Good Food & Wine Show, Sydney 2016 - Part 1

The Good Food & Wine Show in Sydney is my annual pilgrimage. It’s the one major event of the year that I look forward to and enjoy every single minute and this year I backed it up with a two day visit!

Arriving early on Friday the lines are already long but we are in the doors before we know it and purchasing our tasting glass and lanyard.　 As an FYI this year, if you were a Dan Murphy’s member you could ‘jump’ the line and enter in a separate line quicker and also receive a free wine glass (which I did on the Saturday). Thanks Dan Murphy’s.

Ready.....set....go..

Where to begin?　 Wine of course!

First stop is Bunnamagoo Wines.

 

 

Our second stop of the day was a absolute delight. Sampling the awesome Hartshorn sheep whey vodka and vanilla liqueur. 　How?　 By developing a technique to use the by-product (from making cheese from sheep milk (whey) from the family business at Grand Ewe cheese and distilling this to create a clean, crisp vodka is, in my opinion, brilliant.　

The bottles are gorgeous too being lovingly hand painted!　 The vanilla liquor is like vanilla icecream in a bottle!!!

So much to try and see.

We make our way through Barossa wines before landing at Bruny Island Cheese Co.　 I am a fan of the stinky cheeses and newly paired beers. Here we have The Saint and the Otto.  The Saint is [   and the Otto is a fresh cheese wrapped in prosciutto.

The Saint (left) and Otto (right) - Bruny Island Cheese Co.

Bruny Island Beer Co is brewing some awesome Farm Ale and dark beers too, which pair really well with stinky cheeses.
 

 

I’m excited about beer and cheese together (and there is more on that during Saturdays visit later).
I’m sensing more beer this year.　 Although I am not a big beer drinker (occasionally drinking beer when it’s hot), today I sampled some beers that may just change my mind a little.　

Over at the Australian Brewery I was surprised by a nice Pilsner (which is my Partner and Dad’s beer of choice) and their Ice Ice Baby (pilsner on ice on tap).

We may have spent quite some time over at Tamburlaine chatting with Mark Davidson.  This is one of my favourite wineries and love their GSM and their stickies and Muscat!

Tasmanian artisan brewery Moo Brew have a range of brews to suit your palette.  I really am liking the darker ales today!

 

Want something wintery and warming? Maxwell’s Liqueur Mead is heavenly and a bottle is  purchased!

Doc Adams is next.　 A friend has raved about their wine (specifically the 2013 GSM) and I have been wanting to try it before I purchased a case.　 Sadly, they are not sampling it at the show.　 I made some enquiries about purchasing a bottle before committing…and I left my details.　

 

A drool worthy moment with Miguel as he cooks a huge pan of paella.　 Cannot help myself and purchase a paella pan and a take home paella kit!  Pity he didn't come with the purchase! 

 

We stop by Sud Polaire for some gin….  I am not a gin person (it makes me cry) so I don't enjoy it as much as other spirits and I find tonic to be to bitter and grrrr....

 

So I  am surprised by this tonic!  I like it.

 

Whiskey and Porteen over at Melbourne Martini is sipped (and bring the Boy back the next day).

 

Cheers from us girls as we sip our way around the festival.

James Squire is offering a selection of their beers and we can not help ourselves, we have to sample all of them.　 I am a big fan of the Summer Swindler.　 The Jack of Spades Porter is palatable too!

The Wog with the Grog have a selection of European grappas and citrus based liqueurs.

I think it is clear what the Biltong Man makes and the mango and chilli one is a winner!

Over at Mr Black I fall in love with their cold drip coffee liqueur.　 I don’t think I have ever tasted something so delicious made from/with coffee.

Oregano bakery offering up some awesome scrolls.

 

Always stop by Stone's.　 I noticed the Gold is no longer available but there are a few other options.　 The reserve is quite nice.

Okay so there was some food involved (at some point!). hahaha

Jack Dillion’s was there again this year and offering some tasty BBQ sauces along with their lovely smoked garlic.　

The lovely people at Brixton gave me a bottle of their Jerk sauce and their BBQ rum sauce is awesome!!! (purchased a bottled the next day).　 Looking forward to making some jerk chicken with this.

 

 

The Smelly Cheese Club offer a range of just that (stinky) cheese from all around the world!　  So as per normal I purchase their selection. (in fact we had the le Delice de Cremiers on the weekend and loved this soft cheese)

 

We discovered Nick’s Jerky at the Deni Ute Muster last year and are fans of the dried stuff.

 

The aptly name Sticky Balsamic　 stall is a must.　 A lovely range of balsamic vinegars including a gorgeous pear balsamic.　 Miss B purchased the box set!!!!

 

Murray River Pork are taste testing their pork products and I arrive just in time for a slab of pork belly with crunchy crackling.　 Yum!

 

Tamar valley truffles is always a nice stop…one day I will purchase you lovelies!

 

There is lots of cider tasting this year too.  Elk cider is a traditional Swedish cider and they make a  nice apple cider!  I find pear to sweet.

 

Over at Cheese Ally, there is a lot to explore and enjoyed meeting Mrs Cheese from Hunter Belle Cheese.  Say Fromage!!!!  the cheese range is good too and purchase a few of the range including caramelised onion and hyme and cranberry and pistachio.  Their beer cheese is divine!

Our first day was awesome at the show and there were plenty of products purchased (lucky I took my Nanna trolley).

Salted Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream Mudcake with Nutella Ganache

 

 

 

 

We celebrated my Partners birthday last weekend and to finish off a wonderful dinner I made dessert.

Who wouldn't want to celebrate with this birthday cake!!

Salted Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream Chocolate Mudcake and Nutella Ganache 

 

Ingredients

 

Mudcake

 

3 x small chocolate mud cakes 

(I cheated on this one and purchased Coles brand and took the layer of icing off 

 

Salted Caramel

1 cup of sugar

¼ cup water

½ cup of double cream

¼ teaspoon salt (I used Murray River Salt Flakes) 

 

Swiss Meringue Buttercream 

8 egg whites

1 ¼ cups castor sugar

400g unsalted butter, cubed (room temperature)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

 

Nutella Ganache

1 small jar of Nutella

½ cup double cream

Baby Meringues
2 tbs of above swiss meringue

 

Decorations

Empty jar of nutella – either washed or at least wiped down with antiseptic cleaner and rinse)

Maltesers x small packet

Ferrero Rochers x 5-6 (4 cut in half and 2 left in their packaging)

Salted Caramel Tim Tams x 2-3

Kinder Bueno x 2

Baby meringues

Strawberries

(or you can use whatever chocolate and fruit you want on top!) Go Crazy!!!!

 

 

Method

 

For the salted caramel

1.  In a small saucepan add sugar and water and swirl water around to make sugar ‘wet’.
2. Bring to boil and leave until sugar has melted and develops a rich amber colour. (use a wet pastry brush to wipe around the edge of the pan so that all sugar is dissolved).
3. Remove from stove and slowly pour in ½ cup of double cream. 
4. Whisk until smooth.
5. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt and mix through.
6. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool (set aside 1 tbs for decoration) 

For the buttercream

1.  Place the egg whites and 1 ¼ cups castor sugar in a mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk the egg white and sugar mixture until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm. (you can rub the mixture between your fingers and feel it).
2. Remove from heat and continue whisking on medium/ high until stiff peak stage, the bowl should also be cooled by this point. 
3. Continue to whisk and add butter one to two cubes at a time, make sure each cube is incorporated each time. The buttercream mixture will take some time to come together and will start to separate at, but continue whipping. It will come together and will be a fluffy, smooth texture (trust me). 
4. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the meringue mixture into a piping bag (or Ziploc bag) –Optional if piping baby meringues for decorations. 
5. Stir in vanilla extract into the remaining mixture.  
6. Add cooled salted caramel sauce. Whip until mixed through. 
7. Set aside at room temperature to use (can be kept in fridge for 3-4 days). 

For the nutella ganache  

1. Place jar of nutella into mixing bowl. 
2. Gently heat double cream in a saucepan (do not boil). 
3. Slowly pour hot double cream over the nutella and whisk together until shiny and smooth.
4. Set aside until room temperature.  

For the baby meringues (for decoration)

1. Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees 
2. Line baking tray with baking paper
3. Pipe small drops of meringue onto baking tray.
4. Bake for approx 20 minutes or until just crisp.  
5. Turn off oven and open door to cool meringues.
6. Allow to cool.

 　 

 

Assembly of Cake 

 

1. Place one cake layer on a cake plate or cake board and spread about ½ cup of buttercream evenly over the layer.
2. Add the second mudcake and repeat with buttercream finishing with the third cake layer on top.  
3. Spread buttercream over the top and sides of the cake until covered. Ensure layer is even and smooth as much as possible.
4. Place in fridge for 30 minutes for buttercream to set. 
5. Drizzle some ganache into the nutella jar to cover the sides.
6. Slowly drizzle the nutella ganache over the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides.
7. Let ganache set for approx. 15-30 minutes (placing in fridge if need be) before decorating.
8. Place Tim tams on top of cake. Place Nutella jar nestled between the two Tim Tams (secure with some ganache). Let set.
9. Place Maltesers, Ferrero Rochers, Bueno Kinder fingers, strawberries and meringues on top and around the bottom layer of cake, drizzle some ganache over the opening of the jar so it looks like it is oozing out of the jar.
10. Drizzle / dot some of the salted caramel sauce on top of cake.
11. Place in airtight container in fridge until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature to serve.

 

 

 

 

 

I was so impressed with myself! hahaha

 

Do I start taking orders?



 

 

 

Roo Recipe: Persian Delight Doughnuts with Pistachio and Rose Petal Toffee

 

It's that time of year again.  It's Bake Off Season.  My workplace holds a Charity bake-off every year and it's highly competitive.  Last year I made redneck Breakfast Cupcakes and placed third.  This year I am baking two entries and looking forward to eating some of the delicious baked goods my colleagues are baking!  I cam second this year with my Persian delight doughnuts.  I was super excited about this dish.

This first dish I have been thinking about for a while.

Persian Delight Doughnuts
A baked cardamom doughnut with white chocolate rose ganache and pistachio crumb, rose petal and pistachio toffee and pistachio pashmak.

There are a few components but fairly easy to put together.

Baked cardamom doughnuts

Ingredients

2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter, softened
½ cup milk, bring to a scald but not boiling
½ cup light Greek yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Lightly grease a doughnut pan with melted butter.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, cardamom, and salt.

Add butter and rub through dry ingredients until crumb like texture. Add the hot milk, yogurt, eggs and vanilla and stir until combined but do not over mix.

Transfer batter to a piping bag.  Pipe into greased doughnut pan to about 2/3 full. Bake in oven until doughnuts spring back.  Approx 12 - 14 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.


Pistachio and rose petal toffee

Ingredients
1 tbsp rosewater
1 cup of sugar
¼ cup of water
dried rose petals
60g pistachios, chopped finely

Method

Line baking tray with baking paper. 

Chop pistachios to small pieces.  Sprinkle pistachio onto lined baking tray.

Place 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a pan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium.

Do not stir! Cook for 5 minutes until a medium golden caramel.

Pour toffee over nuts  and sprinkle rose petals over the top.  Set aside to cool completely before snapping into shards. Toffee can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container.

Rosewater and white chocolate ganache

Ingredients

100g white eating chocolate, chopped coarsely
2 tbsp thickened cream
A few drops rosewater,  to taste

Method

Stir chocolate and cream in a small bowl over a pot of simmering water over low heat until melted and smooth. Add rosewater to taste. Cover and refrigerate until mixture is spreadable.

Pistachio crumb
100g pistachio, crushed

To assemble

To put altogether, ice cooled doughnuts with the rosewater and white chocolate ganache, sprinkle with pistachio crumb, top with a shard of pistachio and rose petal toffee and a pinch of pistachio pashmak!

Tell me what you think?

Miss America's Diner @ Riverwood

Sydney's current craze is American BBQ and burgers and who am I to complain!  I get to indulge in some good ole fashioned American comfort food.

 

 

 

The best thing about this craze is that alot of new places are opening up out of the inner city area and heading to the burbs including Miss America's Diner.  By day this place is The Spot Caffe and on a Friday night it comes alive as an American Diner, complete with flag bunting and quitchy 50's Americana memorabilia.  I am instantly the smitten kitten.

 

 

Our party of 9 were sitting outside at a red and white checked table.  Jumbo playing cards are supplied for some entertainment (for the kids, however adults are welcome to play to!)

 

 

The menu is two pages long and is filled with classic's, burgers, dawg's fries, sundaes, spiders and sodapop.  Miss America's Diner is also BYO.  So adults are drinking wine while the kids opt for shakes.

  

 Brown Cow and Blue Cow shakes.  The flavours come in chocolate (brown), pink (strawberry), yellow (banana), black and white (vanilla).  Ask for a Fat cow and it comes thickshake style. 

 

These shakes are malted with soft serve and cream. I love the addition of lollies, wafers and cream atop of the shakes.

 

I think we ordered most of the menu!

 

I went with the James Dean burger.   Double beef patties separated by cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and sauce.

 

I have to admit the cheese melted between the patties is a revelation!  Juicy and full of burger flavour, this burg was GOOD. Really good!

 

I couldn't eat it all, particularly as we were also nibbling on side dishes (see below) and one of the boys polished it off on top of his dawg. Big appetites are needed!

 

 

A juicy beef patty with double cheese, lettuce

 

 

A couple tried the Love Me Tender and both said it was good.   Chicken breast, bacon, cheddar, lettuce and honey mustard burger.

Someone went with the Chilli Dog. The bun was filled with a pork sausage smothered in chilli beef, onions, peppers, spices and  was piled high with chilli and oozy melted cheesy sauce.

 

 

The tiddly winks (aka the kids) went with either a junior dawg which is a sausage in a bun with sauce or the Hot Diggity Dawg which was topped with bacon and melted cheese (hold the mustard sauce).

 

 

 

 

We could not pass up a selection of sides to share.  We ordered the chilli fries, which in my opinion some of hte best chilli fries I have ever had.  The chilli had a good kick of heat but it also was thick and really tasty.  pairs with the best cheese to come out of America and these were the bomb!

 

Another must try was the Heart Attack Fries and I know why they are called that and equally delicious.  Skinny fries topped with crispy bacon, two types of melted cheese (and I forgot to ask what ones) and shallots.  Let's just say 'skinny fries' is a misnomer!

 

These were pretty delicious and reminiscent of a cabonara sauce flavour.  Although these were very good we all decided that we preferred the chilli fries (saying that I would definitely have these again as a side if I wasn't feeling up to spicy heat).

 

The Buffalo Wings are something I feel in love with while I was living in Canada.  I would always meet up with one of my great friends there for a pub night once a week or so and we would have beer and wings.  Proper Buffalo wings.

 

So I had to try these out tonight.  6 wings fried golden and crispy and dipped in a vinegar based hot sauce and perhaps butter? (that's the traditional way).  Served with celery sticks and blue cheese sauce. 

 

I liked these but I reckon they could be a little more vinegar-y and spicy...but then again spiciness is subjective!

Even though we realised we had to much food we couldn't stop ourselves ordering a serve of the Corny Corn.  Boiled ears with butter and topped with crushed cheese corn chips.

 

Crunchy, cheesy and tasty. I love me some corn and they are the perfectly bite sized.

 

The kids wanted Banana Splits and these were glorified with lollies again!  Sweet heavens.....

 

For those adults wanting dessert they finished off with the warm Apple Pie (and we will ignore all the references to the movie made at the table). This was simply served with a glass of soft serve icecream

 

We had a fun night out and ate some great food.  The memorabilia is awesome and the atmosphere is great. 

 

The only downside thing I noticed and it's no bigger really was service was a little hit and miss, it was busy and the girls were run off their feet and we were left waiting for a few things that were needed at the table.  It happens and we weren't in any rush and mentioned no big deal.

 

Making the trek to Riverwood (okay I'm not to far but others might grumble) is worth the effort on a Friday night and I am looking forward to those chilli fries again.