Lucchini Cakes & Coffee

When I want a really nice Coffee and Cake, I don't need Myrtle to show me the way -  I head straight to Lucchini in either High Street Preston or to their stall at the Preston Market.

I don't know anywhere else where I can get a Passion fruit Cream Éclair.
They are so fresh that the choux pastry shatters and is then held together by the generous amount of fresh passion-fruit flavoured cream. (No fake cream used here!)

My coffee wasn't half bad either.

The Shop in High Street, is a cosy affair with plenty of 'tables for two' along the walls that are hung with artwork.  And - if you lift your eyes to the space above the front window you will be intrigued by the assortment of ......um....stuff!
The Staff are always friendly and who could resist coming in when their sense of humour is planted firmly on the front door!

As for their stall at the Preston Market -Situated in the Deli Hall, it has an entirely different atmosphere.
And is a good idea to grab a seat inside early in your visit to the Market as space is limited, but the cakes are not!!



Update - They are now open Sundays!




www.lucchinicakes.com.au

A Touch of Dutch -

This little Cafe, situated in an intriguing Arcade in Berwick promised me so much.....

Who could resist the first slice of that awesome looking Apple Pie? - Well I did - at $7:00 a slice (including cream on the side) it was a bit out of my price range seeing I had no one to share it with, and still had to put a Coffee with it.  So I settled for the equally impressive looking, yet smaller Strawberry and Passion Fruit Tart and my usual Half Strength Latte.

Oh dear...... I know that asking for a Half Strength (or Weak) Latte is sacrilege to the majority of Coffee connoisseurs around the world BUT it is the way I drink my Coffee.  - I leave the Short Blacks, Ristrettos  and Macchiatos to other members of my family.  

My Latte arrived -eventually- with at least 2 inches of 'soap suds' foam on top of an insipid lukewarm drink that was vaguely coffee flavoured.  Perhaps the Barresta was new and was learning 'on the job'? - Perhaps... but that was no excuse for the barely cooked pastry that was holding my tart, which fell apart when I tried to cut it.

And the absence on the menu of those beautiful spiced Speculaas biscuits that are so Dutch!  

Oh well, the little shop, accessible through the Cafe sells, amongst other Dutch related items, the carved moulds, should I decide to make my own.