This stunning platter of fresh produce and vibrant colour is what Agata and I dig into at Cornermith. It’s a gorgeous assembly of duck liver pate, onion & currant jam, alongside radish, apple & watercress salad with a generous serving of our New York Rye. Pomegranate seeds, peach slices and red grapes also join the beautiful plate.

The Marrickville corner cafe is very busy even on this Friday afternoon. Eight years in the making, owners Alex and James were seeking to fill a void with Cornersmith – they felt something was missing in Marrickville. What started out as a preserves business has now blossomed into a fully fledged cafe boasting a seasonal produce-focused menu.

Of course the preserves are still immensely important on the Cornersmith menu. The chutneys, jams and relishes are the inspiration for the wonderfully fresh and luscious dishes. The menu – handwritten on large blackboards – changes every month and the pickles and preserves are new every week, which requires Alex to close up shop every Monday to get all her pickling done.

With James as the coffee specialist and Alex as the mastermind behind the food (with the help of Chef Mirra Whale), the menu is in good hands. Using only free-range, ethical meats on the menu is one way that Cornersmith tries to raise awareness. The message they’re sending out to their consumers is one that teaches them where their food comes from.

The most popular dishes on the menu are the share plates, like the Ploughman’s Plate and the Cornersmith Plate (pictured above), both of which show off the wonderful Cornersmith pickles and preserves.

Our New York Rye and Sourdough Bread can be enjoyed as toast (with seasonal Cornersmith marmalades and jams of course), sandwiches or accompaniments for the share plates. They’ve also started serving their soup with our beautiful seeded baguette.

While the produce for their preserves is already sourced from local backyards, Alex also reveals that they’re working on getting a plot at the community gardens. I absolutely love this idea. Cornersmith is so immersed in their locality – with their beehive out the back for honey, their Marrickville following and even their local metal-maker who helped in crafting the cafe décor.

From the handmade stools to the wooden detailing, it’s obvious that a lot of love went into constructing this cafe. Housed in an old thread shop, Cornersmith is all about functionality. There are no superfluous bits or props to be found. The kitchen is homely and open, allowing customers to be a part of the cooking and preparation process of their dishes.

So there you go. Needless to say, I’ve pretty much fallen in love with this cafe. Next time you find yourself around Marrickville, make sure you sit yourself down with a cup of coffee (from Mecca, by the way) and a scrummy Cornersmith Plate.

Follow Cornersmith on Twitter and like them on Facebook.

Quirky and cute vibe at Cornersmith

Cornersmith counter

The menu changes every month

Cafe on the corner

Cornersmith
314 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville

Opening Hours
Tue-Fri 6.30am to 3.00pm
Sat-Sun 8.00am to 3.00pm
Mon Closed for pickling

Thomas went from being a dolphin trainer in Hong Kong to working at our artisan bakery in a heartbeat for his wife Ka Yan (you might have seen her around too – she’s the gorgeous girl in our Accounts department). And now he’s been with us for over a year, because he loves the wonderful staff members, the quality food and our awesomely friendly and down-to-earth CEO Michael.

Thomas learned everything from how to make coffee to the artisan features of sourdough bread at our company. Moving from Hong Kong to Australia was a big change. He goes so far as to say it changed his life. He was surprised to find how people are so into coffee in the land down under. But soon he found himself equally immersed in Australia’s coffee culture, and is now like any other Aussie foodie who downs at least three shots of coffee a day.

Of course the same principle applies to bread. In Asian countries (and I speak from experience, having lived in Southeast Asia for 13 years) bread caters to a completely different taste. The bread culture is centred on sweet soft breads, often filled with delicious ingredients like red bean. Dense breads like sourdoughs or rye loaves are hard to come by in Asia. But Thomas has joined the artisan bread world with open arms.

And here’s a bit of an interesting titbit – Thomas and Ka Yan have known each other for over a decade, but underneath their friendship is a romance novel waiting to be written. They’ve now been married for a year and a half – if that doesn’t make you go ‘awww’ I don’t know what will.

From a Hong Kong water rat (he was also a scuba diving and swim coach) to a piccolo-slurping Sydneysider, Thomas has found a new love: making coffee and cultivating his knowledge on coffee flavours.

Of late, he has not only found an interest in latte art, but has also developed an obsession with our new Date & Apricot Loaf. He ate a whole loaf in one sitting a few weeks ago. His recommendation is to simply eat it on its own – not even toasted or buttered!

So next time you’re at our Cafe, come say hi to Thomas!

Coffee up!

Thomas' favourite dish on the menu: the Pork Hash!

Mmmmh croissant...

Thomas can eat a whole loaf of the Date & Apricot Fruit Bread

Thomas' favourite sandwich (and mine too!): the Egg Granary, pictured here with added cheese

We’ve jumped on the BioCup wagon! So if you’ve noticed that the Allpress takeaway cups at our Sydney Cafe have lids that are looking a bit more translucent than normal, that’s because we’ve gone the eco-friendly route with biodegradable cups.

Over 1.5 billion paper cups are discarded annually in Australia and New Zealand. These paper cups are lined with plastic made of polyethylene and have plastic lids made of polystyrene – both are made from fossil fuels. And with these plastic components, regular coffee cups can’t actually be recycled.

Introducing the BioCup! The waterproof lining and the lid are made of PLA (Poly Lactic Acid, which is made from corn starch).  This means that the entirety of the BioCup is compostable. PLA production releases less greenhouse gas than regular plastic production, so we’re not only reducing dependence on fossil fuels, but also making a more sustainable choice to contribute to greenhouse gas savings.

So ladies and gents, do your part and throw your used BioCup in a compost bin after you’ve picked up an Allpress coffee at our cafe.

While you’re at it, check out Peppermint Office Catering – they use BioCups too! And for more detailed information on BioPak products, have a look on their website.

Eco-friendly and delicious!

Cappuccino

It doesn't cost the earth

Even the lids are compostable

Welcome to Hot Cross Bun Season! Don’t be the fool at the table this Easter going ‘Hot Cross huh?’ Here are some interesting facts on their sordid past, ironic how they’ve been tied to one of the holiest of Holidays in efforts to mask the traces of their sinful beginnings…

• Hot Cross Buns actually predate the arrival of Christianity in the UK
• The cross on top of Hot Cross Buns originally represented the pagan sun wheel, not the Easter crucifixion.
• Protestants monarchs tried to ban the buns, as it was rumoured that Catholics were baking them from the consecrated dough used to bake communion wafers.
• It was Queen Elizabeth the 1^st who eventually ‘converted’ the buns to Christianity and declared that the buns may only be eaten at funerals, Easter and Christmas.
• Hot cross buns were hawked by street-sellers to the cry of “Hot Cross Buns!” around the nineteenth century. This particular way of selling wares is demonstrated in the movie “Oliver!”

Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns!
One a penny two a penny – Hot cross buns
If you have no daughters, give them to your sons
One a penny two a penny – Hot cross buns

We know Easter is still a month away, alright, we’ve jumped the gun.

Real Hot Cross Buns

These are our Real Hot Cross Buns; the Authentics, the old-guard. A traditional spicy Easter tea bun made from a sweet-yeasted dough enriched with eggs and butter. It’s made with only the best quality spices ground and blended for us by one of Sydney’s oldest and most established spice emporiums, Herbie’s Spices.

Using a great customised blend of fresh spices made for us by Herbie’s Spices sets our Real Hot Cross Buns a world apart from the rest of the supermarket variety crowd. Apart from evolving it to fuller, deeper and more interesting flavour, the blends and spice mixes from Herbie’s contain no fillers, starches, MSG, free-flow agents or additives of any kind, so you know our Real Hot Cross Buns aren’t only rich in flavour, but in quality.

“What gives Spices their Flavour?

Through spices, nature provides an incredible variety of colours, textures, aromas and flavours that add interest and depth to our meals. The many and varied flavours in spices are held in the volatile oils that naturally occur in spices. Some of these flavours are apparent in the fresh spice, for example in ginger. Other spices either change or only develop their true flavour on drying.

[via Herbie’s Spices]

Chocolate & Sour Cherry Hot Cross Buns

Most of us here have had the pleasure (and the unneeded 2kg) of trialling the recipe development of these new Chocolate & Sour Cherry Hot Cross buns over the last month. A unique twist on tradition, they’re made from a recipe combining delicious bitter Dark Belgian Chocolate, Sour Cherries, unsweetened Cocoa, wheat and wholemeal flour, sugar and butter. I would go so far as to say they are obscenely scrumptious. The Dieting deities would most definitely not approve.

Remember, you can buy our Hot Cross Buns online and pick them up at your preferred stockist! Alternatively, we’d love to see you in our Cafe.

This week I was lucky enough to visit the brand-new Brasserie Bread Cafe at Sydney Domestic Airport with Michael. With camera in hand and Instagram at the ready, I snapped away to get a feel for the cafe. In the meantime, Michael sat down for a meeting whilst enjoying a Power Porridge.

Now we know that most people are in a hurry when they’re about to board flights, but for those who take their leisurely time and are happy to sit down for a full breakfast before their flights, we’ve also got hot food that’s made to order.

From our popular Smoked Trout, Poached Egg with Feta Salad dish (also available at our Banksmeadow Cafe) to our Signature Sourdough Pancakes, our menu is packed with a variety of delicious all-day breakfast items, salads and sweet treats. If you’re pressed for time, grab a Ham & Cheese Croissant or one of our scrumptious closed sandwiches.

At Brasserie Bread our passion for artisan baking goes hand in hand with a love of quality ingredients. And of course it’s very important to us that we adhere to the same philosophy at all Cafes. Connecting Sydney and Melbourne, the Brasserie Bread Airport Cafe follows this philosophy in every way.

We’ll also be offering retail bread soon! So you can be one of those awesome people who bring along a loaf or two of organic sourdough for your friends and family in other cities.

My week started with a bang (and not a whimper – I figure a T.S. Eliot reference is pertinent in any kind of blog post). I hope yours will be just as smashing. But most of all I hope you’ll make a quick pit stop at the Brasserie Bread Airport Cafe very soon

Great-looking cafe, if we do say so ourselves

Michael at the Brasserie Bread Airport Cafe

Our takeaway boxes at the ready

Breakfast of Champions! Power Porridge with Chia LSA, Organic Oats, Apple & Cinnamon

Warm Ham & Cheese Croissant

Sourdough Bread with Prosciutto, Buffalo Mozzarella & Pesto

Rhubarb & Strawberry Tart

The Brasserie Bread Sydney Airport Cafe is owned and operated by Airport Retail Enterprises

Brasserie Bread
Sydney Domestic Airport T2

Opening Hours:
7 days 6am to 9pm

Chef Alan Dennett is passionate about keeping food simple yet delicious. His office catering company has been delivering mouth-watering food to Sydney offices for about a year now.

Peppermint Office Catering is a business that reflects its title: green, simple, crisp and clean. The philosophy behind this catering company is one that aims to be eco-friendly, sustainable and real.

The sandwich platters are always a favourite amongst customers, but Alan points out that finger food is getting increasingly popular. The finger food menu has a distinctive international skew – ranging from lamb kofta skewers and vodka cured salmon dill blinis to Japanese takoyaki.

Everything on the menu is made from scratch except of course our breads and sweet treats.

Three things we love about Peppermint:

1. The variety, range and need for quality produce

Alan takes our cakes and other sweet goods and puts his own spin on it – like our awesome Spelt & Honey Banana Bread that he serves with lemon mascarpone.

The focus is on high quality products and that’s apparent in his choice of ingredients and products. When we visit Alan in the Peppermint kitchen, I get to try some Old Telegraph Road Fire Engine Red cheese. Put that on a piece of our Rye Loaf and I’m a happy camper!

2. An eco-friendly approach

Alan’s passion for an eco-friendly lifestyle was heavily inspired by his stay in the Solomons. Everything was natural and beautiful in an untouched way. And he lived in a house made of leaves and bamboo. The eco-friendly and sustainable approach isn’t just something that Alan abides by in his personal life. Alan uses BioCups, which are made of corn starch, and biodegradable cutlery and plates that are made of betel leaves.

3. Delivery to your office

Best of all Alan and his team can tailor your office catering needs accordingly. So whether it’s an elaborate lunch spread or a quick internal meeting over morning tea, Peppermint Office Catering can custom make a delicious menu just for you and your office.

Just imagine, for your next corporate meeting, you could be feasting on our yummy cakes or pastries! Check out the full Peppermint menu and order online here.

Seeded Baguette Sandwich

New York Rye deliciousness

Assorted sandwiches using our lovely Petit Pains

Mini beef burgers with cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce & gherkins on our Slider Brioche Bun

Homemade Hummus

Deliciously fresh and tasty tzatziki

Alan only uses biodegradable plates

BioCup

Piercing through the cafe bubble that is Surry Hills, new cafe and roastery Reuben Hills is sure exploding in the foodie and social media world. Ever since their opening on New Year’s Day, Twitterers, Instagrammers and bloggers have raved about the salted caramel milkshake and reuben sandwich.

A warehouse-style cafe that roasts its own coffee, Reuben Hills is so trendy it hurts. In a good way, of course.

Their Reuben is served on our New York Rye. It’s not a traditional reuben, but it’ll knock your socks off anyway. Wedged between the slices of rye bread is a concoction of wagyu brisket, coleslaw, manchego cheese and horseradish cream. In a nutshell: deliciousness.

Alternatively, you could give the Baked Eggs a go. They’re served with ranchero sauce, goats curd and either spinach or jamon serrano, and come with a toasted chunk of our Schiacciata. What’s so special is that there’s a Latino touch from the ranchero sauce making it spicy and exotic.

The Latin flavours are prevalent in all the dishes on the Reuben Hills menu. Whether it’s a Honduran baleada or some empanadas, you’re guaranteed to get a taste of something interesting and innovative. One thing is certain – this isn’t your average brekky joint.

Coffee nuts will want to make Reuben Hills their next BFF. I’m not much a coffee geek, but if I were I’d definitely make an appearance at their public coffee cuppings (every Friday at 10am).

If you’re not particularly an avid coffee drinker, then order the very popular milkshakes. Flavours include black sesame and salted caramel. So go on, mosey on up the hill on Albion Street – you won’t be disappointed!

Reuben Hills has sent Twitter into a frenzy – follow them here to join in on the tweeting fun!

See which other cafes and restaurants use our bread

Baked Eggs with ranchero sauce, spinach and goats curd

Black sesame milkshake and cappuccino

Black sesame milkshake

Reuben Hills
61 Albion Street, Surry Hills

Opening Hours
Every day 7am – 4pm

Sam Gabrielian (of Di Gabriel Coffee) has found himself a nifty little spot in Willoughby for his cafe Dose Espresso.  It’s not often that people will travel all the way to north suburbia for a cup of Joe. But we kid you not – this cafe is worth the trip. Greeted by graffiti’d walls, warm timber shades and the enticing smell of freshly roasted coffee, I enter with a sense of excitement in my finger tips, itching to try the coffee and drink in the atmosphere.

At once I’m drawn to the decor of this cafe – exposed brick walls, wooden furnishings and blue tints offset by touches of red and brown. The design is just right: modern street art meets rustic timber in an open space.

At Dose you’ll most likely be acquainted with our Organic Sourdough, Quinoa & Soya Loaf and Schiacciata if you order a sandwich or breakfast dish.

For the health-conscious, opt for the Quinoa & Soya Bread with tahini & carob spread. As for the sandwiches, they’re tied together with a rustic-looking string – loving this look! Our bread looks pretty awesome, I have to say.

Gabrielian has been seeking the perfect cup of coffee and has travelled worldwide in the name of coffee. At Dose you can immediately get a feel for his passion and love of good-quality coffee. Drink away your sorrows with an amazing cup of coffee – whether it’s single origin, cold drip or an affogato with pistachio gelato (I’m coming back for the latter; it sounds divine), you’re spoilt for choice.

And if that’s not enough, you can also buy superior coffee equipment and fresh coffee in store. Soon enough you can be your own barista – better practice those rosettas!

Open since November 2011, Dose Espresso is a cafe exuding flair that will surely get all the Sydneysiders to make a Willoughby detour. The locals are no doubt cheering – I’d move to Willoughby just so I can be around the corner from this gem of a cafe.

Read more reviews of cafes and restaurants that stock our bread

Quinoa & Soya Bread with roasted capsicum, grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, tasty cheese & basil pesto

Prosciutto, tomato, rocket and tasty cheese on Schiacciata

Purchase top notch coffee equipment while you're at it

Single origin of the week

Dose Espresso
Shop 6, 191 High St, Willoughby North
Tel: (02) 9967 2552

Opening Hours
Monday to Friday 6am to 4pm
Saturday & Sunday 7am to 3pm

Here’s a feast for your eyes! Our new cafe menu is in full swing now. But don’t fret, there are many signature dishes and breakfast favourites staying. Like our mouth-watering Sourdough Pancakes and the moreish Croque Monsieur.

But let’s get to the new stuff! The Quinoa & Soya Bread with Tuna, Tomato, Chilli, Capers and Green Beans is pictured above and will no doubt be a crowd pleaser amongst our regulars.

It has to be said that everyone in the office was enormously excited about the new sandwiches. I, for one, spent a good ten minutes trying to figure out which new sandwich to try first. I’m pretty stoked that I get to try a new sandwich everyday this week!

Schiacciata with Slow Cooked Pork & Chimichurri Sauce

Let’s begin with the Slow Cooked Pork Sandwich. Definitely ask for this one toasted because the Schiacciata (like all our Italian Breads) are especially crispy and delicious when they’re warm and crusty.

Wholemeal Bruschetta with Ricotta & Butter Sauteed Mushrooms

Mushroom enthusiasts will love this one! This bruschetta is definitely not just your average tomato bruschetta – it’s an open sandwich slathered with ricotta and served with butter sautéed mushrooms.

6 Seed Sandwich Roll with Marinated Turkey, Hummus & Crunchy Salad

Our Turkey Sandwich from last year also got a bit of a makeover! We used to serve it with a carrot and coriander salad, but it’s now a revamped crunchy salad of shredded pumpkin, beetroot and celeriac. This was the first sandwich I tried, and I know I’ll be ordering it again and again… and again. It’s fresh, it’s nutritious, but best of all it’s flavoursome.

New York Rye with Corned Beef, Mustard and Coleslaw

The Corned Beef Sandwich with mustard and coleslaw on New York Rye is a burst of flavours. I love the lean beef and the freshness and subtle tanginess of the coleslaw (FYI, this slaw is mayo-free).

So there you have it! I hope to see you at our cafe this year – I’ll be the one eating the turkey sandwich and taking photos of my lunch on Instagram (hey, you should follow us on Instagram, now that I’ve mentioned it: @brasseriebread).

See our full summer menu here.

Watch the awesome video of our cafe here.

If you leave the De’lish store without having bought a single thing, I commend you on your self-discipline. De’lish has a wonderful and delicious (no pun intended) range of specialty foods on offer. Owner Vicky stresses that De’lish customers understand quality.

De’lish sell their own homemade products, complemented by other specialty goods (like our bread!). Some of their products (that are made from scratch in the commercial kitchen on site) include pasta sauces, casseroles, soups, stocks and of course everything that you see in the cabinet. Today there are fritters, salads, sandwiches and quiches on display.

The products are all about quality and integrity. Their curries are made with real coconut milk (and splitting the coconut milk takes a whole day).

If you’re after some Nashua washed rind or a d’Affinois, you’ve come to the right place. Vicky and Assistant Manager Brendan buy things that they like: their favourite cheeses, their favourite breads, their favourite chutneys…

“We try not to follow trends,” Vicky points out. Instead, this store is about integrity. Vicky also knows that supermarkets aren’t competitors because of their distinct target markets. It’s cohabitation, not rivalry.

Vicky further proves she’s intent on integrity and awareness when she indicates that De’lish wants to create a connection for consumers about who their suppliers are. So in our instance, one of the sandwiches in the cabinet uses our Rustic Loaf. Everyday a new page is printed out to label the products accordingly.

Smoked Salmon on Brasserie Bread Rustic Loaf with herb cream, capers, Spanish onion, cucumber & watercress

I’m impressed that Vicky is so adamant about customers understanding the product they’re buying. It’s not often that delis and cafes will label their sandwiches with the brand of bread they use! The bottom line is we’re very happy that she does, because Brasserie Bread gets to be a part of it everyday

Three things we like about De’lish:

1. They have a brand new website!

See the spiffy new website here for further information on their catering, cooking classes and hampers.

2. Our bread makes an appearance in not only their retail store and daily sandwiches but also in their catering

Of the 12 years De’lish has been around, the team has been purchasing Brasserie Bread products for six years. Vicky and Brendan’s favourite Brasserie Bread product is the Caramelised Garlic Bread, but they say that the top-selling breads are our Rustic Loaf and the Bakers Round in our Organic Sourdough range.

In catering, De’lish uses our cute, little Cocktail Burger Buns for a selection of burger creations, including a Tandoori chicken burger, a lamb burger with mint and cumin, and a vegetarian burger with roasted eggplant and a capsicum & chive salsa. The Rustic Loaf also plays a part in an Alaskan crab dish of theirs. De’lish offers various catering services, including corporate catering and children’s parties.

For other stockists as well cafes and restaurants that sell our bread, check out our Find Our Bread map here.

3. They’re looking to kick off a market day once a month

Vicky mentions that she’s waiting for the council to approve a market day on the foot path outside their store. I think this is such an inspired idea. The potential for delicious produce and quality goods on the side of the road will not only be drawing in consumers but also keeping them informed on fresh and superior products. We hope this monthly market day will start up soon!

De’lish Food Store & Catering
340 Pacific Highway
Lindfield NSW 2070
Tel: 02 9880 9600

Opening Hours:
Monday-Friday 9.30am to 7.30pm
Saturday 9.00am to 7.30pm
Sunday 9.00am to 4pm