Caketown

Wouldn't it be nice if the world were Cadbury? Riding in the car would be a tasty treat; changing gears would soon become a problem, Cadbury dairy milk is so good to eat ... Yes, I am a jingle person. Catchy commercial tunes, cheesy informercials, you name it, I'll buy it. Seriously though, what would it be like to wake up in a world where everything was edible? A world made entirely out of cake? Not even Heston Blumenthal could create something like that. Do try to bear it though, as best you can, and I'll placate you with something almost as good to post about - Caketown bakery in Newtown.

The bakery had been recommended to me by my fashionably fabulous foodie friend E, whose umbrella proved invaluable as we set off for Caketown one rainy autumn day.

Newtown is cute and cosy, with a very federational feel.  Some of the buildings look like they haven't been altered (or dusted) since time immemorial.  But all the shops are tiny and quirky, which compels you to browse because you feel as if you're going to find something you couldn't find anywhere else. Caketown is one such gem. Tucked underneath a tiny shopfront, it has standing room for three people in total. Its small display cabinet covers a multitude of sins: chocolate eclairs, Danish pastries, mini cheesecakes, brownies ...  

Custard Bee Hive

Lentil pie

Given the bakery literally only had standing room for three people (and even three's a crowd), E and I decided to eat our pies at the bus stop.  By this point, the sprinkles of rain had turned into sheets of steel, which were hammering down all around us. Eating a hot pie in that weather is as satisfying as sipping hot cocoa in the snow. Mmmmm.

Lentil pie innards

Chocolate hedgehog.

This was irresistibly cute, but soo rich, we couldn't finish it between the two of us! It's essentially a mini mud cake, with an icing exterior. For serious chocaholics only.

Our bellies bloated, we decided to walk off the calories (in theory at least) by checking out the shops nearby.  There was sooo much cute stuff to buy (see flower pot necklace above). Needless to day, a great deal of restraint was necessary.



Lemon meringue with basil jelly

Yes, our eyes were larger than our stomachs.  Having walked back to the bus stop, what did we find but another incredible bakery called Black Star, again tucked under a tiny shopfront, down a tiny side street. Standing space was marginally better (it probably could've held 10 people) and the baked goods were decidedly finer, more sophisticated and unique.  The above meringue (in addition to resembling an Egyptian pyramid) had a little square of basil jelly (and tiny green basil leaf) folded within the meringue atop the lemon curd, and provided a clean, bitter contrast with the sweetness of the tart.

Finally, more happy snaps from Caketown - I mean - Newtown :) 

Happy cake-hunting. 

Hot, cross and bothered.

Hot cross buns are as essential in April as gingerbread is in December. You simply can't go through Easter without one. Just the sight of their golden tops, beaming through a bakery window, is enough to set your thoughts bouncing with bunnies. So why do Woolworths and Baker's Delight and a million other shops insist on selling hot cross buns straight after Valentine's Day? Where's the fun in eating something that's been sitting on the shelves since February? Hot cross buns should be sold at Easter and only at Easter, so we have something extra to look forward to (in addition to the five-day weekend) :)

Ranting aside though, here is a list of essential Easter eats:

1. Mocha hot cross bun from Baker's Delight. The most perfect combination of coffee and chocolate known to man. Best served warm.

2. Lindt chocolate bunnies. I think the little gold bell won me over. And also the little chocolate pieces that fall into the bunny's tummy as you eat it. Mmmmmm.

                   

3. Hot cross buns from Pattison's patisserie. A relatively new bakery on the Sydney scene (at least, compared to Baker's Delight) but an excellent one! Their buns have just the right mix of old spice, cinnamon and sultanas. 

4. Cheese-on-a-stick from the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Okay, so it's not the most appetising-sounding name. But it's a carnival thing, and something you have to try at least once. It's essentially gooey, melted, sunflower-yellow cheese, snug inside a cripsy brown skin. Not for the faint-hearted.

4. Food samples inside the Woolworths food dome @ the Easter Show. Yes, there is a lot to sample. Oysters, dips, pink champagne, rocky road, vegie chips, pasta, fudge, glazed almonds, chocolate mousse, fruit juices ... the list goes on. The stalls were all very cute, but the one from My Little Cupcake (store in Neutral Bay) was the standout.



5. Scones from the Country Women's Association cafe @ the Easter Show. Literally the fluffiest, softest, most cloud-like scones that have ever melted in my mouth. The queue spoke for itself.

Below are some highlights from the Sydney Royal Easter Show this year. Showbags shall not be mentioned, because the sell-out of the Madison showbag is still too painful to discuss. Instead, focus shall be paid to what was available and was enjoyable: rides, cake decorating, and shopping.

The Last Supper cake - first prize winner!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves cake

Amazing noodle bowl cake

Sooo cute. I love their little curly tails!

As much as I hate clowns, I love the old-school carnival-feel that this picture evokes.

Handmade bird rings, $5 each from the Ruby&Crickette stall @ the Fashion & Style Pavilion.

Again with the old-school carnival feel.

I never ever win these types of games. That giant stuffed toy prize shall sadly always elude me...

Happy Easter :)