Food Tours with Swee-Eng back
Chinatown tour and Peking Duck
Mystified about Asian fresh herbs and spices? Then come along on a fascinating tour of Asian grocery stores and discover fresh herbs like turmeric, cha plu, perilla leaves, Vietnamese hot mint, rice paddy herb, eryngo leaves, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil and many more. We will visit Asian stores that provide the best Asian pastes, condiments and spices as well as the different types of tofu, fresh noodles and Asian vegetables. You will be advised on how to 'season' woks, steamers, clay pots and pestle and mortars. Then, relax and enjoy a delicious traditional Peking Duck dinner prepared by one of the finest Chinese restaurants in Chinatown.
Vietnamese food tour of Cabramatta
Before the arrival of the Vietnamese in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the residents of Cabramatta were mainly Yugoslavs, Germans and Italians. But in recent years, more and more Vietnamese have settled here, so much so that Cabramatta has become the Vietnamese quartier in Sydney. During this tour, we mingle with the old and new Vietnamese and visit food shops that offer the best of Vietnamese food, unusual cakes and sweets, exotic fruits and fresh herbs. Naturally, the tour includes a delicious Vietnamese lunch, prepared by Thanh Binh restaurant which is highly regarded for its authenticity.
Discovering Marrickville and its diverse cultures
Do you want to know where to buy the best Greek dips, ricotta, haloumi and goat cheese, olives and salted cod? Melomakarouna, kourambiedes, the divine galaktoboureka and spanakopeta? Lebanese dried fruits, spices, coffee and sweets? The best and most exotic ice cream? The location of excellent Greek, Indonesian and Vietnamese restaurants in the inner west? Are you curious about Tibetan culture, Buddhist philosophy and meditation? Join us on an interesting tour of Marrickville and discover ethnicity at its best. The tour includes a yum cha lunch and food sampling at shops.
Discover Little Italy at Concord
Do you know that Concord has become the little Italy in Sydney? We visit Mario and Grace's Pasticceria Le Palme and have a look at the numerous Italian biscuits and pastries they make on the premises. Phillip of Gelateria Artigianale is the only one in Sydney that makes artisan gelato and is proud of it! Phillip will briefly demonstrate for us how he makes his absolutely fabulous ice-cream. We also visit Talone Italian Butcher where they make gourmet Italian sausages. And Santoro Delicatessen has all the lovely cheeses, olives, imported pasta and freshly-baked breads. The tour includes a delicious Italian lunch, some food demonstration and handouts.
Duck Crawl in Chinatown
Fancy eating three versions of duck prepared by three of the best Chinese restaurants in Chinatown? Have you had Pe Ba, a Cantonese version of roast duck or 1000 Grandson Duck, filled with sticky rice, lotus seeds, Chinese mushrooms and salted egg-yolk? The perfect Peking Duck, served with pancakes and then sang choy bow filled with duck meat cooked with bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and mushrooms? Come along, have fun and indulge in this gastronomic delight. The tour includes three dinners of duck and a food demonstration of prawn dumpling.
Discover Bairro Portuges in Petersham
Are you curious about Portuguese cuisine? The gorgeous pasties de nata or crunchy and delicious pasties de bacalhau and the original Portuguese charcoal chicken, marinated in garlic, lemon and herbs? Do you know that there are seven varieties of Portuguese port? Come along and find out where to purchase fabulous foods of Portugal in the Inner West. You will be shown how Portuguese custard tarts are made and be advised on how to prepare bacalhau, the famous Portuguese salted cod. And, what's more, come to know where to purchase the best quince paste, Portuguese goat cheese and chorizo (Portuguese sausage) in Sydney. Naturally, a lovely lunch of authentic Portuguese food is included with the tour.
If you are interested to join Swee-Eng on these food tours, please email her at <[email protected]>. Swee-Eng also runs cooking workshops.