Victoire Bakery, Balmain

If I were to establish a niche in the food market, bakeries would probably be my thing. I just love bakeries, for me the discovery of a new bakery is cause for sheer elation; it’s like a drug, addictive and insatiable. I am constantly on the hunt, eyes wandering and nose twitching to and fro, searching for evidence of rising dough and baking bread.

The smell of fresh bread baking, the sight of beautiful pastries displayed pristinely in glass cabinets and the sweet taste of satisfaction after the first bite. It is all these things that I truly savour about bakeries; there is just something tangible and sensual about them, perhaps because they are indeed such sensory places. They are places were you can engage each of your senses and in that engagement arises the pleasure of the experience.

The sight of buttery croissants, rich brioches and pain au chocolat; the sweet fragrance of mascarpone and strawberry rhubarb tarts, quiches and madeleines; the crumbly texture of crunchy palmiers or the crusty feel of freshly baked boules, batards and baguettes. A bakery is the height of sensory overload and it is master baker, Myriam Cordellier-Wever and her son Herman Wever who are responsible for setting out this banquet for your senses at Victoire Bakery.

Located in Balmain, it is undoubtedly one of Sydney’s best bakeries. Neil Perry and QANTAS seem to think so, as Victoire supply both Rockpool and QANTAS First Class with specially made sourdough breads. As I have ardently expressed before, Victoire is one of my favourite things about Balmain. I first fell in love with their chewy levain ficelles two years ago and most bread-loving individuals would agree that there is no one else in Sydney who can attain the same distinguishing balance of crustiness and sourness as that of Victoire’s sourdough.

A trip to Victoire Bakery after a relatively early departure from work allowed me to enjoy my treats at home just in time to watch the sun set from my backyard. I came home with a chocolate tart, a custard pastry, some madeleines and half a dozen sourdough rolls. The shop assistant warned me that the chocolate tart contained tangelo pieces and Grand Marnier; a combination which some people did not find too agreeable. I am not sure where this dislike came from because this tart was amazing, a beautiful balance of flavours mingling together to create a sensation in your mouth.

I decided I would behave myself and share the rest of my spoils; and as usual it was met with satisfied jubilation. The custard pastry was definitively eggy, although not sickeningly so. In every bite was the perfect amount of custard to pastry ratio, which made for every bite a pure joy.

Victoire Bakery is simply one of those places where a loyal following has been forged by consistently supplying patrons with excellent products. It has certainly kept me going back for more and I see no evidence of this patronage stopping anytime soon. If you are one of the few Sydney-siders who have yet to sample Victoire’s beautiful breads then I urge- you must not delay.

The store is small and intimate and allows you to get up close to the breads and pastries. The owners are friendly and inviting, and every so often you will see Myriam greeting passer-bys, exchanging stories with customers and playfully gooing and gaaing at their babies. Victoire also sell fine cheeses and gourmet pastas, and aside from the regular French boulangerie fare, you will find the occasional bread and butter pudding and flourless brownie. Whatever your taste, you will find something to enjoy from this quaint little bakery.

Victoire Bakery
285 Darling Street, Balmain
Phone: (02) 9818 5529

Good Living Pyrmont Grower's Market

Ominous grey clouds draped the usually sunny blue skies of Sydney and the dreary appearance of the morning was enough to make most market attendees recant their commitment. Even with the looming possibility of rain, the steadfastness of market-goers did not wane. A short episode of rain did cause people to scatter and seek shelter but soon after the rain disappeared most punters were back traipsing up and down Pyrmont Bay Park.

The ground was more than a little damp but there is little that will keep these foodies away from a good marketplace, especially when it’s the monthly Good Living Pyrmont Grower’s Market. Most of the usual stands regular market-goers have become acquainted with were present and it was nice to see the popularity of these vendors continue. However, one new stall that caught my eye was the Rosy Reds Orange stand which was revelling in its newfound popularity. Many were attracted to this citrus’ juicy bright red appearance and equally fascinated by the sign that clearly stated they were "not blood oranges" but actually a variant of the navel orange. Being the citrus-fruit groupie that I was, I made haste for the stall to see what all the fuss was about and to of course, have a taste. The oranges were deceptively sweet and not as acidic as conventional navel oranges. They are a pleasant and agreeable fruit and upon tasting, I decided to buy a kilo bag.

Unfortunately not many photos were taken at the markets. My over-eagerness to shop and spot bargains hampered any plans for making things blogging-friendly. Carrying an SLR camera, a handbag and two full shopping bags was all too cumbersome and sadly I chose to forfeit photo-taking. Next time I shall bring my assistant G, to carry some of my purchases.

Roche Bros apple stand




flowers

Here is some of the loot I came home with. I say 'some', because a few items were eaten on the traverse home.

Olive and Rosemary flatbread from Consummate

Berry Jam and Mascarpone Tart from Consummate

Rosy Red Oranges; not a blood orange but a red-fleshed premium navel orange.

Fresh Leatherwood Honeycomb from Australian Honey Cellars

Muesli cookie and a Maple and Pecan Shortbread from Whisk and Pin.

The remaining loot, which also includes a tub of ricotta from Formaggi Ocello.
The Plan: to make Bill Granger’s Ricotta Hotcakes with Honeycomb sugar.

Good Living Pyrmont Growers' Market
(every first Saturday of the month, except January)
Location: Pyrmont Bay Park
From: 7am - 11am
Phone: (02) 9282 3606

Remaining Dates for 2006:
September 2, October 7, November 4, December 2

Previous posts: June 2006 Good Living Pyrmont Growers Market

Sweet Treat: Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies

If there is one thing I love to shop for even more so than kitchen paraphernalia or food, it is shoes. My love for shoes even rivals that of my many other loves such as gelato and chocolate. If I had the financial means I would probably even consider starting my own shoe blog; for me more reasons to go and buy shoes is an extremely good thing. G knows all too well that it only requires the slightest rationalisation and I will be off on an unabashed shoe spree. Grounds for shoe shopping can range from the sensible- “I need new shoes because my old ones are beset with holes”, to the slightly imprudent- “Oh look, shoe sale! Let’s check it out!” to the utterly impulsive- “I must have those shoes, now!” This must be why I don’t own a house, I’ve “shoed” all my money away.

I write of my shoe obsession, I mean devotion as that I foresee the very same fate with cookies, however this fanaticism with cookies will be a lesser financial threat than say this shoe habit. My insatiable appetite for shoes and now cookies has the capacity to leave devastating effects on both my waist and my wallet. I am slowly shopping and eating my way into financial ruin! Oh well, I guess you only live once, and I live by the maxim that it is better to have shopped and gone broke, than to never have shopped at all. The same should go for cookies.

I was browsing several food blogs during some downtime at work and came upon this post for Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies, and like that new pair of Chloé d’Orsay pumps I've been coveting, I just had to have those cookies. Luckily, having them did not involve handing over hundreds of dollars to the surly ladies behind those habitually unmanned counters at David Jones; it’s a mystery, but it’s as if they were intentionally discouraging you from buying anything. Anyway, indulging in these cookies is well within one’s grasp and I suppose it can still be equated to shopping for expensive shoes without the "expensive" part becoming a hindrance . For one, both cookies and shoes require health warnings before undertaking. Trust me navigating your way through a crowded thoroughfare in very pretty, yet incapacitating shoes can be hazardous, not only to you but also to the people around you. Secondly, they both are potentially guilt-inducing, because of the fact that thirdly, they are terribly addictive and you can’t stop at just one.

These cookies are undeniably moreish, chocolate ganache sandwiched between two sables is a perfect concoction for bliss. My last outing with sables came about during an insomnia-ridden state of angst. The outcome although tasty, was disappointing and served the lone purpose of averting the self-induced insanity that mid-dawn shifts tend to bring about. Now that I am in a more serene and slumber-filled state I was prepared to give these sables another crack.

I used a recipe for sables from Melbourne restaurateur Shannon Bennett’s cookbook My Vue. The book is a great collection of both traditional and modern French cuisine. He also shares his experiences while working at Michelin rated restaurants all over Europe and his journey to becoming one of the youngest chefs at the helm of his very own restaurant Vue de Monde. Here is the recipe.

Sable Biscuit
(makes about 50 biscuits)
from this book

450g plain all purpose flour
50g cornflour or cornstarch
400 butter, diced and at room temperature
200 confectioner’s (icing) sugar
4 egg yolks
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 160°C. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Sift the flour and cornflour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the butter and sugar.
Work together with your fingertips until no hard lumps remain.
Add the egg yolks and salt, drawing in the flour. Work until the dough resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Do not over work the dough.
Roll the pastry into a log and refrigerate for two hours.
Remove from fridge and carefully roll the dough out to a thickness of about 6mm. Cut out desired shapes using a cookie cutter.
Place on lined baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until just golden on the edges.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before spreading ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

100ml pure cream
100g bittersweet chocolate

In a saucepan heat the cream until just before boiling.
Pour cream over chocolate in a separate bowl, stand for 1 minute allowing the heat of the cream to slowly melt the chocolate.
Using a spatula mix cream and chocolate until a smooth and glossy mixture ensues.
Place somewhere to cool, uncovered at room temperature then transfer to refrigerator to slightly set.

Scrum-dilly-umptious!

Look Ma, No Cupcakes!

What is this I hear you say? Is this a lame attempt to pass off a collation of photos from the month passed, as a post? The answer is yes, why not. With no time for actual cooking and blogging, the best I can do is to make-do with this food post, sans the actual cooking.

Also because, I am quite proud of the fact that it has been almost a month and a half since my last cupcake. If you have been reading this blog for some time, you will be aware that I embarked on a self-imposed cupcake sabbatical; I think the exact words went something like “spreading my culinary wings” yada yada yada.

So I would like to draw attention to this insignificant yet satisfying feat in my short and inexperienced culinary existence. I have since begun to explore and spread my wings in the kitchen. If it had not been for this sabbatical I would not have been able to step out of my little muffin box and make all manner of things such as polenta biscuits, mille-feuille, pasta, pastries (twice), a yoghurt cake with some curd and some beetroot dip.

While I squander away my precious hours at work, leaving my kitchen unattended for others to usurp (hopefully not), above are some previous creations to mull over. With a bit of luck and deliberate requests for some annual leave I should be back in the kitchen in no time. As my stomach gets emptier and emptier (I’m wasting away!) my return will definitely be sooner rather than later.