Huon Valley in comeback
THE Huon Valley has shown its spirit with bumper crowds for the 27th annual Taste of the Huon food festival.
A month ago Ranelagh Oval was home to animals and their owners fleeing bushfires. Yesterday it hosted more than 90 stalls featuring the best of the region’s produce, including the world’s first sassafras spirit.
A MONTH ago Ranelagh Recreational Grounds were home to a menagerie of animals seeking refuge from the bushfire bearing down on Geeveston in the Far South.
Yesterday and today, the same grounds are transformed into a thriving hub showcasing the best produce, arts and crafts the Huon and Channel regions have to offer as locals bounce back from a challenging start to the year.
Featuring more than 90 stalls, the 27th A Taste of the Huon festival kicked off with large crowds and entertainment from headline act The Voices Supergroup featuring Jason Singh from Taxiride, Mark Gable from The Choirboys and Dale Ryder of Boom Crash Opera.
It has been a long journey to his first appearance at the popular event for Bakehouse Distillery founder Martin Wohlgemuth.
Based at Dover, Mr Wohlgemuth produces the world’s first sassafras spirit.
The niche product has been five years in the making, with many challenges along the way.
“The first was having to defy common wisdom that you can’t play around with sassafras with food and drinks because the Americans about 60 years ago banned safrole, which is a compound in all sassafras plants,” Mr Wohlgemuth said.
“We ended up excluding safrole altogether, but that took two years to get to that point.
“It was worth it in the end. We’ve got something that’s totally new and Tasmania can say ‘that’s our drink’.”
Best stall was awarded to Tasmanian Fruit Pies, which uses local produce such as blackberries from Judbury, apricots from Franklin, apples from Nichols Rivulet and pears from Cradoc.
Business owner and pie-maker Sarah Anderson said the secret to a great pie was the pastry.
“I use Tasmanian butter, my own eggs — it’s got to be all fresh, quality products,” she said.
“It’s all Tasmanian fruit, organic where possible, and I don’t add any sugar — the pies are 100 per cent pure fruit, so they’re not overly sweet, too many things are these days.”
Best non-food stall went to Cygnet-based Phoenix Creations for their handcrafted wooden spoons.
Craftsman David Rauenbusch said the idea for the business came about following an argument with his wife Michelle.
“I can’t remember what it was about, but I ended up coming back with a peace offering — a wooden spoon that I’d carved with a heart on the end — she said ‘we could sell these’,” he said.
“I used to make furniture so I had lots of offcuts. It progressed from making the odd spoon to not making furniture much at all.”
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Tickets available at the gate: Adults $12, children 11-15 years $6, family pass $30. Entertainment 10.30-11.30am: Red Light Parlour Trio 12-1pm: Adele tribute 1.30-2.45pm: Russell Morris 2.45-3.45pm: Navy Band Tasmania