So to calm my nerves, off to Prahran market I went to get some nourishment for the fridge, the freezer and I. And of course, what visit to Prahran market would be complete without a stop at Delicatess for some jamon. How could I not?
Anyone who knows me knows that drinking coffee - whereever I am - whatever the weather - is normal behaviour for me. I did feel like an iced coffee today so I ordered a short black AND ice coffee from Market Lane Coffee..I know, a short black is a hot beverage in 33°C weather but whatever, I figured the iced coffee wouldn't provide sufficient caffeine to get me through the morning and I didn't want to drink warm milk (that didn't stop me later in the day though, but that's another story). I love that they make their iced coffees with espresso, milk and ice. No ice cream. Don't get me wrong, every now and then I like my ice cream flavoured with espresso, but not today.
Whilst I was in the area, I also thought it was time to visit the two places in Prahran / South Yarra that everyone seems to be raving on about - Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio and LuxBite.
I suppose the visit follows my "macaron" class a few weeks ago at Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School. I do confess however, that I'm not a macaron fanatic, so please excuse me for not being "oh wow, oh wow owowow"..when I talk about the cakes and macarons below. So why do the class I hear you screaming?! Even though I rarely eat them, I still wanted to learn as I knew it would definitely be a fun class to do. Of course it helps that Savour run a brilliant Chocolate and Patisserie School which caters for the amateur and professional alike. I feel so smart now that I know how macarons are made. I better be careful, I might get a bit of a macaron complex.
Burch and Purchese Sweet Studio is located at the FAR end of Chapel St (yep, thats my detailed description for you), and unless you were really looking, you (or more I) would not generally walk that far. It was fortuitous that the sun was out and I didn't mind the walk. The cakes looked very impressive and how can they not? A cake laced with a mirror glaze is something everyone should want to eat it with their bare hands. Deft use of technique I am certain, but I must admit, I don't understand what all the rave is about - it's a cake shop. In all fairness, I didn't buy a cake, and somehow I didn't really think eating cake before lunch...or in fact, breakfast, was advisable. So I can't really comment much more.I left with a packet of biscuits which were $12.50 which unfortunately tasted like eating marzipan.Since Burch and Purchese Sweet Studio didn't seem to have macarons I wandered down Toorak Road to check out Luxbite. It was a long walk. I clearly don't qualify as a foodie because I'm not generally obsessed about salted caramels and shit like that. But LuxBite's macarons are pretty good, although the colours are almost blinding. I am incredibly scared of food colour. Otherwise, they were tasty, and textually what a macaron should be I guess? They did taste better than most.(this is coming from someone who eats macarons once a year if that).
Knowing that to make a white macaron the amount of Titanium Dioxide required would kill a small cat (ok, maybe not)...I of course HAD to buy a white one (it was an oversight...it was). I also learnt today that macaron fillings are NOT temperature stable...33°C...left in the car = tears. You would also like to know that the flavour is primarily in the filling not the biscuit, the biscuit is basically a lot of sugar, almond meal, more sugar, egg white, a bit more sugar, and maybe some other stuff, and a lot of colouring. That's macarons in general. So boys and girls, don't leave macarons in a hot car and also know that you're eating sugar and colour (and more sugar with colour). Anyways, 6 coffees later, I feel kinda sick and I lost a bit of respect for myself for taking photos of biscuits and macarons in the car. So I'll leave you with those respect-eroding photos and since you got this far in my post - here's a smiley face for you to keep. :)
Overall I do think they are worth visiting if you're into that type of stuff... (and if you're close as well) but macarons are macarons and entremets are entremets imho. However, yes, LuxBite's salted caramel macaron is good. I think I've mentioned the word macaron enough times in this post.
Where?
Around South Yarra and Prahran
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