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food&wine While wine is a major drawcard of the region, Rebecca Sutton, president of Mudgee Fine Foods Inc, says local produce is gaining significant recognition. When I ask her what you can expect to find in abundance, she lists nuts (pistachio and hazelnut), cheese, olive oil, honey, pork, beef, lamb, yabbies, duck, figs, artisan sourdough bread and macarons (move over Adriano Zumbo). "We're wild about saffron, too," she adds. The array of produce sourced within 100 kilometres of the town is a sustainable feast. For a tasty overview of Mudgee's regional bounty, head to the Mudgee Fine Foods Farmers Market (held on the third Saturday of every month), where local artisan produce ranges from fresh bread and olive oil to cheese and locally reared lamb. If you're travelling with children, it's possible to enrol them in a cooking class so they can have fun learning about locally sourced ingredients. Among the local producers is Ormiston Pork, a farm that breeds free-range pigs and produces pork that tastes like real pork. The black Berkshire pigs are raised in large, open pens and are allowed to roam freely. You can taste the results at the local Market Street Cafe, where chef Aaron cooks with Ormiston bacon, sausages and other juicy cuts. If you leave Mudgee with a taste for this porcine goodness, it's also available from Hudson Meats in Cammeray, Sydney. In terms of culinary diversity, Rebecca Sutton has more than a few dining options to recommend. "You can choose from Thai, an excellent Indian restaurant, Manana for contemporary tapas … and no visit to Mudgee is complete without having breakfast at Butcher Shop Cafe or a coffee at The Quick Brown Fox. Another great barista can be found at the brewery, where they grind local coffee from Fish River Roasters." For a more down-to-earth culinary experience, go to any of Mudgee's pubs, such as the Oriental 30