Foodies’ Diary

Eat to the Beat

Surry Hills just got that little bit cooler with the opening of BangBang Café and Espresso Bar. It’s the current passion of international DJ Alan Thompson, and he’s really enjoyed putting together his “perfect café menu”. Expect the dishes to use top quality produce in a unique way, injecting the flavour of his London years into offerings like Bacon Butties and Posh Fish Finger Sandwiches. And even if the food’s not good, we can at least be assured that the music will be!  (Alan is probably best known for his Ministry of Sound ‘Housexy’.)

Their coffee’s a shoo-in because it’s Campos Coffee, wielded by Phil Capdor (who came fifth in the 2007 Pura Milk National Latte Art Competition). There’s also groovy headphone art on the wall; vintage American milk bottles for tap water;  and yes, the artisan sourdough comes from Sonoma – why try to imitate what you can’t better I say!

Ethical eating is right up there too, because “at BangBang all chickens are equal and both egg and meat chickens have the right to roam outdoors.” Ah who doesn’t enjoy poking those relentless leather-shoe clad veg-aquarians who only buy free-range eggs?

BangBang, 113 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills (02) 9281 0018

Hot Whipped Cowboys

No, this isn’t an advertisement for The Sydney Hellfire Club, though that’s still going strong after an impressive sixteen years. The real story of hot whipped cowboys began for me at this year’s inaugural Winter Festival, where I tried the best darn Butterscotch Schnapps I’ve ever had.

Fun and frosty weather friendly, Wild Brumby Schnapps comes in a range of other flavours too. Pear William is also excellent – think of crisp, juicy green pears. I choose to get my schnapps mail order (and if you buy two bottles, the folks at Wild Brumby throw in the postage) but of course you could also take a long winter’s drive and visit the distillery daily between 10am and 7pm in July and August. The lure is of course a hot whipped cowboy, alongside Glühwein, free schnapps tastings and foodie delights like veal schnitzel, goulash and lamb ragout.

Threadbo Valley Distillery, Alpine Way, Snowy Mountains (02) 6457 1447 www.wildbrumby.com

Southern Exposure

In terms of wine events that every woman (and man) can attend, Tasmania Unbottled is my firm favourite. A year has passed since my last journey into the pristine wine wonderland that is Tasmania, and they’ve gathered another thirty of the island’s most extraordinary wine producers and brought them to the mainland (the Museum of Contemporary Art to be precise). Taste over a hundred and thirty individual wines all produced in the pure surrounds of an island that should have had ‘wine’ in its name. You are sure to find something to tickle your fancy.

Last year I was gobsmacked by Spring Vale Wines (www.springvalewines.com). I tasted their whole range, which is produced on the Freycinet coast, and there wasn’t one I didn’t like. But if I had to choose a winner, it was their 2008 ‘Louisa’ Sticky Gewurztraminer… Enough teasing. Tickets are $50 but worth every penny – they even give you a tasting platter of superb Tasmanian food produce to enjoy too.

Tasmania Unbottled 2009, Tuesday 11^th August, 2009, Museum of Contemporary Art, (03) 6223 3770

www.winetasmania.com.au/events/tasmania-unbottled-2009

Spice of Life

If you live in the inner west and you haven’t visited Herbie’s Spices, you’re missing out. I recently took a spice class which I’ll tell you more about next time, but if you need another reason to revisit, Herbie (Ian Hemphill) has made a new blend! It’s called ‘32° – Just Hot Enough’ because it was made in their factory in the Hunter Valley, which has the same latitude. I’m told it’s got the distinct tang of lemon myrtle and as a result it goes well on fish, free-range chook and red meats. It doesn’t go on those unhappy caged chickens; no it does not go with them at all!

Herbie’s Spices, 745 Darling Street, Rozelle (02) 9555 6035 www.herbies.com.au