Moora Citrus and Fervour Food

With thanks to Moora Citrus I recently attended an amazing dinner they held in their orchard in Moora, two hours north of Perth, with the creative team from Fervor Food incorporating the stunning citrus into an epic seven course degustation feast! The air was heady was the scent of orange blossoms and as the sky switched from blue and sunny to a dazzling blanket of stars we learnt more about the Moora Citrus story.

With a vast 212 hectares, home to around 170 thousand citrus trees, Moora Citrus is able to supply the domestic and export market with fruit for seven months of the year! That’s a lotta oranges! It’s been years of hard work for this family-run orchard to get to this point; irrigation alone was a massive challenge, but their continued passion and persistence has paid off and the proof is in the pudding because their oranges and mandarins are wonderful. So sweet and juicy! The fruit wears those bright blue stickers with pride!

 The orange varierty showcased at dinner was the Summer Oranges or Midknight seedless Valencia and the long table we sat at was right next to some of the first trees planted in the orchard, back in December 2005. Moora Citrus actually grows an impressive eleven different varieties, seven types of navel oranges, three different mandarins and their one seedless Valencia. With all these treees the annual tonnage continues to climb, from 3,200 in 2014, 4,800 in 2015 and they look set to crack 6,500 tonnes this year. So many oranges!

Moora Citrus is committed to producing the highest quality oranges and mandarins for families across the state and across the world.

It was a pleasure to stand amongst these beautiful trees and get an appreciation of the hard work required to bring this WA brand to life. Farming is clearly not an overnight success story. It is not something that just happens. It comes from years of continued efforts, battling the elements and maintaining a solid belief in their product. Moora Ctirus has amazing oranges and mandarins, bursting with sweetness and fruity flavour and that reflects their focus on producing a high quality product that as many people as possible can enjoy, both locally and abroad.

The fortunate group assembled at the orchard were to be delighted by the culinary stylings of Fervor Food.

We harness fresh ingredients, with a focus on locally sourced produce, presenting it in a unique location to create an unforgettable degustation dining experience. Crafted with passion and prepared before your eyes we bring out the taste and excitement of the region with each dish served. An Australian experience unlike anything you can imagine. Our field of Australian produce is ever expanding as we visit different regions, move with the seasons, gain knowledge and understanding and incorporate this into the experience that reflects “Fervor”.

Here are some pictures of the amazing menu we enjoyed.

•  Emu Salami
• Crocodile Chorizo
• Rosella Cracker
• Crispy Saltbush
• Smoked Kangaroo

Macadamia/Lemon Myrtle/Orange

Quandong/Orange

Sardine/Sea Celery/Citrus

Kangaroo/Wild Rosella/Saltbush with Damper & Smoked Butter

Orange/Rosella

Fizzy Orange/Sunrise Lime

• Olive oil/Orange/Wattleseed
• Marshmallow
• Caramel
• Sue Lewis Choc Dipped Orange

Fervor did an incredible job of highlighting the versatility of the orange in each dish, while pairing it with some wonderfully unique native ingredients. It isn’t every day that so many native animals will feature on a menu, but it is part of the Fervor experience. They work with flavours that indigenous Australians have been using for generations and they are introducing them to those that have not experienced their magic before.

Hard to pick a favourite amongst such an impressive lineup! The ‘canapes’ we enjoyed before taking our seat were pretty memorable. Turns out that crocodile chorizo and emu salami should be on all charcuterie menus because they pack a real punch in the flavour stakes.

Then as we sat down, the dishes went from strength to strength. I loved the macadamia dish (I’d had this one at a dinner they held at the Taste Budds Studio) and managing to have so many different textures of the same nut is just amazing and there is such a delicacy to the depth of flavour.

Having never eaten a dish before where quondong was a feature I really did enjoy this one. I have a memory of a family holiday to Jurien Bay many years ago and the family was driving along a sandy track. Whem my Dad spotted a quondong bush, he jumped out of the car to get one for us to try and he ended up with a bull ant bite to the toe! I always think of that when I think of quondongs. They are a native peach but I find it difficult to describe their flavour.

Special mention has to also go to the kangaroo ‘main’, as it was cooked to total perfection, just so tender, the best kangaroo I’ve ever eaten. The citrus amongst each dish added a real element of freshness and the Fervor team worked wonders with ensuring that the sweetness was restrained when it needed to be in some of the dishes.

The desserts too were a vision as you watched their creation. An abundance of different elements came together on the plates or in jars for one of the sweet treats and with a dramatic puff of fragrant smoke, spoons quickly went to work around the table. It showed real artistry that Fervor could bring together so many really different flavours and have them so well balanced, giving every mouthful diversity.

And just when we thought we might burst from the generosity of all the preceding courses they tempted us with marshmallows, caramels and Sue Lewis’s chocolate dipped confit Moora citrus. Wow, as if it was even possible to say no to this epic line up for magnificent morsels!

It was an unforgettable evening. Jovial company with new foodie friends, a uniquely beautiful setting for a seriously memorable menu and the opportunity to learn more about a wonderful West Aussie product. Well done Moora Citrus, you are flying the flag for WA high and as more of those blue stickered fruit find their ways to different countries, you are playing a very big part in putting Moora on the map.

Keep an eye on all Moora Citrus is up to on their Facebook page and on Instagram. You’ll often find them at various stores and events around town giving out samples. And if you do happen across one of their citrus and enjoy its beautiful flavour then pop it on social media and tag them. They loving seeing where their fruit ends up.

My thanks to Moora Citrus for the invitation for myself and GG to attend. It is a night we will not soon forget.