Jasmyne Tea

Colonial Gastronomy Dinner at est., Sydney CBD

I wrestled with myself for days over whether or not to post this. It wasn't that I didn't have an extraordinary experience (I did), or that I thought it wouldn't be interesting (it is); the fact is, I'm disappointed with the photos and have considered scrapping them and not writing about the night at all.

You see, like the muddle-headed fool I am, I packed my camera (and even brought some extra batteries!) but completely forgot about my memory card, which was sitting snug at home inside my laptop. For some odd reason my camera has zero internal memory, so I was left with my trusty iPhone, which can take some pretty decent pictures depending on the lighting.

Except the whole frikking place was candle-lit.

With the universe conspiring against me, I decided to try to take some photos anyway and see what happened. I'm not known for amazing photography, but even I am a little embarrassed about these pictures. I've decided to soldier on though, because it truly was a singular experience and I wanted to share it with you all.

Last week Stephen and I were checking out the Merivale website's "March into Merivale" section to find an event we wanted to attend. Although we very nearly picked Epic Mealtime, we eventually chose the Colonial Gastronomy Dinner that was being held at est., because I'm a sucker for food and recipes from the past.

For $125pp we were treated to a 6 course dinner that had been designed by Peter Doyle and Alex Woolley, to rediscover "recipes from a bygone era". We entered the restaurant on the first floor to be greeted with a drummer dressed in the Colonial-military style, who welcomed us in with a drum-roll. We were offered the option of matching wines which I graciously accepted, of course, for another $55pp, and then we started our meal.

Damper

Damper is something that I'm pretty familiar with, as my dad and I used to make it almost every weekend when I was a teen. This little damper roll was indeed excellent, with just the right amount of salt and butter, and managing to have a good, dense texture without being too gluggy. Our tasting notes described damper as "the compromise between European bread-based culture and the new frontier".

Sydney Cove Shellfish

A small sample of the shellfish native to Sydney were plated before us. The stewed clams were saucy and firm without being overcooked - they had a nice bite to them. They were overshadowed in my mind by the oysters, because this was my first time trying them! I figured I had paid enough that I wasn't going to leave anything untouched that evening, so down the hatch my first oyster went. It was interesting: the flavour was briny, the texture fleshy and slick, and I felt like I'd taken a big gulp of the ocean.

James Squire 'Chancer' Golden Ale, NSW

The 'Chancer" Golden Ale complimented the seafood perfectly - it had a gentle fizz that enlivened the palate, and a light, crisp flavour that didn't overpower the dish.

Wallaby Tail Consomme, Native Pepper Berry

This dish was an ode to kangaroo or wallaby tail soup of old, which replaced oxtail soup when Colonists made do with Australian ingredients. The consomme was crystal clear and meaty in flavour, the pepper berry spicing up the broth. Tender pieces of rare wallaby tail dotted the bowl, and vibrant peas added colour and freshness.

NV Sanchez Romate Palo Cortado 'Regente' Sherry, Jerez - Spain

This was my first time trying sherry, but I found it really accentuated the pepper berry with it's mellow sweetness. It was quite strong though, and I only had a couple of sips before I started feeling it.

Jacqui Newling, a Colonial Gastronomer, gave a short speech at this point about Colonial food and what it was all about: namely, a compromise between European tastes and sensibilities, and Australian resources.

Collared Sydney Harbour Whiting, Stewed Cabbage, Savory

Collaring was a popular way of cooking and preserving meat in the 18th and 19th centuries. Spices of the time, including bay leaves, allspice, mace, cloves and cayenne, were carefully balanced to compliment the delicate, tender whiting.

2006 Tyrrell's 'HVD' Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW

The HVD Semillon was floral and lightly fruity. It was very smooth and easy to drink, accentuating the flavours of the fish perfectly.

Roast Quail, Melted Butter Sauce, Warrigal Greens

The roast quail was one dish I had a problem with - it was so fussy to eat, and the knives they gave us were SO CRAP. They wouldn't cut butter! Luckily, in this case the butter was melted into a sauce, but it didn't really give a lot of flavour. The little quail I was able to try was perfectly cooked, pink in the breast, and tender.

2009 Ravensworth Marsanne, Murrambateman, NSW

This wine had a floral and lemony flavour, and a bright aroma. I enjoyed it much more than the accompanying quail.

Rack of Lamb and Lamb Sweetbreads

Evenly seared and perfectly frenched lamb graced the plates of the next course, next to a sweet lilly pilly jelly that brought out its flavours. The sweetbreads were breaded and fried until crunchy and crispy, and the stewed cucumbers and turnips were much more appealing than they sound.

2008 Rockford 'Rod & Spur' Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley, SA

Finally, we got to the good stuff. I much prefer red over white, and this particular drop was a fine specimen, full of cherry and currant flavours. It was quite sweet, but with an alcoholic bite that would probably be improved with age.

Very Good Old Fashioned Boiled Custard

We were told by our server that back in Colonial times, dessert would be served at the same time as the savoury dishes. Outrageous! This dessert was like a creme caramel in texture, luscious and creamy and a little bit wobbly. The light, delicate sauce was flavoured with almond and rum, lifting the humble boiled custard.

Lemon Z Liqueur

Although my tolerance for lemon has been built up a bit since I started this blog, this lemoncello punched me in the mouth - I could not drink it at all. Stephen tried some and thought it was really good, and went well with the dessert course.

Savoury Entremets

Our penultimate course consisted of various savoury delicacies much loved in Colonial times: Crumbed and fried portions of Jerusalem artichokes, salty anchovy toasts, pickled onion, and a fresh watercress and radish salad.

Cheese

Finally we came to the cheese course. Imported English cheeses could be found in Colonial Australia if you had the money, and this is what we were served. Quickes Cheddar, aged for a year in muslin, had a rich, well-rounded flavour and a crumbly finish. The Stilton went practically untouched - we just don't appreciate blue cheese yet. The rum biscuits were very dry and crumbly, but the flavour was addictive, with a slight spice to it.

12yr old Stanton and Killeen Classic Topaque, Rutherglen, Vic

This wine was a particularly attractive specimen, honey and malt on the nose and a luscious texture on the tongue. It was a bit dry, but well suited to the cheese.

This was an amazing experience, and I only wish I had better photos with which to do the night justice. I'll definitely be paying est. another visit, I was definitely impressed. Take a moment to visit the March into Merivale site, there are event going until 4th of April.

est.

Level 1, Establishment
252 George St
Sydney, NSW
2000

Phone: 02 9240 3000

http://merivale.com.au/est/

Sweet As Festival, Casula

"Sweet As" is a phrase most commonly said in New Zealand (pronounced "sweet ez"), but is now often said here in Australia to express something as being "cool" or agreeable. I think it's a great name for a dessert festival, and I found it particularly apt in that the festival was being held at Casula Powerhouse, where the Niu Warrior exhibition is being held. While I'm not much of a sweets person, the rest of my family is, and I do love a good festival, so we found ourselves at the Sweet As Festival for Crave SIFF on Saturday. 

Entry was free, and we bought some tokens to exchange for food ($10 for 12), grabbed a paper plate, and started exploring.

The first stall we came across featured some Asian desserts, including custard tarts and pandan cakes. The man running it was very informative and answered all my questions about the desserts. I ended up leaving with some sweet corn and coconut pudding and other assorted cakes I hadn't tried before.

So colourful!

There was another stand selling all sorts of baclava and Middle Eastern sweets. Normally I'd go nuts for baclava, but I knew there were many more desserts to sample, so I limited myself to one and chose the bird's nest variety. It's commonly made in a spiral shape, and the outer shell was deliciously crisp, giving way to pastry made chewy by the syrup.

The Australian stand was a bit disappointing - devoid of pavlova and lamingtons (which happened to be at the French table :s), all that was on offer were cupcakes and cakepops.

There was free tea available as well, a few varieties of T2 tea and some iced Turkish apple tea, to clear the pallet after so many sweets.

The Ethiopian coffee stand was quite interesting - we got to watch the lady make the potent brew by heating a traditional urn filled with water and coffee beans. It didn't take long at all, and the coffee was bitter, aromatic and strong - I quite liked it.

For some reason they had Turkish delight at the Greek stand, but we tried some anyway. The rose, a classic, is always my favourite, but they had a hazelnut variety as well that I really liked.

The spoils.

They had free face painting, and Katie took full advantage.

All that sugar was too much for me, so my dad and I tried a sausage sandwich. At $3.50 I was at least expecting a little warmth, but the sausage was stone cold. With that disappointing ending, we thought we'd try to fit in some culture, and took a look at the Niu Warriors exhibit.

Niu Pasifik Warriors - 50 Artists works from the Pacific rim.

Kilikiti - Exhibition of Samoan Cricket bats from the local Sydney Samoa Community.

This collection, curated by Leo Tanoi and Giles Peterson, really spoke to me because of my Maori heritage. Also the fact that my step-mum is Tongan and I've grown up with her family made me feel like I could definitely relate to the pieces featured here. For anyone interested, I definitely recommend a visit - but hurry, because the exhibition ends 4th of December.

This was an excellent venue for the Sweet As festival, but hopefully they'll get the glitches ironed out in time for next year (if they decide to hold it again). Despite the slight flaws - the odd placement of certain desserts, and the cold sausage - the event had enough good points that, if they were to hold it again, I'd definitely go back. Look out for it next year!

Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre

http://www.casulapowerhouse.com/

1 Casula Rd
Casula, NSW
2170

Phone: 02 9824 1121

Cabramatta's Signature Dishes: Bau Truong

There's an event being held for Crave Sydney International Food Festival this year, a self-guided tour of sorts. On Sunday Elain, Katie and I went on a quest to find and experience a signature dish of Cabramatta; all we had to do was find a restaurant with a sign in their window stating what their particular dish was. There were quite a few pictures of Pho lining John Street, but Bau Truong had a particularly appetising sign featuring a prawn, pork and green paw-paw salad that beckoned to us.

Elain had never had Vietnamese before, so she let me order (and I do so love to choose what to eat). When the lady at the front of the restaurant pointed us to a table and gave us menus, I tried to think of things to order that would be a good introduction to this cuisine, and I think I did a fairly good  job.

Pork and Taro Spring Rolls - $8.50

The pork in these spring rolls was cut in chunks that came out soft and tender. The taro lent its unique, earthy flavour to the pork, and the wrapper crunched loudly when bitten in to.

Crispy Sticky Rice - $10.00

The crispy sticky rice was flavourless, but had a great crunch to it. It was served with glazed pork (from the rib I think) which was sweet and pull-apart soft, and which gave the dish some added depth.

These prawn crisps were complimentary and were excellent, all crispy and crunchy and giving my sister hours of entertainment.

Signature Dish: Green Paw-Paw with Prawn and Pork Salad - $15.00

The signature dish was a beautiful and fresh salad consisting of thin strips of raw green paw-paw and carrot, tender diced pork and cold prawn halves. The dish was served cold, but with so much chilli that my mouth was on fire. It was topped with crunchy peanuts, and all in all was a great salad, and a dish suited to the hot day.

Raw Salmon Salad - $18.00

Elain was tempted by the raw salmon salad, another fresh concoction of beautiful ingredients. The salmon, while raw, was marinated in lemon, lime and chilli, and was accompanied by strips of raw green apple, carrot, and peanuts.

Beef Noodle Soup (Pho) - $10.00

The quintessential Vietnamese dish is a big bowl of Pho, which is why I ordered it. The broth was more fragrant with herbs than what I've had before, but it still had that solid, meaty flavour to it that I love so much. The beef was very thinly sliced, and just barely cooked, leaving it soft and easy to tear apart with my chop sticks. The noodles were silky and smooth, and a squeeze of lemon lifted the whole dish.

Fried Beef Noodles with Dark Soy - $13.00

This was Katie's choice, but of course I snatched a bit. The thin slices of beef practically melted in my mouth, and the rice noodles were a lot of fun to eat. The onion was just cooked so that the pieces were still crunchy, and everything was cooked in a dark soy sauce that was wonderfully salty.

My sister with upside down chopsticks :)

Bau Truong provided an excellent experience for people who'd never tried Vietnamese, and I happen to know that Elain will definitely be back. I, however, look forward to trying more signature dishes of Cabramatta, and think it's an excellent event for the Crave Sydney International Food Festival.

Bau Truong

42 John St
Cabramatta, NSW
2166

Phone: 9727 4492

The High Tea Party at Shangri-La Hotel, The Rocks

We apologise for the delay - Stephen and I have been super busy moving into my parent's place (long story), but we now return you to your scheduled programming :)

~

"A gorgeous excuse to catch up with the girls".

I often struggle to find things to do with my female friends. Not all of them have much in common or like the same things, so thinking of things to do can be hell. Some of them are foodies, whilst some of them couldn't give a rat's what lands on their plate. Some of them like drinking and bar-hopping, and some of them like bowling and go-karting. When I was invited to The High Tea Party, I knew that this would probably only interest friends with a taste for luxury and pampering.

The High Tea Party is an annual event held in Sydney and Melbourne. This year it was held  in association with Interplast Australia & New Zealand, a charity that works with developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region.  It's an all-day event that features boutique stalls selling everything from teapots to jewellery, cake tasting, makeup demonstrations, and even a lingerie and swimsuit fashion show. A high tea sitting is also included in the ticket price ($90), which included finger sandwiches, scones, assorted desserts, a free gift-bag, and a Perri Cutten fashion show.

So on Sunday, Mary and I took the train to Circular Quay and walked (uphill :|) to the Shangri-La hotel. We walked through the lobby to register, then we were told that there were 4 levels of stalls to check out - we set to it straight away.

The High Tea Company was the first stall we came across, selling dainty tea sets, delicious preserves, and lovely canisters of tea.

Buttercream Bakery offered creative cakes and cake pops to take home and to sample - I was particularly taken with the High Tea themed cake.

There was a lovely display advertising Gwinganna Health Retreat over on the Gold Coast. Touted as the "ultimate hen's weekend", guests can choose from between 2 to 7 days of relaxation and detox, with seminars and lessons on how to lead a healthier life, spas and activities, and organic cuisine.

Phyt's, a company that offers organic cosmetics and skin-care products, had tables set up for mini hand treatments - I don't like people touching my hands though, so I opted out.

Check out the awesome soap masquerading as cake!

Nana May's Magic Hands Scrub

After checking out all of the stalls, we ventured down to the Ballroom where the High Tea sitting was being held. Although the line to get in was massive, we managed to make it to our table within 5 minutes.

The High Tea consisted of a bottom layer of finger sandwiches (smoked salmon with cream cheese, minted cucumber, York ham with mustard mayo and tomato and cheese) which were all slightly dry and crusty, probably because they had all been pre-made to cater to the sheer number of people. The middle layer contained a selection of mini Sarah Lee sweets - special mention for the caramel cheesecake, which was superb. The highest plate was reserved for scones with dried strawberry in them, and a divine homemade strawberry jam that wasn't too sweet, which countered the sweetened whipped cream.

We were supplied with Mount Franklin sparkling water, and sparkling wine (although a server spilled my glass all over my lap).

Tea was supplied by Madura, an Australian tea company, and varieties on offer were ginger and lemongrass, Earl Grey, and sweet green tea. I sampled the Earl Grey, and found it to have a more delicate bergamot flavour than the Twining's version.

There was a fashion show as well, but, no offence to Perri Cutten, I was not as interested in the clothes as I was the food. The style was just too mature for me, and I found the most interesting articles to be the headpieces.

The High Tea Party was a day of glamour and sophistication, and I found it to be a great way to spend time with friends of the same interests. The food, the boutique shopping, the fashion, and the demonstrations and shows all make you feel like you're getting your money's worth, especially when you also walk away with a bag brimming with free things like chocolate and magazines. I definitely urge you to check it out when it rolls around next year.

JasmyneTea attended The High Tea Party as a guest of OurDeal.

Shangri-La Hotel

176 Cumberland St
The Rocks, Sydney, NSW
2000

Phone: 02 9250 6000

The Launch Of Kylie Kwong's Oxfam Fair Trade Tableware Range, Woollahra

We’re in the Tim Olsen Gallery, Woollahra. The walls are a stark white, making a wonderful backdrop for the rich, tawny imagery of the “Highways and Other Recipes” exhibition by Luke Sciberras gracing the walls. My boots echo on the polished hardwood floors as I walk over to a large table in the centre of the room; the tableware set resting here is the reason for this entire event.

We’re at the launch for Kylie Kwong’s new tableware range that she’s designed in conjunction with Oxfam Australia and that has been produced by one of Oxfam’s fair trade partners in Vietnam. The set includes a rice bowl ($14.95), a soup bowl ($21.95), a small ($6.95) and large plate ($14.95), soup spoon ($5.95), teapot ($49.95), teacup ($10.95) and a coffee cup ($10.95). Kylie, who has a background in graphic design, stated that she wanted to design a range that reflected the Asian background of its origins and that also conveyed a connection to sustainability and the earth – thus the colours of the range were chosen. The outside of each piece is charcoal, the inside is a mossy green, and the hand-painted lotus design is a dusky pink.

Kylie says: “As part of my inspiration I looked towards the symbol of the lotus flower. To me the lotus flower is such a deep and meaningful symbol, which represents femininity, spirituality, and the importance of nature and the environment.”

The first hour of the launch was dedicated to mingling and admiration of the set, and I met a few bloggers I hadn't met before, including Simon Food Favourites, Wholesome Cook, Mish Delish and Fig & Cherry (and apparently Food Guru was there, but I didn't have the pleasure of meeting her). Delicious, dainty canapés were served throughout the launch, prepared by Kylie Kwong's restaurant Billy Kwong:

   
Kingfish Sashimi, Crispy Prawn Wontons, Balmain Bug Wonton, Japanese Pumpkin Canape

Eggplant Canape


Scallop Canape with XO Sauce

Beef Brisket

Ocean Trout on Wonton Skins

My favourites were the crispy prawn wontons and the eggplant canape, but all of it was wonderful and I really look forward to the day I get to visit Billy Kwong.

Oxfam Australia Executive Director Andrew Hewett and Director of Trading Nadine Silverberg

Soon enough, it was speech time. The speeches were all short and sweet, and served to introduce exactly what Oxfam Australia's role in the project was, some background information, and the development process of the tableware set.

Andrew Hewett said: "We've been working with communities for nearly 60 years... and we've learned that simply giving handouts is not the answer, we need to find ways to provide people with skills and resources to help them create their own solutions to poverty and injustice. This project epitomises what we're about, it's helping people help themselves."

Followed by Nadine Silverberg: "Raising awareness of fair trade and the benefits of fair trade is absolutely key to [helping people help themselves]... As a renowned chef and restaurateur, as well as a fair trade ambassador, we knew Kylie's profile and credibility would be a huge boost to the fair trade cause... I'd like to reiterate how much this project means to workers and their communities in developing countries around the world. Our vision is to make fair trade as accessible as possible, so it becomes an everyday choice for Australians - not just for food, but for everything for their home... We've seen increased interest in fair trade products here in recent years, especially in coffee, tea and chocolate, but many Australians don't actually realise that you can buy everything, from crockery to vases and jewellery to toys, that's made under fair working conditions, and for which workers receive a fair price."

Kylie Kwong

Kylie's speech was last: "When Oxfam Australia approached me to design a range of tableware, I absolutely jumped at the opportunity. I realised that this project could bring together my passion for cooking, my love of art and design, and my advocacy of a better deal for producers in developing countries... At its simplest, fair trade is about guaranteeing a fair deal, allowing people the opportunity to trade fairly, to give them the ability to invest in their children's education and their communities, environment , their health, their safety, their future.

(Photo courtesy of Bonnie Savage, Oxfam Australia)

"Designing the range I actually found quite difficult. As a cook I feel much more at home designing and making what goes into kitchenware - while I may seem able to articulate the essence of what it is I'd like to capture, I struggle to translate this into visual terms... I particularly loved [Henry] Matisse's cutouts, and that is what lead to the idea of the separated lotus petals. I wanted the colours to be of the earth... to act as a subtle reminder of the importance of sustainability, and to reflect a sense of groundedness that fair trade brings to communities.

(Photos courtesy of Bonnie Savage, Oxfam Australia)

"Several months later we travelled to Hanoi to meet with my producers, to check on the development of the range, and to see first hand how fair trade benefited the community. When we arrived at Hanoi, the first samples were ready for us to look at... We all liked the colours, we thought they worked well, but I was not completely happy with the lotus image; it looked a little clunky, and not quite how I imagined it... The one thing I couldn't help but notice about the Master Painter was that he had absolutely exquisite almond-shaped eyes... On the final day, I grabbed him in that bossy 'KK' way I have and that so often gets me into trouble, I dragged him into the washroom... I pointed to his eyes in the mirror and said "Master Painter, I want my lotus petals to look like your eyes... I want your beautiful face on every piece of my range.

"My Oxfam tableware range will be available in Oxfam stores as of the first of October, and I sincerely hope that you will support me in this collaboration with Oxfam; together we can make a real difference in the lives of everyone at Mai, and to those fair trade producers everywhere."

JasmyneTea attended the launch as a guest of Oxfam Australia. I'd like to thank Raina Hunter (Oxfam Media Coordinator) for the invitation, Billy Kwong for the delectable morsels, Kalleske Wines for donating their lovely organic wine, and Tim Olsen for such an amazing space.

Oxfam Australia

http://www.oxfam.org.au/

Billy Kwong

355 Crown St
Surry Hills, NSW
2010

Phone: (02) 9332 3300

http://www.kyliekwong.org/BillyKwongs.aspx

Kalleske Wines

6 Murray St
Greenock, SA
5360

Phone: (08) 8563 4000

http://www.kalleske.com

Tim Olsen Gallery

63 Jersey Rd
Woollarha, NSW
2025

Phone: (02) 9327 3922

http://www.timolsengallery.com/pages/home.php

Aroma Festival, The Rocks

Fewer things are easier to love than chocolate, tea and coffee. Each warms and comforts in its own way, each can give a sense of decadence when consumed, and each depletes my bank account on a regular basis. Sunday 31st was The Rocks Aroma Festival, an event dedicated to the scents drifting in the air when these products are made and prepared, and Roxy and I ventured into the city to check it out.

The section nearest Circular Quay was The Latin Quarter. On offer here were churros, hot chocolate, coffee and tea, and Tango dancing with the Latin Quartet.

Pukka Teas

The Naked Berry

Our first stop was The Naked Berry for some plump, juicy strawberries dipped in chocolate (and in Roxy's case, dipped in nuts as well) - an excellent start.

Milk-Chocolate Dipped Strawberry + Chocolate and Nut Strawberry

Handmade Biscuits and Pastries

Baked goods beckoned to us from Handmade Biscuits and Pastries, but we didn't want to fill up too quickly...

Wine Odyssey Australia

Wine Odyssey Australia were offering wraps with handmade meatballs or chicken tikka, and also some hot mulled wine.

Turkish Gozleme

Spinach and feta gozleme was made to order as well - I could smell the sizzle of the flat bread and the salty tang of the feta.

Crave Coffee

Cappuccino from Crave - $2.00

We finally decided on a coffee stall to try, and weren't disappointed. The capp I ordered managed to be robust and rich without the bitter aftertaste that you sometimes get, and there was the added bonus of a cute barista ;)

Brownie - $2.50

I bought a brownie and a piece of rocky road from Voodoo Rocky Road and we sat down to try them out. The brownie was just a touch dry on the inside, with quite a thick crust, but the rocky road was a different thing altogther - It was AMAZING. It was full of marshmallows and peanuts and glace cherries, and the chocolate was wonderfully smooth and silky.

Rocky Road - $2.50

Kali Premium Chocolate

We mosied on over to The Continent, and spied people clutching big brioche rolls filled with gelato. We rushed to the stall, but they were all sold out :( We consoled ourselves with chocolate covered coffee beans from Kali Premium Chocolate instead.

Can-Can Dancers

We were there in time to watch the Can-Can dancers, but I have a feeling they thought their enthusiasm would make up for any lack of skill. The fellas probably appreciated it though.

Il Espresso

Il Espresso offered traditional wood roasted coffee, which I found interesting. Plantation Wood Roasted beans are their signature blend; beans are imported from India and roasted over Australian wood.


Chocolate Mint

Roxy bought a gin truffle and chocolate shards from Chocolate Mint, a handmade chocolate stall with origins in Greystanes.

Rochester Ginger

We stopped at Rochester Ginger to try a sample of their Ginger drink, which is made from a genuine Dickension recipe which includes raw ginger, elderflower, raisins, and cowslip. It was definitely bracing and had a hell of a kick, but was surprisingly non-alcoholic.

Rochester Ginger Sample

Mango and Passionfruit Pavlova

On the way to The Oasis we stopped for some delicious pavlova :)

Turkish Coffee Seller

Turkish Coffee and Apple Tea

Turkish Apple Tea - $2.00

Feeling a bit parched, I went for a refreshing apple tea. Unfortunately I spilled half of it on myself, but we cleaned up and headed for home.

Nerissimo

On the way we stopped for another coffee at Nerissimo, then grabbed a skewer of chocolate covered strawberries  each.

Lush Berries

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Skewers - 2 for $10.00

These strawberries were just as luscious as the first lot we had, but not as thickly covered as the ones from The Naked Berry.

The Haul

I ended up coming home with a large bag of goodies that included my coffee from Il Espresso, my chocolate covered coffee beans and chai tea from Kali, and some salted caramel and lemon myrtle truffles from Gumnut Chocolates. All in all a pretty good catch :) Unfortunately we missed The Orient section, but we still had a great time!

Aroma Festival, The Rocks.

 

I <3 Surry Hills - Yullis Bar & Maloneys Grocer

The Surry Hills Festival 2011

One thing I love about street festivals is that they can showcase the very best of a suburb all in one location. Roxy and I took advantage of that yesterday when we visited Surry Hills for the Surry Hills Festival 2011.

The Festival is held annually as a fundraiser for the Surry Hills Neighborhood Centre, and this year was held at two parks, Shannon Reserve on Crown St and Ward Park on Devonshire St. Just a short walk away from Central Station, we decided this was a good time to explore a suburb we have always wanted to see. We gave a gold coin donation for entry to the venues, then set about having a look at what the Festival had to offer.

There were a fair amount of food stalls, selling French crepes, German sausages, Himalayan cuisine and more. People would pay for their food, find a particularly comfortable patch of grass, and sit down to watch the various musical acts being performed on the stages. The whole thing had the air of one giant picnic, and the atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly.

There were also many other stalls, mostly selling hand-made or designer clothing, jewellery and accessories.

The New Zealand Snack Food stall caught my eye, and we rushed over to see if they had anything that I was familiar with. My mum used to tell me stories about how she'd steal change from her mother's purse so that she could buy lollies and chocolate as a child, and so I bought a few items to surprise her with:

Cadbury Pinky - $2.10
Moro - $2.10
Whittakers K Bar - 50c

When I mentioned that my mum was Maori, he asked me if she ever talked about Kina (sea urchin). He then gave me a flier with their address in Banksia, informing me that they stock Kina, Paua (abalone), beef from New Zealand, and that they lay Hangis as well (traditional method of cooking).

Outside the library on Crown St, we encountered the Hot Potato! Band playing the Mission Impossible theme song on brass and percussion. It was lively and fun, and they interrupted their songs occasionally to play 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' to a small child, or a round of 'Happy Birthday' to a little girl who they let play the snare drum. The band definitely gave the festival a more lively feel!

Yullis Bar

We stopped for lunch at a vegetarian restaurant on Crown St called Yullis, a first for me. Normally vegetarian restaurants are of the Indian persuasion or are very upmarket, but the menu seemed to be Modern Australian, in that it had elements of Asian, European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, and also seemed very unpretentious.

Cacti in Eskis on the roof!

Narrow courtyard - look at that sky!

We walked through the dark interior of the restaurant to a courtyard at the back. The tables were made out of recycled materials, and fake grass covered the floor and part of the walls. We were given our menus (including a rather extensive beer and wine list), and then unfortunately we were abandoned as the multitude of other people were served. Roxy started waving as if she were a flight attendant showing us the exits, and finally we had our orders taken. Our waiter did apologise most charmingly, and so it was very easy to forgive, especially once the food came out.

Water out of long neck bottles :)

Salt and Pepper Tofu - $15.50

The salt and pepper tofu was brought out first, accompanied by a green papaya salad. The tofu was firm yet gorgeously fluffy on the inside, but was deep fried, so the outside was wonderful and crisp. The seasoning was very light though - just a tad more pepper and it would have been perfect for me. The green papaya salad seemed like it came straight out of Thailand - a chilled, refreshing mix of shredded green papaya and carrot, cherry tomatoes, green beans, garlic, crushed peanut and a lime dressing, it really contrasted well with the warm, fried tofu.

Pear and Orange Salad - $13.50

The salad was a delicious combination of fruits such as orange, pear, tomato and avocado, and vegetables like lettuce, onion and cucumber, all dressed in a sweet cranberry sauce.

Panfried Pumpkin Polenta - $16.50

This was my favourite dish - a thick wedge of pumpkin polenta, panfried and served with a green mango salsa. The polenta was thick, warm and comforting, whilst the salsa was cool and fresh. The salsa was meant to have green mango in it, but I could have sworn there were apple pieces instead. Along with onion, lime, lemongrass and chili, it worked really well with the polenta.

 

 Maloneys Grocer

It really seems like stores and restaurants in Surry Hills don't like using apostrophes in their names, i.e. bills, Yullis and Maloneys Grocer. We stopped by when I saw an intriguing display of fresh-cut fruit for sale that we simply just don't get in Liverpool, so we decided to check it out.

Roxy immediately went to the muesli section of the store and asked for these two items, which include chocolate, for Easter (email me if you'd like to donate some muesli for the poor woman ;) ).

The bread display was quite impressive, with loaves and buns from Sonoma bakery and Dovedale Bread. I also got very excited over the artisan vinegars they had for sale, including one from the Tetsuya's brand!

There was a huge range of cheeses, from goats cheese to brie, some marinated and some paired with fruit. Also a large range of ice cream, including Ben and Jerry's and Maggie Beer brands.

There was also a gourmet deli section, serving everything from sandwiches to rustic-looking pies and sausage rolls, and even cannelloni!

Finally, the fresh fruit and vegetables are bought three times a week from Sydney Markets. Look at how neatly the vegetables are laid out! Magic. I wish we had grocery stores like this is Liverpool.

The haul...

I ended up buying two bagels ($1.70 each), which were delicious and WAY better than what I could have bought at Woolies'. Also, I found strawberry and raspberry jam, panko breadcrumbs, Mulberry Tree muesli, and orange blossom water, all things that I have problems finding in my area.

Surry Hills is a pretty wonderful place, and it's nice to go somewhere with a completely different atmosphere for a bit of a change. The people are much more relaxed, they're friendlier and they walk slower than they do here - also, I would say most of them are young and hip. I know I'll be a frequent visitor in the future.

Surry Hills Neighborhood Centre

http://www.shnc.org/festival/

Yullis Bar

417 Crown St
Surry Hills, NSW
2010

Phone: (02) 9319 6609

http://yullis.com.au/

Maloneys Grocery

Shop 4, 490 Crown St
Surry Hills, NSW
2010

Phone: (02) 9331 3811

http://www.maloneysgrocer.com.au/

Bloodwood and Jaded Vanities at The Vanguard, Newtown

I've never been any good at sharing. At birthday parties, I was the kid who'd hold onto the pass-the-parcel package too long, just in case the music stopped. I took all the fairy bread, not because I wanted to eat it, but because no one else was allowed to. As a teenager, I was incredibly possessive about the things in my room; NOBODY was allowed in, and I even had a lock on my door (although it doesn't help, having a klepto little brother...).

I had to let these habits go when I went to Bloodwood. When we were seated at our table, amid the hanging bare light bulbs and the recycled doors on the ceilings, and the contrasting coloured tables and chairs, our waiter told us that the menu here is designed for diners to share the food amongst each other. He then rattled off the specials, making each one sound amazing, then left us to decide our course of action.

The fabled recycled doors on the ceilings.

The menu is renewed monthly to reflect the produce that is available at the time. We were told that as you go down the menu, the food starts out light then gets heavier as it reaches the bottom. We decided to go for bread, 6 dishes and 2 desserts.

Luxe Light Rye Sourdough Bread with Olive Oil (Two Servings) - $6

Thick, crusty wedges of moist, light sourdough were brought to us quickly. The rye in the bread gave it a more earthy flavour and rustic texture, and the olive oil was light and fruity.

Sweet Potato Croquettes $9.00

The next dish to arrive was the sweet potato croquettes, delicious little pillows of sweet potato, fried and served with red cabbage and garlic sauce. They were deliciously crunchy on the outside, and light and fluffy on the inside, and also a bit spicy.

Polenta Chips with Gorgonzola Sauce $9.00

I've heard a great many things about the polenta chips here, and they turned out to be true - they were AMAZING. Crispy outer, moist, fluffy inner, and I'm pretty sure there was parmesan in there somewhere to give the chips extra flavour. They were heavily salted, and went wonderfully with the gorgonzola dipping sauce.

Chicken Wings - $10.00

These chicken wings were served in what we're pretty sure is some kind of soy mixture. While the flavour was outstanding, the actual wings themselves were a little dry, and a couple of the pieces were inedible in how dry and shrunken they were. Still, the pieces we could eat were very good.

Wagyu Beef Special - $32

The wagyu beef was slow cooked so that it was wonderfully tender, and was served with brussel sprouts and potatoes (I'm pretty sure they were either nicola or kipfler). The sauce was mildly spicy, but delicious - we're all of the opinion that it may have been some sort of black bean sauce.

Grilled Lamb - $30.00

The lamb was lightly spiced on the outside, and perfectly cooked. It was tender, juicy and tasty, and served in a chickpea sauce (the sauce actually reminded me a lot of hummus) and with fresh, crunchy snow peas.

Grilled Market Fish - $32.00

The grilled market fish was an impressive dish. Alas, the waiter disappeared before I could ask what sort of fish it was, but it was very tasty and fresh, the the flesh was soft and flaky. It was marinated in herbs and lemon, and served with green beans and shredded lettuce.

There was a long interval between our mains and dessert, until we realised that even though a fork hadn't been brought to our lips in 20 minutes, they thought we were still eating. I guess they're used to having the plates licked clean before having to clear the dishes, but we didn't want to be too full for dessert!

Toffee Apple Creme Caramel - $12.00

The creme caramel was gorgeous - soft and silky smooth, with a rich flavour of apple and caramel coming through, and a creamy finish. The dried apple pieces are a nice touch, and the fresh berries look and taste wonderful.

White Chocolate Parfait Affogato with Amaretto Shot - $16.00

The white chocolate parfait was light as air, creamy and delicate. It went well with the strong, bitter coffee and the almond liqueur.

We left Bloodwood feeling satisfied with our experience and with our stomachs comfortably full, and journeyed to the other end of King Street to The Vanguard for the Jaded Vanities variety show, and it was magnificent:

The Vanguard, as seen from the Mezzanine

Kira Puru and The Bruise - AMAZING voice, like chocolate, gave me shivers!

Moaning At Midnight

Tasia doing amazing things with electricity.

Billie Bradshaw

Lillian Starr as Amelia Earheart

Don't let anyone say there's nothing to do in Newtown!

Bloodwood

416 King St
Newtown, NSW
2042

Phone: (02) 9557 7699
http://www.bloodwoodnewtown.com/

Please note: There are no booking for groups under 8 people.

Jaded Vanities, The Vanguard

Tickets $25 General Admission, $64 for Mains + Admission

42 King St
Newtown, NSW
2042

Phone: (02) 9550 3666
http://www.thevanguard.com.au/

Please note: This event is being held on the next 5 Sundays only.

Sydney Festival First Night 2011 & Why I Love Sydney

I think everyone holds a special place in their hearts for the city they grew up in: A certain street on which you learned to drive; A restaurant in which you and your friends used to hang out; A particular park where you had your first (or hundredth) kiss; All of these familiar places can remind you of happier times, evoke poignant and meaningful moments, or major and life-changing events in your life.

I've spent my whole life in Sydney, and though that's not a terribly long life (yet), I've been lucky enough to have some fantastic (and not-so-fantastic) experiences on her streets. Among the places that I'll remember always is the tourist shop in Chinatown, where after 17 hours of wearing a corset and Victorian-style boots (anime convention - don't ask), I bought a pair of black, fleece-lined slippers, hoping desperately that no one would notice I was wearing them while sipping cocktails at Adria bar. Another place is the Paddy's Markets at Haymarket, where my friends and I would meet when school finished early on Tuesdays and buy band t-shirts.

Well, after today I can add another venue to my mental list, because Hyde Park has become significant to my memories of an awesome day spent in the city with FoxyRoxy.

From the 8th to the 30th of January, Sydney is holding the annual Sydney Festival, which attracts hundreds of thousands of people from all over Australia, and a growing number of international visitors. The Sydney Festival has been running since 1977, and is a celebration of Sydney and what it has to offer. Every year on the first day of the festival, a free event called Festival First Night is held as a sort of opening ceremony, and this year was spectacular.

First Night is a cultural extravaganza held from 3pm til 11pm, chiefly at Hyde Park (although there were events at Martin Place, Macquarie St, The Domain, Chifley Square, and Cathedral Square). During the day there were a lot of family-friendly events and entertainment including cupcake decorating sessions (hosted by Sparkle Cupcakes), Ukulele play-alongs with Ali Mills and the Ukeladies, and a performance by Lah Lah's Musical Wonderland. After 6PM, the venue was transformed for a little more adult entertainment (can anyone say Cabaret? =]).

When Roxy and I arrived around 2:30PM, we headed straight for the food and drink area. I was particularly curious about what sort of food would be offered at a festival that celebrated the culture and diversity of Sydney - and I wanted to blog about what we ate. This is a food blog, amongst other things ;)

There was a healthy variety of cuisines available, from German at The Sauerkraut Sisters and Italian at Bella Pasta, to Caribbean at OMG Food and Creole at Piros Cuban Kitchen, but the stall that we immediately went for was Dim Sum Station in a search for BBQ Pork Buns and Chive Dumplings.

Prawn, Chive and Vegetarian Dumplings - $10 for 6

BBQ Pork, Roast Duck and Red Bean Paste Buns, $10 for 4

I had the buns, and all of them had a wonderfully fluffy, light, and slightly sticky exterior. The BBQ Pork Buns were full of soft, tender pork and onion that had a slight crunch to it. The roasted duck was slightly flaky and its rich taste was complimented by the sweet hoy sin sauce. Carrot and onion gave some contrast to the texture of the filling. Finally, the Red Bean Paste Bun was filled with a dense, sweet paste that was slightly sickly - I could only have a bite before I put it down.

Roxy enjoyed her dumplings, but did note that the prawn dumplings were a bit stingy on the actual prawns: one or two small prawns to a dumpling, and the rest was filler.

Sponsors! Their's, not mine :)

After we ate, we explored the park a bit and watched the cupcake decorating, but to be honest most everything was aimed at families. On the other side of the park there was a screening of Sydney in the 1920s and 1930s, which was interesting, but eventually we decided to roam the CBD for a while.

Amazing Reni Reproduction at Pitt St Mall - Love Sydney!

 We wandered along Pitt and George Streets for a while, checking out the buskers lining the walk, when we felt the cravings for caffeine start. On we trekked, our destination: La Renaissance Pattisserie for some coffee and macarons.

Coffee and Blackcurrant Macarons - $2.50 each

Cappuccino $3.50

The macarons were delicious as always, crispy on the outside, chewy and flavoursome on the inside. The coffee was deliciously rich, although lacking a little in foam (for a cappuccino).

We mosied on back to Hyde Park around 6pm, wanting to catch the cabaret acts, and we were not disappointed:

Eddie Perfect

Imogen Kelly as a sexy caterpillar...

And as a sexy butterfly!

Eddie Perfect performed snippets from his satire show Misanthropology, and he was hilARious. With song titles such as "Self-Righteous Cyclist", "Neanderthal Love", and "Too Bloody Long", he had the crowd rolling.

Imogen Kelly is Australia's Queen of Burlesque, and I am a big fan. When she performed her first number, it was pretty family friendly, and portrayed the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly. It was sensual and steamy, but in a PG-rated way.

Circa

The acrobatic performance of Circa was nothing short of astounding, with their flexibility (the guy doing the splits got a lot of sympathetic groans from the men folk), their originality (there was an act where they transferred a singlet from one person to the other without using their hands) and their attitude (the female performer hula-hooping and throwing hoops at the photographers was one particular event I won't forget).

The Festival First Night was the epitome of summer in Sydney, and we really enjoyed ourselves. It was a showcase of Sydney's cultural aspects, including performance, music, visual art and food. Although you may have missed it, there are still shows you can purchase tickets for here.

Is it any wonder that I love Sydney?

Ashfield's Big Yum Cha & China Shanghai Night

 The weather has really been detrimental to the successful running of food festivals lately. Not only did gusting wind ruin the Liverpool Bites Food and Wine Festival, but last weekend pouring rain totally killed Ashfield's Chinese food festival, the Big Yum Cha. Held as part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival on the 23rd of October, a day of feasting, dancing and general merriment was planned, but the miserable weather put paid to that, and there were only a few stalls present. Nonetheless, Sonia and I wanted to check it out, so we put up our little umbrellas and braved the rain.

 
Drinking coconuts, 2 for $5

The first stall we come upon is selling, among other things, drinking coconuts, and we quickly snatch two in an effort to evoke warmer weather. We failed, but the drinks were cool and refreshing, and also not too sweet.

 Lamb skewers, $3.50 each

Out of nowhere, we unexpectedly ran into a family friend of Sonia's! He was cooking marinated lamb skewers with chili flakes over coals, and although we had to pay full price (where are the mate's rates, eh?), the pieces of tender lamb's shoulder were delicious and we were greatly satisfied.

The last stall we found of interest was selling 5 dishes commonly found in yum cha restaurants, and at $1 per small portion, we thought the value for money would be good - until we tried our serves:

 Pork dumplings and spring rolls, $1 each

The dumplings and spring rolls were flavourless, cold, and a bit damp from the rain. We each took a bite, and promptly threw them out.

 Fried rice and hokkien noodles, $2 a plate

The fried rice was also flavourless and cold, and after the first taste we didn't eat any more, but the noodles were surprisingly delicious and we ate them all.

After the exciting 30 minutes that encompased our festival experience, we decided to try a restaurant along Liverpool Street for lunch. This street is known for its proffusion of Chinese restaurants that offer dumplings, and since I had never been to one, Sonia steered me to the nearest one.

 

Lining up in front of China Shanghai Night, I asked Sonia "Should we wait in line, or go somewhere else?". A man in front of me turned around and said "Stay, trust me, it's worth it". With that assurance, we waited for about 10 minutes until we were seated.

 

 

 

The interior was a bit spartan and very brightly lit, and it was hard to move in between all the tightly-crammed tables, but we made it to our table with minimum fuss, and proceeded to pour our jasmine tea.

 

Our waitress arrives, and can't speak English well, so Sonia orders in Mandarin. It's not a long wait before our first dish is served, Hand-made Shanghai Noodles.

 Hand-Made Shanghai Noodles - $8

The noodles were fantastic! Soft yet firm enough so as not to be unpleasant, with tender bits of beef and spinach, in a sweet, light sauce. And the noodles were so uniformly similar, it was hard to tell they were hand-made.

 Combination Wonton Soup - $10.50

The combination wonton soup was nothing short of amazing. Filled with succulent prawns, flavoursome fish balls, marinated pork, and calimari, and in a bowl the size of my head, it was worth the paltry $10.50 we paid for it. Add the delicious pork wontons, and we felt like we were cheating the restaurant.

 
Deep Fried Crepe with Pork and Shallots - $4.80

 

When you think of crepes, they don't automatically come to mind as a healthy option. So when you deep fry a crepe, you know you're in for a heart attack. Still, this dish was really delicious, with the shallotts lending a sharp freshness that complimented the pork and countered the crunchy, crispy exterior to perfection.

 Steamed Pork Dim Sim - $7

 Pork and Mushroom Boiled Dumplings - $5

 Pan Fried Pork and Chive Dumplings - $6.50

 Pan Fried Pork Dumplings - $6.80

 The beautiful pan-fried bottom :)

This was my first time having pan-fried dumplings, and I can't believe how sheltered an existence I lived up to that point. The tops of the dumplings were soft and moist, and the bottoms thick, crispy and crunchy. The insides were perfectly cooked as well.

The steamed dim sims were moist yet firm, with the minced pork filling juicy and tender. The boiled dumplings had a slightly tougher texture, but the filling was much more aromatic with the chives.

The food here is to die for, and they could easily charge twice what they do. The interior is a bit off-putting, and the lack of english speaking staff were sometimes problematic, but with 7 dishes coming in at $50.40, we left incredibly full (with leftovers!) and very satisfied.

China Shanghai Night

275 Liverpool St
Ashfield, NSW
2131

Phone: 9798 8437