Hot Stuff.

There’s plenty to warm hearts and stomachs this month, from tapas in the Yarra Valley to gourmet choccies from New York

WORDS ROBERTA MUIR

POSH CHOCS

New York’s favourite gourmet chocolate brand, MarieBelle, recently launched in Australia. Its gourmet chocolate bars – in flavours like Aztec and mocha – and sinfully rich Aztec Hot Chocolate come in distinctive chocolate brown and pale blue packaging, and there’s also the collectable Pin-Up Girl chocolate bars, featuring fun vintage nudes on the wrappers! Sold at the likes of Harrods in London, Bergdorf Goodman in New York and Le Bon Marché in Paris, these delicious small indulgences are now available at specialty food stores around Australia from just AU$10.95. For stockists, tel: +61 (417) 718 637.

TEA IN STYLE

For the most beautiful afternoon tea in town, head to Opera Notes on a Silver Platter at The Tearoom in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building on July 3 or 17.

The Tearoom’s ornate ceiling, 1930s art-deco chandeliers, hand-printed Florence Broadhurst wallpaper and crystal wall sconces will please your eyes, while the decadent selection of cakes, pastries, finger sandwiches and scones satisfy your belly! Add tea, coffee or a glass of sparkling wine, serve it all on Royal Albert china and silver high-tea stands, and throw in a live performance by Opera Australia’s Angela Brewer, and you’ve got a feast for all the senses! Gluten-free afternoon teas also available. Lvl 3, 455 George St, Sydney. AU$60; tel: +61 (2) 9283 7279.

TAPAS AND TASTINGS

Bianchet Winery, one of the Yarra Valley’s pioneering vineyards just 35 minutes from Melbourne, is offering Friday-night tapas and tastings throughout July. Come 3.30pm Friday, the cellar door transforms into a wine bar, and locals drop by after work to lounge around the crackling open fire and graze on locally produced charcuterie, boutique cheeses, house-made dips, pâté and beautiful sourdough bread, all washed down with a glass of Bianchet’s Chardonnay, Verduzzo, Pinot Noir or Cabernet Merlot. 187 Victoria Rd, Lilydale, tel: +61 (3) 9739 1779.

TASSIE IN WINTER

Moorilla Estate’s series of Winter Dinners features the offerings of Australia’s most creative, adventurous young chefs to liven up those Tasmanian winter evenings. July 14 sees home-grown talent Robin Black and Kathryn Wakefield, of now-closed Lickerish fame, in the kitchen.

These two won quite a following for the Asian-inspired fare at their North Hobart café-cum-bistro, but whether you have fond memories of their cooking or are sampling it for the first time, this chance to catch them back behind the burners is not to be missed! 655 Main Rd, Berriedale, tel: +61 (3) 6277 9900.

RIPPLES’ BABY SISTER

Sydney gets a beautiful new harbour-side eatery this month when Ripples Café at Chowder Bay opens at the old Submarine Miners’ Depot at Mosman. For the first time in over 100 years the public will have access to this stunning location, set amid fortifications and other remnants of Sydney’s early attempts to defend its harbour.
The new Ripples (sister to Ripples Café at the North Sydney Pool) sits on the outdoor deck of the beautifully restored 19th-century wood-and-sandstone building; indoors is the licensed AquaMine lounge. The café offers an Italian-inspired menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily: a quick bite, coffee or glass of wine is a great way to see a section of Sydney Harbour many locals don’t know. Deck C, Chowder Bay Rd, Chowder Bay, tel: +61 (2) 9960 3000.