Sydney Food and Wine Show 2006

*Just a couple of pictures and my thoughts on the Sydney Food and Wine show this year.
I got up really early to make time to bake, run a couple of errands, study and make it to the Exhibition center in Darling Harbour all in one morning. With my exams closing in next week; I really shouldn't be thinking about food or exhibitions...but *sigh* i'd rather torture myself without sleep or rest than to miss the annualSydney Good Food and Wine Show!

As I read my study notes on the bus; I had a strong craving for a sugar hit from Cupcakes on Pitt! It isn't exactly breakfast-type-food, but it's my favourite shop to visit on Pitt street and afterall there's no such thing as a bad time for a cupcake! *grin* Their cupcakes aren't the tastiest, but definitely the prettiest!
I longingly smiled and pointed at a vanilla frosted cupcake amongst the array of colourful cupcakes. "Sure thing my dear!" said the pretty blonde waitress in her British accent. I exchanged money for the dainty cupcake, wished her well, snapped a shot or two with my camera and away I gobbled as I headed towards my destination! Didn't take too long before I was done with it.
(ps: for cupcake fans and sydney-iders, if you look carefully at some graffiti around townhall; you'll notice a happy bird eating a pretty pink cupcake painted amongst the art- hint* stand across the street from KFC and look right. *shrug* I wish I took a picture of it; but I was in a hurry. I had a cupcake in hand when I spotted it! and of course...cupcake comes before camera hehe)

$18.50 for a Student Consession??! The entry fee was ridiculously priced! Considering the fact that when you get in, you're still expected to pay for every show bag or item on display. Well, there were of course several stalls handing out free bite sized samples in forms of crackers, instant rice, etc. etc. but it still doesn't mean $18.50 is appropriate! I guess if you love wine and other expensive items like good cheese and coffee; you could probably make it worth $18.50 if you had a sip and bite from every single stall in the show. I personally don't see how anyone could have possibly done that, not with the lines and crowds trying to get a cup of whatever has a fork stuck in it!
Now that I've had my rant; here's a couple of items which attracted my attention. I absolutely loved the chocolate stalls; especially the lindt stall with a professional chocolatier and his pot of melted milk Lindt Chocolate. I was tempted to fake tripping on a shoe lace and falling face first into the chocolate! *sneaky*The cheeses, yogurts, beers+ wine, honey, coffee, health food ideas and fresh food stalls were amazing as well. Absolutely loved the fruits! Just look at the strawberries! I personally feel these stalls with good produce, brands with fresh ingredients and simple healthy ideas were what the entire show should be about. I should have taken more photos but my hands were preoccupied with tasty food!! LOL.
I purchased several show bags from my favourite magazines and was bombarded with tons of unwanted instant pack sauces, bottles, candy and rice? I have nothing against eating something out of a can; but I bet all of us know that 'Good food' usually does not come in instant packs. I wonder if it's what most people in the City are eating nowadays. Just because its saves us 30 minutes of cooking? 1 hour of hassle at the supermarket?
Here's a peek at what 3 $50 bills bought me.Honestly; I didn't think I wanted half of the stuff here....it 'literally' broke both my shoulders. (Thanks Artem for helping reduce my agony on the way home! ) I accumulated all this in less than 3 hours! Don't get me wrong; free stuff is good, it's great in fact, but it's definitely not when you go home, count your dollars and cents...and discover, you actually paid for most of the stuff you didn't need/want at the entrance!
(out of curiosity and sore muscles; I made a pack of the free instant meals from the showbags for our dinner tonight...I added a couple of my own condiments and followed the pack instructions. Here's the best I could do.
Taste verdict from the three of us : ew, just...eww...)

I personally feel the best of Sydney's amazing culinary delights were not brought to the show. Despite my disgust at instant noodle stores, fried rice by the bags and other dump-in-the-microwave meals; I had fun. Lots of it! I got to try many new varieties of cheeses, different types of olive oil and was introduced to many new ways to cook healthier meals. Got a lil tipsy from the many sips of alcohol too! hehe
Oh~ did I mention? I met Bill Granger! and got him to sign my book. I told him how much I loved his self saucing chocolate puddings! Didn't have much time to chat though, his line of fans behind me were giving me angry evil stares even when I asked for a photograph! *shudder* I bet they were all just jealous :P hehePs: For those visiting the show during the weekend, remember to look out for the Ipoh White Coffee stall! Have a sample! The coffee is great!....and not just because Ipoh is my hometown in Malaysia *wink*