Truffle Kerfuffle, 2021 held from 25 to 27 June at Fonty’s Pool in Manjimup, nestled in Western Australia’s south west.
Our Chef Penny was asked by The Australian Truffle Traders to join the fun and cook her now famous truffle pizzas at the most decadent winter festival in the State, the 10th annual Truffle Kerfuffle was the biggest celebration for truffle lovers in the event’s history.
Penny asked her friend and culinary wizard Nico Morretti of Urban Providers in Perth, to help out for the weekend, and together they served over 800 pizzas to the hungry punters, in only 3 Gozney pizza ovens.
Held in the most prolific truffle growing region in the Southern Hemisphere, the festival is a true celebration of Manjimup’s prized black truffles, sought-after by chefs across the globe for their consistent high quality, impossible-to-describe taste and heady, earthy aroma.
“What better way to spend a winter weekend than celebrating and hunting for world class Australian black truffles.
Besides delectable dining events and fireside cooking sessions in the Chef’s Cabin, there’ll be truffle dog demonstrations and truffle hunts, free cooking demonstrations with chef Tony Howell and acclaimed chefs, wine sessions, beer masterclasses and spirit tastings, an undercover Marketplace where you can meet local farmers, producers, winemakers and the community that make up the Southern Forests region, plus plenty of truffle-laden dishes to try and buy, music and more.
Hey Penny, team at Bali Asli
We cooked chicken satay and it was a big hit! First time all worked well just need to tweak and refine over time. Will keep experimenting. All our guests loved it and enjoyed that as well as our lychee martinis we made.
Cheers
Dave & Erin
Forget the fois gras and toss the truffles,
Bali restaurants are pivoting towards the island’s
plentiful local produce for fresh flavor.
To read the story open this PDF.
by Samantha Brown for CNN
September 10, 2014
CNN has the full story, have a read.
Every morning when I visit the local market to buy my ingredients for the menu at Bali Asli, I sit with the ladies and enjoy my breakfast “Bubur Injin”.
I buy it from an old man who has a push cart “rombong”, he is very proud to tell me that his bubur is the best in town and that he makes it himself with all natural ingredients and the best “Gula Bali” palm sugar.
He fills a porcelain bowl similar to one that my Grandma has in her kitchen with the steaming rich dark brown porridge, the aroma fills my head and I instantly start to salivate in anticipation!
He passes it to me on a raggedy old cloth on top so I don’t burn my hand when I’m enjoying my breakfast, he swirls some freshly made coconut milk and passes me a spoon. I join the rest of his customers and crouch on the curbside, yum!
I am the only western person in the market so I am somewhat of a curiosity to them. They look on without being shy to stare to see if I can eat such a traditional meal! It does not take long before we strike up a conversation and I am learning how to make BuBur Injin and many other delicious sounding breakfast dishes. Tomorrow I will try Ibu Komang’s “Tipat Serombutan”….
One of my first memorable experiences of Balinese food was when a friend of mine took me to their favourite warung, (Balinese cafe) they told me the food there was some of the best in the area. I was very excited because I was new to Bali and I hadn’t yet tried the street food.
When we got to the warung it was quite grubby and had heaps of flies every where. But the aroma of the food was amazing, so I turned my eyes off and sat down to enjoy some fish sate, fish soup, a salad of long beans with a tomato dressing, fried peanuts, and fish that had been wrapped in banana leaf and grilled and of course rice.
My friend bought a beer to accompany her meal (It was 10.30 in the morning!) a bit too early for me!! I had iced tea.
The flavours of the food where fantastic, seasoned perfectly and cooked well. However, after my first few mouthfuls I realised that there was rather a lot of chilli in the spice mixes, sambals and marinades. Before I knew it my entire mouth was numb! I couldn’t chew for fear of biting my tongue!! I wanted to eat more because it was truly delicious but I physically could not!! it was just too spicy!
This dining experience was one of many that inspired me to create an establishment that serves authentic Balinese fare, but with a fire rating more suited to visitors to Bali. I know it sounds strange, but it is very difficult to find really good representations of Balinese food in Bali, that are prepared in the traditional manner and in a place that is clean, appetising and hygienic.
I endeavour to bridge that gap!
