"...NOTHING BEATS HOME-MADE.. BUT.. THESE ARE 'PRETTY GOOD' - I'M NOT A FOOD-SNOB.. TRY TO TAKE THINGS 'FOR WHAT THEY ARE' RATHER THAN 'WHO SAYS WHAT THEY'RE S'POSED TO BE'..."
On Friday afternoon, we went to visit a dear friend in Essendon - her 74th Birthday...
I'd been busy - no time to bake - she likes 'traditional type' fare - especially where her 'cakes' are 'concerned'...
I googled 'cakes' in her area - the closest one was THE CHEESECAKE SHOP on Pascoe Vale Road, Moonee Ponds - "oh well", I thought "surely it'll be better than turning up empty handed..."
My very logical and still 'very young' eldest said "ma.. it's okay.. she'll like it.. she can hardly see.. and she probably can't taste, anymore.. for G's sake.. stop giving it so much thought.." - Okay.. okay.. okay.. okay.
[Yes, he can be a most naughty of naughty boys..!!]
I'd not been to a cheesecake shop for many years, and perhaps had been only the once - when we lived in Heidelberg - bought a huge slab of cheesecake for a kindergarten function I had an hour's notice to attend.. Kinda forgot about them after that.. perhaps cos - since they've got big - have sorta made it a habit of buying the boys a Birthday cake from BRUNETTI in Carlton - before this, when they were little, it was usually always an Ice-cream cake from DAIRY BELL in Bundoora.
Anyway, it's a compact little shop - super clean - good display inside a '4 foot' high, shop width, refrigerated, sparkling glass counter - lots of things looked freshly made and pretty scrumptious...
We decided on a large 'Strawberry Fields' Gateaux - Layers of soft light Vanilla Sponge - spread with Strawberry Jam and Fresh Cream - sides spread with Fresh Cream and Dark Chocolate Shards - topped with piped Fresh Cream, halved quality Strawberries and Dark Chocolate Shavings..
It was super fresh, simple, great combo of flavours and textures - strawberries, cream, vanilla, cake, chocolate - very generous with the strawberries, not overly sweet, just delicious.... and it met the brief brilliantly..!!!
YES, SHE LOVED IT.. and she can see.. and taste.. a bit..!!
And a good price - just a little over $30 [$30.95 to be exact] - very reasonable for a Birthday Cake which will definitely cut into 12 wedges, and each with it's own strawberry... alas, we're just little piglets...
Look, if on the next occasion, when I'm kinda stuck.. or maybe not so stuck.. I won't hesitate to get another of these cakes.. actually, I can sorta sense a craving 'coming on'.. wonder if there's one out here, near me....??
Hey.. seriously, it was really 'scrummy'...!!! Went down so well with a lovely big pot hot strong English Breakfast tea...!!!
'ONE SHOULD NEVER MAKE IDLE JUDGEMENTS' - Lesson learned...
Visited on Friday 13th Nov 2015 for a BDay Cake to take to a friend. read more