By ALECIA PINNER
SMOKED cold yoghurt may seem like a strange concoction but for Keysborough business The Melbourne Pantry, it is proving to be a tasty winner.
The lightly smoked yoghurt, which takes a day to create, was
nominated as a finalist in the dairy artisan category of produce awards
run by the ABC’s delicious magazine.
The Melbourne Pantry’s father-and-son team, David Freeman and son
David jnr, was one of four finalists vying for the award, the winners of
which were recently announced.
The company’s innovative yoghurt was beaten by cultured and lightly salted butter churned at The Butter Factory in Myrtleford.
However, just being nominated was satisfaction enough for the
Freemans, bringing their product to the attention of some of Australia’s
top chefs, including awards patron Maggie Beer.
David jnr trained as a chef in England before moving to Australia in 2005. Two years later, he was joined by his father, who is a butcher.
The men, who live in Seaford, started The Melbourne Pantry more than three years ago.
David jnr collaborated with chef Matt Wilkinson of Pope Joan in Brunswick East on the idea for smoked yoghurt.
The yoghurt is hung to let moisture out, but both men are keeping
all other details of the smoking process close to their chests.
“We can’t tell you about the smoking, that’s the secret. We’ve got a unique product,” David snr said.
The men, who create smallgoods that are sold at speciality
delicatessens, know they’re onto something with their smoky experiment
and are also developing other flavour sensations, such as smoked maple
syrup.
They admit people are usually surprised by the idea of smoked yoghurt.
“It is starting to take off now. First they say ‘oh’, and then the
flavours come out and they tuck into it,” David jnr said, adding that
the yoghurt could be used in Moroccan food, with muesli and in salads.
For more information about The Melbourne Pantry products, call 9701 6016.
