Like Maggie, like daughter
Christmas is nigh and Saskia Beer is busy. Busy packing gorgeously plump free-range chickens, raised on a vegetarian diet of corn and grains, dispatched from her family's Nuriootpa property in South Australia's Barossa Valley.
Growing up as the daughter of Australia's food darling Maggie Beer, and dad Colin, who specialises in pheasant and game farming, Saskia was destined to carve a career out of the rustic charm of her childhood.
"Because of the Beer name, people might think I'm a big business empire but actually I'm tiny - Dad likes to refer to me as a 'successful corner deli'," says Ms Beer, whose exquisitely produced Saskia Beer range is now available at select outlets in WA.
"You can't rush good produce - it all depends on the best time and the best environment to grow a good diet; nothing here is mass produced, our products are simple but full of integrity and we make sure we use every part of the product," she said.
Ms Beer is known on the east coast for her Black Pig range, which has recently extended to a charcuterie line. Based predominantly on Berkshire pigs, the meat and, importantly, the fat, Ms Beer says, has a clean, sweet flavour.
"It is often referred to as the 'Wagyu of pork'. It is a much smaller pig and as with most heritage breeds, has greater levels of intramuscular marbling and firm, sweet fat that delivers delicate flavours and a clean taste," she says.
The range includes sugar-cured speck, bacon and leg ham, prosciutto and chorizo but also extends to her The Gamekeeper chorizo range made with venison and kangaroo.
"Supermarket bacon leaves a greasy aftertaste, whereas Black Pig bacon is moist and juicy," she said.
A condiment line, based on traditional German recipes, includes the bestselling beetroot jam, which is not as sweet as the name suggests but instead celebrates the beet's earthy flavours. Horseradish, pickled onion and dill cucumber relishes are also stunning. Find at IGA stores: Swanbourne Market, Taylor Road Nedlands and Second Avenue, or online at saskiabeer.com.
