Barilla Pasta Cooking Class

February 27, 2019Leave a comment

We were lucky enough to participate in one of Barilla’s masterclasses at their authentic Italian Cooking School in Annandale, Sydney. Here they offer hands-on classes at a cost $100 per person or demonstrations & master classes with experienced chefs at a cost of $65 per person. Pick which you’d prefer and see how easy it is to cook like a chef in your own home!

We participated in a masterclass and thought the class was extremely good value, as it included a cocktail (or San Pellegrino drink) on arrival, as well as antipasto with crackers, dips and olives. The cost also included the chef demonstration, a two course meal with wine or sparkling and a Barilla goodie bag to take home, full of products and recipes.

Our masterclass was run by Matteo Zamboni, who comes with a wealth of experience, currently the chef at Jonah’s, Whale Beach. An interactive class in an intimate setting (just 16 people per class) he demonstrated the cooking, visible from all participants and also filmed up on the big screen.

We were then able reap the benefits of this cooking demonstration, as we tasted the meals prepared by the chef. It was wonderful to see him share his knowledge and techniques in an engaging way. We also appreciated the fact they were recipes we’d be able to replicate at home.

The entrée prepared for us was a Casarecce, using Barilla pasta, with prawns, zucchini and mint. The bisque was made first with prawn heads, garlic and eschallot, before cooking the pasta and vegetables. The flavour of this pasta was beautiful and I home to try cooking this one at home.

We had time to chat and meet our fellow diners whilst eating the entrée and preparations were made to demonstrate the main meal.

The main was duck two ways: Confit duck leg and roasted breast. The confit leg sounded easier to make than I first thought. I’m certainly not a cook by any stretch of the imagination, and watching Matteo made me realise I can do this, if I follow the recipe and just be patient with time.

Laying the duck in a tray, warming and mixing the spices for the flavour and then curing it. Leave for 6 hours, melt the duck fat and cover the duck and cook in the oven for 2 hours. I won’t give the recipe away – see Barilla for more details. It was fall off the bone, melt in your mouth delicious.

We then saw the other variant cooked where the duck breast was cooked in a non-stick pan, rested and then eaten. Simply flavoured with sea salt, this dry aged duck was incredibly well cooked with a moist flesh and crispy skin. Served with potatoes, this was easily one of the best duck dishes I’ve eaten.

We also had gelato canolli to finish off a brilliant evening!

We thoroughly recommend booking in for a hands on demo, masterclass, or even team building classes are available for your corporate team. You’ll then have a new portfolio of dishes to try at home.

Casa Barilla

4 Annandale Street, Annandale

Sydney NSW 2038

https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/inner-sydney/food-and-drink/casa-barilla-cooking-school

Franklin Restaurant, Hobart

February 23, 2019February 24, 2019Leave a comment

Another highly praised restaurant which we checked out in Tasmania was Franklin restaurant in Hobart. We had booked for a late meal at the end of a busy day seeing the sights. The restaurants has large glass windows which are very visible from the street. The restaurant interior is paired back with concrete and industrial fittings, providing clean visual features. The open kitchen and bar provide the ability to watch what is going on. It is a busy restaurant but the staff are attentive. The ambience is buzzing and this makes for a great dining atmosphere.

The drinks list includes craft beer, interesting wine options, including natural wine and there’s also a mix of cocktails and craft spirits.

The menu has a number of inviting options and was headed up with some exciting small bites. A must eat item is the scotch quail eggs. This tasty morsel has a crisp outer crust, a tasty mid layer of sobrasada and the yolk of the quail egg oozing out once cut into.

The octopus and salt bush dumplings may not be the most appealing looking bite, however this was made up for by the texture and flavour. We were also provided some amazing complimentary bread.

The mushroom dish was full of umami from the braised wakame and egg yolk sabayan. This was the tasiest dish of the evening. With the oyster mushrooms providing a meaty texture.

Potatoes are certainly abundant in Hobart and were well put to use in the potato galette with an emulsion of huacatay, a Peruvian herb sourced locally on the Tasman coast.

This accompanied the main source of protein we ordered, the woodroasted littlewood lamb, served with braised almonds and pickled kohlrabi.

This dish was very simple looking on the plate, however the flavour of the lamb was incredible and the almonds provided texture and the pickled kohlrabi cut through the richness of the lamb.

Franklin is great place to enjoy a meal in Tasmania to savour some local produce and wash ot down with a quality drinks list.

Franklin

30 Argyle St, Hobart TAS 7000

The Observatory Bar @ The Langham, Sydney

February 23, 2019Leave a comment

The swanky new bar, located in the heart of Millers Point, on the lower level of the Langham Sydney has opened up as a lounge bar, serving up some amazing cocktails with clever flavour combinations. Themed with a basis on nature and Australian ingredients, the Observatory Bar is not your run of the mill cocktail bar.

This bar is not just for hotel guests, rather a sophisticated space to come as a bar destination for those looking for some quality drinks.

The setting is intimate and the decor is inspired, with a classy bar vibe featuring astronomy themed furniture. The space has velvet chairs, ottomans and plush lounges. Floor to ceiling bookshelves with art and stocked bar trolleys, they’ve done a great job keeping to the theme.

We enjoyed a few special cocktails prepared by skilled Melbourne bartender, Jimmy Burchett, who took over the bar for the evening, with his charismatic and hip personality, serving up some incredible cocktails along with the bar’s signature serves.

Jimmy made his cocktails, whilst narrating the story behind each one, which was thoroughly appreciated.

We tried the BAYSIDE – an oceanic twist to the Southside, this drink features Cedar Fox Dry Gin, sea vegetables, river mint, Strangelove Hot Ginger Beer topped with a vanilla and cucumber foam.

The NOT ON TAP is a dairy free and bourbon shake featuring Bulleit 10 Year old American Whiskey, IPA reduction, Chartreuse Yellow. almond Milk, peanut butter and ripened banana. Sort of like an alcoholic shake!

IN THE MOMENT was a beautiful cocktail to sit and sip on with the Cedar Fox dry gin, dry sake, Imbruglio, lemon oil and spritzed. We loved the kick to this.

If cocktails aren’t your thing, there’s an exclusive and varied wine and rare spirit list to choose from.

The food menu has an emphasis on sharing, perfect to order a few to accompany your drink. These treats are delectable and we very much enjoyed their take on a Saganaki cheese on a crudo, flavoured with slipsmith gin, honey and thyme. We also had the mini wagyu tacos and caviar topped sour cream, shallot and chive donuts.

We enjoyed our visit to the Observatory Bar in the Langham and would like to thank all staff for the hospitality provided. Thank you also to 3 degrees marketing for extending the invitation.

Observatory Bar

The Langham Sydney

89-113 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

T 61 (2) 9256 2222

E tlsyd.info@langhamhotels.com

The Alexandra Hotel – Leura

February 21, 2019February 23, 20192 Comments

Fancy a getaway only 1.5 hours away from the Sydney CBD in the picturesque town of Leura? Look no further as we have the tips for you!

It’s hard to visit Leura without spending a small fortune, as there’s a number of extremely expensive lodgings and restaurants in the town and surrounds. However, we will point you to somewhere that is extremely good value for money at high quality.

The Alexandra hotel, established 1903 is the only licensed hotel in Leura and a short stroll from the mall. It is an old quaint boutique building with ornate trims and stained glass windows.

The hotel is sectioned off into a number of areas, with a sports bar and lounge bar (with floor to ceiling bookshelf). There’s also plenty of space for a party or function.

There is also plenty of outdoor space to enjoy.

The hotel is right beside Leura train station, but the noise isn’t obvious at all. The hotel aptly has has a railway theme to it, with the outdoor bar in the beer garden called “platform 3”, and a Leura Rail sign featuring in the dining room.

We also stayed in the hotel. It was a comfortable heritage room with vintage furniture, double bed and modern bathroom. The rooms have old world charm with some modern convenience including the addition of a/c and tv. The room opens onto a balcony with a nice outlook of the hotel’s backyard beer garden and out to the valley below.

The hotel is a great spot to dine, whether it be lunch or dinner, pull up a stump at either of the two beer gardens for a causal vibe or for proper sit down meal book a table in the dining room, named “Redfern Bistro”.

There’s something for everyone, casual food including burgers and pizzas, with the pizzas made in the wood fired oven in a traditional manner by Marco Marano.

The summer menu, prepared by chef Anna Borna features modern Australian gastro pub food, beautifully cooked and presented.

We were seated in the dining room and ordered a glass of bubbles.

Their Garlic bread made on a house baked baguette and is topped with melted garlic and parsley butter an ideal start to the meal.

This came out with the confit mushrooms dish, a tasty vegetarian opttion. Pan fried portobello and button mushrooms cooked in olive oil with rosemary and lemon with feta, almond and coriander dukkah (gf).

Other entrees on offer include oysters, pate, calamari and baked haloumi.

For the mains, the Pan roasted duck breast instantly piqued our interest. The meat was cooked to perfection, skin nicely seasoned, served with duck fat potatoes and rustic heirloom carrots. It’s accompanying home made Peking duck citrus sauce was brilliant and kept us searching the plate for more of it.

From specials board, we couldn’t go past the pan fried and seared ocean trout. This was a splendid fish dish, the skin salted, nicely rendered and crisp. The flesh was perfect; a lovely pink orange hue, flakey and melt in the mouth followed by the beautiful flavour of the fish. The sauce was a delicious combination of smoked paprika dill and grapefruit veloute, served with roasted potatoes, charred leeks, broad beans, peas and cherry tomatoes. Perfect Bistro fare and one of the better fish dishes that come to mind, highly recommended.

Whilst we were extremely satisfied at this point, we had to go with the dessert option on the specials menu, the banana spilt. Here it is the classic dessert that has been pimped up with two bananas, deep fried in a Moreish crisp salty batter. This has been placed atop a butterscotch sauce and served with vanilla bean ice cream. So tasty, it was irresistible .

It is worth driving up to the Blue Mountains for the charm of this beautiful old pub alone and the scenery in the area is an added bonus.

The Alexandra Hotel is well located a short stroll from the boutique town of Leura and a short drive to the tourist sights in the area. Book a room and make for a short getaway.

We would like to thank the Alexandra hotel and staff for their hospitality and Spooning Australia for the invitation to dine.

https://www.alexandrahotel.com.au

Agrarian Kitchen – Tasmania

February 18, 2019February 20, 2019Leave a comment

We went to the Agrarian Kitchen after visiting Mona (Museum of Old and New art). From one quirky establishment to another, Agrarian Kitchen has set up in an ex mental asylum and this time we were committed. The fit out was impressive, keeping many of the original ornate features and sprucing them up.

The dining room had plenty of natural light and a good playlist contributing to a great dining atmosphere.

Once seated, it didn’t even register what this building previously housed. The service here was impressive from the start, with many of the waitstaff greeting us on the way in and showing genuine enjoyment for the restaurant.

They weren’t without error, but dealt with the situation well. An incorrect dessert, which cannot entirely be attributed to the waitstaff, as there was two puddings on the menu. This worked out in our favour as we were rewarded with an extra dessert F.O.C.

With an emphasis on fresh, seasonal and local ingredients, with staff foraging the restaurant garden for ingredients. Each dish was presented nicely with an emphasis on sharing. The flavours and textures of each dish were very notable.

There were plenty of potatoes on offer around town, the Agrarian utilising this ingredient for their potato scallops/cakes, which had a nice crisp batter, and each scallop had a slice of locally sourced potato which they served with a tasty house made tomato sauce.

The pear, prosciutto and stracchiatella was beautifully presented, and a nice cool dish for summer. This dish had a great combination of flavours the sweetness of the fruit, saltiness of the prosciutto and creamy texture of the stracchiatella.

The farmer’s cheese dumpling was a singular pastel yellow in colour, with a souffle like texture with zucchini, olive and parmesan adding a good hit of flavour.

The pick of the bunch was the half wood smoked duck to share. The duck itself was tasty enough on its own, the skin so crisp, so good there was none to spare. It was served with a range of condiments to enhance the flavours, including mustard pickled cherries, which happened to be in season and the sweet damson plum sauce, both combined very well with the duck. The was also served sides including the deliciously crunchy roast russet burbank potatoes and an aussie favourite beetroots with shallots in red wine vinegar.

After this, we decided to share desserts and the salted honey ice cream and fennel pollen was a simple sophisticated dessert which went perfectly with the Belgrove Rye; a locally distilled craft spirit.

A great brunch or lunch venue not to be missed, the restaurant is bright, the service great and the food enticing.

Arnott’s Sundaes now at Event Cinema Gold Class

February 17, 2019February 17, 2019Leave a comment

Out goes the choc top for us as we now yearn for more Arnott’s biscuits sundaes at our next movie date.

We had the pleasure of attending a screening of ‘What men want’ at Event Cinemas Bondi Junction in their Gold Class cinema to celebrate Event Cinema turning Arnott’s Biscuits into ice cream sundaes! And it’s not just what men want, everyone wants these sundaes.

The iconic biscuit brand, that has been in operation over 150 years now features as one of the key ingredients in a new range of sundaes available to purchase for those heading to Gold Class cinemas.

Arnott’s teamed up with the cinema, working with each other to identify most popular ice creams and biscuits to develop a range of biscuit themed sundaes.

Image – original spin

Featuring the ever popular Tim Tam, Mint Slice, Monte Carlo and Caramel Crowns, you can purchase a mouthwatering sundae for $25 and have it delivered to your reclining couch before, or during the film. This sundae is served in a glass almost bigger than ourselves. The glass is filled with three scoops of creamy ice cream carefully placed, topped with the Arnotts biscuits, in house made hot fudge sauce topping, whipped cream and waters or dried fruit (depending on the option selected). The favours and textures certainly work well together and the sundae has brought back a feeling of nostalgia where you can share your ice cream sundae over a movie and it has brought our favourite biscuit classics to the fore.

Whilst they may not be good for your waistline, they are certainly good for your tastebuds and level of happiness upon consumption. You’ll love the richness, decadence and texture of the sundae and we’re sure that this will satisfy that sweet craving.

With four indulgent flavours to choose from:

•Classic Tim Tam: scoops of creamy vanilla bean and chocolate obsession ice cream, warm chocolate fudge, waffles, malt crispy bits, Tim Tam biscuits, whipped cream and a cherry on top;

Image – original spin

•Minty Mint Slice: scoops of choc mint and chocolate obsession ice cream, warm chocolate fudge, Mint Slice biscuits, chocolate malt crumble, choc coated wafer crumble bits and whipped cream;

Image – original spin

•The Full Monte Carlo: scoops of creamy vanilla bean and berry ice cream, Monte Carlo biscuits, raspberry crumble, strawberry coulis, vanilla malt crumb, fresh strawberries and whipped cream;

Image – original spin

•Salted Caramel Crowns: scoops of rock salted caramel ice cream, salted caramel popcorn, malt crumble, Caramel Crown biscuits, warm caramel fudge, whipped cream, honeycomb, classic wafers.

Image – original spin

Arnott’s Sundaes are available now at all Event and BCC Gold Class Cinemas across Australia.

Image – original spin

Whilst you’re there, you’re also able to order popcorn, food and drink and candy. The food and drinks are delivered to your chair and Gold Class makes for a luxury cinema visit.

Thank you to original spin for the invitation to attend, to Event Cinema for hosting and Arnott’s for the collaboration.

Rosenbaum and Fuller @ Bondi Beach

February 16, 20191 Comment

This cafe is in a busy area in Bondi off Hall street where there’s heaps of cafes to try. Rosenbaum and fuller has only been open a few months and trying to pave their way in a busy industry. We visited after finding this via Instagram and liked the idea of its vision with an ethical and sustainable supply and use of fresh organic ingredients.

It is a cafe by day and restaurant by lunch and dinner, they often have live music in the evenings with some dinner specials.

We like the set up of the space, it is nice decor, ambience and the kitsch features, like the hanging bouquets and alcohol bottles. The pottery cups are also a nice touch.

The service was excellent, the waitress was very helpful and personable and dealt well with our many questions.

We really enjoyed our meal, although only 2 of the party ordered since the menu online differed to what is actually on the menu when you arrive (and some of us decided what we wanted before we arrived and they didn’t have it). In addition, the printed menu is a bit vague, ie “avocado on toast or mushrooms on toast”. In reality, the food is far more creative, interesting and enticing than the menu suggests. So we recommend taking a punt and giving something a go because it is better than it sounds.

We had the gnocchi with mushrooms, kale, potato and a poached egg which was super delicious.

The roasted granola was lovely and came with a huge serving of coconut yoghurt and berry compote. Quite a good choice for vegan diners.

The coffee is good – they use edition roasters. There’s tea and other drinks and well as some brunch cocktails and alcohol at lunch and dinner time.

We like the cafe and hope to see them do well.

13 O’Brien St, Bondi Beach NSW 2026

rosenbaumandfuller.com

Celebrate the ‘month of love’ @ The Ternary

February 14, 2019February 14, 2019Leave a comment

Valentine’s Day is on February 14, but we all know it’s more important to share the love each and every day.

Do you have plans for a romantic outing during this season of love?

Why not visit The Ternary, In the Novotel Darling Harbour for their “month of love”, as they hold a $75 three course meal, designed to share with that special someone. To add to the experience you could even book a room.

The location is wonderful and if you come early, you can see sweeping views of the harbour panorama from the the main dining room windows. At night, the harbour is beautifully lit up and fireworks visible on weekends.

The space has high ceilings and white washed walls and modern simplistic features forming the Ternary. There’s also a lounge by the fireplace to get you in the mood for romance.

We were here for the month of love dinner and were seated at the open kitchen, designed to create an interactive dining experience where you can watch the chefs at work. We enjoying watching them and talking through their recipes.

The unique menu begins with a glass of Taittinger Champagne each and a special Cocktail ‘Mi Amor’, created by the bar staff – a four pillars shiraz gin based cocktail to set the tone of the evening.

The champagne pairs perfectly with the beautifully fresh seafood including prawns, oysters and calamari.

For your main course, you can select from a choice of Slow Cooked Beef Rib, or a whole Baby Barramundi. The beef rib falls softly off the bone and absolutely melts in your mouth. Served atop a creamy mash with sweet potato crisps and asparagus.

The whole baby barramundi has been lightly grilled and then baked in the oven, creating a soft, flavoursome flaky fish that is super tasty. This came with a wilted spinach and roast vegetables. It’s such a great fish dish, you may not want to share.

Image – The society group

We simply could not say no to the amazing dessert platter! A beautifully presented plate with a gooey chocolate fondant, the cinnamon covered chocolate filled churros are what dreams are made of and even better, they are served with chocolate dipping sauce. There was also the Eaton mess which sure to have you feeling the love. All desserts were great for sharing (or not) !

We had a few wines to pair with our food, such as a Shaw & Smith Savingnon Blanc with the entree, a Clare Valley Rose with the mains and a Bleasdale sparkling Shiraz to accompany the dessert. All wine matched perfectly, what better way to spend Valentine’s day with your perfect match.

We would like to show our gratitude to the wonderful chefs, hotel & restaurant staff and in particular the food and beverage managers Veronika and Tim. Their personable nature embodies the Ternary’s positive ‘can do’ attitude. They were so warm and hospitable and took time to get to know us, chat about the food and drink. We’re sure this high quality staff team would be a reason why the venue is so popular.

We thoroughly recommend the month of love dinner, or any other visit (we did note the 500g Balmain bug dish!!). We suggest you make a booking to avoid missing out. They are still offering their regular A’la-carte-menu as well.

The Ternary

Novotel Darling Harbour

100 Murray St, Pyrmont NSW

https://www.theternary.com.au/

Seafood buffet brunch on every Sunday @ Hyatt Regency, Sydney

February 10, 2019February 12, 2019Leave a comment

Sailmaker Restaurant can found on the ground level of the Hyatt Regency Sydney. Pass through the grand lobby with marble floors and high ceilings past the bar and up the stairs.

The Hyatt is an expansive hotel, just off Sussex Street on the CBD side of Darling Harbour. Under the Hyatt banner for approx 2 years, it is a sophisticated hotel with amazing dining locations including Sailmaker restaurant and also Zephr rooftop bar. Sailmaker, named after the original purpose of the building, creating sails for boats in the 1800’s has a long history in the area and we love that whilst dining, you can look out over Darling harbour and all of the boats. Sailmaker restaurant has a large open dining area sectioned off into two areas.

Sailmaker Restaurant are offering a new Sunday Seafood Brunch with limitless Chandon sparkling wine. It is available every Sunday from February 3, from 12pm – 2pm for $78 per person. There was also some great live music adding to the ambience, with the duo playing an excellent selection of songs.

There was a great spread on offer. The cold seafood bar immediatly took our interest, it was stacked high with amazing oysters, mussels, marinated baby octopus, smoked salmon and fresh prawns to gorge on. The seafood accompanied by a variety of dressings. This is certainly somewhere you can get your seafood fix.

They have a egg station with the staff cooking made to order omelettes, with additions of your choice including prawns and crab. They also do a great salmon benedict.

For those with a sweet tooth, the chefs can also make you waffles and pancake to order and there are also plenty of delicious pastries on offer.

It’s not all seafood, head over to the main buffet, for an impressive selection of hot food to insatiate your appetite; A huge succulent roast pork was pefectly cooked with crisp crackling and the impressive lamb pie is a must.

Fill up your plate with some of the roast vegetables and fresh salads; eggplant and bocconcini, kale or cauliflower, as well as bacon, hash browns and more.

There’s an overflowing cheese platter, charcuterie and breads, honestly we were in food heaven.

We thought we were finished, there was the dessert buffet to explore, we did have to channel our dessert stomach. The offering on display included; Brownies, lemon tarts, marshmallows, coconut slice, macaroons, a few beautiful cakes and a fruit platter.

It’s honestly best to try everything! Accompany this with a coffee and it’s the perfect end to a fabulous meal.

We would like to thank the Hyatt Regency for the invitation to dine and the hospitality provided.

Sailmaker at Hyatt Regency

161 Sussex Street, Sydney New South Wales 2000

Phone: 02 8099 1234

What to do in Hobart

February 5, 2019February 24, 2019Leave a comment

Hobart is a beautiful city, only 1 hour flight from Melbourne or 1.5 hours from Sydney. Sitting beneath Mt Wellington, it is certainly situated in a beautiful area.

It is a city with a lot of history related to the convict period and they’ve done a great job in keeping with the heritage.

Hobart also has a reputation for good food, wineries, cellar doors and some world-class distilleries – whether you take a tour or drive around yourselves, there’s plenty to eat, drink and see.

Mt Wellington

Drive up Mt Wellington and get a breathtaking view of Hobart, though you may have to try a few times as there is often a great deal of fog!

Mona Museum

Australia’s largest private museum / Mona – the museum of old and new art is certainly a place recommended to visit. Only about a 20 minute drive from the Hobart CBD but most people catch the ferry for a relaxing journey over.

The museum is pretty cool, interesting but some pieces might be a little confronting for some. You get an iPhone and headphones when you enter to access information and stories about the works of art, which is helpful as you’re walking around.

It was suggested we start from the bottom floor and work our way up. Spiraling down you being in a huge sandstone space with a waterfall creating words of art and this is super cool.

There’s art work using different mediums and even a model of a digestive system and a fat Ferrari. There’s a stage and outdoor area where they often host shows and concerts.

It’s pretty accessible with lifts and ramps for those that need it. There’s a gift shop and plenty of places to eat and drink; museum cafe, wine bar where they offer guided tours of the vineyard and tastings, void bar (on the bottom level of the museum), the source restaurant and faro restaurant.

It is only closed on Tuesday’s and Christmas Day. Entry fee is $28 for adults, $25 for concession and under 18’s are free.

Farm Gate Markets

The farmgate markets on bathurst st are an ideal place to grab a bite to eat. Primarily focusing on local seasonal produce with plenty of fresh fruit and veg on offer. There is also a bit of seafood to sample. Artisans are there with truffles, olive oil, seasonings, honey, mustards and preserves.

We loved the fresh local oysters and took every opportunity to give them a try, very fresh with a beautiful creamy texture. The cheese on offer looked spectacular as did the baked goods, we could not pass up Lady Hester sourdough doughnuts. The vanilla custard doughnut was phenomenal and they certainly didn’t skimp on the filling.

There was plenty of specialty coffee available we sampled the yipykayaa coffee with some honey, this was different to the norm and went down a treat. There’s boutique wineries and distilleries where you can try and buy some bottles. Then you have all of the food trucks with an array of food on offer including mexican, toasties, bao and more, take your pick. The wallaby burrito from pachamama was a tasty and filling bite to eat. Held every Sunday from 8:30-1pm

Salamanca Markets

There are all sorts of markets around Hobart where you can grab a bite to eat every Saturday at the marina. The Salamanca markets are hands down the best to visit with some of the best places to sample fresh local produce.

Salamanca markets are synonymous with food and Hobart. We had a great experience at these markets and were impressed with the variety on offer. The markets were way bigger than we expected. Tip: get there nice and early, the markets officially open at 8:30am. We arrived at 8am and most stores were already set up and this gave us the opportunity to explore without the crowds.

The famous scallop pie by Smiths Pies was right at the top of our list. It was noted by a number of people that this sells out quickly. We made a v line straight to the caravan and were first in line. At 8 bucks a pie they are reasonably priced, a delicious pie with flacky pastry packed with plenty of scallops with roe and flavoured with a light curry gravy, this pie is well worth a crack if visiting the markets.

Then there was all of the fresh produce seafood including oysters, salmon and more. The fruit and veg on offer is as fresh as can be, we tried some delicious apples! Then there are the baked goods, one of our favourites being the Cygnet wood fired bakery. Their almond croissants were top notch, they were crisp and flakey on the outside and light and airy on the inside. There are also plenty of places to grab a coffee and some amazing donuts from Cream Coffee. The markets also have artisans selling truffles, beef Jerky, cheeses, honey olive oil, seasonings, honey, mustards and preserves amongst plenty more. There are plenty of crafts too from leather goods to antiques and jewellery. You can certainly spend hours exploring.

Street Eats @ Franko

Street Eats @Franko are held every Friday from 4:30-9:30 from November to April at Franklin Square Hobart and it is a busy night food market with plenty of stalls offering food, beers, wines and local spirits. Music gives it a good vibe and it’s a great Friday activity.

Visit historic Richmond

In the 1820’s, Richmond was the third largest town in terms of population in Tasmania. There were lots of convicts there to work in the public labour sector with the discovery of coal. It has remained in keeping with its heritage and can be described as a Georgian Village with beautiful sandstone homes and quaint shops selling antiques, crafts and there are plenty of cafes offering tea and scones.

There are a number of vineyards and as doors to explore whilst you’re in the area. Only a short drive (25m) from Hobart but there’s plenty of accomodation if you’re interested in staying.

Richmond also have Australia’s oldest existing colonial gaol which was needed to house those convicts, that committed offences whilst working. The goal is very well preserved and conserved and super interesting to look around and learn. The gaol, including solitary confinement areas, the gaolers house, latrine and exercise yard. The site has been done really well and certainly worth a visit.

Visit convict sites

There’s 11 convict sites around Australia that are heritage listed and 5 of these are in Tasmania, including Port Arthur, Coal Mines Historic site, Woolmers Estate and Brickendon, Cascades female factory and Darlington Probation station. Visiting a few of these will give you great insight into the nations past. If you can’t visit them all, certainly consider at the very least Port Arthur, a scenic 1.5 hours drive from Hobart.

Port Arthur was one of the largest sites in Tasmania where the convicts lived and worked. The site today is an air museum with over 30 historic buildings, including houses, a church, school, as well as beautiful grounds and gardens.

Your entrance ticket gives you entry to the site, a guided tour and a short ferry ride around the bay, by the Isle of the Dead cemetery.

We also visited the Cascades Female Factory (prison) site where approximately 25 000 female convicts were transported and held. A small site, only ten minutes from Hobart. It is more of an interpretive site. You can read through the brochure, or it would be recommended to have a guide.

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

This is about 30 minutes from Hobart and it is perfect to visit for those interested in seeing animals like Kangaroos, wombats, birds, snakes and of course, the Tasmanian Devil.

A great place which is working in the field of conservation to assist in saving many of these species threatened by extinction. They offer guided tours to guests at 4 times throughout the day but you can also guide yourself through.

Tasmanian Devil Unzoo

We enjoyed visiting here and learning about the Tasmanian devils. The staff are working to ensure these animals dont become extinct and the park has been developed for conservation purposes. The entry fee is expensive (as everything seems to be) but at least your money is going to a good place. The staff presenter was extremely knowledgeable with information about the devils and passionate about his job. Be sure to go at 1:30 for the feeding and presentation time. The park has birds and kangaroos etc too and is about an hour drive from Hobart.

Mawsons Replica Hut

Only 50 metres from the waterfront, this is a tourist attraction and conservation project designed to teach people about Masons Antarctica expedition. It is a replica of one of the huts constructed by Douglas Mawson and his team on the expedition.

On the day we visited, there was a fabulous volunteer in the hut telling us heaps of information and stories about the expedition and she was very interesting.

$15 for adults, $12 for concession and $5 for children to enter. Money goes to preserving the original huts in Antarctica.

Port Arthur Lavender

A place to experience fields of lavender, a gift store selling products and food too.

Other

Other places to visit – Launceston, Bruny Island, wineglass bay (hopefully next time)

They also have plenty of events like the finish line of the Sydney – Hobart Yacht race, Taste of Tasmania festival, falls festival and more!

We 100 percent recommend visiting Hobart and we are sure you will love it as much as us.

thewhereto

food | travel | lifestyle

Month: February 2019

Barilla Pasta Cooking Class

Franklin Restaurant, Hobart

The Observatory Bar @ The Langham, Sydney

The Alexandra Hotel – Leura

Agrarian Kitchen – Tasmania

Arnott’s Sundaes now at Event Cinema Gold Class

Rosenbaum and Fuller @ Bondi Beach

Celebrate the ‘month of love’ @ The Ternary

Seafood buffet brunch on every Sunday @ Hyatt Regency, Sydney

What to do in Hobart