Foodies’ Diary: Bondi, Bronte & Beyond
Image: Now that’s a tasty burger! It had me drooling and that was before I found out that local restaurant, Moo Gourmet Burgers, is supporting ethical farming practices by using only morally farmed and sustainable produce in their burgers!
Bondi Restaurant News
Now that’s a tasty burger! It had me drooling and that was before I found out that local restaurant, Moo Gourmet Burgers, is supporting ethical farming practices by using only morally farmed and sustainable produce in their burgers! Owner Adam Gerondis should be proud that his is one of the first Aussie burger joints to heed the cry of consumers demanding to know where exactly the beef they’re buying comes from. At his Bondi Beach and Coogee stores you’ll now be eating Australian Angus Pure Natural Beef®, a naturally grazed pasture beef free from antibiotic treatments and growth hormones. If you prefer his juicy lamb burger, it’s Saltbush Lamb. The fishies are Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon, and it goes without saying his chicken breast and eggs are free-range.
www.moogourmetburgers.com.au
Previous Bondi local, Klaus’s Brasserie, have exchanged their old Hakoah Club location for cushy new digs at the Paddo RSL. So if you’ve been missing their stick-to-your-ribs European comfort food, head on up to Oxford Street. I’ve been meaning to revisit ever since I got wind of a Reuben Sandwich on their new menu. (I’m a sucker for well-corned beef). They also a finalist this year in the 2011 Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering Awards for Excellence in the best restaurant in a club category, so wish them well while you’re there! If you’d like to book, get them on (02) 9331 2833.
Last, but not least, keep your eyes peeled for the inaugural Orange Wine Trail, set to hit Bondi from the 22nd-28th August! It’s a great way to try a whole bunch of Aussie wines and expand your drinking repertoire whilst supporting local Bondi restaurants like Brown Sugar, Sean’s Panorama and Ravesi’s.
www.tasteorange.com.au
Bronte Boy Wins
Last month in Australian Ham Week local Bronte ham producer David Lucas of Lucas Quality Meats took out the top gong for the best ham made from one hundred percent pure Aussie pork! I bet you didn’t know that MOST of the hams sold here (a whopping eighty percent) use imported frozen pig! So if you want to buy combat Australia’s vague and ambiguous labeling laws by making your own informed decision to support our farmers, and get guaranteed high quality Aussie product, look for the Australian PorkMark label. It’s a fail-safe way to easily identify products made from one hundred percent Australian pig, produced in line with Australian on-farm practices. Oh and get on down to 48 Macpherson Street, Bronte to try David’s ham! Incidentally it’s his second accolade this year – his low fat bacon got second place in the Bacon Awards for Excellence back in March.
Cook Book News
Feel that kiss of spring in the air? I certainly do, and with spring comes the need for ice-cream. If you’ve been avidly watching Masterchef and their almost too frequent use of the blast-chiller, get into some homemade ice-cream and sorbet of your own. Elaine from Capricorn Link tells me that Ice Creams, Sorbet & Gelati: The Definitive Guide [RRP $49.95] is a cracker of a book from Grub Street, who just won the highly prestigious Guild of Food Writers award for this book. Heston Blumenthal says: ‘What Robin and Caroline Weir don’t know about the history of ice cream is not worth knowing.’
While we’re talking Masterchef, the mystery box challenges are my favourite segment. It’s just like the challenge your average housewife faces every day – what can I make for dinner from limited ingredients in my fridge and pantry? If you’d like a bit of help getting better at this everyday challenge, pick up a copy of Trish Heagerty’s Out of The Pantry [RRP $35]. She’s organised her recipes by well-known pantry staples. Had a can of beans sitting there for ages? Here’s your chance to use it up with recipes like Chilli Bean Pie, Beef and Black Bean Stew or White Bean and Crispy Pork Salad. Your family will appreciate the variety, and score your dish accordingly!
Cakeage
Yeah I know, they’re all the way over in Gladesville… but if you love your partner as much as my friend Madellen’s husband clearly loves her, you’ll buy them a ripper Baked By Design cake for their next special occasion. This is Madellen’s fabulous birthday cake for her significant birthday (by significant, she means thirty – sniff). Jenny Matek, who favours bright colours, has a strong graphic sensibility, and does excellent lettering, made it. If you want to see more of her stunning cake-work, look up the store on Facebook or call her on (0404) 047 944. I turn even more significant on the 9th August this year… just sayin’.
