Taste of Tasmania: Lost Pippin hard at it for food festival

Two thousand litres of cider is being kegged ready to pour from the taps of a Lost Pippin at the Taste of Tasmania, but owner and cider maker Mark Robertson says the cidery’s stall is just as much about food as it is about drink.

TWO thousand litres of cider is being kegged ready to pour from the taps of Lost Pippin, as the Taste of Tasmania sets up for Hobart’s big week of food, drink, sun and entertainment.

Lost Pippin owner and cider maker Mark Robertson said the cidery has been running a stall at the annual event for the past eight years — and for them, it’s just as much about food as it is about drink.

Lost Pippin owner and cider maker Mark Robertson. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“This week we’ve pickled 80kg of beetroot using our vinegar which is the rock star of the dish,” Mr Robertson said.

“We’re doing bao buns for the first time this year and we’re pickling all of our daikon and carrot in our cider vinegar.

“We’re trying to integrate it [the cider] through the menu – even things like our cider-braised lamb shoulder.”

Lost Pippin will also be launching the latest addition to its range this year, the Hard cider to flow for the first time at the Taste.

A dry but soft drink, Mr Robertson said it’s something more substantial than regular contemporary ciders.

“Something that’s going to be really super food friendly,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll challenge people like a lot of hard cider does.”

While the stall has been operating from inside the PW1 shed in past years, this year Lost Pippin will be putting their new keg barbecues on display outside, where punters will be served food cooked with charcoal right in front of their eyes.

The Taste of Tasmania festival starts on Saturday on the Hobart waterfront.

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Festival co-ordinator Brooke Webb said the move of stallholders on to the site this weekend signalled a “whole new level of excitement”.

There are 94 stallholders this year, about 20 per cent down on 2018-2019, and organisers have placed more emphasis on food stalls.

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Ms Webb said the festival has been energised by the inclusion of 28 first-time Taste stallholders, while 725 artists and performers will add to the free entertainment program.