3 min read

Salami Makers - We Want You!

"The best way to die is sit under a tree, eat lots of bologna and salami, drink a case of beer, then blow up" - Art Donovan

Some say moderation is the key, but it sounds like Art Donovan knew about the good things in life & how to enjoy them!  Salami season is one of our busiest and most exciting times of the year. We see familiar faces who have been practicing the Salami making ritual for decades, through to the first time Salami makers who need some guidance with their first batch. 

We want to reach out to all the Salami makers out there that have put it all on the line & entered their Salami into one of the many home made food competitions. Fill out one of our in-store forms & we will give you a 10% discount voucher for any future purchase.

Last week we received a new shipment of Salami making equipment and consumables. Our shelves and online store are fully stocked with string, mincers, casings & netting of all shapes & sizes and so much more! So if you have an upcoming Salami making day, come in & see us!   

As well as busily filling shelves and trying to help out all our customers, all the Home Make It team are also super DYI making machines in our spare time . So here are a few little snap shots of what some of our team have been up to..... 

Cade enjoying a hard earned beverage after a Salami making session.

Carmel's been hard at work in the garage whipping up these. 

Pina's pancetta is tasting amazing !  

Paul & the rest of the BGS salami making group with just part of their efforts. 

Last week our very own Paul Baggio spoke to RETE Italia on all things home made, and the ever growing DYI foodie scene in Melbourne. Take a listen as they talk through our very own The Makers: A Story of Food, Family and Foreigners book & touch on all the good things in life such as, Passata, Olives, Cheese & Wine making. Anna from Reservoir phoned up the show & won her very own copy of The Makers.Here's a picture of Anna picking up her copy in store . 

 

~ Cade's Brew News ~

 It's been a busy time in the home brewery as I've been testing out one of our new additions to the beer range, Biofine clear . This clarifying agent is often used by commercial breweries & now home brewers can get their hands on it too!  I brewed up a really traditionally cloudy Hefewiezen  beer & added Biofine clear when putting it into the keg. After three days, I got this. I was shocked at how well this beer cleared up. So Biofine Clear is really easy to use, and a cheap way to achieve commercial level clarity at home. 

We also welcome the Robobrew all grain brewing unit to our stores this week. The Robobrew is an all in one, stainless steel, fully electric & affordable way to enter the world of all grain brewing. For only $449 you can be brewing 30 litre's of your own craft beer from scratch in no time.

 

On an ingredients level, our grain stations at the stores are full to the brim of brewing grain.  We are well stocked with hops from all over the globe to satisfy your every recipe. Nestling in the same fridge are a wide array of dryWhite Labs & Wyeast Liquid yeasts to do any fermenting job. 

And last of all, we would like to start adding some tried & tested recipe's from some of our staff members in our newsletters. So here is stock standard all grain coffee porter recipe that I do a few times a year. Never fails to impress & perfect with your home made Salami ! 

Coffee Porter - 22 litres

Ingredients:

  • Viking Pale Ale – 3.2 kg
  • Viking Munich – 1.5 kg
  • Viking Crystal 150 – 400g
  • Viking Chocolate - 250g
  • Viking Black - 200g
  • Chinook hops – 25g
  • Cascade hops – 50g
  • Roast coffee beans – 200g

Method:

Mash your milled grain at 66c for an hour

  • 25g of Chinook hops for 60 minutes in the boil
  • ½ a Whirlfloc tablet for 10 minutes in the boil
  • 50g of Cascade hops for 5 minutes in the boil
  • Wyeast 1056 , WLP001 yeasts for a clean finish. WLP007 or Wyeast 1098 if a fruitier yeast finish is required.
  • After fermentation has ceased, place coffee beans in fermenter for 3-4 days. Then bottle or keg. 

Makes approx.: 22 litres at approx.: 5% ABV.

Happy Brewing !! 

 

~  Food & Beverage Workshops ~ 

We have already had a jam packed workshop calendar for the first half of 2016 & there is alot more to come! Click on the links for all the course dates, venues and details. Our workshops are hands on, fun and interactive. To participate in one of our great courses, just book your spot ONLINE or call our Clayton or Reservoir stores for assistance.

Courses for the remainder of 2016 include:

 

 ~ The Craft & Co - Farm ~ 

Not long ago The Craft & Co family expanded, with a new "rural" sister site opening in Bangholme. The Craft & Co Farm is home to a 40 acre vineyard, cafe, cellar door & farming/produce area. This will supply grapes for the wine, hops for beer, vegetables for the meals & even livestock for the cured meats. A real paddock to plate picture, very exciting indeed! 

For all the upcoming events, menu information or to book an event at The Craft & Co please have at look at their hunger inducing website

~ Specials ~

Click on our sale banner below for this week's Specials .   

 

~  Home Make It Vouchers ~

Our Gift Vouchers and Course Vouchers make an ideal gift for. Available In-store or ONLINE