With the finishing touches being put on the gargantuan pile of snow that will form the biggest jump in the world right now, the best skiers on the planet are beginning to clear Australian customs to take on the best local talent in Thredbo for the most anticipated big-air event on the Australian skiing calendar.
After a month long audition process, the following finalists will have from the 6th-10th of September to land their single best big-air trick on the 100ft Charles Beckinsale built jump. The winner, as voted by the public, will talk home $10,000.
Bobby Brown (USA)
Elias Ambuhl (SWI)
Jossi Wells (NZL)
Gus Kenworthy (USA)
Joe Schuster (CAN)
Chris Laker (USA)
Anna Segal (VIC)
Jesse Houghton (NSW)
Jordan Houghton (NSW)
Joss Christensen (USA)
Jerome Lambert (FRA)
Dhanu Sherpa (NSW)
In a first for the Toyota One Hit Wonder, Winter X Games gold medalist and current slope-style World Champion, Melbournian Anna Segal, will face up against the men, showing off her prowess as Australia’s distinguished princess on the international contest circuit.
“I know Jordan was feeling pretty confident until he found out that Anna is in the mix, but there is no reason she can’t step it up and throw down with the guys. I’ve got no doubt her style and finesse will impress the public voters,” says Event Director, Tim Myers.
After the finalists have gone head-to-head in the monster jump, a virtual grandstand, made up of anyone connected to the Internet, will then have three weeks to vote online at www.onehitwonderevent.com for their single favorite big-air trick to take home $10,000, the biggest first place prize on the Australian events calendar.
Each member of the public who votes will also go into the draw to win the ‘Ultimate Winter Package’ worth over $10,000. This includes an all-expenses-paid holiday for two to Hakuba Japan, staying at the luxurious Phoenix Hotel, a complete Salomon ski or snowboard package, Von Zipper eyewear, plus a GE DV1 HD Waterproof & Shockproof Video Camera to film the trip.
As well as the people’s choice champion, the athletes themselves will vote at the end of the week to decide the NIXON peer performance award, who will take home a $659 NIXON 51-30 watch, to be awarded at the Schuss Bar after party on Saturday the 10th of September.
More info on the athletes at www.onehitwonderevent.com/athletes
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Nominal Accounting. The simplest way to manage your micro business
Whether you are just starting out or you are looking for better ways to manage your existing micro business, one of the key factors to making it a success is to manage your business financials and track your business health. Nominal Accounting Software makes it super simple for businesses with up to 5 employees to stay on track.
Accounting is a fact of life for any micro/small business, whether you’re a contractor that bills to one customer on a weekly basis, or you’re in retail and need to keep track of the profitability of different products or the conversion rate of your online store. Each micro business is different and yet they have the same financial needs.
There are various ways and means to keeping your financials in order such as;
- Pen and paper; The dollar cost is very low but at the same time it is complex and time consuming. Wouldn’t time be better spent working ON your small business?
- The Shoe Box; All documents, invoices, receipts are collected and then sent off to your accountant. This is probably one of the most expensive ways to do your accounting and it fails to give you any insight to your business.
- Desktop accounting software; Such as the well known MYOB or QuickBooks. They usually require some kind of training to begin using them or at least a basic understanding of accounting concepts.
- Online accounting software; Such as Saasu, Xero and many others are available today. The usually have higher ongoing costs and that they lack a lot of the functionality that is available in other desktop solutions.
- Outsourced bookkeeper; Similar to the shoebox option - it makes it simpler for you but costs more and provides you with less insight into the workings of your own business.
- In-house bookkeeper; The cost of a full-time or part-time employee comes with the highest costs and is probably an over kill for most small businesses.
So what is the answer? No business can run efficiently without any kind of bookkeeping and Nominal Accounting Software offers a unique accounting program specifically designed with micro businesses n mind, unlike other products that target businesses of all sizes.
The desktop software helps you manage all aspects of your business including:
- Time Billing; bill customers for time spent, multiple rates and costs, easy to fill timesheet which automatically generates an invoice.
- PayPal Accounting; integrate your PayPal account, auto create invoices, purchases and payments, account for PayPal fees and transfers.
- Integration with all your online systems (Freshbooks/Harvest-invoicing, SalesForce/SugarCRM/Highrise-CRM, Magento/ZenCart/VirtueMart-shopping carts and Google – contacts)
- Invoicing Customers; choose and customise an invoice template (reinforcing your brand), bill for time, print and email invoices, record credit notes.
- Paying Vendors; record receipt of items, enter and pay bills.
- Tracking Inventory; manage your item list, adjust physical count and inventory values, adjust prices and costings.
- Managing Cash and Bank Accounts; spending money, making deposits, transferring money, working with register and reconciling accounts.
- Paying Employees; setting up payroll, paying employees, editing, printing and emailing payslips and recording payroll liabilities.
- Preparing Financial Reports; producing reports, customising reports; scheduling and emailing reports.
- SBR Standard business reporting; using the NEW Australian Government interface, Nominal Accounting is also the FIRST and ONLY small business accounting software that allows you to submit your Business Activity Statement and Tax File Number declaration forms from within the accounting software.
- Business Dashboard that allows you to view multiple KPIs, such sales over time, average sale, as well as Facebook Feeds, Twitter mentions, Twitter followers over time and your Google Analytics stats.
Nominal Accounting Software helps you to track the health of your business at a glance with monthly, quarterly & yearly reports, so you can make decisions in real time to benefit your business.
If the shoebox is full then it’s time to look at another way to keep your finances on track! Nominal Small Business Accounting Software brings the greatest insights to your business as well as the simplicity that is required by the micro business owner.
For more information on Nominal Accounting, visit: http://www.nominal.com.au
Accounting is a fact of life for any micro/small business, whether you’re a contractor that bills to one customer on a weekly basis, or you’re in retail and need to keep track of the profitability of different products or the conversion rate of your online store. Each micro business is different and yet they have the same financial needs.
There are various ways and means to keeping your financials in order such as;
- Pen and paper; The dollar cost is very low but at the same time it is complex and time consuming. Wouldn’t time be better spent working ON your small business?
- The Shoe Box; All documents, invoices, receipts are collected and then sent off to your accountant. This is probably one of the most expensive ways to do your accounting and it fails to give you any insight to your business.
- Desktop accounting software; Such as the well known MYOB or QuickBooks. They usually require some kind of training to begin using them or at least a basic understanding of accounting concepts.
- Online accounting software; Such as Saasu, Xero and many others are available today. The usually have higher ongoing costs and that they lack a lot of the functionality that is available in other desktop solutions.
- Outsourced bookkeeper; Similar to the shoebox option - it makes it simpler for you but costs more and provides you with less insight into the workings of your own business.
- In-house bookkeeper; The cost of a full-time or part-time employee comes with the highest costs and is probably an over kill for most small businesses.
So what is the answer? No business can run efficiently without any kind of bookkeeping and Nominal Accounting Software offers a unique accounting program specifically designed with micro businesses n mind, unlike other products that target businesses of all sizes.
The desktop software helps you manage all aspects of your business including:
- Time Billing; bill customers for time spent, multiple rates and costs, easy to fill timesheet which automatically generates an invoice.
- PayPal Accounting; integrate your PayPal account, auto create invoices, purchases and payments, account for PayPal fees and transfers.
- Integration with all your online systems (Freshbooks/Harvest-invoicing, SalesForce/SugarCRM/Highrise-CRM, Magento/ZenCart/VirtueMart-shopping carts and Google – contacts)
- Invoicing Customers; choose and customise an invoice template (reinforcing your brand), bill for time, print and email invoices, record credit notes.
- Paying Vendors; record receipt of items, enter and pay bills.
- Tracking Inventory; manage your item list, adjust physical count and inventory values, adjust prices and costings.
- Managing Cash and Bank Accounts; spending money, making deposits, transferring money, working with register and reconciling accounts.
- Paying Employees; setting up payroll, paying employees, editing, printing and emailing payslips and recording payroll liabilities.
- Preparing Financial Reports; producing reports, customising reports; scheduling and emailing reports.
- SBR Standard business reporting; using the NEW Australian Government interface, Nominal Accounting is also the FIRST and ONLY small business accounting software that allows you to submit your Business Activity Statement and Tax File Number declaration forms from within the accounting software.
- Business Dashboard that allows you to view multiple KPIs, such sales over time, average sale, as well as Facebook Feeds, Twitter mentions, Twitter followers over time and your Google Analytics stats.
Nominal Accounting Software helps you to track the health of your business at a glance with monthly, quarterly & yearly reports, so you can make decisions in real time to benefit your business.
If the shoebox is full then it’s time to look at another way to keep your finances on track! Nominal Small Business Accounting Software brings the greatest insights to your business as well as the simplicity that is required by the micro business owner.
For more information on Nominal Accounting, visit: http://www.nominal.com.au
Monday, August 1, 2011
Christine Manfield & Annie Smithers share a ‘Taste of Burgundy’
The 2011 Tastes of Burgundy tour was an opportunity to travel with two of Australia’s most acclaimed and recognized chefs to a region of the world that is eponymous for its produce, food and wine. The 2011 tour saw illustrious Australian chef\s, Christine Manfield and Annie Smithers, lead participants on a culinary journey through Burgundy, with dishes to inspire and stimulate.
After the resounding success of the Tastes of Burgundy tour 2011, both Christine and Annie have compiled two recipes which can give everyone a little ‘Taste of Burgundy’.
“I was thrilled to be part of the inaugural Tastes of Burgundy tour for 2011’, says Christine Manfield of the highly acclaimed Universal Restaurant in Darlinghurst, Sydney. “It was a wonderful culinary and wine experience with myriad taste sensations, the produce is inspiring’ she says.
‘The recipes reflect the seasonal and regional produce I found at the various markets in Burgundy’ explains Christine.
‘Spring is when white asparagus, tomatoes, radishes and strawberries are in abundance. Chicken, pork, game birds, rabbits and lamb are plentiful and the array of artisan farmhouse cheeses is extraordinary,’ she says.
“We had a fantastic trip to Burgundy!” says Annie Smithers, from Annie Smithers Bistrot in Kyneton.
“Fresh and seasonal produce is a major ingredient when cooking in Burgundy, which is similar to my bistro in Kyneton as we grow and use all our own produce,” she says. “I hope the recipes I have provided will give you a ‘taste of burgundy.”
Next year, three prominent Australian chefs are set to once again, delight the senses of food and wine enthusiasts with a penchant for French cooking with the Tastes of Burgundy 2012 tour.
Commencing in April 2012, Tastes of Burgundy will run 5 weeks of cooking schools in the iconic gourmet region of eastern France, La Bourgogne (Burgundy).
Each Tastes of Burgundy weeklong experience will be individually led by the crème de la crème of the industry;
• Serge Dansereau from one of Sydney’s best and Australia’s most acclaimed eating establishments, Bathers Pavilion on Sydney’s Balmoral Beach;
• Andrew McConnell, Executive Chef and co-owner of Melbourne’s Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar, Cumulus Inc and the recently opened Golden Fields in Melbourne;
• Kate Lamont, one of Western Australia’s most successful chefs of Lamont’s restaurant in Perth CBD, Cottesloe and the Margaret River.
Each of the renowned foodies have signed up to teach the one-week Tastes of Burgundy school experience in April, May and June 2012. Each week will include three “cooking days”, involving market visits (Dijon, Beaune and Chalon or Autun), menu design and afternoon cooking classes, culminating in an exquisite dinner each evening.
sensations, the produce is inspiring’ she says.
The non-cooking days will be packed full of trips and experiences including; barrel tastings in a stunning 14th century cellar; a visit to local artisan farm – one of France’s finest produces of cherve, and the must see Hospice of Beaune.
Participants will also dine in restaurants ranging from small bistros to the stunning Abbaye de la Bussiere, a former monastery, now Relais & Chateaux accommodation and Michelin-star gastronomic restaurant and bistro. A farewell degustation dinner created by the talented hands of Chef de Cuisine, Eric Pras, and his team at the famous three-star Michelin restaurant, Lameloise in Chagny, will conclude the week savoring the Tastes Of Burgundy.
Fine food and wine aficionados will delight in eight days of sumptuous local food and wine in Burgundy with their chosen chef, whilst cooking and residing at a stunning 18th century chateau just outside the village of Meursault. The chateau is set in 6-hectare parklands, complimented by traditional antique décor, a sunny outside terrace and in-ground swimming pool.
The week is all-inclusive, from first arrival and pick-up in Le Creusot, seven nights accommodation in a beautiful chateau, cooking classes, cultural visits, transport for the week, all meals, wine, champagne and the return transfer to Le Creusot for onward travel. All Inclusive Tour - AUD$9,000 per person
Tastes of Burgundy is an opportunity to travel with one of three of Australia’s most acclaimed and recognized chefs to a region of the world that is eponymous for its produce, food and wine.
A complete culinary experience from the beginning to the end
Visit www.tastesofburgundy.com for more information.
After the resounding success of the Tastes of Burgundy tour 2011, both Christine and Annie have compiled two recipes which can give everyone a little ‘Taste of Burgundy’.
“I was thrilled to be part of the inaugural Tastes of Burgundy tour for 2011’, says Christine Manfield of the highly acclaimed Universal Restaurant in Darlinghurst, Sydney. “It was a wonderful culinary and wine experience with myriad taste sensations, the produce is inspiring’ she says.
‘The recipes reflect the seasonal and regional produce I found at the various markets in Burgundy’ explains Christine.
‘Spring is when white asparagus, tomatoes, radishes and strawberries are in abundance. Chicken, pork, game birds, rabbits and lamb are plentiful and the array of artisan farmhouse cheeses is extraordinary,’ she says.
“We had a fantastic trip to Burgundy!” says Annie Smithers, from Annie Smithers Bistrot in Kyneton.
“Fresh and seasonal produce is a major ingredient when cooking in Burgundy, which is similar to my bistro in Kyneton as we grow and use all our own produce,” she says. “I hope the recipes I have provided will give you a ‘taste of burgundy.”
Next year, three prominent Australian chefs are set to once again, delight the senses of food and wine enthusiasts with a penchant for French cooking with the Tastes of Burgundy 2012 tour.
Commencing in April 2012, Tastes of Burgundy will run 5 weeks of cooking schools in the iconic gourmet region of eastern France, La Bourgogne (Burgundy).
Each Tastes of Burgundy weeklong experience will be individually led by the crème de la crème of the industry;
• Serge Dansereau from one of Sydney’s best and Australia’s most acclaimed eating establishments, Bathers Pavilion on Sydney’s Balmoral Beach;
• Andrew McConnell, Executive Chef and co-owner of Melbourne’s Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar, Cumulus Inc and the recently opened Golden Fields in Melbourne;
• Kate Lamont, one of Western Australia’s most successful chefs of Lamont’s restaurant in Perth CBD, Cottesloe and the Margaret River.
Each of the renowned foodies have signed up to teach the one-week Tastes of Burgundy school experience in April, May and June 2012. Each week will include three “cooking days”, involving market visits (Dijon, Beaune and Chalon or Autun), menu design and afternoon cooking classes, culminating in an exquisite dinner each evening.
sensations, the produce is inspiring’ she says.
The non-cooking days will be packed full of trips and experiences including; barrel tastings in a stunning 14th century cellar; a visit to local artisan farm – one of France’s finest produces of cherve, and the must see Hospice of Beaune.
Participants will also dine in restaurants ranging from small bistros to the stunning Abbaye de la Bussiere, a former monastery, now Relais & Chateaux accommodation and Michelin-star gastronomic restaurant and bistro. A farewell degustation dinner created by the talented hands of Chef de Cuisine, Eric Pras, and his team at the famous three-star Michelin restaurant, Lameloise in Chagny, will conclude the week savoring the Tastes Of Burgundy.
Fine food and wine aficionados will delight in eight days of sumptuous local food and wine in Burgundy with their chosen chef, whilst cooking and residing at a stunning 18th century chateau just outside the village of Meursault. The chateau is set in 6-hectare parklands, complimented by traditional antique décor, a sunny outside terrace and in-ground swimming pool.
The week is all-inclusive, from first arrival and pick-up in Le Creusot, seven nights accommodation in a beautiful chateau, cooking classes, cultural visits, transport for the week, all meals, wine, champagne and the return transfer to Le Creusot for onward travel. All Inclusive Tour - AUD$9,000 per person
Tastes of Burgundy is an opportunity to travel with one of three of Australia’s most acclaimed and recognized chefs to a region of the world that is eponymous for its produce, food and wine.
A complete culinary experience from the beginning to the end
Visit www.tastesofburgundy.com for more information.
Give a heartfelt gift this Fathers Day
This Fathers Day, there’s a heartfelt, affordable way to show your appreciation for your Dad by adopting Sumatran orangutan twins through the Australian Orangutan Project. They are in desperate need of funds to buy medicines, nappies, food and the basics of life. Each orangutan infant requires one-on-one attention for the first eight years of their lives - the time it takes for an orangutan mother to teach her infant how to survive in the rainforest.
On 21 January 2011, an adult female at Batu Mbelin named Gober, gave birth to healthy twins; a boy named Ganteng (meaning handsome) and a girl named Ginting (a popular local name). Orangutan twins are very rare and these babies are extra special since both parents are blind and lucky to be alive.
Gober lost her sight to cataracts and was rescued in 2008 after her blindness forced her to raid crops, risking almost certain death from villagers. The twins Father, Leuser, was shot by villagers with an air rifle and was found near death with 62 air rifle wounds including three pellets lodged in his eyes.
Due to their blindness both parent orangutans now have to spend the rest of their lives at Batu Mbelin, a care centre in Sumatra. Gober and Leuser were introduced to each other in 2010 in the same cage for companionship. The usual breeding ban at the centre was lifted to improve the quality of life for elderly Gober, now well over 40 years old. Gober is now kept well and truly busy looking after not one, but two beautiful babies.
It is hoped that both infants will eventually be released to a life in the wild, something that has now been denied to both their parents. Despite their handicaps, both Gober’s and Leuser’s genes will be given a second chance to contribute to the conservation of their species in the wilds of Sumatra.
“Adoption is an opportunity to make a real difference to orangutans’ lives by improving their survival chances, offering them a safe, secure and stable future and habitat. From what our adoptive families tell us, it is an enormously rewarding experience for them too,” says Leif Cocks, President and Founder of the Australian Orangutan Project.
100% of this Father’s Day donation of $110 will go towards the raising and support that the care centre in Sumatra need to get these young infants back into the wild.
Your Father’s Day foster pack will include: A certificate with your Dad’s name on it; a biography of the twins and their parents; activity booklet; magnet and sticker. PLUS, when you donate, you will receive an AOP stubby cooler just to let him know how much you love him!
So to celebrate Father’s Day this year, please help the orphans to celebrate too by giving them a future. You can adopt the twins too by visiting http://www.orangutan.org.au/adoptions-new/adoption-the-twins-yearly and following the prompts.
Please ring 1300 REDAPE for inquiries!
On 21 January 2011, an adult female at Batu Mbelin named Gober, gave birth to healthy twins; a boy named Ganteng (meaning handsome) and a girl named Ginting (a popular local name). Orangutan twins are very rare and these babies are extra special since both parents are blind and lucky to be alive.
Gober lost her sight to cataracts and was rescued in 2008 after her blindness forced her to raid crops, risking almost certain death from villagers. The twins Father, Leuser, was shot by villagers with an air rifle and was found near death with 62 air rifle wounds including three pellets lodged in his eyes.
Due to their blindness both parent orangutans now have to spend the rest of their lives at Batu Mbelin, a care centre in Sumatra. Gober and Leuser were introduced to each other in 2010 in the same cage for companionship. The usual breeding ban at the centre was lifted to improve the quality of life for elderly Gober, now well over 40 years old. Gober is now kept well and truly busy looking after not one, but two beautiful babies.
It is hoped that both infants will eventually be released to a life in the wild, something that has now been denied to both their parents. Despite their handicaps, both Gober’s and Leuser’s genes will be given a second chance to contribute to the conservation of their species in the wilds of Sumatra.
“Adoption is an opportunity to make a real difference to orangutans’ lives by improving their survival chances, offering them a safe, secure and stable future and habitat. From what our adoptive families tell us, it is an enormously rewarding experience for them too,” says Leif Cocks, President and Founder of the Australian Orangutan Project.
100% of this Father’s Day donation of $110 will go towards the raising and support that the care centre in Sumatra need to get these young infants back into the wild.
Your Father’s Day foster pack will include: A certificate with your Dad’s name on it; a biography of the twins and their parents; activity booklet; magnet and sticker. PLUS, when you donate, you will receive an AOP stubby cooler just to let him know how much you love him!
So to celebrate Father’s Day this year, please help the orphans to celebrate too by giving them a future. You can adopt the twins too by visiting http://www.orangutan.org.au/adoptions-new/adoption-the-twins-yearly and following the prompts.
Please ring 1300 REDAPE for inquiries!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tastes of Burgundy set to tantalise French cooking fans in 2012!
Tastes of Burgundy set to tantalise French cooking fans in 2012!
After the resounding success of the Tastes of Burgundy tour 2011, three prominent Australian chefs are set to once again, delight the senses of food and wine enthusiasts with a penchant for French cooking with the Tastes of Burgundy 2012 tour.
Commencing in April 2012, Tastes of Burgundy will run 6 weeks of cooking schools in the iconic gourmet region of eastern France, La Bourgogne (Burgundy).
Each Tastes of Burgundy weeklong experience will be individually led by the crème de la crème of the industry;
• Serge Dansereau from one of Sydney’s best and Australia’s most acclaimed eating establishments, Bathers Pavilion on Sydney’s Balmoral Beach;
• Andrew McConnell, Executive Chef and co-owner of Melbourne’s Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar, Cumulus Inc and the recently opened Golden Fields in Melbourne;
• Kate Lamont, one of Western Australia’s most successful chefs of Lamont’s restaurant in Perth CBD, Cottesloe and the Margaret River.
Each of the renowned foodies have signed up to teach the one-week Tastes of Burgundy school experience in April, May and June 2012. Each week will include three “cooking days”, involving market visits (Dijon, Beaune and Chalon or Autun), menu design and afternoon cooking classes, culminating in an exquisite dinner each evening.
The 2011 tour saw illustrious chefs, Christine Manfield and Annie Smithers, lead participants through a culinary minefield in Burgundy, with dishes to inspire and stimulate.
“I was thrilled to be part of the inaugural Tastes of Burgundy tour for 2011’, says Christine Manfield of the highly acclaimed Universal Restaurant in Darlinghurst, Sydney. “It was a wonderful culinary and wine experience with myriad taste sensations, the produce is inspiring’ she says.
The non-cooking days will be packed full of trips and experiences including; barrel tastings in a stunning 14th century cellar; a visit to local artisan farm – one of France’s finest produces of cherve, and the must see Hospice of Beaune.
Participants will also dine in restaurants ranging from small bistros to the stunning Abbaye de la Bussiere, a former monastery, now Relais & Chateaux accommodation and Michelin-star gastronomic restaurant and bistro. A farewell degustation dinner created by the talented hands of Chef de Cuisine, Eric Pras, and his team at the famous three-star Michelin restaurant, Lameloise in Chagny, will conclude the week savoring the Tastes Of Burgundy.
Fine food and wine aficionados will delight in eight days of sumptuous local food and wine in Burgundy with their chosen chef, whilst cooking and residing at a stunning 18th century chateau just outside the village of Meursault. The chateau is set in 6-hectare parklands, complimented by traditional antique décor, a sunny outside terrace and in-ground swimming pool.
The week is all-inclusive, from first arrival and pick-up in Le Creusot, seven nights accommodation in a beautiful chateau, cooking classes, cultural visits, transport for the week, all meals, wine, champagne and the return transfer to Le Creusot for onward travel.
A complete culinary experience from the beginning to the end.
Visit www.tastesofburgundy.com for more information.
After the resounding success of the Tastes of Burgundy tour 2011, three prominent Australian chefs are set to once again, delight the senses of food and wine enthusiasts with a penchant for French cooking with the Tastes of Burgundy 2012 tour.
Commencing in April 2012, Tastes of Burgundy will run 6 weeks of cooking schools in the iconic gourmet region of eastern France, La Bourgogne (Burgundy).
Each Tastes of Burgundy weeklong experience will be individually led by the crème de la crème of the industry;
• Serge Dansereau from one of Sydney’s best and Australia’s most acclaimed eating establishments, Bathers Pavilion on Sydney’s Balmoral Beach;
• Andrew McConnell, Executive Chef and co-owner of Melbourne’s Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar, Cumulus Inc and the recently opened Golden Fields in Melbourne;
• Kate Lamont, one of Western Australia’s most successful chefs of Lamont’s restaurant in Perth CBD, Cottesloe and the Margaret River.
Each of the renowned foodies have signed up to teach the one-week Tastes of Burgundy school experience in April, May and June 2012. Each week will include three “cooking days”, involving market visits (Dijon, Beaune and Chalon or Autun), menu design and afternoon cooking classes, culminating in an exquisite dinner each evening.
The 2011 tour saw illustrious chefs, Christine Manfield and Annie Smithers, lead participants through a culinary minefield in Burgundy, with dishes to inspire and stimulate.
“I was thrilled to be part of the inaugural Tastes of Burgundy tour for 2011’, says Christine Manfield of the highly acclaimed Universal Restaurant in Darlinghurst, Sydney. “It was a wonderful culinary and wine experience with myriad taste sensations, the produce is inspiring’ she says.
The non-cooking days will be packed full of trips and experiences including; barrel tastings in a stunning 14th century cellar; a visit to local artisan farm – one of France’s finest produces of cherve, and the must see Hospice of Beaune.
Participants will also dine in restaurants ranging from small bistros to the stunning Abbaye de la Bussiere, a former monastery, now Relais & Chateaux accommodation and Michelin-star gastronomic restaurant and bistro. A farewell degustation dinner created by the talented hands of Chef de Cuisine, Eric Pras, and his team at the famous three-star Michelin restaurant, Lameloise in Chagny, will conclude the week savoring the Tastes Of Burgundy.
Fine food and wine aficionados will delight in eight days of sumptuous local food and wine in Burgundy with their chosen chef, whilst cooking and residing at a stunning 18th century chateau just outside the village of Meursault. The chateau is set in 6-hectare parklands, complimented by traditional antique décor, a sunny outside terrace and in-ground swimming pool.
The week is all-inclusive, from first arrival and pick-up in Le Creusot, seven nights accommodation in a beautiful chateau, cooking classes, cultural visits, transport for the week, all meals, wine, champagne and the return transfer to Le Creusot for onward travel.
A complete culinary experience from the beginning to the end.
Visit www.tastesofburgundy.com for more information.
Critically Endangered Orangutan Pushed Closer to Extinction as Government Set to Reject Mandatory Labelling of Palm Oil
Critically Endangered Orangutan Pushed Closer to Extinction as Government Set to Reject Mandatory Labelling of Palm Oil
Thursday’s recommendation by the Senate Community Affairs Legislative Committee to reject a bill that requires mandatory labeling of palm oil in food products will mean that Australians are kept in the dark as palm oil continues to be labelled as vegetable oil.
Orangutans are being pushed dangerously close to extinction - predicted within the next 10 years - as widespread deforestation due to palm oil plantations has left them with sparse remaining habitat in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is estimated that an orangutan dies every two hours as land is cleared for further palm oil plantations.
Greens senator Rachel Siewert and Independent senator Nick Xenophon have condemned both major parties for rejecting a move designed to help protect endangered orangutans and wildlife species.
The Australian Orangutan Project and Australian consumers demand that mandatory labeling of palm oil in food products is introduced. Palm oil is the single biggest threat to the orangutan and exists in 50% of supermarket products, yet is masked under a myriad of labels including ‘vegetable oil’.
Whilst some food manufacturers may voluntarily label or even remove palm oil from their products, it is clear that without labeling support by Government policy that most will not.
The palm oil industry does not want Australians to know if they are consuming their product and the Senate Community Affairs Legislative Committee has supported them. Public submissions to the senate consistently argue for the right to know using clear labeling.
“It is unmistakable that Australians want to make informed choices about products containing palm oil. The Australian Orangutan Project calls on the government to heed public support for the bill when it is introduced to parliament this coming Thursday,” says Stephen Leonard, Legal Advisor of the Australian Orangutan Project.
“I find it deeply concerning that the Australian Government seems more interested in doing what the Malaysian palm oil lobby would like, rather than listening to the Australian people."
The orangutan exists as a flagship specifies for many other critically endangered species that live in the same habitat, therefore protecting orangutans means protecting the whole ecosystem of flora and fauna.
“The destruction of rainforest for palm oil plantations is not only the major cause of orangutan decline, but all biodiversity, including Sumatran tigers & elephants and gibbons, as well as the cause of the displacement of vulnerable indigenous communities,” says Troy Kenah, Vice President of the Australian Orangutan Project.
The Australian Orangutan Project urges the public to speak out in favour of the Food Standards Amendment (Truth in Labelling - Palm Oil) Bill 2010, and contact their local MP http://www.aph.gov.au.
Thursday’s recommendation by the Senate Community Affairs Legislative Committee to reject a bill that requires mandatory labeling of palm oil in food products will mean that Australians are kept in the dark as palm oil continues to be labelled as vegetable oil.
Orangutans are being pushed dangerously close to extinction - predicted within the next 10 years - as widespread deforestation due to palm oil plantations has left them with sparse remaining habitat in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is estimated that an orangutan dies every two hours as land is cleared for further palm oil plantations.
Greens senator Rachel Siewert and Independent senator Nick Xenophon have condemned both major parties for rejecting a move designed to help protect endangered orangutans and wildlife species.
The Australian Orangutan Project and Australian consumers demand that mandatory labeling of palm oil in food products is introduced. Palm oil is the single biggest threat to the orangutan and exists in 50% of supermarket products, yet is masked under a myriad of labels including ‘vegetable oil’.
Whilst some food manufacturers may voluntarily label or even remove palm oil from their products, it is clear that without labeling support by Government policy that most will not.
The palm oil industry does not want Australians to know if they are consuming their product and the Senate Community Affairs Legislative Committee has supported them. Public submissions to the senate consistently argue for the right to know using clear labeling.
“It is unmistakable that Australians want to make informed choices about products containing palm oil. The Australian Orangutan Project calls on the government to heed public support for the bill when it is introduced to parliament this coming Thursday,” says Stephen Leonard, Legal Advisor of the Australian Orangutan Project.
“I find it deeply concerning that the Australian Government seems more interested in doing what the Malaysian palm oil lobby would like, rather than listening to the Australian people."
The orangutan exists as a flagship specifies for many other critically endangered species that live in the same habitat, therefore protecting orangutans means protecting the whole ecosystem of flora and fauna.
“The destruction of rainforest for palm oil plantations is not only the major cause of orangutan decline, but all biodiversity, including Sumatran tigers & elephants and gibbons, as well as the cause of the displacement of vulnerable indigenous communities,” says Troy Kenah, Vice President of the Australian Orangutan Project.
The Australian Orangutan Project urges the public to speak out in favour of the Food Standards Amendment (Truth in Labelling - Palm Oil) Bill 2010, and contact their local MP http://www.aph.gov.au.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)