One reason I love pottering around at food markets on the weekend is to see what new, tasty concoctions have been created by clever local gourmets.

Sadly I don’t always make it to the markets though, particularly in winter when it’s a toss-up between a warm bed or an early morning forage in the elements.

This is where a brand new foodie service comes in.

FlavourCrate is the brainchild of Masterchef contestant Ben Macdonald, who has been working with Australian producers to collect a bunch of gourmet treats which can then be delivered to your door.

What kid of flavours do you get in a crate? Let’s find out.

Melbourne's Hosier Lane appears to be Ground Zero for trend-setting.

Where other places look to clean away graffiti as soon as a premises is tagged, the whole laneway owns and encourages the art-form to create a very funky atmosphere.

It is here as well where you can find true, authentic Spanish Tapas at MoVida Next Door. As far as trend-setting goes, this was one of the only places you could find tapas before the small-plate restaurant boom of 2013.

How does it fare against other bite-sized Euro-inspired bars? Let's find out.

That second Sunday in May is almost upon us again, which means florists and chocolate truffle-makers are working in overtime getting ready for a stream of Mother's Day orders that's sure to come their way.

Often as a special treat for mum, you'll see people out and about at breakfasts, brunches and lunches all throughout Sunday, but this year could be a chance to do a little something different that supports local business and still gives mum a day out that she'll love- take her out to your local market!

While I usually blather on about Queensland markets each week on 612ABC, it really is time I took this round-up Australia-wide. Here then are a range of markets from Cairns to Beaconsfield to Glenorchy for you and your mum to potter through unique arts and crafts, try on handmade clothes, and of course sample gourmet foods.

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Lions Woden Market from 7am - 12pm at Westfield Woden Shopping Centre, Woden ACT 2606
Southside Farmers Market from 8am - 11:30am at CIT Southside Campus, Hindmarsh Drive & Ainsworth Street, Phillip ACT 2606
Tuggeranong Homestead Market from 9am - 2pm at Tuggeranong Homestead, Johnson Drive, Richardson ACT 2905

NEW SOUTH WALES
3 Peas Markets from 8am - 2pm at Teralba Public School, York Street, Lake Mcquarie NSW 2284
Alstonville Community Market from 8:30am - 12:30pm at Alstonville Showground, Alstonville NSW 2477
Bathurst Showground Markets from 9am - 1pm at Kendall Avenue, Bathurst NSW 2795
Blaxland Public School Sunday Market on Sunday morning at Blaxland NSW 2774
Como Markets from 9am - 2pm at Como Public School, Genoa St, Como NSW 2226
Grand View Markets from 9am - 2pm at 174 Great Western Highway, Wentworth Falls NSW 2782
Kirribilli Art, Design and Fashion Market from 9am - 3pm at Kirribilli NSW 2061
Pambula Craft Market from 8am - 1pm at the cnr. Monaro & Toalla Streets, Pambula NSW 2549
Riverside Market Dubbo from 8:30am - 12:30pm at Bligh Street, Dubbo NSW 2830
Tamworth Showground Market from 8am - 1pm at the Tamworth Showground, Tamworth 2340

NORTHERN TERRITORY
Batchelor Market from 8am - 1pm at Batchelor Oval, Batchelor, NT 0845
Heavitree Gap Community Markets from 9am - 12:30pm at Heavitree Gap Tavern, Alice Springs, NT 0873
Mindil Beach Sunset Market from 4pm - 9pm at Maria Liveris Drive, The Gardens NT 0820

QUEENSLAND
Brisbane Marketplace Sunday Discovery Markets from 6am - 12pm at 252 Sherwood Road, Brisbane QLD 4106
Carrara Markets from 7am - 4pm at Manchester Rd, Carrara Qld 4211
Coolangatta Markets from 8am - 2pm at Marine Parade, Coolangatta QLD 4225
Eagle Farm Markets from 7am - 12:30pm at 230 Lancaster Road, Ascot 4007
Holloways Beach Markets from 8am - 1pm at Casuarina Street, Cairns QLD 4878
Noosa Farmers Market from 6am - 12pm at Weyba Rd, Noosaville QLD 4566 (thanks @andyg00d for this one!)
Riverside at the Pier Market from 7am - 3pm at 1 Eagle St, Brisbane QLD 4000
Tamborine Mountain Markets from 8am - 2pm at the Tamborine Mountain Showgrounds QLD 4272
Townsville Cotters Market from 8:30am - 1pm at Flinders St, Townsville QLD 4810

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Angaston Market from 10am - 3pm at Angaston SA 5353
Emporium Plus Markets from 9am - 4pm at Enfield SA 5085
Gepps Cross Sunday Treasure Market from 7am - 1pm at Mainline Drive-In, 588 Main North Road, Gepps Cross 5094
Moana Market from 9am - 1:30pm at Moana Pioneers Memorial Hall, Moana SA 5169
Once Upon A Market from 11am - 3pm at Seaford Recreation Centre, Grand Boulevard, Seaford SA 5169

TASMANIA
Axemans Makers Market from 8am - 2pm at the Australian Axemans Hall of Fame, Bells Parade, Latrobe TAS 7307
Hobart Showground Sunday Market from 8am - 2pm at the Hobart Showground, 2 Howard Rd, Glenorchy  7010
Kingston Beach Handmade Market from 10am - 3pm at 20 Beach Road, Kingston Beach TAS 7050,

VICTORIA
Bittern Market from 8:30am - 1pm at Frankston-Flinders Road, Bittern VIC 3918
Bollygum Community Market from 10am - 2pm at Whittlesea Kinglake Road, Kinglake VIC 3763
Daylesford Market from 8am - 3pm at Daylesford Station, Daylesford VIC 3460
Girgarre Farmers Produce & Craft Market from 8:30am - 12pm at Winter Rd & Station St, Girgarre VIC 3624
Paynesville Market from 8am - 1:30pm at Raymond St, Paynesville VIC 3880
Point Lonsdale Market from 9am - 2pm at the Point Lonsdale Primary School, Bowen Rd, Point Lonsdale 3225
Warrnambool Market from 8:30am - 1pm at the Cattle Pavilion in the Showgrounds, Koroit Street, Warrnambool 3280

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Good Shed Markets from 8am - 12pm at Good Shed, Forrest St, Collie WA 6225
Growers Green Farmers Markets from 8am - 12pm at 171 Lefroy Road, Beaconsfield WA 6162
Lynwood Community Market from 8am - 12pm at Lynwood Senior High School, 436 Metcalfe Road, Parkwood WA 6147
Markets On The Mall from 8am - 1pm at Marine Terrace Mall, Geraldton WA 6530
Perth Home Grown Farmers Markets from 11am - 4pm at Forrest Place, Perth WA 6000

Wherever you are in Aus, handmade crafty items and gourmet treats abounds. 

Have I missed a Mother's Day Market out your way? Leave me a comment and let me know!

I recently raved on about how I was now a kasundi convert after tasting my very first batch courtesy of the talented people at Spread. Well I couldn't very well stop there when I knew that Spread was responsible for other relishes as well, so here I present to you an array of Spreads which- if you're making a sandwich right now, you need to get one of these onto it. Stat.

Three Spread relishes I relished spreading are...

Middle Eastern Relish: I'm starting with this relish because- wow. It is packed with spices, dates and lemons, which takes you into the heart of a souq if you close your eyes. I made a roast leg of lamb which I served up with cous cous, and the Middle Eastern Relish was the absolute perfect accompaniment. This relish is aromatic and warming and would also go well on a falafel dish. Spread recommends adding this relish to goat, and who am I to counter this judgement after they've created such a great blend of tastes in this little jar?

Red Tomato Chutney: This lasted 2 days in our house- I am not kidding. I made mushroom burgers pictured below and we all just slathered this Red Tomato Chutney onto it because all you could taste were rich, ripe tomatoes beautifully blended with spices. The fresh herbs used in this relish adds a lighter dimension as well. The Red Tomato Chutney was chunky from blending a bunch of natural ingredients together and keeping out any artificial thickeners. Use this on anything you would normally use ye olde tomato sauce for and make your meat pie magical.

Pear, Fig & Ginger Relish: I've never tasted anything like this relish before- pear, fig and ginger is just one of the most inspired combinations and is insanely good served up with a cheese board. I've also used this in a cold turkey sandwich which worked a treat and I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to cranberry sauce again. Being something of a fig-fan, I wasn't sure how much fig you'd be able to taste in this, but figgy-goodness carries through really well and isn't at all smothered by the ginger.

All Spread products are vegan-friendly and free from gluten and soy. Another Spread-secret that adds to the taste but not to the waist, is that they only use half the amount of sugar that is used in traditional recipes.

If you happen to find yourself roaming markets in and around Port Campbell, you may find one or more of these relishes, and if you do, try some samples- your taste buds will thank you!

Website: Spread
Twitter: Spread

I have a confession to make: until last night I had never eaten a tomato kasundi. I hadn't even heard of it before. But the taste of this kasundi was so spectacular, I thought it really needed its own post entirely devoted to it.

For anyone like me before 8pm last night who had never tasted this Indian-inspired delight, a kasundi is a rich tomato pickle with a whole bunch of aromatic spices thrown in, and underlying all of that is a lovely chilli warmth that just keeps all of these tastes dancing around your tastebuds. Well at any rate, that's what the tomato kasundi from the good people at Spread tastes like!

I served up this special preserve with a lemon and garlic spatchcocked chicken, which itself was quite tasty, but adding a few dollops of Spread's tomato kasundi took my meal to a whole other level.

There is a little word on the Spread label that indicates that a little bit goes a long way, and that word is "hot". I love chilli and this kasundi packed a punch which was just awesome. As my chilli tolerance increased throughout the meal, I couldn't help myself and just kept reaching for the bottle to plonk a bit more on my plate over and over again.

Spread is based in the small seaside town of Port Campbell, and makes the most of local ingredients in its array of jams, preserves and other 'spreads'.

You could really taste the quality of ingredients in this tomato kasundi, but more than that you could taste the quality of the recipe. Spread uses half the amount of sugar usually included in traditional recipes, and that really allowed the natural tastes of the tomatoes, garlic, mustard seeds to shine in this little jar.

If you've never had kasundi before or even if you're a kasundi aficionado, this really is one to keep in the fridge.

Website: Spread
Twitter: Spread

Many of us have sat back and relaxed while a tour operator has done all the hard yards in introducing us to a new place, but ever wondered what it's like like being in the driver's seat?

Danielle Field started MP Experience to extend her love and knowledge of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula- particularly the food and wine. She's one-half of a brother and sister team who are well known in the region for their foodie exploits.

Max owns the award-winning restaurant Max's at Red Hill Estate and Danielle runs private and small group tours, introducing people to winemakers, growers and artisan producers all over the Peninsula.

We were lucky enough to jump in the MP Experience-mobile and had an awesome day eating, drinking, eating a bit more and drinking a bit more all day... and I mean all day! We started with a coffee at Green Olive, cider at Mock Red Hill, cellar tour and wine tasting at Ocean Eight, degustation lunch at Max's Restaurant, cheese sampling at Main Ridge Dairy, and to top it off we smashed some chocolates at Mornington Peninsula Chocolates. It was without doubt a foodie-lover's ultimate way to spend 7 hours.

Danielle's insider knowledge was brilliant on this tour, and she introduced us to all of the artisans behind the amazing produce we sampled, so we got a real feel for the care and attention that goes into their produce and final products. She's well-known and well-loved in this beautiful part of Victoria, and here's a bit of insight into the woman behind the Experience!

60 Seconds With Danielle Field, Director, MP Experience

Why did you start MP Experience?
My brother Max and i grew up on a farm on the Peninsula, and enjoy sourcing local seasonal produce for Max's restaurant. We took all of the staff from the restaurant for a family to meet the goats and see where the cheese was made, where Max's olives are grown, pick their own cherries etc. and they loved it!! We thought then that we would like to offer this experience to everyone and MP Experience Tours was born!

How would you spend your ideal day in the Mornington Peninsula?
An early morning bush walk along Bushrangers Bay with my family, a picnic on the secluded beach and a swim if the weathers good, if not we would head to the Peninsula Hot Springs for an afternoon soak. My husband and I we are always keen to try out a new restaurant for lunch and wine, cider and beer tasting... all for research purposes of course!

What is a memorable thing that happened on one of your tours?
I think many of our tours are memorable as we get to meet such a range of people and nationalities. We have had sightings of echidnas and kangaroos which always catch you by surprise while driving. We also had a proposal up at Seawinds Gardens at Arthurs Seat and fortunately she said YES!

What would surprise people most about your job?
How much i love my job! "If you love your work, you never work again."

If you could invite someone to dinner, who would they be and why?
Carlo Petrini the founder of the slow food movement in Bra, Italy. He is an amazing man and stands for the same thing we do at MP Experience: live life for the moment and enjoy what we have been given.

What is in store for MP Experience in 2014?
We are looking forward to offering our 2 day tours with accommodation where guests can stay at Max's retreat and have our chef and waiter create an in house dinner party for up to 8 people.

Website: MP Experience
Twitter: @tour_mp

Perhaps not 100% associated with Aussie produce, this post at least gives you some unique ideas for your quality bacon purchase from places like Slade Point Meat Specialist in Mackay who took out top prize for Australia's best bacon 2013 in a competition run by Australian Pork Limited.

If you are on the hunt for the best bacon out your way, the below list of butcheries are a good place to start as these guys took out APL's top state prize for full rasher and short cut:

ACT: The Butcher Shop & Meatways Butchery
NSW: Kenthurst Gourmet Butchery & Stapletons Meats Gymea
Qld: Slade Point Meat Specialist & Barrits Butchery
SA: Mathies Meat Shoppe & Balhanna Junction Meats
Tas: Sharman's Butchery
Vic: Wattle City Meats & Bertocchi Smallgoods
WA: Princi Smallgoods & Adrian's Continental Smallgoods

We're all aware of traditional uses for bacon such as pairing it up with some eggs and toast for a satisfying breakfast. However, if you've been-there-done-that and fancy some inspiration on what else to do with your tasty piece of cured pork, here are the top ten most creative bacon concoctions.

Nothing is sacred- not even a can of diet coke.

Seen any other bacon delights? Leave a comment and let us know!

One place we knew we had to visit in the Mornington Peninsula was the famous regional farm shop: Green Olive at Red Hill. I say famous because we were told a recent Master Chef episode featured a bunch of lost people driving past the farm shop over and over again; but apart from this incidental claim to fame, Green Olive deserves some recognition in its own right as a picturesque farm producing some stunning produce.

The land surrounding the shop boasts any foodies’ dream garden with flourishing olive trees, grapes, various vegetables and fresh herbs, including a selection of tea plants- all used by the shop. To complete the garden are sheep, chickens and ducks all looking perfectly at home in their idyllic surrounds complete with pond and in-ground trampoline (what farm is complete without one?).

There was an array of farm-made produce available for sample, and after a few minutes of nibbling away at delicious spreads and relishes, I chose what I thought were the two stand out products- tapenade and lemon salt. The tapenade is made from olives, capers & anchovies blended with herbs that I have been addicted to on my toasted sandwiches recently. Despite using capers and anchovies, it’s not nearly as salty as many other tapenades on the market, and you can really taste the herbs cut through all of the other flavours.

The lemon salt has been a surprisingly versatile purchase- it’s recommended for chicken and fish and I’ve been taking it at its word, sprinkling some over my chicken, asparagus and mushroom crepes, as well as using it with steamed fish. In both cases, the lemon zest mixed through the salt really lifted the flavours in both dishes and I am now loathe to go back to ye olde plain salt.  

Green Olive at Red Hill aims to be a fully sustainable farm and they’re pretty close to this goal ensuring that leftovers are either composted or fed to the chooks, and cooking up all of their dishes in a beautiful woodfire oven. Eating delicious food that was created with such care was a great way to start our day. There is an online shop for this produce, or if you’re lucky enough to be in the area, Green Olive also runs cooking courses which I can only imagine would be as eye-opening and satisfying as everything else about this place.

Website: Green Olive