The Food Comeback
Words–
Nat Woods
@nat.woods_
Photos–
Lila Theodoros
@studio.musemuse
Food Legends–
The Flavour Fountain
@theflavourfountain
Keith’s Shop of Really Really Really Good Things
@keithsshopofgoodthings
Pyewacket’s Traditional
@pyewacketstraditional
Baker and Daughters
@bakeranddaughters
A dreamy sense of nostalgia can be brought on by a myriad of things – a favourite song from our youth, the scents of summer holidays by the seaside, a piece of clothing from a cringe-worthy past fashion fad. But what about the nostalgia evoked by the foods we eat and drink? A dish lovingly created by our grandmother, or a drink consumed on a romantic date. We chat to three local food and beverage makers reinventing classic foods from the past.
The Flavour Fountain
What food have you brought back and why did you feel that your product needed to have a comeback?
We've reinvented the classic fizzy drink flavours with our premium craft soda range. Our unique flavour combinations are carefully balanced, complex blends of fresh citrus, botanicals, sugars and vinegars; only likened to that of the soda fountain operators and their soda jerks before the invention of the aluminium can where their curious concoctions could no longer compete with the cost and convenience of a can of pop.
What are some foods or drinks that take you back in time the minute they touch your lips? And where are you taken?
The soda flavours of the world, L&P takes me back to NZ, Dr Pepper takes me back to the USA, some funky lychee tea drinks take me to Thailand, but the oldest time trip I get is a humble roast lamb, takes me back to Grandma’s table every time.
If you could bring back one food or drink from the past, what would it be and why?
Pre 'Pure Food & Drug Act of 1906' Coca-Cola, just to see what all the buzz was about.
Do you think it’s important for us all to pass down these older foods and recipes to keep them alive?
Not necessarily, sometimes they're stepping stones to greater flavours, sometimes they represent something special to an individual, but the greatest flavours will always find a way to stay alive.
theflavourfountain.com
Keith’s Shop of Really Really Really Good Things
– Katie and Matthew
What food have you brought back and why did you feel that your product needed to have a comeback?
I’m not sure that we have brought back any foods here at Keith – these foods have always been with us. But I guess now being in the Northern Rivers where beautiful fresh produce is plentiful year round, we have the opportunity to work with both old and new recipes. Coming from Canada where fresh local produce isn’t readily available for up to six months of the year, canning and pickling is just a common practice in most households, particularly in rural areas similar to where Matthew grew up. And now in an era where we are all trying much harder to practice ‘no waste’ and sustainability in our lifestyles, it makes sense to jar, pickle and preserve more.
What are some foods or drinks that take you back in time the minute they touch your lips? And where are you taken?
Sour dill pickles instantly take Matthew back to his nana’s kitchen and spending weekends there jarring and pickling. And many will cringe at this, but I’m going to say ‘don’t knock it till you try it’… malty pickled onions and crunchy peanut butter sandwiches take me back to late nights on the couch watching X-Files with my Dad.
If you could bring back one food or drink from the past, what would it be and why?
Wine, made the way it used to be without all the preservatives and crap. Natural/minimal intervention wines are already making a huge come back, particularly here in Australia, which we are stoked to see. Small batch producers who are farming holistically to produce great kick ass wines. A lot of these smaller producers seem to have a focus on creating wines that share a similar philosophy to the preserving and pickling food movement – it’s about bringing family and friends together both in the growing, production and preparation. It’s enjoying and sharing the whole process.
Do you think it’s important for us all to pass down these older foods and recipes to keep them alive?
Of course! The more we can all learn and teach each other about using produce from our local areas, that is farmed sustainably, the better it is for everybody right? And we all get to have some fun doing it together.
@keithsshopofgoodthings
Pyewacket’s Traditional
What food have you brought back and why did you feel that your product needed to have a comeback?
We’ve brought back “shrubs”, which is the traditional name of preserved seasonal fruit and herb extracts that are fermented in vinegar. Shrubs were valued as nutritional tonics throughout the middle ages during long winter months when fresh food was in short supply. They are used like cordials in sparkling water to make botanical sodas or as mixers for cocktails. As a culture we have moved away from real food towards highly processed and artificial substitutes. As a business, we are all about getting back to basics and back to nature – for our health, the health of the planet and because real food is delicious.
What are some foods or drinks that take you back in time the minute they touch your lips? And where are you taken?
A ripe juicy peach from the west coast of Canada (where I’m from) that is extra sweet because it had a cold winter. A sweeter than candy mango peeled and eaten whole on Christmas Day in Australia. A mandarin still warm from the sun picked off the tree in my winter garden. Heirloom and homegrown food has a strong connection to the land that it was grown on and helps us to solidify our relationship to season and place. This is what we try to capture in each bottle of our shrubs.
If you could bring back one food or drink from the past, what would it be and why?
We wouldn’t bring back one food, we would bring back thousands! Over the last hundred years we have lost so much variety in the species of fruits, vegetables and herbs that we eat. The variety of beans, tomatoes, apples – everything that was available in the past, we would love to bring that back, or at least try and preserve what we still have.
Do you think it’s important for us all to pass down these older foods and recipes to keep them alive?
Absolutely! We are witnessing a cultural shift right now with people wanting to connect more with their food and where it comes from. We’re seeing that traditional foods are better for our health and wellbeing, they taste better, and they connect us to the natural world. They are one of life’s joys! Pyewacket’s Traditional not only wants to bring back traditional food techniques but also support the farmers who are growing our food here.
pyewacketstraditional.com.au