FOOD Glori"OZ" FOOD!

I have been fortunate to travel to Australia several times to see those Faraways of mine and one thing that never fails to excite and inspire me is the food.

There are so many influences at work it is always creative and the ingredients are everything. I could wax lyrical about the Victoria Markets (and probably will do in a future post!) the meat, fish , vegetables, fruit, herbs, breads, patisserie..................wondeful, and brilliantly priced. I love to visit markets they are so vibrant and this is absoloutley my favourite anywhere in the world.

I picked up the Australian "Entertaining & Travel" issue of VOGUE and these images are taken from it. The food styling is so good dont you think? Something else which also inspires me whenever I cross the globe is the detail and design ethos which shines through in all the food images I have seen.

Now I must tell you about COOKIE.

My SIL is the most wonderful guide when it comes to gastonomic tourism, she took me to so many brilliant cafes and eateries and I could literally write a fabulous food guide! This one took the biscuit! ( tee hee)

You enter Cookie from the most unpromising street level lobby and head up in a small dark lift to the second floor where you pass through municipal double doors into this!

Amazing light filled space, with lofty celing height and birds flying around and landing on the beams overhead. The tables are black lacquer topped and each have a square of vintage fabric covered with a smaller square of lace. The walls are covered in blown up black and white images apart from the main wall as you enter which is dressed in the Cookie wallpaper.

There are double stained glass doors the length of the building each leading out to individual balconies where you can sit amongst the tree tops watching Melbourne City life unfold from above.

Oh and the food? AMAZING, fusion of Asian inspired treats we had little spicy dumplings a bit like Dim Sum but more fragrant and spicier. Every plate that emerged from the kitchens was almost too pp[retty to eat. Sorry I didn't photo it, we ate it!

At the other end of the scale from city bites we also visited a lavender farm out near Daylesford called Lavendula, here it is. There was a charming Trattoria here where we ate stunningly good food. Bolognase with Osso Bucco, it was so good as it was a damp drizzly sort of day. And then there were the puddings...........................

Which we didn't need! But could not turn down.

Little Bro couldn't wait to start his Ricotta, Fig and Chocolate tart

SIL indulged in Mandarin and Polenta cake, believe me this was drenched in the most incredible mandarin and booze infused syrup.

And I? Well I had this Sicillian apple tart, I dont know why Sicillian but it tasted amazing!

Love those plates too!

As I said I have more stories in this vein, I just picked out a couple to share with you, are you hungry yet!

Back in Melbourne even the neighbourhood cafes are amazing little gems, there are several near my Faraways and all are better than good. Back to the design side of things all had real character and some even dressed up on the outside.......................

Just driving past this place makes me happy!

Hope you have a scrummy weekend x