I am running late and when I get frantic my decidedly dodgy sense of direction tends to get more frantic (which is why Mr NQN tells me that I would be a terrible Amazing Race contestant). And we’re at The Star, formerly Star City but with an overhaul and a new look marketing campaign. Everything is different and I can’t tell whether we are in the front or the back or the side of the building and I feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit warren. And here I am about to see the Adriano Zumbo cake walk. And Zumbo happens to be running even later than we are!
The cake walk is his long held dream of having a fashion parade where models strut down a catwalk holding his creations based on a Parisian cake walk that he once saw. He had held one previously but that was for the taping of his Zumbo television show and it was more staged for the television show rather than a cake walk. And about 200 guests made up of industry contacts, press, friends and family are here to watch his cake walk which is to celebrate the opening of his new store at The Star.
They’re running over an hour late and guests are kept suitably watered and fed with sushi and sashimi from Momofuku Seiobo next door and cocktails including popcorn martinis. Suddenly with a burst of music and a shimmer of the curtain, long legged models strut down the catwalk, pout, turn and flirt with the cameras and crowd.
And there isn’t just comely eye candy for the menfolk but also some for the ladies!
The latest season’s cakes are paraded on the catwalk and some of them match the outfits of the models. The catwalk is over after about 10 minutes of strutting and posing and Zumbo comes out for a final bow.
They raise the curtain to reveal the new store with a “I Love Zumbo” in red neon, a turning gumboot display, a bathtub of chocolates and spotlit specimens of cakes in the window. Adriano makes a heartfelt speech thanking his family and his staff and tells people that there will be samples of the goodies brought out on platters. He then invites everyone to play in the shop and then to join him at the Cherry Bar afterwards.
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| November 29th, 2011 by Not Quite Nigella
After a good part of a lifetime bumming rides from people and trying to avoid both public transport and exorbitant cab bills I have finally become a driver myself. And the role of a driver entails, kind of like karma for all lifts gleaned, is that I pick up people. Not strangers mind you, but visitors from overseas like Catty who is visiting our sunny shores from London.
And I figured where better to head on a Sydney summer’s day than the new Adriano Zumbo shop in Manly? Unfortunately the weather didn’t quite get the memo on our intentions and cast us an overcast day. But no matter, we were heading to a beach to eat Zumbo goodies so it can’t have been all bad right?
When people have said that the store is small they weren’t kidding. You could drive straight past it without even knowing it was there. Just one little sign pokes out from the grey painted building and a dug out portion of the shop reveals boy’s toys. Not adult boy’s toys but children toy’s under glass underfoot. It is small and on the left there is a selection of pastries both savoury and sweet. In the centre are the cakes and to the right are the macarons.
Some of the cakes haven’t yet arrived for their daily delivery and I have to admit that I am really looking forward to trying the cakes that were featured on the SBS show Zumbo. There was the the wasabi eclair and the Milo chocolate milk which proved most vexing in terms of construction. But first things first, we need brunch or more specifically we need savouries. Despite the number of times I’ve been here I’ve never tried a savoury item. As Catty is Australian she tells me that she misses sausage rolls so we figure there’s no better time to reacquaint oneself with the quintessential Australian tuckshop treat? There are three varieties to choose from: pork & fennel; beef bacon and chilli and African spiced lamb.
Pork and fennel on left and beef, bacon and chilli sausage roll on right $4
We took the sausage rolls outside onto the esplanade and sat down to eat them. Not a bad view huh? We could tell that the pastry was good when we cut these in half. There were buttery shards of pastry covering both of us and whipping around in the wind. The pork and fennel has two layers-one of pork and a herby layer with fennel. We both found that a little too herbal. The beef, bacon and chilli sausage however is divine-like an old school sausage roll but butter with the right balance and combination of flavours. And you know how some foods never quite taste quite as good as when you ate them as a child? Well it helps if you have a pastry chef making said food. Then it’s as good or even better.
Cob and co $9
Savouries consumed, we head back to the cafe where they tell us that the second cake delivery will arrive shortly. The Cob and Co is described as a case of corn meringue with a centre of mango lime gel, corn cream and corn mousse and popcorn crunch. We had to eat this in the store as the shop clerk was worried about transporting this home. It has spiky meringue drops on the outside stuck into a marshmallow outer and inside was layers of mango lime gel (which weren’t particularly distinct but gave some tanginess to offset the sweet outer), corn cream and corn mousse. And despite all of this the whole cake isn’t too sweet, just nicely balanced. A jarring note is the popcorn crunch layer at the bottom which has a burnt taste to it, like caramel that has been taken just a bit too far. It isn’t really necessary for taste although we suppose it is necessary for construction.
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| February 27th, 2011 by Not Quite Nigella
I feel a huge responsibility when asked to choose a location for a get together, particularly if it’s for an interstate or overseas guest. I need it to a) suit that person’s likes and dislikes and b) suit the other people coming along. And since the interstate visitor was Julia from Brisbane and my fellow diner was pastry chef Y it just had to feature something sweet. Lovely reader Crystal emailed me a few weeks ago to let me know about The French House and her quote “The kind (of place) you want to spend a whole afternoon chatting with your girlfriends and eat their endless desserts ” clinched it for me.
It’s a Sunday afternoon around 1pm and they don’t take bookings. No matter as Y and Julia are there waiting for me having nabbed a prime position in the middle of the room. There’s outside seating in the partially sun dappled balcony that wraps around and inside is a stunning gilt edged French style room. There’s black marble tables edged in gilt, mismatched furniture, black velvet lounges and opulence abounds. I watch a photogenic family of five feeding their children pastries and baguettes.
Ordering is at the counter and we take turns getting up and perving at the selection. As I’ve missed breakfast I start with a ham and cheese croissant and unable to resist pastry I also opt for a mixed berry crumble danish. There are bread loaves available as well (from $4-$5.90) as well as a selection of baguettes and quiches (and one salad) and an array of about a dozen tarts and cakes.
Ham & cheese croissant $5.90
Everything comes out on pretty decorative plates. The ham and cheese croissant has been toasted and filled simply with cheese and ham. I would have liked a bit more filling so that it wasn’t as dry but the pastry is flakey if not particularly buttery. I also prefer ham and cheese croissants to have some of that lovely soft cheese filling.
Mixed Berry crumble Danish $4.50
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| June 16th, 2010 by Not Quite Nigella
Walking in on the converted brick house turned bakery on this unseasonably warm Autumn day the first thing we notice is the buzz. You know the buzz that every shop owner wants? Sprightly waitresses in shorts and t-shirts abound fetching plates to hungry hordes. At one table there’s a couple with their baby ensconced in a high chair and they’re feeding him little cubes of a sourdough roll dipped in oil and he’s reaching his chubby arms out for more.
The next thing I notice is that we’re needing to play a game of musical chairs this Sunday. There are small tables that seat two to four as well as large communal tables so we perch quietly on seats at a communal table before spying two diners getting up and pounce for their table (well not literally, let’s not embarrass ourselves). Service comes with a smile here and I’m thankful to my friend @carmr for recommending it. I do a quick reconnaissance of the front pastry display cabinet and I spy a Schulz sandwich with wagyu, pickles, cheese, mayo and cos lettuce and my mind is made up. After all as it is a bakery I’m here to try the bread. Mr NQN goes for breakfast, the two poached eggs served with baked beans and bread and opts for a pork and fennel sausage to go with it.
Coffee
A coffee miraculously appears within minutes and Mr NQN sips it and gives a smile. It’s good he confirms.
Schulz Sandwich $11
I prefer this view though…
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| April 14th, 2010 by Not Quite Nigella
“How about Galette des Rois cake & tea?” the very chic and very French Myriam says to me one day when we’re deciding on where to meet up. My mouth immediately salivates and my mind goes into overdrive at the very idea of trying this iconic French pastry. Never heard of it? Please, allow me to explain. Eaten since the Middle Ages the Galette Des Rois or King’s Cake is a treat eaten in the New Year after the 6th of January to celebrate the Epiphany when the Three Kings visited the baby Jesus.
The Parisian version of the cake is made of a multi layered puff pastry filled with a layer of almond frangipane whilst the Provence version uses brioche. The top layers are patterned and baked to a beautiful burnished bronze. Inside is a single charm (a fève) which was put in to draw the kings to the Epiphany. It can take any form but religious symbols are popular. At the beginning, it was said that a bean was used and whoever received it was crowned king or queen for the day and was asked to buy a round of drinks so people who didn’t want to stump up for the round would simply swallow the bean. To avoid this, they started making the charm out of porcelain. Today plastic charms are used but the porcelain ones remain a collector’s item.
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| January 16th, 2010 by Not Quite Nigella
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