Spring in Melbourne
I was extremely fortunate to be able to spend some time with renown food writer / editor Ruth Reichl last weekend; attending a masterclass and a dinner with her for Melbourne Writers Festival. Like a similar workshop I under took with Richard Cornish a few months ago at the Wheeler Centre, I left the day inspired and committed to finding “bum-time” as Richard calls it. Sitting down and writing. Yeh all good in theory, but there are always so many other things to do. Cooking, cleaning, coffee…
Meeting Ruth was such a delight, but what I’ve taken to most readily from all her tales and advice is from her blog. In between longer pieces on eating in Melbourne (esp Attica); and Auckland; a small post popped up about a purple daikon she bought from the Farmers’ Market before she left to come to Australia.
Why? because it reminded me that not every post has to be an essay, researched for many months; or about a restaurant I’ve eaten at three or four times. It’s my blog and I can just write. About whatever inspires me, in little grabs or long reads.
So here I am reflecting on the week gone by, and the wonderful day I had on Saturday. As a month with five Saturdays there are far fewer farmers’ markets on, and I was due a sleep in. So I had one. The I popped in to Eureka Coffee for a couple of fab coffees and a Five n Dime bagel while trying to cram lyrics into my head before heading in to the Butterfly Club to sing. I emerged after two hours to a stunning Melbourne day.
I was thinking of finally visiting Rue & Co and jumped on a Collins Street tram, only to be painfully reminded that they aren’t open on weekends. (I have to keep asking why not? Plenty of people around on Saturdays at least).
Anyway, last Thursday I went to see Commander Chris Hadfield talk in the Melbourne Town Hall, again for Melbourne Writers’ Week, I had had a hankering for a lemon and sugar crepe from La Petite Creperie on Swanston street, but they had a queue beforehand and were closed afterwards. Since then I’ve had a growing craving, so I headed back down the hill and procured a fresh and delicious crepe instead. (Cmdr Hadfield was amazing by the way.)
I sauntered down to Bourke Street and got caught up in the bomb scare evacuation, so walked up to Spring Street and treated myself to some cheese from Spring Street Cheese, and a wonderful cup of gelato from Gelateria Primavera – fior de latte, violet and raspberry & a truly sublime mandarin sorbet. This is the best gelato in this town. Far more delicious and subtle than the overly-sweet Messina.
The cheese even made it home this time – last time I bought L’Etivaz I dropped it getting off the tram and was unable to retrieve it. I did manage to convince some lovely folk inside the tram to collect it and eat it. They later found me on twitter and thanked me. Melbourne is just kinda like that sometimes.
I just had a quick break to catch up on this piece from the Guardian UK where Jay Rayner explains that there is no legal definition of “nutritionist”, at least in the UK, and has a lot to say about sous vide cooking method (mostly not good).
Next Saturday I’m all for the combining of pursuits again when Glee Plus sing at Southbank Farmer’s Market.
Have a happy Monday folks.