Kids & Dads Nights at Carramar and Banksia Road Public Schools

Playing musical chairs

Evenings  of play and fun attracted fathers and their children from 2 local schools.

Fathers can easily get left out of community activities planned for parents and children because of work commitments, also because of the traditional expectations that mums are more connected with children or because it’s easier to contact mums. So we invited the fathers from 2 local schools – though their children –  to come along to our KIDS and DADS evenings.

A 2 and a half hour program, Kids and Dads evenings start around 5pm with everyone playing together. This time is followed by shared meal. Then the fathers have a separate meeting where they’re invited to talk about their experiecnes of being a dad and what qualities they want to bring to these important relationships with their children.

We plan to do more of these sessions in 2012. The 2 schools we held the program in so far report that they are continuing to get appreciation from the families and would like us to come again this year, and we have 2 other schools keen to use this approach to build connections with the fathers of children who attend their schools.

If you would like to know more about this approach to engaging fathers contact sandy wilder sandyw@bensoc.org.au

Pamper in Panania – Combined Pamper & Food Indulgence

This combined Pamper & food experience was a special tour organised to celebrate International Women’s Day. Although the day started with flooding in some parts of Sydney, the small entourage were blessed with a perfectly leisure filled day once they met at the meeting point. Panania is a small suburb in Bankstown LGA, with a small business area but trust our innovative Tour Co-ordinator Zizi Charida to find the best spots in this otherwise quite suburb.Our first stop was at PAIN D’OR Bakery where we were served traditional lebanese pizzas. The Shangelish topping was a unique flavour that many of us had not tasted before.

The bakery was a finalist in Local Business Awards 2011.The sister and brother team made sure we enjoyed the light crusty pizzas. As we waited for the freshly baked pizzas to arrive, we  shared our personal stories about why we were proud to be women and what messages we would like to give to younger women of today. Some of the messages were”Value yourself’ “Travel and have fun!!’ and “Learn to cook”‘

With this started the bonding between the group. Chirpy and delighted we went to get our nails manicured and polished. Kim and her team added the sparkle in the day as we enjoyed the fun part of being girls.

It was quite heartwarming to listen Debbie say, ” I have never done this for myself before. If it was not for my friend Maureen I could not have had this wonderful experience.”  Kim has been in the beauty trade since she was 18 years old. She loves her work and makes her customers feel loved as well.

The next stop was another place we were all very much looking forward to.The short yet relaxing neck and shoulder massage at Remedial Massage Clinic was a real treat. Each of us would have just liked to doze off but the enticing smells of the Boom Boom Thai Restaurant kept us wide awake.We enjoyed the nutty Padthai, Chilli & Basil Strir fried vegetables with chicken and steamed rice and the delicious Massuman curry with tender meat cooked to perfection. The Jasmine tea helped in keeping our appetite alive. The next stop was a refreshing dip into the best fresh fruit cocktails at Panania Cafe’. All this while the generous sharing of personal stories continued as this group of women of varying ages and cultural backgrounds shared their most treasured moments in life with each other. This was a natural bonding that was induced in a friendly environment with a stomach full of good food and some much needed pampering for the tense nerves.

Thus came the time for our last stop at Lisbon Cafe’ where we enjoyed the best coffee and some traditional Portuguese tarts and almond tarts. This was really all that one could take and savour in this marvellous 3 hour tour. With a special gift of organic products from a local beauty store and some take home samples in our show bags, we were all ready to go home with a fuzzy warm feeling that only comes from time well spent with a lovely group of friends.

This food tour is an ideal gift for women of all ages.Whether you are a carer, a busy mum or a full time professional you deserve a day to yourself. Relish this small treat with your girl friends or simply experience a day of pure indulgence lost in your own little world. Get pampered with a beauty treatment, shoulder & back massage and enjoy a delicious lunch, fruit cocktails and dessert. Take home samples and treats also included.  Book  online or call 97070802/1 for details. (Note: This tour  is strictly for Ladies Only!!

 Get a miminum of 8 girl friends together and enjoy your own exclusive tour by contacting zizic@bensoc.org.au at 9707 0802. Celebrate a girl friend’s birthday or simply discover hidden delights while explorng food from different cultures and getting yourself pampered.

Ready to roll

After months in the planning Wheel Works – our bike building project in Greenacre will be opening soon.

 

Logo created by Lisa Qui. Thanks Lisa!

People from across Sydney have generously donated bikes and parts and with tools and work stands purchased we’re almost set to invite local young people to drop in and see whether building a bike is for them. Contact Sandy Wilder for more information sandyw@bensoc.org.au OR 9707 0803

TASTE celebrates the year of the dragon with more zest and colour!

Pakistani lamb seekh kabab and chicken tikka

Freshly baked Lebanese pizza

Sweets galore

Chevapi & Pleskavice- Bosnian Serbian meal in Fairfield

Hi Tasters,  

Hope you all enjoyed a great break and are ready to get into the flow of things. We are excited to bring to you our Taste Tour calendar for Feb- May 2012.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, 2012 has been marked as the Year of the Dragon. Dragons are believed to bring good luck to people, which is reflected in their qualities that include great power, dignity, fertility, wisdom and auspiciousness.Taste Food Tours celebrates the year of the Dragon with a whole new range of tours that will surely add spice to your culinary adventures. Celebrate the Chinese New year with one of our Asian themed tours or take a pick from the new locations and cultural cuisines on offer.

The old favourites are still available combined with NEW Pamper and Taste Indulgence tours to celebrate International Women’s Day and Mothers Day. Book your places for a foodie adventure with enough samples to fill your complimentary bag to bursting and let our enthusiastic local guides take you on a cultural journey and share their stories about food and culture.  Every Saturday tour starts at 10.30 am, finishes at 2pm and includes a sit down lunch.

We’ve now developed tours in Fairfield, Strathfield, Campsie, Lakemba, Belmore, Panania, and Auburn.  As always, you can go on every tour and never visit the same stop twice!!

A big thank you to the team at Fairfield Migrant Resource Centre, who have worked with us on the tour program in Fairfield.

Walking Tours – $80per person (incl.GST):

4   Feb                        Middle Eastern Treats@Greenacre-Enjoy your own Arabic Adventure taste sampling authentic Middle Easterndelights.

11 Feb                        Global Explorer@Fairfield-Discover cuisines of former Yugoslavia, Middle East, South East Asia and South America.

18 Feb                        Sugar&Spice @Bankstown-This tour is not only great for owners of a sweet tooth, but a serious indulgence for those                                                                               who like their savoury treats with a spicy twist.

25 Feb                        European Explorer@Belmore-This Foodie haven is a real discovery. From Turkish Delight, Greek/ Cypriot flavoured                                                                                       gourmet meats to authentic Italian food this tour will keep you wanting for more!

3  March                     Café’ Crawl @Bankstown-Discover the best café’food with a cultural twist at each stop, while sipping on exotic tea and                                                                            fresh coffee blends.

8   March        NEW Pamper in Panania@Panania- Strictly Ladies Only!! Celebrate International Women’s Day with a combined pamper and                                                                                 food indulgence.

17 March                    Asia on a Plate @Fairfield- A South East Asian food experience combining taste of Laotian, Chinese, Vietnamese                                                                                            cuisines and more.

24 March                    World Food Trail@Bankstown-The Foodie adventurer will love sampling from a variety of cultural cuisines.

31 March                    Asia on Beamish@Campsie- It’s all about cultural fusion in this amazing suburb. Visit an Asian cookware emporium                                                                                  and sample foods from Korea, India, Hong Kong, Japan and Malaysia.

21 April                     Gluten Free Food Adventure@Bankstown-Gluten Free does not mean boring!! This is a treat for the health conscious                                                                                                                     foodie and not just for people suffering from gluten intolerance.

28 April                       Cuba to Caracas@Fairfield- Olay! Let us lead you on a discovery tour of Central & South American cuisine right here                                                                                    in Sydney!!

5 May                          Beirut to Bangladesh@Lakemba- From freshly baked traditional lebanese pizzas, fresh veggies and exotic spices from                                                                              the Bay of Bengal, this multicultural oasis is a must visit for adventurous foodies.

12 May           NEW Pamper in Panania@Panania-Strictly Ladies Only!!This is an affordable pamper and food indulgence for Mothers Day.

19 May                       Cyprus via Seoul@Belmore-Embark on a soulful experience with  a harmonious blend of food cultures from ancient                                                                                             Greece and Cyprus to exotic Korea.

26 May                       Tastes of Asia@Bankstown-Visit Little Saigon to sample exotic Asian fruits, get to know your noodles and Asian                                                                                            recipe staples, sample jelly drinks, an amazing variety of Vietnamee gelato and so much                                                                                           more!

Special corporate and group packages also available for organisations. Choose from our themed walking tours, progressive dinners, throw in a cooking demonstration, drumming workshop or a dragon dance for creating team harmony. The Taste Team can help organise that perfect event to suit your budget. Have fun and also feel the inner satisfaction of supporting a community project. For information on corporate and group tours please call or email Taste Food Tour co-ordinator, Zizi Charida on 9707 0802 or zizic@bensoc.org.au

We can cater for groups as small as 8 and as large as 100. Taste sample from a range of your favourite ethnic cuisines, discover foodie gems in local suburbs, collect lots of samples on the way and take home a bag full of goodies!.

Taste Food Tour gift certificates are also a novel gift idea for birthdays, special events and festive occasions. Treat your loved ones to a unique cultural experience without travelling overseas. Gift certificates are valid for 6 months from the date of purchase.

Help us support this social enterprise by fowarding our information within your network. Join us on facebook , twitter for updates and share your own passionate ideas about culture, food and  the diversity around us. Read our blog for more stories about our work.

ee you on a Taste Food Tour soon!

Wheel Works makes a clean start

A new bike building project for young people initiated by the Benevolent Society is starting up in Greenacre.

Our Wheel Works project made a clean start last week as the project team, members of the funders group and community rolled up their sleeves to ready the project site.

A working bee was held on Thursday, 3rd November. It was an amazing feeling to see everyone contribute their time and volunteer to scrub, clean and lay the lino. We are very thankful to all this support and are excited to get the project off the ground.

Sandy Wilder with a cycling enthusiast who came to drop off some old bike parts for the project

Leanne from TBS gives a hand

Volunteers from Fort Street taking instructions from Sandy

“Wheel Works will provide local young people the opportunity to gain skills to build their own push bikes from recycled bikes and bike parts, and we’re thrilled to be bringing it to Greenacre,” says SandyWilder, Project facilitator at GCT

“Wheel Works will run weekly after school workshops for local young people aged nine to 17. The workshops will be run by an experienced supervisor and supported by local volunteers and will eventually involve up to 25 young people at a time.”

More than a chance for young people to develop some practical mechanical skills and build a bike, Wheel Works will be an opportunity to make local friends and meet other bike users from outside the community.

“Once participants have completed their bikes they will get to keep them, and will also be encouraged to continue to participate acting as mentors and passing on their skills to others,” Sandy said.

“Students from Birrong Girls’ High School are designing a logo for the project and we are eager to see the first young people rock up and to watch the first bikes start to take shape.

Wheel Works has been given a kick start by the corporate and financial advice firm Fort Street Advisers, who have a keen interest in cycling, and the Greenacre Uniting Church are backing the project by sub-leasing part of their premises for the project base.

Fort Street Advisers said, “we are strong supporters of the need to build stronger communities and The Benevolent Society’s efforts in achieving this. Through our shared love of cycling Wheel Works represents a way in which we can strive to make a positive impact on the social well-being of a local community.”

You can help us get started with our workshop and supplies, which includes:

• Bikes (repairable – old or new)
• Bike parts (old or new)
• Tools (spanners, Allen keys screw drivers, pliers, cable cutters or specialised bike tools)
• A solid workbench
• A strong vice
• Work stands
• Degreaser, grease, WD40, lube
• Crates, tubs, sturdy jars, ice cream containers for storing a range of parts.”

To donate to Wheel Works, contact sandyw@bensoc.org.au

Beirut to Bangladesh

Discover Middle Eastern and Bangladeshi delights at this tour in the multicural oasis of Sydney~Lakemba. Lakemba has a feel of its own. Its a second home to many migrants coming from different parts of Arabia and South Asia. The great variety of food, low prices and the tantalising smells and flavours from Lebanon, Syria, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia offer a real treat to the foodie indulgence.

This tour has been launched at the Crave Sydney Food Festival.

Starting off with some yummy Lebanese pizzas at Traboulsi bakery, we set off to learn about the fresh groceries, fish and spices at Hut Bazaar while taste sampling some traditional Bangladeshi sweets. A visit to Al-Masri introduces a whole range of interesting cookware and traditional Syrian foods. Big Gresh is a giant supermarket with a stock of fresh Arabic nuts, coffee blends, veggies, cheeses, olives and so much more! We enjoy tasty Daal, chicken tikka and biryani at Desi Hut and finish off with taste sampling some mouth watering Middle Eastern deserts at Abu Adam sweets selling the best baklawa in Sydney!!

On popular demand, the tour is running again on 22 October. Book online www.tastetours.org.au or call 1800 819 633 for details

Biscuit moulds

Daal Chana at Desi Hut

Lebanese Sweets at Abou Adam

Seekh Kabab & Chicken Tikka

Cheese pockets

Lebanese Gelato at Abou Adam sweets

Discover Europe in Belmore!

 

 

Felix shows off his special coffee machine imported from Italy

Doug shows off the unbeatable souvlaki at Sydney Best & Fresh

Melissa Confectionery Pty Ltd, producing and selling the best Grecian and Turkish delights for 40 years

  

A cup of feshly pressed Izzo Coffee, some delightful Greek biscuits and we are off to start our European adventure in Belmore. The tour promises to be a real teaser to your taste buds. Sample some of the best Souvlaki prepared generously by Zac and his team at Sydney Best & Fresh, enjoy a lovely Italian meal at Casa Mia and finish off with some gourmet cake sampling at Flavours patisserie. The tour also includes visit to a local Turkish Delight factory. This family business has been operating for 40 years. Meet the friendly owners and hear their stories about how they prepare their produce with love!

Also collect numerous samples along the way, learn about getting best European products at wholesale rates and so much more!!

The photos here are a preview of the exciting tour on October 15. Visit www.tastetours .org.au for more details and share your comments on our facebook page.

Sahara Nights promises to be a feast to remember

 

Who would have thought that you can enjoy a taste of the Sahara deserts in Sydney. But, that is exactly what we do at the Sahara Nights Progressive Dinner in Greenacre.  A four courses lavish Middle Eastern feast , traditional warm hospitality of the local guides and   a charming belly dancer dancing to the beat of mesmerising Arabic tunes makes it a great night out with friends.

 We will be enjoying our main meal at a new Greenacre restaurant this year, and our team of locals can attest to the superb quality and flavour, we’ve become regulars!   Tour also includes wine and beer with Starter courses. Book now at www.tastetours.org.au .

Engaging fathers: Kids and Dads play evenings

Here at Growing Communities Together we are getting excited about our upcoming Kids and Dads play sessions. We’re building a multi-agency  team ready to start community events in term 4.

This approach to getting dads involved at their children’s school begins with asking the young people what they like doing with their dads. Then we propose to them that we have an evening with lots of other fathers and their children plus community people who know some fun games. After this the young people invite their dads.

Kids and dads love being close and having fun together

These evening sessions run for 2 and 1/2 hours and involve: playtime together as a community for an hour, a shared meal and a separate fathers meeting.

In past sessions run like this we’ve had feedback from the fathers appreciating the opportunity to share about parenting with other fathers as well as the event helping them to feel more ‘at home’ in the school. The young people are clearly encouraged by the special time with their dads and the  play. And the  isolation of parenting gets relieved by doing some of the parenting in a supported community context.

If you would like to know more about this project contact Sandy Wilder on 0407 402 021 or sandyw@bensoc.org.au

Fairfield, a bread lovers paradise

Bread frisbees, Coffee-Go-Rounds and Bosnian Burgers. It was all on the menu on my World Fare Tour last Saturday. Teena Ebejer, food guide trainee, reports. 

The group meets outside historic Fairfield Station

There is a buzz in the air as we meet up outside Fairfield station, the anticipation of exploring this undiscovered pocket of Sydney is palpable among the group. Our smiling guides Zizi and Brigid tell us we’re in for a treat, and with that we are whisked off to sample what Fairfield’s finest have on offer. 

The next few hours were a whirlwind of samples to fill our bags, the writing down of unknown ingredients to google at a later time,  and eating- lots and lots of eating. I do wonder how I manage to keep my camera bag free of crumbs. There are a huge array of bakeries in Fairfield, to such an extent that Fairfield Council has opted to put out a Bread Guide to Fairfield so that people could identify and learn about the different types. (included in your complimentary sample bag) A quick stop at a nearby bakery – which was hidden down one of Fairfield’s many rabbit warrens- threw us into a steamy, floury world of baking machinery, spitting out a flurry of dough which is almost immediately ballooned out as it bakes, which we are told is 20 seconds. 

Ladies packing the Lebanese bread into bags.

The lady in the packing room throws me a round of Lebanese bread like a frisbee from across the room and I munch on it happily while taking it all in. An old man in a corduroy suit hauls what looks like 20 packets out the door (7 loaves per packet…. so thats 140 loaves) and something tells me this is just business as usual. 

The next snack we had was something I had tried before but I really couldn’t remember it being quite this phenomenally, mouth-wateringly addictive.. a Philippean specialty called “Turon” which is basically a deep fried banana, wrapped in a super crispy spring roll shell, then sha-nazzled in some crunchy dark caramel, in case the deep frying bit wasn’t going to make it tasty enough.

Deep-fried, golden delicious Banana Turon, with Jackfruit

The flavour of Jackfruit, also in the parcel was humming in the background- an interesting exotic fruit that i’d only had in South-East Asian jelly drinks. We then stopped at a cafe that had been around for 30 years, that roasts its own beans in a steam-punk style German imported antique roaster which is ‘up the back’ (hear that alot on our tours) which I think is a crime that its hidden away because its absolutely gorgeous! The wheels whizz around the coffee beans like a coffee-go-round while gently roasting them and giving off the most amazing aroma! The group was chuffed- they said they would have never seen that had they not come along on a Taste Food Tour. (yay!) Reeling after a bunch of grocery stops- one a Vietnamese grocery stop where I found wrinkly Kaffir Limes (not the leaves, but the fruit for once!) Score! and the lady hand skillfully hand-sliced some fresh sugar cane for us all to have a chew on.

Vietnamese Fruit and Vegetables

I saw a couple of the participants leaving with huge jars of tom yum paste (For making a spicy Thai Soup) , which looked amazing, but slightly too heavy for me to lug around with my heavy camera in tow. One of the other grocery stops was this well-stocked Lebanese ‘supermarket’ with 8 different kinds of Sultanas alone, (I didn’t count) tennis balls of cheese covered in herbs called “Shanglish” and crumbled dill fetta, all house made. The flavours were amazing, herby, fresh and tangy. They also had products from Europe and  Asia besides all the Middle Eastern goodies. They set up a small table of samples for us, with everything from Lebanese-style broad beans to turkish delight with walnuts inside, dried mango and papaya, kri kri nuts (coated peanut snacks) and baladiye cheese, which is like a type of fresh fetta cheese. When the locals saw the samples too the shop filled up pretty quickly! 

Next stop is lunch, and I’m left feeling my belly wondering where I will possibly fit it in. We are transported to Bosnia, via a lovely although unassuming cafe & restaurant, where our hosts Zizi and Brigid suprise us with enormous platters of Bosnian treats, the smell of grilled meats waft in the air. Among other things we are also served what look like hamburgers, but are actually grilled meat sandwiches at least double the size of a Big Mac. They are outstanding, and without any word of a lie, I am still daydreaming about them to this day, with plans to go

Bosnian Banquet - so much to eat!

back with the two able- bellied males in my life, my hubby and my dad. This is definately dude food. 

Without the aid of a wheelbarrow, the guides take us to our final stop which is an Iraqi sweetery, boasting over 30 varieties of pastry, nut and sugar based comestibles. Zizi does the ordering and she has done well- serving us up portions of ‘Znood el Sit’ (Ladies Arms- pastries filled with milk curd and deep fried) and Semolina custard triangles, drenched in sugar syrup and topped with crushed pistachios.  I think we all deserve a medal for how well we can hoe the food down, and as for the leftovers, well surprisingly there weren’t that many!  And luckily the rain held off just long enough for me to visit some of the same shops again, just to make sure I could remember where they were for next time, oh and to buy some of that day-glo red tom yum paste, and some kaffir limes, and some…everything!

For more information on our upcoming tours to Fairfield, Bankstown, Lakemba, Strathfield, Campsie and more please visit our tour info page.

Custard Triangle Pastries