Random round-up!

Still in the throes of preparing for some great, big exams *stresses*. So here's another quick quickie post :D

Firstly - Pappa Roti opened in Strathfield yesterday! There's a special offer for a free bun with any drink purchased.

Very nice piping 

Sick of studying, I ventured out under the blazing sun and brought back one of the fluffiest buns I've ever seen. The smell was absolutely incredible. 

Despite trying to spend every waking minute cramming useless knowledge into my brain, I find the time to do some therapeutic baking. I made Portuguese egg custard tarts:

As well as my very first quiche, loaded with bacon, cheese and caramelised onions. Yum! I was supposed to take it to a revision session with some uni friends, but since the date passed and I didn't hear from any of them, I was - ahem - forced to eat most of it by myself.

The quiche got me in the mood to do some more fancy cooking. I don't know if this constitutes as "fancy" to other people, but for a rookie cook like myself it seemed quite involved. Those eggs Benedict from 2042 Deli & Cafe left me craving eggs for breakfast for the next few days, and I took it upon myself to replicate a cafe-style brekkie at home:

Pan-fried eggs with smoked trout, cream cheese, and sauteed baby spinach.

Last but not least, a trip to Balmain led to an impromptu visit to Adriano Zumbo's Patisserie...oh, who am I kidding. I drove to Balmain for the very purpose of acquiring some macarons. Or Zumbarons, as they're now apparently called. I gawked at the cake display:

And came away with three 'Zumbarons': 

Must. Go. Study. NOW!

Re-fuelling at Taste Cafe

Hello, hello! Not that it's of any consequence to anyone who may read this but...I am now the proud owner of GREEN P-PLATES!!! Yes, I passed my Hazard Perception Test yesterday :D And good thing too, since my P1 licence was due to expire in a mere two days @_@"

I got to the City South RTA an hour earlier than I was supposed to, so I decided to check out some of the neighbouring cafes. A display of mini macarons in Taste Bakery on Foveaux Street, Surry Hills, caught my eye. So in I went, looking for a sugar rush before I braved the HPT.

I got a baggie of four mini macarons, in the flavours of sesame (shown above), apple & cinnamon, coconut, and green tea.

And also a coffee. Campos!

I guess it's a lot harder to bake mini macaron shells compared to 'normal' sized ones. By which I mean keep the insides moist. The ones which I had were very crunchy. Still, the flavours delivered, and these made for a tasty snack. I wholeheartedly attribute my success to these little babies :D

Green tea

Coconut

Apple & Cinnamon

Taste Bakery & Restaurant

38-44 Foveaux St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Phone: (02) 9281 7228

Best macarons in Sydney?

Okay, I admit - compared to the hardcore macaron fanatics out there, my knowledge of macarons is a mere rain-drop to their vast sea of wisdom. Still, I pride myself on making grandiose, evaluative statements on subjects that contain zero potential for ever being proven scientifically.

So, I'm going to assert here and now that that the BEST MACARONS in Sydney, nay, in the world, are the ones from the La Renaissance Patisserie in The Rocks, Sydney.

Is this not a thing of beauty? Perfectly domed shells which are subtle in sweetness but delightfully varied in texture as my teeth breaks through the crisped surface into the gooey interior. And all this encasing a wondrously flavoursome filling that always delivers on whatever is advertised on the placard. In this case, a smooth buttercream of chestnut and pear. My favourite flavour combination in a macaron to date.

Look at the gorgeous feet on those shells! And what made the experience of eating this all the more special were the golden flecks scattered all over the russet-hued shells. An edible brocade, that's what this macaron was.

On this occasion, I also had a coffee flavoured macaron, and a few hours later, a dark chocolate one.

The coffee mac delivered a much needed dose of caffeine (although, perhaps this was more psychological :D). The perfect pick-me-up.

Unfortunately, the dark chocolate one had hard, crunchy shells. This, however, did little to dampen my enthusiasm over the exceptional macarons at La Renaissance.

As the old adage goes: "Don't let one bad macaron spoil the [insert collective noun for macarons]." Or something to that effect :D I maintain that La Renaissance has the best macarons Syd...I mean, the world!


La Renaissance Café Pâtisserie

47 Argyle Street The Rocks
Sydney NSW 2000

Phone: (02) 9241 4878
Fax: (02) 9241 4870
Email: orders@larenaissance.com.au
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm, Seven days