By Kath Gannaway
Cr Tony Stevenson, even after a long Yarra Ranges Council meeting on Tuesday night, wasn’t going to let an opportunity go to sprout off about one of his favourite subjects – the fresh produce of the Yarra Valley.
Councillors (and the press) found a ‘gift’ of a bag of Adams Coldstream brussels sprouts waiting for them at the meeting on 13 March – along with recipes.
Warning against what he said was an unfair prejudice against the vitamin-laden veggie, Cr Stevenson announced that the previous day was the official first day of picking of brussels sprouts in Yarra Ranges which he said produces 71 per cent of Victoria’s sprout crop.
“Some may have developed some prejudice against this vegetable over the years … I would suggest it has more to do with the way it is cooked,” he said.
“You can grate them, fry them, bake them … what you should not do is boil them to death.”
That informal motion was unanimously supported.
Cr Stevenson confirmed that, despite the value to the local economy, the ‘gift’ was below the threshold that required it to be registered on the councillor’s gift register.
Neither has the Mail been influenced by the unsolicited gift (not at all!).
