The tips jar in the Winchelsea Larder (our shop & cafe outlet in the centre of Winchelsa, on the Princes Highway) has been converted to a Bushfire Appeal collection jar - $70 raised in just the first 2 days! All proceeds are being deposited with the Winchelsea branch of the Bendigo Bank to go into the overall Bushfire Appeal collection.

Winchelsea is located fairly centrally in the CFA's (Country Fire Authority of Victoria) "Region 7" area - the only region NOT to have an emergency call to a bushfire. We are still amazed at our escape, while the rest of Victoria suffered such devastation and loss.

Our condolences and our thoughts go to the victims...

Our shop and cafe outlet, Winchelsea Larder, will be opening 7 days a week from the start of February. We think closing on Mondays leaves quite a few customers disappointed, so for a couple of months we'll see how things go if we open all week - 9:30am to 5pm except Sundays when we have a small lie-in until 10am.

We are extremely pleased to announce that our cafe & shop is now open in the centre of Winchelsea's shopping strip - a very easy stop off the Princes Highway halfway between Geelong and Colac, you'll find takeaway or dine-in coffee, tea, cakes, snacks, and light lunches as well as our full range of regional produce items. Alas, wine and beer are not available for purchase (unless with a meal) as we are working through the planning permit and liquor licence processes, however, everything else from our online store is on display and ready to go.

We are also preparing a range of Gift Hampers, which make excellent gifts coming into the festive season. Order online and you can include alcoholic items too (again, licencing restrictions bar the sale of wine or beer with hampers in our shop). We are more than happy to make up your own selection of items into a gift hamper, complete with cellophane wrapping, and of course we can deliver it for you via courier service.

The shop has allowed us to extend our range of regional produce - we now offer delicious Timboon ice-cream by the bowl, Apostle Whey cheeses, Meredith Dairy goat's cheeses and sheep's milk yoghourt plus cakes, slices and other goodies. On Wednesday and Fridays, we receive deliveries of freshly baked sourdough bread from La Madre Bakery - place your order 2 days ahead to be sure to get what you want, including olive sourdough loaves, sourdough fruit loaf, ciabatta sticks and more. See the La Madre Bakery website for full details of their product range.

A Taste of the Region is very pleased to announce its imminent appearance in the "bricks" world. Having been created in cyberspace as an online retailer, we are opening a coffee-shop and retail store in the centre of historic Winchelsea. We are aiming to open the door on the 1st of October - offering coffee, loose-leaf tea (including the organic tea range from Bellbrae Organic), cakes and tarts from regional bakeries, artisanal breads also from regional bakeries, real ice-cream, cheeses and the full range of local produce that can be found in A Taste of the Region's online shop.

The shop's address is 25 Main Street, Winchelsea - right in the centre of the main shopping strip between the bakery and the fish & chip shop. We'll be opening 9am to 5pm in the winter, 9am to 7pm in the summer. If you're whizzing by on the Princes Highway, make a travel stop and pick up a picnic, a superb gift hamper, or just choose a few regional items for a bit of delicious affordable luxury of your own!

See you there.

Toast to the Coast is Geelong's annual wine & food festival to celebrate Geelong's premium cool climate wines. This year, approximately 20 wineries and other venues will host the 2-day weekend across Geelong including the Surf Coast, Moorabool Valley and The Bellarine.

Sample award winning wines, local produce and gourmet food, partake in wine master classes, winery & vineyard tours and winemaker dinners, enjoy entertainment and music across the region.

Entry to all venues is free, and a one-off $10 fee will get you a souvenir Toast to the Coast wine glass which can be used at all the participating winery venues over the entire weekend to try the region's finest wines.

Rewards and special offers will be available to designated drivers of this event, including discounts on wine purchases and meals. Plus there is the opportunity to win a stay at Iririki Island Resort in Vanuatu.

1st and 2nd November 2008 - Melbourne Cup Weekend! 2 days of fun, food and wine amongst the vines.

For more information, see www.toast2coast.com