Anthony Panetta

When it comes to the rustic rural lifestyle, my family has got it down to a tee. I grew up in Mona Vale in a traditional Italian family where we always made our own produce. In 2008 we moved to acreage in Ingleside, encouraging me to carry on the tradition of making everything from my own salami and wine to home grown olives. That’s the advantage of having a bit of land; you can’t do these things on a regular suburban block. And it’s perfect for my landscape business, ‘Anthony's Secret Gardens’, which specialises in large estates and stonework.

Everything leads back to my Italian roots, whether I’m creating formal European gardens or hosting big family feasts. Italians really know how to live. Younger people usually prefer to buy things from the deli but we find it’s more special if we do it ourselves. We make our produce without preservatives, using old fashioned machines and big open bon fires that really bring out the smoky flavours in our food.

Today we generate about 6-700 litres of wine and 200 kilos of salami per year. Our wine is a lovely drop. Restaurateurs often approach me for it but I prefer to keep it for friends. Besides, by the time we’ve shared it around there’s not much left.

My plans for the future are simple. Maybe I’ll put in some more grape vines but frankly, I’ll just be happy gathering people together to enjoy our tasty food. Ingleside is a beautiful part of the world. We’re very lucky to live here.