There would be a handful of suburbs across Adelaide who would love to claim themselves as our very own little Italy. But the truth is that the melting pot of food cultures in suburbs or individual locations means that the celebration is often broader. And why not.
Glynde can certainly lay a stake to the claim of Little Italy but it’s more than that. Just twenty minutes outside the Adelaide CBD, Glynde is home to a host of manufacturers, with cheese, coffee roasters, fresh pasta, gelati and South Australia’s iconic Fruchocs just the tip of what you can discover. The City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters have been hosting bus tours to showcase these fantastic local businesses and take people behind the scenes for a first hand glimpse at the manufacturing processes happening on our doorstep, so we jumped on the bus to get a closer look.
First stop on our tour for the day was Pasta Deli, now located in a stunning an old fire department building on Glynburn Rd. An institution locally, they made the move from their previous Magill location to keep up with the demand for their freshly made pasta and cakes, but are equally known for their salads, traditional Italian small goods, arancini, stuffed capsicums, and crumbed meats. The new location includes a stunning dine in cafe, where anything from Breakfast to Dinner is on offer.
Just a short journey down the road, the actual Fruchocs factory (not to be confused with one of their many outlets across the state). Surprisingly, the business actually began as a bakery, until the Sims family turned it into a chocolate factory in 1850. You might think would think they would be most famous for their little chocolate coated bliss balls, but their best selling product is actually their honeycomb, which is sold all over the world including America and Japan. We also learned that all Fruchocs products are completely gluten free, so there you go.
Hidden in the backstreets of Glynde, we came to the L’Abruzzese Pasta Factory, our personal highlight, where old fashioned manufacturing methods are still the go. Simply put, machines that date back over 100 years make the best pasta! As part of the tour we were treated to a few tastings, but this was definitely the toughest to choose from as the factory produces over 150 different types of pasta every week. They are most famous for their prize winning egg pasta, which is slow cooked and keeps its form and texture. It’s absolutely delicious!
Last but certainly not least, the final stop on the tour was Flaschengeist, an Australian owned and run wine store, with bottles that have been hand crafted and imported form over the world. One aspect that Flaschengeist pride themselves on is their hand crafted bottles, because they believe the packaging is just as important as the wine itself. There isn’t a more delicious way to soak up Glynde’s finest pasta and cheeses, than with a unique tiramisu flavoured wine, from just around the corner (you need to try it to understand how it works).
These bus tours are run on a monthly basis and always mix up the destinations. They are also expanding to Stepney in 2017, with a ticket including your factory tours, samples and tastings, lunch at a local Glynde business, a gift bag and physical copy of the Food Secrets of Glynde & Stepney publications, which are a brilliant guide even if you’re not a local.
Simply put, these are a morning of great food, great wine and great company. If you’d like to find out more information, including dates for the upcoming tours and online bookings visit the City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters website. We can’t wait for them to restart because we’re personally hoping to visit the La Casa Del Formaggio Cheese Factory next time round!
We’re coming for you delicious cheese…
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