Typos

I went to a Taiwanese tea house today & found a few interesting items on the menu ....

'Pork Guts with ....'   What will I get if I order Pork Guts?

'Reddish Cake, Pan Fired Dumpling, Deep Fry....'   Radish Cake, Pan Fried Dumpling & Deep Fried perhaps ?

Northside Produce Market in North Sydney

My local fresh produce market, held every 3rd Saturday of the month from 8am-12pm, Northside Produce Market. For fresh produces & varieties, this market is indeed a must go monthly ritual if you live around the neighbourhood. Hail or shine the market is there for you & let's support our local farmers/ food producers.

Parker's Organic Juice in a cup, Mango & Peach is still my flavour of the year

Parker's Organic Juice take home pack, arrrghhh they are no longer available in plastic bottle, this glass bottle is heavy !!

Fresh pretty & colourful Flowers

Pink Lady Apple Juice, really fresh & natural

Baby Cherry Tomatoes

Green Mulberry - Pity they didn't have a stall. I bought it from a young lady that walked around with a basket of green & purple Mulberry. My very 1st time tasting green mulberry, it is the sweetest mulberry so far. She got the fruits from her neighbour (an old man who loves gardening & plant the mulberry) & she was helping him sell the fruits. How sweet !!

Banana bread stall - FLEUR DE LYS Award Winning Banana bread

Try before you buy ... Once you try you will buy :o)

Best Banana bread ever, really moist, high quality ingredients, right level of sweetness, and it is professionally packed (majority of Banana bread producers always pack the bread with zillions of cling wrap). No surprise that they are award winning. They deserve the medal.

Freshly Baked Olive Bread, if you take it home, put it in oven & dip it with olive oil & balsamic vinegar, Yuuummo !!

Jelbonleigh Estate Macadamia Nuts, Wasabi & Honey Roasted are my favourite flavours.

NSW Food Authority Wall of Shame

The New South Wales Food Authority bible of truth is out, the website list premises that were fined due to their failure to comply to hygiene standards.

It is interesting to scroll through the list, from your little take away shops, sushi shop, bakery to famous restaurants. Don't get shocked if you find premises got into trouble because they found evidence of cockroach, pests, rodent, droppings, a live rat, potential nesting areas etc.

Happy browsing !!

Jackman and McRoss Hobart

My favourite lunch spot when I visited Hobart a few weeks ago. French style bakery with great selection of pies, pastries & bread.
What more do I need?
Well..I do need a table to start ordering my lunch .... :o)

Jackman and McRoss
57-59 Hampden Rd
Battery Point

Jackman & McRoss at Battery Point
Everything looks yummy & well presented on the display. You just want to buy each of everything they have.Fresh baked breadsRoast Duck Tart & Baked Polenta cakes
Crispy skinned Pork Belly & pea custard Tart with salted Toffee Apple

Pear tart & Opera Cake

Pasta Salad

Seared Wagyu beef parcel with scallop, parsnip & parmesan

A piece of juicy & tender Wagyu inside the parcel
Chicken & Mushroom Pie with home made sauce

Scrambled eggs wrapped with smoked salmon
Deliciousssss...

Salamanca Market Hobart

Show up early with an empty stomach & bring tons of cash when you visit Salamanca Market as most stalls only take cash. I was there from 9am-2.30pm and still feel that I need to go back to some of the stalls.
For the food lovers:

• Fruit Leathers

Home made Dried fruits

• Fresh baked bread/ cookies

I bought this cute little fish short bread

• Bread roll served with sausage

Tried their Weiss-Wurst, the description is 100% accurate, mild & juicy, great sausage
Goes well with a little mustard & BBQ sauce

• Fresh strawberry stall

Bought a cup of strawberry, not the sweetest but the freshest

• Tasmanian Cheese from Bruny Island

• Home made Jam Donut & Ice Cream

Donut with home made strawberry jam, runny texture which means they made their own jam & not from the commercial jar. I bought the donut @ 3pm when the stall was closing, the donut was still soft & moist.

• Scallop pie - only in Tasmania

Flaky pastry, mild curry taste & seems to use generous fresh scallops

• Gillespies Ginger Beer

Only in Tasmania & it is a must try

For non-food items:

Beer Shampoo Bar
Hand made Mug

Cute woodwork doorstopper
Handmade Scented Roses Terracotta Pot

Things to Do in Hobart (Tasmania) in 3 nights & 4 days

I visited Hobart for 3 nights & 4 days during the long weekend (01/10/10 - 04/10/10). Arrived Friday night 9.30pm, left Hobart on Monday 8pm. It was a super packed schedule, but we have done pretty well. If you are looking for some inspirations of things to do in Hobart. Feel free to copy without having the pain to do online research. I will post individual review for places I visited. Stay tuned.

Friday 01/10/10

• Sydney to Hobart flight, about 1 hr & 20 minutes. Arrived Hobart @ 9.30ish pm.
• Checked in to hotel straight away & sleep

Saturday 02/10/10

• Salamanca Market for fresh produce, home made bread/ cookies, honey, and organic products. Plus tons of talented & creative people showcasing their creations from own designed tshirt, clothing, accessories, pottery, wood craft, etc. A very unique market, I wish they can bring Salamanca Market to Sydney. Definitely worth a visit. Opened every Saturday from 8.30am-3pm. I was there from 9-2.30pm.
• Lunch at Jackman & McRoss, about 10 mins walk from Salamanca Market. Although I pigged out at Salamanca Market, I still have space for Jackman & McRoss. French style bakery, relaxed atmosphere, the moment you step in to the shops you just want to eat every single pastries on the display. Always packed & if you go with a big group be prepared to wait for tables.
• Picked up rental car & drive around ...
• Sandy Bay for the water scenery around Hobart. The view is breathtaking & the quality of air is fresher than Sydney, I am not sure if I am exaggerating here, but I seriously feel that way.
• Visited my friend's beautiful house & her 2 cute dogs.
• Dinner at a pizza shop in town, the whole gang was exhausted at this point. We had a caveman style dinner, when the meal was out, we had it within 15 mins. Everyone was hungry & we forgot to take photos/ remember the name of the restaurant.

Salamanca Market with Mount Wellington at the background
View from Sandy Bay

Sunday 03/10/10

• Joined a Cycling tour downhill from Mount Wellington from 9am-12.30pm. They drove 20 mins to go up to the mountain (the Pinnacle) & here's your starting point to cycle downhill with 4-5 stops within the tour. Their car will slowly drive behind the tour to ensure everyone is okay & no one is injured. If you are not great at cycling don't panic, this is going downhill & it fits non sporty person (i.e. ME). Beautiful scenery & you will see much more of the whole mountain by cycling. The tour finished off at Salamanca
• Lunch at Mures seafood Salamanca. I wanted to order Grilled Lobster & the last Lobster was taken by my lucky friend. I ordered Grilled Salmon with chips & oysters at the end. I tasted the Grilled Lobster & it was juicy, sweet & crunchy texture. Therefore, my recommendation will be to order Fresh Oysters & Grilled Lobster. The oysters are very creamy, no fishy smell & super fresh.
• Drove to Cambridge, MeadowBank winery, 20 mins from Hobart.
• Drove from MeadowBank to Richmond (about 10-15 mins). Stop over to view Australia's 1st bridge.
• Drove from Richmond to Port Arthur (about 1 hour)
• Stop over in Eagle Hawk Neck for a little rest boost whilst enjoying the coastal view
• Stayed 1 night @ Port Arthur
• Dinner @ Knight & ... Inn (Again I forgot the name). The only Tudor style building in Port Arthur, felt like I was part of Robin Hood movie when I dined in.
• Ghost Tour at Port Arthur historical site (I didnt do the tour as we arrived late & I was scared LOL)

Mount Wellington - view from the Pinnacle

Meadowbank winery
Knight & ... Inn (Robin Hood Tudor style building)

Monday 04/10/10

• Visit Port Arthur Historical site. Ex convicts site with water scenery. Lucky convicts, they lived here enjoying the $1M water view.
• Drove back to Richmond for lunch
• Lunch at Ashmore on 34 Bridge Street
• Drove back to Hobart via Barilla
• Visited Barilla Bay Oyster Farm on the way to the airport, buy fresh oysters from the Retail shop & have it in their little eating area outside
• Return rental car at airport
• Fly back to Sydney

Port Arthur Historical sites, view from the Commandant's house

NOTE

• Hobart - getting a maxi taxi is hard, you may have to book 1 day in advance.
• Port Arthur - if you are planning to go for dinner, the earlier the better (latest will be 7pm) as you only have limited places (i.e. 2-3 restaurants) you can go for.