Masterchef Follow up & Scone Flurry

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Sconquest

Such a flurry of scone activity this week since the Masterchef Scone Challenge Episode in Series 3 Episode 2. There’s still no sign of a recipe for the buttermilk scones although a recipe for date & lemon scones from 2009 is available. If you missed it, here’s the CWA Challenge from Series 2 that lead to the article about CWA Scone Shame. A few days ago, in the Daily Telegraph Matt Moran talked about his grandmother & making scones, here’s the recipe. Matt Preston talks about perfect scones & includes a recipe for sue’s scones & in the Daily Telegraph, there’s also another recipe of his for date scones. A Mother’s Day article even has a recipe for white chocolate scones.There’s plenty of online discussion & advise about.

In our previous follow up I wrote about an article in the Sydney Morning Herald last week on How to bake the perfect Scone. Among the comments were a few interesting leads. One was to the ABC’s Enough Rope with Norma Allen from 3 December, 2007 where she tries to teach Andrew Denton how to make scones. It’s segment three & has a transcript with lots of tips & clues. Here’s the video link (it’s the first 2 mins) with the recipe & instructions. Perhaps we need to be light hearted & enjoy making scones most of all. Keep it Simple.

Posted in Recipes | Tagged andrew denton, buttermilk scones, daily telegraph, date, enough rope, lemon, masterchef, matt moran, matt preston, Norma Allen, Scones, sydney morning herald, white chocolate | Leave a comment

The Rocks, Sydney. Tara Tea rooms ****4stars. Yum. Best Scones. & Much Ado.

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Sconquest

What: Tara Tea Rooms Rating Today: ****4 stars Yummy scones.Great jam too.

Where: 33 George St, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000 Phone:(02) 9247 3233

When: Saturday and Sunday only 10-5pm

Web: http://www.irishdesign.com.au/g/4145/tara-tea-room.html

Value: Excellent Cost: $9.50 Devonshire Tea. Tea for Two $26

Notes: Upgrade jams & cream. Small but cosy. Part of the Irish design shop.

Just Scontastic!

It’s impossible to go to the Rocks & not stop at Tara’s Tea Rooms. The Rocks markets are right out front so there’s plenty to keep you happy while your deciding on what to have or waiting. Here’s the menu. Today there was Plain, Pumpkin, Cherry Ripe & Date. The scones are cooked in batches so you may have to wait till their ready but the constant demand keeps up a steady flow. Don’t you love the quaint tea cosies!

The scones are man-sized & yummy but with the gourmet jams they are something else again. If you can’t decide have the Tasting Basket for two. There’s 5 scones, 3 gourmet jams, butter, clotted cream & tea or coffee. There was a group of us so we tried them all & had an overflowing table. I had the pumpkin, and tried the others too, surprisingly, the Cherry Ripe wasn’t as sickly as you’d expect. But they are filling. The Fig, Almond & Ginger Jam was most popular but there was also Fruit Chutney, Mixed Berry, Pear & Vanilla & Classic Strawberry which were fine. How clever to be able to upgrade your jam.

Well, we’d already been for a good walk around Circular Quay & the Rocks before we had our scones. Plenty of steps too! Rocks Walking Tours also run tours daily. Checked out the Sydney Harbour YHA Archaeology Dig. It’s at street level & the YHA is built over it. Very Clever!

Now we’re off to the Sydney Opera House for Much Ado About Nothing at the Drama Theatre! Toby Schmitz was terrific as Benedict & Max Gillies nearly stole the show. It was hilarious & such fun! A Must See Production from Bell Shakespeare. Much Ado is in Sydney until May 14, then Canberra 19 May-4 June & Melbourne 9-25th June

A Glorious Day by the Harbour!

Posted in Jam, Scones, Sydney, Theatre | Tagged 4 star, bell shakespeare, canberra, jam, melbourne, much ado about nothing, Scones, sydney, sydney harbour yha, sydney opera house, tara tea rooms, the rocks | Leave a comment

Masterchef & CWA Scone Challenge Followup

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Sconquest

Here’s an article I found in the Sydney Morning Herald that followed on from last week’s masterchef scone challenge. They asked Gloria Hyatt who oversaw the CWA cafe at this year’s Sydney Easter Show about scones. They baked about 3000 scones there each day. (I thought about going but the $34 entry was a bit much just to try the scones.) She gave tips & a recipe too. They also included lots of scone backgound info. Give it a try, see how you go & let me know. They were happy with their results.

Posted in Recipes, Scones, Sydney | Tagged cwa, gloria hyatt, masterchef, recipe, scone, scone challenge, smh, sydney easter show, tips | Leave a comment

Katoomba, NSW. Solitary Kiosk. ***3stars.Too crumbly.

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Sconquest

What: Solitary Restaurant & Kiosk Rating Today: ***3 stars for scones.Too crumbly.

Where: 90 Cliff Drive, Leura Falls NSW 2780 Ph: 4782 1164

When: Daily 10.30am- 4.30pm

Web: http://www.solitary.com.au

Value: Good Cost: $10 Devonshire Tea.

Notes: Great Views across valley when it’s fine.

How far will you walk for scones?

Would you believe about 10km? Solitary Restaurant & Kiosk is in a great spot on the bend of the Cliff Drive between Katoomba & Leura. From here you can walk in any direction for as long as you like & then return for scones & tea or coffee. Today I’ve decided to do part of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk from Solitary Kiosk at Kiah Lookout to Katoomba Cascades & the Skyway AND BACK AGAIN! Here’s a map. It’s a good work out & it’s across the top of the cliffs not down to the valley floor so a little easier (?) but still plenty of steps and not flat but undulating. There’s heaps of information about it at wild walks.

Its about 45 mins From Solitary Kiosk to Echo Point & the Three Sisters, then about half an hour further to the Park at Katoomba Cascades, & then the same back again. So, it’s about 2 1/2 hrs depending on how many lookouts you stop at or photos you take or you might just take your time & enjoy the sunshine instead. There’s also the luxury of toilets at Echo Point too. It’s wetter than usual at the moment especially on the Skyway side so boots would have been better than my joggers, but it’s still do-able, just. Once you get to the path for the 3 sisters it’s all paved up to Echo Point & for a little way beyond.

Sometimes, all you can see is fog & tourists at Echo Point but today there’s a beautiful blue sky. From this section from Echo point to the Scenic Railway you can see Mt Solitary. Now it gets harder too, as you come to the ladder & the 90 or so steps past it at Lady Darley Lookout. It does help burn off the calories though!

Continuing on there’s a great view (if it’s fine) across the valley & once you get to Cliff View Lookout it’s paved again so that Wheelchairs can have access to it from the road near the skyway.There’s even signs in Braille too.

Finally, it’s good to get to the tables under the trees for a brief rest or take a few more steps down to the Katoomba Cascades. Then it’s all the way back again!

It’s a challenge to see how quickly you can get back to Solitary & quite often there’s the time imperative because they close at 4.30pm. It’s good motivation too as you look forward to a cosy seat, rest your bones, enjoy your scones & admire the view.

At last! Made it in good time as it was getting much colder. The scones are ‘man sized’ & the jam is excellent- chunky apricot & I think they make it themselves. The only problem is they’re a bit crumbly & fall apart when you cut it or eat it. Oops, they still taste good though. Someone suggested eating them with a spoon! The Quince pudding with pear liqueur & ice cream looked interesting too!

Once again, there was talk of scones amongst the customers & they recommended the Megalong Valley Tea Rooms for great scones, pies, & apple pies with locally grown apples. Perhaps, it’s time I went back there.

Posted in Blue Mountains, Bushwalk, New South Wales, Scones | Tagged echo point, katoomba, katoomba cascades, leura, megalong valley tea rooms, prince henry cliff walk, scenic railway, skyway, solitary kiosk, solitary restaurant, three sisters | 1 Comment

Parramatta, NSW. Lachlan’s Cafe. ****4 stars. Great Scones

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Sconquest

What: Lachlan’s Cafe Rating Today: *** 4 stars. Great Scones.

Where: Old Government House, Parramatta Park, Parramatta Ph: 1300 596 286

When: From 10am 7 days a week.

Web: http://www.lachlans.com.au

Value: Excellent Cost: $10 for Scones, jam & cream + tea or coffee.

Notes: Excellent Service. Limited seating. Parking limited. Might have to walk a little.

Life’s Ups & Downs.

Elizabeth Farm, Rose Hill.

Thought we’d have afternoon tea at Elizabeth Farm Museum in Rose Hill, near Parramatta. It was not meant to be, even though I’d checked the opening times on the internet, it was closed. A tree went through the roof last October! There’s more pics if your interested.

Old Government House Parramatta

After a quick sconference we decided to try Lachlan’s cafe at Old Government House, in Parramatta Park, Parramatta. We haven’t been here for a very long time. The cafe is on the verandah or in the nearby garrison rooms in winter. It was a lovely sunny day so the verandah was fine. Parking can be a problem, though. You might have to walk a little.

The scones were the best I’ve had in recent times & were excellent value so I’ve decided to use this as a benchmark for the future. $10 for 2 scones with the jam & cream plus tea or coffee. The cream happened to be King Island double too.

Unfortunately, one of the coffees had been made with soy milk that was off but it was soon replaced with a minimum of fuss & no charge.

We had a lovely time, sitting by the vines along the verandah and really enjoyed our scones and the warm weather. Parramatta Park is quite large so you can walk off your afternoon tea & enjoy the sunshine.

Posted in Attractions, Scones, Sydney | Tagged Elizabeth Farm, lachlan's cafe, old government house, Parramatta, parramatta park, Rose Hill | Leave a comment

Men Rule at Scones, especially on Mother’s Day or any other day!

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Sconquest

Men making scones.

Baking & sharing scones creates much joy & happiness. In our family the men like to make the scones. It’s something that they enjoy doing on special occasions or whenever they feel like it. Great for Sundays too! It’s very much appreciated, anytime. They have their own methods & don’t mind experimenting. A batch of warm scones in a basket with a cloth keeps them warm & we’re fortunate to have a jam maker too. We like the ‘lumpy bumpy’ jam, especially with the ‘rustic’ scones. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share a few precious moments together & some great scones. Life’s simple pleasures.

Posted in Scones | Tagged men, Scones | Leave a comment

Masterchef Scone Challenge & CWA Scone Shame.

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Sconquest

Masterchef Series 3 Episode 2: Bootcamp – Scones.

Curious that buttermilk scones were the penalty round. It certainly showed that it’s not as simple as you might think. I couldn’t find a copy of the recipe & they didn’t give any instructions- Just 6 perfect scones in 25 mins.

In the judging it came down to the texture & feel, the colour- golden not blonde, whether the dough was cooked enough, if the size was consistent & in a good shape & if they tasted good straight from the oven. I like jam & cream too!

Here’s the scone segment, go to 2.20min. Pity about the ads first.

Then here’s the judging. More annoying ads.

Masterchef Scone Shame

I found this article from 2010 with a recipe. No idea if its any good but the CWA ladies give them a run for their money. Give it a try & let me know.

Look out for Men Rule at Scones, especially on Mother’s Day or any other day!

Posted in Recipes, Scones | Tagged buttermilk, cwa, masterchef, recipe, Scones | Leave a comment

Scone Challenge on Masterchef tonight!!!!!

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Sconquest

Amazing to see scones reigning supreme on Masterchef tonight. Hopefully, the world will take us seriously now & the general standards of scone baking will improve.

If you missed it, there were a few tears. It looks like it will be repeated tomorrow at 3.30pm on Channel Ten. I’ll try & watch it again too. Looks like they’ve had scone challenges previously too.

Hopefully, the full episode which is about a basic skills bootcamp & the scone recipe will be on the Masterchef site tomorrow too. I’ll keep you posted!

Posted in High Tea, Scones | Tagged masterchef, Scones, ten | Leave a comment

Melbourne, Vic. Next time.Discounts.

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Sconquest

Next time I come to Melbourne I MUST: Have High Tea at the Hopetoun Tea Rooms. Find the cakeshop in Acland St, St Kilda. Probably Monarch cakes. Try the syphon coffee at Proud Mary’s at Collingwood. FIND SOME SPECIALS for … Continue reading →

More Galleries | Tagged big 4, cafe, discount, hopetoun tea rooms, hot tix, hotel grand chancellor, hotel olsen, monarch cakes, ngv, proud mary, smh, specials, vienna, wotif | Leave a comment

Melbourne, Vic. Hopetoun Tea Rooms Revisited. Scrumptious. ****4stars

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Sconquest

What: Hopetoun Tea Rooms Rating Today: *** 4 stars for meal & dessert.

Where: Block Arcade 282 Collins St, Melbourne Ph: 03 9650 27777

When: Mon-Sat 8am-5pm. Sun 9am-5pm.

Web: http://www.hopetountearooms.com.au

Value: Good

Notes: A Must! Exceptional Service. Be prepared to queue but its worth it.

Leaving Melbourne & catching a flight back to Sydney tonight. Lunch at the Hopetoun Tea Rooms is our grand finale. No Scones today, we had them yesterday. I have my eye on those scrumptious cakes instead. We’ve done a couple of hours of walking around the Quilt Exhibition so we’re set to order & enjoy.

Hooray, No queue. The waitress even remembers us. My friend decides on Zucchini flowers filled with scallop & spinach mousse in a chick pea beer batter to start. I select turkey & cranberry sandwiches but the waitress convinces me that I can do better by having the zucchini flowers as well. I wanted plenty of room for my cakes. An outrageous upsell, if your gullible. I am, today & order the zucchini flowers as it comes with a salad of rocket, mint,tomato & onion. I miss my greens. For tea we have some wonderful Green Tea with pear & the Chocolate, Vanilla Rooibos Tea. Fruit is always my favourite.

Just watch the world go by as you wait for your food. The Block Arcade is a bustling place full of temptations. Perhaps, some of the men need a bored husbands seat or to come & have tea or coffee while they wait. Handbag widowers my friend calls them. Hopefully, we’ll get to Haigh Chocolates to get some treats for Easter.

The Zucchini flowers are delectable & so light, as I was promised. The salad finishes it off beautifully & as we’re not bustled there’s plenty of time for dessert before we join the throngs returning interstate.

Perhaps, we need a bigger table!

So many choices for dessert. It’s not just the usual sea of chocolate & sugar and there’s a few options with fruit. We choose the Pavlova &the Raspberry & Apple Crumble. Yummy, see for yourself !

SCRUMPTIOUS! Instead of the usual sickly, sweetness this pavlova had a real marchmallow texture inside. I had no trouble eating it at all. My friend was equally happy with her crumble. I spied a high tea too. The top layer was fruit. I must return & try it. The Hotel Windsor has the style & the space but this looks a bit easier going & cheaper at $45. High teas have to be booked at Hopetoun’s online & would you believe they are having a Hatter’s High Tea Party on 2nd September, during Fashion Week. More Temptations!!!!

Sadly, we must leave . Life goes on.

Our luggage is safely stored away in lockers at Southern Cross Station where we will get the Skybus to the airport. There’s plenty of luggage storage here & the shuttle runs so frequently you don’t need to book & it only takes 20 minutes to the airport. It’s about $10 for the locker & $16 on the skybus.

Sadly, my friend has a different flight & we have to part. We’ve had a terrific time & I will cherish the memories forever. The calories haven’t been counted but you don’t do this every week do you?

My flight is delayed at the airport for 3/4 hour or so & I’m dissapointed by the dry crackers & cucumber yoghurt on my Qantas flight. Not even a cup of tea!

Yes, we’ve been great places, eaten some wonderful scones & food and shared great times. I shall always remember my more nimble friend trying to jump on a tram, not realising it was going the wrong way. I was so relieved the doors shut just in time. In the dark, things look so different. Life is like a tram, isn’t it?

Posted in Food, High Tea, Melbourne, Tea | Tagged australasian quilt convention, block arcade, high tea, hopetoun tea rooms, Hotel Windsor, luggage, melb, qantas, quilt, Scones, skybus | 1 Comment

Sconquest.