- 6 weeks ago
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00:00I'm Anneliese Gregory. For 20 years, my career as a chef took me around the world.
00:07But a little while ago, I swapped the high-pressure world of fine dining for a new start in Tasmania,
00:14lured by the pristine environment and the freshest ingredients.
00:18As far as kitchens go, this isn't exactly a bad one.
00:21For a long time, when I lived in cities, I had a very disposable lifestyle.
00:25Not you.
00:26And now I have the exact opposite of that.
00:29I set up camp on the side of a hill, bought an old timber cottage, and I'm blessed to say I found my tribe.
00:36I feel like Tasmania is home now.
00:38I feel like I've built a community, I've put down roots.
00:41I still like to travel, but it's nice to have somewhere to come back to.
00:46After navigating my first year of adventures, I realised I've only scratched the surface of what this island has to offer.
00:54Every week, I learn something new about Tasmania or the produce or its people that I didn't previously know.
01:00Oh, they're really good.
01:01I think it's probably never-ending.
01:03Now, I'm ready to embrace even bigger challenges.
01:06Blending my old chef life with my new farm life by opening an eatery to the public right here in my home.
01:13I just want to share with people how I feel about the things that I really like.
01:17Oh yeah, it's not bad.
01:18The ingredients I really like to cook.
01:20The feeling that it gives me.
01:22I want to fill the menu of my brand new eatery with Tasmania's finest produce.
01:27High praise from the Bullaby Master.
01:29Inspired by my passion for hunting, fishing, and wild cooking.
01:40Way down south, in a beautiful corner of Tasmania, this is the stunning Huon Valley.
01:45About a 40-minute drive from the capital, Hobart.
01:49And this is my century-old timber cottage.
01:53I've been living down in Tassie for a while now, and I feel like I'm finally getting my head around the different roles this place requires of me.
02:00You know, cook, farmhand, chief caretaker of the animals, renovator, build manager, and all of the other things that are needed of me here.
02:09I feel like I'm finally starting to find my stride.
02:18This is, of course, my 110-year-old cottage.
02:21She's still falling apart at the seams.
02:23I've made some improvements, I have heating now, but it's still an everyday struggle.
02:28The wiring doesn't work, pipes leak all the time, all the toilets back up.
02:33Yeah, it's a labour of love.
02:35And there have been some other changes.
02:39I now have a dog.
02:40Keena.
02:41She's my faithful farm companion, my housemate, my co-pilot, head of security, and occasional egg thief.
02:51I have plans for my cheeky goats.
02:53Nanny and Fanny have been loyal farm lawnmowers.
02:57They're not escaping as much as they used to.
02:59I've had to do a lot of fencing to keep them enclosed.
03:02I'm really loving being surrounded by all of my animals.
03:05Come on, little one.
03:06Not for you.
03:07We've spoken about this.
03:08I think I must be feeling a little bit maternal, because I'm thinking about having some kids.
03:12Well, my goats, of course.
03:14Speaking of the birds and the bees.
03:15The bees have been doing a great job supplying me with honey and beeswax for the house.
03:26Ideally, I'd really like to get another hive.
03:29The only issue is, they're a little bit too close to the house.
03:32So they're going to have to be moved.
03:34But that's a job for next month.
03:36But I may never get around to this job.
03:39The chicken coop is my latest nemesis.
03:41Every time I fix a piece, another piece falls off.
03:44And I'm just done with it.
03:46I'm so done with it.
03:48Like, look at this.
03:49What just happened to the door?
03:51There's so much to do all the time here.
03:53It's just never ending.
03:55And now I have an exciting new challenge.
03:58One that will hopefully sustain my life in Tasmania.
04:01And this is it.
04:06When I moved in here, this was an abandoned veterinary clinic.
04:09There was a lot of stainless steel tables, which are now in my kitchen.
04:12Fluorescent lighting.
04:14Then, as I began the build of a commercial kitchen, I realised that it made sense to me
04:20to open it up to the public.
04:22So, my new idea is that it becomes a ten-seater farm-to-table eatery.
04:31My family has always supported my passion for cooking.
04:34So, I'm calling my mum, who lives in New Zealand, for an update on the eatery renovation.
04:39So, how's it all going?
04:41I mean, it feels really messy at the moment.
04:44But I know that we'll get through that part.
04:47How are you feeling about the opening?
04:48To be honest, I'm kind of stressed about it.
04:51There's so much that still needs to be done in terms of building that I can't even focus
04:56on or think about what I'm going to be serving.
04:58One thing out of time.
05:00My mother is half Dutch and half Chinese and always encouraged me to cook as a child
05:05and would get me ingredients and let me make what I wanted to.
05:09Well, it's processing heaps since we were there last.
05:12You think this looks like progress to you?
05:14Yeah, it does.
05:15Last time I saw a picture of it, there was a big hole and there was some.
05:19It was like, oh my god.
05:20Here you go.
05:21You can see I still haven't chosen a paint colour.
05:23Oh, oh, go back to those paint colours.
05:25Oh, okay, yep.
05:26Yeah, I like the, I would call it Dutch paint.
05:29That's my Dutch side talking.
05:31They're a lime wash, so it's like a totally different like style of paint and type of paint.
05:35Just keep us updated as to which one you go for.
05:38It's not going to be the dark blue.
05:40It has been, it has been vetoed.
05:43So have you decided on a name yet?
05:45I keep second guessing myself because I want it to be perfect.
05:49Yeah, I think it should be the vet clinic.
05:51No, it can't be anything to do with animal surgery.
05:54It's too close to home, you know.
05:57I think I fall in love with romantic projects and this is definitely one of them.
06:04Good update.
06:05I'm going to have to go because I have to get prepped for a crayfish diving adventure tomorrow.
06:10That sounds really dangerous.
06:12Beware of sharks.
06:13I don't like you diving, really.
06:15I don't like sharks either, so that's fine.
06:17Bye.
06:18Bye.
06:19It's sort of nice that mum still worries about me, but I'll be in safe hands when I dive for Tasmanian crayfish.
06:32I wanted to bring one of my favourite herbs on the crayfish dive I'm going on.
06:38I think it's going to be amazing with crayfish, so I must be feeling like we're going to catch some.
06:43This is Lovage.
06:44We used to work with it all the time in France.
06:47It's not very commonly found in Australia.
06:49It's so perfumed.
06:51It's kind of like a cross between parsley and celery, but in a much more intense way.
06:56And it's delicious with fish.
06:58So that will be coming with us.
07:07I'm off the coast of southeastern Tasmania with dive instructor Will Mafer and extreme adventurer Chris Bacon to try something new.
07:15Catching crayfish by hand.
07:20Any crayfish we want to get in here we have to get by hand.
07:23Yeah.
07:24And that also means in Tasmania not utilising any tools.
07:27So no spear guns or metal rods or...
07:30No lassoes.
07:31Lassoes, yeah.
07:33So we've got a few challenges set today for you, but I think we might be alright.
07:38Tasmania's not the easy road, is it?
07:40No, no.
07:42As my contribution to today's dive, I promised Will and Chris a crayfish meal for lunch.
07:48What are you thinking?
07:49What are we going to cook up for a big feed of crayfish?
07:51Okay, so something slightly different today.
07:54I'm going to make a crayfish omelette.
07:56Oh, omelette, yes.
07:57A little bit chef-y.
07:59We're heading to the boys' favourite dive spot, Alumcliffs.
08:05You know, I'm mildly worried about not catching a crayfish, sharks and drowning.
08:12Those would be the main things.
08:14It doesn't prevent me from doing it, though.
08:17Below the surface are plenty of caves and crevices.
08:22Ideal hiding spots for southern rock lobsters.
08:25Or crays, as they're known here.
08:34I'm a little bit excited.
08:36I'm more apprehensive, though.
08:37I feel like the excitement comes later once you, you know, you're like, I can breathe and I'm calm underwater and then you're excited to be there.
08:44Prior to that, you're just, you know, I'm apprehensive because, you know, it's not our world.
08:50As this is my first time catching crays by hand, Will is showing me a surefire technique.
08:55So, Annalise, when we're down there and we find a crayfish.
08:58Yeah, you kind of have your arm, like, poised.
09:00Yep.
09:01Oh, but it's like this.
09:02Yep, underneath.
09:03Oh, no, your hand is like that.
09:04Sort of, you know, the arm like that.
09:06Yeah.
09:07Yep.
09:08And you go in and you're grabbing the horns.
09:09Perfect.
09:10Yep, aiming for the horns.
09:11If you grab the long antennas, they'll snap off.
09:12Yep.
09:13So you've got to aim for those big, spiky horns and grab onto that.
09:16If you grab the horns and you need more grip, you can get your other hand on the back or the tail and get the crayfish out of its hole and then into the cash bag.
09:24Yeah.
09:25Let's get into it.
09:26Let's go diving.
09:27Let's do it.
09:28Let's sleep.
09:29Today, we'll be on scuba, something I haven't done in a little while.
09:35Locked and loaded, in I go.
09:38Okay, another trip.
09:46As we descend to about six metres, I can feel the swell pushing me around.
09:53Don't worry, mum, there are no sharks nearby.
09:57I make my way through the thick kelp and start searching for crays.
10:03That means sticking my hand into crevices.
10:07I find a cray, but it wriggles free and gets away.
10:18Then I'm suddenly hit with a sense of panic.
10:21I have to surface.
10:23Now.
10:28I'm on the surface, catching my breath, after struggling underwater on scuba.
10:32Would it be hard to breathe?
10:34Yeah.
10:37I find just start on the surface as if you're snorkeling.
10:41Okay.
10:42Because if you were snorkeling, you wouldn't have a problem.
10:44No, I wouldn't.
10:45Yeah.
10:46I'll try and get her just sick.
10:47I just need to get my breathing back to normal.
10:49The sun's coming out.
10:50She's going to be beautiful!
10:54With my breathing back to normal, I feel much better.
10:58And I rejoin the hunt for crays by hand.
11:07Then I get one.
11:08But I'm pretty sure it's under the legal size.
11:13So I let it go.
11:14There's so much sea life down here.
11:20Urchins.
11:21Crabs.
11:22Crabs.
11:23And abalone.
11:25With our ear running low, Chris dives one last time.
11:35And pulls off the catch of the day.
11:39Whoa-ha!
11:40Yay!
11:41That's a good one!
11:42Oh-ho!
11:43How was that?
11:44How good?
11:45I feel like it's a really good spot to practice.
11:46Like they said, it's notoriously difficult because the crays can escape so much.
11:47They got a bit surgy in there towards the end, didn't they?
11:48It did.
11:49It was pretty rolling.
11:50The giant kelp is very pretty, but also tangly.
11:51Yeah.
11:52So there's a few somersaults, a few rolls.
11:53Yeah, and left in very well.
11:54Straight onto them.
11:55Pulled them down.
11:56Pulled them down.
11:57Yeah.
11:58It was pretty rolling.
12:00The giant kelp is very pretty, but also tangly.
12:03Yeah.
12:04Yeah.
12:05So there's a few somersaults, a few rolls.
12:06Yeah, and left in very well.
12:08Straight onto them.
12:09Pulled them out.
12:10Yeah, it was wicked.
12:11Now I understand.
12:12It's an addictive feeling.
12:13Oh yeah, you catch the bug, that's for sure.
12:15Yeah.
12:16Alright, that's that.
12:17I reckon we should go and cook this up on the beach.
12:20It's a nice keeper.
12:21What do you reckon?
12:22No time like the present.
12:23Beautiful.
12:29Back on dry land, I can concentrate on lunch.
12:33First, I'm boiling the crayfish using seawater, which will season it perfectly.
12:42I'm going to make the buoys something I make for another crayfish hunting friend of mine,
12:47and that's a crayfish omelette.
12:49So the thing is, you're not just using the tail, you're actually using every part of the crayfish.
12:55Like all of the legs, pick all of the meat down, because there's actually a lot of meat in the head and the legs.
13:00Alright, so that's the tail done.
13:02Now I'm going to get to work on the head.
13:04Crayfish is just, it's just delicious.
13:07I mean, I suppose that's why everyone's hunting for them all the time.
13:10And it feels like a very Tasmanian thing to be able to use.
13:15It also feels, you know, kind of festive, I suppose, like a special occasion.
13:20Next, I chop my herbs, fennel, lovage and dill, all freshly picked from my garden.
13:27I then combine the herbs and my homemade mayonnaise with the crayfish.
13:31Alright, we'll do a little taste check, just to see.
13:37Oh yeah, it's not bad.
13:40Yeah, okay, we're doing okay.
13:43I'm going to do the traditional free egg omelette.
13:46For some reason, that is the traditional amount of eggs you use for an omelette.
13:49Oh, look at the colour, it's because it's eggs from my chickens.
13:52Now an omelette seems like quite a simple thing, but in the professional cooking world,
13:57you get judged a lot by how you cook eggs.
14:00It's something that's so simple, but that can be so easily screwed up.
14:04And it can be transcendent when you get it right.
14:08Yeah, well, I've heard Annalise is a pretty good chef,
14:11so I'm just quite excited.
14:13A Michelin star omelette, matey.
14:16So we're looking for a thing called beveurs,
14:18which means that the omelette is set on the outside,
14:21but still soft in custody in the centre.
14:23None of this overcooked egg business.
14:25There's one down, time for another one.
14:34Lunch is served.
14:36Hand caught crayfish with my free egg omelette.
14:42Not a bad spot for it.
14:44Pretty good, eh?
14:45It's beautiful.
14:46Ready to give her a go, mate?
14:47Oh, yeah.
14:48I'm so excited.
14:49Let's have a crack.
14:50Let's get into one.
14:55That's really good.
14:56How'd you go today?
14:57First day diving?
14:58Got your first crayfish?
15:00I think I'm addicted.
15:01I've always been scared of that, that it would be claustrophobic.
15:04But yeah, I think it's the hunting thing,
15:06that once you see that there's things under there that you want,
15:09it's like your brain switches out of that mode
15:11and you're just like, what's in there?
15:13Do you have something for me?
15:15Yeah.
15:16As opposed to, it's a dark cave and I might get stuck.
15:19And do you think, Annelise, as a chef,
15:21when you see a crayfish you have more motivation to catch it
15:24than the average person
15:25because you know exactly what you can do with it
15:27and how yummy it can be?
15:28I definitely think so.
15:29I thought that might have been the case
15:30when I saw you up in the caves, like, reaching and grabbing
15:33and just putting yourself right out there.
15:35You've done well today.
15:36You're first diving for crayfish and you've managed to get one.
15:38I think I just had good teachers.
15:40Yeah.
15:41Yeah, you've got a couple of good teachers.
15:56When I first moved here,
15:58I was obsessed with this idea of having a fully sustainable life.
16:02having my own beehives.
16:03Oh, it's so weird, like, carrying something
16:06that's so, like, full of life with so many things inside it.
16:09Having my own chickens for eggs.
16:11Every day is like an Easter egg hunt,
16:13but just a lot less fun.
16:15Even down to grow my own wheat for flour.
16:18And then it was a really harsh realisation
16:20that I can't do everything on my own.
16:22Maybe you're not meant to.
16:24That is what community is all about
16:26and that is what rural communities are about.
16:32I have wonderful people around me,
16:34always willing to lend a hand.
16:38Oh, Michael's here.
16:40This is what the valley is like.
16:42You never know who's going to turn up.
16:44Michael Van Heel is a carpenter and local handyman.
16:47He's spent the past few months building the eatery kitchen,
16:50but today he's tiling the splashback.
16:53Michael!
16:54Hello, Annalise.
16:55The day has finally arrived.
16:56That is. Your splashback.
16:58I feel like getting the splashback tiled
17:00has been a really long time coming.
17:02Yes, and the tile works really well with the bench top collar.
17:04I only got 20 samples
17:06and lined them all up.
17:08Annalise, would you like to do the first tile?
17:10I would love to.
17:11Alright, first tile.
17:12First tile.
17:13Just tell me what to do.
17:15Well, I will put the glue on first
17:17and then you can put the first tile on in this spot here.
17:20Right in where you are.
17:21Oh, just like that?
17:23That's it.
17:24Do I line it up with this?
17:25Yes.
17:26How hard do you press it in?
17:27Tiny press, that's all you need.
17:29Oh, just finely press?
17:30Yep, that's it.
17:31Wonderful.
17:32Cool.
17:33First tile.
17:34I laid one tile.
17:36People were like,
17:37are you going to do the tiling yourself?
17:38And then I looked at it and I was like,
17:40oh no.
17:41No, no.
17:42I want the tiles to look nice.
17:44Not like I did them.
17:45Well, we all got our jobs.
17:47You're good in cooking.
17:49I do the tiling and the furniture.
17:52While I leave Michael to finish the tiling,
17:54my closest neighbour has popped over.
17:56Al de Kaiser is here to fix my paddock gate.
17:59So you can see what the issue is.
18:01The gate is no longer attached.
18:04Yep.
18:05Your gate is no longer a gate.
18:07We can probably just chalk the gate up.
18:09I don't know what that means.
18:10Okay.
18:11Put something underneath it so that it stays up.
18:13Oh.
18:14We should be able to screw them back in.
18:16Because the gate is quite heavy, yeah.
18:17Yeah.
18:18This is not a solo AG job.
18:19And I also want to discuss a business venture with him.
18:22Because this is the fence that keeps the goats from escaping.
18:26So...
18:27And the sheep in.
18:28Yeah, so about that.
18:30A little while ago, Al and I raised a couple of pigs on his property for food.
18:37While the process was tougher than I expected, we ended up stocking our freezers for quite a while.
18:43We're now planning to share some sheep for future meals.
18:46But we need to decide where they will live.
18:48You won't have to mow it.
18:50I had in my head that the sheep were going to go to your house.
18:53I had in my head that the sheep would go to your house.
18:56Because I don't have many fences.
18:58And I have a big dog.
18:59I just think they'd be so beautifully contained here.
19:03And the grass is long and we won't have to mow it.
19:06That would be convenient.
19:08I'm just worried about what they're going to need.
19:11Well, why don't we put them here and then find out.
19:17With the boys busy, it's time for me to also get to work.
19:21I'm always more comfortable in the kitchen.
19:23If I go to a party or something, I'm always like, let me be in the kitchen.
19:26And then I'm in my happy place.
19:29I'm making char siu bao.
19:31It was one of my favorite after school snacks as a kid.
19:34My great auntie Faye taught me how to make it when I was about eight.
19:38So I'm going to make it as after work snacks for Al and Michael.
19:42It feels appropriate.
19:44In the marinade here, there's a bunch of things.
19:46There's local honey.
19:48There's Chinese five spice, soy sauce, Shelsing wine.
19:51And the secret ingredient, which is fermented red bean curd.
19:56A little bit niche, but it's integral to the success.
19:59Next up, I'm using pork chops.
20:01These chops are actually from the last pig that Al and I raised together.
20:05Doubly appropriate.
20:06I'm going to stick them in the marinade.
20:08Normally, I would put this in the fridge overnight,
20:10but because we're short on time, I'm just going to give them as long as I can
20:14and then I'll baste them when they're cooking.
20:16Then it's time to cook the pork, the old school way.
20:19I've got the marinated pork chops, and I'm going to cook them over the charcoal.
20:25Normally, I would use pork belly, but chops are what I had left from the pig and Al and I raised,
20:29so chops are what I'm using.
20:31Now that these are about done, the final job is to let them cool a little
20:35and chop them up for the bundou.
20:40Chasu roughly translates to fork roast.
20:43And it's a Chinese dish which is up to 3,000 years old.
20:46And I can attest that it is delicious.
20:51I was going to love it.
20:55Food is how I thank people. Food is the language that I trade in.
20:58You know, it's also my profession, and it has been for a long time.
21:05Next, I roll out the dough.
21:07So steamed bun dough has no gluten development.
21:10So it's essentially the opposite of a sourdough where you want a lot of gluten development.
21:15Therefore, a lot of people use cake flour or a low-gluten flour.
21:21It's meant to be soft.
21:24And the Chinese love those textures.
21:27Once I've added the filling, I even out the edges of the dough and pinch the buns to close.
21:39The amount of stuff I need to do to make the edery happen feels overwhelming at times.
21:44Even the house feels overwhelming at times.
21:47You know, every time I fix a bit, another piece falls off.
21:49There's the soundtrack to my days.
21:55Cooking and doing something like this, which other people might think is a fiddly job, is meditative.
22:03Like, I find this calming.
22:06While I leave the buns to rest, I'm going to check on the guy's progress.
22:09First up, Al and my broken gait.
22:13How's it going?
22:14Getting there.
22:15Heavy gait, isn't it?
22:16Yes.
22:17If you reckon you can hold it just there.
22:19Yeah.
22:20I reckon we'll get it done.
22:22Let's go.
22:23Can we get it up a little bit more?
22:26Did you get it?
22:27I'm no fencer.
22:28Yeah.
22:31It's a gait.
22:32We're on.
22:33Yeah.
22:34It's not creaking.
22:35Yay!
22:36Gentle gaiting.
22:37In return, I've made you some buns.
22:38Alright, I'll put the tools away and then you let me know when you're ready to go.
22:42Back in the kitchen, I steam the buns for about 30 minutes.
22:49And then they're ready.
22:50Great Aunty Faye's Cha Siu Bao.
22:52A family favourite.
22:53Now it's time to reward the workers.
22:59Oh, wow.
23:00Oh, it's really good.
23:03And the grout's really good.
23:05I see what you mean about not choosing white for the grout.
23:08Yes, it keeps the kitchen clean out too.
23:10But it matches nicely with the tiles.
23:12Yeah.
23:13To finish it off, we just need to put a small line of silicone around here.
23:17Yeah, it's great.
23:18It's really good.
23:19Wonderful.
23:20I made buns and then I got distracted by the tiling.
23:22Alright.
23:23Come on, Michael.
23:24I've made some Cha Siu Bao for everyone.
23:28This is your payment.
23:30Ah, worth it.
23:31Good.
23:32Glad you think so.
23:34It's a traditional family recipe.
23:36Nice.
23:37Oh, and this is a chilli crisp and rice vinegar dipping sauce.
23:41They're so good.
23:42Wonderful.
23:43Meat and bread.
23:44Chinese do it really well.
23:45Your work's a bit fancier than mine, but don't downplay the importance of a sturdy gate.
23:52I was going to say, it has a good purpose.
23:54Yeah.
23:55It keeps everything in.
23:56Alright.
23:57I literally have not been able to use it for two weeks.
23:58The gate's going to be great for keeping sheep in.
24:00Then I have to talk about that.
24:01Still.
24:02Still.
24:03I don't know if it's a done deal.
24:04I thought that if I fixed the gate, then that's where the sheep went.
24:08While I have a lot on my plate, my dream of opening an eatery for the public moved one
24:14step closer to reality today.
24:16And thanks to my neighbours, I'm learning more about the history of my home.
24:21Well, the eatery is progressing well.
24:23Did you know it used to be a veterinary clinic?
24:25When I moved in, it was set up to be one, but just, like, abandoned.
24:28With my daughter Liliana, we used to take our animals to here.
24:31We see rescues guinea pigs.
24:33So it was an actual vet clinic that fixed animals?
24:36Yes.
24:37At one stage we had 17 at home.
24:38Oh God, that's a lot of guinea pigs.
24:40That is a lot of guinea pigs.
24:41Keep the grass short.
24:42Oh, well, now it has a new life, I suppose.
24:44Do I get an invitation when it finally opens?
24:46Of course.
24:47You made the kitchen.
24:48And I promise not to serve guinea pig.
24:50Thank you for the invitation.
24:51That's okay.
24:52Next time, I go on a hunt with my chief wallaby supplier.
25:03Good shot.
25:04My mentor and super chef, Peter Gilmore, drops in.
25:07Do you have any advice?
25:09And I take a big leap forward for my farm's future.
25:12Why do you never trust me?
25:14I need to learn.
25:15Nailed it.
25:16Nailed it.
25:20There.
25:21That's a great blessing.
25:22That's great.
25:23In the even way.
25:24New England.
25:25There's a great blessing of my father.
25:26It's a great gift.
25:27You're welcome.
25:29There's a great blessing.
25:30This is the rampage.
25:31It's a great blessing of mine.
25:33To the new living room.
25:34The new living room.
25:35It's a beautiful living room.
25:36It's a great blessing.
25:37You're ready.
25:38It's a great blessing.
25:39You're welcome.
25:40You're welcome.
25:41There's a great blessing.
25:43Here's what you're looking at.
25:44Let's get to know,
25:46about a mountain,
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