Darrewill Farmhouse - Hamilton

Pear and Chocolate Creme Brulee

Creme brulee is always a mystery. Beneath the crisp scortched surfaced, you'd not know what lies beneath and as I dugged my spoon to crack the top, this centre was a light and creamy, a vanilla bean mix, with a hint of chocolate. It's such a different way to have this accompany a poached fruit rather than simple yogurt, cream or ice cream. Chocolate and pear is a fantastic combination. It's so beautiful to find a delicate chocolate and pear tart - sweetness all the way without tang.


Duck

Back to the main fare. Darrewill has a very creative range of food. It's very rare for me to go back to a place twice (but then again there aren't too many choices in Hamilton) and I don't think I've ever ordered the same thing twice in a restaurant before but as I ponder about the chicken breast with pear and walnut salad and fried crumbed camembert on my second visit, I ordered the really delicious duck again. The organic roast was tender and crisp on the skin served with a red wine jus. The mash was so flavourfully balanced with perfect wilted spinach and caramelised capsicum but the big surprise is the pithivier. Within the large globe pastry is unique quail and duck filling. This is one truly fullfilling meal, but, there's always room for their wonderful dessert.

Sticky Date - The Lounge

The Sticky Date Pudding is a traditional dessert that remains very popular, served with caramel or butterscotch sauce and double cream

This pudding was perfectly dressed with a rum butterscotch sauce, accompanied by ample ice cream protected from the heat so there's plenty of it for you to finish the pudding with. Highly satisfying

Hot Chocolate

The chocolate hazelnut pudding is beautiful. The nut base gives it a touch of crunch for this moist composition. The core is soft and moist. Its exterior is erupting with fudge but it really is not too much. The vanilla ice cream is set aside so as not to spoil the warmth but the accompanying texture is fabulous.

In the distance is a chocolate fondant that probably is a shame by the French standard. Fondant just means hot and this dessert is probably one of the classics of French desserts. So excessible that even fast food outlets cater them. A chocolate fondant has a warm liquid centre, a soft surronding and a just firm not burn covering. This version is small, such that a scoop of vanilla ice cream almost covers it, and very expensive.

Apple Cobbler - Hard Rock Cafe

It's such a pleasure to dig your spoon into the warm crisp cobbler along with a generous garnish of vanilla ice cream, placing it your mouth, holding it in for just a couple of seconds to allow the blend of hot and cold to marry as you chew and swallow.

The apple cobbler was enjoyed with a dear friend farewelling me to Hamilton - 300km west of Melbourne.

Although not the conventional chocolate, this cobbler is rich. Plenty of apple stewed and dressed with walnuts and cinnamon finished with creamy vanilla ice cream and gooey caramel.