Spoiled for Choice

By Jackie McMillan

Remember the first time you were allowed to select your own cake from a counter stuffed with creamy, dreamy, colourful selections ‘ the heady responsibility, the terrifying possibility of choosing incorrectly and missing out on the greatest sweet pleasure’ I do. Being spoiled for choice is a seductive feeling. I still get it when I wrap my hands around a new menu. Weighing up the options delights me. Even better I like narrowing it down to a short list of preferred options ‘ between which I am torn. I sit, desperately trying to conjure the potential pleasure of each dish, and attempt to make the best possible choice. After all, who wants order envy’

But the sweet creations of Adriano Zumbo are a far cry from the passionfruit-iced custard slices of my memory. And more than just a menu, the Balmain/Rozelle Chamber of Commerce have devised a program of events for Food Week (April 21st-27th) that could cause sweet surrender in even the most discerning foodie. So don’t be surprised if this jam-packed week long program has you wishing you could be in two places at once.

Taking in some of the dining opportunities on offer during the week might see you deciding between a twist on the classic cassoulet with a crispy confit duck leg and a glass of La Bastide Saint Dominique, Cotes du Rhone ($35) from head chef John Evans from The Restaurant at the 3 Weeds; and a mouth watering ‘Bosphorus seafood meze platter’ complimented by a glass of wine ($20) from Efendy. That is of course, if you’re not already taking a punt on the entrée & Plat du Jour ($30) at David and Meredith Poirier’s little piece of France in Rozelle, La Grande Bouffe; or enjoying a hearty three-course meal of Czech delights ($49) at La Boheme Restaurant.

The hunter-gather of your family may find the perfect excuse for a long lunch of organic free range chicken on a bed of seasonal risotto and roast vegetable accompaniments, perfectly paired with a glass of Wild Oats Sauvignon Blanc Semillon ($17.50) being that it’s presented by local butcher T.J.’s Quality Meats. After trying the produce at Canteen, you’re invited to wander across the road to T.J.’s for some great specials on organic (like the extremely popular Bangalow Sweet Pork), available during Food Week only ‘ neatly killing two birds with one stone.

But there’s more than just dining opportunities on offer during Food Week, there’s also talks, food demonstrations and tasting opportunities, reflecting the increasing popularity of gastro-awareness in Sydney. With terms like ‘food-miles’ being bandied about in many a dinner party conversation, it’s nice to see an emphasis on some products from the wider NSW area. One I’d suggest getting along to is a tasting of Capparis cheeses (which hail from the foothills of the Barrington Tops) at Rozelle Fine Food Store on Saturday 26th April, 2008 between 1-5pm. The folks at Capparis are specialty cheese makers, and they produce a particularly impressive range of award-winning goat milk cheeses. For them, hand made cheeses begin with healthy land (that is land that is supported by a natural ecosystem, and integrated with natural bushland) and animals, and end with a unique cheese that speaks of the individual style of the geographic location, season, dairy herd and of course the cheese-maker.

As foodie concerns rise to the level of a national obsession, one key issue that people are beginning to be concerned with is the path what we eat takes from the producer to the plate. If this is one of your concerns, the program of events at natural marketplace AboutLife should be of interest. They’ll be hosting a range of olive oil producers, including those from Fat Hen Farm and Pukara Estate, giving participants the opportunity learn about their groves, growing methods, harvesting and bottling. This of course goes hand in hand with tasting the new seasons release olive oil. If it’s the coffee bean’s trajectory that interests you, join self-proclaimed ‘coffee-nerd’ Ed Cutcliffe from The Little Marionette for a coffee appreciation brunch ($10). He’ll be talking on the art of coffee – the bean, the roast and of course, the making of the perfect cup. His musings will be accompanied by another opportunity to devour hand made Adriano Zumbo pastries, fruit and a selection of Little Marionette coffee.

Buying less pre-packaged foods (and ironing some of those kinks out of the convoluted path from farm to plate), may mean you end up doing more cooking at home. So if you’re up for honing some of those domestic skills, check out the gourmet classes at The Barn Café & Grocery. Conveniently, their state-of-the-art kitchen has been designed as the centrepiece of the complex being fully open to public view, making it a great place to learn more about cooking. Their classes include Wild Food ($95) dealing with unusual flavours you might not generally prepare at home, and Mexican ($95) which includes recipes for tasty dips, salsas and colourful rice dishes, chimichangas, tortillas and Mexican sweets. Speaking of sweets, budding home pastry chefs should head to one of two classes held by patissier Adriano Zumbo ($40). For the kitchen-phobic, there’s always the cocktail making workshop ($45) where you have the opportunity to make (and drink) cocktails at the 3 Weeds.

So if I’ve left you with a need to eat cake, or if hard decisions trouble you, let me guide you to what I believe will be the piece de resistance of the week. It’s on Sunday 27th April, 2008; and it’s aptly called ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights‘. Not only will the talented Adriano Zumbo be providing the sweets, you’ll also be enjoying the combined talents of the chefs from three award winning local restaurants ‘ Il Piave, 3 Weeds and the hosting venue, Restaurant Sojourn. In fact, lucky diners at this event will also break bread from local baker Victoire, eat produce from Aboutlife, sip on coffee from Little Marionette, sample cheese from Rozelle Fine Foods and Aunty Pasto, and wash it all down with wine from The Sackville Bottle Shop. (Bookings are essential for this event, on (02) 9555 9764.)
On reflection, sometimes it is good not to have to make hard choices ‘ sometimes you want to have your cake and eat it too.

Full program: www.balmainrozellechamberofcommerce.org.au