The end of year is a notorious time for self-reflection. It's when we celebrate our achievements, commemorate our losses, give thanks, be merry and feel #grateful. It's also the time when we write down new goals to smash, garner inspiration from the likeminded, and get ready to tackle the new year with a head full of motivation.
I have a few things to contemplate before I figure what to do with life for the next year and years to come. 2016 was... questionable. It was filled with too many world altering events, too many big decisions being made, and too many anxious feelings of the future. Do you feel way that, too?
In the midst of the craziness and commotion, I still had a solid year with my fair share of highlights. Going back through previous posts, I've noticed I didn't share any thoughts on 2015, so instead this will be special double edition of my 15 + 16 year in reflection.
These past couple years I:
- Celebrated a birthday or two.
- Ate more ice-cream, if that's even possible.
- Started post-uni adult life aka WERKWERKWERKWERK. Shout out the ladz *prayer hands emoji*.
- Dug a little deeper beneath the surface
- Explored places I've yet been.
(New York, In N Out Burgers in LA, Golden Gate Bridge, El Nido)
(Antelope Canyon, Zion National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton Range)
- Less festivals, more concerts. May or may not have teared up when A&B played Satellite.
(Sam Smith, Above & Beyond Acoustic)
- Explored the world, more.
(Black Rock City, Kadulla National Park, Wentworth Falls, Polonnaruwa)
(Yosemite, Bruny Island, Byron Bay)
- Cherished life with my ohana.
I had so much fun these past two years; learning, growing, exploring more places and taking in more memories. Nonetheless, all these moments I choose to share was not without its own discomforts. There were times I had knots in my stomach and couldn't bare to face the day, but instead of being a PAB, I took a deep breathe because I knew, or rather I learned again, that it was okay to be uncomfortable. That uneasy feeling in your chest? Fun fact, it goes away! Like all feelings, even happiness, it all comes and goes in ebbs and flows. And remembering that makes me savour every bit of happiness more.
So for the next year and years to come, I am setting for my self to just be; be present, be in the moment and most of all, be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Maybe then, when we expect less and do more, we might truly find happiness ;-).
Light and love to you all.
Cheers to jumping into the new year.
A weekend away in Mudgee
Saturday, 27 August 2016 16:03
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I'm a big lover of sweet and short weekend getaways; they give you something to look forward to leading up and many fun-filled memories long after. They can be super inexpensive, especially when you're splitting the costs between a car full of people and usually always include lots of cheese and even more wine.
Having done Hunter Valley already, my girlfriends and I wanted to explore another wine region of NSW. So, after 4 hours of driving through mountains and fog, and karaoke in the car to No Scrubs, we arrived at the beautiful Mudgee, a charming country region around 260km north-west of Sydney.
Our first stop after a quick rest in our country cottage was morning tea at High Valley Wine & Cheese Co. The menu was simple with a prevalent 'hand made' theme, including homemade scones and sweet potato shepherd's pie. They also offered wine tasting, but we skipped this and went straight for the cheese tasting instead. We picked up wedges of brie for some pre-dinner snacking and I also got the Stephen blue cheese to take home as well. If you're a fan of feta, they also do a mean marinated olive feta - it's so good on toasted sourdough!
Beautiful red hues of autumn at Ernest Schuetz Estate
After lining our stomachs with food we were excited to finally try out some wines, but it was hard to pick and choose where to go since there were over 40 family owned cellar doors in Mudgee. Our first stop was at Ernest Schuetz Estate, not too far from High Valley, where we had a lovely conversation with woman behind the counter who gave us a map and a suggested list of places to go (I've included the full list at the end!).
Arya - part time dire wolf, part time sheep dog @ Short Sheep Micro Winery
One of the stops were Short Sheep Micro Winery. This was one of my favourite wineries - as by the name, they use a breed of sheep called Southdown Babydoll to help long term sustainable management of vineyards. This breed of sheep have shorter legs and graze underneath the vines, which help reduce the need for herbicides, slash in between the rows for maintenance and diesel fuel. They're also SO DAMN CUTE. All their wines are low preservatives (no nasty hangovers) picked from low hanging fruit, but they also make a preservative free shiraz you should try out.
Front lawn olives ready to be harvested @ The Olive Nest
If you want a break from wine, head to The Olive Nest for some EVOO tasting. They do wine here as well, but the EVOO is much more superior. The lemon and garlic infused one was my favourite and their best seller (sold out by them time we got there) but the truffle one was also a winner.
Prancing in between rows of grape vines
Guard dog with an IDGAF attitude. Stella @ Peterson Wines
You'll find that there's no short supply of amazingly adorable dogs in Mudgee. Stella here is a 3 year old labradoodle who will scare away foxes and roll on her back for a belly rub.
When you want to do random jump photos and your bff wants to do them with you #bffgoals
Vantage point from Lowe Wines
We definitely saved the best for last, coincidentally so. The cellar door was just about to close up as we walked up, but the lovely host Shane at Lowe Wines still greeted us with a warm smile and invited us to sit whilst he grabbed a few glasses. The cellar door itself was a pretty sight, with large outdoor wooden trunk tables, soft cushions and a view that overlooked into the distant mountains. The winery is a certified organic facility and produced some preservative free wines with the ethos of lifting the quality and strength of plants to build resistance to issues that might eventuate - and I promise it's not a placebo effect, I can actually taste the difference.
Lowe Wines 2013 Organic Sparkling Merlot
Mudgee has been such a pleasant surprise, from it's good food, to it's great wine, and even better people. Whether we were speaking to the owner of a winery or just a worker at the cellar door, everyone was so hospitable and actually took the time out to talk to you and explain the wines - something I feel that Hunter lacked a bit, most likely due to the crowds of people that come through the doors daily.
It was a long day of driving, eating and drinking, and nothing could have made it more perfect. As I watched the sun slowly begin to set across the picturesque mountains with my closest girlfriends, I thought, "Is there anything more romantic?".
As promised, here's the list of wineries we hit up:
- Bunnamagoo Estate Wines
- Ernest Schuetz Estate
- High Valley Wine & Cheese Co - brie and the stephan blue if you enjoy strong cheeses. The marinated fetas are also amazing, especially the pesto and olive ones
- Logan Wines
- Lowe Wine - so many good ones. If you like whites, try the pinot gris and riesling (not too sweet and dry). We also enjoyed the organic shiraz and sparkling merlot
- Peterson Wines
- Robert Oatley - might sound familiar? They have many estates around Aus and overseas, each region with a different wine speciality
- Robert Stein - my favourite place for reds, try the 2013 Merlot!
- Short Sheep Micro Winery
- The Olive Nest + 1838 Wines - The garlic olive oil was so delish
Cornersmith, Marickville
Saturday, 2 July 2016 14:39
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Farm to table, paddock to plate, whatever you choose to call it, it's a movement here for the long run.
The idea to be self-sustainable through each process of the food production chain is something that truly resonates with me. To know where food comes from at the start, the history, the farmers and growers who made it all possible... this is the food worth knowing and eating.
I had the amazing chance to dine at Ethos Eat Drink in Hobart late last year, and their practices on food blew my mind, with a herb and vegetable garden out front, and in-house curing and picking. It makes me so grateful to find Sydney souls with the same ideals and spreading the awareness of conscious eating.
Cornersmith does not support factory farming!
I first found out about Cornersmith a couple of months after it opened in 2011 and have been a few times since. There was an immediate attractiveness to it even then, before the concept of forage and ethics of food became familiar to me. It is a quaint little family owned and run cafe, based on the belief of sustainable and ethical food production and business practices - honestly, how does that not warm your heart?
The menu is seasonal, of course, with produce source locally from small-scale makers and growers - just look at the blackboard on the wall when you walk in, you might find persimmons from Lucy's backyard or cheese made from their workshop, the Picklery!
Regular latte $3.50 and soy latte $4
Get there extra early, cause the lines start early. If you sleep in on the weekends and find yourself waiting in line, kill some time by checking out the oven fresh treats on display, or the fridge for some home-brewed coffees and pressed juices.
Poached eggs with white sourdough toast $9 and heirloom tomatoes, ricotta $6
If you've never been, order the eggs & sides. You get two beautiful soft poached eggs (from Archerfield Farm) with white sourdough and smoked onion relish, and a choice from usually 4 sides. Choice 2 on the day were these intensely red, juicy heirloom tomatoes and fresh ricotta with summer herbs and apple balsamic. A bit of tang, a bit of sweet, a lot of delish.
Poached eggs with white sourdough toast $9 and pasture raised ham $6
As tasty as the vegetarian sides sounded, I opted for a side of protein. This small bit of smoky shaved ham was packed with lots of meaty flavour - just leave the ham in your mouth and let your taste buds soak it all in. I was also super impressed with the small but adequate serving of house-made onion relish, which completely tied together the few ingredients on the plate needed for a perfect breakfast.
The ever-expanding Cornersmith also run a heap load of workshops at the Picklery, including; preserving pickles and chutney, preserving sweets (jam, marmalades), miso & tofu, kombucha, cheese making, producers night (bees), and lots more! They also run a couple of free talks a year (stay in touch through their Facebook page) to spread the knowledge about the ethics of food. Phew, I felt like I was a salesperson there for second, but it's hard not to talk about all the incredible things Cornersmith is passionately doing for the ecosystem of food.
I'm excited to see more places like Cornersmith in Sydney and Australia promoting sustainable food. We definitely have a long way to go, but this feels like a great first step.
Know more places doing incredible things? Let me know by hitting the comments button!
Know more places doing incredible things? Let me know by hitting the comments button!
Side note; if you Netflix and chill a lot, watch Chef's Table episode 2 with Dan Barber, chef, owner and proprietor of Blue Hill NYC and Blue Hill Farm. - a talented man with aspirations beyond what is dreamable.
Labels: food
Hobart Eats: Jackman & McRoss, Daci & Daci Bakers, The Standard Burgers
Friday, 25 March 2016 19:49
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This post ends the last of my Hobart series and reflection of a wonderful weekend away. Separate from the rest, this post focuses on a few eats around town that were not mentioned in Part 1 and Part 2. As a guide, I've posted from least favourite to must visit.
Jackman & McRoss:
We walked past this place on day 1 after exploring Battery Point but had breakfast here the next day. Outside were small tables of people with their dogs and coffees - this seems to be the trend everywhere! - and inside were these magnificent displays of cakes and pastries.
It always baffles me when cafes charge more for eat-in, I guess they have to make profit some how.
We ordered coffee, and though mild in flavour, it was still better than expected. While the cafe itself is not particularly large and all the food seems to be premade and reheated anyway, we still waited a good 35 mins for food; best not to come here if you were planning to catch a ferry to Bruny Island early in the morn...
Soy Latte $4
I don't even remember what this was, some sort of poached eggs with wiltered spinach, corned bread(?) and a meatball(?). Oh, and it had beans on the bottom! I definitely don't recommend this...
Choriozo, gruyere and carmelised onion wrapped in puffed pastry $7.80
After waiting half an hour I expected a bit more, but I guess for the price I should've known better. It was pretty much a pig in a blanket with some chutney and rocket salad (no dressing).
Lemon Meringue Tart $6.00 (TA)
While the savoury dishes were a let down, have to give props to this meringue tart. It's huge for the price, around the size of my palm as you can see! Soft peaks of meringue on top with a good citrus hit from the lemon curd and buttery short crust pastry.
Verdict: Come here but don't stay, grab a few pastries or maybe a pie to go.
Daci & Daci Bakers:
Silly us tried to come here on the Sunday morning before realising they were closed (which consequently lead us to Jackman & McRoss) so we it made a mission to hit this place early Monday morning before our flight home.
Even at just before 7am, this place was busy with a couple of suits and a few people in their sportswear buying loaves of bread. The place had a warm and friendly vibe, mirrored in the service of their staff.
Silly us tried to come here on the Sunday morning before realising they were closed (which consequently lead us to Jackman & McRoss) so we it made a mission to hit this place early Monday morning before our flight home.
Even at just before 7am, this place was busy with a couple of suits and a few people in their sportswear buying loaves of bread. The place had a warm and friendly vibe, mirrored in the service of their staff.
Even in the early morning I was craving a sugar hit, the rows upon rows of beautiful pastries were so hard to resist. I got a couple of small tarts and croissants take away for my colleagues, at a really affordable price of $4 each and for myself a huge slice of this pear tart ($7). It was a bit of a struggle carrying them home in one piece so it didn't look too pretty by the time we landed, oops.
Pork and Fennel Sausage Roll $10 (TA)
Late apologies to the lady sitting next to me on the plane while I was eating this sausage roll, I bet the smell made her mouth water and tummy hungry. I loved the ratio of meat to pastry, and it was quite filling for the size. The pork filling was so flavoursome and the chutney that came with gave it a bit of spicy kick. This was super tasty and could definitely give Bourke St Bakery a run for its money.
One of my colleagues actually recommended for me to try Daci & Daci before my trip, especially for the savoury french toast or the Croque Monsieur with huge bread slices. While I would of love to try them both, was happily satisfied with my departing presents from Hobart.
The Standard Burgers:
This was lunch on the first day, and I would have made it dinner as well if we didn't have reservations at Ethos. I have such a deep seeded love for burgers; it's a representation of all things I love about food. It can be so uncomplicated, but executed with such perfection that the first bite makes you take gratitude for simpler things in life.
The Standard, by definition, IS the simple, but done to the next level (which sounds a bit like an oxymoron). Owners Christian and Sam, who worked together serving fine food at MONA's The Source, took the concept that after a long day of work, you just want to sink your teeth into a juicy burger and not go make yourself a 4 course meal. And ta-da, The Standard was born with BYO booze and opened till 10pm.
The Standard Burgers:
This was lunch on the first day, and I would have made it dinner as well if we didn't have reservations at Ethos. I have such a deep seeded love for burgers; it's a representation of all things I love about food. It can be so uncomplicated, but executed with such perfection that the first bite makes you take gratitude for simpler things in life.
The Standard, by definition, IS the simple, but done to the next level (which sounds a bit like an oxymoron). Owners Christian and Sam, who worked together serving fine food at MONA's The Source, took the concept that after a long day of work, you just want to sink your teeth into a juicy burger and not go make yourself a 4 course meal. And ta-da, The Standard was born with BYO booze and opened till 10pm.
Double Standard $10
The killer must-order: a simple combination of double patty, double cheese, lettuce, and pickles. The buns, which are baked fresh daily, were also amazing. Slightly toasted but soft and holds all the juice in it. The meat is also freshly grounded on site - do not expect it to be slightly pink in the middle or the gourmet angus/wagyu kind you'll find in Sydney or Melbourne.
The Godzilla $12
We ordered this upon recommendation from the staff member. A combination of crumbed chicken, bulldog sauce, sesame dressing, cabbage, tomato, pickles and mayo. Like seriously, look at the size of that chicken!! The panko crumbled chicken was still moist and not too oily and the spicy 'bulldog' sauce and sesame dressing lifted this burger to new flavour territories. Could have prob done without the tomatoes and just have cabbage but that's very minor.
Nori Fries $5
We knew we wouldn't have had enough stomach space for the animal or chupa (pulled pork) fries, but just had to get some kind of potato. The simple alternative were the shoe string fries dusted with nori, or seaweed, powder that gave it a salty and smokey taste. We also ordered a malted Oreo milkshake ($8), that was a bit too thick to drink at first, but still hella good.
Even the location and overall aesthetic of the place gives justification for its simplicity. It is located within an alleyway in central Hobart and there are no tables and chairs, more of a platform on the side if you wanted to sit. These burgers are definitely in my top 5 and I hope they open, at least a pop-up, in Sydney soon!
***
For a small city, Hobart is doing big things with their food. There are so many other places in Hobart, and Tasmania in general, I want to try and this trip barely hit them. From farm to table and fine dining, to street snacks in markets and beautiful pastries, and finally the invasion of American burgers done effortlessly; this city is standing out by its own merits.
You've been great, Hobart.