I have to admit, hosting this workshop was a bit of a fantasy come true for me – a real River Cottage experience. (don’t laugh at my fantasies – ha!) I live on a tiny island, most of what we eat is imported so being able to connect with the source of our food is hard.
I’ve struggled a lot with where I stand on the issue of eating meat – for the environment, for the welfare of the animals and for my health. At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice – but the point is that you make a choice. Our world has become so convenient, we take food for granted. It’s entirely too easy to eat meat three times a day – without even thinking about it. But, it’s not without a cost…
“Everyone’s lost a bit of their identity with convenience
– Kelly, Arrawatta Meat Co.”
I know that my heart would break into a thousand pieces if I saw first hand, a cow subjected to life in an industrial farm. And yet, every time I choose to buy meat without knowing its source, it’s a system that I may well be supporting. Trying to work this out for myself, I’ve come up with all kinds of solutions, but getting to know the rancher was never one of the options…
That is until one day, here in Singapore – I met the guys from Arrawatta Meat Co.
They’re three friends from Australia who’ve grown up on farms, worked on farms and today are producing pasture fed, sustainable beef. I had a million questions and they had a million stories. They talked about the generations of farming, understanding the genetics of the cows, the environment, keeping the animals stress-free. Choosing not to be part of industrial farming, the passion and integrity that went into what they do. I was like a kid at story-time, wide-eyed and smiling.
After our chat, they give me a piece of Arrawatta beef to bring home with me. Instantly I’m nervous I’m going to mess it up. I felt like I was holding something so precious, and I was! This wasn’t a commodity – this was a life that was respected.
It wasn’t like picking up a piece of steak from the supermarket, I knew its story and the passion that went into it.
That night, I cooked fully present – and with a special ingredient I’d been missing for so long: the connection to my food – from the farmers to the butchers to my hands in the kitchen… I ended making the very best steak of my life. If you could have seen my husbands face. He still talks about that dinner.
I thought, this is what food is about! This has to be a workshop.
So just a few weeks later, Kelly flew back down to Singapore and hosted our Pasture-to-Plate workshop. You guys sold out this class in only 36 hours!
We got to ask a million questions, taste and understand the differences in pasture-fed beef, or as Kelly calls it “good clean beef.”
And the best part was that a group of people in Singapore got to connect to the source of their food – can now make those better choices and cook with a happy heart.
Here are some pictures from the day:
I set out some nibbles for everyone at the table – to hold off any rumbling bellies during Kelly’s talk. Ha!
Kelly got up there, shared his story and answered our questions about the differences between grain fed vs. grass fed beef. He’s seen it all, the good and the bad. His takeaway was that if you choose to eat meat, choose well. Take the time to know.
After the talk – we ate.
Kelly said to me “I want everyone to leave feeling well fed.” And did he deliver! The chef of Pollen Restaurant cooked up a feast, we got to sample the different cuts of Arrawatta beef – it was like Christmas dinner.
Yes, that steak is bigger than a grown man’s hand. Chef cooked it on the grill first, then finished it in the oven. Absolute perfection.
What an absolute perfect day. To Kelly and the guys of Arrawatta Meat Co., please visit us again! 🙂 Thanks to The Host at Clark Quay for the perfect venue!
Singapore I have great news:
If you want to buy Arrawatta beef, check out The Butcher. It’s the only place that stocks them. They’re even offering Little Green Dot readers a 15% discount – so don’t miss out!
Arrawatta beef 15% discount:
- where: The Butcher
- details: 8th November to the 23rd November 2014
- how: mention the Little Green Dot 15% Discount for Arrawatta Beef in person or online
Photography by: Nicola of Brightstar Photography for Little Green Dot
