Alfresco Spring
By Jackie McMillan
jackie@alternativemediagroup.com
September is shaping up to be a tale of two communities with Taste Orange @ Bondi launching last week at Ravesi’s fabulous Drift Cocktail Lounge. John Davis, Mayor of Orange remarked: ‘Brand Orange with Orange City Council and Waverley Council has developed a range of events and activities in a programme to suit all tastes. Like all great partnerships, each organisation brings a different strength to the table, ensuring a lively and diverse event.’
The country will meet the coast from the 22nd ‘ 28th September 2008 in so many different ways, it’s impossible to do it justice here; so just download a full programme of events from the website www.tasteorange.com.au. Though if you want to know where I’ll be eating and drinking, catch me sipping on Phillip Shaw Wines at Mocean Restaurant; downing a taste of the rather awesome Printhie Pinot Gris at Kemeny’s; and stuffing my face with excellent produce at over thirty stalls at the big finale, Taste Orange Sunday on Sunday 28th. Devouring their programme, I was delighted to see the Blue Orange Café and Brown Sugar restaurant are teaming up with some great wines to each present matched food and wine dinners. Both these venues produce excellent food, and are featured in my Eat and Drink section – finally a bunch of great reasons to head to the beach!
While we’re talking about the great outdoors; what better excuse for a picnic than the weather starting to warm’ Dust off that expensive picnic set, grab a bottle of the lovely Rosemount O (serve it chilled over ice) and stock up with some dishes from the newly released Eating Outdoors (RRP $29.99). I found that the American focus of Country Living’s recipes really sparked my food imagination. The Celery Root (Celeriac) and Apple Slaw, and the Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa are my must-have salads this spring; and I suspect the Blackberry-Grilled Pork Tenderloin might feature on my table for a lot longer than a season. Pick up your copy from any good bookstore.
If you can’t work up the energy to make your own tasty snacks, head on down to The Cupcake Room in Leichhardt and pick up a box of Joanne Gabbe’s beautiful creations. They’re the perfect spontaneous gift for your loved one for no better reason than to celebrate the kiss of spring in the air. Joanne vehemently guarantees that no packet mixes are used in her cupcakes. (Her passionate stance on this had me wondering which other cupcake shops about town are saving time but not winning any favours’) All you get here is plenty of good old fashioned butter fat in the butter-cake bases, topped with creamy, tasty (and stylish) butter-cream icing. Thanks to these cupcakes, it’s with a decidedly sugar-fuelled spring in my step that I head off to enjoy my first alfresco meal of the season!
Taste Orange @ Bondi
www.tasteorange.com.au
The Cupcake Room
131 Balmain Road, Leichhardt
Ph: (02) 9654 2642
www.thecupcakeroom.com.au
