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"I love Tasmania because we grow it all. We've got the best wasabi. We've got the truffles, the seafood, the grains. We have buffalo meat and buffalo milk. Food is just amazing."
That's according to Yorkshire-born wine educator Curly Haslam-Coates, who has found both a home and food haven in Tasmania.
Bread and 'breakfast gelato'
One of Haslam-Coates' favourite places to go to for breakfast is in Launceston.
Last year, Stillwater was in the 'Best Fine Dining' category by the Tasmanian Hospitality Awards for Excellence.
"My favourite dishes there would be anything that had bread and eggs," she says.
She also looks out for bread and eggs when she visits her favourite farmer's markets.
I am enthusiastically seasonal because that's when ingredients are at their best.
She frequents the in Launceston, and when she's in Hobart, she enjoys .
"The beautiful thing about these markets is that the producers, the farmers, are literally there selling their products and produce. I'll get a bacon and egg sandwich or a cheese and egg. So good."
She treats herself to a "breakfast gelato" after she's done her shopping. "There will be such incredibly creative flavours and they're very seasonal. I am enthusiastically seasonal because that's when ingredients are at their best."
CURLY HASLAM-COATES RECIPE
Heirloom tomato, mozzarella and basil salad with sourdough
Truffles and bubbles
An ingredient that's available in Tasmania all year round, which she can "do [for] breakfast, lunch, and dinner", is the truffle.
"I'm very lucky that one of the farms here actually has both summer and winter truffles, so I've got pretty much around nine to 10 months of the year covered. And it's funny because truffles were just not something I ever imagined would be a regular part of my life and diet."
Haslam-Coates likes to have truffle butter with steak. "I love my steak," she says. "I like my steak pretty blue and there's a particular place I go to called the [in Launceston].
"I'm a sucker for steak with truffle butter and a glass of chardonnay."
She's also partial to a glass of bubbly.
"People think bubbles should only be for celebrations, but a mature, sparkling rosé is fabulous with savoury dishes because as it matures, it gets really earthy, mushroomy…just really beautiful."
Chocolate raspberry cheesecake brownie by Curly Haslam-Coates. Source: Kitti Gould
Curly's go-to in raspberry season
Chocolate raspberry cheesecake brownie
Keeping it local
Haslam-Coates says food is everything to her, and she is glad she found a place to live where people care about local, seasonal food.
"People here are so proud of where their beef or fish come from, that they know the guy who dives for the scallops. Like I have an asparagus lady and a potato lady as well. And that's what establishments here are so proud of."
"The beautiful thing about food, restaurants and even small cafes in Tasmania is the pride that they have in their ingredients.
"When an ingredient is not in season, it's not on the menu…like is fabulous about that. But when seasons turn and particular ingredients are in season, dishes become even more special because they're there during a limited time."
