(pic: courtesy of Foodscape Tours)

If ever there was an excuse to get out and about it is the prospect of discovering the best food in a town or a region.

You'll probably collect a bag full of goodies as you tour around, and many happy memories to go with the dinners to come from them.

Foodpath Tours

Loyal locals Jill Dyson and Nick Padol have a special interest in the region and its foods and producers. Their company FoodPath - culinary tours with a difference - guides visitors to the area on an exciting behind the scenes exploration of who produces what. With tastings and time to relax and enjoy themselves, these tours are proving very popular.

Depending on the day, there might be a visit to the Moss Vale Markets where you can buy everything free-range eggs to free-range pork sausages, country jams, olive oil in casks, potatoes (some of the best in NSW), pumpkins, sourdough breads and filberts. Filberts? They're a relative of hazelnuts, you'll learn, just one of seventy or so varieties, which one grower is delighted to explain.

At the end of the day a visit to Currawong olive grove may be on the itinerary. This place produces award-winning oils as well as an olive oil-based skincare range. Jill and Nick agree that the problem Foodpath has in showing off this region to visitors is in deciding between the many places that they know and want to share with others.

FoodPath Culinary Tours runs a range of food tours and other activities in the Southern Highlands of NSW - including farm tours, market tours, food - focused walking tours and fruit and nut picking in season. As well there are food related workshops such as preserving, pasta making and cheese appreciation. We also have a FoodPath long table at Biota Dining on Celebration Sunday every month. From time to time there are specialty workshops such as spice appreciation with Herbie Hemphill, gelato making and Sicilian desserts with Luigi de Luca.

To find out what is coming up follow Jill's blog, "like" the FoodPath Facebook page or follow on Twitter. If you subscribe from the website you can go on a mailing list for monthly updates. More information....

 Foodscape Tours

Foodscape Tours offers gourmet food tours along the Shoalhaven coast south of Sydney providing an opportunity to meet a selection of local food producers and specialty retailers, as well as the chance to go behind the scenes and sample an array of seasonal fare. Passionate, local guides will host guests as they travel to secret foodie destinations including farms, orchards, commercial kitchens, specialty stores and vineyards - some of these are open exclusively to Foodscape Tours.??As we taste our way around the magical coastline and hinterland of our regions, we'll bring you the best of what's in season and give you the opportunity to sample and shop from the source. There's also a delicious lunch featuring local produce.

If you missed out on seeing Foodscape Tours featured on Sydney Weekender back in May, see the clip posted on YouTube. In addition to the main story there's the show opener which was shot at Two Figs Winery at the conclusion of the fun day of filming.

Upcoming Tours

Foodie's Indulgence tours operate on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month and for private and corporate groups by arrangement. Spring availability at this stage is for Saturdays 6 Oct, 20 Oct and 3 Nov.

Winescape tours operate on the 4th Saturday of the month and there's availability for Saturday 27 Oct.

Call 1300 502 100 to book or find out more about upcoming tours or tailored days for private group bookings. Already some Christmas groups are locked in!

Australian Wild Harvest

It may be a cliché to say that "good things come in small packages" but it really sums up what the gorgeous island of Tasmania has to offer. It is a unique and gastronomic gem. So come and see what all the fuss is about - you will not be disappointed.

Australian Wild Harvest (AWH) is running gourmet food tours in the North-West region of Tasmania. You will be taken to some places off the beaten track and get to experience the root of where this food comes from, visiting boutique working properties that you may not otherwise have access to.

Forget about negotiating maps and driving around trying to find these hidden wonders and let us do this for you on a personalised small group tour show-casing the best of what the region has to offer. There is an abundance of boutique Tassie producers/farmers and providores who are passionate about their products and excited to share their knowledge with like minded foodies.

You will have the opportunity to taste test your way through a variety of places, sample local wine, purchase goodies to take home and enjoy a lunch which incorporates some of the local produce you will see.

Travelicious Tours

The innovative foodies behind Sydney's Travelicious Tours are excited to announce the launch of a new tour; the city's first which focuses solely on artisan food producers in the urban setting. Visitors to Sydney and locals alike can now spend an afternoon learning about artisan food culture, meeting some of the passionate people involved and seeing first-hand where the magic happens.  And of course, sampling their way through everything from warm sourdough straight from the oven to hand-churned butter, freshly roasted coffee and to-die-for chocolate mousse....

In addition, Travelicious are relaunching their ever-popular Saturday Fresh Food Tour, a behind-the-scenes experience at Sydney's best farmer's market, Eveleigh.  Guests have the chance to meet producers of the regions finest food, hear the stories behind their unique products and taste-test a selection, before enjoying a champagne brunch on-site and shopping time with exclusive discounts provided.

Both new tours will be limited to a maximum of 10 guests to retain a friendly, intimate atmosphere and both will be led by Travelicious founder Lauren; a Sydneysider with a passion for unearthing new food trends.

What does 'artisan food' mean to you? If you're thinking handmade, high quality and unique, you're on the right track - and if you're thinking damn tasty to boot, you're definitely on our wavelength! Spend a blissful afternoon visiting some of Sydney's best and brightest artisan producers and tasting their incredible creations; from wood-fired bread to hand-churned butter made using centuries old traditional methods. Fresh roasted coffee, incredible ice cream and home-style puddings are all on the menu as we learn about the artisan food movement in Sydney and get behind the scenes to meet some of the characters involved.

Melbourne Chocolate History Tours

Mámor Chocolates & High Tea Szalón in Collingwood has launched new Melbourne Chocolate History Tours, taking visitors back into Melbourne's cocoa-rich past on a two hour walk through the secret chocolate laneways of Fitzroy and Collingwood.

The tour traces the humble beginnings of MacPherson Robertson 'the Chocolate King of Victoria' through to his huge chocolate factories, which went on to produce favourites like Cherry Ripe, Old Gold and the much loved Freddo Frog, as well as other famous chocolatiers along the way.  

The tour concludes with a spectacularly indulgent Chocolate Tasting and High Tea at the Mámor Szalón. Tours run on the first Sunday of every month and cost $55.  For something different, Mámor also hosts 'Last Friday' beer and chocolate pairing experiences and events.