Congratulations are in order...

to a number of our Commercial customers. The Southern Highlands Business Awards were presented last week, and we are proud to raise our Spiegelau Vino Grande Champagne flutes (isn't that a stunning glass?) to those recipients who feature amongst our ever-increasing list of valued clients.

So, a toast to...

Coffee Culture, for Excellence in a Cafe
Stones Restaurant at Eling Forest Winery, for Excellence in a Restaurant
Springs Resort Mittagong RSL Motel, for Excellence in Accomodation (9 rooms or more), and
Red Olive Bar and Bistro, for Excellence in a New Business

Cookshop Commercial was in the running for Excellence in a New Business, so if we had to accept defeat, we could not have bowed out to more deserving winners than our friends Tim and Melinda at Red Olive.

Many felicitations to you all.

Delinquent!

Which is what I have been for the passed three days. My apologies: I have been busy enjoying a few Highlands' treats (and some out-of-town ones as well).

I had a fabulous breakfast at Coffee Culture (Empire Cinema Complex Walkway, Bong Bong St, Bowral; ph 02 4862 2400) on the weekend. This really is one of the premiere spots to enjoy a leisurely weekend brunch-type affair: great food, superb coffee, and a relaxed atmosphere. It is also family-friendly, something which can be strangely hard to find in the Highlands. Chris and Will each have young children, and go out of their way to ensure a low-stress, enjoyable outing for families. Did you know Coffee Culture supply their own coffee beans to establishments all over NSW, even as far as Hippo Espresso (468 The Esplanade, Warners Bay; ph 02 4948 0800) on Lake Macquarie? Hardly surprising: the coffee is always great (I frequently pick up my weekday ones at CC as well!). For dining in, I highly recommend the BLT...

We celebrated a birthday over the weekend, and being not of the mind to make a cake (I did make the choc-chip biscuits, the recipe for which I previously published: am trying to upload the photos!), I enabled a secret Highlands pastry weapon: Susie Porter. For those of you who indulge in a dessert or two, it is likely you have tasted a Susie Porter creation in your travels. She makes cakes for a number of the great cafes in the Highlands, most notably Wild Food Bowral (250a Bong Bong St, Bowral; ph 02 4861 2838). We had the most divine strawberry sponge, filled with whipped cream, jam and fresh strawberries. I had three pieces in one sitting (and this was a 12" cake...). Light as a feather, and delicately delicious: just as you would imagine a perfect sponge to be. This woman can bake. Susie is currently investigating some new venues for her cake supply, and I will certainly keep you up-to-date so you can seek out these extraordinary desserts for yourselves. We are hoping to have her do a Chef's Night for us as well. Watch this space...

I also had a splendid little bite yesterday at a hole-in-the-wall in Sydney's CBD. While visiting Tetsuya's (which is not open for lunch on weekdays), I popped across the road to Bar Adyar (448 Kent St, Sydney). This teeny cafe is utterly odd, but has the most impressive food and coffee: I am told that the morning takeaway queues stretch down the street. I am not in the habit of singing the praises of the metropolis, but having worked in Kent St for years, I can assure you that this end of town needs places like Bar Adyar. If you find yourself in the vicinity, I recommend you drop in.

Hopefully my computer will be generous enough to cooperate with me sometime today, and I will have pics of the biscuits imminently....