Matthew Evans

Chef, farmer, author, star of Gourmet Farmer on SBS TV, co-owner of Fat Pig Farm in southern Tasmania

“I LIKE TO UN WIND IN THE TASMANIA N WILDERNESS. I ALWAYS FEEL REPLENISHED AFTER GOING TO MOUNT FIELD, CRADLE MOUNTAIN OR THE TAR KIN E .” Matthew Evans

SUMMER IS… Raspberries plucked straight from the cane. The most perfect fragrant peach. Dips in the river. A big hat and long, long days.

AN IDEAL SUMMER’S DAY INVOLVES… Family, a trip to the beach, and an ice-cold strawberry shrub, our homemade cordial, with a splash of gin at the end of the day.

QUINTESSENTIAL SUMMER MEAL? I love anything from the barbie, with tomatillo salsa. A tomato, goats’ curd and padron pepper salad. Then strawberries with rose cream.

FLAVOURS THAT SAY ‘SUMMER’? It has to be fresh fruit. The berries are amazing, the stone fruit is incredible. When the gooseberries ripen, you know summer has really begun.

YOUR SCENT OF SUMMER? Rose geranium. It marries perfectly with the flavours from the garden and can be baked into biscuits or used in the base of a cake tin to scent a sponge.

FAVOURITE SUMMER PLANT? Tomatoes. The smell of the leaves reminds me of my childhood, and the memory of that first, incredible home grown, properly ripe tomato.

WHAT’S ON YOUR SUMMER READING LIST? The Wooleen Way by David Pollock ($35, Scribe), a story about regenerative agriculture on some of the oldest land on earth in WA. The

Forgotten Rebels of Eureka by Clare Wright ($34.99, Text Publishing), because I often wonder about the untold stories of those (often not men) in history. Also The Weekend by Charlotte Wood ($29.99 Allen & Unwin) – she’s an amazing writer.

SUMMER SOUNDTRACK? Paul Kelly, Hunters and Collectors, and The Angels, turned up loud when all others are out.

A SUMMER FESTIVAL WE LOVE IS... Cygnet’s Folk Festival. It’s in our local village, about ten minutes from the farm, and the whole place gets into the party mode.

A NEW RESTAURANT I’M KEEN TO TRY IS... Osteria @ Petty Sessions, just over the river from us in Franklin. A lovely Italian couple has just taken it over and we’ve heard amazing things about how good it is.

HOLIDAY FASHION STAPLES? You’re asking the wrong farmer that. Fashion? I’ve heard of it.

ULTIMATE HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Locally, the east coast of Tassie. It’s just so removed from our day to day and is remarkable in its own

way. Further away, I’m a fan of Italy because I like the food culture.

HOW DO YOU UNWIND? Visiting Tasmania’s wild places. I always feel replenished after going to Mount Field, Cradle Mountain or the Tarkine. I think the ancientness of Tasmania’s wilderness is a real rejuvenator.

YOU KNOW YOU’RE RELAXED WHEN… You don’t know, and don’t care, where your phone is.

CREATIVE PLANS FOR 2020? I’m keen to work on refining the experience at Fat Pig Farm [where Matthew and his partner, Sadie, run a mixed farm and restaurant]. Reducing waste even more, perhaps generating our own gas for cooking from our organic waste, and extracting every last bit of flavour from the ingredients that we grow.

A DREAM PROJECT? We live the dream! The place we call home, the Huon Valley, is gorgeous and the residents are a terrific resilient, supportive community. I think we’re in the middle of the dream project. >

Matthew’s latest book, The Commons: A year of growing, cooking and eating on Fat Pig Farm ($60, Hardie Grant) is out now.