paella

A paella competition held at a winery, what's not to like about that? I had heard of Goaty Hill Winery and it was on the list of things to see/do. When local advertising told of a paella competition being held there today we decided today was the day to visit. Picturesque Tasmanian country side, verdant vines, wine, cheese, live music and the smell of paella, the cold wind the only thing marring a picture perfect post card experience.

The competition was a serious one, the 56th International Valencian Paella competition semi finals for the pacific region, the winners continuing on to Sueca, Spain, for the finals.

Not sure who all the judges were, we only recognised Matthew Evans and Nick Haddow from Gourmet Farmer. We joined a group where the guide explained the history and significant features of paella and we watched the various competitors prepare their dishes.

And we joined a long queue to actually get a bowl of paella for lunch. It was a very pleasant way to spend a few hours on a Saturday - beautiful surroundings, food and wine and learning something new. I'm pretty sure we will be returning...