The di Lusso Estate Mudgee


Parla come mangi! – Speak the language of your food
"Over the years, since the early 1990's in fact, I'm beginning to think, and more importantly TALK about wine and food like an Italian. First it was grapes and olives, then figs I 'had' to grow on my farm; then herbs and vegetables. Earlier this year it was saffron. From February I'm 'going locavore' with the wine-tasting food I serve in my winery."



Tuesday, January 10, 2012

A picture of di Lusso Estate’s smartest living thing!



Not me, unfortunately! Our five varieties of figs are gearing up for the start of their season – they advise me Wednesday the 15th February is the date. I love figs, not only for their marvelous taste as fresh fruit and amazing versatility in the kitchen, but for their smartness – there’s no other word for it! Not only do they keep producing new figs during a three month long season (cf wine grapes; one crop, with a season of less than a week!) but on our farm they’re the lowest maintenance thing of all – a couple of ‘shots’ of dynamic lifter, one spray of eco-oil (basically pyrethrum in canola oil), a good prune annually (halving the height) AND each tree carries its own insect controller, in the form of a ‘personal’ spider. A spider (don’t know it’s scientific name)that starts the season almost invisible, but grows to a round ‘blob’ the size of a 50 cent piece (excluding legs!) by the time the first frosts of May herald the end of the season. They’re not dangerous – just a little tingle as you bump into them on your daily picking sortie, making sure you keep your mouth shut tight!! Later on, I’ll show you a picture of one at season end!

PS It looks like being a very big harvest…just got to get it ripe

Rob

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