smooth Festival of Chocolate - next weekend

As part of this year's Good Food Month (starting this coming Wednesday), a sweet new festival is launching next weekend in The Rocks. The smooth Festival of Chocolate will be a two-day festival dedicated to everyone's favourite chocolate.

smooth Festival of Chocolate, 4-5 October 2014, The Rocks, Sydney
(Food, Booze & Shoes received the above chocolate hamper as a gift from Smooth FM and Nova Entertainment)

Sounding of The Rocks Aroma Festival ilk, hotels, restaurants, patisseries, ice creameries and chocolatiers will come together throughout The Rocks and Circular Quay over the two days to showcase chocolate products and sweets.

Large caramel milk chocolate freckle pop by Peacock Chocolates

There will be entertainment too: a smooth music stage, a test kitchen stage featuring chef demonstrations every hour, a pop up bar and even artists painting with chocolate, while neaby restaurants and hotels will also be incorporating chocolate items into their menus all throughout Good Food Month.

At smooth Festival of Chocolate will be Jean-Michel Raynaud, executive pastry chef of Baroque Bistro
and La Renaissance, The Rocks, Sydney
(Image courtsey of Nova Entertainment)

We caught up with executive pastry chef of Baroque Bistro and La Renaissance, Jean-Michel Raynaud ahead of next weekend's sweet-tooth festivities.

FBS: What is your favourite way to enjoy chocolate? 
For me, chocolate is about childhood memories. The most enjoyable way for me to enjoy chocolate is as I did when I was a kid: cut open a baguette, butter each side and fill with squares of chocolate straight off a block - the original pain au chocolat!

FBS: What is your favourite ingredient to cook and pair with chocolate? 
I like playing with fruit pulps and juices to add depth of flavours and complexity to an otherwise plain chocolate.

My favourite, though, is to make bitter dark chocolate ganache with salted caramel - the salt balances both the bitterness of the chocolate and burnt sugars, whilst the caramel gives your cream an amazing chewy texture.

FBS: What are your thoughts on savoury chocolate dishes? 
I am a big fan but as with everything else, before attempting to do anything savoury with chocolate, you must first understand how to balance the taste inherent in your dish - any mistake will be unforgiving.

FBS: What type of alcoholic beverage do you think best matches with chocolate? 
Lots of alcoholic beverages work with chocolate, but none so much as Grand Marnier. The orange flavours and peppery undertones work fantastically with a dark, single origin chocolate whilst more flagrant beverages, such as Pastis or Frangelico, work best with sweeter chocolate like milk or white

FBS: What are your highlights and picks of next weekend's smooth Festival of Chocolate events?
Come and check Julia Taylor (ex-Masterchef runner up and current pastry chef at La Renaissance) and my demo and definitely come and see a great chocolate artisan in Dean Gibson.

Overall though, the whole festival is going to be a celebration of all that is chocolate, so well worth checking out.

The smooth Festival of Chocolate is on next weekend, 4-5 October 2014 in The Rocks, Sydney.

The Oaks' Six States of Beer - WA beers and chocolate

Posted by Hendy

Craft beer has reached such a popular level in Australia that beer and food matching, beyond a pie, no longer sounds silly. But I was quite curious when I saw the beer and chocolate craft beer and food experience as part of The Oaks' Six States of Beer series.

Hosted by the Beer Diva Kirrily Waldhorn, the Six States of Beer events at The Oaks throughout the year traverse the country, pairing a selection of beers from one of six Australian states with a food theme for one-off food matching dinners with dishes curated by chef Danny Russo.

The third event of the year went west, pairing of five craft beers from Western Australia with the sweet and glorious chocolate. Chocolate and beer - two great essentials, but together?

Little Creatures Bright Ale served at WA Beer & Chocolate event at The Oaks Hotel, Military Rd, Neutral Bay

On arrival guests were offered a starter beer, so as to cleanse thy palates - for more beer. The Little Creatures Bright Ale was described as sunshine in a glass, or in this case in a bottle, which was quite rightly backed by the summery and floral notes.

The Bright Ale uses blended malts and hop flowers from US and New Zealand with its refreshing aromas which include pineapple and passionfruit.

Kirrily Waldhorn, the Beer Diva

The lovely Beer Diva Kirrily Waldhorn's beer knowledge is extensive and it was great to learn from her love for beer as she passionately described each beer in vivid detail.

Wagyu bresaola with beer pickled pine mushrooms, rocket and shaved dark chocolate

Following the starter beer, the first matched course featured dark chocolate shaved atop a bed of rocket with cured wagyu bresaola and beer pickled pine mushrooms.

The two-week cured bresaola provided saltiness to the dish while the pickled pine mushrooms had light, nutty flavours. The bitter-sweetness of the dark chocolate worked well with the bitter rocket, earthy mushrooms and salty bresaola, catering for almost all of the tongue's taste sensations. 

Feral Hop Hog beer

The pairing beer for the bresaola salad was the Feral Hop Hog American-style India Pale Ale, or IPA for short; one of my favourite types of beer.

The Feral Hop Hog embodied a strong citrusy aroma with a short bitter and dry finish. The strong flavours are derived from the heavy dose of American hops that are added during the boil and also through the fermentation stage.

The bitter finish of the IPA matched well with the bitterness of the dark chocolate atop the bresaola and the nuttiness of the mushrooms.

Matso's Mango Beer

The third beer to be introduced was the Matso's Mango beer. The last time I had a mango flavoured beer was at the Belgian Beer Cafe and remarkably, the Beer Diva noted that this particular mango beer is based on a classic Belgium blonde recipe in the fruit variation.

Founded in Broome by a German brewer, this Belgium blonde beer tasted like a golden ale with fruit and spicy characters. Brewed using a 100% natural mango blend, the beer had a fruity mango aroma and a sweet yet dry finish, making it quite the easy-drinking beer.

The Beer Diva introduced an interesting experiment on the night. We were told to hold our noses, shutting it from all aromas and to then sip the mango beer. Once we had a sip, we were told to release the hold on our noses. The effect, a parcel of cinnamon aroma rushing through the nose before all the other more evident flavours coming out on the palate.

Risotto with braised duck, cherry mostarda and bitter chocolate

The dish that paired with Matso's mango beer was a lovely winter-warming duck risotto, topped with bitter chocolate. This was a unique and interesting combination which at first glance was slightly off-putting.

The risotto was the kind of risotto you would want to have on a cold wintery night: warm and creamy with the arborio rice still slightly firm. The cherry mostarda gave the whole dish a citrusy touch on top of the slight bitterness from the chocolate in what turned out to be quite a clever dish.

Mini chocolate and bacon burger with stout spider

The second last pairing was a crazy, smoky dessert match. On the diner-styled plate was slider filled with a generous dollop of Nutella and crispy candied bacon - yes, you read right - alongside an ice cream spider made with stout. The matching beer was the heavily smoked Nail Brewing Rauch Smoke beer.

This was a particularly exciting pairing as all three elements were very unique and very different. The slider was excellent with the crisp, sweet-salty bacon so good that it was a star on its own. The extreme sweetness of the slider was brought to balance with the stout spider; a spin on the traditional sarsaparilla spider that was fizzy and fresh.

The heavy Nail Brewing Rauch Smoked beer features the rarely used German rauch malt; a pale malt smoked over beechwood that lends it an enticing smokiness alongside fresh hops and light chocolate characteristics. There was a also a smoky bacon note in the beer that connected the slider.

Nail Oatmeal Stout

To finish off the beer matched dinner were two bespoke beer and milk chocolate Adriano Zumbo macarons. The two Zumbarons were paired with the last beer of the night; the Nail Oatmeal Stout.

Taking inspiration from traditional British stouts, the Nail Oatmeal Stout was rather creamy, full of chocolate notes and a slight hint of coffee. 

Bespoke beer and milk chocolate Zumbarons from Adriano Zumbo

The macarons by Zumbo were made specially for the tasting event and were remarkable as expected: soft with a delicate crunch and not too sweet. I failed to find any hint of beer note in the macarons though the milk chocolate was certainly present.

Selection of beer including the Nail Brewing Rauch Smoked beer on the right

It's not just the beer talking but the whole night of beer and food matching was brilliant. There was a great selection of WA beers with surprising and delicately matched chocolate dishes in a night that really celebrated craft beers and their versatility.

The next Six States of Beer event on is Wednesday, 13 August 2014, showcasing NSW's best boutique beers paired with pork dishes.

Food, Booze & Shoes attended the Six States of Beer event at The Oaks as a guest, with thanks to Wasamedia.

Singapore slinging - part 4: Pollen

The new Gardens by the Bay attraction by Singapore's Marina Bay was high on my list of 'touristy things to do' when I visited last year.

It just happened to get ticked off one day after an impromptu lunch at Pollen restaurant - a new addition to the Singapore fine dining scene within the expansive Gardens by the Bay grounds.

Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay, Singapore

With all the affordable food options in Singapore, I hadn't planned for any fine dining so it was a pleasant surprise to be whizzing through Gardens by the Bay in a seatbelt-free golf cart to the Flower Dome, where Pollen awaited with its smart, climate-controlled interiors.

Pollen at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Pollen is said to be a "Mediterranean-inspired modern European" restaurant, from the same chef and group as London's popular Pollen Street Diner.

It's most appropriate that the restaurant is located within, essentially, a huge flower and plant house showcasing flora from all over the world in a necessarily temperature-controlled environment.

Pollen dining room

The almost chilly restaurant interiors were a sharp change from the Singapore outdoors, though the locals didn't seem at all bothered.

The spacious restaurant is surrounded by garden greenery, giving it quite the relaxing, getaway feel. There was very much a corporate crowd at lunch, in addition to the requisite ladies of leisure and indeed, couples of leisure.

Plates at Pollen

Complimentary bread

To start there were a few varieties of bread, served with butter, olives and a decidedly Mediterranean bacalao salted cod spread that had me starting to forget that I was in Singapore.

Pollen offers a set three-course lunch that seems reasonable at S$70 given the a la carte pricing. Our group was split between the two options, with the set menu portions noticeably smaller in the end.

Jerusalem artichoke soup, roasted scallop, squid, eggplant puree

Off the set menu was a creamy Jerusalem artichoke soup, served at the table from a small, shiny saucepan. The foamy soup joined a large, golden, pan-fried scallop and baby squid, tentacles and all, and was easily one of the most luxe soups I've tasted.

Crab cocktail, avocado, sweet corn sorbet, caviar on toast

One of the popular a la carte entrées was the generously filled martini glass of crab meat, served with a sorbet of sweet corn and avocado puree beneath, creating a somewhat familiar combination.

Pimping it up was the caviar served in what looked like a beauty cream jar of crème fraiche. The set menu featured a similar entrée as a smaller size sans caviar and crisp breads.

Roasted quail "brunch", foie gras on toast, cereals, quail tea

From the a la carte menu, the roasted quail dish was quite the sight of earthy browns and golden surfaces. The small bird looked perfectly cooked atop a dark risotto with something that quite resembled a potato gem.

Quail dish's foie gras on toast and quail tea

Proving the value of the a la carte pricing, the quail dish actually came in three parts with quail "tea" consommé and foie gras mousse accompanying the elaborate entrée.

Line-caught John Dory, saffron mash, "bouillabaisse"

One of the set menu main options was a John Dory dish, with the fish sourced all the way from France. It was served as a lightly pan-fried boneless fillet atop of sturdy quenelle of saffron-touched mashed potato done exceptionally well.

The squid ink-cooked squid and vegetables were really just props with the real flavour coming from the "bouillabaisse" seafood-based broth, presented and poured around the fish at the table.

Braised Welsh lamb shoulder, lamb cutlet, baby gem, baked celeriac

One of the other set menu dishes featured lamb two ways: a medium-rare cutlet, in all its fatty glory, propped up on a crumbed square of lamb shoulder, tenderly pulled and full of meaty flavour.

The grilled baby gem lettuce and celeriac were much-needed additions to bulk out the dish, which looked a few cutlets short of a main meal.

Palate cleanser: Lemongrass jelly with passionfruit espuma

It was a memorable palate cleanser that was served after the mains: a clear jelly flavoured with lemongrass, topped with an espuma foam of high-impact passionfruit that totally overwhelmed the jelly, but was lovable nonetheless.

"Ocumare cremeux", pistachio parfait, honey saffron ice cream, toasted brioche

Pollen's concept and technique really seemed to shine come dessert time, with many a pretty option on both lunch menus.

The pistachio parfait dessert looked fit for the gardens with its decorative leaf and soil-like chocolate bits beneath an intriguing honey saffron ice cream.

Crispy and burnt lemon meringue with cucumber sorbet

Meanwhile, I had quite the exciting dessert of many flavours and textures. Two meringues for starters: a soft, stickily torched Italian-style meringue and a hard-shelled one that the child in me loved cracking with a spoon.

Cubes of mango and a refreshing green cucumber sorbet were offset with flakes of black - salt, perhaps - although I was too enamoured with the meringues to notice.

"Japanese green tea", raspberry sorbet, yoghurt mousse

It was a fun clash of colours with the green tea dessert featuring some liquid nitrogen-frozen green tea crumble - or perhaps it was the yoghurt mousse topped with frozen raspberry bits.

In any case, the fresh raspberries, raspberry sorbet and dense, moist green tea flavoured cake made for a joyfully harmonious, if not too sweet, dessert.

A la carte dessert

One of the dessert's off the a la carte menu was completely too much for me to take in; mostly due to the oversized rock it was served on.

I have no idea what the dessert was and no idea whether I'd be able to enjoy a sweet dish when I'd be too concerned over the source/weight/type/brittleness of the rock.

Petit fours selection

Pollen is renowned for its dessert and petit fours bar and it's no wonder really. Even for a non-sweet tooth, it was quite a sight seeing jars and row upon row of delicate hand-made chocolates, sweets and cakes just waiting for diners to finish their desserts.

Chocolate pop

Petit fours

I can't even remember what I had, washed down with a macchiato, but I do remember the table's collective admiration for each little, specially crafted piece.

View back on Gardens by the Bay

For me - the tourist - the setting and surroundings just outclassed the food at Pollen (though not the top-notch service). However, I'm definitely glad that I got the chance to check out Pollen and its garden surrounds - one can always fit a little fine dining into a touristy schedule.

See more photos from Singapore's Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands on my Facebook page. A final Singapore post to come, on a hawker food centre.

The year that was, 2012

It's been a whirlwind year and I'm really not just saying that. I remember last new year's eve all too well and the 12 months that have transpired since then have been jam-packed with work, life events, new and old faces, and an almost unbelievable amount of food and booze.

Below are some of the highlights of my year in Food, Booze and Shoes.

Food and Booze

Steamed brioche and smoked trout roe from Grain, Sydney

One of the most exciting new bar openings in Sydney this year wasn't a small bar but rather a hotel bar: Grain at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney with food by Bar H's Hamish Ingham and chef Josh Niland.

With a bar menu to rival some restaurants about town, Grain raises the bar so even locals join hotel guests for drinks and unexpected bar snacks like smoked trout roe and crème fraîche on house-made steamed brioche buns.

Pig's tail salad, walnuts, sorrel, currants, pomegranate, farro from The Apollo, Potts Point

It was a great year for modern Greek food with both David Tsirekas' Xanthi and Jonathan Barthelmess and Sam Christie's The Apollo picking up inaugural hats in this year's Good Food Guide.

The latter, Potts Point restaurant did an out-of-this-world pig's tail crackling salad that probably wasn't all too healthy but showed a liveliness in modern Greek cuisine that was new to me.

Orecchiette with lentils, pine nuts and mascapone from Table for 20, Surry Hills

I've been to Table for 20 a couple of times this year, and adore the homely pasta entrée every time.

I've had second and third helpings, brought my own wine and had a ball every time, all the while remembering to leave room for their rich, always-pleasing whole cake dessert offerings - to share, of course.

Xiao long bao from Mr Wong, Sydney

The year's biggest restaurant opening had to be Merivale's Mr Wong, where Cantonese cuisine went high-end in an impressively atmospheric, two-level, laneway restaurant setting.

Dan Hong and Jowett Yu's golden touch continued with a classic Cantonese menu dotted with additional Sydney favourites, like xiao long bao pork soup buns which are simply divine with a cocktail at Mr Wong's bar.

Pork pintxo, lima beans, guindillas from bloodwood, Newtown

A new favourite was discovered in bloodwood, which is a bit of a difficult one to categorise. In any case, bold international flavours, amazing service and interesting wines make it a winner in my books.

The explosive flavours in small share dishes like the pork pintxo means bloodwood is ideal for drinks and snacks, light meals or the all-out meal with a set menu group banquet.

Spiced popcorn and Bloody Maria from Tio's Cerveceria, Surry Hills

It was the year of the Shady Pines Saloon spin-off bars, with new Sydney CBD booze-quaffing venues from Anton Forte and Jason Scott, and a tequila-focused offering from a couple of ex-Shady guys.

Tio's Cerveceria is my casual, Surry Hills back street, go-to place for free popcorn and good times fuelled by tequila refrescos like the Bloody Maria which almost feels healthy.

Pulled veal ravioli, broad beans, cornichons, shiso from Chiswick, Woollahra

I think Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan's Chiswick has a firm place in Woollahra hearts. Indeed, it feels like it should have been in Chiswick Gardens all this time and is the epitome of a long lunch venue.

Their seasonally-driven menu is supplemented by an expansive kitchen garden, which I hope is an enduring restaurant trend. The pulled veal ravioli was a stunner at the De Bortoli Windy Peak wines launch.

Ayam goreng kalasan with nasi uduk and ati goreng from Ayam Goreng 99, Kingsford

It's not only the new restaurant openings with no-bookings policies and queues out the door. A favourite cheap eat, Ayam Goreng 99, still draws crowds to its low-key store, with local students and those in the know waiting for quarters of fried chicken and coconut rice.

Maltagliati with osso bucco, gremolata from 10 William Street, Paddington

One of the best pasta dishes I've had all year came a little unexpectedly from wine bar 10 William Street, where the narrow venue belies the depth of its rustic Italian menu and well-considered wine list.

The maltagliati sheet pasta with osso buco ragu was a dreamily perfect pasta, ideal with any wine recommendation from the very knowledgeable staff.

Pan fried pork dumplings from Chinese Noodle Restaurant, Haymarket

There were no signs of my dumpling obsession abating this year, whether home made or from Chinatown cheap-eat, Chinese Noodle Restaurant.

I seem to have a scarily insatiable appetite for dumplings, especially pan-fried ones filled fresh with minced pork and chives, and definitely a combination of chilli oil and vinegar sauce on the side.

Goat’s cheese lollipop, mandarin glaze, quinoa crunch from Cara & Co, Westfield Sydney

Innovativeness is a double-edged sword in the land of restaurants but dining at Cara & Co, in the middle of a Westfield Sydney fashion retailer, was a clear win for innovation.

Its Modern Flemish cuisine aided by innovative techniques was such an eye-opening journey; both curiously fun and tasty, particularly the goat's cheese lollipops in mandarin glaze.

Fried chicken wings from The Norfolk, Surry Hills

There are no signs of the fun ending at The Norfolk and its merry band of other Drink and Dine refurbished pubs across Surry Hills and Sydney.

Fun themes, quirky fitouts, affordable booze and food made for drinking is a winning formula - like Bloody Marys in tin cans and crunchy fried chicken wings.

Classes

There were several 'firsts' this year as a result of various cooking classes and demonstrations that I was lucky enough to take part in.

Snapper with Vernaccia, green olives and parsley from Sydney, Seafood School, Pyrmont

I cooked my first whole snapper. I've tended to cook fish fillets at home more than whole fish which are a little daunting for a home cook of limited ability.

But with a friendly fishmonger and a Sydney Seafood School class with hatted chef Giovanni Pilu under my belt, roasting a four-kilogram whole snapper doesn't seem as scary anymore.

Feta cheese made at Zigi's Wine and Cheese Bar, Chippendale

I made cheese for the first time. A highlight of the food year overall, the cheese making class at Zigi's Wine and Cheese Bar was so much delicious fun I would recommend it to any cheese lover.

Creating a number of fresh cheeses from scratch in a few hours was made possible by the effervescent Chef Zigi, quality raw ingredients and solid teamwork in the commercial kitchen in Chippendale.

Gently poached Southern rock lobster, hand caught Tasmanian squid,
golden tapioca, lobster velvet from Quay, Circular Quay

I dined at Quay for the first (and second) time. I now understand what all the "fuss" around Quay is about. There were enlightening kitchen tips from chef Peter Gilmore during the Electrolux masterclasses, but the degustation dinners I was treated to were another level above any other Sydney dining experience I've ever had.

Luxe ingredients and modern techniques deliver harmonious dishes that are stunning to look at and even more satisfying to eat - which isn't always the case in fine dining or technique-driven cooking.

Travel

There was a trip to Japan this year, highlighted by various food, booze and tourist experiences.

Fish at Tsukiji Fish Market, Tsukiji, Tokyo, Japan

The early-morning visit to the world's largest wholesale fish markets - Tsukiji Fish Markets - was a highlight of the trip, even if we didn't make it to see the tuna auctions. Sushi breakfast at Sushi Dai added to the lengthy and wet experience.

Martini at Tender Bar, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

There was no doubt that we were going to hit up a few cocktail bars in Tokyo and the gin martini at Tender Bar was a memorable, if not pricey, one.

Pork shoulder, grilled on a stick, Namba, Osaka, Japan

Our short side trip to Osaka from Tokyo may well have been an eating trip, especially of street food. It was in Namba we discovered a pork-only yakitori-style restaurant where we gorged on all manner of pork and vegetables grilled on a stick.

Events

David Chang at the Good Food Guide Awards 2013

I honestly jumped and squealed with excitement when I got invited to the SMH Good Food Guide Awards for 2013.

It was an unparalleled experience of endless champagne, canapés and chefs all doing the (tight) rounds at Establishment, and plenty of happy smiles in the face of hats, awards and general celebration of the Sydney restaurant industry.

Dîner en Blanc, Museum of Contemporary Art forecourt, Circular Quay

Hands-down event of the year has to be French pop-up picnic phenomenon, Dîner en Blanc, which took place at the forecourt of the Museum of Contemporary Art for its inaugural Sydney outing.

It was a memorable sight seeing 1,500 people in head-to-toe white waving white napkins and then sparklers in the air as they dined on gourmet picnics to the bemusement of passing tourists and Sydneysiders.

Beef empanadas at Marrickville Festival

I made it to the Marrickville Festival this year for the first time; a community street event that stretches around two main roads. Goodies on offer included these amazing beef empanadas, fresh out of the deep fry with a golden corn meal concealing a tasty beef filling.

This year saw a number of restaurants farewelled, especially a sad number of high profile venues and chefs, including the following:
13b, Anise, Argyle Bazar, Assiette, Azuma Kushiyaki, Becasse and Quarter Twenty One, Berowra Waters Inn, Bird Cow Fish, Bistro Ortolan, Bling Bling Dumpling, Bruno's and Hunky Dory Social Club, District Dining relaunched as Mexico Food and Liquor, Element Bistro, Etch, Firestick Cafe, Gotham, Gourmet Pizza Kitchen, Kable's Restaurant, Lanzafame Trattoria, Mad Cow, Monkey Magic, Pagewood Steakhouse, Piano Room, Rambutan, Summit relaunched as O Bar and Dining, Sushi Choo and The Montpellier Public House.

It has been one heck of a year. Many thanks to all my readers and followers here, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - thank you so much  for your support and kind comments throughout 2012. 

I hope to see you for more Food, Booze and Shoes in the New Year. Cheers and happy (and safe) drinking tonight to see out the year that was, 2012!