FinSki’s was established in 2010 by co-founders Katriina Mueller and Izabella Hyde (aka Blondie and Bella).
Initially starting out as a food blog through their love of all things food and cooking, it quickly evolved into a serious business idea brought about by their autumn mushroom picking expeditions with their families in the beautiful pine plantations of the Southern Highlands and the Central Tablelands.
Although a fairly young company, Blondie and Bella’s mushroom picking experience stems across several generations and countries. Together they have over 35 years of mushroom picking experience between them.
Foraging for wild mushrooms has a long standing history in both families.
Before immigrating to Australia with her parents, Bella spent many autumns on her grandparent’s farm gathering natures best with her parents. The tradition of wild mushroom picking continued during the autumn weekends here in Australia for many years.
Blondie, although was born in Australia comes from good, strong Finnish blood with plenty of wild mushroom picking experience running through her mother’s family.
Their aim is simple, to teach people about living off the land, encourage young and old to understand the philosophy behind ‘from paddock to plate’.
Wild mushroom foraging is the Finki’s foremost passion, the FinSki’s Food Store will not only be about wild mushroom products, after all, man can not live on mushrooms alone!
FinSki’s Food Store will soon be launching their range of gourmet condiments such as flavoured oils, salt mixes and other yummy sauces, all locally made from fresh local produce.
The Food Store is about eating well when ever you can, however not at the expense of future generations, it is about getting back to the basics, buying locally produced fresh produce and knowing where your food came from, how it was sourced and who made it.
2013 success stories…
2013 has thus far proven to be successful beyond our wildest dreams!
In March this year we were contacted by the beautiful Lyndey Milan, t.v personality, chef extraordinaire and a very accomplished author. We took her out on a wild mushroom picking adventure to Oberon for her upcoming show, Taste of Australia which airs at the end of the year.
April we also met the wonderful team from the Youth Food Movement. We took them for a days worth of mushroom picking for their annual Guerilla dinner held at the Windmill Restaurant, The Rocks.
What’s next?
It’s been quite a dry mushroom picking season but we are crossing all our fingers in hope that we get some good rains throughout May and June and that the season is extended.
July / August team FinSki’s joins forces with Jess and Jonathan from Stockman’s Ridge Wines for Frost Fest in country Orange.
Perhaps our biggest and most challenging project will take several years to complete!
We have decided to dream big, set our goals high and we will be on the look out to purchase our very own Radiata Pine Plantation and produce Australia’s very first commercially grown Saffron Milk Cap and Slippery Jack Mushrooms. The plantation will adhere to sustainable farming, respecting the land whilst also hopefully educating future generations about this prized and very natural produce.