, to adapt Markus Zusak’s award winning novel The Messenger to the stage. Mueller has recently submitted the first draft and CYT is preparing to audition its Actors Ensemble who will play the key roles in this major production.

The Messenger is a darkly humorous, thought provoking and moving story that reminds us how difficult it is for some young people to find their place in the world. In the current climate of self-preservation and self-absorption The Messenger is a timely narrative about engagement. It is a story for our community, all communities. As Ed himself states: “Christ, it’s deafening. Why can’t the world hear? I ask myself. Within a few moments I ask it many times. Because it doesn’t care, I finally answer, and I know I’m right. It’s like I have been chosen. But chosen for what? I ask. The answer’s quite simple: to care.”

The CYT Actors Ensemble meets every Saturday and is for 18-25’s who are passionate about developing core skills in acting and theatre making. CYT is committed to providing young adults with opportunities to learn about the craft of acting and explore the boundaries of theatre making. It is run by the Artistic Director, Pip Buining, with guest tutors who specialise in voice, movement and physical theatre.

Auditions for the CYT Actors Ensemble will be held on Saturday 23 February. Applications for the Auditions close on Monday 18 February.

For more information call the CYT Office on 6248 5057 or email [email protected]

TRANSIT is a series of exhibitions
showcasing works produced by candidates for the
PhD, Master of Philosophy, Master of Arts
(Visual Arts), and the Graduate Diploma of Art.

exhibition one
7 – 15 February
Reception: 6pm Wednesday 6 February

exhibition two
21 – 29 February
Reception: 6pm Wednesday 20 February

exhibition three
6 – 14 March
Reception: 6pm Wednesday 5 March

http://www.transitlane.net/

?Hello again from the land of live music….

ed.

there’s a great void in the firmament now that the libs have imploded and there’s no one to hate any more …

’tis very strange indeed … but strangely pleasant as well …

INDEX

1. This Week in Folkus

2. Next Week in Folkus

3. Parish Notices

4. The Comics

5. Sport

1.

This Week In Folkus – @ The Folkus Room, (operates out of The Serbian Cultural Centre & Club) 5 Heard St. MAWSON ACT .. eastern side of Southlands Centre and just off Athllon Drive..

CHECK OUT OUR NEW MAPS PAGE…. just click this link >>> MAPS

Friday 8 February 2008 Doors and Bistro from 6.00pm Admission $15/$12 Kids Freeee ….

… We crank up the pace a bit this week with…..

>From 8.00pm Chicken Head blues with a tex/mex & hillbilly style

>From 9.00pm Wildseed proper Australian country music ….

2. Next Week In Folkus … TWO GREAT SHOWS

Friday 15 February 2008 ……. Bob Fox (UK) plus Cloudstreet and Rafe Morris

Sunday 17 February 2008 …… Eilean Mor plus MadViolet (CAN)

3. Parish Notices……..

3a. The Folkus Room is offering annual subscriptions. Click HERE for details

3b. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Announcing the timely and safe arrival of Tomas Ben Wilberforce Begg in Sydney town on 1 February 2008….. The brand new mumma is our very own Christina Mimmocchi of various voice, choir and venue management fame.

Hearty congratulations to Christina and her partner David Begg… Your world has just changed inexorably!

3c. ANDY IRVINE + CASSIDY’S CEILI are at the Canberra Irish Club on Saturday 9 Feb. Click HERE for all the details and bookings (essential) …

3d. The notice with depth C21…. Cobargo Folk Festival will be on the 22nd,23rd and 24th of February 2008 …

3e. The 4th National Australian Folklore Conference will be held at The National Library of Australia on the Thursday preceding the National Folk Festival and promises an interesting mix of speakers and themes. The conference is free and is a great opportunity to listen, contribute and have a yarn about folklore in Australia. For further information please contact Graham Seal at [email protected] or Rob Willis at [email protected] ………..

4.Three Irishmen and three Englishmen are travelling by train to a football match in London. At the station, the three English each buy a ticket and watch as the three Irish buy just one ticket between them. "How are the three of you going to travel on only one ticket?" asks one of the English. "Watch and learn," answers one of the Irish. They all board the train. The English take their respective seats but the three Irish cram into a toilet and close the door behind them. Shortly after the train has departed the conductor arrives to collect the tickets. He knocks on the toilet door and says, "Ticket please." The door opens just a crack and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand. The conductor takes it and moves on. The English are mightily impressed by this, so after the game, they decide to copy the Irish (like always!) on the return trip and save some money. When they get to the station, they buy a single ticket for the return trip. To their astonishment, the Irish don’t buy any ticket at all!! "How are you going to travel without a ticket?" asks one perplexed Englishman. "Watch and learn …" says one Paddy. When they board the train the three Irish cram into a toilet and soon after the three English pile into another nearby. The train departs. Shortly afterwards, one of the Irish leaves the toilet and sneaks across to the toilet where the English are hiding. He knocks on the door and says, "Ticket please …"

Indiscipline

I do remember one thing.

It took hours and hours,

But by the time I was done with it,

I was so involved,

I didn’t know what to think.

I carried it around with me for days and days,

Playing little games,

Like not looking at it for a whole day,

And then looking at it,

To see if I still liked it.

I did! ………….. — King Crimson

Stay Well & Truly Silly Gentle Folk

Bill Arnett

The Folkus Room

Canberra’s Acoustic Preference

61-2-62627265

0407 434 469

"No Strangers Come Here – Just Friends We Have Not Yet Met"