The Gathering, Bungendore, New South Wales.

A chill wind was blowing as Summer finally seemed over in Australia.  Due to being an island and very few reported cases of the damned virus, life was returning to somewhat normal (whatever is normal).

Harper and I had decided to brave the wind and visit a Farmer’s Market in Bungendore and while there felt the need of sustenance.  We had seen some reviews of The Gathering and thought it might meet our needs for sustenance and protection from the wind.

Upon entering we noticed it was very popular.  The tables outside had some patrons seated awaiting their order and upon entering we found the last empty table in the corner after a kind regular told us to take some menus and seat ourselves.

On perusing the menu, Harper decided on coffee and the Borlotti Bean Casserole ($19.00) and as Eggs Benedict ($19.00) was on the menu it seemed no choice was required for me.  Briefly I toyed with the idea of the Corn Fritters but had cooked and eaten my own in the previous week, so it was only a brief consideration.

Harper ordered at the counter and was not informed there would be any delay and we waited.  The coffee arrived and as it was the House Blend of Lonsdale Street Roaster, Harper was pleased.  Then we waited.  Other customer left and their tables were quickly taken.  One patron arrived at least 10 minutes after we did and decided to sit at the largest table even though other tables were available.  And we waited.  The coffee was finished and sipping water in a noisy place loses its charm after a while when you are waiting (and possibly patience running thin).

The problem began with the customer who had arrived at least 10 minutes after us was served the full order and we were sitting without any indication of when our food might arrive.  Harper decided to ask and was told the meal was on the way with no explanation for the delay.

After another wait our meals finally arrived.  First impressions were mixed.  The evident burn mark on the top of the bagel was not appealing and while the presentation of the casserole was better, it did not make up for the wait.

Harper

The beans looked reasonable but were hard and did not have an impressive flavour.  The sourdough toast was probably the best part of the dish.  The chorizo was reasonable but after the wait, I was unimpressed. 

I cleaned my plate because I was hungry.

Score:  2.50  

I was unimpressed with both the service and the food but the coffee was good.

Jamie

As any regular reader of this blog would know, I’ve had Eggs Benedict in many restaurants and cafes.  Possibly the biggest disappointment was on the Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 as the muffins were never properly toasted and the hollandaise was indifferent.  This was another disappointment.  Possibly the food was flavoured by the disappointment at the wait and the fact that one of the eggs was not runny.  The flavour was reasonable but the slight burn on the bagel did affect the flavour.  The hollandaise was reasonable but overall it did not match the standard of, for example, Trev’s or Via Dolce.

I did not clean the plate.

Score: 2.5

The service, for us, was not very good. The burn on the bagel did not impress me and the nearly overcooked egg was also a disappointment, though the bacon was well cooked. 

Overall Score: 2.5

It is unlikely we will gather at The Gathering again. 

We admit that having people who arrived after us being served before our order arrived and other patrons who arrived a considerable time after us being served very soon after our meals had belatedly arrived, coloured our reviews.  No explanation for the delay was given even when asked Archer asked when we would be served.  While the cafe was busy, we believe our order had been ignored or overlooked. 

Random Recipes: Chocolate Brownies from Readers’s Digest:“Like Grandma Used to Make” (No Author Named)

Finally, the heat of Summer is abating (yay!), the pandemic still exists but the ACT has had very few cases.  I have eaten out a few times but keep forgetting to take photos.  Sorry, but hopefully in the next fortnight we should be reviewing Chez Kimchi with a possible new addition to the team. 

All this leads up to is that with the heat not being as oppressive as it was my thoughts turned to making cakes etc.  Recently we decided it was better for health and quality control if we purchased fewer biscuits and cakes from supermakets and ate ones I made.  It also provides an excuse to use up the various flours purchased when I was informed, I might be gluten intolerant. I attempted to make gluten free bread and it is one of the worst things I’ve ever made (not forgetting the eggplant custard reviewed in a previous Random Recipe).  Also, gluten free bread turns to mush and does not make pleasant eating.  To address the possible issue my intake of bread etc has been reduced and usually I mix different flours together in order to use up the ones which I do not like.  It means less gluten more texture.

The recipe book being reviewed was purchased at the Lifeline Book Fair a few years ago and until now has not been consulted.  There is one chocolate brownie recipe I use constantly as it is rich and delicious but contains a large amount of sugar.  (Sugar is bad, but aspartain is awful, to my tastebuds at least.)

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To be honest, I do not like my mixer.  It is too big to store in a cupboard I can reach, too heavy to lift onto the shelf where it may fit and it is essential the bowl is in place before the beater/dough hook, etc is rotated on.  Partly because I do not like it, I tend to make cake recipes which do not require creaming butter and sugar together, but this recipe required its use.

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The Recipe

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After melting the butter and chocolate, it was cooled for about 20 minutes.  It didn’t take long to melt and it is fun to watch the dark chocolate being highlighted by the yellow of the butter when stirred.

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After mixing together the eggs and sugar, I endeavoured to see a ribbon like trail, as described in the recipe.  Perhaps my perception is not functioning as required as it only seemed to trail from the beater into the bowl.  It did not flutter, or attract playful kittens, so perhaps I failed to achieve the recommended texture. 

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Disillusioned at my abilities I added the vanilla and chocolate and after mixing well I forgot one little foible of the mixer.  I began to add the flour and if you do not add minute quantities of flour the mixer, bench, floor, book shelf and myself become coated with a fine layer of flour once it is turned on. Even the lowest speed may mean premature grey hair and faded clothing (or at least the appearance).  Snarling at the mixer, which had no effect and no two way conversation ensured, I painstakingly added the rest of the flour until it was combined.  When I read the recipe again, it became apparent it was my mistake as the flour and walnuts were meant to be combined with a large spoon.

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Now abashed, I apologised to the mixer, but again received no reply.  Perhaps our relationship is permanently broken.  Perhaps not.  It is hard to tell.

Adding the walnuts, I consumed a few just to make absolutely certain that they were up to standard.  Not because I like walnuts, I assure you.  Only in the interest of quality control.

Sighing over the possible rift in my non-existent relationship with the mixer, I poured the mixture into the tin lined with baking paper and placed the uncooked brownies into the pre heated oven.  I set the timer and wandered off to read, play the computer or analyse the lyrics of the song “Eloise” (because it makes no sense).

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After the timer politely beeped to inform me that the cooking time had expired, I visited the oven to ascertain if it had completed its task.  It indicated that the process was not yet finished (in reality I took out the tin and tested the contents) and it was placed back in the oven.  When it was finally finished it did not display the rich brown indicated in the recipe.  It was brown, that is true, as can be seen from the photos.

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Admittedly the cutting was haphazard as an unsharpened dining knife was used to undertake the task.  I tasted the brownie once it had cooled slightly.  It is a nice brownie, perhaps not as nice as my preferred recipe but it does contain less sugar.

So Reader’s Digest Like Grandma Used to Make, you are safe and I may try some other recipes from you at a future time.

Note: Lifeline is an free Australiawide Telephone crisis support and suicide Prevention service manned mainly by volunteers. Book Fairs are held to help fund this valuable resource.