"This," she says, with the excitement of someone sharing the best secret she's ever learned, "is Portuguese goat's cheese. And it goes fantastically with this!" She whips out another wedge - this time of deep ruby-red quince paste, and again, brandishes it. There are about 30 of us - of all ages and from most parts of the city - on this Petersham Little Portugal Gourmet Safari, in the depths of Sydney's inner western suburbs. Some of us have come with clipboards and notebooks.
"I've been on one of Maeve's tours before," confides a woman standing next to me. Sensibly, she has brought a large shopping bag.
There's certainly time to shop, although Maeve keeps the group on the move, up and down the couple of blocks of almost entirely Portuguese businesses on New Canterbury Road. First Charlie's Deli and that cheese and quince paste. Then Petersham Liquor Mart for tastings and a question. Did we know that Portuguese wines are often lower in alcohol, making them ideal for light summer lunches? Then, she squeezes us into the back of La Patisserie to learn about the making of Portuguese tarts (my unashamed main reason for choosing this particular safari). But not the recipe. That is a closely guarded family secret, baker Julian says with a wink.
Then it's on to the Portuguese butcher - Anna and Alberto Mollica - and hams, olives, and sausages with flavours I have never encountered, followed by a taste of organic charcoal chicken, across the road, and yet another tart (my lucky day!) at Honeymoon Patisserie.
Maeve O'Meara has been running these Gourmet Safaris now since 1998. "One of the secrets of the success," she says, "is its appeal to all ages and across all levels of the community."
What she doesn't mention though, is that its success is largely due to her vibrant personality and unflagging enthusiasm that keeps each tour, and the whole program, from collapsing under its own weight.
"Gourmet Safaris began," says Maeve, "when some of the girls in my mother's group asked me to take them to the Lebanese restaurant in Punchbowl that I was always raving about. It occurred to me that people ... like having their hands held and being given an introduction." Maeve O'Meara began with suburban safaris, like the Little Portugal tour - then moved on to winery tours such as the hugely popular three-day Mudgee trip. On this tour, the tour group travels by bus to Mudgee then visits wineries and farms, sipping and supping on the local wines and produce. What a trip!
But - as they say in the TV ads - wait, there's more. Maeve has also conducted Gourmet Safaris to Far North Queensland, Mexico and the Greek Islands. Sometimes she takes an expert like Victor Pisapia, former chef at Rattlesnake Grill in Neutral Bay, who accompanied the trip to Mexico.
But if your passport is not up to date, don't worry. Because Sydney is such a multicultural city, the Gourmet Safaris can whisk you almost anywhere, factor in some retail therapy and a meal, then have you back in your own bed that night.
You can choose to visit Little Italy in Haberfield, walk and cook in Cabramatta, enjoy a yum cha evening in Chinatown, take a Greek walking tour of Marrickville, visit Little Lebanon in Punchbowl, and much more.
Finally, our walking tour of Little Petersham has finished. We straggle back to seats at long tables at Costa Do Sol Restaurant, on the corner of Livingstone Road, for lunch. Here generous platters of meat, chicken and seafood just keep coming. We began the tour a couple of hours earlier here with pottery jugs of thick black coffee, little cakes and tarts. Now the jugs hold wine or water.
During the meal, Maeve continues to enlighten us with more details on everything from bacalau (that ubiquitous Portuguese dried cod) to olive oils, showers us with free samples of various foodstuffs, then wishes us well as we reluctantly leave after one of the best fun times ever. I'll be back, all right. But next time with my shopping bag.
For details of dates, prices and availability, call Suzy Brien, 9am - 11am weekdays, on (02) 9660 5675. Let Suzy and Maeve have your details, so they can contact you with new tours as they are planned. Or log on to www.gourmetsafaris.com.au
4WD
