Butter & Co.

The word on Butter! www.pepesaya.com.au

[butterandco]

CULTURED BUTTERMILK SPELT BREAD By Teresa Cutter - The Healthy Chef

My soda bread  is easy to make and has a subtle sweetness and density that goes with just about anything sweet or savoury.  

500 g whole meal spelt flour

50 g  ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups Pepe Saya Buttermilk

60 g Pepe Saya Cultured Butter (melted)

60 g mixed raw seeds

Preheat oven to 180 C. (160 C FAN FORCED)

Combine flour, flaxseed, salt and soda then mix through.

Combine buttermilk and melted butter.

Pour over the dry ingredients all at once and mix through lightly with your fingers.  The dough should be lovely and moist much like a scone dough.

Place dough onto a lightly floured board and form into 2 small round loaves.

Place onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

Brush the top with a little extra buttermilk then spinkle with seeds.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Enjoy

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Pepe Saya Cultured Butter Serve topped with Pepe Saya Marscapone and drizzle with raw organic honey.

[butterandco]

A beautiful recipes By Teresa Cutter - The Healthy Chef

Using Pepe Saya BUTTERMILK

Banana Chia + Buttermilk Smoothie

Here’s one of my favourite banana smoothie recipes that I love to make for a healthy breakfast.

It’s rich in gut health probiotics, fibre and protein to support a healthy digestive system.

1 banana – frozen

1 cup Pepe Saya Buttermilk

1 tablespoon Healthy Chef Protein

2 teaspoons ground golden flaxseed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4  teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1/2 cup ice

Combine all the ingredients into a high speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes + Inspiration Add a tablespoon of roasted almond butter.

[butterandco]

Pepe Saya at Aboutlife.

Did you know? With every beverage purchase you receive complimentary Toast with Pepe Saya Butter and your choice of topping at all Aboutlife stores.

[butterandco]

Croissant Upgrade Press Release

How do you make better croissants? Simple: use better butter!

As of this Saturday, all of Black Star Pastry's croissants, chocolate croissants, cinnamon scrolls and danishes are being made with Pepe Saya cultured butter.

Full disclosure! We have had to raise the price a little as Pepe Saya butter is hand-churned, locally produced and extra delicious, so we think you'll agree it is worth it.

Everyone should come in and try for themselves.

Appearing in all stores on 4 June, 2016

[butterandco]

Meet the dairy farmers that Pepe Saya gets his milk from: On 21 May 2004 a few years after the deregulation of the milk industry in Australia, Bob (John's dad), John & Sally Fairley along with their children Tom & Ellen, embarked on an EPIC journey, to get away from the big co-ops that own you, as many farmers are experiencing now. Unfortunately, dairy farmers are "price takers" and have no control over the price paid for milk and it seems evident that big company policy is to pass off mismanagement onto the farmers. -------------- John and Sally worked out that the only way to get a fair price for their milk and keep a sustainable farm for generations to come was to set up a bottling plant on the farm and distribute milk, yoghurt and cream to independent grocers and cafes direct. The Cows are milked twice a day, milk is placed in the bottles and sold into Sydney, Canberra and environs. Since the Fairley’s started @country_valley other farmers have joined in and send milk to Country Valley to be bottled and receive a good price for their milk. ------------- Sustainability comes at a price. When you sell milk at a below cost or at cost price you don’t have margins to keep all of the elements of the supply chain sustainable. Someone along the supply chain is paying the price. It has never been more important than now to support the brands that have a sustainable business model in place. So paying $3.00 per litre is not that much when you really think about it. #supportfarmers 📷 by @foodwinedine of John Fairley looking over his much loved Country Valley

[butterandco]

Rob Locke of Sydney based food media production company Food Wine Dine, is the man behind many of the most mouthwatering images of Pepe Saya products, and an invaluable member of the Pepe Saya family (not just because he’s the only one who can reach things on the top shelf either). Pepe’s trained writer monkey - Bliss Boaden - had a chat with him about food, social media and life hacks for foodies.

BB: How long have you and Pepe Saya been working together? RL: I’ve been working with Pepe since 2011 when  we made a short film about Pepe Saya butter for a series I was doing with Virgin Australia. Since then we have worked on a lot of stuff together and it's been fantastic to see the success and growth of the little butter company that could. Pepe is the great connector and I have met so many fantastic people through him such as Alex Olsson from Olsson's Salt, Chairman John Fairley from Country Valley Milk , Merna from Dessertmakers, Mike McEnearney from Kitchen By Mike and No.1 Bent St, Nick Gorman from Yarra Valley Caviar, John Susman from Fishtales and so many more great producers and chefs. The common thing that all these people have in common is that they are best in class and I think that is reflected in the Pepe Saya products.

BB: Speaking of Pepe Saya products, what is your favourite and how do you enjoy it? RL: I’m a traditionalist. Pepe Saya Salted Butter on a wedge of Mike McEnearney’s bread from Kitchen By Mike.

BB: You take amazing foodie snaps and vids for your clients. What are the 3 pieces of equipment /technology you use the most for your work? RL: Mostly my iPhone…and the iPhone and also an iPhone.

BB: What advice would you give small businesses to help create effective social media? RL: Tell your story. If you can show people what you are doing and what you can offer them they are engaged. Telling the story with great images and videos helps a lot too.  

BB: You’re a pro at Instagram. Do you have any hacks you’d like to share? RL: Use keyboard shortcuts to store your hashtags.

BB: Social media is a tricky nut to crack for most brands. Where do you stand on Twitter vs Facebook vs Instagram in terms of what business should be investing their marketing budget in? RL: Invest it in good content...without that, it doesn't matter how much you spend on advertising and marketing, it's probably not going to work.

BB: Finally, what do you think the next big thing in Australian food will be? RL: 2 things. 1. Producers as the rock stars of food. Without them we are nothing.

2. Hopefully certain government organisations having faith in the chefs we have here, the producers we have here and the level of dining options we have in Australia at all levels (not just at the high end). I'm a strong believer that this trend of importing overseas chefs to open restaurants for short periods to educate us and the world about Australian food is wrong. We have enough great people in this country who can do that very well. I can't imagine a French or US government agency paying a lot of money to an overseas chef to come and do the same in their country. If we build the profile of our producers, chefs, restaurants and food destinations on a national and worldwide basis, that is something far more valuable for us in the long run, rather than filling the pockets of others who leave us with not much more than pretty Instagram photos when they depart.

You can follow Rob on instagram @foodwinedine and make sure you check out his website with snappy short films about all types of interesting local and international food producers www.foodwinedine.com

[butterandco]

Olsson’s Salt

The Salt we use to make Pepe Saya Butter!

Mrs. Pepe is so grateful to the team at Olsson’s Salt for inviting her along to see first hand how the Olsson’s sea salt is made right here in Australia.

Olsson’s Salt mine is located in Whyalla, South Australia and is an Australian Family owned and operated business.

Olsson’s Sea Salt contains only three ingredients: sea water, sunshine and wind This process is called SOLAR EVAPORATION and this type of salt is called Solar Sea Salt. The Olsson Family has been making solar sea salt in Australia since 1964.

Salt crystals start to form when the brine concentration reaches 25.8% Sodium Chloride (NaCl). Normally at this point the brine is moved to what is called a “crystalliser pond” where the salt will begin to drop out of the water, forming a layer of salt on the crystalliser pond. At this point salt is hand harvested, dried and packaged. There are no chemical processes or additives in the making of our salt.

Mrs. Pepe

[butterandco]

At Parliament House with Qantas

I was recently invited by the team at Qantas to speak at the two ‘friends of tourism’ events they put on every year for our politicians in Canberra.

Here is my speech & pictures from the night.

Good Evening!

Dear Prime Minister, Ministers, Senators, Members of Parliament, distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen

My name is Pierre Issa, but I’m known as Pepe. Tonight you are eating my butter, Pepe Saya Australian Cultured Butter. Made in Tempe NSW.

My mum is Australian and my dad immigrated to Australia from Lebanon in the 1960’s. I was born in Lebanon, and I grew up in both Lebanon and Australia. We ate roast beef dinners, and pudding, as well as hummus and Tabbouleh around the table whilst growing up.  

I studied Marketing and it took me a while to work out I needed to be as close to primary industry as possible. I needed to produce something, something with soul!

I remember when I worked out that butter was the thing for me, I was 35 years old and I went to my dad to tell him. He said ‘Are you crazy? I buy it for 99c at Aldi.’

Convinced of a gap in the market, when I started churning in 2010 none of the top chefs or caterers were using Australian butter. It was French all the way. The Australian made and owned didn’t sway them. We had to be “Best in Class” for them to use our butter.

To produce the best Butter you need the Best cream, and we invest a lot in making sure we have the best cream. For that we need farmers like John Fairley from Country Valley Dairy- Hi John & thanks for coming along tonight.

John is a sixth generation farmer based in Picton, NSW and he is dedicated to maintaining healthy soil and pasture on his land. The thing is…you can taste all the effort he puts in when you drink his milk or spread the butter we churn from his cream. It’s worth the investment, and that’s important to note.

So how did we get on-board with Qantas? It was Neil Perry’s team at Rockpool Consulting inside of Qantas that reached out to us. They had tasted the butter and wanted to meet. We had made it onto the menu of our National Carrier! In the early days only the lucky ducks flying International First Class were spreading Pepe Saya on their rolls mid-flight, but now we’re on International and Domestic Business class as well.

Really early on, before “local” was a foodie buzzword, before there were “locavore cafes” Qantas saw the value in supporting an Australian made product, and the relationship we have built with Qantas, and Qantas’ passengers over the past four years has been a key factor in the success and growth of the Pepe Saya brand.

It’s staggering to me to find that more Australian businesses do not support Australian. Imagine if I brought in cream from Italy to churn or added French Salt to my butter. Would my butter be served on Qantas, or at Rockpool, or in any of the places that we associate with fine dining?

The chefs that were once dedicated to the thought of French butter and Champagne and imported cheese, are the same chefs you see today advocating for the use of Fresh Australian produce. Imagine if corporate Australia adopted that idea as well. Imagine if supporting Australian made, owned and grown was something that we had business leaders adopting at a policy level.

I admire the way Qantas made a conscious decision to serve Australian made on-board. There is a way to see that decision as not only an investment in small businesses, but an investment in deliciousness as well. The Australian food scene can’t compete with the larger more established foreign food producers if the market here continues to buy foreign. If we invest in Australian made, we’ll see the development of a rich and diverse culture of food production here too.

Qantas are a very visible and much respected part of Australia’s business community and it is great to see them leading by example. Qantas led the charge in supporting Pepe Saya butter, and I am excited to see what happens next.

I will leave you with this: the next time you’re entertaining important overseas guests, wine and dine them on food your countrymen have produced, and notice the pride you feel when your guests exclaim over the flavour and you are able to say ‘it’s Australian-made’.

Thank you for listening.

Special thanks to Mr. Bojan Jokovic & Mr. Tom Gallagher for the trust.

[butterandco]

Tough game this retail, but I see opportunity, do you?

Tomorrow (Tuesday February 23rd) is the opening of Pepe Saya’s Last Supper Pop-Up, where for one month you will be able to try and buy a delicious selection of locally-made artisanal products. As word has spread about Pepe Saya’s Last Supper, people have been asking Pepe why he is opening a Pop-Up at all? Shouldn’t butter-makers stick to what they’re good at? Not if they want to survive, and here’s why.

Artisan producers like Pepe Saya Butter Company, Yarra Valley Caviar, Zokoko Chocolate, and Dessertmakers Handcrafted desserts (just to name a few), find it very difficult to get shelf space in quality gourmet retailers. More and more of those fine food retailers are opting to sell the exact same products as the big supermarket chains, (albeit at slightly higher prices), the argument being that it’s what consumers want.

I disagree.

Consumers want convenience, competitive pricing, quality and service. Supermarkets have built an empire by offering the first two, which is why delis should focus on being a convenient local store, sourcing top quality artisanal products, and offering knowledgeable customer service. Think about it. As a smaller local retailer you’re not going to standout from the supermarket crowd by trying to do the same thing, and charging slightly more for it. If I am looking to buy milk, and you stock a generic milk for one dollar more than the major supermarkets, I am going to the major supermarkets, it is the same product. But if you stock Country Valley Milk, a multi-award winning locally produced milk, I’m buying it in your store at a higher price than Dairy Farmers, because it’s convenient and top quality, and while I’m there I’ll get some handmade pasta and a sauce for dinner, and be back the following weekend because I’m having a dinner party and your cheese counter is knockout! It’s easy to point to the popular items on the distributor’s catalogue, instead of seeking out underrepresented products, but that little bit of extra effort becomes your point of difference, and helps keep the food scene vibrant.

So why is a butter-maker having a Pop-Up? Pepe wanted to see a retail outlet that’s stocking the food he wants to eat, so he did it himself, and invited his friends along to be the Last Supper ‘guests’. Yarra Valley Caviar, Olsson’s Salt, Egganic eggs, Carthian Hill Garlic, Brasserie Bread, Dessertmakers dairy desserts, Country Valley Milk, and Bitton conserves and preserves will all be sold alongside the full Pepe Saya range (and some limited edition treats like smoked butter and seaweed butter). Swing by 37a Copeland St, Alexandria NSW 2015 and checkout the spectacular products being showcased. There’s tastings galore and the store is open seven days a week (Wednesday-Monday 8am-4pm; Tuesday 8am-9pm)

[butterandco]

Jeanine Bribosia

Everyone, this is Jeanine Bribosia. Jeanine this is everyone. Jeanine is the founder of The Cru, a media and communications agency servicing the premium food, wine and hospitality industry. Pepe has been working with Jeanine and The Cru on the upcoming launch of Pepe Saya’s Last Supper Pop-Up and wanted to introduce you;

The Cru’s reputation is hard to beat when it comes to food PR in Australia. Normally we take charge of our own media strategy, but with The Last Supper we decided we needed a professional voice to represent us to in the media. I am really impressed so far, especially with the professional way they conduct business. – Pepe Saya, Urban Butter Maker Recently Bliss, Pepe Saya’s writer monkey, picked Jeanine’s brains about food, media strategy and trends in Aussie food: You’re a mover and shaker in the food scene. Do you have any spots for fabulous food and/or produce that you can share with us?

At the moment I am loving Sunrise Asian in Elizabeth Bay- they supply produce to some of Sydney's best chefs and their first retail store sells the most beautiful, unusual produce, especially Asian ingredients, as well as home made sauces and takeaway. It should be on every food-lover's radar! And owner Fiat is a fantastic baker too. 

 What restaurants are on your foodie bucket list?

Well now that we have been working closely with Noma Australia I am dying to go to Noma Copenhagen. Also Osteria Francescana in Modena, and places like Burnt Ends in Singapore. Closer to home I am yet to get to Franklin in Hobart and Magill Estate in Adelaide. They are on my list for this year. 

What trends can you see developing in the Australian food/hospitality industry?

I think it's never been a more exciting time in food in Australia, and there's room for absolutely everything in terms of dining. We are seeing so much more of high/low dining with some of our best chef's making their food accessible and doing affordable food well, not compromising on using quality ingredients. Also, the focus on minimising waste, using every part of an animal and vegetable and being far more innovative and disruptive in the process. 

What do you think an agency like Cru Media can offer small producers like Pepe Saya?

We like to think we become part of the team for our clients. We get to know their brands so well that we can help steer their direction, the conversations they participate in, and awareness about what they are doing. It might sound cliché, but we can help them tell their stories across many different audiences and bring out the most compelling parts of their brand. 

 What should the long-term objective of using an agency like yours be? 

In the long-term? Brand building and brand maintenance. Becoming part of the conversations that reach your target audience, and staying part of those conversations. 

Do you have any tips for small food businesses about how to effectively using their media budget?

It's just about being targeted and consolidating your budget at a key time for your brand to maximise the cut through. A small budget won't go very far if you have a scattergun approach and try to eke it out over a long period of time. It's best to be really focused, to know the result you want, and to go hard over a specific period of time. 

 The margin on food is not large. How do you suggest your clients offset their media spends? 

It's a long game. You need to invest to keep your brand strong and understand that it will pay off in the long run. You need to factor in a small percentage for PR and marketing each year, rather than waiting for sales to plateau or drop and see it as a 'quick fix'. By that stage, it's usually too late.  

The Cru represent a number of hatted chefs and restaurants, as well as boutique producers like Pepe Saya and more recently they are responsible for launching NOMA Australia. To find out more about them and the incredible work they do see http://thecrumedia.com.

[butterandco]

Pepe Saya’s Last Supper Pop-Up

Yes butter fans, the rumors are true, the Pepe Saya ‘Last Supper’ Pop-Up is coming to town for one month, culminating on the biblical date of the last supper.

The Pop-Up will be stocked up with the full range of Pepe Saya deliciousness, as well as some exclusive flavours only available at the pop-up - try the smoked butter or Pepe’s unique seaweed butter.

It wouldn’t truly be the Last Supper without friends. Joining Pepe Saya for this foodie one-off is: Yarra Valley Caviar Country Valley Dairy Dessertmakers Dairy Desserts

Zokoko Chocolate Olsson’s Salt Brasserie Bread Single Origin Breads and Hot Cross Buns

John Susman’s Fishtales

Carthian Garlic

The Pop-Up is located next to Bitton Café in Alexandria and Chef David Bitton will be offering a special three-course dinner every Tuesday, combining his renowned French style fare with Pepe’s premium products. Bookings for these weekly dinners are essential. Contact Bitton

Bitton Café will also be featuring Pepe Saya products on their special daily menu. Look out for items like Omelette with smoked trout, baby spinach and Pepe Saya creme fraiche, Pepe Saya Buttermilk Pancakes with Bitton citrus honey and fresh seasonal fruit, and Brasserie Bread Hot Cross Buns with Pepe Saya butter, mascarpone, and Bitton strawberry and vanilla jam. YUM!!!

Plenty of reasons to pop on over to the Last Supper pop-up as the store was designed by well-known Sydney stylists, Jane Frosh and Lucy Tweed !

Pepe Saya Last Supper Pop-Up

Address: 36-37a Copeland St, Alexandria NSW 2015

Hours: Seven days a week (Wednesday-Monday 8am-4pm; Tuesday 8am-9pm)

Pepe Saya Dinners at Bitton

Tuesday evening 1st March, 8th March, 15th March, 22nd March

Bookings between 5pm and 8pm Contact: 02 9519 51111

[butterandco]

Mrs. Pepe’s quest for the perfect cream. If you are following along on social media, you will have seen how much travel is involved in the life of an urban butter maker and man about town. But did you know that Mrs. Pepe is quite the jetsetter too. Here she tells us a bit about her recent trip to South Australia:

I’m so fortunate to be able to travel around Australia on official Pepe Saya business. I love visiting places I have never been before, or returning to spots we holidayed in when I was a kid. Towards the end of 2015 I hopped on a Qantas flight from Sydney to Adelaide for a quick trip to see our friends/S.A distributor, Bottega Rotolo, and meet with one of the dairies supplying Pepe Saya Butter Company with high quality cream, The Fleurieu Milk Co. The trip started well; a smooth flight and my hire car was the bright yellow of Pepe Saya Butter. Really all that was missing was that big imperious head stuck on the doors. As I cruised around the city’s streets I began to really love this city.

I was staying in a King Club Suite on the top floor of The Intercontinental Adelaide, overlooking the Torrens River and Adelaide’s lush parks. After a luxurious sleep in my King Size bed, stretching out while Mr. Pepe was back in Sydney packing lunches and doing the school run, I made the most of breakfast in the Intercontinental Club Lounge. Located on the 21st floor, the lounge is a quiet oasis, and I really enjoyed my morning paper alongside house-made granola and Fleurieu Milk Co. yoghurt, plus they served my tea in a little silver teapot – heaven! In an episode of Seinfeld Jerry says to Elaine "once you've flown first class you can never go back", that is exactly how I feel about the Intercontinental Club Lounge.

The Intercon in Adelaide is in a great spot, with North Terrace close by and easy access to public transport and Adelaide’s shopping district. While I am talking about touristy stuff, if you’re in town you must visit the Adelaide Central Market. For over 145 years the Adelaide Central Market has been a hub for food lovers and food producers. With over 80 traders under one roof, and offering a huge range of seasonal produce, artisanal products, meats, cheeses, breads, smallgoods, as well as cafes, tours, and special events, the market buzzes with life and colour all year round.

Getting back to my adventure, after breakky and a nice stroll along the Riverbank Footbridge, it was time for me to hit the road. I was expected at Fleurieu Milk Co. around lunchtime and I wanted to savour the drive to the Fleurieu Peninsula, stopping for a photo op whenever I wanted without having a whining child ask me "are we there yet"?

Travelling along the Main South Road I passed rows of neatly planted grape vines, and the turnoff for the famous McLaren Vale vineyard (which if I'd had more time I would have loved to have checked this out…next time). Driving my little yellow butter car up Sellicks Hill I felt my heart skip a beat. What a breathtaking vista, pristine coastline and endless horizon. I had to detour and stop at beautiful Sellicks Beach, where I noticed there is plenty of great holiday accommodation with easy beach access; the kids and Pepe would love it.  

Not long afterwards I pulled into Myponga, 60km south of Adelaide, where I met with John Maidment of the Fleurieu Milk Co., a real salt of the earth guy with a truckload of regional knowledge. John showed me around the Fleurieu farms and introduced me to some farmers and locals.

The Fleurieu Milk Co. sold their first bottle of milk in June 2006, and we started using their cream in the mascarpone back in June last year. I had heard about the beautiful pastures and natural environment that their cows enjoy, but really wanted to see it firsthand.  

From my visit to the Fleurieu Milk Co. I learnt the following snippets of information:

- During the course of our winters they are wet with about 800 ml rainfall per season;

- We have dry hot summer’s and run irrigation on both farms;

- The pastures are ryegrass and clover soil sandy loam over clay;  

- All the dairy cows are pasture fed all grazing plus hay with a small amount of grain in the dairy when milked;

- Calving all year round;

- The taste/ flavour comes from natural grass grazing, not feed lots;

- The milk is simply pasteurised and bottled and/ or made into yoghurt;

- With our Jersey milk, it offers a rich creamy flavor, what we like to refer to as “the grange hermitage of milk”! we also find it higher in calcium and golden in colour.

- The Jersey herd are bred from the historic Roslyn Vale bloodlines. ‘Roslyn Vale’ has had the honour of being the top production Jersey herd in Australasia on several occasions. This herd is DNA tested to ensure it is 100% A2 positive. The added health benefits of drinking A2 milk is another reason this Jersey herd is now producing the highest quality milk on the market.

- Our holstein herd is home of The Windy Vale Stud, situated at the base of the foothills and surrounds the Fleurieu Milk Company factory. These cows are milked within 500 metres of the factory which allows Fleurieu Milk to capitalise on a first class supply chain.  The Windy Vale Stud took out champion cow at Intenational Dairy Week last year.

After my afternoon at the Fleurieu Milk Co. it was time to depart, as I passed through costal towns on my drive back to Adelaide Airport I witnessed the most amazing sunset, and I was sad to say goodbye to Radelaide and it’s diverse beauty. But as I boarded the Qantas Retro Roo Boeing 737-800 named James Strong, I made up my mind to bring my family back so they can experience South Australia’s beauty too.

Qantas flies daily to Adelaide. Check their website for more details www.qantas.com

I stayed at the Intercontinental Adelaide, and I highly recommend it (try the Club Lounge!). For pricing/packages visit  www.intercontinental.com/Adelaide

To find out more about Fleurieu Milk Co. see http://www.fleurieumilkco.com.au

The Adelaide Central Market is open Tuesday – Saturday. For more info on tours and events click http://www.adelaidecentralmarket.com.au

Just a little note: Pepe Saya Butter Company paid for this trip in full, there were no freebies. We choose to fly Qantas and stay in Intercontinental Hotels because we think they offer great service and a pleasant experience.

[butterandco]

G’day

[butterandco]

Pepe Saya is pleased as punch to be Newcastle City Council’s Australia Day Ambassador in 2016. Pepe will be giving a brief Australia Day Address at the ceremony in Newcastle on January 26th, and let’s just take a moment to reflect on how awesome that is. Pepe Saya, (Pierre Issa actually), the butter making child of an Australian mother, and a Lebanese father, who was born in Lebanon, naturalised as a citizen in Cyprus and now calls Sydney home, will be welcoming the newest batch of citizens this Australia Day.

Australia Day, as far as Pepe is concerned, is about acknowledging our nation’s past, present and future equally. It is important to recognise the traditional custodians of this land, to acknowledge their sacrifices and cherish their continued influence on our culture. And just as it is an honour to share this land with all Indigenous Australians, it is a great privilege to welcome the newest Australian citizens as well.

Australia is strengthened by its continued diversification and on January 26th 2016 Pepe will invite those gathered at the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony in Newcastle to reflect upon the importance of learning from the nation's past, and present, as together we look forward to a glorious future.

Oh and while we’re being super duper patriotic and all that stuff, let’s not forget that the corner stone of Australian cuisine is BUTTER, and Pepe Saya Butter is 100% Australian owned and made. Oi Oi Oi!!‪

[butterandco]

Pepe Saya Distribution Co.

Pepe Saya is moving into the Victorian market in a big way. Pepe and the team are setting up a Victorian Pepe Saya distribution, and late last year we sent a call out to likeminded food producers; we want to partner with a few great brands…is that you? The call was answered. We had a flood of interest from diverse food businesses. Going forward, Pepe Saya is happy to be distributing the following products in Victoria:

Gundowring Ice cream – small batch ice cream made with locally sourced ingredients

Pangkarra Foods – premium quality flours, pastas and pulses

Yarra Valley Caviar – hand milked salmon caviar

Malfroy’s Gold – Virgin comb honey

Garlicious™ Grown – black garlic from NSW Southern Tablelands

Olsson’s Salt products - South Australia

Fishtales - Delectable seafood hand selected by John Susman If you are interested in working with us, contact Pepe Saya’s Victorian Sales Rep Josette Frost [email protected]

[butterandco]

BIG NEWS! As of November 5th QANTAS is serving Pepe Saya Cultured Butter to all domestic Business Class, as well as international First and Business Class passengers.

People from all over the world choose to fly Australia’s airline, and Pepe Saya Butter Company is now supplying approximately 30,000 butters to Qantas per week. That’s 30,000 people who are sitting down and saying ‘What is this delicious butter, and who is that dapper gentleman on the packaging?’

A massive thank you to the food & beverage team at Qantas and the awesome  Rockpool group for the incredible support and for all the help that has been extended to the Pepe Saya Butter Co. over the past 4 years.

Here is a link: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/kale-and-quinoa-has-qantas-gone-hipster/story-fnihsfrf-1227604630091

[butterandco]

Mrs Pepe’s Farmers’ Facts - Part 3: Bobby Calves and Farmer John Speaks

Not so long ago Mrs Pepe visited one of Pepe Saya Butter Company’s suppliers - Country Valley in Picton N.S.W - and chatted with farmer John Fairley. Over the past two months we have brought you Mrs Pepe’s Farmers’ Facts Parts 1 and 2 (links to both bottom of page), now we have the final installment, Mrs Pepe’s Farmers’ Facts - Part 3: Bobby Calves and Farmer John Speaks

Bobby Calves: As with a lot of things in our industrialised food system, the calves born of dairy cows are out of sight, out of mind. Some of the female calves born each year can be incorporated back into the dairy herd, but what happens to the rest of the ‘bobby’ calves is a big issue for the Dairy Industry.

40 years ago farmers like John Fairley of Country Valley, would be able to raise bobby calves to sell, but in this brave new world of $1 milk and slashed prices, the consumer is unwilling to pay the price that comes with raising extra calves.

Bobby calves are essentially surplus to need, and because of their low market value they are not typically treated very well. At Country Valley however the calves are left with their mothers for as long as possible (7-10 days vs. 24hrs industry standard) before being moved to a comfortable shed, with straw to lay down on, so they don’t get injured or sick. The Fairleys try to sell their bobby calves to people who will raise them, or they raise them themselves and sell them for meat at 6 months. One way consumers can ensure the better treatment of bobby calves, and help dairy farmers, is to eat more veal.

Farmer John Speaks:It’s easy to feel disconnected from the people who produce our food, so we asked John Fairley a couple of questions: What’s something people wouldn’t know about your job?The cows are in the paddocks most of the day. Being a dairy farmer is less about time spent with cows than people think.

What are you most proud of as a farmer?That I’m the 6th generation to farm the same piece of land, and Tom, my son, is the seventh and we’re improving that land year after year. I still work with my Dad too. The family have been farming here in Picton for 150 years.

What changes do you hope to see in the Australian dairy industry? I hope to see fair prices become the norm, so farmers don’t miss treat their soil or their animals and can sell a quality healthy product profitably.

What the consumers need to understand is the real cost behind farming, especially the cost of land near Sydney. Farming is tough, especially now, and the farm’s land is worth so much. Some days I wonder should I give up, sell it to a developer, become a multi-millionaire and retire? But I love the land too much…

Do you have any tips for folks at home about milk?Milk must be stored below 4 degrees, so it shouldn’t be kept in the door of the fridge. Buy smaller portions more often, milk should be used within 4 days of being opened.  Oh and drink heaps of it!

Any final thoughts? Why does everything have to be so cheap? In the long-run, having unhealthy people, land, creeks and oceans is going to cost us so much more than simply paying a real price for our food.Support farmers and producers like Country Valley and Pepe Saya and know that you’re paying a fair price for a great product.

Read Part 1 & 2 SEPTEMBER PART1 http://pepesaya.com.au/index.php/the-daily-churn-2015-09/ OCTOBER PART2 http://pepesaya.com.au/index.php/the-daily-churn-2015-10/