foodbloggers descend on adriano zumbo, balmain

20 March 2009, 03:28

mention dessert to a food blogger and they will drop everything to come. especially if it’s ZUMBO… adriano zumbo patissier (296 Darling Street, Balmain) is fast becoming my happy place and with the spread of the almost fanatical legions of foodblogger fans it will soon be yours too =P

zumbos new summer collection is called ‘please sir can i have some more’ (available until 22nd may) and like little oliver twist begging for more food my brain is begging me to reach deep into my wallet and procure some pretty babies…

“im charles! pick the charles du jour!” counterboy persuades us

zumbo the kid has vegemite in it heh how aussie

my heart skips a beat at the sight of the rice pudding eclair and is immediately whisked away into a pretty box

while the cakes are so prettily lined up in rows on their pristine white plates i cant help but stare at the boxful of macarons. BOXES of macarons! look at them so fat and squishy and filled with super generous amounts of filling! 4 each please i say to the counterboy who packs them into another pretty box

pineapple & ginger, pink grapefruit, blue cheese. heh yes blue cheese macaron! i couldn’t see how a savoury flavour could work but it did and it wasn’t too overpowering. the pineapple & ginger was a little too gingery for i who is just starting to get into ginger and is saved for the mothership. the pink grapefruit is a pleasant flavour but i was hoping for bits of pulp to be in it

mango & jasmine, finger bun, sticky date pudding. of the 6 flavours i chose i think these 3 were the best with the sticky date pudding my absolute fav and the finger bun a close second with sultanas buried in the filling and rolled with coconut. the mango & jasmine is a refreshing combination of sweet mango and floral notes of jasmine

armed with our treats we head to the adriano zumbo cafe chocolat (Shop 5, 308 Darling St, Balmain, inside Balmain Mall about 5 shops to the right of the patisserie) where the fabulous reem from i am obsessed with food has pre-warned the staff of our arrival and managed to reserve us the little alcove with the shiny red chandelier and long communal table.

we are joined by helen from grab your fork, karen from citrus and candy, amanda from the cake and the knife, howard, linda and teresa from eat show and tell, lorraine from not quite nigella, belle from ooh, look, richard from here comes the food, simon from simon food favourites, yien yien from the delectable delight and chris and tim from the way it crumbles and the table is soon filled with plates of cakes and tarts and breads and mugs of hot chocolate so we spill over to the adjacent table for a makeshift cake studio

the rice pudding eclair ($5.20) is as fabulous as i had hoped with crisp choux sandwiching the rice pudding creme and covered in a cinnamon dusted fondant

innards shot of zumbo the kid ($7.50)

helen has contributed the charles du jour ($7.60) for our feast

and then promptly kills it in her attempt to divide it heh heh there were many more desserts eaten but im sure youll see it on everyone elses blogs lol

and the aftermath of 18 happy zumbo fans ahhh it was great to see everyone again and thanks everyone for sharing!