Pure South Food Co. Brings the Best of Tasmania to Your Door
Pure South Food Co is an exciting new initiative from one of Melbourne's iconic restaurants; a new home delivery service heroing produce from the farmers, fishermen and artisan producers of Tasmania, and King and Flinders Island - Australia's ‘pure south’. Like many, I'm a huge fan of Pure South at Southbank; some of the best food and views in Melbourne and a favourite destination for catch ups, romantic interludes and business lunches. This new initiative is brilliant giving consumers access to world class produce and top notch ready made dishes at home.
For 17-years Pure South has been showcasing the finest, most sought after produce from around Tasmania and the Bass Strait region at its riverside location in Southbank. And now the same specialty products, along with pre-cooked meals and premium wines, is bringing the Pure South restaurant experience to the comfort of your dining room. It's extraordinary to see the innovation in these times as Pure South pivots as a Butcher's Shop, a Bottle Shop, Groceries and Heat and Eat Providore. While staying true to their ethos in representing Tassie farmers and fishermen and artisan producers.
We were invited to a special virtual event "Tastes of Tassie" where we heard from Pure South’s founder Philip Kennedy and executive chef David Hall, who walked us through a specially curated extraordinary produce box (delivered in advance) and provided some insights into the proud Aussie producers who supplied it.
A best seller already is the Beef Wellington which features King Island Beef - is this Melbourne's hottest dish right now? David Hall and his team have done all the work here and all you have to do is finish it off in the oven. A tip is to baste the Beef Wellington in egg yolk and also you can "score" the pastry with the back of a knife. The Beef Wellington comes out of the oven golden brown. Cut the Beef Wellington with a sharp knife for some delightful thick slices, served up with some of their Baby chat potatoes with herb and garlic butter and Dutch carrots and Broccolini. A meal made in heaven. Pour some Dining Room series Beef Jus over the Beef Wellington and it reaches new heights again.
I'm struck by the quality of the offerings; for example the potatoes are slow cooked for 12 hours, the puff pastry of the Beef Wellington is of the highest quality, the chorizo is some of the best around used in their fine dining dishes, and the sauces and chutneys and butter all made by their kitchen, is also derived from their fine dining menu. This really is a fine restaurant experience enjoyed at home.
We were also sent an Apple Tarte Tatin with Salted Caramel sauce and Meander Valley Dairy Clotted Cream; another showstopper. Nanna would be impressed.
David Hall spoke of soon to be released greater selection of ready made meals. Superb Tasmanian produce passes through the Pure South Kitchen and the chefs expertly create stunning meals, where little effort is required by the consumer to enjoy restaurant class food in the home. We are already highly impressed with the current ready meal selection, including a decadent Chilli Con Carne which features King Island Beef and a secret insertion of Anver dark chocolate.
Philip Kennedy spoke about taking the Tasmanian produce to the market with the same ethos of the restaurant - ethical, sustainable, high quality provenance that honours the produce, the region and relationships forged.
Apart from the Beef Wellington and accompaniments we were also gifted with:
Pure South Food Co, House Churned Butter
Anver Chocolate Mixed Truffles
Tasmanian Sea Salt
Chilli Con Carne
Mount Gnomon Farm Chorizo
King Island Grass-Fed Beef Scotch Fillet
Pyengana Dairy Cloth Matured Traditional Cheddar
House Made Lavosh
Beetroot Chutney
All power to Pure South Food Co. and may Melburnians get behind them in this new venture.