Urban Locavore

A few days before Christmas, a nice fellow named Paul delivers a box of locally made goodies to my door.

Urban Locavore box

Urban Locavore box

His name is Paul Kilmurray and we chat about his new business, Urban Locavore.

Paul explains “locavore” was the Oxford American Dictionary 2007 word of the year and describes a person committed to eating food that is grown or produced within his or her local community or region, embracing seasonality and reducing food miles and the associated emissions. While living in San Francisco from 2008 to 2010, Paul was inspired by the community support and demand for tasty, sustainable, locally produced food and brought this idea back with him when he returned to Perth.

Urban Locavore aims to discover, promote and share the great food made by Western Australian producers that source most or all of their ingredients locally. By choosing locally made seasonal products, we’ll support our local growers, producers and businesses, and help make a positive difference to the environment.

I like talking with Paul. He speaks with passion and sincerity but isn’t pushy with his message. I know it’s a terrible cliché, but this really is a labour of love for Paul, who is a web developer by trade.

Every month, six to ten Western Australian made products are handpicked for that month’s Urban Locavore tasting box (AU$49.95 + $5 for delivery in metropolitan Perth). Any frozen products or those that require chilling are refrigerated during transport and then added to your box at the last minute.

It’s a wonderful gift idea for anyone who loves discovering new foods. Paul hopes each month to include items by niche producers from around the state that we may not find at the supermarket.

The card on top of the box describes the items and makes a delicious teaser. It’s even more exciting to untie the string and plunge my hands in the box.

The goodies are packaged in a repurposed box from Betta Boxes. Straw from City Farmers not only protects the items within but the rustle of straw feels nice and it smells lovely too. Afterwards, Jac places the straw in our garden as mulch (seriously, don’t just throw the straw away, pop it in your garden – wet it first, so it won’t blow away). It feels like a lucky dip as I dig into the box to retrieve the items.

Digging around for goodies from the box

Digging around for goodies from the box

The item that’s captured my interest the most is this whole smoked trout from Holy Smoke in Manjimup.

Holy Smoke! - Smoked Trout 200g

Holy Smoke! – Smoked Trout 200g

I’ve already had delicious suggestions from readers for what to do with the smoked trout:

Kathy suggests eating the trout with a good grainy mustard, a little horseradish and pumpernickel lots of good butter, capers or gherkins.

Pat’s idea is smoked trout pasta with with chilli, lemon and rocket, stirred through with olive oil.

Got any other ideas?
EDIT: This is what I did with the smoked trout!

Holy Smoke! - Smoked Trout 200g

Holy Smoke! – Smoked Trout 200g

There’s a packet of handmade ricotta and spinach ravioli by Vesuvio Pasta, an Italian family-run business in Malaga that produces authentic hand made pasta.

Vesuvio Pasta - Ravioli Ricotta & Spinach 375g

Vesuvio Pasta – Ravioli Ricotta & Spinach 375g

Jac loves berries and I know she will love the Eden Gate Blueberry Velvet, a perfect topping for pancakes, ice cream, yoghurt or anything else you like. Eden Gate Blueberry Farm grows pesticide-free blueberries and is located near Denmark, a lovely town in the south west of Western Australia (not the land of LEGO in Europe!). If you’re ever down Denmark way, you can even visit the farm. Jac’s eaten their blueberry ice cream and absolutely loves it.

Eden Gate - Blueberry Velvet 250ml

Eden Gate – Blueberry Velvet 250ml

There is an ANZAC cookie with a difference by the Gluten Free Cookie Company – a Quinzac, made with rolled quinoa and free from wheat, gluten, soy, lactose and egg.

Gluten Free Cookie Company - Quinzacs 50g

Gluten Free Cookie Company – Quinzacs 50g

There’s a jar of Salsa Mexicana from Purely Mexican, who make 100% homemade Mexican salsas, marinades, pastes and ready to cook meals prepared from original family recipes. There’s also Thai Green Curry paste from Turban Chopsticks, whose curry pastes are all natural and handmade. I can see the chunks and chilli seeds in the jars – it all looks good and I can’t wait to have a taste.

Purely Mexican - Salsa Mexicana 290g and Turban Chopsticks - Thai Green Curry 260g

Purely Mexican – Salsa Mexicana 290g and Turban Chopsticks – Thai Green Curry 260g

Some of you may know Rochelle Adonis for her amazing high teas and dessert degustations. I’m intrigued by this Rose Petal Barberry Pistachio Nougat. It will surely be the most decadent and unusual nougat I have eaten yet.

Rochelle Adonis - Rose Petal Barberry Pistachio Nougat 100g

Rochelle Adonis Rose Petal Barberry Pistachio Nougat 100g

I have resisted temptation and waited for Jac to return home and share these lovely things with me. She got back from down south yesterday afternoon. The question now is: what to eat first?

Urban Locavore December box

Urban Locavore December box

I wish Paul all the best with Urban Locavore. I’m all for supporting our local producers and businesses and it’s something I’d like to do more. I hope Perth’s appetite for great Western Australian products will prove locavoracious!

More on the December box and future boxes

  • Urban Locavore is on Christmas break right now, but will make deliveries of the December Urban Locavore box (as featured in this post) on Saturday 31 January, so if you’re keen, place your order before the 31st
  • Future boxes will be released mid-month and available until the end of the month
  • Next month’s box will be released around 14 January and will contain lots of yummy things for your Australia Day BBQ!

More on Urban Locavore

  • To order or find out more, visit www.urbanlocavore.com.au
  • Follow @urbanlocavore on Twitter or like Urban Locavore on Facebook
  • Delivery is available Rockingham to Joondalup and as far east as Greenmount. Check the map on their website or contact them if you’re on the edge or outside of the delivery area

TFP received the December box with compliments of Urban Locavore.

Facebook comments

comments

 Like

Share this post