Newman's Horseradish: Lisa tests the taste buds in the Fleurieu Peninsula region of South Australia
Langhorne Creek is renown for the majestic gum trees lining the Bremer River and of course it's outstanding red wine - particularly it's full-bodied Cabinet and Shiraz. But the cool climate and rich soils that have made this region's wine so famous also produce another, perhaps less glamorous product - horseradish.
Langhorne Creek is about an hour and a half drive south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula - just a little inland from Lake Alexandrina. If you're looking for the actual Langhorne Creek you'll be disappointed. The name harks back to the 1840s when Alfred Langhorne was overlanding cattle to Adelaide. His camping spot on the river became known as Langhorne's crossing and over the years, the name evolved into Langhorne Creek.
Among the hundreds of hectares of vines is a patch of green, leafy vegetable type of crop. This is horseradish - Newman's Horseradish of course - a staple of South Australia's culinary scene for more than half a century.
Brian Meakins, Newman's Horseradish: "Horseradish was originally found in Germany. It means sea radish but the horse bit came from a Frenchman doing a German to English translation - he got to mare and he called it horse. So it's now horseradish."
The Meakins bought F.C. Newman Horseradish in 1946 when it was part of Newsman's nursery at Tea Tree Gully. 23 years ago they moved their operation to the deep black soil at Langhorne Creek.
Brian Meakins, Newman's Horseradish: "It looks like a parsnip gone wrong. Where a parsnip is just one shape horseradish has that cone shape - it also has lots of lateral roots coming off from it. It has a lot of health properties - it's full of vitamin 'C'. It's got more vitamin C than oranges and lemons and is also really good for asthma and hay fever, bronchial, colds or anything like that - it really does clear the head. Clears everything."
The farming operation is a classic case of Aussie ingenuity. A modified potato digger does the job come harvest time… carefully lifting the radishes without damaging them. An old cement mixer gets the dirt off. They spend about an hour being washed, turned and tumbled.
After crushing the raw horseradish still has a slightly chunky consistency and it's ferocious bight is tempered a little with the right combination of condensed milk and vinegar. The bottling machine does the rest including sticking on the distinctive and now legendary red Newman's label. I've seen the hard work so now it's time to wander into the new cellar door for the all important taste test.
Anne serves up what she calls her 'pot luck' platter because you're never quite certain what you'll get - but you can be assured it'll be a tasty assortment to compliment the horseradish.
There's a wide range of horseradish under the Newmans label including mustard, garlic, ginger and beetroot. And if you're after something to wash it down with you'll find Brian's other love - his range of Rusticana wines. The unusual name? That's linked to Horseradish too.
Brian Meakins, Newman's Horseradish: "Rusticana - comes from the Latin for horseradish. The full Latin for horseradish is Amoracia Rusticana so we've gone for Rusticana."
And you can sample it all from the balcony of the cellar door overlooking the unique combination of vines and horseradish. Newman's Horseradish and Cellar Door is on Lake Plains Road at Langhorne Creek. From Adelaide just keep going through the town and follow the signs. It's open daily from 10 til 5. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Newman's Horseradish and Cellar Door (Brian & Anne Meakins)
Lake Plains Road
Langhorne Creek
Ph 8537 3086Published 31st August 2008
