I went to Zumbo and all I got was this tart

Do you sigh inwardly when someone says "I'm not prejudiced, but..." or "I'm not an idiot, but..."?
You just know they're going to put forth a view that is completely at odds with the type of person they say they are not.

*big inward sigh*

"Look, I'm not a diva princess, but..."

...I'm a bit disappointed on constantly missing out on cake from Adriano Zumbo. I've said it before (and of course I'll say it again), but the queues at Zumbo's shop are getting very tiresome. Even on weekdays, there's usually a queue out the door, and all the cakes are gone by about 1 or 2pm.
And don't even think about arriving after 12pm on weekends unless you like looking at an empty counter...

Well, that's my rant out of the way.

When I went to Zumbo today, there were only about 5 macarons (slightly cracked) and a couple of citron or gianduja tarts left. So I went for a "Voice of the Village" (aka Village Voice). Gianduja, chocolate and caramel in a sable shell, hazelnuts on top.


Oh dear, I feel a rant returning...

I did notice that the tart was a bit small. I mean, it's still nice and all, but it is smaller than, say, the Lean on Me tart from last year.

Compare and contrast...



By the way, standing in the queue at Zumbo does give you the opportunity to read all his mentions in the press, as they're pasted on the shop window. Impressive.

There's also a sign behind the counter that says that Zumbo unfortunately cannot:
- do deliveries
- make customised cakes
- make wedding cakes
- make cakes from past collections

Oh no, no past cakes! At least I have my memories (and photo collection) to comfort me.

Palmiers and Soup - two-for-one deal

What a bargain! For today only, you get two recipes for the price of one!

The first recipe, for zucchini soup, was prompted by a colleague’s lunch – the soup was scented with basil and it made me determined to make it.

The ham, cheese and mustard palmiers were inspired by a delightful offering over at Megan’s Feasting on Art – I do adore puffy palmiers and thought that a savoury version would go well with the soup. Fortuitous timing *thanks*!

First up, the Zucchini Soup, to which I also added some chopped baby spinach.


Creamy Zucchini Soup
serves 2

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Chop 3 medium-sized zucchini into chunks and stir into the saucepan with a clove of chopped garlic. Heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add 1 ½ cups of chicken or vegetable stock and simmer for 8 minutes
4. Remove from the heat and liquefy in a blender (or use a stick blender)
5. Season with salt and pepper
6. Put back on a low heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of cream (I used cream cheese this time because I had no cream). I also added a large spoonful of chopped basil
7. Serve

Preparation for the soup

Creamy, green and good!

Here is my version of the palmiers (I used tasty cheddar cheese because I couldn’t get my hands on any Gruyère).

Ham, Cheese and Mustard Palmiers

makes 20

1. Thaw one sheet of puff pastry
2. Spread 2 tablespoons of mustard over the pastry (I used a combination of Dijon and wholegrain seeded mustard)
3. Sprinkle over 1 cup of grated tasty cheese and ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
4. Spread a layer of smoked ham over the cheese
5. Place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and flatten slightly with a rolling pin
6. Cut the pastry in half and roll up the short sides so they meet in the middle (double scroll shape). Use water to moisten the pastry and make the ends stick together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
7. Heat oven to 210 degrees C. Slice each roll into 10 individual slices and place on trays lined with baking paper. Bake until light golden, around 10-12 minutes.
8. Serve

Puff pastry spread with i) mustards, ii) cheeses, iii) ham


Flatten the pastry, then roll, wrap, chill, slice and bake

Golden delicious!

New Ballast Pt Park: Eat your cake here

Usually, you’d expect a big fanfare when a spectacular, harbourside park opens to the public. But for Ballast Point Park, near Birchgrove (Sydney), which opened on 11th July 2009, its introduction was particularly muted.

It’s been quite a battle for the local committee to have the former Caltex fuel depot turned over to the public. The land had been owned by the fuel company since 1928, and calls had been made to rezone the area and to allow the land to be purchased by Leichhardt Council. Subsequent attempts had been made by a development company to turn the area into luxury housing.

The final result is a park that retains some of its industrial heritage, while providing man-made landscaping to take advantage of its location.


Interestingly, recycled building materials from the site have been used to create the wire-framed walls (roof tiles, bricks, even old hard hats).

There is a lack of shade at the moment, with new plantings still having some way to go before they settle in to the new landscape.

Many of the foundations of the old petroleum tanks have been retained and the give the area a feeling of Stonehenge, I think.

Like Paddington’s Reservoir Gardens, metal beams and steel staircases give the park a post-modern look.

The only thing missing (apart from more trees), is FOOD! I wonder if they’ll set up a kiosk or something, that sells sandwiches and ice creams. There are some free barbeques provided, but they are popular if you want to DIY.

Wait, here’s a thought, why not stop of for some bread, brioche, and some deli snacks from Zumbo, Bertoni or Victoire in Balmain first, then make your way to Ballast Point Park for a picnic.

Sounds like a plan!

The Google map below still shows the old site before the park was created. You can even see the old tanks.


View Larger Map

Hello Cookie: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ta dah! The 'Hello Cookie' project presents: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

First up, these are not the most attractive cookie ever baked; their rustic shape, however, is a good indicator to the healthy stuff inside – rolled oats, raisins, and – chocolate?

The provenance of oatmeal raisin cookies can be traced back to the American brand, Quaker Oats, with the recipe for the cookies first being found on their oat containers in the early 1900s. they are also a very easy cookie to make, so are suitable for beginner bakers.

After reading up on the best way to make this cookie, I found that chilling the dough (after it has been mixed, or even after it has been rolled into balls) will ensure that the cookie doesn’t flatten during baking, resulting in a thick, chewy cookie that is bursting with oaty, raisin-y goodness.

And what about the chocolate? Well, I had some dark chocolate chips lying around, so I added just under ½ a cup. Walnuts and/or cranberries would also be a tasty addition.


Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes 45

Ingredients
½ cup (113g) butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar (or mixture of brown sugar and white sugar)
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups rolled oats (quick oats are fine, but do not use instant oats, as it is too fine in texture)
¾ cup raisins

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until there are no more lumps.
3. Sift in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and mix until combine.
4. Stir in the oats and raisins (and choc chips, if desired)
5. Roll teaspoonfuls of the dough into balls and place 3cm apart on a lined baking sheet. The entire tray can be chilled for about 10 minutes, if you like.
6. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown (do not overcook, as you want them soft in the centre).
7. Cool on trays before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Ingredients (butter not shown)

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla; sift in flour; add choc chips

Roll dough into balls; bake until golden brown

Whoo-hoo! Yummy goodness!

Meatlovers' Masterclass with Mad Cow

“When I grow up, I’m going to Bovine University” – Ralph Wiggum

Thankfully, I’m not eligible for Bovine University, but I did attend a masterclass with Christopher Whitehead, head chef of Mad Cow restaurant.
Part of Merivale’s Winter Feasts promotion, this 1 ½ hour class took us behind the scenes of the ivy’s Mad Cow New York-style grill eatery. That meant meat, meat and more meat!


Mad Cow is basically a steak restaurant, and it focuses on different cuts of beef, cooked to perfection. Chef Christopher Whitehead has worked in the restaurant business for 20 years, and has been with Mad Cow since it opened 2 years ago. Apart from being a top chef, he is obviously extremely knowledgeable on the beef products used at his restaurant.
I should also mention that Glenda, one of the managers at Mad Cow, was also in attendance, and she is also enthusiastic and well-informed on the produce and the methods of the cooking process (as well as keeping everyone happy and topped up with wine during the masterclass).

Chef Christopher Whitehead gets hands on during the masterclass

We were introduced to the various breeds of cattle, including Wagyu, and also to the Australian producers of the meat used at Mad Cow, including Rangers Valley and David Blackmore. A variety of grass-fed and grain-fed meat is used, with the flavour of each being quite different. The length of time that the cows are fed for also influences the flavour and texture of the meat, with grain-feeding times ranging from 150 days up to 600+ days!

We were also shown two cuts of meat that had been dry-aged. The dry-ageing process is interesting because it is also time-intensive (special drying room, someone turning the meat regularly), and this translate to a higher price for dry-aged meat.

The cuts of meat we tried included:
- dry-aged, grass-fed, rib eye on the bone (400g)
- dry-aged, grain-fed, T-bone (massive 650g)
- David Blackmore grain-fed, Wagyu skirt steak (marble score 9+)
- Rangers Valley 400-day, grain-fed, Wagyu sirloin (marble score 7+)
- Grain-fed, eye fillet (200g)
- Black Angus minute steak (very thin, cooked very quickly)

The meats included a marbled Wagyu sirloin (right)

At Mad Cow, they use a special American broiler to cook the thicker cuts, and this contraption, which has a flame over the top of the meat, can reach up to 700 °C. The masterclass was held in the kitchen of one of the ivy’s function rooms which doesn’t have a broiler, so the chef used a couple of pans and the chargrill plate to cook the meat. And because a very high heat is necessary to achieve that all-important crust on the meat, the flames were turned up HIGH.
Tip: The meat should be at room temperature, and seasoned generously just before cooking; oil and butter can be spread on the meat beforehand as well.

The meat is seasoned before being cooked in a pan or the broiler

Gosh, it smelt good! But thank goodness for the industrial exhaust fans in the kitchen there, I can imagine the smoke alarms going off big time if we tried it at home (barbequeing outside is probably a good idea).

Mad Cow prepares all their sauces in-house, and the chef also prepared some sauces for us during the class: Mad Cow’s own chimichurri and horseradish cream. Interesting fact: they tearfully grate their own fresh horseradish every week and store it in vacuum-sealed bags to make the horseradish cream. The chimichurri was a fragrant mix of roasted capsicum, Spanish onion, olive and grapeseed oils, parsley and oregano, with lime juice added just before serving.

Salad of tomatoes, buffalo mozzarela and baby herbs, with olive oil

Sauces (from left): chimichurri, spicy barbeque, horseradish cream

Verdict on the meats: We were told how the ‘tougher’ cuts of meat, such as Wagyu skirt, have more flavour than the tender cuts such as eye fillet. I’d heard this before, but didn’t realise how delicious the skirt was – the marbling of 9+ may have had something to do with it. The flavour was incredible, and all the steaks were cooked to a perfect medium-rare. Chef did say that the restaurant is happy to cook whatever the customer wants, so if you must have well-done, then that’s fine.

Tip: The meat should be rested (uncovered) in a warm place for the same amount of time as it was cooked for.

Selection of steak cooked perfectly medium-rare

All up, it was a fun, informative night. It also means that I won’t automatically order the eye fillet when dining out, nor will I necessarily get the scotch fillet when I buy meat for a barbeque.

Thanks to Chris and Glenda for being wonderful hosts for the masterclass.

At the time of writing, the Winter Feast masterclasses for August are not yet available on the Merivale website, but if you see one for Mad Cow, I recommend you check it out if you love your cow.

Mad Cow is in the ivy complex, at:
Level 1, 330 George Street, Sydney 2000
Ph: 9240 3000

100th Zumbo cake eaten by Ooh, Look

How do I know this is my 100th cake from Adriano Zumbo?

1. I've eaten at least one cake a week from Zumbo since they opened just over 2 years ago
2. I've photographed all of them and have the photos to prove it.
3. There are 77 'cake (Zumbo)'-tagged entries in this blog
4. I started this blog 7 months after the first cake

Wait, this is more like the 150th cake...


Never mind, any cake from Zumbo is great cake, and I've loved every single one.

My cake consumption over the past 3 weeks has been drastically reduced because of Zumbo's popularity After MasterChef - long queues, sold out cakes. It shows no sign of abating, so I was lucky that bf was able to pick up these two creations mid week. By all accounts, the Upside Down Cloud and Pinenut Millefeuille are usually all that's left (along with the Finger Tiger).


So, cheers! Hope to reach 200 cakes very soon...

Pinenut millefeuille - the bottom layer that looks like chocolate is intensely pinenut-flavoured.

Upside down Cloud - this one was falling apart slightly, but the sunny citron ball is still shining.

Edit: I've just realised how obsessive this seems. Maybe I should use my cake money and join a gym instead...hmmm.........(****HELP*** someone has kidnapped Bel and taken over her brain! )

In the beginning, there was Victoire, Balmain

Lately, I've been Frustrated.

The success of Adriano Zumbo's cake creations After MasterChef has meant queues out the door and down the street every weekend. And when you do get to the front of the queue, there are only a couple of 'Tiger' cakes and some macaron crumbs remaining. Denied.

I do need my cake fix, and salvation comes in the form of Victoire. Adriano Zumbo actually worked for Victoire (doing the pastries) before he started his burgeoning empire, and what a fabulous place in which to hone your skills.

While it does not have the exotic, colourful creations of Zumbo, Victoire does provide the breads for Rockpool restaurant, among others, and the bread products are still the mainstay of its business. The walnut loaf is to die for, and I really recommend the levain ficelle if you want a crisp-outside, meltingly-soft-inside bread experience. The 'rustic' loaves are also excellent, being a long thin breadstick with sourdough texture, but 10 times more delicious (especially the olive one).

To relieve my Zumbo withdrawal symptoms this weekend, I got the olive rustic loaf together with a rhubarb tart and an apple tart.

The apple tart has apple puree topped with thin slices of apple in a shortcrust shell.
The rhubarb tart contains silky soft red rhubarb underneath a top that is sprinkled with sugar.
Both are divine!

Victoire is located in Darling St, Balmain. It is diagonally opposite the Zumbo shop. So check it out next time you're in the vicinity (though I hope that Zumbo also has what you are after!).