Brunch at Wild Food Cafe and our Southern Highlands day trip

Cheesecake Boy and I are in Perth at the moment, so it's been hard to update the blog as wifi is not always readily available and that it's been a busy holiday well for me anyway so far.  Unfortunately, the holiday is over for Cheesecake Boy and he has been put to work here, but I am definitely enjoying my time off in Perth as the weather has been fantastic, and I'll be coming back  to Sydney with a slight tan.  Thankfully Maccas everywhere are easy to find and a great source of free wifi, even if I haven't had a chocolate thick shake for at least 10 years, and they have really skimped on the ice cream, not as thick as I remember them to be and you don't have to work hard now to slurp it down, so there goes half the fun.

Anyway, after postponing our day trip to the Southern Highlands quite a few times.  Cheesecake Boy and I have finally gone with our friends Noodle Boy and Rice Girl, and we loved our time there.  Our trip was the weekend of "It's Tulip Time" and by the time the four of us arrived at Bowral we were breakfast deprived and starving.  Especially, since I got side tracked and decided that there was a cake stand that I really needed, and that's when one of the shop assistants suggested that we drop into Wild Food Cafe for brunch. When we got there we realised that Wild Food Cafe was an organic health food store with a cafe at the back.

As soon as we were seated, Cheesecake Boy became fascinated with the beaded monkey on our table, and started taking photos of it none stop.  Apparently they were bought back from San Francisco.

We were told by a local that the coffee here is good.  However, I don't drink coffee so I can't say, but Cheesecake Boy did order his usual large cappuccino and thought they did quite a good job.

Cheesecake Boy had his wild breakfast with two poached eggs that also came with bacon, organic sausage, slow roasted organic tomato and saute mushrooms with toasted organic sourdough.  Now, I've never been huge on the big breakfast, but it definitely made for a hearty meal.  I tried the poached eggs, and they were some of the better poached eggs I've had for a while, just full of flavour.  The sausages were nice and lean, and I enjoyed the sourdough toast as well.  Cheesecake Boy was utterly stuffed by the time he was done.  Noodle Boy and Rice Girl were smart and shared one between the two of them, the staff were lovely and really thoughtful, as they actually served Noodle Boy and Rice Girl their half share on separate plates without needing to be asked.

Wild breakfast, $20

My maple infused French toast came with organic Canadian maple syrup and seasonal organic fruit, the fruit of choice that day was bananas, much to my delight.  I had been suffering from banana withdrawals back then, I use to and only recently again eat a banana for breakfast every morning, and it's making me feel like a normal functional person once more.  The French toast was not overly rich, and I liked that it was just eggy enough and not drowning in syrup so that the bread still had some bite to it.  The powdered cinnamon and sugar liberally sprinkled on top, gave this a lovely lift. 

Maple infused French toast, $14

Happily full, we continued our day by visiting "It's Tulip Time", which was the predominant reason why we finally made the trip.  Tulips are my favourite flower, I think it's their innately beautiful round shape and the colourful variations that they come in that make me love them so much.  As Cheesecake Boy and I took plenty of shots and we wanted to share some on this blog.  Cheesecake Boy will begrudgingly admit that he actually enjoyed this, even though it's not the manliest of activities.  

I know this is not a tulip, but I saw this in one of the stalls wanted to take the mushroom home with us.  However, that was until I discovered that they were not solid, but completely hollow.

Initially I was too distracted by the tulips to notice the tulip engraved brick edgings.  I thought the tulip bricks were rather sweet though.

Since, the guys went to the tulip festival with us girls, we decided that we should visit some vineyards to make it a fair day.  I guess I am becoming the queen of getting side tracked, as I insisted on a detour to Berrima first.  I'm glad I was so insistent, as Berrima is awfully quaint.

Anyway, Cheesecake Boy was cracking down on me about the time, so we decided to quickly duck into the first jam shop that I could find.  The Little Hand Stirred Jam Store is also an ice creamery and besides jams they also sell an impressive array of honeys, jellies and other condiments.

When my sister and I were kids, as a special treat we would get a tin of these fruit drops on occasion.  Back then the tins were very special to us, and we would give them a wash after we polished off the lollies, and we would then keep the tins to store what was special to us.  I got one of these for memories sake, as I hardly see these in Sydney anymore.

The ice creamery side, stocks Cheesecake Boy's favourite range of Serendipity ice creams.  Unfortunately, we were still too full from brunch to think about ice cream.

After our purchases of some blueberry jam, quince jelly, fruit drops and a quick chat to the shop owners about which vineyards to visit, Cheesecake Boy hurried me back into the car.

The drive to visit the grounds of Centennial Vineyards was highly recommended.  Both the cellar door and the restaurant were stunning.

After purchasing a few bottles of wine, Cheesecake Boy had us all out the door and off to our next and last stop which was Joadja Vineyards.  The decision to stop here was that Joadja Vineyards is actually the oldest winery in Southern Highlands.  I have to say this has to be the friendliest cellar door, I have ever been too.  Before, I knew it I was getting a special roast chicken and risotto recipe and the time past by quickly as Cheesecake Boy was too distracted with playing with the dog on the rug to take any photos of the cellar door, and I was too busy making the executive decisions on which drops we were taking home with us that night.  Unfortunately, they had just sold out of apple cider and as it was the end of apple season there would be no more stock until the new season, but we did manage to pick up some other wines and a bottle of applecello.

I'd wish that we discovered the Southern Highlands earlier, but better late then never I guess.  Unfortunately, we didn't make it to The Bradman Museum and Biota Dining, but there is always next time.  It was a magical day with the tulips, misty rain and beautifully vast countryside.  We'll definitely come back and visit the wonderfully picturesque Southern Highland sooner than later, I hope. 

Holidaying away, Dumpling Girl.


Wild Food Cafe
250 Bong Bong Street
Bowral NSW 2576
Ph: (02) 4861 5559

Centennial Vineyards
Centennial Road
Bowral NSW 2576
Ph: (02) 4861 8700
http://www.centennial.net.au/index.html

The Little Hand Stirred Jam Store
9 Old Hume Highway
Berrima NSW 2577

Joadja Vineyards

Cnr Greenhills and Joadja Roads
Berrima NSW 2577

Ph: (02) 4878 5236

http://joadjawinery.com.au/