Advance Australia fair!

[Guest guest]

The two ice-creams served to lunchtime diners at the Surry Hills

restaurant Longrain yesterday were vanilla and cacao (ground cocoa

bean). Both were unsweetened and flavoured.

They had also been made from unpasteurised - or raw - cows' milk from a

plastic bottle labelled Cleopatra's Bath Milk, cosmetic skin treatment

only.

It is more than half a century since it was legal to sell raw cows' milk

for human consumption in Australia but in the past couple of years it

has begun to appear, under labels such as bath or pet milk, largely at

country markets and through health-food stores.

Demand is so high it must often be ordered.

Yesterday's Soil to Plate menu told the 15 diners: " Please be aware we

are serving un-pasteurised and un-homogenised full cream dairy milk at

lunch today. If you do not wish to partake please advise your waiter. "

It was one of the most open declarations yet on consumption of raw milk,

a movement discussed quietly and spread by word of mouth among fans who

believe it has a superior, creamier taste to its homogenised sibling.

" I didn't add any sugar to the ice-cream so we could taste the milk's

sweetness, " said Longrain chef and co-owner Boetz.

" It was quite amazing, the milk is so rich and creamy. "

Milk is pasteurised through heating. In preparing the dish, Mr Boetz did

bring the milk to 70 degrees - " so the eggs and ice-cream would set " .

The co-organiser of the lunch, McKenzie, a movement and lifestyle

coach, said: " It wasn't completely raw and it did undergo

pasteurisation. "

He and his partner drink up to four litres of raw milk weekly.

" I grew up on a farm and have absolutely no issues about it, " he said.

" I have consumed large amounts over the past three years and have never

been ill - no way. I think there are very good reasons for

pasteurisation. But if you look at the farms which are doing it [raw

milk], their animals have an amazing life, a high level of health, free

ranging on pasture, so they are happy cows with lots of sunlight and

movement in their lives, and they make great milk. "

More than 80 per cent of yesterday's lunch was made from organic

ingredients.

" This whole process [of Soil to Plate meals] is to try and get people to

.. . . reconnect with farmers and the earth, " Mr McKenzie said.

The sale of unpasteurised milk for human consumption is illegal in all

states and territories.