“New on the menu: Osso Buco + stories from Alchemy of Love”

Did you know that some places serve food and other places serve stories?

At the Purple House Kitchen, we serve both.

Every raw cake, pot of broth, risotto, and every latte poured is part of a much bigger story, one that began years ago when we opened the doors of Alchemy Café.

Some of you still remember that little slice of heaven on the main street of Forth.

It was more than a café.

It was a revolution in food, health, and community.

Today, that same spirit has found its new home at the Purple House Kitchen.

How It All Began

I’ll never forget the night before we opened Alchemy Café back in 2013.

The raw cakes were stacked high in the fridge, the smell of coffee beans filled the air, and my heart swelled with excitement.

After years of dreaming, renovating, and healing from my own near-death journey, we were finally ready to serve food that was pure, alive, and guilt-free.

I knew then what I know now: food is medicine, and sharing it is love.

Broth to the Rescue

In my bestselling book Alchemy of Love, I wrote about the times when soup became my saving grace.

One memory that stands out is Caleb’s vibrant beetroot soup, Borscht, which he perfected after spending time in Belgium.

Its origins are Polish.

It was a recipe that felt like liquid blood, renewing our strength and lifting our moods.

That soup wasn’t just food.

It was medicine.

A spring-clean for the bloodstream, a blood transfusion from nature itself. (Today, you can supplement with Beetflow for the same effect!)

That same philosophy lives on in our Bone Broth Soup at the Purple House Kitchen.

Simmered for hours with seasonal vegetables, it’s our way of saying: you are safe, you are nourished, you are whole.

The Raw Cake Revolution

If there’s one thing that put Alchemy Café on the map, it was our raw cakes.

Those raw cakes became the symbol of everything we stood for: indulgence that heals rather than harms.

Food that celebrates life.

When you come in, ask us which flavours are fresh that day.

Just be quick, they don’t last long in the fridge.

By afternoon tea, they’re usually gone.

Anytime Breakfast

Our Anytime Breakfast is always popular.

Free-range local eggs, scrambled, poached, or fried, served with activated walnut salad on sourdough or gluten-free bread.

Add avocado, bacon, or beet hummus and you’ve got a plate that says: slow down, you matter.

NEW: Succulent Osso Buco

This one deserves a drum roll.

Our newest menu star is Succulent Osso Buco, melt-in-your-mouth beef shank paired with roasted sweet parsnip, carrot, and cauliflower.

Then it’s brightened with calamansi cheong, lemongrass, and herb gremolata.

This dish is rustic and refined all at once, the perfect marriage of hearty comfort food and zingy, uplifting flavour.

It’s already becoming a favourite, and we can’t wait for you to taste it.

Quinoa Risotto — Forest Magic

Food is about stories, but it’s also about experiences.

Our Quinoa Risotto brings the forest to your plate.

Made with rich mushroom stock, fried enoki, and a creamy sage butter sauce, it’s grounding, earthy, and deeply satisfying.

This dish always reminds me of the forests that surrounded our homestead in Tasmania’s back of beyond, where nature whispered healing secrets and we learned to listen.

Nachos with a Twist

At Purple House Kitchen, nachos aren’t just nachos.

We make them two ways, paleo or vegan, because everyone deserves to share a plate of comfort food that feels right for their body.

• Paleo Nachos: spiced beef mince, cheese, sour cream, and sweet potato crisps.
• Vegan Nachos: walnut, pecan, and sun-dried tomato mince, cashew cream cheese, and sweet potato crisps.

Both are abundant, colourful, and made for sharing.

Simple Pleasures

Not everything has to be complicated.

Sometimes, the simplest foods hold the most power.

Our Tallow-Fried Chips are just that.

Crispy, golden, nourishing.

Cooked in the fats our ancestors thrived on, not the industrial oils that make people sick.

Every bite is both nostalgic and revolutionary.

Drinks that Heal

The Purple House Kitchen isn’t about serving coffee and tea — it’s about serving rituals of wellness.

• Organic Coffee — smooth, rich, pesticide-free, with options for coconut, macadamia, or cream. For a brain boost, try our Bulletproof Coffee.
• Organic Teas — from Ashwagandha “Stress Less” tea to Tulsi & Rose for your heart, every cup is a ceremony.
• Smoothies & Slushies —
  • Purple House Smoothie: yoghurt, coconut milk, chia, greens, blueberries — a meal in a glass.
  • Immune-Boosting Slushie: pineapple, mango, ginger, mint, kombucha — tropical medicine in a cup.

The Story Lives On

Everything we serve at the Purple House Kitchen has roots in our story.

• Our bone broth carries the spirit of Caleb’s beet soup.
• Our raw cakes are the grandchildren of the first raw chocolate slice that stunned Alchemy’s customers.
• Our risottos honour the forests, gardens, and homesteads where we raised six children and countless animals.
• Our drinks reflect decades of learning, healing, and loving the body enough to give it the best.
• And now, our Osso Buco is setting the stage for a new tradition — slow food that heals fast.

When you eat here, you’re not just having lunch.

You’re part of a story that began long ago and continues to grow with every new face, every new laugh, every new memory made around our tables.

Where These Stories Come From

If you’ve been enjoying these little peeks into our past, you’ll love my bestselling book, Alchemy of Love.

I write with the same passion I bring to everything in my life.

In its pages, you’ll find stories that give you a personal insight into my journey as a healer, wife, mother, grandmother, and café founder.

You’ll discover the love and emotion poured into food preparation, and even enjoy some free health-inspired recipes.

Here’s what readers say:

“Grada has woven a story that gives the reader a personal insight into her life, to her family, to her knowledge, to her unique healing skills, as well as being a supportive wife, mother, and grandmother. She writes of the love and emotion poured into food preparation and gives some free, health-inspired recipes.

The book is an honest reflection of her thoughts, as they flow to the page without hesitation. She also gives us a visual perspective of the beautiful valley where she lives and works at Purple House in Forth, Tasmania, where her grandchildren spend their Covid holidays in play and recreation.

This is an easy read with emotional twists and turns! It was hard to put down for necessary breaks and I felt the emotional aspects of the story with intensity!

Grada has written a book about healing, with truth and honesty that keeps the reader fully engaged to the final word. I loved it!”

Alchemy of Love: How to Reclaim Your Innate Wisdom in Partnership with the Universe is available on Amazon and on our shelves.

It’s the perfect companion to the meals we serve at the Purple House Kitchen.

Why You Shouldn’t Miss Out

Humans are funny creatures.

We don’t want to miss out.

We flock to where the energy is, where the food is irresistible, and where the stories are being written.

The Purple House Kitchen is one of those places.

It’s not just a café.

It’s where healing meets flavour, where family meets community, where you can taste the love in every bite.

If you haven’t been yet, come this week.

If you’ve been before, come back and see what’s new.

Bring a friend.

Share a slice of raw cake.

Let your nervous system breathe a sigh of relief.

This Week’s Highlights

• NEW: Succulent Osso Buco — rustic, refined, unforgettable.
• Raw Cake of the Week — ask us what’s fresh (they sell out fast!).
• Bone Broth Soup — a bowl of pure nourishment.
• Nachos Two Ways — paleo or vegan comfort food.
• Quinoa Risotto — grounding, earthy, forest-inspired.
• Immune-Boosting Slushie — tropical medicine in a cup.

Visit Us

We’re open Wednesday to Saturday, 10am–4pm.

Kitchen closes at 3pm, sweets & drinks until 4.

Purple House Kitchen, Forth

Book your table 03 64283007 or call in.

Final Word from My Heart

Life has taught me that food is never “just food.”

It’s medicine.

It’s memory.

It’s community.

From the days of Alchemy Café to today’s Purple House Kitchen, my mission has stayed the same: to serve meals that heal, uplift, and remind you of what matters most.

Come and check out the stories at the Purple House Kitchen,

Check out the scenery here: www.purplehousegardenestate.com.au

Or for years of stories filled with life-saving tips, or to order products, or discover what else happens at the Purple House, click here: www.purplehousenaturaltherapies.com.au

With love,
Grada & Pete and our fabulous cook, Lisanne
Purple House Kitchen

Disclaimer:
Our content is for educational purposes only, based on our personal journey and research. It is not medical advice. We are not medical professionals. Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider for any medical diagnoses or treatment. The information we share is intended for learning and discussion and should not replace professional medical guidance. Any actions you take based on this content are solely your responsibility.