BREAKFAST AT BATHER'S

This is my last installment about eating our way through Australia. We have made it to New Zealand now and we have a kitchen again... we're cooking up a storm and I promise new recipes are on their way. We even foraged for our own mussels the other day. It feels great to be cooking for ourselves again!

I fell in love with Sydney 11 years ago - its warm mild weather, Caribbean blue waters, Victorian architecture, modern attitude, and great food.  The city felt like a culturally diverse meeting ground for the Pacific and South East Asia.  And that sparkly light....man oh man.



Back then, P and I were in our 20s. We stayed in a stylish little hotel in the then slightly seedy neighborhood of Darlinghurst. The area was packed with new vibrant restaurants. We ate like kings.

This time around, with two kids in tow, we settled into a comfortable apartment in posh and quiet Balmoral, a gorgeous ferry ride away from downtown. The neighborhood was picturesque with clean sandy beaches dotted with little sailboats and families strolling in the sun.

By chance, our little apartment was across the street from an institution in the Sydney culinary world. Bather’s Pavilion has been a player for the past 20 years; far from new or edgy, this spot serves up some gorgeous food with ease. Bathers was bustling with people, filled with sunshine, and the food was just right. In fact we ended up starting each of our 3 days in Sydney with breakfast at Bather’s making it emblematic of our family’s time in Sydney.

My favorite dish was the creamy white polenta (shown in the top photo) topped with fresh figs, poached ginger pears, and cream. I am dying to figure out their trick to achieving this perfectly smooth porridge. Anyone know Bather’s secret? If you do please share. I could eat it every day.

Update: I think I have figured out how to make the polenta. I hope to share with you all soon!

ODE TO TASMANIA

Where the hell is Bruny Island?

In 1999, P and I went to Australia on part of another longer trip. We hoped to make it to Tasmania but travel there was difficult and very expensive back then. We ended up only visiting Sydney; I can’t complain because our time there remains one of my best travel memories.

This trip I was determined to visit Tasmania. Tasmania has a magnetic pull for me - my yearning seems to stem from a romantic notion of this remote isle nestled near the Antarctic waters. I am always drawn to islands: Zanzibar, Folegandros, Tikehau and Bali  - all islands -  are some of my favorite places on this planet.  The connection to the sea is a great lure for me.




Tasmania lived up to my mythic expectations. The port of Hobart was full of old pirate charm - the sea was alive and the waves rough. Cobblestone streets, ship captains’ houses and copious wrought iron details typified the intact architecture. Plus the island was exploding with the glory of Spring - a cacophany of lavender, roses, wisteria, apple and cherry blossoms.

Even more romantically obscure than its already remote mainland, Tasmania’s Bruny Island called us to visit. We’d heard the island was gorgeous and had world class oysters and artisinal cheese. Enough said.

After an hours drive South of Hobart and a quick ferry ride to Bruny Island, we headed straight to Bruny Island Oyster. We bought a couple dozen beauties from Joe, the proprietor and P got to shucking. With just a quirt of lemon juice we devoured the deliciously salty bivalves that came fresh from what might be the purest sea water I have ever seen. Bruny Island Oysters were perfect - firm, briny and tasting of sea - worthy of a trip half way across the globe.



Our next food stop was at Bruny Island Cheese. We sampled every cheese they made and found the firm cow’s cheese infused with saffron to be our favorite.  And even though it was only 11 am and we were already sated with oysters, we couldn’t resist trying some of their homemade ice cream. When I saw rhubarb and bay on the menu I was smitten. The ice cream was infused with earthy flavor yet creamy with milk of happy island cows.



Our food pilgrimage was well worth the journey - Tasmania was a pastoral island paradise. Cows with shiny black coats and wooly sheep grazed on wide open emerald green fields. Sandy beaches were filled with happy (and tasty looking!) clams. Copious blossoming berry bushes held promise for a summer of preserves and pies. If only we could have stayed longer!

MELBOURNE EATS

Melbourne, Australia has a reputation.

A reputation for great food.

As our trip to this Southern Pacific food mecca approached, I started to day dream of tastiness that awaited us. We ended up spending a week in Melbourne hanging out with old friends and eating our way through town. I had to share some culinary high points with you. Follow me...

Cafe culture is strong here. In Melbourne, there must be more coffee shops per capita then anywhere on earth. I thought we loved our coffee in the Bay Area, but we are wimps compared to Melbournites. Wow. I found myself unable to resist the "flat whites" (dreamily perfect Australian lattes) that tempted me at every corner cafe. I could barely sleep my first few nights here because I was so overcaffeinated!

My favorite cafes of all were hidden down the shadowed cobblestone alleys in the heart of the city.

RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT & GINGER GRANITA

I miss my kitchen. During the past five weeks, we have eaten in more restaurants than I can count, and for the most part the food has been really tasty. Having meals cooked for me day after day is an indulgence I haven’t had experienced in years. That said, from time to time I long for my home kitchen with all of its familiar tools, counter tops.....

Last week, we had an apartment with a real kitchen and ample equipment to make our own meals. After a little sleuthing, I tracked down the one and only organic market in Darwin, Australia - not a town known for its cuisine. Though during our stay in the Northern Territory, we did try baramundi, kangaroo, and termite mound (yes termite mound!). 

Greenies is hidden deep in a rundown strip mall, ghostly with its many vacancies. The shop is no cartoonishly abundant Bay Area market, yet Greenies had everything we were looking for - life, good music, and happy hippie foods. Rushing back to our pad, we roasted chicken in our familiar way, tossed together a Berkeley-style salad with plenty of avocado and arugula, and ate kilos of strange exotic fruits.



Darwin is damned hot - over 100 degrees every day we were there, and this wasn’t even the hot time of year. I needed the satisfaction of making a refreshing treat for my travelin’ clan. After spending a month in Bali indulging with decadent abandon in fresh fruit juices, lassies, and slushies, I felt inspired to make my own fruity concoction. It was devoured in minutes - a success!

The candied ginger, though not necessary, was delicious with the granita. Next time I’d like to make my own.