Donna Hay DIY Macarons

Donna Hay Macarons

DIY at home

The Donna Hay Macaron mix can be bought in a few supermarkets around Adelaide, I bought mine from Woolworths (or Safeway in some other states). It costs about $8 for the box and all you have to add is water to the macaron mix, and some milk/cream for the chocolate filling.

I bought a piping kit to help make perfect round macarons but it broke so the majority was made by just scooping out with a tablespoon. A little bit a water on the spoon will stop the macaron mixture from sticking to it, so you will get smooth glossy macaron tops.

Dust with a little bit of cocoa to look extra good.


Overall I think this DIY macaron session went really well and the macarons weren't as sweet as some from shops, it was just right.

Summary of thoughts:

Difficulty: Easy

Time from start to finish: 1hr

Taste: 4/5

CC

Sah Modern Mediterranean

Sah Modern Mediterranean

Location: 145 O'Connell Street, North Adelaide

Open: Everyday

Food: Tapas, Paella, typical main course

Website: http://www.webmenu.com.au/menus/SA/Sah-Modern-Mediterranean/

Entertainment book discount: Complimentary main course with another main course up to $25.

Sah is a nice modern mainly tapas restaurant on the northern end of O'Connell Street. It is more a classy dining tapas restaurant in oppose to the tapas bar type, so no loud music and large noisy crowds.

To date it has been a hit and miss, my first experience there was pretty good but the second time was hard to bare and I left hungry. Overall I think they are pricing themselves too high for the standard of food they are cooking up... here I go to give you an idea of my experiences.

First experience:

Strawberry and lime cider 500ml: $16 (liquor store= $6.50)

Duck Meatballs Tapas: $12 (meatballs were soft and juicy but crumbly and couldn't taste duck)

My main: Combination Paella ($25.90), nice hot stone dish with good amount of chicken, a bit salty and oily as a little too much chorizo. Got a bit sickening after a while.

His main: Lamb shank with polenta special ($40), good amount of lamb shank cooked soft and tender, good mix of tomato based sauce.

Summary of thoughts:
Duck meatballs: 3.5/5
Combination Paella: 3.5/5
Lamb Shanks: 4/5

Second experience:
Tap water
Entree: Raw Fish Tapas ($16), THE FISH WAS PAPER THIN SLICED INTO 2cm x 4cm RECTANGLES AND YOU ONLY GET 5 SLICES (that's $3.20 per slice) ... Couldn't even take a photo of it.

My Main: Chargrilled lamb cutlets with beans and jus. ($28.90), there was more fat than meat. Don't be fooled, the piece on the far left is just skin and fat curled up! I think I ate about half a piece of bread worth of meat :(   the beans were the same as the beans we ordered as a side. the chargrill and jus was a bitter sour taste...

His main: Chargrilled Wagyu Grade 8 Scotch Fillet with Parmesan Polenta Chips and chimichurri sauce. ($49.90), tasted better than my main, couldn't taste the grade 8 wagyu texture as there wasn't much marbling, polenta chips were good but please... paying $50 for a meal, the sides better be ok. Mind you, there wasn't any other sides that come with the mains = ripped off badly.

Our side: Green Beans ($8.90), possibly the best thing I ate that night.

Summary of thought:

Lamb: 2/5

Steak: 4/5

Beans: 3.5/5

CC

Dough

Hello Folks!

Firstly, sorry for the disappointment I have caused you over the last year for not writing ANY reviews... I will try harder!

And to show my new found enthusiasm... Below is my first review entry!

I'll start my blog with my current favourite bakery/patisserie... DOUGH!

Dough
Location: Central Markets, Shop 45, next to the cheese shop
Open: Wednesday - Saturday
Type of food: breads, pastries, tarts, cakes, brownies, gluten free options
Website: http://www.adelaidecentralmarket.com.au/bakeries/dough

So Dough is a bakery I wandered past a few years ago, not really thinking much of it when I believed it was 'just another bakery'. From first looks there was your typical breads and rolls, not so different to the Baker's Delight a few steps away but slightly dearer.

What caught my eye as I continued walking past the stall was the neat and pretty selection of tarts and brownies, as well as the perfectly presented apple and pear danishes. I bought a strawberry and cream tart, though it was the size of my palm (small) and cost me $3.50, it was one of the best decisions I have made.

The strawberry and cream tart has a delicate thin tart shell, so thin you would break it when holding too hard. The most fluffy, lightly creamy vanilla bean custard/cream fill the tart shell and is topped with a large (or a few petit) sweet red strawberry, lightly dusted with icing sugar. The tart is of heaven status taste. The custard/cream is not too sweet, but is smooth and the right amount of vanilla to not overwhelm the sweet taste of strawberry. The crisp buttery tart shell works well to give the tart a bakery sweet smell and balance the amount of solid/liquid of the tart, unlike some tarts where you end up feeling like you're eating a jam cookie. IT'S A MUST TRY!!

If strawberry tarts aren't your liking, there are several other tarts/pastries to try.

In the this photo from top (strawberry and vanilla tart) clockwise, Pistachio cream and Dark Chocolate Tart, Lemon Tart, Pear Danish and Pecan Tart.

The Pistachio cream and Chocolate Tart is extremely awesome, the light and fluffy pistachio cream is not too sweet again and goes well with the dark chocolate tart. The chocolate is rich as in most chocolate tarts but because the tart shell is again, the very thin tart shell, it is easy to eat and finish.

The Pecan tart, lemon tart and pear danish were pretty good too, but were not as surprisingly good in comparison to other bakeries/patisseries.  

The pear danish was really cute though and the apple danish is similar (but in an apple shape).

Summary of thoughts:
Bakery status: 4.5/5
Strawberry and cream tart: 5/5
Pistachio cream and chocolate tart: 4/5
Pecan Tart: 3.5/5
Lemon Tart: 3/5
Pear danish: 3/5

CC

Welcome!

Welcome to The Adelaide Diner!

This blog is dedicated to the FOOD in Adelaide, South Australia.

Here I will post food and restaurants I recommend you try (or become your staple food) and also ones you might want to stay away from. There are no limits to what I may review; from high end degustations to packaged food from the supermarket.

The way I will write my reviews will be by 'series', namely:
- The Entertainment Card Diner Series
- The Take Away Diner Series
- The Sweet Tooth Diner Series
- The Late Night Diner Series

Now, I understand that not everyone has the same sort of taste for food so take that as you have been warned that you may not agree with me everytime.

Nonetheless I hope this blog will help you in your journey to delicious food everytime you're hungry.

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