Whipping up a taste sensation from Yamba

Locals flock in lockdown to food warehouse for a Fresh Friday

Peter Nicholson with his champion awards from the Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Awards.

YAMBA'S Peter Nicholson has been helping professional and keen amateur cooks alike create their own masterpieces for more than a decade.

And while Nicholson's Fine Foods supply to hospitality industry has stopped temporarily after restrictions locked down the entire industry, it is the home cooks and foodies that are coming to the fore.

"Our retail sales through the website, they keep ticking over," Mr Nicholson said.

"We have customers in far off places such as Nullamboi in the Northern Territory and Thursday Island in Queensland.

"We then have stores that purchase direct from us and that has continued - a bit differently and not as robust as 2019, but it has continued.

READ: Yamba's time to shine for Sydney Weekender

Mr Nicholson said an innovation he started to showcase a variety of his products to locals has come into its own, with "Fresh Friday" meals popular across the area.

"That part of the business has really become quite strong, where we offer a three course menu, or individual courses," he said.

"The idea was to create dishes that promote our products and how to use them, and it's really grown."

YUM: Peter Nicholson of Nicholson's Fine Foods with some of the cannoli that have been in high demand.

With a past menu consisting of vegetable arancini with that showcases their beetroot finishing vinegar, olive oil and garnishing pearls, it's attracting interest from far and wide.

"We've got quite a following in Yamba, Maclean and some people in Iluka and even Grafton will drive down and pick it up," Mr Nicholson said.

"While there's been people who were in isolation early in the event we were doing home deliveries to them, otherwise people come to the factory which is great because they might pick up a bottle of vinegar and some fresh food."

One of Mr Nicholson's award-winning product and crowd favourite is his range of chocolate mousses that can be made at home, and has won awards across the country.

READ: Peter's chocolate mousse gets the cheese at food awards

"The mousse as a dessert is fantastic," he said. "You add a liquid to the powder and then add a type of dairy - the variations are really up to yourself but the standard recipe is water and whipping cream.

"And we have a lot of chefs who appreciate the simplicity of that product because it doesn't have any raw egg."

Peter Nicholson with his champion ribbon at the Sydney Royal Easter Show for his Belgian Chocolate Mousse

For more information on each Friday's menu, or the range of products, visit the Nicholson Fine Foods page on Facebook or the website at www.nicholsonfinefoods.com.au.http://www.nicholsonfinefoods.com.au

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