Jasmyne Tea

Cafe Du Monde & The French Markets, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

In the short time I was there, the French Quarter of New Orleans became one of my favourite places in the world. Located in the South-East of Louisiana along the Mississippi River, the French Quarter has a wonderfully rich cultural diversity that is steeped in history.

New Orleans was founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville of the French Mississippi Company in 1718 and named for Phillipe d'Orleans, Duke of Orleans. This French colony was then given to Spain as part of the Treaty of Paris in 1763, then was taken back by France in 1801. Napoleon sold New Orleans to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which led to an influx of American, French, Creole, Irish, German, Haitian and African immigration, both voluntary and involuntary. This melting pot of cultures has made the architecture, cuisine and even the language and diction of New Orleans unique.

New Orleans is a city defined by the hardships they endure. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina tore a devestating path through the city when the federal flood protection system failed. 80% of the city was left flooded, and many citizens took shelter in the Louisiana Superdome and the New Orleans Morial Convention Centre, but these shelters had little food and less water, and over 1500 people died - some are still unaccounted for. Despite this and other natural disasters, both long past and recent, New Orleans is still a city bustling with life and energy - a city that prides itself on it's ability to bounce back and recover again and again.

When Stephen and I visited, we were lucky enough to be staying right on Royal Street, in the heart of the French Quarter. I knew for certain I wanted to check out the famous French Markets, but Stephen wanted breakfast first, so we stopped by Cafe Du Monde nearby.

Cafe Du Monde is an institution by its own right. It opened in 1862 on Decatur Street, and for over a century has been supplying New Orleans with beignets and cafe au lait.

The dining room is scattered with photos of the cafe in all its previous incarnations, and the staff all wear little paper hats and bowties straight out of the 50's. The menu is very limited; in the way of food, only beignets are sold, and there are only a few different kinds of coffee. We ordered, and our server joined a line of other servers in a canteen-like fashion to pick up our coffee.

Cafe Au Lait - US$2.42

Cafe Du Monde is famous for cafe au lait, which is served in a way unique to New Orleans: the coffee is spiked with chicory and the milk is scalded. Its bitter flavour is iconic to this cafe, and is a great foil for the sweetness of the beignets.

Iced Cafe Au Lait US$3.87

The iced version is like a cafe au lait slushy, and comes in a more generous size. I, personally, prefer the original - everytime I took a sip of the iced coffee I kept expecting something sweet.

Beignets - US$2.42

The beignets were deep-fried square pillows of choux pastry, with a deliciously crispy outer, yet fluffy on the inside. Mountains of icing sugar topped them - apparently it's customary for first timers to blow the icing sugar off the top and make a wish, but we refrained.

So much icing sugar!

We moved on further down Decatur Street to the French Markets. Established in 1791, it's 6 blocks full of enclosed and outdoor shopping (which of course I took full advantage of), but there's about a block of food stalls that we were really interested in, and we found it to be a great introduction to the cuisine of New Orleans.

Muffuletta is the signature sandwich of New Orleans. It's made with a large, round loaf of bread similar to a foccacia in texture, and almost always consists of olive spread, provolone, ham, pepperoni, coppa and salami.

Hot Chocolate - $3.00

We tried a spiced hot chocolate, which was warm with notes of cinnamon and chilli and perfect for the icy weather we were having.

Egg Nog - $3.00

I had never tried egg nog before, and was quite keen. Beneath the cinnamon, nutmeg and custard flavours I was surprised to taste a trace of rum - I had forgotten that it was legal (and even normal practise - my ID wasn't even asked for) to drink in public.

6" Pulled Pork Po' Boy - US$8.00

A Po' Boy is a type of sandwich made with New Orleans French bread. We were sampling lot of dishes, so we ordered a 6" or a "shorty" between us. The pulled pork was soft and tender, cooked in a sweet and mildly spicy sauce until it fell apart. It was served with sharp green tomatoes and salty pickles.

Dirty Banana - US$8.00

In another display of public drinking, we went to The Organic Banana stand and ordered a cocktail. This icy concoction of fresh banana, amaretto, coffee liqueur and chocolate syrup was sweet and fresh, a great way to end a marathon of eating.

New Orleans was extraordinary. The atmosphere was fun and carefree, the shopping excellent and the food even better. There were many more places we visited, but I found the French Markets and Cafe Du Monde to be quintessential experiences of the French Quarter.

French Market District

On Decatur Street
Between St Peters Street & Barracks Street

http://www.frenchmarket.org

A Visit to Leppington Valley Farm

It's not every day that you get offered a job at a farm, but that's what happened to Roxy when we went to Leppington Vally Farm this morning. But let me go back to the beginning...

I've never stopped at one of these side-of-the-road places before, it just never seemed to cross my mind. Obviously Roxy is more adventurous than me, because she's been here before, and invited me for a little visit on Sunday last. It's not much of a drive, about 20 minutes from where I live and is 55km from the Sydney CBD. When we get there, there are a few large signs temptingly offering fresh figs, chocolate coated figs, and fig and nut cannoli:

The property is modest for a farm, but is jam-packed with fig trees and prickly pears. Roxana observes that the layout of the farm reminds her very much of rural Europe, specifically Romania; the house is right next to the farm, and there's a big communal table outside that she tells me is quintessentially European. This farm was founded 30 years ago by Vittorio and Julia Marando who came to Australia from Calabria, Italy.

We walk down the driveway to a shed beside the main house, where sits a large table with the products for sale. The friendly owner stood by in case we needed assistance, and we made our selections.

Roxy had measured out exactly a kilo and a half of figs without using the scales, and the owner was impressed. He then asked her to work out the price, which she did instantaneously, which prompted him to (jokingly) offer her a job! It's nice to know that if her current career path flounders (unlikely) she has a backup :)

These are the products I brought home:

Caramelised Fig & Balsamic Dressing - $12.00
Vincotto - $10.00
Chocolate Dipped Oven Roasted Figs - $2.50
1 kg Figs - $12.00

 This award-winning Fig and Balsamic dressing is now in permanent residence in my pantry, within easy reach, because it's sweet yet tangy, and has a smooth, sexy finish. The vincotto is a grape syrup, and I was expecting something very sweet, but it had a strong bitter aftertaste and is also reminiscent of a young wine.

These figs were oh-so fresh, and whilst firm, very easy to tear into. The flavour was very delicately sweet in a way only figs can be.

 

I saved these babies for last - I definitely feel that the milk chocolate went better with the dried fig than the white chocolate , but they were both very messy to eat as the chocolate shattered everywhere, so it's best to eat them in one bite.

This trip has opened me up to stopping at roadside signs if I find them interesting - nothing to be afraid of! However, I will practise the 'safety first' philosophy - no stepping into strange people's houses alone...

That's how horror movies are made ;)

 

Leppington Valley Farm

129 George Rd
Leppington
Sydney, NSW
2171

Phone: 9606 5399

http://www.leppingtonvalleyfarm.com.au/

Warwick Farm Trackside Market

Hello!

Stephen and I have long wanted to visit the markets at Warwick Farm, but have not been able to because of work hours. This weekend past Stephen had off, so we made the most of it.

 

The Trackside Market is held every Saturday, 8am to 12pm at Warwick Farm Race Course, and is host to over 20 stalls that sell all manner of food stuffs ranging from hand made chocolates and bread, to fresh produce. It was set up in 2003 by the NSW Farmer's Association as a way to remove the middle man, so to speak, in how people buy their produce. Almost all produce sold here is grown in the Sydney basin, and it is good to know that the food has travelled a minimum amount of food miles, and also that when you ask the person behind the counter about what you're buying, most likely you're speaking to the person who produced it.

 

Stephen and I got there around 8am, and already it was bustling. The smell of freshly baked bread and turkish gozeleme were the first that greeted us, and it only made us all the more interested in checking out what was available.

The first stall we came across was run by a lovely Polish man selling  Eastern European baked treats, and lots of different breads. We purchased a cherry roll for $4.50, and a rye bread, which we were told had 5 different types of flour, for $4.50 as well. When we tried them at home, we found it was $9 well spent: the cherry roll was a danish-type creation with a black cherry filling - just watch out for seeds! The bread was incredibly soft for rye, and you could tell it was baked that day, it was so fresh.

Next was a stall selling strawberries, and fresher strawberries you have not beheld. Firm outside, swollen and ripe, and a rich red, at 2 large punnets for $13, they were a steal.

Our next stop was a stall selling honey, pickled vegetables and fresh-picked cherries. We immediately picked up a container of honey after being told it had only been collected the day before, and was $6.00. Upon trying it later at home, we found the colour to be a clear, golden brown, and the flavour superior to what you get at the super-market, lovely and rich.

 

 After the honey, I spied with my little eye... Chocolate! I raced over, and they were so pretty that I whipped out my camera and started taking photos, and freaked out the lady running the stall in the process.

There was a good selection of handmade chocolate truffles, chilli and salted caramels, and chocolate covered-dried fruit. After trying some delicious samples, I got a box of six mixed truffles for $8, and a bag of chocolate covered nougat, salted caramel, and turkish delight, 3 bags for $20.

There was another bakery stall there, with lots of variety. I'm a tad ashamed to admit that I went a little overboard here, and bought, among other things, sweet, flakey chocolate croissants, a carrot and walnut loaf, and apple and blueberry muffins. At around $20 for everything I bought, I definitely feel I got good value for my dollars.

There were lots of stalls to look at, with a great variety of produce, but the one that caught Stephen's eye was run by Ladybird Delights, and featured one of his favourite biscuits: Kipferln! We bought two packets, one walnut and one vanilla, and they're similar in texture to short bread, deliciously crumbly in the mouth. Stephen has his stash hidden from me as I type. We also bought a rhubarb and orange jam (I'm a jam collector) and an apple strudel.

 
The loot!

The Warwick Farm Trackside Markets are on for a limited number of hours, and can also be a tad pricey. But considering the quality of the food and produce, and the fact that you're supporting your local farmers, I would definitely say it's worth it to get down there and check it out.

Top Smak Bakery

13/72 Orange Grove Rd
Warwick Farm, NSW
2170

Phone: 9600 7317

Ambrosia Honey

100 Eltons Rd
Silverdale, NSW
2172

The Chocolate Pot

Phone: 4572 2537

www.thechocolatepot.com.au

Ladybird Delights

5 Weringa Ave
Lake Heights, NSW
2502