SEASON'S GREETINGS

Toby and Mick join the Harem

Meet Toby the new addition at Les Palais de Lappin. He is a British Giant Cross/NZ White and is already the father of about 60 at his new abode. He is a beautiful boy and is loving life here on the spectacular North West Coast. He and Mick arrived at the farm together and we are thrilled with their progeny. Needless to say, the girls are happy with the new players in the playground also.

Duck Eggs on the Menu for Christmas Cooking

Well the kids are out of Learn To Swim School and the Aunties are on the lay again –  and so too will the Mums be too soonish. That'll mean that we'll have some duck eggs for the Foodies at the Harvest Market for Christmas. 

In Australia, compared with  chicken eggs, the consumption of duck eggs is very small. However, it is estimated that about 6.5 million ducks are slaughtered in Australia each year – a high proportion going to the Asian food market.

Albeit that duck egg production is at a very low level, mostly it is small operators like us at  GLENCROFT FARM who are producing for Foodies and other 'cooks in the know'!  However, with more people experimenting with Asian cuisine we are bound to see more duck eggs available.

There are several breeds of ducks, including the Rouen, Pekin, Aylesbury, Khaki Campbell and many others. The GLENCROFTducks are mostly HEINZducks – a GLENCROFThybrid of 57 varieties for hybrid vigour. They're a motley but a very vigorous lot and rather 'picturesque' as they troop off to the creek every morning for a swim. While we like their eggs but the ducks' main roll in life is ridding the garden of snails and other little juicy bugs – the chooks tend to eat the vegies and we prefer it when they don't.

Despite what many people think, duck eggs are indeed edible. They have a richer flavour than chook eggs. Generally speaking you can cook and bake with duck eggs just as you do with chook eggs. Duck eggs are larger than a chook eggs. Duck eggs are a tasty, healthy and a versatile alternative. Scramble them. Poach them. Bake them in a cake. On the inside, you'll find that duck egg yokes are larger in proportion to the whites than your average chook egg – and a richer yellow/orange too. 

But before you try your first GLENCROFTduckegg learn more about what makes duck eggs distinct – better! CLICK HERE

Duck eggs are less watery than chook eggs, so overcooking them can make them a little rubbery. Nevertheless, duck eggs are excellent for baking. Because of their high protein content, duck eggs make cakes rise high and stay that way, while their high fat content gives baked goods a richer taste and colour. The size difference between duck eggs and chook eggs should be taken into account – some cooks use 1 duck egg for every 2 chicken eggs called for. 

Duck egg whites are harder to whip than chook eggs. Adding a little acid, in the form of lemon juice, will help whip them into shape. Duck eggs make the best custard. Duck egg custard tarts are  light, incredibly rich yet – and something for a Foodie to die for. The texture is simply extraordinary. 

Anything you make with chook eggs become extraordinary when made with duck eggs. Some people are a little afraid of cooking with duck eggs – please don't be. Duck eggs are a little luxury in life and with a shorter season than chook eggs’ season and that should be taken advantage of. 

In short, don't let the chefs be the only ones to get hold of these wonderful ingredients and the ‘secret ingredient’ in this or that dish. But you'll need to be quick or you'll miss out as demand exceeds supply. You might even want to have a few ducks decorating your garden and eating all your snails, bugs and grubs ... click here to read more

Maggie Beer Cooks Rabbit

click here to go to Maggie's recipe
Maggie Beer's Rabbit with Pancetta, Prunes & Onions

Maggie Beer, the Barossa queen of game, does her rabbit in a one pot wonder. This is a wonderful way to use the saddle of the rabbit. Marinated with sage, lemon thyme, mustard and extra virgin olive oil, the rabbit pieces are gently sealed and then combined with onions and prunes before finishing it with verjuice, livers and kidneys seared in nut brown butter. Imagine tucking into that with a crusty piece of organic sourdough ... click here to read more on cinnamonpig.com.au

Maggie Beer's Rabbit Pie: Click Here

Aussies Living Simply: Click Here For Rabbit Stew Talk

Maggie Beer's Rabbit Casserole with Quince & Verjuice on the ABC's BEAT THE CHEF

GLENCROFT EGGS

Each week at Launceston's Harvest Market there is a growing number of people looking out for our eggs. We only have 20 HAPPYhens so we have a very limited number of eggs available each week. So it works out that the market's early birds are the ones who get the eggs.

We cannot sell our farm fresh eggs already packed in RECYCLEDcartons but we do have RECYCLEDcartons on the ready so that you can select your eggs from the basket and pack them yourself. That's quite a bit different from your supermarket experience – so too are our eggs.

NOTE TO SERIOUS COOKS: Sometime soon our ducks will start laying again after their babies start following them down to the creek and have completed their 'Learn To Swim Program'. We know that there are some really serious cooks out there who appreciate duck eggs for their cooking. Watch this space! We are thinking that when we have duck eggs, the serious cooks out there may order eggs online and we'll bring them to the market for them. Please speak to us at the market.

Pure South: Glencroft Rabbit Reviewed

CLICK HERE TO VISIT  Pure South Online

Pure South: River Level Southgate, Southbank 

The name "Pure South" refers to the fact that all produce from this restaurant is sourced from Tasmania ... Click here to read the review

A RECIPE : A quick delicious little rabbit meal

Click here to read more

Product Feedback

We welcome your feedback as it helps us deliver the products our customers want and need. Please use the Product Feedback Section to send your feedback, information and any other questions relevant to our products.

Launceston's Harvest Market Stall

We have been at Launceston Harvest Market since its inception and our regular client list is growing. So too has our product range.

Some products sell out early but we do try to bring enough supplies to match the growing demand for our products.

People are telling us all kinds of ways that they enjoy our rabbit meat and as this site grows we'll be adding  recipes  and menu ideas that have been shared with us.

We are also working with other innovative Tasmanian food producers to extend our product range and we are always interested  to hear how you enjoy our rabbit products.

We know that our Glencroft Farm eggs are  appreciated as only the early birds to the market have any chance at all to buy their eggs. 

We look forward to seeing you soon at the market and telling you more about our products!

Watch This Space

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE

GLENCROFT FARM

We are finally taking a step towards talking to our customers online and giving them more information about:
•   Our farm
•   Our rabbits; and
•   Great ways to eat our special rabbit meat products.

Tasmanian Fresh Farmed Rabbits: We started rabbit farming about 4 years ago with in cooperation with neighbours. The business sells to restaurants and butcheries and at farmers’ markets. 

Our rabbits are specifically bred for meat production. They take about 10 to 12 weeks to reach the optimum size and weight for processing.

Tasmanian Fresh Farmed Rabbits supply young tender rabbit meat to butchers, restaurants, markets and to the general public. 

Contact Information:

• Doug Horridge and Marlene McGrath owners
• Phone: 03 6437 5263 
• eMAIL: marlene@intas.net.au