Browsing Books at Bendooley
Living in the Southern Highlands for the past 3 months, I’ve come to discover that this area is a hotspot for boutique wineries and beautiful wedding venues. Abundant with green farm land sweeping the hilly landscape, it’s no wonder the Highlands has become such a sought after destination for a weekend city break or countryside wedding, especially with it only being a short drive from both Sydney and Canberra.
Working at one of the wineries myself, I have been keen to visit other popular venues including Centennial Vineyard just out of Bowral and Bendooley Estate in Berrima. I was particularly intrigued by the idea of a bookshop at Bendooley which welcomes guests to enjoy their menu of enticing Australian cuisine whilst perusing the literature.
Arriving at the estate on a drizzly spring Friday afternoon, I was welcomed by the site of a roaring fire to escape the cold. In the main cafe seating area nestled between the shelves of books, it’s hard not to get drawn in and immersed into an interesting read. Stocking everything from original English fiction and old school cooking books to current cult classics and eye catching coffee table hard backs, you could spend hours discovering new reads whilst sipping on your wine and enjoying a slice of pizza fresh from the stone oven.
Having exercised my intellect and admired the photography of Vogue covers and Hepburn films, I eagerly followed signs to the cellar door. Overlooking the vineyard and grand driveway, the stunning bar and old-fashioned counterweight fireplace provides the eye-catching centrepiece as you contemplate the tasting notes from the range of wines on offer.
Starting with white, I was refreshed with a crisp fruity Sauvignon Blanc and found the woody zest of the Semillon a real winner. Of course I had to try the sparkling too and being my personal preference, the NV Cuvee didn’t disappoint with a delicate fruity finish perfect for a summer afternoon.
Moving onto the reds and with a good variety of light, woody and heavier types, there certainly was a taste for every palette. The Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas of dark fruits and a medium body was exquisite and the Sangiovese giving more spice and bite would accompany a cheese board perfectly. Being more partial to a full bodied red, I didn’t expect such depth of flavour in the Pinot Noir which time in French Oak leaves a delicious woody finish.
With staff as friendly and welcoming as its surroundings, Bendooley Estate offers an all round experience of casual fine dining, sociable chatter of wine tasting and book browsing at leisure…a beautiful recipe for the quintessential afternoon in Berrima.
For brekky or a snack anytime of the day, you can’t go wrong with a classic yoghurt bowl. Take a dollop of Greek set yoghurt, frozen berries warmed in a little water, pear slices baked in honey, a crunchy granola laden with nuts and a generous dash of cinnamon – simple, fast and cheap. Baking the pears turns their flesh into golden sweetness and with the crunch of granola on top of the fruit, this combination is like a healthy take on crumble desert!
A night in cooking for myself means taking what odds and ends I have leftover and getting creative with the flavours I can put together. This colourful bowl of goodness was a mix of salad, paprika roasted veggies including cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, onion and whole garlic cloves, fajita quorn strips, sticky white rice, sprouts, pepitas, a squeeze of lemon and that all important drizzle of hot sauce. The addition of pineapple wedges and touch of paprika on the veggies complimented the Mexican theme and really vamped up this dinner.
Once again oats prove to be the most economical of wholesome ingredients and provide endless possibilities with all the different cooking methods. I most often use rolled oats and choose to cook on the stovetop, however I baked this bowl of oatmeal in the oven to achieve a super creamy consistency. No need for fancy powders or seed mixes, simply take a cup of rolled oats, a cup of soy milk, a cup of water, mix together in a bowl and leave in the oven for 25 minutes or so. I stirred in grated apple half way through and left to stand for 10 minutes before topping with warmed berries and cinnamon. I’ve experimented a lot with methods for cooking oats and lavish toppings to decorate, but this basic recipe was perfect and just as worthy of a photo. I enjoyed my bowl sat in the garden soaking up the first few rays of Australian spring; sometimes its the simple pleasures that warm the soul.
Owners Chris and Sally Beresford pride themselves on creating the perfect setting in which to enjoy the immaculately kept estate as you graze on a delectable French inspired menu carefully curated by Sally herself. Whilst guzzling a glass of wine and soaking up the sun, you can explore the vineyard and get to know the majestic family of geese making their characterful presence known on the reservoir.
An impeccable taste for French interiors is also reflected in the antique centre next door, in which Sally exhibits her antique tables made using trees imported from France. With a background in the rag trade and regular trips to Europe to scope out original pieces, Sally brings together antique furniture alongside touches of modern elements to formulate her unique style. This compilation of the old and new to accompany exclusively curated tables has drawn the attention of prestigious publications including Vogue and The Financial Times, establishing Beresford’s name in interiors from the highest of crituques.
With such attention drawn to Mount Ashby amongst socialites of the Southern Highlands and beyond, the estate is set to grow with a new event space being built to accommodate increasing demands of weddings taking place on the property. Set amongst the vineyard overlooking the reservoir, you couldn’t ask for a more picturesque, romantic setting to take marriage vows. Meanwhile, the Pallete Cafe with its new summer special menu continues to bustle on the weekends, firmly proving itself as a little taste of France within the sweeping hills of Australian farmland.
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I kept it very simple and the result was so delicious it was like eating desert for breakfast! My new obsession with rice milk really topped the dish off like the whipped cream to accompany a carrot cake. If I had gone to the supermarket and shopped for this recipe I probably would’ve over complicated it, but by just using what I had to hand, I discovered the perfect combination of ingredients – Sometimes less is more!
Method:
Overall I was happy that we got to explore so many bars off the beaten track which I will be keen to visit again. My favourite find was The Rook with its top secret elevator entrance and offerings of lobster to enjoy alongside that perfect glass of wine. It’s also been a fantastic month for the numerous Merivale bars across Sydney, as they’ve been offering their 49% off drinks 5-7pm everyday throughout the month of June – Bottoms Up Sydney!
So with my $10 promo code for Uber Eats and having never tried the local Poke shop here in Paddington, I decided to order in from the comfort of my own home! Taking inspiration from the imaginative street favourites on the menu, I decided to build my own bowl which consisted of the following: Cabbage (You can have noodles, rice or quinoa as alternative bases), Yellow Fin Tuna, Radish, Cucumber, Edamame, Yellow Beetroot, Toasted Sesame Seeds and a Coconut and Chilli Lime Dressing.
The delivery was super quick and came accompanied with all the essentials including chop sticks and extra dressing on the side. All of the salad was fresh and beautifully presented in the bowl, making it almost too good to eat! I enjoyed my Poke bowl sat out in the evening sun of Paddington, revitalising me with all the essential vitamins and goodness my body needed after a long week of work and perhaps a few too many glasses of red wine on Friday night!
Dani Aneka 