Reviewed by : Marjie Courtis

The minute I saw it, I fell in love with Produce to Platter: Geelong and Surrounding Regions. Beautiful photographs by Brad Hill complement the book's enticing layout and rich content.

The conceptual idea of a book devoted to the ingredients and culinary outputs of a particular geographic region, comes from Jonette George and Daniele Wilton, a mother and daughter team whose love of regional produce is clear from the outset.

The book discusses a range of primary produce from six mini-regions in reasonably close proximity to Geelong, Victoria. The six mini-regions are the Bellarine Peninsula, Moorabool Valley, the Otways, Surf Coast, the Gateway and Geelong itself.

George and Wilton present profiles on the individual products, the outlets that present food and wine to the customer, and the chefs and restaurants that plate up their dishes for diners.

The authors provide excellent context for their specific look at local food and produce. They explore the cultural, historic and geographic context for food and wine in Geelong and its regions. They engage the reader with the people who produce the food, the wine, the recipes and the associated experiences. They include the wisdom and perspectives of Bertrand Russell, Dom Perignon and numerous local chefs, producers and vignerons.

It's a book you could use to plan a travel itinerary, if you would like food and wine to be a major feature of your travel.

The recipes are mouth-watering, the review of the food, producers and service providers is comprehensive and informative, it's inspiring whether or not you plan to visit the region and it's a wonderful travel companion if you do visit the area.

Produce to Platter: Geelong and Surrounding Regions 2010
ISBN 978-0-9807891-3-3
Publisher: Smudge Publishing http://www.smudgepub.com.au/