Out on a limb with Tree-Top Baking: Day 3 in Sydney -- it's (mostly) all about food!

Weekend nightlife in the CBD (Central Business District) here in Sydney is rollicking --- noises from happy party-goers ricochets off buildings and easily reaches our 17th floor room. Even so, we got another good night's sleep....and wonder why we haven't felt any major jet-lag. Yesterday we bought a rail pass and today we took CityRail to a big indoor Farmers Market -- the Eveleigh Market. Walking from the station to the market we passed a number of beautiful shedding bark Eucalyptus...great colors and patterns.

It was early -- the crowds came later, as we left...but here you get some idea of how great it is to be able to vend inside (as opposed to having to set up and tear down a canopy each week). We met new friends and learned about Australian preserves (with honey) and pickles, figs and spreads, chutneys, cheeses, veggies, poultry, and, of course BREAD -- ones we'd love to bake for our customers. this year. Gerry bought two spatchcocks from Thirlmere Poultry that he's baking tonight. We also picked up some interesting-looking (although fairly ordinary, we're told) golden delight potatoes broccoli and salad fixings. (It smells good in the apartment as I write).

Six-fruit (banana, fig, date, raisin and two others I can't remember and don't detect) loaf from Shepherd's Bakehouse

La Tartine's fruit sourdough includes some amazing figs and lots and lots of whole almonds on the bottom!


Sonoma Baking's seeded (whole) rye bread is dense and great with Australian goat cheese we picked up at the market.

We returned to the apartment to store perishables -- then set out for the Taylor's Corner Farmers Market in Darlinghurst. It's a much smaller venue. Rainbow flags fly on lightposts on Oxford Street and the market is next to an old brick building that is covered with tiles that tell touching stories of gay Australians who made it to adulthood as vital people, despite homophobia and difficult family situations.

It had been two hours since we'd been to a bakery -- and we were in withdrawal -- so we walked 20 blocks to the Bourke Street Bakery and were amazed line out the door (which never shortened the half hour we were there). We really weren't hungry, but had a hard time resisting a sausage roll --- Gerry picked a lamb, nut and spice variety that was amazing.


The line-up at the Bourke Street Bakery --- amazing breads and pastries and much sought-after by neighbors.

Which would you choose at Bourke Street?


Is this poster for real? It's elicited interest!

We ended the day at Market City and Paddy's Market --- a five-story block square building near Sydney's Chinatown. The lower level includes hundreds of stalls with all everything you can imagine (for sale)...including, of course, incredibly priced inexpensive fresh fruits and vegetables....unique meat cuts (all parts of the pig) and a big fresh fish market.