Food and wine trail is fun

Food critic Simon Thomsen joins with others sampling at the Yamba Lighthouse.

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Gate To Plate

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Gate To Plate Degustation

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THERE was a breakdown and delays, but also some laughs, learning and great company, on the Causley Fresh Gate to Plate Food and Wine Trail.

And all the aforementioned - with the accompanying sunny day - led to a brilliant experience.

First stop was Espresso Botero, where everyone learnt about the process of roasting coffee beans.

While Danny Young wouldn't give away all his secrets, his staff expertly pulled 57 coffees, one for each of the lucky people on the bus tour.

However, once we left the coffee paradise, there was a mechanical failure with the bus.

Luckily, two mechanics who were part of the group sprang into action and fixed the problem, and, with true North Coast hospitality, when we re-boarded the bus at the next stop, an icy-cold peace offering in the form of a couple of slabs of beer was in the esky.

Needless to say everyone was in good spirits.

One of the many highlights was a stop at the Yamba Lighthouse, where we enjoyed a prawn sandwich and fisherman David Coulter explained to an enthralled crowd that the prawns were caught, and then cooked on his boat before being snap frozen.

He also revealed his fishing spot, pointing toward the horizon, saying: "We caught them just behind those trees and a little to the right".