I’m baaack!!
My friend jokingly asked if I’m ever in Canberra. It is true that I have been travelling here and there for my birthday celebrations; everywhere from Bowral, Sydney and more recently Melbourne and Cairns. Besides heading back to Sydney occasionally, I do plan to be around for all the winter events that Canberra has to offer during my favourite season.
The fresh brisk air begs for wood fires, eating more rich hearty foods and trying to infuse everything and anything with local truffles. One of my favourite restaurants in Canberra, Pialligo Estate is getting amongst it and I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek into their winter event series 2016 – The Butcher, the Baker and the Merrymaker.
“31 days days, eleven amazing events, one location.”
July
| Friday 1st | Saturday 2nd | Sunday 3rd | |
| Midwinter Christmas Feast 7:00-11:00pm ($150.00 pp) | Kirsty’s pudding making day 1:00-4:00pm ($150.00 pp) | ||
| Thursday 7th | Friday 8th | Saturday 9th | Sunday 10th |
| Sunset drinks 5:00-7:00pm ($40.00 pp) |
Feather and bone Masterclass 1:00-4:00pm ($120.00 pp) | A Feast of the beast from feather and bone 1:00-4:00pm ($145.00 pp) |
|
| Thursday 14th | Friday 15th | Saturday 16th | Sunday 17th |
| Bastille Day truffle dinner 7:00-11:00pm ($150.00 pp) |
Cape Grim and Flinders Island age of meaty innocence 1:00-4:30pm ($145.00 pp) | ||
| Thursday 21st | Friday 22nd | Saturday 23rd | Sunday 24th |
| Smoked, cured and grilled 1:00-4:30pm ($145.00 pp) |
Pact full of surprises 2:00-5:00pm ($110.00 pp) |
||
| Thursday 28th | Friday 29th | Saturday 30th | Sunday 31st |
| Wildbrumby Schnapps Banquet 7:00-11pm ($145.00 pp) | Family Market Day 10:00-4:00pm free
The Christmas |
During our sneak peek we got to experience schnapps and gin from Wildbrumby, Pact beer, a bit of Christmas cheer (man that ham was exquisite) and a beautiful Christmas pudding topped with fabulous custard. Not only did it make me excited for the events happening in Canberra, it also made it very hard to choose what event to go to.
To find out more information, check out their website.
We were lucky to have beautiful blue skies and great weather during our visit.
So picturesque, you would not think you were 10 minutes away from the city.
Flat white coffee ($4.00) and a chai latte ($5.00).
Breakfast set menu (2 courses $32.00 per person).
I love their personalised cutlery.
Selection of bakery goods with breads, rolls and croissant served with cultured butter and new season jams from the Estate’s orchard. I really enjoyed their bread and I won’t say how much butter I smeared on it but I will tell you that I moved the butter aside so I could also use it in my next course. I didn’t get much of the baked goods because I was busy eating my pancake but I thought the croissant was very flaky but not as buttery as I would have liked. This was my first choice until TimmyC decided he wanted it, I could see this as one of the more popular choices.
TimmyC really enjoyed his galette while I was tempted to ask for more bread.
Ricotta pancakes with a reduction of our Sangiovese grape juice, peppered peaches and whipped cream. When they wrote plural ‘pancakes’, I did expect more than one but by the time I finished this I was glad that there was only one because it was rather quite filling. I really enjoyed it because it was simple and sweetened by fruit so not OTT.
To follow~ I must say, TimmyC and I were rather quite content after our first course, but I was very much looking forward to my savoury option.
Baked beans with our own chorizo and bacon, potatoes, poached egg and just harvested vine tomatoes. I was slightly taken back by the size of the bowl that this was served in; even if I skipped the first course I’m not sure I could have finished the whole dish. I dipped my fork in quickly to taste the baked beans and it reminded me of the filling of supreme pizza pocket with a chili hot aftertaste. Despite being full, I don’t know how much I could have eaten because I found the sauce so hot. I ended up picking out all the bacon and chorizo and ate it with buttered bread.
A nice thick baked bean mixture with bacon and chorizo pieces mixed in.
We really enjoyed the views and the food but I found the service that we experienced was a bit lacking. I’ve come to expect great service based on my previous visits from Pialligo Estate but I’m hoping it was a once off. Definitely worth going to visit for a casual breakfast, I just wish they had smaller breakfast options.
Venue: Garden Pavilions at Pialligo Estate
Let’s do lunch two courses with a glass of their wine ($55.00 per person). Choosing only two courses is like choosing your favourite child; I couldn’t do it. Instead TimmyC and I shared a starter, had a main each and then shared a dessert.
I loved the colours of this from every angle.
Complimentary bread and butter~
Amuse Bouche~ I don’t remember exactly what this was, it was like a jelly that tasted a little saltier than I expected. I really enjoyed the very large juicy roe on top though.
Starter~
I went to the bathroom and I was pleasantly greeted by this bunny napkin origami when I came back.
Main course~
Dessert~
The porous nature of the cake meant it really absorbed all that delicious peach glaze.
Petit four~ Just when you don’t want the experience to end, it doesn’t. The waitress then set up five gorgeous little bowls, each with a different sweet- macarons, nutmeg fudge, tonka bean doughnuts, chocolate, and marshmallows. Everything was so special but my favourite was the fudge while TimmyC ate most of the doughnuts.
I didn’t think there was anything better than a hot sugared doughnut, until I tried their nutmeg fudge…
They have a small shop front where you can buy wine, their award-winning bacon, chorizo, tomatoes and also nashi pears! I of course left with a bag of nashis in hand, they are small but so juicy and refreshing.
Good Food Month is now over in Canberra but I still insist you go to Pialligo Estate Farmhouse and try it out for yourself.
TALES OF A CONFECTIONIST 