Launch Party @ Brasserie Bread Melbourne, South Melbourne

Last night was the launch of Brasserie Bread Melbourne! While the café and retail shop are to be open in November with cooking classes to follow, the ovens, the bakers and the passion have officially landed in South Melbourne.

The huge open industrial bakery was a site to see! Its open and clean and huge, I cant even imagine how much fun it must be to be able to bake there.

We got the opportunity to watch Ian hard at work baking loaf after loaf of delicious breads.

 

While drinks were being served, a display of some of Brasseries finest breads were on offer with gourmet cheese, olives, oils and jams. This was only the beginning.

The bread…

I tried the sourdough first, just with olive oil and could already taste the difference. The soft textured centre had a perfect crisp crust and a beautiful sourdough flavour. I new I was in for a good night of tasting!

The cheese platter was next on my list.

The crisp breads, fllavoured with rosemary and sea salt were packed with flavour and had a great texture. Perfect for cheese.

The fruit bread was also provided with the cheese. This was moist and soft. There was no hind of firmness that is often found in fruit breads.

Then there was the sour cherry bread. This was divine! Huge chunks of soft dough were flavoured with whole sour cherries and drizzled with oil. Sweet, soft and delicious.

Finally, there was the banana bread. Yum yum yum. This was moist and soft. I didn’t even try the jam, which was out as an accompaniment. This bread didn’t need anything.

Now…the hot food started to circulate. I was literally in heaven!

A stand out for me was the Quinoa and Soya Sourdough bread, which was served toasted with goat’s cheese, sundried tomatoes and basil. The flavours from the seeds and the toasted texture of the beautiful loaf were insane!

The caramelized garlic bread was also a favourite of mine. The soft loaf was served hot with whole garlic cloves baked into the bread. The flavours were so powerful, yet elegant. It was something quite special.

The story…

The speeches were next. Here we got an insight into the world of Artisan baking and the philosophy behind it. David, CEO told us that what separates them in their passion.

“We honour the tradition of Artisan Baking” He told us.

What does this mean? For Brasserie Bread, it means three things: ingredients, skill/technique and time. Sourdough takes three days to make and you can’t rush the process. It was evident that they add a little bit of passion in along the way.

“Share the passion, share the experience” David told us.

The Melbourne Store was also relying on one other thing…the 16 year old sourdough starter that the Sydney team drove all the way to South Melbourne. While they could have sent it via air or other various ways, they decided that it should be a journey of love. So they set off for the long journey and fed it all the way.

This starter is ‘the heart and soul of all of our sourdough bread”, they told us proudly.

The sweets…

As someone with a huge sweet tooth I was very excited when it was announced that sweets were being brought around.

The first one I tried was the chocolate caramel tart. Crisp buttery shortbread base topped with oozy caramel and then finished with a soft chocolate top. Just delicious.

Then I sampled the raspberry and pistachio friend. This was moist and rich and had excellent texture contrast provided by the pistachios.

While ice cream was being brought around, I have to admit I was holding out for the chocolate brownie I had heard was on the way.

It was so worth the wait. It was dense and chocolaty with busts of chocolate chunks and nuts. The best brownie I think I have ever tasted. (I apologise for no picture here…i was a little over excited!)

The evening was a pleasure to be a part of. There was so much excitement, pride and passion in the room; I simply cannot wait until the café, retail store and classes open!

For more information:

Brasserie Bread Melbourne

150 Thistlewaite St

South Melbourne, 3205

www.brasseriebread.com.au

An attempt to make the best chocolate chip cookies ever! @ Home

Trailing through food blogs as I do from time to time, I began to see a pattern. People were agreeing that Jacques Torres’ Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, now used by the NY Times is the best!

That was it…I had the try them.

Recipe in hand, I had a challenge. The resting time made this a delayed gratification sort of thing, but I was willing to do it! I went out and bought the two different types of sugar, two different types of flour and a serious amount of chocolate and got to work.

Sifting, mixing, stirring, a cheeky cookie batter taste here and there and we came to our cookie batter. It was wrapped and placed in the fridge where I patiently left it for about 36 hours.

Like a little kid on Christmas morning (or me on Christmas morning ill admit) I jumped out of bed, ran to the fridge ready to make my beauties.

With the new ice cream scoop I bought, I began placing even portions on the delicious dough on the trays. It was an endless task as there were lots of cookies, but I managed. A crack of sea salt for the top and they were ready for baking.

Into the oven they went.

Patience was needed once again as I waited. 10 minutes never feels so long as it does when there are cookies at the end.

Out came batch one and in went batch, two three four…

So, were these really that good?

It was in their texture I first noticed a difference, strong and sturdy, not crumbling at all yet they managed to stay soft and chewy in the centre for days!

The taste…to die for. They were rich and chewy and the salt added a new dimension to the cookie that was delicious.

I took them to a family function that day to share my efforts. I received text messages the next day talking about the cookies, talking about the salty addition. In my books, that’s an amazing outcome.

Thank you Jacques Torres, your cookies are a delight!

The recipe (from the NYT):

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Jacques Torres

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces 285 g) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces 227) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds (567) bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt.

 

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

 

 

 

 

 

Brunch @ Three Bags Full, Abbotsford

There has been so much positive buzz surrounding Three Bags Full, I don’t know why it has taken me this long to go! Meeting a friend who lives in Richmond for brunch seemed like a perfect reason!

The old brick warehouse on the corner of Nicholson Street Abbotsford, doesn’t give away the cute café awaiting you.  The outdoor tables, filled with brunch goers enjoying themselves does give a little away.

As I arrived, 15 minutes early for my Friday morning brunch, I was surprised at how busy they were already. I managed to get a cute table for two against the wall. As I sat down I took in my surroundings. The main room of the café is open and has beautifully high ceilings.  It has a cute wooden bar, which has bar seating situated below coffee cup hanging lights. To the right of the bar was the freshly baked section, showcasing muffins, slices and sandwiches. A huge communal table in the middle creates a fun atmosphere and the second dinning area allows for the huge space to feel cozy and private. I was alone for about 20 minutes and at no point did I feel like an imposition, the staff were lovely and welcoming and more than willing to help where they could.

The breakfast menu is broken down into 6 categories. Eggs on Toast offers things like Peas and Eggs: poached eggs, crushed peas, tomato vinaigrette and feta, along with standards like Eggs Benedict. The Savory section has things like the big breakfast or Beetroot Cured Salmon on corn pea and feta fritters, which was served with avocado, rocket and dill sour cream. Sticky Black Ginger Bread served with vanilla bean mascarpone, candied cumquats and pistachios stands out on the Sweet section, while the Vegetarian section offers Braised Leek and Potato Omlettes with seeded mustard and gruyere along side the more expected brunch of smashed avocado on toast. Finally, the last two sections are Oats and Toast offering the standard muesli’s, porridge’s and plain or fruit toasts. They also offere gluten free toast for their breakfasts which I will always appreciate!

What I loved about this menu was that it has the standards for when you want to know what you getting, but then offers new and exciting meals for when your in the mood for something different!

The coffee menu, rotating and written on the black boards behind the bar, allows you to choose your coffee based on flavour.

I ordered the coffee which was promising cocoa and nutty flavours in the form of a soy cappuccino.  While I normally order a strong coffee, I figured they knew what they were doing here and didn’t bother. I was very right! This coffee was beautiful. It was, as it promised nutty and delicious. It was also the perfect strength.

To accompany my cappuccino I ordered the Organic Sourdough served with their homemade apricot jam. This was divine. The bread was delicious, it was soft in the middle and had the perfect amount of crispness on the outside.  It also had that beautiful sourdough flavour coming through nicely. The jam that came with it was such a lovely combination. Sweet, yet not overpowering, it went perfectly with my buttered sourdough.

I was very pleased to find out as I was paying, that their bread, Jams and muesli are all available for sale at the café. There were also a number of coffees available for purchase.

I would highly recommend a visit to Three Bags Full, and am already looking forward to returning to try something different and buying a few take home treats!

For more information:

Three Bags Full

Corner of Nicholson St and Mollison St, Abbotsford.
(03) 94212732

http://www.threebagsfullcafe.com.au/

Exquisite Breakfast @ Stillwater Restaurant, Café and Wine Bar, Launceston, Tasmania

Over the Easter break I travelled to Tasmania with my family for a sort of food and wine tour of the east coast.

One morning in Launceston, using our Iphones, we found what looked to be a nice restaurant 30 minutes away. So off we went, phone map in hand to wander the streets until we found our desired location.

While this can often be a risky move, we arrived at a stunning water front restaurant with a beautiful décor, which coupled sophistication with a homely feel to create a welcoming atmosphere.

After ordering five coffees we examined the menu. It just screamed gourmet breakfast with a twist: Toasts, Bircher muesli and eggs in new and exciting ways.

I ordered the Eggs Benedict with a side of roasted Mushrooms. A classic I thought…yet this was the best Eggs Benedict I have ever tasted. The poached eggs were perfectly cooked, bursting with yolk when cut. The ham was fresh and the ciabatta, which was baked in house was fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.  The mushrooms were roasted in some heavenly mixture of flavours, which hinted at truffle oil. Finally the hollandaise was light and tart and far from overpowering.

Opting for a more unique choice my sister ordered the Eggs Royale, which was two truffled eggs scrambled on ciabatta toast served with house made hot smoked ocean trout and a side of crème fraiche. I think this may have been the happiest I saw her the whole trip, and after tasting it I was not surprised! It was rich and creamy and delicious!

The serves here however were on the small side and due to this two of my fellow diners were still puckish after their meals and decided to order the Ciabatta with butter and house made plum jam. After tasting the jam, they both demanded that I try it. This jam was amazing; it was sweet yet offered a slight spice, providing a warming flavour. I fell in love. Sadly when I asked where I could buy this the waitress told me that it was made in the kitchen and they didn’t sell any. She did however inform me that they added ginger and cinnamon to their plum jam, which explained the warmth and spice. I will one-day endeavour to recreate this masterpiece!

So as you have probably gathered we had a fantastic breakfast! Stillwater also provided us with our lunch for that day from their gourmet Providore located above the café.

Stomachs full from an amazing breakfast and bags full with amazing cheese, pate and crackers for lunch we left Stillwater with a smile.

For more information:

Stillwater

Ritchie’s Mill

Launceston, Tasmania

Australia 7250

(03) 6331 4153

http://www.stillwater.net.au/

 

Family and birthdays @ Innocent Bystander, Healesville

In a promise to report honestly on my restaurant experiences, it is here that I will share with you my first negative experience since starting my blog…

When we asked my mum what she wanted to do for her birthday she had two requests. To be taken out for dinner and for it to be near her house in St Andrews.

With these stipulations my sister and I looked into some of the wineries in the Yarra Valley and came across Innocent Bystander which had great reviews from numerous sources and is in both The Good Food Guide and Cheap Eats Guide…how could we go wrong. On top of this they have their own bakery, winery and cheese room.

As we arrived we were overwhelmed by the beautiful steel brewery vibe of the venue. We could see produce for sale at various stations and cheese and breads on display. With a gluten free menu provided to me we were very happy. This however didn’t last very long.

Upon closer inspection of the gluten free menu there were a few items, which raised concerns including the arancini, the fries and the fried cauliflower. When pushed the waitress reluctantly asked the kitchen returning to inform me that yes these foods were deep fried with wheat and gluten products rendering them no longer gluten free. In an attempt to not let the service or the mistakes disappoint I chose other items.

The menu features tapas style entrees including nuts and olives, breads, arancini, sashimi and hams. The main section is divided into two, their gourmet pizzas, which they are known for, and then other mains including dhal, steaks, a snapper dish and a seafood salad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gourmet pizzas were received very well by those at the table, as were the gourmet sides that included asparagus with buttered almonds.

 

 

 

 

 

My entrée of king fish sashimi with white miso dressing was lovely, the strong taste of the miso balanced the intense experience of the raw fish and my main of pumpkin and red lentil dhal (without the cauliflower) was again quite good. It came with a layer of toasted slivered almond on top which gave crunch to the somewhat soft textured dish.

 

 

 

 

 

All of the meals were beautiful, yet that is not what I remember when I think of the night…I remember the service.

More than one wine we ordered from their list was not available, and we were constantly given attitude and snappy remarks when asking for help.  After questioning the missing wines we were told we were lucky to have received what we did.

Finally in an attempt to give mum a good birthday, my sister secretly gave the waitress a candle to put in her dessert. When the desserts arrived with no candle, we asked quietly what had happened and again got treated with contempt.

All in all, the wait staff were a little too pretentious for their own good and acted as though the venue and the food spoke for itself. I speak for myself here when I say service is almost more important than the food in a venue like this and I would rather miss out on good even great food for friendly and helpful service.

In all honesty, I wont be making the trip to Innocent Bystander again.

For more information:

336 Maroondah Highway Healesville VIC 3777 - (03) 5962 6111
Open Weekdays 10am-10pm; Weekends 8am-10pm

www.innocentbystander.com.au/