A rambling post, no picts, no baking- just excuses

It has been a serious while. Really. What's the deal? I've been away for a while (Seattle-Texas, Mexico and then Australia) also we had our kitchen renovated. So I have just begun baking again, and it's glorious!

I wanted to look at bakeries on the road trip I did with my bud Jamie. We only looked at a few, but by far my favorite was Bouchon in Yountville. They had the tastiest French macaroons (the caramel one was utterly delicious). The size was big. I found the recipe in one of Thomas Keller's books and he states (or his pastry chef states) that size does matter. At least in a macaroon. The one I had must have been 4.5-5cm in diameter.

I didn't try enough pastries in Mexico, none really which stunk, I need to delve into the pastries of Mexico a heap more.

Australia. Oh the land of slices and scrolls. I miss the good ol' cheesymite (Vegemite and cheddar cheese) scrolls. But the food I miss most is fish and chips - without the fish. I love the chips and potato cakes they make down there full of fatty fatty goodness...mmmm.

I did visit some really nice bakeries down there though. My favorite is the huge and mighty Brunettis (http://www.brunetti.com.au/). I think their success is that they are enormous, have a massive and varied selection (from petti fours, full cakes, chocolate, the best Italian hot chocolate you could ever desire (Italian hot choc = get half of what you think you could consume because I'm guessing the base is cream not milk - and so is insanely rich)), there is this fab waffle place just off Flinders lane that make tasty, warm waffles smeared with nutella, or peanut butter or whatever else they have. My bud Pam showed me another bakery in Brunswick, I've forgotten the name but they made this amazingly good, yet simple pastry that had a chocolate shortcrust crust (upper and lower) a sort of light cream cheese filling, and then a thin layer of nutella. Really good.

It's funny the longer I am away from my home town the more I appreciate how nice it is. Melbourne is an amazing city, full of great great food, really varies architecture, fascinating fashion and wonderful ways to get about as a pedestrian. I do love Melb.