Summer! It’s the perfect time to drink, feast, dance and get merry– especially with Christmas and New Years Eve around the corner. This year with festivals, a ginger bread house and high tea there’s a bunch of different things to look forward to particularly if you love food.
Christmas Fare: Artisan Food Gifts
For one night only enjoy a high hand picked selection of Sydney’s finest artisan producers, makers and small-scale retailers. You can create-your-own gourmet food hamper or buy premium hand-made foodie gifts; one thing is certain though, this market will surely help along your progress towards Christmas! As a plus you can enjoy the museum for free- a drink from Young Henry’s pop-up bar and a bite to eat at some of the food stalls they’ll have there. Live entertainment will be there too, provided by budding new local talent.
Where: Hyde Park Barracks Muesum, Queens Square, Macquarie Street, Sydney
When: 4pm-9pm, Thursday 17 December
Price: By donation: gold coin
Gingerbread House
So admittedly, I don’t really get to make or eat a gingerbread house each year on Christmas- whether you have there’s at least one thing I’m sure of it’s this…you never gonna see a gingerbread house like this! If you’re lost for what to do in the city while you find yourself there for any particular reason why not take a chance to stop by, visit and spoil your inner Hansel or Gretel? The gingerbread house claimed to be the largest in Sydney was made by Shangri-La Hotel’s executive pastry chef Anna Polyviou and her team with gingerbread (duh), assorted lollies, chocolate and oodles of highly detailed icing. Along with the tree in the middle of the QVB it’s the perfect christmas display to go sight see. There will also some ginger ninjas, mini gingerbread lolly bag houses, connect four macaron packs, white christmas nougat and christmas pudding available for sale.
Where: Shangri-La Hotel, 176 Cumberland street, Sydney
When: 9am-5pm, Wednesday 2 December to Thursday 24 December
Milkwood’s Passata Day
If you’re stuck for how to gather some brand new experiences onto your plate how about a day of squishing some tomatoes? Yeah that’s right, tomato squishing- of course that’s not all to it. You’ll be making passata and there’ll be some as well pasta to go with it, besides that there’ll be music and you’re free to some virgin marys. Everyone’s encouraged to wear red because you’re almost bound to get messy.
Where: 107 Projects, 107 Redfern st, Redfern
When: 3pm-7pm, Saturday 30 December
Price: $150
Holiday High Tea at the Shangri-La Hotel
This high tea’s around for all of December with a festive kind of hit with roast turkey and salad rolls, honey roast ham and brie cheese sandwiches and cocktail prawns. There’s dessert as well of course, equally tantalising and tempting with interesting names- there’s an Australian log with toasted meringue, mango creme and tropical fruit compote, a blueberry verrine and the gleaming Christmas in a jar with Christmas cake, chocolate mousse and cherries.
Where: Shangri-La Hotel, 176 Cumberland street, Sydney
When: Everyday 1-5pm, 1-30 December
Price: $55
Christmas Eve High Tea in the Cortile
On Christmas Eve if you have a taste for something sweet or fancy there’s a special high tea in the Cortile with macarons, berry-inspired creme brûlée and a host of sweet and savoury treats- or you could go for their new high coffee option if you so please.
Where: 117 Macquarie street, Sydney NSW 2200, Australia
When: 11am – 5pm, Thursday 24 December 2015
Price: $60
– Jessica Guttridge
