Fruit
It’s a funny time of year for fruit while we wait for summer’s best and farewell winter staples. There are still great pears of several varieties available, and down at Altitude (Level 36, Shangri-La Hotel, 176 Cumberland St, The Rocks, Ph 9250 6123) they’re poached and served with burnt butter icecream and hazelnut soup. Desserts are still feeling wintry at Café 2060 (100 Bay Rd, Waverton, Ph 9922 2060) with dishes like rhubarb, apple and macadamia nut crumble. There’s also a fine apple tart with vanilla bean icecream before that fruit goes floury for the summer. Also making the most of the last of the rhubarb, which is still in great condition, is The Terrace at Pittwater. They poach it, top it with a hazelnut crumble and serve it with vanilla crème brulee. Queensland strawberries that have sustained us for months are finishing and NSW supplies are coming through. Although blueberries are normally a summer fruit, there are really good ones around now. There’ll probably be a few scattered throughout the divine, crunchy trifle at Bloodwood (416 King St, Newtown, Ph 9557 7699) along with rhubarb jelly and pound cake. There’s always a trifle there but its makeup changes with the seasons.
