The 2012 papal event was beer versus wine as the Bishop took on the Pope. This year, it’s the turn of the Mornington Peninsula’s original brewery, Red Hill, where owners Karen & David Golding go head to head in a Woman vs Man battle of the best beers matched with a five course menu created by Chef Matt Wilkinson. This epic battle is on 22 May 2013 from 7pm till victory at Pope Joan – you can book here.

Karen will join forces with the Beer Diva, Kirrily Waldhorn, to compete with David and Matt to find the best beer match for each course, featuring the best of the Red Hill lineup and a selection drawn from all over the world.

OK how good is this menu?

Canapés
- garlic snail croquette
- anchovy toasts

Entrees
- Phony balony, pickled green tomatoes, almond milk bread
- smoked plate, eel, beetroot relish, labne
- pine mushrooms, pancetta, pinenuts & spinch cream

Mains
- slow roasted pork rack
- crab apple, black pudding & pearl onions
- chestnut, brussels sprouts & smoked maple
- skordalia, cauliflower & white anchovies

Dessert
- Warm sweetened oats, salted caramel ice cream, white chocolate, rhubarb

Cheese
- Whipped blue cheese on toast, Melbourne Roof Top honey

Blessed!

· Cherry Tomatoes
· Red field Tomatoes – Roma, Grosse Lisse
· Rocket
· Curly Endive
· Rainbow Chard
· Baby Kale – Red Winter Curly
· Carrot bunches – yellow, chantenay, Paris Market
· Spuds
· Herbs – Parsley, Basil (maybe small amount of a few others?)
· Garlic Bulbs

Concerned that flock members may’ve tired of roast dinners, relatives and Easter egg hunts on Easter Sunday, we’ve arranged for our friends at the Taco Truck to be outside the Bishop of Ostia from 4.30pm on Easter Sunday to spice up our collective lives and to make things happen. Taco and cold beer. Heaven.

Next Wednesday 6 March 2013 papal dines with goddess when wine writer Max Allen joins Matt in presenting the miracles of Victorian farmers and winemakers who produce outstanding fruit, vegetables, meat and grains supplied by pioneering biodynamic Demeter farmers, as well as wines and ciders from Demeter-certified vineyards and orchards across Victoria.

Then, on Wednesday 13 March 2013 Matt joins flock members & friends Hilary McNevin (freelance writer and author of Guide to Fish) and Sarah Robins (author of Seasonal Regional, recently published by the Sustainable Table) for a wet and wild evening of sustainable seafood fare and matched wines in celebration of the producers profiled in Seasonal Regional. We’ll focus on ways to support a sustainable fishing industry in Victoria and address the global issues we are currently facing re sustainability in the ocean.

Blessed.

It goes like this:

3 courses $65 food only

The Bishop will be on hand for the drinks you love (including a special love-in cocktail to get things warmed up)

Entrees to share

Mains shared

Dessert 1

Dessert 2

Love ‘n Happiness

9388 8858 or contact@popejoan.com.au

So, you should be fully recovered from Christmas, maybe a little hazy still from New Years Eve but it’s time to think about the biggest day on the calendar. Australia Day! Triple J’s hottest 100 is on Saturday, we have an extra day off on Monday to go to the beach (the Pope is also open that day) but what to do Sunday?  Head to the Bishop & enjoy a delicious BBQ & a DJ from 4pm till its all eaten up.

Where: Bishop of Ostia & Pope Joan  77-79 Nicholson Street Brunswick East
When: Sunday 27th January, 4:00pm-9:00pm
Cost: $35 includes food and an Australian negroni granita on arrival. Other drinks purchase at the bar.
Bookings: 03 93888858 or contact@popejoan.com.au
$35 covers a plate abundant with beautiful food & an Australian Negroni granita
Food includes
Spit roasted lamb and pig
Sausages from our mates Pacdon park
Warialda beltie beef kebabs
Mr Wilkinson’s salads made with Angelica Organics beautiful produce & of course our sauces and bread

$110 per person with matched wines.
Aperitif on arrival. Antipasto. Pasta. Main course. Dessert.

Booking rules:
Email ONLY to events@popejoan.com.au
Payments up front (booking confirmed once full payment received).
Tell us what you can’t eat and what you won’t eat.
Smile on arrival – 7pm for 7.30pm.

The papal team (aka the NOT George Pells) had an absolute ball at last weekend’s Taste of Melbourne - it was outdoors at Albert Park for the first time, lakeside at Pelican Lawn. Mother Nature smiled on us with gorgeous sunshine each day. Our “Tom “Allen” pigs ear sandwich went off! You can see we had too much fun in this little video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJngF3-rqjQ

Nominations are open for six categories in the delicious. Produce Awards 2013 - Matt is on the judging panel and we encourage you to nominate the producers of your favourite fruit or the amazing piece of cheese you enjoyed last week: From the Earth; From The Sea; From The Paddock; From The Dairy; Outstanding Farmers’ Market; ABC Local Radio Community Award.

Mat and Fabian at the Little Vegie Patch Company  have a fantastic “pop up patch”  right in the heart of Melbourne at Federation Square – people with little  space or limited edible gardening skill rent a boxed patch for 12 months. There’s loads of help and support around to grow your own vegetables, fruit, herbs. Lovely use of the space too. Movida and Pei Modern are renting patches along with the punters. BTW how good is Melbourne right now?

There’s a new sign hanging next door to us saying something about “hams and bacon”……… ??? A new produce store will be part of papal headquarters within a few weeks – you will be able to access the superb produce from producers who supply Pope Joan and the Bishop too. A few take-away bits ‘n pieces too. Stay tuned.