2004 was an exciting first year for us. We embraced the Slow Food ethos with enthusiasm and had many a lively meeting after work at Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association. We came up with ideas and then set about trying to make those ideas happen. Most of them did - very successfully as you can see below.

At the end of July, Cheryl Galpin, our Secretary attended the first Australian National Meeting of Slow Food in Melbourne. 2004 was the first year where every state and territory in Australia had at least one convivium. The national meetings will be held regularly to establish a united voice for Slow Food in Australia.

As we grow and our committee becomes more confident and experienced in organising events, we realise how challenging it is to constantly conjure up fresh ideas. As anyone in the Top End knows, we are not blessed with a profusion of easily accessible cottage industries churning butter, handmaking cheeses or boutique wineries.

Distances in the Top End are vast with precious little between one town and the next. An enterprising venture on say Bathurst Island might be wonderful to visit but would be cost prohibitive to organise. As our membership grows we will benefit from economies of scale and such major events will be more within our grasp.

We always welcome an idea - if you have one, let us know

This is what we got up to during 2004

November 20
Roma Bar
Makan Night with Jack Ah Kit, Member for Arnhem

"When we cook mate, we cook!" And so they did - REAL slow food Territory style. See the MENU

Accompanying Jack in the kitchen was Cedric Suradi, Kim Hill and Chips Mackinolty.

Have a look at the photo gallery for this event - it was a LOT OF FUN!

Details of this event also made it into Hansard - take a look at the extract from the transcript

September 23
Menu de Degustation
Hanuman Restaurant

What a fabulous evening! Jimmy Shu and his team delighted us with 12 little plates of perfection.

A showcase of local produce - from Elcho Island Mud Crab to the tiny mauve flower of a wild pea used to tint the delicate and heavenly blue dumplings of corn fed chicken.

See the full menu and wines here.

August 04
An informal get together with Alan Saunders on Patty's verandah at Cullen Bay. We nibbled on Cheryl's delicious antipasto plates and watched another perfect sun set over the marina as Alan educated us on the finer points of Gumbo, Jambalaya and all things Cajun. We later presented Alan and his producer Kerry Stewart with some of our own local produce including Tropical Preserve jams and Darwin's famous chilli sauce.

July 04
Cooking Class with David Taylor. A great tropical menu and an evening that was enjoyed by all. David is knowledgeable, informative and highly entertaining and we will certainly be organising another class with him next year.

May 04
This time we took to the water. A sunset cruise on Darwin Harbour aboard a restored pearling lugger. Accompanied by what other than Pearl Shell Meat. The wine flowed freely and most people had managed to find their sea legs by the end of the evening!

March 04
Our first 'big' event! Dinner at Sonsie Restaurant in Parap was a huge success. Here's the menu. Unfortunately, someone forgot the camera!

Shrove Tuesday
Pancakes and local preserves. Accompanied by bubbly with mango liqueur. Venue - Patty's verandah overlooking Cullen Bay Marina.

December 03
A tasting of smoked and sashimi ocean farmed barramundi from the Tiwi Islands. Venue - Twilight on Lindsay, Darwin. Our inaugural event was extensively advertised in an effort to entice membership - it worked.