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November Newsletter |
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| Dear friends
What a big year it’s been as we’ve whooshed happily back into life and savoured the opportunity to share wonderful experiences and food with you on many safaris. We’re delighted to have a full program for you for 2023… many fabulous day tours, some new lunches and events and of course our tours in Australia and internationally. Hope you’re ready for some delicious adventures.
Finally !!! Our website has been updated so it’s easier for you to read and book. Thanks to the photographic and design skills of Vanessa Low who has made our site sparkle. We have a calendar for Sydney events which really helps when you know you’re free on a particular day and wonder what we may have on. Please note that there’ll be a few more dates to come. The Latest News section includes our newsletters and we are writing stories that bring to life some of the neighbourhoods we visit, the families we have known for the longest time and hardworking small businesses. Hope you love it.
We have some gorgeous events to share with you. Beta Bar Book Launch – Tuesday 31 January 2023 If you’ve joined us on our Greek Islands Safari over the past 15 years, you would have visited Limnos and have met the stylish Sophie Hapsis who has welcomed us into her family estate overlooking the Bay of Kotsinas.
Many guests remember her elegant farmhouse/beach-house with its large copper still at one end that creates tsipouro and ouzo from the grapevines on the property. They grow not just grapes but established fruit trees including figs that are at their best during our visits – eating sun-warmed figs has to be one of my top food moments! Guests will also remember the series of delicious dishes that Sophie prepares for us.
Sophie has just released a stunning cookbook that gathers many island recipes over the seasons and celebrates the traditions of her island. Sophie’s Cookbook is special! We are hosting a book launch event at Beta Bar (in Sydney’s CBD) to celebrate the book, with our dear friend chef Peter Conistis cooking from the book and adding a few recipes inspired by his visit to Limnos with Gourmet Safaris (Every year Peter travels to Greece to host classes at a private estate on the island of Evia) The wines during the evening are from the generous Ipermachou family at Miloway/Earlwood Wines. Places are going fast! Come and start the year with us for a big fat Greek evening of deliciousness. Click here to book.
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Maydanoz Lunch |
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Here’s another stylish event to kick off the year – a very cool modern Turkish lunch in a central Sydney CBD location from our friends at Maydanoz who just received their first hat which is great in their very first year… and we are delighted for them.
Expect a series of truly inventive Turkish dishes (many plant based) from Chef Arman Uz, who has appeared in Food Safari, like the smoked beetroot sandwich with rhubarb and barrel aged feta, haloumi kebabs brushed with honey sesame and arriving at the table smoking over charcoal and rosemary. All with matched Turkish wines. We hosted this event last year to absolute rave reviews. Spaces are limited. Saturday 4 February 2023. Click here to book. |
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Ploos Lunch |
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Absolute harbourside/ world class feast/ Aegean food enjoyed al fresco/Peter Conistis and Ploos. That’s it in a nutshell.
You are in for a treat. There may just be a handful of seats available at this big lunch on Saturday 25th February. Click here to book
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Colombo Social Mothers Day Feast |
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It’s always the best idea to plan ahead for something as special as Mothers Day and in 2023 we offer a lunch hosted by one of our favourite mothers – Shiranie Christie David featuring many dishes from her homeland in Sri Lanka plus explanations and demonstrations. Delicious, heart-warming and with a gift for each mother attending. (Note this is the day BEFORE Mothers Day – Saturday 13th May). Click here to book.
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Sydney Walking, Bus and Breakfast tours |
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| Our walking safaris are delicious explorations through neighbourhoods full of small family businesses who have welcomed us for the longest time. All safaris including tastings and lunch and are led by experienced, treasured guides.
We offer Walking safaris in: Lebanese Punchbowl – Click here to book Turkish Auburn – Click here to book Vietnamese Cabramatta – Click here to book Italian Haberfield – Click here to book Marrickville Producers Safari – Click here to book Newtown/Enmore – Click here to book
Bus Safaris No surprise that fuel costs are high…but we love these “safaris on wheels” and continue to offer with just a small price increase. All include substantial tastings and lunch. Join us for Afghan Safari in Merrylands and a family home. Click here to book Best of The Mediterranean with visits to Cypriot, Italian, Maltese businesses. Click here to book Spice Trails journeys cross Persian, Turkish, Lebanese, Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines. Click here to book French Safari exploring French cheese, pastries, baguettes, foie gras, truffles, butter, duck fat, cooking implements and a glorious lunch! Click here to book Middle Eastern – Turkish & Lebanese Safari – a delicious day of Turkish and Lebanese food including special access in a family run bakery, emporiums, sweets, many tastes and lunch . Click here to book. Breakfasts The most abundant feasts from the Turkish, Lebanese and Indian worlds with cooking demonstrations, many dishes, exploring neighbourhoods.
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Australian Safaris |
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South Australian Gourmet Safari 8 days of supreme food adventure in South Australia – a food and wine wonderland where we are treated like superstars. We are fortunate enough to score private rooms, after-hours visits, special chats from wonderful people, access all areas and have events especially crafted for us. It’s actually really hard when these safaris end because, as one guest put it, “you go back to being normal and it’s just not quite as fun!” We have the perfect mix of fresh produce markets and restaurants, storytelling and exploring, stunning gardens and relaxing long table lunches including a spectacular Greek long lunch at the home of Tina and Peter who love a dance and some ouzo to finish the day.
Love this safari – our previous guests have too! Dates are 23rd – 30th March 2023. Click here for more information. Victorian High Country Safari Perfect journey into autumn in the crisp clear air of the Victorian High country. A week filled with many Italian hosts totally spoiling us with long table lunches and cooking classes, bocce competitions and much wine tasting.
Plus producers of many delicious and diverse things like yuzu, chestnuts, nut oils and flours, dried mushrooms, all people we know you’ll love to meet. Dates are 5th – 10th March 2023. Click here for more information. Tasmanian Gourmet Safari Just back from a week in Tasmania and have nothing but praise for the brilliant chefs and producers, market stall hosts, wine makers, cheesemakers and more…Tasmania is a food paradise and we are so grateful we know the best people on the island.
We visit two of Australia’s top produce markets, the acclaimed Agrarian Kitchen (for a garden tour and demonstration) and Peppina, Port Cygnet Cannery and Glasshouse, enjoy a day at Mona with a specially curated feast at Faro, lunch at Stefano Lubiana Wines Osteria Vista, visit Bruny Island, plus a stunning National Park with the tallest flowing eucalypts in the world. Taste the world’s best cheese and spirits, chocolate and of course wine!
Come and join us in 2023. Dates are 18 – 23rd November. Click here for more information.
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International Safaris |
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| So…here’s the thing.
We have had such a long time plotting and planning and Suzy has a huge number of people on wait lists…so…we are hosting Greek Islands, Spain and Portugal and Sardinia and Corsica… but it’s likely we will just be able to fit the numbers wanting to come by doing 2 trips each. Intense!! But we are in the business of making you happy…so please consider these safaris for 2024 and follow us on Instagram (@maeveomeara) and Facebook (Maeve O’Meara’s Gourmet Safaris)
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Gift Certificates for Christmas |
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The BEST gifts ever are experiences…you know this…and when the experience is food focussed and takes you into an area of your city you may not have discovered…well it’s gold! You can nominate the amount…our breakfasts are the best value starter into the Safaris world at just $80 for a whole morning of many tastes, cooking dems and guided exploring, then there’s walking tours and bus tours and banquets. Something for everyone. No stuff/no postage/pure enjoyment. Click here to purchase.
We wish you all the very best for Christmas and look forward to seeing you next year. Maeve & Suzy |
