7

Kaya

madeleines

with

chocolate

sauce

94 GOURMET TRAVELLER

I

grew up a greedy child, so it was almost inevitable that baking

would become an interest of sorts. Since my parents were

fairly strict about what sweets, if any, were allowed into the

household, I worked out early on that if I made something

myself, I’d get to eat a lot of it. From a beloved children’s

cookbook, I made glacé-cherry-topped cupcakes, gingerbread folk,

flapjacks and banana flummery. Chocolate cake and brownies

followed, and so did tarts, although I never quite got the hang

of shortcrust pastry and developed a terrible tart anxiety.

After I graduated from university, I decided to sign up as

an apprentice chef. This was born partially from the frustration

of not knowing what I was doing in the home kitchen or why

things would sometimes go wrong. Shaking pans in a hot kitchen

led to a job in the dessert section where I instantly felt at home.

Despite the rewarding feeling of doing something very creative

and technical, working in a restaurant dessert kitchen had

its downsides. I found I could follow instructions and put

20 different elements on a plate, but I had no idea what a

crémeux was, nor could I confidently construct a simple tart.

Making the eventual switch to bakery work gave me a new

appreciation for simple things done well and evoked a sense of

nostalgia. (It also helped me conquer that dreaded tart anxiety.)

Many kitchen years later (they’re like dog years, thanks to

the sheer number of hours per week), I still have no idea what a

crémeux is, but have learnt other new things. Time spent in the

kitchen at Marque cemented the idea that simplicity can still

be surprising, with unexpected but complementary ingredients

creating layers of flavour. At Brickfields, I learnt to prize flavour

over presentation; brown food can be wonderful – if something

is drab on the outside, it doesn’t mean it isn’t a disco-flavoured

party on the inside. And it was at Boon Café, under the guidance

of Palisa Anderson, that I rediscovered my love for the Asian

ingredients I’d rejected as a kid in an effort to fit in.

Laurie Colwin once said that the world is divided into those

who are waiting for dessert and those who produce it. If you’re

one of the former, you can find most of these treats and more,

produced on weekends at Paper Bird Restaurant in Potts Point.

If you’re one of the latter, dive in.

Paper Bird, 46a Macleay St, Potts Point, NSW, (02) 9326 9399,

paperbirdrestaurant.com