Tucker Bush Native Thyme Wins National Delicious. Produce Award
2020 delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards Gold Medallists were announced late last month and featured 67 producers receiving medals across the country.
One of those incredible winners was Western Australia’s Tucker Bush Fresh Botanicals for their Tucker Bush Native Thyme .
In their 5th year, the Awards acknowledged there has never been a more important time to support local producers. After devastating natural disasters of drought, fire and flood, the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic was another blow to their hard work
Nevertheless, State Judges got together pre-pandemic around the country to taste hundreds of products and unearth the best of the best and in May 2020 Tucker Bush Native Thyme was announced as the West Australian winner in the Earth category.
Mark Tucek, founder of Tucker Bush explained state winners had to arrange for their product to arrive in Sydney for a blind tasting by judges: Neil Perry, Matt Moran, Peter Gilmore, Danielle Alvarez, Colin Fassnidge and Guillaume Brahimi to judge solo in isolation.
“We were very surprised and grateful to win the award as it shines a light on our fabulous Australian Native edible plants. Ultimately, we’re hoping it encourages all Australians to plant an Australian Native edible plant in their own backyard.”
A talented horticulturist, Mark is also the Sales & Marketing Manager at Domus Nursery in Hacketts Gully near Kalamunda in Perth. Mark was extensively involved in the Healthy Plant Healthy People national conference committee and those who were fortunate enough to attend the pre-pandemic conference in March this year, would have seen the Tucker Bush range on display at Perth City Farm.
Members across the country growing Tucker Bush Native Thyme include:
Western Australia - Domus Nursery
South Australia - Native Plant Wholesalers
Queensland – Ausplant Nursery
Victoria – Humphris Nursery
New South Wales– Tarrawood Native Nursery
About Native Thyme
Native Thyme (aka. Cut-leaf Mint Bush) is a type of native mint once used as a medicinal herb, but now more commonly features in cooking and herbal teas. It’s a highly aromatic shrub, rich in essential oils, giving off a minty aroma when crushed or rubbed. This shrubby plant is found throughout NSW along the coastline, in sheltered rainforest margins, beneath sclerophyll forest trees, and around the Central Tablelands.
Native Thyme boasts a more complex flavour than Mentha mints. With hints of pepper and earthy tones, it makes a great flavoursome herb for chicken, fish, emu, roo and lamb dishes. Both the leaves and flowers have minty qualities, and may be steeped in hot water to make a herbal tisane.