South Australian Company Store: at Angaston in the Barossa Valley region of South Australia

In the kitchen Barbara Buggy whips up another mouth watering creation. And whether its Red Snapper on braised fennel bound for the restaurant tables... or the endless array of local chocolates, glace fruits and bush tucker sauces.. the emphasis here is on top quality local produce. It's all part of the philosophy of the South Australian Company Store.... a relatively recent addition to the culinary scene in the Barossa Valley.

Set in the vineyards on the outskirts of Angaston... the Company Store draws on a long history of food production. All of this was once the Gawler Park Fruit Company..... where for more than half a century the old army barracks - transported from Woodside - played their part in the manufacturing of glace fruits.

Now they house upmarket rations which can feed a regiment of food lovers all year round.

It's the brainchild of Kerrie Mariani... daughter of legendary racehorse trainer Colin Hayes.. and her husband Paul ... who drew their inspiration from the earliest days of the colony.

"When the South Australian company was formed it was there to survey the state.. Build the bridges and the wharves and the ports and get the agriculture going. So it really encompassed the whole state and that's the connection that we want to transmit. That this store represents a showcase of all South Australian products that Kerrie has been spending months and months trying to dig out of every corner of the state."

And its location at Angaston makes perfect sense. The town was named after George Fife Angas.. the Chairman of the South Australian Company... the man who implemented Edward Gibbon Wakefield's plan of systematic colonisation. From the arrival of the Buffalo.... to the establishment of Adelaide and opening up of the interior.. the South Australian Company oversaw a radical plan with lofty ideals which would see an influx of immigrants from around the world.. free of the convict stain.

Today the store which bears the company name is a gourmet's guide to the galaxy of food on offer in our State.

"It was to showcase what we can produce and what we can make.. We do have a diverse group from other nations... And we have an interesting mix of ethnic mixes and I think our products show that.. They're clean and wonderful."

From Jane Ferrari's sherry vinegars to locally-made entertainment bars... from fleece-lined swags to the occasional rocking horse.. The South Australian Company Store offers an eclectic mix. And all the while Di Wark is on hand to add to the array of hand painted terra cotta serving ware.

But the emphasis here is always on food.. as Chef Shane Cattermole takes us through one his dishes... seared lamb backstrap.. with a Moroccan egg plant relish.. and braised fennel. The lamb is seasoned with sea salt and cracked pepper.. and then seared on the hot plate.

And while that's sizzling away... Shane plates up the egg plant relish.. made from an array of ingrendients.

"We have red onions, diced up tomatoes, chopped mint and coriander.. The chargrilled egg plant.. We have some egg plant chips that will later go on the dish... We also have some dried raisins and we roast and ground cumin and coriander.. We have some sherry vinegar and olive oil."

With the relish and braised fennel ready.. all that's need is the sliced lamb.

"A sprig of rosemary and we finish it off with our reduction. And that's our seared lamb with aubergine relish and braised fennel."

It's just one of the dishes on offer. The South Australian Company Store is at 27 Valley Road Angaston and is open daily. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au