Alas, all good things must come to an end.
When I heard that Cotton Duck was closing its doors on the 31st of March, I quickly made a reservation. I brought Stephen and our work friend Nha, and we all decided beforehand to go for the 6-course degustation ($80). I chose to order matching wines as well ($110), the plan being that Stephen and I would share because he was driving; therefore I felt justified ordering a cocktail to begin.
I felt less justified at the end of the night when I bumped my head getting into the car with Stephen: I was raging drunk. Oh well. It was a send off, after all! (Because I became intoxicated I can't read the notes I made afterwards, and the menu has been taken off the website, so unfortunately I have no idea what the wines were).
As we walked into the restaurant, we came face-to-face with the greenery and designer ceiling sculpture that the place is so famous for. We were seated in a quiet section of the restaurant and plied with menus and drinks.
Cucumber Drink
Stephen started with a refreshing, non-alcoholic drink that consisted of aloe vera and shreds of cucumber.
Lychee Cocktail
Nha chose a more tropical lychee cocktail, which she said was quite strong on the alcohol.
Blackcurrent Cocktail
My cocktail was sweet and fruity, with a slight alcoholic bite. A twist of lime balanced the sweetness perfectly.
Chickpea Puree with Flatbread
We started with an appetiser of flatbread, which was fluffy and light with little pockets of crispiness, and a chickpea puree that was thick in texture, but went beautifully with the bread. The wine was quite dry and tart, and was the only glass I didn't finish.
Roasted Prawns, Poached Leek, Garum and Caviar Lentils
Our first course was a two-parter. The first plate that came out as a linear masterpiece: small, plump roasted prawns were scattered across a baton of poached leek, along with perfectly cooked caviar lentils. All this was accentuated with garum, a type of fermented fish sauce common in ancient Greece and Rome.
Pork, Cucumber, Beetroot
The pork was diced into incredibly small pieces, and then prepared in a way that sort of made it taste preserved. The cucumber was arranged into a neat stack, and a couple of slices of pickled beetroot graced the plate as well. The wine I was given here was slightly less dry, but could not be called sweet by any means.
Soft Corn & Polenta Pudding
This polenta pudding was wrapped in a net of soft, gooey tilsit cheese and served over a little pile of grilled corn. It was definitely interesting to cut into the cheese and receive a dolop of wobbly pudding!
Duck Ravioli
We weren't really impressed with this dish. While the duck was tender and the parcels full to capacity with it, the broth was flavourless and the ravioli wrappers a little tough.
Ratatouille
This was the Cotton Duck version of ratatouille, a chilled, roasted vegetable soup with cherry tomato halves and a good slice of Persian feta. I liked the slick of balsamic vinegar, but overall i found this dish a little lackluster. I distinctly remember enjoying the rosé it came with though - it was light, sweet and refreshing.
Cape Grim Sporalli Dorsai
This was a spectacular cut of meat. Our waitress told us Sporalli Dorsai is a cut of meat above the sirloin, and it was cooked to medium rare perfection. Served with garlic chips, red onion and a jus, it was an ode to the perfectly cooked cut of beef, and the red it was served with was an excellent match.
The steak was served as a share platter with roasted new potatoes and crispy beans and peas.
Sheeps Milk Yoghurt, Wild Fennel Sherbert & Organic Blueberry Meringue
The pre-dessert was extremely interesting, a play on textures and flavours that was a lot of fun to eat. The fennel sherbert fizzed a little on the tongue, while the whipped sheep's milk yoghurt was slightly tangy and melted in the mouth. Little drops of blueberry meringue completed the airiness of this dish. I was given a honey-mead for this course, which was really sweet without being cloying, and was perfectly tailored to suit.
Sugar Plum Tart
Our final course was a sugar plum tart to share between the three of us. The plums were whole, de-seeded and wondrously warm and juicy with cooking. The crust left a little to be desired, being a little over-cooked, but that was made all better by the drizzle of fresh cream over the top.
Our evening at Cotton Duck was full of good times and gastronomical adventure, and it's sad to see this one go. Despite the quality of this restaurant and many other like it, the competition is just too fierce in Surry Hills and it's very hard to continue to provide this level of service and quality at prices people like us will pay. However, there is still Danks Street Depo to look forward to, and I very much look forward to trying their Rueben sandwich with wagyu.
Cotton Duck (Closed)
Formerly at 50 Holt St,
Surry Hills, NSW
2010
Hi all, Stephen here.
It's been a while since I've posted something. Things have been hectic after being away for three months and then coming to the need to find, choose, visit and book a place for our wedding. Done, done, done and done!
While we were in America we usually followed a similar pattern every day. Sleep in a bit to avoid the peak traffic (people traffic I mean), do some touristy stuff and then have an unforgettable dinner. After a long day jumping from Chinatown, including a trip to the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (still to be posted) and then a huge bounce up to the Central Park markets to buy some gifts, we headed back down to the Lower East Side for dinner.
There were a few MUST GO places in NYC and WD-50 was one of them. I had heard about this molecular gastronomy restaurant in the past and then came across it in Heston Blumenthal's Search for Perfection. WD-50 has managed to hold onto a Michelin star since 2006 and was rated in S. Pellegrino's World's 50 Best Restaurants. I booked our reservation a month in advance to ensure a table. Unfortunately, we didn't have the money to try the tasting menu costing $140US (plus service tax and tip). Meaning we had also missed out on the 'everything bagel', which was on the last season of Masterchef. So we each choose three courses and an alcoholic beverage.
Keith Tulloch ‘The Kester’ 2004 - Hunter Valley, Australia ~ shiraz ($15.50US/glass)
I choose a wine which came from Australia, mostly because I had learnt that produce and products in America seem to be half price compared to their country of origin, so being $62US a bottle, I know I couldn't afford this glass again (at the moment at least). It was a beautiful wine though, excellently balanced and not too dry and the tastes of blood plum, dark chocolate and licorice coming through well.
Jumpin’ Jack Flash ($14.00US)
Jasmyne on the other hand ordered this concoction of Applejack, smoked maple, and manzanilla sherry. The Applejack, a concentrated hard apple cider, was incredibly strong in this drink. The smoked maple added a complex, sweet and smoky flavour, and the manzanilla was sweet and delicate, which complemented and soothed the strong alcoholic taste of the Applejack.
Almost immediately after our drinks the waiter brought out some seaseme bread. It was light and parchment thin, with an almost nutty flavour thanks to the sesame.
Eggs Benedict ($17US)
I had entered the restaurant already knowing exactly what dishes I wanted and this definitely lived up to my standards and expectations. The Eggs Benedict was absolutely amazing. Benedict sauce was battered and deep fried (squared cubes) and burst as my knife cut through. The egg yolks were poached (I believe) with extremely thin and crispy pieces of Canadian bacon. Individually each aspect was superb, and when combined caused an explosion of breakfast flavours in the mouth.
Sweet potato soup, scallop ravioli, kalamansi, hazlenut ($18US)
This whole dish was a study in delicacy. The sweet potato soup was flawless - it was smoother than smooth, lighter than any soup I'd ever had, and lightly flavoured with sour kalamansi and earthy hazelnut. The ravioli skins were so thin they were see through, and the scallops were beautifully fresh.
Wagyu chuck steak, black-eyed peas, fig, rutabaga ($37US)
This was one of the best Wagyu steaks I've had so far, cooked perfectly medium-rare melted in our mouths. It was served with a mixture of fig and rutabaga (swede) mixture which provided a soft texture to the dish, similar to the meat. As a contrast, the black-eye peas must have been cooked in a caramel, since they were sweet and crunchy, adding a different texture to the plate.
Duck breast, black sesame dumplings, red cabbage, parsnip consommé ($33US)
The duck came out on a plate vaguely resembling a chamber pot, but the contents were incredible. The black sesame dumplings had an interesting flavour - it's something I'm used to in a dessert, but the mildly sweet flavour went well with the duck. The red cabbage added some texture, and the parsnip consomme was crystal clear. The duck breast was perfectly pink, however the skin was a bit disappointing: because half of it was submerged in the consomme, it turned out all rubbery and inedible.
Soft meringue, passionfruit, banana, star anise ($16US)
The first dessert was uninspiring. While the meringue itself was springy and airy, the slices of banana and passionfruit and star anise sauce, while well-executed, just didn't compare to the next plate that came out:
Chocolate, beet, long pepper, ricotta ($16US)
I think I can safely say it was the BEST DESSERT EVER! And I'm serious. Three months later and I still think about it and salivate. It was amazing. A beetroot sauce was streaked along the plate with a perfectly silky smooth chocolate ganache ribbon waved on the plate. A scoop of ricotta cheese ice cream was nested upon a freeze-dried beetroot mousse shattered over the plate. Lastly, small grains of chocolate, which I believe were a combination of milk chocolate (lighter ones) and semi-sweet dark chocolate infused with long pepper (darker ones). Individually, all of the aspects of this dessert were excellent, but together they were extraordinary, hence the amazing memory of this dish.
Rice crispy puffs (complimentary)
These little morsels come out with our pot of tea, and it easy to imagine how they were. Just imagine, small balls of vanilla ice-cream encased within rice bubbles. The smooth ice-cream with a nice crunch.
Our experience here was a good one. The staff were clued in and were easily able to explain how each dish was put-together, and the flavour combinations were well thought out and fun; the vibe was unpretentious and casual. It was a definite highlight of our time in New York.
WD-50
50 Clinton St
New York, NY
10002
USA
Phone: 212-477-2900
http://www.wd-50.com
When Stephen and I were in the States, the phrase "Oh god, we're going to die!!!" passed my lips more than once. Now, there was no bomb threat or massive fire, and we weren't victims of a mugging - it was just that Stephen was driving on the opposite side of the road.
Don't get me wrong, Stephen's an excellent and skillful driver in Australia, but I was incredibly nervous when he drove us to Au Lac in Fountain Valley, about half an hour from where we were staying in Irvine. He had to navigate his way down the 405 highway, a highway that was at times about 10 lanes wide, with practically invisible lines marked and no "lane ends" signs. It was a nightmare. Add the fact that Stephen's brain kept trying to compensate for the reversed driver's seat position by making him veer dangerously to the right, and I was a mess by the time we pulled in to the parking lot at Au Lac.
Opening hours: The number 33 is a master number in the practise of Numerology, representing universal and unconditional love.
The ride from hell was swept from my mind, however, by the soothing and calming atmosphere of the restaurant. The staff were welcoming and seemed genuinely happy to see us (and even happier to have overseas guests), and the soothing, meditative music was interspersed by laughing tracks that just made us smile.
We looked at drinks to order, but we had some questions (there were a lot of elixers, and we wanted to know how they were supposed to benefit us). The waitress told us what she could, but then when we went more in depth (Stephen knows a fair bit about the human body due to his studies), she brought out Chef Ito to explain. Now, this was quite the experience, because Chef Ito is in the midst of a 6 year vow of silence; he was incredibly expressive though, and using his facial expressions and hand gestures, was able to communicate with us effectively.
Noni Kombucha - US$5.00
We ordered the Kombucha tea, which we were told is good for digestion. It's a bubbly tea drink that's fermented with yeast and bacteria, and flavoured with Noni (also known as "cheese fruit" or "vomit fruit", lol), a hawaiian fruit known for its bitter flavour and strong odour.
Brazil NutMilk - US$7.00
The Brazil NutMilk was thick and filling, and the subtle nutty flavour was a treat.
There are two seperate kitchens here, one for their cooked, vegetarian menu, and one for their raw or "living" food. The food in the second kitchen is vegan, and nothing in the kitchen had been heated above 40 degrees Celsius, in the belief that food cooked above this temperature can be harmful to the body.
Chimichurri - US$5.00
This bread is made with sprouted flax, and is dehydrated, resulting in a loaf of dense, moist, chewy, and completely raw bread. It's served with a garlic and herb oil, and is filling and delicious.
Fried Chicks - US$14.00
Of course, if you've ever had chicken before, you know straight away that this isn't chicken, but I think it's an excellent substitute. The cauliflower was dehydrated until it was super crunchy, and drizzled with oil, ginger and spring onion. The "rice" wasn't actually rice; I'm pretty sure our server said it was jicama or Mexican turnip.
Jino's Pizza - US$12.00
The pizza base was made much like the chimichurri bread, spread with sundried tomato, and covered in raw tomato, basil and "melted mozzarella"- not quite sure what the substitution was, but it was creamy and tasted much like cream cheese.
Donut Holes - US$7.00
I couldn't believe this was raw. The donut holes were made with spirulina, a type of salt water algae known for its health benefits. They came out warm, and were firm on the outside and deliciously gooey on the inside. The taste wasn't familiar, but it was earthy and slightly sweet, a great way to finish our meal.
Au Lac was one of my favourite experiences of my time in California. The food was something special (and good for me!), the people were amazingly friendly and lovely, and the atmosphere left me feeling energised and awesome, and definitely helped me unwind after our frazzled journey there. The chef even came out to say goodbye to us! If you're ever in the area, I really suggest a visit - unless you're a hardcore carnivore, you won't regret it.
Au Lac Restaurant
16563 Brookhurst St
Fountain Valley, CA
92708
USA
http://www.aulac.com
The plane trip to America was hell. I was sick as a dog, I hadn't been able to sleep the night before, and I was all by myself on the plane for the first time. I was seated next to a bunch of rowdy guys on their first holiday away from their parents, which is never pleasant, and all the movies were crap (but the food was surprisingly good!). When I reached the shores of California, I was tired and worn out. THEN I had to catch a shuttle bus to Irvine, which took 2 hours because of all the traffic.
By the time I met Stephen at the University Campus, I was hungry, partially deaf because of the pressure from the landing, and ropable. I was ready to conquer something, to devour something. Enter Berkeley Dog.
Berkeley Dog is not your average hot dog store. This branch rests at the University Center at Irvine, and is a popular hangout for young adults. The food you get here is actually similar to a regular sausage sizzle at home, except for the gourmet range of sausages they have. You choose your sausage (which is cooked in front of you), add onion, cheese, or bell peppers, then choose sauce, mustard and sauerkraut from the self-service bar.
German Frankfurter with Grilled Onion - US$4.44
Stephen was boring and ordered the German Frankfurter. Don't get me wrong, it was a good sausage: the skin of it burst open when bitten, releasing juicy pork and beef that was fragrant with garlic; grilled onions gave it some sweetness, and tomato sauce and dijon mustard completed the package. However, I was here for one thing:
Rattlesnake Dog with Grilled Onion - US$5.99
This dog was actually more pleasant than I thought it would be. Like Stephen's, it was juicy and gorgeous, but the texture was firmer, and the flavour? Very gamey. It sort of tasted like a cross between chicken and rabbit, and was delicately spiced, just enough to enhance the flavour. An elegant specimen, I must say.
Onion Rings - US$2.95
The onion rings were an afterthought, but they were definitely worth it. Covered in a solid beer batter, they gave a satisfying crunch when bitten in to.
My need to conquer sated for one day, I returned home to sleep off the jetlag. Stay tuned for more whacky American adventures! [Sorry - too much American TV]
Berkeley Dog
4249 Campus Drive
Irvine, CA
92612
USA
Phone: (949) 387-2111
Everyone should have a friend like Roxy. We've been friends for almost 10 years, and she's the friend I can talk to about anything and everything. Throughout our friendship, she's often delighted in exposing me to new types of dining and entertainment; she introduced me to Adriano Zumbo's patisserie, Sake Restaurant, the small bar scene, and Tapas. In fact, she inspired me to start this blog. For my birthday Roxy took me for High Tea for the first time. I'm pretty late to this, but better late than never, right?
Tea Parlour at Redfern looks like a hole in the wall at first glance. It's flanked by a bottle-o and a laundromat, and the interior is obscured from the street by large blue curtains. When we stepped inside, it was a different story:
The interior is an eclectic mix-and-match of old books, vintage furniture, and anything else that Amelia (the proprietor) finds interesting. It's a tiny room, and it was half full when we walked through the door. Roxy had tried to make a booking, but apparently things had been really hectic, and the place was booked for the day. Luckily, one of the ladies who booked had two people who didn't show, so we snagged two chairs at the back of the room and perused the simple menu.
The menu came in the middle pages of classic novels, and was short and to the point. There was a choice between high tea, tea and scones, cucumber sandwiches with tea, and a pretty good selection of teas that Amelia told us she imports from Sri Lanka (there are two from T2 as well). We went with the high tea option (it was my birthday after all!) which includes a sweet layer, cucumber sandwiches, a pot of tea and scones for $20 per person.
Blackberry Tea, $4.00 a pot
The Blackberry tea was deliciously fragrant, and was a vibrant shade of magenta. I found it a bit weird that no sugar was provided, but I didn't think that this particular brew needed anything added. The pot was quite large for $4.00, holding about 4 to 5 full cups of tea.
Sweet Platter
The sweet platter came out soon after the tea, and was devoured with gusto. Amelia told us she makes everything from scratch herself, and these treats definitely have a home-spun look to them. The scones are rustic and a little on the heavy side, but they're cooked through and come with some glorious raspberry jam and thickened cream.
There were also a couple of mini-tarts, one filled with dulce de leche and the other with raspberries and white chocolate; a luscious chocolate mud-cake bite topped with half a fresh strawberry that was so moist I almost cried with happiness; a light, airy lemon-curd tart; small, moreish pieces of rocky road, and a couple of other yummy treats that didn't leave our table unscathed.
Cucumber Sandwiches
The cucumber sandwiches were made with fluffy white bread (which is a bit of a luxury for me), with fresh, thinly sliced cucumber, a thin layer of cream cheese and some mixed herbs. They were a first for me, but I found myself liking them more than the cakes - I have always been a savoury girl, though.
We had one more pot of tea (monk pear), then paid our bill. I was so impressed with the quirkiness of the decor, the classy yet relaxing atmosphere, and the quality teas and homemade treats that the slightly delayed service (which comes with only one person running the establishment) wasn't even noticed. I found it a wonderful experience for my birthday. Thanks Roxy!
Tea Parlour
569 Elizabeth St
Redfern, NSW
2016
Phone: 0414 335 224
Stephen here.
There seems to be a bit of a trend of ‘deconstructing’ classic and usually simple dishes these days, such as ratatouille or Russian cream, by breaking them down to their simplest elements and then reassembling them. I have been wanting to apply some of the science that I have learnt and taught myself to produce something really cool, but unfortunately most of the ideas required equipment that is too expensive for me to buy for our kitchen, or I have access to, but wouldn’t really be ‘food safe’, like water baths or dry freezers and things of that sort. Could you imagine like a freeze dried and powdered Shepherd’s pie? Wouldn’t be the most filling, but could be a mind boggling gastronomical delight.
So I went with a deconstructed Shepard’s Pie. To describe it I thought I should start from the bottom. Firstly we have a meat patty base: the key of this is to use the different cuts of meat described, then to catch the meat as you grind it and keep the grain of the meat parallel so that it falls apart and melts in your mouth. Then we have some caramelised brown onions, to add that sweetness and texture. Next some moderately thick julienned carrots, since carrots have always been in my mum’s Shepard’s pie and I thought this is how they would go best. Next up is a kind of spinach puree, like the carrots, I have always had spinach in my Shepard’s pie and we do need some nutrition in here too. Perched on the very top is a potato rösti, with some parmesan cheese brûléed on top. I also decided to serve this with a veal jus to add some moisture to it. Both Jasmyne’s and my mum’s Shepard’s pies are so moist and succulent that the jus was a must. I had also learnt of the freeze-filter technique from Heston Blumenthal’s ‘Search for Perfection’ and I have wanted to give it a shot for ages, so decided to apply it here. It yields a really clear and pure jus. There is a lot of multi-tasking involved in this and much of the cooking is running parallel, so a tip would be to have everything ready to go.
Deconstructed Shepherd's Pie
INGREDIENTS
Veal Jus
Meat Patties
Caramelised Onion
Carrots
Spinach Puree
Potato Rösti
PROCEDURE
Veal Jus
(*Make 2 days before hand)
1. Preheat oven to 250°C.
2. Boil some water in a medium sauce pan, at the base of each tomato cut a crisscross pattern and blanch the tomatoes, then dunk into ice cold water to prevent them from cooking. This will help you remove the skins, so do so, then half, deseed and crush.
3. Place the bones and trimmings in a large roasting pan and brown in the oven, turning occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, sauté the carrots, onions and celery stalk in a stockpot with some olive oil.
Transfer the browned bones and trimmings to the stockpot.
5. Deglaze the roasting tray with a splash of vermouth, put over a high heat, then scrap well and pour the liquid into the stockpot.
6. Add the water to cover and add more if required, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, then skim the top to remove any contaminants.
7. Add the tomatoes, bourquet garni and peppercorns, cover and simmer for 2.5 hours.
Strain and cool (at this point you have a really nice stock and it would be wise to freeze some for the future, you should have heaps).
8. Return the stock to the heat and reduce for a fuller flavoured jus.
9. (Freeze Filter) Transfer the jus to a large flat bottomed container. Refrigerate until it becomes a gel, and then freeze until it’s a complete solid.
10. (Freeze Filter) Dip the container into a sink of warm water, until the edges start to melt and then flip the stock onto a large container with a perforated tray in it with a muslin cloth on top. Place this in the fridge for 24 hours. This is a freeze-filter process and requires the full time. You will end up with a beautifully clear and intense jus in the bottom of the container and the ice and gelatin on top of the muslin. As I’ve said this is not a necessary step, I’ve wanted to use this technique for ages and this gave me the opportunity.
11. Prior assembly heat up jus in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Meat Patties
*Note: All the cooling times are to ensure food safety, grinding exposes the meat to a fair bit of heat, the cooling also ensures that the meat maintains its shape.
Caramelised Onion
Carrots
Spinach Puree
Potato Rösti
1. Coarsely grate the potato and onion. Combine with 0.5 tablespoons sea salt, and rest in a strainer for 20 minutes.
2. Place the potato mixture in a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible, and then transfer to a bowl.
3. Stir in the egg and season with sea salt and black pepper, and then divide the mixture into four portions within the bowl.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Drop a portion of the mixture into the oil and shape with a spoon, the rösti should be about the same size of the meat patties (about 10 – 12 cm wide) and about 1.5 – 2 cm thick. Fry on each side for about 2 – 3 minutes, or until golden and crisp, then transfer to a plate with paper towel to drain any excess oil. Ensure that you do not over crowd the frying pan and cook in batches if necessary, add more oil as required if cooked in batches.
5. While the rösti is still scorching hot, finely grate some parmesan cheese over the top with a micro-grater, the cheese should melt almost immediately.
6. Once all the röstis are cooked and covered in cheese, brûlée the cheese with a brûlée torch until golden. If you don’t have a torch then you could just put the röstis under a hot grill.
Assembly
I've had a fascination with absinthe since I first saw it being consumed by Lodz on the television series Carnivale (which is WICKED). I also witnessed it being drunk by Johnny Depp in From Hell, and then Ewen McGregor in Moulin Rouge!. I wondered what the milky green drink was, that seemed to affect all of these characters so strongly with visions and hallucinations. The first time I ordered it was a couple of years ago at The Ruby Revue which is held at the Art House, and unfortunately they completely fudged the order, giving me a glass of harsh, bitter absinthe diluted with warm water. They had also run out of sugar, which totally ruined the expectations I'd had. However, I was still determined to one day try REAL, properly prepared absinthe, and so apparently were a couple of friends.
My darlings Roxy, Sonia and I decided to quench our collective curiosities at The Absinthe Salon, a little parlour in Surry Hills that specialises exclusively in serving this drink. There is a three drink limit (the weakest variety of absinthe is 45 percent), and they close at 10pm, so straight off the bat I get the impression that this little establishment is serious about appreciating the absinthe they serve. We got a little lost trying the find the place (damned iPhones), but when we reached the store-front it was unmistakable that we were there:
We rang the doorbell, and even though we were a little early, a lady in a black bustle skirt and maroon underbust corset graciously let us in. The front room was filled with paraphernalia related to the consumption of this spirit, from traditional absinthe glasses and perforated spoons, to books and display bottles. These things are for sale except for the absinthe bottles, which they can't legally sell over the counter, but it is not this room which we came for, and we were lead to the back room where about 10 tables were spread out, and chairs were grouped into intimate pairs or trios.
We were shown to our table, and each one had an old fashioned water fountain, and absinthe glasses and spoons. We were also given menus, in which the drink selections were sorted in order of alcohol content. The lady who showed us in explained that each drink would have a different taste as well, and that all of the selections they have on the menu are either French or Swiss, as opposed to the Czech varieties we commonly buy here in Australia, which are really harsh and bitter.
We made our first selections from the tame end of the menu, and the lady swung by to show us how to prepare our drinks.
First, a measure of absinthe was poured into our glasses:
Then a French 'A La Perruche' sugar cube goes onto a perforated spoon, which is balanced over the top of the glass. The tap is then turned on at a slow, steady drip - the idea is to dissolve the sugar and dilute the absinthe at the same time:
The ratio should be at least 1:1 water to absinthe, but can be diluted up to 4:1 depending on taste and preference. As the absinthe becomes diluted, it starts to 'louche', or change colour:
Nouvelle Vague - $17.00
And then it's ready to drink!
Francois Guy - $15.00
My first drink was French, the Francois Guy, and was a verte, however by itself the colour is more of a yellow than anything. Our hostess told us it was made at the Distillerie Pierre Guy, and gave us a short background of how it was made. As the water was added (at a ratio of 3:1), it louches almost straight away to white. The aroma was very sweet and chock full of anise, which hid everything but the smallest amount of bitter wormwood. My first sip was a shock of anise and alcohol, and at first it's like a kick in the teeth, but as I got used to the strength of the drink, I found myself enjoying it immensely. I definitely thought it a good choice for my first glass.
The second one I tried was the Nouvelle Vague (as above), which was stronger at 68%. Our hostess told us this was a Swiss variety, made at Oliver Matter AG, and it was a light, rich green colour before I added the water and sugar. Because it had a higher alcohol content, I used two sugar cubes and a bit more water. Being so new to absinthe, I'm not sure if I was able to fully appreciate all of the subtle differences in these two varieties, but the prominent notes of chocolate and coffee were obvious, with anise and wormwood in the background.
One thing I was shocked to discover in my experience here was that absinthe tasting can have the complexity and variety that wine or cognac tasting can - each variety has its own character. When sampling these varieties in a setting as dark and decadent as The Absinthe Salon, where every question is answered to the fullest extent in an attempt to educate and the hosts dress the part, the experience becomes extraordinary.
We'll definitely come back here, not least to try the absinthe truffles that they had run out of - but not too often, because after those two drinks, I couldn't even let myself in to my apartment.
Note: There were NO hallucinations experienced by any of us after our two drinks each.
The Absinthe Salon
87 Albion St
Surry Hills, NSW
2010
Phone: 02 9211 6632
www.absinthesalon.com.au
Bookings Essential
