Heading to Salamanca

Yahoo! I have been accepted in to Salamanca Market and am hoping to start there on Saturday, August 7th. I will be able to confirm this on the Monday of each week and will advise of my location.

Back to the commercial kitchen this week to prepare. Very excited and looking forward to getting back up to Hobart markets.

Weekend on Bruny

Bruny Island Cruises with Pennicott Wilderness Adventures

Mother and calf (photo doesn't do them justice)

We had been promising to do the cruise for the last few years and luckily for us we chose to go on Saturday. Within twenty minutes of setting out we came across a humpback whale and her new calf. The staff couldn't have been more welcoming and informative and I have never had so much fun in the wind and rain in my life.

Next stop was obligatory visit to Bruny Island Cheese to buy some 1792 and Saint that was so runny and yummy it was like spreading a thick gooey creamy sensation over my bread. The bread is baked on site in the wood fired oven outside that was still warm when I walked by and smelled so good I could have eaten the bricks.

Then on to Hiba for some fudge. People ask me why I don't make fudge and my answer is always the same, "Why would I try when they do it so well?".

Cloudy Bay

After hanging about Lunawanna in the morning, we were off for a run on Cloudy Bay where the surf was up and the surfers were heading down by the car load.

BISH: Bruny Island Smoke House

We had planned to have lunch at BISH, which was delicious and were going to go for a bit of a wander after that, but then we noticed an increasing number of cars boot scooting down to the ferry. It quickly became evident that I mixed up the ferry timetable again.

Take note that if you haven't joined the Bruny Island Cheese Club, the BISH hot smoked trout is as optional extra on offer this time round: www.brunyislandcheese.com.au/cheeseclub.php

Warming the kitchen

Smokin'

Getting the kitchen fire going last week wasn't a such a good idea. The kitchen was cold, so was I and of course my ever-sensitive chocolate doesn't enjoy a chill in the air either. Well, start up the fire of course, that'll warm things up... within half an hour I had every door and window open to allow the smoke to billow out, along with every smidgen of heat that was in the house before I started.

So how do I warm the cockles of my heart after that? I sent out an SOS to find a Tasmanian Rum to make an Eggnog chocolate, Lark Island Rum was the answer and I am pretty happy with the result.

Eggnog Islands

I experimented with Seven Sheds Melomel. David and I couldn't decide on whether it was a success or not, so off I went to look for objective opinions. The results of my mini-survey were 50-50, but while I was at the Cygnet Market today I had an idea... I went to Salamanca yesterday and picked up some Ashbolt Elderberry Concentrate, which comes with the recommendation, "With gin or vodka", ("red flag to a bull" should be written in brackets). Thoroughly enjoyable.... So, next choc of the bench will be a pepperberry ganache with elderberry gel.

Experimenting

And so I enter the world of marshmallows. This is all part of the preparation and experimenting for the Hobart Fine Food Awards. They turned out well and I will experiment with flavourings and coulours over the next few weeks.

Melting Tank with marshmallow squares

Packaged marshmallows

At Cygnet Growers' and Makers' Market this week I've hit winter mode and discovered I'm very much a fruity-gel type. This week, however, is my Grace & Nikki week. They love fruit & nut and caramels so at the market we have:

Fruit & Nut Clusters

Hazelnut Praline

Applemead Truffles

Lymington Triple (triple chocolate ganache and blueberries)

Caramel Crunch

Rhubarb & Bluegum

I've made a full batch of honeycomb, so no chance of me running out this time and of course the launch of the marshmallow.