Healthy Food: Goodie Bag

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Sonoma Baking Company HQ: Launch and Factory Tour, Alexandria (22 June 2011)

32-44 Birmingham Street, Alexandria NSW 2015
http://www.sonoma.com.au

The rise of Sonoma HQ

The love of my father, our love for him, and our love for baking a beautiful loaf of sourdough – it’s these simple, but powerful things that have made us who we are today.

Thanks to Louise Lynch from Liquid Ideas for inviting me along to the launch and factory tour of the new Sonoma Baking Company HQ in Alexandria. If you're a lover of bread then you've probably already tasted and bought Sonoma in one of their cafes around Sydney. 10 years on and they've probably now become one of the biggest, if not the biggest, artisan bakers in Sydney and quite possibly Australia perhaps. It was a very well-attended launch with little room to move in their large cafe space.

Wines were from Donny Goodmac and my beer from Fat Yak which was a very nice drop. The Butter by Pepe Saya and Vintage Club Cheddar Cheese from YEA Brand in the display shelves caught the eye of many guests and thankfully made their way into everyones goodie bags by the end of the night along with a huge sourdough bread to smear it on for breakfast. Canapés were good with the Sourdough bruschetta with smoked eggplant caviar & white anchovy and Seared scallop on roast fennel purée & baby cress being my favourites along with the very tasty Sourdough bruschetta with wild mushroom, pesto & goats cheese. The factory tour was interesting and I was amazed how large the place was which is run around the clock. I must try and return to see what yummy treats will be available in the cafe and to see if they make a good coffee.

Cream of celery soup with truffle oil

Chinese pulled pork finger sandwich with cucumber & shallot

Mini duck confit pie with beetroot jam

Sourdough bruschetta with smoked eggplant caviar & white anchovy

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Chicken, walnut & tarragon finger sandwich

Seared scallop on roast fennel purée & baby cress

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Sourdough bruschetta with wild mushroom, pesto & goats cheese

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Tart of balsamic poached pear, gorgonzola & pecan

Donny Goodmac Shiraz 2008 and Chardonnay 2009, Fat Yak Pale Ale

Australian Cultured Butter Churned by Pepe Saya

Vintage Club Cheddar Cheese YEA Brand

Service counter

Speech time — full house

Speech time: MC chatting with owner Andrew Connole (right)

That looks like Alessandro Pavoni at the back and is that a couple of My Kitchen Rules contestants too amongst the crowd?

Coffee crew guys

Photos down memory lane

Hey, is that that guy from that MasterChef show? Was it Adam Liaw? I think it might be. Nah, probably not. Maybe just someone that looks like him. Nevermind.

DJ in the house — nice hat!

Official photographer — nice tripod

The factory tour

Checking out the factory

Hairnets aren't particularly sexy but they keep the bread hygienic

Look at the size of that dough mixer — very impressive

Flour storage

Lining the trays

Baskets for different shaped bread

Basket trolleys

Bread coming out of the oven

So fresh it makes your stomach want some — but we can't touch

Is it an oven or a lift? — It's a bloody big oven!

Here comes the baked bread out of the oven

Food, booze and shoes and Gourmantic taking their bread shots — nice hats!

A window view to the cafe and back into the factory — nice smile!

I desperately wanted to try some of those fresh madeleines — but sadly not this time

Packaging the bread — these guys have their work cut out for them all night

Just a few crates of bread of many different styles

A few happy tour participants with sexy hairnets

Goodie bag of TimeOut Sydney, Sourdough bread, Granola, Cheese and Butter — I guess that takes care of breakfast!

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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Nespresso: Limited Edition 'Onirio' Coffee Launch at Baroque, Sydney (5 April 2011)

88 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.baroquebistro.com.au
http://www.nespresso.com

Coffee, flora & fragrance

With a fragrant bouquet of white flowers, jasmine and orange blossom, the in-cup flavours of Onirio have been layered with the sophistication of a fine French fragrance

Thanks to Krystyna from Weber Shandwick for inviting me to this special breakfast launch of the new Nespresso Limited Edition coffee ‘Onirio’. An 8 am start time is like a different world for me so the organised taxi pickup certainly helped getting me to Baroque at The Rocks. I’ve met two types of people who use Nespresso, those that love it and those who adore it. I’m not sure if it’s the ease of use, the taste or just thinking they’re one step closer to being with George Clooney that makes people so passionate, even fanatical about their Nespresso.

Arriving to a table setting fit for a Royal Wedding with window views towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge guests were treated to an assortment of pastries and cakes prepared on site by Baroque. Being a non-caffeine addict I usually kick start my day with fruit juice so the orange juice was most welcomed before delving into a scrumptiously wicked (as in good) mini chocolate and pistachio roulade with excellent caramelisation and lightness of pastry that melted in your mouth. Followed shortly by delicate and airy mini ham & cheese croissants which I simply couldn’t stop at one. The cute mini mixed fruit tartlets and mini raspberry mousses toyed with the waistline and mini mixed Danishes were superbly fresh and delicious. As a special treat Baroque made some Nespresso Onirio Macarons which were well-balanced with a nice smooth taste of coffee — I think they should consider having these on the menu.

The fashionable and entertaining Clint Dowdell, Australian Fragrance Specialist, explained the fragrance notes associated with Onirio. As fragrances of Osmanthus, un parfum d'Ailleurs & Fleurs and Jasmin de Nuit were handed out along with all the surrounding white floral arrangements it wasn’t a far stretch to start thinking I was part of some private women’s high tea party. Nevertheless with my fellow male comrades in short supply, we joined the ladies in appreciating an espresso of Onirio. My preference for coffee is usually with sugar and milk so a following order of a cappuccino was more to my liking and palate. Not too strong, not too weak, as it sat on the Nespresso scale in the middle for strength. The Nespresso Pixie coffee machine ($399 RRP) was also being showcased in its three available colours. Quite a compact unit for those with little bench space but just as adept in punching out those cute little coffee pods synonymous with Nespresso.

The Onirio Grand Cru and accessories collection will be available from Nespresso Boutiques nationwide and online from 18 April 2011.

Other Nespresso events:

• 8 Sept 2011 - Nespresso Limited Edition 'Dhjana'

• 5 April 2011 - Nespresso Limited Edition 'Onirio'

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: A mid strength coffee with floral notes that will suit most that are not die hard ristretto devotees, Nespresso machines are easy to use, clean and take up minimal bench space, Pods seem reasonably priced

CONS: Coffee can be addictive for some and a lifeline for those that have it regularly each morning

MUST TRY: Mini chocolate and pistachio roulade, Mini ham & cheese croissants

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