Of Soil & Sea
A collection of recipes and stories inspired by the people who grow and make food along Victoria's South West Coast.
Beyond the great ocean Road
Too many people drive Victoria's Great Ocean Road as far as the Twelve Apostles, and with that box ticked, turn the car around.
Of Soil & Sea is a book about everything you find when you linger a little longer.
The farms folded into the hinterland, the cellar doors and distilleries tucked along back roads, the quiet, determined work of market gardeners and dairy farmers, cheesemakers and pickle preservers, bakers and ice cream makers. All of it has made this one of the most compelling food regions in the country.
This is a cookbook with a difference. Meet the producers first, then head to the kitchen: more than 50 recipes for the home cook, built from what's grown, brewed, fermented and farmed in the region.
Whether you're local to these parts or just passing through, Of Soil & Sea will inspire you to slow down and taste what our region has to offer.
Of Soil & Sea brings together recipes and the stories of the producers behind them, a celebration of the farmers, winemakers, cheesemakers and brewers of Victoria's South West Coast.
Meet the Producers
Our journey took us from the wild cliffs of Port Campbell to historic Portland, travelling along the Shipwreck Coast with a few detours inland along the way. We visited more than 30 producers across the region to discover what makes their products so unique, from abalone divers and organic winemakers to free-range duck farmers and artisan bakers. Every one of them had a fascinating story to tell about what they do and why they do it.
Babche Wines
Jane Dough
Timboon Railway Shed Distillery
The Pickle Project
Schulz Organic Dairy
Suffoir Winery, Brewery & Distillery
Noodledoof
Portland Raspberries
Great Ocean Ducks
Lana's Garden
Keayang Maar
Cambus Glenn Highlands
then, head to the kitchen
Of Soil & Sea brings the South West Coast into your kitchen with more than 50 recipes inspired by local ingredients. These are tried-and-true dishes we love and cook for our favourite people — recipes simple enough for a Tuesday night and special enough for a table full of friends. From small starters and mouthwatering mains to sumptuous sides and sweets, we've included something for everyone.
PRE ORDER NOW
Of Soil & Sea brings together recipes and the stories of the producers behind them, a celebration of the farmers, winemakers, cheesemakers and brewers of Victoria's South West Coast.
Of Soil & Sea brings together recipes and the stories of the producers behind them, a celebration of the farmers, winemakers, cheesemakers and brewers of Victoria's South West Coast.
“The produce we choose - to share with friends, to graze on a holiday - carries a significance far beyond the pleasure of the moment. Local produce is community, it's storytelling and it's integral to healthy land and healthy people. Of Soil and Sea lays out the pleasures to be had, and it shares more than a few of the secrets. But on this tour of southwest Victoria's green hills and blue seas you'll find so much more - an irresistible case for buying locally and sharing in a sense of place.”
Jock Serong, AuthorMEET jO & KATE
Jo and Kate are two Port Fairy locals with a shared obsession: food, in all its forms, cooking it, photographing it and eating it.
Jo is country to the bone. Kate less so, evidenced by more than one poor footwear choice on a farm visit.
The idea for this book started as a side conversation at a dinner party, about all the unique producers in their region and how good it would be if someone wrote a book about them. Nobody had, so they decided to do it themselves and here we are.
Jo is a lifestyle photographer, artist and former caterer and café owner. Kate is a cookbook author, food photographer and co-owner of the French Cooking Academy.
