The UK's first Underground Farmers Market (not literally underground, and not actual farmers)

When I was about 10 years old, my best friend Melissa and I had a stall at a market. It was a market held once a month in the car park of a shopping centre. We sold wooden boxes that we'd decoupaged. My grandma, Neen, came and, feeling incredibly sorry for us and our rather pitiful stall, spent $40 and bought everything in the stall. Since that time, I've preferred to stick to the other side of the stall table; test tasting different types of pesto, buying boxes of cup cakes, choosing a cute brooch for a friend. This weekend however, will see me back behind the stall table ...
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This Sunday Ms Marmite Lover has arranged the UK's first Underground Farmers Market. It's a concept that's up and running in San Francisco and it's about to happen here in London! Ms Marmite Lover has organised a brilliant day with supper club owners and food bloggers setting up stalls and doing demonstrations all over Ms Marmite Lover's house. I'll be selling napkins (above), similar to the ones we have at our supper club. Here's a sneak peak at what else is happening:

Aforkfulofspaghetti will sell her chocolate goods
The Shed supperclub will sell food and her mum will sell her knitted kitchenware and is available for a knitting surgery
New supperclub hostess @MissJordi_M and Crumbelina will be selling cupcakes and other baked goods possibly from my bedroom
Alexis, supperclub hostess of Lexeats will sell gorgeously kitsch 50s handmade serviettes
Soups, stews, cakes and marmalade from Kitchenconfidential
Gloria Nicol of The Laundry will be bringing screenprinted kitchen textiles and preserves
Vegan cafe Pogo cafe will be showing their fermented food (kimchee), vegan baked goods, vegan walnut and cashew cheese.
Food blogger Kavita of Kaveyeats will be selling her authentic indian chutneys and jams
Paladar hostesses Carla and Lesley of The Secret Gardens will sell Spanish goods and tortilla espanola...ole!
Blogger and crafter extraordinaire BelgianWaffling will be selling her 'arse biscuits' and other handmade items...
Charlie Beldam of Cotswold Gold who will be selling his rapeseed oil
Euroburner Emily of House of Chutney will be selling Peach Date & Chilli, Beetroot & Orange and Spiced Tomato chutneys with tempero, a garlic seasoning
restaurant.
The Hatcham supperclub hostess Rachael Curzons will be selling her curds
Supperclub hostess Kitchen Jezebel of The Last Supperclub will be talking and demonstrating how to make natural cosmetics & selling craftware
Scarlett Cannon, allotmenteer, will sell her t-shirts and plants
Samphire will be coming from Norfolk to sell their prize winning sausages and pies (Giles Coren's favourite pie)
Porridgelady, current holder of the speciality trophy for the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships, will be showing how to make the perfect bowl of porridge and selling spurtles!
Little Miss Delicious will be selling her handmade jewellery
restaurant.
Emily Boyce and her friend Immy will be selling veggie sausage rolls, cheese straws, savoury biscuits etc, homemade pasta and sauces, candles in tea cups (made by her sister) and biscuits, fruit compotes and granola.
Jane Ennis will be selling knitwear
Potters Lane Bakery will be selling baked goods...
Dazzle1411 offer a wide range of bespoke products covered in crystals such as handmade phone covers for Blackberries
MarciaVidal will be selling handmade jewellery,
IsisImaginings will be selling handmade cards
James Phillips of Dose Espresso will be giving a coffee making demo and selling cups of coffee.
Suki & Me will be selling their Alice in Wonderland inspired chocs, biscuits and cakes.
Deaba will be selling pitta bites, spicy plantain balls and blackeye beans savoury cakes
Moelfaban supperclub from Wales will be selling Welsh fare...
White Room Supperclub will be selling their German baking...Easter chocolates and cookies
Paintings and watercolours by Margaret Rodgers

Demo schedule:
The kitchen:
2.30 coffee demo by Dose Espresso
3.00 How to make great porridge by Porridge Lady
3.30 Mama Lan shows how to make chinese dumplings
4. 00 msmarmitelover's focaccia shots
4.30 how to make paneer cheese by joginder supperclub
5.00 handyface shows and talks about cheesemaking in peckham
5.30 Neil Spencer will be talking about astrology and food
6.00

Outside...basket weaving by Terence McSweeney
Elsewhere knitting surgery by The Shed's mum
Isis will be showing how to make cards
Kitchen Jezebel will talk and show how to make own cosmetics

Check out Ms Marmite Lover's blog for more information on how to book tickets (they are a measly £5.50 each) and do come along with your cash and enthusiasm and support all the first time stall holders and cooking demonstrators!

The Shed - a fab supper club, even sans shed ...

This post was meant to be a tale of 2 supper clubs. I was locked in to attend Fernandez & Leluu supper club last Saturday - I had met both Fernandez & Leluu previously at their pop up cafe at the Columbia Road Flower Markets (who knew artichoke tea could be so delicious!) and again at one of our supper clubs in February. I was really looking forward to eating their delicious food which, from a couple of tweets during the week, was going to be something very interesting involving squid and possibly beetroot ... Then disaster struck, in the form of nausea and migraine and with deep regret, I became one of those last minute flaky people who pull out. I was mortified to have to let fellow supper clubbers down, and so disappointed to be missing out. I will get there soon though!
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Luckily, I felt 100% better by Sunday afternoon, and Y and I were able to take a nice stroll over to Newington Green to The Shed. This supper club was recommended to me by Miss Marmite Lover and after an email exchange with Nicola about their very laid back approach to the whole thing, I was really looking forward to a chilled out, enjoyable afternoon.
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We arrived at 4pm and were greeted with the news that as there was a small chance of rain, we'd actually be eating in the living area of Nicola & Andrew's apartment and not the infamous "Shed". Having never seen the said, Shed, I can't say whether we missed out on much by not sitting in it, but what I can say is, once ensconced into the cosy, quirky home of N & A, a glass of home brewed ale in our hands, other friendly faces to meet, we didn't give The Shed's lack of shed another thought!
We shared a table with the gorgeous Miss Hatcham Supper Club (who will be selling her delicious curds at Miss Marmite Lover's Underground Farmers Market this coming Sunday) and Mr Hatcham Supper Club, as well as some people we'd actually met previously at our own supper club.
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I can't rave enough about our afternoon (which turned into night, scarily quickly) at The Shed enough. To me, it was everything supper clubs are about - A very relaxed vibe (N & A actually sit down and eat with their guests), lovely home cooked food and just a welcoming atmosphere. I felt comfortable, just as I would eating at the house of a friend's. I particularly enjoyed the food - it wasn't trying to be pretentious, it was really excellent home style, traditional British fare (particularly so on this occasion as N & A had guests from USA).
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We started with generous pots of smooth chicken liver pate, with triangles of brown toast and date chutney. Leftovers of both the pate and chutney were thrust into my hands as we left, and I made a very pathetic attempt at resisting such a kind gesture, because it was just SO delicious. We also shared blinis with Forman & Field's smoked salmon, crème fraiche, capers and finely diced red onion. To be honest, our table could have happily kicked back and nibbled on these yummy morsels all afternoon. Thoroughly enjoyable.
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Our main course was roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, vege and gravy. I was not particularly excited when I first read this on the menu. I had images of the dry looking beef and plate sized Yorkshire puddings you see going to the table next to you in the pub. But wow, I am converted! The beef had been slowing cooking for many hours and was beautifully moist, with just the right amount of fat to keep it juicy. The puddings were delicious, as was the carrot & swede mash and the gravy, oh the gravy ... (have drifted off into day dream where I am swimming in a huge vat of the gravy ...). Such a simple meal, but one that is so often done badly, and which was perfected by The Shed. Dessert was rhubarb and apple crumble with lashings of custard - the kind of yummy dessert that makes you feel like your gran has given you a big warm hug, only so so much better.
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Nicola had gotten rather excited when ordering the cheese from Neal's Yard and so we were treated with plates heaving with huge wedges of Colston Bassett Stilton, Montgomery's Cheddar, and Innes Log goats cheese, accompanied by crackers, oat cakes, Cotswolds honey (a brilliant combination with the cheese!) and the date chutney we had with our pate. The chilled vibe was perfect for kicking back, chatting and taking our time over these delicious cheeses.
By this stage there was a tiny bit of room left for tea and coffee and Nicola's "fudgy peanut balls". Apparently this was a failed attempt at peanut brittle, but I'm pretty sure she just wanted the rest of us to not feel so wholly inadequate after such a brilliant meal, so made that bit up.
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On our 30 minute walk back home, Y & I couldn't stop talking about what a successful night it had been and how this supper club encompassed perfectly what supper clubs (in our humble view, at least) are all about.
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The Shed ask simply for a donation to cover their costs, which on Sunday they estimated to be about £12 each. I can guarantee you'll want to give them extra as it's worth at least double that.
I would say stay away at all costs - but only because I want to ensure there are free spaces in future so that I can return!

Julie, Julia & Pate de canard en croute

I’m not really one for freebies in return for promoting something, largely because I want people to feel they can trust that my opinion is objective and not influenced by the prospect of getting something in return, and secondly because no one ever offers me anything anyway. However, so much did I love the movie Julie & Julia when I saw it last year, that I had no qualms whatsoever about agreeing to review it for Sony as part of the release of the movie on to DVD. Just watching and writing about a DVD though is not what this blog is about – this blog is largely about cooking and eating, not just watching. So of course, I was going to have to cook. A plan was hatched... I would invite some friends over for dinner, I would cook us dinner (all dishes from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, some featuring in the movie) and we would watch one of my all time favourite movies, Julie & Julia. I assume if you’re reading this blog that you’re either related to me or like food, or both of the above. So you probably don’t need an in depth explanation of the storyline of the movie. In brief (and copied directly from the back of the DVD):

Meryl Streep stars as culinary legend Julia Child Meryl Streep stars as culinary legend Julia Child whose cook book, Mastering the art of French Cooking, inspired fledging writer Julie Powell (Amy Adams) to whip up 524 recipes in 365 days. Based on the best selling books, Julie & Julia introduces a new generation to the magic of French cooking and proves that, with the right combination of passion and fearlessness, anything is possible. Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada) co-stars in director Nora Ephron’s delicious comedy about joy, obsession and butter. Bon appétit! I adore this movie not only because of all the fabulous scenes involving cooking and eating, but because of 2 major messages I take from it; 1) You CAN do that crazy thing you’ve also wondered about doing, and 2) There are some amazing people in this world who see that potential in someone else to do something crazy but fabulous, and who push them to do it, encouraging them all the way. I wrote something similar when I saw the movie in September, and that is that I really loved the relationships in this movie. Both Paul Child and Eric Powell are the most lovely, amazing people – they are selfless and have so much vested in their wives achieving the success that they can so clearly see they are capable of. As I’ve said, I wasn’t going to waste this movie viewing on some takeaway pizza and microwave popcorn, it deserved better than that. I found the 2 volumes of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking (albeit the povo paperback copy, not the glorious hard copy versions) on Amazon and had them in my greedy little hands in time to peruse at length on the plane to Buenos Aires. I knew I had to make final meal of the move, Pate de canard en croute, the deboned duck, stuffed with minced pork, veal, pork fat, truffles and other goodness, sewn up, wrapped in pastry and baked, but what else? I decided upon carottes a la concierge (casserole of creamed carrots with onions and garlic) with green beans, followed by tarte au citron et aux amandes (lemon & almond tart - although I decided to make mine orange & almond), with cream, almond praline and poached figs (the figs being the one recipe not from Julia’s book). The pate de canard en croute was quite a task. I made the pastry the night before, and on the night of dinner spent about 2 hours, deboning the duck (which I had actually done before with my goose at Christmas and again a few weeks ago testing out a dish for supper club), then making the stuffing, sewing the bird back up around the stuffing (mine looked more like a football at this stage, than the drawn pictures in Julia’s book) with my big needle and string, browning the duck football, rolling out the pastry, wrapping the football in the pastry, and on top of all that Julia wanted me to make little pastry decorations! It then had to cook for 2 hours. I did my best. It didn’t look as good as Julia’s pictures, nor the one the food stylist made in the movie, but I was rather happy. I had covered the table with photocopied pages of both Julia’s and Julie’s books, then lay out all the food for everyone to help themselves. Our group of friends, including the lovely Smell My Kitchen and Mr Smell My Kitchen, heaped their plates, filled their wine glasses, then all settled down to enjoy the movie. A super fun, yummy night.

The DVD was released in the UK on 8 March. It comes with a little recipe book including some of the recipes from Julia Child’s book, so you too can have a food & film night! Bon appétit! P.S. It’s obvious to see the first couple of photos taken in the kitchen were with my point and shoot camera, but Smell My Kitchen and Y took some beautiful photos of the rest of the meal – thank you ladies!!

A week in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Y and I have been lucky enough to spend the last week in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The excuse to go to BA was to attend the wedding of friends - the added bonus was a relaxing holiday at the same time!

We had so many great foodie experiences, so I’m going to try and cover them all as best I can below:

Posada Palermo This is the gorgeous B&B we stayed in in Palermo. The thing I liked best about this place is the atmosphere, so welcoming – in fact we liked hanging out here so much we found it hard to leave and actually do some sightseeing! We really enjoyed sitting around the large communal breakfast table (above) heaving with homemade yoghurt and bread, jams, dulce de leche, fresh fruit, pastries and coffee, chatting with our fellow travellers late into the morning, or curling up on the snug couches, and best of all relaxing with a book in the secluded and tranquil back garden.

We were lucky enough to meet some keen foodies here from Canada, with whom we shared many recipes and restaurant tips, as well as the odd bottle of wine and cheese.

Home delivered empanadas!
We had been invited to the bride’s hen night which was on the first night we arrived in Buenos Aires. We walked down unfamiliar streets to an apartment block in Palermo where we were very warmly greeted by the most gorgeous gorgeous Argentine girls.

Of course, what happens at the hen party stays at the hen party, and even if I could tell, the photos would have this blog automatically reclassified as something more akin to porn. In any event, we had a fabulously fun night (Y realised that the Spanish classes she’d taken all through school and university had clearly missed such topics as “Argentine Slang 101” and “Introduction to Argentine Sex Talk”, but no matter, some actions are fairly clear no matter what language you speak).
There is actually a reason I’m mentioning this hen's night on a food blog and that is because it was the night we discovered home delivered empanadas. A man arrived with a pile of pizza boxes (the more eager among us thought it was the stripper coming early, so to speak) filled with delicious empanadas – chicken ones, ham & cheese, and my favourite, minced beef. (Apparently you can also have beer & dulce de leche ice cream delivered with your empanadas)
For dessert, aside from the penis shaped cake, we were treated to a traditional cake made by one of our lovely hostesses – essentially a cake made of layering chocolate biscuits with the delicious thick caramelly dulce de leche. Very rich, but very yummy.

Casa Salt Shaker
I first found out about this underground/closed door restaurant through Twitter (thanks Kavey!). I was excited to be able to experience dinner, not only in someone else’s home, but in another country. After an exchange of several emails with Dan (who is a chef and who has run a restaurant in his home for 16 years, firstly in New York and for the past 5 years in Buenos Aires with partner Henry) it seemed best to have a private dinner for a group of 10 of our friends. Dan planned a brilliant menu for us (most of his cooking has a Mediterranean influence) with paired wines.

This was a really great experience. The supper clubs I’ve experienced in London have been amateur cooks who want to challenge themselves and cook for people they’ve invited into their homes (which is great and a unique experience). Salt Shaker on the other hand, is like dining in the private room of an excellent restaurant – the food is that good! Despite the professional standard of the cooking, the personal aspect, which makes underground restaurants so unique, of being in someone’s home and hosted by the people living there, was not lost.

The menu (click here to check out the menu - albeit in Spanish): Homemade tortillas, tomato with baharat spice, plus a smoky aubergine relish. I could smell the smoky aubergine before I even tasted this! Beautiful, fresh flavours - yum!
A chickpea soup with a dollop of chickpeas pureed with spices, scattered with crispy chickpeas. Truly-ruly delicious!
A lovely piece of steamed cod, in a pretty green creamy salsa verde-like puree, with a drizzle of oil. Simple but very gorgeous. A visually vibrant dish! I enjoyed the roast duck with red pepper sauce (I think that’s right, I was in the bathroom when the dish was described), but my favourite was the open ravioli of confit of duck.

Oh my goodness – I can fit a lot in my stomach (my best friend Lyndi, with whom I have demolished [and am now banned from] buffets in Mexico and Egypt can attest to this) but even I was seriously struggling by this time.

Dessert was a base of biscuity chocolate, the next layer was a chocolate and olive oil mousse, topped with chocolate and chilli cake. I really enjoyed the different textures, and the gorgeous chocolate flavours. Y, bless her, has such guilt attached to leaving food on her plate, that she requested a doggie bag.

The dinner was £25 per person and included generous glasses of excellent, and local matched wines with each course.

If you’re in BA, I highly recommend you check out Salt Shaker – you can either attend a dinner with others (usually an even mix of locals and tourists) if there’s only 1, 2 or 3 of you, or alternatively, do what we did and have a private dinner for 6-12 people.

Dan’s Salt Shaker website is also an excellent resource if looking for other supper clubs all over the world. I will definitely be looking them up when travelling in future.

Enfunda la Mandolina
This funky restaurant in Palermo probably didn’t know what hit it when a group of 25 (mainly Australian & jetlagged) people descended upon it on a Monday night. This was the venue for a welcome dinner with the bride and groom. The bride is Argentine and the groom Aussie. This was one of their favourite restaurants in BA to take visitors – I can see why.
I just loved the decor – retro coloured telephones attached to the walls, alongside shelves of vintage toys. I found myself pondering whether our land lady would really mind so much if I nailed a collection of 20 old and battered match box cars to the wall ...
We were welcomed with the most delicious aperitif, served in tiny jam jars – a concoction of white wine, black pepper, cinnamon and sugar syrup, which I’m just going to have to experiment with at home. We shared a couple of entrees which were creatively presented on tiles and wooden boards – empanadas were split open and lemon juice poured inside (before it drizzled out the bottom and down our arms), whilst we devoured some different relishes in mini jars, cubes of a variety of cheeses, some blood sausage, chicken and other unidentifiable but yummy morsels.

Fortunately we ate all these before ordering our main courses, and most people quickly retracted their first decision, in favour of sharing a main with another. Y and I shared a great steak, with some excellent chips and very little else – we probably should have ordered some sides, but frankly, we’d have struggled to fit them in. We were given another tiny jam jar with a farewell drink just before we left.

The Quilmes beer flowed all night and the bill came to approximately £10 per person (yes, you read that correctly).

I really loved this place, more for the space and the presentation of the food, than anything incredible about the food itself. It was a really good place for a big group though, and also inspiring if you love your retro and quirky items!

Dulce de leche
Other than steak, this was the taste sensation everyone told us we had to indulge in when in Buenos Aires. Dulce de leche is basically a very thick caramel sauce, made very slowly by cooking sweetened milk over a period of 3-4 hours. It was not difficult to try as a little pot of it adorned ourt breakfast table every morning. We added it to bananas, yoghurt, bread, cake, our fingers - anything. There are many ice cream places selling dulce de leche ice cream (also dulce de leche & cookies ice cream, dulce de leche & chocolate ice cream etc.), and we enjoyed ours sitting outside in the sun in Palermo Soho.

Dos Hermanos Although most days were spent sleeping until 10.30am (this is what happens when you eat dinner at 9pm – you end up going to bed at 3am), one day we were up bright and early to be picked up and driven 1.5 hours out of Buenos Aires to an estancia/ranch, Dos Hermanos.
The day was ostensibly for horse riding, but on reflection was perhaps more about eating!
We arrived to coffee (don’t think we had a bad coffee the entire time we were in Argentina) and Argentine croissants, before mounting our horses and heading off on a 2 hour ride around the estancia, led by the gorgeous Rosa and gaucho Don Juan.
After exerting ourselves (or our horses really) under the beating sun we returned for a quick snack of salami and cheese and gorgeous hot beef empanadas, before sitting down to an asado (small bbq which sits on the table). We had several different salads to accompany sausages, and gorgeous beef – some on the rib bone and the other called “lomo” which comes from the top, rear of the cow. Possibly the best steaks I have ever eaten. So simple, but so so delicious. With full bellies we then moved outside to devour bread pudding (a surprisingly light cake with a gelatinous consistency) with a dollop of dulce de leche, before relaxing in the hammocks in the shade before an afternoon of more riding.
Before leaving the ranch we had an afternoon snack (this horse riding thing is hard work!) of freshly baked little cakes and more coffee. Y & I returned (exhausted & sun kissed) to our B&B at about 9pm where all the guests were enjoying a wine tasting put on by Alejandro (a loveable character working at the B&B) of Malbecs and Torrontes. We were meant to have participated but arrived too late, however from the 12 happy faces that greeted us, it looked to have been a success!

Lunch spots
As I’ve mentioned, we would usually awaken at 10.30am and then enjoy a long leisurely brunch at our B&B, Posada Palermo. We were therefore not often ready to eat until dinner and would get through the day on some gorgeous juicy peaches (there are fresh fruit vendors all over the place) and some nuts or toasted broad beans. As a result, we left several recommended brunch & lunch spots unvisited. I’ve listed them below as my best friend Mel, can attest to their being excellent (a view backed up by the opinions of others during our stay):

Mark's deli
Olsen (best for Sunday brunch - a group of our friends were going the day after we left)
Mott
Oui Oui

I walked past all of these several times and they were always full with a great vibe.

Argentine wedding
Of course, the entire reason we were in Buenos Aires was to attend the wedding of our friends. The wedding started at 10pm and the dancing, eating and more dancing continued til 6am. We finally arrived back at our hotel at about 8am.
The overwhelming memory of the wedding was that it was really one great celebratory party.

In terms of food, it went a little something like this ... trays of canapés brought around (empanadas and other yumminess wrapped in pastry) plus a CANAPE BUFFET!!! One table of little nibbles that I couldn’t get close enough to describe due to the throngs of people, and another table with a carved ham. We were off to a good start!

After some dancing, we sat down to several salads, but more importantly, several rounds of meat, served individually straight from the asado – chicken, chorizo sausage, blood sausage, beef. Hmmm. We shared a communal cocktail which was an idea of the groom’s – we all had extra long straws to slurp from pottery bowls he had made. Dessert was a little glass of smashed meringue, chocolate biscuit and dulce de leche, but then, there was a DESSERT BUFFET with a table of DIY fruit, melted chocolate, dulce de leche, scoops of ice cream and then another table of incredible cakes. We continued to dance, entertained by some carnivale-like performers, before enjoying a little pizza as the sun came up at 6am ... a truly memorable night (& morning).

La Retirada
On our final day, before heading to the airport, we had time for lunch in Palermo Soho. This restaurant had been highly recommended by our Canadian friends who we met at our B&B. Having talked non-stop food with them every breakfast time, we knew we could trust their opinion!
We hungrily devoured (this was the day after the wedding, and we’d had about 2 hours of sleep - dancing all night, combined with lack of sleep and a teensy hangover, can make you rather peckish) beef ribs and lomo/tenderloin (the same cuts we’d loved at the estancia), with sides of chips, salad, and some roasted vege.
A lovely outdoor courtyard complemented a perfect meal and ended a fabulous week in Buenos Aires.

You have not seen the last of us Argentina!

A foodie tour through central western NSW - part 4

This is the final post in a series of 4, written by my Dad, about the culinary highs and lows of central western New South Wales, Australia.

My parents have a farm in the Capertee Valley (all photos are from the farm, the top one being Dad and I and the cattle yards we'd just painted) and the posts have covered the surrounding areas of Rylstone, Mudgee and Dubbo (and I've posted them, partly to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday in January, but also because they are a bit different to the normal fare I feed you dear reader). This post covers the rather foodie town of Orange, before heading back to Sydney, via a couple of recommended places to eat in the Blue Mountains.

Thanks to my Dad for taking the time to jot down this little guide. I've certainly enjoyed reading it and hope you have too. My parents are headed for the UK in April/May of this year, and for my Dad's 60th birthday we are sending both Mum & Dad to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage in Axminster, for a special dinner. Dad might be persuaded to make another guest appearance on the blog to let us know how it went ... but for now, I give you Orange:

From Dubbo, the stomach leads east for about an hour and a half, to the culinary capital of regional New South Wales, Orange. What Mudgee might lack, Orange makes up for, almost. The highway running through the centre of town denies Orange the rustic village feel of the Mudgee town square, and the pace is definitely greater, and more diverse. In addition to the agribusiness, government departments, commerce, interesting clothing shops (including a Blowes store), wineries and private schools, Orange is a university town. Orange probably boasts only marginally more restaurants than Mudgee, but its restaurants have secured three precious hats- to Mudgee’s nil. The writer’s experience suggests that this probably reflects the dining difference. Apart from Orange’s hatted restaurants, there’s not much between the two towns.

Selkirk’s used to be the gastronomic apex of the central west. Chef Michael Manners who founded it is the grand not-so-old man of good eating in the central west. Today, with Manners no longer at the helm, and tastes having moved on from the excesses of degustation, Selkirk’s is a great example of how old favourites can successfully re-invent themselves. Although the hat has disappeared, two years after the changing of the guard, Selkirk's scored 14.5 out of 20 in the 2010 Good Food Guide, possibly at least in part as a result of current chef Euan Macpherson’s years with Michael Manners, possibly because the contemporary offerings on the menu push the boundaries in new and exciting ways, possibly because the food is just very good. [Lex: when looking for the website for Selkirk's it seems it has very recently had a name change to Bistro Ceello - it appears the makeover included the name also!]
No good luck is required at Lolli Redini, a couple of blocks away on the other side of the highway. The 2010 Good Food Guide rated Lolli one hat and one wine glass, with a 15 out of 20 rating, offering “a feast for all the senses”. As with other good country eateries, the focus of Lolli’s contemporary menu is fresh, local, seasonal produce, and “even the simplest things are beautifully done”. Despite living on “underground mutton” for a time on the bleak Monaro plains, the writer finds Lolli’s Bumbaldry rabbit pie hard to go past, though with Belubula pork belly on offer it’s a close run thing. The décor is light, smart, and rather “out there” for a country town. A meal at Lolli’s is a must for the visitor to Orange, but assuming that you can just turn up and get in is likely to leave the traveler disappointed. As it is right next door, a visit to Hawke’s General Store is worthwhile, and likely to lead to the purchase quirky stuff not necessarily found everywhere. [Lex: Having spent several weeks working in Orange in a former job, I can personally attest to both the gorgeous Lolli Redini and the fabulous Hawke's Store - they both helped me spend a large portion of my travel allowance!]

The Union Bank Café, just up from Lolli’s, is an establishment on the up and up. A leisurely lunch of fare that fits the season in a relaxed but buzzing atmosphere awaits in this former schoolhouse just up from Lolli Redini’s. The 2010 Good Food Guide rated the Bank 13 out of 20, and described it as “understated”, as indeed it is. There is a feel of the old Orange at the Bank, the wealthy, unpretentious solidity of the rural families who came to town to dine and shop, which probably explains its local popularity.
Just out of town slightly off the road to Sydney, is the writer’s favourite, Tonic at Millthorpe. Gutting several rooms of one of many Western Stores which every decent central west town once had, the high metal ceilings, big glass walls, panoramic outlook onto a sleepy main street corralled by heritage buildings, and minimalist fit-out of Tonic promise a memorable dining experience. And here, the promises are kept. Whether it’s brunch before a usually unsuccessful rugby match out at the old Orange Ag College, or an indulgent lunch, or relaxed dinner, Tonic hits the spot. Owner and chef Tony Worland is one of those disgusting types with boundless energy and enthusiasm, an eye for detail, and a belief that the diner’s experience of his establishment matters. Unsurprisingly, the 2010 Good Food Guide rated Tonic 15 out of 20, and preserved its one hat status. Seasonal treats include Blayney pork, Mandagery Creek venison, the ubiquitous Bumbaldry rabbit, and succulent local lamb. The traveler might fluke a table, but better to book than be sorry. [Lex: having been twice, once with family, and another time with a table of lawyers, I'd choose the former for company any day! For me, it's a close call between Lolli Redini and Tonic - so best try both and make up your own mind]

Blackheath, about an hour and a half east of Orange, is a bi-polar village: half its inhabitants being the gentry, the other half, escapees from the city attempting gentrification on welfare. The discerning diner is blessed with a choice of two fine restaurants, Vulcan and Ashcrofts.

Ashcrofts is located in a disarmingly low key shop front just off the highway, this contemporary restaurant offers interesting and varied set price 2 or 3 course menus, generous servings, and efficient, friendly service. Fresh, local and seasonal, other than the New Zealand white rabbit, is the foundation of chef Corinne Evatt’s innovative offerings. A great place to dine when good food is sought, but time is limited, Ashcrofts was rated 14.5 out of 20 by the 2010 Good Food Guide. The Guide’s suggestion that Ashcrofts’ “temptations will have you planning a return visit before you’ve even launched into” your first course is not far off the mark. Bookings are essential.

A little further down Govett’s Leap Road is the one hatted Vulcans. The 2010 Good Food Guide rated Vulcans 15 out of 20, describing its menu as a “blend of old favourites and new surprises, inspired by the massive wood-fired oven”. Modest corkage for BYO wine is an unexpected bonus. Although an all year round favourite, winter in the Blue Mountains is undoubtedly when Vulcans is best experienced. Bookings are of course essential. For more on Vulcans, forget the internet, and ring 0247876899.

Katoomba, Leura and Wentworth Falls offer a number of very acceptable alternatives to the culinary heights of Blackheath. A favourite of the writer’s in the cooler months is the Conservation Hut Café at Wentworth Falls. The café which enjoys spectacular views of the Valley of the Waters National Park, or views only of the mist and fog which often fill the valley, is a far cry from the tin shelter of the writer’s hiking expeditions to the valley 50 years ago. Even allowing for a measure of benign sentimentality, the café is a nice place to have a simple winter breakfast, provided that an appropriately secluded table is booked, the weather is mild, the flies somewhere else, the other diners’ children trained, or sedated, and expectations are constrained. The 2010 Good Food Guide suggested “a great bacon and eggs spot, on the edge of the National Park, with panoramic views over the cliffs. Balcony in summer, open fire in winter and bushwalks on all sides”. Got the picture? For the hungry traveler returning to Sydney by the Bells Line of Road, the alternative and more scenic route, the Apple Bar at Bilpin might be the answer. No fuss, friendly service and reasonable prices are features of the Bar. The menu is contemporary/pizza, and ideally suited to the dine and dash brigade. A while ago, Fifi [Lex: my mum] and three of her friends, at least one of whom could be considered less than easy to please, tried the Bar and were, choosing words with care, not unimpressed. The 2010 Good Food Guide rated the Bar 13 out of 20.

If the hunger pangs don’t halt the traveler at the Apple Bar, Lochiel House awaits about 15 minutes further east on the Bells Line. Rated 15.5 out of 20 by the 2010 Good Food Guide, Lochiel has one hat securely in place. Set in a converted convict built, timber house surrounded by low verandahs, Lochiel beckons the traveler to stop, and step back in time, albeit to savour a menu featuring a diversity of exciting contemporary fare. The separate dining rooms, “attentive and concerned service”, and sophisticated food add to the attraction. So does the fact that Lochiel has maintained its fine reputation year in year out for almost a decade of which the writer is aware- a claim few establishments can make. Too close to one home, and too far from the other, the writer has yet to sample the fare at Lochiel in the course of traversing the Great Dividing Range via the Bells Line. The day will come however. It has too.

Click here to read about eating in Rylstone, Mudgee, or Dubbo.

For a great Sydney based blog about a visit to Orange, check out a few posts from Not Quite Nigella here (gorgeous photos of Lolli Redini's and also the Orange Farmers Market) & here.