Home > Experience > Seasonal Tips > Charlotte’s Tips for Winter
A little about me...

A little about me...

I moved to Orange in March 2006 to work in the wine industry in Orange. The role enabled me to connect with lots of people in the food and wine scene and really forge my career in the region. I wear many hats, a number of which I volunteer for - these include the Orange Regional Arts Foundation, Chair of FOOD Week, Orange Open Air and the Orange Wine Industry. Life is pretty hectic when you spread yourself as thin as I do but I do make time for exercise most days and I love to spend time in my garden on weekends. My husband and I have two amazing kids, Darcy and Harriet, and we built our home just on the outskirts of Orange 3 years ago. This is our happy place and we are very fortunate to live here.

This or that?

Beach Bush

Outdoor Adventure Cozy Indoors

Fine Dining Pub Schnitty

Read Watch

Night Owl Early Bird

Pineapple on Pizza No Pineapple

"We are so spoilt in Orange and incredibly lucky to have so many amazing dining experiences."

Charlotte
  • I grab my daily coffee from....

    I have a few places that I get my caffeine hit from; our home machine or as I work out of The Hive (a co working space in Orange) Good Eddy and Mad Hatter are frequently visited, but I will alway have a soft spot for Bills Beans in East Orange, as East Orange is my old stomping ground and I think I was one of their first customers in 2007. I don’t get there as much as I used to due to our move and school drop offs!

  • My happy place in Orange is...

    My happy place in recent times is my morning walking out near Spring Creek dam and Gosling Creek.

  • I had a great local cellar door experience recently at....

    Look I might get into trouble with this one, given my role in the wine industry… 😉 so my suggestion would be if you are in the region, make sure you try an Orange Chardonnay. The other thing is that the cellar doors have all really evolved in recent years and are creating amazing experiences for their guests. The Orange Wine and Food guide is a great resource for those visiting the region.

  • Is there an annual event on the Orange Regional calendar that you never miss? Why is it so good?

    Another tricky one to answer as I have been involved in so many events from an organisational point of view. In fact I rarely actually get to enjoy them as a guest! However there are a couple, the Sampson Street Lunch during FOOD Week and also the Orange Wine Show Tasting, held during the Wine Festival in October. The Wine Show Tasting is such a great event in that it showcases the region’s wines along with the region’s winemakers who are all on hand to tell you about the wines and it has a great convivial atmosphere.

  • If I was in charge of planning the itinerary when friends were coming to stay, one place I'd be recommending is...

    Mr Lim for a Saturday Lunch – Pork Buns, Dumplings, Jasmine Tea and the best fried rice in town!

  • My favourite village to visit in the Orange region is...

    Probably Millthorpe, I love the old cobblestone streets and whilst its been a while… it is always nice to see Tony at Tonic, another regional dining favourite.

  • What will you start doing more of this coming winter?

    Cook outside more and invite people around to enjoy! We haven’t done enough of this since we moved.

  • What do you most look forward to in winter?

    To be honest…. the end of it! I love spring, summer and autumn! However if you are going to try and enjoy this season, it is important to get on with life! I still go for my morning walk in minus something degrees and we love getting out by the fire pit and cooking something delicious (Sophie Hanson does these amazing beans, which I have adapted to a cast iron pot, its delish!) Sometimes when it’s just nasty outside, spending the day inside by the fire cooking up a storm!

  • If I'm heading out for a special dinner, I'm going to...

    Luckily we are so spoilt in Orange, there are so many options. For ultimate fine dining you can’t go past Charred or Printhie Dining but Union Bank is also amazing and such a gorgeous venue. Orange is incredibly lucky to have so many amazing dining experiences.

  • Is there some place in the Orange region you can't believe more people don't visit?

    Lake Canobolas, it’s such a spectacular spot. I organised a new event out there this year, and many of the guests were so amazed by the location and seeing it in a different way. Council have big plans for this precinct in the next few years and I think it will become one of Orange’s iconic locations as well as the surrounding walks and trails on Mt Canobolas (Gaanha Bula).

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Racine Grazing Box

Racine Orange

Award winning chef  Shaun Arantz and his wife Willa created something special in Orange when they opened their modest little bakery within a sourdough’s throw of Woolworths in the heart of Orange. After closing their hatted restaurant of the same name, they poured their heart & soul into baking goods that made people feel good. It didn’t take long before Racine Bakery became THE ONLY place to get your freshly baked sourdough, croissants, pastries, muffins, cakes and coffee (their Vanilla Slice is mind blowing!). Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Racine started offering Grazing Boxes!

So while a visit to Racine during your stay at Basalt is a must, we felt that being able to have a pre-prepared Racine Grazing Box in your fridge awaiting your arrival would be the icing on the cake. Enjoy!

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Rikard Riesling

Rikard Riesling

Nose shows lime blossom, jasmine and preserved lemon first, followed by a slatey minerality, some fennel and a slight mealy, biscuity character. Lime and green apple on the palate are overlaid with nettles and green apricot. The acid structure is juicy without being tart and carries the abundance of fruit well. Lovely balance and intensity, with a myriad of spices popping up and then retreating with each sip.

Swinging Bridge “Mrs Payten” Chardonnay

Swinging Bridge Chardonnay

As was Mrs Payten, Tom’s grandmother, these are wines of style, elegance and finesse. This Chardonnay was first released to celebrate Armah’s 90th Birthday in 2013 and was matured in tightly grained French Oak, balancing its rich stone fruit and grapefruit characters. With its depth of flavour, flintiness and natural, cool climate acidity, this is a wine thatwill reward cellaring.

Macquariedale Pinot Gris

Macquariedale Pinot Gris

These grapes were hand harvested from a sustainable grown vineyard on the northern slopes of Mount Canobolas at 860m. The wine exhibits delicate floral aromas of citrus and orange blossom. The palate has lime zest overtones and has a hint of residual grape sugar.

De Salis Pinot Noir

De Salis Pinot Noir

De Salis Estate Pinot Noir with a lively nose of Orange Citrus, Raspberry Liquorice and Pork and Fennel sausage. A fine textured palate of Sour Cherry, White Strawberry backed up with an underlying earthiness of Portobello Mushroom and spice and lingering Campari finish.

Philip Shaw “The Idiot” Shiraz

Philip Shaw Shiraz

The Idiot is dark purple hue. Dark plums with hints spice ranging from cinnamon to white pepper. Its undeniably cool climate shiraz with mid palate tannin and a fine finish with toasted vanilla oak. Enjoy now or cellar for the next 5 years. Ideal accompaniment with friends and BBQ.

ChaLou “Dreaded Friend” Rose

ChaLou Dreaded Friend Rose

Quince and Rasberry with rose water lift. Bright refreshing palate with savoury elements and dry finish.

 

 

 

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Sweet Sour Salt

Located in the heart of Orange, Sweet Sour Salt is a modern Asian fusion restaurant which has grown to become one of the region’s favourite dining establishments over the past 15 years.  Owner and chef Ivan Podres and his team regularly surprise and delight with their unique flavour blends.

Basalt has teamed up with Sweet Sour Salt to enable our guests to make the most of the amazing in-studio dining experience without worrying about what to cook. We’ve selected the 6 most popular dishes on the Sweet Sour Salt menu, matched them to some of our favourite local wines and made them available to our guests to enjoy on their arrival night.

Each guest will receive an email 15 days prior to check-in inviting them to place their order. Orders must be received min. 7 days prior to arrival. Meals will be prepared fresh and delivered by your Basalt host to your studio fridge ready for your arrival. Simply heat up, pick some seasonal herbs from the studio’s garden to garnish and serve. A great way to start your stay!

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Michael Manners

Michael Manners

Manners began his career in France in the early 1960s, followed by a stint at England’s renowned Hole in the Wall in Bath. In 1970, Manners teamed with a Dany Chouet to open the bistro Upstairs in Sydney, giving the city’s fledgling dining out scene an unexpected sophistication. In 1976, following another stint in France, Michael opened the Glenella Guesthouse at Blackheath which quickly became one of the state’s great destination restaurants, regularly earning two hats.

After stints at Katoomba (Table Manners) and Leura’s Silks, Michael and wife Josephine moved to Orange and opened his acclaimed restaurant Selkirks in 1997. In doing so, they gave an already vibrant food and wine scene the focus it needed – a champion restaurant. In the history of the Good Food Guide, Manners is one of the most hatted chefs in NSW, with more than 20 awarded.

Michael is a legend in the Orange food scene and now prepares seasonal, 3-course, easy to plate up meals for Basalt guests to enjoy in the comfort of their studio.

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