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