By Jen Barwick
The sun cracks through the clouds and, for a few moments, the light bounces off Robe’s Guichen Bay, the sand and shells glisten like jewels and the seabirds swoop, enjoying the last afternoon rays. But, don’t let the views distract you, there’s more to this picture than you may think.
Climbing the wooden fence rails, clinging to the dunes, clumped on the sides of rocky cliffs or blooming in the estuaries are an abundance of ingredients for your next dinner.
Sea mustard, bower spinach, baby pine cones, beach watermelon, wattle, native garlic, samphire, muntries, beach grape and sorrel – all found along a short beach pathway, in beach dunes and back canals at Robe, with a little help from local chef and foraging fanatic Tom Tilbury.
Tom’s just launched his own catering business, called Gather Food and Wine, with his menu heavily influenced by the seasonal food and ingredients he forages from his backyard – the Limestone Coast.
Tom’s not alone in his love of foraging. Food foraging is a worldwide trend as individuals (and a number of high profile chefs and restaurants) seek a greater connection with their foods sources. In Australia, high profile restaurants such as Attica, Biota and even Adelaide’s own Orana, and chef Jock Zonfrillo, feature native and foraged local ingredients on their menu.
Unfortunately named seablite, also known as Sea Spray, is a close relative of another native seafaring plant, Samphire. It grows in the salty mudflats and saline estuaries. Can be used fresh, steamed or blanched and is great with seafood.
“Sustainability, low food miles, minimal footprint. It’s all important but, honestly, for me it’s very much about searching out those new flavours, exciting new tastes, delivering something you may have never tasted before or even realised was there to be eaten,” Tom said.
“The underlying reason is that it tastes so good. There’s no need to look elsewhere when we have so much to offer in our own backyard.”
Tom travels from Mt Gambier to the Adelaide Hills and across the Coorong and Fleurieu Peninsula, foraging mushrooms, herbs, weeds, berries and working with local producers for vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and wine.
Native rosemary.
For the past three years he’s worked at the acclaimed Sails at Robe restaurant, as assistant head chef. As a McLaren Vale boy, he did his apprenticeship at another regional dining star, d’Arry’s Verandah.
“Starting Gather [Food and Wine] is something [my wife] Sarah and I have talked about for a long time. We moved here so we could have this all on our doorstep,” he said.
With each new season, comes new inspiration. Spring is amazing, Tom says, as new sweet and flavoursome shoots break free, wild watercress pop up in the canals and bushes start flowering and producing berries.
Tom foraging near his home.
“I love every season. I’m still discovering new plants, weeds and the flavours they can bring to dishes. I read a lot, ask questions of friends and local chefs… it’s never ending,” he said.
“Right now, the wild garlic is pretty good. I use the whole plant, confit it down and put it under oil to be used throughout the year. But in spring it flowers and they look and taste fantastic on their own.”
“I’m also using baby pine cones, while they’re still soft and tender. I like to salt or pickle them, in a similar way to capers. They’re very fragrant and have a sweet pine flavour.”
Tom will be hosting a number of pop-up dinners and wine events around the Limestone Coast in the near future and you can find out more here.