T by Luxbite - Launch Party

The newest addition to the Luxbite Family is T by Luxbite, where the T stands for tarts! Glorious glorious tarts!

Last night's launch party was a collection of the Luxbite team and pastry loves/enthusiasts alike. 

It was an unreal opportunity to rub elbows with some of Melbourne's favourite food bloggers and celebrity pastry chefs; including Adriano Zumbo, Christy Tania and Anna Polyviou (from Sydney)

The tarts are of course divine, where the usual Luxbite goodness is filled into delicate pastry shells. 

My favourites of the night were the Calamansi and Praline tart. I didn't get a chance to try the Picnic tart, which is adorned with beautiful spheres of choux pastry so that will be my first official purchase from T by Luxbite.

Their colourful variety of macarons are also available for purchase.

The official opening is on Friday the 28th of November, so pop in and get yourself a lovely tart or two.

T By Luxbite

2/517 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
tbyluxbite.com.au

ChocolaTea with Teasense & Citizen Cacao

Last Sunday I had the absolute pleasure of attending ChocolaTea - a collaboration between tea ninja/educator Sarah Cowell from Teasense and Georgie Castle, chocolatier extraordinaire from Citizen Cacao.

Hosted by Kinfolk Cafe on Bourke Street, this event celebrated the unconventional pairing of two things that I have loved my entire life: chocolate and tea.

The afternoon consisted of some very educational and inspiring talks by Sarah and Georgie and of course a few tastings of their beautiful teas and chocolates. We started off our tasting with a vegan chocolate chai tea, the perfect embodiment of Sarah's tea expertise and Georgie's skills with chocolate coming together. The chai was warm and creamy with the right balance of spice. It was served with a 70% cacao shard, which when dipped made the drink even more indulgent. 

Even though I spent an afternoon eating chocolate and drinking fine teas, Sarah's talk about the history of tea and what it means to her especially resonated with me. It was perhaps my favourite part of the whole afternoon. Her passion for tea is very clear and her belief that tea isn't just a beverage but more an experience is something I can strongly relate to. Her talk reminded me of my own travels in Yunnan and how tea played such a huge role in some of my fondest memories there. I was very moved, to say the least. 

Afterwards, we tried a Dong Ding Oolong tea from Taiwan, it was a lovely full bodied tea and its leaves were sprinkled on top of one of Georgie's hand dipped truffles. The chocolate was divine, the tea added depth of flavour and complexity to the rich chocolate. 

Sarah also prepared for us a very special Oriental Beauty tea in a traditional Chinese 'gai wan' for us. It was the only packet of that tea in the whole of Melbourne and we were lucky enough to drink it. The tea was insanely fragrant with sweet notes of honey or citrus, which is created by insect bites on the leaves which begin the oxidation process. 

Georgie's talks were also very inspiring. I realised I knew very little about the history of Chocolate and its origins so I learned quite a lot.  Whilst she dipped her truffles for us, it became apparent that Georgie has a very carefree but strong spirit and the story of how she became a chocolatier is testament to that. I truly admire her passion for chocolate and the transparency with which she runs Citizen Cacao. I think even if you aren't into tea or chocolate, Sarah and Georgie are wonderful examples of following your dreams and doing what you're passionate about. 

Finally our afternoon ended with one final treat from Georgie to pair with the Oriental Beauty tea. Orange zest and juice were added to the chocolate truffles to match the citrus notes in the tea and then painted gold as a small homage to the ancient Mayan origins of chocolate. It tasted amazing, so I took some extras home with me to share with my family. 

It was an honour to be apart of such a special event, I really think Melbourne is the only city in Australia where a tea culture can thrive and I love how it has evolved in recent years. For those who are even a little bit interested in tea, I urge you to participate in a class or attend another Teasense collaborative event. 

http://teasense.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/CitizenCacao

some photos are courtesy of Carmen Nguyen

Magnum Melbourne Pop Up - Emporium

Get on over to the Emporium to design your own custom Magnum! 

The pop up facility will be here until August 10th and is proving to be a huge hit amongst Melburnians. Despite being winter, the pop up has long lines of people just waiting to sink their teeth into some delicious ice cream.

So this is how it works..... 

1) You firstly choose your ice cream, either vanilla or chocolate.
2) You can then choose from white chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate for your coating. 

3) Choose up to 3-4 toppings from a list of 18 toppings  to cover your Magnum

 4) Finally you choose a chocolate drizzle

Voila!

Depending on the line, there is a 20-40 minute wait but it's well worth it and if you're lucky, the girls might like your topping choices and give you some extra drizzle like I did. Don't forget to hashtag your pictures #magnummelbourne so everyone can see your creations too!

Pana Chocolate - Richmond

Admittedly my blog wouldn't be described as being very vegan or vegetarian friendly, or even nutritious to say the least. If something tastes good, I'll just eat it despite encountering slight repercussions on the scales later on.

However Pana Chocolate has just popped up on my radar and I'm very intrigued. Pana Chocolate is a simply decorated and small shop in Richmond with a single glass cabinet filled with gorgeous looking sweets and treats. In addition to being delicious, their sweets are handmade, organic and 100% vegan.

I tried their Chocolate Cheesecake Pop and their Vespa wheel and I was really surprised. I'd never tried vegan chocolate but it was absolutely divine and tasted as  rich and luxurious as regular chocolate. In addition because they use raw cacao, it's higher in antioxidants so you can still eat healthy without giving up those little indulgences that make life worth living. If you're a dark chocolate lover like I am, you can really appreciate the rich cacao flavour without having any added dairy or refined sugars to alter the taste.

You can also purchase small blocks of flavoured chocolate that you can take home and share. The size of it is rather small for the price I paid but that's always the case with organic and handmade products. Nonetheless I can't wait to pick up my next guilt free treat from Pana Chocolate.

Alice Nivens Cafe - Port Phillip Arcade

Take a step into wonderland and join Alice Nivens for afternoon tea.

Janet Wong's alter ego has manifested itself into the hidden gem that is her cafe. Tucked away in Port Phillip Arcade, Alice Nivens bakes delicious new treats everyday that are served alongside lovingly made coffee and tea (from Storm in a Teacup). 

The cupcakes, muffins and cakes change on a daily basis so there's always an excuse to come back and try something new.

If the sweets aren't enough to lure you in, simply popping by to chat with owner, Janet is as good a pick me up than any coffee will ever be. Her energy and passion is simply remarkable.

Open Monday to Friday, it's perfect for your early morning coffee or for a bit of afternoon tea.

Storm in a Teacup - Collingwood

Storm in a Teacup is the baby of Sarah Cowell former tea sommelier at Vue de Monde, whom I had the pleasure of meeting when I had dinner there. Her tea knowledge and passion is inspirational and I am glad she could share her love of tea with all of Melbourne now.

Basically Storm in a Teacup is a Tea bar, so they are a bar but specialize in brewing tea as well. A place like this was a heaven sent for me, there are very few places in Melbourne that do their tea justice. Most 'tea drinkers' are happy sipping from a teapot crammed with too many leaves, filled with boiling water, steeping for much too long. At Storm in a Teacup, no matter which tea you select from their extensive list, you can be sure that the tea you are drinking is brewed with the utmost respect and care. The water temperature is perfect, the steeping time is exact and the ratio of tea and leaves is well balanced.

photo courtesy of: http://storminateacup.com.au

In simpler words, they do tea RIGHT.

They also do some pretty damn good cocktails as well. ;)

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I, of course could not resist their little food menu. I shared a charcuterie board and a vegie smash plate with my friend. Charcuterie boards are always great but what surprised me was the vegie smash. I really really enjoyed the flavours; there was an eggplant, beetroot and pumpkin vegie smash. Just really good simple flavours that I polished off in no time. All the staff are very knowledgeable and friendly so they can really help you decide on a tea as well as tempt you to try their selection of cakes.

They're always baking something new so pop in and have a look. 

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If you're a true lover of tea, you'll love this place. It's just amazing that a place like this has opened, it's a reflection of Melbourne's growing tea community and the recognition of tea's importance in culinary society. 

I sincerely hope you guys check this place out, it's doing some great things.

Address:  

  48A Smith Street

  Collingwood, Vic. 3066

Telephone: (03) 9415 9593

Top Paddock - Richmond

After walking past the construction site 3 times a week for about 9 months now, Top Paddock has finally arrived. Proudly brought to you by the same masterminds behind Three Bags Full and Two Birds One stone, Top Paddock is their new baby located in Richmond (and fortunately next door to my work)

My first visit was unfortunately after 3 o'clock so their kitchen was already closed but I was able to order from their tapas menu. I went for White Anchovies on Toast.

An extremely simple dish that packs a punch. The anchovies were delicate and flavorsome and just a dash of oil gave it a real zing!

Soon after, the cakes cabinet beckoned my name and before I knew it a gorgeous Vanilla and Lemon curd cupcake was placed before me. The fluffy vanilla and lemon curd center was the perfect treat with the addition of an incredibly light and creamy frosting on top.

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For my second visit I made sure I came before 3 o'clock, with a few girlfriends and starving! 

We had such an pleasant time sitting outside and enjoying the sunshine all whilst having a fantastic lunch.

I decided to try their Soft Shell QLD Mud Crab with dill, fennel and lime mayonnaise on Brioche. I've heard a lot of good things about this dish and thankfully it did not disappoint. A very unique but tasty burger made with brioche from MoVida Bakery that is to die for. A fluffy and buttery heaven!

Photo courtesy of  Carmen

My sister ordered Gin and lime cured trout, poached eggs, potato galette with a feta and beetroot relish. I got a serious case of food envy when this was brought out. I of course stole a bite and it was divine, such simple and clean flavours. A very refreshing and suitable lunch for such a hot and sunny day.

Photo Courtesy of  Ngoc

My friend had their signature Top Paddock breakfast. It looked so beautiful, I'm definitely getting one ALL to myself next time. 

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After some gossip and drinks, we decided it was dessert time.

I chose their Chocolate Ganache tart with Raspberries. A gorgeous and rich tart with the bonus of being gluten free for the celiacs reading this blog! 

Photo Courtesy of Ngoc

My friend had this revelation of a Chocolate cheesecake brownie! It was highly recommended by all the staff and our waiter couldn't help but mention it was "life changing" as he placed it down and boy, was he right!

I had a small bite and it was absolutely mind blowing. It's as rich and chocolatey as a cheesecake but somehow is so light and creamy it melts in your mouth before you can even feel guilty! My only fault is that I did not order this myself. 

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 With a spacious design and floor to ceiling windows that let in the summer breeze, Top Paddock is the ideal cafe for any typical Melburnian looking to sloth it out in comfort and style in this summer heat. 

Chef Jesse McTavish ensures that all the ingredients used are of the highest quality, so you know you'll be eating nothing but the best as you're trying to decide which coffee to try from their huge selection.

I'm most definitely going to become a regular, so keep an eye out for me! 

Top Paddock
658 Church st, Richmond 3121
Ph: 03 9429 4332

Cobb Lane Bakery & Cafe - Yarraville

Matt Forbes, an enthusiast pastry chef from the UK who is quickly dominating the Melbourne sweets and pastry scene. Having been trained by Culinary royalty such as Raymond Blanc and Michel Roux, it wasn't a surprise that Vue de Monde, Maze and Mr Hive all wanted him in their kitchens.

Finally in 2013 Forbes opened up Cobb Lane bakery which has been delighting Melbourne with his freshly baked bread and heavenly sweets.

A quaint little cafe in Yarraville adorned with gorgeous blue tiling, it is the best place to finally enjoy Forbes' treats made fresh.

With lots of unique and extraordinary flavours such as Earl grey, passion fruit and chocolate or Ginger and Toffee there's a little something for everyone. You can also come in early for a delicious savoury weekend brekky.

If you can't make it to Yarraville, Forbes' products are stocked in 16 different cafes all around Melbourne so there's no excuse not to get your hands on his cookies, cakes or doughnuts.

Mr Ed Cafe - Flemington

Flemington has changed a lot over the years. In recent times we've seen an explosion of laksa joints, Japanese restaurants and dumpling houses squeezed in between kebab joints and fish and chip places; now Flemington can add a trendy new brunch place to its list.

Mr Ed Cafe, located on racecourse road is the latest addition to the Western suburbs growing brunch scene. It's a relatively large space decorated with Dom Sowersby artwork but the large display case is equally beautiful in comparison with lots of pies, cakes and other treats to choose from.

I ordered Braised pulled pork with a potato and feta hash cake and a fried duck egg whilst my friend had the bubble & squeak from their breakfast menu. I was really impressed by their bubble & squeak, it's a lighter, more attractive take on your traditional fry up. My only complaint is that there was a lot of pork on my plate for such a small hash cake, a piece of toast would've been great.

A sweet treat from their cabinet is of course hard to resist. I'm still so intrigued by their Cranberry, hazelnut, meringue cupcake. The outside is crispy and sweet like a meringue but fluffy on the inside, it's not really like anything I've had before.

285 Racecourse Road, Kensington, Victoria, 3031

Phone - (03)9376 6444

Trading hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4:30pm Sat-Sun 8-4pm